22
• may 16.2003
news
employ similar gay-haiting tactics by issuing
press releases that linked House Democratic
Leader Nancy Pelosi of California to eight vul
nerable Democratic incumbents. In its attack
on U .S. Rep. Dennis Moore o f Kansas, the
committee states that Pelosi supports “needle
exchange programs, gay m arriage...and Den
nis Mcxire.” The release then goes on to ask,
“Whose values docs Dennis Moore represent,
San Francisco’s or Kansas’ ?”
According to The Washington Blade, R N C
Chairman Marc Racicot recently met with the
Human Rights Campaign and pledged to mem
bers that he “would not tolerate ‘gay-haiting’ ads
in Republican election campaigns under his
control.” He already has broken his promise by
utilizing attacks specifically designed to moti
vate the anti-gay core of the Republican Party,
according to Noble.
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CALIFORNIA
he Assembly Appropriations Committee
heard testimony April 30 on a key domes
tic partner bill that would significantly expand
the rights, responsibilities and obligations of reg
istered domestic partners in the state.
Brad Sears presented preliminary results of a
study by the UCLA-based Williams Project on
the fiscal impact of the hill. It showed an esti
mated savings to the state of $2.5 million to
$155.4 million a year. Gist-saving elements
include a predicted reduction in the number of
individuals eligible for means-tested govern
ment benefits, mutual responsibility for debts by
domestic partners and an estimated increase in
income tax revenues.
“This independent study is consistent with
what we have witnessed in Vennont: Discrimina
tion is more expensive than equality,” said Geof
frey Kors, California Alliance for Pride and
Equality executive director. “Ginsidering Cali
fornia’s current fiscal situation, every member of
the legislature should he jumping on hoard as a
co-author of this hill as soon as possible.”
Supervisors has had an openly gay member since
1977, when Harvey Milk won election to it, the
city never has had a gay mayor, despite several
close efforts: In 1995 former Clinton administra
tion official Roberta Achtenberg tried for the
city’s top job, and in 1999 Ammiano made his
first bid, losing to Willie Brown in a runoff. Milk,
who was assassinated 25 years ago, is regarded as
one of the most significant figures in the move
ment to encourage gay men and lesbians to par
ticipate in politics and government.
*
M
8 *
ichael Savage, whose television show pre
miered on M SN B C in March accompa
nied by controversy and protest, sensationalized
and grossly misrepresented queer issues on bis
May 3 episode, according to the Gay and Les
bian Alliance Against Defamation.
During the program he stated: “Here’s what
worries me: If a fellow goes in for a job that
requires certain skills, and he happens to be
dressed as a woman, and he says to the person, ‘I
want this job and I’m a transsexual.’ And then
VIRGINIA
the employer says, ‘Can you do this job?’ And he
aul Smedberg succeeded May 6 in a field of says: ‘That’s irrelevant. What’s relevant is my
1 3 candidates vying for six at-large seats on
sexuality. I’m going to sue you.’ ”
the Alexandria City
The only guest was
Giuncil.
Peter Sprigg of the
His win makes him
Family
Research
the city’s first openly
Giuncil, whose com
gay officeholder and
mentary merely com
the second in Virginia.
plemented
Savage’s
point of view and cre
It also brings to 246 the
number of gay, lesbian
ated a completely
unbalanced discussion,
i and hi elective office-
j holders in the nation.
G L A A D said. The
-3»
show marked the first
“Move over Jerry
he Gay &. Lesbian Victory Fund an Falwell and Pat Robert
time he discussed gay,
nounced April 28 its co-endorsement of son, times are changing
lesbian, hi or trans
Tom Ammiano and Susan Leal for mayor of the
in
Virginia!”
said
issues.
city and county of San Francisco. The election
Chuck Wolfe, Gay & Paul Smedberg is the first openly gay officeholder
After a hiatus
will he held Nov. 4.
Lesbian Victory Fund in Alexandria, Va.
because of war cover
Leal is treasurer of San Francisco, an office
executive
director.
age, Savage’s show
she first was elected to in 1998. Ammiano is “Paul Smedberg’s victory is a tremendous step for returned several weeks ago, seemingly under the
District 9 s representative on the San Francisco ward in a state with myriad anti-gay laws on the
same stringent content and caller screening as
Board of Supervisors, a post he first won in 1994.
Ixxiks, including a sodomy law. As Paul works on
before. While anti-gay sentiment from Savage
This is the Victory Fund’s second co-endorse behalf of his constituents, he will help tear down
or Sprigg is not a surprise, G L A A D said the dis
ment in its 12-year history.
barriers and stereotypes and advance equality for cussion was one-sided and blatantly incorrect in
Ammiano and Leal are not the only candi all Virginians.”
its analysis of California Assembly Bill 196,
dates seeking to lead the nation’s 13th largest
which grants employment protections to trans
metropolis, but a victory for either of them
NATIONAL
people and sets penalties for those who deny
would make San Francisco the largest U.S. city
epublicans were denounced April 28 for employment based solely on the person’s gender
with a gay mayor. According to the 2000 census,
demonizing Democratic presidential candi identity.
San Francisco is home to 776,733 people. Prov dates who hold pro-equality positions on issues
According to the California Fair Employment
idence, R.I., with 173,618 residents, reigns as such as same-sex civil unions and hate crime
& Housing Act, which the legislation would
the most populous city in the United States
protections. Despite a recent promise not to use
amend, employees or tenants who allege gender
with a gay mayor, David Cicilline.
such tactics, the Republican National Gimmit-
discrimination would have to meet the same high
“Leal and Ammiano are outstanding public
tce has chosen to initiate the 2004 campaign
standard for allegations of bias based on race, reli
servants with considerable experience and pre season with anti-gay attacks.
gion, sex and other categories. Sprigg, a longtime
vious citywide victories to their credit,” said
“Just as Republicans defended [Pennsylvania
anti-gay activist, in fact corrected Savage by
Chuck Wolfe, Victory Fund executive director.
U.S. Sen. Rick] Santorum’s sick comments by
informing him of the bill’s allowance for employ
“With the two of them running, we face an
labeling him as ‘inclusive,’ they continue to babble
ers to set acceptable dress code standards for trans
abundance of riches in this race. It’s a testament out of both sides of their mouth,” said Dave Noble,
employees.
to the progress that San Franciscans have made
National Stonewall Democrats executive director.
In addition, the program repeatedly con
toward inclusion and equal treatment of all
“The GOP is further alienating the majority of tained footage of drag queens at Pride celebra
those who call the city home.”
fair-minded Americans by attacking gay families."
tions that served only to sensationalize the issue.
Wolfe also noted that Ammiano and Leal are
During the past few months, the R N C Web On the April 30 episode of M SN B C ’s Hardball
running strong campaigns: “Both candidates can
site has posted “opposition research” papers on 1 with Chris Matthews, similar footage was shown
show a path to victory. To date, Leal’s strength has
Democratic presidential candidates. The publi during a debate between Sprigg and Mark Leno,
been her fund raising, and Ammiano’s strength
cations highlight positions held by Democrats
the California state assemblyman who intro
has been his name I.D. and organization. Both are
that contradict those held by the RN C and
duced A B 196. After the segment aired,
shining examples of the roles that gay and lesbian
specifically lash out at Democrats for supporting G L A A D spoke with producers to register its
Americans play in their communities.”
gay rights.
concerns and was assured that the images were
San Francisco’s 2003 mayoral race is histori
inappropriate and would not be used in other
Additionally, the N ational Republican
cally significant as well. While the Board of Congressional G im m ittee last month chose to
prime-time shows.
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