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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 20, 2003)
june 20.2003 • J u s t a o tj nTTïTTTFTnJTlnewsbrie/s T rans A ctivists C elebrate I nclusion G ordon S mith H ates H ate B eaverton S upports N ondiscrimination B ill .S. Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., held a press P conference June 17 in Washington, D.C., to urge passage of legislation expanding the defini tion of hate crimes to include sexual orientation. He was joined by U.S. Sens. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Judy Shepard, whose son Matthew was killed five years ago in Laramie, Wyo. Also in attendance was former University of Oregon student Trev Broudy, who was severely beaten with a baseball bat last year in West Hollywood, Calif., after hugging a male friend goodnight. Last month Smith’s office signed a statement asserting that it will not discriminate against queer employees. For several years the Human Rights Campaign has asked members of Con gress to prohibit bias based on sexual orienta tion, but this is the first time gender identity and expression have been included in the pledge. ortland activist Lori Buckwalter participat ed in a national telephone conference call June 17 that discussed efforts to include trans people in federal legislation that, as currently worded, would ban workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation hut not gender identity. This year marks the first time that virtually the entire sexual minorities community achieved consensus and solidarity concerning trans inclu sion in all aspects of the movement. More than 20 queer organizations— including the Human Rights Campaign; National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; American Civil Liberties Union; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays; Pride at Work; and National Latina/o Les bian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Organiza tion— have signed statements, sent letters or par ticipated in face-to-face meetings with the lead congressional sponsors of the Employee N on discrimination Act and voiced their unqualified support for trans inclusion in the hill. “The attention that the trans community has put forth for a long time has often been a cause for frustration,” said Buckwalter, executive director of It’s Time, Oregon! “We got the impression in reviewing this proposal with trans activists around the country that this really energized the community. It gave them an alter native to lix)k forward to working in an equi table relationship and with the full support and shoulder to shoulder with the whole communi ty. I think that that’s really sort of a monumen tal change within our own community of matu ration and attitude and a new hopefulness that we have in this legislative process.” U H ouse P arty P lanned for D ean C ampaign B L egislature C onsiders A nti -G ay I nsurance B ill B Lori Buckwalter (left, with her partner of six years, Debra Samuel) says the queer community is undergoing “ a monumental change” regarding trans inclusion A fter receiving a unanimously supported res olution from its Human Rights Advisory Commission, the Beaverton City Council voted June 2 to endorse Senate Bill 786. The legisla tion, which is being considered in the Senate Rules Committee, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to Oregon’s existing non discrimination laws. "This was the right thing to do,” Mayor Rob Drake said. “Being free of discrimination is a basic human right. Fighting discrimination is of top concern for maintaining a high quality of life. People should not have to constantly look over their shoulders.” asic Rights Oregon is urging people to tell their elected representatives to vote no on legislation that would exempt companies with 25 or fewer employees from nondiscrimination pro visions in health insurance coverage based on sexual orientation. Small businesses are estimated to make up 70 percent of the businesses statewide and employ about half of the workforce. Current law states, "No inquiry in an appli cation for health or life coverage shall be direct ed toward determining the applicant’s sexual orientation.” Under House Bill 2537 this provi sion no longer would apply to small employers. usinessman and longtime gay activist Terry Bean will hold a house party supporting Howard Dean’s bid for the Democratic presiden tial nomination from 5 to 6:30 p.m. June 27 at 1882 S.W. Hawthorne Terrace, with a telephone call from the former Vermont governor at 5:30. The minimum contribution is $100, and anybody who has played host to a Dean house party and raised at least $200 can go for free. Organizers also are looking for $500 co-hosts. To RSVP or to volunteer by helping contact potential guests and donors for this event , call Jules Kopel-Baily at 503-804-6910. For more information visit wuAV.deanforamerica.com. Continued on Page 8 Injured? ...Call me Proudly serving our community since 1989 in personal injury claims including; Hala Gores, P.C. Summer is simply the best time to put your home on the market. Call the best realtors for the job. Celia & Terri for Power Team! Buyer—let's get out there & find you a home...Call us now! • Bicycle & Pedestrian LA U R ELH U R ST D EN TISTR Y A tto rn ey at Law F re e C o n su lta tio n No Fee Unless You Recover ( 503 ) 260-6231 T ER R I POPEJOY ( 503 ) 330-0400 Bella Casa Realty Inc. 1523 SE Ankeny, Portland, OR 97214 • 503-231-SELL (7355) C • Insurance Claims l a r ic e & J o h n s t o n d m d . 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