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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2003)
august 1.2003 • Ju st «art, 2 The W hite House allegedly attempted to discredit A BC’s Jeffrey Kofman because he is a gay Canadian “While the facts behind this reported smear are unclear, the news coverage itself and the implications are very serious for all journalists and equally troubling for the American public," exec utive director Pamela Strother slid. "Whenever the coverage of a lesbian or gay journalist or the nationality of a reporter is criticized and discred ited simply because of the individuals birthright or sexual orientation—that is a form of dangerous intimidation and a potential professional libel.” The White House dismissed suggestions it was behind the smear campaign. Kofman said that he is unsure why anyone would want to “out” him as a Canadian and that the real story is what’s going on in Iraq. “I think it’s not surprising in certain ways that a provocative story provokes,” he told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. “It’s all a little perplexing and kind of a sideshow. I think you just have to kind of look at this and roll your eyes and move on." a stroke victim because he has HIV, Lambda kegal filed a discrimination complaint July 23 with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights. A month before Cecil Little, 50, was dis charged from the hospital, his mother and his sister approached a nursing home within six miles of where they live. That facility, Tangi Pines, agreed to care for him but, just three days before-he was due to arrive, backed out of the agreement upon learning of his HIV status. Five other nearby nursing homes also revoked their agreements to provide care to him. Since Lambda Legal believes these six nursing homes accept Medicare or Medicaid, they are bound by the Federal Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits facilities that receive fed eral funds from discriminating against people with disabilities. “Cecil Little requires help meeting his most basic needs, and discrimination based on his HIV status should not dictate where he gets those needs met,” attorney Brian Chase said. “What makes this case even more frustrating is that we are dealing with health care profes sionals here—these are the people who should help dispel baseless fears about HIV, not per petuate them." Last month a similar case was settled in Pennsylvania. A 56-year-old legally blind man with AIDS filed a discrimination complaint against a personal care home that refused to admit him because the staff would be uncom fortable caring for him. The man dropped the charges when the facility offered him a room. ARKANSAS lawsuit tiled by the American Civil Liber ties Union regarding an Arkansas schrxrl’s treatment of a 14-year- old tor being openly gay ended July 17 with dis- .S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., stuck his trictwide policy changes foot in his mouth again in response to a to ensure fair treatment question about what he would do if one of his six of queer students. children told him of “gay urges." “I’m really glad that “I would try to point out to them what is the this is all over and that right thing to do," he told GQ in an interview the ACLU is making published July 22. “And we have many tempta the school treat gay tions to do things we shouldn’t do...it doesn’t students the way they mean you have to submit.” should have been treat Later, when asked what he would do if one of ed in the first place,” his children was gay, he said, “Continue to help Thomas McLaughlin Thomas McLaughlin them in their life in a way that would lead them said. “No more stu to a better and happier life.” Kevin Jennings, j dents should have to go through what I did.” executive director of the Gay, Lesbian and The Pulaski County Special Scfuxil District Straight Education Network, called the remarks officials had “outed" McLaughlin to his parents “troublesome and potentially harmful" to queer without his permission, made him read from the and questioning adolescents. Bible and disciplined him for talking about bis “Mainstream mental health and educational sexual orientation and later for talking about authorities have made it clear how we can help that punishment. These actions, the ACLU LGBTQ youth achieve the ‘better and happier lawsuit charged, violated his rights to tree life’ that the senator speaks of: We must support speech, equal protection and privacy as well as them in accepting their sexual orientation, his religious liberty. which is an innate characteristic, and provide Under the terms of the agreement, the dis them with homes, schools and communities trict issued a formal apology to McLaughlin that value and respect who they are," he said. and his parents and paid a total of $25,000 in “Any suggestion contrary to medically accepted damages and attorney fees. Schixil officials wisdom on this subject...especially from a mem also expunged his disciplinary record and ber of the Senate leadership, is dangerously ir banned: responsible, inflammatory and outrageous.” • Disclosing any student’s sexual orientation OLSEN called on Santorum to retract his to others. statements and clarify what he plans to do to • Punishing students for talking during non- help parents create healthier and happier lives instnictional time about their sexual orientation. for queer and questioning youth. In an inter • Punishing students for talking during non- view with The Associated Press published instructional time about discipline they’ve April 22, the third-ranking Republican in the received. U.S. Senate likened homosexuality to bigamy, • Discriminating against students on the basis of their sexual orientation in disciplinary matters. polygamy, incest and adultery. • Forcing students to read the Bible |H LOUISIANA rguing that six Louisiana nursing homes Compiled by News Editor J i m R a IX'»STA, who can violated federal law by refusing to care for 1 be reached at jim@mstuut.com. 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