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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 2, 2004)
Hawthorne An existing law known as the Solomon Amendment already requires universities to give the military the ability to recruit and inter view students without signing a sexual orienta tion-inclusive nondiscrimination policy, even if the schools require such policies from other prospective employers. Although many univer sities grant military recruiters access to students, the legislation would require universities to cer tify such access or risk losing all federal funding. “This isn’t about recruiting,” said Sharra E. Greer, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network law and policy director. “Military recruiters already have access to colleges and universities. Other employers who discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation are not allowed anywhere near college campuses. The Department of Defense is simply trying to maintain its form of federally sanctioned discrimi nation on our na tion’s campuses. This hill is unneces sary and unfair.” U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan, D-Mass., a member of the House Armed Ser vices Committee, sharply criticized the bill in remarks Marty Meehan made on the House floor. He called it “a drastic solution to a prob lem that doesn’t even exist.” “The bill we are debating today was reported by the committee under the guise of promoting equal access for military recruiters on America’s college and university campuses,” Meehan said. “In reality, this bill is designed to force universi ties to violate their own policies against discrim ination on the basis of sexual orientation and to undermine pending lawsuits that challenge the so-called Solomon Amendment.” Hawt hor ne Hawt hor ne Hawthorne TENNESSEE he Tennessee Court of Appeals struck down a court order March 24 that told a gay parent not to do anything that “exposes” his son to “the gay lifestyle.” The court went on to say that “neither gay parents nor heterosexual parents have special rights” and that courts should follow the same principles in placing lim its on visitation and custody for both gay and straight parents. The decision came in the case of Joseph Hogue, who was sentenced to two days in jail in September 2002 for telling his son that he is gay. The judge who imposed the sentence ruled that Hogue had violated an earlier order the judge had made prohibiting him from “exposing the child to...h is gay lifestyle.” The Court of Appeals said the order was so unspecific that it could not be enforced. “This is a significant decision for gay and les bian parents,” said Ken Choe, a staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union’s Lesbian and Gay Rights Project. “Quirts have no busi ness telling parents how to raise their children, and they especially have no business telling par ents to be dishonest with their kids.” In January, the appeals court cleared Hogue of contempt because telling his son that he is gay was not part of the restraining order. How ever, the court went on to say that the restraining order itself was valid. Following a request by the A C LU , the court reversed that decision. T ARKANSAS A trial opened March 23 in a case challeng ing an Arkansas policy that prevents gay people and anyone living in a household with a gay adult from being foster parents in the state. The trial will be held in the Circuit Court of Pulaski County. “By enacting a policy that bars gay people from being foster parents, the Child Welfare Agency Review Board has sacrificed the inter ests of foster children in order to make a mis he Gay &. Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation expressed concern March 16 guided political statement against gay people,” said Rita Sklar, American Civil Liberties Union about comments made by rapper 50 Cent in an of Arkansas executive director. “This trial will interview appearing in the April issue of Playboy expose that hypocrisy magazine. for exactly what it is.” “1 ain’t into fag The A C LU brought gots,” he said. “I don’t a lawsuit against the like gay people around board in 1999 on me, because I’m not behalf of four prospec comfortable with what tive foster parents, their thoughts are. I’m charging that the poli not prejudiced. I just cy violates the equal don’t go with gay peo protection guarantees ple and kick it— we of the state and federal don’t have that much constitutions. in common.” The state relied on a G L A A D encour series of shopworn, un aged 50 Cent to get to scientific stereotypes know the sexual mi about gay people to norities community, support the ban on fos predicting he will find ter parenting. For in that he has more in stance, it claimed that common with queers children are always bet than he thinks. ter off with a mother “A s a public figure, 50 Cent must realize Rapper 50 Cent made homophobic comments and a father and that gay people are more that his words can in an interview with Playboy magazine likely to commit child have huge impact,” sex abuse, expose children to domestic violence said C . Riley Snorton, people of color media and spread HIV to foster children. manager. “We applaud his honesty in talking “Policy affecting the lives of Arkansas’ foster about the murder o f his bisexual mother and children should be based on what’s best for the appreciate his acknowledgment that he is not children, not baseless myths," attorney Leslie comfortable with gay people. We know that confronting homophobia can indeed be un Cooper said. “This ban flies in the face of years comfortable. But honesty is always the first step of sound research on the children of gay parents and the positions of every national child welfare in overcoming the desire to judge those who are organization." |H different than us and in overcoming prejudice. A good way to start would be to attend G L A A D ’s annual media awards. I’d like to Compiled by News Editor JlM R a DOSTA, who can be reached at jtm@justout .com. invite 50 Cent as my personal guest.” FufiKitu/w (JUilh a P a a ! 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