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July 2.2004 ■ jUSt OUt,,
inewsbriefs
Kevin Jennings says Oregon policymakers have failed to give schools the support they need to
curb anti-gay bullying and harassment
Continued from Page 9
• Creating a television public service adver
tising campaign focused on questions about breast
cancer and where to get accurate information.
“This award is a wonderful tribute to the
thousands of women and men locally who give
their time and dollars to support the Komen
mission,” affiliate president Tina Foster said.
“It inspires us to keep working on this import
ant cause.”
The affiliate has organized the Portland
Komen Race for the Cure since 1992. This
year’s fund-raiser will be held Sept. 19, begin
ning and ending at Waterfront Park.
Team captains can attend a registration
kickoff meeting from noon to 1:30 p.m. July 10
at the Old Spaghetti Factory, 730 S.E. 160th
Ave. in Vancouver, Wash. Refreshments and
door prizes will be provided.
“They may think they automatically have ben
efits that they don’t.”
The free seminars will take place from 6 to
7:30 p.m. July 14 and 22 at McMenamins
Kennedy School, 5736 N.E. 33rd Ave.
To register call Floreid Walker at 503-445-9390
or Greg Look at 503-566-7266.
O regon F lunks
GLSEN T est
regon has received an F on a scorecard
summarizing state laws that ensure the
safety of all students, regardless of sexual orien
tation or gender identity.
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education
Network announced the release of the 2004
State of the States report June 28. It represents
the first systematic measurement and compre
For more information call 503-553-3680 or visit
hensive analysis of policies affecting school
uw. komenoregon. org.
environments for queer students.
Oregon, which ranked 29th, was one of
42 states to receive failing grades in the
report. New Jersey was ranked first with a
eaving a egacy
score of 95 and one of only two A’s on the
ithout the axes
list. Mississippi was at the bottom of the list
esbian financial adviser Floreid Walker and
and the only state with fewer than zero
her business partner, Greg Lcxtk, have a
points, with a score of -3.
service to offer queer couples that Walker says All 50 states and rhe District of Columbia
no one else is doing.
were given letter grades based on points granted
Walker and Ltxtk will hold two evening sem in six categories, including statewide safe
inars this month to teach same-sex couples how schools laws, statewide nondiscrimination laws,
to set up “Stretch IRA” and “Stretch Legacy" support for education on sexual health and sex
accounts that allow money to be transferred tax-
uality, kx:al safe schtxils policies, general educa
free in the event of a domestic partner’s death.
tion issues (student/teacher ratios and gradua
Recent changes in tax laws make it possible for
tion rates, for example) and laws stigmatizing
queer couples to achieve this benefit, which used
queers.
“Titis report highlights what many safe
to apply only to spouses in federally recognized
schixils advocates have feared—that our
marriages.
“I’m excited...to help our community,”
nation’s policymakers have failed to give
Walker told Just Out. The 61-year-old has been
schools the policies and programmatic sup
a financial adviser for nearly two decades. She
port they need to change environments
where bullying and harassment%ised on sex
worked at Waddell & Reed in Portland for 16
years before recently co-founding Willamette
ual orientation and gender identity are the
rule and not the exception,” said Kevin Jen
Financial Group with colleagues.
The seminars will teach people how to set
nings, GLSEN executive director. “In class-
nxims where ‘faggot’ is heard more often
up their individual retirement accounts so that
than the Pledge of Allegiance and 39 percent
assets can he passed on, tax-free, to nonspouse
beneficiaries such as domestic partners, chil of LGBT students report being physically
dren and friends. Walker and Ltxtk will also assaulted because of their sexual orientation,
our sch<x)ls and the states that govern them
instruct people on how to leave nonretirement
are failing.’jn
accounts to these same beneficiaries.
Walker says the seminars will be of interest
Compiled by JlM R a DOSTA and M eg D aly
to legally married same-sex partners as well.
L
W
L
WHETHER YOU'RE STARTING A FAMILY
OR CREATING ONE AS YOU GO.
O
,
T
L
We invite your family to join ours.
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