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tender with a distinct
5 o’clock shadow and
the husky baritone of
talk show host Larry
King; a pivotal rescue
in which Pinocchio’s
nose grows after he
denies wearing wom
en’s underwear; and a
(presumably
male)
wolf
comfortably
dressed in Grandmas
clothing and dancing.
The Gender Public
Advocacy Coalition—
a national advocacy
organization working Right-wingers are pissed
to end discrimination transgenderism”
and violence caused by
gender stereotypes—called the criticism “petty and
foolish.”
“In entertainment, as :n real life, there are all
kinds of people who make up our neighborhoods
and communities,” executive director Riki
Wilchins said. “It is great that children and their
parents can enjoy a wide variety of characters,
including those who don’t fit into rigid sex-role
stereotypes.”
A computer-generated movie, Shrek 2 has
become the highest-grossing animated hit in
domestic box office history, bringing in more
than $364 million in just its first four weeks.
contractors who make reasonable efforts to com
ply with it. A key element of the law is a stream
lined waiver process, an approach used by San
Francisco because it minimized implementation
problems and achieved a high rate of compliance.
The bill is also similar to the San Francisco law
in that it acknowledges there will be instances
where a few contractors may have differences
with the law based on religious principles. In these
cases, the bill allows religion-based contractors
the option of offering their employees coverage
for a dependent household member instead of a
domestic partner. This solution kept almost all
such contractors in place in San Francisco.
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SOUTH CAROLINA
at Shrek 2 for “promoting cross-dressing and
ambda Legal filed a lawsuit June 29 against
Foot Locker in state court in Columbia on
behalf of a former employee who was subjected
Defense attorneys claimed that Araujo
to severe anti-gay harassment by co-workers and
“deceived” her attackers and that learning her supervisors, at two different store locations and
biological sex caused one defendant to become
in front of customers, and ultimately fired.
enraged “beyond reason.” One attorney claimed
“Kevin Dunbar was subjected to a night
that no hate crime had been committed.
marish workplace and then fired because he is
“We are relieved that the prosecutor is com gay,” attorney Greg Nevins said. “Foot Locker
mitted to retrying these defendants,” said Tina
could have addressed this problem, as it clearly
D’Elia of Community United Against Violence.
promises employees in its policies, but instead
“This is the first prosecution of a hate crime chose to ignore it and make it worse. Our client
against a transgender person under California’s followed the rules to address the discrimination,
hate crime statute. This case confirms the need
and all it got him was a pink slip.”
for such a law. I am sure that the jury’s refusal to
Kevin Dunbar, 26, suffered anti-gay harass
buy into the so-called ‘transgender panic’
ment and discrimination at the hands of his co
defense will offer some comfort to Gwen’s fami workers, supervisors and customers. Foot Locker
ly because the jury recognized Gwen’s humanity
promises a harassment-free workplace and
and stayed focused on the facts.”
includes sexual orientation in its policies.
When Dunbar formally complained, the
*€♦
promised confidentiality was broken and the
he Assembly Judiciary Committee, by an
discrimination grew worse. He was transferred
8-3 vote, passed a resolution June 15 oppos from one store location to another, where his
ing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution
new manager refused to shake his hand and said,
limiting the rights of same-sex couples to marry
“I heard about your shit; 1 don’t want your fag
or obtain benefits through civil unions or got ass in my store.”
domestic partnerships.
Dunbar said: “Once I became a target, every
This makes California the first state to have
morning when I woke up and I was scheduled for
a legislative committee take a stand against the
work, I knew that my supervisors and co-workers
President Bush-backed Federal Marriage
would verbally insult and degrade me, probably
Amendment. A competing resolution that
in front of customers. At best, they’d talk behind
would have put California on record in support
my back and make my every task twice as diffi
of the proposal now before Congress was not
cult—just because I’m gay. When I took a job at
considered at the request of the author.
Foot Locker, 1 looked at the policies and took
“I come from a religious tradition that does not
comfort in knowing that the company was fair to
perform same-sex marriages,” the Rev. Amos
gay employees. Since the policies were so clear,
Brown of the Third Baptist Church told the com
I never thought this would happen.” JF1
mittee. “However, 1 would never seek to impose
my religious traditions on civil society. Civil soci Compiled by News Editor J IM RADOSTA, who can
be reached at jim@justout.com.
ety has a duty to treat all people, including gays
and lesbians, with equal protection under the law.”
T
Jurors didn’t buy into defense attorneys’ claim
that Gwen Araujo “deceived” her attackers
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NEW YORK
he New York City Council voted 41-4
CALIFORNIA
June 28 to override Mayor Michael
urors declared a mistrial June 22 in the trial of
Bloomberg’s veto of the Equal Benefits Bill.
three men accused of killing Gwen Araujo, a
The legislation requires employers with con
17-year-old trans woman who was viciously at tracts of $100,000 or more from the city to pro
tacked Oct. 3,2002, in Newark. According to press
vide the same benefits to employees with
reports, the jury couldn’t concur on the most seri domestic partners that they provide to employ
ous charge possible: first-degree murder with hate ees with spouses. Enacting such a law has been a
crime enhancements.
priority of the city’s large sexual minorities com
Araujo was beaten severely—using fists,
munity since San Francisco passed the nation’s
canned goods and a metal skillet—then strangled
first measure of this kind in 1997.
to death. Her attackers then wrapped her in blan
“This one action will have a more tangible
kets and hit her in the head with a shovel before
impact on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
placing her body in a pickup. She was driven to a families than any measure ever passed by the
remote location and buried in a shallow grave City Council,” said Alan Van Capelle, Empire
near South Lake Tahoe, where her body was State Pride Agenda executive director. “This is
one of the best days ever for LGBT families!”
found two weeks later after one of her attackers,
A still unanswered question is whether
20-year-old Jaron Nabors, confessed to police.
Bloomberg will follow through on his threat to
Three men—Michael Magidson, 23, and
block implementation of the bill by challenging
Jose Merel and Jason Cazares, both 24—were on
its provisions in court. Absent any legal action,
trial for her murder and could have faced 25
the law takes effect in 120 days and affects only
years to life in prison. Nabors was also charged
new and renewed city contracts.
but pleaded guilty to manslaughter and, in
Similar to the San Francisco statute, the bill is
exchange for testifying against the others, was
written to accommodate rather than penalize
promised an 11-year sentence.
J
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W&ew an ordinary
Realtor simply
won’t do...
Kevin Dunbar was harassed at two Foot Locker
stores and then fired because he is gay, despite
the company’s anti-discrimination policy
Jfi
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