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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 2004)
august 6. 2004 • J U S t O U t 19 k rii I [*Jk fil m ncw s Endometriosis Research participants are needed for a collaborative study between the O H S U Women’s Health Research Unit and the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. agreements like this one, and we’re fining to ask the appeals court to correct the judge’s error and let this family protect their child." Lambda argued that Ohio has a long history of allowing voluntary shared custody agree ments. As recently as 2002, the state’s Supreme Court recognized the harm caused to children when there is no legal relationship with a par ent. The court ordered that the best interest of the child should he the guide in establishing shared custody agreements. well as the private sector. The insurance indus holding them accountable,” attorney Greg try is making a strong statement for fairness, and Nevins said. “There’s nowhere for them to go; we’re working with other businesses and govern our client was fired out of fear and bigotry—not ment agencies to secure similar results." sound science—and that is against the law." Allstate, State Farm and Geico auto insur Jtxiy Saavedra, 45, has worked in the indus ance companies— which are, in order, the top try for nearly 27 years. During an interview for a three providers in New York—have agreed to job with Nodak for a position installing auto comply with state law and respect all same-sex glass, he disclosed his HIV status to the compa couples who are legally married, David said. ny’s district manager. Electric auto insurance also treats its legally After he was hired, Saavedra also told his married gay and lesbian clients equally. direct supervisor. Three months later, after news Lambda discovered that Geico had of his HIV status made its way up to the compa previously respected the marriages of only ny’s leadership, he was fired—even though he some same-sex couples while denying the did his job well and his direct supervisor wanted same benefits to others. Two New York to keep him on staff. couples who pay for Geico auto coverage In an unusual move, Nodaic gave Saavedra a were treated unequally by the insurance termination notice on the day of the firing that giant. But Geico recently reversed its documented the company’s own illegal actions: inconsistent practice and said it will “HIV status is a direct threat to the safety of oth respect all same-sex couples who are ers... it is in the best interest of this company to legally married. terminate employee at this time.” In the court “Not all of the benefits and protec papers made public July 29, the company admits tions of marriage come from the govern that Saavedra “performed his job duties in a sat ment,” David said. “Many of the practical isfactory manner” and that the termination changes married same-sex couples will see notice “speaks for itself.” will come from private businesses. In Lambda’s lawsuit, filed in federal court, is some instances, like car insurance, the based on the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Florida Court of Appeal invalidated trans father difference may add up to hundreds of dol N<xlak, which has headquarters in Murfrees Michael Kantaras’ marriage hut rejected his ex -wife’s lars a year for gay couples. These couples boro, Tenn., operates 42 retail stores under the attempt to deprive him of his parental rights are married, and their marriages must he names Auto Glass Service and Service Auto respected like any other.” Glass in seven Southern states. F L O R ID A he Florida Court of Appeal issued a deci MISSOURI CALIFORNIA sion July 25 that invalidated the marriage y a margin of 71 percent to 29 percent, epuhlican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger between a transsexual man and a woman. voters approved an amendment to their accused Democrats of delaying the Califor Michael Kantaras married a woman in Flori state constitution Aug. 3 prohibiting the recog nia budget and pandering to special interests da and had two children with her. When he peti nition of same-sex marriages. during a rally July 17 in Ontario. tioned for divorce, his wife asked the court to All major newspapers in Missouri came out In a reference to a Saturday Night Live skit, he invalidate their marriage and to strip him of any against Amendment 2, including the St. Umis said, “If they don’t have the guts to come up parental rights, based solely on his trans status. Post-Dispatch, St. Louis Business Journal, Kansas here in front of you and say, ‘1 don’t want to rep After a three-week trial in 2002, which was City Star, Columbia Missourian and Sfrrmgfield resent you, I want to represent those special televised on Court TV, the court held that Kan News Leader. Mayors Kay Barnes of Kansas interests, the unions, the trial lawyers’...if they taras is legally male and that the marriage was City and Francis Slay of St. Louis publicly don’t have the guts, I call them girlie men.” valid and awarded primary custody to him. The opposed it along with nearly 200 clergy. Gay Assemblyman Mark Leno called the decision—which surveyed all existing legal and “While we are saddened by the vote, we are remark “as misogynist as it is anti-gay.” Lesbian medical literature on transsexualism and ulti not surprised,” said Matt Foreman, National state Sen. Sheila Kuehl said Schwarzenegger mately exceeded 800 pages in length—received Gay and Lesbian Task Force executive director. had resorted to “blatant homophobia." national attention. “Fundamental human rights should never he “It uses an image that is assixriated with gay The appeals court reversed the trial court’s up for popular vote__The fight goes on. We men in an insulting way, and it was supposed to ruling on the validity of the marriage on the know it and they know it: We are on the right he an insult,” she told The Associated Press. ground that “whether postoperative transsexual and winning side of history, and ultimately we “That’s very troubling that he would use such a is authorized to marry a member of their birth will prevail.” homophobic way of trying to put down legisla sex is a matter for the Florida Legislature and Missouri is the first state to pass an amend tive leadership.” not the Florida courts to decide.” However, it ment banning same-sex marriage since the Log Cabin Republicans executive director rejected the mother’s request to strip Kantaras of Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled to Patrick Guerriero defended Schwarzenegger, his parental rights. Instead, it remanded the case legalize it last year. One anti-gay group boasted calling him “one of the most inclusive governors in the nation regardless of party affiliation.... hack to the trial court “to determine the legal that the vote Kxles well for future fights. status of the children and the parties’ property “In the months ahead marriage may be on This is not the time for baseless partisan attacks rights.” the ballot in at least a dozen other states,” said and mind-numbing political correctness.” JH “We are relieved that the court did not sepa Tony Perkins, Family Research Council presi rate Michael from his children,” said Karen dent. “We believe today’s win...will prove to Compiled by News Editor J im R a i w s t a , who can Doering, National Center for Lesbian Rights be just one of many victories for marriage this be reached at jim@justout.com. staff attorney. “Protecting the children has fall. Opponents of the always been Michael’s foremost concern. We are amendment hoped to sway confident that on remand, the trial court will the vote their way by plac find that Michael continues to be a legal parent, ing it on the same day as the based on well-settled Florida law that even if a Democratic primary, hut marriage is found to he void, that finding does what we saw today shows not affect the legitimacy or parentage of the that defending marriage is children.” not an issue that divides people by political party— NEW YORK but instead unites them.” he three largest car insurance companies in G E O R G IA New York—which, together, provide insur ance to a third of all drivers in the state—will n court papers responding respect the marriages of same-sex couples, pro to a lawsuit Lambda Legal viding them with the same rates and coverage as filed in May, Nodak Enter married heterosexual couples, Lambda Legal prises admitted firing a skilled auto glass installer from said July 6. “New York law requires respect for marriages Georgia because he has HIV. “Nodak Enterprises has that were validly performed elsewhere,” attor ney Alphonso David said. “As more same-sex just admitted to firing our couples get married, it’s critical that they receive client because he has HIV, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger mocked his Democratic rights and protections—from the government as and we’re committed to rivals by calling them "girlie men’’ The study compares 12 weeks of acupuncture and Chinese herbs to 12 weeks of hormone therapy for treating endometriosis-related pelvic pain, with follow up visits at weeks 24 & 36. You may qualify for the study if you have chronic pelvic pain, have been diagnosed with endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopy w ithin the past 6 years, are between 18-45. and are willing to be randomly assigned to Chinese medicine or a hormone therapy that is already F D A approved. To determine if you qualify, please call the O H S U W o m e n ’s Health Research Unit at 503/494-3666. OUR PLANTS ARE 6 ON THE KINSEY SCALE ClSTUS NURSERY 22711 NW G I LU HAN ROAD SAUVIE ISLAND wtDSUNlO-5 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Talk with us. 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