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’’
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