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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 2004)
October 1.2004 - J U l t O U t 21 flT nïïüm CALIFORNIA Alston & Bird say the ballot language is decep ov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed several tive and unconstitutional. Two Democratic into law in late September that will state legislators, Sen. David Adelman and Rep. have a significant impact on Tyrone Brooks, are plaintiffs the states queer residents. in the lawsuit. The Omnibus Hate Earlier this year, the Legis Crimes Act of 2004 defines a lature approved an amend hate crime as one that ment to the state’s constitu includes crimes against indi tion that would prohibit viduals based on their sexual same-sex couples from marry ing, may prohibit civil unions orientation or gender identi ty. It also broadens the defin and seeks to limit the courts jurisdiction on matters ition to include crimes involving same-sex couples. against individuals based on their association with people The Legislature’s approval put who are gay or trans, and pro the measure on the November vides tools designed to reduce ballot. these crimes. Lawyers for the plaintiffs The legislation was spon argue that the required sored hy lesbian state Sen. process for amending the Sheila Kuehl, a Democrat. state’s constitution was not followed. “While every hate crime “This amendment is con represents a personal tragedy for the victim, hate crimes stitutionally flawed, period,” also are an attempt to intimi- California state Sen. Sheila Kuehl attorney Jack Senterfitt said. date a larger group or com- sponsored a hate crimes bill that “Not only does it combine munity of people,” she noted, was recently signed into law four different subjects, in vio Several queer organiza lation of the Georgia Consti tions, including Equality California and Log tution, the clearly deceptive language voters will Cabin Republicans of California, supported see on the ballot creates the misperception that the hill. its only purpose is to define marriage. Further Schwarzenegger also signed a “clean needle” more separate and apart from the lawsuit, Lamb hill that authorizes cities and counties to permit da Legal believes that a group’s civil rights pharmacies to sell up to 10 clean syringes with shouldn’t he put to a popular vote.” out a prescription. The Human Rights Cam paign credited Schwarzenegger with “putting VIRGINIA science first,” saying the legislation will help uthor and activist Wayne Besen accused curb the number of new HIV and hepatitis A The Vir- infections. ginian-Pilot of The governor also signed a hill that requires suppressing insurance companies to provide coverage for a l l e g a t i o n s that an HIV registered domestic partners in the state. positive, ex gay leader OKLAHOMA ambda Legal has filed a federal lawsuit seek allegedly had sex ing to strike down a law it says could leave unsafe children of same-sex couples orphans. with several Passed at the end of the state’s legislative ses men in the sion earlier this year, the law says Oklahoma V i r g i n i a Beach area. “shall not recognize an adoption by more than Besen said one individual of the same sex from any other state or foreign jurisdiction.” Lambda says the editors at the law could he interpreted to nullify adoption of n e w s p a p e r , re Author Wayne Besen says children by same-sex couples from other states which cently ran a The Virginian-Pilot suppressed when they are in Oklahoma. “What we are talking about here are Okla story about allegations about ex-gay leader homa legislators who disapprove of gay people the local ex- Michael Johnston and lashed out hy passing a law that punishes gay ministry, told him in August 2003 they children for having gay or lesbian parent,” attor weren’t interested in “covering the topic" of the allegations against nationally known ex ney Brian Chase said. Lambda is representing same-sex couples gay Michael Johnston. He said the paper also who adopted children while living in other did not respond to calls from an attorney rep states and later moved to Oklahoma with their resenting a man who feared he might have been exposed to HIV children or who want to visit because he had sex with the state with their family. Johnston. The group is arguing that the “The ‘Virginian-Puppet’ law is unconstitutional based needs to decide if they are a on the 14th Amendment legitimate newspaper or a guaranteeing equal protec discredited church bulletin,” tion and the Full Faith and said Besen, author of Any Credit clause in the U.S. thing But Straight: Unmasking Constitution. the Scarulals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth. “This G E O R G IA tabloid systematically sup lawsuit filed Sept. 16 in pressed and censored hard / J Fulton County’s Superi news while promoting a soft or Court is asking that a pro story that was tantamount posed constitutional amend to free advertising for the ment to ban same-sex mar ex-gay ministries. ” j n riage he removed from the Georgia state Rep. Tyrone Brooks ballot. 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