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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 2004)
, 8 J U S t O U t • decemtoei 3.2004 iV‘i i [ i i ; w 5 n e u ; s ATTENTION! • GAY, LESBIAN, Bl, TRANS FRIENDLY • COMPANY RETIREES • CURRENT EMPLOYEES Medical • Dental • Rx *34.95 - *109.95/™° ENTIRE FAMILY! All Pro-Existing Conditions Okay CALL 1-800-228-0305 C h i i k out the Ju' t F r i c n J' personal* on Pay«.* 51 or yo to w « V» . jtistout.iom to write tour own tree 50- wo r J ad! but in doing so at this point in time, as our stand that they have a right to do that. I just want the same right,” said Mathewson. “ I nation’s lesbian and gay community is fighting A new report by the Institute for Gay and think tolerating each other’s differences is a for its life to an extent not seen in years." Lesbian Strategic Studies outlines the ways that key part in teaching students how to become The segment focused on the role of crystal the sexual minorities community can stay good citizens.” meth in the behavior of Aaron McKinney and healthy during anti-gay campaigns. Mathewson was disciplined twice in Octo Russell Henderson, Shepard’s killers. A total of 11 states enacted divisive anti-gay “That dmgs may have played a role in a vio ber for wearing T-shirts supporting queers and referenda in last month’s election. In the course was suspended after Webb City High Schixil lent crime and in this murder is not news,” said of these campaigns to limit the rights of queers, Patton. “ Had 20/20 actually wanted to do a fair officials refused to meet with his mother with well-publicized stereotypes and hostility became out the family’s attorney present. Although the dominant themes that challenged their psycho and balanced story on this or any other anti-gay 16-year-old had worn one of the T-shirts to hate murder, they would have reached out to logical well-being. schixil at least six times without incident. Prin The report, titled Summing and Thriving in the experts on anti-gay hate violence. They didn’t. Midst of Anti-Gay Politics, presents three prima Had they wanted to examine the impact or cipal Stephen P. Gollhofer now claims he was concerned that the shirts might offend other prevalence of drug use in violent crime or hate ry strategies: analysis, action and allies. Queers students. Students with opposing beliefs on the crimes, they would have reached out to criminal should analyze the homophobia present in the same issues are allowed to campaign, take action to resist anti-gay efforts justice officials or hate violence victim express their views, as anti advocates with expertise in those areas. and draw on the support of heterosexual allies. gay T-shirts and bumper They didn’t. And those are only two Report author Glenda Russell noted that stickers are common in the among many factors in determining heterosexual allies play a particularly important school's hallways. that the real goal of this story wasn’t to role in reducing feelings of isolation in addition unearth new infonrtation or even report “ W hat’s happening to to the value of their political support. Brad Mathewson is a clear- additional context, hut to malign the vic cut case of censorship tim, mortify his family and inflict pain ❖ under the Constitution,” on the larger LG BT community that The United Church of Christ reports that said Dick Kurtenhach, came to identify with Matthew, his life C B S and N BC are refusing to run a 30-second A C L U of Kansas and television ad because its all-inclusive welcome is and the fear that we all live with as a Western Missouri execu community under attack.” “tixi controversial.” tive director. “We intend The ad— part of the denominations new, According to data gathered by the to make sure Webb City broad identity campaign that began airing nation coalition, anti-gay violence increased G ay high school studen t High Schixil stops break wide Dec. 1—states that, like Jesus, U C C seeks to 26 percent nationally at the end of Brad M a th e w s o n w as sus ing the law and treats all of 2003 and has continued to rise pended fo r w earin g Pride welcome all people, regardless of ability, age, race, shirts to school its students equally, regard economic circumstance or sexual orientation. throughout 2004. less of their views.” These statistics are higher than the In a written statement, C B S told U C C that, The complaint in Mathewson’s case can be because of scenes touching on “the exclusion of FBI’s recently released statistics that 16.7 per found online at www.aclu.org/lesbiangayrights. gay couples and other minority groups” by other cent of all hate crimes reported in 2003 were religious institutions as well as “the fact the motivated by sexual orientation. This is, howev For more information about the A C L U ’s work executive branch has recently proposed a con er, the highest percentage overall since the FBI to protect the rights of queer students, look at stitutional amendment to define marriage as a started reporting the statistics 13 years ago. www.aclu.org/getequal. union between a man and a woman, this spot is According to the FBI, of the 1,479 hate crime M IC H IG A N victims, 61.5 percent were targeted because they unacceptable for broadcast on the |CBS and The Human Rights Campaign denounced were male homosexuals. Anti-lesbian attacks UPNJ networks. N BC also called the ad “too accounted for 15.6 percent of the total. the decision to strip domestic partner benefits controversial.” The Human Rights Campaign strongly California recorded the most violent inci from state workers’ contracts because of Propos denounced the act and called it “shameful cen dents— 337— against people based on their per al 2, an amendment to the Michigan Constitu sorship of diversity and understanding.” tion that denies marriage to same-sex couples. ceived sexuality. New York came in second, and Massachusetts third. About 30 percent of the “It’s ironic that after a political season awash “The people of Michigan did not vote to in commercials based on fear and deception by attacks occurred in people’s homes; highways take health care away from their neighbors,” both parties seen on all the major networks, an and roads came in second, making up 25 per said Seth Kilbourn, national field director. ad with a message of welcome and inclusion cent; and schixils and colleges placed third with “We’re deeply disappointed about this deci would be deemed too controversial," says the about 12 percent. sion. This is a dangerous move for thousands of Rev. John H. Thomas, U C C ’s general minister families who are working just as hard as their and president. co-workers but receiving no health insurance The commercial features two muscle-bound for their families. Michiganders support protec “bouncers" standing guard outside a symbolic, tions for their neighbors, including same-sex To contact ABC, visit abcnews.go.com/2020. picturesque church and selecting which people couples. We urge the governor’s office to are permitted to attend Sunday services. Writ W IS C O N S IN reconsider." ten text interrupts the scene, announcing: “Jesus Leaders from a variety of human and queer According to The Associated Press, Gov. didn’t turn people away. Neither do we." rights organizations met at University of Wis Jennifer G ranholm ’s office will strip the A narrator then proclaims U C C ’s commit consin, Superior, for a daylong conference domestic partner benefits for same-sex couples Nov. 21 to assess the legislative climates in Wis out of the negotiated contracts because voters ment to the Lord’s “extravagant” welcome: “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s consin and Minnesota in the wake of the Nov. 2 approved an amendment defining mar journey, you are welcome here.” You can view November election. riage as between one man and one woman and the ad at www.stillspeaking.com. Although both states already have laws pro banning “similar unions for any purpose.” hibiting same-sex marriage, statewide referenda are in the works to cement legal barriers against ALABAM A queers and their families. The groups who met State Rep. Gerald Allen has proposed a bill Let these networks know that while they comprised communities of faith as well as social that would ban bxxiks about gay and lesbian peo justice organizations and worked together to refuse to air these nondiscriminatory messages, ple from public libraries. make a plan that includes Kith lobbying legisla they still feature popular gay characters whose The American Civil Liberties Union called tors and talking with family, friends and people presence rakes in their profit. the legislation bad public policy, unconstitu in other marginalized communities. To contact C B S, call 212-975-4321. tional and just plain wrong. If passed, Alabama’s libraries would be robbed of works by celebrated To contact NBC, call 212-664-4444. M IS S O U R I authors such as Herman Melville, Tennessee W Y O M IN G The American Civil Liberties Union filed a Williams, Willa Cather, Carson McCullers. Responding to the Nov. 26 airing of an A BC lawsuit in federal court Nov. 23 against a high John Cheever, Alice Walker, James Baldwin, News segment on the murder of Matthew Shep schcxil that twice punished a student for wear Truman Capote and Gore Vidal, to name a few ard, representatives of the National Coalition of ing T-shirts bearing Gay Pride messages and on what will be a very long list. Anti-Violence Programs called it irresponsible, that banned him from wearing the shirts to If this bill becomes law, the A C LU added, it biased, shameful and destructive. school again. Attorneys for Brad Mathewson is also likely to entangle Alabama once again in “The fact is that there is nothing significant also asked for a court order to stop the schml costly litigation that will deprive its residents of in the 20/20 program that wasn’t raised during from further censoring his speech. money badly needed to improve education and the trial,” said Clarence Patton, the coalition’s human services. i n “ Because I’m gay, my school is trying to acting executive director. “One has to question take away my constitutional right as an Amer the motivation of the show’s producer in not ican to express myself. The schixil lets other Compiled hy News Editor S arah D cxjgher , only attempting to engage in revisionist history, students wear anti-gay T-shirts, and I under who can be reached at sarah@ justout .com. N A T IO N A L TaJic A ction / When an ordinary Realtor simply won't do... 3144 SE Belmont Portland, OR 97214 office: 503-238-7617 TaJoc A ction/
