_____
rrnTTm news
__________ april 1.2005 ’ JllSt OMtig
Be the future.
which'took place March 13 to 19.
“The American Legacy Foundation is dedi
cated to providing the LGBT community with
inspiring, appropriate resources to quit smoking,”
said Cheryl Healton, president and CEO of the
American Legacy Foundation. “Research sug
gests that a higher percentage of the LGBT com
munity may smoke, compared with the total
adult population, and we are committed to rais
ing awareness of the toll of tobacco on LGBT
people and providing help to quit smoking.”
For more information, visit
www.lghthealth.net.
Naturopathic
Physician.
N ew F ederal M arriage
A mendment I ntroduced
An amendment was introduced March 17 in
the House that would deny marriage and likely
civil union and domestic partnership rights to
same-sex couples. Introduced by U.S. Rep. Dan
Lungren, R-Calif., the bill would have the same
effects as last year’s failed amendment.
“Plain and simple, dis
crimination
doesn’t
belong in the Constitu
tion,” said David M.
Smith,
the
Human
Rights Campaign’s vice
president of policy. “Con
gress can’t dress up dis
crimination.
By any
name, this amendment
would still hurt Ameri
can families. Not only
would this amendment
trample the rights of mil
lions of same-sex couples
and
their children, but it
A ccoa *. to Healthcare Ag»ng ■ Cancer Domestic Violence Genital Warts A HPV Hepafrtts A.8.C • HIV
Mental Health ¿"Nutrition & Weight. Sexual Health . Smoking . Substance Abu&e . Tians Hearth . Youth
would also deny any state
MARCH 13-19, 2005 ♦WWW.LGBTHEALTH.NET the ability to ensure its
families are protected
APRCJBCTOr
National Ccaimon for LGBT Health
under state law.”
The proposed amend
ment reads:
Many queer smokers believe smoking
“Marriage in the United States shall consist
increases their health risks, but fewer have made
only of a legal union of a man and a woman.
attempts to quit compared to other adults (75
“No court of the United States or of any
percent vs. 80 percent). The foundation urges
state shall have jurisdiction to determine
queers who want to quit smoking to call
whether this Constitution or the constitution
800-399-5589. Legacy’s Learn to Quit Line pro of any state requires that the legal incidents of
vides telephone counseling aqd information on
marriage be conferred upon any union other
smoking and health to people in Washington,
than a legal union between one man and one
D.C., and is the only one of its kind in the
woman.
region.
“No state shall be required to give effect to
In the nation’s capital, the foundation con
any public act, record or judicial proceeding of
tinues to provide assistance to the sexual
any other state concerning a union between per
minorities community through grant programs.
sons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage,
The Mautner Project, a national lesbian health
or as having the legal incidents of marriage,
organization based in D.C., delivers targeted
under the laws of such other state.”
anti-smoking messages to lesbians older than 40
If passed, it would mark the first time the
through posters, ads and other campaign materi Constitution was amended to single out a group
als. The Sexual Minority Youth Assistance
of U.S. citizens for unequal treatment. Accord
League trains queer youth in tobacco prevention
ing to exit polling in November 2004, 60 per
techniques and provides them with the neces cent of U.S. citizens support either civil unions
sary guidance to conduct education programs for or marriage equality for same-sex couples. JF1
other youth and to research tobacco’s impact on
•
Complied by SARAH DOUGHER
their community.
Acupuncturist
Honoring the
healing power of
nature.
NATIONAL LGBT HEALTH
AWARENESS WEEK
David Smith is vice president of policy for the Human Rights Campaign.
National College of Naturopathic Medicine
7
n u > vu cniii.edu
503.552.1551