OREGON S GAY/LESBIAN/BI/TRANS NEWSMAGAZINE
MARCH 20 2009
NORTHWEST BRIEFS
»Bullies Be Gone
2 that are prohibited from openly dis-
House Bill 2599 passed a hurdle
s cussing condoms and other forms of
Wednesday, March 11, when it was ap
•* contraception. In addition, the federal
proved by the House Education Com
government has spent more than $1
mittee in a 9 to 1 bipartisan vote. The
billion providing funding to absti
committee sent the strengthened anti
nence-only programs whose federal
bullying bill for a vote in the Oregon
guidelines mandate defining marriage
House. This bill builds on current law,
as “only a legal union between one
which states that schools districts must
man and one woman as a husband and
have a policy on bullying and harass
wife.”
ment. The new law lays out minimum
“It’s time to ensure that states can
requirements for that policy: it must
provide comprehensive sex education
Members
of Human Rights Campaign Portland
cover behavior at school-sponsored ac
that gives students the tools they need
converged on Washington. D C., for HRC s
tivities or on school-provided transpor annual Lobby Day and Equality Convention.
to make responsible decisions. The
tation. The policy must identify a point
needs of the vast majority of Ameri
person at each school. Students, parents Joe Solmonese on Tuesday, March 17. “The can students,- especially LGBT students,
and teachers can report harassment. It also federal government has tied states’ hands are currently ignored by federally-funded
requires a uniform complain process across when it comes to providing prevention sex education programs,” adds Solmonese.
school districts. The proposed new law also education to teens.”
“Sex education must be based on public
requires that the policy be made available
Solmonese, who heads the HRC, the health, not narrow right-wing ideology.
to the public. The bill addresses further nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and We urge members from both sides of the
training for teachers that will prevent and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organi aisle to co-sponsor and support this critical
address bullying. Basic Rights Oregon, who zation, hailed the re-introduction of the legislation."
has been working diligently on behalf of the Responsible Education about Life (REAL)
During the previous weekend, and
bill, hopes the House will take up the bill Act in the 111th Congress. The bill, spon prior to Tuesday’s announcement, eleven
before the end of March.
sored by Senator Frank R. Lautenberg members of Human Rights Campaign
(D-NJ) and Representative Barbara Lee Portland converged on Washington, D.C.,
(D-CA), would authorize federal funding for HRC’s annual Lobby Day and Equality
»Protecting Our Youth From
for comprehensive and medically accurate Convention. Todd Canon, Wendy Blen-
Other Potential Dangers
“Our nation’s youth deserve the facts sex education.
ning, Michael Long, CM Hall, Scott La
about how to protect themselves from sexu
Currently, states can only receive fed ing, John Leonard, Shaley Howard, Betsy
ally transmitted infections, including HIV,” eral funding for sex education if they teach Watkins, Donna Tarabella, Barb Bloom,
said Human Rights Campaign President abstinence-only-until*-marriage programs and Harvey Lau (seen in photo above left)
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continued on page 10
You can get
up to
K
fairy -
visited members of Congress and person
ally visited with Sen. Jeff Merkley, D, Ore.,
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Rep. Kurt
Schrader, D-Ore., and Rep. Peter DeFazio,
D-Ore. The group spent March 6 and 7 at
Human Rights Campaign’s Equality Con
vention, participating in workshops and
discussing the important work of achieving
our equality. Workshops included topics
such as how to build up the Federal Club,
what to do after Prop 8 and how to work
with straight allies.
During the lunch session on Friday, Rep.
Betsy Markey, D-Colo., gave the March 6
lunch address. Markey’s campaign against
the anti-gay incumbent, Marilyn Musgrave,
was strongly backed by HRC.
Another highlight was a speech deliv
ered by President Barack Obama’s longtime
friend and Senior White House advisor
Valerie Jarrett.
“I was so moved by her inclusive lan
guage-saying lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender multiple times in her remarks,
and not stumbling over these words but
having a keen understanding that this
administration intends to be inclusive and
will work to pass a fully inclusive ENDA
and the Mathew Shepard hate crimes bill,”
said CM Hall, HRC Portland’s steering
committee political co-chairman. “It was
just amazing to get a sense that HRC and
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