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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 10, 2004)
(E lje J l o r t l a n h (D b s e r u e r March 10.2004 Landmark Marriages continued from Front rate but not equal. “When African Americans say the gay rights issue is not acivil right issue, I know that it is. For me, it’s fighting all the battles and I think it’s compounded, being inter racial and being a lesbian couple,” said Haywood. Multnomah County has had a domestic partner registry since September 2000. More than 500 couples, some same sex and some opposite sex, have registered as domestic partners. According to Basic Rights Oregon, a nonprofit agency dedicated to protecting equal rights for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and the transgender community, "only marriage provides the same full legal pro tections to same-sex couples and their families as are afforded to opposite-sex couples.” “Marriage offers more than 1,000 fed eral and 500 state legal protections and rights, such as hospital visitation rights, inheritance rights and security protection for their children," according to literature from the organization. “W e’ve never had a commitment cer emony because we felt very strongly that we wanted the legal recognition,” Bolyard said. “I’m not going to have a ceremony that’s just fluff. I live in the United States, in the state o f Oregon and I think it’s a pretty big civil right issue. We don’t have the same equal rights as heterosexual people and that’s not right.” Aside from the legal benefits and civil recognition of a real marriage, Haywood has another reason for wanting to marry. “I believe in marriage, and I think family is important,” she said. "I grew up with a background in love and marriage. My parents have been together for 35 years and Jamie’s parents have been together even longer." The couple says they absolutely plan to raise a family and consider adopting children someday. Since their wedding last week, which was performed by Rev. Glenna Shepherd, pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church, the Defense of Marriage Coali tion has filed a lawsuit to stop same-sex marriages in Multnomah County. The conservative group says commis sioners violated the Public Meetings Law by not opening the issue to a public dis cussion but their request for an emer gency injunction to stop same-sex mar riages was denied, Monday, As Orego nians await a formal opinion about same- sex marriages from Attorney General Hardy Myers, the hundreds of same-sex couples don’t know if their marriages will stand, legally. Bolyard and Haywood say they are up for the challenge. “People haven’t even gotten the race issue yet, so I don’t think they’re going to understand this totally in one day or one year,” Haywood said. “This is going to be an uphill battle and we would not have gone down there (to the county building) if we weren’t ready to face the challenges.” Bolyard added, “I hope it stands, but if it doesn’t, we’ll be right here, trying to do something about it.” PageA5 We don't have the same equal rights as heterosexual people and that's not right. - Jamie Bolyard, one many who got married last Wednesday Jamie Bolyard (left) and Abby Haywood discuss their whirlwind wedding the day after receiving a marriage license from Multnomah County. Rights over Gay Marriage xi <_J Divides continued from Front movement is identical to the gay civil rights movement, but I don't think it really blacks.” matters,” said Boykin, president of the The Rev. Joseph Lowry agrees that American blacks should clearly sympa thize with the gay community’s fight for rights. New York-based National Black Justice Coalition. “I actually think that’s a diversion. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which But Lowry, who founded the Southern group is most oppressed or whether they Christian Leadership Conference with are identically oppressed. What matters is Martin Luther King Jr., said the sheer that no group be oppressed.” weight o f U.S. history precludes tooclose a comparison. « The Rev. Jesse Jackson, while support ing “equal protection under the law” for “Homosexuals as people have never gays, called comparisons to the violent been enslaved because of their sexual battles of the civil rights movement “a orientation,” he argued. “They may have stretch.” been scorned; they may have been dis “Gays were never called three-fifths criminated against. But they’ve never been enslaved and declared less than human.” human in the Constitution,” he said dur ! Another issue is that of choice, said 6 ’ Army Bailey, a marcher with the armed ing a recent appearance at Harvard Law School. “They did not require the Voting Rights Act to have the right to vote.” Deacons for Defense and Justice and a A sa minister, Lowry of the SCLC said founder of the National Civil Rights Mu he is “in the valley o f prayer on the issue seum in Memphis. o f gay m arriage.” But, as a black man “I don’t have a choice to be black and, who was deeply involved in the struggle therefore, had to be faced with the human for equal rights, he is w illing to “err on rights battle from birth,” said Bailey, a the side o f inclusiveness, and not exclu judge in Memphis. sio n .” Keith Boykin, a gay, black man, scoffs “I’m going to follow Jesus and say, at the notion that sexual orientation is a ‘ Whosoever will, let them come,” ’ he said. choice. But even if it were true, he said, “And I’m going to extend rights to all of that's not the point. God’schildren. And if I'm wrong. God will “I don’t think that the black civil rights have to judge me.” Advertise with diversity 1 ^lartiaitb (Observer Call 503-288-0033 ads@portlandobserver.com March 12 8 13 • 8pm Tickets $20 to $40 Call 1-888-MAIN ACT or TicketsW est at T800-992-TIXX C h in o o k W inds C asino s Better at the Beach! • 1 888-CHINOOK • www.chmookwindscasino.com
