[Human Rights Campaign, hrc.com, 10/25/01]
Washington, DC – The House voted 226 - 194 to defeat an amendment that would have denied local funding for domestic partner benefits in Washington, D.C.
Forty-one Republicans were among those who voted against the measure, which was part of the bill to fund the District of Columbia in fiscal 2002.
In 1992, the DC Health Care Benefits Expansion Act was passed, giving domestic partners of public employees access to health benefits purchased at their own expense. But for nearly a decade, Congress has blocked the District of Columbia from using any local or federal funds to implement the law.
If the DC Health Care Benefits Expansion Act finally receives funding, it will do the following:
•Require all DC health care facilities, including hospitals, convalescent facilities, or other long-term care facilities, to allow domestic partners visitation rights at their facilities.
•Create a program that allows domestic partners in the District of Columbia to register with the mayor's office.
•Allow registered domestic partners, if one of them is an employee of DC government, to purchase health insurance for their domestic partner. It would also allow DC employees to take sick leave to care for a domestic partner or bereavement leave.
Dangerous House Bills
The Christian Coalition and their conservative supporters in Congress have introduced legislation that threatens the institutional separation of religion and government by amending the IRS Code of 1986 to allow houses of worship to use church funds to campaign and lobby on behalf of, or in opposition to, political candidates.
H.R. 2931, the Bright-Line Act of 2001 sponsored by Reps. Phil Crane, Dick Armey and Tom Delay, was referred to the Ways and Means Committee on 10/21. The second controversial measure, H.R. 2357, the Houses of Worship Political Speech Protection Act, has attracted an alarming 76 co-sponsors
Turning houses of worship into political rally halls for candidates is bad for religion and bad for the political process.
Specifically, these bills would allow houses of worship to spend up to 20% of their revenues on influencing legislation and lobbying members of Congress and elected officials.
Don’t Be Misled
[massequality.org]
The Campaign for Equality is a coalition of religious, civic, business, labor and civil-rights leaders and organizations that have joined together to stand up for equality and against the proposed Constitutional Amendment that will permanently deprive gays and lesbians of equal rights in Massachusetts. This proposed Amendment is modeled after the federal so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) but is actually much more harmful. If adopted, this Amendment will permanently limit marriage to "one man and one woman" and forever limit the "benefits or incidents exclusive to marriage."
In other words, this proposed Constitutional Amendment will not only prevent gays and lesbians from ever obtaining the equal rights of marriage or civil unions; it could also take away domestic partnership benefits, inheritance rights, bereavement leave, and could threaten adoption and health benefits for children of gay, lesbian, and unmarried straight citizens — to name only a few of the legal rights and benefits in jeopardy.
At a time when our state should be coming together in unity, the proponents of this Amendment want to divide us permanently and forever deprive gay and lesbian citizens of equal rights.
The Campaign for Equality is organizing "Truth Squads," teams of concerned citizens to educate members of their community about the ramifications of this divisive, proposed Super-DOMA Amendment. The goal of the Truth Squads is to convince registered voters not to sign the Super-DOMA Amendment petition. The Campaign for Equality holds regular training sessions for new Truth Squad Volunteers. Training takes only about an hour and gives the trainees the information they need to be effective. For more information or to report sightings of Super-DOMA signature gatherers, call (617) 859-0325, email massequality.org, or call Doris at 508-240-2737.
PFLAG National Needs Help
PFLAG National has had to cut several more staff members, and they still can’t meet their current expenses. A large part of the problem is the disruption of mail delivery (their mail goes through Brentwood), and another is that since Sept. 11 many people are directing their donations to the New York relief effort.
One way we can help is to collect our local dues and remit National’s share of $10 per member. This is the beginning of the 2001-2002 season. Please help by mailing your check now.
Tips For A Happy Holiday
[PFLAG National]
If you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender
1. Don't assume you know how somebody will react to news of your sexual orientation–you may be surprised.
2. Realize that your family's reaction to you may not be because you are gay. The hectic holiday pace may cause family members to act differently than they would under less stressful conditions.
3. Remember that "coming out" is a continuous process. You may have to "come out" many times.
4. Don't wait for your family's attitude to change to have a special holiday.
5. Recognize that your parents need time to acknowledge and accept that they have a gay child. It took you time to come to terms with your sexual orientation, now it is your family's turn.
6. Let your family's judgments be theirs to work on, as long as they are kind to you.
7. Create your own holiday gathering with friends and loved ones, if it is too difficult to be with your family.
Before the visit
1. Make a decision about being "out" to each family member before you visit.
2. Discuss in advance with your partner how you will talk about your relationship, or show affection with one another, if you plan to make the visit together.
3. Don't wait until late into the holiday evening to raise the issue of sleeping arrangements. If you bring your partner home, make plans in advance.
4. Have alternative plans if the situation becomes difficult at home.
5. Find out about local GLBT resources.
6. If you do plan to "come out" to your family over the holidays, have support available, including a Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) publication and a phone number of a local PFLAG chapter.
During the visit
1. Focus on common interests.
2. Reassure family members that you are still the same person they have always known.
3. Be sensitive to your partner's needs as well as your own.
4. Be wary of the possible desire to shock your family.
5. Remember to affirm yourself.
6. Realize that you don't need your family's approval to sustain an excellent relationship with your partner.
7. Connect with someone else who is gay–by phone or in person–who understands what you are going through and will support you along the way.
International News
Egyptian gay rights site GayEgypt.com says the government has arrested several dozen gay men in the affluent Cairo suburb of Heliopolis and in another area near the pyramids.
The United Nations human-rights arm will start collecting reports on torture of gays and other anti-gay activity. Also,more than $500,000 is being given to gay survivors of Nazi concentration camps.
Berlin, Germany, has a newly-elected mayor who is an openly gay man. One of Klaus Wowereit’s campaign statements has become famous: "I’m gay, and it’s good that way."
In Romania, the government repealed a law that made it a criminal offense for gays to associate, but Parliament has delayed ratification. There is a gay disco in Bucharest, and the American ambassador, Michael Guest, is openly gay, but he has had problems because of it. [New York Times 10/17/01]
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said on Thursday he would expel any gay British government minister if he came to Malaysia with a boyfriend. "The British people accept homosexual ministers. But if they ever come here bringing their boyfriend along, we will throw them out," he told BBC radio. "We will not accept them." [Reuters 11/1/01]
Gerald Ford: "Treat Gay Couples Equally"
[Deb Price, Detroit News, 10/29/01]
Former President Gerald Ford believes the federal government should treat gay couples the same as married couples, including providing equal Social Security and tax benefits.
Ford's views, expressed in an exclusive telephone interview, make him the highest-ranking Republican ever to endorse equal treatment for gay couples.
Methodists Back Gay Ban
[Marta W. Aldrich, AP, 10/30/01]
Nashville - The judicial arm of the United Methodist Church has affirmed that the denomination forbids gay men and lesbians from being pastors. However, the council ruled that a bishop cannot strip away appointments without giving them a full hearing by the church.
The United Methodist General Conference voted last year to maintain its doctrine that being gay is ''incompatible with Christian teaching.''
In our last Newsletter, we noted that in June Presbyterians had voted to remove a similar ban from their church's constitution; that proposal is now awaiting majority approval from 173 national Presbyteries.
Ruling Favors Gay Partners
[Ann Rostow, planetout.com, 11/2/01]
The Washington State Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a surviving partner of a gay man in a dispute with the dead man's family.
Frank Vasquez shared his life with Robert Schwerzler in Puyallup, WA, for 27 years, until Schwerzler died in 1995. Although a lower court gave Vasquez inheritance rights to their joint property (a house and other assets totaling about $230,000), Schwerzler's relatives contested the decision, insisting that Vasquez was little more than a domestic employee.
Under Washington state law, when an unmarried couple is separated by death, the survivor is entitled to make a claim on the household, providing the two were in a "marriage-like" relationship. In February of last year, the Washington Court of Appeals ruled that since two gay men (or women) were forbidden to marry under state law, their relationship could never be deemed "marriage-like." As such, the court reversed the original decision and gave the estate to Schwerzler’s family.
Washington’s Supreme Court ruling confirmed that gay and lesbian partners are indeed covered under the same equitable doctrine that allows unmarried heterosexuals to inherit. However, the court took no stand on the Vasquez case itself, sending the matter back to the lower court for a trial. Vasquez will be obliged to prove that his relationship with Schwerzler was, in fact, "marriage-like. "If he succeeds, he will inherit under the newly clarified Washington state law.
Salvation Army Extends Partner Benefits
[Tom Musbach, planetout.com, 2/2/01]
The Western branch of the Salvation Army announced that it will extend health benefits to same-sex partners of employees.
The new policy comes three years after the social service group forfeited a $3.5 million contract with the city of San Francisco rather than comply with the city's Equal Benefits Ordinance. That law, which has since been instituted in other cities, requires all businesses that have contracts with the city to offer domestic partner benefits for employees.
The Army’s new policy extends benefits to one additional adult in the employee's home -- a roommate, family member or partner. The Salvation Army has not said whether it will implement the policy in its national or worldwide organizations. The Army's Western Corporation covers 13 states.
More on Partner Benefits...
Other companies that have begun to offer domestic partner benefits are Proctor and Gamble, Home Depot, and Gannett.
In California, Gray Davis signed a bill granting specific rights to registered domestic partners. Included are the right to sue for wrongful death of a partner, to make medical decisions for a partner in the hospital, to act as conservator, and to adopt a partner’s child using the step-parent adoption process.
Arkansas Court Considers Gay Sex Ban
[planetout.com 10/31/01]
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, on behalf of seven Arkansas lesbians and gay men, is urging the Arkansas Supreme Court to strike down the state's ban on sex between consenting adults of the same gender.
In its legal brief, Lambda argues that it is wrong for the government to single out gay people with a criminal law it does not apply to non-gay people and to try to dictate highly intimate, personal relationships. Lambda Supervising Attorney Susan Sommer said, "At a time when people in our country seek to strengthen national unity, Arkansas should not have a law that stigmatizes any group as second-class citizens and intrudes on their intimate lives for no good reason." Sommer, who successfully argued the case, Picado v. Jegley, before a state circuit court, added, "We hope that the Supreme Court puts an end to this biased law once and for all." The lower court struck down the law in March. Arkansas is appealing that decision.
The current law bans a wide range of physical intimacy between same-sex couples, with punishment of up to one year in jail and a fine of $1,000. Under a similar law enacted in 1838, sexual relations were restricted for all couples, gay and non-gay, but that law was repealed in 1975. Then, in 1977, the legislature enacted the current law targeting only same-sex couples.
Wanted: Wedding Announcements
How are people going to know about the love and commitment of same-sex couples if the media doesn't treat our relationships with the same respect as opposite-sex couples? Many newspapers are starting to print Civil Union and marriage announcements for same-sex couples. Other newspapers, such as the Boston Globe, still refuse to print engagement, wedding, and Civil Union announcements for same-sex couples.
What Can You Do?
•Write To The Boston Globe Ombudsman. Request that same-sex couples be treated the same as opposite-sex couples in the printing of engagement and wedding announcements. Tell the ombudsman that The Globe's refusal to acknowledge GLBT relationships is perpetuating negative stereotypes about gays and lesbians and adds to the invisibility of our families. You can reach the Ombudsman at The Boston Globe, PO Box 2378, Boston, 02107-2378, or email ombud@globe.com.
•Submit Your Announcement. If you get engaged, have a wedding or Civil Union, please send the announcement to your local papers, Bay Windows, and InNewsweekly. If a paper either prints or refuses your announcement, we want to know. Send a copy to The Freedom to Marry Coalition, 325 Huntington Ave, Suite 88, Boston, 02115 or email info@equalmarriage.org.
Notes from Pem
In October, Brewster PFLAG joined with 13 other gay-friendly groups and businesses to print a half-page ad in the Cape CodTimes. The ad reads, "Someone You Care About is Gay. Please be supportive on National Coming Out Day, October 11th." We thank everyone who made this ad possible, and we hope to repeat it next year.
We also thank the First Congregational Church in Chatham for a generous donation to our PFLAG chapter for outreach programs and support groups. This gift came from their Missions and Social Action Committee.
There will be a PFLAG board meeting Nov. 19 at 5:30 pm, before our regular meeting. We need new board members and welcome anyone who might be interested. Come and bring a sandwich.
Please remember to pay your membership dues so we can send PFLAG National their share.
Ways to Help LBGTQQ Youth [QQ=Questioning & Queer]
[Options, 10/01]
1. Come out -- to your neighbors, relatives, and co-workers.
2. Use inclusive language when talking to or about youth. Ask if your niece is "dating anyone," not if she "has a boyfriend."
3. Support youth when they come out. Mirror their language; don’t call someone ‘lesbian’ if she identifies as ‘bi’ or ‘queer.’ Be careful of pronouns regarding trangenders.
4. Talk with young people. Ask them if they would feel safe as an out gay student, and if not, find out why.
5. Talk with teachers and administrators about the climate in their schools. How do they handle homophobic name-calling? Is there a Gay/Straight Alliance at their school?
CIGYA Offers Holiday Events
CIGYA (Cape & Islands Gay Youth Alliance) is sponsoring a Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner on Friday, Nov. 23 at 5:30. The dinner is open to everyone who supports diversity.
On Dec 1, World Aids Day, CIGYA will host a Diversity Dinner at 6pm at CIGYA House, followed by the lighting of their Holiday lights. Both events are at CIGYA House, 56 Barnstable Rd, Hyannis. Phone 508-778-7744 ext12.
CIGYA’s ongoing programs are weekly general meetings Wednesdays at 7 pm, discussion groups with therapists on Thursdays at 7pm, and a ‘Coffee House’ on the third Wednesday of every month.
CIGYA is "A safe place for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Straight youth."
GLBT Group Info
Brewster Gay Men meet the first and third Mondays of each month at the First Parish Church, Brewster. 430-2818
Straight Spouse meets third Thursday of each month. 896-9060
Transgender Support meets fourth Sundays. 432-8119.
Metropolitan Community Church meets 1st and 3rd Sundays, 3pm, Sanctuary of First Parish Church. 385-2873 or 430-2682
Dates to Remember
Nov 19, Dec 17, Jan 21: Brewster PFLAG, 7 pm
Nov 19 PFLAG Board meeting, 5:30pm
Nov 15, Dec 20, Jan 17: Straight Spouse, 896-9060
Nov 25, Dec 23, Jan 27: Transgender Support, 432-8119
Nov 23: CIGYA Thanksgiving Potluck, 5:30; ph 778-7744 x12
Dec. 1 World Aids Day
Dec. 1 Diversity Dinner and Pride Lighting at CIGYA, 6pm
July 20, 2002 Cape Cod Gay Pride Day in Hyannis
PFLAG/Cape Cod, Brewster
PO Box 1167 Orleans, MA 02653
MISSION: Promote the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons, their families and friends, through Support, to cope with an adverse society; Education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and Advocacy, to end discrimination and secure equal civil rights.
MEETINGS: 7 pm on the third Monday of each month regardless of holidays, First Parish Church, Brewster. Everyone is welcome. For information call 508-240-2737, 432-8119, or 398-6471. First Parish is located on Rte 6A near the intersection of Rte 124.
MEMBERSHIP: Dues-paying members support the efforts of PFLAG both locally and nationally. Ten dollars goes to PFLAG National (includes subscription to Pflagpole), and the balance is used for our own Newsletter and the purchase of pamphlets, books, and videos. Our fiscal year begins October 1.
OFFICERS: Co-Leaders, Pem Schultz. & Rob Lewis; Treasurer, Jeanne Chagnon; Corresponding Sec’y, Betsy Cochran; Publicity, Martha Berndt; Newsletter, Doris Scherbak and Joann Figueras; Program, Sandy Bayne; Library, Martha Berndt; Computers, Joann Figueras; other board member Randy Kendall.
NEWSLETTER: Published four times a year. We welcome articles and/or comments. Send to above address or call 508-240-2737 or 508-255-7307. Email: j.figueras@verizon.net.