AUGUST 20, 1993 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 7

OCA goes both ways with new Oregon law

Salem, Ore.-A new law intended to end anti-gay referenda in Oregon is being used by an anti-gay group to fight gay civil rights ordinances. The measure, signed August 2 by Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts, prohibits passing or enforcing local ordinances that single out people because of sexual orientation. A stronger measure, which included gay civil rights protections, died in a House committee.

The law, which went into effect immediately, was designed to block the Oregon Citizens Alliance initiative campaign for local anti-gay rights measures in cities and counties around Oregon. But OCA Chairman Lon Mabon says he will use the law as basis for a suit against a Portland gay civil rights ordinance, while at the same time fighting it as unconstitutional.

The OCA is also campaigning to recall 20 legislators who voted for the passage of the law. Mabon said the group would continue to push its anti-gay referenda in upcoming elections.

Mabon said that his group was ready to file suit against the legality of the new law and would follow shortly with a suit against the Portlan rights ordinance. Rep. Gail Shibley, D-Portland, who was one of the sponsors of the new law, said the Portland ordinance is not discriminatory, and would not be invalidated by the new law. Corvallis and Ashland also have rights ordinances. While many critics cited the new law for its failure to enact full civil rights protection, the ACLU has called for the immediate cancellation of all fall elections that feature anti-gay issues. But Jackson County Counsel Mindy Brown told county commissioners in Medford August 2 that a September 21 vote must proceed, even though the local measure would be illegal under the new law. The election is expected to cost the County $38,000.

She said that if the secretary of state or attorney general said local governments could take the measures off the ballot, the county commissioners could consider the move. September elections on anti-gay rights measures are also scheduled in Sweet Home, Estacada, Molalla, Lebanon and Creswell.

Elections are planned Nov. 2 in Oregon City and Oakridge. Cottage Grove has postponed their election until next May, hoping for a legal resolution before then.

Voters passed five local anti-gay measures in June. In Canby, where voters passed such a measure June 29, the City Council on August 5 declared the ordinance void, a move the ACLU hopes will be duplicated by other cities.

Study finds

reasons for

unsafe sex

San Francisco-A health study recommends a "new generation" of AIDS prevention programs to help gay and bisexual men understand that they have to practice safer sex for the rest of their lives.

Two dozen San Francisco health care and AIDS education experts interviewed more than 100 gay and bisexual men representing a variety of races and ages, looking for reasons why the men continue unsafe sexual practices, despite knowing the risk of contracting HIV.

In results released August 4, the report cited a number of explanations for the unsafe behavior, including the belief that contracting AIDS is inevitable, a desire to lead fuller sexual lives, overwhelming loss and grief in the face of others' AIDS-related deaths and denial of the virus' deadly nature.

Overall, the study said low self-esteem, the despair of losing lovers and friends and society's pervasive homophobia need to be addressed to prevent the spread of AIDS among gay men.

Dana Van Gorder, an aide to Supervisor Carol Migden, said the study would also be used in seeking funding for AIDS-related projects from public and private sources. He hoped the new report would show that simply promoting condom use isn't enough to stop the spread of the disease.

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