JUNE 21, 1996 GAY PEOPle's ChroNICLE

13

COMMUNITY GROUPS

Lesbian-gay marriage issues discussed at town meeting

Stonewall Cleveland held their seventh Town Hall meeting, titled Freedom to Marry, at the Pilgrim Congregational Church on June 4 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Buck Harris, radio talk show host of The Gay '90s on WERE 1300 AM, was the moderator for the evening. Buck's intellectual charm and wit helped to blend a lot of information into a warm and friendly social gather-

ing.

The evening began with Cleveland attorney

Rachel Eisenberg speak-

some of the civil laws that the Hawaii case will be winning for the gay and lesbian community and how we still have a long road ahead of us to win this great opportunity. She stressed the importance of early grass roots organizing as the key to our success.

STONEWALL

CLEVELA

N D

A lesbian/gay political organization of Northeastern Ohio

ing about the definition of domestic partnerships. Eisenberg helped to inform the audience about what forms of legal protection is available to gay and lesbian couples and how they have very little legal protection from the government courts.

Christine Link, the executive director of the ACLU, presented current legal information concerning the Baehr v. Lewin court battle taking place in Hawaii. Link presented

why even a simple life be denied.

Paul Sponseller,

a financial advisor, gave the audience a closer look at the difficulty gay and lesbian couples face financially when there is a break up or death. Sponseller explained how and insurance policy can

The Rev. Bill Pursell, Episcopal Dean of Trinity Cathedral, shared with the group the Episcopal church's dilemma regarding ordination of non-celibate gay and lesbian priests. The Episcopal church will revisit gay and lesbian issues in an upcoming national church conference.

The Rev. David Bahr, pastor of Archwood

United Church of Christ, gave a wide variety of forms of families found within the Bible. he stressed that when someone states the Bible is clear about the structure of family, in reality it presents many different forms of family.

Susan Bader from Ohioans Against Discrimination spoke on current legislation circulating in the Statehouse, and HR 257, a bill to add gays and lesbians to Ohio's hate crimes law.

Patrick McCabe and his partner Scott Hare, along with Paula Toohey and her partner Erin Bowden spoke of the personal significance of a long term relationship and the

rights which civil marriage would confer and validate.

The second hour of the meeting, after a short intermission, was filled with questions and discussion with the panelists.

Stonewall Cleveland would like to express their deepest appreciation to Pilgrim Congregational Church for allowing the Town Hall meeting to be held in their sanctuary and for posting the event prominently on the church's lawn sign.

As more information becomes available on the Hawaii issue and same-sex marriage, we will keep the community up to date through our regular Stonewall column.

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