December 19, 1997 GAY PEOPle's ChroNICLE 9

Taskforce party celebrates the light in many holidays

by Doreen Cudnik

Cleveland-Clients, volunteers and friends of the AIDS Taskforce of Cleveland gathered on December 11 at St. Ignatius of Antioch Church on the city's West Side for the Taskforce's 11th annual holiday party.

At a time when new drug therapies are making it possible for people with HIV and AIDS to live longer and healthier lives, the Taskforce chose “Sharing the Light" as the theme for the celebration.

"For the first time in many years, there is a bright future for those who are living with HIV," said Task force director Chrisse France. "With the advent of new treatments, it has been wonderful to see people rally and grow stronger and I hope that this trend continues. I want to see the same faces at this holiday party year after year."

The party was complete with a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and a visit by Santa Claus for the young ones. There was plenty of entertainment to keep people in a holiday mood while the hardworking "kitchen mavens" sliced the turkeys and prepared the meals.

Comedienne Kate Zanoni kept the show moving by acting as emcee. Other entertainers included Jewish folk singer Noah Budin and the Dance Studio Dancers. Festive holiday centerpieces were donated by several area florists, including Heights, Filers, Jon Brittain, and Terry's Florists, and Blooms by Plantscaping.

Demonstrating their pride in the cultural diversity of their staff, the Taskforce asked several staff members to "share the light" in

the event program about what this time of the year means to them.

Outreach coordinator Pan Cunningham wrote about Wicca as being one of the Pagan religions that celebrates light. During Yule, Wiccans use candles and an evergreen tree in a ritual that symbolizes the union of the god and goddess and the return of light to the earth.

Women's education coordinator Naimah Muhammad said that although Muslims do not celebrate the holiday, "we believe that lights are a symbol of hope, peace, and good will."

Recalling the biblical story of the three kings who followed a bright star to a manger in Bethlehem, director of client services Ed Gemerchak said that light has always been a symbol of hope for Christians. Latino Women outreach coordinator Nancy Mendez shared memories of commemorating the arrival of the three kings during the Latino tradition of "El Dia de los Reyes."

"Light brings hope, faith and life-and banishes fear and despair," Gemerchak wrote.

Ed Magiste, the Taskforce's nutrition services manager, wrote that light plays an important role for Jews at this time of year. Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of light, with eight candles in the menorah representing eight days of renewal.

"Jews believe that God brings light to the world through his Torah," Magiste wrote.

And, according to social work intern Dante Latson, during the African-American holiday Kwanzaa, black candles are lit each night for seven nights to reflect on the principle of the day. The seven principles are: unity, self-

DOREEN CUDNIK

Jeff Boone (left) and Stephen Hood at the AIDS Taskforce holiday party.

determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

"No matter what holiday we choose to celebrate, this is a time to be with family and friends," France added. “I am grateful that we have this opportunity to celebrate together."

France said that her holiday wish was that everyone needing the new drugs would have access to them, and that they would work for everyone until a cure for AIDS was found. "We aren't there yet, and none of us can give up until that happens."

Court upholds protection against same-sex abuse

by Mark R. Chellgren

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Frankfort, Ky.--A Kentucky court of appeals ruled December 12 that someone who faces abuse from a same-sex partner may obtain domestic violence protective orders.

The appellate decision reversed a 1995 Fayette Circuit Court ruling, which had taken the position that the law applies only to a married couple or a heterosexual couple.

Judge David Buckingham of Murray, who wrote the majority decision, said the statute applies to couples engaged in an intimate

Church honors lesbian-gay members in stained glass

by Richard D. Mohr

Champaign, III.-In what may well be a national first, the McKinley Presbyterian Church of Champaign, Illinois on November 30 dedicated a gay-themed stained glass window newly-installed on the church's east aisle.

The classic five-by-twelve foot cathedral-arch window depicts, at top, a pink triangle set against a white Celtic cross and blue background. Immediately below is an abstracted rainbow flag. Farther down is, on the left, a red AIDS commemorative ribbon, and, on the right, the flaming heart symbol of the compassionate Jesus. Still farther down are two peaceful landscape panels which pick up the feel and palette of an existing Tiffany Studios pastoral window farther along the aisle. At midwindow left, are two male hands in a passionate clasp and, on the right, two female hands lightly hold each other. In turn, each couple's hands are embraced by a pair of hands representing, according to Pastor Charlie Sweitzer, either the congregation or God.

A scroll on the left presents Galatians 3:28, "In Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female." On the right, a scroll quotes words of John Robinson said in parting to the Pilgrims as they left the Netherlands, "The Lord has yet MORE LIGHT and truth to break forth from God's word."

The phrase "more light" is set in capi-

tals to mark the church as one of the Presbyterian More Light ministries, which are dedicated to social and religious justice for lesbian and gay people. The McKinley church has been part of the More Light movement for eighteen years.

The $10,000 window was dedicated in honor of Carolyn Worley, a long-time head of the church's social concerns committee, who is currently suffering late-stage Parkinson's disease. The window was donated by her brother Mark Juergensmeyer, a professor of sociology at the University of California-Santa Barbara.

"I wanted to do something impressive for my sister and something before she died,” Juergensmeyer explained. “When the board of directors informed me that the remaining available window slot had been reserved for a gay-themed work, I was delighted."

Though on gay issues the Presbyterian church nationally is one of the most internally conflicted Protestant denominations, McKinley Presbyterian Church has been one of the most consistently gay-progressive institutions in Champaign. In the spring of 1998, it will host a national conference of the More Light Churches Network with 200-300 representatives from around the country attending.

♡

Richard D. Mohr is a professor of philosophy at the University of Illinois in Urbana, adjacent to Champaign.

relationship and would not apply to room-

mates.

"The language of the statute is unambiguous, even though it is gender-neutral and does not specifically include or specifically exclude same-sex couples from its scope," Buckingham wrote. "The General Assembly has not given preferential treatment to samesex couples or homosexuals; rather it has provided for equal treatment under the law for same-sex or homosexual victims of domestic violence."

Judge Joseph Huddleston of Bowling Green joined Buckingham's opinion.

Judge Rick Johnson of Mayfield dissented. He said the legislature intended to allow domestic violence orders for couples that are composed of members of the opposite sex.

The statute now allows "any family member or member of an unmarried couple" to petition a court for a domestic violence order to refrain from any contact with the partner. It has generally been applied to unmarried couples who live together, formerly lived together or have a child in common. It also

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covers spouses and some other relatives. According to the court case, John W. Ireland and Blake Allen Davis were living together in an intimate relationship. Ireland sought a protective order, alleging he had been abused by Davis.

When Ireland reported that Davis violated the order, Fayette District Chief Judge Kevin Horne dismissed the arrest warrant and the protective order. Horne's decision was upheld until the December 12 ruling that overturned it.

State Sen. Tim Philpot, R-Lexington, has proposed a revision to the domestic violence statute that would add to the definition of an unmarried couple, limiting that category to people "of opposite sex."

Philpot said prior to a hearing on the proposal in August the legislature intended to protect women and children from abuse and protect a traditional family unit.

Philpot said he is open to the possibility of providing protection to victims of same-sex domestic violence if gays provide proof that there is a problem.

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