www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com

•

July 4, 2008

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 5

newsbriefs

Larry Craig 'defends' marriage from the last stall

Washington, D.C.-Two'senators whose antics have made them the poster boys for lack of marital fidelity are among nine cosponsors of the latest attempt to bar samesex marriage by amending the U.S. Constitution.

Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho, who was arrested in June 2007 for allegedly soliciting sex from an undercover police officer in a Minneapolis airport restroom, has signed onto the amendment. So has Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana, who last July was found to be a client of "D.C. Madam" Deborah Jeane Palfrey.

Vitter's connection to the prostitution ring filled the media with sordid stories of the senator in a diaper, while Craig's fall from grace made dancing the second thing that came to mind when "toe-tapping" was mentioned.

Craig pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, then later tried to retract the plea when

TG bias

Continued from page 1

between living my life with truth and integrity about who I am, as a lesbian, or pursuing the career of my dreams in public service," Baldwin said. “The importance of nondiscrimination laws cannot be overstated... Symbolically, they say to America, judge your fellow citizens by their integrity, character, and talents, not their sexual orientation, or gender identity, or their race or religion, for that matter."

D

Next up was gay Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, who spoke very candidly, without notes.

"It would not have been hard to find an excuse not to have this hearing," Frank said, adding his own experience to explain why laws protecting people in the workplace are necessary.

“[Baldwin] and I are examples of the benefits all around us that happen when you overcome prejudices," Frank said.

Recognizing that Baldwin is younger and "did not have to face living without full honesty," Frank added, "Well, I did, and I made the wrong choice for a while and behaved irresponsibly because of it.”

"I realize that when I got involved in politics, if I had been honest about who I was, it would have made some people nervous. But they got used to me," Frank said. "I want to reassure people here, that you're going to get used to them, too."

Frank implored the members of the committee to get to know transgender people, then began making an argument for the protection.

"Whenever members of this body object to something on the grounds that it is redundant, I am skeptical," Frank said. “We are a profession, many of us are lawyers, where redundancy is part of the code. Using a few extra words is rarely something we object to."

the matter became public. He claimed that he was told by prosecutors that it would be kept secret if he accepted the plea deal.

The courts, however, have not allowed him to retract the plea, and he has vacillated repeatedly on whether he would resign and when.

The facetiously-titled "Marriage Protection Amendment" stands little change in a Democratic-controlled Congress, where it needs two-thirds of the votes in each chamber. Three versions have also been introduced in the House.

McCain backs ban, Obama against it

San Francisco-The sponsors of a constitutional amendment to overturn the California ruling for same-sex marriage say Republican presidential candidate John McCain has endorsed the measure.

The Protect Marriage.com campaign says

Frank said the next argument made against passing non-discrimination laws of any kind is that they are disruptive.

"Historically, every bill to ban discrimination has been met with the same argument," Frank observed. 'I got nothing against those people. They're okay, but the law will be disruptive.' But it never is."

After a break, J.C. Miller, a partner in the law firm Thompson Hine in Washington, began her testimony by saying exactly what Frank warned about.

"Promoting a workplace free of discrimination is not only laudable, it is sound business practice," Miller said. "However, any time new legislation is enacted impacting the workplace, there is a subsequent disruption in the workplace as managers, human resource professionals and employees all try to implement new policies and adjust their working routine to comply with the legal mandate."

"This disruption can be minor or significant depending upon the nature of the new legislation," Miller testified.

Thompson Hine is a large law firm that often defends companies from discrimination suits.

In Ohio, Thompson Hine represented Fairfield Medical Center when it was sued for discrimination by gay police officer Chris Vickers.

The firm includes sexual orientation in its corporate non-discrimination policy, but does not include gender identity or expression.

"I respectfully suggest the committee consider three specific areas when drafting any, legislation on the issue: the definition of gender identity; the issues surrounding shared facilities; and jurisdiction over enforcement of rights," Miller said. "After all what is a gender related 'mannerism"?"

"Additionally, the language of the exemption must better address the process of providing adequate facilities to an em-

milestones

Amparo Vega and Megan Connelly celebrate 1st year

Cleveland-Amparo Vega and her fiancée Megan Connelly celebrate their oneyear anniversary on July 11, 2008.

The couple, who both work in law enforcement, are the owners of CuffNStuff.com, an on line jewelry store. Breaking from their heavy work schedules, they plan on spending a romantic weekend together away. Amparo and Megan met while both working in downtown Cleveland, and they were both immediately drawn to each other. Since then, they have been inseparable and hope to spend many more years together.

it received an e-mail from McCain on June 26 in which the Arizona senator expressed his support for the group's efforts "to recognize marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman."

McCain has previously said that while he does not back banning same-sex marriage at the federal level, he thinks it is appropriate for states to do so.

In 2006, he came out in favor of a ballot measure that would have banned gay marriage and prohibited any spousal rights for same-sex couples in his home state of Arizona. Voters rejected the measure. A new amendment, this one barring only same-sex marriage, was just put on the November ballot by the Arizona legislature, although McCain has not yet expressed his support for it.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama opposes both federal and state constitutional amendments to bar same-

ployee in the process of transforming gender," Miller added.

"Any requirement that the employer provide comparable dressing room or restroom facilities to an employee after notification that the employee is undergoing a gender transformation needs to be examined pragmatically. At what point after 'notification' must an employer act?" Miller asked. "If the employee notifies the employer on Monday that he or she is undergoing gender transformation, must the employer permit the employee access to the restroom or dressing room of the opposite gender on Tuesday?"

Glen Lavy of the anti-LGBT Alliance Defense Fund tried to make the discussion about marriage.

"The radical efforts to eliminate the unique, opposite-sex nature of marriage are only a precursor to the opposition's most dangerous principle," Lavy stated. "That principle is simply stated: that biological sex and gender are utterly divorced from one another.”

"If the proponents of the idea that individuals have the right to pick their own gender succeed, upholding the definition of marriage as a man and a woman will be meaningless," Lavy said.

Lavy also said protecting transgender workers from discrimination would violate employers' religious liberty.

Retired Army Colonel Diane Schroer, formerly David, was hired in 2004 by the Library of Congress, then turned down once they learned she would be transitioning on the job. With help of the ACLU, she is suing in federal court.

Schroer is an insurgency and counterterrorism expert, and was hired by the library to work in the congressional research service in that area.

"I knew that whether I was David or Diane, I would provide excellent research support to the Congress," Schroer said.

Schroer's would-be supervisor ended the lunch meeting where she told her about transitioning by telling Schroer she had been given "a lot to think about."

A day later, the supervisor told Schroer that she "would not be a good fit" at the library.

In court papers, "the library has claimed that it could not hire me because I would have no credibility with members [of Congress], given that a woman could not possibly know the things I know," Schroer said. "And yet, I testify in front of this committee here today."

Diego Sanchez is the director of public relations and external affairs at AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts and AIDS Action Council in Washington.

"I am the only male Georgia letterman I know of who earned it on the women's tennis team," said Sanchez. "Because I work in public health, I know countless transgender people who are homeless, and I know these people by their names and character."

"These are good people who can't get work and whose lives are cast to the streets in large cities and small towns," he concluded

sex marriage, even though the Illinois senator has himself expressed a belief that marriage is an opposite-sex institution. He has, however, spoken in favor of civil unions.

A letter from Obama read at the annual banquet of San Francisco's Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club last week stated that he supports "fully equal rights and benefits to same-sex couples under both state and federal law. And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states," reported the Sacramento Bee. California's Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has also expressed his opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment, which is slated to go on the ballot in November.

Compiled from wire reports by Brian DeWitt, Anthony Glassman and Patti Harris.

William Hendrix III is employed at a subsidiary of Dow Chemical, where he is the leader of their LGBT and allies group.

Hendrix explained the rationale behind Dow's liberal non-discrimination policies, which, he said, came about because most of the company's facilities are in rural areas where LGBT employees typically have no protection other than at work.

Hendrix said the company policies, therefore, aid in recruiting and retention of qualified talent.

Sabrina Marcus Taraboletti worked at Kennedy Space Center on the space shuttle on behalf of a contractor until 2003 when she was summarily fired after 20 years, six weeks after telling her employer she would be transitioning.

"After assigning security personnel to follow my every move, charges were drummed up, and I was suspended without pay pending a board hearing for dismissal," said Taraboletti.

"I was escorted off the space center grounds and told not to return," Taraboletti said. "I was told the actions were the result of an investigation initiated by an anonymous hotline call."

"To my knowledge, I was the fourth person attempting transition at the space center while trying to keep their job," Taraboletti said. "The first three before me also failed."

National Center for Lesbian Rights legal director Shannon Minter, a transgender man, said "the current patchwork of local and state laws is inadequate to remedy the pervasive gender identity discrimination taking place across the country."

"Most transgender employees do not live in a jurisdiction that provides them with legal protection," said Minter. "In most states, a transgender worker who is fired or harassed for being transgender has no legal recourse."

Minter said transgender people are often "forced into chronic, persistent unemployment, poverty, and homelessness."

"This is a crisis in our community," Minter said.

After the witness statements, some committee members asked questions.

Lavy was grilled by Andrews, an attorney, who sharply challenged Lavy's understanding of the law.

"It is the law that if an orthodox Jew runs a law firm, that he or she could not refuse to employ a person because they are Catholic. Is that correct?" Andrews asked Lavy.

"That would be correct," Lavy responded. "Is that a violation of the orthodox Jew's religious principles?" Andrews pressed. "Not that I'm aware of," said Lavy after a long pause.

Should a white supremacist be able to deny a job to an African-American? Andrews asked.

"No," said Lavy.

"If we have the power to make the judgment about race, why don't we have an equally valid power to make a decision about gender identity?" Andrews asked.

"I'm saying that I think it is not a good idea to do that," said Lavy. "I'm not saying you don't have the power to do it."