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January 29, 2010

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 5

'ButtOut' aims to help LGBT youth avoid smoking

by Jonah Weinberg

Cleveland-The Ohio Department of Health kicked off a campaign on January 13 in Cleveland to educate LGBT youth about the impacts of tobacco use and smoking cessation resources.

The ButtOut Ohio campaign will launch as a pilot program in Northeast Ohio, with a focus on youth between the ages of 16 and 21 in the Cleveland region.

The kick-off event took place at John Marshall High School, home to one of the largest gay-straight alliance groups in the United States.

Speakers included Cleveland Department of Health director Matt Carroll, the Ohio department's Office of Healthy Ohio director Nan Migliozzi, Cleveland Ward 3 councilor Joe Cimperman, Cleveland LGBT Center interim director Mary Zaller and Cleveland Heights councilor Mark Tumeo.

"LGBT youth are a particularly vulnerable to the dangers of smoking demographic," said Ohio health department director Alvin D. Jackson, M.D. “According to a recent survey of LGBT youth in northeast Ohio, nearly 80 percent of respondents claimed to use tobacco, which according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is up to 60 percent greater than the general youth population, and that is not something we can afford to ignore."

The survey was conducted among more than 100 high school and college students throughout the greater Cleveland region. Of the LGBT youth who participated in this survey, 73 percent indicated they started using tobacco before the age of 18.

With recent positive developments for the LGBT community in the Cleveland area, the region offered an ideal climate for launching the ButtOut Ohio campaign. In addition to being awarded the 2014 Gay Games, Cleveland recently passed a num-

Proposition 8

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was motivated by antipathy towards LGBT people.

One of the main ads used was a histrionic piece about "protecting" children, which was later challenged by a psychologist who testified to the over 100 studies indicating that gays and lesbians make good parents, and pointing to the medical, mental health

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OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

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Speakers at the ButtOut Ohio kickoff gather on the stage at John Marshall High School with proclamations from Cleveland, Lakewood and Cleveland Heights supporting the program. From left are Cleveland LGBT Center interim director Mary Zaller, Cleveland councilor Joe Cimperman, John Marshall principal Rhonda Saeger, Ohio health department director Matt Carroll, Healthy Ohio director Nan Migliozzi, and Cleveland Heights councilor Mark Tumeo.

and children's health professional organizations that have endorsed same-sex parents.

Nancy Cott, an historian at Harvard University, pointed out that bans on interracial

marriage and the curtailing of wives' rights were once claimed as being inseparable from the well-being of children.

Yale historian George Chauncey pointed out that unfounded animosity against LGBT

charlie'scalendar

Saturday, January 30

CLAW Volunteer Recruitment Party, for April's ninth annual Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend, 9 pm, Mean Bull, 1313 East 26th Street, Cleveland; CLAW, 216-252-2148; bar, 216-812-3304; www.clawinfo.org.

Sunday, January 31

Sen. Sherrod Brown to speak, at the annual meeting of the Gay Community Endowment Fund of the Akron Community Foundation, drinks and hors d'oeuvres 2 pm, program 3 pm, $30, Akron Art Museum, 1 South High St, Akron; 330-376-8522, www.gaycommunity fund.org.

Wednesday to Sunday, February 3-7

National Conference on LGBT Equality, 22nd annual "Creating Change" activists' convention sponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Sheraton Hotel, Dallas, Texas; NGLTF 202-639-6333; hotel 214922-8000; www.creatingchange.org. Friday and Saturday, February 5-6

Bamboo Banga, electrorganic evening of jungle and tribal music, performances and dancing presented by Moxy Music and Dangerous Productions, VIP 9-10 pm $12, 10 pm-midnight $8, Outland, 95 West Liberty, Columbus; 614-744-0100, www.myspace.com/ gavindanger. Saturday, February 13

35th Womyn's Variety Show by Oven Productions, women 18+ only, open 6 pm, show at 7:30, followed by Fabulous Party with DJ Freeze and Debra; tickets $20 at door or at Nickel and Inn on Coventry; Park Synagogue, Kangesser Hall, 3300 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland Heights; 216-375-0780,

Mardi Gras Celebration, night of music and masquerade, benefits North Coast Men's Chorus, Bellefaire JCB and GLSEN Northeast Ohio, $50, 6:30 pm, Windows on the River, 2000 Sycamore Street, Cleveland; www.ncmchorus.org.

Cupid's Holiday, buffet dinner and dance presented by Colors of Cleveland Pride, afterfive attire requested, $35, Tizzano's Party Center, 1361 East 260th St, Euclid (Cleveland); 216-923-1518 ext. 1..

Hearts and Harnesses, annual bar night presented by the Rangers leather, Levi and uniform club, 10 pm, Daddy's, 1009 South Main St. Akron; www.rangersinc.org.

Sunday, February 14

people led to persecution, jail sentences and dismissal from employment.

There is another interesting fact underlying the case: despite its name as Perry v. Schwarzenegger, neither the state nor its attorney general are defending Prop. 8. That task has fallen to groups like ProtectMarriage.com, the organizers of the Prop. 8 campaign.

Schwarzenegger's office has taken no position on the suit, and Attorney General Jerry Brown supports the plaintiffs.

Before the trial began, the court was going to allow the case to be broadcast over the internet to a select group of courthouses

Monday, February 22

Got 'Til It's Gone, by Larry Duplechan, to be discussed at the 10% Book Club, 7:30 pm, Liberation UCC, 13714 Madison Ave, Lakewood (Cleveland); damichcoop@road

runner.com.

Saturday, February 27

Bowling for Equality, annual fundraiser for the Human Rights Campaign, $20, $75 per team of five, Mahall's Lanes, 13200 Madison Ave, Lakewood (Cleveland); http://cleveland. hrc.org.

Girlyman, queer alt-folk trio, with opener Lucy Highlights of upcoming weeks

Wainwright Roche, 8 pm, Beachland Ballroom, 15711 Waterloo, Cleveland: www.beachlandballroom.com, 216-383-1124.

Tuesday, February 16

Insight Monthly Dinner Meeting, premier Cleveland area LGBT personal, social and business networking organization, reservation and information 216-556-0576.

Saturday, February 20

Chinese New Year Banquet, 15th anniversary of Asians and Friends-Cleveland's celebration, 6 pm, tickets $40, $35 members until February 6, $5 between February 7 and 16, $55 after, if available, Hunan Gourmet Restaurant, 3614 Euclid Ave, Cleveland; www.af cleveland.org, 216-226-6080, ext. 3.

Ohio Boys of Leather 1st Anniversary, 10 pm, the Shed, 29th Street and Detroit Ave, Cleveland; 216-771-7812, www.myspace.com/ ohioboysofleather.

For a detailed list of events extending months into the future, see our web site: www.gaypeopleschronicle.com Saturday, March 6

Tunes from Toons, 10th annual fundraiser for the Red Ribbon Connection, cocktails 6 pm, dinner 7:15 pm, show 8 pm, McKinley Grand Hotel, 320 South Market Street, Canton; 330455-3835, 330-417-5329.

Saturday and Sunday, April 10-11

"Too Marvelous for Words," the North Coast Men's Chorus presents tunes from the American songbook, 8 pm Saturday, 3 pm Sunday, Waetjen Auditorium, Cleveland State Univer sity Music Bldg., 2001 Euclid Ave, www.ncmchorus.org, 216-556-0590.

Thursday to Sunday, April 22 to 25

ber of measures to make the city more inclusive of LGBT individuals.

"This campaign supports our overall goal of reducing the number of youth smokers achieved through our Steps to a Healthier Cleveland initiative. LGBT youth are an important part of the target group of young people we are working to reach," said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. "If our young people can be encouraged to break the smoking habit early in life or never smoke in the first place, they will prevent future health concerns but also avoid many of the other negative effects of smoking."

This peer-led outreach effort relies heavily on LGBT youth to help reach others at events, clubs and other venues, and help them recognize that smoking can have a significant impact on their lives, beyond the traditional message that it is an unhealthy behavior.

"Our youth programming is important to our whole community," said LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland interim Director Mary Zaller. "We want the youth in our community to find success as they mature and become adults, and smoking is only one more obstacle for them to deal with. We welcome ButtOut Ohio as an important resource to help LGBT youth quit smoking, and to help others understand why it's really in their best interest to avoid picking up the habit."

In addition to the peer outreach efforts, ButtOut Ohio uses social networking as a tool to help LGBT youth access resources that can help them quit smoking, and to find tobacco-free friends. For more information about the ButtOut Ohio Campaign, visit www.odh.ohio.gov or on Facebook.

Jonah Weinberg is the coordinator for ButtOut Ohio.

across the country and then be put up on YouTube.

The defendants, however, fought the decision, and in an emergency ruling, the Supreme Court barred the broadcasts.

Another issue that the court will have to decide is what level of scrutiny the issue merits. If they determine that LGBT people are a distinct class for the purposes of civil rights laws, it will be harder for the defendants to prove that denying the right to marriage is justifiable.

If the campaign was based around simple animosity or moral disapprobation, it-is more difficult to justify curtailing the rights of LGBT citizens than if they can prove there is a specific societal benefit to barring same-sex marriage.

CLAW, ninth installment of the Cleveland Leather Annual Weekend, events held at host hotel Wyndham Cleveland and bars across the city; 216-812-3304, www.clawinfo.org. Tuesday to Monday, May 25 31

IGBowl XXX, 30th annual International Gay Bowling Organization annual meeting and tournament, Columbus; www.igbo.org.

Saturday, June 5

Pride Youngstown, second annual LGBT Pride festival in downtown Youngstown; www.prideyoungstown.com.

Saturday, June 12

Cleveland Pride Parade and Festival, 22nd annual event; 216-226-0004, www.cleveland pride.org.

Friday and Saturday, June 18 19

Columbus Pride Parade and Festival, 29th annual event, festival both Friday evening and Saturday, parade on Saturday; 614-299-7764, www.stonewallcolumbus.org.

Saturday and Sunday, June 19-20 "Divalicious!" the North Coast Men's Chorus Pride concert, 8 pm Saturday, 3 pm Sunday, Waetjen Auditorium, Cleveland State University Music Bldg, 2001 Euclid Ave, www.nemchorus.org, 216-556-0590.

Compiled by Anthony Glassman