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January 27, 2012

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 3

Three Ohio mayors join effort for marriage equality

by Anthony Glassman

Washington, D.C.-Three Ohio mayors are among the over 100 city leaders participating in the group Mayors for the Freedom to Marry, which launched at the United States Conference of Mayors winter meeting on January 20.

The United States Conference of Mayors approved a position statement in favor of marriage equality in 2009, and now Michael Coleman of Columbus, Edward Kelley of

Cleveland Heights and David Berger of Lima join Republican, Democratic and independent mayors from across the country in their support of Freedom to Marry, a national organization pressing for marriage equality.

Two other nearby mayors who have signed on to the effort are Paul Dyster in Niagara Falls, and Joe Sinnott of Erie, Pennsylvania.

The group is chaired by Michael

Bloomberg of New York City, Thomas Menino of Boston, Annise Parker of Houston, Jerry Sanders of San Diego and Los Angeles' Antonio Villaraigosa.

Bloomberg personally lobbied Republican state legislators in New York in favor of the state's marriage equality bill, which passed last year. Dyster was the first mayor in the state to marry a same-sex couple, once the law took effect.

Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman

Lima Mayor David Berger

Cleveland Hts. Mayor Edward Kelley

The chairs released a statement commemorating the creation of the coalition, stating, "As mayors of great American cities, we proudly stand together in support of the freedom of same-sex couples to marry. We personally know many gay and lesbian people living in our cities who are in committed, loving relationships, who are active participants in the civic life of our communities, and who deserve to be able to marry the person with whom they share their life." "Our cities derive great strength from their diversity, and gay and lesbian families are a crucial part," the statement continues. "Studies have shown what we know through our hands-on experience—that cities that celebrate and cultivate diversity are the places where creativity and ideas thrive. They are the place where today's entrepreneurs are most likely to choose to build the businesses of tomorrow. Allowing samesex couples the right to marry enhances our ability to build this kind of environment, which is good for all of us."

In all, 27 states and the District of Columbia are represented by mayors joining the group. Of Ohio's neighboring states, only Kentucky is not represented; West Virginia's John Preece of Delbarton has joined, as have Mark Kruzan of Bloomington, Indiana and several mayors in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Even far-off Alaska is represented by Mayor Bruce Botelho of Juneau, while Park City, Utah's Mayor Dana Williams represents a state that functioned as the de facto headquarters of the effort to repeal marriage equality in California.

newsbriefs

Canada reassures couples: Marriages still valid here

Ottawa-Canada's Conservative government affirmed same-sex marriage on January 13, a day after it was revealed that the Justice Ministry was arguing against allowing a U.S. lesbian couple to divorce. The government attorneys claimed that the women's Canadian marriage is not valid since it is not recognized at their homes in Florida and London.

The legal argument led to a flurry of stories that the Canadian marriages of gay and lesbian U.S. couples had been called into question. This was followed by statements from U.S. and Canadian LGBT legal groups that no, it is only an argument in one case, and has no bearing elsewhere.

Finally, the Canadian government cleared up the issue.

"Marriages performed in Canada that aren't recognized in the couple's home jurisdiction will be recognized in Canada," said Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, according to CTV. "I want to be very clear that our government has no intention of reopening the debate on the definition of marriage."

He blamed the former Liberal government for a legislative gap that failed to update the divorce laws while allowing same-sex couples to marry.

Some gay advocates are concerned the efforts to clarify the 2004 marriage law will give the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper the opening to tinker with it, but Harper's government says it has no intention to do so.

When his party came to power in the last decade, Harper called an open vote on whether or not to reopen the marriage issue, allowing ministers of Parliament to vote on their conscience, not along any party lines. At the time, the MPs voted against reopening the issue.

Judge: Camp was wrong to deny union

Neptune, N.J.-Judge Solomon Metzger ruled on January 19 that the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association violated state law when it prevented a lesbian couple from using its pavilion for their civil union.

The Methodist organization gained a tax exemption on the property by allowing it to

be used by the public, and the pavilion and the land itself are not a religious institution. However, in 2007, the association refused to allow the oceanfront boardwalk to be used for Harriet Bernstein and Luisa Paster's civil union. The association claimed that the ceremony would be contrary to scripture.

Metzger said that the decision violated the agreement to keep the property open to the public, and the association loses its tax exemption on the land.

Bernstein and Paster did not seek financial damages in their suit against the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, simply an acknowledgement that the association was in the wrong.

GSAs are taking hold in middle schools

Washington, D.C.-There are now over 500 gay-straight alliances in middle schools across the nation, according to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, a response to the increasing visibility of bullying and suicide among young people.

The San Francisco Chronicle pointed to a young man named Marcel Brown, who was walking with his little brother when his brother's friends called Marcel "faggot."

"And I thought, 'That's messed up.' My older brother is gay," he told the newspaper.

Opponents say that middle school is too early to tackle such difficult topics, but the prevalence of anti-gay bullying in middle schools make GSAS a necessity, according to GLSEN executive director Eliza Byard.

"Thinking it's too early is really blind to what it's like in middle school," she said. "Anyone who walks through the halls of a middle school knows what it's like. The words 'faggot' and 'dyke' are weapons of choice."

Studies show that bullying is actually more prevalent in middle school than in other grade levels.

Lawmaker would 'stomp' a TG person

Nashville-A state legislator said he would "stomp a mudhole" in a transgender person who tried to use a restroom his wife or daughter were in.

Rep. Richard Floyd made the statement in support of his bill that would require people to use restrooms based on the sex on their birth certificates.

He said he introduced the bill after reading about the Macy's employee in Texas who was fired for refusing to allow a transgender woman to use the women's dressing room.

"It could happen here," he told the Chattanooga Times-Free Press on January 12. "I believe if I was standing at a dressing room and my wife or one of my daughters was in the dressing room and a man tried to go in there I don't care if he thinks he's a woman and tries on clothes with them in there-I'd just try to stomp a mudhole in him and then stomp him dry."

Using the "wrong" restroom would be a misdemeanor, punishable with a $50 fine.

The sponsor of the Senate version of the bill, Sen. Bo Watson, said he put it forward as a courtesy to Floyd, but that there are greater legislative priorities in the session. Watson withdrew his version on January 12.

Schools move to fire anti-gay teacher

Union Township, N.J.-The local school board filed tenure charges in December against a teacher who made anti-gay comments on Facebook.

Viki Knox was placed on paid leave in September after calling homosexuality a "perverted spirit” that “breeds like cancer,” among other things, on the social networking site.

The Newark Star-Ledger continued to quote her post, "Why parade your unnatural immoral behaviors before the rest of us? I DO NOT HAVE TO TOLERATE ANYTHING OTHERS WISH TO DO. I DO HAVE TO LOVE AND SPEAK AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT!"

School board president Ray Perkins said, "Every student, no matter what race, creed, color or sexual orientation, ought to be able to come to school and feel comfortable in a learning environment that's welcoming and nurturing."

All of 'Best 100' have job bias rules

New York City-All of the "Best Companies to Work For" on Fortune magazine's list have rules against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

It is the first time all 100 companies have had such policies. In 2008, 95 of the 100 companies did, and in 2011 it was up to 99.

Domestic partner benefits are now of fered by 89 of the companies, an increase of 19 from five years ago.

In the Fortune 500, 86 percent have put forward gay-inclusive nondiscrimination policies, and 60 percent offer partner benefits. Partner benefits have nearly doubled in the last decade, and nondiscrimination policies have increased from 61 percent in 2002.

Compiled by Brian DeWitt, Anthony Glassman and Patti Harris.

WENDY S. ROSETT

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