www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com March 9, 2012

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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Helmink loses Ohio House run, but Kurt and Brown win

by Anthony Glassman

Eastlake James Helmink, the 29-yearold wunderkind vying for the Democratic nomination for the new Ohio House District 60, was knocked out in the March 6 primary.

He and Eastlake city councilor Laura A. DePledge were bested in the primary by Lake County Commissioner Daniel Troy, who Helmink believes does not reflect core Democratic values.

While the Plain Dealer endorsed Troy, the Cleveland daily's editorial board also praised both Helmink and DePledge.

In early returns on March 6, both Helmink

and DePledge had over 26 percent of the vote, but Troy had over 47 percent.

Helmink, who was valedictorian of Eastlake North High School in 2001, was one of four out gays and lesbians running for the Ohio House of Representatives, but the only one with primary opponents.

Incumbent Rep. Nickie Antonio in Lakewood, Wood County Commissioner Tim Brown in District 3 and Steve Newsome in Cincinnati had no primaries, and go on to face opponents in the general election in November.

Two other out candidates in primary

newsbriefs

contests fared better than Helmink, how-

ever.

Summit County Councilor Sandra Kurt defeated her primary challenger Pete Crossland by a ten-point spread in early results, and she will face Republican Jane M. Davis in November for her at-large seat.

In Franklin County, Terry Brown, a former president of the Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio, had over four times as many votes for Franklin County recorder as his Democratic rival Cortez Lee Bogard as of press time. He will go on to face Republican Daphne Hawk in the November elect In the 9th District for the United States

House of Representatives, Dennis Kucinich, a staunch ally of the LGBT community, lost to Marcy Kaptur by a three-to-one margin, while dark horse candidate Graham Veysey was practically trapped in the gates. Early results showed Kucinich with 41% votes, Kaptur with 55% and Veysey with 4%.

Kaptur is also an ally of the of the LGBT community, but Kucinich, in his runs for the White House usually found himself the last Democratic candidate standing who supported full same-sex marriage. He is also often visible at LGBT events in the Cleveland area, including at least one Stonewall Democrats meeting in the Cleveland LGBT Center.

Schools settle bullying suit after Justice Dept. steps in

Coon Rapids, Minn.-The AnokaHennepin School District on March 5 yielded to the U.S. Justice Department and local groups and students who sued it for failing to stop physical and verbal anti-gay bullying in its schools.

The school board voted 5-1 in favor of a settlement that ends federal civil rights investigations and the lawsuit filed by a halfdozen students and former students last summer.

For the next five years, the Departments of Justice and Education will work with the district to create programs to improve the situation in the schools.

Kathy Tingelstad, the only dissenting vote, resigned from the board afterwards, complaining about the cost of the plan and federal involvement in local school policies.

In 2009 and 2010, a number of students killed themselves, some of whom were either gay or were thought to be gay, and had reported instances of bullying. The district's policy, as it stood at the time, required staff to keep a neutral stance on issues around homosexuality.

The six plaintiffs will split a $270,000 lump sum payment from the district's insurance company. The settlement also calls for a consultant to review the district's policies, the development of a plan for preventing harassment in middle and high schools, increase staff and student training, and hire a mental health professional to focus on the needs of students who are bullied, specifically in terms of sex and sexual orientationbased bullying.

The suit was filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the National Center for Lesbian Rights. The district settled the suit after the Justice Dept. got involved.

"No one should have to go through the kind of harassment that I did," said Dylan Frei, one of the plaintiffs. "I am happy this agreement includes real changes that will make our schools safer and more welcoming for other kids."

"Harassment by or against students in schools is unacceptable, and not a ‘rite of passage' to be endured by anyone," said Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for the Human Rights Division of the Department of Justice. "We hope the district will become a model for schools nationwide by providing a safe and nurturing learning environment for all students, free from bullying and harassment."

Chad Griffin named HRC president

Washington, D.C.-The Human Rights Campaign appointed Chad Griffin as their new president on March 2.

Griffin will step into the role on June 11; until then, outgoing president Joe Solmonese will continue to lead the group.

Griffin came to prominence in the LGBT community as a founding board member of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, the group sponsoring the lawsuit against Proposition 8 in California. He will remain on AFER's board while serving as HRC's president.

"We're ecstatic to have someone of Chad's caliber as our next president," Tim Downing and Sandra Hartness said. Downing, of Cleveland, is co-chair of the HRC board, while Hartness is co-chair of the HRC Foundation. "His superior credentials and achievements, both as a visionary and strategist, make him uniquely qualified to lead this organization forward."

"Chad has a proven track record of consistently delivering results during his career. That's something that our community rightly expects and deserves," they concluded.

He is a founding partner of Griffin Schein, a communications and campaign firm, and led successful ballot initiatives in California. He was also part of the communications team in the Clinton administration.

"I'm honored by the board's confidence in my ability to lead HRC," Griffin said. "While there's no doubt that we've made tremendous progress on the road to equality, we must not forget that millions of LGBT Americans still lack basic legal protections and suffer the consequences of discrimination every day."

Sheriff is sued by his ex-boyfriend

Florence, Ariz.-Jose Orozco, the man who accused Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu of threatening to deport him if he did not sign a non-disclosure agreement about their relationship, filed notice that he is suing Babeu and the county for $1 million in damages.

The claim cites abuse of power, malicious prosecution, defamation, conspiracy and other violations of Orozco's civil rights in the aftermath of his four-year relationship with Babeu.

The two met in 2006 and dated, then began seeing each other again in 2007. Their relationship then ended on September 1, 2011 after an argument, and after Orozco turned over control of websites and

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a Twitter account for Babeu's congressional bid, the sheriff's attorney allegedly contacted Orozco suggesting the non-disclosure agreement.

In the aftermath of Orozco's claims, which surfaced on February 17 in the Phoenix New Times, Babeu has denied everything, except that he is gay. He has also accused Orozco of crimes, and wrote to a neighboring county sheriff asking that he be investigated.

Rhode Island considers full marriage

Providence, R.I.—After passing a civil union law last year, a full same-sex marriage bill has been introduced into the legislature for this session.

Three pro-LGBT measures were introduced on February 16, including State Rep. Art Handy and State Sen. Rhoda Perry's Equal Access to Marriage Act.

Another measure would repeal the clause in the civil union law that allows hospitals, schools and other institutions affiliated with religious groups to ignore civil union sta-

tus.

The third bill would allow same-sex couples who married in other jurisdictions to divorce legally in Rhode Island courts.

Last year, a marriage bill was introduced, but House Speaker Gordon Fox, who is openly gay, pulled it when it became clear it did not have the votes to pass. The Senate president, another Democrat, opposes full same-sex marriage.

Your typical homecoming photo'

Honolulu A four-year friendship that blossomed into romance via mail and e-mail culminated with a kiss on February 22which made headlines and front pages across the country.

Sgt. Brandon Morgan returned from a six-month deployment in Afghanistan to be greeted by his boyfriend Dalan Wells, who he started dating long-distance during his time overseas. When they saw each other at the Marine base in Kaneohe Bay, Morgan

jumped up into Wells' arms for a lip-lock, and their friend David Lewis took a photo with his cell phone.

That picture now has over 40,000 “likes” on Facebook, and exemplifies the post"don't ask, don't tell" world, where gay men and lesbians in the military are free to show their love for their partners, as their heterosexual compatriots have been since the beginning of the United States military.

They missed out on the first open and out military homecoming kiss, however. That honor goes to two female Navy sailors in December when they were reunited after one was away for 80 days at sea.

A Marine Corps Base Hawaii spokesman said of Morgan and Wells' embrace, "It's your typical homecoming photo."

A second judge rules against DOMA

San Francisco-A George W. Bush-appointed federal judge ruled on February 22 that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional.

Continued on page 10

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