Out and About, gay outdoors group.

Rainbow Bowling League

Shooters Pool League www.shooterspool.org.

Summit Bowling Assn Box 6223, Akron 44312

Team Cleveland Tennis www.teamclevelandtennis.org Women's Baseball League, Cleve http://mswbl.com.

www.GayPeoplesChronicle.com

216-556-4832

Cleveland Marshall Law Coll. COERSAGE

.216-687-2340

440-460-0448

Cuyahoga Community College Student Activities

.216-987-4610

440-871-4699

CCC Lambda Gay-Straight Alliance, Western Campus Room A-101

330-535-6724

Case Western Reserve Univ Lambda Grads

.216-231-0072

419-917-9095

Case LGBT Info web site

www.case.edu/provost/ight/.

.216-368-4344

.216-381-2858

Case Spectrum http://home.cwru.edu/spectrum/.

216-421-2935

Women's Flag Football, USFTL

7709 Ohio St., Mentor

440-974-8735

Women's Ice Hockey, Cleveland Hts.

216-382-9666

Case Western Reserve People in Medicine Case People@gmail.com 216-368-5871 Edinboro U. Identity LBG & Ally Edinboro, Pa..

814-732-2000

YWCA, 4109 Prospect Ave., Cleveland

.216-881-6878

330-569-5498

219-481-6609

216-397-2489

STUDENT & ALUMNI GROUPS

NORTHERN OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA

Akron University Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual Union

Baldwin-Wallace Lambda 275 Eastland, Berea 44017

Behrend Coll Trigon Behr'd Box 1054, Erie Pa 16563.

.330-972-6851 440-826-2356 .......814-898-7162 216-676-8400 x8737 .419-372-0555

Berea Midpark High School Fusion

BGSU Vision▼ U. Hall, Box 22 Bowling Green 43402.

BGSU Transcendence, transgender and allies, www.TransBG.org Cleveland State GLASA, CSU Box 34, 2121 Euclid, Cleve.............. 216-687-2277

Equality bill

Continued from page 1

will be the one who determines how far the bill gets in this session.

With the votes of McGregor and Blair added to the six Democrats, all of whom are co-sponsors, there are enough votes to pass it out of the committee.

Equality Ohio director Ed Mullen hopes committee chair Joseph Uecker of Clermont County will hold more hearings and a vote.

"Batchelder is the biggest obstacle right now," Mullen said, adding that opposition among House Republicans is "softening," compared to 2009, and there is a chance to pass the bill through the Senate.

"We have met with the legislative director of the governor's office," Mullen added, "and there are indications he will not oppose it."

Mullen said that the bill might not move until after the November election, however.

Officially known as H.B. 335, EHEA was introduced September 27 with 25 sponsors, mostly Democrats but some Republicans.

"The hearing was a victory in and of itself, given the committee chair," Mullen said.

Mullen believes that a reason why the Republican opposition is softening is growing support from the business community.

In 2009, once the Ohio Chamber of Commerce realized EHEA would likely pass the House, they attempted to load it up with a package of amendments to weaken the rights of anyone complaining of job discrimination, and other "tort reform" measures to weaken people who sue their employers.

With a parliamentary move, the Democrats dodged the Chamber's "poison pill." Had the amendments been included, they could not have supported the bill.

The Chamber and the National Federation of Independent Businesses opposed the measure without the amendments.

This time, however, the Chamber and NFIB will be introducing a stand-alone bill that is essentially their amendment package from 2009. This has allowed both business groups to remain neutral on EHEA and not penalize Republicans who vote for it.

Mullen credits McGregor for getting the business lobbies to change their strategy. But if their legislation passes, all non-discrimination laws will be weaker and more difficult to enforce.

Denied a single room at the inn

During her testimony, Antonio told the committee members what LGBT discrimination looks like in Ohio.

"One Ohio lesbian, Shari Hutchinson, claimed that she faced discrimination based

Hiram College PRYSM▼ Box 67, Hiram 44234

Indiana-Purdue Walb Union 231, Ft Wayne, Ind..

John Carroll Allies ▼ 20700 N. Park, Box 9999, Univ Hts.

440-964-4289

Kent State Pride! Kent 237 Student Ctr, Box 17, Kent.......... 330-672-2068 Kent Delta Lambda Phi fraternity, c/o Pride! Kent (above) Kent State Ashtabula LGBU 3325 W. 13th St, Ash'bla. Lakeland Coll. GSA ▼ 7700 Clocktower, Kirtl'd 44094 440-953-4817 Lima OSU Bi-Global ▼ 066 Galvin, Lima 45804 419-221-1641 ext. 415 419-383-6118 Medical Coll. of Ohio G.S.A., Toledo; Judith Kunkel North Olmsted High School Spectrum Judy, 216-651-5428 Northwest Ohio Support Group 419-267-5511 ext. 261 Oberlin Lambda Union King 141, Wilder Box 88, Oberlin mrc@oberlin.edu

on her sexual orientation while working first as a support officer and then an account clerk for the Child Support Enforcement Agency for Cuyahoga County, Ohio," Antonio said.

"A Middlebranch, Ohio transgender man who was employed by a local factory was told not to use the men's room but given access to a basement bathroom," Antonio continued.

"The bathroom was inoperable, so he left the building during his break to use a gas station bathroom nearby. He was fired when he returned to work a few minutes late as a result of having to use an off-site bathroom," Antonio said.

"In another example, an airport hotel refused to rent a single room to a gay couple stranded over night at the airport due to delays. The couple was forced to rent two rooms at $250 per room even though the advertised rate was $147 per room," Antonio said.

"These are just a few examples of discrimination Ohioans have experienced. Some incidences are litigated, some are not. Most often, victims fear retribution or further victimization and loss of employment or housing and so suffer in silence or relocate if they are financially able," Antonio concluded.

Nothing in EHEA inhibits business

McGregor spoke directly to the business interests of Republicans, beginning with a laundry list of 30 of Ohio's largest private employers whose equal employment policy protects LGBT employees, which he followed with a similar list of cities and universities.

"By failing to implement this policy, Ohio stands to lose business," McGregor said, citing the example of Utah, which was told by internet commerce firms that they would not create any more jobs in that state if LGBT employees could not be protected from discrimination by law.

"Ohio needs to be able to send the message that we welcome everyone, that we are open. for business, and that companies can move here and be successful," McGregor said.

"As an employer myself of a manufacturing company, I have first-hand knowledge and experience of the lengths employers must go for human resources," McGregor said. "There is nothing in this bill that would inhibit me or my company, or prevent me or my company, from being successful. Nor is there anything in this bill that would hold me back from managing my company."

"Fairness is not a partisan issue," McGregor

said.

Who you love should not

determine how you are treated

when looking for a home

Unfortunately, not every city protects you from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. To find if your rights are protected where you live, call 216-361-9240 or visit our website at www.thehousingcenter.org

Call the Housing Research & Advocacy Center if you think you have experienced housing discrimination in making a housing choice.

216-361-9240

www.thehousingcenter.org

April 6, 2012

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Oberlin Lambda Alumni, Bosworth Hall, 50 W. Lorain, Oberlin....... 440-775-8692 419-772-2000 Ohio Northern U Open Doors ▼ www.onuopendoors.org

Orange High School GSA 32000 Chagrin, Pepper Pike... 216-831-8600 ext. 2505 U. Toledo Spectrum GLBTS Alliance.

419-530-7975

YSU LGBT Alliance Stu. Activities Ofc, Kilcawley Ctr............ 330-742-3598

THEATERS

CLEVELAND AREA CODE 216 Beck Center for the Arts 17801 Detroit Ave, Lakewood

Cedar-Lee Theater 2163 Lee Rd., Cle. Hts

Cleveland Cinematheque 11141 East Blvd., Clev Cleveland Play House, 8500 Euclid Ave., Clev Cleveland Public Theater 6415 Detroit Ave., Clev Dobama Theater ▼ 2340 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights. Great Lakes Theater Festival 1501 Euclid Ave. #423, Clev. Karamu House Theater 2355 East 89th St. at Quincy, Clev Playhouse Square Center 1519 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. Red Hen Productions Box 91926, Cleve. 44101

AKRON AREA CODE 330 Heads Up productions www.headsupproductions.net

TRANSGENDER

YOUTH GROUPS.

990-5138

Alpha Omega Society

www.aosoc.org

216-556-0067

Chi Lambda Epsilon Chapter of Tri-Ess www.triess-cle.org Transcendence www.TransBG.org

.440-564-1109

521-2540

Trans Ohio

Bowling Green TransFamily Cleveland, Transgender, family, allies......... www.transohio.org

419-575-4632

216-691-4357

614-441-8167

321-8232

Trans Pride

330-253-2220

421-7450

795-7010

631-2727

932-3396

Beyond Identities Comm. Ctr. 1717 East 36th St, Cleveland Center for Pastoral Care 223 W. 1st St., Mansfield 44902

.216-361-2428

419-522-3288

241-5490 795-7070 241-6000 661-4301

www.toledoray.org

Center Youth Program (ages 14-24) ▼ 6600 Detroit Ave, Cleveland ..216-651-5428 Chesterland Teen Gatherings, Community Ch, 11984 Caves Rd 440-729-7898 Free 2bu Teen Coffee House, UU Ch, 3300 Morewood, Fairlawn....... 330-836-2206 Glamour Pride, Akron. Rainbow Area Youth

"That is why in 2007, three Ohio Republican members of Congress joined with members of Ohio's Democratic delegation to support the Federal Employment Nondiscrimi-

I do

Continued from page 1

Scott-Moore asked the media to be respectful of the people being wed, since this was a big day for them, before jumping down to marry his husband, Tim Scott-Moore.

The City Hall rally began at 11 am, then headed to the Galleria at 11:40 am. The first weddings started an hour and a half later.

Couples came from across Ohio, including Ashley Fambro and Jessica Kays, who came from Piqua, near Dayton, to participate in the festivities.

As is so often the case, the story behind the story is every bit as interesting as what is in the forefront.

Hoover came out officially less than a year ago, in May 2011. The next month, he began getting involved in gay equal rights issues, and by the end of the year was organizing the rallies in Cincinnati and Columbus.

Divorce

Continued from page 2

David Langdon, the attorney for the Ohio Campaign to Protect Marriage, called Cox a "rogue judge" who ignored the state constitution to grant the divorce, although the men noted that they did not want recognition that they were married, they wanted a judicial document saying that they were not married.

Langdon co-wrote the Ohio marriage ban amendment, which his group campaigned to pass. Most of the group's funding, however, came from Citizens for Community Values, an anti-gay organization in suburban Cincinnati run by Phil Burress. The money routing kept the campaign's individual donors secret, since CCV did not have the same report-

330-253-2220 419-255-7510

nation Act of 2007. Congressmen Tiberi, as well as former Congressmen Hobson and Pryce voted in favor of that similar legislation."

"The news outed me to about half my family and my community that didn't know," he laughed.

He came out to his mother earlier, but told more of his family last year. She was there with him all along, back to when he started his charity, Gifts of Kindness, when he was 14. Gifts of Kindness helps people with basic needs like food and clothing.

"My mom has been one of my head organizers for this gay rights stuff," he noted. "I credit my mom with everything I do. She's always been one of those people who puts others before themselves."

Hoover has been accepted to Miami University, where he plans to double-major in political science and business.

"I wanted to minor in law but I don't think I'm going to be able to do that," he noted. "I do a little bit too much, I guess."

Adam Hoover

BRIAN DEWITT

ing requirements as the campaign group.

Much of CCV's current activities center around serving as an Ohio mouthpiece for the American Family Association, the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family.

Both the AFA and FRC are listed as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center for their use of factually questionable propaganda to further their anti-gay stances. Of the $1,194,808 OCPM reported, $1.18 million was donated by CCV, while Focus on the Family chipped in $1,101. CCV made a total of 20 donations, ranging from $13 to $600,000 from October 5, 2004 to December 31, 2004, according to the website Follow TheMoney.org.

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