October 8th, 1997 to October 14th, 1997

National Roundup

by P.J. Engelbrecht

Supreme Court lets stand three gay-related rulings
The U.S. Supreme Court appeal of a suit brought by a Massachusetts man who claimed his religious freedom was violated when his son was temporarily placed in foster care with a gay male couple has failed, reported the Associated Press Oct. 6.

The Court denied the appeal, Doe vs. Massachusetts Dept. of Social Services, without comment. The man had argued that the June 1996 placement with gays "interfered with" the Catholic upbringing of his 14-year-old son. The boy had complained of "abusive discipline" prior to placement in foster care, according to the father's lawyer. No complaints of improper treatment were lodged against the gay foster parents, and the boy was returned to his (birth) parents in December 1996.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court "left intact a ruling that lets newspapers in Washington state bar their reporters from political activism even though a state law prohibits such censorship by most other employers," AP reported. "The court, without comment, rejected an appeal by Sandra Nelson, who was transferred from her reporting job with The News Tribune in Tacoma, Wash., after refusing to stop her gay-rights efforts and other political activities while not working. The Washington Supreme Court last May upheld the newspaper's authority to reassign Nelson, ruling that the paper enjoys a free-press exemption from a state employment-discrimination law."

And, for the third time in a year, the Supreme Court this week shot down a challenge to the military's "don't ask, don't tell'' policy. Without comment, the court refused to hear the appeal of former Air Force captain Richard Richenberg, who said the policy violates his free-speech rights and fosters government "discrimination and bigotry,'' AP reported. "Richenberg entered the Air Force in 1985. After he served in the Gulf War, he began training for special service in Saudi Arabia. While in training, Richenberg disclosed his homosexuality to his commanding officer. The Air Force canceled his Saudi Arabian mission and reassigned him to Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, where discharge proceedings were begun. Richenberg was given an honorable discharge in 1995. He sued the Air Force, but a federal trial judge and the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against him," AP reported.

Study: Condoms for teens don't increase sexual activity
A study of almost 13,000 high school students in Chicago and New York has found that those given access to free condoms "were no more likely to engage in sex" than students without such access, reports the Associated Press.

Free contraceptive distribution was also associated with "a modest but significant increase [in] students' condom use." Regardless of condom availability, about 60% of students admitted engaging in sexual activity; 55% of the Chicago students had used a condom during their last sexual encounter.

Free access to condoms was not found to increase sexual activity, "a primary political obstacle to making condoms available to high school students," said the study, which was published by the American Journal of Public Health.

Calif. D.P. benefits supporter's home firebombed
The Alameda, Calif., home of Ben Felix, a gay man, was apparently the target of a fire bomb after Felix supported domestic-partnership benefits at a City Council meeting, the Associated Press reported Sept. 26. Police have no suspects in the case.

Chief Burny Matthews said the incident was being investigated as a potential hate crime, though no one was injured and the "molotov cocktail" flung at Felix's house not only broke on the sidewalk, but also contained no flammable liquid. Evidently, a turpentine-soaked rag had been stuffed in the bottleneck, lit, and tossed into the yard, where it left a small burned spot. An earlier "egging" of Felix's house, plus the firebombing, have "shaken" the Felix household (his housemate has a six-year-old child), but Alameda city councilmembers have not backed down from their vote last week, which extends dental benefits, funeral and sick leaves to domestic partners of city employees.

Felix had spoken out against other speakers' anti-gay rhetoric in his Council testimony. Councilmember Tony Daysog condemned the attack on Felix and said that officials "should take a firm stand on behalf of civil rights, and make sure nothing like this happens again."

Needle exchange, AIDS funds in House-Senate committee
The AIDS Foundation of Chicago issued an action alert Sept. 29 warning that a Congressional appropriations committee may refuse Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala the authority to revoke the federal ban on syringe exchange programs. The Coburn amendment to the FY 98 HHS appropriations bill is attached only to the House version, so it could be rejected by the committee. Nearly two dozen studies have found needle exchanges prevent the spread of HIV among those who "shoot up" without increasing rates of IV drug usage. On Sept. 10, the House approved an appropriations bill amended by Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., to make permanent the federal ban on funding for needle exchanges.

The same House-Senate joint committee will also reconcile in conference differing AIDS appropriations bills. The House bill increases Ryan White Titles I and II funding that supports ADAP and care services; the Senate bill has higher increases for prevention and Ryan White Titles III and IV, funding early prevention and care services for women and children. Illinois Rep. John Porter sits on the joint committee and voted for the Coburn amendment despite his history of supporting AIDS prevention and care programs. The AFC urges concerned individuals to call Porter, urging him to "support the highest possible AIDS funding ... and remove the Coburn Amendment from the final Labor/HHS Appropriations bill." Call Porter at (202) 225-4835.

In related news, public health officials and policy experts at the U.S. Conference on AIDS in mid-September heard reports on several states' drug case studies which demonstrate that the HIV transmission by contaminated needles continues to grow, especially within communities of color, in poorer communities and among women. For example, in Rhode Island, half of all new AIDS cases resulted from IV drug use. "As of December, 1996, nearly 100,000 African-Americans had contracted AIDS through injection, including 30,000 ... women," said a National Minority AIDS Council statement. The states of Maine, Minnesota and New Mexico have approved clean needle programs.

Florida anti-cross-dressing code proposal flops
Sabrina Robb, formerly known as Dale Robb, began wearing feminine attire to her job at the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration in Ocala last spring. Robb's name was legally changed, and she now lives as a female "because to me it's more appropriate," she told a UPI reporter. However, some of Robb's co-workers were taken aback by the apparent gender switch, and U.S. Congressman Cliff Stearns, R-Ocala, "asked the leaders of the state legislature to consider a dress code for state employees to ban cross-dressing, which [Stearns] called 'antithetical to our morals in Ocala'."

Stearns' request was forwarded to the AHCA, but the agency has taken no action. AHCA spokeswoman Nina Botcher says the current dress code will not be changed. Employees are required to "be neat, clean and dressed appropriately for the office." Robb favors below-the-knee, "matronly skirts which conform to the policy." However, Botcher also noted that "Robb will continue to use the men's restroom at work."

Top federal AIDS researcher resigns post
Dr. William Paul, 61, was appointed in 1994 to head the Office of AIDS Research, within the National Institutes of Health. Now, he plans to leave that position "to work full time seeking a vaccine against the [HIV] virus," said the AP Sept. 26. NIH head Dr. Harold Varmus commended Paul for "exemplary scientific leadership." Paul may remain at the OAR until November; his replacement has not been named. Paul is known for having discovered interleukin-4, a primary chemical regulator of the immune system. He will continue as head of the Laboratory of Immunology in the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (also an NIH arm).

Three gays win Minn. primaries
Three openly gay Minneapolis men have won unopposed city primary races, according to NewsPlanet. Democratic Farmer Labor Party members Dennis Van Avery, a School Board incumbent; Wally Swan, Board of Estimate incumbent, and Rod Krueger, a candidate for the Library Board. In neighboring St. Paul, anti-gay school board candidate Larry Dandrea qualified for the November general election ballot, Dandrea is endorsed by the Republican Party and a leader of the Minnesota Family Council.

Sex activists, NGLTF, GLOBE conventions Converge
San Diego planners have announced the California city will host the National Sex Panic Summit Nov. 13, gathering grassroots activists, national leaders, writers and academic theorists to discuss attacks on queer sex and sexualities during the last two years. The so-called "New Puritanism" has included closure of sex clubs and bathhouses, anti-sex AIDS activism, increased crackdowns on sex workers, and the racist and selective policing of lesbigay bars. For Summit registration info, call Tony Valenzuela (619) 295-6067 or (619) 525-3485; email <arcadio@ix.netcom.com>.

The Sex-Panic Summit coincides with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force-sponsored Creating Change Conference in San Diego, which runs Nov. 12-16. Queer academic biggies Allan Berube and Amber Hollibaugh are among NGLTF's scheduled speakers. Contact NGLTF for details: (202) 332-6483 x3329. Email <CC97@NGLTF.ORG> or check the website at <www/NGLTF.ORG/CVC97>.

Also on Nov. 13 in San Diego, the Federal GLOBE Second Annual Congress convenes GLBT Federal employees from all branches of the government from across the country. Attendees will discuss implementation of "Federal GLOBE sexual orientation workshop training," which was developed collaboratively by Hollywood Supports and HRC, as well as GLOBE restructuring, "effectuating avenues of redress," advocacy networking and strategizing. Discount rates are available for those attending both the GLOBE and the NGLTF conferences. Call Federal GLOBE at (202) 543-9583. For registration information, call Stephen Bickford at (937) 656-3593.

NGLTF announces new mission, board changes
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force announced the appointments of new board members and the adoption of new mission and vision statements Sept. 19. The new co-chairs of the national board of directors are Rachel Rosen of New Mexico and Joe Hall of Nebraska; each will serve a two-year term. New board members include Arturo Nava of Boston, Lynn Cothren of Atlanta, and Lani Ka'ahumanu of San Francisco. The revised mission proclaims that NGLTF "works to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people at the local, state and national level." The NGLTF envisions itself "As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality ... creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity and where all people may fully participate in society." Executive Director Kerry Lobel said the revisions are intended to clarify NGLTF's work.

Nobelist Tutu and MCC founder Perry to confer
Crowning a South African speaking tour, the Rev. Troy D. Perry, activist founder of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, will meet Dec. 10 in Capetown, South Africa with the Most Rev. Dr. Desmond Tutu, Nobel Prize winner and Anglican Archbishop Emeritus.

The pair will discuss human rights and the global pursuit of spiritual justice. "Some of UFMCC's greatest international growth is currently taking place in South Africa," said Perry of the international lesbigaytrans-focused denomination. "This trip ... provide[s] an opportunity for me to recognize the important role members of UFMCC congregations played in the formation of the new South African constitution." South Africa was the first nation to provide constitutional rights and protections to lesbians and gays.

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