RA-news

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Newsletter of the Rainbow Alliance at the University of Florida October 2003, Vol. 2, No. 1 Next Rainbow Alliance Dinner Meeting, Wednesday, October 15, 2003, 6:30 pm, at Daniella's (in Thornebrook Village). Other Dates to Remember: Pride Celebration of Gainesville: October 10-19. For a complete listing of events, visit http://www.gainesvillepride.org/ Transgender Day of Remembrance: November 20. For more information: http://www.gender.org/remember/day/. More info on local events in next month's RA-news. The Rainbow Alliance is the staff and faculty organization at the University of Florida concerned with matters related to sexual orientation and gender identity. RA welcomes all members of the University community who share its goals to join.

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Contents First Words Football Season Features Campus New UF President Has Positive Record on LGBT Issues Professor Bonnie Moradi Receives Grants to Study LGBT Experience, Life Satisfaction State Equality Florida Safe School Summit, Oct 24-26 in Orlando, to Focus on Passage of Statewide Dignity Bill Nation Gov. Gray Davis Signs Benefits Bill Battle over the Federal Marriage Amendment Continues Departments Update on RA Projects Contributing to the Rainbow Alliance Fund Resources How To Join Rainbow Alliance Contributors to This Issue of RA-News

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First Words Football Season No, I'm not talking about our beloved Gators (Go Gators!). It's the Fighting Republican Pachyderms versus the Scrappy Democrat Donkeys. The game is a little different from regulation football. It will be played in five (fund-raising) quarters instead of the traditional four, and each quarter lasts three months! The game has already started. The semi-official whistle blew on September 1, 2003. The game will end on November 9, 2004. There isn't really a half-time show – the show runs pretty much continuously for the duration. The Powerful Pachys have already chosen a quarterback. He's a little short for a quarterback, but he's run a couple of good games. The Demolishing Donkeys are running that old Spurrier game – they've got nine quarterbacks right now, and they can swap them in and out. Depending on how they perform in the first 3 quarters, only one will finish out the game. They won't be playing with regulation equipment, either. Instead they will have several footballs in play at the same time: prescription benefits, healthcare, the war against Iraq, the war against Afghanistan, the war against France... One ball that will definitely be in play is the LGBT football. The Pachyderms scored there first big goal against the Clinton team of ‘97 with the "gays in the military" play. In a series of maneuvers meant to label Clinton and his team "ultra-liberal," the Pachys definitely delivered the LGBT ball into the Dems end-zone and began the first in a series of largely successful plays to cripple the Clinton presidency. The political atmosphere is ripe for the same page from the Pachy playbook. No less than a justice of the Supreme Court has labeled the current political environment a "culture war." Some people believe that they are fighting for civilization has they have known it, and the current defining issue in that battle is same-sex marriage, or same-sex unions, or civil unions... Whatever you want to call it, a line in the sandlot has been drawn over the issue of letting boys or girls "marry" their own kind. Even if Candidate/President Dean/Kerry/Clark faces this play, the game is playing out on a somewhat different field. The Supreme Court has taken a positive stand on the most fundamental issue and stated that states cannot legislate against LGBT relationships at their most intimate level. That decision was a "watershed" in the progress of LGBT rights. Thrity-seven states had already made the decision on their own, but that goes back to the patchwork quilt of LGBT rights that we've written about before. This decision sets the stage for other national inititaves, such as ENDA, the Employment Nondiscrimination Act, and for a new round of local and state battles over the next level of legal rights. The playing field has also changed in terms of public perception. LGBT people have great media exposure these days. Television brings gay lives and gay culture into every home in America through very popular shows like "Will and Grace" and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." Who would have every thought you could actually call a prime time television show "queer" and have a hit! Even the daytime soaps have gay characters and subplots. Stonewall changed the relationship of the LGBT community to mainstream politics from one of passivity to one of confrontation. Stonewall taught us to fight. AIDS showed us – and everyone else – what we were fighting for: Life, in every sense of the word. The last twenty years have brought a series of confrontations and defining moments as the culture at large has wrestled with revelations about Hollywood stars, Ellen coming out on television and the death of Matthew Shepard, among others. In addition to these high profile stories, there were dozens of local stories and local issues. Each one has forced individuals to ask themselves where they stand on the FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS of LGBT people. With every issue and every event, more and more people – solid political majorities – seem to be affirming those rights. It is becoming a hallmark of our beloved Western civilization that we not only respect but protect and promote the rights of LGBT people. The battle is far from over. In addition to the Big Game, we have to continue to press forward at every level from our workplaces to our local governments to the states. LGBT people must take a stand in whatever way they can. Coming out is in itself a powerful form of activism, but there are also plenty of groups that need your involvement and support. You can be sure that the LGBT ball will be kicked around quite a bit over the next few months, and even more if a Democrat is elected next fall. Get informed! Get involved! Let's win one for the Gipper! [top]

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Features

New UF President Has Positive Record on LGBT Issues Four hundred possibles were narrowed to 11 candidates. The 11 were narrowed to 3. And on October 8, one was chosen. J. Bernard Machen was selected by the UF Board of Trustees to be the University of Florida's 11th President. For the LGBT community, this selection comes at a critical time. Charles Young has been a powerful advocate for the community, and with his help, the University now has an antidiscrimination policy that includes sexual orientation. He is also a supporter of domestic partner (DP) benefits and had indicated that he would work with administration and the LGBT Concerns committee and others to get DP benefits at the University next year. (This cannot be done until after July 2004 for legal reasons.) The question is: Will the new president be as committed to these plans? The answer seems to be yes. As president of the University of Utah, Machen approved a benefits plan that includes unmarried partners of faculty and staff. In his previous job, as provost of the University of Michigan, he was instrumental in creating a similar program. Fred Esplin, spokesperson for the University of Utah stated, "I know that this is something Bernie is supportive of," referring to benefits for domestic partners, both opposite- and same-sex. Esplin stated that the DP benefits policy was formulated was in response to interests of faculty and staff that "bubbled up." He added that an important motivation for the policy was to make the University of Utah more competitive in recruiting faculty and staff. J. Bernard Machen Micro-CV President, University of Utah Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of Michigan Dean of the School of Dentistry, University of Michigan Associate Dean, School of Dentistry at the Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Professor, UNC-Chapel Hill Major, U.S. Army, U.S. Army Institute of Dental Research Doctor of Dental Surgery, St. Louis University Doctorate in Educational Psychology, University of Iowa Masters in Pediatric Dentristry, University of Iowa Vanderbilt University, Pre-Dental Program For an extensive CV, visit: http://www.admin.utah.edu/president/jbmvita.html UF Foundation Press Release: http://www.uff.ufl.edu/News/PressRelease.asp?Story=23 [top]

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Professor Bonnie Moradi Receives Grants to Study LGBT Experience, Life Satisfaction Bonnie Moradi, assistant professor in UF's Department of Psychology (and a member of Rainbow Alliance!), has received funding from the National Institutes of Health and the American Psychological Foundation to pursue an ambitious research program into the life experiences and life satisfaction of LGBT people. Moradi applied for the highly competitve award more than a year ago, and she was delighted when she was notified that her proposal was funded. We are very pleased for Bonnie. Rainbow Alliance wrote a letter of support and participation which accompanied her proposal. Now that Bonnie has funding, she's gearing up to do as extensive a study as possible. Bonnie is looking for a large and diverse number of participants for the initial surveys in her study. Ads inviting people to participate have already begun to appear. The grant funding includes money to pay participants a small fee, which should help attract people. Rainbow Alliance members can help both by participating in the study and assisting in publicizing and recruiting participants. Find out more by calling 392-0601 ext. 477 or write survey@grove.ufl.edu. [top]

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Equality Florida Safe School Summit, Oct 24-26 in Orlando, to Focus on Passage of Statewide Dignity Bill 70 percent of GLBT students report verbal, physical or sexual harassment. The typical high school student hears anti-gay slurs an average of 25 times per day. The Equality Florida Safe School Summit will bring together youth leaders and their allies from all over Florida. Delegates will participate in two days of "training, workshops and strategy sessions" on advocating for passage of the Dignity for All Students Act (DFASA), creating and strengthening a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at delegate's schools, and making local schools safe for LGBT youth. The focus of this year's summit will be the Dignity for All Students Act (DFASA). When passed, DFASA will protect all Florida students from harassment, discrimination, and violence based on real or perceived identity or expression of race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, sex or gender, disability, or sexual orientation. Student and adult activists alike will be educated about the bill and trained on how to effectively lobby legislators while they are in their home districts prior to the next legislative session. Momentum for the bill continued to build through the 2003 legislative session, as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle understood the necessity of making schools a safe place to learn. The number of co-sponsors of the bill increased to 23 and more than 167 organizations signed on in support of the bill. "The growing bi-partisan support for this bill is a clear indication that safe schools is an issue that can no longer be ignored," said Nadine Smith, Equality Florida's Executive Director. The bill was referred to the Senate Education Committee and was scheduled to be heard for debate and vote last spring but was blocked by 35 anti-gay amendments put forward by Sen. Anna Cowin, R-Leesburg. A scholarship fund has been established to ensure students from across Florida will be able to participate. Event oganizers are encouraging people who support this important work to make a contribution of $50, $100, or more toward the scholarship fund to help defray students transportation and housing costs. The Safe School Summit will be held at the Four Points by Sheraton Orlando Downtown 151 East Washington Street. Register online at www.eqfl.org. Checks can be mailed to Equality Florida/ Youth Scholarship 1222 S. Dale Mabry #652 Tampa, FL 33629. For more information, call (813) 870-3735 ext. 216, or e-mail celina@eqfl.org. [top]

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Davis Signs Domestic Partner Benefit Bill California has become the first state to require businesses with large state contracts to offer domestic partners the same benefits that spouses enjoy, although the law will not take effect until 2007. The bill expands on legislation passed in 1999, when California became the first state in the nation to allow gay and lesbian couples to register as domestic partners. The measure provided registered couples many rights previously available only to heterosexual married couples or their next of kin, including the right to make medical decisions for incapacitated partners, the right to sue for a partner's wrongful death, and the right to adopt a partner's child. Outgoing Gov. Gray Davis signed the bill enacting the measure, which had been a key goal of gay rights groups. Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California (search), called the move "incredibly significant." "There are a lot of businesses that want state contracts, and in order to be eligible, companies will now have to give equal benefits," Kors said. In 1996, San Francisco became the first jurisdiction in the country to adopt such a requirement, prompting numerous companies to offer benefits to domestic partners, Kors said. Other cities have since followed suit, and California is the first state to approve such a law, Kors said. The measure narrowly cleared the Legislature earlier this year, passing the Assembly with the minimum number of votes needed. At the time, Democrats described the measure as a victory for fairness and civil rights, while Republican opponents said it would trample the rights of employers who objected to gay relationships. Davis signed the measure Sunday as he considered dozens of bills sent to him by the Legislature. He faced a midnight deadline to act on the measures. The bill regarding state contracts was the other major gay rights bill passed by the Legislature this year, and gay rights groups had urged Davis to sign it even though he has been recalled. The new law will apply to contracts worth $100,000 or more, and may be waived in emergencies and cases where there is only one bidder. For more information: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,99879,00.html [top]

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Battle over the Federal Marriage Amendment Continues The so-called Federal Marriage Amendment has become a focus of anti-gay activism. It was recently the subject of both a statement by U.S. Catholic bishops and Congressional hearings. The proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution would define marriage as being between one man and one woman and would prevent states from expanding that definition in any way. On September 10, the leaders of the nation's Roman Catholic bishops Wednesday gave "general support" to the proposed amendment. The 50-member administrative committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, meeting privately in Washington, acted after a strong Vatican call to defend traditional marriage and the decision of Canada's government to legalize same-sex marriages. The bishops said "the church's teaching about the dignity of homosexual persons is clear. They must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity," but that this does not mean changing marriage laws. The statement said that protection of marriage requires, among other things, advocacy for legislation and public policies that "define and support marriage as a unique, essential relationship and institution." "At a time when family life is under significant stress, the principled defense of marriage is an urgent necessity to ensure the flourishing of persons, the well-being of children and the common good of society," the bishops said. The Vatican denounced same-sex marriages in a July decree from its doctrinal office. On September 4, the Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution held a hearing titled "What is needed to Defend the Bipartisan Defense of Marriage Act of 1996?" The hearing was organized by Sen. John Cornyn, chair of the Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights. The Texas Republican said he convened the proceedings believing that the Senate must consider what steps may be necessary "to safeguard the institution of marriage" in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's pro-gay Lawrence v. Texas ruling and pending cases in Massachusetts and other states that could potentially legalize gay marriage. Those court cases, argue Cornyn and other opponents of same-sex marriage, may make DOMA vulnerable to challenges on constitutional grounds. "The question before us now is whether [DOMA] will remain the law of the land as the people intend, or be overturned by activist courts," Cornyn stated at the start of the hearing. "The witnesses before us today will share their knowledge and analysis of the recent decisions and pending cases, and on the importance of protecting traditional marriage as both a social and legal union." Numerous groups joined together in a letter to the committee opposing the Federal Marriage Amendment. The letter was sent from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, which was joined by, among others: – the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund – the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium – the Japanese American Citizens League – the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement – the National Organization for Women – the Presbyterian Church (USA - Washington Office) – the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations – and the Service Employees International Union. The Leadership Conference went on to warn Senators that "the proposed amendment would not only prohibit states from granting equal marriage rights to same-sex couples, but apparently seeks to deprive same-sex couples and their families of fundamental protections such as hospital visitation, inheritance rights, and health care benefits, whether conveyed through marriage or other legally recognized relationships, running afoul of basic principles of fairness as well as causing harm to real children and real families." Republicans called four witnesses and allowed only two for Democrats. One of those speaking against the amendment was Dale Carpenter, an openly gay conservative who is currently an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Minnesota Law School. In his testimony, Carpenter made a persuasive legal argument in support of his opposition to the constitutional amendment. He plainly explained to the Senators just how much progress the amendment would undo: "[D]omestic partnership laws and civil unions in states and localities across the country would be effectively repealed. Democratic outcomes would be reversed. Public debate through normal democratic processes would be cut short." President Bush has not endorsed the proposed constitutional amendment but has said marriage is between a man and a woman, and "we ought to codify that one way or the other." More on the Catholic bishops: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,96949,00.html More about the Senate Hearings: http://www.baywindows.com/news/463090.html [top]

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Departments

October 2003 Update on Rainbow Alliance Plans If you haven't had a chance to attend a dinner, it might be difficult to keep up with the progress of 2003 projects. We'll try to keep you current with a monthly update. 1) Rainbow Alliance Fund at the University of Florida Foundation The Fund (established March 2003) is the only one of its kind at the UF Foundation specifically dedicated to the support of the LGBT community at UF. The Fund needs continuing support if we are to realize our goals. As always, details about contributing to the Rainbow Alliance Fund can be found at the end of the newsletter. Details about payroll deduction will be e-mailed to RA members soon. 2) New! The Rainbow Alliance Web site is now up and running. View your Web site at www.ra-online.org. 3) LGBT Colloquium -- We're still working on this. Our goal is to publicize the range of LGBT studies and courses at the University of Florida. 4) Work will continue to identify LGBTA alumni. Still in the planning stages, though we have collected a few names for the newsletter list. The Web site will be the focus of this effort, and we're looking into advertising in the national gay press. 5) Of course, we'll continue our monthly dinners. We hope to see you there! 6) We're working on outreach to LGBT faculty and staff at other universities and junior colleges in Florida. If you have any contacts who would like to be on the Rainbow Alliance mailing list, please send them to cbrown@agen.ufl.edu. We're very interested in what is going on on other campuses. Maybe we can support and help each other. 7) Rainbow Alliance depends on the efforts of dedicated volunteers. A little of your time could go a long way. Get involved. Make a difference. [top]