RA-news

---

Newsletter of the Rainbow Alliance at the University of Florida November 2003, Vol. 2, No. 2 Next Rainbow Alliance Dinner Meeting, Wednesday, November 12, 2003, 6:30 pm, at Olive Garden on Archer Road. Other Dates to Remember: November 20, 2003 -- Transgender Day of Remembrance. An event is planned for the evening in the amphitheatre at the Reitz Union. See story below. For more information: http://www.gender.org/remember/day/. January 24, 2004 - Gay Marriage/Unions, Gay Adoption, and Military Policy: An Interdisciplinary Symposium hosted by the Lambda Legal Alliance Program at UF Law School. See story below. 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.

---

Contents First Words Veterans Day Features Campus Reminder: LGBT Life Experience Survey Faculty Quality of Life Forums Continue ROTC and Participation in LGBT Groups UF LGBT Nondiscrimination Policy Becomes Active This Month UF Lambda Legal Alliance Program Sponsors Symposium on Impact of Lawrence v. Texas Local Transgender Discussion Group Meets Biweekly at PCCNCF Local Gay Parents Featured in Gainesville Sun State Successful Safe School Summit in Orlando Florida Launches Campaign to Recruit Nongay Adoptive Parents Nation Univ. of Missouri Offers Pro-gay Protections Massachusetts: Waiting for the Shoe to Drop Departments Update on RA Projects Contributing to the Rainbow Alliance Fund Resources How To Join Rainbow Alliance Contributors to This Issue of RA-News

---

First Words Veterans Day The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. At that moment in 1918, the hostilites ceased in World War I. That day became Armistice Day in the United States, the end of what people called the War to End All Wars. The treaty that ended that war -- the Treaty of Versailles -- affected most of the world's people. After hundreds of years, the Ottoman Empire was finally dissolved. The Middle East was carved up by England, France and the United States into the tapestry of nations we know today. Borders within Europe were realigned. Germany was subjected to punishing reparation payments that shattered the German economy and sowed the seeds of a new conflict even more horrific than WWI. By 1954 -- after the Korean War -- it was obvious that 1918 had not ended war at all. Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day. What makes Veterans Day sacred in its way is sacrifice. Ceremonies will be held all over the United States in honor of those who served and sacrificed. Among those from World War I, World War II, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, the First Gulf War, and other conflicts are LGBT people who wore the uniform and served their country honorably. Fast forward -- October 27, 1992. Eleven years and a few days ago. Seaman Allen Schindler is spotted walking down the street in Sasebo, Japan by his shipmate Terry Helvey and Airman Charles E. Vins. The two know that Schindler has confessed to being homosexual and will be thrown off his ship. The two follow Schindler and corner him in a public restroom. They beat and kick Schindler until he is defenseless on the floor. At that point, Vins claims that he withdraws, but Helvey proceeds to kick and stomp Schindler until he is unconcious. Schindler dies shortly thereafter from injuries so extensive that every major organ in his body is destoyed. Schindler's mother will only be able to identify her son by a tattoo. Vins gave evidence against Helvey in a plea-bargain arrangement and spent 78 days in jail and received a dishonorable discharge from the Navy. Helvey was given a life sentence, which he is serving in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. By law, his case is reviewed annually for clemency, and periodically for parole. This event electrified the debate the early Clinton Administration about gays and the military. Clinton's conservative opponents were eager to paint him with a liberal brush for his promise to change the military's policy -- if not its culture -- toward gays and lesbians. The result of the ensuing political battle was a new policy: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harrass." This policy has been popularly and functionally shortened to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" as the military continues to rack up record numbers of discharges based on "violations" of the policy. Clearly, the policy is being used to support a witch hunt in some units and to create an overall chilling effect. The goal of some is for the policy to read, "Don't Enlist, Don't Even Think About It." In the current social environment it may seem absurd to say that Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a progressive policy, but in the context of the military's tradition of exclusion and demonization of LGBT people, it is. Gay and lesbian people who serve are asked by their country to make two sacrifices... which they make willingly. They must put their lives on hold in many ways, as all soldiers do. But they must also suspend their souls, because if anyone finds out who they are, they will put out, excluded from the work of protecting the United States. They are asked to make this sacrifice for no apparent reason except to perpetuate the myth that "openly" gay and lesbian people might jeopardize unit cohesion. The lack of similar restrictions in the British military or the Israeli military -- both highly respected and frequent comrades-in-arms for U.S. soldiers and sailors -- makes these continuing claims seem less than credible. The debate over the rights of LGBT people in the U.S. is at a high, sustained pitch. We can only hope that even with conservatization of government at all levels in the U.S. that the debate over "gays in the military" will see advances similar to those in other areas. The time has come. LGBT people have made their case, and have received broad public support. We've moved on from the "special rights" arguments to fundamental human rights. In these pages, we often encourage taking time to look back and think about how far we've come. It is just as necessary to think about the work that remains to do to ensure the full equality and opportunity for LGBT people in this country. Veterans Day is no exception. Progress has been made, even in the military, but LGBT service is still more a history of double -- or in Allen Schindler's case, triple -- sacrifice. Thirty years ago LGBT people were an unknown quantity. Little more than a catalogue of stereotypes in most people's minds. People worried: What if they were open at work? What if they were open at church? What if they were open in media? What if they were open in politics? Now, we're all over the place, and, not surprisingly, the more other people get to know us, the more they like us. And society hasn't collapsed. If anything, it is stronger, and America's heart is bigger for having opened to more of its created-equal citizens. So one more question: What if they were open in the military? Whatever our position on national policy, our veterans signed up to risk their lives for us, if called to do so... and many were. They deserve honor and appreciation for their personal sacrifice. For most of us, Tuesday will be just a day off. But if you think of it at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, take a moment to look back... and look ahead. American Veterans for Equal Rights: http://www.glbva.org/ [top]

---

Features

Reminder: LGBT Life Experience Survey National Institutes of Health and the American Psychological Foundation have provided significant funding to UF researcher psychologist Boonie Moradi to examine the life experiences and life satisfaction of LGBT people. In connection with the study, Moradi is seeking participants for her survey. Those who participate will receive a small fee. The study will include people of all ages and both those who have a UF affiliation and community members. Other UF faculty can assist this important LGBT effort by letting students, colleagues and friends know about the study. Those who are interested should can call 392-0601, ext. 477, or send e-mail to survey@grove.ufl.edu. [top]

---

Faculty Quality of Life Forums Continue UF faculty members are invited to attend one of several open forums on Quality of Life Issues for UF Faculty. The forums are sponsored by the Provost and the Faculty Senate. Several forums have been held, but there is still an opportunity to participate. The general focus of the forums is to inventory current resources and practices at UF that affect quality of life issues for faculty, explore approaches taken at other institutions, and offer preliminary advice to the Provost and Faculty Senate on directions UF can take to promote a positive working environment for faculty. In particular, our Task Force is examining policicies, procedures, and resources related to 1) family care and disability leaves, 2) active service with modified duties, 3) tenure clock, 4) institutional support (e.g. child and elder care, flexible work policies), and 5) partner accomodation. Faculty who are unable to attend one of these forums, they can provide input via Internet at <http://www.senate.ufl.edu> (click on Task Forces, then on Quality of Life Issues for Faculty) or email <quality@grove.ufl.edu>. These submissions will become public record. Questions can be addressed to task force chair Angel Kwolek-Folland, director of the Center for Women's Studies and Gender Research, at >halohead@ufl.edu>. The schedule for the remiaing forums is: Thursday, November 13, 1:30-3:30, Communicore C1-7 Monday, November 17, 10:30-12:00, Weil 307 Friday, November 21, 1:00-3:00, Dauer 219 [top]

---

ROTC and Participation in LGBT Groups The question has recently arisen what the obligations of UF students in ROTC are under the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Apparently, some ROTC administrations have interpreted the policy to mean that members of ROTC can not also be members of campus of community LGBT organizations, as that would be tantamount to disclosing their sexual orientation. This policy may be either imposed formally or informally. Technically, there is no such requirement for ROTC students to avoid LGBT people or issues. In fact, Department of Defense regulation expressly protects what are called "associational activities" involving things of an LGBT nature.The Don't Ask, Don't Tell statute and relevant Department of Defense regulations are available at the web site for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), <www.sldn.org>, if students are interested in what the law really does require. According to the SLDN's Survival Guide, A Comprehensive Guide to Don't Ask Don't Tell: ROTC - Junior “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue, Don’t Harass” does not apply to Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). The policy only applies to active and reserve service members who have taken an official oath for the branch of the military they are entering. JROTC students cannot officially recite an oath of service and are not in the military. If a JROTC student is harassed because he/she is perceived to be lesbian, gay or bisexual, that student should immediately report the harassment to a school supervisor. If the harassment is coming from other JROTC students, the student should report the harassment to the JROTC instructor. If the JROTC instructor does not end the harassment, the student should report both the harassment and the JROTC instructor’s failure to stop the harassment to a school supervisor. ROTC - Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets are considered service members and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue, Don’t Harass” applies to them. While the military generally does not look for evidence of homosexual conduct by ROTC students, the military can, and does, respond when it obtains information about LGB ROTC students. ROTC students who are the target of a command investigation should say nothing, sign nothing and ask to speak with a defense attorney. Students with ROTC scholarships thinking about disclosing their sexual orientation to the military are strongly encouraged to speak to an attorney before doing so. If an ROTC student is disenrolled under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue, Don’t Harass,” the student will lose his or her ROTC scholarship, and may be asked to pay the military back for the money already spent on his or her education. Access the complete Survival Guide at: Survival Guide: A Comprehensive Guide to Don't Ask, Don't Tell [top]

---

UF LGBT Nondiscrimination Policy Becomes Active This Month On July 13, 2003, the University of Florida Board of Trustees unanimously approved the addition of the words "sexual orientation" to the University's nondiscrimination clause. Further action in October approved the revised policy statement, whcih then went to a legislative committee for final review. The nondiscrimination rule was logged as "received" by Tallahassee on November 5. The rule will take effect 20 dayslater on November 25. The University General Counsel's Office will send out a memo to Deans, Directors, and Department heads (DDD memo) which announces that the rule is now in effect. The new policy implies a number of additional changes, including mechanisms to receive complaints and training for various groups to publicize and implement the policy. A Web site for anonymous reporting is being created. [top]

---

UF Lambda Legal Alliance Program Sponsors Symposium on Impact of Lawrence v. Texas Lambda Legal Alliance, UF Law School's organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered students and their supporters, along with UF's Accent Speaker's Bureau and the Gator Gay-Straight Alliance invite you to attend a unique, interdisciplinary conference on the legal, political, and social ramifications of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, Lawrence v. Texas. The program consists of 3 interdisciplinary panels, which will examine the following topics: Gay Marriage/Unions, Gay Adoption, and Military Policy. Prominent law professors and practicing attorneys will present alongside highly regarded social science professors, directors of policy think-tanks, an expert on inclusive Christian theology, a former military major, and organizers from gay rights organizations. The program will be published in a later symposium edition of the Journal of Law and Public Policy. This one-day event will be held at the law school on January 24th, 2004; while the schedule has not been finalized, it will probably begin at 9 or 10 and extend into the afternoon. The event it free and open to the public, and breakfast and lunch will be provided. If you have questions, please contact Conference Chair and Lambda President, Diane, at LambdaUF@aol.com. We hope to see you there! [top]

---

Transgender Discussion Group Meets Biweekly at PCCNCF For several months, the Pride Community Center of North Central Florida (PCCNCF) has sponsored a transgender (TG) discussion meeting. The meetings are held every 2nd and 4th Wednesday and last from 7:30 to 9:00 pm. Afterward, attendees are invited to adjourn to the University Club (18 East University Ave) to continue discussions in an informal setting and just enjoy some social time together. The group includes both male-to-female (M2F) and female-to-male (F2M) individuals at all stages of transition from those who have received sex reassignment surgery (SRS) to those who prefer to express TG identity privately. Each one has individual circumstances, situations, responsibilities and needs. The group operates under the beliefs that being TG is a journey that is different for everyone and that there is no one path, and that there is a great value in meeting and sharing with other TGs live and in person. The Transgender Discussion Group welcomes all who are interested in transgender issues. Participants are welcome to dress as they wish, and facilities are available at the Center to change clothing or put on makeup before and during the meeting. The Center will be open an hour before the meeting for participants' convenience. The Group provides a caring and affirming environment for all transgender individuals. The Group meets at the Pride Community Center of North Central Florida (PCCNCF) at 1107 NW 6th St. (Look for a sign that reads "Wellness Center.") PCCNCF is the Community Center and outreach organization for the GLBT community for Central Florida from south of Ocala to and past the Georgia line. The Board and membership are incredibly supportive, inclusive and committed to the TG community. Learn more about the PCCNCF: http://www.pridecommunitycenter.org [top]

---

Local Gay Parents Featured in Gainesville Sun The Gainesville Sun recently ran a feature about gay and lesbian parents. According to the feature, the 2000 census listed 167,753 same-sex couples who reported having children in the home. In Florida alone, the number was almost 10,000. A key word in the article is "invisible." Gay and lesbian families are all around us, but they are often not noticed. The main reason for this appears to be discretion in the face of Florida law and to protect children and partners. Congratulations to the Gainesville Sun and to reporter Bob Arndorfer for bringing attention to these individuals and their issues. Beyond that congratulations to these families for their lives of courage! Read the entire feature on the Gainesville Sun Web site. [top]

---

Successful Safe School Summit in Orlando On October 24-26, Equality Florida and the Dignity For All Students Coalition hosted 150 students, educators, and youth-advocates from across the state, making the weekend summit the largest ever. During the Orlando based Safe Schools Summit, participants attended workshops designed to give them the skills to create safe learning environments locally and statewide, while having the opportunity to socialize and network with fellow students from across the state. The focus of this year's summit was passage of 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. "Many Students are forced on a daily basis to spend hours among their harassers, under the constant threat of emotional and physical abuse. I speak from experience when I tell you that this takes an incredible emotional toll and makes it almost impossible to learn," said Dani Ryan, a recent graduate of Lake Mary High School in Seminole County. This past summer, Dani had taken the brave step of filing a complaint with the Seminole County School Board regarding her teacher's open expression of racist, sexist, and homophobic attitudes. Sponsors of the Safe Schools Summit include : Equality Florida, GLSEN Miami, PFLAG Sarasota, The Gay and Lesbian Foundation of South Florida, GaySouthFlorida.com, Sunshine Cathedral, Planned Parenthood, GLSEN National, and PFLAG National. In conjunction with the youth summit, the first ever Orlando Area Reception was held to benefit Equality Florida on Friday evening at the Westin Grand Bohemian. Orlando s Tom Dyer and Phil Rampy spoke of their strong support for Equality Florida s work. The Orlando Area Reception was an enormous success, having raised $20,000 in its inaugural year. Equality Florida is a statewide education and advocacy organization >dedicated to ending discrimination based on race, class, sexual orientation, and gender (including identity and expression). Visit: http://www.eqfl.org/. [top]

---

Florida Launches Campaign to Recruit Nongay Adoptive Parents Florida governor Jeb Bush said he will not support any effort to make it legal for gay men and lesbians to adopt children. At the same time he was announcing a plan to promote adoption through television ads and a streamlined adoption process. The program, called the No Place Like Home initiative, seeks to find homes for nearly 2,100 children in state care waiting to be matched with a family. The program "will result in more children in Florida finding a sense of life and belonging that they have sadly and tragically been deprived of the opportunity to enjoy," said Department of Children and Families (DCF) secretary Jerry Regier. "Each child deserves a permanent family to love them and guide them." In addition to the ad campaign, DCF will hold camps in which adults considering adoption can spend a week with children. The camps will open this spring in the Orlando and Tampa areas. The department also will form "HomeFinder Teams," which will try to find families for hard-to-place children, and streamline the adoption process to reduce the average wait to adopt from eight months to five months. The state, however, won't make it easier for same-sex couples to adopt. Bush said he wouldn't support an effort to change Florida's laws to allow gay men or lesbians to adopt children. The state has the only law in the country that bars all gays from adopting children. A federal judge in Miami upheld the law, but the decision is being appealed. Read the entire story: http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?ID=10392&sd=11/06/03 [top]

---

Univ. of Missouri Offers Pro-gay Protections After more than a decade-long debate, the University of Missouri's antidiscrimination policies now prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. The four-campus university system's board of curators approved the policy change Thursday during a meeting at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. With the action, sexual orientation joins other protected categories, such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and status as a Vietnam veteran. Students, faculty, and staff have been pressing for the clarification for about a decade, and many of them applauded the decision. "Finally, at long last, a victory for fairness," said Robin Cook, a senior on the Columbia campus. Yet, he added, it is not a "groundbreaking historic decision." Rather, the university is simply catching up with other institutions, he said. University of Missouri documents explaining the policy change say most comparable universities include sexual orientation as a protected class in their antidiscrimination policies. In Missouri, similar policies are in place at Truman State University, Central Missouri State University, Saint Louis University, and Washington University. Read the entire story: http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?ID=10202&sd=10/17/03 [top]

---

Massachusetts: Waiting for the Shoe to Drop The full bench of the state Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments March 4, 2003, in Goodridge et al v. Department of Public Health, the landmark case seeking the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry in Massachusetts. The court was originally expected to rule in July, but postponed a final decision until the Fall, but there is no deadline. A recent public opinion poll (October 30, 2003) found that Massachusetts voters believe gay or lesbian couples should have the right to enter into civil marriage by a 59% to 35% margin. Support levels include 55% of Catholic voters, 62% of women, 57% of men, and at least 56% in every region of the state. Voters see a ban on gay marriage as discrimination. The poll was conducted by the national firm Decision Research, on behalf of the Freedom to Marry Coalition. Read more at http://www.glad.org/ Visit the Freedom to Marry Coalition. [top]

---

Departments

November 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]