RA-news

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Newsletter of the Rainbow Alliance at the University of Florida April 2004, Vol. 2, No. 7 Next Rainbow Alliance Dinner Meeting, Wednesday, April 14, 2004, 6:30 pm, at Ballyhoo, on Newberry Road at Royal Park. Other Dates to Remember: April 2004 - Pride Awareness Month - Many activities are planned. (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.

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Contents First Words "Bruce" Crow Features Campus UF Seeks Coordinator for LGBT Affairs A Month's Worth of Events for Pride Awareness Day of Silence to Support LGBT Youth Local Hero Receives Award at NCLR Gala GGSA Presents "Marriage Project" on Plaza of the Americas Lavender Graduation Focuses on LGBT Graduates US House Seeks to Strengthen ROTC Discriminatory Policy Local "Meetup" with Other Who Oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment State New Student Group on USF St. Pete Campus Hillsborough County Rejects Same-Sex Health Benefits National Barbie Comes Out of Closet SO Discrimination Illegal in Federal Workplaces Tennessee County Reverses Proposal to Ban Gays Marriage Update N.Y. Ministers Charged for Marrying Gay Couples Black Clergymen Come Out Against Gay Marriage Second Oregon County to Marry Gay Couples Books Gay Warriors: A Documentary History from the Ancient World to the Present by B. R. Burg (Editor) 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 "Bruce" Crow I would like to know how the name "Bruce" became associated with gay men. Any cultural historians out there that can tell me? Maybe it's all about where and when I was raised. At least one person I knew as a child named Bruce, I met many years later when he had a different name. I've often wondered about the reason for that change. Bruce is a perfectly good name. It has been many weeks since same-sex marriage made headlines. The war and the election campaign heated up and forced everything else to the B section. But even though same-sex marriage hasn't been in the news, that does not mean there hasn't been a great deal of activity, because there has. The Advocate reports that 2004 has seen a dramatic increase in the number of bills in state legislatures that concern LGBT rights. The vast majority seek to limit those rights, as legislators, governors, attorneys general – and I suppose, even a few dogcatchers – try to get on the "right"side of the issue. After all, it is an election year, and the majority of Americans oppose same-sex marriage. (Hmm... the "right" side is the "right" side, but it's the "wrong" side... is that ironic or a mere pun?) Now, we are witnessing a flurry of activity to codify anti-LGBT attitudes. (That's the word the president used: codify.) Did we bring the body politic too far too fast? Were "Americans" at large not ready for the consummation of the commitment they made when they said that "all men are created equal"? I don't know what to call this network of patently discriminatory laws that are now being created. Something Crow, no doubt, but what? Should we hang this on one of the many heroes of the movement? On an out celebrity or politician? Ellen Crow? Barney Crow? I suppose "Bruce" fits as well as any other, since it seems to be associated with a stereotype in popular culture. I'm looking for a handy label for these laws that will encapsulate their absurdity and the outright bigotry of the people who promote them. One of my favorites so far – and a relative old-timer -- is Don't Ask, Don't Tell. It doesn't prevent one from being gay, but if anyone anywhere ever finds out, that would be grounds for immediate discharge. This applies to full-fledged soldiers and to students in ROTC. Rather than protecting LGBT people in the military by giving them a way to survive with the Few, the Proud, etc. DADT has given the military a definite means of discharging suspected service personnel. As a result, investigations and discharges based on sexual orientation have increased under DADT. That could be called an unintended consequence – except that it hardly seems unintended. (Is that another irony?) In this newsletter, you'll read about the teenager who wore a t-shirt to school that said "Barbie is a Lesbian." This teenager was suspended, but she sued, and won. One reason: there was no official dress code. The Department of Education has promised to develop a dress code. No doubt this dress code will have "unintended" consequences. This is the Genius of "____" Crow Laws. They don't have to directly prohibit, they can simply create a chilling environment or create procedural straight jackets. Before anyone gets too nervous – and I am referring to a group of black preachers in Atlanta who don't want the LGBT rights movement to become confused with the Civil Rights movement – let me assure that although "Bruce" Crow is based on a famous model, it is not meant to assert that somehow the LGBT rights movement is equivalent to Civil Rights or Women's Rights. That's another debate... if it's worth having. What is the same is the discrimination. Whether one is legally 2/3rds of a person, or 3/4ths or 7/8ths doesn't matter. Equal is equal, and either we are all working for equality or we aren't. Equality can have some uncomfortable implications. That's why the new law proposed in Congress to guarantee that ROTC programs and recruiters can operate on college campus in defiance of university anti-discrimination policies is called "The ROTC and Military Recruiter Equal Access to Campus Act." Equal? The idea is that ROTC has to have equal access to campuses in spite of the fact that it's own regulations require it to treat people unequally. Ironic, huh? More ironic in the face of a statement issued by the US Office of Special Counsel reaffirming that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is prohibited in the federal workplace – well, most federal workplaces, anyway. Indeed, equality is uncomfortable. It brings us face to face with our prejudices and how deeply ingrained they are. Will "Bruce" Crow work? I'm open to suggestions. [top]

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Features

UF Seeks Coordinator for LGBT Affairs The University of Florida is creating a position for a full-time coordinator for LGBT affairs. This represents a major commitment on the part of the University to improvement of the LGBT environment. The position description has been written but was not available in time for this newsletter. Contact Charles Brown <cmb@ifas.ufl.edu> if you would like more information about this position. [top]

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A Month's Worth of Events for Pride Awareness Please, please, please go the Pride Awareness Month Web site, <http://grove.ufl.edu/~pam/>, and take a look at the incredible calendar of events for this year's celebration. Here's a brief description of the events that remain, see the Web site for more information: 4/13 -- Casino Night: A night of fun and games 4/14 -- Movie Night: Party Monster and Kissing Jessica Stein -- free to everyone. 4/15 -- America''s Divas: Entertainment and Educate on female impersonation and transgender issues 4/16 -- Talent Show 4/16 -- Gator Nights: Gay comedian ANT will perform. 4/17 -- "Will and Grace" Trivia Night 4/19 -- Elvira Kurt 4/20 -- Rev. Irene Monroe: "Religion's role in promoting and fighting discrimination" 4/21 -- National Day of Silence (see next below) 4/21 -- The T Party: closing ceremony and reception [top]

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Day of Silence to Support LGBT Youth On April 21, the Day of Silence will be observed in Gainesville. The Day of Silence is a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in collaboration with the United States Student Association (USSA). It is a student-led day of action where those who support making anti-LGBT bias unacceptable in schools take a day-long vow of silence to recognize and protest the discrimination and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT students and their allies. Join Pride Student Union, Gator Gay-Straight Alliance and other supporters at the Reitz Union Colonnade on April 21 at 11 am. At 2 pm, there will be a Breaking the Silence rally. Learn more at <www.dayofsilence.org>. [top]

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Local Hero Receives Award at NCLR Gala Andrea Zimbardi was a UF softball player who recently settled a discrimination lawsuit with the University of Florida. Zimbardi claimed that she had been marginalized and then dismissed because of her sexual orientation. The University settled out of court, but the settlement training for coaches and athletes concerning sexual orientation. Zimbardi was represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), based in Tampa, Florida. According to a NCLR press release: Andrea Zimbardi, a former catcher for the University of Florida's (UF) varsity women's softball team who was released from the team shortly after alleging sexual orientation discrimination, reached a groundbreaking settlement with UF in one of the first such cases to receive national attention. The settlement includes policy changes and a model training program to educate about harassment and discrimination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students and athletes. NCLR represented Zimbardi as part of its Homophobia in Sports Project. On April 24, the NCLR will hold its 27th anniversary Awards Gala, during which Andrea Zimbardi will receive the Justice Award. Zimbardi's award is well-deserved for her courage in fighting in her discrimination and for the changes which her actions will brign about at the University of Florida. Also at the event, actress Sharon Stone will receive the NCLR Spirit Award for her continuing "support and involvement with organizations that serve the lesbian, gay and HIV/AIDS community." For more information: National Center for Lesbian Rights: www.nclrights.org NCLR Web page on Zimbardi's case: www.nclrights.org/cases/zimbardi.htm Brief Interview with Zimbardi on the Advocate Web site: www.advocate.com/html/stories/912/912_zimbardi.asp [top]

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Gator Gay-Straight Alliance Present "Marriage Project" on Plaza of the Americas On March 25, the Gator Gay-Straight Alliance (GGSA) held an event on the Plaza of the Americas called "The Evolving Sanctity of Marriage." The event included a series of displays representing barriers -- including prohibitions against interracial marriage and divorce --that have at one point in time been broken to give the current definition of American marriage. The final display represented the acceptance and legalization of same-sex marriage. The event was reported in the Alligator and gave reactions of students on both sides of the issue. The project was motivated by the need to educate people about same-sex marriage. Read the Alligator article: www.alligator.org/edit/news/issues/stories/040326ggsa.html You owe it to yourself to view the GGSA Web page devoted to the marriage issue: http://12reasons.com [top]

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Lavender Graduation Focuses on LGBT Graduates Last year saw the first-ever Lavender Graduation, a reception devoted to LGBT graduates at the University of Florida. By all accounts the event was very meaningful and a definite success. This year the event will be held on April 19, 2004 at 5:30 pm in the Graham Gallery on the second floor of Graham Hall (the dormitory on the northwest corner of Museum Road and North-South Drive). Light refreshments will be served. All are invited, but please be sure to RSVP so that the organizers will have an accurate count. RSVP to Ebru Korbek, ebruk@dso.ufl.edu or 392-1261 ext 216 by Friday April 16. The event is sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs, Dean of Students Office. For more information go to <www.dso.ufl.edu/multicultural>. [top]

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US House Seeks to Strengthen ROTC Discriminatory Policy On Tuesday, March 30, 2004, the US House approved by vote of 343-81 legislation that would strengthen the ability of military recruiters to violate university non-discrimination policies. An existing law known as the Solomon Amendment already requires universities to give the military the ability to recruit and interview students without signing a sexual orientation-inclusive non-discrimination policy, even if the schools require such policies from other prospective employers. Although many universities grant military recruiters access to students, the legislation would require universities to certify such access or risk losing all federal funding. ROTC students become subject to the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy when they become juniors in the program. This forces such students to remain in the closet. Officially, ROTC policy does not prevent students from being active in LGBT student groups, but on a practical level, anyone planning a career in the military would have to avoid such groups, because membership could be regarded as disclosure of their sexual orientation. The measure, known as The ROTC and Military Recruiter Equal Access to Campus Act of 2004 (H.R. 3966), was introduced March 12 by Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala. [top]

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"Meetup" with Other Who Oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment The Human Rights Campaign has joined with Meetup.com to help organize opponents of the Federal Marriage Amendment. Meetings will be held the fourth Tuesday of the month all over the US, including Gainesville. HRC will provide attendees with materials and actions, and there will be additional brainstorming. The first meeting will be held on April 27. The location has not been chosen, but you can vote for your choice and sign up to be informed at the Meetup.com Web site. Got to the Meetup-com Wen site, and look for the Politics and Activism area on the left. Click pm "See more" and look for the Human Rights Campaign in the list on the right of the new page. You'll be asked for your zip code and then you'll get your locations and sign up options. Go to> www.meetup.com. [top]

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New Student Group on USF St. Pete Campus Campus Community for Equality is a new student group which has been formed on the St. Petersburg campus of the University of South Florida. Professor Gerald Notaro is the faculty advisor and informs us that the groups has had two very successful meetings. The groups is sponsoring a program called Diversity Circles. The first meeting in this program was held recently and brought together diversity activists and the USF Multicultural Coordinator, Monica White. Formation of the this group is especially good news with the recent retrenchment by the USF administration on the subject of domestic partner benefits. [top]

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Hillsborough County Rejects Same-Sex Health Benefits On Wednesday, April 7, the Hillsborough County Commission rejected extending health benefits to same-sex partners of county employees by a vote of 4-3. Commissioner Rhonda Storms described her vote as being motivated by defending traditional marriage. Commissioner Jim Norman stated that the issue was ultimately the additional cost to the county. Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa both passed non-discrimination ordinances in the early 90s. However, the county ordinance was later rescinded when the commission changed. Read the article in the St, Petersburg Times [top]

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Barbie Comes Out of Closet In 2002, New York middle-school student Natalie Young wore a t-shirt to school with the message "Barbie is a Lesbian." She was promptly pulled from class and isolated until she changed the shirt. She refused and was suspended. The federal suit against the city of New York, which alleged that the incident was one of a series of discriminatory acts, was settled out of court. The teen said the settlement should make life easier on other openly gay schoolchildren: "I think they should feel more comfortable about who they are." [top]

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Sexual Orientation Discrimination Illegal in Federal Workplaces In early April, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), which investigates workplace discrimination, issued a statement saying that discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited in federal workplaces. The OSC created concern when it removed references to sexual orientation-based discrimination from its complaint form, the OSC basic brochure, training slides and a two-page flier entitled "Your Rights as a Federal Employee." The OSC also removed from its Web site a June 2003 press release issued by the OSC that announced settlement of a case involving discrimination based on sexual orientation against an applicant to the Internal Revenue Service. The OSC has now said that it "intends to review and revise those materials." The full txt of the press release follows: RESULTS OF LEGAL REVIEW OF DISCRIMINATION STATUTE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 4/8/04 CONTACT: CATHY DEEDS (202) 254-3600 Special Counsel Scott J. Bloch today announced the results of the legal review to determine the extent of jurisdiction of the office to process claims under Title 5, Section 2302(b)(10). "It is the policy of this Administration that discrimination in the federal workforce on the basis of sexual orientation is prohibited," Bloch stated. "The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has been engaged in a review of its authority to process claims of sexual orientation discrimination under Title 5, Section 2302(b)(10), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of ‘‘conduct which does not adversely affect the performance of the employee or applicant or the performance of others.'' OSC has always enforced claims of sexual orientation discrimination based on actual conduct. Based on its review, OSC has concluded that such authority exists in cases other than actual conduct when reasonable grounds exist to infer that those engaging in discriminatory acts on the basis of sexual orientation have discriminated on the basis of imputed private conduct. Such inferences apply to all claims under Section 2302(b)(10), including, but not limited to, sexual orientation discrimination claims. The materials formerly on OSC''s Web site were not clear about the statutory basis for OSC''s authority. OSC believes that the materials currently on its Web site are consistent with the view of the law described above, but intends to review and revise those materials as necessary to ensure that employees are fully aware of the protections provided." The Office of Special Counsel is an independent investigative and prosecutorial agency. Its primary mission is to safeguard the merit system in federal employment by protecting federal employees and applicants from prohibited personnel practices, especially retaliation for whistleblowing. OSC also has jurisdiction over the Hatch Act and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. For more information about OSC, please visit our Web site at www.osc.gov. For more information about OSC director Scott J. Bloch: http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Scott_J._Bloch Read more about this case: Washington Post, Shame.org [top]

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Tennessee County Reverses Proposal to Ban Gays Rhea County, Tennessee was the site of the famous Scopes "Monkey Trial." Not necessarily a forward-thinking place. An initial vote of the county commission passed a request to amend site law so that the county could charge homosexuals with "crimes against nature." According to the county attorney Gary Fritts, that vote triggered a "wildfire"of reaction. Fritts also stated that the reaction was based on a misunderstanding. He explained that the intention of the commission was to send a message to the state capitol about opposition to same-sex marriage. On March 19, the commission later reversed its position on the request after significant public reaction. The politically conservative county holds an annual festival commemorating the 1925 trial at which high school teacher John T. Scopes was convicted of teaching evolution. The verdict was reversed on a technicality, and the trial became the subject of the play and movie "Inherit the Wind." [top]

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New York Ministers Charged for Marrying Gay Couples On Monday, March 15, 2004, two Unitarian Universalist ministers were charged in Kingston, New York with criminal offenses for marrying 13 gay couples -- apparently the first time in U.S. history that clergy members have been prosecuted for performing same-sex ceremonies. District Attorney Donald Williams said gay marriage laws make no distinction between public officials and members of the clergy who preside over wedding ceremonies. The ministers, Kay Greenleaf and Dawn Sangrey, were charged with solemnizing a marriage without a license, the same charges leveled against New Paltz Mayor Jason West (search), who last month drew the state into the widening national debate over same-sex unions. Each charge carries a fine of $25 to $500 or up to a year in jail. The ministers will plead not guilty at their arraignment March 22 and are prepared to go to trial, said their lawyer, Robert Gottlieb. "There have been clergy throughout the country for years and years who have solemnized marriages between same-sex couples, and only the Ulster County D.A. feels compelled to haul them into a court and brand them a criminal defendant," Gottlieb said. Williams said his decision to bring charges was influenced by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's opinion that gay marriage is illegal in New York and by the injunction issued by a state supreme court justice against West. Later, Greenleaf and Sangrey were joined by a third minister, the Rev. Marion Visel, in performing 25 more ceremonies, which went off without protests or arrests. It could not immediately be learned if more charges would be brought. Unitarians have backed gay rights since 1970, and not only endorse same-sex unions, but some churches also offer the couples premarital counseling. The denomination counts nearly 215,000 people as members nationwide, according to the 2004 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches. [top]

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Black Clergymen Come Out Against Gay Marriage More than two dozen black pastors added their voice to the critics of same-sex marriage, attempting to distance the civil rights struggle from the gay rights movement and defending marriage as a union between a man and a woman. "When the homosexual compares himself to the black community, he doesn't know what suffering is," said the Rev. Clarence James, an African-American studies professor at Temple University (search). Jones and 29 pastors rallied late Monday with their supporters at an Atlanta-area church where they signed a declaration outlining their beliefs on marriage and religion. The declaration is meant to pressure state representatives to approve a constitutional ban on gay marriages, which will be considered again by the Georgia House as soon as this week. The declaration, to be presented to state leaders Wednesday or Thursday, says same-sex marriage is not a civil right, and marriage between a man and a woman is important because it's necessary for the upbringing of children. "To equate a lifestyle choice to racism demeans the work of the entire civil rights movement," the statement said. "People are free in our nation to pursue relationships as they choose. To redefine marriage, however, to suit the preference of those choosing alternative lifestyles is wrong." Same-sex marriage is already illegal in Georgia, but supporters of the ban say the constitution needs to be changed to make sure a judge does not direct Georgia to recognize gay marriages performed in other states. "It is a threat to who we are and what we stand for," said Bishop William Shields of Hopewell Baptist Church. "If nothing else gets us out of the pews, this ought to." But the Rev. Paul Turner, a gay pastor from Atlanta who helped organize a pro-gay marriage rally last month outside the Georgia Capitol, disagreed: "How do they figure that it's not a civil rights issue?" "This is just a way for those conservative leadership in the black community to say, 'Look, this isn't a matter of civil rights because we're black and we didn't have a choice in being black.' And they think gays do, and that's not true," Turner said. [top]

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Second Oregon County to Marry Gay Couples In mid-March, Benton County, Oregon became the second Oregon county to issue maariage licenses to same-sex couples. The fisr was Multnomah County, home to the city of Portland, which has issed over 2,400 licenses to same-sex couples since the beginning of March. The decision in Benton County will probably put pressure on the state's highest court to resolve the issue sooner than later. Conservative Groups and the Oregon Republican party are calling for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage to be put on the November ballot. Suits based on this issue are currently filed in Multnomah County, and the Oregon Supreme Court is reviewing the standing of plaintiffs who have made direct requests that it consider the Multnomah County marriages. Other states in brief: Michigan -- The Michigan House defeated a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have banned gay marriage, civil unions or domestic partnerships in the state. California -- The Supreme Court ordered San Francisco to stop its high-profile issuance of same-sex marriage licenses. It will consider the legality of the several thousand gay marriages. Massachusetts -- The Legislature approved a compromise state constitutional amendment that would limit marriage to heterosexual couples but would recognize civil unions for gay couples. The action is a response to a decision by the state''s top court in November that it was unconstitutional to prevent gays from marrying. [top]

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Gay Warriors: A Documentary History from the Ancient World to the Present by B. R. Burg, ed. Most readers know about same-sex romance in ancient Greece and Rome. Fewer may be aware of its prevalence among soldiers in those societies, and even fewer will know of such relationships in modern-day militaries. In Gay Warriors: A Documentary History from the Ancient World to the Present, B.R. Burg (Sodomy and the Pirate Tradition), Professor of History at Arizona State University, presents records of gays and lesbians on the battlefield from the Amazons through U.S. soldiers in the Gulf War. John Boswell discusses "the association of homosexuals with democracy and the military" circa 300 B.C.; Anne Gilmour-Bryson explores "Sodomy and the Knights Templar," a medieval religious and military order; and in 1952 the U.S. Army delivered a "Lecture for the `Indoctrination of WAVE Recruits on Subject of Homosexuality.' " Read more on Amazon.com [top]

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Departments

April 2004 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 2004 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) Work will continue to identify LGBTA alumni. We have been working with Pride Student Union on this. 3) Of course, we'll continue our monthly dinners. We hope to see you there! 4) 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 cmb@ifas.ufl.edu. We're very interested in what is going on on other campuses. Maybe we can support and help each other. 5) We are in the process of appointing a governing board as described in the bylaws. The governing board will provide oversight and guidance for Rainbow Alliance and the Rainbow Alliance Fund. 6) 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]