RA-news

Newsletter of the Rainbow Alliance at the University of Florida
March 2006, Vol. 4, No. 6


Please contribute to the Rainbow Alliance Fund.

Next Rainbow Alliance Dinner: March 8, 6:30 pm at Liquid Ginger, located in the Sun Center in downtown Gainesville. Please RSVP.

Upcoming Local Events

 3/1  Deadline for Rainbow Alliance Awards Applications
 3/29  Multicultural Student Awards
 4/1-30  Pride Awareness Month
 4/9  Orange-Blue Game
 10/7 Second Annual LGBT Homecoming

Other Events

 3/27-4/3 23rd World Conference of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (Geneva, Switzerland)
 4/2006 Florida Collegiate Pride Conference, Univ. of Central Florida
 4/5-8 "Transgender 2006," International Foundation for Gender Eduation (IFGE) Annual Conference, Philadelphia
 5/18-20 GenderYOUTH Leadership Summit (Washington, DC)
 7/15-22 7th Gay Games, Chicago
 7/29-8/5 1st World OutGames, Montreal

The Rainbow Alliance is the organization for University of Florida faculty, staff, and alumni concerned with matters related to sexual orientation and gender identity. RA welcomes all members of the University community who share its goals.


Contents

Features

Local . . . . . . . . .

National . . . . . . . . .

BTW....

Departments

Features

Gay Frat Coming to UF

In 1986, Delta Lambda Phi was established in Washington, D.C. to enhance "the quality of life among gay, bisexual and progressive men by providing dignified and purposeful social, service and recreational activities." This year, a colony or starter group, of the fraternity will start on the UF campus.

Delta Lambda Phi has 22 chapters and 11 colonies with more than 1,500 members. There is one Florida chapter at Florida International University in Miami.

The idea to bring Delta Lambda Phi was initiated by Paul Nichols, a staff member in UF's Housing division. The Gainesville Sun reported Nichols saying that the community could benefit from a gay and bisexual fraternity, not only so interested men could have a place where they could be themselves, but also to help overcome certain stereotypes that suggest college-aged gay men are just into partying.

Apparently, the group will not be limited to UF students but will welcome Santa Fe Community College students and "interested local residents" as well. For this reason, the fraternity will not receive official UF recognition, but UF facilities will be available to the group.

Learn more...

Delta Lambda Phi National Social Fraternity for Gay, Bisexual, and Progressive Gentlemen

Efforts Underway to Start Gay, Bisexual Frat (Gainesville Sun, Feb 16, 2006)

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Local Support Group Available for Married/Divorced Gay Men

A local church, the Trinity Metropolitan Church, has recently begun hosting a support group for men who find themselves at this time of their lives identifying as gay, bisexual, or questioning, but who are currently or were previously in heterosexual marriages.

Joe McMurray, pastor of the church, cited the recent movie "Brokeback Mountain" as making prominent the way the lives of gay men interact with traditional marriage and family. He described the support group as an opportunity for those "who have traveled this journey, for those in the struggle now, and for those who feel they may be entering some major transition upcoming in their lives."

The issues a man can engage in coming to terms with his sexual orientation in the context of a heterosexual marriage are complex. McMurray said that this often this goes beyond husband and wife -- there are often children involved, and there are ethical challenges for those who are in sexual relationships outside their marriages.

The second meeting of this group will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 14, at Trinity Metropolitan Community Church, 11604 S.W. Archer Road, Gainesville.

For more information, contact Rev. Joe McMurray at 376-1100.

Metropolitan Community Church -- Gainesville

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Freedom to Marry Week Continues to Grow

The 9th Annual Freedom to Marry Week was celebrated during February 12-18, 2005. The event was marked by celebrations and activism. In addition to many other events, same-sex couples across the United States applied for marriage licenses, knowing they would be rejected.

Valentine's Day 2006 was the second anniversary of the same-sex marriage permitted — and later revoked — in San Francisco. Many couples throughout California went to their local county clerks and applied for marriage licenses. In Los Angeles County, Norwalk, Santa Ana, San Diego and Riverside, couples seeking licenses were turned away, the Los Angeles Times reported..

California in an important battleground right now because there is a move underway for a ballot initiative to amend the California constitution to prevent same-sex marriage. The so-called Campaign for Children and Families is one group promoting the amendment. During Freedom to Marry week, they conducted an 11-city "Real Marriage Tour."

Freedom to Marry was also honored in Chicago. On February 11, same-sex couples joined in a downtown march. They started at Daley Plaza and ended up by holding a mock wedding on the steps of Holy Name Cathedral, seat of one of the largest Catholic dioceses in the country.

In Houston, Freedom to Marry Week celebrations began four years ago with a single mock wedding. Today, the celebration comprises eight days of events, including speakers, mock ceremonies, entertainment events and parties.

Read about activities of on behalf marriage equality in key battleground states by the Unitarian Universalist Association

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Progress on Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell

One year ago, Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA) introduced H.R. 1059, a bill to repeal the policy that prohibits gay and lesbian Americans from serving openly in the military. As of March 2, 2006, the bill now has 110 cosponsors — 106 Democrats and 4 Republicans.

Not only does the policy prevent qualified Americans from serving, but since it was begun in 1993, the policy has led to the discharge of over 10,000 service members. According to a recent Blue Ribbon Commission report from the University of California-Santa Barbara, the law has cost American taxpayers at least $363.8 million. And a recent Gallup poll reported 79% of the public favor allowing gays to serve openly.

For more information on the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, and a complete list of co-sponsors, visit www.sldn.org.

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Departments

Help Us Build the Rainbow Alliance

1) UF Faculty and Staff: We want every LGBT staff or faculty member and ally to be a Rainbow Alliance member. Tell interested friends and colleagues about Rainbow Alliance. They can check out the Web site at <www.ra-online.org>, or bring them along to a monthly dinner. They can join by sending an e-mail to <info@ra-online.org>.

2) Alumni: Our mailing list of UF alumni is growing. Alumni are a vital part of the University community. Anyone with an interest in improving the LGBT envrionment at the University of Florida should look into Rainbow Alliance. Working together with Pride Student Union and the Director of LGBT Affairs, we are working to keep alumni informed, to help them connect, and to draw on their expertise.

3) Contribute: The Rainbow Alliance Fund at the University of Florida Foundation (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. A word to out contributions: Your donation is fully tax-deductible, and the RA Fund is not used to support operations of the Rainbow Alliance. Learn more below.

2) Statewide: Help us connect with staff and faculty on other Florida/Deep South campuses working on LGBT issues. We have some unique challenges in the South. Maybe we can support each other and collaborate on progress.

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Contributing to the Rainbow Alliance Fund

Please consider making a donation to the Rainbow Alliance Fund. It is fully tax deductible. If you are a University of Florida employee, it is very easy to set up payroll deduction. Whatever you wish to contribute, including a few dollars a pay period, will really help. Ten dollars a pay period, for example. For most of us, it isn't that much, but it adds up to over $250 dollars a year. If we all gave just that, the Fund would thrive. Call the University of Florida Foundation at 392-1691 and ask them to send you a Payroll Deduction Form. Use the information below to fill out the form.

Contributions will be gratefully accepted from anyone; non-UF individuals who contribute $50 or more will become honorary members of the Rainbow Alliance for one year.

We have established the following contribution levels:

Under $50 – Friend of the Rainbow Alliance
$50 to $99 – Patron of the Rainbow Alliance
$100 to $199 – Benefactor of the Rainbow Alliance
$200 and above – President's Circle

To contribute by check,

(1) Make out your check to the University of Florida Foundation,
(2) Note on the check "Rainbow Alliance Fund 011369",
(3) Send your check to the following address:

UF Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 14425
Gainesville, FL 32604-2425

To contribute with a credit card, call the Annual Giving office at 1-800-279-6796. These contributions are tax deductible.

Your contribution will fund the following:

  • Competitive LGBT Research/Service Awards to be given in Spring semester.
  • Purchase of materials for the collection of LGBT resources currently housed in the Dean of Students office.
  • Rainbow Alliance makes a contribution annually to LGBT student groups to support specific programs.
  • Lay the financial foundation for the University of Florida LGBT Resource Center.

If you have any questions about the Fund or for more information > Charles Brown: cmb@ifas.ufl.edu

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Resources

 UF Local
 State
 

Florida Universities  
Florida Atlantic Univ. (Boca Raton) Lambda United
Florida Gulf Coast Univ. Sexual Orientation Diversity Assoc. (no Web site)
Florida Institute of Technology
Florida International Univ. GLBTA (Faculty and Staff)
Stonewall (GLBTA)
The Diversity Initiative
Florida State Univ. LGB Student Union
New College of Florida Diversity and Gender Center
Univ. of Central Florida (Orlando) GLBSU
CF Resources Page
Univ. of North Florida (Jacksonville) UNF Pride
Univ. of South Florida (Tampa) Pride Alliance
Univ. of West Florida (Pensacola) UWF Gay-Straight Alliance

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How To Join Rainbow Alliance

Membership in Rainbow Alliance is available to all staff and faculty at the University of Florida. Graduate students will be considered for membership. Health Science Center staff and faculty are also welcome to join Rainbow Alliance. Individuals not associated with the University may become honorary members of Rainbow Alliance through an annual contribution to the Rainbow Alliance Fund of $50 or more.

To become a member, send an e-mail to <info@ra-online.org>

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Contributors

Charles Brown, editor
Greg Allen
Kim Byrd
Tamara Cohen
Joe McMurray
Chuck Woods

Corrections, comments, copy > Charles Brown: cmb@ifas.ufl.edu

RA-news, newsletter of the Rainbow Alliance at the University of Florida, copyright 2006

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