RA-news
Newsletter of the Rainbow Alliance
at the University of Florida
May 2006, Vol. 4, No. 8
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RA-newsNewsletter of the Rainbow Alliance
at the University of Florida |
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Please contribute to the Rainbow Alliance Fund. Next Rainbow Alliance Dinner: Wednesday May 10 at Merlion Restaurant on SW 13th Street (same location as former Jade Gardens). 6 PM for a glass of wine or beer, and 6:30 for dinner. Please RSVP. Upcoming Local Events
Other Events
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. |
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Contents
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UF Professor Reports on Military Attitudes toward LGBT PersonnelAn article by University of Florida psychology professor Bonnie Moradi published in the journal Military Psychology reports on a study Moradi conducted aimed at determing whether the high rate of anti-gay harassment in the military reflected similar patterns in the general population. The study was commissioned by the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military, a research unit at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Data reported in the article suggest that a disproportionate number of military commanders perpetrate or witness anti-gay harassment in the U.S. military when compared to a civilian population. It also found that reported incidents of some forms of perceived sexual-orientation-based harassment were lower in the military than in the general population. The study was designed to compare data obtained in a year 2000 Defense Department survey of anti-gay harassment to parallel incidents in the civilian population. The military poll had surveyed over 71,000 active duty service members from 38 randomly selected installations and found that 80 percent had heard offensive speech, including derogatory names and jokes, targeted at gays during the previous year, and 5 percent had witnessed a violent, anti-gay assault. Dr. Aaron Belkin, director of CSSMM, said the new study confirmed the results of prior research which found a link between the legal codification of anti-gay sentiment and a permissive attitude among the leadership toward harassment. "Until official policy stops targeting gays," he said, "it will be difficult for commanders to crack down on anti-gay harassment. The institution simply cannot make a serious dent in the rate of abuse as long is it continues to fire people simply for saying they are gay." Read more: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=64961
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Harvard Adds Gender Identity to Non-discrimination PolicyIn April, Harvard joined many other institutions by adding protections for gender identity to its non-discrimination policy. According to the Transgender Law and Policy Institute, this brings to 54 the number of colleges and universities with such protections. This number includes 25 out of the 52 schools in the American Association of Universities, a select group of the most important research universities in the U.S. and Canada. The University of Florida was inducted into the AAU in 1986. Among Ivy League colleges, Harvard joins Brown, Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania in offering transgender protections. (That's half the Ivy League.) Adding Gender Identity... Harvard’s current statement prohibits discrimination on the basis of “race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability.” Joe Wrinn, a Harvard spokesman, said that the change is “part of our overall wish that all people should be judged on their merit, not their status.” Still, it took considerable effort from student activists to bring that part of the wish to fruition. The first push came in 1997, when an undergraduate student informally created the Transgender Task Force, and submitted a request to administrators to change the antidiscrimination policy. Initially, the task force's efforts produced notangible changes. This year, the task force became an officially recognized coalition of students, alumni, and faculty and staff members. When the task force approached university officials, including the general counsel, about making a change, conversations commenced among faculty members, deans and human resources staff members. Ultimately, the Harvard Corporation gave the change the thumbs up, and the university officially announced it Tuesday. Members of the task force applauded the change, but said that it’s just a small step in the right direction. “Harvard will need to make many policy changes to ensure that transgender people aren’t discriminated against,” said Noah Lewis, who graduated from the Harvard Law School last year and is a co-coordinator of the task force.” An article in the Harvard Crimson’s magazine last month reported on transgender students who have moved off campus to find a higher comfort level. The article cited a change in the antidiscrimination policy as the first step toward providing a more welcoming environment for transgender students. Among other changes, the task force wants campus housing not to be limited to the traditional model that requires roommates and suitemates to be of the same sex. Task force members said Harvard is currently responding to housing requests on a case by case basis. Some members of the Harvard community, though, have questions about the policy change. Arvind Vaz, a Harvard undergraduate, expressed some concern about the breadth of the policy. Vaz said he thinks it is “unacceptable” to discriminate against transgender people in admissions or employment, but that, for instance, campus religious groups should have a degree of autonomy. Vaz is a member of Harvard’s Catholic Student Association, which he said welcomes transgender students. But a blanket antidiscrimination policy that includes transgender students, he said, “seems like it could threaten religious freedom” for campus organizations. "Harvard's step forward will ensure that its students and staff continue to represent some of the best this country has to offer," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "Colleges and universities are increasingly aware that to attract the best and the brightest, they need to ensure equal treatment regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. By ensuring protection for all students and staff, Harvard is continuing its centuries-long tradition of advancing understanding and nurturing national leaders." What about Gender Expression... In its original form, nearly 30 University and community groups had co-sponsored an Undergraduate Council (UC) bill urging the administration to include "gender identity and expression" in its non-discrimination policy. The University's announcement only included gender identity, leaving out gender expression from the wording of the amended policy. Gender expression is included under a combination of gender identity and freedom of speech and expression, Iuliano said according to students at yesterday's meeting. "[The University does] see protections of freedom of speech and expression as protecting gender expression in many respects," said UC representative Eric I. Kouskalis. They will issue a statement in the coming weeks clarifying how gender expression is protected. Impact of Harvard's Decision... "Not only does this send a signal to students and staff, but it also aligns the university with the workplaces many of these students will join after graduation," added Solmonese. "Just 15 minutes away, Raytheon's employees have had the same protections for the last year that Harvard's students and staff secured this week. Corporate America is leading the way when it comes to gender identity protections and institutions of higher learning are smart to keep up." In July 2005, Raytheon, a Massachusetts-based Fortune 500 company, became the first aerospace and defense giant to add gender identity to its equal employment policy. In 1997 only one Fortune 500 company protected transgender employees. Today, 82 ensure equal protection on the job. “The fact is, everyone pays attention to what Harvard does,” said Nanette Gartrell, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Francisco, who has studied nontraditional families for three decades. On April 23, less than two weeks aftr the Harvard decision, the Yale College Council approved a resolution calling on the administration to include the terms "gender identity" and "gender expression" in the University's official nondiscrimination policy. "I think it's important to understand that including gender identity in the non-discrimination code is only a first step," said TTF co-ordinator Noah E. Lewis, a recent graduate of Harvard Law School. "It's a symbol of all the policy changes that Harvard will embark on in order to live up to its commitment to nondiscrimination of transgender and gender-variant students." For more information...
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Columbia Law School Opens Nation's First Sexuality, Gender Law ClinicColumbia Law School has said it is creating the nation's first clinical program in sexuality and gender law to provide students with cutting-edge training in impact litigation, legislative work, and community advocacy. The Columbia Law School Sexuality and Gender Law Clinic will provide focused assistance on cases, proposed legislation, and policy matters in cooperation with law firms, impact litigation organizations, and advocacy groups working on gender and sexuality rights issues. "We intend to take a leadership role in training new lawyers in the civil rights issues concerning the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities in the United States," said Columbia Law School Dean David M. Schizer. "The clinic is a genuine investment in the future of this significant and growing area of the law." The clinic will be directed by Professor Suzanne B. Goldberg, formerly of Rutgers Law School's Women's Rights Litigation Clinic and Lambda Legal Defense. Goldberg was co-counsel in the Lawrence v. Texas and Romer v. Evans cases and co-authored Strangers to the Law: Gay People on Trial, which recounts the legal challenge to Colorado's anti-gay constitutional amendment in the Romer case. She will formally join the Columbia Law School faculty on July 1. Goldberg also co-authored Strangers to the Law: Gay People on Trial, which recounts the legal challenge to Colorado's anti-gay constitutional amendment and will formally join the Columbia Law School faculty July 1. "Demands for equality are being played out in courtrooms across the country as well as in Congress and state and local governments," said Goldberg. "The need for lawyers to deal with this explosion of cases and issues far outweighs the current supply. This new clinic will help to produce lawyers with the necessary interest and expertise while it makes a direct and immediate contribution to litigation and advocacy on GLBT and women's rights issues." Columbia students will have opportunities both to participate in cutting-edge litigation and to develop non-litigation skills through legislative drafting, policy development, and preparation of major research reports. Sources: |
New Hampshire Must Give DP Benefits to Gay WorkersRequiring state employees to be married to receive family health and bereavement benefits, at the same time barring gays and lesbians from marrying, is discriminatory, a Merrimack County Superior Court judge ruled Wednesday, May 3. Merrimack County superior court judge Kathleen McGuire said the state cannot deny family health care benefits and bereavement leave to two lesbian employees and that the state must offer domestic-partnership benefits to gay government workers. The state had argued that denying the women benefits was not discriminatory because the benefits are also denied to unmarried heterosexuals. McGuire dismissed that argument. In New Hampshire heterosexuals may marry, while gay people may not. McGuire wrote, "The state's attempt to couch the issue as one wherein all unmarried individuals are impacted equally avoids reality." State attorney general Kelly Ayotte plans an appeal to the state supreme court. New Hampshire governor John Lynch says he supports giving benefits to gay and lesbian families but will not interfere with the appeal. The president of the state employees union also applauded the ruling. Gov. John Lynch, as a member of University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees, which offers DP benefits, supports domestic partner benefits and believes state employees should also have them as well. Patricia Bedford of Concord and Anne Breen of Salisbury sued the state after a state Human Rights Commission decision in 2002 that they were not discriminated against when their partners were denied health insurance and they were denied bereavement leave. Both women work for the New Hampshire Community Technical College System, and each is raising a child with a long-term partner. "The case is about equal pay for equal work," said Karen Loewy, an attorney for Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, who worked on the case. "As long as same-sex partners are excluded from marriage, an employer cannot use marriage as requirement for benefits. It's simply unfair." Gary Smith, president of the State Employees Association, said for the last several contracts, the union tried to include domestic partner benefits. "Our position is negotiated benefits should be for all of our members regardless of a person's sexual orientation or lifestyle. It's an issue of fairness. Judge McGuire's decision validates what we feel is the right thing to do," he said. The cost of adding domestic partner benefits is negligible, only 1 to 2 percent where it has been adopted, Smith said. In her ruling, McGuire said the state can set criteria for who qualifies for same-sex benefits. Sources: |
Help Us Build the Rainbow Alliance1) 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. |
Contributing to the Rainbow Alliance FundPlease 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. Request a payroll deduction form by writing info@ra-online.org. 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. To contribute by check,
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:
If you have any questions about the Fund or for more information > Charles Brown: cmb@ifas.ufl.edu |
Resources
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How To Join Rainbow AllianceMembership 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> |