lifeonq.com

Californians Plan Their June Wedding Parties

It is near 5 p.m. here in Atlanta, meanwhile LGBT Californians have three more hours to wait before they can have the state’s permission to marry. According to a story by Reuters, some of the more gay-friendly cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco and West Hollywood) plan to begin issuing licenses and conducting state-condoned gay wedding ceremonies after the close of California business, when the Supreme Court ruling officially goes into effect.

One visible change to California marriage that I find somehow humurous, or at least subtly ironic, is a change to the state marriage license. Rather than referring to a bride and groom, the form now lists Party A and Party B. In my dark, dry humor, I find that change to be a benefit to everyone. Shouldn’t all weddings result in at least two parties?

I don’t mean to make light of such a significant step forward for gay rights. Most significant is California’s willingness to issue marriage licenses to citizens of any state, unlike Massachusetts, which legalized gay marriage only for queers who have a legal address in the commonwealth. For the first time, our rights as citizens is not limited by our sexual orientation or where we get our mail. It’s more of a giant leap for our kind, rather than Massachusetts’ somewhat smaller step. But I have to admit that I see both the forest and the trees in what the California Supreme Court has given the LGBT community.

I can’t help but notice the timing of the ruling. Why do court decisions on LGBT issues seem to always come in an election year? Is it coincidence or carefully crafted timing cooked up by the vast right wing conspiracy? Nothing lights a fire under a fundamentalist Christian’s self-righteousness like the chance to vote in judgment of others. Call me paranoid, but it makes me wonder if they’re disguising their intent to get us with a Trojan Horse for a wedding present. Is California just another gift that will ultimately have to be returned? Will there even be time to write the thank-you notes? There is, after all, a marriage amendment on the ballot for this November, where a simple majority of simple-minded Californians could revoke the marriage licenses that will be issued in the six months until then.

Maybe I’m just one conspiracy theory away from A Beautiful Mind. Maybe I should just soften my jaded defenses and find beauty in the moment. So I’ll stop and smell the roses as Parties A and Parties B pass by on their way down the isle. Congratulations, everyone!

Where Not to Go on Your Gay Vacation

The International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) has released a new poster that maps LGBTI rights around the world. Think of it as an important reference for your gay travel planning. The map is color-coded to indicate where you may be subjected to the death penalty (seven countries) or imprisonment (76 countries and six other governmental or territorial entities) for being homosexual. It also indicates where you are protected by anti-discrimination laws (49 countries and 33 entities) and where you can get gay-married (19 countries and 14 entities). You may view the full map here.

ILGA created the map as a part of its celebration of the organization’s 30th anniversary. ILGA will also release a report on state-sponsored homophobia in time for the International Day Against Homophobia on May 17.

Members of ILGA will receive a copy of the map free of charge. Others who would like to own a copy or distribute multiple copies should contact the ILGA at information@ilga.org.

ILGA is a federation of more than 600 groups and businesses campaigning for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) rights. Every continent and over 90 countries are represented.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu to Give First U.S. Speech to the LGBT Community

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) announced today that Archbishop Desmond Tutu will give an historic 30-minute address to the LGBTI community in San Francisco on April 8, 2008. It’s the first time that he has directly addressed such a large LGBTI gathering in the United States. He will speak to a crowd of approximately 400 people at A Celebration of Courage, the IGLHRC’s annual gala awards ceremony, where he will also be honored for his leadership on human rights. Archbishop Tutu, a Nobel Prize winner for his work against apartheid in South Africa, has persistently challenged discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. He has publicly condemned persecution on the basis of sexual orientation, comparing it to apartheid. In article published in The Times of London in 2004, he wrote:

“We struggled against apartheid in South Africa, supported by people the world over, because black people were being blamed and made to suffer for something we could do nothing about-our very skins. “It is the same with sexual orientation. It is a given. I could not have fought against the discrimination of apartheid and not also fight against the discrimination that homosexuals endure, even in our churches and faith groups.”

Archbishop Tutu has also vigorously criticized the Catholic church for its homophobia. Last year, he told BBC radio, “If God, as they say, is homophobic, I wouldn’t worship that God.” He has even challenged the church for “being almost obsessed with questions of human sexuality” when other issues such as poverty, HIV/AIDS and war are more deserving of attention and action. He told Union Theological Seminary students in 2006 that “All belong–white, black, red, yellow, Arab, Jew, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, young old, male, female, rich poor, gay, lesbian and so-called straight–all belong.”

I find his use of the term “so-called straight” to be an interesting choice.

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Georgia Lesbian Mom Wins Appeal, Will Not Be Jailed

The Amercian Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced yesterday that the Georgia Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of one lesbian mom, who had volunteered to adopt and care for a seven-year-old girl, at the request of (and with the permission of) the girl’s biological mother. Elizabeth Hadaway was convicted of criminal contempt of court in 2007 for not handing her daughter over to foster care after she lost custody solely because she’s a lesbian. A year and one day after a county court judge sentenced Hadaway to 10 days in jail, the Georgia Court of Appeals overturned her contempt conviction, which had been staid pending appeal, yesterday. The ACLU represented Hardaway in the appeal and secured the little girl’s return home from foster care last May.”Just yesterday I was watching Emma hunt for Easter eggs and thinking how the possibility of going to jail and being separated from her again made it hard to just enjoy the moment,” Hadaway said in an ACLU press release. “I’m just so grateful that the court has lifted this burden so we can move on and I can keep focused on making sure Emma has a happy home and a good life.”

Hadaway’s legal problems began in 2006, when a Wilkinson County Superior Court judge was on the verge of granting her request to permanently adopt Emma when he noticed in a home study that Hadaway was living with her female partner of seven years. The judge abruptly changed his mind solely because Hadaway is a lesbian. Although Emma’s biological mother told the court that she wanted the child to be raised and adopted by Hadaway, the judge denied the adoption and ordered that Emma be sent back to her biological mother. Hadaway met with the biological mother, who is a truck driver struggling to care for her daughter, at a truck stop to hand over the girl. After accepting custody, thus satisfying the court order, the biological mother saw how distraught Emma was at being taken from Hadaway and again insisted that Hadaway should raise the girl. Because Hadaway took Emma back, the Wilkinson County judge then ordered that Emma be sent to live in a foster home and sentenced Hadaway and her attorney to 10 days in jail for contempt of court. Wilkinson County is in middle Georgia, between Macon and Milledgeville.

Emma was eventually returned to Hadaway’s care last May after an expert commissioned by Wilkinson County Department of Children and Family Services found that the little girl was experiencing emotional trauma because of the separation from Hadaway. A judge in another Georgia county then granted Hadaway permanent custody. The Department of Family and Children Services let Emma return home. The ACLU describes the three months of foster care as an experience in which Emma’s “welfare was seriously compromised.”

“We’re pleased that the court has agreed with us that Elizabeth Hadaway shouldn’t do jail time simply for doing the right thing for her child, but it’s unfortunate that it’s taken almost two years of court proceedings to end up with things where Elizabeth, Emma, and Emma’s biological mom wanted them to be in the first place,” said Debbie Seagraves, Executive Director of the ACLU of Georgia. “Elizabeth Hadaway did everything the judge ordered her to do, and she should never have been punished.”

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UPS Delivers Inclusion to the LGBT Community

What can brown do for queers? Atlanta’s own UPS announced today that it has added lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)-owned businesses to its supplier diversity process. As an added bonus, LGBT-owned businesses can also take advantage of discounted shipping services. The package delivery giant made the move in partnership with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). The company’s supplier diversity process was started in 1992 in an effort to expand business opportunities for small businesses and those owned by minorities, women, veterans and now lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.

“Partnering with the NGLCC not only helps LGBT businesses grow by conducting business with UPS, but we also gain access to excellent suppliers,” said Lisa Johnson, UPS’s procurement and supplier diversity manager, in a company press release. “Expanding our process to include LGBT-owned businesses reinforces our commitment to supplier diversity.”

To participate in UPS’s supplier diversity process, queer-owned businesses must be certified by the NGLCC. The NGLCC is the largest LGBT business development and economic advocacy organization in the country, with an affiliate network of 45 state and local gay chambers and other business organizations. The NGLCC estimates that there are an estimated 1.4 million LGBT-owned businesses in the United States.

UPS also delivers equality to its queer employees. The company received a top rating of 100 percent, the highest in its industry, from the Human Rights Campaign’s 2008 Corporate Equality Index, which measures how LGBT employees are treated based on factors such as non-discrimination policies, diversity training, and benefits for domestic partners and transgender employees.

LGBT-owned companies interested in obtaining NGLCC certification can begin the process at www.nglcc.org. There’s more information about UPS’s supplier diversity process at community.ups.com.

Ga. Legislature to Vote on Bullying Bill

Georgia Equality has issued an alert urging the LGBT community to call your state senator and urge him or her to vote “yes” on an anti-bullying bill, scheduled for a vote today. SB 461 would amend current law to strengthen schools’ efforts to stop bullying. Introduced, ironically, by a decidedly right-wing Republican, the bill changes the definition of bullying in schools from “student” to “person” and would include non-physical threats as a form of bullying. Senator Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) told Southern Voice that he introduced the bill in response to an bullying incident in his district.

Sen. Rogers is best known for his crusade against illegal immigration and allegations of campaign sign-stealing during his re-election campaign. The anti-bullying bill is co-sponsored by another Republican, Senator Judson Hill (R-Marietta), a decidedly conservative politician who campaigned as “pro-family, pro-marriage, pro-life and pro-Second Amendment.” His positions are obviously anti-gay, but his cosponsorship could inadvertantly protect LGBT students from harrassment and violent attacks in Georgia schools.

In light of the recent murder of California junior high school student Lawrence King, shot in the face by a fellow student because he was gay, the anti-bullying bill is particularly timely. Call your state senator now and urge them to support SB 461. To find your senator, visit votesmart.org.

LGBT Families Face MEGA Issues

I am on the mailing list for the MEGA Family Project, not because I currently have a partner and family in my life (I do not), but because I so admire the efforts of this important organization and want to keep up with their work. Born four years ago during the fight against the anti-gay marriage amendment in Georgia (the genesis of the name was “Marriage Equality Georgia”), MEGA has transformed itself post-amendment into an important voice and resource for LGBT families, in particular those with children. An e-mail to the MEGA list, penned by Executive Director Kathy Kelly, got my attention when it hit my inbox late last night. I was struck by the thoughtfulness and thoroughness of her words on the work yet left undone for LGBT families in Georgia (and in fact the nation, if not the world).

I wanted to post here some of Kelly’s thoughts, because I believe successfully meeting these needs is critical to advancing gay rights overall. Whether we currently find ourselves partnered with kids or not, issues affecting queer families affect all of us by association. Gay and lesbian family issues are, in a sense, examples of the discrimination and homophobia that impact the entire queer community. Ultimately, we all benefit from the work of MEGA, even if their focus on families with children doesn’t seem to apply to any one of use personally.

A rising tide lifts all boats. MEGA lifts us all through their work for acceptance, for equal rights and responsibilities under our laws, and for an end to hatred and fear. Here, then, are Kathy Kelly’s thoughts (very slightly edited by me for editorial consistency) on the state of her organization’s advocacy efforts, and her list of the 6 areas that she she sees as important for LGBT families:

“Some days, I am completely overwhelmed by the unmet needs we (in the LGBT community) are experiencing. There is so much that needs to be done for us to have strong families, healthy children, and to keep Georgia a place where LGBT families are treated well and continue to thrive.

I just came back from a national conference where many people are struggling with doing the very important work needed in the LGBT community, but I am in a very different place. I feel hopeful, optimistic, and downright joyful about the potential future for our families. We are on our way, we just need to continue doing the work to get our families to a strong, healthy place in history.

Below are some critical areas that currently receive only minimal attention from MEGA due to our limited financial resources:

1. Our kids need support through ongoing programs to help them face the certain discrimination and possible bullying they may face.
2. Parents need to be better armed to face a world designed for heterosexual families (from churches, to schools, to the playground).
3. Parents need to be educated about the best legal means available to protect their families given the current political landscape in Georgia.
4. LGBT adults coming out of heterosexual marriages with children need our support from what is often a difficult transition for both kids and adults.
5. Our children need us to be advocates at every school around the state that is not providing a positive, affirming environment for LGBT families.
6. Parents who haven’t been able to complete second parent adoptions are losing custody of their children as a result of relationship break-ups. This isn’t healthy for our kids and is extremely painful for the parents.

These issues are what keep me working every day to champion the cause of LGBT families.”

-Kathy Kelly, Executive Director

MEGA Family Project

Kelly and the MEGA Family Project sent the e-mail to appeal for support for the organization. In particular, MEGA offers an option for donating called the “MEGA Family Champion.” By becoming a Family Champion, supporters choose to make automatic monthly contributions to this non-profit organization. In addition to the tax-deductibility of your donation, becoming a MEGA Family champion also brings you special discounts and other benefits throughout the year. (The MEGA Family Project is a 501(c)3 organization with the Internal Revenue Service, so your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.) If you want to support MEGA but don’t feel comfortable with a monthly donation, you can make a one-time contribution here.

In addition to its advocacy efforts, MEGA holds monthly educational and social activities to strengthen the LGBT community of families. The organization is based in the Atlanta Metro, but works on advocacy issues and hosts social events throughout the state of Georgia. MEGA also maintains several different mailing lists where you can opt in to receive news and information on specific issues–including adoption, artificial insemination, and parenting, to name a few. And there are regional lists for communication among LGBT families in specific communities, including, for example a list for the Savannah area, Cobb County and North Fulton County. Thanks to Kathy Kelly, the MEGA Family Project staff and to Georgia’s LGBT families for their visibility and for the positive example they are. Because hate really is not a family value.

Julian Bond to Speak at LGBT Conference

Between the Lines News, a Michigan LGBT publication, reports that the chairman of the NAACP will give the opening address tonight at the Creating Change Conference, a high-profile gathering hosted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. NAACP Chairman and former Georgian Julian Bond’s appearance at the event is just another example of his high-profile support of LGBT rights. Bond, who served in both the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate for two decades, has repeatedly stood up for LGBT rights, often over the objections of some African-American community leaders.

Even though the NAACP has no official position on gay rights, Bond and some others within the organization’s leadership have spoken openly about LGBT issues. Bond in particular has been a vocal supporter of gay marriage rights and was instrumental in getting the NAACP’s support for the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA). He is currently an honorary board member for the campaign to defeat Florida’s anti-gay marriage amendment, which will be on the ballot this November. Bond has been quoted connecting gay rights with African-Americans’ civil rights movement, saying:

“We know there was a time, not so long ago, when black people in this country couldn’t marry the person of their choice either. That’s why when I am asked, ‘Are gay rights civil rights?’ my answer is always, ‘Of course they are.’”

Bond’s commitment to equality for everyone, including the LGBT community, is a powerful asset to human rights in this country. His courage in standing up for gay rights, even in the face of objections from some in his own community, is leadership we can admire and should value. There are, of course, differences between the gay rights cause and the historic civil rights movement of which Bond was and is a part. But there are also many similarities. Discriminatory hiring and workplace inequities. Hate and physical violence based on who you are, rather than what you do or how you think.

Ga. Legislature May Detour Hate Crimes Legislation

In an article published yesterday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that efforts to restore hate crimes protection in Georgia may be out of reach in the upcoming 2008 session. Georgia’s original hate crimes law, passed in 2000 under Democratic leadership, was thrown out by the state Supreme Court in 2004 due to “vague” wording. State Senator Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) proposed a bill to restore the law last year, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee but never made it to the Senate floor. Instead, Georgia’s Republican-led Senate opted for a measure by newbie Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-Athens), which simply proposed study on the issue. Cowsert’s study group has met twice, with no one speaking in objection to including LGBT Georgians in any hate crimes bill. The director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and groups representing police chiefs, prosecutors and sheriff’s departments all expressed support for hate crimes protection at a November hearing.

Meanwhile, Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson has said he is not inclined to address the issue. Sen. Cowsert told the AJC that including LGBT citizens “could be a factor” in whether or not the legislature will support a bill. And Sadie Fields of the Georgia Christian Alliance, a leading voice of anti-gay hate during Georgia’s marriage amendment debate in 2004, told the AJC that “We definitely would oppose any legislation that included sexual orientation.” Poor Sadie. If she only had a heart.

Among the excuses Republicans use to justify excluding the LGBT community from hate crimes protection is a concern that such a law would have a “chilling effect” on a church’s ability to preach hate from the pulpit. It would seem that such hate speech is chilling in its own regard. But that argument is a red herring. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), all but five states (Georgia among them) have figured out how to punish hate without silencing speech, even if it’s hateful speech. In fact the AJC article quotes ADL Lawyer David Barkey that Georgia already has laws in place that distinguish between freedom of speech and criminal acts. (Unfortunately, Georgia is not in such limited company when it comes to specific hate crime protection for the LGBT community: 14 of the 45 states that do have some measure of hate crime protection did not include sexual orientation in their laws. Only 11 states include gender identity. See ADL’s state hate crime comparison chart for the details.)

The other Republican argument is equally hollow. We’ve all heard it before: crime is crime. It’s already illegal. They make no effort to explain, then, why law enforcement and prosecutors overwhelmingly want a hate crimes law. And the right-wing pot has no qualms calling the kettle black when it comes to specific punishment for flag-burning. If we follow their logic, flag-burning is destruction of property–already a crime. Why then have Republicans always postured for extra punishment just because that property is the American Flag?

If you look behind the curtain, you can see such Republican wizardry for what it is: just a bunch of old white guys trying to look strong and powerful, turning the knobs and pulling the levers of religion to suit their own agenda. Homophobia is an effective diversion, in lieue of a strong economy, affordable and accessible healthcare, schools that make America competitive for the future, or a foreign policy that foster respect rather than distrust and disdain. Republicans continue to attempt to hold on to power through fear and exclusion, rather than effective governance. The right wing wants Georgia and the nation to follow them down this yellow brick road again. Please. Don’t make me get the flying monkeys.