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Finding schools that strive to be inclusive Full story:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003254676_gayparents12m.htm
l
By Lornet Turnbull
Seattle Times staff reporter
"Ours is a two-mom household."
"To our children, we are Mommy and Mom."
These conversations between parents and educators are becoming increasinglycommon as the children of gay and lesbian parents show up in larger numbersin the school system.
The anxiety parents may feel as they send their children off this time ofyear is compounded for many lesbians and gays. They know that the challengesthey face in broader society could be visited upon their children in oneform or another on the playgrounds, in hallways and in the classroom.
Many say they leave nothing to chance. From selecting a "safe" school toensuring language used by teachers, nurses, counselors and principals isinclusive, of they say they want to ease the way so their children are notostracized.
"Tough things happen to all kids," said Carol Achtmeyer, whose 4-year-olddaughter will enter kindergarten next fall. "The ideal setting is asurrounding that supports them completely."
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http://www.crosscurrents.org/Maguire0304.htm
SEX AND THE SACRED
by Daniel C. Maguire
At a meeting of scholars from the world's various religions, a Chinesescholar reported that in China now they are starting to put free condoms inhotel drawers. Mustering as straight a face as I could I said: "We don't dothat in the United States. Instead, we put Bibles in the motel drawers onthe assumption that if a couple come to have sex and find the Bible, theywill read that instead." With an equally strained straight face, the Chinesescholar asked: "Have you any data on this experiment?" I replied: "Yes, avery high rate of unplanned pregnancies."
This story is a tale of two cultures. In this nation there is no possibilityof putting free condoms alongside the mouthwash and shampoo provided inmotels and hotels. It would offend our theocratic and Puritan sensibilities.In many ways, the United States is a functioning theocracy. The First Amendment hides this fact from view.
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IN Magazine
Los Angeles, CA
September 8 - 22, 2006
http://www.inlamag.com/915/special_reports/sprt1.html
Sen. Russ Feingold on Marriage Equality
By Karen Ocamb
To longtime LGBT and civil rights activist David Mixner, liberal DemocraticSen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin is "the real deal." Though Feingold has notyet officially announced his intention to run for president in 2008, Mixnerflew in from New York to introduce the senator to a packed crowd at theAccess for Gay and Lesbian Equality breakfast on Aug. 25.
"I left the last election feeling a little unclean," Mixner said, describinghow he kept quiet so as not to "hurt the chances of defeating George Bush."But as Feingold emerged as a strong, progressive voice in the U.S. Senate,Mixner decided to get involved. "This man was the first opponent against thewar in Iraq. He was the only U.S. senator who voted against the anti-civilliberties Patriot Act. And this is the first person who is being seriouslyconsidered for president," Mixner thundered, "who won't accept anythingexcept full, unequivocal marriage equality" for gays and lesbians.
Told he must be "practical" in his political support, Mixner retorted,"Supporting someone with values, love and care is the most practical thing in the world." Give Feingold "a voice" and he will "fight for peace, andjustice and equality."
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365Gay.com, September 11, 2006
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/09/091106canada.htm
Support For Canadian Gay Marriage Repeal Waning
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
(Ottawa) Despite a pledge by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper torevisit the law granting marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples amajority in Parliament oppose such a move and the law is unlikely to berepealed it now appears.
Harper announced earlier this summer that he would schedule a fall voteasking Members of Parliament if they wished to re-open the issue.Since then the New Democrats and the Bloc Quebecois Parties announced theywould vote against it.
The two small parties which hold the balance of power in the minorityParliament said all of their members would vote against the measure.The Official Opposition, the Liberals, are allowing a free vote. Themarriage law was passed when the Liberals were in power and a straw pollshows that only about 30 members of the party would support re-opening theissue. The combined "no" vote on revisiting same-sex marriage assures theissue will die.
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IN Magazine
Los Angeles, CA
September 8 - 22, 2006
http://www.inlamag.com/915/special_reports/sprt2.html
Gov. Howard Dean on the Democrats' New Inclusion Rule
By Karen Ocamb
Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, chair of the Democratic National Committee,sounded relaxed, as if he was happy to talk to IN Los Angeles magazine abouta new rule he hopes will expand LGBT participation in the Democratic Party.The new "Inclusion Rule" requires state parties to work toward the goal ofachieving full participation by the LGBT community in the DNC delegateselection process and could have the ripple effect of enhancing the clout ofLGBT Democrats throughout the country. But these are Democrats, for whomconsensus building is often a contact sport and neither Dean nor theInclusion Rule arrived at this point unscathed.
For the past year and a half, Dean has been under searing attacks by somegay Democrats for what appeared to be a series of missteps. Once beloved bythe LGBT community for signing the nation's first civil unions bill asgovernor of Vermont, Dean stumbled when implementing his long-range"50-state strategy," which resulted in the elimination of the LGBT outreachdesk in favor of integrating all constituency groups into the DNC system.
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Canada: Free to oppose gay marriage;Tories eye protection for critics if
motion to reopen debate falters
Ottawa Sun, Canada, September 12, 2006
http://ottsun.canoe.ca/News/National/2006/09/12/1829020-sun.html
Free to oppose gay marriage
Tories eye protection for critics if motion to reopen debate falters By
KATHLEEN HARRIS
THE TORY government could introduce legislative changes to enhanceprotections for those who oppose same-sex marriage on religious or moralgrounds if MPs don't pass a motion to reopen the contentious debate.
The motion, which stems from an election pledge by Prime Minister StephenHarper, is expected to give MPs a clear-cut question on whether Parliamentshould revisit the issue -- not poll the moral stand of each MP on gaymarriage.
The motion is slated to be tabled the second week after Parliament resumessitting this month, according to a government source.
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Bahamas: Same sex marriage? AGAINST THE LAW
The Freeport News, Bahamas, September 12, 2006
http://freeport.nassauguardian.net/national_local/332415592764420.php
Same sex marriage?
AGAINST THE LAW
Rev. J.C. Wallace, former president of the Grand Bahama Christian Council,claims that two men were given marriage rites by a local minister in GrandBahama, which he says is against the laws of The Bahamas.
Reports of a same sex marriage ceremony taking place on Grand Bahama hassparked concern from a well- known religious leader in the community who iscalling for the marriage licence of the minister who performed the ceremonyto be revoked.
In an exclusive interview with the Freeport News yesterday, former GrandBahama Christian Council (GBCC) President Rev. J.C. Wallace claimed that twomen were given marriage rites by a local minister in Grand Bahama, whichRev. Wallace says is against the laws of The Bahamas.
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http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/09/091206ask.htm
Protests In Three Cities Over Gay Military Ban
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
September 12, 2006 - 3:00 pm ET
(Shreveport, Louisiana) Three people protesting against "Don't Ask, Don'tTell", the law preventing gays from serving openly in the military werearrested Tuesday in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The trio was among a dozen demonstrators at a Marine recruitment center andis part of a national protest of DADT called the Right to Serve campaignorganized by the LGBT nondenominational group Soulforce.
Other sit-ins by the group today were held in Chicago and Oklahoma City.
Eddie Lopez and Rachel Powell, both Shreveport, residents entered therecruitment center in that city and attempted to enlist. When they saidthey are gay they were told that under the law they were rejected forservice.
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http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid36417.asp
The Advocate
September 13, 2006
Gay activists arrested at Marine recruiting office
Police took three people into custody after they refused to leave a U.S. Marine Corps recruiting office in Shreveport, La., on Tuesday during a protest of the military's ban on openly gay recruits. The Virginia-based gay rights organization Soulforce said it was staging such protests in 30 cities around the nation in the coming weeks and months. Organizers have dubbed the campaign Right to Serve.
The three taken into custody were among nine who tried to enlist at the Marine recruiting station on Mansfield Road. Soulforce condemns the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy as blatantly discriminatory and says it hurts recruiting at a time when recruits are needed.
Charles Moskos, a military sociologist at Northwestern University who helped craft the policy, defended it in a recent interview with the Associated Press. Moskos said allowing openly gay service members would hurt the morale of the military rank-and-file and make many recruits uncomfortable. "The gay advocates say it will cause enlistment to go up, but I think you'd find it dropping rather than rising," Moskos argued. (AP)
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http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid36415.asp
The Advocate
September 13, 2006
Anchor of CNN's Headline News comes out
CNN anchor Thomas Roberts acknowledged that he is gay while speaking at the annual convention for the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association in Miami last weekend. According to Boston-based journalist Johnny Diaz, Roberts was speaking on a panel when he made the announcement, saying it was the "biggest step" he had taken to really being out in public and that he had slowly been coming out at CNN over the past several years.
Diaz reports that Roberts said he was proud of his partner and that staying in the closet was a difficult thing for a national news anchor. "When you hold something back, that's all everyone wants to know," Diaz quotes Roberts as saying in a report on his blog, Beantown Cuban.
Unfortunately, those tuning in to see Roberts will no longer find him on CNN Headline News. Reuters reported Tuesday that a shuffling of desk chairs at CNN for budgetary reasons will mean the cancellation of the 4-6 p.m. newscast coanchored by Roberts. He and his coanchor, Kathleen Kennedy, are reportedly being reassigned. (The Advocate)
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http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060912/OPINION03/609120321/1272
Volunteer-hungry military turns down recruits
September 12, 2006
By Deb Price
The Detroit News
Frustrated military recruiters across the country are getting a rare glimpse of what they've been missing -- exceptionally qualified young people walking into their all-but empty offices to volunteer.
They've met youths like Derek House, a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin who is studying Arabic. And Rachel Powell, 20, who is juggling college classes in Louisiana with working at a medical clinic; Michael Cich, 27, a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma who handles federal contracts for research at labs there; Jarrett Lucas, 20, who received his engineering degree from Philadelphia's Drexel University after entering at 15, despite being orphaned as a child; and Jacob Reitan, 24, a divinity graduate student at Harvard University.
All five, and many others, have been turned away for one reason: They're openly gay.
The gay youths are part of a 30-city Right to Serve campaign to demonstrate the impact of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law. After all, the military is the largest employer of youths, and offers unique educational and training opportunities.
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com
http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/092006/09122006/219705
Same-sex marriage and interracial vows don't equate
September 12, 2006 12:50 am
Debbie Thurman
Stephen Roberts' letter comparing gay marriage to interracial marriage misses the boat ["The warnings were dire before, too--and just as wrong,"
Sept. 6].
This nation was deeply divided over slavery and African-American civil rights, and many people were wrong to believe interracial marriage would weaken the fabric of society.
Same-sex "marriage" is in another category entirely, however.
It is getting tiresome to have to repeat the obvious, but there are no replicable studies that show sexual behaviors are inherited like eye color or skin pigment. None whatsoever.
The AMA, both APAs, and all the rest of the medical establishment know this, yet they have spinelessly allowed politics to shape policy.
I personally know a good number of "ex-gays." There are no ex-African-Americans or other ethnicities I am aware of.
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com
http://www.accra-mail.com/mailnews.asp?id=18147
Let`s get serious about this issue: Playing ostrich with same-sex issueThe phenomenon is not new!
Godwin Yaw Agboka | Posted: Tuesday, September 12, 2006
The attention of the nation has been inescapably drawn to the recent outpouring of concerns about homosexuals and lesbians in the Ghanaian society. One would have thought that this would not be a surprise considering that these happenings did not occur in a day.
However, from concerns from public reactions among the citizenry and even among some politicians, the impression has been created as if the phenomenon is a new invention orchestrated by the McDonald-led organization, which is the reason people are playing the ostrich, pretending that a new demon has been unleashed unto the nation.
When it was reported in the media, sometime ago, that some male teenagers in the Tema metropolis had resorted to sleeping with one another what did we think was happening? Did it have to take the pronouncements from Mr. McDonald in his interview with JOYFM for us to know that the concept of homosexuality and lesbianism was clandestinely a part of the Ghanaian social fiber?
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