GLBT DIGEST - January 06, 2007

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US ATrays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.

=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org



http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/judicial/2007-01-04-sperm-donors_x.htm?csp=34

Court weighs parental rights of sperm donors
Posted 1/4/2007 11:46 PM ET
By Joan Biskupic, USA TODAY

A case before the Kansas Supreme Court has become a key test of the rightsof sperm donors who want to be involved with their offspring over theobjection of the children's mothers.

The dispute, which has drawn national attention, involves a single woman,identified in court papers only as S.H., who gave birth to twins in May 2005after being inseminated with the sperm of a friend, identified as D.H.

After the mother made it clear that she did not intend to share parenting,D.H. sued to establish paternity. He lost in a trial court because of aKansas law that says the donor of sperm provided for artificial inseminationis not the legal father of the child unless the donor and mother agree to itin writing.



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

The New York Times

NY: New Gov. Spitzer Aims to Legalize Gay Marriage

Spitzer Aims to Legalize Gay Marriage
WNYC Newsroom

http://www.wnyc.org/news/articles/71540

NEW YORK, NY January 05, 2007 -While Governor Elliot Spitzer didn't mentionit in his State of the State speech, his office says the governor iscommitted to making gay marriage legal.

The Governor's Communication director tells The New York Sun that Spitzerwill advance the issue in his first year in office. The omission of anyreferences to same-sex marriage in Wednesday's address has raised questionsabout whether it will be a priority for the Governor.

During his electoral campaign, Spitzer said he would draft legislation thatwould make New York the second state to extend marriage to same-sex couples.


=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

U.S. Congress Likely to Take Up Gay Bills in '07 Vote possible on ENDA, hatecrimes

By LOU CHIBBARO, JR.
Jan. 05, 2007

http://www.newyorkblade.com/print.cfm?content_id=4726

The Democratic-controlled Congress is expected to consider legislation in2007 aimed at protecting gays and transgender people from job discriminationand hate crimes, but the prospects for bills dealing with other sexualorientation-related issues are less certain, according to activists andCapitol Hill observers.

Supportive members of Congress have introduced at least 10 gay- orAIDS-related bills during the past several years, including a measure torepeal the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Other bills call forallowing foreign nationals who are domestic partners of U.S.

citizens to enjoy the same immigration rights as married spouses and callfor domestic partnership benefits for federal employees.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who became Speaker of the House this month, isconsidered one of the strongest gay rights supporters in Congress and hassigned on as a co-sponsor to all 10 gay- and AIDS- related bills dropped inthe hopper in recent years.



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/01/06/nchurch06.xml

Archbishop fears Church schism in gay row
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent 06/01/2007

The Archbishop of Canterbury has admitted that he fears losingcontrol of the worldwide Anglican Church, which is on the brink ofschism over homosexuality.

In a surprisingly frank assessment of the crisis, Dr Rowan Williamssaid that he feared anything that set Christians more deeply at oddswith each other.

"And because I am an ordinary, sinful human being, I fear thesituation slipping out of my control, such as it is," he said.

"I fear schism, not because I think it's the worst thing in the worldbut because, at this particular juncture, it's going to be bad forus. It's going to drive people into recrimination and bitterness."



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

2007 session brings déjà vu for Va. lawmakers Gay marriage, studentpermission slip bill reemerge

[marriage content at ***]

By ELIZABETH A. PERRY
Jan. 05, 2007

http://www.washblade.com/print.cfm?content_id=9771

When the Virginia State General Assembly convenes Jan. 10, legislators andtheir constituents may experience déjà vu.

Lawmakers will again consider a bill to require that students receiveparental permission before joining extracurricular activities in publicschools, a measure seen as targeting gay-straight alliances.And the contentious gay marriage issue will be back, following voterapproval of a constitutional ban on same-sex unions in November.

Gay rights supporters fear HB1727 could threaten the existence of some 60gay-straight alliances in Virginia's public schools. Under the Federal EqualAccess Act, schools are required to treat all extracurricular clubs equally.

Some legislators and schools have tried to get around the provision byrequiring that parents approve all extracurricular activities. The bill isbeing sponsored by Republican Matthew Lohr, a delegate from RockinghamCounty, and Harrisonburg. It's based on a similar policy already in place inLohr's school district in Harrisonburg.




=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

WA: Rethinking Don't Ask: Military's closet [sharedsacrifice,marriage equality]

[An editorial about ending the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy comes to arelated conclusion on marriage equality.]

Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA, January 5, 2007

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/298449_gaysed.html

Rethinking Don't Ask: Military's closet
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD

Sometimes, the right thing is done for the wrong reason. Case in point:President Bush's upcoming decision on what to do about low troop levels inIraq has turned attention to rethinking our military's "don't ask, don'ttell" policy. This is not about enlightenment. It's about desperation. One insidertold the BBC this week that the "central theme will be sacrifice" in Bush'supcoming speech.

In a recent New York Times column, reprinted on today's Op-Ed page, retiredArmy Gen. John Shalikashvili, a former "don't ask, don't tell" supporter,wrote he now feels that serving with homosexuals would not damage troopmorale. No kidding. We're sure they have other things on their minds, suchas, say, dying on foreign soil and never seeing their families again.



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

California NAACP to be Honored With Marriage Equality Award at EQCA's
Signature Awards Gala
Author: Equality California
Published on Jan 5, 2007, 08:49

http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/printer_48752.shtml



The California State Conference of the National Association for theAdvancement of Colored People (NAACP) will receive the Phyllis Lyon and DelMartin Marriage Equality Award at Equality California's(EQCA) 2007 San Francisco Equality Awards event on February 10.

"Equality California is proud to honor the NAACP, one of the oldest civilrights organizations in the nation, for standing beside us in the fight forjustice and equal rights for all Californians," said EQCA Executive DirectorGeoff Kors. "We are grateful to have the NAACP's support as we work to makemarriage equality a reality in our state."

In 2005, Alice Huffman, president of the California State Conference of theNAACP, announced that her organization supported AB 849, the ReligiousFreedom and Marriage Equality Act. Authored by Assemblymember Mark Leno,D-San Francisco, and sponsored by EQCA, the bill would have given same-sexcouples the right to marry in California. Assemblymember Leno and EQCAreintroduced the bill on December 4, 2006, again pushing for marriageequality in the Golden State. The new bill, AB 43, retains the same name.



[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]

#####