Gay Rights Watch

Chief Justice William Rehnquist died this evening at the age of 80 due to thyroid cancer. He had been hospitalized twice this year already. CNN interrupted programming for this breaking news - they also had a bio all ready to go for him. Go figure.

Rehnquist was the most conservative justice on the bench. At every opportunity he has voted against abortion rights as he was on the bench for more than 18 years.

Who will be the next justice? What a huge opportunity for George W... unfortunately. Bush is looking forward to this to "put his legacy on the court". GREAT.

Posted by Bryan Harding

365gay.com reports:

Recovering from the devastation of hurricane Katrina may be particularly difficult for same-sex couples who are not recognized in any of the three states directly hit by the storm or in those states where refugees have fled.

Louisiana has a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and prevents the state from recognizing any legal status for common-law relationships, domestic partnerships or civil unions. Mississippi and Alabama both have defense of marriage acts which also deny rights to gay and lesbian couples.

The Federal Defense of Marriage Act prevents FEMA from providing any relief in the form of family benefits to same-sex couples.

The laws also will directly impact gay and lesbian families where one partner has died as a result of the hurricane.

Federal DOMA bars Social Security survivor benefits. State benefits would also be denied.

If the deceased partner were the birth or adoptive parent of the couple's children those children could be removed from the care of the other parent and placed in foster care.

Should the family home be in the name of the deceased partner the survivor would have no rights. Any insurance payouts could go to the estate of the deceased and if there is no will would go to the closest blood relative.

In cases where one partner is hospitalized the other partner would not be guaranteed visitation rights or any say in medical care.

Surviving same-sex partners even could be denied any say in funeral or burial decisions.

Even in those cases where couples had legal documents such as living wills, powers of attorney or other agreements that could be valid in the states in which they were prepared and notarized there is no guarantee they would be honored in states where survivors were relocated.

"It underscores all of the inequities same-sex couples face," Lambda Legal attorney Ken Upton told 365Gay.com.

Upton is the director of Lambda's office in Dallas, the closest major city to the disaster zone where the organization has a legal office.

Most of the evacuees from the New Orleans area are being relocated to Texas, primarily in the Houston area. Upton said that in the coming weeks he expects to hear from many same-sex couples who are encountering legal problems.

"It's hard at times like these for marginalized groups - particularly gays and lesbians - to be part of the bigger American picture," Updton said.

Two relief organizations are recognizing same-sex families: the American Red Cross and the Rainbow Fund.

The Red Cross was the first major aid agency to help gay and lesbian couples in the immediate aftermath of 9-11.

The Rainbow Fund is an LGBT San Francisco-based relief agency that allows gays and lesbians to see exactly where their money is going and allows the world to see the impact the greater gay community plays in providing aid.

In the case of hurricane Katrina the Fund is working with America's Second Harvest to help the survivors. All money given to the fund goes directly to relief efforts. It does not use any donations to maintain its organization.

365Gay.com has set up a special resource page with links to the Rainbow Fund, Red Cross, Lambda Legal and other aid agencies.

Meanwhile, the situation in New Orleans continued to worsen on Thursday. Hundreds of bodies have been found and the city has descended into anarchy.

Looting continued and sporadic gunfire could be heard throughout New Orleans. Police say they are powerless.

Sewage and chemicals are mixed in the water that still covers the city and there are mounting concerns of a massive health epidemic spreading among those still trapped.

Posted by Bryan Harding

Public support for gay and lesbian soldiers is rising according to a new poll shows that support for allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. military is up from 10 years ago. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and the Pew Research Center for the People found that 58% of Americans think openly gay people should be allowed to serve, up from 52% in 1994. The poll, released on August 30, also found the percentage of those who strongly opposed gays and lesbians serving openly fell from 26% in 1994 to 15% in 2005. The poll was reported in The New York Times.

For more details and results from this poll click here.

Posted by Bryan Harding

A bill that was once thought dead, the alive, has now passed The California State Senate. It is a HUGE and historic milestone as this is the first time any legislature in the nation has voted in favor of equal marriage rights for gay and lesbians.

Equality California released the following:

Sacramento, CA: The California Senate made history today by becoming the first legislative body in the nation to pass equal marriage rights legislation for same-sex couples. Equality California-sponsored Assembly Bill (AB) 849, The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, authored by Assemblymember Mark Leno (D-Francisco), Assembly Speaker Fabian (D-Los Angeles), and 30 co-authors passed with 21-15 and now heads for an Assembly floor vote. If passed, California will become the first legislature in the country to pass equal marriage rights legislation for same-sex couples. In Massachusetts, the state Supreme Court ruled that nothing less than marriage rights would be considered equal. The Massachusetts legislature then outlined how they would implement this ruling, but did not pass marriage equality legislation. California will have passed marriage equality without any court involvement, but as the people's legislative body to treat all Californians equally.

Today represents another milestone toward the fulfillment of the American dream for thousands of lesbian and gay couples in California, stated Assemblymember Leno. Society is strongest when it upholds the basic civil rights of all its citizens, including the right to marry the person you love. I'm grateful that a majority of my colleagues stood up against discrimination and in favor of allowing same-sex couples who want to devote their lives to one another, raise families, and protect themselves and their children with the same rights and responsibilities as different-sex couples with the same goals and dreams.

"Today is an unforgettable moment in California history that marks the courage of brave legislators and demonstrates the strength of our democracy," said Geoffrey Kors of Equality California. The state Senate of the largest state of the nation just took a bold and giant step in the direction of equality and respect for all families by voting to end discrimination against tens of thousands of same-sex couples and their children."

"This is an incredibly monumental turning point in the history of a movement", added Kors. "With over 200 organizations supporting this legislation, we have demonstrated that marriage equality is a value supported by California's major civil rights organizations as well as a diverse group of political, community and religious organizations. We applaud our state Senators for their leadership and the other members who took a stand for equality by voting yes."

"Now is the time to answer for ourselves, what is the right thing to do?", said Senator Nell Soto (D-Ontario). For me my higher power tells me, love one another, not judge one another, that is embedded in my inspiration, let us be judged as a group of tolerance and of hope.

With the passing of AB 849, my family is brought one step closer to the equality and dignity that is long overdue us, and that we so desperately need", said Marina Gatto, 16, daughter of Ramona and Arzu Gatto. "There are countless families like ours that live without basic rights and protections. AB 849 will give hope to all families, our children and to generations of youth who deserve the right to grow up in a world where they are treated as equal people. This win in the Senate sustains the hopes, the dreams and the reality for a community of people, families and children that equality is now within our reach in California.

"This is a historic and wonderful moment for our state and for all people who believe in the institution of marriage," said Rabbi Denise Eger from Koi Ami Congregation. "This bill provides for the freedom of religious institutions to follow their beliefs while insuring that the state does not discriminate in issuing [marriage] licenses. We celebrate the courage of our legislators this day."

"What I like most about this bill is that it guarantees religious freedom," said Reverend Rick Schlosser of the California Council of Churches. "This bill is about people not being able to impose their religious beliefs on other and enables me to perform my ministry freely, how God wants me to."

"I think marriage is important because the state will recognize and validate the love I share with my partner," said Baltimore Gonzalez, who has been with his partner Robert Flanagan for three years and currently live in Fresno. "The state recognition of our relationships will make easier for families to accept us."

"This is a historic day for our family. When we heard the good news, our kids started cheering, which set the dogs to barking and we all had a spontaneous group hug", stated Christine Allan, a grandmother from Nevada county who has been with her partner, Ann, for over 20 years. Finally, our granddaughter can go through with her plans for our wedding! What a moment to cherish today!"

"My wife and I are ecstatic to hear of the passing of AB 849 and we look forward to the state Senate and the Governor signing off on this legislation", said Alma Hawk, Los Angeles resident and lives with her wife BJ Hawk. "It is due time that our marriage is respected. Nine years and everyday our love grows deeper with respect and admiration of one another. Our family will have the same securities that are afforded to other couples in California and we look forward to have the same legal responsibilities as any other family."

Over at Shakespeare's Sister they are reporting that Repent America (notice the way you enter the site), an EXTREME religious group based out of Philly, is joining the ranks of Jerry Falwell in saying in a recent press release:

"Although the loss of lives is deeply saddening, this act of God destroyed a wicked city," stated Repent America director Michael Marcavage. "From 'Girls Gone Wild' to 'Southern Decadence', New Orleans was a city that had its doors wide open to the public celebration of sin. May it never be the same."

And it goes on...
"Let us pray for those ravaged by this disaster. However, we must not forget that the citizens of New Orleans tolerated and welcomed the wickedness in their city for so long."

This is the same group that sent two of its reps to the Philadelphia Phillies Gay Day to unfurl a large banner reading, "Homosexuality is Sin. Christ Can Set You Free." Of course this didn't go over well with the fans at the park. Read more on this story.

You'd think that these groups would have learned from past mistakes of the religious right making such statements.

On a side note, though Repent America is blaming gays and lesbians, Burbon Street, where all the 'gaydom' takes place, was hardly touched. Hmmm. Lets get real people. This is absolutely off the wall extemism. This group in particular is not the type to apologize once the media gets on this story (like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson). Now there is no doubt in my mind that they actually believe this - but it's also a lot of PR for a small organization. It only makes the Christian 'right' look more and more extreme. Keep on talking Repent America! You are only helping by making yourselves look like complete wackos.

Donate to the American Red Cross.

Bryan Harding

The muscle-T wearing, White Party attending, Cher loving Starbucks cups? Hmmmm.

This is so ridiculous that people are up in arms about this. Leave it to the Christian right... I guess Starbucks is "promoting the homosexual agenda" with their cups. Whenever people use that term I have to wonder what the 'homosexual agenda' is. To me it is to have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - just as equally as anyone else in the country would. Maybe it's simply to be left the hell alone. Fuck - I guess that is just too hard to swallow for the 'loving and compassionate Christian right'...


Click here to view the Starbucks "The Way I see It" Campaign info page.

The Seattle Times reports

Starbucks says it was hoping to inspire old-fashioned coffee-house conversations when it introduced a campaign this year featuring the words of notable Americans on its coffee cups.

But at least a few of those words are sparking more discord than discussion.

A national Christian women's organization is accusing the Seattle-based coffee maker of promoting a homosexual agenda because of a quote by author Armistead Maupin, whose "Tales of the City" chronicled San Francisco's homosexual community in the 1970s and 1980s.

Maupin's quote one of several dozen in "The Way I See It" promotion says his only regret about being gay is that he repressed it for so long.

"I surrendered my youth to the people I feared when I could have been out there loving someone. Don't make that mistake yourself. Life's too damn short."

Concerned Women for America, which promotes itself as the antithesis of the National Organization for Women and boasts 8,700 supporters in Washington, says most of those quoted on the coffee cups are liberal.

The group believes corporations have a responsibility to reflect the diversity of their customers by taking a balanced approach or staying out of divisive social issues altogether.

And while the group is not calling for a boycott, its position nonetheless raises questions about what role if any corporations should take on potentially sensitive matters, especially at a time when the nation is divided, largely along religious lines, on issues such as gay rights.

"Corporations have deeper pockets and therefore more influence than individuals do," said Maureen Richardson, state director of Concerned Women for America of Washington.

"I think it's wiser for them to stay out of these issues so that they don't offend conservatives and people of faith."

To these companies, she says: "If you want my money, support some of my causes."

But experts say that on controversial issues, no company can please all its customers all the time. Corporations, they say, need to pick their battles, staking out a position on issues they believe to be just.

"There are many religious-based social issues that are so hard for society to address right now things like abortion and capital punishment they're better left for another time," said Leo Hindery, author of "It Takes a CEO: Leading with Integrity."

"But there are a couple of places where it is clear to me that there should be no ambiguity of corporate responsibility the environment and civil rights," Hindery said. "As a corporation, you cannot let the desire for unanimity override your obligation for fairness."

"The Way I See It" campaign does not set out to take a political stand but rather to encourage discourse, Starbucks spokeswoman Audrey Lincoff said.

"If you think back to the history of the old coffee houses, before the Internet, these were places to converse," she said. "That's part of what the coffee culture has been for a century or more."

Lincoff said the company does not characterize the personalities quoted on its coffee cups as liberal or conservative, but rather as a diverse group of artists, musicians, educators, activists and athletes.

Among them: actor Quincy Jones, New Age author and alternative-medicine doctor Deepak Chopra, radio host and film critic Michael Medved, rap artist Chuck D and Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan.

The coffee company won't be pulling the Maupin quote or any other from the campaign, but in fact will expand it to feature quotes from regular customers.

"Embracing diversity and treating people with dignity is one of the guiding principles of our corporation," Lincoff said.

Richardson, of the women's organization, cites possible support by Starbucks for pro-life clinics and the Boy Scouts of America as ways the company might offset its support of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and gay pride.

But Starbucks spokeswoman Lara Wyss said decisions about sponsoring gay-pride events and other causes are made at the store or regional level, not the corporate level. And while Starbucks matches employee contributions to charities such as Planned Parenthood, Wyss said, it doesn't make outright corporate contributions to such groups.

Other corporations have also drawn controversy over sensitive topics.

Last spring, Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, threatened to boycott Microsoft if it didn't back off its support of anti-discrimination legislation for gays here in Washington.

Microsoft withdrew, but said it had decided before Hutcherson issued his threat.

In Oregon last month, Nike withstood opposition and an e-mail campaign organized by a Christian organization over Nike's support of legislation that would have allowed civil unions and banned discrimination against gays.

Both measures passed the Senate but did not make it to the House for a vote.

And for more than two decades now, members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, which advocates for the separation of state and church, said they have complained to Alaska Airlines about prayer cards the company distributes with in-flight meals.

The airline said it has been offering the cards for 30 years and has received positive responses along with complaints. Passengers are free to give the cards back or turn them over if they don't want them, the carrier said.

John Hoover, a national business consultant and author who has advised such companies as IBM, Delta Air Lines and Boeing on the art of confrontation, said, "It's not incumbent on corporations to operate with balance" as Richardson suggests.

"But when they stand by their conscience, they must be willing to accept the consequences."

As if Starbucks isn't already viewed as an amazingly progressive company. Please - these people need to worry about more important things in life.

For the article click here.

Story by Lornet Turnbull/Seattle Times Staff reporter
Photo credit: THOMAS JAMES HURST / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Posted by Bryan Harding