Cos ~-\ngrlc.6 OTimc.6

Friday. M~y 20, 1988

Changes in Family ~ife Requir~ ~ew Laws, Policies, Panel Says By KEVIN RODERICK, Times Staff Writer Family life in Los Angeles has changed so much,Plat partner status and announced Wednesday that he and city officials can help by helping city workers with many laws and policies should be changed to acknowl­ would seek a change in the personnel practices that child care and giving preference on contracts to firms edge the new order, a task force of citizens recom­ govern Los'Angeles city employees. that provide child care for their own employees. He said employees who are not married but who mended Thursday to Mayor Tom Bradley and the City Developers should also be allowed to build bigger Council. have established a household with someone should be For instance, with so many people in Los Angeles given the same family sick and bereavement leave as buildings as an enticeme)lt to provide child-care not married, the City Council and other arms of . married couples. Woo said he planned to introduce the facilities, the report said. . government should give some legal "domestic part­ measure in the City Council today. In a city with a population estimated at 3.5 million, ner" status to unmarried couples and forbid consumer the rep~rt said, about 500,000' have some disability and discounts that aim only at married people,· the Task Non-TractltloDal LiviD' ArrangemeDts Force on Family Diversity report said. The report seeks to make the point that most people another 200,000 are gay men or lesbians. Both the The advisory-only group, which was formed by City in Los Angeles have, a living arrangement that is other disabled and gaycoJlUllunities are subject to discrimi­ Councilman Mike Woo, includes representatives from than the traditional married couple with children. natory laws and practices that should be changed, the the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, Pacific Bell and About 22% of households are married couples with no report said. . . children, 11 of households include a singl~ parent; GTE California, and the MECLA Foundation, a % The city should require developers to provide better gay-oriented orgaqization.'The report issued Wednes­ 21 % include an elderly person and more than 31 % of day included more than 100 recommendations. households consist of a single person living alone, the handicapped access in their buildings. and rules should Woo embraced the concept of unmarried couples, report said. be changed to ensure that gay and other unmarried including gay couples, being given limited domestic A great need exists for child care, the report said, . couples are allowed to visit in hospitals. ~ , tJhr £05 Angrles

Thursday, October 6, 1988

Spouse Benefits Extended to 'Domestic Partners' By G.M. BUSH I ployees live with a domestic partner. Granting health benefits to domestic part­ . . The proposal adopted by the council was sup- ners would cost the city anywhere from $3.9 Desplte wammgs of grave social costs, the ported by the two-person majority of the coun- million to $5.2 million a year, Flores said. ~s An~~les Ci~ Council ~~ W~~y ~ i ell's ~E71tal Operations Committee: mclude domestic partners In the unmedi- CounCIlman the committee When the matter came before the committee ate family" category under which city employ- chairman, and CounciJwo~ Gloria Molina. for consideration, those who testified said they ees are granted bereavement and sick leave. Their nuUority report to the full council said planned to seek extension of other benefits to Under the plan, a domestic partner could be current employee benefit plans were "de­ domestic partners in the future, she said. a close friend, a comm~n-law spouse ~r a ho- signed in the 19608 for the typical famL~ of a Instead of expanding sick and bereavement mosexuallover. To qualify, a confidential affi· working husband non-working wife aDd two leave, the councl1 should consider a "generic.' davit ~d be. filed with the city declaring the or more depend~t children." ' time-off" plan "to be used by any employee far.· . person s identity. Now however fewer than 10 percent c:rf the any pUllJOSe without justification, JJ she said, • Councilman Emani B~ strongly ob- workf~rce fits tins model. ''The majority of calling this approach "less complicated and ' Je~ to the ~easure:,which be characterized workers today are single, tw~iDcome couples, more equitable. U as a gay o~ce. singles with dependents, and older employees. Woo called this proposal "potentially much After a discussion of potential cost of the 'One size fits an' when applied to benefit plans more expensive to the city." proposal, he said money is not the issue, but no longer best fits the needs of today's employ: Flores strongly objected to the confidential rather tba.t "it goes beyond what is considered ees tJ the report stated. affidavits that would be needed to validate do­ to be the normal relationship between a male ' mestic partner relationships. "Although the and a female." Feasibility Study City Attorney has reported that the City will . "This is a nuUor change," be said. "It's the The report was based in part on a feasibility probably not incur any liability through this ! social costs; that's my problem. study conducted by the Personnel Department process, it is clearly not within the purview of The council, however, voted 11-2 in favor of that included a review of domestic partnership local governments to validate personal rela­ the proposal. The concept will be presented to ordinances already adopted by the cities of tionships," she said in her minority report. employee unions In contract talks. Berkeley an'd West Hollywood and the Berke- The proposal was one of 110 recommenda­ The length of a potential leave would depend ley Unified School District. Proposals DOW un­ tions of the Task Force on Family Diversity in. . on the employee's particular job and Mem~ der review in San Francisco and Madison, a report issued in May, "Strengthening Fanr. ~ randum of Understanding contract. City Jaw WISC.,' also were studied. IDes: A Model for Community Action." ) -' aUows up to five days off for an illness of a The committee's third member, Council­ The 37-member blue-ribbon task force was family member and three days bereavement woman Joan Milke Flores, opposed the plan, convened by Woo and included representatives . leave. . . ,. .• 9 .' DOting that the city administrative officer..had of .Los Angeles' legal, religious, educatiorlaJ LasiYW:iln Employee BeiiefitsSurvey con: reported that the inclusion of domestic part­ and business cOttumtrdttes. Parents, ·studen~ dueled by the city found that app~te114.2 ners in employee benefits would be seen as a ~nd governmental employees also w~e l' .:-. percent, or 840, of the city's 20,000 c:ivWan em- moVe toward incorporating them In health, mcluded. " dental, insurance and retirement benefits, The report was written by attorney Thomas ; She also cited the high cost of the program, F. Coleman, the panel's principal consultant. I again relying on data from the CAO, which concluded that extending bereavement and sick leave benefits to domestic partners would cost about $2.3 million annually. Councilman Joel Wachs chaJ]e~ged this fig­ ure, saying employees would not receive any additional time off. WEDNESDAY, May 25, 1988 Loa Angoloa Independont A·1, B, C-1, 1).1, A·2, C-2, 1).2 'IllIN

I '~' fi d LA" f:' III members. Recommendations address : tu, dy In s '. ". a.. ml .Ie,. s.·· .' ~~c:. ::~~~·io~~. i!~~rrce. S gangs, teen pregnancy, gay and les- , . bian youth, suicide, and a whole host I·.ar.. en't what the. yused to be' r!fZ~1i:' :t=::::~~:~' , ..' . mends extending sick and bereave- . '. ment leave' for domestic partners, gay ·BY.JUUE JASKOL~ . year·study co~ductf:d by. ~e Task· ..... ::or non-gay, who share the same . , 'Tfie report is out on family diversi- Force on ~3Imly J?lverslty, convened ", household and mutual obligation of ty ip Los Angeles, and Ward and b)'-Councilm~ Mike Woo to study support. It suggests· flexible work

June'Cleaver .don't crop up a lot. In how ~e family has c~a!lg~, an~ how I ·.hours for city employees and expand- 'fact~ only.about one in five Los " the clty~,can meet f~l1rihes yarymg ed city support for child' care. It calls . Angeles households consists' of ~om, ,needs. The A~en~ family has for flexible insurance benefits and an Dad, and children, 'and in more than·, changed dramat~cally fr?m ~e days end to insurance discrimination half. of 'those' households, Mom aJ)d of the stereotyplc~ fa~y With two.. against non-married couples. It 'Da~ both work outside the home. p.ar~nts a~d.two kIds, says Woo. recommends the city encourage Households in LA are more likely City pohcles need to reflect that affordable family house, and the Los to Contain only one parent, or two change. ,. Angeles Unified School Districct ex- unmarried adults living together, or Th~ report recommends 11~ ways pand its controversial Project X to. married couples without children, or the ~~ty c~n respond to today s provide counseling to gay and lesbian an extended family. including elderly families, mclu?mg gay or h~tero- youths on all high school campuses. relatives. And nearly one third of the. sexual. un~a.rrI~ co~ples, smg~e.-. "Family life in Los Angeles is city;'s househ~lds consis.t of a sing~e . parent famlh~! lJ1~1111grant f~mihes, healthy and diverse" but under enor- , person living. alo~e.· ~omeless. famlhes,. and familIes that mous stress," says 'Christopher '. ···These are the findings' of a two- , mclude disabled and elderly McCauley, senior, consumer affairs .' :.;:~ ~,'I ... • -.:..'------representative for Southern California Gas Company' and the task force c0- .chair, citing violence, . lack .of afford­ able' h~ing, racial tension, anq unresponsive employee benefits among those stresses. To help' . · alleviate them, he calls on the city to establish a pennanent commission Ott · family diversity and to .require a . "Family Impact Statement,''' much like 3fl Environmental Impact State­ ..:.ment, .to study the effects of city :policies on' families~-';' • . . As an Initial response to tbe . task force report, Woo scheduled a .. special .Governmental Operations Committee meeting last week to . discuss sick and bereavement leave for domes~c partners: :Th~ '~k force report. will also' be forwarded to the mayor's office, the Gity ~ouncil~ and : other city' agencies for. further action · and discussion on its .• . recommendations.- , '..,. \ . ~'~e traditional family definition no longer applies to at least'9O per." cent of our work force, ". says Woo, ' ~."yei our policiesafe," design«f to ~ .: .- with a "reality that: no' longer' exists; .. We're asking LA- to deal more' . ,r~.listi~ly .with families.:~ " " ~": .. •• r._ 1 Thursday, June 2, 1988, Los Angeles .Herald Examiner ;A'3 F

PIan gives city ~orkers l~e.~ to care for' domestic partn~' Committee voted 2-1 in ',f;'v~of By Gerald Floyd the proposal. Council members Herald Examiner staff writer Michael Woo and Gloria Molina were in the majority; Joan_Ati1!te A City Council panel yesterday Flores was opposed. ...' : ...... , approved a far-reaching plan that. The proposal was one of many would allow gay and unmarried' recommended by a 35-m~r city employees to take time off task force. after it conclAAed~ a from work when th.eir "domestic', study on family diversity. in··,~.s :,p8rttie~" become sick.,or· die.'," i Angeles. It suggested that tb..~~y i', ": The proposal. which, still 'needs' extend its definition of a fc$i1YJo i·.:the·~Ml'.City 'CouDcil's;'approvaI~~, in~lude' "domestic part~ets.~·~', :'.cpuld, 'mak~, L~s Angeles, the firs~:' Domestic partners are de:i.f4id l:large'U.s.l,city to adopt suc~ :8; as; two persons '18 years 01' oloer :"plan.· ' ,: ' ' '!'~"" ' • ' ,'r .. ~. 'who, have resided in 'the' ~e ;': :,' Berkeley and West :Hpi!ywOO

Coleman said the task force By Jeff Lawrence time off for workers, not cash out built upon legal precedenl which For Update of Ihe city's co ff ers. PARTNERS Continued From Front Pa ge says that household families nol The council's Government related by blood or marriage are WEST HOllYWOOD - los Operations Committee. chaired by legally traditional famities. They Angeles City Councilmember Mike Woo. recently passed the proposal those changes. Its 110 recommen· sought to lill a gap in current laws Woo laSI week called for Gays and 2-1. and Woo can now set a date to dations to national. state, county, to extend protections 10 these Lesbians throughout the cit y to put It be fore the full council for a and cHy government cover a broad families. lObby th e vote. But he said he wants to be range of concerns of single-parent "We're not trying to legalize in favor of recommendations of lhe assured of overwhelming support families, multi-generational same·sex marriages," Coleman City Tas k Force on Family Diver. in Ihe council before asking lor a sity. families, gay couples, and other so­ said, "just re cognize them" as a Speaking at a meeting o f the vote. probably sometime in the fall. called non-traditional families. type of family. American Civil Liberties Union's Ga ys and Lesbians from all Much of the focus is on Gay and The group put forth a definition Lesbian and Gay Rights Chapter areas of the city should contact Lesbian concerns. Forly percent of for domestic partnerships. To here on July 26, Woo specifically their cI ty councilme mbers to the task forco's members were Gay qualify as domestic partnerships asked members to lobby for a demonstrate that support for the or Lesbian, and 38 of its recom­ under the task force's proposals. proposal 10 extend sick leave and plan goes beyond Silver lake and mendations address the com­ such as the sick leave plan. bereavement leave to cHy em· HOllywood, he saId. Woo munity's issues. household members would have to ployees with domestic partners. suggested citizens call his office These recommendations make declare tha t they share the This will be the first of the task for­ for fact sheets and study the issue up "a very comprehensive agenda necessities o f tife, among othel cc's recommendations 10 be put first. and tl1en make appointments for Gay and Lesbian rights," things. But in most legal for ward t o Ihe council. Coleman said. The agenda goes procedures, domestic partners The proposal would allow city to meel atone or In groups ... vith beyond Individual ri ghts to focus would not have to give proof of workers 10 lake 1ime off to care fot their local council members. on relat ionships and economic their status, just as legally married domestic panners who arc sick or Woo saId the task forcc's report, concerns, which he sees as the couples are rarely called upon 10 in the case o f a domestic partner's released on may 21, after two and a Gay Rights issues o f the ncxt prove they are married. dea th, as with Spouses and half years o f organization, resear. decade. Woo and COleman both ex· children. Tom Coleman, a Los ch, and testimony, Is aimed at per· Among the task force's recom· pressed confidence that many of An geles attorney who served as suadlng government to recognize mendations are proposals for the proposals in the repor!, drafled principal consultant to the task changes In the traditional family government acllon agains t by a diverse panel reflecting dif· lorce. said Ihe City Administrative and develop pOlicies to reflect lifestyte discrimination in insuran­ ferent groups, would win broad Officer and Personnel Department Turn to PARTNERS. Pago A·6 ce, educational programs 10 com· support and eventually be acted studied the proposal and its cost bat homophObia. and investigation upon at di ff erent government was estimated at $2.3 mifllon m of hale crimes against minorities. levols. The report contains a variety of Coleman said they pursued the proposals concerning sick leave proposal first because of discrimination against unmarried its comparatively low cost and Aug. 3,1988 couples - in housing, in discounts because il has a relatively good • given by businesses. in gover· chance o f being enacted. nment programs and benefits, in regulations concerning domestic violence, and in other areas. 4034 Buckingham Rd . , Suite 212 OfVERsin Los Angeles , CA 90008 Phone : (213) 295-26d7

:o rnmunity Relati ons Conre rence of Sou thern California EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Kenneth R. Br moffi Augus t 1988

CRCSC MONTH LY CA N THE FAMILY SURVIVE? CO MMUNI CAT I ON FORUM Tuesday , Au g ust 2, 1988 On ~lay 19, 1988, the long a w ai~ed 12 Noon to 2:00pm Fina l Repo r t o f t h e L o s Angeles at U T L A City Task Force o n Family 2511 W. Third Street Diversity , was publis h ed . Thi s (two blocks e ast of Rampart) mass ive , four volume, citizen!s effo rt , is the mos t com p rehe n sive Ha in P rogram Feature : study of contempora r y family l ife "Prot ec t ing the Civi l Right s ever attemp t ed by a major o f Families i n Los Angeles" American city .

Gu es t Speaker s : CRCSC Boa rd membe r , Chris Ch rist oph er McCauley , McCauley, co-chaired this two mem b er, Lo s Angeles Ci ty year effort with Dr . Nora Comm i ssion on Human Relations Baladerian. Thomas F . Coleman, and an attorney, who served on the T h o ma s F . Coleman Attorney General's Commission on member, Ca l ifornia Legislature's Racial, Ethnic, Reli g ious a nd Joint S elect Task Fo r ce Minority Violence , authored the on t he Changing Fami ly F inal Report. Both Ch r is and Tom will be prese nt at our Aug u st 2nd No Lun c heo n Provided, bring a .bag · Luncheon F orum to summarize this lunch , beverage will be historic r eport ; including a available. discus s ion of ways in whtch society, laws and pu b lic policy Extra Special Guests : Friendship may even be fostering Day Camp Stude nts. discrimi na tion agains t families . Chris and To m will also present proposals on ways to im p rove family life and h uman rights educatio n in the public schools .

PIC Bse join us, to hear this discuss ion of fa mily diversity b ased on th is pr og ressive study . r /

Media Currents Landmark Report on Families by G. Jay Westbrook

os Angeles City · Councilperson The four-volume report, entitled Michael Woo is responsible for the "Strengthening Families: A Model for L largest study of families ever con­ Community Action; pfeseRts not only a ducted by a municipal govemmenL Two wealth of factual and stJi'tistical data, it years ago, he created and convened the also commends policies .and programs Task Force on Family Diversity, which which, if enacted, would' reduce or was charged with conducting ·a study of eliminate those barriers that impede·fami­ both traditional and nontraditional Iy integrity, solidarity, ( aDd optimal families: exploring their problems; iden­ functioning. Although the report docs not tifying policies and programs that effec­ focus solely on the elderly, it mirrors a tively address those problems; and fmd­ trend to move issues concerning the ing remedies for those problems that had elderly from the "aging arena" to the not been addressed or were inadequately "family arena." . As such, it is necessary addressed. reading for the gerontological com­ Last spring, the Task Force concluded munity. its efforts with a four-volume report that Copies of the fmal.report of the Task is available to the public. Force on Family Diversity are available The Task Force approached its job for SJO from Family Diversity Project, with a three-pronged attack. Testimony Box 65756, Los Angeles, CA 90065 was collected at public hearings from (make checks payable to ISHR). The many recognized experts (ASA repre­ three other volumes (swdent papers, re­ sentatives accounted for almost 4 percent search leam findings, and public hearing of the totallestimony) as well as from lay transcripts) are also available at a cost of persons in the community. Research and SID each. policy papers were prepaned on 17 diverse topics ranging from senior issues to domestic violence. Task Force mem­ G. Jay Westbrook, ASA's Media Coor­ bers were assigned to one of 16 different dinator, is Associate Research Director & research teams, each of which explored a Director of I n/orlTUllion Services at different aspect of the family such as Shriners Hospital, an instructor at UCLA legal definitions of family, demographics, Extension, and a private consultant in Los housing. Angeles.

.. . ., . . ... ·'.'1' MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE OF LOS ANGELES

Summer, 1988

Family Diversity Task Force Completes Report On Mal· 19, Counci lman Mike Woo held 0 reception for the publi ca ti o n of the re port by the Task Force o n Fom il), Din:rsiry, which he appointed. The Task Force, Co·Chaired by Chris McCauicl· and Noro BoloderioJ1, Other isslIes discllssed in the reporr with special assistance.; from Thomas include: child care, housing, Colema n, present s recommendations homckss nc ss, can: for dl sabJed that: persons, and immigrant families. • The City should add "domesti c Dione H imes, MECL\ Co·Chair, partner" ro the list of"immediarc received a commendatio n from family" relati onships so [hat p:tnncrs Councilmembers Woo and Joel Wachs can receive sick and bcrcavemcnr leave. and City Controller Ri ck Tuttle for • Exponding the Project 10 her participation on the 38 member Counseling program in the L.A. Task Force. Lynn Shcpodd received on Unified School District. oward acknowledging "I ECLA • Stopping 3cr ~ of ab use.: aga in st Foundation's S5,000 grant which SCl1lOn all owed fo r completion of the reporr. TNE The News letter For Gay & Lesb;an Cou p les ISSN 0891-1738 Augus t 1988

BOOST TO GAY L_ A_ FAMILIES

Lesbian and gay couples i n Los Angeles wi ll li ve better if t he r ecommend ations of that city's Task Force on Family Diversity are imple­ mented . Two years in the mak­ ing, the task force's l and­ mark r eport contai ns more than 35 proposa l s affecting lesbian and gay family is­ sues. The task force was con ­ vened by Ci ty Coun ci lm an Michael Wo o, who also is lead ing efforts to implemen t the recommendat ions. The City Cou ncil will vote later this summer on on e of t he propos­ als; a measu r e that would al l ow city employees to take sick and bereavemen t leave on beha l f of their domestic part ners. Gay and lesbian fami ly issues we re but part of the task force agenda . Also con­ sidered were education, ch il d care, dome stic viol ence, and fami lies with e lders an d di s ­ abled member s . Th e final report issued by the community-based tas k force is remark ab le for its breadth, c l arity and persua­ For a copy 0 ' the task force's Fln.l Re­ s i ve force. port , send $ 1~ to the Institute for the The t ask force's principal St udy of Human Res ources , Family Di'lers­ consultant, and princ ipa l au ­ ity PrOject, Box 65756 , los Ange les CA thor of t he fina l report, was 90065, or cal l 21 3-258-8 955. Also av;il~ Los Ang eles attorney Thoma s able, for $10 each, are three supple­ F. Coleman. Co leman teaches ments, all of .hich contain substantial domes tic partner rights at references to gay and lesbian famil ies: t he University of Southern repor ts of ta sy force teams, student ~f­ s~arch papers, and a transcri pt of pub­ Cal ifornia Law Center . h e hea rings. legislation. - The estate was heavily guard­ .~ ed by Secret Service personnel, parent that the demonstrators the gUests had already arrived to ;: with Los Angeles Police Depart­ were not going to leave as re- chants of ACT UP. ..9 . ment and Los Angeles County quested; The protesters did not have Sheriffs Deparunent deputies By the time the uniformed of- any type of permit for the ?l arriving after it became ap- fI=s arrived however, most of .'. Please see ACT UP Page 18 z ~, ' §

::5. ~ .. II: artner ights ~ Domestic . ~ ... z 1 Proposed force's many proposals, was !.', , ~ supported by Gloria Molina and ~ by Richard Labonte opposed by Joan Milke Flores. It is due to be cons(dered by the Los Angeles has taken the full council in mid-June. first step toward granting Three small Califomia cities domestic-partner rights to gay - West Hollywood, Santa men, lesbians and other urunar­ Cruz and Berkeley - have ried city employees. already adopted domestic part­ The governmental operations nership legislation, which has also been considered but not committee of the city council .' voted June 1 to add "domestic adopted by San Francisco. partners" to the list of im­ Los Angeles would be the mediate family members eligible fIrst major United States city for sick leave and bereavement with such a program, which ex­ leave. tends to unmarried couples - Councilman Michael Woo, the highest-profile of which are who heads the committee, had lesbian or gay couples - the also established a task force on municipal benefits accorded to family diversity which recently married couples, such as time recommended implementation off when a partner is ill, or of domestic-partner legislation, bereavement leave when a part­ among dozens of other pro­ ner dies. posals for dealing with the reali­ Under the proposal, domestic · ty of new fprms of families in partners are dermed as two per­ the 19805. sons 18 years or older who have "The American family has shared a household for at least changed dramatically from the one year, have mutual obliga­ days of the stereotypical family tions of support, share the com­ with two parents and two kids," mon llecessities of life and are . money taken out of tlle budget, l. Woo said in a statement after not related by marriage or but rather in time potentially the committee's 2-1 vote. blood. lost from paid days not worked. "The vote today shows that The city estimates that about The proposal affects only city the city will assure that our 4,000 of its workforce of 40,000 employees, although Woo's policies rellect that change." would be affected by the plan, taks force hopes the city will be Woo's motion, among the and that the . program , would setting an example for · the ," fIrst to come out of the task cost about $2 million - not in private sector. Family Study Unveiled On May 19. Los Angeles Councilman MIchael Woo presented the results of a two-year study focusing on the problems by slogle-parent famJlles. gay and May 25. 1988 DISPATCH L-3 f'l,<;ed lesbian couples. and famJlles with sernOl'S and disabled' persons. "The American family has chaDged dramatically from the days of the . stereotypical family with two parents and two kids. City policies need to rcllect that change." Woo said. The Personnel Department reported that current city benflt programs were designed in the 1960s for the "typical" fam!ly of a working husband. non­ \vorklng wife. and two or more "dependent children. "Less than 10 percent of today's work force fit !hat model." Woo sald. . Jloo created the 35-member Task o ~ Force on Family Diversity in April. 1986. f- ItS to deal with Ihls specific issue. "The man­ ...J date of !he Task Force was clear: Describe (I) C. ' 0 0-._- what can government agencies and Q)..c .. pubUc sector do to help !he changing .... (I) families wi!hin the city. such as single­ C/)"" parent families. gay and lesbian couples. .... Q) extended families with seniors or disabled (I) c persons. and immigrant families: ' Woo .... said. --"" The report's specific recommendations u. ""to locluded provldlog sick and bereavement Q. leave for domestic partners. expanding Project 10 counsellng in Los Angeles schools. allowing ·fl exlble work hours. creating a city Task Force on Elder AbUSe. and Increasing fam ily housing by · creating locitI nonprofit houslog corpora- tions. . Contributions from organizations and companies Including GTE California. Pacific Bell. MECLA Foundation. LEDLER Foundation. Richard Dennis and Bishop OUver B. Garver Jr. of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles made the report possible. Copies of the report were forwarded to the City Council and Mayor Tom Bradley for review and possible action. ..

. • 1

L UN 1 ..... JUNE 1

Family Diversity Study Families: A Model for Community Action," that was prepared by the 35·member 'fask Force on Family Diversity. • Retain a research organization to Woo created th at task force in Apri l, 1986, develop reliable estimates of gay/lesbian A Start award to study the changing structure of families adult resi dents; wi thin th e city. The group focused on • Eliminate martial status discrimination Domestic lartnershi problems facing single·parent fam ilies, gay in the administration of benefits programs; and lesbian couples, and families with • Provide for sick and bereavement seni ors and disabled persons. by Don L. Volk leave for domestic partn ers; Basicall y, the study indicates that family o Convene a task force on gay/lesbian esullS of a two·year study of the "The person nel department said they life in Los Angeles "is healthy and di ve rse, family violence; changing st ructure of families did n't see a problem with a new policy but under enormous stress." It also found o Convene committee to develop plans within the City of Los Angeles. including domestic partne rs, but that current ci ty benefit programs were to expand school district programs dealing City Councilman Michael Woo Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores had "deSigned in the 1960s for the 'typical' with homosexuality; held a special meeting of the Government questions about the economic impact of the family of a working husband, non·working o Sponsor seminars on AIDS. Operations Committee on Friday, May 20, prog ram ," said Chandler. wife, and two or more depend ent children." to determine if the city could include He added, however, that the Government At a press conference annou ncing the domestic partners for sick and Operations Committee wi ll discuss th e report, Woo said, "Less than 10 percent of M ajor fin ancial benfaclors for th e bereavement leave benefits. policy again and wi ll probably submit a today's wo rk force fit that modei." public/private study include the Municipal Bill Chandler, press aide to Woo. told positive recomm enda tion to the full council A num ber of gays and lesbians wo rked El ections Commi ttee of Los Angeles Frontiers that th e meeting was "held to get by mid.June. Bot h Woo and Councilwoman on the fin al report to help address issues Foundation, Pacific Bell, the Led ler information about sick and be reavement Gloria Molin a favor such a policy. of co ncern 10 the com munity. Among the Foundati on, GTE California, Rlchard leave benefits for domestic partners from The domestic partn er provision was part 110 recommendations included in the Dennis, and the Episcopal Diocese of Los th e personnel department. of a 121·page report "Strengthening report: Angeles. ~lS and F~/~ q..~ 1\1 0 .q,~ \1'. {~.~ PARENTS & FRIENDS • 1l Los Angeles • . 'I . 0..... \ 4,c., of LESBIANS and GAYS, Inc. (~ .. Ot'- SO/4NS 0('\0 editor: joe bernstein

. JUNE/JULY '88, Issue 133 P.o. Box 24565 0 Los Angeles. California 90024 • (213) 472·8952

(6) A celebration at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel marked the culmination of the two year project of the Task Force on Family Diversity. In the extensive report, over 100 recom­ mendations were made to the Mayor and the City Council, not only on gay/lesbian families, but on issues on child care and others that affect all families. Adele, who served on the Task Force was one of those who received a citation for her contribution to the project. Special thanks to attorney Tom Coleman who put the report together. There are copies of (1) The Final Report and (2) The Public Hearing Transcript. These are available from the Family Diversity Project, P.O. Box 65756, L.A., CA 90065. Cost is ten dollars each. Make out checks to I.S.H.R. (Institute for Human Resources) I EDGE July 20, 1988

Family Proposals Coleman. who teaches a class on Put Into Action domestic partners' rights at USC Law Center. urged activists to closely study City officials and community organiza­ those proposals deaUng with non­ tions are starting to implement recom- discrimination oy city contractors, flex­ "mendations proposed last month by the ibility in employee benefit programs, Los Angeles CitY. Task Force on Family "' discrimination against tenants and con­ Diversity. The Final Report of the Task sumers, political appointments to city Force contains more thail35 proposals in­ boards and commissions, hate crimes, volving gay and lesbian family issues. domestic violence, and school programs. Los Angeles City CouncUman Michael A major section of the report deals with Wrxi, who convened the panel two years domestic partnership families, Coleman ago, started the implementation process. rioted. A City Council committee chaired by Woo A copy of the final report can be obtain­ has recommended that the full Council ed by sending a $10 contribution to the grant sick leave and bereavement leave to Institute for the Study of Human city employees with domestic partners. Resources, Family Diversity Project. PO The Council will vote on the measure this Box 65756. Los Angeles. CA 90065. You summer. may call them at (213) 258-8955. Checks Thomas F. Coleman. author of the fmal should be made payable to ISHR. report. and· Christopher McCauley. co­ chair of the panel. joined Woo at a Municipal Elections Committee of Los Angel~ (MECLA) civic event to disclose implementation plans on other recom­ mendations. Woo told a gathering of gay and lesbian community leaders that he is asking City Attorney to render two legal op1n1ons. Is it illegal for businesses to give consumer discounts to married couples RECOMMENDATIONS but deny them to unmarried couples? Can a landlord legally refuse to rent a one­ ity officials and community or­ bedroom apai1:m.ent to an unmarried cou­ ganizations are starting to implement ple? Strategies to overcome these prob­ C recommendations proposed last lems will depend on the response to these month by the Los Angeles City Task Force questions. Woo said. . on Family Diversity. The Final Report of the McCauley. a member of the city's Task Force contains more than 35 proposals Human Relations Commission. told the involving gay and lesbian family issues. MECLA gathering that Mayor Tom Los Angeles City Councilman Michael Bradley is asking the presidents of all city Woo. who convened the blue-ribbon panel commissions and the managers of all city two years ago, started the implementation departments to give him feedback on the process. A City Council committee chaired report and recommendations. Both the ci­ by Woo has recommended that the full Coun­ ty and the county Human Relations Com­ cil grant sick leave and bereavement leave to missions are examining recommenda­ city employees with domestic partners. The tions dealing with discrimination in hous­ Council will vote on the measure this ing. employment. and insurance. McCau­ summer. ley said. A copy of the Final Report can be ob­ tained by sending a $10 contribution to the Institute for the Study of Human Re­ SOtIlUS, Family Diversity Project, P.Q Box 65756, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Or call (213) 258-8955. Checks should be made payable to I.S.H.R. Ettelbrick said the laws of our country The 110 recommendations of the task ;. give deference to a certain kind offamily force included in its final report indicate structure when less than 50 percent of that the family is something other than LA Task American families are actually con­ the structure laws say it is. McCauley structed as such. Therefore, those in­ defined the family by its function and not Force Report dividuals who are par-t ofnon-traditional by its structure. He argued that family families face unfair circumstances every law should become more inclusive than OnFamily I day because the employers, the landlords exclusive and that legal and social and the laws in our country are built on barriers exist to hinder a more inclusive contracts of outmoded and unrealistic defi ni tion of family. Diversity views of family in society. McCauley asserted the work of the The dIversity of family life in the Thsk Force was not to define what is right Includes 110 United States today is due to a number and what is wrong, but rather to focus on Recommendations of factors: sexual orientation, poverty, reality. McCauley, also president of the unmarried adults, cultural beliefs and Los Angeles City Human Relations aging, said Ettelbrick. Commission and a senior consumer Jim Whelan by The Lambda lawyer said the momen­ affairs representative of the Southern tum for change in laws that govern California Gas Company, said the LA The Bar Association of New York American family life was initiated by the Task Force has become a model for other played host to a special discussion on a lesbian and gay community. Today the efforts to study family law subject around report entitled "Strengthening Families: trends to change much of the laws and the country. McCauley said the task force A Model for Community Action:' issued social concepts can be detected in the relied chiefly on funding from the private last spring by a Los Angeles Task Force efforts of many activists in different sector. on Family Diversity. The report recog­ cities across the US to get domestic part­ Nora Baladerian, the other co-chair of . nizes the reality offamily life in the City ner legislation adopted, in employers the Thsk Force, described the structure of ' of Los Angeles and lists 110 recom­ beginning to work with employees sensi­ the Task Force. The 40 members were mendations to adjust laws and social tizing them to family diversity issues, split into 20 groups of two-member concepts to accommodate the diversity of and in the unions where more inclusive working teams. She further recom­ family configurations that exist. definitions of the family are being mended this system because with more Co-chairs of the Los Angeles Thsk Force demanded by members. than two on a team there is always the Christopher McCauley and Nora Bala­ Christopher McCauley, a co-chair of option to pass the buck. Aided by student derian were on hand to discuss their the Los Angeles study, took the podium research volunteers these working teams thoroughly examined the issues assigned report at the meeting. Other featl1!ed next and stated that the importance of to them and the excellent reports speakers included Paula Ettelbnck, the Thsk Force was to examine one of the Legal Director of the Lambda Legal , that resulted translated into 110 I oldest and most enduring institutions in recommendations. . Defense and Education Fund and special i society. He reported the family is ali ve consultant to the Thsk Force Thomas The report has had some measurable in every state on every level, but that it public policy impact in Los Angeles, Coleman. is a profoundly different configuration The forum was held on January 12 at repOl-ted Baladerian. She said Mayor ' than it was a generation ago. Thm Bradley has required all depart­ the Bar Association of New York and was The perceived image of the modern co-sponsored by Bar Association, the ment heads in city government to read it American family is still very close to the and consider implementing its recom­ Lambda Legal Defense and Education Ozzie and Harriet model of the 1950s: Fund, the Bar Association for Human mendations. Also a city commission on married heterosexuals with 2.2 children, the status of women has used it as a tool rights, the Breakfast Forum, and an ad a dog, a cat, a housewife and a wa~e hoc committee on family diversity, which to implement policy on providing elderly earner. said McCauley. However, thIS women affordable housing and to address is still in formation. perception has very little to do with In her remarks to the audience, Ettel­ the issues of intergenerational child care. reality; rather it merely demonstrates The City of Los Angeles Commission on brick stated that the issue of family power of the modem media as th~ creator diversity from the gay and lesbian Education has used the report to of the images of how we perceIve our­ establish curricula on dealing with perspective is an issue she' has b~en sel ves, he said. working on for two years. Ettelbnck homophobia among students, set guide­ Thday we are moving from the age of lines on schoolyard bullying, and deal recited several examples of the types of the nuclear family to the post nuclear alternative and non-traditional families with ethnic slurs, she reported. family which has yielded a variety of The last speaker was Thomas Cole­ that are commonplace in our city today. configurations of family life, McCauley For example, she said, a widow and man an attorney and adjunct professor said. The debate on the family in the at th~ University of Southern California widower who are not married to each United States is being engaged in in a other have lived together in the woman's number of ways, he continued. On the far Law Center. Acting as a special consul­ tant to the Task Force, Coleman ignited rent stabilized apartment since losing right are the fundamental r~ligious a lot of enthusiasm among the working their spouses. When the woman dies, the perspectives that regard any fa~lly that landlord evicts the man because legally could be described as non-tradItIonal as groups. Family law has been a subject he has no rights to stay in the apartment. "anti-family." On the far left, the of study for Coleman for many years and Ettelbrick also noted cases of gay and traditional family is regarded as an he previously was a member of the lesbian lovers who are not protected from institution that is often oppressive to California Joint Select Task force on the sickness by family health insurance or women and children. However, the vast Changing Family. Coleman defined the cannot even take advantage of family majority of us are left to struggle with family as how people function in a excursion fares on Amtrak. reality, he concluded. household sharing economic concerns McCauley noted the report indicates and interdependencies. II that in Los Angeles, in 50 percent of the famili~s both the spouses work. 11 per­ cent are single-parent homes and, 31 NEW YORK NATlVElFebruary 13, 1989 percent of the households in Los Angeles are a single person living alone. . tir \I?Ernani Bernardi, together for the previous 12 months, have a uni ts. " a lng, relative loses that day from meanwhil e, portrayed the measure as a "mutual obligation of support," "share the Please see PARTNERS, Page 4 1\~ s s)ck leave allotment. Under esent circumstances, Wachs said, ef\lployee taking time off to care t I' a'domestlc pal'tner can simply c IIIt1sick, The new polley, Wachs 8 id, , would mean the employee " ouTdn 't have to lie," . After Flores' proposal failed on a 5 ~ 7 vpte, the council affirmed the "fw policy, !O to 2, . In an Interview, Woo said that g y employees In particular have o en felt the "Injustice" of existing p lIeles because of sickness and d from AIDS, .- ..

~ht . £05 Anntlts ilaily lJaurnaI Thursday, October 6, 1988

Spouse Benefits Extended to 'Domestic Partners' - ByG.M.BU5H ployees live with a domestic partner. Granting health benefits to domestic part­ The proposal adopted by the council waS sup­ ners would cost the city imywhere from $3,9 Despite ~gs of grave social costs, the ported by the two-person m~orit.Y of the coun­ million to $5.2 ~on a year, Flores said. Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to cil's Governmental Operations Committee: Include·udomestic partners" in the "immedi­ Councilman Michael Woo, the committee When the matter came before the committee ate family" category UDder which city employ­ chairman, and Councilwoman Gloria Molina. for consideration, those who testified said they ees are granted bereavement and sick leave. Their nuUority report to the fun council said planned to seek extension of other benefits to Under the plan, a domestic partner could be current employee benefit plans were IIde­ domestic partners in the future, she said. a close friend, a common-law spouse or a ho­ signed in the 1960s for the typical family of a Instead of expanding sick and bereavement mosexuallover. To qualify, a confidential affi­ working husband, Don-working wife, and two leave, the council should consider a "generic time-off" plan be used by any employee for davit would be filed with the city declaring the or more dependent children. II "to person's Identity. Now, however, fewer than 10 percent of the any purpose without justification,II she said, Coundlman Ernani Bernardi strongly ob­ workforce fits this model. "The majority of calling this approach "less complicated and jected to the measure, which he characterized wo~kers today are single, two-income couples, more equitable." as a "gayordinance." singles with dependents, and older employees. Woo called this proposal "potentially much After a discussion of potential cost of the 'One size fits all' when applied to benefit plans, more expensive to the city.'" proposal, he said money is not the issue, but no longer best fits the needs oftoday's employ­ Flores strongly objected to the confidential rather that "it goes beyond what is considered ees," the report stated. affidavits that would be needed to validate do­ to be the normal relationship between a male mestic partner relationships. "Although the and a female." Feasibility Study City Attorney bas reported that the Cit.Y will u:nus is a DUQor change," he said. '~It's the The report was based in ~ on a feasibility probably not incur any liability through this social costs: that's my problem. study conducted by the Personnel Department process, it Is clearly not within the purview of The council, however, voted 11-2 in favor of that Included a review of domestic partnership local governments to validate personal rela­ the proposal. The concept will be presented to ordinances ~dy adopted by the dties of tionships," she said in her minority report. . employee unions In' contract talks. . Berkeley and West Hollywood and the Berke­ 'nle proposal was ODe of 110 recommenda­ The length of a potentfalleave would depend ley Unified School District. Proposals now UD­ tions of the Task Force on Family Diversity in on the empJoyee's particular Job and Memo­ der review in San Francisco and Madison, a report issued in May, "Strengthening Fam­ randum of Understanding contract. City law Wisc.,' also were studied. ilies: A Model for Community Action." allows up to five days off for an' illness of a The committee's third member, Council­ The 37-member blue-ribbon task force was family member and three days bereavement woman Joan Milke Flores, opposed the plan, convened by Woo and included representatives leave...... - ...... ' D.9t:InB that the city administrative officer.had . of.Los Angeles' legal, religious, educational LastyW:u ElD'ploy"ee Beiiefits:SUrvey cCifi: reported that the incluslon of domestic part­ ·and business CcittUmtDftt~: Parents, -students ducted by the dtyfound that ap~tely 4.2 ners in employee benefits would be seen as a and governmental employees also were percent, or 840, of the city's 20,000 civilian em- moVe toward incorporating them In health. included. dental, insurance and retirement benefits. The report was written by attorney Thomas She also cited the high cost of the program, F. Coleman, the panel's principal consultant. I again relying on data from the CAO, which concluded that extending bereavement and sick leave benefits, to domestic partners would cost about $2.3 million annually. Councilman Joel Wachs challenged this fig­ ure, saying employees would not receive any additional time off. A 14 "Los Angeles H c r ald Examlncr . Tuesday, October 11. 1988 1

John J. UeCnbo/Chic l operating OJ;CCUIIVO

UaxwoO MeCrohon/Edilor David a. BonfloldlDirCC lcr of advertising John F. Oppocb:hlIManaging editor, ncVlS JOlT}' OI,tClftlno/Oircc!or of llnancD Andrea tMnnz:n/Managing cdltor. features Mnrvin rJ 2I ftollnlOirector of market ing Larry BUfT"ouvNCity editor Bomoo D.L StromJDirector 01 circulati on o.orvo FoubhamfExccutivo news cdilor CaneS l Vlln U,,'~r/Ortcc !or of employoo ro l a: io n~ Jemoa Kln~~ d H c r . editori al pages Ray VIlIlla/Dlrector of production

What makes a family?

It·s a question the L.A. City neither can be married, nor can they Council is a sking. and bungling. with be related by blood. its decision to grant leave to city Once the he alth insurance bene­ employees who must deal with the fits start creeping in. a nd they will, illness or death of a "domestic then le fl out under these r ules will partner." The city has an opportun­ be domestic partners who happen to ity to produce a more humane be the s iblings or parents of the definition of " fam ily," but it won't do worker. A single mother whose o\\'n so with this poorly constructed piece e lderly mother runs the home and of legislation. As it stands, it could watches the kids wouldn't be a ble to be even more unfair than the tradi ­ get her pa rent cove red, despite the tional rules it would r eplace. valuable ser vice p r ovided. flut It's important to note t hat the meanwhile a man's live-in lover who cou ncil's vote Wednesday, which has doesn't contribute to the upkeep of to be ratified in a second vote. the hom e wou ld be included. Fair" extended on ly le,1\'e benefits - a nd No. only afTects city employees. But in ~! any would a rgue that the one other communities that have made sure way to keep t his situation from similar moves, it's been a first step gelling too confused and unfair is 10 toward extending all benefits. espe­ limit benefits to married couples, cially hea lth insurance, to persons But that restriction just doesn't sharing households who don't fit t he a llow for changes in the Ame rican traditional family mold. It's the thin fa mily. For instance, no system is end of a very efTective wedge. reasonable that would d eny a single The new criteria for being a parent t he ability to cam benefi ts domcstic partner include the re­ for a fa mil y member helping ou t at quireme nt that the couple has li ved homc" T he more log ical wa~ " to togethcr for 12 month" \l'hy that determine who shou ld I'll' considered period? T here are married p ~ lrent s rart of the fam ily is whether or not of shorter acqua intanCt', th e indi .... idual...; nctually ro rm an The cou ple a lso has to have a economic unit that supports. anu "mutual obligation of support" a nd ,'uns, a household. And do tht' )' take "share common necessities. " :'\ot r cspon sihi lity ror each (Ither'? on ly is that vague. but many married That's not a perfect \\'ay to decide folks can't make those cla ims. whil" who gl'ts to share an cmloyec's some friends and neighbors C ' IO . In lJ clI(' fi ts. hut it's a milch more additio n. hoth hal"" s must Ill' ca('h "quitahh' formula, The city should oth('r's so le domestic partnl'r ;Hu l look ag;ll ll ;Ii th C' f~ll11ily" MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE OF

Fall 1988

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 0J..Chnin lkvan Dufry MECLA Wins Major Victory! Di:lnl.: Himes City Cou11cil Passes 10-2 Domestic Partnership Law Wallace Albertson Dennis Cabaret JclTCarron Roger Coggan Bob C raig Cualt Ell is Jack..ic Gelfand Peter Mackler Ryan Nakagawa Vlnessa Place Brian G. Rix Hal i Rosen David Russell Jessica Seaton Jacque Waxcnburg Pat Wilkins BOARD OF GOVERNORS Diane Abbitt Leslie C. Bdzbcrg Roberta Bcnncn Raben Bertram Burke Christopher Call Rick Carron Carol E. Childs Bruce B. Decker Pat Denslow Rob Eichbcrg Jane E. Fame! F. Peter Freed P:lUl Kent Froman Jennifer Jackson On Wednesday, October 5, 1988, Los the City Council was written by MECLA Co· Ronlld Jacobson Angeles became rhe fi rst major metropolitan chair Diane H imes and MECLA Political! Richard B. Kaplan :lrca to have a Domestic Partnership Poli cy. Advocacy Committee member David Link, Fr:mk Ker who as part of the Fam il y Diversity Task Marsha H. Kwalwasscr The Council's action to establi sh this poli cy Marjorie Hirsch Loeb was o,·erwhdmingly adopted by a 10·2 vote. Force authored the re sea rch paper on gay and Bill Melamed Yes votes we re cast by Marvin Braude, Robert lesbian couples. Tony F. Melia Farrell , , Ruth Ga lanter, Gi l The brondmed definino11 of ((im mcdinte family" David B. Mixncr Lindsay, Gloria Molina, Joy Picus, Joel includes tbe te7711 ((domestic pm171n.» rtlatio1lJ"ips Jordan Me Wachs, Mike Woo, and Zev Ya roslavsky. No for 1II"i," an n1lpJqyee is mtitled to take family sick Tim Mundy votes were cast by Ernani Bernardi and Joan lentlt mId bcn:apt1l1C1lt leal'e. Tbe fo" olP;'lg Jane Nlth:mson Mi lke Fl ores. Ri chard Alatorre, Hal Bernson, definition ofUdomestic pa,17zerJ) is adoptrd} alld the Mary O. Nichols ciIY)S Peno1lllel Depa rrmf1lt is attthonud to Michael Nicola and Narc Holden abstained. establish approprinte proudlt res to Jlmf.; the dom([ric Elisabeth Noms Early in 1988 M ECLA was apprOlched by prrrt1Jenbip status oft1llployees 1IIho claim eligibilit.Y Cuel Poet Mike Woo's office to spearhead the lobbying for sick leave or bcrtflJIL"1IUm lea ve: Bill Pn:ss effo rts for the Domestic Partnersh ip Poli cy. domuri, parmers are tlVO Ptn"501lS IIIho declm-e rhtU: T. Da\id Quarles This poli cy was pa rt of 11 0 recommendations (1) Tbr:y cunvlfly reside itl the Jame household} Michac:l J. Roth fi nd Im pe /Jew so ,·&siding for tht previous 12 Peter Scon put forth by the Task Force on Family Lynn D. Shcpodd Dive rsity. months. Sttphcn Houston Smith MECLA intends to keep up its lobbying (2) They slm,.e the common necessities oflift. Larry Sprenger efforts as regards the Task Force in both gay (3) They "ave n mutual obligarion ofmpport, find Joanne Steuer and non-gay related recommendations, i.c. art each otb".)s sole domestic pm-mer. Be\'erly Thomas childcarc, senior ci tizen isslies. (4) T"ey are both Ol'er 18 years of age mId are Robert E. Thomson eomprtt1zt to contract. The establishment of domesti c partnership Cathy U nger (5) Neither prrrtllt:r is 1IItrnud. )dTVopal affects only Los Angeles City employees (6) Neither pm-mer is related by blood to tbe ot"er. OFFICE (Berkeley and West H ollywood already have (7) Tbey agree to notifY tbe approp,.iate agmey 10 Ann Lo Presti, similar poli cies). The exact wording passed by lVithilI 30 days Jf any of tbe aboJle facts clJfl lIge.