FEBRUARY 2004 the EMPTY CLOSET WW W

FEBRUARY 2004 the EMPTY CLOSET WW W

-/>. f -^ - NUMBER 50 A'Publication of tf^e GL|my "AUiance o-^ the esee v-^'it . Get Bruce! Goodbye HPA New Jersey approves domestic partner legislation M On Jan. 8, the New Jccscy Sta«e iSe^Ejtte ••ymM imti»imm^ w% voted 23-9 to approve a bill granting mm: domestic partners, including same-sex couples, a number of the legal rights the state provides married couples. The Assembly approved the bill on Dec. 11 of last year by a one-vote margin. I' Governor James McGreevy has signed ^•v*^ ,#1, •5 the bill into law. "Today same-sex couples in New Jersey have won a number of rights the state gives to opposite-sex couples when ll||||||||||||P^.^.,:;, it issues them a marriage license," said Alan van Capelle, Executive Director of Empire State Pride Agenda, which is Rochester City Council considers the statewide gay rights organization in neighboring New York State. "While same sex marriage Iicenses it is not yet full equality for same-sex BY SUSAN .lORQAN tion of marriage officers came before couples in New Jersey, it is a step for­ Due to an initiative by openly gay Council. ward. We praise the Assembly and the City Council member Tim O. Mains, "The city clerk dispenses marriage Senate in New Jersey for passing this bill Rochester City Council is consider­ licenses and provides an opportunity for and Gov. McGreevey for promising to ing the possibility of issuing marriage people to register to marry," Mains said. sign it into law." licenses to same sex couples. No legisla­ "Council designates each year certain Turning his attention to New York tion has been proposed, but the mere people (usually the city clerk and her State, van Capelle said, "New York is suggestion has received a lot of media assistant) as marriage officers, who can attention, including an article in The perform marriages as long as they take N.J. partnership continued on p. 13 Washington Blade. place at City Hall. I have voted against Up to this time, city clerks (as in this for years because the licenses are Ithaca) have been forbidden by the state not equally available. After three or four Department of Health to issue mar­ years of having this annual legislation riage licenses to gay male and lesbian come before Council, they all know couples. 'Tim's going to vote no'. Tim Mains told the Empty Closet "As the issue of marriage rights started that for several years he has registered a to emerge in other parts of the coun- protest vote when the annual confirma­ City Council continued on page 3 School iioard adofits transgendered protections BY SUSAN JORDAN colleagues to let me chair the task force. is important that people understand TTie Rochester School Board added lan­ It seemed like a natural thing to do." that these types of policies will not only guage protecting transgendered students Bowers said that the first step was to protect lesbian, gay and transgendered from harassment to its Code of Conduct correct the policy, and the next step will students,** Howell said, "but will protect in December. be '*to make certain that the District will students who are wrongly perceived as The policy change came as a result model that behav­ being lesbian, gay or for teachers "The board's transgendered. Like 111 Tliis Issue of a presentarion made by local stu­ ior to create a dents, representadves of the Gay Lesbian and administra- respecful and ^sphere Dr. Martin Luther Straight Educarion Network (GLSEN) tors. That is the JT- King, we all look for­ and others on harassment in area schools. harder part.** J- ward to the day that The Board then created a City School Ally Howell, all people are judged District Task Force, chaired by James Co-Facilitator of the Rochester not by the color of their skins, but by the Bowers of the School Board, to examine Transgender Group, and a member of content of their character, but we dare the issues. the Gay Alliance Board, told the Empty to dream that people will not be judged Bowers told the Empty Closet, "For Closet, "The members of the Rochester by their sexual orientarion, gender iden- me, this issue is about making sure lgbt Transgender Group are extremely rity, sex, religion, national origin, or any students aren't experiencing discrimina­ pleased that the Rochester School Board other characteristic that has nothing to tion. I teach at St. John Fisher and wc added transgendered students to those do with a person's character. Dr. King have a sizable gay student and faculty protected under its policies. HopcfriUy» said he had been to the top and had seen popularion, and I've noriced over the the Board will also see fit in the near the other side of the mountain. Berhaps years they haven't been comfortable friture to add protections xo its person­ one day so shall we all see the other side widi coming out.... I have a friend who nel policies for transgendered persons. of the mountain where discrimination of committed suicide partly because of Wc are also anxious and hopdftd that ail Itinds no longer exists. sexual orientation issues. So for me, the die other school boards in Monroe Kitty Moran of GI^EN, a counselor issue has been a combination of petsonal County, the Genesee X^ky* the State wlio has been involved with GJ^EN, and professional experience and political of New York, and the United States will and wlio is a member of the task force, belief. An opportunity presented itself to fr>Uow the courageous leadership of tiie respond to the conununity and ask my Rochester School Board in tliis area.**!! SaHtol B/Mm cnnitittuid on. p. A tx. FEBRUARY 2004 THE EMPTY CLOSET WW w. g a y a I ] The Hat Auction was the Idea of Beth Bloom and Maureen Viel. They are asking local artists to make hats to be auctioned, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: in recognition of the fact that many women The opinions of columnists, editorial writers and other contributing writers lose their hair from the effects of chemo­ are their own and do not necessarily reflect the collective attitude of the therapy, and many use hats as well as wigs Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley or the Empty Closet. We will print let­ to cover their heads, ters at the editor's discretion and on a space available basis.We will not The late Dr. Trudy Baran was a psy­ print personal attacks on individuals, nor will we be a forum for ongoing chotherapist, peace activist, mother and disputes between individuals. We reserve the right to edit for space and clar­ grandmother, and a proud and vocal ity. We will print anonymous letters If the name and phone number are provided Jewish lesbian. The daughter of early labor to the Editor; confidentiality will be respected. Submissions are due by the 15th of LOCAL STATE NEWS the month at: The Empty Closet, 179 Atlantic Ave. Rochester NY 14607-1255; activists in the garment industry, she advo­ viewpoints • that matter email emptycloset@gayailiance.org cated for those who could not advocate for LaSharon Haskins themselves. The Trudy B. Baran Memorial Breast Cancer She was a member of RWAP (Rochester Women's Action for Peace) and a found­ BY QAfSV EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHUCK BQWEN- Hat Auction is seeking to raise mo''<ey to AN EMPTY Cl [QRIAL BY SUSAN JORDAN benefit women with breast canoer. The ing member of the Women's Peace LaSharon Haskins, tentative date for the auction is July 25, and Encampment, which fought to have nuclear HART Program organizers are seeking contributions from warheads removed from storage at the local artists and support from the com­ Seneca Army Depot In Romulus. Director and AIDS A new look for the new year Get the facts before saying "I Do" munity. Trudy, whose own mother died of breast Proceeds from the auction will go to the cancer when Trudy and her twin Evelyn activist, dies at 47 were 16, died of breast cancer in 1998 . As I write this, I am recuperating from a productive day in Washington, DC of Pluta Cancer Center. The organizers say, LaSharon Haskins, Program Director at "The money would be used to help with To volunteer for the Planning Committee, ^X^e hope you like our new look. The Empty Closet template has been completely re­ meeting with congressional officials seeking funding for the GAGV. the Health Association HART (HIV/ designed for the first time in seven years. It was time for a change, and time also to replace expenses that aren't covered by insurance in the areas of party planning, fundraising, After an exhausting day in unbearable cold temperatures (yes, worse than AIDS Residential Treatment) program, our tired old Pagemaker software with hot new InDesign. We have benefited from the but may be a necessity; for example, tires hat auction, or public relations and media, Rochester!), I headed back to my hotel off Dupont Circle. The cabbie missed the turn for the car, clothes for the kids, or just to died at age 47 on Dec. 12, after a long help of Kitty Lawrence of Digital Image and Design, who is responsible for much of the call Beth Bloom at 585-256-2214, or email and wc ended up going fully around the circle. help get daily life chores done, when you struggle with AIDS. A celebration of new look, including the logos, which give a more harmonious, tied-together appearance her at hat-auction@bluefrog.com.

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