GAY & LESBIAN ADVOCATES & DEFENDERS SummerBriefs Summer 2007 GLAD Staff Lee Swislow Keeping Schools Safe EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Bruce Bell INFOLINE COORDINATOR for LGBT Families Brianna Boggs DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT RG GLAD IS WEIGHING IN ON A LEgal DISPUTE which has Mary Bonauto be CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT DIRECTOR HORN T roiled a Massachusetts school system over the past year. A Eva Boyce ISA CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER L Lexington, MA elementary school has become the focus of a Gary Buseck LeGAL DIRECTOR battle waged by two families – and their conservative backers PHOTO.COM/ K Eric Carreño TOC – against the notion of diversity in the school. OPERATIONS MANAGER S Alison Cashin David and Tonia Parker objected to the book rights under the U.S. Constitution to control HOTO:©I WRITER/ReSEARCHER P “Who’s in a Family,” brought home in a “diversity the upbringing of their children and to the free Jayson Cooley PUBLIC AFFAIRS ASSOCIATE book bag” by kindergartner Jacob Parker. Robert exercise of their religion. Carisa Cunningham and Robin Wirthlin objected to their first-grader, U.S. District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND EDUCATION Joey, having the book “King and King” read to disagreed. He dismissed the suit, stating that Nima Eshghi him in class. Both books include non-judgmental “under the Constitution public schools are STAFF ATTORNEY Michele Granda depictions of same-sex couples and their families. entitled to teach anything that is reasonably STAFF ATTORNEY The Parkers and the Wirthlins filed a lawsuit related to the goals of preparing students to Beth Grierson MANAGER OF DEVELOPMENT in federal court against Lexington school officials become engaged and productive citizens in our OPERATIONS and teachers claiming the school violated their democracy. Diversity is a hallmark of our nation. Amanda Hainsworth LITIGATION ASSISTANT constitutional rights by talking about different It is increasingly evident that our diversity Amanda Johnston Web AND PUBLICATIONS MANAGER types of families in the school. They assert that includes differences in sexual orientation.” Bennett Klein their religion considers homosexuality immoral, The decision went on to read “the AIDS LAW PROJECT DIRECTOR and that by including materials depicting constitutional right of parents to raise their Janet Lawn DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR same-sex families, the school violated their Keeping Schools Safe continued page 3 Jennifer Levi SeNIOR STAFF ATTORNEY Karen Loewy Equality Stands in Massachusetts: STAFF ATTORNEY Marie Longo Anti-Gay, Anti-Marriage Equality Amendment Defeated ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT WE WON! On June 14, Massachusetts stood decisively for fairness. Tamar Malloy LITIGATION ASSISTANT Three-quarters of legislators resoundingly rejected an anti-gay, Carol Marton anti-marriage equality ballot question with a vote of 45-151. BUSINESS MANAGER Sarah Morton The precious right to marry — which GLAD won in 2003 with LITIGATION ASSISTANT the successful Goodridge lawsuit — is now safe in Massachusetts. Margaret Pearl DATABASE AND GIFTS “We’re proud of our state, and we applaud the legislature,” COORDINATOR said Executive Director Lee Swislow. “Equality for gay and lesbian R Eileen Rodriguez ke LITIGATION ASSISTANT I citizens has enriched our state, made our communities stronger, Red . Robbie Samuels A and our families happier. This vote was the triumph of time, SPECIAL EVENTS MANAGER E LL Molly Shangraw E experience, and understanding over fear, lies, and prejudice.” DEVELOPMENT AND ICH M AdMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT GLAD Executive Director Lee Swislow and Janson Wu HOTO: STAFF ATTORNEY P Attorney Mary Bonauto outside the Massachusetts Statehouse after the June 14 Constitutional Convention. New Hampshire Adopts Civil Unions New Hampshire is set to become the fifth U.S. state to adopt civil unions or comprehensive domestic partnerships for gay and lesbian couples. Beginning January 1, 2008, New Hampshire will join Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, and California in allowing same-sex couples to enter into legal unions intending to provide all of the state-based protections and benefits of marriage. GLAD congratulates New Hampshire Freedom to Marry, gay and lesbian legislators and their allies, and the citizens of New Hampshire for taking this New Hampshire Legislator Ed stride toward full equality. Butler with his partner Les Schoof “This civil union law goes a long way toward addressing the painful legal void in which same-sex couples and their children currently live in New Hampshire,” said GLAD But this journey is not NC. Executive Director Lee Swislow. “But this journey is not over until we have equality, until I over until we have we have the same protections and choices as other New Hampshire citizens, until we have equality, until we have marriage.” the same protections HOTOGRAPHICS, P Moving forward, GLAD will provide education to New Hampshire’s gay and lesbian E and choices as other citizens about their new rights under this law, including workshops for couples considering New Hampshire citizens, a civil union, and a new publication - New Hampshire Civil Unions - available in print and AINFRAM M until we have marriage. online at www.glad.org. ‘‘ PHOTO: Kay Longcope: Remembering a Pioneer GLAD is grateful to be the recipient of a says Bonauto. “She constructed stories so that generous bequest from Kay Longcope, journalist, the facts spoke for themselves, and thus told a pioneer, and long-time’’ GLAD supporter. Kay powerful story of discrimination.” passed away in March at the age of 69, after a As a reporter, Longcope educated the public year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. and her profession about LGBT people at a time “Kay admired GLAD,” says Barbara when few reporters covered gay and lesbian Wohlgemuth, Kay’s partner of 17 years. “She issues, and even fewer publicly identified as gay. supported GLAD throughout the years for its As the first openly gay reporter at The Boston great work.” Globe—she began working at the paper in Kay’s bequest continues her support of 1970—Longcope weathered harassment in the the groundbreaking legal and legislative work newsroom. But throughout her 22-year tenure at she often covered as a reporter at The Boston the paper she built a career covering minority Globe. Mary Bonauto, GLAD’s Civil Rights communities and civil rights, and earned a Project Director, remembers Kay’s coverage of reputation for fairness. When Representative some of the first cases GLAD filed under the Barney Frank came out in 1987, he wanted his “Kay covered Massachusetts non-discrimination law. first interview to be with Longcope. our issues at “Kay covered our issues at challenging times, Longcope moved back to her native Texas challenging when the anti-gay foster care policy was in in the early 1990s to be with Wohlgemuth and place and few public officials were our friends,” times…She their two sons. There the couple started the constructed Texas Triangle, a weekly newspaper covering stories so that GLAD’s Legacy Society LGBT issues throughout the state. They wanted the facts spoke recognizes those who have or intend the paper to focus on news rather than on arts for themselves, to make a bequest or planned gift to and entertainment, and decided not to publish and thus told a GLAD. Please contact Brianna Boggs sex-related ads, a revenue source for many LGBT powerful story of at 617-426-1350 x 48 or papers. discrimination.” Throughout her life, Kay supported a number [email protected] if you would of non-profit organizations, including GLAD. She like information on planned gifts - MARY BONAUTO continues that generous support through her and bequests. estate. 2 equal justice under law Keeping Schools Safe continued from 1 children does not include the right to restrict what a public school From the Executive Director may teach their children and that teachings which contradict a Lee Swislow parent’s religious beliefs do not violate their First Amendment right to exercise their religion.” Judge Wolf also noted in his decision On May 14th, GLAD senior staff that if parents wish to have further control over what their children attorney Ben Klein argued for are taught, they have the option of sending their children to a marriage equality in front of the private school or schooling them at home. Connecticut Supreme Court. During The Parkers and Wirthlins have appealed Judge Wolf’s decision the lengthy (3 hours in total!!) to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Having joined an argument, there were two particularly amicus brief in the trial court, GLAD will file an independent amicus striking moments. brief in the appellate court in support of the defendants, which When the state argued that include the Lexington Public Schools and the Town of Lexington. there was no sexual orientation discrimination, since a GLAD’s brief will focus on students’ right to learn about the society lesbian could marry a man and a gay man could marry a in which they live, a right that in this case includes learning woman, just like heterosexual people, one of the justices that lesbian and gay families exist. “The most recent census data interrupted. “Well, that’s not really realistic, is it?” he demonstrates that lesbian and gay families live in virtually every said. And, later, when the state argued that because U.S. county,” says GLAD staff attorney Nima Eshghi. “Students of civil unions, there was no longer any legal harm to learning about different kinds of families have a right to learn same-sex couples by their exclusion from marriage, that a family can have two moms or two dads and still be a loving the attorney was again interrupted. “What about the family.” children?” asked the justice. “What do they say when Lesbian and gay parents in Lexington have praised the town and asked about their parents?” the schools for standing up to the lawsuit.