Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 16:31:13 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 3/15/99 P.E.R.S.O.N Project news 1. CA: More info on Youth Lobby Day and Equality Begins at Home 2. MN: Transgendered Music Teacher in Blaine Resigns ================================================================== From: SpectrumLG@aol.com Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 20:58:58 EST To: Tracey Conaty Subject: Marin Youth to Lobby in Sacramento for Legislation on Anti-Gay Violence March 15, 1999 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Paula Pilecki Executive Director, Spectrum 415/457-1115, ext. 209 Marin Youth to Lobby in Sacramento for Legislation to Protect Against Anti-Gay Violence "Dignity for All Students Act" Supported by Governor Davis Would Protect Against Anti-Gay Harassment in Public Schools SAN ANSELMO (March 15, 1999)-In conjunction with the 4th Annual Youth Lobby Day, youth from Spectrum Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns will join hundreds of other youth in Sacramento on Monday, March 22, to lobby for passage of a bill that would protect against anti-gay harassment in California public schools. Assembly Bill 222 (AB 222), "The Dignity for All Students Act," would prohibit discrimination based on actual or perceived heterosexuality, bisexuality, or homosexuality in all California public schools, colleges, and universities. Introduced by Assemblymember Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica), the bill's co- authors include Assemblymember Kerry Mazzoni (D-San Rafael) and Assemblymember Carole Migden (D-San Francisco). "Every day, students like me are punched, kicked, and spat upon for being gay," said Scott Kepford, 16, a resident of San Anselmo and a member of Spectrum's Rainbow's End Youth Group. "If the state requires me to go to school, then the state needs to ensure that school is a safe place for me to be." AB 222 was introduced by Assemblymember Kuehl because of recent studies that have found an increase in anti-gay attacks against California youth. According to a report from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, there has been a 34 percent increase in anti-gay violence at public schools and colleges and a 35 percent increase in attacks against people ages 18 to 22 over the past two years. In addition, attacks against heterosexual youth perceived to be gay have increased by 36 percent. The report is based on data compiled by anti-violence organizations in 14 areas around the country, including San Francisco. Currently, 28 state legislators are co-sponsors of AB 222. Governor Gray Davis also has indicated his support for the legislation. Youth Lobby Day (YLD) was founded in California in 1995 to empower lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and to educate legislators about the issues these youth face. This year, YLD is being held in conjunction with Equality Begins at Home, a week-long series of gay rights events and rallies that will be held in state capitols nationwide March 21-27. Sponsors of Equality Begins at Home include the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Federation of Statewide Political Organizations, and, locally, the California Alliance for Pride and Equality. Seats are still available on the YLD bus that will depart for Sacramento from Spectrum at 7:15 A.M. on Monday, March 22. Reservations are required. For additional information, contact Spectrum Youth Programs Coordinator Liz Kalmanson at 415-457-1115, ext. 201. ### Spectrum, Marin's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, provides services to more than 6,000 people each year. Founded in 1982, Spectrum works to combat homophobia in Marin County by providing a wide range of educational programs for area schools and organizations, and offers an array of social programs and services designed especially for Marin's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 11:11:28 -0800 From: "McBride, Laurie" To: lesbigayCApolitics Mailing-List: list lesbigayCApolitics@onelist.com; contact lesbigayCApolitics-owner@onelist.com List-Unsubscribe: Reply-to: lesbigayCApolitics-owner@onelist.com Subject: [lesbigayCApolitics] Capitol Brief, 3-15: Equality Begins At Home! From: "McBride, Laurie" Capitol Briefs & other musings of the culture wars >From Sacramento s Monday, March 15, 1999 EQUALITY BEGINS AT HOME: During the week of March 21-27, 1999, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered activists and our allies across the country will plan and participate in actions to promote equality and justice at the state level. The Goals: to strengthen lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender organizing efforts in every state AND to draw national attention to proactive state legislation. HERE'S WHAT IS PLANNED NEXT WEEKEND IN CALIFORNIA ! [for even more info, go to CAPE's website, http://www.calcape.org/, and click on "Equality Begins At Home"] Equality Begins at Home SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Saturday March 20, 1999 10am CAPE Board of Directors Meeting (Open), State Capitol Building 2pm CAPE Statewide Community Meeting, State Capitol Building 4pm CAPE Community Advisory Board Meeting CAPE is California Alliance for Pride and Equality 7pm to 10pm "Welcome to Sacramento Reception/ Fundraiser/ Social" Location: 1831 (formerly "The Garage") at 1831 S Street Parking on S and 18th and 19th Streets $20.00. music, food and speakers including Kerry Loebel, Executive Director of NGLTF Event sponsored by National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and CAPE Sunday March 21, 1999 10am Interfaith Service, West Steps of the State Capitol Building (facing 10th Street) Parking: Garage on 10th and L Street: enter 10th between L and K Parking: Garage on 15th and N Street ; enter on 14th or O (free on Sunday) Parking: Streets along N, L, 10th through 15th Streets, free on Sunday 11:15am Gay Veterans Memorial Service and Wreath Laying, California Veterans Memorial State, Capitol Grounds Parking: see above 12:00noon to 2pm PRIDE AND EQUALITY RALLY & FESTIVAL West Lawn of the State Capitol Building (facing 10th Street) Parking: see above Speakers include: Tom Ammiano SF Board of Supervisors President as Master of Ceremonies, Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa Kerry Lobel, Executive Director of NGLTF Jim Merrick, Reverend Fado, Felicia Park Rogers (COLAGE), Nicole Ramirez-Murray, Cheryl Deaner, Cliff Anchor, Tom Swann plus entertainment from various music groups, information at booths and food vendor's booths. 3pm to 6pm Thank You Reception and BBQ Faces, 2000 K Street Fundraiser and Social ! Parking On the Street Adults $15.00; Youth $7.00 (Youth Tent - no alcohol) includes BBQ or vegetarian plus entertainment Co-sponsored by C.A.P.E. and The Sacramento Lambda Center 6pm Queer Youth Get Together Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center Monday March 22, 1999 QUEER YOUTH LOBBY DAY (Check out www.incite.org) Thank you to the Lambda Center of Sacramento, the local host Sponsor, and to FACES, the weekend EBAH sponsor! Media Sponsors: Frontiers, San Francisco and Los Angeles The Outsider, Riverside Outword, Sacramento Mom Guess What, Sacramento The San Diego Gay and Lesbian Times, San Diego The Slant, Santa Rosa We the People, Sonoma Pridepress, Vasalia News Digest & Comments by Laurie McBride Lesbian and Gay Community Liaison for Assemblyman Antonio Villaraigosa Speaker of the California State Assembly State Capitol, Room 219 Sacramento, CA 95814 916 319 2470 laurie.mcbride@asm.ca.gov # # # ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We have a new web site! http://www.onelist.com Onelist: The leading provider of free email community services ============================================================================= Minneapolis Star Tribune, February 25, 1999 425 Portland Avenue,Minneapolis,MN,55408 (Fax 612-673-4359 ) (E-MAIL: opinion@startribune.com ) ( http://www.startribune.com/stonline/html/front.shtml ) Transgendered music teacher in Blaine resigns Rosalind Bentley and Paul Levy, Star Tribune Staff Writers [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] =============================================================================== Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/ Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 18:29:12 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 3/15/99 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news, pt. 2 1. AZ: News article on school gay/straight alliance 2. CA: Update on LGBT legislation ======================================================== Arizona Republic, February 25, 1999 Box 1950,Phoenix,AZ,85001 (Fax 602-271-8933 ) (E-MAIL: Opinions@pni.com ) ( http://www.azcentral.com/ ) School's gay club a first Gilbert organization unique in Valley By Kelly Pearce, The Arizona Republic [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] Kelly Pearce can be reached at kelly.pearce@pni.com via e-mail or at 1-602-497-7981. Republic writers Melissa L. Jones and Hal Mattern contributed to this article. ================================================================================= Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 11:05:12 -0800 From: "McBride, Laurie" Subject: Capitol Brief, 2-25, LGBT Legislation Capitol Briefs & other musings of the culture wars >From Sacramento s Thursday, February 25, 1999 What's shaping up for Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Legislation 1999-2000 Legislative Session WE NEED LETTERS OF SUPPORT ON ALL THESE BILLS. PARTICULARLY HELPFUL WOULD BE LETTERS FROM BUSINESSES, EMPLOYEE GROUPS, RELIGIOUS LEADERS. SUCH LETTERS SHOULD GO TO EACH BILL'S AUTHOR, at the State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814. NON-DISCRIMINATION: AB 222 (Assemblymember Sheila Kuehl, D-Los Angeles) Dignity for All Students. Would add "sexual orientation" to all the non-discrimination sections of the Education Code. Teachers and other public school personnel are already protected under existing law. This bill would enact non-discrimination protections for students in all public schools, grade school through college. Discrimination would be prohibited in interscholastic athletics, admissions, and financial aid. School districts and teachers would also be prohibited from adopting or using materials that reflect adversely upon persons solely on the basis of sexual orientation. To be heard in Assembly Education Committee, in March. NEEDS LETTERS OF SUPPORT, especially from teachers, students, counselors. AB 1001 (Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa, D-Los Angeles) NON-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS. Would bring gay and lesbian employment protections under the Fair Employment and Housing Act with all the other protected classes (age, religion, race, gender, ethnicity, disability, etc.). Right now gay and lesbian employment protections are in the Labor Code, and are not treated equally. This legislation, not yet introduced, will also codify our protections in housing and public accommodations. Just Introduced. DOMESTIC PARTNERS: AB 26 (Assemblymember Carole Migden, D-San Francisco) Domestic Partners. Would mandate that health insurers offer domestic partner benefits equal to those offered to spouses. In other words, if a health plan includes spouses, it must also include domestic partners. This bill also contains language creating a statewide registry. To be heard in Assembly Health Committee, in March. Expected to pass. AB 107 (Assemblymember Wally Knox, D-Los Angeles) Domestic Partners. Would allow the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) to recognize domestic partners for health insurance benefits. This is not a mandate, but would allow employee groups under PERS to negotiate for DP health benefits. PERS is the largest retirement system for public employees in the nation. To be heard in Assembly PERS Committee, in March. Expected to pass. AB 901 (Assemblymember Wally Knox, D-Los Angeles) Domestic Partners. Would exempt health insurance benefits for domestic partners from state income tax. Right now if your partner receives DP health insurance benefits through your job, YOU must declare the value of that insurance coverage as income and pay taxes on it. Just introduced. SB 75 (Senator Kevin Murray, D-Los Angeles) Domestic Partners. Would create a statewide Domestic Partner Registry, create hospital visitation rights, and add domestic partners to conservatorship law. It is absolutely critical to establish domestic partners as a legal entity. This is especially true when a partner is incapacitated; domestic partners deserve to be recognized at all levels of any court proceeding for an incapacitated partner. To be heard in Senate Judiciary Committee, in March. Action Alert: Need letters of support to Jack O'Connell (Santa Barbara), and Steve Peace (San Diego)... their votes are needed to get the bill out of committee. SB 118 (Senator Tom Hayden, D-Los Angeles) Family Care and Medical Leave Act. Would expand the definition of employees eligible to use family leave to care for a loved one. This is not a domestic partner bill, but of great value to everyone who is a caregiver in a non-traditional family relationship. To be heard in Senate Industrial Relations Committee, early March. HATE CRIMES: AB 208 (Assemblymember Wally Knox, D-Los Angeles) Hate Crimes. Creates a penalty enhancement of Life Imprisonment without Parole (LWOP) for hate-crime murders because of gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Right now such a conviction brings only a 3-year penalty enhancement, while hate crime murders based on race bring the death penalty. So this bill would equalize hate crime law. To be heard in Assembly Public Safety Committee, in March. News Digest & Comments by Laurie McBride Lesbian and Gay Community Liaison for Assemblyman Antonio Villaraigosa Speaker of the California State Assembly State Capitol, Room 219 Sacramento, CA 95814 916 319 2470 laurie.mcbride@asm.ca.gov # # # Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 12:36:34 -0800 From: "Richard, Jennifer" Subject: CA ACTION ALERT: Dignity for All Students Act We desperately need to generate letters and calls of support for AB 222, the Dignity for All Students Act, into Assemblymember Dennis Cardoza's office. AB 222 would add "sexual orientation" to all the non-discrimination sections of the Education Code. Teachers and other public school personnel are already protected under existing law. This bill would enact non-discrimination protections for students in all public schools, K-12 through University. Discrimination would be prohibited in interscholastic athletics, admissions, and financial aid. School districts and teachers would also be prohibited from adopting or using materials that reflect adversely upon persons solely on the basis of sexual orientation. Dennis Cardoza is the key vote on the Assembly Higher Education Committee. Without Cardoza's vote the bill will not get out of the Assembly Higher Education Committee. If we cannot persuade him to vote for the bill, we will need to remove the provisions of the bill that relate to the University of California and the California Statue University systems, in order to avoid going to the High Education Committee. Cardoza's district includes: Tracy, Modesto, Salida, Ceres, Keyes, Turlock, Delhi, Winton, Atwater, Merced, Planada, Le Grand, Patterson, Hilmar-Irwin, Newman, Gustine, Los Banos, South Dos Palos, Dos Palos. It is very important for folks who live in his district to contact him in support of the bill as well as others who live in California. Below is his office contact information. Capitol Office P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2026 Fax: (916) 319-2126 Turlock District Office 384 East Olive Avenue, Suite 2 Turlock, CA 95380 Phone: (209) 669-6115 Merced District Office 1810 'K' Street Merced, CA 95340 Phone: (209) 726-5465 I am attaching a Question and Answer Sheet on the Bill (see below) Its also important for folks in the district to begin writing letters to the editor regarding the importance of AB 222 as well as pitching stories to the press about the need for the bill. Today's Modesto Bee www.modbee.com includes and article about school violence. I think the article could be used as a hook for a letter to the editor talking about the need to prevent violence against gay and lesbian students through prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. After all gay and lesbian students are at a statistically greater risk of being victims of violence than their heterosexual peers. Check out www.safeschools-wa.org for more information about violence against gay and lesbian youth. Our Q & A sheet also includes statistics about violence against gay and lesbian youth. Thank you for all of your good work in support of the Dignity For All Students Act. Jennifer Jennifer Richard, Consultant, Office of Assemblymember Sheila Kuehl, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814. e-mail: Jennifer.Richard@asm.ca.gov direct line: (916)319-2346, fax:(916)319-2141 Commonly Asked Questions and Answers Regarding AB 222 (Kuehl) - The Dignity for All Students Act What exactly does the bill do? This bill simply adds "sexual orientation" to the existing non-discrimination language of the California Education Code and removes the funding restriction on the Hate Violence Prevention Act, so that we can seek Federal funding for the prevention program. The prohibition against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation would apply to all public school districts, community college districts, and to the California State University system. It would also apply to the University of California, after approval by the University Regents. This bill requires the administration of each public school and campus to ensure that programs and activities are free from discrimination based on sexual orientation, as they now must on the bases of race, ethnicity, religion, age, sex, color, and physical and mental disability. Discrimination would be prohibited in interscholastic athletics, admissions, and financial aid. The bill would also update the non-discrimination language relevant to the employment of teachers and other school employees to reflect protections already in California law that bar discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In addition, school districts and teachers would be prohibited from adopting or using materials that reflect adversely upon persons solely on the basis of sexual orientation. Why is this bill necessary? Gay and lesbian students are the victims of severe and widespread discrimination in our public schools. Explicit prohibition against this discrimination is necessary. Below are just a few of the statistics on gay and lesbian youth. 22.2% of gay and lesbian youth skip school each month, because they fear for their safety on the school grounds. Source: 1997 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Study, which is conducted every two years by the Massachusetts Department of Education with funding from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention In 1998 a national survey found that there had been a 34 percent increase in anti-gay violence at public schools and colleges. Attacks against heterosexual youth perceived to be gay also increased by 36 percent. Source: National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, "Anti-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Violence in 1997." In a recent study of 500 community college students in the Bay Area, 18 percent of males surveyed said they had physically assaulted or threatened someone they thought was gay or lesbian. Another 32 percent admitted to verbal harassment of gays and lesbians. Source: Karen Franklin, Ph.D., "Psychosocial Motivations of Hate Crimes Perpetrators: Implications for Educational Intervention." Presented at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention, August 16, 1998. Gay and lesbian youth are 3-4 times more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year than their heterosexual peers. Source: Massachusetts Department of Education, "Youth Risk Behavior Survey 1995" and the Seattle School District, "1995 Seattle Teen Health Risk Survey." Will this bill prevent the Boy Scouts from using school facilities? No, organizations that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation will continue to be able to use campus facilities under the provisions of the Federal Equal Access Act. Aren't the current laws prohibiting violence and harassment against students enough? No, current law criminalizes hate violence and prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, but current law does not protect students from discrimination at school on the basis of sexual orientation. These explicit protections are necessary, because anti-gay discrimination is often dismissed or trivialized by principals and school administrators. AB 222 will give gay and lesbian students and their parents access to an administrative grievance process currently available to other students and their parents when discrimination occurs. Doesn't this bill provide "special rights" or "affirmative action" to homosexual students? No, this bill merely prohibits discrimination against gay and lesbian students, it does not provide these students with any "special rights" and it does not provide any protection to gay and lesbian students not provided to other minority students. Will this bill require schools to adopt a costly new curriculum "promoting homosexuality" and require school districts to destroy millions of dollars worth of textbooks currently in use? No, this bill will not require schools to adopt curriculum "promoting homosexuality." Under current law, no instructional materials may be adopted that reflect adversely upon persons because of their race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, or occupation. AB 222 adds sexual orientation to that list. This provision merely prohibits the adoption of curricula that reflects adversely upon a person solely on the basis of their sexual orientation. This provision does not mandate the use of a particular curriculum and certainly does not require the "promotion of homosexuality." Will this bill prohibit an accurate discussion of HIV in the schools? No, nothing in AB 222 would prohibit accurate, scientifically based information about HIV from being presented in school. Will this bill prohibit private religious schools from participating in interscholastic athletics with public schools? No, under current law, interscholastic athletic associations in which a public school is a member are prohibited from discriminating against or denying the benefits of any program to any person on the basis of race, sex, or ethnic origin. This bill would provide these same protections to gay and lesbian students. The bill would not disqualify a religious school from participating in voluntary interscholastic athletic associations with a public school simple because a religion class discusses the Bible's view of homosexuality. In fact, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), which is the largest interscholastic athletic association in the state, already has a policy of prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and many religious schools are a currently members of CIF. ============================================================================= Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/