The Kansas Legislature adjourned May 8, effectively killing a proposed anti-gay amendment to the state Constitution that would have denied marriage to same-sex couples in the state. The measure, which failed in Senate and House votes, would have also denied the legal protections of marriage to same-sex couples in unions or partnerships.
In response to a demand letter from attorneys representing Lago Vista High School student Sherrell Ingram, the Texas school has ‘suspended’ its policy prohibiting same-sex prom dates in time for Sherrell to bring her best friend, another female, as her guest to the Lago Vista High School Prom. In seeking relief from the school’s discriminatory policy, Sherrell and her mother, Ginger White, were represented by Elliot M. Mincberg and Judith E. Schaeffer of People For the American Way Foundation, and by Jeremy D. Wright and David Weiser of the Austin office of Kator, Parks & Weiser, P.L.L.C. In a letter sent to the school principal on May 3, PFAWF insisted that the school drop its discriminatory policy, or it would leave the family no choice but to file a lawsuit.
The American Civil Liberties Union praised the Washington Court of Appeals for allowing a non-biological mother the right to seek visitation with her daughter after the mother’s relationship with the biological mother ended. ‘This is wonderful news for gay parents and their children. The court recognized that being a parent is not just about blood ties,’ said Leslie Cooper, a staff attorney with the ACLU’s Lesbian and Gay Rights Project. ‘When two people who have chosen to raise a child together break up, the children involved should not be denied the love and support of a parent simply because that parent doesn’t have a biological connection.’ Sue Ellen Carvin lived with another women in a marital-like relationship for 12 years. During that time they decided to have a child together, with her partner giving birth to their daughter. Carvin stayed at home serving as L.B.’s primary caregiver, and their child called her ‘Mama.’ Carvin bathed, dressed, and fed her child, disciplined and consoled her, and provided financial support. When the child was almost six years old, the couple separated. Her ex-partner eventually cut off all contact between Carvin and the child.
A decision by the Centers for Disease Control only to count cases of HIV from states which record the patients names has resulted in a serious undercount that could impact on the funds some states receive from the federal government, reported 365Gay.com. Fifteen Democrats in Congress are calling on CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding to include statistics from states which assign identification numbers rather than using patients names. Two of the states, California and Massachusetts, have high rates of HIV, but the CDC does not include them in the national statistics, 365Gay.com reported.
Two men charged with killing transsexual teen Gwen Araujo and the man’s friend received sentences for the murders last week. Paul Moore was sentenced to 120 years while his accomplice, Clarence McGee, was sentenced to 10 years. Prosecutors say Moore was upset after he engaged in a sexual encounter with the victim and found the victim was a man. Meanwhile, in the California trial of Michael Magidson, the judge declined a request by the defense to throw out the hate-crime enhancement. Magidson’s attorney argued that the reason for the death was Magidson’s anger at being tricked into having gay sex, not the fact that Gwen Araujo was a transsexual.
The Christian Coalition has half the signatures needed to recall an Oregon county commissioner who started the ball rolling on allowing gay marriages for a short time in the Portland, reports AP. Multnomah County board Chairwoman Diane Linn apologized to voters that she allowed the county to issue marriages licenses to gay couples without first having a public debate. She said, however, that she did not regret the decision to issue the licenses.
The man who wrote the law that banned gay marriage in California, state Sen. Pete Knight, died Friday after a battle with leukemia, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. Before leaving his senate seat April 12, the 74-year-old had flip-flopped on his opposition to gay marriage. After the Massachusetts ruling to allow gay marriages and after several thousands couples were married in San Francisco, Knight seemed willing to accept some form of civil unions in California in lieu of marriage. Knight’s adult son is gay.
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