Essential AIDS Fiction -

 
    
  

Essential
AIDS
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E MOUNTAINS

  . November 2000

 

Volume XV, Number 10 www.mountoinpridemedio org

UVM Employees Needy civil
Unions for Partner Benefits

 

photo: Barbara Dozetos

 

 

Progressive gubernatorial candidate Anthony Poliina addressed the participants at the Vermont Coalition ,
for Lesbian and Gay Rights Annual Conference on Oct. 21 in Randolph. He asked the audience to put I
aside fears that a vote for him would be a vote for Republican Ruth Dwyer. “When the election is over, l’l|
still be working for equal rights for all Vermonters,” he said. ‘‘It would be much easier if I were governor."
Poliina was the only one of the three candidates for chief executive of Vermont who accepted the organi-
zation's invitation to appear. Just over 100 people attended the day-long event that included workshops, ‘
exhibits by community organizations and the GLBT community’s town meeting. '

AOL CEO Funds ‘Anti-Gay Organization

BY BARBARA Dozeros

America Online founder and
chairman Steve Case and his
wife Jean donated more than
$8 million last month to a
school run by a church that
sponsors anti-gay programs
including the “ex-gay min-
istry” Worthy Creations.

Jean Case graduated from
the Westminster Academy in
1978. The Coral Ridge
Presbyterian Church in Fort
Lauderdale, FL, sits adjacent to
the school. According to its
Web site, it “exists primarily to
educate the children of Coral
Ridge families.”

Vermont realtor and long-
time AOL subscriber Bill
Desautels said he marched in
several protests against the
church when he lived in Ft.
Lauderdale. “If, indeed, this
proves to be true, I will stop
using AOL,” he said.

“It’s a free country, they’ve
got a right to donate to

whomever they want,” said
Wayne Besen, Human Rights
Campaign communications
director. “But we are very dis-
appointed and alarmed by
this.” AOL was one of the cor-
porate sponsors for HRC’s
annual dinner last month, and
the online service has had a
large group of GLBT sub-
scribers since its earliest days.
Among its other ministries,
the church lists Worthy
Creations, which “provides a
way out of the gay lifestyle for
those who desire to change.”
This program and the church’s
Center for Reclaiming
America, run by Janet Folger,
launched the summer 1999

national ad campaign thanking '

Sen. Trent Lott and pro football
player Reggie White for their
public anti-gay stances.
Eighteen other right-wing
organizations, including the
Family Research Council and
the Christian Coalition, joined
in to fund the “Truth In Love”
ex-gay ad campaign, featuring

Anne Paulk, wife of John
Paulk. He was removed last
month from his position as
chairman of the conversion
ministry Exodus International
after he was spotted in a gay
bar in Washington, D.C.

Rev. James Kennedy, senior
minister at Coral Ridge, hosts a
church—sponsored television
show regularly featuring guests
claiming that the Bible calls for
the death penalty for gays.

Besen grew up in the shad-
ow .of Coral Ridge
Presbyterian Church in Ft.
Lauderdale; its spire is visible
from his parents’ home. “It
looks like a big space ship of
bigots landed there,” he said.

The message of this 9000-
member church, he said, is
worse than the Christian
Coaliton or Jerry Falwell. “It is
the ugliest, meanest, most viru-
lent anti-gay organization
ever,” Besen said.

“Hopefully [the Cases’] phi-

Rfitmte

 

BY BARBARA Dozrsros

In the wake of Vermont’s

legal recognition of same-sex
couples, the state’s university is
doing away with domestic part-
nership benefits for employees
in same-sex relationships.

The University of Vermont
has given notice that employees
in same-sex relationships will
now be required to have civil
union licenses to claim benefits
for their partners. Those who
are currently covered under the
school’s domestic partnership
plan will have until the end of
2001 to comply.

The university determined
that same-sex couples now have
the ability to legalize their rela-

tionships as married ‘couples do,; i .

school spokesperson Enrique
Corredera told the Burlington
Free Press, and licenses will be
the requirement for obtaining
benefits for spouses. The result,
he said, would make UVM’s
policy on granting benefits con-
sistent for all couples.

He cited increasing health
care costs asjustification for not
extending benefits to others.
“The goal is to bring costs under
control,” said Corredera. “We
feel it is necessary to draw the
line somewhere.”

Glen Elder, assistant profes-
sor of geology, said this reason-
ing is based on the assumption
that marriage and civil unions
are equal. “If they were,” said
the South Africa native, “I

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Hundreds Gather in Montpelieifi
pport for Civil Unions

9
3

    
  
   
  

3 15 said that at least 500
people turned out for an
afternoon of speeches

_ and music in support of
Vermont's civil union
law.

(above) Nearly 200
youths participated in
the pre-rally parade
down State Street in

A Montpelier.

(photos courtesy of

 

Jessamyn West) J

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