. denomination’s Gay Pastors NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Another body of the United Methodist Church has reaf-H firmed its policy forbidding openly gay pastors. The nine-member Judicial Council, the denomination’s highest court, on, Monday released the interpretation of the Methodist Book of Discipline. However, in a small vic- tory for gay pastors, the council ruled a bishop can- not strip away pastors’ appointments without giv- ing them a-full church hear- mg. The decision unifies the judicial and legislative branches of the nation's third-largest denomination against accepting gay pas- tors. The United Methodist General Conference, which sets policy for the denomi- nation, voted last year to maintain its doctrine that homosexuality is ”incom- patible with Christian teach- ing.” The Judicial Council ruled that a Seattle minis- ter's statement that she is ”living in a partnered, covenanted_ homosexual relationship with another woman” is sufficient to merit a review of her status as a minister. The council's rulings were in response to ques- tions submitted by the Pacific Northwest Conference, which includes Washington and northern Idaho,»after its local bishop denied ministe- rial appointments to two Seattle pastors revealed their homosexuali- ty. Estates SEATTLE ~The highest court in the state of Washington has ruled that gay relationships deserve the same kind of recognition V when passing an estate from partner to another as mar- ried couples do. The state Supreme Court ruled that gays may be enti- tled to the estates of part- ners who die without wills. The justices reversed a lower court ruling, ordering a new trial for Frank Vasquez, who is claiming‘ the $230,000 estate of his longtime partner. A lower court had found the claim invalid because same-sex marriage is illegal in Washington. who ‘ ”Equitable claims are not" dependent on the ’legality’ of the relationship between the parties, nor are they lirn— ited by the gender or sexual orientation of the parties,” Justice Charles Johnson wrote in the unanimous decision. ”It’s a tremendous affir- mation of one of the most basic principles,” said Jenny Pizer of the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, a gay rights organiza- tion. Vasquez, 64, shared a house, business and finan- cial assets with Robert Schwerzler, who died with- out a will in 1995. Vasquez claimed the estate, which consisted mainly of the house. His claim was challenged by Schwerzler’s siblings, who described Vasquez as a housekeeper and said they never saw the men display affection. Surgeon General WASHINGTON — The U.S. surgeon- general cheered by gay advocates for his pronouncements is retiring. Surgeon General David Satcher, a Clinton appointee, said he will leave government service in February at the end of his four-year term. ’ Satcher said he would not ask President Bush to appoint him to another‘ term. Satcher rankled the White House last summer when his office released a report that found there was no evi- dence showing that teach- ing sexual abstinence in schools was successful. .It called for schools to encour- age abstinence among stu-- dents but to also teach birth control techniques. Additionally, the report found that there was no evi- dence that a gay person could become heterosexuaf. The report drew a sharp retort from Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer and demands from political conservatives for Satcher’s resignation. ”The president under- stands the report was issued by a surgeon general that he did_ not appoint, a surgeon general who was appointed by the previous administra- tion,” said Fleischer at the time. ”The president contin- ues to believe that absti- nence and abstinence edu- cation is the most effective way to prevent AIDS, to prevent unwanted pregnan- Cy. /I Electrons NEW YORK ~ The 2001 elections held good results for gays and lesbians. In four of five cities where they were presented with the question, voters affirmed gay rights ordi- nances. Only in Houston did vot- ers approve amending the city charter to prohibit the nation's fourth—largest city from offering benefits to gay domestic partners. In Michigan, voters in Traverse City and Kalamazoo rejected amend- ments that would have pre- vented their cities from enacting policies protecting gays from discrimination. In Huntington Woods, voters upheld a city ordinance banning anti—gay discrimi- nation. In Miami Beach, Fla., vot- ers said the city should pro- vide employee benefits to domestic partners. I W sex change NEW YORK — For'the first time on network televi- sion, a prominent character is undergoing a sex change. Producers of S ”The Education of Max Bickford" anticipated a fuss after cast- ing the role of Erica, a col- lege professor who used a sabbatical for a sex change operation. Never before had such a character been a reg- ular in prirne-time televi- sion. « ‘ ‘ The conservative American Family Association alerted its mem- bers, and CBS got a handful of protest letters. But no advertisers expressed con- cern, and moral watchdogs have been quiet. _ ”I think the lack of com- ment is an indication that there is an acceptance,” said Nicole Yorkin, a creator of the drama. ”lt’s not some- thing they see as so shock- v ing or horrifying‘ that it requires a great deal of dis- cussion.” A woman, Helen Shaver, was cast as Erica. ”Bickford” creators said they didn't seek an actor who had been through a sex change to choose from. Shaver took the role, she december 2001 9- 3 said, because it was well-. written and offered the chance to work regularly with star Richard Dreyfuss. She researched the part by reading books and talking to people who had under-_ gone a sex change. Any indications that her characterfhad once been a man are very subtle: Shaver will make certain move- ments with her hands, or slightly alter her walk or voice. Suicide * K PHILADELPHIA — A fed- eral jury has cleared three» small—town police officers of- responsibility in the suicide of a youth who killed him- self after they threatened to‘ reveal his sexuality. Eighteen-year‘-old‘ Marcus Wayman’s mother charged that the officers caused her son's death in ‘ 1997 by threatening to tell his grandfather he was gay. Officers Wayman and a 17-year-old male friend in a car. Police frisked the teen—agers, and found the younger one with two condoms. Officers Scott Willinsky . and Thomas Hoban took them to the station on underage drinking charges. ' Scott Willinsky later testi- fied that both boys conced- ed that they had stopped to have sex, although the 17- year.-old disputes making the .statement. _Willinsky allegedly asked if they were ”queer” and threatened to tell their families they, were 83)‘ _ . j _Wayman told his friend he was going to’ kill himself. A_few hours later, he found the keys to the gun cabinet at his home and shot self in the head, according’ to court testimony. Wayman’s A. Madonna Sterling, « e civil suit over death, charging that?"-the town andthree of its police officers, Joseph Willinsky, Scott Willinsky and Thomas Hoban, violated Wayman’s right A to ‘privacy. Joseph Willinsky is the police chief and father of Scott Willinsky. Boy Scouts ‘ because there weren't many . V BERKELEY, Calif.g'— A Boy Scouts troop is going to have to pay to dock its boats approached ' v "M3,; ;.~ ‘ii 1'/I. at the city marina. . An Alameda County judge ruled that Berkeley has the right to charge the Sea Scout‘ organization for docking boats at the marina because the group does not, allow openly gay members. The city stopped offering free berths in 1998 after the Sea Scouts and its . parent . organization, Boy Scouts of America,‘ refused to alter - their anti-gay policies. . The Sea Scouts sued, but Alameda County Superior Court Judge James Richman ruled‘ against them. Survey I MENLO PARK, Calif. — _ Gays, lesbians and bisexuals feel more comfortable and accepted by society. That's the word from a ’ survey,‘ which finds that three-quarters feel greater social acceptance, but about the same percentage say they have experienced dis- crimination. The finc’.ings by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation were based on telephone’ .intervi_ewsV with 405 randomly selected self- identified lesbians, gays and bisexuals in 15 major U.S. cities last November. Seventy-six percent of lesbians, gays and bisexuals surveyed reported they feel more accepted. However, 74 percent reported encounter- ing verbal abuse, while 32 percent. said they experi- enced physical abuse or damage _to their property because of their sexual ori- . J entation. . _ . Eighty-five percent of_les- bians, 76.percent of gay men and 60 percent of bisexuals .said they had experienced discrimination, according to the survey. The foundation conduct- ' v ed. a second ‘telephone .sur- _ vey with 2,283 adults to gather general public's feelings gay and les- bian issues. 8 ' In that.‘-‘giju1'veiy, 62 percent reported ‘they have a friend or acquaintance who is gay, compared to 55 percent three years ago and 24 per- A cent in 1983. Integration ' SAN DIEGO — A new study finds that integrating "gay and lesbians into the : San ‘Diego’ police force has improved morale — both . within the department and