I

 
NATIONAL / NEWS / MARRIAGE

Vermont Equal Marriage Advocates
Hail Advance In New Jersey '

BURLINGTON - Vermont advo-
cates for the freedom to marry
hailed the New Jersey Supreme
Court’s unanimous ruling af-
firming the constitutional rights
of gay and lesbian couples, and
expressed confidence that New
Jersey’s legislature would open
the door for same-sex couples
to marry.

In the case of Lewis and
Winslow v. Gwendolyn Harris,
the New Jersey Supreme Court
ruled that same-sex couples
are constitutionally entitled to

“the full rights and benefits en-
joyed by heterosexual married
couples.” Echoing the Vermont
Supreme Court's approach in
Baker 1;. Vermont, the New J er-
sey court gave that state's legis-
lature 180 days to amend New
Jersey’s laws to meet the court’s
concerns, and left open the pos-
sibility that a Vermont—style civil
union law would pass that test.
Opining that the New Jersey
legislature would opt to allow
same-sex couples to marry, Ver-
mont Freedom to Marry Task

Force Chair Beth Robinson ex-
plained, “It’s been over six years
since Vermont experimented
with the ‘civil union’ idea; we've
seen how that law helps, but
also how it falls short. New Jer-
sey can learn from‘ that and pass
a law that’s genuinely fair and
inclusive of all its citizens, al-
lowing two committed adults to
marry without regard to gender
or sexual orientation.”

In an opinion authored by

CONTINUED ON R4 -)

BUILDING COMMUNITY

R.U.1.2‘? and Sa;feSpace Hold Open House

BY LYNN MCNICOL

BURLINGTON - The merger of a
queer community center and a
resource_ organization for LGBT
victims of violence is stepping

up a notch. With the combining ' ’

of the two, new staff has been
added, and services are expand-
ing and changing to better meet
the needs of the community.

Safespace, which works
to end violence affecting the
LGBT community, moved into
the R.U.l.2? Community Center
at 34 Elmwood Avenue in late
summer. The organizations held
their firstjoint open house in Oc-
tober.

In coming months, the newly
combined board will meet for
further strategic planning, which
may involve moving to a larger
space, said R.U.1.2? Executive
Director Kara DeLeonardis. The
organization plans to hire a de-
velopment director to help with
the planning process, she said.

At the crowded open house,
SafeSpace Program Director Ann
Atkins told visitors that SafeSpace
is becoming more visible and peo-
ple continue to come in for help.
The Burlington police depart-
ment is also referring people to
Safespace, she said.

Also at Safespace, intern
Brenda Pitmon is helping to or-
ganize the Trans Day of Remem-
brance to be held on Saturday,
Nov. 18. Pitmon is a graduate
student in social work at UVM.
Resource Coordinator Eliza
Heppner is working on volun-
teer recruitment and training.

   

(L to R) Jane Keir of Huntington, Eliza Heppner, Clark Sheldon and

R.U.1.2? Co-Chair Christina Fulton PHOTO BY LYNN MCNICOL

R.U.1.2?’s Health and Well-
ness Program Director Shawn
Lipenski introduced the Wall
of Awareness, a section of wall
space just inside the front door
reserved for people to share
their stories of unfair treatment
or harassment.

Bob Bolyard talked about the
What's Up calendar he sends out
regularly that contains a com-
prehensive schedule of events.
He also acts as a Peer Outreach
Worker at R.U. 12?, as does Clark
Sheldon. Sheldon discussed his
health outreach with men who
have sex with men, and queer
and transgender people, which
includes online chats and tele-
phone contacts about safer sex.
He also provides HIV testing.

Several other organizations
use space at the Center, includ-
ing Vermont Pride, Mountain
Pride Media and the Vermont

Freedom to Marry Task Force.

Also, Equality Vermont, an
organization that works for
LGBT rights, is being reorgan-
ized, DeLeonardis said. R.U.l.2?
is changing the status of Equality
Vermont, currently a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization, to a
501(c)(4) nonprofit political ad-
vocacy and lobbying organiza-
tion. I

The change will “allow both .

organizations to focus more di-
rectly on legislation that affects
our community, something that
neither organization was fully
able to do before,” R.U.1.2.‘?
said. V

To help pay for the $500
application for 501(c)(4) status,
requested donations should be
sent to Equality VT do R.U.1.2?
Community Center, PO Box
5883, Burlington, VT 05402.

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