by Keith Goslant

Since Governor Kunin announced last
spring that she would not seek a fourth term
in office, I have wondered how to say
goodbye and thank you to someone who
has been a strong supporter and a friend of
the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community.
It is not enough merely to list accomplish-
ments, though they are significant. Lists do
not tell of the interactions that occurred or
how many opinions were solicited and
respected. During my fouryears as liaison,
my phone calls were always returned, my
voice was always heard, and there was
always a response to concerns.

Reviewing state policy development
and legislation signed into law by Governor
Kunin also reflects our growth as a commu-
nity, growth that would not have been
possible without her support. During her
first year as Governor, Kunin recognized
the increasing visibility and strength of
Vermont's lesbian, gay, and bisexual com-
munity. She responded by taking the un-
precedented action of recognizing liaisons
from our community to her office and
administration. The legislation passed dur-
ing her tenure as Governor attests to how
her administration truly heard the concerns
voiced by these liaisons.

During Madeleine Kunin's six years as
governor, we have seen legislation signed
into law providing antidiscrimination pro-
tections for people living with HIV infec-
tions; statutes that guarantee protection in
employment, housing, access to medical

care, public accommodations, and court

proceedings; the development of the AIDS
education program and the anonymous
HIV antibody test sites by the Department
of Health; and the fomiation of Vermont's
AIDS Task Force, which produced a man-
ual establishing standards for care that
became a model for other states.

These laws and policies do not tell of
the personal letters and phone calls from
Madeleine Kunin to family, friends, and
lovers surviving losses from AIDS. They

do not tell of Madeleine's presence at can-
dlelight vigils. They do not tell of the inclu-
sion of lesbians and gay men in the passage
of legislation and development of policies,
inclusion encouraged and supported by the
Governor. They also do not tell of her
recent actions within the Govemors' Asso-
ciation to prevent the loss of federal funds
for AIDS education and prevention pro-

s.
Since 1986, when Madeleine became

the‘ first incumbent Governor to speak at a
Pride Day rally, the sexual orientation an-
tidiscrimination bill has been on her list of
legislative priorities. The support has re-
mained unwaivering, even when photo-
graphs of Kunin at Pride Day began to
appear taped to the cash registers in country
stores during her re-election bid. She was a
strong voice when legislative committees
wanted to avoid voting on the bill. She
asserted that civil rights legislation could

Madeleine K unin (center) with liaisons Holly Perdue (left) and Keith Goslant (right)

  

/*~,

not be held hostage. Governor Kunin real-
ized that although it might notbe the easiest
action to take, it was certainly the right one.

When the Human Rights Commission
was re-established, Governor Kunin asked
for recommendations from the lesbian and
gay community. When Commissioners
were appointed, Governor Kunin named an
openly gay social worker to the commis-
sion, thereby ensuring a voice and ongoing
presence from our community.

Perhaps what I will remember most of
Madeleine Kunin's tenure as governor will
be her response to the beating on Easter
outside of Pearls. She phoned the next day
to express her outrage at this act of violence
and to pledge her support for the passage of
the Hate Crimes bill. It was in support of
this bill that she made her only appearance
as Governor before a legislative commit-
tee. She spoke of how it is the government's

, (continued on page 11)

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