Win Some,
Lose Some:

Continued from page 1

 

Gov. Howard Dean, a friend of our
community, was reelected for another
term (0ITMfile photo)

the Human Rights Campaign Fund
(HRCF), all 13 Senate co-sponsors of
ENDA up for reelection won. In the U.S.
House of Representatives, HRCF indicated
that 10 of 120 ENDA co-sponsors were
defeated while ll new co-sponsors were
elected. As widely reported, the
Republicans gained control of the House
for the first time since 1954. The GOP also
gained a slight majority in the Senate. With
this shift in power, the Republicans gained
control of House and Senate Committees
and will yield greater influence over what
will and will not get done nationally.

Compared to Washington, changes in
Vennont’s political landscape were less
drastic. Vermont state government will be
headed by Democratic Governor Howard

Dean and Republican Lieutenant Governor
Barbara Snelling. Vermont Democrats
maintained control of the House of
Representatives (sans Speaker Ralph
Wright) while the GOP increased their
majority in the State Senate. Democrats
and Republicans have pledged both to end
the session on time and to work together to
solve the problems facing Vermont.

A number of races in Vermont included
openly gay, HIV +, and transgendered
candidates. Although he lost the
Democratic primary, openly gay and HIV+
Burlington resident Christopher Cozzy
made a reasonable showing during his first
run for one of Chittenden County’s six
Senate seats. In describing his reasons for
running in a recent OITM article, Cozzy
wrote, “I felt a need to get new blood in
government and thought I could further the
cause of being positive.” Cozzy sees
himself in two years as “openly gay, PHV+,
and running for State Senate”.

Transgendered Montpelier resident Karen
Anne Kerin was one of four Republicans
seeking the GOP nomination for
Montpelier’s two seats in the House of
Representatives. Kerin believes her failure
to win her party's nomination had more to
do with the fact that she suspended her
campaign to focus on her law school
studies as opposed to her gender identity.
Kerin. stated that she’s “proud of
Montpelier” for the support she received in
the primary and indicated that she may
seek public office in the future.

According to Glover resident Brendan
Hadash, running as an openly gay man did
not affect his fourth race for the Vermont
House of Representatives. Althoughihe lost
in the general election, Hadash indicated
that neither he nor his opponents brought
up his sexuality during the campaign.
Hadash, a Democrat, stated that he’s “in the
closet with the door wide open”. Hadash
has not ruled out yet another run for public
office.

Susan McKenzie, M. S.

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Formerly Affiliated with the Women’s Therapy Center, Burlington, VT

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Lesbian issues: Relationships, Parenting, Childhood Trauma, Life
Transitions, Anxiety and Depression

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1' ebruary 1995

In order to devote time to his career in
education, Thomas Fleury of Burlington did
not seek reelection to the Vermont House of
Representatives. Fleury will not go far from
Montpelier as he, along with Susan Aranoff,
was recently elected Vermont Coalition for
Lesbian and Gay Rights (VCLGR)
co—liaison to Governor Dean. Fleury
expressed an interest in returning to
Montpelier as an elected official in the
future.

Former VCLGR Co-Chair and Hinesburg
resident Bill Lippert sought and won
election to Vermont’s House of
Representatives. Lippert was appointed to
the House by Governor Dean after the
resignation of Representative Chuck Ross
last April. Without Fleury, Lippert now
serves as the only openly gay member of the
Vermont General Assembly.

With the 1994 campaign season behind, the
real work in Washington and Montpelier is
set to begin. Like many election years,
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered
Vermonters won and lost some important
races. For those who thrive on the dynamics
of the campaign season, Burlington’s race
for Mayor will be held in March and 1996 is
less than two years away. V

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