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VERMONT'S NEWSPAPER FOR LESBIANS, GAY MEN, AND BISEXUALS

Volume X, Number 5

July/August 1995

FREE

Dean S eaks Out:
The OI Mlnterview

” Paul Olsen

 

MONTPELIER -- The national
visibility of Governor Howard Dean
is soon to increase when Dean and
the State of Vermont host the
National Governor's Association
(NGA) conference July 30 through
August 2. As the theme of this
year's NGA conference is
"Campaign for Children," policy
issues expected to be discussed
include budget cuts, block granting,
welfare reform, health care, and
school lunch programs. In addition
to President Clinton, expected to be
among the more than two thousand
conference participants are many of
the nation's governors, more than
500 journalists, and a number of
1996 presidential candidates. '

Dr. Howard Dean's political career
includes service in the Vermont
(01T M file Ph0t0) House of Representatives from 1983
to 1986, five years as Lieutenant
Governor, and service as the
Governor of Vermont since 1991. Shortly before the annual milking
contest pitting Dean against Vermont Agricultural Commissioner Leon
Graves, Dean was interviewed by Out in the Mountains in his Montpelier
office. What follows are excerpts of the interview in which Dean discusses
same-sex adoption, Vermont's Human Rights Commission, outing, and his
future political plans. -

Gov. Howard Dean

OITM: You were an early supporter of and ultimately signed legislation
making Vermont one of nine states to ban discrimination on the basis of
sexual orientation. From your perspective, has the Gay Rights Bill been
effective? »

Dean: I think it has. In general, there is more of an atmosphere of tolerance
in Vermont than there is in a lot of other states, which doesn't mean that
we don't have a long way to go. There have been court cases and that's
what it is for . . . to make sure that people have proper legal remedies.

OITM: What is your position on Senator Leon Graves‘ (now Vermont's
Agriculture Commissioner) amendment to the adoption reform bill that
would prohibit adoptions by same-sex couples?

Dean: I oppose it and I won't sign the bill if it is in there. That bill has to
come out with only one criterion for adoption and that is what's in the best
interest of the child.

OITM: The Supreme Court in Hawaii is currently reviewing a case around
the issue of gay marriages. If the court rules that Hawaii cannot bar gay
marriages, how do you think Vermont will respond?

Dean: I appreciate the way you asked me that question so as not to put me
on the spot in making difficult political declarations ahead of time. I
would expect that Vermont would comply with the law. I expect a rhubarb
in the legislature but not anything that would alter that decision.

OITM: You supported the extension of domestic partner benefits to State
employees. Was there any political backlash from that decision?

Dean: We're the first State in the country to do that. We got four letters . . . my
attitude is just do it and don't make a cause celebre about it. I'm a big believer
in just quietly getting the job done and not making a big flap about it.

OITM: In the Legislature a number of changes have been proposed to
Vermont's Human Rights Commission. What changes, if any, would you
like to see made at the Human Rights Commission?

Dean: I would like to make it less formal and intimidating. We're trying to
work with the Commissioners and with the Executive Director to make the
process appear to be more fair. ‘It's hard to sort out, some of the most vocal
complainants are people who have appropriately been found guilty of
discrimination but there are people who have had problems. I've never
talked to anybody who had a problem about a case involving the gay
community.

OITM: Currently the State of Vermont spends approximately $150,000 on
AIDS services and nothing on HIV prevention. Will you propose increased
appropriations for these areas in the future?

Dean: The federal government spends money on AIDS prevention. That
number has been going up every year because of federal spending. We're
just about to cut the daylights out of the budget so I don't want to give any
promises that I'm going to propose new spending anywhere. There will be
holes that we will fill. They will all be in the area of prevention and
children's issues. I can't rule that in or out.

Continued on page 3

.the Rutland Free Library

Who's Evicting
Daddy's Roommate?: ,
One parent's crusade against

Bennett Law -

    

RUTLAND --
The "parental
rights"
campaign of «
Karol Raiche, I
a Rutland ,
mother of §
three young
boys, has
brought
national 2
attention to '
Vermont's '
burgeoning
statewide . .
debate on f .
Article V of
the _Library
Bill of Rights,
which states,
"A person's
right to use a
library should ‘
not be denied
or abridged

(Photo: Susan Aranoff)
because of Karol Raiche. at the June 6th public

origin, age, hearing in Rutland
background, or
views." Raiche
has identified materials made freely available to the
public at the Rutland Free Library which she believes
should be segregated from the general collection as a
precautionary measure in an effort to protect the
innocence of those who are "age impressionable."
Among those items which Raiche finds objectionable
are a children's picture book entitled Daddy's
Roommate, by Michael Willhoite, the magazine Art
Forum, and Out in the Mountains.

Raiche penned a petition, ultimately signed by
approximately 300 Rutland area residents, requesting

that the library "clearly identify materials in the '

children's section of the library that promote alternative
lifestyles, explicit and/or illustrated sexual material."
Raiche was blunt in her assessment of A11 Forum: "A
man putting a plunger up his ass does not need to be
viewed by a child and labeled as art." Of her concem
with Out in the Mountains, Raiche said, "Let's play

fair. Why does this have to be out where children have

access to it, somewhere between Popular Mechanics
and whatever else starts with O?"

Raiche's campaign began after her six—year-old son
brought Daddy's Roommate home from the Rutland
Free Library. Daddy's Roommate, published by Alyson
Publications of Boston, Massachusetts, depicts a young
boy getting to know his father's new roominate, Frank,
with whom Daddy is shown working, eating, sleeping
(in the same bed), shaving, embracing, arguing, and
making up (which is depicted as conversational, with

Continued on page 4

Queers and Friends
Fight The Rain:
PRIDE DAY 1995

BURLINGTON -- Despite inclement weather,
Vermont's gay, lesbian, and bisexual community
celebrated its twelfth annual Pride Day on June 3,
1995. The festivities included a Pre-march rally on the
front. lawn of Burlington's Unitarian Universalist
Church, a March through downtown Burlington, a
Post-march rally in Battery Park, and an indoor/outdoor
dance party courtesy of 135 Pearl as part of its Unity
Celebration.

Keeping in mind this year's Pride theme, "Queers and
Friends Fight The Right," pre-march speakers included
Vermont Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights
(VCLGR) Co-Liaison to the Governor and State
Legislature Susan Aranoff, VT NOW President Judy
Murphy, and VT Human Rights Commissioner Jim
Morgan. Rev. Brendan Hadash, who officiated
Vermont's first mass gay and lesbian wedding at the
Post-march rally, also spoke.

The Post-march rally, which was hosted by Janice
Perry aka Gal with musical entertainment provided by
Noel, was the scene of the celebration's only protest.
The incident involved a spectator burning a rainbow
flag, a symbol of the gay and lesbian rights movement.
The rain, however, made his task more difficult than he
had anticipated.

 

- ' (Photo: Torn Aloisi)
VCLGR's Gabriel Q and Susan Aranojf marching with Pride

On June 7, the VT Pride Committee announced the
proceeds from Pride '95 events benefitting the
following organizations: $1,035 for VT CARES, $200
for Burlington's Unitarian Universalist Church, $850

‘for Outright VT, and $1,450 for the Burlington

Women's Council.

Continued on page 8