Page 7 Unitarian Universalist Ministers Sanction Same-Gender Marriage by Reverend Brendan Hadash At their annual retreat on January 14-16, the Unitarian Universalist ministers of New Hampshire and Vermont chose as their topic same gender marriage. Guest speakers included - ~ Keith Kron, the denomination’s Director of the Office of Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay Concerns in Boston; Rev. Brendan Hadash, an openly gay UU minister in St. Johnsbury, Vermont; and Beth Robinson from the Vemront Freedom to Marry Task Force. . . A Unitarian Universalist ministers have been performing same- gender marriages since 1984, so this was a topic quite familiar , to the group. Several brought sermons to share on the topic. At the end of the three days the ministers decided to propose the following resolution at the annual district meeting on April 26: “BECAUSE the first principle of Unitarian’ Universalism is to affinn the inherent worth and dignity of every person; and “BECAUSE marriage is held in honor among the blessings of life; and ' “WHEREAS many states, the Congress and the President of the United States are attempting to void the recognition of same gender marriages and to deny ‘full faith and credit’ to such marriages formalized in Hawaii and any other states that sanctions them; and “WHEREAS the debate about extending legally recognized marriage to same—gender couples has focused on the objections of certain religious communities; and “WHEREAS the Unitarian Universalist Association has adopted numerous resolutions over the last twenty—seven years supporting equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, including support for Ceremonies of Union between members of the same gender; and “WHEREAS the UUA Board of Trustees and the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association have voted their support for the right to many for same gender couples; and “WHEREAS the 1996 General Assembly of the UUA passed aresolution of support of legal recognition for marriage between members of the same gender; "IHEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the New Hampshire Vennont District of the Unitarian Universalist Societies adopts aposition of support of legal recognition formarriage between members of the same gender; and ‘ “BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Hampshire Vennont District of the Unitarian Universalist Societies make its position supporting legal marriage between persons of the same gender known by means of press and other public media; and . “BEIT FINALLY RESOLVED thattheNew Hampshire Vermont District of Unitarian Universalist Societies urges its member congregations to take an affinnative position in support of the value of marriage between any two committed persons whether of the same or of the opposite genders, and to make those positions known in their own communities.” V New Hampshire Anti-Marriage Bill Dies CONCORD — New Hampshire’s House of Representatives voted 261-85 last month and effectively killed legislation which would have limited the definition of marriage to the union of one man and one woman. Those who voted-' against the proposed ban on same—sex maniagcs considered the bill to be unnecessary and worried about the confusion it might create in other areas. 6 Supporters of the ban relied heavily on arguments fa- vored by the radical religious right, claiming that the legisla- tion was intended to “serve the interests of children by pro- viding a positive environment for the propagation and rearing of children.” Researchers around the country have testificd in a number of courts, including Hawaii’s, that such arguments have no foundation in statistical fact. The nanow focus on procreation would also seemingly work against heterosexual couples wherein either one partner was impotent or both part- ners had decided against having children. A number of states around the country have also con- sidered lcgislation which would either limit marriage to one man and one woman orprohibit recognition ol'sz1me—sex mau- riages performed in another‘ state such as Hawaii. Though a large number olsuch bills lrave failed. a number ofstates have passed the hills, which are often worded to meet the approval olreligious right wing eonseryativ'es. V March 1997 Whether each of us in the glbtq communities chooses to seek civil marriage and its many benefits for lesbian rights will be debated and negotiated’ by legislatorswhovare‘ n'ot“e"xperienced in" dealing such a central level. Although Vermont is considered one of the friendliest sjtategs in tennspfgay and lesbian rights, there is also now a growing initiative amongst religious political extremist organizations-aroundfthe U.S. to bar any affinnation of same—gender marriage in Vermont. For this reason, the will conti:nue .ok to secure this freedom in the coming years and to highlight the fact that no opposition t; sajfpe-gender marriage can ever claim a non-homophobic, pro—family logic. ‘ C, Within earshot of Visibility Day is a second VCLGR even't,'cosponsored with Outright Vermont and the ‘Vermont College Gay Lesbian Bisexual Network. On Friday afternoon," Apiiil 18th at 4:00 p.m'., a Queer College Coffeehouse will take place at the Blue Couch Cafe on North Street in Burlington, It‘will‘fo'llo'w the Vermont Student Affairs Personnel Association’s spring conferenceat St. Micl1ael’s College,"The VSAPA which will focus on improving cultural and social advocacy for glbtq students around the state. Everyone is invited to stop in at the Blue Couch for some coffee and phat beats on the 18th. Call 388-0750 with questions about the conference or the coffeehouse. I i g L The _VCLGR annual conference is shimmering on the other side of the sur‘nme"rn"ro'nths. Plans-for asite r Rutland County are now on the Coalition’s workbench. The board is working in collaboration with a newly fomred community group, Proud in Rutland County (PIRCy), to find a home for the unbashful bash. Other goals for the Coalition for this year are 1) to establish and finance home and work space for the VCLGR’s political advocacy, education, and cultural inreach work; 2) to support and encourage the cultural strength of Vermont’s glbtq communities and their organizations; 3) to extend our outreach work beyond our speakers’ bureau and annual conference; and 4) to increase membership and participation within the Coali- tron. A As Sarah Schulman wrote in 1992 about anti—homophobic and People With AIDS advocacy,_;?-‘Only ourselves or our loved ones or not, same—gender marriage will be_orre.‘of‘the mai-—n“spaces%~irr»whiclr«gay«-arid~- ~— large numbers of people working in loose agreement and democratic process can make broad social change.’_’ I When you make gay and lesbian operative terms in your town, home, and workplace, please count on the VCLGR’s support. As always, wehope to hear the goings-on and news from gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans,’ and queer people (as well as their allies) so that we can more clearly understand and respond to them, and from there continue to integrate them into the Coalition’s programming, committee andvadvocacy work. We will be setting up a new 800 phone connection within the month, but for now, please coniinue " writing to us at VCLGR, PO Box ll25, Montpelier, VT 05601-1125. V ‘Health Resources All phone numbers are 802 area code unless noted. HN/AIDS HOTUNES Vermont: (800) 332-2437 New Hampshire: (300) 752-2437 New York State: (800) 541-2437 Massachusetts: (617) 5224090 Maine: (800)851-2437 , National: (800) 342-2437 Natiorial'l_'1Y: (800) 243-7839» - * -- réen Hourné:(80or2s4-TEEN‘-—'* ' ‘ ‘ Addison CountyAlDS Network (ACAN) 352-6679 or3884193 AIDS CommunityAwareness Project (ACAP) _r>o Box 608 - St. JohnsburyVT 0531 9 - 743-1 1 49 AIDS Community Resource Network (ACoRN) V PO Box 2057 I Lebanon NH 03766 I (603) 448-2220 or (800) 81 6-2220 I_ E-rnail: acorn@valley.net NH/VT HN Information Network on the Web http://Wvvw.dartmou1h.edu/~hivnet/ North Star Holistic Health Care RR2 Box 3255 I. MorrisviIleVT05661 I 888-2858 ‘. '.'-‘x..‘.' .3" ‘....7"...,.‘r~‘.~,= . ; Tribal Rerrledigg j_ ’ I 8 Vfilliston St. I Brattleboro \'/T0530! I 254-Z972 r—_'_\; if”. Twin State Women's Network PO Box 3 I Cavendish V1'05142-0003 I 226-7807 E-mail: margoc@mail.tds.net Web Site: http://www.dartrrrouth.edu/~hivnet/orgs/ 1'\X/SN1 .html VermontAlDS Council , PO Box 275 I MontpelierVT0560l I 229-2557 E-mail: vtaids@plainfield.bypass.com Al.ANA Health Care Organization PO Box 357 I 179 S. \Xfinooski Street I Burlington Ve"“°"t CARES V-I-05402 . 864_263-I or864_2632 PO BOX 5248 ' Burlington \/T0540‘ ' 863-Z437 0|’ (800) 649-2437 Bennington AreaAlDS Project PO Box 1066 I BenningtonVT05201 I 442-4481 or (800)845-2437 Comprehensive Care Clinics (for HN/AIDS) Hodine: (800) 763-2460 Brattleboro: 257-8860 Buriington: 6564594 , Rutland: 747-1 83 1 ' ’ St.Johnsbury: 748-7361 Dawnland Center (NativeAmerican) PO Box 1358 I 121 Barre St. I MontpelierVT 05601 229-0601 I Email: Nadrumin@aol.com Gay/LesbianAlooholicsAnonymous POBox 5653 I Burlington VT05402 I 658-4221 Lesbian Cancer Support Group 660-8386 Men's Health Project (see Vermont CARES listing) National Association for People with AIDS (202) 8980414 PO Box 6033 I Rutland VT05702 I 775-5884 Vermont DeafAlDS Project , PO Box 1 72 I BrattleboroV1'05302 I (800) 257-1 123 BratdeboroAreaAlDS Project (WY): 18001 2530195 (Voice‘Relay); PO Box 1486 - Brattleboro vr 05302 - 254-8263 or l3°Zl 257-2013 lFaXl ‘ .254-4444 (Helpline) I E-mail: sbell@sover.net - Vermont Department of Health 108 Cherry St. I PO Box 70 I Burlington VT05402 AIDS Program Office: 863-7245 ‘ AlDSrHotline: (800) 882-2437- Vennont HN/AIDS Care Consortium PO Box 9 I Hinesburg VTO5461 I 482-5100 Vermont HN/AlDS_Education Network PO Box 1784 I BurlingtonVl'0540Z-1784 I 862-1668 Vermont Office of Minority Health . c/o VT Dept. of Health (see above) I 863-7273 Vermont People \Xfrth AIDS Coalition PO Box 1055 I Brattleboro VT 05302 I 229-5754 or (800) 69-VT-P\X/A I E-rnail: vtpwac@sover.net \X/eb Site:‘http://www.sover.net/~vtpwac/ Vermont Women's Health Center 336 NorthAve. I Burlington_\fT 05401 I 863-1386 r K"-.lr'U.q'.'. .,' 1 \ VGLCR Notes, Continuedfrorfl page 1 . - .. 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