06 Out in the Mountains November 1999 California dreaming & gay oivil-rights reality BY CHUCK COLBERT San Francisco, open your Golden Gate, you leave no one to wait outside your door... Let’s change the lyrics in the battle hymn of gay civil rights. The state of California — not just San Francisco —— has opened its Golden Gate. Earlier this month when Democratic Gov. Gray Davis signed into law three gay civil- rights laws, he made the Golden State — arguably our nation’s cultural and political bellwether — the front runner in the good fight for lesbian and gay equality. “These three bills will send a message across this country and around the world that we are determined to unleash the full potential of the human spirit here in California,” Davis said, addressing a black- tie crowd of more than 1,000 people on hand for? a gala fundraiser of the state ’s largest gay political organization. “This [legislation] is not just about one community,” he went on to say. “This is about every human being who —— if they are given an opportunity — will not only achieve their dreams for their sake, but for our sake ...” It was one lesbian’s hope for and dream of a harassment- and violence-free public school system that proved to .\rlcasuring Sticcess One Investor" At 21 Time We know that no matter who you are or what you do for a living, you want to see your family secure, your children educated, your retirement assured We're ready to help with a wide range of investments and a profes- sionally trained Financial Advisor who can tailor a program to your needs. At Morgan Stanley Dean Wittefi“, we measme success one investor at a time. Call or visit us today. GINGER WILLIAM 5 ON Finantial Aaluisor Gateway Plaza, 30 Main Street Burlington, VI'054'01 800-869-9600 802-863-7728 802-865-2137 Fax ORGAN STANLEY DEAN WHTER Mrnrmsinleybunllhzrlsnnavke-nkollfinnnstnleybnl WluulL‘a-4unk2Iv¢olhrdIhmIdIDunVllIuIqnldI Inr..nfi¢1SlPC E1KDaIW'|t.IHR¢ynd&lI|c be the most controversial of three bills signed into law. Spearheaded by Democratic Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl of Santa Monica, the California Student Safety and Violence Prevention Act 2000 outlaws harassment and dis- verance points to classic femi- nist politics — the personal is political. Kuehl never forgot her own story, getting kicked out of a sorority at UCLA because of her lesbian sexual orientation. The second milestone in orientation. Previously, gays had only limited employment protection and remedies under the state’s labor code. “Awesome,” is the word Laurie McBride used to describe her feelings about the legislative milestone in a Frontiers Newsmagazine, a Los Angeles-based gay publi- cation. In 1979 “I personally suffered discrimination on the job. I had been fired for being a dyke at UC Medical Center in San Francisco where I was working as a research associ- ate,” said McBride, who now serves as the liaison to the "This is about every human being who, if they are given an opportunity, will not only achieve their dreams for their sake, but for our sake - Governor Gray Davis of California crimination against students and teachers in the state’s pub- lic schools and universities. Only Connecticut, Mass- achusetts, and Wisconsin have similar laws. The new law adds the term “sexual orientation” to the existing education code law that already bans discrimina- tion and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, and sex. The bill brings Califomia’s education code in line with current hate crime laws. In a dramatic, horse-race finish, this bill — four years in the making —- passed state house muster by one vote, having failed earlier this year. Kuehl’s leadership and perse- Califomia’s march to lesbian and gay equality is also a long- standing struggle, the longest gay civil-rights battle in the Golden State’s history. State legislators have tried unsuccessfully for nearly two decades to ban. discrimination, ‘A. more, forcefully and} fully, against gays in housing and employment. A new law adds “sexual orientation” to the state fair housing and employ- ment laws that, for example, already include protection on the basis of race and gender. Also, the Fair Employment and Housing Department, a civil rights enforcement agency with expertise and muscle, now has authority over employment and housing cases with respect to sexual GLBT community for state Democratic Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles. Eleven states, including all in New England except Maine, now ban job discrimination. Nine states ban discrimination in housing based on sexual ori- entation. The third California mile- stone in gay civil rights is the new statewide domestic part- nership registry. Sponsored by Democratic Assemblywoman Carole Migden of San Francisco, this legislation cre- ates a registry for same-sex domestic partnerships of all ages (18 or older) and for opposite-sex couples who are 62 years of age or older, and who have “chosen to share one another’s lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual sharing.” Registered domestic partners cannot be related by blood. The new law also requires that medical facilities recog- nized domestic partner visita- tion rights. It permits the state government and municipali- ties to offer domestic partner- ship health benefits under the state’s Public Employees Retirement System. Four other states, Hawaii, New York, Oregon, and Vermont, provide some sort of partner benefits. Granting few tangible legal benefits, the statewide domes- tic partnership registry is nev- ertheless an important national first: It boldly affirms the need to value same-sex love and commitment. Isn’t that ultimately what the Declaration of Independence empowers all Americans — gay and non- gay alike — to dream, hope, and ultimately achieve: life liberty and the pursuit of hap- piness? Gov. Davis thinks so. “[1 want] a new California based on hope instead of fear, toler- ance instead of ignorance, [and] issues that unite us instead of issues that divide us,” he said. Sounds very California — and quite all-American — to me. V Chuck Colbert, who serves on the board of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, lived in California — San Diego and San Francisco from 1981-85.