World Briefs continued from page one that there was a gathering of homosexuals in the Magic Kingdom. In other years, pass- es to other Disney parks were offered to guests who might be offended by large numbers of gays. In the celebration’s tenth year its 10th year this week- end, it’s now as much a part of Disney as Mickey Mouse. The event has expanded to the company’s three other parks, as well as non—Disney ones such as Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando. And for the past few years, popular Disney World attractions such as the Typhoon Lagoon water park and the Pleasure Island nightclub have held related parties and perfor- mances. Puerto Rico demo SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Gay and lesbian activists in Puerto Rico are demonstrating to end a ban on homosexuality. Dozens waving flags embla- zoned with the gay-rights rain- bow symbol walked’ through the Condado tourist district to a rally in Luis Munoz Rivera Park recently. There, speakers decried the law that makes sex between people of the same gender a crime punishable by 10 years in prison. No one has ever been charged under the law, and prosecutors recently refused to arrest a lesbian pastor who offered herself as a test case. But homosexuals complain that the law encourages preju- dice against them. “We demand peace for the lesbians, homosexuals, bisexu- als, transsexuals and transgen- dered who are bombarded with taunts, contaminated by homo- phobia, abused by violence,” Amparo Fidalgo, spokes- woman of the gay rights coali- tion Rainbow Pride, said to a cheering crowd. Gay rights advocates have been quietly lobbying lawmak- ers to change the law, but they have all declined to present such a bill, Fidalgo said. Auto benefits DETROIT — Tolerance and acceptance has come to the heartland. The big three automakers — Ford, General Motors and Chrysler — will extend health care benefits to the partners of gay employees. The announcement from General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler division of DaimlerChrysler AG covers about 465,000 employees and could signal that such benefits will become standard in corporate America. “This is really a landmark,” said Kim Mills, education director with the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights group in Washington. “We’ve never really seen an industry get together as a group and say we’re going to institute these benefits.” The companies said they decided to extend health bene- fits to the same-sex domestic partners of employees after agreeing to study the issue as part of new contracts made with the United Auto Workers last fall. Starting Aug. 1, employees can apply to get medical, den- tal and prescriptionbenefits for their same-sex partners. Texas sodomy HOUSTON — An appeals court has struck down the law against sodomy in Texas. The court threw out the case of two Houston men who were arrested inside a home in 1998 for having sex with each other. June 2000 | Out in the Mountains [5 ":3 news Texas has had a sodomy law since 1860, but dropped crimi- nal penalties for partners of the opposite sex in 1974. In a 2-1 ruling, the 14th Court of Appeals said the law violates the Texas Constitution’s equal-rights protections. “The simple fact is, the same behavior is criminal for some but not for others, based solely on the sex of the indi- viduals who engage in the behavior,” Justice John S. Anderson wrote. The law was challenged by John Geddes Lawrence and Tyron Garner, who were arrest- ed when police entered Lawrence’s apartment and found the men having sex. They were charged with “deviant homosexual con- duct,” punishable by a fine of up to $500. Dean fired NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A group of college professors has censured a Roman Catholic college that fired a clean because he is gay. The American Association of University Professors accus- es Albertus Magnus College of violating the academic free- dom of Michael Hartwig, a for- mer priest who had been an associate dean and religion professor. College spokesman Mike Serpe called the censure “pre- determined” and “biased,” say- ing the school took proper steps in not renewing Hartwig’s employment for a different reason. Hartwig had publicly described himself as “a priest on leave” in a newspaper arti- cle, but college administrators said he had told them when hired in 1991 that he had left the priesthood. The controversy put them in an awkward position, Albertus Magnus leaders said. Hartwig also was identified as a priest on leave, as well as gay, in The Wanderer, a nation- al Roman Catholic magazine. Hartwig maintains he was fired because he was gay. A lawsuit over his dismissal in 1997 is pending in Hartford federal court. Prosecutor out CHARLESTON, S.C. — A prosecutor who revealed he is gay has been defeated in a bid for re-election. Prosecutor David Schwacke ?r?a€'”é.%‘%?,l.’?.°I‘e:':»>3§ The Pride Vermont 2000 Committee would like to express our gratitude to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and ally communities in Vermont for making this year's speak-out, festival, parade an overwhelming success. Thanks also goes out to everyone who helped extend Pride beyond Burlington at more than seventy '30 Days of Pride” events throughout the month of June. Your commitment is an inspiration to all of us. See you next June. GOLD SPONSORS Green Mountain Fund For Popular Struggle Lady Zeno at I35 Pearl Planet Out Seven Days SILVER SPONSORS Bell Atlantic IBM Karen & Steve Robbins Samara Foundation at Vermont BRONZE SPONSORS Main St. Landing Co. ' Vermont Floral tnc. Vermont Tent Company FRIEND SPONSORS A Different Stroke Tattoo Studio Allyn McDonald Anything’: Pastable Arcana As the Crow Flies Borders Books and Music Chain Reaction Chicky‘s Therapeutic Touch Choice Financial Services Chow! Bella Churdt & Maple Glass Studio Claude Lehman Dada's Dee Pee Versatile Enterprise Dog Team Tavern Doggie Daycare Elizabeth Fukushima Flynn Theatre Four Season's Cake Design Green Brier Hair by Design Highlands lnn Hummingbird Hill In Full Bloom Jett‘s Maine Seafood Katharine Montstream KP Signs & Designs Longrock Sperry 82 Wool Lenny's shoe 8. Apparel Leunig's Bistro/Paulines Magic Hat Brewery Maria McGrath Max Stroud Mirabelles Mix Max Moose Meadow Lodge Mountain Pride Media/OTTM Noah‘s Ark Pet Center Onion River Co-op Outdoor Gear Exchange Peace and Justice Store Pier I Pike-Riesner Photography Robert Dalton Salon Robert Simpson Sean Callahan Sleeper House Statements Hair Salon Cherie Tartt The Body Shop The Condo Guy IRE/MAXl The Painting Place Timothy Waite Fine Furniture Valley Print 8. Mail Vivaldi Flowers Wave Dancer Vlfild Flower Design Wine Works VOLUNTEERS & SERVICES PROVIDED BY: Sarah Harrington, Robert Simpson, Yolanda, DreamParty Productions, Spectrum, VGSA, Craig Mitchell, Rhythm Kitchen, Chin Hal, Katherine Quinn, House at LeMay, Noel, Tim Klra, Patty Garback, VT Gay Men's Chorus, The Egus Band, Dream Tribe, Sarriadhi Singers, Boom, Higher Ground, Phoenix Rising, Everyone’s Books, That Book Store, Peace Br Justice Center, Antiques at ITO Main, Burlington Police Dept., Cpl. Jim Marrier, City of Burlington Parks 8: Recreation, City of Montpelier, City at Rutland, Bread & Puppet, Ali Hutchins, Tracey Girdich, The Vermont Rainbow Connection, Barbara Dozetos, Thomas Henning, Cart Amotd, Mike Bensel, Tage Lilia, Lucy Glud<, Kevin West, Carol Mason, Cynthia McDonald, Michael Luna, Chad Dubois, Eric Cross, Dave Grenler, Chris Vaccaro, Rose Dufty, Mary Abar, Travis Gray, Ellen Doggett, Jen Gilson, John Byer, Alison Bechdel, Jordan Sitverman, John Loso, Todd McCarthy, Israel Bushey, Dan Grelter, Mldiael Johnson, Michelle Fleming, Kellie Arbor. Anne Moore, Todd Hall, Jaime Coan, and everyone else who supported us. V Pride Evaluation Meeting July to, 6pm, Vermont Floral, Pine St. Burlington You are invited to give us your feedback tpositive and negative] about Pride 2000 at this meeting. Open to everyone. Information, B59-9822, www.pridevermont.org FREED@M ING! N Vermont