Partners in Crime

This is a fascinating story out of Philadelphia. From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

A federal judge in Philadelphia has ruled that a long-term gay couple on probation has the same right to associate as a married couple.

Senior U.S. District Judge Marvin Katz issued the ruling in a case involving two Montgomery County men, Daniel Mangini and Steven Roberts, who were convicted in 2004 of dealing 100 grams of methamphetamine.

After their release from federal prison, the U.S. Probation Office declined to allow them to live together, citing a policy that forbids felons on probation from associating with other felons unless they are blood relatives or spouses.

Under the probation department rules, they were not permitted to speak, meet or e-mail during their five-year period of supervised release.

Before their arrests, Mangini and Roberts had lived together for 18 years, shared bank accounts, and helped raise a young girl.

"Defendants were in every way a family," Katz wrote in a 10-page opinion issued Tuesday. "The Due Process Clause [of the Constitution] protects highly personal relationships of deep attachment and commitment."

Amazingly, this case is establishing an extremely important precedent. Judge Katz is affirming the equal rights of same-sex couples. The ACLU press release describes the historic impact of this decision:

After acknowledging the long-term commitment that the couple has made to each other and noting the great strides both have made in their recovery, Judge Katz ruled today that the couple can no longer be barred from having contact with each other. Relying on the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2003 decision in Lawrence v. Texas, Judge Katz ruled that same-sex couples have the same right to form intimate relationships as opposite sex couples and that it is unconstitutional to treat same-sex couples differently.

"This is truly a great day for our clients who have been barred from having any contact with each other for more than a year," said Mary Catherine Roper, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Pennsylvania. "By honoring their commitment to each other and fighting to be together, Dan and Steven have helped to bring about ground-breaking law requiring equal treatment for same-sex couples."

In many ways, this was obviously a terrible ordeal for Mangini and Roberts. Thankfully, both men are now sober, moving forward with their life together.

I guess in this case, as far as the GLBT community is concerned, crime pays.

Endorsement Preview

Endorsement Meeting

Wednesday, August 1st

Mingle with the Candidates, 6:30 PM
Havens Center
1827 West Alabama St.

Here are the candidates that have screened with caucus so far. Tomorrow we will endorse a candidate in each of the races represented below. We will continue to screen and endorse candidates from other races as we approach election day.

Click on the names to visit campaign sites or other sites featuring information and these candidates.

Houston City Controller:

• Annise Parker

Houston City Council

At Large 2:

• Sue Lovell

At Large 4:

• Ron Green
  

At Large 5:

• Jolanda Jones
• Ray Ramirez
• Zaf Tahir

District B:

• Jarvis Johnson

District D:

• Wanda Adams
• Michael P. Williams

District H:

• Adrian Garcia

District I:

• John Marron
• James Rodriguez

Houston Community College Board of Trustees

• Kevin Hoffman, HCCS district I

Houston Independent School District Board of Trustees

Position 4:

• Davetta Daniels
• Paula Harris

Working Out

Next week the Caucus will vote to endorse candidates running for Houston City Council. The issue of employment discrimination always dominates our screening of candidates running for city office, and for good reason. Being the only major American city that does not guarantee GLBT people equal treatment in the workplace and equal, unbiased treatment when applying for jobs, Houston is sadly unique in this country.

With this in mind, I'd like to focus today's entry on two new reports that examine GLBT treatment in the workplace. The first study, HRC's "State of the Workplace for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Americans," shows a number of positive developments.

From HRC Back Story:

This year's report found an increase in the number of Fortune 500 employers that offer domestic partner benefits since last year - up from 250 to 267. This is also good news: almost 90% of Fortune 500 companies have anti-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation. And just how is the state of the workplace for the "T" constituency of our community? It seems that things are looking positive. Today, 25% percent of Fortune 500-ranked companies prohibit discrimination against transgender employees and applicants, compared to just 1 percent at the beginning of 2000.

The second report comes from the Williams Institute. Their report collects raw data from many different studies undertaken over the last two three decades. The Williams Institute does great work, and you can read their complete report here.

Here is a chart summarizing statistics about discrimination from the many studies they compared:


Lots of progress is being made, but, as the Williams Institute report illustrates, without government mandated nondiscrimination GLBT workers are too often treated unfairly. Some studies have found that nearly 70% of GLBT workers have gone through some form of discrimination in their careers. Studies show that transgendered people suffer even worse. There is an earning gap between GLBT professionals and straight professionals, but, of course, we all know these things. What are we going to do about it?

This year, for the first time, we have the chance to gain a majority on City Council. Come to our meeting, and help us pick the candidates that we'll back all the way to city hall.

Let's Talk About It

This blog often highlights instances when GLBT issues come out of the closet and into the mainstream. Last night’s CNN / YouTube presidential debate was historic for many reasons, but I was most impressed by the unprecedented amount of attention that focused on the GLBT community. Previous debates have touched on these issues, but I can’t recall a more thorough discussion than the one excerpted below. Amazingly, I felt the most substantive, emotional, even contentious moments of the two hour debate were ignited by the GLBT questions.





Of course, I think this development is great and long overdue, but all this attention on gay marriage got me thinking. I was amazed at how brief the discussion on health care was. All and all, they barely mentioned education. Few would deny that the 2008 presidential election will be extremely consequential. Our country is caught up in a thousand trials right now, from the Iraq war to the health care crisis. I’m curious… as a member of the GLBT community, what issue is most important to you in regards to electing the next president? What should we be talking about most, the environment or DADT, health care or marriage equality? Is there one, individual issue that will decide your vote in the primary? Does that issue involve GLBT civil rights?

On anther note, this is the fifty-second post of 2007! This blog was re-inaugurated in January, and since then, we’ve tried to cover a broad array of issues, both local and national. What was your favorite post? How would change the coverage?

After fifty posts, I think we should take a little time to talk about it.

Thanks

GLBTube #8

Tonight CNN will host the first ever YouTube presidential debate. I'm really looking forward to it, as I've been browsing through the questions the last few weeks, and there are some very insightful ones in the mix. Obviously, only a handful of the hundreds of questions will make it onto the broadcast, so I've embedded four of the best GLBT questions here on our blog. (Interestingly, nearly all of the GLBT related questions I found were asked by men. I wonder why. What do you think?)

I also wanted to include this clip from Human Rights Campaign. Elizabeth Edwards on GLBT equality:

"Neil and Ron" in Dear Abby

Next to apple pie and the Fourth of July, it's hard to get much more middle America than 'Dear Abby.' The common-sense advice column has been running in America's newspapers since 1956, and apparently is "read by more people than any other newspaper column worldwide."

So for all the public opinion data and statistics this blog's covered the past few months about changing public opinions in the United States on acceptance of GLBT people, when 'Dear Abby' is running heartwarmingly Dear-Abbyish columns about GLBT couples and how they're being accepted by their families, that's some pretty hard evidence that public opinion is on our side. Take a look below for the column from yesterday's Houston Chronicle.

Dear Abby:

My husband and I raised our two sons and two daughters. One son and both daughters married well. Our other son, "Neil," is gay. He and his partner, "Ron," have been together 15 years, but Neil's father and I never wanted to know Ron because we disapproved of their lifestyle.

When I was 74, my husband died, leaving me in ill health and nearly penniless. No longer able to live alone, I asked my married son and two daughters if I could "visit" each of them for four months a year. All three turned me down.

When Neil and Ron heard what had happened, they welcomed me into their home and even removed a wall between two rooms so I'd have a bedroom with a private bath and sitting room.

They also include me in many of their plans. Since I moved in with them, I have traveled more than I have my whole life and seen places I only read about in books. They never mention the fact that they are supporting me or that I ignored them in the past.

When old friends ask how it feels living with my gay son, I tell them I hope they're lucky enough to have one who will take them in one day. Please continue urging your readers to accept their children as they are. My only regret is that I wasted 15 years.

GRATEFUL MOM

Dear Grateful Mom:

You are indeed fortunate to have such a loving, generous and forgiving son. Sexual orientation is not a measure of anyone's humanity or worth. Thank you for pointing out how important it is that people respect each other for who they are, not for what we would like them to be.

You could have learned that lesson long ago, had you and your husband contacted Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (1726 M St. N.W., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036; www.pflag.org) when you first learned that Neil was gay. Among other things, the organization offers support groups and education for parents who need to learn more about gender issues.

We're Here, We're Queer, They're Used to It

The Economist reports:

The last full census, in 2000, counted nearly 600,000 same-sex couples. Five years later, the American Community Survey (in which the Census Bureau quizzes a statistically representative sample of 1.4m households) estimated that that number had increased by 30%, to 777,000.

The increase was most pronounced in the Midwest, with Wisconsin showing an 81% jump in the number of same-sex couples and Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri and Indiana also among the ten fastest-growing states in this respect. What this means, perhaps, is that gay America is becoming more like Middle America. “Much of the stereotype around gays is a stereotype of urban white gay men,” says Mr Gates. “The gay community is becoming less like that, and more like the population in general.” Gay couples are still more likely than straight ones to live in cities, but the gap is smaller than popularly believed, and closing. In 1990, 92% of gay couples but only 77% of American households were in what the Census Bureau calls “urban clusters”. By 2000, the gay figure had fallen to 84% while the proportion for households in general had risen to 80%, a striking convergence.

Over the last several days, the Caucus has been screening candidates seeking to win offices in this November's city elections. We're talking to candidates from all over the city, not just Montrose, and as we look forward to elections in 2008, we're even planning on targeting state rep. districts outside the 610 loop. As the above article describes, GLBT families exist everywhere, and we can demonstrate our influence everywhere. I truly believe we're fast approaching the threshold of significant change. We owe so much to the previous generation of activists. Those queers got out there, everywhere, and now everyone's used to us.

Unfortunately, we still don't have equality, but Houston and America is ready, so let's get to work.

GLBTube #7

Sometimes the fight for equality gets a little bit dirty (wink, wink) …

Ex…Ex…Ex… Exposed, ex ex-gay, Michael Busse, comes out about leaving Exodus ministries. Amazingly, Busse and his partner were both founders of the organization. They met and fell in love while trying to convert people away from homosexuality.

Turn the Other Cheek… No! That’s not pillow talk; that’s biblical. This story’s pretty amazing. On Saturday, July 7^th, evangelicals from across Tennessee marched through Nashville’s GLBT neighborhood, condemning homosexuality and abortion. GLBT residents did not respond in kind to the hateful intrusion. Instead OutLoud, a local advocacy group, offered the marchers cold water and hugs. There peaceful efforts made national news, drowning out the impact of the prejudiced march. Here’s a great clip recording the events:

Truth or Dare… Bill Graham, a retiring minister of the Canadian Parliament, reflects on his 23 years of service. Graham’s discussion of the gay marriage debate is very illuminating.

Mos and Microsoft

Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money

Cascade Investment LLC, the private investment firm of Bill Gates, the worlds richest man, has put 26 million dollars behind PlanetOut!

(I found this photo over at Seattelest, and I thought it was just too good to leave out.)

The Nasdaqu traded stock of PlanetOut, the umbrella company behind The Advocate, Out Magazine, and gay.com, has struggled since going public in 2004, but, oh, how quickly things change. It seems that Gates, certainly one of the world's most savy and insightful business leaders, sees great potential in GLBT media. I suspect this is just another indication of growing trend I describe in previous posts: more and more, the growth GLBT tolerance positively correlates with economic growth.

What does this mean for us? Now is the time. We have momentum. We have powerful advocates, like Bill Gates. Let's be bold in our activism.

Patriotic Party with the Next Mayor of Houston

I know... She hasn't officially announced anything, but the Houston GLBT Political Caucus is so proud of City Controller Annise Parker, so excited that she may be the first openly homosexual mayor of a major American city, that we just have to celebrate. This year's annual July 4th fundraiser will be held at the home of Annise Parker.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW - WHILE THEY LAST!

Over the last several elections, the caucus has achieved some historic victories. Our organization is healthy and growing. We have ambitious goals and a clear vision for the future of Houston - Houston led by Annise Parker. Annise Parker has proven herself over many years of service to our city, and we at the Caucus have been dreaming about her mayoral election for a long, long time. Rest assured, we're going to work harder than we've ever worked to get her elected, but...

Like you need equality,
WE NEED YOUR MONEY!

Here are all the details:

Wednsday, July 4th, 3:00 - 6:00
The home of the Honorable Annise Parker
1942 West Lamar, Houston, TX

Delicious BBQ!

Tickets are $50


R.S.V.P. TODAY

Annise Parker and Sue Lovell Join the Clinton Campaign

Houston may proudly count itself among the few American cities that have openly gay leaders in their municipal governments. City Controller Annise Parker and City Council Member Sue lovell have offered Houstonians great leadership, and those of us in the caucus can proudly say "we knew them when." Both are past presidents of our organization, and today both have placed themselves in Hillary Clinton's corner, as she competes for to be first women President of the United States.

In a press release commemorating the stonewall riots, Clinton announced yesterday the formation of a 65 member LGBT campaign steering committee. All members of the committee have individually endorsed Clinton, and Parker and Lovell are included in the list. They're in good company too, as the committee is comprised of many of our nation's most prominent LGBT elected officials and community activists. You can view the complete list here.

The list of supporters on the steering committee demonstrates the history of friendship that Hillary Clinton has had with this community and the depth of her support among LGBT leaders. It includes people like former U.S. Assistant Attorney General Eldie Acheson, who went to college with Hillary Clinton, and Neel Lattimore who worked for her as First Lady as well as film/TV writer and producer Greg Berlanti who met her last week and signed on as a supporter immediately. The list also includes prominent LGBT activists who have been leaders on issues important to the community, including three retired members of the military who have worked to overturn the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, advocates in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and the attorney who argued and won the landmark Supreme Court case, Lawrence v. Texas.

Last week I posted that John Edwards had announced a second list of LGBT backers and the endorsement of Garnet Coleman. Yesterday, Edwards campaigned in Houston with Coleman and Chris Bell, another caucus candidate. As Pride month comes to a close, nearly all of the democratic presidential candidates have released some sort of statement demonstrating their LGBT support. You can read Barack Obama's statement here and Bill Richardson's statement here. In this race, the Democrats are embracing our community like they never have before. Elizabeth Edwards even campaigned at the San Francisco Pride parade, becoming the most prominent candidate or spouse to ever participate in the festivities. As far as I can tell, none of the Republicans have mentioned us, except to affirm their belief in heterosexual marriage.

Of course, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus has no official position and will have official position on the presidential race. We're exclusively focused on cultivating equality in Houston and across the state Texas, but this blog was created to be forum for our community to discuss politics at all levels. When local leaders from our community, like Annise Parker, Sue Lovell, or Garnet Coleman, make an endorsement, I think that we should talk about it here.

Now that we're in the summer lull, before the city races get going full throttle, I'd love to get a discussion going about all this. What do y'all think about the race so far?

This is How Equality Happens

This is how equality happens: one race at a time. Listen to this NPR piece from this morning's All Things Considered. GLBT activists are making the difference in key local and state races all over America. This quote sums up our growing influence in Houston and nationally:

A new force is emerging in American politics: gay political donors who target state-level races. Last year, they funneled millions of dollars into dozens of carefully selected campaigns. Their goal: to elect gay-friendly governors and state lawmakers.

Congratulations! Today, Melissa Noriega has been sworn in as a Houston City Council member! After working tirelessly throughout the spring, the GLBT community can celebrate the inauguration of a new friend on council, and we can also celebrate the end of the hateful, anti-equality tenure of Shelly Sekula-Gibbs and Tom Delay. Noriega has gained broad support across the city, but no community campaigned more diligently than ours. I don't think any knowledgeable observer would deny that.


We're changing Houston, and we're changing this country. In our fight for equality, we're fulfilling the American promise.

Join the Caucus, contribute, and help us make difference.

Another Encouraging Public Opinion Poll

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation just released this amazing new poll:

A majority of Americans believe that gays and lesbians could not change their sexual orientation even if they wanted to, according to results of a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Wednesday.

It's the first time in a CNN poll the majority has held that belief regarding homosexuality.

Fifty-six percent of about 515 poll respondents said they do not believe sexual orientation can be changed. In 2001, 45 percent of those responding to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll held that belief. In 1998, according to a CNN/Time poll, the number was 36 percent.

With this report, like many of the others I cited here, I'm most impressed by the quick pace of change. In just ten years, 20% of Americans have come to understand that sexual orientation is not a choice. That's truly amazing. We've made such incredible progress. Just imagine... in ten years, its possible that three quarters of our country will understand the truth about sexual orientation.

We can even accelerate the pace of progress. This poll shows that the tipping point has been reached. Our community needs to be out spoken, direct and honest about our goals and our need for equality. That's what the caucus' political activism is all about. In the upcoming city election, we should campaign like we've never campaigned before. We have the momentum, and we have a platform.

Join the caucus. Contribute. Help us make Houston a welcoming home for everyone.

Proud Edwards

You might be wondering why John Edwards has been getting more coverage on this blog than any other candidate. I regularly check the websites of all presidential candidates, both Democrat and Republican. I've signed up to receive almost everyones e-mails, and, up to now, John Edwards is the only candidate that headlines his LGBT support. I don't imagine that too many of us in the Caucus have decided who we're supporting in the primary, but Edwards is obviously proud to have LGBT backers, and that means a lot to me. I assume that the other Democrats are receiving endorsements from our community as well, but they aren't publicizing them, and I find that a little troubling.

Just this week, Edwards announced yet another impresive list of LGBT endorsers:

Kevin Jennings, New York LGBT Community Activist

Jeffrey Davis, New York LGBT Community Activist, Managing Director of Lehman Brothers

Gregory G. Simoncini, Commissioner of Illinois Human Rights Commission, former Board Member of National Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, former Board Member of Lambda Legal

Stephen Handwerk, Board Member of National Stonewall Democrats and Co-Chair of Louisiana Stonewall Democrats.

Jeff Anderson, former Co-Chair of John Kerry for President National LGBT Finance Committee

Jeff Soukup, Board Member of Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, former President and COO, PlanetOut Inc., and former Co-Chair National Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund

Pam Cooke, Board Member of National Stonewall Democrats

Also, on the same day that he posted the list above, John Edwards was in Austin. While visiting our state he announced that several prominent Texas Democrats have gotten behind him. Most importantly to us, State Representative Garnet Coleman, the featured speaker at our last meeting, has formally endorsed John Edwards for president. That really impresses me.
Here's what Coleman had to say:

"We need a Democrat in the White House in 2008 to fix the damage done by the Bush Administration and put our country back on track," said state Representative Garnet Coleman. "John Edwards is the best Democrat to take back the White House and restore America to its place of leadership."

Here's the complete list of Texas endorsers:

Current Elected Officials

Dallas Mayor Laura Miller - Dallas
State Senator Kirk Watson - Austin
State House Democratic Leader Jim Dunnam - Waco
State Representative Trey Martinez-Fischer, Vice Chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus - San Antonio
State Representative Garnet Coleman, Immediate Past Chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus & Chair of the Texas Legislative Study Group - Houston
State Representative Joe Farias - San Antonio
State Representative Stephen Frost - New Boston
State Representative Mark Homer - Paris
State Representative Paula Pierson - Arlington
State Representative Craig Eiland - Galveston

Former Elected Officials:

Former U.S. Representative Max Sandlin - Marshall
State Senator Babe Schwartz - Galveston

Other Prominent Texans for John Edwards:

Charles Soechting - Former Texas Democratic Party Chairman - San Marcos
Hank Gilbert - 2006 Commissioner of Agriculture Democratic Nominee - Tyler
Jim Marston - Director, Environmental Defense Texas * - Austin
Enrique Moreno - El Paso
Frank Herrera - Former Chair, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund * - San Antonio
Mikal Watts - Possible 2008 Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate - San Antonio
Liz Carpenter - Austin
Karen Dulaney Smith, Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees - Austin*

* For Identification Purposes Only

GLBTube #6

The good, the bad, and the ugly… You figure which is which.

Overview of GLBT Issues from the 80th Legislature

Last night's Caucus general meeting was really excellent. Members had the great pleasure of hearing presentations from three of our champions in the state house, Garnet Coleman, Ellen Cohen, and Hubert Vo.

Representative Coleman has put together a thorough summary of GLBT related activity from this year's session. This was just one of many excellent messages that Coleman has sent out this spring through his GLBT e-mail blast. I thought everyone would appreciate finding out what happened, and, more importantly, what didn't happen up in Austin this year.

Dear Friend,

Through a lot of hard work, the GLBT community has made tremendous strides over just the past few years in educating the public about equality and fairness for GLBT people, and that showed in the 80th Texas Legislature. Fourteen pro-GLBT issues were filed this session, compared to just one anti-GLBT bill. In contrast to last session, action on the House floor, while rare, was generally positive for GLBT-related legislation. There are still a number of narrow-minded members hostile to GLBT issues, but many members, particularly freshmen, have voted for positive GLBT-related legislation when it's had a chance to get to the floor.

---

The 'Dignity for All Students' Budget Amendment by Coleman Late this March, I authored an amendment to the budget that required all schools to report data on incidents of bullying and harassment against GLBT students in Texas. Every student in Texas has the right to a quality education without fear of harassment or bullying at school. My amendment simply would have required schools to report on incidents of harassment at schools, because knowing what kind of harassment is going on at school would even further clarify the need for the legislature to do something to stop it.

The Coleman "Dignity for All Students" data collection amendment passed the House, with nine Republicans joining sixty-seven Democrats in voting for the amendment, although it was ultimately stripped in conference committee and did not become law.

---

Legislative Intent on the rights of residential tenants I was proud to establish legislative intent on a piece of legislation this session with Rep. Rafael Anchia to expand housing protections for GLBT Texans. Rep. Anchia authored HB 3101, which expanded rights and remedies for residential tenants in Texas. Rep. Anchia and I had an exchange read into the record for legislative intent establishing that if a landlord refuses to rent to a person for a particular reason (including the person's orientation) without including that reason in a list of eligibility criteria for renting, then the landlord would have to return any deposit that person put down on the apartment.

GLBT Texans should not have the rug pulled out from underneath them and lose their deposit on an apartment if a landlord decides not to rent to them without informing them of their renting criteria, and this legislative intent I established will ensure no Texans have to face that circumstance.

---

Rep. Hochberg's Juvenile Hate Crimes Legislation This session I joint-authored H.B. 1078 with Representative Scott Hochberg, which allowed for a finding of conduct constituting a hate crime in a juvenile proceeding. Texas' current law defines hate crimes for crimes committed by adults, including crimes motivated on the basis of a person's sexual orientation. However, the law does not define hate crimes committed by juveniles, even though nearly one-third of all hate crime offenders are juveniles. The tragic attack on David Ritcheson in Spring last year only emphasizes the need for such legislation.

H.B. 1078 passed out of committee on a unanimous vote in April, although it was never set for debate on the House floor.

---

Unequal Legal Treatment under 'Romeo & Juliet' statute Texas law regarding statutory rape currently unfairly discriminates against GLBT young people. Texas law allows for a three-year overlapping time frame between two young persons who have sexual relations, to prevent cases in which an eighteen year old senior is charged with statutory rape for dating a seventeen year old junior (this is often referred to as a "Romeo" exception). But that exception only applies when the two young people are of the opposite sex, so GLBT young people don't get the exception.

This February I authored an amendment to repeal that unfair treatment in the law. The amendment was defeated, but I promise to remain vigilant on this issue through the interim and next session as well.

---

Montrose Management District While GLBT Houstonians live all over the city, Montrose has long been a cultural and social home to Houston's GLBT community. Along with Representative Ellen Cohen and Senator Rodney Ellis, this session I passed HB 4091, which expanded the East Montrose Management District to include West Montrose and added additional members to the board.

The Montrose Management District invests in neighborhood improvements and infrastructure projects to improve quality of life and spur economic development in Montrose, and I was proud to author and pass HB 4091 this session.

---

Stopping Prison Sexual Assault Sexual assault against prisoners is a problem in Texas; at least 36% of all instances of sexual assault against prisoners in the United States occurred in Texas, not including the countless number of cases which go unreported. Sexual assault in prison can lead to increased cases of HIV, increases in long-term health care costs both within and outside of prison, and can have terrible physical and psychological effects on victims of sexual assault. Unfortunately, GLBT prisoners are often singled out more than others as victims of sexual assault in prison.

HB 1944, which I authored and passed this session along with Senator Rodney Ellis, creates an ombudsperson in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Office of Inspector General to ensure impartial resolution of instances of sexual assault.

---

Health care for children in foster care Current law in Texas allows children in college to remain on their parents' health insurance until age 24, but for foster children, the State of Texas serves as their parents. I passed an amendment this session to allow foster children who are attending college to remain on Medicaid until age 23. Certainly this amendment benefits all children in foster care, but now GLBT youth who have "aged out" of the foster care system can have health coverage until they leave school.

---

The Davis Amendment to Rep. Charlie Howard's "Religious Viewpoints" bill The far-right still has a strong grip on state government, and this session we faced Rep. Charlie Howard's "religious viewpoints" bill, which was meant to codify religious freedoms in schools. The bill required every event at which students assemble for school administrators to provide a "limited public forum" for students to express their religious viewpoints. I strongly believe in respecting students' rights of speech, but Rep. Howard's bill essentially would require schools to let students proselytize at any student assembly at which attendance was mandatory.

Rep. Yvonne Davis of Dallas had a very simple amendment to Rep. Charlie Howard's bill. It stated that a student's speech at one of these "limited public forums" could not discriminate against other students on the basis of their "sex, race, age, sexual preference, or religious beliefs." Rep. Davis' amendment was a good attempt to ensure that these "limited public forums" did not turn into platforms for bigotry or hatred against other students. Twenty-three Republicans and sixty-five Democrats voted for the Davis amendment, although it was ultimately stripped in conference committee and did not become law.

---

Anti-GLBT Legislation The sole anti-GLBT billfiled this session, HB 1017 by Rep. William Zedler was aimed at banning gay-straight alliances (GSAs) in our public schools. GSAs provide a strong support network for GLBT youth in what may be a difficult time in their lives. Fortunately, HB 1017 never even received a hearing from the Public Education committee, and I would thank both the GLBT community and my colleague on the committee, Representative Scott Hochberg, for their hard work in helping to kill this bad piece of public policy.

Fortunately, not a single anti-GLBT amendment made it to the floor this session. Last session the House passed an amendment banning gays and lesbians from being foster parents in Texas. Despite ample opportunities to do so, no amendment like that hit the floor this session. Changing hearts and minds isn't inevitable; it's happened
because the GLBT community has worked so hard to educate people about ending discrimination and bigotry in our state. I believe that hard work translated this session into the inaction on legislation that would diminish the rights of GLBT Texans. (In particular, Equality Texas, the Houston GLBT Political Caucus and Randall Ellis at Legacy Community Health Services have done excellent political and advocacy work to advance GLBT issues this session).

---

Tom Craddick's grip on the flow of legislation Despite the change in membership that has made the Legislature a less intolerant place for GLBT issues, Speaker Tom Craddick and his leadership team stifled or stopped many of the positive changes members voted for this session. My amendment and the Davis amendment were stripped from their respective bills in conference committee, and Rep. Hochberg's juvenile hate crimes bill was never set for debate on the floor. Additionally, many of the pro-GLBT bills filed this session never received hearings from the committees to which they were referred.

Speaker Tom Craddick has shown his hostility to GLBT issues as speaker, allowing measures to come to the floor like a constitutional ban on gay marriage and a ban on gays and lesbians serving as foster parents. More generally, Tom Craddick has shown hostility to individual rights and freedoms in his three terms as speaker. Recently, he declared he has "absolute power" over all motions on the floor of the house and refused to recognize motions to let the members vote on whether he should remain speaker. Contravening the wishes of the majority of the House through declarations of absolute power is one of many reasons why I believe the Texas House needs a new speaker.

---

Conclusion I hope this information is helpful to you in covering how the 80th Texas Legislature treated GLBT legislation session. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to respond to this e-mail or call my district office at 713-520-5355. I promise to you that I will continue fighting for equal rights for GLBT Texans in the legislature and providing leadership without fear.

Sincerely,

Garnet Coleman

An interesting Metric for Growing Tolerance

According to Prime Access Inc., an marketing agency that produces an annual report on advertisement revenues in the gay and lesbian press, corporate America recognizes that tolerance for GLBT in is surging significantly.

Here are some of the report's key findings. You may read the entire report here.

• Compared to a decade ago, advertising growth in gay and lesbian press continues to out pace advertising growth in consumer magazines as a whole. For the gay and lesbian press, 2006 advertising spending is up an impressive 205% since 1996, compared to an increase of 47% for all consumer magazines during the same ten year period.
  
• Over 183 Fortune 500(registered trade mark) brands were active in gay consumer markets as of 2006, up from 150 in 2004. There were only 19 such brands in 1994
• The combined circulation of all publications constituting the gay and lesbian press is now 3,777,488, an increase of 10.4 % versus a year ago.
  

I think those findings are pretty amazing. Prime Access president Howard Buford gave Market Watch the following statement regarding the report:

"This year's report confirms how, in just one decade, gay and lesbian consumers have gone from an overlooked niche to an audience that Fortune 500 companies are working overtime to reach," said Howard Buford, president of Prime Access, in a release accompanying the report. "The numbers make it clear that corporate America recognizes and values both the spending power and influence of gay consumers."

GLBTube #5

Debates:

This clip, from last night’s debate (6/3/07), features Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. Beyond their discussion, by show-of-hands, every Democratic presidential candidate indicated their desire to get rid of “don’t ask don’t tell.” Good for them! Later in the debate, John Edwards and Bill Richardson both spoke eloquently in support of same sex civil unions and the repeal of DOMA. Of the all candidates running for president, only Dennis Kucinich supports gay “marriage.” Every other democrat supports civil unions.

In this clip, members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Finance Committee debate the inclusion of domestic partnership benefits is the omnibus budget bill. Karen Clark has proudly served as an open lesbian in Minnesota’s State House since 1980.

Angie Paccione is a candidate for Colorado’s 4^th Congressional district. She currently serves in the Colorado House of Representatives. This is clip is from a 2006 debate between Paccione and Congresswomen Marilyn Musgrave. Paccione ended up losing the election in 2006, but she’s running again. She obviously supports us; maybe we should send her some support.

Vote Early for Melissa Noriega

EARLY VOTING STARTS MONDAY, June 4

The upcoming June 16 run- off election to fill the City Council seat vacated by Shelley Sekula-Gibbs is expected to be a low-key affair. So your vote is very important.

• Main Office: Harris County Administration Building, 1001 Preston, 1st Floor
• Montrose: Metropolitan Mutli-Service Center, 1475 W. Gray
• Other Locations

Early Voting Hours of Operation

• Monday to Friday: June 4 to 8 - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday, June 9 - 7:00 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sunday, June 10 - 1:00 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Monday to Tuesday: June 11 to 12- 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Regular Voting Hours of Operation

• Saturday: June 16 - 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

National Poll Shows Increasing Tolerance

Gallup has just released new polling data that indicates dramatic shifts in the way Americans view homosexuals. A historically strong majority of Americans feel that homosexual relations should be legal and that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle. Additionally, support for marriage equality is surging nationally, just as support for gay adoption is surging in Houston. Since 1977, the number of Americans who understand that homosexuality is an inborn trait, not a learned behavior, has also grown dramatically. This is extremely significant, as Gallup has found that people who understand the true roots of sexual orientation are much moire likely to advocate for equality and tolerance.




Gallup has also uncovered interesting correlations between homosexual preference and political affiliation. As would be expected, a majority of Republicans feel that homosexuality is unacceptable. Interestingly, a strong majority - 60% - of independent voters are tolerant of homosexuals. Nearly 3/4 of Democrats are also tolerant of homosexuals.

It seems clear that American voters are no longer so sharply divided in their views on homosexuality. With Republican self-identification declining and self identified Democrats and independents on the rise, politicians need not hedge in their support for GLBT Americans anymore. As GLBT activists, we have the ability to further progress public opinion towards complete tolerance. We need only talk about our lives, our families, and our hardships, and our political power grows. We have the momentum. Lets run with it.

John Edwards' HRC Questionnaire

Presidential candidate, John Edwards, has been setting himself apart from his rivals, by reaching out to the GLBT community. Most recently, he has made his answers to the H.R.C. candidate questionnaire public. Here's how he answered their questions:

1. Currently, there is no federal law protecting individuals from job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Qualified, hardworking Americans can still be denied job opportunities, fired or otherwise be discriminated against just because of their sexual orientation in 33 states and because of their gender identity in 42 states As president, would you support and work for passage of a federal bill that would prohibit job discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity?
X Support __Oppose

Comments: Yes. Workers should be judged by the quality of their performance, not their sexual orientation or gender identity. While in the Senate, I cosponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. I also believe that stronger enforcement is necessary to prevent employment discrimination by federal agencies.

2. Currently the federal hate crimes law does not protect all Americans from bias-motivated violence. Would you support federal legislation that adds sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability to existing federal law giving authority to the federal government to investigate and prosecute violent crimes (H.R. 1592)? This authority already exists for crimes committed because of the victim's race, color, religion and national origin and because they were attempting to exercise a federally protected right.
X Support __Oppose

Comments: Yes. Everyone is entitled to live in dignity without fear of violence. We should strengthen the ability of law enforcement to investigate and prosecute hate crimes based on race, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity. While in the Senate, I cosponsored legislation to give law enforcement agencies the tools they need to investigate and prosecute hate crimes.

3. New treatments have improved the quality of life for those living with HIV/AIDS, but those treatments are expensive, and not available to everyone who needs them. Years of flat-funding for the Ryan White Care Act has forced states across the country to institute waiting lists, limit formularies, and other cost containment measures. The CARE Act provides access to lifesaving treatment and care for over half a million low-income Americans with HIV/AIDS. Would you support increased funding for this critical program?
X Support __Oppose

Comments: Yes. There is an urgent need for more resources in the fight against HIV/AIDS. As a member of the U.S. Senate, I was proud to fight for greater funding for the battle against HIV/AIDS, and I co-sponsored the Ryan White CARE Act. As president, I will continue the fight for the funding that this program critically needs.

4. Would you support the Early Treatment for HIV Act (ETHA), S. 860, federal legislation that would allows states the option to provide Medicaid coverage to low-income, HIV positive Americans. Currently, only Americans that can be considered disabled are eligible for Medicaid coverage, excluding those who are HIV positive but have no symptoms of the disease?
X Support __Oppose

Comments:

Would you support increased funding for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and research?
X Support __Oppose

Comments: Yes. The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to grow in the United States and around the world. I support allowing states to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income, HIV-positive Americans and more funding for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and research. My plan to guarantee quality affordable health care for every man, woman and child in America will empower people to prevent, test, and treat HIV without fear of losing benefits if they change or lose their job.

5. Would you support the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act which would create a federal grant program to channel money to states that choose to teach comprehensive and age-appropriate sex education for America's students that includes science-based prevention methods?
X Support __Oppose

Comments: Yes. I support comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education for young people that includes information on both abstinence and contraception.

6. Currently, only Massachusetts recognizes equal marriage rights for same sex couples. Do you believe the civil institution of marriage (with absolutely no requirements imposed on religious institutions) should be made legally available to two committed adults of the same sex?
__Support X Oppose

If you do not believe that civil marriage for same-sex couples should be made available to same-sex couples on the same basis as opposite sex couples, is there any legal construct you do embrace that would extend legal recognition to same sex couples?

Comments :

If a state has taken the steps to recognize same sex couples and their families for purposes of state-based benefits, rights, privileges and responsibilities (such as marriage in Massachusetts and civil unions in Vermont and Connecticut), should the federal government recognize the state's legal recognition of such couples and families for purposes of federal benefits and tax treatment?
X Support __Oppose

Comments: Yes. I believe that couples in committed, long-term relationships should have the same rights, benefits, and responsibilities, whether they are straight couples or same-sex couples. I support civil unions to guarantee gay and lesbian couples the same rights as straight couples, including inheritance rights, hospital visitation rights, equal pension and health care benefits, and all of the 1,100 other legal protections government affords married couples. I support the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act provision that prevents the federal government from recognizing same-sex relationships. Gay marriage is an issue I feel internal conflict about and I continue to struggle with it. However, I believe the right president could lead the country toward consensus around equal rights and benefits for all couples in committed, long-term relationships.

7. According to a 2004 GAO report, over 1,100 benefits, rights and privileges are provided to married couples and their families in federal law that are not available to same-sex couples. Do you support extending federal benefits, rights, privileges and responsibilities to same-sex couples (and their children) provided the partnership meets certain federal standards of commitment and mutuality of interest?
X Support __Oppose

Comments:

Specifically, do you support the expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act to cover domestic partners and their children?
X Support __Oppose

Comments:

Do you support modifying the Social Security System to pay survivor benefits to the same-sex partners of gay and lesbian people?
X Support __Oppose

Comments:

Do you support fair and equal tax treatment of same sex couples on the same basis as married couples?
X Support __Oppose

Comments:

8. Many gay and lesbian people serve in the federal government but do not receive the same health insurance and other employee benefits of married couples. Do you support domestic partner coverage for gay and lesbian employees of the civilian federal workforce?
X Support __Oppose

Comments: Yes. I support extending health care and other benefits to the committed gay and lesbian partners of federal employees.

9. While 47 states allow gay and lesbian people to adopt children, some legislators are pushing to prohibit capable, committed adults from adopting because of their sexual orientation. As president, would you support giving appropriate judicial authorities the full authority to make decisions on adoption based on the best interest of the child, without bans based solely on sexual orientation?
X Support __Oppose

Comments: Yes. I believe that gay and lesbian parents should be able to adopt children just like any other parents. There are over 120,000 children waiting for homes in our nation's foster care system. Adoption placements should be decided by judges and adoption agencies based upon the best interests of the children. Both members of a same-sex couple raising children together should be able to form a legal relationship with their children.

10. Would you support the Uniting American Families Act, which would enable an American citizen to petition for immigration sponsorship for a same-sex partner, and the INS would treat the relationships between opposite and same-sex couples in the same manner under the immigration code?
X Support __Oppose

Comments: Yes. I believe that all families should be treated in the same manner by our immigration laws.

11. Would you support a congressional repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy which would allow gay, lesbian, and bisexual soldiers the right to serve openly in the military as is currently the policy in nearly every NATO country (H.R. 1246)?
X Support __Oppose

Comments: Yes. I oppose the current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy on gays and lesbians serving in our military.
The military ought to treat all service members equally and in a way that promotes national security, without regard to their sexual orientation.