By Karen Ocamb

State Sen. Kuehl Asks for Help

Nine Equality California-sponsored bills appear to be swiftly passing legislative policy committees, and the bills are expected to reach the full Assembly and Senate floors for final votes in August.

But in an unprecedented move before the bill has reached his desk, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarz-enegger indicated that he will veto SB 1437, the Bias-Free Curriculum Act authored by openly lesbian state Sen. Sheila James Kuehl. To counter the pronouncement, Kuehl has issued a public call for help.

“As the opponents of the bill continue to barrage [Schwarzen-egger's] office and held a rally at the Capitol, I believe it is useful to continue to call and write as the bill goes through the Assembly,” Kuehl said in an e-mail. “[The] governor has set up an automated system for this bill, pro and con and it takes about 15 seconds to record your support. Please continue to do this from each of your phones and also please circulate it widely. Here's how to call:

Call the governor's office:
(916) 445-2841
Press 1 for English
Press 2 for legislation
Press 1 for SB1437-Bias Free Curriculum Act
Press 1 to support it!
Thanks!”

For more information, go to www.eqca.org.

Senator Russ Feingold to Speak at ANGLE Breakfast

Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, a prospective candidate for the 2008 Democrat presidential nomination, is an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq and openly supports marriage equality. On Aug. 25, he will speak at the Access Now for Gay and Lesbian Equality (ANGLE) breakfast, which is open to the community. David Mixner, who is flying in from New York for the occasion, will introduce him. “Senator Feingold has already proven his strong support of our community. We look forward to hearing from him in person," said ANGLE co-founder and West Hollywood Councilman John Duran. For more information, go to www.angleonline.org.

Ana Lopez Receives Youth Courage Award

East Los Angeles native Ana Lopez, 21, is one of three recipients of the annual Colin Higgins Youth Courage Awards. The honors are given to “remarkable” LGBT youth “who refuse to be silenced by societal norms, demonstrating amazing courage when confronted with hardship, intolerance, and bigotry based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.” Ana endured a lonely and isolated childhood after she was outed at 14 and rejected by her Catholic family. “I had no one,” she says, twice attempting suicide. But her life changed when she learned about filmmaking and self-expression during a classroom presentation by Reach L.A., a youth media organization. She has since written articles and produced documentaries that have been featured on NPR and screened at Outfest. Her dream is to go to college and to pursue a career in filmmaking and communications. To read more about Ana and the other two recipients, go to www.colinhiggins.org.

GLASS Opens Youth Transitional Housing in Long Beach

Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services (GLASS) recently opened the Long Beach Youth Transitional Housing program, a facility designed for 12 homeless youth ages 12-17. “We are very excited to be working with the City of Long Beach on this innovative and important program,” said GLASS Executive Director Teresa Decrescenzo. “The issues of homeless, runaway youth are severe and the population is growing rapidly in Los Angeles County. Ensuring that we can provide shelter, mental health services, and job-training skills will help to break the cycle of abuse these children endure.” For more information, call (310) 358-8727.

West Hollywood Wants Sheriff to De-Emphasize Pot

On June 19 the West Hollywood City Council passed a resolution calling on the L.A. Sheriff's Department to make crystal meth, cocaine, and violent crime a higher enforcement priority than small amounts of marijuana.

Councilmember John Duran, who introduced the resolution, underscored that federal and state laws still prohibit marijuana use and the resolution does not call for its legalization, as an L.A. Times headline proclaimed. But “the whole reefer madness logic of the 1950s is wearing very thin,” Duran said. "It is not a threat and it shouldn't be treated any differently from alcohol.” Mayor John Heilman pointed out that WeHo deputies already follow the low-priority policy.

Rev. Scott Imler, co-author of Prop. 215, opposed the resolution, saying it would “muddy the waters” in efforts to change the federal classification of marijuana for medical purposes. He also warned of the "Amsterdamization of West Hollywood."

But in the context of WeHo's crystal meth crisis, there is precedent for the action. In 1994, in defiance of state law, L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan allowed needle exchange programs to help stem the spread of HIV/AIDS. Then-Sheriff Sherman Block (as well as LAPD Chiefs Willie Williams and Bernard Parks) said his department would consider arresting needle users a “low priority.”

Iowa Republican Cuts Funding Earmarked for L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center

Before a Congressional transportation, housing and urban development appropriations bill (HR 5576) was passed, Iowa GOP Rep. Steven King secured an amendment specifically denying earmarked funding designated for the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center, PageOneQ's Michael Rogers reported in a June 16 posting. A notice on Concerned Women For America's Web site said the amendment "eliminated an earmark of $300,000,” according to Rogers. King's Web site says, “The gay and lesbian center in Los Angeles is free to advocate their views, but I do not believe that taxpayers should be forced to subsidize an organization that is so radically opposed to traditional values the overwhelming majority of Americans hold dear.”

The appropriations bill now heads to the Senate, but neither a spokesperson for the Center nor an LGBT spokesperson for U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein would comment on the developing story.

San Diego Pride Resolves Conflict with Free Youth Tickets

On June 21 the board of directors of San Diego Pride voted to scrap a new youth policy developed in reaction to last year's controversial Festival.

The policy would have required youth 17 and under to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to enter the Festival. Pride's Executive Director Ron deHarte announced the policy in a commentary published in San Diego's Gay & Lesbian Times in April. The Times was an outspoken critic of last year's Pride when it was discovered that several volunteers, a staff member, and "Marty the Clown" who worked in the Children's Garden, were registered sex offenders.

The proposed new policy, ostensibly developed to protect Pride and the Festival from liability, mandated that youth be assigned a “buddy” who would act as a chaperone inside the festival grounds. San Diego Pride would have been the first Pride organization in the country to put such restrictions on youth access.

"That policy sends a homophobic message: that youth must be protected from gay people, and that everyone in our community is a potential sexual predator," said Peter Ian Cummings, youth advocate and editor of XY Magazine. Cummings contacted deHarte, voiced his opposition, and helped organize local and national leaders, including The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and several community based organizations, against the restricted admissions policy.

The Pride board voted for a voluntary “Youth Tent” with an incentive of free admission for youth under 17, if they provide identification and participate in a youth orientation that provides “a goody bag” with resources and information about "safe zones"—places on the grounds youth can go if they feel uncomfortable or need to "get away."

Attorney Jane Wesley Brooks, who gave pro bono advice to Pride during the meeting, generously offered to sponsor the free tickets for youth. "We still have areas to work out," she stated. "There may be discrimination issues involved in determining who to sell tickets to, and the board will need to adopt a policy regarding that."

The 32nd annual San Diego Pride celebration will take place July 28-30. - Denise Penn

Stars Shine for the Point Foundation

The Point Foundation held a star-studded benefit on Monday, June 12, at the Director's Guild of America. Singer k.d. lang hosted the event, which featured a live reading by Judith Light, Chad Allen and Robert Gant of Save Me, an independent film currently in pre-production. The Point Foundation provides financial support, mentoring and hope to meritorious students who are marginalized due to sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity. For more information about the Point Foundation, go to www.thepointfoundation.org. Pictured (l to r): Jonathan Harrison, Point scholar; Brondi Borer, Point trustee; Robert Gantt; kd lang; J. R. Mortimer, Point scholar; Zach Zyskowski, Point scholar. - Joseph S. Amster

EQCA Honors Excellence

On Aug. 19, Equality California (EQCA) will celebrate contributions to the cause of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality. “Equality California is proud to honor these champions of equality,” said Geoffrey Kors, EQCA executive director. “Their commitment to equality is reflected by their truly extraordinary work, leadership and activism.” EQCA's Equality Entertainment Award will be presented to Andy Bell, lead singer of Erasure. Attorney David C. Codell, a highly respected legal pioneer in the fight for civil rights for the LGBT community, will be honored with the Equality Advocate Award. The United Church of Christ (UCC) will receive the Equality Ally Award. For more information, call (310) 491-1401, or go to www.eqca.org. - Joseph S. Amster