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NEWS ITEMS AFFECTING GAYS AND LESBIANS
FOR THE YEAR 2000, OCT TO DEC
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News of 2000-OCT:
 | 2000-OCT-5: USA: V-P candidate Dick Cheney supports gay relationships:
The only vice-presidential debate of the year 2000 campaign was held in
Danville, KY on the campus of Centre College. Former Defense
Secretary Dick Cheney (R-WY), and Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) were
the principals at a live debate. In response to a question on lesbian
and gay relationships, Secretary Cheney said that "people should
be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to enter
into. It's really no one else's business in terms of trying to
regulate or prohibit behavior in that regard... I
think different states are likely to come to different conclusions,
and that's appropriate. I don't think there should necessarily be a
federal policy in this area... I think we ought to do everything we can to
tolerate and accommodate whatever kind of relationships people want to
enter into." 1 |
Margorie Williams of the Washington Post commented: "Both
Cheney and his Democratic counterpart, Joe Lieberman, gave answers
strikingly more compassionate, more uncertain and thinking-out-loud,
than they had in the past, marking a signal moment--a tipping point--in
America's gradual acceptance of homosexuality....It took several days for the anger of the Republican right to
boil over at his apostasy... But it was already clear, or should have
been, that Cheney's answer to that question was the biggest news of the
vice presidential debate. George W. Bush's reassertion, during
Wednesday's [OCT-11] presidential debate, of his party's hard line on a
range of laws affecting gays and lesbians did nothing to change the
symbolic importance of his running mate's answer." 2
More details.
| 2000-OCT-9: USA: Dr. Laura Schlessinger apologizes to gays and
lesbians:
According to PlanetOut News Staff: "Moved by the [Jewish]
atonement holiday the talk host took out an ad to say she's sorry for
her anti-gay statements, but many think she has an apology deficit
disorder." Dr. Laura took out a full-page ad in Daily
Variety titled "A Heartfelt Message From Dr. Laura
Schlessinger" It read in part: "On the Day of
Atonement, Jews are commanded to seek forgiveness from people we have
hurt. I deeply regret the hurt this situation has caused the gay and
lesbian community." More details |
| 2000-OCT-26: USA: Jimmy Carter's beliefs about homosexuality:
According to ReligionToday, in an interview with Baptist Press, Carter
said that he believes that homosexuality is a sin. He favors
homosexual ordinations: If they were "demonstrating the
essence of Christianity, I would not object to the individual being
ordained...Adultery is a more serious sin than homosexuality....Homosexuals
have a perfect right to profess to be Christians, accept Christ as
Savior, and I wouldn't have a problem if they worshiped side by side
with me. Jesus never singled out homosexuals to be condemned. When the
Southern Baptist Convention started singling out homosexuals as a
special form or degree of sinfulness, I didn't agree with it. Now,
that target has shifted to the subjugation of women." He also
favors laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation. He does not support homosexual marriages.
...Carter said he is pro-life. "I have never believed that Christ
would approve of abortion. When I was governor and president, I
took an oath to uphold the Constitution. I had to administer the
[abortion] law, but I did everything I possibly could to
discourage abortion." |
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News of 2000-NOV:
| 2000-NOV-7: Arizona: Chaplain exits closet: According to
CitzenLink:
Rev. Charles Coppinger, Chaplain of the Arizona Legislature sent a
letter to each legislator saying that he believes that God created him
as a gay man. He said: "I want God's gay and lesbian children
to know of God's unconditional love and acceptance of them as well. We
cannot find any condemnation in scripture for committed monogamous
same-sex relationships." Senator David Petersen
responded: "Charlie, you put us in a real tough position. And
I would like to know if this is an issue that you're personally
struggling with, or you're committed to? To me, there's a
difference." Coppinger replied that he is no longer
struggling with his sexual orientation. |
| 2000-NOV-18: Caribbean: Anti-gay laws to be lifted: According
to the London Sunday Times: Britain has been trying to honor its
obligations to the European Convention on Human Rights by
persuading five of its territories in the Caribbean to repeal their
anti-gay laws. The territories are Anguilla, British Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Monserrat, and Turks & Caicos
Islands. Penalties for consensual same-sex behavior ranges from a
fine in the Caymans to life imprisonment in the Turks & Caicos.
The laws have been rarely enforced in recent years. None of the
territories were willing to repeal their laws, so a British
Order-in-Council will be invoked to nullify the laws. This is expected
before Christmas. |
| 2000-NOV-27: New Zealand: Equal property rights to all couples:
According to Newsroom: "All couples in New Zealand soon may
have the same property rights regardless of their marital status after
Parliament voted to include same-sex and de facto couples in the new
Property (Relationships) Amendment Bill." Couples who have
been living together for three or more years, and who later split up,
will share "equally in the subsequent division of property,
assets, and liabilities, although the law would give judges the power
to award lump-sum payments and alter the distribution of property by
taking into account a partner’s future earning power. Partners also
would be entitled to any claims over a deceased estate." This
includes heterosexual married couples, same-sex couples, and
heterosexual unmarried couples. 4 |
| 2000-NOV-28: USA: Survey of homophobia among high school
students: A survey released by "Who's Who Among American
High School Students" found that most top high school
students believe that gays and lesbians should be allowed to be
teachers, Boy Scout or Girl Guide leaders, and sport coaches. However,
39% admitted that they still had some prejudice against homosexuals. |
News of 2000-DEC:
| 2000-DEC-5: Canada: Lesbian couple may marry: There appears
to be an ambiguity in Ontario's marriage act which may allow gays or
lesbians to marry. Section 5 defines an alternative processes by which a
couple can marry without first obtaining a marriage license: They may have the banns read at a church at which at
least one of them is a member. The banns are a series of announcements made
during the service on three successive weeks that the couple plans to
marry. Members of the congregation are asked whether there is any legal
reason why they should not (e.g. one of the couple is currently
married to someone else, or the couple are too closely related). After
the third reading of the banns, the couple can get married and have
their union registered with the government. The marriage act defines
this process as being available to "any person who is of the
age of majority." Two male gays are certainly "persons."
A high court in Britain ruled many decades ago that women in Canada
are also persons. Thus, two lesbians would appear to qualify under
Section 5. Gail Donnelly and Barbara McDowall
attend the Metropolitan Community Church in Toronto ON. They will
have their banns read during 2001-JAN. A precise wedding date has not been
set. The legality of this route is in dispute. The provincial and
federal governments cannot decide who has authority in this case. 5 |
| 2000-DEC-6: UK: Age of consent bill passes: The age of
consent for same-sex sexual activities had been 18 years. This was out
of line with the law in most other European Union countries. Three
times, the government tried to lower the age to 16 years. Each time,
the bill was defeated in the House of Lords, an appointed body
of English aristocrats. On the fourth try, the House of Commons
speaker, Michael Martin, invoked the Parliament Act to bypass
the House of Lords and send the Sexual Offences Act directly
to the Queen for royal assent. It is now law. |
| 2000-DEC-7: USA: Civil unions in United Methodist Church:
According to ReligionToday, Pastor Gregory Dell of the Broadway
United Methodist Church in Chicago IL has found a method of
conducting same-sex unions while staying within church rules. The
denomination has a ban on same-sex unions.
He has the couple exchange vows at a ceremony outside the church. Then
they return to the church to celebrate their unions at a second
service. |
| 2000-DEC-10: Canada: Banns read for a gay and lesbian couple:
Rev. Brent Hawkes, minister of the Metropolitan Community Church in
Toronto, ON, announced the banns of marriage for two
couples, one gay (Kevin Bourassa and Joe Varnell) and one lesbian
(Anne Vautour and Elaine Vantour). He said: "Today...we are
making history. Today we are exercising our freedom of religion. We
are exercising our freedom to marry." A double wedding is
scheduled for JAN-14. |
| 2000-DEC-16: Canada: Supreme Court rules on custom inspections:
The Supreme Court of Canada upheld the constitutionality of the
Customs Act. All nine justices criticized Canada Customs for
years of "excessive and unnecessary prejudice"
against gay and lesbian erotica. However, they did overturn one
section that called on the importers to defend suspect materials.
Under the new rules, if an importer complains, customs agents are
given 30 days to justify seizures in court. Otherwise, the material
must be released. 6 |
| 2000-DEC-19: Netherlands: Gay marriage approved: According to
Reuters: The Dutch upper house of parliament passed two bills that had
been previously approved by the lower house in 2000-SEP. Effective
2001-APR, marriage and adoption in the Netherlands will be open to
both heterosexual and homosexual couples. This is the first country in
recent history to have legalized gay and lesbian marriages. The bills
were strongly opposed by a number of Christian religious parties. Onno
Hoes, a spokesperson for COC, a group promoting equality for
gays and lesbians said: "We're the first country in the world
where there is no distinction made [in marriage] on the basis of
gender." The Senate statement said: "As far as
possible, homosexual marriage will have the same consequence as
heterosexual marriage." Among other things, this means that
spousal support obligations would also apply to same-sex marriages. |
References:
- V-P debate transcript at:
http://www.debates.org/transcripts/textfiles/
- Margorie Williams, "When Cheney broke ranks," Washington Post,
2000-OCT-13, Page A39. Online at:
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/
- "'Dr. Laura's' Yom Kippur Apology," PlanetOut News & Politics,
at:
http://www.planetout.com/pno/news/
- "New Zealand moves close to granting property rights to same-sex
couples," Newsroom, at:
http://www.newsroom.com/Article_show.asp?ArticleID=975402663
- Siobhan Roberts, "Loophole may allow gay marriages," National
Post, 2000-DEC-5, Pages A1 & A2
- Tonda MacCharles, "Customs can stop gay erotica: Top court,"
Toronto Star, 2000-DEC-16, Page A13
Copyright © 2000 & 2001 by the Ontario
Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2001-JUL-20
Compiler: B.A. Robinson
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