Newspapers / Q-notes (Charlotte, N.C.) / June 7, 2003, edition 1 / Page 28
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28 Health Q-NOTES • JUNE 7 . 2003 Serving the Cc»mmunity Since 19U9 at MetroHna AIDS Project and now serving the Community in private practice. Micki McDoiiougli, M.Ed. Licensed Professional Ctiunselor .National Certified Counselor 704517-9866 By apfK>intinent only. Geiicral Psychtitherapy & Abuse Ciay/I.esljian niV' Trauma Dissociation Charlotte H20s splash onto the scene That big splash you've been hearing each Saturday at noon is. the sound of the HydroHomos Out Swimming — or H20s — hitting the pool for our weekly workout at the Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center. We've been increasing our yardage, improving our strokes and having a great time together. So how did this group get started? Several years ago I attended Atlanta's gar gantuan Pride celebration. One of the many 12 Steps not working for you? • Proven cognitive-behavioral approaches . • Recovering clinicians • Individual, partner and family care • All addictive behaviors (including nicotine) • Free SMART recovery support groups : • Hablamos Espanol • Affordable Rates Americas Center for Change Mario J. Moraga, C.C.A.S. DWI Assessments Substance Use Treatment Susan Luke Young, MS\y LSSW, CCJSAE Sam Young, MS PO. Box 471663 (704) 281-2106 English Charlotte, NG 2H247 (704) S44-1106 Fax sr>'Oimg®caroIina.rr.com (704) 806-0394 F.spa6ol You can do it! r Liposculpture Dermabrasion Laser Procedures . TIM F. SNIDER floats in the parade carried a group of men and women dancing in Spccdos. This was the float for the “Rainbow Trout," Atlanta's gay and lesbian swim team, which boasts 150 members and numerous awards from swim competitions. I said to myself, “We need something like that in Charlotte!" I had been swimming for exercise on my own but was beginning to feel that my workouts needed more rigor, more structure and the helpful hints of an experienced coach. A gay swim team would provide all of that, plus a positive opportunity for recreation and fel lowship in our community. So, 1 sent an interest-seeking email to the Cay Charlotte Forum. 1 got a number of re sponses and four of us met that first Saturday in March of 2002. At first, we were pretty infor mal and each person swam his own workout. We focused on getting to know each other and see TRACK on 33 Partnership rights gain support by Mark Shields A new Gallup Poll shows six in 10 Americans support giving same-sex couples the same legal rights as married heterosexu al couples “regarding healthcare benefits and Social Security survivor benefits." The poll also shows that the country is evenly split, 49 percent in favor and 49 per cent against, on allowing gay and lesbian couples to legally form civil unions, giving them some of the legal rights of marriage. This is the strongest support to date in favor of gay and lesbian relationship recognition. In a Gallup Poll from May 2002, 46 per cent of Americans favored civil unions, while 51 percent opposed. “Americans increasingly understand that gay and lesbian couples arc just like most other American couples, and they have the same need for healthcare, social security benefits and all the other rights and protec tions that most Americans take for granted," said Human Rights Campaign Communications Director and Senior Strategist David M. Smith, “Gay and lesbian couples arc routinely denied thousands of state and federal rights, responsibilities, pro tections and benefits because they have no legal marriage rights in this country." According to an Urban Institute analysis of newly released Census 2000 data commis sioned by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, families headed by same-sex cou ples arc often, statistically speaking, a mirror image of other families in this comatry in terms of how many children they arc raising, median income, median property value and so on. For example, the study showed that the average same-sex couple with, children in Illinois is raising 2.13 children, while other average couples arc raising 1.97 children. Same-sex couples in Illinois also have the same median household income as other couples — $62,000. “Studies consistently show that the similar ities between gay and lesbian couples and families and the rest of the country far out weigh the differences. The thing that sets gay and lesbian Americans apart from others is the absence of legal rights and protections for our families," said Smith. An overwhelming majority of Americans — 88 percent — support equal opportunities for gay men and lesbians in the workplace, accord ing to the Gallup Poll. Support for ending work place discrimination based on sexual orientation has grown tremendously since 1977, the year Gallup began polling on the issue, when only 56 percent of Americans thought homosexuals should be given equal treatment in hiring. "In spite of the overwhelming support for equal opportunity in the workplace, it is still legal to fire someone based on their sexuali ty in 36 states. The time is long overdue for meaningful workplace protections for this country's gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans- gender community," said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachclberg. Finally, the new Gallup Poll showed a small m^ority, 54 percent, of Americans say that they believe homosexuality is an accept able lifestyle, with 43 percent disagreeing. In 1982, the first year that Gallup asked a ques tion establishing Americans' personal feelings about homosexuality, only 34 percent said they believed it was an acceptable lifestyle. “What we sec here is a steady groundswcll of support for gay and lesbian Americans. As more and more gay men and lesbians come out and live their lives openly, and more Americans realize that gay people arc their family, friends, co-workers and community members — they are better able to understand the issues facing the gay com munity," said Smith. It "worked for Madonna! dio Dilworth! ing on Conve Offering pri Iternative Fitness itS!..; . "ii* / / I I 1^^ '^1816 Lv«dhurst Avenue • Ch ioball Classes s for Runners ower" Pilates an education altfit@aoLcom
Q-notes (Charlotte, N.C.)
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June 7, 2003, edition 1
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