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Voting: IVd ct privilege. Tide it!
noted . notable . noteworthy GLBT issues
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N.C. celebrates Pride 16
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VOLUME ±9 . XSSUE 11
SINCE 198« WWW.q-NOTES.COM
OCTOBER 9 . 2004-
Congress stands against
discriminatory marriage amendment
LGBT communify elated but cautious
by Shin Inouye
Gays and lesbians around the country
rejoiced as the House of Representatives reject
ed the Fakral Marriage Amendment Sept. 30. The
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called the
vote a victory for all American families. The
Senate had defeated the proposal, which would
have written discrimination into the
Constitution, earlier this year.
“President [George W.] Bush and the
Republican leadership looked down the bar
rel of the biggest defeat for anti-gay extrem
ists ever," said Laura W. Murphy, director of
the ACLU Washington legislative office.
“They played fast and loose with the
Constitution in a cheap election year ploy,
and they lost. Like the Senate did before, the
House today said that discrimination has no
place in the Constitution.”
“This is the biggest gay-rights victory ever
in Congress,” said Christopher E. Anders, an
ACLU legislative counsel. “The Republican
leadership showed its true political stripes
and failed miserably.”
GOP leaders’ cynical push for a vote they
knew they would lose is evidence that the
amendment strategy is driven by election-
year politics and the desire to create fod
der for anti-gay campaign attacks on
members of Congress, said People For the
American Way President Ralph G. Neas.
Neas praised those representatives who
showed the courage to stand up to bully
ing from religious right leaders.
“Republican leaders have shamelessly
admitted that they pushed this amend
ment so that they could create a wedge
issue to benefit their candidates in this
election,” said Dave Noble, National
Stonewall Democrats executive director.
“The only institution that this amendment
is designed to protect is the Republican
Party. While this amendment maintains
drastic and practical implications, at its
core it is little more than a political prank.
The small minority of Democrats who
could not understand that fact, and who
voted for this amendment, do not deserve
the support of our community.”
“Today’s defeat for the Republican leader
ship prevents the defacing of the Constitution
for now,” said Neas. “but the vote should
never have been held. This vote was engi
neered for short-term political gain by those
who care little about the long-term harm
they are causing to individuals and commu
nities. The White House and its political
allies are all too willing to foment and exploit
unfounded fears in hopes of distracting vot
ers and energizing their political base. It is
crass and destructive politics at its worst.”
Neas noted that a broad coalition of reli
gious, civil rights and other public interest
see CONGRESS on 6
Former Panthers player
becomes Gay Games
ambassador
Esera Tuado, farmer Charlotte
resident and Grand Marshal far N.C.
Pride ‘03, takes on new role
by Jake Stafford
Former National Football League play
er Esera Tuaolo had just come out in
November 2002 when the last Gay
Games was held in Sydney, Australia.
But since that time Tliaolo has heard
I enough about the Gay Games that he is
I determined not to miss the next one in
Chicago in 2006. In fact, he has become
the latest Gay Games Ambassador pro
moting the event itself and the Gay Games
movement’5 ideals of “Participation,
Inclusion and Personal Best.”
“Playing in the National Football
League as a gay man has given me
strength in areas that I never thought I could make a difference,”
Tuaolo said. “Now that I am out and proud I have learned that break
ing stereotypes is a very important part of moving forward in our fight
for equality. That’s what the Gay Games are all about — breaking
down stereotypes about athletes in the
LGBT community. I’m happy to add my see TUAOLO on 9
Former Carolina Panthers
plaver Esera Tuaolo is the
ambassador for Gay
Games VII.
Margaret Cho plays
Charlotte
Comic to appear at Equality NC party after performance.
by Michael A. Knipp
Margaret Cho’s been in the pink spotlight for years. With a
bevy of one-woman shows, “Comedy Central” appearances and
even her own television series, Cho is pretty much a household
name in the LGBT community.
Cho brings her latest show,
“The State of Emergency Tour,”
to Charlotte’s Ovens Auditorium
Oct. 15. Cho will knosh with
fans who purchased tickets
through Equality NC at a spe
cial afterparty following her
presentation.
Raised in San Francisco, this
comic clearly knows her
homos.
She’s a self-proclaimed fag'
hag and occasional bisexual. On
stage, she has never steered clear
of discussing her blithe confreres
or her explicit lesbian encounters. She has shed positive light on
issues regarding civil rights of all types. And her candid, ovcr-the-
top anecdotes about her family, weight and political preference are
always on point. The truth, it
seems, has set her free. see MARGARET on 7
On the gay community: 'It's a
mutual love thing. I'm in love
with them.'