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Q-Living
noted . notable . noteworthy GLBT issues
VOLUME ±9 . ISSUE 5
SINCE 198«
JULY 17.2004
N.C anti-gay marriage amendment fails
GOP leaders two signatures short
of forcing vote
by D. Miller
RALEIGH, N.C. — Apparently failing in the
same footsteps as a similar bill in South
Carolina, North Carolina’s anti-gay marriage
bill is stuck in committee, making it virtually
impossible for it to become an issue for vot
ers this November.
Senate Republicans said June 29 they are
two signatures short of forcing a vote on
whether to send the bill to the Senate floor.
GOP leaders, unhappy that their proposal is
stuck in committee, had announced earlier in
June they would circulate a petition seeking
to remove the bili from the panel and bring to
a floor vote whether it should be debated by
the full Senate.
Thirty signatures are needed to force a
majority-rules vote on a bill discharge
motion. Senate Minority Leader Jim Torrester
(R-Gaston) has 28 signatures — all 23
Republicans and five Democrats. Fortunately
for the state’s rather sizable LGBT popula
tion, Democrats hold more than half of the 50
Senate seats — 27 to be exact.
According to a story carried by the Raleigh
News and Observer, Forrester has apparently
accepted defeat over the issue.
“I don’t think there’s any more that we
can do,” he said in an
interview.
Earlier, during corh-
mittee hearings on the
measure, Forrester said
the amendment was
needed to curtail
“activist judges” from
legalizing same-sex
marriage.
“The gay and les
bian communities are
trying to get us to
condone their behav
ior,” Forrester said.
“I’m not against gays
and lesbians. They’re
nice people. I just
don’t think they
should be allowed to
marry.”
Forrester and other Republicans invited all
N.C. Democratic representatives to sign the
petition. With this year’s legislative session
winding down, Forrester set June 29 as the
deadline for senators to sign up.
GOP senators “gave them every opportu
nity to help prevent the destruction of the
institution of marriage," he said.
The bill would have placed a referendum
on the Nov. 2 ballot asking voters whether
I" ' -SJ •
■ ». i
i
An effort lo force a vote
spearheaded by Senate
Forrester (R-Gaston) has
on an anti-gay marriage bill
Minority Leader Jim
failed.
they want the state constitution to spell out
that marriage is only between a man and a
woman.
Senate leader Marc Basnight (D-Dare)
has said he sees no need for an amendment,
given that current law clearly prohibits same-
sex marriages.
The Democrats who signed the petition
are Sens. Walter Dalton of Rutherford
see NCon 12
North and South
IfIRe^eral Marriage
Amendment is passed
would you consider
leaving tti^d^^SBss?
. Yes . No
Q.POLL RESULTS
S.C. gay man files lawsuit
against Foot Locker
Was harassed at two stores then fired, despite
anti-discnmination policy
by Lisa Hardaway
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Lambda Legal has filed a lawsuit in state court
against Foot Locker, Inc., on behalf of a former employee who was sub
jected to severe anti-gay harassment by co-workers and supervisors —
at two different store loca-
1 front of cus-
and ultimately
, " M'. y
■*.
In a suit filed by Lambda Lewi, Kevin
Dunbar asserts that Foot Lo^er harassed
and then fired him because he is gay.
tions and
tomers —'
fired.
“Kevin Dunbar was sub
jected to a nightmarish work
place and then fired because
he is gay,” said Greg Nevins,
senior staff attorney in
Lambda Legal’s Atlanta-
based Southern Regional
Office, who is handling the
case. “Foot Locker could have
addressed this problem, as it
clearly promises employees
in its policies, but instead
chose to ignore it and make it
worse. Our client followed
see FOOT on 10
Kerry-Edwards ticket
most gay-supportive
in American history
LGBT activists and organizations hail Kerry's dedsion
by Donald Miller
WASHINGTON,
D.C. — John Kerry’s
pick for this running
mate, North Carolina
senator and former
presidential hopeful
John Edwards, has a
record of strong sup
port for key issues
important to lesbian,
gay, bisexual and
transgender issues,
according to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy
Institute.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) analyzed
Sen. Edwards’ positions on 13 key issues important to LGBT
people and found that he was supportive in nine categories, his
positions were unclear in three others. However, while Edwards
is against a Federal Marriage Amendment, he does not support
extending equal marriage rights to same sex couples.
“John Kerry and John Edwards make up
the most gay-supportive national ticket in see GAY on 12
John Kerry (left) with John Edwards