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Nellie Furtado
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Pattie LaBelle
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Noted . Notable . Noteworthy . LGBT News & Views
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Vol. 21 . Number 07 www.q-notes.com August. 2006
Victory in NX. legislature!
For the third time anti-gay marriage
billfalb to the wayside; LGBT
community gleeful, fundies livid
by Donald Miller
North Carolina’s LGBT community cele
brated in victory as a homophobic, anti
marriage state constitutional amendment
was stopped once again — for the third
time in as many years. North Carolina is still
the only Southern state to stop such an
amendment in the legislature.
The North Carolina General Assembly
adjourned its 2006 session at 1:09 a.m., July
28 without voting on a bill that would
amend the state constitution to deny equal
marriage rights to same-sex couples as well
as ban civil unions, domestic partnerships
or any other form of relationship recognition
for unmarried couples.
“North Carolinians should be proud that
elected leaders spent their time this year on
important issues like ethics reforms, the
minimum wage and the state budget, rather
than the politically motivated bigotry of this
amendment,” said Ian Palmquist, executive
director of EqualityNC (ENC). “Equality North
Carolina worked closely with legislative allies
to block this unnecessary, discriminatory leg
islation.”
According to Palmquist, N.C. House
Speaker Jim Black (D-Mecklenburg) and N.C.
Senate President Marc Basnight (D-Dare)
were instrumental in the failures of the bills
on both sides of the legislature. “They both felt
it was an attempt to write discrimination into
the constitution,” he said.
ENC and its supporters led a ferocious
charge to keep the bill in check for the third
straight year.
Among the most critical actions taken by
the advocacy group was the organization of a
lobby day on June 6 in which nearly 100 North
Carolinians came to Raleigh to organize
against the amendment. ENC supporters
arrived from all over the state to lobby their
legislators and take part in a spirited rally out
side the Capitol building.
“When legislators hear from real people
whose lives would be affected by anti-gay leg
islation, it opens their eyes to the impact of
their decisions,” said Palmquist. “Our lobby
day and other efforts enabled gay and straight
North Carolinians alike to speak out against
discrimination.”
In response to the failures of the House
and Senate bills. Sen. James S. Foster (R-
Gaston) issued the following statement on his
website:
' “SB1288, Defense ofMarriage, does not
NORTH CAROUNA ... -j
: AMENDMENT
N.C. remains the only southern
state to kick the ‘marriage
amendment’ to the euro.
show‘discrimination’ as the gay and lesbian
communities have claimed. North Carolina
needs to join the over 20 states that have
passed a constitutional amendment defining
marriage as the union of one man and one
woman. After three attempts to pass this legis
lation in N.C., the Democratic leadership in
the N.C. Senate has refused to have the bill
even heard in committee, even though recent
polls show over 75 percent of our citizen’s sup
port this type of legislation. A federal consti
tutional amendment protecting marriage for
all Americans would be a permanent solution.
The God-ordained institution of marriage is
fundamental in our civilization and the
‘Lavender Lobby’ and liberal judges are trying
to destroy it. The homosexual activists will
‘judge shop’ and challenge our present laws as
being unconstitutional.”
Despite Forrester’s assertions and vows
from conservatives on both sides of the legis
lature to try again, the number of sponsors for
the bill demonstrates that a growing number
of North Carolina’s elected officials see the bill
as discriminatory.
“This year there were just 56 sponsors out
of 120,” says Palmquist. “That’s less than half,
and six fewer than last year.” I
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section page 13.
The best in LGBT musk
pi^ 29
A soldier’s story
Editor’s Note: These are the
thoughts of a gay soldier — a
North Carolina native — who has
been deployed to Iraq. Because of
the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’
policy, he must remain anonymous.
Recently I was able to travel for a short
R8(R period to the Middle East’s equivalent of
South Beach: Qatar. It’s a beautiful country
with great shopping and a wonderful opportu
nity to be yourself and relax. The best part
was having a few drinks, enjoying civilian
clothes and the local civilian population.
I got to shop in a great four-story
Americanized mall and eat at some fabulous
restaurants. Although gay and lesbian sex is
still illegal in this country — the laws are
rarely enforced. I was told that Qatar is very
gay friendly, but from what I could tell, the
community largely remains underground.
When I was there 1 didn’t meet any local fami
ly, but I did get some great shopping in at a
couple of stores — one known as the French
Connection and another. Banana. I’m only
speculating, of course, but my gaydar definite
ly went off with some of the male sales clerks.
I recently met a few lesbian soldiers. It was
great to talk and to openly share our thoughts
and feelings about the war. It was relieving to
be able to tell someone here I’m gay — and it
was no big deal. Listening to all our different
thoughts on the war was particularly intrigu
ing. This was a table of very patriotic lesbians
and gay men (well one gay man, actually) who
love our country, but hate the policy on the war.
\Vhen you combine the positions
we fill then you’re looking at some pretty high-
profile jobs. The higher-ups would say that gay
and lesbian soldiers can’t perform effectively in
the military, but we are. We all support the mis
sion or operation we call Iraqi Freedom. But the
policies and the tactics that it took to get us over
here are all very unsettling to us. Collectively, the
four of us have 45 years of service to our coun
try. We are all ready for some equality as it
relates to gay and lesbian service members
serving openly. I know some of our allies allow
there service members to serve openly and it
doesn’t hurt the mission. Australia and England
seem to be doing just fine.
During my opportunities to travel the
region I have noticed that some of the FOBs
(Forward Operating Bases) have amenities
that others don’t. The workout facilities are
abundant, but there are no showers at the
gyms. The shopping on post is limited, but
they do try to get things you want in due time.
“Due time,” however, can be forever. The only
other major facilities I have seen are a theater
see soldiers on 21
Don King awards announ^
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