FEBRUARY 10.2007 • Q-NOTES I 3
DOMESTIC
National News Notes
by David Stout. Q-Notes staff
Gay man wins U.S. asylum
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Lambda Legal
announced Jan. 30 that, after a hearing before
an immigration judge, asylum had been
secured for Jorge Soto Vega, a 38-year-old gay
man who had suffered death threats and beat
ings in his native Mexico. Fearing for his life,
Soto Vega fled the country and made his way
to Los Angeles and ultimately to New York
where he resides with his partner of 15 years.
In 2003, a California immigration judge
ruled that there was evidence that Soto Vega
was persecuted, but he rejected the application
for asylum on the grounds that Soto Vega could
hide his sexual orientation. After the Board of
Immigration Appeals agreed. Lambda Legal
petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Ninth Circuit for review. Last June they decided
against the immigration judge and the Board of
Immigration Appeals. They further held that it
was the government’s burden to show that Soto
Vega’s life would not be in jeopardy if he were
forced to return home.
After the Jan. 30 hearing, the immigration
judge concluded that the government was
unable to refute the presumption. “For the first
time in my life, I can live freely knowing that I
don’t have to fear for my life simply because
I’m gayj’ said Soto Vega.
Kit aids youth in out-of-home care
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Lambda Legal and the
Child Welfare League of America have created
“Getting Down to Basics,” a new tool kit
designed to provide information to profes
sionals and others interested in addressing
the needs of LGBT and questioning youth
within the child welfare system.
The kit is a compilation of concise fact
sheets and policy recommendations on an
array of issues affecting LGBTQ youth and
those who provide them with out-of-home
care. Topics addressed include working with
trans youth, serving LGBTQ youth in congre
gate care and juvenile detention facilities,
faith-based providers and LGBTQ youth, and
ways to combat efforts to keep gay adults from
serving as foster and adoptive parents.
“Often people who want to do the right
thing simply do not know where to look for
ijiformation to better serve LGBTQ youth in
cafe,” said Susan Sommer, Senior Counsel for
Lambda Legal. “We’ve compiled information
in an easy to use one-sheet format that can be
copied and distributed to anyone who wants
to help.” The publication is available free by
calling 212-809-8585x272 or downloadable at
www.lambdalegal.org.
Court to hear military ban case
BOSTON, Mass. — The federal First
Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral argu
ments on Mar. 7 in Cook v. Gates (formerly
Cook V. Rumsfeld), a constitutional challenge
to the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Teff’ban on
gay service members. The lawsuit, originally
filed in December 2004 on behalf of veterans
dismissed under the law, seeks the plaintiffs’
re-instatement in the armed forces and the
end of the ban on open service.
“We are looking forward to presenting our
case to the First Circuit,” said Sharra E. Greer,
director of law and policy for Servicemembers
Legal Defense Network. “The men and women
named in the lawsuit spent their military
careers fighting for justice and equality, and
their stories are a vivid reminder of why‘Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell’ is not only unconscionable, but
unconstitutional as well. We believe that, when
the Court considers our arguments, these
patriots will be granted their day in court.”
The plaintiffs in Cook v. Gates all served
honorably in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force
and Coast Guard. Together, they have served
more than 65 years in the armed forces and
earned more than five dozen awards, medals
and commendations.
Study shows pervasive HIV bias
LOS ANGELES, Calif — The Williams
Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and
Public Policy released a study Jan. 30 showing
surprisingly high rates of HIV discrimination
by health care providers in Los Angeles
County. The study, conducted between 2003
and 2005, revealed that 56 pfercent of skilled
nursing facilities, 47 percent of obstetricians
and 26 percent of plastic surgeons in L.A.
County would not accept HIV-positive
patients for services commonly offered to
HIV-negative patients.
The new report is consistent with studies
from the mid-1990s showing high levels of
HIV discrimination by dentists and other
health care providers. Since the late ’90s, very
few studies have been done to, measure HIV
discrimination in health care.
“The large number of health care providers
who readily admit that they would not treat
HIV-positive patients is surprising,” said Brad
Sears, executive director at the Williams
Institute and author of the study. “Their
responses indicate a broad lack of knowledge
about the laws prohibiting such discrimination.”
Law project for poor gay Emilies
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif — The National
Center for Lesbian Rights has launched the
Family Protection Project to improve access to
family law services for low-income same-sex
parent families. According to the group, existing
legal services for poor and low-income families
generally lack the specialized knowledge to
effectively serve LGBT clients. The Family
Protection Project will fill the gap by providing
specialized training to legal services programs
in selected states, beginning with California,
Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin.
Nationally, experts estimate that at least six
million children in the U.S. have LGBT par
ents. On average, according to recent studies,
same-sex parents with children earn $10,000
less than married couples with children.
Despite the clear need for free or low-cost
legal services for these families, they are non
existent in most states.
“This is a huge unmet need,” said NCLR
Executive Director Kate Kendell.“By training
attorneys who work specifically with low
income and poor communities about the
unique legal issues facing the LGBT commu
nity, we will be giving them the tools to assure
that their LGBT clients get meaningful help
and representation.” I
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