Newspapers / Lambda (Carolina Gay and … / March 1, 2007, edition 1 / Page 5
Part of Lambda (Carolina Gay and Lesbian Association, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
can be given for a crime if prosecutors prove a victim was targeted for being identified with one of those categories. Although legislators have introduced bills to add sexual orientation to the law in both houses of the legis lature, the issue has lost momentum in recent years. The “Matthew Shepard Memorial Act” fell just 10 votes short of passing in the 1999-2000 session. But subsequent rein troductions of the bill have not made it out of committee. “Introducing certain bills is about making judg ment calls on whether those bills are appropriate for that year and if they can pass,” said Rep. Verla Insko, D-Or- ange, who co-sponsored the House version of the bill in 1999. “We often consult with Equality North Caro lina and take their lead on issues to a certain extent.” But Equality North Carolina, the states larg est advocacy organization for securing the rights of the states LGBT citizens, is focused on lobbying other issues because previous hate crime bills have been unsuccessful, said Ian Palmquist, executive director of the organization. “Its an issue we continue to work on but think other issues will likely see movement before those chang es are made to the bill,” Palmquist said. No bill to amend the state hate crime law has been introduced this session. Hate crime legislation regarding sexual orienta tion often sparks heated debate because opponents of such laws say that they create “special laws for special people” when the law is supposed to be neutral, Shepard said. But as the LGBT community becomes more of a mainstream presence in society, however, Insko said that amending the hate crime law to include sexual ori entation will become less of a “hot button.” Bills re garding civil rights and protection for gays and lesbians have less opposition compared to years past, Insko said. Judy Shepard shared that view in her presenta tion, saying that increased visibility will help future law- otakers to establish understanding for gays and lesbians, re sulting in more legal protection for the LGBT community. “What’s happening in our state legislatures is the same thing happening in Congress in Washington,” Shepard said. Current leaders are from a generation brought up to think that everything gay was just the worst.... But when people of a younger age are elected and in office these things will be gone.” Nationally, the legal protections are much the same ^ in North Carolina . Federal hate crime laws do not in clude sexual orientation as a category for consideration, al though the “Federal Hate Crime Statistics Act” does collect tfata on crimes motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation. When Shepard finished speaking, the au- tlience stood to applaud her. And many lin- §cred in the lobby afterward to discuss her message. “North Carolina lags so far behind with its hate crimes legislation and I believe that Shepard coming to speak ^akes the need for expanded hate crime legislation more tan- gible and undeniable,” said Jason Wang, a UNC-CH senior ''^ho attended the event. HOT topic Why are you an ally? 'Tthink that everyone is responsible for the J. choices that thy make in life. Moreover, people can not change the way thy feel about others. The fact that there are people who are UBGTQ adds to the diversity in the world and more specifically on our campus. We must learn to accept people for who thy I Randi Gordn, First Year different religions, cultures and ways of thinking, so we should he openminded towards people of different sexual orientations. Tm an ally because I think it deliv- J.ers a message to heterosexuals that discrimination against someone who has a different sexual orientation is wrong and unacceptable. I think it also shows other heterosexuals that it is ok to inter- I Chelsea Piekett, First-Year different sexual orientations, whatever thy may be. JTm an ally because I want to reinforce J. the idea that LJBGTQpeople aren't diseased, thy're people, and thy deserve to be treated with the same courtey and respect that straight people are. Some people say it's unnatural for a person to be LBGTQ, but 1 can't really see a good reason for someone to fake be ing gcy-there's so much discrimination, hatred, embarrassment, and alienation from judgmental friends & family. If you imagine yourself reversing your sexual orientation, the thought doesn't settle well in your brain. I'm an ally because I don't want LGBTQ people to be pressured ly society to change who thy are to fit in with the majority on such a personal matter, tions, whatever thy may be. 7 don't think people should be discrimi nated against, I think it's ok to disagree with people, but not discriminate, personally I don't see anything wrong with being LG- BTQ" yrialy Toftas, First-Year Chris Calascione, First-Year
Lambda (Carolina Gay and Lesbian Association, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 1, 2007, edition 1
5
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75