Page 20 Community Connections, March, 1991
Gays Gaining
Ground at UNCC
Anti-gay discrimination may be hard
to eradicate at some places, but things
have been changing quickly for gays at
the University of North Carolina at
Charlotte (UNCC). The university has
adopted a ban on discrimination against
gay men and lesbians, and is apparently
on its way to booting out ROTC programs
because they discriminate.
On January 25 the Chancellor of the
university issued a policy prohibiting
discrimination against gay men and
lesbians. The policy states UNCC
"believes that educational and employment
decisions should be based on the abilities
and qualifications of individuals and
should not be based on irrelevant factors,
including personal characteristics, that
have no connection with academic abilities
or job performance.
"Among the traditional factors which
are generally ’irrelevant’ are race, sex,
religion, and national origin. It is the
policy of The University of North
Carolina at Charlotte that the sexual
orientation of an individual be treated in
the same manner.
"Such a policy ensures that only
relevant factors are considered and that
equitable and consistent standards of
conduct and performance are applied."
The policy applies to all students and
employees of UNC-C, and charges the
Office of the Dean of Students and the
Director of Personnel with investigating
any alleged discrimination.
On February 5 the UNCC faculty
voted 105-55 to hold a faculty-wide
referendum, the first referendum in the
school’s history, on the question of
whether Army and Air Force ROTC
programs should be banned from the
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campus. The military does not knowingly
let gay men and lesbians serve. (See U.S.
military policy, page 6.)
Chancellor Jim Woodard has said he
will abolish ROTC on campus if the
referendum passes. Ballots will be mailed
to the University’s 690 full-time members,
and results will be binding if at least half
return them.--ROTC news from The
Charlotte Observer, 2/5/91. Thanks to
Monroe Gilmour. ▼
New Group Forming
in Winston-Salem
reported by Martha Wilson
About 25 gay men and lesbians
gathered in Winston-Salem on Valentine’s
Day to discuss the formation of a new
advocacy group.
Rick Eveland, who was involved in
the Winston-Salem NOW Documentation
Project, and Pat Etters, also of Winston-
Salem, called a meeting in the hopes of
forming an ongoing lesbian and gay-
rights advocacy group in Winston-Salem.
At their first meeting the group
discussed the idea of taking over the
NOW Documentation Project. The
Documentation Project is seen as a bridge
to greater understanding by the Winston-
Salem Human Relations Commission to
gay and lesbian issues.
Also discussed were different types of
activities that an advocacy group could do,
everything from simple projects like
media watch to more involved things like
developing victims’ services for victims of
homophobic violence, discrimination, and
harassment.
The group set up a schedule to meet
the second and fourth Thursday at St.
Ann’s Episcopal Church at 7:30 PM.
The February 28th meeting will deal
with structure and goals.
For further information, contact Rick
at 659-0261. v
Religious Network
Gets Outreach Grant
The Raleigh Religious Network for
Gay and Lesbian Equality (RRNGLE) has
received a $2,500 grant from the
’90/Raleigh Steering Committee of the
Southeastern Conference for Lesbians and
Gay Men. The funds will be used to
provide the initial salary for a part-time
Outreach Coordinator, whose tasks will be
working with area clergy, organizing a
speakers’ bureau, and providing a
comprehensive gay and lesbian resource
guide for the Raleigh area.
Rev. Jimmy Creech has been chosen
to fill the new position. Creech is a
United Methodist minister who lost his
congregation because of his support of
lesbian and gay rights.
RRNGLE also plans to help interested
people in other parts of the state form
similar networks.—Adapted from Q-Notes
(Charlotte, NC), 2/91v
NC AIDS Service
Coalition
Seeking Members
The NC AIDS Coalition is asking
individuals, AIDS-related and other
supportive organizations to join its ranks.
The Coalition was formed in 1986 by
community-based groups providing
services, support and education
concerning AIDS. It has lobbied the
General Assembly and regulatory agencies
since 1987. Its newsletter is a timely
update and call to action on AIDS
legislation and regulation. With no budget
or staff, volunteers have done most of the
work so far. It is now time to expand and
work even harder.
Current objectives are: appropriate
state funds for services, support and
education; preserve anonymous testing;
preserve the informed consent
requirement; strengthen the state anti
discrimination law; and develop programs
to assure good medical care for those who
are infected.
The radical-right has organized as
Americans for a Sound AIDS Policy
(ASAP). This group has endorsed job
discrimination against health care
workers, cosmetologists and food service
workers, and has proposed mandatory
testing of the above plus marriage license
applicants, hospital patients, pregnant
women, and others. ASAP is well
financed and has powerful political
connections with the Administration. The
State Health Department follows the
political instructions it receives routinely.
We must stand up to the powerful
radical-right lobby. We have already
hired a professional lobbyist. Now we
must raise more money, hire an executive
director, and launch a year-round drive to
work for intelligent AIDS laws and to
lobby for state funds for services, support
and education.
The Coalition is a registered non-
profit corporation engaged in political
advocacy (contributions are welcome and
are not tax-deductible). To join, contact
WNC AIDS Project at 252-7489.
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