In the states
Toledo, Ohio: The Toledo City Council approved an ordinance on Nov. 13 that creates a domestic partnership registry for same-sex and opposite-sex couples. The measure passed by a strong margin (10 to 2). Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner signed the ordinance on Nov. 21, and it takes effect on Dec. 21. The domestic partnership registry is the second in Ohio, following Cleveland Heights, and is the first in a big city. It will enable couples to obtain recognition of their domestic partnership from the clerk of the council.
This legislative victory is the result of a collaborative law student fellowship hosted by the Task Force and the University of Toledo College of Law Legal Clinic. The Task Force partnered with the clinic to supervise a Task Force law fellow, who worked on the ground in Toledo on an issue of local concern with the close guidance of, and periodic visits in Washington, D.C., with Task Force State Legislative Director Kara Suffredini. The fellowship also produced a Domestic Partnership Registry Toolkit for use by other Ohio localities. Councilman Joe McNamara, who was the lead legislative sponsor, as well as our local and national partners EqualityToledo and Lambda Legal, also provided critical input and leadership throughout the process.
Dayton, Ohio: The Dayton City Commission, meanwhile, passed an ordinance on Nov. 21 that adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the city’s existing anti-discrimination law. The vote was 3 to 1 with Mayor Rhine McLin voting in favor, and one commissioner abstaining. The Task Force assisted the Dayton Area Stonewall Democrats and the Montgomery County Democratic Party by drafting the legislation, and they expertly shepherded the measure through the commission process. The Task Force applauds all our local partners in Ohio for these hard-earned and strategic victories, and thanks Equality Ohio for its ongoing support in these endeavors. Special thanks to John Zimmerman, board treasurer of the Greater Dayton LGBT Center, and Tony Ballis, president of Dayton Stonewall Democrats.
Michigan: Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed an executive directive on Nov. 21 that bans discrimination in state employment on “gender identity or expression.” The directive protects nearly 50,000 state employees in Michigan’s executive branch, which encompasses 95 percent of all state employees. The directive will protect transgender workers as well as any state employee who faces discrimination because they do not conform to traditional gender norms in their behavior and/or appearance. The Task Force assisted our local partner, Triangle Foundation, in crafting the directive’s language, and applauds Triangle’s tireless efforts since 2002 to transform the proposed language into official policy.
Florida: On Dec. 3, the Senate Committee on Children, Families and Elder Affairs will hold a public hearing in Miami to discuss foster care and adoption issues. Equality Florida is urging for a strong turnout because it will be the only opportunity the South Florida community will have to speak directly to the committee that has the power to end Florida’s ban on gay and lesbian adoption. Get more details here.
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Only two days left for early bird registration!
The National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change will reconvene for its 20th edition at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit, Mich., Feb. 6–10, 2008. Register at www.CreatingChange.org. Make sure to get the early bird rate of $250 by registering by Friday, Nov. 30.
The conference will include the premiere of the Task Force Academy for Leadership and Action, featuring challenging training curricula for organization leaders. One academy session, The Writes and Wrongs of Legislative Drafting, is designed for public policy leaders and individual activists who are committed to developing expertise in drafting LGBT-related legislation and to lending that expertise to state and local LGBT advocacy organizations to assist with their legislative initiatives (so our community can keep making gains like the ones above)! To secure a spot at this particular session, contact Kara Suffredini at ksuffredini@theTaskForce.org, and watch for future spotlights on conference goings-on.
[ Get more conference details and register now ]
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Sylvia Tosun is ‘Head Over Heels’ for the Task Force
This amazing singer, songwriter and producer, known for artistry as well as her humanitarian efforts is giving it up for the Task Force. You may have seen her stage show, The Venus Concert, on MTV’s MHD Channel and she’s featured in OUT magazine’s December issue in its “What is Fabulous?” article. Well, Sylvia Tosun is clearly fabulous — she’s giving the proceeds from every sale of her newest dance single, “Head Over Heels,” to the Task Force.
You can download “Head Over Heels” at www.PerfectBeat.com, www.BeatPort.com, www.PlayItTonight.com, via the iTunes music store and many other digital downloading sites everywhere. Thanks to Sylvia, and thanks to you for your great taste in music and causes!
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Building power from the ground up
Be on the lookout for our upcoming coverage on the New York Power Summit, which will feature more than 125 participants from New York, various New England states and across the country. The Power Summit will be held Nov. 29 to Dec. 2 and is co-sponsored by the Task Force and the Empire State Pride Agenda.
Task Force and Pride Agenda staff will offer advanced skills training to LGBT leaders, advocates and allies so that they are increasingly effective at educating the public, mobilizing voters, raising money and building strong teams of volunteers to help create change!
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