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2006 is Drawing to a Close...
Remember
OutFront Minnesota in Your Year-End Giving
The end of the year is almost upon us! Please join us in
celebrating a successful year for GLBT rights by making
a tax-deductible, year-end donation to OutFront
Minnesota Community Services, the education and direct
service arm of OutFront Minnesota. The educational
programs, leadership development, and grassroots
organizing that we deliver throughout the state is the
foundation on which we protect and advance the rights of
GLBT Minnesotans. By touching the hearts of Minnesotans
one by one, day by day, OutFront Minnesota Community
Services is strengthening support for GLBT equality and
creating a Minnesota where all are welcomed and valued.
Your year-end gift will truly make a difference in the
lives of GLBT Minnesotans. Go to
https://www.outfront.org/members/services.html to
make your gift today.
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Attention Kate Clinton Fans!
Kate Clinton's 25th Anniversary Tour, "It's Come to
This," is coming to Minneapolis for one night only on
January 27th, 2007. When you purchase VIP tickets to the
show -available only through OutFront Minnesota - a
portion of the proceeds benefit OutFront Minnesota
Community Services and the National Center for Lesbian
Rights. VIP tickets are limited--get yours at
http://www.outfront.org/ today!
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Community Action Trainings Launched
OutFront Minnesota has hit the road doing Community
Action Trainings around the state! We have already
visited several communities including Rochester,
Willmar, Detroit Lakes, Duluth, and Austin, Grand
Rapids, Park Rapids, and Virginia. These trainings help
local GLBT and allied community members learn more about
how to become a politically engaged Minnesotan as we
head into the 2007 legislative session.
Sign up at
http://www.outfront.org/events/trainings.html for a
CAT near you!
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OutFront
Minnesota's Involvement in Court Case of Lesbian
Ex-partners
On
December 9th, 2006, the Minneapolis Star Tribune
reported on a court case heard November 30th by the
Minnesota Supreme Court, in which two women dispute the
right of one of them to seek visitation with children
they previously raised together. In this case, two
children were adopted by one partner, but not by the
other. A district court judge ruled that it was in the
children's best interest to have visitation with the
non-adoptive partner, which Minnesota law permits, and
the Court of Appeals later upheld that ruling. The
adoptive partner challenged certain aspects of the
initial ruling, and also argued that the state law
permitting such visitation was unconstitutional.
As more and more same-sex couples explore the
possibility of parenting through adoption, alternative
insemination, or by raising children born to prior
heterosexual relationships, the issues in this case take
on greater importance to more people.
Earlier this year, OutFront Minnesota was approached by
the attorney for the non-adoptive mother to discuss the
case and to explore possibilities for getting involved.
Shortly before the oral argument to the Supreme Court,
OutFront Minnesota's Legal & Policy Analyst Phil Duran
helped organize a practice argument session with
assistance and participation from professors at two
local law schools and other attorneys as well. OutFront
Minnesota's focus in doing so was less on individuals
than on issues: although same-sex couples raising the
children of one of the partners often intentionally
foster strong bonds between the children and the
nonlegal parent, the couples do not always go through an
adoption process to make the second partner a legal
parent of those children. If the couple separates, it
can be devastating for the children to lose access to
the person they've grown to see as a parent, regardless
of whether a legal or biological connection exists.
To what extent may the Legislature authorize courts to
determine whether it is in the best interest of the
children to permit visitation under these circumstances?
How are the children's interests balanced with those of
their legal parent? How much and what kinds of contact
may a court order?
The Supreme Court will wrestle with these questions, in
all likelihood, for several months before issuing an
opinion, probably in early 2007. As with others in the
GLBT community, OutFront Minnesota looks forward to that
decision and to learning what impact it could have on
our families.
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Minneapolis Fire Chief Case
OutFront Minnesota
understands the historical significance of the
appointment of the nation's first openly-lesbian fire
chief Bonnie Bleskacheck. We also recognize that the
current controversy within the department is serious and
has the potential of being used as a negative portrayal
of lesbians in power and the GLBT community in general.
We see at least three issues running simultaneously -
one is the fact that the fire chief is a lesbian and the
symbolic nature of her appointment; two is the fact that
some of the other fire department employees involved in
the matter are also lesbians, and the third is the
personnel matter between the City of Minneapolis and Ms.
Bleskacheck.
Some folks in our community have asked us to articulate
a position on this case. We believe that it would be
unwise to do so. In this situation, which in great
measure is a personnel matter between the City of
Minneapolis and its employee, our primary source of
information is the media. While we see it as our role to
monitor the press to make sure the reporting is unbiased
relative to gender or sexual orientation, we also
believe that personnel matters must be worked out
between an employer and an employee without the
unnecessary complications that are created when public
statements are made by those not informed of the
particular facts in the case.
As always, we welcome your feedback at
adg@outfront.org on this and all issues affecting
the GLBT community.
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Looking for more events?
OutFront Minnesota's web-based
community calendar is THE place to check for events
and happenings. Are you planning an event that you
want the GLBT and allied community to know about?
It's easy to submit your event! OutFront Minnesota
is proud to offer community organizations this
opportunity to reach others.
Check it out each week for more current events! |
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