Quest News  Volume 12 No. 10      June 9, 2005
Compiled & written by Mike Fitzpatrick

Pressure Increases On Closet Case Mayor To Resign
West Refuses To Step Down At June 3 Press Conference
Spokane - The state Republican Party joined Spokane County GOP leaders June 2 in demanding that embattled Mayor James E. West, once one of the party’s top elected officials, resign in the wake of a homosexual sex scandal. West, a former state Senate majority leader, has said he will stay and fight allegations that he misused his current office and sexually abused two boys decades ago.
  “As Republicans, we hold all elected officials to the highest standards of the community, and we cannot condone irresponsible behavior or poor judgment,” Mike Casey, chairman of the Spokane County Republican Party, said at a news conference. “The Spokane Republican Party is the closest to this situation and we trust their judgment on this matter,” state GOP Chairman Chris Vance said in announcing support for the move.
  On June 3 West once again rebuffed calls for his resignation in a gay sex scandal, saying he’d be willing to take a polygraph if necessary to prove he did not molest two boys decades ago.  The controversy “does not distract me from doing my job, from leading, and it doesn’t need to distract the city,” West said during a news conference.
  West has been under mounting pressure to resign since May 5, when The Spokesman-Review newspaper published allegations by two men who contend West molested them when they were children and he was a sheriff’s deputy. West has vehemently denied those allegations.
  The newspaper also reported that West more recently entered gay Internet chat rooms and tried to entice young men he met there with offers of perks and City Hall jobs. He is also accused of sexually harassing an openly gay man he recommended for appointment to the city’s Human Rights Commission.
  After those reports, West publicly acknowledged that he was a closeted gay man and apologized to residents for any inappropriate conduct in his private life. But he has also said he expected to be exonerated of any accusations of wrongdoing. The FBI has begun a public corruption inquiry and City Attorney Mike O’Connell appointed a panel to look into possible violations of city policies
  Casey said West’s homosexuality had nothing to do with the party’s call for his resignation, but the allegations of questionable conduct left the party little choice. The local GOP waited a month because it wanted to give West time to respond adequately to the allegations, or to resign on his own, Casey said.
Casey claimed that West had been an outstanding political leader for nearly two decades in the state Legislature in Olympia, and since 2003 as mayor of this city of 200,000. “The voters of Spokane expected Mayor Jim West would serve their city with integrity and honesty,” Casey said. “We cannot support misconduct.”
  Shaun Cross, a local GOP leader, said West should take seriously the demands of his party, plus earlier City Council and business community demands that he resign. “It is pretty unprecedented for the party to do this,” Cross said. “I’m sure he could stay around, but it’s getting harder and harder to do.”
  As a longtime Republican member of the state Legislature, West rose to the position of Senate majority leader. In 2003, he left state government to campaign for what he called his “dream job’’ as mayor of his hometown - a nonpartisan post. As a legislator, he had voted against numerous gay equal rights bills.
  On May 31, the Spokane City Council unanimously voted to ask West to resign, although under Spokane’s strong-mayor system of government, the council’s vote was only advisory. Spokane business leaders have also called on him to resign.
  On June 1, a recall effort against West cleared its first public hurdle, when the Spokane County prosecutor’s office sent a recall ballot synopsis against West to Superior Court. A hearing will be held June 8 to determine if the allegations against West are sufficient to justify a recall petition. If they are sufficient, then citizens can begin collecting the more than 12,000 petition signatures needed to put the matter to a public vote.
  The recall case will be heard by Superior Judge Craig Matheson of the Tri-Cities. Spokane County judges declined to take the case because they worked closely with West on court-related issues when he was a state senator, court administrator Dave Hardy said.

Miriam Ben-Shalom To Receive Stonewall Award
Veteran Activist Wrote Early Pages in the History of LGBT Inclusion in the Military
Milwaukee -  Long time LGBT community activist Miriam Ben-Shalom is the recipient of the 2005 PrideFest Stonewall Award.  Ben-Shalom will receive her  award at the Community Rally, which will be held at 5:30 PM on Saturday, June 11th in the festival’s Dance Pavilion. Miriam will also be  a Stonewall Stage presenter earlier that day at 1 PM. Her session is scheduled to be recorded for the Milwaukee LGBT History Project.
  Ben-Shalom was the first gay or lesbian service member to be reinstated to her position in the United States military after being discharged for her sexual orientation. Even though the army eventually forced her out, she was able to serve successfully in the U.S. Army Reserves as an open lesbian, undermining the U.S. military’s argument that open gays and lesbians pose a threat to military effectiveness.
  In 1974, Miriam began serving with the 84th Training Division of the Army Reserves. She also completed drill instructor’s school, and became one of the two first female drill sergeants in the division. In 1976, she was officially discharged from the Army Reserves for declaring and admitting she was a lesbian. However, she decided to challenge the policy and sue for re-instatement.
  In May 1980, Judge Terence Evans of the U.S. District Court in Chicago ruled that Ben-Shalom’s discharge violated the First, Fifth, and Ninth amendments of the Constitution. He added that sexual orientation should be protected from governmental regulation, including that of the military. The right to freedom of speech was central to Ben-Shalom’s case.
  The Army Reserves did not discharge her because of homosexual conduct, but rather for her statement that she was a lesbian. Through his ruling, Judge Evans made clear that the First Amendment applied to gay and lesbian service members. The U.S. Army appealed this decision, but withdrew its appeal shortly thereafter. And even though Judge Evans had ordered Ben-Shalom’s reinstatement, the army simply refused to comply with the order.
  Ben-Shalom continued to fight the Army, and in 1987, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago supported the lower court’s previous ruling. Still the Army balked. Only when the court threatened the Army with serious contempt of court fines did it relent.
  In September 1988, Ben-Shalom successfully re-enlisted and became the first openly gay or lesbian service member to be reinstated. However, the Army appealed the decision. In August 1989, a federal appeals court ruled against Ben-Shalom. Judge Harlington Wood, Jr., did not see the case as solely about freedom of speech. He concluded that since the military banned homosexuals, her admission--regardless of her sexual conduct-justified her discharge. In response, Ben-Shalom appealed the case to the United States Supreme Court. Then, on February 26, 1990, the Supreme Court refused to hear her case, thereby upholding the previous ruling of her discharge.
  Although, the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear her case ended Ben-Shalom’s military career, her LGBT activism continued. She founded the Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veterans of America, Inc. (GLBVA) in 1990 serving as its first president. That organization is now known as the American Veterans For Equal Rights, Inc. (AVER).
  Ben-Shalom is a lifelong resident of Wisconsin having been born in Waukesha, WI in 1948, and continues to reside in Milwaukee.
  Ben Shalom has been  the recipient of several awards for her community activism and has published poetry, short stories and other writings. She is currently an Adjunct Teacher with MATC, MIAD and Bryant & Stratton Business College and works with at-risk youth. She is a member of the New England Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veterans and of the California Alexander Hamilton American Legion Post 448.
 The Stonewall Award is presented to individuals or organizations who have demonstrated the spirit of the Stonewall Riots by fighting to bring about change for the benefit of others. Usually their fight begins as a personal crusade against an injustice, but often leads to far-reaching impacts for the good of our community as a whole.

World & National News:

Arizona: Study Claims Prejudice is “Hard-Wired” in Human Brain - Contrary to what most people believe, the tendency to be prejudiced is a form of common sense, hard-wired into the human brain through evolution as an adaptive response to protect our prehistoric ancestors from danger. So suggests a new study published by Arizona State University researchers in the May issue of the “Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,” which contends that, because human survival was based on group living, “outsiders” were viewed as - and often were - very real threats.
  “By nature, people are group-living animals -- a strategy that enhances individual survival and leads to what we might call a ‘tribal psychology’,” ASU professor of social psychology Steven Neuberg said. “It was adaptive for our ancestors to be attuned to those outside the group who posed threats such as to physical security, health or economic resources, and to respond to these different kinds of threats in ways tailored to have a good chance of reducing them.”
  Neuberg co-authored the study with doctoral student Catherine Cottrell. Neuberg also claims that because evolved psychological tendencies are imperfectly attuned to the existence of dangers, people may react negatively to groups and their members even when they actually pose no realistic threat.
  Neuberg and Cottrell had 235 European American students at ASU think about nine different groups: activist feminists, African Americans, Asian Americans, European Americans, fundamentalist Christians, gay men, Mexican Americans, Native Americans and nonfundamentalist Christians. The researchers then had the participants rate these groups on the perceives threats they pose  to the physical safety, values, health, etc. of American society and report the emotions of fear, anger, disgust or pity they felt toward these groups.
  Consistent with the researchers’ hypotheses, findings revealed that distinct prejudices exist toward different groups of people. Some groups elicited prejudices characterized largely by fear, others by disgust, others by anger, and so on. Moreover, the different “flavors” of prejudice were associated with different patterns of perceived threat.
  Follow-up work further shows that these different prejudices motivate inclinations toward different kinds of discrimination, in ways apparently aimed at reducing the perceived threat. “Groups seen as posing threats to physical safety elicit fear and self-protective actions, groups seen as choosing to take more than they give elicit anger and inclinations toward aggression, and groups seen as posing health threats elicit disgust and the desire to avoid close physical contact,” Cottrell said.
  Neuberg and Cottrell are both adamant to point out that just because prejudices are a fundamental and natural part of what makes us human, that doesn’t mean that learning can’t take place and that responses can’t be dampened. “People sometimes assume that because we say prejudice has evolved roots we are saying that specific prejudices can’t be changed. That’s simply not the case,” Neuberg said. “What we think and feel and how we behave is typically the result of complex interactions between biological tendencies and learning experiences. Evolution may have prepared our minds to be prejudiced, but our environment influences the specific targets of those prejudices and how we act on them.”

California: Gay Marriage Bill Dies -  A bill to legalize gay marriage in California died June 2 after it narrowly failed to gain the simple majority needed to pass the state Assembly. In the second and final time in two days before the 80-member house, the tally was just four votes shy of a majority. Nearly a quarter of majority Democrats either joined Republicans in opposing the bill or chose not to take a stand on the hot-button topic, now headed for likely showdowns in the state’s courts and at the ballot box.
  “Voting for this bill may erode the advances we have made,” said Gloria Negrete McLeod, a Democrat who abstained despite a previous record that gay rights advocates considered friendly to their cause. “It’s a shame we get into these things where we become so politicized and polarized.”
  While it took a court order for Massachusetts last year to become the first state to grant marriage rights to same-sex couples, gay rights advocates had looked to California to be the first Legislature to do so voluntarily. The bill would have amended the state family code to define marriage between “two persons” instead of between a man and a woman.
  Supporters expressed disappointment with the June 2 outcome but said the floor vote nonetheless represented a historic event for the gay rights movement. “We had people who were adamantly against it last year who were speaking adamantly in favor of it on the floor,” Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, a supporter of the bill said. “This was progress even though it’s not enough.”
  Lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of California’s marriage laws are likely to wind up before the state’s Supreme Court within the next year. Opponents of gay marriage also have begun the process to put a constitutional amendment before voters that would ban gay nuptials and strip gay couples of domestic partnership benefits. They hope to get the initiative on the June 2006 ballot.

Colorado: Guv Okays Gay Hate Crimes, Vetoes Gay Workplace Protection Bills - Governor Bill Owens vetoed a bill  that would have outlawed workplace discrimination against gays here May 27. However, Owens allowed a measure to take effect extending protection to gays under Colorado’s hate crimes law. The workplace discrimination bill would have prohibited an employer from firing, demoting or harassing an employee based on sexual orientation.
  Owens said he considered the measure unnecessary and said it could have forced employers into costly lawsuits. The bill’s opponents had argued that an employer might not know the orientation of an applicant or worker and yet be sued for alleged discrimination.
  House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, a Democrat, said he was disappointed by the veto. Gay rights groups said it did not make sense for Owens to let one bill become law and veto the other. “On the one hand, you have the governor saying it’s wrong to inflict violence on gay people, but it’s OK to fire a person because they are gay,” said David Smith, vice president of the Human Rights Campaign.
  Owens said he let the hate crimes bill become law without his signature because it was part of an omnibus crime bill. The measure increases penalties for attacking gays because of their sexual orientation.

Illinois: Kraft Internal Memo Reaffirms Gay Games Sponsorship - Kraft Foods has reiterated its support of the company’s decision to sponsor the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. A May 23 internal memo from Marc Firestone, Executive Vice President, Corporate Counsel and Corporate Secretary of  Kraft Foods Inc. was sent to all employees nationwide.
  The memo, obtained by Quest shortly after the last issue went to press, summarizes the sponsorship decision and the actions by the Religious Right  to derail the Kraft food giant’s support. Firestone wrote: “The true test of any commitment is how you respond when challenged. Kraft is experiencing this to a degree right now, as a result of our decision to be one of several contributors to the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. The games will bring together thousands of athletes in a competition that will take place in our corporate hometown.
  “In recent days, the company has received many e-mails, the majority of them generated through the America(n) Family Association, which objects to our sponsorship. We also have received calls and e-mails - not as many, but equally passionate -- thanking us for supporting this event. A member of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley’s team said, ‘We applaud the businesses that are sponsors of the Gay Games, including Kraft Foods,’ “ Firestone wrote.
  Firestone then acknowledged likely employee feedback on the issue. “You may have questions or might have had questions from friends and family about our contribution to this event. While Kraft certainly doesn’t go looking for controversy, we have long been dedicated to support the concept and the reality of diversity. It’s the right thing to do and it’s good for our business and our work environment,” the memo stated.
  Firestone then reviewed Kraft’s corporate policy on diversity. “Diversity makes us a stronger company and connects us with the diversity that exists among the consumers who buy our products. Diversity is more than a word many people like to say. At Kraft we truly respect all kinds of differences. And diversity is not a selective concept. By definition, it’s nothing if not inclusive. We respect diversity of ethnicity, gender, experience, background, personal style and yes, sexual orientation and gender identity. Recognizing, respecting and valuing these differences helps us be a more successful business and a workplace where all employees can realize their full potential,” Firestone wrote.
  The memo then reviewed the  history of Kraft’s Rainbow Council on diversity. “For more than a decade, we have had employee councils that promote our awareness of diversity. The newest of our nine diversity councils is the Rainbow Council, which strives to provide a forum for support and networking among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees; raise awareness within Kraft and promote involvement in the community. Each council has an executive sponsor and I have been the Rainbow Council’s sponsor since last year,”  Firestone continued.
  Firestone noted that the corporate Gay Games sponsorship is only one of 1700 cash and in-kind contributions Kraft makes annually to various community organizations.
  Firestone concluded the memo by alluding to the personal challenges employees might face in the ongoing controversy. “It can be difficult when we are criticized. It’s easy to say you support a concept or a principle when nobody objects. The real test of commitment is how one reacts when there are those who disagree. I hope you share my view that our company has taken the right stand on diversity, including its contribution to the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago,” Firestone wrote.
  Kraft Foods is the largest producer of consumer foods in the United States. Kraft brands hold the number one share position in 21 of the 25 top categories in the U.S. and 21 of the top 25 country categories internationally. In addition to its dominance in the cheese marketplace, Kraft also owns brands such as Oscar Mayer, Maxwell House, Kool-Aid, Tombstone pizzas, Boca vegetarian burgers, Post cereals and Jell-O.

Michigan: AFA Boycotts Ford Over Gay Issues - An extremist “Christian” group launched a boycott against the Ford Motor Company May 31, claiming the second-largest U.S. automaker has given thousands of dollars to gay rights groups, offers benefits to same-sex couples and actively recruits gay employees.
  “Ford leads the way,” American Family Association chairman Donald Wildmon said in a statement. The Mississippi-based AFA claimed it e-mailed an announcement about the Ford boycott to its alleged 2.2 million supporters. About 2.5% of that group have emailed their displeasure to Ford, according to the AFA.
  Ford responded that it respects its customers and employees. “Ford values all people, regardless of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and cultural or physical differences,” Ford vice president of human resources Joe Laymon said.
  Laymon added that other automakers -- including General Motors Corp. and Chrysler Corp. -- provide benefits for same-sex partners and market their vehicles to the gay community. “It is one of the things that makes us proud to be part of the auto industry,” Laymon said.
  Ford was the only automaker among the 56 companies that got the highest rating last year from the Human Rights Campaign. Companies are rated on several factors, including whether they offer benefits to gay partners, donate to gay rights groups and market their products to gays.
  Ford spokesman Oscar Suris said the company donated $77.9 million to a wide variety of groups last year. The majority -- $39.6 million -- went to education, he said. A much smaller percentage went to community organizations for gays, Hispanics, blacks, Asians and other groups.
  The AFA recently ended a nine-year boycott of The Walt Disney Company over Disney’s decision to extend benefits to same-sex couples and promote gay-related events at its theme parks. The boycott appeared to have little effect, since Disney reported higher earnings and increased theme park attendance during that time.

Michigan: Pro-Gay Poster Multiply At Troy High School - A poster at Troy High School that reads “Gay People are Everyday People” appears to be multiplying instead of coming down. Some parents have been fighting the Troy School District for more than a year to have the poster removed from an English classroom, claiming it promotes sexuality and a homosexual lifestyle. But the maker of the poster said the school’s English department has decided to go the other direction, ordering 25 more copies.
  “Now there’s going to be 26 at the school,” Leslie Thompson said. Thompson is the executive director of Ferndale-based Affirmations Gay/Lesbian Community Center, which distributes the posters. “I’m really rather proud of the district, the school and the teachers for standing by their gay students,” she said. “(The poster) is really a strong message for those kids.”
  District spokesman Tim McAvoy confirmed that at least four new posters went up recently. The poster originally went up in 2003 at the request of the student group Human Equal Rights Organization, which was doing a project on tolerance. It portrays five teenagers surrounded by photos of professionals such as caterers, mail carriers, musicians and teachers.
  “The students requested the poster to show all people deserve respect and tolerance, and should not be harassed for any reason,” McAvoy said. “The poster ensures student safety through a message of tolerance and respect.”
  But parents opposed to the poster say it promotes more than tolerance, and should be replaced by posters that read “Treat Everyone With Respect” or other nonsexual messages.
  “If the poster is truly a message of tolerance, it should not single out one group,” said Tony Cruz, a parent of two daughters in the district. He said the posters promote a sexual lifestyle that is against his personally chosen  religious beliefs. “It should not even be acknowledged to youth, much less promoted.”
  Cruz claims his Christian upbringing prohibits him from hating gays, but also won’t allow him to accept their lifestyle. “We believe it’s a sin,” he said. “I am here to censor their attempts to promote that lifestyle on my children.”
  But Affirmations’ Thompson said the poster does not promote sex or sexual activity. “We don’t consider the word ‘gay’ any more sexual than the word ‘marriage,’” she said. She fears the controversy over the poster will further alienate gay students who she said are afraid to let their sexual orientation be known for fear of retribution.  “We’re not trying to force anything on anyone,” she said. “We’re just trying to live our lives. We are everyday people.”

Ohio: Second Annual Women’s Music & Arts Festival Announced - The second annual WIMFest will be held at the Pine Valley Lake Park and Campgrounds in Canton, Ohio June 24-26.  WIMFest will feature performances by nationally and internationally acclaimed female singer/songwriters and female fronted bands including: Tret Fure, Ferron, Ember Swift, Robin Stone, Alexis Antes, Lucie Blue Tremblay, and Anne E. Dechan. On the lighter side, comedian Karen Williams will also perform  In addition to the musical and comic entertainment, there will be visual artists, photographers, and others showcasing their talents.  Also planned are raffle prizes, T-shirts, merchandise and much more.
  The 3 day long event will start at 7PM on Friday, June 24 at the park located at 4936 S. Arlington Rd. in North Canton runs through to 6pm Sunday, June 26.   Camping, camp fires, cooking, games and dogs  are allowed at the location.
  Some of the proceeds from WIMFest will benefit BreastFest which gives to the The Barbara A. Leslie Fund at the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center, where the monies will be allocated directly to Breast Cancer Patients in need of financial assistance.  Promotional support is provided by  Epitome Magazine, Jak Prints, She Loves You Records, Oakland Theater, and The Lesbian Connection
  Ticket prices, reservations and weekend passes can be purchased at the festival’s website: www.WIMFest.com. For more information about WIMFest, to volunteer, reserve booth space or to sponsor the event,  please contact Donna at: 30-219-409 or WIMFest@hotmail.com.

Ohio: Wounded Gay Soldier Discharged From Army - An Army sergeant who was wounded in Iraq and wanted to remain in the military as an openly gay soldier was officially discharged Tuesday, according to an advocacy group. Sgt. Robert Stout, 23, was awarded the Purple Heart after a grenade sent shrapnel into his arm, face and legs while he was using a machine gun on a Humvee in May 2004.
  Stout, of Utica in central Ohio, told The Associated Press in April that he wanted to remain in the military and be openly gay, but that would conflict with the Pentagon’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
  Aaron Belkin, director of the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military at the University of California-Santa Barbara, said Sgt. Robert Stout told him he was due back in the United States on Tuesday, the day of his discharge. “I know a ton of gay men that would be more than willing to stay in the Army if they could just be open,” Stout said in April. Stout said he was openly gay among most of his 26-member platoon, part of the 9th Engineer Battalion based in Germany.
  Army officials at the Pentagon could not immediately confirm the discharge. The Army declined to comment earlier on the case other than to say that soldiers discharged under “don’t ask, don’t tell” typically receive honorable discharges.

Washington: Microsoft Dumps Ralph Reed -  The Microsoft Corp. said May 27 that it has severed ties with Ralph Reed, a Republican lobbyist who once headed the Christian Coalition and who is running for lieutenant governor in Georgia. “Ralph Reed is no longer on retainer with Microsoft,” said spokeswoman Ginny Terzano.
  The move came a month after LGBT and other progressive activists urged Microsoft to quit using Reed as a political consultant, upset that the software company had pulled its support for a gay equal rights bill. The company has since said it will support such legislation in the future.
  “Microsoft retains and lets consultants go throughout the course of the year based on the company’s needs, and that was the case here,” Terzano said.

State News:

Menominee: UW-Stout Reverses Stand On ROTC - The chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Stout on May 31 reversed his decision blocking a request to establish an Army ROTC program. Chancellor Charles Sorensen, citing University of Wisconsin Regents’ policies, announced his decision to allow ROTC officials to make UW-Stout the fifth of the state’s 13 four-year public universities to offer the military training program. Sorensen initially had rejected the request on grounds that the ROTC program was not compatible with the university’s diversity policy because it did not accept openly gay students.
  His decision was met by criticism from local legislators, followed by a request from the Regents to reexamine the matter. On June 1 the state legislature’s Joint Finance Committee  voted to deny state funding to University of Wisconsin campuses that turn away ROTC programs. The 15-1 vote was a symbolic slap at Sorensen.
  Sorensen acknowledged his earlier decision could have cost the Menomonie-based university millions in federal funds linked to allowing an ROTC program on the campus. He said political pressure did not prompt the reversal. The Regents 20-year-old policy on ROTC programs cites discrimination in ROTC programs as a concern, but states that any change to the policy must come from federal lawmakers. UW-Stout will now appointed a team of administrators to begin working with ROTC officials “to review the next steps to establish an ROTC chapter on this campus if they choose to locate here,” Sorensen said.

Green Bay: Quest Sets Readership Record in May - Some Wisconsin gay media call themselves “premiere,” while others claim to be the state’s “LGBT news source.” But just-released statistics suggest that when it comes to seeking gay news, more Wisconsin eyes turn to Quest than all its online and print competitors. In May, 2005, Quest’s online and print editions scored 29,071 views. The total represents 12,400 print copies and 16,671 hits to the Quest website during the month.
  QNU, the Quest News Update site which, provides a complete daily briefing of national, state, health, entertainment and offbeat news links, combined with photo coverage of LGBT events statewide, has seen four-figure percentage increases in viewership since its debut in January. “We often beat some of the most widely known gay news sites to top breaking stories, sometimes by hours and sometimes by days,” Quest publisher Mark Mariucci said.
  Other popular website stops are Quest’s classified ads, bar guide and its leather and Wisconsin Whispers columns. “We simply offer more variety online than any of our competitors,” Mariucci said.
  Other media around the nation and the world also are picking up Quest’s stories and columns. Websites such as buzzflash.com, allheadlinenews.com, the Isthmus Daily Page, WisPolitics.com, PageOneQ (formerly RawStoryQ.com), and various blogs too numerous to mention have linked to Quest pages during May. “No other Wisconsin gay media can make that claim,” Mariucci said.
  Quest’s print edition also can boast one of the lowest “toss rates” among its print competitors. “Some may print more-  most don’t, by the way -  but I think Quest can clearly demonstrate we’re read more,” Mariucci said. “Isn’t that what advertisers want?”
  Mariucci feels the other main reason for the print version’s success is the biweekly’s truly statewide gay news coverage. “When was the last time you saw a story that was not Milwaukee-based in Quest’s newsprint competitors?” Mariucci asked. “For that matter, when have you seen a story that Quest hadn’t covered two to six weeks earlier?”

Madison: Nominations Sought for 13th Annual Outreach Awards - Nominations for the The 13th Annual OutReach Awards are currently being sought by the Dane county-based LGBT community center. Individuals or organizations whose work on behalf of the LGBT communities is deserving of recognition will be honored at this year’s event, which will be held Friday, July 15 in the Grand Ballroom of the Monona Terrace.
  This year’s  award categories include:  Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, OutReach Volunteer of the Year, Ally of the Year and Organization of the Year.  In addition, Outreach will introduce a special honor: the Lifetime Achievement Award.
  There are several criteria for this year’s award submissions. Nomination forms must be filled out completely and must be accompanied by a minimum of one letter of recommendation. Incomplete nominations will not be considered.
  Prior winners are eligible for consideration in a different category, as long as the nomination forms meet the guidelines established. Paid staff of organizations - other than OutReach - may be considered if there contributions meet the criteria of “above and beyond” their paid positions.
  Current OutReach Board Members are not eligible for an award. The Awards committee reserves the right to consider nominees in categories other than the one in which they’ve been nominated.
  Ballot submissions must be be submitted no later than June 20. Application forms are available on the Outreach website at: www.outreachinc.com,  by mail by writing OutReach, 600 Williamson St., Ste. P1, Madison WI 53703 or by visiting the OutReach office in person. Call Nikki at 608-255-8582 for more information.

Milwaukee: Alleged Gay Domestic Dispute Leaves One Dead, Another Wounded - An alleged gay domestic dispute reportedly led a  22-year-old man to jump to his death from the twelfth floor of a lakefront apartment building June 2 here.  Police report the man allegedly leapt to his death about 9 AM from the 27-story Landmark on the Lake apartment complex, 1660 N. Prospect Ave., after stabbing his roommate, who survived.
  According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz said the two men were involved in a “domestic dispute” and were the only people in the apartment. Police had not named either the dead man or the stabbing victim as of Quest’s deadline. The medical examiner’s office also would not identify the deceased. Landmark on the Lake manager Philip Maes said police also instructed staff not to release any information regarding the incident.
  However, the dead man is believed to be 22-year old Thomas L. Smith, a former Hubertus resident who reportedly had moved in with his yet unnamed roommate just a week ago.
  A contractor working in an adjacent building told reporters that he heard the commotion outside. “I heard a loud scream, and then I heard a loud thump,” the contractor, Brian Gould, said. “That’s a scream you’re not going to forget.”
  Gould then reported that  he went over to the Landmark lobby and found blood everywhere. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said.
  Schwartz told the Journal-Sentinel the stabbing victim, 20, took the elevator to the lobby, and on the way down a woman got on the same elevator and offered help. She said the victim, who was stabbed multiple times, was taken to Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, where he remained hospitalized as of June 3.  His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, Schwartz said. Police would not say if a weapon had been recovered, or what kind of weapon may have been used. The dead man reportedly jumped from the balcony on the south side of the apartment and landed on the patio area on the roof of the building’s first floor.
  Allegations that the incident was the result of a gay domestic dispute stem from an online explanation of the incident by William Attewell of Wisconsin Gay News, who reportedly based his assertion on the two men’s similar ages and the building’s location in the heavily gay-populated North Prospect neighborhood. LGBT community members have speculated police caution on revealing the two men’s sexual orientation may be due to the aftermath of the Frank Jude incident last October, which has focused on departmental insensitivity toward racial and sexual minorities.

Janesville: Salvation Army Chief Caught In Gay Internet Sting - The commander of the local Salvation Army chapter here has told a police detective he e-mailed a pornographic photo of himself to a Florida detective posing as a 14-year-old boy, a newspaper reported. Staff Maj. David Taube later told The Janesville Gazette he was embarrassed and was getting help. “Wrong is wrong. I will take responsibility for my actions,” Taube said.
  The Salvation Army has suspended Taube with pay this week pending the outcome of the criminal investigation and an investigation by the organization. Taube has not been arrested or charged.
  Taube claims that he didn’t believe he was conversing with a 14-year-old boy in the Internet chat room. “I’ve fallen into the pornographic stuff - not kiddies,” Taube said. “Frankly, I’m so embarrassed, and I apologize for anybody I’m hurting in this thing, especially my family and children. This has nothing to do with the Salvation Army.”
  During Taube’s suspension, his wife, Patricia, who also is a Salvation Army major, will oversee the Janesville chapter, said Maj. Bruce Bailey, Salvation Army divisional commander in Wauwatosa. The Salvation Army was the focus of an insider attempt with the Bush administration to obtain special rights to discriminate against openly gay employees during the President’s first-term “faith based” federal funding initiatives.

Milwaukee: PrideFest, Parade To Capture Attention June 11-12 - Billed this year as Wisconsin’s “pride and joy,” PrideFest will kick off at the
Henry B. Maier “Summerfest” grounds here Saturday and Sunday June 11-12. The festival grounds will open daily at 11 AM, with an anticipated midnight close on Saturday and a 10 PM end to the festival on Sunday.
  Saturday’s entertainment on the Miller Lite Main Stage will feature a procession of nationally-known gay and gay iconic performers. Among the highlights will be the 12:30 pm show by women’s music legend Tret Fure, a
3:30 PM  gig featuring Cream City’s popular Pulsation.  The Headline Show will kick off at 6:30 PM, hosted by female llusionists impersonating Joan Rivers and Cher. Serious laughter can be expected when veteran gay Jason Stuart takes the stage at 7 PM. Stuart will warm up the crowd for 80’s disco diva Taylor Dayne, appearing at 8:30 PM. Fireworks of another kind will be set off on the lakefront at 10 PM and the night will conclude with an 11 PM show by gay multimedia superstar/supermmodel RuPaul.
  Saturday’s events will also feature several of a political bent. In the Rainbow Cafe tent, an 11 AM presentation on legal protections for the LGBT community will be followed by a speaker’s training session on Wisconsin’s proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage and civil unions at 12:30 PM. The 90-minute talking points training is jointly sponsored by Action Wisconsin and Center Advocates.
  Women’s health will be the focus of a 2 PM panel on the Stonewall stage, co-sponsored by the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center and Lesbian Alliance of Metro Milwaukee. A 3:30 PM panel on the cooperative effort to defeat the civil union ban will follow. The fesitval’s dance pavilion, sports stage and Rainbow Cafe will also feature a variety of area country line dancing, fashion modeling, square dancing, female impersonating and other groups’ shows, demonstrations and presentations throughout the day. 
  Sunday’s highlights include main stage headliners Pamela Means at 5:30 PM, Jade Esteban Estrada at 7 PM and Sophie B. Hawkins at 8 PM.Wisconsin’s divas will be on parade in the dance pavilion at 2:30 PM, followed by annual leather show at 5 PM.
  Sunday will also see the Milwaukee Pride Parade, scheduled to run through the Second St. gay bar district, beginning at Greenfield Ave. and ending on Seeboth St. The parade steps off at 2 PM, and though advertised  to run three hours, likely will pass in a shorter time frame.
  Numerous collateral events from sheepshead tournaments and benefit lakeshore cruises to interfaith religious services and youth events dot the two-day schedule. For more information, visit the PrideFest website at: www.pridefest.com. Information on the pride parade can be found at: www.prideparademke.com.

Hilbert: Argonauts Plan July 9 Northeast Pride Fest - The Northeast Wisconsin will celebrate Pride  will continue another year hosted by the Argonauts of Wisconsin. This celebration continues a more than 20 year tradition, originally held on the Memorial Day weekend when local gay bars sponsored the event as a customer appreciation.
  This year’s N.E.W. Pride Fest will be held on Saturday, July 9, 2005 from Noon to 9 PM at the Al Kamke farm in Hilbert, about 2 miles south of the Hwy 10 & 57 intersection in Forest Junction on Hwy 57. The location is about a half hour drive south of Green Bay and two hours north of Milwaukee. There will be food, beer and soda as well as vendors, raffles and few other activities.  There will be a $2 admission fee.  Parking is free.
  Many are familiar with the farm location, but may be unaware of the recent renovations to the barn.  The stage has been moved to accommodate a larger audience and dressing rooms have been added for the entertainers, allowing the entertainment to be held indoors.  Although the performers are still being assembled, the festival promises to be a day filled with a wide variety of talent. The kitchen has also been remodeled and updated so that it now rivals those of restaurants. 
  The Argonauts are seeking volunteers to make this year’s event the best N.E.W. Pride Fest possible. Donations of  time to set up tents, bar tend, serve food or provide entertainment are needed. Sponsorship of entertainment, food, beverages, prizes, games, and other items will be greatly appreciated. For more information or to volunteer, contact by email Al Kamke at Coy69boy@aol.com.

Madison: Gay Sex Advice Columnist Savages Wisconsin GOP-Backed “Sex Bill” - Nationally syndicated and openly-gay sex advice columnist Dan Savage has belittled a recent measure sponsored by Representative Daniel LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) that would ban the University of Wisconsin’s student health center from dispensing, advertising, or prescribing birth control, including emergency contraception for rape victims. LeMahieu’s reasoning is because birth control “encourages female promiscuity.”
  In his response to a letter from a “Steve Z.” savage pointed out that “Danny LeMahieu’s bill wouldn’t stop the student health centers in Wisconsin from passing out condoms to male students. This means that the gay boys at the UW will have all the condoms they need for virus control, while heterosexual students have to go without birth control. LeMahieu’s bill discriminates against heterosexual students exclusively--see, straight people? The American Taliban is after your asses too.”
  Savage encouraged his readers to take action. “Does this assault on straight rights piss you off, my heterosexual readers? Then PICK UP YOUR DAMN PHONES and call Danny LeMahieu at 608-266-9175 and tell him to stick his bad bill, AB-343, right up his pasty white ass,” Savage wrote. “Or better yet, call Danny on his dime, and call Danny often, at 888-534-0059. If any angry straight people would prefer to send Danny a note, his mailing address is Room 17 North, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8952, Madison, WI, 53708. Danny’s home address is on his website, which I found by Googling his name. I don’t think it would be cricket (Briticism) or kosher (Yiddishism) or K-Y (gayism) to send angry letters to Danny’s home, so I’m not going to put his home address in my column, even though his home mailing address is right there on his website. Which I found by Googling his name. Ahem.”
  Quest found, however, that according to the people search engine Infospace.com, Rep. LeMahieu also can be reached by writing him at: Daniel R Lemahieu, 21 S 8th St., Oostburg, WI 53070-1436. As is typical for most elected officials, his home number - 920-564-3392 - is publicly listed.
   Savage concluded  his rant by adding the governor to the action list. “All you pissed off straight folks might want to put in a call to Wisconsin’s Democratic governor, Jim Doyle, too, and demand that he veto Danny’s anti-straight-rights bill if it manages to reach his desk,” Savage wrote.

LaCrosse: Community Center Sets Summer Hours, Fall Events - Beginning Thursday, June 2, the 7 Rivers LGBT Resource Center’s drop-in hours will be from 1 to 6 PM. every Monday and Thursday EXCEPT Monday, June 6, when the center will be closed.
  A number of fall dates are already confirmed. “Reclaiming Moral Values: Sexuality, Politics and Faith,” a three-day conference in Winona is set for September 23-25. Jim Wallis has been tentatively scheduled as the keynote speaker. More information will be provided to community center members later this summer.
 On October 14 a social gathering has been planned at the Hospitality Room of the City Brewery and plans are being made for a film festival at the  Rivoli Theatre on October 15. For more information about the center and its services, visit the 7 Rivers website at:www.7riverslgbt.org.

Stevens Point: Green Circle “Out”Door Bike Ride Planned - On Sunday afternoon, June 12, members of the central Wisconsin gay community plan to bike the Green Circle trail. The 26 mile long trail takes riders  around the city of Stevens Point, along the Wisconsin River and through several parks and forests. For more information or to RSVP contact Brandon via email at: brandonshayes@yahoo.com.

Appleton: Fox Valley Training to Stop the Ban Set - Action Wisconsin (AW) will sponsor a speakers’ training to “Stop The Ban” on Tuesday, June 28, from 6-9 PM at the Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2600 E. Philip Lane here.
  State lawmakers are pushing a constitutional amendment that would ban marriage and civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. To defeat the amendment, AW will need to reach thousands of Wisconsin voters with face-to-face interactions and personal stories over the next 18 months.
  Action Wisconsin has already sponsored six other trainings throughout  the state. Trained speakers use the skills they learn in their day-to-day lives, and many have spoken with organizations such as churches, community forums, and student groups.
  The June 28 training will help attendees to communicate effectively with friends, family, and neighbors; educate their organizations about the harms the amendment will do to Wisconsin families; and frame the debate on LGBT terms to explain how families need the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage.
   The Action Wisconsin Speakers Network is a statewide effort to educate Wisconsinites about the constitutional ban on civil unions  and marriage. Following the three-hour training, attendees will be invited to join the  network to help outreach to and educate individuals and groups.  AW welcomes all people interested in stopping the ban, particularly  non-gay people who want to help defeat the amendment. You do not  need to commit to being a public speaker to attend.
 The Fox Valley UU Fellowship is located off of Highway 441 at East Calumet St. To reach Phillip Lane, turn south on Matthias St. Please register by June 27 by contacting Lindsey at 608-441-0143 ext 309,  or via email at: speaker@actionwisconsin.org with your name, address, phone, and email.

Sheboygan: Memorial Day Brat Fry Sizzles Up $1300 For ROW - The first-ever "Memorial Day Benefit Brat Fry, Tea Dance, Auction & Show" at the Blue Lite tavern here May 29 has raised about $1300 for Rainbow Over Wisconsin's Community Enrichment Fund. Locals and out-of-towners braved occasional drenching downpours to feast on classic Sheboygan-style double brats on hard rolls, grilled burgers, German potato salad, baked beans, homemade desserts and other treats while enjoying the music of DJ David Paul. Two 50/50 raffles and a fiercely competitive live auction of donated items helped the benefit tally, as did donated tips from both performers and bartenders. 
  Blue Lite owner told Quest that he expects the Memorial Day event to become a new tavern tradition. "I think everyone had a great time, and the Sheboygan area gay community certainly has shown it can pull together  when it is given the opportunity," Dayton said. "I'm so proud of everyone who donated their time and talents to this event."
  Dayton also currently serves as ROW President. "In some ways, the brat fry kind of brings us back to where we started," Dayton said. "This year marks the 10th anniversary of first-ever 'Alive With Pride' picnic."
  Founded following the success of the "Alive With Pride 95" gay pride event by the region's tavern keepers, Rainbow Over Wisconsin (ROW) has grown from a group that had served to coordinate bar benefit shows to a nonprofit, tax-exempt community foundation whose members include area business owners, LGBT activists and people who simply want to make northeast Wisconsin's gay community the best it can be. ROW financially assists the work of local and regional groups serving the LGBT community in central, eastern and northeast Wisconsin through its Community Enrichment Fund grant program. In the last nine years, Rainbow Over Wisconsin has granted over $70,000 to more than 45 projects developed by over two dozen groups.

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