Thursday, January 13, 2000
Gay rights groups cite 2 setbacks
State policy, proposed bill worry some
BY SPENCER HUNT
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS — Gay rights groups historically have had few successes advancing their cause in Ohio. Now they are calling two recent events involving state government setbacks.
The first came in August, but was only recently revealed, when Gov. Bob Taft erased the words “sexual preference” from a policy intended to ban discrimination at state agencies.
While they are dealing with that, gay rights groups gathered in Columbus Wednesday to fight a renewed effort by conservative lawmakers to pass a bill blocking same-sex marriages.
“I think we're making progress nationally, had some victories, but in the state the mood is somewhat resigned,” said Doreen Cudnik, director of Stonewall Cincinnati, a local advocacy group for the gay community. “We're frustrated with losing.”
Same-sex marriage
A Taft spokesman, however, says gays are still shielded against bias in Ohio agencies. And the sponsor of the same-
sex marriage ban, State Sen. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, said Ohio's moral conservatives are not “winning.”
Mr. Hottinger points to a recent Vermont Supreme Court decision ordering that state to extend health benefits to the domestic partners of gay employees. He said the consequences of that ruling could someday extend to Ohio.
“Sooner or later some state is going to legally recognize same-sex marriages, and then lawsuits will be filed here demanding Ohio recognize them, too,” Mr. Hottinger said. “This bill tries to stop that.”
Ms. Cudnik and other activists say same-sex marriages already are illegal in Ohio. Under state law, a marriage license can only be granted to heterosexual couples in which the man is at least 18 years old and the woman is at least 16.
Bill "unnecessary'
“This bill is completely unnecessary,” said Jeff Redfield, director of Stonewall Columbus. “To me it's discrimination, plain and simple.”
Mr. Redfield said the governor's decision not to mention sexual preference in his hiring decree is more troubling. He said Mr. Taft has erased a protection Gov. Richard Celeste first installed in 1983.
“(Celeste's policy) clearly said to these groups that they are protected while they are working for the state,” he said.
Already protected?
Mr. Taft's two-page policy bans bias in state hiring and employment based on veteran status, race, color, religion, national origin or sex. But spokesman Scott Milburn said a separate clause referring to “other groups and classifications of persons” protects homosexuals.
Ronna Greff Schneider, a law professor at the University of Cincinnati, is not so sure. She said debate over whether federal job protections apply to homosexuals stems from the fact that they aren't specifically mentioned by law.
“If the policy is no different than what it was, then the question to the governor is "Why did you need to change it?'” Ms. Greff Schneider said.
Now the question is whether gay rights groups can get Mr. Taft to change his mind, and keep the same-sex marriage ban from passing. Ms. Cudnik and Mr. Redfield were optimistic about defeating Sen. Hottinger's bill.
In 1997 a similar proposal sponsored by Mr. Hottinger and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, failed to pass a House committee. Mr. Redfield said he doubts either lawmaker can find more supporters now.
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