extracted text

Serving the womyn' s
community
since 1983

Her/and Voice
Woman convicted after stillbirth released
By Lynn Paltrow, JD
Executive Director, National Advocates for Pregnant Women

On November 19, 2008, after serving only one year from the date of
sentencing, Theresa Lee Hernandez was released from prison.
Ms. Hernandez was arrested in 2004 and charged with first-degree
murder (a crime with a potential penalty of 25 years-to-life
imprisonment) and second-degree murder for having suffered a
stillbirth. The state of Oklahoma claimed -- without any scientific
basis -- that the stillbirth was caused by her methamphetamine use.
In 2007, as her case approached trial, nationa l and state-based
organ izations, advocates and experts organized, educated and spoke
out aga inst the prosecution. These efforts were instrumental in
helping Ms. Hernandez avoid a life sentence and in enabling her
counsel, Robin Shellow and Jim Rowan, to negotiate a plea bargain.
That plea, entered last November, resulted in a sentence of 15
years, to be revisited after Ms. Hernandez served one year in prison.
As the Tulsa World reported: "Theresa Lee Hernandez, 31, appeared
before Judge Virgil Black for a sentencing modification hearing. At
the request of prosecutors, Black agreed to "suspend the remainder
of her sentence and ordered her released from custody." Ms.
Hernandez wi 11 go to a private treatment program for 90 days and
will be on probation for 10 years.
Just a week before Ms. Hernandez's November 19 release, the
second of two public forums regarding pregnancy, parenting and
drug use was held. This forum, held at the lntegris Baptist Medical
Center in Oklahoma City, was co-sponsored by the local chapters of
the National Association of Social Workers and of the American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the YWCA Oklahoma
(continued next page)

New Year's Day
Potluck at Herland
1-4 pm
Join in our tradition!

Sat. , Jan. 3, 10, 1 7,
& 24
Herland Bookstore Open

1-5 pm

Sat., January 10th
Herland Supper Club
& Movie
ltaliano's 4801 N Lincoln

Sat., January 31st
Herland Planning Retreat
(Bookstore Closed)

Save the Dates!
Sat., February 14th
Herland's Red & White
Party
May 15-17 Herland
Spring Retreat

The Herland Voice is a publication of Herland Sister Resources . 2312 NW 39th, OKC, OK 73112 . Our bookstore/lending library is
open Saturdays from 1-5 pm. Call us at (405) 521-9696 or email us at herland@herlandsisters.org . Visit us on the web at
www.herlandsisters.org.

(continued from previous page)

City, and Oklahoma State University's Gender and
Women's Studies program. The panel discussion included
local experts, doctors Eli Reshef and Dana Stone, and
continued a conversation that drew upon evidence-based
research concerning pregnancy, parenting and drug use.
This conversation had begun at an Oklahoma forum one
year earlier, in anticipation of Ms. Hernandez's
sentencing.
Ms. Hernandez' release was not typical. Even in cases
where a conviction is completely overturned, prisoners
are almost always returned to prison for processing something that can take weeks or even months - before
they are finally released. In Ms. Hernandez' case, the
judge ordered that her handcuffs be removed right in the
courtroom and that she be allowed to leave straight from
the courthouse to her awaiting family and friends.
The Channel 9 news story, "Freed from Prison," began by
noting that "The case created a firestorm with doctors
and women's advocates who rallied to the woman's side."

Herland Supper Club and a Movie, Too!
Join the Herland Supper Club on Saturday, January 10, at
5:30 pm for dinner and a movie. We will have the theater
room at ltaliano's Pasta and Pizza, 4801 N. Lincoln Blvd, all
to ourselves. Their menu includes mouth-watering dishes
like baked ziti and meatball supremo, lighter fare like soups
and salads, and a pizza and pasta bar. And ltaliano's has a
ful I selection of
wines and beers.
We will be eating in
their theater room
and wi 11 watch a
true classic-Desert
Hearts-wh i Ie we
eat. Filmed in 1985,
this was one of the
first lesbian love
stories to hit the big
screens. Set in 1950s Reno, Nevada, Desert Hearts tells the
story of a 35 year old professor that comes to town to file
for divorce and falls for a free-spirited 25 year old casino
worker. Join us as we revisit this timeless classic.

: mr)re eve"nts! ! ·.
'

''
-

-

¥

-

Friday, January 2 Miss
Brown to You Galileo Bar &
Grill 3009 Paseo 9 to midnight $5
Saturday , January 3 Louise
& Mary Full Circle Bookstore
50 Penn Place 7 -9 pm no
cover
Tuesday January 6 PFLAGOKC Church of the Open
Arms 7 pm
Thursday January 8 PFLAGNorman St Stephens 7 pm
Friday, January 9 Miss
Brown To You UCO Jazz Lab
100 E 5th St in Edmond 8 to
11 pm $7
Monday January 12 OGLPC
Monthly Meeting 1236 NW
36 7 pm
Saturday January 17 Miss
Brown To You Gypsy Cafe
Night at First Unitarian
Church OKC 7 - 10 pm $5,
$10, or $50 at the door
Monday January 19 OKC
PRIDE General Meeting
Neighborhood Alliance 1236
NW 36 7pm
Sunday January 26 Mary
Reynolds Emily Kaitz Louise
Goldberg at The Performing
Arts Studio 200 S Jones Ave
in Norman 7 pm $10 (at the
door or online)

Female Majority to Control N.H. Senate
By Jane Costello - WomenseNews correspondent

New Hampshire's state Senate will carve history for the
Granite State in January when the legislative body convenes
with women in 13 of the 24 seats forming the country's first
female majority.
Women will also factor in key positions of leadership: the
Senate is presided over by its president, Sylvia Larson, and
president pro-tern, Maggie Hassan, while Martha Fuller Clark
continues her role as majority whip .
"We are setting a great example for young women: that they
can get involved and run for office," says Sharon Carson, a
newly elected Republican senator who formerly served as
state representative from Londonderry and works as an
adjunct professor at Nashua Community College.
Elizabeth Ossoff, research coordinator for the Center for the
Study of American Democracy and Citizenship at Saint Anselm
College in Manchester, says the gender milestone has been
coming closer for years . After the last election in 2006,
women comprised 30.4 percent of the combined Senate and
House. When the new session convenes in January, that
number wi II increase to 37. 7 percent.
Public reaction in New Hampshire has been low-key and
matter of fact. News articles have noted the development
but no media hoopla has been evident and, when the new
session starts, some legislators have said it will be business as
usual.
"It wasn't like it was intentional," says Donna Sytek, former
speaker of the state House and former chair of the New
Hampshire Republican Party. "Women have gradually risen to
the top here because they are capable and they do their
homework ."
Outside the state, those who track the progress of women in
elected positions are elated, although also not surprised by
New Hampshire's new Senate majority.
"I think it's very exciting," says Katie Ziegler, a policy
specialist for the Denver-based National Conference of State
Legislatures. "But it's not surprising; New Hampshire has
consistently ranked high in terms of the percentage of
women in its Legislature. But they are the only state to have
two female officers (Larson and Hassan). That's impressive."
Two major explanations for women's newfound majority are
the state's high number of legislators and their low-practically nonexistent--pay.
New Hampshire's Legislature has 424 members: 400 in the
House and 24 in the Senate, making it the largest legislature

in the United States and the fourthlargest English-speaking governing body
in the world.
The New Hampshire General Court--as
the state Legislature has called itself
since its inception in 1784--is in session
for six months, between January and
June, and elected officials are paid only
$100 per year, plus gas mileage, to
serve.
Until November, women comprised onethird of the state Senate in
neighboring Vermont, making it the
current leader. It will lose that title to
New Hampshire in January, although
Vermont will continue to outrank New
Hampshire-:.iust barely--in terms of the
overal I percentage of women serving in
the Legislature: Vermont will have 37 .8
percent while New Hampshire's figure
will stand at 37. 7 percent. The Colorado
Legislature will remain 38 perce.nt
female , the highest in the country, but
it does not have a female majority in
either the House or the Senate.

The Nati;onal Co,nference ,··'
on LGBT EquaHty
Creating Change·
Creating Change Confer ence 2009
January 28-F ebruary 1
Just one week after the inauguration of a new
administration, thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) activists wil I converge in Denver for
the 21st National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating
Change, Jan . 28--Feb. 1, Activists will strategize on how to
advance LGBT equality in this new political climate , share
lessons from the 2008 election, and acquire the skills
needed to build the political power of the LGBT
community in 2009 and beyond .
Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey will present the
annual State of the Movement address at the conference,
in which she will lay out a vision and plan for the year
ahead in the struggle for LGBT equality . Says Carey : "We
are clearly entering a new time and there are tremendous
opportunities to influence social change."
Critical legislative issues specifically affecting the LGBT
community include passing a strengthened and expanded
federa l hate crimes law, passage of an inclusive
Employment Non-Discrimination Act and repeal of "Don't
Ask, Don't Tell." Other broader areas of focus will include
the need for affordable housing, access to quality/
affordable health care, and racial and economicjusticerelated issues.
The passage of Proposition 8 in California has galvanized
community activists across the country. Some of those
activists will be featured at Creating Change on panels and
in workshops, as attendees discuss regaining the freedom
to marry in California and gaining it elsewhere .
For example, Join the Impact co-founder Willow Witte,
one of the key organizers of the Nov. 15 national
grassroots protests against the passage of Prop. 8, will
lead a session about mobilizing the LGBT movement at this
critical moment. Participants will learn how to use the
Internet to organize on a worldwide level and how to make
an impact in local communities. Also, at a daylong preconference institute, attendees will discuss the marriage
equality landscape and strategize on how to make gains.
Conference attendees will also participate in sessions to
learn how to defeat future attacks against LGBT people on
statewide and local ballots on issues such as
nondiscrimination and adoption.
For more information about the conference program and
registration, visit www,CreatingChange.org or call 202-

639-6333 .

National Religious Leadership
Roundtable responds to
selection of Rick Warren to
give invocation at
inauguration
A statement by the Rev. Rebecca Voelkel
of the National Religious Leadership
Roundtable, convened by the National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force, responded to the
selection of Rick Warren to deliver the
invocation at the Jan. 20 inauguration.
"As a Christian pastor and a lesbian, I am
deeply troubled by President-elect Obama's
choice of Pastor Rick Warren to pray at his
inauguration. Pastor Warren was one of the
leaders in smearing the lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
community in the recent Proposition 8
campaign in California. His words and
actions have solidified the impression that
Christian equals bigot when it comes to the
LGBT community . And his leadership was
one of the factors in Prop. 8's passage.
"But Pastor Warren and the Saddleback
Church, whose membership counts in the
20,000 mark, have also taken a leadership
role in the fight against HIV/AIDS . And
through this work they are coming to know
many LGBT persons and our real lives - as
opposed to the lies they have painted us
with.
"My prayer is that Pastor Warren allow
himself to repent of his hatred and harm to
the LGBT community . If he is going to
purport to acknowledge God's presence at
the inauguration, he must recognize the
power and blessing in all our lives especially LGBT people ."
Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey
has also issued a statement saying in part,
"President-elect Obama campaigned on a
theme of inclusivity, yet the selection of
Rick Warren to give the invocation is a
direct affront to that very principle ."

The organization was encouraging gay people who
could not miss work to be open about their sexual
orientation with co-workers and urging straight
employees to speak up when they hear colleagues
making homophobicjokes .
Berry noted that only 20 states have laws to protect
workers from being fired for being gay, making
lesbians and gays reluctant to reveal themselves to
co-workers in mostjurisdictions.

By Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO-A daylong work
stoppage for which people were encouraged to call in
"gay" to express support for same-sex marriage drew
spotty participation Wednesday, December 10, with
some gay rights activists praising the event and others
questioning its value.
People who opted to take the day off from their jobs
as part of the national "Day Without a Gay" were
encouraged to perform community service, and
charitable organizations across the country said they
had volunteers showing up.
The protest, which a gay couple from West Hollywood
organized through the Internet, was designed to
demonstrate the economic clout of same-sex marriage
supporters following the passage of voter-approved
gay marriage bans in California, Arizona and Florida
last month .
Participants also were asked to refrain from spending
money or at least to patronize gay-friendly bus inesses
for the day.
In San Francisco's gay Castro district, several residents
and merchants said they endorsed the cause but did
not think a work stoppage or spending boycott was
practical, given the poor economy and how quickly the
strike was organized.
David Lang, 44, a San Francisco gymnastics coach who
said he conceived of a similar idea right after the
election, said he thinks a coord inatedjob action would
have been more successful if organizers had enlisted
support from sympathetic employers, labor groups and
industries.
Out and Equal Workplace Advocates, a San Franciscobased nonprofit group that promotes equality for gay
and lesbian employees, suggested that gay marriage
supporters could send an effective message beyond
Wednesday by openly discussing the issue at their
workplaces.

Backers of "Day Without a Gay" organized evening
rallies in San Francisco, Austin, Tex .. Logan, Utah,
and other cities so supporters could gather to discuss
the next steps. Rallies also were held earlier
Wednesday in Chicago and on several college
campuses in California .
"The movement that fought for equality and
succeeded in electing Obama president is really
looking to make progressive gains now," said Mark
Airgood, who used a personal day to take off from his
job as a middle school teacher in Berkeley. "I think we
really can, and I think this is an important day for
that."

Were you an activist in the fight
for the Equal Rights Amendment
in Oklahoma?
If so, the Women's Studies Program at the
University of Oklahoma wants you. The program is
initiating a project of video/oral history interviews
with Oklahoma's ERA activists in order to save
their stories. The interviews will be transcribed,
indexed, and archived in OU's Western History
Collection and the Women's Studies Library to be
available to researchers and the public .
As part of the modern American women 's
movement, Oklahoma's fight for the ERA is a
valuable piece of history. Activists in Oklahoma,
as in the rest of the country, fought for women's
rights, and these interviews will contribute to the
ability of scholars to write a complete history of
the struggle.
If you were active in the ERA campaign in
Oklahoma, or if you can identify others who were,
please send names and contact information to:
Dr. Martha Skeeters, Women's Studies Program
PHSC 528, 601 Elm
University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK 73019

Ginny Poindexter
Realtor
Direct
Office
Fax

405.919.8443
405.948.7500
405.948.7502

E-mail

ginnypoindexter@kw.com

KELLER WILLIAMS

Vicki Escajeda, BA, CM (405) 202-7051

5629 N. Classen Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73118

P.O. Box 12247, Oklahoma City, OK 73157-2247-(405) 637-8000

Each office is independently owned and operated.

Sandy Ingraham, J.D., M.S.W.
Attorney-at-Law
Ingraham & Associates, PLLC
Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Probate, Adoption, Contracts

Dr. Dawn Singleton, Ph.D.

Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed Marital & Family Therapist

5005 N. Pennsylvania #204 OKC, OK
405-232-3296
Route 2, Box 369-B
McLoud, OK 74851

Tel. (405) 964-2072
Ingraham@mcloudteleco.com

Herland Sister Resources
2312 NW 39th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73112

Return Service Requested

FREE HOUR CONSULTATION

Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Oklahoma City, OK
Permit No. 861



Serving the womyn' s
community
since 1983

Her/and Voice
Woman convicted after stillbirth released
By Lynn Paltrow, JD
Executive Director, National Advocates for Pregnant Women

On November 19, 2008, after serving only one year from the date of
sentencing, Theresa Lee Hernandez was released from prison.
Ms. Hernandez was arrested in 2004 and charged with first-degree
murder (a crime with a potential penalty of 25 years-to-life
imprisonment) and second-degree murder for having suffered a
stillbirth. The state of Oklahoma claimed -- without any scientific
basis -- that the stillbirth was caused by her methamphetamine use.
In 2007, as her case approached trial, nationa l and state-based
organ izations, advocates and experts organized, educated and spoke
out aga inst the prosecution. These efforts were instrumental in
helping Ms. Hernandez avoid a life sentence and in enabling her
counsel, Robin Shellow and Jim Rowan, to negotiate a plea bargain.
That plea, entered last November, resulted in a sentence of 15
years, to be revisited after Ms. Hernandez served one year in prison.
As the Tulsa World reported: "Theresa Lee Hernandez, 31, appeared
before Judge Virgil Black for a sentencing modification hearing. At
the request of prosecutors, Black agreed to "suspend the remainder
of her sentence and ordered her released from custody." Ms.
Hernandez wi 11 go to a private treatment program for 90 days and
will be on probation for 10 years.
Just a week before Ms. Hernandez's November 19 release, the
second of two public forums regarding pregnancy, parenting and
drug use was held. This forum, held at the lntegris Baptist Medical
Center in Oklahoma City, was co-sponsored by the local chapters of
the National Association of Social Workers and of the American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the YWCA Oklahoma
(continued next page)

New Year's Day
Potluck at Herland
1-4 pm
Join in our tradition!

Sat. , Jan. 3, 10, 1 7,
& 24
Herland Bookstore Open

1-5 pm

Sat., January 10th
Herland Supper Club
& Movie
ltaliano's 4801 N Lincoln

Sat., January 31st
Herland Planning Retreat
(Bookstore Closed)

Save the Dates!
Sat., February 14th
Herland's Red & White
Party
May 15-17 Herland
Spring Retreat

The Herland Voice is a publication of Herland Sister Resources . 2312 NW 39th, OKC, OK 73112 . Our bookstore/lending library is
open Saturdays from 1-5 pm. Call us at (405) 521-9696 or email us at herland@herlandsisters.org . Visit us on the web at
www.herlandsisters.org.

(continued from previous page)

City, and Oklahoma State University's Gender and
Women's Studies program. The panel discussion included
local experts, doctors Eli Reshef and Dana Stone, and
continued a conversation that drew upon evidence-based
research concerning pregnancy, parenting and drug use.
This conversation had begun at an Oklahoma forum one
year earlier, in anticipation of Ms. Hernandez's
sentencing.
Ms. Hernandez' release was not typical. Even in cases
where a conviction is completely overturned, prisoners
are almost always returned to prison for processing something that can take weeks or even months - before
they are finally released. In Ms. Hernandez' case, the
judge ordered that her handcuffs be removed right in the
courtroom and that she be allowed to leave straight from
the courthouse to her awaiting family and friends.
The Channel 9 news story, "Freed from Prison," began by
noting that "The case created a firestorm with doctors
and women's advocates who rallied to the woman's side."

Herland Supper Club and a Movie, Too!
Join the Herland Supper Club on Saturday, January 10, at
5:30 pm for dinner and a movie. We will have the theater
room at ltaliano's Pasta and Pizza, 4801 N. Lincoln Blvd, all
to ourselves. Their menu includes mouth-watering dishes
like baked ziti and meatball supremo, lighter fare like soups
and salads, and a pizza and pasta bar. And ltaliano's has a
ful I selection of
wines and beers.
We will be eating in
their theater room
and wi 11 watch a
true classic-Desert
Hearts-wh i Ie we
eat. Filmed in 1985,
this was one of the
first lesbian love
stories to hit the big
screens. Set in 1950s Reno, Nevada, Desert Hearts tells the
story of a 35 year old professor that comes to town to file
for divorce and falls for a free-spirited 25 year old casino
worker. Join us as we revisit this timeless classic.

: mr)re eve"nts! ! ·.
'

''
-

-

¥

-

Friday, January 2 Miss
Brown to You Galileo Bar &
Grill 3009 Paseo 9 to midnight $5
Saturday , January 3 Louise
& Mary Full Circle Bookstore
50 Penn Place 7 -9 pm no
cover
Tuesday January 6 PFLAGOKC Church of the Open
Arms 7 pm
Thursday January 8 PFLAGNorman St Stephens 7 pm
Friday, January 9 Miss
Brown To You UCO Jazz Lab
100 E 5th St in Edmond 8 to
11 pm $7
Monday January 12 OGLPC
Monthly Meeting 1236 NW
36 7 pm
Saturday January 17 Miss
Brown To You Gypsy Cafe
Night at First Unitarian
Church OKC 7 - 10 pm $5,
$10, or $50 at the door
Monday January 19 OKC
PRIDE General Meeting
Neighborhood Alliance 1236
NW 36 7pm
Sunday January 26 Mary
Reynolds Emily Kaitz Louise
Goldberg at The Performing
Arts Studio 200 S Jones Ave
in Norman 7 pm $10 (at the
door or online)

Female Majority to Control N.H. Senate
By Jane Costello - WomenseNews correspondent

New Hampshire's state Senate will carve history for the
Granite State in January when the legislative body convenes
with women in 13 of the 24 seats forming the country's first
female majority.
Women will also factor in key positions of leadership: the
Senate is presided over by its president, Sylvia Larson, and
president pro-tern, Maggie Hassan, while Martha Fuller Clark
continues her role as majority whip .
"We are setting a great example for young women: that they
can get involved and run for office," says Sharon Carson, a
newly elected Republican senator who formerly served as
state representative from Londonderry and works as an
adjunct professor at Nashua Community College.
Elizabeth Ossoff, research coordinator for the Center for the
Study of American Democracy and Citizenship at Saint Anselm
College in Manchester, says the gender milestone has been
coming closer for years . After the last election in 2006,
women comprised 30.4 percent of the combined Senate and
House. When the new session convenes in January, that
number wi II increase to 37. 7 percent.
Public reaction in New Hampshire has been low-key and
matter of fact. News articles have noted the development
but no media hoopla has been evident and, when the new
session starts, some legislators have said it will be business as
usual.
"It wasn't like it was intentional," says Donna Sytek, former
speaker of the state House and former chair of the New
Hampshire Republican Party. "Women have gradually risen to
the top here because they are capable and they do their
homework ."
Outside the state, those who track the progress of women in
elected positions are elated, although also not surprised by
New Hampshire's new Senate majority.
"I think it's very exciting," says Katie Ziegler, a policy
specialist for the Denver-based National Conference of State
Legislatures. "But it's not surprising; New Hampshire has
consistently ranked high in terms of the percentage of
women in its Legislature. But they are the only state to have
two female officers (Larson and Hassan). That's impressive."
Two major explanations for women's newfound majority are
the state's high number of legislators and their low-practically nonexistent--pay.
New Hampshire's Legislature has 424 members: 400 in the
House and 24 in the Senate, making it the largest legislature

in the United States and the fourthlargest English-speaking governing body
in the world.
The New Hampshire General Court--as
the state Legislature has called itself
since its inception in 1784--is in session
for six months, between January and
June, and elected officials are paid only
$100 per year, plus gas mileage, to
serve.
Until November, women comprised onethird of the state Senate in
neighboring Vermont, making it the
current leader. It will lose that title to
New Hampshire in January, although
Vermont will continue to outrank New
Hampshire-:.iust barely--in terms of the
overal I percentage of women serving in
the Legislature: Vermont will have 37 .8
percent while New Hampshire's figure
will stand at 37. 7 percent. The Colorado
Legislature will remain 38 perce.nt
female , the highest in the country, but
it does not have a female majority in
either the House or the Senate.

The Nati;onal Co,nference ,··'
on LGBT EquaHty
Creating Change·
Creating Change Confer ence 2009
January 28-F ebruary 1
Just one week after the inauguration of a new
administration, thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) activists wil I converge in Denver for
the 21st National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating
Change, Jan . 28--Feb. 1, Activists will strategize on how to
advance LGBT equality in this new political climate , share
lessons from the 2008 election, and acquire the skills
needed to build the political power of the LGBT
community in 2009 and beyond .
Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey will present the
annual State of the Movement address at the conference,
in which she will lay out a vision and plan for the year
ahead in the struggle for LGBT equality . Says Carey : "We
are clearly entering a new time and there are tremendous
opportunities to influence social change."
Critical legislative issues specifically affecting the LGBT
community include passing a strengthened and expanded
federa l hate crimes law, passage of an inclusive
Employment Non-Discrimination Act and repeal of "Don't
Ask, Don't Tell." Other broader areas of focus will include
the need for affordable housing, access to quality/
affordable health care, and racial and economicjusticerelated issues.
The passage of Proposition 8 in California has galvanized
community activists across the country. Some of those
activists will be featured at Creating Change on panels and
in workshops, as attendees discuss regaining the freedom
to marry in California and gaining it elsewhere .
For example, Join the Impact co-founder Willow Witte,
one of the key organizers of the Nov. 15 national
grassroots protests against the passage of Prop. 8, will
lead a session about mobilizing the LGBT movement at this
critical moment. Participants will learn how to use the
Internet to organize on a worldwide level and how to make
an impact in local communities. Also, at a daylong preconference institute, attendees will discuss the marriage
equality landscape and strategize on how to make gains.
Conference attendees will also participate in sessions to
learn how to defeat future attacks against LGBT people on
statewide and local ballots on issues such as
nondiscrimination and adoption.
For more information about the conference program and
registration, visit www,CreatingChange.org or call 202-

639-6333 .

National Religious Leadership
Roundtable responds to
selection of Rick Warren to
give invocation at
inauguration
A statement by the Rev. Rebecca Voelkel
of the National Religious Leadership
Roundtable, convened by the National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force, responded to the
selection of Rick Warren to deliver the
invocation at the Jan. 20 inauguration.
"As a Christian pastor and a lesbian, I am
deeply troubled by President-elect Obama's
choice of Pastor Rick Warren to pray at his
inauguration. Pastor Warren was one of the
leaders in smearing the lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
community in the recent Proposition 8
campaign in California. His words and
actions have solidified the impression that
Christian equals bigot when it comes to the
LGBT community . And his leadership was
one of the factors in Prop. 8's passage.
"But Pastor Warren and the Saddleback
Church, whose membership counts in the
20,000 mark, have also taken a leadership
role in the fight against HIV/AIDS . And
through this work they are coming to know
many LGBT persons and our real lives - as
opposed to the lies they have painted us
with.
"My prayer is that Pastor Warren allow
himself to repent of his hatred and harm to
the LGBT community . If he is going to
purport to acknowledge God's presence at
the inauguration, he must recognize the
power and blessing in all our lives especially LGBT people ."
Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey
has also issued a statement saying in part,
"President-elect Obama campaigned on a
theme of inclusivity, yet the selection of
Rick Warren to give the invocation is a
direct affront to that very principle ."

The organization was encouraging gay people who
could not miss work to be open about their sexual
orientation with co-workers and urging straight
employees to speak up when they hear colleagues
making homophobicjokes .
Berry noted that only 20 states have laws to protect
workers from being fired for being gay, making
lesbians and gays reluctant to reveal themselves to
co-workers in mostjurisdictions.

By Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO-A daylong work
stoppage for which people were encouraged to call in
"gay" to express support for same-sex marriage drew
spotty participation Wednesday, December 10, with
some gay rights activists praising the event and others
questioning its value.
People who opted to take the day off from their jobs
as part of the national "Day Without a Gay" were
encouraged to perform community service, and
charitable organizations across the country said they
had volunteers showing up.
The protest, which a gay couple from West Hollywood
organized through the Internet, was designed to
demonstrate the economic clout of same-sex marriage
supporters following the passage of voter-approved
gay marriage bans in California, Arizona and Florida
last month .
Participants also were asked to refrain from spending
money or at least to patronize gay-friendly bus inesses
for the day.
In San Francisco's gay Castro district, several residents
and merchants said they endorsed the cause but did
not think a work stoppage or spending boycott was
practical, given the poor economy and how quickly the
strike was organized.
David Lang, 44, a San Francisco gymnastics coach who
said he conceived of a similar idea right after the
election, said he thinks a coord inatedjob action would
have been more successful if organizers had enlisted
support from sympathetic employers, labor groups and
industries.
Out and Equal Workplace Advocates, a San Franciscobased nonprofit group that promotes equality for gay
and lesbian employees, suggested that gay marriage
supporters could send an effective message beyond
Wednesday by openly discussing the issue at their
workplaces.

Backers of "Day Without a Gay" organized evening
rallies in San Francisco, Austin, Tex .. Logan, Utah,
and other cities so supporters could gather to discuss
the next steps. Rallies also were held earlier
Wednesday in Chicago and on several college
campuses in California .
"The movement that fought for equality and
succeeded in electing Obama president is really
looking to make progressive gains now," said Mark
Airgood, who used a personal day to take off from his
job as a middle school teacher in Berkeley. "I think we
really can, and I think this is an important day for
that."

Were you an activist in the fight
for the Equal Rights Amendment
in Oklahoma?
If so, the Women's Studies Program at the
University of Oklahoma wants you. The program is
initiating a project of video/oral history interviews
with Oklahoma's ERA activists in order to save
their stories. The interviews will be transcribed,
indexed, and archived in OU's Western History
Collection and the Women's Studies Library to be
available to researchers and the public .
As part of the modern American women 's
movement, Oklahoma's fight for the ERA is a
valuable piece of history. Activists in Oklahoma,
as in the rest of the country, fought for women's
rights, and these interviews will contribute to the
ability of scholars to write a complete history of
the struggle.
If you were active in the ERA campaign in
Oklahoma, or if you can identify others who were,
please send names and contact information to:
Dr. Martha Skeeters, Women's Studies Program
PHSC 528, 601 Elm
University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK 73019

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