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The Rhode
Island Alliance for
Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights
last updated 3/30/03
" The Alliance is a state-wide,
nonpartisan organization formed to promote and secure full civil rights for
Lesbians, Gay men, and Bisexual and Transgendered women and men in Rhode
Island. Our goals are to strengthen and unite the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and
Transgendered community through participation in Rhode Island’s political
process and to increase awareness about Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and
Transgendered issues amongst the general public, politicians, and the
media."
- from the Bylaws of the Rhode Island Alliance for Lesbian and Gay Civil
Rights
ACTION ALERT: Safeguarding our Relationships
The same gender MARRIAGE bill (H#5861) and the CIVIL UNIONS bill (H#5658) will be heard in House Judiciary Committee this coming TUESDAY APRIL 1st at the rise of the house. That's room 205 at the State House.
We need people who'd like to testify about the truth of their lives. We'll need testimony from couples and singles about all those 1400 responsibilities and rights denied us and our relationships. We need testimony about grand things -- like death and children and pensions -- and about more mundane things like insurance and house deeds.
Testifying is a breeze. Basically it's just speaking (for only a couple of minutes) directly from your heart. Just email us (RIAlliance@aol.com) if you have an concerns of worries about it and we can talk directly.
If you don't want to testify, PLEASE come anyway. We need a visible presence for equality.
Also -- please feel free to tell your family, friends, neighbors about this. Straight allies are a wonderfully addition!
The calendar is very full -- but we'll need people on hand and ready to testify from about 4:30 til about 8 pm -- feel free to come whenever you can get out of work or leave the statehouse early if you have to. Just come!
See you at the Statehouse, Tuesday!
ACTION ALERT: Wrongful Death
A bill currently in the RI House Judiciary Committe would allow domestic partners standing in court to sue for wrongful death.
While no one ever wants to contemplate being in such a position, simple fairness means that surviving partners should be able to seek redress in the courts in the event that their partner's death was caused by the actions or inactions of someone else. Recent tragic events, like the Station Nightclub Fire, and everyday tragedies remind us all that life can be perilous. Those left behind should have the opportunity to find justice.
Please CALL the members of the House Judiciary Committee and urge them to vote yes on H#6064.
The Alliance is currently meeting at the office of the Pride Committee, 58
Seymour Street in Providence (off of Eddy Street; the office is on the right). In 1995, the sexual orientation civil rights law was passed by the Rhode Island legislature and
signed into law by Gov. Lincoln Almond. This capped an 11 year struggle to pass
the law. Rhode Island is the ninth state to protect its gay, bisexual and
lesbian citizens from discrimination joining Massachusetts, Connecticut,
Vermont, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Minnesota, California, and Hawaii. (Other
states have subsequently also passed sexual orientation civil rights laws as
well.) To see the text of civil rights law (58K)
follow this link. You can also read an exellent overview of LGBT
legal rights in Rhode Island, courtesy of our friends at Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD).
The Rhode Island Alliance for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights advocates for the
full inclusion of transgendered people in all aspects of society. In 2001, the
state's civil rights law was expanded to cover gender identity or expression,
meaning that transgendered people now have civil rights protection in our
state. Read more about it here or see the text
of the legislation. The Alliance has signed onto the "Marriage Resolution" with a
multitude of other national and local organizations: The Marriage Resolution The Alliance's Committee Against Hate Violence meets monthly to coordinate
responses to anti-LGBT hate violence in Rhode Island. Contact Marc Cohen for more information. Also, see GLAD'S overview
of hate crimes issues in Rhode Island. Political Snail mail: RI Alliance, PO Box 5758, Weybosset Hill Station, Providence RI
02903-0758 [ Top of Page
]
[Meetings | Public Policy
| Links]
Regularly Scheduled Meetings:
The Alliance's meetings are on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of every month at
7:00pm.
GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL CIVIL RIGHTS
TRANSGENDERED CIVIL RIGHTS
SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE
Because marriage is a basic human right and an individual personal choice,
RESOLVED, the State should not interfere with same-gender couples
who choose to marry and share fully and equally in the rights,
responsibilities, and commitment of civil marriage.
HATE CRIMES
LINKS
Gay &
Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
National Lesbian and Gay Task Force
Human Rights Campaign
RI Secretary of State
RI Legislature site
Local
OPTIONS
- RI's Lesbian and Gay Newsmagazine. Be sure to check out their comprehensive Resource List.
RILGBT-NEWS - an email list for
LGBT and AIDS news specifically from Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island Pride Committee
PFLAG Providence
RI Gender Community
AIDS Project RI
AIDS Care Ocean State
NAMES Project RI
"School
Shouldn't Hurt: Lifting the Burden from Gay, Lesbian Bisexual and
Transgendered Youth--A report of the RI Task Force on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual
and Transgendered Youth"
"Creating Safe
Schools for Lesbian and Gay Students: A Resource Guide for School Staff",
compiled by Youth Pride, Inc.
RI Feminist Chorus
St. Peter & Andrew - a gay
friendly congregation (Episcopal)
Yukon Trading Co. - a local
watering hole (leather/levi/bear)
Kings and Queens, Woonsocket
DeVille's
Cecilie
Surasky columns - Some columns by Cecilie Surasky, a former Board member of
the Alliance, who used to write a column from a lesbigay perspective in the
Lifebeat section of the Providence Journal.
The RI section of the QRD
- an extensive LGBT archive.
The Main QRD page - if you want to look
at the entire QRD (Queer Resources Directory). . .
Phone: 401-521-GAYS
Email: RIAlliance@aol.com