February 2007 E-Newsletter

4. GSA Network News
One More Week Left to Apply to Be an Advocacy Day Leader!!!
Due to a swell of GSA requests, we have decided to extend by one
week this year's application deadline to February 19, You can apply
at http://www.gsanetwork.org/qyad!

All of Queer Youth Advocacy Day is focused on youth like you, but it's
the Advocacy Day Leaders who step up, take charge, and make sure
youth voices get heard loud and clear at the Capitol.

Advocacy Day Leaders receive special intensive training to prepare
them to train the hundreds of youth who will be in Sacramento for the
event. Furthermore, each Leader will be in charge of leading a group
of youth during their lobbying visits with lawmakers, helping out and
facilitating conversations. All Leaders get to spend the entire
weekend of March 24-26 in Sacramento training, networking, and
practicing for the big day on Monday. Event sponsors will provide for
all meals, housing, and transportation for all Leaders, when
necessary.

Leaders are needed from each of California's 40 state senate district
which means you will be helping to represent folks in your community.
Don't forget! Apply at http://www.gsanetwork.org/qyad by February
19.

Save the date - Queer Youth Advocacy Day, March 26,2007
Mark your calendars for QYAD 2007 on March 26 in Sacramento!

Queer Youth Advocacy Day is a youth-led lobby day at the Capitol
where hundreds of youth activists come together and educate
lawmakers about the need for statewide policy that will make schools
safer and more supportive for LGBTQ youth.

QYAD 2006 was huge success that brought 500 people to the Capitol,
showed California legislators the power of youth activism, and
opened a lot of people's eyes to the kind of harassment and
discrimination still faced by many students. Now, it's time to go back
to the Capitol and show them that we're still fighting for safer schools!

WHO: LGBTQ youth & their allies
WHERE: Crest Theater & the Capitol (Sacramento)
WHEN: Monday, March 26, 2007
WHY: To network with other youth activists, learn important advocacy
skills, and help make change for schools all over California

Informational packets with additional details will be mailed out later
this fall to all GSAs registered with GSA Network. Keep an eye on your
mailboxes!

For more info, email advocacy@gsanetwork.org or call 415-552-4229.

3. Announcements

More scholarships
If you're a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered student, you
should call the colleges that interest you and ask if they have a LGBT
Resource Center. The resource center should have information about
any local LGBT awards.

Finaid
Finaid.org describes a number of scholarships available to lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgendered students. These scholarships offer a
variety of criteria for eligibility. It's not an exhaustive list of all the
possible sources of scholarships; there are more out there... you just
have to look!

The Point Foundation
The Point Foundation provides financial support, mentoring and hope
to meritorious students who are marginalized due to sexual
orientation, gender expression or gender identity. These scholarships
are among the most prestigious in the country, LGBT or not. You do
not need straight A's to apply for a Point Foundation scholarship, but
they are looking for individuals who have proven leadership skills,
excellent scholastic achievements and want to make a difference in
the world. All applicants are evaluated on the totality of their
situation including academic accomplishments, financial, emotional
and social need, extracurricular activities, personal circumstances and
goals for the future.

All levels of education can apply for funds whether you are a high-
school student getting ready for your first year in college or you are
writing your second PhD thesis. The Point Scholarship covers a variety
of expenses including tuition, books, room and board and living
expenses.

The Point Foundation estimates that a college education costs
between $8,000 and $40,000 per year, depending on which school is
attended. Some Scholars may only need money to cover living
expenses or books while others may need all expenses covered. The
Board of Trustees makes every attempt to help each Point Scholar as
much as possible considering the number of Scholars selected and
the funds available.

Models of Excellence Scholarship
Models of Excellence Scholarship is sponsored by Friends of Project
10 Inc. This competition is open to any senior high school student
who is graduating from a California senior high school and who has
demonstrated a commitment to LGBT civil rights.

The student needs to provide evidence that he/she is going on to
some form of higher education. Awards of $1,000 and $500 are given
at a scholarship dinner in June 2007.

Applications are on the http://www.modelsofpride.org web site.
Contact us at project10@hotmail.com or (626) 577-4553 for more
information.

Cesar E. Chavez Youth Leadership Conference and Education Fair
Saturday, March 31, 2007, Sierra College in Rocklin, CA.
Rocklin, CA - The Hispanic Empowerment Association of Roseville
(HEAR) will sponsor the 7th Annual Cesar E. Chavez Youth Leadership
Conference and Education Fair for any 6th to 12 graders and their
parents. The educational fair will have college recruiters and
information to empower families to become stronger advocates for
their children's education.

The conference is Saturday, March 31, 2007 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
at Sierra College -- 5000 Rocklin Rd. in Rocklin, CA., about 18 miles
east of Sacramento – the State Capitol. A thousand youth, sixth to
twelve graders, attended last year, along with 500 parents. Pre-
registration is not required for the free event but is suggested and
available by downloading conference information at:
http://www.hear2000.org

Freedom to Marry Week Activities
Two events in Sacramento County for Freedom to Marry week in
conjunction with Valentines Day (cute, huh?):

Sacramento County Board of Supervisors
TUESDAY February 13, 2007
3pm-6pm. LOCATION: 700 H Street, Room 1450.
We will be gathering at the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors
meeting on Tuesday to present a resolution in favor of Freedom to
Marry Week. We need as many supporters in the audience as
possible! We will be presenting our issue at the end of the regular
meeting. The last item on the agenda begins at 3pm. So, if you can
join us, please be there at 3pm and reserve at least 2-3 hours, as we
do not know if the meeting may be running late. If you would like to
make a statement to the Board about your partner/family and how
marriage inequality has affected you, please reply to this email with
your name and phone number. We would love for you to tell them
your personal story! Remember that this is a peaceful event. We
want to educate our elected leaders!

County Clerk's Office
WEDNESDAY, VALENTINE'S DAY, February 14, 2007
12 noon - 1 pm. LOCATION: 600 8th Street
Join us at this celebration of our families. We will be asking the
County Clerk/Recorder to issue marriage licenses to our couples.
Although we will be denied, this important demonstration will show
the community that we want and deserve full marriage equality.
Feel free to dress in wedding attire and bring signs! Again, remember
that this is a peaceful event designed to educate our fellow
Sacramentans.

Job opening: Transgender Law Center Executive Director
The Transgender Law Center (TLC), founded in 2002, is a multi-
disciplinary social justice organization working to ensure that all
Californians are able to fully and freely express our gender identities.
Our staff (four full-time, one-part time), board (10 members),
consultants (2 administrative, several program) and volunteers use
direct legal services, education, community organizing, and policy and
media advocacy to improve laws and regulations that affect our ability
to fully express our diverse gender identities in a discrimination-free
environment. While focused on California, the cutting edge nature of
our work expands our impact to a national scope. Our 2007 budget is
just over $325,000.

We are searching for an energetic, committed, collaborative leader to
help the organization exit our start-up phase and enter a growth
period. The Executive Director will oversee TLC programs, lead TLC’s
fundraising efforts, support TLC’s Board of Directors, and propel TLC
forward on our mission to make California a state in which all
transgender people can thrive.

For more information, contact Chris Daley at
chris@transgenderlawcenter.org.

1. From the Editor

Sports and LGBT youth
Recently, several sports-related items have come through the email,
across our news trackers, and via board members and students in
the community.

Trans youth and sports
Last month, I was asked about the current status of the right of a
transgender student to participate in sex-segregated interscholastic
high school sports using the gender that the student preferred (e.g.,
a male student who wished to participate on a female soccer team as
a female).

The inquiry included the fact the school had already denied the
student's request because "the team would have to forfeit all its
games if it allowed a male student to play."

From my research, no policy currently requires schools, districts, or
leagues to accept participants of the opposite gender in sex-
segregated interscholastic sports in California. To read my complete
answer with a more detailed explanation, citations, and contact
information, check out Respect Sacramento's Yahoo Group message
board. Anyone can read the messages; only those who join the
group may post. You can read the answer here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/respectsacramento/message/475

From ESPN.com: A beautiful life
Anthony Castro was an amazing kid. A star athlete, a student, a
leader. He was loved by everyone in his hometown of Banning,
California, and that is why the death of this special young man at age
19 in a motor vehicle accident hit this town so hard. What caught the
interest of ESPN and Outsports.com, though, was the fact that
Anthony was a football player who came out at age 16 and endured
the taunts and harassment and overcame it all, changing hearts and
minds in the conservative little town between Riverside and Palm
Springs. Read his story here.

SRGSA Yvonne & Lance Scholarship
Sacramento Regional Gay-Straight Alliance (SRGSA) was founded by a
group of students who wanted to see a change in the public school
system. They were tired of seeing the inaction by administration in
dealing with harassments that were directed at actual and/or
perceived lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ)
students.

This year the SRGSA, along with its “parent” organization Respect
Sacramento, has decided to grant two $500 scholarships to
graduating seniors in the greater-Sacramento area. This scholarship
is named after two students, Lance and Yvonne, in honor and respect
for the hard work in ensuring that LGBTQ students (actual or
perceived) are protected on their campus and full compliance with
California state law.

Download complete information and application directions here.
Download the Application Form here. Download the References
Form here. The deadline for submitting the application is May 1.

Upcoming GSA Training
Students and advisors who are interested in participating in the
development of our upcoming youth leadership training modules are
encouraged to come by our next meeting on February 14. Last year's
training was very successful and well-received--in part, we think, due
to the input and direction from youth and adult advisors.

USA Today special report:
Homosexuality in schools

Gay teens coming out earlier
to peers and family
Feb. 7 (USA Today) by Marilyn
Elias. Kate Haigh, 18, a high
school senior in St. Paul, recalls
attending her first meeting at the
school's Gay-Straight Alliance club
when she was in the ninth grade.
"I said, 'My name is Kate, and I'm
a lesbian.' It was so liberating. I
felt like something huge had been
lifted off my shoulders, and finally
I had people to talk to."
Zach Lundin, 16, has brought
boyfriends to several dances at his
high school in suburban Seattle.

Vance Smith wanted to start a club
to support gay students at his
rural Colorado school but says
administrators balked. At age 15,
Vance contacted a New York
advocacy group that sent school
officials a letter about students'
legal rights. Now 17, Smith has his
club.

Gay teenagers are "coming out"
earlier than ever, and many feel
better about themselves than
earlier generations of gays, youth
leaders and researchers say. The
change is happening in the wake
of opinion polls that show growing
acceptance of gays, more
supportive adults and positive gay
role models in popular media.

"In my generation, you definitely
didn't come out in high school.
You had to move away from home
to be gay," says Kevin Jennings,
43, executive director of the Gay,
Lesbian and Straight Education
Network, a national group that
promotes a positive school climate
for gay children. "Now so many are
out while they're still at home.
They're more vocal than we were."

Still, many continue to have a
tough time. The worst off, experts
say, are young people in
conservative rural regions and
children whose parents cannot
abide having gay offspring.
Taunting at school is still common.
Cyber-bullying is "the new big
thing," says Laura Sorensen of
Affirmations Lesbian and Gay
Community Center in Ferndale,
Mich. "Kids are getting hate mail
and taunts on MySpace or
Facebook." More...

Philly schools urged to drop
G&L history month from
calendars
Feb. 7 PHILADELPHIA (Philadelphia
Daily News) How about Breast
Cancer Awareness Month instead
of Gay and Lesbian History Month
for October on next year's school
district calendar?

"I think it's good to change things
up," said School Reform
Commission member Martin
Bednarek, who suggested the
change. "I have a lot of friends
who are gay and lesbian; I have
nothing against those folks. I just
think why not change it up, give it
a different topic."

His remarks at yesterday's regular
commission meeting were
prompted by comments by Leola
Stonwall, of the Poor People
Caravan for Christ. Since October,
Stonwall has addressed the
commission five times to
denounce the district's decision to
note on calendars given to
students that October is Gay and
Lesbian History Month.

The issue drew many speakers on
both sides of the issue to
meetings in the fall after the Daily
News reported the designation on
the calendars.

Yesterday, Stonwall was the lone
speaker on the topic. She again
asked school officials not to
include the gay-history
designation on next year's
calender. She said district chief
executive Paul Vallas was Goliath
and she and her supporters were
David in the fight over the issue.

"Only we are not armed with a
slingshot or stone. We are armed
with the words of almighty God,"
she said.

Commission Chairman James
Nevels said that producing the
calendar is the responsibility of
the school district's administrative
staff, not the SRC, which governs
the district.

"I would hope that they have
learned a lesson in terms of
controversy. But that is not the
SRC's purview," he said.

When asked if he personally
supported including gay and
lesbian history in next year's
calendar, Nevels said: "I am
supportive of diversity in this
country."

Cecilia Cummings, a district
spokeswoman, said it has not
been decided what will be included
in next year's calendar. Input will
come from staff and members of
the community, she said.

Vallas said the contents of the
next calendar should be approved
in March. He, again, supports
including gay-and-lesbian- history
month, Vallas said. More...

San Diego high school
anti-gay t-shirt ruling
appealed
Feb. 9 SAN DIEGO (365gay.com) A
federal court ruling that said a
Southern California school had the
power to suspend a student for
wearing a T-shirt denouncing
homosexuality is being appealed.

Tyler Chase Harper was kicked
him out of class at Poway High
School on the National Day of
Silence in 2004 for not removing
the homemade T-shirt that said
on the front "Be ashamed, our
school embraced what God has
condemned," and on the back
"Homosexuality is shameful".

Harper, with the help of the
Alliance Defense Fund brought two
lawsuits against the school - one
alleging his free speech rights
were violated, the other charging
the school had no right to dictate
student dress.

While the civil rights case was
proceeding through the courts the
ADF sought an injunction barring
Poway from refusing to allow
students to wear clothing with a
political or social message.

U.S. District Judge John A.
Houston in his ruling cited a
judgment last April by the Ninth
Circuit that found Poway Unified
School District had not violated
Harper's First Amendment rights.

The Ninth Circuit panel addressed
only the narrow issue of whether
the dress code should be
unenforced pending the outcome
of the student's First Amendment
suit. The civil rights part of the
case was appealed to the US
Supreme Court which will hear
arguments later this month.

The appeals court has not set a
date to hear arguments in the
dress code suit.

In last month's ruling Judge
Houston agreed with the school
that the issue was one of
protecting students.

The school district had pointed out
that the year prior to the Harper
incident the campus was disrupted
by protests and conflicts between
students over the Day of Silence.

The ADF said it was prepared to
fight the dress code issue to the
Supreme Court as well. More...

Schools ask court to dismiss
suit over homosexuality
discussions
Feb. 7, BOSTON (AP) Officials from
a suburban school district asked a
federal judge Wednesday to
dismiss a lawsuit filed by two
couples who claim their parental
rights were violated when
homosexuality was discussed in
their children's classrooms.

U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf did
not immediately issue a decision
in the case from Lexington, but
peppered lawyers on both sides
with questions and said he
understood the importance of the
case to both parents and school
administrators.

Tonia and David Parker sued after
their 5-year-old son brought home
a book from kindergarten that
depicted a gay family. David
Parker was later arrested for
refusing to leave his son's school
after officials would not agree to
notify him when homosexuality
was discussed in his son's class.

Another Lexington couple, Joseph
and Robin Wirthlin, joined the
Parkers in the suit after a
second-grade teacher read "King
and King" to her class. The fairy
tale tells the story of two princes
falling in love.

Both couples claim Lexington
school officials violated their
parental rights to teach their own
morals to their children. More...