Just days after winning her 9th term with 70% of the vote, Assemblywoman Eileen C. Dugan succumbed to a four year battle with breast cancer. She was 51.
Dugan, who represented the sprawling 52nd district that stretches from Bay Ridge to Brooklyn Heights and includes all or parts of Carroll Gardens, Sunset Park, Red Hook, Park Slope and Boerum Hill, was one of the strongest champions for the lesbian and gay community in New York State.
A longtime member of Lambda Independent Democrats, Dugan enjoyed the club's support through every election cycle and compiled an unequaled sponsorship and voting record. When L.I.D. published its "Legislative Scorecard" in 1991, Dugan was one of only 2 Assembly members to score a perfect rating.
"Dugan always seems to 'do the right thing,'" said the scorecard text, "and she does it without having to be asked or prodded."
In 1985, Dugan was awarded the Brooklyn Lambda Award by L.I.D., one of only 3 state legislators ever to be so honored.
At the time of her death, Dugan chaired the Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry. She was the first woman in New York State history to serve on the Ways and Means Committee and she also chaired the Assembly Subcommittee on Displaced Homemakers and the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee.
Born in 1945 in Carroll Gardens, she began her government career as a Special Assistant to the Comptroller of New York City in 1974. She served as Democratic State Committeewoman from the 52nd Assembly District from 1978-80 and was elected to the Assembly in 1980.
Assemblywoman Dugan was a forceful advocate, a loyal ally, and a personal friend to many in our community. She will be greatly missed.
Audre Lorde Project Celebrates Grand Opening in Brooklyn
On Friday, November 15, the Audre Lorde Project celebrated its grand opening with a program and fund raiser attended by hundreds at its new Fort Greene location. The project hopes to create a Center for the cultural work, social support, health promotion and political organizing that is critical to the survival of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, two spirited and transgender people of color communities.
Keynote speakers at the opening were South Asian lesbian activist Urvashi Vaid and gay African-American school board member Doug Robinson. Poets and performers included Bernadette McGowen, Murial Miguel, Carmelita Tropicana, Andie Montoya, Letta Neely and Cheryl Boyce Taylor. Also in attendance at the opening were Sen. Velmanette Montgomery and Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger.
The Center is named for Audred Lorde, an African-American lesbian author and activist who passed away in 1992. Audre Lorde was also the New York State Poet Laureate from 1991-93. The center is located at the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, 85 South Oxford Street in Fort Greene.
D.A. Hynes Chooses a Gay Man for First Death Penalty Case
Brooklyn D.A. Charles Hynes has decided to seek the death penalty against a gay man, Michael Hale. Hale is accused of murdering Stefen Tanner, also a gay man, on October 14, 1995. This is the firt time since the reinstitution of the death penalty in New York State that a New York City district Attorney has decided, of his own volition, to pursue capital punishment.
DA Hynes considered and rejected pursuing four other cases before deciding this one for use of the death penalty, including cases involving egregious violence and domestic violence. None of these victims were gay or lesbian.
In considering the death penalty, a D.A. has 120 days to make a decision. A DA is assisted in that effort by a Capital Crime Review Board that the DA appoints. The Brooklyn DA’s board has no openly lesbian or gay member. Although the DA had 120 days to make his decision he only took 60- days to decide to seek the death penalty against Mr. Hale. DA Hynes has said publicly that he can not say why he chose this case because it may effect his legal standing in court.
Led by the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project, a coalition of groups and concerned New Yorkers are planning a protest on January 12, 1997. The organizers believe the DA’s decision was based on homophobia and that Hale’s sexual orientation was a factor in Hynes’ decision. For more information call AVP at 212-807-6761.
LID Urges DP Benefits at MTA
LID has joined the fight for domestic partnership benefits at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). When the MTA switched their benefits package for non-unionized employees earlier this year, Councilman Tom Duane began a campaign to pressure the MTA to offer a package including domestic partnership benefits.
In a November 3 letter to MTA Chair E. Virgil Conway, LID President George Waffle implored Conway "to offer domestic partner benefits to all of your employees." Waffle noted that "offering domestic partnership does not dramatically increase costs and is the fair and equitable thing to do."
The MTA has promised to undertake a review of their entire range of benefits, including considering the extension of domestic partner benefits. They will announce a decision by November 29.
Of interest is who has and has not joined in this fight. Both Governor Pataki and Mayor Giuliani declined to sign a letter circulated by Councilman Duane urging MTA inclusion of domestic partnership benefits. Comptroller Alan Hevesi and Public Advocate Mark Greed did sign on, as did nine Brooklyn city council members: Sal Albanese, Una Clarke, Stephen DiBrienza, Kenneth Fisher, Lloyd Henry, Joan Griffin McCabe, Mary Pinkett, Annette Robinson and Anthony Weiner. We thank them all.
Election 96: Postmortem
LID backed candidates scored a virtual clean sweep on election day, with only one endorsed contender going down to defeat. The biggest victory of the day was the smashing upset by Vincent Gentile in the Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst state senate race. Gentile benefited from a three way contest against two Republicans including the incumbent senator, but still managed to win with 50% of the vote. He regains the seat for the Democrats for the first time since 1984.
This seat has been held by two ardent homophobes Christopher Mega and Robert DiCarlo. Gentile, a charismatic prosecutor who ran a vigorous campaign promises to be a breath of fresh air and another supportive vote for non-discrimination legislation for lesbians and gay.
The borough’s other new state senator is John Sampson, also backed by LID, who won handily in his East New York/Brownsville district. Sampson will replace Sen. Howard Babbush, who Sampson defeated in the September Democratic primary.
National Recap
Exit polls indicate that 5% of this year’s voters identified themselves as lesbian or gay over 4.7 million people an increase from 3% of the electorate four years ago. Lesbian and gay voters divided 67% for Clinton, 18 % for Dole and 10% for Perot. These figures translate to 3.1 million lesbian and gay votes for Clinton, or 40% of his winning margin of 7.8 million votes. Not surprisingly, lesbian and gay support for Clinton was down from nearly 8 in 10 votes in 1992, but the sheer size of our community as a voting block and the apparent willingness to self-identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual in exit polls, can only lead to increased power and influence in future elections. Unfortunately, New York State exit polls did not ask respondents’ sexual orientation, so we cannot analyze the power of the lesbian and gay vote in our state.
In congressional elections, no member of the House of Representatives who voted against DOMA was defeated, even in races where opponents made an issue of the members courageous stand against this offensive legislation. That is good news as we continue our fight for equal marriage rights for lesbians and gays.
Nationally, openly lesbian and gay candidates fared quite well in this year’s balloting. Most notable was the victory of Ed Flanagan, who was reelected as Vermont’s State Auditor. Flanagan thus becomes the first openly gay or lesbian statewide elected official in the nation. Flanagan was first elected in 1994, but subsequently came out to Vermont voters. This is another important milestone in our continuing struggle to elect our own to office.
Sixteen states now have state legislatures with openly lesbian or gay members with the election of out candidates in Nevada, Connecticut, Montana, Washington and Illinois. Both Maine and Oregon now have four openly lesbian or gay state legislators each!
In another interesting race lesbian candidate Margo Frasier was elected Sheriff of Austin, Texas in a race notable for its lack of homophobia. For more complete details of where lesbian and gay candidates ran whether they won or lost visit the LID web site at http://www.nycnet.com/LID and click on "Election Results" from the homepage.
New Slope Bookstore to Open
On December 1st, nearly a year after A Room of Our Own Bookstore closed, a new lesbian and gay bookstore Beyond Words will open at 185 Fifth Avenue, between Berkeley Place and Lincoln Place.
A special grand opening and fund raising party for the store is scheduled for Sunday, December 15th, beginning at 3 pm at Rising Café, located next the bookstore. Performers will include Linda Villarosa and Jacqueline Woodson.
As we reported in the September/October issue of Lambda Line, former Room of Our Own manager Elizabeth Shipley was seeking investors to open the store. The store can be reached at 857-0010. Make sure to stop buy and do some holiday shopping.
Coney Island Hospital Sale Moves Forward
The sale of Coney Island Hospital, which cared for 995 primarily uninsured or underinsured HIV-infected patients in Brooklyn last year, is another step closer to reality. The city’s Health and Hospitals Corporation voted 10-3 to approve the sale to Primary Health Systems (PHS), a private company, on November 8th. Mayor Giuliani strongly backs the deal. Among HHC commissioners voting "yes" was city Health Commissioner Margaret Hamburg.
Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) and other AIDS advocates question PHS’s ability to maintain the hospital’s current commitment to HIV services and uninsured care. Several law suits are pending against the deal, including one brought by HHC board members who voted against the sale, and New York State Comptroller Carl McCall has asked that the sublease, application and contract be made available for public review and public hearings.
Given the impact this sale would have on the care of HIV patients in Brooklyn, we will continue to monitor the situation and inform you of important developments and ways in which you might make your voice heard in opposition to the sale.