No longer a wink: CBSextendspartner benelitstogayemployees
Networkassertsthatdiversityisvitaltogoalofcompeting/orbesttalent
WASHINGTON, D.C.-CBS Corporationwillofferitsgayand lesbianemployeesdomesticpartner benefitsbeginningJanuary1,2000.
Thefar-reachingdecision,announcedNov.16,affects all8,000employees oftheCBSCorporation,includingCBS Newsanditstelevisionstations.
yetofferitsemployeesdomesticpartnerbenefits,accordingtoNLGJA.
"Employeeswhocannotprovide
is a reflection of the highest journalisticstandards.
United
Methodist
Church: Inquisition defrocks pastorof 25years
InalettertoCBSstaff,CBSVice PreidentforHumanResourcesDavid Zemelmansaid:"Thisactionalso reflectsourbeliefthatdiversityisvital toachievingourgoalofcompetingfor thebettalent;it'sconsistentwiththe notionthatwewelcomeandvalueall peoplewithoutregardtodifference insexualorientation.· · de·-io ational bianandGay Journalit A ociationwasquickto congratulatethenetworkforits decision.
Theassociationanditsmembersat CBShaveworkedforyearstoeducate CBSonequalbenefitsandother concerns of gay and lebians employeesintheworkplace.and expresedwarmsatisfactionthatits requethavebeenaccepted.
·'Byofferingits gayandlebianemployee domestic partner benefit CBSputsitsnondiscrimination policiesintopractice,"saidNLGJA PresidentRobertDodge."Wethank themforrespondingtotheconcerns ofourorganizationandourmembers, andaboveall,itsownemployees."It makesmeproudtoworkforCBS News,'"saidJeffKofman,anNLGJA.. memberandCBSNewscorrespondent."It'sonethingforacompanyto sayitbelievesinequality,butitonly hasmeaningwhenit'sputintopractice."
Thenumberofnewsmediacompaniesandassociatedunionoffering domesticpartnerbenefitshasmore thandoubled(from26to57) ince 1997,accordingtoarecentstudyconductedbyNLGJA.Nearlysixtimes asmanymediaemployersofferthe benefitsasdid(asrecentlyas1994), whenNLGJAfirstresearchedthe scopeofdomesticpartnerbenefitsand only10mediacompaniesoffered them.
\\iththeadditionofCBS,NBCis no,,theonlymajorremainingbroada!tteleviionnetworkthatdoesnot
"Equalpayforequalwork,that'sthe healthinsurancefor -------------. principle behind their loved ones through workplace policiesfacefinancial· hardshipsandstressin tryingtocoverthe costsofmedicalcare orinsurancethem selves,"Dodgeadded.
CBShasbeenincreasinglysupportive ofitsgayandlesbian employees and of NLGJAinrecentyears. Equalbenefitsforequalwork.
"CBSNewsPresidentAndrew Heward.AnchorDanRather,"60 �1inute··Co tLesleyStahl, Diretorfor dvancemenrandInt Gilman an 1-e presidentforhumanreources,have eee1t-particularlyhelpfultoour or.::anizatio dmadei )ear a CB \\illnottolerateworkplace bigotry,"saidDodge.
"Theircommitmenttocreatea comfortableworkplaceandtofairand accuratecoverageofourcommunity
domestic partner
benefitsforgayand lesbianworkers.On average, benefits accountfor39percent of payroll, which meansthatgayand lesbianemployeesin committed,longterm relationshipsareeffectivelybeingpaidless than their married coworkers."
The NLGJA, founded in 1990, works within the news industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of lesbia andgayissues a dooooses ,,e,•,s,.. .......=a aga,-s•ga-a,,..a lesbians and all orner minorities. N JAcurrentlyhasmorethan1,350 members"M<J��u.s. a d Cariada , �,., ar a" a,e ,., Germany.
Its directory of media companies providing domestic partner benefits maybefoundonlineatwww.nlgja.org.
Churchesguilty ofrallyingforhate
CommentarybytheRev.Dr.MelWhite
JimmyCreechhadservedtheUnitedMethodistChurchfaithfullyfora quarterofacentury.Hehadpreachedpowerfullyandpastoredwithdistinction. Andthoughheknewthatconductingasame-sexholyunionhadjustbecome a"chargeableoffense"forUnitedMethodistclergy,(seestoryabove,column 4)hehadbrokenthat"unjustlaw"asan-actofconscience.
Theeveningbeforethetrial,we invitedthemediatoseethesameholy unionforwhichJimmyCreechwas beingtried.Thegrooms,LarryEllisand JimRaymer,hadagreed to this "renewalofvows"asawitnesstothe world.
Adozentelevisioncrewsfilmedthe service.Nebraskapaperscarriedfront page,full-colorphotosofthegrooms withJimmyandtheirwitnesses.
Thejurycouldhavedecidedona tokenpenalty,aslaponthewrist,a warning.Instead,theychosetoend Jimmy'scareerasaUnitedMethodist cleric.
Forfollowinghisheartanddoing justiceforsexualminorities,thejury withdrewJimmy·sordination to Christianministryandrevokedhis licensetopreachandpastor.
WitheverypassingdayIgetmore convincedthatmostoftheChristian churches(CatholicandProtestantalike) arenoclosertograntingGLBTpeople
fullacceptancethantheywere20or30 yearsago.Inmanywaysit'sgotten worse.
ExceptfortheUnitedChurchof Christ(whichhasledthewayin acceptanceandunderstanding)thereis ageneralcrackdowninmostdenominationsonclergyandlaitywho supportus.
Investigationsareunderway. Chargesaremade.Trialsareconducted. Studiesarecommissionedandtabled. Thedebategoesonendlessly.
Intheprocess,God'slesbian,gay, bisexualandtransgenderedchildren continuetosuffertheendlessactsof spiritualviolenceagainstus.
Whensomeonecallsyoua·'fag:· youareavictimofpsychological violence.Whenapersoncallsyoua "fag"andhitsyouwithabaseballbat, youareavictimofphysicalviolence.
Butwhensomebodycallsyoua continuedonpage4
Rev. Creech performed gayweddingservice
GRANDISLAND,Neb.-The Rev.JimmyCreechhasbeenfound guiltyofdisobeyingtheSocial PrinciplesoftheUnitedMethodist Church and stripped of his ministerialcredentials.
InachurchtrialNov 17,the pastorforsome25yearswas defrockedbyajuryofhispeersfor performingasame-sexcovenant ceremonybetweentwomeninNorth Carolina.
Creech refued to gi e an opening tatementorenterapleain prtetofthetrial.
-• eI .-wa uojutandth wholetnali:,,corrupted toputona defensewillgivecredibilitytothe lawandwillsavthelawivalidand ju-··Creeaid ··1 illnotgive an� re i ili othel w:·
The£\·o-hurtrial" officiated byRev.WilhamBo_.dGroe,who closedtheproceeding bypraying forCreechand ·angay.lebian, bisexualandtransgenderpeople woundedbytheverdict.Weknow continuedonpage5
