Weekend Links: Cher, Gays and Lawyers

It's been busy times with holidays and everything. I'm visiting family in Peoria, Ill., right now. Here are some links I've accumulated over the last week.

Activist judge blocks domestic partnerships in Oregon. And they say the activist judges only work for the gays; this judge bowed to pressure from anti-gay forces who couldn't get the signatures to keep domestic partnerships from happening.

"Our attorney believes that the judge demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding of Oregon’s initiative and referendum law. Basic Rights Oregon is appalled by this outrageous ruling, and we will continue to aggressively find opportunities to participate in the case as it moves forward, doing everything in our power to get caring and committed Oregon couples and their families the legal rights and protections they need."

Cher and her daughter Chastity will do a new show helping LGBT folks come out. "Contactmusic.com reports that Cher's daughter Chastity will accompany her mother in hosting the show 'Coming Out With Cher and Chas'. The mother-daughter pair will also counsel those who are struggling to inform their parents and close friends of their homosexuality."

Former Wis. Gov. Lee Dreyfus passed away. The Republican was a strong gay rights supporter, definitely a rare thing. "The gay rights measure Dreyfus signed made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment and public accommodations. Activists gathered in Madison last year to mark the 25th anniversary of the law. Dreyfus also was a vocal opponent of the state's ban on gay marriage and civil unions, which was approved by voters in 2006."

LGBT lawyers should attend this conference. On Saturday, January 26, 2008, 9:00-3:00 at the William Mitchell College of Law the Regional Lavender Law conference will be held. "In 2004, the National Lavender Law conference was held in Minneapolis. MLBA board member Phil Duran said that since that time, the MLBA has endeavored to include a national speaker at each regional conference. This year that is Amber Hollibaugh, senior strategist of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, who will give the opening plenary on “GLBT Aging and Public Policy.”

Other topics to be examined at the conference include advocating for transgender clients, marketing your practice to the GLBT community, medical disability planning and asset protection of same-sex couples, and community reactions to the Larry Craig “debacle.”

“The complexity of the program has grown,” said Duran. “We’re excited. We’ve got a record number of sponsors this year.”