Herland Sister Resources

Make your plans now to get away for the weekend and enjoy peace, quiet, and nature at the Herland Spring Retreat.  The weekend of May 18-20th  we’ll be at Roman Nose State Park, near Watonga and just a short drive.  We have great weather and plenty of sunshine every time we are there.  We’ll be relaxing, playing games, sitting around the campfire, singing songs, hiking, fishing, and lots more.  The popular band IRIS, will be our entertainment for the Saturday night concert right after the potluck. So mark it on your calendar and watch for more details in next month’s Voice.  

Spring 2007 Retreat Registration
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Map to Roman Nose State Park
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Saturday, April 14, 2007
Norick Downtown Library
300 Park Avenue, Okla. City

The Cimarron Alliance Foundation, with the support of the Human Rights Campaign, will host a leadership summit on Saturday, April 14, 2007 at the Downtown Library for organizations that serve or support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Oklahomans.   Any and all interested members of the community, whether currently members of an organization or not, are also encouraged to attend.   The one-day program will feature breakout sessions designed to address critical issues facing LGBT people in the state of Oklahoma, as well as anticipated legislation and advocacy. Breakout groups will focus on a range of issues including strategic planning, grant-writing, media relations and programming, AIDS/HIV, seniors, and youth.
The growing list of presenters includes: Jim  Roth, Oklahoma County Commissioner; Andrew Rice, Oklahoma State Senator; and Al McAffrey, Oklahoma State Representative.  For additional information, contact Josh Hammers at jhammers@ou.edu or (405) 570-0082.  An online registration is available at www.cimarron-alliance.org/leadership_summit.htm.

In Detroit last week, 72-year-old Andrew Anthos was riding on a city bus and was asked by a fellow passenger if he was gay.  The passenger then followed Mr. Anthos off the bus and attacked him with a metal pipe. Mr. Anthos died from his injuries Friday  night and according to media reports, police are continuing the investigation without any solid leads. 
Under the current federal hate crimes statute, federal authorities have no jurisdiction to assist in this investigation, even if local authorities were to request that assistance.  The Human Rights Campaign is asking all of us to contact our Representative and urge him or her to cosponsor the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act.  Please take action today by going to:  www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/hatecrimes?=6dSc6W61uHMWW

By Jaclyn Houghton, CNHI News
Wanda Jo Stapleton fears she will once again see back alley abortions if legislation that passed through a House committee on Tuesday becomes law. 
“I’m 73 years old and I lived back when women died from abortions…that’s just cruelty to women,” said Stapleton, formerly Wanda Jo Peltier, who served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1986 to 1996
representing Oklahoma City.  “I firmly believe God gave people free will.  He gave them freedom to make their own decisions, to be accountable to him, not the state Legislature.”
House Judiciary and Public Safety Committee members passed five abortion bills with little opposition. The measures now go to the House floor for a hearing.
One measure, House Bill 1317, authored by Rep. John Wright, R-Broken Arrow, would prohibit abortions in state medical facilities or by employees of the state unless the life of the mother is threatened.
Rep. Ryan Kiesel, D-Seminole, sought an amendment to also allow abortions in order to protect the health of the patient, even if death is not expected. The amendment failed. 
The bill passed with a 16-1 vote, with Kiesel casting the only nay vote.  He also stood alone voting against House Bill 1652, authored by Rep. Pam Peterson, R-Tulsa, which would define the term “medical emergency,”  the only exception to when a minor can have an abortion without informed-consent by a guardian.  The minor would have to be on the verge of death or of irreversible impairment to her body due to the pregnancy to have an abortion without prior consent. 
Another  bill, House Bill 1632, authored by Rep. Charlie Joyner, R-Midwest City, passed easily through the committee with a 12-2 vote, and one abstention.  The bill would prohibit the coverage of non-lifesaving abortions by insurance companies, but would instead require a person to purchase separate abortion insurance coverage.
A bill by Rep. George Faught, R-Muskogee, also passed out of the committee with a 16-1 vote. House Bill 2042 would amend the definition of abortion to include the use of an instrument, medicine, drug or other device to intentionally end a pregnancy.  Another measure, House Bill 1004, authored by Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City, passed with a 16-2 vote. The bill would require doctors performing an abortion to have clinical privileges at a hospital that is within 30 miles of where an abortion is performed.

Many thanks go out to all the people who helped make Herland’s First Annual Mardi Gras Party such a great success, including the hundreds who attended the gala.  Over $1900 was raised at the event to pay for printing and mailing the Voice.  We want to send special thanks to our hostess for the evening Ms. Ivana DeVille, the Hollywood Hotel & Suites for donation of the room, and entertainers Lady Spencer, Alison Scott, Tara Henry, Peggy Johnson, Mary Reynolds, and our DJ Ricky Shea. 
And thanks go to Chris Serafino and the kids at the OKC Juvenile Detention Center who made the beautiful table decorations, Jay Hollenbeck who created the wonderful stage decorations, and the many folks who donated silent auction items.  And last, but not least, we want to thank our main organizer for the event—Jeanne Flanigan, with lots of extra help from Laura Choate.