[news] Christian Women's Group Steaming Over Gay Coffee Cups

If this were any other company, they'd probably call for a boycott. But not Starbucks--these ladies love their caramel macchiato. Some things, apparently, are more important than moral indignation.

(link to article)

[note] Link to us!

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[note] Welcome Back!

At this very moment, our friends and foes (just kidding) are flying, driving, busing, boating, and sledding into Ann Arbor, filling its quiet, shaded streets with the sounds of rearing U-Hauls and boxes of semi-breakables and shower shoes. To all of those who have trekked from afar, welcome back. To all of those who stayed in town, it's good to see you again. And, to anyone enrolled this semester who fits neither category, you should probably get moving.

Best wishes, all...
~outlaws.

[event] Leslie Feinberg lecture (10/26 @ 4:00pm in Michigan Union Ballroom)

Leslie Feinberg will give a talk entitled "Trans Liberation: Movement Building in Time of War" on Wednesday, October 26th from 4:00-6:00pm in the Michigan Union ballroom.

Sponsored by The Institute for Research on Women and Gender.

(link to IRWG calendar of events)

[news] Shifting Modalities in California

We've said for a long time that gay parents can be good parents. The California Supreme Court has now said that not only can they be, they must be. How Kantian.

(link to article)

[event] Outlaws Saugatuck Retreat (Labor Day Weekend)

New Students: Welcome to UM Law and UM Outlaws!

We hope your transition to Ann Arbor is going smoothly. That said, Outlaws is planning a retreat before classes begin, and we hope you will consider joining us!

Specifically, we are heading to a resort town in Western Michigan called Saugatuck (about 2 hours from Ann Arbor). We are still coordinating times for leaving and returning to Ann Arbor, but we have rooms booked from Friday to Monday of Labor Day weekend. Cars will be heading over to Saugatuck after you finish orientation.

This retreat is our ground breaking, trial blazing attempt to have some fun before the year begins. We hope it provides you with an opportunity to get to know some of the veteran Outlaws (and an opportunity to get your last-minute, looming questions about Law School answered), and sets the stage for a cohesive, kick-ass group for the upcoming year.

Outlaws is covering the expense of rooms (we'll be sharing accomodations to cut down on costs). Food & entertainment, however, will be each person's own responsibility. We are aware that some people are interested in staying one or two nights and then returning to Ann Arbor to begin reading Marbury v. Madison. We understand: it's very confusing. Early rides back can probably be arranged.

If you would like to join us, please let Denise Brogan know asap: debrogan at umich dot edu.


In case you still aren't convinced that a place named Saugatuck could possibly be worth a free trip there, here are a few things the town has to offer:

• Jet skiing
  
• Boat rides
  
• Kayaking
  
• Shopping (Douglas & Saugatuck are both quaint little artist towns)
  
• Dunes rides
  
• Oval Beach (voted one of the best beaches by MTV)
  
• Art galleries
  
• Ice cream & chocolate shops
  
• Many gay owned and operated bars and restaurants
  

(link to more information on the town)

(link to the hotel's website)

event: *MichiganLGBT* Sundance preview of "TransGeneration" (9/11 @ 7pm in Ann Arbor)

From Denise:

Pencil on your personal and group's calendar:

FREE SCREENING OF GROUNDBREAKING NEW SERIES "TRANSGENERATION"

Two Michigan-based groups, Transgender Advocacy Project and TransGender Michigan, co-sponsor a specially edited 90-minute feature of Sundance Channel's original series "TransGeneration."

The pre-screening of "TransGeneration" is on Sunday, September 11 at the Forum Hall Auditorium, University of Michigan's Palmer Commons, 100 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, 7 pm.

The eight-episode series looks at the daily lives of four college students as they balance the challenges of academic commitments with their commitment to gender reassignment. The Sept 11th prescreening is a wonderful opportunity to get a preview of what Sundance Channel is sure will be "one of the most talked about new series this fall."

Sundance Channel premiers "TransGeneration" on Tuesday, September 20 at 9:00 pm, with each episode airing Tuesdays at 9:00 pm through November 8.

For directions go to www.umich.edu/~palmcomm or call (734) 615-4444. The event is free and open to the public.

Contacts:

André Wilson
Phone: 734.665.1809

Julica Hermann
Phone: 734.647.2724

plug: The Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program

From our friends at WLPPPPP.

Dear Friend,

The Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program is inviting applications from law school graduates and law students graduating in 2006 who have a strong interest in women's rights. Women's Law Fellows work for one year in Washington, D.C. with a non-profit, public interest organization or governmental agency on legal and policy issues affecting the status of women. Applications must be postmarked by October 15, 2005, and early applications are encouraged. The Fellowships will begin in September 2006.

Attached please find a Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program application form. Additional information, including the application form, can be found on our website at www.wlppfp.org. We would greatly appreciate it if you would forward this information to anyone you know who may be interested in applying for a Women's Law Fellowship. Please also feel free to forward this message to law professors, lawyers, judges, advocates and others who may know of potential candidates who might like to apply.

Thank you very much for your kind assistance.

Warmest regards,

Julia

Julia L. Ernst
Executive Director
Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program
600 New Jersey Ave. NW, Suite 334
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-662-9650
Fax: 202-662-9539

event: Prop 2 Hearing! (8/16 @ 3pm in Lansing)

From the folks at Triangle:

The rescheduled hearing regarding the Legal Challenge to Proposal 2 will occur on Tuesday, August 16th at 3 pm in Judge Dragonchuk's courtroom, located at 313 W. Kalamazoo, in downtown Lansing. The case, National Pride at Work v Granholm, Cox, and the City of Kalamazoo, is a declaratory action lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Michigan, asking the court to declare that Proposal 2 does not prohibit domestic partner benefits. The July 21st hearing was rescheduled because Governor Granholm requested different legal counsel to represent her, as she did not agree with Attorney General Mike Cox's (who was representing her) position on the issue of Proposal 2 and Domestic Partner benefits.

In the interim, Governor Granholm filed a new legal brief, supporting the ACLU's position that public employers can offer domestic partner benefits. The Attorney General's office requested and was permitted to intervene in this matter as a defendant. The Attorney General's position is that Proposal 2 prohibits the acknowledgment of any relationship other than a marriage and thus prohibits domestic partner benefits. At the hearing, both the ACLU and the Attorney General will be asking the court to rule in favor of its positions.

We are encouraging as many members and supporters of the LGBT community to attend this hearing. It is very important that we have a strong presence at that hearing. For more details, contact [outlaws at info@umoutlaws.org].

news: third year of law school highly over-rated

Maybe we should go back to the days of Mickey Mouse apprenticeships and indentured legal servitude (year-round, not just during the summer). But, what about the people who went to law school because they couldn't think of anything better to do?

(link to article)

news: Roberts is outed, sort of.

Apparently, after spending ten-million man hours combing through Roberts' record, we now know that he kind of helped out once on a pro homo pro bono gay-rights case in Colorado. It's easy to forget, though, that lawyers have a quirky ethos: They're not rock musicians who make political statements by playing charity benefits--they're professionals who advocate for their clients in the cases put before them. I'd like to see a list of cases he refused to get involved in.

Oh well, good enough for me. Welcome to The Court, Mr. Justice Roberts.

(link to article)

[EDIT]

Looks like a handful of "conversative groups" couldn't stomach the idea that anyone would help further the GAY AGENDA. I wonder if they also boycott plumbers, grocery stores, ROADS, doctors, or anyone else who happens to benefit a gay person while doing their job.

That Roberts worked on a gay rights cause is no surprise.
That a few conservative groups backed out on him over it is no surprise either.
This guy is a shoe-in.

(link to a slow news day)

alumni newsletter!

For a quick look at what we've been up to this past year, check out the Alumni Newsletter.

It features:

• announcements of our new scholarships


• a sneak preview of our lavendar law plans


• what we did (GLBT-related) for summer vacation


• a new class!


• an essay by alumnus Tim Williamson (c/o 1983)


• and more...yes, more.

Enjoy.

(link to newsletter)

you asked, we told: DADT bulletin board.

Glennnn put together this incredibly powerful bulletin board, spotlighting famous/successful GLBT members of our military, during last semester. People walking by would stop and read it, even if they were in a hurry. It was amazing.

(close ups: bottom left, middle, bottom right)

news: California finally allows lesbians to golf!

Actually, the Cali Supreme Court said that, if you offer a business benefit to married couples, you have to also offer it to domestic partners. In this case, and at this country club, married spouses could play for free, but domestic partners were considered guests (and thus limited to playing six times a year).

It's uncertain what the legal, business, and social ramifications in California will be, but I suspect the LPGA is outright giddy.

(link to article)

news: Battle Over Gay Marriage Plays Out in Indian Country

Truth be told, Kathy Reynolds and Dawn McKinley were content living in quiet suburban anonymity, raising a child, accepted by neighbors who did not know their sexual orientation, and hoping to grow old together...

(link to article)