Florida Senate panel approves Gay Rights Bill

(Tallahassee, Florida) With the support of both Democrats and Republicans, a Florida Senate committee approved a bill this morning to prohibit discrimination against gay men and lesbians in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

"After conferring with his colleagues last year, Senator Deutch determined that if the Senate bill included gender identity, it would be dead on arrival," said Hoch. "Over the past twenty years, the Council has learned that we work with supportive lawmakers, we should defer to them on legislative strategy."

However, at the request of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Representative Kelly Skidmore (D-Boca Raton) introduced a transgender-inclusive bill in the Florida House of Representatives.

"The Skidmore bill prohibits discrimination based on both gender identity and gender expression," said Hoch. "That is the legislation that ultimately must be signed into law."

Last October, the Council proposed a two-bill strategy, which was adopted by Deutch and Skidmore.

"It is easy for politically correct people who do not have a clue on laws are made in Florida to attack the two-bill strategy," said Hoch. "But today's bipartisan vote shows that the two bill strategy is working."

Governor Charlie Crist, a longtime civil rights advocate, has not yet indicated whether he would sign a GLBT non-discrimination bill when it reaches his desk.

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Cascade recovery gay bashing lawsuit

A lawsuit filed Tuesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court says Brady Patterson, a 23-year-old from Camas, Wash., worked from August 2005 to February 2006 at Cascade Recovery Inc. in Vancouver, Wash., then at the collection agency's Portland headquarters from March 2006 to August 2006.

In the lawsuit, Patterson claims his supervisors, Robert Shanks and Sonny Mackey, subjected Patterson to verbal harassment and encouraged other employees to do the same. Shanks called Patterson names such as "fag," "fag boy," "homo" and "gyno" (short for "gynophobic") on a daily basis, the lawsuit says.

Cascade Recovery has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The lawsuit claims Patterson was also asked questions like "How is your boyfriend?" and "Are you growing boobs?" Shanks and Mackey referred to Patterson as "Brokeback Brady," berated him for reading fitness magazines at work, and accused him of masturbating in the restroom, the lawsuit says.

"Mr. Shanks and Mr. Mackey also started making comments about how often Plaintiff had to use the restroom," the lawsuit says. "They told Plaintiff that he was just like a man that they had heard about who had to urinate all the time because the man had 'a small dick and balls."

Shanks took particular interest in Patterson, according to the lawsuit, repeatedly taking Patterson outside to tell Patterson his views on homosexuality and to encourage Patterson to come out of the closet.

The lawsuit also says Shanks told Patterson that a locksmith the company employed was gay and "could suck" Patterson. On another occasion, the lawsuit says Shanks took Patterson into his office, told Patterson to "close the fucking door," and screamed at Patterson, "Do you want to fuck me?"

Shanks also subjected Patterson to physical harassment, the lawsuit says, including putting Patterson in a choke hold and holding a hunting knife to his face, saying he could cut off Patterson's ear with one slice.

The lawsuit says Patterson quit his job on Aug. 10, 2006, after Shanks threatened to fire Patterson for spilling coffee, telling Patterson to "get a fucking box because you won't be here much longer."

The lawsuit, filed by attorney Martin Dolan, seeks $343,000 for lost wages and emotional suffering.