➤ LGBTQ VETERANS, from p.10
concerns.
The fi rst amendment would remove
a requirement in the bill
for veterans with PTSD to obtain
a mental health diagnosis from
Veterans Affairs (VA) in order to
utilize state benefi ts. Some veterans
who originally did not receive
an honorable discharge have either
not sought to upgrade their
status or been denied the right
to because other circumstances
were also at play. These veterans
face a lose-lose situation because
without honorable discharges they
are denied VA healthcare services,
leaving them out to dry when
they seek state benefi ts. Congressional
efforts to expand access to
VA healthcare for some classes of
service members who have other
than an honorable discharge have
been ignored by the VA, according
to a story in the Washington Post
about a veteran who suffered from
PTSD during his time in the military
but has been unable to obtain
VA assistance.
“You have a situation that can
re-traumatize veterans if they have
been told they can receive services,
but they go to the VA and
are turned away,” said Fitzgerald,
who was forced to hide his sexuality
during a nine-year stint in the
Army during the era of Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell. “It shouldn’t be diffi cult
chore for vets to access services.”
The second amendment, according
to advocates, would address the
bill’s exclusion of LGBTQ veterans
who were victims of entrapment by
bigoted offi cials and charged with
“soliciting sexual activity” or who
were punished for pushing back
against assaults. That amendment
would also correct a hole in the bill
that currently leaves out those who
were forced to leave their posts due
to homophobic hostility, but were
deemed to have been “absent without
leave.”
““The precipitating factor is they
were discriminated against for
their sexuality, but when it comes
to the discharge paperwork, all it
will show is absence without leave,”
Fitzgerald said.
Those issues surfaced before
the bill was signed into law during
an October 17 State Assembly
hearing on the delivery of services
for veterans. Out lesbian military
veteran who was then president of
New York City Veterans’ Alliance
Kristen Rouse used her testimony
that day to confront legislators,
saying that the bill would end up
“excluding the very veterans it is
intending to help because of the
VA having to do a mental health
assessment for veterans who are
not eligible.”
Barrett appeared to be surprised
that Rouse would question
the contents of the bill and
responded to Rouse by saying
that it’s “my bill” and that she was
“very confi dent” in the way it was
written.
“I think we have a difference of
opinion about that bill,” Barrett
said. “I don’t think it leaves out
the people that you think, but I
don’t have enough information
right now.”
Barrett ignored Gay City News’
multiple requests for comment
about the desired amendments,
not answering questions about
whether lawmakers would move
to fi x the bill.
When Gay City News asked
Hoylman about the lingering issues
with the bill, he left the door
open to the possibility of improving
the bill but would only say, in
a written statement, that it is his
“hope” to “continue discussions
with the Governor’s offi ce and my
Assembly colleagues to make this
legislation even more comprehensive
by expanding the pool of eligible
veterans.”
Fitzgerald said queer veterans
need the support of both Hoylman
and Barrett, but, in acknowledging
Barrett’s hesitation, said, “I would
say the individual we would need
is Didi Barrett.”
“We need her to understand the
complexities of some situations
these veterans have experienced,”
he said.
Fitzgerald, who currently suffers
from a disability stemming from
his time in the military, said he is
lucky to have made it through his
time in the military without suffering
from the discharge issues that
so many out LGBTQ veterans have
faced. But he understands their
pain and wants to see his fellow
veterans get the assistance they
need — and soon.
“Being able to have this act implemented
properly would give us
the ability touch base with these
veterans and connect then with
the services they need,” he said.
➤ OUT/ ADVOCATE, from p.10
our strategy of building a farreaching
media and entertainment
company which aggregates
the largest gay and lesbian media
brands. This combination
provides a larger, more diverse
foundation for additional growth,
particularly in our advertising
business, as it becomes a larger
percentage of our overall revenue,
and it enables us to better reach
the markets we serve, driving
higher growth in a more cost-effective
manner.”
Having raised just under $42
million, PlanetOut spent nearly
60 percent of that cash on two
magazines, a small book publishing
business, and several other
publications.
It continued to stumble fi nancially,
such as buying a cruise
booking business for $5.4 million
and selling it for $2.1 million 19
months later, according to The
Deal, a newsletter.
In 2008, PlanetOut was out of
money and put itself up for sale.
It merged with Regent Entertainment,
a fi lm distributor, in 2009.
By 2010, the lawsuits in state,
federal, and small claims courts
showed that the persistent rumors
about the publications or their
owners not paying writers and
landlords and using copyrighted
material without a license were
facts.
In one 2011 suit, Regent was accused
of using a line of credit for
expenses that its contract with
Merrill Lynch and Bank of America
did not allow.
In 2017, Out and The Advocate
were purchased by Oreva Capital,
a boutique investment fi rm founded
by Adam Levin who also owned
High Times, the monthly magazine
about marijuana. Press reports
indicate that High Times may be
headed for bankruptcy.
The bravado continued.
“There is no better bet in media
or advertising these days than on
passionate, connected communities,”
Levin said in a 2017 press
release. “We are excited and feel
extremely honored to have the
opportunity to work with brands
such as The Advocate, Out and
Pride and realize their next phase
of growth.”
REV. PEGGY CLARK
SENIOR MINISTER
GERALD A.BROWN
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
40 E 35TH STREET (BTWN. PARK & MADISON)
212 683 4988 • INFO@CCNY.ORG • WWW.CCNY.ORG
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24 • CHRISTMAS EVE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24 • CHRISTMAS EVE
Annual Christmas Eve
Candle Lighting Annual Handel’s
Performance of
Handel’s Messiah
Christmas Portion and
Service
For all ages
Messiah Concert
AT 4:30 P.M. Hallelujah Chorus
AT 7:30 P.M.
AT 7:30 P.M.
Kwanzaa Sunday,
December 29
Kwanzza Celebration
AT 11:00 A.M.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME!
NO TICKETS REQUIRED
A FREE WILL OFFERING
WILL BE TAKEN.
Candle Lighting
Service and
Reception
AT 4:30 P.M.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27
Kwanzaa Celebration
AT 11:00 A.M.
GayCityNews.com | December 19, 2019 - January 1, 2020 19
/GayCityNews.com
/WWW.CCNY.ORG
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