Gay rights lobbying groups to hold meeting at Northern

Havre is hosting the latest of several meetings about the gay community's rights after this year's Montana legislative session.

Organizers said Havre was brought to the attention of the gay and lesbian community by the actions of Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre.

The Montana Human Rights Network and the Pride Foundation are holding an event in the Crowley Room, on the second floor of Montana State University-Northern's Student Union Building, from 6 to 8 p. m. Thursday, "to hear the inside scoop on the 2011 Legislature and its implications" for civil rights of Montana's gay and lesbian community, according to an email from Pride Foundation Organizer Caitlin Copple.

Copple and MHRN lobbyist Jamee Greer are bringing their organizations together for this meeting, which Greer said made this event unique from others he has already held in Missoula, Bozeman and Whitefish.

Part of the reason that Havre will be receiving special treatment is because it is Hansen's home district, after she sponsored House Bill 516, a bill that was intended to overturn a Missoula ordinance protecting against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

"We had a representative that actively sought to repeal the human rights issue ordinance in Missoula, " said Pam Hillery, Havre City Council member and co-host of the event. "Clearly, Kris Hansen is targeted. She put herself out there and made political enemies. "

It passed the House with a 62 to 37 vote before dying in a Senate committee two months later.

While the bill still looked healthy, Missoula Democratic Rep. Ellie Hill bristled at having her constituency's decision assailed by a Havre representative, and warned of grassroots retaliation: "Nobody can out grassroot organize Missoulians. "

Hansen said at the time that she sponsored the bill for the Montana Family Foundation and that the issue was for the state to decide, not local governments.

"The Missoula ordinance circumvents the Montana Human Rights Act, which is the exclusive remedy for discrimination claims in Montana, " she said in February.

Those who worked on getting the ordinance passed, and were shocked to see the repeal attempt, disagreed.

"In Montana the LGBT community has little to no protection when it comes to discrimination or assaults, " said Bryce Bennett, a Democrat representative from Missoula who campaigned for the ordinance. "Missoula tried to pass one small protection, and we have a bill come up in the Legislature to take it away. "

Greer organized for the ordinance and also felt the sting of HB 516.

"The discussion over 516 is an important discussion to have because that bill was specifically targeting a group of people and taking away their rights, " Greer said.

He added that he was particularly shocked because the ordinance may have been new for Montana but was hardly unprecedented in the rest of the country.

"One-hundred-and-twenty-five cities across the country have similar protection, " Greer said. "It's not unique. It's not something that hasn't been tried in the courts. The LGBT community was directly targeted, whether or not that was the purpose of her bill. "

The MHRN is holding these talks to give people an idea about the processes and goings-on during the session and how the effects echo throughout the state.

Greer said that every community in Montana has an LGBT community, though some are more able to stand up and speak up.

Hillery said that Havre's gay community is relatively inactive.

"I don't think gays are persecuted here, but it's very, very quiet here, " Hillery said. "This isn't Missoula, and it's certainly not San Francisco. "

Greer thinks it could be healthier if it were a bit less quiet and hopes meetings like this can help.

"I think it's important to let people know that they're not alone, " Greer said. "It can be very isolating, and in an era when LGBT teenagers are committing suicide at an alarming rate, when people feel that bullying has gotten to the point that they feel they have no alternative but to take their own lives, having an outlet and a community is very important. "

An invitation to Thursday's event encourages those who want to RSVP or find more information to contact Copple at [email protected] or (406) 546-7017.