BGALA: Maine vote a reminder of 'homophobic' problem

Although thousands of miles away, a University of Arizona BGALA member said Wednesday that the decision reflects the challenges all gays and lesbians face.

"Our society's homosexuality problems come from homophobic people, not from homosexuals themselves," said Jacob Rigoli, a finance, Spanish and accounting sophomore and member of the Associated Students Bisexual, Gay, and Lesbian Association.

Last spring, Maine lawmakers enacted a bill adding sexual orientation to the protected classifications in the state's 25-year-old human rights act. The measure would have prevented discrimination against gays and lesbians in employment, housing, public accommodations and credit.

Implementation of the law was blocked by a people's veto drive, as provided for by Maine's state constitution.

On Tuesday, a little more than 15 percent of all registered voters in Maine decided to repeal the new bill.

While not a large percentage, it was enough to repeal the law because only about 30 percent of voters turned out for the one-issue election. Fifty-one percent of those people voted to repeal.

"It hurts," said Rigoli, "But hopefully it will be a good thing in the long run."

Rigoli said he hopes yesterday's vote will educate people about the scope and pervasiveness of sexual-orientation discrimination in America.

Only 10 states currently have laws against gay and lesbian discrimination: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

In Arizona, Rigoli said the chances are slim that such a law will be passed anytime soon.

Still, he said he believes someday there will be equality for all people.

"I don't know if it will happen in my lifetime," he said, "but it will happen."