Florida Agenda

NEW YORK, NY – What was supposed to be a relaxing, enjoyable brunch at Sizzler turned into a horrifying ordeal of discrimination, violence and degradation targeting a lesbian because she did not conform to the stereotypes of how a woman should look.

According to a press release from Lambda Legal, the organization filed a discrimination lawsuit in Queens County Supreme Court against the Sizzler Restaurant in Forest Hills, Queens, on behalf of Liza Friedlander, who was violently attacked while trying to dine with friends at her favorite breakfast spot.

The press release said that on September 18, 2010, Liza Friedlander and two friends went to a Sizzler restaurant in Forest Hills, Queens, for the breakfast buffet. After paying, Friedlander served herself from the buffet. As Friedlander was walking back toward her table to join her companions, a Sizzler manager aggressively approached her. Allegedly, in front of other restaurant patrons, the manager began yelling at Friedlander, accusing her of not paying for the breakfast buffet. He violently shoved Friedlander in the chest, causing her to fall backward, and kicked her in the legs while yelling for her to get out of the Sizzler and calling her a “fucking dyke”.

Lambda Legal said that the Sizzler dining room quickly devolved into a threatening scene when patrons began terrorizing Ms. Friedlander, with Sizzler patrons screaming at her, spewing homophobic and hate-filled epithets. A male diner began yelling at Friedlander, calling her a “he-she freak” and demanding that she leave the restaurant. Another man threatened to take Ms. Friedlander outside and sexually assault her, threatening that he would show her “what a dick is”. The man then threw objects at Friedlander. Finally, after police arrived, a battered Friedlander was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

This case is the first test of the newly enacted bias crime law passed in August, 2010, to hold individuals accountable for anti-LGBT violence and intimidation.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – A gay male couple who adopted a child in New York are being forbidden by the state of Louisiana to have both their names listed on the birth certificate of the child listing both as “father”. The 5th U.S. Court of Appeals sided with the state of Louisiana that only permitting the name of one father on the birth certificate does not violate the child’s right to equal protection under the law, nor did it require the state of Louisiana to recognize the adoption by both men that took place in New York. Adoptive children in Louisiana get a new birth certificate indicating the names of the adoptive parents; however, the state does not permit adoption by unmarried couples. The state contends that putting both men’s names on the birth certificate would violate the state’s law. An attorney for Lambda Legal said the organization is reviewing the 72-page court decision before making a decision to appeal the court’s ruling.

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL – Paul Hyman, Executive Director of the Pride Center at Equality Park, was recognized for his dedication to the community at the annual Lambda Legal Recognition Dinner on Saturday, March 27. Over 300 people were in attendance at this year’s annual event, which was held at the Bonnet House.

Hyman became Executive Director of the Pride Center (then know as the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of South Florida) six years ago during a period of time when the future of the center was in doubt. Since then, the Pride Center moved into its new, larger headquarters in Wilton Manors and has flourished and greatly expanded its programs to serve a larger portion of the community.