Despite recent
political defeats, Indiana gays feel some pride

The turnout of thousands of gays and lesbians for public celebrations in Indianapolis this weekend underscored how much their community is moving toward the mainstream despite two recent major political defeats. An annual gay pride celebration, IN Pride, drew thousands of Indiana gays and lesbians before ending Sunday. It provided a sense of pride despite the Indiana general assembly's passage of a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. In a second setback, the city-county council in Indianapolis rejected amending the city's human rights ordinance to include civil rights protection for gays and lesbians. "I do feel we're under attack," said Jeff Newman, 44, who works in a family-owned construction equipment business in Greenwood and volunteers for a gay rights organization. "And the community is not going to take it lying down." Others, however, say they feel accepted. Rob MacPherson and his partner, Steven Stolen, are the parents of a 7-year-old adopted daughter. "We attract attention more than we would in Chicago and definitely more than in San Francisco," MacPherson said. "Two men and a daughter [is] still pretty novel. [But] people have applauded us and come up and talked to us about her." An Indianapolis Star/WTHR survey published in April found that 56% of Indiana residents polled supported a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. The earliest the proposed amendment could go before voters for approval is 2008. Based on 2000 U.S. census figures, Indiana had 10,219 same-sex couples who were living together, up from 1,935 in the 1990 census, as reported by the Human Rights Campaign, a national gay rights advocacy group. Overall, 0.74% of all households in the state were same-sex couples in the last census, lower than the U.S. average. Gov. Mitch Daniels was asked about the IN Pride events during a previously scheduled press conference on Friday. "I believe ours is a state welcoming to all, and this event reflects, I believe, [that] citizens of all kinds and immigrants in our state will feel welcome," Daniels told The Indianapolis Star. However, executive director Micah Clark of the Christian conservative American Family Association, said gays and lesbians should be less militant. "Everywhere we look there's something about gay rights. I'm not saying they can't do what they want to in their bedroom; I just don't want to know about it," Clark said. Andrew Collins, author of Fodor's Gay Guide to the USA, said central Indiana is relatively gay-friendly. "In Indianapolis or Bloomington, albeit with some discretion, a same-sex couple can basically walk around most areas and feel safe, or at least as safe as any other couple might," Collins said in response to an e-mail question from the Star. Some of Indiana's leading companies have been applauded for offering health care benefits to domestic partners of employees. They include Eli Lilly and Co. and Columbus-based Cummins Inc. (AP)