Walnut Hills High School
Volume CIX, Issue 5
November 21, 2014
Cincinnati maintains equality in spite of ruling Pictured to the left is a map of the United States that depicts the current gay marriage demographic within the states. The black states represent states that have ruled banning gay marriage constitutional. The gray states represent states that have ruled banning gay marriage unconstitutional, and have legalized it. States such as Alaska, Indiana and Kansas have reached this decision within the past two months, some as recently as Nov. 12. Among states that have a constitutional ban are Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan
Inside this issue
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Learn about the strange obsessions of Walnut.
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MAP CREATED BY AVERY SAMUELS AND ALLIE BERDING.
Maddy Fixler, ‘16 Avery Samuels, ‘16 On Nov. 6th, The United States Court of Appeals for the sixth Circuit reversed six lower court rulings for marriage equality in Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee, upholding bans against gay marriage. Throughout the country, support has been building for nationwide marriage equality. Couples in 33 US states now have equal rights to marriage, and Montana and South Carolina will soon be added to the list. A Washington Post and ABC News poll issued in February of 2014 showed that a record 59% of US citizens were in support of marriage equality, compared to a similar poll in 2009, where 49% percent of the population was in support. This poll showed, for the first time, support for marriage
Blood on Blair Allie Berding, ‘16 Julian Shockley, ‘15 A and B were not only being referenced in terms of most student’s grades, but also the blood type they were donating at the annual Hoxworth Blood Drive on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Over 50 sophomores, juniors, SENIORS and faculty members donated pints of their blood. The drive is organized by teachers Mitchell Perdrix and Kelsey June. The blood donated will be used for transfusions for patients in need. Throughout the day, the donors sat in the truck with needles in their arms connected by tubes which then transferred the blood to a bag connected to the tube. “I felt a little weak [afterwards],” Krijn Schwartz, ‘16 said. “But the food helped. They had apple juice, orange juice and soda to drink, and then cookies and chips to eat.” “I don’t ever watch when I am giving blood, just because it can be a little disconcerting to actually see it and makes you feel worse to
equality across every region in the US. Legal groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, have already announced that they will fight the ruling. They have sought the revision of the United States Supreme Court, which could issue a national ruling by June 2015. However, the city of Cincinnati has seen many developments over the past 10 years. In 2004, the city repealed Article XII, which had prevented the city from passing non-discriminatory legislation that would protect members of the LGBT community, along with preventing gays and lesbians from petitioning the government for protection from discrimination. Cincinnati was one of the only cities in the country whose charter included such a law. The city had been losing business due to a non-inclusive atmosphere, and the constitutional rights of its LGBT
residents had been denied. The move to repeal this law was the only gay rights action taken in 2004, a year that also saw 13 states (including Ohio) ban marriage equality. Cincinnati is currently recognized as one of the nation’s most LGBT-friendly cities. In the time since Article XII was repealed, Cincinnati has taken many steps to become more accepting. This year Cincinnati was one of the 38 cities that earned a perfect score on the national Municipal Equality Index conducted by the Human Rights Campaign. The MEI “examines the laws, policies and services of municipalities and rates them on the basis of their inclusivity of LGBT people who live and work there,” according to the HRC website. Cincinnati was one of the 353 cities rated. Many businesses, including bars, resaurants, hotels and clubs, located in the Greater Cincinnati
area are considered to be LGBT friendly. WVXU Cincinnati said that the city received its score because “it extended benefits to same-sex partners of city employees, created LGBT liaisons in the police and fire departments and mayor’s office and required all city contractors to sign non-discrimination clauses. The city also created a domestic partner registry and approved covering the medical costs related to surgeries for transgender employees.” Mayor John Cranley issued a short statement regarding Cincinnati’s grade. He said that the rating will be good for the city’s business because it reflects our inclusiveness. “But even if it [had] cost us money, even if, for whatever reason, it hurt business, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s the right thing to do, and it’s the right thing to do for humanity.”
look at it. Focus your attention on something else like maybe bring a book to read or a Chatterbox to read to keep your mind off of it,” June said. “It helps me when I use the squeeze ball they give you just because it gives you something to focus on terms of motion.” “It takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes. So there will be a few minutes for them to ask questions beforehand and then it’s usually from start to finish 15 to 30 minutes. From putting the needle in it should take no more than 10 minutes,” June said. “[The pain] wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” said Olivia Doepke, ‘16, a second time donor. “[On a scale of 1-10], I would rate the pain as a one.” Students who are at least 16 years old may participate in the blood drive with parental consent. Students who are 17 and 18 only need a photo ID. The student donating blood must weigh above 110 lbs. “I like knowing I am helping someone in need, and that I can end up saving someone’s life by
just spending a half hour of the day [donating],” Schwartz said. “I am looking forward to participating in the blood drive again.”
Did you forget to sign up and still want to help? There are eight donation centers in the Greater Cincinnati Area. For more information visit <http://www.hoxworth.org> or call (513) 451-0910.
Vegetarians struggle to find lunch options.
5 Get excited for the upcoming issue of Gleam.
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Meet the talented students of Walnut.
7 JULIAN SHOCKLEY/ CHATTERBOX
Olivia Doepke, ‘16 prepares to give blood in the Hoxworth Blood Truck on Nov. 18. Doepke is a second time donor and plans to participate again.
Read about junior high opinion on access to drugs.