June 6, 1996 - Midday discusses same-sex marriage and the Defense of Marriage Act. MPR’s Gary Eichten gets different perspectives on the ‘definition’ of same-sex marriage from guests Fritz Knaak, attorney and former State Senator; and Minneapolis family law attorney Suzanne Borne. Knaak and Borne also answer listener questions.
January 14, 1997 - **For Tuesday 1/14** The Minnesota Supreme Court hears arguments today (Tuesday) on whether prosecutors can use "battered women's syndrome" in court testimony. The appeal stems from a prosecutor who wanted to explain why a woman lied and recanted her testimony against her alleged attacker. It's the first time the issue has come up on appeal in Minnesota's courts. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports: Attorneys have traditionally used battered women's syndrome testimony as evidence in defense cases--showing why someone who's been battered by their partner assaults or kills their batterer to end the abuse. But in the case before the Minnesota supreme court, the question is whether prosecutors can use such
January 28, 1997 - MPR’s Chris Roberts reports that the battle lines that marked the fight over passage of Minnesota’s Human Rights Bill have not gone away. Roberts interviews numerous individuals on the law’s effect.
February 6, 1997 - One of Minnesota's most visible personalities, WCCO TV Anchor Colleen Needles, is accusing station officials of sexual discrimination and sexual harassment. Needles also says her supervisor retaliated when she complained internally. General Manager Jan McDaniel says station officials acted honorably, made every effort to address Needles' concerns, and believe her accusation is without merit. The story was well-covered by all the competing stations last night, and wound up on the front page of both dailies today. Dave Nimmer teaches journalism at the University of St. Thomas. He worked at W-C-C-O T-V for many years. We asked him if the other media overplayed the story.
February 6, 1997 - Ellen Bravo is the executive director of 9 to 5, national grassroots organization that helps working women fight for economic justice. She's also the co-author of the "9 to 5 Guide to Combatting Sexual Harassment". We asked Bravo what kinds of complaints her office gets about sexual discrimination in media organizations: Ellen Bravo is the executive director of 9 to 5, based in Milwaukee. Tomorrow morning on Midmorning, Paula Schroeder hosts a call-in on harassment in the workplace. That's tomorrow at 9:00 on MIDMORNING. Sun 28-MAY 20:51:50 MPR NewsPro Archive - Wed 04/1
March 24, 1997 - MPR’s Karen Louise Boothe reports that hundreds of people rallied at the State Capitol on behalf of a bill that would restore the cuts in benefits to legal immigrants in the new federal welfare reform law.
April 29, 1997 - MPR’s Karen-Louise Boothe reports on members of the Minnesota House debating for more than two hours the merits DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act), a measure banning same-sex marriage. The roll call vote was preceeded by more than two hours of sometimes very personal and emotional testimony. In the end, representatives voted overwhelmingly to keep it as amended to the omnibus health and human services bill.
May 5, 1997 - One of the most widely debated issues in the modern workplace is whether employers should offer domestic partner benefits. In Minnesota, local governments which have sought to include unmarried, same-sex partners in their health insurance plans have run into legal roadblocks. But in the private sector, where the competition is growing for talented workers, more companies and organizations are finding domestic partner benefit packages make good business sense.
May 13, 1997 - It was supposed to be a simple case of trading places: prominent theatre critic Jayne Blanchard of the St. Paul Pioneer Press would produce her own play to see what it's like to be on the other side of the critic's pen. But just a week into her new production "The Obituary Bowl" playing at Jungle Theatre... Blanchard is in an all-out war to save her day job. Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson reports: This week, Jayne Blanchard filed a sex discrimination suit against the St. Paul Pioneer Press. It's the latest move in a strange series of events for Blanchard, who's worked at the paper since 1992. In her suit, Blanchard says she was severely punished for producing a p
May 14, 1997 - MPR’s Karen-Louise Boothe reports that a bill banning same-sex marriage in Minnesota appears likely to pass this legislative session. A ban successfully passed out of a joint House-Senate conference committee, which included it in the omnibus health-finance bill.