University massage therapist offers mental relaxation treatments Page 6
February 5, 2014
Katie Zwiefelhofer prepares to take ’Hawks to next level Page 12
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UW-‐W couple fights for rights By Michael Riley News Editor
Two UW-Whitewater employ- ees are among four couples named LQ D ODZVXLW ¿ OHG 0RQGD\ DLPLQJ to lift Wisconsin’s ban on same-sex marriage. “We expect that this lawsuit will bring the freedom to marry to all Wisconsinites,” said Larry Du- puis, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin at a press conference. “We expect to demonstrate that Wisconsin’s refusal to allow marriages or to recognize out-of-state marriages of gay and lesbian couples violates the funda- mental right to marry.” Judith Trampf, 53, director of human resources at UW-White- water, and Katharina Heyning, 51, dean of the College of Education & Professionals Studies, have been registered as domestic partners since Aug. 5, 2009. “We hope that our decision to become involved in the lawsuit will demonstrate to others that it is im- portant to stand up and take action on issues you believe are important,” they wrote in an email to the Royal
Purple. The lawsuit states Trampf and Heyning have been together 24 years. Trampf cites a medical emergen- cy while on vacation in 2002 where Heyning experienced a seizure. “The hospital told Judi [Trampf] that she could not make medical de- cisions for her, even though we had a power of attorney for health care stating that she had the right to,” they wrote in an email. +RVSLWDO RI¿ FLDOV LQIRUPHG Trampf unless she had the health care power of attorney document in hand, she would not be allowed to make any medical descisions. “They told her, that after 10 years of being together, Katy [Heyn- ing’s] brother would be making de- cisions,” they wrote. “Judi [Trampf] felt horrible and helpless. There was nothing she could do, the person she loved most dearly was ill, and they were telling her she had no rights, even after 10 years of being together. It was very hurtful.” Trampf’s authority to make medical decisions on Heyning’s be- half was challenged by the hospital
personally. “This constitutional amendment was approved by a large majority of Wisconsin residents,” Van Hollen said. “I believe the amendment is constitutional, and I will vigorously defend it.” ACLU has launched similar fed- HUDO VDPH VH[ ODZVXLWV LQ ¿ YH RWKHU states, said John Knight, an attorney with the national ACLU’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Project. Knight said Wisconsin’s ban is especially terrible because it prohib- its gay marriage and anything simi- lar, including civil unions, and also makes it a crime for gay couples to go outside Wisconsin to marry under the state’s obscure marriage evasion Courtesy photo law. Since the 2006 same-sex mar- Judith Trampf (left) and Katharina Heyning live in Madison and met at Girl Scout Camp in 1982 in Wyoming. The couple will celebrate 25 years together this July. riage ban, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal Defense of because they were not married. others. 0DUULDJH $FW WKDW EDQQHG VDPH VH[ “We love each other, and de- In a statement, Van Hollen said couples legally married in their own nying us the freedom to marry just KH SODQV WR GHIHQG WKH 0DUULDJH 3UR states from receiving the same fed- doesn’t seem right,” Heyning stated tection amendment, which passed HUDO EHQH¿ WV DV KHWHURVH[XDO PDUULHG in the lawsuit. with a 59 percent margin in 2006. couples. Defendants listed in the lawsuit The amendment declares gay mar- In an interview with Bloomberg include Gov. Scott Walker and Attor- riage unconstitutional. Van Hollen See Rights Page 3 ney General J.B. Van Hollen, among did not say he will defend the case
The world caught in a moment First student photo contest in voting stage By Emma Cunningham Staff Writer
After returning home from traveling abroad, UW-Whitewa- ter students were given the op- portunity to enter photos from their travels into the university’s First Annual International Photo Contest. The purpose of the contest was to highlight and promote student global experiences to the university community, according to the Center for Global Educa- tion. Whether it was with Ameri- can students studying abroad or international students studying at UW-Whitewater, it was a venue
See Contest Page 3 Student-Run Weekly Newspaper at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater