GAZETTE Tampa Bay Gay and Lesbian News

Straight But Not Narrow
By Brian Feist

ST. PETERSBURG Some people view St. Petersburg's inclusion of sexual orientation in its Human Rights ordinance, added in January, 2002, as an example of politicians, (and the gay community) once again selling out transgendered persons. Others see it as a crafty bit of political manuevering that achieved its goals and cornered a fundamentalist mayor into reneging on a promise to his conservative voter base. As St. Petersburg City Council member Richard Kriseman sees it, the ordinance is a step in the right direction, but not the final destination.

Kriseman, who lead the drive to add sexual orientation, defined as "an individual's actual or perceived heterosexuality, homosexuality or bisexuality," was honored as the Tampa Bay Business Guild's 2004 Citizen of the Year at their February dinner meeting.

"The wording of the ordinance was extremely important," says Kriseman. "The mayor (Rick Baker) had promised to veto any ordinance that was approved." The challenge was to come up with an ordinance that was the most inclusive and afforded the broadest protection possible, yet still maintained enough support among the council members to override the mayor's veto. "I believe in the whole thing," says Kriseman, but adds that it was clear that if the ordinance included Śtransgender' there would have barely been enough council votes for it to pass, "and we'd have lost it all with the mayor's veto.

There's no telling how long it would take to bring the proposal back to the council if it had been defeated at that time." As it turned out, Kriseman was able to win the support of a strong enough majority of the councilmembers to pass the ordinance and override the mayor's veto. The mayor was pushed into the inenviable position of either reneging on a promise to his conservative constituents or being shown irrelevant by a council override. Kriseman adds that the ordinance will likely be revisited at some point in the future, but admits that, "it would be pointless at this time to try to add transgender to the ordinance‹the makeup of the council hasn't changed. But if less conservative councilmembers are elected it will come up again. In the mean time, I believe that by including a definition of sexual orientation as Śactual or perceived,' transgender persons are effectively protected along with everyone else under the current ordinance." How did a nice, (straight) Jewish boy from Detroit become a champion of gay rights in St. Petersburg, Florida? Despite having a lesbian sister, "I blame Ed Rabin," Kriseman says with a laugh. Readers may remember Dr. Ed Rabin, a South Tampa chiropractor who relocated with his spouse to Idaho last year. Kriseman's family moved to St. Pete in 1972. "I met Ed in college. We were frat brothers in Gainesville. We roomed together for three years, first in the frat house and later in an apartment." Rabin was not "out" when the two were in college. "I had no idea Ed was gay when we were in school," says Kriseman. "But it wouldn't have changed anything." Kriseman says only one thing bothered him about Rabin's coming out. "It hurt me that he was afraid he would lose my friendship." The revelation brought the two friends even closer. Kriseman adds, "Ed is the brother I never had. He was Best Man at my wedding."

When Kriseman began practicing personal injury law, Rabin suggested he market his services to the gay community. Rabin told him there were not enough lawyers serving gays and lesbians at the time, and hardly any personal injury lawyers. "Ed told me the community needed good lawyers who were not biased against gays, and particularly gay people with AIDS, and he invited me to come to a Business Guild meeting." Kriseman agreed to meet Rabin at Rascals, then a gay bar/restaurant in Tampa where the Guild held their monthly dinner meetings. "An hour before the meeting Ed called and said he was running late and I would be on my own for awhile. I have to tell you I was a little nervous walking into a gay bar by myself, not knowing a soul. But within minutes I had met several people who made me feel so welcome. I've been proud to be a member of the Business Guild ever since."

Kriseman ran for the St. Pete City Council in 1999. He was defeated in that bid, but despite a late entry into the race, claimed 45% of the votes. The next year he was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Council. Last fall he was re-elected with 76% of the votes. Kriseman has also earned the attention of the national Democratic Party. He was named among the 100 to watch in the Democratic Party by the Democratic Leadership Council, which also name him the New Democrat of the Week for January 14, 2004.

The St. Petersburg GLBT community is fortunate to have a strong advocate on the City Council. But Kriseman says the City of St. Peterburg is fortunate to have such a strong and active gay community. "The gay community has done a tremendous amount of good for the City," he says. "Just look at what's happening in the Grand Central District," he adds. "And St. Pete Pride‹what an event that was! I can't wait to see what they do this year!" (Note: it was Kriseman, not Mayor Baker, who signed the official city proclamation for St. Pete Pride last year.)

Congratulations to Richard Kriseman, Tampa Bay Business Guild's 2004 Citizen of the Year.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR presented by the Tampa Bay Business Guild

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