From: atropos@aol.net Mon Apr 18 08:35:46 1994 Return-Path: phil.attey@glib.org PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND The nation's largest lesbian, gay and bisexual political group FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Gregory King (202) 628-4160 work (202) 547-4310 home HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND BEGINS NATIONAL "DOCUMENTING DISCRIMINATION" PROJECT WASHINGTON, DC (April 14, 1994) In a major effort to mobilize support for non-discrimination legislation, the Human Rights Campaign Fund today announced plans to document cases of discrimination based on sexual orientation. The organization will ask gay and lesbian individuals to participate in a program called "Documenting Discrimination," an attempt to collect information on anti-gay discrimination nationally. The Campaign Fund plans to present the individual stories of discrimination to Congress when it considers legislation to protect lesbian and gay Americans from discrimination. "We are asking everyone who has ever been discriminated against to come forward and tell their story," said Tim McFeeley, executive director of the Campaign Fund. "We will distribute documentation forms for people to fill out at lesbian and gay pride events this summer, and will be mailing them to organizations throughout the country." McFeeley said the project was launched to overcome two major misconceptions confronting advocates of equal rights for gay people. "First, most Americans don't know that discrimination against gay people is a serious problem. Second, they mistakenly believe we are already protected by current laws." In fact, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is legal in 42 of the 50 states. The Campaign Fund will work with other national organizations to collect the information on discrimination. Already, joint efforts are underway with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and with legal and civil rights groups. "We see this as a major effort that will require the participation of individuals throughout the country. If you or your friends have a story to tell, we need to hear it," McFeeley said. Daniel Zingale, the Campaign Fund's Public Policy Director, agreed. "We need to collect the stories of people like Cheryl Summerville, an outstanding employee who was fired from her job at a Cracker Barrel restaurant. She was left with no legal recourse and no way to pay her mortgage, just because her employer did not like the fact that she was a lesbian." Summerville's story is one of only a handful of discrimination cases that have garnered media attention. The Campaign Fund hopes that other incidents can also attract national attention. Zingale added that "Americans believe it's wrong to fire someone for something not relevant to their job. When Americans see the evidence that gay people face this kind of unjust discrimination, they will understand that what we are seeking is equal rights. We need to put a face on the actual cases of legalized discrimination." People of all sexual orientations who wish to participate in the documentation effort are encouraged to contact the Campaign Fund's Public Policy Department at (202) 628-4160. - 30 - 1012 14th Street, NW Suite 607 Washington, DC 20005 phone:(202)628-4160 fax:(202) 347-5323 --- RON BUCKMIRE, 11 Colvin Circle, Troy, NY 12180-3735. ``BOYCOTT CINCINATTI!'' "Seemingly, if one wished to promote family values, action would be taken that is pro-family rather than anti some other group." H. Jeffrey Bayless, District Court Judge, in _Evans_v_Romer, Colorado's Amendment 2 constitutionality case