Date: Wed, 18 Jun 97 19:15:35 EDT From: "communications" Subject: HRC Release: Southern Baptist Convention's Boycott of Disney ________________________________________________________ NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign 1101 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20005 email: hrc@hrc.org WWW: http://www.hrc.org ________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, June 18, 1997 SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION MAKES FALSE CHOICE BETWEEN FAITH AND FAIRNESS, HRC SAYS Largest National Gay Political Organization Terms Boycott 'Morally Wrong' DALLAS -- By passing a resolution today calling for a nationwide anti-gay boycott of the Walt Disney Company and all of its subsidiaries, the Southern Baptist Convention made a false choice between faith and fairness, according to a leader of the Human Rights Campaign. "It is morally wrong for the delegates of the Southern Baptist Convention to punish a company for simply refusing to discriminate against gay Americans," HRC Senior Strategist David M. Smith said at a news conference after the vote at the denomination's annual meeting. "Most people of faith recognize that religious disagreements do not justify discrimination. For this reason, this boycott is bound to fail." Among the factors contributing to the Southern Baptist Convention's decision were Disney's willingness to allow gay people to visit its theme parks, its policy of extending equal benefits to the domestic partners of its gay and lesbian employees, and its decision to allow the star of its ABC sitcom Ellen to become the first lead character on network television to honestly acknowledge being gay. Smith observed that, while it would be illegal for Disney to discriminate against people based on their religion, it remains legal to discriminate against gays and lesbians -- making the company's voluntary policy of equal treatment for gay people all the more worthy of praise rather than a boycott. "The Southern Baptist Convention is at odds not just with gay people, but with the majority of people of faith who--despite their differences -- are united in opposing discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans," Smith said. "Unlike the Southern Baptist Convention, most people of faith realize that they can disagree over gay issues and still agree that discrimination against gay people is wrong." Smith pointed to recent polling data showing that 70 percent of Christians believe gay and lesbian people should be protected from discrimination in the workplace, compared to 23 percent who don't. Sixty percent of evangelicals share this belief, while 34 percent do not. The poll results come from a national survey of 1,007 voters conducted Nov. 5-8, 1996, for the Human Rights Campaign by Greenberg Research Inc. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 percent. "What the Southern Baptist Convention delegates have said with their vote for this boycott is that they don't want even one openly gay person on TV, they don't want us to be treated fairly in the workplace, and -- after advocating that gay people be discriminated against throughout society -- they don't even want us going to Disneyland," said Smith. "Thankfully, I think most Americans would disagree." During the historic April 30 "coming out" episode of Ellen, HRC aired a ground-breaking television ad on 35 ABC affiliates throughout the country to spotlight the problem of job discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community. - 30 -