Subject: NY Assemblymember Sponsors Equality Principles
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 5 May 1995 19:06:29 -0400

PRESS STATEMENT MAY 4, 1995

ASSEMBLYMEMBER GLICK JOINS IN SPONSORING
EQUALITY PRINCIPLES ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION

As New York State's only openly lesbian or gay state legislator and co-chair
of the International Network of Lesbian and Gay Officials, I am proud to be a
founding sponsor of the Equality Principles on Sexual Orientation.

I join the Wall Street Project and Councilmember Tom Duane here in New York
to announce the commencement of an exciting program to promote the adoption
of these principles by corporations and institutions large and small
throughout the country.

While we make this announcement in New York, our colleague and co-sponsor,
Supervisor Carol Migden of San Francisco is conducting a similar press
conference in San Francisco.  This symbolizes the broad scope of this
endeavor.  In every corner of America, lesbians and gay men are living their
lives, but not all are living openly or equally.  The scourge of
discrimination and prejudice continues to circumscribe the lives of too many
people.

Not only are lesbians and gay men injured by discrimination, but our society
also suffers.  Family members feel our pain and want to change a world in
which insecurity leads to hate and hate to violence.  But it is certainly
true that our institutions, public and private are likewise damaged.  The
inability to take full benefit of the talents and capabilities of all people
creates a competitive disadvantage within the world of commerce.

The Equality Principles are modeled after the Sullivan Principles on South
Africa and the MacBride Principles on Northern Ireland.  They provide a
framework for an ethical standard that all corporations, universities, and
other institutions can voluntarily embrace in their business practices.

Companies that subscribe to the Equality Principles would agree to prohibit
discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, employee benefits
and employee associations.  In addition, the Equality Principles address the
issue of eliminating negative stereotypes in company advertising and
discrimination in the selection of media placement.

Companies subscribing to the Equality Principles would commit not to
discriminate in the sale or purchase of goods or services on the basis of
sexual orientation and will undertake to disseminate these policies in
written form throughout their institutions.  Discrimination against HIV
positive employees or those with AIDS would likewise be strictly prohibited.

Surveys have indicated that well over one hundred of America's largest
companies already have written policies prohibiting discrimination on the
basis of sexual orientation.  Increasingly, companies are offering domestic
partner benefits from bereavement leave to participation in health insurance
plans.

Newer companies are on the cutting edge of these advances.  Not bound by the
prejudices of the past, they recognize the importance of providing equal
opportunity and compensation to all their employees.  As companies realize
that their consumers are changing, new approaches to marketing are emerging.
 Consumer sophistication has demanded more sensitivity to issues of concern
to lesbians and gay men, and companies are responding.

This initiative seeks to expand support from the business community, through
the action of individual corporations and institutions, and through the
vehicle of socially responsible investing.  Institutional investors, notably
pension funds, foundations, religious institutions and universities will be
encouraged to incorporate the Equality Principles in their own investment
decision-making.

As this campaign for widespread adoption of the Equality Principles proceeds,
it is my hope that the obvious benefits of an inclusive and supportive
environment will inspire more companies and institutions to enlist in this
effort.  We all will be reaching out within our own spheres to ensure that
more organizations become endorsers and active participants in implementing
the Equality Principles.

Discrimination is wrong.  It is imperative that active steps be taken to
eliminate it.  Despite years of struggle we have not eradicated
discrimination based on race, religion, gender, disability or national
origin.  The struggles to erase prejudice are part of a proud history cast
against a shameful backdrop of ignorance in our country.  The fight to end
discrimination based on sexual orientation is intrinsically bound up in the
fight for full equality for all people.

-30-

The Equality Principles for Sexual Orientation are stated below:

THE EQUALITY PRINCIPLES ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION

To become successful in the ever-competitive world of business, a company
must strive to create an environment in which all employees are treated with
respect.  Through the cultivating of diversity in the workplace, a company
can draw fully upon the potential for creativity and commitment represented
by all its employees.  Implementation of these Equality Principles on Sexual
Orientation are an important step in that direction.

1.  Explicit prohibitions against discrimination based on sexual orientation
will be included in the company's written employment policy statement.

2.  Discrimination against HIV positive employees or those with AIDS will be
strictly prohibited.

3.  Employee groups, regardless of sexual orientation, will be given equal
standing with other employee associations.

4.  Diversity training will include sexual orientation issues.

5.  Spousal benefits will be offered to domestic partners of employees,
regardless of sexual orientation, on an equal basis with those granted to
married employees.

6.  Company advertising policy will bar negative sexual orientation
stereotypes and will not discriminate in media advertising on the basis of
sexual orientation.

7.  Companies will not discriminate in the sale and purchase of goods and
services on the basis of sexual orientation.

8.  Written non-discrimination policies on sexual orientation must be
disseminated throughout the company.  A senior company official will be
appointed to monitor compliance corporate wide.

WALL STREET PROJECT