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Following is this month's sample letter on lesbian, gay & bisexual issue.
The is to be sent to your Representative in the House of Representatives.



                                                               June 15, 1994
The Hon.
The U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear


I write to you today on behalf of HR 4148, the Gay and Lesbian
Youth Suicide Prevention Act, introduced by Representative Martin
Meehan.  Passage of this bill would create a commission within
the Department of Health and Human Services to include suicide
prevention programs among high-risk gay, lesbian and bisexual
youth.

Suicide is the third greatest killer of all young people.
According to the Equity Institute, youth suicides in the U.S.
have increased 200% over the past ten years, and approximately
forty percent of those suicides are related to sexual orientation
and/or race.

There is no doubt that stereo typing and shameless harassment
directed towards gay, lesbian and bisexual youth leads many teens
to take their own lives. In order to protect all of our young
people, both victims of hate and their peers, ignorant
perpetrators of this vicious, life_threatening harassment, must
become sensitized to the consequences of homophobia, thus
preserving our nation's future, our children. American values of
tolerance are not optional or special interests of any group. The
senseless loss of life of young people affects us all.

We must not continue to ignore this epidemic of suicide among our
young people or render invisible the needs of gay, lesbian and
bisexual youth who are two to three times more likely to attempt
suicide because of intolerance, ignorance and hate.

In the past you have been very supportive; please stand with me
again and vote in favor of HR 4148.

Sincerely,