From JULIE@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU Sun Dec 19 20:24:44 1993 Contact: Suzanne Goldberg William Adams Lambda Legal Defense Nova Law School 212/995-8976 305/452-6137 305/452-6137 LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE FILES CHALLENGE TO KEEP ANTI-GAY INITIATIVE OFF THE FLORIDA BALLOT (MIAMI, FL, December 6, 1993) Answering the Florida Supreme Court's request for public comment on a proposed ballot initiative, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund along with the Florida Gay & Lesbian Lawyers Association (GALLA) today filed a legal challenge with the court against the measure's misleading nature and its anti-civil rights effects. The initiative, proposed by the American Family Political Committee of Florida (AFPC), would amend Florida's constitution to limit civil rights protections for many Florida residents, including gay men and lesbians. In the brief filed today, Lambda and GALLA urged the Florida high court to reject the petition to place the initiative on the ballot because it is inaccurate, purposely misleading, and unconstitutional. Masking AFPC's anti-gay intent in the neutral language of the initiative, the proposed amendment itself never mentions lesbians and gay men or sexual orientation. However, the AFPC makes clear in its political organizing that it aims to target laws prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination. For example, to receive a petition to collect signatures to put the initiative on the ballot, voters were instructed to call 1-800-GAY-LAWS. "All citizens concerned with civil rights must respond to this purposely misleading measure which, in fact, targets lesbians and gay men and will cause harm to the entire state. Lambda filed this challenge because we cannot and should not remain silent in the face of this initiative which follows in the footsteps of a slew of anti-gay initiatives being proposed throughout the country," said Lambda attorney Suzanne B. Goldberg. At least eight other states face similar challenges to their legal protections for lesbians and gay men in employment, housing, and public services. Lambda and GALLA represent a wide range of interested parties in this challenge including Floridians Respect Everyone's Equality and Floridians United Against Discrimination, which were organized to oppose the AFPC proposal and work for civil rights for all people. Other parties include the Florida Association of Women Lawyers, Florida Legal Services, the Florida Chapter of the National Organization for Women, and People for the American Way. "Florida law invites citizens to speak out against unlawful initiatives to amend our constitution. By filing this challenge, we accept that invitation to avoid a pointless, costly, and harmful campaign on a deceptive and punitive amendment which encroaches on the constitutional rights of lesbians and gay men," said Lambda Cooperating Attorney and Nova Law School professor William E. Adams. END