BILL TO OVERTURN ANTI-GAY MILITARY BAN
INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

Washington, D.C., May 28, 1992...A new bill that would overturn the 50-year-old
Department of Defense's policy that prohibits lesbians, gay men and bisexuals
from serving in the military has been introduced into the U.S. Congress.  The
"Military Freedom Act," introduced by Rep. Pat Schroeder (D-CO) on May 19, would
"prohibit discrimination by the armed forces on the basis of sexual
orientation."

An estimated 1,000 to 2,000 individuals are dismissed or discharged from their
posts each year under the DOD policy.  According to a General Accounting Office
(GAO) report issued in 1984, 14,311 servicemembers were discharged between 1974
and 1984 for homosexuality.  The same GAO report indicated it cost $579 million
to train, ship, maintain for three years (the average amount of time before
discharge), investigate, prosecute and discharge those servicemembers.

"The military's policy has destroyed the careers of capable and patriotic gay,
lesbian and bisexual Americans and has wasted millions of taxpayer dollars,"
said Martin Hiraga, director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF)
Military Freedom Initiative.  "Sooner or later, this policy will fall."

The Military Freedom Act, H.R. 5208, is the result of months of work by the
Military Freedom Initiative, a coalition of gay and lesbian, women's, and other
groups working to overturn DOD Directive 1334.12, which states that
"homosexuality is incompatible with military service."

The bill currently has 44 cosponsors in the House.  Lawmakers are looking for a
main sponsor in the Senate.  "We have waited patiently for the courts to
overturn this ban," said Rep. Schroeder at a press conference to announce the
bill.  "We have appealed to the President and to the Secretary of Defense. 
Those pleas have all gone unanswered.  Now Congress must take it upon itself to
change the policy."

Joining Schroeder at the press conference were several members of Congress,
including Rep. Norman Mineta (D-CA), who compared the exclusion of homosexuals
from the military to the stigmatizing, discrimination and internment of
Japanese-Americans during World War II.

The introduction of the bill coincided with the dramatic coming out of a top
Navy officer on network television.  Lieutenant Tracy Thorne, star graduate of
the Navy Aviation Officer Candidate School, disclosed his homosexuality on ABC
News' Nightline program on May 19.

In that same program, ABC quoted Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Colin Powell in
Congressional testimony last February as defending the DOD's policy, saying it
was wrong to put gays "in with heterosexuals who would prefer not to have
somebody of the same sex find them sexually attractive, put then in close
proximity, ask them to share the most private of their facilities together, the
bedroom, the barracks, latrines, the showers, I think that's a very difficult
problem to give the military."

Activists indicated the military "macho" factor is fast becoming the only
remaining official defense of the policy.  Activists pointed out that gay people
can and do control their sexual desire while on duty, but cannot control their
sexual orientation.  Besides, say activists, the same reasons for keeping gays
out -- "incompatible with military service" -- were the same reasons used to
segregate the armed forces and block women from serving.

"African-Americans did not cause segregation in the military, racism did," said
Robert Bray, NGLTF Public Information Director.  "Women did not keep themselves
out, sexism did.  Homosexuals are not to blame for the policy, homophobia is."

USA Today, on May 20, cited White House spokesperson Marlin Fitzwater as saying
President Bush supports the discriminatory Pentagon policy.

NGLTF urges gay men and lesbians to pressure their Congressional Representatives
to sign onto the Military Freedom Act, HR 5208.  If you do not know the name and
address of your legislator, contact the House Information office, (202)225-3121.
 To obtain copies of the bill, H.R. 5208, send a self-addressed label with your
request to:  House Document Room, H2-B18, House Office Building Annex II,
Washington, D.C. 20515.

To obtain copies of the NGLTF "Let Gay & Lesbian People Serve" petition to
President Bush, contact Martin Hiraga, NGLTF, 1734 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
20009, (202)332-6483.

CONTACT: Martin Hiraga or Robert Bray, (202)332-6483
Ron.DeVrou@f70.n109.z1.fidonet.org

NGLTF
1734 Fourteenth Street, NW-Washington, DC 20009-4309
(202) 332-6483