Subject: Broward Co. Vote Today
From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 1995 15:15:40 -0400

NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE

FLASH POINTS -- News Tips for Reporters Covering Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Issues

Contact: Robin Kane, NGLTF Media Director, 202-332-6483, ext. 3311;
[email-masked]

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JUNE 13, 1995
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Ft. Lauderdale, FL-- County Commission Hearing and Vote on County Ordinance
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 Issue: The Broward County Commission will today hold hearings and a vote on
a proposed amendment to the county's human rights act that would prohibit
discrimination based on sexual orientation. The public hearing begins in Ft.
Lauderdale at 2 pm EDT today, with the seven-member county commission voting
sometime later this afternoon or evening.  In addition to Ft. Lauderdale,
major cities in Broward County include Hollywood and Pompano.  

 Florida has been a hot-bed of pro and con organizing on the issue of civil
rights for gay, lesbian and bisexual citizens since the days of Anita Bryant.
 Last month , the Hillsborough County Commission took a giant step backwards
by repealing the prohibition on discrimination based on sexual orientation
from that county's human rights ordinance.  An effort in Tampa to repeal that
city's ordinance was removed from the ballot earlier this year due to
violations of election guidelines.  Meanwhile, activists in other communities
around Florida and around the nation continue to press forward with
legislative efforts to ban discrimination.  Most recently, Rhode Island
became the ninth state in the country to bar discrimination based on sexual
orientation.

 Business leaders in Hillsborough County warned that repealing the ordinance
there would cost the county important tourist dollars.

 "Discrimination is costly," said Robert Bray, Field Organizer for the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF). "Whether as tourists, trade show
conventioneers, or family members visiting home, gay, lesbian and bisexual
citizens are attracted to places where they are welcome and can be free of
discrimination and harassment.  Communities in Florida that have upheld those
principles have reaped goodwill from gay, lesbian and bisexual citizens."

 In Tampa and throughout Hillsborough County, supporters of
anti-discrimination measures have advocated a "Buycott" to support community
businesses that oppose discrimination and anti-gay ballot measures.
Meanwhile, Miami Beach recently launched a campaign to attract
gay/lesbian/bisexual visitors, as referenced in a May 31 Wall Street Journal
article.  Miami Beach has a local ordinance banning discrimination based on
sexual orientation.  

 Local contact:  In Broward County, Allan Terl, Dolphin Democratic Club,
305-764-1694 or Dean Trantalis, co-chair of Americans for Equality PAC,
305-763-1331; in Tampa, Nadine Smith, Human Rights Task Force of Tampa,
813-216-6484. 
 NGLTF contact: Robin Kane, media director, (202) 332-6483, ext. 3311;
800-757-7736 pager; [email-masked] or Robert Bray, field organizer, at
(415)552-6448; [email-masked].
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