Subject: PFLAG Press Release
From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 13:21:33 -0500

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 1997

CONTACT:  Karyn Robinson, [email-masked]
202/638-4200

SOUTHERN BAPTISTS VOTE TO BOYCOTT THE WALT DISNEY
COMPANY OVER ISSUE OF EQUALITY

Following is a statement by PFLAG President Nancy McDonald on the Southern
Baptist decision to boycott the Walt Disney Company:

"The members of PFLAG are deeply saddened that the Southern Baptist
Convention has voted to boycott the Walt Disney Company for its open and
inclusive employment practices an!‚@
faith communities support and value diversity and difference and not
advocate for open discrimination and hostility towards our lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgendered family members and friends. American families
need to know that communities of faith are not working to divide families,
but working to keep families together, by helping them discover the gift of
unconditional love.

We urge the leaders of other faith communities to condemn the Southern
Baptist boycott and to urge support for all families. Families that
unconditionally love one another deserve support.

The Southern Baptist Convention's vote divides American families instead of
bringing them together. We commend the Walt Disney company for recognizing
the many forms that the American family takes and actively working to
support those loving families. We further commend the Walt Disney Company
for refusing to give in to bigotry against and misconceptions about gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people."

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) promotes the
health and well-being of gay, lesbian and bisexual persons, their families
and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education,
to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination
and to secure civil rights.   PFLAG provides an opportunity for dialogue
about sexual orientation, and acts to create a society that is healthy and
respectful of human diversity.   Serving more than 68,000 members, PFLAG
affiliates are located in more than 400 communities across the United
States, and in 11 other countries.

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