PFLAG: Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays Celebrating Real Family Values Contact: George Neighbors, Jr. W:202-638-4200 H:202-462-5738 RELEASE DATE: July 8, 1994 PRESS RELEASE ANTI-GAY PETITIONS DUE: FAMILIES PULL TOGETHER TO RESPOND Kansas City, MO - Today is the deadline for submitting signatures to place anti-gay/ anti-family initiatives on the November ballot in four states - Idaho, Missouri, Oregon and Washington. Like Colorado's Amendment 2, Oregon's Measure 9 and Ohio's Issue 3 last November, these initiatives would deny basic rights such as equal access to housing, public services, and employment; would force the state to teach homosexuality as perverse, un-natural and wrong; and, in the most severe cases, would prevent adoption and parents from raising their own children. The PFLAG Regional Directors Council, representing family grassroots networks throughout the U.S. and Canada, is meeting this weekend in Kansas City, Missouri to evaluate and organize across state borders. Corky Smith, Northern Rockies Regional Director [Alberta, Idaho, Montana, Saskatchewan and Wyoming], views it as a regional issue. "We're pleased that the initiative failed in Montana, but Idaho doesn't look as promising. If the initiative succeeds in Idaho, it gives the anti-gay/ anti-family folks inspiration to try it again in Montana's next session. We're pulling together to help them in Idaho and hopefully we'll learn something ourselves." Bunny Tarquinio, Four Corners Regional Director [Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah], whose home state of Arizona was facing a state-wide battle, said, "We are delighted the petition failed. In light of the Martin Luther King holiday fiasco and Colorado's Amendment 2 battle, the business community and governor view this from an economic point of view. It's bad for business and it's bad for Arizona." Tarquinio also sees it as a family issue, "As parents, we're concerned about our childrens' safety and job security. The ability to earn a living is, I thought, an inalienable right. PFLAG is working in coalition with other mainstream people to fight this agenda. It has united mainstream Arizonans. We'll be watching Tucson [where a local battle is possible]." Brenda Moors, Great Lakes Regional Director [Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and eastern Ontario], faces initiative battles in Ohio and Michigan. Moors, who lives in a small town, said, "If it hadn't been for PFLAG, I wouldn't have known about the initiatives." When she heard of the initiatives in her region, she immediately called Candace Steele, Pacific Northwest Regional Director [British Columbia, Oregon and Washington] and veteran of Oregon's Measure 9 battle. "PFLAG's network is so good - just pick up the phone and you have instant connection to information and experience. I look forward to developing model programs for our affiliates to fight these initiatives." Similar anti-gay/ anti-family state-wide initiatives have been kept off the ballot in 4 other states this year - California, Florida, Maine, and Nevada. - 30 - PFLAG is the country's largest family organization providing support, education and advocacy in more than 320 communities. PFLAG: PARENTS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS 1012 14th St, NW Ste 700, Washington, DC 20005 (202)-638-4200 Fax: (202)-638-0243 E-mail: PFLAGNTL@AOL.COM