Date: Sat, 6 Jan 1996 17:58:10 -0500 From: "David O'Donnell" [ Originally submitted by Doug.Case@SDSU.EDU ] January 5, 1995 For Immediate Release Contact Laurie McBride, Executive Director or Ellen McCormich, Legislative Advocate LIFE Lobby & League California's Lesbian/Gay & AIDS Lobby & Institute 916/ 444--0424 CALIFORNIA'S FIRST LESBIAN/GY YOUTH LOBBY DAY SUCCESSFUL Over 300 lesbian, gay, bisexual transgendered youth and their supporters roamed the halls of the State Capitol on Wednesday, January 3rd, for the first ever citizen lobby day devoted solely to the issues of queer youth, according to Ellen McCormick of LIFE Lobby. After an orientation and briefing in the Capitol, a lunchtime rally was held on the Capitol Steps. Speakers at the rally included Assemblymenber Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica), Brandon Dean Taylor -- a victim of gaybashing at his local high school, Forrest Swartout -- a 17 year old lesbian activist, Alex Garner -- a Latino AIDS youth educator from San Diego, and performance artist Clint Catalyst. Noted novelist Patricia Neil Warren, author of The Front Runner, also spoke at the rally. Throughout the afternoon, every State Senator and State Assemblymember was visited by a youth contingent. According to McCormick, some offices were less than welcoming to the youth lobbyists. "One office, State Senator Rob Hurtt, had posted security guards outside his office to discourage queer youth visitors. Another office initially refused to meet with constituents who had traveled 300 miles to visit. But the youth activists and their allies refused to be ignored. They were polite, respectful, and insistent on being heard," she said. Laurie McBride, LIFE's Executive Director, was awed by their poise and eloquence. "They told their personal stories of physical violence, suicide attempts, depression, isolation, lonliness. They told of their need for aggressive HIV prevention campaigns, and their lives as HIV-positive teenagers." "Thr future of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community is in good hands," she concluded. LIFE is California's only statewide advocacy organization for lesbian, gay and HIV/AIDS communities. In addition to Queer Youth Lobby Day, LIFE will be a co-sponsor of AIDS Lobby Day on May 65h, 1996.