Date: Thu, 23 Oct 97 19:24:24 EST From: "NGLTF" Subject: NGLTF Condemns Cincinnati Court Decision NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE PRESS RELEASE Contact: Mark F. Johnson, Media Director mfjohnson@ngltf.org 202/332-6483 x3314 pager 1-800-757-6476 2320 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 http://www.ngltf.org ................................................ NGLTF CONDEMNS CIRCUIT COURT RULING; CINCINNATI ANTI-GAY MEASURE LEFT INTACT WASHINGTON, DC---October 23, 1997--- The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), the nation's oldest gay advocacy organization, today condemned the decision by a three judge panel of the U.S. 6th Court of Appeals who declared that Cincinnati voters have a right to enact legislation forbidding equal rights for gay, lesbian and bisexual people. The decision today is identical to the panel's previous ruling on Cincinnati's anti-gay ballot measure, Issue 3. The U.S. Supreme Court had remanded the case to the 6th Circuit to reexamine the issue in light of the high court's ruling in Romer v. Evans which struck down on Colorado's anti-gay Amendment 2. "The 6th Circuit's decision is a slap in the face of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people in Cincinnati and across the nation," said Kerry Lobel, NGLTF executive director. "By refusing to follow the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the Romer decision, this panel has let stand an unconstitutional, discriminatory and divisive provision." In 1993, Cincinnati voters passed Issue 3, an anti-gay amendment to the City Charter which prohibited the city from enacting legislation banning discrimination against gay, lesbian and bisexual people. The cookie cutter measure was patterned after Colorado's Amendment 2, passed by voters in 1992 and declared unconstitutional in 1996. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has worked to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people at the local, state and national level since its inception in 1973. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society. -30- _________________________________________ This message was issued by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Media Department. If you have any questions regarding this post, please direct them to one of the contacts at the top of this message If you wish to UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, please send an email with "UNSUBSCRIBE PRESSLIST" in the subject and body of your email message to .