GAY & LESBIAN AMERICANS
P.0. Box 77533, Washington, DC 20013-7533, (202) 232-1773

Gay & Lesbian Americans is a coalition, of grassroots leaders
committed to  civil rights for gay and lesbian people.


For Immediate Release
October 20, 1993

For more information
contact Michael Petrelis:  (202) 546-4124


   GAY & LESBIAN AMERICANS CONDEMNS
     ANTIGAY EMPLOYMENT POLICES OF
      THREE OKLAHOMA CONGRESSMEN

Gay Leaders Call for House Censure of
Reps.  Brewster, Inhofe, and Istook

Washington, D.C. - Leaders of Gay & Lesbian Americans (GLA)
today condemned the antigay employment policies of three Oklahoma
Congressmen, and encouraged gay and lesbian people to call these
representatives to voice their disapproval.

A story in  Monday's Roll Call, the newspaper of Capitol Hill,
reported three members of the Oklahoma House delegation,  Rep.
Bill Brewster (D), Rep. Jim Inhofe (R), and Rep. Ernest Istook
(R), said they won't hire open gays and lesbians for their
congressional staffs.  According to Roll Call, Inhofe said
employing an open gay or lesbian would be "disruptive in term of
unit cohesion.  I do admit to some prejudice against the
lifestyle ... I just don't think it is a normal behavior."

Gay & Lesbian Americans is calling on House Speaker Tom Foley
(D-WA) to condemn the congressmen's hiring policies, and urges
their censure by the House.  GLA spokesperson Michael Petrelis
said, "We expect Foley will not remain silent about these blatant
homophobic hiring policies.  Foley must call for passage of the
federal gay civil-rights bill presently languishing on the
congressional back-burner.  Foley must show real leadership and
forcefully express disapproval of this homophobia."

GLA spokesperson Steven Reichert added, "The antigay policies of
the Oklahoma representatives are painful examples of how gay and
lesbian Americans are denied their equal rights every day."

GLA is encouraging all gay and lesbian Americans to contact the
three Oklahoma representatives, and demand that the end their
discriminatory employment policies:

Rep. Brewster     phone:  202-225-4565
                  fax:  202-225-9029
                  district office:  405-436-1980

Rep. Inhofe       phone:  202-225-2211
                  fax:  202-225-9187
                  district office:  918-581-7111

Rep. Istook       phone:  202-225-2132
                  fax:  202-226-1463
                  district office:  405-942-3636


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