Date: Mon, 15 Mar 99 12:43:38 -0500 From: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Subject: EBAH OP-ED: Be A Part of It! ***************************************** EQUALITY BEGINS AT HOME OPINION-EDITORIAL Contact: Tracey Conaty, Communications Director 202-332-6483 ext. 3303 800-757-6476 pager tconaty@ngltf.org 1700 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20009 www.equalitybeginsathome.org ***************************************** NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ --- March 15, 1999 --- The following is an opinion-editorial written by Gina Reiss of the New Jersey Lesbian and Gay Coalition and Roger Leishman of the Illinois ACLU Lesbian and Gay Rights Project. Reiss and Leishman are co-chairs of the Federation of Statewide Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Political Organizations. The Federation, in partnership with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, will hold one of the largest grassroots organizing campaigns in the history of the GLBT movement during the week of March 21 - 27. Equality Begins at Home (EBAH), the first-ever campaign of actions in all 50 will focus attention on the battle in state legislatures over GLBT rights. Activists in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have organized more than 250 events to address issues of anti-gay discrimination, violence, and prejudice. -------- Where will you be the week of March 21-27, 1999? Well, if you find yourself in any of the 50 states, DC, or Puerto Rico, it is likely that you will be near an Equality Begins at Home action. In fact, we hope you will be part of history and join us in one of the most important events in of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender movement. Politics in Washington, DC gets a lot of attention. But - as our opponents have already realized - many of the most important battles in the struggle for justice and equality occur at the state and local level. Equality Begins at Home will bring visibility to these state battles, will bring momentum to efforts to pass pro-gay legislation and beat back anti-gay attacks. Equality Begins at Home will make visible gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and our families to state lawmakers throughout the country. In every state, equality begins with each individual's face, voice, and story. Through lobby days, community rallies, and educational and religious forums, Equality Begins at Home will strengthen our statewide political organizations; engage more people in the political process; enhance national, state and local connections; mobilize and register voters, and more. In other words, Equality Begins at Home will assert and build our movement's political power and open the doors to full equality for GLBT people. Equality Begins at Home is the first-ever national week of action for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered rights. It is coordinated by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), and organized by the Federation of Statewide Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Political Organizations. Each member organization of the Federation received a $5000 grant from NGLTF to help implement their Equality Begins at Home events. Many other national organizations, such as the Human Rights Campaign, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the National YouthAdvocacy Coalition, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and the Names Project, have also provided financial assistance or resources. While many states have achieved much progress, others states still remain immersed in legislative battles for legal and economic protection for themselves and their families. For example, California's GLBT community will fight an anti-same-sex marriage ballot measure, the Knight Initiative, next year. Ten other states have seen the introduction or reintroduction of a ban on same-sex marriage in their legislatures this year. And in six states this year, we've face challenges to our rights to adopt and/or become foster parents. Despite these challenges, our community has made progress in many areas affecting our families and ourselves. We are more proactive, introducing more pro-GLBT legislation than ever before. In dozens of states we are working to pass hate crimes bills, discrimination bans, and safe schools measures. We are also more ready to defend against the constant barrage of legislative attacks we have come to expect from the right wing. Make no mistake though, we have a long way to go before it is illegal in all 50 states to fire someone because of their sexual orientation; before the right stops trying to take our children away and prevent us from adopting children or being foster parents; and before states legislatures say no to hate crimes and enact hate crime measures in every state. That is why Equality Begins at Home is so important. Equality Begins at Home is a defining moment in our movement's history. Be a part of it. Reach out to your statewide organization, and find out how you can make a difference on March 21-27, 1999. -30- For information about Equality Begins at Home events or for contact information for your statewide organization, check out the Equality Begins at Home web site at equalitybegins@home.org or call the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force at (202) 332-6483. _________________________________________ This message was issued by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Media Department. 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