Date: Fri, 26 May 2000 23:40:41 EDT Subject: GenderPAC Lobby Day Marks New Era of Activism From: owner-action@gpac.org MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Alan Klein (212) 645-2686 May 26, 2000 alan@gpac.org GENDER LOBBY DAY IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL MARKS NEW ERA OF ACTIVISM CONGRESSMEMBERS SIGN LANDMARK EEO POLICY STATEMENT WASHINGTON, DC -- GenderPAC today announced that their 5th National Gender Lobby Day set new benchmarks in gender rights activism. National Gender Lobby Day took place in the nation's capital May 21 through May 23, 2000. More than 150 activists from across the US converged on Capitol Hill to educate Congressmembers about the prevalence of gender-based violence and the need to end gender-based discrimination in the workplace. GenderPAC used Lobby Day to kick off its groundbreaking Congressional Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Project. The Project asks Congressmembers to sign a diversity statement publicly affirming that their own Congressional office will not discriminate based on an employee's gender orientation. Gender activists visited more than 100 congressional offices and have obtained signatures from 28 representatives and 2 senators, with more pending. GenderPAC announced plans to open a Beltway office this summer to more effectively manage the project and pursue their educational and public advocacy objectives. On Monday, May 22nd GenderPAC held a Congressional Gala honoring Representative Janice Schakowsky (D-IL) and Chicago Illinois gender activist Miranda Stevens-Miller. Schakowsky was the first Congressmember to expand her office's EEO statement to include gender. Also attending the gala were Congressmembers Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Carolyn Maloney (R-NY) and staff members from Reps. William Delahunt (D-MA), Michael Forbes (D-NY), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Lynn Rivers (D-MI). GenderPAC convened an all-day gender policy institute on Sunday, May 21st that was attended by 75 gender activists. The event featured in-depth coverage of employment discrimination, hate crimes, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), judicial strategies and an in-depth presentation on effective lobbying and advocacy techniques by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF). "GenderPAC's Congressional EEO Project marks our first true litmus test for Congressional support of gender civil rights. We thank the gender activists from around the country who attended this event, our board, donors, and members, for making the kick off of this Project such a huge success." said Riki Wilchins, GenderPAC's Executive Director. GenderPAC announced that next year's National Gender Lobby Day will be preceded by a new, 3-day intensive National Conference on Gender. This year's National Gender Lobby Day raised more than $35,000 through donations and special events. GenderPAC's first Lobby Day took place in 1996 following the tragic murder of Brandon Teena in Falls City, NE. GenderPAC (http://www.gpac.org) is the national organization working to guarantee every American's civil right to express their gender free of stereotypes, discrimination and violence. -30- National Gender Lobby Days sponsors: Human Rights Campaign (HRC), It's Time, Illinois!, Pride At Work, AFL-CIO, National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF), National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), ACLU Lesbian & Gay Rights Project, Arkansas Equality Network, Basic Rights Oregon, Equality Florida, Equality Washington, Georgia Equality Project, International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE), Kentucky Fairness Alliance, LGBT Political Alliance of Western Massachusetts, LLEGO, National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), National Organization for Women (NOW), New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP), New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy (NYAGRA), Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). The current list of Congressmembers who have adopted GenderPAC's Congressional EEO Project diversity statement or similar wording (list in formation): Sen. Robb (D VA), Sen. Torricelli (D NJ) , Rep. Andrews (D-1st NJ), Rep. Baldwin (D-2nd WI), Rep. Bilbray (R-49th CA), Rep. Clayton (D-1st NC), Rep. Delahunt (D-10th MA), Rep. Gutierrez (D-4th IL), Rep. Hinchey (D-26th NY), Rep. Holt (D-12th NJ), Rep. Jackson, Jr. (D-2nd IL), Rep. Lee (D-9th CA) , Rep. Lewis (D-5th GA) , Rep. Lofgren (D-16th CA), Rep. Maloney (R-14th NY), Rep. McGovern (D-3rd MA) , Rep. Meehan (D-5th MA) , Rep. Morella (R-8th MD), Rep. Nadler (D-8th NY), Rep. Owens (D-11th NY) , Rep. Pallone (D-6th NJ), Rep. Payne (D-10th NJ), Rep. Pelosi (D-8th CA) , Rep. Rivers (D-13th MI), Rep. Sabo (D-5th MN), Rep. Schakowsky (D-9th IL), Rep. Towns (D-10th NY), Rep. Waxman (D-29th CA), Rep. Weiner (D-9th NY), Rep. Woolsey (D-6th CA). ------- To be removed from this list, send an e-mail to majordomo@gpac.org with the following text in the message body (without the quotes or brackets): "unsubscribe action [your@email.here]"