Date: Thu, 11 May 1995 12:52:32 -0500 (CDT)
From: Kevyn Jacobs <kevyn@KSUVM.KSU.EDU>
To: "Kansas Queer News [KQN]" <KQN@casti.com>
Subject: Victory in Kansas (fwd)

        FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
        Contact: Ben Zimmerman
        Simply Equal at (913) 843-7256 or
        SimEqual@aol.com

DOROTHY, YOU CAN COME HOME NOW!
DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION MADE ILLEGAL IN KANSAS TOWN

May 4, 1995...In a three-two vote Tuesday, May 2, the City Commission of
Lawrence, Kansas voted to add the words "sexual orientation" to the city's
existing Human Relations Ordinance.

 The decision is being hailed as making Lawrence the only city in the state
of Kansas to extend protection against discrimination to people based on
their sexual orientation.

 After two years of effort by Simply Equal, a community coalition that
spearheaded the campaign for the change, the city has agreed to give
lesbians, bisexuals, gay men, and heterosexuals legal recourse for
discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations.  Last week
and this week the City Commission listened to hours of testimony from dozens
of Lawrence citizens on both sides of the issue.

 Proponents of the amendment who spoke before the commission included local
representatives from several Christian congregations and the Lawrence Jewish
Community Center.  The opposition, represented mostly by conservative
Christians, often cited from the Bible.

 One often-repeated allegation was that this amendment will force
conservative Christian organizations to hire non-heterosexuals.  But this
charge is unsubstantiated, according to Lawrence Human Relations/ Human
Resources director Ray Samuel, since the ordinance allows for the exemption
of religious organizations.

 Lawrence, Kansas will become the second municipality in the state to adopt
such legislation.  Wichita was the first in the 1970's.  The Wichita
anti-discrimination legislation was repealed in a referendum vote shortly
after its installation. The Lawrence amendment may face a similar battle.
 Opponents of the ordinance, including Mayor Bob Moody, support such an
action.

 The Rev. Leo Barbee, Jr., a leader of the opposition to Simply Equal, said,
"We are going to contact the Attorney General, and see if it conflicts with
the state's sodomy laws." After hearing that civil rights leader Julian Bond
had given his support to Simply Equal during a January visit to Lawrence for
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Barbee was quoted in local newspapers as saying
he would have made sure Bond had not been invited to Lawrence had he known
about his views.

 The commissioners who voted against the legislation amendment cited reasons
other than moral opposition the homosexuality as justifications for their
position.  The recently elected Bonnie Augustine expressed her concern about
the discrimination against lesbian, bisexual and gay people, but said she
feels that education, not legislation, is the proper means to end
discrimination.  Proponents of the amendment feel that adding sexual
orientation to the Human Relations Ordinance will open avenues for education.
 The City Department of Human Relations/ Human Resources plans to conduct
seminars to educate the public about the law.

 The coalition does not plan to disband after its victory.  Simply Equal,
which has created a lively network of human rights activists, intends to
remain intact and continue the struggle for rights for all people in
Lawrence. "We are very pleased," said Simply Equal co-chair Ben Zimmerman
following the vote, "but Simply Equal's work is not done.  There is a lot of
misinformation out in the community that has to be corrected."

 Preparation against a backlash and a battle at the polls is already
underway.
--end--