Date: Sun, 5 Feb 1995 15:20:49 -0600 (CST) From: Kevyn Jacobs Subject: Lawrence, Kansas needs help with queer rights ordinance Simply Equal is a grassroots campaign in Lawrence, Kansas (home of KU, 20 miles from Fred Phelps) to get the City Commission to add sexual orientation to the local Human Relations Ordinance. This would outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The attack is coming from the usual suspects: homophobic ministers fronting for the far right political extremists who have taken over the local Republican party with help from Biblical literalists. As is so often the case, the religious right has targeted the African American community with its "special rights" propaganda. To stall action until after the "non-partisan" April local election, one commissioner has said he will refuse to vote until given the answers to a list of questions he has come up with. Right now, the Commission is divided - two pro, two con, and the author of the questions trying to play both sides. The questions range from some which MIGHT conceivably be considered reasonable to others that are clearly absurd. Many of the answers to the questions are already in the report we've submitted to the city, but they apparently either haven't read it or want citations from other sources. City staff have been given the responsibility of finding the answers to this list of questions. We want to help them as much as possible so that we can get on with a vote on this issue before the election in April but after the primary at the end of February. We're asking for the assistance of anyone who can provide answers to any of the commissioner's questions. Time is of the essence. We are in touch with all the national lesbigay organizations, but need the help from folks in ALL communities which have ordinances protecting people on the basis of sexual orientation, as well as communities where such ordinances have been overturned. The questions follow. Please help us publicize our efforts (feel free to forward this message and send us any clips), and send any responses ASAP to: Simply Equal P.O. Box 1991 Lawrence, KS 66044 You can also fax us at (913) 842-7315 or email us at simequal@aol.com or lbgsok@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu - your help is greatly appreciated! ====================================================================== SIMPLY EQUAL QUESTIONS 1. List of other communities in the U.S. and in particular in the Midwest which have adopted sexual orientation language into their anti- discrimination policies. 2. Length of times and dates of the above. 3. Have any of these communities reversed this position? Of the communities which have adopted this stance: 4. How has this affected the number of complaints filed? 5. What has been the outcome of each of these cases? 6. What kind of confidentiality issues have arisen from filing complaints, i.e. to protect the identity of the complaint filer if they do not wish to be identified as homosexual, and to insure that the person against whom the complaint is filed has something more than a "someone who wishes to remain unidentified" to respond to. 7. When a complaint is filed, what process is followed -what are the procedures? 8. To whom does the complaint go for investigation? 9. What is the investigation procedure? 10. Is this procedure broken down into steps anywhere? 11. How are complaints solved? Mediation, jail, courts? 12. What are penalties? Jail, fines, etc. 13. How are these penalties enforced? 14. What kind of staff involvement has been required in these communities? 15. Has any additional expense been incurred for staff time for taking complaints, investigating complaints, and follow up? 16. Have any communities conducted education, awareness, sensitivity training, etc. to landlords and employers? 17. If any did, how were they funded? 18. Overall, how do the city managers, staff, and elected officials feel about the adoption of such ordinances? 19. Have they been effective? 20. What problems have they created which weren't there before? 21. What would they do differently if they had to do over again, and have they done it over again?