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(Washington) America's often fractious LGBT civil
rights groups have put aside their differences and on Wednesday announced they
would work more closely to achieve major civil rights goals.
Following last November's election that saw the
reelection of President Bush and passage of amendments banning same-sex marriage
in 11 states the country's major gay rights groups began a soul-searching
process about the future of the gay rights movement.
In a joint statement by more than 20 national
organizations the country's leading rights groups pledged to work towards a common
goal.
"We play different instruments – lobbying, electoral politics, impact
litigation, grassroots organizing, public education, media
advocacy and more – and we are dedicated to
playing them well," the statement said.
"While our
organizations vary in focus and strategies, we share a number of common
priorities that will help shape and unite our work in the months and years to
come."
Among the groups signing the declaration were the
Human Rights Campaign - the nation's largest LGBT rights organization - and the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, its oldest.
Log Cabin Republicans and Stonewall Democrats
also signed on.
The list includes GLAAD, the ACLU, the National
Black Justice Coalition, and the Gay,
Lesbian and Straight Education Network. It also includes Lambda Legal and the
National Center for Lesbian Rights both of which are involved in a number of
suits to win gay marriage rights.
Other signatories include the Equality
Federation, Freedom
to Marry, Gay
& Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (which won the Massachusetts gay
marriage case), Gay
& Lesbian Victory Fund and Leadership Institute, the Mautner
Project, National
Association of LGBT Community Centers, the National Center for Transgender Equality,
National
Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, National
Youth Advocacy Coalition, Parents,
Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, the Servicemembers
Legal Defense Network and the National Latino/Hispanic LGBT Leadership.
The LGBT movement "strong, it is determined, and it is gathering momentum
every day," the joint statement declares.
"It
has been only 18 months since the Supreme Court struck down the last remaining
state laws that branded us as criminals, little more than a year since
Massachusetts’ top court ruled that same-sex couples could not be denied full
equality in marriage, and mere weeks since California enacted the nation’s
most expansive domestic partnership law."
The document also notes that a recent Gallup Poll
found that 89% of Americans support equal employment opportunity for
gays and lesbians and that other polls show nearly two-thirds
support the same opportunities for transgender Americans.
But, it says there is a long way to go before the
LGBT community arrives at full equality.
To that end the groups issued an 8 point mission
statement.
"We
must fight for equal employment opportunity, benefits and protections –
and the federal and state laws that safeguard them," the document says.
"We
must fight against anti-LGBT violence and for the inclusion of sexual
orientation and gender identity in federal hate crimes law that already
protects Americans based on race, religion and national origin.
"We
must fight – in both the private and public sectors – for better access
to health care and insurance. We
must advocate for HIV/AIDS policies – including age-appropriate,
LGBT-inclusive comprehensive sexuality education – that effectively
address this epidemic at home and abroad.
"We
must insist on safe schools, where youth can learn free from bullying,
harassment and discrimination.
"We
must fight for family laws that give our children strong legal ties to their
parents.
"We
must work to overturn the military’s discriminatory anti-LGBT ban, which
dishonors service members who serve their country with valor and
distinction.
"We
must continue to expose the radical right’s efforts to advance a culture
of prejudice and intolerance, and we must fight their attempts to enshrine
anti-gay bigotry in our state and federal laws and constitutions.
"And
we must continue our vigorous fight for the freedom to marry and the equal
protections, rights and responsibilities that safeguard our families,
strengthen our commitments, and continue to transform understanding of our
lives and our relationships."
The joint statement also calls for grassroots
action.
"Even the most vibrant, vital
community can, over time, settle into a status quo. A movement cannot.
And the
success of our movement is measured not only in the hearts and minds we change,
the allies we engage and the civil rights we secure, but in the strength of our
collective commitment to the pursuit of enduring social, political and legal
change that moves us ever closer to true equality."
©365Gay.com 2005
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