National homosexual groups focus on Kentucky
Making the most of Louisville's homosexual nondiscrimination ordinance
From Kentucky Citizen Digest, May, 1999

In an effort dubbed “Equality Begins at Home,” Kentucky has been targeted by national homosexual-rights groups seeking to elevate their behavior to a protected status.  The sponsors of the push, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) and the Federation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Statewide Political Organizations, organized activities in five cities in Kentucky this March with the goal of swaying state legislators.

Observers say that in order to pass statewide, pro-gay legislation in Kentucky, they must first garner favorable sentiment from a largely conservative legislature.Once they establish a rapport, they will make their case that homosexuals are indeed a special class, worthy of special rights.

This campaign to change Kentucky’s values began with a weeklong “rainbow bus tour” through the state.According to an NGLTF press release, the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community intended to “galvanize support for the year 2000 legislative session and the introduction of the state’s first pro-GLBT [gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender] piece of legislation.”The bus tour focused attention on the pre-filed bill that makes it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.The bill’s sponsor is Rep. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington.

The first stop of the bus tour was in Henderson with a candlelight vigil and a fund-raiser for the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, which recently helped pass apro-homosexual ordinance in Louisville.Other stops included a youth rally in Louisville, a music festival in Berea, and a vigil against hate crimes in Lexington.Throughout the week an exhibit, entitled “Love Makes a Family,” was on display at the Women’s Study Center at Western Kentucky University.The exhibit portrayed 30 homosexual couples along with adopted children as “model families.”

Carol Peachee, a lesbian involved in an 18-year affair and one of 60 homosexuals featured in the exhibit, said she hopes the “Equality Begins at Home” pictures convey a message “that we are just absolutely normal, boring people.”

Despite the appearance of happy living arrangements, pro-family advocates say the truth is very different.According to Christy Edge, former lesbian and staff member of Crossover Ministries based in Lexington, “People who are homosexuals or lesbians rarely have long term relationships, though it does happen occasionally.This, however, does not justify the behavior.”

Some have called the state and national efforts by homosexuals an insidious attempt to normalize a behavior that is unhealthy both for the individual and the society at large.Others advocating traditional values say NGLTF efforts are just one more step of the 1960s sexual revolution over normal and healthy sexual boundaries.

“If we are going to beat back the right wing and their relentless attacks, if we are going to end the hate violence and discrimination, if we are going to repeal sodomy laws, we must organize and mobilize in our home states,” says Gina Reiss, co-chair of the Federation.

While such language is alarming, pro-family advocates promise to continue to share a message of hope and healing for homosexuals. “ We. . . need to love homosexuals where they are, not where we want them to be, but yes, we need to stand firm in the truth that homosexuality is wrong, but redeemable,” said Edge.
 

Key Family Foundation Contacts: Kent Ostrander, Executive Director Martin Cothran, Senior Associate Policy Analyst