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EQUAL RIGHTS & NON-DISCRIMINATION

For Immediate Release: Friday, October 19, 2007

For more information: June Latrobe, 847-988-3154

Andy Thayer, Gay Liberation Network, 773-209-1187

Gay Rights Protesters Confront Nancy Pelosi

CHICAGO, 10/19/07 — Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) activists will protest against the Chicago visit of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tonight over her weakening of the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill aimed at ensuring employment protections for LGBT people. The protest will begin at 5 PM outside of a 5:30 - 6:30 PM cocktail fundraiser Pelosi is hosting at the Westin Hotel, 909 N. Michigan Avenue.

With the aid of openly gay Congressman Barney Frank, Pelosi recently stripped ENDA of its protections for Transgender people, and greatly weakened its protections for Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals. Gay rights groups have almost universally condemned Pelosi’s and Franks moves, signing open letters and petitions openly condemning their previous allies. The issue has been the subject of repeated banner headlines in the gay press.

“We as a community will not allow ourselves to be manipulated by divide and conquer tactics,” said Andy Thayer, co-founder of the Gay Liberation Network.

“We either rise together towards equal rights, or we allow ourselves to be pitted against each other in a situation wherein only anti-gay bigots will win. Pelosi and Frank should be ashamed of themselves for ditching Transgender people in the bill, and thumbing their noses at the express wishes of the overwhelming majority of the gay community as a whole.”

Besides the Gay Liberation Network, other groups joining the protest include Equality Illinois and independent transgender activists. For more information, call June Latrobe at 847-988-3154.


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