Gay Rights Platform, NCGO (Record, February 1972)
Full Text
1972 GAY RIGHTS PLATFORM IN THE UNITED STATES
(adopted by the National Coalition of GAY Organizations meeting in Chicago, Illinois, February 13, 1972)
Millions of Gay woman and men in this country are subject to severe social, economic, and psychological and legal oppression because of their sexual orientation.
We affirm the right of all persons to define and express their own sensibility, emotionality and sexuality, and to choose their own lifestyle, so long as they do not infringe upon the rights of others. We pledge an end to all social, economic and legal oppression of Gay women and men.
We demand the repeal of all laws forbidding voluntary sex acts involving consenting persons in private.
Laws prohibiting loitering for the purpose of soliciting for a homosexual liaison are vague and unconstitutional. Nevertheless they are frequently used as the legal cover for police entrapment of Gay women and men.
We demand the repeal of all laws prohibiting solicitation for a voluntary private sexual liaison.
Prejudice and myth have led to widespread discrimination against Gay women and men.
We demand the enactment of civil rights legislation which will prohibit discrimination because of sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations and public services.
DEMANDS:
FEDERAL:
1. Amend all federal Civil Rights Acts, other legislation and government controls to prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and public services, because of one's sexual orientation.
2. Issuance by the President of an executive order prohibiting the military from excluding for reasons of their sexual orientation, persons who of their own volition desire entrance into the Armed Services; and from issuing less-than-fully-honorable discharges for homosexuality; and the upgrading to fully honorable all such discharges previously issues, with retroactive benefits.
3. Issuance by the President of an executive order prohibiting discrimination in the federal civil service because of sexual orientation, in hiring and promoting; and prohibiting discrimination against Gay women and men.
4. Elimination of tax inequities victimizing single persons and same-sex couples.
5. Elimination of bars to the entry, immigration and naturalization of Gay aliens.
6. Federal encouragement and support for sex education courses, prepared and taught by qualified Gay women and men, presenting homosexuality as a valid, healthy preference, lifestyle, and as a viable alternative to heterosexuality.
7. Appropriate executive orders, regulations and legislation banning the compiling, maintenance and dissemination of information on an individual's sexual preferences, behavior, and social and political activities for dossiers and data banks, and ordering the immediate destruction of such data.
8. Federal funding of aid projects for social and political activities of Gay women's and men's organizations designed to alleviate the problems encountered by Gay women and men which are engendered by an oppressive sexist society.
9. Immediate release of all Gay women and men now incarcerated in detention centers, prisons and mental institutions because of sexual offense charges relating to victimless crimes or sexual orientation; and that adequate compensation be made for the physical and mental duress encountered; and that all existing records relating to the incarceration be immediately expunged.
STATE:
1. All federal [regulations?] and program enumerated in Demands 1,4,6,7,8, and 9 above would be implemented at the State level where applicable.
2. Repeal of all state laws prohibiting private sexual acts involving consenting persons; equalization for homosexuals and heterosexuals for the enforcement of all laws.
3. Repeal all state laws prohibiting solicitation for private voluntary sexual liaison; and laws prohibiting prostitution, both male and female.
4. Enactment of legislation prohibiting insurance companies and any other state-regulated enterprises from discriminating because of sexual orientation, in insurance and in bonding or and other prerequisite to employment or control of one's personal demesne.
5. Enactment of legislation so that child custody, adoption, visitation rights, foster parenthood, and the like shall not be denied because of sexual orientation or marital status.
6. Repeal of all laws prohibiting transvestitism and cross dressing.
7. Repeal of all laws governing the age of sexual consent.
8. Repeal of all legislative provisions that restrict the sex or number of persons entering into a marriage unit; and the extension of legal benefits of marriage to all persons who cohabit regardless of sex or numbers.
