Church, activists spar
over gay- youth bill

HARTFORD, CT (AP) - The Roman Catholic church and gay-rights activists battled to a legislative stalemate Thursday over a proposal to protect homosexual youths from discrimination in public schools.

The sticking point over the proposal, which is pending in the' state Senate, is language that is alr~ady in the state's gay-rights law.

Essentially, the 1991 law states that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is not legal, but adds a clause stating the law does not mean "the state condones homosexuality or bisexuality."

Gay-rights activists contend that final clause will send a homophobic message to gay youths trying to come to grips with their sexuality.

"It feeds right into their insecurity and their fears," said Betty Gallo, a lobbyist working on the legislation with the Connecticut Civil Liberties ~Jnion and gayrights groups.

Gallo said keeping the clause in the legislation perpetuates a stereotype that homosexuals attempt to "recruit children."

Marie Hilliard, executive director of the Connecticut Catholic Conference, said the church is adamantly opposed to any type of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

But she said she worries the law could serve as "an entree" to changes in school curriculum.

"Could you now demand a course on gay lifestyles?" said John King, who is lobbying for the Catholic Conference.

On the more extreme side is Bob Muckle, a member of a group called the White Ribbon Coalition that opposes the measure completely. He called it "evil."

"These homosexuals are c~ming at the kids. All they do is promote their propaganda through kids," Muckle said.

Gay-rights activists want the anti-discrimination clause added to other language that prohibits discrimination in public schools on the basis of things such as race or gender. Proponents of the measure say teens are verbally and physically abused for being gay or lesbian, and sometimes excluded from school clubs or teams.

Sen. Thomas Gaffey, a Meriden Democrat and a co-chairman of the General Assembly's education committee, said he supports getting the anti-discrimination language into law, along with the controversial clause.

The measure will both help children and satisfy critics by invoking the same language as that already in law.

Both sides are reading way too much into this, Gaffey said.