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Content
LGBT Rights Focus of Pierre Meetings
Sunday, 18 May 2008 09:33
LGBT issues were the topic of discussion at the two meetings held in Pierre on Saturday April 19th, 2008. The afternoon public forum was jointly sponsored by Equality South Dakota (EqSD) and the American Civil Liberties Union. Sharon McGowan, an attorney with the ACLU's National Lesbian and Gay Rights Project, was the featured speaker. McGowan said that South Dakota has not been viewed as a place where the war on LGBT rights is being waged. However, South Dakota has since put itself on the map by nearly defeating the marriage amendment in 2006.
McGowan discussed four areas regarding LGBT rights that the ACLU is working on.
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discrimination in employment, housing and public accomodations
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recognition of relationships (exm. health plan benefits for a partner
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adoptions, and
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school projects (allowing gay-straight alliances to exist in schools)
Karen Mudd, chair of EqSD, discussed EqSD's Howdy Neighbor Project which is to visit with all of the state (legislators) and tribal leaders about protecting rights for LGBT people.
A house party hosted by Gary and Cindy Snow of Pierre was an evening event which raised more than $2000 for the Equality South Dakota Political Action Committee. Gary Snow, a local member of EqSD, gave several promotional radio interviews on the Friday before the meetings. Snow, who is straight, said upon completion of the interviews that he worried people would assume he was gay because he spoke about LGBT issues; "I just caught a fleeting glimpse of what many of these people (LGBT) feel all the time." Snow and several other parents who have gay children talked about creating a PFLAG group in the Pierre area.
Reporter DJ Steckelberg, with the Pierre Capitol Journal covered the afternoon forum (Read his article Here). Eighteen people attended that afternoon session. The Pierre Capitol Journal also published an Ad and a promotional article. Pierre residents and other attendees came from Aberdeen, Brookings, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and White Lake. Additional Pierre residents attended the evening house party.
EqSD greatly appreciates the efforts of Pierre residents Gary Snow and Amy Richards in organizing and promoting this successful event. They hope to see similar gatherings occur annually in Pierre.
