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LEXINGTON GAY SERVICES ORGANIZATION, INC. MAY 1980
Kentucky Presidential Primary To Be Held May 22 '
WHERE THE CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT STAND ON ISSUES OF CONCERN TO GAYS: A REPORT
On Tuesday, May 27, Kentucky will and tax-deductible status. The Fed-
conduct its Presidential primary. eral Communications Commission has or-
Persons who are registered with either dered broadcasters to take into ac-
~ the Democratic or Republican parties count the views and concerns of all
will be eligible to vote in their re— "significant" minority groups within
spective party's primary. Independent their broadcast areas - including gay
voters are not eligible to partici- people. The Federal Bureau of Prisons
pate. The major candidates in the will now permit prisoners to receive -
Democratic primary will be Jimmy Car- nonpornographic gay literature.
ter and Ted Kennedy. (Jerry Brown, Recently, the practice byythquuS.
who has proven himself to be suppor- Immigration and Naturalization Ser-
tive of gay concerns as Governor of vice of excluding suspected homosexual
California, dropped out of the race in aliens from entry' into the U.S. has
. April, although he did so too late to been a sensitive issue to gays. Car-
get his name removed from the Democra- ter has joined with Congress to estab—
tic ballot in Kentucky.) The major lish a Select Commission on Immigra-
candidates in the Republican primary tion and Refugee Policy to look into
will be Ronald Reagan and George Bush. this situation.
(John Anderson, who has all but decided The Strauss reply to the NGTF
to run as an independent this fall. survey did not address the issue of a
made his announcement too late to be re- plank in the Democratic party platform
moved from the Republican primary bal— supporting gay rights; nor did it set ‘
lot in Kentucky.) forth a Carter position on legislation .
This election year may mark the pending in Congress which would amend
point where the concerns of gay people the federal Civil Rights Act to pro-
(as well as some traditionalists' con— vide protection against discrimination
cerns about gay people) become campaign based on sexual orientation. With re-
issues in their own right. While is- AM I REGISTERED? WHERE DO I VOTE?
sues such as Iran and inflation con—
tinue to dominate the political dia— If you're not sure you are regis-
logue, the stands of the various can- tered to vote in the primary or don't
didates on gay issues has been pursued know where you go to vote next Tues-
by some reporters and by a variety of day, give the County Clerk's Voter
gay activist groups. Registration Office a call at 255-7563.
What follows is an attempt to en— They are open from 8:30 till #:00 Mon-
capsulate the public positions the days through Fridays. If you're not
candidates for President have taken on already registered, it is too late to
issues of concern to gay voters as do so for this primary election, but
well as to try to describe what the the Voter Registration people can tell
attitudes of the men who seek to lead you how to get registered for the gen—
our country might be toward gay Ameri- eral election this November.
cans. Every possible attempt to main- . ,
tain objectivity in this report will spect to the five percent 0f govern-
be made: neither Th2 Gayzette nor the ment employees _not covered under the
Lexington Gay Services Organization 1978 giVll Servige Reform ACE’ Carter
endorses any candidate for President. :ays ei? pgsl 10?? are gothsu J?il
CARTER: President Carter, during 0t execu ive iscre ion a2 gs w}
his 1975 campaign, “stated his opposi- 29 sign an. executi¥fi or er .inning
ii iiiiiiiiiiiii marlin: :3 mtg. 52:41.32;
the federal government because of sex— d C ta ? 'tP t'
ual orientation“ said Carter campaign and ar er 8 p051 ion on an execu 1V9
chairman Robert Strauss in responding or er. t . d
to a National Gay Task Force survey, In. summary’ Car er ls on recoi
In his letter to NGTF, Strauss commits as being 1n general support Of equa
the Carter administration to "fully rights for gay people and some (though
enforcing" 1978 Civil Service Reform not €11) actions taken. by federal a-
Act provisions that "prohibits dis- anCl?S and Carter appOintees thus far
crimination in federal personnel ac- 1n 518 administration have been SUP-
tions based on private, non-job- portive. . However, Carter appears to
related behavior such as sexual orien- qualify hls support and heSitates to
tation". take overt action With respect to cer-
.Strauss went on to cite several tain issues of considerable concern to
administrative “actions which have gay people. Some Carter aides say
taken place under the Carter admini— the PreSident ls walking a tightrope
stration which have had favorable im- 2:Eggggingeiiln§l¥:::t§agsCOggirgznagd
plications f0? gays. Gay organiza— voters as possible in the Novem%e¥
tions now qualify for both tgxfexempt election. , i '