Rally for Equality & Justice
Monday January 15, 2007 at Noon

By Linda Gryczan, Pride Lobbyist (01/13)

January 15 is the day we honor the life & work of the Rev Dr Martin Luther King & Pride Lobby Day .

In the spirit of Dr King, Pride asks the Montana LGBT Community to treat this as a day "on," not one to be taken off. Interested people are invited to vome to the Capitol & show your support for equality & justice.

The January 15 th rally is sponsored by Pride Inc, the Montana Human Rights Network & Working for Equality & Economic Liberation ("WHEEL").

Immediately after the rally, Pride will hold a lobby training to help LGBT citizens speak with Montana senators and representatives. Pride is asking LGBT citizens to ask Montana's senators and representative face-to-face, to support civil rights for LGBT people.

If you need a ride or have one to offer, e-mail conlin@initco. net and Pride will
try to hook you up with others in your area.

If you cannot attend, you may send $5, and Pride will float a lavender balloon in the
Capitol rotunda in your honor. (Pride Inc / PO Box 775 / Helena / 59624)

THE 2007 SECRET HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA

By Linda Gryczan, Pride Lobbyist (01/13)

You heard it here first

Session after legislative session, LGBT's have been accused of having a "secret agenda." Actually we¹ve always been pretty open about what we want--to be legal citizens, living free from discrimination. We are working for three primary issues this session--stopping
discrimination, and being included in hate crimes law & family assault statutes.

(1) LGBT IN HUMAN RIGHTS
The number one goal of Pride is to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Human Rights Act--protecting LGBT¹s against discrimination in housing, employment, credit & public accommodations. This law would give legal recourse to the
discrimination we face every day.

( 2) HATE CRIMES
The Montana Human Rights Network is spearheading the drive to include women, people with disabilities, lesbians & gay men, and transgendered people in Montana¹s hate crimes law. For the first time this bill would require prejudice reduction training instead of more jail time as part of a sentence.

(3) PARTNER & FAMILY ASSAULT
The Montana Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence is working to change partner & family assault statutes which now only apply in a "relationship with a person of the opposite sex."

Things will change in the fast paced legislative environment. Other issues will surface, & I will be calling on you to help me defeat bad bills. Stay tuned & see you on the 15th.