Cranston Introduces Language
Sen. Alan Cranston (D~CA) has in
troduced legislation to repeal lan
guage in the Immigration and Nation
ality Act used to discriminate on the
basis of sexual orientation.
The bill, S,2210, would repeal
Section 212 (a) (4). which provides
for exclusion of ’’aliens afflicted
with psychopathic personality,
sexual deviation, or mental defect.
The bill goes on the re-insert
’’aliens afflicted with psychopathic *
or mental defect,”
Cranston, in his introductory remarks
remarks, stressed both the difficulty
of enforcing the current law and
its unfairness. He said the incon
sistent enforcement of the law is
arbitrary and inequitable,
’’The law rewards dishonesty.
Tying and hypocritical'subterfuge.
It punishes self-respect, honesty
and openne^ss.
’’Simple fairness demands that
we put an end to a form of discrim
ination that not only is intellect
ually unsound and medically unjust
ifiable but which also violates
traditional Americal respect for
the right of privacy and the dignity
of the individual.”
The Cranston bill follows efforts
to end the immigration discrimination
through administrative remedy. Steve
Endean, Gay Rights National Lobby
executive director, said that the
introduction of legislation,
should not conflict with efforts
made by other groups..
Scandinavian
’’There is now common-law recogni
tion of gay couples. This is impor
tant because of a critical housing
shortage, and gay couples now have
the same status as common-law
heterosexual couples.
’’This recognition of gay couples
includes immigrant status as well,"
Fit2gerald says.
In Finland, gay activism started
during the November Movement of 1966.
Homosexuality was later decriminalized
in 1971.
Although in Sweden, the New Les
bian Front, active since 1976, is ex
tremely separatist, women and men
work together in Finland.
”As far as the feminist movement
is concerned, it is almost unrecog
nized in Finland," Fitzgerald says.
A major obstacle to Finnish gay
rights stems from censorship laws.
’’There is essentially a paradox of
laws. Prior to the decriminaliza
tion of homosexuality, people could
talk about gayness. But now, it’s
not permitted to be discussed in
public.
’’Although negative mentions of
gayness are permitted in mass media,
positive ones are not.
’’One reason that fighting back
is hard is that any reaction against
oppression in Finland is legally
considered ’querulously paranoid,’"
Gay activist goals in Finland in”
elude trying to remove such sickness
labels, to change the age of consent
from 18 to 15 years of age, and to
work for equality for gay people'.
Contact Numbers
Carolina Gay Association (UNC-CH) - Women call 967-2189; men, 929-4997.
Chapel Hill Women’s Potluck - 942-6886.
Monandrous Gays - 942-3909. ^oofL
Triangle Area Lesbian ...oaQO
Triangle Area Gay Scientists - 967-9626 or 942 3909.
Duke Gay Alliance ^84-3043.
Gay Students Union (UNC-G) - 274-4442
Raleigh
Dignity - 833-2007
Gay Gathering - 834-3302
Metropolitan Community _Church — 832—1582
Raleigh Women’s Coffeehouse - 832-8565
Triangle Area Gay Communication & Planning Committee - 834-3302 .
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