11
Task Force Challenges Sodomy Laws
On November 20, 1983, representatives of
all of the existing gay/lesbian legal
organizations, the American Civil
Liberties Union national staff, various
ACLU affiliates, and attorneys involved in
pending sodomy law challenge litigation
met at the ACLU national headquarters in
New York City to begin the process of
developing a coordinated national strategy
to challenge the sodomy laws in the
remaining non-reformed jurisdictions and
to express their commitment to fighting
anti-gay discrimination in general.
The group agreed that it would not adopt
any formal organizational structure, but
would continue to meet together to develop
strategy and to plan for its implementa
tion in a cooperative effort. The group
will unofficially call itself the "Ad Hoc
Task Force to Challenge Sodomy Laws," and
will initially focus on such challenges
while anticipating future cooperative
efforts that emphasize other aspects of
the struggle for gay/lesbian civil
rights.
The Ad Hoc Task Force agreed that it was
the recommendation of all of the involved
organizations and individuals that no
further civil challenges to sodomy laws be
filed pending the decision of the U.S.
Supreme Court in the case of New York v.
U^linger.
Force will work to publicize its efforts
so that it can identify or be advised of
criminal challenges as they arise anywhere
in the county, and will solicit sugges
tions from interested ACLU affiliates,
gay/lesbian organizations, or other groups
in the remaining non-reformed states for
affirmative challenges to the laws in
their states. The Ad Hoc Task Force will
also initiate efforts to target particular
states in which successful challenges
might be mounted, and will begin the
development of a central directory of
information and resources to use in such
challenges.
The Ad Hoc Task Force will house its
central directory of information and
resources at the ACLU national head
quarters in New York City. The directory
will include lists of experts available to
testify in such cases (dealing with health
issues such as AIDS, with psychiatric
issues, with sociological issues on homo
sexuality in general), existing briefs
and/or legal memoranda dealing with sodomy
law challenges, and memos prepared for the
November 20 conference which analyze the
statutes of each remaining non-reformed
jurisdiction.
However, pending that decision, the Ad
Hoc Task Force will proceed with prepara
tions to go forward with such challenges
that arise in the criminal context. To
implement those plans, the Ad Hoc Task
, Persons or organizations desiring such
information or briefs should contact
either Loren Siegel of the ACLU or Abby
Rubenfeld of the Lambda Legal Defense and
Education Fund:
132 West 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
PAcr. Foiiii
THE RUSH REPORT
Map reprinted from The Bush Report,
®1984, Larry Bush.
THE RUSH REPORT