Groups look for changes

The supporters of Indiana Equality, an initiative to extend civil liberties to people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, are looking for a few good legislators.\nIndiana National Organization for Women member Cathi Crabtree announced at a press conference Monday that supporters of the initiative will strive to obtain support from at least eight legislators. \n"It's the right thing to do," said John Clower, director of the Bloomington Chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.\nClower also said acceptance and understanding of people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender with hospitable attitude can promote economic development in part by keeping and drawing highly-skilled workers.\n"It's also the smart thing to do," he said.\nAbout 90 percent of the respondents for a survey conducted by the IU Center for Survey Research in 1998 said "gay and lesbian Hoosiers 'should' have equal rights in employment matters," according to the Indiana Equality Web site.\nAs a concrete goal, organizers want to add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to the Indiana civil rights laws, including Indiana Code Title 22, Article 9, Chapter 1, Section 2, which provides all Indiana citizens equal opportunity for education, employment, access to public facilities and acquisition of property.\nIndiana Equality organizers are looking to amend the state legislation instead of city ordinances because the former can protect not only city employees, but employees at private businesses as well, according to the Web site.\nBryan Sirtosky, president of Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance, said sexual orientation can jeopardize employment. To lead the way, Sirtosky, with his other job in the private sector at stake, publicly acknowledged that he is a female-to-male transsexual and a heterosexual man.\n"I shouldn't have to move," Sirtosky said. "I was born and raised in Indiana."\nSirtosky also shared the experience of his friend who was fired at a law firm. He met her during the formation of INTRAA and called her Terry to protect her identification. Sirtosky said Terry's coworker allegedly told a manager Terry was dressed as a female in a picture online.\n"Terry was escorted out the building with no opportunity to defend herself," Sirtosky said.\nAmong Fortune 500 companies, 127 corporations implement non-discriminatory policies that include gender identity, according to the Web site.\nDoug Bauder, coordinator of IU Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services, referred to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to make his points. Bauder said justice requires dignity, respect, open discussion and support for the GLBT community.\n"I have a dream," Bauder said. "(After accomplishing them) everybody wins."\nCharlie Nelms, vice president of IU Student Development Diversity, said educators need to expedite the social change, which he said is "overdue."\nNelms said the issue is related to race in the United States. Growing up as part of a minority in the South, he said African Americans used to have to sit in the very back seats at movie theaters.\n"How can justice say 'yes' to some people and 'no' to others?" he said.\nOfficials and supporters said they believe the effort will take a few years. In 2003, they will strive to obtain support from at least eight legislators. In 2004, they expect to see the introduction of the bill, its hearings and implementation. In case the General Assembly rejects the bill, it will be pursued in 2005, according to Indiana Equality.