[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 87 (Friday, July 1, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                               GAY RIGHTS

                                 ______


                          HON. MAJOR R. OWENS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 30, 1994

  Mr. OWENS. Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago this week, police in New York 
raided a gay establishment, The Stonewall Inn. This was not an uncommon 
occurrence, as police frequently moved to close down places where gay 
people congregated. But what made the Stonewall experience unique, was 
that for the first time the patrons fought back. For 3 days thousands 
of gay men, lesbians, and their supporters took to the streets of 
Greenwich Village and gave birth to the present-day gay rights 
movement. This weekend over a hundred thousand people, joined in spirit 
by millions more who will not be able to attend, will gather to 
commemorate this important event in gay history.
  We should use this time to appreciate the quest of gay people for 
equal, not special, protection under the law. Who would have imagined 
25 years ago that openly gay men and women could work as doctors, 
lawyers, college professors, professional athletes, and performers, as 
well as serve on corporate boards, at the White House, and even as 
Members of Congress. The importance of this new visibility can not be 
underestimated.
  We must never forget though, how much farther there still is to go. 
Two recent major victories for gay people only emphasize this distance. 
A lesbian mother was recently re-awarded custody of her young son, 
after he had been removed from her home simply because she was carrying 
on a committed relationship with a woman. There were no other reasons--
no parental neglect, no abuse of any kind.
  A higher court overturned the previous court's ruling, and gave her 
back her child. Another court recently ruled that Margarethe 
Cammermayer had been unjustly kicked out of the U.S. Armed Forces. 
Cammermeyer, an Army nurse, was awarded the Bronze Star for her service 
in Vietnam and was voted Army Nurse of the Year in 1985. During an 
interview she did not deny being a lesbian, and her exemplary career 
abruptly came to an end. I laud the court's opinion and the country 
should be grateful to have back the service of Colonel Cammermeyer. 
While I stress these are victories, it is a shame they are matters the 
high courts must decide. Isn't it a basic right for a loving mother to 
have possession of her son or for a patriotic American to serve his or 
her country? We still have a long way to go.
  As chairman of the House Subcommittee on Select Education and Civil 
Rights which oversees the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, I am 
all too aware of the rampant discrimination gay men and lesbians face 
in the work place. Last week I presided over hearings on gay 
discrimination and heard firsthand testimony from those suffering its 
effects. These men and women lost employment not because of job 
performance or company cutbacks, but simply because of their sexual 
orientation. We cannot tolerate discrimination of anyone be they women, 
black, Christian, Moslem, disabled, or gay. I also must commend such 
New York City companies as Montefiore Hospital, Showtime, Time-Warner, 
Planned Parenthood, and others, who have undertaken strong 
antidiscrimination policies and extended the same benefits to all of 
their employees.
  We should all applaud and respect the gay and lesbian activists for 
many reasons. They have showed political acumen, extreme creativity, 
and racial inclusiveness in their fight. On the anniversary of 
Stonewall, I especially commend them on their spirit. Like Rosa Parks, 
they have refused to sit in the back of America's bus anymore, and have 
stood up for what it is right. It is also important that we not 
underestimate the extreme courage it takes to come out of the closet in 
a hostile world. Even though the gay community has suffered tremendous 
losses, especially in this time of plague, they have never given up the 
fight. Their unfailing commitment to fight for what is just is exactly 
what this country was founded on, and I extend my best wishes to these 
very patriotic Americans.

                          ____________________