Views Sought On Homosexuality

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31763, 21 August 1968, Page 13

Views Sought On Homosexuality

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copt/right)

CHICAGO, August 19.

The North American conference of homophile organisations has proposed that all political candidates should be asked this year for their views on the penalties imposed in America on homosexuals.

At the closing session of the five-day conference, the 75 delegates recommended that the 40 local organisations of homosexuals should forward questionnaires to all aspirants of political office.

The conference also adopted “a homosexual bill of rights.” Its principal contentions are that the laws dealing with homosexuality should be modified, and that employment should not be denied anyone solely because he is a homosexual. The local organisations were urged to exert pressure on police officials. State legislatures and the Federal Government to put the provisions of the “bill of rights” into effect. The conference chairman was the Rev. Robert Warren

Cromey, Vicar of St Aidan’s Episcopal Church, San Francisco, who said it had been estimated that throughout the nation there were 15 million homosexuals. Local organisations had an average of about 2000 members. Most homosexuals, Mr Cromey said, were normal except for their homosexuality, and were responsible members of society. Many hold important positions in business and the professions, and to subject them to legal harassment and exclude them from employment solely because of sexual orientation was a denial of their Constitutional rights. Mr Cromey. who is 37, and married, with three daughters, said he was one of the new heterosexuals attending the conference.