Discrimination against homosexuals ‘decreased’

Press, 24 April 1987, Page 4

Discrimination against homosexuals ‘decreased’

PA Wellington Discrimation against homosexuals has decreased since the passing nine months ago of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill, according to a Gay Task Force spokesman, Mr Bill Logan, of Wellington. “No-one will pretend discrimination has come to an end. It hasn’t,” Mr Logan said. “I hear stories frequently where people lose jobs and can’t get accommodation, but it is not nearly as bad as it was a year ago.” The most important effect of the reform was a growing sense of self-

worth among homosexuals, particularly those in their early 20s, he said. “It is not a tremendous change, more a sense of being okay.” The debate surrounding the bill meant society’s attitudes cbanged considerably, resulting in a greater and more educated support for the reform, he said. The prophecies of the destruction of New Zealand society as a result of the reform were "shown to be sb much wind.” The task force now had to work towards making discrimination against homosexuals illegal and at election time would find

out where candidates stood on the issue. Homosexuals could then vote for those who supported human rights, he said.

Homosexuals had failed to “get the message across” that making discrimination illegal did not mean people could not make disparaging remarks about "gays” in their private talk nor did it require schools to discuss homosexual views, he said.

What it meant was the right to equality in public transactions — the right, as for ethnic and religious minorities, to jobs and rental accommodation.