Without protection, homosexuals are easy targets for abuse.

I am a former representative of PFLAG, a nonprofit support group of peers, made up of parents, families and friends, lesbians and gays, bi-sexual and transgender people. Our meetings are tri-fold: first and foremost support; secondly, education; and thirdly, advocacy.

It would be an extreme eye-opener for some of those who have voiced opposition to the anti-discrimination legislation if they could attend one of our support group meetings. If they could hear the many horror stories of discrimination, harassment and unequal treatment received by ordinary citizens, they would understand that the problem does indeed exist.

I cannot provide names because the meetings are confidential, same as Alcoholics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous and other support groups.

Here are some actual problems that we have encountered at our meetings.

You are the birth parent of a 2-year-old child, and you are on an out-of-state business trip. Your child is hurt and rushed to a hospital by your co-parent, the only other parent your child has known. How would you feel when you discover that your partner could not be with your child in the emergency room because she or he is not considered to be “next of kin”?

You and your life companion have rented an apartment and have lived there quietly for several years. You repaint, decorate and plant a lovely garden patch. It is now time to renew your lease but, because your landlord really hates homosexuals and has just discovered that you are a same-sex couple, he refuses to renew your lease. He can get away with it. Why? Because without a law to protect against sexual discrimination, there is no one to protest his actions. Yes, you improved his property. Yes, there were no complaints filed against your conduct.

Do you now realize why Maine needs a Human Rights Protection Act that includes sexual orientation?

Another example: You are training, yet again, someone who has been given the job that should be yours, but you will never get the promotion because of your sexual orientation. If you were not qualified to do the job, would they not have someone else do the training?

That, my friends, can be sexual discrimination.

Or, your company is providing health-insurance benefits to domestic partners, but your partner has to claim the premiums paid by the company as additional income on the IRS income tax form. Do you have to do that for your family members? Do you call that equality?

People don’t understand the sacrifices homosexuals are made to suffer.

They tend to listen to their anti-gay religious leaders. Mostly due to the misinformation presented, the general public tends to believe their rhetoric. After all, how could a religious leader possibly be lying? Alas, they do because it fits their agenda. Unfortunately, that agenda is not based on Christ’s love for all of God’s creatures.

And that is why Maine desperately needs the Human Rights Protection Act to include sexual orientation.

Barbara G. Underwood lives in Lisbon.

Copy the Story Link