San J ose accepts, county de ys
anti-bias law forrc4*t4
h omosexua S

By Armando Acuna ahd Miles Corrryin
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starr writers

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An ordinance that would protecl homosexuals
in San Jose from discrimination in housing, 9mployrnent and public accommodations was ao-

"The issue is discrimin"iion. We're not con.

doning_ homosexuals. Itls a matter of protection,l' Mayor Ha5res told the 4b0 persoirs who
packed the council chambers.

pT9""4 in coneept Tuesday night by the San Jo3e

City Council, but a similar-mea'sure was deferred by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

. On 1 6-1-vote, the council directed the city attorneyt5 office to draft an anti-discrimination ordinance relating to sexual orientationThe so-called gay rights ordinance will come

back to the council for final action or amend-

ment either Aug. 14 or Aug. 21.
The county board postponed action because it
must file a declaration that the ordinance will

not have any negative impact on the environment, said Paul Mason, deputy county counsel.
Th-e supervisors indicatedf however,-that they
will vote 4-1 to approve the measure.
The San Jose decision was a victory for the
gay comglunity-, which last year ran into a city
council divided over designating a ,,gay pridl
week" in San Jose.
This.time only Councilman Larry pegram opposed the ordinance.
Pegram said he objects on grounds of personal
morals, tttat the ordinance would give hbmosexuals preference, that costs of enforcement are
unknown and that it might discourage industry
from moving to San Jose.
Other council members said the ordinance

be 6ased on human rights and would coml

bat discrimination.

'

There were numerous opponents and supporters of the ordinance at the meeting, but toi tne
first time gay rights advocates outnumbered opponents.

Among the opponents were the Rev. Mark
Platt of the Berryessa Evangelical Free Church.
He said, that measure would tip the balance and

would have "homosexuals foisting themselves on
Homosexuals have a right to practice it but
not the right to have us appiove itj' Platt said.

is.

Others opposed the ordinance said they were
not asking for the "expulsion from society" of
homosexuals but they wanted to "reserve the
right to choose with whom we want to asso-

ciate."
Supporting the gay rights ordinance was Jerel
McCrary, an attorney from San Francisco who
represents gay advocates. "This is a basic civil
rights issue. It cuts across all segments of society and you as a council should recognize that,"
McCrary said. Among those supporting the ordinance were the National Organization for Women, the Northern California -Demoeratic Couneil
and the United Steelworkers Union.
More than 400 persons also packed the superContinued, on Pdge 38

Copyrighted material reprinted with permission. For educational use only.

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San Jose favors

gay rights law
Continued,

from Page 78

visors'chambers for the debate on the county
measure.
On June 12 the supervisors ordered the draft-

ing of the ordinance, which would ban sexual
bias in housing, employment and access to government services.
Several changes were made to the original ordinance. Church-related organizations
churchsponsored day care or programs

for example
Mason said,

- elderly,
for the

are exempt from the ordinance,

if- they are not government

funded.

Transvestism, he said, is now protected by the
ordinance.
Regulations of dress and conduct are not an
unlawful practice, Mason said, if they are job related and applied equally and fairly to all employees. And the mediation procedure also has
been changed from the original ordinance. A
person with a grievance can now initiate a law-

suit without the approval of a human relations

panel, he said.
The county ordinanee also has sparked heated
debate since it was originally proposed by the

county . Human Relations Commission two

month3 ago. Tuesday's session was no exception.
Maishall DeVaugh opposed the ordinance and
said he has strong backing.
"I speak as one who has had a revelation from
Jesus Christ. I'm able to speak for Him . ..." Sev-

eral people laughed and he continued, "despite
the hilarity of those unbelievers herq,"
Barney Grubbs disagreed and said he was
baeked by the same Source as DeVaugh. "I am a
born-again,.Christian and I am gay. I am in no
condemnatlon. I have liberty through Jesus
Christ."
Supervisors Dan McCorquodale, Rod Diridon,
Gerry Steinberg and Susanne Wilson indicated
they would vote for the ordinanee. Supervisor
Dom Cortese is the lone dissenter.

Copyrighted material reprinted with permission. For educational use only.

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