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>>>Sheila Kuehl (D---Santa Monica)

World's Gay Leaders to Meet in San Diego in Nov.

Published Monday, October 20, 2003

SAN DIEGO - The year has involved the world’s communities in the issues of gays and lesbians and their rights like few others in recent times. Gathering this November in San Diego to discuss these issues in depth and breadth rarely offered are some of the world’s top gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) leaders and activists, representing LGBT communities and individuals in the U.S. and other countries.

The weekend before Thanksgiving traditionally gathers LGBT elected and appointed officials from around the world at The International Network of Lesbian and Gay Officials (INLGO) conference. This year the event is in San Diego, hosted by local and state leadership such as Toni Atkins, San Diego City Councilmember and conference co-chair; Christine Kehoe, Speaker Pro Tempore, California State Assembly; and Bonnie Dumanis, District Attorney, San Diego County. Also co-chairing this conference is Kevin Vaughan, President of INLGO, and Associate Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, PA.

The list of participants is impressive: U.S. Representative Barney Frank, Massachusetts; California State Senator Sheila Kuehl, New York Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell, Vermont State Rep. Bill Lippert (instrumental in the passage of Vermont’s civil unions law), Canadian Member of Parliament Svend Robinson and German Legislator Volker Beck (gay unions legislation sponsors in their respective countries), and Ambassador James Hormel are planning to bring exceptional insight and experience to the table at INLGO.

Four panel discussions, a presidential candidate forum, and presentations with impact will provide in-depth examination of some of today’s most controversial issues affecting LGBT and non-LGBT communities worldwide. The topics are: Gay Unions-An International Perspective; Addressing LGBT Issues for Our Youth and in Our Schools, and Gays Serving in the Armed Forces During Wartime. Experts on the issues include Sylvia Rhue, PhD., writer, filmmaker, civil rights activist, and Manager for the Freedom to Marry Coalition; Leif Ohlson, Swedish Armed Forces, currently on loan to the European Union’s Normgiving Diversity project to educate military commanders on LGBT issues; Bob Lehman, Gulf War veteran, 10-year Marine Corps sergeant, and the first openly gay servicemember to serve on the San Diego County Veteran’s Advisory Board; and Aaron Belkin, author, Director of the Center for Studies on Sexual Minorities in the Military-to name only a few. Kate Clinton, fresh from her fall tour, will also be on hand to offer her unique, humorous commentary on the developing Presidential election, and entertain guests at a gala dinner the closing night of the conference.

Founded in 1984, INLGO has become a major planning and support network of LGBT officials, whose numbers grow at every level of government with each additional year of activism. Recent years, and specifically, 2003, have born the fruits of activism in Canada and the U.S. in momentum and degree unrivaled in LGBT initiative history, spearheaded by many of INLGO’s conferencees.

Past conferences were welcomed by large urban centers such as Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto, San Juan, Houston, and Washington, DC. They have been hosted in Tempe, AZ; Cathedral City, CA; and Providence, RI. In 2004, New Orleans embraces INLGO’s 20th anniversary in conjunction with the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase.