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from Political News
Gay and Sexual Liberation Groups Collaborate To Overturn Laws Governing Sexual Behavior
June 1, 2004 - The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) and the
Woodhull Freedom Foundation (WFF) have announced a joint project to investigate
and then lobby to overturn state and federal laws governing "consensual sexual"
activities between individuals.
The new alliance is seeking to overturn age-of-consent laws governing sexual
relations between children or teenagers; to repeal laws banning public sex in
restrooms and parks; and to legalize prostitution as a consensual activity.
The announcement was made in a joint press release issued on May 28, 2004.
According to the release, the project will serve a dual purpose, "... to educate
Americans about the prevalence and abuse of antiquated and unjust sex laws in
the nation, and to give grassroots activists policy and organizing tools to work
to change these laws."
Dr. Mary Frances Berry, chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, is a WFF
board member. According to Berry, "We believe that once people are educated on
these issues, they will demand change."
The Woodhull Freedom Foundation web site says their organization is devoted to
the legalization of consensual sex between individuals, including prostitution
and sex in public restrooms. It is also dedicated to the elimination of
abstinence-only sex education and supports laws emphasizing "sexual expression,
sexual orientation, gender and racial discrimination."
The WFF is named for Victoria Woodhull, a 19th century feminist and advocate of
free love. According to the WFF, Woodhull "advocated sexual satisfaction and
love for all, legal prostitution, the right to multiple partners, and supported
people's abilities to make their own decisions about consensual sexual
activities CNSNews.com has more details on this story.
The effort by gay groups to overturn state laws against sex in areas such as
restrooms and highway rest stops was underway in Massachusetts several years
ago. In 2001, the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) won a legal
decision against police officers picking up gays who were having sex in roadside
rest areas. The Supreme Judicial Court ruled that men could engage in public sex
acts in restrooms so long as there is no "substantial risk" that they will be
observed by passersby. GLAD is the organization that sued and won the right of
gays to marry in Massachusetts in May, 2004.
Updated: 8 February 2008
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