MPR’s Mike Mulcahy talks with Eric Stoltz, an aid to Minnesota State Senator Allen Spear, about the third annual Gay & Lesbian Political Conference, which is being held in Minneapolis. Topics of conference include 1988 elections and AIDS epidemic.
MPR’s Mike Mulcahy talks with Eric Stoltz, an aid to Minnesota State Senator Allen Spear, about the third annual Gay & Lesbian Political Conference, which is being held in Minneapolis. Topics of conference include 1988 elections and AIDS epidemic.
MIKE MULCAHY: This is the third annual Gay and Lesbian Political Conference. The first was in West Hollywood, California. Last year's was in Washington, DC. Eric Stoltz is an aide to DFL Senator Allan Spear of Minneapolis. He says the number of openly gay appointed and elected officials across the US and Canada is growing.
ERIC STOLTZ: More and more-- there's an established community for gay people where we do get support. This conference is a kind of a support system for these elected officials. And I also think that the issue of AIDS has politicized a lot of gay and lesbian people who decided in the past that they could remain closeted. AIDS and other issues that do confront our community are persuading these people that, hey, perhaps it's time to speak out as a gay or lesbian person and try to affect change more in that way.
MIKE MULCAHY: AIDS will be one of the major topics of the conference. Stoltz says gay politicians are not a monolithic bloc, and it's unlikely a consensus will be reached on what to do about the deadly disease. But he says there is general agreement in some areas.
ERIC STOLTZ: For instance, nondiscrimination against people with AIDS and probably the right to confidential testing and government funding for services to people with AIDS, as there should be government funding for people suffering from other diseases.
MIKE MULCAHY: Another major topic at the conference will be the 1988 presidential election. Stoltz says Democrats, Republicans, and independents will all be represented. While they're likely to support different candidates, he says there is some agreement on important issues.
ERIC STOLTZ: The candidates' sensitivity on violence issues, family law issues. In many states, there's still laws that make it illegal for gay people to be sexual with one another. And that was something that has played somewhat in national politics, particularly with the Supreme Court nomination, that was an issue that played a big role in the Bork and Kennedy decisions.
MIKE MULCAHY: Eric Stoltz is an aide to State Senator Allan Spear. Keynote addresses at the conference will be delivered by San Francisco City Supervisor Harry Britt and British Parliament member Chris Smith. I'm Mike Mulcahy.
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