Lambda Releases Internet Resource to End University Discrimination

(NEW YORK, July 18, 2000) — Bolstering the battle against discrimination and harassment on campus, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund Tuesday announced a new publication to help secure school policies that ban bias based on sexual orientation, protecting students plus faculty, administrators and other employees.

Launched via the Internet, the publication stresses the importance of policies that foster safe and hospitable campus environments. Replete with actual examples from colleges and universities around the country, it provides step-by-step instruction on drafting, advocating for, and defending anti-bias policies.

Subtitled, How to Stop Campus Administrators from Passing the Buck, the guide for Student Advocacy for University Anti-Bias Policies that Include Sexual Orientation advises advocates on drafting policies as well as responding to common objections and avoiding legal pitfalls.

“Eradicating discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation is vital to preserving the marketplace of ideas in college and university classrooms,” said Lambda Staff Attorney Marvin Peguese who authored the publication and spearheads Lambda’s outreach to college and university students. “Every college and university that hopes to teach lessons in fairness and respect should set the right example with an anti-bias policy that includes sexual orientation. With Lambda’s helpful resource, there is little excuse for inaction.”

Well over 250 post-secondary institutions have instituted anti-bias policies that include sexual orientation. Added Peguese, “Lambda has distilled what state legislatures and courts have said about anti-discrimination policies at colleges and universities. Powered with this knowledge, campus advocates should be able to counter even staunch opposition,” he said.

Highlighting the national trend in anti-bias policies, Peguese noted that already the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has recommended that all public and private colleges in the state add sexual orientation to their non-discrimination policies.

“Lambda chose to unveil this publication on the Web because that is such an effective medium for universities and colleges,” said Lambda Education Associate Deirdre Reznik, who oversees Lambda’s site, lambdalegal.org. “Lambda’s resource-rich Website already receives tens of thousands of ‘hits’ per day. It is unprecedented to have such a rapid way to share information and tools for advancing fairness and equality for lesbians, gay men and people with HIV/AIDS,” she added.

Lambda is the nation’s oldest and largest legal organization for lesbians, gay men and people with HIV/AIDS. Headquartered in New York, Lambda has offices in Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Contact: Peg Byron 212-809-8585 x 230, 888-987-1984 (pager)
Marvin C. Peguese 212-809-8585 x 213