Aug. 7, 2002
All publications Front Page Nightspots Blacklines En La Vida Out! Resource Guide Current WCT Issue	BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS POLICY UNDER FIRE Recently, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) decided to require its local chapters to uphold the organization's national non-discrimination policy around sexual orientation. Although the policy is not new, until July of this year it was left to the discretion of the 500 local chapters whether to adopt the policy. Already, national and regional news stories, including ones in The Indianapolis Star and Fox News, as well as discussions on talk radio have addressed this issue. What many outlets may fail to cover is that each parent always has the final decision whether or not a mentor, regardless of sexual orientation, is right for his or her child, GLAAD said. Some anti-gay groups opposed to BBBSA's policy are campaigning that gays and lesbians are dangerous to children by characterizing gay men and lesbians as sexual predators and pedophiles. But what these groups ignore is overwhelming evidence that gays and lesbians are no more likely to be pedophiles than heterosexuals, GLAAD said. GLAAD is asking people to monitor the local media for stories about Big Brothers Big Sisters of America's non-discrimination policy. They also encourage letters to the group: national@bbbsa.org, plus any local chapters and young@glaad.org. To locate your local chapter, enter your zip code and city at this Web site: http://www.bbbsa.org/volunteer/offices.asp Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, National Office, 230 N. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, (215) 567-7000, Fax: (215) 567-0394, E-mail: national@bbbsa.org.
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