Kentucky Fairness Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Kentucky Fairness Alliance (KFA) is an American
gay rights organization formed in 1993 and based in Kentucky
. The organization provides public education and advocacy on issues affecting gay
, lesbian
, bisexual, and transgender
(GLBT) individuals and families in Kentucky
.
since the early 1990s. In 1993 a group of GLBT Kentuckians from across the Commonwealth, but principally from Louisville and Central Kentucky, formed the Kentucky Fairness Alliance Education Fund with the expressed purpose of educating the public on GLBT issues.
The organization's founders included Carla Wallace and Pam McMichael of Louisville; Pam Goldman and Keith Elston of Lexington; Barry Grossheim of Northern Kentucky; the Rev. Ben Guess of Henderson; and other activists from around the state. Many in this group came to the Kentucky Fairness Alliance from their involvement in groups like Louisville's Fairness Campaign and Lexington's Gay and Lesbian Service Organization. The group's formation was in part a response to attempts in the Kentucky General Assembly
to recriminalize consensual sodomy
after the Kentucky Supreme Court
, in Kentucky v. Wasson
overturned a statute making consensual oral or anal sex between members of the same sex illegal while allowing these sex acts between members of the opposite sex.
that bans same-sex marriage and civil unions for same-sex couples.
’s General Advisory Council condemned Kentucky Fairness Alliance. The condemnation was short lived; on April 18, 2008 Kentucky Equality Federation's Board of Directors rescinded the General Advisory Council's condemnation of Kentucky Fairness Alliance and terminated 9 of the 14 members on the General Advisory Council.
According to published reports, one reason for the dispute between the two organizations was related to Bluegrass Fairness of Central Kentucky, once a chapter of Kentucky Fairness Alliance. Kentucky Equality Federation’s General Advisory Council also sited problems in working with Christina Gilgor, Executive Director of Kentucky Fairness Alliance. Gilgor responded by saying "In a community so broad, complete agreement on every issue all the time is near impossible."
, and Kentucky Equality Federation
where among the many sponsors of the event supporting Kentucky Fairness Alliance.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
gay rights organization formed in 1993 and based in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. The organization provides public education and advocacy on issues affecting gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, bisexual, and transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
(GLBT) individuals and families in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
History
Because of its role as an advocate for GLBT Kentuckians, the history of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance mirrors the legal and legislative issues affecting gay rights in KentuckyKentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
since the early 1990s. In 1993 a group of GLBT Kentuckians from across the Commonwealth, but principally from Louisville and Central Kentucky, formed the Kentucky Fairness Alliance Education Fund with the expressed purpose of educating the public on GLBT issues.
The organization's founders included Carla Wallace and Pam McMichael of Louisville; Pam Goldman and Keith Elston of Lexington; Barry Grossheim of Northern Kentucky; the Rev. Ben Guess of Henderson; and other activists from around the state. Many in this group came to the Kentucky Fairness Alliance from their involvement in groups like Louisville's Fairness Campaign and Lexington's Gay and Lesbian Service Organization. The group's formation was in part a response to attempts in the Kentucky General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
to recriminalize consensual sodomy
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
after the Kentucky Supreme Court
Kentucky Supreme Court
The Kentucky Supreme Court was created by a 1975 constitutional amendment and is the state supreme court of the commonwealth of Kentucky. Prior to that the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky...
, in Kentucky v. Wasson
Kentucky v. Wasson
Kentucky v. Wasson was a 1992 Kentucky Supreme Court decision striking down that state's criminalization of consensual sodomy between same-sex partners, holding that this was a violation of both the equal protection of the laws and the right to privacy...
overturned a statute making consensual oral or anal sex between members of the same sex illegal while allowing these sex acts between members of the opposite sex.
2004 Marriage Amendment
A coalition of state and national organizations were unsuccessful in their opposition of the 2004 anti-marriage amendment Kentucky ConstitutionKentucky Constitution
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the document that governs the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was first adopted in 1792 and has since been rewritten three times and amended many more...
that bans same-sex marriage and civil unions for same-sex couples.
Loss of Bluegrass Chapter Steering Committee members
In May 2007 the Steering Committee members of the Lexington Chapter of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance (Bluegrass Fairness), broke from the state organization and started an independent organization that in early 2008 incorporated under the name Lexington Fairness.Loss of Northern Kentucky Chapter Steering Committee members
On June 01, 2008, all members of the Steering Committee for the Northern Kentucky Fairness Alliance resigned. The group now operates as a task force under the name Equality Northern Kentucky.Condemned by Kentucky Equality Federation
On January 09, 2008 Kentucky Equality FederationKentucky Equality Federation
Kentucky Equality Federation is an umbrella gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization in the Commonwealth of Kentucky consisting of Federation for Kentucky Equality, Inc., Kentucky Equality Coalition, Inc., and Kentucky Equality PAC....
’s General Advisory Council condemned Kentucky Fairness Alliance. The condemnation was short lived; on April 18, 2008 Kentucky Equality Federation's Board of Directors rescinded the General Advisory Council's condemnation of Kentucky Fairness Alliance and terminated 9 of the 14 members on the General Advisory Council.
According to published reports, one reason for the dispute between the two organizations was related to Bluegrass Fairness of Central Kentucky, once a chapter of Kentucky Fairness Alliance. Kentucky Equality Federation’s General Advisory Council also sited problems in working with Christina Gilgor, Executive Director of Kentucky Fairness Alliance. Gilgor responded by saying "In a community so broad, complete agreement on every issue all the time is near impossible."
Annual Gay & Lesbian Film Series
Kentucky Fairness Alliance held the 1st Annual Gay & Lesbian Film Series Kickoff Gala on May 30, 2008 in Louisville. The Human Rights CampaignHuman Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
, and Kentucky Equality Federation
Kentucky Equality Federation
Kentucky Equality Federation is an umbrella gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization in the Commonwealth of Kentucky consisting of Federation for Kentucky Equality, Inc., Kentucky Equality Coalition, Inc., and Kentucky Equality PAC....
where among the many sponsors of the event supporting Kentucky Fairness Alliance.
See also
- LGBT rights in the United States
- List of LGBT rights organizations