A gay and lesbian advocacy group whose members were denied access to a speech by talk show host Laura Schlessinger in September filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the three Southern California counties that sponsored the address.
Seven members of Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services, a private group that works with gay and lesbian foster children, said police were called to escort them from the Palm Springs banquet hall where Schlesinger was to appear because they were wearing T-shirts reading "StopDrLaura.com."
Represented by the ACLU of Southern California, the advocates contend their 1st Amendment rights were violated.
Schlessinger, a conservative talk show host who has been at odds with the gay and lesbian community because of her view that homosexuality is wrong, was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Southern Counties Placement Conference in Palm Springs. The annual conference, sponsored by Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino county social service agencies, focuses on issues concerning foster care and adoption.
Members of Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services said they have joined other private and public adoption and foster agencies at the conference for 17 years. This, however, was the first time they have been barred from attending any portion of the two-day, $200 event, held Sept. 20 and 21.
