Groups protest gay-rights bill

SB200 was promoted as a civil rights measure to ban discrimination in Colorado against homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders when buying a home, renting an apartment or using public accommodations.

But Focus on the Family and Colorado Family Action call it an invitation for sexual predators and transgendered people to use restrooms meant for the opposite sex.

Wednesday, the groups started advertising on four radio stations in Colorado Springs and Denver denouncing the bill, which the Legislature recently passed. The ads urge people to voice their disapproval to Gov. Bill Ritter, who has until June 5 to sign or veto the bill.

The groups claim there are two problems with SB200:

- It will endanger children because sexual predators will be able to cross-dress and legally use restrooms designated for the opposite sex.

"Sexual predators can take advantage of this law and use it to find victims," said Focus judicial analyst Bruce Hausknecht. "This is a broad civil rights bill. It was done without a lot of thought."

- It will offer special rights to transgendered people - those who were born one gender but identify with the other - and allow them inappropriate access to a bathroom of the opposite sex.

Jim Pfaff, president and CEO of Colorado Family Action in Castle Rock, said transgenders, like anyone else, should not have the right to go into a restroom of the opposite sex.

"A male who has the physical attributes of a man and dresses in a manner opposite his gender should not be in a woman's restroom," Pfaff said. "This is a recipe for major problems."

Sen. Jennifer Veiga, D-Denver, who introduced the bill, said the groups' objections are ridiculous and have no basis in fact.

"They are using scare tactics," she said.

She challenged them to cite any cases linking the use of public bathrooms by transgenders to criminal behavior. Last May, Veiga introduced another bill, SB25, that prohibits employment discrimination against homosexuals, bisexuals and transgenders. Ritter signed it into law. SB200 was introduced to extend the rights of these groups to housing and public accommodations.

Ryan Acker, executive director of the Pikes Peak Gay and Lesbian Community Center in Colorado Springs, said SB200 isn't about special rights, but protects basic civil rights.

"This levels the playing field legally," he said.

As for the family groups' argument that the law will increase sexual predation, Acker said, "When you want to divide a population, you use an example that is not realistic."

Nancy-Jo Morris, a 50-year-old Colorado Springs resident, is a transgender who has been using women's restrooms for nine years. She said if she used a man's bathroom she would be harassed, and she looks forward to the bill becoming law so that she doesn't have to worry about being denied access to a public bathroom.

The predatory argument, she said, is fear-mongering.

"It's sad that Focus, an organization that should be spreading love, is instead spreading hate and fear," Morris said.

Ritter has not taken a position on the bill, but his spokesman, Evan Dreyer, criticized the ad campaign.

"You listen to the radio ad and it sounds like Focus on the Family is trying to wage a political campaign based on fear," he said. "The people of Colorado deserve honest debate and not something like this."