ual? For instance, is a person of homosexual orientation who lives a celibate life still a homosexual? Is &
person who had only one homosexual affair in his life, and that out of curiosity, a homosexual? Although heterosexual in orientation, had the man been caught in his one homosexual affair, he could have been sent to jail for many years in some states. Or would this man have been classed as a bisexual? Attorney Bendich felt that there was definitely a basis for challenging laws which interfered with one's personal life where the protection of minors or public decency was not an issue.
From his studies it appeared that no higher percentage of homo sexuals was interested in youngsters of the same sex than of heterosexuals who were interested in seduci ng youngsters of the opposite sex. Ho doubted that "rape" by a heterosexual man was any more acceptable to the "rapee" than by a homosexual man. Mr. Bendich aligned himself on the side of freedom and dignity of the individual. There must be freedom of association and belief for the individual to maintain his dignity and integrity, Attorney Bendich felt.
An exciting discussion period followed. One member of the audience said that she felt that the topic had been designed to show that homosexuals were usually so mired in their own personal problems that they failed to soo that without championing other minority groups' civil rights, they could not claim their own. This thought fell dead on the floor as Mr. Bendich reiterated his posi ti on that the homosexual had no more responsibility for civil rights in the mation than the heterosexual.
Mr. Bendich did note that it was harder in many cases for homosexuals to do their civic duty or to champion civil rights because of the problem of publicity's costing them their jobs and their "honor."
WHAT IS 'PUBLIC INDECENCY'?
Ono man asked if sex laws couldn't be challenged on tho basis of separation of church and state. Attorney Bendich did not see how they could. A member of the Los Angeles chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis inspired a discussion
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