FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact Brian Winfield at (727) 642-7799 or

Nadine Smith or (813)781-6093.

April 10, 2001

State Representative Trovillion Embarrasses Legislature in Meeting
with Youth Leaders Trovillion Tells Students, "God…is going to destroy you."

(Tallahassee) - "God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and he is going to
destroy you and a lot of others."

Through a fire of homophobic comments, state Rep. Allen Trovillion, R
–Winter Park, embarrassed the Florida Legislature on Monday, when he
unleashed a personal tirade against Orlando students who visited him
seeking help to end school-based harassment and violence.

The students, part of a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender youth in Tallahassee for Equality Florida’s Youth Lobby
Day, visited representatives seeking to share their individual stories
about the frequency of anti-gay violence in Florida schools. One of
the students, 17-year-old Chris Vasquez, was left in tears by
Trovillion’s remarks.

"He (Trovillion) is one of the people we’re supposed to look up to for
moral guidance and support," Vasquez said. "He’s spouting…ideas that
only make the world more dangerous for gay youth."

Statistics from national and state studies already paint a grim
picture of life for sexual minority youth in schools. A nationwide
report released by GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network
in 1999, revealed three out of four sexual minority youth report
verbal, sexual or physical harassment on their school campus. Similar
reports show that those students who are, or perceived to be lesbian,
gay, bisexual or transgender are four times more likely to be injured
or threatened with a weapon on school grounds.

Thomas Gentile, a 19-year-old youth from Boca Raton, told Trovillion
that classmates targeted him because of his sexual orientation.
School administrators suspended the attackers for only one day, then
humiliated Gentile by suggesting he provoked the violence by being
"too openly gay."

Despite a nationwide call for additional security and safety on school
campuses, Rep. Trovillion told Gentile, "You have to suffer the
consequences of your actions."

Vasquez, a member of the Orlando’s Gay and Lesbian Idea Exchange for
Youth (GALIXY), responded to Monday’s incident, "Ironically,
Trovillion’s comments only prove our point that discrimination
against sexual minority youth is still rampant in our state...sexual
minority youth need protection from harassment in their schools."

A recent Pinellas County School Climate Survey reported that sexual
minority youth were four times more likely than their straight peers
to skip school because they feared for their safety. The survey also
showed that 63% of the Pinellas students hear anti-gay comments more
than twice a day.

"I don’t understand why the gay population is becoming so vocal,"
Trovillion questioned. "You are going to cause the downfall of this
country which was built on Christian principals."

Statewide human rights leaders expressed outrage upon hearing of
Trovillion’s remarks. Equality Florida executive director, Nadine
Smith, expressed her disappointment and urged the Florida Legislature
to take action.

"Representative Trovillion has disgraced and embarrassed the Florida
Legislature by callously dismissing the painful experiences of these
students, " said Smith. "We call on the Governor, Trovillion’s
colleagues in the Legislature, and all fair minded Floridians to stand
with students who are striving to make our schools safe." To this end,

Equality Florida is asking all Floridians to express their outrage by
contacting Governor Bush at 850-488-4441 and asking him to show
desperately needed leadership in condemning the bigoted actions of a
callous legislator.

Established in 1997, Equality Florida brings together people who share
the goals of achieving equality and human rights for all, and
eliminating discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender, race,
and economic status. For more information, Equality Florida can be
reached at (813) 870-EQFL(3735).