rly 80's, they have certainly moved from the shadows into the light. Their plight has been somewhat well documented. They have indeed suffered discrimination, just as victims of other minority groups have. On the surface it seems that fairness dictates that gays and lesbians should be accorded with the same protections given to the disabled, the aged, women, and minorities under the Civil Rights Act.
             The problem is that subtle differences exist between the protection needs of the disabled, the aged, women, and minorities, and the protection needs of homosexuals. Women and minorities are protected from discrimination because of inherent characteristics they have; likewise, older people and those with disabilities have no way of changing their condition. They have no control over these characteristics, for nature has dictated what they will be. Homosexuals also have inherent characteristics; in fact they share the same types of inherent char
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