Far from hiding, Rep. Frank, admired by his colleagues as a powerful and gifted debater, has never hesitated to declare his support for the recognition and protection of the rights of gay and lesbian Americans.

Rep. Frank in defense of providing sexual orientation counseling in schools

In 1994, Rep. Frank spoke in opposition to an amendment offered to the Improving America's Schools Act that would have cut off all federal funding to schools in Los Angeles and New York because the schools had provided sexual orientation counseling programs. Supporters of the amendment argued that by providing sexual orientation counseling, the schools were promoting homosexuality. The amendment was later defeated.

House of Representatives - March 24, 1994
[Page: H2027 - Congressional Record]

"... if you paid me to promote homosexuality, I do not know what I would do. How do you promote homosexuality? What do people think it is, a rock concert? A prize fight? How do you promote homosexuality? What shallowness of understanding of basic human nature leads Members to talk about promoting homosexuality, encouraging homosexuality? What do they think it is, a taste for food?"

"I suppose if we have a 16- or a 17-year-old whose feelings are homosexual and cannot turn them off, like a water faucet, despite the shallowness of the understanding that some people in here have of human nature, if we take that kid who has been abused and who has been picked on and put him in a more supportive environment, then we lose our money. How do we dare support that kid? How dare we tell her she is not worthless? How dare we try to say that the person should not be discouraged from going on with their life? That is what we are talking about."

Rep. Frank in defense of the rights of gay and lesbian families
Rep. Frank and his companion Herb Moses have been together for over 13 years. Frank often refers to his relationship with Herb and the strength of their family in floor debates.

House of Representatives - November 01, 1995
[Page: H11660 - Congressional Record]

"Are you so frightened that people will see two men living together in a loving relationship, or two women living together in a loving relationship, and that will undermine the family? Shame on you. You are the ones who undermine the family when you trivialize it like this."

"Is your faith in the family of such fragility that you think people are going to learn that Herb and I live together, ... and they are going to leave their wives?"

"I have no desire to abandon families. Ten days ago Herb and I were hosts to his sister and brother-in-law and their two children, and then my niece came down. We are both members of loving, extended families. We interact quite well with our families."

"Is it not the role of the Federal Government in fact to let people make their own choices. Are you saying that the people you represent, the people for whom you speak, do not think what they do has value, unless it is stamped `kosher for Passover' by the Federal Government, the necessary changes being made?"

Photo of Rep. Frank, his companion Herb Moses and their family
Scroll down to the third photo from the top of the page.

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