At a meeting this
weekend in Chicago, the Democratic National Committee
adopted new rules that will increase the number of LGBT
delegates at the 2008 Democratic national convention.
Every four years
the DNC approves a series of rules that guides state
parties in drafting delegate selection plans for the
national conventions. At the DNC meeting in Chicago,
rules were implemented to take action to correct past
underrepresentation of gay people among delegates.
The move was
heralded by the National Stonewall Democrats, the national
organization that lobbies for LGBT causes within the
Democratic Party.
"Although these
new rules will ultimately increase the number of LGBT
delegates in 2008, the rule has broader significance," said
Jo Wyrick, NSD's executive director. "These rules will
move state parties into deeper partnerships with LGBT
Democrats that will last well beyond the 2008
convention." (The Advocate)