Having grown up with his gay father and his partner, Lee Morehouse has a unique perspective on family life. Unfortunately, it is a perspective that is often criticized by both students and administrators in the Kansas City public school system. But instead of trying to hide his unique family, Lee has committed himself to advocating for gay rights and standing strong in the face of opposition.
This past year, Lee led a group of his fellow students in the conception and creation of a Gay Straight Alliance at his high school and was subsequently elected president. In addition to leading the GSA, Lee also served as a summer intern with the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri and worked diligently to establish the ACLU's Bill of Rights in the Schools program.
Lee has also been busy putting his First Amendment rights to action. As a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in Kansas City, Lee has attended many rallies protesting the war in Iraq. In February 2003, Lee and his father traveled with a group from Kansas City on a bus trip to Washington, DC to attend a nationwide protest against the war.
“My hope is that, during my life, I can be a part of protecting the rights of those harmed by discrimination of any kind,” Lee said. “I want to use my education as a springboard to social and civil activism.”
