Again, gay militants' media positioning here is duplicitous and deceptive. Gay individuals who don't live under "gay rights" laws are not unprotected by law. Unless a gay individual is a member of a protected class on legitimate grounds (color, handicap, etc.), in which case being gay means no loss of privileges, he or she simply does not enjoy special protections and benefits reserved for legitimate minority group members who meet the criteria traditionally set down under civil rights law (which gays, as an entire class, do not meet at present). Gays still enjoy all protections common to all American citizens, regardless of whether or not they possess minority status. Affluent, politically powerful non-ethnic groups need no additional protections.