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[Sub-Series] Newsletters & Publications > Tom Neal Newsletters > Tulsa Family News
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Arkansas; Ant|- ay. Law
Ru|cO ! nconst|t t|on
LI~LE.ROC~ ~AP)- ~ A ~dg~~out
out Gays, for ~os~u~o~ ~oug~ no-onv.~.
pros~ut~.~d~~ 19.~:law, seven~ple-who s~d
¯ey w~e Gay told~~~eyf~~ing
~nvict~~dlosing~rjo~ orprof~sio~ H~scs.
~Co~ty Circ~t Judge David ~g~d s~d
~sla~e~wh~it~~~,non~mm~
sex~ acdvid~ ~ong ~ple of ~
gend~. ~e state~~ aJ~hc~g ~t
gov~t~~ int~t in~i~g~vior
~tmost of i~~wo~d findmolly~o~-
ate; but Bog~d&s~.
’~~plc of~k~~ve ~eright to le~slateon
issu~ involv~g mo~s. but homosex~ is not o~y
a question of mor~s," Bog~d s~d. Citing a 1~2
fromWis~. Bog~d s~d a way offife ’~t is ~d
or ev~ ~afic" see So.my, p~ 2
Iowa Study: Tolerance of
Gays May Be Growing
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -Thereason thatmoreAmericans
are reporting homosexual encounters thana decade
ago may bethe increasing tolerance of Gays and
Lesbians, a University of Iowa study says. "Declining
social, legal and economic sanctions against samegender
sexual behavior in recent years and more positive
images of Gay men and Lesbians in the media may
have made it easier for people to recognize their samegender
sexual interest and act on it," said Amy Buffer,
the study’s author.
Butler, an associate professor in the University of
Iowa’ s School of Social Work, used data collected for
the General Social Surveys conducted by the National
Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago.
Her study, published in November in the Journal of
Sex Research, shows that between 1988 and 1998 the
number ofwomenwhosaid theyhad a sexual encounterwith
another woman in the previous year went from
0.2% of respondents to 2.8%, a 14-fold increase. For
men, the number who said they had a homosexual
experience jumped from 1.7% of respondents to 4.1%.
Whethermorepositivemediaportrayals play arole in
the increasing reports of homosexual activity is hard to
determine, Butler said. For certain, the media wouldn’ t
mt shows on television or produce movies that portray
~ositive Gay lives see Tolerance, p. 2
DIRECTORY P. 2
EDITORIAL. P. :3
US & woRLD, NEWS P. 4~
HEALTH NEWS P~e~ ~
ENTERTAINgE~, MORE: P~ ~
GAY STUDIE~ING L~BfAN: P~ tO/11
" Serving Lesbian, Gay; Bisexual + Transgendered Tulsens, Our Families + Friends
"Embrace Diversity"_
2001 Parade + Fesbval
". TULSA (TFN) - Oklahoma’s biggest celebration of its kind,
." Tulsa" s "Diversity Celebration", is shaping up to be the biggest
¯ to date. A full week of events, designed to educate the general
¯" public oncivil rights issues and the need for equality for the Gay/
." Lesbian/Bisexual and Trmmgendered (GLBT) community are
: planned for the city of Tulsa and the Midwest region.
¯ "Fmbrace Diversity" is Tulsa’ s"21st celebration of the beginning
of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender civil rights
." movement. Begun as the Tulsa Pride Picnic in 1980, "Diversity
" Celebration"has grown over the pastfew years to become oneof
-" Tulsa’s largest events. The past two celebrations have garnered
~" national attentionfrom Los Angeles to New York with coverage
: by PlanetOut, Genre and Curve, as well as local GLBT and
: heterosexually oriented television, print and.ele.ctro~ic, media.
1999~saw Tulsa,welcome United States Rep. Barney Frank (D-
: Mass..)~as,the OrandMarshal of Tulsa" s first full fledgedparade.
¯ Last y~t:, the city welcomed Greta Cammermeyer and Greg
Loug~,s as they hhared their personal stories of triumph over
adversi~ and whoserved as Grand Marshals for the Parade.
¯ Featured this year are allies outside the GLBT community -
: the families of GLBT individuals. Traveling from across the
¯ nation,, these brave families come to Tulsa to educate and share
¯" their stories of loved ones as we honor them as Grand Marshals
: of Tulsa’s 3rd GLBT Parade (Pride Parade).
: TulsaOklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR), the presenting
¯ sponsor of "Diversity Celebration 2001", has released the fol-
: lowing schedule of events:
Saturday, June 2, 2001
TOHR Foifies 2001
Presented by TOHR
’Trom Here to Eternity"Avondale Studio & Theatre
¯ (the old Delaware Playhouse), 1511 So. Delaware Ave., 8pm
see Diversity, p. 3
¯ HIV and Young Black Gay Men
¯ by Margie Mason, Associated Press Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - In the wake of soaring HIV statistics
" surrounding the nation’s Gay Black men, a panel of educators
- came together at the end of March to admit their failures and
: discuss strategies to help curb the rate of contraction.
¯ ’These people are coming to us to get HIV testing or to get
¯ screened for (sexually transmitted diseases)," said Lucia Torian,
¯ from the New York City Department of Health. ’They are in our
" offices. They’re in our clinics. We are even counseling them.
¯ What’s going on7"
¯ Torian spoke to a packed conference room as part of. the 13th
." NationalHIV/AIDS UlxlateConference.ShesaidarecentYoung
Men’ s Survey inNew York showed one in every three Blackmen
¯ sampled were HIV positive, even though they had less sexual
" partners th~n white men ages 23 to 29.
¯ Torian said Gay Blackmen as a group held the highest rates of
¯ infection from 1989-1999. ’This is an incidence rate in men who
" have sex with men that wehave not seen since the late 1980s.-So
: we have our work cut out for us," Torian said. "’And we may be
¯ on the leading edge of the epidemic."
San Francisco’s Gay Black HIV prevalence rates are compa-
: rable with an estimated 54.6% of the population spanning all age
: groups, said Willi McFarland from the San Francisco Depart-
¯ ment of Public Health.
"It’ s an astonishing figure, and we’re not entirely sure how to
¯ answer it," he said. ’’It’s one of the highest for any group in the
¯ city." Black transgender men in San Francisco have a 60% to
: 65% prevalence rate, McFarland said.
¯¯ SusanKegeles, of theUniversity ofSan Francisco’ s Center for
AIDS Prevention Studies, spoke on the panel about ideas for a
¯ program to attract the troubled demographic. She heads the
¯ Mpowerment Project, hailed by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention as the only effective intervention program for
¯ youngGay and bisexual men, which uses peer groups in various
¯ cities to,create a dialogue and. a safe place for men to talk about
¯ SeX.
see African, p. lO
City Human Rights Group
Wants to Talk to Gays
TULSA (TFN) - About seven years after record
numbers of citizens attended public hearings on
amending Tulsa’ s human rights ordinance to include
"sexual orientation," at leastone staffperson with the
City of Tulsa Human Rights Commission/Department
says she wants to know the issues and concerns
of Tulsa’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered
(GLBT) community.
University ofTulsaintemAngieJohann_esen, asked
to do an internship for her sociology degree with the
City’ s HumanRights Commlssion. Atherinstigation
the’ Commission is currently developing a series of
focus groups with individuals in the GLBT community.
Thefocus groups will takeplace later this spring.
However, before any specific dates are set, the Human
Rights Commission wants~to gauge the number
of persons who would be willing to participate.
Johaunesen contac~ted TulsaOldahomam for Human
Rights, (TOHR) and TUlsa Family News to let
GLBTpeopleknow about the effort and to encourage
them to participate in the focus groups. Johannesen
promises that individuals’ privacy will be respected..
Johaunesen noted that one goal of the Commission
was to create a resource manual of LGBT groups,
similar to lists which TOHR and TFN already have
developed. Another goal is to provide support to Gay
students in Tulsa Public Schools some ofwhomhave
contacted the Commission about harassment in
schools.
Those willing to participate should contact Angie
Johannesen at the Human Rights Commission, 596-
7837, orby e-mail at angela-johannesen@umlsa.edu.
TOHR also encourages those with any questions to
contact them at 743-4297 or by e:mail at
tobrl0@hotmail.com, see editorial, p. 3.
Gay Man Severely Beaten
In Attempted Murder
MiDDLEBURG, Pa, (AP) - Two brothers were ordered
to stand trial in Snyder County Court, accused
of stomping and punching a man who is now in a
coma; one ofthem allegedly told police that the attack
was provoked by a homosexual advance.
Todd J. Clinger, 18, and Troy L. Clinger, 20, both
of Middleburg are charged with attempted murder in
the March 6 attack on Michael Auker. Hc was then
carried to his trailer, where he was found two days
later in a comatose state.
"Wefoundhimunconscious and bleedingfrom the
head. Every bone in his face was broken," state
trooper Frederick Dyroff testified in a preliminary
hearing.
Dyroff testified that Todd Clinger said the assault
on Auker was the result ofa sexual advance byAuker.
Both ofthe brothers and Auker were drinking atTodd
Clinger’ s trailer prior to the incident, police said.
Auker remains in what Snyder County District
Attorney Mike Sholley called a "permanenvcomatose"
at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.
Nicki Lee White, Troy Clinger’s fiance, said the
brothers planned to lure Auker out to their deck so
they could "beat him up, kill him."
"He (Auker) was trying to cover his face," White
said. "I’hat’s when Todd started stomping on him,
stomping on his face?’
Bothofthe brothers’ parents face charges related tc
their role following the incident. Their father, Gary
Clinger~ 37, accused of helping the brothers move
Auker to his-trailer, was charged with criminal trespass,
burglary., and. endangering another person.
Theirmother~ConnieLynnCringers40, wascharged
with criminal solicitation.
Tulsa Clubs & Restaurants
*Bamboo Lounge, 7204 E. Pine
*CW’ s, 1737 S. Memorial
*Play-Mot, 424 S. Memorial
Polo Grill, 2038 Utica Square
*Renegades/Rainbow Room, 1649 S. Main
*St. Michael’s Alley Restaurant, 3324-L E. 31st
*Schatzi’ s, 2619 S. Memorial
*The Star, 1565 Sheridan
*TNT’s, 2114 S. Memorial
*Tool Box II, 1338 E. 3rd
*Vortex, 2182 S. Sheridan
*The Yellow Brick Road Pub, 2630 E. 15th
832-1269
610-5323
838-9792
744-4280
585-3405
745-9998
280-1316
834-4234
660-0856
584-1308
835-2376
749-1563
Tulsa Businesses, Services, & Professionals
Assoc. in Med: & Mental Health, 2325 S. Harvard 743-1000
Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 8620 E. 71 250-5034
Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 5231 E. 41 665-4580
Body Piercing by Nicole, 2722 IE. 15 712-1122
*Borders Books &Music, 2740 E. 21 . 712-9955
*Borders Books & Music, 80i5 S. Yale 494-2665
Brookside Jewelry,.4649 S. Peoria 743-5272
*CD Warehouse, 3807c S. Peoria 746-0313
*Cheap Thrills, 2640 E. 1 lth 295-5868
Cherry St. Psychotherapy, 1515 S. Lewis 581-0902, 743-4117
Community Cleaning, Kerby Baker 622-0700
Tim Daniel, Attorney 352-9504, 800-742-9468
*Deco to Disco, 3212 E. 15th 749-3620
Doghouse on Brookside, 3311 S. Peoria 744-5556
*Elite Books & Videos, 821 S. Sheridan 838-8503
Encompass Travel, 13161H N. Memorial 369-8555
Ross Edward Salon 584-0337, 712-9379
Events Unlimited, 507 S. Main 592-0460
Floral Design Studio, 3404 S. Peoria 744-9595
Four Star Import Automotive, 990,6 E. 55th P1. 610-0880
Cathy Furlong, Ph.D., 1980 Utica S~i. Med. Ctr. 628-3709
Gay & Lesbian Affordable Daycare 808-8026
*Gloria Jean’s Gourmet Coffee, 1758 E. 21st 742-1460
Leanne M. Gross, Insurance & financial planning 459-9349
Mark T. Hamby, Attorney 744-7440
*Sandra J: Hill, MS, Psychotherapy, 2865 E Skelly 745-1111
*International Tours 341-6866
Jacox Animal Clinic, 2732 E. 15th 712-2750
*Jared’s Antiques, 1602 E. 15th 582-3018
David Kauskey, Country Club Barbering 747-0236
The Keepers, Housekeeping & Gardening 582-8460
*Kerfs Flowers, 1635 E. 15 599-8070
Kelly Kirby, CPA, 4021 S. Harvard, #210 747-5466
*Living ArtSpace, 308 South Kenosha 585-1234
*Midtown Theater, 319 E. 3rd 584-3112
Mingo Valley Flowers, 9720c E. 31 663-5934
*Mohawk Music, 6157 E 51 Place 664-2951
Puppy Pause II, 1060 S. Mingo 838-7626
*The Pride Store 743-4297
Rainbowz on the River B+B, POB 696, 74101 747-5932
Richard’ s Carpet Cleaning 834-0617
Teri Schutt, Ellen & Co. 834-7921, 748-0224
Paul Tay, Car Salesman 260-7829
*Tulsa Comedy Club, 6906 S~ Lewis 481-0558
Venus Salon, 1247 S. Harvard 835-5563
Fred Welch, LCSW, Counsding 743-1733
*Wherehouse Music, 5150 S. Sheridan 665-2222
*Whittier News Stand, 1 N. Lewis 592-0767
www.gaytulsa.org - website for Tulsa Gays & Lesbians
Tulsa Agencies, Churches, Schools & Universities
AIDS Walk Tulsa, POB 4337, 74101 579-9593
All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 S. Peoria 743-2363
"Black&White, Inc. POB 14001, Tulsa 74159 587-7314
Bless The Lord at All Times Christian Center, 2207 E. 6 583-7815
918.583.1248, fax: 583.4615
POB 4140. Tulsa, OK 74159, e-mail: TulsaNews@earthlinEnet
Publisher + Editor: Tom Neal
Writers + contributors: James Christjohn, Karin Gregory, Barry
Hensley, J.-P. Legrandbouche, Lament Lindstrom, Esther
Rothblum, Mary Schepers, Hughston Walkinshaw
Member of The Associated Press
Issued around the 1st of each month, the entire contents of this
publication are protected by US copyright 2001 by Tulsa
Family News and may not be reproduced eitherin whole or in
part without written permission from the publisher. Publication
of a name or photo does not indicate a person’ s sexual
orientation. Correspondence is assumed to be for publication
unless otherwise noted, must be signed& becomes the sole
property of Tulsa Family News. Each reader is entitled to ~4,
copies of each edition at distribution point.
Additional copies are available by calling 583-1248,
BILiG/T Alliance, Univ. of Tulsa United Min. Ctr. 583-9780
Ch~lpFri~q~,,Conunerce,.Bldg,.;,~616~.S.:B_Oston. :...585-.120! ~ :. ~Ol~,:J~h,°~u~e~gn’_lP~anM~ntg°mery - 5500~-6225]~65~
*Democratic Headquarters, 3930 E. 31 :’~ 742-2457’ " "-
Dignity/Integrity of Tulsa- Lesbian & GayCatholics & ,
Episcopalians, POB 701475, 74170-1475 355-3140 "_
*Fellowship Congreg. Church, 2900 S. Harvard 747-7777 ¯
*Free Spirit Women’ s Center, call for location &info: 587-4669
Friend For A Friend, POB 52344, 74152 747-6827
Friends in Unity Social Org., POB 8542, 74101 582-0438
*Tulsa C.A.R.E.S., 3507 E. Admiral 834-4194
HOPE, HIV Outreach, Prevention, Education 834~8378
*HouseoftheHoly SpiritMinstries,1517S. Memorial 224-4754
*MCC United, 1623 N. Maplewood 838-1715
NAMES Project, 3507 E. Admiral PI. 748-3111
NOW, Nat’l Org. for Women, POB 14068, 74159 365-5658
OK Spokes Club (bicycling), POB 9165, 74157
*OSU-Tulsa
PFLAG, POB 52800, 74152 749-4901
*Planned Parenthood, 1007 S. Peoria 587-7674
Prime-Timers, P.O. Box 52118, 74152
R.A.I.N., Regional AIDS Interfaith Network 749-4195
*Red Rock Mental Center, 1724 E. 8 584-2325
St. Aidan’ s Episcopal Church, 4045 N. Cincinnati 425-7882
St. Dlmstan’s Episcopal, 5635 E. 71st 492-7140
*St. Jerome’ s Parish Church, 205 W. King 582-3088
Soulforce-OK, Rt.4, # 3534, Stigler74462 587-3248,452-2761
*Tulsa Area United Way, 1430 S. Boulder 583-7171
*TNAAPP (Native American men), Indian Health Care 582-7225
Tulsa County Health Department, 4616 E. 15 595-4105
Confidential HIV Testing - by appt. on Thursdays only
Tulsa Okla. for Human Rights, Gay Comm. Center 743-4297
TUL-PAC, PositiveAdvocacy Coalition,POB2687,Tulsa 74101
T.U.L.S.A. Tulsa Uniform]Leather Seekers Assoc. 298-0827
*Tulsa City Hall, Ground Floor Vestibule
*Tulsa Community College Campuses
*Tulsa Gay Community Center, 21 st &Memorial 743-4297
Unity Church of Christianity, 3355 S. Jamestown 749-8833
BARTLESVILLE
Bartlesville Public library, 600 S. Johnstone 918-337-5353
TAHLEQUAH
Stonewall League, call for information: 918-456-7900
Tahlequah Unitarian-Universalist Church 918-456-7900
Green Country AIDS Coalition, POB 1570 918-453-9360
EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
Autunm Breeze Restaurant, Hwy. 23 501-253-7734
Jim & Brent’s Bistro, 173 S. Main 501-253-7457
DeVito’s Restaurant, 5 Center St. 50 1-253-6807
Emerald Rainbow, 45 &l/2 Spring St. 501-253-5445
MCC of the Living Spring 50 1-253-9337
Geek to Go!, PC Specialist, POB 429 501-253-2776
could not be condemned just because it is
¯ different.
"Perhaps it is repugnant to heterosexuals
¯ to contemplate persons of the same sex
¯ engaging privately in oral or anal sex; how-
, ever, to enact a law in Arkansas which
¯ criminalizes such conductbetween consent-
¯ ing adults violates the Arkansas constitution,"
the judge wrote.
¯ Ruth Harlow,legal director oftheLambda
¯ Legal Defense and Education Fund in New
¯ York, whichrepresented the group, said that
¯" even though no one was prosecuted, its
¯ members did notlikebeing branded as crimi-
: nals. "The law hangs over their heads and
¯ treats them like second-class citizens," she ¯
said. ’~It says it’ s illegal:when yogi do it but
¯_" not whenyourneighbordoes, as king as they
¯ are heterosexual?~- .:,~r:. ~,:
~2 Darrin-W,illiams;cNef"of staff£or Arkansas
Attorney General" Mark Pryor; said the
office would decide on an appeal later. The
Arkansas law carried a $1,000 fine andup to
a year in jail.
Bogard said his opinion was not an endorsement
ofhomosexuality nor a critidism.
’‘This court’ s opinion today should not in
any way be deemed to condone or condemn
any particular lifestyle or the moral behavior
associated therewith," he said. Kansas,
Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah have
similar laws.
if the public wasn’ t willing to accept it, she
said.
Her study says the way Gays and Lesbians
appear in the media may make some
people more comfortable acting on homosexual
impulses.
Buffer said that thepercentage of people
who reported having had these experiences
is small. ’Tmnot documenting a full-blown
revolution," she said.
In 1988, 74.9% of respondents said that
sex between two people of the same sex is
always wrong. By 1998 that number had
dropped to 54.6%, according to the General
Social Surveys.
Buffer. said the findings will have critics
and supporters. The religious right, for example,
might use the study to show how
America has become too tolerant of homosexuality,
she said. Gay and Lesbian actiV-
: ists might beupsetby her suggestion that the
¯ data indicate sexuality is, at least in some
: cases; cultttrally constructedrather thanbio-
¯ logically determined. ¯
Butler speculated that there may b~ sev-
~ eral reasons tolerance has increased, such as
: declassifying homosexuality as a psychiat-
¯ ric diseasein the 1970s and the growth ofthe
Gay Pride movement. The latter, she said,
¯ may have forced people to question their
¯ long-held beliefs. "But there is still a lot of
¯ intolerance," she said.
Federal Hate Crimes Bill Reintroduced
Bipartisan Bill Will Expand Federal Law to Include Gender, Sexual
Orientation, and Disability; Expands Enforcement Powers
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Senators Gordon "
Smith (R-OR) and Edward Kennedy (DMA)
with Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA),
Congresswoman Connie Morella (R-MD) "
and Democratic colleagues re-introduced ¯
federal hate crimes legislationin Congress
today, advancing an important policy dis- ¯
cussion onbias-related violence across the ¯
The Local Law Enforcement Enhance- ."
merit Act of 2001 is a bipartisan bill which "
wo.uld extend existing federal hate crimes ¯
laws to include gender, disability, and
sexual, orientation. Thebill has 51 cospon- "
sors m the Senate and 180 in the House. "
"A government’s first duty is topmtect ¯
and defend its citizens. Ourlaws~shoulddo ¯
that by reflegting oat.highest values, .not "
by sheltering ourlowestfears~’7 said Smith.
’XDver the past several years~ .Americans
have been listening with their hearts, not
just their ears, and they are ready for a hate "
crimes bill. I am confident that Congress ¯
will Pass legislation this year so that the ¯
potential victims of hate crimes know that
the federal government is on their side."
Senator Smith first sponsored.the bill ¯
with Senator Kennedy in 1999 and intro- :
ducedit as an amendment to legislationin "-
as voting. In addition to the newcategories,
the Local Law EnforcementEnhancement
Act will broaden federal jurisdiction
to include hate crimes that cause death or
bodily injury.
The Local Law Enforcement Enhancement
Act would give federal prosecutors
the discretion, under the direction of the
Attorney General, to ’prosecute violent
crimes against individuals based on their
actual or perceived race, color, religion,
and national origin.
The bill also gives power to the Attorney
General to determine, on a case by
case basis, wla~ther interstate.commerce
was affected or involvedln violent crimes
against individuals Od. the basis oftheir
real or perceived gender, disability or
sexual orientation, and federalize such
prosecutions as well. The bill also gives
the Department of Justice the ability to
provide needed federal technical and financial
assistance to state and local authorities
upon request for local investigation
or prosecution of bias-related crimes.
Rich Tafel, executive director of Log
Cabin Republicans, a Gay political group,
noted, ’Xve applaud Senator Smith, Senator
Specter, Congresswoman Morella and
both 1999 and 2000. Currently;.federal
law only "permits prosecution, of a hate
crimeifthe crime prevents the victimfrom i C°ngresS and for our country."
exercising afederallyprotectedright, suCh.,~., .. - ’~
Reception immediately following.
Tickets: $15.00, At the Door: $20.00
" The Pride Store @ Tulsa GLBT
Community Center; 2114 S Memorial
orby calling 918.743.4297 or toll
free (outside Tulsa)-at 866.335.9074
Sunday, Jund 3, 2001
Tulsa Interfaith Service
Sponsored by TU BLGT Alliance
Sharp Chapel, TU, 3pro
Monday, June 4, 2001
Council Oak Men’s Chorale Concert
Presented by Tulsa City/County.Library
"Diversity in Song"
Aaronson Auditorium, Central Library
3rd and Denver, 7pro
Monday, June 4, 2001
Family Law Panel
Presented by Tulsa City/County Library
Professor Linda Lacey; TU Law School
and a panel of family law experts.
Helmerich Library; 91St and Yale, 7pro
Tuesday, June 5, 2001
Art :Exhibit: "Embracing Art"
¯All- Souls Unitarian Church
2952 S: Peoria Avenue, 6-9pro"
Thursday, June 7, 2001
. GLBT Film.Festivai
Sponsored by Tulsa City/County Library
’‘Diversity in Film"
Aaronson Auditorium, Central Library-
3rd and Denver, 7pro
: .the Republican sponsors of thislegislation
¯ for leading a crucial policy.discussion in
¯ Friday, June 8, 2001
¯ TOHR Diversity Gala
; .....Benefiting TOHR and
Diversily Celebration 2001
¯ "Death Be Notpr0ud"
". Speakers and Parade Grand Marshalls:
: Ms. Gabi Clayton, Olympia, WA
¯ Ms. Dorothy Hajdys
Ms. Nancy Rodrigues; Houston, TX
Ms. Carolyn Wagner, Little Rock, AR
"Community HerO" Awards presentation
honoring those in the local GLBT
community who educate the public
through their everyday actions and lives.
Tulsa Country Club, 701 N. Yukon Dr.
7pro, reception & silent auction
8pro dinner,.$100/ea. $1,000table of
eight. Sponsorships available.
Reserved seating available by calling
918.743.4297 or 866.335.9074
Saturday, June 9, 2001
The Pride Parade
Cherry Street (15th Street) to
BoSton Avenue to 18th Street to
Veterans Park
Start at 3pm, Hoat/marchers begin
assembling at lpm.
" During the first year of this publication,
: in May of 1994, this newspaper covered
¯ three raucous , packed publichearings about
¯ a proposal to add sexual orientation to the
¯
City of Tulsa’s largely meaningless hu-
¯ man rights ordinance.
I say meaningless because violating the
: ordinance zs only a misdemeanor. Any
: r_eal backing for civil rights for citizens
¯ comes from federal laws which.don’t in-
" elude "sexual orientation," and therefore
¯ don’t cover Gay people. (For the record,
¯¯ they don’t cover straight people either but
we’ve hardly seen that that’s a problem.)
: The hearing brought out the best in
.. some but the worst in many. Some who
had not really seen the need for including
¯ sexual orientation saw the need just by
¯ listening to the bigotry expressed at the
: meetings.
¯ Now this many years later, the City’s
: Human Rights Commission/Dept. is look-
" ing at these issues again, thanks it seems,
¯ solely to one TU student’ s efforts and just
¯ because she cares about justice -since
¯ she’s, as they put it, "straight but not
¯ narrow." What they’re doing is holding
_. "focus groups" which is all well and good
¯ but it~ s much like writing another report as
¯ the last group who looked at these issues
¯ did back in ’93/94. It will take up time and
¯ energy but accomplish little especially ¯
since what’ s needed really hasn’ t changed.
." since’94,norhas it changedfrom theearly
¯ ’80’ s when a similar effort was attempted
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered
people need to have the same fund
mental civil rights protections which other
minorities have by law and which the
majority has by dominance. This includes
equal opportunity in housing and employment
and benefits.
This means that if landlords or home
sellers cannot refuse someone because of
their race or religion, they should not be
allowed to do so because of sexual orientation.
Ditto for job hiring, advancement
and equal pay/benefits for equal work.
Ditto, ditto for eqnal legal protection for
spouses and families, regardless of whether
these are menand women, men and men or
women and women;
But for it to go anywhere, it will require
themayor and some city councilors to give
a damn. For at least 7 years, MayOr Savage
could, and has been asked to, di:rect the
Tulsa Police to includemo~e than just race
and religion in their "diversity" training.
While rumor has it that this trivial change
may soon happen, why has she waited so
long? And while some city councilors
know what’ s right, none have the courage
to work for civil rights. They all want to
wait till it’ s safe for them to vote ’~yes," fill
there’s a majority. But every earlier civil
rights struggle lost batdesbefore prevailing.
We can’t get anywhere when our
"leaders" won’t talk about our issues.
Focus groups, are nice. But we already
know whatis needed. Wejustneed Savage
under the city commission form of gov- :. mid Watts and Williams and Turner to do
eminent. -" it~. - Tom Neal,. editor & publisher
Rights Bills.Go Forward in 3 .States
WASHINGTON - The Human Rights "- now heads to the Senate, and Gov. Ruth
Campaign (HRC) late in March praised. ¯ .Ann Minner has pledged she will sign the
activists in Maryland, Delaware, and Illi- " bill if she gets the opportunity.
nois for advancing bills in their respective
legislatures that would prohibit discrimi~
nation based on sexual orientation.
’q’his Was aweekthat saw greatprogress
due to the outstanding efforts of activists
in Illinois; Maryland and Delaware," said
HRC Field Director Seth Kilbourn.
know it will be a tough road, but we hope
thattheselegislatures will continue to stand
up for equality and vote these bills into
law."
The Illinois House of Representatives
approved ameasure that would add sexual
orientation to a state law that bans diserimination
against people forjobs, housing,
public accommodations or credit. It
now heads to the more conservative Senate.
But supporters of the bill got a boost
when Senate PresidentJames "Pate"Philip
said he plans to givethe issue a committee
" No.entries after-2:45pra hearing instead of delaying it. ’I want .to
Featuring: express my gratitude to my colleagues in
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the Honse for their support," said Illinois’
only opehly Gay staterepresentative, Larry
McKeon, (D) who sponsored the bill. "I
strongly encourage the Senate leadership
to allow the bill to be moved tothe Senate
floor for a vote by its leaders."
The Delaware House of Representafives
also passed a similar bill that would
ban discrimination based on real or perceived
sexual orientation in employment,
housing, public works contracting, public
accommodations and insurance.. The bill
¯ ’~-Iopefully today brings us closer to a
¯ time when our differences are not seen as
" reasons for division and strife, but as op-
: portunities for educafionand celebration,"
¯ said Peter Medwick, state coordinator,
: Delaware ACLU Lesbian and Gay Civil
¯ Rights Project. If these bills become laws,
¯ these states wouldjoin Hawaii, California,
: Vermont, New Hampshire, Wisconsin,
: Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island,
: Massachusetts, Connecticut and Nevada
¯ as states that already outlaw this type of
: discrimination.
:. Marylandhas the best chance ofbecom-
: ing the twelfth state to ban anti-Gay dis-
, crimination. The state Senate voted for a
~ measure to prohibit discrimination based
¯ on sexual orientation in honsing, public
: accommodafions and employment (see
: related story, p. 5).
¯ With ctn’tinued lobbying from the Gay
: civil rights group,_F_ree StateJustice, the
¯ House is also expected to pass the bill. ¯
Gov. Pan’is Glendening, amajor advocate
: of the Anti-Discrimination Act of 2001,
¯ will sign the bill into law if it reaches his ¯
desk. ’q’he Senate vote makes this a his-
: toric day for civil rights," said Blake
: ~umphrey, __m,_,a~a,_,,_,gin~,.gdirectorofFree Srate
Jnstiee, the state s Gay civil rights-lobby.
: "Maryland senators listened to their con-
~ stituents and’voted to end discrimination.
: In voting by such a wide margin, senators
¯ also sent amessage that bias and hate will ¯
not be tolerated in the Free State."
Lutherans Don’t Kick Out
Gay Friendly Church
KANSAS CITY, Mo.. (AP) ~- A Lutheran church
official has decided not to ejec~ a Kansas City congregation
that installed a Lesbian pastor who refused to
commit to a lifetime of celibacy. The pastor, Donna
Simon, found out that Abiding Peace Lutheran Church
will not be ejected from the membership roster of the
Evangdical Lutheran.Church in America. "For now, ¯
we’ve inherited eternal life,, a jubilant Simon said. "
Last October, the nearly 40 members of Abiding "
Peace, a predominantly Gay church in Kansas City, ¯
chose to defy the rules of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church by installing Simon. Simon’s sexual orienta- "
tion was not the issue. The Evangelical Lutheran ¯
Church in America, with about 5 million members ¯
nationwide, allows Gays~and Lesbians to be ordained ".
as minister~~if they pr0iiiise’lifelong celibacy.
Simon, 35, refused to make sucli-apromisei Because
of thhtTthe EVaii~dicdl~Eutheran~urch in, Ameri~ ¯
neveriofficially:approved~her for 6~dinafion " " ,"
When,o~rO~t.28~ AbidingPeace otdained her :,
anyway, it Committed ~in act of "eccleSiastic disobedience."
Thelast churches to ordain noncelibate Gay and
Lesbian pastors - St. Francis Lutheran Church and
First United.Lutheran Church, both in San Franciscowere
suspended in 1990 and ejected in 1995 from the
membership roster of the Lutheran Church.
However, after months of contemplation and discussion,
Bishop Charles Maahs, head of the Lutheran
synod in Missouri and Kansas, recommended the
Church be censured and admonished. That action bars
Abiding Peace’s members from taking part in a select
number of church committees. Abiding Peace, however,
will continue to be amemberofthe greaterfamily
of Lutheran Churches.-
Maahs said one reason his punishment was light is
that he believes it. is time to foster more discussion on
the question of Gay and Lesbian pastors. ’The ELCA
encourages this dialogue," Maahs said. "I know the
chief purpose of their calling and ordaining this pastor
is really to be in mission and ministering. The thing
that is important in all of this is that they have Shown
themselves to be people of good faith."
Colorado Senator Praises
¯ Scouts for Being Anti-Gay
DENVER (AP)-Aresolution praising the Boy Scouts
that succumbed to criticism this week was unfairly
branded as anti-Gay, its sponsor said. Senate Minority
Leader John Andrews, R-Lakewood, let his resolution
die rather than renew a fight that flared when the
measure was first considered by the Senate.
The resolution praised the Boy Scouts for standing
up for freedom of speech when they oppo_sed Gay
members. "It was framed as if it were an anti-Gay
resolution," Andrews said. "It was not. All itwas doing
was observing the Supreme Court has said private
organizations can be private." "America has gotten
very permissive about its morals and laws as far as
sexuality goes," Andrews added. The commendation
was part of Andrews’ resolution to create "Scouting
Week in Colorado."
A Minnesota United Way
Cuts Off Boy Scouts
WINONA, Minn. (AP) - The United Way of Greater
Winona plans to cut off funding to a pair of local Boy
Scout councils that refused to sign an agreement not to
discriminate againstGays. PeterWalsh, the local United
Way-president, said that his group won’t fund any
groups thatrefuse to sign thenondiscriminationpledge.
The U.S. Supreme Court last year ruled that the Boy
Scouts could refuse to allow Gay leaders. Since then
someUnited Way organizations have decided to stop
funding their local Boy Scout councils.
The Winona United Way currently funds the
Gamehaven Council, basedin Rochester, and the Gate-
" way Area Council, basedin LaCrosse, Wis. Duringthe
¯ currentbudgetyear, whichendsJune30,theGamehaven
Council received $16,473 and theGateway AreaCoun-
¯
cil received $2,108, said Beth Forkner Moe, the United
¯ Way chapter’s executive director.
Mike Diamond, executive director of the Gateway
Area Council, said the local scout organizations were
not free to sign. ’q’here are clauses in the agreement
that go against the policies of the Boy Scouts of
America nationally," he said.
Richard Good, executive director of the Gamehaven
Council, read from the Scouts’ official position: "We
believe open homosexuals should not provide a role
model for Scouts that is inconsistent with the Scout
Oath and t_~w. The Boy Scouts of Americardoes not
accept avowed homosexuals as members or leaders."
The loss of funds will definitely be felt. Goc~!~. :said
UnitedWayfunding accounts for about halftheadministrative
budget for the 22 troops and 1,100 Scouts in
Winona County.
¯ But for the Scout leaders, it’s a matter of principle.
’’We are a private organization with the right to maintain
our own standards ofleadership and decide who is
appropriate and not appropriate as adult leaders, x,n -
mond said.
Police InvestigateAlleged
Hate Crime at URI
SOLrI’H KINGSTOWN, R.I. (AP) - An assault on a
Gay University of Rhode Island graduate student will
be investigated as a hate crime, police said.
Kevin Bliven-Baker, 36, said three men confronted
him after he left a campus meeting of the Gay, Lesbian
and Straight Society. Bliven-Baker said one of the
attackers bumped.himwith his shoulder, knockinghim
into a snowbank, while another called him faggot. URI
President Robert Carothers.called the alleged assault
"repugnant."
~ Bliven-Baker reported the March 8 confrontation to
campus police this week, The Providence Journal
reported. "I used to feel really safe on this campus, and
¯ I know I have to watch myself now," Bliven-Baker
¯ said. URI Police Capt. Brian Cummings said he believes
the suspects were students. No arrests havebeen
made.
¯ KC Synagogue Opposes
Boy Scout Bias
." KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A synagogue that spon-
¯ sots one of the city’s oldest Boy Scout troops has
: decided to oppose the national Boy Scouts’ ban on
. Gays. The executive board at Congregation Beth Shalom
in Kansas City, which sponsors Troop 61, plans to
: send aletter requesting that the organization rescindits
¯ ban on Gays from its youth membership and adult
leadership ranks. ’’We are inclusive; we will not discriminate,"
Beth Shalom Rabbi Alan Cohen said.
¯ Troop 61 Was founded in 1925 and has seen 300 of
its 1,500 or so boys become Eagle Scouts, including its
." current scoutmaster, RonFredman. Fredmandisagrees
¯ with the ban on Gays, but he is not willing to disobey ¯
the national organization - a move that has cost other
troops their charters. "I don._’t want to be put in a
¯ position that could.lead to the death of (Troop) 61,"
¯ Fredman said. "I don’twant anything to get in the way
of this troop’s mission, which is to turn boys into
~ leaders."
~ TheTroop 61 will receive a copy of the letter that the
¯ synagogueis sending to the national council. Fredman
¯ said Troop 61 leaders will prepare a response to Beth
¯ Shalom’s position. Cohen pointed out that the letter is
aimed at the no-Gays policy and should not be perceived
as a criticism of Troop 61.
Find out for yourself how good the Lord is! - Ps. 34:8
Come share the
goodness of the
Lord with our
community
. Sunday Morning
11:00 AM
Children’s Worship
During Service
MCC United
Rev. Cathy Elliott, Pastor
1623 N. Maplewood (918) 838-1715 mcctulsa@aol.com
Community
- Unitarian Uni versalist
Congregation
at Community oJHope
2545 South Yale, Sundays at llam, 749-0595
A Welcoming Congregation
HOUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Sun. Worship, 10:45 am, Sunday School, 9:30 am
Wed. Bible Study, 7 pm, Sunday Eve. Service, 6pm
1517 S. Memorial, 628-0802, Info: 224-4754
The Open Arms Project
Young Adult Support Group
Outreach Program Thurs. Nights
Meet Others in a Safe Enviroment
Call for meeting times and place:
918-584-2325
Mingo Valley Flowers
9413 E. 31st St., Tulsa 74145
918-663-5934, fax: 663-5834, 800-~.AA-5934
Family Owned & Operated
Trinna L. W. Burrows, LSW, ACSW
Child, Family, Individual & Couple Psychotherapy
(918) 743-9559
2121. South Columbia;-Suite 420
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74114-3518
The Pride Store
21st Street & Memorial
Tulsa Gay Community Services Center
743-GAYS (743-4297)
6-9 pm, Sunday - Friday
12-9 pm, Saturday, all sales benefit the Center
583-1248
Red Rock.Tulsa
Free Confidential HIV-Testing:
Walk-in Clinics
Tues. & Thurs., 5 -8 pm
at the Center, 1307 East 38th
Daytime appointments available.
Call for more information:
918-584-2325
G
AllliIrlI:an Red Cross
American Red Cross
Tulsa Area Chapter
10151 East Eleventh
Tulsa 74128
Dannette McIntosh
Diversity Co-ordinator
838-1100
Saint Aidan
4045 N. Cincinnati, 425-7882
Saint John
4200 S. Atlanta Place, 742-7381
OPENARMS
OPENMINDS
OPEN IqFARTS
Saint Dunstan
5635 East 71st, 492-7140
Trinity
501 S. Cincinnati, 582-4128
The Episcopal Church Welcomes You
National Boy Scout leaders defend the policy, saying
homosexuals are not good role models. Several
groups nationwide, have since pulled sponsorship of
Scout troops and barred troops from longtime meeting
places and some Eagle Scouts have returned their
badges in protest.
Houston Chapel Ends
Anti-Gay Discrimination
HOUSTON (AP) - A I-Iouston chapel known as a
refuge for human rights supporters has reversed a 30-
year-old policy banning same-sex union ceremonies
from being performed there. The Rothko Chapel was
founded by philanthropists John and Dominique de
Menil in 1971 as a sanctuary for people ofall faiths and
those committed to human rights.
About 20 wedding ceremonies are pe.,.~rformed at the
chapel eaCh.year. Thepolicy excluding Same=sexumons
was imposed when it-opened as per the wishes of
Domini.qiiede Menil;whodied in 1997at theageof89.
The’C~ap.el’s board of directors decided thi~ monthto
start all0~ving same-sex unions at the chapel. "It was"
a decision of Mrs. de Menil after consultation, with
different religions,’" said Nabila Drooby, former executive
director of the chapel who helped recommendthe
change. "It was takenby the board, too. Itwas
not hers alone. But times have changed."
Clarence Bagby of HoUston, a board member of the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said he was
thrilled with the switch. Bagby had criticized the
chapel know.n for opposing discrimination for banning
same-sex umons.
Chapel.presidentFrances Farenthold saidthe change
came after a yearlong study. "It was a concern ofmine
when I first heard about it," she told the Houston
Chronicle in Thursday’s editions. ’’I’ve always identified
with the Gay community in this city. I believe in
inclusivity." Same-sex unions would be strictly ceremonial
and are not recognized in Texas.
Transsexual Dancers
Allege Discrimination
NEW YORK (AP) - Two transsexual dancers have
filed a sextml discrimination suit against a trendy
nightclub after they say they were fired because the
club wanted to hire "real girl" dancers.
Amanda Lepore and Sophia LaMar, have filed a
$100,000 discrimination suit against Twilo, charging
they were wrongfully terminated simply because they
had once been men. "What are we supposed to have a
baby while go-go dancing or something?" Lapore
asked The New York Post.
The two women said they were fired last February
after several years working atthe club. "They’re worldclass
entertainers an~d they hadneverbeenreprimanded
by the club in any way," said the pair’s lawyer Tom
Shanahan. The club’s lawyer, Peter Sullivan, called
the suit "unfortunate," and insisted that the two. were
¯not fired as the result of discrimination. "Iqais is the
place that’s probably the most sensitive to the transsexual
community in New York. This is not an establishment
that discriminates against Gays or transsexuals,"
Sullivan said.
Lepore and LaMar, who work at a number of other
clubs around the city, say they are pursuing the suit
because "we need to protect other transsexuals."
Vatican Denies Sexual
Abuse of Nuns by Prtests
VATICAN CITY (AP) - The Vatican denied a report
in the National Catholic Reporter that says sexual
abuse of nuns by priests, especially in AIDS-ravaged
Africa, is a serious problem.
The article is based on five reports by senior mere-
¯ bers of women’s religious orders and a priest going
¯¯ back to 1994. The National Catholic Reporter said the
reports have been discussed at top Vatican levels.
¯ Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls acknowl-
¯ edged there were isolated cases of priests sexually ¯
abusing nuns, but said the problem is "restricted to a
¯
limited geographic area." Navarro-Valls said the
¯ Vatican was working with the leaders of religious
orders and he stressed the ’~aeroic" work of many
priests and nuns.
According to the National Catholic Reporter, priests
afraid of contracting AIDS sometimes ulrn to young
nuns, who are seen as "safe" sexual partners. "In a few
extreme instances, according to the documentation,
priests have impregnated nuns, then encouraged them
to have abortions," the magazine said.
In one case reported by Sister Maura O’Donohue, a
physician and member of the Medical Missionary of
Mary, a priest impreg~at.e~ a.~.~.t~n..,;then arr,m!ged fo~ an
abortion. She died :d~ng the al~0rtion and.he 0ff~CiatedatherftmeralMkSs,.
:i’ ".~ " "~ : .-
Therepolt.scite&!~~ ~eN.a~ofial c.ath0!i~ Reporier
also say that nuns i~h0-b~meil~eg~fifi~i ~.e. often
forced to leave their.rrders, While 0ae pfieSt~.invol,~ed
are allowed to contiiiue their minisixies.Th~ Vatican
statement was issued after the Italian media rehashed
the article. The Vatican had refused comment to the
National Catholic Reporter.
The National Catholic Reporter said there are no
comprehensive statistics on the sexual abuse of nuns,
¯ but the "frequency and consistency of the reports...
¯ point to a problem that needs to be addressed." The
reports citedby the National Catholic Reporter link the
¯ problem to cultumlattitudes toward celibacy as well as
to the fear ofAIDS and to traditions of female subser-
: vience.
Civil Rights Bill Appro.ved
by Maryland Commtttee
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Legislation to ban discrimination
against Gays cleared its biggest hurdle at
the end of March, winning narrow approval in a Senate
committee where it had died the last two years.
Gay civil rights activists, some choking back tears,
embraced and shookhands in a quiet celebration of the
victory they had won with strong backing from Gov.
Parris Glendening, who. made the bill on~ of his top
priorities this year. The 6-5 vote in the Judicial Proceedings
Committee will send thebill to thefloor of the.
Senate for debate.
Nancy Meyer, co-chairperson of Free State Justice,
which lobbied for the bill, said she is confident there
are enough votes in the Senate and House of Delegates
to pass it. But supporters have less than three weeks to
get the proposal through the Senate,-the House Judiciary
Committee and the House of Delegates. The
biggest danger would be a possible filibuster in the
Senate. Supporters of the bill werejust happy they had
finally gotten it out of the committee.
In a news conference minutes after the vote,
Glendening hailed the decision as "a tremendous victory
for justice and fairness and inclusion in Maryland."
"We cannot legislate acceptance. We cannot
wash out hatred out of cruel and callous hearts," he
said. But the governor said passage of the law would
protect Gays and Lesbians from discrimination on the
job and in housing.
Abouthalf of the people in Maryland are covered by
local Gay rights laws in Baltimore city and in Howard,
Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties.
Glendening’s bill would extend protections to the rest
of the state by adding sexual orientation to a law that
prohibits discrimination based on factors such as race,
religion and gender.
Thebill was.approved in cornmi tree afterabout three
hours of discussion spread over two days.
Gay Health Issues
More Than AIDS
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Vickie Smith said :
she was 30 before she found a gynecologist
in whom she could comfortably confide
that she was a Lesbian. "I certainly ~
hadn’t had anyone who didn’t, like, make ¯
aface," Smith said about thedoctors she’d -"
seen before .visiting Dr. Fe Mondragon. :
Often, she said, male gynecologists told
her, "You don’t seem to be sexually active
. . . Someone your age should be very
active." "
Fears of doctors giving moral lessonsor
simply not understanding the mechanics
of non-heterosexual practices can lead -"
patients to avoid discussing intimate de- ,"
tails withhealth professionals, or worse, to °
steer dear of health care altogether.
To help solve these problems, the Em- "
pire State Pride Agenda lobbied state leg- "
islators for $5 million to educate health ¯
professionals and provide support and re- ;
sources for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgendered people. In the past three ;
years, the Pride Agenda successfully lobbied
for a total of about $5.5 million in
state money for similar projects. "We’re ".
kind of the last ones left in terms of
underserved communities," said Sheila
Healey, Empire State Pride Agenda Foundation
program director.
Between 5% and 12% of nursing students
questioned in a 1998 study said they -"
despised Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual :
people, according to a study in the Journal :
of Nursing Education. More than half of -
the Black people who answered a 1999 .
Kaiser Family Foundation survey said that
they felt health care professionals treat ;
people unfairly based on race or ethnicity ,.
either very often or somewhat often. 62%
of Latinos said the same thing.
Mondragon, Smith’s gynecologist, does
not advertise any attempt to attract Lesbians
-or any specific group. One wall inher
office is filled with photos of babies she’s
delivered-mostly to heterosexual couples.
She also has helped Lesbians start families.
And Mondragondoes not ask patients to
reveal their sexual habits, or lack thereof,
but takes care not to assume the patient’s
sexuality. ’’We don’t ask, ’Do you need
contraceptives?’" said Mondragon. ’’We
ask, ’Do you have a need for birth control?’
We try to eliminate any kind of
assumptions." "If youbill yourselfas (providing)
women’s health services," she said,
’~hy shouldn’t that include the knowl-
.edge of what Lesbians do or what they
need?"
Pot Club At US
Supreme Court
vent marijuana from being given to seriously
ill patients for pain relief.
The cooperativd is a distribution club
operating under California’s Proposition
215, the voter-approved law that allows
the possession and use of marijuana for
medical purposes on a doctor’s recommendation.
That’s where Alcalay used to
get his marijuana. But he’s had to look
elsewhere since the federal government
sued the cooperative and five other California
pot clubs in 1998 to prevent them
from distributing the drug. Afederal judge
sided with the government. But last year,
the 9th U.S. Circuit Court ofAppeals ruled
that "medical necessity" is alegal defense.
California officials, including Attorney
General Bill Lockyer, argue that the state
has the right to enforceqts medical marijuana
law, which was approvedby voters
in 1996. Distribution dubs sprang up because
Proposition 215 iS~silent on how
patients will get marijuana, outside of
growing and harvesting it themselves.
The Supreme Court is not looking directly
at Proposition 215, but rather at
whether medical necessity may be used as
a defense against federal drug bans. It’s
unclear whether *he justices will rule on
that general issue or rulemorenarrowly on
how lower courts have handled this case.
If the court says "Yes" to the necessity
defense, it could make it easier to distribute
medical marijuana in California and
the eight other states with similar laws -
Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington,
Arizona, Maine, Nevada and Colorado.
Justice Department lawyers declined to
comment on the case. They have argued
that allowing dubs to hand out marijuana
compromises the government’s ability to
enforce federal drug laws.
Advocates say marijuana is a reliable
and nontoxic therapy that in some cases is
the only relief for suffering people. That
point of view was endorsed recentlyby the
Institute of Medicine. The institute, which
was asked to examine the issue by the
White House drug policy office, said that
because the chemicals in m~ijuana ease
anxiety, stimulate appetite, ease pain and
reduce nausea and vomiting, they can be
helpful for people undergoing chemotherapy
and people with AIDS.
Alcalay, a 59-year-old physician who
serves as theclub’ s medical director, started
using marijuana to keep down his medication
after he was diagnosed with HIV in
the 1980s. HIV turned into AIDS and in
the mid-1990s Alcalay almost died from
an intestinal illness that ran roughshod
over his wedkened immune system. He
credits marijuana with keeping him alive
until the advent of drugs that boosted his
immune system and wiped out the inteStinal
bug.
Alcalay didn’t make it into the book
about dying. Recently, he ran into the
author. "He was surprised to see me,"
Alcalay said. -
On the Net: Oakland Cannabis Coop:
http://www.rxcbe.org
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - A few years
ago, an author writing about death asked
ailing AIDS patient Michael Alcalay how
hewas accepting, dying. "I’m not accepting
it," Alcalay retorted. Alcalay is alive
today~thanks.in ~part~ he believes,~.to doses
of marijuana~that :heiped him j.keep hiS~,~:- 1 In 9SouthAfriCans
m~eines::do~ ana~. iippetite.’~p as-lie. :,, AreHIV. Positive/" foughtthcdisease.. ~:~..... ~ :’ ~:,........ - ¯ ’
Alcalay was in the audience as~.lawyerg,~-~’ ~- PRETORIA, -Sonth Africa (AP).#.One.in~i;~
try to~convtnee :the U~.S.---,Supreme:,Court~ -:: rune South Mn~.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c:am ~s. HI.V-posm~e~,~e:,
that federal anti-drug,laws ShOuldg’t pre~-7~ government sa~d, more than prev~ousty,
/
thering
April 20-23. 2001
Osage Hills State Park
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Non-Talent Show
Talking Circles
Crafts
Give-away
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Fellowship
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Guest Speaker
John
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April 11, 2001
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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thought in a country that already has the
world’s largest population of infected
people. In the hard-hit eastern prbvince of
KwaZulu-Natal, the infection rate was
greater than one in every three people, a
government study said.
The study conducted at 400 clinics nationwide
concluded that about 4.7 million
In South Africa, leading drug companies
went to court this monthto blockalaw
that would let South Africa both import
generic drugs andmake its own. But as the
West pays more attention to demands for
affordable HIV drugs for sub-Saharan
Africa, theimpoverished regionwithmore
than two-thirds of the world’s HIV-posi-
South Africans were HIV-positive as of : tiv¢ people, drug.makers simultaneously
the end of 2000. Previous government " announced a rapid-fire Series of concesestimates
had put the figure at 4.2 million,
or one in 10. About 24.5% of women
attending public postnatal clinics were infected,
up from 22.4% in 1999, the study
based on a sampling of 16,000 pregnant
women found.
Health Minister MantO Tshabalala-
Msimang said the figur.e.s represented a
leveling off from th~’St~iJ rise in theearly
to mid- 1990s, but said the pattern ofinfection
suggested that prevention efforts
needed to target those who were in stable
relationships and might have thought they
were less vulnerable.
Most HIV-positive South Africans cannot
afford the drugs that could prolong
their lives. Last week, President Thabo
Mbeki rejected calls to declare a state of
emergency to allow .the nation to import
cheaper generic drugs to deal with its
AIDS crisis. Declaring a state of emergency
would allow South Africa to produce
the generic drugs without breaking
World Trade Organization rules on bypassing
patent laws.
Mbeki told parliament a state of emergency
was not needed because South Africa
has its own law permitting both importation
and production of generic drugs
-althoughimplementation has been stalled
by a. lawsuit brought by major drug compames.
Africa Fighting
High Drug Costs
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) - Far from
the big courtroom battle over HIV-drug
patents in South Africa, the West African
nation of Ivory Coast quietly imports
knockoff generic HIV drugs as it has for
years - without fuss, patent payments or
apologies.
"Believe me, I don’t care," Kassim
Sidibe, director of Ivory Ctast’s AIDS
program, said of patent rights. ’XDur concern
is what we can do for our people,"
said Sidibe, who runs the national program
out of a dusty concrete compound in
a workifig-dass Abidjan neighborhood.
"The lower the prices are for us, the better
for our people."
With that attitude, Ivory Coast has become
one of the first African nations to
negotiate at-cost deals for leading HIV
drugs. And now the country has reached a
new deal that is expected to bringdownthe
cost of amonth’ s HIV dru~treatment from
$410 this year to $88 to-$112 next year.
Senegal, Rwanda and Uganda announced ."
similar deals with drug makers this month.
In the West, a month’s HIV treatment -
wo.ul,d cost about $1 ~000.......
~ It s anexampleoftheWes~tiretheWes~ -
big drngmake,are f~ci.~g(~ generics"
.’Wefeel drugm~kersshould~|kel~mfi~,
mEm’opeandNorthAmerica,, stud !dibe.
¯ sions in receht weeks.
¯ Most have been price cuts for Africa, to
: production cost or even below. Bristol-
: Myers Squibb wenteven further last week,
¯ saying it would make its patent for the
drug Zerit available in South Africa at no
: cost- effectively opening the market to its
¯ generic competitors. Bristol-Myers
. stressed it would stickwith the drug corn-
: panies’ lawsuit in SouthAfrica, however-
] portraying the case as a broad defense of
¯ patent rights fbr all its drugs.
¯ It’s a different story in the rest.of sub-
Saharan Africa, where Bristol2Myers says
:- it holds no patents for its HIV drugs. So
when it comes to acquiring HIV drugs
there, it’s a little more like the Wild West.
° In Ivory Coast, the government gets the
HIV drugs it wants by taking bids for them
worldwide. When two of the bids for 2001
came back for knockoff drugs at what
Ivory Coast deemed the lowest and best
offer, Ivory Coast took them.
The national AIDS program shipped in
AZT .and stavudine from a Bombay-based
generic company, Cipla Ltd., bypassing
their brand-name makers, GlaxoSmith-
Kline and Bristol-Myers. Bristol-Myers
markets stavudine as Zerit. The result was
"- a 20% savings in the average monthly
therapy- down to $410 from nearly $500,
said Makan Coulabily, an official with the
.AIDS program.
Sidibe, thenational AIDS director, didn’t
bother to determine whether there were
patent rights at issue or not. "We bargain
until we get the minimum price," he said.
Yale: Undue Profits
From .AIDS Drug?
....’Not-from us; We don~t have anythingy. ~ -returned.requests for comment~.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - Some 600
researchers have signed a petition calling
on Yale to help make a university-owned
AIDS drug more available in developing
nations. The petition drive was launched
lastmonth,justafter Bristol-Myers Squibb,
whichmanufacturers the drug d4T, pledged
to cut the price in South Africa and not
contest if generic drugs are distributed,
The seeds of the protest were planted
when Yale licensed the drug, known commercially
as Zerit, developed on campus
in 1987, to Bristol-Myers Squibb. It was a
relativelycommonagreement thatallowed
the university to retain the drug’s patent
and receive royalties while its research
was distributed to millions. In turn, the
company conlrolled manufacturing and
distribution strategies.
"I became a scientist because I wanted
to helpcreatenew cures for diseases around
the world," said Fran Balamuth, a :Yale,.
immtmobiologist who circulated the petition.
:~’Now.Lfind ttmtiY~!,e.is:.turning
results of pdblicly funded research;into.,
Ne_ither ¥~,no~ Bri~tol-My~s Sqifibb.
by Jim Christjohn, entertainment editor
"My music often unfolds like the book ¯
of my life," says Stevie Nicks. And that "
being said, ’Trouble in Shangri-La," is an
excellent read as well as a listen. It’ll be "
nice to hear some New Stevie on the radio ¯
- and the New Stevie is fabulous! ¯
Hernew album (heardmpromo form) is ¯
a winner. Her voice is
dearerand strongerthan
before. "Haunting" is a
word I would apply to
this album as a wholeit
does’~n~t
S te~ile’; " ~XiSre~~d
some’: d6ubi
abiliii\~!~it.: o~e p~,
aslCJn~iTo~n eeff~~ to
work with her on some
songs. Andhe said, ’~No
... You don’ tneed anyone
to help you with
your songs. Do it Yourself."
And so she has,
and done an excellent
job at that. In fact, that
story became a song itself,
"That Made Me
Stronger."
Stevie does country proud i~ her ’Too
Far From Texas," which I loved, though.
I’m not too partial to country. DiXie Chick
Natalie Maines guests on this track. Stevie
couldeasily cross over, andifwise,Wamer-
Reprise Records will’ capitalize on that.
Another track, ~andlebnght, h circulated
widely in demo form, being from
the early 70’ s, and is wonderful to hear in
finished form, with the.edge of experience
that Stevienow has in her voice. "Bombay
Sapphires," with Macy Gray guesting, is
another track that has a driving beat with
that lost quality of regret and lost love.
"Fall From Grace" is a rocker, good for
that day-after-being-dumped-angry moments.
According to Stevie, it will be
included On the tdur. ’~t’ s the perfect balance
to ’Edge of 17,’ in terms of energy.
It’ s a great song to rock out to"
Lestyou thinkit all:recrimination songs,
there are a couple of hopeful songs about
love gone right (although no one does.
anger like Stevie). ’~Love Is," a closing
epiphany, with Sarah McLachlan onpiano
and guitar and background vocals, is an
ode to what one does for love, and that
even in the brightness of theflame, thereis
darkness, and vice versa.
The TroubleInShangn-La albumwas
started before the 1997 Fleetwood Mac
"Dance" album and tour, and has been
well worth thewait. It is as strong analbum
as her "Belladonna,"and anequal for ’The
Wild Heart."
No outdated Stevie here, she has successfully
reinvented herself for the new
millennium. "To not grow is to die," She
asserts, "ofcourse, youwantto workwithin
a framework that best suits your talent and
style. But you also want to continually
shake things up.
’Trouble in Shangri-La" has a spare
acoustic sound, and in spite of the fact
there are many producers,has a sound that
carries all the way through, much like a
narrative. The songs stand on their own,
yet work exceptionally wall ~ a collection.
Noother artist seems to have that gift for
writing songs that can touch on such universal
themes thatonecaneasily see events
in one’ s ownlife mirrored in the music and
lyrics of an artist. And
that is the magic of
Stevie Nicks;friends for
whomI’veplayedthese
tracks or sent these lyrics
(an’d those of past
albums) are astounded
by just how close they
come to describing
these events with amaz=~ "
ing details. And that is
the connection and why
I have always looked
~orwardtoanew release
by this artist.
Fleetwood Mac is
confirmed to be going
back into the studio in
September to record a
new album after
Stevie’s tour for
: ’Trouble." The big question on that is
¯ whether Christine McVie can be lured out
of retirement to participate. She’s quite
¯
happy puttering around her manse in En-
: glandanddoesn’t wanttobebotheredwith
¯¯ musicmaking; it seems.
More likely, her arthritis is.so bad that
¯
playing keyboards is simply too painful;
along with the fact that she hates touring;
and the attitude I noticed when The Mac
: toured for the Dance album in 97. Shejust
: seemed to be so bored up there, staring
¯ listlessly at the crowd and mouthing along
¯ with Stevie and Lindsey’s songs during
¯
the lead vocals.
¯ Personally, I dbethrilled,butthen, that s
¯ me. Hey, I’ll put on a blonde wig, and we
¯" sing in the same key... And I can fake the
¯
piano, with the backup keyboardists like
: she had on the Dance tout.
¯ If you caught the Judy garland biopic
: last month, you were lucky. The perfor-
~ mances were top notch, and the actors to a
: tee were so on target with the mannerisms
~ and voices that it was downright eerie. I
¯ hadan ardent interest in Judy’ s musiclong
¯
before I knew I was supposed to.
¯ Thebestintroduction to her workcanbe
: :found in the "Judy: The Complete Decca
Masters"box set, well worth theprice. Her
¯ earliest works are there, along with some
¯ gems that were overlooked. Her career
¯ spanned two periods, really - the MGM
¯
years, and then the concert years. ’The
¯ London Sessions" hard to find but still in
: print, is a good survey of the latter.
¯ The recently remastered "Judy At
¯
Carnegie hall" is a "must have," as the
¯ sound onit is incredible andit really is like
¯ you are there. It’s a wonderful document ¯
of the power of her live performances.
¯
During my aforementioned phase of
: "Judy beforelknew I was supposed tolike
¯ her"-ness, I really only liked the MGM
: stuff; the countess soundtracks to gems
¯ like ’%Vizard of Oz," see Amuse, p. 9
Stevie Nicks
Mozart’s
Underwritten by
The John Steele Zink Foundation
April 21, 27, 29, 2001
TulH I~urftcmlnl Arts Cent~r
Call 587-4811
www.tulsaopera.com
Timothy-W. Daniel
Attorney at Law
An Attorney who will fight for justice
& equality for Gays & Lesbians
Domestic Partne)ship Planning,
Personal Injury,Criminal Law & Bankruptcy
1-800-742-9468 or 918-352-9504
128 East Broadway, Drumright, Oklahoma
Weekend and evening appointmenl.s are available.
Kelly Kirby, CPA, PC
Certified Public Accountant
a professional corporation
Lesbians and Gay men face many special
tax situations whether single or as couples.
Electronic filing is available for faster refunds,
4021
747-5466
South Harv,ard Aventi , Suite210, Tulsa 74135
"Meet Me In St. Louis,"-"Easter Parade,"
and so on from 1937 to 1950 or so
when MGM fired her. Only after the
miniseries aired have I really listened to
the post MGM stuff, and discovered how
good it really was.
Dorothy’s voice is
a bit older, but also
wiser, and a bit more
technically refined.
For an example of
this, rent "Wizard of
OZ" and then watch
1954’s "A Star Is ¯
Born." Judy’ s transformationfrom
child
star to actress is fully
evident in these two
pictures.
And she was vastly’underrated as an actress.
For example, her performance in
"The Clock" is classic, and it’ s a film that,
while ab-grademelodramaoflost loves, is
elevated to high art by her first, and only,
non-singing dramatic performance.
My friend Karin, of the "raging Lesbian"
column, adds this caveat: "The only
thing I would add is after the bit about
’The Clock "- you NEED to mention that
she also was nominated for Best Supporting
Actress for "Judgment at Nuremburg"
or you’ll have queens descending from
places you didn’ t think existed in Tulsa! It
was an excellent performance. VERY
small, but very effective."
Judy was nominated for an Oscar for "A
Star is Born," which she should have won,
but didn’ t due to politics. As for the queens
coming from places I didn’ t know existed
descending upon me, well, that doesn’t
really sound so bad...
Listening to her music made from 1936
to 1968, I am struck by how much of it is
so deceptively simple and eminently
hummable. When’ s the last lime a tune on
the radio had you humming along because
the melody was so infectious it stayed in
your head?
And intelligent lyrics that sdl the song
arefew and far between these days as wall.
Songs like ’~Zing! Went the Strings of My
Heart" were and are really wall written and
fun songs - to listen to and to sing. If
you’ ve never heard of these songs or heard
them at all, go grab a Judy Anthology -
there’ s lots of them that feature the early
stuff- and take a listen. You’ll be glad you
did. Rumor has it that Capitol, which was
her recording label from 1955 until her
death, might reissue all the albums she did
for them as a complete set, along with
outtakes and unreleased songs. Hopefully,
this will happen, while her star is again
making a comeback. Its a damn shame she
isn’t still here to see it.
By the way, for those too young to
know, the anniversary of the Stonewall.
Riots, June 22, when drag queens and their
friends fought back after one too many
police raids and harassment occurred in
New York, heralding the beginnings of
contemporary activism for equal rights for
Gay and Lesbian folk, happened the day of
Judy Garland’s funeral.
According to mythopoetic interpreta-
"... No other artist seems
to have that fft for writson
s that can touch
on such universal themes
that one can easily see
events in one’s own llfe
m~rrorecl m the mus,e
lyrles of an artist....
: tions of that days events, many linked thc
¯ two events together, even though there’ ~
¯ no hard evidence to support it. And upon
: such things are miniseries made of, and
¯ based on.
¯¯ If you get the chance to rent or buy
"Broken Hearts Club," do. It’s a good
¯ addition to theGay moviecollection we all
have. Featuring the
ever-hunky Dean
Cain "Lois and
Clark: The New Adventures
of Superman";
and the father
from "Frasier," John
Mahoney; along with
Andrew Keegan "10
things I Hate About
You"; MattMcGrath
"Boys Don’t Cry";
Mary McCo~,.mick
’a:’ri~ate Parts. :, and
¯ Nia Long "Soul Food," written and di-
¯ rected by Greg Berlanit, co-executiveproducer
of "Dawson’ s Creek."
: The plot, as such, is simple - a slice of
¯ life in the Gay (can’tcall it90’s anymore,
¯ what do we call it? The Gay thousands?)
: 2000,withaseries ofvignettesintertwined
¯
by the theme of friendship among Gay
¯ men.
¯ We meet Dennis on the eve of his 28th ¯
birthday, who is whining about his dys-
¯ functional family of friends, indecisive as
_. to whether they’re the best or worst thing
¯ that ever happened to him. ¯
There’ s Benji, the youngestgroupmem- "
¯ ber, a punk wannabe witha penchant for
¯ gym bunnies; Howie, the psych student
¯ who thinks too much andlives to little (no,
¯ that character was not based on yours
¯ truly...); Cole, the actor bunnyboy who
¯ candono wrong, lovin’emandleaving’em
¯ as fast as you can say revolving door who
¯
also "accidentally" keeps stealing every-
" one else’s guy; Patrick, the cynical quip-
. ster (now, that’ s based on yours tntly); and
¯ Taylor, resident drama queen (no com-
" merit), who, until recently, prided himself
¯ on his long term relationship. Rounding
.. out the cast is Jack, the patriarchal force of
¯ the group. ¯ Andof course, everyone ends up at each
¯ others’ throat after tragedy strikes, and
with aMickey Rooney/Judy garland wrap-
" up, ends up friends again. The plot, as
¯ such, is somewhat scattered, not really
¯ sure where to focus; and of course, we’re
¯ dealing with "types" here, but the actors
turn in fine performances all, and the film
¯ is enjoyable and does provide afew laughs
¯ and insights. 3 & 1/2 out of 5 stars. ¯
¯ It’s a fun film, and fairly accurate in its
portrayals - we all.know people like this -
¯ Ijust wish there were morefocus. The film
¯ simply tries to come at the issues it raises ¯
from everyone’s perspective, and it left
~ me thinking that if the director and writer
¯ had chosen maybe two.or three, it would
.. have been more cohesive and a tighterfilm
¯ with more intensity and character development.
." Locally The TU Gay and L~sbian Film
¯ Festival runs April 5-7, starting at 7pm on ¯
the 5th and 6th and 2pm on the 7th in the
." Business Administration Hall. Films to be
shown include Salut Victor, Orlando,
¯ Westler, Homoteens, seeAmuse, p. 10
by Lamont Lindstrom
Enthusiastic pornographers now flood
my. m,ailbox wi0a catalogs.. (And let me
pause here to thank whichever magazine
sold its lnailing list.) I was picking through
one ofthesefour-colorbrochures
recently, eyeballing
lurid blurbs for videos an.~
DVDs. "Raw" sex,
seems, is a major selling
point. Hot condomless
pornos must either date
back to an era before the
HIV epidemic or are new
productions that cater to a
pow,e.rf,ul,, emerging s;e,.xual
fetish: "oatebacking.
Public healthofficials
and HIV prevention workers
ate anguished, although
probably not surprised, to
find that the prohibited has
become the desired. But
there ismore to the story of
why barebacking, nowadays,
sells pornographic
videos. True enough, we
often want_what others say
we should not have. But
our desires also reflect our
worldview - or what might be called our
culture’s mythic tmderstandings.
Thumbing throughthat catalog,notthose
fleshy photos, it was text that caught my
eye. Several pithy terms have sprung
quickly into use to describe unprotected
sex. These same-few words appear again
and again in video advertisements~ in personal
adsi and_in website mission state-.
merits such as for this Yahoo! Group: ’The
world’s largest bareback list. THE list for
menwholove their sex condom:free, guilt: ."
free, hot, and spermy."
Barebackers are gay men who e~tjoy ..
raw, skin-to-skin, n~atural sex with other :
men." So condom-free is now bareback; :
it’s skin=to-skin; it’s natural; it’s raw. ¯
~ "Skin-to-skin;" yes. And! get "natural;"
and also the cleverness of ’*oarebackingy
But why "’raw?" Straight away comes to
mind a Classic 1960s analysis by the celebrated
French anthropologist Claude
Levi-Strauss. LevbStrauss’ ’~ntroduction
to the sc~en,ce of. mythology" was published
in English, in 1969, as The Rawand
theCooked. Asa strncturalist, Levi-Stratus
believed he could locate the essential architectural
elements, underlying any cultural
productionbe this marriage customs,
or totemic taboos, or myth. He claimed
that the human brain is.neur01ogically
Structured to think in dualisms, binaries,
and oppositious. We:define One thing in
terms of another, and vice versa:
. A principal,dualism, that I_~vi-Strauss
discovered in his South American Indian
myths is an opposition betweennature and
Culture. Nattir~iis nature.While Culture iS
anything that people create: Level-Strauss
argued that htima~s think mosfly in. concrete
terms rather than abstract. Outmyths
: v~hile fundamentally playing with an
intangible opposition between nature and
culture ~ rephrasethis: abstract concern
concretely as a matter of raw food versus
cookedfood.Themwis natural; the cooked
.. cultural-; and cookingis any sort of techno-
: logical process (condoms, say) that trans-
¯ forms nature into culture.
Americans share with many people
¯ around the world the symbolic predilec-
"... Americans slmre
with many people
around the world the
symbolle predileetlon for
equatln~ food and body,
eatln~ and havln~ sex.
(Keep thls in mind next
time some drunk
hollers out ’Eat me!’)
This sort of symbolism
is ’iconic’ ... insofar as
it ,naturally eehaes the
realness of bodie~:
Our multipurpose
mouths do more than
tion for equating food and
body, eating and having
sex. (Keep this inmindnext
time some drunk hollers out
"Eat me!") This sort of
symbolism is "iconic" (in
the language of American
semioticianCharles Pierce)
insofar as it naturally echoes
the realness of bodies:
Our multipurpose mouths
do more thanjust food-processing.
We use food
(twinkles, chocolate; vanilla)
and its qualities (hot,
sweet, hunky) as alanguage
in which- to talk about sex.
Food is either raw or
cooked and so, we imagine,
is sex. Skin-to-skin sex
is natural andtherefore uncooked-
orraw. Condoms,
conversely, cook the expejust
food-proeessln~. " rience. Barebacking, also,
’ ’ is natural in that one rides
¯ the horse without a saddle (a device that
¯ cultures, or cooks the ride). The symbolic
: connections, here, are even clearer in
: Frenchwhereddingahorsewithn0 saddle
¯ is "monter crn," which translates as "ride -
¯ raw." Or;in an.English parallel, "to sleep
¯~ in the raw"me,arts to sleep naked- without
:- any transformingpajamas. - : ’.~-
¯ Raw. sex sdls videos not only because it
¯ is forbidden and therefore guiltily tempting.
It sells videos because it is natural and
therefore desirable. Whichis better? Natural
foods or processed foods? Sincere
emotion or social pretense? The untamed
forest orthe zoo?
But things aren’t so simple or so one~
sided. Now which is. better? Bloody cow
flesh or steak? Dank caves or cathedrals?
: HIV or medicine? Humans always value
¯ culture - cooking - as much as we do
: nature: Culture’s devices that transform
: the world make us human. Cooking draws
¯ the line between humanity and animal
: nature. This is the message that Levi-
: Strauss read in his myths.
¯¯ Raw sex may be.good because it is
natural, but condomed sex might similarly
." be appreciated justhxcause irishin fact,
¯ cooked - that is to say, it is refined., civi- ¯
lized, and technological. Gay men in par-
: titular should appreciatethis distinction.
¯ Many. mythologies - yet another dual-
" ism - position women as.natural in coun-
: t.erpoint to cultured men. Raw sexis feral-
¯ rune (thatis, natural, and perhaps hetero-
: sexual)while cooked sex is masculine
: (cultured, homosexual). H-IV prevention
¯ efforts ~have attempted to play up the ur-
¯ bane sophistication of condoms - their
¯ colors; textures, tastes, and playful meth-
¯ ods of use. They could,no doubt, domore. ¯
Condomsl- as a mode of cooking - can
: make things hotter.
: Lamont Lindstrom, Ph.D. teaches an-
. thropology at ihe University of Tulsa.
program that targets and attracts the Black ."
Gay community. "Fhere’s an enormous -
complacency about contracting HIV," "
Kegeles said. "It’s not a big issue any- "
more. People still remain healthy and ¯
strong: They think they can take two pills
in the morning and two pills at night."
Kegeles said the Gay black commumty
hasn’t been studied sufficiently, and :it
needs to be examined more closely because
Gay Black men do not necessarily
frequent mainstream Gay bars and other "
venues. In addition, she said there’s a ¯
larger stigmaattaehedtoBlackGays. Many ¯
~ do not even admit they have sex with other "
men, Kegeles explained.
Leniere Miley, assistant coordinator at
the House of Latex Project in New York, ¯
said it’s important to seek out Black Gay
men and educate them about the risks of "
unsafe sex in a message that appeals to ¯
them. He said it’ s a toughjob that goes far
beyond simply sponsoringhip-hop dances
and posters depicting Black culture.
’~eople have different ways ofcommu:
nicating and hearing things," Miley said.
"Maybe the people in the .Black community
couldn’ t hear it. Ithas to be tailored to
the communities they’re going to."
On the Net: www.amfar.org
To report hate sp~-ch or I
violence, call the Gay " Community Center: 743-4297 I
Summer in my Veins, High Art, Poduck
andPassion, and To My Women Friehds.
The Bonnie Rideout Scottish Trio finishes
outthe PerformingArtCenterTrust’ s
Celtic Music Series. It should be a good
¯ time for all, especially if yon,re a fan of ¯
traditional. Celtic fiddling. April 6-7, 596-
¯ 7111.
¯ "AnAll-AmericanEvening"is theTulsa
¯ Ballet’S tribute to American choreogra-
¯ phers. Featuring the Oklahoma premiere
’of Balanchine’s "Who Cares?" with
Gershwinmusic, Paul Taylor’ s ’~2ompany
B"withAndrews Sisters, music,andAgnes
DeMille,s "Rodeo", (usually featuring a
nearly naked cowboy, but given the ads
I’ ve seen for this production, it looks like
no such treat is in store). April 6-8, PAC,
749-6006.
For country queens, three of country’s
queens will be performing April 7 at the
¯ MaxwellConventionCenter~.JanieFricke,
:. Lacie J Dalton, and Juice Newton will be
: a-hootin, and a-hollefin.584-2000.
¯ For queens of the Garden, it,s time for
¯ Tulsa’s Spring Garden Mart from the 13-
: 14 at Tulsa Garden Center; 746-5125.-
: April 19-28, Heller Theatre presents
¯ ’WitalSigus"; by Jane Martin, featuring
: monologues by some of Tulsa’s most tal-
:. ented actresses, 746-5065.
¯ And last but hardly least, Tulsa Opera
: presents "The Marriage of Figaro" by
" Mozart April 21, 27 and 29. 587-4811.
IGTA member
Call 341. 6866
ntern tion
ToursIormoreinlormation.
"TULSA COUNTY
DEMOCRATIC
Country Club Barbering
Custom Styling for Men & Women
David Kauskey
3310 E. 51st, 74%0236, T.~es.-Fri., 8-5:30, Sat. 8-5pm
Tulsa’s only
.College Hill
Presbyterian Church
In response to God’ s Love,
College Hill Presbyterian Church
is a community of God’ s people
called to tell others the
Gospel of Jesus Christ
through worship,
service, and evangelism.
To nurture our faith, we gather for
worship, prayer,
study and fellowship.
Trusting in a living, loving God,
we seek to become a compassionate
voice for peace and justice.
Our congregation welcomes all
persons who respond in trust and
obedience to God’s grace
in Jesus Christ, and desire to become
part of the membership and ministry
of Christ’ s church.
Membership is open to all people
regardless of race, ethnic origin,
worldly condition, marital status, or
sexual orientation.
by Karin Gregory ¯
Do you ever feel like your life is a .
Broadway play, a Hollywood movie, or a "
television sitcom? Of course you do -
you’re Gay! Some of you even think your "
life is a 1930’s Hollywood musical, or La ¯
Boheme, or Rent, but we’re talking here ¯
about a Gay couple. No, not that kind of "
couple- not the butch/femme, but the Gay
man/Lesbian couple. The kind of couple ¯
that doesn’t require a lawyer if things "
don’t work out. Fm in a Will And Grace "
situation, but we’re both Gay. So we’d ¯
comemoreunder the heading ofthat Broad- "
way play/Hollywood movie/television .
sitcom, The Odd’Cmiplb’. One guess as to "
which one of us is Felix! ¯
As you recall from the play/movie/TV ¯
show, Felix, the neamik, was kicked out of "
his house by his wife and comes to live "
with his sloppy friend, Oscar. Things were ¯
a tad different withus- Lesbian Oscar was "
takeninbyGay Felix, butwewon’ tquibble
over little things. Both characters had ex- ¯
spouses, and I suppose you can’t get more ¯
EX than SHE WHO MUST NOT BE."
NAMED. When I first moved in, Gay "
Felix had just met ’~the one." Yeah, right.
When ’~he one" treated him much like I ¯
had been treated (except ’~&e one" actually
communicated!), who was here to "
hold him, talk him down from varioul
ceilings in the apartment, and generally ¯
offer comfort and support?Lesbian Oscar "
of course. "
Being withGay Felix guarantees there’ s ¯
always drama in the place. Whether it
deals with "the one" of the week, our dog "
Roxie and her many weirdnesses, or just
mundane money problems, it is NEVER a ¯
dull life. Simple problems are always "
turned up twelve notches with us. If we "
have a problem with the apartment corn- °
plex, we decide to move! The fact that we ¯
can’t afford to break the lease doesn’t "
occur to us at the time. You have a mad "
queenand apissed-offdyke on yourhands. ¯
We should have a sign above the door that ¯
reads, "Abandon logic, all ye who enter." "
And I’m now walking a dog, like a true "
Lesbian. Gay Felix came in one night, ¯
laughing, because the dog now lifts her ¯
leg. Who was blamed? Lesbian Oscar, "
who oftenplays her favoritemusician (and "
we all know who she is by this time, don’t
we?) while the dog sits on the bed listen- ."
ing. So when she lifted her leg when I "
walked her, I praised her, calling her Me- "
lissa and Butch. ¯
I have to say that I’ve never known any ¯
one person, even Felix Unger from the
play/movie/TV show, to wash so much
clothing. Gay Felix doesn’ townthatmany ¯
clothes, butdanm if I don’ thear the washer
and dryer going on and on each night and ¯
morning. Maybe some of you Gay men :
can enlighten me on this subject. I’m at a
total loss. Gay Felix even remarked early °
on in our nightly, daily, aftemoonly, etc., °
clothes washings, "I never thought I’ d see ¯
bras h..a~.ging fr~o~ MYlauladry area. tsut
~ foldpanties, anddehl wlthvanous women s "
:issues as best he can. " . ¯
Like Fehx Unger from the play/movie/ ¯
" TV siio v;Gay Felix t3 c3oL "
does so on occasion. He makes the most
seemingly plain dinners gourmet feasts.
And he’s even started us on an exercise
program. Gay Felix plays Mr. Motivator
.to Lesbian Oscar’ s couch potato. No grass
grows under a queen’s feet, I’ve come to
realize.
Because most Gay men believe Lesbians
have no decorating taste 01mph!), the
very few things I have in our living room
I’ve had to fight for. My room has been a
work in progress for almost three months
now. But at least the boxes are off the
middle of the floor. I now have carpet! I
never knew since I moved in that I had
carpet. And you know how important carpet
i~ for Lesbians.t I couldn’t hide my
sexual preference even if I wanted to. The
reason? Gay Felix introduces me t0’each
and every one of his friends: as "my Lesbian
roommate."
Another thing that’s similar to the play/
movie/TV show is that we do things together.
Like going to Gay clubs in Dallas
(would we go anywhere else at night?).
True, Gay Felix is 24 years old as opposed
tomy45 years of age, and I’msure it looks
like I’m takingmy son to Gay bars. People
must wonder just what kind of mother I
am! I’ve seen more dnmken people in the
past few months than I did when I was in
my twenties and drank myself. I’ve also
met more people in the Gay comlnunity of
Dallas than I ever have before. Too bad
they’re all drunk at the time. I have to
reintroduce myselfeach time. It’ s funny to
see Gay Felix at the bars. ¥ou hear various
things as he walks by, like, "Oh, is he
hot!"; "Girl, look at that!"; and ’Td take
him home!" He’s one of the cutest men
I’ve met, yet he doesn’t think so.
The inevitable question about how the
roommate handles the boyfriend situation
comes up here as well. I’m introduced as
the Lesbian Roommate (I almost think
that’ s my name now), and we start talking.
Imagine, a twenty-something man talking
to me instead of jumping into bed right
away. I don’t know if I’d do the same
thing. But I think Gay Felix wants my
views on the guys he brings home - a
woman’ s perspective,ifyou will. Hell, we
all know how easy ! am. If the guy’ s nice
to me, I tell Gay Felix to keep him!
And Lesbian Oscar, Mespite her best
intentions, is slowly .becoming domesticated.
You heard me, grrls! Some things
that I would never have bothered about
beforejump out atmenow. Duston theTV
screen comes to mind. I wipe the kitchen
counter every time I’mfinished with something
in there. I now have places to put my
things, and most of the time I actually
manage t.o putmy things backin the proper
place!
If you’re wondering if a relationship
like this can work, I’m telling you it can.
We don’t fight, and when I do get bitchy
(who, me?), Gay Fclix knows exactly what
to say to snapme back and makeme lau~gh.
Wouldthis work wlthjU~t
tole$,anc.¢, !evel, for a ragLng Lesbian
higii .~ ~ s!~yScraper. No~:~i~-iy:~y~r~"
you, f~.d are like thaL Tiffs is or~e m~ I:
want~0 live witli
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
presents
Divers"ity
ration 2 1
Saturday, June 2, 2001
TOHR Follies 2001
"From Here to Eternity"
Avondale Studio & Theatre (the old Delaware Playhouse)
1511 So. Delaware Ave., 8pm
Reception immediately following.
Tickets: $15.00, At the Door: $20.00
The PriMe Store @ Tulsa GLBT
Community Center; 2114 S Memorial
or by calling ~918.743.4297 or toll
free (outside Tulsa) at 866.335.9074
Sunday, June 3, 2001
Tulsa Interfaith Service
Sponsored by TU BLGTAlliance, Sharp Chapel~ TU, 3pm
Monday, June 4, 2001
Council Oak Men’s Chorale Concert
Presented by Tulsa City/County Library
"Diversity in Song"
Aaronson Auditorium, Central Libmrym 3rd & Denver, 7pm
Monday, June4, 2001
Family Law Panel
Presented by Tulsa City/County Library
Professor Linda Lacey, TU Law School
and a panel of family law experts.
Helmedch Library, 91st and Yale, 7pm
Tuesday, June 5, 2001
Art Exhibit: "Embracing Art"
All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 S. Peoria Avenue, 6-9pm
Thursday, June 7, 2001
GLBT Film Festival
Sponsored by Tulsa City/County Library
Aaronson Auditorium, Central Library, 3rd and Denver, 7pm
Friday, June 8, 2001
TOHR Diversity Gala
Benefiting TOHR and Diversity Celebration 2001
"Death Be Not Proud"
Speakers and Parade Grand Marshalls:
Ms. Gabi Clayton, Olympia, WA, Ms. Dorothy Hajdys
Ms. Nancy Rodrigues, Houston, TX, Ms. Carolyn Wagner,
Little Rock, AR
"Community. Hero" Awards presentation honoring those .in
the local GLBT community.
Tulsa Country Club, 701 N. Yukon Dr., 7pm, reception&
silent auction, 8pm dinner, $100/ea. $1,000 table of eight.
Sponsorships available. Reserved seating available by calling
918.743.4297 or 866.335.9074
Saturday, June 9, 2001
The Pride Parade
Cherry Street (15th Street) to Boston Avenue to
18th Street to Veterans Park
Starts at 3pm, Float/marchers begin assembling at lpm.
No entries after 2:45pm
Featuring:Entries from across Oklahoma and
the Midwest Region
Community Heroes
Oklahoma’s largest Pride Flag
Diversity Festival
Sponsored by: Bud Light & Eastern Oklahoma Beverages
Veterans’~ark, 1875 So. Boulder Ave., 3pm
Featuring~Entertai:nment, Speakers, and more.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
newspaper
periodical
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[2001] Tulsa Family News, April 2001; Volume 8, Issue 4
Subject
The topic of the resource
Politics, education, and social conversation toward Tulsa’s Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual communities.
Description
An account of the resource
Tulsa Family News was a monthly newspaper; No. 1 issued December 1993-January 1994. The final issue available was published in September 0f 2001 (Volume 8, Issue 9).
The newspaper brings up important, evolving topics of marriage, Pride, TOHR, HIV/AIDs, events, advice, and politics all at the local and national level.
This document is available in searchable PDF attached. It is also available to be seen at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center with permission.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Tulsa Family News
Source
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/24
Publisher
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Tom Neal
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
April 2001
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
James Christjohn
Karin Gregory
Barry Hensley
J.P. Legrandbouche
Lamont Lindstrom
Esther Rothblum
Mary Schepers
Hughston Walkinshaw
Rights
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Tom Neal
Tulsa Family News
Relation
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Tulsa Family News, March 2001; Volume 8, Issue 4Image
Format
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Image
PDF
Online text
Language
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English
Type
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newspaper
periodical
Coverage
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Tulsa(Oklahoma)---newspaper
Tulsa---Oklahoma
Oklahoma---Tulsa
United States Oklahoma Tulsa
United States of America (50 states)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/611
2001
advocacy
AIDS
AIDS drugs
arts and entertainment
Boy Scouts
businesses
churches
College Hill Presbyterian Church
discrimination
Elton John
Eminem
gay bashing
Gay/Straight Alliance
George W. Bush
Glaxo SmithKline
hate crimes
HIV
HIV testing
Karen Gregory
Lamont Lindstrom
LGBT police
Merck and Co.
military inclusion
Murder
Openarms Youth Project
Partner Benefits
performing arts
Pfizer
Presbyterian Church
Ragin Lesbian
Red Cross
Red Rock Tulsa
restaurants
Soulforce
STDs
the closet
tolerance curriculum
Tom Neal
TU Bisexual/Lesbian/Gay/Transgendered Alliance
Tulsa Family News
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
United Way
-
https://history.okeq.org/files/original/415e8b55759eca83dc83e2ea8f685843.jpg
94d8f329c885af31c0dfff66fa95dc42
https://history.okeq.org/files/original/71ead5639d2fb655741a95be7c930d07.pdf
be16ca1224a3677c465dddb080fd7d50
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[Sub-Series] Newsletters & Publications > Tom Neal Newsletters > Tulsa Family News
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
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Tulsa .Red Cross
Pledges to Diversity
TULSA (TFN)- In a recent interview with chief executive
officer Roger Dahl, Polly Bowen, chief administrati,~
e officer, Melissa Ramirez, public relations officer,
and new diversity co-ordinator Dannette McIntosh, the
Tulsa Chapter of the American Red Cross (non-blood
services) discussed their new "diversity" policy.
The policy, which applies to paid staff and volunteers,
recognizes explicitly "sexual orientation" as well
as statuses which traditionally have legal recognition.
The written policy states the intent for the "American
Red Cross to be an inclusive community, free from
discrimination and prejudice." The statement includes
a signature line which volunteers or staff must sign.
According to Dahl and McIntosh, the change is in
keeping with traditional Red Cross goals~vhich strove
to provide services to all based only on need. But in a
recent organizational review, see Cross, p. 10
Transgendered Cop to
Speak at TOHR Meeting
TULSA (TFN) - On March 13, Tulsa Oklahomans for
Human Rights (TOHR) will its monthly membership
meeting. In addition tO a social period beginning at 6:30
with soft drinks, and organizational business at 7:30, the
meeting will feature a speaker whois opeul.y transgendered
and who is an Oklahoma City police officer. The
speaker is knowledgable in self-defense techniques.
Other business will include budget and other announcements
about this summer’s Diversity Fest and Parade.
Later in the month,TOHR will host the second of the
Gill Foundation fundraising seminars. Some 21 groups
have joined TOHR in this training, most of whom are
not Lesbian or Gay groups. They include Tulsa Opera,
Tulsa Philharmonic, NARAL, the Tulsa Boys Home,
Neighbors on the Line, the League ofWomenVoters, as
well as Council Oak Men’s Chorale, HOPE, Tulsa
CARES, and PFLAG.
On March 24, at 7pro, TOHR wil! host a pot-luck
dinner at the Center. Also, TOHR and Red Rock Behavioral
Health Services are implementing two new
programs. The first is a Coming Out group. This program
is designed to assist persons who are in the initial
stages of dealing with their sexuality. The program is
open to women and men. Meetings will take place at the
Community Center each Tuesday night at 7pm.
see TOHR, p. 11
MJ DIRECTORY P. 2 ~ EDITORIAL P. 3
US & WORLD NEWS P. 4
~ HEALTH NEWS P. 6
Z ENTERTAINMENT + MORE P. 8
GAY STUDIES/RAGING LESBIAN P. 10/11
Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual + Transgendered Tulsans,
Jenks Senior S.tarts
Gay/Straight Alliance
JENKS, AMERICA (TFN) - When right wing Utah US Senator
Orrin Hatch created an equal access bill to allow student religious
groups to use public school facilities, he probably never dreamed
he was also making it possible for Gay and Gay-friendly high
school students to start Gay/Straight Alliances - even in conservative
Oklahoma.
But in Jenks, one ofTulsa’ s suburbs (which like Broken Arrow
grew from a small farm town in the 60’s and 70’ s as Tulsa whites
fled integration in Tulsa Public Schools), an 18 year old senior
did his homework, knew the law, bucked the system, got some
help and got a Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) started.
Kevin Barker said he once didn’t think he’d be the one to start
a GSA. He is friends with Will Allen and Kent Doss, other young
Gay activists and knew Allen had helped start a GSA at Tulsa’s
Washington High. Doss encouraged Barker to take the initiative
but Barker characterized himself as one who once considered the
DC based Human Rights Campaign as "too radical." But as he
went through his "coming out" process, opening up to his friends
and school community - and generally being accepted, he reconsidered.
And that’s when he started researching equal access
laws, and looking at other resources.
By the middle of last fall, he was ready and went to Jenks High
School administrators and, not surprisingly, started to get therunaround.
Perhaps school officials thought they could stall or bluff
him enough that he’d give up. But Barker called for help and
contacted the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network’s newest
chapter in Oklahoma City.
OKC GLSEN co-chair Rhouda Rudd received an e-mail from
Barker and forwarded his letter to other members of the chapter.
Chapter members Rob Abiera and Joe Quigley suggested that
Barker contact Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR).
Qnigley, oneofthefoundingmembers ofOklahomaCityGLSEN
and a teacher of several years’ experience, also sent a list of
contacts, see Jenks, p. 2
In Or Out: Effects of the Closet
TULSA ~TFN) - What are the psychological effects of being in
or out of the closet for GLBT’s will be the subject of the next
Sou!force In Oklahoma at a Tulsa meeting on Monday, March
19th. Dr. Shirley Hunter, fromOklahoma City, who is a Licensed
Professional Coun.selor and a Licensed Marital and Family
Therapist, will be the guest speaker.
According to Soulforce In Oklahoma, religious groups often
covertly or overtly encourage Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender
persons to remain silent within churches about their sexuality or
risk the possibility of rejection. Many faith groups advocate a
"don’t ask -.don~t tell" policy for their congregants and ministers.
As a consequence, GLBT folks struggle with the decision
whether or not to come out. Dr. Hunter will speak on the subject
of coming out and lead a discussion for audience participation.
The meeting will be from 6-8pm at the Tulsa Gay/Lesbian/
Bisexual/Transgender Services Center. The center is located at
2114 S. Memorial, Tulsa. (918-743-4297).
Shirley Hunter started her private practice in psychotherapy in
Oklahoma,City in 1978. The focus of her practice has been for
Gays, Lesbians and their families. Dr. Hunter was instrumental
in establishing the first Gay help line in Oklahoma City in the
early 80’s. She was also a participant in the first homosexual
hearings of the United Methodist Church, and served on the task
force for homosexuality at Church of the Servant, one of the
state’s largest Methodist churches. Dr. Hunter has spoken to
groups throughout the stateinduding university groups, community
groups, and professional groups concerning Gay, Lesbian
andHIVissues. Dr. Hunter and herpartner, Jan Tipton, have been
together for almost 23 years, and they reside in OKC.
In Tulsa, the group meets on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each
month and is a grassroots movement ofGLBT and allied people,
from diverse rdigious traditions who are dedicated to bringing
about justice for the GLBT community. For more information
visit the Soulforce National website at "www.soulforce.org" or
contact local members: Karen at "karen@cwis.net", 918-452-
2761, Sue at "knalig@worldnet.att.net", 587-3248, or Femando
at "Pandafe477@cs.com", 295-0030.
Our Families + Friends
Presbyterians Hold
Gay Spirituality Event
TULSA (TFN) - Tulsa’s College Hill Presbyterian
Church, 10ng knownas theprogressive church among
local congregations is sponsoring a weekend retreat
for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender persons.
The event called, "Re-Connecting Body and Spirit"
will be on March 16-18 at the historic Presbyterian
camp Dwight Mission near Muskogee.
It’s billed as "A Weekend Retreat about Spirituality,
Sexuality and Building Relationships to Last A
Lifetime..." and features as facilitator, the Reverend
Laurene M. Lafontaine. Lafontaine is an out Lesbian
and an alumnae of Princeton Theological Seminary,
and serves as "pulpit supply" (floating minister) for
Denver area churches. Lafontaine also teaches and
coaches at Saint Mary’s Academy in Englewood,
Colorado.
"Re-Connecting Body and Spirit" seeks to help
individuals marginalized by repressive church policies
around matters of sexuality. The retreat hopes to
help individuals to re-connect spirituality with identity
to help build an inclusive faith community. Organizers
say that the retreat’will offer opportunities for
worship, discussion, recreation, bonding, and alliance
building. The goal is to build a church for
everyone.
The event will start after 6pm on Friday evening as
participants arrive. That evening will be a get acquainted
time with no formal programs except for a
Vespers service at 10pm. Saturday will combine
fellowship at meals with workshops from "Religion
and Spirituality: Our Images of God," to "Discovering
and Making the Connections between Sexuality
and Spirituality." Sunday momingworship follows
breakfast, see Retreat, p. 11
¯
Presbyterians Vote On
Anti-Gay Amendment
¯ US/TULSA (AP/TFN) -Around the United States,
¯ regional governing bodies for the Presbyterian Church,
¯ U.S.A. are voting on a measure called "Amendment
O."The amendment is another product of the30-year
¯ struggle over homosexuality, that has gripped the 2.6
¯ million-member Presbyterianchurchand othermain- ¯
line Protestant denominations. The proposed amend-
" ment, passed by the national governing body of the
¯ denominationin2000,wouldruleoutinvoking"God’s ¯
blessing.., on any relationship that is inconsistent
¯ with" the view that people should live "in fidelity
¯ within the covenant of marriage between a man and
¯ a woman or in chasti,ty in singleness."
~ The proposed amerldment would insert an instruc-
~ tion in the church’s governing Book of Order that
¯ Presbyterian churches and clergymust not approve or ¯
invoke God’s blessing on any relationship but those.
¯ For some Presbyterians, that raised the specter of
¯ babies-denied baptism if born out of wedlock, or
refusing marriage to couples who had lived together
~ for years.
¯ At press time, theproposedban on same-sex unions
was failing nationally, 39 to 67, according to an
unofficial count on Presbyweb, one of several independent
church groups posting running vote totals on
¯ the Interact. However, all sides expected the margin
to tighten by the May 25 deadline.
South Louisiana Presbyterians voted to reject
Amendment O. The vote marked the first time that a
majority of the leaders for the more than 13,000
¯ Presbyterians in the southern part of Louisiana have
granted a victory to Gay Presbyterians. It remained
unclear, however, if the vote meant they approve of
¯ Gay marriage.
Some commissioners of the Presbytery of South
Louisiana, see Vote, p. 2
Tulsa Clubs & Restaurants
*Bamboo Lounge, 7204 E. Pine
*CW’s, 1737 S. Memorial
*Play-Mor, 424 S. Memorial
Pol6 Grill, 2038 Utica Square
832-1269 "-
610-5323 :
838-9792 ."
744-4280 ¯
*Renegades/Rainbow Room, 1649 S. Main 585-3405 "
*St. Michael’s Alley Restaurant, 3324-L E. 31st 745-9998 "
*Schatzi’s, 2619 S. Memorial 280-1316 :
*The Star, 1565 Sheridan 834-4234 ¯
*TNT’s, 2114 S. Memorial 660-0856 "
*Tool Box II, 1338 E. 3rd 584-1308 "
*Vortex, 2182 S. Sheridan 835-2376 :
*The Yellow Brick Road Pub, 2630 E. 15th 749-1563 ¯
Tulsa Businesses, Services, & Professionals "
Assoc. in Med. & Mental Health, 2325 S. Harvard 743-1000 :
Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 8620 E. 71 "
Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 5231 E. 41 .
Body Piercing by Nicole, 2722 E. 15
*Borders Books & Music, 2740 E. 21 "
*Borders Books & Music, 8015 S. Yale
¯
Brookside Jewelry, 4649 S. Peoria ",
*CD Warehouse, 3807c S. Peoria
*Cheap Thrills, 2640 E. 1 lth "
Cherry St. Psychotherapy, 1515 S. Lewis ."
Community Cleaning, Kerby Baker
Tim Daniel, Attorney 352-9504, 800-742-9468 "
25O-5034
665-4580
712-1122
712-9955
494-2665
743-5272
746-0313
295-5868
581-0902, 743-4117
622-0700
749-3620
744-5556
838-8503
369-8555
584-0337, 712-9379
592-0460
744-9595
610-0880
628-3709
808-8026
742-1460
459-9349
744-7440
745-1111
341-6866
712-2750
582-3018
747-0236
582-8460
599-8070
747-5466
585-1234
584-3112
663-5934
664-2951
838-7626
743-4297
747-5932
834-0617
834-7921, 748-0224
260-7829
481-0558
835-5563
743-1733
665-2222
592-0767
www.gaytulsa.org - website for Tulsa Gays &Lesbians
Tulsa Agencies, Churches, Schools & Universities
AIDS Walk Tulsa, POB 4337, 74101 579-9593
*Deco to Disco, 3212 E. 15th
Doghouse on Brookside, 3311 S. Peoria
*Elite Books & Videos, 821 S. Sheridan
Encompass Travel, 13161H N. Memorial
Ross Edward Salon
Events Unlimited, 507 S. Mmn
Floral Design Studio, 3404 S. P~,o.ria
Four Star Import Automotive, 9906 E. 55th P1.
Cathy Furlong, Ph.D., 1980 Utica Sq. Med. Ctr.
Gay & Lesbian Affordable Daycare
*Gloria Jean’s Gourmet Coffee, 1758 E. 21st
Learme M. Gross, Insurance & financial planning
Mark T. Hamby, Attorney
*Sandra J. Hill, MS, Psychotherapy, 2865 E. Skelly
*International Tours
Jacox Animal Clinic, 2732 E. 15th
*Jared’s Antiques, 1602 E. 15th
David Kauskey, Country Club Barbering
The Keepers, Housekeeping & Gardening
*Ken’s Flowers, 1635 E. 15
Kelly Kirby, CPA, 4021 S. Harvard, #210
*Living ArtSpace, 308 South Kenosha
*Midtown Theater, 319 E. 3rd
Mingo Valley Flowers, 9720c E. 31
*Mohawk Music, 6157 E 51 Place
Puppy Pause II, 1060 S. Mingo
*The Pride Store
Rainbowz on the River B+B, POB 696, 74101
Richard’s Carpet Cleaning
Teri Schutt, Ellen & Co.
Paul Tay, Car Salesman
*Tulsa Comedy Club, 6906 S. Lewis
Venus Salon, 1247 S. Harvard
Fred Welch, LCSW, Counseling
*Wherehouse Music, 5150 S. Sheridan
- *Whittier News Stand, 1 N Lewis
743-2363
587-7314
583-7815
583-9780
585-1201
& Florence
587-1314
747-6300
749-0595
748-3888
712-1511
,M1 Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 S. Peoria
Black & White, Inc. POB 14001, Tulsa 74159
Bless The Lord at All Times Christian Center, 2207 E. 6
B/L/G/T Alliance, Univ. of Tulsa United Min. Ctr.
Chamber of Commerce Bldg., 616 S. Boston
*Chapman Student Ctr., University of Tulsa, 5th PI.
Church of the Restoration UU; 1314N.Greenwood
*Community of Hope Church, 2545 S. Yale
*Community Unitarian-Universalist Congregation
Council Oak Men’s Chorale
*Delaware Playhouse, 1511 S. Delaware
918.583.1248, fax: 583.4615
POB 4140, Tulsa, OK 74159, e-mail: TulsaNews@earthlink.net
PubLisher + Editor: Tom Neal
Writers + contributors: James Christjohn, Kati~egory, Barry
Hensley, J.-P. Legrandbouche, Lamont Lindstrom,-Esther
Rothblum, Mary Schepers, Hughston Walkinshaw~ -.
Member of The Associated Press --~_~ _
Issued around the 1 st of each month, the entire conte~s of this
publication are protected by US copyright 2001 by Tulsa
Family News and may not be reproduced either in whole or in
part without written permission from the publisher. Publication
of a name or photo does not indicate a person’s sexual
orientation. Correspondence is assumed to be for publication
unless otherwise noted, must be signed & becomes the sole
property of Tulsa Family News. Eachxeader is entitled to 4
copies of each edition at distribution poi~.~:-~_-
Additional copies are available by calling 58~3~.
*Democratic Headquarters, 3930 E.-31~-~., 742-2457 ¯
Dignity/Integrity of Tulsa - Lesbian & Gay Catl:~oliEs & ¯
Episcopalians, POB 701475, 74170-1475 -- 355:T140 ,
*Fellowship Congreg. Church, 2900 S. Harvard 747-7777
*Free SpiritWomen’s Center, call for location &info: 587-4669
Friend For A Friend, POB 52344, 74152 747-6827 "
Friends in Unity Social Org., POB 8542, 74101 582-0438 "
*Tulsa C.A.R.E.S., 3507 E. Admiral 834-4194
¯ HOPE, HIV Outreach, Prevention, Education 834-8378
¯
*HouseoftheHoly SpiritMinstrie~, 1517 S. Memorial 224-4754
¯ *MCC United, 1623 N. Maplewood 838-1715
¯ NAMES Project, 3507 E. Adunr~tal P1. 748-3111
¯
NOW, Nat’l Org. for Women, POB 14068, 74159 365-5658
¯ OK Spokes Club (bicycling), POB 9165, 74157
¯ *OSU-Tulsa
¯ PFLAG, POB 52800, 74152 749-4901
¯
*Planned Parenthood, 1007 S. Peoria 587-7674
¯ Prime-Timers, P.O. Box 52118.74152
R.A.I.N., Regional AIDS Interfaith Network 749-4195
¯ *Red Rock Mental Center, 1724 E. 8 584-2325
¯
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, 4045 N. Cindnnati 425-7882
¯ St Dunstan’s E iscopal, 5635 E 71st 492-7140
*St. Jerome’s Parish Church, 205 W. King 582-3088
¯ Soulforce-OK, Rt.4,#3534,Stigler74462 587-3248,452-2761
¯ *Tulsa Area United Way, 1430 S. Boulder 583-7171
¯ *TNAAPP (Native American men), Indian Health Care 582-7225
¯ Tulsa County Health Department, 4616E. 15 595-4105
¯ Confidential HIV Testing - by appt. on Thursdays only
¯
Tulsa Okla. for Human Rights, Gay Comm. Center 743-4297
¯ TUL-PAC, PositiveAdvocacyCoalition, POB2687,Tulsa 74101
¯ T.U.L.S.A. Tulsa Uniform]Leather Seekers Assoc. 298-0827
¯
*Tulsa City Hall, Ground Floor Vestibule
¯ *Tulsa Community College Campuses
¯ *Tul sa Gay Commumty Center, 21 st &Memorial 743-4297
¯ Unity Churchof Christianity, 3355 S. Jamestown 749-8833
¯
¯ BARTLESVILLE
Bartlesville Public Library,600 S. Johnstone 918-337-5353
¯¯ TAHLEQUAH
Stonewall League, call for information: 918-456-7900
¯
Tahlequah Unitarian-Universalist Church 918-456-7900
’ k Green Country AIDS Coalition, POB 1570 918-453-9360
EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
Autumn Breeze Restaurant, Hwy. 23 501-253-7734
Jim & Brent’s Bistro, 173 S. Main 501-253-7457
¯ DeVito’s Restaurant, 5 Center St. 501-253-6807
¯ Emerald Rainbow, 45 &l/2 Spring St. 501-253-5445
: MCC of the Living Spring 501-253-9337
¯ Geek to Go!, PC Specialist, POB 429 501-253-2776
¯ Old Jailhouse Lodging, 15 Montgomery 501-253-5332
Positive Idea Marketing Plans " 501-624-6646
White Light, 1 Center St. 501-253-4074
¯ JOPLIN, MISSOURI
¯ Spirit of Christ MCC, 2639 E. 32, Ste. U134 41%623-4696
¯¯ aregional grouping of71 local Presbyterian
churches, said they were voting against a
¯ national proposal to ban same-sex unions ¯
because it seemed incidentally to ban much
¯
else, such as baptizing children of single
¯ mothers. Commissioners defeated the proposal
77-63, sending their vote to headquar-
¯
ters of the Presbyterian Church in Louis-
¯ ville, Ky., where the votes of the nation’s
¯ other 172 presbyteries are being tallied.
: The Presbytery of Greater Atlanta which
~- represents 110 churches voteddownAmend-
" merit O, while its counterpart in northeast
¯ Georgia voted the other way. The 256-225
Atlanta vote agmnst the amendment came
~ by paper ballot after an hour’s discussion.
: The Northeast Georgia Presbytery voted in
¯ favor of the amendment 65-61. "We had a
~ very spiritual, pastorally sensitive and open
¯ debateeven thoughour votewas very close,"
said the Rev. Keyon Meeks Jr., executive of
the presbytery.
Currently, according to a ruling last year
by the denomination’s highest court, ministers
in the denominationmay perform samesex
blessing services as long as they are not
c.o.nsidered the same as marriage ceremorues.
-
The Presbytery of Eastern Oklahoma is
scheduled to vote on Amendment O, along
with a number of other proposed amendments
on Tuesday, March 6 at John Knox
Presbyterian Church.
¯ TOHR’s president Kerry Lewis (who is
an attorney) and the Oklahoma chapter of
¯ the American Civil Liberties Union pro-
" vided him with legal advice on how to deal
¯ withresistance on the part of the principal at
¯ Jenks High School.
: Barker’s experience with his principal’s
¯ stalling might now seem funny. He was
¯ asked to give them more time, told that they
¯ had to talk with the school attorney whojust
: happened not to be available, etc. but who
¯ suddenly became much more accessible af-
¯ ter Barker called local mainstream media: ¯ Apparently shortly afterreceiving calls from
: TV and Tulsa World reporters, inducting
¯ Ch. 8’s Glenda Silvey, Barker was called ¯
into the principal’s office where he received
", something that resembled an apology.
¯ However, since receiving approval for the
¯ group, the GSA has continued to struggle to
¯ receive equal access to school resources
," which other groups take for granted. This
: harassmentranges from the sudden enforce-
¯ mentonrules abouthanding out flyers (rules
¯
that had never been enforced recently) to
¯ having their group announcements in the
school bulletin printed in miniscule type.
¯ Despite the struggle, Jenks GSA had a ¯
successful first meeting with 40 people at-
" tending, about 30 of whom were not Gay.
¯ And the success in Jenks appears to have
¯ inspired the formation of groups at Tulsa
¯ Rogers, Union High and in Broken Arrow.
¯ As Barker notes, if it can happen at Jenks,
¯ then it can happen anywhere, and he stated
¯ in an e-mail to his allies, "the law, and God
" was on our side for this one, and we did it!.
¯ .do not be discouraged, the world will
iswhereyoucanffmdTl~N.NotallareGay.ownedba,,a~.~o.,.,IH~my~"~’~ ¯ change, even if it is one person at a timeF’ ,....
by Elizabeth Birch, executive director
WASHINGTON (Feb.2 !) - As we begin a new political reality with Georg~W. Bush as
our nation’s 43rd president and Republicans in charge of Congress and the White House
for the first time in four decades, supporters ofGay equality have expressed apprehension
about what this political moment portends for Gay issues.
While the question remains largely unanswered, we can gain some comfort in noting
that we are also living in a reality of growing public distaste for anti-Gay behavior,
whether by self-righteous radio hosts or misguided office seekers. In the marketplace of
ideas, anti-Gay positions are finding fewer and fewer takers - a point not lost on our new
president.
"... we can gain some comfoit
in noting that we are
also living in a reality of
growing public distaste for
anti-Gay behavlor, whether
by self-rlghteous radio host,-
or misguided office seekers.
In the marketplace of ideas,
anti-Gay positions are
finding fewer and fewer
takers - a point not lost on
our new president.. ¯."
1992, by the Gallup organization whether Gays should have equaljob opportunities, 71%
Of those polled said "yes." By 1999, 83% said "yes." When asked by Gallup whether
homosexuality should be an acceptable lifestyle, in 1992, 38% said"yes." By 1999, 52%
had said"yes." In 1995, apoll conducted by Lake Snell Perry showed Independents, akey
Bush constituency, when asked whether they thought Gay rights were equal rights or
special rights, 41% said "equal." By 1998, that number jumped to 55%.
This data underscores an increasingly supportive electorate that will provide a firm
foundation on which we can build relationships with thenew administration. The lessons
we have learned since 1994 when Republicans took over the Senate and the House of
Representatives, is that public opinion has provided us with vital leverage. Working with
allies inside and outside of Congress we have been able to stop every anti-Gay legislative
attack, and there were many, except one, the Defense of Marriage Act. During this period,
the Employment Non Discrimination Act came within one of vote of passing the Senate
and though it has yet to become law, the Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed the Senate
by a wide margin and the House passed a non-binding resolution supporting the measure.
Our progress does not rest with any one individtml, political party or component of
government. It comes from making our case to the American people, who at the end of
day, will be the final arbiters of judgment regarding our nation’s leaders.
When the new President Bush nominated former Missouri Sen. John Ashcroft to be
attorney general the conventional wisdom among most Gay advocates was that the
President would have had a tough time picking someone anti-Gay. The fact that the
attorney general can have a direct, dramatic impact on the lives of Gay people only
exacerbated the apprehension surrounding the nomination. What transpired during the
confirmation process was unexpected. Sen. Ashcroft felt the political need to state
unequivocally under oath thathewouldnot discriminateonthebasis of sexual orientation,
apositionhe never took (orhad to take) until coming before the full body ofpublic opinion
represented by the entire Senate. Of course, we will judge him by his actions, not his
words.
After eight years of the Clinton Administration, our community, its orgamzations and
leaders are looking at what lies ahead in this new, more ambiguous environment. Not all
will come to the same conclusions and not all will be driven by the same priorities, but
most are motivated by the goal of equality for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgendered
Americans. At the Human Rights Campaign, we campaigned vigorously for A1
Goreforpresident.Wethoughtherepresented the besthopefor ourcommumty and would
offer the best environment to move our issues forward.
That did not come to pass. The campaign is over. It is time to govern. Thenew president
has completed his transition from campaign to governing. So too does HRC move from
campaigning to making sure the new administration governs fairly and inclusively. We
will accomplish this by using political acumen, relationships with Congress, the moral
imperative and the growing support of public opinion.
The Washington, D.C. based Human Rights Campaign is the largest US civil rights
organization focused On Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered issues. HRC engages
in education and lobbying at thefederal level. Call HRC-Tulsa at 582-4673.
President Bush has largely tried to
sidestep Gay issues throughout his public
career. When he has been pinned
down on issues, he mosdy tries to balance
his positions by trying not to appear
intolerant, yet not alienating his
socially conservativebase. Hehas commendably
stated he will not discriminate
based on sexual orientation. However,
his statements have consistently
been tempered with implications that
homosexuality is a private matter underscoring
the inequity contrasted by
heterosexuality being an obvious public
matter. Despite his strategy ofavoidance,
President Bush has taken a few
positions as governor and during, his
campaign that are not Gay-supportave,
most notably his support in the spring of
1999 for a law that would ban Gay
people from adopting children.
The public has come along way over
the course of the last eight years toward
support of Gay issues. When asked in
by Christian Grantham
The first time I heard songs from the Marshal Mather’s LP by tapper Eminem was on
MTV. The music didn’t seem all that different from everything else the network played,
: and I didn’t pay too much attention. It wasn’t undl the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation (GLAAD) publicly critiqued the album and led protests at the MTV Music
~ Awards against the artist that I gave it another listen.
¯ The questionable content that concernedGLAAD was lyrical prose depicting violence
" against Gays and women. The lyrics were a perfect vehicle for the organization to
] demonstrate how homophobia has permeated our culture. Like a predictable,virus, the
controversy acted as a host and propdled the artist’s content into the spotlight whe4e art’ s
¯ success i s often measured.
¯ The lyrical content is disturbing. But "disturbing" can describe pretty much any
¯ provocative art. What’s great about the album is F,minem’s presentation: it’s angry, it’s
raw and it’s real. It’s so real, in fact, that Eminem took criticism from Gay and Lesbian
leaders and publications for somehow inspiring society’s homophobia.
Supporters like Madonna, Stevie Wonder and Elton John came to his defense reminding
us that blaming, the artist for society’s ills cuts both ways. Who knows how many
unwanted pregnancies in the 80s Madonna is responsible for, right? It wasn’t until Elton
John agreed to perform with the controversial tapper at the Grammy’s that the shit hit the
"fans," so to speak.
"... The lyrical content is
disturbing. But "disturbing" can
describe pretty much any
provocative art. ~/hat’s great about
the album is Emlnem’s presentation:
it’s angry~ it’s raw and it’s real ..."
Caught off guard, GLAAD quickly
urged Elton John to live up to the standards
for which he was presented
GLAAD’s Vito Russo Award the previous
year for outstanding work with the
Gay and Lesbian commumty. Activist
Robin Tyler said in an open letter to
Elton John that he was "spitting on the
grave ofMatthew Shepard." Gay.corn’s
Michael Signorile wrote that it was "arrogant
of Elton John to use his power in
a way that undercuts an entire movement" unless he got a permission slip from the
executive directors of the Gay and Lesbian movement. GLAAD’s Executive Director,
Joan Gerry, implored Elton John to "not perform with Eminem at the Grammy Awards."
Dr. Dre’s protOg6 learned from the best and rode it all the way to the bank.
Gay and Lesbian attacks on tapper Eminem scapegoated the artist and a marginalized
medium for society’s homophobia. The tactic was long popular with religious political
extremists to blame Gays and Lesbians for everything from child molestation to broad
declines of morality. Gay and Lesbian activists argued Eminem was scapegoating Gays
and women inhis prose. Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!
If anything, our movement s duet w~ Eminem exposes our own occasional reliance
on questionable tactics. It also highlights whata willing danceparmerwemake for people,
such as Eminem, by rushing headlong ires giving them the attention they so desire.
What’s worsemour apparent role as "art critic" is the pressure of political expectations
placed on artists we ceremoniously award. Elton Johnis an entertainer who owes creative
control to no one but himself. If he wishes to play the"Uncle Tom," as letters to the editor
describe him, let’s pick up Elton’s depiction and talk about the Uncle Toms in our
commtmi.ty. Or is this a sore spot for folks? If the duet is about homophobia in your face,
let’s address what we’re doing about it and not "who should and shouldn’t artistically
represent it and why."
Elton John isn’t the only artist to experience this from our community. In a discussion
I had on GayBC with Queer As Folk’s Executive Producer, Ron Cowen, he balked at
activist demands that QAF’s story line represent diversity, as though it’s his job to be
social engineer. If art reflects a less than politically correct reality, we all have short
comings to address.
Charles L. Mackay, LL.D, once wrote in Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the
Madness of Crowds that people "think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds,
while they only recover their senses slowly; and one by one." Our movement’s reaction
to Eminem and Elton John show Gays and Lesbians aren’t immune to being apt hosts.
Many of those who attack F.minem hide behind claims that his rap is not art and is a true
confession. The last I recall we left deciding what is and isn’t art to Congressman Jesse
Helms and NY Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Madness makes strange bedfellows of foes. I
wonder what our friends must be thinking?
Madonna, no stranger to the controversy herself, said in the L~A. Times that Eminem is
simply’~reflecdng what s going onin society right now and That is what art ~s supposed
to do." Stevie Wonder also pointed out that "art is a reflection of our society, and people
don’t like to confront the realities in society." As long as Gay and Lesbian leaders dodge
the"realitiesmsoc|ety ln favor of lynching homophobla smessenger, allwe refunding
is an endless game of"whack the mole." I’d settle, however, for old fashion activism over
playing art critic any day. In the least case, it would be great to get a heads up on when
it will be Howard Stem, David Geffen or Ru Paul’s turn.
William S. Burroughs, a founder of the Beat Generation, himself Gay and brought to
court over the questionable content of his novels, once said "The next revolution will be
iwgnOrin~ others out of existence." I have to wonder someumes if the free market of ideas
ould l~ave left Eminem at the bottom had we not lifted it up as a pet example rather than
focusing on society’s ills his art reflects. Enough about Eminem.
Christian Grantham has a talk show on GayBC Radio Network. www.gaybc.com
School Board to Consider
Advocate for Gay Kids
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Appointment of a full-time
advocate for Gay.and Lesbian students is desperatdy
needed in Madison to combat harassment, ignorance
and indifference such students face, supporters of the
proposal say. "The level of despair, the level of crisis,
is often quite severe," said Michael Apple, an education
professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madi-
S°~o specificjob description exists yet, but a preliminary
proposal Calls for the advocate to work with
district departments to make them more inclusive and
help Gay and Lesbian students with their studies and
probiems. The position could be filledby the end of the
year pending board approval.
Dr. Paul Grossberg of University Health Services
said a presidential task force found about one of every
three youth suicides involv,e~, teen-agers struggling
with tt]eir sexual orientation. It is unconscionable for
usas acommtmity tobesllentaboutthislssue, hesmd.
The Madison district has similar full-time teachers
that work with Southeast Asian, Hispanic and American
Indian students. Only eight other districts in the
country areknown to have full-time advocates for Gay
students, according to the n T h e
proposal has drawn several opposing letters to area .
newspapers. .
Gay+Military Stepfamilies "
Face Challenges
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Beyond the basic complexities
confronting most stepfamilies, those in the mil!-
tary and those headed by same-sex couples face additional
daunting challenges, experts told a U.S. conference
at the end of February.
For military stepfamilies, temporary overseas deployment
of a spouse may leave a.stepparent alone
with children who have yet to accept a new authority
figure. Same-sex couples may have to cope withprejudices,
and their children may struggle in explaiuing the
family structure to others. The issues were raised at the
National Conference of Stepfamilies, a first-of-itskind
symposium bringing together experts from a
variety offields to consider ways ofimproving support
for stepfamilies.
Francesca Adler-Baeder, a parent education specialist
affiliated withComell University, discuss.edher
work with the U.S. Defense Department, trying to
identify the problems posed by stepfamilies in the
military. About 55% of all service members are marfled,
and at least one-fifth of them are estimated to be "
in stepfamilies, she said. ¯
Anne Bernstein, a family therapist and professor at ~
the University of California-Berkeley, discussed the
distinctive challengesfacing same-sex couplesincases ¯
where one ofthem has custody of one °rm°rechildren
at the time the adults become partners. "Even more
than other stepfnmilies, these fnmilies are at variance
with the models in our dominant culture," Bemstein
said. "These people can fed invisible or rejected as a
family."
She said members of such families may have difficulty
finding the right terms foreach other; a child
,,n~,~ht fumble for a replywhen asked by a teach,e,r,~
~-ho is this person who picks you up from school?
..Bemstein said most of the same=sex Couples she
works with are Lesbians, but she has detected particular
problems faced by some Gay men thrust.into
stepfather roles. "For Gay men, being a parent is often
not what one expected to include in one’s-life story,
she said. "Being a stepparent is a very different
lifestyle."
Bernstein said her home town of Berkeley, California,
is rdatively tolerant, but noted that some same-sex
couples with childrenin other areas fear stigmatization
- or possibly even losing custody of the children - if
their sexual identity, becomes public. "These issues are
not easy, especially when youhave children," she said.
The final full session of the conference ended with a
~leaby organizers for more energetic lobbying in state
legislatures on behalf of stepfamilies. "State laws give
almost no lega~ recogniuon to the residential stepparent,’.’
said Margorie Engel, president of the Stepfamily
Association of America. "Thelegal system focuses too
exclusively on bloodlines."
Tolerance Curriculum
Criticized in Santa Fe
SANTA FE (AP) - A minister and a parent say the
tolerance curriculum approved by the Santa Fe school
board for middle and high school students needs to be
redone.. The school board last week approved the
curriculum, which recognizes homophobia as s~xual
violence. The Project Glyph Anti-Homophobia, Prejudice-
Reduction Curriculum is optional for teachers to
use, and parents will be notified before the lessons in
case they want to excuse their children.
Michdle Parker, parent of an elementary school
child, said she stopped reading the curricuium after the
glossary, which includes definitions for transsexual,
transvestite and transgender. Bisexuality and homosexuality
are listed as normal behavior -definitions the
:urriculum attributes to the American Psychiatric ,A.~s-
~ociation. Parker said the definition of homosexumxty
~ontradicts the teachings of theRoman Catholic Church.
"We believe it is not a normal state of being, she sa~ .
Pa~ker saidhomosexuals should be treated with respect,
but that the school district should throw out the,
project and start over.
The Rev. Canon Dale Coleman of the Church of the
Holy Faith Episcopal, who has two children in the
t-~ublic schools, also said the curricu" lumne.e...ds resvaiisdi,n,Ag. "I wouldbeall for atolerance curnculum, he ¯
Christian cannot support prejudice or violence against
kids." However, he said Project Glyph takes "axi extreme
position" in labeling as normal various kinds of
sexual lifestyles. Curriculum advocates say the lessons
are necessary because teen-agers are confronted with
derogatory slang about homosexuals and song lyrics
about beating up homosexuals and that some students
are ridiculed in school.
The project was created by the Santa Fe Rape Crisis
CentJer. Some.. ministers spoke,,out against the curricu-,,
lum, feanng xt would promote ahomosexual agenda.
But the Santa Fe Ministerial Alliance said lastApril it
stood behind the tolerance-based project. The curriculum
covers sexual orientation and gender identity;
homophobia and how it affects everyone; and how to
be an ally to people of all orientations and help stop
violence.
The four school board members at the meeting
supported the curriculum. Supenntendent Vero_ni.’ca .C.
Garcia also spoke favorably of the program, calling ~ts
subject a "human rights issue." Mayor Larry Delgado
has endorsed the program, too.
Project Glyph, part of the Santa-Fe Rape Crisis
Center, first approached the board in Novemberi999
with its effort to make Santa Fe safe and inclusive for
all youth, especially Lesbian, Gay, bisexual and
transgender children.
Some Santa Fe ministers then spoke out against the
curriculum, fearing it would promote the homosexual
lobby’s agenda. But the Santa Fe Ministerial ,Alliance
said in a letter last April iLstood behind the tolerancebased
project. The curriculum covers sexual orientation
and gender identity; homophobia and how it
affects everyone; and how to be an ally to people of all
orientations and help slop violence.
Project Glyph staff plan to make presentations to
students next week. The curriculum will be modified
for middle school students. In a class of30, on average,
there are three to eight students who identify or might
someday identify themselves as Lesbian, Gay or Bisexual,
the curriculum states.
Find out for yourself how good the Lord iS! - Ps. 34:8
Come share
goodness of the
Lord with our
community
~Sunday Morning
11:00 AM
Children’s Worshi p
During Service
MCC United
Rev. Cathy Elliott, Pastor
1623 N. Maplewood (918)838-1715 rncctulsa@aol,con
Community
Unitarian Universalist
Congregation
at Community ofHope
2$4~ South Yale, Sundays at llam, 749-0~9~
A Welcoming Congregation
OUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Sun. Worship, 10:45 am, Sunday School, 9:30 am
Wed. Bible Study, 7 pm; Sunday Eve. Service, 6pm
1517 S. Memorial, 628-0802, Info: 224-4754
The Open Arms Project
Young Adult Support Group
Outreach Program Thurs. Nights
Meet Others in a Safe Enviroment
Call for meeting times and place:
918-584-2325
I
Mingo Valley Flowers
9413 E. 31st St., Tulsa 74145
918-663-5934, fax: 663-5834, 800-4AA-5934
Family Owned & Opbrated
Trinna L. ,W. Burrows, LSWs ACSW
Child, Family, Individual & Couple Psychotherapy
(918) 743-9559
2121 South Columbia, Suite 420
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74114-3518
The Pride Store
21st Street & Memorial
Tulsa Gay Community Services Center
743-GAYS (743-4297)
6-9 pm, Sunday - Friday
12-9 pm, Saturday, all sales benefit the Center
TOM NEAL
BUILDING & GARDEN
DESIGN
583-1248
Free
Red Rock Tulsa
Confidential HIV Testing
Walk-in Clinics
Tues. & Thurs., 5:8 pm
at the Center, 1307 East 38th
Daytime appointments available.
Call for more information:
918-584-2325
G
American Red Cross
American Red Cross
Tulsa Area Chapter
10151 East Eleventh
Tulsa 74128
Dannette McIntosh
Diversity-Co-ordinator
838-1100
Saint Aidan
4045 N. Cincinnati, 425-7882
Saint John
4200 S. Atlanta Place, 742-7381
OPENARMS
OPEN MINDS
OPENI-tFAI~S
Saint Dunstan
5635 East 71st, 492-7140
Trinity
501 S. Cincinnati, 582-4128
The Episcopal Church Welcomes You
School board member Donita Sena said she was
alarmed after reading the results of the district’s recent
Quality of Education Survey. Only 47% of Santa Fe
high school students believed students at their schools
were treated equally regardless of sexual orientation,
while 71% of high school staff believed students were
treated equally. "The kids are saying something obviously
different," Sena said. "If this curriculum is going
to help teachers, we need to do it."
Scottsdale.Considers
Partners Health Benefits
SCOTI’SDALE, Ariz. (AP) - The Scottsdale City
Council is considering extending health care benefits
to the domestic partners of city employees, including
same-sex partners. The city’s proposed health care
plan’was devised in part to bolster Scottsdale’s efforts
inrecruiting andretaining workers in a competitivejob
market.
The number ofjob applications for openpositions is
down, as is the overall quality of candidates, said Neal
Shearer, the city’s human resources administrator.
"We want to eliminate whatever barriers we can that
impede our ability to attract and retain the talent we
need to get thejob done," Shearer said. City employees
have also begun requesting the benefits, and officials
hope to extend the policy to avoid any perception of
discrimination, he said. Eligibility requirements still
are being determined.
Gay civil-rights activists see Scottsdale’s benefits
proposal as part of a trend, said Steve Brandwein, a
board member forthe Arizona Human Rights Fund, a
Gay civil-rights advocacy group. "City councils and
city human resources departments are learning just
like corporations are that in order to remain competitive
this is very sensible business," Brandwein said. In
the state, Phoenix, Tempe, and Tucson also offer
benefits to domestic partners.
But an attorney with a history of challenging domestic
partner policies nationally said the benefits would
weaken morality. "One of the strongest reasons we
oppose any attempts to broaden public support for
alternative lifestyles such as the (domestic partner)
ordinances or city actions do, is that they really do
weaken the value of marriage," said Alan Sears, president
and general counsel of the Alliance Defense
Fund.
Suspects in Gay’s Murder
To Be Clinically Evaluated
FAIRMONT, W.Va. (AP) - The trials of two teenagers
charged in the murder of a Gay Black man from
Marion County could be delayed by requests for psychiatric
reviews. Special Prosecutors Scott Smith of
Wheeling and Stephen Keuney of Charleston have
asked Circuit Judge David Janes to have both teenagers
reviewed by a psychiatrist.
David Allen Parker, 18, is tentatively set to stand
,trial in Beckley on March.26, while co-defendant Jared
Matthew Wilson is scheduled to appear in a Wheeling
courtroom on May 29.
The teen-agers are charged with first-degree murder
and could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted of
beating 26-year-old Arthur "J.R." Warren to death in
Grant Town in July. Their trials are expected to last
about a week.
The teens have been interviewed by a psychologist,
but neither has been examined by a psychiatrist, the
prosecutors said in a filing with the court. Forensic
psychologist Dr. William Fremouw has found both
defendants mentally competentto stand trial andcriminally
responsible at the time of their alleged attack on
Warren, according to court documents. Still, Parker’s
lawyers have indicated they may pursue a diminished
capacity defense.
The beating of Warren began early July 4 when
Parker became angry with the victim for telling others
about a sexual relationship the two had. After drinking
beer and snorting a crushed tranquilizer, Parker allegedly
starting hitting Warren with his fists and stomping
on him with steel-toed boots.
In his statement, Wilson told investigators he participated
briefly in the beating for fear Parker’s rage
would turn on him. The then-17-year-olds are also
accused of taking Warren’s body to a rural road and
driving over him four times with a Camaro in a failed
effort to stage a hit-and-run.
College Claims Adequate
Response to Hate Crimes
LYNDON, Vt. (AP) - Lyndon State College officials
have denied accusations that the college is ignoring
hate crimes on campus. Officials responded to claims
made last week by a sophomore student who said
college administrators retaliated against him because
of his Web site, http://lyndonsucks.homestead.com.
The site by Jacob Fortes, of Lowell, Mass., who is
not Gay,accuses officials ofignoring student concerns
about hate crimes, and mentions alleged hate crimes
that target Gays at LSC.
College President Carol Moore said Fortes made
"outrageous claims." "I think we’ve done a good job
and have responded quickly to some of the concerns
about the homosexual climate on campus." Moore
said. "We feel we have enough data to show that we
have tried to set up programs to protect our Gay and
Lesbian students." Moore said the school has pursued
every incident of harassment that has been reported.
As well, the college has increased efforts to raise
awareness on the campus about Gay and Lesbian
concerns, she said, including holding open forums
attended for students and faculty members. Of the
nearly 1,100 full-time students at LSC, about 25 arein
the Gay and Lesbian Alliance, though not all are Gay
or Lesbian, she said.
Moore confirmed reports that a Gay student left the
campus last year because he was uncomfortable. "The
studentfelt he was injeopardy physically and we could
not guarantee round-the-clock protection for him," she
said. The situation reflects society and LSC ]s not
umque in dealing with these issues, Moore said. "You
can educate but sometimes it just doesn’t take," she
said.
Ex-United Way Staffer
Attacks BSA Funding
NEPTUNE, N:J. (AP) - A former finance director for
the United Way of Monmouth County has filed a
complaint to try to stop the nonprofitfromfunding Boy
Scout troops. Maureen Glover’s complaint with the
state Division of Civil Rights charges that she was
subject to a hostile work environment because the
agency funded the Scouts. She worked for the charitable
umbrella organization from last June until she
resigned in January.
Glover, 45, told the Asbury Park Press of Neptune
that on her first day of work, she was happy to sign an
ethics code that prohibited discrimination on the basis
of race, creed, age, sex or sexual orientation. Days
later, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Boy Scouts
".of America could bar Gays from leadership positions
m a case that originated in Monmouth County.
Glover accused her employer of violating its own
ethics code. She said it was particularly distressing to
find herself as finance director writing checks to the
same Boy Scout council that ejected James Dale as
scouunaster after learning he was Gay, an action that
led to the Supreme Court case.
Jim Borque, executive director of the Monmouth
County United Way, said he disagreed with Glover’s
charges, but declined to elaborate, citing the pending
litigation.
California Men’s
Syphilis Rate Rising
ATLANTA (AP) - An outbreak of syphilis
in Southern California last year has
provided alarming new evidence that Gay
and Bisexual me~ are lowering their guard
against AIDS, the government said.
More than half of the syphilis cases in a
four-county area during the first half of
2000 were in men who reported having
had at least one male sex partner- up from
26% a year earlier.
Health officials said that the numbers
are a signal that Gay and Bisexual men,
encouraged by news of powerfully effective
drug cocktails andlonger lifespans for
AIDS patients, are wonying less about
HIV. Both HIV and syphilis are sexually
transmitted; condoms can protect against
their spread.
HIV "is no longer perceived to bethe
threat that it once was," said Dr. Ronald
Valdiserri, deputy director of the National
Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention,
which is part of the Centers for .Disease
Control and Prevention. ’q’hese are very
serious findings."
The Southern California cases and similar
outbreaks in other major cities came
after the national syphilis rate dropped in
1999 to its lowest level on record. Just
6,657 cases were reported in 1999, the last
year for which national figures are available,
or about one case per 40,000 people.
Syphilis outbreaks inmajor cities"show
that the disease can make a comeback,"
said Ken August, spokesman for~CaliforniaDepartmentofHealth
Services. ’tit’ s
important for health-care providers to ask
patients about theirbehavior and to deliver
a strong prevention message."
In four California counties - Los Angeles,
San Diego, Orange and Riverside- 66
of 130 syphilis cases from January to July
2000 were in Gay or Bisexual men, compared
with 26 of 100 cases in the same
period in 1999.
Of the 66 cases in 2000, 33 reported they
had had anonymous sex, and 17 said they
had met sex partners in bathhouses. Only
oneinfivereported using acondomduring
his most recent sexual encounter, and two
in five reportedusing illegal drugs. ’¢rhese
men were engaging m high-risk sexual
behavior," Valdiserri said. "When we see
reports of increasing risk behaviors, that’s
when we take action. We don’t wait till we
see the spike nationally" in HIV.
Thirty-four of the 66 men reported they
were HIV-positive, and nine said they did
not know their HIV status. "You’ve got
people who are doing well on the (HIV)
drugs andbelieve then that they don’thave
to worry about infection," said John
Schtinlaoff, chief of public health operations
for Los Angeles County. "Some
people argue that there is burnout. They
get weary of being protective." The CDC
recommended a search for new, innovative
ways to get the safe-sex message to
Gay and Bisexual men in large cities.
Syphilis infections in 1999 remained
concentrated in the South, with roughly
one case per 22,000 people. Three-quarters
of syphilis victims nationwide were
black. About 300 syphilis cases were reported
in 2000 in California.
Agency to Offer
Free AIDS Drugs
BOMBAY, India (AP) - An international
aid agency said Friday it will distribute an
anti-AIDS drug purchsed from an h~dian
company free of charge in 10 countries.
Doctors Without Borders - or Medecins
sans Frontieres - will buy the anti-AIDS
cocktail from the Indian company Cipla
Ltd.
"In general, wherethe Cipladrug will be
used, it will be supplied free of cost. Wherever
it is purchased by governments, it
would be sold at reduced prices," Daniel
Berman of the agency’s Access to Essential
Medicines campaign told The Associated
Press. Berman said the agency will
begin distributing the drugs "over the next
couple of months."
On Feb. 7, Cipla offered to sell a threedrug
anti-retroviral cocktail to Doctors
Without Borders t’or $350 per person, per
year, if the aid agency agreed to distribute
it for free and took care of the legalities of
importing it. Cipla also offered to sell the
triple-combination therapy drugs to governments
for $600 per patient instead of
the $10,000 to $15,000 charged in the
United States and Europe.
The Bombay-based company says it
could manufacture the drugs cheaply becauseproduction
costs arelow in Indiaand
it makes the raw materials.
Berman along with Madrid-based pharmacist
Carmen Perez met three top Cipla
officials inBombay and said the aid agency
would integrate some of the Cipla drugs
into antiretroviral pilot programs in-10
countries. "We will be using these drugs in
thesepilotprograms."Hedeclined toname
the 10 countries, but said the program had
already begun in Thailand and Cameroon. -
Berman said drug authorities from the
United States, Australia, South Africa and
Germany had visited the Cipla plant and
certified standards.
A joint statement by Doctors Without
Bordersand Cipla said: "Governments of
developing countries canimmediately take
advantage of the offer... This offer is
available without restrictions in time, geography
or quantity."
The Cipla offer raised concerns Lhat
patent laws may be breached in some
countries. In South Africa, 42 pharmaceutical
comparfies have filed a lawsuit to
prevent the government from distributing
genericAIDS drugs becuase it~nay violate
World Trade Organization rules.
Under theWTOrules, governments can
issue compulsory licenses that allow genetic
drugs to be manufactured if they
declare a national health emergency.
The AIDS cocktail on offer consists of
two 40 milligram tablets of stavudine, two
150 milligram tablets of lamivudine and
two 200 milligram tablets of nevirapine.
: GlaxoSmithKline of Britain developed
: lamivudine, also known as Heptovir, ~ihd
: Boehringer Ingelheim of Germany holds
¯ the rights to nevirapine under the name
¯" Viramune. Bristol-Myers Squibb holds the
~ international patent on siavudine.
The companies have been negotiating
deals with individual governments to lower
prices. Boehringerrecentlylowered prices
by 80%. GlaxoSmithKline announced that
¯ it wouldlowerprices by 90%for nonprofit
Im
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Power
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Public Service Company of Oklahoma
Customer_Service Is Now Available 24
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SPIRITUAL
No More Tithes, Offerings, or Special
Gifts Until Churches End Their False
Teachings Against God’s Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender Children
Make Every Sunday Your
"Faithful Dissenter Sunday"
VIOLENCE Withholding support (for even one Sunday) will
empower you and help bring truth to your
church or denomination.
Consider your situation:
(1) If your local congregation is not. fully welcoming~ fill in the blanks below and
drop it into the offering plate. Send your donation instead to the church or
organization of your choice.
(2) If your congregation is fully welcoming, but your denomination is not, withhold
the percentage (10% to 15%) that goes to your denomination.
(3) Ifyou have left a church that is not fully welcoming, consider a one-time return
visit to drop a card in the offering plate with a note explaining why.
Write a note on the back or add a letter to explain your actions-lovingly.
Do lustice. See your spirit renewed and your church transformed.
Let us include you on our Honor Roll ofFaithful Dissenters. ,
Send your name or initials with a brief account to: HonorRoll@sou]force.org
For centuries, anti-homosexual religious teachings have led to
suicide, wasted lives,-discrimination and violence.
I am withholding my gifts until God’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender children are fully welcomed by this church and/or denomination.
Today, I amwithholding my tithe/offering/special gift (or portion
thereof) from and contributing it
to because it welcomes and provides
serAces to ~God’s chiMren equally.-~-~--~~
as much my moral obligation not to cooperate with evil as it is to
cooperate with good."- Ga~9m
This bulletin insert is provided by Soulforce as part of its
"Stop Spiritual Violence" campaign.
your speci~needs! 800-559-1558 ~n~-~.NewNest.com
agencies - effectively matching the Cipla
offer.
Cipla Chairman Yusuf Hamied said he
welcomed moves by multinational companies
to slash prices. "Since our initial
outburst, things are moving in a positive
direction. That is very satisfying,"Hamied
said in an interview over the phone.
Merck Begins
Vaccine Trials
NEW YORK (AP) - Pharmaceutical
manufacturer Merck & Co. has begun a
small-scale human trial of a new experimental
HIV vaccine, TheWall StreetJournal
reported at the end of February.
The new vaccine has been able to prevent
laboratory monkeys exposed to an
extremely vindent strain of the disease
from contracting it, sources close to the
trials told the Journal. This has AIDS scientists
watching the results of the trials
very dosdy. The company would not discuss
the details of the laboratory trials, but
did say it began testing the vaccine in
healthy, uninfected volunteers last week.
The drug is not the firstpossible vaccine
to go into human trials. At least a d~iten
.other companies are currently experimenting
with a possible vaccine, but scientists
familiar with the Merck trials say that their
drug is among the most promismg.
Merck official said they were reluctant
to release any details regarding the trials
before making a.formal presentation at a
scientific forum in April, lest publicity
raise false hopes.
Priest Challenges
Drug Companies
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Expanding an
international campaign to make AIDS
drugs affordable in the poorest nations, an
American priest who works with HIVpositive
orphans in Kenya said he planned
to import cheap, generic medicines from
India,
Importing the drugs, which are the
equivalents of patented medicines, is_illegal
in Kenya. However, the bigger fight
for the Rev. Angelo D’Agostino could
comefrom pharmaceutical companies who
own patents on the drugs.
What D’Agostino fears is a lawsuit in
Kenyalike the one42pharmaceutical companies
filed in South Africa to prevent that
government from distributing generic
AIDS drugs. "I am sick and tired of doing
funerals," said D’Agostino, who rims-the
Nyumbani Orphanage, home to 70 HIVpositive
orphans. He also treats 150 to 200
children living nearby.
The orphanage recently received private
donations to buy drugs, but brandname
medications cost $500 a month per
child, D’Agostino said. A generic equivalent
offered by the Bombay, India-based
Cipla Ltd. would cost the orphanage $20 a
month per child.
There are legal loopholes D’Agostino
could use to bring the drugs into Kenya,
but they only provide for a small amount.
And besides, his plan to go to India, buy
the drugs and bring them back for his
orphans seems feasible. Kenya’s minister
for public health, Dr. Sam Ongeri, said he
doesn’t expect the government to stop
D’Agostino. Also, Ongeri noted, the government
is expected to pass a bill in parliament
next month that would allow aid
agencies to legally import generic drugs.
The obstacle, Ongeri said, will likely be
the drug companies. "The pharmaceutical
industry should rise to the occasion and
drop their prices in good time before we
getto a level of (political) crisis," he said.
One in eight Kenyans between the ages
of 15and 49 are HIV positive, Ongeri said.
Providing them with the patented drugs
wouldcostbetween $141 millionand $167
million - more than the country’s entire
annual health budget of $115 million.
Cipla offered to sdl Doctors Without
Borders the anti-AIDS cocktailifthe group
agreed to distribute itforfreeandtook care
of the legalities of importing it. The group
has agreed to help D’Agostino obtain the
drugs.
GlaxoSmithYdine declined to comment
on D’Agostino’s plan. However, in announcing
the company’s earnings,
GlaxoSmithKline chief executive Jean-
Pierre Gamier said patents are not the
obstacle to supplying developing countries
with medicines - poverty and weak
health care systems are.
Requests for commentfrom Boehringer
and Bristol-Myers Squibb were not answered.
However, a Boehringer spokesman
asked about Cipla earlier this month
said "intellectual property rights should be
protected."
GlaxoSmithKline
Has 13% Profit Rise
LONDON (AP) - Strong sales for its respiratory,
antiviral andcentral-nervous-system
drugs helped boost GlaxoSmithKline
PLCprofits by 13%last year, thecompany
announced recently. Pretax profit for the
year ending Dec. 31 was 5.33 billion
pounds ($7.73 billion).
Theresults "demonstrate that in the new
company, we have underlying strength
which wasn’t slowed by the long preg~
nancy pause of the merger," said CEO
Jean-Pierre Gamier.
Antivirals - including the company’s
HIV treatments - rose 15%. Sales of the
firm’s HIV drugs grew 14%.
Pfizer Distributing
Free AIDS Drug
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) -
TheU.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Corp.
said Wednesday it will soon begin distributing
the drug Diflucan free to HIV and
AIDS patients at government hospitals
and clinics. Distribution of the drug will
begin "within the next few weeks," ajoint
statement from the health department and
Pfizer said.
The departr~ent removed a roadblock to
the distribution by approving Diflucan for
the treatment of esophageal candidiasis, a
fungal infection of the throat that occurs in
¯ up_to~4-0% of AIDS patients. The drug,
genetically known as Fluconazole, is already
used in South Africa as treatment for
cryptococcal meningitis, an infection of
the brain that occurs in 10% of AIDS
patients.
by Jim Christjohn, entertainment editor
Happy Spring Equinox! -Also known as
Easter, takenfrom thenameof aPhoenician
goddess offertility,Oestre or Ostara, from
whence we get the imagery of bunnies and
eggs. The hare was an animal sacred to
many goddesses, and the egg was symbolic
of the cycles of life, ~e cosmos, as
wellas eternity. Inmany
prechristian cultures,
this was also the time
for the rebirth of the solar
god, of which the
latest was Jesus. This is
the time many scholars
say he was" actually
born. Sothere’ s the little
bit of learning channel
info for the month - let
it never be said that this
column is not educational.
Well, Tannhauser
was certainly an event
not to be missed. Lovely
voices, deeply symbolic
staging and sets, and
some laughable and
fabulous costumes. And
that was just the audience! Actually,
Wagner’s 3+ hour long gnashing of teeth
and clLristian guilffest was agonizing in
terms of plot, but beautiful in terfns of the
caliber of talent and voice.
Oh, and pity the fella that dates someone
who wants to major in costume design, all
you’ll hear about is how people look, what
they wore, and why they shouldn’t wear it.
It was a toss up between who was more
superficial - the characters onstage or the
one critiquing everyone else’s superficialities.
I mean, who the hell cares whether
apatron wore a dress that was too big in the
bosom for the equipment she had to put in
- it? Itmay be it’s a dress a friend loanedher
since she couldn’t afford a dress of her
own and she had to make do! Certainly not
worth a 30 minute diatribe on the evils of
wearing a dress too big for your bust.
Oh, and I love attending cultural events
in Tulsa - where the woman next to me
kept sniffing- wetly andnoisily- throughout
the show. I cut slack for that- and her
hOrrifically noisy nose-blowing-because
if you’re sick, you’re sick. BUT STAY
HOME! However, when she started chewing
gum with her mouth open and smacking
like a cannon, I’d had enough. They
left after the second act, I don’tknow why.
.. Andthen there was the3 year oldbehind
~ us - who was incessantly noisy and irkstme,
simply because she could be. The
child was driving both I and my companion
to distraction Finally, she started smacking
On candy - loudly, noisily, and obnoxiously.
I spoke to theparents, who thenhad
a heated exchange in a foreign language.
They too left after the second act. It is very
interesting that an event can be so easily
eclipsed by the actions of inconsiderate
audience members.
Stomp, on the other hand, was a wonderfully
engaging and humorously magi.’-
cal romp wherein the cast created.musac
from the most unlikely of objects. I will
¯ never look at aplastic bag again as merely
¯ abag. The cast was amazingly diverse, and
¯ immensely handsomeandbeautiful in their
¯¯ ownways. Infact, itwas ashow where one
would expect a bunch of athletic dancers,
¯ and the people in the cast were refresh-
- ingly real - and hll the more beautiful for
¯ it. And it was a rousing evening, marred
only by the occurrence
several times of
people’s cell phones -
not part of the act - and
some who amazingly,
held conversations
while the show was going
on. Lovely invention,
the cell phone. Allows
for intrusive rudeness
at an unprecedented
level on a massive
scale. The inventor,
as well as the users,
should all be burnt at
the stake. But that’s just
my opinion. Apparently
these people have not
the intelligence to figure
out what the OFF
button is for; or don’t
¯ have the basic intelligence to leave the
~ danm thing in the car, if you can’t figure
¯ out how to work it.
¯ Cirque De Soleil (CDC), the utterly
¯ amazing acrobatic troupe, has put some of
its acts together with a story, and created
" "Journey Of Man," an IMAX 3D film
¯ opening in Tulsa March 9. The film fol-
¯ lows the stages of human development
¯ from birth to maturity celebrating the hu- ¯
man spirit. The film was recently honored
¯ by the Giant Screen Theatre Association
¯ as the Best Film of 200; and if you’ve
¯ never.seen Cirque De Soleil, I can’t urge
; you enough to take in this flick. You will
¯ be amazed at what some of the folks can
do. I look forward to seeing this film, as it
¯ promises to be the next best thing to actually
being at a CDC performance.
If you love tap dance and beautiful men,
¯ then Tap Dogs is well worth the price of
: the DVD or Video. About the same vin-
¯ tage as Stomp,it is a festival of percussion
¯ and music featuring tap dance, and would
¯ be well worth seeing just to marvel and ¯
what these dancers can do.
¯ Andin the latest on the wonderful world
¯ of Nicksiana,. Stevie’s album has been
pushed back to early May alas. "Singles
should start appearing on radio in April,
though, and the new album is generating
rave reviews. Lending voices to the album
are Sarah McLachlan, Macy Gray (that
should be interesting), one of the Dixie
Chicks, and Sheryl Crow. I still think she
and Melissa Etheridge should do a duet; I
would be incredibly powerful. Oh well,
next album...
Thefinal concertofthe 2000-2001 Tulsa
Philharmonic Lollipops Scries will bepresented
Sunday, March 18, 2001, at 2pro in
theWalter Arts Center atThe Holland Hall
School. Maestro Edwin Outwater has
planned a concert entitled "Music on the
Move," with music depicting all forms of
movement see Amuse, p. 9
"...Well, Tannhauser was
certainly an event not to be
missed. Lovely voices, deeply
symbolle sta~in~ and sets,
and some laughable and
fabulous costumes. And that
was just the audlenee!
Actually, Wagner’s 3+ hour
lon~ ~nashln~ of teeth and
Christian guiltfest was
a~onlzln~ in terms of plot,
but beautiful in terms
of the eallber of
talent and volee...."
Timothy W. Daniel
Attorney at Law
An Attorney who will fight for justice
& equality for Gays & Lesbians
Domestic Partnership Planning,
Personal Injury, Criminal Law & Bankruptcy
1-800-742-9468 or 918-352-9504
128 East Broadway, Drumright, Oklahoma
Weekend and evening appointmenls are available.
Kelly Kirby, CPA, PC
.Certified Public Accountant
a professional corporation
Lesbians and Gay men face many special
tax situations whether ,single or as couples.
Electronic filing is available for faster refunds.
747 - 5466
4021 South Harvard Avenue, Suite 210, Tulsa 74135
The University of Tulsa
Bisexual/Lesbian/
Gay/Transgendered Alliance
presents their
Annual Film Festival
Evenings on April 6 & 7
Sunday afternoon, April 8
TU Campus, 6th& Delaware
Selected titles:
Westler, Summer in-My Veins,
High Art and more.
Exact times and auditoriums to be announced in next
issueand will be available at the Community Center.
"Plastic Jesus" by Poppy Z. Brite the record charts and the covers of
reviewed by Barry Hensley : teenybopper magazines as the rock group
What would happen if a cutting edge " The Kydds.
author wrote a fictional account of the ¯ WhenHaroldismurderedbyroughtrade,
loving, sexual relationship between Elvis " Seth and Peyton begin their inevitable,
and Colonel Tom Parker? I’ll bet there " loving, sexual relationship. A couple of
would be charges of
blasphemy, calls for
boycotts against the
publisher and death
threats to the author.
Fortunately, author
Poppy Z. Brite has
chosen, notElvis, but
the Beatles to take
down the lavender
road, and their fans
seem to be much
more understanding,
since not a peep of
protest has been heard about this fanciful
romance between the icons we know as
Paul and John.
Ourstory starts, surprise(!), with a shooting
onacoldNew Yorknight. Seth Grealy,
fading rock star, hits the sidewalk in a
spreading pool of blood. A woman in the
horrified crowd recognizes him and takes
the opportunity to scoop up ablood soaked
piece of paper, quickly running away with
the priceless souvenir. The murderer turns
out to be a Christian Fundamentalist who
assumed Seth was spreading AIDS.
Looking back on Seth’s early years in
rural England, we discover him jamming
at a local club with friends, particularly
guitarist Peyton Masters. They are being
closely observed by Gay record manager
Harold Loomis. Well, you guessed it!
UnderHarold’s careful guidance, the boys,
plus two friends, quickly rise to the top of
and transportation. The concert begins at
2pm with pre-performance activities, Including
a musical petting zoo and other
special surprises, beginning at 1:15pro. In
this gravity-defying concert, Maestro
Outwater and the Tulsa Philharmonic will
present music that’ s really "going places,"
including Leroy Anderson’s Horse and
Buggy, Johann Strauss, Pleasure Train
Polka, Eduard Strauss, Skater’s Waltz,
and Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov,s Flight of
the Bumblebee. With the help of a special
conductor’s assistant giving introductions
to each of the orchestra’s instrument families,
this concert combines the best of
entertainment and education.
With combined sales approaching the
300,000 mark, Robin Spielberg is one of
today’s most popular and prolific contemporary
pianist/composers. On March 25,
2001, she will perform what promises to
be amost memorable evening Of her spellbinding
compositions on the Steinway piano
at The Tulsa Performing Arts Center.
The evening will include Ms. Spielberg’s
compelling and oftenhumorous story-telling
and feature new works from her latest
CD, Dreaming of Summer. The concert
will begin at 3pro Ms. Spielberg will
autographCDs and sheet music following
the performance. Theconcert is madepossible
in part by a grant from the Tulsa
"...What would-happen if a
euttlng edge author wrote a
fietlonal aee0unt of the loving,
sexual relationship between
Elvis and_Colonel Tom
Parker? . . . Fortunately,
author...Brlte has chosen,
not Elvis, but the Beatles..."
years later, in 1969,
the Stonewall riots in
New York City inspire
Sethand Pe.yton
to wander rnto
Greenwich Village,
giving interviews revealing
their relationship.
A Newsweek
cover, chronicling
their love for each
other, soon follows,
as does a marriage
ceremony in Holland.
The boys have conveniently forgotten
to tell their bandmates about all of this
and The Kydds are soon history. Fame
proves exhausting, and Seth and Peyton
soon slip into semi,retirement until Seth’s
untimely murder.
HOW different things might have been if
Paul and John had really followed this
path! In the author’s afterword, Brite comments,
"I have always believed the world
would be a better place today if John and
Paul had been lovers. Yes, I know they
weren’t Gay. That has nothing to do with
it. This is fantasy." But what an intriguing
fantasy it is t ffyou enjoy wishful thinking,
check out Plastic Jesus and find out what
might have been.
Check for Plastic Jesus at your local
library, or call 596-7966 to get a copy.
Barry Hensley is a librarian with Tulsa
City-County Library System.
Performing Arts Center Trust Ms.
Spielberg has recorded nine CDs, performed
two sold-outconcerts at Weill Hall
at Carnegie Hall, toured the country an
concert and has made numerous television
appearances, including features/interviews
and performances on "CBS-This Morning"
and "LifeTime Live," and "ABC
News." Spielberg’s music has also been
featured on scores of radio programs, and
her work in music & healing has received
attention in Parenting magazine, The New
York Times, and The Washington Post.
Robin Spielberg-will perform at Tulsa
Performing Arts Center on March25,2001
at 3pro. Tickets can be purchased by calling
918/596-7111. Tickets are $12, and
$10 for seniors & students. More information
on Robin Spielberg and her recordings,
can be found on the world wide web
at www.robinspielberg.com
The2000-2001 Tulsa Philharmonic Pops
Series-continues with guest star Roger
Williams on Friday, March 9, 2001, and
Saturday, M~ch 10, 2001. This consummate
entertainer conducts and performs
on this memorableprogram. Performances
will be presented at 8pm in the Chapman
Music Hall of the Tulsa Performing Arts
Center. Playing the music that has served
as the soundtrack of three generations,
Williams will tickle the ivories with such
favorites as Autumn Leaves, Talk to the
Animals, From a Distance, and a medley
including Feelings and Chariots of Fire.
Gay Studies: Pilgrimage
by Lament Lindstrom
"Nasir," I once asked my Gay Malaysian
friend, "are you ever going on the hadj?"
This is the fifth pillar of Islam - the duty of
all good Muslims to worship
in Mecca at least once
in life. "Maybe," he said,
"when I’m older. But noW"
I’m having too much fun as
a Gay pilgrim in America."
Gay pilgrims came to
mind last month when I
walked down Ocean Drive
in South Beach. There, up
ahead, shining brightly in
the Miami sunshine was
Gianni Versace’s weddingcake
mansion sporting a
modestly phallic observatory
dome. Andthere, at the
footofthosefamously once
bloodstained steps, were the
Gay pilgrims fervently
snapping pictures. Some of
these, no doubt, were fash-
¯ studied- still demand that devotees make
: weekly pilgrimages down to the coastal
¯ village where the Movement is headquar-
¯ tered. There, these pilgrims worship at the
¯¯ Movement’s spiritual center, their physical
presence a marker of
their fidelity.
Thepilgrimage- sacred
traveling - knots together
identity and place. Sacred
travd reminds us of who,
what, and why we are.
Today’s nation-states,
which in part modeled
themselves on medieval
religious institutions, borrowed
rituals of pilgrimage.
The U.S., for example,
is splattered with large
numbers of National
Monuments and National
Historic Sites that we
should visit in order to
learn about ourselves. The
Alamo, Mount Vernon,
Gettysburg, the Arizona Memorial, and
many more. These places are all much like
church. Any rude chatter, hoofing, or
hollering will quickly attract shushing
guardians, of these politically sacred pilgrimage
sites.
Most of these places, of course, commemorate
mainstream, white-bread
America. Still, multicultural politics have
boosted the visibility, nowadays, of minority
histories. African-Americans tour
the birthplace of George Washington
Carver in Diamond, Missouri. Japanese-
Americans pilgrims drive out to Tule Lake
in Modoc County, California, site of a
WW2 internment camp. Jewish-Americans
visit the monument to Revolutionary
War financier Haym Solomon in Queens,
New York. Feminists pay homage at the
Suffragette Memorial inWashington, DC.
But what of Gay and Lesbian pilgrims?
Where might we go?
" ’Naslr,’
I once asked . . . ’are
you ever going
on the bade’. ,.
- the duty of all good
Muslims to
worship in Mecca at
least once in life.
’Maybes’ he said, ’when
I’m older. But now I’m
having too much fun
as a Gay pilgrim
in Amerlea.’ "
ion pilgrims. But others, like me, were
there in reverence of the lingering spectacle
of Versace’s and Cunanan’s deadly
homosexual encounter.
Pilgrims. The word derives from old
Latin roots meaning "across the field"
which came to refer to traveling in fol:,eigu
parts. Organized religions have profited
by regularizing the pilgrimage. Besides
the Islamic ’hadj,’- Roman Catholic Popes
beginning in 1300 have declared Jubilee
years, inostly recently Armo Santo 2000,
during which visitors to Rome may rack
up spintual blessing points:
In pre-industrial and pre-literate social
orders, communication between religious
leaders and followers demanded physical
mobility. There was no TV, no radio, no
newspapers. Instead, one had to travel to
the source to hear and see in person. Leaders
of the John Frum Movement- ahomegrown
South Pacific religion that I once
the Tulsa chapter has identified a number
of areas in which to improve. These range
from adding more Spanish speaking staff
or volunteers to help in disaster relief to a
new program in development to create a
diversity curriculum in area high schools
to address the challenges Lesbian~and Gay
young people face. The group has offered
a tolerance curriculum for some time but
this new program which is being developed
with a local Unitarian church, and
With input from Youth Services of Tulsa
and PFLAG, is explicit in addressing anti-
Gay attitudes, noted Bowen. Dahl added
thatthenew program specifically has board
support.
Dahl and his colleagues expressed frustration
at the negative reputation which
their part oftheRed Cross has for anti-Gay
bias based on the ban on blood donations
by any man who has had sex with another
man since 1980. Many are not awar9 that
the American Red Cross Blood Services
have a separate director and board even
though they share theirname and building.
The policy is not set by the Red Cross but
by theFederal Drug Administration (FDA)
which recently reviewed the ban and reendorsed
it. Gay civil rights activists have
argued that a ban based on group status
rather than on risk factors is biased and
while might have beenappropriate in the
earliest years of the HIV/AIDS pandemic,
is no longer good science.
However, Dahl acknowledged that the
Red Cross might be more active in challenging
the policy, and noted that individual
chapters may sponsorresolutions at
their national meetings. The Tulsa chapter
has a resolution addressing bias against
the Jewish equivalent of the Red Cross
which has yet to be accorded equal status
as Muslim and other groups. Dalai indicated
that the Tulsa chapter might address
the blood donation restrictions issue in a
similar fashion.
For more information about volunteering
Or American Red Cross diversity efforts,
contact Dannette Mclntosh, Tulsa
Area Chapter diversity coordinator, 918-
831-1215.
Want to save Money and
Help Build a Community Center?
Switch to Rainbow Communications
Long Distance and More, 10% of Revenues Will Benefit
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
Capital Campaign and General Fund
For more information,
call 665-3401 or evenings at 447-8602.
T )C Tulsa Oratorio Chorus
COUNCIL o
KAMCHATKA
Sunday, March 11, 7:30pm, $10
Holy Family Cathedral, 122 W. Eight, 748-3888
Drummers of Japan
March 4
7:30 p.m.
Chapman Music Hall
Tulsa Performing Arts Center
3rd & Cincinnati
Tickets
$17.50, $27.50, $35
Call. 596-7111
Outside Tulsa:
1 800 364-7111
www.tulsapac.com
presented by the
Tulsa PAC Trust
"Perfection n music"
Boston Globe
"Total brain massage"
Independent on Sunday
"... waves of percussive
sound that seemed to turn
Carnegie Hall itself into a
resonant cavity ..."
New York Times
IGTA member
Call 341, 6866
lntem ational
Tours or oreWor t o,.
TULSA COUNTY
DEMOCRATIC
PARTY
Country Club Barbering
Custom Stylingfor Men & Women
David Kauskey
3310 E. 51st, 747-0236, T,nes.-Fri.,. 8-5:30, Sat. 8-5pm
Tulsa’s only
professional
body-piercing
. College Hill
Presbyterian Church
In response to God’s Love,
College Hill Presbyterian Church
is a community of God’s people
called to tell others the
Gospel of Jesus Christ
through worship,
service, and evangelism.
To nurture our faith, we gather for
worship, prayer,
stud~ and fellowship.
Trusting in a living, loving God,
we seek to become a compassionate
voice for peace and justice.
Our congregation welcomes all
persons who respohd in trust and
obedience to God’s grace
in Jesus Christ, and desire to become
pai-t of the membership and ministry
of Christ’s church.
Membership is open to all people
regardless of race, ethnic origin,
worldly condition, marital status, or
sexual orientation.
Sunday Worship 1 lam
712 S. Columbia Ave., 592-5800
(One block west of Delaware and the
University of Tulsa Campus)
by Karin Gregory
Super Bowl Sunday is way behind us,
butmy heart feels like the football: kicked,
stomped, beaten, thrown, punted. Oh, and
abandoned. We must never forget abandoned.
So abandoned that I spent
Valentine’ s Day withmyroommate’ s dog.
And I thought the Irish had luck! Oh, right
- I confused that withmy father tellingme
that everything a Gregory touches turns to.
.. to.., well, it certainly ain’t gold. After
44 years of running from love in all shapes
and forms, I smacked dead into it with the
arrival of a woman who, apparently,
thought I was just a novelty.
OK, you’re saying, "But what did the
raging Lesbian expect?" With all my Gay
male friends falling in and out of love as
quickly as they change their clothes, you’d
think I’d have learned, at least by proxy.
But nooooo - I believed that women were
different from men.
So I plunged in with eyes wide shut,
listening to a voice from God telling me
things no MAN had ever said. Or maybe I
just wasn’t interested enough to listen until
now. She said she was a very physical
person, and the woman involved with her
had to love sexas much as she. Saying a
silent, "Thank you, God!", I watched her
beautiful eyes look back at me and all I
could do (since by now my blood had
rushed DOWN from my head) was to
wonder, "Whatdoes she see inme?"Maybe
because I’m a newbie, or maybe because
I’ve been around the Gay community for
so long, I have no problem showing affection.
Holding hands in the open, arms
around each other, kissing on a public
residential street in Dallas felt, for the first
time in my life, natural. When she told me
she wanted me to spend a weekend with
her after we’djust met a few hours before,
did I balk? Hell, no! And that IS a first for
me!
I know it was hormonal in the beginning.
When I tried to be straight for so
many years, I found kissing a man to be
extremely strange. Atfirstteethuponteeth,
inadequacy on my part, as well as detachment,
until it degenerated into making my
grocery list in my head while his tongue
was in my throat. Blech! But this! I just
assumed I never got it- the fireworks, etc.
That first night on the street with her, I felt
the full light show, complete with thunder
andearth-shattering enlightenment I should
have felt about 20 years ago. I must confess
that kiss was so powerful that I gave
$5 to a panhandler on my way home. He
probably sits at that exact corner every
night waiting to catch happy Lesbians on
their way home.
Although I knew it was Lesbian lust, I
trudged blindly ahead, not knowing or
caring what the future held, but damned
determined to enjoy every minute of it.
And enjgy I did in October with this same
woman in South Texas who spoke to me
romantically. I left with a VERY healthy
ego, and got a hint of what it must be like
to be a straight man. I also left with the
promise of another weekend the next
month, this time at my place. She kept up
this farce, even singing to me on my birthday.
Then the phone calls stopped, emails
became fewer and fewer, you know the
drill. At last came the inevitable -the
"Dear Jane" letter. You know that one -
the one that says she hopes wE’ll be friends
for a long time to come. Theone that’s the
very LAST message she sends. I’m sure
you’ve seen wildlife shows with the charging
rhino who suddenly forgets the target
he’s charging. Well, consider this woman
a charging rhino. Or maybe I’m that forgettable.
Or maybe she’s just a bitch.
My astute friend Jim tells me, after I’ve
called, written, and emailed to no avail,
that silence is my .answer. I like that - as
applied toANYONEelse but me! MyGay
male roommate says, "She just wanted to
get you into bed." Men - you can’t live
with ’em... pass the beer nuts!
Now I understand my friends who just
can’t seem to get over that relationship that
everyone around them knew was doomed
frbm the beginning. All my "forget about
him/hers" sound even emptier than they
must have to my friends. You know, it
hurts to remember; but it hurts more to
forget.
Have there been others since my experience?
There’ s the olderwomanwhobought
my dining room table and chairs. She got
into some financial trouble shortly afterward
and I "loaned" her the same amount.
She got more than that, too, one night
shortly afterward. Have I heard from her
since? Oh, why don’t you decide? Doesit
seem that I have a sign across my forehead
saying,"Horny Lesbian- Will Apparendy
Do Anything For Sex. PLEASE Fold,
Spindle, And Mutilate When Finished"?
But even after spending my twentysixth
Valentine’s Day in arow listening to
Janis Ian’s "At Seventeen", I still believe
in the romantic future. And in the luck of
the Irish. And that there really IS a pot of
gold at the end of the rainbow. Maybe this
Gregory will be lucky enough, come St.
Paddy’s Day, to believe that what she
touches can turn to gold. or at least believe
in love again. THAT would be lucky.
Karin Gregory is a Fort Worth-based
writer.
organizers note that the $50 fee will
cover bunk-room style lodging, meals on
Saturday and Sunday breakfast but that
some financial assistance is available for
those for whom the fee is too much. However,
they do emphasize that the deadline
is March 1 lth.
For more information, contact College
Hill Presbyterian Church, 712 S. Columbia,
Tulsa 74104, or call 592-5800.
Men’s Group. This program is d~signed
to assist men to learn ~t~m safe sex practices,
relationships, ~dotl~erissues. Meetings
will take place_~..~a~ Thursday night
at 7pm. :. _ .
FriMore
Lig ht
PR S B YT E R IAN S
RE:CONNECTING
BODY + SPIRIT
March 16-18 at the historic and.
beautifully wooded Dwight Mission.
A Weekend Retreat about
Spirituality, Sexuality and
Building Relationships to Last A Lifetime...
This LGBT specific event seeks to help individuals marginalized by repressive church policies around matters
of sexuality. The event seeks to re-connect spirituality with identity to help build an inclusive faith community.
Friday evening will be a get acquainted time. Saturday will combine fellowship at meals with workshops from
"Religion and Spirituality: Our Images of God," to "Discovering and Making the Connections between Sexuality
and Spirituality." Sunday morning worship follows breakfast. The $50 fee will cover bunk-room style lodging,
meals on Saturday and Sunday breakfast. Financial assistance is available.
The deadline is March 11th.
College Hill Presbyterian Church, 712 S. Columbia, Tulsa 74104, 592-5800
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
newspaper
periodical
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[2001] Tulsa Family News, March 2001; Volume 8, Issue 3
Subject
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Politics, education, and social conversation toward Tulsa’s Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual communities.
Description
An account of the resource
Tulsa Family News was a monthly newspaper; No. 1 issued December 1993-January 1994. The final issue available was published in September 0f 2001 (Volume 8, Issue 9).
The newspaper brings up important, evolving topics of marriage, Pride, TOHR, HIV/AIDs, events, advice, and politics all at the local and national level.
This document is available in searchable PDF attached. It is also available to be seen at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center with permission.
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Tulsa Family News
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/24
Publisher
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Tom Neal
Date
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March 2001
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James Christjohn
Karin Gregory
Barry Hensley
J.P. Legrandbouche
Lamont Lindstrom
Esther Rothblum
MAry Schepers
Highston Walkinshaw
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Tom Neal/Tulsa Family News
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Tulsa Family News, February 2001; Volume 8, Issue 3
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English
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newspaper
periodical
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Tulsa(Oklahoma)---newspaper
Tulsa---Oklahoma
Oklahoma---Tulsa
United States Oklahoma Tulsa
United States of America (50 states)
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https://history.okeq.org/items/show/610
2001
advocacy
AIDS
AIDS drugs
arts and entertainment
Boy Scouts
businesses
churches
College Hill Presbyterian Church
discrimination
Elton John
Eminem
gay bashing
Gay/Straight Alliance
George W. Bush
Glaxo SmithKline
hate crimes
HIV
HIV testing
Karen Gregory
Lamont Lindstrom
LGBT police
Merck and Co.
military inclusion
Murder
Openarms Youth Project
Partner Benefits
performing arts
Pfizer
Presbyterian Church
Raging Lesbian
Red Cross
Red Rock Tulsa
restaurants
Soulforce
STDs
the closet
tolerance curriculum
Tom Neal
TU Bisexual/Lesbian/Gay/Transgendered Alliance
Tulsa Family News
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
United Way
-
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388c9d4d13c234452b45ff6df2aace45
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f42a616a6a5cc6fecfeb4cec27576541
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[Sub-Series] Newsletters & Publications > Tom Neal Newsletters > Tulsa Family News
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trkansas’Sodomy’
atute Challenged
LITI’LE ROCK (AP) - A judge heard motions for a
judgment in a lawsuit filed by a group challenging the
state’s anti-sodomy law in late January.
Last February, Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge
David Bogard rejected arguments that the state had
sovereign immunity from lawsuits. He cited an exception
allowing officials to be sued in their official capacity
when the remedy sought is injunctive rdief. Bogard
dropped Attorney General Mark Pryor as a defendant
but said the group challenging the 1977 law could
proceed with its suit-against local prosecutors.
Both sideshavefiledmotions for snmmaryjudgment,
asking Bogard to decide the case on the basis of briefs
and affidavits without the need for a trial.
Seven Arkansans sued Pryor and local,prosecutors,
including Larry Jegley, in an attempt to vold the 1aw that
prohibits certain sexual conduct see Law, p. 3
COMC and Tulsa Oratorio
to Host Russian Choir
TULSA - The Kamchatka Vocal Ensemble will perform
contemporary works, ancient liturgical music and
Russian folk songs at Holy Family Cathedral on Sunday,
March 11, at 7:30 pm. The Council Oak Men’ s
Chorale and Tulsa Oratorio Chorus havejoined to bring
this exceptional world-class ensemble for one performance
only.
Kamchatka Vocal Ensemble was founded in 1967 in
Petropavlovsk, Kanchatski, and is famous in Russia for
their high quality performances of challenging work.
Fromthe masterpieces of Rachmaninoff, sacred liturgical
pieces to native songs of the far east masterfully
arranged by its artistic director, Evgeny Morozov,
Kamchatka’s repertoire exemplifies the Russian experience.
The ensemble is a featured choir performing for
the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA)
national convention in San Antonio, Texas.
A. PozdnyakoV, Professor at Gnessin Russian Academy
of Music, aptly described the group in a recent
review, "listening to Kamchatka Vocal Ensemble,it is
difficult to believe it is a community choir. Its harmony
and pureness of sound, the tonal balance ofparts, all are
impeccable. A subtle musician and a master of his art,
Evgeny Morozov, has managed to put a superb performing
group inKamchatka, thoughit is appreciated as
one of the best choirs within Russia."
Ill DIRECTORY P. 2
~ EDITORIAL P. 3
US & WORLD NEWS P. 4
~.~ HEALTH NEWS P. 6
Z ENTERTAINMENT P, 8
GAY STUDIES P. 10
Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual + Transgendered Tulsans, Our Families + Friends
Gay Folk + Friends March
In M. L. King, Jr. Parade
Soulforce in Oklahoma at theparade
TU’s BLGTAlliance marched as well as Tulsa PFLAG.
Ambassador Hormel Opposes
! TOHR n. February:
Black +iGay in Tulsa
TULSA - On Tuesday, February 13, Tulsa Oklahomarts
forHumanRights (TOHR) will hold its monthly
meeting at the Gay Community Center at 7pro. The
speaker will be Derrick Davis, longtime HIV/AIDS
educator, speaking about being African-American
and Gay in Tulsa.
TOHR will also hold the Wild Hearts Ball on
Saturday, Feb. 17, 8-miduight at Tulsa’s historical
Brady Mansion at 620 N. Denver. Tickets are $15 in
advance, $20 at the door and are available at the
Community Center, 2114 S. Memorial, 743-4297,
Ken’s Flowers, 1635 E. 15th, on Cherry Street and at
Tulsa Floral Design in Brookside at 3404 S. Peoria.
Proceeds from the event will benefit The Pyramid
Project, the effort to build or buy a permanent home
for Tulsa’s Gay commtmity center.
Speaking of which,TOHR’ s board of directors has
voted to amend the name of the commtmity center to
The Tulsa Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender
Community Center. (editor’ s note: TFN will respectfully
abbreviate this when possible to LGBT Community
Center or just Community Center).
see TOHR, p. 3
Ashcroft as Attorney General
WASHINGTON (AP) - James Hormel, who became the first
openly Gay U.S. ambassador over the objections of then-Sen.
John Ashcroft and others, is retttming fire in urging the Senate to
reject Ashcroft’ s nomination as attorney general.
"I get no satisfaction from this," Hormel told The Associated
Press. "I am extremely disturbed that he was nominated for this
very sensitive post, and it concerns me greatly that he might be
serving as attorney general, given his stated positions on a variety
of issues."
The controversy over the nominee’s stand on Gay civil rights
issues widened at the end of January, when a health care expert
said Ashcroft asked him about his sexual orientation during a
1985 job interview. Ashcroft at the time was governor of Missouri
and the applicant, Paul Offner, was applying for a statejob.
"His first question was, ’Do you have the same sexual preference
as most men,’" Offner, of Georgetown University, told
.~ WTOP radio in Washington Thursday. "I was stunned. He
¯¯ launched fight into it." Offner’s story was first reported in The
Washington Post.
¯ Asheroft told his confirmation hearings that he has not dis-
" criminated against Gays while serving as governor and senator,
¯ andwouldnot consider sexual orientation in hirings at the Justice ¯
Department.
¯ Offner said Ashcroft’ s statement "certainly didn’ t seem to be
¯ true in my case." He said he contacted the Senate Judiciary
.. Committee about the 1985 interview. A friend of Offner, Kathy
¯ Sykes, said Offner told her about the interview right after it
¯ happened. "I remember he said, ’You won’t believe this,’"
¯ Sykes; a federal employee, said in an interview.
¯ Mindy Tucker, the Bush administration’s spokeswoman on
the Asheroft nomination, has said Ashcroft does not recall the
: meeting, nor would he begin an interview with a question about
¯ sexual orientation. ¯
Ashcroft and other conservative senators opposed the 1997
¯ nomination of Hormel to be ambassador to Luxembourg.
Tulsa Oklahomansfor Human Rights, photos: TFN
¯ Long-Term Battle. Seen
Over Gay Marriages ¯
By David Crary, AP National Writer
¯ NEW YORK - Like rival armies locked in trench
: warfare, activists supporting andopposing legal rights
¯ for same-sex couples are regrouping after bitter elec-
¯ tion campaigns and girding for future struggles that
¯ willlikely divideAmerica formany years to come. In
¯ state capitols, courthouses andcorporate boardrooms,
"_ Gay marriage and its variants - civil unions and
¯ domestic partnerships - will be an inescapable topic ¯
¯ for policy-makers, executives and religious leaders.
. In Texas, conservative legislators will try this year
¯ to make their state the 35th to adopt a law or consti-
¯ tutional amendment banning Gay marriage. In New
: York and Rhode Island, Gay lawmakers will intro~
: duce bills to legalize it.
¯ "It isn’ t going to happen overnight - there will be
¯ setbacksandright-wingbacklash,"saidEvanWoffson,
: a leading Gay civil rights lawyer with the Lambda
: Legal Defense and Education Fund. "That’s exactly
." how every civilrights movement in Americanhistory
¯ has proceeded." ¯
Last spring, Gay civil rights activists were elated
¯ when Vermont enacted its landmark civil-tmions
: law, becoming the first state to extend the rights and
¯ responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples.
In November, Democratic Gov. Howard Dean -
¯ who signed the bill - survived an election challenge
¯ by a foe of civil unions, but more than 20 legislators
¯ who had supported the law were defeated. In Ne- ¯
braskaandNevada, ballotinitiatives proposing to ban
¯ same-sex marriage were approved with 70 percent
¯ support. ¯
"This will be along-term battle, like abortion," said
¯ Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth, a
¯ Washington, D.C., seeBattle, p. 2
Tulsa Clubs & Restaurants
*Bamboo Lounge, 7204 E. Pine
*CW’ s, 1737 S. Memorial
*Play-Mor, 424 S. Memorial
Polo Grill, 2038 Utica.Square
*Renegades/Rainbow Room, 1649 S. Main
*St. Michael’s Alley Restaurant, 3324-L E. 31st
*Schatzi’ s, 2619 S. Memorial
*The Star, 1565 Sheridan
*TNT’s, 2114 S. Memorial
*Tool Box II, 1338 E. 3rd
*Vortex, 2182 S. Sheridan
*The Yellow Brick Road Pub, 2630 E. 15th
832-1269 ~
610-5323 :
838-9792 ~
744-4280 ¯
585-3405 :
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280-1316
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660-G856 ~
584-1308 :
835-2376 ¯
749-1563 ¯
Tulsa Businesses, Services, & Professionals
Assoc. in Med: & Mental Health, 2325 S. Harvard
Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 8620 E. 71
Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 5231. E. 41
Body Piercing by Nicoie, 2722 E. 15
*Borders Books & Music, 2740 E. 21
*Borders Books.& Music, 8015 S. Yale
Brookside Jewelry, 4649 S. Peoria
*CD Warehouse, 3807c S. Peoria
*Cheap Thrills, 2640 E. 1 lth
Cherry St. Psychotherapy, 1515 S. Lewis
Community Cleaning, Kerby Baker
Tim Daniel, Attorney 352-9504, 800-742-9468
743-1000
250-5034
665-4580
712-1122
712-9955
494-2665
743-5272
746-0313
295-5868
581-0902, 743-4117
622-0700
749-3620 ".
744-5556
838-8503
369-8555
584-0337, 712-9379
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744-9595
610-0880
628-3709
808-8026
742-1460
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341-6866
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665-2222
592-0767
www.gaytulsa.org - website for Tulsa Gays &Lesbians
Tulsa Agencies, Churches, SchOols & Universities
AIDS Walk Tulsa, POB 4337, 74101 579-9593
*Deco to Disco, 3212 E. 15th
Doghouse on Brookside, 3311 S. Peoria
*Elite Books & Videos, 821 S. Sheridan
Encompass Travel, 13161H N. Memorial
Ross Edward Salon
Events Unlimited, 507 S. Main
Floral Design Studio, 3404 S. P~oria
Four Star Import Automotive, 9906 E. 55th P1.
Cathy Furlong,-Ph.D., 1980 Utica Sq. Med. Ctr.
Gay & Lesbian Affordable Daycare
*Gloria Jean’ s Gourmet Coffee, 1758 E. 21 st
tzarme M. Gross, Insurance & financial plamaing
Mark T. Hamby, Attorney
*Sandra J. Hill, MS, Psychotherapy, 2865 E. Skelly
*International Tours
Jacox Animal Clinic, 2732 E. 15th
*Jared’s Antiques, 1602 E. 15th
David Kauskey, Country Club Barbering
The Keepers, Housekeeping & Gardening
*Ken’ s Flowers, 1635 E.- 15
Kelly Kirby, CPA, 4021 S. Harvard, #210
*Living ArtSpace, 308 South Kenosha
*Midtown Theater, 319 E. 3rd
Mingo Valley Flowers, 9720c E. 31
*Mohawk Music, 6157 E 51 Place
Puppy Pause II, 1060 S. Mingo
*The Pride Store
Rainbowz on the River B+B, POB 696, 74101
Richard’ s Carpet Cleaning
Teri Schutt, Rex Realtors
Paul Tay, Car Salesman
*Tulsa Comedy Club, 6906 S. Lewis
Venus Salon, 1247 S. Harvard
Fred Welch, LCSW, Counsding
*grherehouse Music, 5150 S. Sheridan
*Whittier News Stand, 1 N. Lewis
All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 S. Peoria
Black & White, Inc. POB 14001, Tulsa 74159
Bless The Lord at All Times Christian Center, 2207 E. 6
B/L/GiT Alliance, Univ. of Tulsa United Min. Ctr.
Chamber of Commerce Bldg., 616 S. Boston
*Chapman Student Ctr., University of Tulsa, 5th P1.
Church of the RestorationUU, 1314 N.Greenwood
*Community of Hope Church, 2545 S. Yale
*Community Unitarian-Universalist Congregation
Council Oak Men’s Chorale
*Delaware Playhouse, 1511 S. Delaware
743-2363
587-7314
583-7815
583-9780
585-1201
& Florence
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POB 4140 Tulsa, OK 74159, e-mail: TulsaNews@earthlink.net
Publisher + Editor: Tom Neal
Writers + contributors: James Christjohn, Karin Gregory, Barry
Hensley, J.-P. Legrandbouche. Lament Lindstrom. Esther .
Rothblum. Mary Schepers. Hughston Walkinshaw
Member o! The Associated Press
Issued around the 1st of each month, the entire contents of this
publication are protected by US copyright 2001 by Tulsa
Family News and may not be reproduced either in whole or in
part without written permission from the publisher. Publica-
¯
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unldsk otherwise noted, must be signed & becomes the sole
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Additional copies are available by calling583-1248.
*Democratic Headquarters, 3930 E. 31 742-2457
Dignity/Integrity of Tulsa - Lesbian & Gay Catholics &
Episcopalians, POB 701475, 74170-1475 355-3140
*Fellowship Congreg. Church, 2900 S. Harvard 747-7777
Free SpratWomen s Center, call for location&info: 587-4669
Friend For A Friend, POB 52344, 74152 747-6827
:riends in Unity Social Org., POB 8542, 74101 582-0438
*Tulsa c.A.R.E.S., 3507 E0 Admiral 834-4194
HOPE, HIV Outreach, Prevention, Education 834-8378
*House oftheHoly SpiritMinstries,1517 S. Memorial 224-4754
*MCC United, 1623 N. Maplewood 838-1715
NAMES Project, 3507 E. Admiral P1. 748-3111
NOW, Nat’l Org. for Women, POB 14068, 74159 365~5658
OK Spokes Club (bicycling), POB 9165, 74157
*OSU-Tulsa
PFLAG, POB 52800, 74152 749-4901
*Planned Parenthood, 1007 S. Peoria 587-7674
Prime-Timers, P.O. Box 52118, 74152
R.A.I.N., Regional AIDS Interfaith Network 749-4195
*Red Rock Mental Center, 1724 E. 8 584-2325
St. Aidan’ s Episcopal Church, 4045 N. Cincinnati 425-7882
St Dunstan’s Episcopal, 5635 E. 71st 492-7140
*~t. Jerome’s Parish Church, 205 W. King 582-3088
Soulforce-OK, Rt.4,# 3534, Stigler74462 587-3248,452-2761
*Tulsa Area United Way, 1430 S. Boulder 583-7171
*TNAAPP (Native American men), Indian Health Care 582-7225
Tulsa County Health Department, 4616 E. 15 595-4105
Confidential HIV Testing - by appt. on Thursdays only
Tulsa Okla. for Human Rights, Gay Comm. Center 743-4297
TUL-PAC, PositiveAdvocacy Coalition,POB2687,Tulsa 74101
T.U.L.S.A. Tulsa Uniform/Leather Seekers Assoc. 298-0827
*Tulsa City Hall, Ground Floor Vestibule
*Tulsa Community College Campuses
*Tulsa Gay Community Center, 21st&Memorial 743-4297
Unity Church of Christianity,3355 S. Jamestown 749-8833
BARTLESVILLE
Bartles~cille Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone 918-337-5353
TAHLEQUAH
Stonewall League, call for information: 918-456-7900
¯ Tahlequah Unltarian-Unlversalist,_~CCCh~ur,c~h,,,,
918-456-7900
Green Country AIDS Coalition, r~D ~om 918-453-9360
EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
Autumn Breeze Restaurant, Hwy. 23 501-253-7734
¯ Jim & Brent’s Bistro, 173 S. Main 501-253-7457
¯ DeVito’s Restaurant, 5 Center St. 501-253-6807
¯ Emerald Rainbow, 45 &l/2 Spring St. 501-253-5445
¯ MCC of the Living Spring 501-253-9337
: Geek to Go!, PC Specialist, POB 429 501-253-2776
¯ Old Jailhouse Lodging, 15 Montgomery 501-253-5332
¯
Positive Idea Marketing Plans 501-624-6646
~ White Light, 1 Center St. 501-253-4074
¯ JOPLIN, MISSOURI
¯ Spirit of Christ MCC, 2639 E. 32, Ste. U134 417-623-4696
* is where you can find TFN. Not all are Gay-owned but allare Gay.friendly.
group th~,~ opposes legal recog~.".tion of Gay
couples. The people on our siae are every
bit as committed as the people ontheir side,"
he said.
While Nevadans must vote again in 2002
~efore that state" s constitutional amendment
takes force, the Nebraska constitutional
amendment has gone :into effect - and already
is a prime target for the Gay civil
fights movement.
The American Civil Liberties Union,
backed by other groups, is preparing a law.-
uit challenging the amendment,whichgoes
urther than other states’ laws. The amendment
bans legal recognition not only of Gay
marriage, but also domestic partnerships,
civil unions "and other similar .same-sex
relationships." - ?,.
"It’ s bee~ sold as a Defense of Marriage
amendment, but it’ s really an anti-family
maendment," said Tim Butz, executive director
of the Nebraska ACLU. "It makes it
difficult, if not impossible, for a Gay or
Lesbian family to plan for the future, for the
adoption of children, division of property."
Butz expects the legal challenge to take
several years and likely reach the U.S. Supreme
Court. "This is a national battleground
here," Butz said. "If this amendment
withstands the legal challenges we’ re going
to mount, the other side can go forward with
more confidence elsewhere."
Indeed, backers of the Nebraska amendment
are urging other states to broaden their
existing Defense of Marriage laws to address
civil unions. The aim wouldbe to deter
couples from going to Vermont for a civil
umon ceremony, then returmng home to
claim legal recognition. "Homosexual activists
have been very crafty in calling homosexual
marriage by another name," said
Guyla Mills, a leader of the campaign on
behalf of the Nebraska amendment. ’T ve
had many states contact me, interested in
doing the same .thing we did."
Mills movedafter the election to Virginia,
taking ajob with Kerusso Ministries, aChristian
group that encourages Gays to change
their sexual orientation. In a telephone interview,
she spoke repeatedly of animosity
,g,e.,n~ated during the Nebraska campaig9.
It s becoming harder and harder for people
to express any kind of opposition to the
homosexual agenda for fear of being called
hate mongers," she said. ’Tm not one to
throw in the towel... We’re going to hold
ground. We’re going to take back ground.’"
Amy Desai, a policy analyst for the conservadve
group Focus on the Family, said
proponents of Gay marriage underestimate
the grassroots opposition to their cause. "It
has been debated in ivory tower settings, by
the Holl~wood crowd, the political pundits,"
she said. "Your average morelanddad
voter, up until this point, hadn’t viewed
this as a real threat. Now they’re waking up
and saying, ’You can’ t force such a radical
i change on us without us becoming very
¯ In Texas, where state law explicidy de-
". fines marriage as between a man and a
¯ woman, some conservatives still want to
join the majority of other states in enacting
a Defense of Marriage law. State Rep. War-
; ren Chisum, who unsuccessfully sponsored
¯ similar bills see Battle, p. 11
Sound + Spirit: A Lost Opportunity
by Tom Neal, editor and publisher
¯
as well as Rebecca Ungerman who is openly Lesbian, it is "
Last weekend, Congregation B’nai Emunah, Tulsa’ s ¯ baffling not to be included. ."
Conservative branch Jewish congregation, held an un- Ungerman did perform with a wonderful group from ¯
usualconcert,"SacredLove, SoundandSpirit",hosted, as
¯ B’ nai Emunah, Kolot, whoseperformance was ahi ghlight "
is the radio show of the same name (Sound & Spirit) by : of the concert. But that group hardly becomes a Lesbian ¯
Ellen Kustmer. ¯ group because of her presence. Some argued that COMC
It was a remarkable event in many ways. The sanctuary :
was full almost to capacity despite the sleety, threatening ¯
weather. The performers were many and although a few ¯
were off key, and others couldhardly be heard due to poor
soundmixing,itwas amostly sweet, almost’-’alleMensChen ,
~verden bruder" kind of event - that is unless you were ¯
Gay or Lesbian. "
As one PFLAG mom said afterwards, "it would have ¯
been perfect if they’d just had the Council Oak Mens
Chorale too..." And why not have the Chorale (COMC)? "
After all, the program was a textbook example of pro- "
forma Tulsa-style "diversity" reflecting both this town’s
strengths and its serious prejudices.
Boston Avenue Methodist represented uptight,
homophobic large white Protestant Christian churches, a
guitarist from Saint Francis Xavier/Our Lady of
Guadaloupe did double duty for Catholic Christi~ins and
Latino Tulsans, All Souls’ Youth Choir pulled in the
Unitarian-Universalists,andtwo Black choirs represented
old-line Black Christian congregations and new big-boxbuilding
evangelical/pentecostal/fundamentalists. Just to
round out our "diversity," Archie Mason, Osage flutist;
performed and the City of Tulsa Pipes and Drums (minus
the drums - just the bagpipes were present).
So where were the Gay people?
We were present in the audience. Dennis Neill, TOHR
co-founder and business associate and’family friend of
B’ nai Emunahcongregationpresident Stacy Schusterman,
attended as did Jack Wallace, a Tulsa boardmember of the
Cimarron Alliance.
It Wash’ t that Gaypeople weren’ t interestedin the event.
COMC artistic director, Rick Fortner, approached the
organizers about participating but was blown off. Now
that probably wasn’t from any malice or anti-Gay values
but rather that the organizers had already filled up their
program and there just wasn’t any time left. In fact, two
key organizers, Laura Well and Sarai Brachman Shoup
both stated that they are sympathetic to Lesbian and Gay
people.
But the problem is, fundamentally, we, Gay and Lesbian
Tulsans just weren’t on their radar. When the effort
was being made to represent Tulsa "diversity", it should
have been just as high a priority that along with Blacks,
along with Native Americans, along with Hispanics, that
Gay and Lesbian people be remembered.
Given that the special events con~nittee includes a
number of people who work with or are friendly to
Lesbians and Gay men (Terry Silver-Alford of the TU
Theater dept., Jason Brimer, and B’nai Emunah’ s rabbi),
might not properly be included because it’ s not a religious .
group though certainly muchof-its music is religious and ¯
could have fit the program. ¯
"... Gays llke Jews are not "on-sight" :
mlnor~tles - we are not known by the color "
of our skin or by an epleanthle fold but
rather by our behavior - the manifestation .
of our bellefs~ And llke Jews who have "
hlstorleally been forced to convert in order "
to avoid perseeutlon, Gays frequently are .
asked to convert, or at least to hide any .
evidence of who we are..."
However, with the inclusion of Archie Mason whose
participation was rationalized by saying" Native American
music is’ spiritual’," the organizers moved onto shaky
ground. But with the invitation to the City of Tulsa Pipes
and Drums~ a clearly non-religious group included because
allegedly the Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery of the
Presbyterian Church, USA claimed that this was "Presbyterian
music", the orgamzers hope for a consistent application
of standards for inclusion flew away.
As one Gay man who attended ~ked, why not have
invited Saint Jerome’ s choir, or Community of Hope, or
one of the other local churches who are known for their
inclusion of Lesbians and Gay men.
Organizer Sarai Brachman Shoup, on staff with the
Schusterman Family Foundation, quipped that she should
not be expected to know that there are six Christian
congregations with significant Gay membership, since
she’s Jewish.
Indeed.
Shoup’s neither a Black Christian, Native American,
nor a bagpipe player nor a Latino Catholic guitarist, and
she found those folks. It’s a much better excuse that
Shoup’s relativdy new to Tulsa as is Weil. Others on the
conmaittee should have known better.
So what now? The event is over and most everyone,
indeed, many ofTulsa’ s mostprogressive, probably thought
it was just great - wasn’t it so "diverse"? Some will
complain that this critique just spoils a lovely event.
But Gay and Lesbian Tulsans do have the right to call to
account those who wave the ~’diversity" banner when they
between people of the same gender. The seven say their
constitutional rights are being violated because similar
contact between heterosexuals is not illegal.
The state argued that because the officials named in the
lawsuit ignore the sodomy statute, they should not be
sued. A lawyer for the seven had argued that the prosecutors
were sued because they would be the key people in
deciding whether the law should be enforced.
Susan Sommer, supervising attorney for the Lambda
Legal Defense and Education Fund, said that she will
argue that Arkansas’ law "violates the right to equal
protection because it singles out Gay men and women for
cnminal puuishment and stigma for engaging in the identical
conduct that is free tO their heterosexual neighbors."
She said the state’s only justification for the law "is
perceived public moral disapproval of homosexuality."
"This is just another way of saying that because th~ public
disapproves of Gay people, it can subject them to a special
rule that applies criminal sanction to their conduct but not
to others," she said. She also said the government "should
not be peering into Arkansas bedrooms to investigate
adult consensual intimacy." She said Arkansas, Oklahoma~
Kansas and Texas are the only states that have
same-sex sodomy prohibitions in force.
Bogard said Jegley could be sued because of his authority
to determine if legal actions would be brought in his
jurisdiction.
fall short of the standards which they themselves set. And
because Gaypeople share withTulsa’ s Jewishcommunity
similarities in the condition of being minorities, it is
reasonable to expect to be treated fairlyby thatcommunity
in particular.
Gays like Jews are not "on-sight" minorities - we are
no.t known by the color of our skin orbyan epicanthic fold
but rather by our actions, our behavior - the manifestation
of our bdiefs. (Obviously, racial or ethnic minority
Lesbians’ and Gays’ identity as Gay persons is not "onsight"
even if their racial identity is.) And like Jews who
have historically been forced to convert in order to avoid
persecution, Gays frequently are asked to convert, or at
least to hide any evidence of who we are. Also like Jews,
the prejudice and discrimination we face is often minimized
by some whopoint to those in ourcornmunities who
are successful despite the obstacles.
Tulsa’ s Jewish community, although small in number,
has been particularly successful and is wall placed to do
for others who are fighting for fair treatment and equal
opportunity that which was done for them not so many
years ago. The struggle for social acceptance, an end to
restrictive property covenants, the condenmation of open
prejudice, etc. came through the efforts ofmany non-Jews
as well as the efforts of Jewish Tulsans. These are the
origins of NCCJ, now the National Conference for Community
and Justice, formerly "for Christians and Jews" in
Tulsa.
Tulsa’ s deep rooted anti-Gay prejudices are not going to
go away by themselves. And it’ s more than evident that it
takes more than the members of a particular oppressed
group to end that oppression. It tookmen to get women the
right to vote. It took whites to hdp end segregation,
Christians to help Jews, Jews to help Muslims, and it will
take all of the above to create a world in which Gay people
can live in Tulsa with the same options as all others.
But to get there, neither Tulsa Jews, nor any others who
seek to do what is right, can sit passively aside, saving
political and moral capital. Jewish voices have influence
beyond their numbers - wejust need to begin to hear them
-just as we hear the voices of non-Jews coming to the
defense of the Jewish community when it is attacked (or
even when it is offended - like with Christian symbols
inappropriately placed on a fire-station).
And imagine if at the next such concert or event, the
voices of Council Oak Mens Chorale might be heard,
perhaps even ending the event with"We Shall Overcome"
- that old spiritual which speaks to the struggle of all,
whether Jewish, or Black, or Gay to survive oppression,
whether slavery, imprisonment, bodily and psychic assault,
or Nazi horrors. Maybe even Ms. Kushner will come
back for that.
(Editor’s note: Despite misgivings about the inclusiveness
ofthis event, Tulsa Family News donated an advertisement
to the Sound & Spirit event.)
2001 board members are Kerry Lewis, president, Vance
Reed, 1st v.p., Don Glass, 2nd v.p., Curtis Evans, secretary,
Beth Persac, treasurer, Wil Bruner, men’s outreach
coordinator, Greg Gatewood,marketing coordinator, Scottie
Hale, events coordinator, David Hoot, volunteer
coordinator, Lisa Pottorf, meeting program coordinator,
and Lindsey Vandeventer and Raven Ezeel, youth outreach
coordinators.
Planned for March but yet without a set date, the Center
will host a meeting of GLEAM, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual
& Transgendered Employees of American Airlines.
Call the Center to cheek the date.
On Feb. 17 from 10-1pm, the Center will host a Gill
Foundation training program, Fundraising Fundamentals.
¯ TheDenverbased Gill Foundation selectedTOHRas one
of 10 US sites for this training For more information, call
the Center at 743-4297 between 6-9 pro, Mon. - Fri.
Civil Unions Bill Filed in
Hawaii Legislature
HONOLULU (AP) - A bill introduced in the state
House wonld grant Gay and Lesbian couples all the
legal rights ofmarried couples. House Judiciary Chairman
Eric Hamakawa and Rep. Ed Case introduced the
"civil unions" bill.
Hamakawa said he would have to discuss the issue
withfellow Democrats andcolleagues on the Judiciary
Committee before he could say if. the bill would be
given a hearing.
Case believes-the Legislature in 1997 committed
itself to provide same-sex couples with some of the
benefits that married couples enjoy. Although legislators
passed areciprocal beneficiaries law that extended
dozens oflegal benefits to registered same-sex couples,
Case said la~vmakers should do more. The bill introduced
by Case and Hamakawa would repeal and
replace the 1997 reciprocal beneficiaries law with a
new legal relationship, "civil unions."
Senate President Robert Bnnda said civil unions
aren’t a priority for the Senate. He said the same-sex
mamage debate split Democrats, and he does.n’ t want
to see that kind of division in the Senate agmn.
Mike Gabbard, chairman of the Alliance for Traditional
Marriage and Values, said civil unions would be
same-sex marriageby a different name, and calledit .an
insult to ~,oters who rejected same-sex mamage m
1998.
Anti-Gay Adoption Law
Rejected in Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK (AP) - Opponent~pf a bill that would
prohibit Gays from adopting didnr t get much time to
make their case, but they emerged victorious anyway.
AHousepanel voted 10-9 to reject abill by Rep. Randy
Minton, R-Ward, thatwouldprohibit Gays fromadopting
or being foster parents.
More than a dozen people in the crowded committee
room wore stickers saying ’Vote No on HB 1026, - For
Kids’ Sake,’ while others had buttons that read .Good ¯
Parents Come in Many Packages.’
But only one person on each side of the bill got to
have their say, as the committee bogged down in
questions for Minton and a strongly worded speech by
chairwoman Jo Carson, D-Fort Smith, trying to discredit
research Minton offered in support of his bill.
Minton cited several studies, including those by Family
Research Council psychologist Paul Cameron, that
he said showed children raised in homosexual homes
face greater risks. He said suchhomes are unstable and
that many homosexuals are more promiscuous..
"Homosexual households are not a suitable enwronment
for children because of their instability and
hostility toward a natural family," Minton said. "We
do not need to experiment with the lives of children."
Carson questioned his studies, and brought out a
report from the American Psychological Association,
whose research she said found that Gays’ parenting
styles are no different than those of heterosexuals.
"Cameron’s research methodology has been firmly
rejected by his peers in the research community,"
Carson said.
The Arkansas Child Welfare Agency Review Board
recently approved aban onhomo~s,e~xual fo~ste_r_..p.~en~t,s~
Since October, the Department oI tauman aervl~
asked prospective foster parents d, tttey are tJay. ,,,
you say yes, we will politely say, Th~aks, but no,
’spokesman Joe Quinn said, adding thatno one has said
they are homosexual yet. "We take them at their
word." Quinn said there has never been such a law or
regulationregarding adoptiom and that the department
is not.taking a position on the bill. ,
Minton said with such a dose vote, ana one memoer
absent from the meeting, "I’m going t,o work on some
people and try to bring it back again.’
Dr. Daniel Rifkin~ a lung doctor at Arkansas
Children’ s Hospital, said the bill "will hurt Arkansas’
kids." Rifkin said he sees many children with serious
medical problems or disabililies, and that few parents
will adopt them. He said because homosexuals know
what it’ s like to live with a"stigma" in society, they are
more likely to adopt these children.
Jerry Cox, with the local Family Council, supported
the bill. "We already discriminate when ~t comes to
adoption and foster care," he said.
Montana Senate Looks
at Job Protections
HELENA (AP) - A Senate committee considering a
bill on job protection for Gays and Lesbians took the
unusual step last month of accepting anonymous testimony,
and declaring it off the record.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Loreuts
Grosfield, R-Big Timber, ordered the committee’s
tape recorder shut off while the testimony was read. It
was presented as that of amanwholost his Montanajob
last month, after co-workers reviledhimforhis bisexuality.
A representative of the Montana Human Righ~
Network, Greg Haegele, read the statement and said
the man’s telephone number would be available to
committee members.
Several questioned the anonymity, saying it goes
against a law requiring openness in government and
casts doubt about the veracity of the testimony, but
Grosfield’s decision stood.
The Judiciary Committee held a hearing on Senate
Bill 266, which would prohibit firing an employee
because of sexual orientation. "Doesn’ t that seem to be
an element of simple, fundamental fairness?" asked
Sen. Jon Ellingson, D-Missoula, the bill’ s sponsor¯
Opponents said that existing laws provide adequate
protection against dismissal, and that SB266 is part of
an effort to advance specialrights for Gays and Lesbians.
Ellingson s~d the bill would advance equal protection
under the law, not special rights. Avote against the
bill would be an endorsement of discrimination, he
~aid.
Supporters of the bill included Kris Marsh, who
works for a mental-health center in the Butte area and
said that two years ago she was "driven out of ajob that
I loved," after her employer learned she had a female
partner. Marsh said her job performance ratings had
been high. "I know you can’t change the minds and
hearts of individuals," Marsh told the committee. But
she saidlegislators can set a standard of employment
fairness.
George Bennett of the Montana Bankers Association
was among the bill’s opponents, arguing that
existing laws provide enough protection. "You can’t
discharge anyone because they’ re Irish or Lutheran or
Gay, or because they have big feet, Bennett said. Julie
Millam of the Christian Coalition of Montana called
the bill a "further attempt by the homosexual lobby to
advance their agenda- one that will settle for nothing
less than having codified into law the words ’sexual
orientation’ as a constitutionally prot..e.c.ted class."
The committee did not act on the bill, but may vote
: on it later¯
Police Park Sting
Defendent to Get Hearing
¯ ST. PAUL (AP) - A man ~onvicted of indecent con-
: duct is entitled to a court hearing on his belief that
¯ police authorities have unfairly targeted Gays for arrest,
the state Court of Appeals ruled. S teven A. Pinkal
was arrested in July 1999 at a secluded St. Paul beach
¯ frequentedby Gay men, according to court documents.
The court reversed the conviction of Pinkal and
¯ ordered a trial court judge to hold ahearing on Piakal
evidenee alleging discriminatory enforeement of indecent
conduct laws in St. Paul.
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The evidence includes statistics indicating that twothirds
of St. Paul’s indecent conduct citations in the
past three years went to Gay men arrested on the
Mississippi River beach where Pinkal was arrested,
said his attorney, Kyle White.
Pinkal also offered as evidence statements by a
former St. Paul police officer thatheterosexuals are not
charged with indecent conduct in similar cases, and by
people who heard a St. Paul prosecutor say that Gay
men convicted of indecent conduct should be compelled
to register as sex offenders.
A three-judge Appeals Court panel said that Pinkal
presented evidence sufficient to raise a reasonable
doubt about discriminatory enforcement of the indecent
conduct law, and that he is entitled to a separate
hearing on the issue.
The court also said that a trialjudge erred in allowing
a prosecutor to question Pinkal about his religious
beliefs, sexual orientation and HIV status. The cumulative
effect of those errors alone, however, was not so
great to warrant a new trial, the court said.
University Needs Better
Services forGay Students
SEATTLE (AP) - The University of Washington is
generally accepting of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and
Transgendered students, faculty and staff, but needs to
go beyond mere tolerance, a task force report says.
The report by the President’s Task Force on Gay,
Bisexual, Lesbian andTransgender Issues recommends
creating an office to assist such students mad offering
more courses in sexual studies. It also calls for providing
the same benefits to school employees with samesex
partners that are available to heterosexual couples,
and says school leaders could do more to include
sexual minorities in diversity discussions, which usually
focus on race and ethnicity.
"The overall thrust of the task force report is that we
have to move beyond issues of tolerance, and even
beyondjust mere acceptance, to a condition of affirming,
to actually affirm and celebrate the diversity that
GBLT people bring to theuniversity," said the task
force chairman, Philip Bereano, a teclmical-communication
professor at the College of Engineering.
The campus is free of overt hate crimes, but remains
a place where Gay and Lesbian couples probably don’ t
feel comfortable holding hands, the report says. Some
people responded to a student survey with such comments
as "The amount of tame, manpower and money
being spent (on the task force) is appalling - disband
and stop wasting taxpayer money," and "Stop being
queer."
The universities of California, Oregon and Minnesota
already have Gay, Bisexual, Lesbian and
Transgender resource centers, the report notes. Other
colleges, such as UC-Berkeley and the University of
Wisconsin, have academic programs in sexual minorlty
studies. The report was released last month by the
task-force, which was created in 1999 to examine
issues facedby Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual andTransgender
students, faculty and staff at the UW and recommend
ways to address them.
Aspen Police Investigate
Vandalism of Gay Flag
ASPEN, Colo. (AP) - A gesture of good will toward
the Gay community was transformed into what police
are calling a hate crime. A rainbow flag, a symbol of
Gay pride recognized worldwide, was hung from the
gazebo in Paepcke Park last week.
Police believe someone burned the flag less than 24
hours later. Pieces and black soot were all that was left
of the flag. "It will be classified as a hate-crime," said
police Sgt. Sandy Brownlee. Hate-crimes are rare in
Aspen, Brownlee said, saying that this is the first hatecrime
she has investigated in the eight years she has
been a police officer. Police have no suspects or leads
in the ease.
The flag was secured to the top of the gazebo with a
metal chain before the start of Gay Ski Week.. More
than 4,000 people attended the annual event that ran
through Saturday and raised money for charity. "It’s
terrible," Aspen Mayor Rachel Richards said of the
vandalism. "Aspen is imperfect like the rest of the
world. There are small-minded and intolerant people
here just as everywhere else."
Aspen was among the handful of Colorado communities
whose ordinances protecting Gays and Lesbians
from discrimination were criticized by proponents of
Amendment 2, which would have prohibited such
ordinances. The 1992 voter-approvedamendmentnever
took effect and was eventually ruled unconstitutional
by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Jim Tomberlin, acting director for the Aspen Gay &
Lesbian Community Foundation, called the incident a
"bombshell." "We are very sorry to see this very
serious issue here in our town," he said. "Traditionally,
we’ve never had any major incidents against our
guests here. We’ ve never had anything like this."
Initially, Gay leaders proposed hanging the rainbow
flags on lampposts along Main Street. Their proposal
was rejected by Aspen City Council, which said only
the government and institutions celebrating special
anniversaries could use the posts. Instead, a compromise
was reached allowing onerainbow flag in Paepcke
Park.
Next year, however, city officials promised the
group can fly rainbow flags along Main Street to
commemorate the 25th mufiversary of Gay Ski Week.
Wisconsin Scouts Prefer
Discrimination to Dollars
MENASHA, Wis. (AP)- Area Boy Scout officials say
they won’t adopt a policy banning discrimination
against Gays even though they could lose funding
from the United Way Fox Cities as a result.
TheUnitedWayFoxCities board ofdirectors adopted
a diversity statement in January that requires agencies
it funds to provide services to people regardless of
race, religion, Color, gender, nationality, sexual orientation,
disability or age. The Boy Scouts have a national
policy against Gays becoming scouts or scout
leaders.
’‘The Boy Scouts have served thousands of young
people in our area throughout the years and they have
wonderful programs," said the board’ s chairman, Tim
Higgins. "However, the fact remains, they have a
policy of discrimination based on sexual orientation.
The directors have decided that such a policy is not
consistent with the missmn or vision of our organization."
A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruhng upheld the
Scouts’ right to dismiss a New Jersey assistant scout-
~naster after learning he is Gay.
Rick Williamson, the executive for the scouts’ Bay-
Lakes Council, which represents Boy Scouts in 22
counties from Port Washington to the Michigan border,
said his organization was shocked by the move.
"We had hoped that the Fox Cities United Way board
would value pluralism and diversity, as well as community
service, and would continue to support the
Bay-Lakes Council on the merits of our contributions
to the Fox Cities area," he said.
Williamson said the council would form a task force
to look into the matter further, but would not deviate
from the national policy.
"The ’homosexual lifestyle’ does not provide the
appropriate role models for our members," he said.
"Homosexual conduct isn’ t consistent with our oath."
Williamson said the United Way Fox Cities provides
about $184,000 ofhis council’ s $580,000 budget
in the Appleton-Neenah-Menasha area. The council
has a total budget of $3 million. It receives $595,000
from 31 United Ways.
33% Young Gay NY "
Black Men Positive
NEW YORK (AP) - The AIDS virus is
striking hardest in New York City today
among youngblack men, anew survey has
found, with 33 percent of Gay or Bisexual
black men ages 23 to 29 testing_positive
for HIV. The study conductedby the city’ s
Health Departmentfound thatyoungblack
New Yorkers "are experiencing a larger
burden of the HIV infection," Sandra
Mullin, the department’s associate commissioner
of public affairs, noted.
Only 2% of the city’ s white Gay men in
the same age group were HI¥-positive,
while 14% of Hispamcs were infected, the
survey found. "We don’t have a solid
explanation for that because we don’ t see
the kinds of differentials in behavior between
black and white men to explain
this," said Lucia Torian, who directed the
study.
The Health Department surveyed 542
men who identified themselves as either
Gay or Bisexual. A new test was used in
the survey that allowed researchers to determineif
the’.mfectionhad occurred within
six months. The subjects in the New York
study were tested between March 1999 to
July 2000. Researchers said the men who
tested positive in all racial groups tended
to have had sex without condoms.
real version? The fake drug bears lot
¯ MNK612A, which is a real lot number
also found on an authentic batch. But the
¯
fake version bears the expiration date 08/
¯ 02. Genuine Serostim with that lot number
¯ bears the expiration date 08/01.
¯ On the Net: Food and Drug Administra-
¯ lion: http://www.fda.gov
i All-Time High in HIV
: Diagnoses in Britain
: LONDON (AP) - The number of people
¯ diagnosed with HIV in Britain last year is
¯ expected to be the highest ever, public
¯ health officials said. The Public Health ¯
Laboratory Service said 2,868 new cases
¯ of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, were
¯ reported last year, a 7% increase on com-
. parable figures for 1999. With some fig-
¯ ures still to be collected, the total is ex-
"- pected to exceed the previous high of
¯ 3,222 cases in 1985, the first year testing
¯ was widely available.
For the second year, the number of new
¯ cases was greater among heterosexuals
¯ than among homosexuals, with 1,315 her- ¯
erosexually acquired diagnoses compared
: to 1,096 among Gay and Bisexual men.
¯ The majority of the heterosexual cases
were acquired in areas with high rates of
¯
the virus, such as sub-Saharan Africa, the
¯ service said.
Dr. Barry Evans, head of the service’s
HIV division, said the increase in diagnoses
was not entirely due to a surge of
: recent infections. "Many of those being
o diagnosed are people who were infected
¯ some years ago but who are only now
: coming forward for testing," he said.
¯ More than 20,000 peoplein Britainhave
been diagnosed-as HIV positive, andh.~th
experts say about 10,000 others may be
infected without knowing it. ’Where have
also been large increases in sexually transmitted
infections such as gonorrheawhich
shows that unsafe sex is occurring and
people are putting themselves at risk of
acquiring HIV," Evans said.
FDA Investigates
Fake AIDS Drug
WASHINGTON (AP) - AIDS patients
ghouldimmediately checkthatthey weren’ t
sold a counterfeit version of the prescription
drug Serostim, because the fake could
be dangerous, Serostim’s maker has
warned. The Food and Drug Administration
has launched a criminal investigation
to track down whoever sold the fake drag,
which so far has been found in seven states
but could have been sold nationwide.
The composition of the fake substance
is not known. So far, its only reported side
effects are skinirritation and redness where
patients injected the substance. But offi-
Cials noted that AIDS patients risk at least
getting worse if they go without their real
Serostim. The drug maker’ s warning came
at the end of January.
Serostim is an injected medicine used
by about 6,000 AIDS patients to fight the
dangerous wasting that the virus can cause.
Manufacturer Serono Inc. says about 10
people initially received the counterfeit
version from pharmacies in California. So
far, the FDA has discovered the fake drug
in six other states-Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan,
New Jersey, Florida and Missouri.
Serono first learned of fake Serostim
when it receivedphone calls fromCaliforuia
consumers, longtime Serostim users
wondering why their newest batch looked
different or reporting unexpected skin irritations.
Laboratory tests showed the substance
wasn’t Serostim but an elaborate
fake, sold in boxes that closdy resemble
real. Serostim packages. Serono alerted
pharmacists and AIDS organizations to
the problem in late December; the FDA
told Serono to issue a broader warning
Monday to ~.ensure all. AIDS pafi.ents~get
the word.
How to tell the fake Serostim from. the
HIV Doubles In SF
Gay Men Since ’97 ¯
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)- Paul Torello is
upfront about his life. He sells sex on the
¯ streets for drug money, and he’ s HIV posi-
¯ five. It’s a story he tells all of his male
¯ clients before he lets them chose whether
¯ to proceed with or without a condom.
¯ But more.often than not, his words have
¯ little effect. "It’ s sex that they really want
: to have," Torello said. "That’s primarily
¯ the attitude in the city. It’ s a fun thing for
", them." That attitude is party responsible
¯ for an alarming new report released that
: finds the HIV infection rate has more than
¯ doubled among San Francisco’s Gay men
: in four years.
¯ The report estimates that 2.2% of-the
37,000 Gay menin San Francisco who are
not infected with HIV will contract the
¯ virus - up from 1.04%in 1997. If nothing
¯ changes, 748 Gay men in San Francisco
," will fall prey to HIV this year, the report
¯ projects.Thatdraftanalysiscombinesmore
than 25 studies by the University of Cali-
¯ - fornia, San Francisco, that surveyed some
." 10,000 Gay men.
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5,4 6.6
4021 SouthHarv.ard Avenue S te 2L0, Tulsa 74135
"’We’ve been at this for 20 or 21 years,
and people are tired of it," said Dr. Tom
Coates, director of the UCSF Aids Research
Institute and one of two dozen
researchers and experts on the panel that
released the report. "People would rather
not have to talk about difficult issues and
not take precautions if they think there’ s a
form of chemical s available to help them."
Indeed, the new antiviral drugs responsible
for extending the lives of many HIV
patients may big the biggest catalyst drivingup
the incidence rate ofnew infections.
Long life spans make it possible for victims
to spread the virus to more people,
said Mike Slmver, Mayor Willie Brown’s
adviser on AIDS and HIV policy and an
organizer of the research panel. In addition,
he said, the drugs - first released in
the mid- 1990s - have eased the horror of
watching loved ones die a slow, agonizing
death.
"Why is it going up among men having
sex among men?" said Coates, who’ s been
HIV-positive since 1985. "The whole idea
of Gay liberation is having sex with whom
you want to have sex. It’s breaking down
old moralistic barriers. But it carries with
it something lethal, and it’s hard for the
Gay community to come to grips with."
Coates said he’ s seen a 50% decrease in
HIV rates among intravenous drug users.
He also hasn’t seen any increases in the
heterosexual population. Yet a quarter of
the city’s estimated 46,800 Gay men are
HIV-positive. And 80°70 of HIV infections
in the city are among Gay men, the study
found.
That means stories like Torello’s aren’ t
uncommon. A native of Hamden, Conn.,
Torello, 36, came to San Francisco three
years ago and contracted HIV in the past
18 months. He was sharing dirty needles to
sh0ot-up speed and having unprotected
sex with whomever would pay. He’ s not
sure how he contracted the virus. Still, he
continues to prostitute himself. "Every
person who I ever hook up with, I tell
them. Always," said Torello. "But I’ve
only been turned down once or twice."
The increase isn’t unique to San Francisco.
Coates said numbers are on the rise
in Sydney and Vancouver. In addition, the
Centers for Disease Control and PreventioninAdantareports
anincrease in syphilis
and gonorrheaamong Gay males in Los
Angeles, Miami and Seattle.
"We’ re definitely concerned about Gay
men across the county," said R6bert
Janssen, the CDC’s director of the division
of HIV/AIDS prevention. "We’re
pulling together and have begun to look at
a variety of ways to improve intervention
and prevention programs for Gay men and
to be~n to look at specific things we need
to do.’ Oti the Net: http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu
800 Thai Men Over
60 Turn Positive
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - More than
800 Thai menin their 60’ s have contracted
the virus that leads to AIDS in the past two
years, often after unprotected casual sex
with teen-age gifts, the health ministry
said. The men seek sex withminors because
of the misconception there is less
risk of contracting the disease from them
than from intercourse with older women,
said ministry spokeswoman Nittaya
Mahaphol, citing a recent ministry report.
"We’re not sure if it’s because of the
sex-booster Viagra that drives more elderly
men back to sexual activity. But these
men are apparently turning to casual partners
or schoolgirl prostitutes to avoid getting
infected," Nittaya said.
Thailand has won international acclaim
for its success in promoting condom use to
quell an HIV epidemic that swept the
nation in the early 1990s, infecting about
one million people. The "100% condom
program" is credited with saving an estimated
200,000 lives.
Infection rates have consequently
dropped, but the age-old belief still lingers
that sexual intercourse with teen-age girls
- the younger, the better - is safe and can
rejuvenate aging men.
Theministry report, based oninterviews
with men who had contracted HIV, was
released in a week when a 64-year old
representatave of Thailand’ s upper house
of Parliament was charged with statutory
rape for having sex with five teen-agers.
The incident has scandalized the public
and dominated the front pages of national
newspapers. Senator Chalerm Phromlert
allegedly entertained the gifts at a hotel on
the outskirts of Bangkok and paid each of
them 4,000 baht ($93) to have sex. He has
since resigned.
South Africa Starts
New Drug Study
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) -
The health department has launched a pilot
project to provide free anti-retroviral
medication to HIV-positive mothers and
evaluate its effectiveness in reducing the
virus’ transmission to their nnborn children,
officials said recently. The move
comes amid angry debate over the
government’ s often confusing response to
HIV and AIDS, which infect an estimated
4.2 million South Africans.
To date, anti-retroviral drugs have not
been made available through the public
health system. Authorities have argued
that they are too expensive and that their
safety has yet to be proven.
Over the next six weeks, the drug
Nevirapine is to be supplied to 18 hospitals
and clinics, which will issue it to
pregnant women who are HIV-positive,
said Dr. Noro Sinalela, head of the health
department’s HIV/AIDS program. The
results of the pilot study are to be evaluated
over the next year and, if effective, the
program is to be extended. Sinalela said
the country’s Medicine Control Council
approved the use of Nevirapine "about a
month ago" - a move that most AIDS
activists said they were unaware of.
"This is a huge step forward," said
Sharon Ekambaram of the AIDS consortium,
an alliance of 300 AIDS service
organizations: "It is a sign of political will
to deal with the problem. Very few of the
guidelines to date have talked about treatment."
Along with anti-retrovirals, the governmentalso
intends to provide HIV-positive
women with milkpowder, tominimize:the
chances of them passing thevirus to their
children through b~east=feeding. - ~i
by Jim Christjohn, entertainment editor
Well, here we are at the time of year when
hearts and flowers appear magically everywhere.
St. Valentine’ s Day approacheth,
and I have a few thoughts to share.
First off, it was, like many other holidays
appropriated from the Roman feast of
Lupercalia, a celebration ~’n honor of a
goddess oflove. St. Valentine
was later grafted
upon the date to
christianize the festival
in hopes of converting
more common folk. As
for the love aspect of
the whole thing, here’s
anote Ijotteddown with
both a friend and myself
in mind. It seemed
worth sharing:
v,rhat a shame that so
many confuse love with
¯ well, you get the idea. "Trick" is another
¯ good film for that same effect, and has a
~ hilarious parody of aspiring actresses fea-
¯ turing Toil Spelling. Matthew Boume’s
~ homocentricversionofSwanLakeisavail-
" able on video, for those with more high-
. brow standards (it’s about the shirtless,
: flawless swans). If you don’t mind your
Stomp, photo: Lois Greenfield
sentiment dished
straight up, there’s
"Somewhere In Time,"
possibly the most romantic
movie anyone
could watch with someone.
It’ II leaveyou snailing
and crying by the
end. Finally, if you’re
into chicken, "Chicken
Run" is a wonderful
film, with enough romance
to keep tongues
clucking. OK, the puns
control and game playing. And how sad it
is that when love - acceptance and physicalattraction-
is offered on a silver platter,
gift wrapped with no strings attached,
that people run in terror from it, believing
no one could ever truly love them and all
their flaws and accept them simply for
who and what they are and the gifts they
bring to life.
Instead, they choose to ignore that gift,
preferring instead to run to those ~ho will
reinforce feelings ofinadequacy, who will
rip them apart with abuse and harsh words
and cruelty, instead Of lifting them up. Is
there something so comfortable in accepting
that, in perhaps remmning true to our
backgrounds, that we deny ourselves anything
better? We are all good enough,
smart enough, and worthy of acceptance.
Don’t settle for anything less.
And speaking of love, the one love of
my life that has outlasted any man and a
few women, songstress Stevie Nicks is
finally releasing her new album "Trouble
in Shandri La" on April 10th. She also has
a song on the SweetNovember soundtrack,
a tribute to a friend of hers who died of
complications from AIDS. I had the privilege
ofreading the lyrics and it is beautiful,
a song of love and of hope that one day,
there will be no such disease.
The song is "Touched By An Angel",
and here is a sample of the poetry she has
written: "NO ONE SAW US GO... NO
ONE SAID GOODBYE, BUT IN MY
HEART, I LEAVE GREAT EXPECTATIONS
THAT YOU WILL FIND THE
ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS,
AND TIL~T LIFE WILL ONCE MORE.
.. BEA CELEBRATION... ANDTHAT
YOU WILL BE TOUCHED BY AN
ANGEL."
Best Valentine gift this year: Music:
"Love Decides’!, Jane Olivor. Winner
hands down, sure to guarantee an evening
of gazing into another’ s eyes, warm gooey
feelings, and a cuddle. And ff not, then
you’re dating an ice queen whose heart
simply cannot be reached. Video/DVD:
"Broadway Damage", a wonderful romantic
comedy that has a predictable but swat
ending, is well-acted, and will leave the
two of you smiling.., and kissing.., and,
had to go somewhere!
And since this is about love, let me take
a moment to give the loves in my life a
valentine (appearing in no particular order):
Tom, for giving me a forum for
sharing some info about some wonderful
artists; Bonnie and Mariafor their laughter
and gifts of sdf they have brought into my
life, best of which is "The Bonnie and
Maria Show" - and the crock pot, a true
symbol of love if ever there was one;
Valerie, who makes sure we stay in touch;
J0ni, for being a kindred spirit and fellow
mischief maker and survivor of dysfunctional
families; Kate, for all the tides shared,
frustrations held, and tongues tied at work; -
Stefani, for all her love and support and
hugs for 17 years, and for growing into the
wonderful woman she has become - well
worth the diaper duties, the vom squad; to
Tari, for the drives to the hospital (on the
bumpiest roads possible) due to back
spasms at 3am, for being there, and for
taking on Morn; to Richard for taking on
would be bullies and exes who didn’ t want
to pay their share. To Mom,for being there
for 37 years, like it or not. To Peter, for the
same toys growing up (Chitty), the laughter,
and the asnides shared during parties
and dinners; Cody, for being a friend in
spite of me, and g~ving me the joy of
knowing that when i get to CA, I will know
someone there who. is relatively sane and
sweet; Chadforbeing such agreat ex-boss
and friend (I mis.s our chats!); Marti, for all
her wonderful smiles and stories and for
the big hugs; especially to Karin for the
last 14 years of putting up with my tears,
my jokes, and for .editing my poison pen
letters - and for sharing with me all the
joys and traumas since the day we met, as
well as knowing me better than anyone on
this planet - and still loving me, as well as
eventually growing fond of the music of
Stevie Nicks and sharing MelissaEtheridge
with me; Vic and Mary Neal, for the wonderful
dinners and poetry and laughs and
deep conversation and political rants over
the years; Terry and Paul for taking care of
puppies and finding me those CDs no one
else can get and for being there when I
lock myself out of my house;
see Amuse, p. 9
THE SMASH HIT RETURNSi.
Welcomed by
Wireless
Feb. 20-25-Brady Theate
All Carson Attractions locations,
584-2000
carsonattractions.com
20+ Groups, 477-7469
Presented by Celebrity Attractions. ¯ celebrityattractions.com ¯ ~.stompon|;ne.com
Drummers of Japan
March 4
7:30 p.m.
Chapman Music Hall
Tulsa Performing Arts Center
3rd & Cincinnati
Tickets
$17.50, $27.50, $35
Call 596,7111
Outside Tulsa:
1 800 364-7111
www.tulsapac.com
presented by the
Tulsa PAC Trust
"Perfection in music"
Boston Globe
"Total brain massage"
Independent on Sunday
"... waves of percussive
sound that seemed to turn
Carnegie Hall itself into a
resonant cavity ..."
New York Times
....... ,,
Don’ t let winter keep you inside hibernating-
there’ s plenty going on in Tulsain
February !
Holland Hall School will present-the
41st Annual Book Fair & Market (an annual
event since 1961). Organized by the
Holland Hall Parents’
Association., it
is the state’s largest
used book sale and
typically draws as
many as 10,000 patrons.
It’ s open Saturday,
February 24, 9 - 5,
Sunday, February 25,
noon - 5pro at the
Holland Hall Middle
School,5666 E. 81st
Street. Parking is
available on campus.
Admission is only $1
for adults 18 and ~ver
and is good for both
days. Besides books
and art, the Fair offers a"flea market" with
householditems, clothes, electronic goods,
records and CDs, kids wear and more.
Not to be missed are two very big bang
events: in February, Celebrity Attractions,
knownfor their Broadway shows, is bringing
back "stomp" at the Brady on Feb. 20
- 25. Part dance, mostly drumming, the 8
member group has played from London to
the Acropolis, all over television and their
work has won Obie, Olivier and Drama
Desk awards. Call 584-2000 for more information
and don’t miss them!
Early in March, one performance only
on Sunday, March 4th at 7:30pro, at the
Performing Arts Center (so get those tickets
now - March will be too late), the Kodo
Drummers of Japan return to Tulsa for the
first time in 10 years. Their performance
Frieda, Chewie and Luke for the licks and
grins; to the staff at Metro, who have
become friends and family away from
home; to Terry and Barry for making me
feel welcome when I first arrived and who
accepted me into their circle - special
thanks for the invite to the anniversary
bash, guys, it was fabulous; and finally:to
Brian, for refusing to let walls stand in his
way, for rocking my world, and for being
the one other gay man in OK who loves
Stevie Nicks almost as much as I do, who
knows who Linda Eder is, and for loving
me in spite of myself. And to my new
friend Lindsay, who bonded almost instantly
with me and shares my love of
Stevie’s music as wall. To all the people
who have gifted me with their presence in
my life, whose paths crossed with mine
and left a smile on both our faces. I am
incredibly lucky to have been gifted with
.these people’ s presence inmy life, and this
~s my .valentine to them all, and to all the
people reading this column, Happy
Valentine’s Day to you, too!
Heller Theatre presents "Trust," Steven
Dietz’ dramedy set in the rock music scene
running Feb 8-17; 746-5065 for info/tix.
The Lipizzaner Stallions will be trotting
The Junior Chamber Mission
Foundation held Chilifor Children. a
fundraiserforfamilies affected byHtV/
AIDS at St. Louis Bread Co. SLBC coowner"
Sue Stees is joined by JCMF and
SLBC staff, photo: Tracey E. Norvell
takes traditional Japanese drumnnng,
"taiko," and like Stomp, combines musical
performance with athletic grace
Call the PAC box office at 596-7111,
800-364-.7111, or www.tulsapac.com
Community women might want to head
south to San Antonio
for the 14th Texas
Lesbian Conference.
Comedian Karen
Williams will perform
atthe Marcia 23-
25 event to be held at
the Riverwalk’ s
Amerisuites near San
Antonio’s historic
King William District.
Other speakers
and workshops will
be presented covering
many of Lesbian
life. Call 210-532-
9821 or email to:
TLCSanAntonio
@aol.com for more
information.
Saturday, Feb. 10, Tulsa~s Largest Garage
Sale will be held at Expo Square on
the Fairgrounds from 8-4pm. Only $3, it
helps local charities raise funds. It’ s organized
by the Mental Health Association in
Tulsa. Community of Hope usually has a
booth in this event. Find cool things and do
good all at the same time.
Thatsame day, Dillon International, Inc.
will hold an international adoption workshop
from 9:30-4:30 atAsbury Methodist’ s
"Outback" in the back side of the Park
Plaza Center. Thefee is $60/family or $401.
single. Unverified rumor is that Dillon’s
director does not allow Gays or Lesbians
to adopt because of religious beliefs.
You might want to ask before you write
that check! see About. p. 11
up the town at Maxwell Convention Center
on the 1 lth; 584-2000
"Rashomon" a story of a bandit on trial
for the death of a samurai and rape of his
wife will be performed at the University of
Tulsa; 631-2567.
"She drives me crazy, ooh, ooh...’"
tops, no, that’s "Driving Miss Daisy,"
runs Feb 23-March 3 with American Theatre
Company, 747-9494.
TulsaBalletpresents "Romeo andJuliet"
again, Feb 23-25, 749-6006. When are
they going to do the all male version,
"Romeo and Julio?" Sounds like ajob for.
¯ . Matthew Bourne! I’m still waiting for
them to do his take on "Swan Lake."
Tulsa Opera presents "Tannhauser,"
Wagner’ s epic of love, death, magic, religion,
mayhem and revelryrtmning Feb 10,
16, and 18. Goddess bless.. Hey, Venus
makes a special appearance, so if you’re
looking for lo*e, the PAC’ s the place to be
on those nights.
And the big show of the month is
"STOMP" a raucous and spirited evening
of rhythm, music and percussion, all created
by ordinary and extraordinary household
objects! Feb 20-25 at the Brady Theatre,
presented by Celebrity Attractions. It
is a show that will have you tapping feet,
fingers, and the chairs of other patrons.
But try not to be too annoying...
by Lamont Lindstrom
I was reading up on secrecy and modesty
recently and I noticed that some anthropologists
claim that modesty is a human
universal. People - unlike dogs,
horses, or even chimpanzees
- retire into the shadows
to make love.
Whoa, I thought! How~
about all those orgies I hear
about (but never seem to
get invited to)?
Orthoseexhibitionists on
webcamnow.com? And
what about the infamous
toilets in Tulsa’s River
Parks?
Last year Tulsa’ s Mental
Health Association hosted
a working group on what to
do about public sex in the
parks. Various participants
from the city and county
park administrations, the
District Attorney’s office,
- the police, probation offic-
¯.. some
anthropologists elalm
that modesty is a
human universal...
Whoa, I thought! How
about all those orgies I
hear about . ?. Or
those exhibitionists on
webeamnow.eom? And
what about the
infamous toilets
in Tulsa’s
River Parks.. ? "
ers, and mental health professionals convened
throughout the year to discuss solutions
to public sex. In particular, they
sought ways to discourage recidivism.
Local wisdom has it (although hard statistics
seem peculiarly difficulty to produce)
that the officers who police the toilets are
arresting the same individuals time and
again.
Most of the folks around the table were
havdved, professionally, wlthneurosis and
deviance. It is no surprise, therefore, that
the group favored a response that combines
repression with therapy. First, arrest
anyone with his pants down, and then
make some sort of sex therapy ajudicially
imposed component ofhis probation. Like
myanthropological colleagues, weTulsans
presume that public sex is abnormal, even
unnatural. It’ s a problem to solve. Those
who do it in the streets frighten the horses
or even worse, in this century, the children.
My inclination instead would be to gain
an understanding of the culture of public
sexuality..Although not exactly a community,
the men involved are a population
which shares enoughcultural expectations
and understandings through which to fulfill
their equally shared desires. My anthropological
imperative would be, first,
to figure out the native point of view.
However, there is a cautionary precedent
that makes one worry about hanging
about public sex venues. Sociologist Laud
Humphreys got into hot water when he
published his 1970 book, Tearoom Trade:
Impersonal Sex in Public Places. Back in
those days, he hadn’ t thought to inform the
"trade" who he observed in St. Louis’
public toilets that he was, in fact, studying
them. And their wives also were rather
shocked when Humphreys turned up on
their doorsteps for an interview, having
traced the toilet trade’ s home addresses by
means of_their car tags. Humphreys’ controvers~
al research was one of the factors
that encouraged sociologists to write up
code of research ethics.
According to police participants in the
Mental HealthAssn’ s working group, most
of those arrested in Tulsa park restrooms,
similarly, are married men. But this can
only be part of the story: True, the toilets
serve as convenient meeting places for
otherwise respectablemen
in searchofanonymous sex
on their way home to wife
and kids. But toilets are
also complex sites where
self-identified Gays, selfidentified
Straights, and
everyonein-betweencome
together.
Don, one ofmy earliest
Gay friends, used to astonish
me with his boldness.
Don prefers anonymous
and public sexual encounters.
Don has had sex in
tiny Korean Airline washrooms,
underneath scraggly
bushes near the University
of Hawai’i’ s baseball
stadium, on sandy,
public beaches, in cars
parked at Wal-Mart, and at trnckstops and
highway rest areas stretching from Tulsa
to Los Angeles.
Don also used to hang out at the one rrated
video arcade in Tulsa. I learned from
him about the lively community of regulars
there who know, or at least recognize,
one another. These guys kill time chatting
and kikiing until some fresh meat- one of
those passing married guys, perhaps -
drops in. Then polite chatter turns into
sometimes vicious competitton over who.
elbows his way first into the video booth.
Gay activists, understandably, are concemed
that the public at large is way too
happy to tar us all with the scarlet brush of
promiscuity and uncouth sexuality. They
hasten to underline that the majority of
park toilet denizens are married and therefore
at least presumptively strS. But park
toilets feature men having sex with men,
however they define themselves, and the
Gay community inescapably is implicated
and involved.
Equality Colorado, a Gay activist group
in Denver, has worked with local police to
create an outreach program. Men hanging
about park toilets are contacted and provided
information about STDs, and about
better places to cruise. This, of course,just
removes the ]problem3 elsewhere. And
such removal is perhaps more difficult to
aclfieve in Tulsa where authorities have
closed down alternate sex sites such as the
notorious Overlook on the way to Key~
stone Lake, and downtown movie houses
and restrooms. Still, one might hope that
those homymarried guys might at least be
canny enough to check out the scores of
chatrooms and other internet opportunities
to meet up, and thus remove their
business from the public eye.
Butthings are not so simple. Culture and
desire both are at work here. There is an
international subculture of public sexual-
¯, ity that stretches from Tulsa to Japan to
Britain to beyond. You could take a Tulsa
¯ River Parks denizen and drop himin Hyde
: Park in Sydney, Australia and within 10
¯ minuteshe’dbebusy, seePrivates,p. 11
Timothy W, Daniel
Attorney at Law
An Attorney who will fight for justice
& equality for Gays & Lesbians
Domestic Partnership Planning,
Personal Injury, _Criminal Law & Bankruptcy
1-800-742-9468 or 918-352-9504
128 East Broadway, Drumright, Oklahoma
Weekend and evening appointmenls are available.
Want to save Money and
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Long Distance and More, 10% of Revenues Will Benefit
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For more information,
call 665-3401 or evenings at 447-8602.
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TULSA COUNTY
DEMOCRATIC
PARTY
¯ Country Club Barbering
Custom Styling for Men & Women
David Kauskey
3310 E. 51st, 747-0236,’~Tues.-Fri., 8-5:30, Sat. 8-Spm
! )ody
Tulsa’s only
professional
body-piercing
College Hill
Presbyterian Church
In response to God’ s Love,
College Hill Presbyteri-~,an~ Church
is a community of GodN people
called to tell others the
Gospel of Jesus Christ
through worship,
service, and evangelism.
To nurture our faith, we gather for
worship, prayer,
study and fellowship.
Trusting in a living, loving God,
we seek to become a cq,mpassionate
voice for peace and justice.
Our congregation, welcomes all
persons who respond in trust and
obedience to God’ s grace
m Jesus Christ, and desire to become
part of the membership and ministry
of Christ’ s church.
Membership is open to all people
regardless of race, ethnic origin,
worldly condition, marital status, or
sexual orientation.
Sunday Worship 1 lam
712 S. Columbia Ave., 592-5800
(One block west of Delaware and the
University of Tulsa Campus)
If one offered an alternative space - a
motel, perhaps, with backdoors - for married
guys to have happy-hour sex with one
another, those park toilets would still be
hopping. Clearly, the forbidden can be
exciting. Public and anonymous sex is a
pervasive feature Ofhumannature, despite
what my anthropological and psychological
colleagues might suppose.
in 1997 and 1999, says he will try again
this year. ’‘The chances do look better,"
Chisum saidl "After Vermont’s fiasdo,
there is a growing support to step up to the
table and do the right thing."
To Texas Gay civil rights activists,
Chisum’s bill is vindictive. "We already
we know we can’t get married here," said
Diane Hardy-Garcia, executive director of
the Lesbian and Gay Rights Lobby of
Texas. "The only thing that can happen
with this is division and hurt.’"
Hardy-Garcia said her legislative priority
this year is ahate-erimes bill. "Those of
us from conservative Southern states have
to be very realistic about what we do," she
said. "Legislators would think I’mcrazy if
I went up and asked them to pass a marriage
bill fight now."
In New York and Rhode Island, however,
openly Gay legislators plan to introduce
Gay-marriage bills this year.
Rhode Island Rep. Michael Pisaturo is
unsure whether his bill will get through the
House Judiciary Committee, but said he is
intent on persevering year after year until
he prevails or loses his seat. "Most of my
colleagues realize it’s the right and fair
thing to do," he said. "But politically, it’s
a different story. Most politicians really
worry about getting re-elected." Pisaturo
has rejected suggestions that he propose
civil unions, rather than marriage. "I can’ t
accept anything the codifies in statute my
second-c!ass citizenship," he said.
In New York, state Sen. Tom Duane
plans to introduce two bills, one proposing
civil tmions and the other full-fledged
marriage for same-sex couples, according
to his chief of staff, Andrew Berman. "We
see these two as long-term projects," said
Berman, explaining that Duane’s proposals
would lack teeth until other anti-discrimination
measures are enacted.
Despite the efforts ofPisaturo andDuane,
the director of the ACLU’s Lesbian and
Gay Rights Project doesn’t expect any
state to swiftly endorse Gay marriage.
"Thereisn’ t anotherVermonton the shortterm
horizon," said Matt Coles. "It will
look like there’ s a pause in the movement.
But I say to people, ’Look more closely.’"
He said polls now suggest a majority, of
Americans favor some legal rights forGay
couples, albeit not official marital status.
He also noted the increasing number of
corporations extending domestic-partnersh~
p benefits to Gay employees. "Tenyears
ago there werejust ahandful of companies
doing that," Coles said. "Now, it’ s becoming
the standard of operation."
Activists in both camps also detect growing
empathy forGays and Lesbians among
young Americans, as evidenced by the
spread of Gay-Straight alliances at high
schools and colleges. ’’The young people
get it," said Deanna Kaffke, a Gay civil
rights leader who teaches at the University
of Nebraska. "Even with a conservative
student body, a majority of students on
campus see that this is a civil rights issue."
If Vermont’ s civil union law has helped
galvanize opposition to Gay marriage, it
also has inspired many same-sex couples.
Among them are Marcie Elias and Hillary
Smith, partners for more than two years in
New York City who are planning a civilunion
ceremony later this year in Vermont.
Elias, 28, described herself as "very
traditional." ’T ve always envisioned myself
getting married and having a ho~e.
When I came out, that never changed.
Many Gay couples see no need foi: a
formal ceremony, she said, "but in my
mind it’ s important to get up in front ofmy
closest friends and family and say, ’This is
the person I want to spend the rest of my
life with.’"
Elias, a management consultant, predicted
that a steady stream of same-sex
couples would go to Vermont to enter civil
unions, then return home and seek legal
benefits reserved for heterosexual married
couples. "They’ 11 get their requests denied
and eventually it’ s going toworkits way to
the courts," she said. "As more and more
Gay couples startdamoring forlegal rights
and protections, it will become more and
more of an administrative nightmare for
the states."
Wolfson, the Lambda Defense Fund
attorney, agreed that civil unions made in
Vermont would spawn lawsuits.’’This is
not some chess game," he said. "These are
real people who have entered a serious
legal relationship. As they encounter discrimination
or even uncertainties, there
will be litigation. It will arise out of genuine
crisis."
MiltonRegan, aprofessoratGeorgetown
University Law Center who specializes in
family law, predicted that state courts
would be the pivotal battleground over the
next several years as Gay couples seek
broader rights."The growing recognition
from the corporate sector begins to confer
some legitimacy," Regan said. "But it’s
not going to be inexorable, and there will
be backlashes in many areas. It’s one of
thosebattlegrounds in which there is lurching
in one direction and the other- another
front in the cultural war."
Over at Philbrook, if you hurry, there’ s
a sweet exhibit, Tulsa Collects, Treasures
from Private Collections, up till Feb. 11.
The show features historical and contemporary
European and American paintings,
sculpture and Native American art and
artifacts. There is a Thomas Moran painting
as well as works by French Impressionists,
Edouard Vuillard, Camille
Pissarro, 20th century American ardsts
Mark Rothko, Andy Warhol, Andrew
Wyeth, and glass sculptor Dale Chihuly.
Philbrook is located at 2727 S Rockford
Rd. Call 749-7941 for information.
Saturday, February ~7th, 8pm-Midnight
The Brady Mansion 620 North Denver
DJ, Hors d’oeuvres, Party Pics, Cash Bar,
Live Entertainment, Dress Mild to Wild
Door prizes for Best Dressed
Tickets: $15 advance or $20 at the door
Available at:
The Tulsa GLBT Community Center
2114 South Memorial Drive, 918-743-4297
and select vendors listed on the website.
Proceeds benefit The Pyramid Project
"Building a Home - Funding the Future,
for the Tulsa GLBT Community Center."
Made Possible by Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR), www.PyramidProject.org
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
newspaper
periodical
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[2001] Tulsa Family News, February 2001; Volume 8, Issue 2
Subject
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Politics, education, and social conversation toward Tulsa’s Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual communities.
Description
An account of the resource
Tulsa Family News was a monthly newspaper; No. 1 issued December 1993-January 1994. The final issue available was published in September 0f 2001 (Volume 8, Issue 9).
The newspaper brings up important, evolving topics of marriage, Pride, TOHR, HIV/AIDs, events, advice, and politics all at the local and national level.
This document is available in searchable PDF attached. It is also available to be seen at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center with permission.
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Tulsa Family News
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/24
Publisher
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Tom Neal
Date
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February 2001
Contributor
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James Christjohn
Karin Gregory
Barry Hensley
J.P. Legrandbouche
Lamont Lindstrom
Esther Rothblum
Mary Schepers
Hughston Walkinshaw
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Tom Neal/Tulsa Family News
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Tulsa Family News, January 2001; Volume 8, Issue 1
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English
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newspaper
periodical
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Tulsa(Oklahoma)---newspaper
Tulsa---Oklahoma
Oklahoma---Tulsa
United Stated Oklahoma Tulsa
United States of America
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https://history.okeq.org/items/show/609
About Town
adoption
AIDS
arts and entertainment
Boy Scouts
businesses
churches
civil rights
civil unions
Council Oak Men's Chorale
fake AIDS drug
gay bashing
Gay marriage
Gay Studies
HIV
HIV drug study
HIV testing
James Hormel
Lamont Lindstrom
legal protection
marriage equality
Martin Luther King Jr. Parade
Openarms Youth Project
performing arts
public sex
Red Cross
Red Rock Tulsa
restaurants
services
Soulforce
Sound and Spirit
Tom Neal
Tulsa Family News
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
vandalism
Wild Hearts Ball
-
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3a360adc92fa2eb2bcd9c77cca5b25a0
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[Sub-Series] Newsletters & Publications > Tom Neal Newsletters > Tulsa Family News
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Lesbian To BeExecuted- i
Would Be First Woman Killed In Oklahoma :
DENVER(AP)-A womanwhois scheduled,tobecome :
the first female executed in~i°fOklalioma has ¯
filed~ an emergency appeal ~’_~10th U.S. Circuit :
Court of Appeals. ’, -~-_..........
~ .Wanda Jean Allen wants all 10judges-of the court to :
stop her scheduled Jan. 11 execution, even after athree- "
judge panel from the court-reftmed to overturn her :
sentence in January. The U.S. Supreme Court~efusedtO -:
consider her case and she was:denied clemency earlie~ ¯
this month. Alien maintains- as she has throughout_her
previous appeals - that her prior counsel was deficient: ."
AsSistant Attorney General Sandra Howard said her "
office will oppose Alien’s request. :
Allen was convicted of the: 1988 murder of Gloria "
Leathers, her lover, outside The Village police station. "
Tulsa Family NewsAdded
State HistoPical Archives
Allen had earlier been convicted Ofinanslaught~r. :
Oklahoma’s Catholic, Episcopal andMethodist bishops
have called on Gov. Frank Keating to establi.sb~a
moratorium on all executions in the state....
¯ commentary by TomNeal, editor &publisher " "
OKLAHOMA CITY/TULSA - You would have thought it was
: .simple to do a little "historical" research. Just as in elementary
¯ school, you go down to the Central Library and look up the
¯ . material. After a friend.mentioned some stories in The Gayly
: Oklahoman that were published before this.newspaper existed, I
: tried to dojust that, only to fmd thai’our library threw out its Gay
¯. publications after six months - so much for minority history!
¯ . Ha¢ing donated seven years of copies of TFN thinking that a
: -portion of Tulsa’s LGBT history was being perserved, I was
~ : concerned. Suppression of Tulsa’s minority history_is hardly
¯ new. Tulsa’s Centennial celebration and book deliberately
excluded any mention of the existence of Gay people, and Tulsa
covered up some events, like the Rathe Riots of 1921, for years.
Tulsa City County Library System (TCCLS) had reasonable
excuses: they don’t have space to archive hard copies, they need
to have the materials on microfilm, etc. True enough. Large
newspapers, like The Tulsa Worm and The Daily Oklahoman,
monopoly dailies with huge profits, of course can and do pay for
their own filming. Those film rolls are then purchased-by
TCCLS. However, small minority publications dearly don’t
have those sorts of resources.
However, The Oklahoma Eagle is in the TCCLS archives.
How so? The Oklahoma Historical Society is committed to
preserving more than just Oklahoma’s "mainstream" history.
And in contrast to Tulsa’s usual response to its minority
citizens (give us your tax dollars, keep your mouth shut andjust
don’t getuppity), theOklahoma Historical Society was delighted
to add Tulsa Family News to its collection including microfilming
the new~paper so that OHS (and TCCLS we hope) can better
reflect minority as well as majority history.
¯ With the interest of preserving as much of Oklahoma’s LGBT
: historyas possible, I left amessagefor Paula Hand Brown of The
¯ Gayly Oklahoman to encourage them to provide theirback issues
¯ to the Oklahoma Historical Society. seeOHS, p. 10
NGLTF .Lesbian and-.. Gay Democrats-Concerned About
Journal,sin Scholarships i AsbcroR as Attorney General
WASHINGTON, DC-The National Gay and Lesbian : WASHINGTON (AP) - Several influential Democrats said
¯ So.ulforc,e-OK to Host
:Noted B,ble Scholar ¯
Prof. Scott to Address.Bible Passages, +
Soulforce .Goes to Rome~ MLK Parade
¯ TULSA - Dr. Brandon Scott will givea lecture this
¯¯ month based the passages in the Bible that are regularly
used to attack Gay and Lesbian.people. These
¯ are the so-called "clobber" passages seen as con-
¯" demning homosexuality.
Dr,~Scott is a well known New TestameiR scholar,
-" a Jesus Scholar and teaches at Phillips Theological
¯ Seminaryin Tulsa. The event is open to thepublicand
¯ will be held the January 22nd Soulforce in Oklahoma
¯ meeting from 6 - 8pro at TheGay Community Ser- ¯
vices Center, 2114 S. Memorial.
¯ This event will.begin the education and training for
¯ local actions to take place, in Tulsa along with a
"¯ interdenominational panel discussion on February ¯
26th also at the Center at 6pro, to understand where
: different denominations stand regarding this issue.
¯ Soulforce is an informal network of volunteers
: -committed to teach, and apply the principles of non-
" violence as taughtby Gandhi and Martin Luther King
." on behalf of sexual and gender minorities. Sodforce
¯ was founded in 1998 by the Rev. Mel White, author ¯
of Stranger at the Gate and his partner, Gary Nixon.
." Thewebsiteis www.soulforce.org. Innortbeast Okla-
¯ homa, contacts are KarenWeldin"Karen@cwis.net"
¯ and Susan Knanse "knalig@worldnet.att.net" ¯
"Soulforce believes that religion has become the
~ primary source of false and inflammatory misinfor-
." mationaboutLesbian, Gay, Bisexual, andTransgender
¯ people," says Sue Knause, Soulforce in Oklahoma
volunteer. "Fundamentalist Christians teach that we
¯ are ’sick’ and ’sinful.’ Liberal Christian denomina-
¯ tions teach that we are "incompatible with Christian ¯
teaching." Most conservative and liberal denomina-
¯ tions re_fuse to marry us or ordain us for ministry. The
Roman Catholic Church teaches that our orientation
is ’objectively disordered’ and our acts of intimacy
’intrinsically evil.’ They teach that we should not
¯ marry, adopt, co-parent, teach children,, coach youth
TaskForcerecentlyannouneedaFeb, 15,2000deadline
to submit applications for the.NGLTF Messenger:
Anderson Scholarships. The NGLTFMessenger-Anderson.
Scholarship Program next year will award four
$5,000 scholarships to high school seniors or undergraduatecollege
students whoplantopursue abachelor’s
degr,.ee in journalism at an accredited four-year college
¯or umverslty.
The NGLTF Messenger-Anderson Scholarship was
established by Larry Messenger and Jim Anderson in
memory of Lawrence and Sdina Messenger. "The
Messengers believed that there is a pressing need to
encourage Gay and lesbian people to become more
involvedinshapingmediaeoverage,?-’- e,,x,plainedNGLTF
.Execufi.ve Director ElizabethTolbxlo.. ’Fair coverage of
ISSUes important to the Gay,. Lesbian, Bisexual and
Transgendercommunity depend~uponthebasiepremise
that all of us are created equally. But media coverage
foday often begins with thediscriminatory notion that
equality for GLBT people is somehow a matter for
debate. By encouraging GLBT students to pursuejournalism
andby assisting them with their Studies, theTask
:Force hopes, to improve the way the GLBT comrnttulfies,
..a~_d moyemen.t are. covered.’"
see. Scholarship,p. 3
DIRECTORY ...... P.2
EDITORIAL P.3
US & WORLD NEWS -. P. 4
HEALTH NEWS P.
ENTERTAINMENT - P,
BOOK REVIEW P. 10
: Sund~t.y that they .are distressed by President-elect Bush’ s cabinet
, choices to date, mentioning .attorney general-designate John
: Asheroft as. a particular problem, because.of his. opposition_to
: abortion, gU~.¢ontrol measures, and anti,Gay positions,
¯ Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., called-Asheroftrs prospects at
: Senate..confirmation for at[orney general "hardly a done deal’r
: and said he is "truly worried" that Asheroft.would not.enforce
¯ federal laws. bannitlg violence against abortion clinics ~or laws
: that restrict gun. ownership. In fact, Schumer commented that
~ Asheroft would work to repeal those~laws. "He is far and away
¯ the most troubling choice," Schumer said on-ABC’s-’-’TMs
: Week." *’The questionis will Senator Asheroft enforce.thelaw of
." .the land on things thathe’s morally opposed to."
: HoweveL Sen..,Orrin Hatch, R~Utah, appearing,,on the. same
¯ program, said he would be surprised if the Senate does not
: confirm Asheroft,-the outgoing senatorfrom Missouri who has
: served~that state’sattorney general and governor. "Heis aman
: ofintegrity. Heis amanof great experience:’ Hatch said. "I have
¯" no-doubt, as a former attorney~ general and hopefully as-this
¯ attorney general, he will enforce the laW~.regardless of whether
: he agrees with it or not"
: Senate Minority ’Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D, also expressed
¯ concerns about Asheroft, saying that he and other DemoL’rats ¯
intend to ask.him tough questions during hi~s confiymation
¯ hearings~,sp~cificallYwhether he intends to enforce civil rights
¯ laws that pr,o,tect~minorities and statutes protecting equal rights
: for women: -He has-to convincea i0tbf his eoliehgU~s~d fflrt
: of those who are concerned.., that he Can do that," Daschle told
: NBC’s "Meet the PressY
¯ Senate Republican Whip Don Nickles.of Oklahoma said he
: doesn’t understand-why Ashcroft’s critics are "taking-these
¯
unfair cracks at him:" "I think some people are .... lookingfor an ¯ issue. They’re looking for a fight,"Nickles told NBC.. "They
: .want to ha~ea big divisive battle. " see Ashcroft, p. 11
¯ or serve in the military. Our goal is to. confront and
: eventually replace these tragic untruths with the truth
thatwe are God’s children, too, created, loved, and
¯ accepted.-by God exactly as weare," Knanse adds.
¯ During-the past summer Soulforce launched the
; "first stage" in their campaign to STOP SPIRITUAL
¯ .VIOI~ENCE noted Karen Weldin, Sodforee volun-
," teer. "We trained 1,000 volunteers on site at the
: national conventions of the United Methodist, South-
¯" ern Baptist, Presbyterian, and Episcopal Churches.
After silent, candlelight vigils, more than 500 of us
: were arrested in carefully planned acts of nonviolent
: dissent. On November 12-14, 2000 we conducted
¯ similar vigils and protests at the National Conference
~ of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC."
¯ Mel Whitehas announced Soulf0rce,s plans to take
: thenonviolentcampaignagainst centuries ofspiritual
¯ violence and anti-Gayteachings oftheRoman Catho-
¯ lic Church to the Vatican on January 5-6, 2001.
¯ Supporters of Soulforce and Dignity/USA plan to
: place their specific demands for inclusion for all
; peoplein the Church on the doors of the Vatican, in
¯ amoveechoing that of Martin Lutherat thebeginning
of the Reformation.
¯: Soulforee in Oklahoma is als0 joining PFLAG,
HRC-Oklahoma, and TOHR in the annual Martin
: Luther King Memorial Parade .on Monday, January
¯ 15th¢2001. The Parade starts atCincinnati and Pine
at 1 tam and ends in the Greenwood district. March-
¯ ers are asked to arrive 30 minutes early and look for
: the Rainbow-colored banners. Parking is very limited,
marchers are encouraged to share a ride if
¯ possible. Formore information, Call the Commuuity
Centerat743-4297between 6-9pm,Monday through
¯ Friday.. . ~,--.-..
Tulsa C[0b~"& Restaurants " -~lS.583.I248,:fax:!583.,461~!-~,i. ,, , :!! -~......: ""
*Chasers, 4812 E. 33 712--2324 " POB 4140, Tulsa, OK’Tzt159. e-mail TulsaNews@earthiinlcnet ...... "
*CW’s, i737S.’NIriiiofial ": 6i0-g3"~3 " Publisher + Editor: Tom Neal . " ~ " . 2.2
*Club che~:136mb~1926 E. Pine " -: -: 58~22~1~9 "" .~iii~rs’~- ~oniiibut~rs’: ~ames Chris-tjohli, Kaiin Grgg~Si%~Barr3) .
Polo Gfi11’~’2038 UtiCa Square . -. - 7~-4280 i~.I ~ Rotl~blum.,Mar~ Scl~epets Hiaghston.Wall~inshaw
*St. Michilel’~ Aii~ Restaurant, 3324-L E’:-31st 745£9998 -- ° ................. .
*TNT’-~,~2:i-~:4N-i’l~iein0rial : : - i" ;~°
660~9856~,~" !.ssued.aroundthe’lstofeachmonth~tlieenfireconti~ms~ofdliz:i "’~
*Tool Brk; :f338 E~’3rd " " ’- i584-]308..~
p_ubli~cation are prot._eqted.~ by US cop.yEi..’ght 2001-,b~ Tulga~
*The YelliS~: Bi:i(KR0ad Pub; 263OE; 15th’ "~4~f5~~’d "v~’am~lY New~andmaynotbereprdduc~’eittle~in.ffholerri~n,
TulsitBU~’~n~Ss~s, Services, &Profession~l~;..... .L.o~ p~..without.writtenpeimi~ion-frbm-.the.pi~titisher;.Publica4. ,;
Assoc. in_. M._ed, ,&~ Mental Health, 2325 S. ~Arvard 7~43:~00.0; " tion of a name’or-photo:doesnot indieate, apei:son:S.~extml:
Barnes & Ng-b"!e;B0oksellers, 8620 E 71 - 250,50- 3"" 4 "~6iqetltafion. Correspondence is, assumedto,befor-pabiicaiion;. "
Barnes & NOble~Booksellers, 5231 E. 41 .... 665:4580-- :.’: ~.q~!eS.~S, othem¢se’note&must b~3ighed &,lSe~omes.~t~e gole- Body Piet~i.-ng~) Nicole, 2722 E. 15 ..... property oP~’ut~t~amity’New’s.: Eaeh.r~a~ter-is,entitted to ~.,, i. ’.. 21.22-!A22~ ~, copies of each edition atdiskribiafionp0iia’ts. : i,,,..:: *BorderS-B~ol~s:~&:~)[usic, 2740 E. 21 ......... 712-.9955 .o
*Borderal~ooks:&’Music, 8015 S. Yale : "::. 494~266~ ~: Ad~fi0nal copies-are’available by calling-583d:248.. ........... ~-,
*CD Warel~;il~i-3807c S. Peoria
*Cheap ThTi!ls~26z}0 E. 1 lth ..... 295-58ff80" ! IMgnity/InteN~)idf Tiiisa -:Lesbiiln& Ga~ Cafll61i~~& . ......
Cherry S.t; psyc.hQ..therapy, 1515 S. Lewis "-581-0902, 743,4t17~ .;. : _Ep.~.scopali~; ’P.’.~17~0i?~75,7~170-1:4"~5 .? ,:’ :. 355:3140:" :
Commt~ty.~leaning, KerbyBaker " i." 622-0700., : *Fellows.hipCo~gr,e.,g..ChN.ch,2.90~)’~.H~iffd’:;......747:7777 ¯
Tim Daniel, Attorney 352:9504, 800-742-9468 ’."~*’FreeSpifitWomen sCenter:,-cdl’[~’orlb~iirh&ifif0: 587-4669! ;
Doghouse on Brookside; 3311 S. Peoria>".’ 2’ 744-555.6~ : Friend~ in Urfi~ g0diai’Orgi,POB 8542~74101 ..... . 582;0438: :
*Elite Books & Videos, 821S. Sheridan " . 838:8503~ -~.: HIV-ER Centbr, 4-138 Chiis. Page Blvd. . ’ " 583-661I’ ¯
Encompass Travel, 13161H N. Memorial 369,8555 :- *TUlsa.TC.AIR:E.S.:;~ 3507~.~.E. iAdmiial ....... ’ ....: 834-419z[ -"
Ross Edward Salon 584-0337, 712-9379 ." HOPE, HIV Outreach,Preventi0n; EduCatldti . " i 834-8378 ~
Events’Unlimited, 507 S. Main " 592,0460: : *HousepftheH0iySpiriiMin;tri~s,il,~!JS.Mgmorial 224_-4754 :
Floral Design Studio, 3404. S. Peoria ..... 7/1:4-9595 ¯ *MCC United, 1~52) N. MapleW06Ll
~
838-1715 ¯
Four Star Import Automotive, 990.6 E. 55th Pl. 610,0880 :_ NAMES ProJect, 3507 E. Admiral H. 748-3111 :
Cathy Furlong, Ph.D., 1980 Utica S~. Med;.ctr. 628:3709 : NOW, Nat’.l:Org. for Women, POB 14068, 74159" 365-5658 .
Gay & Lesbian Affordable Daycare 808-8026 " OK Spokes Club (bicycling), POB 9!~:~2~~5~ " ¯
*Gloria Jean’s Gourmet Coffee, 1758 E. 21st 742-1460 ¯ *OSU-Tulsa ......
Leanne M. Gross, Insurance & financial p!apping 459:93;49: :-PFLAG, POB 52800, 74152 " - .......... /749-4901
Mark T: Hamby, Attorney 744:7440~ " *Hanned Parenthood, 1007 S. Peoria .....587:7674"-
*Sandra J, Hill, MS, Psychotherapy, 2865 E." Skelly 745~-’1111 ¯ Prime-Timers, P.O~ BoX 52118, 74152
*International Tours ’ 341-6866 ¯ ’-R~.A.I:N:; Regional~AIDS InterfaithN&~v0rk . 749:41,95 ; Youhaveanopportunity, too, toreachout
Jacox Animal Clinic, 2732 E. 15th 71252750 ; *Red-.Rock Mental~Center, 1724 E. 8 . ..... - ~ 384-2325 - : and listen to the concerns of Gay, Lesbian,
*Jared’s Antiques, 1602 E. 15th - 582:3018 ~ ’St’. Aidan’s~scopalChurch,4045N.Cincinnafi ."425-7882 : BisexualandTransgenderedAmericansand
David Kanskey; Country Club Barbering 747-0236 St. Dufistan S Episcopal, 5635 E. 7tst ............ 492-7140 ¯
their parents, families, friends and allies. It
The K,eepers, Housekeeping & Gardening --- 582-8460 -. *St.Jerome’s ParisliChurch, 205W. King _ . ’582-3088 ; is saidthatoneinfourfamilieshaveafarnily
*Ken s Nowers, 1635 E. 15 ...... 599~8070 , : -Soulforce-OK; Rt.4,# 3534, SfiglerT~2 58713248~452-2761 " member who is Gay or Lesbian~ Weare sick Kelly Kirby, CPA, 4021 S. Harvard, #210 747:32166- : : ,Tulsa-Area united Wa~y, 1430-s:Bgiiider....583-717i . ’and fir.ed of fighting thosewho would.prefer . that we all go back in the closet- and;itrp
*LivingArtSpace, 308 South Kenosha ....~ 585:1234 ¯ ’*:Tlq~,7iPP (Native American men),’IndiatIHeath Care" ’ 582-7225 *Midto~i,nTheater~319E..3rd ...... 584:3112 ¯¯ ...........:..... ,:,.~ - : _~,............... ¯ seekingjustice, safety and respect for those ~utsat~ountyt-teatmJJepartment,-4o~b,e. ta........ ’,a:~a.-4tua ; welo~eThatfs ev " " -- "
Mingo Valley Flowers, 9720cE. 31 ..... 663-5934 : ...... .................. -........ ; .... - " ’ ’ ..... ~~ :~ " ’- " . . ,..’, ~.~
*MohaWk MusiC, 6157 E 51 Place........ 664~-2951 :~ ; ’ 297-" : : e~Pv,°.~Ussb~Y~t.°~isakexet~fa~f~.-~cel.,n.
Puppy PauselI, 1060 S. Mingo ....... 83857626 . :-T:U-,L:.S.A:.Tnlsa~Uniform/Leath~rSed~i-s A~rC "298~827. :-"- ~, !Y’~’~Y’ ¯ ’ _ ~ " " " ¯ genQerco/Mllerlcans are trcaieo. *The Pride Store - -- " ..... 743’:z~297 : ’*Tulda ChyH-~lt;rrotmd FloorVestibnle ’"~ ......:...... ~ .
Rainbowzon the River B÷B,POB 696, 74101 " 747-’5932 : *Tnl~ii~cism’ifi~Unii) CollegeCampu~es ..... "........ : ................. ~ ~ Nowli~kE is this more important thatt in
Richard’s CarpetCleaning ~-- 834-06q7 : ~*TulsaG~Coi~fiiimii3iC~ter;2/st&Memorial .. :1743-4297 ¯ ..our s~hools. I have been struck by .your
TeriSchutt, Rex’ Realtors 834-7921,74’7.~746 :-Unity~hur.chof(2hti~tiAnit~;3355S:.Janies-trWn ¯ -.749-8833 -’:P.assjOn fOr excellence in the educati°n we
Scribner’s -Bookstore, 1942 Utica Square; ...... 74-%6301 BAFITLE~VIt2LE .................................... ... give Our youth. I share that passion.’l~Ut I
Paul Tay, Car Salesman. " " 260-7829 i’ iBm’tlesvillePublic.Librai’y,600 S~ Jolma0nd ~i 918~3~7-53531~ i mfalStl°loe’l~~rt.t.Os:~~W’.~eotohlas,t’"~ulnelveessns othuear cbhesiltdftreeancehersa,nd
*TnlsaComedyClnb,.6906S. Lewis "
8.4~.~55~38 : TAHLg:QI.JAH _ ¯ the be’t:’fi~terials will not make the differ=
Venus Salon; 1247 S. Harvard °2 .- : ~:l’7~q 7 : :.Stonewall League, call for information .... 918-456-7900 ~ ence they should. We know that: Fred Welch, LCSW, Counseling _._-.o___ : - . ......
" " " " - 66522222 :." Tahl.-eq-ualrUmtanan-,Umversallst Church .... 918-456-7900 ¯ * Virtually all students in public schools
*Wherehouse:Musi¢; 5150 S. Sheridan
*Whittier News Stand, 1 N. Lewis 592 0767 ~ Green Country AIDS Coalition, POB 1570 ~ ....."918-453-9360 " regularly report heating anti-Gay remarks www.gaymlsa:0rg .... website forTulsaGays &Les-bians- ": EU" RFKA SPRIHG" ~, ARKANSAS - " " "¯ fMroamsspaceheurss(eett.sg.G,9o7v%erinnoar1is9C93oRmempiossritoonfthone
Tulsa Aoenei si Churches, Sehools&0niver iiiO " "Autunm Breeze Restaurant, Hwy. 23 501-253-7734 " Gay and LesBian Youth; and a March 1997
AIDS Walk Tulga’, POB 4337,q4101 ...... 579-9593 " Jim &Brent’s’Bistro, 173 S. Main. 501-253~7457 ¯
All Souls:UnitariaWChureh, 2952 S: Peoria - - ........743-2-363 " DeVito’s Restaurant, 5 Center.St. - ¯ ¯ .’..
~ 501,253-6807- :. :smdYby’hi"ghsch°o1 studentsinDesM°ines"
Black & White, Inc: POB 14001 Tulsa 74159 587-7314 ¯ Emerald Rainbow, 45 &l/2 Spring-St. " - 501-253-5445 ." Iowa, found that students reported heating
, ¯ anti-Gay epithets 25 times a day).
Bless The Lord atAll Times Christian Center.2207 E. 6 583-7815 MCC of the Living. Spring 501-253-9337 " * Harassment of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual
B/L/G/T Alliance, Univ. of Tulsa United Min. Ctr. 583-9780 " Geek to Go!, PC Specialist, POB 429 501-253-2776 ¯
or Transgendered youth often goes well
Chamber of Commerce Bldg., 616 S. Boston 585-1201 " Old Jailhouse Lodging, 15 Montgomery 501-253-5332 : beyond verbal harassment to physical as-
*Chapman S_tudent Ctr., University of Tulsa, 5th Pl. & Florence " Positive lde;a Marketing Plans 501~624-6646
ChurchoftheRestorationUU, 1314 N.Greenwood 587-1314 " Sparky’s, Hwy. 62 East ........ 501:253-6001 : sanlts. All too many of our PFLAG parents
" have been devastated by the physical and
*Community of Hope Church, 2545 S: Yale 747-6300 " White Light, 1 Center St. - 501-253-’4074 ¯ emotional harm done to their children by
*Commtm~_’ty Unitarian-Universalist Congregation 749-0595 " dOPLIN, MISSOURI "- their peers - unchecked by administrators
Council Oak Men’s Chorale 748-3888 ¯ Spirit of Christ MCC, 2639 E. 32, Ste. U134 417-623-4696 " and teachers.
*Delaware Playhouse, 1511 S. Delaware ..... 712-1511 " * iswhereyoucanfindTFN.NotallareGaY-0w.nedb.utallareGay-frieadly. ¯ see PFLAG, p. 11 "
An Open Letter to
President-Elect George W. Bush
Congratulations on being elected to th~
office of- President of the United States:of:.:
America. Like you, I am a patriotic An~¢ii~
can and a.person of deep faith. But I am also
the motherlof a Gay son and the Executive
.Dire~to_r~0f Parents, Families and Fri~ids ~f.:
._Lesbi.aas.,,.and Gays. (PF:I~.G)~ Through~o,. ¯
-lifetimegf,,working for equal justice~J have,
foun~d~that di.vision catmotbe solved without ..
compassion and inclusion. I h6pe that
vision and values of "compassionat.e;eon.:.
serv.a.tism"have taught you the sam~:_ .:
In.yo0r .acceptance remarks, you_.men--.
tioned then.eed"to address some ofsociet~yis.,
¯ deeper:problems one person at a time~.by,.
eneotlr~ggi~tg andempowering thegoodhe,art~_.
and ~j~!i~i,orks of theAmerican people.!T!n
esse~¢i: this is what PFLAG does. We are..
peopi,,a~cro~s this country who reacho~i.in.
lovg.tO~ those who differ from us, and.come.
to u~.d¢~rstand and appreciate them..........
P.~.FL~..G_members share with you.~de..:
sireAQ protect the rights and ens_ure
potential, of all Americans. Youhave-a great
opportunity to assure that all claims ~ that
anyone was turned away from the polls ,or
discouraged from voting because .of their
race or ethnic origin are rigorously.and
sympathetically investigated and pur.s.ued
by your administration. As anationwemust
face up to the continuing existence ofracism
in our country and do everything we can to
eradicate unfair treatment because of race.
¯" Otherwise we will not be able to reap the
:.o.¯ benefits o~ourproudcommitment to liberty
¯ and.justice for all....
Thompson, HHS &
An LGBT Agenda
by Elizabeth Toledo, Executive Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Thefirst time I picketedinfront0fthe Reagan Building
in Washington, D:C. was in protest of ii visit by Wisconsin
Gov. Tommy Thompson. He had signed some 0f the
most misogynist legislation in the country, includingthe
most restrictive atiti-abortion legislation implemented "
since the Supreme Court in Roe v Wade recognized
abortion as a constitutional right in 1973. He also: engineered
Wisconsin’s onerous wdfare law, which kicked
off the trend that resulted in punitive measures at the
federal level - measures that made scapegoats of many
lower-income people who lacked access to educational
opportunities, job training and affordable child care.
Imagine then my surprise to pick:up,several publications
that serve the gay, lesbian, bisexti,~l:~dtransgender
community and read an uncritical analysi~ofThompson~
whom President-designate George W. Bush has nominated
to .be Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Replace Donna Shalala with Tommy Thompson? The
dismal reality of the presidential dection has begun to
sink in. Thequestion arises, what vision and leadership
will we in the GLBT movement provide over the course
TFN: Beginning
by Tom Neal, editor &publisher
I usually write this editorial late in November because
: we published our first issue midway through December in
." 1993. At the time, I’d been writing andlaying out the Tulsa
section of a now defunct Kansas-based rag. Eighty-four
issues have now been printed, documenting - ,,
the life.and issues of our commumty, if not . . . Eighty-t~our issue~
perfectly, then better than has ever been
done¯
Certaiul.y, The Gayly Oklah~man, our
sister, and elder, publicationhas been around
¯ longer but as Tulsans havelong complained,
: their coverage of our city has iaever been as
¯ thorough. We’ve long argued that you can-
:. not successfully provide newscoverage for
¯ a town in which you don’t live.
Unlike many .LGBT, let us say, Gay, for
_" brevity, newspapers, Tulsa Family News is
: available in a number of mainstream ven-
¯ ues: Tulsa City Hall, Tulsa City-County ¯
Library System, Barnes & Noble, Borders
¯ Books &Music, anumberofTulsachurches,
." as well as at some" Tulsa dubs, and other
¯ venues where Gay papers have been longer
have now been printed,
documenting the life
and issues d our
community, if not
perfectly, then better
than has ever been
done.., it has been a
labor of love, not
money. Tulsa seems
full of people who
think that there are hig
welcome. This easier access Should hardly buel~s to be-made in
Our Eighth. Year ¯
day-out. But you find in minority communities, a mentality
that we should not hold our leaders and programs or
: others up to a public standard. . Clearly we disagree.
¯ Anewspaper (unlikelocal community magazines which
." seek to highlight "good things" about Tulsa and to sell
advertising) exists to seek the truth and to
publish it. Sometimes that is "good stuff"
and sometimes, alas more often, it’s bad.
Tulsa Family News seeks to be fair in
our reporting and dear in our editorial
Writing. Sometimes we have not been either
which we regret. For example, we
wrote in last month’s editorial that there
are groups involved in Tulsa Metropolitan
Ministry who oppose civil rights for Lesbians
and Gay men. I regret that my writing
was not dear. As written, it appears
that I attribute that position to the ministry
itself rather than constituent groups.
But as I pointed out to one TMM staff
person, our editorial pages are open to
other points of view and that we have
published letters to the editor, even when
they are extremely critical of this newspaper
and its writers. I am disappointed that
of thenexftour. years9eIns iot u.,ghtosay that Tommy ," be taken for grantewd- therhe waes timne. .. local publlshi,n~. TMM’s. staff decided not to write with
Thompson is not as bad an appointment as-Bush could ~ the only place Y0U.could find a Gay paper ~,, ~ .... . ,, their concerns. .
have made~-Is itenough to say that the nomination ofSen ? ¯ ¯ v~as in a sexually oriented bookstore, or in l"lease think .again.... So with seven years down, and more to
John ’.A~h~0ft to be attorney general is somehow miti" i ." adub- v~fiue~ ff~ch sofii~ifiay.bg.ungom~ " i~ ~ " . i " go~ God, advertisers, printers and writers
oated’bvth~nominafionofthenrO-choiceandnro-GLBT :" fortablefr~iu~ti~g,o~ttherS,thoseunder21 for example, " "’.i~illing~wewillcontinuetodowhatwedo, hopefully with
New Jersey Guy. Chi~stine Whitman~to :be head of the " may not always tiavea.c_cess. . ........... ¯ .~feweramstakes and maybe even more ads. .
Environmental Protection Agency9 " ’: - :.~ ¯ :/" ’* And unlike many Gaypapers, TFN has~always limited. ::..i Particularthaiaksis~luetoourwriters,mostparticularly,
Let’s give credit where it. is du~: As-Ch~afr of "the" :"the sex~tiall~ oi:itlii.".~. ~~.~i9~f.,0.urp.ag~:~¢a~e not aiiti-~ .’. myfrt~fid, form~rc0mpanion, and still neighbor, ,entercommitteethatdraftedtheRepublican’Partyplafformlast
: sexbutd0t~ffni~etllaipageafterpageof-explicitpht~tos ¯ tainmentcriticJamesChristjohn.He’sbeentherefromthe
summer, Th0mnson did lead the effort tO remove some ~ ¯ and personals may be profitable but push ~e llnaits of the ;i.~b’eginiiing and h/is put up with much along the way. Also,
not alF:~ Of th6 ~OP’s anti-GLBT language (A measure :-:..~’:mainstream" community’s’t3feranc~",.W,e~O.ra~..e.r,g~.t.:the. :;~.’deser~,~ng of th~ a~e writers Barry Hensley, Lamont
condemning recognition of same-sex Tel~ ~atioushi~s re- : hews to all, eveni~f ,i.t,’ ,c0’..s,t~ .u~.i~o,’ ~,~"~i’-; ...... . ..... :, Lindsttom, Mary Sch¢ppers, Jean-Pierre LeGrandbouche
mained in Thomt~son’s draft and other~disciiminatorw ~ ¯ Which brings us-to this: it ]ias.]~,en.~a:i~biJi 0Yl0ve, nut’s. ~ (~ho t~ally, really is not me!), Karin Gregory, long-time
measurea~Were later olaced back in the’platform after ¯ .~oney. Tulsa seems trUli oF people.who.thmk that thergare ;. ,advertasers Kelly Kirby, Tim Darnel, Vanessa Welch, St.
religious fi~ht activist~wresfled the dotuineiit away fro~~’~:7’big bucks to be,made, in loCa!...pub!is.h~ Pl,,eAs~..e tlfink ¯ ." .Michad’s Alley, TOHR, MCC United, David. Kauskey
theVvV~scon~in ~overnor) ............. ,, .’i~:L~ain. 1-iSi:6iiiiseyoutha~it~Xl0t,s~.The~¢i~areas0n that i. ~.madt]~e.bthers who make it possible to print thisnewspa-
Thomp~iJn al~o has b~n a positive advo~ate for AIl~g,." 7 Lhave anothgr,j~b ~, ~,e,ll as pubii a this, fiJ paper .per~ And I must add particular thanks to our printer (and
fundin~"He~stron~lv suooorted the R~an-White Care Act. : .-, Ofourse, it wg~lfidn thur(ifinbi:etfTulsa s Gayxxwncd ;..hi.sogo,ood and patient staff), who despite beingafaithful
andh~litMe~,aid~aiversforHiV_~p0sitivepeople,,. :_, i~us~iiesses"a~.~.i~Tg,~_~:i,~tio~ ~ere supporting,..u~., ,!~ can :, ,~.uth~..rn Baptist, s~d we had a right to get .our,news
who are"~i~t-normallv elioible for Medi~d until they:." ""thinkofadoge~i’~sdwhocould~doso.,Graatcdi~ma.’ghtnot ": printedaudhasdone~0f°rmostofoursevenyear*,71oour
have dev~’iooed AID~ s~toms. : : . ..... ~ ~’~: :. ~:ltfin~-thefii2as much beaef~t. ,~. ~ ~a~:W~.r!~d..gr.~ban : ::~adei:’s,-Ialsoaddmythanks foryourinterestand.ev,eryonce
That’s two marks m favor of Thomp~qn - and in ....:l:ulsaa~tbut~t,als0.,w..o0!~...t,,,eg,~s~t,a t,eg~th.~f.:pne percent as ., m,a while, your feedback..........
oppos~ih~Tli6mpson’s nomination as Secre.,.ta:rY of Health. i~ much. ~Atld ~e,,r,e,, ~i~s;~,s0.m..._e.._.~.’n_go to_ .~e. zaid~;f,o.r, su.pporti.n.,g ; .7 ~.Las.t,:I..ran pr,oud to, n.ote th~at~, Tu~,a F,amily~,N¢.e~v~s ~.h~
nndlffii~t~h’.q~rviee~ the National Ga~aJ~sbianTask "~ your own,.as wett as not,justsupporlingguDncattons wtm ~ ¯ ,o.e,eu 0a.Oed to me arcmves oI me uraanoma rUs.totacat
FoBrcuetadtogersii~~ointlterldvlaanl~dzte~rtohgeriersismivepoGrLtBanTcYen.i.tfvement for _¯. acnotm~-mGuanyithyl,stwoenreesalt~L,yi~~ol~ons¢,tl-iskuep,.tph0er.tWe~~,cL.Od,,,o.,a~0e,d~.~Le~.!r7.,y.~E.;,.e~sn;,.a :o:. -~:~m.9e9pxea.pt~erTwh,em.Sc,nocm~,eetyn w.~~itlu!saals~t~o,tbye~t_m.olcurnotfyil~L.mtoi,r’angtT,c,o~~py~s¢t8,eomf
soclal~ustace must demandbetter....................... ¯ ,"¯ ¯ .N.o.w.su.ing.,w.il.l ~a.y. t;h.a..t..s.b..e.c..au:s..e..w...e..w.._.n..t.e.t.h.i.ngs which .o .¯ w-ill b. e ,abl to add to their permanent collex~ta¯ on¯ T¯ ulsa
As ~’Cb~ia scott Kin~ recently noted at NGLTF’~-~:_,o_anger p.~0pl,g (.o,.r.00W t.c~ver things ,,vhich-anger~ some.¯ ,.,Faintly.News al_~_O ~c,alled and encouraged the.Gayly Oklarecen(
ci(eatino Chanoe ~,onferen~e:~n~’~f the stories ¯ others). We have pubiiSl~l’e~/ti{als,critical of ctmml~- : : , ho~aan to donate opies of their productionto.th¢.OHSso
behind’th’e~No~en~ger ~{~00 election is~l~3~recedented : nity leaders, articles which, were. ~’n’~l-c,hl .0f. I=I!Vii.A_ifi.s : :, ~eof Oklahoi~a’s Lesbian and Gay.history,win be
coalition’-buildin~ "In a way we hav~t~s~id an object ’: i~o~bans, eVoi~fiti’~tl ofL~sbianown,ex!r.estaurants,local ¯ ¯ preserved.TFN will alsobe donating our copies ofdefunct
lesson in’t~e nower of coalition unity:’~Mrs Kin~ said "I " and nanonal theatrical producuons, and-more; .-.That ,s, of ¯. Oklahoma LGBT pubhcattons to the OHS as w~ell..
think we havre just seen.the future~ Am~fican°dem~: : course; precisely what.,The.Tul~a:Wor~d doe~ daydn_aiid : .. Here’s to a good year in 2001 for you and for us.
racy flash before our eyes last Tuesday (Nov. 7). The "
coalition.that gave AI Gore a popular majority can surely
be as powerful as theNew Deal coalition that transformed
America in an earlier era."
Quotingtheimmortal words ofherhusband, Mrs. King ¯
said, "We -are~all ~tied together in a: single garment of. ~.!
destiny...An inescapable network of mutuality...I can
never be what I ought to be until you are allowed to be
what you ought to be." "
So in envisioning abroad-based, progressive coalition,
I think we must think of those who have suffered and will "
suffer under a Bush-Tommy Thompson agenda. Based "
on his record, how would we expect Thompson to treat ."
poor GLBT people who need social services? If he ¯
punishes poorwomenfor having too many children, how "
do we think he’s going to treat GLBT parents who need
hdp providing for their kids? How will his support for a ."
During each year of the program’s duration, four Messen-
.gerzAnderson scholarships .will be available at a rate of
$5,000 the first year, renewable at $2,500 the next two
years for a possible total award of$10,000.
Winners are required to.participate ,in a paid Messenger-
Anderson Scholarship Intern Program atNGLTFoffices in
Washington, D.C. or New York City during the summer of
2001. To download scholarship guidelines and an application,.
please visit www.nglff.org/about/messenger.htm. For
questions about the scholarship, email delliot@ngltf.org.
No phone calls, please. ."
Applications fortheNGLTFMessenger-Anderson Schol- :
arship .Fund must be postmarked by Feb. 15, 2001¯ Win- .
pro-heterosexual-marriage agenda in wdfare policies : ners will be announced this spring, and the awards, will be
impactOUt:eoramunity?., ~,, ~., ., -,.’." .;. see .NGLTF,,p, 11, ,.:- ~distributed~’in~August.-~200~l,:, .’A, committee ,of, working ~
: journalists, communications specialists and GLBT activ-
¯ ists will select the .winners.. The scholarship competition
¯ is only open to undergraduate college students and to
: graduatinghigh school seniors. Applicants mustbepursu-
¯ ’ing a bachdor’s degree in journalism. In instances,where
¯ colleges or universities do not offer such a degree, appli-
: cants must be able to.demonstrate that they are pursuing a
: career in either journalism or commtmications advocacy,
¯ Foundedin 1973, NGLTFworks to eliminate prejudice,
violence and injustice against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and
-Transgendered people at the local, state and national level.
As part of a broader social justice moyement for freedom,
justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that
¯ respects the diversity of human expression and identity
,.where all people ,may.fully participate in society: .........
Anti-Gay Petition Filed ¯
SALEM; Ore. (AP) - Just weeks after Oregon voters
defeated an anti-Gay rights measure, Lon Mabon and
his Oregon Citizens Alliance have filed-a similar
initiative petition for the 2002 ballot. Mabonfiled the
initiative, dubbedthe Student Protection Act II, with
Federal and-state constitutions forbid s~hools from
banniug books because officials disapprove of their
vlewpoxnts.
Enterline said she ordered the books over the summer
because the library lacked biographies and she
wanted students to havethe chance to learn about Gay
the secretary of staters office. If it qualifies for the andLesbianrolemodels.’qThebooksarenotaboutsex.
ballot, it would .be the OCA’s fourth anti-Gay civil ".. They are just about people, who have ledlnteresting,
rights ballot measure.. Voters rejected measures in i producti. ve-lives. an,dal.so.ha.pp.e.n¯.to.b.e Gay,"_ .s.a.i.dTom
1992 and 1994. " .... Kovac; the school s hbrary- technician.
Measure" 9 would have prohibited instruction in ¯ It isn’t the first time the district bahned booKS’. TWO
public gchools~aat "encourages, promotes or sanctions"
behaviors related to homosexuality and bisexuahty.
Th~new xmttattve says sexual onentatton shal
notbe taught inOregon public schools in iimauner that
would express approval of, promote or endorse homosexual
ot bisexual behaviors." Sexual orientation and
homosexuality are defined as yielding, whether x
thought of deM,_respectivdy, to urges fr~iiaptations
to en~a~eifl sexu~ activity with members of the same
gender. :~ :~’ -:’ :~ ’
In th~ fall ~afiapaign, lV!easure 9 oppoif~n(s said the
meastii~~fifil(ed ~Children s health beCMii~’ it wou~!
limitAIDS;edt~ation in schools and le~d (6 increased
teen suicide. 7 ~ "
The iie~¢’initiative says.the,,propos~AiS~te sh.o.u!,d
not be~ci)fi~i,e,d,,ias limiting: age-appt.o.p~ate, ot~jective,~"
dt’aetual ’AIDS educati,o,n, in~ii-ii~fi’bn reg~d~
ing hum~iii ~exuality, t~aching affi~.")i~"~the hnniim
wortli~Of"alI~st~dents,’ or suicide consoling. The
statute al~0 ~hould not cause the firing!.ofbpenly Gay
teachers, the proposal says.
Ellen L0we, who worked on the Nd 6n 9campai~i,
said the new effort would not persuad~ :~;0ters WI~
rejected the measure to switch side~. "I sense that
people really dounderstandthe motive~,0fLonMabon.
I don’t know that they are going to be fooled," Lowe
said.
In a fund-raising letter dated Dec. 18, Mabon, the
OCA~s executive director, told supporters that ~e
antt-"Measure 9. campaign "spent close, to- a million
dollars, promoting this lie" about A!DS educataon:
"We must file right away to keep the homosexual
activists in our schools from:taking more license w!~
our innocent children," the letter said.
School Charged With.
Censorship of Gay Bios
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - Two students sued the
Anaheim Union High School District for removing 10
biographies on homosexuals from their school library
in what they contend is a violation of constitutional
free-speech rights.
The Orangeview Junior High School students.said
in the U.S. District Court lawsuit that the district
censored a book series called "Lives of Notable Gay
Men and Lesbians." Thebooks include biographies on
tennis player Martina Navratilova, economist John
Maynard Keynes, and writers Willa Cather and James
Baldwin. "
The American Civil Liberties Union, whichfiled the
suit oi~ behalf-of the two unidentified students, demanded
that the district immediately return the books
to the library shelves. "We all know why these books
havebeenbanned;" ACLU attorney MarthaMatthews
said. "The books were banned because they had a
. positive statement to make to kids about Gay and
Lesbian people.. ¢Fhe books were banned because of
deep-seated prejudice."
Principal Barbara Smith removed the books and
took them to the district office in September, the suit
said. No reason was given by administrators,
Orangeview library teacher Chris Enterline said. "In
my heart, I know it’s because they. are about Gays and
Lesbians, and it says so on the front of the book,"
Enterline said.
Telephone calls to Smith weren’t returned.
: years ago, the district removed the Pulitzer Prize-
: wiariinghoog,~"Beloved;r$~-f~y Toni M0rrison;.because
¯ of complaints that it was too graphic in its descriptions
of a strivewho kiils l~er daughte~ instead 0f-ha4ing her
~ live as a slave. ,.;..........
,Baitimore:,officialSlams
: Gays,,ThenGets Arrested
B’ALTI~(~RE’(AP)" ~-’The ~city s ~housing .~,-~-
ii sioner was arre,sted after refusing tO lea~i~-a b~, ~vhere
~ h~b~htter’eomplained-~the commissioner made repeh~
ed-disparaging remarks~ab0utp.atrons h~ Su~spect~,,ed
! ~ff being Gay. "You "gttys° are fags;~ and-"-ttfi~ whole
: ~ra~ i~’friil’ 6f fags"~were’amofig the r~maik~:~ ph~flT.
GT~fii~6 ~lS~t~dlym.ade, a,~ording
,fil~d, b,~Offi~r E~cert ~Lutadeju.
:" Gr’a~iano,47,:~cas arre~t&l ~Bertha
and restaurant in the historic Fells Point waterfront
: diSLri~fi~p6li~e~pokeawomar~Ragina A~erdl’a ~Sitid.
.i :Afi~r t~in~’t~i~nore~ the~remarks, the t~V~i:~at~fns,
i~ Jason E~w~rd, 2~, and Prasad Narasimhff Ki~duvhlli,
; 33, asked the bartender to ask Grazi.ano to leave, the
:
¯ "Police v~eiie ~alled because Mr. Graziano hadb~n
-~isked,to leave and refus~.ed~ to dO :so; , Averell~-s~tt~~.
¯ "P61iC~ were called to.the sceneandheSfill refli~ed’~o
¯ leave~ .and- he-was ptaced..under arrest. The officer.
i
.advised the-suspecii repeatedly, to leave;and arrested,,
Gra~iimo after he Said ,I don’4 have to go anyw.here~I
the report said. Graziano, who was initially, charged
with disorderly conduct, was released from the-city
detention center later the morning of his arrest, the
police spokeswoman .said.
Gtaziano, a senior adviser and former general manager
of theNew York City. Housing. Authority,. ,was
appointedinOctober afterformercommissionerPatricia
Hayne resigned following disagreement with Mayor
Martin O’Malley over.how to run the department.
¯ Graziano will notbe prosecuted, said Deputy State’s
¯ Attorney HavenKodeck. "Based on our guidelines, we
¯ determined that prosecution was not warranted,"
: Kodeck said. "The situation was abated by Mr.
¯ Graziano’s arrest and removal from the situation;" A
¯ telephone call by The Associated Press to OrMalley’s
¯ office was not returned.
" Conneetieut Scouts Try
to Explain Anti-GayViews
¯
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut Boy Scfut
." officials have distributed more than 25,000 copies of a
¯ pamphlet explaining the national organization’s tea-
-" son~ for not accepting openly Gay members or adult
¯ leaders. "It is a statement of who we are and what our
_" belief system is," said Douglas Ktofina, executive
¯ director of the Yankee Council, based in Milford.
¯ The pamphlet, called "In Support of Values: A
¯"
Communication Tool for Parents, Leaders and Friends
¯ of Scouting," outlines the policy that was narrowly
¯
up,h~eld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
¯" "I’his is a complicated issue, but our critics are
jumping up and down saying we discriminate," said
! Krofina, whose council serves 25,000 youths in most
¯ of New Haven and Fairfield counties.
~ ’q~he court said we have a First Amendment fight to
II "-
11 " ’ M( c’United._..:i
:~end_C~thy Ellioi~
: 1623 N~ Maplewood
918/838-1715
Community
Unitat: Universalist
Congregation
~t Cbthinunity ofHope
2545 South Yale, Sundays at llam, 749-0595
A Welcoming Congregation
HOUSE. oF THE HOLY sPIRIT
Sun. Worship, 10:45 am, Sunday School, 9:30 am
Wed. Bible Study, 7 pro, Sunday Eve. Service, 6pro
1517 S. Memorial, 628-0802, Info: 224-4754
The Open Arms Project
Young Adult Support Group
Outreach Program Thurs. Nights
Meet Others in a Safe Enviroment
Call for meeting times and place:
918-584-2325
MingoValley Flowers
9413 E. 31st St., Tulsa 74145
918-663-5934, fax: 663-5834, 800-444-5934
Family Owned & Operated
Trinna L. W. Burrows, LSW, ACSW
Child, Family, Individual & Couple Psychotherapy
(918) 743-9559
2121 South Columbia, Suite 420
TulSa, Oklahoma 74114-3518
The Pride
21st Street & Memorial
Tulsa Gay Community Services. Center
7432GAYS (743-4297)
6-9 pm, Sunday - Friday ’ .
12-9pm, Saturday, all sales benefit the Center
Important
Information
Call 212-461-2976
IntereSted?
Call 918-447-8602
Red Rock Tulsa-
Free,Confidential HIVTesting
Walk-in Clinics
Tues. & Thurs., 5 -8 pm
at the Center, 1307 East 38th
Daytime appointments available.
Call for more information:
918-584-2325
KIM WlLKS Independent Consultant for
357-1757
in lust a matter of hours
Kelly Kirby, CPA, PC
Certified Public Accountant
a professional corporation
747-5466
4021 South Harvard Avenue, Suite 210, Tulsa 74135
associate with whom we choose," he said. "Professed " The husband looks at the wife and says, ’did you see
athei"stscan_’ t-beScout~leadersormembers el"thex:Had....-.¯.. ~who he called honey-?’ They were uncomfortable and
the atheists been more organized, they would have ° we were,uncomfortable. If you eliminate that factor, it
reached the Supreme Court first, and the court would
-have-niled the same. way,"
..... The naiion’h highest court ruled in July thatothe Boy
Scouts may bar Gay.s.,from:servmg as troop,leaders,
6oncluding that forcing the Scouts to accept Gay
)..eaters w~dyiolate~eo~ganization’.s First ~anendment
right of free’expression. ~ .
The .a~pplieation. for adult leaders does not ask.a
candidate’s sexuall orientaffon, and Scouting has-~an
unofficial "don’t ask, don’t tellY.policy similar to the
militm-y. ’.s,;Krofina said....
Charlotte Begins: Gay.
. Center Fundraisers
CHARLOTI’E, N.C. (AP) - Backers of a proposed
communitycenter for Gays in the Charlotte area have
be.g}m a campaign to generate financial support for the
project. The center would serve the region’s Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender population with
child care, sporting events, support groups and educational
seminars.
The center’s soon-to-be-announced board of trustees
plans to begin a fund-raising campaign to buy a
site. "We are looking for a place that is going to be
accessible tomost ofthe community," saidDanKJ!’.sch,
a member of a committee putting together the fundraising
campaign. Kirsch said the center also will
welcome memberships from Charlotte’s non-Gay
population.
Depending on the success of the fund-raising cam,
paign, supporters expect a centerloeation to be secured
in two or three years.
Lone ,Star Living: Gay
Camping Near Waco
WACO,Texas - Located off.a bumpy~.gravelled road,
with an inconspicuous sign and a line of trees blockin,g
the ,scenic lakeside view, ,it might be said that the
Rainbow Ranch has been in the,closet for the past five
years..The Gay and Lesbian campground, whichisjust
outside Groesbeck, has become one of Central Texas’
best kept secrets, said Nell Johnsen, a guest turned
ranch manager. "We, are. remotely located, and not
highlypublicized, so alot ofpeople don’rknowthat we
are out here," Johnsen said."
Even’Jolmsen and his partner, Kelvin.Winn~. wlao
manage, the campgrbtmds~, stumbled upon .the xanch
accidentally while taking a.two~year, trip .around the
United States. "We ca~e here almost by mishap,"
J6tmsensm"d. "I found theWeb page while we were in
Arizona, and we decided to stop in and. see..It-was
going to be a two-week stop, but we’ve been here £or
the past nine.months."
Theserenity Of the location, with campgrounds
overlooking Lake Limestone and a small forest teeming’with
wildlife, helps to draw many regulars to the
ranch from major cities through0tit Texas and"the
entire country. But it’s reallypriyacy and.the comfort
of being able to spend time out in the open with their
partners that keeps couples coming back.
~ "It’sjustthe simple things,like holding your partner’s
hand as you walk through the wood~," Johnsenaaid. "It
can’be uiieasy for f01kswith a partner of the same sex
’t6be thi~m~elves af.othef campgrounds’; so the comfort
factor is areal draw here." "
Sinc~ beginning theif travels at their li0ni~
Vmi~ouver, Wash’,, J0hii~en mid Wimi li~tg~ experiefi~
d theanxiety Of Staying’ el’s’ewhere: ................
°°’W~wetestaymg.ata’ very niceRV park, and I was
OUtsx" de gn"lfi"ng,"’ JOlms’ en sai"d. ’~I stu" d"s’~om’".e..t.hi*n’ g""~s"
basic as; ’Honey, can you pasgm8 ~li~’tong~?’ ~d you
couldjiist f~ei th~i00ksfftfi~ the 8"6iipi~in th~ext’R~(
¯ makes [t;aiot easier to have a good .’.time."
: To ensure that that sense of security is maintained at
.." -all times, owner Peggy Thomas does not allow hetero-
.¯...sexuals to c,amp by themselves at the xanch. "I will
allow tffemili~ey come with Gay,campers, but not if
¯ -they come by themselves," Thomas .said.."I think it’s
." important to have a place where you can. be yi)urself,
¯
._ hereyoudon t have to have strmgkt,peoplestarlng at
.you. I opgned it because I liked Caml~i,ng and i didn’t
: like being stared at." -.....
." Thomas said she picked out the location near
Groesbeck because the land was cheaper than in other
areas..Another nice aspect, she said, was. a tree line
separadngmost of the grounds from the road outside,
." affording campers a little more privacy. That barrier
¯ makes campers feel more comfortable about being ¯
near such arural town, said Winn, althoughhe says the
¯ people of Groesbeck have been nice to them.
¯ Although the camp hasn’t had any trouble with the
.. residents of Groesbeck or any other local people, the
¯ camp’sWebsite did experience asetbacklately. While
¯
tryi~,g to locate the camp’s site on several search
; engines, Johnsen found out that it had been kicked off
¯ most of them - an act that requires some kind of
¯
complaint lodged against the business.
; Becausemost of the camp’s business is generated by
Internet searchers, thathurt camp attendance, he said.
e found outpurelyby accident thatwe weredropped
¯
from the search engines," Johnsen said. "But werereg-
: istered with all of them, and in 8 months we have had
.. over 10,000 visits, and business has picked up."
¯ "It really amazes me, the perceptions that still exist
." that we are out here doing something strange, but it is
: really just like a typical campground," Johnsen said.
¯ "Our sexual identity is just a part of us, but this is a
¯
place where thatis not anissue andwecan do the things
we enjoy, whether it be fishing or boating or hiking.
There’s just really something for everyone here."
¯ Group Asks Mormonsto
¯ Change Anti-Gay Policy
¯ SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A group of more than 300
¯ Gay and Lesbian Mormons and their family is asking
¯ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to
¯ change its stance on homosexuality. The loosely knit ¯
group "Mormon Advocates for Further .Light and
¯ Knowledge" ran an advertisement with a petition in
; The Salt LakeTribune late in December.
¯ : The document.calleduponMormon general authori- ¯
taes to repudiate church statements about homosexual_
; ity that are false and misleading. The petition said that
7 would include the church’s position that "same-sex
.. attraction is an undesirable and unnatural emotion,
¯ Which, whenacted upon results in sinful, Satan-in-
] spired behavior." Church spokesman Dale Bills said it
~ is too early to respond to the petition, but that "President
Gordon B. Hinckley has repeatedly expressed the
¯ .Church’s. compassion toward homosexuals."
¯ The.petition’s author, MacMadsen, said the petition
¯ is a last-ditch appeal to church leaders for meaningful
i -dialogue about homosexuality. He said he has pleaded
¯ for two years with church leaders to hear them out. The
¯ .former Weber_State University healthy-lifestyles pro-
: fessorandmen’s golf coach saidhemailedthepetition
¯ to churchleaders more than a year a.g0 _.a0~d he_r~eg.ei.v_ed
¯no response..
] Madsen originally planned to run the ad during the
¯ Church’s Octo.~berGeneral Conference, butlackedfunds.
Nonames appear due to space constraints;but Madsen
said more than 300 individuals from 12,countries and
,most states,.backed it. Madsen initially, hesitated to
have his name.printed, hoping to protecLhis daughter,
, .who is a LeSbian. But, he said, "thereis~nothing in the
:petition that I’m ashamed of or that’s inaccurate."
Gay, Black And
Positive in Chicago
CHICAGO (AP) - Harsh is a word that
could describe the streets of Chicago’s
struggling Austin neighborhood, where ¯
trust is scarce- and twomenwalking hand "
in hand might fear for their lives. :
It’s the sortofplace whereDerrickHicks,
whois openly GayandHIV-positive, could "
wither away unnoti.ced, another statistic ¯
for a dusty filing cabinet. And withering ¯
away he is - though he is hardly going ."
quietly. Even as he struggles to lift his "
increasingly thin frame out of bed each."
morning, Hicks is still one of Chicago’s
most vocal advocates for the U.S. popula- ¯
tion hardest-hit by the AIDS-epidemic: "
poor Blacks. :
So when Frank Oldham Jr. - a bigshot ¯
AIDS administrator who’s run programs
in New York and the District of Columbia ¯
- came to town two years ago, it surprised ¯
no one when Hicks welcomed Chicago’s "
new AIDS czar with a friendly warning. "
"Hi, my name is Derrick Hicks," he "
said, shaking Oldham’s hand."And I’m ¯
going to be your worst nightmare." Qui- ¯
etly, however, Hicks was hopeful. He al- "
ready knew that he and Oldham had some
things in common. Oldham, too, was a ¯
Black, Gaymanin a city where the combi- "
nation of thoselabels canmake for aheavy "
load. "
In June, Oldham made another public
revelation. "I... too, am a face of AIDS,"
the 51-year-old New Yorker said’,-revealing
his HIV-positive status in a speech at a
conference for Midwest AIDS agencies.
SomeofOldham’ s owncolleagues were
stunned, but not Hicks. By that time, the
two men had forged a friendship, a bond
that has supported their respective fights
against a virus that is sapping theii very
lifeblood. "Heknows moreaboutmyhealth
thanmy ownmother," said Hicks, whohas
fended ~off three bouts of pneumonia in
2000 aloneand often directs theWest Sid~
neighborhood health services agency he
foundedfrom home. "To have one likeme
there," he say~ of Oldham, "’has made all
the differenc~,"~
Though:..th.eir~openness is rare, Hicks
andOld_arefarfromalone. Whilethe~
make up abgut !3%of~the nation s pop -
iation, BlaCk .p~op!e represent about 37%
of thenearly ~05,-.000AIDS cases report~
nationwi,d.~ through Dee. 1999. And
the n.umber; Qf ,those who’ve develop~
full-blo_wnl .AIDSI .or-died from it la~is
dropped .dr~matica!ly in som.e ~.uarter.s,
the drop.~h~...beenmuch less stgnilicant
the Hispanic..an~, particularly, Black communities,
~ ~ ...... ;
"A lotldf i~{r.ei~tes to lack of access to
health .cax¢~’~:~.s~y.s~ Victor Barnes, deP_U.tY
director .f~ov~g.. ~,DC’s !-IIV prevention
,unit:But_~e.~ad:d.~_ that~Blaek people who
,are:HIV_~po.si,_ti~ve, o£te,~.~ seek ~reatment in
the later-~Lgtg¢S: of .the illness. "And that
often has.~Q, d9, .W!.~ stigma - and dem ,
Barnes:said~ In.~.,cago alone,3,670blaek
residents; or 57%,of the total cases, were
living with AIDS at the end of June 2000.
That compares:with 27% for whites and
15% for Hispanics.
Meanwhile, the number of deaths in
major cities nationwidehave helped make
AIDS the leading illness-related killer of
the nation’s black men, ages 25 to 44,
according to the federal Centers for Disease
Control.
And still, there is a hesitance to address
it openly, even in the black community
itsdf. "Evennow when someone dies with
AIDS, people will say it was pneumonia,"
says the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who is among
a growing number of black church leaders
who are preaching about AIDS from their
pulpits andpublicly getting testedforHIV.
They hope to raise the comfort level
among black followers who are worried
aboutbeing tied to themostcommonforms
of transmission - namely Gay male sex
and intravenous, drug use.
It is no easy task. In 1998, employees for
Howard Brown Health Center, a Chicago
clinic long known for its care of AIDS
patients, carried a banner in the annual
Bud Billikenparade-ahuge event founded
by the city’s most prominent black newspaper
publisher - and recall being met
with hushed stares. The following year,
officials at the nonprofit agency filed a
complaint with the city Commission on
Human Relations, claiming that a South
Side Chicago realtor told themhe couldn’t
rent them a space for a new clinic for fear
of losing other.tenants. They have since
found a space elsewhere in the neighborhood.
Oldham has had challenges ofhis own -
namely trying to unite nonprofits that,
before his arriv~al, were warring over limited
funding while dealing with a growing
number of HIV-positive people who were
surviving, but still in dire need ofsei’vices.
Gay vs. straight~ black vs. white vs.
Hispanic, rich vs, poor - the divisions
: -were deep in a city WhereMayor Richard
-. Daley was sometimes,booed,and even
: pelted with .condoms, over. the way- his
:¯. administration had handled the.epidemic
¯ in the early to mid:i1990S. ~Even...now, ¯ Oldham- has, about$20 millionin funding
" , to dole, out~ to AIDS,agencies: thathe says
: could easily put; te~ times that much-.to
¯ good use.,~ ~ ¯ ~ -.~
¯ Still, though it hasn’t alivayS been~easy
: ’ ~or thisadmi_’tted!yprivate man.to shat’~ his
: ,story, Oldham*is wetl’-versedinadversRy.
,-A rising:star in-.the~.administrations-’of
~i -,former ~lqew. York,m~yors-Ed Koch-and
~" David Dinkins,. Oldha~ t’6ok a~,leave,,in
:1 1994 tO run. ~the Di.st.ri.ct.o.f:.C.ol.um.b.ia., s
- ¯~A,IDSprogramTsho~yafterRudyGinliani
~" ,~became ,New Y~rk. s,mayor: .:Frustrated
;: -with the,sloiw,pace,of, progress in.Wash-
: °ington, Oldhammo~cedba~k to N~w York
¯ afterjustsix months; inpart; to care for.his
i -elderly,parenW-who"were,-slippi,ng into
~i : senility~fid.someiimes’forgetfing’me~very
¯ face of their.0nly ekild.-
: In the months that followed, he began
i
;what he~c~.l,e~.~:~a’~Mp,w~n.~arii ~pjrtfl~7~He
~lso d~id~ i~ ~t test~xt for HIV- to
¯ .finally ’~tiifiTfiii wha~:lle’d already:, sus-
¯~tea ’~tti F~rlil~e~ ~".oujust~vant-to
’w’~~lkd"o~vn"a~oadandjts’~keep:g~ifi~ti,~,,
-the road runs butandyoufall’0ff the rift,’
~Oldham Says: of:thai period inhis-life:-
" It was hardy th~ life lie hadenvisioned
¯ in the early 1980s.H~was h jazz Singer
: who took acting class’s-on the Side and
¯ dreamed ofmaking ’CDs. Butwhennearly ¯
20 ofhis frleiids-ineludingthebest friend
: who was also his composer Lbegan dying
: ofamystefious, ruthless ldllerCalledAIDS,
Power
Connect.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma
Service Is ~Now Available 24
Hours A Day, Seven Days A Week.
These days, traditional 8-5 business hours"
aren’t always convenient. So PSO has made it
easier than ever for you to contact us.
Our Customer Service Center operates 24/7
- offering around:~h~clock afiswers to your
questions - ~d~e~ter access to service,
Now it’s easier for you to inquire
about your monthly electric bill.
Or repor~ a power outage. Or
arrange to have your
power turned on or
off. Our professionally
trained, friendly and :
knowledgeable customer
service representatives are
standing by to serve you.
All day, every day.
To provide faster response
to your needs, we have listed
our toll-free numbers below.
ri-! CALL 2q.= HOUl FOR
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.....i#fl|ing Inquiries: 1’888~-2~6-3490
Outage Reporting: 1-888-218-3919
Sevdcio. a.Clientes: 1-888..216-3505
Preguntas Sobre su Cuenta: 1-888-216.3491
Falta De Suministr0:1-888-218-3924
Public Service Company of Oklahoma
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Kelly Kirby, CPA, PC
Certified Public Accountant
a professional corporation
Lesbians and Gay men face many special
tax situations whether single or as couples:
Electronic filing is available for fastei:refunds:
4021 South HarvardAv hue; Suite 210, Tulsa 74t35
Are You Gay, or Bisex.ual?
Are You "
Tulsa’, Two-Spirited Indi:~’‘
Supra Group ~s here for you!
¯ E~ening sup~ group.~ ~gs
Relation~ip workshOp~
¯ ’ Sho~ tdps, .outings an~~ats .......
¯ Free HIV testing
For information call Tulsa° NatiVe American’AIDS:P~evei~ti6n ProjeCt
918.588.1900~ x4275 or x~,27& "
more pressing matters took over¯
Nearly two decades later, Oldham saw
Chicago as a chance to start the fight anew.
To do it, he quickly enlisted help from
everyonefrom political types and activists
like Hicks to South Side pastors and anyone
hooked into the city’s Gay club scene.
The CDC’s Barnes calls therelationship
that Oldham has built between grassroots
AIDS organizers and his agency, the Chi-
. cago Department of Public Health, "a national
example."
Others agree. "Frank has brought us
some sense of civility and diversity and
commonpurpose," saysGregHarr"is,chi"ef
of staff for Chicago Alderman Mary Anne
Smith, whose Ward includes Chicago’s
largest Gay neighborhood. That neighborhoodis
filled with trendy shops and restaurants
on a main drag lined with rainbow
columns that mark it as Chicago’s "official"
Gay neighborhood¯
It is a stark contrast to Hickg’ side of
town, where his own agency tries hard to
blend in. There are no rainbow flags and
the word "Gay" is hardly uttered. "To lay
with another man is a sin; a lot of 0eople
would like to say that just doesn’t happen,"
Hicks says, describing what he calls
the general attitude in the black community.
"It’s not talked about."
So even his organization, which serves
Gay, Bisexual and Black clients, has a
nondescript name: the Greater Chicago
Committee. And when they come to his
agency’s food pantry or clothing bank, he
asks whether they are "sexually active"
and encourages them to get tested.
"You have to meet them where they
are," Hicks says. Oldhamagrees "Ifyou’re
African American,_ you’re fighting racism.;
if’ you:re African- American, you’re
probably fighting poverty.. Sonow in your
own community-,, you’re .going .to fight
homophobia?" Oldham says. "You’dhave
.to b~n awfully strong individual with a
lot of support to come, up .and-say, ’I’m
African American and I’m v~r~.proud to
be Gay, very proud to .be Lesbian and this
¯ is .my partner,~ ?2
~Thete are.days when:taking:the lead on
all of thosefrontstakesitstotl,onOldham.
But~’even~ when?ressed~ he.talks more
.about-the health o£those around him than
his-0~n.~ Still, ,Hick~. says.ilie~ liears the
fatigue.ifi" his friend’S xoice,-, especially
wh,,e,~n,’they charon the phone.late a,t night.
." Wefietoeaeh~the~,.:. but~we reb~
.starting- to- feel, our, a£gand, Our.,illness ;’
.:sa~* Hicks,, ~,ho:dedines.to. giY.e his own
age~buLpredicts his own death in. the next
five year.s.’~ut-not before-he.gets more
~ markdone.,, t,have a,mission,’LHicks says.
"And it’s not my
Teens: orailsn,t Sex
MESA, Ariz.. (AP).r.,~t,d,~,,zP,.n.,a. ,19,ealth expertsLare..,
c9,~cerned abou[reSults of a’ na-
:.ti0nal. s~dY. s.h.~)wi~g ~’~ ~ies~nts believe
sexually, transmi [ted diseases can
only.be ,contracted through .sexual intercourse,
and not other .typ~s. Of. physical
contact. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevehtion study Shows that 15% to
20% of young men and .women will be-.
come infected with herpes by.the time they
reach adulthood.
Doug Hauth, public information officer
¯ for the Maricopa County Department of
: Public Health, said that this year alone
¯ more than 1,700 girls between the ages of ¯
13 and 18 have been diagnosed with
: chiamydia in Maricopa County, "and the
¯ numbers don’t include everybody," Hauth
: said.
¯ Judy Crider, program manager .at the
¯ Scottsdale Prevention Institute, said she
¯
believes there is no disparity between the
: national Survey and local teens. "Unfortu-
¯ nately, there’s a myth out there that if you
: have oral intercourse, you’re not going to
¯ getdiseases,"Cridersaid.Cridersaidteens
¯ unfortunately internalized one of the argu-
¯ ments used by President Clinton when he
¯ defended his affair with intern Monica
: Lewinsky by proclaiming that oral sex is
¯ notsex.ThehugepushinAIDS awareness ¯
education, meanwhile, leads kids to be-
" lieve they can only get the disease from
¯ traditional intercourse, she said.
Diaphragms May
Reduce STD Risk
¯ EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A University of
: Oregon researcher plans to study whether
: women are willing to use a diaphragm not
: just to prevent pregnancy but also to pro-
. tect them from sexually transmitted dis-
. eases. The National Institutes of Health
: has awarded a $1 million grant to the
¯ three-year project, which will interview
¯ current and former diaphragm users and
.try to get young women at risk of contract-
: ~ng STDs to use the device.
: It is estimated that today just 2% of
¯ contraceptive users rely on the small,disc-
" shaped cap that a woman fits over her
cervix, creating a physical barrier to preg-
¯ nancy. When used correctly, diaphragms
: ,arejust as effective as condoms inprevent-
¯ mg pregnancy. They are’also known to
¯ prevent some STDs, such as gonorrhea
i and chlamydia, although it’s not known if
" flaey guard against HIV, the virus that can
Iead to AIDS. Currently, reSearCh is underway
on new methods for "preventing
the spread of STDS‘ such as miCrobicides.
¯ But Marie Harvey, research director at
¯: the UO’s Center for the Study of Women
fn Society, said diaphragms mayheldfill a
i niche for women at rihk o,f getting STDs
.": ~tntil new methods are proven.
-" Harvey is conduc~t~.g the ’study,, along
i with co-researcher Sher~[ Bird. If the
diaphragm protects against (some) STDs
~agnd pregnancy, and might ,offer prbtection
against HIV, it ,co,.uld ~.-h.’. Wonderful op-
, tion for women~ Harveysai& -.
.~ Harvey got the idea-0fstadying the
’_ -~ffectiveness of diaplir~igms>~use of
~ another study she’s doing that shows high-
. risk couples how to ~)i?ote~t :themselves
: :during sex, primarilythrdugh ~the use of a
¯-~ondom. It’s clear the’ d6iidttm protects
: against STDs, but~it~ md4~S C~fil~Olled~by
¯ -the male-and some.atien~,gcOn!t~uste them,
¯ she said. The benefits of the diaphragm is
¯ that it can be iusert~t ~p’to’"two hours
"before sex, is not vislbl’e"and the man
[ doesn’t have to know thewoman is using
it, Harvey said. " .......
Harvey believes the diaphragmis avaluable
tool for women. "I.fWOmen can’t get
a man to use a condom, the diaphragm is a
good option, period," she said, "even if we
don’t find out it protects against HIV."
2~2 ¯ -and’performingin Houston.
.. Happy Ne~ year! H~d to believe it’s
~2001. I hop~:iihelnew~iyear brings your " .was .beyond,my reach at the, time,, or I
hopes and d~anS’~fi~tion, would have .been the~e. I read of a few
.:.Great nev~!~ern2iidette Peters returns : moreperformances,maiulyatPoorDavid’s
::tO~ Tulsa Jan ~i.an.d~6~-.th for a~, evening of : Pub.in Dallas, but usually ! learned of the
,showtunes ~ao,.d;gl~am~our! S~e s one of the ¯ performanceafter.thefact.~d~inceithas
:fewpeopleI~es~performherethatcan : become a t~adition fin tliis column, she
~rap an entire audience .
¯
performed a Stevie
¯ arot~nd her fi~igerwith " everyone should },Iicks song from the
s~emingly, eff0rtle~s~ ~ "" ~ - . ~ . " 1981Steviealbum, Belease.
Sheperform~vith her show, espeeaally just to ladonna 2 "The High-
.thePhil, andifyouwant see ff she performs wayman." I really wish
I’d been there for that!
Unforttmatdy, the price of the benefit
to see a true star, then
don’t miss her concert!
For tickets, call
596-7111.
I really think that everyone
should see her
show, especially just to
see if she performs
"Making Love Alone" again. (I heard the
song on her "Sondheim, etc.: Live at
Carnegie Hall" CD, a recording of a benefit
she did for Gay Men’s Health Crisis.
And yes, it is about what you might think,
and she wasn’t going to perform it last
time she was here due to the rep Tulsa has
of being, well, prudish. Can’t imagine
why, what with the preying hands and all.
Happily, Robert Reed, then artistic director
of the Phil talked her into it, and the
audience loved it. I was able to thank her
for including it after the show. Shffs,. a
lovely woman, and so tiny! You’d never
think so to see her onstage, since she
projects such a larger, than life persona.
Andnever underestimate the power of big
hair! Again, this will be the don’t miss
event of the Phil’s season. So don’tmiss it!
I am pleased to announce the new CD
"Love Decides", Jane Oliver’s new recording
is one of the most rewarding listens
I’ve had in a long time. For those who
haven’t heard her name, she was a cabaret
diva and recording artist of the 70’s an~
80’ s. No one can beat her whenit comes to’
wringing every bit of emotion out of a
lyricl Her phrasing is impeccable, and her
voice is angelic. She made four successful
recordings from 1976 to 1982, which are
still in print. She was rumored to have died
of cancer at one point, since she never
recorded anyCDsafter 1982’s"Jane Olivor
in Concert". (Fhe other albums are "Jane
Olivor - First Night" 1976; "Jane Olivor -
Chasing Rainbows".1977; "Jane Olivor -
Stay the Night" 1978; and "Jane Olivor -
Best Side of Goodbye" 1980. All are well
worth a listen. Her version of "Vincent"
and "Some Enchanted Evening" are the
definitive recordings of both songs.)
Well, I later found.she never had died.
.(Good it~gii,~’!:el~e:~e new CD would
: .definitely~i~fi,~L~K~ so. y0~~expected
.2iiie to 16~ti~i-:’0~portunity~;~ass by?
~Puhleeze.) She,had.retired from recording
due to being gyppedby the record company
she had~recorde~&the albums for. Left
with a bitter taste in her mouth from the
,,experience, she :p.efformed live at small
..,.venues. To,.my ~s~e, she was practically
in my!ba~k.;y~d?~I was living in Fort
~-Worth when,I,read sh~ was to perform at
.~ an AIDS benefit in:Dallas, and was living
"Makln, Love Alone"
a~aln ....
And yes, it is about what
you might think... "
"Love Decides"
is her first album
in 18 years, and if you
have a lover, it’s the
perfect Valentine’ s gift,
and if you don’t have a
lover, get it for your-
." self. Her voice wraps around you like an
¯ old friend’s hug, and can make the hardest
" bitterest heart melt to mushy goo in no
¯ time flat. And yes, I speak from experi-
: -ence. The tide track, "LoveDecides".is an
¯¯ . ode to thefact that sometimes, feelings can
take youby smprise, tuming somcone you
¯ wouldn’t ordinarily be attracted to into the
: love of your life, and you will have no
¯ choice in the matter. So enjoy it. My other
; favorite is "Night Song", telling the story
: of realizing someone that you’ve grown
." fond of could be apotential love. She does
¯ a great cover of October Project’s "Bury ¯
MyLovely" - no not about murder. More
¯ a song of how you are wrong for this
¯ person, and basically they should forget
¯ you. The song I identify with~0stis "I ¯
had A Man." Get out of the gutter. More
¯ like, "Well, I could’ve done this or that,
¯ but... I had aman. So I didn’t. Now he’s
¯ gone, and I’m stuck here, with thelife I’ve
: created. Damn, I should’ve done it!"
: "Could’ve been we,~ffing rubies, Could’re
¯ been takin’ bows... Could’re been high ¯
society,-~could’ve been someone
¯ proud...Should’ve had my silver spun,
; weaver that I am.., Should’ve been getting
¯ my work done - but I had this.., man.7 So,
: not all treacle and sweetness. "In The
¯ Moment" isa lovely upbeat rune, about
¯ living in the now, and loving in the now.
¯ So,it’s amanic depressive’s dreamCD. "I ¯
Believe in You" is a lovely ode to friend-
" ship and support; and Jane covers "Colors
_" of the Wind" with a magical quality that
¯ Vanessa Williams could only hope to
¯ achieve. ’Tll be Hei’e" wraps you up in a
¯ warm blanket, a perfect song for those
.. down moments that crop up every, so of-
. ten.
: Jane has an intimate quality that makes
it seem she’s singingjust for you, an amaz¯
ing thing to achieve on a studio recording.
I would love to see her at the PAC - she,
¯
like Jim Brickman, could make that hall
¯ seem like her living room, and make you ¯
fe~i like a gues~t in h.e.r li.,v~ng ~Q~om bythe
fire. Best Buy has the be,stprice On theCD
: at $12.99,, andfor theperfe~t r0manfic gift,
.you can t go wrong with any of Jane
¯ Olivor’s recordings, Ha.ve I ever.steered
¯
you wrong? Sodi~.the, ~igh~s,:!ight the
¯ candles, .se_elaMuse p. 9
Congregation
i.ii’P~esents
uriah
Featuring Ellen Kushner
Hostof Public RadiO’s Sound& Spirit
as heard on KWGS 89.5
Saturd~y,Janl 27th, 7:30pm, Tickets $5
1719 So. Owasso Avenue, Info: 583-7699
Come,
listen
and be
enrap
Saturday, January 13, 2001 . 8pro
Tulsa P~rjbrmingArts Center
Ed~oin O~t~oater, conductor
Jennlfer Koh, ~iolin
Thea Musgrave Rainbo~o-
Mozart Violin Concerto No. 4
Dvo~Lk Symphony No~ 7 .
Otfi’-january Masterworks.e+en~: features the stunning
ariimT ofviolinist Jennifer Koh in Mozart’s beloved
ViolinConcerto No. 4. Special guest conductor Edwha
Outwa[er joins her on stage for thishighly anticipated
performance, also featuring the haunting beauty of I)vo~ik’s
Symphony No. 7. Tickets MO to $45
by Karin Gregory
Oh.-: .My...God! I think I should revise
Melissa Etheridge’s lyrics.slightly to read:
"Wake me up when we hit 2005!" For the
new millennium (we all know it-begins
THIS year) Imade a wish list that includes
open:minde&Iess acrossthe board.However
with our new administration, we can
kiss that wish goodbye for
at least four years, Now
I’mnogoodatmakifigresolutions
(I’just break’them
before I start); but I added
today "hope chest" while
-the restof the~ountiy was
drinking to forget the past
few months~andespecially
the outcome!
-~ ° In the spi:rit of the Season
"..._Maybe we’re so
erltleal of the other
bemuse we’re all tryln$
so desperately to llve
normal lives when the
rest O~’~e{ety views us
as abnormal.., to
:just ~ast, I’.m~fediiigOpfi- present a eampaiSn for
:misfic"despite’ ’geeiiag the " equal ~$,}at~s, we need to
~l~ngs-~f"the Reli:gious
’:Right piippet-masters ’en- show the rest
twining OurgM£ W. (and ’I Amerlea tlmt we
-Ollircmvfevenrmnmngme ¯
word -busk.-anymo~;e!). :, a* e~luals. , .
: Being a’child of~eSixties," " "
I~,s.tillllave a hope’ that Our country will:
"" ~. ) Adopt i Ve~ont .s. generosxty. The
least theotherstates ’cafa dois to feel for it "
/by taking,some of flue. weight off the "
q’e~slat~e s Shoulders. After all, I’m sure
:~;&~ran:re~idents in this tiny state are still ¯
tottering over th~ de~lslon to make"those "
Gay bobs" equal; steeling themselves for ¯
. ~¢hat they must thinkwillbe Gay bars hti~ "
dildo stores on every comer. "
2) Put education"a~’ the top of the list.
O,K, as a teacher I think this was a given for ¯
m~. But if you really look at the serious- .
hess of ignorance(and many of you have ¯
first hand experience of this that I can only ¯
imagine), you’ll agree tliat theONLY Way ,
we can stop homophobia is by educating. ’
My goodness, I ~nkI just putmy butt on ¯
the line by promising to actually do some- ¯
thing besides rage against a seemingly "
unforgiving God. Only through spreading "
the word, 10iidly but not angrily, can we ;
change v~ews. Look at what happened to ¯
the Dr. I.aura campaign. If you’re asking, ."
"Dr. Who?" -then the campaign suc- "
ceeded! ¯
3) Become a true democracy. Yes, I ¯
know this is autopian ideal. Homosexuals "
have never been anyone’s favorite, but we "
were always pushed to thebackbeeause of ¯
the Native Americans, the Irish, the Jew- "
ish, African Americans, Hispanic,s, Japa- :
nese-Ameficans, etc. Now we’re in the ¯
limelightbecauseracial andreligious preju- ¯
dice have (finally0 become socially unac- ¯
ceptable. And look who S left standing in :
line to be hated! Ratherthan certain gov- :
emmentofficials complaining thatwewant ¯
"special rights", my hope is for them to "
take a look back over the past two centu- ~
ries to see that all anyonehas every wanted :
are EQUALrights !
4) See a united Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/ :
Transgendered community. I know I’m :
new to this so I should quitgriping and get ¯
offmy duff to help unite. What I see in the "
community makes me understand that the "
war won’t get wonunless we conquer this :
battle in front of us: accepting each other ¯
as a community of equals, rather than
¯ "dyke", "fog", "traitor", "freak." I’ve got
¯ Lesbian friends who Wonder why I have
: Gay-male friends. I know a few. who
: wouldn’t let a man into their’lives even if
¯ he’s a doctor, lawyer; veterinarian. Then
: there are the Gay male friends who gripe
: about Lesbians asifth~y’ve only seen the
stereotypes on TV, rather
than getting to know us.
I’ve heard from some :of
th~ cfmmunlty that t~iseximls
are just Gay men
who cxm’t get off the fence
(and the-inevitable jokes
about that!). I don’t knfw
how my friends feel about
Tr~insgend,ered people, but
I do k~ow’ :the topic never
comes UP."
Maybe w&re so cridcal
of the Other because we’re
all trying so desperately to
live normal lives when the
rest of society views us as
abnormal~ In other words,
to present’a campaign for
equal’ tights, ’we need to
: show therest of Americathatwe consider
¯ each other in the community as equals.
Look what it’s done for the Religious
Right. They may have their squabbles, but
we the public don’t get to see it. They
present a united front, bigoted though it
may be, and have a President to play with
for the next four years. That’s power! I
realize we’re talking about a basic belief
system and moral code as opposed to
MANY belief systems with many other
moral codes, but you learn from the enemy.
If the only tip we want to take from
the Religious Right is unity, then we need
to study them. And finally...
5) Above all, respect us as valuable,
irreplaceable, andEQUALhuman beings.
Hell, in Texas I’d sometimes just wish we
were considered HUMAN! But we can’t
settle. With TV exposure of Gays and
Lesbians at its highest (thank you NBC
and Showtime!), you’d think we’d have it
made. And that soon, in part due to the
public’s viewing of such shows as "Queer
As Folk" and other programs, we can soon
hold hands and kiss in public without fear
of being arrested, being stared at, and
sacrificing everything. Maybeone day soon
we’ll be stared at just because someone
else wants the relationship we have, and
for no other reason. Hey, I told you I was
optimistic. My evil twin will return next
month. Happy New Year!
draw a warm bath, put this CD on, and
invite someon, over. Or, make love alone.
With Jane singing, you can’t lose either
way.
As for events around here, Theater Club
presents "The Vagina Monologues" (God
they can talk, too?) Jan 11-27. Call 857-
9154 for ticket info and location. Heller
Theatre presents Steve Martin’s "Pieasso
at theLapin Agile," the story of a fictional
meeting between Picasso and Einstein.
746-5056. see amuse, p. 10
"Christ-Like" by Emanuel Xavier ¯ become his f.,,a~}ly. Membe.rs of me gangs,
reviewed by Barry Hensley " form "houses to protect tlaemselves anti
Tulsa City-County Library
" each other andin every way fulfill the role
Where does onestart when reviewing a ] of family to Mikey. His good. look.s and
violent and disturbing novel about brutal, ~ shrewdness allow him to get rata me reyoung,
Gay, Hispam’c gangs
whoselives revolve around
carefully crafted sets of,
rules and, at the same time,
no rules at all?
These arecharacters from
ferocious families Who understandnothing
but deceit,
confusionanddrug induced
brutality. The easiest thing
to say is that Christ-Like is
simply a Dennis Coopernovel
set among Gay,
Latino gangs in New York
City.
Our protagonist, Mikey,
is born into an incredibly~
dysfunctional family in a
distressed neighborhood,
where Mikey’s role model
" These are 0 o ¯
ekaraeters from feroelous
~amilles who
understand nothln~ but
deedt, eonfuslon and
dru¢ induced brutality
... It’s hard to understand
why the reader
would eare about this
arrogant, mls~uided and
eontemptlble youth, but
I couldn’t put this
book do~..."
is a neighbor, yelling up
from the street, Come on Mmam. I don t
wanna come up thestairs! Just throw tl},,e,
baby outthewindow! I’ll catchit! I swear!’
Mikey’s mother soon has an abusive boy~,,.
friend, and a heartless relative, teenag,e
Chino, stays with them, sharing Mikey s
roomwhile secretly abusing theboy, physically
and emotionally .....
As he grows upin. thischaotic, environment,
Mikey, of ourse, has no idea ~.at
n0t all families arelil~e thls and, despite b-is
intelligence and basi~gbodness, starts
down the wrong path. And what a path it
is! Unable to understand healthy relationships,
hebecomeS-se~ua!!y active and abusive
with almost anyQne,.and starts busfling
on the Westsidei~i~L He discovers
drugs and the in~bnd~ ~that comes with
dealing. He tougi~e.nS ~p ahd picks fights
so he can rob afidinj~.e, i(often i_nnoce.n.t)
people. He beans t0 ~ pride in ms
viciousness wi~’d~iii~.~i’_~lee. V~nen he
hits adolescen~;:it~ ~er kicks him
out, not becans~ i~f~fiiS~ess behgvio,r,
but because he’i~iG~@~,~d~suddeulY he s
onhis own. ;~ ~.o~; ,b,’ ~ ~. In Mikey’s bi~’~ reality, the underground
subcul~e,of homeless hustlers
stricted clubs where sex,
drugs and competitiveness
flow freely. This club scene
is particularly dangerous.
Aguy bumps you accidentally?
NO problem! Just
stab himright there or wait
until later and beat him
withabaseball bat! Hehad
it comin’ to ’ir!! It’s hard
to understand why the
reader would care about
this arrogant, misguided
and contemptible youth,
butI couldn’tputthisbook
down¯
Perhaps because we
know that Mikey is, deep
down, a good kid shaped
by his environment, we
want him to be able to rise
above being a monstrous criminal ~and
realize that there isanother, world out
there. But, whenev~er.h~ s.tax~tS a ~ewreia:’
tionship, we know it will end in chaos..
When he quits ~d~gs, we ~.kn~v~ h¢’!l~,, ~
start using again. Whenhe gets beaten,.w.e
know it iS what he ~:~pected. ~rying p~sages to quote ff,0~
exiilain his predicament proved diffiCultL
The Tulsa Philhi~monic pfesents a mati;
nee performan~rf ,Peter and The Wolf
with the Magic Circle Mime Companyon
the 14th. 747-7445.
For the artsy.craftsy~crowd, Mayf6st is
seeking artists and artistes tO display their
wares and worksat the 2001 Mayfest. Jan
12 is the deadline to apply for space. Musical
types have to apply’the 5th.
"’If I were a rieh.m~ ~.~diddle deedle
dicdle diddle dee: .or, as tti~ Southern version
would haveit; "Eiddle dee dee.""Fiddlcr
on the.Roof’~ ~illbe appearing overhead
at the PAC fiom the 16-21 with
Theodore Bikel as Teyve. Yes, this is the
show Bette Midler got her start on Broadwayin
the 70’s, as a chorus girl. I don’t
ttfink
Timothy Daniel
Attorney at Law .
An Attorney. who will fightfor justice
& equality for Gays & LeSbians
Domestic-Partnership Planning,
Personal Injury; Criminal Law & Bankruptcy
1~800-742-9468~or-918::35.2-9504
128 East Broad~.~i,~i)promrigh!:OklahOma
Weekend and evening appointments are available.
¯ the copies we have.of the miscelleneous
¯¯ defimctpublications whichTulsa’sseenat
¯ one time or another. Tulsa Oklahomans
for Human Rights also published a news-
" letter, TheTOHRReporter, formuch ofits
¯, 20 year history which documents much of
¯ Tulsa’s Lesbian and Gay history.
virtually~every paragaph is,pepp~,r,e~,
over,ly colorful l’an~ge Sr events.
It s haid for a whit~--i3r~ad reYi’~ei ~Vi~o
In addition, Tulsa Family News will send
..... .NeW Year
.....:, .NewCareer
Get a iaeM Siatt,bi~ ~your New Yearsresolution
If you~are responsible and self’ifi*ofivated
ar~dhave:a posfive .attitude.
We.ii;iii’:N~!’p’)~u fulfill, ~our resolution.
cati,665,,3401
TULSA COUNTY
DEMOCRATIC
~P’A- R T-Y:
Country Club Barbering
Custom Styling for Men & Women
David Kauskey
3310 E. 51st, 747-0236, Tues.-Fri., 8-5:30, Sat: 8-5pm
ody
Tulsa’s only
professional
body-piercing
........ Co![egg Hill
Presbyterian Church
In-response to God’s Love,
College Hill Presbyterian Church
is a communit¯.y of God’s pe_ople
called tO tell others the
Gospel of Jesus Christ
" " ’~" - tiirough
service; and evangelism.
To nurtureour faith, we gather for
"worship, prayer, .
.... StUdy andfeilowship~
Trusting i~i a living, loving God,
we.seek to become a compassionate
voice.f6r:pea~ce and justice.
Our congregation" wdcomes all
persons who respond in trust and
obedience to God’s grace . -
in Jesus Christ, and desire to become
part of the membership and ministry
of Christ’s church.
Membership is open to all people
regardless of race, ethnic origin,
worldly condition, marital status, or
sexual orientation.
Sunday Worship 1 lam
712 S. Columbia Ave., 592-5800
(One block west of Delaware and the
University of Tulsa Campus)
L,.i teach our students that we will reach our
full potential individually_and collectively............
¯ only when we learn to appreciate our diversity.
We need to. do’::a better job of
How will his Support for privatization of ." teaching our youth- our couittryfs proud
ourpublie~cho0i~act~e:employment ¯ history of welcomi~!p~le~f different
rightsofO~B~i~ch~tpri~)ateschool~9" ;’ religions, racial and ~,~ offgins, gen-"
Or)the fight’of. :GLl~;f~ids not to gei "’." ders and opinions. Ithasnff been easy and
harassed and kicked out Of those schools? " we donft always do it well, but Welcoming
,On the issue ofabortion, whaf will it ¯ diversity is at the h~gf-what has made
n~ to*h~Eq.~.,(Ol~-h.ea3.~[h and human ! ournafion great. Thi~i~’whatean unite
ser~ices0ffic~,r.eJi~t~!ie~un.damen~right ’. now and in’the future! We"~oW need
to privaey?If lldh~s ~e rightt0 interfere : national.effort to realiz¢ihat:o’~’lives:
in a deci’sion’t~~trbi~6u~reproductive ; be-enriched as individu~!~.;:a~~familie~(as ~
de~siom~~.h’&dsec~n =and frill-he do..-- communities, and asia ~atibn if We em-"
to’ &ntrofOiil fii~es~..-.:........... .-
.i[.:b.e.he.ve.fil..e..G..L...B...T.. community ought to" "~i "Bbirsaecex,uarlatahnerdtThraannsfegaern,d6e~r-eGdi~byro;tLheerssbiaannd,
co.n~sider.issue~;~iik~~ reproductive heaith~ ¯ sisters, r ’~
an~pov~rty aceii,tr~il p~rfof our concerns : You have an awesom~ 0p~i~ty and
f6r~any~,~,:~~-i~ ~er’all;’a~ignificani~i’ ; responsibility ahead of!yoi£’ We wiint to
Portion of our c0.~m~,,ttt~~ty .grapples witlE q,~ work by your side to make-b~~laools and
9e e issu~ in @e~ personal lives. And ¯ our country healthier. We .~all on you to
mere are homophone policies and prae- ’: keep us - all of us who love, admire and
ti~ in @.e.,i~.sf!~mtioos"that control these,;._ care about someone wh6 is Gay, Lesbian,
serwces. :" ............... . . ¯ Bisexual and Transgendered - in mind in
E{ut ev~ri’fdr’th~S~’~,BT activists who" ~ the days ahead.
rejectamoteindii~i~,~’agenda, thereoug,ht " - Kirsten Kingdon, executive director
to lit least be a mention of Thompson s "
re~rd on.’~ese.spcialjs~sues. Does anyone :
really beh’~ve t~at a politician who treats ,.
women andpoor people lwith, such disre- :
spect will hold our cximmunity in esteem? "’ I think they’re picking on the wrong per-
A movement must have a set of values - ¯ son with John Ashcroft."
°therwisewearejustadisconnectedgroup :- Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., told CBS’
of people who are outside the norms of " "Face the Nation" he believes Ashcroft
heterosexuality. i urgeus to embrace a set : will eventually be confirmed, but not beof
values that represents the struggles of - fore he is thoroughly questioned by skepevery
segment of our community. Let’s ." tical Democratic senators. Likewise, Sen.
thank Tommy Thompson appropriately ." Harry Reid, D-Nev., told"Fox News Sunfor
his few gestures of support. But let’s ¯ day" he knows of no reason why Ashcroft
reserve "praise" for a nominee who has ¯ would be rejected outright.
¯ exwn.ed it........ ¯ While Ashcroft’s nomination brought
Founded in 1973, the National Gay & ; some criticism, Bush seemed less willing
I2sbian Task Force works to eliminate ~ to join an ideological fight over whether
prejudice; violence and.injustice against ¯ Gays may serve in the military. Former
ga~, .lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered " Indiana Sen. Dan Coats, a candidate for
People at the local, state,and nati0-nal level. " secretary of defense, lost out on the job
" whenhereportedly told Bushhe warned to
¯ scale back accommodations made to
: womenandGays in the service, Newsweek
: reported, quoting an unnamed source.
AnotherBushCabinet choice thatraised
harass, bully and assault our youth be- : questions was former Colorado attorney
cause of thdr sexual orientation or gender general Gale Norton, nominated for Seeexpression
do nbt fit the stereotype of : retary of the Interior. She has expressed
hate-filled extremists, but are average ¯ support for oil exploration in the Arctic
youngpeoplewho~ftens.eenothingwrong ¯ National Wildlife RefUge, an idea that
with their behavior. ~ Bush favors and many Democratic sena-
~-Anti-Gay harassment - as well as ha- ~- tors oppose. Norton as Colorado attorney
rassment based on religion, race, ethnic , general defended Colorado’s anti-Gay
origin, or any other prejudice - destabi- : Amendment 2 which was ruled unconstilizes
the learning environment for all stu- " tutional.
dents. No child can learn well when they " The bigger question, Democrats said, is
are scared. No child should be afraid that ¯ whether Bush can work with a Senate that
they will be harassed because of who they ; ~s split evenly between Democrats and
are. We need to do a much better job of " .Republicans. "He’s going to have to show
teaching respect for all in our schools and : m programs and policies a willingness to
in ending the toxic atmosphere that exists ¯ work with Democrats, to work out comin
all too many of our schools today. We : promises with us..." he said.
needyourleadershipatthefederallevelto Hatch said ~ush’s stated intention to
send the message that anti-Gay harass- reach out and work with Democrats is
ment is wrong, genuine.
We particularly ask you to Keep us in
mind as you appoint a Secretary of Education.
Wewill be watching - and hoping - to
see if that is someone who is dedicated to
an excellent and safe education for all our
children.
There is so much to be done. We need to
The majority of young .people who
Saturday,~ February ,. ....... Midnight
The"Brad~.Mansion.,~ 6.20~~N. .orth~~De~nver
DJ, Hors res:, ~. h,~Bar,
Live Ente~ai~me~ Dr, ;~ ~Mild to Wild
.Door prizes for Dressed
Tickets: .....~-or $20 a~)! the door
"~-~ ~va~lable
The TU~;~ GLBT CommunityCenter
211~ S~!t3th~!~e~fi~i~ Drive 918~743.4297
and select~Ven-dors listed on the website.
Proceeds benefit The Pyramid Project
"Building a Home- Funding the Future,
for the Tulsa GLBT Community Center."
Made Possible by Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR), www.PyramidProject.org
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
newspaper
periodical
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[2001] Tulsa Family News, January 2001; Volume 8, Issue 1
Subject
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Politics, education, and social conversation toward Tulsa’s Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual communities.
Description
An account of the resource
Tulsa Family News was a monthly newspaper; No. 1 issued December 1993-January 1994. The final issue available was published in September 0f 2001 (Volume 8, Issue 9).
The newspaper brings up important, evolving topics of marriage, Pride, TOHR, HIV/AIDs, events, advice, and politics all at the local and national level.
This document is available in searchable PDF attached. It is also available to be seen at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center with permission.
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Tulsa Family News
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/24
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Tom Neal
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January 2001
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James Christjohn
Karin Gregory
Barry Hensley
J.P. Legrandbouche
Lamont Lindstrom
Esther Rothblum
Mary Schepers
Hughston Walkinshaw
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Tom Neal/Tulsa Family News
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Tulsa Family News, December 2000; Volume 7, Issue 12
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English
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newspaper
periodical
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Tulsa(Oklahoma)---newspaper
Tulsa---Oklahoma
Oklahoma---Tulsa
United States Oklahoma Tulsa
United States of America (50 states)
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https://history.okeq.org/items/show/608
2001
AIDS
anti-gay activism
arts and entertainment
Barry Hensley
Black and LGBTQ
Boy Scouts
businesses
censorship
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
churches
Community Center
contraception
Elizabeth Toledo
execution
George W. Bush
HIV testing
homophobia
Jim Christjohn
John Ashcroft
Karin Gregory
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Native Americans
Openarms Youth Project
performing arts
Raging Lesbian
Red Cross
Red Rock Tulsa
representation
restaurants
sex
Soulforce
STDs
Tom Neal
Tulsa Family News
Tulsa Native American AIDS Prevention Project
Wild Hearts Ball
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Berlin Exhibit Looks at
Gay Victims of Nazis
by Paul Geitner, Associated Press Writer
BERLIN (AP) - Focusing attention on along-neglected
group of Nazi victims, a two-part exhibition about Gays
persecuted under the Nazis opened Sunday at museums
m Berlin and in a former concentration camp where
many of the victims were killed.
The exhibits of documents, photos, drawings and
other objects collected during 10 years ofresearchis the
largest on the subject ever mountedinGermany, project
organizers said. It documents the fate of700individuals
who suffered under the Nazis’ draconian anti-Gay laws
and tells 60 personal stories.
"We want to return to the Gay victims of the Nazis
theirnames and to show their lives, as far as possible, so
as to.at, least symbolically liberate them.from the dehumamzmg
barbarity of the Nazis,’" said Andreas
Stemweiler, project director at the Gay Museum in
Berlin, where part of the exhibit is being shown.
The other half opened at the Sachsenhausen concentration
camp, where many Gay men - labded with a
.pink triangle- ended up because of the camp’s proxim-
,ty to the capital, see Nazis, p.3
Be Counted: Effort to
Include Gays in Census
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - A national campaign to
include Gays and Lesbians in Census 2000 is urging
same-sex couples to check offtheboxindicating they’re
unmarried partners.
Using e-mail, ads in Gay publications and word-ofmouth,
thecampaign is an un0fficial way to get a partial
indication of the nation’s Gay and Lesbian population,
the San Jose Mercury News reported recently. "We
want to make the point that there is such a thing as a Gay
or Lesbianfamily,’" said PaulaEttelbrick, family policy
director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
The federal government added the unmarried partners
category to the census in 1990, to recognize heterosexual
couples who live together without being married.
That year, 150,000 same-sex households were
identified. "It was a vast undercount,’" said Ann
Northrop, board member for the Institute for Gay and
Lesbian Strategic Studies.
Those involved in the so-called "Out the Census’"
campaign say that even though individual Gays and
Lesbians won’t be counted, the number of couples will
provide a partial account. And additional information
included on U.S. Census forms could provide a valuable
snapshot of the community, including income levels,
ethnicity and the number of same-sex couples raising
children.
While the campaign is getting nationwide attention,
some Gays and Lesbians are wary ofrevealing toomuch
information. Rikki Westerschulte, who is raising a
daughterwith herparmer, says sheknows many couples
who are nervous about declaring their sexual orientation
on an official government form.
The recent passage of Proposition 22, which recognizes
only marriage between a man and a woman in
California, adds to the suspicion. "You walk down the
hall at work and wonder, ’Who is it I think I can trust,
who really feels I’m immoral?’ "Westerschnlte asked.
Other couples are angry they cannot declare themselves
as married, see Census, p. 11
Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual + Transgendered Tulsans, Our Families + Friends
Tulsa’s Largest Circulation Community PaperAvailable In More Than 75 City Locations
Camme,rmeyer .To Join
Lougan s at Pr de 2000
TULSA - Last month, the organizers of Diversity Festival 2000
announced that US Olympic champion, Greg Louganis, would
serve as Grand Marshall for the° Millennium Pride Parade this
June. This month, organizers confirmed that Dr. Grethe
Cammermeyer, distiguished veteran of the United States Armed
Forces, will join Louganis as grand marshall.
Cammermeyer challenged
US anti-Gay/Lesbian policies
which forced her out of her
nursing positionin the United
States Reserve forces. Her
lifestory was madeinto a television
film produced by
Barbra Streisand, starring
Glenn Close.
Cammermeyerhas come to
Tulsa before. She spoke at
the Universi ty of Tulsa in the
spring of 1995 to an audience
of about 300 Tulsa Family
New~ writer Lauri Cooper
shown in the photo at right
interviewed Cammermeyer.
The week of Pride events begins with an interfaith worship
service to be held at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The
Reverend Dr. Mel White, author and civil rights activist, will be
the principle speaker at this event. White will lead a workshop
also to be held at the PAC on Saturday, June 3, from 2-5pm (free)
on the principles of non-violent social change.
Lougams will speak at a black tie optional dinner to be held at
the prestigious Summi t Club on Friday, June 9th. Tickets for the
event are $75/person and there will be a VIP reception at $50/
person. These events will benefit Tulsa Oklahomans for Human
Rights, the parent organization of the Gay Community Center
and Oklahoma’ s oldest Lesbian and Gay non-religious organization.
Organizers anticipate that the parade will follow the sameroute
as last year,
Cooper & Cammermeyer
SoulForee in Oklahoma
Members of Soulforce in Oklahoma Marched at
the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade in January.
TULSA- Oklahoma’s oldest Gay and Lesbian organizataon is a
religious one, the congregation now know as MCC United, the
Metropolitan Community Church United. So perhaps it is fitting
that one of Oklahoma’s newest community organizations also
has religious roots. "Soulforce in Oklahoma" is part of an effort
begun by the Rev. Mel White and his spouse Gary Nixon.
Soulforce is an ecumenical network of volunteers committed
to teaching and applying the principles ofnon-violence on behalf
ofsexnal minorities. Thename derives from the workofMohandas
Karamchand Gandhi, a leader of India’s independence movement.
Soulforce or truth force is a translation of "satyagraha" a
concept Gandhi began developing as a young lawyer fighting for
racial justice in South Africa. Gandhi’s thinking greatly influenced
the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his work for civil
rights for Black Americans.
The goals of Soulforce are to end the suffering ofLesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgendered persons, to change the minds and
hearts of religious leaders whose anti-Gay campaigns lead directly
and indirectly to that suffering, to be guided by the
principles of "relentless non-violent resistance, and through this,
try to bring hope and healing to society.
In Tulsa, Soulforce was organized by individuals involved in
MCC United and the group has been holding regular meetings at
the Gay Community Services Center. see Soul, p. 7
¯
Tulsan Chosen
For HRC Board
¯ Fundraiser Audra Sommers
: To Join Marty Newman in DC
¯ TULSA - Audra Sommers, who is planning an
¯¯ AIDS benefit in Tulsa next month, has gained
national recognition
¯ forher humanrights
- efforts. Sommers
¯ has been named to
the Board of Gover-
¯ nors of the Human
¯ Rights Campaign, a
¯ 300,000-member
national organlza-
¯ tion that batdes dis-
-¯ crimination against
sexual minorities.
¯
As a board mere-
¯ ber, Audra will be
¯ responsible for re-
. cmiting, promoting
¯ awareness ofhuman rights issues in Oklahoma and
¯ serving as a liaison between Oklahoma and the
¯ national organization in Washington, DC, where ¯
she will be heading for orientation this month. "I’m
¯ really, really happy that I was appointed, to the
: Board of Governors," she said.
¯ Sommers joins Tulsan Marty Newman on the ¯
Board of Governors. Newman expressed delight
: with Sommers selection. "Audra has a ~roven
.. history of work on behalf of the commumty, and
¯ she has an enormous number of people wholook to ¯
her leadership," noted Newman. He added that
." HRC is concentrating its effolas on Tulsa at this
¯ time and he feels Sommers will add immeasurably ¯
to HRC’s strengths.
see Audra, p.3
Audra Sommers
Pentagon Admits Hate
Speech is Widespread
by Robert Burns, AP Military Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Anti-Gay speech and harassment
is commonplace in the U.S. military,
especially among young enlisted troops, according
to a Pentagon inspector general’s survey. 85% of
those surveyed said they believed that anti-Gay
comments are tolerated on their base or aboard
their ship, and 37% said they had personally witnessed
or been the target of harassment - such as
hostile gestures, graffiti or physical assault- based
on perceived homosexuality.
The survey released last month also found a
widespread belief among troops that the Clinton
administration’s so-called "don’t ask, don’t tell’"
policy on Gays in the military - which Vice President
A1 Gore says he would eliminate if he were
elected president-is not working. President Clinton
himself has said the policy, forged in 1993, is now
"’out of whack.’"
Defense Secretary William Cohen, responding
to theinspector general’ s survey results, announced
he was creating a committee of military and civilian
officials to draft a plan for measures to improve
the policy’s implementation. Cohen put the onus
on military chiefs to fix the problem. "The report
shows that military leaders must do more to make
it clear that harassment based on sexual orientation
violates military values,’" Cohen said in a memo to
the military chiefs and service secretaries.
The administration’s policy, set in law by Congress
in 1993 after a heated political battle, says
Gays and Lesbians may serve in the military so
long as they keep their sexual orientation to themselves.
Dubbed "don’t ask, don’t tell,’" the policy
still bars openly homosexual people from serving
in uniform. Although the policy was designed to
make it easier for Gays to serve, an increasing
number have been discharged in recent years.
see Pentagon, p..10
Tulsa Clubs & Restaurants
*Chasers, 4812 E. 33 712-2324
*CW’s, 1737 S. Memorial 610-5323
Full Moon Cafe, 1525 E. 15th 583-6666
*Gold Coast Coffee House, 3509 S. Peoria 749-4511
Polo Grill, 2038 Utica Square 744-4280
*St. Michael’s Alley Restaurant, 3324-L E. 31st 745-9998
*The Star, 1565 Sheridan 834-4234
*The Storm, 2182:S. Sheridan 835-2376
*Renegi~des/Rainbow Room, 1649 S. Main 585-3405
*TNT’s, 2114 S. Memorial 660-0856
*Tool Box, 1338 E. 3rd 584-1308
*The Yellow ~rick Road Pub, 2630 E. 15th , 749-15.63
Ailyanced:Wi~el~Ss 8~:PCS; Digital Cellular ~: ’~ 74%1~08)
*Assoc.. in- Med. &M~ntal Health, 2325 S I Harvard 743- t000
Kent Balch & Associates, Health & Life Insurance 747-9506
*Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 8620 E. 71 250-5034
Cherry St. Psychotherapy, 1515 S. Lewis
*Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 5231 E. 4I 665-4580 ¯
Body Piercing by Nicole, 2722 E. 15 712-1122 -"
*Borders Books & Music, 2740 E. 21 712-9955 :
*Borders Books & Music, 8015 S. Yale 494-2665 ,"
Brookside Jewelry, 4649 S. Peoria 743-5272 ¯
*CD Warehouse, 3807c S. Peoria 746-0313 :
581-0902,743-4117 ;
Community Cleaning, Kerby Baker 622-0700 ¯
Tim Daniel, Attorney 352-9504, 800-742-9468 ¯
¯Deco to Disco, 3212 E. 15th 749-3620 "
¯Devena’s Gallery, 13Brady 587-2611 "
Doghouse on Brookside, 3311 S. Peoria 744-5556 :
¯Elite Books & Videos, 821 S Sheridan 838-8503 ¯
¯Ross Edward Salon 584-0337, 712-9379 "
Events Unlimited, 507 S. Main 592-0460 "
¯Floral Design Studio, 3404 S,~eoria 744-9595 ¯
Four Star Import Automotive, 9906 E. 55th P1. 610-0880 ¯
Cathy Furlong, Ph.D., 1980 Utica Sq. Med. Ctr. 628-3709 ¯
Gay & Lesbian Affordable Daycare 808-8026 ¯
¯Gloria Jean’s Gourmet Coffee, 1758 E. 21st 742-1460 ¯
Learme M. Gross, Insurance & financial planning 459-9349 "
Mark T. Hamby, Attorney 744-7440 "
¯Sandra J. Hi~.’.ll, MS, Psychotherapy, 2865 E. Skelly 745-1111 "_
¯International Touts ~ 341-6866
Jacox AnimaiClinic, 2732 E. 15th 712-2750 ]
¯Jared’~ Antiques,~]602 E. 15th ~ " ~582-30i8 :
David Kauskey,. Country Club Barbering 747-0236 :
The Keepers, Housekeeping &Gardening 582-8460 ¯
¯Ken’s Flowers; 1635 E. 15 599-8070 ,"
Kelly Kirby, CPA, 4021 :S. Harvard, #210 747:5466 ",
¯Living ArtSpace, 308 South Kenosha 585-1234 ¯
¯Midtown Theater, 319E. 3rd 584-3112 ¯
Mingo Valley Flowers, 9720c E. 31 663-5934 "
¯Mohawk Music, 6157 E 51 Place 664-2951 ¯
Puppy Pause II, t060 S. Mingo 838-7626 ¯
¯Thh Pride Store, 1307 E. 38, 2nd floor 743-4297 ",
Rainbowz on the River B+B, POB 696, 74101 747-5932 "
Richard’s Carpet Cleaning 834-0617 "
Teri Schutt, Rex Realtors 834-7921, 747-4746
Scribner’s Bookstore, 1942 Utica Square 749-6301 ¯
Paul Tay, Car Salesman 260-7829 ¯
¯Tulsa Comedy Club, 6906 S. Lewis 481-0558
Venus Salon, 1247 S. Harvard 835-5563
Fred Welch, LCSW, Counseling " 743-1733 "
¯Wherehouse Music, 5150 S. Sheridan 665-2222 "
¯Whittier News Stand, 1 N. Lewis 592-0767 "
Tulsa Agencies, Churches, Schools & Universities "
AIDS Walk Tulsa, POB 4337, 74101 579,9593
All Souls Unitarian Church, 2952 S. Peoria 743-2363
Black & White, Inc. POB 14001, Tulsa 74159 587-7314
Bless The Lord at All Times ~tiristian Cdn’t~r, 2207 E~ ~5 ....583-78"15
¯B/IAG/T Alliance, Univ. of Tulsa United Min. Ctr. 583-9780
¯Chamber of Commerce Bldg., 616 S. Boston 585-1201
¯Chapman Student Ctr., University of Tulsa, 5th P1. &Florence
¯Churchof the RestorationUU~ !3 l~N.Greenwood 587-1314
¯Comm’~ty ofHope United Methotttst, 2545 S. Yale 747-6300
¯Communi~ Uniti{rian-Universalist~ongregati0n 749-0595
,Council Oak Men’s Chorale 748-3888
¯Delaware Playhouse, 1511 S. Delaware 712-1511
¯Democratic Headquarters, 3930 E. 31 742-2457
Dignity/Integrity of Tnlsa - Lesbian & Gay Catholics &
.... Episcopalians, POB 701475, 74170-1475 355-3140
¯Fellowship Congreg. Church, 2900 S. Harvard 747-7777
¯Free Spirit Women’s Center, call for location &info: 587-4669
Friend For A Friend, POB 52344, 74152 747-6827
918.583.1248, fax: 583.4615
POB 41413, Tulsa, OK 74159
e-mail: TulsaNews@ ear~hlinlc net
Publisher + Editor:
Tom Neal
Writers + contributors:
James Chfistjohn, Barry Hensley, J.-P. Legrandbouche,
Lamont Lindstrom, Esther Rothblum, Mary Schepers
Member of The Associated Press
Issued on or before the 1st of each month, the entire contents
of.-.thi’s publ~cati6n are protected byUS copyright 1~98 by
i~r~ ~4~ /~1~u4 and may not be reprodu~.d either in
whole orin pm:twithout written permission from the publisher.
Publication of a name or photo does not indicate a person’s
sexual orientation. Correspondence is assumed to be for
publication unless otherwise noted, must be signed & becomes
the sole property of T~,~t F¢~.’. N~÷ Each reader
is entitled to 4 copies of each editaon at distribution
points. Additional copies are available by calling 583-1248.
Friends in Unity Social Org., POB 8542, 74101 582-0438
HIV ER Center, 4138 Chas. Page Blvd. 583-6611
*Tulsa C.A.R.E.S., 3507 E. Admiral 834-4194
Holland Hall School, 5666 E. 81 st 481.1111
HOPE, HIV Outreach, Prevention, Education 834-8378
*House of the Holy Spirit Minstries, 3210e So. Norwood
Interfaith AIDS Ministries 438~2437, 800-284-2437
*MCt~ United, 1623 N. Maplewood 838-1715
NAMES Project, 3507 E. Admiral P1. 748-3111
NOW, Nat’l Org. for Women, POB 14068, 74159 365-5658
OK Spokes Club (bicycling), POB 9165, 74157
*OSU-Tulsa
PFLAG, POB 52800, 74152 749-4901
*Planned Parenthood, 1007 S. Peoria 587-7674
Prime-Timers, P.O. Box52118, 74152
R.A.I.N., Regional AIDS Interfaith Network 749-4195
*Red Rock Mental Center, 1724 E. 8 584-2325
O’RYAN, support group:[<~r t8-24 LGBT young adults
O’RYAN, Jr. support.group for 14-17 LGBT youth
S.t.Aidan. s Eptseop Church, 4045 N. Cincinnati 425~7882
St. Dunstan’s Episcopal, 5635 E. 71st 492:7140
*St. Jerome’s Parish Church, 205 W. King 582-3088
*Tulsa Area United Way, 1430 S. Boulder 583-7171
*TNAAPP (Native American men), Indian Health Care 582-7225
Tulsa County Health Deparunent, 4616 E. 15 5954105
Confidential HIV Testing - by appt. on.Thursdays only
743-4297
298-0827
Tulsa Okla. for HumanRights, c/o The Pride Center
T.U.L.S.A. Tulsa Uniform/Leather Seekers Assoc.
*Tulsa City Hall, Ground Floor Vestibule
*Tulsa Community College Campuses
*Tulsa Gay Community Center, 1307 E. 38, 74105
Unity Church ofChristianity, 3355 S. Jamestown
BARTLESVILLE
743-4297
749-8833
*Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone 918-337-5353
OKLAHOMA CITY/NORMAN
Bdtders Books & Music, 3209 NWExpressway 405-848-2667
Borders Books & Music, 300 Norman Center 405-573-4907
TAHLEQUAH
Stonewall League, call for information: 918-456-7900
*Tatdequah Unitarian-Universalist Church 918-456-7900
Green Country AIDS Coalition, POB 1570 918-453-9360
NSU School of Optometry, 1001 N. Grand
HIVtesting every other Tues. 5:30-8:30, call for dates
: EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
":- 32utunui Bi~ceze- ~dstaurant, Hwy. 23
¯ *1ira & Brent’s Bistro, 173 S. Main
DeVito’s Restaurant, 5 Center St.
¯ Emerald Rainbow, 45 &l/2 Spring St.
; MCC of the Living Spnng
¯ Geek to Go!, PC. Specialist, POB 429
Old Jailhouse Lodging, 15 Montgomery
; Positive Idea Marketing Plans
; Sparky’s,Hwy. 62 East
¯ White Light, 1 Center St.
JOPLIN, MISSOURI
¯ *Spirit of Christ MCC, 2639 E. 32, Ste. U134
501-253-7734
501-253-7457
501-253-6807
501-253-5445
501-253-9337
501-253-2776
501-253-5332
501-624-6646
501-253-6001
501-253-4074
417-623-4696
* is where you can f’md TFN. Not all are Gay-owned but all are Gay"friendly.
Some 600 homosexuals were killed there
between 1939 and mid-1943 alone, according
to the researchers.
The Nazi anti-Gay law,knownas "Paragraph
175,’" was directly solely against
Gay men, since the Nazis were mainly
concerned with perceived threats to their
ideal of Aryan manhood. Lesbians were
generally ignored, although some were
arrested as "asocials’" or "prostitutes.’"
Few surviving victims ever came forward
after World War II because of continning
stigmaassociated withhomosexualkty,
whicl~remained illegal in West Germfiny
~mder the sam~ Nazi law until 1969:
Tens of thousands of men were prosecuted
in those postwar years.
Historians also generally ignored the
Nazi per.s..e~..u;~n of homosexuals until
the 1980s, meaning many survivors had’
already passedaway, organizers said. Only
a handful are known to still be alive; their
stories are told in a U.S.-made documentary,"
Paragraph 175,’" whichwon awards
at film festivals in Berlin and at Sundance
this year.
Germany’s center-left government introduced
a bill last week - 55 years after
the end of the war - that would require
parliament to officially recognize and
apologize to Gay victims. It also calls on
the government to study whether a blanket
annulment should be issued for convictions
under the Nazi anti-Gay law,
under which even a glance between men
could be cause for prosecution. -
Guenter Morsch, director of tli’~
Sachsenhansen memorial, noted that protests
erupted after the first plaque dedicated
to Gay victims of the Nazis was
hung at the Dachau concentration camp
outside Munich in the 1980s. Last year,
Germany’s national Holocaust memorial
day commemorated Gay victims for the
first time with .a ceremony at
S~lchsenhansen. Events like that and the
¯ new exhibit are important, he said, be-
; cause all groups - not just those that are
¯ "politically correct’" - must be remem-
-"- bered if tolerance is to be promoted.
: About 200,000 people were interred at
Sachsenhausen between 1936 and 1945;
: including Jews, Roma, communists ",rod
¯ other political prisoners. More than 1,400
Jews were killed there, thousands more
sent off to be killed in Auschwitz. Others
were forced to work in adjacent factories.
You mayfind the Gay Museum at
www.schwulesmuseum.de
Audra, who is also a volunteer fund-
¯ raiser, is currently producing her largest
¯ event to date, a three-hourAIDS benefit at
Tulsa’s Performing Arts Center that wi’ll
~ feature Thrifty president Don Himelfarb
: as keynote speaker.
¯ ThePAC show,"Connecting the Hearts
¯ ofTulsa,"is scheduledforApri120 atTpm
¯ and will benefit Tulsa C.A.R.E.S. Fea-
¯ tured performers include Debbie ¯
Campbell, Rebecca Ungerman and
¯ children’s musical groups from All Souls
¯ Unitarian Church.
¯ The John H. Williams Theater seats
429, andAudrahopes to sellit0ut. Tickets
¯ are $10 general admission, $20 VIP seat.-
," ing, and $5 students.
¯ For more information or tickets, call
~ 832-7919. see Audra, p. 3
by Lamont Lindstrom, Ph.D. :
"Unmarried Partner." That’s the U.S. ¯
Census 2000 official term for boyfriends ;
and girlfriends. It’s either that or else you "
check Husband/Wife, Roomer/Boarder, ¯
Housemate/Roommate, or Other "
Nonrelative. ¯
How should I label my live-in? I can’t ¯
call him Husband or Wife. He’s not a :
Boarder. He’s much more than a RoOm- "
mate. (TheCen~uginfbmas us tha~ Room- ¯
mates "share living quarters primarily to :
share expenses.") AndOther Nonrelative; :
although correct, is hopelessly inadequate.
So, for lack of better alternative, the boyfriend
must be an Unmarried Partner.
I am pleased to see the Census Bureau
demands, rather romantically, that the
Unmarried Partnerhave"aclose personal
relationship with Person 1" (that is, with
me). I know some Unmarried Partners °
whose onetime close personal relations :
have aged into an icy and tight-lipped co- ¯
erastence. "
The Census, as a condensed.form of "
Ameri~anculturalpresumption, thinks that :
people really ought tO be related to their -
roommates either by blood or by marriage.
Anthropologists call such presumptions
"residencerules"- expectation about
who should live with whom. There are
patrilocal and matrilocal societies where
children live with either father’s or
mother’~ people. In avunculocal situations
-the tropical Trobriand Islands -
hildren move an with mother s brothers.
Where virilocal rules arefollowed, women
reside with their new husbands. Or there
is theuxorilocal opposite: traditional Hopi
Indian grooms, for example, move’ their
belongings into their bride’g house. And
there isthe "neolocal" U.S. where all
couples should establish new, independent
households.
All these patterns describe the co-residency
of kin, and the American situation
is no different. Most of us live with relafives
as we grow up: "mothers, fathers,
sis{~s, and brothers. And most of us live
with even more relatives after we marry:
husbands, wives, sons, and daughters.
There are just two anomalous periods in
mostAmericanlife cycles when wemight
find ourselves living with non-kin (with
"Other Nonrelatives," according to Census
language). The first consists of the
few years between leaving morn and dad
behind and marriage.
This typically is the time of higher
educalionwhen young twenty-somethings
pile up in dormitories, fraternities, sororities,
and shared apartments. The second
comes with old age. We agomze over the
mor~ity of farming mom out to some
nursing home ward full of strangers.
The experience of life with non-kin and
strangers is fraught with aggravations and
difficulties. The common bathrooms,
those dirty dishes, the housemate’s woeful
taste in music. Life with mere friends
or roommates is rocky and unstable. My
nervous students busy themselves with
inventing "fictive kinship" labels for one
another. They pretend that the co-residents
in their sororities or fraternities are
"just like" their sisters and brothers. And
they watch a lot of "Friends," relying on
Hollywood to romanticize and make fun
of the peculiar experience of sharing their
toilet seats with the "Other Nonrelated."
Weare broughtup to live with relatives.
Sbared residence withkin is easier for two
reasons. We are morally obliged to forgive
the exasperations of our revolting
brothers that we would never stand from
a friend. And we ablemore easily to take
our revenge on our irksome siblings,
spouses, orchildren, unconstrainedby the
politeness conventions that govern our
relations with non-kin. Wash those dishes
or you are grounded! Pick up your filthy
socks, slob!
Gays and Lesbians are in something of
a residential quandary: many of us never
mo~e beyondthis stageof life with nonkin.
Straights leave behind theirfew years
of shared apartments and dormitories to
¯ return to new households composed of
:. kin. But since Gays and Lesbians cannot
¯ marry, officially at least, we live out our
lives with roommates, other nonrelatives,
¯ and unmarried partners.
¯ This perhaps explains some of the fra- ¯
gility ofGay households. "It’sMyWay or
the Highway!" is easier to demand when
you aren’t shouting at relatives. Many of
us havemetguys whowereperfectcouples
before they made the fatal mistake of
moving m together. And we have other
friends who are resigned to living solo.
No spare toothbrushes in theirbathrooms.
They’ve relied too often on the unkind=
hess of strangers.
Soyou snoopingFedenumerators, come
along and count me. I’m checking the
Unmarried Partner box. At the moment at
least, I’m happily living with the UP. I
realize, given American cultural patterns,
that the non-kin structure of our household
is anomalous. It will require extra
effort and forgiveness to keep it going.
Forget or forgive those badly squeezed
.toothpaste tubes. TheUPis neitherbrother
nor spouse but t still want him arodttfl"to
be counted in 2010: ,-:~:
LamontLindstrorn teaches anttfOl~lbgy
at the University of Tulsa.
Among the. survey’s key findings:
- 80% of the 71,500 members of the
Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps
surveyed said they had heard offensive
speech or jokes or derogatory names or
remarks about Gays in the past year. The
service members were not asked if they
had. participated in such behavior.
-33% said they heard it often. It was
reported most frequently in the Marine
Corps and least in the Air Force. Such
behavior was reported to be most common
among junior enlisted troops.
--Of the offensive behaviors or actions
reported as directed against Gays, offensive
speech was the most common. It was
mentioned by 89% of those who reported
witnessing or experiencing some form of
harassment. Hostile gestures were reported
by 35%; threats or intimidation by 20%;
graffiti by 15%, vandalism of personal
property by 7% and physical assault by
9%.
The survey was done on 38 U.S. military
bases and aboard 10 Navy ships and
one submarine from Jan. 24 to Feb. 11.
The spark that caused the Pentagon to
take a closer look at how the Gay policy is
being implemented - and the extent of
anti-Gay behavior in the field - was the
bludgeoning death lastJuly ofaGay Army
private, Barry Winchell, at FortCampbell,
Kentucky. His killer, a fellow Army private,
was convicted and sentenced to life
in prison.
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David Kauskey
3310 E. 51st, 747-0236, Tues.-Fri., 8-5:30, Sat. 8-5pro
Mississippi House Bans
Adoptions by Gays
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi may become
the second state with a law banning homosexual
couples from adopting children, althoughlawmakers
embracing the idea say they are unaware of any cases
ofGay adoptive parents. The House approved theban
with no debate late in March, nearly a week after a
similar proposal died for lack of action. The adoption
ban was revived after an orchestrated phone call
campaign by supporters.
Only Florida has a law forbidding Gay adoptions,
but other stateshave policies that keep homosexuals
from seeking adoptions. Bill opponents and supporters
said they were unaware of adoptions in Mississippi
involving Gay couples or any couples hoping to
adopt.
Mississippi Baptists and the Tupelo-based American
Family Association had lined up in support of the
proposal. On the other side were the American Civil
Liberties Union, which has threatened alawsuit, and
homosexual groups.
"It’s ridiculous,’" said Eddie Sandifer of Jackson,
director of the Mississippi Gay and Lesbian Alliance.
"This is going to be in court. It’s just a waste of
taxpayers’ money. They know there’s going to be a
lawsuit and they’ll lose eventually.’"
House Public Health Commi ttee Chairman Bobby
Moody, D-Louisville, said, "ff it’s the right thing to
do, it doesn’t matter to me if it leads to a lawsuit or
not.’" "What constitutes a family is not a homosexual
couple,’" s~iid Moody.
The bill was approved 107-8. There could be an
attempt for a second vote. "That bill is of the assumption
that anybody who’s Gay wilt,abuse children.
That’ s not a good ~rgument. I can’tjudge one’ s moral
turpitude. I’m not qualified to do that,’" said Rep.
David Green, D-Gloster.
This is the second time in three years that Mississippi
lawmakers have gotten involved in Gay issues.
In 1997, they banned homosexual marriages. The
adoption ban was added to a bill dealing with nurse
practitioners. That proposal lets the practitioners prepare
paperwork about the physical or mental condi- -
tion of a child being put up for adoption. Now doctors
must do the paperwork.
Moody said the House vote came in response to a
public outcry. "There’s been a lot of publicity created
around the state. It gave the false impression to some
religious groups that it was happening or there was a
possibility it could happen,’" he said of adoptions by
Gay couples.
Rep. Mary Coleman, D-Jackson, said lawmakers
"’were infringing on people’s private lives.’" David
Ingebretsen, director of theACLU in Mississippi, has
said his group may sue on behalf of aGay couple if the
bill becomes law. Other states have been sued over
their adoption policies. The bill does not ban a Gay
individiml from trying to adopt a child. It goes back to
the Senate for more consideration.
PlanetOut Website and
Advocate/Out to Merge
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - PlanetOut, which caters
to Gays and Lesbians, has announced plans to acquire
Liberation Publications, the largest publisher of Gay
and Lesbian periodicals and books in the country.
Liberatiofi Publications Inc. produces the Advocate
newsmagazine and will soon own Out magazine.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The companies
describe the deal as a merger, but the Interact
company will be the dominant partner; allowing the
magazines "tO continue publishing under their own
brand names.
"You can characterize it as the AOL-Time Warner
in the Gay space,’" said Megan J. Smith,.chief executive
of PlanetOut. Her five-year-old company operates
the Web site
www.planetout.com, along with an online radio and
film service and PlanetOut TV, which airs on the site
and on Canadian television.
In 1996, the San Francisco-based site became the
first Gay-oriented enterprise to secure venture capital
funding. The company has since established parmerships
with AOL, Netscape, Yahoo! and other major
Web companies as well as made advertising agreements
with Arista Records, Virgin Adantic Airways
and Johnson & Johnson.
Liberation Publications is based in Los Angeles. It
announced Feb. 21 that it. would acquire New Yorkbased
Out Publishing Inc., the publisher of Out and
HIV+ magazines.
The Advocate, a 33-year-old bi-weekly with a
circulation of about 88,000, concentrates on news,
politics, business and medical information. Out~ a
monthly launchedin 1992, has a circulation of 115,000
and focuses on culture, entertainment, fitness and
other topics. The Gay marketis considered a prime for
Intemet players because a high percentage of Gays
and Lesbians use the Internet and because the Intemet
)rovides.a level Of anonymity.
Dr. Schlessinger’s TV
Show Draws Protesters
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Paramount Television says it
is committed to putting tough-talking Dr. Laura
Schlessinger on TV, the tough-talking protests of
hundreds of angry Dr. Laura demonstrators notwithstanding.
"Shame, shame, shame,’" more than 200
Gay civil rights protesters shouted outside Paramount
Pictures, where they demanded the studio drop plans
to put the controversial radio host on television this
fall.
Schlessinger, known to her listeners as Dr. Laura,
dispenses relationship advice onher enormously popular
radio show. She has called homosexuality a"biological
error’" and "deviant.’"
"When Paramount bought Laura Schlessinger’s
show, they bought abattle withtheGay community,’"
said Joan Garry, executive director of the Gay and
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. "We’re going
to do whatever it takes’" to get the ParamOunt Television
Group to abandon the syndicated show, Garry
said.
So far Paramount has stood firm. and none of the
stations signed on to air Schlessinger’s show have
backed out. In arecent statement, the studio §aidit was
committed to presenting moral and ethi’~fl issues
without "creating or contributing to an en~cfroimaent
of hurt, hate or intolerance.’"
One of the signs carried by the demonstrators read
"No More Matthew Shepards.’" a reference to the
Gay student killed in Wyoming in 1998. Also fueling
the protest is anger over the passage last month of
Proposition 22, which bans same-sex marriage in
California.
"We will do whatever it takes to keep the pressure
on. The strategies will be about advertisers and the
affiliates,’" Garry said, declining to specify whether
that meant station or sponsor boycotts.
Countering the demonstrators were about 75
Schlessinger supporters organized by Campaign for
California Families, a conservauve, nonprofit organization.
"We’re the majority Of people who pay to see
Paramount films and who tune in to Paramount television
shows. We are in support of Dr. Laura being on
the air,’" Said Cherri Gardner, a spokeswoman for the
group.
Conservatives Sue City
Over Partners Benefits
BOSTON (AP) -A conservativelaw firm is suing the
city of Cambridge, claiming that the ordinance that
allows homosexual couples to register as domestic
partners is illegal and unconstitutionhl.
"The ordinance isboth legally and morally wrong.
.. This legal action is necessary to defend marriage
and the family,’" Vincent P. McCarthy, Northeast
counsel for the Virginia-based American Center for
Law and Justice, said Tuesday in a statement.
In July, the state Suprem,e Judicial Court struck
down an executive order issued by Boston Mayor
Thomas Menino that was intended to give health
insurance coverage to Gay partners of Boston city
workers.
The ACLJ assisted the Catholic Action League in
that case and predicted another legal victory against
Cambridge. It also said it planned to file a suit against
United in
God’s Love
MCC-United
Sunday Worship Reverend Cathy Elliot
11:00 am Pastor
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at Community ofHope
2545 South Yale, Sundays at llam, 749-0595
A Welcoming Congregation
HOUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Sun. Worship, 10:45 am, Sunday School, 9:30 am
Wed. Bible Study, 7 pm
3210b S, Norwood, Info: 224-4754, Chris or Sharon
Sandra Hill M.s.
Licensed Professional & National Certified
Counselor, Certified Hypnotherapist
Psychotherapy & Clinical Consultation
After Hours Appointments Available
2865 E. Skelly Drive, Suite 215,745-1111
Red Rock Tulsa - O’RYAN
Oklahoma Rainbow Young Adult Network
Outreach Program Thurs. Nights
Meet Others in a Safe Enviroment
Call for meeting times and place:
918-584-2325
Mingo Valley Flowers
9413 E. 31st St., Tulsa74145
918-663-5934, fax: 663-5834, 800-444=5934
Family Owned & Operated
Trinna L. W. Burrows, LSW, ACSW
Child, Family, Individual & Couple Psychotherapy
(918) "743-9559
2121 South Columbia, Suite 420
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74114-3518
The Pride Store
1307 E. 38th, 2nd floor
Tulsa Gay Community Services Center
743-GAYS (743-4297)
6-9 pm, Sunday - Friday
12-9 pm, Saturday, all sales benefit the Center
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Daytime appointments available.
Call for more information:
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The Episcopal Church Welcomes You
the city of Springfield. The Catholic Action Leagueis
also involved in the Cambridge case.
Under the Cambridge ordinance passed in 1992,
Gay couples go to City Hall and register as domestic
partners. Once registered, partners of a city or school
worker are entitled to the same health benefits as
spouses of city and school workers.
Michael Gardner, Cambridge’s personnel director,
who administers the be~lefits, said he felt the ordinance
was both legal and constitutional.
"It was our view that we should continue to follow
the ordinance passed by our legislative body,’" he
said.
The law firm, which brought the suit onbehalfof 12
Cambridge residents, attacked the ordinance on a
number of legal fronts, but one argument was the one
that succeeded in the Supreme Judicial Conrt last
year.
The SJC had rifled that the" Boston executive order
was "inconsistent’" with a decades-old state law that
granted cities the authority to provide health insurance
to workers, their spouses and dependents.
Gary Buseck, executive director of Gay and Lesbian
Advocates and Defenders, said he would be
happy if Cambridge fought the case vigorously.
But he also called on the Legislature to pass a bill
designed to grant cities and towns the power to extend
the benefits if they chose. The bill has passed the
Senate but is pending in the House, he said.
"The Legislature can put an end to all of this and
~make sure cities and towns have an option of extending
health insurance to all their employees,’" Buseck
said.
Georgia Hate Crimes
Bill Gets Final Passage
ATLA~’qTA (AP) - The Georgia Senate gave final
passage to a bill allowing stiffer penalties for hate
crimes. Gov. Roy Barnes will have to sign off on it
before it can become law. ~
The. origii~ Version of the bill specified which
types ofbigo.try warranted a hate crime, but the House
amended the: measure to be more vague. It now
mentions only.crimes motivated by "bias or preju-
Sen. Vincent D. Fort, D-Atlanta, said he would
have preferred the.originalianguage but was willing
to accept the ctian~e~.
.A jury would, declare defendants guilty of a hate
crime after they were convicted ofanother crime such
as vandalism, arson, assault or murder. The initial bill
would have allowed the judge to make that decision.
That changeprompted Sen. Clay Land, R-Columbus,
to reverse his original vote and support the measure.
~At that time,.I felt the legislation was unconstitutional
because it did not provide the accused with a
¯ jury trial,’" he said.
Under the bill, sentences and fines for misdemeanors
would be increased by half, up to the maximum
allowed, for hate crimes. Felony prison sentences
¯ would be increased byfive years up to the maximum
sentence. Defendants convicted ofhate crimes would
have to serve at least 90 percent of their sentences.
Women Lawmakers Key
To Civil Unions Win
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - A greater percentage of
women than menin the Vermont House of Representatives
voted in favor of the civil unions bill that
passed in the House last week.
Female representatives approved by a wide margin
granting same-sex couples tile benefits of marriage
through civil unions while their male counterparts
turned it down. The women voted for the bill 35-9
while the men voted against it 60-41.
All but one of 32 female Democrats voted in favor
of the bill, while four of 12 Republican women voted
for it.
Although women make up relatively smaller proportions
of each caucus, more than half of the Democrats
voting yes were women, and more than a quarter
of the Republicans voting yes were women.
Rep. Anne Pugh, D-South Burlington, said female
constituents in general asked her to support the bill,
while men asked her [o oppose it.
"It may have m do with the fact that women
traditionally focus on family, and nurturing and relationships
- that women’s identity comes from connecting,’"
Pugh said.
Rep. Michael Vinton, D-C01chester, a retired state
trooper who has been outspoken in his criticisms of
anti-Gay arguments, said he bdieved women felt less
threatened by homosexuality. "For whatever reason,
I feel there’s more fear among the male gender,’"
Vinton said. "Men seem to be more crfical of people
-it’s just our species, probably.""
The trend reflects women’s greater receptiveness
to homosexuals across the country, according to national
policy experts.
"Women overwhelnfingly support Gay aud Lesbian
civil rights more than ~nen, generally speaking,’"
said Paula Ettelbrick, director ofthe National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute.
"’Women identify more because, like Gays and
Lesbians, they have not been part of the system as a
group, and theymaderstand the need and desire to be
a full citizen,’" she said. However, she said the fact
that the Vermont House had passed a civil unions bill
at all "shows that mendike everybody else have the
capacity to change on issues involving their own
communities.’"
The bill passed on a final margin of76 to 69. Voting
yes were 57 Democrats, 14 Republicans, four
Progressives mad one Independent. Voting no were 50
Republicans, 18 Democrats, and one Independent.
N.M. Christian Coalition
Files Phone Co. Benefits
ALBUQUERQUE (AP) - The New Mexico branch
of the Christian Coalition is accusing U S West of
abusing public trust by providing employee benefits
to homosexuals and other umnarried workers. In a
document filed with the state Public RegulationCommission,
theNew Mexico Christian Coalition says the
policy is "offensive to decent, moral subscribers who
want phone service.’"
Edward Lopez Jr., U S West’s vice president in
New Mexico, said he is disgusted to "see-this kind of
hate and intolerance’" in a state as diverse as New
Mexico. Lopez says. the policy is good business. "We
believe our work force mirrors that of our. custom-
: ers,’" he said. "We’ve better able to understand .our.
customers needs and respond to.them.’"
¯ In its one-page filing, theChristian group contends
U S West’s benefits policy promotes the spread of
¯ AIDS and other sexually transmitteddiseases. "We’re
¯ saying there’s a moral issue of unmarried people that
¯ donot deserve benefits. If there is any way to prevent
¯ that from happening, we’ll do that,’" said Mark Bur-
" ton, executive director of the Albuquerque-based
¯ group. The group, affiliated with Pat Robertson’s
Christian Coalition of America, also contends in the
¯ filing that homosexuals are prone to violence and
¯ child molestation.
¯ Linda Siegle, alobbyist for theCoalition forEquality,
called the group’s statements "ludicrous and
¯ absurd, based on every lie and stereotype perpetrated
¯ on people who are Gay.’"
About 2,500 private corporations, universities and
other organizations across the nation provide domes-
" tic partnership benefits, she said.
¯ In its Mar~h i0 filing,’ the New Mexico Christian
¯ Coalition requested the PRC investigate "the social
¯ implications of this heinous U S West policy.’" "The
partners of homosexuals .shouldn’t have the right to
¯ get benefits fromamonopoly when I have no other
choice (for servic£),’" Burton said. " "
The Public Regulation Commission currently as
investigating U S West’s customer rates. Commission
chairman Bill Pope said he couldn’t comment on
anything contained in the filing because the panel has
yet to hear the rate case.
South African Gays
May Give Blood
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) -
Gay men have a constitutional right to
donate blood, the South African Human
Rights Commission has ruled. The commission
said it was no longer Gays who
were most at risk for HIV in South Africa,
but people in their early 20s.
The commi ssiondemandedthat ablood
bank in Western Cape change its practice
of not accepting blood from homosexual
men. Western Cape Blood Transfusion
Service director Arthur Bird on Friday
said he disagreed with the decision and
was seeking legal advice.
The case came about after Andrew
Barnes, a public relations manager, responded
to an urgent plea for new donors
in the midst of a severe blood shortage last
year. A nurse at Western Cape Blood
Transfusion Service declined Barnes’
blood afterhemarked "yes’" ontheform’ s
question of whether he had had sex with a
man. Barnes had been in a r~lationship
with anothermanformore than two years.
The commission said the decision to
reject Barnes’ blood was ’~discrimination
in terms of the Constitution." It said it
would take the blood bank to court unless
it explains what changes it will make to
avoid breaching people’s constitutional
right to equality before April 3.
Teacher With AIDS
LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) - HIV/AIDS activist
Cathy Robinson was a teacher in
1991, living a storybook life with her
husband, pregnant with their second child.
She and her husband, Dan, went to the
doctor for what was supposed to be a
routine physical for life insurance and
learned theunimaginable: They both Were
infected with the virus that causes AIDS.
Three years later, she developed AIDS.
"My first instinct was, ’I know where
I’ve been. Where have you been?’ "
Robinson said. Then headlines flashed
through her head declaring Belle Glade -
where she had worked with children- the
AIDS capital of the state. She wondered if
she had contracted the deadly virus there.
Buttwomonths later, Robinson, 34, found
out she had contracted HIV from a man
who died from AIDS complications in
prison while doing time for raping her
July 4, 1984, at a Tallalaassee convenience
store where she worked. Privacy
laws prohibited the prison from disclosing
to Robinson that he had AIDS.
She went seven years without finding
out she had HIV. She gave it to her husband
during that time, but her children,
Garrett and Lyndsy, are HIV-free. There
is only about a 20% chance a pregnant
mother will pass onHIV to her baby. With
medicine, the chances drop to 4%.
Robinson, who also wasdiagnosed with
breast cancer two year~s ago, is coping
with her own mortality by spending the
time she has left to promote safe sex and
persuade people to get tested. Her efforts
includ~lhe NAMES Project AIDS Memoria~:
Quilt display, which is being displayed
this month in the Hollis Wellness
Center at Florida Southern College.
Robinson. travels throughout Florida
talking with students, sheriffs’ deputies
and commumty groups about HIV and
AIDS, defying stereotypes of the "typical’"
AIDS victim, as a mamed, white,
middle-class mother of two.
Laws about HIV status disclosure vary
by state. In Florida, it takes a court order
to have someone convicted of sexual assault
tested. "We don’t as a state mandate
testing, and emergency rooms don’t have
time to doit,’" Robinson said. "They (tell)
victims of sexual as sault, ’In afew weeks,
you should get tested.’ "
Assistant State Attorney Sherri
Scarborough, who handles many of the
criminal sexual assault cases in Polk
County, said state statutes allow the court
to order HIV tests of anyone accused of a
crime where bodily fluids are exchanged.
But the victim has to request the tests and
ask that the health department notify them
of the results. Scarborough said she only
remembered two cases in the past six
years when a victim wanted to have his or
her attacker tested. One whs aT0-year-old
woman. The other was a college student.
Robinson was a student at Florida State
University when she was raped. Two of
her attackers were convicted, but a third
man never was arrested. She testified in
the two trials but did not ask that her
attacker be tested because there was no
HIV test at the time. "In 1985, there was
a test. I called right away, but they said,
~Cathy, you don’t need to worry. The only
people who get HIV are Gays and drug
users,’ " she said. Meanwhile, her attacker
was being treated for AIDS in
prison.
WhenRobinson foundout she was HIVpositive,
she said she didn’t tell anyone
for amonth. Thev. two months passed, and
she was about to give bir~ to her son,
Garrett, now 8. "Three nurses refused to
give us care. One, not knowing anything
about me, assumed we decided to have
children even though we had AIDS. She
called (the Department of Children and
Families) to try to get them to take our
kids away,’" Robinson said.
ThenRobinsonmadea choice she could
never take back. She decided to talk about
her story in schools and churches to raise
public awareness. "By going public, there
was no way I could ever teach again,
which was fine,’" she said. "Then they
wiped my husband’s job out of his company.
We paid tbr groceries with credit
cards for a while... Thenwerealized they
were going to turn our lights out. We
moved in with my parents in Clewiston."
Cathy and Dan since have moved to
Fort Myers with her best friend, a nurse.
But they decided five years ago to have
Garrett and Lyndsy, 9, continue to live
with her parents, to ease the transition on
the day the~ know will come. The
Robinsons see their childrenon weekends
and holidays. They write in journals and
make tapes to record memories they want
the kids to remember.
"We knew ultimately we were going to
die,’" Cathy said. "We thought it was
importantfor them to transilion. Wenever
thought we’d still be transitioning five
years later. Our biggest fear was dying
before Lyndsy and Garr’ett were old
enough to remember us.’"
Bill Gregory, an advertising professor
at Florida Southern, fellow AIDS activist
and friend, said Cathy hves to spread the
message. But radiation therapy has made
it more difficult in recent months. Cathy
travels to Miami for radiation treatments
because she can get them free in exchange
for leading educational programs. She
puts about 1,500 miles a week on her
leased Ford Explorer traveling throughout
the state for AIDS education, stressing
safer sex and HIV testing.
"You have to be tested,’" she said. "No.
1, you don’t want others to get infected.
No. 2, they can treat you. If you are
negative, you have a chance to rethink
your activities that got you there.’"
Timothy W. Daniel
Attorney at Law
An Attorney who will fight for
justice & equality for
Gays & Lesbians
Domestic Partnership Planning,
Personal Injury,
Criminal Law & Bankruptcy
1-800-742-9468 or 918-352-9504
128 East Broadway, Drumright, Oklahoma
Weekend and evening appointments are available.
January April July October December
Even Out Your
Monthly Electric Bills.
At WoO, we know that changing
weather conditions throughout the
year can cause your monthly electric
bills to rise and fall dramatically.
Which can make it tmrd to plan your
household budget. That’s why~
our Average Monthly Payment plan,
could be your budgeting solution.
With~you pay about the
same each month, because ifs based
on your previous 12 months usage.
That makes budgeting a breeze.
And best of all, ifs free. AMPis}ust
one of several flemq~le payment
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a da~. Or s’tgn up forAMP on our
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PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF OKLAHOMA
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a professional corporation
Lesbians and Gay men face many special
tax situations whether single or as couples.
Electronic filing is’available for faster refunds.
747-5466
4021 South Harvard Avenue, Suite 210, Tulsa 74135
Are You Gay or Bisexual?
Are You Native American?../,=
Tulsa’s Two-Spirited Indian Men s
Support Group is here for you~.
¯ E~ening support group meetings
¯ Relationship workshops
¯ Short trips, outings and retreats
¯ Free HIV testing
For information call Tulsa Native American AIDS Prevention Project
beginning at the Gay Community Center
¯ at 37th and Peoria and ending at Veterans
Park at 18th and Boulder. The parade will
begin at llam The Pride Festival will
also begin at Veterans Park at 1 lain and
will continue till about7 or8pm, finishing
off the week’s events.
TOHR organizers include Kerry Lewis
as chairperson of the overall effort. "Humanity
United for Haman Rights -Diversity
Celebration 2000," Greg
Gatewood, TOI-IR president and festival
chair,Audra Sommers,parade chair, Lynn
Moesteller, sponsor chair, Mitchell Savage,
media chair, Ktis Kohl, festival entertainmentchair
andNedBruha, incharge
of festival booths and beverages.
On June 3, Saturday, That evening also
at the PAC Doenges Theatre, the TOHR
Follies, not seen for a namber of years,
will reprise, 100 Years of Broadway with
tickets available through the PAC. Tuesday,
June 6th, an art exhibit, "United" will
open and on Thursday, June 8th, there
will be a film night. Locations and times
will be announced later.
For more information about these
events, call the Gay Community Services
Center at 743-4297 (Gays).
And while the organization has not been
in Tulsa for long, already it’s become
active and visible. Soulforce members
along withTOHR, Tul sa Oklahomans for
Haman Rights, marched in the M.L.King,
Jr. Day parade, marking the first time
openly Gay people and groups have partidipated.
And for the kick-off for this year’s Gay
Pride events, Diversity Celebration 2000,
Soulforceis bringing Mel WhiteandGary
Nixonback to Tulsafor aninterfaith workshop
and to lead a Soulforce workshop.
White and Nixon were in Tulsa several
years ago for a regional conference of
i~FLAG, Parents, Families and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays, held at All Souls
Unitarian Church.
Also on May 6-12, in Cleveland, Ohio,
at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Soulforce
will hold Soulforce University (SFU) SFU
is arare, one-week opportunity for people
offaith to learn and apply the principles of
nonviolence. SFU is being held in conjunction
with the world congress of the
United Methodist denomination of Chris-.
tianity, General Conference 2000 which
will also be in Cleveland, on May 2-12.
Historically, Methodists have cared
about the poor, the homeless, and the
outcast. Soulforce organizers state, "sadly,
decisions made by their [United Methodist]
General Conferences over the past
three decades have ended that tradition of
caring and made outcasts of God’s Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered
children. We hope to help end those unjust
and discriminatory policies.
For thirty-t~vo years United Methodist
leaders have debated the issue of homosexuality.
Too many of" their delegates
have ignored the historic, scientific, psychological,
pastoral and even biblical evidence
thathomosexuality is neither a sickness
nor a sin. As a result, with almost
every General Conference the U.M.C. has
hardened its anti-homosexual position.
That position leads to discrimination, snffeting,
and death.’"
Several Tulsans involved in Soulforce
will participate in the Cleveland events.
HEAR the Quilt
The NAMES Project Tulsa Area Chapter
is proud to announce the return of the
Quilt to Tulsa for a major display at the
Maxwell Convention Center December1
through 3, 2000.
The success of a major Quilt display is
dependent on volunteers from our community.
To develop interest and support
for this major World AIDS Day event, the
Tulsa Area Chapter will host a reception
on Thursday evening, April 27 at 7: 00pm
at Fellowship Congregational Church,
2900 South Harvard, Tulsa.
Please join us as we bring together the
community in preparation for "HEAR the
Quilt." We’ll have sections of the Quilt on
display and lots of information about upcoming
events Refreshments will be
served and it will be a great opportunity to
renew old friendships andmake new ones.
For more information you can contact
us at (918) 748-.~1 ll or at
TulsaQuilt@go.com
OK Spoke Club
The OK Spoke Club is begimfing its tides
again. A long ride (20 miles plus) will
begin at Ziegler Park at 7:30am on April
8th & 15th. Water and helmet are required.
A short tide (5 miles) along the Katy
Bicycle path in Sand Springs will begin at
6:30 pm on April 19th. Water and helmet
are strongly reconnnended.
At 9am, a long ride will begin at the
Pride Center, 3749 S. Peoria, rear parking
lot on April 22th. Water and helmet are
required. A short ride will leave from
there at 6:30 pm on April 26th. Water and
helmet are strongly recommended.
For more information, contact the club
at POB 9165, Tulsa, Ok 74157, or emaii
to: Okiebicycle@prodigy.net
Texas Lesbian
Conference
For 13 years now, Texas Lesbians have
presented one of the best conferences in
the US. This year’ s event, to be held at the
Renaissance Hotel, Greenway Plaza on
May 19-21 in Houston.
The conference will feature Urvashi
Vaid, former executive director of the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force,
cartoonist/cormnentator, Alison Bechdal,
creator of"Dykes to WatchOut For," poet
and author Ntozake Shange and Lesbian
comic Marga Gomez.
Andifthese were not enough of a draw,
TLC offers a variety of workshops on
legal, financial, spiritual and other issues.
TLC is awoman only event for which you
must be 18 to attend. For more information,
write POB 66012, Houston 77266.
Or "call 713-460-3435 for a registration
form. .
Living ArtSpace
New Show
Tul’sa’s contemporary art gall~ery~: Living
Ai~tSpace, now located at 308 South
Kenosha will present exhibition opening
& gallery talk by artist, John Hitchcoek,
on Thursday, April 6, 5:30-8pm.
Hitchcock invites the viewer tobecome
a participant in his installation by encouraging
them to "play games" and receive a
silk screened pnnt or an object. Using
games derived from Native American traditions,
the artist challenges the participant
to make the comparison between
traditional culture and the artwork.
Once upon a time, there was a teenager
named, for lack of a better moniker, Jim.
He was teased most of his school life for
being gay, name calling and threats of
physical violencebeing the
chief tactics deployed by
most of the other kids -the
mainstays of which were
the dreaded "jocks."
He had few friends, but
one of the few he considered
a friend happened to
be Shaun. Shatm was in
choir and on the football
team, and Jim had known
him for a few years, since
Jr High. What Jim repressed
and suppressed
was his physical and emotional
attraction for Shann.
Shaun wasn’t classically
handsome, but something
about him was incredibly
attractive to Jim. Maybe it
was just that, unlike the
other jocks, who singled
Jim out for particular torment,
Shaun always had
treated him with kindness
" ~roadway Damage’
is another little sleeper,
low budget movie that
is actually quite
wonderful...
The film is a ~ood
old-fashloned romantle
eornedy, kind of llke
the old screwballs
eomedles of the 30’s...
It’s a well-wrltten,
well-fihned, well-acted
" story that is sure to
brin~ a smile to
anyone’s face..."
and yes, even friendline,ss. This was !lJghly
unusual. Jim and Shaun s friendship~ew,
and they hung out a bit together. Jim
continued suppressing, and just enjoyed
Shaun’s company, basking in the glow of
their friendship.
At one point, they went to a film together.
Shaun sat with legs spread wide,
his leg touching Jim’ s. Wall, all Jim could
focus on throughout the film was the
sensfition of Shaun s leg against his; the
bea~from the other boy’s body flowing
in~d~s, the fact that he was really uncomfortable
due to the fact that certain feelingSwere
rising., feelings he’d been hiding
from everyone, including himself.
0~things w~re rising too, and he had
no!~deahow tohandle this. He wasn’t sure
ifShaun was doing this deliberately or by
accident. In ~_ospect, it had to be on
purpose. Shfiuns leg never left contact
wi~Jim’s tmtil the film was over. Jim
wasi:terrified.~Did he dare move, and cut
off~ie contact which he really so desperatdy
Wanted?Or should he re~pond?Was
thi~ ~test? Surely Shaun was aware of the
comments and teasing; he’d seen it happen,
To this day, Jim has no memory of
that film or what it was. Just the sensation
of Shaun’s leg and the accompanying
delight/fear.
Jim’s fervent yet deeply hidden desire
was for Shaun and he to bein love. Yet, of
course this could never be. Shaun was
straight-Jim thought. Andhe was ever so
aware of the fragility of friendship- he’d
~aot had many, ai~d would do nothing to
jeopardize this one.
One time, Shaun asked Jim to join he
and some friends for a swim. When Jim
got to Shaun’s house, he discovere~...that
the friends.~were other members of the
football team - the ones who so delighted
inmakinglife aliving hell for Jim. "Well",
he thought,"This should be ablast. NOT!"
To his surprise, they all got along. Jim did
feel incredibly out of place and utterly
self-conscious the whole time they were
around. Had to be careful not to slip up
and steal a glance at the wrong moment,
not that he could see anything without his
coke-bottle glasses anyway.
During the swim day, Shann told an
interesting story: He had entered a bar on
a certain street in. Arlington, Texas, and
thought it was a real cool place - until he
began to notice all the other patrons were
men - and looking at him. Then he left in
a hurry. You can imagine
thecomments this brought
on from the jocksters. It
was all Jim could do not to
ask WHERE. In fact,
Jim did devote a considerable
amount of time to
thoughts onhow to get the
desired information without
giving myself away,
but never could figure out
a foolproofmethod. Some
years later, Jim did go in
search of the aforementioned
place - and discovered
it was in a shopping
center with no sign age or
indications of any sort that
there was anything in the
shopping center. You had
to know where and what it
was to get there and find
the place. Interesting...
Later that day, Shaun
and I found ourselves
alone in his parent’s house. He excused
himself to take a shower, and was in there
along time. A really long time. Jim began
to wonder if he should just go home,
Shaun was in there so long. Then, out he
popped, completely nude - and Jim with
no glasses on! (He was near blind without
them.) It took a lot of control not to look
down, whichhe recalls doing anyway, for
a split second. Shaun probably caught it.
He paused, saying, "Sorry, forgot to take
my clothes i.n with me." Then went into
his room. Jim was nonplused. Here Shaun
is, withakidheknew was teased for being
Gay, exposing himself.
He spent along time inhis room, too,by
the way Jimwas certain this was all atest,
and the slightest wrong move would end
the friendship - after all, Shaun was a
good Southern Baptist boy, going to a
church that literally preached coercion to
get new members.
Yes, Jim knows better now. There were
signals being sent, Jimjust misinterpreted
them. Jim wished he hadn’t, even though
that would have ted to heartbreak. Jim
really was in love with Shaun. Last Jim
heard, Shaun was married, with kids. Sad
thing is, that all Jim had to go on were
negative images of Gayness. That’s all
that was out there in the world then. There
was no "Will and Grace", no positive
movie role models. And All he knew was
that one wrong step could end a friendship,
Or even get him beaten - or, in one
case he read about, killed.
Whichleads me to aDVD review:_"Get
Real". The story is pretty much the same
as above, withnerdy schoNboyfallingfor
upperclassmanjock. Except in the case of
"Get Real", the relationship is consummated
when schoolboy finds out that the
jockster is indeed, homoerotically inclined.
Of course, Mr. Jock is severely
suppressing, and holding on to his straight
identity with every’ fiber of his being. The
film played Tulsa for about a week in ’96
or ’97. I’m sure not everyone got to see it,
so I won’t spoil the ending. Let’s just say
schoolboy .comes out publicly and discovers
his inner strength. He’s accompanied
by a female friend, who remindedme
ofmyfriend Karin, who is now a Lesbian!
More on that later, see Amuse, p. 9
GILCREASE MUSEUM
April 29, May 5 & 7, 2000
Call 587-4811
Church of the Restoration
Unitarian Universalist
11 am, Sunday, 1314 North Greenwood, 587-1314
EUREKASPRINGS DIVERSITYCELEBRATION
-Friday, April 7
- 8:30pm to 12:30am,Dancing in the Ozark Room at the Basin Park Hotel (12 Spring
Street) with DJ Jon Caswell. Sponsored by theMCC of the Living Spring. Cover: $5 per
person. Cash Bar. Must be 21.
- 9pm to 12:30am, Karaoke at Shaw’s Tavern (37 Spring Street)
- 10pm to 2am, Breakfast at thenew Eureka House of Blues (in the basement of the x’~ :w
Orleans hotel at 63 Spring Street) or,
- 1 lpm to 2am, Breakfast at the Eureka Food Court (37 Spring Street)
Saturday, April 8
10am to Noon, Canoe float on the White River. $25 per canoe. Singles welcome- r
reservations and info, call theBeaver Dam Store at 501-253-6154.
10:30am. to Noon, Learn a littl6 of Eureka S prings’ history on a guided walking to,
the Historic District. Meet at Sweet Spnngs next to Rogue’s Manor on upper !:
Street. For further information, call 501-253-0070 or e-mail walking@nwaft.com.
- Noon to 3:30pm "Go Fly a Kite!" Weather permitting, bring your kites and your
cameras.at the beautiful Pond Mountain Lodge and Resort (two miles south on HighWay
23). For more information, contact Judy Jones at 800-583-8043.
- lpm to 2:30pro Head out to Lake Leatherwood Park (off Highway 62 West) for an
informative, guided trail hike. Get there a few minutes early and bring some water; some
walking sticks will be provided. You can also hike on your own on one of
the various trails in Eureka Springs’ "City Park". To obtain a trail map or
for further information about the park, please e-mail lthrwood@ipa.net. For
further information about the hike, call Steve at 501-253-9380 or 9384 or
e-mail gands@ipa.net.
- Please visit the unique shops and restaurants in the Eureka Springs
Diversity Cooperative. Let them know you’re here for Diversity Weekend!
- 3:30pm to 9pm,Check outThe Holein the Wall (191/2 Spring Street) forKaraokewith
Lita! Lunch and dinner will also be served. For further information, call
501-253-8361.
- 9pm to lain; Dance to the high,energy club ttmes of DJ Jon Caswdl at Center Stage
(37 Spring Street). Must be 21. Cover: $5 per person. Sponsored by The Emerald
Rainbow, Mark E. Cook Properties and Center Street Bar & Grill.
- 9pmto 12:30am, Belt out your favorite tunes as Shaw’s Tavern (37 Spring Street) once
again hosts a Karaoke night for "family" and friends.
- 10pm to 2am, Brealffast at thenew Eureka House of Blues (in the basement of the New
Orleans hotel at 63 Spring Street) or,
- 1 lpm to 2am, Breakfast at the Eureka Food Court (37 Spring Street)
Sunday, April 9
- 2pm to 6pm, Join us again at Center Stage (37 Spring Street) for a tea dance and drag
show, with performances by the "girls from Tulsa" and music by DJ Jon
Caswell. Must be 21. Cover: $5 per person. Sponsored by The Emerald
Rainbow, Ermilio’s Restaurant and Center Street Bar & Grill.
- 7pm, MCC of the Living Spring (17 Elk Street) will hold a service. Call
501-253-9337 for information. All are welcome!
For a listing of businesses supporting this and similar events, check out
the Eureka Springs Diversity Cooperative website at www.shimaka.coln/eureka/diversity
or drop by The Emerald Rainbow at 45 1/2 Spring Street for a printed copy.
Oklahoma Repertory Theatre Opens
TULS A-Theatreleaders from twoTulsa : and the Boys" by So. African playwright
organizations, Tulsa Repertory Theatre
and Wayward Theatre Co. have joined
together to create the Oklahoma Repertory
Theatre (also known as OK REP).
Catherine Adkins, Skip suraci. Christopher
Ferguson-Long and Nathan Huntley
will serve as executive artistic director,
advisor, associate founding artistic director
and associate artistic director, respectively.
OKREP,like the companies out of
which it grows is committed to "unique,
professional theatre, children’s theatre,
arts in education and community outreach."
OK REP will open its season with the
Pulitzer Prize winning, "Master Harold
The film translates well to DVD, maintaining
the widescreen image, and with
excellent rarity. Sadly, there’s no extra
features so prevalent now in DVD releases,
such as director’s commentary,
behind the scenes documentaries, etc. It
would have been .nice to have the actor’s
recollections of the making of the film
and the affect it had on them. However,
that does not detract from the fact it’s a
well-written film with an excellent.cast
and beautiful cinematography. The only
thing that bothered one of my friends at
the .initial showing was that jock boy
Athol Fugard. The production will mn
May 11-14 and May 18-20 at Tulsa’s
Performing Arts Center Liddy Doenges
~[]aeatre at 8pm and Sundays at 2pro, and
is supported in part by grants from the
Oklahoma Arts Council and the Tulsa
Performing Arts Center Tn~st.
The play, directed by Nathan Huntley,
is that of a young man growing up and
growxng aware in 1950’s South Africa
apartheid. Tulsa actors Greg Herman, Bill
Thomas and Christopher Ferguson-Long
perform the roles. Tickets are available at
the PAC box office, 596-7111, for $12/
adults and $9/students/seniors. For more
information, call OK REP at 592-6310.
seems to come from a well-heeled family,
yet has a working class accent. I noticed
after he pointed it out, but that did not
detract from the otherwise excellent performanees
given by Ben Silverstone as
the cuteschoolboy Steven Carter, Charlotte
Britain as his friend who faints on
command, and the hunky Brad Gorton as
thejock upon anyone Wouldbe daft not to
develop a crush. Available from Wolfe
Video (www.wolfevideo.com).
Along the same lines, sort of... well,
not really, but there’s a well-done scene
that exemplifies the kind of dynamic I
wrote of regarding seeing that tmnamed
film with Shaun, is "Billy’s Hollywood
Screen Kiss." see Amuse, p. 11
by Tom Neal, editor & publisher
Some Oklahomapolitical observers have noted that the
one good thing for this state about a win by Republican
presidential candidate, George W. Bush, is that we’d get
to send the Honorable Frank Keating, Governor of Oklahoma
packing back off to DC, though others have said
Oklahoma’.s gain might be to the nation’s detriment.
"... ff it were not enough to invoke
this bigoted image ofGay people
-preying on the young, he
foflowed it with a comment about
how Gay people are among the
wealthiest Amerleans. I had
to wonder if next he’d betalklng
about how ’all Black people
have rhythm’ or ’the international
Jewish banking eonsplraey.’..."
This February, t took my’father to lunch at the Press
Club to see Keating do his song and dance. I imagine that
Keating expected a rather friendly reception- these days
the Press Club membership hardly includesany reporters
but rather mostly public relations types - good enough
people but hardly known for hard hitting .journalism.
They’re there to put a nice spin on tttings, not to get at the
truth, typically. Andyou can count on The Tulsa Worldto
report only selectively on comments made there.
Then there was Dad and me sitting right up front. And
dear Mr. "I am not descended from a Baboon" Keating*
likely did not know what he was in for. Mr. Keating
waxed eloquently about how ifwe only re-made government
to be like"’business," and not just coincidentally
turned it all over to the Republiczins, all would be great
with our state. I could nothave a~kedfor a better setup for
my question to the Governor since in Oklahoma, it’s
business leading the way in treating Lesbian and Gay
citizens, well, like equal citizens.
The question put to the Gov. was this: Oklahoma’s
leading businesses,American Airlines, the state’ s largest
private employer, K.imberly-Clark, Dollar-Thrifty Auto
Group whose CEO, Joseph Cappy was just appointed to
the State Board of Regents for Higher Education, all of
these corporations promise not to discriminate on sexual
orientation. Since "business" shows us the way, Keating
* ina recent controversy about teaching evolution in
public schools, Keating claimed he was not descended
from a baboon. The Tulsa World contested that claim.
Operat=on Montreal,. To ¯
was asked why state government was not following their
lead.
Frank’s answer was an embarrassment to the state of
Oklahoma. He said there was not a public consensus to
support treating all people fairly and had he stopped at
this, I could hardly have argued withhim.
But he went on to invoke the most shameful of stereotypes,
saying that the state government of Oklahoma
could not promise to treat Gay and Lesbian Oklahomans
fairly because "a homosexual schoolteacher might try to
’promote’ his ’lifestyle’ to elementary school students
and then the state could not discipline the teacher..."
Andif it were not enough to invoke this bigoted image
of Gay people preying on the young, he followed it with
acomment abouthow Gay people are among the wealthiest
Americans. I had to wonder if next he’d be talking
about how "all Black people have rhythm" and "the
international Jewish banking conspiracy."
I did have the opportunity to say.his allegation about
Gay "wealth" was false but not to question his premises
about promising to treat public employees fairly.
And this, of course, ignores the fact that it is almost
unimaginable that any Gay teacher would engage in
inappropriate discussions - they’re all too scared because
: they know they’ll be harassed or fired in any school
district in the state. Any inappropriate conversation by a
¯ teacher with students, whether heterosexual or homo-
" sexual, already has avenues for remedy.
I agree with Keating, Oklahoma can learn from the
: example of "business." First and foremost, Frank needs
¯ to figure out that discrimination is bad for business and
¯ badforOklahoma. "Business" has figured this out. Ameri-
" can and Dollar-Thrifty don’t go beyond the minimum
¯ federallaw r.eqmresjust because they regreatfolks. Th y
¯¯ do it because they can’t afford to lose good workers and
¯ some of those good workers ar’-e Gay.
It really shouldn’t be that hardfor Frank Keating. All
¯ he needs to do is to reframe the questionin terms to which
¯ he can relate: shall we not include Catholics in our non-
- discnmmattonlawsbecausewecouldn tfiretbemlfthey
mdocmnated our children with the Cathohclifestyle m
schools? Keating shouldknow that itwash’ t thatlong ago
: that precisely those stereotypes were common in thisstate.
After all, Keating claims to be a Christian. And as
: such, he is commanded to "treat others as he would be
¯ treated." That?s pretty straightforward. I’d bet even a
¯ "lower" primate, maybe even a baboonmight be able to ¯
figure that out. The question is can our governor?
by Dave Fleischer
Senior Fellow, Policy Institute
National Gay andLesbian Task Force
Have you ever met ahomophobe? Of course you have,
which is why you might not immediately be eager to
campaign door-to-door using the "G" word when we
need to win an election.
You might be thinking: Holy Roller, don’t a lot of
people go into rant mode the minute we say the Word
"Gay?’"
Actually, they don’t. Everywhere I’ve gone door-todoor
with teams of volunteers,-
once we explain in
plalnlanguage the issue voters
will be facing, the overwhelming
majority are on
.our side. Most of the rest are
undecided. This has been
true in Anchorage, Houston,
and Fayetteville, Arkansas;
in San Francisco, suburban
Westchester County,.in Miami
(nope, not just in South
Beach) and in both Democratic
and Republican parts
of Spokane, Washington. And that’s just the places in
1998-and 1999 that we’ve gone door-to-door in.
Sure, we start in neighborhoods wherewe believe we’ll
find many supporters. But even when we broaden to a
- diverse set of neighborhoods, 60 to 90% of the time,
voters are surprised to learn that the basic rights, of Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered (GLBT) people
are under attack.
"... I don’t want to tell you about
my%exllfe - but ff I’m doing
a job at my job,
should my boss be able to fire me
just because I’m Gay?"
[long pause, she says uncertainly]
"I’ve never thought about that..."
"Well, I’m Gay, and this may surprise youbut it wasn’t
a choice for me. And if I’m doing a goodjob at work, do
you think my boss should be. able to fire mejust because
I’m Gay?"
"I don’t want to hear about your sex life."
"I don’t want to tell you about my sex life--but if I’m ~
doing a goodjob atmyjob, shouldmy boss be able to fire
me just because I’m Gay?"
. [Long pause]
[She says uncertainly] "I’ve never thought about that."
"Well, that’s what you’ll, be voting on. Here’s the wording
that will be on the ballot.
Takealookatit. [Pausewhile
she reads] What do you
think?"
I didn’t make this voter a
supporter. But I did move
her from leaning against us
to someone who might be
undecided. Theconversation
took abouttwominutes. Then
I was on to the next door.
If we’ve trained our-volunteer
team well, we communicate
our key message
within the limits of the voter’s attention span. Then we
ask what they think. And they tell us.
Soinetimes their answer isn’t easy to hear (I didn’t love
Ms. Informed’s ?Gays can change"). Butifwe listen with
genuine interest, and offer a clear, honest exchange, they
return the favor. We usually-leave the door either knowing
we’ve found someone leaning toward us, or someone
who is now open to hearing more.
A...J--~"~’~A~.~,~’A,,’~ (;.... ~Vhenthe~ydo, they say somethinglike. OfcourseI Benefit uur= i i i i i i~i~..,,..; :=~-agai~i’s’t--d~sc~aination, against anybody. I like/don’t care
Localentrepreneurandmouth-about-townactivistNed about/dort’flike Gay people, but discriminationis always
Bruha will present "Operation Montreal" at The Silver
Star, 1565 So. Sheridan, at 10pm on Friday May 5th.
Brnha notes, "’this night of rare comedy and mad-cap
entertainment will aid Audra MarieSommers, an individual
among us who has selflessly impleme.nted her
.talents to l~tter the Tulsa areafor the past decade,,She has
raised money for the poor and the sick." ,
Themoney raised the evening of thi~ event wiR,be ~used
to help Payfor medications, travel and down-time trom
both of lie) jobs for the transgendered Sommers as she
recoups from surgery which will bring her physiology
into correspondence with her gender identity.
This event is called Operation Montreal because after
many years of research, Sommers has chosen worldrenowned
surgeons in Montreal. Any funds raised will
not be used for the surgery. Sommers has underwrittem
the surgery by taking a mortgage on her home.
For more information about this event, call 585-1644,
or write, "Operation Montreal" c/o Ned Bruha, P.O. Box
471282, Tulsa, OK. 74147-1282, or send e-mail to
partygram@webzone.net
wrong."
So the experience of going door-to-door is enormously
encouraging. It’s both productive for the campaign, and
also personally affirming.
This doesn’t mean that every voter is immediately
happy to see us. But as a reality check, here’s the toughest
door I’ve had so far.
Scene: a sweaty August ’98 morning in Fayetteville,
Arkansas; a white senior answers the door
..’...’.Hi, Ms. Informed?" Yes
"Hi, Ms..Informed, my name is Dave Fleischer, and
I’m with the Campaign for Human Dignity. A human
rights resolution is on the ballot - it says that here in
Fayetteville we won’t tolerate discrimination on thejob,
whether you’re a man or women, black or white, Gay or
non-Gay. What do you think about that?"
"Well, I think that if Gay people would just go to
church, they would realize it’s a choice, they don’t have
to be that way". [She went on in this vein for a minute. I
listened.]
Nobody says this work is easy. But, contrary to our
worst fears, it isn’t confrontational. It’s more like the
ordinary experience of one tiuman being talking to another
human being.
And there’s an unexpected personal benefit. If we reopen
our hearts, we are liberatedfrom a piece of internalized
self-hate and our own stereotypical thinking about
the public. It turns out that most of them are human, too
- and more open than we give them credit for being.
Most importantly, voteridentification works. SAVE
Dade in Miami has built a list of.more than 15,000 Gay -
and pro-Gay voters by having dbnversations just like
these, by going door~to-door and by talking to voters
when.they go to vote. Basic Rights Oregon beat back their
last two state-wide anti-Gay ballot measures by doing
voter idenlification on a large scale, and has a list of
125,000 voters statewide.
Sure there are closed-minded homophobes out there.
But they are far fewer and less grumpy than you’d guess
-a mere needle in a Gaystack. If we’re going to win
elections, we need to talk with everyone to find our
supporters. Factis, voters are ready tolistentous,ifwe’re
willing to listen to them. Are we?
Meet Local
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The number of Gays and Lesbians in
the United States is not known because of
largely unreliable studies. Advocacy
groups often claim 10% of the population
is homosexual, basedon surveys ofsexual
behavior conducted by researcher Alfred
Kinsey taken in the 1940s. Other surveys
put the number between 4% and 6%.
Amore direct census question concerning
sexual orientation isn’t likely by the
lime the2010 census roils around. Itwould
take afederal legislation to require collection
of the data. And, advocates say, it’s a
tricky ’question. "Is sexual orientation
defined by feelings of attraction, exclusivity
or praetors?’" Norfllrop asked.
Best known for launching the career of
"Willand Grace’ s" "Jack", Sean P. Hayes,
that’s about the best thing about this film.
It’s got some good moments, but never
quite congeals into a satisfying film. Brad
Rowe, Meredith Scott Lynn, and Hayes
mmin good performances, but the rest of
the cast falls flat, as do many of the jokes.
Hayes stars as Billy, a starving artist photographer
who is the other man in an
unsatisfying relationship he settles for
because (as he. tells everyone repeatedly
in this film until youjust wantto slap him)
he CAN’T FIND A MAN.
He stumbles upon Gabriel (the immensely
appealing Brad Rowe), and instantdysfunctional
crushdevelops, in spite
of the fact (?) that Gabriel is straight.
Hilarity ensues (yawn). There’s the prerequisite
drag queen comicrelief trio, that
should never have .entered this film, because
they are rather pointless to.the plot,
content, and are really so bad they detract
from the film..Obvibusly, theyare ~aeant
to be bad, but all the ~vay t~ough the
opening.sequence~ and at se{~eral points
~(way too many) through the film, they
-..seem to just be inserted for no reason. If
they were doing something that was
plot~orthyand actually funny, itmight be
a good thing. They’re not, and basically
just fill time when the director can’t pull
his head out long enoughto actually make
a film.
This DVD comes with a commentary,
and even that - usually a high point and
asset - is utterly boring. Yes, Sean’s a
wonderful actor -now. OK, Brad was
uncomfortable with thefilm and part starting
out. (Why is never detailed, and that
was what might have been actually interesting.)
OK yes, there are lots ofhomages
to old films, most of which are obvious,
especially with the dream/musical sequences.
Overall, Billy’s a fine addition
to an avid collector ofGay film, for archival
purposes. It’s amusing once through.
But it’s a definite rental, not a keeper.
Also available from Wolfe Video.
An excellent film to have on DVD for
repeated viewings and the extras, is"Gods
and Monsters." It is a most moving and
affecting film, and the disc has lots of
goodies, along with a commentary that
actually IS interesting, adocumentary with
Clive Barker as host, interviews with the
actors, and lots oflovely details. The film,
based on Christopher Brain’s book, is a
look .at what might have happened in the
days leading to James Whale’s mysterious
death.
Whale, the director best known for the
films "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein"
in the ’30’s, was found floating
¯ in his pool fully clothed. No answers ever
¯ came out of the investigation. Sir Inn
¯
McKellan, in abravuraperformance, plays
~ Whale, the absolutely dynamic Lynn
¯¯ Redgrave plays his housekeeper and
caregiver Hannah, and the absolutely brilliantandbreathtakingly
gorgeous Br~ndan
Fraser plays a yard man that Whale be-
" friends.
: This didplay the major theatres,butjust
¯ in case, I won’t give away any more of the
." ending than I have. The performances
¯ were all top notch, with nary a misstep.
¯ The cinematography is beautiful, and the ¯
detail in sets, costumes, and styleis dead-
" on.~(No pun intended.) As an. actor, it’s
~ ~really hard.f,0rme to see a film that makes
¯¯ ~m~fo~etI m~watehing~a film. This one
did. I was surprised, as the end credits
¯ were rolling, to find I had tears runmng
: down my face. The film so engrossed me
¯ that Iwasn’t even aware when that began. ¯
It’s an interesting film on many levels,
¯ the most superficial being Whale as dirty
." old man spying on the yard man; and~the
¯ deepest being the comments on aging, ¯
and the families we surround ourselves
¯ with as that happens. The interplay of
¯ straight andGay, andfear. The betrayal of ¯
¯ the body.and time, the interplay between
youth and age, the reasons we make the
¯ choices in life that we do make., all are
." explored on many levels.
¯ It’s definitely worth viewing several
¯
times, if for nothing more than seeing the
¯ details you missed first time around. The
¯ commentary, as opposed to the useless ¯
blathering on Billy’s HSK, is insightful,
¯
informative, and frequentlylamusing.
." There’s enough mix in details of how the
¯ film was made, how attention to details
: was as important as performance, behind
¯ the scenes stories of what went on during
¯ filming, what it was like to deal with this
¯ or that to keep one quite amused.
." ~ And after watching the film go by wlth
" the commentary, especially re~ardihg the
." director’s intentions, it’s kind of a fun
¯ game to play to seehowmuch youpieked
’’up on. ~klso, some historica~ facts_ are
." thrown in, not in a dry, witless manner,
¯ but which augment the viewing Of the
: film. So, for me, it gets a definite. BUY
¯ THIS! Even if you only get the video
~ version (which may or may not have the
documentary), it’s worth it. Available at
; Wolfe Video.
"Broadway Damage" is another little
sleeper, low budget movie that is actually
quite wonderful. A romantic comedy that
actually is, as~ opposed to Billy, it stars
some very talented unknowns in a film
that is well written and leaves you feeling
good. "Nerdy Guy’~ and "Beautiful Boy"
in New York looking for"Mr. RightY BB
is always finding people bad for him, and
pursues one that is really bad news. NB is
seeking Mr Right and has a crush on BB
Enter BB’s roommate Quirk~y~rl. QG is
trying to make it inNYCon hiSrtwn, even
though daddy’s rich. He wants her to get
a job, something she’s never had to do.
She and the boys form a fun trio, and have
merry adventures in NYC.
The film is a good old-’fashioned romantic
comedy, kind oflike the old screwballs
comedies of the 30’s upon which it is
patterned. The ending’s predictable, but
the g~tting there is fun, as with most
journeys. Even if you know where you’re
going,, the trip is never the same twice,
right? It’s a well-written, well-filmed,
well-acted story that is sure to bring a
smile to anyone’s face. It should have
received wider release w~h,en it played the
film houses, but is a gem I m sharing with
you. Yep, available at Wolfe Video on
VHS and DVD.
presents
.... an eclectic mix of choral literature ranging from Baroque to Broadway,
from pop classics of the ’50s and ’60s to a bawdy sea chantey
an~J.an American Folk song featuring the Green Country Cloggers.
,Friday and Saturday, April 7 & 8, 2000 at 8pm
Williams Theatre, Tulsa Performing Arts Center
(reception following)
Tickets: PAC box office, 596-7111 in Tulsa,
1-800-364-7111 or online at www.tulsapac.com
COUNCIL oak a fellowship of gay men dedicated to musical excellence in
the performance of choral literature, providing a source of
pride, unity, and support, while presenting a positive image
for ourselves, our community, and society as a whole.
FOR MORE INFORMATION about the COUNCIL oak meN~S c~or~aLe and its parent organization,
the non-profit Vocal Pride Foundation, visit our award-winning website at www.eouneiloak.org.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
newspaper
periodical
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
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[2000] Tulsa Family News, April 2000; Volume 7, Issue 4
Subject
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Politics, education, and social conversation toward Tulsa’s Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual communities.
Description
An account of the resource
Tulsa Family News was a monthly newspaper; No. 1 issued December 1993-January 1994. The final issue available was published in September 0f 2001 (Volume 8, Issue 9).
The newspaper brings up important, evolving topics of marriage, Pride, TOHR, HIV/AIDs, events, advice, and politics all at the local and national level.
This document is available in searchable PDF attached. It is also available to be seen at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center with permission.
Creator
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Tulsa Family News
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/24
Publisher
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Tom Neal
Date
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April 2000
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James Christjohn
Barry Hensley
J.P. Legranbouche
Lamont Lindstrom
Esther Rothblum
Mary Schepers
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Tom Neal/Tulsa Family News
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Tulsa Family News, March 2000; Volume 7, Issue 3
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English
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newspaper
periodical
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Tulsa(Oklahoma)---newspaper
Tulsa---Oklahoma
Oklahoma---Tulsa
United States Oklahoma Tulsa
United States of America (50 states)
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https://history.okeq.org/items/show/599
"Operation Montreal"
2000
adoption
AIDS
AIDS Quilt
aMUSEments
arts and entertainment
Audra Sommers
Bars
Blood Donation
businesses
Census
Christian Coalition
churches
civil unions
Council Oak Men's Chorale
Diversity celebration
Dr. Grethe Cammermeyer
Dr. Laura
Gay marriage
Gay Studies
Greg Louganis
Harmonic Diversity
hate crime bill
HIV
holocaust
homophobia
Human Rights Campaign
Jim Christjohn
Karin Gregory
Lamont Lindstrom
Liberation Publications
Living ArtSpace
marriage equality
military inclusion
NAMES Project
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
OK Spoke Club
Partner Benefits
performing arts
PlanetOut Inc
Pride
Raging Lesbian
Read All About It
restaurants
Soulforce
Texas Lesbian Conference
Tom Neal
Tulsa Family News
Tulsa Repertory Theatre
-
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[Sub-Series] Newsletters & Publications > Tom Neal Newsletters > Tulsa Family News
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Bishop.Spong Retires
TEANECK, N.J. (AP) - Bishop John Spong, an
outspoken supporter of the ordination of Gays and
women, and blessings of same-sex unions in the
Episcopal church, retired in January as head of the
Diocese of Newark. Spong, 68, celebrated one of his
final services as bishop at the Glenpointe Marriott
ballroom before hundreds of guests. His successor will
be John Croneberger.
Since his elevation to bishop in 1976, Spong has
raised eyebrows and blood pressures for his beliefs_
ranging from women becoming priests to supporting
same-sex marriages to the ordination of openly Gay
ministers. ButSpong, a native of Charlotte, N.C. who
speaks with the slightest ac~ut, left the diocese with
few words of controversy. "It’sjust the next stage ofmy
life," said Spong. .’,.
"Basically, I’ve been a bishop, but also an author and
lecturer," he said. "But in all ofmy ordained life, it was
participating in movements of people who’ve been
diminished in society, like people of color and Gays,
that the church has diminished where I’ve worked."
Among those present at Friday’s 126th annual
convention of the Diocese of Newark were the Rev.
Richard HollowayofEdinburgh; ~.-~- - See Spong~.p.lO
Southwest Air Adds, Non-
Discrimination Policies
DALLAS - Southwest Airlines has amended its nondiscrimination
and anti-harassment policies to include
sexual orientation, according to Chief Executive Herb
Kelleher.
The move, announced Jan. 24, came after a spate of
alleged anti-Gay harassment at the airline, which led
some Southwest employees to raise safety concerns.
The tensions boiled over when Southwest Airlines’
Pilots’ Associationpublished ahomophobicletterfrom
one of its members in its December newsletter.
The letter, by Capt. Gary S. Ward, urged Kelleher to
reject calls for the airline to provide domestic partner
benefits saying, ’Will therebeaneedto hireadepartment
to check on who is shackin..e, t~p with whom?" The
newsletterinstructedpilots to write theirownlettersand
deliverthemto their SWAPArepresentativefordeftvcry
to Kelleher.
Dean Hervochon, vice president of the Transport
Workers Union Local 556 representing Southwest’s
flight attendants, said the publication "institutionalized
homophobia" and created a hostile work environment
that "could jeopardize the safety of all persons on the
aircraft." "If the front doesn’t talk to the back of the
airplane, you’ve got a problem," Hervochon told
WorkAlert.
Kelleher and leaders of sWAPA and TWU met Jan.
17 to discuss how to respond.TWUrepresentatives also
pressed Kelleher to add sexual orientation to the antiharassment
andnon-discriminationpolicies. Meanwhile,
the vice presidents for flight operations and in-flight
services along with SWAPA and TWU officials sent a
letter Jan. 20 to flight attendants and pilots attempting to
defusethe situation. Howcver, Gayemployees criticized
the letter as inadequate and for using objectionable
language, such as "lifestyle choices."
Then Kelleher announced the change in company
policy in a letter to all Southwest Airlines employees.
"Forsomeyears, I have explidfly declined toamendour
anti-harassment and see SWAir, p. 10
" Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual + Transgendered Tulsans, Our Families .+ Friends
Tulsa’s Largest Circulation CommunityP~perA~vailable In More Than 75. City Locations
!Teachers Credit Union: No
:-Loan for Lesbians as Couple
: Credit Union AskedAuto Dealer If They Were Gay
¯ TULSA- WhenTheresaandJoanWrightwenttoTulsaTeachers
" Credit Union, they just wanted a car loan. The women are
: expecting their second child and had found a van.at a local auto
: collection. And since they have shared checking and savings
accounts at Tulsa Teachers Credit Union, and good credit, they
: naturally went there, expecting that getting a loan would be
: relafivd~ painless. "
.i.~ ~Wlmt they experienced they say, however, was hurtful and
~; dUenmioenan(riInTgC. U,A)c, cnoortdoinnlgytroeftuhseedWtoriegvhatlsu,aTteutlhsaemTeaascahceoruspCler,eid.ei.t
: basing alOan!on their combined income but someone from the
: creditunion evencalled theauto dealershipaskingifthedealership
: staff"knew they were Gay?"
¯ And the Wrights characterized the behavior of their loan
officer, Sandy Roth as very rude, particularly about the issue of
: evaluating their joint income for loan purpose. Roth refused to
¯ look at their joint income saying it was because they are not
". married.
In contrast to Tulsa Teachers Credit Union, a loan officer at
i Tulsa Municipal Employees Credit Union stated that they accept
¯ unmarried couples withcombinedhouseholds as loan applicants,
: noting that she’d assisted at least two Lesbian and two Gay
: couples with loans.
¯ Bank of Oklahoma stated that they had not always accepted
: couples whose relationships were not legally recognized but that
: they now do so. And a senior officer at Spirit Bank encouraged
¯ Lesbian.and Gay couples to apply with her bank, noting that
: Spirit Bank would not tolerate anti-Lesbian or Gay bias.
." Theresa Wright noted that Ms. Roth refused even to look her
: in the eye when she went in to sign the loan papers. The Wrights
: noted that the dealership, in contrast to the credit union, was very
¯ nice, and that irwas the manager assisting them in purchasing
¯ their new vehicle, who said, "I’m just going to say something.
: Your bank called and wanted to know the nature of .your
: re!ationship-are they Gay?" Heassuredthemthathis organization
¯¯ welcomed everyone and also had Gay people working for it. Ms. Rpth’s su_l~’visor-at TI’CU, David Snyder refused to
comm~h~ and ref~ed’~ to Chuck Reed, ~ see Credit,p. 10
¯ TulsaPFLAG & TOHRmembersmarchedfor thefirst time in the ¯
Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Parade in January.
TOHR Receives a. $10k Grant
i TULSA-Inmid-December, TulsaOklahomasforHumanRights
¯ (TOHR) received a $10,000 grant from the Colin Higgius
: Foundation. Thegrantis for the Tnlsa Gay Community Services
: Center programming, marketing and development expansion
¯ project. Specific goals of the project include the production and
: distribution of a ommttnity referral guide, the enhancement of
_" Lesbian Connection- a program that encourages increased
: involvementfromthewomenofourcommunity, and anexpanded
¯¯ Pride 2000 Festival.
The marketing and development aspects of the project will
focus on enhanced communication and media inaterial as well as
¯ increased membership and volunteer involvement.
: The Colin Higgins Foundation is based in San Francisco,
: California. Colin Higgins,screenwriter, director and producer,
: established the Foundation in 1986. Mr. Higgins is remembered
¯ for his remarkable human comedies, including Harold and
: Maude, Silverstreak, Foul Play and Nine To Five.
: He created the Foundation in order to further his humanitarian
: goals. OneoftheFoundation’smainprioritiesistoempowerGay
menand Lesbiansby supporting community-based organizations
: that combat homophobia and foster leadership.
: TOHRdirectors indicated thatitis honored to receive thegrant
: and that they have ambitious goals for 2000 and beyond.
New Pastor Leads at
Tulsa’s MCC-United
¯ TULSA - After a number of months with an
¯ interim pastor, Oklahoma’s oldest extant Lesbian
¯ andGayorganization, theMetropolitanCommunity
¯ Church United (MCCU), has a new pastor, the
¯ ReverendCathy l~liott, whojoinedthecongregation
¯ at theend of 1’999.
¯ Elliott,grewupin themidwest, butcame toTulsa
¯ from Florida where she was invoIved with two
: Metropolitan Community Churches in the MCC
Fellowship. However, prior to working in Florida,
¯ she served a Congregation in-Rochester, New York
¯ and some years ago, was associated with the MCC
¯ in Little Rock.
Like many MCC pastors, Elliott came to the
¯ MCC Fellowship through a winding path, having
¯ become more serious about her faith while at
university. There, she joined a church that was
¯ theologically evangelical, but after a fe~v years, as
¯ sheacknowledgedbring Lesbian, she foundherself
¯ becoming involved in an MCC that was about 40
miles away. Anditwas fromthis initial association,
: that her calling to the ministry came.
¯ In a recent interview with TFN, Elliott praised
¯ theworkhernew congregationhaddoneinmerging
¯ the formerly two separate churches, MCC-Greater
¯ Tulsa and Family of Faith MCC. As she and they
¯ havebeguntobecomeacquainled, thecongregation
¯ is looking at how they will grow, spiritually and
otherwise.
¯ Some members of the congregation .have also
¯ become involved in a serious social action
¯ organization, called Soul Force. The group was
¯ founded by MCC pastor and writer, the Reverend
¯ Mel White. White, who once wrote for anti-Gay
¯ evangelical such as Jerry. Falwell, modeled Soul
¯ Force on the theories of non-violent confrontation
" for social .change of Martin Luther King, Jr. and
¯ MahatmaoGhandi.
see Elliott, p. 11.
¯ Marriage Is Civil-Rights
"Issue Says Vermonter
: MONTPELIER,Vt. (AP)-One ofthemostpainful
: things about figuring out he was Gay as a teen-ager
¯ was coming to the realization that he would never
: get married and have a family. Ed Flanagan came
¯ from an Irish-Catholic family, one of five kids,
: "four straight and one Gay," he says. His fatherhad
: an alcohol problem and"the end resnlt was that we
¯ childrenwerevery, very closein terms ofsupporting
: each other to get through that environment." His
: relationships with his brother and three sisters
: "have been very crucial in terms of all of the five of
: us surviving and flourishing," Flanagan said. "It’s
¯ a very strong presence that we all feel with one
: another and a source of important emotional
¯ support."
Trying to find a place within the Gay comrmmity
: ofthe 1960s and ’70s wasn’t easy for someone with
: such strong family ties. "That culture back then did
¯ not accommodate the id_ea,,o,f family," he said in an
interview this past week. In the midst of the Gay
: culture I felt Very alien, for that reason and others."
: Now that culture is changing, it’s "becoming more
¯ family-oriented, and longer-term relationships are
¯" becoming more prevalent," Flanagan said. And
¯ state law appears to be changing, too.
¯ Today, Flanagan sees a future in which getting
married, perhaps even being aparent, may become
: options forhimandotherGaysandLesbians. There
." may be an oasis on the horizon for people who have
¯ wandered much of their lives in an emotional
: desert. And as the first and still only openly Gay
¯ man in the country to hold a statewide elective
: office, Flanagan believes he might be in the right
¯ time- the dawn of a new millennium - and place -
". Vermont - to help bring that future about. ’~l’his is
: the course ofhistory inVermont. Here it is andhere
: I am," he said.
Fromthe windows oftheoffice 6fstate auditorof
: accounts, see Ed, p. 11
Tulaa Cluba & Reataumnta
*Chasers, 4812 E. 33
*CTg’s, 1737S. Memorial
*Full Moon Cafe, 1525 E. 15th
*Gold Coast Coffee House, 3509 S. Peoria
-*The Mix, 2630 E. 15th
712-2324 :
610-5323 :
583-6666.
749-4511 :.
749-1563 ~
*Polo Grill, 2038 Utica Square 744-4280 ¯
*St. Michael’s Alley Restaurant, 3324-L E. 31st- 745-9998
*Silver Star. Saloon, 1565 Sheridan
834-4234
~The Storm, 21,82S, Sheridan
835-2376
*Renegades/iRainbowRoom, 1649 S: Main-
585-3405
.~Tdrl-’ BOX, 1338~13.>3ra ~° : :: : :: :’"~84~ l~3"0g "
~ ~ ’:r ,TUl~a BUsinesses, Services, & Professionals ~:
Advanced WireleSs & PCS, Digital Cellular- .. 74%1508
*Assoc. in Med. &Mental Health, 2325 S.Harvard 743-1000
Kent Balch & Associates, Health& Life Insurance 747-9506
*Barnes &Noble Booksellers, 8620 E. 71
250~5034
*Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 523 1 E. 41
665-4580
Body Piercing by Nicole, 2722 E. 15
. 712=1122.
*Borders Books & Music, 2740 E. 21
712-9955
*Borders Books & Music, 8015 S. Yale -
494-2665
Brookside Jewelry, 4649 S. Peoria
*CD Warehouse, 3807c S. Peoria .
Cherry St Psy_cho~eralff, 1,51~5 S,. Lew*s .581-trot
Community Cleamng, heruy tsager ;,~....., onK-~-~
Tim Daniel, Attorney 33z-~tr*, ~....-~
*Deco to Disco, 3212 E. 15th
*Devena’s Gallery, 13 Brady
749-3620
587-2611
744-5556
838:8503
584-0337, 7i2-9379
592-O460
Doghouse on Brookside, 3311 S. Peoria
*Elite Books & Videos; 821 S. Sheridan
*Ross Edward Salon
Events Unlimited, 507 S. Main
*Floral Design Studio, 3404 S. Peoria
Four Star Import Automotive, 9906 E. 55th PI.
Cathy Fmlong, Ph.D., 1980 Utica Sq. Med. Ctr.
Gay & Lesbian Affordable Daycare
*Gloria Jean’s Gourmet Coffee, 1758 E. 21st
I_eanne M. Gross, Insurance & financial planning
Mark T. Hamby, Attorney
*Sandra J. Hill, MS, Psychotherapy~ 2865 E. Skelly
*International Toms ¯
Jacox Animal Clinic, 2732 E. 151h
*Jared’s Antiques, 1602 E. 15th
David Kauskey, Country Club Barbering
The Keepers, Housekeeping & Gardening
*Ken’s Flowers, 1635 E. 15
Kdly Kirby, CPA, 4021 S. Harvard, #210
*Living ArtSpace, 19 E. Brady
*Midtown Theater, 319 E. 3rd
Mingo Valley Flowers, 9720c E. 31
*Mohawk Music, 6157 E 51 Place
Puppy Pause II, 1060 S. Mingo
*The Pride Store, 1307 E. 38, 2rid floor
Rainbowz on the River B+B,POB 696,74101
Richard’s Carpet Cleaning
744-9595 ¯
610-0880 -
628-3709 :
8O8-8O26
742-1460
459-9349
744-7440
745-1111
341-6866
712-2750
582-3018
747-0236
582-8460
599-8070
747-5466
585-1234
584-3112
663-5934
664-2951
838-7626
743-4297
747-5932
834-0617
Teri Schutt, Rex Realtors
*Scribner’s Bookstore, 1942 Utica Square
Paul Tay, Car Salesman
*Tulsa Comedy Club, 6906 S. Lewis
Venus Salon, 1247 S. Harvard ~
Fred Welch, LCSW, Counsding
*Wherehouse Music, 5150 S. Sheridan
*Whittier News Stand, 1 N. Lewis
834-7921,747-4746
749-6301
260-7829
481-0558
835-5563
743-1733
665-2222
592-0767
Tulsa Agencies, Churches, Schools & Universities
AIDS Walk Tulsa, POB 4337, 74101
579-9593
All Sods Unitarian Chmch~ 2952 S. Peoria
743-2363
Black & White, Inc. POB 14001, Tulsa 74159 "
587-7314’
Bless The Lord at All Times Christian Center, 2207 E. 6
583-7815
*B/L/G/T Alliance, Univ. of Tulsa United Min. Ctr.
583-9780
*Chamber of Commerce Bldg., 616 S. Boston
585-1201
~Chapman Student:Ctr.; University of Tulsa, 5th P1. & Florence
*Church of the Resto~ationUU, 1314N.Greenwood 587-1314
,C.-ommunity ofHopeUnitedMethodist, 2545 S" Yale 747-6300
,CommunityUnitafian-Universalist Congregation
749-0595
Council Oak Men’s Chorale
748-3888
*Delaware Playhouse, 1511 S. Delaware
712-1511
*Democratic Headquarters, 3930 E. 31
742-2457
Dignity/Integrity of Tulsa- Lesbian & Gay Catholics &
Episcopalians, POB 701475, 74170-1475
355-3140
*Fellowship Congre,g. _Church, info" 58%4669
*Free SpiritWomen s Center, cm " 747-6827
Friend For A Friend, POB 52344, 74152
918.583.1248, fax: 583.4615
POB 4140, Tulsa, OK74159
e-mail: TulsaNews@earthlink.net
Publisher + Editor: " "
Tom Neal
Writers + contributors:
James Christjohn, Barry H~nsley, J.-P. Legrandbouche,
Lamont Lindstrom, .Esther Rothblum, Mary Schepers ~..
Member of The Associated Press :
Issued on or before’the 1st~af,cach~m0nth,-the enUre~contents.;
of this publication: ar6 ptrt~t&l?l~tda:~yrightl~~
T~( F~,~ N~~ ~fid may ~6t~ ~q~oducetl’,~ ~:
wholeorin partwithoutwritten~Ssionfromth~publisli&:.
Publication of a name or photo does not indicate a person’s
sexual orientation. Correspondence is, assumed to be. for
publication unless otherwise noted, must be signed& becomes
the sole property of T~J.~~Nc~u÷ ~acli reader
is entitled to 4 copies of each edidon at ,distribution
points. Additional copies are available by calling 583-1248.
" Gay Pro Lifers March On
¯ Onjanuary24,2000,about20members
:of the Pro-Life Alliance of Gays .and
: Leshi.ans. (PLAGAL). did an am.P_y~ng
:,~ at the annual Marcia ior Lit-e protesung
:. the Roe vs. Wade decision on its
i nnniversary despite being .tl~¯cate_n.e.d
.: March told PLAGAL that they~.~uta no_
¯ march, s~n,,c~_, they. ,,w,ere Gay.-Now, if
:. PLAGAL closet’ed themsd~ andjust
....~9A%~e’Righ.t to t~te MarCH, an
oth groups,_w, eaUow t0.ma@be,. hind
~: b:~nners- refl~tingtheir various eiamcnes,
: organizations or states but if.PLAGA~
¯ m~mbers carried its banner, they woma
". be arrested and thrown in jail.
¯¯ This being known at the annual
PLAGALmeefngontheeveofthemarch,
" members decided to risk being arrested.
"_ After all, they reasoned it would be
hypocritical ffPLAGALhid at the March
,FHufiieVndEsRinCUennitteyr,S4o1c3ia8lCOhrags.,.PPaOgBeB85lv4~2a, 174101 - -558832--60641318 .:~ .fhoarrdLtiofebewinhcelnudfoerdoypeearnslytihnepyrifdoeuegvhetnstos
:Tulsa C.A.R:E.S., 3507 E. Admi
834Z4194 : ~-indparadeswithinitsowncommunity.in
Holland Hall School, 5666 E. 81st " 481-1111 ." addition, if PLAGAL bowed to the
HOPE, HIV Outreach, Prevention,.E~_u__ca~on _ 83~8378 : 0ressmesimposedbytheorganizers, they
*House of the Holy Spirit Miustries, 3?~l,0e,,S,~%Nff~rw~oo~ 2437 .. : ~do the Gay ~)mmunity no, g.oqd..
lnt,~fslth IDSMinistries ’ ~..~6-/~-I,DI, OUU-~.~’I-z¢’~, ... By.not marching, they would be
~’l~"~mA’ted,i623 N, Maplewood - .: g ~8-~~ ~
ac~nowiedging that is was fight t~o hate
I~AMES Project,3507 E. Ad_mi,ml_ ~PI,: ..... ~, ~,~a~_~.~ ¯ and this would be a backward step.
NOW, Nat’lOrg. forWomen~POB lqotas, t,H3y :)to-o,, :. PLAGAL members do not want to be
OK Spokes Club ~cyding), FOB 9i65, 74157 . excluded from the Gay community just
*OSU-Tulsa . "
PFLAG, FOB 52800, 74152
749-4901 -
*Harmed parenthood, 1007 S. Peoria 58%7674 :
Prime-Timers, P.O. Box 52118, 74152
*R.A.I.N., Regional AIDS Interfaith Network
~ 749-4195
*Red Rock Mental.Center, 1724 E. 8
584-2325 ."
.O’RYAN, support group for 18-24 LGBT young adults :
O’RYAN, ~r. support group for 14-17 LGBT youth "
St. Aid,art’s Episcopal Chinch, 4045N. Cincinnati 425-7882
S,, r~,,-~tan’s EniScoval, 5635 E. 71st
492-7140 "
~t.Jer~--~me’s P~arish ~hurch, 205 W. King 582-3088 "
*Tulsa Area United Way, 1430 S. Boulder 583-7171
*TNAAPP (Native American men), Indian Health Care 582-7225
?ulsa County Health Department, 4616 E. 15 595-4105
Confidential HIV Testing - by appt. on Thmsdays only
Tulsa Olda. for HumanRights, c/o The Pride Center 743-4297
T.U.L.S.A. Tulsa Uniform/Leather Seekers Assoc.
298-0827
*Tulsa City Hall, Ground Floor Vestibule
*Tulsa Community College Campuses
*~ulsa Gay Comn;unity Center, 1307 E. 38, 74105 743-4297
Unity Churchof Christianity,3355 S. Jamestown 749-8833
BARTLESVILLE
*Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone 918-337-5353
OKLAHOMA CITY/NORMAN
*Borders Books &Music, 3209NWExpressway 405-848-2667
*Borders Books & Music, 300 Norman Center 405-573-4907
TAHLEQUAH
*Stonewall League, call for information:
918-456-7900
*Tahlequah Unitarian-UniversalistChinch
918-456-7900
*Green Country AIDS Coalition, POB 1570 918-453-9360
NSU School of Optometry, 1001N. Grand
HIVtesting every other Tues. 5:30-8:30, call for dates
EUREKA SPRINGS,~ARKANSAS " -
Autumn Breeze Restamant, Hwy. 23
*Jim & Brent’s Bistro, 173 S. Main
DeVito’s Restamant, 5 Center St.
Emerald Rainbow, 45 &l/2 Spring St.
MCC of the Living Spring
Geek to Go!,~ PC Specialist, FOB 429
Old Jailhouse Lodging, 15 Montgomery
Positive Idea Marketing Plans
Sparky’s, Hwy. 62 East
White Light, 1 Center St.
JOPLIN, MISSOURI
*Spirit of Christ MCC, 2639 E. 32, Ste. U134
501-253-7734 "
501-253-7457 "
501-253-6807 ¯
501-253-5445
501-253-9337
¯
501-253-2776 "
501-253~5332
501-624-6646 ¯
501-253-6001 "
501-253-4074 "
417-623-4696
* is where you can find TFN. Notall are Gay-owned butallare Gay-frlendly.
becameoftheirpro-lifebeliefs andvalues, ~okmewise, they do want to be excluded
the pro-life communityjustbecause
they are Lesbian and Gay. Therefore,
despite the threats, PLAGALappegr,ex]_at
themarch,andwhenthepolicebamcaneu
. them. PLAGAL .members maneuvered.
around the police and entered the parade
further up the street marching under their
banner with the word "censored" taped
across so everyone would know what the
vords were underneath. Their decision to
ignorethearrestthreatsfromtheorganizers
was noted in The Washington Post, The
Washington Times, and several others
news publications throughoutthe counlry.
Themajority ofGays and Lesbians may
not share the briefs ofPLAGAL,but the~
shouldbeproud ofthis small group within
its community. PLAGAL’s presence was
a step toward bridging the gap between
those individuals and the Gay community
as a whole.
At the end of the march, members of
FemtmstforLife , Colleg~ates for Life ,
Catholic priests and bishops, and others
from all walks of life and religions
congratulated and thanked PLAGAL.
see Letters, p.8
An nouncements Policy
Tulsa Family News will provide space
for holy union ceremony, marriage
ceremony, birth, adoption~ .and death
announcements ona space availablebasis.
Photos are welcome, though we cannot
promise placement o~r ,re~ttEn ~e~, so
please send copies to I utsa ~ amtty ~vews,
POB 4140, Tulsa 74159. ~
¯ ~. Letters Policy :~’
i" Tulk~’Fam@ News welcomes letters
0~ issfi~:,which we’ve covered or~on
issues you think need to be considered.
You may request that your name be withheld
but letters must be signed & have
phonenumbers, or be hand ddivered. 200
word letters are preferred. Letters to other
publications will be re-printed as is
appropriate.
byChristoptterGraff " ~ Solawmakers arefaced withadivision thatis widening
¯ !dONTPF.l.lP.R, Vt,(AP)-DonnaLescoeofStarksb°r° ¯ atatime they are looking for .~...useus~s_;ReP.- T~o~. Little,
: had a simple message for legislators when she testified the chairman of the.HouseJudidary COmm;ttee, ls aman
,,onGaymmriage."Beheroes~" ~ who has a keen ability to fmd commonground and to
lawmakers tohavethe courage toextendi¯ stitch together=. divisions, He Js -a Repubfican who : the nmrriage laws tOincludeGays¯ and Lesbians. , commandS’.re.speCt.from-b.oth par.fies~:~But he seetmhaend
,r :, -~ ,,,~h, SO simule It is hard to be a hero , frustrated this past. week by the w~demng rather
bv Tom Neal, puoltflg,r & eaztor .... . u ~t ~,~,. ,~ v _:.. ..... ¯ ¯ . ohab y most non-Gry O @Oma : i .".es,the o ti=.rew.lawmakers
they had no Lesbian orGcoa:ynstfl.uents.. wmlesomeoi *_..m°nmemlle’mmma-,em. vm,.~°~-nsare.s°ucmP.".........
_,. mp ..-...~
. " w~’lling to casts: vote that
them aresimply bigots, many of them know that they- . looked _li~..e .anything bu.~....... . ouldbothdrlast.Nomatter
oughtto:~be mpportive of basic.civil fights for Gay "- heroe~ folio.wt~.g a re~,,.m " ’~f’k,, ~-~..!. f~ogn6 lavcmaker~ ~. - l~nw stron~ the evidence that
........ " " " ¯ Ilk UUIIC aaa,o ..~.~ .~--~- .~
~aUzens.’But they are scared that,treating Gay people Tuesday__ mg P, . _ _
¯ ,. " . ¯ " ’, , . " " ¯ " .. " * "
~..,faidy. ..w..a.l.l so, mc,e,nse. othvegr te:rs~.. that they., are=oft.m__:..., _h-.~,g~!tgo~-a.~a-~.t ....... not ea@-. It ~s nothln~ less dmiedthdr dviln~ghts;~t~s
~.~lhdistta~ttishfibt~ fr0in Oldalaoma R~publicans. ,,-~ ~ ~ ....shell’sn,°q~cm-a~Y-~ ~ : ~ ./ !* ..../ ....L .... - t...a f~ra leoislator to cast a
¯will be~ deaded 0n TU~da.y;Match 14th. Some 0f,the " them9bPere:!lapfs noeverr e. o[ Freedomand Unlt-~. firestormot races are dfeetivdy settled (Brady Pringledoes~have a i have .1..~0,l~.!e att_~dyd
Democratic oppon~eatbut in thai~ heavily Republican . a pum~c nearing at me " How to ~ve Gays and Lesbians :polls in November.
district, it likely doesn’t matter), but others ~ar~.. still : Statehouse.Andthenumber
unsettled. " - ~ ¯ ~ " : ¯ would have been thousands
Of particular interestto TulSa’s Lesbian and Gay - moreifasnowstormhadnot
commlmities is Cound! District 4 .for which former ~ kept many away.
.~ Yes, eye.one who spoke
And even if lawmakers
tl~elr ~xlom an~l yet preserve tl~e craft a package extending to
unity at the state~
Gays and Lesbians benefits
such as having a say in the
It is the stm~ heroes are madeo[." medical decisions of, their
incumbent Gary W~tts ischallengingcurrentincumbent parmers;theyknow therewill
Anna Falling. While _.Gay and ~tiian households a~ - wascivil.Butthecivilitydid
foundthroughont thedty~-thisdistri¢t,mosflyMidtown, ; not mask the passion: Or the division. The tremors in " be a vote on the.floor on same-sex marriage - and that
is. easily the most. heavily Gaylone.of the..dt~ For_ ~ people’s voices, a mixture of nerves .and emotion, spoke - tally, no matter what the outcome, will beused in .the fall
examp!e,jnstonornextttlny_v~;shortbloek~thereare " volumes about-the depths of feeling.~ What became " elections. " Following .the hearing it seemed m the
at least six Gay families2 . i-.~~ ~. - ,.. -. :. apparent’at theheming is thatthe two sides are moving : Statehouse timt lawmakers would like to f’md a way to
. One could argue, of course, that- Ms~ Fallingrs very -- fresher aparL - avoidany voteonthis issue this year.Theideaofcreating
nubile lan.qe., in oood iudoment onnon-Gav issues (win ~-" WhentheSupr_em~eC.o.urtissuedi~.~be.r.idec.i.’s.ion :.a special com~!ssio.n .to .craft. a solu~o~n ,~an~d .rgel~O~ht;o~ r..::-:~.,r.:-- ,, < .,r-~-.,. ..... : ~. nsband~s~ -_ sa g Gays and Lesbians are eg.~fled tP the rights,. ". law.n~Kersnex[yearmt~mgatscus.ssa.tmt _P~r.napsua~ her recycling program pu.bfic or private, her h ...... ym ¯ ¯ ¯ - - ...... . o t the
¯ n,mmdfi~oroaniTatlon arml~n~f0~nUbficfundson.which ¯ bendits and protecuons gtvenroamedcouples, e_veryone ¯ ~sjustamo.m~entar~. ,.a.nd, ex.p.ected hesitancy foil w ng
~.~’~l"~.---e7------rr:~--~, r , i . - . ,~ " .t,d--.A ~,~,~teww P,,-a~e and I ~=~h~rt~ ~.q e coul"t -" na~sion80t tile DUDIIC lleallnl~.
¯
.
.snewastovote),areenoughtopersuaaeLesmananatJay - ’-~..’2p~. ""~"*,?." ""~ .’~"..~"~’.’.’-:...l.~a~s.ed the.. .
~_~__,= _r.t.~_.,~,,t,.nm,~tttiiiX~endnnhowthedebateis
_ " ~.F2.-............¯,.;~.l,~.t~.i .r~v.r,~--..,~.t.~.n.f.~..e.-~_e.x. mam__aaoge al80 rimmed ¯ frmned m the comm~_ weeks. Opponents ll,ge me. m. p ,L. arg.en.t a.n.dl.na.ol.e .sul.tra.-e.xtr.em.e.re.ng.to.-po.n.u.co.s,.a.no..-..~,¯ .t.~, b~" ause the court di¯d not stri¯ke down the state,s .¯ are seeki"ng to" portray the Supreme Court deeimon as
her rtosuu[y Io OUr t’I1oe evenls, it s Cl~ar Inat amlost . ,a,.~..j . . . .
. . .
,,~....,,1,1 h~ ~,~tt,~ ¯ mamage laws~ Bishop Kenneth Angell calle~_, the court . some_ra.di.’.ca.l, andug,com.ttm.~fio.na).mo.ye ,F~Ve.nnon.t.ers,
~:................ -
ruling aadecisivevictoryfor.tradifionalmamage."
¯ thoughdtlshardtotmagrnet~meIJusuceJenreyAmestoY, Thatbringsus toGaryWatts. Gary,likesomeOklahoma -
Democrats is not particularly prejudiced. Like those : R seemed at that moment that legislation creating
same Democrats, he’s not shown much leadership, He : dthormouegshti.cBpuatritnnetrhsehmiposnftohrsGinacyestahneddeLceissbioianntshewtowuolds.l~ose~s
and they don’t haleus - theyjust don’.t want to deal with -
our issues. have’ staked out positions worlds aparL
,But sOi~eone"s got to.start, kno@ing that.we’ll lose the
first or five engagements but that.each time our issues,
like a city non-discrimination ordinance, or equal
compensation (full benefits for our familiesas well as
equal wages)for Gay cityemployees, or a city domestic
partners registry, are debated,the public learns. I believe
that-Oklahomans are basically fair and eventually will
respond to a reasoned argument.
And in the meantime, a fair-minded city councilor
could push for administrative changes, like getting the
"diversity" training forourpolice departmentto deal with
more than just race. After all, it’s our city too.
: Bishop An,g,ell recently-condemned domestic
: partnerships as steponetowardfullacceptanceofsame- "
¯ sex marriage" and has evenchallenged ~evalidity ofthe
¯ Supreme C,o.~_~ ruling itseLf, saying ~.his~t.o ,arms,to .
Catholics, q~ere are many sound legm minus WhO .
¯ question the Supreme Court’s authority to even issue "
¯ such mandates to the legislature.’"
: At the same time, Gays and Lesbians are saying a ¯
system of domestic partnerships is insufficient to meet "
the spiritofthe Supreme Courtrtding. Adomesticpartner "
sounds like someone who cleans the house, Jonathan
Radigan told lawmakers.
: amuchbeloved andeminentlyrespectedpersonwhois as
: moderate and generally as cautious as they come, doing
¯ something radical or unconstitutional. It was Amestoy
: who wrote the court rnling.
: Andthe hearingdidmuchtoeducatenotju~tlawmnkers,
but also the public at large. ~Vermont Public Radio did a
great service by broadcasting the hearing statewide.
Vermonters of all political and social back_groun.ds .got a
chance to hear the scripture readings, the pasmon, the
division. They also got to hearfrom the real.people whose
lives will be most affected by the legislative action.
The task facing lawmakers is noteasy. It is nothing less
than living up to the state’s motto of "’Freedom and
Unity." How to giveGays andLesbians theirfreedomand
yet preserve the unity of the state?
It is the stuff heroes are made of.
by Dave Fleischer, Senior Fellow Policy Institute
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
We love coming out - except when we hate it.
Welovereminiscing onand celebrating ourpast acts of
daring. Comingoutishow wediscoveredbothcommunity
and freedom. It’s how we found both love and a life.
But it’s hard to snmmon the energy and courage to
come out 24/7 - to ask, tell, and pursue on a daily basis.
That’s why campaigns sidestep the "G" word. When
we say~ person-to-person, "What do you think ,a,b~,ut tl~."s
anti-Gay ballot measure?", we are also asking, "What do
you think about me? Do you see me as a human being,
although I’m Gay and you probably aren’tT’
’. Most campaigns avoid coming out, way out_ They
rarely engage voters .perso.n-to-person, and of,te~, av~oid
mentioning sexual on~mtataon. Recent research oy ls.en
~eager (himself an openly-~ay candidate for office)
~uggests that57% of candidate’~ who think of themselves
as "openly Gay" don’t actually disclose their sexual
orientation to voters before the election.
Likewise, many campaigns to defeat anti-Gay ballot
measures twist themselves into p~etzels to avoid the
words "Gay", "Lesbian", or that new scare word
(rarely so clearly):
ifax
Thd challengeofbeing outhas turned us inward before.
: Look around our community. Most of our organizations
: are refuges -"safe space"- safe from meaningful
¯ encounters with straight people. We draw 200,000 to a
: pride parade to celebrate, yet only a relative handful to
¯ political campaigns to safeguard our fights.
¯ But relying onrefuges is a risky strategy. It suggests to
: our opponents that the rest of the world is theirs, and it
¯ leaves us vulnerable topolitical attack. Soplease consider
¯ afew specificcoming-outactionsthatbuildourcollective ¯
power and don’t unduly disrupt your everyday life.
¯ 1. Join acampaign where you get to ask voters one-on-
: one, preferably face-to-face, if we can count-on their
¯ votes.
¯
In 2000, California, Miami-Dade County, Florida,
¯ Maine, and possibly Oregon face ballot measures that
¯ affect your rights. If you live in one of these places, join ¯
your local campaign.
¯
If you used to live in one, make a list of everyone you
; know in your old hometown. Dig out your old address
book or high school yearbook. Ask your siblings or
¯
parents to jog your memory. I’ll bet you know at least 50
¯ people you can call. Whea you reach them, explain the
and ask if we can count on
: "Hometown Project", because it builds on the power of
¯ our relationships with family and friends, even when
; we’ve been out of touch.
: If you have never lived in the hot-spots du jour, don’t
¯ feel neglected. Make a list of everyone you know who
¯
does live in one. You must know 20 people. Send them
¯ this colnmn. Follow uponthephone.Weneedevery vote,
¯ and you will help create a new habit of doing the one-on-
" one ask.
~ 2. Host a house party to raise money for one of the
communities under attack. Invite 120 friends and
." acquaintances to your home to hear about this new wave
¯ of ballot measures. Call all 120 personally and ask each
¯ to come. You will bring together 40 people, raise a ¯
minimum of $1000, and f’md at, least six new volunteers.
¯ 3. Get training. If face-to-face voter contact sounds
: intimidating, seek out training, At the¯National Gay &
¯ Lesbian Task Force Creating Change conference ¯
November 10-14, we taught the nuts and bolts, went
¯ door-to-door talking with Oakland voters about the anti-
-¯ Gay-marriage Knight Initiative. In one evening, we will
identified hundreds of our supporters, and educated
undecided, voters.
,. rput up the periscooI~..~::~t~sgreat that our community
- but reality
In some cases, the registry document can provide
further legal proof of a relationship, Roche said. It
could come into play, for exhmple, when a Gay couple
with jointly owned assets separates.
The registry stirred relatively little opposition in
Ashland, where it was approvea by a 4-1 vote of the
City Council, Roche said. Nationally, registries have
spurred voter initiatives and lawsuits. Courts validated
Atlanta’s registry but overturned a registry in
Minneapolis, according to the Lmnbda Legal Defense
and Education Fund. The registries can be designed !o
~PP!~ ~ both Gays and t~f~rosextml~i~,as Seattle s
i~,i[~i~ ~bepurely ;~.~ml~6iic o{’~iV~ sp~i~...d
tl~e-~ ’~ :: ~ :": " ~. -" ’ .~
i .Reform
:Same-Gender Rituals
NEW YORK (AP).=-Two years after they postponed
a contentious showdown over same-sex blessing
rituals, the rabbis ofJudaism"S liberal Reform branch
will face a decision on the issue at this year’s
convention. Leaders of the 200-member Women’s
Rabbinic Network have agreed to force the issue by
submitting a resolution sanctioning such ceremonies
to the Central Conference OfAmerican Rabbis, which
holds-*its national convention, March 26-29 in
Greensboro, North Carolina.
The coqeaders of the women’s network, Rabbis
Shira Stem and Susan-Stone, said the resolution
agreed" to’recently will differ only slightly from a
proposed text the same group published in January.
" That text said: "The relationship of a Jewish, samegender
couple is worthy ofaffirmation through
appropriate Jewish ritual and. :-: .each rabbi should
decide ab0ut-0l’ficiafio-n- a~,Ysfdin-g-t6 hig/her"own
rabbinic conscience." The conference’s top two
officials had signed a January declaration urging all
American tdig~ons to normalize same-sex couples.
And a conference Sexuality study committee in 1998
.. endorSed recognition rituals for such couples.
The women’s net~brk cffes the sexuality
i C~mtifittee’s view that Judaism’s historic opposition
¯ to homosexual behavior no longer applies.
But there is division within Reform rabbinic ranks.
: The conference’s "responsa comnuttee,’,whose
¯¯ rulings guide the practices of Reformrabbis, opposed
thechangeinaT-2decision.Amemberoftheresponsa
committee majority, .Rabbi .:Jeffrey Salkin of Port
Washington,NewYork, saidReformrabbis arealready
free to conduct same-sex rituals if they want. But
Salkin fears that officially approving the practice
would"tearrdati,onships apart" amongReformrabbis,
and hurt Reform s relations ~ith otl~[r branches and
its hopes-.~fot full a-cce~tance.in {g~el?-Whatevet
happens, Salkin said; ~’We:are looking at something
that will ha¢e massive historical iml~pr~ce." ~ "-
¯ Me,mawhile, the Episcopal’Churchig~s to release
a proposal on same-same rituals within a weekortwo
Conventions ofthe Presb~[6ri~m Ch~Ch (U,S.~.) an~
United Methodist Church will also deb~!le the issue
this year. .:. ~- " ~
Gay Club Embraced at
Catholic College
United in
God’s Love
MCC-United
Reverend Cathg.E~liot
Pastor ~)
Sunday Worship
11:00 am
1623 N. Maplewood 918/838~715
~.~,~ ~ "7.-
Community Unitarian Universalist
Congregation
at Community ofHope
2545 South Yale, Sundays at llam, 749-0595
A Welcoming Congregation
HOUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Sun. Worship, 10:45 am, Sunday School, 9:30 am
.................. Wgd_._Bible- Study, ~7 pm
3210b S. Norwood, Info: 224-4754, Chris or Sharon
Sandra Hill M.s.
Licensed Professional & National Certified
Counselor, Certified Hypnotherapist
Psychotherapy & Clinical Consultation
After Hours Appointments Available
2865 E. Skelly DriSe, Suite 215,745-1111
Red Rock Tulsa- O’RYAN
Oklahoma Rainbow Y0hng Adult Network i~’
Outreach Prografn Thurs: Nights
Meet Others in a Safe Enviroment ~. .:
Call for.mee.ting tinies ~ind place: ~
918-584:2325
Mingo Valley Flowers
II
Court UpholdsPortl and
Civil Rights Ordinance
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Gay rights advocates have won
a round as the Oregon Court of Appeals upheld a
Portland ordinance against discrimination based on
sexual orientation. The court, in a 9-1 ruling reversing
a lower court, said the city had the power to give
citizens the right to go to state courts to enforce the
anti-discrimination ordinance.
Even some,of,the appealsjudges in the.majority,
tho~.igtr, ~orried-@ati tl~e~c0~ ~.i,,hav~ V~iatut~d
roofs, toward giving private partigs new..avenues
sUeiffSeateeo.ur~s overlocaHa~sx.The rightto sue-was
tthet~yi~su~-,N~bod~:oIai,m~4ltmt!hecity1aek~ ~he
~weri lx~:iid0pt~:~e-ordinanee.in~t991., that bars
disNNmati~n, i~ eniployment, housing, and public
accommodations.. ,S~te.taws against employment
discrimination don’t include sexual orientation. The
city ordinance also outlaws discrimination based on
sources of income, which is aimed at protecting
welfare recipients.
"This is a great day for civil rights in Oregon,P said
PortlandMayor Vera¯ Katz..Port.land ~.s once.agatn a
leaderin efforts to protecttherights ofall our citizens."
The case decided involved employment. A
MultuomahCounty temporaryjudge, MonteBricker,
~n .1.997 ruled against David Sims, who claimed he
was fired as a cook at Besaw’s Cafe in .Portland
because he is Gay. Owners of the business denied the
accusations and have not made a decision-on whether
to appeal to the oregon Supreme Court.
Bricker said the city couldn’t givepeopleapathway
to state courts to seek enforcement of rights under a
local law. But the appeals court said the city didn’t
exceedits authority, giving Sims the chance to continue
............with hislav~sttitin_which he.~6"nght either damages or
Basic Rights Oregon, a leading Gay civil rights
advocacy organization, also praised the decision.
"We’re very pleased to hear that the court has upheld
employees’ access to fight discrimination at the state
courtle el, : stud spokeswoman Maura Roche.
More than one appealsjudge hadmixed feelingson
thecase, which had been before the~cottrt since fall of
1998. Only Judge Walter Edmonds Jr. dissented
entirely. But four others, including Chief Judge Mary
Deits, said while they agreed with the outcome, the
court went further than necessary. The decision
"sweeps too broadly" in deciding that cities can
broaden the "duties and liabilities of private parties,"
Judge Virginia Linder wrote in a separate concurring
opinion. Edmonds said the decision violated the
concept of state sovereignty over local governments.
Oregon City/Count,y May
Try-Partners R gistry
RTL N , Or . eit: of t’ortland and
Multnomah County are ~nsiderir~ theadopdon of a
domesdcpartuefship registry as away~’prGay couples
t6 Officially iog thdr ~;~i~onships, A jOint ~registry
wotfld be ihe second ,~.::~gon ,ag_.d~ong three
dozen nationwide. In Oc~be~AsKihhd approved a
registry for s/tree-sex couples 18:or older. So did
California. Seattle has had one since 1994. And New
Orleans, Boston, New York and Iowa City, Iowa also
have them.
The registries stop far short of conferring marriage
s-tatus- on- Gay -couples= "~Bul~, it’s~ ,still-. an
acknowledgment of. a relationship that two people
who are committed to one another have," said Maura
Roche, spokeswoman for Basic Rights Oregon. "And
it’~ s away~to aeknoWiedge i-t in:a pt~bli~.forum~ which
hopefally Wi~,leadito. ~g~puh!ie: understanding
¯~at~drmi~icaneedi:BotmJ~T~] cxec~ti:ve director Of
She.-said the~Ialks are;.~.~st~p)i’~-thffright direction
becaus,e a registry represent§ a chatNejn family.
That s oae o~ the mNn..eoiicerns of Lou Bores
exec~utive ~r...e.rgtor ~:;ffae:C~eg0ii chapter of the
:.~)::: :~ais in Po~ilanO;and the na~9~’~, heL~aid:Beres added
that he would try to organize h:pmtegt~a~ainst Katz
and Naito if registries were e~(tended io homosexual
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - When Dan Neuville
started classes as a freshman at Saint Joseph’s College
in Standish last year~ the Gay man felt very lonely.
Considering the church’s stance on homosexuality,
Neuville wasn’t suq:rrised that there was no Lesbian-
¯ Gay studentorganizationlike.~ose at-secular colleges.
"Tl~ere was-novd~ere form~to go.on,campus," Neuville
said...........
Now Newzille has creati~d ~dmewhere to go.,~qaough
Catholic ze~cNag bars ~homosex~mt¢ from tam’Gage
and sexual activity, &e State’[ only Roman Cail~olic
college has:f0~-med a stude~tdub where heterosexual
and homosesua! smdcms
The Gay/St~ight
stat~ff "as
s~uden~
dozen
Jennifer B@iiton;pres~d~nt~of: the student.senate;
9413 K 31st St., Tulsa 74145
918-663-5934, fax: 663-5834, 800-444-5934
Family Owned& Operated
- - - - -- ~" ~- --7--- - - -
1307 E. 38th, 2nd floor
Tulsa Gay Commtmity Sen,ices Center
743-GAYS (743-4297)
6=~pm, Sunday - Friday..
"12-9~m, Saturday; all sales.benefit’the Center/~-.i.
Local
- --KEVIN BURLESON
Keller ~Willgams Rea!ty
712-2252
Burleson@kw.com
2651 East 21st Street, Ste. 100, Tulsa 74114
An Independent Member Broker
OPENARMS,OPENMINDS-,OPENHEAKq’S
Saint Aidan ,<. .Saint Dunstan
4045 N. Cincinnali,i~7882 .ii~~East 71st 492~7140
Saint John :......Td~ty - "
4200 S. Atlanta Pla~.~/42-7381 .,501: $.: Cincinnati, 582-4128
Welcomes You.
said the ~cp.llege’s administrators, staff and students
have received the new group well. "On our campus,
iwe’re open to all issues, and as students we’re
encouraged to discuss issues in society. Gay issues
are one of those," she said.
Thealliancehasmoreheterosexual than homosexual
members and is not intended to compel anyone to
endorse homosexuality, Neuville said. "We’re not a
.. ~ mili~antgroup. We’renotprotesting,pickefn,g, saying,
"Damn it, we want you to accept us,"" he said.
club
Gay on
.to talk andleam tissues
andbias against l
to make Of troths
.Saint
Straight
For the
problematic
sexual
¯ whether homosexuality is a choice or biological is
." irrelevant. "Gay and Lesbian people are not treated
." equally in many respects,’" sa~d Jane Marquardt, an
¯ attorney who donated to the Shepard scholarship
." fund. The scholarship is meant "to help a particular
." Gay student develop leadership skills, than people
¯ can realize Gay people are no different than anyone
." else," Marquardt said.
:: Gay Student Sues School
RENO. Nev._ (AP) - A former Washoe County high
i School studentclaimsWashoeCounty school officials
: failed t0 stopverbal andphysica!harassmentinflicted
i-liy classmates becaus~ h~,is.Gay... In afederal lawsuit
:. fded recendy, Derek Henkle ailcges school officials
1 : denied him~i:~te~:~.~.elofhls sexual
.. ofientation:~d ,d~died,’:.~ fr~:, ~li:rigllts by;
’: allegedly urging him tohide being ~ay. Tl~_e suit als0~
.. maizes claimsofnegfigenceandinfliclionofemolional.
¯" distress. " ’" ...... :’=. .....
: I-Ienkle:~suit is .being h~ndled.~by me:Lamb~a
: Legal Defense and Eduction Fund, a New York-
¯ : : based Gay rights.o~ganiza~on, it seeks unspecified
t .::damages, Namedas defendan.ts are prindpals;a vice
: prin~pal, a.teache~, and ~pus poSce officers.
: School district offi~:ials had no iimnediate comment.
¯ "we haven’t been served with anythin$ yet and unSl
" wedo,obvionsly we~m’tcommenton thespedfi~,"
district Spokesman~Steve Mulvenon said.
Jon
,a~Gay
.~"It’s not a conditiOn
who is
But the Catholics,
: shouidbe~
Catholic
,Derek thandled I
and
at:the-hands .of
said. call: :.Henkle
clearly what :the stated
-.Gay Scho|ershi
including students ~and faculty at
University have raised more than $50
~e. Matthew Shepard Scholarship
enaowment wil!.pro~ide $2,000 a year
Bisexual ortransg~
grade point average,.=
"I think it makes":us a,
Hinds,. a Weber: State staff member who
: a highway~
" administrators ~
At Washoe
! relatedlY
: students to
said his complaints to
lot while two campus
Davidson said the p_ri’ncipal
pcople hewas Gay.
students who
tell Lesbians and Gay
closet," Davidson said.
¯Gay Pride to.
Happen pite vatican
--~, Wyo., ROME (AP) - A Gay Pride week that comes smack
.: college studentwho was Severely pistol ’ i iirnktehdetmheidVdalteicoafnt,hbeuRt Roommane,CsmatahyoolircinHsoislytedYtehaarththaes.
left to die. The -
¯ " laws across the nation. :
."_.-i .Scho!arshiplapplieants must be a sophQ~ or :: aelvoenngtwwiiltlhbethalelo.Gw,,ae~ydptoritdaekeepvleancte,."bYutoiutmwioguhltdnobtegoa
: higher level, t~king 12 credit hours per s~es~er. A : mistake to ban it, Mayor Francesco Rutelli said.
500 to 750 word essay, the World Pride Roma 2000 is expected to bring
needs, academicperformance .: hundredsofthonsandsofGaysandLeshianstoRome
with or service to the pay, Lesbian,
Organizers are working to finalize
scholarship endowment with the
there are no applications.
"There are sexnal m~inorifies.Andthis is
"there’s a scliolarship here,"’ said
President
But
said Weber State student Niki
with culture
¯ at the same fire,the eityis overflowing with religions
: pilgrims eomingto th~Jubileemillenniumcelebrations
: calledby PopeJ0hnPaul II."Romehas amillenninm-
: old code of welcome~.and respect that won’t change in
¯ 2000." RutelEtold a city council meeting on Holy
: Year issues:,~:The. ~Vatican, which condemns
: homosexual acts but.not homosexuality itself, had no
official comment ~the July 1-9 event. Vatican
Officials denied~.~.~ that the Holy See had tried to
÷:: cgoent diitticoanncoelfe~a.-,.n~iio;~[n~,~~ti_.,thae lsooffaiccikanlso,wwlehdogeSdptohkaet tohne
Vafica was irritate, by the fact that the gathering
t~mes ~:J~ee yeax.
seeNews,p. 10
rZ
Better.Drugs i Oral Sex Not As
Equal Fewer Pills i Safe As Thought
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Powerful new ¯
AIDS drugs in development should help
relieve one of the biggest problems of
treatment - the pill burden. Over the past
four years, new treatment combinations
have revolutionized AIDS care, changing
HIV infection from a death sentence to a
disease that is treatable, if not curable.
However,patientsmustadhereto atedious
and exacting sehedule of downing pills,
.often more than 20 a day.
Now, drugmakers are working on new
drugs that require m~ch smaller doses as
wall as better versions of the old standbys
that can be taken less frequently.
Experts say that if all goes well, overthe
next two or so years it may be possible to
reduce the .pill burden to just four tablets
taken once a day. "Most drugs are dosed
twice or three times a day for a reason.
Once a day is not enough. The Holy Grail
would be to take all your medicines once
aday with as few capsules as possible. We
are not so far from that, maybe in the next
couple of years," said Dr. Eugene Sun,
head of antiviral drug research at Abbott
Laboratories.
About half of all patients who initially
respond to treatment eventually find their
virus levels rebounding, and the most
common reason for this is failure to stick
to apill schedule. Thepill-taking schedule
is more than just a nuisance. 71~ose who
miss even a few doses risk losing control
overtheir virus. Withoutenoughmedicine
in the bloodstream, HIV comes roaring
back, often generating mutant versions
that are resistant to the drugs.
Akeyingredient of mostdrug regimens
is a class of medicines called protease
inhibitors. They are often combined with
two or three older kinds of drugs, such as
ddI and AZT.
At last month’s 7th Conference on
Retroviruses andOpportunistic Infections
in SanFrancisco, doctors describedresults
of testing with new varieties of prot.ease
inhihibors. Some of these medicines are
10 times more powerful than the ones that
transformed AIDS treatment. Protease
inhibitors are by far the biggest lump in
the pill burden. Typically patients must
take three of them three times a day - a
total of nine pills -often on an empty
stomach.
In the works areproteaseinhibitors that
doctors hope will need to be taken twice
or even just once a day. One of these is
Bristol-Myers Squibb’s drugcode-named
BMS-232632. In preliminary testing
directed by Sanne, it appears that one or
two ofthese pills once aday is as effective
at suppressing HIV as the standard dose
of nelfinavir, an older protease inhibitor.
Abbottpresentedpromising results with
its experimental protease inhibitor ABT-
378, showing it Seems to work against
strains of virus that are already resistant to
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Many Gay
men consider oral sex a safer alternative
to intercourse, but a new study finds it
carries a real risk of spreading AIDS.
Even without condoms, oral sex is
widelyregardedtobe safe sex, eventhough
: health agencies have never officially
: conceded that. A new study conducted in
i
San Francisco shows that frequent
unprotected oral sex can also be risky,
." though certainly not as much as anal sex.
: "The message is not that everyone will
¯ get infected through oral sex," said Dr.
-" FrederickHechtofSanFrancisco General
." Hospital, a coauthor of the study. In fact,
¯ analintercoursecouldbe 100timesriskier.
¯ Because of declines in unprotected anal
: intercourse, therehas beenabigreduction
." in high-risk exposure, I-Iecht said. But
~ -~._~ere is still plenty of low-risk exposure
¯ tl~ough oral sex without condoms, "and
." that low risk adds up." His study found
: that oral sex was probably the cause of8%
¯¯ of recent HIV infections among a group
of homosexual men examined in S~m
~ Francisco.
¯ In the past, there have been occasional
¯ reports ofpeopleapparently catching HIV
orally. But health investigators have had
¯ difficulty being certain, since Gay men
¯ who have do oral sex also may engage in ¯
¯ other, riskier sex practices, such as anal
intercourse.
¯ Now diagnostic tests allow doctors to
¯ narrow downthe timing ofHIV infections.
¯ They were used in the latest study,
." described as the most definitive on the
subject to date. The work, conducted with
¯ the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
¯ Prevention, was presented in San
¯ Francisco at the 7th Conference on
¯ Retrovirases and Opporttmistic Infectious.
¯ "’Wlfile oral sex may still be safer than
." anal intercourse or vaginal intercourse, it
¯ is not without risk and perhaps has higher
¯ risk than we would have expected
¯ otherwise," said Dr. Helene Gayle, the
CDC’s AIDS chief.
" The researchers sought to learn the
¯ meaus ofinfectionin 102 GayandBisexual
¯ men who had recently caught HIV. When
¯ all other possible means of infection were
¯ ruled out, oral sex turnedout to be the only
¯ risk behavior in eight of these men. Most
0 said they thought- oral sex had little or no
° risk.
° Because o~ the strict criteria used, the
: real number of cases resulting from oral °
sex may actually have been higher. For
° instance, two men said they had oral sex
-" but not anal sex. But they also said they
o had blacked out once and could not be °
sure what had happened, so they were
¯ excluded from the total.
. All of the men apparently caught the
¯ virus by giving oral sex, rather than
receiving it, and none used condoms.
¯ "We know that the only safe sex is total
other drugs. The drug will be combined 0 abstinence or sex with a mutually
smaller doses~ wel!..... ~ ~
.~’ Ufie~p~.cteff~ide et~l~b.cts can quickly
derail deq~loptuent of these drugs -MerCk
Research Laboratories was scheduled to
presentresultS ofits new protease inhibitor
at the meeting. But two weeks ago, it
suspended human testing of the drug after
rat experiments turnedup possible kidney
damage. Themedicine, called MK-944A,
is acombination ofanew protease inhibitor
and an older one, called indinavir, into a
single pill that would be taken once or
Timothy W. Daniel
Attorney at Law
An Attorney who will fight for
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Domestic Partnership Planning,
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1-800-742-9468 or 918-352-9504
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Weekend and evening appointments are available.
January April July October December
Even OutYour
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withritonavir, another protease inhibitor, o monogamous,non-HIV-infectedparmer,"
into pills that willbo-taken three at a time, : ’~ Gayle said. "Everything else has some
twic~:~a day. The comp.,.a~y?~.s working on ° degree of risk. The sense that oral sex is
safe sex may have been an unfortunate
message."
Gayle said she a~sumes that the risk of
oral sex when properly using a condom is
close to zero. She also .said that if oral sex
alone has played a large role in the spread
ofAIDS, that wouldalready havebecome
obvious during the 20 years.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, head ofthe National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases, noted that some Gaymenturned
to frequent unprotected oral sex after
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Are You-Gay or Bisexual?
Are You Native American?
Tulsa s Two-Spirited Indian Mona _ / ~\~"~
Support Group is here for. you! .~i=-J.~Y LX~
¯ Evening support group meetings
¯ Relationship workshops
¯ Short trips, outings and retreats
¯ Free HIV testing
For information call Tulsa Native American AIDS Prevention Project
at 582-7225 Ext. 208 or 218,
giving up anal intercourse.
"A lot of us in the public health field
havebeen saying all along to be careful of
~akrottehceteridskfieslllaotwio,,"buhtewshaaitd.s l"oPwe?o"ple
AIDS Virus First
Emerged in 1930
SANFRANCISCO (AP)-Theworldwide
AIDS pandemic has beentraced to asingle
viral ancestor who emerged perhaps
around 1930. Earlier research had ¯
suggested that the ol~tbreak began in the ¯
first half of the 20th century, but the latest :
analysis, doneat the Los Alamos National ."
Lab in New Mexico, appears to be the ¯
most definitive so far. -"
Bette Korber, who keeps a’database of
HIV genetic, information at the lab,
calculatedHIV’s family treebylooking at
the rate the virus mutates over time. She
assumed these genetic changes happen at
a constant rate and used a supercomputer
to clock the mutations back through time
tO a common ancestor.
Korber estimates that the current
pandemic goes back to one or a small
group of infected humans around 1930,
though this ancestor virus could have
emerged as early-as 1910 or as late as
1950. From this single source, she
suggests, came the virus that now infects
roughly 40 million people all over the
.world. ’This offers a small piece in a
larger puzzle concermng the origins of
HIV," she said.
Experts believe that HIV’s ancestor is a
virus that ordinarily infects chimpanzees.
Somehow it spread to people - .perhaps
thirough abite or hunting mishap -~n west
equatorial Africa. Justwhenthis happened,
though, is .still a mystery, Korber Said.
The leap from chimp to man could have
beenaround 1930. Oritmayhaveoccurred
much earlier and the virus stayed within a
small group of humans.
Theworkchallenges atheory thatAIDs
actually began in the 1950s, when HIV
was accidentally mixed with the polio
vaccine. In last year’s book ’¢Fhe River,"
Edward Hopper theorizes that HIV
contaminated batches of the vaccine that
were grown in chimp dssue. This then
spread when the vaccine was tested in the
Belgian Congo. Korber said this is highly
unlikely, since it would require the
introduction of at least 10 genetically
separate strains ofthe virus into the vaccine
from different chimps.
Dr. Steven Wolinsky of Northwestern
University called Korber’s project "a
computational tour de force." Korber
based her work on the genetic codes of
160 different copies of the AIDS virus.
She analyzed them on a Los Alamos
supercomputer, called Nirvana, that can
perform l trillion computations per
second. The earliest existing sample of
HIV was found in a blood specimen
obtained in Leopoldville - now Kinshasa
- in 1959.
Virus Testing Helps
AIDS Treatments
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Doctors say
they can improve the chance of
successfully treating AIDS by measuring
how each patient’s virus stands up to the
drugs intended to kill HIV.
Through evolution, HIV can grow
resistant to any of the standard AIDS
drugs, andoftenitis invulnerable to several
at once. The specific combination of viral
resistance varies from patient to patient.
In theory, doctors can brew up the most
potent AIDS drug cocktails for their
patients if they know the strengths and
vulnerabilities of the viruses they carry.
In the past, doctors have attempted to
dothisbychecking the virus forthegenefc
mutations that make it impervious to
various drugs. However, complex mixes
of mutations are sometimes hard to
translate into drug treatment plans.’
In a new approach called phenotypic
resistance tesdng, doctors can check the
virus against all of the standard drugs to
see which ones can kill it, then .use~the
results to tailor their strategy. "With this
information, you can make better
decisions," said Dr. Calvin Cohen.
Understanding virus resistance is
especiallyimportantwhenputting together
new drug combinations after the initial
drug cocktail fails to wipe out all visible
signs of the virus. Doctors have 15 AIDS
drugs to pick from, and the choice often
amounts to an educated guess.
Cohen and colleagues studied
phenotypic testing at the Community
Research Initiative of New England, an
independent AIDS research organization
in Brookline, Mass. He described the
results Monday, in San Francisco at the
7th Conference on Retroviruses and
Opportunistic Infections.
. The test was developed by Virco N.M.,
a European biotechnology company that
financed the study with Glaxo Wellcome
Inc., the pharmaceutical company.
Doctors say anadvantage ofp,henotypic
testing is the simplicity of ~lle results.
"The person’s virus is grown in a culture
and then ,put into a test tube with each
antiviral drug," Cohen said. "We monitor
to seehow wellitgrows. Ifitstops growing,
.that drug works. It’s that simple."
The new test costs $800 per patient.
Screening the geneticmutations inHIV to
figure outdrug resistance has beenaround
longer and cOsts about $400 to $500 per
patient.
Doctors say that trying to understand
how well drugs will work by analyzing
viral genes can be daunting when the
virus is resistant to several drugs.
Sometimes resistance to one pill can help
the virus withstand another, even though
it does not specifically have resistance to
that medicine. "Phenotypic resistance
testing will be attractive because it is so
mucheasier to interpret," said Dr. Douglas
D. Richmanofthe University ofCalifornia
at San Diego.
To check the test’s value, Cohen’s team
studied 274 patients who had failed to
respond to an initial round ofAIDS drugs.
Half were randomly assigned to receive
phenotypic testing, while the rest got
standard care without testing.
After 16 weeks, 58% of the patients
getting phenotypic-testing had responded
so well to their new combination of drugs
that the virus hadfallentoolow tomeasure.
By comparison, 37% of those without
testing did this wall. "Until this study, all
of this was reasonable but unproven,"
Cohen said. "Now we can prove it."
~:~":Wa~ to get involved?
Need to.get tested for HI~ or a
Coming Out Support Group?
Call 743-GAYS (4297)
Tulsa Gay
Community
Services Center
1307 E. 38th, 2nd floor
~ J. Christjohn
Happy Imbolc,
Groundhog’s
Time for
initsfirstt
for some~
the
,~cultural
list of events
and. relevance.
~ At thispoint, I
or film and,
: On with the
." good month for staying in and riding out
¯ winter storms. Orgiving into spring fever
y ." when possible.
when ¯ Now for those thirty-somethings that
: recall growing up to the sounds of the
Partridge Family. with
"As you may fondness, David ~sidy
hasaCDoutentitled:"Old
notice, I’ve’-~: Dog, .Ne~ T~ck."
S~inging
~no
is
so. it’s ok,
is
else, an
and
the
Of -interest
,dosed
music
v URL:
it
13th.
18th
pretty
of the~ show that
fisten
on tS~ Partrid
childhood favorites in col~.
Back to.the present..
VALENTINE’S DAYis 9oming!~Gift
idea?i,.The ever handso.m~,<~piani~t’.:Jim
Bric~provide~ lovely~usic p~ect
for,~elight dinners, an~ohn T,rones
croo~,the perfect ballads t6~t]hem0od
for ..~gh romance on [h~ir-~CDs,
restively. ThelIX~rfect m~ic.to ~t the
moodfor a romanticev~....
Ok,themomentyou :reall-~n atting
for. TheStevie Nicks mentioa.She’s back
¯" in the Studio working onthe~W CDafter
". the performing break i~’Vegas and
i
Cafifomia. SherylCrow isagamproducing
- no mention of what happened to Mr.
." Hip-Hop producer. Thank G~oddess!
, m,~chers
¯ wereGay or straight, what mattered was
i the sl~ed.belief of those ~ching that
day. ~dnow those Right to’Life March
org~fi have Somethingto. think h!~out
¯ for n~t ye,ar,
: o~~. . .::~. .Ch~,..’.rman-oMfPicLhAaGelAFLeP~A¢.nCs
:
: -~lie ~4~li~al Action Committ~for ~.- i~: " .~.=~Lffe Lesbians and~ays
. . :.::~.
Long b~fom multi:million-dollar book deals
were the fashion~Alexandre Dumas’ son
(yes, the "The Three Musketeers" author)
converted his tonidLtomedqerminal love affair
into a best sel~.~lhe~, composer
Guisep.,pe Ve~: ~dpted. ~8r story for o~ra
(hello, ka Travi~), Toda~ choreoorapher
Val Canipamli flni~edthe job of turning.
"La Traviata" into dance. Usino drama,.
not melodrama. For understatement
underscored. A full-lenoth Iovestory.
FRIDAY 8 PI~:EBRUARY 11
SATURDAY 8 PMFI:RRUARY1~
SUNDAY 3 PMFEDRUARY 1~
SEASO~ SPON~:
Irish Dance
Company
-The-original
and the best.t
Chapman Music Hall
3rd & Cincinnati.... ¯.
Tickets: $12, 16 & 20
Call:-596-7111
Order on line: www~,tulsapac.com
Tulsa Performing ~rfs
Center Trust
World Treasures S~ason:
Celtic Gems.
¯-Si~0ns~rs: O.klah~ma Arts ~:.:ur~i~,..Urban T.u!sa
JOIN US FOR A SPECIAL EVENIN~
ON THE SET OFMANON
WINE AND HORS D’OEUVRES.
ENTERT]~INMENT ......
ooooo o~60~oo o oo oo~.~_O~O oo~o o o o oo out o-o’o o~ooo o
FRIDAY, MARCH 3,
5:30 - 8:00 PM
ON THE STAGE OF THE
.......~UtLSA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
$35 PER PERSON
$75 PARTY AND
:.
~ SUNDAYS
~Ble~qs the Lord At All Times Christian Center,
Sunday School - 9:45am, Service - 11 am, 2207 E. 6th, 5837815
Community of Hope (Welcoming), Service - 6pm, 2545 S. Yale, 585-1800
Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation
S~rvice - i 1am, 2~5~.~5 &Yale, 749-05~ (WeicQ~ing) - : " "
Church of theRestoration Unitarian Universaiist
ropo ommumty C
House of the Holy Spirit Ministries, Inc.
Sunday School - 9:45am, Service - 10:45am, 3210b So. Norwood
Parish Church of St. Jerome (Evangelical Anglican Church in America)
Mass - 1 lain, 205 W. King (east of N. Denver), Info: 582-3088
Unity Church of Christianity
ServiceS: 9:15 & 11:00 am, 3355 S. Jamestown, 749-8833
University of Tulsa Bisexual/Lesbian/Gay/Transgendered Alliance
~6:30 pm, Meets at the United Minis,try Cir., 5th & Evanston, 583-9780
I~" MONDAYS
lilY Testing Clinic, Fr~ & anonTmous testing. No appoinl~¢n[ r~zluired.
Walk in testing: 7-8:30pm, 834-TEST (8378) 3501 E. Admiral (~st o~ Hazard)
HIV Rap Sessions at Bless the Lord At All Times Christian Ceater
7:30pro, 220"7 E. 6th, 583-78t5
PFLAG, Parents., Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays
2nd Mo~/~ach too. 6:30pro,Fellowship Congregational Church, 2900 S. Harvard
Women/Children & AB)S Committee, call ~or meeting date, aoon, 585-5551
Council Oak Meu’s Chorale, rehearsals - ca]! for times, imfo: 748-3888.
~ TUESDAYS
AIDS Coalition of Tulsa, call, ~or ne×t.m~ting date. 1430 S. BouJder, 585-5551
~!~e=~d Let Liye, CommlmitT o~ ~0pe ~nitedMethodist, 7:~, 2,~5 S. ~ale
IYlultieultural ~I])S Coalitiou, call for ne×t m~ting date.
~rban L~ague, 240 E~st Apache, 584;0001
PrimeTimers, meus group, Pride Center, 1307 E. 38th
Coming Out Support Group (TOHR/IIOPE)
Tuesdays, 6 pro, Pride Genter, 1307 E: 38th, irffo: 743-4297
I~" WEDNESDAYS
Bless The Lord At All Times Christian Center
Prayer & Bible Study, 7:30 pm 2207 E. 6th, 583-7815
House of the Holy Spirit Ministries, Inc. Service - 7pm, 3210b~o. Norwood
Tulsa-Native American Mens Support Group, more informatidJL. ~call 582-7225
TCC Gay & Lesbian Association of Students (GLAS), Call fo_r..info: 595-7632.
Lambda A-A, 7 pro, 1307 E. 38th, 2nd ft. - -. ......
I~’THURSDAYS ,
H~PE, HIV Outreach, Prevention, Edu~(ion "~:;~)~": _
Anonymous HIV Testing, Testing:,~ ~ 8:313pm 834-83.-7~ 3507’E. Ad~niral " ~
O~lahoma Rainbow Young Adult Network (O’.RYAN) " -
Support/social group for 18-24’s, call Red Rock Mental Health a~ 584-2325 ....
Substance Abuse Support Group for persons with HIV/AIDS, [nfo: 834-4194
I~" FRIDAYS
Safe Haven,~iotm~AduJts Sc;ci~d Group, l st Eft/each ~no. 8pro, Pride Ctr., 1307 E. 38th
~" SATURDAYS
out-of their h0mes~ ! can’t i~..gin~e
throwing my Child out of;the hbu~e: ;
TheS~~mby Holloway, ~as
¯S~tan,wh0:cam¢.~s’s am~’Who
’ had been r6b~andiron on the road.
In the story, the priest, afraid of being
deemed unclean, passes by. But the
Samaritan stoppedtocarefortheunknown
mall.
"The point of the parable is that good
refiglon, following, traditions in these
Scotland, dozeus of prints, and Spong’s -" anti-discrimination policies, to. include
second:wife; ChriSti~i~. ’When In~arried ," specifically :sexual- orienta’tion::~ Why?:
Jack, I knew. what was ahead," said
Christ.i.ne.,.w.,h..o..m..a..m..e.A. Spong. m..19.9.0......nc.e.xl.ed. Kelleher wrote ’Perha " was
’When ~ou:-~up. (forGays)~,you~r¢~ =/Wrong
going to ge~:hit. ?You cannot know Gay ." _ think so, at least with restart to theVast
imd Lesbian people without wanting to .. maioriW of oar nconle." kelleher addrd
hugthcm.Someofthcmhavebeenthr~wn ." he was modifying the pohcy to include
¯.. o~rsmagnex;iewthyatmcivgehrtuhncaevretaeixnits~t,e-dam-boingutihtiys
." score."
_" ’WVhat happened at. Southwdst is an
¯ example
-" well-mcnningexecutives simplyto donor
_" give sexual orientation issues in the
workplace the consideration they
deserve, stud Kim I. Mills, HRC s
." education director. "We applaud
." Southwest Airlines for taking this_stcp
developed systems, can now get in the toward creating an inclusive work
.,w.a.y. ofus g~tting t,o~:~ saidI~oll0way..~ environmont~ for ih~ OayandLesbian
e~. of us arc, w_all~g on the road to i amployees., While Southwest has added
Jericho,andwem~tIookf~Himbecause
along the s~d¢ of the road...... .’. offer dom=sticParm~r~:healthbenefits.
priestandmothcr,stoodnexttoSpongas policies and e~pects
a sign language interpreter. "He will be :: announc=ment nO later the,, June. "
sord~ missed,." saidDeats, whowas first ,." _ _ " .............
ago.~Imayn0tagreewithevcrythingh¢ ! [~]l=-Ie.ll -....- I
says; but I truly minfi..~’re and respect him . .
for stan,.d~n.gup,f0r~hat he believ~ in." ._. vice president orlon"di.ng, andI_~s Rector,
Deats said she believed in more ." president, neither of.whom had returned
traditional routines of-prayer. "It can be ¯ calls by press time. Dr. Jerry. Carr611,
boring, I know. And I’m not saying the -" chairperson of the TTCU board of
bisho~ does.n’t pray, bu~ I believe ~-nore ." directors,andpr0vostatOSU-Oldahoma
.stronglyin themystical practices ofprayer
in the ~hurch," said De~ts.
Croneberger was rector of the Church
of the Atonement in Tenafiy for i8 years,
and a priest for more thsn 34 years.
Croneberger~60,was oneofsix candidates
- all ofwhomfavor ordaining noncelibate
Gays and blessing same-sex unions - in a
field that included the Rev. Canon Gene
RobinsonofNewHampshire,whomissed
becoming the first openly Gay Episcopal
bishop in the nation by several votes.
Asfor Spong, he willlecture at Harvard
University starting next month, buthas no
plans to move from Morris County. His
latest book, "Here I Stand," was published
this year.
Spong, father of three daughters, said
he found talking to students a great
pleasure, Last week, Spong lectured at
Lewis & Clark University in Portland,
Ore.- "I love the minds of 18- to 23-yearolds,"
Spong said. "Nothing is sacred and
they asked all kinds of questions."
There were no,,questions asked here
duringthe service, buttherewas amomen!
of fear when the Rev. Dana Rose slipped
off the back of the riser as Spong and
others wereblessing breadandwine. Rose
was helped to his feeti and Spong quickly
gave him the sign of the cross.
Rose, a Gay priest who’s also black,
was ordainedfirstas adeaconby Spongin
May 1998. "People say, ’You’re a priest
and you’re GayT" said l~ose, who works
for the Gay and Lesbian ministry in the
diocesez "Now, there are ;many, priests
who are Gay, but black? I believe in
inclusion of all people, like me, into .the
church, just like the bishop."
City, did callback andsaid he thought
theremustbe"amajormisunderstanding"
and that the "professional loan officers
would not do that [make inquiri~,into.
loan applica=s sex~.orientation]~. .-
as saying that the Vatican "expects from
the premier a gesture ofcommon sense,"
anapparentcallforthe Italiangovernment
to intervene to cancel the Gay event.
Sodano also was quoted as saying the
controversy "puts into question" the
concordat, adocumentregulalingrelafions
. between Rome and the Vatican that was
first signed in 1929 and was revised in the
1980s. A pro-Vatican member of
parliament, Mario Baccini, called the
mayor’s decision’a "moral and material
slap" in the face of the Holy See. Vatican
officials said theHoly See was displeased
by the city’s cooperation with the
organizers, including allocation of
$180,000 to cover municipal costs like
security.
Rutdli has been a big Jubilee booster,
shepherding the city through major
constructionprojects-includingaVatican
garage-to spruce itupforan estimated30
million pilgrims.
Gays have criticized the pope’s
teachings on homosexuality, but Italian
Gay leaders denied any disrespect is
intended by holding World Pride during
theJubilee. "It’s not an anti-Jubilee event
nor an event against the pope," said
Francesco Falsetta, an official oftheMario
Mieli Homosexual Cultural Association,
one of the organizing groups. World
Pride’s main event will be a July 8 march
through the city. Organizers say it will
also feature conferences, sporting events
and parties..
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" be," he added. "’It’s been this norm that
.: they grew up with: Andin so many. ways,
: pamcularlym~nt, we vebeen, ery
Do something that brings yoUlhto serio~s°. sensitized to~~ity,humannghts,
conversation with people who-aren’t just : but.there’.s~i~sg~.,a~i,’ng,.darke,,xception
likeyou. : tot~tw~thGaY~i:~Lesbiaus._ ..
For some of you, this will feel like a : ~ Whenlegis~,’~kFl.a~gan wl~.t.he
leap of faith-l~rhaps in God, orat least ; thinks.ofa~ys~d!domest=cparm..ershi.ps
in other people. ",- ..... . as an alternafi~t0same-sex mamage, ne ¯
Maybe this runs counter’ to all the : tells them "it~a~t tap into all of the
cultural conditioning you’ve received ¯ wonde_r,,ful, ~fic and em~o.tion.al
about self-sufficiencyi abouthow wrong ! impacts that~conveys. ~nenlze
itistoaskforhelp.MaybethiSchaHeages . asksaqu~..fio.n~."~~:t~te, isabl~.°ffi~ally
prized coph~g m~l~nisms ~t Ser~_e you : t.o rec0~ila..~i’~,s,e,.p~nng re,a,
well whenexcepti-o~d individualeffortis , domesf!_c-p~.e~!:aw;.-wny men wgmu
enough..... " ;-y0ufeelgt~fig~ed:t.0makeit’diff~emtrom
¯Bu~aoindividualwinsanelection;alone i ~ theCivil m~a~e’ 6flexed to ~ght
If!we don’t engage oth~r humanb~ings, ; VermonterS?" ~ " ¯ ~.
we remain tempting targets to-the :bullies : Hanagan said :he believes there’s an
ontheright:IfwewanttoendGay-baiting " analogy to be drawn from the experience
in public life, we have ~o use what we
know: the power of one h,man being
talkln£ to another human berg about
what matters.
We need to be outward bound, despite
the discomfort. Because, in elections, the
greatest thing wehave to fearis fearitself.
Hanagan can see diagonally across-State
Street to the Statehouse, where the
Vermont Legislature this year is crafting
a response to ahistofic decision from the
.stat~-~ i :~Supreme " ~ i ,:.~.Court.
That decision said i~"~iola~d the
VermontConstitution todeny~tted
Gay-and Lesbian couples the~i~health
of other benefits heterosexuaV~ed
couples take for granted. .=.!i!:."ii(
Hanagan, 49, is in his fourthi~year
term as ~mditor and long has beea.,kn~_w,.n_
to harbor loftier potitical ambiO~,He s
~md~,ttaking 0ae long-expected:~i~tfo_r
higher office this year, and has.raised
morethan$400,000" alotforachallenger
inVermont- so farinhis campaignfor the
Democratic U.S.. Senate nomination.
He’s been able to raise money around
the country from supporters of Gay men
and Lesbians, but even more so from
former Harvard Law School classmates
who have found themselves in lucrative
careers and can afford to be generous.
Flanagan took a risk five years ago
when he acknowledged for the first time
publicly that he was Gay, and he’s taking
arisk now in being such a strong advocate
for same-sex marriage. "I assume any
professional political consultant would
advise against it," he said. "But some
issues are so compelling and so pure that
political considerations becometrivialand
inappropriate. This is at the core of my
beliefs. I’mnot going to equivocate in the
slightest and I hope Vermonters will
respectmycommitmentto prmcipl,,e, even
if they may not thoroughly agree.
More often than the campaign trail,
Flanagan is drawn these days to the
Statehouse, because he senses history in
the making, because he relishes and is
fascinated by legislative deliberation and
because he knows that, for many
lawmakers, he can put ahumanface on an
abstract set of issues. As he’s walked the
Statehousehalls lately, Flanagan sm.’dhe’ s
noticed "people tend to move ~n my
direction more often than normal. I’m a
person they know and most often like
quite a bi~ and relate to. I’m real. I have a
real personality that they’re familiar with,
so there isn’t that fear component of
something foreign.
"I don’t think often people are as
homophobic as they think they should
"For me,
some time tc
mamage
stress
come when
many Gays and’ Lesbians had coming to
grips with themselves 20 or 30 years ago,
to the straggle many straight people are
having now When thinking about
somethinglike same-’sexmarriage. "When
you foste~ real bigotry againast iso.mdeonoef
he said.
"That’s-the of bigotry.. It
weighs
years, but
and "one’s private life will be put back
into its private place."
Flanagan, who said he has "a great
capacity tolove," also offered a glimpse
into whatapersonal heavenonearthmight
look like. "I would love to be a dad. I’ve
always cherished the idea of being a dad
and I think I would be a good dad?’
Locally, members ofMCCUnited have
created a chapter of Soul Force and at
least one member joined White and 200
other Gay and Lesbian (or friendly)
Christians in a meeting with FalWell.
Elliott has as a personal goal, the
development of the Community of the
church, not the building or the number of
members as much as the network of
support for the members - much like the
model of the earliest Christian
communities.
However, Elliott and other
congregational leaders do discuss the
possibilities of physical change for the
group. Acknowledging the s~ ,newhat
isolated location of the church build~ z
(off major streets in a ver) q~
neighborhOod)~, they consider that t
tufty-sell this building and find a more
visible .and central location. But Elliott
emphasizesthat these things are ouly just
possibilities and are not anything which
will happen soon. The spiritual life comes
first and the rest will follow as the Spirit
calls MCC-United to be.
For more information about the
Metropolitan Community Church United
or about the Soul Force efforts, call 838-
!715.
The Eight Annual
2000
Saturday, March 4
Cocktails, 7pm, Dinner, 8:15
Myriad Convention Center, Grand Ballroom
Auction & Dancing, Blacl( or Red Tie
to benefit the
Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund
1999 Beneficiaries:
AIDS Support Program, Inc.
American Red Cross,
Oklahoma County Chapter
CarePoint, Inc.
Cimarron Alliance Foundation
LegalAi6ofWestem Oklahoma, Inc.
Northern Lights Altematives
Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund,
Individual Assistance Fund
Oklahoma Hemophilia Foundation
Oklahoma Medical
Research Foundation
Oklahoma Mental Health Council -
RedRockBehavioral Health Service
Other Options, Inc.
Planned Parenthood of
Central Oklahoma
Regional AIDS Interfaith
Network (RAIN)
Tulsa CommunityAIDS Partnership
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
newspaper
periodical
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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[2000] Tulsa Family News, February 2000; Volume 7, Issue 2
Subject
The topic of the resource
Politics, education, and social conversation toward Tulsa’s Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual communities.
Description
An account of the resource
Tulsa Family News was a monthly newspaper; No. 1 issued December 1993-January 1994. The final issue available was published in September 0f 2001 (Volume 8, Issue 9).
The newspaper brings up important, evolving topics of marriage, Pride, TOHR, HIV/AIDs, events, advice, and politics all at the local and national level.
This document is available in searchable PDF attached. It is also available to be seen at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center with permission.
Creator
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Tulsa Family News
Source
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https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/24
Publisher
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Tom Neal
Date
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February 2000
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
James Christjohn
Barry Hensley
J.P. Legrandbouche
Lamont Lindstrom
Esther Rothblum
Mary Schepers
Rights
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Tom Neal/Tulsa Family News
Relation
A related resource
Tulsa Family News, January 2000; Volume 7, Issue 6
Format
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Image
PDF
Online text
Language
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English
Type
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newspaper
periodical
Coverage
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Tulsa(Oklahoma)---newspaper
Tulsa---Oklahoma
Oklahoma---Tulsa
United States Oklahoma Tulsa
United States of America (50 states)
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
https://history.okeq.org/items/show/597
AIDS
AIDS drugs
AIDS research
aMUSEments
arts and entertainment
Bars
businesses
Chatholic Church
churches
civil rights
Colin Higgins Foundation
community
Dave Fleischer
Episcopal Church
Gary Watts
Gay marriage
HIV
homophobia
Jim Christjohn
Judaism
Karin Gregory
lawsuits
marriage equality
Metro Communtiy Church Unted
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
non-discrimination policies
Partner Benefits
partners registry
performing arts
Pro-Life Alliance of Gays and Lesbians
Raging Lesbian
Read All About It
restaurants
Saint Joseph's College
scholarships
Soulforce
Southwest Airlines
Tom Neal
Tulsa Family News
Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights
Tulsa Teacher's Credit Union
Vatican