[1999] Tulsa Family News, August 1999; Volume 6, issue 8

[1999] Tulsa Family News, August 1999; Volume 6, issue 8

Politics, education, and social conversation toward Tulsa’s Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual communities.

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.

Tulsa Family News

https://history.okeq.org/collections/show/24

Tom Neal

August 1999

James Christjoh
Barry Hensley
J.P. Legrandbouche
Lamont Lindstrom
Esther Rothblum
Mary Schepers

Tom Neal/Tulsa Family News

Tulsa Family News, Volume 6, Issue 7

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PDF
Online text

English

newspaper
periodical

https://history.okeq.org/items/show/590

Tulsa(Oklahoma)---newspaper
Tulsa---Oklahoma
Oklahoma---Tulsa
United States Oklahoma Tulsa
United States of America (50 states)

Gay Couple Murdered In
California; Senate Passes
TwoAnti-Hate Crimes Bills
HAPPY VALLEY, Calif. (AP) - In this tiny, largely
conservative farming community, Gary Matson and
Winfield Mowder were accepted. It didn’t matter that
they were Gay. They gained respect through their
community Work. They helped create alocal children’s
museum, and Matson helped establish the 20-year-old
Redding Farmer’s Market.
Now tWO brothers who Eave been linked to a series of
arson fires at Sacramento synagogues are accused of
killing the couple, police said. Authorities said one of
the alleged gunmen, Benjamin Matthew Williams,
sometimes sold vegetables andherbs atM~son’s ~narket.
"It’s beyond words that the farmers market may be
the connectionbetween the victims and thekillers," said
Margaret Jensen, who tends a market stall stocked with
squash and onions. "If they burned the synagogues, too,
that takes it to a level that is just staggering from
someplace we think of as a small community."
The bodies of Matson, 50, and Mowder, 40, were
discovered July I at theirhomeinHappy Valley, a small
community just outside of Redding in northern
California. They had been shot in their bed.
Afew days later, after one of the victims’ credit cards
was used, police staked out aYuba City business where
the creditcardpurchasewas to be delivered, andarrested
the Williams brothers. The brothers were both armed
and one was wearing a bulletproof vest, police said.
Yuba City is about 120 miles southeast of Redding.
see Hate, p. 10
Council Oak Mens Chorale
Presents August Concert
Other UpcomingEvents: Feast + AIDS Walk
TULSA-TheCouncil Oak Men’sChorale, Tulsa’s Gay
men’s singing organization will present a concert,
Brothers Forever on August 27 & 28 at 8pro in the John
Williams Theatre at Tulsa’s Performing Arts-Center.
COMC will be joined in concert by Positive Voices of
Dallas, Texas. Areception willfollow theperformances
and tickets, $12, are available through the Performing
Arts Center box office at 596-7111 or 800-364-7111
(outside of Tulsa).
Also, coming up is the annual Feast for Friends, a
ftmdraiser .for-THE NAM-ES~ PROJECT-,. the. AIDS
Memorial .Quilt. In the event, organizations and
individuals join each other for private dinners at which
theattendees donate to supportTHENAMES PROJECT
and then all of the various dinner groupS’ come together
for entertainment’and dessert at 8:30pro at the Southern
Hills Marriott. For more information, call 748-3111.
Later in October, the annual AIDS Walk will be held
on October 2nd. For more information, call 579-9593.
DIRECTORY/LETTERS P. 2
EDITORIAL P. 3
US & WORLD NEWS P. 4
HEALTH NEWS P. 6
ENTERTAINMENT . P. 8
COMMUNITY CALENDAR P. 9
READ ALL ABOUT IT P. 11
DYKE PSYCHE P. 12
GAY STUDIES P. 13
" Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual + Transgendered TuIsans, Our Families + Friends
" Tuisa’s Largest Circulation CommunityPaperAvailable In More Than 75 City Locations
° TOHR Center News: President
"Resigns; $5k Grant Received
TOHR&Community CenterformerpresidentSteve
Horn (right) and with hisfriend Phil at Pride ’99.
TULSA - Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights, Inc. (TOHR),
Oklahoma’s oldest non-religions Gay and parentorganization of
the Tulsa Gay Community Services Center has experienced a
change in leadership. Board president Steve Horn resigned in
July in order to take anew job in Dallas. Horn had been employed
with CFS. Upon his resignation, TOHR vice president, Greg
Gatewood became president.
Gatewood praised Horn for his leadership and noted that the
change in leadership would not affect any of the programs that
TOHRand the Center had planned. He noted that for August, the
¯ organization had calle~,,a work day at the,,C.enter on 8/8 at noon,
a planning meeting for MilleniumPride, the Parade and Picuic Next Gay Community ’ for 2000 on 8112 at 7:30 and acommunity potluck with a"Cajun"
" theme for 8/21at Tpm. Meeting Called for 9/14 Other significant news for the Center was the receipt of a
" $5,000 grant for general operating expenses from the Gill TULSA -. With about 40 people attending,
° Foundation. Center volunteer of the year, Tim Gillean, was representing most of Tulsa Lesbian and Gay, and
¯ responsible for writing the grant application~ New president HIV related groups, the first community wide
¯ Gatewood emphasized that while the grant would help the Center meeting in several years brought together young
:. develop a small emergency reserve, see TOHR, p. 14 and not so young, Gay and non-Gay, political and
non-partisan groups. Therepresentattves spent over
two hours discussing their group’s goals and what ¯ NGLTF Starts Family Program common ground they may have.
: VeteranAttorney Paula Ettelbrick to Lead Initiative WashingtonHigh School’sGay-StraightAlliance
and TU’s BLGT Alliance were there along with
¯ JULY 26, 1999--The Policy Institute of the National Gay and most of the Gay-friendly religaons groups in the
¯ Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) today announced creation of a city. Cimarron Alliance and Tulsa Oklahomans for
° Family Policy program to secure inclusive definitions of family Human Rights also attended with RAIN, the
¯ in national, state and local policy contexts. The Family Policy Regional AIDS Interfaith Network, and HOPE,
¯ Program will engage in research, policy analysis, coalition HIV Outreach, Prevention and Education as well.
building, strategy development and collaborative work with a Under the facilitation of Marty Newman and
¯ wide range of family-focused organizations to ensure that the DennisNeill(who’dissuedthecallforthemeeting)
¯ needsofGay, Lesbian~BisexualandTransgender(GLBT)families a number of possible community goals were
¯ are considered and protected, identified: to replace the Tulsa Community AIDS
"We are in the midst of a revolution in family creation within Partnership funding (which is due to end soon),
¯ GLBT communities, but ironically, and inaccurately, our relocate the Community Center when its lease
¯ movement is characterized as being anti-family," said NGLTF ends, ~o-ordinatecommtmity fundraisingandeven:s
: Executive Director Kerr3, Lobel. "This Program at NGLTF’s to better support various organizations, and where
Policy Institute takes aim at the myths that persist about our appropriate, do political and civil fights related
families and will formulate a genuinel y pro-family public policy work. see Aleetin~, ~. 1]
agenda from the vantage point of GLBT people’s lives."
TheFamilyPolicyprogramatthePolicyInstituteisfundedby Saint Jerome to Host major gifts from several parents., including Seattle City
Councilwoman and philanthropist Tina Podlodowski, and Ordination Ceremony
California-based donors Jennifer and Kathy Levinson through a
TULSA - The Parish Church of Saint Jerome will
gift from the Lesbian Equity Foundation of Silicon Valley.
welcome clergy and lay leaders of the Evangelical
Urvashi Vaid, director of the Policy Institute announced that
AnglicanChurchinAmericafromacross thenation
nationally known Lesbian attorney and family advocate, Paula
for the denomination’s annual ordination
Ettelbrick, has been hired to direct the Family Policy Program.
ceremonies. The RightReverendCraig Bettendoff,
Ettelbrickha~ worked onlocal, state and national family policy presiding bishop will ordai~ or receive candidates
issues for the past 13 years. She is former legal director of
duringtheregularworshipservicesofSaintJerome
Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund, where she developed on Sunday, August 8th at llam. The weekend
the group’s.emphasis on family advocacy and founded the
eventsbeginatlpmonSaturday,August7thandan
Family RelatioushipslProject. She served as publicpolicy director
Evensong service will be held that day at 6pro with
for the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
dinner to follow.
Since 1994, Ettelbrick has been legislative counsel for the
Candidatesfortbediaconatewillbepresentfrom
Fan.pire State Pride Agenda, where she is credited with helping North Carolina, Arkansas, Illinois, and Oklahoma.
wm passage of New York City’s comprehensive domestic
BishopBettendorfwillalsoordaintothe presbytery,
. partnership policy and drafting innovative municipal and state
¯ pro-GLBT family laws.
candidates fromNew Mexico,New York, Colorado,
¯ California and Florida. ¯ Ettelbrick and her partner, Suzanne Goldberg, have a two-year All events are open to the public. For more
¯ old son and are expecting another child in September. She has
information, call Father Rick Hollingsworth at the
¯ taught law for 10 years and currently teaches a course on
Parish Church of Saint Jerome, 582-3088.
." sexua!i~ty and the_law atNewYorkUni versity Law School and the
¯ UniversityofMichiganLawSchool.Earlierthisyear, Ettelbrick ¯ Served as the National Coordinator of the highly successful Tulsa C.A.R.E.S Gets
""EqualityBegiusatHome"campaigu, spousoredbyNGLTFand Phili.p Morris Grant ¯ tbe Federation ofStatewideLGBTPolitical Orgamzations, which
: encompassed 350 rallies and other events in all 50 states plus : TULSA -Tulsa C.A.R.E.S., Tulsa’s Center for
: Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia last March. ¯ AIDS Resources, Education and Support, formerly
and observed that Ettelbnck s experase will be invaluable to known as the HIV Resource Consortium, has
: .thenational GLBTmovement’s efforts to organizearoundfamily : received a grant of $15,000 to its food pantry from
¯ issues. She pointed out that as of June of 1999, almost 50 anti- : the Philip Morris Companies, Inc.
: GLBTfamilybillshadbeenfiledinstatelegislaturesthroughout ¯ Stephen C. Parrish, senior vice president for
: the country. "This nationwide mobilization against our families : corporate affairs came toTulsathelastweekofJuly
¯ comes directly from the anti-Gay religious fight and its think " to announce the award to the Tulsa Area United
¯ tanks," Vaid said. "It is an effective strategy because the GLBT : Way agency. According to comments reported by
¯ political movement at the state level remains understaffed and ¯ The TulsaWorM,executivedirector, SharonThoele,
¯ underfunded." " indicated that the grant word be matched by
The NGLTF Family Policy program will pursue three major " $15,000 from another philanthropic organization
" objectives: first, to provide the data and arguments that can " and wonldhelp purchase afreezer and refrigerator.
¯ enable activists to secure inclusive definitions of family in ¯ The award was oneof38 given to organizations in
- national, state and local policy frameworks see NGLTF, p. 3 " 24 states, and the only Oklahoma award.
Tulsa Clubs & Restaurants
*Bamboo Lounge, 7204 E. Pine
*Boston Willy’s Diner, 1742 S. Boston
Burger Sisters Restaurant, 1545 S; Sheridan
*Empire Bar, 1516 S. Peoria
*Full Moon Cafe, 1525 E. 15th
*Gold Coast Coffee House, 3509 S. Peoria
*Jason’s Deli, 15th & Peoria
*Lola’s, 2630 E. 15th
*Polo Grill, 2038 Utica Square
*St.~ Michael’s Alley Restaurant, 3324-L E. 31st
*Silver Star Saloon, 1565 Sheridan
*Renegades/Rainbow Room, 1649 S Main
*TNT’s,. 2114 S. Memorial
*Tool Box, 1338 E. 3rd
832-1269
592-2143
835-1207
599-9512
583-6666
749-4511
599-7777
749-1563
744-4280
745-9998
834-4234
585-3405
660-0856
584-1308
Tulsa Businesses, Services, & Professionals
Advanced Wireless & PCS, Digital Cellular 747-1508
*Affinity News, 8120 E. 21 610-8510
*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, 5231 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 743-5272
*CD Warehouse, 3807c S. Peoria 746-0313
Cherry St. Psychotherapy, 1515 S.Lewis 581-0902, 743-4117
Community Cleaning, Ke~by Baker 622-0700
Tim Daniel, Attorney 352-9504, 800-742-9468
*Deco to Disco, 3212 E. 15th 749-3620
*Devena’s Gallery, 13 Brady 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
Four Star Import Automotive, 9~06 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
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
*Ken’s Flowers, 1635 E. 15 -599-8070
Kelly Kirby, CPA, 4021 S. Harvard, #210 747-5466
*Living ArtSpace, 19 E. Brady 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
David A. Paddock, CPA, 4308 S. Peoria, Ste. 633 747-7672
Puppy Pause II, 1060 S. Mingo 838-7626
*Peace of Mind Bookstore, 1401 E. 15 583-1090
The 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
*Tickled Pink, 3340 S. Peoria 697-0017
*Tulsa Book Exchange, 3749 S..Peoria 742-2007
*Tulsa Comedy Club, 6906 S. Lewis 481-0558
*Venus Salon, 1247 S. Harvard 835-5563
Fred Welch, LCSW, Counsding 743-1733
*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 Christian Center, 2207 E. 6 583-7815
*B/L/G/T Alliance, Univ. of Tulsa Canterbury Ctr. 583-9780
*Chamber of Commerce Bldg., 616 S. Boston 585-1201
*Chapman Student Ctr., University of Tulsa, 5th P1. & Florence
*Churchofthe RestorationUU, 1314N.Greenwood 587-1314
*Community ofHope United Methodist, 2545 S. Yale 747-6300
*Community Unitarian-Universalist Congregation 749-0595
*Council Oak Men’s Chorale 585-COMC (2662)
*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 Congreg. Church, 2900 S. Harvard 747-7777
918.583.1248, fax: 583.4615
POB 4140. Tulsa, OK 74159
e-mail: TulsaNews@ earthlinlc net
Publisher + Editor:
Tom Neal
Writers + contributors:
James Christjohn, Barry Hensley, J.-P. Legrandbouche,
Lamont Lindstrom, Esther Rothblum, Mary Sehepers
Member of The Associated Press
I ssued on or before the 1st of each month, the entire contents of this ¯
~Lblication are protected by US copyright 199,8 byT~/:~.
¯
¯ 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. Correspon- -"
dence is assumed to be for publication unless otherwise noted, must .
be signed & becomes the sole property of TJ.~.~N,~,~. .
Each reader is entitled to 4 copies of each edition at distribution ¯
points. Additional copies are available by calling 583-1248. ¯
¯Free Spirit Women’ s Center, callforlocation&info: 58%4669 "
Friend For A Friend, POB 52344, 74152 747-6827
Friends in Unity Social Org., POB 8542, 74101 582-0438
¯HIV ER Center, 4138 Chas. Page Blvd. 583-6611 ¯
¯HIV Resource Consortium, 3507 E. Admiral 834-4194 :
¯Holland Hall School, 5666 E. 81st 481-1111o¯
HOPE, HIV Outreach, Prevention, Education 834-8378 .
¯House of the Holy Spirit Minstries, 3210e So. Norwood ¯
Interfaith AIDS Ministries 438-2437, 800-284-2437 "
¯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 (formerly UCT, formerly Rogers U. whoever...)
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 ¯
Rainbow Business Guild, POB 4106, 74159 665-5174 "
¯Red Rock MentaI Center, 1724 E. 8 584-2325
O’RYAN, support group for 18-24 LGBT young adults ."
O’RYAN, Jr. support group for 14-17 LGBT youth ¯
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, 4045 N. Cincinnati 425-7882 :
St. Dtmstan’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 Department, 46i6 E. 15 595-4105 ."
Confidential HIV Testing - by appt. on Thursdays only ¯
Tulsa Okla. for Human Rights, c/o The Pride Center " 743-4297 ¯
T.U.L.S.A. Tulsa Uniform/Leather Seekers Assoc. 838-1222 ¯
¯Tulsa City Hall, Ground Floor Vestibule ¯
¯Tulsa Community College Campuses ¯
¯Tulsa Gay Community Center, 1307 E. 38, 74105 743-4297
¯
Unity Church ofChristianity, 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-UniversalistChurch 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 :
¯Autumn Breeze Restaurant, Hwy. 23 501-253~7734
¯Jim & Bren.t’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 :
Sparky’s, Hwy. 62 East 501-253-6001 :
¯White Light, 1 Center St. 501~253-4074 ¯
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS5 ¯
¯Edna’s, 9 S. School Ave. 501-442-2845 ¯
JOPLIN, MISSOURI
¯ Spirit of Christ MCC, 2639 E. 32, Ste. U 134 417-623-4696 ¯
¯ is where you can find TFN. Notall are Gay-owned butall are Gay-friendly.
Zoning Concerns
On the eve of the August 10 bond
election for street improvements, I find
myself in the awkward position of being
asked to vote ’yes’ while some of my
basic property rights are under the threat
of seizure. Againstmy very vocal protests,
the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning
Commission (TMAPC) recently voted to
’downzone’ myhomefrom amulti-family
to a single-family category. I purchased
my house with the intention of adding a
rental .unit in the future for supplemental
income, and I wish to retain the existing
zoning designation.
Currently, I have theright to build eleven
apartments on my property. If the zoning
is changed, I will have the right to one
single-family dwelling. This constitutes
an obvious taking of my development
rights without fair compensation, and I
resent the TMAPCIs insistence on
rezoning without my consent.
Doesn’t theTMAPChave enough to do
without tinkering with the privateproperty
of a taxpayer who is satisfied with the
existing zoning? The ’planners’ should
attend to their business of more efficient
metropolitan planning by allowing
residential infill development in the
downtownneighborhoods. Then,perhaps
we would not be faced with multi-million
dollar bond elections to support hundreds
of miles of streets and utilities sprawling
across such a sparsely populated city.
-Sincerely, Paul Uttinger, Tulsa
TITLE VII. Earlier this month, another
Eastern Districtjudgehadrejected aclaim
that harassment aimed at gays is covered
under the federal anti-discrimination
statute, Title VII ofthe Civil Rights Act of
1964. In rejecting the suit of a Gay postal
worker who claimed he was subjected to
a hostile work environment, Judge
Leonard B. Wexler ruled in Simonton v.
Runyon, that discrimination based t~pon
sexual orientation did not fall within Title
VII’s ban of "sex" discrimination.
However, Judge Spatt ruled in Qninnv.~
Nassau County Police Department, No.
97-3310, that there is no such similar
limitation upon a claim framed.directly
upon the Equal Protection clause in the
U.S. Constitution.
Title VH specifically enumerates five
types of discrimination that it bans, and
the list does not include discrimination
basedupon sexual orientation, Judge Spatt
pointed out. In contrast, he wrote~-the
Supreme Court in Romer recognized that
homosexuals are directly protected trader
the Equal Protection Clause from
"invidious and irrational discriminationbased
on sexual orientation."
Chris P. Termini, of McCabe, Collins,
McGeogh & Fowler, represented Nassau
County. Two individual defendants were
separately represented by Ronald J.
Morelli, of Mulholland, Minion & Roe,
and Alan J. Reardon. Susan Fitzgerald;of
Leeds & Morelli, also represented Mr.
Letters Policy
Tulsa Family News welcomes letters on issues
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 phone numbers, or be hand
delivered. 200 wordletters are preferred. Letters
to other publications will be printed as js
appropriate.
In many parts of the United States, Gay, lesbian, " running for any office in this party." While I had good
bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) persons have
achieved an equal status in the communities in whichthey
live. But not in Oklahoma. Not yet. The Democratic
National Committee (DNC) recognizes GLBT persons.
But not the Oklahoma Democratic Party (ODP). Not yet.
In 1998 the DNC
adopted a policy
requiring each state
to nameGLBT
delegates to the
National Democratic
Conventions. The
DNC has recognized
that the majority of
GLBT persons, like
the majority of
straight persons, are
caring and
responsible citizens
entitled to an equal,
not special but equal,
presence in the DNC.
The ODP, once
moving towards
inclusion of GLBT
persons, now under
new party leadership,
rejects or ignores that DNC policy.
Much has been accomplished in Oklahoma for which
GLBT persons should all be proud. Moving a hate crimes
bill from a legislative committee to the House floor for
debateis somewhatmiraculous, considering the prevailing
Oklahoma attitudes only a few years ago when the
Oklahoma City Council rejected and terminated the
HumanRights Commission. Whathas been accomplished
can be attributed to the efforts of GLBT and affiliated
political organizations such as OGLPC (Oklahoma Gay
& Lesbian Political Committee), The Cimarron Alliance
Group, TOHR (Tulsa Oklahomans for Human Rights),
PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) with
the support of the NAACP and various labor and faith
organizations. Although these organizations are the heroes
in the efforts to date, they are not adequate for what is yet
to be accomplished. These organizations focus on issues
and review candidates from a non-partisan perspective.
What is missing in Oklahoma is the partisan participation
of GLBT persons, open partisan participation within the
major parties, not unlike the women’s organizations and
other caucuses.
Straights raise families; GLBT persons care for the
community in which those families live. Just look at who
we are. We are present in every profession and job
category as wall as present or have been present in every
elected office level, whether we admit it publicly or.not.
Throughout recorded history GLBT persons have often
been the movers and shakers for communities, the caregivers,
the compassionate, the artists, even leaders of
historical fame. Themajority ofus as GLBT persons have
the same expectations and dedication to our communities
as the majority of straights among whom we live and
work with side by side. But you would not know that if
youJistened to partisan leaders in both major Oklahoma
parties.
As a congressional candidate for Congress from
Oklahoma’s Sixth District in 1996 and again in 1998, I
made many friends with Democrats. I know and have
good contacts with Democrat. leaders in each of the 24
counties comprising the Sixth District. That is an asset
that I believe valuable as a party worker. I let it be known
that I wanted to serve as the District Secretary when the
incumbent indicated the day before the convention that
he would not run for re-election.
Without detailing the series of events leading up to the
conclusion of my attempt to place my name in line for
District Secretary, the man who became District Chair at
that April conventionblockedmefromrunning for office.
During a fifteen-minute conversation with him prior to
the Convention, hemade it clear that he and other elected
officials in the Sixth District did not want me to run for
any office. He would not say it was because I am Gay but
his remarks left me with only that justification for his
statement, "I am running for chair to keep you from
~ support among delegates I had contacted in that 24-hour
¯ period leading up to convention, I knew that it would be
." difficult to fnnction as a team. I did not seek the nomination
¯ during the convention. There was no caucus to turn to for
¯ support.
A quotation from the May 25 Daily
Oklahoman interview with the newly elected
ODP Chair, Mike Mass, speaks to my
concern as a Gay person:
"Mass said he thinks the party under Hall
has eottoned too much to what he calls
splinter groups¯ He and Hall were both at a
funetlon, and a Gay and lesbian advocate
asked Mass what he was going to do to help
the Gay eommunlty. ’Nothing,’ Mass replied.
Mass thinks the party has tended to make a
big deal about such groups."
Even amore glaring
concern for GLBT
persons is the election
of a new state chair
for the ODP during
its May 15 convention.
Representative
Mike Mass, a very
vocal opponent ofthe
hate crimes bill in the
legislature, was
elected by a two-vote
margin in an election
fraught with fraud.
(I am leading a
challenge of that
election for the
purpose of restoring
integrity to the ODP.
A petition calling for
a new election was
signed by more than
¯¯ 200 co-signors and filed with the DNC ou June 9.) ~
quotation from the May 25 Daily Oklahoman interview
with the newly elected ODP Chair, Mike Mass, speaks to
¯ my concern as a Gay person: ¯
"Mass said he thinks the party under Hall has cottoned
¯ too much to what he calls splinter groups. He and Hall
¯ were both at a function, and a Gay and lesbian advocate
¯ asked Mass what he was going to do to help the Gay ¯
community. ’Nothing,’ Mass replied. Mass thinks the
¯ party has tended to make a big deal about such groups."
¯ If therewas apartisan presenceofGLBTpersons in the ¯
ODP, or at least the acknowledgment of the DNC’s
¯ directive to include GLBT persons as delegates, this
¯ archaic attitude would be a relic of the past instead of
¯ facing us for the future in the ODP.
¯ There are national part~san organizations for both the
Democratic and Republican parties - The Log Cabin
¯ Republicans and the National Stonewall Democratic
¯ Federation (NSDF). GLBT persons in Oklahoma need
that partisan identification so that they can have a"seat at
¯ the table" when partisan political decisions are made.
: The NSDF was organized at Kansas City in May 1998
¯ for the purpose of mobilizing GLBT persons through a ¯
national grassroots network of GLBT Democratic clubs.
¯ There are GLBT Democratic clubs that are joined with
¯ their state Democratic party. Colorado and Michigan
¯ both have a federated GLBT Democratic dub within ¯ their State Democratic parties. GLBT Oklahomans need
¯ that presence in our state party. An Oklahoma Stonewall
¯ Democratic Club must be organized. I am a recently ¯
¯ electedregional director for theNSDFandurgeinterested persons to check out the website at
www.stonewalldemocrats.org or contact me by e-mail,
paulb@pldi.net.
The mere thought of a public GLBT presence in the
Oklahoma Republican Party (ORP) is breath-taldng. But
itcan midmustbe Created. WhenthoseGLBTRepnhlicafs
who have been supporting their party in the background
with contributions and party activismmake their presence
known to the ORP, then there is an opportunity for
inclusion in ORP policy making. Republican Oklahoma
GLBT persons should connect with the National Log
Cabin Republicans and establish an OklahomaLog Cabin
Republican Club.
Wemust do this. Wemust orgamze a partisan presence
of GLBT persons in each of Oklahoma’s major parties.
That is the Gay agenda that I am aware of- to be treated
as an equal in civic life as we continue to hold ourselves
to the same standards of responsibility and caring as
expected of straights. Wemust ask for a place at the table.
Editor’s note: I agree with Paul Barby but Would even
speak more strongly. We must demand our place at the
table and must challeng~ bigots like Mike Mass. We
might also question some of our "friends"like Tulsa
Democrat Sally Frasier who helpedgetMass "elected."
by Tom Neal, editor andpublisher
By now, Steve Hornis probably getting settled down in
his new home in Dallas. Steve, until his recentjob related
move, was in the middle of his second term as president
of the board ofTulsaOklahomans for Human Rights, Inc.
(TOHR) - the parent organization of Tulsa’s Gay
community center (the awkwardly renamed Tulsa Gay
Community Services Center).
Tulsa has been
fortunate in
havln~ a number
of dedleated
volunteers to our
Lesbian and Gay
eommunltles
(and BI and
Transgendered)
over many years.
Unfortunately,
we haven’t really
done a very ~ood
job of
reeognlzlng or
thanklng them
for their work.
Tulsa has been fortunate in
having a number of dedicated
~,olunteers to our Lesbian and
Gay communities (and Bi and
Transgendered) over many
years. Unfortunately, we
haven’t really done a very good
job of recognizing or thanking
them for their work. We use
themandthen ignore them when
we’re not actually vilifying
them. There are, of course, a
few exceptions, individuals who
repeatedly receive recognition
but many more don’t.
So I’d like to be one to clearly
thank Steve Horn for his
dedication to TOHR. Steve
became president just after I
served, inheriting the same big
mess with TOHR’s HIV testing
programs that I and several
previous TOHR presidents had
inherited. And while he and I
would still disagree profoundly
about how those issues were resolved, i.e. the separation
of the testing clinic into a stand-alone organization, his
work as a whole was great. He continued and expanded
onalegacy ofvolunteerism andleadership that’s continued
for nearly 20 years with TOHR. see Horn, p. ]4
Legal Win: Bias Against
Gays Unconstitutional
Editor’s note: the ruling noted below has greatpotential
for judicial remedies for anti-Gay bias in the United
States. Traditionally, many civil rights advances in this
country have come through court decisions and this
shows promise for fair treatment for Lesbian and Gay
citizens.- TN
by Daniel Wise, New York Law Journal, July 6, 1999
In a ruling believed to be one of first impression, a
federal judge in Uniondale has found discrimination
against homosexuals in an employment context to be
actionable as an Equal Protection violation.
Eastern District Judge Arthur D. Spatt issued the ruling
in upholding a $380,000 verdict that ajury awarded two
weeks ago to a former Nassau County police officer who
claimed he had been hounded out of his job by his fellow
officers and supervisors after they learned he was Gay.
The officer, James M. Quinn, resigned after enduring
nine years of taunts that included the prominent posting
in his stationhouse of cartoons labeling him a child
molester, a transvestite and a sadomasochist. "
"Judge Spatt is the first judge to explicitly recognize
that. discrimination based- upon, sexual- orientation .can
give rise to a hostile work environment claim under the
Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution," said
Mr. Quima’s lawyer, Frederic Ostrove, ofLeeds &Morelli
in Carle Place.
In concluding that harassment based upon an animus
against homosexuals was actionable lmder the Equal
Protection clause, Judge Spatt relied heavily upon a 1996
U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S.
620. Thatruling struck down an amendment to ColOrado’s
constitution that prohibited Gays and Lesbians from
obtaining any legal protections -legislative orjudicial -
from discrimination.
The Supreme Courtin Romerconcluded that the statute
withdrawing legal protection from homosexuals could
not stand because it was motivated by "irrational fear and
prejudice," Judge Spatt pointed out.
Similaxly, thejudge reasoned, thehatecampaignagainst
Mr. Quinn had been motivated "by irrational fear and
prejudice towards homosexuals." see Ruling, p. 2
Gay Conversion Group
Holds Convention
WHEATON, Ill. (AP) - Exodus International, a :
Seattle-based organization that claims homosexuals
can be converted to change their sexual behavior,
openedits annual conference as protesters sang gospels
softly nearby.
"A whole new chapter has opened up," said Bob
Davies, executive director of Exodus. "For the first
time in our 23 year history, the body of Christ has
gotten behind this ministry."
About 1,200 people attended the rally, the biggest
attendance, since the group began in 1976. Leaders
attributed the large turnout to a nationwide ad
campaignpromoting conversionfromhomosexuality,
As the group clapped inside, the Rev. Bradley
Mickelson of the Metropolitan Community Church
of the Incarnation in Oak Park, Ill., led a quiet march
of 50 people outside. "We need to be a voice for
people who think they’re living in sin, to tell them
how to be liberated and free," said Mickelson, whose
Chicago-area church is open to homosexuals.
Exodus International burst.into public notice a year
ago with full-page ads m major newspapers
proclaiming its belief that Gays and Lesbians can
change. Conservative groups such as the Christian
Coalitionhelped pay for the.campaign. Exodus teaches
that"freedomfromhomosexuality is possible through -.
repentance and faith in Jesus Christ" and seeks to
provide hdp for "men and women who desire to
overcome their homosexuality."
The conference, a mixture of training workshops
and inspirational rallies, is meeting at Wheaten
College, a prominent Evangelical Protestant school,
but is not sponsored by the college.
Cynthia Marquardt, member of the Oak Park
congregation, said sexual conversion is impossible
and that Exodus’ message contributes to -violence
against Gays and Lesbians. "Exodus has a right to
their message, and we will continue to proclaim that
God loves us just as we are," she said,
Exodus is afederation of 131 independentministries
located in 38 states and the District of Columbia, plus
several overseas affiliates. Theorganizationis staffed
by people from a var~,ety of Christian denominations.
Manyofthegroup sleaders saytheyusedtobeGay
or Lesbian and merely offer options to people that
want them. Exodus is closely aligned with
Homosexuals Anonymous, a twelve-step movement
patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous, and with the
National Association for Research and Therapy of
Homosexuality,madeup ofpsychological counselors
who work for change through "reparative therapy."
Both the American Psychiatric Association and
American Psychological Associationhave denounced
Christian-based reparative therapy, saying it doesn’t
work and can cause psychological damage.
Phelps to Protest
in Vermont
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP)- Members of a church that
organized a picket outside the funeral of a murdered
University of Wyoming student last year plan a
protest on the lawn of the Vermont Statehouse next
week.
The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kans.,
plans to have a dozen people in Montpelier on Aug.
3 to picket against Gay marriage, said Shirley Phelps-
Roper, a church a!!orney and dangh,ter of founder the
Rev.FredPhelps. Whenthenation smilitant, activist
fags brag about a place - watch out!" said an
announcement distributed by the church. "Well,
they’re bragging about Vermont from sea to shining
sea. They think Vermont will soon allow filthy fag
beasts to marry each other."
The Vermont Supreme Court is considering a
lawsuit seeking to overturn the state’ s refusal to issue
mamage licenses to same-sex couples. Some legal
experts have predicted that Vermont could become
the first state to legalize such marriages.
Phelps-Roper said a dozen members of her church
would spend the weekend in Ottawa and Montreal,
protesting a decision on domestic partnership by the
Canada Supreme Court and then picketing the
Montreal Gay pride parade. The group then will
travel to Vermont, slie said.
The church is virulently anti-Gay and pickets
frequently. In October, it picketed-outside the funeral
~fMatthew Shepard, who authorities say was killed in
part because he was Gay.
Oregon Anti-Gay
Marriage Bill Dies
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - A watered-down proposal that
began as a ban on Gay marriages failed in the Senate
last month. The proposed ballot measure would have
asked voters only whether the Legis!~ture sh.ould
have the power to define What cbiastitutes a marnage.
As passedby the House, the proposal definedmarriage
as atmionbetweenmanand woman. Sen. Neil Bryant,
R-Bend, said the measure as reworked by the Senate
set a middle ground in the dispute, but foes argued the
revised measure would accomplish nothing.
The proposal stemmed from an Oregon Court of
Appeals ruling that employers cannot discriminate
against homosexuals and must provide benefits to
same-sex partners ofgovernmentworkers. Supporters
of the anti-Gay mamage measure contended that the
court decision opened the door for legalization of Gay
marriages.
Alabama Passes
Gay-Friendly Law
MONTGOMERY, AIa. (AP) - The Alabama
Legislature is drawing praise from the National Gay
and LesbianTaskForcefor passing domestic violence
legislation that could make Alabama the first state to
cover homosexual couples. In its legislative update
July 16, the task force listed the Alabama domestic
violence legislation as one of the "highlights" of
legislative sessmns nationwide.
Butthe sponsor of thelegislation, state Rep. Yvo,,n~e
Kennedy, D-Mobile, said, "That’s way off base. At
issue is a bill passed on the Legislature’s final day
June 9, when dozens of bills were flying through the
House and Senate with little or no discussion. Gov.
Don Siegelman signed the bill imo law June 19.
Ms. Kennedy and Carol Gundlach, executive
director of the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic
Violence, said the purpose of the legislation was raise
the cost of a marriage license by $15 to provide more
funding for shelters for domestic abuse victims and to
broaden domestic abuse laws to cover more than
spouses. The legislation expands domestic abuselaws
to cover violence "occurring amongfamily, household,
dating, or engagement relationships.’"
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, a
Washington-based group that works to eliminate
prejudice and violence againstGaypersons, is focusing
eta the word "household" in the new Alabama law.
"You couldhave two peoplein a same-sex relationship
and that’s a household," said David Elliott,
communications director for the task force.
The task force’s legislative report said Alabama
"’became the first state to enact a bill expanding the
state’s definition of domestic violence to potentially
includeGay, Lesbian, bisexual and transsexual people
under Alabama’ s domestic violence law." But Elliott
concededit will probably take acourt case to determine
whether the task force’s view is correct.
Ms. Kennedy, who sponsored the bill for the
Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said the new
law is silent about sexual orientation. But she said
homosexual couples were never mentioned in any of
the legislative debate on the bill.
Ms. Gundlach said the language was copied from
Alabama’s 1989 warrantless arrest law. That law
allows police to make assault arrests without an arrest
warrant when an assault occurs between two people
living together. She said she has heard of cases where
police used the law to make arrests involving
homosexual relationships that turned violent. ’q’hat’ s
just common sense. People in homosexual
relationships can and do assault each other and the
victim needs protection," she said. But she said the
xndusion of"household" in the 1989taw and the 1999
law does not legitimize homosexual rdationships
trader state law.
Jerry Bassett, director of the Legislative Reference
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Service and chief bill-writer for the Legislature, said
the new law was supposed to apply to couples who
could get married, but chose not to. "Whether you
could extend that to people who couldn’t get married
if they wanted to, I don’t know," he said. He agreed
with the task force’s spokesman that it would take a
court case to find out.
While the legislative update from the National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force complimented Alabama on
the domestic violence legislation, the state Legislature
camein forcriticismfor refusing to expandAlabama’ s
hate crimes law to cover sexual orientation despite
the Feb. 19 beating death of Billy Jack Gaither of
Sylacauga. ButAlabama was not alone. Twenty other
state legislatures turned back similar ~.egislation, the
task force noted.
Gay Couple Appeals
Adoption Ruling
ERIE, Pa. (AP) -Twomenhope an appeals court will
allow them to become adoptive parents and help
defineparental rights forGay couples in Pennsylvania.
The couple has asked the state Superior Court to
overturn a decision by Erie County Judge Shad
Connelly, who nded las t month that state law dictates
that only one man can be the legal parent of the two
children. Lower court judges have differed on the
issue, and appeals courts have not made a definitive
decision. Connelly said the Legislature should
specifically sanction Gay marriages before judges
can allow Gay couples to adopt.
The children, an 8-year-old boy and a 7-year-old
gift, were adopted by one of the men and raised since
infancy by the couple. The man who does not have
legal custody said he wants to be officially named a
parent in case his partner dies. "The children have
been and will continue to live with their family
regardless of the court’s action," said Karen Engro, a
la~vyer for the couple. "ff the adoption is granted,
everyone wins. Bydenying it, everyone loses."
The men, who are 43 and 42 years old, have been
together for 18 years and are identified only by their
initials in court records. They have asked reporters
not to use theirnames to protect the children’s privacy.
Another lawyer for the couple, Chris Biancheria,
said other Common Pleas Court judges in the state
have granted "second parent" adoptions for Gay
couples. She said a Superior Court ruling in favor of
the adoption could help establish guidelines for lower
courts. "It would mean that these type of adoptions
would have to be granted in every county," she said.
She said Connelly, in ruling against the adoption,
ignored the Legislature’s stipulation that all adoptions
be consideredin light of "the children’ s best interests."
In his ruling, Counelly wrote that the "best interest"
issue was irrelevant because the request was illegal to
begin with. "Because the Legislature has not seen fit
to specifically sanction such adoptions-as this, this
court is not empowered to grant the petitaon for
adoption," he wrote.
High School Gay-Straight
Alliance Recognized
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - West High School on
Thursday formally recognized a support group for
Gay and Lesbian pupils. The action, in a formal letter,
gives theWestHighGay/Straight Alliance recognition
retroactive to April 1. The letter follows the school
board’s narrow margin approval ofthe dublast week,
10 weeks after several current and former pupils filed
suit over Principal Robert Baines’ decision not to
recognize the group without school board approval.
Jennifer Levi, a lawyer from Gay & Lesbian
Advocates & Defenders, a Boston nonprofit
representing thepupils, said Thursday the recognition
"is a great day for the students at Manchester High
School West." The lawsuit charged the principal
discriminatedagainstthe group under the Equal Access
Act because no other student association has been
required to get school board approval to use school
facilities.
Supporters of the Gay Straight Alliance say it
offers support and acceptance to pupils ~ho are Gay,
Lesbian or bisexual in an often hostile environment.
Italso helps educate others abouto~fensive stereotypes
and acceptance of differences.
Court Rejects Ex’s
Visitation Appeal
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Despite pleas by Gay
civil-rights groups, the state SupremeCourthas turaed
down an appeal by an Alameda County woman who
sought the right to visit two children she helped raise
with her Lesbian partner. An appellate court ruled in
April that the woman, Kathleen C., had no parental
rights because she was not the biological mother, and
because there was no evidence that the children were
being harmed by living with their biological mother.
The state’s high court denied review of the case in
July. Only lustices Stanley Mosk and Janice Rogers
Brown voted to grant a hearing, two short of the
needed majority. The appellate ruling is now binding
on trial courts statewide.
The case was closely watched by Gay civil-rights
groups, who wanted California to follow a handful of
court rul!ngs in other states that have granted parental
rights to former members of same-sex couples.
Kathleen and her partner, Lisa W., started living
together in February 1985, when Lisa’s daughter was
almost 3. They had a child together by artificial
insemination in 1987 and separated in 1990. Kathleen
was allowed to visit the children onalternateweekend
until November 1994, when Lisa cut off visitation.
Kathleen argued that she should be considered the
children’s "de facto parent," one who develops a
parent-like relationship by providing daily care,
affection and concern over a long period.
An appellate court in New Jersey ruled this March
that a woman who had helped her .Lesbian partner
raise two children was a "psychological parent"
entitled to visitation. Courts in Wisconsin and
Pennsylvaniahave also granted limited parental rights
to former members of Lesbian couples.
ButAlamedaCounty Superior CourtJudge Roderic
Duncan ruled against Kathleen C. and was upheld by
the 1st District Court of Appeal.
Kathleen had shown the characteristics of a "de
facto parent," but there is no legal authority to grant
a non-parent visitation rights "’over the objection of
the biological parent and in the absence ofany showing
of detrimentto the child," said the opinionby Presiding
Justice Daniel Hanlon. The ruling means Kathleen
cannot see the children until they turn 18. They are
now 17 and 12.
The state Supreme Court appeal drew support from
the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the Youth
La~v Center, the American Civil Liberties Union and
other advocacy groups.
The appdlate ntling "leaves the two children...
locked in the embrace of but one of their mothers,
denied by her - and by the courts of this state - any
contact with the other woman they call ’Morn,’ "said
E. Elizabeth Summers, alawyer for Kathleen, in court
papers. She acknowledged that a Lesbian partner can
get parental rights by adopting the child with her
partner, but said not all California counties, or judges
in the same county, allow adoptions by same-sex
couples.
Mormans Lose Members
Over Anti-Gay Stance
SALT LAKECITY (AP) - The Mormon church says
it regrets a protest by dozens of dissident members
trying to quit the church because of its campaign in
California against Gay. marriages. The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement
saying it was defending the "traditional family" by
pushing for a California ballot initiative that seeks to
preempt legalized same-gender marriages.
The dissidents say the church crossed a line from
religion to politics by asking its 740,000 California
members to "do all you can" to assure passage of the
initiative.
Church spokesman Dale Bills said, "we regret that
any member would ask to have his or her name
removed from our records because the church has
joined a coalition in California to oppose samegender
marriage."
New Test Catches
HIV Quicker
RICHMOND,Va. (AP)-Theagency that
collects most blood donations in central
Virginiais still usingtwo standard tests to
screen blood for the AIDS virus, four
months afterfederal healthofficials urged
blood baul~ to use a new test. The new
test, called Nucleic Acid Testing; was
recommended by the Food and Drug
Administration on March 3. NAT may
significantly reduce the time thatHIV can
avoid detection in current blood tests.
¯
reaching," MethodistHealth Care System
¯
president Peter Butler said.
: Science Advances,
i Prejudice Remains ¯
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - T.J.
¯
contracted the virus that causes AIDS 18
: years ago. He says nothing’s changed.
¯ "Wall, almost nothing," "he said. "A lot
: has changed in medicine, but very little
: has changed in stigma and prejudice." So
¯
little that he feels obliged to use T.J.
¯ instead of his real name.
TheFl’)A’sreq°mmendati°n~et"w°° i ,,~’li~eitl arural’~rea~
w~s~.~f_5,re ~iPetet~b~gman; William good iqtca, (o use my name, he said. T.J.
C C~ippy ¥6tmg~" tmderwent:V~seular~ ~ hdped form the Long Term ~Survivors
surgeryat~MedicalColleg~ofVirginia : Group for people living with AIDS in
Hospitals in Richmond..Young said he : Oklahoma. It has about 200 members.
contracted HIV from a blood transfusion
he received during the surgery.
Virginia Blood Services, the regional
blood bank., last week acknowledged that
a unit of blood it sent toMCV may have
been tainted with HIV. The unidentified
donor tested negative when theblood was
given but later tested posluve.
The NAT procedure is not yet required
because it is experimental and there are
questions abouL how to implement it
nationwide But FDA spo,k,eswoman
Len0re Gelb said the test will’ help close
the window" when. HIV cannot, be
detected.
Virginia Blood Services has used the
test for another virus, hepatitis C~"since
April 15 as part of a study, said
spokeswoman Laura Cameron. She said
the procedure would be used to test blood
when it is licensed by the FDA, which is
awaiting results .of NAT experiments
around the country.
Atthe timeYoung contendshe received
the taintedblood, only afew blood centers
had the technology to implement the ne.w
test for AIDS, said Dr; Celso Bianco, the
president of America s Blood Centers¯
"Even if the (NAT) test worked, it would
not have benefited this recipient," Bianco
said.
The new test detects HIV at very small
concentrations even before the body
produces antibodies to the virus. Blood
banks now use a test that spots antibodies
to HIV and another that finds a protein
attached to the virus.
In a study published this month in the
medical journal Transfusion, scientists
studying an HIV-infected chimpanzee
discovered that the new test narrowed the
detection window by three weeks. They
also found that blood from the HIVinfected
chimp did not infect another
animal until the virus concentration was
detectable using the new test.
New Medical Center
HOUSTON (AP) - A new cell and gene
research center here could revolutionize
therapy for many illnesses, including
cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes
and AIDS, say doctors. Formation of the
International Center for Cell and Gene
Therapy, a collaboration by Baylo,r
College of Medicine, Texas Children s
Hospital andTheMethodist Hospital, was
announced this morning. Officials said
the center will be the first in the world to
combine basic science mid clinical
research with pediatric and adult celland-
gene-therapy transplant facilities.
Creation ofthe center was prompted by
new understanding of the molecular basis
ofdisease and theneedfornovel strategies
for cell and gene therapy.-"We realize the
medical possibilities are endless and the
potential impact on patients is far-
: "We’ve had members burned out of their
¯
home and run out of town," he said. "One
¯ family just recently moved to the city
¯ (from a natal community) because they
¯ couldn’t take it anymore. The mother has
AIDS." T.J. said the quality and length of
life for people living with AIDS has
¯ improved because of medical advances,
¯ but there is still a long way to go. "People
~ have started believing thatit’s over. It’s a
¯ long way from being over," he said.
Pam Cross, director of the Regional
AIDS Interfaith Network, agreed that the
¯ much of the general public remains
¯ ignorant of the disease. "People have ¯
¯ become quite complacent. They’ve taken
good news from headlines and TV about
¯ medical advances," she said. "They think
it’ s a cure for HIV and there’ s not. "We’re
~ not seeing a drop. Nationwide, we still
have 40,000 people a y,e,ar becoming
¯ infected with this disease.
T.J., who got AIDS from a Gay
; relationship, fits into the Centers for
~ Disease Co~,trol and Prevention"Pre- 1987
: Definition. That definition refers .to the,
Original list of"oppormnistic infect|ons.
In other words,he got the virus that causes
AIDS before AIDS had a name.
In Oklahoma, there have been 5,441
reported HIV/AIDS cases, according to
theOklahomaState Departmentof Health,
which began tracking the disease in 1982.
Figures show no confirmed heterosexual
¯ cases were recorded the first four years
records were kept, but in the past four
¯ years about 10% of overall cases have
¯ been heterosexual. ¯ ’t ¯ Ms. Cross said documented cases don
¯
fully represent the amount of people who
¯ have the disease. "If they’re anonymous, ¯
¯ there’s noway oftellinghowmany people
have it. I’ve heard estimates that cases
¯ could be as many as 10 times higher (than
¯ what is documented)," Ms. Cross said. ¯
’qqaere are alot of people that don’t know
~ theDyorne"iJnofhecntseodn,, ashe19s-myea. r survivor of
¯ AIDS, said he thinks the biggest reason ¯
¯ for increase in heterosexual cases is
ignorance andalackofAIDS educationin
¯ Oklahoma. "There’s still a lot of that ’It
~ can’ thappenhere’ attitude.I don’ t see the
¯ education taking place that I see in
~ California," saidJohnson,41, whois G.ay.
¯ "The schools there have a curriculum that
¯ involves HIV prevention. There is not the
¯ samecommumtyawarenesshere, hesaid.
¯
Shelly Hickman, spokeswoman f.o,r .,file
i state Department of Education, sam m.e
¯ state requires that schools have a certain
: amount of AIDS education curriculum,
¯ but much of it is left up to the schools¯
¯ ’‘There is some discretion on how it is
~ taughtandwhenitis taught," Ms. Hickman
¯ said."Weareinfavoroflocal communities
~ that they use what’s best for them."
¯ Peggy, who would not use her real
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name, said the state doesn’t do enough to
protect future generations from getting
.AIDS. "People think this diseaseis starting
to go away," she said. "This is afact oflife
- we have to protect our future and give
them the information they need to protect
themselves. How can we do that if we
have to be careful about what words we
say or don’t say in this state? "This
generation is not like generations in the
past. We can’t treat our youth like we did
three or four generations ago. They’re
having sex younger and younger."
Peggy said she got HIV from her late
husband when’he got it from a blood
transfusion in the mid-80’s. She said she
and herhusband hid their disease from the
community toprotecttheir children. "Until
society accepts this disease and is able to
talk about it, it will go on and on," she
said. "Heterosexual people are afraid to
¯¯ country can import lower-cost drugs
without infringing on patents.
¯ The issue of African access to AIDS
¯ drugs has taken on a political dimension ¯
recently. Gore has been caught in a fight
¯ between AIDS activists seeking cheap
¯ generic drugs for South African AIDS ¯
victims of the disease and U.S. laws
: intended to protect drug companies from
¯ having theirpatents violated abroad. Gore
: has saidhedoesnotopposeSouthAfrica’s
¯ attempts to produce or obtain generic
¯ AIDS medicines as long as those efforts ¯
donot violate laws protecting patents.
¯
A 1997 South African law granted the
¯ government unspecified power to obtain
¯ cheaper AIDS drugs. About 40 ¯
pharmaceuticalcompanies worldwide are
: challenging the law in South African
: courts, fearing itmay beusedin a way that
¯ violates patent rights.
be tested because they’re afraid they’ll be :
labeled as Gay. So then they go and ~x;e :
it to someone else and the cycle goes on.r’ ¯
Congress Hears
¯African Appeal
WASHINGTON (AP)-AnAIDS patient
from Malawi asked Congress for help in
settling trade-disputes that could deprive
poor African countries such as her own of
vital drugs.
Chatinkah Nkhoma, 37, believes she
would be dead now had she stayed in
Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital, where the
drugs she needs either are tmavailable or
cost too much. Millions of other Africans
are not as lucky, said Nkhoma, who came
to the United States as a graduate student.
~’I’m their voice. I’m here to cry for help,"
Nkhoma testified tearfully before the
HouseGovernmentReform subcommittee
oncriminaljustice, drug policy andhuman
resources.
The government did act in response:
Vice President Gore on Monday
announced a new $100 million proposal
to help Africa stop the spread of AIDS.
Nkhoma also appealed to lawmakers to
¯ reject arguments that the drags may cause
more harm than good in poor nations
unable to ensure AIDS patients adhere to
strict drug regimens. Experts have said
that people who do not take the drugs as
prescribed actually may become sicker or
devdop drug-resistant strains of theAIDS
virus.
AIDS deaths in the United States have
declinedbecause ofadvances in treatment,
but they remain on the increase in Africa,
where it is the leading cause of death.
Trade disputes have developed over
some countries’ efforts to reduce the cost
ofimporting AIDS drugs, withsomeblame
directed at pharmaceutical companies.
"What happens to countries who.., do
not purchase their AIDS drugs from drug
companies, instead looking to. buy them
through cheaper sellers, often times other
countries? Under direct pressure from the
pharmaceuticalindustry, they arepunished
bythe UnitedStates," Rep. Bernie Sanders,
I-Vt., said in a written statement. He said
thesecountries couldlose theirpreferential
tariff treatment "all because the
pharmaceutical companies do not wish to
lose any of their tremendous profits."
Joe Papovich, an assistant U.S. trade
representative, said the Clinton
administration believe it can resolve the
disputes, which involve drug companies’
efforts to protect their patents and help
recoup research costs. He said the
administration is working with South
Africa, where 45% of the military is
infected with the AIDS virus, so that
More Die From
: AIDSThan War
: NAIROBI, Kenya(AP)-AIDS killed 1:4
: million people in eastern .and southern
," Africa last year, overtaking armed
¯ conflicts as the No. 1 killer in the region,
," the U.N~ Children’s Fund said recently.
: Theepidemic, whichhas hit this portion
¯ of the African continent harder than
: anywhere else in the world, has left 6
: million children orphaned in eastern aud
¯ southern Africa, amounting to70% of the
¯ world’s AIDS orphans, said UNICEF ¯
DeputyExecutiveDirectorStephenLewis.
¯ 48% of the world’s AIDS cases are in this
¯ region, Lewis said during the release of
¯ UNICEF’s annual report on AIDS. It ¯
called for emergency action to curb the
¯ spread of AIDS in Africa.
¯ "Fundamentally,AIDS is spreading and
¯ stifling the economic and social
" infrastructure of the entire continent. It is
¯ killing the most productive age group,"
¯ Lewis said. "It is doubling and tripling
¯ infant mortality rates. It is returning life
-" .expectancy to the levels of 1960s." "It is
: the modern incarnationof the Dante’s
¯ Inferno," Lewis said. "Neaier has Africa
¯ faced such a plague."
~ Worldwide, some 16,000 people daily
" are infected.by HIV, the virus that causes
¯ AIDS, and there are 8.2 million AIDS
: orphans, most in sub-Saharan Africa, the
" report said. The report warned that AIDS
: could increase infant mortality in eastem
¯ and southern Africa by 75% and double
: the death rate of children under fivein the
¯ region in the next decade. "Thenumber of
: orphans in Africa constitute nothing less
¯ thananemergencyrequiring an emergency
: response," the report said.
¯ In Uganda, some 1.1 million children
¯ under 15 - or 11% of the country’s child
¯ population-have lost one or both parents ¯
to AIDS, the highest number of AIDS
¯ orphans in the world. In the developed
¯ wodd, that figure is at 1%. ¯
Especially important was educating
¯
people on prevention and on building
¯ tolerance in the region, where AIDS
¯ victims arefrequently shamedinto silence.
¯" Men, more than women, were intolerant
¯ of the disease, often refusing to be tested
: or to support wives stricken with AIDS,
¯ Lewis said.
: Lewis attacked Western nations for not
: financing the fight against the scourge in
¯ Africa. "It is morally indefensible," Lewis
~ said, "That the West is prepared to spend
: upwards of $40 billion to fight war in the
¯ Balkans then to engage in the economic
¯ restoration ofKosovo, andless than 1% of
: that to save the lives of tens of millions of
¯ women, children and men in .adriea."
by James Christjohn
Well, Just saw the new Muppets in
Space (MIS). It only served to make me
nostalgic for the days when Jim Henson
was at the helm of Muppetland. His son,
Brian, strives to follow in his footsteps
and for the most parts does a pretty good
job, but for whatever
reasons, the muppets
justseem to be puppets
now, not beings with
personalities.
In MIS, the plot
focuses on Gonzo,
who doesn’t know
what he is. Neither
does anyone else.
Turns out, he’s an
"alien from outer space
that.got left behind on
a mzsslon many years
ago, and now his
family is looking for
him. This could have
been the setup for a
really tinny "Pigs in
Space" type romp,
taking on all the big
space films, like Star
Wars, Close Encounters, Star Trek, etc.
And, while it has a few cute moments,
it fizzles like booster rockets with a furl
leak. I was really hoping it wout~d be good,
so it is with heavy heart I ~rite this.
Missing are the cameos that populated the
first three muppet films to such success,
the rapid fire jokes, and the witty
commentary on society that was the secret
weapon of the muppet minds. This is not
to say that you won’t find a few chuckles
in the film, which is worth seeing at the
dollar movie.
Especially relevant - and attention
getting - are the bits where Gonzo is
telling the gang that"I didn’ t choose to be
this way, I was’born this way." There are
other moments like that as well, which
indicates more of an overt Gay sensibility
to the film that one might suspect. These
moments are what makes the film worth
seeing.The pacing is-off on most of the
jokes - many of which absolutely depend
on the perfect timing to be funny rather
than misfires.
The ending leaves one wishing formore
- morebuildup,more climax, betterjokes.
It is kind ofperfunctory, and at no time do
the muppets sing any of the songs except
for one perfunctory number, and it’s an
oldie everyone will recognize, mainly
because it was overplayed in the 80’ s way
toe much. It was obviously thrown in at
the last minute, probably as a result of a
production meeting wherein someone said,
"But we HAVEto have a muppet musical
number! It’s expected!", and someone
else said,"Well... OK. I guess so. What’ll
we do?" "How about some old song from
the 80’s that everyone knows? That way
we won’t have to pay for songwriters?"
That, too, was disappointing, for one who
remembers the Muppet Movie for the
music as wall as the dream of one little
green frog to "make millions of people
happy."
Switching hats here, I thought I’d cross
over into TFN Book reviewer Barry
Hensley’s territory and make a
recommendation for "Queer Astrology
for Men" by Jill Dearman. Ms. Dearman
writes in a humorous style, which can
seem light until you read - really read -
whatshe’ s writing. (Shemustbea"sadge"
- Saggitarian) It makes the more
~ challenging aspects of the signs a little
¯ easier to take, and makes one aware of
¯ them without alienating or antagonizing,
¯ except in a good natured, "just kidding"
" kinda way. She’s been writing
¯ professionally aboutastrology for 9 years,
and has studied astrology since childhood,
and she does seem to
One of my favorite
numbers was the
"Jadhouse Tango",
wherein a bunch of
murderesses explain
why "they done it".
I think anyone who’s
been in a relationship
could probably
identify with many of
the reasons.
know her stuff.
As an astrologer
(Gemini MoonAstrological
Services, see
ad within these pages),
I am always on the
lookout for new and
informative
information on
astrology, especially
pertaining to Gay and
Lesbian folk This
book fits the bill quite
nicely and accurately,
Informally written,
it is an overview of
the sun sign..(themost
basic part of one’s
personality. Of
course, for a really
accuratepicture, afull
interpretation or birthchart is necessary;
since the other planets can mitigate/
amplify the sun sign’s qualities in any
given person.) As such, it is scarily on the
target.
As a Sagittarius, I found that section
(sometimes unfortunately) to be dead-on:
And having spent more than my share of
time around Leas, I read that section as an
objective "test" of the accuracy of the
writing, and again, it was quite right. So,
if you’re looking for a quick overview of
someone’s personality, and what makes
them tick, tiffs would be one of the better
book.
For a more complete picture, if you
know the person’s moon sign and rising
sign, I would recommend reading those
sections as well. Sun: basic ego quirks and
personality; rising sign or ascendant: how
they appear to others (Which explains
why a sun sign appears to be something
else entirely, emphasis on the "seems".);
and moon sign: emotions and the
subconscious - the way someone filters/
expresses emotional tendencies. Or, in
the case of one Leo I know, not.
It’ s a worthy addition to thebookshelves
of anyone curions about what makes
people tick, psychology, or mateshopping.
And, as a former total skeptic
and a psychology major, I can say give it
arty; you’llbe surprised. Forget the overly
general newspaper tidbits (especially the
Tulsa World -"Sagittarius: Today you’ll
have a day" just doesn’t cut it with me),
and go for the real stuff. This is a good
start,
If you can, check out "Chicago", at the
PAC throughAugust 1 st. The Kander and
Ebb musical starring Sandy Duncan is
worth seeing. The men and women are all
gorgeous, and the staging is perfect. The
story of the "sensationalization" of two
murders for publicity’s sake is certainly
timely. Ms. Duncan is gorgeous and turns
in a great performance, and the dancing
alone is worth seeing.
One of my favorite numbers was the
"Jailhouse Tango", wherein a bunch of
murderesses explain why "they done it",
I thinkanyonewho’s beenin arelationship
could probably identify with many of the
reasons.
see Arts, p. 11
present...
of Dallas, Texas~
Reception
Following
Performance
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AUG. 2"/~: 28 - 8 PM
~Made possible, in part, by a grant from
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Tickets $12
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~ SUNDAYS
Bless the Lord At All Times Christian Center
Sunday School - 9:45am, Service - 11 am, 2207 E. 6th, 583-7815
Community of Hope (Welcoming), Service - 6pm, 2545 S. Yale, 585-1800
Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Service - 1 lam, 2545 S. Yale, 749-0595 (Welcoming)
Church of the Restoration Unitarian Universalist
Service - 1 lam, 1314 No. Greenwood, 587-1314
Metropolitan Community Church United
Service, l lain, 1623 North Maplewood, Info: 838:1715
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 lam, 205 W. King (east 0f N. Denver), hffo: 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 Canterbury Ctr., 5th & Evanston, 583-9780
~ MONDAYS
Mixed Volleyball, Helmerich Park, 71st & Riverside, 6pm, call Shawn at 243-5190.
HIV Testing Clinic, Free & anonymous testing. No appointment required.
Walk in testing: 7-8:30pm, 834-TEST (8378) 3501 E. Admiral (east of Harvard)
HIV Rap Sessions at Bless the Lord At All Times Christian Center
7:30pro, 2207 E. 6th, 583-7815
PFLAG, Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays
2nd MonJeach mo. 6:30pm, Fellowship Congregational Church, 2900 S. Harvard
Women/Children & AIDS Committee, call for meeting date, noon, 585-5551
Council Oak Men’s Chorale, rehearsals - call for times, info: 585-COMC (2662)
~TUESDAYS
AIDS Coalition of Tulsa, call for next meeting date. 1430 S. Boulder, 585-5551
Live And Let Live. Community of Hope United Methodi st, 7:30pm, 2545 S. Yale
Multicultural AIDS Coalition, call for next meeting date.
Urban League, 240 East Apache, 584-0001
PrimeTimers, mens group, Pride Center, 1307 E. 38th
Coming Out Support Group (TOHR/HOPE)
Tuesdays, 6 pm, Pride Center, 1307 E. 38th, info: 743-4297
~ 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 So: Norwood
Tulsa Native American Mens Support Group, more information, call 582-7225
TCC Gay & Lesbian Association of Students (GLAS), Call for inib: 595-7632.
Lambda A-A, 7 pm, 1307 E. 38th, 2nd ft.
~" THURSDAYS
HOPE, HIV Outreach, Prevention, Education
Anonymous HIV Testing, Testing: 7 - 8:30pm 834-8378, 3507 E. Admiral
Oklahoma Rainbow Young Adult Network (O’RYAN)
Support/social group for 18-24’s, call Red Rock Mental Health at 584-2325
Substance Abuse Support Group for persons with HIV AIDS, Info: 834-4194
~ FRIDAYS
SafeHaven, Young Adults Social Group, 1 st Fri/each mo. 8pm, Pride Ctr., 1307 E. 38th
~" SATURDAYS
Narcotics Anonymous, 11 pm, Community of Hope,1703 E. 2nd, Info: 585-1800
Lambda A-A, 6 pm, Pride Center, 1307 E. 38th, 2rid ft.
~ OTHER GROUPS
T.U.L.S.A. Tulsa Uniform & Leather Seekers Association, info: 838-1222
Gal-A-Vanting, Womens Social & Cultural Group
Call for info: Mary at 743-6740, Kathy at 322-6322, or Barb at 459-68251..i
OK Spoke Club, Gay & Lesbian Bike Organization. Long rides, 7am on 8~ & 8/
21. Short ride, 6:30pm on 8/5, 6pm on 8/18 from Zeigler Park. Short ride, 6:30pro, 8/
25 from Tulsa Gay Community Center. Write for info: PUB 9165, Tulsa. OK74157
lfyour organization is not listed, please let us know. Call 583-I248 orfax 583-4615.
READ ALL ABOUT IT
reviewed by Barry Hensley
Tulsa City-Couniy Library
For a short time, in 1997, the worldwas
mesmerized’by the odd and frightening
story of Andrew Cnnanart, as he went on
a killing spree across several
states, ending.with themurder Indiana’s
of fashion designer Gianni ¯ ". ~ "
Versace in Miami. This
¯recounting of Cunanan’s
interesting life and horrifying
death makes fascinating, ff
difficult, reading.
Growing up in a lower
middle class family,Cunanan
learned early in life to
embellish tte truth to make
him seem more important. He
studied the.finer things in life
beginning as a child, and by -
high school, dazzled his
teachers with his knowledge
andtaste, andwonrespectfrom
other students with his sharp
wit, easy’ demeanor and
exceedingly good looks.
As he eased into gay life in " sentence at
California, Cnnanan learned thathe couldeasilymanipulate ~’- 39~0 words!
otherpeopleinto situations that
were advantageous to him. He had a few
seim-serious relationships and even had a
sugar daddy at one point. The two people
he was serious about, David Madson and
JeffTrail, each soonrealized thatCunanan
was a fraud. To get away from him, they
each left the state, ironically both ending
up in Minnesota.
As Cunanan’s friends deserted him,
with no job and low on funds, he went to
Minnesota, hoping one of his old
boyfriends wouldinvitehim to stay awhile
- untilhe wasbackonhis feet. BothMadson
and Trail, who barely knew each other,
were simply hoping that he wouldstay for
acoupleofdays andleave. Whenitbecame
gravcst sin,
and the thing
that makes
the book so
hard to read,
is his highly
approach to
sentence
structure.
I do kd
The brothers were being held in lieu of
$150,000 bail on charges of receiving
stolen property after authorities said they
found awallet, credit card, driver’s license
and Social Security card belonging to
Matson.
Federal and local authorities said the
brothers also were being investigated in
connection with the Sacramento
synagogue fires onJune 18 that caused $1
million in damage..
TheWilliams brothers livedinamodest,
wood-frame house in Redding, where
investigators said they found material
espousing white supremacist beliefs.
Amongthematerial foundwas literature
from the Illinois-based World Church of
the Creator, according to news reports. A
former member of the church, Benjamin
Smith, killed himself last week after a
two-state shooting spree targeting
minorities inTndianaand ~linois thatkill~.~
two men and wonnded nine others.
Also found in the house was alist of32
prominent Jewish and civic leaders in
Sacramento, and FBI special agent James
Maddock said protection was ordered for
those individuals. Officials also urged
Reddin~’s only Jewish congregation,
Temple Beth Israel, to increase secun y.
ii
evident that no offers were forthcoming,
Cunanan tttmed bitter and surly. After a
minor betrayal by Jeff Trail, Cunanan
snapped, bludgeoning Trail to death with
a hammer. And so began his killing spree
which also included Madson, an elderly
friend in Chicago, an unlucky
cemetery worker whose truck
Cunanan needed, and finally,
Versace.
Author Gary Indiana did a
lotofresearch butmuch of the
book revolves around what
Cunanan was thinking, how
he formulated his plans, and
conversations between
Cunanan and his victims.
Since all of the participants
are dead, Indiana is simply
making up. a good story,, With
events that may ormay not be
true.But, Indiana’s gravestsin,
and the thing that makes the
book so hard to read, is his
highly unusual approach to
sentence structure. I clocked
one sentence at 320 words!
Frustrations aside, this
is an interesting story, and
there are some fairly good
photographs to help put faces
¯ with names. There is an unseemly photo
." Of Ctmanan’s bloody corpse, after his
¯ suicide, which is better suited to a tabloid
~ thanarespectablebook. Ctmananwas ful!
¯ of contradictions; smart but doing stupid
¯" things, sweet yet mean to those around
him, and;mostofall,complex yetshallow.
¯ His is a warning to materialistic social
". climbers that there is more to life than
superficial appearances, and if you take
¯ things too seriously, you can wind up
: hurting yourself and those you love.
¯ Check for Three Month Fever at your
: local branch library, or call the Readers
: Services departmentatthe Central Library,
¯ at 596-7966.
i Anti-Hate Crimes Legislation
: Advances in Senate
¯ WASHINGTON - The Senate has taken
i a ,strong stand against the rising tide of
hate violence in America by adding the
¯
Hate Crimds Prevention Act to the
¯ Commerce, Justice and State appro-
¯ priations bill, both the Human Rights
"_ Campaiguandthe National Gay&Lesbian
¯
Task Force asserted recently.
¯ "The Senate took a dramatic step
¯ forward in making this nation a safer ¯
place for all Americans," HRC Executive
: Director Elizabeth Birch said a day after
¯ the Senate added hate crimes language to
¯ the appropriationsmeasure. "We appla.ud ¯
this responsibleeffort to stem the growing
: trend of hate crimes in our country."
¯ ’q’his is the first concrete action taken
¯ by either chamber since America buried
¯" Matthew Shepard, James Byrd Jr., Billy
~ .Jack Gaither, and many transgendered
: people whose names and faces do not
make the newspapers," said Kerry Lobel,
¯ executive director of the National Gay
¯ and Lesbian Task Force.
_" "It is a good first step. But we have a
¯ long way to go and we must now mm to
¯ the House and tell our representatives
: how critically important this legislation
¯ is. In short, we must keep up the heat." ¯
Theamendmentapprovedby the Senate
: see Hate, p, 14
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Tulsa Locations:
2001 S. Garnett, 437-2444
3733 S. Memorial, 6600344
1216 S. Harvard, 587-177~
Sapulpa Location:
109 N. Mission, 227-2322
And if you haven’t heard Sarah
Mclachlan’s "Mirrorball" CD, I would
recommend that yougo get itnow. As one
of the few artists I’ve heard that sounds as
good live as She does on her studio
recordings, this is a standout collection of
live performances that showcase her
talents to a tee. A DVD/videotape is to be
released soon of-the performances
captured on this CD, with extra songs. If
you didn’t get to see her inOKC, I can tell
you that this is the next best thing.
Also, for those who have missed the
regular "Stevie" updates, Ms. Nicks’
album is nearly completed, with an
October release date,
The most concrete action taken,
however, was acommitmenttomeetagain
as a group on Sept. 14, at the TulSa Gay
Community Services Center (the Pride
Center) at 1307 E. 38th St. probably at
6pro. For more information, call Marty
Newman at 582-4673.
Want to get involved?
Need to get tested for HIV?
Need a Coming Out Support Group?
Call 743-GAYS
Tulsa Gay Community
Services Center
1307 E. 38th at Peoria, 2nd floor
HUman Rights Campaign Fears Religious
Liberty Bill May Threaten Civil Rights
WASHINGTON - The House passed the ¯ discriminate on the basis of sext~A
~::i.: Religi~us Liberty ProtectionAct (RLPA) : orientation.
last month and defeated a substitute bill
that would have closed a dangerous
loophole in RLPA that could threaten
civil fights ff not remedied in the Senate,
according to theHaman Rights Campaign.
"In its current form, this bill poses a
grave threat to civil rights laws throughout
thecountry," saidHRCExecutive Director
Elizabeth Birch "In an unconscionable
vote~.the U.S. House of Repre.sentatives
has indicated its willingness, to trample onthb
civil rigllts ofwomen, people of color,.
people with disabilities and Gay and
Lesbian Americans."
"While we support the intentions of the
Religious Liberties Protection Act, it is
shameful that the House rejected an
alternative bill that would have protected
civil rights," said HRC Political Director
Winnie Stachelberg.
A substitute bill sponsored by Jerrold
Nadler, D-N.Y., was defeated in theHouse
190 to 234 after an hour-long debate. The
Nadler bill would have clarified RLPAby
preventing an individual from using
religious beliefs to undermine local or
state civil rights statutes. Without the
Nadlerbill, which was necessary forHRC
support, the Rep. Charles Canady0 R-Fla.,
sponsored Religious Liberty Protection
Act-a bill designed to safeguard religious
expression- passed the House306 to 118.
RLPA would prohibit any state or local
law from placing a "substantial burden"
on a "person’s religious exercise" even if.
the rule is not designed to infringe on a
person’s religious beliefs. The problem
is; the bill currently does not clarify
whether state andlocal anti-discrirhination
laws can be ignored by a person who
claims that these laws violate his or her
religious beliefs.
"We cannot support legislation that
might threatenanti:discrimination statutes
thatprotect Gay andlesbianAmericans in
11 states and 101 municipalities," said
Stachelberg.
Thefollowing is an excerpt of a letter
that was sent by HRC executive director
Elizabeth Birch to our allies who are
supporting the RLPA without civil rights
protection.
The- Human Rights Campaign is proud
to have the support of a broad-based
coalition ofreligious organizations in the
struggle for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual
equality. However, in light of the position
many such organizations took on last
week’s House vote in support of the
Religious Liberty ProtectionAct(RLPA),
I wouldlike to share withyou our thoughts
on RLPA. First, we believe the intent of
this legislation is a worthy one - religious
freedom is an important righL But, as
currently drafted, this bill is flawed.
We strongly believe support for this
legislation, as currently drafted, is not
consistent with support for Gay and
Lesbian rights....
Like you, the Human Rights Campaign
strongly supports the principle of
protecting the free exercise of one’s
personal religious beliefs that serve as the
foundation for RLPA. Just as strongly, we
believe that Lesbian, Gay and bisexual
Americans shouldnotface discrimination
at work, at home or in their communities
because of their sexual orientation. It is
clear from statements made by members
of the coalition supporting RLPA that
they believe individual landlords and
employers should be allowed to
’_ Unfortunately, the question
¯ answered during last week’s debate <~n
: RLPA is, in my mind, the most import~zt
: one: what religious liberty fights wo~.! d
¯ be lost or weakened by the inclusion of a
: civilrights provision?Formembers of the
¯ coalition supporting this bill who profc.qs
¯ a desire to resolve this impasse in good
: faith, I find the rejection of this provision
¯ completely bafflin.g....:
¯" " Our ~ concern! ls:.com~pou,n,ded by
statements made by (he bill’.s chief:
¯ sponsor, Congressman Charles Canady,
~ and one of the leading members of your
¯ coalition, Steve McFartand, of the ¯
¯ Christian Legal Society. During
Saturday’s broadcast of the CSPAN
" program Washington Journal, Canady
¯ said"I believe there are contexts in which
: this bill could result in a claimant who is
¯ defending agmnst the application of a
¯ local Gay rights ordinance to raise a claim
that would be successful - I think this law
would trump the Gay rights ordinance."
¯ Mr. McFarland also acknowledged this
." intended use of RLPA in response to a
¯ question fromCongressman Jerry Nadler ¯
during his congressional testimony on
¯ RLPA before the House Judiciary
¯ Committee.’s Subcommittee on the
¯ Constitution on May 12, 1999. I am sure
¯
you can understand why such statements
¯ do little to dispel the very real fear that
¯ some intend to use RLPA as a sword to ¯
strike down the civil rights of others in the
¯ name of religious liberty. Whether it is
; your intent or not, opposition to a civil
¯ rights exemption ts support for
¯ discriminationbased onsexual orientation
" - a position in direct opposition to the
¯ principles that are the foundation of the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
: We are particularly passionate about
: the need for a civil rights provision in
¯ RLPA because of the lack of any federal
laws prohibiting employment
." discrimination on the basis of sexual
; orientation. The eleven state laws and
¯ nearly 200local laws are the few and very
: hard fought civil rights protections
] availableforGay and Lesbian Americans.
: Many of those laws took fifteen years or
¯ more of struggle by the local community
¯ to pass....
The Religious Liberty Protection Act,
.~ as currently drafted, will put more
¯ Americans at risk of discrimination, not ¯
fewer. Enacting this legislation without
: stating clearly in the bill that RLPA does
¯ not provide a defense to non-compliance
¯ with stateor local anti-discriminationlaws ¯
undercuts those laws ....
¯ To allow RLPA as a defense against
: discrimination is to defend religious
¯ practices that do real and definable harm ¯
to others. From our perspective, your
¯ opposition to the civil rights provision
." means you are defending the right of a
¯ religious individual, who chooses to be a
: landlord or employer, to impose their
¯ religious beliefs on a Gay or Lesbian
¯ American by denying them a job or a
: place to live because of their sexual
: orientation. To find ourselves in this
: disagreement with you, our long-time
¯ allies, deeply saddens and angers us... ¯
We ask you to join with us as this bill
." moves forward to strongly encourage the
: Senate to include a civil rights provision
¯ and enact areligious liberty protection act
: for all Americans.
¯ - Elizabeth Birch, Executive Director
byEsther Rothblum, Ph.D.
Giventhenumberandrange ofresearch
projects about Lesbians in recent years, it
is easy to forget how challenging it was to
survey Lesbians even a decade ago. In the
1980’ s, Caitlin Ryan and Judy Bradford
conducted @hat became the National
Lesbian Health Care Survey. This study
eventually resulted in 1,925 completed
questionnaires from Lesbians in all 50
U.S. states. It figured prominently in the
recent Institute of Medicine
Report of the National
Academy of Sciences. Even
today, there are Lesbians
(including me!) who
remember completing a
questionnaire for this study
15 years ago. I recently asked
Caiflin and Judy to describe
the "herstory" and process
of conducting the National
Lesbian Health Care Survey
in the mid- 1980s.
In the late 1970s, Caitlin suggested
forminganational organization thatwould
be multi-disciplinary, focus on Lesbian
- and Gay health issues, and sponsor
research and education. She began to talk
with other Lesbians about the need for a
survey. There was no av~i~lable
information on how Lesbians
conceptualize Lesbian health. She was
also interested in how stigma affected
health, mental health, self care, and access
to care.
Sheapplied for agrant though thenewly
formed National Lesbian and Gay Health
Foundation and hired a research
consultant, Dot Parkel, who was a
sociologist and survey researcher. Dot’s
role was to help design the study and to
develop drafts of the questionnaire, using
the input Caitlin had received from many
Lesbians.
Caitlin told me: "I remember talking
with a researcher who was herself a
closeted Lesbian, who sat down with me
and basically told me that I could not
possibly do a study like this. She just felt
that it was not feasible. And, of course,
therewas no such thing as arepresentadve
sample. I saw this womanrecently and we
laughed about her earlier skepticism. She
said, ’I told you that you couldn’t do and
you went out and did it.’ "
Judy got started by attending the
Intemational Lesbian and Gay Health and
AIDS Conference atNew YorkUniversity
with a good friend, a man who was in her
class in graduate school. They were both
interested in AIDS research, which was
just getting started then. EverywhereJudy
looked- and she went to a lot of sessions
at the conference - there were mostly
men. Then she noticed in the Conference
program a scheduled time for a women’ s
group meeting. It turned out to be an
orgamzing meeting for the National
Lesbian Health Care Survey, and Caitlin
was facilitating the group. When Judy
said she was a graduate student and
described a little of what she was doing,
she suddenly became co-investigator and
was responsible for data analysis and
preparing the survey report.
One of the things Caitlin had been very
concerned about was inclusion. So many
of the early studies, and even those
conducted today, have shown very highly
educated samples of Lesbians. Shewanted
¯ . . it is easy
to forget how
challenging it
was to survey
Lesbians even
a decade ago.
: to include women of color and women of
¯ diffeient economic backgrounds and not
¯ have language be a barrier. So she talked
with people about how to ask clinical
¯ questions in a non-clinical way. Caitlin
¯ said: "I talked with women bus drivers,
day laborers, women who had been
¯ recently diagnosed withcancer, about their
¯ experiences and how we should ask these ¯
questions. All of that helped frame how
¯
we would shape a questionnaire."
She elicited
suggestions about language
in a series of focus groups
that took place in several
different parts ofthe country.
They pre-tested the
questxonna]re at several
Lesbian and Gay
conferences and with
individuals around the
country. They would ask the
womenin the focus group to
fill out the questionnaire, and
¯ then they would sit around and talk about
¯ it alittlebit, and hearwhat people thought ¯
of it to make it more accessible. After
" several go-arounds using that process,
: they finalized the questionnaire.
¯ SinceCaitlinhaddone the early Lesbian ¯
andGayhealth organizing, shehad alarge
¯ address baseofpeopleall overthecountry
who were willing to help distribute the
¯ quesdounaires. They set up a distribution ¯
plan that was kind of an unusual approach
¯ tO snowball sampling. The methodology
¯ was intended to get the questionnaires out ¯
as broadly as possible to people all over
the country, including Alaska; They were
concernedwithgetting the survey to underrepresented
populations that hadn’t been
sampled before, so they made a
commitment to getting it to Lesbians in
the military, Lesbians living on Indian
reservations, and Lesbians in prison.
They also. tried reaching non-English
speaking women and they tried to reach
Lesbians of color in a variety of ways,
including having Lesbians of color give it
out to their networks around the country.
The National Coalition of Black Lesbians
and Gays sent a mailing about the survey
and how important it was and how to
participate. The Wisconsin Governor’s
Task Force sent out mailings that went all
over the state of Wisconsin. The National
Organization of Women sent out
information abeut the survey, and
information about it was published in a
variety of Lesbian and Gay newsletters.
The survey went out in the fall of 1984
and by early 1985 they had received
surveys back from 1,925 Lesbians from
every U.S. state. It was a wonderful
experience for them,hearing from somany
Lesbians across the country, and had the
sense of a national movement. There was
an electric energy - everyone had a great
sense of how important the survey was.
Of course, a major issue was how to
obtain money to fund data entry and data
analysis. The early 1980s was not a time
for funding Lesbian projects. Once the
struggles for funding were over (though
the study was funded on a shoestring),
Judy sent the questionnaires out to the
Virginia State Prison, where all the lab’s
data entry was done at that time. She told
¯ me: "The questionnaires did not arrive ¯
back. When our project manager called
¯
about this, seePsyche, p. 13
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by Lamont Lindstrom
For years and years I used to gethaircuts
athome. Mona, spouse, roommates,lovers
- whoever was handy with scissors - had
a whack at my head. The result varied but
the price was right. So I was a latecomer
to theworld of barbers, professional haircutters,
hairdressers, and stylists. Thefirst
time I paid someone for a haircut I was
nervous. I was 40 years old but had never
been inside a salon. That chair, the sink,
those weird tools - it all reminded me of
the dentist. However, I soon learned to
appreciate hairdressers’ skills and also
the pleasure of a shampoo and an
occasional head massage.
But I was still worried when I moved to
Japan for seven months. My hair grew
faster than I could learn Japanese. I riffled
desperately throughmyratty oldJapanese
"useful phrases for tourists" looking for
haircut vocabulary. I had the book in my
pocket when I picked a shop at random
from the scores of salons in downtown
Kagoshima.
Lucky for me, the stylist and owner had
trained with Vidal Sassoon in London.
And he remembered enough English to
understand roughly how I wanted my
hair. He had an army of assistants, too,
who shampooed me and got me ready for
the cut. (They would drape a cloth over
my eyes while working on me - I wasn’t
sure if this was to keep out the suds, or
spare me the rude view of their nostril
hair.) The shampoo always finished with
a beautifully relaxing head massage - a
standard service in Japanese salons.
I have just finished reading an analysis
of hair styling written by anthropologist
Grant McCracken: Big Hair: A Journey
into the Transformation of Self.
McCracken interviewed both stylists and
customers about the transforming powers
of hair. He suggests that we Americans
get new hairstyles in order to recreate and
change ourselves. When we reach a point
in life where we need a change, we redo
our hair. Or when the boyfriend dumps
you, a new buzz cut and goatee can help
relieve the pain.
A few years ago there was a weird
outbreak of ponytails among my 40-
something straight-guy friends
Something about hitting the Big 40 made
these aging friends cultivate their long,
graying locks. Perhaps they figured this
was the last chance before it all fell off
anyway.
Psychologists from Freudondownhave
commented on the sexual meaning of
hair. Delilah cuts away Samson’s
hewas told ,they wouldn’ t code the surveys.
I got another company to.do it and the
same thing happened. Finally when it
came to the third company I was told that
the data entry staff were afraid to touch
the questionnaires for fear of getting
AIDS !"
Over the years, wherever Judy and
Caitlin are, they continue to nm into
Lesbians who participated in the survey,
and who want to talk about the impact that
it had on them. Many women wrote pages
of material in addition to the answers they
gave to the items on the questiormaire.
For published results of the National
Lesbian Health Care Survey, see:
1. Bradford, J.B., & Ryan, C. (1991).
Who we are: Health concerns ofmiddle-
¯ manhood by fleecing his curls. Though ¯ nowadays- thanks to Michael Jordan and
¯¯ others - the bald knob is equally sexy.
Whether one goes for flowing ponytail or
¯
smooth, shiny scalp, the pointis that when
¯ life gets messy or gloomy, we run to our ¯
barber.
¯ In Kagoshima, someof themoreelegant
¯ salon assistants had dyed their black
¯ Japanese hair blond and I wondered if ¯
they were Gay. But then I felt guilty for
¯ thinking stereotypically. All hair stylists,
¯" of course, are not Gay. Warren Beatty in
Shampoo.testified to that. Still, Gay men
¯ have, been deeply involved in the
¯ emergence of today’s hair industry.
¯ McCracken reviews some of the giants of
¯ 20th century hair styling: Ernest Adler, ¯
Alexandre, and Antoine - the 1950s
forerunners of Sassoon - and many of
¯ these men dearly were Gay. ¯
Furthermore, theAmerican marketplace
¯ feeds off cultural creativity generated
~ within local, often otherwise unap¯
preciated communities. It steals hiphop
stylefromurbanstreets;itborrows stylistic
¯ developments in language, dress, and hair
from Gay men and women. The long hair
¯ of the 1960s and the cropped hair of the
¯ 1990s both largely originated in Gay
circles.
The combination ofhomosexuality and
¯ personal service is not unusual across the
¯ world. Many of the small town beauty
¯ salons springing up in the Philippines and
elsewhere, for example, are established
¯ by Gay men.
¯o It may be that culturally ambiguous
¯ homosexuality-whichstands bothoutside
and between the categorical opposition
betw.eenmal,e andfemale-makes personal
service easier. If the server is somehow
outside the arena ofordinary heterosexual
gender competition and dalliance, then
his touch is easier to bear. It is not news
that. map.y Gay men provide personal
service m restaurants, hotels, hospitals,
rest homes, as well as in hair salons.
Next time you need a new you, do
something about that hair. It may be that
developments in genetics and cloning one
day will replace plastic surgery to allow
us effortlessly to remake ourselves:
Perhaps change our skin color, orbuy new
orange eyeballs, or a bigger set ofpecs, or
trade in our ears or more personal body
parts. But until that day comes, we’ve got
our hair. You can redo with a new do.
Which renfinds me. It’s about time for
a haircut.
Lamont Lindstrom, Ph.D. teaches
anthropology at the University of Tulsa.
agedLesbians. In B. Sang, J. Warshow, &
A.J. Smith (Eds.) Lesbians atmidlife: The
creative transition (pp. 147-163). San
Fransisco, CA: Spinsters Book Company.
2. Bradford, J.B., Ryan, C.,&Rothblum,
E.D. (1994). National Lesbian Health Care
Survey: Implications for mental health
care. Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology, 62, 228-242.
3. Ryan, C., & Bradford, J. (1993). The
NationalLesbian Health Care Survey: An
Overview. In D. Garnets & D.C. Kimmel
(Eds.) Psychological perspectives on
Lesbian and Gay male experiences. New
York: Columbia University Press.
Esther Rothblum is Professor of
Psychology at the University of Vermont
and Editor of the Journal of Lesbian
Studies. She can be reached atJohn Dewey
Hail, University of Vermont, Burlington,
VT. E-mail: esther.rothblum@uvm.edu.
and to effectively refute the anti-family
policies of the right-wing; second, to
actively build an effective and
collaborative national pro-GLBT family
network among GLBT and mainstream
organizations working on family issues;
and third, to educate the general public
about the value and values of GLBT
families.
Ettelbrick will assist NGLTF in
articulating a voice in policy debates that
have a great impact on GLBT families,
including debates on adoption, coparenting,
foster Care, alternative
insemination and recognition of "broader
family support networks. In addition,
NGLTF will raise GLBT perspectives in
debates that have traditionally excluded
consideration of GLBT perspectiyes.
Examples include definitions of family in
Social Security reform proposals~ the
Older Americans Act and immigration
policy.
Noted Vaid, "A number of legal and
advocacy groups do excellent work in the
arena of family issues, but no group
currently coordinates the efforts of our
movement in this area so that
collaboratively we can muster the
resources weneedto changefamily policy.
In addition, there is no national research
center for policy development and policy
analysis ~n family issues. With GLBT
families facing attack on so maiiy fronts,
the need for a coordinated national
approach has never been greater."
Announcement of the Family Policy
Programis partofalong-term commitmenl
on the part of the NGLTF Policy Institute
toGLBTFamilies. Beginning in the 1980s,
NGLTFhousedthefirstnational Families
Project. Throughout the 1990"s, the Task
Force worked actively on a number of
family issues. Last year, NGLTF
organized "Celebrating Our Families," a
15-city national tour to raise the visibility
of GLBT family issues and to organize
against attacks by right wing groups. In
1999, the Policy Institute published The
Domestic Partnership Organizing Manual
to help employees and citizens around the
country mobilize to obtain important
benefits for their families.
Founded in 1973, the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force works to
elimiinateprejudice, violence andinjustice
against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual
andTransgenderedpeople at thelocal, state
and national level. As part of abroader
social justice movement for freedom,
justice and equality, NGLTF iscreating a
world that respects and celebrates the
diversity ofhumanexpression andidentity
where all people may fully participate in
society.
For example, if anyone had suggested
that in the third year after weheld the first
Pride March (all 65 brave souls - likely
more non-Gay than Gay) that we would
have hnndreds at the Pride Parade and
Picnic of this year with no less than
Congressman Barney Frank as grand
marshal. While the principal credit for
that goes to Mitchell Savage and Ric
Martin and many others, it was nndcr
Steve’s leadership that these people came
together.
Andjustkeeping theCommunityCenter
afloat is no little task. While the Center
continues to serve many. groups and
members of the community, it still needs
broader support. Air conditioning has to
be paid for (air conditioning repairs have
to be paid for) as well as rent and other
expenses.
I would suggest that the greatest way in
which we can honor Steve Horn - and
those who served before him as well - is
to continue to support the work he did: to
help keep our community center open, to
improve it; maybe one day, even to help
build our own building - imagine.
would expand federal authority to
prosecute hate crimes. Currently, federal
officials canouly intervene if a victim is
engaged in a federally protected act such
as attempting to vote, go to school or serve
onajury. Federal officials catmotintervene
at all in hate crimes based on disability,
sexual orientation or gender.
The Senate also passed a watered-down
amendmentby Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah,
that does not cover sexual orientation,
disability or genderand wouldonly expand
federal jurisdiction to hate crimes
committed after the crossing of state lines.
"The Hatch amendment fails to
recognize that no one should be a target
for bias-motivated violence," Lobd said.
"Hate crimes legislation that doesn’t cover
sexual orientation, disability and gender
is a farce."
The Hate Crimes Prevention Act has
been a top. legislative priority of both
organizations and passage of the
amendment culminates months of
work."With strong administrationbacking
and bipartisan support in both houses of
Congress, we expect to be in a strong
position in the conference committee to
ensure final passage of the Hate Crimes
Prevention Act," Winnie Stachelberg,
HRC’s political director, said today.
The Hate Crimes Prevention Act has
strong supportfrom President Clinton and
the administration has made passage a
priority. Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., has
scheduled a hearing on the measure in the
House Judiciary Committee on Aug. 4.
HCPA currently has morethan 180House
cosponsors from both parties.
theneed for individuals in the community
¯ to support the Center remained.
According to Tracey Conaty,
"- spokespersonfor the Gill Foundation,Tim
, Gill, software developer of Quark,
established the Fmmdation in 1994 as a
: catalyst for and’to provide resources for
: communities in pursuit of justice and
¯" equality. The foundation also seeks to
buildawareness ofthe contributions which
: Gay men and Lesbians make to American
¯ society. Since its inception, Tim Gill and
¯ the Gill Foundation have provided nearly
$13 million to hundreds of community
¯ organizations.
Gatewoodalso mentioned several other
¯" events at the Center. On Sept. 25th, the
¯ Centerwill host aFeast for Friends dinner
in support of THE NAMES PROJECT.
¯ And in Oct. the Center will present a
¯ National Coming Out Day Festival and ¯
¯ Fair. This event will include a mini film
festival as well beginning on Oct. 8th.
: More information will be available as the
¯ event approaches.
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