[2000] Tulsa Family News, September 2000; Volume 7, Issue 9

[2000] Tulsa Family News, September 2000; Volume 7, Issue 9

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

September 2000

James Christjohn
Karin Gregory
Barry Hensley
J.P. Legrandbouche
Lamont Lindstrom
Esther Rothblum
Mary Schepers
Hughston Walkinshaw

Tom Neal/Tulsa Family News

Tulsa Family News, August 2000; Volume 7, Issue 8

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PDF
Online text

English

newspaper
periodical

https://history.okeq.org/items/show/604

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

Two Teens Indicted In
Murder of Gay Black Man
FAIRMONT, W.Va. (AP) - Two 17-year-old Marion
County boys were indicted at the end of August for the
murder of a Gay Black man. Jared Wilson and David
Allen Parker ofGrantTown were each charged as adults
with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit
murder in the July 4 death of Arthur "J.R." Warren.
They are accused of beating and kicking Warren, 26,
then running over him with a Camaro to disguise his
injuries as a hit-and-run. If convicted, they could be
sentenced to life in prison.
A 15-year,old witness, Jason Shoemaker of Grant
Town, has been charged as a juvenile with being an
accessory after the fact for allegedly helping the older
boys dispose of evidence. Conviction on that misdemeanor
offense could mean up to.a year in jail.
Shoemaker has testified that Warren was beaten and
kicked with steel-toed boots in a.hous¢.then put in a car.
He was still alive and begging t6 be taken home when
the other boys dragged him from the car on a Grant
Town road to kick and beat him some more. Parker then
drove over Warren four times, the boy said.
see Murder, p. 11
Los Angeles Dod.gers
ApOlogize to Lesbians
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (AP) - The Dodgers
apologized Wednesday to a Lesbian couple ejected
from Dodger Stadium earlier this month after the two
shared a kiss during a game against the Chicago Cubs.
’‘i was troubled.., because ofwhatit implied about the
Dodger organization," said team President Bob
Gratiano. "It means a lot to me that you are Dodger
fans," he said to Danielle Goldey and Meredith Kott.
"We will continue to do the right thing," Graziano
said.
The two were escorted out of the ballpark on Aug. 8.
Goldey and Kott say they were not initially told why
they were being ejected, but later they were told that
someone complained and said children should not be
exposed to "those people."
The couple said their companions, a heterosexual
couple, also kissedbut werenot ejeeted. Because ofthis,
they felt the action of the eight security guards was
discrimination.
Besides the public apology, the Dodgers donated
5,000 tickets to three Gay and Lesbian organizations
and promised sensitivity training for their employees.
’’I think they stepped up to the plate more than they
had to,"Goldey said. "All we wanted was an apology ...
I’m very proud to be a Dodger fan."
’’I’m extremely happy with the results," Kott said.
The couple was going to file a civil rights lawsuit if
the Dodgers didn’t apologize, said their lawyer Bernie
Bemheim. see Courts, p. 3
U_! DIRECTORY P. 2 ~ EDITORIAL P. 3
US & WORLD NEWS P. 4
~,~ HEALTH NEWS P. 6
Z ENTERTAINMENT P. 8
GAY STUDIES P. 10
Serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual + Transgendered Tulsans, Our Families + Friends
Tulsa + US Protests of Boy
Scouts’ Anti-Gay Policies
" OKC/TULSA (AP/TFN) - A handful of demonstrators asking
¯ the Boy Scouts to stop discriminating against Gay scouts and
" leaders took their message to the streets Monday, August 21,
° targeting motorists at a busy intersection not far from the Last
o FrontierBoy Scout headquarters inOklahomaCity (OKC) andin ¯
front of the Indian Nations Council in the Brookside neighbor-
" hood in Tulsa.
The Tulsa and Oklahoma City rallies were part of an effort
¯ plannedin atleast 36 cities and 21 states initiated by Scouting For
All, a national nonprofit organization formed by Steven Cozza,
" 15, of Petaluma, Calif. Cozza started Scouting For All several
¯ years ago after his father was removed as a Scout leader for
.-. supporting Gay civil rights.
Cozza, who said neither he nor his father is Gay, left the Boy
¯ Scouts about six months ago after becoming an Eagle Scout.
¯ Cozz~ said he no could longer support the program because it
discriminates. "Scoutmasters are people to look up to. What’s
" wrong with being influenced by a Gay man? Someone’s sexual-
: ity has nothing to do with his character or personality," he said.
¯ The dozen OKC protesters held signs that read "Scouting
¯ should be for everyone", "Open scouting to Gays" and "Honk for
~ Gay Boy Scouts". People honked. In Oklahoma City, a couple of
: people shouted obscenities and one truck driver shouted, "You
[ guys are wrong"but i,n Tulsa, most of those commenting as they
¯ drove by were supportive of the demonstrators who averaged
-" about 20 over a couple hour period.
." Kent Doss, a 21-year-old student a! the University of Okla-
¯ homa and an Eagle Scout, attended both the Oklahoma City and
° the Tulsa protests. Doss, who is Gay, became an Eagle Scout in
¯ 1997. He had been in scouting since the third grade. "Even after
." that many years of hard work it’s just not worth it because of the
~ negative influence," he said. ’’It is so hypocritical Everything I
¯ grew up with has been ignored," Doss said. ’q don’t want to
." abandon the scouts. I want to be apart of the dialogue, but I’m not
~ proud of scouting." In Tulsa, Doss did turn in his uniform, his
¯ merit badges and his Eagle Scout award.
¯ In June, the US Supreme Cotvt ruled 5-4 that Boy Scouts of
~ America (BSA) can bar Gays from serving as troop leaders.
¯ see Scouts, p. 2
Walk For Life 200-0
-" TULSA (TFN) - For the pasl seven years, AIDS activists,
[ caregivers, people living with AIDS/HIV, and others have come
: together to walk to raise money for I-IIV/AIDS care-giving and
¯ education agencies. Their services include n~lical assistance,
_" prevention efforts, transportation, support groups, and home and
." hospice care.
¯ Walkers are asked to solicit pledges prior to this year’s event
[ and to bring their pledge sheets and those donations to the Walk
_" which will be held on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 9:30am at Veterans’
¯ Park, located at 21st & Boulder. The Walk will begin and end at
: the park going down the River Park to the 31 st Pedestrian Bridge
." and returning.
¯ Donations to Walk for Life 2000, the 8th Annual Tulsa AIDS
¯ Walk will be increased by 50% with matching dollars through the
: generosity of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The Walk is
~ sponsored by the Community Service Council, and will benefit
.- the Tulsa Community AIDS Partnership (TCAP).
¯ The Walk is an all volunteer effort and there are no admiuistra-
"_ five costs. For more information or for pledge forms, call 585-
¯ 5551.
:US Court Rules Gay Mexican
¯ Citizen Eligible for U,S, Asylum
[ SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A cross-dressing, Gay Mexican man
¯ persecuted in his homeland is entitled to asylum in the United
¯ States, a federal appeals panel ruled in August.
-" The decision by three judges of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of
¯ Appeals expanded the social circumstances of persecution that
¯ immigration officials must consider during asylum hearings.
¯ Federal. courts have already allowed asylum for a variety of
¯ political and social reasons, including a woman’s fear of genital
: mutilation in her African homeland. Just last month, the 9th
¯ Circuit ruled that an Armenian who says he has was given an
¯ ultimatum to become a Communist or leave Armenia deserved
¯ another bid for asylum.
The case involves Geovanni Hernandez-Montiel, a Gay Mexi-
" can citizen who dresses and behaves as a woman. Hetestified that
¯ he was persecuted by his family, school officials and police, who
" he said sexually assaulted him. see Asylum, p. 9
Gay Services Center
Moving to Memorial
TULSA (TFN) - After several years in Brookside,
Tulsa’s Gay Community Services Center is rdocating
- likely to a building near 21st and Memorial.
After the ownership of the current location
changed, TOHR (Tulsa Oklahomans for Human
Rights, sponsoring organization of,\the center) had
to fight a legal battlejust to finish the current lease.
The new owners have spent considerable funds to
update the location in order to lease it at much
higher rates. None of the other original tenants still
remain.
TOHR president Greg Gatewood noted that the
new center will have about the same amount of
space as the current one but may have slightly
lower operating costs. The new space will still have
a Pride Store, the Nancy McDonald Library, and an
expanded TOHRmembers only free video lending
library. Volunteers to help prepare for the move
and to move are quite welcome, Gatewood added
and can call the Center at 743-4297 for details.
TOHR events for September include: a protest
planning meeting to respond to the upcormng visit
to Tulsa by radio "therapist" Dr. Laura on Tuesday,
Sept. 5th at 7pm at the Center (current location at
37th & Peoria, 2nd floor), new Center volunteer
orientation on Wednesday, Sept. 6th at7pm,TOHR
membership meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 12 at
7:30pm. This meeting will feature a presentation of
an A&E (Arts & Entertainment Network) program
onhate crimes. Votes on the nominating committee
for next year’s officers and on bylaws revisions
will also be held. And planning for next year’s
Pride events, Diversity Festival and Parade will
begin on Saturday, Sept. 9th at 1 lain at the Center.
On Friday, Sept. 29, 8pm, there will be a video
release party for Diversity 2000, a commemorative
video created by BoyBlue Productions in support
of TOHR. It will include highlights of all Pride
Week events including: see Video, p.8
¯ Florida Politicians Push
Federal Hate Crime Bill
- WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Two Republi-
¯ can congressmen are touting legislation that would
~ expand the federal government’s rolein investigat-
~ ing and prosecuting crimes based on sexual often-
, tation, religion, gender or ethnicity.
, U.S. Reps. Bill McCollum of Orlando and Mark
¯ Foley of West Palm Beach said while they may be
¯ members of a conservative political party, that
¯ doesn’t mean they find hate crimes against Gays
¯ and other historically persecuted groups any less
-" foul than Democrats do. "The issue is not Gay
: rights, the issue is hate crime," McCollum said
¯ Tuesday while meeting with Jewish leaders. "When
¯ someone is brutalized or killed.., it is fundamen-
: tally wrong."
¯ The bill would provide grants of up to $100,000
¯ for the investigation,and prosecution ofhate crimes
in all 50 states. It also would give federal authori-
¯ ties the ability to prosecute hate crimes under
¯ interstate commerce laws.
o According to the Southern Poverty Law Center,
¯ Florida ranks second in the nation in the number of
[ active hate groups. FBI statistics show a total of
" 7,755 bias-motivated criminal incidents were re-
. ported in 46 states and the District of Columbia in
. 1998, down about 10% over 1997.
Angela Lampert of the Jewish Federation of
" Palm Beach County said the group strongly sup-
. ports the bill. ’’We think hate crimes are abhorrent
¯ and do not need to be tolerated," Lampert said after
¯ meeting with McCollum and Foley at Temple Beth
¯ El in West Palm Beach.
In July, the Senate passed similar legislation as
¯ an amendment to a defense department appropria-
" tions bill. This adds offenses motivated by sexual
; orientation, sex or disability to the list of crimes
¯ covered under federal law. McCollum, chair of the
¯ House Subcommittee on Crime, and Foley hope to
¯ pass the House version in the same way.
Tulsa Clubs & Restaurants
*Chasers, 4812 E. 33
*CW’s, 1737 S. Memorial
*Club Cherry Bomb, 1926 E. Pine
*Club Vortex, 2182 S. Sheridan
Polo Grill, 2038 Utica Square
*St. Michael’s Alley Restaurant, 3324-L E. 31st
*The Star, 1565 Sheridan
*Renegades!Rainbow Room, 1649 S. Main
*TNT’s, 2114 S. Memorial
*Tool BOX, 1338 E.’ 3rd
*The Yellow Brick Road Pub; 2630 E. 15th
;712-2324
610-5323
583-2119
835-2376
744-4280
745-9998
834,4234
585-3405
660-0856
584- t308
749-1563
Tulsa Businesses, Services, & Professionals
Advanced Wird~ss &~PCS,Digital Cdlular
Assoc. in Med. & Mental Health, 2325 S. Harvard
Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 8620 E. 71
Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 5231 E. 41
Body Piercing by Nicole, 2722 E. 15
*Borders Books & Music, 2740 E. 21
*Borders Books & Music, 8015 S. Yale
Brookside Jewelry, 4649 S. P~oria
*CD Warehouse, 3807c S. Peoria~
*Cheap Thrills, 2640 E. 1 lth
Cherry St. Psychotherapy, 1515 S. Lewis
Community Cleaning, Kerby Baker
Tim Daniel, Attorney 352-9504, 800-742-9468
.747-1508
743-1000
250-5034
665-4580
712-1122
712-9955
494-2665
743-5272
746-0313
295-5868
581-0902, 743-4117
622-0700
749-3620
744-5556
838-8503
369-8555
584-0337, 712-9379
592-0460
744-9595
610-0880
628-3709
808-8026
742- 1460
459-9349
744-7440
745-1111
341-6866
712-2750
582-3018
747-0236
582-8460
599-8070
747-5466
585-1234
584-3112
663-5934
-664-2951
838-7626
743 -4297
747-5932
834-0617
747-4746
749-6301
26o-7829.
481-0558
835-5563
743-1733
665-2222
592-0767
*Deco to Disco, 3212 E. 15th
Doghouse on Brookside, 331 t S. Peoria
*Elite Books & Videos, 821 S. Sheridan
Encompass Travel, 13161H N. Memorial
.Ross Edward Salon
Events Unlimited, 507 S. Main
Floral Design Studio, 3404 S. Peoria
Four Star Import Automotive, 9906,E. 55th PI.
Cathy Furlong, Ph.D., 1980 Utica Sq. Med. Ctr.
Gay & Lesbian Affordable Daycare
*Gloria Jean’s Gourmet Coffee, 1758 E. 21st
Leatme M. Gross, Insurance & financial planning
Mark T. Hamby, Attorney
*Sandra J. Hill, MS, Psychotherapy, 2865 E Skelly
*International Tours
Jacox ANmal Clinic, 2732 E. 15th
*Jared’s Antiques, 1602 E. 15th
David Kauskey, Country Club Barbering
The Keepers, Housekeeping & Gardening
*Ken’s Flowers, 1635 E.. 15
Kelly Kirby, CPA, 4021 S. Harvard, #210
*Living ArtSpace, 308 South Kenosha
*Midtown Theater, 319 E. 3rd
Mingo Valley Flowers, 9720c E. 31
*Mohawk Music, 6157 E 51 Place
Puppy Pause II, 1060 S. Mingo
*The Pride Store, 1307 E. 38, 2nd floor
Rainbowz on the River B+B, PUB 696, 74101
Richard’s Carpet Cleaning
Teri Schutt, Rex Realtors 834-7921,
Scribner’s Bookstore, 1942 Utica Square
Paul Tay, Car Salesman
*Tulsa Comedy Club, 6906 S. Lewis
Venus Salon, 1247 S. Harvard
Fred Welch, LCSW, Counseling
*Wherehouse Music,,5150 S. Sheridan
*Whittier News Stand, 1 N. Lewis
www.gaytulsa.org - website for Tulsa Gays & Lesbians
Tulsa Agencies, Churches, Schools & Universities
AIDS Walk Tulsa, PUB 4337, 74101 579-9593
All Souls,Unitarian Church, 2952 S. Peoria. 743~2363
Black & White, Inc. PUB 14001, Tulsa 74159 587-7314
Bless The Lord at All Times Christian Center, 2207 E. 6 583-7815
B/L/G/T Alliance, Univ. of Tulsa United Min. Ctr. 583-9780
*Chamber of Commerce Bldg., 616 S. Boston 585-1201
*Chapman Student Ctr., University of Tulsa, 5th P1. & Florence
Church of the Restoration UU, 1314 N.Greenwood 587-1314
*Community of Hope Church, 2545 S: Yale 747-6300
*Community Unitarian-Universalist Congregation 749-0595
Council Oak Men’s Chorale 748-3888
*Delaware Playhouse, 1511 S. Delaware 712-1511
*Democratic Headquarters, 3930 E. 31 742-2457
Dignity/Integrity of Tulsa- Lesbian & Gay Catholics &
Episcopalians, PUB 701475, 74170-1475 355-3140
*Fellowship Congreg. Church, 2900 S. Harvard 747-7777
*Free Spirit Women’s Center, call for location &info: 587-4669
Friend For A Friend, PUB 52344, 74152 747-6827
918.583.1248, fax: 583.4615
PUB 4140, Tulsa, OK 74159
e-mail: TulsaNews@ earthlink.net
Publisher + Editor:
Tom Seal
Writers + contributors:
James Christjohn. Karin Gregory, Barry Hensley, J.-P.
Legrandbouche, Lamont Lindstrom, Esther Rothblum, Mary
Schepers, Hughston Walkinshaw
" Member of The Associated Piess ...........
Issued on orbefore the let of each month~2the endre contents
of this pubhcation are protected by US copyright I998 by
T~ ~1 Nt,w,t and may not be reproduced either in
whole or in part without written permission from the publisher.
Publication of a name or photo does not indicate a
person’ s sexual orientation. Correspondence is assumedto be
for publication unless otherwise noted, must be signed &
becomes the sole property of Tt,~ /:€,~ Ntsu4~ Each
reader is entitled to 4 copies of each edition at distribution
points. Additional copies are available by calling 583-1248.
Friends in Unity Social Org., PUB 8542, 74101
HIV ER Center, 4138 Chas. Page Blvd.
*Tulsa C.A.R.E.S., 3507 E. Admiral
Holland Hall School, 5666 E. 81st
HOPE, HIV Outreach, Prevention, Education
*Houseofthe Holy SpiritMinstries, 1517 S. Memorial
*MCC United, 1623 N. Maplewood
NAMES Project, 3507 E. Admiral P1.
NOW, Nat’l Org. for Women, PUB 14068, 74159
OK Spokes Club (bicycling), PUB 9165, 74157
*OSU-Tulsa
PFLAG, PUB 52800, 74152
*Planned Parenthood, -1007 S. Peoria
Prime-Timers, P.O. Box 52118, 74152
R.A.I.N., Regional AIDS Interfaith Network
*Red Rock Mental Center, 1724 E. 8
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, 4045 N. Cincinnati
St. Dunstan’s Episcopal, 5635 E. 71st
*St. Jerome’s Parish Church, 205 W. King
*Tulsa Area United Way, 1430 S. Boulder
*TNAAPP (Native American men), Indiau Health Care
Tulsa County Health Department, 4616 E. 15
582-0438
583-6611
834-4194
481-1111
834-8378
224-4754
838-1715
748-3111
365-5658
749-4901
587-7674
749-4195
584-2325
425-7882
492-7140
582-3088
583-7171
582-7225
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. 298-0827
*Tulsa City Hall, Ground Hoor Vestibule
*Tulsa Community College Campuses
*Tulsa Gay Community Center, 1307 E. 38, 74105 743-4297
Unity Church of Christianity, 3355 S. Jamestown 749-8833
BARTLESVILLE
Bardesville Public Library,, 6"00 S. Johnstone 918-337-5353
OKLAHOMA CITY/NORMAN
Borders Books & Music, 3209 NW Expressway 405-848-2667
Borders Books & Music, 300 Norman Center 405-573-4907
TAHLEQUAH
Stonewall League, call for information: 918-456-7900
Tahlequah Unitarian-Universalist Church 918-456-7900
Green Country AIDS Coalition, PUB 1570 918-453-9360
NSU School of Optometry, 1001 N. Grand
HIV’testing every other Tt~es. 5:30-8:30, call for dates
EUREKA SPRINGS, ARKANSAS
Autumn Breeze Restaurant, Hwy. 23 501-253-7734
Jim & Brent’s Bistro, 173 S Main 501-253-7457
DeVito’s Restaurant, 5 Center St. .501-253-6807
Fanerald Rainbow, 45 &l/2 Spring St. 501-253-5445
MCC of the Living Spring 501"-253-9337
Seek to Go!, PC Specialist, PUB 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
JOPLIN, MISSOURI
Spirit of Christ MCC, 2639 E. 32, Ste. U134 417-623-4696
* is where you can trmd TFN. Not all are Gay-owned butall are Gay-friendly.
Hesaid he first thought the Dodgers might
have a policy against Gay and Lesbian
couples showing affectionin theball park.
"I’m frankly shocked," Bernheim said.
’q’heir response is atypical and outstanding."
He said the Dodgers have donemore
to make amends than any other corporation
he’s dealt with.
Goldey and Kott have been invited to
sit behind home plate to make up for the
game they missed.
¯ - - "It i-s not trivial-to-be thrown ouf’Of
p.u,b’,!.]c..p.l~ac:eb~as~ed Of, who YOU "are,"s"d
Jon Da~cids0n 0f the Lambda L~g~i’ D~-:
fense and: Edlacafion Fund, a Gay advocacy
group. ’q’his result is a home run for
all concerned."
The ruling may also permit the 6.2-mib
lion-member organization to reject Gays
as members. The Boys Scouts consider
homosexuality contrary to their oath .requiring
scouts tube "morally straight:"
The90?ye~ff-Oldorganization says its goal
is to ’l~iS~’itle educational programs for
boys and young adults to build character,
to train in the responsibilities of participating
citizenship and to devdop personal
fitness.¯
EdmrddresidentJustin Spears, aformer
Boy Scout l~ader, said he doesn’t know if
he want~.:..Ms 8-year-old son to become a
Boy Scoii~ because of the stance against
Gays. "Even though they have a legal
mandate, this discrimination needs to be
stopped," he said.
In Tulsa, longtime PFLAG (Parents,
Families and Friends of Lesbians and
GayS) activist Cathy Hinkle marched and
spoke ofhow her Gay son was a scout but
would have been barred under the BSA
policy. Hinkle was joined for part of the
protest by the new pastor of All Souls
Unitarian Church.
The OKC demonstrators marched to
the headquarters, where former scout
member Jim Craig, turned in his handbodkin
prdtest to Jim Russnogle, director
of field services for the Last Frontier
Council. "In Boy Scouts I learned a lot
about Boy Scout law. I believe scout law
is not being followed," Craig said. "A lot
of kids:that are Gay might not be tempted
to co~Iv;uicide if they had more support."
"
Russnogle read from a statement that
said that the Boy Scouts respects their
rights, and ask that the rights of the BSA
also be respected. "We believe avowed
homosexuals should not be role models;"
Russnogle read. He added that he is sorry,
that Dose. no longer wants to be consid;,~
ered an Eagle Scout, "But if that is his
opinion, I respect that."
Rob Abiera, owner and operator of
Ga~,0k~:(0m said thedemonstration was -
called to show supportfor Gay Boy Scouts
and Scout Masters and to educate how
Gay Scouts face discrimination. "We
know that the Boy Scouts has~been a
pioneer in reaching out to minorities and,¯.
should continue that effort in reaching out
to Gays. It is completely inconsistentwith
what they have done in the past," Abierav ~
said.
Demonstrators were turned away from
the national Boy Scouts ofAmericaheadquartersMonday
afterpresenting a 55,000-
signature petition protesting the
organization’s ban on Gay troop leaders.
Fewer than a dozen demonstrators, some
wearing Boy Scout uniforms, see p. 3
were met by a security guard and not allowed past the
front desk. A secretary who refused to give her name said
she would forward the petition to the organization’s
president. The protesters hadhoped to talk withleaders of
the organization or at least schedule a meeting.
’"vVe’re disappointed," said Dave Rice, a former Scout
leader who marched in Irving. ’°We don’t like confrontation.
We like to sit down, shake hands and discuss a
solution that’s mutually beneficial."
In Seattle, more than_ 100 people rallied~ in protest
Monday night. One, former Eagle Scout Doug Barnes,
said he planned to send hisbadge back. Another, Jon
Wartes, said he already had done so. "Does the Boy
Scouts of Americareally understand the hurt that they’re
doing?" said Wartes, who became an Eagle Scout in 1959
and wrote part of the Boy Scout handbook.
At the Washington, D.C. protest, Graham Segroves
wore his Boy Scout shirt complete with his Eagle Scout
badge and other honors. Now with the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force, Segroves, 25, said he did not realize
he was Gay until he left the scouts eight years ago.
Segroves said he hopes President Clinton will agree to
a task force request thathe resignhis honorary presidency
of the Boy Scouts He also is watching for congressional
action on a proposed "Scouting f0~ All" act, which seeks
to revoke the Boy Scouts’ congre~slbhal charter.
The Supreme Court decision has ~IS0 left compames
that donate to the Boy Scouts of America in a quandary:
their employment policies contradict the Boy Scouts’
court-upheld right toban Gay troop members. The stance
already has cost the Scouts financial support from companies
such as Levi Strauss & Co: arid Wells Fargo.
Others, concerned about hurting the beneficiaries of such
funding - the boys themselves - are w~ighing their
options.
Chase Manhattan Corp. is considering revoking its
contributions. ’XDn the face of it, some issues appear to be
in conflict with our commitment to diversity," spokesman
Jim Finn said. ’%Ve will make a final determination
on this soon. It’s notsomething we are going to let rest for
a long time." Merrill Lynch & Co. in New York, which
gives between $100,000 and $150,000 a year, is "actively
reviewing" its relationship with the Scouts, said spokesman
Joe Cohen.
Media company Knight Ridder has asked "that funds it
gives to the UnitedWay notbe directed to the Boy Scouts
because it conflicts "with the company’s philosophy on
people and di~cersity, and the company could not support
such a discriminatory stance," said Polk Laffoon, vice
president of corporate relations.
The Tulsa Area United Way (l’AUW)does fund the
Indian Nations Council of the BSA. TAUW’s director,
Kathleen Coan, at a mid-summer news conference was
asked, "since TAUW doesn’t fund racist or anti-semitic
organizations, why it funds non-profits (BSA, Big Brothers
and Big Sisters of Green Country, the American Red
Cross) which discriminate against Lesbian and Gay
Tulsans?" Coan, responding with obvious anger,, stated
that she was "quite proud" of thefunding decisions which
TAUWhas made, and made no effort to explain orjustify
those decisions.
Steve Tumbo, of the public relations firm Sctmake,
Brookey Turnbo, and a recent addition to the Tulsa Area
United Way board was present at that press conference
and also reacted angrily to questiond aboutTAUW bias.
Mr. Turnbo, a longtime supporter of the National
Conference for Community and Justice, a Tulsa "human
rights" organization with a history of anti-Gay discrimination,
had promised to respond to inquiries about
TAUW’s funding of anti-Gay groups if the concerns
were expressed by letter. To date, TFN has received no
response to a letter sent in April.
Turnbo also was the organizer a few years ago of a
conference which claimed to be about diversity butwhich
failed to include Lesbians and Gay men in any of its
planning and Turubo also refused to alter the event even
when the matter was brought to his attention and individuals
were willing to volunteer to help correct the
exclusion.
Tumbo’s firm enjoys a privileged relationship with
Tulsa’s establiskment frequently working closely with
Tulsa mayor, M. Susan Savage, the Chamber of Commerce
and Tulsa Public Schools, frequently being involved
in bond and other elections.
Assault at Rose Hill by Tom Neal, editor/publisher
It was a picture perfect "photo op." The rabbi, draped
with his prayer shawl, was flanked one one side by
Mouzon Biggs of Boston Avenue Methodist Church,
Black pastor Dr. McCutchen, and the Bishop (Catholic)
of Tulsa, Edward Slattery, and on the other side by our
mayor, M. Susan Savage, and Sheryl Siddiqui of Tulsa’s
Islamic Society.
.M1 were gathered in the 100 plus degree heat and sun
to condenm a horrible act of desecration: the toppling of
Jewish tombstones in Rose Hill Cem-
: the Nadonal Conference of Christians and Jews) sends
¯ letters to the World condemning firemen who put Chris-
" tian holiday decorations up and condemns anti-Semetic
¯ attacks on Joe Lieberman but never to my knowledge has
¯ responded publicly to attacks on Tulsa’s Gay Commu-
¯ nity Center, to anti-Gay Oklahoma legislation, to the
¯ beating of Orr and Beauchamp, or even to the murder of
¯ Mathew Sheppard.
However, the organization has engaged in deliberate
¯
and conscious acts of anti-Gay discrimination, most
recently at an event at Bigg’s BOston
etery. And Rabbi Fitzerman of Congregation
B’nai Emunah put in context
just precisely how this act hurt, of
how it invoked memories of Nazi
atrocities with a story of a road to one
Nazi labor/death camp being paved
with Jewish tombstones.
But when push comes to shove, this
still was a crime against property - not
a taking oflife. Was it an assault on the
psyche of a community? Of course!
Not unlike the year-in and year-out
psychic assaults on Gay Tulsans from
our own elected leaders (members of
the legislature, our governor, our congressman,
our sen~ttors, our district
attorney),as well as from individual~
like Jonathan Brian Duke, the man
who was caught in the cemetery. According
to the Tulsa WorM, Duke had
been accused of harassing two Gay
men who lived near him.
Indeed, ifyouknew who and what to
look for, Tulsa’s Gay community was
wall represented in the crowd. I suspect
that after Jews, we may have been
the largest single group. There were
"baby" Gays in rainbow beads and
: shorts, a young lesbian couple quietly
: holding hands leaving the ceremony
] after all was over, establishment Gays
¯ from the Church of Saint Jerome, even
somehardyhumanrights activists from
: Oklahoma City who dropped every-
: thing to come to be here in solidarity.
"So when Rabbi Fitzerman
says he’s grateful to llve in
an "open eommunlty,"
one that "embraces
diversity," "a place of
profound moral health,"
I am grateful that for
Tulsa’s Jewish eommunlty,
this may finally be true.
I hope so.
But for Gay people dearly
this is not yet true. For
Gay Tulsans, Tulsa
remains a place of deep
hypoerlsy, where our
tax dollars,
and our talents are
greedily taken but our
exlstenee is mostly
denied when not
speeffleally condemned. "
- Tom Neal
Amazingly, Rabbi Fitzerman did
Avenue Methodist Church. And in a
particularly cynical fundraising ploy,
NCCJ honored Robert Lorton, owner
and publisher of the Tulsa WorM, a
business knownfor at least fifteen years
for its anti-Gay discriminatory business
practices, its "humanitarian" of
the year.
So when Rabbi Fitzerman says he’s
grateful to live in an "’open community,"
one that "embraces diversity,"
"a place of profound moral health," I
am grateful that for Tulsa’s Jewish
community, this may finally be true. I
hope so.
But for Gay people clearly this is
not yet true. For Gay Tulsans, Tulsa
. remains a place of deep hypocrisy,
where our tax dollars, and our talents
are greedily taken but our existence is
mostly denied when not specifically
condemned. It is a place where even
our presence in human rights groups is
begrudging and is predicated on our
not getting "’uppity." (Note how these
groups much prefer to have non-Gay
Gay advocates like Nancy McDonald
rather than actually have Gay people at
the table. Note also that this is no
cnttcism of Nancy’s good and hard
work. She’s not responsible for their
prejudice.)
And while Gay people seem to get
the connection between anti-semitism
and anti-Gay values, the ~luestion remains
whether Tulsa’s Jewish commention
Gay people along with Jews, Catholics, Blacks,
Asians and Hispanic Americans as those .who are attacked
because we do not fit some "mythological profile"
of a "true’.’ American. But as a long observer of Tulsa’s
so-called "human rights" community, it is hard not to be
somewhat bitter at the contrast between how seriously
assaults on Tulsa’ s Jewish community are taken as compared
to those on Tulsa’s Gay commumty.
Let us merely start with who was on, and who was not
on, the dais! While there seems to be evidence that Gays
were also targets 6f Jonathan Brian Duke, and there
certainly are Gay community leaders who were concerned
and attending the event, like Father Rick
Hollingsworth of Saint Jerome, or members of Tulsa
Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR), we were not
represented.
Duke had not attacked Cathohcs but the Catholic
bishop was on the dais. Nor did he attack Methodists but
Mouzon Biggs was there. Nor had he attacked Blacks but
one of the most senior Black clergymen was there. Nor
did he attack Muslims but Siddiqui was invited to the
dais.
Can anyone remember when ever our mayor has attended
a Gay event? She’s usually conveniently out of
town. Sure she sends her best bud, Hilary Kitz, whom we
adore but it’s not the same. We did not see her at the
memorial hdd in City Hall Plaza for Mathew Sheppard,
nor did she release comment about that crime, or more
relevantly did she comment on the brutal Brookside
beating ofTony Orr andTim Beauchamp- indeed a local
crime. Nor has our mayor responded to now years worth
of calls for diversity training for police and other city
workers which actually includes Gay people in the "diversity."
Nor did she add her voice to the effort to amend
our state hate crime statute to include "sexual orientalion."
Local ’’human rights" organizations like the National
Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ, formerly
munity does. While Tulsa’s Jewish community by an3’
standard is successful in business and in political impact,
and is influential due to those talents in wild disproportion
to its numbers, it still seems to bdieve that it cannot
risk expending its "’capital" to help Gay people. And it is
also, frankly, a community which has not dealt with its
own prejudices against Gay people, its homophobia and
Its heterosexism.
Part of the reason that things are better in Tulsa forJews
is that non-Jews made the effort to try to make things
better. It’s morally right for those still excluded to call on
those who’ve been helped to turn and to help those still
left behind. Tulsa’s Jewish community and Tulsa’s Gay
community have much in common.
Unlike racial minorities, neither community is an "onsight"
minority. We are known by our actions, by going
to our places of worship’or our community centers, or
businesses. We are subject to similar pressures to just
"convert." And we share the horror of Nazi persecution,
a fact finally acknowledged by organizers of the local
Holocaust interfaith remembrance event this year, albeit
only after much cajoling and the intervention of one
blessedly open minded Tulsan, herself the daughter of
Holocaust survivors.
The rabbi’s inclusive language is a good start. God
forbid that there should be a next time for suchan event
but when next there is a shared stage, an effort at representing
the"diversity"ofour town, maybe thenone of our
leaders will be on the dais. And maybe just like the Gay
people who were in that 100 degree heat, who understand
that an attack on Jews is an attack on us too, Tulsa’s
Jewish commumty will throw their influence behind the
Gay commumty’s efforts for fair treatment by our law
enforcement system, by our legislature, and by our community
organizations.
The God of Israel commands, "... justice,justice, shalt
thou seek..." You don’t have to be a Jew or a Christian
to honor these words.
Universal Florida To
Offer Partners Benefits
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Universal Florida will start
offering health and other benefits to domestic partners,
both Gayand straight. The benefits, which will
take effect Oct. 1, also will cover dependents of
domestic partners.
’This is a part of our ongoing efforts to recognize
the diversity of the team members in our workforce
and to provide an array of benefits and services
sufficient to be recognized as an employer of choice
in this very dynamic Orlando labor market," said an
internal Universal document obtained by The Orlando
Sentinel.
Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando’s largest employer
with more than 55,000 workers, has offered
health benefits to employees’ Gay partners since
1996. But Disney doesn’t cover heterosexual partners
of employees tmless they are married.
Disney doesn’t plan to change its policy regarding
unmarriedheterosexual partners, said spokesman Bill
Warren. "It’s our position that there is a legal remedy
to be’formally married, and Seeg those benefits with
heterosexual couples," Warren said.
Universal, the area’s fourth-largest employer with
11,800 employees, will extend the benefits to any
domestic, partner 18 or older who has lived with the
employee for at least six months. In addition, the
theme park resort’s statement said, partners, must
have ’~oint responsibility for eachother’s financial
wdfare and basic living expenses," although it is not
dear how that would be proved. In addition to medical,
dental, vision and dependent life insurance, domestic
partners will be able to use Universal’s employee
assistance program, sctfolarships and other
benefits. Employees can enroll their partners in September.
Hate crimes increase
11.7% in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (AP) -Hatecrimes increased 11.7%
in Los Angeles County last year, with blacks, Jews
and Gays the target of most attacks, the. Human
Relations Commission said. The increase was due in
part to better reporting of hate crimes, officials said
recently.
Last year’s attack on the North Valley Jewish
Community Center by a gunman led to an "unprecedented
awareness" ofhate crimes, said RobinToma,
acting executive director of the county Human Relations
Commission. Buford O. Furrow Jr., a white
supremacist, is charged with. shooting to death Filipino-
American postal worker 3oseph Ileto and then
wounding five people at the Jewish center.
Overall in 1999, the report said, 859 crimes motivated
by race. religion or sexual orientation-were
reported. That was up 11.7% from 1998. It was the
second-highest tally in 20 years, behind the peak year
of’ 1996, when 995 hate crimes were reported.
The upswing matched a 12% statewide increase in
hate crimes, announced last month by the state attorney
general’s office. The crimes ranges from crossbumings
to killings. Overall, blacks werethe most
frequent victims of hate crimes, but crimes involving
religion or sexual orientation saw the largest increases.
Hate crimes on school campuses .also rose
sharply for the second year in a row,jumping 58.7%,
from 46 to 73. Most of the crimes based on religion
were nonviolent, but more than half of those against
Gays and Lesbians were violent, the commission
said.
Univ. of Minnesota Alum
Donates for Gay Center
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A University of Minnesota
alunmus who made a fortune in the computer software
industry has donated $500,000 to the school for
an endowed Gay, Lesbian, bisexual and transgender
studies center.
The Steven J. Schochet Center for Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual and Transgender Studies opened July 1.
Schochet, a 1959 graduate, said he faced many barriers
as a Gay man on campus and hopes the donation
will improve the climate for GLBT students.
The center will be responsible for coordinating
graduate studies, establishing archives and starting a
lecture series and community forums. ’.The goal of
the center is to enhance the creation of knowledge
about GLBT lives through academic studies and
community interaction," said Liunea Stenson,
Schochet Center program director.
Texas A&M Waffles
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - A Gay civil
rights group urged Texas A&M University to implement
an on-again, off-again ban on discrimination
again~st Gays. School presidentRay Bowen suspended
the policy change on Aug. 16, a few hours after it was
posted on the university’s Web site. In a vaguely
worded statement, Bowen said the issue needed more
study.
In a letter to Bowen, the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force said Texas A&M shouldjoin other major
universities around the state in prohibiting discrimination
against homosexuals. "Failure to expressly
-forbid discrimination also sends the message to the
campus community that (homosexual) people are
second-class citizens and that discrimination against
them is acceptable," said ElizabethToledo, executive
director of the task force.
Bowen has stated the matter will be reconsidered
after a better understanding by all confirmed parties
has been achieved, said university spokesman Lane
Stephenson.
"He has directed the matter to go through the Office
of the Dean of Student Life as the start of the process
of reconsideration," Stephenson said. "We are already
starting to have productive discussions within
the university community."
On the Net: .Texas A&M University: http://
www.tamu.edu
Drag Queens-Invited to
Olympic Celebrations
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - The Olympics’ dosing
ceremony is going to be a drag. Drag queens will be
part of the Sydney 2000 games’ finale regardless of
what "right-wing reactionaries" think, ceremonies
director Ric Birch said at the end of August/
Themen dressedup in outlandish dresses, wigs and
makeup, will be "part of one tiny section" of the
dosing ceremony, a tribute to Australian films including
the 1994 cult hit ’.The Adventures of Priscilla,
Queen of the Desert," he said.
Some of the participants would be dressed in original
costumes, including a frill-necked lizard outfit
from the film, which features twodrag queens and a
transsexual driving a pink bus through Australia’s
Outback.
A report in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper
sparked heated debate onradio shows. One, caller said
he would trade his dosing ceremony ticket after
hearing the news.
Birch directed the opemng ceremony at the 1992
Barcelona Olympics and was involved in the opener
at Atlantafour years ago. He said he was annoyed that
constant leaks were wrecking what should be a surprise
for the public. "I’m really disappointed at the
way the mediais gleefully trying to expose the secrets
that we call surprises," Birch told Australian Broadcasting
Corp. radio.
Photographs of the Olympic cauldron being lit in
rehearsals, which are usually kept under wraps, have
been printed. Speculation on who will ignite the
cauldron has intensified.
Birch said the inclusion of drag queens also reflected
one of Sydney’s mostcolorful events, the Gay
and Lesbian Mardi Gras, a Gay pridemarch and street
carnival that attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators
each year. "That’s part of Sydney life whether
(critics) like it or not." Birch said. "For the right-wing
reactionaries or whatever part of a community is
..outraged about it - well, they’re always going to be
outraged."
Olympics Minister Michael Knight said all the
plans forthe ceremonies had been approved by the
organizing committee’s board. "The dosing ceremony
runs for several hours and has a very different feel to
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opening ceremony - it’s a party," he said. "Fhe
athletes are going to be on the field from the word go
as part of this giant party celebration: The whole feel
will be one of great celebration and fi~n."
Same-sex Marriage Ban
Appears Headed to Ballot
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - It appears likely voters will
get a chance to decide whether to ban same-sex
marriages in Nebraska: A petition effort to place the
proposed constitutional an~endment on th~ ballot
gathered at leas t 19,000 more than the needed 105,214
signatures:, the Secretary Of State’ s,office announbed.
The same~sex p~tition was circulated: by the De-
[fehse: of Marriage Amendment Committee. With
signatures t¥om 82 counties counted, the total-verified
was 124,495. About 10% of the signatures were
determined to be invalid.
The petition effort was headed by Guyla Mills,
director of the NebraskaFamily Council and a lobbyist
for the Nonpartisan Family Coalifon- two groups
that support the peftion.
Mills said sheis confident that when all the signatures
are verified they will have about 45,000 more
thanwhat is required, and that will deter anyone from
thinking about challenging them.
At this time the Nebraska chapter of the American
Civil Liberges Union has no intention of challenging
anyof the signatures, even though it remains opposed
to. the amendment; said ACLU director Tim Butz. A
group organized to fight]he initiative, called the Vote
No on DOMA (Defense of Marriage Amendment)
Committee, also has no plans to challenge the signature
count. Other groups opposing the effort include
Nebraska Advocates for Justice & Equality, a nonprofit
Omaha group, and PFLAG (Parents and Families
of Lesbians and Gays).
Butz said theACLU id researching what impact the
amendment would have on exisfng laws dealing with
business partnerships and existing legal agreements
between Gay and Lesbian couples. The ACIJd also is
looking into what impactit would have on companies
that offer same-sex health~benefits,-to workers. ¯
The proposed constitutional amendment will read:
’~Only marriage between a man and a woman shall be
valid or recognized in Nebraska. The uniting of two
persons of the same sex in a civil union, domestic
partnership, or other similar same-sex relationship
shall not be valid or recognized in Nebraska.’"
Nothing in current Nebraska law s.pecifically prohibits
same-sex marriage. Supporters of the petition
say it will clarify in the consmutlon that only marriages
of a man and woman are legal in Nebraska.
Thirt.y-tl~r.ee states have passed law s or amended their
const~tutxons to ban same-sex marriages.
Officials Say No to Two
Morns on Birth Certificate
DENVER (AP) -The state health department will
ask the Colorado Supreme Court to ban Lesbian
couples from placing both their nmnes on a baby’s
birth certificate, a health official said. The issue was
raised after two Boulder District Court judges allowed
seven Lesbian couples to place their names on
birth certificates. One of the women in each couple
was the birth mother. The judges said Colorado law
allows people who have :no biological,connection to
"a child tO ~ssume parentalrights ii~ certain situations.
The Department ofPublic Health and Environment
appealed, arguing that the judges had overstepped
their legal authority by creating a new_ kind of pare_ntchild
relationship.
"It needs to be the decision of the legislature rather
than the courts," said Cynthia Honssinger, a director
in the health department. But the Colorado Court of
Appeals turned down the health department’s request
to overturn the Boulder courts. The appellate court
said the health department didn’t appeal on time nor
should it have any interest in the matter.
Honssinger said the health department now plans
to ask theColorado Supreme Court to look at what the
Legislature intended when it enacted the Uniform
Parentage Act. Lawmakers wanted to help single
mothers get child-support payments from deadbeat
dads, she said.
Jeanine Pow, a lawyer representing one of the
Lesbian couples, said the law traditionally wants
what is in the "best interest" of the child, which is two
adults who are responsible for the child. "The health
department is wasting taxpayer money on punishing
the children of Lesbian mothers," she said.
The women in the seven Boulder cases want to
remain anonymous to protect their clfildren and themselves,
their lawyers said.
GayArts Group Sues San
Antonio; Claims Bias
SAN-ANTONIO (AP) - A chItural arts 2roup fliat]ost
Its c~ty fundlng.m 1997 armd 4omplaint~ ,o~er !ts
+ponsorship of ~i Gay and Lesbiati fihri fest~fil’
the city to court on accusations of violating the First
Amendment. Attorneys for the nonprofit Esperanza
Center contend the City Council cut off the organization
because of its viewpoints a violation of free
speech- mad because of pressure from residents who
told council members they opposed "promoting a
Gay lifestyle."
Also Suing the city are two groups under the 13-
year-old Esperanza’s fiscal umbrella, the San Antonio
Lesbian andGay Media Project mad the s~nall arts
gr,o,up VAN
~lie Esperanza_N~d other plaintiffs were singled
out by the city because of the viewpoints expressed by
~he Esperanza ~n a variety of ways, Esperanza lawyer
Am~; Kastely told U.S. District Judge Orlando L.
G,qrci~i iff0utlining their case.
The Esperanza Center filed suit after the council
voted in September 1997 to stop giving it money.
Although the couucil reduced funding to most arts
groups by 15% at the stone time, Esperanza was the
only one ~hat was cut off altogether.
Several residents had voiced their opposition to
financing Esperanza, saying they disapproved of the
behavior they believed the group was advocating.
The city’s Cultural Arts Board had recommended
$62~500 for Esperanza, which had been receiving city
money for ~even years. But after the council vote, the
cit)/ i~’ei~aJ:~ment 6f Ar~s .and dultural Affhirs also
withheld $14,000 from the Texas Commission on the
Arts, for a total loss of about $76,500.
Now, the group’s leaders are seeking the money
they believe they deserve. They’re also seekang an
order from the court to force the city to follow its own
criteria for granting arts funding.
But lawyers representing the city say council members
didn’t stra~: from the criteria. They say some
council members just didn’l support the Esperanza
Center while others wanted to divert some of the arts
funding toward more basic city progrmns.
For~ner councilman Jose Menendez testified that
while he had received several phone calls and letters
objecting to financing Esperanza, he simply felt that
artsfluading was not a priority. He said Iris district
needed sidewalks, speed bumps and more firefighters.
’qqae arts ~vas an area where we could get lnore money
for basic servxces."
The city’s law yers questioned whether Esperanza,
which used to be called the Esperanza Peace &Justice
Center, should have been eligible for arts money in
the first place. Indeed, some council members had
viewed it more as a political organization than an arts
group, former councilman Roger Flores testified.
Eduardo Diaz, former director of the city’s arts
depar.tment: ~onceded~ ~upon, questioning.by assistant
city attorney. Amy Eubanks that Esperanza technically
is not an arts organization because its massion is
not exclusively the presentation or production of art.
¯ But-he-added that it has.been Esperanza’s practice
over the years to incorporate arts progran~s.
Diaz testified earlier that he had no doubt that
Esperanza met the criteria for funding He.said the
g up has been an acttve player tn cultural events
for many years. He said there are :other Ynon-arts"
groups that receive arts funding. At the time of the’ 97
cotmcil vote, the Witte Museum, primarily a natural
history and science museum, was among four organizations
that were receiving 70 to 75% of the total
amount of arts funding, Diaz said.
Esperanza execuuve director Graciela S anchez testified
the center has used arts programs to "g~ve voice
to the voiceless."
Medical Marijuana
To Be Investigated
SAN DIEGO (AP) - The University of
California, San Diego will soon begin
trials on medical marijuana at the nation’ s
first research center designed to explore
the drug’s therapeutic potential. Doctors
announced the Center for Medicinal Cannabis
Research as part of the state’s effort
to set medical guidelines following the
voter-approved medical marijuana law.
The center, headquartered in San Diego,
will begin distributing grants to conduct
clinical trials at lmiversities and research
centers throughout California as
early as January.
The studies will look at whether marijuana
is a safe alternative for treating
certmn kinds of medical conditions and
the best ways to administer it, such as ¯
through pills, patches or sprays.
’~Ourjobis to show if these products are ¯
helpful and we can answer t~.at defini- -"
tively," said Igor Grant, the center’s director
and professor of psychiatry at
UCSD. ¯
Gov. Gray Davis has already approved ¯
$3 malhon to fund theprogram first year
while legislation calls for a three-year
program. The center was set up in large
response to Proposition 215, the 1996
state initiative allowing seriously ill pa- °
tients to grow and use marijuana f~ pain o
relief, if they have a doctor’srecommen- o
dation. Measures similar_to the California ¯
initiative have passed in Alaska, Arizona,.
Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and
Washington state. ¯
State Sen. John Vasconcellos, who ¯
pushed for medical marijuana, pelmed the ¯
program in 1996 but initially faced oppositionfromlaw
enforcement groups. Only ¯
after working with Attorney General Bill
Lockyer did Vasconcellos convincemany ¯
that research was a good idea.
"It’s been a very long road since the °
passage of 215 to even get as far as we had
with research," said Rand Martin, a ¯
spokesman for Vasconcellos. "We have °
had to deal with alot of political problems °
and the most exciting thing is that we’re ¯
putting the politics behind us." o
Proponents have long argued that marl- "
juanahelps patients with chronic pain and "
with AIDS, cancer and multiple sclerosis ¯
by relieving pain and nausea. Opponents .
of marijuana say scientific research is "
necessary.
’Wee consider research a good thing,’" -"
said Bob Weiner of the White House
National Drug Control Policy Office. "Fo "
have medicine determined by science and ¯
not by popular will is exactly what we
support." ¯
Doctors at UCSD’s center hope the "
research will eventually determine"
whether marijuana has medical benefits -
because current federal law says the drug "
has no medical purpose.
Trial patients will get marijuana from :
the National InStitute on Drug Abuse and -
researchers have pledged to follow all
medical guidelines. ’‘There’s been a long "
history of contention around cannabis and
it has been difficult to do research," said ,
Grant. "This it the ~first study that’s "
mulfidisciplinary. The state of California "
has taken the lead here." ¯
Malay AIDS-Group -
Protests Testing
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -"
Malaysia’s biggest AIDS .aw.areness and, "
prevention body has protestea a proposat ¯
in a southern state to subject
"_ Muslim men to HIV tests before they are
¯ allowed to getmarried, anews report said.
." The criticism of the move by Islamic
¯ religious authorities in Johor state came
¯ fromPrimeMinisterMahathirMohamad’s
o° daughter, MarinaMahathir, an outspoken
: AIDS activist who heads the Malaysian
AIDS Council. "The assumption is blood
~ testing is somehow preventive, unfortu-
¯ nately it is not," Marina was quoted as
¯ saying by the Beriiama news agency.
"- Mandatory HIV testing was also a vio-
¯ lation of human rights, she said. AIDS
¯ activists would soon meet with state offi-
¯ cials to ’discuss the proposal, she was
~ quoted as saying.
° She told reporters that educating the
¯ public on preventive measures will be
¯ more effective in curbing the deadly dis-
" ease in the predominantly Muslim Southeast
Asian country where discussing
sexual issues in public is taboo and where
introducing sex education in schools is
being resisted by conservattves.
Over the weekend, top government officials
in Johor proposed compulsory
blood tests on Muslim men, a move that
would affect men in the dominant Malay
community. Johor chief minister Abdul
Ghani Othman was quoted as saying by
newspapers that it was part of efforts to
check the alarming rise of HIV cases in
the state. "In 1999 alone, there was a 73%
increasein ttIV cases among Malays compared
to the previous year,"he was quoted
as saying by New Sunday Times.
Clinton: "Break the
Silence’ about AIDS
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - Africans must
"break the siIence" about AIDS or risk
losing hard-fought democratic and economic
gains, President Clinton said Sunday
as the White House highlighted more
than $20 million in U.S. aid to fight AIDS,
malaria and other diseases devastating
Africa.
"In every country, in any culture, it is
difficult, painful, at the very least embarrassing,
to talk about the issues involved
with AIDS," Clinton said after touring a
health center in the Nigerian capital and
hearing the stories of several people living
with the disease.
Clinton’s two-day stay in Nigeria was
intended to underscore U.S. approval of
the 15-month-old democratic government
in Africa’s most populous nation, with
123 million people.
Along with dealing with the heavy
themes of AIDS and debt relief, Clinton
used the trip to get to know a country he
deliberated bypassed on his last trip to
Africa, in 1998, when it was under a
military dictatorship.
Led by a throng of singing children, he
trudged through the Nigerian village of
Ushafa on Sunday, past mud brick huts
and flimsy metal sheds, with scrawny
chickens scattering in his path.
"We want to help you build your
economy, educate your children andbuild
a better life," he told villagers, wearing a
cream-colored royal African robe given
to him by the village chief.
AIDS killed 2.8 million people worldwide
last year, and is now the leading
cause of death in Africa. The Clinton
administration will spend $9.4 million
this year for AIDS and HIV infection
prevention and care in Nigeria, $8.7 million
more for polio eradication and $2
million toward prevention of malaria.
In sub-Saharan Africa, 13 million children
have lost a parent to AIDS, and the
disease is reducing life expectancies and
Colle.ge Hill
Presbyterian Church
In response to God’s Love, College Hill
Presbyterian Church is a community of God’s people
called to tell others the Gospel of Jesus Christ through
worship, service, and evangelism. To nurture our faith,
we gather for worship, prayer, study and fellowship.
Trusting in a living, loving God, we seek to become a
compassionate voice for peace and justice.
Our congregation welcomes all persons who respond in
trust and obedience to God’s grace in Jesus Christ, and
desire to become part of the membership and ministry
of Christ’s church. Membership is open- to all people
regardless of race, ethnic origin, worldly condition,
marital status, or sexual orientation.
Sunday Worship 1 lam
College Hill Presbyterian Church, 712 S. Columbia Avenue, 592-5800
(One block west of Delaware and the University of Tulsa Campus)
Financial Planning With A
Clear Commitment.
At American Express Financial Advisors, we want to make our
Commitment to gay men and lesbians clear. Just as we have extended domestic partner
benefits to our lesbian and gay employees worldwide, we are committed to providing
~ound financial advice that specifically addresses the unique financial issues affecting
3ur lesbian and gay clients.
Nhether you’re single, in a committed relationship, or i:~ng for children, your American
Express financial advisor can help you take control ot’~#~rfinancial future. We can help
tOM:
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series of Seminars given by
Theresa Barnard, American Express Financial Advisor
Where: MCC United When: 7:00 P.M,
1623 N Maplewood Ave
Financial Strategies for Gay Men & Lesbians
Tuesday, September 5t" and Tuesday, October 10t"
Retirement Explore Your Options
¯ Create your Retirement Income
Tuesday, September 19th
¯ Estate Planning
Tuesday, October 24th
Please R.S.V.P.
with Theresa at
9~18-748-8191
ext.121
dimming development hopes across the ; Fe Maria, who asked that only her first
continent. "Is it harder to talk about these ¯ name beused, has gained weight and feels
thingsthantowatchachilddieofAIDS?" ," better, although the medicines give her
Clinton asked. "We have to break the ¯ headaches.
silence about how this disease spreads ; Dr. Ellen Koenig, an An~erican physiand
how to prevent it." ° cian who has lived and worked in the
Power About 2.6 million Nigerians, 5.4% of:
DominicanRepublicfor31 years, was the
the population, are afflicted with AIDS. ° impetus behind bringing the trial here.
That puts the country on better footing i And she insisted the company agree to
than many of its neighbors with higher ¯ continue paying for treatment after the
~onnc~~-~e1 ., infection rates, but in danger ofletting the:test.
disease gain ground, Clinton said. "AIDS ". "In some places, the drug companies
can rob a country of its future," Clinton ; come in, do the trial and then they leave,
¯ said. "I know you are not going to let that ¯ and the people don’t have the money to
happen to Nigeria.’" : buy the medicine," said Ceneyda Brito at
I~lbl|¢ S~l’~ice Cenlpan¥ of Oklahoma He promised continued U.S. support " the Dominican advocacy group AIDS
for Nigeria’s transition to democracy, but ," Action.
euslomer Santice Is Now Available 9.4 did not, as Nigerian President Olusegun
Hours A Day, Seven Days A Week. Obasanjo had hoped, agree to cancel or i Doctors Accused of cut the nearly $1 billion U.S. portion of .
These days, traditional 8-5.business hours Nigeria’ s $32 billion foreign debt, amove _" Improper HIVTesting
aren’t always convenient. So PS0 has made it thatwouldrequirecongressional approval..
Speaking to business executives later : JOHANNESBURG, SouthAfrica(AP)-
easier than ever for you to c0ntaet us. Sunday, however, Clinton said he sup- ." More than 50 physicians here are accused
of HIV-testing patients without their
Our Customer Service Center operates 24/7 rpioartssperenddusctihnegetxhteradmebot,nbeyutoonnilmy pffroNvigineg- -° knowledge or consent - and then passing
- offering ar0und-the-cl0ck answers to your lives anddiversifying the economy. ’q-here : on the result to the patients’ employers,
uestions - and better access to service, must be a dividend to democracy for the ° media reported at the end of August.
¯ ° The University of Witwatersrand’s
people of Nigeria," Clinton said. ¯
Now it’s easier for you to inquire Clinton, accompanied by danghter i AIDS Law Project has filed complaints
against the doctors with the Health Prac- about your monthly electric bill. Chelsea, began his day with services at a °
titioners AssociationofSouthAfrica. The
Or report a power outage. Or Baptist church in Abuja, and then ventured
outside the capital to get a firsthand -" tests were performed at the request of the
arrange to have your look Sunday at both the pageantry and ~
patients’ employers, the Johannesburg
F.-verty of life in Ushafa, a pottery-mak- ° newspaper the Saturday Star reported.
power turned on or ing center. ’‘icame to Nigeria to express ¯" Most patients were not given counsel-
. off. Our professionally the support of the people of the United "- ing before or after the test, the group said,
" States,"Clintontoldvillagersfromamake- ; adding that in some cases, test results
trained, friendly and shift platform. ~"VVe snpport your democ- "
were sent directly to the employer without
¯ informing the patient. knowledgeable customer racy. ""
I~LhairatAbdulrazaq Gwadabe, whorep- A positive result meant almost certain
service representatives are resents the village in the Nigerian Senate, "
dismissal, the group said. In a fifth of the
standing by to serve you. said she explained Clinton’s visit to vii- "
cases, the employee was a domestic
¯ worker. "It’s nothing less than total dis- All day, every day. lagers ahead of time¯ "I had to translate it - as the king of the world himself is coming. : crimination. The doctor is not concerned
¯ with the well-being of the patient, just the
To provide faster response The president of the world is coming to.. continued loyalty of the employer who
to your needs, we have listed their chief," Gwadabe said. "o wants to know if their employee is HIV
our t011-free numbers below. Dominican Republic : positivet,h"weitphroject.SaiJdennifer Joni, an attomey
Hosts Drug Tests : According to the Health Practitioners ¯ Association’s rules, HIV tests can only be
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Repub- : performed without a patient’s consent if a
lic (AP) - American researchers testing a o health professional has been exposed to
new AIDS drug needed patients who had : infection by a needle.
~ never received any treatment. The Do- ¯ Possible punishments for physioans
oi~ A~d Save mimcan Republic has them-by the thou- : found to break the association’s rules in-
|
sands. ¯ clude a warning, a reprimand, a fine of
"It seems like a win-win," said Joy : less than 10,000 rand ($1,450), and sus-
FoR
24 HOURS |I Schmitt, spokeswomanforAgouron Phar- : pensaon or removal fromthemedical reg- maceuficalsofLaJolla, California. People o ister. Abouta.2 million South Africans -
TOt.k’FREE SERVICE i "are getfingtreatment., and we’re get- : roug.hly 10% of the populafion~ - are HIV
I ting the patients we need for the trial." : pos~uve.
Agouron is using Dominicans to test its ¯
Customer Services: 1-888-216-3523 | capravinne because it canbe hardin the : Police Arrest Man I United Statesand Europe to find patients
Billing Inquiries: 1-888-216-3490 | who haven’t received any other treat-; For Spreading HIV
Outage Reporting: 1-888-218-3919 I ments, between health insurance and pub- -
|
lic health systems. NATCHITOCHES, LA (AP) - For the
Finding such people here was easy: ¯: second time recently, policehave charged
I More than 2% of the country’s 8 million ° a man with intentionally spreading the
Servici0 a Clientes: 1-888-216-3505 | people are infected with the AIDS virus - . AIDS virus. Eric Vashawn Alexander,
Preguntas S0bre su Cuenta: 1-888-216-3491 I
and few can afford medicines that cost : 26, was arrested and charged with inten-
I many times the average income. "No one ¯ tional exposing of the AIDS virus.
Palta De Suministr0:1-888-218-3924 ! helps you here if you have this disease," ¯ Alexander reportedly bit a man in the
said Fe Maria, who lived 13 years carry- " back as he intervened in a fight between a
I ing the AIDS virus without hope of get- i boyfriend and girlfriend, said police Lt.
I - ting treatment before going on the trial. " Chris Stanfield. During their investiga-
I ~"1~’~’.~ I Capravirine, which researchers hope" tion, officers learned that Alexander had
~~1~~,~
I will help fight off mutations of the-virus.,
tested positive for HIV. He was booked
I has already been through the safety phase " into the Natchitoches Parish Detention
of testing. In the current andcritical phase, Center. If convicted, he faces up to 10 Public Service Company of Oklahoma | 90 Dominicans and about 200 people in- years in prison, Stanfield said. Police also
I the United States and Canada are helping ¯ arrestedEamestWest,,onthesamecharge
............. ¯t test its effectiveness. Some participants " after receiving complaints that he allegget
a four-drug cocktail including " edly exposed four women to the AIDS
capravirine; others receiveadrug cocktail ¯ virus through unprotected sexual contact.
without capravirme.
by Jim Christjohn, entertainment editor
As an author who prides himself on
getting the facts correct (Never straight,
always correct); I have to own up .to an
error that appeared in print in the August
issue. I mistakenly attributed the appearanc~
to RENT hiTulsato the auspices of
~d~brity. AttraCtions. Thins¯ Was false, it
was actually SF~:Thea~cal Group with
¯ . . : .M~eh has been maded the-
Norvell, who tm~e show, inc|udln criticism o{
lamo izlng a drug-rldden life.
Not so. It poignantly points out
the effects -0f such a llfe. What
been promoting
RENT. My apologies
to all parties;
the error was actually
caught and
corrected before
press time (Thanks
Kristin!), but the
publisher used the
unrevised version
of the column at
press time. To err
is human, and it
can happen to the
best of us, no matthe
show is about, in my estimation,
is the pursuit of
dreams: and the most common
dream of all -
finding.love;{or that is common
to allof us. Gay, Straight.
ter how careful we ,,
try to be. Blael~. White. and so on...
So,.n6~v that the . .
"oopls,~.¢g60fed..... ’ " .,,-
p0rfi6n 6f~h¢ ~61Umnis out of the ~vas, on
withthe ~uia Stuff!-Hope you get a ~h’ance
to see RENT, it’ s a powerful show, and as
one friend ofmine remarked, is "bite) and
zippy." I’ll leave it to the reader to interpret
those comments-. I liked the choice of
words, personally. The show does reach
out and bite, and it does move zippily
along. The only problems I had were that
themix of the sound left the vocals muddy
& almost inaudible under the guitars; and
that some of the performers need to work
on their diction. This observation was
echoed by TFN writer Karin Gregory in
Dallas, who saw the same touting show
down there.
This show is basically rock opera, sung
through almost entirely. That requires the
lyrics to be audible and clear, otherwise
it’s impossibleto understand the plot. I
knew the show, and still l~ad to strain at
many points to catch dialogue or lyrics.
Hopefully, these issues will be addressed
for die future shows in the rnn. In all other’
aspects, ~t was a powerful evening of
theatre and storytelling.
Much-has been made of the show, including
criticism of glamorizing a drugridden
life. Not so. It poigriantly points
out the effects of such a life. What the
show is about, in my estimation, is the
pursuit of dreams; and the most common
dream of all - finding love; for that is
common to all of us, gay, straight, black,
white, and so on. "Love is love", to quote
fantasy writer Lynn Flewelling. And as
such, should be respected and honored no
matter What form it takes. RENT illustrates
this in an upffont, grab you by the
shirt kind0f way?Sound of Music, it alia’ t,
sobe prepared.-
RENT explores the issues, of love and
its pursuff~ finding iL recognizing it; and
notletting fear, pri~le,and n~iSunderstanding,
and the defenses we all build to protect
ourselves deny the love we really
want to have. Fear can be an amazing
thing when it comes to that. In that sense,
REN~ is also about overcoming those
obstacles and recognizing that love is
hard to find, and shouldn’t be tossed away
when the genuine articleis found.Atimely
" Issue right now; as a friend of mine is
¯¯ taking a journey down that hard road that
I have taken so many times before, and am
" in the middle of right now.
Lots of things masquerade as love -
¯
control, fear, even hatred. The real firing
doesn’t land in your lap too often. Lot of
lookalikes do, the trick is distinguishing
¯
the real from the fake. And too often, the
-real is waF.to0
scary, and so is refused.
If you’ve
got the real thing,
hang onto it. Well,
join me on my
ramble, will
you?Dunno where
all that came from.
¯ . Well, I do, but
that’s a whole
book unto itself.
RENT succeeds
admirably inillustrating
¯the aforementioned
ideas,
albeit in a much
less lOngwinded
way (editorr s note:
indeed)¯
The ~tandout
songs were "I will
cover you , ’X)ne
song", m~d "’Without You", wlrich is by
far the most beantiful and-evocative song
in the whole show It captures exactly
how one feels when you know the one real
thing has gotten away from you, either by
circumstance, or worse, by your own
clioice. "Without you, the w.d,rld turns, but
I die too.., without you.. ¯ ....
Speaking of Dreams, Arturo Brachetti
was fabulous. Let me rephrase that...
Arturo Brachetti’s show was fabulous! I
hope most of you caught it, as it was an
excellent evening of theatre. The man is
literally a cast of thousands unto himself.
And his quick change of Scarlett pre and
post curtains was worth the price of admission!
His show was a fast paced conglomeration
of incredibly quick changes
that left yon wondering ’~aow did he ’o
that?", mixed with comedy, magic, and
excellent s torytelling. Andhe can do amazing
things with his hands. Making
shadowplays, I mean.
His theme? Dreams... Finding them,
¯ follo::-ing them, accomplishing them; and
: having, fun with your inner ~hild while
doin2 it Alternatively hilarious and p0ignant~;
his range ofcharacters and’ theatre
is amazing to see. He is a prime example
of what one can do with dreams, belief in
those dreams, and hard work - the two
main ingredients of magic. The other aspect
of that was the fact that, regrettably,
so many of Us h~ve that child within that
still has those dreams of ~hildhood, and
we lock them away. Arturo was all about
letting that child out to play, and having
fun, which showed in his production.
The show was excellent in all regards,
from the autobiographical structure that
set up the changes and made it an intimate
evening even for the PAC’s Chapman
Hall. Themusic ran the gamutfrom dance/
techno to classical, the lighting was fantastic,
and Arturo’s box was huge! Well,
at least the one onstage that served as sets,
movie screen, prop house, and costume
storage. At one pointed, he enacted an old
western playing every character, and it
was truly indescribably hilarious.
He also performed a series of vignettes
in tribute te film director see Arturo, p. 9
septem;ber
FRIDAY 8 pm SATURDAY’~NgH SUNDAY 3 pro°
september 22 s~ptember 2~3 ~’;~ :?’ september 24
Altan
"The hottest group in the Celtic realm these days."
The Boston Globe
September 12 at 8 p.m.
Chapman Music Hall .................
Tulsa PAC, 3rd & Cincinnati
TULSA
PERFORI~ING
ARTS CENTER
TRUST
Tickets $14, $16, $18
Call 596-7111 spo,,,o,~
Outside ~ulsa call 1-800-364-7111 ~ ......... ?~’ "~:
Online: www.tulsapac.com
.~"
Presented by the .. Tulsa Performing
And you thought the ice cream man
brought joy to your street¯
Sure, popsides are great. But how about a
truckload of new channels, including WGN? How
about.a high-speed Internet that’s always on and
better priced? How.:about service so thorough and
sweet you, can almost ~taste it? Now these, these
are the things you can sink your teeth into.
We’.re in.gear.
COMMUNII~ATIONI~
665-0200
Tulsa’s PRIDE 2000!
VIDEO RELEASE PARTY
Now that summer’s end is in sight and cool weather a hopeful
prospect, the time is ripe to celebrate the Pride Week events that
began Oklahoma’s heat wave.
The Diversity Celebration 2000was a huge success that
attracted fabulous people, was spectacularly beautiful, socially
concious, wi.ttyand revealing. And its all on tape. This year Tulsa
Oklahomans for Human Rights has joined with BoyBlue
Productions in making a.professional commemorative video. It will
include highlights of all Pride Week events including: appearances
by Greg Louganis, Rev. Mel White and Grethe Cammemeyer~ the
enormous parade, the art show, follies, community heroes, festival
and the Soulforce. workshop.
Friday night’s release party will include.a preview of the video,
live performances and dancing. Details are pending but mark your
calendar for 8pro Sept. 29th. And you wilI of course be able to
purchase your copy at the party.
Proceeds from the sales of the Diversity Celebration 2000
Commerative Video will benefit the services and programs of
TOHR Orders may be placed in advance with visa or mastercard
by calling TOHR at 743-4287. Orders plaCed by Sept 22 will be
.available for pick up at the Release Party.
#
For your copies of Diversity Fest 2000
Contact the Tulsa Gay Community
Service Center, 743-4297, POB 2687, 74101
x $20.00 = $
MO, Check, Visa, MC, no cash please.
exp. date
Signature
Federico Fellini, who passed away afew
years ago. It was touching, but I don’t
think the audience "gotit."I doubtmost of
the audience had a clue who Fellini was.
At one point, the box split, and the curtains
were raised to reveal the work be-.
hind themagic.Anice touch, giving honor
and recognition to the work that goes on
behind the magic to make it happen.
It was truly a magical evening, and it
was funny to see the audience go from the
thought process of"What the hell is this?"
to ’qhis is so cool!" Armro was different
from anything Tulsa has seen, and it’s a
good thing. He soon held us all in thepalm
of his hand. Not as tasty as this writer
would have liked, but it was the markof a
true artist. Tulsa’s a tough crowd to win
over, especially for anything avant garde,
but Arturo did it magnificently. He’ll be
in a sitcom this fall, so that’ll be something
to watch for.
For our Lesbian readers, as wall as Gay
men, Janis Ian will be appearing in concert
at The Oklahoma Center for Poets
and Writers’ Celebration of Books, along
with. poet Maya Angelou, This occurs
September 29-30, and for more information,
call 594-8215.
In September, we have a few events
wc.-th catching: On the 12th, the Irish
music group Altan will make an appearance
at the PAC. They have had rave
reviews, and itlooks like a lovely evening
,,f traditional Irish music ahead. For tickets,
call 596-7122
September 14-23, Heller Theatre presents
"Art", a show about a painting that
engenders discussions of the quality and
meaning of.life itself. 746-5065. Theater
Tulsa offers up some pop culture with the
musical version of "Everything l Need to
Know I Learned in Kindergarten" September
15-23.
Tchaikovsky’s "Sleeping Beauty"
wakes in Tulsa as Tulsa Ballet presents
the venerable dance epic September 22-
24. (I wouldlove to see Matthew Bourne’s
take on this one! He’s the man behind the
homoerotic version ofSwan Lake. I doubt
that will happen in Tulsa, though TBT is
moving beyond a stdctly traditional approachunder
Maestro Angelini.)Go see it
for the music and the grace. For info, call
749-6006
Warren’s murder has drawnnational
attention from Gay and non-Gay civil
rights acti.vists, who fear he was killed
because of his race or sexual orientation,
or both. "At this point there is no evidence
of abate crime," Marion County Prosecutor
Richard Bunner said after the indictments
were issued. "If any evidence is
uncovered, appropriate action will be
taken."
Court records indicate Warren, Parker
and Wilson argued twice the night of the
beating - once about an unspecified rumor
that had circulated about Warren and
Parker, and the second timeabout $20 that
Wilson took from Warren’s wallet: The
beating began after the second argument.
The grand jury met for about 90 rain:
utes and then immediately issued the indictments.
Wilson had soughtto block the
grandjury fromhearing allegations against
him, saying he should nothavebeen transferred
to adult court. The Supreme Court
mined down his petition 3-0.
Wilson and Parker will continue to be
held in a juvenile detention facility until
their trial. If convicted they likely will
remain in ajuvenile facility until they are
21, at which point they wouldbe moved to
an adult facility. A trial date has not been
set.
." TULSA - Furniture queens can now re-
¯. joicet Tulsa is now home to an Odds &
Ends Outlet Store, the fourth in the US
¯ which the distinguished Baker Furniture
¯ has opened. The store is located at 4329 ¯
So. Peoria, near the old John Zink prop-
" erty and is open 7 days a week. The store
¯ features Baker, MillingRoad, andMcguire
¯ furniture in a gallery like setting. ¯
Baker president, Chris Plasman, re-
" sponded to questions about the choice of
¯ Tulsa, saying, "residents in larger cities,
¯ such as Chicago and Atlanta, have been ¯
clamoring to get but we chose Tulsa.
¯ Certainly Tulsa’s demographics are very
¯ favorable, butthe decisionwas alsoheavily
¯ imquencedbytheresidents’ reputationfor
." uncompromising taste and style and a
genuineapp,r,eciation ofhistoryandcrafts -
: manship...
For more information, or store hours,
" call 746-0329.
¯
He was also hospitalized for a week after
being attacked with a knife by a group of
men who called him derogatory names,
he said. In 1995, he fled to the United
States and requested asylum, but was de-
At his hearing before immigration officials,
a Latin American history expert
testified that Gay men with female sexual
identities in Mexico are heavily persecuted
by the police and other groups and
are likely to become scapegoats for
Mexico’s economic and political problems.
The expert said Hernandez-Montiel
faced persecution if deported to Mexico.
Federico Gomez, press director of
Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission,
acknowledged that homosexuals
and cross-dressers still suffer from
discrimination, but added that he believes
Mexicans, in general, have become more
tolerant of people’s sexual orientation.
Gomez said he did not think the
Hernandez-Montiel case "reflected society
as the whole."
Judge A. Wallace Tashima wrote that
the appeals panel had determined that
’~3ay men with female sexual identities in
Mexico constitutea protected ’particular
social group’ under the asylum statute...
and that Geovanm is a member of that
group."
The Board of |mmigration Appeals had
contended that Hemandez-Montiel should
return to Mexico, saying he did not estalJlish
that he suffered abuse because of his
membership in a particular social group.
The appellate panel ordered the board to
reverse its decision and grant Hernandez-
Montiel asylum.
Want to get involved?
Need to get tested for HIV or
a Coming Out Support Group?
Call 743=GAYS (4297)
Tulsa Gay
Community
Services Center
1307 E. 38th, 2nd floor
by Lamont Lindstrom
When I was in highschool, my soon-tobe-
Gay friend Carl spent all hi s spare time
drawing fantastically elaborated plans for
pipe organs. In his
sketches, he piled keyboardbehindkeyboardand
rank onto rank. (All those
pipes and organs, of
course, should have gaven
me a clue.)
Since that year, I have
met many Gay guys with
considerable creative talents,
sometimes eccentrically
applied. One friend
constructs fantasy Christmas
trees. Another designs
websites. Another does
flower arrangements. Another
collects rococo pictures
of the Holy Mother.
Gays are deeply involved
in the fine and less
fine arts, from opera and
ballet down to cheesy TV
programs like Survivor.
When the AIDS epidemic
was at its worst, activists
invented the "Day without
Art" which foreshadowed how dull art
and culture would be in America should
all homosexuals ever pass away.
Why all this Gay creativity - creativity
which often is frenzied and even odd?
Anthropologist Sherry Ortner, drawing
on the Frenchfeminist Simone Beauvoir,
once proposed that ’Man is to Culture as
Woman is to Nature.’ Ortner was seeking
a-reason for why, almost everywhere,
people value what men do more than they
value whatwomen do. She concluded that
we associate women with nature, mostly
because women have kids. Women are
naturally creauve. Men, whose contributions
to making babies are momentary at
best, and much less embodied, have to
express our creativity by other means.
Ortner observed thathumans value culture
over nature. Culture is what preserves
us in nature. It tells us how to make
a living off the land. Whereas culture
protects, nature kills. Disease, aging,
drought, famine, earthquakes and tornados
may well be theendofus. Culture also
needs continuous reconstruction and cultivation.
We have to keep it all going and
we have to make sure to pass it down to
kids.
Given this preference for culture over
nature, Ortner concluded that men’s cultural
contributions are valued more than
women’s natural creativity. Others have
also pointed tomasculinejealousy offeminine
fertility. Womenunmistakably bring
new life out of their bodies. Less natural
men are driven to invent culture instead.
And we are jealous enough to insist that
our male creations - rituals, clubs, political
parties, novels, symphonies, paintings,
whatever- are somehow better, more
noble, and more enduring that just another
slobbery child. There is some truth
here, too. An ordinary human being lasts
little more than three quarters of a century
at best. Cultural creations-such as political
parties or rituals -may endure for
generations.
Gay men are particularly engaged in
cultural production insofar-as many of us
don’t contribute even the minor male donation
to human reproduction. Instead of
children, we have to live in our art, our
books, our sense of style (or maybe our
"...Anthropologist
Sherry Ortner,
drawing on the
French feminist
Simone Beauvolr,
once proposed that
’Man is to Culture as
Woman is to
Nature.’ Ortner was
seeking a reason for
why, almost everywhere,
people value
what men do more
than they value what
women do..."
dogs or cats). This is another instance- as
with penis size - where Gays are
hypermasculine. Gays who do not reproduce
naturally specialize instead in masculine
cultural creativity.
Some have criticized
Ortnerforoversimplifying
cross-cultural nuances of
male!female power relations.
Another sort of complication
comes from the
fact that many people disbelieve
an individual creativity.
Everyone, of
course, has a theory about
where new things come
from. But not everyone in
the world credits individual
creativity, orgenius,
or talent for the birth of
new things and new ideas.
Even in ,our own culture,
notions of creativity
aren’t that old. The English
noun "creativity"
only dates back to 1875 or
so. Before the modem era
- and the triumph of indiw[
dualism - our ancestors
talked instead of "inspiration,"
as others still do today. Once upon
a time, the word "’genius" referred to an
external spirit who inspired you with new
ideas. It did not mean some internal, mental
brilliance.
Onthe South Pacific island where I
once lived, nobody believes in creativity
in the sense of some mysterious
brainpower. Rather, clever people are
those with good ties to the world of ancestral
spirits. Nobody believes that men are
naturally more or less intelligent, either.
New ideas and new firings - if they are
worth anything - have to Come via inspi-
.ration from the ancestors.
Clever people are those with good communicauve
links with spirits, not those
who claim inborn talent. Men, for instance,
who come up with new songs
insist that they overhear these in their
dreams. Nobody would take credit for
composing a song by himself. If he d. 1,
how can it be any good? If you simply
make up something on your own, it obviously
can’t compete with music inspired
with spiritual wisdom.
But even on this Pacific island, men
manasecultural production although they
do so by monopolizing the means of inspiration
rather than the means of creativity,
as is the case here in America. Have a
look around at your culture, goodand bad.
Most of it is a male production, and a
notable ratio of that is Gay male productioLna.
mont Lindstrom, Ph.D., teaches anthropology
at the University of Tulsa
where he can be reached at: lamontlindstrom@
utulsa.edu
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HOLY TRINITY GREEK
ORTHODOX CHURCH
THUR’SAT 11-11
SUNDAY 11-3
by Karin Gregory, TFN correspondent "
With election year just around the cor- ¯
ner, I want to ask you a question: Aren’t "
you afraid? Many people want to bury ¯
their heads, but you just can’t this year.
It’s too important.
Are you registered? Do
you know the candidates
and what they support, tol -
erate, condone, condenm,
and deny? Looking athighlights
of the Rep.ublican
National Convention last
month (What-youthought
I’d watch the whole
thing?), I was interested in
many things they pointed
out, one of which was the
"leave no child behind"
theme Bush espoused.
Funny, when he was our
govemor’for afew months
before embarking on his
Presidential campaign, his
"leave no state behind
without a governor" theme
didn’twork so well forhim.
Make no mistake grrls -
this is one Bush you
DON’T want to push an)’-
where, especially into the
~Zqlite House!
Let’s look at the issues
facing all of us this year.
Many have spoken of a
"different kind of Republican"
in George W. Bush.
Hrnmmm, I wonder. The
Republicans made a great
showof including as many
minorities as they could
find on the streets of Philadelphia
to join their little
convention. Again, great
appointing Supreme Court Justices, and
Bush has at least one to appoint, if he’s
elected. How many of you think he’ll
appoint someone who’s sensitive.to Gay
civil rights? If anyone if raising ’his/her
hand - PUT IT DOWN
"...What 1;es
were working
the floor
the week of the i
Republican
"Convention? ¯ ¯ ¯
Our eonservatlve
friends made a b;g
deal about inclusion
- Hispanies, African
Amerieans, the
GaylLesbian
Community,
the Pro-Choieers.
Yep, they really want
the votes, don’t they?
These people were
wooed and charmed
in front of cameras,
but what
happened the
,’morning after"? "
NOW!
UnderBush,manylaws
brought about by the Supreme
Court, laws which
helped to make us a demoeracy,
could be overturned~
What would hap:
pen if the Roe vs. Wade
decision was overturned?
It could happen very easily.
Andwhat do youthink
would happen to the
progress of Gay and Lesbian
couplelaws that have
come about in the last few
years? Gays? Lesbians?
Able to have rights? Bush
already denies that Gays
and Lesbians should have
"special rights". Read that
as "equal rights" and you
have the makings of a fascist
country. The makings
of amanwho would make
Charlton Heston look liberal.
But there’s another
story to this "coupling" of
Bush and Dick. Yep, you ’
know what I’m talking
about. Or rather, who I’m
talking about. It’s the old- i
est story around. Weak
Texas governor runs for
President; weak Texas
governor wins primary;
weak Texas governor.
picks running mate; rtmshow.
The Republicans are like that, you
know. Every few years they assume a
different identity, muchlike a chameleon,
so they can get votes by convincing peg.ple
they’re something "different" this ttme.
Each time (I’m talking Reagan and
George, Sr. here) the public has been
fooledby the rhetoric, the nicely groomed
candidates, and the lies.
What lies were working the floor theweekofthe
RepublicanConvention?Well,
let’ s go back to those people picked from
the streets of Philadelphia. Our conservafive
friends made a big deal about inclusion-
Hispanics, African Americans, the
Gay/Lesbian Community, and even the
Pro-Choicers. Yep, they really want the
votes, don’t they? These people were
wooed and charmed in front of cameras,
but what happened the "morning after"?
Well, the Republicans got together and
voted onNOT including same-sex recognition
among couples, NOT including
Gays in hate crimes legislation, NOT including
Gay civil rights of any kind, and
NOT including abortion for any reason.
Yeah, lies, damn lies¯
Despite all this bravado show of inclusion,
the Republican ticket ofGeorgeBush
and Dick Cheney already shows aHUGE
bias - Bush and Dick. See? They just had
to get those "family values" in after all!
Many may be wondering why I’m so
worried about this election year. George
W. Bush is certainly not a strong politician,
given the fact he was a Texas governor,
the weakest form of governor. And
you may be saying, ’He doesn’t make the
rules; Congress does."
OK, but the President is responsible for
¯ ning mate has Lesbian daughter. WHAT?
Dick Cheney, so hell-bent to do every-
" thing Conservative in the book, has a Les-
¯¯ bian daughter? What I want to know is
¯ why would this man be a party to a party
that denies his daughter equal rights?Why
¯ would she want her father to run in this
¯ party?
: On yet another television news pro-
" gram, host Cokie Roberts asked Mrs.
: Cheney about the possible hypocritical
¯ effects this has on their family. Mrs.
: Cheney said her daughter’s lifestyle was a
." "private matter." Well, Mary Cheney has
¯ been very out for many years and has ¯
¯ worked for Gay civil rights for many
years. And I resent Mrs. Cheney saying
¯ that her daughter’s Lesbianism is a "pri-
¯ vate matter" as if the girl has a disease. ¯
¯ Sounds to me likemomis the sicko here. So why, if homosexuality is such a
¯ private matter, has George W. Bush sup-
- ported every anti-gay legislation? If ho-
¯ mo~exuality is a private matter, why does
¯ he thiM: he has the right to tell me with
¯ whom I sleep? Why do the Republicans
¯ want to make such a federal issue out of ¯
such a"private matter"? Is homosexuality
" only private to the privileged few, like
¯ Mary Cheney? Or is it a matter that will
¯ decide,muchlike the sexual revolution of ¯
the sixties, the very way people look at
¯ one another in the future? As human be-
" ings, not as Gay, Straight, Lesbian, Bi-
¯ sexual, Transgendered, etc., etc., etc.
] You have a decision to make. If you
¯ want ANY possibility of equality, make
¯ sure you are registered. Then make a date ¯
¯ with yourself to go to a little booth in November. You know what to do.
Walk for Life 2000
8th Annual
Tulsa AIDS Walk
Saturday, Oct. 7, 9:30am
Vete ran’s Park, 21 st & Boulder
Fo.r more information, call 585-5551.
Donations-will be increased by 50% with
matching dollars through the generosity of
-the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The Walk is
sponsored by the Community Service
Council, and will benefit the Tulsa Community
AIDS Partnership (TCAP),
The Walk is an all volunteer effort and there
are no administrative costs.
Tulsa Family News is proud to donate this advertisement in support of the Walk
and the Tulsa Community AIDS Partnership (TCAP)

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