NATIONAL NEWS

"Liberal principles gave way before ingrained fear of homosexuality April 28 when the Women's Division of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries voted by more than two to one to fire Joan Clark, a Dallas-based field staffer with an unithpeachable record who acknowledged her lesbianism in a research report to the group the preceding month. The group had earlier, on April 23, voted to reject the recommendation of its personnel committee to discharge Ms. Clark because of her coming out. But this state of grace was short-lived, for publicity about the decision to retain Ms. Clark quickly prompted a strong anti-gay reaction-the church's Own service described it as "pressure"-from church leaders and laypeople, particularly in the North and Central Texas areas. This pressure proved stronger than the Women's Division's fragile commitment to equal rights for gay people, and when Ms. Clark refused to resign, the group reversed itself and fired her.

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A Joan Clark Defense Committee has been formed in Dallas. Its aim is not only to secure Ms. Clark's reinstatement but, even more, to publicize her ex-' perience 15 a "case study" of institutional

Susan Abbot

homophobia in action. They hope that gay people involved with other institutions-churches, schools, foundations, government agencies, corporations, etc. will examine the process that led to Ms. Clark's ouster and apply its lessons to their own situations. The chief lesson, of course, is not that one must re-

Bissert: No Token

The recipients of the First Annual Fellowships program of the Coordinating Council of Literary Magazines ha e been announced. Of the ten grantees and three others cited for honorable mention, only one (in the latter category) is a woman. Ellen Marie Bissert, writer and editor of 13th Moon, has declined the "dubious honor".

In her letter to CCLM, Bissert protested the exclusion of women from the grants program: "Considering the number of women who edit excellent literary magazines, it is insulting to realize that the 'panel decided that no women's efforts were worthy enough for this distinction".

Lynne Savitt of Gravida, an elected member of the CCLM Spring Grants Committee of 1979, has written to CCLM to withdraw as a consultant to the board: "Continuing sexism on grants committees and within CCLM is painfully obvious".

Women editors, writers and interested readers of women's press should address their letters of disappointment and concern about the the general unavailability of funds vital to the development and continuation of women's press to CCLM, 80 8th Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10011.

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Page 4/What She Wants/August, 1979

Institutional Homophobia

main in the closet, much as most of these institution would prefer it. Rather, only coming out can unmask the homophobia still testering beneath the most benign-seeming expressions of tolerance such as the noble sentiments of the United Methodist Book of Discipline (church law), which states that "homosex uals no less than heterosexuals are persons of sacred worth" and are "entitled to have their human and civil rights ensured." (One of the groups in the forefront of the campaign against Ms. Clark tried to make a show of consistency with those principles by unctuously proclaiming, "We affirm her as a person but do not affirm her lifestyle," which is surely a classic instance of keeping to the letter and letting the spirit go hang.)

The defense committee would like "thoughtful"

letters of protest from both individual, and organ..... tions, pay and non gay. The group wants supporter of equal rights all over the country "to let institutions know that is no longer acceptable for them 1 flaunt their homophobia by firing people when the come out." letters should be sent directly to Mrs C Jarrett Gray, President, Women's Division, United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY. 10027. Please send a cop of your letter to the Joan Clark Defense Committer 7606 Eastern Avenue, Apt. E, Dallas, Texas 75209

—NGTE Action Report (National Gay Task Force) June July 1979

October March for Lesbian and Gay Rights

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New York (INS. Juanita Ramos) Approximately 200 lesbians and gay men gathered at the University of Houston during the July 6-8 weekend to participate in the National Organizing Conference for The National March for lesbian and gay rights scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C, on October 14. The Houston gathering followe i dl Philadelphia conference held in the spring where les bians and gay men from throughout the country met to discuss the calling of a national march the first ever in the history of th gay liberation movement. The basic tasks of the meeting were the reconstruc tion of the National Coordinating Committee, the setting up of a national transportation network, and the creation of six standing national committees to deal with outreach, media, fund-raising, logistics, cultural events and lobbying. Conference par ticipants reaffirmed the statement of purpose and the five demands adopted in Philadelphia, the statement of purpose being “An end to all social, economic, judicial and legal oppression of lesbians and gav people."

The five demands are 1) repeal of all antilesbian/gay laws; 2) passage of a comprehensive les bian and gay rights bill in Congress; 3) issuance of a presidential executive order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in the federal government, the military, and federally contracted private

employment; 4) an end to discrimination in le my mother and gay father custody cases; and S) proi tion of lesbian and gay youth from laws which used to discriminate against them, oppre harass them in the homes, schools, jobs, and environment.

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The women's caucus was primarily concerne ! assuring that the policy of gender parity and world representation be enforced at all le f policy was strongly encouraged, makine it for women and third world le brans to feet part movement which has aditionally been domur. by white, pay males.

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ot this black lesbian participa

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What I got Claudette Furlonge. a "was a clear sense that the march as poing to happe The conference really howed that around the of ray ughts in the past ten years, as he move has grown, it has attracted the involvement of pront of various political persuasions. This conference a signal that there is a new consolidation ame most propressive people."

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Anyone wishing additional information about he Houston Conference or the march preparations an 1 transportation arrangements should contact force Hunter at the New York City office of the March Washington at (212) 924-2970.

Do You Suffer from Condescension?

(Her Say)-If your male gynecologist seems patronizing and aloof, there may be a reason. A study, conducted by Ferity, Hawaii's feminist newsjournal, of over 740 ads published in medical trade journals found that women were depicted in stereotypical roles as sexually active females, childbearers or grandmothers. Most were represented as homemakers. Working women, when shown, were extremely attractive models under age 30. Women were depicted as pregnant, suffering from

Women Shortchanged

(Her Say) The U.S. Census Bureau reports that only a quarter of the women raising children alone are receiving child support payments from absent fathers.

The Bureau says that 1.3 million divorced, separated, remarried or never married mothers. receive child support payments from the fathers of their children, averaging $2,430 a family per year. The Bureau says that the mothers most likely to receive some child support from absent fathers were divorcees and well-educated women.

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menopause or from obesity. All were shown in “at horne" situations. Their symptoms were often portrayed as silly, trivial and annoying to others. Women depicted as competent decision makers in ordinary circumstances and dress were almost nonexistent.

The study concluded that most of the advertising seen by physicians amplified and reinforced the im age of women as dependent and helpless.