GAY NEWS-August 1978-3

ERA extension support lacking, marchers find

by Jan Sergienko

WASHINGTON D.C.Despite the sweltering 90-degree heat here on July 10, more than 1000 ERA lobyists from all parts of the country converged on Capitol Hill. They were there to carry out the message. of the previous day's ERA rallythat the final struggle for the adoption of the Equal Rights Amendment had just begun. All day groups of single women, married couples, and families walked briskly across the tree-shaded mall, in and out of the various Congressional office buildings. Some took time to pose for pictures underneath the White House inscription "Equal Justice Under Law."

The lobbyists ranged in political experience from those who had never met a state delegate to some with six years of intensive ERA lobbying behind them. Many expressed determination to visit seven or more delegates before the journey home

which would be, for some, their second 20-hour busride in two days.

The lobbyists hope that their efforts will increase support for a bill that would extend the time limit for ERA ratification by seven years. Current law decrees that the Equal Rights Amendment must be ratified before March by 38 of the 50 states in order to become law. It has already been ratified by 35 states, although three of them rescinded their approval.

The extension bill is still in the House Judiciary Committee, where sources say the vote will be close. Representative Hamilton Fiske (RNY) told a group of ERA backers that 20 members of the 34-member committee were against extension. One proposed alternative, not favored by feminists, would extend the deadline for four years instead of

seven.

ERA supporters gave differing reports of their lobbying experiences.

Sodomy laws given

boot in Alaska code

ANCHORAGE-The state of Alaska has recently revised its criminal code, one effect of which is to decriminalize homosexuality. If the code is officially approved by Governor Jay Gammond, it will become law in January, 1980.

The previously existing code makes no reference to homosexuality or gender in its provisions. However, the new law eliminates previous statutes against homosexuality and other crimes against nature such as adultery, cohabitation, sodomy and indecent exposure. The bill also lowers the age of sexual consent to 16 and in some cases, 13. Canada, England and 18 American states have similar codes.

Two state court cases involving private sexual activity between consenting adults formed the premise of the new code. In Ravin vs. State, the Alaska Supreme Court noted"... at least some of us might perceive a right to privacy claim."

Final preparations for the reformed code were begun three years ago by the Subcommission for Criminal Law Revision, after its passage in the House and Senate Judi-

Index

ciary Committees. A section of the original draft reads: "There are limits beyond which utilization of criminal sanctions loses its meaning and may become destructive to social interest as a result of capricious special applications, constitutional infringements, or non-enforcement leading to general contempt for law or misallocation of limited law enforcement resources."

According to Charles Eggen, a member of the Alaska Gay Community Center, "This means that the law, in effect, becomes a joke when you take personal, moral issues and make laws out of them. They become insignificant and should be taken off the books." Eggen decried the past criminal code saying, "(It is) an abomination of homosexuality. It bans female prostitution but it doesn't say anything about male prostitution."

Eggen believes that the bill will receive gubernatorial approval. He expressed his personal satisfaction with the Alaskan legislature's action stating, "It is an acceptable code because we will no longer be referred to as criminals."

Voeller nominated for ACLU board of directors...7 Gays entering suburban home arket....................7 Gay theatre-so much more needs to be said....16 Nona Hendryx-In this case, the art came first..19 Raising Richard Egan's consciousness... Between the Covers.....

The Circulator........

Common Sense.....

A Disturbed Peace... Hollywood Babble-On... On Record..... Your Lifestyle.. Classifieds....

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Many expressed disappointment at the unavailability of their senators and representatives. Jesse Winters from Quincy, Illinois, expected to see Senator Stephens (R-Ill), but he was no where to be found. "It would have shown interest to have been there for the lobbying with a firm statement," she said. Other delegates were pleased with the concern of their delegates. Two NOW members from Chicago planned on attending a meeting with Senator Charles Percy (R-III), who flew into Washington after he saw the size of the Illinois contingent at the rally.

Some lobbyists found that their senators favored ERA itself but were against extension. Three feminists from Indiana quoted Senator Luger (R-Ind) as supporting the amendment but not extension because "it's against the rules of the ball game."

Bob Mulligan of Pennsylvania, who ran for Congress last year on a pro-gay platform, reported that representative Ozzie Myers (D-Pa.)was still undecided on the extension bill. According to Mulligan, Myers feared its impact on other proposed amendments such as the anti-abortion bill. Mulligan also informed the Gay News that Representative Kost-

H

ALEY

100,000 women and men braved the Washington heat to march in support of the Equal Rights Amendment

meyer (D-Pa.) was "for ERA and ton extension all the way."

Some lobbyists came to Washing-

Photos by Matthew Mizenco

with sophisticated political (Continued on page 5)

100,000 demonstrate for ERA

by Tim Cwiek

in

WASHINGTON-Dressed white and carrying banners reminiscent of the suffragists of the last century, thousands of demonstrators marched to the Capitol July 9 to urge Congress to extend by seven years the March 22, 1979 deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Estimates of the crowd's size. reached as high as 100,000. "And we represent the millions more who demand equality for all citizens," declared NOW president Ellie Smeal.

The demonstrators marched in rows of 24 up Constitution Avenue and it took almost two hours for

everyone to pass one point. Signs included "Gentle men for ERA," "Jesus was a feminist" and "Every mother is a working mother."

In front of the Capitol speeches were delivered by presidential assistant Midge Costanza, who promised to badger the president "even from the basement," EEOC head Eleanor Holmes Norton ("If the legislators let us down, we will turn them out next election") and Betty Friedan ("ERA will help men live a little longer"). Actress Jean-Stapleton expressed her gratitude for "the very sensitive, intelligent men who joined us today." Marlo Thomas. called the march "a reunion of war

Nurses' association

passes rights support

HONOLULU-During its 51st annual convention here, the American Nurses Association adopted a resolution supporting the enactment of civil rights laws for gays. The resolution was passed by a substantial margin by the 200,000-member nursing organization after intensive lobbying by the Gay Nurses Alliance.

The resolution endorses laws that would guarantee civil rights to persons regardless of sexual and affectional preference. The ANA had previously passed measures supporting similar rights for persons regardless of their sex, age, ethnic background or color.

Ethelrine Shaw, chairperson of the ANA Commission on Human Rights which introduced the resolu-

buddies," adding: "It's a disgrace we still have to be fighting for women's rights in 1978."

Bella Abzug promised, "If we don't get ERA, we're not going to. fade away. I mean even though some of us are on diets." One man who might fade away if ERA fails is TV star Dick Gregory. He pledged a hunger strike if three more states do not ratify ERA before its deadline.

"It will be a glorious day when men get liberated," Gregory declared. "We won't go around wearing shoulder pads and talking the way men are supposed to talk." He said the Seven Wonders of the World are a fraud. "You'd think one would be a vagina," he chided. "But anything men can't make, we don't think of as wonderful."

There was a strong lesbian and gay presence in the throngs. Jean O'Leary, co-executive director of the National Gay Task Force, warned feminists not to be "frightened by the word 'lesbian.' Hopefully we've gotten beyond the point where that word can divide us. Any autonomous, independent woman runs the risk of being called a lesbian."

tion, said, "Nurses are concerned about the basic human rights of every individual. Wherever nurses practice they want to give quality care to all persons regardless of their sexual preferences. Wherever nurses practice they, too, must be assured equal employment and economic opportunities. The laws of our country should guarantee these rights." with a man. How heterosexual!"

One branch of the ANA, the Council of Advanced Practitioners in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, passed an even stronger pro-gay resolution. This resolution. not only affirms that homosexuality is not a mental illness, but declares it to be a viable and healthy lifestyle. It commits the Council to foster educational programs for its members about gay persons, relationships and culture.

NOW's former president Karen DeCrow parodied Stop-ERA leader Phyllis Schlafly, who thinks "ERA will force my daughter to shower

Philadelphia NOW sponsored a 54-bus caravan to the march, where approximately 3500 area supporters participated (the largest of any contigent). Philadelphia Lesbians for ERA filled one NOW bus, and several gay men also journeyed to the mass demonstration. Since males were outnumbered on the trip, their restrooms were shared by females during pitstops-and nobody seemed traumatized by the experi-

ence.