September 25,1978 GAYSWEEK 2

Philadelphia's Rizzo OKs Gay Rights, Provincetown Business Guild Formed

but Will Not Support Special Bill

PHILADELPHIA, September 12 (Daily News)-In answer to a reporter's question following his announcement yesterday that he would campaign to change the City Charter, Mayor Frank Rizzo said he supports "civil rights for homosexuals." "I want everybody to have their civil rights, including homosexuals," the mayor said.

But a spokesman for Rizzo said afterwards that the mayor did not mean he would push for specific legislation, such as a 1975 bill that died in City Council and would have banned discrimination against gays in housing, jobs and public accommodations.

(A similar bill is now being prepared for another attempt at passage, according to Bill Wood of the Gay Businesspersons' Group, but so far no Council member has agreed to sponsor it.)

It was apparently the first public statement by the mayor on the gay rights question. He did not take a stand on the 1975 bill while it was dying in committee, though Wood said it was understood that Rizzo would not have vetoed it if it had been passed by Council.

Wood said he did not think Rizzo's statement yesterday would persuade "most gay people" to support Rizzo politically. Wood noted that many were upset with the slur implicit in Rizzo's widelyquoted promise to "make Attila the Hun look like a faggot" in getting back at his enemies if he won his 1975 campaign.

Wood also complained that the mayor used old terms like "civil rights" and "homosexuals." "I don't think he would every say, 'I'm for gay rights,'" the gay spokesman said.

Wood noted, however, that gays individually and the bars they frequent have not been subjected to "organized harassment" by the city or the police department during Rizzo's tenure as mayor.■

Polls Find Growing Opposition to Extension Period for ERA Ratification

SAN DIEGO, August 26 (Eyening Tribune)-Since June, four national polls have probed public opinion on whether Congress should extend the time for the Equal Rights Amendment to win ratification and become part of the Constitution. All four polls have been worded somewhat differently, so an absolute comparison is impossible. Even so, one can hesitantly identify a trend: Americans seem to be turning against the proposed extension.

Back in late spring (June 4-12), the Gallup organization asked a national cross-section this question: "As you may know, Congress is discussing extending the time limit for states to ratify the ERA for another seven years. Would you favor or oppose such a proposal?" Forty-three percent said they were in favor, while 40 percent indicated opposition.

By way of contrast, pollster Louis Harris asked a far more complex extension question (as part of an ERA series) during the June 27-July 1 period. The Harris Survey inquiry was worded as follows: "To make ERA part of the Constitution, 38 states have to have their state legislature vote favorably on it. So far, 35 states have voted for it-three short of what is needed. Under the law, if 38 states don't pass it by next April, then the amendment will be defeated. However, ERA supporters want Congress to pass a new law that will extend the time for the states to act on ERA for seven more years. Would you favor or oppose Congress extending the time for the states to act on ERA for another seven years?" The results: 57 percent were in favor, 40 percent were opposed, and three percent were not sure.

This Harris Survey sparked more than its share of controversy. Phyllis Schlafly, national chairwoman of the Stop ERA Extension, charged that Harris's results "are a product of loaded questions, of misleading those polled into believing that ERA equates with women's rights, and a sequence of comments that led respondents by the hand to give predetermined answers." While Schlafly's analysis is a bit overstated, Harris's poll does include phraseology and a sequence of questions likely to build support for the ERA (and thus, indirectly, for an ERA extension).

A subsequent national poll, commissioned by the American Legislative Exchange Council and conducted by New Jersey's Opinion Research Corp. between July 31 and August 2, found only a slim plurality in favor of the extension. When asked, "Do you favor or oppose changing the Equal Rights Amendment resolution order to extend the time for states to approve the Equal Rights Amendment?", 45 percent were in favor, while 39 percent were opposed. At the same time, however, a 61-28 percent majority agreed that if the time should be extended for new

states that want to rescind their ratification (four of them) should also be allowed to do so.

But the most startling shift was recorded in August 7-8 national polling by NBC News and the Associated Press. Their question read as follows: "The deadline for states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment is next March. Do you think that deadline should be extended another seven years, or don't you think so?" Only 34 percent agreed with the extension, while 55 percent were opposed.

Inasmuch as the bare bones NBC News-AP phraseology doesn't state any case for the ERA extension, the negative result may be a little lopsided. On the other hand, it's also quite likely that most Americans are now familiar with the controversy, and that public opinion is being brought into sharper focus-one way or the other-by the midsummer escalation of congressional debate over the exten-

sion.

If so, then the NBC News-AP poll results suggest that as Americans become more familiar with the arguments involved, they are turning against the ERA ratification time extension, deeming it improper and unfair, even though a clear majority still supports the Equal Rights Amendment per se. ■

to Promote Gay Tourism in Area

PROVINCETOWN, August 24 (Provincetown Advocate)-A group of Provincetown businessmen, frustrated by what they consider an inactive chamber of commerce, is forming the Provincetown Business Guild to promote year-round tourism from the national gay community. Chamber officials, however, think there is no need for ethnic, racial or other special interest promotions, including pitches to gay tourists, and that the new group may needlessly factionalize the local business community.

A five-man steering committee will begin tomorrow soliciting membership in the guild from owners of guest houses, apartments, shops, restaurants and all other local businesses. Organizers hope to counteract what they see as Provincetown's declining image, especially among gay tourists. The new group is intended to be a business promotional organization, steering clear of politics.

The guild stems from an organizational meeting last month attended by 20 local guest-house owners and realtors. From these persons a steering committee was selected: Paul Christo, chairman of the Provincetown Finance Committee, Donald Robertson, George Littrell, Ed Brady and Dexter Ross. All five own guest-houses in Provincetown.

Christo said the idea should appeal to any businessman whose clientele includes many gay customers. "This is strictly a dollar-and-cents organization," he said.

buted and organizers hope at least 100 A thousand applications will be distribusinessmen will join. Annual guild dues are $30. Annual dues for the Provin-

Representatives

cetown Chamber of Commerce are $35, most of which goes to produce 300,000 promotional brochures each year.

Christo said once the group is established soon after Labor Day, it will be "very professional and strictly business." The dues will be used principally to advertise Provincetown in national publications aimed at gay readerships. The advertising will portray Provincetown as a "nice mellow year-round town," Christo said, adding that the Chamber has failed to solicit gay tourists and to creatively organize local merchants.

Christo stressed that the guild wants to work with not against the chamber. But, he said, the chamber hasn't adequately helped its members, doing little more to drum up business than publishing the brochure.

Only last week, some of the persons involved in the guild including Christo, complained vehemently to the selectmen that Provincetown's reputation in the national gay community is slipping, partly because of police insensitivity to gay lifeCONTINUED ON PAGE 17.

from 10 Countries Form International Gay Association

COVENTRY, UK, August 28-At a meeting here today, representatives of gay organizations from three continents formed the International Gay Association.

The Association has two main aims: to coordinate gay political action on an international level and to set up an international information center for gay organizations. Particular attention is to be paid to applying concerted political pressure on governments and international institutions.

The coordination center for the Association will be in Dublin and matters of immediate concern will be the proposed anti-gay laws in Greece and the existing anti-gay laws in the Soviet Union. The Association will make submissions to the Council of Europe on the decriminalization of homosexuality and on the expansion of anti-discrimination clauses to include sexual orientation in a revised version of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Current gay rights cases in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will be followed closely.

Also, the Association plans to encourage Amnesty International to work for the release of people imprisoned under anti-gay laws.

Representatives from Australia, Britain, Denmark, France, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, the

states to ratify, then previously ratifying New York City Blood Center's Bloodmobile.

Netherlands, Scotland and the United States were present at the meeting.

The International Gay Association can be contacted care of CHLR, PO Box 931, Dublin 4, Ireland. ■

Free Testing for Hepatitis B

NEW YORK, September 1-The New York Blood Center has been offering free confidential tests for Hepatitis B since the beginning of the year. The Center's Bloodmobile will be available for tests at Christopher and West Streets or Christopher and Greenwich Streets on the following days: Sunday, September 24 and Saturday September 30 from 3 pm to 9 pm. The final day for free testing will be Sunday, October 1 from 3 pm to 9 pm. ■

Citibank Bloodmobile & The Greater New York Blood Program