EDITORIAL HIGH

CEAR

Vol.3 A Publication of theGEAR Foundation Issue 12

HIGH GEAR journal is a publication of the Gay Educational and Awareness Resources (G.E.A.R.) Foundation of Cleveland, Ohio. It is distributed free of charge in any establishment and with any organization that will permit distribution. We are non-profit publication, and all proceeds not used to pay printing costs and service fees are set aside for the Gay HotlineSwitchboard (216)-321-6632, the G.E.A.R. Foundation which sponsors the Cleveland Gay Community Center and other Ohio gay organizations.

The presence of the name or picture or other representation of an organization, place of business or person(s) in HIGH GEAR is not necessarily indicative of the sexual orientation of such organizations, businesses or persons.

We welcome all contributions of written materials, art work, or photography by members of the gay community. All materials submitted for publication are subject to editorialization. We cannot guarantee the return of materials submitted for publication, whether used by HIGH GEAR or not, unless they are accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envolope.

All HIGH GEAR staff are volunteers. Anyone interested in working on the staff of HIGH GEAR should inquire by calling (216) 321-6632 or by writing to HIGH GEAR STAFF, P.O. Box 6177, Cleveland, Ohio 44101.

Businesses or organizations wishing to advertise in HIGH GEAR may obtain advertising rate sheets and other information by writing to the above address.

Ine deadline for HIGH GEAR publication dates is as follows:

Advertising by the 30th of every month, camera ready and composition ads. Written material by the 5th of every month. News items until publication.

HIGH GEAR is printed the second Thursday of every month and available at bars, baths, universities, businesses and elsewhere thereafter.

HIGH GEAR is copyrighted under federal law. Reproduction is granted to all other gay publications so long as credit is given to HIGH GEAR. All HIGH GEAR work is original unless otherwise noted.

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HIGH GEAR/AUGUST 1977

ON PERK FIGHTING FASCISM WITH EDUCATION

Mayor Perk's vicious comments about gay people voiced recently at his "National Conference on the Blight of Obscentiy" should not go unnoticed by Ohio's gay community. While the Mayor's ignorance may be the result of either his own uptight, sexually repressed orientation or simply a political stunt to gain him re-election, it is perhaps more significantly a deathly manifestation of the fact that we, as gay people, are not educating the public effectively about our lifestyles.

The best way to counter Perk's irrational ramblings is to meet him head-on in public, employing the local media to deal with the real issues of gay rights. We must repeat again and again that homosexuality and pornography are not synonymous. We must follow Mayor Perk wherever he takes

his distorted gospel and be on hand to challenge his allegations. We must impress upon people that chances are that someone among their family or friends is gay and are the same person they were before their sexual orientation was known.

What is perhaps most alarming about Mayor Perk's statements are his implications that he would deny gay people civil service jobs and promotions. Perk, essentially, is showing an intent to disobey the law, for the Civil Service Commission already provides anti-discrimination employment protection for those of differing sexual orientations. Any gay city employee fired because of his/her lifestyle could legitimetly fight the dismissal in a court of law and win!

By his inflammatory rhetoric, Mayor Perk has established him-

OUR AD RATES

For the past two years High Gear's advertising rates have remained unchanged, despite the two-digit inflation which has been affecting us all. This rate has been among the lowest (if not the lowest) of any gay newspaper in the country.

Beginning with the September issue it will be necessary for a small increase to help cover our rising expenses. The new cost for advertising will be $3.00 per column-inch. (A column-inch is an area one column wide by one

inch high. To find the number of column-inches in an ad, multiply the width in columns by the height in inches. Then, multiply that answer by $3 to find the cost of an ad.)

The cost of most smaller ads will increase by only a few dollars. There will also still be special rates for the larger ads. A half page (5. columns by 6 inches) will be $85, a $5 saving over the column-inch price. Three full columns would list for

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self an enemy of gay people. In response to his declaration of war, we urge activist members of the community to reorganize the now defunct Cleveland Gay Political Union. But this must be done soon, before it's too late. In a city where both daily newspapers have given expansive attention to gay issues (one editorially supporting gay employment rights); in a city where the television media has provided ample opportunities for gays to combat anti-gay fanatics; in a city where the police department and the gay comunity get along moderately well; in a city where little antigay violence exists, Mayor Perk seems peculiarly out of step.

The question now is are we going to permit him to gain new recruits to his reactionary antihuman rights crusade, or are we willing to fight back? Cleveland, the choice is yours.

$117 but is available at $110, a reduction of $7. For those purchasing a full page (65 columninches) $25 has been taken off giving you a special price of only $170.

Our rates are still among the lowest in the country!

Anyone interested in adver tising in High Gear should write to High Gear PO Box 6177, Cleveland, Ohio 44101 Attention: Advertising Coordinator.

STAFF

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Coordinating Editors..... .........................John Nosek, Leon Stevens Editorial Assistants .....................Bob Kovach, Anthony Scafaro Business Managers. ..............................Dan McGuire, Jim Moore Advertising Collective.Michael Dupecki, Danny Miecznijowski, Matt Phillips, John Wagenhals and Steve Jobe Photography.. ..............................................................Bob Kovach, Al Morrill, Matt Phillips Art Director....... .......Rudi Haaken News..............John Nosek with a little help from some friends Features and Reviews ...........David Akers, Max McLarty, Mitchell Menegu, Leslie Sheward and others Lay-Out Staff................................................................................................................................ .............All of the the above plus Jerry Bores, Byron Ditmar, Paul Shetler, Bill Smith, Cliff Wendall, Paul Zimmerman. Circulation.......... .12,000 plus Districution .Akron, Athens, Barberton, Berea, Bowling Green, Brooklyn, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Cleveland Hts., Columbus, Dayton, Fairview Park, Lakewood, Lima, Lorain, Mansfield, Middleburgh Hts., Oberlin, Painesville, Parma, Parma Hts., Piqua, Rockbridge, Rocky River, Sandusky, Shaker Hts., Springfield, Steubenville, Toledo, Warren, Youngstown and points beyond.

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OOPS! WE GOOFED!

Although we certainly look forward to the day when we can report that a Cleveland Gay Pride March attracted 2250 people, this was not the case as reported in the July issue. The lead story figure for the June 25th march should have read 225, not 2250, and we-humbly apologize for the rather inflated

error.

Our frantic last minute rush to meet the imposing deadline resulted in one other mistake and that was the July 1977 issue masthead should have read Vol. 3, Issue 11, not Issue 10. Oh well, by and large, we do pretty well for an all volunteer staff.

BE A MEMBER!

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GEAR Foundation--secretary

P.O. Box 6177 Cleveland, Ohio 44101

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Date...............1977

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HIGH GEAR NEEDS YOU, AUG. 16

CLEVELAND A special meeting to acquaint interested new volunteers with work on the High Gear newspaper will be held at 7:30 p.m. August 16 at the Cleveland Gay Community Center, 2795 Euclid Hts. Blvd., Cleveland Hts., Ohio.

Any people interested in working on newspaper lay-out, advertising, photography, typing, feature and news journalism or distribution are urged to attend this meeting to meet both the staff of the newspaper and to discuss the basic mechanics of its process.

It is imperative that volunteers attend this session if the journal is to maintain its service to the Ohio and especially Northeastern Ohio gay communities. We cannot survive without your help. Come to this meeting.