HIGH GEAR/AUGUST 1977

ODDS&ENDS

Compiled by Anthony Scafaro

PAGE 4

"The Rights of Gay People" is the title of a handbook that was prepared under the supervision of the American Civil Liberties Union. It is being published in hard and soft cover by Dutton and Avon, respectively......WGFT-radio, Youngstown, reports that it is one of two ABC stations in the country now refusing to run commercials featuring Anita Bryant....According to a recent Gallup poll, two out of three Americans polled believes that homosexuality

is more

widespread today than it was a quarter century ago. Also, 56% of the public believes gays should have equal rights in employment. However, most people would exclude gays from such jobs as school teachers and the clergy.....

The third annual national convention of Integrity, an Episcopal Church group for gays and their friends, will be held on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, August 25, to 28. About 30 chapters of Integrity will attend workshops and religious services. For more information, call Donn Mitchell at (215) 732-8498...

Feminist groups all over the country are protesting Wisconsin Judge Archie Simonson's public comments concerning rape. Simonson commented that rape was a normal reaction to sexual permissiveness and provocative clothing. "Whether you like it or not a woman's a sex object and they're the ones who turn the man on generally"....The number for the Rape Crisis Center in Cleveland is 391-3912.....

Due for release shortly is "A Family Matter: A Parents' Guide to Homosexuality" (McGrawHill, $8.95) by Dr. Charles Silverstein. According to Merle Miller, "If my parents had been able to read "A Family Matter" 50. years ago, it would have saved them half a century of misery, and it would have done the same for me. It is a totally sensible book."....

The female members of the Bc ard of Directors and staff of the National Gay Task Force have announced the formation of The Women's Caucus of NG TF as a formally constituted body of lesbians and lesbianfeminists. The purpose of the Women's Caucus is to actively foster lesbian visibility within the gay n ovement and to facilitate a lesbian presence in all women's issues, projects, and organizations throughout the country......Women Space in Cleveland reports that a National Walk-A-Thon, sponsored by NOW, will be held on Saturday, August 27th, to help

raise funds of ratification of the ERA. Any woman, man, girl or boy who will get sponsors and are interested in participating,

will meet at the Art Museum Fountain at 9:00 AM on that day. The walk will end at Edgewater Park. For more information, call 291-3538 (day) or 226-2003 (evening)...

A group called Iceland Hospitality welcomes gay people to visit their country. Homosexuality is legal between consenting adults over 18 years of age. The only hitch is that there are no commercial gay bars or meeting places in Iceland. If you'd like to know more about vacationing there, write P.O.Box 4166, 124 Reykjavik 4, Iceland..At its convention in Minneapolis, The National Education Association added the words "sexual orien-

does not affect children's sexual identity." He went on to say that "there are lot of bad teachers, but they are not that way because of their being homosexuals or not, but sim because they lack ability. I think Anita Bryant is barking up the wrong tree.".....

"Counseling the Homosexual Person," a two-cassette program, has recently been released by the National Catholic Reporter Publishing Co. the tape guides pastors and counselors in relating to the special problems of gay people. The price is $15.90, and may be ordered from NCR Cassettes, P.O. Box 281, Dept. Pl, Kansas City, MO 64141... Several cam-

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tation" to a nondiscrimination resolution "committed to the achievement of a totally integrated society."....

Speaking on the gay issue, Bette Midler said recently, "Hate is a form of entertainment to some people. They pick at it, nurture it. It's a way for them to escape boredom."...Associated Press reports that the nation wide Baptist General Conference has voted to commend

singer Anita Bryant for her actions to prevent the passage of homosexual rights legislation. In its annual meeting in Duluth, the conference accepted resolution proposing that a letter be written to Ms. Bryant to commend her for her "courageous stand for morality

and our nation."...

Dr. Benjamin Spock says that a "teacher's sexual persuasion

showed that the majority of Canadian citizens questioned believe that the homosexuals should be protected under the proposed Canadian Human Rights Act. 52% of those surveyed agreed that gay men and Lesbians should be protected from discrimination in employment and should have access to public services. 56% of all Americans feel the same way, Gallup reports....

Bob Hope remarking on Anita Bryant: "Well, you know, I've been in show business a lot and I know an awful lot of people of all sexes the middle sex included and I don't want to criticize anybody that way. But I

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pus gay groups have successfully used the device of proclaiming, in advance, that on a certain day gay people on the campus will wear blue jeans. With adequate publicity the result is that very, very few blue jeans are visible that day. The point is an educational one: nongays are forced to stop and consider for once, "What if everyone thought that I was gay?" Those who fail to do so, and automatically slip into their normal campus costume, may get a thought-provoking taste of the discrimination that gays are all too used to. In addition, gays in the closet can use the occasion to "test the water" for coming out; if challenged, they can claim to be forgetful "straights." NGTF is proposing a national Gay Blue Jeans Day this fall, on October 14 ..... From GCN, a recent Gallup Poll

do admire Anita personally, because she went on seven trips with me and I know the kind of gal she is and the kind of dedication she has."

Gay Scene reports that the Massachusetts Senate has passed a bill, 18 to 17 to provide equal employment opportunities for gays and to submit the issue to the voters next year. The bill now goes to the House ...

Also from Gay Scene, A $1 million damage suit has been filed in the U.S. District Court against the College of the Redwoods by a number of gay student leaders because of the Eureka, California community college's refusal to officially recognize their organizations. They claim the school's officials have violated their First Amendment rights of freedom of expression and assembly and the 14th Amendment right of due

process..

Autos of members of the Electrical Workers Union, GPU News reports, are now carrying bumper stickers which read: "Let Us Remove Your Shorts."

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Lesbian Tide informs that "Collette," a two-hour NBC World Premiere moon picture for television staring Susan Clark in the title role of the French novelist, has been set for production by Universal Television. Filming will begin in Paris soon, with Jacqueline Babbin as producer....

William Berris is suing Michigan Bell Telephone Company for refusing to list the telephone numbers of his new sporting goods store in a Detroit suburb. Ma Bell objects to the store's name, "The Athletic Supporter.".....

HRF Keating, editor o! "Agatha Christie: First Lady of Crime," suggests that Christie's fictional detective, Hercule Poirot, might be gay. "Why for instance was he quite so fond of a duffer like Captain Hastings?" (Gay News London).....

A U.S. District Court has awarded $12,454 in back pay and $15,000 in damages to Richard Aumiller, a gay teacher at the University of Delaware who was fired last year. Aumiller had been fired because of his public acknowledgement of his

homosexuality...

At their annual convention, the Liberation Party voted to "denounce the whipping up of antihomosexual hysteria which is likely to lead to the infringement of the individual rights of homosexuals" by Ms. Anita Bryant and her associates and followers." Gay Community News also reports that the progay resolution also stated: "We demand that homosexuals be accorded those rights in full and immediately."

The Board of Trustees of the Dade County Coalition For Human Rights has resolved to initiate a national boycott against the Florida Citrus Commission. “We are urging the public not to buy Florida oranges or Florida orange juice -and we ask this in the name of common decency until the Citrus Commission stops their insensitive and discriminatory attitudes against all gay groups.".....

The New York City Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights will hold a demonstration at the United Nations on Human Rights Day, August 20. The group hopes to bring international recognition to the struggle for gay rights and to try to speak out on the issue of gay rights.......

GayLife notes that Anita Bryant has been signed to write

book about the anti-gay crusade who helped organize in Dade County. The book, "Save