December 1975

New Women's Bar in Canton

CANTON Open, for nearly a month now, Hal's in Canton has been providing the area gay women and men a new, topnotch entertainment spot. The bar boasts of two huge rooms, one of which holds a 25 sq. ft. TV screen producing the best TV shows of any given night. The other is a dance area where patrons move to an expansive selection from the neighboring jukebox. There are many places to sit and relax, and the general mood of the bar has been termed "mellow."

Although Hal's is generally a

WOW! Many of you must have felt November's issue of High Gear was especially appealing. We've been literally flooded with requests for subscriptions.

women's bar, men are welcome too. Easily accessible off of Rt. 77, one can reach Hal's by taking the 4th Street exit in Canton, proceeding to Tusc by turning left at the second light. Three lights down off of Tusc at the corner of Schroyer and Tusc, you'll find Hal's. Well known Cleveland area band Fox will play at Hal's New Year's Eve. Only 200 tickets are available. That night there will be a $10.00 cover charge. This will include all drinks, food and music. For further information, call 454-0868.

Thank you for voicing your support. We, of course, hope others will take advantage of our low subscription rates.

Warren Scene

People from large cities often think there is nothing happening in towns smaller than their own. New Yorkers think that prairie dogs rule the country from Pennsylvania through the Rocky Mountains. Chicago residents think their town is the only outpost between the east and west coasts. Closer to home, many Clevelanders can not image any thing interesting happening more than twentyfive miles from the Terminal Tower.

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These, of course, exaggerations, but people who let their lives revolve around the happenings of a large city tend to forget that there can be interesting and enjoyable things to do in smaller communities too.

Such is the case of Warren, Ohio. For years Ann's Bar (118 Pine Ave. SE) was literally an oasis for gay people in the Northeastern Ohio and nearby Pennsylvania. She has had holiday parties throughout the years that have been the big social events of the year. Ann's has also been à favorite summer stopping spot for many of the performers from the Kenley players.

During the past year however, two new bars, the Alpine and the Outpost have joined the scene. The Alpine is right across the street from Ann's and is run by Walt and his boss (lover) George. Since last summer the Alpine has undergone a facelifting! The entire bar has been panelled, a fire place added, and a new 365 square foot dance floor installed where the old kitchen used to be. The pool table has been moved from the main bar area to a special room in the back.

As the work continues, they are installing a special lighting system above the dance floor which will be synchronized with the music. Even the bar services are expanding. One of their bartenders is soon to become a licensed mixologist, "capable of making any drink in or out of the book. For the protection of their customers they have hired

special security guards.

The entire remodeling project has been what George calls "a family affair." Besides George and Walt, George's two sisters, two brothers, parents and Walt's parents, along with gay and straight friends have pitched in to do the work.

This working together is indicative of the friendly atmosphere of the Alpine. Walt and George are really working toward providing an entertainment and relaxation complex for the gay community. If you have a chance, just get them talking about their ideas for future expansion and watch their eyes light up with excitement.

In the more immediate future, their plans include a New Year's Eve party where a one price ticket includes food and open bar of whiskey, rum, vodka, and draft beer (mixed drinks extra). For January they are planning a special anniversary celebration to commemorate their being together one year as lovers.

Back across the street at Ann's, Ann is also planning her annual holiday festivities. On December 16 will be the annual Christmas gift exchange party. Before that date, people draw names and get a gift for that person to be exchanged on the night of the party. On New Year's Eve Ann will be ready with her noisemakers, hats, kielbasa, and sauerkraut.

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Out of town, just past Center of the World, and near Turnpike Exit 5 is the Outpost, Warren's disco bar. Not to be outdone, the Outpost also has several things planned for the holiday season. Their Christmas party is slated for Sunday, December 21, followed rapidly on December 26 by their First Anniversary Party with a free buffet and special prices on drinks.

Then, of course, on December 31 will be the Outpost's New Years Eve party. All these special events will of course include the use of their $5000 sound system and light show (which, when completed, will involve 1000 lights).

HIGH GEAR

Coming Out Rap

KENT. A new "Coming Out Rap" will be inaugurated by KGLF at the beginning of the new year. Organized by three people who have just themselves come out, Bob Laycock, Don Smith, and Scarlet Fields, the new rap sessions are for those people who have just recently come out or are just coming out and will concentrate more on personal experiences and problems associated with coming out. The raps are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Fridays at the KSU Student Center beginning January 16.

The following is taken from a letter to the Kent Stater (KSU newspaper) approved by the KGLF steering committee at their December 2 meeting.

"For the gay person, coming out is an experience of joy and liberation. It means discovering you're not the only gay person, but that there are millions of others some 2,000 at KSU alone (according to Kinsey figures). It means discovering that gay is not queer, but the

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by David Goodenough

800 participants took part in the third annual conference of the Gay Academic Union held at Columbia University in New York City November 28-30. Although the conference lacked a general theme gays could not help but find much of interest in the over 53 workshops meeting during the three day event.

A wide field of Gay intelluctuals, leaders, teachers and students from all geographical areas took part. Workshops included such topics as "A Marxist Analysis of Gay Experience: Can It Be Done", "Parents of Gays", "Is There a Gay Aesthetic?: A Workshop Panel", "Gays as Parents", "Class and Feminism", "Psychodynamics of the S & M Phenomenon", and "Gays in Prison: an Experimental View" Other workshops too numerous to mention covered virtually every area of Gay interest.

"Changing Attitudes of the Media" attracted a great deal of attention since it included Thomas Swaford, who is VicePresident for Program Practices of CBS Television. Swafford stated that all the networks are becoming more sensitive in the area of gay programming.

The prepared program for the conference informed that all

at K.S.U.

ability to love in relationships as compassionate and rewarding as the best heterosexual relationships. It means discovering Gay pride and solidarity with your gay sisters and brothers.

"Coming out is an important decision, and along with the joy there may be trials. Gay people in the closet worry about the myths created by heterosexual society. Then, there's the issues of how to tell friends and whether to tell parents. Once these issues are resolved, the gay person is free of her/his closet prison and can begin to live free of anxiety and fear.

"The Kent Gay Liberation Front urges all gay people who want to come out to join us in a new series of rap sessions on Friday nights at 7:00. We, gay sisters and brothers just coming out will talk about the issues confronting us and together build Gay pride...

"Gay is Good! Out of our closets!!"

Valentino

On Sunday, November 23, A.B.C. carried a biography of Rudi Valentino in which the famous star of the silent screen was shown to have been uncertain about his sexual preference. His closet associate, a lesbian scriptwriter, was depicted having been responsible for his success and for his ability to come to grips with his emotional tribulations.

as

Gay Academic Union

workshops held were to be open to both men and women with panelists equally representing both sexes on most panels. A quote from the GAU Steering Committee proclaims "feelings of separatism for some purposes may have encouraged redefinition and liberation, but that this was offset by the understandings that could grow if men and women learned more about each other both from the information given in meetings and from the personal interactions that would occur."

The steering committees hopes did not materialize concerning the unified feeling of women and men which seemed more evident at the Washington DC conference the month before. On the first day of the conference women in the "Publishing Gay Books: a look at the market", flatly told the men present they would not consider, read, nor publish any work done by a man no matter how outstanding the material and didn't give a damn if it was ever published. Furthermore if it was written by a man it wasn't worth being read by a woman according to the lesbian publishers on the panel.

The second day of the conference separatism came to

Page 3

Catholics Say No

to Gays (Again)

At

WASHINGTON the opening session of the National Conference of Bishops on November 19th, Archbishop Joseph L. Bernardin of Cincinnati, (president of the American bishops) said the bishops could and should not accept life-styles that are inconsistent with the Judeo-Christian moral code.

The reference was a direct referral to a group of Catholic homosexuals who have asked the bishops to accept them as full and equal members of the church, and to encourage removal of any discrimination against gays in church and society. The gay group was present at the meeting.

a head when a workshop on Feminism and Lesbianism was closed to men an hour before its scheduled meeting. Saturday evening a play written by Loretta Lottman, formed media director of National Gay Task Force was interrupted several times by a few women who objected to values expressed in Lottman's "Translesbianic Follies". Although the women protesting the play were a minority of the event women present, the seemed mared for the rest of the evening.

Sunday's General session in which speakers seemed nervous over the impending seperatist feeling and rumors of a walkout did not by women, which materialize, unsuccessfully attempted to soothe ill feelings. came away from the conference unimpressed with its lack of clear objectives set for the coming year and saddened by the ill feelings between the men and some of the seperatist women. In one respect the conference excelled in that it gave gay people a chance to meet other gays throughout the nation and find out what was happening in areas by the people who were doing the nappenings.