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HIGH GEAR

A CHRONICLE OF AKRON GAY ACTIVISM 1973-1976

GAY YEARS

By John Nosek compiled from Data Assembled by Dr. Walter Sheppe

The city of Akron boasts an Goodwell responded illustrious, if somewhat fragmenpositively and agreed "Just ted, history of gay activism. because you are a gay person, While at present agitation is at a no police officer has the right to temporary lull, the recent past harass you." He admitted there shows activists gained conwere prejudiced policemen on siderable support from The the force; but said all future Akron Beacon Journal, the University of Akron Buchtelite and sister city Kent's organization, the Kent Gay Liberation Front.

Akron's first exposure to its own gay citizens came in March of 1973 when two University of Akron men, Casey Brown and Jerry Odum, presented the school's student body president a proposed consitution for the Akron Gay Liberation Front. AGLF was a students' coalition for the of promotion "gay understanding, gay identity and gay pride.'

AGLF's first major involvement was with the Gay Pride Celebration May 4-5 at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, in a dramatic move on May 16 AGLF confronted Akron police with charges of harassment of homosexuals. Fifteen representatives met for two hours with Detective Grover Goodwell to complain about vice-squad members entrapping gays inside their own bars and questioning homosexuals for no reason after they left a gay entertainment spot. Charges were also filed showing that police provided no protection for gays assaulted by straight persons and that homosexuals were being harassed for holding hands or kissing in public.

allegations of harassment would be investigated. Encouraged Goodwell in a Beacon Journal report, "You're entitled to equal protection and treatment under the law. But the only way to stop this situation is to stand up for your rights." Goodwell subsequently invited the AGLF representatives to speak to his department heads and offered to incorporate a discussion of gay problems into Akron's in-service training for officers.

The meeting was significant for the Akron gay community, but unfortunately, AGLF did not last the year. After providing sporadic educational programs to Akron schools, the group evaporated in the wake of encroaching community apathy.

While AGLF was promoting gay information and attempting to establish rapport with nongays, on April 4, 1973 Akron University's Dr. Walter Sheppe suggested to an ad hoc committee reviewing

the

university's affirmative action plan that it add the prevention of discrimination based on sexual preference. Sheppe noted that "the position of homosexuals is quite different from that of other minority groups and women. Discrimination against the other groups is explicitly forbidden; but in practice they are underrepresented on the faculty and staff. Discrimination against

homosexuals is permitted or encouraged, but in practice

homosexuals are probably well represented."

A.U.'s ad hoc committee accepted Sheppe's proposal, only to see it later deleted by the University Council. Demonstrating that even educated people. cannot

separate homosexuality and immorality, Dr. Gerlach opposed the insertion because, "it is morally offensive." Dean Barker, who cited the need for charter references from the College of Education in placing

prospective teachers, emphasized that he could not approve such a statement in these circumstances. And Dean Samad argued that the importance of ethics is stressed in many professions and he wouldn't want the wording recognized even in the private aspects (statements) summarized from University Council meeting minutes).

Ignorance was (and still is) bliss at Akron University and A.U.'s repeal of gay rights protection showcased the ever more pressing need of city-wide gay activism.

In early 1974 the Ecumenical Campus Ministry provided the groundwork for Fr. John Saltzman to host an informal gay social group called Sisters and Brothers. The unit met Sunday afternoons at Saltzman's apartment in the offcampus Newman Center.

Effective for a short time, the group again failed to attract any broad-based participation from

the local gay community.

Political action and social alternatives, of course, are only two expressions of gay activism. While this pair subsided, research and media attention persisted on the Akron scene. As part of an academic project in June of 1974, Sister Laura Marie Kuhns took a close look at the intricate oppression and life styles of gays. On September 15 the Beacon Journal published highlights of her investigations.

Major firms in Akron were asked their policies toward homosexuals. Said First National Bank personnel manager. Larry Rogers: "I'm not anxious to employ any homosexuals here it might generate problems." He added he knew of no gays among the bank's 1000 workers!

At Firestone, Martha Nelson said, "We have no questions on our job applications that have anything to do with sexuality. We have known homosexuals working here and they aren't fired We feel it's their problem. A climbing executive is not likely to enhance his promotional possibilities by having a male lover serve cocktails when the Senior VicePresident comes to visit."

...

Akron personnel director Nick Buran observed," Of the 2800 city workers in my domain, I certainly don't know of any homosexuals among them."!!

To this day the Akron gay community remains large closeted, but residentially, Akron's gays can be found everywhere. As Kuhn points out, many are centered in the

DECEMBER 1976

Highland Square area where Portage Path has been labeled, "Queen's Row."

In a highly successful consciousness-raising effort, Kuhn exemplified that gay people are "one of the most misunderstood, least visible and most often oppressed group in society today."

Shortly after the Beacon Journal printed the results of Kuhn's findings, the anti-gay element in Akron took a fullpage ad in the newspaper. The self-righteous crusaders quoted 4 passages from the Bible, "democratically" choosing from Leviticus and Romans, Corinthians and Timothy and sporting the selections in fourboldly typed points all of which read SIN! The bottom half of the page was devoted to a list of those who supported the scriputres and the statements. Among those listed: 54 churches, several restaurants and medical doctors, a construction company, four teachers, the American Party of Summit County and numerous virtuous, private citizens.

The need for some kind of Akron gay activism became even more pronounced, but gay Akronites deferred the responsibiity to the neighboring Kent Gay Liberation Front.

Dr. Sheppe attempted to organize a group of Akron U gays in December, 1974 and. offered his home as a meeting place. Half a dozen people attended that first meeting, but after 2 1/2 months the group died. No one else. was interested.

In February of 1975, Professor Sheppe submitted a gay rights resolution to the American Association for the Advancement of Science which readily adopted the dictum deploring "any form of discrimination on the basis of sexual behavior between

consenting adults." Sheppe continued his efforts to spur a gay organization on campus and while the Buchtelite generated publicity, little response was forthcoming.

a

But the media downpour continued. On February 4, 1975 the Buchtelite printed controversial article on Rev. Clifford Turpin and his Akron Metropolitan Community Church. "Jesus died for our sins, not our sexuality," maintained Turpin. Akron University's "Christians" sent in numerous letters condemning the Church and proclaiming the sinfulness of homosexuality. Only one "Name Withheld" correspondence voiced actual support for gay people which lead another student to write: "Stop making excuses for yourself and find yourself a good shrink. If you believed in what you're saying, why are you so afraid to sign your name? That should say something right there."

In April, 1975, thanks to KGLF representatives and the Associated Student Government which sponsored the event, a gay panel discussion at Summit Lounge drew over 150 people. The panel fielded questions from the predominately non-gay