OF CABBAGES AND KINGS

By Stan Brown

"The time has come,' the Walrus said, 'to talk of many things." "Last month's column had some sort of central theme, but this month I've got a bunch of things to get off my chest. June saw a gay pride march, more work on the community center, and a new regime in the GEAR Foundation. Each of those is worth some comment, to

say the least-and you wouldn't want me to stop at the least, would you?

Gay Pride Day

a

Well, it was a day earlier than the rest of the country, but Cleveland did have Gay Pride Day this year, complete with a march. Looking back with couple of weeks' perspective, I think we can all rejoice that over two hundred marchers showed up, and even more attended the rally. This happened in spite of the last-minute politicking, with posters going up and coming down with dizzying speed, and rumors flying faster than the Concorde. People came from every organization in this part of the state. Even better, a lot of people who aren't part of any organization came too. We showed Saturday-afternoon shoppers that we're here and that we want our human rights, and we did it in an orderly way that they had to respect.

More important, we built up our own pride by marching, and showed ourselves as well as straights that no one of us is alone. As far as the outside is concerned, our divisions didn't show, and our unity did. What a contrast with the week that preceded it, with charges and countercharges being hurled, and an overload on Ma Bell's wires when we found out the arrangements hadn't all been made!

We ought to learn a couple of things from that march. First, we need to prepare better next year. As I write this, I'm pushing an application for next year's permit through the police department, so we won't be caught without one. Next year we'll have to plan further in advance, so that we can have floats and all the stuff that makes for a real parade.

Second, we need to know when to put divisiveness behind us and all pull together. There's just no percentage in having one gay organization fight another one in the newspapers. Not only does it waste everybody's efforts, but it makes gays look silly and we surely don't need that.

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Plain

Old Pride

But the biggest thing to learn is that marching in public is a real high, just like any other part of coming out. Last year I was just plain afraid to march, and by giving in to that fear I denied my own worth a little bit. This year by marching I told not only other people but myself that I'm a real person instead of some kind of Invisible Man a la Ralph Ellison.

It was still scary, but just about everybody has to take a stand (or, in this case, take a walk) sooner or later.

Gay pride is a lot like any other kind, don't you think? You stand up and say, without necessarily looking for an argument (but not running away from one either), "Look here, world. This is me, and I am uniquely valuable, and we'll get along fine as long as you don't give me any grief." And you carry yourself proudly, and you respect yourself, and sure enough other people start to respect you too. You know your own value, and if some other people can't see it then that's their loss, but it doesn't bend you out of shape. You treat blind hatred as the mental illness that it is, and anything else you can deal with as an adult.

Sadly, for most of us that's easier to think than to act on. We often act like we don't respect our own worth, and then we really can't complain when we get dumped on. If we put up with police harassment, we're throwing away our dignity as a free people-and that's as true when the police bad-mouth us while handing out a traffic ticket as it is when they treat a person like dirt because he's been beaten up at Edgewater.

Some people at the Friday rap groups aren't out to their friends because they expect anti-gay reactions. But do you think they're maybe really saying that their own dignity as gay people is less important than those halfway friendships?

Big Doings at GC3

This is probably as good a time as any to say thanks to the people who worked so hard to decorate the community center, as well as those who donated furniture. If you haven't visited yet, stop by soon: I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how good it looks. I don't think the center staff has announced regular hours yet, so call the

HIGH GEAR/JULY 1977

SHORTS

The current issue of Playgirl reports that while some homosexual couples clamor (in vain) to be legally married, two gay men are seeking an annulment. David McCord and David Zamora were issued a marriage license by Boulder Colorado County Clerk Clela Rorex in March, 1975. (McCord and Zamore had been unofficially married by the Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles in 1974.) Then last fall McCord filed a petition requesting that the marriage be declared invalid on grounds of 'misrepresentation of the respondent which... goes to the essence of the marriage."

If the courts refuse to grant the annulment, McCord could seek divorce or a declaratory judgment voiding the marriage license. If the case is thrown out, the legal status of gay marriages will remain unresolved in the Colorado courts....

The same issue reports that two heads may be better than one, but two penises have their drawbacks. An estimated 80 cases of males born with a double penis have been reported in the last four centuries, according to Dr. A.S. SOtriopoulos in Human Sexuality Both penises were not always well-formed. Males with a double penis usually have other congenital abnormalities and they do not often live to adulthood. Most of those who

did live suffered psychological problems because of their abnormality.

Men who had two distinct penises were usually capable of having erections in both of them. One man was able to use either penis for intercourse but ejaculation was possible in only one. Both his left and right penis were of almost equal length.....

Do you picture the aging gay male whiling away lonely hours in despair and bitterness?

homosexual man may have the advantage of having to make fewer adjustments to aging than the heterosexual man with a family. One homosexual said, "The preparation for old age is much better among gays than it is among heterosexuals. Because you've always been that way, you haven't expected anyone to take care of you except yourself."

All of the men felt that sexuality was important in their lives, and they were engaging in satisfying sex. Some of them said their sexuality was even more satisfying now than when they were younger.

The following is question number 9 from Mayor Ralph Perk's questionnaire on acceptable standards of decency: films "Books, magazines or which sexually cater to such persons as homosexuals or sadists. Should such materials be kept from public sale or viewing?"... The U.S. Weather Service has announced that the first hurricane of the season will be named "Anita". They maintain that this is only a coincidence....

The National Gay Task Force has announced immediate plans to

embark on a nationwide educational project, the "We Are Your Children" Campaign for Human Rights. They say, "We will present the hard evidence to that prove homosexuals as a class are no more likely to behave irresponsibly or engage in criminal behavior than any other class of citizens." ... To finance this educational project, and its ongoing political activities, the NGTF is embarking on a $1,000,000 membership and fundraising campaign. A hotline number, (212) 741-1010, has been set up to receive pledges of funds...

CSU SUMMER

Psychologist Douglas Kimmel of FILM SERIES

the City College of New York found a different reality, reports Behavior Today. He questioned 14 gay men men from the ages of 55 to 81 and found that they had varied, satisfying lifestyles. He also found that a

hotline to make sure the center's open if you're planning to go on an off night.

New Brooms

at GEAR

You didn't think I'd miss this chance to comment on being the new president of GEAR, did you?

I know they never promised me a rose garden, but three meetings a week seems like way too many. I really resent the time I and a lot of other people have to put into the "movement," because all we're trying to do is secure the rights that should have been ours from birth anyway. On the other hand, when we do make some

The Cleveland State University Film Society has announced its Summer Film Series. Of special interest is the Cleveland Premiere of Trevor Nunn's

progress it's a real kick to see it. Radio Free Lambda asked me a little bit about my notion of the job (dubbed "Head Poof" by some irreverent wag), and I'd like to repeat that here. Basically I think GEAR should encourage and help everybody who's offering positive services to gay people and trying to educate straight people, in this community. GEAR's president ought to make sure that work gets done efficiently and without ruffling more feathers than necessary. (That has to be done through the Foundation's rules, and next month I want to chat some with you about how an organization that's trying to remake society completely can function with something as con-

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"Hedda," a perceptive interpretation of Henrik Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler." The film stars Glenda Jackson in her Oscar nominated role.

All showings are in University Center Cinema, located on the ground floor level of University Center Building E. 22 & Euclid Ave. Plenty of free parking available under the building. Admission is $1.50 for members; $2.00 for nonmembers. Annual membership cards cost $.50 and are available at the door. For more information call 687-2450.

The schedule is as follows: July 15: "Camelot" (1967) with Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave and David Hemmings. 8 & 10:30 p.m.

July 22: "O Lucky Man!" (1973) directed by Lindsay Anderson, with Malcolm McDowell, 8 & 10:45 p.m.

July 29: "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1975) directed by Martin Scorsese, with Ellen Burstyn and Kris Kristofferson, 8 & 10 p.m.

Clockwork Aug. 5: "A Orange" (1972) directed by Stanley Kubrick, with Malcolm McDowell, 8 & 10:30 P.M.

Aug. 12: Ken Russell's "The Devils" (1971) with Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave, 8 p.m., 10 p.m. & midnight.

Aug. 19: "Woodstock" (1970) with rock artists Joe Cocker; Crosby, Stills and Nash; Jimmy Hendrix and Joan Baez, 8:30 p.m. & midnight.

Aug. 26: Luchino Visconti's "Death in Venice" (1971) with Dirk Bogarde and Bjorn Andresen, 8 & 10:30 p.m.

Sep. 2: A Cleveland Premiere, "Hedda" (1976) directed by Trevor Nunn, with Glenda Jackson, 8 & 10 p.m.

Sep. 9: Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" (1964) with Peter Sellers and George C. Scott, 8 p.m., 10 p.m. and midnight.

Sep. 16: John Houston's "The African Queen" (1951) with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn, 8 & 10 p.m.

servative as bylaws and even Robert's rules of order.)

But GEAR people are generally up to their necks in projects, so we need more people to start new projects and help out with the ones we're already in. What we can do for you, if you've got some project in mind, is help you reach other people with it, and coordinate funding (if you need it).

A lot of good ideas just haven't occurred to anybody yet, or they haven't been followed up because nobody's had time. So if you want to push something,. give us a call. Who knows? You might even be able to do it in less than three meetings a week!