NEWS

HIGH GEAR/JUNE 1977

Page 1

ENOUGH...ENOUGH...ENOUGH...

By Bob Kovach

These three words ended Anita's victory speech. This, she contends is what the "normal" majority is saying to us. She is basing this on the fact that Dade County voters chose by a twoto-one margin to repeal an ordinance banning discrimination against Gays in housing and employment.

The final tally in the Dade County vote to repeal the gay rights ordinance was 202,319, yes, 89,562 no.

Do we have to have a wall fall on our heads before we will wake up? We knew that this was going to happen. America, which has to do everything in extremes, is becoming obsessed with a 'housecleaning' frenzy whipped up by two of our worst enemies The Church and the ever growing non-thinking middle class straight. We are lumped with prostitution, kiddieporn, smut and drugs on a purge list that grows bigger every day.

A dangerous precedent has been set. For the first time the American voters have openly

refused a minority its Civil Rights. And don't underestimate their power. 'Wholesomeness' and 'Family' are in again which is not only bad for us but ultimately bad for the country.

It's time for us to get up off of our dead asses and go for the only solution left (The one we should have used in the first place). Our only salvation lies in the Federal Bill and in Washington. We have got to stop this bickering amongst ourselves and UNITEBlack, White, Male, Female, Closet, Open, Drag, LeatherALL OF US! Anita

is going nationwide. She is going to take on California, Washington, Minneapolis and San Antonio and ultimately YOU.

...

They only understand money and votes in Washington so let's get there before she does. For starters every one of you must write: U.S. Senator Howard Metzenbaurn, 405 Russel Senate Of fice Bldg., Washington D.C. 20510; U.S. Senator John Glenn, 204 Russel Senate Office Bldg., Washington D.C. 20510; if you

CLEVELAND GAY PRIDE MARCH SET

FOR JUNE 25

CLEVELAND The third ancited as the birth of the con-

nual Cleveland Gay Pride March temporary Gay Movement. will occur this year on Saturday, Cleveland's first Gay Pride June 25. Originating at Public march happened in 1970 when Square downtown, at 1 p.m., the the Cleveland Gay Activists march will move up Euclid Alliance organized over 100 Avenue to E. 9th Street, over to Prospect and back to Public Square. A rally the Square will follow the march and will include a number of speakers from local gay organizations including the Gay Caucus of Youth Against War and Fascism, the Gay Education and Awareness Resources Foundation (G.E.A.R.), the Cleveland Metropolitan Community Church, Dignity and the Ohio Gay Rights Coalition.

Like other such marches across the country, the Cleveland Gay Pride March commemorates the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969 when at the Stonewall Inn in NYC's Greenwich Village, gay people resisted a police raid and battled the cops in the streets for four days. Stonewall is often

people and paraded down Euclid Avenue from the Change, a local gay nightclub. Organized by Dan Richmond of Cleveland MCC, the second local Gay Pride March did not occur until last year when another 100 people met at Gypsy's Restaurant and paraded down St. Clair Avenue.

In lieu of the defeat in Dade County, it becomes ever more necessary for gay people to maintain visibility and a strong voice demanding their rights. We at High Gear urge all Northern Ohioans to participate in the Cleveland Gay Pride March. For further details and information about housing, please call the Gay Switchboard at (216) 321-6632. Remember, June 25, 1 p.m. at Public Square. Stand up and be counted!

ATHENS CON-FAB A SUCCESS

human community. Powell, a Athens, Ohio, was the site of professor of education at Brookan educational workshop, Unlyn State College, urged those derstanding of the Gay Movepresent at the conference to ment, on Saturday, May 21. The take an active political role in workshop, for the general pubfighting for human rights, lic, both gay and straight, was stressing especially the feminist sponsored by the Ohio Univerand gay efforts. Both urged sity Gay Information Service, maximum energy in backing the and was supported by the UnitMiami gay community in its ed Campus Ministry. fight, stressing that it is our Principal speakers for the fight, and that if the battle is lost morning general session, held in there, we will face many such efthe local Lutheran Church, were forts to deny us our civil rights Louie Crew and Betty Powell, in other areas of the country. both board members of the

After lunch, the afternoon was

National Gay Task Force. Crew, given over to a series of small associate professor of English at group discussions on the topics Fort Valley State College, in of: Gay Relationships, Gays and Georgia, and a founder of InOrganized Religion, Racism, tegrity, an organization for gay Sexism, Ageism, and Gay Opmembers of the Episcopal pression, Helping Parents of Church, spoke on the general Gays Cope, Gays and Literature, topic of accepting oneself and and Lesbianism and Feminism. Www others, whether gay or straight, Participants were able to take valued members of the part in all of these groups.

as

! We Will

NOT intimidat

Sant Benet Liberation from

DEFEND GAY RIGHTSI

KENT GAY LIBERAT

HELP STOP ANITA!

TROY PERRY IN AKRON

The

PRONT

AKRON Pastor of MCC Dallas will host Akron Metropolitan Community workshops on "Christianity in Church announces it will host a Love," and "Pastor and Parish Everyday Life," "Power of Spiritual Renewal June 10, 11 and 12 at the Unitarian Univerrelations." Sunday's activities salist Church at 3300 Morewood include an informal rap on "The Avenue. Festivities will be Bible and Homosexuality" and a kicked off on June 10 with a pot luck dinner and worship service. from 9 a.m. 8 p.m.; Sundays, 11 Saturday's activities will run On Saturday Rev. Elder Troy Perry, founder of a.m. 8 pm. Further information Metropolitan on the Spiritual Renewal may be Community Church and the Rev. C. Shawn obtained by calling Akron/MCC Farrell, South Central District at 253-8388.

the

Coordinator and Assistant

picnic.

Saturday evening three exgram was very good. Ihroughcellent movies related to the out the day some eighty to oneoverall topic of the workshop hundred people attended some were shown. They were Lavenor all of the sessions. Included dar, Men's Lives, and Some of in the crowd were many memYour Best Friends. Following the bers of the local straight comshowing of the movies, the munity who were concerned workshop concluded with an inwith learning more about the formal coffee-house with poetry topics covered. The committee readings and music by members that planned the conference is of the Athens community. already considering a second Turnout for the day long prosuch program for next spring.

are in the 20th Congressional District: Hon. Mary Rose Oakar, 427 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515; in the 21st: Hon. Louis Stokes, 2455 Longworth House Office Bldg Washington, D.C. 20515; in the 22d: Hon Charles Vanik, 2108 Rayburn House Office Bldg,. Washington D.C. 20515; in the 23d: Hon. Ronald M. Mottl, 1233 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515. Make your presence felt. Time is running out!

June 8, 1977

Hon. Mary Rose Oakar 427 Cannon House Office Bldg. Washington D.C. 20515

Dear Ms. Oakar:

I am a self-respecting U.S. Citizen who resides in the great State of Ohio and whom you. represent in Congress. I am also a Homosexual. I do not molest children, run around in women's clothes nor infringe on anybodies moral or civil rights. Nor do any of the thousands of Cleveland Gays that I know. What I do do, however, is work hard to better myself, pay taxes and VOTE.

There is a bill that has been having difficulty getting on the docket in Congress (The Koch Bill I believe it is called). It is a Federal Bill that would guarantee the Civil Rights of Homosexuals and prevent the local travesties such as the one that occurred in Dade County this week.

What I would like you to do is lend your support as much as possible to getting this Bill into Congress and passed on our behalf. I am only asking for what is rightfully mine nothing more.

town

Respectfully Robert L. Kovach

WARNING

High Gear has been informed by a local private investigator that the city of Cleveland is! planning a crackdown on public sex. According to our source, Edgewater Park, the Mall downand the Metro Park districts will be subject to close police scrutiny. Entrapment! methods will be employed. Even by sitting on a park bench in a public cruising area, one can be charged with suspicious behavior and his name will be made available to local papers for publication. So friends, cool it this summer.