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HIGH GEAR newspaper is a publication of the Gay Educational & Awareness Resources (GEAR) Foundation, of Cleveland, Ohio. It is distributed free of charge in any establishment and with any organization, that will permit distribution. We are a non-profit publication, and all proceeds not used to pay the printing costs and service fees are set aside for the use of the GEAR Foundation's Community Center.

The presence of the name or picture or other representation of an organization, place of business, or persons(s) in HIGH GEAR is not necessarily, indicative of the sexual orientation of such organizations, businesses, or persons, and may not be used as evidence of the sexual orientation of any contributors.

We welcome all contributions of written materials, art work, or photography, by members of the gay community. All materials submitted for publication are subject to editorialization, unless directed to the FORUM column. We cannot guarantee the return of any materials submitted for publication, whether used by HIGH GEAR, or not, unless it is accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Anyone interested in working on the staff of HIGH GEAR, should inquire by calling, 696-5330, or writing to HIGH GEAR STAFF, P.O. Box 6177, Cleveland, Ohio, 44101.

Businesses or organizations wishing to advertise in HIGH GEAR, may obtain advertising rate sheets and other information by calling 696-5330, or writing to Advertising, HIGH GEAR, P.O. Box 6177, Cleveland, Ohio, 44101.

The deadline for HIGH GEAR publication dates is as follows:

Advertising by the 20th of

every month, camera-ready and composition ads.

Written material by the 25th

of every month.

News items until publication.

High Gear is copyrighted under federal law. Any reproduction of its contents is illegal unless users give. either verbal or written credit to High Gear.

Managing Editors John Nosek, Leon Stevens Advertising A.G. Madigan Photography John Kline, Matt Phillips General StaffPeter Barrosse, Rudolf Haaken Jerry Jusczyk, John Kline, Marc Lewis D. Lorenz, Art MacDonald, Donna Minkler, Matt Phillips, Anne Ritchey

Published by

·

Ray Unger

The Gay Educational and Awareness Resources Center

Circulation10,000

DistributionAkron, Canton, Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Columbus, Dayton, Kent, Lima, Toledo, Warren, Youngstown

Dear Editor:

I found a copy of High Gear at the MCC Church on October 25 where I also met some of the kids from Cleveland. I just want to say that the gay people in Cleveland are really terrific. I only wish we had a newspaper like High Gear here in Cincinnati. Many thanks to the Reverend of the Cleveland gay church for coming to our conference at the Cincinnati MCC. We whole heartedly welcome all the gay people from Cleveland to the bars and the church in our town.

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Sincerely, Gregory Stouder 226 Moahwk Cincinnati, Ohio.

HIGH GEAR

An Editorial

Got Any Ideas?

In the past High Gear has made it a policy to present local events both on a news and action level and in depth philosophical, investigative excursions into pertinent gay people or issues. We hope to maintain that policy in the future; however, we also need to know what you, our readers, would like to see grace these pages. Is there a particular subject you wish covered? Or perhaps a detailed examination of some organization or gay individual? Any regular column ideas? Or criticisms of our present content? The sole purpose of High Gear's existence is to serve you, the Northern Chio gay community. If you have any suggestions, please drop us a line. Write to High Gear, P.O. Box 6177, Cleveland, Ohio 44101.

High Gear is rapidly expanding. At present, we have seven "full-time" contributors

November, 1975

and four persons who submit articles on a periodic basis. Next month we plan to announce the initial meeting of our newspaper club, an organization where any gay will be able to meet our staff, discuss our layout and contents, and have the opportunity to actively join our staff.

As you can also see by leafing through High Gear's pages, the advertising has increased substantially and now includes various non-gay businesses as well. We hope that you will continue to patronize all our advertisers; for they are High Gear's lifeline and sustenance.

Our journal has changed considerably since we started distributing a short newsletter a year and three months back. We hope to grow even more in the coming months. When all is said and done though, the true credit for our expansion is due to you, the readers, for without your support, we might have folded many months ago. Thank you for reading High Gear. Let's continue to keep in touch...

Battling Straights For The Word Gay

Recently, The Plain Dealer printed two letters from heterosexuals who complained about homosexuals "usurping" the word "gay" for a self-reference. One letter from a local Cleveland resident, Larry Bauer, expressed the view that the word gay is inappropriate for homosexuals: "I remember when gay meant happy, lighthearted, cheerful, and lively. Today, because of the homosexual connotation, you cannot use the word in its traditional sense without provoking an unpleasant response." Bauer went on to say: "From what I read and hear of the homosexual life-style, 'gay' seems to be a most inappropriate designation. Miserable or pathetic would be more apt identification."

In the October 21st "Dear Abby" column, a family who traces its ancestry back to France in the early 1600's under the name Gay felt it was unfair for homosexuals to use "gay." The family has been harassed with crank telephone calls at all hours and subjected to insults and ridicule. Because "our name was Gay long before they took that name," the writer asked that homosexuals "change the name of their society to one more befitting. their crusade."

Abby responded with sympathy, but said, "I doubt if the Gay Liberation Movement will consider changing its name. Although you were Gay first, I believe there are more of them than there are of you."

Local gays were eloquently vindicated from Bauer's vicious remarks when Peter Barrosse wrote a reply appearing in October 24th's PD stating that changes in language occur only when there is a need for

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By JERRY JUSCZYK

change: "Homosexuals needed a word to identify themselves which did not carry feelings of hate, self-pity, fear, and ignorance." According to Barrosse, by adopting the word "gay," "homosexuals have embraced their capability to love and now their lives can indeed become happy, light-hearted, cheerful, and lively."

No one is sure what the exact origin of the word "gay" is. Reed Severin attempted to trace its history in the March 1970 Advocate: "Since about 1930, if not much earlier, the word has been used as slang... The term 'gay boy' has been traced to Australia when it first appeared in print around 1925." He notes that "in the mid-19th century, the term 'gay girl' came upon the scene. It meant 'prostitute,' or at least, 'non-aristocratic." "

J.A. James' book, A Young Man's Friend, published in 1897 contains this definition of a 'gay': 'loving pleasure, especially forbidden pleasure; wanton."

Severin adds that homosexuals may gain comfort from the fact that the word "is an ambiguous and protean offspring of the old High German word gahi, meaning fast, sudden, impetuous. The Oxford English Dictionary even claims that it may have come from the old High German wahi, 'pretty or beautiful or good." "

Use of the word gay has not gone without controversy in gay circles either. An organization which formed in the late sixties strongly felt that "gay" was a cop-out for homosexuals. They created the title Homosexuals Intransigent under the assumption that people were trying to avoid admitting they were homosexual by substituting "gay." Interestingly, that group has since dissolved.

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WING

Acceptance of the word gay for homosexuals by the straight media has been slow in coming. Many newspapers, including such "progressive" publications as The Village Voice deliberately held out for years before reluctantly conceding to use the term chosen by homosexuals for themselves. In fact, only recently, Cleveland's own Plain Dealer began printing "gay" without the surrounding quotation marks.

Objectively, "gay" is to "homosexual" as "black" is to Negro" and "woman" to "lady". Despite society's insistent objections, homosexuals will continue to designate their own preferred labels. Indeed, gays have used 'gay' long before the liberation movement even appeared on the scene.

Gay is a positive statement. When one is gay, he/she has accepted him/herself. And in so doing truly becomes happy, optimistic, festive, and colorful. Peter Fisher, author of The Gay Mystique adds that gay also sometimes means "picking up the pieces and making the best of things; and that even if the affair is over, you'll meet someone new tomorrow night."

It is unfortunate that the Larry Bauers of the world would keep gays trapped under the auspices of "queer, fairy, faggot, pansy, nelly, queen," or the sterile. clinical tones of "homosexual and invert." The distinction between heterosexual and homosexual is essentially meaningless. Sexuality (or sex) does not seem a reasonable basis for defining or categorizing human beings. Yet, since society does denigrate and discriminate against those who hold a homosexual preference, as a matter of principle, we justifiably call ourselves gay.