NEWS

AMERICA'S FIRST OPENLY GAY JUDGE VISITS MICHIGAN by Serrasco

On Sunday, February 4th, Judge Stephen Lachs of the Los Angeles County Superior Court addressed a group of approximately one hundred students at the "Lawyers Club Lounge" at the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor. Judge Lachs is widely known as the first openly gay judge appointed in the U.S. Judge Lacks was appointed by California Governor Jerry Brown two and a half years ago after serving as a Superior Court Commissioner. The Superior Court in California is the counter-part to Michigan's Circuit Court which is known as the "court of general jurisdiction" handling matters of a more serious nature than District Courts.

Although many gay judges are serving in Courts throughout the country, very few are as open about their sexual orientation as Judge Lachs. The 42 year old jurist related a number of personal stories to his attentive

audience about the process that he went through personally in deciding to permit his personal life to become a matter of public knowledge. He emphasized the positive affects that his decision has had saying "I get hundreds of letters from people all over the country telling me how much it means to them to see that a person can be successful and openly gay." Lachs went on to relate a story about a situation in another court where an attorney attempted to have a juror disqualified because the juror admitted that he was gay. "The opposing attorney turned to the Judge and said, 'Your Honor, it seems to me that if we can have gay Judges we ought to be able to have a gay juror.' The judge agreed and the juror was allowed to serve."

Much of Lach's presentations focused on the necessity of involvement in the political process. "Money talks in politics," he said, as he related the tremendous success that the "Municipal Elections Commission of L.A." has experienced. "We realized that we couldn't produce votes the way we could produce money. You get money from people who have.

METRA's Rudy Serrasco enjoyed Judge Lach's speech at the University of Michigan Law School, February 4th.

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Photo Greg Marosco

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money...so we went to the gay community and asked them to contribute on a "trust us" basis. We came away from our first fund raiser with checks and pledges for over $20,000. After six months, we were no longer going candidates to tell them about the gay community...they were coming to us for money and support. It has changed the face of politics for gay men and lesbian women in Los Angeles." Lachs indicated that the Municipal Elections Committee (known as MECLA) has had tremendous success at invloving the middle class rich as people who were willing to contribute $25.00 or $50.00. He also explained the impact that gay support has had on Governor Brown of California who's "first four years were unimpressive" as far as gay issues but who qualified for matching funds in his Presidential race "largely because of gay support." Partly as a result of this support, California now has three openly gay judges, the most recent whom, The Honorable Mary Morgan, is "the fist openly lesbian Judge in the wold."

Lachs related that when he ran for re-election in June of 1980 no one opposed him despite the activities of arch conservative groups such as "The Law and Order Commission" and, what he described as a "rabidly antigay State Senator." Taking the lack of opposition as a postitive sign, Lachs commented that "I can not help but think that my presence on the Court and in meetings with other judges will have some kind of effect on them when they here things like child-custody cases involving lesbian and gay parents." He asserted that "the main thing is how it might effect younger people who don't know if it's ok for them be be gay because they have no one they can talk with. It's important for them to see that there are lesbians and gay men who are making it and are still open. I don't mean parading it...that's awkward and unnecessary...but they need to see that there are people who can find a place where they can feel good about themselves and still be successful."

Lachs concluded by saying that many law students had asked him if they should come out. "I give a judicial answer," he said. "I say, I don't know. It has worked out very well for me but I wouldn't guarantee that for others. I do know, however, many attorneys who are important partners in large law firms and have been there for 20 years who are still afraid even though everyone in the firm knows about them. For me, if it's a choice between success and living with the constant anguish of hiding, I would choose to avoid that anguish. We have to remember the 'trickle down theory" Lachs said. "We have to perculate our people up to the top first so that they will then be able to have their influence tricke down throughout society." Lachs commented that he doesn't like to bother even debating with fanatical anti-gay people if they already have their minds made up and are not open to considering new arguements and new evidence. He concluded by commenting that "I hope to be able to visit you here in Michigan again, and I hope that it will be at a time when people will look with astonishment at those who hate rather than we who simply want to love."

SURVIVAL SKILLS WORKSHOP

FOR GAY / LESBIANS How can lesbian and gay organizations get more. money, volunteers, members, and public visibility? These are some the priority questions that gay and lesbian staff and volunteers from a nine-state area will seek answers to in a training workshop called "Survival Skills for Gay and Lesbian Organizations" scheduled for April 2-4, 1982, in Madison, Wisconsin.

The training is a part of the National Lesbian/Gay Organizational Development Project, created by the Social Action Training Group, Inc. (SATG), a non-profit group based in Madison. The April upper Midwest

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Sunday, March 21st

ST. PATRICK'S

PARTY!

The famous C.C.W. Bowlers will again be serving your favorite drinks with Steve &

Larry in the kitchen, serving corn beef and cabbage.

DRINK SPECIALS OFFERED ALL DAY NO COVER!

Specials During The Week... MONDAYS -

2-4-1 well drinks & draft beer WEDNESDAYS -

Tequila Nite from 5 pm til closing Tequila anyway you like it.

-SATURDAYS Schnapps & Draft Beer

-HOURS Mon.-Fri. 5 pm-2 am; Sat.-Sun. 3 pm-2 am Cocktail Hour Monday-Friday 5-8 pm 16103 W. WARREN, DETROIT 581-4951

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