EDITORIAL

With both Democrats and Republicans on its staff, ONE is strictly non-partisan in all political issues not explicitly effecting homophiles. Unemployment does effect many homophiles now. Whether or not the country is hovering on the brink of a "hair-curling" depression, the situation is already rough for many individuals.

Without reading statistics, we see the evidence in our office. People come to us daily for help in finding jobs-an especially trying task for many homophiles. ONE, Incorporated isn't exactly an employment agency. But we do what we can. Usually just a bit of free advice on how to go about looking for work. Sometimes we actually can place someone on a job. Our contacts are as limited as our time and resources-and both of these are in very short supply. ONE was founded "to aid in the social integration of the sexual variant," among other things. Job placement is but one of many tasks implied by this for our Social Service Division.

In times of recession, or whatever you call it, members of variant or minority groups tend to be hardest hit. Those who differ recognizably from the norm are likely to be "last hired and first fired." Many homophiles are, partly for this reason, in peripheral employment already, in jobs that are always unstable and seldom protected by unions.

It's hardest on those who are easily recognizable, whose appearance gives them away-whether by inborn peculiarities or deliberate mannerisms. It's worse for those with a police record, whether or not they committed any real offense against society. And anyone who has once lost a job on suspicion of being homosexual probably still carries the Mark of Cain.

That Mark of Cain tends to absolutely close certain doors to most job-hunting homophiles-all security-classified jobs for example, as if homophiles really threatened their country.

But the Mark burns deeper than many realize. When job shortage makes suspiciousness general it isn't only the swish that suffers. Any unmarried individual is likely to be reminded of his or her "abnormality" when applying for employment.

Certain jobs seem to open naturally to homophiles. We have to find means to steer individuals toward those jobs. More than that, we must begin the long, hard struggle for job equality, just as other minorities are doing. This is a Social Service function few other agencies will touch, for the present at least. It's up to us.

Lyn Pedersen, Associate Editor

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