GAY BLADES

Fosdick faces life

by Lance A. Lott

When Fosdick walked into the room I knew something was wrong. His face was drawn and there were dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. That in itself wasn't unusualhe looks that way every morning after he has been out to a gay bar the night before but this morning his hair was uncombed. Now that is a sure sign of something wrong.

"Fosdick!" I exclaimed, as nonchalantly as possible. "You look like the face of death itself! Your hair! Is something wrong?"

He dropped into a chair and gave me a mournful look. Then he heaved a sign and sagged. I mean, he just sagged in the chair. Even I was beginning to get depressed by this time.

"It's such a gorgeous day," I cried out cheerfully. "The sun is' shining, the birds are singing and...

"Mary Hartman is being held captive by a mass murderer," he said.

"Who is being done what to by whom?" I asked.

"Mary Hartman," he replied grimly. "I've been watching Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman every night and she is being held by a mass murderer."

"Who the hell is Mary Hartman?" I asked angrily. "It's just another soap opera!"

"Mary Hartman is neat," Fosdick declared. "And she is at the mercy of this psycho who murdered the Lombardi family, plus two goats and eight chickens."

"Who could be so cruel as to kill eight goats and two chickens?" I

asked incredulously. !

"That's what Mary asked," Fosdick sighed. "And it's two goats and eight chickens."

"Incredible!" I sat down and stared at my lover. "Do you mean to tell me that you are so upset over these goats and chickens that you didn't comb your hair this morning?"

"It's not just that!" Fosdick said irritably. "It's everything! Mary's husband is cheating with another. woman, her grandfather exposes himself to people, and her best friend makes up nutty songs about

Boston test case (Continued from Page B1) private place. "Is this the kind of place that you want to determine as being private?" and "Where do you draw the line?" he asked.

Lawson told Gay Community News that the decision against "Doe" did not surprise him. "There is a real effort (here) to change the law," he said. "The main issue here is simple is 'cruising' a violation? The Appeals Court and the Supreme Judicial Court will be better qualified to rule on the issues involved than this jury trial."

"John Doe" expressed anger and determination. "I'm disappointed of course, but with a jury like that I never had a chance. The judge practically said that I was guilty in his charge to the jury. The money thing was unbelievable. The judge was obviously trying to punish me for exercising my constitutional rights, for fighting the system. They're not going to make me give up. This kind of police harassment can't be permitted to go on and I intend to do every thing that I possibly can to stop it."

Page B8 GAY NEWS -

everything that happens." Fosdick was nearly in tears.

"So what?" I asked soothingly. "I mean, it's just another soap opera."

"No, it's not! he cried out. "It's it's life!"

"Since when do you know anyone with eight goats and two chickens?" I said scornfully. "Life, my aunt's fanny! You don't know any mass murderer."

"I know, I know!" Fosdick sobbed. "See how much I'm missing? And it's two goats and eight chickens!"

"How much you're missing?" I was getting angry. "You've got me! What more do you need?"

Fosdick looked up at me, his blue eyes brimming with tears. "You just don't understand," he said softly...

"You practically live in a soap apera yourself," I shouted. "You are gay; your lover writes pornographic novels; your sister is a lesbian and your uncle is a priest. Your mother hustles for a living and your father is an alcoholic pinsetter. All you need is a few assorted goats and chickens and you have all the makings of a soap opera of your own!" I ended with a triumphant smile.

"Who needs goats and chickens when I've got you?" Fosdick said. cooly as he stalked out of the room.

Now doesn't that gall your bladder? All that upset over the murder of a few goats and chickens? Was it two and eight or eight and two? Damnation! I'm going to have to watch tonight to find out how many of what got killed by whom, Argh!

VERSIERA

by Christine Potters

My heterosexual friend Dottie asked me recently why some lesbians act like men. I promptly jumped into Discourse 101-A (Exploring the Butch-Femme Relationship), and was just as promptly hauled back into the realm of reality when she said, "That's not what I meant. What I want to know is why some lesbians use male behavior with other women." Her re-phrased question is quite a consciousnessraiser on three important levels.

First, because we lesbians are a necessarily paranoid minority, we tend to believe that most heterosexuals stereotype us. We listen for the stereotypical questions they ask most frequently and answer them almost by rote: "No, I don't hate men. I love women." "Yes, I really do love my father." "No, I don't think a 'good screw' would cure me." In doing this, we're just as guilty of stereotyping heterosexuals as they are of stereotyping us they are ignorant and unthinking and hostile, right? Not all of them! My friend had a thoughtful feminist question that required a thoughtful feminist answer to help her to a better ununderstanding of lesbianism. My jump into a standardized response would have left her stranded had she not persisted.

Male behavior is not confined to men. We're not dealing here with dyke boots and leather jackets and short hair. We're looking at oppressive tactics that are the means to power in our society, and women too use them. Right now I'm thinking of personal power as opposed to political or economic power, although personal power for (Continued on Page B9)

Gays testify at Demo platform hearings

NEWPORT, R.I. Representatives of six gay. organizations testified here April 3 before the National Democratic Party Platform Committee, in the first of four regional hearings around the country. The reception for the groups' gay rights message was reported to be "excellent," but the big push was to come later in the month in Atlanta, when the topic for the platform hearings was specifically designated as "human rights."

Independently appearing at the April 3 hearings were speakers from Gay Activists Alliance/Philadelphia, Gay Activists/New Jersey, Metropolitan Community Church/1 Providence-Worchester, the Connecticut Sexual Orientation Lobby, the National Gay Task Force, and a local group from upstate New York. Also testifying was a National Organization for Women/Boston representative, who read a statement prepared by Philadelphian Kay Whitlock of NOW's Sexuality and Lesbianism Committee. The relatively high turn-out of gay representatives in contrast to only two organizations testifying at similar hearings in 1972 in Pittsburgh was thought to be due to advance publicity by the Task Force and the gay press.

May 1976

Testimony from the gay groups

was squeezed in near the end of the day, when only 22 of the 33-member panel were left to hear it. (But they were far from the last to be heard from during the session.) Since none of those present had known in advance of the others' intention to testify, there was only a minimal opportunity to coordinate statements. At the suggestion of the chair, all six groups shared the same 30minute time period. Virginia Opuzo from the Task Force, the only woman speaker, led off the presentation.

The speakers explained to the Platform Committee what gay people want in terms of legislation both in terms of repeal of restrictive laws (e.g., sodomy laws) and enactment of protections against discrimination and why they need it. Not much time was spent in arguing the basic right of gays to equal treatment under the law, since this did not seem to be necessary. Reportedly the panel listened attentively during the presenation and, from their expressions and comments some made afterwards, appeared to be favorably impressed.

Although it was not possible for each group to read its entire preplanned text, these were copied and presented in a set to the Committee members and media people after the hearings.

SMOKE FROM JEANNIE'S LAMP

Throwing off the 'hustler defense'

Dear Jeannie:

I'm finding it hard to adjust to my gay life. I just turned 20, and I do feel a lot older in some ways. This is probably because of too many sexual encounters since I was quite young. I've also been hustling, until just last year. But I feel this is because of many influences by people in my life. I've been told that I'm a very sexual person and quite goodlooking. It seems that I'm just taken and used a lot. My last lover left me because of too many problems. I know most people can't trust me or feel that I'm too wise. This is all because of my appearance and expressions.

I do enjoy sex very much, but at times I feel something is wrong. I'm quite lonely now and don't have many friends. I've tried changing myself, but I'm confused. Inside, there's a really nice person in me. and I want to live happy. But no one I meet ever involves himself, for some reason. What can I do to change all of this?

Dear Mike:

Mike

I'm afraid that, at your tender age, you're hardened as a result of your many sexual encounters and, most especially, your hustling. Hustling, by its very nature, precludes emotional involvement; you know, leave your feeling at the door on the way in and your money on the dresser on the way out.

One way toward effecting change in yourself is to stop blaming other people for what and where you are. Another is to throw off the hustler defense and open yourself up to deep, good feelings. This is risky, because you may experience some pain. But it's also the only opportunity you have to experience pleasure. After all, we only ride the merry-go-round of life one time. You have the option of doing it with blinders on and getting dizzy... or doing it with your eyes wide open and grabbing for the brass ring....

Dear Jeannie:

*******

I read in the last issue the letter from the party who feels rejected because he is "chubby." I can't understand that because I weigh 220 pounds and, believe me, I haven't been rejected anywhere. I don't know how chubby he is, but I believe that if a person has a good personality, his body size will be secondary.

Dear Al:

What you say is true, but... Two hundred twenty pounds, or whatever, may be chubby on someone who is 5'5" tall, but not on someone who is 6'2" and running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. As with anything else, size is relative. And if someone is just an average guy and not a hunky jock, people may be turned off by what they consider to be external unattractiveness and not bother to look for the beauty below the surface. Life, you know, is not a conIvention where we run around wearing badges that read "Hi! My name is Fred! I may not look like much but boy! do I have a great per sonality!"

Dear Jeannie:

*****

I am very much attracted to men with a lot of body hair,

especially on the chest. My problem stems from the fact that the hair on my chest is almost invisible and doesn't grow fast enough to suit me. I am 23 and would like to know if there is any medication or drug that I could get that would make hair grow on both my face and the rest of my body. I have been to see a skin specialist and my family doctor, and they said that I am physically fit and in good health. Therefore, they won't prescribe anything.

Also, is there anything a person can take to enlarge the size of his penis? It may sound a little foolish to you, but it is very important to me. Don

Dear Don:

Hair growth, or the lack of it, is dependent upon a combination of heredity and hormones, so you're just going to have to make the most of what you haven't got. Besides, you're allowing your own preference for hirsute types to blind you to the fact that there are many men who actually prefer a smooth-bodied partner.

As for your penis, there is no safe and sure method of increasing its size other than erection. Silicone, mechanical gadgets and the like are not only ineffectual, they are dangerous to boot. In other words, you can play with your penis... but don't play around with it!

**********

The Homosexual Information Center asks that organizations across the country wishing to be listed in their next Directory please submit material to their new address: 6715 Hollywood Blvd., No.210, Hollywood, Calif. 90028.

Readers who seek advice on specific problems should address them directly to Jeannie, P.O. Box 8444, La Cresenta, Cal. 91214.

(This is a syndicated column.).

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