gay peoples CHRONICLE

Vol. I No. II

Cleveland, Ohio

Local Bar Discriminates See Page 3

OHIO PRIDE BENEFIT POSTPONED

by RICK BERG

Hearts and Diamonds Casino Night, a benefit for GEAR and several other groups,

was Cancelledyr month by Stan Brown, Win Weizer, and kent Wolfe, members of the ad hoc Hearts and Diamonds planning commit-tee.

In an open letter released February 15, the ad hoc committee cited lack of adequate support among the lesbian/gay community as the primary reason for cancellation of the event.

The benefit was originally conceived by GEAR to raise funds' to pay a $6,300 debt from printing the nowdefunct "Ohio Pride." a publication of the GEAR Foundation. The debt, incurred in the Summer of 1983, is now the subject of a lawsuit initiated by Rapid Rabbit Printers to recover the amount.

In December 1984, Wolfe presented the GEAR board with a detailed proposal for a Casino Night benefit to be sponsored by GEAR and co-sponsored by other local gay and lesbian groups. The first $6,300 raised would be earmarked to pay off the Ohio Fride debt, with the remainder being divided among the cosponsoring organizations. Wolfe also proposed that a planning committee be created, composed of GEAR members and other community mem-bers. and other community leaders. The GEAR board. adopted Wolfe's recommendations and appointed Bob Asch, Jerry Bores, Brown, Weizer, and Wolfe to the planning committee. January 27 was selected as the date for the event.

In mid-January the planning committee found advance ticket sales to be well below expectation, and postponed the Casino Night

Appuzzo Returns to Government Service

The Board of Directors of the National Gay Task Force announced today that Virginia M. Apuzzo, Executive Director of NGTF, will

be leaving the organiz ation in mid-April to assume a position in New York State Goverment.

In announcing Apuzzo ́s resignation, Board Cochairs Frances Hanckel and Paul Vandenberg said, "Ginny Apuzző has worked tirelessly for two and a half years, strengthening NGTF and representing the lesbian and gay community nationwide as NGTF's chief spokesperson. Her record of accomplishments is unparalleled. While we will miss her daily leadership she leaves NGTF more effective than ever,

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with ongoing programs of proven success, administered by highly dedicated and professional people."

Add Vandenberg and Hanckel, "We are delighted that Ginny has the opportunity to do something that is both good for herself page 3, col. 2

indefinitely. The committee hoped that result

in a greater number of ticket sales.

By late January, friction between the committee and the GEAR board prompted Brown, Weizer, and Wolfe to resign from the committee and re-form as an ad hoc Hearts and Diamonds Casino Night planning committee. Weizer explained that she felt a "more appropriate" chief sponsor than GEAR could be found for the event. The GEAR board withdrew from its involvement with the event at its next meeting.

March 1, 1985

The ad hoc committee requested a meeting of the Federation,

an informally organized forum of all area lesbian and gay organizations, to discuss the future of the Hearts and Diamonds project. GEAR, which had not yet withdrawn from involvement in the project, moved that discussion of the benefit not take place as the project was an internal issue of the GEAR Foundation. After stormy debate, the Federation voted to discuss the fundraiser. No official action was taken on

Bush and Riddiough Join Conference

by Sebastian Melmoth

Larry Bush, prominent gay journalist whose articles have been widely syndicated in the gay press and who was editor and publisher of the nationally distributed "The Bush Report," will take part in the 1985 Fourth Annual All-Ohio Lesbian/Gay/Feminist Conference April 19-21.

A participant in the last two Conferences, Bush traditionally gives the Friday night address that opens the three-day event. He will again open the Conference this year, on April 19. Bush will also present a workshop

page 3, col. 3

and will moderate a plenary session on Sunday afternoon, April 21, to examine the current state of the lesbian/gay community and nationally. Another Conference participant will be Chris Rideo, national NOW staff person for lesbian interests, who is also President of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club of New York. Presenting a workshop examining links between feminists and lesbianism, Rideo will also join the plenary panel.

According to the Conference planning committee, the poet Chocolate Waters will

page 3, col. 4

Columns

Editorials

7, 11, 12, 13

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National News

Op-Ed

Resource Directory

"La Cage aux Folles" opens March 5 at the Music Hall. Story on page 6.