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Gay Peoples Chronicle

NATIONAL NEWS...

"Consenting Adult"

ABC aired the movie "Consenting Adult " on their series of Monday Night at the Movies on February 4th. If you wish to let the network know

your opinion of the movie, write to Mr.Brandon Stoddar, President of ABC-TV, 2020 Avenue of the Stars, 488 Angeles, California

90067.

Philadelphia Students Win

In Philadelphia, law students Richard Brown and Loretta peloggio charged that Temple University had violated the city S Fair Practices Ordinance by permitting military recruiters on campus and helping them arrange interviews. They argued

Dan White Freed

Dan White, former San Francisco Supervisor who 6 years ago killed Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone but managed to convince a jury that he was guilty only of voluntary manslaughter by pleading diminished responsibility through consuming junk food, ended a year of probation Jan-

that the military s practice of barring gay recruits violated the Ordinance's ban on discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations ruled in favor of the students.

uary 6. HE IS NOW

ENTIRELY FREE. While on probation, White has been living in Los Angeles. Mayor Dianne Feinstein publicly warned White not to return to San Francisco, where his status as a symbol of unequal justice for gay people could set off violence.

Gays Sue Texas Universities

As usual, major Texas universities are involved in court cases over their refusal to recognize gay student organizations.

Texas Tech University, in Lubbock, refuses to register an organization called Student Services for Lesbians, Gays and Friends, or

to let it meet on campus. The university administration bases its stand on unexplained health dangers the group would present for the general student body, as well as on the Texas state law forbidding gay sex, which the courts have already ruled unconstitutional.

In filing suit against the university, Student Services for Lesbians, Gays and Friends is asking for damages in a new shift in strategy to discourage such harrassment by homophobic administrators. Lambda Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Texas Human Rights Foundation are handling the SSLGF's

case.

Texas A&M University, which since 1977 has refused to recognize a similar organization, Gay Student Services, has just lost its case before the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

Georgetown U. Under Attack

In Washington, D.C., gay leaders and organi zations have protested Georgetown University's request for funding through low-interest city bonds. They want to attach to the bond measure an amendment calling on the University to demonstrate, that it is not violating the District of Columbia's Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Jesuit-run Georgetown University has refused to recognize two gay student organizations, claiming that recognition would be equivalent to endorsing homosexuality and violate the

The student groups have appealed this decision, arguing that Georgetown University receives so much financial support from the federal government that it cannot use religious guidelines in administering its program.

teachings of the Catrolic Church.

A suit against Georgetown University filed in 1980 by the student organizations was heard last fall by Superior Court Judge Sylvia Bacon, who ruled that the University could discriminate against gay student groups in the course of exercising its religion.

March 1, 1985

BY : Casmir Kuczynski

Study Shows National Birds Are Gay

A study of the mating habits of bald eagles at Caledon State Park, in Virginia, commissioned by the state and conducted by the Virginia Department of Parks and Recreation, produced unexpected results. Researchers found that only two of the male bald eagles they observed mated" with female eagles. The rest were interested only in other males. Published reports leave the sexual behavior of female bald eagles unclear. We suspect

they are also enjoying each other's company. Well, after all, why shouldn't the American national symbol be gay?

H.R.C.F TO BEGIN POLITICAL STUDY

The Human Rights Campaign Fund (HRCF) is about to undertake a major nationwide survey of its constituency to assess its political philosophies and priorities. The survey, to be compiled through the mail, will be included in a February 15th letter to HRCF contributors.

Vic Basile, Executive Director of the Fund, which is the sole national political action committee dedicated

to supporting candidates favorable to gay and lesbian civil rights issues, said the survey was being taken to assist the PAC in planning its political agenda for the next election cycle. "We need to understand the mindset of the gay community if we are to be a truly representative organization," Basile said.

The survey queries respondents on their political philosophies, their partisan identification, their votes for President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. Representative in the last election, and the primary motivating factors in their selection of a candidate. In addition, the questionnaire seeks to discover how cohesive a "voting bloc" the gay community might be.

"One important piece of information we d like to learn is what percentage of the gay electorate will vote for a candidate primarily based on his or her stand on gay civil rights," said Basile. "It's important both for us as an organization and for candidates of both parties to know the kind of impact their stand on this issue will have on gay voters."

In a cover letter accompanying the survey Basile points out that a "conservative estimate" of the size of the gay population nationwide is "at least 20 million." The letter goes on to say that fewer than 100,000 of those are active

participants in gay/les-

organizations such as the Campaign Fund.

"That's less than one-half of one percent," points out Basile. We're hoping that by gaining a greater understanding of the priorities of the gay community we'll be able to do a better job of inspiring them to become more involved."

Toward that eno, the survey also asks questions about how good a job contributors think the HRCF is doing in its mission to lend financial support to federal and state candidates who support gay and lesbian rights.

Finally, the survey asks respondents to rank eleven separate items on the gay/lesbian political agenda in order of priority. The eleven items include: abolishing immi gration restrictions on gays, abolishing sodomy laws, increasing funding for AIDS research and treatment, and other concerns ranging from discrimi – nation in the military, employment, housing and adoption to legal recognition of the rights of gay couples.

The Human Rights Campaign Fund is a Washington-based political action committee, and is one of the largest PACS in the United States.