gay peoples CHRONICLE

Vol. I No. IV

Cleveland, Ohio

Fourth Annual All-Ohio Lesbian/Gay/Feminist

Conference See pages 8-9

HIT GETS $19,000 AIDS GRANT

Conferees listen to panel discussion at Lesbian/Gay/Feminist Conference at CWRU. Panelists are (left to right) Pattie Baskin, Clark Niblock, Chris Riddiough, Larry Bush, and Brian McNaught. Story and more photos on pages 8-9.

NEW NGTF HEAD FIRED

BY LOCAL STATE SENATOR

By RICK BERG

Jeff Levi, the new head of the National Gay Task Force (NGTF), is a former Cleveland area resident with a not-so-pleasant memory of his ex-boss, State Senator Charles Butts (D-23).

After finishing an undergraduate degree at Oberlin College, Levi was hired by Butts to serve as the senator's legislative assistant in October of 1978. He became friends with the senator's secretary and after several months Levi told her that he was gay. The secretary, thinking Butts would be pleased at employing a member of a minority, told the senator of Levi's gayness.

In an exclusive interview Levi told the Gay Peoples Chronicle that Butts then fired him, saying Levi's homosexuality would be a 'political liability." According to Levi, Butts also said that it would look bad if Levi and Butts were working late at the senator's office.

Butts, whose west side senate district probably has the most gays of any senate district in the state, could not be reached for comment.

Levi said that he felt his

political career was over after the firing and took a job in publishing. He had no idea then that such discrimination could be

fought politically.

Levi moved to Washington, D.C. in 1979 and resumed his political career. He began as a volunteer coordinator for the Gay Rights National Lobby (GRNL). After becoming a member of the D.C. Gay Activists Alliance (GAA), he was elected secretary, vice president, then president of that organization. While GAA president, Levi was appointed NGTF's Washington representative.

When NGTF Executive Director Virginia Apuzzo resigned in March, Levi was named acting executive director. He has now been promoted to the new permanent post of director of governmental and political affairs for NGTF. This position makes him the main spokesperson and creator of political policy for the nationwide organization.

May 1, 1985

Group Will Launch

Educational Project

By JERRY BORES

The Health Issues Taskforce has been awarded a $19,000 grant by the United States Conference of Mayors. The Taskforce will use the grant, which is funded by the Centers for Disease Control, to implement an AIDS Education Project in Cleveland.

Although four Ohio cities applied to the Conference of Mayors for funding projects, Cleveland was the only one to receive a grant. The HIT project has four primary objectives: increasing awareness of safe-sex

techniques among at

estimated 15,000 at-risk gay

N.O.C.I. Gala

to

men; increasing support and counselling for AIDS and AIDS-Related Complex (ARC) patients; educating ancilservice agency personnel, lary health-and communityfacilitate their working with AIDS and ARC patients; and a program to increase knowledge about AIDS among gay men who are closeted or Black.

The Taskforce plans to hire a part-time manager to oversee implementation of the project.

Formed in 1983 around the issue of AIDS, the Health Issues Taskforce has engaged in education and support programs for victims of AIDS and at-risk populations.

BENEFIT BASH TO BOOST COLLECTION OF COFFERS

By RICK BERG

Northern Ohio Coalition, Inc. (N.0.C.I.) is sponsoring a party to benefit ten Cleveland area gay and lesbian groups. The bash is May 18, at the Locomotive Engineers Hall, down town. Deejay Cookie will provide music for dancing. The party will offer a cash bar and complimentary hors d'oeuvre. Festivities begin at 8:00 and end at 1:00. A charge of three dollars will be taken at the door. The Locomotive Engineers Hall is at the corner of St. Clair and Ontario, with the entrance on St. Clair. N.O.C.I. President Gene Witts said his group wanted to help other local gay/les-

Inside This Issue

Calendar 16 Columns 10-13 Editorials 4

National News Op-Ed

2

5

Resource Directory 15

bian groups raise funds for their treasuries. The ten co-sponsors and N.O.C.I. will divide the proceeds equally. N.O.C.I.'s share will go toward paying a $6000 debt incurred from publishing Ohio Pride magazine. Ohio Pride, now defunct, was a publication of the GEAR Foundation. "N.O.C.I.'s

not really interested in raising any money for its own treasury, "Witts said. "But we are concerned about some groups whose funds are running low. Hopefully we can use our fund-raising talent to help them."

Besides N.0.C.I., the other co-sponsors are Black and White Men Together, Chevrei Tikva, Dignity Cleveland, Eleanor Roosevelt Gay Democratic Club, Equals, Gay Waves, GEAR Foundation, Health Issues Taskforce, Integrity, and North Coast Athletic Association.