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Gay Peoples Chronicle

By the CHRONICLE STAFF

June 30 was in every sense a beautiful day for the thousands of gay people who came to Columbus to march in the 1985 Midwest Gay and Lesbian Freedom Parade. This year's theme, "We Are..., seemed appropriate. We were there, openly, happily, unafraid, displaying our existence and in commun ion with each other. In spite of its serious underlying purpose, this was also a day for hugging, kissing, joining hands, and for fun.

The Cleveland contingent, coming by cars as well as by the two buses chartered by the Eleanor Roosevelt Gay Democratic Club, led the Parade from Goodale Park to the State House grounds. Like the rest of the paraders, the vanguard carried organizational banners, held individual signs, or simply walked. Many held balloons, usually purple.

In spite of the obvious organization of the Parade, the event was also marked by its usual engaging informality.

The rally in front of the State House, under an giant

arch of red, white, and blue balloons, featured gay Congressman Gerry Studds and lesbian Mayor Valerie Terrigno as keynoters. Studds, a very effective speaker, described the progress gay people have made since the Stonewall Riots and predicted more progress. Terrigno gave much the same talk she presented at the CWRU Conference in April, but drew her usual notably warm reception from her audience. Most other speakers, including Win Weizer of Cleveland echoed the rally themes of unity and gay civil rights. This year also marked Craig Covey's farewell appearance as Executive Director of Stonewall Union, sponsor of the Parade.

The fundamentalist crazies, who last year managed to gather on the State House lawn and tried to fight their way to the speakers' platform before they were restrained, were much in evidence during the parade but were kept on the fringes of the crowd during the rally.

Emcee Rhonda Rivera effectively cooled things down whenver a crazy tried to provoke violence, although

MIDWEST LESBIAN &GAY

Dear Born-Again Christians:

I saw you today as I walked in pride with my gay brothers and sisters down the streets of Columbus. It was as though I were seeing you for the first time. You were lined up and hurling insults and biblical passag es at us as we celebrated ourselves. We walked by you peacefully, full of smiles, waving. I even saw a few kisses being blown your way.

Why do you hate us? What is it about us that stirs up such feelings in you? There were more of you than any other group of spectators-are we that important to you?

I have a deep abiding trust in God, as I understand God, and I consider myself a spiritual person. I believe God is love and that He/She is an all-loving Father/Mother who only wants the best for me. When I saw your sign, "God hates homos," I wondered whether one of us is misinterpreting God's

messages

my spiritual beliefs tell me that I can change no one but myself. This means that if I have a problem with someone else, or another group of people, the only thing I can change is my attitude. I believe we must look to ourselves before we can look to each other.

Today I had a very special experience with one of you. It touched me deeply, and I doubt that I'll ever forget it. I saw a young girl standing on the sidewalk, just on the outskirts of the crowd. She was only about 19 years old, and slightly overweight but dressed nicely. In her hands she held a sign that said how much God

Homos

Nor Gay

THEY AR QUEE

We

wont

a

Generati

LIVING'S

REANOR ROOSEVEL

GAY

Jim (bottom left) among crazies. We hope he escaped before the darkhaired female breeder bit him. To right, Bob Downing parodies a crazy.

hated me. It wasn't the sign that got to me, but her eyes. They were so confused. I was suddenly touched by how out-of-place this woman was in the crowd. In the moments I watched her, I could see her watching us and then looking at her sign. It seemed as though someone had dressed her up, marched her down there, stuck a sign in her hand, and said, "Rate these people." But intead of seeing people she hated, she saw

I

people just like her: everyday, ordinary people celebrating their right to be, and the promise of equality, For a split second thought that she too might be a lesbian, but hadn't recognized that the feelings she was having were normal, I felt sorry for her, my sister; not self-pity, but a kind of loving understanding. I too hated the parts of me I didn't understand, I hope someday she'll be able to join us. I pray

ANTI

GAYS

REPENT

she will have the courage. I will keep fighting so she has that right.

So today I learned what intolerance looks like. I didn't realize it was so awful. I sat there and I watched you. Then I turned around and watched the beautiful people celebrating in the sunshine. They were laughing and loving. Back I turned to you. I couldn't tell what you were feeling-but I never did see one smile among you.

God Bless You Martha Pontoni