July 1980

GUEST EDITORIAL:

DISCRIMINATION

AT ISIS

Gay Peoples Chronicle

page 13

FACE THE FACTS

CUSTOMERS AGAINST RACIST XCLUSION (CARE)

On Saturday, May 24, a roup of womyn planned to eet at Isis. At the door wo of them--one black, one hite--were asked for menership cards. They asked ow they could buy them. Sorryclub' is full." they were told,

The

The white womon was alowed inside to see if the others had arrived. All were nside--and none had been sked for membership cards. 11 are white.

A black womon outside told hem that black womyn are regularly asked to show ards, while white womyn are ot. Horrified by this, the omyn talked to one of the Owners, Chet, who was straightforward about what amounts to a policy of "rac-

ism.

Here's what they discovered. After a recent closing of Petrarca/Sneakers, a bar matronized by black womyn, the Petrarca clientele began to show up at Isis. According to Chet, this is when Isis decided to enforce a membership policy." He said he does not want his bar to be more than 70% black, because his white clientele would leave.

(This is a bizarre statement for a businessman. If white womyn left because they didn't want to dance with black womyn, it would be sad and disgusting. But, the bar would still be full. Most businessmen would be satisfied with this--unless they didn't want a bar full of black faces.}

Chet claimed his quota was not racist. He also said that "racism would always exist," and that "all the bars kind-of do the same thing.

When the doorkeeper was asked why she was only asking black womyn for membership cards, she explained that she lets in people she recognizes and questions those she doesn't. But, when asked if she had ever seen a certain white womom

[As a community newspaper, the Chronicle accepts responaibility for making space available to members of the Community to express their views. We are not responsible for opinions voiced in

who had never been there before--a womon she let in without even mentioning the card--she admitted, "maybe not." The black womon we spoke of earlier had been to Isis fairly often, but it seems that mainly white faces are "recognized."

One of the reasons given for this policy is to keep troublemakers" out. Obviously, a womon who starts a fight should not be allowed back into a bar. But, to identify all unfamiliar black womyn as potential troublemakers is racist.

sue.

Some black womyn say they received a card only after they threatened to Black womyn who don't get in often are forced to wait outside until a black womon with a membership card--a stranger--offers to

escort

her in. The owner says he sees no problem with this!

Not only are black womyn considered undesirable--the owner says that Isis doesn't welcome "stereotypical dykes. No dykes in a dyke bar? Will skirts be required next? Remember: oppress me today, you tomorrow.

The ad-hoc group Customers Against Racist Exclusion (CARE) spent some time protesting and leafleting the bar the following Saturday night. Most of us are white.

The lack of interaction between black and white womyn in this city is a reality. We live in a segregated world and most of us, frankly, do not know many black womyn. But, far from wishing the bar to support this terrible situation, we believe it makes us poorar as sisters.

Those of us who feel strongly are womoncotting Isis in support of all our sisters who aren't being allowed in.__..

How can oppressed people oppress oppressed people???

Cleveland womyn need your activism immediately!! To get involved with CARE, call the Cleveland Lesbian/Gay Hotline at 651-7111 and leave your name and phone number. We'll call you soon!

quest editorials or in letters, and these are not necessarily the views of the the Chronicle. He offered Isis management space to this present their side of Controversy. --Ed.]

FACT: About one out of four gay and bisexual men tested at The Cleveland Alternative Test Site for HTLV-3 antibody are positive. FACT: The best estimates are that there are about 13,000 gay men in Cuyahoga County who are infected with the AIDS virus.

FACT: There are 70 reported cases of AIDS in Cleveland (4/31/86). Of all the cities across the United States, Cleveland ranks 22nd in the number of cases.

FACT: The number of new cases in Cleveland doubles approximately every 12 months. At the present rate, by 1990, we will have 640 newly diagnosed cases of AIDS in Cleveland.

FACT: The only AIDS "vaccine" we now have is PREVENTION.

SAFE SEX IS A MATTER OF LIFE

PRACTICE IT

Ohio Department of Health AIDS Hotline

1 (800) 332-AIDS (4-11pm).

A Public Service Message from

the Gay Peoples Chronicle.