gay people's CHRONICLE

Pub NOVEMBER 1987

Cleveland, Ohio

WIT 1987

Over 600,000 lesbians and gay men visit nation's capitol for October March

by Dora Forbes

JU.....

Over 600,000 lesbians and gay men and their civil rights supporters participated October 11 in the National March on Washington for bian and Gay Rights, calling upon Congress, the White House, and the nation to end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The March, the largest largest such such event for lesbian and gay rights in the history of the nation, was endorsed by more than 700

vol. 3 issue 5

Marchers pay respects to lost friends

at

While preparations for the actual March were being made Lesthe Ellipse between the Washington Monument and the White House, a few miles away a quite process was taking place. At 2 o'clock Sunday morning, Oct. 11, volunteers gathered and began setting up the memorial exhibit known as the Names Project.

different organizations

and individuals. Included were civil rights organizations, religious groups, city and county councils, political leaders and community activists, and it was centerpiece of a week of capital-based actions on this issue.

Along with the other 23 states that were represented, the Ohio marchers, complete with a large Cleveland contingent, marched up Fennsylvania Ave. to the steps of the Capitol. The spirit and pride of the day was evident in the message spread across the banners, signs, t-shirts, hats and buttons.

on

"This massive march dramatizes the depth and strength of support for lesbian and gay rights in this country, " said Pat Norman, California health care activist, grandmother and co-chair of the March Washington. "Gay and straight; women, men and children; black, red, browni, yellow and white; seniors and youth; the disabled and abled; and people of all religious faiths and political beliefs are here to speak with one voice. And the message is simple. time is now for civil and human rights for lesbians and gays."

the all The

Continued on page 3

Dignity moves closer to national position

During their November 1st meeting, in

the Catholic Church, Dignity-

a

direct defiance

Cleveland

adopted

from Dignity-USA,

cial church

been asked

to

of

as to

resolution reputing offiteachings and have

leave church

property, by Bishop Anthony Pilla

who will also "discourage"

priests from

saying mass

Dignity groups.

for

a

In July 1987 Dignity USA's House of Delegates adopted resolution clearly stating "Gay and Lesbian people can

with

The 6' x 3' panels of the AIDS quilt, each one commemorating a who has died of the synhad been pre-sewn into 24 foot squares. Beginning at 6am, the quilt sections were

person

drome,

spread on the grass of the between 7th & 9th streets, diately behind the March point before

building.

the

Mall

imme-

rally Capitol

The groups of panels were

criss-crossed with 2 foot wide borders that would permit visitors to walk among the quilts as they observed the exhibit, made up of almost 2,000 panels representing every region of the country.

the

*

direct conflict teachings of the Catholic Church expressed by the 1986 Letter the Bishops of the Catholic Church on on the Pastoral Care of Homosexuals issued issued by Cardinal Ratzinger on the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. This Document has referred to homosexuality as "an intrinsic moral evil" and has been the impetus for 15 chapters of Dignity from all over the U.S. to be thrown off of Church property. Because

express

of

a

of

their sexuality physically in mariner that is

unitive

life

loving, affirming"

giving and life and calls for a tion the magisterial teachings on 'homosexual By Dignity-

"... re-examina-

activity'."

issuing this resolution USA has clarified their original, purposely ambiguous Statement of Purpose and is now officially in

as

this resolution many chapters Dignity including Cleveland have been asked by their Bishops if they support the resolution. Some chapters such DignityToledo and Dignity-Dayton have refused to affirm the resolution had remained in favor with church boundaries. Other chapters such Continued on page 5

*

*

After the marchers reached the rally area at the Mall, mary of them made a second pilgrimage to the site of the Names Crowds of

Project.

people walked slowly through the exhibit, where AIDS statistics--21,000 dead--would gain human proportions.

hundreds made

their

Although way through the maze of quilts, the air was still, heavy with reverence and sorrow, the mood undisturbed by the cheers from the rally across the street. The marchers gazed silently at an "adjunct" of the March, fundity of which probably few had anticipated: the powerful and moving symbol of the devastation wrought by the AIDS epidemic that is the Names Project.

the pro-

Continued on page 3