EDITORIAL

Editor heeds readers voices

and

lose.

hope,

AIDS

AIDS is a very serious disease. AIDS kills. AIDS kills people, love, potential, resources our community cannot afford to leaves behind broken families, people and communities. If you contract AIDS, you will die the and your family and friends will be left here to pick up shattered pieces of their lives. Suicide is a very selfish thing. You're dead, but amount of everyone who knows you is left behind with an enormous pain and confusion. Anyone who has someone close to them die in any way can empathize. And any man or woman who is having unsafe sex today is committing suicide.

This is a very hard reality to deal with. It is especially hard if you do not include yourself in a high risk group. The truth is, that unless you have been celibate or involved in a monogamous relationship for the last 10 years, you are at risk. Since giving up sexual expression is not very healthy, it is important to learn to express yourself safely.

listen?

a community, we hear messages like this often. Do we really When Buck Harris wrote this column on safe anal sex for this paper, we had not been listening. It has been a painful process for this paper to face it denial about the seriousness of this disease and the often "extreme" measures that need to be taken to stop the spread of useless, meaningless death that is sweeping this country.

When the Chronicle included safe sex articles in our policy prohibiting sexually explicit wording or pictures, we earnestly thought we were doing the correct thing. We were wrong.

Unless

men

and

sex as

having

safe women have as much detailed information on possible, there when is a chance they might not use safe procedures sex. They are, in a way, committing suicide, and sometimes even murder.

that

The process the Chronicle has gone through in the past few months process some people must go through to break through the denial runs rampart in our community. Do not take this process lightly. You cannot fully comprehend the consequences of AIDS through the filter of denial.

is a still

from

Until every man and woman is practicing safe sex, we will all suffer the denial of others. Each person we lose to AIDS robs all of us. If we knew that person, we are robbed of the years we should have had together. Even if we did not know them, we are robbed of that person's contribution to society. Each baby who has died of AIDS should have had the opportunity to grow up; we have been deprived of the opportunity to meet that baby, child, woman,

or man.

its

recognizing that we were wrong, the Chronicle has passed through denial and has started on a journey to do as much as it can to stop the spread of AIDS.

We invite you to join us.

LETTERS

Continued support for Buck

I am a lesbian. using I resent "sensitive to our lesbian readers" as way to refuse to publish Buck Harris's columns which discuss anal

sex.

First, any reference that save a brother's life is crucial.

Second,

sex.

will

some lesbians have

anal

Third, I (at least) am "sensitive" not explicit

to sexist remarks

sexuality.

Rhonda R.

Rivera Attorney at Law

I was very disappointed the recent Editor's Note the presentation of AIDS information in the GAY CHRONICLE.

read

concerning prevention PEOPLE'S

I feel that the Gay Peoples Chronicle has shown sensitivity to its readers by not printing sexually explicit personal ads. Afterall, it is

not your job to find sexual partners for anyone. It is however, your job to inform and I think that we can all that agree that providing facts save lives is a news reporting at its best.

My personal thanks to everyone at the Gay Peoples Chronicle for its continued publication

Wendy Gaylord

gay people's

CHRONICLE

THE GAY PEOPLES CHRONICLE Vol. 3 Issue 8.

Editor-in-Chief:

Martha J. Pontoni.

Founder:

Charles Callender, 1928-1986.

Copy Editor:

Kaija Berzins.

Production Editor: Janice T.

Reporters & Writers:

Martha Pontoni, Tom P., Dora Forbes, Robert Downing, John Robinson, Raymond Burton.

Columnists:

Buck Harris, John Robinson, Janice T., Auntie Ray, Doug

Moore.

Production Staff:

Janice T., Raymond Burton, Tom P., Ray Kempski, Kaija Berzins, Kathy S.

Art Director:

Dale Petersen.

Artist:

Christine H.

Distribution Chief:

Robert Downing.

name,

Publication of the picture, or other representation of an individual, organization, or place of business in the GAY PEOPLES CHRONICLE is not indicative of his/her sexual orientation or character.

Any material submitted for publication will be subject to editing. The GAY PEOPLES cannot guarantee the return of any such materials unless accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope.

CHRONICLE

Advertisers may obtain rate sheets and other information by writing the CHRONICLE, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland, OH 44101. Our phone number is (216) 321-1129.

The GAY PEOPLES CHRONICLE is distributed free of charge in any establishment that permits its distribution.

The GAY PEOPLES CHRONICLE is copyrighted under federal law. Any reproduction of its contents is prohibited unless either written or verbal permission is obtained.

I am concerned about your editorial policy regarding the publication of sexually explicit material pertaining to AIDS.

As a lesbian in the age of AIDS am puzzled that anyone, let alone other gay people, could suggest that we might offend someone by printing material that is intended to save

Continued on Page 4.