We are everywhere
by John Herbert
Hong Kong-The "Hong Kong Ten Percent Club",a three year old gay social and activist organization has announced that they are holding discussions with individual members of the Hong Kong Legislative Council as part of their campaign to reform Hong Kong's anti-gay laws, which presently carry a life term for conviction of sodomy-even for consenting adults in their own home.
Julian Chan, chairperson of the Ten Percent Club, said his members are prepared to put their jobs and family life at risk by standing up for what they belive in.
Criticizing the claim that homosexuality was as alien practice which offended Chinese tradition and morality, Mr. Chan pointed out that there were records of gays in Chinese history stretching back as far as the Shang dynasty in 112 B.C.
Australia-Gays greeted British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher when she arrived to visit Sydney and Melbourne, with lively demonstrations to protest her government's Section 28 legislation which bans the "promotion" of homosexuality by local city councils.
OutRage of Australia reported the biggest massing of police since President Johnson's 1966 visit at the height of the Vietnam war protests. Apparently the demonstrations rattled those iron nerves as Thatcher's meet-the-people walk in Sydney was cancelled after the rowdy receptions first in Melbourne and the following day in Sydney.
Venezuela-Accion Cicudadana Contra El SIDA (Citizen's Action Against AIDS) has published a 12 page booklet in Spanish about AIDS and safer sex. The two year old organization has been a major force in providing factual information about AIDS and how to prevent it to the Venezuela media and the general public. Egar Carrasco, the former director of the gay group and publication Entendido, is the coordinator of ACCS and would be happy to exchange information with other AIDS information groups. Write to ACCS, Apartado Postal 14.614, Caracas 1011, Venezuela.
Egar reports that there are presently no lesbian or gay organizations or publication in Venezuela outside of the ACCS organization. There are plenty of gay bars and discos and people to fill them
but, unfortunately, no support for lesbian and gay liberation groups.
Europe-The European Parliament in Strasbourg has started the "European Sentry of Gay Discrimination", also called Iceberg. It is a project initiated by the International Lesbian and Gay Association, who convinced the European Parliament of the need to combat discrimination against lesbians and gay men. European Parliament members have indicated that they will condemn the amendments to the British Local Government Act, known as 'Section 28', which prohibit the "promotion of homosexuality" by local authorities.
Italy-Communists and Gays have joined forces to create a higher public profile and greater political influence for the Italian lesbian and gay community. Previously the state policy was one of tolerance of gays so long as they remained invisible.
Since 1979, ARCI-Gay, a part of the left-wing ARCI Cultural movement (Italian Association for Recreation and Culture) which has over three million members, has led the way. Three years ago, when many different lesbian and gay organizations decided to merge into ARCI-Gay, it became the main national lesbian and gay men's movement in Italy, with 25 branches all over the country.
Despite fierce opposition from the Catholic church, in 1982 the Communistled Bologna City Council gave ARCIGay an office in the city's ancient quarters, which is now the national headquarters of ARCI-Gay.
ARCI-Gay involvements include questions of civil rights, AIDS, military service, sex education in schools and cultural activities. In the general election seven openly gay candidates ran on a civil liberties and gay rights platform as part of the Italian Communist Party list of candidates.
For more information write to ARCIGay, Piazza di Porta Saragozza, 2; P.O. Box 691, 40100 Bologna; Italy.
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by Patty M.
May, 1989 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE Page 7
AMPIN' OUT
Things I Don't Understand
Well, I'm not ashamed to admit it. I've missed you all a lot over the last two months. I'd like to tell you that I've spent February and March relaxing in some exotic vacation spot, tanning my fishbelly white flesh. It'd be nice, wouldn't it, but it's simply not true. In all honesty, (if you must know) I have been held captive against my will. A hostage. It's true. Our beloved Chronicle editor, Martha Pontoni, kept me bound and gagged in her bedroom closet for a full 60 days! No kidding. Something about a holistic cleansing treatment for wayward columnists.
Oh, I don't know. Did I bring it on myself? Perhaps I was too demanding. I did get a little funny about some things. I got heavily into CAPITAL LETTERS to emphasis points when I could get away with it. And I am a real sucker for italics. I fancied myself a Picasso of Punctuation. Maybe I did get a bit too carried away. And then there were those deadlines that I missed here and there...but a kidnapping? That just seems so severe.
Well, I'm not one to whimper. Being the good sport that I am, I didn't even put up too much of a fuss. Aside from systematically knotting-beyond-all-recognition her military issue footwear, I was the perfect guest. I just laid there thinking. I literally spent days pondering the many mysteries of our vast universe. (It was either that, or count up Martha's flannel shirts again for the four hundredth time-we're talking seriously bored, here!) After traveling back into some of my past life experiences and exploring a few major spiritual truths, I settled into an area of even greater fascination. I found myself drawn to the everyday puzzles of our language and behavior; the words and ways of our modern world. For example, I don't understand why it is that:
When you have a bad tooth and go to the dentist, you ask to be "put to sleep". You get knocked out, wake up in what seems to be a few minutes with a sore jaw and a $50.00 tab. However, when your pet gets a bad tooth and you rush them off to the vet, should you ask that they be "put to sleep", you'll return in two hours to pick up a biology class specimen.
Why gay men, "enlightened men" and especially men who identify themselves as feminists (we'll argue the point later) insist upon leaving the toilet seat up.
In the Kitchen with Auntie Ray
Auntie Ray was at a party, and was heard saying that everyone has something in their cupboards and fridge to make a good homemade dessert. My host took me into his kitchen and dared me to keep my word. Much to his surprise and to the delight of the other guests, I made sunsets.
Why, at the age of 35, I still manage to fall bare-bottomed into the commode when using the facilities after one of the above mentioned.
I don't understand why there is no cross-sexual equivalent to a "fag hag". Straight men simply don't pal around with clusters of lesbian women. Should a heterosexual man attach himself to a gay woman, odds are he's not entirely convinced that "one good one" won't straighten her right out. Pity. A “dyke knight" could be a useful companion at some of those homophobic work parties or tedious family events that come up on occasions.
Why women hate to be called "girls", but the boys insist upon it.
Why advertisers don't give more thought to the sizing of condoms in order to promote increased sales and usage. Something tells me that if they sized condoms like they size canned black olives -large, extra large, and jumbo-they| might look a bit more attractive to the buying population.
Why I can find a list of ingredients on packages of jello, hand cream and salt (no kidding-salt ain't just salt), but the materials used in tampons still remain a mystery!
I do not understand how one out of three little girls and one out of seven little boys in this country suffer as victims of child sexual abuse-with the vast majority of their abusers being heterosexual men yet, as gay people, we cannot come out fully to our families and in our lives because the society still ignorantly insists on blaming us for the sins of their other sons and daughters.
How we can be forced to pay taxes in support of a system that won't recognize our partners with coverage from health insurance policies, let us marry, or guarantee our safety in the community or work place. We finance this treatment? There's big problems in Gotham City, Batman!
Why you boys get such a charge out of seeing, and/or wearing, the backs of your stingy little swim suits tucked neatly between your cheeks, when I positively go crazy every time my ill-fitting panties do the same!
But most of all, I certainly don't understand why I'm not fabulously rich and incredibly famous by now. (Watch for my new book, Satanic Curses: Grumblings from an expressive lesbian who is forced back into the closed by her editor. Sorry, Martha, the truth had to be told!) ▼
Sunsets
16-20 large marshmallows 1 cup orange juice
Over low heat, or in a double boiler, heat the marshmallows and the orange juice together until the marshmallows melt. Mix well and spoon into serving glasses.
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