Page 2 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

EDITORIAL Oppression

On a Saturday night a few years ago some friends and I went to Isis to dance. There were six of us.

Michele, the only person of color in our group, was the last in line to get into the bar. We each paid our money and filed in.

When Michele reached the door, she was asked for her membership card, something the person at the door had neglected to request from rest of us.

When we asked to see the manager, we were told that membership cards were an Isis policy and we would all have to leave if we also did not have a membership card.

This was not the first time by a long shot that any of us had been to Isis. But it was the first time any of us had been ask for a membership card. A couple of us had been given free membership cards a few years ago, but had never been asked to show them for entrance.

We found out later that the local black lesbian bar had closed, and Isis didn't want to let in black women because they were concerned the women would start fights.

It amazed me at the time that a bar

July, 1989

that took a financial risk by catering to one community that faced daily discrimination, would choose another oppressed group to discriminate against.

Now we have Numbers. Numbers is usually described as a men's bar. Isis was usually described as a women's bar. Isis, however, had specific nights where men were welcome, and specific nights that were designated "women only."

But Numbers is much more indiscriminate. Like the person who wrote to the Chronicle last month, I went to Numbers with a group of friends to dance one night. We were told that they had a male stripper and women weren't aloud without escorts. We had escorts, they just weren't men. We weren,t given any information about when women were aloud. We were disappointed not only by the sexist attitude, but by the lack of respect from our brothers, who choose to call after us with a few choice words ing about our sexual preference, no less.

sneer-

That oppression can be so rampant within a community continually affected by oppression from outside of the community is a frightening thought. Oppression is a lot of things.

GUEST EDITORIAL

Take a stereotype, based on prejudice and discrimination, and to it add power the power to actualize that stereotype. You've got oppression.

Oppression is a disease.

Oppression is violence, no matter how it is manifested. It might be someone yelling "lesbefriends" at you from a passing car. Or it could be being made to watch on while your lover is raped and murdered in the parking lot of the local gay bar.

Oppression is institutionalized. You don't even think about it because it's been there for so long. So what you work in an "open," "accepting" environment. Everyone knows your gay, and says, "great, no big deal." But when you ask to add your lover to your health coverage, they say, "If we covered your lover, we'd have to cover everybody's friends. Not that your friend isn't important, of

course."

Oppression is economic. The life of a human being is secondary to economic gain. So what if AZT costs an arm and a leg? It's just those damn queers that are

Continued on Page 6

"Operation Rescue" stymied for now

by Deborah A. Smith

Until recently, the women of Cleveland have been fortunate enough not to have been subjected to the harassment and aggravation of "Operation Rescue" fanatics attempting to block access to abortion facilities.

For almost a year, “Operation Rescue," or "Operation Bully" as we prefer to call it, has been illegally blockading clinics while harassing patients and staff at locations nationwide.

NEVER

AGAIN

Led by Randall Terry, a 26-year-old former used car salesman, Operation Bully marshals large numbers of antichoice fanatics who with their bodies physically block access to clinics until they are arrested and removed by police. Instead of moving themselves, they go limp, forcing police to carry them away to be charged with criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Frequently, they refuse to identify themselves, using the pseudonyms "Baby John" or "Jane Doe." They do not pay

their fines either. Terry owes thousands of dollars in fines from multiple arrests that he swears he never will pay.

On May 20th, Operation Bully descended upon Cleveland and attempted to close the Preterm facility in University Circle. Fortunately, pro-choice people were prepared for their impending arrival and were determined to insure that patients arriving at the clinic would not be denied access to health care.

The picture shown here only begins to portray the level of emotion on the scene as the opposing sides of the most divisivę, volatile issue facing this country met outside Preterm.

The impression here is reminiscent of battle, and so it may be called. Antichoice forces view this as a "holy war," and words cannot wholly describe their fanaticism and their intense misogyny.

This scenario has not been limited to Operation Rescue, however. For years, anti-choice pickets have been harassing and attempting to intimidate women entering Cleveland's abortion clinics.

Pro-choice volunteers have worked as clinic escorts for more than five years, and the horror stories we can tell are numerous. Patients arriving for abortions already are anxious and in a vulnerable emotional state. They are then confronted with a crowd of rabid protesters who are yelling, calling them murderers, or worse, and shoving garish, inaccurate literature in their faces. No woman should have to endure this type of treatment.

Frequently, women who are entering the clinic merely for birth control information or pregnancy testing are accosted in the same manner. Any woman in the vicinity who appears to be of child-bearing age is fair game.

Escorts are favorite targets. We are called "black angels of death," "lesbians with AIDS," "members of N.O.W.Nasty Old Witches" and many more derogatory insults.

The media have not begun to describe the verbal and emotional abuse that women, as clinic patients, escorts and staff, have had to endure at the hands of predominantly white male anti-choice activists. Their fulminant hatred of women, especially independent women who will not submit to rigid genderbased stereotype, is obvious and frightening.

Furthermore, their agenda doesn't stop at completely denying women ac-

gay people's

HRONICLE

Vol. 5, Issue 1.

Founded by Charles Callender

1928-1986

Published by KWIR Publications Co-Owners:

Robert Downing Martha J. Pontoni

Editor-in-Chief:

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Lori Molesky

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Correction

The show that Dennis Chaney and Rita Del Ray emceed in the photo on page 1 last month was the North Coast Mens Chorus Talent Show, held at Keys April 22.

cess to safe and legal abortion. Rightwing fundamentalists would like nothing better than the complete subordination of women at all levels of society, including severe restrictions on birth control and women's sexuality. Curtailing women's access to safe legal abortion, effective birth control and sexuality education is the first step in an ultraconservative agenda designed to put women back hundreds of years. It goes without saying that the missionary position in a heterosexual marriage is the only acceptable sexuality for women in this regime!

As lesbians, feminists and women, we cannot allow this right-wing movement to progress. The future roles and perceptions of women in this society are at stake.

We were fortunate May 20. More than 150 pro-choice activists were at Preterm and kept a door accessible to patients by the strength of their physical presence. We also escorted patients to the door, shielding them as much as possible from the abuse of Operation Rescue bullies. Thanks to the good job done by cooperative Cleveland police, those Continued on Page 8