March, 1990

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Page 3

LETTERS

What a turnout!

To the Editor:

That was a very fine article in your February issue by Fern Levy about Victor Karp. It should be an inspiration to any gay or lesbian over 50 who thinks the "gay" life stops at 45!

I would like to make one small correction. The article stated that 30 people attended the Sabbath service in honor of his birthday. Try 60! This was one of the biggest attendance in our history. Certainly a tribute to a man who has given more than his share to our Synagogue

Continued from Page 1 Charlie B.

whose decision the Appeals Court reversed, told the Columbus Dispatch at the time when adoption agencies advertise for prospective parents, "they don't say only heterosexuals need apply."

However, the Appeals Court held that "to impute to the legislature an intention to make homosexuals eligible to adopt is, in our opinion, inappropriate and unwarranted. The so-called 'gay lifestyle' is patently incompatible with the manifest spirit, purpose and goals of adoption. Homosexuality negates procreation. Announced homosexuality defeats the goals of adoption."

Astonishingly, the court did acknowledge in its decision that "there is evidence that at the present time, this child desires this home" and speculated on "what would be his reaction if and when he discovers the law did not permit him to be adopted by the only person who was willing to take him with all his problems?"

The decision stunned Balser, who claims everything went favorably before the Appeals Court in September, 1988. The court, Balser said, "asked all the right questions" and expressed skepticism about the agency's motives. At the hearing, Judge Putnam told Licking County assistant prosecutor William Sewards, Jr. that he felt "[Licking County Children's Service] has no problem with this adoption, but simply wanted to be on record as opposing what would appear Kent conference

Continued from Page 1

ing you in Kent, Ohio."

Brian McNaught to speak. As part of Kent's Gay Heritage Week, author, lecturer and educational consultant Brian McNaught will be speaking at Kent State's University Auditorium Wednesday, April 26.

McNaught last spoke at Kent State in 1979, and since then has served as Boston's liaison to the lesbian and gay community. His most recent book is On Being Gay: Thoughts on Family, Faith and Love, and he stars in a video entitled, A Conversation with Brian McNaught: On Being Gay.

"Brian puts you in touch with feelings and attitudes about homosexuality, if you're gay or straight," said Michael McKee, KGLF co-program director and Continued fron Page 2

Loyal Oaks

Furry has been trying to teach us valuable lessons about the legal systems, if we would only listen. No matter what, the struggle is long, time consuming, and packed with setbacks and defeat. If we give up along the way, then the system has won. It needs our surrender; it wears and prepares for that. It took seven years of legal wrangling for her to get McCarthy off her own back. How many years has it taken blacks to make the systematic inroads they have made?

We need patience and stamina. Once a story falls off the front page we cannot forget about it, which is why gay publications are so critical. When professionals

and the gay and lesbian community in general.

Paul Zeitzew Chevrei Tikva

Enjoys local news

To the Editor:

Since leaving Cleveland two years ago, I've enjoyed keeping up with Cleveland news through the Gay People's Chronicle. I realize that its professional format is the result of the hard work and dedication of a small number of exceptional volunteers. Please accept my donation to help you in your task. I en-

to be a controversial adoption."

Putnam also stated that the court's "power of review has been cut off with an ax" because the agency had asked the probate judge for his reasons in granting the adoption. According to Ohio law the absence of such a request makes the trial court's original determination of the best interests of the child immune from appeal. "I don't know how we can reverse [the trial court's decision]," Putnam said.

Balser and Kuzma insist that Putnam and Turpin's ultimate opposition to the adoption was politically motivated. They note that the court's decision which Turpin wrote was released just one week before Turpin's bid for reelection.

Balser has appealed the decision to the Supreme Court on six grounds: that the trial court which originally granted the adoption was correct in ruling that the consent of Licking County Human Services was not necessary to the adoption; that the trial court's decision was in Charlie's best interest is supported by the evidence; that an unmarried gay adult is eligible to adopt under the Ohio law; that the Court of Appeals abused its discretion in finding that as a matter of law Balser is ineligible to adopt; that in finding that gay people cannot adopt, the court is denying gay people both equal protection and due process of law as guaranteed in the Constitution. For the Court of Appeals decision to stand, the Supreme Court must decide against Balser on all six issues.

The case has also created a tremendous financial burden on the couple.

coordinator of McNaught's visit.

McKee explained that McNaught's presentation will focus on homosexuality as perceived by the straight community, but it will also benefit the gay community, as well.

"Although structured for a straight audience," he said, "I believe that McNaught's presentation will benefit. gay men and women in two ways. First, by placing an emphasis on combating homophobia, something to which we, as gay men, are not immune to, and secondly, just seeing how the straight community reacts to their new understanding of what it is like to grow up gay through Brian's experiences."

The Saturday conference will offer pre-registration which will include lunch. The nine workshops currently scheduled are:

assist us in the fight, we must do what we can as a community to see that they are rewarded. Both Thelma Furry and Nancy Grim have donated untold hours to get this appeal into the federal arena. The constitutional grounds are highly significant to us as gay and lesbian people: the right to privacy, and to be secure in your own person.

Anti-gay nuances cry out from the pages of this case, and we can't afford to ignore legal battles such as this one. The implications may seem small, until one fully assesses how broad the implications could become. A small infraction in a small municipality wreaked havoc on the lives of each and every man. Instead of rationalizing such events so that we are insulated from them, we must pay atten-

courage other Clevelanders-in-exile to

do likewise.

Best of luck,

Thank you

To the Editor:

Bill McCaffery Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

This is a note of thanks to all who supported Lambda Delta Lambda in our efforts to raise money for HIT and the Living Room. The Dinner Raffle was a great success. Twelve couples enjoyed dinner at fine restaurants in Cleveland. Most importantly, $624 was raised for these two worthy organizations. Knowing the high cost of treating and caring for those with AIDS or ARC, this money

Court costs and attorney fees have already exceeded $20,000, even though their attorney is not charging the full rate. Kuzma commented, "you grow up thinking we live in a wonderful democracy with equal protection under the law, but who can afford it?" He claims printing of documents required by the Supreme Court alone cost $3000.

Friends of the couple have already established a fund to help with the court costs. So far, most of the contributions have come from members of Lee Balser's mother's church in Granville. In fact, the men say, most of the support they've received, both financial and otherwise has not come from the lesbiangay community. When news first broke of the Appeals Court decision, Balser received 40 letters of support, all of which he claims were from writers who identified themselves as straight.

Kuzma speculated that members of the lesbian-gay community may perceive it simply as an adoption issue that won't affect them if they're not interested in parenting. But this case, he says, will have far-reaching ramifications for everyone. He said that if the Supreme Court sides with the Court of Appeals decision it will mean that "unless you are explicitly stated as covered by the law, you're not covered by the law. It's kind of spooky actually."

For now, Charlie lives with Balser's sister who has also filed a petition to adopt Charlie should the Supreme Court rule against her brother. Licking County Human Services has filed a motion to

People of Color Gays in the Arts Family Concerns Rules of Religion Student Activism

AIDS

Military Matters Pride '90 Lesbian and Gay Spirituality

Founded in December, 1971 as the Kent Gay Liberation Front, KGLF is one of the oldest continuing lesbian and gay student organizations in the country. The first spring conference was held there in 1972, and during the 1970s the KGLF conferences grew to be weekend-long affairs similar to the ones held at CWRU in recent years, according to Center board president Bob Laycock, who was active in KGLF at the time. The name was changed to the Kent Gay-Lesbian Foundation in 1980. ✔

is very much needed.

Thank you for your giving spirit and support.

Debra Shepard President

Lambda Delta Lambda/CSU

The Chronicle encourages everyone to write and express their opinion about the paper or life in general. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. We will print your name unless you specifically ask us not to.

Address letters to the Chronicle, P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland, Ohio, 44101.

withhold consent from her also. None of them have told Charlie about the details of the case. Instead Balser and Kuzma tell him that they're "waiting for the judge to decide if we will be good parents." Balser believes that at Charlie's age he can't conceptualize Kuzma and Balser's relationship but that he's aware they're more than friends. "Tom and I are very affectionate people" Balser says, "and we don't have any qualms about showing that affection." The boy calls Balser "Daddy" and Kuzma, "Dadda." He sees them on week-ends and holidays. The three spent Christmas together.

Having grown far too accustomed to disappointments, Balser and Kuzma don't like to speculate much about the future. In their most optimistic moments they envision adopting Charlie jointly and finding a sibling for him. "We don't believe in only children," Kuzma says.

But in darker moments they fear that the ordeal may not end with a state supreme court decision but might go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Balser says that would "destroy Charlie and put him back in foster care limbo," which is what they've been trying to save him from for the past three years.

If you'd like to assist Kuzma and Balser in their fight to adopt Charlie, send contributions to the Charlie B. Adoption Fund, 50 West Broad Street, Suite 2720, Columbus, Ohio 43215.

Reprinted with permission from Stonewall Union Reports, Columbus.

New bookstore opens in Cleveland Heights

by Faith Klasek

Gifts of Athena, an alternative bookstore, will celebrate its grand opening on Friday, March 16, at 7:30 p.m. The event includes a discussion and book signing by Kay Hagan, author of Internal Affairs.

The woman-owned bookstore takes its name from the Greek Athena, goddess of wisdom and crafts. The store will feature feminist, lesbian-gay, recovery, and spirituality oriented material. In addition to books, Gifts of Athena looks forward to selling music, jewelry, cloth-

For more information, contact the KGLF ing, and cards. office at 672-2068

tion and demand out established gay sentinels do the same, and keep us informed.

The irony of Loyal Oaks is in its name. Too often the case has been labelled by the name of the defendants, as the law decrees. That colors things too personally, and makes it easy to believe that the targets of Norton's investigation were really just four men instead of the community of humanity to which they belong.

Please forward any comments to Thelma C. Furry, Attorney at Law, Coach House, 50 Monroe Falls Ave., Monroe Falls, Ohio 44262

Dawn Fazzino is the president of the University of Akron Lesbian and Gay Resource Center.▼

The Chronicle invites you to express your

Owners Heather Thorp and Susan Bennett hope that the store will serve as an important community resource. As yet unused space may soon serve as a reading and meeting room where a community bulletin board will be available.

The store is located at 2199 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. Parking is available. Store hours will be: Monday, 10:00a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Wednesday through Friday 10:00 to 8:00., Saturday, 10:00 to 6:00, and Sunday, 12:00 to 5:00. The store will be closed Tuesdays.

For more information, call, 371-1937.

opinion. You may write on any issue that affects the lesbian and gay community. Submissions should be at least 500 words, not exceeding 1,500 words, typewritten or on an IBM-compatible computer diskette. Please include your name and phone number So we may contact you. Send submissions to P.O. Box 5426, Cleveland, Ohio 44101.