CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

gay peopleCIAL SCIENCES DEPT.

HRO

October, 1991

PERIODICAL

N I

Volume 7 Issue 4

Amnesty adds gays to list of "prisoners of conscience"

by Lou Chibbaro Jr.

Leaders of prestigious Amnesty International have voted to add people imprisoned throughout the world because they are gay to the group's widely recognized list of "prisoners of conscience".

The Sept. 7th vote follows a ten-year lobbying campaign by gay rights groups in Europe and the United States. The decision to all gays to Amnesty's list of protected classes came in the form of a resolution before the human rights organization's 400-member biennial conference, which met Sept. 1st-7th in Yokohama, Japan.

The resolution, which passes by unanimous voice vote, expands the definition of prisoners of conscience to "persons who are imprisoned solely because of their homosexuality, including the practice of homosexual acts in private between consenting adults."

In the past, Amnesty, with an estimated 400,000 members, has recognized as prisoners of conscience those people persecuted for advocating gay rights as a political action. The group did not grant such recognition to gays who were imprisoned or persecuted for, in the words of gay activists, "being themselves"

Last week's resolution was introduced by Amnesty's United States section (AIUSA), which, along with assistance from Gay rights groups, has lobbied for the change for ten years.

However, in a development that has raised

the "cultural background" of the countries and regions in which gays are persecuted or imprisoned.

Amnesty officials added yet another clause to the resolution which states that the organization agreed to take on the cause of anti-gay persecution “realizing fully that this decision increases the difficulty of the development of our movement in many parts of the world".

John G. Healey, executive director of AIUSA, said the two clauses were added as a compromise to avert opposition to the overall resolution. Healey said that during a series of preliminary meetings, delegates representing countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and Southern Asia had expressed strong reservations over accepting gays as prisoners of conscience.

Healey, in a telephone interview, declined to identify individual countries that initially opposed the resolution, saying that to do so would only stir up divisiveness.

"This was a great, historic moment," he said, in referring to Amnesty's adoption of gays as prisoners of conscience. "It is fitting that in its 30th year, Amnesty International has recognized the need to grow and expand, to live up to its highest ideals, and to protect the rights and dignity of all people," he said.

The Gay and Lesbian Task Force to Change Amnesty International, a coalition of groups from the United States, Canada, and

CLEVELAND

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OCT 1991

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An Independent Chronicle of the Lesbian & Gay Community

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Queer Nation outlines gay bashing victims by WMJI

WMJI and John Lanigan received 500 phone calls and marathon fax messages on August 29th, when Queer Nation organized a group of events to protest WMJI's gay and lesbian policies.

The events included advertisements in the Cleveland Edition, flyers asking for community response by fax or phone to WMJI's policies, and outlined bodies depicting gay bashing victims on the sidewalk outside WMJI's office building.

The events were successful drawing from individuals, as well as, other organizations, including WMJI advertisers, who offered support if it was needed.

The real success of the events were measured by Lanigan, himself, when he said, "I'm tired of this subject and I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Queer Nation continues to monitor the morning show, featuring Lanigan, and the tone seems to have changed.▼

concerns among international gay rights Europe, issued a statement this week praising Charges fly in Stallion flap

groups, Amnesty leaders added a clause to the

resolution that directs the organization's International Executive Committee, in consultation with its regional sections, to draft guidelines on how to "take action on behalf of imprisoned homosexuals". The clause says the guidelines should take into consideration

Amnesty International for expanding its coverage of gays. The statement said organizations such as the European-based International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and the San Francisco-based groups Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and Continued on page 26

Health Issues Taskforce to sponsor "A Step in the Right Direction"

Limber up those legs and get out your walking shoes, the Health Issues Taskforce is sponsoring a walk: "A Step in the Right Direction". Come October 26th, you'll have an opportunity to be part of the first annual Cleveland AIDS pledge walk. Proceeds from the walk will help support the Taskforce's service and education programs.

The Walk will be ten kilometers long (that's about six miles for those of you who aren't into metric). The route of the walk will run from the upper picnic area of Edgewater Park to Lakewood Park and back via Lake Avenue. Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. at Edgewater Park. The Walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. Walkers will be welcomed back beginning at noon. Light refreshments will be served upon the walker's return.

Individuals who are interested in walking should call the Task force office at 621-0766 to get a pledge form. There is no charge to the walker. However, walkers are encouraged to get as many sponsors as possible, who will make a dona-

tion to the Taskforce for every kilometer walked. Those walkers who turn in $100 or more in paid pledges on the day of the event will receive a special "A Step in the Right Direction" t-shirt. Walkers raising over $200 will receive a "Step in the Right Direction" sweatshirt.

The Health Issues Taskforce is Ohio's oldest AIDS Service Organization. The Taskforce provides direct services to persons with AIDS, their family, and significant others. These services include counseling, case management, emergency financial assistance, and practical support through its "Buddy Program." The Taskforce also runs a food and clothing bank.

The Taskforce runs a number of educational programs aimed at significantly slowing the spread of the infection and educating the general public about AIDS and its impact upon our community.

Anyone interested in volunteering to work at the walk should call Joe Interrante or Jeff Swindler at 621-0766.▼

by Kim Taylor

Rule No. 1: There are at least two sides to every story.

Rule No. 2: Don't expect one side to tell the other's.

Last month it was reported here that Roger Zucker founded the new group Cleveland Unite, whose stated purpose is to end separatism. Zucker said that he founded this group in response to his being ordered not to serve women in the Leather Stallion.

Since that story came out, plenty of other sides have been heard from, many of them saying, "It's not so!"

Brian Molnar, co-owner of the Leather Stallion, disputed Zucker's version of his exit from the Stallion, Molnar said that Zucker did announce from the bar that he was quitting, but said he did not mention any discrimination. "Instead of talking about (his concerns) with his employers, he just decided to go out in a blaze of glory," Molnar said.

Debra Shepherd, a friend of Zucker's, said that his act was not just grandstanding. She says she has known Zucker since 1989 and the issue of fighting separatism is not new for him. In fact, when she started Lambda Delta Lambda at Cleveland State University, Zucker asked to join, and she agreed.

"It (his quitting the Leather Stallion) was not a vindictive act on his part," Shepherd said. "He has felt this way for years. He worked at the Stallion in order to work from within," to fight separatism.

Shepherd said she had encountered discrimination in the past in the Stallion, stating that it is their policy not to serve women after 9:00 p.m. For the most part, she does not

blame the patrons. "The guys are really friendly. I feel more welcome there than in most women's bars. Apparently, there are just a handful of men who don't want us there."

Stallion ex-bartender Brent Thompson recalls one night last October when Shepherd and a friend visiting from Italy dropped in. He said he was put on probation for allowing them to stay. "We were told if they were not out by 9:00 p.m. we would be fired," Thompson said. "If the guys had had trouble with them being there, I would have asked them to leave. But, oddly enough, the guys were buying them drinks and were happy to see them.'

Thompson added that he believes the after-9 rule has been changed since Zucker left. Continued on page 4

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Stonewall-Cleveland conducts public rights hearings