October, 1991

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Page 9

Charlie Callender lived by example: a tribute

This month marks the fifth year since the founding Editor of the Gay People's Chronicle, Charlie Callender, died suddenly of a heart attack. Here are some tributes to the man by three people who knew him well.

by Rob Daroff

A young 57-year-old great bear of a man, Charlie will be remembered among many reasons for his firey energy and unrestrained pen as Editor. After coming out late in life at age 54, it was as if Charlie was making up for lost time. Month after month he enthusiastically chipped away at the institutionalized closet that covered the Cleveland gay community.

After a long heterosexual marriage that ended in divorce, Charlie knew too well how caustic that closet could be. His witty yet frank editorial style won him many foes. Charlie could never bite his tongue, particularly when he smelled internalized homophobia guiding the leadership of our own organizations or racism controlling who could enter our own bars.

In his last editorial less than a month before his death, Charlie wrote:

"We must be strong. And we must try to foster unity within our community. We have pointed out before that national gay and lesbian leaders regard the existence of a free and vigorous gay press as essential for a strong community."

In the face of claims that his newspaper had gone too far, he concluded. "We refuse to accept any topic as untouchable."

Charlie's resolve to heighten community consciousness extended well beyond the pages of the Chronicle. At Case Western Reserve University, he affected the campus like no other professor. His ever-popular, annual Halloween parties were always packed with unlikely combinations of

students and friends, from fraternity jocks to gay men in drag.

In his class on the history of homosexuality, he taught me and hundreds of other undergraduates the truth about gay heritage. By providing an historical, cross-cultural perspective, he helped me restructure my whole self-concept as a gay person into one more strong, healthy and self-affirming.

Outside of the classroom, Charlie's door was literally always open. Under his fisherman's cap, fuzzy beard, and extra pounds was a warm and loving man.

He touched the lives of so many of us, and his smile, his laugh, and his magic, I think, will never die.

by Peter Beebe

Charlie Callender was a tough and tender man. His honesty could pierce as his big hug could warm and comfort. He had no patience with fuzzy thinking or half-hearted commitment. He awakened and inspired an entire generation of gay and lesbian college students and shook a lot of the rest of us into looking at ourselves. He wasn't always wellliked. In the end, however, I think it is more important to mean something than to be popular.

Thanks, Charlie.

by Martha Pontoni

Charlie Callender was the person who taught me what I know today.

My passion, dedication, and loyality to this community was learned and fostered under Charlie's care.

Charlie's vision for this community was far reaching. He dreamed of a day where women and men would work together, where

pride and visibility would be a way of life, and where coming out was easier than it was for him.

Charlie's heart burst before he could see his vision materialize. I often wonder what Charlie would think of the Chronicle now, or how much he would enjoy Pride. When U4ia was barring women and the community actually banded together to stop it, I knew Charlie was watching and cheering everyone

on.

Cleveland's lesbian and gay community is very different than when I met Charlie. His frustration was evident and his wish for something different drove him to extreme measures for some change. Charlie paid for the original Chronicle out of his own pocket, which added up to many thousands of dollars. Many of the advertisers didn't or wouldn't pay. Some of the original starting funds for the paper had been stolen and because Charlie was so busy, billing never got done. So month, after month Charlie sat at his computer and wrote, edited and composed the Chronicle. His editorials were inflammatory at times and he pushed the community to recognize and confront homophobia from

within and without the community. This did not make Charlie a popular guy, with those who wanted to maintain the status quo, but as they say it "sold newspapers". Everyone wanted to know what he was going to say

next.

The only thing that stopped Charlie was death. When I hugged him just a few hours before he passed away and assured him all would be fine, I only thought that when he felt

better that I would help him more. After all the Chronicle was important.

During my first years as editor, I would often talk to Charlie and ask him what to do and it brought me a sense of peace even if it didn't bring real answers. I truly believe that even though Charlie was dead he "stayed around" and helped guide the Chronicle to how it is today. I don't sense Charlie's presence around here as often today, but I still believe he is sitting somewhere, dropping cigarette ashes, chuckling and being proud of this community.

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