gay people's

CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPT. PERIODICAL

HRON

I C

Cleveland, Ohio

January 10, 1992

Volume 7 Issue 7

CLEVELAND

PUBLIC LIBRARY

JAN 19 1995

An Independent Chronicle of the Lesbian & Gay Community

Judge in Steffan case rules military's ban 'legitimate'

by Nick Bartolomeo

The case of former Navy midshipman Joseph Steffan's legal battle took a somewhat unexpected turn this week when a U.S. District Court judge ruled that AIDS is a “rational” reason for excluding gays from the military.

Judge Oliver Gasch's ruling, handed down in Washington, has long been awaited by activists, who regard Steffan's case as one of the most formidable judicial challenges to the military's anti-gay regulations. Legally, the case is viewed as strong because Steffan simply acknowledged his sexual orientation, and was never cited for having engaged

Recognizing a few of our own

by Kimberly Taylor

The fourth annual Gay People's Chronicle Community Service Awards ceremony finds itself honoring old friends and greeting new players.

Societal pressures make working for the betterment of the lesbian and gay community an act of heroism. And the awards, while going to specific groups, individuals and events, are an attempt to allow the community to reflect on all of the people whose dedication and determination makes it possible for us all to stand a little prouder and breathe a little easier.

For that reason, it seems appropriate that as many people as possible come to Snickers Restaurant, at 1261 W. 76th St., on Sunday, January 19 to honor these people.

in homosexual activity.

Steffan, a top-ranked midshipman kicked out of the Naval Academy in 1987, sued the Navy in 1988, charging that the Department of Defense directive prohibiting gay service members violated the equal protection provisions of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. Only a few weeks shy of graduating when he left the Academy, Steffan also sought the award of his diploma and reinstatement into the Navy.

Gasch, an 85-year-old senior judge who, during the course of the case referred to Steffan and other gays as "homos," ruled

against the ex-midshipman.

"The Department of Defense's regulations. . . establish classifications that rationally further legitimate state purposes," wrote . . . Gasch. "Those purposes include the maintenance of discipline, morale, good order, a respected system of rank and command, a healthy military force, morality and respect for the privacy of interests of both officers and the enlisted."

"Legitimate state purposes" are the only reason the government can discriminate against a "suspect class," a legal term for minority groups that are

defined by an "immutable characteristic" and have been the object of persistent, institutionalized discrimination.

Unlike federal courts in other circuits of the country, Gasch argued that gays cannot be considered a suspect class, in part, he said, because some gays "choose" their sexual orientation.

In addition, Gasch supported the military's argument that "[T]he quite rational assumption in the Navy is that, with no one present who has a homosexual orientation, men and women alike can undress, sleep, bathe and use the bathroom without fear or embarrassment continued on page 7

Photo by Martha Pontoni

Stonewall-Cleveland members gather outside of Rep. Mary Rose Oakar's Clevleand office: (l to r) Alan Trethewey, Steve Sharrock, Mike Radice, Lisa Nussbaum( hidden), Scott Marous, Bob Reynold, and Karen Kowalski.

Dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m.; the Where's Mary Rose?

ceremony will be at 7:30p.m. There will be

a charge of $25 for dinner and the ceremony; the ceremony alone will cost $10. To make reservations, please call 621-5280.

Award Winners, page 8

Bridging seems to be the theme of the Gay '90s, and despite their different

by Martha Pontoni

Members of Stonewall-Cleveland, a lesbian and gay political organization, attempted to visit Rep. Mary Rose Oakar, D-20, in her Cleveland office on January 2. Their purpose was to ask her why she hasn't responded to their numerous inquires about her failure to sign on as a cosponsor of H.R. 1430, the federal Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights Bill. Oakar has co-sponsored in the past.

When the group reached her office, Oakar's secretary assured them that her administrator, Andy Fedynsky, would meet with them in an hour. When a smaller group returned, Fedynsky had left the office with no explanation. When reached by the Chronicle, Fedynsky had no reason for not talking to the group: "I will not comment on that." The only reason, Fedynsky said, that Oakar had not signed on, was that she was too busy to. "She has been busy; there is a recession going on." Oakar's Cleveland number is 522-4927, if you would like to try to reach her yourself. Reps. Edward Feighan, Louis Stokes, and James Traficant, and Sen. Howard Metzenbaum, are among the 114 current co-sponsors. ▼

approaches and constituencies, this is the Cracker Barrel continues fight with gays

area that the awardees have in common. Inside the paper are much longer stories about the accomplishments of each, but following is a brief overview of how our winners helped build community:

Friend of the Year: The rabbinical and cantorial staff of Fairmount Temple. If this category didn't already exist, this group's efforts would have made it necessary to invent it. The rabbinical and cantorial staff, through its own initiative, visited and worked with Chevrei Tikva.

Washington, D.C.-Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores Inc. has intensified its actions against the gay and lesbian community by suing activists who have protested the family-style eateries' anti-gay employment policy. The chain also moved to prevent gay and lesbian activists who own stock in the company from attending its annual shareholders' meeting. Lambda Legal Defense and Educational Fund has stepped in to defend the activists.

In early 1991, Cracker Barrel fired at Continued on Page 7 least nine gay and lesbian workers for

Pride '92 is on the horizon

The Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Pride Committee is gearing up for the fourth annual Cleveland Pride March and Festival. Although the date for Pride '92, June 20, is over six months away, preparations must begin now.

The Pride committee is having a kickoff meeting on Monday, January 27 at 7:30 p.m., at the Center, 1418 West 29th Street. Refreshments will be served, and the video of Pride '91 will be shown. Those who attend will get a free T-shirt from Pride '90. Sorry, but all the shirts from 91 were sold.

Many volunteers have worked hard to produce previous Pride celebrations. This year more volunteers are needed than ever. The Pride committee also wants to step up the participation of groups and organizations. If your group has any ideas that you would like to incorporate into the Pride 92 Celebration, you are encouraged to bring your ideas to any Pride meeting.

Pride consists of many standing committees. One of the most popular is the March committee. Security, booth coordination, publicity, and other

violation of company policy, stating that it is inconsistent with the chain's "traditional American values. . . to employ individuals . . . whose sexual preferences fail to demonstrate normal heterosexual values."

A statement claiming the policy was a "well-intentioned overreaction" was later released by Cracker Barrel. But, after months of demonstrations at the restaurants, none of the dismissed employees has been rehired nor has any restitution been made.

The stockholder's meeting was held on November 26 at the company's

committees are all important for a successful event.

headquarters in Lebanon, Tenn. Gay activists who own Cracker Barrel stock were delayed from entering until the meeting was almost over.

The City of New York, which has $3 million in pension funds invested in Cracker Barrel, sent a representative to the meeting to get a clarification of the current policy. Earlier this year, trustees of the pension fund voted to ask Cracker Barrel to adopt a policy barring discrimination against gays and lesbians.

CONTENTS

What is separatism . . . . Letters.....

Veil of denial on AIDS "Joy to the World"..

If you are not able to work on a committee, you can still support Pride '92 through donations and by attending the different events that will be held. The point of any Pride celebration is to CPT New Play Festival. be happy, be proud and have fun. For more information, call Doug Braun at 229-2827, or write to the Lesbian-Gay Pride Committee, P.O. Box 91031,

Cleveland, Ohio 44101.

O'Banion gets simple assault Community Service Awards. Obituaries.... Resource Directory.

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