January 10, 1992

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Page 3

Letters

Slumming in our bars score not on talent, but rather on sex

To the Editor:

On Wednesday, December 11, I was at a gay bar here in Cleveland and I heard the most awful and stupid remark on gay people. This person is a quite "notorious" woman (heterosexual), who frequents gay bars and professes to be our friend. I think not.

A question was posed to this person concerning her sexuality (by another woman) and her answer was, and I quote, "I'm normal."

First of all, Ms. B., if you are normal, what does that make us?"Abnormal," perhaps? And, if you consider us abnormal, why are you in gay bars constantly? Go to "normal" bars instead. I do not appreciate you or anybody insulting me, or for that matter, the gay community in general. We need to educate people like Ms. B. to think of us as fellow human beings first, and not our sexuality. I've noticed how content homosexuals are in this town. I refuse to bow to people like Ms. B.I do ask: if you think of us that way (abnormal), when the time comes to accuse, will you be at the vanguard to get rid of us? I say fight back now before it's too late. ACT-UP for your lives.

Gay, loud, and proud,

Disappointed

To the Editor:

Eliezer Rivero

I am writing to your column toexpress my disappointment in the Chronicle's reporting of the Lesbian-Gay Community Service Center's Talent Show [December]. Since the Chronicle requests brevity in this column, please let me begin:

1. Martha Pontoni's “biased" reporting of the event should have been reserved for the editorial page (however, there was a commercial for the Chronicle there instead).

Having seen Ms. Pontoni on television, and assuming that she advocates unity in the lesbian-gay community, she does the com-

organs.

2. As one of the volunteers for the "After Show Party," I can personally tell you that every effort (and I mean every effort) was made to be "as politically correct as possible."

We provided a white male DJ, we provided a racial ethnic (or sistah, or womyn, or wimmen or whatever the correct term of the week is) female DJ, we had "Sober Support," we had non-smoking, we had liquor separate from beer and wine-we really tried. Yet, no mention was made of all the volunteers who donated their time and energy and tips to the Center. I would also like

to mention that almost all of those volunteers were men, men that stayed until 4:00 a.m. that evening/morning, cleaning up and wrapping up the event.

I really support the Chronicle-I sent a donation when your office was vandalized. I support the lesbian-gay community in every way I can, from volunteering for events

a too-large group of gay men and women who will find fault wherever possible. Her comment that it was predictable and women cannot be judged fairly in a man's world only goes to show how shallow these people can be--as well as troublemakers. Someone should remind her that five of the seven judges were women. How about all of the money that was raised for the Center? How about the good time men and women had in one evening under one roof?

Why don't these people find more important and reasonable things to look for? The Pentagon just got approval from a high court to keep gay men and women out of the service because they spread AIDS. I don't see Ms. Hirshberg writing letters to George Bush. These dissenters should find really major problems in our society that are already here, rather than look for new ones or make old ones worse.

such as the Talent Show to donating money Separatism

to help the Pride celebration. I just become very disappointed when the voice and opinion of one person, especially when that voice and opinion is in the position to influence hundreds or thousands of others, is abused or not exercised responsibly.

The Talent Show was, by and large, a very successful and exciting event. For probably 99 percent of the people-women and men in attendance, it was an uplifting and inspiring evening. I hope that anyone who may have possibly been turned off by any negative feedback that they have heard or read will wait to pass judgement till next year, and come attend the show and form their own opinion.

Tim Kempf

We regret that the article, "Center talent show shines" was not headlined as a review. It was intended as one-a positive one-not as a factual news article. — Ed.

munity and the Chronicle a grave injusCan't please them

tice with remarks like "... It is too bad the whole concept of having women and men working together was ruined by having only male winners."

Anyone that attended the show knows that the women judges outnumbered the male judges by over two to one. Perhaps Ms. Pontoni would like to see the judges

To the Editor:

When I read the letter from Ms. Hirshberg [December] complaining about men winning all of the prizes at the recent Talent Show, what little hair is left on my head stood up in anger. Ms. Hirshberg is part of

To the Editor:

Joe Columbo

I feel the need to respond to Debra Shepherd. Her letter in the December Chronicle is very good for the information it imparts. Yes, we need to know more about the health risk of AIDS

and gay women. Her response to my letter should be put under the heading, "Because I said so."

Debra claims that the Halloween Party is not a separatist event because it only happens once a year. I, being a pig-headed and politically incorrect male, disagree. It was a public event. It was advertised in a public media (this newspaper). And, there was a charge to enter.

It is not just the Halloween Party. There are other women-only (but they are only held once a year) events. There is the women'sonly Variety Show, as one example. And, even though it isn't held in Cleveland, there is the Music Festival. I don't begrudge you your activities, but let's get real and call it by its name: It's separatism, and you are just as guilty as everyone else.

You complain that there are no womenonly bars. But there were. They either closed from lack of support, or opened their doors to the men (who came in and spent money). In that respect, they remind me of a feminist bookseller that opened on the West Side. When it opened,

it was very P.C. and the women would come in and browse, and maybe buy a book (which was then passed around to every friend and every friend of a friend, and friend of a friend of a friend they could find).

They couldn't pay their rent. When they tried to sell books of interest to gay men (which moved much quicker, and were more profitable) they were told they were selling out, and lost the customers they had opened to serve.

Debra, you cry that women aren't paid on the same scale as men. Well, there is a way to change that. Get into the middle of the system.

Some things the early civil rights movement should have taught us are that: No one is going to stand there and hand us our rights; and that bitching, crying, complaining and violence will only get you enough to quiet you down. If you want your rights, better pay, everything you feel you deserve... you have to play the game... by their rules... to win.

You don't approve of us "stuffing our gayness in our back pockets and masquerading in the straight world.” Well, darling, I have news for you. The only person able to go to work and make a living, wearing leather-a real punked out hair style-a half-dozen earrings-or spikes and chains... owns the company. The only one he or she has to answer to is the customer, who, if they don't like what they see, won't be back.

The big fuss, Debra, is about the rights you claim are yours, and refuse to recognize as belonging to everyone else. You write of valuing the truth, love and respect of others. Yes, but only if they accept your version. We have the right to assemble, without the benefit of female companionship. You have the same right. And, yes, it is separatism. Roll the word around on your tongue, chew on it, spit it out if you want. Kicking and screaming and yelling "No, it's not-No, it's not-No, it's not" won't change it. Live with it.

Daniel R. Kahn

The Chronicle encourages everyone to write and express their opinion about the paper or life in general. Please be brief. 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. Include your address and phone number so we may contact you.

Breaking down the veil of denial BWMT taskforce

by Reggie Williams

It is courageous that Magic Johnson came forward. To the National Task Force on AIDS Prevention, it doesn't matter how he got infected. The major issue is that he is another black man with HIV. He is also a superstar and has already made a difference. He has been able to advance the agenda on AIDS awareness in the African-American community faster than anything else in ten years of work.

I felt the impact as a black gay man living with HIV. It's been so heartwarming for 15-year-old black males to be on TV for something positive, and they've been saying HIV and safe sex in the same sentence. This is a first.

Magic Johnson is not the first to have this infection. While we send him our compassion, his announcement will hurt us and our efforts if we allow people to marginalize gay and bisexual men in the African-American community. Ryan White, Larry Kramer and Kimberly Bergalis, to name just a few, have undoubtedly marginalized men of color.

We have to be sure that black gay men's issues get addressed. Gay and

bisexual men are the hardest-hit segment of African-Americans. I did many media interviews after Magic Johnson went public, driving home the message about breaking down

the veil of denial covering HIV and sexuality-the fulf spectrum of sexuality-in

the

black

community.

I view it

as a tragedy, but not in the sense that others have used that term. For me, it's a tragedy because in 1991 black men are still getting infected, despite

in the black community have not been given the resources with which to get the message out there in a way that hits home. I think this presents a definite challenge

NEW DISEASE STRIKES U.S.!!

Newsweek

AIDS

IT REALLY IS A PROBLEM!

all the work that we've done. The sad reality is that black men were still able to feel that this wasn't a problem they had to face, partly because programs operating

to African-American leaders: It's time to do the right thing-get our community the money to fight AIDS.

I've been pointing out the devastating impact of recent cutbacks by the Centers for Disease Control. Even the National Commission on AIDS states in their recent report, "Gay and bisexual men the largest segment of people with AIDS among blacks and Hispanics. A total of 28 percent of gay and bisexual men with AIDS are black or Hispanic.... Gay men of color may face special risk-reduction challenges. More must be done to reach Continued on Page 10

are

denounces cuts

The National Task Force on AIDS Prevention has denounced budget cuts that cripple HIV education efforts among people of color.

"Our organization was cut 43 percent," said executive director Reggie Williams. "We are the only national minority organization funded by the CDC to do HIV prevention and AIDS advocacy serving African-American gay and bisexual men." The Task Force made the following points:

The Centers for Disease Control says their 1992 AIDS budget was cut by more than $14 million from last year's level.

• Thirty of the 32 grantees in the National Minority Organization program were cut. The steepest cut was aimed at the National Task Force on AIDS Prevention, a project of the National Association of Black and White Men Together.

• The CDC says that Congress appropriated the $14 million to the Ryan White CARE Act for AIDS treatment and care. Williams is angered that anyone who would pit the needs or prevention programs against the needs of groups that are providing treatment and care to people with HIV.

Williams said, "Racism and homophobia are getting in the way of AIDS prevention efforts for the people most at risk-gay and bisexual men of color."