August 21, 1992

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Page 3

Letters

Plainclothes dyke

To the Editors:

In response to Gena Beck's Guest Opinion in the July 17 issue of the Chronicle: Right on sister! I, too, am a lesbian who feels just fine wearing skirts and lip gloss. Since childhood, I hated wearing jeans, loved dresses and dolls, but the idea of kissing boys was "icky." It's hard to buy this notion of" choice" when if you choose to shave, eat meat, or not to wear Birkenstocks, you're somehow seen as not a "real lesbian," and "once you are educated," you will become one. Before I get dismissed by some as a clueless, stereotypical bar-dyke, please know that I am a proud Lesbian Feminist. I proudly wear my "plain clothes dyke" button and hold my partner's hand while grocery shopping. I am not passing. I am "out of the closet" and doing what is comfortable for me.

As an added note, I am the newly elected vice president of the Gay and Lesbian Student Resource (GLSR) at the University of Akron. We would love to see Clevelanders at our functions. Akronites have made the 30-plus mile hike to Cleveland for many functions, whether it be for Pride Day, the Women's Variety Show, theater, or con-

certs.

Interstate 77 runs both ways. We just had Two Nice Girls in April at U of A, and the turnout was embarrassing! I commit to letting the Chronicle know of our events with as much advance notice as possible. The GLSR office has an answering machine on which we leave information concerning upcoming meetings, programs and

concerts.

Our group meets every Monday night during the school year, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00p.m. in the Elm Room of the Gardner Student Center on the University of Akron campus. We welcome college students, as well as community members. I'm more than happy to send maps to anyone interested. Our office telephone number is 9726851. Looking forward to seeing and hearing from many of you! Welcome back Chronicle!

Vicky Lynn Baker

Act like a business, not like a charity

To the Editors:

Welcome back. As a subscriber, I be-

Music, she wrote

To the Editors:

Thank you for your coverage of the Windsong Womyn's Ensemble and the "Never Turning Back" concert. I would like to make one correction to your article, however. Although the Windsong Women's Ensemble did perform a piece I wrote for them in the Women's Variety Show, the music for both of the pieces performed by the Ensemble in the Never Turning Back" concert was composed by our multi-talented director, Gayle Pilat. She wrote both the text and the music for "Draw Down The Moon" and wrote the music for "Stay At Home, Ladies" on a text by Ensemble member Gayle Crawford.

New members are always welcome in the chorus. Although we are taking a break during the month of August, we will resume our regular rehearsals in September. If you are interested in singing with the Ensemble, please call us at 921-7328.

Lisa Rainsong

Welcome back to Ohio Ohio State

To the Editors:

It is with great joy that I offer congratulations on your publishing again. Too many of our community's good publications have been lost recently, but it is wonderful to have a really good one back.

Those of us who don't live in the Cleveland area were almost totally in the dark about what was happening in your area while you were not publishing. Finally, we will have the light restored. It is also important to recognize the high standards for which you strive (and usually achieve) something I wish other publications would strive for as well.

Welcome back! Your publication benefits all of us--whether from Cleveland or not. I am happy that your name will appear on our "publications" list again.

Phil Martin, Director Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Student Services Ohio State University

lieve the Gay People's Chronicle provides Offensive rap lyrics

a valuable service to our community and I hope the paper does well.

At the same time, I must tell you I was disappointed in your most recent editorial (Non-profit or for-profit, which is best?, July 17). Personally, I have no problem with the Chronicle being a for-profit venture; I'm happy to see any business thrive. But you missed what I conveyed to the three people who called me to attend the last Chronicle "benefit."

Having worked for a number of legitimate non-profits, it really bothers me to see the Chronicle pretend to be one by having "benefits" and asking for "donations." Non-profit organizations which do so are open to public scrutiny (as they should be) and must meet certain legal and ethical standards.

Privately held for-profits, on the other hand, are not open to such scrutiny. For me, it is a matter of honesty. If the paper is going to be a non-profit, become a 501(c)(3) and have it governed by a board of trustees who are not compensated for their services. If it is to be for-profit, act like it.

William F. Bartolini

To the Editors:

I, as a black gay man, have an ax to grind in relation to the vulgar and extremely offensive lyrics used in some rap music.

First of all, in conversations concerning gay black/white relationships, one repeatedly hears that many black gays began dating white men because of the mental anguish, derogatory vileness and bad treatment heaped upon them by black people.

This conclusion is not to state that many whites are not guilty of similar treatment. This conclusion is to state that the treatment by whites, for whatever reason, seldom descends to the abysmal depths of the black vilification. Moreover, it is uniquely heartrending to be derided by fellow blacks in such a savage, condemnatory fashion.

All my life, these facts were known, but imagine my amazement when Joseph Wambaugh, a white man and the author of The Choirboys, The New Centurions, and other police novels, reaffirmed my own observations. In answering a call to domes-

tic violence between blacks, Wambaugh relates how one of the parties sneeringly belittled the other. Then he goes on to say that, in all his years of actual police work, never had he sensed more hatred and vehemence compounded into a cutting, derogatory remark than among blacks--exactly the same observation as my own!

Now the rap recitals are here. Some are laced with much vulgarity and a new dimension in vileness. Such "music" is bad for the general public and a curse for young blacks, who are in great need of role models and a vehicle to lift them to higher plateaus of aspiration. This is why it is both depressing and infuriating to hear young blacks reciting lewd lyrics on buses without any regard for young children, teenage females or adult ladies.

My overall point is that if young rappers are so calloused and disrespectful toward the general public, how will they regard homosexuals, who have always been the ongoing victims of ridicule?

H.R.A. Granny

Still no lesbians or gays on Star Trek

To the Editors:

Last summer, Gene Roddenberry, the now-deceased creator of two Star Trek television series, released a statement to the Advocate (Issue 584, August 27, 1991) confirming that viewers would see "gay crew members in day-to-day circumstances" in the 1991/1992 season of Star

Mr.

Trek: The Next Generation. Roddenberry's statement would appear to have been the result of a letter-writing campaign begun by Franklin Hummel of the Gaylactic Network, an international umbrella organization of gay-lesbian science fiction clubs. While the spring episode "The Outcast' was an interesting sexual/gender parable [a heterosexual persecuted by a society where sexuality is forbidden], it did not end the invisibility of gays and lesbians in the Star Trek universe, as Mr. Roddenberry had stated.

I hope your paper will follow up this matter with Star Trek co-producers Michael Piller and Rick Berman. I encourage your readers to write Mr. Piller and Mr. Berman (and send a copy to Paramount Pictures chair Brandon Tartikoff) at Paramount Pictures, 5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038, requesting that Star Trek include gays and lesbians.

Jay DeSort, Jr. Brandywine, Maryland

The Chronicle encourages everyone to write and express their opinion. 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, or fax them to 216-621-5282. Include your address and phone number so we may

contact you.

Hate Crime Update

Compiled by the Maryann Finegan Project

June 4-Harassment and assault in Lakewood Rego's. Two male teens harassed gay male couple in store, then physically assaulted one in parking lot and screamed anti-gay slurs. Manager was notified, who said Lakewood High students are an on-going problem.

June 21-Verbal anti-gay, HIV-related abuse left on phone machine of gay male with unlisted number.

June 29 --Entrapment, Edgewater Park. Two visiting males enticed by park "cruiser" to dark area on Lake Ave. Set upon by two other males. Beaten with club, robbed, vehicle stolen. One victim sustained lacerations, small concussion. Police report was filed

July 6-Sexual assault, the Flats. One male abducted near Detroit-Superior Bridge by three males in car, taken to secluded area in Flats, raped at gunpoint and robbed. Police report was filed.

July 27-Female/female domestic violence threat over the phone.

August 3-Assault, Legends parking lot. Victim grabbed by assailant using anti-gay language. Victim defended himself with knee to groin and escaped.

August 4-Assault and attempted blackmail. Male hustler assaulted potential client in parked car, then robbed. Victim subsequently threatened with exposure.

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