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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE
Bits & Pieces
September 18, 1992
Local
Health Issues Taskforce sponsoring AIDS walk and run. 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 3, you'll have an opportunity to be part of this second annual Cleveland AIDS pledge walk. Proceeds from the walk will help support the Taskforce's AIDS service and education programs. As a new feature, a 5K run will be included for those who like a faster pace.
The Walk will be 10 kilometers long (that's about six miles). The route of the walk will run from the upper picnic area of Edgewater Park to Lakewood Park and back via Lake and Clifton avenues.
Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. at Edgewater Park. Runners will leave the park at approximately 9:15 a.m. The Walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. Light refreshments will be served upon the walkers and runners
return.
Individuals who are interested in walking or running should call the Taskforce office at 621-0766 to get a pledge form. There is no charge for participating. However, walkers and runners are encouraged to get as many sponsors as possible who will make a donation to the Taskforce for every kilometer completed.
Those runners and walkers who turn in $150 or more in paid pledges on or before the day of the event will receive a special "A Step in the Right Direction" T-shirt. Special prizes will be awarded to individuals and teams that raise the most in pledges. Volunteers are also needed for the day of the event. Call the Taskforce office at 6210766 and ask for Sue Drazdik.
S
TEP
Friends of Vaughn Stakes, the committee to elect Independent Candidate Vaughn Stakes to the Ohio State Senate, has been formed.
One of the first items on the committee's agenda is to coordinate volunteers. Volunteers can reach the committee by calling 845-7431, from 5 to 10 p.m.
The 24th Senate District includes Bay Village, Berea, Brooklyn Heights, Brookpark, Middleburg Heights, North Olmsted, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, Parma, Parma Heights, Rocky River, Seven Hills, Strongsville and Westlake.
P-FLAG meeting set. Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (P-FLAG) will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, October 15, at 671 Canton Rd., Akron (at the corner of Albrecht). For more information about this support group, write P-FLAG, P.O. Box 6350, Akron, Ohio 443 12, or call 794-2727 or 467-9078 before 9:00 p.m.
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Cleveland hosts human rights conference. The City of Cleveland will host the 45th Annual Conference of the National Association of Human Rights Workers (NAHRW) from October 8 through 12. The confab will take place at the Sheraton Cleveland City Centre Hotel and is expected to draw over 300 dedicated human rights workers and practitioners from across the country. This year's conference theme, "1992: What's Your Commitment to Human Rights For Everyone?," is geared toward raising self-awareness and providing effective training of human rights work-
ers.
Sam Thomas III, executive director of Cleveland's Community Relations Board
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
AIDS WALK AND FUN RUN
OCTOBER 3. 1992
CLEVELAND
Health Issues Taskforce
O F C L E V•E•L•A•N•D
FOR INFO 621-0766
and president-elect of NAHRW, said, “I want people to leave this conference with a greater awareness of the state of human rights in this country. I would like people to be able to recognize the unequal protection that individuals experience as a result of race, religion, cultural background, sex, sexual orientation, and handicap; to understand why the Los Angeles riots happened; and certainly, I would like people to leave this conference with a new sense of vigor, enthusiasm, competence and commitment to improving human rights for everyone!"
The conference offers several reasonably priced packages for those interested in attending. Greater Clevelanders are encouraged to show support of NAHRW efforts. For more information or to make reservations, please call 664-3290.
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Sexual abuse therapy group begins. Licensed Independent Social Worker Jeffrey Gerhardstein has announced the start of 12-week "advanced" therapy group for men survivors of child sexual abuse. This group is appropriate for men who have completed (and partially completed) the healing tasks of childhood sexual abuse recovery. Men in this group probably have had individual therapy and previous group experience.
There is also a 12-week male survivor healing group available for men survivors who wish to have the experience of telling their story to other men and working on other healing techniques.
Contact Gerhardstein at 356-9385 for more information.
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Tattoo removal by laser. More than 20 million Americans have tattoos. Of these, research indicates that 50 percent regret, after a period of time, having been tattooed.
Doctors at Meridia Suburban Hospital, located in Warrensville Heights, now have the capability to remove or significantly lighten tattoos with a new laser that has recently received Food and Drug Administration clearance specifically for that purpose.
Acquiring a tattoo is a relatively simple matter. Having it removed is not. In the past, those wanting a tattoo removed had several options, most of which produced disappointing results. The ruby laser produced the best results with the least scarring.
The Medlite Laser, the new laser in use at Meridia Suburban Hospital, has several advantages over the ruby laser. It produces good results on both light and dark pigmented skin. (The ruby laser is not particularly effective on dark skin.) It is at least ten times faster than the ruby laser. This translates to shorter and fewer treatments, and therefore, less cost to the patient. And, because of its speed, discomfort to the patient is reduced to a minimum.
For more information on the removal of tattoos using the Medlite Laser, call the Meridia Suburban Hospital Laser Center 216-491-6557.
National
Farm boys sought for interviews. Are you a gay man who grew up on a farm? If so, your experience as a farm boy is an important and largely neglected part of gay culture. Urban experiences are central to the lives of most gay men, but they're far from being the whole story.
The Gay Farmboys Project is intended to give gay men who grew up on farms-whether or not they are still involved in farming--a chance to talk about their experiences and the ways in which their farm upbringings have influenced their lives.
If you are a gay man who grew up in a farming household and you think you might be interested in contributing to this cultural research project by talking about your experiences, please contact Bill Fellows at 608-231-3223 for more information or to arrange for an interview. You can write to
Fellows at P.O. Box 55165, Madison, WI 53705-8965.
A gay farm boy himself, Fellows is an experienced researcher and writer who would like to consider your story for inclusion in a book based on the "gay farmboys" theme. Whatever your age and whatever your life is about now, your story is a unique and valuable part of gay culture. If anonymity is desired, names and other key details can be changed.
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Latino gay males--a call for submissions. The Guarinox Project is currently accepting submissions for "The Other Garden," an anthology of writings by Latino gay men to be published in the spring of 1993.
Poetry, fiction, essays under 5,000 words, and black and white art work (drawings, etchings, photographs, etc.) are now being accepted. Artwork submitted need not be originals, once the selections are made, however, you will be asked to submit the originals for printing. The Guarinox Project requests first-time serial rights.
Material submitted can be on any subject as long as it relates to the experience of being gay and Latino in the U.S.
Deadline for submissions is January 31, 1993. Our response time will be within six weeks. Only material accompanied by a self-addressed envelope with adequate postage will be returned.
Address all submissions or letters of inquiry to: The Guarinox Project, David Acosta-Posada, Editor, 5906 N. Lawrence St., Philadelphia, PA 19120.
Come out with a bumper sticker. To further expand the outreach of the National Coming Out Campaign, a bumper sticker is now available so each person can personally reach thousands of people every day.
"Raising consciousness is what Coming Out Day is all about. The bumper sticker is our latest method by which we can be visible and upport others in being visible as well. The closet is a thing of the past. The bumper sticker will go a long way in reaching gay and non-gay people simultaneously," said Lynn D. Shepodd, executive director of National Coming Out Day.
"The bumper sticker reaches out to the entire community as a reminder that there are significant numbers of people in the closet. Our personal and political power depends in large part on our willingness to tell the truth about our lives," said Crane Winton, former District Court Judge of Minneapolis.
The bumper sticker is available for $1.00 plus 50 cents shipping from National Coming Out Day, PO Box 8270, Sante Fe, NM 87504-8270 505-982-2558 or 800-445NCOD.
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March on Washington seeking applicants, merchandise. The 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi. Equal Rights and Liberation is seeking applicants for National Development Coordinator. Duties include fundraising planning and implementation, and volunteer recruitment. Apply immediately to NDC Search Committee, P.O. Box 34607, Washington, DC 20043.
Performers wishing to perform at the April 25 rally need to submit their promo kits by October 10. Mail materials and tapes to Michelle Crone, 486 Madison Ave, Albany, NY 12208.
Volunteer sign language interpreters are needed for the rally and other March on Washington events. Please contact Michelle Crone immediately at 518-463-1051.
The march committee is soliciting proposals for merchandise (such as t-shirts and coffee mugs) and other production items (such as videos) for the march. "Official" status will be granted to selected items. Bids from small or new businesses are encouraged. The March welcomes all proposals from lesbian, gay, bisexual,