8 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE JULY 23, 1993

EDITORIAL

They're ba-a-a-ck . .

You may have noticed-or perhaps it doesn't matter to you that "toned-down" 900-number sex ads have returned to the Personals section of the Chronicle.

We could have simply run the ads without this editorial, but we felt it was important to let our readers know our reasoning. It is a sensitive, subjective issue that deserves airing our decision, and the circumstances that brought us to returning these ads in a limited and restricted manner.

We could have allowed them to return in their most explicit content, but we felt an obligation to heed reader concerns and are running ads only from those "sex-line" advertisers that respect our wishes.

One reason for their return, bluntly stated, is revenue. These advertisements bring substantial revenue to this newspaper, revenue sorely needed to continue to do great things at the Chronicle. Expanded editorial, pro-

duction, sales, administration and circulation staffs, enhanced equipment and resources are all needed to bring you everincreasing, ever-improving news, features and resources in a high-quality publication.

Another element we cannot overlook is reader demand. Obviously these advertisers have found a market in the gay-lesbianbisexual communities, as their ads are in major queer publications throughout this country. If our community didn't want and support them, these services wouldn't exist, and whether or not to run their ads would be a moot point.

Two years ago we attempted a compromise by placing the sex ads in a removable, pull-out section of the Chronicle. The readers that had previously expressed their disapproval did not find this solution acceptable, as they wanted the ads out of the paper altogether. Last year we created a new pub-

lication, Ohio's Night Out, designed as a home for the sex ads, as well as other entertainment news and features. However, this proved too costly and time-consuming for our limited staff to produce, at a point when our efforts were rightfully devoted to publishing the Chronicle on its new schedule every other Friday (an historic "first" for this paper and Northeast Ohio alike).

Although we plan on bringing Ohio's Night Out back with increased circulation and the advertisers to support it, we cannot devote our resources to it at this time.

We will limit the number of phone-sex ads in the Chronicle. We will insist on standards to be met by our sex-line advertisers to minimize reader discomfort. We ask that you "flip the page" if these represent a service you are not interested in, or that you find distasteful. And we invite you to let us know if your concerns remain.

COMMUNITY FORUM

Ohio's OutVoice needs your support

To the Editors:

As you may already know, Ohio has been targeted by those individuals and groups who believe that the protection of one's rights to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and privacy should not be extended to, or be inclusive of, those of us who identify as or can be identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual.

We have, in Ohio, a two-year-old organization named Out Voice. Summit, Portage, Stark, Tuscarawas and Carroll Counties are represented by Vince Morvatz and Paul Schwitzgebel, who each serve as elected members to the board of OutVoice. This past week the elected board voted to commit the OutVoice organization to be the coalition builder and coordinator of the statewide effort to stop the malicious work of those who are promoting further prejudice against lesbian, gay and bisexual people, and trying to legally enforce negative discrimination against their constitutional and human rights.

At the last board meeting we learned of the opposition's efforts to organize and teach prejudice against us in rural Ohio areas through the deliberate use of talk radio shows and topic-specific evangelism. We were also informed that the opposition (often referred to as the Christian Right) has put together an organization to try to remove the recently gained (1992) gay rights ordinance in Cincinnati. These specific attacks plus continued gay bashing, school board lobbying and censorship have been neatly combined with anti-Jewish, antiMuslim, anti-choice and anti-affirmative action (translate antiany other than the "white" race) propaganda to try to maintain social dominance by "white" heterosexual Christians.

We as a gay, lesbian and bisexual people cross all lines of race, class, gender, erotic

Out Voice needs to hire a staff person and acquire the office communications necessary for a coordinated statewide network. Our opponents are highly funded and receive organizational support, in terms of volunteer work and money, from wealthy individuals and corporations. Perhaps more significant is the fact that they have the labor source which they draw from very vulnerable people who have through their own pain and fear sought help for their problems in what are often referred to as, evangelical or "fundamentalist" churches. We need to match their money and their number of vigilant volunteers.

If you wish to maintain or improve conditions as they are for lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Ohio you must be involved in this current statewide struggle! If you are a human rights advocate or if you are a closeted lesbian, gay or bisexual person your money may be your most appropriate contribution. If you can be public please join OutVoice and contribute financially or with volunteer work.

Our immediate need is to raise well over $30,000 by July 10 in order to go ahead with the staffing and the action plan. Please help with your financial contribution, with buying and selling memberships or making yourself available for volunteer work.

Each of our eight state regions must raise its fair share of the OutVoice budget. For that reason we are asking that you send your money in care of Paul Schwitzgebel or Vince Morvatz so that we may monitor and spearhead the local funding drive for region 3. Please write or call, but most of all please help now, not later and again later. Never in a million queers will there be another you!

Thanks. In diversity, in solidarity and in coalition, there is no peace without justice. Vince Morvatz

having 400-plus people paying $4 at the door. (The Club made over $1,600 at the door alone.) This was obvious because near the end, and after, there were probably only 100 people remaining.

Many women in the audience appeared offended and disgusted by the event, especially the Leather & Latex Show presented between contest events. As a gay woman I don't want to see a woman giving a blow job to a dildo being worn by another woman. I don't want to see a woman chained to another woman's pierced nipple. I also was offended and disgusted.

After the show I talked to some women; most, if not all stated they were offended, many felt degraded. The media pick up on these types of events and people and then stereotype all gays with them. I don't want to be represented like that! It amazes me that one of the categories the contestants were judged on was "safe sex," yet the disgusting person who won stated she didn't believe in monogamy. (This is the same person who had another woman chained from a neck collar to her pierced nipple).

I'm thankful there's a place for these people to vent their fetishes; just publicize it that way so others can make an informed choice whether or not it's something they want to see. I felt cheated not only of my money but more importantly my time. As the very slow-moving and disorganized show went on I kept waiting, expecting it would get better. It never did, it got worse.

In the present day of trying to obtain gay rights, this event didn't do anyone any favors. Please, don't do anything like this event, saying as they did, "This is to represent gay women," because it is far from representing the majority of us!

Out Voice Aborting our own

P.O. Box 27202 Akron, Ohio 44319

preference, religion, ethnicity, physical, Clitty Club was gross

mental and emotional ability. We are family! And the breadth of our family offers each of us access to learning about diversity and learning to be more accepting of diversity. To that end, and for our own cause, we are seen by many as the most significant existing Civil Rights movement. For our lives and for our movement we must each be active and we must each take care of ourselves, do the best we can to take care of each other and give time, labor or money to our movement work.

In order to provide the leadership and services for our movement in Ohio,

To the Editors:

Gay women are often not as visible as gay men. We do need to participate and have more shows and events. But after

attending the "Hot Boxer Shorts" Contest at the Clitty Cat Club at Numbers on Saturday, June 12, I don't feel this is it. The show was misrepresented.

I thought I was going to watch a fun, light-hearted show. The advertisements neglected to state that it was essentially an S&M event. Numbers or the Clitty Cat Club would not have had the turnout they did,

To the Editors:

Patty

I believe we are the last generation of gays and lesbians. If our sexual orientation is genetic and determined at conception, doesn't the espousal of abortion rights by ACT UP spell the end of our community as a distinct group?

Our parents learned to accept a beloved son or daughter as gay or lesbian after the fact. They adjust, often painfully, to offspring whose sexual focus is not as planned. When genetic analysis before birth allows for the accurate determination of sexual orientation, how many would choose to continue the pregnancy? To spare themselves the pain and heartbreak in family relationships as well as the hostility of the majority society, won't many, if not most

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Volume 9, Issue 2

Publisher: Martha J. Pontoni Business Manager: Patti Harris Managing Editor: Kevin Beaney Production Manager: Brian De Witt Reporters & Writers: Martha J. Pontoni,

Dora Forbes, Marne Harris, Kevin Beaney, Timothy Robson, Barry Daniels, Scott C. Hare, Mike Radice, John DuAne Graves, John Chaich, Charlton Harper, Joe Morris

Akron-Canton: Ted Wammes, Richard Simonton, Jerry Kaiser, Paul Schwitzgebel, Heather Steenrod Artist: Christine Hahn Sales Manager: Patti Harris Account Executives: David A. Ebbert, Mark Walsh Editorial Board: Martha J. Pontoni,

Patti Harris, Kevin Beaney, Brian DeWitt, Christine Hahn

The Gay People's Chronicle is dedicated to providing a space in the northeast Ohio lesbian-gay community for all of its members to communicate and be involved with each other. This means that every Chronicle, to the best of its ability, will be equally dedicated to both men's and women's issues, as well as issues that affect the entire community. This balance will provide lesbians and gay men with a forum to air grievances and express joys.

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Articles

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Thursday, July 29 Monday, July 26

Display ads (not camera ready) Monday, July 26 Camera-ready ads Charlie's Calendar

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choose to abort? Who will choose to have a gay-lesbian child in the womb if the choice can be had of an acceptable alternative?

When ACT UP jumps into the pro-abortion battle lines it sets up our elimination. Illogically the group which demands the government spend more money to find a cure for AIDS, appoint a Czar to oversee the government's gay-lesbian policy, and allow for our open involvement in the Military, opposes government involvement in any reproductive concerns. Mindless support for the abortion industry with huge profits from sexual irresponsibility promotes the same economic exploitation of AIDS sufferers and their families by the MedicalPolitical Alliance.

Zeal is no substitute for Wisdom. Enough of us recognize the need for consistent principles and mature deliberation to resist ACT UP being the standard for the whole community. The implications of one's politics reach much farther than assumed.

Name withheld upon request

Be more positive

To the Editors:

Since the March on Washington, the Chronicle had given me a positive, upbeat feeling. I loved the new layout of the paper and the fact that our own Chronicle was now biweekly and the largest gay, lesbian & bi newspaper in Ohio! In short, the Chronicle

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