AUGUST 6, 1993

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 11

uptight, club where all women were allowed to attend without being discriminated against. I also spoke with numerous women in attendance, some performers, and some in the audience. The performers were very entertaining and expressed women's sexuality in a different light.

If the show was an S & M event, S & M stood for Sensual and Mystical. The show was erotic. And that scares a lot of women. Eroticism is within each of us, and it has been unrecognized and suppressed. This suppression is a source of power that society has installed in women.

Why is our sexuality and desire considered pornographic or "disgusting?" Should these types of erotic displays be stifled and left for "the bedroom," if used there at all? Not at all!

For years I have been waiting for some type of event, other than the talent shows (not that they are not entertaining) where we can enjoy this type of energy. I thank the women who were brave enough to empower themselves and share their empowerment with us. If you didn't like what you saw-why didn't you leave! Did someone have you chained by a pierced nipple? (You just waited for the show to get better. It did!) It was strange how I saw some women who claimed they were offended from the first Clitty Cat Club-Leather Latex Revue, at the Hot Boxer Short Contest. (I take it they went a second time just to make sure they didn't enjoy the first one.)

So I guess you will probably be among the women who want to "vent their fetishes" at the Ice Princess Contest. We as lesbians should not be afraid of our bodies and our desires in this time of homophobic, racist, and anti-erotic society. We do represent gay women!

B.M. Mack (StorM)

Clitty Cat represents some gay women

To the Editors:

It wasn't all good. It was slow. It was too long. I shifted my feet a few times waiting for the dance music to start up again. But somehow, I knew why I was there. I was there to gawk, and that I did. The show had some things I'd never seen. I was intrigued with what the latex models gooed their hair with. I had never seen a pierced nipple. Yes, the show had women with balls (and chains) suggesting a harder sexual tease. Well girl, like it or not, advertise it or not, there is diversity here.

I walked into Numbers that night, paying my $4 at the door, already disgusted and offended by the name, Clitty Cat Club, and I expected more of the same. I was looking forward to a Mapplethorpian XYZ leather review with latex. I was clued in to the fact that at least soft leather activity would be performed. I don't think the event was misrepresented just, perhaps, misunderstood.

Not every gaggle of gay gals has to be a political event and you're dreaming to think that it's a media care every time we entertain ourselves. So, loosen up! This event did represent some gay women. There just is no representative lesbian or lesbian show. That's like saying that Oprah represents black women, or would it be Angela Davis, or the Black Women's Caucus-what? It just doesn't fly. Maybe k.d. or Martina represents your idea of the majority of gay women. I'd be at a loss searching for my rep.

But I know what you mean, Patty, in response to your letter to the editor in the July 23 Chronicle. Sometimes I have to peel myself apart from lesbians. That elvis-dyke over there is gay like me and somehow, for that reason, we are connected. But I hate the

Obituaries

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way she looks and the way she acts because My full wrath

in some cracked mirror she reflects me. Or, my God, she's stepping over that line. She has a cock. She's got a pierced nipple and says poetry about poking someone. What does it mean? I guess she's just one more stripe in that rainbow.

I'll be attending the next CCClub production August 21 expecting to gawk at some pretty ice-hard princesses on stage and off. Expecting to be intrigued with how the body breathes through all that latex. But, most of all, to mix with a sweaty crowd of like-women out for a night of something a little less restrictive.

DJ avoids the mainstream

To the Editors:

Carol Radinsky

This letter has been forming in my head since the time I came out 10 years ago. I address it to women specifically like "Patty," who was not open-minded enough to appreciate Clitty Cat Club as a diverse event. It is attitudes like hers that appear at first to be benign disapproval, but careen recklessly towards a "censorship precipice." I don't need to remind the members of our community how oppressive censorship attitudes can be.

As DJ for the event, I take personal exception to her overview of the evening. The music was by no stretch of the imagination "essentially S&M." The music was deliberately an eclectic mix of races, cultures, genders, styles and ideologies-when has this ever existed in the history of gay venues in this city? The music of the evening deliberately excluded mainstream, white bread fare, force-fed to the "majority of us" by the Big White Boys, otherwise known as corporate rock in America. The music also deliberately excluded the time-worn, gay bar standards which are the banal "bread & butter" of so many queer venues nationwide.

I overheard general comments to the effect of "not enough black music was played." What do you women consider black music? Perhaps what you really meant to say is "mainstream black music," which I also reject because most of it is sexist.

For as long as I can remember, I have devoted my time and energy, my soul, to seeking out music that has been intentionally or unintentionally kept in the proverbial closet. My four years as a WRUW programmer have enabled me to unearth these exquisite treasures, and present them publicly to my always open-minded listeners.

As organizer for Clitty Cat, Debra took what would "typically" be considered a risk in Cleveland where, even in our community, it is all too easy for the "majority of us" to be "typically" narrow minded. Just because people like Patty "are offended" and corporate music was excluded doesn't mean that it was anything less than valid. Too bad Cleveland all too readily adopts the underdog attitude of "if it's different, it's weird" unless it's billed as the "Latest from London" or the "Newest from New York."

It is time for all of us, especially our "typically" pioneering community, to forge into the 90's (finally) and take risks and dare to offend and hopefully open a few minds on the way. Our current enemies, the Wrong Right, would (and indeed do) encourage attitudes like Patty's in hopes of dividing and conquering our diverse community. Perhaps Patty can transform her disapproval into a more enlightened celebration of our differences.

I will be DJ'ing again for the next Clitty Cat Club August 21, and I challenge the members of our community to appreciate it for what it has to offer. I will, ironically, be traveling extensively in Europe this fall, to continue to seek out undiscovered treasure, which I will eventually introduce to my fellow xenophiles back in Cleveland.

Victoria Korosi

To the Editors:

Re the July 9 letter, "Clitty Club was Gross":

don't I'll always take calls from any of you brave enough to tell us what you know about lesbian safer sex up there under the bright lights.

Dear "Patty," I must commend you; your The homosexual

whining letter to the editor evoked my full wrath. My nails came out when you had the audacity to slander and insult the women (sisters) who put their hearts (& more importantly themselves) on that stage. Didn't your mother ever tell you to think about others before you open your mouth? Did you think perhaps, the "disgusting person" you referred to has different tastes than you? Did you think perhaps, it was difficult for her (as it was for some of the other women) to get up there on stage? Did you think perhaps, many other women thought her act was hot. The answers "Patty," should you have asked, are all yes. Now, put yourself in the shoes of all those other women. Think, "Patty," how do you feel? There is no excuse for your rude, tasteless, insipid, statements.

Speaking of insipid statements, where did you get the quote, “This is to represent gay women"? I know it did not come from Clitty Cat Club. We have never alleged to represent all "gay women," there may be a few we do not aspire to. Do not take your assumptions and call them "quotes" from our mouths.

Speaking of assumptions, why did you assume we were working for “gay rights"? We did write about the right for dykes to put out what they want-a concept you obviously have a problem with. Any mention of "gay rights" in the acts of individuals were just that-individual acts, not the acts of CCC.

You, "Patty," with your purported knowledge of such specific facts with regard to our finances, failed to mention major costs such as advertising, door personnel, lights, security, and many other costly things I really feel no need to get into. "The Club" actually cleared very little, and that averaged out to pay the women who organized every detail around 50¢ an hour. However, CCC finances do not concern you. They are private and will remain so. This is not a "community event." The CCC is dykes trying to put out what they would like to see and still represent a wide variety of lesbian sexuality. And yes "Patty," that does and always will include "S/M." Leather dykes have fought long and hard against stiff opposition from their sisters to keep sex in lesbianism. They will be represented.

Speaking of "S/M," no sadomasochism was exhibited on stage that night. There was leather and latex fashion, dominance and submission, fantasy play-all parts of the many aspects of leather dyke activity, or sometimes not, but no sadomasochism. A definition for your benefit: sadomasochism is indicated by the presence of physical pain.

However, there is no excuse for your bigotry nor your slander which no doubt hurt several women (please keep in mind sisters) who were trying to please themselves and not the likes of you; it's best your kind stay away until they can learn to accept diversity-women who can appreciate the f-cking beautiful complexity of lesbian sex. I feel the women did a bang-up job that night representing just that. They went from white picket fence bundling to bondage. Many unsolicited (uninfluenced) women that we don't even know have told us the same. CCC has been repetitively requested by uninvolved women to please "keep it coming." Certainly we will.

Now dear, you may call us at our new hotline number, 321-6295, and promise to stay away until you can be nice and I will gladly give you back your $4. I will giftwrap it.

And next time... think before you open your mouth. Maybe you won't hurt anyone. Mommy Dearest Clitty Cat Club

P.S. While I'm on my soapbox-Those of you girls who had the poor judgement to criticize Dr. Ruby's lovely safer-sex presentation just 'cause he has balls and you

lifestyle?

The following was sent to the Plain Dealer: To the Editor:

Taking up more than half of page 2-C (w) of the July 14 Plain Dealer is a political advertisement posing as a news feature. It appears under the headline "A warning to others" and describes Joe Hallett of Minneapolis and his "former homosexual lifestyle."

None of Hallett's assertions are questioned by Christine Pepin, the author of the story, and it appears that she has acted less as a reporter than as a mere conduit.

Only in the very last paragraph of this piece is the unwary reader told that Hallett is the director of "Outpost," a Minneapolis chapter of a national ministry "that helps people who want to leave the homosexual lifestyle."

Sometimes a small detail can be very telling. Notice the use of the word "the" in the phrase "the homosexual lifestyle." This usage is a common ploy of anti-gay propagandizers trying to distract people from noticing that different homosexuals live differently. "The homosexual lifestyle" is a political myth.

Nowhere in the story is Hallett actually said to have changed his sexual orientation. So how is his present lifestyle any less of a homosexual lifestyle than any previous lifestyle he might have had?

As a privately owned company, the Plain Dealer is of course free to run whatever advertising it chooses. But it hardly seems fair for one certain special interest group to get more than half a page of advertising free while parties with opposing views must pay regular lineage rates.

Robert S. Woodward

Trilogy shares its voice

To the Editors:

I am writing in response to Ms. Cudnik's letter ["Religious music at Pride was insensitive"] in the July 9 issue. In her letter she states a lack of sensitivity on Trilogy's choice of music and comments from the stage. She deemed the music to have little, if nothing, to do with what Pride day was all about. May I quote part of the lyrics from the song performed? "We'll be marching in victory, with power in our hands." The words convey an empowerment which should be available to all people in our community. It was carefully chosen to fit the theme of the day.

I myself am a Christian lesbian. And part of being a Christian is my story of salvation. Don't get me wrong, not salvation from my lesbianism but from the difficulties that are faced with daily living. Sometimes we need a safe place to get out from under. This is what Pride is to me, no longer needing to hide, coming out from under, and coming out into the light.

It is especially important that we as gays and lesbians not only be seen but be allowed to share our voice as well. Ms. Cudnik's statement of having a booth but not being seen on stage is absurd. It's almost like the, "Don't ask, don't tell," policy. Her statements only serve to further opinions of those that do not want gays to be a visible functioning part of society.

Our Church's mission is the unconditional love and acceptance of all people. This sometimes means going out to where people are in life no matter who or what they are; and no matter what their opinions are we are to love them. If Jesus waited on people to find Him I doubt that there would be any hope for an eternity of joy and happiness.

So look for Trilogy at next year's Pride Continued on next page