CLEVELAND PUBLIC JORARY

Where Sold 60¢

outside Ohio

GAY COPLE'S CHRONICLE

An Independent Chronicle of the Ohio Lesbian and Gay Community

Volume 9, Issue 7 October 1, 1993

Center

talent show is canceled

by Kevin Beaney

In an unexpected move, the board of trustees of Cleveland's Lesbian-Gay Community Service Center has decided to cancel "Center Stage III," the talent show scheduled for November 20 at the Civic.

Board President Dolores Noll said in a statement that "The purpose of the talent show is primarily to build community. But members of the board felt that the work the Center and the community is now doing with the Peoples of Color committee and S.O.A.R. on addressing racism at the Center will be a more effective way to work on this goal at this time."

People of Colors at the Center and S.O.A.R. (Stop Oppression and Racism) are two collectives that have recently cooperated in presenting a "fishbowl" meeting and follow-up sessions identifying racist and exclusionary attitudes and practices at the Center and the gay community overall. Center board and staff members have been taking an active part in the process and have made commitments to address the racism

Concerns.

Noll also said that "the Center needs to concentrate efforts at the present time on building an on-going, sustainable base of financial support for our volunteer-run programs."

The Center expressed regret at any inconvenience that the cancellation will cause to people who auditioned or were preparing to audition, as well as to members of the audience looking forward to the event. "We ask

Continued on Page 6

JEFF NEARHOOF

Cleveland Mayor Michael White, Peggy Zone-Fisher, and Ohio Attorney General Lee Fisher lead 2,000 walkers as the 1993 Cleveland AIDS Walk steps off from Edgewater Park.

Despite rain, 2,000 join AIDS Walk

The third annual AIDS Walk, "Step in the Right Direction," held September 26, was a success despite a gray day where it rained early, never really cleared, and remained chilly. This year's Walk was the first collaborative effort at staging the event. The AIDS Housing Council, the Living Room, Health Issues Taskforce, Stopping AIDS is My Mission, and the Free Clinic all joined together in Walk sponsorship and will in turn share in the proceeds.

AIDS IN A 'SECOND-TIER' CITY

Finding hope through the maze of services

by Charlton Harper

"I thinks it's important to learn how to work the system," says Andy, who has lived within the HIV spectrum since 1990. "It's necessary to build a support system or may n ed it." That attitude is the towards well-being Since AIDS is just one of the

to those spectrum as to those outside.

Gays in the

3 military issue

loses in Congress, but scores a win in Meinhold court case

Because of the range of services offered, networking and referrals are key tools to accessing help. Becoming familiar with program offerings sooner, even though there may no be immediate need, rather

than later is advised. Waiting until a crisis ises is not the way to go about things. Says one provider, "When people are in crisis they don't always see things clearly. How can you process all this informa tion when you are in a crisis?" The fol-

Third in a series

Ohio Lesbian Festival started

as a picnic but now surpasses other medium sized events

Continued on Page 4

Goals for attendance were set around 1,500-2,000, with monetary figures at $150,000. While the inclement weather kept a few people at home, Chronicle estimates at crowd count for the opening ceremony and step-off were approximately 2,000. However, that same poor weather was an issue in lower figures for the turnaround point at Lakewood Park, estimated at 1,061 by the Lakewood Jaycees. Figures for money and pledges turned in that day stand around

$80,000. Factor in the corporate donations and in-kind gifts, says walk coordinator Juliann Fausel, and the monetary goal of $150,000 will be hit easily. It will be another month before the last of the pledges are received and final numbers are determined, she said.

This year's Walk also marked a dramatic increase in the presence of city, county and Continued on Page 6

Kent lesbian-gay course gets the green light

by Charlton Harper

It's official. Kent State University will proceed with plans to offer "Sociology of Gays/Lesbians" despite a controversy waged throughout the summer over the matter. The course, the first of its kind at KSU, will be taught by sociology professors Beth Rushing and Robert Johnson. Since the spring '94 course schedule has already been set by the department chair, the class will make its first appearance next fall.

Final approval for the course came September 20 at a meeting of the Educational Policies Council, the academic body that finalizes approval on all university offerings. The meeting even featured an opportu-

INSIDE

Cleveland's "thinking person's adult store," Body Language, changes owners

The national gay TV show,

In the Life, premiers this season with a look at Pride festivals

nity for public response. Though many had expected a battle, little materialized. Richard Heinz, a student who had loudly and

actively opposed the course, stood alone in the final moment. Since all appropriate academic committees had approved the course long ago, the furor, says Professor Johnson, "was too little too late."

Heinz had earlier sought support from State Sen. Gary Suhadolnik, R-Parma. But Suhadolnik's veiled threats of budget cuts as a "disciplinary action" should the course receive approval came to nothing. Said Johnson, "He never followed it up. We never heard from him again."

News Briefs ...

Continued on Page 6

Editorial, Letters

Entertainment.

Sports

Calendar.. 28 Resource..30 Personals.. B-2