GAY PEOPLE's ChroNICLE OCTOBER 1, 1993

EDITORIAL

Standing on common ground

Columbus is a growing metropolis that has captured the state's-largest-city title away from Cleveland and is viewed as the uppity "nouveau riche" by Clevelanders. Cleveland is an aging "rust-belt" city that has lost some of its shine, but still overshadows Columbus in culture and sophistication. There have always been inherent differences between Ohio's two largest cities that could be cited as the cause of rivalries and petty jealousies between them.

Cleveland is a city of "old money" that has a history rich in ethnic and cultural diversity. The early industrialists who prospered there took great pains to ensure that the arts and education gained national stature. The Cleveland Museum of Art ranks among the best in the country. The array of ethnic heritage is immense: German, Polish, Italian, Middle Eastern, Ukrainian, and the list goes on. Cleveland is a leader in professional athletics as is evident in the fact that the city now has two sports arenas and major league baseball, basketball and football teams. Indeed, Cleveland has reaped the benefits of being an industrial powerhouse during the time when American industry and production could not be equaled anywhere in the world.

Columbus, on the other hand, is a relatively new big city that has been searching for its own persona and character. Much has been accomplished in recent years. Urban development is evident in the skyline, which has more than doubled in the past decade. Columbus consistently makes the list of cities in which major corporations would prefer to conduct business. Columbus is not

only the state capital, but it also serves as the corporate headquarters for many companies in the insurance and fast-food industries. Indeed, Columbus is reaping the benefits of youth and a service economy.

Looking at the cities' lesbian and gay communities, Cleveland's tends to be less political and more closeted. This is partly because many in the community grew up in Cleveland, and still feel the influence of parents and schoolmates living in town. The Columbus gay and lesbian community is more out and active. Since Columbus is a growing community, many come from other areas, often to attend Ohio State, and leave the constraints of earlier lives behind.

Differences such as these, which can be summed up in a few short statements, lead us to consider why these two "world class" cities that are separated by less than two hundred miles seem to be much farther apart in terms of communication, especially in the gay, lesbian and bisexual community.

An individual who recently relocated from Cleveland to Columbus had no idea that the Columbus AIDS Task Force was the city's equivalent to the Health Issues Taskforce in Cleveland. Columbus residents may be wellinformed about State Rep. Michael Fox and his anti-gay House Bill 442, but many haven't the faintest idea of the threat posed by State Sen. Gary Suhadolnik, a homophobe wellknown to Clevelanders. It is astounding that each year at the state Pride March in Columbus there are a number of marchers from Cleveland who say they had not heard of the 13-year-old event before. Equally mind-boggling are the scores of people in Columbus

who have never heard of Cleveland's Dancin' in the Streets. These are major events for each city and should be recognizable around the state.

Whatever the reasons for this polarization, the time has come to search out our common ground and stand together. It is with this purpose that the Gay People's Chronicle, which started eight years ago in Cleveland, begins publishing a separate edition based in Columbus. We are confident that understanding will result from communicating in a common forum. And the better we understand one another, the fewer our differences will be.

What better time than now for the gay, lesbian and bisexual communities of these two cities to have the opportunity to learn about one another and grow in strength. Our national and statewide progress in securing equal rights through legislation is stalled or being challenged at every turn. The front lines are forming around the country; Cincinnati being closest to home. Should we lose the battle there, the war will certainly move in our direction.

As much as we are individual communities, we also stand as one in securing and protecting our interests and agenda. Whatever affects one city will ultimately affect the other.

The Chronicle believes in Columbus, in Cleveland and in communication. This expansion in publication will help all lesbians, gay men and bisexuals throughout the state to learn from each other, share our hopes and common bonds, and chart our future.

COMMUNITY FORUM

An improved nightlife

To the Editors:

I was standing in the Sunday night watering spot (you know the one) a couple of weeks ago, wondering why I bothered to come out. I had just paid four dollars to see tired drag and nappy strippers once again. As I contemplated asking for my money back, I started thinking about the sad state of the bars in this city. I also came up with some questions that I'd like to ask a couple of the "dance" bars. I don't really expect any answers, but asking them will make me feel better.

First of all, I'd like to ask Numbers why it charges three to five dollars when the "entertainment" for the evening (which is on a tighter rotation than some of the radio stations in this city) is sometimes barely worth two dollars? And can't the management of this bar think of anything different to draw in and keep a crowd?

While I'm on the subject of tight rotation... is it just me, or could we just put on a tape in this bar and forego the expense of a DJ? I'd like to suggest new music and smooth mixing to this bar.

I applaud Detour (of the past) and Keys (of the present) for not charging a cover and providing us with a spot to hang out, socialize, have some drinks, and dance a little. My concern is the size of these bars and the music. Also, knowing how fickle the crowd can be, it seems rather bold to get an attitude just because your place fills up on a regular basis. Would it be foolish to suggest that some people don't come to your bar because it's the best, but because it's the only thing going on that night?

By the way, the music in these bars goes

etc.) and beats per minute. It's kind of ridiculous to go from Robin S. to an Abba remake. This bar has the greatest potential, but the music is so unpredictable it's not even funny. I suggest music sets for this bar so people can get on the dance floor and dance to a number of songs without worrying about some tragic mixing.

And while I'm offering suggestions, here's one for some of the more popular drag queens in this city: practice. It amazes me that some of you who have been doing this for years will still get on stage and fumble through a song. At least give the impression that you are not singing "bubble gum, bubble gum, watermelon."

When traveling to other cities, I am always able to find a bar that serves beats. I think it's sad that I have to resort to patronizing predominately straight bars in Cleveland in order to hear new, exciting dance music. I suppose I could just stay home (someone will probably suggest as much), but if I do that, I am like a number of other people who complain and then do nothing.

In a perfect world, I would take the DJ who spins on Fridays at Numbers (the man is fierce) or Jerry Szoka (of WRUW's Beat of the Night), pair them up with Yofreakka & Co. to emcee (at least they have some polish to them), put them all in U4ia, and charge five dollars to get in. If I assured you that you would be entertained at least once a month, wouldn't you gladly pay a higher cover charge?

Of course if I had all this, my bar might tend to be a little too "dark" on occasion, outside of the designated nights-but that's a topic for another article.

Frank Lowery

equality in Mississippi. While many of your readers may be familiar with our situation due to stories that have run in some papers recently, some may not be aware of the urgency of it. This is a brief account of what has happened to date.

On July 9, "G.L. Friendly," an organization which formed to open gay and lesbianoriented community centers on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, ran a small public service announcement regarding meeting times in a local newspaper. Within days, G.L. Friendly was under attack from local groups and churches who began petition drives to stop us from meeting in Ocean Springs (in a private home). The petitions were accepted by the Ocean Springs Board of Alderman on July 21. At that meeting, many persons were permitted to speak against us and did so in very slanderous and abusive terms, saying that gays only want a center as a place to meet and have sex and recruit children. Some quoted scripture to support their view that we should be put to death. When members of G.L. Friendly attempted to respond, the mayor said there had been enough public comment at that point. The board reluctantly concluded that there was no law under which they could prevent us from meeting, but made it clear they wished we would go away.

We are not going away. We have instead scheduled a march and a rally for downtown Ocean Springs on Sat., Sept. 18, at 3 pm [See story in this issue-eds.]. We have received a great deal of interest from groups around the South and expect 1,200 to 1,800 participants, although in recent days we have received calls that indicate we may far exceed that number. We hope for a peaceful, nonviolent march, but we have received numerous threats, including death threats.

from just okay to awful. I'd like to suggest Pride in the Deep South Pride in the Deep South There are active skinhead groups in the area

new music and smooth mixing to these bars also.

To U4ia I can only say, find a DJ that is willing to play new dance music and mix the songs according to type (house, techno,

To the Editors:

I am writing this letter to gay papers around the country in an effort to generate support for the cause of lesbian and gay

which have carried out gay bashings before, and some of our leaders have been subjected to intimidation and vandalism in recent weeks. The police chief of Ocean Springs (pop. 16,000) has called in police from

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

Volume 9, Issue 7

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

Dora Forbes, Marne Harris, Kevin Beaney, Timothy Robson, Barry Daniels, Mike Radice, John DuAne Graves, John Chaich, Charlton Harper, Joseph 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, Paul Hospodar

The Gay People's Chronicle is dedicated to providing a space in the 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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Correction

In a September 17 Posting, the postal code for Homestay, an international home hosting program based in Australia, was incorrect. The correct address is Homestay, P.O. Box 96, Fairfield, VIC 3078, Australia.

around the region and has said there will be at least 150 police for the quarter-mile parade. There will also be barricades up and down the streets, and she has warned us that the city's strict obscenity laws will be enforced to the letter.

We need your support, and we need it now. Many lesbians and gay men have moved out of Mississippi in the past to large cities in order to live free from harassment and discrimination, myself included. But I have come back to Mississippi because of my conviction that if we are to win full equality under the law, then it must be won in places like this. We can only gain so much by clustering in large cities, as the recent effort to end the military ban demonstrated. Without broad-based national support, gay and lesbian equality has gone about as far as it can go. We must be a political force everywhere, even in Mississippi, to go further.

Those of you who cannot be here to support us in person can help us financially. We desperately need your help to open

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