COMMUNITY GROUPS

Why do we need a community center?

by Judith Rainbrook

In my seven or eight year history with the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Community Service Center, I have often been confronted by donors or potential donors with the question "Why should I support the

Center? It doesn't do anything for me. I don't need

it.

My response has al-

reported on the hotline or in person. And no day goes by without at least one queryfrom the media, other gay-lesbian groups, or a heterosexual ally who needs information about some aspect of queer culture.

LESBIAN GAY

Community Service Center

ways been the same. "No one needs the Center until they need the Center." Young, upwardly mobile gay men don't need the Center, until a dear friend finds himself HIV positive, and suddenly they need to know where the resources are to help him and themselves. Professional lesbians don't need the Center, until old memories of sexual abuse finally surface and they want a safe support group in which they can discuss the ramifications of this new trauma on their long-term relationship.

Deeply closeted gays and lesbians don't need the Center until the relationship cracks and one lover threatens to "out" the other. Then they need to know how to protect themselves, where to go for legal assistance or supportive counseling. Wealthy gays and lesbians don't need the Center until they realize that a young gay relative is being queer-bashed in his school and they want to do something to protect him.

There is not a day that goes by when the existence of the Center doesn't make an important difference in the lives of a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transsexual person. More than 2,000 people a month call, walk in or meet in groups there. Sometimes, the hotline is the first place they find they aren't "the only one." Every day, someone comes into the Center for the first time-obviously nervous but also excited at breaking new ground. No week goes by without at least one report of discrimination or anti-gay violence being

OF GREATER CLEVELAND

For years, the Center has been working with police and EMS personnel, the health department, mental health professionals, school counselors, foundation funders, other social service providers and neighborhood organizations to break down stereotypes and challenge current negative thinking about gays and lesbians. This work serves to protect all gays and lesbians, whether or not they ever financially support the Center or become active in the Center as volunteers.

If you are not a member of the Center, please join. If you are already a member, consider volunteering. The Center uses volunteers to do community speeches, work the hotline and the Living Room front desk, serve as adult advisors to both the Cleveland and Akron PRYSM group, do coffee hours or support groups at the Living Room, run coming-out groups, type, copy, keep up the database, help with repairs, and put on fundraisers. Supporting the Center is supporting yourself and those you love.

Basic membership is $15. Any amount over that is tax-deductible. Send with your name, address, and phone to the Center, at P.O. Box 6177, Cleveland, OH 44101.

Center Wish List: A certified plumber to install bathroom in expanded space; toilet, sink and fixtures for new bathroom; laser printer; copy paper (white and decorator colors); wall-mounted TV/VCR bracket; coffee and coffee filters; snacks for volunteers; white latex paint... and chocolate chip cookies!

Judith Rainbrook is executive director of the Center.

Anti-gay harassment aboard bus is stopped

In mid August, in response to the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center's anti-discrimination advertisement in the Chronicle, an older transgendered female, Brenda B., called the Center and explained that she was a regular Regional Transit Authority bus rider and had been experiencing overt discrimination by the same bus driver for more than six years. This included numerous incidents of being called "faggot," and having passengers on the bus incited to participate in harassing her. The final straw came when this bus driver filed a false RTA police report, saying that Brenda had threatened him with a baseball bat.

The Center took the report, called RTA's Louis Vega in customer service, and set up an appointment for Brenda, Judy Rainbrook, the Center's executive director, and Pat Purdy from the Cleveland Community Relations Board to meet with Vega. The meeting was cordial and Brenda was treated with great courtesy by Vega. Brenda was able to supply the bus driver's badge number, route and bus number and the names of the RTA officers who were called. Vega reassured the Center and Brenda that no such treatment would happen again. In addition, he was very open to the Center's offer to assist in sensitivity

training for RTA drivers by providing information about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people.

Within two days, Vega called the Center to inform us that the driver was known to be a problem in his route area and that he had been called in for a two hour meeting. He was told that if any other incident was reported, he would be fired. In addition, Vega had passed the information about the Center's offer of sensitivity training to Ms. Walker, who was in charge of all bus driver training. within 24 hours, Walker called the Center and after some discussion, it was determined that the Center could be most helpful to RTA by participating in the training of new bus drivers. Walker is sending a copy of the curriculum to the Center, and Center personnel will be drafting suggested additions that can be provided by its Speaker's Bureau volunteers.

The moral of the story is that you don't need to settle for being abused, especially in the City of Cleveland. Please call the Center's hotline, 216-861-5454, and report problems. In many cases, using the assistance of the Community Relations Department or the Cleveland Mediation Center, the Center can resolve these problems before they escalate.

i love you.

Find that special person with the

Gay People's Chronicle.

NOVEMBER 11, 1994 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 15

THAT MOONLIGHT MADNESS IS BACK IN SEASON!

GLET.

PRESENTS

Howl at The Moon

Moonlight Bowl

Saturday November 19,1994

Just $8 for 3 Games Doors Open 10:30 p.m. Bowling Starts 11:00 p.m.

You'll Howl,

You'll Laugh,

You'll Want to Come

Door Prizes

Music

Bar

Raffles

Back!

Free Shoe Rental Private Parking

AT AMBASSADOR-SUPERIOR LANES.

WHERE IS YOUR RAGE?!

13 years of FAILED RESEARCH... 2nd leading cause of death, ages 25-44...

♦ Evidence mounts...Is HIV really

the cause of ABS?

Fastest growing infection group

—

teenage girls.......

♦ 7,000 now infections everyday,

worldwide...

◆ 300,000 DEAD in the U.S...

TURN YOUR ANGER INTO ACTION! AIDS Memorial March & Rally

DECEMBER 1st. Thursday, 11:00am

Join us!

The 2nd Annual AIDS Memorial March & Rally will step-off from the Federal Building at E. 9th & Lakeside at 11:30am and proceed to Public Square for an informative rally.

Cleveland AIDS czar, Betty Chao, will speak about

the state of AIDS in Cleveland

Bring pictures, signs and memories of those who have died. Never forget... Leam how to make changes personally, locally, nationally, globally. Support the AIDS Cure Project, now before Congress!

If you would like to speak at the rally or volunteer, call the number below.