GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE OCTOBER 13, 1995

IN BOX

White to speak in Cleveland; Kushner to speak in Granville

by Doreen Cudnik

Openly gay Christian minister Dr. Mel White will be in Cleveland the weekend of October 21 to attend an American Civil Liberties Union fundraiser at the home of Tim Downing and Ken Press.

For 25 years, Dr. White served the evangelical Christian community as a pastor, semi-

nary professor, and ghostwriter to some of the religious right's most famous and powerful leaders, including Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and Ollie North. Since coming out of the closet in 1993, White has become a spokesperson for other lesbian and gay Christians, confronting the misleading rhetoric of the religious right and launching his own campaign for justice and understanding for all gay and lesbian Americans.

Mel White

Most recently, White was in the news for being arrested for trespassing on the property of the Christian Broadcasting Network. He was there to try and convince his former boss and friend, Rev. Pat Robertson, to condemn hate crimes against gays and lesbians and meet with a local chapter of P-FLAG. Robertson refused to meet White and had him arrested. Once in prison, White began a hunger strike to force a meeting with Robertson. On the 28th day of his fast, Robertson came to the jail, talked with White, and dropped the charges.

White is currently working on a sequel to his 1994 autobiography, Stranger at the Gate: To be Gay and Christian in America, and is traveling the country with his partner Gary Nixon, speaking, organizing, lobbying, and protesting injustice. For information about the ACLU fundraiser, call 216-781-6277

Also, while in town, White will be preaching at Liberation United Church of Christ on Sunday, October 22 at 10:30a.m. Liberation UCC is located at Hillel on the Case Western Reserve University campus, 11291 Euclid Avenue. The Congregational Life Committee will be hosting a reception for White immediately following the church service.

Angels author to speak

Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Tony Kushner will speak on "Arts in the Current Political Climate" on Thursday, October 26 at 8 p.m. in Denison University's Swasey Chapel. Part of the Denison Lecture Series, Kushner's All-College Convocation address will include analysis of why American theatre is so apolitical, who it serves, and what it means.

In 1993, Kushner won both the Pulitzer and Tony awards for his play Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, Part I: "Millenium Approaches," which deals with AIDS, and the crisis this epidemic poses to America. Kushner also won a 1994 Tony for his Angels in America: Part II: "Perestroika"

For more information on Kushner's visit to Denison, call the Public Affairs Office at 614-587-6266.

And don't forget, Angels in America will be coming to the Palace Theatre in Cleveland's Playhouse Square, December 510. Tickets may be purchased by calling 216771-4444 in Cleveland, or 800-888-9941

outside Cleveland. In addition, Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center has a group plan available that includes tickets to both Part I and Part II on Sunday, December 10, with a buffet dinner at the newly opened Wyndham Cleveland Hotel between shows. There are different prices available, but reservations must be received by Monday, November 6. This is a great way to help support the Center, as a portion of your purchase benefits the Center and is tax-deductible. Call 216522-1999 for information.

Volleyball season begins

Cleveland's gay and lesbian volleyball league is off and running with over 100 participants playing in four divisions (women's, competitive, triples and recreational) at Cleveland State University's Woodling Gym from 4:00 to 8:00 pm on Sundays. The league has grown from five teams last winter to 18 teams in fall 1995 league play. Team sponsors include Four Seasons Tanning, Applebee's, Rockies, Nightsweats & T-Cells, Gifts of Athena, Federated Investment, and the Interbelt.

Spectators are encouraged to attend league play. "We intend to continue to grow this league," said Ken Leckler, league director, "and we're hoping that some of our spectators become players this winter." Fall 1995 play will run until mid-December.

Initiative film at Wexner

If you haven't had the opportunity to see Ballot Measure 9, the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus will be screening the film on Thursday and Friday, October 19 and 20 at 7:00 pm.

Ballot Measure 9 is a provocative documentary which tells the story of what happened during the 1992 campaign for an Or-

egon anti-gay ballot initiative. This was the first attempt in Oregon to outlaw lesbian-gay civil rights protections; the second was last year, and a third is likely in 1996. Although

Ballot Measure 9

it was similar to measures passed in Colorado and Cincinnati, Measure 9 went even further, inserting a statement into the Oregon constitution that homosexuality was "abnormal, wrong, unnatural, and perverse." Lon Mabon, sponsor of Measure 9 and chair of the Oregon Citizens Alliance, called it “a simple battle between good and evil.” The film chronicles the virulent anti-gay rhetoric and violence that led up to the Measure 9's defeat by a 57 to 43 percent margin.

The Wexner Center for the Arts is located at North High Street at 15th Avenue in Columbus. Call 614-292-2354 for tickets.

Youngstown TG group forming

There is a new group forming for all preop and post-op transgender people and their families and friends. The meeting place has not yet been decided, but will be central to the tri-state region located in the Youngstown/ Warren area. Call Joni Christian at 216544-8765 for information or to help designate the time and place of meetings.

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FACT or fiction

FACT:

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If you are entitled to Social Security Disability, you may also be eligible for Medicare.

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fiction:

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HAIR DESIGNS

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