JANUARY 26, 1996

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

IN BOX

PD feature on Dr. Carey brings a bigoted response

by Doreen Cudnik

The December 10 Plain Dealer Sunday Magazine feature about the late Dr. John T. Carey seemed like a fitting tribute to a man who did so much for the Cleveland AIDS community and died suddenly and tragically. Writer Christopher Evans did a wonderful job portraying Carey as a gay man who was loved by his partner, his friends and colleagues, and his patients.

Unfortunately, the honest portrayal of a successful gay man in a loving, committed relationship with another man was apparently too much for some closed-minded Plain Dealer readers, like Jeff Vrotsos of Wadsworth.

In a letter to the Sunday Magazine published in the January 14 issue, Vrotsos refers to Carey as a "perverted sodomite," and writes, "It saddened me that Christopher Evans described two men's shameful, unnatural, perverted moments together as if they should be role models for our community." Pitifully, Sunday Magazine Editor Anne Gordon said that Vrotsos' letter was one of many negative responses to the Carey feature, although she said that overall, reader sentiment "seemed to run about fifty-fifty."

A phone call to information turned up a Jeff Vrotsos in Wadsworth. After verifying that it was the same Jeff Vrotsos, the woman that answered the phone and identified herself as Mrs. Vrotsos said, "I'm sure he'd be happy to hear your opinion."

Vrotsos was sent a letter along with a copy of the Sept. 15 Chronicle, containing Dr. Carey's obituary and a full-page spread of letters from his patients and friends. Happy reading, Jeff.

Gay pianist joins orchestra

Gay pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, recently featured in the Advocate, joins the Cleveland

路

Orchestra on January 25, 26, and 27 to perform as the soloist in Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 4 under the direction of Vladimir Ashkenazy.

The 33-year-old Thibaudet began his music studies at the Lyon Conservatory in France at the age of five and entered the Conservatoire National de Paris at 12. When he was 15, he was awarded the Premier Prix du Conservatoire in both piano and chamber music. Over the last decade, Thibaudet has appeared before audiences throughout the United States and Canada, Europe, Australia, and Eastern Asia. This season, in addition to his Rachmaninoff performances with the Cleveland Orchestra, Thibaudet's engagements include concerts with the orchestra's of Minnesota, Montreal, San Francisco, and Philadelphia as well as concerts with numerous leading orchestras in Europe. For further information, call the Severance Hall Ticket Office at 216-

231-1111.

THE

Photos shown at Variety Show

The 21st annual Womyn's Variety Show is right around the corner, and this one promises to be better than ever. Something new this year will be a one-day-only photography exhibit by Virginia Morgan titled, "Twenty Years of Chasing Women." From bell bottoms to belly-button piercing, this exhibit chronicles the public and private lives of lesbians from 1974 through the present. In this retrospective exhibit, Morgan starts her series in Cleveland with her lesbian community of origin. The show continues into the

'90s, reflecting the values of female centrality and diversity.

The exhibit can be seen February 17 only, in the Gallery at the Civic, 3130 Mayfield Rd., Cleveland Hts. Call Gifts of Athena at 216-371-1937, or Oven Productions at 216321-7799 for Variety Show tickets.

Black History on 'Life'

In the Life, a lesbian and gay TV newsmagazine, travels to Atlanta to celebrate February as Black History Month. The segment airing February 3 will report on the growing gay presence in Atlanta's annual march commemorating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The show also features an interview with Keith Boykin, the new executive director of the National Black Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum; a talk with members of "Think It's Not What It Iz," an AfricanAmerican theater troupe; and a look at South Africa, a country poised to become the first nation to constitutionally guarantee the rights

of its gay and lesbian citizens.

Chris Hixson, whose Among Friends Gal-

lery in Peninsula is the northeast Ohio underwriter for the show, is working to move In the Life to a better time slot. It currently airs on PBS channels 45 and 49 at midnight the first Saturday night of the month. Hixson encourages viewers to watch or tape the next installment of In the Life and send their supportive comments to Don Freeman, Programming Director, WNEO/WEAO, P.O. Box 5191, Kent, OH 44240. Or call the station at 216677-4549 and encourage them to give the show a better time slot. Viewers can also receive a membership guide detailing upcoming shows by calling In the Life at 212255-6012.

Hixson, who has just committed to under-

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writing another full year of In the Life, said, "We're proud to help bring this program to northeast Ohio, and we hope you'll actively support it."

JOHN R. O'CONNOR

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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE