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GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE JULY 24, 1998
IN BOX
Hard-hatted protection purveyors to hit the bars
by Doreen Cudnik
Columbus If you're planning to be out and about in the bars this weekend, be sure to keep an eye out for the Columbus AIDS Task Force's "Condom Crew," who will be out in full force on Saturday, July 25. The Condom Crew is comprised of CATF staff and volun-
teers.
The Crew plans to "pass out condoms in just about all of the gay bars in Columbus," said CATF outreach coordinator Steve Potchatek. They'll be hard to miss, since they'll be wearing yellow hard hats with lights on the front.
"We have seen so much renewed enthusiasm for our outreach efforts since the positive response to our float in the Pride parade and we want to continue the momentum." The boat-shaped float had about 35 people on it wearing sailor hats and life preservers, handing out Life Savers candy, colored pencils and colored condoms.
CATF director of education and training Katherine E. "Smokey" Shumate credits Potchatek with picking up where former outreach coordinator David Andrist left off. Andrist left the organization in March and now works for the Columbus Health Department.
"Steve has a lot of good creative energy and is great at motivating others," Shumate said. She added that the Condom Crew is just one part of CATF's overall outreach and prevention education efforts among Columbus' lesbian and gay community.
Chorus seeks director
Columbus-If you've ever heard the Columbus Women's Chorus sing, you already know that that their motto, "Celebrating life through the power of music" rings true. Founded in November 1989, the chorus, including four of the original members, have performed in recent years at the Ohio Lesbian Festival, AIDS memorial services, Take Back the Night marches, Pride festivities and a lesbian commitment ceremony. Their musical repertoire is eclectic and includes traditional and popular songs as well as Native American chants, spirituals, and women's music. New members are always welcome.
As the chorus continues into its tenth season and beyond, they are is seeking a dynamic woman with conducting experience to be their director. The candidate must be willing to work with singers who have a range of experience and ability, and with a music selection committee.
Interested applicants should call the chorus at 614-878-3684.
Lesbiah-gay record label forms
Atlanta-Rising Star Records recently announced the formation of Rainbow Records, a label that will specialize in music and comedy recordings by gay artists or records that appeal specifically to the lesbian and gay market.
Rising Star has moved several albums to the Rainbow Records imprint, including Lea DeLaria, Box Lunch, Georgia Ragsdale, Always Forward, Never Straight, and the compi-
Barbara Taylor
lation CD The Best of Lesbian Comedy, Vol. 1, which features 10 of the most popular lesbian comics around the country.
Classical Passion, which featured over an hour of sensuous orchestral music combined with the erotic nude male photography of Dean Keefer was Rainbow's first release in May of this year. Keefer is highly-regarded for his calendars, coffee table books, posters and cards which feature some of the world's most beautiful men.
In addition to the new label, Rising Star also has launched a gay and lesbian mail-order merchandise catalog, Rainbow Depot. Originally called Dept. 69 and targeted to lesbians, the catalog has expanded to include posters, videos, books, clothing, and CDs that will also appeal to gay men.
The openly lesbian president of Rising Star records, Barbara Taylor, will also serve as president and owner of Rainbow Records. Rainbow invites submissions and inquiries from out gay and lesbian comedians and musical artists. Contact Lyndell Massengale at 52 Executive Park South, Suite 5203, Atlanta, Ga. 30329; 404-636-2063. To receive a free Rainbow Depot catalog call 888-237-0167.
of all the people in this planet.
at is no accident
net,
ob and i were just a note to say "I love you" brought together.
An E-greetings digital postcard. Dance disc benefits rights group New York-If you didn't get your fill of hot dance music at the various Pride and Dancin' in the Streets events held around Ohio, check out the official benefit CD for the 1998 Winter Party. This two-CD set is a great continuous dance compilation, and features songs from Tina Turner, Martha Wash, Sunscreem, Lonnie Gordon, Boy George, Ultra Nate and more. Tina Turner's "On Silent Wings" is the first official U.S. release of the song, which features Sting as a guest vocalist.
The Winter Party is Florida's largest and most successful gay and lesbian fundraiser, so proceeds from the sale of the CD benefit a great cause. It's held on the beach in the heart of the gay mecca of South Beach (Miami) from noon until sunset. Winter Party aficionados say it's the only place to be the second Sunday in March.
The beneficiary of the Winter Party, the Dade Human Rights Foundation, works to advance education and raise public awareness about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues.
The 2-CD set is available at An Open Book in Columbus, Left Handed Moon and Pink Pyramid in Cincinnati, Grand Poobah's Record Shop and Off the Record in Cleveland, and Luna Music in Indianapolis. The set can also be ordered at 888-923-6828 or www.centaurmusic.com.
and let you know I'm constantly thankful you're lo my lic. It's h a wonderful year. You're the best.
All my love, Reg
Send electronic greeting cards
San Francisco-Planet Out, a leading gay-oriented Internet content provider, joined forces in June with Greet Street, the creators of E-greetings digital postcards to offer the largest selection of online postcards specifically targeted to the gay and lesbian community.
The cards feature positive images of same sex couples, rainbow flags, pink triangles, and other icons that have special meaning to the gay and lesbian community. The messages range from serious and reflective to light and humorous.
Other gay and lesbian-themed digital greetings feature birthday wishes, coming out announcements, and romantic and friendship messages. They can be personalized to suit virtually any occasion, and can be received by anyone with an E-mail account and web browser. Much of the artwork in the collection has been produced by Ten Percent Productions, a paper greeting card company with a long record of service to the gay and lesbian community.
The queer-themed E-greetings are available free of charge and can be sent with just a click of a mouse. To receive five free Egreetings, access Greet Street through the PlanetOut website (http:/www.planetout.com) or via America Online (keyword: PlanetOut). For more information about Greet Street's complete E-greeting service, contact the company at 800-473-3878 or http:// www.greetst.com
AIDS experts endorse needle exchange program
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reported that needle sharing is "directly linked to transmission of HIV disease." Nationwide, 32 percent of all adults with AIDS and 71 percent of all females with AIDS are directly or indirectly related to injection drug use, the report said. "Among children with HIV, the majority are infected before birth by an intravenous drug using mother infected through sexual activity with an (IV) drug user."
Members of the injection drug use panel included veteran city AIDS coordinator Bernard Young, Michael Connley of AIDS Volunteers of Northern Kentucky, Reggie Bronson of Talbert House social service
body needs to be concerned about needle exchange issues."
Funding and minimizing the number of people at risk for HIV has become more complicated after recent action in Washington. Speaking for the Ohio AIDS Coalition, Townley blasted Congress for limiting funding for the 1999 HIV prevention budget to present levels.
"In a time when the federal government has been complacent towards HIV prevention strategies, Greater Cincinnati AIDS Consortium has taken a significant step in bringing the need for prevention to the fore-
front in the battle against HIV/AIDS,” he said.
On June 23, the U.S. House Labor, Education, and Human Services Appropriations subcommittee okayed a $181 million increase in "Ryan White” AIDS funding, without increasing prevention spending.
The congressional panel also proposed a permanent ban on using federal funds for needle exchange programs, which Townley called an "absurd" move.
"To not allocate dollars to these proven prevention methods is an unconscionable
head-in-the-sand act, with grave results," he said.
With no federal or state money in sight, Yates is taking a “build the policy and dollars will come" approach once the initial local support is shored up.
"Cincinnati is not too conservative for a syringe exchange program," Yates insists, "no more, in the final analysis, than it was willing to support smallpox treatment, syphilis prevention, water fluoridation, or intravenous polio vaccination. In time, these results too will be accepted by our public as vital and necessary. It won't be a political issue." ✔
agency, and Ohio AIDS Coalition president Bill would end funding if city keeps partner law
Steve Townley.
AIDS Consortium vice president Jerry Bedford Jr. praised the panel's report and passage by the 22-member consortium.
"If we don't implement this type of hazard reduction now, all of society will pay down the road." Bedford said, noting the escalating costs of AIDS treatment. Bedford, who is a member of Naaman's Retreat, a support group for HIV-positive AfricanAmericans, added that even though not everyone is an injection drug user, "Every-
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including parents, siblings or same-sex partners. The Salvation Army pulled out of $3.5 million in city contracts to provide meals to senior citizens and shelter for the homeless.
The city could lose up to $260 million a year in Housing and Urban Development funds if the amendment becomes law. Affected programs would include $67 million for Section 8 housing, which lets the poor rent apartments
from private-sector landlords.
"What is so frightening about it is it jeopardizes the welfare of tens of thousands of men, women and children in San Francisco in order to punish a locality that's clearly within its jurisdiction,” said Winnie Stachelberg of the Human Rights Campaign. “This is an example of gross federal micromanagement of local issues.”
She called the amendment an “anti-gay attack, pure and simple."
Riggs' proposal is just the latest Republican
attack on gays, some said.
"San Francisco has done something so monumental that extremists are going to extremes to dismantle it," said San Francisco supervisor Leslie Katz, an author of the domestic partners law.
“Local autonomy is of utmost importance, and Congressman Riggs has in the past been a supporter of that concept," Mayor Willie Brown said. "We're outraged at this type of activity."
Associated Press