8 GAY PEOPle's ChroNICLE APRIL 2, 1999

COMMUNITY FORUM

Ball supports the arts

To the Editors:

In response to Ray Snyder's letter [March 19] regarding the Wexner Center for the Arts 'Hair Ball,' I will clarify that the Hair Ball is not strictly a heterosexual event, nor drag ball, nor is the organizing committee of the Hair Ball a strictly “straight organization.” Indeed, it would be laughable if it were any of these things.

Instead, the Hair Ball raises money for arts education activities at the Wexner Center for the Arts which may benefit both straight and gay people or families. Furthermore, the necessary and worthwhile support of the arts should not be expected only of those who will gain the most benefit from that support. Altruistic behavior should not always be guided by sexual orientation or preference.

By the way, the Hair Ball is a great party! Zach Waymer Columbus

Dignity welcomes all

To the Editors:

I read the article in the Gay People's Chronicle [March 19] about the new Catholic outreach group sponsored by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and am encouraged by the small step the archdiocese has made.

The sad thing is that it is not nearly far enough. From what the article said, it appears that the archdiocese is wanting to support the gay and lesbian person, but not support the loving relationships that we as gay and lesbian people deserve and to which we are entitled as human beings.

I also noticed in the article no mention of bisexual or transgendered persons was made by the archdiocese. Is the archdiocese not acknowledging a place for bisexual or transgendered persons in this group or the church in general?

initiated the only known national Roman Catholic registry of same-sex unions.

Dignity has paid an expensive price for its stands and activities. Most Dignity chapters have been expelled from Catholic property across the country. Some of the Chronicle's more "seasoned" readers will remember back to 1987 when local Ohio chapters were expelled by their respective dioceses. The local chapters' offenses were a refusal to follow a hypocritical denial of their loving relationships, as well as agreeing with bishops that engaging in any genital relationship was "immoral" as well as "disordered."

I suppose that I could be heartened that the church says it does not discriminate, as it finds all sex outside of marriage immoral, which includes heterosexual intercourse. However, the church affords my heterosexual brothers and sisters the right to marry. As a gay man, not only does the church say that any type of genital relationship that I may have is immoral, it also denies me the right to publicly declare my love toward my same-sex life partner by forbidding me to marry. Truly a double-edged and hypocritical sword.

I do applaud the Archdiocese of Cincinnati for taking that first step. However, they need to go much further and make a true effort to preach total equality for all GLBT persons in all facets of their lives. The archdiocese's stand of supporting the individual but not the "lifestyle" reeks of the same insincerity as the fundamentalist's statement, "Love the sinner, but hate the sin."

Pleased not let this new archdiocesan group pass itself off as a cheap imitation of Dignity. The real Dignity is out there, struggling for a true and just equality for all GLBT persons within the Roman Catholic Church as well as within society in general.

Further information concerning Dignity or the National Registry is available via the web site at www.dignityusa.org.

Dan Andriacco, the archdiocesan spokesman, was quoted as saying, "There is a need for pastoral care of homosexual persons. The archdiocese wants to meet that need, Walk the talk

and not cede territory to ministries that don't support the teaching of the church." The ministry to which Mr. Andriacco refers is Dignity.

Fortunately for all GLBT persons, Dignity does exist in five major Ohio cities. Dignity has been ministering to the GLBT community for more than 20 years in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo as well as in many cities across the Midwest and the nation. Dignity welcomes and supports all GLBT persons as well as their friends and families. While Dignity is an organization based in Roman Catholic tradition, it welcomes all regardless of religious or denominationai background.

As the archdiocesan outreach supports the gay man and lesbian woman, Dignity goes even further with acknowledgement of all GLBT persons as well as their loving relationships. Dignity has also

To the Editors:

Gregg Habough Columbus

As a former board member for the Xchange Point, an organization run by Ken Vail, I would hate to see the program scrutinized simply on the bases of building code violations ["Violations close syringe exchange center," March 12].

In fact, this will perpetuate the martyr image that Ken Vail has used so far to establish an organization which only serves his personal interest.

Below is my letter of resignation to the Xchange Point board in which I clearly explain the reasons for my departure from the program.

To Whom It May Concern:

Apologies beforehand for the lack of promptness in my formal resignation to the board of directors, but I wanted to be sure

that emotions did not get in the way of wisdom. A thousand and one situations provoked my departure from the Xchange Point but the main reasons can be summarized as follows:

Ken Vail, the executive director, insisted that he does not have to do outreach even when he is the only person available to do it. He claims that he has done it enough and I quote, "That's not the executive director's job."

At the time I left, we had exchanged 17 needles in four months. I am used to exchanging at a rate of 500 needles an hour in a smaller and more restrictive city than Cleveland. His response: "Puerto Rico is another monster."

Ken Vail restricted condom distribution to three condoms per person, but business lunches were part of the regular routine, not to mention excessive travel, especially when the organization is so weak that every penny counts. In Washington D.C. he was bragging about "how cool it is to have breakfast in bed."

I refused to work around such immoral behavior especially knowing how scarce the resources are for the Xchange Point, and knowing that $50 can buy 1,000 condoms.

From my experience as a U.S. Army officer, I was in charge of the health and welfare of anywhere for 36 to 3,000 soldiers; Ken Vail does not have a clue what it takes to be a leader. He wrongly treats his volunteers and expects from them the same as paid employees and never supervised them in the field.

Ken Vail has a lot of good ideas but as we said in the street (same streets that he forgot), he can not walk the talk. This potentially constituted a violation of the law by misusing grant funds for other purposes than they were intended. For example, the active users group, the theater group and the ineffective needle exchange program, among others.

Last, I consider it a conflict of interest that the executive director is emotionally involved with the treasurer of the board. In addition, Ken Vail is the one recruiting board members, and doing so to serve his selfish needs. He also portrays an untruthful reality of the success of the program.

I refused to destroy my reputation supporting such an unethical institution, although I feel for the community it serves and the great employees the Xchange Point has. I will make it my mission to let my feelings about the program be heard around the Hispanic community, especially after knowing that he erased the message in Spanish from the program's answering machine the minute I walked out of the building. This childish behavior constitutes a clear violation of a nonprofit organization to provide equal opportunity services to all races, nationalities, sexual preferences, etc., etc., etc.

Luis M. Santiago, MPH Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Cleveland

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