3. CHRONICLI

communitygroups

Stonewall will reach out to the public at Ohio State Fair

Columbus-From August 6-22, thousands of people will pass through the gates of the Ohio State Fair. Since 1981, Stonewall Columbus has offered fair-goers a GLBT presence, in the form of an information booth. With the theme "Reach Out to Ohio," this year's booth will continue a tradition of offering GLBT resources from all over the state, and in addition will emphasize education on various issues.

The booth is located in the Multi-Purpose Building (Bricker Marketplace), which is across form the Celeste Center on the north side of the fairgrounds. It's where people go to see a tomato get sliced and diced or to cool off in the air conditioning. From 10 am until 10 pm you can stop by the Stonewall booth

there, located conveniently next to the food

court.

One of the main target groups for the booth effort has traditionally been people from rural areas with no GLBT resources in their towns, or people who don't know about the resources in their areas.

"People who don't have access to the community in their area feel isolated," said fair booth co-chair Amy Crawford. "We want them to know they are not alone.”

In the past the booth has been a clearinghouse of pamphlets and literature from organizations all over Ohio. This year the information has been consolidated into guides for Northern, Central and Southern Ohio (the latter including West Virginia).

Help is there for same-sex domestic violence

by Kevin J. Kukoleck, Ph.D.

Cleveland-It is estimated that as many as 550,000 lesbians and gay men experience domestic violence each year.

The actual incidence rate of same-gender domestic violence is unknown because of the problem of underreporting. While fear of partner retaliation is a common cause of underreporting for both heterosexual and homosexual couples, it is believed that gay men and lesbians also fear being outed by the experience and fear being revictimized by the police or agencies designed to assist battered individuals.

Lesbians may also underreport because they feel it will bring shame to the lesbian

As part of the center's Domestic Violence Project, a forum was held on the topic at the American Red Cross building Downtown on July 29. Presenters included Lynn Hammond, a social worker with the Witness-Victim Service Center, rainspirit, a chemical dependency counselor from the Center for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, and myself, a psychologist representing Mosaics Integrated Health.

Domestic violence usually begins rather subtly. The couple may become progressively more isolated

• The Lesbian-Gay Community Service Center's Domestic Violence Project

contact Jen Kruger

216-522-1999

• The Center for the Prevention of Domestic Violence contact rainspirit

• The Witness-Victim Service Center contact Lynn Hammond.

216-520-6042

216-443-7327

• Mosaics Integrated Health, contact Kevin J. Kukoleck 216-524-7772, option 1, extension 44

or women's community, while gay men may believe it is personally shameful and unmanly to be a victim.

Fear and shame often lead to inaction. Because of this, many programs across the country designed to address the problem of same-gender domestic violence struggle to meet their goals of providing support to those in need.

Despite this, the Lesbian-Gay Community Center of Greater Cleveland, in conjunction with local law enforcement and other social service agencies, is working very hard to develop a program for gay men and lesbians in our area who experience domestic violence.

from others. Verbal or physical arguments may then begin which become more violent. These behaviors almost always become more frequent and more intense.

Some of the eleven brave men and women who attended this event shared their experiences with domestic violence. They told of verbal intimidation, pushing and shoving, demeaning put-downs, physical assault, unwanted sex and even acts of violence which led to death.

The speakers at this forum, as well as the Cleveland Lesbian-Gay Center, want everyone in our community to know that help is available. If you or anyone you know is having unwanted verbal, emotional, physical or sexual experiences with a partner, call any of the numbers listed above today. You and your partner deserve better. There is help and hope.

Softball scores and standings

Cleveland―These are the scores of the North Coast Athletic Association softball games played Sunday, July 25, and the team standings at the end of those games.

Miller Time

Tuscany Tile and Marble

Nickel Queens/Hard Hatted Women ... O

Twist.

(forfeit)

Four Play

Miller Time

Rudy's ....

Twist..

Team Yellow/Twist

Club Cleveland Mustangs Four Play

Nationwide LeMonte Agency

Team Yellow/Twist

Tuscany Tile and Marble

Rudy's

Club Cleveland Mustangs

Nickel Queens/Hard Hatted Women. 15 Nationwide LeMonte Agency

Standings as of July 25

Competitive Division

Team

Miller Time

Recreational Division

% GB

Team

( 1 000 0.0

Tuscany Tile & Marble 6

1.000 0.0

Twist

Club Cleveland Mustangs

Four Play

2 4 333 4.0

Team Yellow/Twist NickelQueens/

Hard Hatted Women 2 Rudy's

4 .333 4.0

5 167 5.0

Nationwide LeMonte Agency

% GB 5 1 833 0.0

4 333 1.0 2 4 .333 2.0 5 167

2.0

The idea was easy access, according to co-chair Phil Pishitelli.

"When you're in the closet, you want to be able to grab the information you need and move on quickly," he said. Pishitelli noted that the task of gathering resources received support from all over the state, including in-

focus.

"Most of our struggles hit us at home, said Crawford. "We want people to be able to find what's available in their own back yards, or close by."

Stonewall

Those who wish to support this statewide educational effort can do so in two important

formation shared by the Gay COLUMBUS ways: volunteering and mak-

People's Chronicle from their back-page Resource Directory. "The fair booth effort is for people all over Ohio," he said, "and it was nice to see groups around the state pull together to make it all possible."

Reach Out to Ohio organizers know that most of the people who pass by the booth will be heterosexual, so a resource guide for allies will also be available.

"We wanted to offer some simple ways to support justice for all people," said Kim Dill, Stonewall Columbus education and volunteer coordinator. "Most people think that they have to stand on a soap box to be supportive, when all they have to do is treat people equally."

The guide suggests using inclusive language, not assuming everyone is heterosexual, and seeking out education on LGBT issues. Also included are myths and facts about GLBT people, including definitions of terms and stronger suggestions about how to make changes in the workplace and schools.

"Ignorance is our strongest enemy," said Dill. "People who are educated tend to be more supportive and less violent toward us."

The booth will also offer pamphlets on several key GLBT issues, such as relationships, spirituality, violence and safer sex. The Stonewall Journal, Lavender Listings and other periodicals will be on hand as well. Though national organization information will be included, Ohio resources will be a

ing contributions. More than 100 volunteers are needed to make the booth effort possible. People can sign up for a fourhour shift (10 am to 2 pm, 2 to

6 pm, or 6 to 10 pm) and get in free to the fair for the whole day.

"We'd like to see volunteers from all over the state," said Reach Out to Ohio volunteer coordinator Mark Gambrill. "Staffing the booth is always interesting, and contact with a friendly face can really make a difference for people who stop by," said Gambrill.

Organizations which "sponsor" the booth with a day's worth of volunteers (six) will be recognized on a sign at the booth.

In addition, funds are needed to pay for the rental of booth space and the printing of materials. Underwriters will also be recognized on a sign at the booth.

"It's a great way to advertise your business or service to people from all over the state," said Pishitelli. Organizations which sponsor with volunteers and underwriters can also provide materials to be distributed at the booth.

If you would like more information on volunteering or underwriting, please call Stonewall Columbus at 614-299-7764.

"Come out to the booth," said Dill. "Make your presence known-we will be tallying GLBT visitors to the booth, as well as the number of allies. We want to show Ohio that we are everywhere."

LGBT Jehovah's Witness group holds first confab

by Ed Jones-Mack

Washington, D.C.-A Common Bond, a social and support group for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender former (or current) Jehovah's Witnesses and their partners and loved ones, announces its 1999 International Conference, the first of what is planned to be an annual event.

The conference will be held at the Radisson Barceló Hotel at 2121 P Street, N.W. in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, D.C., August 20-22.

✔

would not otherwise be able to afford to attend.

We are not certain that we can collect enough for full scholarships the first year, but we are going to give it a try. The more people can afford to put in extra, the more likely it is that someone in dire straits (i.e.,

COMMON ROND

A Gay, Lesbian, Biserzal & Transgendered Support Group for Former & Current Jehovah's Witnesses

A social event will be held on Friday, August 20. On Saturday, August 21, there will be presentations all day and a catered dinner with an open bar. (Yes, open. Drink as much as you like.) During this dinner, conference attendees will be entertained by Common Bond members willing to share singing, dancing, drama, or other talent. In the evening, there will be trips to the local dance and cruise bars.

On Sunday, August 22, there will be presentations all day, beginning at a slightly later hour than on Saturday, and those who remain into the evening will go to dinner together at a Dupont Circle area restaurant.

The fee for attending the conference, which includes morning break beverages, afternoon break beverages and snacks, and dinner and unlimited drinks on Saturday night, is $110 per person. In an effort to be inclusive, we are asking for scholarship sponsors. We are asking that those who feel they can afford a few extra dollars please pitch in to send a little extra (or a lot extra, if you can) that can be used to help someone, at least in part, who

just kicked out of home or fired from a job working for a JW) will be able to attend and gain much-needed support and friendship.

For further information on the conference,

on registration fees, on special hotel rates at the Radisson Barceló for people attending the conference, or about A Common Bond, contact Risa at 301-864-5168 or at RisaGo@aol.com, or visit our web site at www.prideny.simplenet.com/cbonddc. ✔

Ed Jones-Mack is a member of the MidAtlantic chapter of A Common Bond.

Community Groups