TO GAY GROUP

PINKNEY, BRESNAHAN SPEAK TO

At the invitation of MCC on September 9th, two Cleveland mayoral candidates, Democrat Arnold Pinkney and Socialist Robert Bresnahan appeared at St. John's Episcopal Church to address a group of local gays. After presenting speeches outlining their general campaign platforms, the men spoke directly to gay issues. Said Pinkney: "As a black man subjected to a mode of living that is not a reflection of my culture, I can have sympathy for anyone leading a life style that is dif. ferent from the mainstream. I feel I have greater sensitivity to your condition by the fact that we are both unlike the majority, though I don't think this is an issue in the mayoral campaign."

In response to a question as to whether he would sponsor a support gay legislation if elected, Pinkney skirted the issue by saying, "In relationship to the gay community, I honestly must plead ignorance. What I need to do is sit down with some gay

The Gear Foundation, 1975

Lesbian Feminist Conference

Local feminists are planning a Cleveland radical feminist lesbian conference for November 14-16 in a reserved space in eastern Cuyahoga County. The focus of the group revolves around the following definition as provided High Gear by spokeswomen: "A lesbian is a woman who places women first in her life. A lesbian feminist is a woman who knows that her personal situation as a lesbian and

as a woman is related to the oppression of all women in male culture. A radical lesbianfeminist is prepared to do something about it and sees that groups of women are her means."

The following have been identified as purposes of the conference: 1) we want to know who we are, how many we are, and where we are. 2) we want to evaluate our skills and resources. 3) we want to establish a communications network that is accessible. 4) we want to talk about how Cleveland does or does not meet our needs. 5) we I want to have an experience in community together. 6) we want to establish connections with the Cleveland feminist community.

Those women interested in obtaining more information on the location and details of a preconference meeting held on September 3rd may call either Susan Woodworth at 932-2074 or Mary Ann Huckabay at 371-

2477

representative who can provide me with detailed information about the gay movement. I can promise that I will establish the liason between myself as mayor and the gay community.

Once Pinkney had voiced his alleged ignorance, it was difficult to press him on any further matters concerning gays. One questioner, however, asked if Pinkney had any plans to reinstitute the infamous Perk "God Squad," an organized campaign to rid the city of its vice. The "God Squad" made a practice of entrapping gays in public places, prosecuting street prostitutes and their patrons, and harassing pornography shops. Said Pinkney: "The God Squad was a joke. It was not provided with any staff, resources of authority and possessed little responsibility.

I believe in equal justice. My administration will deal with every person as a human being and relate to all of the needs of the governed. Your rights will be

Ohio

Equal Rights

The town that surrounds Antioch College, in southwestern Ohio has become the first to provide equal rights for homosexuals. It is now illegal to discriminate in housing, employment, and public services, on the grounds of sexual orientation. The piece of legislature that was passed is being made available to gay groups through out the state of Ohio, as a mode! for use in attempting similar breakthroughs in other cities in this state.

Akron

Harassment Continues

Reports of police harassment at "Mothers," a local gay business continue to pile up. Apparently trying to close "Mother's" because of its' proximity to the Superblock area that the Akron City Council is trying to clear of prostitutes and drug traffic, the police enter the club with flashlights, demanding ID screening.

Harassment of the club began in the Spring, with arrests for jaywalking of several customers, and has continued since that time. The police have not, however, succeeded in keeping patrons of the popular club away, and business is still good. The management continues to resist the harassment techniques of the police, and intends to continue with business on regular basis.

protected even if I disagree with your life style. Should i ever consider introducing any gay legislation, I realize it might make me very unpopular; but I expect to be an unpopular mayor, for the basis of my cam. paign is change."

Robert Bresnahan, running for mayor on the platform of the Socialist Alternative also shared his stand on gay rights. Said Bresnahan: "I and the Socialist Worker's Party feel that the oppression of gays is analogous to the oppression of women and blacks. As working people, we are all prevented by the cor. porate powers from progressing together toward fulfillment of basic and immediate human needs. Our party is opposed to the anti-gay policies of nominally socialist states like Cuba, the Soviet Union, and The People's Republic of China. Such ideas are Stalinist and should not be identified as Socialist.

Secondly, we believe that anyone has the right to express

their sexuality as they see fit."

Bresnahan offered to incor. porate support of pending local and national gay legislation in all of his forthcoming speeches to the general public-"We give full support to intro 451 in New York City and the Bella Abzug sponsored national amendment to the Civil Rights Acts (HR Bill 166). Most such legislation, un. fortunately, is not strong enough as it does not contain any stipulations for implementation. We feel that any corporation that discriminates against gays should be heavily fined.

Likewise, every gay person should have the opportunity to fight any job displacement due to such discrimination.

On the police question, Bresnahan states: "We would like to remove the harassing aspects of the police department from the gay community. Under my administration the gay community would have access to all forms of safety that they themselves would control. I personal-

ly think that homosexuality is natural and that all human beings are innately bisexual. We are opposed to any form of sexual oppression of gays and will use every available measure in office to alleviate that problem."

Upon conclusion of their respective presentations, both Mr. Pinkney and Mr. Bresnahan greeted each other and privately discussed other pertinent cam. paign issues. Local gay activists concurred that the meeting was productive and hope to arrange similair forums with other mayoral candidates.

The session was a historical first for the city of Cleveland. Never before had an open exohange between gays and mayoral candidates taken place in a public arena.

It is encouragingly apparent that we are making the gay presence known and felt in the larger Greater Cleveland community.

HIGH GEAR

Voi. ii,

A Publication of the Gear Foundation, Issue 1, 1975

MCC CLEVELAND HARASSED

The Metropolitan Community dousing her with soft drink. The men left, and claimed "that this was just the beginning." They would be back and the "queer Iminister would be dead."

Church of Cleveland has recently faced severe harassment. Wednesday, August 27th, the church offices were broken into, and the church files were dumped. Obscene slogans were written on the walls, such as "queers are garbage," and "you're going to die." The latter Iwas directed at the churches' Worship Coordinator, Arthur MacDonald, and a snapshot of Mr. MacDonald that was on the wall had a jackknife driven through it. A series of threatening telephone calls preceded the vandalism of the MCC office. Nothing was broken, or stolen, and no damage to the building the MCC offices are housed in was repor. ted.

The next day, two hooded men broke into the office at about 2-p.m., one carrying a revolver, the other armed with a knife, apparently looking for Mr. MacDonald, who was at lunch at the time. Upon finding Mr. MacDonald gone, they assaulted the secretary, slamming her against the office wall, and

The following evening, a member of the MCC congregation entered the office, with a meeting in process down. stairs and was assaulted by another unidentifiable man, who ran out before the victim could

regain consciousness.

The next incident occurred sometime Saturday morning, with the office being once more vandalized, and more epithets being written on the wall. "The Faggots Must Go!"

But, Mr. MacDonald says that MCC will NOT go.

"This is all being done by people who think they can run the "faggots" out like they have everytime before. Only this time we are not running. Before all of this started happening, we had informed our host church that we intended to move within a six-month period, into better facilities, hopefully our own. However, we will NOT be PUSHED out, until we are ready

to go. I hope the people at St. John's give us the support they would any other Christian group."

When asked if moving presented any real problems, Mr. MacDonald replied, "Yes, and no. I believe we can do it. Move, I mean, and into our own building. We are looking at several properties at the moment, if we can make the necessary financial arrangements, a move is very feasible. We've prayed a great Ideal for guidance in this matter, and our recent growth has been PHENOMENAL. We've gone from around 20-25 people at a service, to around 50. That seems to be our answer. And we are opening up an outreach into the East Side, that is getting a terrific response. That is. probably why we are having the problems we have. We constitute a threat, because all of a sudden, the straight community is taking us seriously. Because the gay community is responding.

MCC Akron Worship Coordinator Licensed

The worship coordinator of the Akron Metropolitan Community Church, Stan Roberts, was licensed as a minister by

Metropolitan Community Churches, at that denomination's recent General Conference, in Dallas. Texas Reverend Roberts

Protestant denomination, and being licensed the first. step in being ordained within the

HENGA