HIGH GEAR/OCTOBER 1977

ODDS&ENDS

Gay Community News reports that the US Catholic has found that 64% of its readers who responded to a survey in its pages support the concept of ordaining gay men as priests, if they agreed to be celibate. On the issue of gay civil rights in housing, 82% were supportive and another 63% stated that gay people have the human rights to do whatever they wish as long as it is done in private......

Congressman Edward Koch (D, NY) chief sponsor of the federal gay rights bill, has amended the bill so that it will not include specifications for setting up quotas in regards to hiring practices. This hopefully will help speed the bill out of subcommittee by alleviating the fears of some opponents of the bill....

At the recent "A StarSpangled Night" benefit for human rights at the Hollywood Bowl, 17,000 people turned out to see Lily Tomlin, Bette Midler, David Steinberg, and ballet and disco dancers. However, the show stopper turned out to be the controversial comic, Richard Pryor. His opening line was,

"What being gay is all about is not getting caught with a dick in your mouth."

Two gay Lutherans are among 25 key officials named to serve at a nationwide consultation of human sexuality being sponsored next winter by the 2.4 million

member American Lutheran Church. (Bay Area Reporter).....

The Advocate reports that Kenneth Sherrill, a political science professor at Hunter College, became the first openly gay candidate to win an election in New York City. He will represent the 69th Assembly District Part A on the New York City Democratic Committee....

One more word (as if we need it) on Anita Bryant. In naming her to his "10 most obnoxious Americans" list, columnist Mike Royko said, "She wants us to believe that it is God's will that she hound and persecute the gays. Well, then, let her explain one thing. If God dislikes gays so much, how come he picked Michelangelo, a known homosexual, to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling, while assigning

Compiled by Anthony Scafaro

Anita to go on TV and push orange juice." .......

The Blade reports that a team of scientists at the University of Pittsburgh has developed an experimental vaccine against gonorrhea and will test it later this year on a sample group of volunteers. The tests will be used to determine its safety and its ability to produce antibodies against the bacterium......

A tape-recorded telephone message from a Ku Klux Klan bookstore in Pasadena, California, urges the execution of all homosexuals. The message is available by calling (703) 4724451. It is not known whether the call for the execution of gay people is official KKK policy......

The Advocate reports that ABC's TV's "Family" will deal with the subject of the gay teacher in an episode in late October. 14-year-old Buddy is confused because a woman teacher whom she adores is being hounded out of school by an anti-gay parental crusade...

According to GCN, a Knoxville, Tenn., group has been formed to rename the city's main

SUPREME COURT VS. GAYS

By Terrence Edwards

con-

It becomes increasingly difficult to work within "The System" to achieve access to rights one feels are stitutionally guaranteed when we witness the insouciant attitude of the Supreme Court visa-vis human rights cases before its review. Specifically, the high court refused to review the abridgement of rights suffered by James Gaylord and John Gish by lower court decisions.

Mr. Gaylord, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Washington was a Tacoma High School social studies teacher who was dismissed on grounds of "immorality" when school officials learned of his homosexuality. He had been teaching 13 years and was not accused of engaging in improper conduct.

John Gish was a teacher in New Jersey who was ordered to undergo a psychiatric examination after he became president of the New Jersey Gay Activist Alliance in 1972. Gish contended that this request violated his rights to privacy, liberty, freedom of expression and equal protection of the law.

Deprived of the opportunity for juridical redress, gay teachers are now menacingly threatened in all school districts where state and local laws specifically don't guarantee their rights and protect their jobs. Unfortunately, the rights of homosexual teachers have been upheld in only a few state court decisions most notably in California, Maryland, Oregon and Delaware. Even in these states the prudent gay should carefully consider an out-of-thecloset life style. The courts

decision makes us all a little uneasier but for many gay teachers it can only mean mental anguish and anxiety, frustration and fear. While a recent gallop poll revealed that a majority of Americans believe gays should have equal job rights, a full 65% felt that they should not be permitted to be teachers.

The myths persist. Teachers are allegedly role models for their pupils. That sexual preference is determined by school age and that this is well documented scientifically is cavalierly overlooked when homophobics discuss and react to the gay teacher and his influence on the pupil. If their influence on the pupils is so monumental, then a lot of gay guys should now be nuns.

Gays have suffered setbacks this year-Dade County, the recent court decision and countless incidents where being gay has elicited unfavorable treatment. But this year has brought about a heightened awareness among ourselves, among straights that gay rights are an issue, that gays are becoming more militant about the privations they suffer and that gays intend to fight for equal rights in or out of the system.

we nave the resources --economic, political. We have numbers 20,000,000 gay Americans. "For me it is the end of the road. I'm not terribly happy about losing, but someone will win, believe me." Jim Gaylord said that; Jim Gaylord believes that. We will win when we come to believe that WE WILL WIN.

GODMOTHER'S 1014 E. 63rd St

Remember This Date:

SATURDAY OCT 22

GONG SHOW 10 PM

ONE BLOCK NORTH OF ST. CLAIR JUST EAST OF E. 55TH ST.,

thoroughfare, presently called Gay Street. However, the group has met with little success. One new name proposed was "Yag." That's gay spelled backward......

The Cleveland NOW ERA Walkathon on August 27th raised almost $5000 (fourth highest in the country). As Richard Celeste, Lt. Gov. of Ohio, said when the walk began, "Human rights are the central story of this nation-never given, always fought for."...

Page 3

After dominating the California beer market for years, the Adoph Coors Co. has dropped to second position after Anheuser-Busch. This has been hailed by gay activists as proof of the effectiveness of their yearlong boycott of Coors. Allen Baird, president of Teamsters Local 921 said, "If anyone deserves credit for what has

happened to Coors, it should be

the poor people, minorities, union members, and the gay community."...

FELLOWSHIP METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH

A book on gay experience to meet the needs of young lesbians and gay men is being (9) prepared by Frances Hanckel and John Cunningham, activists and members of the American Library Association Task Force. They would appreciate receiving reminiscences, anecdotes or comments about what it means to be a gay adolescent. Any material can be sent to them at P.O. Box 2383, Philadelphia, Pa. 19103...

A quote from Rod McKuen: "Anita Bryant should be born again, and again, until she gets it right."...

National Gay Task Force's first major publishing venture will become a reality this January or February when OUR RIGHT TO LOVE: A LESBIAN RESOURCE BOOK becomes available. The book brings together authoritative lesbian writers and activists dealing openly with the special problems of lesbian women on subjects including legal problems, therapy, coming out, lesbian research, health issues, lesbian mothers, sexuality, lesbian feminism, and lesbian culture...

Metropolitan Community Church of Cleveland is still open and meetings are held each Sunday at 2 p.m. We are using The Unitarian Society building 2728 Lancashire Rd., Cleveland Heights. This is just off Coventry Road-two streets south of Mayfield Road. Please visit and let us get to know you. Refreshments are usually served after worship services. Further information is available by calling 951-6705 or 942-2268. Both telephones are equipped with recording answering service if no one is available to take your call. Please leave your name and telephone number. Your call will be returned as soon as possible. This telephone system will be used until a formal replacement has been made for Dan Richmond who is now living in Miami, Florida. We look forward to your Sunday visits.

Send $800

check

or money order to

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