HIGH GEAR/FEBRUARY 1978

GAY ACTIVISTS GET THINGS DONE

The members of New York's Gay Activist Alliance are not a group of self-lacerating homosexuals who stand ready to offer themselves as victims to homophobic radicals bent on driving us back to our closets or worse yet, molesting, maiming or murdering us. On December 8, the GAA began an ongoing self-defense action along the East River in Manhattan. This area had been the site of assorted harassing and mugging actions against gay people by homophobic punks.

The Hillsborough Brigade as the GAA's self-defense squad will be called is named after Robert Hillsborough, a San Francisco gay city worker who was brutally murdered by a homophobic gang last June. In addition to the numerous assaults on gays in the East River-Christopher Street area, there have been at least three gay related murders in the past five or six weeks.

There is nothing humerous about these attacks. They are deadly serious. The GAA's have demonstrated in the past that they are intensely serious about protecting their rights and lives. The Activist Alliance hopes that their intentions in this area serve as sufficient warning to Manhattan's hoodlums. If they are not, they will have to pay the sad and

perhaps tragic consequences.

The New York GAA successfully influenced the termination of police harassment in the White Plains area, a New York city suburb. The GAA issued a strongly-worded statement warning to the White Plains Police Department to stop entraping and harassing gays who cruise on Court Street. Otherwise, GAA said. there would be retaliation. As a result police committee chairperson Joe Kennedy who issued the public warning to the WPPD, called the triumph another instance of GAA acting boldly on behalf of the interests of the gay community throughout the metropolitan

area.

Joe Kennedy recently met with Captain Rosenthal, commander of the NYPD 6th precinct in Greenwich Village to discuss an incident which occurred early in the morning on October 30th. Police officers verbally and physically abused a crowd of gay men at Christopher and Hudson Streets. The captain promised to take forceful corrective measures to make sure the incident is not repeated. He has verbally rebuked the officers involved and arranged for all 6th precinct cops to meet with gay community representatives in "rap sessions." He also issued an in-

vitation for gay auxiliary police. Further, Captain Rosenthal issued a written directive to all members of his command instructing them not to use derogatory words when talking to or about gays. The directive states that the only acceptable words are and "gay" "homosexual."

Militant GAA may have effectively persuaded Anita Bryant to flee New York City recently. She was in the city to promote her new book detailing her mission against the gays. Plans by the GAA and others to mobilize thousands of angry gays forced her to cancel a scheduled press conference. She sneaked into the city a day early under what her husband called extremely heavy security to pre-tape an appearance on the "Today" show.. It is unusual for "Today" to pretape a segment. Nornally all guests appear live on the show.

About 350 spokesperson explained to an interviewer: "We are here today to demand equal time from NBC-TV to answer Bryant's lies. We are also here to celebrate a great victory. We have run Bryant out of town. We have proven that oustide agitators and dangerous demagogues who encourage hatred, violence, discrimination and the denial of basic human rights are not welcome in this

city. Bryant has been banished and the struggle for gay libera-

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tion goes on, bolder and more militant than ever."

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Ohio's Gay Journal

COMMUNITY PHONE REFERENCE

Gay Hotline 321-6632

CLEVELAND

GAY ORGANIZATIONS

Gay Community Center 321-2664

Dignity/Cleveland 791-0942

Nativity Fellowship Church 951-8705

Cleveland, Ohio

44101

CINCINNATI

Gay Men's Hotline 241-0001 Lesbian Referral Line 621-CARE Dignity 621-4811 M.C.C.-241-8216

DAYTON

HEALTH CARE

-241-2619

V.D. 24 Hour Information Tape 621-2191

Gay Alcoholics East Side Free Clinic 721-4010 Near West Side Free Clinic 281-4242 Free Clinic of Lake Co. 255-6783

WOMEN

Cleveland Women's Counseling 321-8585

WomenSpace 391-6650

Rape Crisis Center 391-3912

Women's Growth Cooperative 321-8582

Oven Productions 371-1697

What She Wants 391-8551

A.C.L.U.781-6276

Legal Aid Society 861-6242

LEGAL

Dignity-426-1836

Gay Center 278-3963 Lesbian-Feminist League 275-3606

KENT

Kent Gay Liberation Front 672-2068

OBERLIN

Oberlin College Gay Union 775-8131 Ohio Gay Rights Coalition 775-8131

TOLEDO

Personal Rights Organization 243-9351

YELLOW SPRINGS

BOWLING GREEN

Antioch Gay Liberation 767-7311 x217

Gay Union-352-8712

COLUMBUS

AKRON

Gay Women's Peer Counseling-263-0229 G.A.A.-443-7892

Alcoholic Help-443-1052, 964-5440 DIGNITY COLUMBUS-274-1029 CENTRAL OHIO LESBIANS 291-9114 GAY ACTIVIST ALLIANCE 422-9212 GAY LAW ASSOCIATION 422-1764 CENTRAL OHIO GAY COALITION 291-9114 GAY PEER COUNSELING 294-8337 PARENTS AND FRIENDS 294-0982 OTS MUSIC UNION 299-4587 GAY ALCOHOLICS 864-5440

M.C.C.-836-3930

CASCADE COMMUNITY CHURCH 434-8709

If there are any organizations not listed that you feel should be, please write:

Community Phone Reference

C/O HIGH GEAR

P.O. BOX 6177

CLEVELAND OHIO 44101