HIGH GEAR/MARCH 1978

ELYRIA EMBATTLED

For the second time in less than a year Elyria's Public Safety and Environment Committee has blocked legislation which would ban discrimination against homosexuals. The legislation was a proposed amendment to the existing Affirmative Action Ordinance now in effect in Elyria.

It was proposed by Joan Barlow, the city's Equal Opportunity Officer. The amendment also sought to ban discrimination because of political affiliation or handicaps, areas where new state and federal laws outlaw preferential treatment.

The matter had been on the agenda for Council consideration on Tuesday, February 21. Strong opposition from residents and religious leaders prompoted Oliver Jones, chairman of council's public safety and environment committee to pull the legislation off the agenda and refer it back to committee.

WORKSHOP

The Kent Gay Liberation Front is having it's annual Weekend Workshops on April 21st, 22nd, and 23rd in rooms 204 and 206 of the Kent Student center. Rita Mae Brown will begin the workshops. She will be speaking in the Kiva Friday night at 8 pm. Rita Mae is the author of Rubyfruit Jungle. A Plain Brown Rapper, and In Her Day. She has been active in the Women's and Gay Rights Movements, and was a founding member of Radicalesbians. She is now a member of the National Gay Task Force.

Brian McNaught will be speaking Saturday afternoon at 1:00. He writes the column "A Disturbed Peace", and was formerly editor of the Michigan Catholic-Herald.

The

would

amendment prohibit the city from discriminating against

homosexuals in its hiring practices. Anyone who does more than $2500 worth of business with the city would also be bound by the anti-discrimination provisions.

Ms. Barlow who is not gay added the clause that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation because she said "I think the way gays are treated is really unreal."

Only two Ohio cities have law banning discrimination against homosexuals but only in housing not in hi ring they are Columbus and Yellow Springs.

The committee had originally voted 3-1 to recommend that council adopt the controversial proposal. Favoring the legislation were Leo Bullocks, Oliver Jones and Charles Fair. Ernest Brewer opposed the

The few who labor in and for the benefit of the gay community cannot continue to do so without additional personnel and financial support. The laborers are just too few in this vineyard. High Gear has now been distributed free of charge monthly for over three years.

amendment. Brewer called for residents to attend the council meeting as a show of force. He said, "I'm totally against homosexuality. The morals of this country are low enough without me contributing to it. That's what's wrong with this nation. I oppose this kind of sexual activity because of my religion (Baptist) and my personal morals. Also I think the government's already involved in too many unnecessary areas." A group of Elyria ministers signed a resolution opposing the amendment. It asked city council members "to oppose

egislation or amendment to legislation which could lead to the hiring of homosexuals." The group contacted council members to apply personal pressure.

Buckling under the pressure Leo Bullocks changed his mind about the amendment. "I represent the people of Elyria

newspaper could function without so necessary a tool as a typewriter.

And if you haven't seen too many pictures of yourself in High Gear, there's a reason for that too. Yes, High Gear doesn't own a camera. As I sit here penning this plea, I'm amused that High Gear even went to

The paper does not have an office. The apartments of the co-press. editors have always served that vital purpose. The paper has no telephone. The gay hotline and switchboard and the private phone numbers of High Gear volunteers are used when numbers must be used in the paper.

High Gear doesn't even own a typewriter. When we seek new volunteers, we must sometimes ask, "Do you own a typewriter?" Few would believe that a

High Gear owns neither pens or paper. Those items are donated by whomever volunteers to write a news release or an article. Needless to say, we have no trouble with Inventory control, and theft of High Gear property presents no. problem.

High Gear volunteers who use their automobiles for High Gear business are not reimbursed. That's a contribution that is not

BRIGGS REFILES INITIATIVE

--courtesy of Gay Community News, for the Republican nomination 3/4/78

LOS ANGELES California State Senator John Briggs has officially begun refiling his antigay initiative. After a two-month delay, Briggs began to distribute revised petitions to have his "California Defend Our Children" initiative placed on the ballot in November.

The initiative, which has been planned for the June ballot but was ruled invalid because of wording, calls for the "filing of charges against school teachers, teacher's aides, school administrators or counselors for advocating, soliciting, imposing, encouraging or promoting private or public sexual acts between persons of the same sex... prohibit hiring and requires dismissal of such persons if school boards determit them unfit for service." This revised statement includes the omitted words and gives a more detailed description of the intent of the initiative.

Briggs, who has not received any support from other California politicans, is running

for governor. He is also the sponsor of an initiative that would broaden the possible death penalty in the state.

Along with his petition drive, Briggs is distributing information about his organization. The logo for California Defend Our Children shows the male and female symbols interlocked over a cross. The group is defined as a "non-partisan, non-profit organization of concern citizens dedicated to preserving proper moral environments in California and throughout the nation."

It is the group's contention that the initiative would not deny gays their human rights, because "there is no inherent right for an individual to hold a teaching job." According to the information sheet on the group, teaching is "a public position and it is a privilege, not a right." In a challenge to the other politicians in the state, California Defend Our Children states that Senator Briggs is not supporting the initiative to "increase his political stature." "If this issue is such a great public platform," the group's literaturesays, "why aren't other public

officials in the state... joining in the fight to ban open homosexuals from the classroom?"

Meanwhile, the California Conference to Defeat the Briggs Inititiave held a meeting on Jan. 22 to plan strategy. The statewide organization announced that it will be working on "getting the vote out, seeking alliances with other causes, and educating the people."

and everyone that's talked to me is against it. It's X numbers of people to zero. I have to weigh it that way."

Councilman Charles Fair also reversed his position. "I don't think society is ready for this type of thing right now. After sitting down and thinking this thing over, I've decided I really can't support it. Sometimes you act on things a little quicker than you should. I suppose we'll use this as a 'teacher' in the future. Being that some of us are new, I guess we learn the hard way. I'm sure this will come before us again in the future but right now I don't think it will go over too good with the people."

Council President Richard Seward said the ordinance would be reconsidered at a future committee meeting and that it would probably be killed.

High Gear has learned that the public safety and environ-

tax deductible either. Frequently, a volunteer photographer donates the film and processing|| costs so you can see something| of visual interest.

Many volunteers over the past three years have become frustrated with these primitive working conditions, and so, recruiting new help is always necessary.

You can help!! In the past, you haven't!!! Joe Wickes, owner of the popular Camelot Complex in Toledo and the Camelot disco in Warren has offered to hold fund raising functions periodically for the benefit of High Gear.

The first benefit will be next month at his bar in Warren.] Details on this event will appear in next month's High Gear. Why not plan to go out of town and trick with a foreigner.

Committees have been created to focus on a number of issues in the campaigns including outreach, fundraising, the media, research, legal affairs, and political action. The group will be publishing a newsletter. The California Conference to Defeat the Briggs Initiative is convicned that Sen. Briggs will be able to gather the 312,000 signatures needed by the May 1 deadline.

Wellhigh

Bigots, Birchers and Bryant, Oh My! BRIGGS

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ment committee next meets on March 14 at 7:30 P.M. Oliver Jones, chairperson of the committee, indicated that the amendment will not be considered at the meeting and probably won't be "in for foreseeable future". High Gear has been notified that leaders and members of gay groups from Elyria and Oberlin plan to attend the meeting to voice their views on the irresponsible manner in which this vital piece of legislation is being handled.

Gay from the area are also planning other actions. One gay leader said, "If there is a way for the gay community to avoid paying city income taxes, or at least make it very difficult for the city to collect from us, we will find it."

Area resident gays also plan to withhold contributions from the churches which have opposed the legislation. Last Sunday, many gays dropped play money in the church collection baskets to demonstrate that they were members of the church joining in the action.

BLUE JEANS DAY

---courtesy of NGTF Action Report, 2/78

Are you ready? The word is go for National Gay Blue Jeans > Day on Friday, April 14. The idea is for gay groups to announce and publicize locally that on April 14 lesbians and gay men on campus will wear blue jeans all day to demonstrate gay pride and self-affirmation. Of course, not everyone will, and some non-gays will wear theirs "by mistake" -but that's the "beauty part." On the individual level, each person who knows about the event will be forced to make a conscious decision about something most do automatically, and as a result will have to consider what it's like to be a member of America's "most discriminated-against minority."

These affairs cost the "sponsoring" groups very little: a small ad in the paper (early in the week) and a batch of handmade posters are generally enough to set tongues wagging all over (and frequently much further). After that, they'll be after you to explain just what's going on. The free publicity your group will garner could never be bought.

What NGTF will do is to try to get tongues wagging about NGBJD all over the country, by sending a news release (and making follow-up calls) to the national media: the networks, the wire services, the newsmagazines, the major newspapers, etc. But such a publicity effort-which will intensify the event's impact everywhere it is tried--can only succeed if we know in advance who is joining in and can tell the media where the action is. Some groups have notified us already; please, the rest of you, at least a postcard! anything!

Courtesy of Gay Community News Art Director Bob. Wellington