HIGH GEAR/MARCH 1978

BOYCOTT CANADA

SAN FRANCISCO An influential section of this California city's population is preparing a national protest against Canada that might significantly increase the already-large Canadian tourism deficit.

The protest, however has recived vertually no publicity and has not yet prompted any signs of concern from Ottawa officials.

The reason for the lack of reaction, officials in the Canadian consulate here suggest, is the nature of the interest group: Homosexuals who were angered at police raids upon a Toronto homosexual newspaper, The Body Politic.

But while few Candians remember the incident and fewer would regard homsexuals as a significant interest group in Canada, circumstances are radically different in this coastal state. The gay community is flourishing publicly in the liberal lifestyle of California with all the civil rights and public politicai power held by other minority groups. Many of them are Canadians.

Indeed, in San Francisco they are the largest minority. So man have been attracted to this city of 700,000 that the San Francisco Register of voters estimates 24 or 25 per cent of registered voters

are

homosexual. The United States Justice Department has a similar estimate that puts the city's homosexual population at 140,000. They had the national homosexual newspapers based in the San Francisco Bay area have become opinion leaders for U.S. homosexuals, who may total 22 million.

Tourism officials here if not in Ottawa yet are thus somewhat apprehensive about the development protest. A conofficial said sular the homosexual group cannot be ignored: "We've always attempted to work with all groups and it's apparent now they are as viable a pressure group as the environmentalists. They can elect politicians in this city." One of those

has also been stressed by small newspapers like The Bay Area Reporter, whose publisher wrote a letter of protest saying, "The seizure of business and personal records, lists of subscribers and advertisers sounds more like the work of a banana republic than a constitutional democracy."

Milk said the incident should be of concern to all groups since repression often starts with unpopular minorities: "That opens the door for the Jews being next or the Blacks or the French-speaking people." The Councilor predicted that the homosexual boycott of Canada will slowly develop into something with major impact; just as did in area boycott of Coors Beer for its minority hiring practices. Milk noted that homosexuals may be only seven to ten per cent of the U.S. population, but said they make up a larger proportion of travelers: "Gay people travel more than the heterosexual segment of the population because we don't have family expenses."

By Garry Fairbairn

--Courtesy of Canadian Press Service

Milk predicted, will go further than just a tourism boycott and will shun Canadian goods and services as the California Canadian Bank: "The Gay people know not to buy from a bigot. If we have to walk a little farther, we will."

One exception to the boycott is Quebec. Milk said Quebec's new human rights code was welcomed by the homosexual community and the tourism boycott will not apply to Quebec.

Page 3

there is no need for such anonymity. As a recognized political consultant here, he had briefed candidate Jimmy Carter on homosexual political desires. A consular official confirmed Harold's experience in U.S. and Candian politics.

Of the roughly one million Canadians and former Canadians in California, Harold estimated, as many as 100,000 are homosexual. In California, they find a degree of political and social acceptance unmatched anywhere: "The Democratic party never has a meeting anywhere all over the state that there isn't a cocktail party given by gays to which everybody comes."

there elected

politicians is city councillor Harvey Milk, who won election as an avowed homosexual who would defend homosexual rights. Milk, who with about 75 other persons staged a demonstration at the Canadian Consulate in January, expressed strong feelings about the police raid on The Body Politic. The newspaper's subscription list was seized. "Nothing," Milk said, "would justify seizing the subscription list, an action which would enable police to harass the newspaper's readers."

The subscription list seizure

In addition, many liberal heterosexuals support homosexual causes, he said. An annual San Francisco parade organized by homosexuals drew 250,000 marchers last year in reaction to Anita Bryant. Many homosexuals and supporters,

WAGES DUE LESBIANS

At the January 14th, 1978 rally to stop Anita Bryant's crusade against homosexuals, Francie Wyland read an open letter to Anita Bryant from Wages Due Lesbians. It described the uphill fight that lesbian mothers in many different life-situations are making for custody of their children. Immediately afterward, a lesbian mother who recently won a custody battle spoke anonymously, and disguised with a hood. As a mother Mrs. X could not afford to identify herself, because a custody decision is never final. Her story and her presence brought the audience of 1000 to its feet. She spoke for millions of lesbian women who are forced, like her, to be invisible.

Wages Due Lesbians has been organizing for two years to help Mrs. X, by raising money for her, and by publicizing the struggle that she and other lesbians are making. We cosponsored (with C.H.A.T. women) a benefit dance in October 1976. We have spoken

COGC NEWS

Central Ohio Gay Coaltion is considering forming a coalition of groups representing persons who would be affected by a notyet introduced Columbus City Council Ordinance which would prohibit discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual or affectional preference, age, handicap, or marital status. Gay people in

widely to the media, at conferences, rallies and public meetings about her case and her need for financial support. In July, 1977, we called a very successful picket of the Ontario Supreme Court to protest the laws that allow discrimination against lesbian mothers and against all women who cannot measure up to financial criteria in custody decisions. And that same month saw the publication by Wages Due Lesbians of the pamphlet Motherhood, Lesbianism and Child Custody. by Francie Wyland, for international distribution.

Now, because our organizing has put us in touch with many more women in Mrs. X's position, we are founding a lesbian mothers' defense fund. This new fund joins a growing network of such organizations in North America. It will be a permanent resource for women who need information and money to build the best possible legal case. Expert witnesses -psychiatrists, child psy-

Columbus have housing protection, but not employment protection. The ordinance will be introduced as a human rights ordinance, and hopefully pass as an entire unit, without any amendments to specifically exclude any of the groups.

COGC is working on obtaining office space in the new north end Community Center,

chologists, etc. who charge professional fees -must often be called upon in court to testify that a woman's lesbianism is not sufficient cause for removing her children from her care.

We will officially launch the Lesbian Mothers' Defense Fund on International Women's Day, March 8, 1978. But we are beginning now to elicit support from other women's, gay, and community groups, and from concerned individuals.

Wages Due Lesbians invites you to become a sponsor of the Lesbian Mothers' Defense Fund by making a minimum con-

tribution:

$5 $25

Individual Sponsor: Group Sponsor: Sustaining Sponsor:$50 or more

And we hope that many of you will be interested in giving your time to help make the Defense Fund a well-known and effective service. For more information call (416) 465-6822 or 921-9091. Thank you.

Wages Due Lesbians P.O. Box 38-Station E Toronto, Canada

Northwood and High Streets, Columbus. The center will be open by the summer, and the people there are in the process of screening applicants for space in the building. COGC would like to staff a full-time office which could serve as a political and educational center In Central Ohlo. Social services,

One reason the Toronto incident has been receiving the attention of San Francisco homosexuals is that many of them are Canadian, attracted by the idea of being able to enjoy a place in the sun rather than hiding their sexual orientation in Canada's inhospitable climate. The Toronto incident, said one Canadian homosexual here, has already become the third biggest non-city issue for the community ranking after Anita Bryant and the Coors Beer boycott.

The Canadian, who left a senior and influential position with one of Canada's political parties to come here, asked to be referred to only as "Harold" to prevent public embarrassment to his former associates in Canada and to the prominent Ontario family from which he comes. Harold said in California

HOTLINE CUT

courtesy of The Body Politic 2/78

Early in December, 24 Boston men were indicted in a straightpress labeled "boy sex ring." The Boston Herald published names and addresses of all those accused and the Globe headlined a "Child Porno Case." Police promised a hundred more arrests and a "Hot Line" was set up for secret denunciations to the police.

The ring has turned out to be largely the invention of the press

APPEAL FILED

-courtesy of The Body Politic 2178

An appeal has been filed against a federal judge's order dismissing Anita Bryant and Save Our Children Inc., as defendants in the $5 million lawsuit brought by the mother of a slain gay man. Helen Hillsborough charges that anti-gay bigotry stirred up by Bryant was a contributing factor in her son's

for example, a "Gay Hotline" or a drop-in center are possibilities for the future, depending on the amount of interest and energy in the Gay Community. Also, OGRC is planning a central office, to be located probably in Columbus. Perhaps these two groups will share this space. This effort is still in the planning

In San Francisco, he said are 160 bars for homosexuals. "I don't think there are 160 gay bars in all of Canada. I don't think there are 60 gay bars in Canada."

Does he feel he and other Canadian homosexuals here perhaps should have stayed in Canada to work for homosexual acceptance rather than coming to California? No, Harold replied, saying he admires those who remain and engage in political action but he does not want to make that sacrfice. "I've only got this lifetirne." Unlike heterosexuals, he has no reason to plan for a time past that: "I'm not living for a better world for my children."

and DA Garrett Byrne. Many of those charged were accused of unrelated crimes. No pornography was involved. None of the men have been accused of violence and most of the "boys" were teenagers.

The Boston-Boise Committee was set up with broad support in the gay community to deal with the issue and to combat medical distortions. The Committee has issued a class action suit and forced the hot-line to close down.

murder by four men who screamed "This one's for Anita" as they repeatedly stabbed him. The judge had exonerated Bryant and Save Our Children on the grounds that they lacked contacts with California. The appeal is based on Bryant's close contact with Senator John Briggs and his now postponed initiative against gay school teachers in the state.

stage, and input is welcome. Members and friends of the Gay Community are warmly urged to join the building of the Northend Community Center; serving the entire community, as well as helping with the COGC program. COGC may be reached at 614-291-9114, or at P.O. Box 8393, Columbus, Ohio 43201.