COMMUNITY VOICE HIGH GEAR/APRIL 1978

LESBIAN LOVE LETTERS ODDS ENDS

Love between women is one under which the letters were

of the most powerful, life-giving human energies. We as women have created ways to strengthen this love politically, socially, and spiritually through our art, music, literature, and poetry. We want to make it possible for Lesbians to share and explore the essence of that love (through our letters -the spontaneous poetry of lovers).

We're compiling a book of the love letters of Lesbians letters being the most authentic, living reflection of that love. This collection will show all facets of our relationships (the ecstacies through the agonies) the beginnings, middle, ends, struggles, experiments, new beginners, continuing friendships, and each woman's own growth through births, deaths, 'ebirths.

We're asking women all over he country to share their exDeriences and send us their leters to be part of this collection. is editors, we are more inerested in letting the letters peak for themselves than in ditorial commentary and will robably arrange the collection 1 a sequence that reflects the fe cycle of a relationship. Feedack on this project has been inthusiastic, but readers want to now a little more about the women involved. So, we are asking you to provide whatever commentary you feel necessary to describe the circumstances

written. Also, a brief autobiographical note seems to be needed to help readers better identify. Many of your letters may concern past relationships that you might feel a light-year

...The Advocate reports that California Save Our Children, the political action committee formed by Senator John Briggs appears to be in financial difficulty. The committee's first report filed with the state's Fair Political Practices Commission shows that as of December 14, 1977, the committee was $145,487.67 in debt. Save Our Children reported receiving $125,674 in contributions during the period and an additional $133,617 in loans.

Broderick Crawford will play J. Edgar Hoover and Dan Dailey his lifetime companion in a motion picture "The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover." The movie implies that the former F.B.I. chief might have been gay. According to the New York Post, the film has "inescapable intimations of at least passive homosexuality" in the HooverTolson relationship...

away from and possibly even embarrassed rereading or submitting them; however, they could be an important contribution to the purpose of this book. You can be assured that all letters that are finally published will be anonymous, and all will be handled confidentially. We'll automatically. change all names; so, if you have a preferred name, send it along with the letters. We will need releases from the letter writers. So, please include their names and current addresses and we will tactfully contact them for releases if their letters are to be published. This procedure will save you and us an untold amount of confusing correspondence. We would be... grateful for photocopied letters, but will xerox your originals and promptly return them to you. Our deadline for collection of the letters is July 1, 1978. You can send them to Joan Gorman and Diane G. Edington, c/o The Women's Coffeehouse, 54 7th Avenue So., New York, NY 10014. Thank you very much We look forward to hearing from you.

Joan Gorman &

Diane G. Edington

BETTE: BROKEN BLOSSOM

By Darrell Mansarde

As with the lady herself, Bette Midler's latest album is a lesson in contrasts. She starts out with the raunchy "Empty Bed Blues" and follows with Walt Disney's "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," sung with mesmerizing sentiment.

She then jumps to mid '60's with a Ronnie and the Ronetteslike ditty, "Paradise," one of my personal favorites on the album. Through the magic of electronics, it seems as if Bette is surrounded by a mere one thousand back-up voices! To change perspective again, she sings "Yellow Beach Umbrella," something, it seems that Mama Cass Elliott would likely sing. If all this isn't enough to make you dizzy, Bette practically whispers "La Vie En Rose," an old Marlene Dietrich standard written by Edith Piaf. Not a bad combination of skills at all.

With all the hopping around, you'd think that the album would lack continuity. But somehow, through the talent of the Divine Miss M., it fits. More than that, she suceeds.

Side two is much more layback, for the most part, but still has many different song styles. The Deep South (a la Dixie Hummingbirds and Muscle Shoals) in "Make Yourself Comfortable." Country and Eddy Arnold, of all people, in "You Don't Know Me." Billy Joel with "Say Good-

B

Syndicated columnists Evans & Novak report that Ronald Reagan is "in the race" for the Republican Party nomination for President in 1980. Reagan has stated that homosexuals are "sick" and in need of psychiatric care. He will be 69 in 1980. Will that be a lucky number for him? ...

... Anita Bryant recently announced plans to form a "legal task force" to combat the American Civil Liberties Union, which, according to Bryant, is supporting the moral decay of the country by fighting for gays and other "immoral groups."

again,

Bye to Hollywood" resembling Ronnie and the Ronettes. And the delightful Tom Waits in "I Never take to Strangers." What a combination Bette and he make! "Storybook Children" is a poignant song that almost every gay can relate to. But the only song on the album that does not do anything for me is the song "Red." But, Bette, out of eleven songs, just one bad one is nothing to complain about.

As I try to analyze just why the album succeeds, I can't really put my finger on it. I guess it all comes back to the undeniable fact that the lady is talented --no matter what she does. She evidently can take any type of popular music, mold it to her specifications, and turn it into a memorable experience: Voila! Broken Blossom!

PINKY AND SHEP, MGRS., TWYLIGHT LOUNGE

According to Gaysweek, Ms. Bryant closed the interview saying, "It's time that the silent majority speaks up for their rights least they be taken away." We could say the same thing about the silent gays who through their non-involvement, let their rights be taken from them...

... Moved undoubtedly by the omniscient inspiration of the diety, the Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops recently said "persons who embrace homosexual life-styles are not qualified to teach children or act as spiritual leaders." They do however, offer us their sympathy and pastoral assistance adding that "voluntary homosexual acts (are) sinful and forbidden and (are) detrimental to (the) existence of the Christiar.

home."

...The age for consensual sex for homosexuals in Sweden was recently adjusted to make it conform with laws applying to heterosexuals. Previously the age was 18 years for gays and 15 years for straights. The Bay Area Reporter indicates the age is now 15 for all...

...Women Space is sponsoring a series of workshops Saturday,

at

April 29th Cleveland State University. The theme is Women and Money: Toward Economic Empowerment of Women. For information call (216) 696-3100 or write Women Space, 1258 Euclid

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Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115. Some of the workshops include "Fighting Job Discrimination," "The Economics of Divorce," "Income Supplements" and "Working for Pay-Analyzing Your Salary Package."...

...Eastern gay mecca Provincetown, Mass. faces a water threat which could effect

tourism to this area this summer.

The pollution threat has resulted from the leakage of a buried gasoline tank near the major water supply. So before you sojourn to P-town, check it out...

...If you're cruising in New. York City, cross trendy Bloomingdale's off your shopping list. They're into the game of entrapment. David Rothenberg writing for Gaysweek reports that one man who was busted was fingerprinted, photographed and told to sign a release stating that he would never return to the store...

...Elaine Noble, lesbian state representative from Massachusetts, has announced that she is running for the Democratic nomination for the

U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican Edward Brooke. Gay Life reports that the popular legislator was elected last term (1976) with over 75% of the vote...

edition of New York, a weekly ...The second best-selling magazine, was the August 27, 1977 issue featuring a cover that newsstand sales were 30% story on gays. The Blade reports

above normal...

...Homophobe David Estes, a Mormon police officer in Seattle has filed papers for an initiative petition. For what? What else!!! He seeks to force a referendum on that city's ordinance prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Blade reports that he is also interested in preventing openly gay persons from joining the police force...

The Cascade Community Church of Akron is sponsoring a three session rap on the subject of: Homcsexualty, The Bible. and me" on May 4th, the 11th, and the 18th at 7:30 p.m. at the Cascade Cinema on the second floor. The rap is open to the gay community.

TWYLIGHT LOUNGE PATRONS

Picture By Rob Davis