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HIGH GEAR/MAY 1978

NGTF RESPONDS TO ST. PAUL DEFEAT

The following statement was issued today by Jean O'Leary and Bruce Voeller, CoExecutive Directors of the National Gay Task Force, after voters in St. Paul Minnesota in a public initiative last night, repealed the gay civil rights or dinance which had been in effect there for the past three and a half years:

"We are outraged that a

majority of misinformed voters have once again denied civil rights to a group of American citizens. We see this vote as a warning and a threat to all Americans who care about human liberty, and we call upon them to join in our struggle, as they have done in the past when the rights of other minorities were at stake.

Repeal of the gay-rights ordinance in St. Paul was opposed by 80 leaders of the city's 'religious community and 16 local religious organizations, icluding the Priest's. Senate of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese; by the major unions and newspapers; and by a majority of the region's elected officials, including Minnesota's two U.S. Senators. But this sup-

SOCIOLOGISTS DEFEND GAYS

WASHINGTON, DC -The American Sociological Association, an 8,000 member organization in the United States and Canada, has announced a policy commitment to "erasing anti-homosexual sentiments."

Dr. Russell Dynes, Executive Officer of the Association, announced the result of a ballot of the members of the Association's Executive Council which put the organization on record "condemning all attempts to prevent" gays from gaining equal rights. The Council declared that the sociology of homosexuality is a "legitimate and important field of study" which should now receive "special | encouragement because of the social stigma placed upon homosexuality."

The action by the sociologists' organization followed a number of recently passed resolutions which denounced campaigns against gay right ordinances. The Executive Council took issue with the use of sociological concepts and research used in those campaigns concepts and research which it found were "distorted" and part of an "ugly onslaught" against gay rights.

Laud Humphreys, a leader of the Sociologists' Gay Caucus, said that groups like Save Our Children (the Anita Bryant campaign organization in Dade County, Florida) "have abused sociological findings."

"Conclusions drawn by people misusing such findings are being used to harm in-

dividual members of sexual minorities, and the sociological profession cannot tolerate such distortions," Humphreys said.

The Sociologists' Gay Caucus, which initiated the move to change the national organization's policy, has compiled data showing that research on homosexuality has been inhibited by sociology departments and institutions funding research. The group said it has "clear evidence" that some universities discourage dissertations on the subject of sexuality and sexual minorities."

The Caucus charged that both faculty members and students at many universities are advised to "stay away" from research into sexual minorities and sexuality because such is likely to harm their careers.

MEETING PRODUCES RESULTS

---Courtesy of National Gay Task Force As the first tangible result of a March 16 meeting between the National Gay Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Bureau Director Norman A. Carlson has issued a policy statement to all prison staff, prohibiting the use of such terms as "homosexual rape" and "homosexual assault."

"Through the use of such terms," the policy statement says, "the public is led to believe that these assaults are committed by persons who are homosexual. While homosex.

uals are frequently the victims the vast majority of rapes and assaults are committed by persons who are not homosexual."

In a letter to NGTF Co-Executive Directors Jean O'Leary and Bruce Voeller which accompanied the policy statement (copies of letter and statement attached), Carlson announced the appointment of his Special Assistant, Peggy Frandsen, as the Bureau's formal liaison with NGTF. The purpose of this liaison, which will be handled for NGTF by Prison Project

GPHWC OF APHA!

gay men.

The GPHW Caucus is a group of health workers whose goals are to

--improve the health care received by sexual minorities,

protect the civil and human rights of gay health workers, --help eradicate homophobia and sexism from U.S. society.

The steering committee of the Gay Public Health Workers Caucus of the American Public Health Association met recently in Washington, D.C. to plan activities for the coming year. For the past 3 years, the women and men of the Caucus have presented programs at the APHA's annual convention. At the 1978 convention to be held in Los Angeles Oct. 15-19, the Caucus will again staff an exhibition booth, maintain a hospitality suite and sponsor the presenta--compiling an annotated bibliotion of scientific papers related to health needs of lesbians and

In keeping with these goals the Caucus is invovled in several other ongoing activities which include

graphy of books and articles treating topics related to

GAY ATHEISTS ORGANIZE

courtesy of Gay Life, 4-14-78

recent attempts to infringe on the separation between church and state.

The first meeting of a new organization, Gay Atheists, was held last month in San FranThe platform statement maincisco. Gay Atheists is an tains that separation between organization which will attempt church and state is destroyed to expose the attemps by when "tax exempt churches cirorganized religion to victimize culate intiative and referendum gays. It also intends to counter petitions...evangelicals use the

Director Carolyn Handy, is to deal directly with complaints about prison practices from lesbian and gay inmates. The Bureau has also fulfilled its promise to supply NGTF with

port was insufficient to counteract ignorance and fear. We dedicate ourselves anew to telling the American public the truth about our lives.

This latest evidence of how far we've got to go in relation to public attitudes should not be a source of discouragement for gay people in this county. Rather, it should strengthen our

resolve. We must step up our educational efforts to dispel the myths. We must engage the active participation of non-gay individuals and organizations which have expressed their formal support. And we must not let up on our efforts to pass gayrights legislation. If we keep this issue before the American public, we may lose a few battles, but we will win the war."

BRIAN MCNAUGHT AT KENT

copies of all relevant guidelines KGLF CONFERENCE

and statistics.

"We are very pleased that the Bureau of Prisons has fulfilled the pledges made at our Washington meeting," Handy said, "and I am most hopeful that we can continue to make progress in eliminating all discriminatory policies at the Bureau of Prisons."

homosexuality and health, -reviewing health educational media which discuss homosexuality and gaining input into the production of such educational materials,

-compiling guidelines for health care providers which will help them eliminate sexist and heterosexist bias from their care, and enable them to better understand and provide for the special health needs of lesbians and gay men.

For further information or to

On April 21st and 22nd, the Kent Gay Liberation Front presented its fourth annual gay conference and weekend workshops, highlighted by two dynamic speakers, Rita Mae Brown and Brian McNaught. 'At her talk Friday evening, Rita Mae drew a crowd of nearly 200. Not only speaking of her book Rubyfruit Jungle, which deals with a sexually healthy lesbian growing up in the sometimes perverted American culture, Rita elaborated on her own present day dealings with life in the United States -from her own unique lesbian point of view.

On Saturday afternoon, Brian McNaught, author of the widelydistributed column "A Disturbed Peace," discussed the effects of the gay movement --where it's

been and where it's going. (Starting this month, Brian's column will be appearing in High Gear.)

KGLF also presented nine workshops throughout the weekend. Among the more popular were "Burning Out," conducted by Michael Anderson and Dolores Nolls, which dealt with over-involvement in the gay community, and "Coming Out", conducted by Karen Phillips and Roger Crawley, which dealt with the homosexual's coming out of the closet and dealing with the problems that may subsequently arise.

Sunday afternoon, Dolores Nolls conducted a five-hour workshop on "Gay Rights in Ohio: The Future of the Ohio Gay Rights Coalition." This meeting coincided with the monthly meeting of that organization.

join the Caucus, write to Walter PLAYBOY FUNDS GAY GRANT

Lear, MD.D., GPHWC, 206 N. 35th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19104.

airwaves to attack gays and other minorites...and religious fantatics attempt to alter the Constituion to fit their brand of religion."

More information may be obtained by contacting Gay Atheists, Box 14142, San Francisco, CA 94114.

courtesy of Gay Community projects. A major effort will be News, 4-29-78 the creation of a national resource center for briefs pleadings, and other legal documents relevant to homosexuality and the law.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA The Playboy Foundation has recently 'announced that a grant will be going to Gay Rights Advocates, a San Francisco-based public interest law firm that serves the lesbian and gay communities.

According to the Advocates, the grant will permit GRA to continue several important litigation and educational

Gay Rights Advocates, a nonprofit California corporation, is the first public interest law firm in the West working exclusively in the gay community Offices are located at 540 Castro St., San Francisco. CA 94114, 415863-3622.