HIGH GEAR/JULY 1978

SAVING THE ERA

The pending Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which would finally make women indisputably "firstclass citizens" in this country, will be seven years old on March. 22, 1979. It may also be a dead letter on that date if action is not taken before then to extend the time limit for ratification by state legislatures. Only 35 states have thus far ratified the ERA, and 38 are needed for it to become law. It is possible, but unlikely, that the necessary three more favorable votes will be obtained by next March 22. If they are not, as things now stand, the 35 ratifications that have been ob-

tained will count for nothing. and the whole movement to secure equal civil rights for women in the U.S. will have to retrace many of the steps so

painstakingly made since an ERA resolution was first introduced in Congress--back in 1923!

The seven-year ratification limit, though sanctified by custom, is essentially arbitrary; most of the 26 existing amendments to the Constitution had no such time limit. Despite the substantial educational achievements of the women's movement, the principle of the ERA is still unusually controversial--largely because its opponents persistently

misrepresent it and frighten people with imaginary consequences of its adoption. Those opponents, by and large, are the very same individuals and institutions most vocally against equal rights for lesbians and gay men. Those who want

to keep women "in their place".. that is, subservient to men --also want to keep gay people in our "proper place"--that is, deep in the closet. The debate over the ERA is being exacerbated and prolonged by the same fear about the abandonment of traditional sex roles that is the root of homophobia. There is no telling how long it will take for this fear to be allayed--perhaps only the experience of living with new roles, or without roles at all, will do it -and it is wrong to hold women's rights hostage to an arbitrary time limit.

Congress has the power to extend the ERA ratification limit (which it set itself in the first place); what it needs is the will to do so. And that will only come if the members of Congress are assured that it is very much the

I will of the people to give the ERA a more reasonable chance. We all have a stake in thislesbians have a double stake-and it is our duty to let our representatives and senators know our wishes. They will be asked to vote on the question of extension whether or not their own states have ratified the ERA. NGTF urges all members and friends to help deluge Washington with letters, telegrams, and phone calls demanding a "Yes!" vote on the ERA extension. Remember, for all representatives the address is U.S. House of Represen: tatives, Washington, D.C. 20515; for all senators the address is U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510.

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state legislatures to ratify! The states involved are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia. Besides writing or calling your state representatives if you live in one of these states, pressure may be applied through the economic boycott being promoted by the National Organization for Women. More information about the boycott may be obtained through local and state NOW offices, or from the ERA Action Center at the national office (425 13th St., N.W., Suite 1048, Washington, D.C. 20004).

And, let's not forget to keep BATH RAIDED putting pressure on the hold-out

INTEGRITY HOLDS NATIONAL CONVENTION

strategist and Coordinator of Task Force on Gay Liberation of the American Library Association.

priesthood; The Rev. James B Minneapolis, MN Integrity. Nelson, author and Professor of the charitable. religious Christian Ethics at United educational and literary Theological Seminary of the organization of gay and lesbian Twin Cities; and Barbara GitEpiscopalians and their friends, tings of Philadelphia, lesbian acwill hold its Fourth Nationalist of 20 years, lecturer and Convention August 17-20. The Twin Cities chapter of Integrity is coordinating and hosting the event to be headquartered at Gethsemane Episcopal Church in downtown Minneapolis. In doing so. Gethsemane acknowledges Integrity as a "bona fide interest group within the Church," according to convention Co-Deans Martha Winslow and Michael Suhr.

The theme for this year's gathering is "A Community of Prophets: Moving from Vision to Task." Keynote addresses will be given by: The Rev. Ellen Barrett of Oakland. California, PhD candidate in Sociology of Religion and Ethics, and the first open lesbian ordained to the

In keeping with the theme, national officers will meet in Minneapolis prior to the official opening, an ample time will be allotted for business proceedings throughout the convention. Committees will be working on items including organizational development, counseling concerns, and very important will be planning for the 1979 General Convention of the 3 million member Episcopal Church of the United States. That triennial gathering in Denver will be hearing and ad-

dressing the report of the Church's Commission on Human Sexuality, ordination of "avowed homosexuals," liturgy reform and the full participation of women in all aspects of the Church.

Numerous workshops/playshops will be presented in Minneapolis on a variety of topics such as: Toward a Gay Ethic, Coming-out Litirgues, "Ex-gay Ministries," Backlash Politics. Married Gays and Lesbians, Politics of Sobriety, Parenting and Custody Issues to name a few. Several forms of worship will be used, including a nonsexist "Rite III" liturgy being prepared for the convention. The Rt. Rev. Phillip McNairy, retiring Bishop of the Diocese of Minnesota will preside at the opening service.

Winslow and Suhr expect attendance of clergy and lay people from the more than 35 In-

ANTI-BRIGGS FUND LAUNCHED

Supervisor Harvey Milk and San Francisco State University Professor Sally Gearhart have formed. The Fund to Defeat the Briggs Initiative. The Briggs Initiative, which will appear on the November, 1978, California state ballot, would require local school boards to fire school employees thought to be gay or gay-rights supporters.

Several anti-Briggs campaigns have already formed, and many smaller, local campaigns will also be starting. Recognizing this, Gearhart and Milk believe that there is a need for an organization that will raise funds and distribute them to the many campaigns.

The Fund will not be doing actual campaign work itself, but will try to help finance local campaigns and also funnel money to the larger, statewide efforts.

Milk said, "There are many people who are not familiar with the existing groups and who

want to send money to fight Briggs. But they're not sure where it should go or be used. Those are the people we will try to bring in."

Gearhart and Milk agree that, to defeat Briggs, campaigns have to be waged on many levels. Because different voters are motivated by different things and different people have different misconceptions about gays, many approaches will be needed.

According to Gearhart, "This organization will support the fund raising efforts of all existing groups and at the same time hopefully find more sources for distribution to specific projects."

They are joined in their efforts by John Schmidt, President of the Golden Gate Business Association, who is the Fund's treasurer, and a Board of Directors from the gay and lesbian community. The coordinators of the Fund are Cleve Jones and Kory White.

The mailing address for those who would like to send contributions is: One United Nations Plaza, San Francisco 94102. Please make checks payable to: The Fund to Defeat the Briggs

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tegrity chapters and chapters in formation throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as other interested men and women. There will be community participation in many of the planned events, such as a river boat cruise on the Mississippi River.

"Minnesota is an E.R.A. ratified state," adds Midwest Representative and Integrity/Twin Cities Convenor Craig Anderson, "Building on previous conventions, and particularly this year there is a need to get together to continue educating each other, worship and explore theology, exchange vital information and support, and prepare for our pivotal roles in these most divisive yet essential challenges of our radically human faith since slavery."

For registration and other information write: National Con-

vention, Integrity/Twin Cities, P.O. Box 3565, Upper Nicollet Station, Minneapolis, MN 55403.

Initiative.

A full accounting will be filed with the State, according to the Fair Political Practices Act, and monthly statements will be made available to the press.

Paul Diederich, past national president of Dignity, an organization of Gay Roman Catholics, addresses Dignity-Cincinnati, during a dinner celebrating the chapter's fifth anniversary. Prior to dinner, the chapter, for the first time, held its Mass in the main sanctuary of its host parish

Milwaukee's On Broadway Health Club, 195 Broadway, was raided at -3:30 am. Saturday. May 6, when police broke down the front door, questioned the more than 50 people inside and arrested 18 of them. Of those arrested 10 were later charged with a felony, "sexual perversion." 4 others were charged with various misdemeanors.

The raiders were summoned by 2 undercover policemen inside the club who claimed to have seen illegal sexual acts being performed. According to the attendant at the door who was beaten by the police, they they broke down the door and did not identify themselves when began forcibly entering rooms.

The Gay Peoples Union of Milwaukee has retained the prestigious law firm of Shellow and Shellow to represent all of the defendants. A defense fund has been started and anyone who wishes may send taxdeductible contributions to the Gay Peoples Union. P.O. Box 92203, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

NOBLE AT BGSU

Elaine Noble, lesbian state legislator from Massachusetts, spoke at Bowling Green State University on May 25. In her talk. entitled "The Ramifications of Gay Politics," Noble said, "The picture that is painted for gay politics is a weak one." Although Anita Bryant has seemingly inadvertently been the cause for more gays to come out, Noble added that gays need "to organize politically to win, not to lose."

To further her point, she said. "We cannot spend the rest of our lives being professional homosexuals. We cannot go through life selecting our friends because we both have the same sexual preference. Gayness can be an organizing tool, (but) we have straight people helping us because we can't do it ourselves."

Noble is presently running for the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat now held by Republican Edward Brooke