HIGH GEAR/SEPTEMBER 1978

Page 3

FCC PROPOSAL ON GAY INTERVIEWS

The Federal Communications Commission agreed to propose ha leaders of all significan:' community groups in a broadcas: area, including leaders of the lesbian and gay community. mus: be interviewed by local broadcasters mee their com requirements whether or no such groups appear :he "checklis:" of groups in 'he Community Ascertainmen: Primer. This ruling came as a result of a petition for inclusion on the checklis: from the

munity-ascertainmen:

·

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National Gay Task Force and 143 her gay organizations. as well as a similar reques from groups representing he interests of the handicapped. 1: represen's a significan change from previous FCC policy, which had previously required ascer:ainmen: of only those groups on the checklis:. leaving ascerainmen: of other community leaders the option of the individual broadcaster.

"|: was clear from he discussion by the FCC Com-

missioners ha' lesbians and gay men were considered by the Commission to be a significan minority in many American com munities." NGTF Co-Executive Directors Jean O'Leary and Bruce Veller said day. "and we are pleased 'ha' 'he FCC has a: las: recognized our right of access the public airwaves. . on a par with all her major segments of American society."

One mater which has yet to be ironed u' is whether he burden of seeking u leaders of :he gay community will be

MOHR TAX-EXEMPT

The Michigan Organization For Rights (MOHR) received exemption from federal income taxes as a 501 (c) organizationa Civic League. The designation as a Civic League organization allows MOHR to pursue its legislative and lobbying goals which are prohibited to most tax exempt organizations.

While MOHR will not have to pay federal taxes itself, contributions to MOHR are not deductible on contributors' tax returns. "We were faced with two alternatives," explained MOHR Legislative Officer Phil Greene, "either to become a

Civic League and pursue our stated legislative and lobbying goals and not have contributions deductible, or to have deductible contributions and give up our lobbying programs. We chose to keep our programs."

The Civic League designation will allow MOHR to coordinate any ballo: issue or referendum campaign. such as in Dade County, Florida, without endangering its tax exemp: status.

MOHR was organized in October 1978 and has since incorporated as a Michigan Non-

COSTANZA RESIGNS

Margaret (Midge), Constanza has resigned her position as Special Assistant to the President as of August 1. As she stated in her letter to President Carter, "This is the most difficult letter that I have ever written ... I care about the issues of the young and the old, of minorities and women and most im. portantly ratification of the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) and I know you do too Although we share these common goals and concerns, it has become clear that our approach to fulfilling these are different."

Until recently the only woman in the President's top aides, a

Northerner among Southerners, the outspoken Costanza seemingly had the odds against her since the start of the administration. Just a few months ago, her job assignments were greatly reduced and her White House office on the main floor was moved to the basement level.

Co-Executive Directors of the National Gay Task Force, Jean O'Leary and Bruce Voeller issued the following statement, quoted in part: "It is with great regret that we have learned of Midge Costanza's resignation as an assistant to President Carter.

CHANGING POLICY

Courtesy of NGTF Newsletter, this far-reaching policy change 5178

The U.S. Public Health Service, as the consequence of a meeting held on April 4 between the National Gay Task Force, the Surgeon General of the United

States and top representatives

of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, has adopted the position of the American Psychiatric Association and will no longer define homosexual persons as either "sex deviants" or "psychopathic personalities." The Public Health Service will so inform all its officers at border crossings, and all Immigration officials and State Department visa officers will also be individually Informed of the policy change.

"We believe," NGTF CoExecutive Directors Jean O'Leary and Bruce Voeller said, subsequent to the meeting, "that

:

will go a long way toward ending this country's exclusion of gay visitors and immigrants. We are also hopeful that any remaining problems can be resolved, since INS General

Profit Domestic Corporation. Its legislative initiatives have already succeeded in passing (May 1978) without opposition a housing ordinance amendmen: before the Detroit City Council which protects rental and purchase righis regardless of sexual orientation or marital status in "family residence" zones; and in June 1978, again without opposition, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners voted to amend that county's civil rights protections include "sexual orientation" language.

Ms. Costanza's historic meeting with leaders of the national lesbian and gay communities at the White House was not only significant for its first-time acknowledgement of gay con. cerns by an incumbent administration, but served as a prelude to considerable progress in ending anti-gay discrimination on the federal level... We are grateful to Ms. Constanza for the work she has done, and... We are also con. fident that Ms. Costanza will continue to be an outspoken advocate of gay rights, and will be of whatever assistance she can to our movement in the future."

Counsel David Crosland has agreed to personally serve as liaison between his agency and NGTF, and has encouraged us to bring any complaints by gay aliens or prospective immigrants directly to his attention."" RIGHTS BILL

MAYOR VETOES

Hartford, Conn. Mayor George Athanson vetoed a gay rights bill which was passed by the Hartford City Council by a vote of 5-2, with 1 abstention and 1 absentee. The proposed ordinance discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in city em. ployment and contract com-

pliance.

would

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Don Zajac, Co-Chairperson of the Connecticut Gay Task Force, expressed dismay that the Mayor had vetoed the bill, and explained that the Deputy Mayor, Nicholas Carbone had been expected to sign it today in

the Mayor's absence. Mayor Athanson was shceduled to leave for Greece on a flight from New York at 11 p.m. last night, but his flight was delayed. Con. tacted today in New York, the

Mayor declared his intention to veto the measure and asked that the bill be delivered to him by messenger.

According to Mr. Zajac, the City Council is not expected to challenge the Mayor's veto. However, he said he was hopeful that the Mayor's support might be enlisted for some type of fair employment bill protecting gays.

placed on broadcasters, as i' is for groups which appear on the checklis, or whether it will be up gay organizations to presen: 'hemselves for ascer 'ainmen Should 'his requiremen: n be part of the final FCC proposal. which is expected be issued shortly. NGTF will consider appealing 'he decision. In any even, as soon as he proposed ruling is issued NGTF, will be notifying he more than 2000 lesbian and gay groups around

the country and will urge them to contact their local stations for the purpose of ascertainment.

FCC regulations require tha: a proposed change in rulemaking be submi::ed to all interested parties for the purpose of commen: before it officially takes effect. It is expected that the formal change will take place in a few months' ime.

NGTF's brief the FCC was prepared by the Media Access Projec. a public-in:eres law firm based in Washington, DC.

RE-CODIFICATION

Senate Bill 1437, a criminal recodification act, was recently passed by the U.S. Senate. The 'House Subcommittee will review the new bill and make its report to the House Judiciary Committee shortly. Opponents view the bill as giving police and other law enforcement officials power to reduce freedom of speech and assembly and the right to privacy. Labor unions and political groups will have their rights to picket and demonstrate curbed. Advertising abortion information through the mail will be prohibited. Making a false statement to an FBI agent or a Federal official will subject one to Federal prosecution.

OUR RIG

The lesbian/gay movement will be directly affected. Demonstrations and other public activity are a primary means for reaching the public, but this code would grant law enforcement officials the right to curtail this activity because of a vague reference to public safety. It would also be used to empty the bars.

A section of the code on obscenity could produce possible misuse. Gay publications such as this could be censured and shut down, with files and subscription lists confiscated. Final passage of this act clearly could have serious consequences for the gay movement.

TIONAL GAY TASK FORCE

BABEL GAY BOOK AWARE

GYVDA Doctor Nationd Gay ask for

Ginny Vida, (left), media director of the National Gay Task Force. has been awarded the 1978 Gay Book Award for OUR RIGHT TO LOVE: A LESBIAN RESOURCE BOOK (Prentice-Hall, 1978).

Barbara Gittings. (right), in presenting the Gay Book Award for the ALA Gay Task Force on June 27. said. "This book reveals in pic. tures and in words that lesbians are as much whole, healthy and happy human beings as any other part of the population."

Ginny Vida thanked the women of the National Gay Task Force who helped produce the book, and she accepted the award on behalf of the book's my contributors. "In a larger sense." she said, "the award belongs to America's lesbian community, whose time has come. We are creating a body of literature that is making i: easier to come out."