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WOMEN:

HELP. TURN IT AROUND IN SEATTLE

On November 7th Seattle voters will be deciding whether "SEATTLE'S FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND OPEN HOUSING ORDINANCES. (SHOULD) BE CHANGED TO REMOVE THEIR PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION." This initiative is part of a national anti-gay campaign that picks up momentum every time an anti-gay initiative is passed (Dade County, St. Paul, Wichita and Eugene, Oregon in the past year).

In Seattle, Initiative 13 also eliminates the enforcement powers of the Office of Women's Rights. Complaints of discrimination on the basis of sex or marital status would be transferred to the Department of

Human Rights. This department is already over-burdened with complaints of discrimination against racial and other minorities.

The initiative was filed by a Mormon police officer. Aided by another police officer, who is a known member of the John Birch Society they have formed a group called Save Our Moral Ethics (S.O.M.E.) They are also getting support from Rev. Bill Chapman, Anita Bryant's minister and have received an endorsement from WIN (Women for Integrity in the Nation). WIN, an ultra-conservative women's group, has worked against many reforms which affect women (especially poor women). Some of these are: the ERA, abortion,

child-care centers, and welfare rights. WIN was active in bringing about the defeat of the Washington State Women's Council last fall by a vote of 70%. In Seattle, as elsewhere, the anti-gay campaign is closely coordinated with other rightwing attacks on women and minorities.

Women Against Thirteen (WAT) has been organized to: 1) defeat Initative 13. 2) educate the public about lesbian and gay oppression. 3) educate the public and the lesbian community about the connections between the various right-wing attacks. 4) provide political experience for women. WAT is women doing counter-leafletting, training speakers, speaking to groups, doing theater, sharing

skills, doing workshops, doorbelling. In the three months since organizing. WAT has been very successful in getting women involved in politics who were previously uninvolved. We have also the participation of the Colored Lesbian Caucus and have been reaching out to other Third World Women. WAT has also assumed the leadership role for a joint WAT/SCAT (Seattle Committee Against Thirteen a coalition of anti-13 forces who share WAT's political philosophy) speakers bureau and is working with all anti-13 groups (including the Community Board which has representatives from many groups in the city concerned with such things as minority rights.

PA. GAY SUPPORT GROUP FORMED

---COURTESY OF GAY ERA,

9-78

HARRISBURG, PA At the July 15 meeting of the Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus, the formation of a statewide support group took place. It was decided 10 create a separate: organization in addition to the Rural Caucus and was temporarily named the "Pennsylvania Gay Support Network" until a more appropriate name can be found.

The July 15 meeting was

chaired by Robert Woods. Secretary of the Rural Caucus. The Caucus was acting with the endorsement of the "Pride '78 Gay" Conference neid earlier this year at the Delaware Water Gap.

Members of the new organization discussed the resources which were already available in Pennsylvania that would be used immediately to implement the group's purpose of uniting the various organizations in Pennsylvania. Organizations which will be relied upon for information and

will be asked to help contact people through their mailing lists or other forms of communications were: Presbyterians for Gay Concerns, Philadelphia; Dignity, Pittsburgh; Gay Switchboard of Philadlephia; Gay Community Center of Philadelphia, Dignity, Harrisburg; Pennsylvania Council for Sexual Minorities; Rapid Action for Gay Equality (RAGE), Pittsburgh; Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus and Homophile Action League, Williamsport.

The purposes of the organization will include

GCN OFFICES RANSACKED

660

courtesy of Gay Community News, 9/16/78

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BOSTON The offices of Gay Community News were forcibly entered and ransacked for the fifth time in the past year. Boston police are investigating this latest and most extensive act of vandalism, which occurred sometime during the af: ternoon of Sunday, September 3. Entry was gained through a rear window of the offices. The

windows had only recently been covered by a $1000 security system of iron gates. All but two of the desks in the office were emptied of their contents. Two locked file cabinets, which contained business records, were forced open and their contents dumped on the floor.

Staff members who came to work on Sunday discovered the vandalism and called the police. The apparently senseless act

FAITH COMMUNITY

The Rev. Dr. David. L. Downing. Pastor of Faith Community Church of Springfield, Ohio, a non-denominational independent Christian Church with a program geared to the needs of the Gay Community, wishes to announce the opening of the Church office at 20 E. Mulberry Street. Private Consultations are available by appointment at the same address on a free-will offering basis.

Dr. Downing received his Bachelor of Theology Degree from Colorado Bible College and Seminary, A bachelor of Arts in Religious Education from Evangelical College and

Seminary. He received his Doctor of Divinity, Doctor of Psychology and Doctor of Metaphysics Degrees from the College of Divine Metaphysics, and a Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the Neotarian College of Philosophy. He also holds a Doctor of Naturopathy Degree from the American Institute of Drugless Therapy.

Anglo-

Anyone desiring further information regarding the programs of the church may contact Dr. Downing by writing to him at P.O. Box 1814, Springfield, Ohio 45501, or by calling him at his office at (513) 323-7136.

did not cause the paper to cease operation and did not affect the confidential subscription list which is not kept in the office.

The ransacking followed a week of telephoned threats of violence in the wake of the visit to Boston by Anita Bryant.

Telephoned threats and harassments are now being monitored by the telephone company. Boston police continue their investigation of the break-in.

Six arrests of homosexual men have been reported this September at Nimisila State Park located between Akron and Canton.

The five mile stretch of wooded area has served as a meca for gay men's cruising, hiking, swimming, and fishing for the past twenty years. Nimisila has been used very lit. tle by straights other than fishermen and hasn't changed since the State of Ohio took the park over almost two years ago. This year, The Ohio State Patrol has been ordered to police the park.

political action in the state. outreach programs to isolated gay communities in Pennsylvania and dissemination of information for the gay community. The group has also been planning the formation of a statewide gay switchboard already existing in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, State College and Harrisburgh; and a telephone tree for the purpose of contacting gays about emergency situations that will need the immediate and united support of gays in Pennsylvania.

The network will be self-

women's rights, anti-nuclear forces. alternative medicine, etc.) in an extensive door-to-door canvassing effort.

The money that we raise and the donations we receive are being used to meet the costs of this work. Campaign costs are high and we need your help to stop these right-wing attacks on the rights of all of us. If you wish to help turn it around in Seattle, please send your contributions and requests for further information to:

Women Against Thirteen 105-14th Avenue, Suite B Seattle, Washington 98122

(Contributions to WAT are subject to public disclosure according to Washington State law.)

self-

supporting and administrative and will include both external and internal outreach programs. It will have both long and short range goals which will vary from time to time according to the needs of the gay community.

The telephone tree system will be divided into 4 sections of the state. Area coordinators for the system were asked to implement them immediately.

Persons interested in participating in the organization should call Mary Nancarrow. (717)697-3482.

UT GAYS ORGANIZING

Lesbains and gay men are meeting this fall at the University of Toledo to consider starting an official university organization not only for the education of straights but for mutual support, according to an advertisement in the campus newspaper.

In the past, the University ad. ministration has allegedly deIclined to take action on gayrelated issues, claiming the lack of any gay student organization

R.H. of Akron last week was caught in a heavy wooded area near the south end of the park performing felatio upon a friend. (Name have been withheld upon request of the attorney) Two Ohio Patrolmen slipped up on the two catching them in the act. The patrolmen handcuffed the men to two trees questioning and verbally abusing them. Both men were arrested, taken into custody, and charged with in. decent exposure and sodomy.

Patrolmen at the scene of one arrest warned that the crack. down on homosexual activities would continue and that people using the area for such pur. poses Jace. arrest if caught.

as evidence for the absence of lesbains and gay men within the campus community.

The organization is for the "closeted" person as well as those who are out. A number of students who will put their names on the charter petition to the University are needed. For further information, write: GLOUT, P.O. Box 4642, Toledo, OH 43620, or call the crisis phone number at 419-243-9351.

There will be no COLUMBUS NEWS column this month because of the hospitalization of Rob Davis, our Columbus Associate Editor. Rob was bicycling near Marion, Ohio, a few weeks ago when he was sideswiped by a truck and seriously injured. As of last reports, he is doing well and will soon be released from the hospital. As a personal note from all the people not only in the Columbus area, but also throughout the entire state, wa wish Rob a very speedy recovery. His efforts in the community are sorely missed,