Page 4 HIGH GEAR

'Trial of morality'

Body Politic ruled not obscene

The Body Politic has been acquitted of all charges of obscenity as filed by the Canadian government against the magazine and the Pink Triangle Press.

In a 42 page decision, Provincial Judge Syd Harris found the magazine and the

three defendants, Edward Jackson, Gerald Hannon and Ken Popert, not guilty of making use of the mails "for the purpose of transmitting or delivering anything that is obscene, indecent, immoral or scurrilous matter."

The Body Politic was charged

with obscenity in December 1977 after publishing the article "Men Loving Boys Loving Men," a study of pedophilia. At that time, the issue of the magazine was seized along with 12 boxes of material in a police raid. The collective was charged under Section 164 of the Canadian

Apollo Spring traveling

Club Apollo Outdoors' Spring program swings into gear April 27-29 with its Fourth Annual Shawnee Wilderness Hike and Campout, Shawnee State Forest, Portsmouth, OH. The event begins at Shawnee State Park Marina, 6:30 p.m., April 27, where campers are to assemble. The trip includes two nights of camping, a day hike through Ohio's only wilderness area, and a Saturday night barbecue. Cost of the event is $20.00 in advance

and includes food and shelter.

Campers need only to bring a

sleeping bag and their personal effects.

On May 19, Club Apollo Outdoors continues its exciting Spring schedule with a "King's Island Adventure." Fun in the

A CALL TO ACTION

On Tuesday evening, March 13, a group of ten men and women met at the Gay Community Center of Cleveland and decided to form a committee to save the Center. The Center houses the Gay Hotline, a switchboard that handles over 5000 calls a year. The GEAR Foundation and the Rap groups meet there. Also, GEAR, the Ohio Gay journal, does preparation of the paper there.

The Center is in dire need of funds. Its rent must be paid, the telephone must be paid; A regular income must be generated.

The Supportive Friends of the Gay Community Center decided to contact bars, baths, religious groups, High Gear, and the Gear Foundation to find a way to keep the Center going.

Spring sun will be at its optimum with cruising in Rivertown, sipping beer in Oktoberfest, riding the new rollercoaster, and daring the "wilds" of Ohio's Little Africa. The event is open to all and costs only $8.25 in advance.

Letters of confirmation c attendance and checks or money orders, made payable to Club Apollo Outdoors, should be sent to Richard J. Cooper, P.O. Box 179, Atlantic and Pacific Highway. Stout. OH 45684, no later

E ERA rescinded

PIERRE, SD The South Dakota legislature has voted to rescind its earlier approval of the Equal Rights Amendment. The state's house of representatives approved a recession resolution last week and once the state senate concurs, which is expected, the state will become the first to rescind ratification since Congress voted to extend the ERA deadline. Four other state legislatures have voted to rescind approval but the actions have been untested in the courts.

Proponents of the ERA can take heart that the primary victory of Jane Byrne in the race for mayor of Chicago may give the ERA a boost in that state. Byrne, a protege of the late Richard Daley, upset incumbent Mayor Michael A. Bilandic in Tuesday's Democratic primary, and is expected to have no difficulty in winning the April election. Illinois has been one of the most hotly contested states in the battle for ERA approval.

courtesy of Gay Community News, 3/10/79

China tolerates gays

HONG KONG -Amid a sustained wall-poster campaign in Peking which has demanded democracy and compared China unfavorably with the United States, comes the first authoritative article on that nation's attitude to homosexuality. The article appeared in a pro-Chinese magazine in Hong Kong called Eastern Horizon.

than April 13, 1979 for the Shawnee Wilderness Excursion, and May 1, 1979 for the King's Island Adventure. Please include a selfaddressed, stamped envelope.

Funding denied

Overturning a decision by the school's Student Senate and by its Student Activities Commission, the administration of

Washington, D.C.'s Georgetown University has denied official recognition and funding to a student organization The Gay, Peopie of Georgetown.

Included in an official statement released on Wednesday, February 7 by Associate Dean of Affairs William Schuerman was the following:

"Georgetown University is a private university with a history and tradition which is specifically Catholic....This situation involves a controversial matter of faith and the moral teachings of the Catholic Church. 'Official' subsidy and support of a gay student organization would be interpreted by many as endorsement of the positions taken by the gay movement on a full range of issues."

An editorial in The Hoya, a Georgetown student newspaper, said that the administration's decision is a defeat, not only for the gay community at Georgetown, but for everybody. It called upon the administration to give the gay people of Georgetown the same consideration given to other student groups and to recognize the "full and complete humanity" of its members.

Criminal Code and put on trial last month in Her Majesty the Queen vs. Pink Triangle.

In his exhaustive decision, Judge Harris included the article and noted that the trial was not one concerning homosexuality or pedophilia, but "a trial of morality and indecency."

Calling the case "borderline," Harris said he found reasonable doubt that the magazine and those charged had broken the law. "There is insufficient evidence," Harris wrote, "to establish a community standard and that the word 'immoral,' being undefined, does not establish an acceptable area for lawful actions."

Although Harris expressed no sympathy for homosexuality or pedophilia, he stated, "As a judge, I must judge with objectivity and with concern for the right of free discussion and dissemination of ideas.

or even the possible good is quite another," Harris said.

Collective member Gerald Hannon told GCN shortly after the welcomed ruling, "We are certainly relieved and rather happy." Noting that the charges "should never have been brought," Hannon said, "What we are most happy about is not the decision we felt lucky therebut we are most glad about the support we have received in both the straight and gay community."

There is still some concern that the government may appeal Judge Harris' decision, but no action is expected at least for the next few weeks.

The Body Politic never ceased publication during the past year of police raid and trial. It is planning to reprint "Men Loving Boys Loving Men" in the next issue.

"To suppress the bad is one thing, to suppress the not so bad --courtesy of Gay Life, 2/23/79

OGRC defines members

The politically active Ohio Gay Rights Coalition (O.G.R.C.) announced in its latest newsletter that it has formalized its membership to be able to collect regular yearly dues for operating expenses and to be able to identify OGRC members for making a mailing list, establishing voting privileges and eventually incorporating their organization.

The following membership policy was approved at the January 14, 1979 general meeting.

The membership year is January 1 to December 31. Memberships submitted after July 1 are half the annual fee. There are two membership categories.

The first category is individual membership. The individual membership for $15.00/year entitles the member to receive the newsletter and special mailings, to vote on OGRC business at OGRC meetings, and to receive a reduced rate at OGRC sponsored functions. Requests

for limited income memberships must be submitted to the Board of Trustees.

The second category is that of organizational affiliates. This category has been created to formally recognize local organizations who wish to participate in OGRC. An OGRC affiliate must register one representative and an alternate representative with OGRC's Board of Trustees who have the authority to act in the name of their organization at OGRC meetings.

Organizations have two options in affiliating with OGRC They may either elect to pay a $20.00 affiliation fee or may if their financial status is poor subscribe to the newsletter for $4.00 and make a commitment of work on an OGRC project. For those who do not wish to have the benefits of membership in OGRC, but do want to remain informed a $4.00 subscription to the newsletter is available.

We encourage individuals and organizations to join OGRC or to subscribe as soon as possible as The article by Dr. Friend also the mailing list will soon be updated and complimentary copies will be discontinued (of the points out that medical and scien-newsletter and other mailings). Complete the appropriate section below (A.B. or C.) and submit the application and payment to OGRC, PO Box 8393 Columbus, Ohio 43201. Membership Type:

tific experts in China do not consider homosexuality a medical problem. There are no laws in China prohibiting homosexual behavior.

The article continued: "The Chinese consider that homosexuality is far more prevalent in those societies in which the moral fabric is changing too rapidly or distintegrating, sexual habits and attitudes are changing correspondingly, sex and sex acts are constantly publicized in the media, and sexual freedom is permitted to the point of promis-

According to Body Politic, the article is based on the writer's experience as a resident of China. Dr. Robert Friend also states that he had recently met with medical and legal specialists from China. Dr. Friend is a United States citizen liv-cuity. ing in Hong Kong.

The article says there is "considerable tolerance" towards gays in China. Friend writes, "the people there feel that a person should be mearsured not by his sexual prefer ences but by his contribution to the building of socialism.

"It is present Chinese policy to mobilize all positive factors and unite all who can be united to mod-

NAME:. ADDRESS:. CITY/STATE/ZIP: TELEPHONE: ()-

ORGANIZATION: REPRESENTATIVE: ALTERNATE.

--(A) INDIVIDUAL --(B) ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATE --(C) SUBSCRIPTION TO NEWSLETTER ONLY

ORGANIZATION AFFILIATE---$20.00 OR ---$4.00 SUBSCRIPTION WORK

-$15.00 INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP

ernize the country and to build() DO NOT add my name to the mailing lists of OGRC affiliates for notification of social, cultural and political events in my area.

socialism. Homosexuals, where they exist, are considered part of the

necesary to unite for this