HIGH GEAR. Page 5

Over 100 groups represented at conference.

Massive D.C. march planned

By a vote of 106 to 56. delegates to a national gay conference have accepted a proposal to stage a massive gay march on Washington, D.C. on October 14. 1979.

Delegates at the conference. which was held in Philadelphia on the 24th and 25th of February, represented over 100 different lesbian, gay, and women's organizations, some representatives having come from as far as San Diego, San Francisco, and Oregon.

Among the representatives were Third World persons, black people, hispanics, people of Asian ancestry, and American Indians. About a third of the delegates were women. Also participating were a few groups not necessarily gay.such as NOW and the National Lawyers Guild

It was decided that the plat-

form of the march would call for the repeal of all anti-lesbian/antigay laws, the passing of a comprehensive lesbian/gay rights bill in Congress, the issuing of a presidential executive order banning sexual discrimination based on sexual orientation in the Federal Government and in Federally contracted public employment and non-discrimination in lesbian mother and gay father custody cases

A plank calling for revision of age of consent laws was at first added in response to demands of a gay youth caucus among the delegates. The conference's 18 member coordinating committee. chosen by conference's delegates, decided, however, to remove this plank after bitter objections to it were raised by lesbian members.

Arguing that lowering the age

of consent would remove what legal protection young women have against sexual abuse by older heterosexual men, the lesbian members threatened to walk out of the committee if the plank were retained.

Although most of the delegates at the conference favored having the march, there was sharp disagreement as to when it should be held.

Those favoring 1980 argued that there is not time to plan and finance it properly this year. (It was not decided at the conference how the project is to be financed or by whom).

Those favoring 1979 insisted that since this is the tenth anniversary year of Stonewall, strong sentiment exists for the march now which should be exploited. Immediately.

The strongest support for the

Waxman and Weiss chief sponsors

1979 date came from the delegates from San Francisco. New York and Philadelphia. Strong opposition came from the delegates from Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

Brandy Moore of San Francisco. media co-chair for the national march, said that the committee hopes for 500,000 to one million participants, while fear was expressed from the Washington delegation of a poor turnout. Frank Kameny from Washington commented that anything less than 50,000 participants would "give the gay community a long-lasting black eye."

Delegates at the conferences agreed on a national steering committee for the march and the setting up of national headquarters for it in New York City, with an office to handle logistics in Washington, D.C.

Gay Rights Bill introduced

Washington, D.C.A 1979 Gay Rights Bill, introduced by two chief sponsors, has been introduced. Steve Endean, Gay Rights National Lobby Excutive Director, announced today.

to fellow members of Congress, stressed the increasing support gay civil rights has achieved in the face of challenges such as California's Briggs Initiative against gay teachers.

"We believe most Americans oppose this form of bias just as strongly as they reject discrimi-

"With two strong Congressmen such as Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles) and Rep. Ted Weiss (D-LNew York) act-nation ing as chief sponsors, I believe that the effect will be to strengthen our support and increase our visibility more effectively then ever before," Endean said. "This is the first time that we have been able to enlist two chief sponsors," Endean said. "The joint sponsorship also marks the first time that someone outside of New

directed against racial and religious minorities," they wrote. "Indeed, Californians voted overwhelmingly -by a 1.1 million margin -in November to reject Proposition S i x...Liberals and conservatives, from Tom Hayden to Ronald Reagan, opposed Proposition Six." "They recognized, as we hope this Con-

gress will do, that homosexuality is not a sufficient reason to relegate a person to the status of second-class citizen," Weiss and Waxman wrote.

Endean pointed out that the process of securing additional co-sponsors had not been completed. "Almost all of the cosponsors of the bill last session are willing to sign on again." Endean said. "We are anticipating that a number of first-termers will come on the bill and are holding extensive meetings with veteran Members to increase the number of co-sponsors from that quarter as well. My expectation is that there will be a slight increase

English study suggests

York City has played a key English

leadership role in the legislation.

It will allow the utilization of two Congressional staffs on the issue, which will be helpful in enlisting additional support."

Weiss, who represents former Congresswoman Bella Abzug's district, was an initial sponsor of the New York City gay civil rights bill when he served on the City Council there. Waxman reprsents a Los Angeles district with a visible and politically active gay presence.

When asked about the fact that both Congressmen represent districts with substantial gay constituencies, Endean said. "Both Congressmen have long records of support. That support is deep and sincere. To the extent that the makeup of their districts plays a role in their support, it should be understood as one 'more example of the increasing 'gay clout' around the country." "And that clout need not be limited to districts with massive gay constituencies. Local gay activists have organized and pressed their demands for justivce on local and state elected officials for some time. To the extent that federal officials face these demands, our efforts are advanced."

in the number of co-sponsors. Such a slight increase may not seem like major progress to some, but in my discussions with

other public interest lobbyists, I find that they are amazed to see any increase in what is generally understood to be a time of retrenchment and decline for progressive causes."

Endean stressed that much of the progress that will take place on the legislation is because of local grass-roots organizing and pressure. He indicated coordinating efforts of the Lobby with local organizations and building constitutent support will be a top priority for the lobbying effort.

Gays are better teachers

OXFORD.

ENGLAND-From

this venerable old University, comes a psychiatric study to confront the likes of John Briggs.

Dr. F.E. Kenyon, a psychiatrist at Oxford Hospital in London, has suggested that gays may well make the safest and best school teachers for children. Rejecting the sickness theory of homosexuality, in a pamphlet published by the British Medical Association, Kenyon says that "a young boy has no more chance of being physically molested by a homosexual school teacher than the developing and often extremely attractive girl by a heterosexual one."

Kenyon goes on to say that

the chances are actually less. He says that few adult homosexuals are sexually at tracted to the very young. Further, he says that those who are can be expected to exercise greater restraint than their heterosexual counterparts.

Attributing this to the fact that gays must learn a great deal of Weiss and Waxman, in a letter self-control in order to survive in

a basically homophobic society, Kenyon's findings are substantiated by the massive amount of felony heterosexual child-sexuality arrests (over 93 percent according to some reliable studies, and up to 97 percent in others) when com-

pared with homosexual ones. On the other hand, in regard to teaching ability, Kenyon says that gays often have greater emotional sensitivity "and may well have a special affinity with the young."

OGRC seeks

information

Documenting Discrimination

The Ohio Gay Rights Coalition (OGRC) is collecting information from around Ohio which will document discrimination against Gay people in Ohio in housing, employment, public accommodations, credit, education, and insurance. It is being collected as support material for a comprehensive civil rights bill OGRC hopes to have introduced into the 114th General Assembly in 1981.

If you have any documentation or information about discriminatory practices, please send them to George Painter, Ohio Gay Rights Coalition, P.O. Box 8393, Columbus, Ohio 43201. All materials collected will be kept confidential by OGRC, except that they will also be sent to the Gay Rights National Lobby in Washington, D.C. who is collecting this! information as support material for a national civil rights bill.

The march committee can be cached at Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights, 156 Fifth Avenue, Room 505, New York, N.Y., 10010; (212) 924-2970.

Gay Couple Adopts Child

SAN FRANCISCO In what is believed to be the first instance of its kind, an openly gay male couple have been granted the right to legally adopt a two year old boy. The adoption of Robert David Dykes by pediatrician Dr. Albert Lanny Dykes and his lover, Sar Francisco Metropolitan Community Church pastor Rev. Jim Dykes, was approved by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Jan. 12.

The couple was open about their homosexualtiy throughout the entire adoption process, and, according to Rev. Dykes, no objections to the adoption were raised on that basis. Rev. Dykes told an interviewer in the Philadelphia Gay News, "As the social worker told us, 'You're making us make a policy decision, you put it right on the line; what can we say about a minister and a physician raising a child. You're the stereotyped epitome of our society."

Since there is no legal recognition of gay couples under California law, Dr. Dykes is officially recognized as the child's parent, while Rev. Dykes who took the surname of his lover several years ago is recognized as Robert's guardian. Although the couple have contracted "within our faith to maintain a long-term relationship," the adoption is still officially listed as a single parent adoption.

The adoption was arranged through direct contact with the child's natural parents. This was possible because California law allows independent adoption, which eliminates the requirement of an adoption agency as the only channel for adoption. As part of the adoption agreement, the two men agreed to send yearly reports about Robert to his natural parents until the time he turns 16. However, no face-toface contact between the child and his natural parents will take place until he reaches that age. Rev. Dykes is realistic about the problems which the child may face. "Our overriding principle with Robbie," he told the Gay News, "is always to respond to him with honesty and truth, and say that here we are, and we love each other, and that we chose him to live with us because we fight the other battles as they come along, if they come along."

love him. Then we will have to

They say that they will educate their son about homosexuality "the same way we will about sexuality in general when he asks the questions, we'll answer the questions that he asks."

The two men would like to

adopt another child, and, says the next child will be a giro Rev. Dykes, "Our, dream is that malistoce to onibliud.