PAGE 6 HIGH GEAR

CEAR

A Publication of the Gear Foundation VOLUME 6, ISSUE 7 1980 GEAR

1980 GEAR

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Stepping backward

by FRANN

Having been gay for more than 13 years, I am more and more dismayed at the increasing swing to the right that we, the liberals of the 70's are making. I am terrified of the possibilities of our never ending search for an underdog to discriminate against. As a gay black woman, overweight, and over thirty, I find myself slowly stepping backward; reaching for the closet door.

In a recent discussion with friends, I've heard other friends as well as myself demeaned and made fun of, because we may not be right for the "Group of the day." My sisters are separating into small groups that exclude all but those bearing the purist sameness of that group.

In the 60s when I was coming out, I remember how good it felt to see blacks and whites partying together. It seemed even to my naive mind that being over the grandest hurdle meant that the common bond of homosexuality removed prejudice. How terribly

Editorial

Religion?

Some people would have you believe that heterosexuals always say' before copulating. "Oh, let us high-mindedly propagate the human.

race.

Several hundred thousand of such people will be marching on Washington for "righteousness and morality" at the end of this month, many if not most of them accompanied by their spouses and the accidental results of some of their moments of self-indulgence.

The participants in this event, known both as "One Nation Under God" and "Washington for Jesus." will be thanking the Lord for making them better than everybody else.

The leaders of this massive rally, who hope to get one million fundamentalist Christians to participate, will be using it to try to intimidate Members of Congress. The goal of these leaders is to make Congress, via legislation, intimidate everybody in the United States into bowing down to the self-righteous images that these leaders have of themselves.

In "A Christian Declaration," a piece of literature circulated among organizers of "Washington for Jesus." America is called upon to "repent of conduct contrary to the purposes for which it was founded and the clear commandment of the Word of God." Examples it gives of such conduct include excluding prayer from public schools, divorce, fornication, pornography, homosexuality, and humanism.

Once again the mention of homosexuality is being used, like a red cloth waved in front of a bull, to attract the attention of those who become irrational when confronted with the topic (many of whom might not agree with most right-wing opinions). Once again humanists are being attacked because they set a bad example by not claiming that all of their prejudices come directly from God.

Included in Washington for Jesus" activities will be constituent lobbying with members of Congress on the 28th of April, the day before the big march itself. Only a hand-picked few will be allowed to :ake part in these Congressional visits. Generally distributed advertising for "Washington for Jesus." which gives the impression that it is primarily a religious gathering, does not say what issues will be discussed.

Most of those who might want to take part in the "Washington for Jesus" march are not being told how its leaders plan to use them. The march's leaders probably reason that even though most of its fundamentalist would-be participants would in fact agree with many of the viewpoints to be presented to members of Congress, keeping them in the dark is for their own good. Some religious-minded people are too scrupulous and too sensitive and might hesitate to take part in helping to produce what might be intended as the political equivalent to a God-fearing lynch mob.

News of Washington for Jesus" should be taken by all responsible citizens as a reminder that a democracy needs occasionally a healthy dose of skepticism--and that some of this healthy dose should be conveyed to one's elected representatives.

Especially in the United States, where separation of church and state is written into the Constitution, anyone can claim to be speaking in the name of morality and religion. In an election year such claims will be made by just about anybody.

One of the most precious basic American freedoms, one that is never exercised enough, is the freedom to not take all of such claims seriously. -R. Woodward

Idealistic 1 was! Through the A disturbed peace

years I watched feminism mean that my gay brothers were part of another race, better than but not equal to us, that "feminist" lesbians were better than "regular lesbians" who are better than "straight womyh and that transexual women were not. I now know that non-smokers are preferable to smokers, cocaine is

class, grass gross, and that every dope user is an abuser and to be treated with disdain.

It saddens me when I hear of gatherings that I was left out of because I had done something that was "politically or socially incorrect" for those gathered Familiar friendly faces are missing from too many of our socialize ings for committing some,

infractionreal or rumored.

It's time we stop taking our selves so seriously. Remember we're all in this thing together either we all make it or none of us do. We've gotten too petty in our intolerances. Just keep in mind the fact that everytime you decide to discriminate against one or more of us for being "too" this or "too" that you sever a vital link in the chain that binds us together.

Bad imitations

of so-called straights

By Brian McNaught

to set me apart from my peers but Most gay people I talk with I was also liked by most of the today share similar stories of nuns and everyone's mother. being subtly, but constantly. Like all of my lesbian and gay bullied as they were growing up male friends today, I remember because they were "different" craving for the moment in which I Scott Keefe wrote the word "hell" might be free. I remember aching on the Boys room window one for the release from the incens. winter day in eighth grade but sant prodding, poking, pushing when I walked in he quickly of unknowing, unthinking hotewiped it off in a mocking gesture rosexuals so that I might be me. I and giggled with the small group almost didn't make it. One of friends who had assembled in gloomy Saturday morning, when awe of his daring (It was 1961 the pressure to be something difand 14-year-old Catholic boys ferent became too much to bear were not supposed to be and the future seemed bleaker assemblying in the lavatory." than the past, I gulped down a know "curse words" and cerbottle of paint thinner. An hour tainly not be writing them on, and several tears later, while sittogged parochial school wing on the emergency room table having my stomach pumped. I swore I would never again live my life based on other people's expectations. “Damn

windows)

At the age. I didn't swear--not even a "damn" I didn't fight on the playground I didn't neck at parties and I was polite That alone would have been enough

(Cont'd on page 7)