Page 8 HIGH GEAR JULY 1981

Says returning native

Cleveland hedonism falls flat

Managing Editor's note: The folwhims like marionettes. Me? I go that there are much more inter-

lowing plece of writing was contributed by someone who is not a member of the HIGH GEAR staff.

out dressed in levis and a T-shirt. esting places conducive to conThe less' emphasis put on clo-versation than smokey, crowded, thing, the better. But then, I look By Robert Allan Hunter fabulous in jeans and a T-shirt. I After having lived out of the should, I've been lifting weights country for over six years, I have for over a year now. Exercise now been back in Cleveland for helped me quit smoking, and the four months. I was born here. I physical and mental benefits hated it then; I hate it now. I've have been more than rewarding. seen the gay scene here change On the subject of weightdramatically. But for the better? lifting, has exercise consciousI'm afraid not. Perhaps it's not ness bypassed Cleveland? This changing for the better anywas a trend that became popular where. Because gay life here is on the west coast and in New so different from where I have York over four years ago and has been living, I feel compelled to not yet caught on here-judging share some of my observations. by the overly large percentage of Upon arriving here, the differpudgy bodies. Paradoxically. I've ences I noted first were visual: noticed that a large number of Cleveland's gays looked straight the "heavy" leather boys are to me! There was no expression overweight and yet have a vulgar of individuality-gay individuality. sense of pride in displaying their People here seem to be trying obesity in uniforms that reveal desperately to look "neat" and in all. the process end up looking sadly This is macho? permanent-pressed.

If we have sex will it mess your hair?

Don't you tire of top-siders? Or all the other cute fashions that come and go with increasing rapidity?

At the root of the problem of the sad physical appearance of gay Clevelanders is a lack of pride in being...men. A lot of boys in this town.

The next major difference noticed was sociological, or I had never seen such a premore specifically-bar behavior. I ponderance of designer jeans get the distinct impression that until I came here, and most of those of you who go out here are you who wear them look godnot really "available." Let me ask awful in them. (Compensation?) you this: why are you at a bar? If The designers have you on your answer is to see my strings and you dance to their friends" did it ever occur to you

IT'S A DOG'S LIFE

BROOKPARK

MOTIVATIONAL TRAINING

FROM THE DOG'S

VIEWPOINT

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS,

851-1198

WILLOUGHBY

TERRY MILLER 918 DRESDEN ROAD CLEVELAND HTS.

Lover leaving?

JIM

Mother coming?

Dog shedding?

Spring cleaning?

Gus all the dirt! We'll get rid of it! Wall-to-wall!

ical rejection.

Confusing, though, is when decidedly good-looking people need each other to the point where they, too, are incapable of functioning independently. Too bad. They'll never know what they're missing. Me, for example.

As a suggestion, one alternative to the bars, Arabica, (in the Old 'Arcade) is an excellent spot for cappucino and conversation, and is my favorite place to with a friend on Saturday afternoon. (Continued on page 12)

Gay politics

By Rick Berg

noisy bars? Besides, bars have a tendency to promote gossip-and foster crotch-level mentality. And so many of you are just passing through. Bar hopping. Hoping that the next one you go to. will be more alive, more vibrant, hotter, and not taking the time to actually see what's happening in the one you're in at the moment. I had a "conversation" the other night at Dean's with an In a moment of foolishness an editor of this publication asked me to acquaintance. Immediately after write a monthly column on gay politics. Before he could reconsider the hellos he stated that he was the proposa!, ! readily agreed. I mean, why not? My political career going to Exedra (after all, don't you all go to Exedra on Tuesbegan at the age of nine when I took it upon myself to persuade my days?). Not even a "how are you" playmates to support a man for President who was later forced to from this person. So I asked him resign from the Presidency of the United States. Please excuse me--l if he was capable of real converwas very young. My political opinions are considerably more mature sation to which he replied with now. So is my hairline, but we need not dwell on that in this column. At uncomfortable silence and an any rate, I should know something about gay politics at this point. I've been avidly interested in electoral politics for twenty-one years to the embarrassed grin. point of boring people to tears, and I've been a gay activist for eight years to the point of scaring people off in droves. So by now i ought to know something about gay politics, right? Don't answer that--it's a rhetorical question.

Am I wrong to expect more from people?

I go to the bars to meet people I've not met before, or to build a relationship to the point where it is desirable to see that person

Anyway, this is making me feel uncomfortably old, so let's move on to some new stuff, now that you're aware of my impeccable qualificaoutside the bar, dinner for examtions. The next profound issue on which I will hold forth is the pressple. I consider the bars hunting ing question of why you should read this column. There are a number grounds-everyone there is fair of reasons why you should never fail to read my monthly remarks. To game and most everyone there is begin with, if I'm going to go to the trouble to write this thing, the least looking for something whether, you can do is read it. I mean, I don't think that's asking too much: Furthermore, I'm funny. You should have picked up on that one by he'll admit it or not. now. Besides that, I'm bright and I'm a good writer. I realize this sounds arrogant, but I also realize that there is no way you could have figured this out from what you've read so far. Also, think about this one. There are just so many things you can think of to start conversation with a prospective trick. If I play my cards right, discussing my latest monthly column just might become what people do when they cant think of anything to say. You wouldn't want to be left out, now would you?

If you are huddled in a group of three or four people it is impossible for someone to approach you. And Cleveland has an inordinate number of these huddled

masses.

More distressing, though, is

that this behavior indicates that you are leaning on your friends for emotional support due to your inherent insecurity.

A slightly cruel thought just occurred to me: maybe because

of your poor physical image (see exercise consciousness) you

realize no one would want to

meet you anyway, and with your "friends" you are safe from hus-

398-7500 JOAN

Comiander

CARPET CARE INC.

Re-arranging your furniture again? SCOTCHGARD it, first. Low, low prices.

We work evenings, weekends, holidays -whenever YOU don't We're the baths of Broadloom, the sauna of Sofas, John and Jim professionally steam clean your carpet at cheap pris

troductc., Price $29.95 includes free set of steak knives

Living Room 12' X 18'

-plus Hallway 3' X 12'!

so you can eat off of the floor when we're finished!

Closet cases discreetly dealt with especially if the closet is carpeted.

That was the easy part--now comes the hard stuff. You should read this column because it is very likely to make you a more informed gay voter, whether you agree with the things I say or not. Now you may very well be thinking that you are already a reasonably well-informed voter and I hope that is the case. However there is a difference between a well informed voter and a well-informed gay voter. A wellinformed gay voter is aware of how the polticial issue of gay rights affects her/his life. She/he is also aware of how her/his vote will affect the status of gay rights as a political issue. ! don't expect you to fully understand this yet. I mean, this is only my first column. Give me a

***tle time.

There is no reason why gay people cannot achieve legal protection or their rights, as other American minorities have. We gay people make up one-tenth of the population of this country. I know you've heard this before, but think about it. One person out of every ten people is gay for every man, woman, and child in Nome, Sam cisco, or Parma. There are almost as many gays as there are black's i this country and a whole lot more gays than there are Jews. The votes of either of these minority groups have made and broken political candidates and issues during the past thirty years and continue to do so. We can do this too. The issues of whether or not blacks should enjoy the same civil rights as whites and whether or not the United States should support Israel are no longer issues. Black voters and Jewish voters enjoy the luxury of being able to select between candidates who differ only in how to guarantee equal rights to blacks.or how to support Israel. Such a situation is a long way off for gay people, you may be thinking. Wrong. Such a situation now exists with great frequency in local elections in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington. In these cities many candidates consider gay support essential for election.

Okay, so how do we create such a situation here in Cleveland? Basically the answer to this question, like Gaul, is divided into three parts. First, we gay people must register to vote and then get our asses to the polls and vote. Second, we must raise the issue of gay civil rights with politicians at every opportunity. This means asking a politician what her/his stand is on gay civil rights at candidates meetings, call-in radio shows, and by letter. Thirdly, we must make our selves aware of the positions of politicians so that we can vote accordingly. Hopefully, the local gay media will make this task easier in the future. The Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club has pledged to quiz candidates on their gay rights positions and make this information available to the gay community through High Gear. I will also pass on as much of this information as possible in this column.

Now you know why I am writing this column, why you should ree^it, and how you can use the political system to protect your civil right