At Ohio State Fair
Gay booth staffer faces public
By Thom Gianfagna
It was my first time at the Ohio State Fair. I had been asked to help staff the booth set up by the Ohio Lesbian and Gay Rights Coalition. Two years ago I had been asked the same thing. But I couldn't imagine myself facing people so openly back then. This year, however, Earl Korb had volunteered to help and I decided to go with him.
What I had imagined was tame compared to the reality..I was touched by gentle people, shocked people, angry people, anxious people. Passersby displayed amazement, silliness, support, curiosity, caring and embarassment. But the overwhelming reaction from our "straight" brothers and sisters was nervous surprise, with a
Looking around and not seeing our dresses, he'd ask the staffers with their T-shirts and cut-offs, "Are you gay?" He couldn't understand why we were gay but said that what we did in our houses was our own business. His main disapproval was directed against public displays. "Why do you have to hold hands in public?" We couldn't get our points across there.
Unfortunately, after twenty minutes of this, an older trio joined group. The couple and their male companion seemed to be drunk. The climate got nastier. Comments like "gays ought
to be shot" and "let's tip over their table" were made. The two more antagonistic boys were enjoying the confrontation.
Other people were gathering along the edges, drawn by the comments. The visiting gay male quietly slipped away. Then Earl told them they'd better not touch the table and I moved to the front of the booth near them. I guess that was enough. They drifted away muttering.
The boys continued their questions for another fifteen minutes then left.
We were not hassled much during those three days. The word
GEAR Center to close
large amount of either giggling for two weeks
or ogling the booth.
A common response, especially from the young, was for the male to grab his girlfriend's hand! As soon as one of them realized what the booth was, one would point. They then huddled closely together and walked quickly by.
The opening day, Friday, August 14th, started easy. An official came over and privately said he was glad we were back this year. The crowds were small and their giggles calmed me. Well, no muggings by fundamentalist preachers damning us to hell. But by Saturday I began to get upset. How could people be so smallminded and unsophisticated?
Perhaps someone else could ignore the shocked glances, the smirking, and the disapproving looks. But when this had occurred literally hundreds of times I began to get angry. Three times I yelled out to people scurrying away. To those, for example, who moved across the aisle as far as they could from the booth as they passed by. "Hey, don't worry. It's not contagious!"
Earl tried to calm me down. We talked about how secure I felt and whether this was affecting me. The co-committee heads of the booth suggested that this wasn't the approach they approved of. Eventually I cooled down and was able to accept --if not like the situation.
In terms of fear --and of accomplishment, the first evening was high point. A group of teenaged boys found the booth. They seemed to range in age from about fourteen to nine. After their initial surprise and smirking, they came to the booth. There were the four staffers and a visiting gay male. Two of the youths spent most of the time dropping unfavorable comments but the other two were quite surprising..
The youngest, perhaps nine or ten, was a biblical scholar and referred to Sodom and Gomorrah, quoting word for word!
The other boys egged him on as he quoted the Bible about Adam and Eve.
But it was the other boy who About fourteen, he asked questions, listened to our answers, shushed the Bible quoting and tried to understand what we were saying.
mortgage monies and pays for
utilities.
.
From September 17 through 30, the GEAR FOUNDATION The GEAR Foundation asks COMMUNITY CENTER will be closed and all activities will be that individuals who are interrescheduled at a later date. The ested in painting, plastering, or reason for the shutdown, accord-general clean-up call and leave ing to GEAR President John their names with The Hotline at
Lehner, is to allow volunteers to effect repairs on the Community Center and the rental spaces
above it.
Lehner said that volunteers are needed to "Chip paint, wash, and sweep up."
621-3380.
Volunteers will not be
expected to work more than a few hours on any day and assignments will be made on the basis of turnout.
Each member of the Board of Trustees of the GEAR Founda-
SEPTEMBER 1981-HIGH GEAR Page 3
"fag" was only heard twice. I heard several people refer to us as gays. Once, a man who had passed beyond us called back, "gays are sick." But there was little of that, even outside!
For me the most beautiful moment was during Saturday afternoon. Four or five countrydressed folks approached the table and asked how we were going to get to heaven. From that point, for the next fifteen minutes they spoke gently to us. It was all the same Bible-passages but done in a friendly and conversational way. Their real concern for our "souls" came across. They listened to us. They heard us out. They left agreeing that God
should bless us all.
There were other poignant
moments.
A young boy, maybe sixteen, had noticeably passed the booth often. He eyed the books and pamphlets but ignored one or two quiet greetings. Finally in one quick passage, he walked along the table and took a national gay task force pamphlet called "Coming Out." He moved quickly away and I saw him stuff the pamphlet in his shirt pocket. I watched an older man, turbaned and swarthy, walk by often. He was one of the Fair exhibiters at an Indian rug booth.
Again finally approaching, he came over to the table. I pressed a GEAR-OLGRC pamphlet, with information about gays, into his hands. He took it and never came back. I guess he got what he wanted.
We sold quite a few books and buttons. The books were provided by "Oscar Wilde," a gay bookstore in Philadelphia and by "Crazy Ladies," a feminist store in Cincinnati. What we sold we paid for and could return the rest. I wore my favorite button all over the Fair. "Gay Love, It's the Real Thing."
Buttons that sold well were "The Moral Majority is neither" and the pink triangle (the concentration camp symbol that the Nazis made gays wear). The books and buttons attracted many browsers including kids who asked their parents to buy them one! Many sisters and brothers stopped to discuss the books and I felt good seeing all the couples.
Sunday afternoon and it was
time to go. I said my goodbyes with feelings both of relief and joy. Relief because I was no longer on display for the smirkers. Joy because I knew we had helped people, both "straight" and gay. We may overcome someday when differences are treasured instead of feared.
Without this Community effort, tion has volunteered twenty Women's football
the Foundation will continue to have problems renting the apartments above the Center. If they are not rented, the GEAR Foundation will be "forced to live on a hand-to-mouth basis," said Lehner at the Board Meeting on August 18.
Rent generated by the apartments provides the monthly
hours of work time for this campaign.
As the dates for the repairs come closer, schedule sheets will be posted in the Community Room at the Center.
Please respond. Your help and co-operation mean solidarity, security, and progress.
Cleveland's Women's ProfesBerea on Sundays at 1:00 p.m. sional Football Team, the Cleve-Tickets cost $3.50 at the gate. land Brewers, is opening its Sept. 20 they play the Cincinsecond season Sept. 12 with an nati Mavericks Oct. 4, the away game against the Battle Columbus Pacesetters, and Oct. Creek Rainbows. 18, the BattleCreek Rainbows. Support Cleveland's other Pro Football Team--The Cleveland
Home games are played at the George Finney Stadium on -J.L. Baldwin Wallace's Campus in Brewers!
Gay Pride is Expanding
A major expansion and remodeling
effort
At the Gay Community Center, 2641 West 14th St. Sept. 14 through Sept. 19 and Sept. 21 through Sept. 26 Food and drinks FREE September 19 and September 26 for all who help out.
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I can do
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Dates I can help
I'm sorry I can't be there in person,
but I'd like to help the effort by donating the following
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Phone.