Page 21, High Gear

high gear

SMORGASBORD

Reprinted with permission of GAY COMMUNITY NEWS, 22 Bromfield Street, Boston, MA. Û2108

But It's Legal!

LONDON -Four British soldiers will be courtmartialed for homosexual acts that are no longer illegal for British civilians.

The Daily Telegraph of London reports that the four men will be tried under Section 66 of the Army Act of 1955 for "disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind" for acts allegedly committed in Great Britian and West Germany. If convicted, the soldiers could be imprisoned and discharged from the army.

The Telegraph predicts that the trial will be a focal point for protests by Gay organizations.

(GCN)

Discrimination Common MEMPHIS -A Memphis organization has charged that a local Gay bar discriminates against black people by requiring more ID's from them than from whites attempting to enter the bar.

GAZE, a Memphis Gaynewspaper, reports that a demonstration organized by Memphis Committe drew about 40 participants to the Barracks on July 3 and that other persons not in the demonstration refused to cross the picket line.

The Committee had earlier sent both black and white Gay men to the Barracks to test allegations of selective carding by doormen.

The management of the Barracks denied the allegations.

GAZE quotes a bartender at another club as saying, "Most Gay bars, particularly the big discos, will allow a certain number of 'quota' of blacks and women into the bar before clamping the vice by asking for a ton of ID's, usually four, with pictures and so forth. If the person can actually produce the required ID's, and a few can, they are generally told that some of the ID's are not acceptable for some reason. I'm not saying any bar in particular does it; I'm just saying that the practice is pretty common." Two Gay Studies LOS ANGELES the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, the stereotype of the homosexual has changed in the past five years but the image that remains is still negative, and we are still subjected to discrimination.

(GCN)

According to

The public used to perceive homosexuals as "dark, shadowy creatures on skid row who are weak and spineless" and now they are perceived as "strong, assertive businessmen who all live on Nob Hill surrounded by chandeliers," said William Paul, a member of the study group, which presented its findings

at the 87th annual American Psychological. Association convention in Los Angeles.

Among the panel's findings were the following:

*Major advances have been made in passing laws to protect homosexuals in the last ten years.

*Public attitudes are steadily becoming more positive.

*However, violent attacks on Gays are increasing, and the upsurge of anti-Gay campaigns pose a threat to their full acceptance in society.

Spokesman Paul said that "psychological warfare propaganda is being used in present campaigns against Gay people. We are in the midst of a hate campaign and this isn't simply a vestige of the past."

Navy to Discharge Women SAN DIEGO -The U.S. Navy has announced that it will discharge a woman petty officer despite the fact that she has been cleared of charges of homosexuality. San Diego Update reports that Joan Dowling will be discharged for the "convenience of the government" at the request of her commanding officer after charges that she is a Lesbian were dismissed at a March 9 hearing. Katherine Bourdennay, Dowling's attorney, said such discharges cannot be appealed and can only be fought in federal court. (GCN)

Lesbian Talking Books

MINNEAPOLIS--Feminist news and discussion are now available to those who cannot read ordinary publications. Womyn's Braille Press, Inc. (WBP) has announced that it will offer feminist and Lesbian books, periodicals and other material on women's issues in the form of four-track cassettes, tapes and in braille. Material may be purchased or borrowed. A quarterly newsletter will be offered in all three formats for a sliding fee subscription rate. WBP needs readers and is asking for donations. For more information, write WBP, P.O. Box 8475, Minnapolis, MN 55408.

Wet Briefs

By GORDON HATHAWAY A Man's World, 2402 St. Clair, hosted a West Jockey Shorts Contest on Saturday, October 24. Eight brave men paraded before the audience in little else but their jockey shorts. A few also donned vests for the occasion.

One contestant was apparently very fashion conscious, as he was the wearing the season's most popular color--purple shorts.

As the contestants posed for the audience, the moderator stated that he had "no words to describe what he was looking at." The audience

Lesbian Made Cal. Judge

Transsexual Pilot Fired

SAN FRANCISCO-California CHICAGO--A $4 million suit Govenor Jerry Brown has has been field against Eastern Ariappointed Mary Morgan, promilines by a former pilot who charges nent Lesbian and Gay rights attorthat she was fired because she ney, to the San Francisco Municipal underwent a sex-change operation, Court. Morgan said of her according to UPI. Karen Frances appointment, "I think it's important Ulane (formerly known as Kenneth to have more Lesbians and Gay men Ulane), a pilot for Eastern Airlines visible in our society so people can for 12 years who was also decorated see there's not an enormous differfor service as a pilot in Vietnam, is ence between us and we don't have seeking reinstatement as a pilot, anything to fear from each other." back pay, and punitive damages. Governor Brown appointed the first openly Gay Judge, Stephen Lachs in 1979.

(GCN-Ji! Clarke)

The dismissal letter, signed by Eastern senior vice president for. flight operations R.R. Buttion, said in part, "No Karen F. Ulane appears on Eastern's seniority list. Eastern Boston Bar Raid Charges would not have hired you had it Dropped known you contemplated or might BOSTON -After negotiations in the future contemplate such an among defense lawyers, prosecutors action." According to Ulaine's and a judge, the district attorney's attorney, of Eastern's 4,500 pilots, office agreed to dismiss “open and two are women.,

gross lewdness" charges aginst the

(GCN)

men arrested in a July 26 raid on the Lesbian Pleads Guilty Gay bar Quagmire, on the condition To Public Indecency that the bar owner pay $25.00 court DENVER--A Lesbian arrested costs for each person. The owner outside a local bar on charges of and the manager of the bar still face public indecency has pleaded guilty charges. The dismissals came too in exchange for a deferred sentence. late for one of the men charged however. He committed suicide shortly after his arrest. While many of those arrested viewed the raid as anti-Gay police harassment, the bar's manager insisted that the raid was not a Gay issue. He said he resented people's efforts to turn it into a Stonewall 1981.

The woman, who maintains that she is innocent, said she “felt like a traitor for giving in to this."

POEM

She was arrested along with another woman on April 25 in front of the Highland Bar and charged with "indecent exposure and fondling of the genitals of another person," accusations made frequently GCN-Larry Goldsmith) against Gay men but rarely against Lesbians. ́ Older and Happier (GCN) MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA-A recent study by psychologists at Macquasil University shows that, contrary to widespread belief, older Lesbians and Gay men are happier than their younger counterparts. The study attributed this to the fact that younger people are still coming to terms with their sexuality. The study also revealed that Lesbians are more likely to favor multiple relationships than Gay men. Ten percent of the women but fewer that one percent of the men said that ongoing relationships with more than one person at the same time were ideal. (GCN)

were the judges in the contest and were asked to vote based on the best "baskets and buns." Prior to the vote, the contestants were asked to "wet down" their shorts.

It proved difficult to judge since most shorts were not really wet, but slightly moist, thereby hindering a good view of the contestants.

Despite the somewhat limited view of the contestants, it was a rather interesting evening.

The first place winner received a cash prize of $50 while the second place winner was the recipient of $25.-

My room smells of apples Not apples THE apples you used to buy all day to stoke the fire I saw you again yesterday Drawing white milk through your red straw My alarm clock frightened you

away

I found an empty milk carton on top of the garbage You could not take it with you This morning I woke up to find your hair clogging the sink just like old times

The night you wanned became cold and rattled your spirit rose and departed with a flame from our fire to safeguard your return -

"ME"

It's hard to be free. but I am. It's hard to hate. but I do.

It's hard to trust. but that's me. It's hard to give, but I must. It's hard to love. but I can.

DIENA

LEE