FEBRUARY 1982 HIGH GEAR 15

EXCLUSIVELY COLUMBUS

Stonewall Union

The ever-expanding gay alliance

by Craig Covey

With a speed that has astounded even the original organizers, a new political action group has become one of the most powerful and successful organizations in the central Ohio community.

The Stonewall Union is a political action committee formed in September 1981 after the very successful anti-Moral Majority rally, which was held in response to that group's attempt to hold an organizational meeting here in Columbus. With only a 48 hour notice, a coalition of women's groupss, gay organizations, and other progressive groups was able to turn out four times as many people as the Moral Majority.

"In a spirited demonstration, our coalition was able to capture the attention of the local mainstream media and effectively block the Moral Majority grab for the spotlight. So successful was our rally that the Moral Majority failed to organize at all and they've not been heard from in Columbus for five months, " said Director Craig Covey.

The Stonewall Union believes the key to power and respect for the gay community is unity:

The Stonewall Union is modeling itself after the highly successful Houston Gay Political Caucus. That group directly influenced over 50,000 people. Through unity and organization, it was able to elect Kathy Whitmore, a pro-gay mayor and was able to successfully influence the outcomes of 21 of the 22 electoral races it worked in the 1981 election. In Columbus, with the support of various progressive minded voters, the Stonewall Union has already begun building a base.

The Union has created a board of trustees, composed of women and men, and including two professors of law. The group is open to all people, regardless of race, sex, age, income, education, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, or physical disabilities.

Money is important in attempting anything political, and the primary source for funds are the gay owned or operated businesses. The Union has been very successful in

gaining the support of all the gay bars and other establishments that have been contacted.

Again the thrust is unity. Because the Union encourages patronage of the establishments which support the gay community, it is a privilege and a duty for the gay bars, baths, restaurants,a nd all gay owned businesses to support the gay community through constant and generous financial contributions to gay churches, the political groups, clubs, and service groups which in turn benefit the whole.

The Stonewall Union is nonpartisan in its politics, basing its endorsements for candidates on their position on equal and civil rights for all people regardless of sex, sexual orientation, etc. The Union has made several friends among local politicians. In this past election, pro-gay candidates swept all three city council races. The group also escorted four candidates around Colum four candidates around Columbus gay nightspots I which was a first for the city.

A letter from the editor

by Robert Farelli

Hello, Columbus gay community. I will be writing the monthly editor's column for HIGH GEAR's Columbus section. I hope you will find this column, this section, and the entire paper informative, enlightening, entertaining, and thought-provoking.

As a native Clevelander, I was familiar with HIGH GEAR, based and distributed in Cleveland. I felt, as did several other Columbusites, that the paper would be more beneficial to Columbus if more Columbus contributions were contributed to it more regularly.

It is the objective of the Columbus staff to "gear" this section to you in Columbus and cover what involves you directly. Your contributions are not only welcome, but imperative for the survival of "Exclusively Columbus." We will be featuring a "Dear Donny" section and publishing letters to the Columbus editor.

If you would like to be connected to our Columbus staff, in any capacity, we would love to have you.

As for this column, it will be an informal expression of my opinions with a potpouri of topics which concern and interest all of us. I intend to inform and provoke you each month. Whether you agree or disagree with what I write, please write me. For without challenge, there is no gain.

PRIORITY ONE right now is to warn, without alarming, you about the current rash of stabbings and murders which are occuring within the Columbus community. Somewhere in this city is a man. picking up gays in bars and local cruising areas and mortally knifing them. I urge everyone to maintain extreme. caution and discretion in the future until this man is caught. Several members of the Columbus HIGH GEAR staff are frantically trying to collect information which could help you identify him and possibly save your life, but our deadline is here without our yet häving this information.

Until we can relay what we have learned about this erupting terror within our community, please be careful

The candidates included à citycouncil-nominee, a clerk-ofcourts nominee, a judicial nominee, and a person running for the school board.

The group is also developing a computerized mailing list which is growing weekly.

At this time the Stonewall Union is working on a proposal for a possible massive gay pride parade to take place in June. It would like gay and lesbian. groups from all over Ohio to consider the possibility of a statewide march and rally. While it has never been done yet, a call for a unified gay pride march could turn out to be the biggest gay event ever to take place in Ohio. Those who attended the National Gay Rights March on Washington remember it as a spectacular event which could, although on a smaller scale, bring great unity and spirit to Ohio. For more information on the Stonewall Union please contact: Stonewall Union, P.O. Box 8355-A, Columbus, Ohio 43201 or Craig Covey (614) 2997764.

and we will be doing everything possible to end this imminent danger.

Gay bowling in Columbus

In the chill of the winter 'months when outdoor activity is restricted, many turn to indoor sports for recreation and relaxation. Bowling has become a popular and inexpensive form of entertainment especially here in Columbus. Columbus' gay bowling league is the largest in the state with thirty-eight teams presently and still growing at a phenominal pace.

The league was founded in 1978 by Chett Sinclair and consisted of 16 teams. It is now one of the most popular past

times for the gay, community. Besides all of the fun which accompanies such an event, the league also does other things. Last November, the bowlers raised $1,000.00 in a Bowl-AThon for Cystic Fibroses.

The current president of the league if Mike, O'Brien and -bowling is every Monday night, 8:30 p.m. at Seville Lanes. Anyone interested in subbing or just coming out to watch and enjoy the festivities is invited and welcome. Mr. O'Brien can be reached at 262-5653 if you desire further information.

Assertive

in central Ohio