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Editors Appointed

New people and new changes have been brought to the third longest publishing gay newspaper, The New High Gear. The Gear Foundation has appointed Robert Toth and Shane McConnell to head the publication.

Toth, a Cleveland native, has experience in freelance writing and graphic design. Toth has exhibited art work at the Museum of Fine Art. Gallery exhibitions and visual media presentations are his strong points. Currently, Mr. Toth is in the Advertising, Promotions and Public Relations Dept. of a major Cleveland retailing firm.

Ms. McConnell was transferred to Cleveland from New York City. As an officer in the military, she worked on The Stars and Stripes and the Marine Corps Officer. Ms. McConnell was a national journalism teaching fellow at a major university. Business functions, layout, production and advertising are her forte. After teaching at the high school and collegiate levels, she has become a sales and publications specialist for a major corporate concern.

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I'm upset and need to be heard! Amazing how with all groups classifications, whatever, people tend to stick together, back and support each other. But that's not true in the gay world. The segregation in the gay "family" really stinks. Male and female gays do not stick together. To the men, women are "butches" or "dykes." You know what? That's just ig-

norance.

We have a bar in our neighborhood. You know, they might as well just spit on you after they take your money. God forbid, they should say "Hello" or crack a smile. Are women threats to the gay male and if so why? We try to talk to the guys and invite them to parties, etc. But they only snub us and back-stab in response.

Even in a dispute there is never any question of who's at fault. The "dykes" are quickly "barred" sometimes bodily by an irate owner with no logical explanation.

Recently, a gay man and I ventured into the bar business. We are both now barred from certain establishments. All this really outrages me. Our money is just as good as anyone else's.

A.C. Martinez Elyria, Ohio

Our most humble apologies to the bona fide representative of the "Advocate" for any inconvenience we may have caused.

-EDITORS

Editor:

Why is it that gay people are always late? This is a strange phenomenon I've noticed from New York to Los Angeles. Gays run anywhere from 1/2 to 1 hour behind, on standard gay time.

Fashionably late is one thing, but being forced to set meetings or special times ahead so that everyone gets there is another thing entirely. Is it a social faux pas to arrive early or even on time?

Colin Grey Ardmore

ED. NOTE: We have noticed this strange problem and much to our chagrin, have been unable to remedy the situation. Have you considered setting your watch back?

Dear Sir:

From the Editors

READERS:

JUNE 1982

We would like to welcome you to The (New) High Gear. By now you have seen the new style and format changes we implemented with this issue. We will be bringing reliability and consistency back to the publication. From this issue on, we will have sole responsibility for the content, appearance and publication of this journal. We need your help for input, story ideas and volunteers. We need your support and patronage of our advertisers. These advertisers are putting their trust and belief in us to revitalize and conduct this paper as a business. We can only apologize to our readers for events that happened before we became associated with the paper and pledge that these problems will be eliminated.

Please send any material or information you feel is pertinent to:

P.O. Box 6177 Cleveland, Ohio 44101

or call us at the Hotline: 621-3380

The deadline for all material is the 1st of every month.

I'm writing you in hope of being placed in your publication for correspondence.

At present, I'm confined in Southern Ohio, and haven't anyone to write. My family and friends has all given up on me, it

seems.

Sir, I know you and your staff are extremely busy and if you can do me the favor of running this ad, I will be very grateful for your consideration and sacrifice.

Age: 31 (5'10" 160) Hobbies: baseball, exercising, playing chess, reading Interest: I'm interested in writing someone who is very understanding and who is looking for a very understanding man.

#144-871 Larry Anderson P.O. Box 45699 Lucasville, Ohio 45699

Editor:

I strongly object to the use of the words cruise or cruising. I feel this is a sexist term, unapplicable and offensive to women.

Name Withheld Cleveland Hts.

ED. NOTE: The word choice in paid advertisements is wholly that of the paying patron. This rule applies as long as the ad or the copy does not violate the paper's advertising policies. These policies are available for your inspection.

The word itself has been in use for many years and indicates various usages. CRUISE: from the German Kruisen to make a cross, and from the latin crux or cross. Verb: 1. to sail about touching a series of places; 2. to travel for enjoyment; 3. to travel the streets at random; 4. to travel at the most efficient operating speed.

We are using the word in its travel context and not referring to what may occur during those travels.

Comment: '82 Elections a Chance to Fight Oppression

by Rick Berg

The results of the 1980 elections have created an adverse political climate for gay people across the country. When the votes were counted up, gays had lost a supporter in the White House and the U.S. Senate had come under Republican control, resulting in a number of right-wing senators controlling key congressional committees. As a result, the prospect for legislation to end discrimination against gays is very negative.

We gay people have an opportunity to stem this tide in the 1982 elections. Gay civil rights has surfaced as a political issue, although quietly, in northeastern Ohio. We can cast our votes for those candidates who call for an end to the discrimination which oppresses

us.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club has issued a slate of endorsed candidates for governor, senator, and congressmen based on the candidates' positions on gay civil rights. If we vote for these candidates as a bloc, we will send a strong message

to our political leaders. Politicians are impressed by votes and we represent a large number of them. There are approximately 200,000 gay people in greater Cleveland. This is enough votes to be decisive in any election in Ohio if they are cast in a bloc.

We are still, however, a minority. Minorities become powerful in American politics by voting in blocs. The black vote in the United States has become decisive because black people have learned to vote in a bloc. Gays have yet to indicate that we have learned this important lesson.

It is not surprising that we have not voted together in a bloc before. Gay rights as a political issue is a new concept. We are accustomed to voting on a host of other issues on which we all have disagreements. We all have one thing in common, however. We are disscriminated against because we are gay and this discrimination is not illegal. If this discrimination is to be removed, we must vote on one issue only. We must vote for those candidates who will defend our rights in the strongest manner.