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Killing You Softly

by J.J. Lehner

FIRST OF A SERIES

It is unlike any other disease we know. It leaves no outward physical sign on its victim as a warning. Its progress is slow and deadly with subtle changes in personality recognizable only to close friends and family members who often dismiss the changes as a passing phase. It is the only disease that actually can make one feel good, even euphoric, while it is in fact killing its victim. It is incurable, but can be put into remission with professional care; and it strikes as many as one in every ten persons in the United States.

Here's the real kick, if you're a member of the gay community, you're three times as likely to catch this disease and less likely to seek professional care until the disease has reached the critical stage. What's more, because you're gay you may feel less at ease to seek help because of your lifestyle even though the disease has or will affect your sexual potency.

The disease has the title most often dismissed in conversation and most unsettling to the majority of the population: Alcoholism.

Studies conducted nationwide, including in the greater Cleveland area, show that nearly 33% of the gay population is alcohol dependent. A major reason has been attributed to the fact that a main social gathering spot for the gay community is the gay bar where alcohol

makes "being yourself" easier, and allows one to socialize better.

Contrary to how this may sound, the gay bar is not the problem. The problem is the inability of the individual to control his or her drinking in order to lead a fulfilling life. In addition, the problem drinker will affect four additional persons as the disease progresses. These additional persons may be family members, friends, or lovers. Undoubtedly all will be close to the victim, all will find it hard to talk about the problem either with other friends or the victim, and all will suffer in their personal life or on the job.

The problem as it relates to the gay community has been recognized by the Regional Council on Alcoholism and by Alcoholism Services of Cleveland. Recent efforts by members of the community, ASC, and the GEAR Foundation have brought about a greater focus on the particular problems and concerns as they relate to the gay alcoholic. In particular, ASC is in the formative stages of an exclusive gay Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) group that will have meetings unlisted to the general community. In addition, special outreach and program monies have been applied for with the hope that more gay people will feel comfortable with seeking help.

Critical in the process of understanding aicoholism and all it entails, is the ability to ask

Gay Dem Club Grows

by Bob Anthony

The Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club, now one-and-a-half years old, is greater Cleveland's only gay political organization. It was founded in February, 1981, by a group of about 30 Cleveland area lesbians and gay men who wanted to pursue gay civil rights through the partisan electoral process.

The founding was motivated by the political developments of 1980. Defeat of President Jimmy Carter who had set up the first dialogue with the White House gay people had ever enjoyed was discouraging. This dialogue had resulted in the removal of much of the anti-gay discrimination in federal hiring and immigration policies. The founding group was further discouraged by the success of anti-gay rightwing groups which had contributed to the election of many ultra-conservative congress-

men.

On the plus side, the 1980 Democratic Convention had written a platform which called for an end to discrimination based on sexual orientation. That convention included the participation of 80 openly gay delegates and alternates who organized into an effective caucus within the convention. The Lesbian and Gay Caucus succeeded in nominating the nation's first openly gay candidate for vice president of the United States.

In the wake of these developments, ERDC's founders hoped to introduce gay civil rights as a political issue in greater Cleveland. After several preliminary meetings, the group named itself the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club in February, 1981. Rick Berg of Cleveland Heights was named acting chairperson.

The new organization aligned itself with the Democratic Party, but did not formally connect with it. The members wished to build on the achievements which gays had made nationally with the Democratic Party. However, party politics, it was agreed, would always take a back seat to the cause of gay civil rights.

A constitution and set of bylaws were written and adopted. A slate of permanent officers was elected and installed. The first officers were Rick Berg, president; Linda Cannon, vice president; David Batz, public relations coordinator; Michael Adams, secretary; and Clifford Kilb, treasurer.

In the spring of 1981, Judge Sara Hunter, judge of the municipal court of Cleveland Heights, asked the fledgling club for its endorsement for her re-election campaign. Hunter became ERDC's first endorsed candidate and won re-election.

ERDC entered 1982 with an exhausted treasury and a membership which had dwindled to ten. The members adopted a master plan for 1982 to cope realistically with these limitations. The club's three-point plan calls for registration of gay voters, endorsement of candidates in a limited number of high-visibility campaigns, and then campaigning for these candidates among gay voters. The club believes that pursuing these limited objectives will result in showing political candidates that gay civil rights is a legitimate political issue which must be addressed if they are to win gay votes.

The club's recently announced endorsements for the Democratic primary election were made because candidates do not often state their positions on gay civil rights. These positions are indicated by the way the candidates vote in public office and in quiet statements not often covered by the news media. There was no reasonable way for an average voter to be aware of candidates' positions on gay civil rights before the endorsement project became reality.

The voter registration project will begin this summer. Club members will hold voter registration in areas frequented by the gay community. Probably a number of gays are not registered to vote because gay civil rights has never before been a political issue. This is rapidly changing, however, both here and in other cities such as San Francisco, New York,

JUNE 1982

questions and not be afraid to seek help. If you or someone close to you may be suffering from an inability to control their drinking, and you need information, call ASC at 391-2300 and ask. They've heard whatever you have got to say before and they can help. There are members of the gay community who have been and continue to work with ASC; the gay alcoholic is not a new concern to them, just an unreachable one.

If someone you love is endangering their job by not showing up and you are phoning in excuses, if someone you love can't go the weekend without getting a good buzz or a next morning hangover (the old "don't call before noon" syndrome), if someone close to you seems to be drinking more than what you remember and isn't the same person you fell for so many months ago, you are recognizing the only warning signs this disease has. Telling your friend, lover, family member everything's okay by covering up for them is only making it worse for the both of you. What's more, you probably aren't even aware of how you are being affected as seen by your friends, and they like you too much to tell you. You're on the road to disaster and everyone who wants to help, doesn't know how. You need help now... get it!

(NEXT: The gay community and particulars of the disease.)

Rick Berg is president of the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Society.

Houston, and Washington.

The club needs new members to be able to expand its programs. Membership is open to all people who endorse the club's objectives. Membership is not indicative of any individual's sexual orientation. To be a member of ERDC, one must have attended at least two meetings in the past twelve months and must be current in payment of dues. Dues are ten dollars semi-annually.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club meets the last Monday evening of each month at 8 P.M. Meetings are held in the home of members. To learn the location of a particular meeting, call 229-7529 or 421-2122. Meetings are open to all who wish to attend.