SEPTEMBER 1982

The New High Gear P.O. Box 6177 Cleveland, Ohio 44101 (216) 621-3380

Co-Editors. Robert Toth Connelly Shanahan Financial Officer Marian Laird

Advertising Manager Jim Booth

Photographers John A. Barrick Linda Buescher Brenda Jones

Distribution Managers. Alan Holcer Linda Hudson Associate Editor R. Woodward

Artist Cameron Scott

Contributing Writers Bob Anthony, Rick Berg Tom Conti, J. Coulson Craig Covey, Marti Damm Karen G., Gregg Leach J.J. Lehner, Bettye Seals Jack Sowers, Val Thogmartin Bill Thurnhurst, Peter White

The New High Gear is a publication of the GEAR Foundation, a federally tax exempt organization.

The presence of the name or picture or other representation of an organization, place of business or person(s) is not necessarily indicative of the sexual orientation of such persons or organizations.

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The New High Gear will provide advertisement information upon request.

The New High Gear staff members are all volunteer. Anyone interested in joining the staff should contact the paper at the above address..

The New High Gear is typeset by Melody Graphics.

The New High Gear is printed by Bionic Litho.

No photo, item or line art in this publication may be reproduced in whole or part unless written permission is obtained from the editors.

PAGE 3

GRNL/Dayton Gains Support

Gay pride and organization took a giant step forward in Dayton recently as local residents pledged money and activism in support of the Gay Rights National Lobby, the nation's professional gay rights Congressional lobby.

Susan Green, a GRNL legislative assistant, came to Dayton with hopes of rallying constituent support for GRNL's effort to persuade U.S. Rep. Tony Hall (D-. Dayton) to become a co-sponsor of the National Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights Bill (HR 1459).

Her hopes were realized as Daytonians donated over $2,000 (to be split between GRNL and local groups) and organized an ad hoc group for dealing directly

with Hall.

According to Green, Hall has voted favorably on gay-related legislation before and can probably be persuaded to become a co-sponsor if he is faced with enough constituent influence from the Dayton gay and lesbian community. At a July 29 fundraiser organized by the Dayton Gay Rights Coalition, Green told -about 60 lesbians and gay men of the importance of constituent action.

"Absolutely nothing can substitute a face-to-face meeting with a constituent," she stressed.

The gay/lesbian civil rights bill already has 59 co-sponsors including John Seiberling of Akron and Louis Stokes of Cleveland.

Gay T.V. Series Airs

Wouldn't it be nice to sit back and tune in a Gay television series that is both entertaining and informative?

Stonewall Union's TV series is just that. It is produced by gay people for gay people. "The Gay Pride Report", aired over cable channel 3 in the Central Ohio area deals with topics such as Gay history, gay legal rights, homophobia, physical fitness, and many others.

Now in its fifth month of shooting, the series has gained a large audience across Central Ohio. Each show is seen by an estimated 50,000 plus.

The most recent program in the series was shot entirely on location with a remote camera. This included a tour of Columbus's new swim clubthe Carribean, a physical fitness segment in Franklin Park, and a live performance by the Lambda Men's Chorus.

The series is also being used to produce a promotional tape of the 1982 Ohio Gay Pride Parade. This tape will be used for fundraisers. accross Ohio.

Cleveland Hotline Seeking Professional Referrals

The Cleveland Gay Hotline needs professionals-doctors, -lawyers and counselors-who are willing to be listed in the Hotline. referral list.

Many people call the Hotline and need the services of a professional who won't give them a hassle because they're gay. Lesbians and gay men are sometimes afraid to go to their family doctor or lawyer for fear of being found out to be gay, and so call the Hotline, looking for a sympathetic and understanding professional in the Cleveland area.

Currently the Hotline has some professionals listed, but a number

of Hotline volunteers are involved in updating and expanding this list.

. Callers are advised that the professionals we refer them to are probably not gay, but are understanding of gay people and sensitive to their needs. The pro. fessionals are also happy to get the clients that the Hotline provides for them.

If you are a professional working in the Cleveland area and would be interested in being listed as a Hotline referral, please call the Hotline at 621-3380 and leave a message for Tom O'Brien, the Coordinator.

Through donations and fundraisers, the series hopes to secure its own remote camera, which will allow more mobility, coverage of live gay events, and a more flexible interview schedule. When the camera is not in use it will be rented out to other organizations for a nominal fee, in order to cut expenses.

If you or your organization are interested in learning more about "The Gay Pride Report" contact: The Gay Pride Report c/o Stonewall Union P.O. Box 8355-A Columbus, Ohio 43201

or call (614) 258-2055 In the spirit of Stonewall, Val Thogmartin, Assoc. Dir. Stonewall Union

She. warned that piecemeal passage of the Family Protection Act provisions poses a great threat to gay and lesbian rights. The FPA is a complex, sweeping proposal that, if passed, would attempt to force the radical Christian right's "traditional" lifestyle on all Americans through regulation of government funds, education and everyday life.

Green said one of GRNL's most important tools in opposing acts such as the FPA is destruction of the myths surrounding homosexuality-myths pushed by Jerry Falwell and other radical right leaders.

The fervor and determination.of the anti-gay right was demonstrated at the fund-raiser by a video tape shown by Green. The tape, a segment of an upcoming television special produced by Norman Lear's People for the Americar. Way, showed all too clearly the twisted conceptions of the anti-gay leaders-Americans who espouse such unamerican notions as anti-Semitism, one vote per family, an end to pluralism, and even capitai punishment for the "crime" of homosexuality.

Green listed the ways in which gays and lesbians can fight these people and their influence in Congress.

"The absolute bottom line is to vote," she stressed.

Also, Green advised being aware of the.voting records of legislators and responding accordingly through mail and phone calls. Join organizations that are working for things you believe in, she said, and, of course, contribute financially to groups fighting for civil rights such as GRNL.

News Briefs

Special notice and thanks to Harry Sims of Raiders in Sandusky for providing beer specials during Allan Jeffries recent benefit. Harry also provides liba-

WAIF Radio 88.3 FM in Cincinnati has replaced John Zeh with Tyler, a veteran Cincinnati radio host, in the Sunday 11-1 a.m. "Gays Dreams" slot. "We're gonna concentrate on music and..tions and serves at all functions at entertainment not on politics and news: We're going for a more easy-going format," said Tyler. Tyler will bring a number of new additions to the show with Off Our Backs Production Company's soap opera, "Gays Of Our Lives." His.own production company is preparing a two-hour non-gay special called "Motion Pictures Made For Radio."

The cities of Columbus and Cleveland are in the midst of a series of summer parties that are marking this year as something special. The first big event was over the July 24 to 26 weekend in Columbus. It started with the Rudely Elegant "tropicana party," went to the after hours party at the Mediterranean Swim Club and culminated in the annual Kismet picnic on Sunday.

the Barn. Harry and the Sandusky group have been responsible for terrific events such as the TriCounty Gay Picnic, camping and 50's day at the Barn and numer.ous entertainment nights.

On Friday, August 6, the attention swung back up to Cleveland with the Casablanca party. at Chaps. The event drew a large crowd that responded eagerly to; the party atmosphere. The staff at Chaps went a long way in putting the T.G.I. back into Friday's that has been lacking for a long time.. Johnny Mathis in Us magazine:

"Homosexuality is a way of life that I've grown accustomed to. I have the same feelings as anyone else. It just so happens that I like my career so much that I'd like people to remember my music and not my personality."