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ization's fourth annual convention, Aug. 30: Sept. 2 to be held in the Sheraton-Palace Hotel in the Golden Gate City. A slate of challenging 'speakers is being arranged who, will discuss religious, legal, psychiatric, social, and medical aspects of the Convention theme: "Must the Homophile Be Rejected In Our Time?" Attorney Kenneth Zwerin will serve as moderator.

FIVE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING Bolland Howard

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With 21 persons present and a topic like "The Need for a Permanent Relationship, discussion was lively and most interesting. The consensus seemed to be that there is a need for a permanent relationship, and that the problems in establishing one are many and great. Two parties to such a relationship; it was pointed out; must be mituálly responsible, and there must be some degree of emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual compatability. }

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As if these were not obstacles enough, there is the social stigma attached even to bachelorhood, not to mention such a thing as two men living together: And the effect this has on the stability of a homosexual unïon:is tremendous, Indeed no matter what oùr: topic for discussion, we seem tỏ winder always to น่า this area of our” relation to humanity which is clearly the most important question for us. The stumbling blocks there are the real thorns in our side, and our relationship with our own kind suffers because of them.

1 One of our visitors indicated that in Europe, and some of our larger cities where hongeality seems to be better accepted, " it is rot a matter of their populations' having been calicated but rather that much areas

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are older and usually more realistic and there-

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fore less demanding--about life, and perticularly its sexual aspects. The homosexual element there is older, too, and better integrated. He emphasized that much can be done to improve our lot by simply being decent-not "normal, mind you, but decent--examples of civilized humanity in our behavion.,

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"Gay" bars, it was deplored, are poor.: media for social expression, and yet so long as facilities for meeting other! of similar leanings are so limited, the gay, bar is a necessity not to be scorned. That. society thus helps to create a certain number of eventual alcoholics. which it must care for is a point that merits some attention..

Someone mentioned what seemed an unusual degree of abhorrence by Negroes toward Negro homosexuals, and this was corroborated by our Negro friends. It seemed ali too apparent that any minority group automatically has so many hurdles to leap to do that which the majority does by merely strolling, that to have any of their fellows. place more on the path is unthinkable. We as homophiles-and a minority group--know too well how our precarious equilibrium is jarred by any sensational or anti-social activity involving "a homosexual."

In societies less intent on conformity and with a less puritanical wish to deny. their own physicality, differences might not constitute a "minority" and inferior status; but this is the society we live in and we must be realistic about it;

It seemed to be that our eager standardizing for homosexual unions might be related to our need for justification, even "respectability" perhaps, and that we would pursue these qualities according to the standards of the larger society from which we feel alienated. Natural enough, because we grew

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