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We welcome any and all written and graphic work by local black lesbians. Our format includes news, reviews, personal perspectives political commentaries, inter- views, poetry, letters, ads, announcements and journal entries. Fictitious names or pseudonyms are standard literary practice and should be used if the con- tributing artist fears "too much visibility. The deadlines for the next two is ues are August 1st, for the September issue and September 1st for the October issue. Give us a call if you have an idea that you want to talk about.

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staff box

Core Committee

A. C. Barber

Marlene Bonner

Vivienne Walker-Crawford

Classified Ads Marlene Bonner

Anita Countee

Distribution

A. C. Barber Lindsay Elam

Joyce Penalver

Layout Facilities

Women's Press Project

Graphics

Marlene Bonner

Sarita Johnson

Vivienne Walker-Crawford Janet Wallace

Tell Me if I'm Wrong

Some of my "lesbian identified" friends have told me that they thought cur June issue's article "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual?" was narrow-minded. The

BLN wanted to make known our philosophy and to point out that we feel the Lesbian definition is the one we choose to live by.

I want to make a personal point; and I want you to think about this.

There is this Gay Plague (Kaposi s Sarcoma) affecting a considerable percentage of the American homosexual male population. The disease's com- plete origin is supposedly a mystery but several hypothesis have been offered.

When I first read about Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS), it had been reported that a few hundred (mostly gay) males had been infected and only 1 straight female had been diagnosed as having KS. Now, July 15th's San Francisco Chronicle page 2 states, "The illness is nicknamed 'gay plague' because the first out- breaks took place in homosexual men. But now it is hitting heterosexual males as well as women,

as well as women,

"!

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The article did not go into detail about the sexual preference of these women, but the lesbian identified women I have talked to about their bi-sexuality, have told me that the men they have been sexually relating to are gay.

My concern is that these "lesbian identified" women may bring this Kaposi's Sarcoma into the lesbian community. Granted, little is know! about the transmittal of this disease, but it has been stated that it is transmitted sexually, and I don't know if one woman can give it to another, but I sure as hell don't want to find out.

1982 A. C. Barber