Stonewall Library Prepares for New Year

Stonewall Library Prepares for New Year New Board of Directors Set Series of Goals Rob Nathans, Fred Searcy, Steven Kerr and Jacqueline Harrington By Michael James for the board of directors. The Stonewall Library and Archives in The library is also now engaged in a Fort Lauderdale held their 2001 annual promotional campaign to clarify that meeting on Saturday, December 8. At that membership with the Gay and Lesbian meeting, five new board members were Community Center (GLCC) and Stonewall are elected along with a new executive board. not the one in the same. The new board members are Paul Fasana, Nathan says, “We saw advantages of Ted Emery, Mark Eagle, Bill Beaton and being part of the GLCC, but lost a lot of our William Dalrymple. membership as a result of it. We are creating The new executive board consists of a separate membership database and the Rob Nathans, President; Jacqueline community needs to be aware that we are a Harrington, Vice President; Fred Searcy, separate entity.” Treasurer; Mark Eagle, Secretary and Steve During the meeting, it was announced Kerr, Chief Librarian. Plaques of appreciation that the date of next year’s Heritage Forum were presented to Anne Atwell, Bob Ewart would be February 2. The program will be a and Margo Poulson for their service during retrospective on gay and lesbian legal and the year. political activities from Anita Bryant to the Nathans, who moved to Fort present. Lauderdale from New Jersey 12 years ago, Nathan says, “We will bring prominent The Library is now open on Saturdays the Library and Archives, which include their became active with Stonewall two years figures together to present an interchange from 12 to 3pm, in conjunction with its weekly newsletter and announcements to all events, ago assisting them with the grant writing with the community and to present an oral schedule of Monday through Friday from volunteer opportunities and voting process. With a fine arts background, he history.” 11am to 10pm. It will be closed on Christmas privileges. is now a professor of art history at Broward As a part of the 2002 Stonewall Author’s Day and New Year’s Day. For more information about the Library, Community College. Series, Dr. John C. Graves will read from his Stonewall Library and Archive visit them at 1717 North Andrews Avenue The goals the board has set for book, Many Roads Traveled on January 25 memberships are now available at the front inside the GLCC or go to their website at themselves include building committees, at 7 pm in the Library. desk at a cost of $25 for individuals and $40 www.stonewall-library.org. interfacing with the community, developing The volunteer-based nonprofit for households. Members of the GLCC will Those interested in volunteering should more programs and increasing their organization’s mission is “to preserve gay, receive a $5 discount. contact Ron DeShon, the Library Team membership. He also stated that one of the lesbian and transgender culture” and as been A year’s membership entitles members Coordinator at [email protected] or by benefits of membership is being able to vote in existence since 1973. to a Stonewall Library Card, all mailings from calling 954.784.8048. Gay Rights Vote In Miami-Dade Certified For 2002 Ballot

SAVE Dade Challenges Decision in Circuit Court battleground. Gay rights activist Jorge SAVE Dade has been preparing for this Marsuli, State Director of the liberal People fight for three years, said Pena, and claims to By Ron Gunzburger Herald. have an army of 4,000 volunteers ready to Voters in Miami-Dade County will vote for the American Way advocacy group, The 2002 battle is a virtual repeat of the predicts that the 2002 campaign will be “a help fight against the repeal campaign. in September 2002 on a ballot question bitter 1977 vote in Dade, when former beauty Local Catholic Church officials have intended to repeal the county’s gay rights national battle ... I think you’ll see national queen Anita Bryant and the “Save Our organizations on either side come to the stated that they have no opposition to the ordinance. The county ordinance prohibits Children” group persuaded voters to repeal current county ordinance on moral grounds employment and housing discrimination on table” with large amounts of money. a similar law. In that campaign, anti-gay SAVE Dade chair Heddy Pena believes and the Archdiocese of Miami did not allow the basis of sexual orientation. activists relied on nasty ads that stereotyped signature collection on church property. Religious Right activists apparently the gay rights ordinance will prevail in 2002. homosexuals as potential child molesters and “ This community is not the same as it was in Among those on record opposing repeal collected a sufficient number of signatures sexual deviants. Bryant’s web site still of the gay rights ordinance are Miami-Dade to force the vote. “The petitions have met 1977. It has evolved. We’re confident that describes the campaign as “a dramatic and when people are educated on what the issue Mayor Alex Penelas, the AFL-CIO, NOW, the the requirements set by the County Charter emotional struggle with militant American Jewish Congress, the United and are officially certified,” said Miami-Dade is — and the issue is discrimination — that homosexuals.” That gay rights battle — they will go to the polls to vote their Teachers of Dade, the NAACP, the Chamber County Elections Supervisor David Leahy. among the first in the US — received national of Commerce and the city commissions in Leahy’s initial review had led to the conscience. They will vote to protect headlines. everyone’s rights,” said Pena. nine Miami-Dade municipalities. disqualification of numerous petitions. Based Much has changed, however, since 1977. A similar repeal attempt of Broward on that review, Leahy earlier had announced Late News: On December 28, Friday Then, the gay rights issue was rarely afternoon, SAVE Dade filed a suit in Circuit County’s gay rights ordinance failed in that the anti-gay Take Back Miami-Dade discussed and harsh stereotypes were October 2001 when the Take Back Broward group had not submitted a sufficient amount Court alleging legal challenges to the readily believed. Now, 25 years later, gay certification based on “irregularities and group failed to submit the requisite amount of valid signatures. The gay rights opponents people live more openly, violent anti-gay hate of signatures. successfully challenged Leahy’s decision in fraud.” crimes led to a change of opinions, and If the challenge succeeds, the question Several leaders of the Take Bake court, forcing him to certify the matter. friendly gay characters populate numerous Broward group are currently under “This is a victory for the community, could be knocked off the ballot. Previous movies and TV shows. And Bryant — who SAVE Dade complaints led to Florida investigation by the Florida Elections democracy and for the people of Miami-Dade, touted “family values” in 1977 — divorced Commission and the Broward County State who will finally get to vote on the issue,” Department of Law Enforcement agents in 1980 and moved to Tennessee. seizing the petitions for review as part of a Attorney’s Office for campaign-related money said Miami-Dade Christian Coalition Still, Miami-Dade will become a major laundering allegations. Chairman Tony Verdugo to the Miami criminal investigation.