Gay Era (Lancaster, PA)

LGBT History Project of the LGBT Center of Central PA Located at Dickinson College Archives & Special Collections http://archives.dickinson.edu/ Documents Online Title: Gay Era (Lancaster, PA) Date: April 1977 Location: LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection Periodicals Collection Contact: LGBT History Project Archives & Special Collections Waidner-Spahr Library Dickinson College P.O. Box 1773 Carlisle, PA 17013 717-245-1399 [email protected] vol. 3 no. 2 5O« APRIL 1977 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW! NITA BRAIN tells all: Homosexuals recruited my son sent him to CAMP! PLUS! hew scientific evidence: ORANGES MAKE YOU STRAIGHTRl <_________________________ __J 2 in ii-E newb proximately 15 people on the Commission. The appointment of Lawrence was in mark ed contrast to the attitude of a Bridge water parish which decided last week to quit the Episcopal Church and become a branch of the Syro-Chaldean Church of the East. The church congregation voted 185- 13 to withdraw from the church. Rev. Freedom Wentworth 3rd, pastor of the church, stated that homosexuality should not be accepted by the Episcopal Church but should be cured. He asserted that he has "cured" a number of his con gregation. "Over the years it was harder and hard er for people in this church to admit they were Episcopalians," Wentworth told the Globe. "We've not known where we stand for an awfully long time." - Gay Community News (Boston) writing, so that he and O'Leary can com O'LEARY, VOELLER municate these concerns to the White House. In a letter confirming the March 26 IN 2-HOUR WHITE HOUSE TALK meeting, Costanza wrote O'Leary and Voel by Neil Miller ler that she was "impressed with their presentation." Voeller is confident that, WASHINGTON, DC—Jean O'Leary and Bruce following the March 26 meeting with Co Voell er, co-directors of the National Gay stanza and Haft, a series of meetings will Task Force, met Feb. 8 for two hours with be set up with officials of different PRISONERS' PRESS Margaret (Midge) Costanza, President Car governmental departments. "RIGHT TO READ" SUIT ter's staffperson in charge of Public Liai Voeller is optimistic that a meeting EAST ST. LOUIS, IL—The censorship suit son. The meeting, which took place in with President Carter will be the eventual Costanza's White House office, was the result of discussions with Costanza and which the National Prisoners Association has filed in U.S. District Court against first time that gay movement representa meetings with different department offic the U.S. Bureau of Prisons' ban on gay tives have ever met with White House of ials. "She (Costanza) doesn't see such a ficials in the White House. meeting as unreasonable," he noted. publications is now moving towards a court Bruce Voeller called the meeting "a his hearing. U.S. District Court Judge James toric occasion'' and praised the initial - Gay Community News (Boston) Foreman has ordered the U.S. Bureau of contacts with the Carter administration as Prisons to show cause why gay publications “the single most exciting opportunity we should be banned from the federal prison have had as a movement." Voeller and system. All homosexual publications, *in O'Leary will return to the White House on EPISCOPALIANS NAME GAY MAN eluding Gay Community News, were prohibit' March 26 to explore "in depth and detail" TO SEXUALITY COMMISSION from federal penitentiaries on the or the issues which they discussed at last der of U.S. Bureau of Prisons director week's meeting. At that time, Voeller and BOSTON—In the same month in which a Norman Carlson on Dec. 10 of last year. O'Leary will bring with them eight other Massachusetts parish quit the Episcopal George E. Blue, an inmate at the U.S. representatives from the gay community. Church because it was "too liberal," Mass. Federal Penitentiary at Marion, Illinois, Although the eight other people have yet Diocese head Bishop John Coburn named an and a leader of the National Prisoner Asso to be selected, Voeller assured Gay Commun- openly gay man as a member of the Diocesan ciation has urged gay people throughout ity News (Boston) that they would be com Commission on Sexuality. the nation to support the prisoners' suit. prised of four women and four men and come John Lawrence, a member of Integrity/, We aren t getting the support from the n from different areas of the country. Boston, will participate in the Coimission outside gay communities that we expected. Marilyn Haft, who previously worked for which was mandated by the 1975 convention Blue said. "The gays don't seem to under the American Civil Liberties Union's Sexual of the Mass. Diocese to make recomenda- stand that this is more than an attack 0" Privacy Project in Washington, will join tions on sexual issues. Lawrence is the the prisoners. This is part of the over- n Costanza at the upcoming March 26 meeting. former Director of Education at the Homo- all attack on gay people all over America- Among the issues which the gay spokespeople phile Community Health Service, co-modera- Blue emphasizes that because 32 states will discuss at the meeting are 1) anti tor of WBUR's "Gay Way" radio show, and still have laws on the books punishing 9aY discrimination legislation, 2) immigration founder of the Gay Nurses Alliance. sexual practices, "at any time a gay person and naturalization, 3) the Internal Revenue Rev. Theodore W. Bowers, Secretary of may become a prison gay." Service's attitudes towards homosexuals, the Diocese, told Gay Community News (GCN) Blue asks gay people to besiege Judge 4) the Defense Department, 5) the Federal that the purpose of the new connission is Foreman with cards and letters supporting Prisons (focusing on the recent ban of gay "to study all the issues of human sexual the rights of prisoners to read the gay publications from federal prisons), 6) the ity—all the changing patterns, the whole f^Su' Letters and cards can be sent to U.S. Civil Rights Commission, 7) the State gamut." "It's an ongoing educational pro The Hon. James Foreman, U.S. District Department's recent relaxation of rules on cess," Rev. Bowers emphasized. "We are Court, Eastern District of Illinois, East employment of gay people, and other issues interested in raising issues. The Bishop St. Louis, IL 62202. may be suggested by gay people'around the is interested in all points of view on the The case is presently being handled by country. issues the Commission will be dealing with jailhouse lawyers because the Prisoners Voeller urges people to write to the and that is why we wanted a responsible Association does not have the funds to National Gay Task Force and list (and, spokesman from the gay community." Rev. hire a lawyer. Anyone who wishes to con if possible, document) their concerns in Bowers indicated that there would be ap tribute to the prisoners' suit can write 3 that The Advocate gives the best coverage National Prisoners Association, 44030705 it can, given the poor state of the com Mercantile National Bank, 70 Broad Street, munication of gay news and the lack of Atlanta, GA 30303. reliable sources, and that he would have - Gay Community News (Boston) to talk to his editors. The most heated part of the question period came when Goodstein answered John Paul Hudson's question of what Goodstein GOODSTEIN FACES had against Morris Kight, long-time leader 'UNKEMPT, UNEMPLOYABLE' CRITICS for gay rights in Los Angeles. Goodstein charged Kight with fiscal mismanagement of by Robert Chesley the funds raised by the National New Or NEW YORK—David B. Goodstein, publisher leans Memorial Fund to help the victims of of the West Coast gay newspaper, The Advo the 1974 fire at the Upstairs Lounge in cate, who once called gay leaders "unkempt, New Orleans. Morty Manford, who had been unemployable and neurotic," spoke at a on the seven-person board of trustees for meeting held by New York's West Side Dis the fund, rose immediately to his feet and cussion Group on Feb. 22. Although at called Goodstein a liar, stating that every times there was heated argument, in general disbursement from that fund had been de the meeting was orderly. Literature crit cided upon by the board of trustees by ical of Goodstein was passed out at the vote. Manford's final call of "Advocate entry to the WSDG and inside before the go home)" met with cheers and applause. meeting by members of the Gay Activists Goodstein did not win his audience; at Alliance. The most "damning" of this lit least the boos and hisses at the end of erature was a compilation of Goodstein's the session overrode the scattered ap own controversial and well publicized plause. One of the ironies of the evening statements of his view of the gay movement —and perhaps the most hopeful thing—was and the Advocate's role in the scene. the feeling expressed by several people Goodstein's speech was brief and forth that New York's fragmented movement of gay right. He stated that he saw the New York activists, the very people whom Goodstein City gay movement as being politically be was important to "politically cement our wishes would stay out of the struggle for hind many areas of the nation when it rights." Mama Jean retorted that New York' gay rights, banded together in unity to should be at the fore, with the gay lead started the gay movement. oppose Goodstein and The Advocate. As ers by and large involved in "a race for David Thorstad, president of GAA, attack David Thorstad commented, Goodstein was a the limelight...fighting with each other ed Goodstein's contention that the present morale boost for the movement.

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