LGBT History Project of the LGBT Center of Central PA
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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: January/February 1978 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] JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1978 PRIDE '78: State GAY SOURCE the GAY ERA couldn't print •aphic KEN BURKE concept & design ARIES In the News CONFERENCE SITE FOUND speakers. Additional speakers in clude Tony Silvestre of the Penn by Harry H Long sylvania Council for Sexual Minor ities and Kay Whytlock, chair of The Pennsylvania Rural Gay Caucus the National Organization for Women's has located its "Pride '78" Confer National Task Force on Lesbian Con ence at the Howard Johnson's Motor cerns. Entertainment will include Lodge in Delaware Water Gap. The the music group, Ruby Fruit Begonia. lodge itself after the refusal of The fee for the conference is the Americus Hotel and the Genetti $13 up to 10 days prior to the con Hotels was made public in an article ference, $15 within those 10 days, in the Allentown Morning Call. The and $17 on arrival. The payment conference will convene on the night will cover admission to the various of January 20. workshops, the entertainment, Sat Elaine Noble, the openly lesbian urday dinner and Sunday breakfast. Representative from Massachusetts, Lodge rooms are $13 per person ex and Bruce Voeller of the National tra. Gay Task Force will be the main Following the news of the Amer icus and Genetti Hotels' refusal, several other offers were made to house the conference. Holiday Inn West, in Allentown, was considered Penn. Governor Milton Shapp. unsuitable because of their costs and lack of spare rooms, among other plans have been submitted to Gov. factors. Gay Awareness of Millers Mil ton Shapp's office. ville State College also offered to The plans prohibit discrimination host the conference, but community on the basis of "life style, affec- based housing would have had to be tional and sexual preference." An found. Since an attendance of 250 thony Silvestre, chairperson on the is projected, it was felt this added Council, said that by protecting burden too large in addition to the homosexuals in the plans, "many other probelms of organizing the con state agencies have institutional ized a concern for the rights of all ference. Joseph Burns, co-chair of the their employees. Although this isn't Rural Caucus noted of the Howard a splashy action, it may be the most Johnson's facilities, "The lodge is significant achievement for sexual beautifully arranged for the confer minorites in Pennsylvania this year." ence. The main meeting room breaks Officials stressed that this ex down into various sized workshop pansion of agency nondiscrimination spaces, the sleeping rooms are im clauses is not intended to result in mediately adjacent to the meeting preferential treatment for gays, room, and there is an indoor heated since that would lead to identifca- swimming pool. Finally the lodge is tion of all applicants' sexual ori easily accessible by good roads and entation. Hiring, promotions and easily found without further instruc other state personnel actions, how tions than that it is located just ever, will be done without any re off Interstate 80 from the last gard to sexual orientation. exit before the Jersey border." This latest action in Pennsylvan Pennsylvania goups are encouraged ia was another of a series of steps to send displays and representatives. which have been taken to protect the All individuals and groups from any rights of gay state employees. The state are welcome. The conference fee state's personnel rules were recent and hotel accomodations should be ly expanded to include the provision sent to "Pride ’78," P0 Box 552, and three of the unions representing Lancaster, Pa. 17604 state workers have successfully bar gained to have the protective word ing included in their contracts with AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLANS the Commonwealth. SENT TO GOVERNOR SHAPP According to Council chairperson Silvestre, “In regards to protect HARRISBURG, PA — Most Pennsylvan ing the rights of gay people and all ia state agencies have included in people, our state governemnt has ta their affirmative action plans non ken a leadership role. I expect that discrimination clauses which protect similar actions will be taken by gay and other sexual minority work other employers in this state and ers. The Pennsylvania Council for on the national scene as well." Sexual Minorities announced that the Elaine Noble — Gay Community News motion of destructive stereotypical 4 NEW MEMBERS TO portrayals in programming and the neglect of important sexual minor qualified to be part of the Plan of GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ity issues in broadcasting. Action. In addition, the Council urged Five of the 26 resolutions voted HARRISBURG — Governor Mil ton J. on at Houston were considered to be Shapp filled some of the vacancies on that "sexual and affectional ori entation and lifestyles" be added controversial, high-pressure issues. the Council for Sexual Minorities by These inculded endorsement of the appointing Alan LaPayover, Dr. Julia to the FCC Equal Employment Oppor tunities clause. ERA, a proposal for federally funded Rux, Dr. Joann Hunter Fan (Community child care programs, abortion rights, Representative) and James Huggins to — ZAP! (State College) support of lesbian rights, and a seats on the Council. The remaining demand that a cabinet-level women's vacancies are expected to be filled department be established by Jimmy shortly. Carter. Tony Silvestre, Council chair Because of the disturbances person, is attempting to form two caused at many state conferences by groups which would exist to aid the right-wing groups such as the John Council: an Advisory Board and a Birch Society and the Ku Klux Klan, Friends of the Council. some disruption at the national The Advisory Board is being formed meeting were expected. However, as current liason with various na there were no major altercations, tional organizations is not always and many delegates were surprised successful. The Advisory Board would by the spirit of solidarity and sis consist of representatives of nation terhood that prevailed. al civil rights groups and others to facilitate communications. Nomina — Gay Community News tions will be accepted by mail; in vitees will be selected by the Coun cil . The Friends of the Council, es HOUSTON CONFERENCE APPROVES tablished to generate and receive LESBIAN RIGHTS funds, has been incorporated. Con tributions can now be accepted. The HOUSTON, TX — Resolutions favor Triends will also be seeking tax- ing lesbian rights, the Equal Rights exempt status and state approval for Amendment, and a host of other fem solicitation of funds. inist issues passed overwhelmingly at the International Women's Year COUNCIL ASKS Conference held the weekend of Nov. 18-20 in Houston. The conference, FCC STUDY which was attended by more than WASHINGTON, DC — The Pennsyl 2,000 women, was described by vania Council for Sexual Minorities National IWY Commission president Bob Wheatly recently presented written testi offficer Bella Abzug as "the most diverse meeting of American women mony to the United States House Com UNITARIANS MERGE OFFICE, munications Subcommittee, asking ever held in this country." Although that the subcommittee study the ef 15,000 anti-feminist women demon NAME COORDINATOR strated in Houston during the week fects of broadcasting policies on BOSTON — The Board of Trustees sexual minorities and initiate leg end, there were no disruptions of the conference itself. of the Unitarian Universalist Asso islation changing Federal Communi ciation (UUA) voted at its last cation Commission regulations to The meeting was originally con ceived in 1975, with the U.S. Con meeting here Oct. 23 to consolidate protect the interests of sexual min its Office of Gay Concerns (OGC) in orities. gress providing $5 million in fund ing. Delegates to the Houston con to a new Office of Social Responsi Tony Silvestre, chairperson of bility. Under the new plan, proposed the Council, said, "People have ference were elected at individual state conferences. The state con by the new UUA president Rev. Paul been killed, deprived of jobs and Carnes, the OGC will be the respon evicted and televisions's response ferences also drew up a 26-point National Plan of Action that would sibility of the new Office's asso has been to include a few stereo ciate diretor, Robert P. Wheatly, typical gay men in situation com "identify the barriers that prevent women from participating fully and who has previously served as full- edies. The time has come for them, time Executive Director of the de to shoulder their responsibility." equally in all aspects of national nomination's Committee on Aging. The study called for by the life" and finds ways to remove them. Lesbian rights was approved at 30 Wheatly will devide his time be Council would focus on discrimina tween gay concerns and issues of " tion within the industry, the pro of the 50 state meetings and thus 1426 SPRUCE STREET,PHILADELPHIA,PA.19102(215) 732-9612 a quasi-public agancy that channels 5 federal funds to more than 3,000 aging. The OGC had previously been lawyers and firms that represent headed by a full-time director, Ar- indigent persons in civil legal ac lie Scott, who resigned over the tions. It was enacted more than a summer. decade ago as part of the Johnson Members of the Unitarian Univer administration's anti-poverty pro sal i st Gay Caucus attended the meet gram. LSC funds have been used in ing and spoke against the new plan, such matters as custody cases.