New York's Oldest Gay Newspaper Issue No. 88 November 1978 Mm^ This Issue of the Empty Closet Is Exactly One Half the Size Ojf Our Usual Montmy Publication
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New York's oldest gay newspaper Issue No. 88 November 1978 mm^ This issue of the Empty Closet is exactly one half the size ojf our usual montMy publication. Disappointed? We NGTF's Voeller resigns are too. For the first time in the hist«y of the After five years of distinguished ser doct(n«te in developmental and evolution further meetings with high officials of the paper, there will be no pcrfitical survey of vice. Dr. Bruce Voeller has announced that ary biology from Rockefeller in 1961. He Administration. the candidates for election tiiis year. There he will resign as co-executive director of was associate professor at Rockefeller Ms. O'Leary, commenting on Voeller's were two film reviews assigned, neither of the National Gay Task Force effective when he joined the Gay Activists Alliance, resignation, said: "It will be very difficult which were written. There were, in fact, a January 1. eventually becoming its president. He, to replace Bruce Voeller. He has been an number of articles that were assigned and In announcing his decision to leave this along with Dr. Howard Brown and others, inspiration and a source of enormous that we never saw. post, Voeller explained that his experience founded the National Gay Task Force in creativity to this organization. I have never 1973, wheti he became its first executive enjoyed working with anyone more than It*s nearly impossible for us to put time at NGTF had been enormously exciting and director. with Bruce, and I am especially apprecia and energy into the production of a fulfilling, but that he now felt it was time to tive of his commitment -to feminism. 1 will monthly paper when we feel as though the **rest, write* and get on with my personal Since that time he has seen the miss him very much as my other half in this lesbian/gay community is unwilling to life.'* Dr. Voeller stressed that he planned organization grow firom an annual budget team. I am thankful that his advice and make even the smallest effort to help us. to remain active in the gay movement, of S70,000 to $300,000, a record of growth continuing speaking engagements around matched by few civil rights organizations. counsel will remain with us in the coming We understand that it is difficult to take the country. He will be available for special Membership is now approaching 10,000 years." Ms. O'Leary, who will remain in time out of a busy schedule or even out of a projects and counsel to the board and staff and the organization has a solid footing. her post as co-executive director, will be fairly sedate one. But in order for the of NGTF. involved in the search for a replacement for Empty Closet to grow and to be a periodical As executive director, Dr. Voeller was Woeller has become one ofthe nation's instrumental in the effort to persuade the Dr." Voeller, together with the NGTF board that we all look forward to seeing, everyone of directors. is going to have to give up a littie of that most prominent spokespeople fm> gay civil American Psychiatric Association to re precious time and make it the paper that rights since 1971, when he exchanged a move homosexuality from the mental Speaking for the NGTF board, co-chair serves the lesbian and gay community. career as associate professor of biology at disorder list in December 1973. He was persons Kay Whitiock and Charles Brydon the Rockefeller University in New York in primarily responsible for arranging fbr said, "We wish to express our profound We're sorry. And we hope that you arc order to devote full time to the gay introduction of the federal gay rights bill gratitude and love to Dr. Vo^er for the too, sorry enough to caH or wche and find movement. into Congress in 1974 and lobbied inten devotion and leadership he has given to out what yoa can do to make sure that sively for the legislation. Profoundly NGTF and the gay movement. We know future issues carry the news that you want VoeUer grew up in the small community affected by the women's movement, that Bruce's service is much more than a to see. oi Roseburg, Oregon. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Reed College, he earned his Voeller advocated and helped to implement summation of NGTF accmnplishments— a co-equal role for women at NGTF. In tiK3>se of us who have wofked oolsely with 1976, he became co-executive director of him appreciate the countiess tiioosands of NGTF along with Jean O'Leary, with whom hours he devoted behind-the-scenes, his he participated in a great many important thorough attention to detail. There is no projects. adequate way to express our respect for his Gay police to be hired On March 26, 1977 VoeUer and O'Uary wcM'k and our appreciation, both personal led the first delegation of gay leaders to the and organizational, fbr what he has given BOSTON—Openly gay police officers "But it is a myth that gays will receive a White House for discussions of the gay us. We wish him our very best, and we are will become a reality in two major U.S. terribly hostile reception," she said. "The rights issue with Presidential Assistant confident that he will continue to enjoy cities shortiy, if recent executive orders are needs of the city are that we need good Margaret Costanza, an hist<Mic and widely success in his future endeavors." implemented. San Francisco Police Chi^ cops, and we don't give a damn where they publicized meeting which led to a series of Charles Gain launched a special drive come from." aimed at recruiting minority police officers The New York directive establishes an on Oct. 4, while in New York, Police Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Commissioner Robert J. MdGuire estab at the level of Assistant Commissioner, lished an Office of Equal Employment which, according to a police spolesperson, Opportunity on Sept. 27 to include com is the second-ranking position in the plaints of discrimination based on sexual N.Y.P.D. The office, which has not yet preference. been filled, is authorized to insure that all San Francisco's Bay Area Reporter personned policies comply with anti reported that although Gain has urged gay discrimination regulations. The as-yet police officers on his force to **come out"^ unnamed Assistant Conunissioner has the more than a year ago, none to date have. power to investigate all complaints of Civil Service recruitment co-ordinator Syl discrimination on the basis of sex, race, via Jacobsen stated, '*The talk going creed, color, national mgin, religion, around is that I'm in charge of recruiting handicap, or sexual preference, as well as fairies into the department, and I've gotten the power to impose sanctions against any a few flaky calls as a result.** member of the department, including J acobsen said she expected some supervisory officers^ who violate the anti hostility to openly gay police officers, but discrimination order. compared it to initial reluctance by some The New York atdet appears consistent citizens to minority and women officers. with an executive order issued in January by Mayor Edward Koch banning discrim ination against gays in city employment. San Francisco adopted a strong gay rights ordinance this year, passed nearly unaai- The aaaaa at photograph of aay mously by the Board of Supervisors and person or offgaiiiiatkMi appeariiig IB approved by Mayor George Moscone, a the b^rtf CbMt is not aeoeisarfly veteran gay rights supporter. aa *"*M^**«- d the lonul orieata- Boston Mayor Kevin White issued an tloa of said por toa or orgaahBotloa. executive order banning ^tiscrimination Vtews expreaaed are solely those ct against gays in city employment on April tite respactlnB swthuts sad artists 12, 1976. While the order applies to all of aad do not neeessarly rsflect the the more than 20,000 employees of Boston vlaws of the OAOV or the Eaipty and Suffolk County, no gay police officers have "come out" as a result. Ptohlishedtyy the Batpry Closet Police unions, particulariy in New York, Ftess. Osraod sad opetaled by tlw have played a significant role in defeating Qay AUsacs ofteOaaesae Val- pro-gay rights legislation. The Boston ley* tec* wUhptodamoa Police Patrolmen's Association newspi^>er* PftK Caalarisa, freqoeatly attars gsys, sKhoiigh tiie association itself is currentiy engaged ia Htigatloa la die state Appeals Court on behalf of a police recruit wlio was disdiarged fron the Ibfce four years ago for "tieiag ia the company of a known FHdIPVt homosexual.** from OCN ii page 2/THE EMPTY CLOSET/November 1978 November 1978/THE BhSFTY CLOSBT/£ £ THE EMPTY CLOSET COLLECTIVE THINKING Briggs Initiative in California. We will tions with gay periodicals. We have a great the Rochester Safe Energy Alliance fbr his continue to educate women to the issues respect fot the Native American struggle to MHherever political work is being done, differences and help each other grow. Each opposition to the construction of new They did involving lesbian rights, gay rights and survive and fbr th^ teachings about how I've usually seen people locked within indi^dual has a reaponsibility to deal with IFfTERS nuclear energy power plants in New York women's rights. people can live in harmony with the earth, We can walls ofthe role to play, the rules to follow, these differences instead of running away stete. Incidentally, I personally was very but we have nothing but contempt fbr to the and the "politically correct beliefs to hold.