VOLUMEVOLUME TEN, TEN, NO.23—November NO.23-November 06 06— November-November 20, 20,1997-Issue 1997—Issue 243 243 Give the People Light and they will find their own way. he Wisconsin Light Join Us In Celeb November 6, 6,1997-November 1997—November 19, 19,1997-WISCONSIN 1997—WISCONSIN LIGHT LIGIIT-2-2 10`lollh Anniversary Issue Issue themed productions, but supports LGBT sivegive publicpuunc policypohcy are richtsrights -whichwhich we all Madison's LGBT Past Leads toto thethe FutureFuture writers,#e#,a¥t#C£Fts:dEc)¥ari¥ItsLGBT actors and technicians. deserve. Through these and other LGBT contri- We will advocate for domestic partner- By De Ette Tomlinson son to find a venue isolated enough for bulT#s:givMthfr%nanhads#ceromLeGPTtrencondsiei:butions, Madison has become a trendset- ship benefits for the State employees' in- Madison has a history of progressive conservatives to try to control the public ting community for LGBT people in surance pool, which would help people activism that spans decades. But during hearing process. Even so, Madison resi- k8en9:Twtrtirw:SGE?firpstpe°fiete£America. Wisconsin was the first state to not only working for the state, but who the past ten years, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual §o¥Ogm§ris*ii:t£:sL:ai:jla%o¥£urn:fi¥dents outnumbered all other Wisconsin pass a law protecting Gay rights, and work for municipalities like Madison that and Transgender people have been build- constituentsconstifuents whowho attendedattended the hearing, and R£:aisaonha#asprfi%Cirfgthgyfirsi#a'esan£Madison was one of the first cities in participate in the State benefits pool. the hearing, and to ing an inclusive, progressive Gay com- underlined the dedicationdedication ofof thethe -city'sciga'; America to provide a domestic e . es er- Tammy Baldwin is well on her way munity that is gaining national attention. LGBTs and ou.our alliesallies toto figivtfight for Gay ship registration. Madison or I , 1 ces being the first out Lesbian congressperson Why do LGBT people come from all rights.rigivs. have protected LGBT rights even when in the House of Representatives. over the country to live in this small city challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court. Artists, families, writers, businesses, More and more often, Madison Gays musicians and other cradled by four lakes? involved with the politi- Over the next ten years, Madison will politicians, theorists, andan¥°±esb¥kE9erein:oft)ra#thdisth°g Lesbians are pGOGau¥- LGBT people continue to flock to this city A recent survey by Madison Gay and cal process as citizens, lobbyists and can- undoubtedly continue to lead the way for LesbianLe€b;#enRtes¥c:eycb=t¥ra£3°wns#ayti¥sg Resource Center shows that less didates.gi?ifi;:?ss as citizens, lob`bgivs and can- LGBT rights and lives in Wisconsin, and of four lakes. We're all looking for and tharithan a fififthlth of MadisonMadison LGBTsLGBTs come Our energy isn't confined to the political provide a model for other communities to creating a community that celebrates its from Madison, while nearly half of us arena, though. Over the past ten years, follow across the country. Safe schools, diversityi::o#fy¥£Fw¥#m:;coce¥efrco!oian£-ul while embracing its common 9t:tnnecome from #]:f8#§id¥#-ew¥s=Lysinh.a]f outside of Wisconsin. Of us artists=¥;¥e:u:chit:k#s##:sf:eon:oF# and musicians have come from all legally recognized partnerships and inclu- goal: equal rigivsrights for au.all. Many of us are from bordering states or over to explore Madison's cuttingcutting edge the East Coast, especially New York. arts scene. Though in the past the University was a The annual Lesbian Variety Show, I Got magnet for many, now it looks like our This Way From Kissing Girls, showcases ::-_=-:_-_-:-::i:::-;::_--::::i:I-:-:::::-:I-I::=-_:i:_LGBT community is building a reputation Lesbian talent from around the city, and for itself that transcends the draw of an generates funds for Kissing Girls Produc- educationaleducatioml institutioninstitution. Cowthelatiou ox #TF#+rioEriKFi¥:gy:thsLehfc¥ri?¥ftions' artistic grant program. Through the work of LGBT activists Several years ago, thetheqe!rGg?Tsegchaps LGBT group over the past ten or more years, Madison NewN8#fuye¥S Harvest ffag8edfunded George Segal 's has become -- cool. We're happening. In sculpture, "Gay Liberation" (depicting the atmosphere th,: activists' dedicated two affectionate same-sex couples). The glade- of work created, Lesbians and Gays have sculpture was originally in Madison's integrated their lives into the fabric of the #E¥ei:#:ey:¥Tffi±jenffidrlsi¥Orton Park and now lives in Central Park city.i=:-:i-:.--:i:::::_:-:--::_==i_I-:i:__I--::::::-I-_:i:::_:-::i:::::_:i:: in New York City. We have more than 90 local LGBT or Several Gay men's choruses have found allied groups to choose from (over three their homes here, the latest one being Per- quarters of which were formed in the past fect Harmony. Madison writers like Will ten years), a domestic partnership ordi- Fellows (recently moved to Milwaukee) nance, two Queer city council members and Claudia Card generate national atten- and Wisconsin's only Gay, Lesbian, Bi- tion::-:;;::::::::=:-i::::-:=::-:=:::==::-:-:::-::i::::==:-::::-:::::-:;::::: for their studies of Gay and feminist sexual,::-:i_i::-=:-:il-::::_i:::::::ii:::-:=:=i:__i=::-:::i::_i::: Transgender and allied social culture. service, community advocacy organiza- West Coast filinmckersfilmmakers HelenHelen ` Cohen tion and community center, The United and DebraDebra Chasnoff selectedselected Madison as (see sidebar). one of fivefive locationslocations nationwide for their The Advocate recently profiled two of award-winning Lesbian and Gay docu- our Gay politicians, and named Madison mentary, "It's Elementary." one of the top five "surprise" most livable And Madison houses a very active and places in America. inclusive locally produced theater scene Madison is Wisconsin's political arena, that celebrates not only original Gay- and LGBT rights are often in the ring :wfi!:£¥i:g#!¥ulry*?e:Ecaiv:G%j Ten-plus years of Madison legislators si. unuiihow'4 cctultoku State from David Clarenbach to Tammy Si. 71/1A—; Cahok State Ft®pi-esentatlv®Representative P®t®r. Peter BockBook Baldwin havehave workedworked toto createcreate fair,fair, non-nun- Ck.nL ul , ,38 S. 2S,A State Ft®pposentative Representative TimothyTimoth/ CarpenterCarpenter. discriminatorydisciininat ory la law. w. S+qukTHGb& S,roQL b. VMLfuou.Le ho u CELEBRATES Madison LGBT and allied citizens have ``""nwl.`ly a,LicL 'lo, ""ly StateSfato Ftepi`eeenta€iv® Representative Shlr.lay Shirley KlrugKrug furthered legislator's battles with courage 6OthRsd unL»ne6 JLuolrlily Lil State Representative and determination. The public hearing for / PERS Sfato ftoprLee®ntatfv® BarbaraBat-ba-a NotesteinN®tostoin last spring's State Assembly passage of «lQIlralel I(! Pfun io.u\ Ird f tr State Representative ABggd::e§tffi§e;;¥jryfuc±hz#£ess¥Eo: 104, the unnecessary and discrimina- uNIrJ`;ru}.SluiiLy.ul State Ft®prosehtatlve FtesemaryRosemary P®ttoi. Potter torytwti¥ctEiEm?*8mosJarfe-oS:LXsid#frafidi¥ bill banning same-sex marriage in Wisconsin, was moved outside of Math- 414/645-FIJ86414/645-8786 I():`3On,n' PeldHh,I- for Iry the immpulsions L-=--,I.u||,. of those OWNMew, Is anybody elseelse atat this treatmenttreatment centercenter Drugs and alcoholalcohol areare .the the firstfirst problemproblem.... .... The next problem is fifindingnding aa treatmenttreatment center where you can safelysafely be yourself and talk about thethe thingsthings you need to.to. Fortunately, Pride Pride Institute, Institute, the the nation's nation's leader leader in providing addiction treatment for the lesbian, gay,gay, and and bisexual bisexual communities, communities, provides such an environment.environment. YprmEPRIDE INSTITUTEINrm 800800-54-PRIDE-54-PRIDE Most insurance plansphns cover cover ourour progrttmprogram `^'~;November November 6, 1997 a 1997-November—November 19, 19,1997-WISCONSIN 1997—WISCONSIN LIGHT-3 LIGHT-3 10lothth Anniversary Anniversary Issue 13Sue —THREE -THREE SECTIONSSECTIONS The Biggest Yet Our historic "Decade of Light" 10th Anniversary Issue is in every way Wisconsin's#?ET::Esf#:c£";?;,c:i::r£:i;gp¥:.!a! largest ever Gay publica- FederalFederal DomesticDomestic PartnershipPartnership tion. Number of Pages —- 124 Circulation —-15,000 15,000 ` Act Introduced Introduced inin CongressCongress Column InchesInches —- 7,936 Washington, DC—U.S. Rep. Barney ployee would be eligible for benefits in The following was a statement given by -::;:i::::::::::-::::::i-==::i::-:I:::::::::_-:i:::::i::=::i:::::-:::::-Frank (D-MA) held a press conference E'::e±ewffi#£Eg:1b#efsoil¥:,fifaithe same manner and to the same extent as Helen Gonzales, Public Policy Director of Wednesday, October 29, to announce the the spouse of a federal employee. The the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Green Bay Man introduction of the Domestic Partnership term "domestic partner" is defined to (NGLTF) at yesterday's press conference: Benefits and Obligations Act of 1997, a mean "an adult person living with, but "NGLTF applauds Representative Convicted of Hate bill to make domestic partnership benefits not married to, another adult person in a Barney Frank and the other 14 lead co- available to federal employees. iffariTiidaeifeanile|::L#ri:iLFie,dFicommitted, intimate relationship." sponsors of this legislation which could Crime Against Gays Sponsors of the bill include Congress- This eligibility would extend to retire- just as easily be entitled The Workplace women Nita Lowey (D-MA), Elizabeth mentmE?b&n£#htyealwthoulind#Fe9±oer£¥: benefits, health insurance, life insur- Equality Act.' The proposal introduced Green Bay—When Mark Anderson ma- Furse (D-OR) and Eleanor Holmes ance and compensation for work injuries. today gives recognition to the diversity of ced a young couple in a parking lot near a Norton (D-DC) Bob Filner (D-CA) and To be eligible, same or opposite sex cou- families in our country. local gay nightclub last July he did so out ¥:°onth:P-mne2be¥sboFEeeru!P-frf|seanodfnine other members of the U.S.