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IN Step • LGBT Wisconsin's Community Newspaper • Founded in 1984 Nov. t8 - Dec. 1, 1999 • Vol. XVI, Issue XXIII• $2.95 outside of Wisconsin SECTION ONE: NEWS: 'Creating Change' Hits Hot Topics McCain Woos Gay Republicans • Gay.com Sets Record NEWS FEATURE: Wisconsin LGBT Groups Foil Anti-Gay Billboards Quips and Quotes • Letters • Paul Berke Cartoon • Casual Observer SECTION Q: INTERVIEW: COMEDY DIVA MARGARET CHO MUSIC: linda Rondstadt and More FREEPersonals • The (lassies • The Calendar • Keepin' IN Step with Jamie • The Guide k 1\sv Helms Boots Baldwin, Other on religion echoed Travers' position, insisting that they may fear Falwell and Congresswomen, Creating Change Hits Hot Topics other far-right fundamentalist leaders and may be angered by their actions, but from Hearings million war chest they expect an all-out that they don't hate them. Washington — Among the io Anti-Marriage media campaign after the December hol- Some pointed out that at least 20 U.S. House of Representatives idays. "There is going to be an intense gays and lesbians had been murdered in members ordered expelled from a Initiative & `Stop radio and TV campaign for this initia- the past year with hundreds of other anti- Senate Foreign Relations Commit- Hating' Religious tive," openly gay San Francisco Supervi- gay attacks taking place around the coun- tee hearing by its chairman, Sen. sor Mark Leno told the conference. "It's try. "I'd have a difficult time pointing to Right on Agenda not going to be pleasant." one actual case of a killing or even an Although California's looming ballot attack aimed at a fundamentalist Christ- by Keith Clark measure got most of the attention at the ian in this country because of their reli- conference, the most controversial issue activist in the audi- of the IN Step staff gious beliefs," one arose from a panel on religion at which ence said. "And it's kind of hard to expect Oakland, Calif. — More than 2,200 the Rev. Mel White urged gays and les- people to turn the other cheek while lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender bians to stop hating fundamentalist lead- their homophobic attacks are killing us." activists from around the country gath- ers whom he described as "victims of ered in Oakland, Calif., for the 12th misinformation." annual Creating Change conference White told the conference: "We have Although the conference was clearly to be able to say, `I too am guilty of dominated by the pending fight against a hatred. I too am guilty of fear. I too am Supreme Court state ballot initiative that would bar the guilty of hyperbole, half-truths and lies.' state from recognizing same-sex mar- You have to say it. Because once you say Hears UW riages, whether legally performed else- it, the spirit of truth will ennoble you where or not, it wasn't the most contro- and make you strong at the task." Rep. Tammy Baldwin versial issue the gathering addressed. White said he had concluded that Student Fee Case The California ballot measure — the far-right religious leaders like Jerry Fal- Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), was Rep. Definition of Marriage Act more com- well "wasn't my enemy" but that he was a by Keith Clark Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.). monly known as the Knight Initiative "victim of misinformation and it's our of the IN Step staff delegation of io women after state Sen. Pete Knight (R-Palmdale), The task to bring them to the truth in love Washington — The U.S. Supreme the lawmaker backing it — is seen by from the House was led by Rep. relentlessly." Court heard arguments in a Wisconsin many gay rights advocates as a first step in Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) who had In October, White led a delegation case that could have far-reaching effects efforts to roll back progress made in come to present Helms with a of 200 of his supporters in a meeting nationwide. domestic partnership benefits in the state. letter signed by more than loo with Falwell and 200 of his fundamental- The high court heard a suit filed "This is the greatest current threat to members of the House of Repre- ist backers to discuss ways to tone down against the University of Wisconsin by our quest for equality," said Tracy Conaty sentatives endorsing a UN human increasingly hostile rhetoric between gay conservative students who were upset of the No On Knight campaign. rights document, the Convention rights advocates and their opponents. student fees fund groups Although the annual National Gay that mandatory on the Elimination of All Forms of White drew criticism for that meet- support network and and Lesbian Task Force Creating Change such as an AIDS Discrimination Against Women. ing with Falwell at the time. Bob Kunst gay, and bisexual conference addressed a variety of other the campus lesbian, Helms has managed to block a of the Florida-based gay rights group, issues — anti-gay hate crimes, youth and center. vote in the Senate on the UN Oral Majority, led a protest outside the "We are simply asking that they be aging issues, repealing state sodomy laws, meeting at Lynchburg, Va., because of treaty and the House members sharpening activists' skills, religion — it funded by volunteers, and that they do came to the Senate committee White's participation, which he called not have the university force unwilling was also clear that the California ballot "an obscene act." hearings to present Helms with students to fund their political activities measure was going to be the primary topic Kunst went on to call White a "self- the letter signed by House col- down at the statehouse in Madison, of the gathering even before it got started. hating homosexual" who was "selling leagues in an effort to convince Simply holding the conference in Califor- Wis., or across the street here at Con- out" the gay and lesbian rights move- gress," said the students' attorney, Jordan him to allow the treaty to be nia just four months before state voters ment by meeting with Falwell at all. voted on by the Senate. will cast their ballots on the issue virtually Lorence. White's urging to rights activists to He said students should not have to But as the women stood in guaranteed it would be Topic No. One. stop hating right-wing opponents raised the back of the committee cham- In addition, other state groups coor- support groups they find objectionable. eyebrows at the Creating Change confer- The university is worried that getting bers, apparently because there dinated events about the Knight Initiative ence as well — although no anti-White was no seating available, Helms around the gathering as well. The East rid of university funds for such campus demonstrations. spell disaster for ordered Capitol police to expel Bay Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club organizations would Some activists at the conference ques- many of the groups that wouldn't get them from the chamber. conducted a door-to-door poll in Oak- tioned whether a civil rights movement money elsewhere, such as groups repre- House and Senate members, land on the eve of the conference to gauge could exist without a sense of anger. senting ethnic and racial minorities. as a matter of courtesy, are voter reaction to the ballot measure. "There has to be room for anger in our Although Knight has tried twice It is unclear when the nation's top allowed to attend committee movement," said Shaun Travers of Texas court will rule on the case. hearings in each other's cham- before to get legislative approval of a law A&M University. bers. But Helms insisted later that would have done what the ballot Other activists attending the panel that the House members were measure is seeking to accomplish, his protesting — which violates Capi- efforts were all thwarted. Unable to win tol rules — and ordered police to approval in the state capital, Knight has now turned to the state's voters with the eject them. Clinton Speaks Out Against Hate Crimes backing of the Traditional Values Coali- Woolsey later told reporters, tion, the Mormon Church and many of "It totally amazes me he would the state's top Catholic Church leaders. treat us that way." Baldwin called The initiative's backers have raised Helms' action "shocking." more than $4 million to help pass the anti-gay measure, while opponents have Holy Lesbian raised less than $1 million — much of it 1 through a few large contributions like Lapdancing! $300,000 donated by Jennifer and Kathy Edinburgh, Scotland — Scot- Levinson, head of the Internet-based tish women looking for some new ETrade Group in Silicon Valley. And thrills and excitement now can while polling still shows more voters get just that with lesbian lap- approve of the measure than are opposed dancing at Edinburgh's Fly Bar. to it, opposition to the Knight Initiative The show, called ... ahem has been consistently growing through- ..."Girls in Yer Face" ... features out the year and is now showing the two female dancers in scanty leather sides nearly equal. thongs for a women-only audience But some 30 states so far have enact- and, according to the club's man- ed similar laws, either through their leg- • agers, is proving extremely popular. islatures or by statewide ballot measures, The club has a cover charge of out of concerns over possible court rul- about $8 and for women who'd ings first in Hawaii and more recently in like one of the lapdancers to per- Vermont that might legalize same-sex form just for them alone, there's marriages.

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