VOLUME TEN, NO. 17—August 14, 1997—August 27, 1997—Issue 237 Give the People Light and they will find their own way. The Wisconsin Light Party of the Decade To Celebrate 10 Great Years of The iffisconsin National Entertainers, Celebrities To loin In the Fun Sunday, November 9th By Terry Boughner Milwaukee—As the Publisher and , • •0+00, *" Kevin Rotar, Popular *roe Editor, respectively, of Wisconsin Light, *' se Jerry and I are pleased and very proud to announce a major event titled "A Decade Milwaukee Bartender of Light," to celebrate the 10 Anniversary of the paper. "A Decade of Presumed Drowned Light" will be held at the downtown Milwaukee— Kevin Rotar, one of Gay Milwaukee Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Milwaukee's most popular bartenders, is November 9, 1997. missing and presumed drowned after a And I do mean major event. I mean a boating accident which occurred on Sat- star-spangled (m every sense of that word) urday August 9, 1997. event, a glittering gala. In fact, 1 have The incident which occurred at around been told that it will be the largest LBGT 4:00 in the afternoon took place about 50 event of its kind ever held in Wisconsin. yards from the Lake Michigan shoreline I can believe that because I know the off of St. Francis, a Milwaukee suburb. names of some of the people who are Kevin had joined a group of friends for coming, either to entertain (a star-studded a fun afternoon of boating on the lake. cast, as they say), or to attend the According to Mathew Brooks, a spokes- celebration as guests. Guests will be person for the Milwaukee Coast Guard, coming from across the country and Rotar and a group of friends were aboard Wisconsin, including political leaders and a 30 foot cabin cruiser the "Just Right." members of the press. owned by Club 219 Manager Chuck Ci- I don't want to reveal the names now. carello. Rotar worked at the Club. Let that be for future issues of the paper. But I can tell you this. "A Decade of An eyewitness on the boat who asked Doing Time —The jail was a popular attraction at BreastFest, a fund raiser to help tight Breast Cancer. The not to be named in this story told The held outside of Fannies in Milwaukee, on Sunday, August 10. The event sponsored Light" is going to be an event that you day long block party was will Wisconsin Light that the boat was head- hundreds of women and men and raised over $6.000 for the cause. Over 180.000 American not want to miss. by Fannies drew Now before I go any further, let me ing south in choppy waters while the women and men will die from Breast Cancer this year. Lesbians are at higher risk for this killer which has say that I haven't worn a tie for over 30 years. people on board debated whether to cruise no known cause, prevention or cure. the Milwauke River or what is commonly I didn't even wear one to teach. This called "Bare Ass Beach" when a baseball Personal Pride Can Save Lives Says Medical event is going to be a black-tie optional hat blew into the water. affair. According to Brooks the hat was owned College of Wisconsin Study (I haven't had a tux on since I got by Cicrello. dragooned by my mother into going to my "Everyone on the Milwaukee—A new research study "The areas we surveyed involve ele- high school prom. I went with Shirley The eyewitness said personal pride and a positive ments of pride and boat told Kevin to forget about the hat, but shows that self-esteem," said Seth Winnet. We had a "wonderful" time. I it." Before outlook toward the future play an impor- C. Kahchman, Ph.D., the study's lead wanted to dance with Steve Hays, but he kept insisting on retrieving preventing HIV infections author. "Our results strongly could stop him Rotar "executed a tant role in suggest that that's another story.) anyone among Gay and Bisexual men. HIV prevention programs that encourage Things have changed. This is not the perfect dive into the Lake." researchers personal pride good swimmer man- The study, conducted by and affirm self worth will prom and I will make an exception. The Rotar who was a from the Center for AIDS Intervention be more successful." reason is that this celebration is a benefit aged to fight strong currents and retrieve College said "Even as he Research (CAIR) at the Medical The research results also raise the possi- for the Cream City Foundation (CCF) the hat. The witness Wisconsin, shows that Gay and Bisex- bility that some Gay men may put them- Proceeds will go to swam, you could see the current was of endowment fund. away, but ual men who engaged in unprotected anal CCF. In all seriousness, such is my strong and the hat was drifting monogamous re- Please See Pride Page 31 to come back." intercourse outside of a respect for the Foundation and the work he got it and turned lationship were more dissatisfied with life, that it does, that I will stuff myself into a While swimming back to the boat, Rotar themselves, and up and down in the water expected a shorter life for Victory Fund Backs boiled shirt and undergo near started bobbing more fatalistic outlook than men strangulation for them. and began calling out for help. The horri- had a life who practiced only safer sex. By contrast, Tammy Baldwin for There will be a VIP dinner in the hotel's fied group on board began throwing a Rotar was too far men who avoided risk behavior had Empire Room for 200 followed by a jackets and ropes but greater satisfaction in their current life, dance and entertainment in the Grand away to reach them. had an optimistic outlook for their futures, Congress Ballroom upstairs. As you may know, the Please See Rotar Page 31 and wanted to live a long life. Washington, DC—The Gay and Les- Ballroom has been beautifully restored; a bian Victory Fund has endorsed Wiscon- room of candlelight and gold, a truly sin State Representative Tammy Baldwin magnificent setting. (D-Madison) for the Second District seat There will also be a room where every currently held by retiring four-term GOP issue of Wisconsin Light from the past Congressman Scott Klug. 10 years will be on display. There will "We're extremely proud to support a also be framed photo displays and other candidate of Tammy Baldwin's caliber," artifacts and memorabilia from the said Victory Fund Executive Director paper's history. Brian Bond. "With the election more than To help commemorate the anniversary, a year away, Tammy has already built a a limited number of complete sets of the phenomenal grassroots campaign and a paper will be on sale. The price and warchest of over $100,000. availability of this slice of Wisconsin Baldwin has high name recognition and LBGT history will be announced soon. a long history of community service in That's about it. That's what I can say both the City of Madison and in the sur- right now, except to add that more—and vialftiv.,4644 rounding Dane County, which together more—information will be published in account for 70% of the vote in this Con- the paper as the time goes on. DETROIT gressional District. Baldwin was one of I do not say this lightly, not at all. This the Victory Fund's earliest winners, is going to be the party of the decade. making history in 1992 as the first openly From the information to which I am privy, Gay person ever elected to the Wisconsin this is going to be, as I've said, one very I LWAUKE State Assembly. AND grand and glorious affair. It is something The Victory Fund is the only national that you are not going to want to miss, not organization whose mission is to help at all. M.I.M . T. qualified openly Gay and Lesbian candi- dates overcome the obstacles that have historically denied them fair and equal For More Details on 1997 * cotrimo political opportunities. Contributions to Tammy Baldwin's The Wisconsin Light campaign should be made out to "Baldwin for Congress Committee, and mailed to Party of the Decade St. NW, comes to Milwaukee for the first time on August 30 the Victory Fund at 1012 14th MIST - The Midwest Invitation Softball Tournament Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005. and 31". The two day event will include 28 teams fiuni around the country. It will be played at Wick Field. See Pa'es 16 & 17 August 14, 1997—August 27, 1997-WISCONSIN LIGHT-2 New Insurance Company First to Aid Gay Couples Honolulu, HI-AP- If Dr. Robert Jenkins just mentioned the words Gay and Lesbian, doors slammed shut. Few would take his pink business card. Few would return his News From phone calls. Claims of non-discrimination were not reality, he said. As head of the first insurance agency to help same-sex couples obtain benefits under Hawaii's new reciprocal benefits law, he's seen discrimination firsthand. With a colorful rainbow as its logo, Hawaii-based Pride Insurance & Financial Serv- ices Inc. opened for business this summer, just as the new law, the nation's first, came The Nation into effect, giving couples who can't legally many a taste of the married life. A major provision grants insurance benefits to same-gender couples.