w ENTERTAINMENT Laramie In I iiis JsMti • Shipping Dock Theatre presents a production of Tbe S«ctlMlA Laramie Prq/ect. BiH Pritdiard runs for Council 3 PageBI Newsfronts. « -4 Interview: Joe Grabarz.. 6 Gay youth speaks out...» ».... 10 Gay male domestic viotence 11 Makingthe Scene; 14 Saction B Entertainment: Laramie Proiect.„.. I Columnists « .5 Gay Groups 12 Community Center News 14 Classifieds — -.... 15 Febmary 2001 Calendar 18 A Publication of the Gay Aiiiance of the Genesae Valley Brighton looks at World AIDS Day event at Strong NewsFronts • LOCAL AND STATE protection for gays int'l Womens Day event Teachers, stiidents, parents speak to school b€Mrd set for MCC March i 0 By Melora Mlfler By Michele Kemnitzer and dent gay'Straight altiance. Like the Each year since 1910, women have Susan Jordan Brighton Family Alliance, they are joined together to celebrate In­ The Brighton Family Alliance for seeking changes in the district policy ternational Women*s Day, a day an Inclusive Schooi Environment, to ensure the recognition and pro­ dedicated to the fight for equal calling for a''gay-inclusive** nondis­ tection of students who are gay or rights for ail women in ail coun­ crimination policy in Brighton pub­ iesbian, are perceived as gay or les­ tries. This year a coalition of con­ lic schools, presented arguments bian, or are from ^milies with same cerned women has planned a day in December and January before sex parents. Adding sexual orienta­ of workshops, discussion and en­ Above: Mayor Bill Johnson speaks at the Nov. 30 dinner marking the the Brighton school board. The tion to the poticy. they argued, would tertainment on Saturday, March Harvey Stein photographic exhibit, "Faces of AIDS," which opened on board declined to make an imme­ publicly communicate the district*s 10» at Monroe Community Col­ Dec. I. The event benefited the Strong AIDS Clinic and AIDS Rochester. diate decision^ citing legal and fi­ acknowledgment and support ofgay lege. and lesbian students and their ^mi- Over 240 attended the dinner at the UR Medical Center. For more nancial concems. "Getting Food to che Table: lies. coverage of local World AIDS Day events, see pages A3 and A14. With board approval, Brighton Women's Work" was chosen as would be first aniong Rochester's Trilby Dejung, also speaking for chis year*5 chenne, because liter­ suburban school districts to in­ the Brighton Family Alliance, noted Sweetheart Ball to be ally from che sources of food, the clude sexual onentation and gen- that she transferred her son to a planting, picking, and processing. pilvata schooi b«cau«e che Brighton i.J' dfr kjantlty ip ¥hi|lr nQndlycrimi*^ to the shopping, cooking and plac­ fwdon policies. School District wasn't fully commit­ ing food on ttte table, women are According co information com­ ted to being inclusive ofgay faimilies. largely responsible. Women work piled by the Brighton Family Alli­ The board said on Dec. i 2 that its Om^lpftrovnamlci«: faMrt: the M IM^OGeeda WiB s^>porc AlUance in all kinds of |obs and conditions ance, the Rochester City School decision is pending further review, ISaijf AKanee wilt celebrate the programaimd mttntlcm^ such aa the CO supporc chemselves and co sus­ District, as well as schools in including the evaluation of ali finan­ VdEandne waason v^ its Sweet- Str<a^gtf«et^ C^rsehres support tain cheir fiamilies, in hopes chac Brockport and Buffialo, already of­ cial implications of a **gay-inclusive" heiM^BaRandAucdononFeb. I0» grouips, the Community Education chey and cheir children will noc fer nondiscrimination policies that policy. Dr. Henry Peris, of the atthe Four Poincs Sheraton, 120 ft^)|tct «nd much more. only have enough food, buc also include sexual orientation. school board, noted chat reshaping HdnSt. SVe^ve desi^iad the wtst\t not will have a more positive ^cure. The Gay AJIiance and GLSEN die policy might impact personnel : *ri^ Is a special evenktg de<^ only tocalebrateour reiationships^ Woricshop copies will include (Gay Lesbian Straight Education practices, including health insurance buc tried reaRy hard to make it s weacshops, decodes, farm work­ Network) co-founded the Brigtiton benefit packages. Currendy, domes­ ipeftiisaitn^imt of atl gfbt co^ affbrdtl:^ and comparabie to what ers, occupational heaich. worker's Family Alliance in the summer of tic partners are not covered under thft greater ftochesttr area in a acoi^ m^;htsp«Adfora*n^on rights, micro-encerprise, environ- 1000. ^ employee health plans. Another 'vi^fbli»ntiuc and fesdva atmo- d^ to¥m«* yet leave them wteh die mencal racism and ocher relaced "On Dec. 12, Arlene Schenker, board meml>er, l^olly Panner, sug­ ^flhist^*'.0A Robert Gelder, ex* sat^^ittiovi of havingsupported the issues. gested limiting the policy to the representing the Brighton Famity lcum» iSreccor. **But )^hif x^ woric of the Gay Alliance In our "Getting Food co che Table: student body if including staff mem­ Alliance, argued that amendments means excludes ln<&vlduab who convrnmlty," ta^ Rob Geider. Women's Work** will cake place bers proves to be too expensive. to the Brighton district polky are woukl ySm to ioln friends lor a Admission to che dance oniy Is Saturday, March 10. ac Monroe "imperative,** because "high Dejung urged the board to con­ iprttt avenifi^ of entenainment $12 ^ advance and $t5 at the Community College, BrighCon schools are typically the most ho­ sider a universal policy, inclusive of and m^MTknent.'^ - door. Dinoor and dbmce tickets Campus, beginning ac 9 a.m. More mophobic places in America.** both students and personnel. She Th* Bafl will b«gin v^Mt dNiner iypg^^etA admisskHi) are $4S per details witl appear in che March Students perceived as gay, she cited ocher local empbyers, like at 4 pjntf Allowed at S p.m. lay p<»^on fnr GAGV members, and Empty Qoset contended, are at greater risk for Xerox and the University of Roch­ ifiific^ taaQI selection of fevor* $55 per person for non-members. assault, premature sexual activity ester, who currently offer domestic lee d»nce times from tha *t$0$ . Dlm>«c«nd dance ddcets at the Gliclc named to social and teen suicide. partner benefits. IHowever, she also tlirom^ tb» *9Qi. &nc«e Aggy Cc^ iev^ are $80 kir GAGV services committee Also present at the board meet­ stressed that even a limited policy, OufMt WfH preskte over thefesdvih ntembers, and $90 ior non^mem*^ Openly lesbian state protecting only students, wouki be ing were spokespeople for Stu­ iAm^> wfikh wili tekdude a silent bers. TMs paekafa Inciudes cwo Assemblymember Deborah Glick a critical step forward. auctkm x4 desirable Itamt.and dents for a Tolerant Community, " Rati ccMitifMMMl on p^ 3 was appointed as chair of the the Brighton school district stu­ Brighton continued on p* 10 r'i'i"iV'»'in'iili'ii'i1'>i'i;i;i New York State Assembiy*s So­ cial Services Committee on Jan. 8. giving: think about United Way this Mact Foreman, executive di­ rector of the Empire Scate Pride By Rob Gelder we feel it necessary to let you know thing chey have done for cheir own to stop and think before they par­ Agenda, said that Glick*s appoint­ For most of us in the non-profit iiow some aspects of the campaign organization and empbyees) chey ticipate in the campaign this year. ment is good news for ali New community, the upcoming United work. will noc require chac of che agencies * Consider malting your dona­ Yorkers. "Ms. Glkk is a tireless Way campaign means a graat deal. * if you designate an agency to chey fund. tion directly to the agency of your and faarless advocate for chose in It is through United Way that we receive your donations, that agency * You are not able to designace choice. Many agencies wouid wel­ need, a vigilant watchdog over are able to receive support from receives only 88 percent of your CO more than one agency at a time. come your direct donation even government waste, and some­ many of our donors woridng at contributkm, with 12 percent going * if you choose to negatively on a monthly basis if it woukl nr^ake one vAKt understands the diffi­ area businesses and corporations. to United Way overhead. designate an agency (e.g., the it easier to give. Some are able to culties feced by so many service These donations are imporcant to *This 12 percant supports United Otetiana Coundl of tha Boy Scouts) sat up a pledge similar to your providers across the state," Fore­ tha Gay Alliance because they en­ Way, even though chey continue to than you relinquish your right to Unitad Way pledge and even ac­ man said. ''Without a doubt, she able us to provida valuable pro­ fund the Boy Scouts who openly say what agency will benefit from cept EFT or credit card donations. ^11 use this post as a bully pulpit grams to the community and to discriminate based on saxual orien­ your donation. It could possil>ly go * Consider designating your CO bring about positive diarge in operate our community center. tation. The Unitad Way feeb since to another afancy that doesn't sup­ Unitad Way gifc to a specific agency che delivefy of sociai services. But as much as v^ ask your there are no k>cal, state, or federal port your vahies. continuad and increased support. bws that mandate inclusion (some­ Therefore, we are asking donors United Wmy continuod on p. 3 NewabrioCi cont. on p. 10 A2 T« V iq^i^ir^ ^^^^feb^^^^^^W^^S -^^ fcggg^'^._i^^l»-.^i^..a^S^.^^^ ..- :,.. .-5- ;- T ii n ^M'M^^^^^^ A3l nor WiR we be a forum for er^olf^dit- LETTEBS TO THE EDITOR: putes becween IndMduats.