"TEE GROOVY NEWSPAPER SERVING ATLANTA AND THE SOUTHEAST VOL 1 NO. 2 OVER 5,000 IN CIRCULATION 25 CENTS DURING HOLY WEEK Rev. Troy Perry To Visit Atlanta While many of us ea­ iroy's father was a suc­ returned home because of gerly await the coming of cessful farmer, business - his mother's strong desire the Easter Bunny, mem­ man and bootlegger, this to keep the family togeth­ bers and friends of At­ last profession leading to er. lanta's Metropolitan Com­ his violent death in 1952. Young Troy preached to munity Church are looking Mrs. Perry chose her Pentecostal, Church of forward with greater anti­ second husband unwisely. God and Baptist Congre­ cipation to the arrival, for The man drank heavily, gations. It was a Baptist a five-day Holy week Spi­ mismanaged the family Church that licensed him ritual Renewal, of the business, and beat the chil­ to preach when he was 15. founder of their fellowship, dren, especially Troy. To pursue his calling in the Rev. Troy Perry. Troy rebelled by running South, he followed the "un­ Troy Perry heard the off to iive with relatives written law" and took a wife call of God when he was in South Georgia. His act when he was 18; they went 13; but it wasn't until 15 gave his mother the to Chicago so he could en­ years later, when he heard strength to pack up the ter Bible College. the cry of his fellow man, rest of the boys and start But Troy had been aware that his real ministry be­ a new, independent life. of homosexual feelings gan. It was in Georgia that within himself, even before He was born July 27, Troy started preaching, in­ he was old enough to un­ 1940, in Tallahassee, Fla., spired by his Aunt Bea. derstand them. Despite to a couple that was to He lived with her for a time produce four more sons. in El Paso, Texas, and then Continued on page 2 Atlantis Motorcycle Club Hosts "Dogwood 74" By T. C. President AMC torcycle is not a prere­ runs over the Easter Week­ quisite for membership the end. This year's run known For most in the gay com­ ability to ride is, and con­ as "Dogwood 74" will be munity the mention of a mo­ sequently all pledges go held April 11-14 both in torcycle club conjures up through a training and test­ Atlanta and outside the images of Hell's Angels, ing period in order to qua­ city. Events begin Thurs­ Marlon Brando in "The lify them to take the Geor­ day evening with the re­ Wild One" and assorted gia Motorcycle road and gistration of participants. newspaper stories of vio­ written test. The Atlan­ Over one hundred out- lence and murder. Thus it tis MC is recognized by of-town guests are expect­ is understandable that the National Motorcycle ed and following Thursday members of the Atlantis Association as a legiti­ evening's social gathering Motorcycle Club are greet­ mate motorcycle club and the run moves Friday to ed with great trepidation. individual members not it's outdoor location where Founded in April of 1972, only belong to this asso­ not only will there be mo­ the Atlantis MC, Inc., is ciation of road bike enthu­ torcycle events such as one of more than ninety siasts but also to the Ame­ skill riding, enauros and gay motorcycle clubs lo­ rican Motor cycle Asso­ poker runs but also a raft cated throughout the Unit­ ciation as well. race, an obstacle course ed States, Canada, Europe One of the best organi­ and a variety of fun and and Australia. At the pre­ zed segments of the gay humor filled individual sent time the Atlantis community, the various gay events, including a Mr. MC has fourteen regular motorcycle clubs regular­ Dogwood contest and a members, two pledges, four ly compete against each wheel chair race for the associate members and other at weekend events "over thirty" crowd. one honorary member. called runs. The AMC plays While ownership of a mo­ host annually to one of these Continued on page 3 imMiiiiiriiiwiii——•—• MiimniMii i mi IMMTOMI—mi liwniii i II - —limrnrin—TIT"— Atlanta Barb P.O. Box 82543 Atlanta, Georgia 30354 Phone 363-4789 ATLANTA BARB-Page 2 gations, all over Ameri­ MCC came to Atlanta in ca and in other parts of the Jan., 1972, pastored by world. Rev. Perry step­ Rev. John Gill, who still Rev. Troy Perry To Visit Atlanta ped down from the pasto­ serves that function. The rate of the L. A. church Atlanta church was char­ to become Moderator of tered in April, 1972, and Continued From Page 1 the Board of Elders. will celebrate the second And despite some set­ anniversary of that charter­ backs--the firebombing of several experiences, as about homosexuality ex­ If he's been waiting ing when Rev. Perry arri­ he was growing up, he hop­ cept from his own ex­ church building in some ves next month. for a "sign," it came in cities and the failure of ed to sublimate his desires periences, and the nega­ 1968 when a friend of Even more importantly, in marriage and his minis­ tive attitude society had the church to take hold in Rev. Perry will be dedi­ his, Carlos, was arrest­ others -- MCCs minis­ try. He couldn't understand drilled into him. Now he ed as part of a harassment cating MCC Atlanta's new why God would have made began reading about the try has grown continually building, the former Milan campaign by local police. and phenomenally. him a homosexual, yet subject, and at last ac­ After Rev. Perry had ob­ Theatre on N. Highland Ave. called him to a profession cepted the fact that he was, tained his release, Carlos His visibility, position' a block from Ponce de Leon, where such people seemed indeed, a homosexual. was inconsolable; he felt of authority and gift of self- which the church is pur­ out of place, that no one cared about expression have made the chasing. The official move i Though he and his wife him, Rev. Troy Perry a res­ will be made in March. While attending school still loved each other, and pected leader in the cru­ And Rev. Perry will lead in Chicago, Troy pastor- now had two sons, Rev. "God cares," the minis­ sade for Human Rights and a Spiritual Renewal from ed a nearby Pentecostal Perry felt that the only the struggle for gays to be April 10-14. The rafters church. .But a former lov­ ter said, almost automa­ honest thing they could do tically. accepted as equals. In will ring with the res­ er, in a fit of jealousy, would be to separate. She 1972 his autobiography, ponse to his usual opening exposed him to the district took the boys and return­ But Carlos, who had been "The Lord Is My Shep­ line, "If you love the Lord, overseer; and Troy was ed to her family. At the told by the pastor of his herd and He Knows I'm say Amen!" ordered to return imme­ same time, he was forced church that he couldn't be Gay," was published by diately to Florida. to resign his pastorate. both a homosexual and a Nash. Christian, wouldn't be­ There his work con­ He moved to Hunting­ lieve it. "God doesn't tinued, and he was ordain­ don Park, where his moth­ care about me," he said. ed. But Florida was con­ er was living with a new ducting a "witch hunt" husband. Rev. Perry be­ Rev. Perry realized then LEATHER for homosexuals in 1961, came acquainted with the how many of his fellow and Rev. Perry walked Los Angeles gay scene, and gays felt the same way under a heavy shadow. His formed a fast friendship -- he himself had had Zodiac Wrist Bands 1 wife had learned about him. with Willie Smith, who was doubts; and he knew what ... something new under the Sun from LEATHER he had todo>. FOREVER. Great combinations of brass and black in Chicago, and stood by to become Music Director leather: 1J4" wide brass plates featuring your him; they had a son. His of the church Troy was to He took out an ad in Astrological Sign riveted onto a black leather wrist mother also learned about found. the Advocate, a national band with a buckle closing. his homosexuality, and gay newspaper based in State your Birth Sign with order. ' Only $8.95 (Include 10% for postage end handling came to accept it because No one but God had any Los Angeles, announcing and sales tax where applicable.) she loved him. inkling of this in 1965, that the first service of when Rev. Perry was draft­ the Metropolitan Com­ He returned to Chicago ed. He had an active gay munity Church would be to finish school. He took sex life in the Army, both held Oct. 6, 1968.- Rev. a day job with a plastics stateside and in Germany, Perry' conducted the ser­ firm and attended Moody where he spent most of his vice in his living room, Bible Institute at night. two-year hitch. wearing borrowed vest­ The plastics company of­ ments, 12 people attended. fered him a junior execu­ Back in L. A. he moved The church continued, tive position at a new plant in with his friend, Willie and grew. Doctrines had to they were opening in Tor­ Smith. A friend of Willie's be ecumenical enough that rance, Calif., and he ac­ introduced him to Ben, the no one, from whatever de­ cepted.