FREE! News of Interest to the Gay Community Published as a Service of The Memphis Gay Coalition Volume 8, Number 1 Memphis, Tennessee December, 1986 ... Making theC Pope John Paul Says "Gays Are Disordered, Companies . ..� ·�,.... ...,,,, . .. ·::�:=,:::, ,:;::,:.::-::{': Cause of AIDS" in Letter to Churches In perhaps the most strongly trine of Faith (known in earlier meetings. "No aulhenlic pasUllal referred to pro-Gay statements as wonted document from the times as the Inquisition) and was program will include organiza­ "deceitful propaganda.II Roman Calholic Olurcb on the reportedlyed approv by Pope John tions in which homosexual Dignity-USA, with 4.500 subject of holhosexuality. the Paulpersonally. n persons associate. with each other members, protested the Vatican Vatican has condemned all forms According to an article by Ray without clearly stating that stalements as "un-Christian, of homosexuality as "dismlen:d," O'Loughlin in San Francisco's homosexual activity is immoral." unc:onsciooable, and an abomi­ and blames AIDS on Gays and Bay Area Reporter, the leaa the leaaswed. nation: The organization has "c:areless" Gay people.'lbe leiter condemned not only homasexual 'lbe Vatican blamed anti-Gay asked the U.S. Conference of urges churches to withdraw any acts. but also Gay .sexual orien­ violence on the demand for Calholic Bishops to repudiate the support from pio-Gay organiza­ tatiao as "illlrinsic• moraleviL It protection of civil liberties. The document on the punds that it tions and opposes civil liberties labeled homosexuality as an letter says. "when civil legisla­ is contradictory to "medical and b' Gay men and women. "objective disorder" which is tion is introduced ID prolt:Ct psychological fmdinp as well as The leaer, written in Englisb, "essentially self-indulgem." behaviorto which no me has any its refutatiOn of scriptural ancl wasaimed at the North American The letter urged that churcb conceivable right," it's not sur­ theological teaching of Jo�snd Churth and Gay Catholic activist offiCials refuse to support pro- prising that "other disordered the goodness of God's �· AIDS Ed. Coordinator Playgirl Los-es . NGRA Denounces New Frontal Nudes Immigation Law Hired for Tennessee Los Angeles � Theeditors of Nashville -- The Commun­ meet the needs of persons with Playgirl magazine have concluded San Francisco - National visions of the Act It's a gross icable Disease Control Section AIDS, ARC, or Human Immuno­ that sex . doesn't .seU :ana,.. will Gay Rights Advocates has de­ miscarriage of justice to allow the has announced that Matt Nelson, defiCiency Virus (HIV) infection, Immigration and Naturalization aisoontinue tl!eir frontal:.male nounced the newly-passed federal M.S.W .• has been hired as the and conduct some educational pre­ nudes with the February issue. immigration law as "draconian." Service the authority to deport AIDS Education Coordinator for sentations for the general public. Playgirl was �ntly purchased The bill gives amnesty to aliens these people simply because they Tennessee. Nel-son will be Prior to coming to by Carl Rudermari who currently living in the United States since are Gay." working in the CDC office in Nashville, Nelson was the Social owns High Society and Cheri.The 1982 and provides new penalties Under current law all Gay Nashville as the coordinator of a Work Coordinator for Georgia's Weekly News (Miami) reports for employers who hire aliens men and women can be excluded wide variety of AIDS-related edu­ first out-patient AIDS clinic at Ruderman as saying that the without proper visas. However, from the United States on the cational and llaining workshops Grady Memorial Hospital in change is an attempt to make the the section of the previous basis of being afflicted with a throughout the state. During the Atlanta. He has counseled many mag "more sensual" and "less immigration law barring Gays "psychopathic personality." This next few months he will individuals with AIDS and was blatant" We wonder how many fromentering the countryremains exclusion applies to all people concentrate on providing work­ instrumental in the· establishment of those "f.II'St initial� Subscrip­ fully in effect who visit the U.S., do business shops to train health educators of a strong network of religious tions are going to be going by Jean O'Leary, NGRA Execu­ here. or who intend to immigrate. and other health professionals in and socialservice organizationsto the wayside. tive Director, said, "This old Beginning with the Carl Hill the techniques of perfonning address the needs of individuals McCarthy-era law is an affront to case in 1982, NGRA has had AIDS educational pro-grams in with AIDS in the Atlanta area. AThird Story Is the dignity of every American several successes in blocking the their respective communities. Nelson also has participated in citizen. The government has no enforcement of the law in the Nelson also will help community numerous professional training Number Two, business inquiring into the sex Western states. Nevertheless, the AIDS organizations develop risk seminars and conferences on the lives of tourists and immigrants. INS continues to assert its duty medical, psychological, and social A Third Story, by reduction programs directed at Congress should have repealed to bar Gay people from the aspects of AIDS and IllY Memphian Carole Taylor has high-risk. individuals. assist in this repressive legislation long country. infection. come in at number 2 in a "networking" with local com­ ago; its failure to do it now is The new legislation is com­ survey of Denver. CO· Gay munity service organizations to monly referred to as the "Immi­ bookstores. lri the category o.f unpardonable." women's books. A Third Story Leonard Graff, NGRA Legal gration Reform and Control Act Inside: was beat out by Travels with Director, said "Gay people who of 1986" and the "Simpson­ DianaHunter by Regine Sands; came over in the Cuban boat lift Rodino Immigration Bill." It was Notes from West Hollywood Taylor's book was published of 1980 as well as all other Gay signed into law by President · ·.· • Vive La Revolution by Lace JnPress June. · immigrants deliberately Reagan on November 6, 1986. ··. are excluded from the amnesty pro- Skin Inhabitants We Share With Pets ------------�--------�----------�!---�----------------��--�----------�------------------�------------------·----------------�--��------� I Perpetuating Gay Stereotypes hear, we even say, that being Gay really in the groin? is an excuse for being late and Sure, we've cleaned up our A by John Stilwell unwilling to complain when And speaking of using being undependable. In fact, being act to some degree. Most forms of c someone else perpetuates a certain words, how are we ever late is a result of poor planning of STD didn't scare us because 381 Do you remember when the stereotype. Yet we, the Gay going to stop the use of certain or a disregard for other people. you could go to the Health Aid Dire Sttaits' record, "Money for community, are the ones most at words like faggot, queer, and dyke Only occasionally is it the result Department and get a shot or : tee � Nothing," started getting played? fault for doing just that if we keep those words in of circumstances beyond our some pills and get back into J l840 One verse contained . the word We've become a part of a circulation by using them. Yeah, control. Being undependable or action. Now there's an STD that's � ·I faggot several times. Naturally, vicious circle and a self-fulfilling I know, I've heard the argument unreliable is the result of a lot more scarey and causing we called the radio stations and prophecy. Some of it is that we can use them without the immaturity and an inability to some people to stOP. ana. think · objected and, lo and behold, the conscious and some of it. I'm meanness and hatred that our accept responsibility, as well as a about our behavior. But thert: are radio stations started playing an sure, is subconscious. detractors use. But think about it. disregard for others. So we get still a bunch of folks who'll go edited version with a musical For example, straight people When is the last time you used trapped in a circle. We are told out with a dozen condoms and bridge where the offensive verse look at us and try to figure out any of those terms to say that Gays are late and unreliable, screw their heads off with litlle or used to be. It seems as though which is the man and which is something nice to or about we start joking about being late no regard for tomorrow or the they were expecting trouble, the woman in the relationship. someone? and unreliable because we're Gay, realities of life. And what (hence the edited version all ready Rationally, we explain that there . I've also heard the argument. ·and we continue being late and happens when you are no longer to go) but thought they'd see if is no male/female · · or that they are a rich part of our unreliable thinking being- Gay is young. they could get by with it any dominant/submissive role playing history, and we keep reminding .an excuse for that. And the I know it's difficult. but way. Well, they didn't in our relationships. ourselves of our repression and ·stereotype is reinforced. we've got to get away from the As Gay people we tend to Subconsciously, though, those the discrimination against us by Perhaps the cruelest joke subconscious belief that all the watch any movie, play, or TV are the only relationship patterns keeping those words in use. BS! we've ever played on ourselves is negative things people say about program that purports to "look we know, so we mimic them.