LGBT History Project of the LGBT Center of Central PA Located at Dickinson College Archives & Special Collections http://archives.dickinson.edu/ Documents Online Title: Gay Era (Lancaster, PA) Date: June 1978 Location: LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection Periodicals Collection Contact: LGBT History Project Archives & Special Collections Waidner-Spahr Library Dickinson College P.O. Box 1773 Carlisle, PA 17013 717-245-1399 [email protected] serving “rural” Pennsylvania JUNE 1978 vol. 4 no. 4 50$ GAY RIGHTS REPEALED IN WITCHITA & ST. PAUL GAYS BANNED IN ALLENTOWN GAY STUDENT CONFENCE GOD, COUNTRY & DECENCY (appearing together for the first and last time in this magazine) THE RETURN OF THE DISH DEMONS COMING OUT *AT HARVARD *AS AN OLD MAN (BACK COVER) In the News over thier freedom of choice. Howev­ ALLENTOWN BATTLE CONTINUES: er, they should be cognizant of the GAYS BANNED FROM CITY FORUMS fact they must face the consequences of their activities. It's ironic By Dave Leas that they come to City Council in full view of the media and tell us ALLENTOWN, PA — Another wrench that if their employer knew they were has been thrown into the works of the homosexuals, they'd be fired." Citizen's Concerned for a Betther Frey, in the past, has insisted Community's (CCBC) efforts to pass that gay people are not discriminat­ a gay rights ordinance here. The ed against in the areas that are pro­ group's main opposition is a conserv­ tected under the proposed ordinance. ative organization called Citizens Organized for Decency (COD), composed MAYOR BARS GAYS mostly of church leaders and their Meanwhile, Mayor Frank Fischl followers. announced his intentions to bar such Three gay rights proponents were individuals and groups from partici­ among the speakers in a human rela­ pating in city-sponsored forums. Fischl maintained that he never auth­ tions workshop sponsored by the Al­ tions Commission Executive Director orized the Council of Youth workshop lentown Council of Youth on Tuesday, Robert Manley and Timothy llhrich, April 18. The following night, at City Information and Services Officer that had homosexuality as one of its the City Council meeting whe^e CCBC who is also Mayor Frank Fischl's topics, an authorization which the Council of Youth didn't feel it need­ was again asking for passage of the council advisor. They indicated that gay rights ordinance, parents of "the kids received a number of warn­ ed in the first place. those students who attended the ings that the topic of gay rights Council President Frey has since workshop demanded an explanation for would generate heat. But they chose insisted that gay rights is a "dead the program. The parents demanded to to go ahead with the agenda original­ issue." Frey released an opinion know why the 90 high school students ly presented." April 24 claiming that Allentown can­ who attended were subjected to a Uhrich added that "While we at­ not ban discrimination against gays. According to Asst. City Solicitor Jack one-sided view of homosexuality. tempted to discourage them, we did Dr. Frank McVeigh, a leader of not forbid them from including the Kaufman, "the city would be inviting COD asked city council to pass a topic as part of the workshop, which a lawsuit" if it goes beyond state resolution that would prevent any also reviewed the topics of preju­ guidelines. repetition of the gay rights work­ dice and discrimination, and marriage The information was based on the shop. Dr. McVeigh demanded that the as an alternative to college." assumption that a municipal Human staff of the Human Relations Commis­ Relations Commission cannot exceed sion, which recommended passage of FREY INVITES ANITA TO CITY the provision in the state law. Penn­ the gay rights ordinance, be directed On April 21, just two days after sylvania has no law protecting gay "to cease and desist from future ef­ the protest at the city council meet­ people from discrimination. Frey's forts to advocate homosexuality." ing, Council President Alton Frey Jr. opinion is contrary to the ruling of Mayor Frank Fischl has presently made a telephone call to H. Edward the Pennsylvania Human Relations refused to do so. Rowe, executive director of Protect Commission. McVeigh also called the Council America's Children. Frey disclosed Sanford Kahn, general counsel to of Youth workshop "a blot on the the information to the Evening Chron­ the state commission, has told Robert reputation of our community." The icle^ saying that he made an offer Manley, director of the Allentown funds for the workshop came from pro­ to bring Anita Bryant to Allentown Human Relations Commission, that mu­ ceeds from the Youth Council's con­ "to, personally, bring her viewpoints nicipalities could extend protection certs. Though the youth group did on homosexuality." against discrimination. not have the approval of Mayor Fis­ Frey was hoping that Bryant would The state law, Kahn explained, chl , the group planned the workshop pick up the tab for her appearance allows municipalities "to establish and decided that the subject of homo­ since the city could not legally pay the machinery to supplement the ef­ sexuality be discussed nonetheless. the fee. Rowe told Frey that his forts of the Pennsylvania Human Rela­ The Allentown Evening Chronicle "forement concerns involve scheduling tions Commission to deal with the e- called McVeigh's remarks "an insult to and an assessment of what the situa­ vils of discrimination." city's youth" in an April 20 editor­ tion is there in Allentown and wheth­ ial. The editorial stated in part er this (the Allentown visit) would CITY COUNCIL REFUSES SPEAKERS that "Nothing could be more ridicu­ be a worthwhile appearance." Since the controversy and Mayor lous than Dr. McVeigh's statement Council President Frey told the Fischl's effort to bar gay people that the Council of Youth's work­ EveningChronicle that he was promp­ from participating in city-sponsored shop Tuesday 'is a blot on the rep­ ted to invite Bryant because, "per­ forums, Council President Frey re­ utation of our community'... Those sonally, I feel this movement by the fused to recognize any speaker on the Council of Youth kids are not mind­ homosexuals in regressive, appalling issue of the gay rights ordinance. less lambs... (They) should be com­ and disgusting. Homosexuality vio­ Hope of introduction of the ordinance mended for having the courage to lates every principle of the Bible was further postponed when the city tackle one of the most widely ducked and all religions. solicitor gave his opinion stating issues facing our time, and not bur­ "It is my opinion," continued. ying its collective head in the sand.' that Frey's actions were perfectly Frey, "that homosexuals are not born, legal. Also present at the city council but are conditioned." As the GAY ERA goes to press, it meeting were Allentown Human Rela­ Frey added, "I do not quarrel is not known whether the practice has 3 been continued at the recent council meeting. It was also announced that Anita Bryant would not appear in Allentown due to yet another alleged threat on her life. POSTERS TO FOSTER AWARENESS WASHINGTON, DC —Posters bearing the introspective message that 'Some­ one in Your Life is Gay" will be ap­ pearing soon aboard Metro buses and photo by David Dahlquist on downtown trash receptacles, ac­ Douglas Haller (l.l, GAA’s “Project cording to Doug Haller, coordinator Awareness” coordinator, leads discus­ for the Gay Activists Alliance's sion at a recent planning session. "Project Awareness" poster campaign. Featuring an open page from a "fam- UIIA*-’ ily"-sty1e photograph album with mounted snapshots of a wide variety poster is being fashioned in such attitudes about gays by means of of gay people in everday life situa a way that it will be appealing to mass advertising," Haller said. as many segments of the gay commun­ tions —including men and women, The introspective theme is de­ singles and couples, blacks and ity as possible —and may help to signed to stimulate the viewer's unite them," he said. whites, the old and the young— the own thoughts about their attitudes posters are an effort by GAA "to "It's a responsible statement towards gays, Haller explained. awaken the general public to the about being gay," he emphasized. "A "While aimed primarily at the heter- presence of gay people and to en­ lot of careful thought and study ogeneous non-gay community, the courage the formation of positive has gone into this campaign... We really labored over both the philo­ sophical and esthetic aspects of this poster." Careful consideration and lots of in the hard work have gone into the project since its inception in October 1976, Haller said. "We wanted this cam­ paign to reach the largest possible cross-section of the general public," he explained. "It had to be worked and reworked many times over to be as effective as possible. The re­ sult," he said, "is a group effort in the truest sense. It is totally an effort of the gay community it­ self. The artist is a member of GAA, and those people whose photographs are in the poster are all volunteers who have donated their face to the project. There are a lot of people who gave of their time and energy to make this poster a success." 41 N. GEORGE ST. j The path towards success is not YORK PA. yet free from obstacles, however.. Looming large is the spectre of fi­ nancing. “To put it simply," Haller MONthru SAT, 8:30...2 A.M. j said, "advertising is expensive." Haller says that posters with similar themes are being considered for the future, but that the success of this initial effort would deter­ GIOVANNI’S ROOM 1426 SPRUCE STREET,PHILADELPHIA,PA.19102(215 ) 732-9612 The unusually heavy turnout climaxed WICHITA VOTES TO mine whether or not the project a long battle between the Citizens would be able to continue..."Aware­ for Human Rights and the Baptist- REPEAL ORDINANCE ness advertising will succeed or led Citizens Alert for Morality.