The Emptu Qoset NEW YORK STATE S OLDEST GAY NEWSPAPER State Assembly 1 Ji passes bias bill By Mkjiclc Moore it would be approved in the S»atc if the sex­ A1>U1 to tncfcase penalties for bias-related ual orieruadon woidic^ was removed, accor- crimes in New York state was passed foy the ding CO che Associated Press. 1'] state Assembly on June 22 by a vote of The caucus and the gay lobby group n 122-20. recently formed a coalition co push for The bill raises penalties for crimes com­ passage of the bill in the L^slacure. mitted against people solely because of their The Assembly's vote comes in che wake sexual orientation, race, religion, age, na­ of an annual teport on anci-gay violence by tional origin, disability or sex. It also caUs che National Gsey and Lesbian liisk I^rce chat for a spedal statewide |>rosecutor to have the ranks New York in thc "National Tbp Tfcn** power to supersede locai authorities who of states reporting the most anti-^ty critnes the Legislature believes aren't adequately en­ for 1987. The repon said 408 bias crimes, forcing the bias laws. including 20 murders, were committed Libby Post, co-chairperson of the New against lesbians and gay tnen in the scate last ^&>rfc State Lesbian and Oay Lobby, which has year. Thc bias unit of the New York City been working for passage of the bill for police department reported a 200 percem in­ months, said she hopes the bill's scrong crease in bias-related crimes between 1986 bipartisan support in che Assembly will en­ and 1987. courage che Republican-concroUed Senate to About 100 people, many from upstate, par­ About 80 people merctied down Monroe Avenue on June 2ft. pass a similar bill under consideration there. ticipated in a lobby day for the bill ^>onsored by the New York State Lesbian and Gay Lob- photo by Libby Pickering by on June 21, Post said. The lobby is en­ couraging lesbian and gay coitscituems to visit tfaeir senators at their home ofBces, and has distrilHiied 11,000 postcards addressed co Gov. Mario Cuomo and Sen. Dale Volker, Kiss-iity marclt clialrperK>n of thc Senate Codes Cotmnittee, urging passage of the bias bill. Cuomo has been negociating with Ntolker for passage of the bill, said Virginia Apuzzo, call attention to the governor's liason to che state's lesbian and gay communicy. **I am encouraged when Sen. Dale X^lker says, as he dkl in thc press (last) week, that sexual orientadon is cKX the tna^ obstacle anti-eay violence CO passage of che bill," she said. "That tells me that these negotiations have been very By Michele Moore Owens called for a three-fold sqpproach to productive." '*V^*U ttervcr be siJent stg2itif Wt7i never reducing anti-gay sentiment: political ac­ Democratic Assemblyman Roger Green ot The gay and lesbian communicy must keep be sdeat agstitt!" tivism; healing, within the gay conununity. Brooklyn, chairperson of the scate pressure on Cuomo as well as members of About 120 people, carrying pink helium people with AIDS and those who have suf­ Legislature's Blade and Puerto Rican Caucus che Senate, Post said. baUoons and shouting slogans, marched fered from discrimination; and education. and a sponsor of che bill, told reporters at •'While he says (the bill) is a priority, wc down Monroe Avenue the night of June 28 He said educatiotuU efforts in the near future a June 16 press conference thac the Senate have to make sure it stays a priority and he'U in support of lesbian and gay rights and to wUl include members of the gay and lesbian concinues to balk at approving a t>ias bill con­ hattie for it down to the wire," she said. protest anti-gay violence as dozens of conununity meeting with representatives taining a sexual orientacion provision. He 'Anyone who stands in the way of hav­ onlookers watched and several people ver­ from tadio station WDKX-FM to discuss anti­ said Senate officials cold him lasc year when ing the bill passed is a silent partner in every baUy harassed the marchers. gay comments a disc jockey made on the the same bill was before the Legislature that bias critne that takes place," Post added. AlxNit 80 lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and air recently. heterosexuals walked from New Life At the end of the rally, participants form­ '* Presbyterian Church at Rosedale Street to a ed a latge circle and kissed or hugged each parking lot at the comer of Monroe Avenue other under ehe glare of lights from televi­ and Goodman Street, where they hdd a brief sion news crews. I4th annual Gay Picnic raUy and kiss-in. Other demonstrators join­ A Rochester man was arrested for i^outii^ ed them, and sevetal teenagers and young obscenities at the ttuuchers. accorditig to the adults sat on cars and in the backs of pickup June 29 Detnocrat & Chrotiicle. Daniel G. trucks, shouting anti-gay comments. Laimi III. 18. of Monroe Avenue, was charg­ to be held July 17 Members of Rochester ACT UP (The AIDS ed with disorderiy conduct. Coalition to Unleash Power), the group that sponsored the march and Idss-in, said they The aiuiuai Gay Community Picnic, spon­ Tickets are f 10 in advance and 111 at the had decided to hold the event on Monroe sored by thc Gay Alliance of Genesee VUley, gate, and are available at Anthony's 522, 522 Avenue because several reported attacks on will t>e held at Genesee VaUcy Park on Sun­ East Main St.; thc Avenue Pub, 522 Monroe gays have occurred there in the last few day, July 17 from I to 6 p.m. Ave.; Bachelor Fomm, 1065 East Main St.; years. The Alliance will provide an alcohol-free Liberty, 123 Uberty Pole Wty; Mike's Bar, Rally speaker Don Ziegler, who shelter at this year's picnic for thc flisi time. 139 State St.; Parkleigh, 215 Pa^k Ave.; Pauls represented the Lebian and Gay Focus of AU Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages Grocery. 644 Monroe Ave.; the Roman. 109 Peoples Congress, mentioned a comment will be avaUable at thc picnic. The food will Uberty Pole Waty; Rosie's, 219 Monroe Ave.; frooi Highland Section police officer David be prepared by Roy Lawrence of Lettuce and Silkwood Books, 633 Monroe Ave.; and 12ira, Beswick, quoted in thc Tintes-Utiioti that Leaf restaurant on Monroe Avenue. 153 Liberty Pole Wiy. They arc also available day, that there aren't "any more gay victims Live etuenaitunent will be provided by the ftom the Gay Alliance; call 244-8640 for Chan any other victims" of violence. Ziegler Rochester Gay Men's Chorus and the information. said he had once been attacked in the park- Rochester ^^mien's Conununity Chorus, and The park is wheelchair accessible. Park­ ii^ lot where the rally was held and another local disc jockey Hector will play dance ing will be available in the lot at the end of time on Monroe Avenue. music. Crittenden Boulevard. He and the other speakers. Gay AUiance Thc door prize for this year's raffle is a For more information, call the Gay of Genesee Valley Presidem Autumn Craft VCR. Alliance. and Vice President Bob Owens, saJd since the begiiming of the AIDS crisis, anti-gay harasstnent and violence have increased * • across tbe country, and they called for more money to fight the epidemic The march and kiss-in were also a cddMa- tk>n ofthe 19th anniversary of thc Stonewall i riou in New IftHrk City» which tnarioed thc bcgtnning of cbe coflCetl^KMary gay rights **Tlic progress since dicii has been slow; palnfWy stow/' Owea» said at tfae nlly. "Our |ob faas been ouKle mofc dtfRcutt 1^ the pccteot AIDS crisit, a crisis tfaat was Lun Leiami MMfJeelc ftiedliien flteile nade wone by cfae fteagn adminiMfatAon. rNiQ et tne Me^lii eflef ttie ineidi* wtBtisf wm on tnetr aas fwiicr QHDi appnipnMc pholb by Ubby Picksring EMPTY CIJOSET JULY 1S88 Editorial Gays should urge Senate to pass bias bill VirginiVifvinlQa ApuzzoAnuzzn , NeN<-ww YorYnrlkr Stat^e tlrGovw . fort^w a'i biaKi'ics biKSUU tha^k-**t contaitt^^A*41«*s« a-> sexuac^rm^ll orientartri^i^t^­. crime<~rim^s< perpetraterhMvw^»Md^ againsaoalnctr membernw^mhefsS oOff thtfaeC BttipiEtXtptyY CloseClOSCtt coverinCOVeiillgg gagayy anandd lesbiaIcsbian Mario Cuomo's Uason to the lesbian and gay tion provision. minority groups wiU not be tolerated in this conununity otganizations. cotnmunity, said it best: "Bravo for the The Lobby is asking membets of the gay state, and would be a first step toward reduc­ The Gannett daUies usuaUy write about Assembly; bravo for the Lobby." and lesbian commtmity, and atiyone con­ ing the violence. gays only in relation to the AIDS epidemic, The state Assembly, after months and cerned with the promotion of human rights or when anti-gay forces protest gay speakers months of lobbying by the New York State for everyone and the reduction of hate- in high school classes. But tiews about the Lesbian and Gay Lobby and other groups, motivated violence, to send letters and Other media should everyday Uves of lesbians and gay men is has passed the bias-related crime biU. which postcards to their senators, Cuomo, aiid Sen. needed as much, If not more than, coverage increases penalties for crimes committed Dale Volker. chairperson oif the Senate Codes cover quiet side of the controversies. against people solely because of their sex­ Committee, uiging them to pass the bias biU. ual orientation, race, religion, age.