1971 Symposium Brochure
Dublin Core
Title
1971 Symposium Brochure
Description
Phyllis Lyon & Del Martin Papers.
Source
Repository: GLBT Historical Society
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Page 1:
SYMPOSIUM on the Life-Styles of the Homosexual
The conference examines "homosexuality," a societally-defined term that describes sexual activities departing from a "norm" of activities known as "heterosexual." Also societally-defined by that "norm" is the person engaging in homosexual activities, the "homosexual." While the words are useful in communications, they are far too limiting in their meaning and far too devastating in their connotations to be useful much longer.
The conference is not about a sex act or even about sexual activities except insofar as such acts and activities are a part of any life-style. The conference is about a minority of people in our nation who have been forced by society's misunderstanding of human sexuality into an oppressive existence. That existence and their struggle to energy from its oppressiveness is the subject matter of symposium.
Most conferences on the subject of homosexuality lean heavily on the testimony of professional "experts" whose experience has been limited to contact with those in therapy or in trouble with the law. No authentic picture of homosexuality or of heterosexuality can be drawn from such a segment of the population. Such "professional" information has succeeded, until recently, only in reinforcing the myths and stereotypes that have victimized gay people for so long.
If there are experts, lesbians and gay men are those experts, and they will be the resource people that CRH will call upon for its symposium.
The weekend will be an opportunity for persons unacquainted with homosexuality to meet and rap with up-front lesbians and gay men - with people from an increasingly open and vocal segment of the country's population who affirm themselves as human beings and their life-styles as humanly valuable.
Page 2:
Some Ground Rules
The symposium is designed primarily for members of the "straight" community, particularly for professionals in counseling fields (teachers, lawyers, social workers, doctors, psychiatrists, clergy). Persons who are closely associated with the gay community and who are already familiar with the material to be covered are encouraged not to attend.
Application forms must be received by October 22.
The $25.00 registration fee covers resource materials, Friday and Saturday dinner and events. It does not include housing or other meals. We will furnish a list of convenient hotels and restaurants if you wish.
Since the symposium is demanding both in time and in content, we expect that you will not register unless you are committed to the full program.
Task groups of six or eight people will provide continuous opportunity for dialogue throughout the weekend. Participants closely associated with each other will, without exception, be placed in different groups so that there can be uninhibited participation.
SYMPOSIUM on The Life-Styles of The Homosexual
October 29-31, 1971
San Francisco, California
SUPPORTING CHURCHES
United Church of Christ
United Methodist Church
California Diocese of the Episcopal Church
North Beach Mission Lutheran Church
FROM PREVIOUS SYMPOSIA
"...Every congregation needs this experience." -Seminary Professor
"...Tremendous personal experience, should be repeated annually." -Seminary Student
"...An outstanding success." -Clinical Psychologist
"...It really blew my mind," -Teacher
"...One of the most fantastic style experiences I have ever had." -Student
"...Best symposium I have attended in my professional life." -Doctor
The objective of the Council on Religion and the Homosexual is to promote continuing dialogue between gay people and the heterosexual would in which they live. Additional information on the activities and goals of CRH is available at: CRH, 330 Ellis Street, San Francisco. Phone Phyllis Lyon at (415) 771-6300
Photographs by Constance Beeson
Page 3:
Symposium Oct. 29-31 Application Blank
Name ___
Address ___
City ___
State ___ Zip ___
Profession ___
Students please indicate if graduate or undergraduate and major ___
Will you have a car available to you during the Symposium? Yes_No_
Age Range
18-21_
21-30_
30-40_
40-50_
50 or older_
If you know of other persons who should receive this brochure, please enclose names and addresses with your registration form.
Enclosed is $___ for ___ (number of registrants at $25.00 each)
Please make checks payable to The Council on Religion and the Homosexual or to CRH.
REGISTRATION IS LIMITED EARLY APPLICATION URGED
Registration will begin at 9a.m. on Friday, October 29, at the Glide Foundation, 330 Ellis Street, San Francisco. All morning sessions begin promptly at 10 a.m. Donuts and coffee will be available. Friday dinner will be at gay bars and restaurants, and on Saturday in gay homes. During the weekend there will be optional visits to Halloween festivities going on in the homophile community.
The weekend will be devoted to panel/forum presentations by gay women and men and to discussions in small groups with two gay people serving as enablers. The areas of exploration will be wide, undoubtedly touching on:
HOW GAY PEOPLE LIVE WITH (OR WITHOUT) ONE ANOTHER: gay marriages; the question of monogamy/monandry or plural relationships; the meaning of commitment, love and/or romantic love; bisexuality: evasion or vision? homosexuality as a part of human sexuality; gay bars; the drag queen; the butch/femme roles.
GAY PEOPLE'S PARTICULAR OPPRESSION: discrimination in employment, housing, social functions; the "sickness" theory; being a teenager and gay; the lesbian mother; the law and the lesbian, the law and the gay man; the military; gay convicts; the meaning of "coming out" - emotionally, physically, publicly; the gay man and the heterosexual church; the lesbian and God-the-Father.
THE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS IN 1971 OF BEING GAY: the Gay Liberation movement - convictions and tactics; the lesbian and the women's movement; radical lesbians; the homophile movement and how it grew.
SYMPOSIUM on the Life-Styles of the Homosexual
The conference examines "homosexuality," a societally-defined term that describes sexual activities departing from a "norm" of activities known as "heterosexual." Also societally-defined by that "norm" is the person engaging in homosexual activities, the "homosexual." While the words are useful in communications, they are far too limiting in their meaning and far too devastating in their connotations to be useful much longer.
The conference is not about a sex act or even about sexual activities except insofar as such acts and activities are a part of any life-style. The conference is about a minority of people in our nation who have been forced by society's misunderstanding of human sexuality into an oppressive existence. That existence and their struggle to energy from its oppressiveness is the subject matter of symposium.
Most conferences on the subject of homosexuality lean heavily on the testimony of professional "experts" whose experience has been limited to contact with those in therapy or in trouble with the law. No authentic picture of homosexuality or of heterosexuality can be drawn from such a segment of the population. Such "professional" information has succeeded, until recently, only in reinforcing the myths and stereotypes that have victimized gay people for so long.
If there are experts, lesbians and gay men are those experts, and they will be the resource people that CRH will call upon for its symposium.
The weekend will be an opportunity for persons unacquainted with homosexuality to meet and rap with up-front lesbians and gay men - with people from an increasingly open and vocal segment of the country's population who affirm themselves as human beings and their life-styles as humanly valuable.
Page 2:
Some Ground Rules
The symposium is designed primarily for members of the "straight" community, particularly for professionals in counseling fields (teachers, lawyers, social workers, doctors, psychiatrists, clergy). Persons who are closely associated with the gay community and who are already familiar with the material to be covered are encouraged not to attend.
Application forms must be received by October 22.
The $25.00 registration fee covers resource materials, Friday and Saturday dinner and events. It does not include housing or other meals. We will furnish a list of convenient hotels and restaurants if you wish.
Since the symposium is demanding both in time and in content, we expect that you will not register unless you are committed to the full program.
Task groups of six or eight people will provide continuous opportunity for dialogue throughout the weekend. Participants closely associated with each other will, without exception, be placed in different groups so that there can be uninhibited participation.
SYMPOSIUM on The Life-Styles of The Homosexual
October 29-31, 1971
San Francisco, California
SUPPORTING CHURCHES
United Church of Christ
United Methodist Church
California Diocese of the Episcopal Church
North Beach Mission Lutheran Church
FROM PREVIOUS SYMPOSIA
"...Every congregation needs this experience." -Seminary Professor
"...Tremendous personal experience, should be repeated annually." -Seminary Student
"...An outstanding success." -Clinical Psychologist
"...It really blew my mind," -Teacher
"...One of the most fantastic style experiences I have ever had." -Student
"...Best symposium I have attended in my professional life." -Doctor
The objective of the Council on Religion and the Homosexual is to promote continuing dialogue between gay people and the heterosexual would in which they live. Additional information on the activities and goals of CRH is available at: CRH, 330 Ellis Street, San Francisco. Phone Phyllis Lyon at (415) 771-6300
Photographs by Constance Beeson
Page 3:
Symposium Oct. 29-31 Application Blank
Name ___
Address ___
City ___
State ___ Zip ___
Profession ___
Students please indicate if graduate or undergraduate and major ___
Will you have a car available to you during the Symposium? Yes_No_
Age Range
18-21_
21-30_
30-40_
40-50_
50 or older_
If you know of other persons who should receive this brochure, please enclose names and addresses with your registration form.
Enclosed is $___ for ___ (number of registrants at $25.00 each)
Please make checks payable to The Council on Religion and the Homosexual or to CRH.
REGISTRATION IS LIMITED EARLY APPLICATION URGED
Registration will begin at 9a.m. on Friday, October 29, at the Glide Foundation, 330 Ellis Street, San Francisco. All morning sessions begin promptly at 10 a.m. Donuts and coffee will be available. Friday dinner will be at gay bars and restaurants, and on Saturday in gay homes. During the weekend there will be optional visits to Halloween festivities going on in the homophile community.
The weekend will be devoted to panel/forum presentations by gay women and men and to discussions in small groups with two gay people serving as enablers. The areas of exploration will be wide, undoubtedly touching on:
HOW GAY PEOPLE LIVE WITH (OR WITHOUT) ONE ANOTHER: gay marriages; the question of monogamy/monandry or plural relationships; the meaning of commitment, love and/or romantic love; bisexuality: evasion or vision? homosexuality as a part of human sexuality; gay bars; the drag queen; the butch/femme roles.
GAY PEOPLE'S PARTICULAR OPPRESSION: discrimination in employment, housing, social functions; the "sickness" theory; being a teenager and gay; the lesbian mother; the law and the lesbian, the law and the gay man; the military; gay convicts; the meaning of "coming out" - emotionally, physically, publicly; the gay man and the heterosexual church; the lesbian and God-the-Father.
THE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS IN 1971 OF BEING GAY: the Gay Liberation movement - convictions and tactics; the lesbian and the women's movement; radical lesbians; the homophile movement and how it grew.
Citation
“1971 Symposium Brochure”, The Council on Religion and the Homosexual, LGBTQ Religious Archives Network, accessed May 18, 2024, https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/crh/item/1832.