Second Stone #15 - Mar/Apr 1991

Second Stone #15 - Mar/Apr 1991

15

1991

Mar/Apr 1991

THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR GAV AND LESBIAN CHRISTIANS $2.25
TONE 9500 Readers Across The USA ... ' ISSUE #IS I
JOSEPH HOULE
Road for Emmaus editor had
many forks, bumps and detours
Bf Michael Blankenship
Contributing Writer
Joseph Houle has a gently
persuasive way of drawing
groups of people into
intimate spiritual discussions
about themselves and
the obstacles they face in
BOOKS:
their lives. His workshops
at various conferences
always have a waiting
list. It is a rejuvenating
experience for those
present. A quiet , reticent
group of church folk may
beeorne highly emotionally
charged while tensions and
frustrations are being
released, but by the end of
the session there is a new
sense of spiritual freedom
and peace.
Houle, editor of the daily
devotional The Road To
SEE COVbll STORY, Page 9
m Rev. Troy Peny's
Don't Be Afraid Anymore
Reviewed by Michael Blankenship
Ill AIDS AND
THE POOR
Whowillcare?
By R. Anthony Espinoza
Task Force issues statement
opposing Persian Gulf war
WASHINGTON, D.C. -
Concerned about the impact
of the Persian Gulf war on
domestic programs, especially
the diversion of funds
and attention from AIDS and
health care, the National
Gay and Lesbian Task Force
has publicly opposed the
Gulf wa r. Although the Task
Force does not oppose "the
brave individuals fighting on
the front lines for our
country," a position paper .
authorized by the group's
board of directors explains a
deep concern "that this war
will allow our political
leaders to ignore the pressing
problems faced by the gay
and lesbian community."
The Task Force also
expressed concern over the
treatment of gay and lesbian
soldiers fighting the war.
"The war highlights again
the military's discriminatory
policy against Lesbians and
gay men, and the role the
military plays in perpetuating
. our second-class
status ... The Pentagon has
told gay and lesbian soldiers
they will be discharged if
they are lucky enough to
survive," the statement read.
SEE WAR, Page 9
War resisters ponder
military's anti-gay policy
The war in the Persian Gulf
has brought to higher
visibility the plight of gay
and lesbian soldiers who are
serving in the Gulf in spite of
a Defense Department policy
barring them from active
duty. Many of the over 2000
military professionals who
have filed for conscientious
same color as everyone
else's."
According to Larsen ,
military cases are ar isin g
where Lesbians or gay men
are agreeing to activate to
the ·Persian Gulf only if the
military acknowledges
"their . right to engage in
same-sex practices."
objector status have added ,,....,,..,..,..._,,_ .... ---,- .... ...,.
the military's treatment of
homosexuals to the.fr protest
against the war.
The Crescent City Star
reported that Erik Larsen,
the first Marine reservist to
refuse to serve in the Gulf,
described to a church gathering
how Gays are booted out
of the military with no
benefits but "when war comes
around their blood is the
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"""" '"
Commentary
:And what's wrong with being angry?
: ByJjmRoche each other at all. I get complaints
: Contributing Writer from lots of people about my anger .
"You can't talk from anger," they say. : As my friend Jame~ and I were "They'll never understand or listen if ..
:,leaving New York' Lesbian and Gay we're yelling at them," others say.
: ·Community Center a few· mon·ths ago; · Or, "How can you ha ve dialogue -::
: :a large crowd mulled around _ in _the when you 're so angry?" Give me a :.
<street. Several people w ere there · break .
'.screaming, hollering and crying :out · . Anger has never been easy to deal
::their anger at what they had heard . with, but the time comes when we all
; At a community forum we had all
;listened to some incredible things
: from the city's mayor, the -tnan · who
; had called himself . our friend .
:,Almost every :campaign pr-0mise had ·
,,been broken. I turned to Jame s ·and
:;was surprised by his reaction to all
:) his, 'Why are gay people so angry?" ·
·:he asked . Angrily I said to him, .
•"Apparently you didn't hear that
: people are dying. People ' are
, homeless . People are being beaten in
'. the street by thugs every night!"
; Well, that didn't help becau se he
; still doesn't understand why ·people
: are so angry. He . still doesn't
: · understand why I'm angry : He was
:·: confused by what he heard .· in · the
· street. He wanted to ·talk ·to the
· mayor. "Why doesn 't everybody just
; sit down _ and t~lk things out?" was
what he wanted to know. I wanted to
. know what was wrong with him. To
· me, to be able to sit by and listen to
. the kind of political crap we had just
. heard and not get angry, well, you
have to be emotionally stunted .
Maybe he is. A lot of people seem to
be these days.
Those who are angry - not just upset,
mad or perturbed - but really
· wrathful and scream, holler and rant
about it, and those who seem to avoid
. their anger, don't want to understand
Letters .
Petersburg, Virginia
New Agers
Aren't Christians
,;We must never
lose touch with the
.fact tl)a,t !;111 ~erious
human moral
activity, especially ,
action for social
change, takes its
bearing from the
rising power of
human anger."
must. That doesn 't mean controlling
it. As incredible as it seems, when we
talk about oppression, injustice and
unfairness, we try not to get angry .
We try to keep "cool heads " and "our
wits about us ." Most importantly we
keep our places, stay in our right roles
and don't overstep our bounds.
Dialogue has these rules, you see.
People aren't ready for anger because
when we're angry the rules no longer
apply. One thing anger does is put a
□ have space in the classified column
for their cult . They are not
Christians, pure and simple.
sudden and complete stop to systems
. which artificially restrict what we
can think, do, say or act on . Angry
people are dangerous people if you
get in their way because angry people
want to make changes. Angry people
will go to extremes. But since whert
has calling for justice not been a
dangerous act? ·
In a recent article in th e Times John
Pareles writes that many people
have a hard time dealing with the
anger expressed irt a Jot of rap music.
"When pop singers g et earnest, the
mess a ge is likely to be · about
compassion and charity rather than
anger, r esistance ·or' placing blame,
Not so with rap music." And not so
In This Issue
FEATURES
COVER STORY
. AIDS AND -THE POOR
COLUMNS
COMMENTARY
FAMILIES
ESSAY
TRAVEL
PARTING THOUGHT
DEPARTMENTS
LETTERS
NEWS BRIEFS
□
with the newest wave of gay and
lesb ian activists, who aren't
interested in compassion. Aren't
interested in charity. They are
interested in anger , resistanc e and
placing blame . It's the anger . they
want heard . Anger, they think , is
legitimate in and' pf itself. Forget
compassion. Drop ·this charity crap.
I'm angry! Earnestly angry.
Who has permission to be angry?
H's okay for people who have been
oppressed, physically attacked,
ignored by their elected representatives
and discriminateed
against for years . Unless, of course,
SEE CO:M!VffiNT ARY, Page 15
□
Page 9
Page 14
Page2
Page 10
Page 13
Page 19
Page 20
Page2
Page3
Dear Second Stone,
Thank you for Second Stone. It has
helped me and many others learn
very much more about the gay
Christian community .
CHURCH & ORGANIZATION NEWS Page 11
I've been getting your newspaper for
: a couple of years now and this is my
: first letter to the paper . I feel I
: cannot let the issue of "New Agers"
: slip by without me saying something
about it. It's very simple . We
Christians profess that Jesus Christ _ is
9ur Lord, Saviot, and . God. New
Agers do not profess this and ·
anything less than professing that
about Jesus Christ is not being a
Christian . So there is :no way that
New Agers can all themselves
: . Christia~s and they . should J.1Qt even
:B
Yours in Christ,
Thomas B. Croft
We welcome you to share your views,
opinions, feelings and experiences
with our readers. Send letters to:
LETTERS, The Second Stone, P. 0.
Box 8340, New Orleans, LA 70182.
All letters must be original and
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CALENDAR
BOOKS
CLASSIFIEDS
SECOND STONE
Page 12
Page 16
Page 20
- Newsbriefs
Gay Evangelicals
Poster Columbus,
Ohio Churches
Two members of the gay /lesbian
affirming Christ United Evangelical
Church turned an evening of
distributing church fliers to local gay
bars Into "a reenactment of the
posting of Martin Luther's '95
Theses."'
With some help from an all•nighl
. copy center, they enlarged their
fliers (which advertised the church
as "a group of Gays and Lesbians
preaching salvation through the
shed blood of Jesus Christ") to poster
size. The two taped the posters to
the front doors of 17 downtown
churches.
Reactions the next morning ranged
from condemnation (said one Sou them
Baptist pastor, "You're the
Antichrist! I , hate Gays and
Lesbians!") to adulation. One
Lutheran minister, moved to tears,
took the pos.ter to his congregation
and preached on the ·courage of gay
Christians willing to take a stand for
their faith.
-StonewallU nion Reports
ISSN No. 1047-3971
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inrorfning dtc guy and lesbian com~
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PUBLISHER/EDITOR: Jim Bailey
CONTRIBUTORS: Rev Bruce Roller,
Rev Sylvia Pennington,
CynU1iu Marquard, Danni Munson,
Dr. Manin Fowler, David Rickey,
Jim Roche,
Mich•cl lllnnkcnship, Dun GripJx>,
Dr. Louie Crew, John-Michael Olexy,
Dr. Ruddy Truluck, Chris Gl,cscr,
Rev. Gail A. Yan flurcn.
Kevin Gcpford
Only One
Pink Panther,
Says MGM
□
New York City's volunteer gay and
lesbian anti-violence patrol, the Pink
Panthers, is being sued for $100,000in '
dam4ges by MGM Corporation for
copyright Infringement in its use of
the Pink Panther name and panther
paw print logo. MGM claims it is
supporlive of gay and lesbian rights,
but that the use of the Pink Panther
name is "tarnishing or blurring" its
reputation in the eyes of the public.
The Pink Panther patrol was formed
last year by ~eral members of New
York's Qu!!Cr Nailon as a reaction to a
dramatic increase in hate crimes
against Gays and Lesbians In the city.
The group has caJ.led for a
demonstration at MGM's New York
headquarters, pickets at theatres
showing MGM films and phone zaps
against the giant corporation.
Gay Ordinations
Top Story, Says
The Lutheran
The ordinations of gay and lesbian
pastors by two San Francisco congregations
of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Amercia was the
denomination's top news story for
1990, according to The Lutheran
magazine. Both churches were
suspended from the ELCA for
violating church policy.
Insurance Company
Recognizes
Domestic Partners
WASHINGTON, D.C.- Firemen's
Insurance Company, one of America's
oldest business firms, has become the
first insur;mce company in the nation
to file a homeowners policy change
that recognizes domestic partners. By
redefining who Is insured, the new
endorsement extends to domestic
partners the automatic coverage
rights enjoyed by spouses and relatives
of homeowners policyholders.
Firemen's offers homeowners
coverage to apartment renters and
owners of dwellings and condos in
D.C. and the states of Maryland and
Virginia.
"We will have the first
homeowners policy in the insurance
industry that will serve the diverse
and changing lifestyles of today's
society without sacrificing the
privacy needs of the individual,"
said Dick Edwards, president of
Firemen's.
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SECOND .STONE
March/April 1991 II
Newsbriefs
Quakers Fire
Lesbian Minister
DES.MOINES, Iowa· Members of the
Friends Church at West Branch have
dismissed their lesbian pastor under
pr .essure from the state's Quak .er
leaders.
The Rev . Del Coppinger of
Oskaloosa, superintendent of the
Iowa Yearly Meeting of Friends, said,
"In 1977 the Yearly Meeting representatives
took the position that
homosexuality is a sin. Therefore, if
we have a minister who admits to
living what we consider to be a sin,
that is not something we could
accept."
"I didn't put it in my resume that I
was a lesbian," said Rev . M.
Elizabeth Hannon, 27. "My partner
of six years wa~active in the church
from the beginning. Some people put
that together and some didn't. I had
decided if anyone asked that
question, I would be open and honest."
Last summer a member of the church
asked "that question" and Hannon
gave an honest answer. The member
took the matter to the Ministry and
Counsel, which eventually revoked
Hannon's certification.
-TWN
Adventist Women
May Withhold
Tithes
A tr~st fund has been established by
the Adventist Women's Institute to
hold tithe monies of people who
choose to withhold their financial
support of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church until it revokes its policy
of gender discrimination with regard
to ordination of women. A WI said it
established the trust to accomodate a
growing number of its supporters who
want to continue paying tithe, yet do
not feel the y can conscientiously
support th e church while it
maintains an official policy of
discrimination.
The money in the escrow account
will be released when a church
conference ordains a woman • and
that conference is likely to receive
the money. AWI chair Iris Yob said
that if no woman is ordained by the
year 2000, the situation will be
reconsidered.
Every Day Is
Coming Out Day!
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AWI is a lay organization for
women committed to Adventism and
their advancement in Adventist
work . It is considered to be among the
more activist of similar groups.
Church employed _ women are not
among its active membership. For
information on the group write to
AWI, P.O. Box 25794, Santa Ana, CA
92799-5794.
-SDA Kinship Connection
Cyprus Archbishop
Wants Gays
Excommunicated
The archbishop of the Cypriot
Orthodox Church, which counts 77
percent of the population of Cyprus
among its membership, has announced
a major anti-gay campaign, according
to the International Lesbian and Gay
Association. ·
The announcement follows
acceptance by the European Human
Rights Commission of a legal
challenge to Cyprus's male sodomy
law .
His Beatitude Chrysostomos said
he would promptly excommunicate
all known Cypriot homosexuals and
homosexual sympathizers, and refuse
to bury any Gays or gay-rights
supporters who die. -
Chrysostomos singled out Cyprus
Gay Front Liberation founder
Alexander Modinos, who is the
plaintiff in the case before the
European Commission.
-Baltimore Alternative
Religious Talk
Show Outlines
Attack On
Pittsburgh's
Gay Rights Law
The gay and lesbian community is
"actually trying to control civilization
as we know it and basically
silence the voice of morality, the
voice of Christianity and the voice of
common sense," according to the Rev. ·
Jeff Henzler, a member of the
Citizens for Pittsburgh, a group
working for the repeal of that city's
gay rights amendment.
Henzler appeared on an edition of
Focus on the Issues, a religionoriented
half hour talk show
broadcast on WPCB-1V Cl:iannel 40, a
Greensburg-Pittsburgh religious
station . •
Henzler stated that Citizens for
Pittsburgh would circulate · petitions
in an attempt to collect 20,000
signatures to force a referendum on
the gay rights amendment onto the
II SECOND . STONE
May primary ballot.
-Pittsburgh's Out
Lesbian Soldier
Approved For
Gulf Duty
□
LOS ANGELES • A lesbian Army
reserve member simultaneously
sought combat duty, came out of the
closet, and won tentative approval to
serve in the Persian Gulf, The
Washington Post has reported.
Spec. 4 Donna Jackson, 25, got
approval from her Ford Ord company
commande r to go to the Middle East
with her hospital unit, the daily
said, despite US military policy
against homos~xuals being assigned
to active duty.
"I want to serve my country and go to
war, but I also want them to know
who I am," Jackson said . "I want to be
honest about it."
-Pittsburgh's Out
Conservative Group
At Harvard Targets
Campus Gays
Conservative students at Harvard .
University who covered the campus
in blue squares have angered Gays
who have adopted as a symbol the
pink triangle homosexual men had to
wear in Nazi Germany.
Members of the Association Against
Learning in the Absence of Religion
and Morality (AALARM), a student
group formed last spring, chalked
blue squares on sidewalks in Harvard
Yard and around major campus
buildings . Posters proclaimed that
the blue squares represent "faith,
family, country and community."
AALARM leader Adam Webb
described the group as pro-heterosexuality
and pro-traditional values.
Members hope to bring Oliver North
to campus and start their own
publication.
-Associated Press
Task Force Moves
WASHINGTON, D. C. The
National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force, the country's oldest and preeminent
national gay and lesbian
civil rights organization, has moved
to new, larger offices at 1734
Fourteenth St, NW, Washington, DC
20009-4309. The phone number,
(202)332-6483, remains unchanged.
Formed in 1973 by seven leading
lesbian and gay activists in New
York, NGLTF has grown to its current
staff of 15 and has 17,000 members
nationwide.
Newsbriefs
Ollie North Attacks
AIDS Service
Agency
Ollie North waged an attack on the
Gay Men's Health Crisis center in a
recent fundraising letter. The letter
stated that the government had
given the center money to "produce a
comic book depicting in explicit
detail a sexual encounter between two
homosexuals." The letter continued,
"With government funding filth like
this, it's an outrage that new taxes
are even being considered."
GMHC spokesperson Carissa
Cunningham said that the center had
not had federal funding in two years.
Meanwhile, North, along with James
Dobson, endorses Summit Youth
Ministries, a college founded by
David Noebel, the anti-gay, antirock
music successor to anti-communist
crusader ,Billy James Hargis.
He and Hargis founded American
Christian College in 1970 but in 1974,
after four male students accused
Hargis of seducing them, Hargis
resigned and Noebel took over.
Noebel regularly refers to
homosexuals in his lectures as
"fairies," "queers'.' and "fruits."
-EC Record
48 Lesbian Couples
Tie The Knot On
Mexican Cruise
Ninety-four Lesbians were united in a
special holy union ceremony
conducted by Rev. Troy Perry of the
Metropolttan Community Church.
_ Robin Tyler Productions of Los
Angeles arranged a weeklong lesbian
cruise to Mexico and Tyler had
planned her own ceremony on board
with her life partner, Tracy
Michaels. Tyler was besieged by
other couples who wanted to cement
their relationships as well. The next
day the other 47 couples were united
on the ship's deck by Rev. Perry.
-Seattle Gay News
Gay Methodist
Minister Will
Challenge Church
NASHVILLE; Tenn - In the first
challenge of its kind to the United
Methodist Church, an openly gay
minister has demanded that he be
placed in a ministry, and that the
church lift its 1984 ban on Lesbians
and Gays. Writing to Bishop George
Bashore and to the Western
Pennsylvania Conference Board of
Ordained Ministry, the Rev. James
Hawk called on the church to " ... put
away old myths, stereotypes, and
fantasies about lesbian and gay
people."
Hawk said that he has received
strong moral support from Lesbians
and Gays around the couuntry since he
came out. In particular, he said, a
number of closeted ministers have
called him to wish him good luck.
"That really surprised me, " said
Hawk.
-Gay Community News
Daily Newspaper
Publishes Domestic
Partners Notices
A Washington state newspaper
serving a community of 54,000 has
become the first mainstream daily
newspaper to begin publishing
domestic partners notices. Editors of
the Everett Herald changed a
wedding and engagement announcement
section to a "Celebrations"
section that will carry domestic
partners and holy union announcements.
Herald Managing Editor Stan
Strick said that an announcement had
been requested by a lesbian couple.
"It came in the normal form of an
announcement, and we had no good
reason not to approve it. .. "
-Equal Time
Steffan Case
Reopened
In what crusaders against homophobia
in the military see as a clear
sign that the military's discrimination
against lesbian and gay
Americans is soundly under attack,
the U. S. Court of Appeals reopened
the case of Joseph Steffan, a navy
cadet who was forced to resign in 1987
after he came out of the closet. A
lower court had dismissed Steffan's
suit after Steffan refused to answer
questions about whether he'd ever
had gay sex. But the appeals court
said the dismissal was a mistake
because the Navy's case against
Steffan was based only on Steffan's
statement that he was gay. Whether
Steffan ever had 51:;xt,h e court said,
was not an issue, due to the original
framing fo the case.
0 Baltimore Alternative
Gay/Lesbian Twins
Sought For Study
Gay or . lesbian same-sex twins are
being sought to . participate in an
extensive Northwestern University
research study.
Ross A. Goldman, principle research
coordinator, describes the Department
of Psychology study as the
largest new being conducted in the
United States on the development of
sexual orientation.
He said subjects are being sought
who are gay or lesbian and who have
a twin of the same sex, either
fraternal or identical, and without
regard to the co-twin's sexual
orientation.
Potential subjects are asked to call
Goldman collect at (708)491-4239 to
schedule a telephone interview.
P-FLAG Pole
CMI Journals
Available
The 1990 Edition of the Communication
Ministry Journal is now
available. The Middle Years:
What's The. Difference? looks at the.
midlife experience through the eyes
of religious and priests who have
committed themselves to the Gospel
as they try to integrate their gay and
lesbian identity, its loves, tensions
and challenges. The latest of the
CMI Journal has 84 pages of
reflection, journey sharing,
commentary and poetry. Back issues
of the CMI Journal are also
available. Nurturing The Gift: Gay
& Lesbian Candidates in Seminary &
Religious Formation, the 1988
□. :
Journal, contains personal and .
pastoral essays exploring the isst es. ·
facing both qirectors and their
candidates in the post-Stonewall era. ·
AIDS - Specter of Fear: Call for.
Concern, the 1987 Journal is a
collection of pastoral responses - one,
of the first to emerge within the
Catholic Church, challenging bot1{
dioceses and religious congregations 1
to look at the evangelical response
provoked by the AIDS crisis.
To order the CMI Journals, send US
check to P.O. Box 60125, Chicago; IL
60660-0125. Journals are $7.50 each
for nori CMI subscribers. Add $20.00
for a subscription to Communication
newsletter.
Gay Man A
'Point Of Light'
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Elliot
Schneck was the 315th American to
be honored by President George Bush
as a "Daily Point of Light."
Schneck, of San Francisco, is an
openly gay person with AIDS who
volunteers at the San Francisco AIDS·
Foundation hotline and the People
With AIDS switchboard, and
regularly addresses students at the ·
University of California Medical
Center.
OURWORLD
The International Gay Travel Magazine
Month by month, we invite you to explore the exciting world of
travel available to gay men and lesbians. Each month we help you to ·
discover the multitude of interesting hotels, inns and resorts that
welcome the gay traveler.
Enjoy articles and color photos of a
romantic hotel in Spain, a secluded retreat
in Hawaii, a manor house in the English
countryside, a Greek pension overlooking
the sea, a rustic resort in Colorado, and
more -all catering to our lifestyle!
Plus, every month, regular departments
provide you with valuable information on
gay events and festivals, travel updates
and tips, interviews, and the latest gay
trips and tours-sail the Caribbean on a
• private yacht, join an expedition to Nepal,
cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury liner
or fly to Sydney for the Gay Mardi Gras.
~-----------' Whatever you're looking for, let OUR
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March/ April 1991 II
..
"In the past, the achievements, triumphs, and defeats of gay
men and lesbians were not only hidden from history, most were
lost for all time. This must never happen again."-Danni
Munson, editor, The Gay & Lesbian Almanac and Events of 1991.
------~~~ --~===;--i
1 TIit: CiAY & L[SHIAN
!= ALMANAC ,I
''" EVENT s Uf 11_ ---1991=
. I
A CHRONICLE OF CURRENT
GAY /LESBIAN HISTORY
This volume rec ords for history:
• The rise of a gay/lesbian movement in Eastern
Europe
• Celebration 90: Gay Games III and Culrural
Festival
• The latest research and statistics on AIDS
• The fight to end miliurry discrimination agains t
gays and lesbians
• The controversial practice of outing
• The progress and setbacks in religio11
A Colendar of Upcoming Events
Hundreds of 1991 gay/lesbian events from
cruises to concerts, from ·rcxleos to music
festivals , and much more. Plus listings of
birthdays of famous gays & lesbians.
Availbable at local bookstores or from the publisher
Send 9.95 plus $2.00 postage and handling to:
ENVOY ENTERPRISES
740 N. Rush St. Suite 609
Chicago IL 60611
E mpathy is a jo urnal that deserves our
suppon fo r the ori ginal and creative work it
d oes m the interest of tru~ a nd justice.
•f. Rev. Ma.lcolm Boyd, author of 23 books
including A.re Yo11 Running with Me, fesus?,
Take Of/th e Masks, :md Gay Priest
E.mpathy provide5 ,1. mul' h-n«Ji:J and
wdcomcd communi ca rio n ·Jink f,ir persons
involved in cduc.uio n abou t homophtihia. At its
[)(:sc it will keep us informeJ and in tuuch,
supported a nd challenged, excited and proud .
~ Brian M..:Na.ught, le..:turcr and author of On
Being Gay: Thoughts .on Family, Faith, and Love
Empathy
L.An
Interdisciplinary
Journal
for Persons
Working to
End Oppression
on the Basis of
Sexual Identity
r u BI.ISH EO TWJCE A YEAR, EM PATHY INCLUDES
SC H OU. RLY ESSAYS. PROSE AND POETRY, PRACTITIONER
ARTICLES, ANECDOTAL ESSAYS, ANO RESE.AR.CH R.EPOllTS
AS WELL AS ANNOTATE D !IIBU OGRAPH l"ES FOR
RESOURCE MATERIALS; RECENT RESEARCH AND BOOKS.
THE JOURNAL SERVES PEOl'LE WORKING IN EDUCAT ION ,
COUNSELING, HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL WORK,
COMMUNITI ACTIVISM, AND THE MINISTRY
NATIONALLY ANO INTERNATIONALLY.
One y.ear (2 issu es) individual su bscrip tion
s10 (sis instituti onal)
Make checks payab le_ to Gay and Lesbian Advocacy
R esearch Project (GLARP ) alld mail to:
Empa1hy, PO Box so8s, Columbia , SC 29250.
Newsbriefs
Lambda Sues Over
Catholic Hospices
NEW YORK - Lambda is suing the
state health commissioner and the
state Public Health Council over
their funding of Catholic residential
health care facilities for persons
with HIV. The Catholic homes
refuse to distribute condoms and
abortion information, and tell
homosexuals that their lovemaking
is sinful. The lawsuit alleges that
the defendants violated the
Constitutional separation of church
and state, subverting recognized
public health guidelines to
accomodate the sectarian interests of
a religious group.
-Baltimore Alternative
Gay/Lesbian Films
Available From
Frameline
SAN FRANCISCO - Despite Helmsinspired
criticism of its annual NEA
grant , Frameline - organizers of the
annual San Francisco Lesbian and Gay
Film Festival - have released their
first distribution catalog, which
offers over 60 lesbian and gay films
and videos for rental. New
acquisitions include "Extramuros," an
extraordinary lesbian nun drama
starring Carmen Maura.
Frameline is the nation 's only
organization solely dedicated to the
promotion , exhibition, funding and
distribution of lesbian and gay film
and video. Frameline came under
attack last summer by Jesse Helms,
the American Family Ass <>Ciation
and the 700 Club, who were opposed
to the organization'$ NEA funding.
For a free Frameline catalog call
(415)861-5245.
NCOD Provides
Coming Out
Brochures
SANTA FE, NM - National Coming
Out Day is making available helpful
materials for individuals and community
groups. "Guidelines for
Obtaining Local Media Coverage,"
"Starting Your Own Support Group,"
"Coming Out Day Events," "Ideas For
Coming Out," and "Coming Out As A
Community" are but a few of the
rapidly growing collection of useful
handouts available at no charge.
"Our promise to be a resource for
community activists is well under
way," said Lynn Shepodd, Executive
Director of National Coming Out
Day . "The single most powerful act
II SECOND _ STONE
□ we gay or lesbian people can do is to
take our next step in the coming out
process. NCOD's job, in part, is to
support us in doing that effectively,
Providing support materials is just
part of that effort."
To obtain materials, or to get more
information about being an Official
Sponsor of National Coming Out Day,
call (505)982-2558 or 1-800-
445-NCOD.
Exhibit Reflects
Strength Of
African American
Lesbians
"Keepin' On" - Images of African
American Lesbians, an exhibit
reflecting the strength and creativity
of the African Amercian Lesbian
community, past and present, private
and public, is available for viewing
through April 11 at the Lesbian and
Gay Community Services Center , 208
W. 13th St., in New York City. The
exhibit is presented by the Lesbian
Herstory Archives and the National
Museum of Lesbian and Gay History.
"New York in June"
Seeks Memorabilia
NEW YORK - The Lesbian and Gay
Community Services Center National
Museum of Lesbian and Gay History
has announced an exhibit entitled
"New York in June: A History of The
Lesbian and Gay Pride March." The
museum is conducting a search for
historical matter that would be
relevant to the exhibit. Providi11g a
historica l overview of New York's
Lesbian and Gay Pride marches .over
the last 21 years, ,the show will
include banners, placards; flyers,
posters, costumes and related
memorabilia. Groups or individuals
who possess materials they feel
would be appropriate, and are
interested in their being included in
the exhibit should call
(212)620-7310.
Banned Books
Publishes
New Catalog
Banned Books, the Austin,
Texas-based gay and lesbian bookseller,
has published a catalog of
new titles and authors. For a free
catalog and bookstore list send a
first-class stamp to Banned Books,
Dept . 5591, #292, P.O. Box 33280,
Austin, TX 78764.
Saul (Robert Gately) confronts Jonathan (Charles Comstock) in MCC-K~as
City's production of David and Jonathan. PhotoA: ngieR inn
David and Jonathan
Theatre company stages
Biblical love story
David and Jonathan, a new play
written and directed by Dan Grippo,
is being staged by the MCC Theatre
Company, an outreach of the
Metropolitan Community Church of
Greater Kansas City. The play .
brings to life events covered in the
Old Testament book of 1st Samuel,
including the fall of Israel's first
king, Saul, and the covenant between
David, Israel's second and greatest
king, and Jonathan, Saul's son.
''The relationship between David
and Jonathan was clearly a deeplyfelt
love relationship," Grippo said.
"What is significant about the
relationship is~that it holds up for
lesbian and gay people a model of a
nobel and loving same-sex relationship
from the very heart of the
Judeo-Christian tradition, which has
too often been the source of
condemnation and persecution of
same-sex love."
Grippo, who has a graduate degree
in religious studies, cites several
passages from the Bible that reveal
the special quality of the
relationship between David and
Jonathan .
When Jonathan first meets David,
" ... the soul of Jonathan was knit to
the soul of David, and Jonathan
loved him as his own soul... Then
Jonathan made a covenant with
David, because he loved him as his
own soul. And Jonathan stripped
himself of the robe that was upon
him, and gave it to David ... " (1
Samuel 18:1-4). When Jonathat dies;
David laments over his body with
these words: "I am distressed for you,
my brother Jonathan... Your love to
me was wonderful, passing the love of
women." (2 Samuel 1:26).
With passages such as these there
can be no doubt that the two men had
a deep and special love for one
another," said Grippo. "And for such
passages to have survived in the
bfblical traditi'on is an indication
that for the people of the time there
was nothing shameful about this
public expression of same-sex l_ove
and devotion."
The play is about more than David
and Jonathan's relationship, said
Grippo. ''It is also a story of war and
peace in the Middle . East, which
unfortunately is quite timely given
the tragic events unfolding there.
For performance information, call
(816)753-1921 and for information
about use of the play call
(913)648-0107.
Catalog Lists
Gay Books
Paths Untrodden, a gay owned and
operated mail order book service for
gay men has released its 1991
catalog, listing hundreds of titles in
83 different subject areas. Included in
the catalog is a special tribute to
pioneer gay bookseller Ed Drucker
who for almost 20 years operated
Elysian Fields Booksellers until his
recent death due . to complications
from AIDS.
The catalog, a 48 page
bibliography, is available for $3.00
from Paths Untrodden, P.O. Box 459,
Village Station, New York, NY
10014-()459.
,, ..
Great
Response!
'' 1hat's what a Second Stone advertiser
told us recently.
And we hear that more and more these days. That's because
Second Stone reaches readers where many other gay and
lesbian publications can't. Like public and university libraries.
We don't carry advertising or editorial content that would put
us behind the counter. We're up front - in plain sight!
For businesses offering products and services
to the national gay and lesbian community,
we're an exciting new marketing
approach!
Reach new customers in every state across the USA.
Second Stone offers a variety of in-column ad sizes with frequency
discounts. We offer spot and full color. We'll lay out
your ad at no charge and we'll get it right - we'll send you a
proof to make sure. Second Stone will also insert your
brochure, flier or catalog in our mailing.
It doesn't cost as much as you think.
You can reach a paid coast to coast readership for about what
you'd pay to advertise in one local free distribution gay newspaper.
And ... to mail your insert in Second Stone costs
less than mailing it yourselfl
You won't know till you try it.
The potential sales you lose while you're thinking about advertising
cannot be recaptured. If you're thinking you've paid too
m"~h for advertising that hasn't worked ... you're probably right!
But you haven't tried Second Stone.
SErDND STONE
You'll be pleased with the results.
Call 1-504-899-4014f or advertising assistance.
March/ April 1991 a
Task Force,
local groups
launch campaign
to counteract
violence
WASHINGTON, D.C . A
nationwide effort to document and
counteract violence against Lesbians
and Gays has been launched by the
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
and community-based groups fighting
the growing problem of homophobic
harassm ent and attacks.
The "Campaign to Count and
Counter Hate Crimes," encourages
and assists local efforts to document
anti-gay incidents, educates lesbian
and gay people on how to resist
violence, and advocaies for vigorous
official response to the problem.
Groups in Boston, New York,
Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco,
Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Cleveland,
the District of Columbia, Alexandria,
Va., and other cities released
their violence statistics for 1990.
Some community and campus-based
groups also announced their plans for
counteracting anti-gay incidents in
their areas. NGLTF Mrongly
encourages other gay and lesbian
groups to participate In the
r:.,$P._o,n tius' Puddle
campaign.
"As the nation's lesbian and gay
communities continue to make
progress toward equality, freedom
and visibility, we are increasingly
under attack," said Kevin Berrill,
NGL TF Anti-Violence Project
director.' 1'As the number of anti-gay
attacks climbs, we've seen a
corresponding increase during the
past year in the level of rage in our
community. This year, our goal will
be not only to highlight the problem,
but focus on safeguarding our lives and
communities."
For more information on the
campaign, write or call the NGLTF
Policy Institute Anti-Violence Project
at 1734 14th St., NW, Washington,
DC 20009, (202)332-6483.
CLASSIFIE
First Ten Words
FREE!
I -
Business or personal - The Second Stone
classifieds really work! Please sec the order
form on the classified page. Each additional
word, 35¢. 20 word minimum.
Rev. Jimmy Creech chosen as coordinator
Raleigh group awarded grant
The Raleigh Religious Network for
Gay and Lesbian Equality has
received a grant of $2500 from the
Southeastern Conference for Lesbians
and Gay Men · '90/Raleigh Steering
Committee to extend its outreach.
The funds were generated by the
Southeastern Conference for Lesbians
and Gay Men held in Raleigh last
March and were made available to
groups in the Raleigh area whose
work benefits the gay and lesbian
community.
The grant will provide initial
salary support for a part-time
Outreach Coordinator, a position
Rev. Jimmy Creech has been chosen to
fill. Creech, a United Methodist •
minister for more than 20 years, is a
founding member and formecro nvener
of RRNGLE and a board member of
the AIDS Service Agency of Wake
County, Inc. He lost his pastorate at
PATLAR
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Fairmont United Methodist Church
In Raleigh last June as a result of
controversy over his support of gay
rights. . His primary tasks as
Outreach Coordinator will be making
direct contact with area clergy,
organizing a speaker's bureau, and
producing a comprehensive gay/
lesbian resource guide for the Raleigh
area.
RRNGLE is an ecumenical network
of clergy and lay persons active since
1987 In challenging homophobia,
providing educational events, and
encouraging the acceptance of
Lesbians and gay men by faith
communities and society at large. Its
members Include parish clergy,
campus ministers, professors and lay
members of local Episcopal, United
Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian,
Catholic, Jewish, Unitarian,
Lutheran, United Church of Christ,
Disciples of Christ and Metropolitan
Community Church congregations.
Film Festival
Announces Twelve
City Tour
NEW YORI< • The New Festival,
Inc., producers of the annual New
York International Festival of
Lesbian and Gay Film, has embarked
on a twelve city tour. A 10 day
exhibition is planned for each city
with a gala opening night to benefit a
local gay host organization.
The Spring Tour circuit includes
stops in Houston, (March 1-10),
Washington, D.C., (March 15•24),
Boston, (April 5•14), and Atlanta,
(April 19 - May 2). For more
information on The New Festival
National Gay and Lesbian 1991 Film
Tour call (212)966-5656.
Cover Story
Joseph Houle puts readers on The Road to Emmaus
COVER STORY,
From Pagel
Emmaus and director of
Emmaus House of Prayer,
knows well the obstacles
one may encounter on a
journey of the spirit. He
grew up Catholic, and
started seminary in the
ninth grade during a time
when the Catholic Church
had a 12-year program for
young men who felt the
early call to become priests.
Houle attended seven years
of the seminary program
before applying to enter a
monastery.
His preliminary
psychological tests revealed
that he had a
tendency toward homosexuality.
During one qf his
interviews he was asked if
he was homosexual, and he
honestly answered that he
was attracted to men but
had never acted upon the
impulses. He was accepted
into the monastery with
the stipulation that he
would be ousted if his
sexual urges got to be a
problem.
In the monastery he
started seeing a . psychiatrist
about his "problem,"
but stopped when he
became involved in a
one-time encounter with
another cleric. He
eventually told a confessor
about his encounter only to
have the priest break his
seal of confession and tell
the novice master about
Houle's admission. The
WAR, From Page 1
The NGLTF said that in a
matter of days the military
had spent the equivalent of
the entire 1991 Federal
appropriations for AlDS and,
in a matter of hours, the same
amount as the 1991 appropriations
for the Ryan White
AIDS Resource Emergency
Act.
The Task Force said that
every war the United States
has fought in the 20th
Century has proven hostile to
movements for social change
and social justice. The
next day they asked him to
leave. He didn't resist.
He decided to attempt to
lead a heterosexual life,
and the next year he
married . Says Houle, "I
thought if I accepted that I
was homosexual then that
path would lead me to a
life of isolation, loneliness
"I thought if I
accepted that I
was homosexual
then
that path
would lead me
to a life of
isolation,
loneliness and
exclusion from
society and
family. I
wanted to be
part to the
larger
community."
and exclusion from society
and family. I wanted to be
part of the larger community."
The marriage
failed at the end of five
years. It was at this time
statement concluded recalling
Dr. Martin Luther King's
position against the war in
Vietnam. " . . .! knew that
America would never invest
the necessary funds or
energies in rehabilitation of
its poor so long as adventures
like Vietnam continued to
draw men and skills and
money like some demonical
destructive suction tube,"
King st<1.ted. "So I was
incre<1singly compelled to see
the war as an enemy of the
poor and to attack it as such ."
that Houle decided to
explore his sexual feelings
and learn what being
honestly and openly gay
might offer .
In early 1976 at the
insistent urging of a friend
he attended his first
Metropolitan Community
Church service in Pittsburgh.
He didn't want to
have anything to do with
church, but he went so his
friend would stop badgering
him. He ended up staying
with MCC because for the
first time he felt God's love
in a personal sense . He
says, ."Growing up I never
thought of religion or
spirituality as a personal
relationship with God."
Drawing from his past
experiences, and his
acceptance as a gay man
within MCC, he says that
he never felt any private
strife about being homosexual
and Christian.
It was during his four year
tenure as pasto r of MCC
Pittsburgh that he embarked
upon a new course of
spiritual training at The
Institute of Formative
Spirituality at Dukane
University . The studies
taught the science of
spirituality: how to sift
through religious traditions
and elements to find
what is authentic and
foundationally spiritual in
origin . He was also trained
to teach and do counseling
in small groups .
After his graduation in
1983 he floundered for a
while, not feeling comfortable
with his role as
pastor, yet knowing that
God had called him for
ministry. He lived his last
year in Pittsburgh at a
Catholic House of Prayer,
and he thought that
creating a similar program
might be a good direction
for his efforts within the
UFMCC. He thought of
this new ministry as "a
place for individual
retreat, with a structure
outside . of local congregations.
"
From his background and
training he felt that he
could bring to this new
March/ April 1991
- - - --- - - -- - - - -- --- --- - - ·-- - - -~
ministry a perspective "of
looking at the Christian
walk through the lens of
spirituality and the whole
·aspect of contemplation and
mysticism." Monasticism
had taught him to slow
down, "to be aware and
attentive of everything
that is happening at each
moment, rather than
rushing through life." He
also found a special power
at work in his prayer life .
He could see results in
others and in himself. As
he says, "Things ha·ppen in
prayer; that is a ministry .
Results come when ·we
really invest ourselves."
Houle now lives with his
lover, Robert, and Robert's
nephew, Scott. They are
all working together as a
family to build Emmaus
House of Prayer. As a part
of this buiiding process the
"If the gospel
really includes
all people,
then it is
crucial, I think,
to talk about
· the gospel with
language that
reflects that
truth."
ministry has developed
and published The Road To
Emmaus, an inclusive
language devotional.
When asked to explain
inclusive language, Houle
stated, "If the gospel
really includes all people,
then it is crucial, I think, to
talk about the gospel with
language that reflects that
truth. Language is very,
very powerful. When I see
a list of segments of the
population, and gay is left
out of that, I feel left out
just by the fact that it is not
stated, even if it's not
□
negative. Inclusive language
reflects the fact that
God's love embraces
everybody: men and women,
heterosexuals and homosexuals,
and people of all
races and ethnic bac)<.grounds
. In the devotional
we adopted a policy of
inclusivity where there
was no assumption made
about _the gender, sexual
orientation or the race or
ethnic background of the
reader.
'We tried to say things in
a way that anyone would
be able to hear as good news
without having to
translate, 'Oh, yes, that
might apply to me too, even
though it doesn't say it.'
There are some meditations
there that focused on the
black people's experiences,
some about Hispanic exper 0
iences, some about people
who are physically challenged.
We tried to
incorpora ·te experiences
through those lenses as
well.''
.Although Boule had
initially wanted to do the
book himself it was later
decided that it might be
.more interesting to include
different writers . Among
the 12 contributors to the
book is Jeannine Grammick,
an author well known to
the lesbian/gay Christian
community. When asked
how they got Grammick to
participate, Houle said,
'We called her! I had not
met her, but we told her
about the project, and she
said, 'Sure.' The same with
Bob Nugent, whose latest
book is Stations of the Cross
For Persons Living With
AIDS. We also included
the work of many people
who have never been
published before, ordinary
Christians that have
something to offer to the
community."
Houle confirmed that most
of the writers are gay and
lesbian Christians; the
others are persons committed
to working for
equality and justice for
homosexuals. But he
SEE COVER STORY,
Page 18 ii
Families · □ The truth shall set you free
By Rev. Gan A. Yan Buren
Family Editor
Q ne of the functions of church
communities is that of storytelling.
The Gospel is a story that we love to
hear and to tell, over and over again.
We have exposure to the wonderful
faith stories of Abraham, Sarah, and
their descendents . We frequently
know or learn about the faith journeys
of famous Christians, modern and
historical. Furthermore, we each
have our own faith story to tell.
"Who do you say that I am?," and,
yes, He then swore them to secrecy
until such time as He was ready to
reveal Himself to the world. (Mark
8:29-30)
The introduction to Mark given in
the NIV Study Bible suggests that
Mark may have been responding to
persecutions among Christians by
Rome. He was writing to encourage
these believers, preparing them for
sufferings they might face by corning
out as Christians! To do this, Mark
simply told them Jesus' own story in a
"simple, succinct, unadorned yet
vivid account of Jesus' ministry,
emphasizing more what Jesus did
than what He-said." (NIV, p. 1491.)
There are always consequences of
corning out, no matter what · one is
"corning· out" about - being Messiah,
being Christian, or being gay or
lesbian! In the final analysis, we can
choose to follow Jesus as a role model
for our own coming out as who we are
as Christian people who are lesbian
and gay . Jesus was, first and
foremost, always Himself, doing
exactly what God called Him to do .
He healed and reached out to all
who came to Him, never holding back
out of fear of discovery. But, Jesus did
choose to take control of the
circumstances - the time and place of
self-disclosure. It certainly must
have looked bleak when Jesus stood
before Pilate and admitted, "Yes, it
is as you say; I am the King of the
Jews." (Mark 15:2) Yet, three days
later, Jesus had His most dramatic
corning out ever when He rose from
the dead! Corning out is a little like
that for us, like rising from the dead .
That is how Jesus continues to come
out to individuals today - one by one.
That is how we each have learned
the truth about Jesus' identity. That
is how we must share in truth-telling
about ourselves . The next time you
decide to come out to a friend or foe
remember these words of Jesus: that
you shall know the truth and the
truth will set you free! (John 8:32)
For -this issue of Second Stone, I
have the opportunity of introducing
you to a writer who has given the gift
• of courage to many parents who have
decided to face the truth about their
child's sexual orientation, Robert
Bernstein. He shares with us some of
this thoughts on the benefits of
corning out.
How did we come to know Jesus
Christ? How has knowing Christ
changed our lives? Where are we
going spiritually? A)l these stories
are part of our community of faith.
Whenever we enter into a. new
friendship, one of the early ways we
begin to bond is by sharing our life
story with our new friend. How much
we share, where we place emphasis,
and what we leave out is all
determined by the nature of the
friendship we are hoping to form.
Why weren't you more like Moses?
As lesbian and gay people, there is
an added dimension to our stories.
We must continually make decisions
about whether or not we want to
disclose our sexual orientation, i.e.,
"come out." It is rather .absurd that
discriminatory practices on the part
of the heterosexual majority have
placed us in this position and, in fact,
one comment frequently heard when
we do come out is, "Why do you have
to flaunt it? I never have to make a
big deal out of being heterosexual!"
{Have you noticed that this remark
is usually followed by walking away
hand-in-hand with their oppositesex
partner, affectionately greeting
hubby or wifey, pulling out a wallet
full of pictures of the kids, or
mentioning their recent engagement?)!
As gay and lesbian people we even
celebrate "National Coming Out
Day." This may be an absurd day by
heterosexual standards, but for us, it
is consciousness-raising. It offers
death-dealing blows to stereotyping.
It is revolutionary and it is lifegiving
to all.
Our Savior did some modeling for us,
using various methods of disclosing
His true identity to those around
Him. The Gospel of Mark offers
several glimpses of how Jesus
handled His own "coming out" as
Messiah. First, He came out slowly.
Secondly, He refused to let others,
who did not love Him, force Him to
come out before He was ready. (Mark
1 :24-25) His approach among His
clnsest friends was to ask them,
ByR oberAt .B ernstein
Contributing Writer
It was last October, as I pondered
the significance of Coming Out Day,
that I came to realize that I am
prejudiced. I have a bias toward gay
and lesbian persons. I think they
often tend to be better than other
folks.
Like most who are opinionated, I am
convinced that my particular prejudice
has a basis in reality . In this
instance, it's a spiritual reality and
it relates to what Coming Out Day is
all about.
For, more precisely, the full force of
my bias is reserved for a special class
of Lesbians and Gays - those who are
out of the closet and have discovered
the far-reaching significance of the
simple phrase, "I am what I am."
As a general rule, I have observed,
these are people who are apt to be
more creative and talented, more
warm and generous, more joyous .and
more caring - in short, more truly
alive than most of us
run-of-the-mill heterosexual types.
And the explanation, I have
concluded, is contained in the
rationale behind Coming Out Day.
When my daughter came out to me, I
was spared much of the trauma that
parents ordinarily experience under
these circums tances, by virtue of the
fact that I had already long
suspected she was a lesbian. So I was
able to tell her sincerely that I was
pleased by her revelation, because it
eliminated an important barrier
between us and allowed me to feel
closer to her.
But it was only later, as I watched
her bloom and mature; and as 1-met
scores of other fine young gay people,
Emotional health,
they say, is the inner
peace that comes
from shucking o-μr
"false self" - those
conditioned notions
of who we are or
"should" be - and
working toward a
fuller acceptance of
our "true self," or
who we actually are.
To the extent we
distance ourselves
from our inner
reality, we stunt our
spirits and hobble
our souls.
that I gradually came to realize the
tuller psychological significance of
the coming out process itself . The
qualities I so admired in these young
SECO .ND STONE
people, I came to believe, were a
function of hard-wrought selfhonesty,
of their willingness to take
the risk, in a hostile society, of being
wholly and openly themselves.
The point is made in a traditional
Hassidic story about a Rabbi Zusya,
which echoes in the writings of
Martin Buber and other theologians.
The rabbi, it seems, went to heaven
expecting to be asked, "Why weren't
you more like Moses?" but was asked
instead, "Why weren't you more like
Rabbi Zusya?"
All human beings are manifestations
of God, the story seems to say, and our
challenge is to be ever more fully
ourselves.
Psychologists tE1ll us something
similar. Emotional health, they say,
is the inner peace that comes from
shucking our "false self" - those
conditioned notions of who we are or
"should" be - and working toward a
fuller acceptance of our "true self," or
who we actually are. To the extent
we distance ourselves from our inner
reality, we stunt our spirits and
hobble our souls.
At best, though, the process of
self-acceptance is difficult and neverending.
And it becomes frightfully
complicated when society viciously
condemns some important aspect of
who we are . So, virtually by
definition, the gay person who is
comfortable with his or her gayness
has already overcome some of the
more daunting obstacles on the path
to maturity and fulfillment.
A dramatic illustration of all this -
SEE COMING OUT, Page 15
Church & Organization News
New Group For
Christian Lesbians
Christian Lesbians Out Together
CLOUT - is tentatively planning a
large gathering the first weekend of
November, 1991. The new group is
"committed not only to struggling
against forces of sexism and misogyny
and heterosexism and homophobia,
but also against racism, antisemitism,
classism, ableism,
clericalism and other structures of
domination that foster injustice." For
information write to CLOUT, Box 758,
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.
Ohio Methodists
Form Support
Group
Gay and lesbian • Methodists have
begun forming a support group in
Columbus, Ohio. The group meets on
the first Friday of the month. For
information call Judy, (614)262-9750,
or Rocky, (614)262-9791.
Williams Appointed
Assistant Pastor
Rev. Kathi Jo Williams has been
appointed Assistant Pastor of the
Good Samaritan Parish of
Metropolitan Community Church in
Toledo, Ohio. Williams was formerly
the pastor of Emmanuel MCC of
Cleveland.
Mental Health,
Chemical
Depe'ndency
Program Opens
The Open Quest Institute has opened
a new program, the first of its type in
the nation, specifically designed for
the treatment of gay and lesbian
patients with mental, emotional, or
chemical dependency problems
serious enough to warrant hospital
care. Treatment is provided by a
predominantly gay and lesbian team.
"Our program meets a long neglected
need," said Donald Levy, Executive
Director. "Often gay and lesbian
patients in ordinary treatment
programs are treated to large doses of
homophobia not only from fellow
patients, but from the hospital staff
members as well. Frequently, while
trying to grapple with difficult, real
problems, they are subjected to efforts
to change themselves, and even suffer
outright harassment."
The program, which accepts
patients from all over the United
States, is offered at Manor West
Hospital in Los Angeles . Patients
and those close to them can also seek
help directly be calling the
Institute's 24-hour crisis intervention
line, 1-800-444-9999.
The Institute also serves as a
training facility. It provides
internships to psychotherapists and,
to date, has trained over 150 gay men
and lesbians . Persons interested in
the internship program may call
1-800-664-5000 for more information.
Gay/Lesbian
Bicyclists Unite
Pacelines is ihe three-year-old
international newsletter for lesbian
and gay bicyclists . The purpose of
the publication is to promote
bicycling among Gays and Lesbians
and to encourage visits from one group
to another.
Pacelines was founded in Italy in
1987, and is now published in the
USA. Featured in the 10-page
bi-monthly newsletter are reports of
bike events in the USA and
elsewhere and a listing of all
upcoming events. A directory of gay
and lesbian bicycle clubs worldwide
(43 so far!) is also included.
Annual subscriptions are US $15.00
for all countries. For information,
write to Bob Bland, 43 Upton St.,
Boston, MA 02118.
NYC Group For
Transplanted
Southerners
Over 560 Southerners living in the
New York City area are enjoying the
company of a new group which
celebrates aspects of Southern culture
which its members love and miss
while they work to curtail the
intense homophobia which causes
many gay and lesbian Southerners to
leave the South. "We help many
new arrivals from the South find
their bearings in New York by
providing opportunities for them to
make friends of similar background ,"
said David Gilbert, founder of the
group.
For information, or to receive
Southerners latest newsletter, write
to P.O. Box 881, Church St. Station,
New York, NY 10008-0881 or call
(212)674-8073.
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Meet brave men and women who are confronting
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our engaging features and columns, newsbriefs
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March / April 1991 m
Calendar
Thef ollowinga nnouncementhsa ve
beens ubmittedb y sponsoringo r
affiliatedg roups.
Gay/Lesbian
Civil Rights
MARCH lS.-17, A Century of Catholic
Teaching on Social Justice, sponsored
by Dignity/ Austin (Region Seven
Spring Conference). Cost is $49.00.
Concurrent with the 1991 March on
Austin for Gay /Lesbian Civil Rights.
Pat Roche, president of Dignity /USA
is featured speaker. For information
call (512)467-7908 or (512)444-4853.
Affirmation
Spring National
Meeting
APRIL 5-7, Affirmation: United
Methodists for Lesbian and Gay
Concerns gathers for its national
meeting. Valley of the Moon, in the
beauty of California wine country is
the setting. For information contact
Affirmation, P.O. Box 1021, Evanston,
IL 60204.
Brethren/Mennonite
Families Retreat
APRIL 12-14, The second retreat for
the parents and families of lesbian,
gay and bisexual persons. The
retreat, sponsored in part by a support
network of Brethren/Mennonite
parents with lesbian or gay children,
will be held at the Laurelville
Mennonite Church Center in western
Pennsylvania. Write to Rt. 5, Box 145,
Mt. Pleasant, PA 15666 or call (412)
4.23-2056.
Rescue The
Perishing
APRIL 12-14, Casa de la.Paloma
Apostolic Church, Tucson, Arizona,
hosts a series of revival services and
workshops. Rev. William H. Carey
of Schenectady, New York, a
Presbyter of the.National Gay
Pentecostal Alliance and pastor of
Lighthouse Apostolic Church, will be
guest preacher. For information .call
Rev. Sandy Lewis, (602)323-6855, or
write Casa de la Paloma Church,
P.O. Box 14003, Tucson, AZ
85732-4003.
LGCM 1991
Annual Conference
APRIL 13, England's Lesbian and Gay
Christian Movement holds its annual
conference. Bloomsbury Central
Baptist Church, London, is the
setting. For information write to
1B
LGCM, Oxford House, Derbyshire St.,
London E2 6HG, UK.
National Lesbian
Conference
APRIL 24-28, "Diversity, Solidarity,
Empowerment" is the theme of this
conference for, by and about Lesbians.
Nearly 5000 Lesbians are expected to
gather in Atlanta for workshops,
caucuses, plenary sessions, strategy
meetings and cultural events. The
five day conference, open to women
only, will include a film and video
festival, workshops reflecting the
broad theme of the conference, a
market place for unique lesbian arts
and crafts, and more. The Atlanta
Civic Center is the setting. For
information write to NLC, P.O. Box
1999, Decatur, GA 30031.
1991-More Light
Conference
MAY 3-5, 1991, "Different Gifts, but
the Same Spirit" is the theme of the
1991 Presbyterian More Light
Conference, to be held in Rochester,
New York. A warm weekend of
spiritual enrichment and personal
connections is promised. The keynote
address will be given by Dr. Letty M.
Russell, Professor of Theology, Yale
Divinity School. Cost is $60.00.
For more information, call Chris
Bensch (716)473-0192 or Lee Fischer
(716)442-5117 or write: More Light
Conference, c/o Downtown United
Presbyterian Church, 121 North
Fitzhugh St., Rochester, NY 14614.
Spiritfest
New Orleans
MAY 24-27, Grace Ministries sponsors
a Christian gathering at Holy
Redeemer Retreat Center, LaCombe,
Louisiana. The retreat center, a
former Redemptorist seminary, is
beautifully situated on 110 acres of
forested land on the north shore of
Lake Ponchartrain. Cost is $100.00
per person. For information write to
Spiritfest '91, P.O. Box 70555, New ·
Orleans, LA 70172-0555.
National UCCL/GC
Gathering
JUNE23 -26, The United Church
Coalition for Lesbian/Gay Concerns'
National Gathering 11 immediately
precedes the United Church of Christ
General Synod 18 in Norfolk,
Virginia. The setting for the
gathering will be the Old Dominion
University campus in Norfolk.
Connecticut UCCL/GC is planning the
three day event, which will offer
opportunities for single persons and
persons in relationships to explore
ways we are family: the family
we're in now , the family we came
from, the family we would wish for.
Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, author
of Is TheH omosexuaMl y Neighbor?,
will be the featured speaker. For
information write to: UCCL/GC, 18
N. College, Athens, OH 45701 or call
(614)593-7301.
SDA Kinship
Kampmeeting
JUNE 9-16, The Seventh-day
Adventists Kinship International
annual gathering will be held at
Menucha Camp just outside Portland,
Ore. For inforination write to Box
3840, Los Angeles, CA 90078-3840.
NABWMT
Convention '91:
Living, Loving
and Working
Together
JUNE 23-30, The Detroit Chapter of
Black and White Men Together hosts
the 1991 convention of the National
Association of Black and White Men
Together, an organization formed ten
years ago to break down racial
barriers between gay people and
provide a multiracial political and
social forum. The NABWMT is an
umbrella organization for over 25
chapters nationwide. Convention '91
will explore the many ways we
relate as gay people and examine
methods to unify the gay community ..
Workshops will be presented on
interpersonal relationships, health
issues and AIDS awareness, bridging
cultural differences and many other
issues. The Hotel St. Regis is the
setting . For information write:
BWMT /Detroit, Convention '91, P.O.
Box 24-8831, Detroit, MI 48224.
Fifth Annual
Golden Threads
Celebration
JUNE28 -30, Lesbians from all over
the United States and many foreign
countries will gather at the
Provincetown Inn in Provincetown,
Mass ., for the annual Golden Threads
celebration. In existence since 1985,
Golden Threads is a worldwide social
network of Lesbians over 50 (and
friends, no lesbian is excluded.)
Entertainment will be provided by
Janice Perry a.k.a. GAL.
For information contact Christine
SECOND STONE
□ Burton, Golden Threads, P.O. Box
3177, Burlington, VT 05401-0031.
Embodied
Spirituality
& Sexuality
JUNE24 -28, St. Joseph's Retreat
House in San Antonio, Texas, is the
setting for this retreat for gay clergy
and religious. The retreat received
such outstanding reviews last year
that it is being offered again,
thoroughly .revised and improved.
For information write to CMI Retreat,
127 Oblate Dr., San Antonio, TX
78216.
connECtion '91
JULY4- 7, the first joint Evangelicals
Concerned Midwest and Western
Region conference. The campus of the
University of Denver is the setting.
The conference will include keynote
addresses, workshops, small group
interaction, prayer, and socializing.
Participants will fellowship with
gay and lesbian Christians from
across the United States and learn
more about the integration of
sexuality and spirituality and
discover new ways to love .God, others
and self. To show off Colorado's
natural WOI\ders, the weekend -will ,
feature a half-day trip into the
Rocky Mountains.
For registration information,
contact Scott at the ECWR office,
(303)830-2823.
National Lesbian &
Gay Health
Conference
JULY24 -28, Up to 1200 lesbian and
gay health professionals are
expected to congregate in New
Orleans for the 13th National
Lesbian and Gay Health Conference
and 9th National AIDS Forum. The
conference provides an opportunity
for health care providers and
caregivers to discuss issues of
importance to the lesbian and gay
community. It also gives health
professionals of diverse disciplines
an opportunity to learn, exchange
ideas and contribute to new thinking
about the needs and well being of the
lesbian and gay community. For
further information contact the
National Lesbian and Gay Health
Foundation, Inc., 1638 R St NW #2,
Washington, DC 20009 or call
(202)797-3708.
SEE CALENDAR, Next Page
Essay
Hearts
»..rC. lu:isJlI.as...._-'----CoI
uni nist
A couple of songs from the fifties
awaken memori, !s of the death of
Ronnil•. He was the first person
around my age I knew to die. The
songs arc unrelated to him, but they
came on the radio immediately after
I learned of his death, and so they
are forever associated with him. It's
like remembering where you were
when Kennedy was assassinated.
My parents had never shield ed me
from death. But death was some•
thing that happc'!led to old people,
particularly relatives. It· didn't
happen to people i11 the second grade,
as I was, or in the third grade, as
Ronnie was.
Ronnie's heart was too lar ge.
Literally. He had an adult-sized
heart in a chikHizcd body. It kept
him out of school fot periods of time.
It kept him from playing like
"normal" kids, His ()illy hope was
opcn•hcart surgery, in the days when
such operations were experimental
and rare.
The night before his surgery, he
CALENDARF,ro m Previous Page
Dignity/USA
Convention '91
AUGUST2 9-SEPTEMBERT.1h,e
Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in
Washington, D.C, will the be setting
for Digt;tlty /USA's tenth biennial
convention. This event brings
together delegates, members and
friends for a gathering that matches
no other in the Dignity datebook.
Themed "Many Gifts, One Spirit,"
the convention program will feature
presentations and workshops that
reflect the diversity of Dignity's
national community. Social events
will add to the excitement. Convention
topics will be organized into
five areas of interest: AIDS
Ministry, Removal of Barriers to
Women, Support for Human Rights
Laws, Anti-Gay /L esbian Violence,
The Primacy of Conscience and the
Right to Dissent. For more information
write: Convention '91,
Dignity /USA, Box 29661,
Washington, DC 20017.
Our Heroic Journey:
Building A Healing
Circle
AUGUST 26 • 29, A special retreat of
demonstrated that his largeness of
heart was more than physical. A kid
in his ward who was afraid of the
oxygen tent in which he was to sleep
needed reassurance. So Ronnie
climbed in his bed to show him there
was nothing to fear.
The · surgery the next day was a
"success." We had all been praying
for hitn at my Christian school. His
mother and my mother both taught
there. We left school that day
rejoicing that cvcrythit1g had gone
well. But by th(• time we arr ived
home, a phone call had come to
report that Ronnie's body, exhausted
by the trauma, had given out. My
mother ran to her room to cry. That's
when the songs came 011 the radio. I
wondered what it was like for Ronnie
in heaven. I remembered something I
had intended to give to Ronnie that
would now remain with me. I felt
guilty that I hadn't gotten it to him
before his death.
A friend, whom I will call Ron, has
just learned that he has tested
positive to HIV anribodies. He's
been part of a New York-based
medical study for years, but only .
celebration for gay and lesbian ministers,
This retreat will tap the very
special experience of the Holy Spirit ·
that every gay and lesbian minister
has to leam to utilize to strengthen
and celebrate their lives. The Weber
House, Baltimore, Maryland, is the
setting, Limited financial assistance
Is available . For registration infor mation,
write to CMI Retreat, P.O.
Box 60125, Chicago, IL 60660-0125.
Parents FLAG
10th Annual
Convention
OCTOBER 11•14, "Celebrating the
Tewels in our Crown" is the theme of
the tenth annual gathering of the
National Federation of ·Parents and
Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
Charlotte , North Carolina is the
setting. To reteive registration
materials, when available, write to
Charlotte Parents FLAG, 5815
Charing Place, Charlotte, NC 28211.
SEND EVENT NOTICES TO:
CALENDAlt, SECOND STONE,
P.O. BOX 8340,
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70182
, recently asked for information
regarding his HIV status. Now he
knows he's been infected for as many
years as he has participated in the
research.
When he lived in New York, Ron's
lover developed AIDS. They moved
to New England, so that his lover
could return to his roots and so that
their time -toge ther could have a
semblance of peace. The New York
Times was reporting at the lime that
I pray for him every day,
specifically praying that he
will not develop AIDS or
ARC. I wonder what it is
like for him to deal with his
fears without faith. His
heart hc\S been so badly
mangled by_ the church,
that the eschews all that it
represents.
lovers of persons with AIDS were
often found to be uninfected, The
Times was too delicate to exp lain
why: that is, that the uninfected
were those who took the "activ<!"
rather than "passive" role in sexual
intercourse.
Ron has a larger than normal. heart.
Figuratively. Just as he could not
abai1do11 the one he loved because he
had AIDS, he could liOt resist loving
him i11 intimate ways, Because of the
Times' non-explicit articles and the
general lack of information at the
time, they engaged in sex that today
wou ld be called "unsafe."
I heard a respected therapist say
recently that the only generalizations
he could make abmH male vs.
female sexuality is that women need
things to be good before sex; whereas
men use sex to make things good.
Whether or liOt the first statement is
tru~ for women, the second sta tement
March/April 1991
□
seems true of men. !11 a world of
homophobia and hcterosexism, it is
not surprising that gay men would
climb into bed to make things better.
Even AIDS or HIV-infection might
cause us to comfort one another
through love-making. And so with
Ron.
Presently, Ron's health is fine. I
pray for him every day, specifically
praying that he will Mt develop
AIDS or ARC. I wonder what it is
like for him lo deal with his fears
without faith. His heart has bc{)n so
badly mangled by the church, that
he eschews all that it represents.
Despite his spiritual cynicism, we
arc friends. And I have something I
would like to give him, before .. ,
Something that grieves me deeply
in comparing these two experiences of
bodily frailty is that the church
would look upon Ronnie as an innocent
victim of circumstances, but it would
not view Ron In that way. Yet both
Ron and Ronnie shared th<! same
life -threatening condition: · large11ess
of heart. ·
J<.>sduisd , too.
Chris G/.aseris a graduateo f Yale
Divinity School and the author cf
two books: UncommCona llin·~ A
Gau. Man's Stru~:lle to Serve the
~ and ComeH ome·! Reclaimin
SJ]iritualiatvn dC ommuniatsll
.G.aJMl.e. n and Lesbianbso, th from
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111
AIDS
and the poor
The Grand Rapids
Minority AIDS Project
began in June, 1988, as a
projecto f the InterReligiousF
ellowshipin
Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The focus is on AIDS
educationfo r minorities,
particularlyH ispanica nd
African-Americanp eople,
young peoplea, nd
chemicallyd ependent
people. R. Anthony
Espinozaa, uthoro f this
article, is the Executive
, Director.
BY R. ANTHONY ESPINOZA
u NABLE TO FIND ENOUGH
WORK to provide for his family,
Juan felt he had no choice but to take
desperate measures. Bidding home
and family good-bye, he made off for
the United States to work as a
migrant fylrm worker. On days he
had work, he made enough to buy his
day's food, pay rent on his living
space, and have something left over
to send his family in Mexico .
The work was hard and the hours
long. Juan often grew tired, almost too
tired to go on. So he could work longer
and harder and provide better for his
family, Juan- along with the other
migrant workers - often injected
mega-doses of vitamins. Because
they were "family," they shared -
not just vitamins, but needles as well.
Once in a while the workers had an
,especially good week - cause for celebration.
As part of such occasions,
someone usually passed around a bag
and needle. This too, they sharedonce
again demonstrating their sense
of familia.
Juan became ill after a few months .
He never considered seeing a doctor.
Even if he could have scraped
together enough money, his family in
Mexico was depending on that money
to live. Besides, going to the doctor
wasn't his .people's way. In the tradition
of his culture, Juan went to the
"family healer," his grandmother.
She prescribed herbs and teas-and
rest to get him back on his feet.
On days when Juan was not called
into work, or when he was too sick to
work, he hitched a ride into town .
There he prostituted himself for
enough money to make the day's
expenses.
Finally Juan became so ill that the
farm owner called our agency and
asked if we knew of a good hospital
that would take him. We arranged
for a doctor to examine Juan. After
the examination, the doctor called
and said, "It's too late for Juan to go
into the hospital. He'll feel more
comfortable spending his last days
among people he knows." The doctor
was right. Two days later, Juan died
of AIDS.
Juan's story illustrates the changing
face of AIDS in this country. For
years we in the United States have
thought of AIDS as a "gay white
male" disease . Most of our AIDS
education, social services, and medical
services have been targeted
toward thi.s population. The gay
white community has come to grips
with the need for education. They
are getting the word out and behavior
is changing.
Among other groups, though, many
have yet to be reached. One result is
that AIDS is no longer primarily a
"gay white male" disease. Six years
ago, 60 percent of those with AIDS in
the U.S. were white. Today, according
to the Centers for Disease Control,
over 60 percent are people of color. A
disproportionate number are poor. As
Juan's story illustrates, the poor are
often at greater risk of contracting
AIDS for several reasons.
First, the poor frequently suffer from
poor nutrition and poor sanitation .
Migrant farm workers like Juan are
also exposed to pesticides. These
factors tend to suppress the immune ·
system, reducing the body's capacity
to fight off disease.
Second, many of the poor lack
information about the dangers of
AIDS and how it can be transmitted
or prevented. For someone who
doesn't know, something as innocent
as a vitamin injection can bring
death.
Third, poverty limits access to
medical care and may also motivate
some to engage in high-risk behavior
simply to survive.
Fourth, cultural traditions may
encourage behaviors that spread the
disease or discourage its treatment.
What is being done about this?
That's the question I found myself
asking when I returned from an AIDS
conference. 'What are we doing right
here in my own community for people
of color who have AIDS?" To find
out, I began calling local clinics and
social service agencies.
Time after time, the answer was,
'They don't come to us."
"Why not?" I wanted to know.
"Well, because we're not geared
toward people of color. We're geared
toward whites."
I witnessed how true that was the
first time I accompanied a Hispanic
to a clinic for HIV testing. "Oh, we
don't have anyone here who can
speak Spanish," we were told. "If
you had come earlier, someone could
have helped youc" When I checked
with the other clinic in town that
offered testing, they didn't have
anyone on staff who could speak
Spanish, nor did their staff include
even one person of color. To a great
extent, people of color who have
AIDS are invisible.
What can we do about it?
Greater
investment in
education needed
AIDS education programs have
reached many people, but many
people remain uninformed. When I
speak at high schools, I find that
almost every child knows how to
make a baby. Few know how to put on
a condom, and even this can not
adequately prevent the transmission
of AIDS.
How can we target education and
prevention efforts toward people of
color? Our project has found three
methods that have proven effective.
First, each month we make about ten
or twelve public speaking and
audiovisual presentations to high
schools, church groups, drug rehabilitation
centers, and neighborhood
associations.
Second, volunteers take literature
door to door. About 40 percent ofour
volunteers are Hispanic, 40 percent
black and 20 percent white. We
discovered early on that not everyone
we give literature to can read it, so
we've learned to ask in a non 0threatening
manner, "Can you understand
this? Can you read it?" When someone
can't, the volunteer is .ready to
read it and answer questions in the
person's own language. People tend to
m SECOND STONE
deny that they can't read.
Putting accurate information into
people's hands doesn't necessarily do
the job either. We put our phone
number on every piece of literature we
hand out. People who have read our
literature often call and ask, "Will I
get AIDS if I do this, or if I do that?"
The questions are sometimes bizarre,
and the questions are always already
answered in the literature.
A third method that has worked for
us is television. We have a 20-second
spot in Spanish giving a bilingual
AIDS hotline number to call.
Everytime the spot runs, we get
several calls. The Spanish spot has
been so effective we're now preparing
two more spots - .one targeting Blacks
and the other Vietnamese.
It's not enough to ·
pull him off the
street and send him
through a detoxification
program.
After that, how will
he make a living?
A major obstacle in the fight against
AIDS is the alarming school dropout
rate among people of color. In some
cities this figure is fast approaching
50 percent of all ninth grade students.
Not only are dropouts with low
reading skills less able to read
literature on preventing AIDS, but
few dropouts get good jobs.· Many tum
to selling drugs and prostitution for
their livelihood, behaviors that put
them at high risk for AIDS. A
crucial aspect of the fight against
AIDS, then, is finding ways to keep
young people in school.
Medical and
social services
barriers must
come down
Like Juan, many people with AIDS
never seek medical care because they
have no money or their culture discourages
it. Others are too proud to
walk into a free clinic.
When poor people get so sick that
they finally go to a doctor or hospital,
they are often turned away.
This is not always because they lack
SEE POOR, Page 18
.
'
New computer network helps fight anti-gay bigotry
The Gay & Lesb .ian Alliance
Against Defamation (GLAAD) has
announced that it has established a
computer network, GLAAD-Net, to
facilitate national activism against
anti-gay bigotry by allowing for .
increased and more efficient
information sharing. GLAAD-Net
will be operating under the auspices
of GayCom, · a three-year-old
national network of gay and lesbian
compute~ bulletin boards. The project
is being supported by a grant from the
New York-based Paul Rapoport
Foundation.
GLAAD-Net will consist of several
components: an intra-chapter message
base in which chapter repre-
COMMENTARY, From Page 2
they're gay or lesbian. When Queer
Nation is out being angry they're
called, by others who would rather
have dialogue and communication,
"Facist Nation." The name Facist
Nation doesn't come just from
straights. You hear "Facist Nation"
today from Gays and Lesbians too.
Gays and Lesbians who are as afraid
to deal with our anger as they are
with their own. For years every time
Gays and Lesbians have grabbed the
tiniest bit of power and control, in .any
situation, they've been called the
gay mafia or queer storm troopers.
I don't know what Gays and
Lesbians are supposed to be if not
angry, but heterosexist society thinks
that emotions are obviously
something we should not have. At
least not publicly . Remember the
reaction to black anger during the
civil rights movement? People
referred to angry Blacks derogatorily
as tribal warriors, not thinking these
people had the right to be angry and
show it. Instead, they were as out of
control as natives in a Tarzan movie.
That's recognized today as a phobic
reaction and racist. Remember too
the way angry women were once
called "unladylike" or "strident" by
people we would immediately
recognize today as sexist, just as
someday the fear of gay and lesbian
anger, which is often thought of as
proof we are out of control, infantile
or at least a group of spoiled
adolescents, will be seen as the
reactions of neurotic homophobes.
Until then they think our emotions
are to be closeted . We aren't to be any
more publicly angry than we are to be
publicly loving. (When we hold
hands in public it's again because we
are emotionally and sexually out of
control, infantile or acting out
adolescents after nothing more than
the shock effect our flaunting brings
sentatives can "discuss" project ideas
and implementation; a public files
area consisting of GLAAD publications,
letters written to defamers,
and other background material about
GLAAD campaigns; a mechanism
which will enable GLAAD chapters
to share mailing list data; and . a
feedback mechanism allowing the
general public to report issues to
GLAAD.
'We are particularly excited by the
potential of GLAAD-Net to assist us
in planning and executing national
campaigns in different parts of the
country simultaneously," said Karin
Schwartz, GLAAD/NY's Deputy
Director for Public Affairs.
about.) Heterosexual society will
tolerate us as long as we are
innocuous. Sedate.
But our .anger is not to be mislabled
and misappropriated by others.
Anger denied is depression, and
suppressing our anger is one of the
ways heterosexism has been able to
control so many of us for so long. At a
recent Queer Nation action against a
church/ cult which claimed to
"convert" homosexuals to heterosexuals,
we saw bigots controlling
Gays and Lesbians by denying,
disqualifying and suppressing their
anger. .We were told that anyone
Heterosexists don't
know what to do with
angry queers. That
upsets their
stereotype of the
wimpy faggot who
can be kicked
around.
who was angry was not ready to
speak. Not allowing you to be angry
is one of the techniques used by any
good brainwasher. Every time a Gay
or Lesbian would begin to speak in
this church about their anger at the
way society treated them, the subject
was changed to love. Jesus' love_. The
church's love. "Don't be angry," they
were told. "If you're angry, you can't
be open to our love." Scary!
But don't be confused. You can be
fooled into thinking anger is the
opposite of love . That they're
opposite ends of the emotional
spectrum. Anger isn't, nor has it ever
been, the opposite of love . Being
angry isn't sinful as they would like
you to believe. Anger is something
important that we must learn to use.
"GLAAD's chapter structure is unique
for a gay activist organization, and
this technology will enable us to get
the most from our structure."
GLAAD-Net may be accessed at no
charge by anyone with a personal
computer, communications software
and a modem . Callers should . set
their communications software to
1200-N-8-1 or 2400-N-8-1 and direct
their modem to dial the GayCom
node nearest them if known, or else
(718)849-1614. Callers should type
"GLAAD" when prompted by the
computer for their first name, and
"INFO" when prompted for their
second name. · If a password is
required by the local system, the
Theologian Beverly Harrision says
that "anger is a signal that all is not
well in our relationship with
others." It's a mode or connectedness,
not something that separates us . To .
be sure, anger doesn't necessarily lead
to right action. I've seen my angry
co-conspiritors in Queer Nation do
some awfully stupid things when
they're angry. Angry people do a lot
of stupid things. But as Harrision
says, 'We must never lose touch with
the fact that all serious human moral
activity, especially action for social
change, takes its oearing from the
rising power of human anger ." Anger
b,eaks down those artificial walls of
rules and properness that separate us
from one another. Anger is closer to
love than the absence of feeling we
sense in many around us. Anger forces
us to react to each other authentically,
immediately. It's the job
of those we are angry with to
correctly choose how to react to our
anger - by changing, acting, or maybe
simply listening . But to deny the ·
validity of anger itself as a means of
communicating a serious wrong is to
oppress our relationships with each
other . Anger denied subverts community.
Anger acknowledged and
nurtured will give us our first glimpse
of the power necessary to exercise our
deserved freedoms .
Heterosexists don't know what to do
with angry queers. That upsets their
stereotype of the wimpy faggot who
can be kicked around . And then there
is always the promise from
heterosexuals that as long as we
aren't angry, as long as we want to
talk, dialogue, converse levelheadedly
, we can avoid being kicked.
Right? They can try to deny us our
basic human rights. They can deny us
our civil rights. They can try to deny
us our dignity. But they are not going
to deny me my right to be angry! And
let's not deny that right to each
other .
March/April 1991
caller should type "GLAAD."
"We are delighted to the helping
gay activism enter the computer age
through our collaboration with
GLAAD," said Artie Kohn, GayCom's
coordinator. "Lesbians and gay
men have been using telecommunications
technology to interact
socially for years, but using it to
forward our movement's goals is a
relatively new process."
COMING OUT, From Page 10
a sort of ultimate Coming Out Day
allegory - was recently described to
me by a young Seattle man, Geoffrey
McGrath . Geoff was once dedicated
to the doctrines and missions of the
Mormon Church, but he was
ultimately excommunicated for his
refusal to disavow his homosexual
identity.
Initially, true to church tenets,
Geoff thought of his homoerotic
feelings as part of a "rotten core" of
his being, from which he sought
escape in church activities and-even,
at one point, by declaring his
commitment to a young woman. His
"failure" to outrun his feelings led to
thoughts of suicide .
Finally, as he put it, he "confronted
his rotten core ." He accepted the
inevitability of his same-sex
orientation, even though he had yet
to act on it.
Geoff says that coming out to his
family was a traumatic experience,
even though his parents, as expected,
turned out to be supportive. About a
week later, "still in the midst of
despair about what it might mean for
me to be a gay man," he had a
strikingly vivid dream. In it, he saw
a closet, its door tightly closed but
bulging outward f~om inner pressures,
and oozing some particularly foul
. black viscous fluid from its cracks.
Then the door flew open, obviously
unable to resist the pressure any
longer . The room was filled with a
cascade of what Geoff calls "the
black ooze." But there in the center of
the closet, he could now see what had
been obscured by the locked door and
the black ooze.
It was a large, brilliant, beautiful
diamond.
Robert Bernstein is editor of The
PFLAG Pole, a publication of the
Federation of Parents and Friends of
Lesbians and Gays, and is II frequent
contributor to The Washington Blade
newspaper in Washington, D.C.
II
Books □ A history and a legacy .
Don't Be Afraid Anymore
By MichaeBll ankenship
Contributing Writer
Troy Perry, founder of the
Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan
Community Churches, has
recently published his memoirs in an
honest, simply-written book entitled
Don't Be Afraid Anymore. The book
details not only the history of the
church, but also much of this nation's
gay and lesbian history as well.
MCC was founded shortly before the
Stonewall riots and it seems that
whenever there was work to be done
for the gay /lesbian community Troy
Perry was there standing up to the
opposition and preaching a liberating
gospel that included civil rights for
all Lesbians and Gays.
There are still some people in the
homosexual community who feel that
Perry has been too political , but I
think his approach in this respect
could be compared to that of Martin
Luther King, Jr. Both worked
tirelessly for their ideals of freedom
and civil rights for their individual
oppressed minorities while never
advocating violence in any form.
Clearly both have felt that working .
politically was an act of "loving
their neighbors," wanting the best for
their sisters and brothers, as well as
themselves, knowing that God would
work through their efforts toward a
world free of prejudice.
Perry's book also encompasses part
of his childhood. Growing up in
Florida, his fascination with religion
blossomed concurrently with his
awareness of his sexual feelings. The
years of his youth were happy until
the death of his father. . His mother
found that controlling five fatherless
boys, all under the age of 12, was a
near impossibility, so she allowed
herself to be drawn · into a
relationship that would eventually
turn abusive. The abuse also extended
to Troy who ran away from home
after being raped by one of his
stepfather's friends. In a spirit that
Troy evidently inherited, his mother
PANELS Of LOVE
• ... as . temng a testament to the courage of the human
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Religions of Man
-16 full-color reproductions of the widely acclaimed "Panels of
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account of his own discovery of new depths of love, faith and
spiri1ual support. From a. man living each day with his own lifethreatening
diaease.
A book that inspires hope to those facing their own reality. And
a beautiful gift from friend or family to someone who need~
assurance.
Each painting based on selected passage from the Old or New
Testament.
-Available in bookstores or from Los Hombres Press, Dept SS, 739 5th Ave., Ste.
28, San Diego, CA 92101. $19.95 plus $1.50 postage and handling. CA residents
add 7% tax. Check, Money Order or Visa/MC. Phone orders: 619/688-1023.
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" ... not only for Catholics, but [by! any person who is searching for answers concerning
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finally packed the family up and
departed from the oppressive
situation.
Perry continued his exploration of
religfon with a bent toward
Pentecostal churches. He especially
felt a calling to the ministry after he
felt a prophetic message was given to
him at age 13, and by the age of 16 he
was a paid evangelist taking his
fundamentalist message throughout
the south. Knowing that he could
never become a pastor in the Church
of God without marrying, Troy put
his feelings toward men on the back
burner and took a wife. It wasn't until
after they had produced two sons
that Troy's sexual pressure cooker
exploded. A jealous expose from a
young man in Troy's church led to his
excommunication.
He tried joining · and pastoring
another church from a different
Pentecostal denomination, but always
the issue of his sexuality came back
to haunt him. He and his wife
eventually separated and thus began
the exploration of this sexual
yearnings.
After several lonely years and a
suicide attempt Perry still felt called '
by God to minister, and after what he
describes as "an electric spark in my
head" he knew he was to minister to
the lesbian and gay community. It
was never his intention to start a
homosexual church, but rather, a
special church that would reach out
to those outcasts from other denominations
and religions. He took out an
ad in The Advocate, giving his home
address, asking for gay and lesbian
people interested in starting a church
to come to his home on October 6,
1968. At that very first meeting, to a
congregation of twelve, Perry set
forth his three-pronged gospel of
Rev. Troy Perry
salvation, community building, and
Christian social action. The
denomination grew from this humble
beginning to a church having ministries
and works throughout the
world:
As Perry's book reminds us, the going
hasn't always been easy for the
church or the lesbian/gay community.
Starting in the early 1970s and
continuing even now, MCC churches
across the country have been the
targets of arson and vandalism. Perry
intimately describes the heartbreak
of having the UFMCC Mother
Church, the first MCC building,
burned to the ground in 1973. Also in
1973 the MCC in New Orleans lost
over half of its membership in a bar
fire. The pastor burned to death in
full view of other MCC members
standing below on the street. In the
late 70s Anita Bryant took a huge
chunk out of our civil rights with her
SEE PERRY, Next Page
ForG realte sbian/GaRye adinglo,o kN oF urther!
Checoku tj usta fewo f ourt itlesa nda uthor•s.•
Underslonding Homosexuality: The Prida & the Prejudica, Roger Biery - 23.95 hb, 15.95 pb
Two Woman Ravisited: The Poetry of Jconnatte Foster & Valarie Taylor - 7.95
Draoms of tha Woman Who Loved Sex, Tee Corinne - 7.95
Who Wears tha Tux?, (comic quiz) Julia Willis• 8.95
Thc ContoctsssD ia Young, Antoinette Azolokov. 8.95
Common Sons, .Ronold Donoghe - 8. 95
Foultlines, Ston leventhol • 8. 95
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Available from your bookseller or by moill (add Sl .SO postage)
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SECOND STONE
Books
Counseling Our Own
The second edition of Counseling Our
Own: The Lesbian/Gay Subculture
Meets the Mental Health System by
Chama Klein has . been released.
The book documents the
development of the gay /lesbian
mental health movement and the
development of gay /lesbian counseling
services within lesbian/ gay
communities and in relation to the
PERRY, From Previous Page
homophobic attacks, but when
Bryant's cohort, John Briggs, sought
to make homophobia the law in
California, Rev. Perry fasted on the
steps of the Federal Building in Los
Angeles to raise funds to fight the
Briggs Initiative. Briggs' loss in the
election turned the . tide against
anti-gay forces.
In 1978 Mayor George Moscone and
City Councilman Harvey Milk were
murdered in San Francisco. Perry was
a friend to both men, and represented
MCC at their memorial services. The
muderer was later convicted only of
manslaughter because he claimed
that injesting Coca-Cola and
Twinkies .had impaired his thinking!
After several lonely
years and a suicide
attempt Perry still
felt c;alled by God to
- minister, and after
what he describes as
"an electric spark in
my head" he knew
he was to minister to
the lesbian and gay
community.
The 80s brought us the devastation
of AIDS, and later the disconsolation
of the Supreme Court's Hardwick
decision. With the government's
inactivity over AIDS, and the new
law which allowed states to tell
individuals what they can and
cannot do sexually in the privacy of
their own homes, Troy could see that
the civil rights of homosexual
Americans were once again being
eroded . With these thoughts in mind
he started the ball rolling for the
1987 National March on Washington.
larger mental health system and
homophobic society. In the second
edition parallels are drawn between
factors leading to the development of
gay mental health servjces and the
development of AIDS services, as
well as key factors in the
development of the AIDS epidemic.
Also included are statistics and
discussion on AIDS and mental
He even coined the phrase "For love
and life, we're not going back," which
showed up on buttons and posters
across the nation . The CBS television
network reported that 800,000 people
showed up to send a message to our
government leaders.
Earlier, in 1977, Rev. Perry got the
rare opportunity to take his message
directly to the top leadership of the
country . He was one of 14 Gays and
Lesbians who were personally
invited to the White House by
President Carter to speak about their
own areas of expertise in the
homosexual community . He told the
presidential committee, "We merely
want the Constitution of the United
States to apply to us also . I don't
want young men and women who
follow me to have to put up with the
anxiety and misery millions of us
have already endured. There has
been enough suffering!" The federal
government was hearing us, but in the
following decade the _ leadership no
longer listened . The suffering
continues.
Rev. Perry has included a chapter of
personal anecdotes. Some of it is fun:
his Mae West story is a classic. Some
of it is surprising : he discusses his
correspondence and eventual meeting
with Oral Robert's gay son. Some of
it is touching: he tells of meeting his
youngest son for the first time in 19
years. And, it's all entertaining.
Rev. Perry's! writings are peopled
with church and community leaders
that many of us have admired and
loved over the years . Numerous
mini-biographies detail spiritual
journeys with a familiarity few
possess, touching on the deep
commitment these people have had
for our common welfare, and the
bravery with which they have
battled unjust, ·oppressive attitudes
and laws.
This book is more than just an
autobiography; it is hislory. Get this
book and devour it the way I did. It's
important that gay and lesbian
Christians claim and record their
part in the ongoing quest for a better
world . It's our legacy to those that
follow.
health.
The second edition has a new
preface on AIDS and a foreward by
Randy Shilts, author of the
best-selling book, And The Band
Played On. "This valuable book
reflects the clear reality of our
community's experience over the last
decade," writes Shilts, " " if we are to
maintain our sanity in these difficult
□
times, we will need to depend on each
other. Ms. Klein's book educates us
not only in how to · build stronger
individuals, but a stronger community
as well."
The book (ISBN 0,.9617216-1-8) can
be . ordered from Consultant Services
Northwest, Inc., 839 N.E. 96th St.,
Seattle, WA 98115. Cost is $12.95
plus $1.50 shipping .
Publishing resource guide available
for lesbian/gay writers
Putting Out Books, a small press
founded last year, has announced the
publication of its first book. Putting
Out 1991: A Publishing Resource
Guide for Lesbian & Gay Writers is
an international publishing resource
guide for writers of lesbian and gay
material. The guide's international
listings, numbering over 260, include
book publishers, magazines, newspapers
and newsletters that publish
material of interest to the lesbian
and gay community and/or material
with a lesbian or gay theme .
Two essays are included in the
guide. The first, written by Jeffery
Escoffier, a literary agent and publisher
of Out/Look magazine,
addresses the issues of finding a
literary agent and the "do's and
don'ts" of contracts between publishers
and writers. Also included is
an essay by mystery writer Mark
Richard Zubro (Why Isn't Becky
Twitchell Dead?, A Simple Suburban
Murder, The Only Good Priest, St.
Martin's Press), which gives .
important advice on how an author
can promote his published work.
For.more information contact Edisol'
W. Dotson of Putting Out Books at
(415)621-5766.
AT LAST!• AN INCLUSIVE DEVOTIONAL!• AT LAST!
The Road
to Emmau-s
Joseph W. Houle, ed.
EMMAUS PRESS
P.O. Box 70434 I Washington . D.C. 20024-0434 / (202) 468-3816 .
416 pp.• paperback• s 12.9; (plus S3.00 for postage & handling)
Discounts available on q~ntity orders,
At last! A Christi an dev<.>tional for ail people - the young and old ; the male and
female ; the lesbi an , the gay man , and the heterosexual ; the single, the married ,
and the celibate ; the Asian, the Black, the Hispanic, the Native American, and the
White ; the physicall) strong and the physically challenged.
Contrihuting authors of Tht Road t o Emmaus - including Sr. Jeannine Gramick
(Homosexuality and the Catholic Church), Fr. Robert Nugent (Stations of the Cross
for Persons with AIDS), and the Rev . Larry Uhrig (Sex Positive) - are a blend of
men anti women. laypt"rsons and clt'rgy . Black and White writers.
Special care has been taken to make this devotional inclusive in language, tone,
and content. Its underlying message.is that the (;ospd is good news for all people.
AT LAST!• AN INCLUSIVE DEVOTIONAL!• AT LAST!
March/ April 1991 II
And reacts to Gulf war
MFSA sets 1992 General Conference priorities
ALBANY, CA. • The Methodist
Federation for Social Action hi16
approved a platform for action at the
1992 General Conference of the
United Methodist Church that calls
for full inclusion and full rights for
Lesbians and Gays in church and
society. The MFSA board's national
meeting was held i!l mid-January.
In relation to the Gulf war, MFSA
acted to assist in equipping UMC
pawn and laity for draft counseling
and fO promote the conscientious
objector choice among United
Methodists. MFSA sent messages of
support to UMC military resister Sgt.
George Moore, now servirig a sentence
at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for
refusing orders to Saudi· Arabia, for
l"850N of consdepce.
The. board also voted ·to join the
POOR, From Page 14
inNrance; sometimes it i~ for fear of
AIDS'. The staffs of too many
medical facilities are still inadequately
educated about the disease
and unwilling to take risks, especially
with the poor.
Even opening our doors to the poor,
saying, "Come on in, you're welcome,' '
is not enough. We must go where the
needs are. Sometimes we don't want
to do that. It's not all that pleasant
to touch someone who hasn't taken a
bath in two weeks. But that's what
weJ1lclYne ed to do.
One local clinic has received funds
to send a health professional out into
,the community, wherever people can
be found, to do HIV testing. That's
the kind of program that will reach
the people who would otherwise be
missed .
Churches must
move beyond
condemnation
A member of ii family that attended
a church here in Grand Rapids tested
positive for the HIV virus. The manmi.o ther was in her 80s and had
been active in that church for 50
years. The chu1'h's response? Tjley
askedth e whole family to leavet he
dtun:h.
It doesn't have to be that way.
When someone associated with the
dnm:h tests HIV-positive,t here
should already exist within the
church such an atmosphere of caring
that the person will know that in a
pastor or sorne other friend in the
fellowship he will find a person he
can talk with, someone who will
care.
II
national Religious Coalition 'for
Abortion Rights as an action of
support for the pro-choice position of
the United Methodist Church. •
MFSA is asking the 1992 General
Conference to add a section to the
Social Principles which would
support "the institution and enforcement
of legislation that protects the
human and civil rights of Lesbians
and gay men." Arguing that it
prevents meaningful s1udy of
sexuality by general agencies, MFSA
urges action to delete a funding
prohibition contained in a church
policy. The Federation platform
calls for removal from the Soctal
Principles of the clause "we do nor
condone the practice of homo•
sexuality and consider this practice Is
contrary to Christian teaching" and
Ministering to a person with AIDS
begins with listening. Every couple of
nights, a black man with AIDS calls
our hotline, just to talk. We have no
Idea where he lives. He probably
calls from a pay phone. He uses drugs
and has no concept of how to rnake a
When someone
associated with the
church tests
HIV-positive, there
should already exist
within the church
such an atmosphere
of caring that the
person will know
that in a
pastor or some other
friend in the
fellowship he will
find a person he can
talk with, someone
who will care.
living except prostitution. He's
bitter, he's blaming God, and right
now he's not wanting to deal with his
anger. All we can provide for him
right now is an outlet, someone to talk
to; But if he decides to let us do more
than listen, our responsibility will
become much greater. It's not enough
to pull hirn off the street and send
him through a detoxification
to remove the prohibition against the
ordination and appointment of
Lesbians and Gays.
Finally the MFSA platform calls
upon the General Conference to
authorize a church-wide study
process regarding homosexuality
during the 1993-96 quadrennium ,
based upon the report of the present
denomination study committee and
materials that have been presented
to and assembled by that committee. ·
Another General Conference
priority Is to strengthen UMC promotion
of corporate social responsibility.
MFSA is urging an addition
to the mandate for the General Board
of Pensions so as to specifically urge
"affirmative Investment" In enUUes
which promote affordable housing,
program. After that, how will he
make a living? These are the tough,
practical Issues that pastoral care
involves,.
For the local church, too, pilstoral
care that begins with listening must
go on to address practical needs.
Regardll?$ of Income, a person who
contracts AIDS becomes poorer. At
some point, the person with AIDS
usually must quit work. Qualifying
for SSI or state disability assistance
is time consuming. During the months
between filing for and receiving .
assistance, the church can help with
immediate expenses - such as food,
rent, and medication. Volunteers can
come in to help ~ook or clean, Its
response to such a time of need can
reveal how compassionate a church
really is.
The growing number of people of
color wit!, AIDS demands a response
COVER STORY,
FromPage9
further states, "Our goal
was to produce a devotional
that was not exclusive in
the reverse sense of being
only for gay and lesbian
Christians. I wanted a
book that anyone could use,
something that straight
people would hopefully
feel comfortable with
also."
Says Houle, " I think
there is a problem in many
of our churches - that we
get stuck .on integrating
spirituality with sexuality.
This is a crucial
issue, but eventually the
THE SECOND STONE
environmental stewardship, and
minority-owned businesses. MFSA
would also add disciplinary para•
graphs mandating promotion of social
responsibility by ·conference and local
church trustees.
In other action, the MFSA, an
Independent network of activists
founded In 1907, presented ils Lee and
Mae Ball Awards to Bishop Leontill(i
T. C. Kelly; Rev. Edward Peet of San
Francisco, an activist on behalf of
senior citizens; Sandra York, of San
Jose, California, a UMW leader In
the California-Nevada Conference;
and St. Paul's UMC or Vacaville,
California, a congregation with a
noteworthy social outreach.
from our society. What is required, I
believe, is nothing less than a general
overhaul of our society's attitudes
and approaches toward the poor so
that those already suffering the
effects of poverty in the midst of
plenty are not fu.rther victimized by
Ams.
What role should Christians play
In this process? By promoting
education and prevention efforts
targeted specifically toward people
of color, by working to remove
barriers to medical and soda!
services to the poor, and by offering
active pastoral care to people with
AIDS through our churches and
Christian agencies, we as Christians,
empowered by God's spirit, can be on
the cutting edge of bringing about
these desperately needed changes.
Reprintedw ithp ennissio.n
© R. Anthony Espinoi.a
people seek deeper
spiritual feeding. This
book was an attempt to
address that need. The
thing that Is most
gratifying to me Is that
people really use it and
find the meditations
nourishing. One couple told
me that this Is the first
time they have ever done
devotions together, and
several congregations use it
as a group meeting tool."
When Troy Perry, the
founder of the UFMCC, got
his copy he called Houle to
tell him, "ThisI s just one of
the nicest thinge that's
come out of the (MCC)
Fellowship."
Travel □
Camping trips offer fun and adventure
By Cynthia Marquard
and Danni Munson
Contributing Writers
Not long ago, a wqman friend was
telling us about her first camping
experience--at age 72. She had
married a recently widowed man
with an RV, and off they went on a
short trip . But it rained almost
-constantly. Knowing what a hard ship
cooking outdoors can be in bad
weather, we asked how she made
out . "Oh, that was no problem," she
said. "I just popped a couple of frozen
dinners into the microwave oven."
Well there's camping and then
there's camping.
The . lesson we learned from our
friend is that you're never too old to
start camping, and . nowadays there
are camping experiences available to
suit any ·1evel of "outdoorsiness."
Primitive
Camping
In the beginning, · the only kind of
camping was tent camping. Now it is
frequently called __ "primitive camping"
and this is· done at "primitive
sites." This means tha t the tent sites
do not have electricity or water.
Campers use flashlights and lanterns
after dark and carry water for
cooking and washing in a collapsible
plastic container that they have
filled at a pump somewhere in the
vicinity:
This is not only the least expensive
way to camp, but it brings the
campers into close proximity with
nature . But it is a lot of work. This is
camping as a sport in and of itself.
There are variations on tent
camping, such as backpacking and
canoe camping . Our national forests
are wonderful places for backpacking
trips. And any good-sized river in
America has local canoe-rental
companies that will pick you up
down-stream after a day or two of
paddling and camping on the river
bank at night.
· Camping with
Amenities
At a recent RV show, we ran into
many lesbian friends-with streaks of
gray in their hair-climbing in and
out of the fancy rigs with carpeting
and color TVs. Pop-up campers, fullsize
trailers, and motor homes are
becoming ever more popular, not only
with maturing lesbians and gay men,
but with anyone who's just not into
sleeping on the ground.
Naturally, the camp sites for RVs
require electricity, water, and
sometimes sewer hook-ups. In return
for the comforts of these traveling
bathrooms, kitchens, and bedrooms,
there is a higher cost. It obviously
costs more to buy a 26-foot motor home
than a nylon tent. And the fees at
parks can be higher also .
For those who would use their
camper or RV only two or three times
a year, renting sounds better than
buying one. But finding a company
that rents camping vehicles can be a
problem in many parts . of the country-
especially the Midwest and
Northeast. Hertz experimented
briefly with RV rentals, but fourid it
was not profitable for them.
U-Haul rents campers and motor
homes in Arizona, California ,
Florida, and Wisconsin. Their 20-
foot motor home rents for $39.00 a day
plus 39 cents per mile. Their 13-foot
camper trailers cost $19.95 per day.
This gives people the option of flying
to their vacation destination in one of
these four states and then picking .up
a motor home or -rental · car and
camper.
In addition, there are various local
RV sales companies that will rent
motor homes or campers. The best
thing is to just look around.
Where to Camp
Frequently, Gays and Lesbians
prefer gay accommodations. And
campgrounds are no exception. There
are a few gay campgounds, but they
are not always easy to find. Some are
listed in gay /lesbian guide books.
The National Parks are very
popular with all campers, straight or
gay, so reservations for camping
space is essential. All National Park
reservations are now handled by
Ticketron. For parks from Maine to
California, the number to call is 900-
370-5566. For Yosemite National
Park only, call 900454-2100. There is
a fee for each call.
State campgrounds are also popular,
especially as stops for one or two
nights for campers traveling on the
road, or for week-end camping trips.
One common complaint about state
parks, especially on week-ends, is
the noise level. There are lots of
people who view the campgrounds as
one big party area-all night long .
For those seeking peace and quiet,
the National Forests are a pretty
good bet. These usually have only
primitive campsites , are somewhat
off the beaten path , and therefore
tend to attract more nature-lovers
than party-goers .
Camping
with Kids
For Gays and Lesbians with
childrl'!n, camping can be a great way
to get away, either for a week-end or
a longer vacation . Private ca mpgrounds,
such as KOA, tend to have
many attractions besides camp sites.
They frequentl y have swimming
pools and playgrounds for children.
This makes them a good spot for gay
men or Lesbians with kids . But we
have.found that· the owners of most of
these private campgrounds are not
exactly gay-friendly.
We cannot mention private
campgrounds without including the
grandest of them all--Fort Wilderness
Campground at Disney World in
Florida . The Disney representatives
are quick to point out that this is not
just a campground, it is a total
experience. Friends who have stayed
there do not disagree . First of all,
the setting is quintessential Disney on
a perfectly landscaped lake. If you
like, you can take a boat from your
campsite to the main Disney World
attractions . In addition, there are
two swimming pools (one a recreation
of the Old Swimming Hole),
fishing, hay rides ,. campfires at
night, and a trading post so campers
can buy groceries on the premises.
The cost for all this? Trailers
already on the site, with two double
beds, kitchen with microwave, and a
color TV, rent for $165 per night.
Camp sites go for $34.00. Not bad
rates for an area of the world that
tends ~6 be quite costly-and you can
cook in rather than spend money
eating out.
Organized
Camping
With the rise in popularity of
adventure travel, there has been an
increase in the number -of organized
camping opportunities for Gays and
Lesbians. Just about a decade ago, the
closest thing to organized camping for
Lesbians were the various women's
music festivals at which several
thousand women set up tents in fields
or wooded areas . Today, there are
professional tour operators that offer
some highly unusual outdoor experien<;
es.
March/April 1991
Womantrek of Seattle will take
women on camping/hiking/biking/
and llama pack trips in various
parts of the United States , _ the
Orient , and South America.
Woodswomen and Women in the
Wilderness, both in Minnesota, offer
canoe/ camping trips through the
pristine U.S.-Canadian Boundary
Waters.
For men, Adventur e Boun\:f of
Boulder, Colo ., offers "tramping
· treks" in New Zealand . and other
parts of the wo~ld. There are also
gay men's social camping groups, such
as the Radical Fairi es and the
Northwoods Faery Circle, that
sponsor.one or more group camp-outs
each _year . .
See you around the campfire.
Cynthia A. Marquard is the
owner/manager of Envoy Travel, Inc.,
in Chicago a7!d vice-president of the
International Gay Travel Assn .
Danni Munson is the editor and
publisher of The Lesbian and Gay
Almanac and Events of 1991.
P. 0 . Box 118 SL
Bethlehem, NH 03574
(603) 869-3978
tll, "otlltr" plac,
11nur du sun ...
:t'=.::.:, ff:" ·-•-.
,,...cc.1 1an:1:a1..-..11.r..i
- Write or call for brochure. -
120 E. Atol St~ P. 0. Box 2326
South Padre Island, Texas 78597
(512)761-L YLE
Air connections via
American, Continental Southwest
II
Parting Thought □
Living within our means
Bi P• Mamo Fowler
Contributing Writer
Nick Warner, in Issue 13 of Second -
Stone, is concerned that some gay and
lesbian Christians seek relief from
their frustrations in various
philos o phies ou tside traditional
Christianity, but we shouldn't forget
that Christianity itself is frus trating.
However glorious, it limits
us to trusting what we can't see and
hoping for what we can't guarantee.
It's ·not so strange then that
Christians, gay or otherwise,
sometimes look for enlightenment to·
ease that uncertainty .
I love _ teaching philosophy. By
appealing to our experience, reason,
and imagination; philosophy helps
to make ideas clear enough for us to
discuss them and to. see their
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implications. Yet even if a
philosophy does make sense of life or
promotes something desirable such as _
world peace, personal enlightenment,
or prosperity, it is ultimately only a
collection of someone's ideas. It can't
Lest we be too smug
about Christianity
being the ultimate
thirst-quencher, we
should need Paul 1s
warning that
believers can't
dispense with faith
and hope in this life.
make a person wise or loving, much
less save a soul. Some ideas may live
forever, but even the best ones don 't
bestow eternal life. We can drink
enlightenment and remain spiritually
parched.
Lest we be too sm u g about
Christianity being the ultimate
thirst-quincher, we should heed
Paul's warning that believers can't
dispense with faith and hope in this
life. We don't see answers to every
prayer and not all suffering will
make sense. No matter ·how
enlightened we become, we are to rely
on what is unseen. Whether we feel'
in control or help less, we entrust our
lives to Jesus and accept that our most
urgent questions may go unanswered.
That's a·n itch that philosophy can't
scratch.
These limitations are frustrating,
particularly for lesbian and gay
Christians. We want to visualize the
world as one community, but we have
to love and endure our community of
believers (including our "enemies in
Christ"). We want to be free of unjust
condemnation, but we can't quarantee
exactly when or how we will see
justice. We can only remind ourselves
that our God is just and that we are
responsible for treating each other
justly;
New Age thinking may contain some
false ideas, as Nick Warner suggests,
but mistaken ideas are not as harmful
as our unrealistic expectations of
philosophy and of Christian living .
If we think and believe "within our
means," we can both explore new
ideas and mature in our faith.
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