Community Center News_July 1996.pdf
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- Community Center News_July 1996.pdf
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Pride Month Report
This year's Pride monlh aclivilies were a greal success! The Ecumenical Pride Worship Service had
represenlalion from a wide range of failhs; CeCe Cox had an excellent. present nlion on gelling and
making use of media coverage (for more delails, see lhe PFLAG newsleller); lhe "Over lhe Rainbow"
Ball was a lol of fun; and lhe Pride Picnic was exlremely well-allended. wilh more than 20
informational tables, several hundred picnickers, and no incidenls!
Of course, lhis was only possible wilh lhe help of many dedicated volunteers, who spenl lhe past
months coordinating activities. and our sponsors. We would like lo thank ...
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Picnic Commercial sponsors: American Airlines. Anheuser-Busch, Coors. Miller Brewing Co .. PepsiCola. American· donaled a pair of airline lickels which were won by a lucky picnic-goer; free
drinks lhroughoul lhe day were provided by lhe remaining sponsors.
Picnic Benefit hosls and performers: Bill & Brian al Lola's; Sensuous & John al lhe Tool Box;
John & Sleve al lhe Silver Slar; and Kirk & Terry al Concessions.
BGLTA and ils volunteers. for co-sponsoring CeCe Cox. lhe "Over lhe Rainbow" ball. and the Pride
Picnic.
PFLAG and ils volunteers, for co-sponsoring CeCe Cox.
FUSO and its volunteers. ior co-sponsoring lhe Picnic.
Rainbow Business Guild and ils volunteers, for co-sponsoring CeCe Cox.
Sl. Jerome Ecumenical Catholic Church. Family of Failh MCC. Communily of Hope,
Dignily/lnlegrily, Agape Chrislian Fellowship. for organizing lhe Worship Srrvice.
Everyone else who helped lo make lhese evenls such a sucress! Apologirs l.o anvonr whose name
has been inadverlenlly lefl oul.
The July TOHR general meeling will focus on feedback aboul lhe Pride Monlh even ls. Please come by
and !el us know whal you lhoughl.
TOHR General Meeting
Tuesday, July 2 al 7pm
Alan Chapman Center's Chouteau Room
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Page 2
"Defense of Marriage" Act
by Dr. John D'Emilio
Bashing gays, lesbians, and their families has
become a key method through which the religious
right-wing builds its strength . Concerned Women of
America launched a major fundraising campaign in
response to the National Education Association's
endorsement of gay, lesbian, and bisexual History
Month. Lou Sheldon of the Tradition Values
Coalition won a commitment from House Speaker
Newt Gingrich that resulted in Congressional
hearings on parenting, values and the schools, and
then milked those hearings for publicity. The
Defense of Marriage Act, which Sheldon helped
draft, is no different.
So while having everything to do with
strengthening the base and building the coffers of
these extremist groups, the Defense of Marriage Act
does nothing to strengthen the institution of
marriage. Instead it attacks the integrity of lesbian
and gay families. Throughout the United States
millions of lesbians and gay men have formed
loving, committed relationships. They are caring for
each other in good times and bad, contributing to
the welfare of their communities, and paying taxes
to support government services at every level. Yet
they are systematically denied the benefits and
rights of marriage. Lesbians and gay men can be
turned away at the hospital when a partner has had
an accident or illness, lack access to "family"
health coverage and other forms of insurance are
denied the benefits of inheritance and taxation' that
surviving ~eterosexual spouses automatically enjoy,
have no rights to a range of government benefits,
and cannot make use of immigration law provisions
to secure entry for partners who are citizens of
other countries.
Large numbers of lesbians and
gay men are also raising children. Estimates of the
number of lesbian mothers range from about 1 to s
million; of gay fathers, from 1 to 3 million· and of
children of lesbian and gay parents, from 6 to 14
million. Data gathered from exit polling after the
1992 presidential election found that while one-third
of_heterosexual voters had children under 18 living
with them, one-quarter of lesbian, gay, or bisexual
voters did as well. In other words, a population not
thought to be at all involved with parenting is only
25% less likely to be raising children than
heterosexual adults. The "Defense of Marriage"
proponents claim to have the best interests of
children and their families in mind. Yet, their
legislative solution will penalize and stigmatize the
millions of children with lesbian and gay parents.
The anti-family tentacles of the Right-wing
extremists do not stop at gay families. They reach
in
and
seek
to
undermine
other
"non-traditional"families as well. The Right uses a
rhetoric of traditional family values to condemn the
immorality of single mothers and to campaign for
"welfare reform" that is punitive.
It attacks
government programs such as publicly funded
daycare for working mothers who need it. The
Right supports a "parental r:ghts"mcvPment that
would undo gains made to prevent battering of
women and child abuse.
NGLTF urges all members of congress to turn
back this mean spirited , misleading, and deceptive
effort. The Halls of Congress should not be used
as an election forum to scapegoat gays and
lesbians and divide the American people.
Dr. D'Emilio is the Director of the National Gay & Lesbian
Task Force Policy Institute. The National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force is a progressive organization that has supported
grassroots organizing and pioneered in national advocacy since
1973. Since its inception, NGL TF has been at the forefront 01
virtually every major initiative for lesbian and gay rights. In all its
efforts, NGL TF helps to strengthen the gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender movement at the state level while connecting these
activities to a national vision for change.
_ ___::__ __
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WANTED: Silent or not-so-silent
type, loves to do one or more of
the following: plan or participate
in social events; talk on the •
phone; get involved with causes;
help others; write ; raise money;
or draw. For more information on
how we can become great friends,
leave a message for Debbie or Tom
at the volunteer hotline - 7434297. ------ - -- __ __ ___________;
'----=--
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We want your feedback! What did you think of the
Pride Month events? What would you like to see
TOHR do next? What do you see as the primary
focus or vision of TOHR in the future? The Board
is planning a "vision-gathering" retreat for July, and
welcomes your suggestions and comments. Drop
us a note, leave a message with the volunteer
hotline or e-mail to kanga@gplstar.com
.
=-=-'-'-'--- _ _ J
Gay and Lesbian individuals in Oklahoma are
under attack! If you find this difficult to believe,
please obtain a copy of the 1996 Oklahoma
Republican Party Platform, or listen to people like
Bob Enyart on UHF Channel 47 and cable
Channel 7 at 11 :00 p.m . Monday through Friday .
Check out the attacks made by Rep. Steve
Largent and Sen. Don Nickles on the national
level. The list of Oklahoma elected officials who
are proposing, passing, and signing anti-gay
legislation into law is extensive. However, it is not
too late to stop the campaign of hate in
Oklahoma.
The primary power held by gay and lesbian
individuals in Oklahoma is the vote. In order to
be effectively "heard" by our local, state and
national politicians, we need to unite and present
numbers of votes that can not be ignored. Tulsa
Oklahomans for Human Rights (TOHR) is
sponsoring an effort to create a database of gay
and lesbian voters, as well as "gay friendly"
voters. The database will enable us to influence
local and state politicians to give gay and lesbian
people more consideration when they propose, or
vote on legislation. We can use the database to
provide helpful political information to gay and
lesbian voters, as well as those who are gay
friendly. It also provides us with a means to unite
and promote our sense of community . For those
in our community who wish to become political
activists, or political office holders, we want to be
able to support their efforts.
Please consider submitting your name, address,
telephone number, and e-mail address (if
available) to
TOHR Political Database
P.O. Box 25729
Tulsa, OK
74152
Please encourage your friends to participate in this
project . With our vote, we have a voice which will
be heard.
Communily Evenls and Organizalions
La mbd a Bowling League
Mondays @ 8:-lf)pm
Sheridan Lane~
3121 S. Sherid an
Allernalive Skaling
Tuesdays fr om 8:30 - 11:OOpm
Sand Springs Ska le
$4
for info call 24 1-2282
Tulsa Family Chorale
Thursdays @ 9:30pm
Lola's
2630 E. 15lh
Al Lerna lives
weekly social events for LG BT women & men
Thursdays @ 7pm
for info call 646-5503
BLGTA - Universily of Tulsa
Sundays @ 6:30pm
Canlerbury
5lh & Evanslon
for info call 583- 9780
Gay & Lesbi:ln Sludcn l Associa lion
TJC Soulh easl Campus
for info call 63I-7632
SWAN - Single Women 's Aclivily Nelwork
for info call 832-2 121
Send informalion aboul your
organization Lo:
Comrriunily News
P. 0. Box 25729
Tulsa·, OK 741 52
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(Center) News
Page 4
Jlembers/Jij} in JOI/I? is membership i11 !/Jc /u!1J1·c of
0[11? Communi!y and
._____ _ _ __ _ _ _ _(},_'[JJ?
_ (/(!_f!l!!l_Ufl{/y (q1fcr.~ _
TOHR Membership Applicalion
Name--------------Address--------------
City - - - - - - - S t a l e _ _ ZlP - P h o n e - - - - - - - E-mail _____
GLBT Organization _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Please check the triangle next lo your membership choice
V Student/ Limited Income - $10.00
-q Regular Membership - $20.00
V Organizational I Household - $35.00
'V Sustaining Membership - $100.00
Enclosed is my dona lion of $
lo be applied lo lhe gay men's oulrench program.
Enclosed is my donalion of $_ _ lo he applied lo lhe Community Cenl<•r.
Please mail_your application and/or dona/ion lo:
TOHR Memberships
P.O. Box 25729
Tulsa, OK 74152
UCO Women's Research & BGLTQ+- Center
100 N. University Dr
,
Edmond, OK 73034
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