ALGA Update_v2.no8.1995.11.pdf
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- ALGA Update_v2.no8.1995.11.pdf
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Property of t he Center
Volume 2, Number 8
lflenll Calendar
Queer Dinner Club
Thursday, November 2
Washington Square
7:30 p.m.
Everyone Invited
Chili Cook-Off
Saturday, November 11
7:00 p.m.
2123 S. Polk (MCC)
$5.00 Entry Fee
$3.00to EaJ
P-FLAG
(Parents Family & Friends Of
Lesbians and Gays)
Meeting
Tuesday, November 14
7:30 p.m.
Call 358-4810 or 373-5885
for details
ALGA Information Une: 373-5725
November 1995
LGRL Fundraiser a Success
The First Annual Costumed Gay-La on October 28 was a grea
success. The party was held at the home of Phillip Hill and Steve
Kirkpatrick and benefitted the Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texa
(LGRL). LGRL Executive Director Dianne Hardy-Garcia was the specia
guest at the party. ALGA wants to thank all the sponsors who mad
the party possible and especially Phillip and Steve for graciously hostin
the party.
The party raised over $ 700 for the Lesbian/Gay Right
Lobby.
The Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas works towards th
elimination of social, legal and economic discrmiination based on sexua
orientation through lobbying, education, and research directed towar
the Texas Legislature and other state government agencies. LGRL ha
focused national attention on the epidemic of hate crimes in Texa
directed at gays and lesbians. LGRL also worked to block funding cut
in the state's AIDS budget and other legislation that would negative!
affect gays and lesbians.
On Saturday, Chanel 7 covered Dianne's visit and Presiden
Clinton's endorsment of the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. 0
Sunday, Dianne spoke at the Sunday worship service of the Unitaria
Universalist Fellowship, where she encouraged people to pledge to hel
end hate crimes in Texas. She also spoke to a reporter from the Globe
News about LGRL and hate crimes in Texas. The article is expected t
appear later this month.
Disney To Give Gay /Lesbian Spousal Benefits
Queer Dinner Club
Thursday, November 16
Italian Delights
7:30 p.m.
Everyone Invited
World AIDS Day
Friday, December 1
Call the ALGA information line for
The Walt Disney Company announced that it will begin offerring
health benefits to the spouses of gay and lesbian employees on January
1, 1996.
Disney joins other entertainment giants such as Universal,
Paramount Pictures, Sony and Warner Bros., which have extended such
benefits to their gay and lesbian workers in the past three years.
Unmarried heterosexual partners are excluded from the policy.
Compliment Disney on their decision to treat all their employees
equally, write to: Walt Disney World, Guest Letters Department, PO Box
10040, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040.
What's Inside
News Briefs
Take Action
Washington Square
Rex Wockner
2
3
3
4
GLB Organizations
5
The ALGA UPDATE
Page2
Clinton Endorses ENDA
Washington -- A top White House
adviser today announced that President
Clinton has endorsed a popular bill that
would prohibit job discrimination on the
basis of sexual orientation. Currently,
no federal law protects Americans from
being fired, refused work or otherwise
discriminated against in the workplace
merely for being lesbian or gay.
The Employment NonDiscrimination Act (ENDA), which was
reintroduced in June with unprecedented
bipartisan support, is backed by the civil
rights community, major employers and
voters of all political stripes. Lead cosponsors in the 104th Congress are
Sens. James Jeffords (R-Vt.) and Ted
Kennedy (D-Mass.).
The legislation explicitly prohibits
job discrimination, quotas and
preferential treatment on the basis of
sexual orientation. It would not apply to
religious organizations, small businesses,
or the military, and it would not require
employers to provide equal benefits to
the same-sex partners of employees.
"I have the authorization of the
President of the United States to
announce
today
the
Clinton
Administration's support of legislation
to protect all Americans from
discrimination in the workplace," said
Senior Adviser to the President George
Stephanopoulos in a speech to the
National Lesbian and Gay Journalists
Association. "Today President Clinton
ha_s written to Senator Kennedy restating
this Administration's opposition to job
discrimination and endorsing the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act."
"People should not be fired from
their jobs for a reason that has nothing
to do with their abilities," said Human
Rights Campaign Executive Director
Elizabeth Birch. "Today in America, it's
perfectly legal to fire someone for being
gay or lesbian. The President stands
with the vast majority of Americans in
supporting equal rights in the workplace
for lesbian and gay citizens."
Public opinion research conducted
for the Human Rights Campaign by
Republican and Democratic polling firms
shows that majorities of voters,
regardless of party affiliation, oppose
job discrimination on the basis of sexual
News
Brie£&
orientation and support equal rights
for gay and lesbian Americans. In a
poll of people who voted in the 1994
elections, more than 70 percent said
gays "should have equal rights in terms
of hiring and firing." The figure included
65 percent of Republicans, 71 percent
of Independents and 77 percent of
Democrats.
Polling data also shows that, while
most Americans favor preventing job
discrimination against gay people, most
are not aware that such discrimination
is still legal. A May 1995 poll by Lake
Research, Inc., found that 74 percent
of Americans favor preventing job
discrimination against gay people, but
80 percent are not aware that gay
people are not covered by current civil
rights law. Citing the need for public
education, Birch says that "as more
people learn that hardworking lesbian
and gay Americans face widespread
job discrimination with no protection
under federal law, support keeps
growing for equal rights in the
workplace."
In Congress, ENDA currently has
29 co-sponsors in the Senate and 128
in the House of Representatives.
"This bill provides equal protection
to all workers from unfair treatment on
the job," Birch said. "It affects real
people like Cheryl Summerville, an
award-winning cook at a Cracker Barrel
restaurant who lost her job when the
company fired all of its gay and lesbian
staff. Throughout the nation, the
Human Rights Campaign has
documented case after case of
Americans who have been treated
unfairly at work, only to find that they
have no basic recourse under the law.
ENDA would change that, establishing
a level playing field in the workplace."
"Today's endorsement is a historic
step forward in our movement for
equal rights," Birch said. "President
Clinton is doing his part to heal the
divisions that plague this country. He
will be remembered in history as a
President who stood for the principles
of fairness and equality for everyone."
In a survey conducted last year for
Newsweek, 91 percent of gay and
lesbian people cited "equal rights in the
workplace" as the most important issue
they face.
New Mexico Summit brings
rural Gay and Lesbian people
together
More than ninety Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual and Transgendered community
leaders from across New Mexico met in
Elephant Butte October 13, 14, and 15
for New Mexico's first statewide
LesBiGay planning session, sponsored
by The Coalition for Gay and Lesbian
Rights in New Mexico. The Summit
was successful in its goal of bringing
leaders together to build a strong
infrastructure for support, advocacy
and political action on behalf of sexual
minorities in New Mexico.
"I think that this conference
affirms my thoughts that Albuquerque
and Santa Fe aren't the only places in
New Mexico with Gay and Lesbian
people, and it may translate into
legislative victories," said Julio Abreu
of the Human Rights Campaign, the
largest Gay and Lesbian organization in
the United States. Abreu represents
Gay,
Lesbian,
Bisexual
and
Transgendered people in New Mexico
and the Southwest as a lobbyist in
Washington, DC.
Participants attended from
Cedar Crest, Las Cruces, Espa, F1 ola,
Taos, Socorro, Mountainair, Chamisal,
Alamagordo, Lovington, Farmington,
Silver City, Portales, Clovis, University
Park, Roswell, Truth or Consequences,
San Jose, Madrid, as well as
Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Harry Hay, the co-founder of
the modern Gay and Lesbian liberation
The ALGA UPDATE is published
m~nthly by the Amarillo Lesbian/Gay
Alliance, P.O. Box 9361, Amarillo, TX
79105-9361. Anyone wishing to
contribute, please call 374-2907 and
leave the information on the machine or
mail information to the Editor. Deadli~es
will be1 th_e 15th of the month for the next
The ALGA UPDATE
Page3
movement, spoke Saturday night. The programs.
The Coalition has four
octogenarian eloquently spoke of the
need to protect children from the abuses unwavering commitments:
1 . Passage of the New Mexico Nonof the radical right.
"This outrageous coercion of Gay Discrimination Act (known as SB
kids into hated heterosexual identities 91 );
and behaviors against their wills is not 2. Passage of the Hate Crimes Act,
only sexually abusive," said Hay. "It is vetoed earlier this year by Governor
spiritually devastating rape because the Johnson;
child, unknowingly, is led into developing 3. Inclusiveness; and,
4. The fight against anti-gay
and practicing self loathing."
Hay and his lover of more than legislation.
four decades, John Burnside, are former
residents of New
rr=~====::::::::========:i
Reg i o n a I
Mexico. They founded
Important Phone Numbers workshops focused
one of the first Gay and
on on establishing
Lesbian organizations in
Senator Phil Gramm (R)
plans of actions for
New Mexico: Lambda
202-224-2934
different regions of
Santa Fe.
(FAX) 202-228-2856
the state; local
T
h
e
organizers have
experience was that of s
t K B -1 H
planned regional
being at home. We
ena or ay a1 ey utchison (R)
202-224-5922
m e e t i n g s
share lots of energy and
(FAX) 202 _224 _0776
throughout New
wisdom," said John
Mexico. Gay and
Knopp of Las Cruces.
Rep. Mac Th orn berry (R-13th)
L e s b
a n
"Harry [Hay]'s visit was
202-225-3706
organizations in in
(FAX) 202-225-3486
rural areas learned
icing on the cake."
S at u rd a Y ' s
for the first time
keynote address was
Rep. Larry Com best (R-19th)
what resources are
given by Melinda Paras
202-225-400 5
available from other
of the National Gay and
(FAX) 202 _225 _9615
groups across the
Lesbian Task Force.
state.
Paras spoke of the growth and strength
Thornbery, Combest Vote
of Gay communities across the country
even under adversity.
Against Gay Rights Law
1607 S. Washington, 373-5885
Thursday, November 16
Open Stage
Poetry & Songs
Friday, November 24
Amy Buchanan
1
•
"TheGayandLesbiancommunity
has about 2000 leaders, not 3 or 4 in
Washington," said Paras. "This is the
center of gravity in the movement."
Paras had spent the previous
week in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the
national epicenter of attacks on the rights
of Gay and Lesbian people. Paras stood
with the Gay and Lesbian community of
Colorado Springs on October 1o, the day
the US Supreme Court heard arguments
on Amendment 2.
"The Justices have been affected
by the cultural change," said Paras "that's
what the Supreme Court said this week,
'It's not that big a deal."'
Summit participants developed
legislative and lobbying plans, including
hiring a lobbyist; communication
networks; a regional meeting schedule; a
voter registration drive; a New Mexico
Gay and Lesbian Family Reunion; support
of regional groups; and skills training
The
US
House
of
Representatives voted to remove
Domestic Partnership provision from
the
District
of
Columbia
Appropritations Bill.
Both Mac
Thornberry and Larry Combest voted
to deny the domestic partnership
benefits to gays and lesbians.
Rep. Barney Frank fought
against the amendment on the house
floor on Novermber 1 :
"Mr. Chairman, I hope
intellectual honesty is still in order.
ERISA, schmarisa, this is not about
ERISA. This is about people who
want to show a dislike and
disapproval of gay men and lesbians,
and for some odd reason, apparently
they find gay men and lesbians
more obnoxious if we happen to be
in a stable relationship than if we
are not. This is the 'Promote
Promiscuity Act,' I suppose, but
people sometimes get into
unintended consequences. Let us also
be clear the nitpicking of the statute, it
is a District of Columbia ordinance, is
besides the point. If it were tightened,
if it in fact said this is for gay men and
lesbians who could not otherwise be
married, they would be just as angry.
"I did agree with the gentleman
from California, who pointed out how
many people have died of AIDS, who
were well below the normal age at
which people die. I welcome his support
for greater AIDS funding. Maybe he will
explain to the Senator from North
Carolina the relevance of that, when
more people have died of AIDS than
died in World War II.
"But I want to address this notion
that somehow this undermines the
family. Members have said 'Well, people
are here looking for their approval. Herb and I have been together for 8
years. I want to assure those who have
spoken in favor of this, we do not seek
your approval. It is of no consequence
to us whatsoever. What we seek is to
protect ourselves, and, even more,
people more vulnerable than us, from
the bigotry and interference that would
harass them, belittle them, and deny
Page4
The ALGA UPDATE
"I, too, was stunned by that statement
by Sen. Jesse Helms . ... The notion of
any illness being a punishment from
God is not only ignorant but meanspirited. Let us never descend to that
level."
--Advice maven Ann Landers.
"It was like being in a black-and-white
movie that suddenly converted to
color."
--Andrew Sullivan, the gay editor of
the influential journal The New
Republic.
"What's the big deal? You don't have
a problem kissing puppies, do you?
You're playing a role, man! I've been
in acting classes when I've done that
before. It's like doing an accent."
-- " To Wong Foo, Thanks for
Everything! Julie Newmar" star Wesley
Snipes
on kissing men, to USA Today.
,
,
••
. '
'
"'-"'
Natural Healing
Body • Mind • Spirit
Relaxation
Stress Management
Diana Hamrick
Relld Master
by 11ppolntment
359-9682
them basic rights.
And you say
'Well, you have got to do this . It is
not meanness, it is not bigotry. You
have got to do it, because it would
undermine the family.'
"That is bizarre. Is your faith
in the family of such fragility that you
think people are going to learn that
Herb and I live together, that Dean
and Gary live together, and they are
going to leave their wives?
"I have said this before. There
was a commercial before about V-8
Juice, and there would be this cartoon
character. And he would drink an
apple juice, and he would drink a
tomato juice, and he would drink a
carrot juice. And someone would
give him a V -8 , and he would say, ' I
could have had a V-8.'
"What are we, gay men, the
V-8 of American society? Are you so
frightened that people will see two
men living together in a loving
relationship, or two women living
together in a loving relationship, and
that will undermine the family? Shame
on those. You are the ones who
undermine the family when you
trivialize it like this.
"If you want to compare, if
your view of the family is that
materialistic, apparently some of them
believe on the other side that if you do
not bribe people, they will not stay in
their families.
If you have that
materialistic view, I would say do not
worry, because there will still be many,
many more advantages. The right to
visit someone who is very ill, and that
right has been denied to gay partners.
It is not purely academic, it has been
denied to people. The material balance
will still be on your side.
"But I have to know what it is,
how does this mechanism work? How
are we undermining families? And
you say, 'Well, we don't want the
Federal Government to give this stamp
of approval. ' That is a very totalitarian
concept of the Federal Government.
What happened to your libertarianism?
Is it not the role of the Federal
Government in fact to let people make
their own choices . Are you saying
that the people you represent, the
people for whom you speak, do not
think what they do has value, unless
it is stamped ' kosher for Passover ' by
the Federal Government, the necessary
changes being made? I do not
understand the logic here. In fact,
what has happened is the District of
Columbia, and, by the way, I am also
struck, I guess maybe the New York
Times is going to have to recall the
issue of a couple weeks ago with the
picture of Marion marry and Newt
Gingrich on the cover, the two pals.
Speaker Gingrich said he is for home
rule. What, until bigotry says otherwise?
"We are not talking about the
constitutional right to do things. We
have a constitutional right to do a lot of
things. The question is whether or not
we should do it."
STUDDS WILL NOT
SEEK RE-ELECTION
by Rex Wockner
U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, D-Mass.,
the first openly gay member of
Congress, announced Oct. 28 that he
will not seek re-election in 1996.
Speaking in an historic Edgartown
church on Martha's Vineyard, Studds
said his decision was based on "a
profoundly personal issue, not a political
one" and that it was time to move on to
"other challenges."
The Reuter news service
elaborated, "Democratic observers have
said Studds, 58, has appeared unhappy
since the 1 994 Republican resurgence
cost him the chairmanship of the House
Merchant Marine and Fisheries
Committee, which was later dissolved."
In a prepared statement, Studds
said: "To everything, as the Biblical
verse goes, there is a season -- a time
to plant and a time to harvest. It is now
time for me to chart a new course: by
no means to retire, but to find new
endeavors, both public and private,
that will allow more than an occasional
weekend or evening to catch up on
things neglected for a quarter century,
like reading and writing and actually
using my tide chart; to be a better
partner, brother, uncle and friend; and
to be a useful human being in new ways
that the demands of elective office
have precluded for most of my adult
life.
" Since embarking on this
improbable journey," Studds continued,
The ALGA UPDATE
tudent rgamzations
Lambdas of West Texas A&M
Box WT 335, Canyon, TX 79016
Saul Reyes, Co-Chair, 374-3054
Becky Cavitt, Co-Chair 655-5769
Pink Triangles Student Group
Amarillo College
Contact Rob Mills, 371-5300
Religious Organizations
Metropolitan Community Church
2123 S Polk, Rev. Bob Finch
Office hours M-F 9 AM 1 PM 372-4557
Sunday Services 10:30 AM & 6 PM
Children's Sunday school during seNice
Monday 12 Noon, Brown Bag Prayer
Wednesday 7 PM, Discussion Group
St Andrews Episcopal Church
1601 S. Georgia, Father Bill Nix
376-6316
Unitarian Unlversallst Fellowship
4901 Cornell
Sundays, 11 am (Summers, 10 am)
355-9351
Services
Family Support Services
Domestic violence, rape crisis, counseling
services. Fees charged on a sliding scale.
900 S. Lincoln
372-3202
1-800-749-9026 hotline/helpline
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
1734 14th St. NW
Washington, D.C., 20009
(202) 332-6483
National Gay & Lesbian Teen Hotline
1-800-347-8336
Open 6 PM to 11 PM Central Time
Northwest Texas Public Services
HIV Counselor
Terry Arnold, 371-1106
Panhandle AIDS Support Organization
(PASO)
604 W. 8th, 372-1050
1-800-388-4879 Hotline/Crisis number
Parents & Friends of Lesbians/Gays
(P-FLAG), Amarillo Chapter
Parents and friends, you have a support
group, too! Call Washington Square for
times and dates.
Pages
The Pavilion
Northwest Texas Healthcare
System
Intensive Outpatient Program/
Addictive Disorders
354-1835
Amarillo Bowl
4100 Wolflin
352-5681
Shepherd House (call PASO)
MWF 11:30 -1:30
Home cooked meal services for
HIV/AIDS individuals
Hastings Books and Video
2001 S Georgia - Gay/Lesbian book
section & magazines
4301 W 45th - Lambda book section
Sisters (Women's Discussion
Group)
MCC 2123 S Polk
Every Sunday 7 PM
Klnko's Coples
3801 Olsen Blvd
Open 24 hours
Speak Outi Human Rights
Campaign Fund Information
1-800-777-HRCF
Italian Delights, Inc.
2710 W 10th Ave
Queer Dinner Club (QDC) meets
7:30 PM on the third Thursday of
the month. Everyone is welcome!
Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas
P.O. Box 2579
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 474-LGRL
People For The American Way
2000 M Street, NW, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20036
Parents, Family & Friends of
Lesbians & Gays (P-FLAG)
Travis McBride 358-4810 or
Wash. Square 373-5885
Bars
Alexander's Lounge
1219 W 10th Ave
372-7414
Maggie's Disco
1515 S Harrison
371-9312
TheO.P.
500 W 16th Ave
379-9613
The Ritz
322 W 10th Ave
372-9382
Sassy's
309W6thAve
374-3029
The Classifieds
519 E. 10th St.
374-2435
Gay Friendly
Businesses/Organizations
Valley Lodge Family Motel &
The Hole Thing Donut Shop
PO Box 304 - Main Street
Red River NM 87558
Reservations: 1-800-951-2262
Information: (505) 754 2218
Via Veneto
1108 N Pierce
Same owners as Italian Delights,
open for lunch only.
Gay Owned Businesses
Washington Square Cafe &
Bookstore
1607 S. Washington
373-5885
Teas, coffees, light dining, books,
magazines, entertainment and art.
Closed Sunday.
French & Co. Realtors
Paul D. French, Owner
4200 Ridgecrest, Suite A-5
356-9086
This listing is a service of the
Amarillo Lesbian/Gay Alliance.
Please send corrections/additions
to ALGA Update, P.O. Box 9361,
Amarillo, TX 79105-9361.
The ALGA UPDATE
Page 6
"I have been ve ry conscious that each
of us is allotted only so many hours and
so many days on this earth .... It's
probably divulg ing no great secret to
admit that I do not thrive on what some
consider indispensable parts of the job.
I am not by nature a particularly
gregarious person. I get annoyed by
frequent interruptions. I get tired of
hearing myself talk. And there are
already far too many people in
Washington who confuse themselves
with the monuments.
Studds spokesman Mark Forest
said Studds' health and his relationship
with his lover are both in fine shape.
1 honestly think he's looking for
a break , Forest said. "The job requires
tremendous energy and a total
commitment to one's work. Gerry has
always enjoyed spending time with his
11
11
11
family, friends and partner, and putting
out his lobster traps, fishing, reading. "
Studds has been in Congress since
1972 and was re-elected six times after
being censured by the House in 1983
for having had sex with a 17-year-old
male Congressional page in 1973.
Studds came out of the closet on
the floor of the House during the 1983
scandal -- thus becoming the first openly
gay U.S. Congressman.
There are two other open gays in
Congress-- Rep. Barney Frank, O-Mass.,
and Rep . Steve Gunderson, R-Wisc.,
who also is not seeking re-election.
Have a Happy
Thanksgiving!!!
.
,,.
I
...
. ., .· '
Natural Healing
Body * Mind * Spirit
Relaxation
Stress Management
Diana Hamrick
Relkl Master
by appointment
359-9682
The Amarillo Gay/Lesbian Alliance (ALGA) Membership Application
ALGA seeks to provide an organization that will encourage healthy acceptance of our lifestyle both
within our community and the population at large. Our annual budget is funded solely by your membership
fees . Membership guarantees reduced rates for future ALGA-sponsored events. Those same fees pay
for printing and mailing of this newsletter, sponsors the annual ALGA Gay Pride Picnic, camping trips,
future workshops and our hotline costs. All mailings are discrete, and our mailing list will never be pro~_ _ vided to any other agency. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
We are happy to provide the ALGA UPDATE to people who cannot afford to purchase a subscription;
however, we ask that anyone who can afford to subscribe, do so to keep the exchange of information flowing, our
community informed, and allow for more activities in the future.
W
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