HerlandVoice-1988-10-v5-no10_ocr.pdf
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VOLUME 5, NUMBER 10
OCTOBER, 1988
HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES, INC .
2312 NW 39th, OKC , OK 73112
ciety's attitudes. Coming out is the
I
most powerful statement we can make powerful in its political influence and
personally powerful in releasing energy
that is wasted in hiding the truth.
Cami ng out. Changing the ti de of hi s-1
tory . You can be an incredibly powerful
force shattering the wall of silence.
Together , we can assume the political
i
might which could end discrimination
forever . You can be a part of something
very important. Only your personal involvement wi ll make this possible .
Coming out is a continuum, a series
of steps that often take place over the
course of months or even years. Your
l
"next step" must be appropriate and com- i
fortable for~; but be willing to push
yourse lf a little .
Included herein is a list of ideas
for coming out. Find a "next step" on
.
the list , or create one of your own, but
1
PLEASE try to take your "next step" on
National Coming Out Day - October 11th.
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BOYCOTT
! NESTLE
REINSTATED
Around the Country
I
NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY:
TAKE YOUR " NEXT STEP"
National Coming Out Day is a proactive
response to the silence that is strangling the lives of millions of gay men and
lesbians. Sponsored by National Gay
Rights Advocates and The Experience Weekend, National Coming Out Day takes place
on October 11, 1988, the first anniversary of the historic March on Washington
which saw over 700 ,000 gay men and lesbians on the streets of our nation's capital . National Coming Out Day is designed
to bring the spirit of that historic e¥
vent home to our local communities.
The goal of National Coming Out Day is
to increase the visibility of the more
than 20 million gay men and women in this
country . And because homophobia begins
at home, this day will also focus on ourselves. There is a "next step " in coming
out for each of us.
Thousands of gay men and lesbians
taking part in National Coming Out Day
are commiting to their "next step" .
The ranks of those who choose to live
openly as gay men and lesbians are being
strengthened . New talents and resources
are flowing into the gay movement and
creating significant gains both in the
emotional health and political clout of
the gay corrmunity.
You can make it happen
TAKE YOUR
NEXT ST EP !
Our silence is killing us . Our silence is allowing society to make the
rules for us by defining who we are , and
what we can hope to achieve in life .
Our silence is allowing ignorance and intolerance to play decisive roles in such
life-threatening matters as AIDS funding,
research and patient care. And with silence comes invisibility.
Our invisibility is the core of our
oppression . We experience hate, fear,
and prejudice because people don't know
who we are. But we know. We are their
sons and daughters , brothers and sisters,
and mothers and fathers.
The truth is that we are everywhere.
We work within every professional field
at every professional level . We touch
the lives of millions of people whose
negative view of homosexuality would
change dramatically if they know who we
are.
Your coming out can help turn fear in to acceptance. One-to-one contact with
gay men and lesbians is our most powerful
tool to bring about a major shift in so-
MAY BE
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COMIN_G
_O-UT-DA-Y--RA_L_L
See page
3
~FOREST SERVICE SEEKS
1,300 GOOD WOMEN
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WASHINGTON , DC - Under court order
to increase the number of women in the
nation's national forests, the U. S. Forest Service is seeking to employ l ,300
women. The federal jobs pay from
$23,000 to $53,000 per year .
Project Outreach for Women, sponsored by the Department of Agriculture ,
is looking to hire at least 500 women
immediately , to avoid being held in contempt of court and fined for discriminating against women in its hiring practices .
As a resu lt of the court order the
Forest Service must increase its number
of female employees over the next few
years to bring the percentage of women
in its service up to 43 percent of its
work force.
The women who are hired will be assigned to one of 18 regional offices in
California. Over 70 occupational fields ,
including technical, administrative and
professional and scientific positions,
are available . Pay grades run from
GS 9 through GS 13.
Women interested in pursuing a posi tion with the U.S . Forest Service may
call (916) 246-5115 for more information .
In 1984 , after a seven-year worldwide
boycott campaign, the Swiss-based Nestle
company agreed to abide by the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk
Substitutes (World Health Org ., 1981),
and change its practices of marketing
infant formulas in Thi rd World countries .
Now the company is being accused of
breaking the agreement, systematically
"dumping" formula in Third World countries, and creating infant formulaf.
"ad1
dicts".
'v
Although TV ads and bill boards aiways show healthy, s.miling infants, the
reality is that breast feeding is more
nutritious and far safer than bottle
feeding. And under the conditions of
contaminated water, no way to sterilize
bottles and nipples, and no refri~era
tion in poor communities , infant formula
is deadly .
The WHO Code bans all forms of direct
consumer promotion including free samples , because once bottle feeding is begun, the mother's breast milk dries up ,
and thus the baby is "hooked" on formula . Bottle-fed infants do not receive
the protective antibodies found in
breast milk. And becau~ e of the high
cost of formula , mothers are forced to
"stretch" it with too much water , leading to malnutrition in their babies.
Combined with the lack of sanitation,
the result is thousands of babies dying
of infections, diarrhea, dehydration and
malnutrition caused by the use of infant
formula .
Action for Corporate Accountability
(ACA) has monitored Nestle and other
formula companies including American
Home Products (Wyeth) for compliance
with the 1984 agreement. They have accumulated evidence that these companies
are violating the WHO Code , aggressively
advertising directly to consumers with a
chid, romanticized image of bottle feeding, and continuing to flood hospitals
in more than 20 countries with free infant formula samples .
ACA and the International Baby Food
Action Network (IBFAN) have given Nestle
and American Home Products an ultimatum:
If they do not change their formula marketing practices, a new boycott will begin on October 4th of thi s year . This
is being watched closely by pharmaceutical and tobacco companies as a test case
on the real effectiveness of promotional
restrictions where health and lives are
concerned. Past experience shows that
even a multinational company such as
Continued on page 2
Continued from page l
Nestle has to bow to consumer pressure
if it is strong enough. To support the
work of ACA, write them at 3255 Hennepin
Ave . S.; Suite 230; Minneapolis, MN 55408.
From Up & Coming, September 1988
A NN 0 U NC E S
~IM'Mll
. .~DINl. .~at.-~nn
LESBIAN RIGHTS TO BE FOCUS
OF N. O.W. CONFERENCE
SAN DIEGO, CA - The National Organization for Women will sponsor a National
Lesbian Rights Conference to be held October 7 - 10 at the Holiday Inn Embarcadero in San Diego. The purpose of the
conference is to provide a forum for the
development of a national plan of action.
Topics such as legalized discrimination , alternative families, health care,
the politics of AIDS , portrayal of lesj
bians in the media, electoral politics,
I
legislative issues, and educational issues will be discussed during a wide variety of workshops. Empowerment , visibility , and the dual problems faced by
lesbians of color wi ll be the underlying
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theme s running throughout the conference.
j
Plenary speakers will include Jean
t
O'Leary, executive director of National
Gay Rights Advocates who was recently
appointed to the Democratic National Com!
mittee by Michael Dukakis. The appoint- I
ment marks the first time an open lesbian
1I
has been named to the governing body of
the National Democratic Party . Other
!
speakers include poet Robin Morgan; Renee
McCoy, executive director , National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays; Carmen
Vazquez, coordinator, Lesbian and Gay
Health Services for San Francisco County;
and Karen Thompson , an activist who has
spent over four years fighting for the
right to care for her severely disabled
life partner, Sharon Kowalski.
Marcia Gomez will emcee a music concert featuring Deidre Mccalla and Lucie
Blue Tremblay.
For additional information , contact
Nancy Buermeyer; NOW Action Center, 202/
347-2279.
THE NEW HERLAND CENTER IS NOW OPEN:
SATURDAYS 10 AM - 6 PM &SUNDAYS 1 PM - 6 PM
at 2312 NW 39th St.
COMING OUT DAY RALLY
on
October 9 (Sunday) at
Angles , 2117 NW 39th
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a
a
2
Continued on page 7
• •
at 1630 NW 19
on October 29 & 30
8 am til 6 pm
(Call 794-7464 for info.)
·-·
II
a
a
a
ALIX DOBKIN IN CONCERT
on
November 18
at
Civic Center· Little Theater
(Call 528-0020 for info.)
D
/
HERLAND BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD THE 3rd
SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 2312 N. W. 39th
Next Meeting:
SAN FRANCISCO , CA - The NAMES Project ,
sponsor of the National AIDS Memorial
Quilt, has helped to establish a new resource in the fight against AIDS. Called
the National Parents Council on AIDS, the
group is made up of parents and others
concerned about the AIDS epidemic and its
impact on the future.
Undistracted by partisan political
considerations and representing no special interest group but that of children
everywhere , the Council will be a strong
legislative advocate, helping the nation
develop, as quickly as possible , an ef-
Cl
ANNUAL YARD SALE
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PARENTS RESPOND TO AIDS
a• •-•
Oct. 16, 4:30 p.m.
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PUBLISHED BY : HERLAND SISTER RESOURCES,
INC.; 2312 NW 39th; Oklahoma City, OK
73112.
CIRCULATION: 700
GENERAL INFO: (405) 794-7464
672-4141
VOLUNTEER INFO:
528-0604
ADVERTISING :
794-7464
DEADLINE on all advertising and submissions is the 15th of each month .
SUBSCRIPTIONS to this Newsletter are free
upon request.
We encourage the exchange of information, personal opinions on issues of concern to the Oklahoma women's community,
and your stories and experiences .
The editor reserves the right to edit
and condense letters according to space
limitations . Letters should be typed,
doublespaced and signed by the author(s).
Include your address and phone number.
If you wish to be published anonymously,
so indicate , but include your name, etc .,
for our information, in case the editor
has questions .
Mail or deliver your letters to HSR;
2312 NW 39th, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 .
Deadline is the 15th of each month.
Around the Corner
COMING OUT DAY RALLY
TO BE HELD AT ANGLES
To celebrate National Coming Out Day,
a local rally will be held on October 9th
at 3:00 pm at Angles . The purpose of the
rally is serious, but it should also be a
fun event . The rally will feature entertainers like Ma ry Reynolds, Peggy Johnson ,
Randall Powell , Mark Agnew , Live Water
and a new group called Three of Hearts
(Mary , Peggy , Elyse & Cindy) .
During the event , suggestions for
"coming out" wi 11 be offered . The
Herland bookstore will be there , along
with other organizations with items
for sale . You must be 18 years of
age or olde r to attend the rally.
Several gay and lesbian organizations in the community are helpin g or ganize the rally . "We hope to
gene rate the same spirit of cooperation that we had last time at the
Parade , " said Darlene Burgess, OASIS
Di rector.
Nation al Coming Out Day is being endorsed by all local gay and lesbian organizations including the Oasis Community Center , Herland Sister Resources ,
and O. U Gay/Lesbian Alliance among others. Angles i s located at 2117 NW 39th
Street in Oklahoma City. For more infonnation about National Coming Out Day
or the local rally to be held at Angles
on October 9th , call 525-2437 or 7947464 .
OAS IS AND ITS NEW DIRECTOR :
TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
By Sondra Metzger
OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oasis Community
Cente r has a new director as of their
August board meeting, and her name is
Darlene Burgess .
Located on the "Strip" at 2135 NW 39,
in the same row of buildings that houses
the Wreck Room and the Park , Oasis is a
community center for gay people in need .
Whether that need be for food , clothing,
emergency funds (when available) , or
support , it may be met at the .Oasis.
According to Darlene, "The Oasis is
a way to unite the community, to help
those of us who are in need and can't
get help anywhere else, to be an alternate place to go , other than the bars.
We have space where groups can meet and
not be afraid. We try to organize
things like the Gay Rights March in June.
We have a central referral service that
lists lawyers, doctors, etc. We have a
kind ear for people who are having problems , whether it be gay or AIDS-related
or family problems . ·We are here to be
of service, but the people of our community have to tell us what they need so
we can provide it."
The 40-year-old director brings a
great deal of voluntee.r experience and a
rough personal past to her new position .
She started working on the AIDS Infonna-
tion Line in ~985, and has been a volunteer at the Oasis and the Winds , the residence house of the people with AIDS.
In 1972, Darlene was placed under observation in a mental institution for 90
days because she was gay . She was denied
access to her children for si x years, and
ha s been recently fired from her job because of her sexual preference .
"I was a social services director in a
nursing home , " she said . "After they
found out I was gay, I wasn ' t allowed to
hug any of my female patients." Then she
was fired . Her employers got around the
potential litigation of her firing "by
waving a mo r al statement under my nose
that I had had to sign when I began working there ," Darlene said.
Darlene was co-director at the time
Di rector Jim Powell stepped down and was
encouraged by the board, friends , and a
very supportive and understading lover
that she could do the job .
"I took the position , not just because
everyone thought I could do it , but because I like to see into the future , and
I can see so many positive things happening that I want to be a part of , " Darlene explains. "What better thing for a
person to do than to work for something
she really believes in instead of sitting
on her thumbs and doing nothing ?"
If you , as a concerned member of the
community , would like to help t he Oasis
Center , here are a few ways of doing so:
l) You may volunteer your time which
would require you to attend a training
sess ion th at acquaints peopl e with the
telephone wor k, what Oasi s doe s, and the
various problems in the commun i t y that
most people are not awa r e of . The session is held the first Saturday of each
month at the Center from 10 A.M . until
12 or l P.M . and is open for anyone whc
wants to come even if they don't want to
volunteer , but just want to learn more
about Oasis .
2) You can contribute to the Food . Bank.
Darlene said that the Center can take
any kind of food .
3) Donations of clothing for thos e who
have either lost everything or are just
in need is yet another way to help. Sizes are not important , and they will accept childrens' as well as adult items.
And Finally , monetary contributions
are the most needed . The Center is selling t-shirts from the gay rights parade
and has just held a garage sale in an
attempt to raise funds. With the funds
they receive they not only cover their
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overhead but also try to help people with
AIDS with the cost of their medication.
According to Darlene, Oasis is here to
serve the community and will provide
whatever the community needs at the time,
but they can't do it without funds.
They would also like to make some repairs to the building and make it into
the kind of place the community can really be proud of when they walk into it .
The Gay Rights March last June proved
to be their biggest success to date.
Darlene reported that approximately 700
people turned out for the parade. "It
was fantastic!" she said . "We had a
good turnout, there were no problems , the
police were cooperative , we had no problem getting the parade permit . Everything went off so smoothly that I was
holding my breath every minute ."
Darlene goes on, "I kept on telling
myself that now is the time for it to
happen . That ' s the only reason I can see
why it went so smoothly . OKC is ready .
The gay population is ready . I think
seeing a bunch of us together shook up
some people both in and out of our community . I think they were standing on
the sidelines waiting to see if we were
going to pull this off. I had nothing
but positive phone calls fo r 3 weeks aft er that!"
Darlene credits both Herland and the
Gayly Oklahoman for helping maintain a
positi ve image during the parade l:>y.
printing the suggestion s for beha 'v~1for
for the ·Gay Rights marchers.
Currently, the Oasis and Herland are
collaborating with otner gay groups in
planning festivities for Coming Out Day
on October 11 (see related ar ticle on
page l).
When asked what she sees fo r the future of the Oasis and for herself , Darlene responded, "I would li ke to look
out this window and see a group of people freer than they are now and less afraid of being themselves, less afraid
of claiming themselves as individuals
instead of a group. I would like to see
us be recognized as a stable corrrnunity
in Oklahoma City and not be fea red . "
For Darlene, "To have fa happy life
and know that I have had a small part in
all of this. I'm a simple person . "
The telephone number for the Oasis
Community Center is 525-2437. They are
open Monday through Thursday from noon
to 5 P.M. and 7 P.M. -10 P.M. , and Friday
and Saturday from noon to 10 P.M.
,___
COUPON
---....,
Capitol Hill Family Clinic
PAMELA S. HITI, D.O.
General and Family Practice
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Office Ph. 632-5393
281 7 S. Harvey
Hours :
Oklahoma City, OK 73109
8:30 am - 5:00 pm MTThF ; 8:30 - Noon on Wednesday
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RESEARCH SEEKS WOMEN
WI TH CAREER CHANGES
Potpourri
LESBIANS AND GAYS RETURN TO WASHINGTON
Dr. Susan Albert in Bertram, Texas is
conducting a research project focussed
on the highly-successful woman who has
elected to leave her career and turn to
a different kind of life . These women
will have reached high levels of professional achievement, power , and compensa tion in the fields of business, finance,
education , government, and so on , but for
a variety of reasons, they have decided
to do "something else" with their lives .
This "something else" may include a turn ing to differnet kinds of relationships,
to a different kind of work, to a new
living environment , or to the pursuit of
artistic or spiritual values. It satis fies needs that are not easily met in the
competitive world of careers and professions. I am interested in identifying
such women and learning why they have
made such significant changes in their
lives.
If you wish to participate in thi s
project , or if you know someone who might
like to participate, please contact me to
receive further information and an initial questionnaire : Dr . Susan Albert;
P. Drawer M; Bertram, TX 78605 ; 5.12/355-·
2799 .
:,v{
WASHINGTON, DC - Lesbians and gay men will be returning to Washington this
October to celebrate the anniversary of the March on Washington for Lesbian &
Gay Rights which drew over 700,000 participants last October .
Events planned for the conrnemorative week of October 5 - 13, 1988 include
the fo 11 owing.
Fri., 10/7/88
LESBIAN/GAY COMMUNITY CONCERT TO BENEFIT
NAMES PROJECT . Lisner Auditorium . With
Holly Near, Cathy Fink, Patti Larkin, Julia
& Co., and others.
Info : 415/863-5511.
Sat., 10/8/88
NAMES PROJECT AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT.
Dawn:
Unfolding begins; reading of names
all day; refolded at dusk . Capitol Mall .
Sat., 10/8/88
NATIONAL AIDS ACTIVISM CONFERENCE
begins with Teach-In.
Info: ACT NOW
(AIDS Coalition To Network, Organi ze , and
Win).
Info : Scott Sanders 202/23 4- 8801
or John Fall 213/668-2357.
Wed., 10/5/88
NAMES PROEJECT PRESS CONFERENCE. Announcing
Names Project events , goals, etc .
Info: Names Project, 4 15/863 -551 1
Thurs . , 10/6/88
Fri., 10/7/88
NATIONAL LOBBY DAYS FOR GAY / LESBIAN RIGHTS
Organized by National Gay & Lesbian Task
Force. Briefing at 1 0 : 0 0 AM- 12:00, Rayburn
House Office Building , lobbying to follow.
Constiuents plannni ng to be in DC should call
Peri Jude Radecic, NGLTF 202/332-6483.
Sat., 10/8/88
CANDLELIGHT MARCH FROM CAPITOL MALL
TO LINCOLN MEMORIAL Or ganized by Names
Project immediately following display of
the Quilt.
Info : 415/ 863-5511.
Sun., 10/9/88
NAMES PROJECT AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT
Dawn: Unfolding and display begins and
continues till dusk . Capitol Mall.
Info :
r Express1ons
.
POST-RETREAT BLUES
By Rhonda Smith
415/863-5511.
Sun . , · 10/9/88
KENNE DY CENTER GALA BENEFIT FOR NAMES
PROJECT.
Info: 415/ 863-5511 .
Sun . , 10/9/88
INTERFAITH MEMORIAL SERVICE.
National
Cathedral .
6:30 PM .
Sponsored by :
Episcopal Caring Resp onse to AIDS.
Mon., 10/10/88
NATIONAL PARENTS CONFERENCE ON AIDS
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Crystal City She rat on.
Info: Sandy O'Rourke , Nam e s Project,
41 5/863-5511 .
Mon ., 10/10/88
DEMONSTRATION AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH &
HUMAN SERVICES to protest AIDS policies .
Soonsored by ACT NOW (AIDS Coalition To
N~twork, Organize & Win).
Info:
Sue Hyde,
National Gay & Lesbian Task Force ,
202/332-6483 , or Scott Sanders 202/234-8801.
Tues ., 10/11/88
DEMONSTRATION AND CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ACT ION
at the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) .
Sponsored by ACT NOW .
Info:
Sue Hyde,
NGLTF, 202/332-6483.
Tues . , 10/11/88
LESBIAN & GAY COMMUNITY PRESS CONFERENCE/
BREAKFAST ON THE G/L MOVEMENT 8:00 AM.
National Press Club . Sponsored by : National
Gay & Lesbian Task Force.
Info: Urvashi
Vaid, 202/332-6483 .
Tues ., 10/11/88
NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY A nationwide
mobilization to challenge the closet and
discrimination, and to raise lesbian/gay
visibility.
Supported by all national gay/
lesbian organizations. Organized by:
National Gay Rights Advocates.
Info:
4
213/650-6200.
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Once again I find myself suffering
from a malaise that seems to afflict me
twice a year, once in the Fall and again
in the Spring --- the post-HSR-Retreat
Blues. This year it was especially hard
to come away from such a wonderful weekend and face my regular, bu sy, crazy
life.
What is it about the retreats that's
so great? Is it sleeping in those funky
cabins? Is it staying up unti.l all
hours talking or playing card~ or singing? Is it dragging yourself up out of
bed after not enough sleep and groggily
chowing down on Mary's pancakes in the
dining hall? Is it the Saturday night
potluck , or the perfonnance that follows?
Is it getting to skinny-dip 4 times in 2
days? Or , the enlightening workshops?
It's indeed all of these things . But
for me the key that makes it all magical
is the sense of community . I'm not
talking about that "cosmic" community
stuff that sometimes gets overused. I'm
talking about community in the literal ,
ancient sense of the word . Being part
of a minority in our society , if we want
interaction we have to actively seek it ,
and then there is always a beginning and
an end to the interaction (ie . a date,
party, dinner engagement , ballgame , etc.)
But, in the "village" of the HSR Retreat, we . get to interact in a very natural way. We can either talk or not.
Ka
Play or not. Bump into someone and either smile and walk on, or hug, or wander
off and take a long walk together. If
you're in a bad mood, there's room to get
off by yourself, or get a hug right when
you need it. If you're in a good mood
and wanting to play, chances are pretty
good that yo u'll find someone else in the
same mood with whom to share tomorrow 's
pleasant memories .
My own mood this weekend varied a lot .
I was not having an easy time,. and walked
around with my heart on my sleeve most of
the time . But , nevertheless, my experience of the retreat was very positive.
And, ... I'm looking forward to Spring.
COMEDIENNE ENJOYS RETREAT
AND WILD SOUTHWEST
By Sondra Metzger
"I had a great time here and the women
are fabulous. I 1 d certainly come again!"
Karen Williams took the floor and
charmed a group of 75 women who attended
Harland's Fall Retreat at Sequoyah State
Park September 17. Her descriptions of
the sights and sounds of an area she had
never been exposed to kept everyone
laughing from the beginning to the end of
her performance.
The next day, Karen expressed her appreciation for the women who attended the
retreat.
"I was really flattered that some women drove so far, 11 she said. "I met a lot
of people and made a lot of connections.
In a way I feel sad to leave."
Among those connections was Elizabeth,
who just happened to have a wonderful
sense of humor and added an unprintable
dimension to the comic's routine. Sally
blended in her own spicy wit to create a
mixture that gave Karen a positive energy
throughout her performance.
"There's always at least one person in
every crowd that gives you that energy,"
she explained. "I really enjoy that. It
lets me know that people are alfve and
breathing , otherwise there's a tendency
to get real qufet and shy ."
Qufet and shy are not words I would
use to describe that audience. Harland
seems to have her own faf r share of
comediennes. For those of you who are
interested fn that 11ne of work, Karen
suggests that you just go for ft.
"Do what you need to do," she advises,
"do the ground work and the rest comes
pretty naturally."
"The retreat was great, 11 she added.
"Elizabeth came to the retreat not knowing anyone and now everyone knows her!
We have something fn common now because
no one knew me and I didn't know them.
Now I have a fan and have made connections w1th some pretty wfld women!"
Karen spent the daylight hours Saturday wandering around the campsite jotting down ideas for her act. She also
' took a tr1p fnto Wagner fn search of
greater understanding of the area. The
tr1p was a success for the Berkeley resi dent.
"I found some fun things," she safd.
"! don't compare places to Berkeley; I
take things at face value and take ft for
what I get out of ft, and I got a lot out
of Wagner!"
Karen came to Oklahoma and gave those
of us who attended the retreat something
very special; she gave herself. Her gfft
of l~ughter and her ab111ty to help people see the funny sfde of lffe and themselves fs priceless. Her warmth and
compass fon wfll never be forgotten.
Thank you, Karen, for traveling so far
to share something so special wfth all of
us.
Karen Williams: Making us laugh.
ONE BY ONE
To ffve very special women 1n
Stillwater.
One by one her tears fell .
Her broken heart lay 1p pieces among
her shattered dreams.
One by one she picked up the pieces
and carried them f nto a room
A room full of other broken hearts .•• •
And shattered dreams
One by one the pieces were put back
into place
Usfng warmth, understanding, love,
and support for glue.
One by one the days progressed.
One by one the angers subsided.
One by one she healed
wfth your cheers for her accomplishments
your tears for her d1sappo1ntments
your laughter at that empty chafr
your joy and prfde at her gafns.
You made that room a haven of hope ,
But ft carried over to her heart.
Now that heart wants to thank you for
your fafth
your encouragement
your support
your love,
but all ft can do fs
hope
that your lffe 1s filled wfth as much
warmth and love as that room.
HERLAND THANKS YOU ALL
is charmed by the now-(in)famous Elizabeth.
·Herland would like to thank all of
the very special people who made this
Fall's retreat a wonderful success: People like Laura the Camp Director , without
whom the retreats would not have happened.
And, Chris C. the versatile vegetarian
chef who produced marvelous morsels for
the masses. And, Mary R. who bestowed
Babylonian breakfasts upon same. The Rev .
Beau McD. and Sasha & fr iend for enlightening workshops. Nancy Scott for sharing her music and making us laugh. And,
Karen Williams for making us laugh alot
with her unique, apropos, community--oriented humor .
And, thanks to the 75 women who came
to share themselves , their talents, their
love, and friendship with 74 other amazing women.
THANK YOU ALL !!!
Sondra
I
P. S.:
You're all 1n my journal 11 !
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AHer\and Calendar
Li~tinj e11enls 5ponsorJ by varib11.5 srrups arJ pre~W here c1Sa canmuri1ly sem~ by+ler~nd
- ··-----·- -·-·- - ------- ------·
--··----·
-·--·--------------------·-- - -- ----··----- - - - -··------ - - - -·- -··-..-
Coming Out:
suGGEsnoNs FoR TAKING vouR "NE XT sTEP"
Take a lover/partner home for the holidays .
Com e out to your family - parents , brothers and/or sisters .
Circulate a petition in your office in support of a gay rights initiative.
Put your lover's photo on your desk at work.
~onsider leaving the "Joy of Lesbian Sex" in your bookcase when mom visits.
ovlove your favorite "fantasy" man's poster to a prominent place in your house.
Stop lying to your fraternity brother about all the women you've had.
Go to your local jeweler with your lover to shop for matching rings.
Register your china pattern when you and your partner make a commitment.
Send flowers to someone special and don't use initials on the card.
Acknowledge that "those roses" are not from your mother.
Wear an openly gay symbol or button for an entire week.
Call a radio talk show and introduce a gay/lesbian topic.
Tell a friend you are going climbing with a gay hiking club.
Read a gay paper on the bus or in a restaurant.
Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper comment ing on gay
coverage or lack of coverage.
Contact your local university and offer to answer questions for the Human
Se xuality class.
Call him a him and her a her when talking about your love life .
Write a check to a gay organization using rhe full name of the organization .
6
-
Write a letter to your Senator or Congressperson in support of lesbiani gay
rights .
Take a straight friend to a lesbian/gay event.
Invite your straight and gay friends to the same party.
Hold hands publicly.
Have both of your names on your magazine subscriptions.
Check into a hotel under Mr. and Mr. or Ms. and Ms.
Speak the truth when asked, "So are you engaged yet?"
Tell three people that you are gay.
Visit a basically straight bookstore that sells lesbian/gay titles and openly
browse.
Answer the 1990 Census truthfully.
Include your gay family in traditional family or religious functions .
Come out to your landlord, neighbors and co-workers.
Be affectionate with your lover or partner upon arrival or departure at the
airport.
Put your National Coming Out Day bumper sticker on your car.
Confront your co-workers about a bigoted joke or comment.
Recognize that moms and dads aren't all straight - become a foster parent.
Volunteer to be a Big Sister or Big Brother.
Organize a march or demonstration for lesbian/gay rights.
Boycott a company or organization which discriminates.
Continued from page 2
fective response to the AIDS crisis .
"AIDS now threatens the lives or wellbeing of all children, whether or not
they are considered part of a high-risk
group," said Dr . Austin Jones, president
of the NPCA . "All of us will inevitably
be affected by the social and economic
disruption caused by our nation's efforts
to cope with this crisis."
UNTIL THAT LAST BREATH:
WOMEN WITH AIDS
WASHINGTON, DC - A dramatic and poignant
photographic exhibition ~epicting ~he rage,
resilience , and raw emotion of a hidden
population --- women with AIDS, ?pens.for
an exclusive Washington, DC showing, in
conjunction with the return of the National
Memorial AIDS Quilt. UNTIL THAT LAST BREAT
will show at the Collector Gallery and Rest
aurant from October 3rd through 10th .
Nationally acc laimed documentary photographer, Ann Meredith, offers an intimate
look into the lives of women with AIDS ,
with their families and friends, alone at
home on the street . Meredith has combined the ine vitable tragedy of this disease with the courage and strength each
woman exudes as she lives out her commitment to living the life that she has
left in a meaningful way.
Through photography, video and sculpture the exhibition portrays the personal
struggles , hopes and fears experienced
by Women who have AIDS. UNTIL THAT LAST
BREATH consists of 50 bold black and
white portraits ranging in size from 16
X 20 to 30 X 40.
"UNTIL THAT LAST BREATH draws attention to a forgotten element of the AIDS
crisis " said Kimberlay Moore Webster,
Dire ct~r of Development at the National
Gay and Lesbian TAsk Force , the exhibit's
sponsor. The percentage of Women with
AIDS has doubled in the past six years,
and Meridith's photographs call attention
to the fact that the AIDS epidemic is
taking a severe toll among women and
children as well."
"What we see through these portraits
is how AIDS is changing the lives and
hearts of these women," explains Ann Meridith. "More importantly, we see the
commitment that these women have made to
continue on with :their lives in a meaningful way."
An opening reception will be held on
Thursday, October 6th, from 5 to 7 pm . at
the Collector Restaurant and Gallery;
1630 U Street, NW; Washington, DC. For
more information on the exhibit, call
Kimberly Moore Webster, NGLTF, 202/3326483
UNITY IS THE KEY
Meet The Board
help, II
Sister #2 would like to see Herland
move in the direction of an advocacy
group and speak out more on issues concerning gays and minorities.
"One way we can do that is by networking with more groups like Oasis," she exIn the September newsletter you met
Sister #1, who fs technically the presf- plains. "Which is something we've been
dent of Herland's board of directors.
doing over recent months. We need to
This month we are featuring Sister #2 be more aware of broader issues that
who is the secretary and vice-president affect the whole community.
of the board. In a few months she will
"We al so need to be less reluctant to
assume the duties of Sister #1.
talk to people about Harland and explain
Sister #2 fs not an Oklahoma native, what ft fs, why we're involved in it and
having moved here from Kansas in the
I what the roles of the organization are .
late sixties . She graduated
from
Kansas
!The
more people experience, the more they
State with a ~achelor 1 s degree in sociol-t learn about it."
ogy , and received her masters from O.U. I
About Harland itself, Si ster #2 feels
"Professionally, I work a~ an :dmin- !that the organization needs to do more
fstrator and community organizer, she l and better fundraising to increase revesaid , "which is part of the reason why l nue and pay the monthly bills. She would
I'm interested in Harland . My first im- ;,also like to see more training for the
pression of Harland was a group of women ' board and for volunteers.
who were very committed to what they werel
"There are some systems that we have
doing and were working very hard trying l that could be better organized ,", she
to do things ~or the community and that said. "I really think we've conik<}a l ong
impre.ssed .me.
.
.way. I think we have a strong basic orLike Sister #1, Sister #2 found out i ganization ."
about Herland from Barbara Cleveland .
l
Sister #2 had this to say when asked
Barbara suggested she go to one of the i what Harland meant to her :
meetings to see what it was like . She l
"I think it's the sense of friendship
did and found it to be a very profesja nd working together that you get when
sionally run organization.
•you're involved with Harland . Yo~ meet a
"The first thing I noticed was that ! bunch of really good people who would do
the newsletter was costing us ~ore than anything in the world for you . There's a
it generated," she explained, and I
.spirit that you feel when you get involraise~ a question of w~y we w~ren:t
lved. This is not like a regular board
charging
people for this service.
whose primary function is to only set
11
Becal9'1 of my need to be aware of. re-, po 1icy. Most non-profit boards hi re a
venues versus expenses in my profession, staff and the staff does the majority
she continued, "I felt very strongly tha of the regular work; whE;ireas, Herland's
a service like that was worth something
board is composed of volunteers who aland that Harland was in II a position where so function > essentially, as - unpaid it real l Y nee d e d money .
staffers . And, we get a whole lot acBut, as Jean learned, Herl and has .a lcomplished!"
ways stressed the importance of getting
The next newsletter will feature Sisthe information to the people and not
ter #3
St tuned l
excluding anyone because they couldn't
·
ay
afford it . She hopes now that someday
-------thenewsletter will pay for itself
through the selling of advertising.
Because her time is taken up by her
job and her duties with Harland, Sister
HERLAND IS ...
#2 rarely has the chance to participate
in her two favorite pastimes, fishing
and reading.
.
i
d f
A non-profit corporat on compose 0 a
"The amount of work to do for Herl and
"
"
co
11ect1
ve
of
winm1i
n
open
to
a_riy woniyn who
is overwhelming, she said.
The comwants to be a part of 1t _ whicnworks to
mitment level is very high and people oc- maintain a feminist library and bookstore,
casionally have to drop out because of
sponsors workshops, retreats, concerts and
personal situations in their life . But ·other events for YOU. llerland's reason f?r
!there basically seems to be someone there being is to provide a frame~mrk fo~ a variety
ito take their place when that happens .
of projects for the supp?rt and e~Joyment of
It ' s the volunteer pool that we really
the area wimmin's community, It 1~ a .place
need to build up."
to learn a~d gro~, to ~eet othe~ 1~1mn11n, deSince Harland does not have the funds velop lasting frien~s~ips, rec~1ve support
tand nurture the positive self-image that sob i
to pay someone to handle us ne~s ma it
cietal attitudes sometimes make illusive to
tars and staff the resource cen er,
us. Herland exists to serve YOU.
relies entirely on women wh~ volunteer
Your donations are used to pay the rent
whatever time, money, or abilities they and utilities on the Bookstore building, and
are able to give.
printing and postage for the monthly HSR
"I got involved," she said , "because Newsletter and Friend of Herland cards.
I really thought I could be of some help
Hith the exception of the ~ibrar~, all of
in what the group was doing . Being a
/Herland's services are free, includ~ng ~he
community organizer, I thought I had
lfjewsletter. This is why your d?nat1on is
some professional experiences that could so important: It is Herland's lifeblood. 7
MEET SISTER #2
I
I
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·--------~-------------!
BOOK ON W
OMEN AND OKLAHOMA
LAW AVAILABLE AT HERLAND
The Oklahoma Women 's Law Manual , a new
book on Oklahoma laws and how they pertain
to Oklahoma women, is now ava il abl e at
Herland Center . Unfortunate ly , they are
in limited supply , but the book is f ree
for the asking whil e they las t . So, come
by and pick up your copy t his weekend.
Please support Uerland's Sponsors:
en
c:
V>
.µ
848-6429
SHIRLEY M. HUNTER, M.A.
s...
>
<lJ
-cl
"'
"'c.
LICENSED PROF EISIONAL COUNSELOR
PENN PARK OFFICE COMPLEX• SUITE 102
I009 N PENNIYL VANIA• OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 13112
•
KEMCO
PRINTING INC.
REBECCA R. COHN, Ph.D.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
340·4301
P. 0. Box 5119
Norman, Okla. 73070
321-2148
160 I S. Broadway. Unit D • Edmond. Okla. 7'.lO 13
8
Adolescent . . . Group ...
Family Therapy