Community Center News_March 1996 Vol 2.pdf
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- Community Center News_March 1996 Vol 2.pdf
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TOHR's
COMMUNITY
N E W S
Vol.2
March, 1996
Tommy Morrison
Tests Positive for
11W
I am sure that you have heard
the news, probably more
times than you wanted, that
the professional boxer
Tommy Morrison, tested
positive for the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV). This not only sent out
a message to all people, but
especially to the white
heterosexual male and female
community, that this virus
does not discriminate and that
drastic measures are going to
have to be taken.
.
This news has brought about
many changes but, one of the
biggest changes has been in
Tommy Morrison's attitude.
Noted for being a
promiscuous and high
tempered individual, Tommy
spoke out for living a life with
high moral character; looking
at sex as more than just a
recreational activity, but a
means to communicate the
depth of our love for our
significant other in a
monogamous relationship. If
everyone followed this simple
practice, how many people
would be HIV positive today?
~ announcement, along
Wl~ Tulsa
City County
closmg down their testing
d'd'
clinic, has sent a typhoon
through our testing clinic. We
are now the only anonymous
testing clinic in eastern
Oklahoma.
Previously, our average
amount of clients per month
was 70 people. Last month
w~ tested over 170 people and
this month we have already
tested 170 and we have no
doubts that our count will
reach more than 200 for the
month. That is triple our
usual amount of clients.
In the next few months we
hope to see the testing clinic
grow like never before: Not
only have we gained
substantial amounts of local
publicity through local
television and radio stations
but Claudette Peterson m~
an appearance on Inside
Edition, a national television
show. This publicity in
conjunction with being
Tulsa's primary HIV test site
will be sure to bring wave •
after wave of people
requesting HIV tests into our
clinic.
Special thanks to Claudette
Peterson, our faithful testing
clinic director, for all of her
hard work and extensive hours
she has devoted.
Two Area Police
Officers Speak to
TOUR About
Domestic Violence
If you did not have the
privilege to be at last months
meeting, you missed out on a
great presentation. Two
police officers gave a
presentation about domestic
violence.
These police officers weren' t
from New York or San
Francisco but from
0'1(1,. h., -~; two ~ l e
who have more than twenty
years combined experience in
domestic violence issues in
the Tulsa area.
These police officers brought
about an awareness that not
just straight people are
offenders and victims of
domestic violence. Gay or
straight, 50 percent of women
will be victims of domestic
violence. Women are also
nine times higher at risk in
their own home than out on
the_street. While it is only
estunated that 30 percent of
GLBT couples have domestic
violence issues, it is thought to
be much higher. This is
primarily due to the
occurrences of homophobia in
the police department.
Page- I-··
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Walle for Life Kick-Off
NAMES PROJECT QUILT
Anti-Gay Resolution Gains
The Real Debbie Starnes
Issue 2
St. Patrick's Day
Dance
After we had set the date for
the St. Patrick's Day
dance, we
found out about
Gaylapalooza
'96.
This event is a
national tour of famous
comedians, direct from Las
Vegas. They will be
performing at the Tulsa
Performing Arts Center on
March 16 at 8:00 p.m. We
hate to cancel the Patty's Day
dance but, for an occasion
such as this, we thought we
might make a change or two.
A~tually one big change. We
will be canceling the St.
Patrick's Day dance.
This has worked out for the
better. Now we will be able
to plan ~ event twice as big
and ten tunes as festive. I
have even heard rumors of a
southern cotillion or a
community wide prom. Look
for this exciting event
sometime soon.
Join the rest ofus at the PAC
1? yuc~ it up and have a good
tune with Gaylapalooza '96.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Vol2
Issue 2
March, 1996
Community Insights
This section of the newsletter is devoted to the organizations that make up our highly diversified community, and
the special events that happen and sometimes go unnoticed. Just a few of these organizations include:
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TOHR Testing Clinic;
IDVRC;
AGAPE' Christian Fellowship:
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The following is a list of events that will be held at St. Jerome
• Saturday, March 2, 1996 - Scriptural Rosary, 5:30 PM
• Saturday, March 16, 1996 - Stations of the Cross, 6:00 PM
• Saturday, March 23, 1996 - Visit from the Primate and
Archbishop of the Ecwnenical Catholic Church and the
Ordination of Debbie Starnes to the permanate deaconate,
6:00PM
• Saturday, March 30, 1996 - (Palm Sunday Service), 6:00
PM Holy Week Services
• Thursday, April 4, 1996 - Maunday Thursday Service, 6:00
PM
• Friday, April 5, 1996 - Good Friday Service, 6:00 PM
• Saturday, April 6, 1996 - Easter Vigil, 6:00 PM
• Sunday, April 7, 1996 - Easter Sunday Service, 8:30 AM
Agape' Christian Fellowship presents Marsha Stevens in her
"Come to the Water Tour". This event will be held on March
6, I 996 at the All Souls Unitarian Auditoriwn at 2952 South
Peoria. Performance time is 7 :00 p.m. For more information
contact Agape' Christian Fellowship at 599-7688. Agape'
Christian Fellowships' services are held every Sunday morning
at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday evening at 7:00 at 6540-H E. 21st.
Agape' also has a Wednesday Bible study at 7 :00 p.m.
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Friends in Unity;
St. Jerome Ecumenical Catholic Church:
TUGLBA;
Bless The Lord At All Times Christian Center;
Canterbury Ministry Center;
Indian Health Care;
Rainbow Business Guild;
Prime Timers;
Rainbow Village;
Community of Hope;
Dignity/Integrity;
Free Spirit Lesbian Center;
Friend for a Friend;
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Tool Box Technicians;
T.U.L.S.A.;
TYDD;
Family of Faith MCC;
MCC of Greater Tulsa;
The Gayly Oklahoman; and
Tulsa Family News.
This column will greatly expand as the relationships between TOHR Community News and the individual
organizations grow. If you have not been contacted by the Community News editor and would like to have
highlights of your organization published in TOHR Community News please write to:
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TOHR Community News
P.O. Box 52729
Tulsa, OK 74152.
Page - 2 -
COMMUNITY NEWS
March,1996
Vol.2
New Building
Update
The 1996 Gay
Pride Picnic
As far as our new building
goes, there have not been any
major changes. The
bargaining still continues and
we still keep fighting for it.
Just a Jew months
away!
We plan to reiterate our first
offer which is what was
derived from our emergency
membership meeting in
December. We hope to have
more information for you next
month.
TOHR Receives
Computers from
Black & White
TOHR.just received two
computers from Black &
White. No, they aren't the
ancient 386 models. We
actually have two I 00 MHZ
computers both with 850 MB
of memory and 8 MB RAM.
For all of you who aren't into
the computer lingo, that
means two damn good
computers.
Thank you Black & White for
bringing TOHR into the 20th
century.
1/
•
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Saks Fifth
Avenue to
Display AIDS
Quilt
We have great news regarding
our 19% Gay Pride Picnic.
Tom Neal has began work in
trying to obtain sponsorship
from American Airlines in the
picnic. Needless to say, ifwe
had American Airlines as a
sponsor, it would be a
substantial benefit to us.
Two of the speakers we are
looking at bringing to Tulsa
are comedian Susan
Westenhoefer and
congressman Barney Frank. If
you haven't heard of both of
these people you have either
been living under a rock or
have lived and extremely
sheltered life.
We are changing the location
of the picnic this year. The
proposed location
is extremely
pleasing to the eye
and we might not
have to battle with
the legion ofportapotties that usually
accompany this
grand event.
The picnic is going to be held
on June 15th. Make sure to
be there. This will truly be a
different picnic. We look
forward to seeing you there.
Saks Fifth Avenue in Tulsa
will be displaying sections of
the NAMES PROJECT AIDS
Memorial Quilt from February
21 to March I.
This is the first time a
corporation such as Saks has
presented anything of this
nature in Tulsa. Please come
out and show your support for
the fight against AIDS and for
GLBT persons in Tulsa.
Community Letters
Gays and Politics
Using gays as the scapegoat
for the demise of the family is
reprehensible nonsense.
Unfortunately, in order to get
in good with Pat Robertson's
Christian Coalition,
Republican presidential
candidates are all too willing
to go along with the lie that
gay people are somehow a
threat to the family.
Wholesale divorce among
heterosexuals does the reai
damage. With a 50 percent
divorce rate, adultery, abused
women, financial conditions
that require both parents to
work and leave children home
alone, abandoned and abused
children and so forth, it
doesn't take much effort to see
that heterosexuals have
succeeded quite will in
crippling the family without
any help from gays and
lesbians.
J.J. Stogsdill
Page - 3 -
Issue 2
Vicious Pink Closes
For the club goers that visit
Concessions, I am sure your
will notice that Vicious Pink
has closed it's doors.
Have no fear for one of the
owners of Concessions will be
opening a small gift shop to
replace Vicious Pink. You
will still be able to purchase
all of your GLBT
paraphernalia at this shop.
Walk for Life KickOff
A Blues Festival will kick off
this year's series of event for
the fourth annual Walk for
Life Campaign. Mark Snider,
renowned Tulsa musician, has
organized an outstanding
evening of the "Blues" to be
held at the Sunset Grill, 3410
South Peoria, Tulsa, on March
12, 1996.
Local Blues musicians have
volunteered their time and
talents for an entire evening of
powerful music. Acoustical
guitars will start the festival
and a jam session will end the
evening's slate. Tulsa
businesses have donated
various items for raffles to be
held throughout the night.
These include, among others,
the Blue Rose Cafe in
Brookside, Doubletree Hotel
at Warren Place and the
Celebrity Club in mid-town
Tulsa.
Budweiser beer will join with
Sunset Grill and K-MOD
Radio as a host of the
evening' s entertainment. In
addition to the contributors for
the raffle items, Paine Webber
COMMUNITY NEWS
March, 1996
Vol.2
and Roche Laboratories will
serve as Patron sponsors.
Tickets will be sold at the
door for $5 which will include
admission and two raffle
tickets. Otherwise, tickets can
be obtained in advance by
calling 749-4194 and asking
for John McCarthy or Beverly
Stanley.
The Walk Committee, chaired
by John McCarthy and
Beverly Stanley, has
organized a series of events to
bring people together to
proved support for agencies
that give assistance to people
living with lilV/AIDS
throughout Green Country.
The Committee is hosting a
non-juried art show featuring
prominent Tulsa artists in
June, a jazz festival in midsummer and will culminate in
the fourth annual Walk for
Life at Riverside Parks
October 12, I 996.
Over the past years, the Walk
has raised thousands of dollars
which has provided direct
financial assistance to
agencies. In 1995 funds were
given to Ahalya, lilV
Resource Consortium,
Hospice of Green Country,
Indian Health Resource
Center, Interfaith AIDS
Ministries, Metropolitan Tulsa
Substance Abuse Services,
Multicultural AIDS Coalition,
Rainbow Village, Regional
AIDS Interfaith Network,
Saint Joseph Residence of
Catholic Charities, TOHR
Testing Clinic and Visiting
Nurses Association.
d'd'
Community
Bio-Sketch
Our President,
Debbie Starnes
Discloses All
As an addendum to our monthly
newsletter, we are going to be
including biographical information,
the good and the bad. about leaders
in our community. From board
members to religious leaders, you
will get to know your leaders in an
in-depth sort of way.
First off, I would like to thank
Miriam for suggesting this
column. At first I was leery; I
didn't know if I could pull of
being funny, inspirational and
serious at the same time.
After reading Debbie Starnes
biographical information, I
found out that I didn't have to
do anything The personality
of the "lucky" person does it
all.
Debbie's full name is Debra
Sue Starnes, 38. Debbie's
partner is Midge Elliott, 41 .
Debbie and Midge like to
watch movies, attend roller
hockey games, shop, go out to
eat, take week-end vacations
and collect different varieties
of glass.
Being the outgoing person
that she is, she doesn't
embarrass easily. Although, if
you asked her about the
mischievous things she has
done, she could give you a list
longer than Santa's.
Debbie has accomplished
many things in her life. Some
of the things she is most proud
of are starting her own
business, helping non-profit
organizations provide needed
money by raising money, and
Issue 2
being a true motivator who
can bring people together
toward a common goal.
being proud of who I am and
about the joy of helping
others".
The main thing Debbie wants
to bring to TOHR is
organization. She wants to
help develop a true
professional organization
dedicated to building pride in
our community, fulfilling
needs and providing
environments in which we can
be ourselves.
As editor ofTOHR
Community News I would like
to thank Debbie for allowing
me to print her biographical
information. I have had a
truly splendid time reading
and typing all of it. I wish I
was as eloquent with
expressing what I think and
feel. We truly have a
president that will do what a
president should do; be a
strong individual who you can
also get along with and
believes that a president is
here to serve the community.
After asking her what she
want's to gain from TOHR
she replied, "A feeling that I,
with others, helped make this
community a better place for
us to live and a more
accepting community for
those who come after us".
If Debbie could just
accomplish one thing this year
(she bas already accomplished
many) she would like to
"bring the entire community
together in a manner that
empowers us as diversified yet
equal human beings with a
common thread". As her
lifelong goal she strives to
"love others as Christ love us
- without conditional
attachments and without
judgement.
The person who influences
her the most on a day-to-day
basis is Midge, her partner.
"Midge is perhaps one of the
most caring, intelligent and
sensible human beings I have
ever known." She daily keeps
me mentally stimulated while
allowing me to be the
somewhat playful rascal that I
am. Another powerful
influence is her mother. She
says, "One of the most
influential people in my life
was truly my mother who
taught me so much about
Page - 4 -
Anti-Gay
Resolution is
Gaining Ground
If you read the Tulsa World on
February 21 , you might have
noticed that the house of
representatives passed an antigay bill. House Resolution
I 045, by Rep. Loyd Benson,
D-Frederick, passed without
so much as one debate or
discussion. This resolution
passed 97 -1. The only person
to vote in our favor was Rep.
Don Ross, D-Tulsa. This bill
opposes the teaching of
homosexuality in public
schools and adoptions by
same-sex couples.
People who opposed this bill
say that "the NEA has taken a
position that promotes the
acceptance and tolerance of
homosexual behavior and
calls for a celebration of a
Lesbian and Gay History
Month to acknowledge the
contribution of lesbians, gays
and bisexuals, all of which is
COMMUNITY NEWS
March, 1996
Vol. 2
inconsistent with traditional
values in this state." This is
opposite of what NEA
advisors had to say. OEA
President Barbara Smith said
the NEA measure has been
misconstrued. She said the
resolution was aimed at
ongoing education programs
to identify and eliminate
sexual orientation stereotyping
in the education setting.
Make some calls to your
representatives. Thank Don
Ross for his support and let
the other representatives know
what you want in Oklahoma.
You can reach all of the
representatives at phone no.
800-522-8502 and fax no.
405-557-7351. For a
complete list of your
representatives, city council
members and congress
members please write to:
TOHR Community News
P.O. Box 52729
Tulsa, OK 74152
Tulsa Oklahoman's
for Human Rights
TOHR
P.O. Box 52729
Tulsa, OK 74152
(918) 743-GAYS
(918) 743-4297
TOHR Community
News
Horoscope
Debbie Starnes to
be Ordained
Deacon in the
Ecumenical
Catholic Church
We would like to express our
congratulation to Debbie
Starnes. Debbie will be
ordained to the permanate
deaconate at St. Jerome
Ecumenical Catholic Church
Saturday, March 23, 1996 at
the Garden Chapel, 3841 S.
Peoria at 6:00 p.m. Hey
Debbie, you go girl!
t
TOHR MONTHLY
MEETING
This month's meeting will be
held at 7:00 p.m. at Tulsa
University's Allen Chapman
Activity Center in the
Choteau Room. We are here
to serve you and for us to
bow what you want us to do,
you need to be there to tell us.
This month we will have a
special guest, Attorney P. Gae
Widdows. Be there or be ...
arrested, beaten, have your
children taken away, defamed,
taken advantage of and all the
other things that we might be
able to stop hy taking legal
action.
Capricorn
(Driving the wrong way down
a one way street.) What is
wrong ~th all these people?
Don't they know how to drive.
Aries
What is that on your head?
Oh. I love your new hairdo.
(Just because I dated and
Aries doesn't mean that I'm
influenced)
Aquarius
If you even so much look at
me I will beat you like a drag
queen would beat someone
who ripped off her wig.
Taurus
What a beautiful day this is
turning out to be. Schmack!
Where did that pole come
from.
Pisces
Who cares ifl don't have a
boyfriend (girlfriend). Dogs
act better, do what I tell them
to, and they don't cheat on me.
Gemini
Wake up! Wake up! Wake
up! This is too good to be
true. I have to be dreaming.
The Gingrich Who
Stole Congress
Cancer
Yes this is my outfit and no
you can't have it.
Leo
Out of all the days to go to the
store looking like the grand
high queen hoochie, I would
have to go the day I would see
the Pete Sampras (or Martina
if you prefer).
Virgo
I have been here before and I
sure the hell didn't want to
comeback.
Libra
No, not again I have a
headache. Yeah, I have a
backache too. Well in that
case my neck hurts.
&orpio
This sure wasn't my hair
yesterday.
Sagittarius
I haven' t been here before and
I sure don' t want to leave.
cfcf
laue2
Page - 5 -
An Internet poem for those of you
who love Newt as much as I do.
Now, no one knew what made
the Ging such a meanie;
It could be because he was built
like a weenie.
It could be because he had
Donahue hair,
Or maybe because not much
lurked under there.
But probably what most
explained the man's life
Was the fact he abandoned his
children and wife.
Yes, way down in Georgia, his
wife lay near dead,
Sickened with cancer, in a
hospital bed.
He crept in to sec her (they let
him of course)
And whispered, quite sweetly, "I
want a divorce!"
He whipped out his pencil with
something like zeal
And got down to work on his
alimony deal.
And while she was whimpering
he said, "By the way,
I'm leaving you for BOmebody
younger - hooray!"
The Gingrich's heart shrank two
sizes that night.
And that could be what makes
him ao Christian Right.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Vol. 2
Issue 2
March, 1996
TOHR Membership Application
Name
Membenhip Type
Address
We are offering a special membership offer. Ifyou already
belong to another Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender
organization, you will receive $2.50 off a single membership or
$5. 00 offan organizational/household membership. Just
remember to list the name ofyour organization on this
application.
City
State
Zip
Day Phone
Student/Limited Income
Regular Membership
Organizational/Household
Sustaining Membership
Evening Phone
GLBT Organization
Please mail your application to:
TOHR Memberships
P.O. Box 52729
Tulsa, OK 74152
There is one true shatterer of dreams ...
COMPROMISE ! ! !
UCO Women's Research & BGLTQ+ Center
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d'd'
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100 N. University Dr
Edmond, OK 73034
Page - 6 -
$10.00
$20.00
$35.00
$100.00