HerlandVoice-2001-06-v19-no06_ocr.pdf
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June, 2001
14TH ANNUAL OKLAHOMA
CITY GLBT PRIDE PARADE
The 14th Annual Oklahoma City Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Persons Pride Parade and Human Rights March happens Sunday, June 24, 2001 in
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma! The pre-Parade Festival starts
at 1PM in Memorial Park at NW 3 5th & Classen. All kinds
ofentertainment, refreshment & education will be on hand!
The Parade itselfsteps offfrom Memorial Park at 5PM and
marches down NW 39th Street to the heart of OKC's
GLBT business district at NW39th &Pennsylvania where
thousands of OKC's GLBT Community members and
supporters will be eagerlywaitingto welcome it!
.
This year's Grand Marshall is Kevin Barker, a remarkable young man who succeeded in overcoming the resistance ofbis school's administration to start a Gay-Straight
AlliancethisyearatJenksHighSchoolinJenks,Oklahoma!
Come join the celebration as we honor the achievements
of Kevin and all of Oklahoma City's GLBT Community!
Vendors and organizations are encouraged to rent booth
space at the Pride Festival. Booth space rental is $25 for
nonprofit groups and $40 for commercial booths until June 5
when prices go up. Forms are available on the Pride Parad;
website at www.okcpride.com, or by mail from: Pride Network, Inc., P .0. Box 60296, Oklahoma City, OK 73140-0296
GLBT COMMUNITY
PRIDE PICNIC
Her land will hold the annual GLBT Community Pride
Picnic on Saturday, June 23 at Herland Sister Resources,
2312 NW39, Oklahoma City. The picnic, which begins at
6:00 PM, will feature entertainment hosted by localcomedian, Jeri James. Scheduled performers include the Oklahoma City Metro Women's Chorus, Oklahoma City
Metro Men's Chorus, Wanda D., Terra Henry, Chaz,
Alyson Scott, Peggy Johnson, and Sonia Martinez.
Traditional picnic fare - Hamburgers, hot dogs, vegetarian burgers and dogs and sodas will be provided by·
Herland. A$5.00 donation is requested.
The Community Pride Picnic has become a popular part
of the Pride celebration in Oklahoma City. Last year we had
about 150 women, men and children in Herland's back-yard
for the event. This year is certain to be even better!
Her/and June Events
June 19, 5:30 PM
Her/and Supper Club
Sponsors for the 2001 GLBT Pride Parade:
GOLD LEVEL: Bud Light, Cimarron Alliance Group, The Gayly
Oklahoman, Habana Inn Complex (Copa, Finish/ine, Ledo, Gushers), and Wilson/Hill Investments.
SILVER LEVEL: Jungle Red, OutwordConnection, and Westridge
Labs.
BRONZE LEVEL: Steve Callahan Designs, Cathedral of Hope OKC, Craig's Emporium, EQUAL! at Lucent Technologies, Face
Beautiful, Ken Hutmacher, New Leaf Floral, Dub Richardson
Auto Group, and Windy City Chicago Bistro.
CORPORATE LEVEL: 23rd Street Body Piercing, Kevin and
Paula Brown, Dis Guy's Costumes, doublethink magazine,
Flanigan 's Costumes, Gina's Antiquities, Gypsey 's Inc., The Red
Cup, Jean 's Plumbing, KA 's, Mistletoe Wholesale Florists, Ogden,
Mulinix & Hall, James Prock and John Eggleston, and Tramps.
Volume 19Number06
Berland Sister Resources
(meet at Her/and)
June 16 1 PM - 4 PM
Clean-Up /Fix-Up Day at Her/and
June 16 4:30 PM
Her/and Board Meeting
June 23 6:00 PM
GLB T Community Picnic at Her/and
www.herlandsisters.org
2312 N.W. 39, OKC, OK 73112
SAINT SYBIL
Sybil Ludington, Matron Saint of the Forgotten Woman,
is an occasional contributor to this space. Sybil, as you
may recall, did everything Paul Revere did, only backwards and in high heels. Oops, no, that was Ginger
Rogers and Fred Astaire. Sybil did everything Paul did,
only longer, better, earlier, younger, and without getting
caught by the Redcoats ....
Dear Saint Sybil,
Some of my family is upset that I'm going to walk in the
Gay Pride Parade this year. They say they love me and all,
and they are for gay rights and all, but they don't understand
what exactly there is to be proud about? I'll have to admit
I don't have an easy answer for them. Help, please?
Yours,
Ann R. Tickulett
Dear Ann,
Oh gee, really? They don't? You don't? That's too
bad. Let's look at you .... You're a good person, you work
hard, you play fair, pay your taxes, hardly ever kick the dog,
and you 're a lesbian. Being lesbian is a part of you, and either
you're ashamed of who you are, or you're proud of who you
are -you can't really be neutral about selfrespect. Now,
why do you have to proclaim your pride? Well, if it weren't
for the KKK and Reverend "Godhatesfags" Phelps and
other yahoos and gay bashers; if it weren't for the thugs who
harm GLBT people physically, emotionally, spiritually, and
legislatively, you wouldn't have to. Butthose people do exist
("Rev" Phelps and his minions were at the OKC Pride
Parade last year with some really ugly signs) and so you do
need to assert your self worth; both to yourself and, if you
can, to the world at large.
Be proud of the people who have come out and marched
when it was even tougher than it is today. Think back to the
first Gay Pride parade in Oklahoma City, some fifteen years
ago. It took a lot of pride and guts and gumption to participate
in that one. A malevolent bunch of ragtag societal misfits
calling themselves the Ku Klux Klan, about forty strong,
were waiting for the Parade at 39th and Penn; with tire irons
and such. When the 500+ Pride marchers peaked the hill at
39h & McKinley, those pathetic trolls turned tailed and got
outta Dodge, fast. Believe me, those marchers felt proud.
They were marching because they refused to be ashamed of
who they were; and then when those hooligans scattered
they were proud that they were out there marching. Their
pride and self-confidence just spiraled up and away.
Ann, on Sunday, June 24, you will be marching for many
others: for all those who for one reason or another can't
march for themselves. Some of them will be on the side of
the road cheering you on, some will drive by, some will look
(mostly in vain) for reports of the Parade on the evening
news. And you'll be marching for your Aunt Sarah, your
Uncle Bill, your cousin Allie - and who knows, probably a
Greatgrandmother or two ... look around your family tree,
and march for your maiden aunt, your bachelor uncle, and
your GLBT nieces and nephews to come. Their road will be
far smoother and easier for having you be a strong role model
of integrity and pride.
And here are a few role models for you: Leonard
Bernstein, Rita Mae Brown, Lord Byron, King James I,
Roberta Achtenberg, Jane Addams, Alexander the Great,
Dorothy Allison, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, Aristotle,
St. Augustine, Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer, Albert
Camus, Hans Christian Anderson, S idonie Gabrielle Colette,
Noel Coward, Aaron Copeland, Alvin Ailey, Benjamin
Banneker, George Washington Carver, Countee Cullen,
James Baldwin, - and we're only taking a few of the well
known, at the beginning of the alphabet!
Here are a few more who come quickly to mind Martina Navratilova, Barbara Jordan, Jewelle Gomez,
Audre Lorde, Bayard Rustin, Barbara Smith, Adrienne Rich,
Gore Vidal, The Reverend Peter Gomes ... .. A small sampling, indeed, of a wonderfully strong and talented group of
people. I ask you, What's not to be proud?
So get out there and hold your head high and have a great
time at the Parade and Festival. As my great friend Emma
Goldman, Matron Saint of the Staunch & Resolute is wont
to say, "Ifl can't dance, I won't be part of your revolution".
Kick up your heels, party hearty, and if you want a short
answer for family as to why you 're marching - just tell them
it's for the fun of it, and ask them to come march with you!
Oklahoma City, my favorite city, where the women are
strong, and the men are pretty ... Sing and dance and
rejoice in yourself and the good company you keep.
Love,
Sybil
o
Herland Board of Directors:
Laura Choate
Jacqueline Gatewood
DTH
Ginger McGovern
Pat Reaves
Judy Walden
The Voice is published by: Herland Sister Resources, Inc.
2312 N.W. 39th, Oklahoma City, OK 73112. The Voice is offered
as an open forum for communly cfscourse. Articles reflect the
opinions of the author and not necessarily those of Herland
Sister Resources. Unsolcited articles and letters to the editor
are welcomed and must be signed by the wrter with ful name and
address. Upon request, letters or articles may be pmted under
a pseudonym or anonymously. Subscrptions to The Voice are
free upon request although a donation is requested to meet
publication and distribution costs.
MORE COMPASSION, LESS
CoNSERVA rrsM: JEFFORDS SwITcH MEANs
IMPROVED CUMATE FOR GLBT PEOPLE
The shift in control of the U.S. Senate will create an
environment more favorable for issues important to the gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and to progressive allies, according to the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force.
Sen. James M. Jeffords announced on May 24 he will
withdraw from the Republican Party, become an Independent and vote with the Democrats on organizational matters.
The move, which effectively gives the Democrats a 5 I -49
majority, means that Sen. Tom Daschle will become the
Majority Leader and that Democrats will have the power to
name the chairs of all Senate committees.
Because of the shift, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT., will
replace Sen. Orrin Hatch as chairman of the Senate Judiciary
Committee. This is the committee that votes on George W.
Bush's judicial nominations. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-MA,
will become chairman of the Senate Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions committee. This committee considers a
number of measures important to the GLBT community,
ranging from nondiscrimination laws to school safety to
programs that fight HIV and AIDS. Sen. Joe Biden, D-DE.,
will replace Sen. Jesse Helms as chairman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee. Helms is one of the senators
who held up the nomination of James Hormel to be ambassador to Luxembourg during the Clinton administration.
"The new composition of the Senate will serve as a brake
on Bush's more radical proposals," said NGLTF Political
Director Tim Mcfeeley. "It will mean that Bush's nominees,
particularly for the judiciary, will receive more careful scrutiny. It will mean that pro-GLBT measures, like the proposed
hate crimes law, safe schools legislation, bans on discrimination and pro-GLBT immigration measures could stand a
better chance of at least being aired for debate. All in all, this
change will make the U.S. Senate more compassionate and
less conservative."
D
Individual, couples or family counseling.
Accessible rates. Call for a Wednesday
evening appointment. Jo L. Soske, Phd, LPC,
CADC 879-2226
The HerlandVoice was graced with the fine womanist
prose and poetry ofDeborah Fox during the early
1990 's. We are very pleased that she has resurfaced
and sent us a new poem.
She Is With Me Always
By Deborah Fox
I remember her
In Grecian toga
Her lithe form
At my window
It was a deeply dark, moonless night
The grove of chinaberry trees swaying, sighing
At the mountain hideaway
In my solitude.
I remember her
How she frightened me
Her human body and wolfhead
Eyes yellow and piercing
Skin pale and luminous,
Canines glistening..
She was at the window sniffing
Though I sensed her first
Her presence unmistakably
Quieting the nightlife.
I remember her
Our mutual curiosity
Noses twitching
Pulses quickening
She was feral, beautiful
And formidable all at once
I was mesmerized
And frozen with fear
I remember her
Ourmeeting, then
How she vanished
Evanesced into me.
Herl and Sister Resources
2312 N.W. 39
Oklahoma City, OK 73112
NonProfit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Oklah oma City, OK
Permit No. 861
Address Service Requested
Thanks, Chas, for the great new Herland t-shirt design!
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Nonnm, OK 73069
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REBECCA R. HOLT, Ph.D.
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
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NalMha Rk;c (4<U} 447-511 l
321-2148
P.O. Box 5119
Norman, Okla. 73070
Individual - Couples
Family Therapy, Retreats
