Newspaper Page Text
SOUTHERN
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Pride Week ’88
Images to
Remember
Pages 6 & 7
Vol. 1, No. 10
Taking Pride in Our Culture
July 7,
Lesbian and Gay Pride Week '88 culminated in a march from the Civic Center to Piedmont Park, where organizers staged a day-long rally which attracted
over 1000 people.. Marcher Kay Love enjoyed a cool respite from the heat as temperatures hovered near the 100 s mark. See story Pages 6 & 7.
Lesbians, Gays and the KKK Converge
on Atlanta During Convention Week
News in Brief will bring you up-to-
dfitCwnBc Vatpisf newc from
Washington just in lime for the
convention. All of the print that comes
under News is here. Page 2.
The Human Rights Campaign Fund
continues to grow explosively in
Georgia after the successful
southeastern fundraising gala, "Dare
to Dream, Dare to Be...a Celebration."
HRCF, already the 9th largest PAC in
the country, is presently broadening its
base of support while looking forward
to the party conventions and the fall
elections. Page 3
The Democratic National
Convention will bring a host of
gay/lesbian delegates, activists and
protesters to Atlanta. No matter if
you're high-style or grass-roots, there's
something for everyone during this
once in a lifetime event. See the
Calendar. Page 3.
The Registry - Were you inspired by
Pride Week celebrations? Are you
bored and looking for something to
do? Then check out The Registry -
Atlanta's largest collection of names
and numbers to keep those idle hands
occupied. Page 10.
Experimental AIDS Drugs: Part II -
The continuation of Terry Francis’
insightful look at the latest drugs being
used to combat HIV and AIDS. Take
two copies - give one to your doctor.
Page 12.
Health and Healing may change your
mind about coming out to your family.
David Bassett, MSW, LCSW, finds a
healing gesture in the process of
coming out that may well over-ride the
risks. Page 13.
A week of gay and lesbian visibility
and action is expected as between 50-70
gay and lesbian delegates and national gay
& lesbian politicos arrive in Atlanta for the
Democratic National Convention July
18th-21st Plan your schedule to attend at
least one of these events. All promise to be
exciting and well worth your time and/or
money.All of this activity may very well
be complicated and made very interesting
by the presence of the KKK in Atlanta
during the Convention.
On July 15th "Street Theater”,
Stonewall- the night the gays fought back
will play at the Theatrical Outfit at 7:00
PM. Tickets are $10 and reservations are
advised. For information call 875-7500.
At 9:00 PM on July 15th, openly gay
Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass)
will be honored at a "Welcome Gay
Democrats" Dinner at the Pierremont
Plaza Hotel. Tickets are $35 per person
and reservations are available by calling
881-5353. This event is sponsored by
LEGAL (Legislate Equality for Lesbians
and Gays).
On July 16th, G APAC (Greater Atlanta
Political Awareness Committee) hosts a
"Raucous Caucus" — good music and good
company... for a good cause. The
"Caucus" will be held at the Colony
Square Hotel at 9:00 PM. Tickets are
$ 15/singles and $20/couples. Call
888-0510 for more information.
On Sunday, the 17th at 5:00 PM there’
will be a rally at the Free Speech site on
Marietta Street across from CNN. Called
Stop AIDS,Stop Violence, Stop
Discrimination... this is America! the rally,
sponsored by LEGAL, is an effort to push
for consideration of lesbian and gay issues
during the convention.
On Sunday evening at 6:00 PM don't
miss the "Ballot Box Boogie and BBQ" at
the Inman Park Trolley Bam. Comedian
Kate Clinton and Rep. Barney Frank are
your hosts at this benefit for HRCF,
NGLTF and GLDA. BBQ:
6-9PM. Dance: 8-11PM. Call 377-8312
for reservations and more info.
The HRCF and NGLTF are also
planning a media information/action
center which will be located in the Atlanta
Hilton Hotel during the convention. This
center will coordinate the activities of the
various gay/lesbian organizations present
at the convention as well as serve as an
information source to the straight and
gay/lesbian press.
A gay and lesbian Caucus will meet
daily during the convention and hold
briefings, press conferences and sponsor
visibility actions in an effort to ensure the
incorporation of gay and lesbian rights
issues and AIDS issues into the Party's
platform and campaign.
ACT UP and the Gay and Lesbian
Freedom Ride (GLFR) are planning a
kiss-in and sodomy protest at the state
capitol on July 19th. As of press time no
details were known about this action.
March On!, the group who oiganized
the successful March on Sacramento are
planning a "die-in" from 11:00 AM to
1:00 PM on July 18th at the Free Speech
site.Names will be read from the
NAMES Project Quilt while body
outlines are marked on the pavement
(213) 463-3928 for more info.
A wrench may be thrown into
activists' plans as the National
Supremacist Movement (aka, the KKK)
will be out in full force during the
Convention. They are scheduled at the
Free Speech Site just prior to LEGAL’s
rally at 5:00 PM on Sunday the 17th.
According to Cathy Woolard, President
of the Ga.Lesbian and Gay Rights
Chapter of the ACLU, the "Supremes"
are the only group to have received
permits so far.
"They have a permit to use the Capitol
from noon to 8PM on Sunday, and also
permits for a parade and for the free
speech area. They applied over a year
ago." Woolard continued, "The ACLU is
considering a law suit against the state of
Georgia for issuing permits to the Klan
without having a permit process in place
for other applicants".
The KKK is also holding a convention
at a suburban Holiday Inn the weekend of
the Convention. "They're going to be all
over the city", Wooland stated.
Rumors are flying about a possible
counter demonstration of some sort.
MatIovich,Gay
Military Hero, Dies
Leonard Mallovich, the American war hero
who stunned the country and inspired millions
by revealing his homosexuality, died last week
due to complications from AIDS. He was 44.
In 1975 when Sergeant Leonard Matlovich,
an acknowledged hero in the U.S. Air Force,
sent a letter to Air Force Secretary John
McLucas revealing he was gay, and explained
he wanted to test the Air Force rules on the
subject. At that time, Matlovich was a Vietnam
war hero, having won several medals, including
a Purple Heart. The Air Force responded to his
letter by discharging him from the service.
The grueling 5-year legal battle with the
military ended with a settlement in which he
was given $160,000 to slop fighting
reinstatement. In the course of the legal battle he
appeared on the cover of Time Magazine and a
television movie was made about him.
Matlovich never expected the enormous
amount of attention he sparked, according to
Ken McPherson, the National Chairperson of
the Mobilization to Stop AIDS and a close
personal friend of Matlovich. McPherson said
"Leonard taught us to love ourselves. He lived
the last years of his life hoping that others would
be inspired by what he had done."
Matlovich became a tireless worker in the
war against AIDS during the last two years of
his life. And, despite his prominence and his
record of service to his country, he died broke as
a result of his disease and of his government's
inadequate response to AIDS, according to
McPherson.
In October, 1987, during the National March
on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights,
Matlovich along with Ken McPherson,
Leonard Matlovich at the final resting place
of Harvey Milk in Congressional Cemetary
during the National March on Washington.
organized"Never Forget", the dedication of the
final resting place of Harvey Milk in
Congressional Cemetery. It was Matlovich's
hope that Milk would be the first of many gay
and lesbian leaders to be be buried there.
Leonard Matlovich's tombstone will now rest
with Milk's. It will carry me of Matlovich's
most memorable statements, a poignant
comment on our society: "When I was in the
military they gave me a medal for killing two
men, and a discharge for loving me."
-F.G.