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VIEWPOINTS
Guest Editorial
Where was George? The Key Question for Gay
and Lesbian Voters in 1988
Senator Ted Kennedy ignited the spirits of the recent Democratic Convention during his
speech in Atlanta when he posed the question "Where was George?" after reviewing the
Reagan Administration's most memorable policy gaffes.
Although Kennedy did not mention gay and lesbian issues in his speech, no single question
is more relevant for gay and lesbian voters this year. As we decide who to vote for in the
upcoming Presidential election, we must ask ourselves just where was George Bush on our
issues during the past eight years?
When there was no leadership from the White House as thousands of people died of AIDS
and thousands more were infected.. .where was George?
When the CDC and NIH were embroiled in AIDS turf wars while the federal AIDS
bureaucracy held back drugs and therapies.. .where was George?
When the nation was looking for the truth about AIDS, not vicious slander and homophobic
rumor and the White House was silent.. .where was George?
When the White House Office of Management and Budget opposed additional funding for
AIDS research.. .where was George?
When the Justice Department issued an opinion in 1986 that excluded people with AIDS
from the same anti-discrimination protections afforded other disabled or sick people.. .where
was George?
When the White House ignored the Surgeon General's report on AIDS and then waited more
than a year before mailing AIDS information to American homes.. .where was George?
When the United States Senate, over which the Vice President presides, went against the
advice of eveiy health professional in the country by voting to deny AIDS funds for responsible
gay-oriented education.. .where was George?
When the Republican Administration turned its back on the rights of gays and lesbians to
privacy, a right afforded to heterosexuals, in the Bowers v. Hardwick case.. .where was
George?
When the President appointed Robert Bork, a known conservative idealogue, to a vacant
Supreme Court seat.. .where was George?
While George Bush was absent, there was a leader who offered the gay and lesbian
community lots of reasons to be proud. As Governor of Massachusetts, Mike Dukakis presided
over one of the most comprehensive and compassionate AIDS programs in the country. He
consistently advocated increased funding for research, education and counseling. Equally
important, Governor Mike Dukakis faithfully championed a gay and lesbian civil rights bill in
the Massachusetts State legislature.
An election-year conversion of George Bush into a man who suddenly endorses
discrimination protection measures for people with AIDS or calls for increased funding for
AIDS research is simply not good enough.
Where was George Bush when our community needed him? Where would he be if he is
elected President?
Mike Dukakis or George Bush? For me, the choice is clear.
- Hilary Rosen
Hilary Rosen is Co-chair of the Board of the Human Rights Campaign Fund, lives in
Washington, DC and is a professional lobbyist.
SOUTHERN
voce
Managing Editor
Christina Cash
Assistant Managing Editor
Chris Duncan
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High School, Coming Out and
Other Growing Pains
A few weeks ago my phone rang and from the
other end came a vaguely familiar voice. Just as I
was about to attach a name to it, the caller
identified herself.
'This is Wanda Henderson. From high school,
remember me?"
Of course I remembered. I never liked her very
much. She was a bit snooty with no reason to be.
She was a cheerleader and I suppose that had
something to do with her attitude. And since I
wasn't a cheerleader or even a member of the Pep
Club for our fighting Tigers, I suppose I may have
had certain resentments.
'We even went to grammar school together,
remember?"
Yes. My thoughts of grammar school are
sweeter and for a moment I was eight years old
and standing in line in the cafeteria, content with a
nickel in my pocket for extra milk. My feelings for
Wanda began to warm.
'I guess you're wondering why I'm calling and
how I found you."
I knew why she had called. I had long
anticipated the day I would receive a call or an
invitation in the mail.
'Well, I'm calling to invite you to the 20th year
reunion of F.T. Wills High School. I got your
number from your sister. We used to go to the
same church."
Oh, great, Wanda is a Baptist.
'Well gosh that's incredible," I blubbered.
Suddenly I felt seventeen again - unsure and self
conscious. I offered some lame reason for missing
our tenth year reunion. I had secretly hoped that
they would not find me for the twentieth. It was
just too strange. Those were not the happiest of
times, for most of us I'm sure. Why would I want
to dredge all that up? And how would I deal with
the questions that inevitably would be asked? I was
overwhelmed with a sense of responsibility to be
honest and a sense of guilt if I was. I didn’t like it. It
shook my confidence and my belief that what I am
doing in my life is good and right This felt too
much like a test to me, one that I thought I had
prepared for but panicked when I saw the
questions. Everything I had learned suddenly left
me.
'I hope you can come. We've reached almost
everyone. People are coming from all over. Do you
know that Anita Hardy is a grandmother of three?
Isn't that wild? And you remember Joe Rogers
don’t you? Well he has some big job now and he
and his wife are flying in all the way from
Hawaii!"
His wife. I tried to prepare for her question
about my marital status, the number of kids I have.
I had no idea what would come out of my mouth. I
looked down at the kitchen table where yesterday's
mail still lay unopened. The top letter was from the
National Gay Rights Advocates who are
sponsoring National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11
this year. Their slogan is 'Take Your Next Step." I
turned it over so I couldn't see the words.
"Please say you'll be there, it’s going to be
wonderful to have everybody together."
Wanda was sincere. She really believed that we
were one great big happy family who would come
together for one glorious night of catching up and
memory sharing. She had no fear of it, she
welcomed it. I so much envied her freedom and
ease.
'We're supposed to be on vacation then, I think.
But maybe well be back in time," I said. I already
knew we would be back in time. I waited for her
response of "who is we?" but it didn't come.
What now? Should I tell her who is going on
vacation? Shall I tell her I have a lover and my
lover has an eight-year old son, and that this is our
first vacation together since he was given by a
judge to his father because my lover is a lesbian? I
turned over the announcement for National
Coming Out Day. 'Take your next step," it said
again. I couldn't.
"Chris, I need some information from you for a
directory we're putting together. Is your last name
still Cash?"
"Yes."
"Then I assume you don't have any children?"
I hesitated. Chases's face came to mind and I
quickly pushed it back.
"No, I don't."
"And what is your occupation?"
I laughed. "Newspaper editor," I mumbled. I
waited for some comment, and again none came. I
was being very easily let off the hook. I suppose
she sensed that I was not going to offer much
information. Or maybe she knew, maybe she
knew in high school, even though I didn't.
"I hope you can arrange your vacation so you
can be there. Let me read this list of names. We
still can't find some people, maybe you know
something about them."
I didn't know, of course. I hadn’t kept up with
any of them, even my best friends! did remember
a lot of the names.
"Robert Henry," she said.
Robert had to be gay, I thought He was so
pretty, so shy, kept to himself all the time. Nobody
liked him. I don't think anybody even knew him. I
was struck by my stereotypical thinking! wanted
the conversation to end. With each second I was
feeling more and more tom. I wanted to tell her
everything, tell her about Robert Henry and
Vickie Haygood and Becky Stewart and myself-
but I could not I felt like a traitor.
I ended the conversation with a promise to try
and make it I also promised myself that I would
evaluate my responses over vacation, and
hopefully some strength would come from
somewhere and I would call Wanda back, telling
her to list my lover's name and that I have one
eight-year old son. And my lover and I would go
and hold hands and dance, and everybody be
damned if they didn't like it.
Vacation, a glorious vacation, came and went
quickly. I spent my time swimming with Chase,
and trying to answer his unending questions about
everything. I tried to think about what to do about
the reunion,but I could come to no decision.
When we returned, the letter about National
Coming Out Day still sat on the table.The reunion
was the next night Chase buzzed about the
kitchen, pouring himself some Hawaiian Punch;
feeding the dog, and asking more questions.
"What's that?" he asked as I picked up the
letter.
It's a letter asking people to be honest with
everybody," I said.
"Why?"
"Because it's important to do that and not
everybody does it"
'They don't?"
"No, they don't"
'Why?"
"Because it's hard sometimes. Sometimes
you're afraid you might hurt someone or you
might get yourself in trouble if you tell the whole
truth."
"Then why are they asking everybody to tell
the whole truth?"
'Because we need to be reminded to at least try
to be honest Chase."
He was content with my indirect answer. I was
not so satisfied.
I had to work the night of the reunion,
conveniently tucked away in my small office. I
thought about what I would be doing and saying if
I had gone and I still had no idea what that would
be. It still surprised and irritated me that I was
afraid to be 100% open. Then I thought of what I
had told Chase. We at least need to be reminded to
try to be honest, even if we can't be all of the
time.Somehow in wrestling with my decision of
what to do I had forgotten that "coming out" is a
continous process, not some comfortable plateau
you reach after much struggle where you are no
longer faced with tough decisions.Sometimes the
process is a chain of little truths, at other times it's
a big bat you wield, but it is never easy and it is
never settled once and for all. I forgave myself for
forgetting that.
For my reunion, I simply was not ready for the
giant step it would have taken to be completely
open, and only being completely open would have
felt comfortable to me. But I wasn't ready to come
out to my senior class, to peers who still had a
hold on me in some adolescent way. At the same
time, I could not go and pretend to be someone
other than who I am. I look forward to our thirtieth
reunion, though. Something tells me I'll be ready
then.
- Christina Cash