Newspaper Page Text
Sodomy Law Protest
Cont'd from page 3
break into chants unprintable in main
stream newspapers, much to the dismay
of many of those entering the State
House building. Also one New York
activist prominently displayed a sign
reading: "Man Boy Love Now," featur
ing a close-up photo of an act of anal
intercourse.
"Hello all you sodomites and all you
straight people who like a more interest
ing sex life," bellowed brash lesbian
Barbara Snell
Black Gay & Lesbian
Leadership Forum
Third Annual
National Black Gay
and Lesbian Conference
and Health Institute
"Celebrating Our History,
Creating Our Future"
A four-day forum bringing Black gay and
lesbian people together to share experiences
and to set positive agendas for the decade of
the '90s.
Conference Only $70
Health Institute Only $75
Conference & Health Institute $100
National AIDS Benefit Luncheon & Fashion
Show, Feb. 18 $30 ($40 for non-registrants)
African American Lesbian
& Gay Alliance
PO Box 50374
inta, GA 30302
(404) 755-7731
comic/activist Lea Delaria, opening the
day's rally. "If the people in the state
building are so interested in what I do
with my genitals," she added, "I'd like to
tell them that I’m not wearing any
underwear."
A block away, a group of about 12
anti-gay counter-demonstrators carrying
signs reading, "Gay is Sad," were also
made the object of ridicule at the demon
stration. "Racist, sexist, anti-gay," the
crowd chanted. "Your souls will bum in
hell one day."
Also attending the rally was a rather
concise state legislator, Rep. Jim Martin,
who commented on his discomfort at the
rally, but voiced his support regardless.
"I don't know who feels more out of
place here [you or me]," he stated. "But
isn't that the point? My sexual orienta
tion and my feelings about morality are
my own. And what happens in our own
bedrooms among consenting adults,
based on our own sense of our own
selves, is what individual liberty is all
about. And the state has no right making
that determination for any of us."
After nearly two hours of speeches,
the throng moved to a nearby intersection
in attempts at blocking traffic, only to be
held back by a phalanx of police officers.
After a small group carrying bed
clothes ran into the intersection in front
of moving cars, police arrested the group
and stepped up their crowd control
efforts. That caused the activists to scat
ter to no fewer than two other intersec
tions to block the midday traffic.
Despite being mocked for the practice
in an earlier skit featuring activists as the
"sex police," at least four arresting offi
cers were seen wearing rubber gloves. A
handful of others were reported to have
been seen wearing them under their win
ter gloves.
As with most anti-sodomy law
demonstrations, which have become her
specialty, NGLTF's Hyde closed her
speech by urging event participants to
break the lambasted state statute, adding
that it is no kind of a deterrent.
"Really," she said. "How many of us
this weekend said, 'I'd love to honey, but
there's a sodomy law in Georgia.'?"
Appreciating Cultural Differences
Hattie M. Johnson-Nalls, Ph.D., a counsel
ing psychologist, will begin a series of anti
discrimination workshops entitled Anti
Racism Through Prejudice Reduction on
February 1, 1990, at Partners in Health and
Chrysalis Women's Center. These workshops
are designed to teach people how to recognize
their own racism and combat it through recog
nizing prejudiced attitudes we have learned
simply by growing up in a racist society.
"Social procedures, policies, and decisions
methodically subjugate non-majority individu
als, groups and cultures to lesser status," says
Dr. Nalls, who has a Ph.D. in Counseling and
Educational Psychology from the University
of Mississippi and a M.S. in Guidance and
Counseling from Delta State College.
Racism "fosters internalized oppression and
Nalls believes this is best because "a diverse
group is more representative of the world we
live in. We live in a society made up of many
kinds of people. This is not a workshop to fix
white people. It's not just to address black and
white racial issues. But it is to teach us to
learn to appreciate cultural differences and
diversity. It is intercultural, so persons from
all groups should be represented.”
ing self-concept, self-image, motivation, and
potential successes,: Dr. Nalls explains.
"Society ultimately suffers. The inability to
recognize, acknowledge and accept the
authenticity of alternate cultures makes cross-
cultural communication more difficult. The
larger population tends to devalue cultural
issues that differ from those of the majority."
This devaluation is applied to anyone who
deviates from the majority, whether by race,
ethnic group, culture, sexuality, or gender.
Dr. Nalls speaks warmly about the need for
combating prejudice in ourselves: "All of us
carry with us our own set of prejudices and
bigotries. The question is not 'are we (preju
diced)?' but rather 'to what degree?'" : (l; :i ■
The workshop consists of lecture, discus
sion, role-playing, and an individual attitudes
assessment and interview at the beginning and
again at the end. Assertiveness is also includ
ed, as well as the development of communica
tions skills and appropriate modes of interac
tions, according to Dr. Nalls. "Each person
learns to reduce internalized oppression and
their own self-hatred, as well as how to adapt
and use the model, not only at work, but in
their personal lives as well." ; :
In the workshops, Dr. Nalls uses her Index
of Intercultural Awareness and Attitudes. This
is 'an assessment instrument that measures per
sonality, temperament, communications style,
and attitudes.' She applies it at the beginning
and again at the end of the workshop.
Including an individual interview, the Index "is
mutually beneficial and personalizes the pro
cess," says Dr. Nalls. "Each person moves at
their own pace, and a person can be assessed at
any point in the process."
The workshop is open to all persons. Dr.
Hattie Johnson-Nalls, Ph.D.
Dr. Johnson-Nalls brings a background in
counseling and educational psychology to her
workshops, as well as over 17 years of coun
seling experience. She has conducted multi
cultural workshops since 1986. Dr. Nalls is
the founder and Executive Director of
Consulting and Psychological Change, a pri
vate multi-disciplinary national network based
in Atlanta. Dr. Nalls, who has recently joined
the staff of Partners in Health and Chrysalis
Women's Center, specializes in the treatment
of women with regard to depression, sexuality,
domestic violence, chemical dependence, rela
tionships and couples, and ethnocentric diver
sity. _ . ■ :
She has written over 50 articles, pamphlets,
workbooks and training guides. She has pro
duced and eight-volume monograph series
entitled "Psychology in Black America: An
Africentric Approach to an Integrated Positive
Self-Image."
The workshop is targeted toward profes
sionals, but is suitable for anyone. All ses
sions will take place at Partners in Health and
Chrysalis Women’s Center at 2045 Manchester
St„ NE, Atlanta. For more information and
seminar registration materials, call 881-6300.
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10/Southern Voice • January 18,1990