Newspaper Page Text
t&Xfte WH&.
Black, Beautiful, Gay
and Proud
The gay community is the
most diversified of minority
communities.gayness crosses
all lines of race, religion, color,
national origin, sex, economic
condition, etc. Their is never
complete harmony among all
the diversified types of gay
people. Yet as a whole it is
among the most accepting of
individuals regardless of
background. The BARB has
talked with many people this
month concerning their views
on minorities within the gay
community. The largest mi
nority, and perhaps the most
discriminated against minor
ity, with in the gay community
are black gays.
After a lengthy photography
session with our cover model,
Glenn Billings we asked him to
give us his impression of life
and racial attitudes in Atlanta
as he prepares to leave our
city. Glenn’s usually open
smile narrowed a bit and the
forehead showed the slight
crease that belied the feelings
and concerns this question
evoked.
BARB: How d >v>u feel about
Atlanta?
GLENN: It’s a good city in
many ways.
BARB: What would you say
about the racial and social
attitudes of Atlantans vs
Cincinnati where you lived
before? •
GLENN: There is more ease. .
more willingness to dance and
mix socially in Cincinnati than
in Atlanta. There is more
sterotyping of blacks in
attitude and comments.
BARB: Such as?
GLENN: Well. . . I smoke
occasionally not Kools, and
kids have said things like you
don’t smoke Kools? I thought
all blacks smoked Kools?
BARB: I know you love to
dance and go the gars quite
often. What are the attitudes
there?
GLENN: It’s alright.
BARB: What about ID checks?
Any hassels?
GLENN: Not when I go in with
white friends. I’m asked for ID
when I go alone. I’ve even
been asked, in one bar, for ID
when I bought a drink. I should
say that they use to not ask for
ID when I went in with whites.
Last weekend we were both
asked for two pieces of
identification. When - they
refused to accept my Massey
student ID as a second piece of
ID I just told them I was going
in and didn’t even pay the dollar
cover charge. I’ve gone to that
bar since it opened and I’ve
never had such a hassel!
BARB: Is this a policy of all
gay bars?
GLENN: No. Only a few. The
incident with the ID occurred
at the Bayou Landing.
BARB: What about police
Jiassels?
GLENN: Only once v or twice. I
was stopped by a policeman
driving a friend’s car with
Tennessee plates and, of
course, I had to show him my
Ohio’s drivers license, his
comment was ‘.‘You people
think you can come down and
run this place”. He gave me
two tickets! It seems that
many people here are not
aware of the new black. They
had held onto cliche’s of
yesterday.
BARB: Has the school
environment been easier than
say if you were . in private
enterprise?
GLENN: The school has a very
even attitude. . ..but the school
has no'black instructors. .
BARB: Will the school aid you
in finding a position when you
graduate? 4 jx-u.
GLENN: Yes, no problem.
BARB: How has the attitude
been at school socials? !
GLENN: There is a lot of peer
pressure not to dance, trick*
etc. with blacks;. There was an
incident at our party at the
“Sting” when a group of black
students indicated that I
shouldn’t spend so much time
with white students. It comes
from both sides, even if the
reasons are different it is
there. ,
BARB: Any problems finding
housing?
GLENN: I think it’s great! This
is the time to be on the market.
A number of black designers
seem to be “in” this year.
BARB: You have supplement
ed your scholarship funds by
working part time jobs. Can
you tell us a little bit about
your experiences in that area?
GLENN: I work at the Peasant
Up .Town, now, and really
enjoy it. I've worked for
Davison’s a couple of other
r
restaurants and the Gillette
Company.
BARB: Any problems with
being black and or gay?
GLENN: No, the restaurant
and the department store biz
has a large number of gay
employees. With Gillette I
checked on inventories knd set
up displays in stores in the
Atlanta area. There was some
rudness and apprehensiveness
there. Traveling with Gillette
outside of Atlanta the double
standard really hits you. I saw
a WHITE LADIES ONLY sign
on a restroom in Morrow,
Georgia. I pulled it down. The
double water fountain, now
adult and children sizes.
Constant reminders of the
separateness of the recent
past.
BARB: How do you feel
generally about Atlanta’s
attitudes?
GLENN: The most depressing
thing is the downtown area.
This city is supposed to be the
place for blacks. Over half the
city is black. Yet downtown the
majority of the office people
are white and blacks still hold
the menial jobs.
BARB: Are white gays
anymore open to blacks than
straight whites?
GLENN: I think so. Gay people
are more sensitive than
Straight whites. There is much
less hostility there.
BARB: Are you leaving us
with good memories?
GLENN: Oh yes. i’ll be back to
visit with friends. Perhaps
even live here*
MS, Magazine Runs National
Gay Rights Petition
Celebrate Mass With
DIGNITY
ATLANTA
“A Catholic Outreach to the
Gay Community”
St. Thomas Moore Church
624 West Ponce De Leon Ave.
Decatur, Georgia 30030
Alternate Wednesdays
March 5th and 19th
April 2nd and 16th
Eight p.m.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
CALL MARTY COCHRAN
(404)873-2670
The February issue of Ms.
Magazine includes a Petition
for Sanity (p.80). Signers
pledge themselves to work for
an end to all discrimination
based on sexual preference
and for the creation of a social
climate open to all lifestyles.
The petition came into being
due in great part to the
initiative of NGTF board
member Jean O’Leary.
Among the 100 signatures
printed on the original petition
are prominent political figures
including Representative Bella
Abzug, National Women’s
Political Caucus head Sissy
Farenthold, and Massachu
setts State Representative
Elaine Noble. Notables from
the arts include Joanne
Woodward and Lily Tomlin,
Anais Nin and Joyce Carol
Oates Other signers are
drawn from many fields:
Dolores, Huerta, National
Farm Workers Vice President;
Gail Thain Parker, president of
Bennington College; LaDonna
Haris, Comanche Indian;
Karen DeCrow, NOW presi
dent.
Ms. is tentatively planning
to print the names of signers,
or a representative couple of
thousand, perhaps in the June
issue. To be included,
signatures must be received
bv the end of February. The
names of all signers, regard
less of when they are received,
will be forwarded to all
members of Congress, who
have already gotten copies of
the original signed petition.
Although the petition was
conceived primarily to show
solidarity among the women’s
community, Ms. says that they
have also prepared a version
for men to sign. Gay
newspapers and journals can
obtain free cameraready copy
for the petition by writing to
Ms., 370 Lexington Avenue,
New York City 10017. All
groups have permission to
reproduce the petition directly
from the magazine and
distribute it widely, according
to Ms.
THIS T SHIRT IS
HAND PRINTED
BY A FARMi
FAMILY IN
NORTH
CAROLINA
*4.00 EACH
AND PLEASE
STATE YOUR SIZE
The BARB is published monthly in Atlanta, Georgia. We
do not accept the responsibility for unsolicited manu
scripts, photos, etc., unless stamped, self-addressed
envelope is enclosed. Letters and manuscripts »are wel
comed. Opinions expressed by our columnists do not
necessarily reflect the opinion of the New spaper manage
ment.
Publisher . . JL . . Ray F. Green
Editor . V/_. .... .... . .Bill Smith
Atlanta Circulation Manager Ken Johnson
Staff Writers: Production Staff:
Eric Moore Michael Young
Steve Warren
Peter Thomas Bill Smith
Jeanni C. Graham Richard E\ans Lee
David Bryant
Advertising Representatives
Atlanta: Tt. Lauderdale:
Billy Jones Peter Thomas
P. O. Box 7922 ■ , .3801 N. Ocean Blvd.
ATI/., GA. 3030}) Ft. Lauderdale. Fla.
(404) 872-GOGS 33308
(305) 506-4370 .
“THE VOICE OF THE GAY COMMUNITY’’
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Leicester, N.C.
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