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by Steve Warren Washington, D.C. An Affirmation ’76 rally which brought nearly a thousand gays and gay rights sup porters to Lafayette Park, in front of the White House, on Aug. 15, was one of two public demonstrations during the Seventh Annual General Conference of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, held in Washington, D.C. On the evening of Aug. 13, about 500 attended a memorial service by the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. This was followed by a candlelight procession up the steps and the laying of a wreath in memory of “all persons who have died in the struggle for human liberation.’’ Two themes were evident in the conference. The one that was declared, “Proclaim Liberation in the Land” (Lev. 25:10), was the basis for sermons at a dozen worship services. They approached the topic from several directions—historical, biblical (Old and New Testament) and contemporary; and in styles that ranged from evangelical to intellectual to humorous. An undeclared theme of sensitivity to minorities within the church provided an interesting variety of worship experiences, but had an almost-crippling effect during the business meetings. Represented in words and music were MCC congregations in Australia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Canada, and the United Kingdom, as well as Spanish-speaking churches in the U.S. A black liturgical service was also conducted. Rev. Troy D. Perry (R) with members of the Board of Elders (L-R) Rev. Freda Smith, Carol S. Cure ton, John H. Hose, Charles A rehart,James E. Sandmire Women’s concerns were much-discussed, including work toward the de-sexing of hymns and liturgies. Other groups mentioned were heterosexuals (a minority group in most MCCs), parents of gays, gay parents, French-speaking Canadians, Native Americans, tran svestites, transsexuals, alcoholics, prisoners, young people and the handicapped. All services and business meetings were simultaneously signed for deaf persons in attendance. Patricia Nell Warren, author of The Front Runner and The Fancy Dancer, appeared at one service to give “testimony’’-actually a prepared sermonette in which she discussed the “God is dead” concept and how MCC is leading the way in refuting it. She spoke of man’s lack of dependence on God in modern times: “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was the light of a thousand suns—the atomic bomb...Today, ‘miracles’ are accomplished by detergents and anti-bodies on television.” She referred to gays as the “one group of people in the history of Western religion (that) has been permanently disen franchised,” but said that God is working through MCC to correct that. Later, privately, Warren expressed surprise to THE BARB that, despite her gay- themed novels, “People are surprised to learn that I’m not straight...I guess it’s because I work for Reader’s Digest!” Asked about the film version of The Front Runner, she said the hold-up has Continued on page 6. Lt. Gov. Dymolly Pledges Support ACLU NEWS RELEASE LOS ANGELES Representatives of the Gay Rights Chapter (GRC) of Southern California’s American Civil Liberties Union met with Lt. Gov. Mervyn Dymally on August 4th in the State Senate Chamber; Dymally pledged that he would cast the deciding vote if legislation outlawing police-initiated sexual solicitation arrests were deadlocked in the State Senate. Last year the Lt. Governor flew back to California to cast the tie breaking vote which enacted California's Consenting Adults Law. Dymally, spoke to the question during a day long ACLU work session in which approximately 75 in dividuals, representing chapters from all over Southern California, lobbied in Sacramento for ACLU supported legislation. The GRC participated in the lobbying session at the specific invitation of the Southern California affiliate. The affiliate extended the invitation even though the chapter is in the formative stages as an acknowledgement of ACLU’s commitment to gay rights and as a demonstration of ACLU’s hope that this first Gay Rights Chapter would establish a precedent among other affiliates across the nation. Of the nearly 80 participants in the day-long session, seven represented the GRC directly, and a number of others affiliated with other chapters iden tified themselves to GRC as gay ACLU members. “Gay men and women have long been in the forefront of ACLU ac tivities,” said Dick Caudillo, a member of the GRC contingent, “but this new chapter represents the first time we are able to function 1 as a cohesive special interest unit within ACLU. The formation of this chapter can do nothing but strengthen the GAY COMMITMENT to American civil liberties. ’ ’ Other highlights of the day long convocation included: Continued on page 14. Atlanta Gay Pride Week Spawns New Group by GH Robison ATLANTA - A new voice is being heard in Atlanta, ^Crying out for the rights of gay people, a voice own of thousands of years of op pression from the state and established religion, in imprisonment and con demnation, a voice that will not be silenced until gay people are free from the mindless bonds of hatred that have kept them from enjoying all tne rights and freedoms of citizenship and the opportunity to develope and grow as human beings. Ibis voice is Gay Pride Alliance. Gay Pride Alliance was formed from the Gay Pride Week Planning Committee. When confronted with considerable opposition to Mayor Jackson's proclaiming Gay Pride Day from several Atlanta area Baptist ministers, and an anonymous O of wealthy and in- ial individuals calling itself Citizens for a Decent Atlanta, Gay Pride Week Planning Committee felt a very urgent need not to let the news monthly for southern gays SEPTEMBER 1976 NATIONAL NOTES WASHINGTON, D.C. - Gay parents should have less trouble keeping custody of their children in D.C. as a result of the Nation’s first law affecting gay custody claims. The ordinance, passed unanimously by the District of Columbia city council June 28, eliminates sex discriminatory language from sections of the district legal code and states that sexual orientation as well as other factors “shall not be a conclusive consideration” in matters of custody and visitation. NEW YORK - The United Federation of Teachers went on record in Mid-July as being opposed to discriminating against gay people in the teaching profession. The National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers have also gone on record in favor of an end to discrimination Against Gay Teachers. NEW YORK - The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) adopted a resolution June 26, adding the words “sexual preference” to its anti- discrimination policy. Colleges and Universities that discriminate against gay people are now liable for censure by the AAUP, its most stringent sanction. The AAUP has 75,000 members in 2,000 Colleges and Universities. MINN. - A new group calling itself the Gay Air Line Pilots Association filed a complaint of discrimination on the basis of affectional preference with Minneapolis department of Civil Rights against Nor thwest Orient on March 26 and claims that the airline “has an un-written policy, rigidly enforced of not hiring single males over age 26 because they have declared such pilots either queer or mentally unstable or both”. NEW YORK - Republican Presidential hopeful, Ronald Reagan made his views on gay rights abundantly dear in an interview published in the Julv 2. 1976 issue of CHRISTIANITY TODAY. Said Reagan about California’s new consensual sex law: “1 would have vetoed it. I know that there is quarrel here with many tine people who have a libertarian approach...but I have always believed that the body of man-made law must be founded upon the highest natural law. You can make immorality legal, but you cannot make it moral.” BALTIMORE - The General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. refused to sanction the or dination of homosexuals to the ministry. The delegates voted that the ministerial oridnation of an avowed practicing homosexual would be “injudicious, if not im proper.” NEW YORK - A coalition of Gay activists whose goal is to help elect Jimmy Carter president has been formed in New York. Anyone in terested in Gays for Carter should contact the group at 347 Fifth Avenue, Suite 510, New York 10001. The phone contact is Robert Rygor at (212)932-7312. PORTLAND ME. - A superior court judge here has ruled that a lesbian can be just as fit a mother as a heterosexual woman. The judge awarded Carol Whitehead of North Berwick unconditional custody of her two children. His 13 page decision said his main consideration was “the best interests and welfare of the children.” NEW YORK The Democratic Party’s Women’s Caucus and Youth Caucus went on record in support of gay rights at the Democratic Party’s convention. The women’s group unanimously passed a resolution stating mat “the attainment of civil rights for lesbians and gay men continues to be a priority of the Democratic Women’s Agenda”. The Youth Caucus passed a similar resolution. An at tempt to get the Black Caucus to issue a similar statement was unsuccessful. WASHINGTON D.C. - Leonard P. Matlovich lost his initial court effort to win reinstatement in the Air Force July 16, but convinced U.S. District Court Judge Gerhard Gesell that it is time for the military to "reassess” its ban on homosexuals in the armed forces. “The time has arrived,” Gesell stated, for the armed forces to “reappraise the question that homosexuality presents. There has come to be greater understanding ol homosexuality in many parts of society,” he said. “Public attitudes are clearly changing and state legislatures have reflected this change.” TALLAHASSEE - A 25 year old plainclothes vice squad detective arrested G. Harold Carswell, Richard Nixon’s 1970 nominee to the Supreme Court, late in June on charges of battery and an attempt to commit an “unnatural and lascivious act.” DALLAS - Retired Army Major General Edwin A. Walker, a one time right wing voice was arrested on a charge of public lewdness in a Dallas park restroom. The arresting officer charged that the 68 year old Walker fondled his genitals. WASHINGTON D.C. - The U.S. Department of Defense is continuing its recent policy of ruling favorably in cases where upfront gay people seek to retain their top-secret security clearance. Allan Rock, a San Francisco area engineer, has permanently been given full security status in a ruling by D.D. examiner Richard Farr. these homophobic attacks go unanswered. Citizens for a Decent Atlanta went to court four times attempting to get an injunction against the mayor’s Gay Pride Day Proclamation, and took out 3/4 page ads in the Atlanta Journal/Constitution inviting signatures on petitions calling on the mayor to “repent and rescind the proclamation or to resign”. The members of CD A have never publicly identified themselves. According to their lawyer, Edmund Burke, they feared pressure from their friends who were supporters of Mayor Jackson, and feared reprisals from the gay community. Burke was quoted as saying that the businessmen in CDA were afraid that rocks might be thrown through the windows of their businesses.(see box) A recently incorporated organization called Christian Financial Concepts, Inc. received and disbursed the thousands of dollars raised in CDA's behalf, since CDA was not incorporated. Christian Financial Concepts was incorporated on May 1, 1976 in DeKalb County, “to teach Biblical principles of finance and money management,” including,one supposes, courses in driving money changers from temples and seminars on the benefits of sinful usury. Five individuals were said by Attorney Burke to be working with Citizens for a Decent Atlanta, although not members of it. Among them are Jerry Nims, an optical scientist from Dunwoody, who has done much of the co ordinating of CDA’s ac tivities, and the Rev. John Sharp, who is said to be a black Presbyterian minister, and if so, is the only black person known to be actively involved in CDA’s activities. The Rev. William Self, astor of Wieuca Road aptist Church, is by far the most vocal and vitriolic of CDA’s cohorts. He is president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, which tore down the building that formerly housed its bookstore and put a money losing parking lot in its place. Dr. Selrs Executive Committee was afraid that tile building, which is oh Peachtree Street in the Ivy- Baker triangle, would be used for pornographic purposes if it were sold. Self attacked the mayoral S reclamation on “Today in >eorgia”, a morning TV show on which he is a weekly guest, and urged his congregation from nis pulpit to sign the CDA petition calling for the repeal of the proclamation. Continued on page 4. ON THE COVER Out of the closets and into the hotels) The glitter and 1 glamour of the Miss Gay Georgia Pageantfrom the stage of the Sheraton Biltfn ore Hotel.