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HIGH GEAR

NOVEMBER 1976

Apparently, gay baths no longer exist above board in Montreal. The Body Politic reports that police raids devised to push the city's gay community underground before the opening of the Olympics last July have resulted in the complete closing of the Club Baths. Montreal's other major bath, The Neptune, no longer rents rooms. In a series of raids last spring 68 men were charged with being "found in a bawdy house." All pleaded not guilty. Their trials have been remanded until early December....

After deliberating five days, the jury in the Susan Saxe bank robbery and felony murder case failed to reach a verdict, and Judge Walter McLaughlin declared a mistrial. Nancy Gertner, Susan Saxe's attorney told Gay Community News that she has had no official notification from the D.A.'s office about a new

trial.....

ODDS AND ENDS

sports a gay theme. All in Latin yet......

Charlotte's Free Press reports a federal court jury in Alexandria has awarded $50,000 in damages to a young inmate who testified that he was raped in the Fairfax County (Virginia) jail. In his suit, the victim accused Sheriff James D. Swinson of violating his constitutional right of protection against cruel and unusual punishment. He asserted that "there is a continuing pattern of failure of sheriffs and deputies to adequately protect the physical safety of prisoners." The decision may result in national ramifications...

From London's Gay News: Lord Bradwell (Tom Driberg), well known member of Parliament and journalist, is dead at 71. Openly gay, Bradwell leaves behind half-finished memoirs which friends say include his adventures with politicians and other public figures. Gore Vidal, who has seen the manuscript, remarked, "It is exquisitely written and wonderfully indiscreet!"....

Miriam Ben-Shalom, an army reservist sergeant, plans to fight an attempt to dismiss her as a drill instructor because she is a lesbian. According to Milwaukee's GPU News Ben-Shalom graduated as the only female drill instructor in the 84th division of the Army Reserve last Dec. 1st. Ten days later she was notified that discharge proceedings were underway. She claims the charges were filed when she graduated and announced that she is a lesbian.

Upon hearing the Reserve Board's recommendation which has outside of the gay media not been announced publically, GCN also reports a 2 hour Ben-Shalom responded, "I find television dramatization of it rather incredible that everyformer Air Force Sgt. Leonard thing else I've done in my life is Matlovich's discharge hearing ignored other than the fact that I is being planned by NBC-TV. am a homosexual. The Army Titled MATLOVICH VS. THE AIR apparently is not concerned that FORCE, the program will be I'm the mother of an 8 year old sponsored by NBC and Todaughter, a poet, an honor morrow Entertainment Corpgraduate of the University of oration. Tom Moore, the Wisconsin and an excellent drill executive producer of the show, views the Matlovich dramatization as "extremely important to enlighten the television viewer."

instructor."

The Advocate notes Minneapolis Mayor Charles Stenvig is recommending that the City Council rescind the 1974 gay rights amendment to the Civil Rights Ordinance....

GPU News reports Sebastiane, the official British entry to the International Film Festival Val Bernasconi of GCN disin Locarno, Italy did not win any covered that D.C. Larue's hit awards, but promoted considerdisco song "Cathedrals" able controversy. Portraying the ("hungry people in the night") life of Catholic martyr, St. finds its roots in the first largeSebastian, the film depicts the scale gay discoteque on the saint as a homosexual and East Coast called The

Sanctuary. The building actually was once a cathedral....

News leader GCN also reports the British Communist Party has adopted a comprehensive platform on gay rights ranging from gay sex education in the schools to support for lesbian custody cases. The proclamation, made by the CP Executive Committee, also expressed party support for legislation protecting gays in employment, housing, and education....

The Bishop's Bicentennial conference on Liberty and Justice held Oct. 22-24 has adopted sweeping proposals which dramatically depart from traditional Catholic doctrine. The delegates, all lay Catholics called for support of the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, ordination of women priests, alternatives to capitalism and in a section on sexuality said the church should "become reconciled with the homosexuals and serve their pastoral needs." The section also said the constitutional rights of gays should be protected. These and other recommendations will go to the U.S. bishops next spring for consideration. Although the bishops organized this meeting, many of the proposals are expected to be rejected......

Gay Scene reports Anna Mary Wells Smits, a biographer and Holyoke graduate says in her new book that the college's president from 1900 to 1937, Mary Emma Wooley, had a lesbian relationship with long-time friend, Jeanette Marks, a professor of English literature. Ms. Wells said she originally intended to write a biography of only Ms. Wooley but, "Many alumnae had questioned how I could write about Miss Wooley without Miss Marks. The two had been intimate friends for 52 years." Ms. Wooley played an important role in making Mount Holyoke a leading college. She was active in social causes as well, including pacifism, feminism, the ACLU, and the Sacco-Vanzetti defense. Ms. Wells said that she discovered letters between the two women that confirmed their lesbian relationship. Ms. Well's book, tentatively titled, "Miss Marks and Miss Wooley" is scheduled for publication in Spring of 1977....

GCN tells us that a New York author is seeking the thoughts of gay men for a chapter on

on

homosexuality in his present which endorses legislation at work-in-progress, Men's Bodies, the federal level which would Men's Selves; a volume prohibit discrimination on the men's health, masculinity, and basis of sexual or affectional the areas of sex roles. Subjects the author is preference in interested in include "Coming employment, housing, public Out" and "How I Deal with Sex accommodation and all publicRoles ally funded programs." ... in Relationships." Honorariums of $25 will be paid for each essay accepted. Write Sam Julty, 259 Seventh Ave., N.Y. 10001...

con-

Newswest reports that homosexuality, abortion, and cosmetics have all been demned as heathen scourges on society by the United Pentecostal Church International.

Cleveland director Fran Soeder Ohio Notes.... Acclaimed

will premiere "Lenny" at Cuyahoga Community College's Metro Campus Theatre, 2900 Community College Ave. Five performances are scheduled for Nov. 12, Nov. 13, 18, 19 and 20. Curtain time is 8 p.m....

Ohio will implement a new law Piece of Trivia from Gay January 1 which will allow a Scene: A gay leader and single man or woman to adopt a manager of a San Francisco pet child. The creation of a "oneshop, is going into the next person" family is among edition of the Guiness Book of revisions of the new law Records. He boasts that he has (Amended Substitute H.B. 156) had more than 1300 "letters to that sets adoption standards in the editor" published..... Ohio. David Schwertfager, chief Allen Young in an article in of the Welfare Departments Gay Community News provides Bureau of Services for families results of a major Brazilian and children said the new law magazine poll on homo-climaxed a 3 year struggle in the sexuality. The sample of 200 Legislature to allow probate and persons in Brazil's two largest juvenile courts more flexibility in cities was taken by Manchete adoption proceedings. and showed 79% said that Recommendations to probate homosexuality was an judges by a review process will "abnormality" while 13% said it now insure the child's best was "a simple question of sex-i interests, according to ual preferences." At the same Schwertfager. Ohio gay activists time 64% of those interviewed are optimistic that the new law said that homosexuals "are will shortly lead to foster home people who can have good placement and subsequent morals," while 28% considered adoption of gay children to gay homosexuals to be immoral and parents. The law also might 8% said they did not know... strengthen custody rights suits Asked how they would relate to by "natural" gay parents... homosexuals socially, 28% said they would accept homosexuals as they were, 26% said they would accept a homosexual as a friend but would not invite them home, 20% would have nothing to do with a known homosexual...

An organization called the National Alliance for Heterosexual Male Feminism or Hose and Heel, for short was recently reported on by Frank Akers of D.C.'s Blade. The predominately straight male group which has five regional U.S. chapters, states its purpose is to assist males in giving full

In the October 20 Ann Lander's syndicated column, a gay person wrote, "Why can't I expression to their "natural, BE me?" to which Ann replied, "As far as I'm concerned you CAN. I would have no trouble accepting you as you are. The question is do you have the courage to come out of the closet? Others have. Only you can make that decision." Can this

mean a change in Ms. Lander's attitude?....

Gay Scene reports a British Airways pilot lowered the temperature aboard his jet recently because a male passenger took all of his clothes off. But the man from the Gilbert and Ellice Island in the Pacific did not respond. He traveled all the way from Frankfort to London sitting quietly in his seat. A steward tried to cover the man with a blanket, but he threw it aside. After landing, police took the man away in handcuffs. Said one male passenger, "It was better than the movie."

god-given femininity." Feminist in philosophy, the Alliance works to correct artificial stereotyping of male/female roles as they are perpetrated upon all people by wellintentioned parents, teachers, clerics, law enforcers, judges and other authority figures. Sexual preference does not appear to be an issue with Hose and Heel. Gender identity is primarily the focus. Those interested in more info on the N.A.H.M.F. may write The Blade, 2430 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. Suite 209, Washington, D.C. 20037. Please enclose a selfaddressed, stamped envelope

The results of a recent study show that young children of lesbian mothers do not develop alleged "deviant" traits. Human Behavior magazine reports the study was carried out by the UCLA School of Medicine The National Gay Task Force associate clinical professor shares that Daniel Patrick MoyMartha Kilpatrick and others. nihan, newly elected Democratic Findings were gathered from Senator from New York, has interviews and tests conducted promised to co-sponsor the with 20 children, aged 5 to 12. National Gay Rights BillThe mothers, all lesbians, came "Feeling as I do," Moynihan from a wide sample of age, wrote NGTF, "I therefore economic and social endorse the aims of HR 5452backgrounds. A majority of the and will at the appropriate time mothers were living with lovers. co-sponsor a Senate equivalent The reseachers found no