| Transcript |
Number 10 • July 1975
WP·v~
Cot
What You
Want I
Your State Representatives (.?)
In Action - Pages 4-5
Community Blood Drive - Page 2
Discrimination in Dallas - Page 10
Poetry: " Now I'm Thirty" - Page 11
Rappin' with Rip - Page 9
DO IT - Page 11
Houston Comes Out - Page 6
North Texas Gay Pride Picnic - Page 3
Austin Gay Pride March - Page 6
Gays OK in New Mexico - Page 5
DIRECTORY - Page 8
Recap of Texas Gay Conference
- Page 3
to be nobody but yourself
in a world which is doing
its best day and night to
make you everybody else
means to fight the hardest
battle which any
human being can
fight ard never
stop fighting.
e.e. cummings
35~
GAY PAPER OF NORTH TEXAS
DALLAS TO HOST MCC
GENERAL CONFERENCE
2,000 Expected To Hear Noble & Pittenger
(Dallas) Dr. Norman Pittenger and Rep. Elaine Noble are scheduled guest speakers at
the Sixth Annual General Conference of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan •
Community Churches meeting in Dallas July 29-August 3.
Rep. Noble, elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives last year as an
openly gay woman, will speak at 1 :30 p.m., Saturday, August 2, in the Grand Ballroom
of the Adolphus Hotel, conference headquarters. A 1966 graduate of Boston University,
Noble also holds masters degrees from Emerson College and Harvard University
and is a member of the American Association of University Professors and the Massachusetts
Governor's Commission on the Status of Women.
Dr. Pittenger, renowned theologian and author of 54 books including A Time for
Consent and Christian Words to a Homosexual, will address the Sunday evening worship
session at 7:30 in the Grand Ballroom. Dr. Pittenger, on the faculty of New
York's General Theological Seminary for 33 years, is senior resident and member of
the faculty of Divinity at King's College Cambridge University in Great Britain.
The first four days of the conference will be devoted to committee and board meetings
and reports.
More than 2,000 persons, representing the church's 87 congregations in the United
States and several other countries, are expected to attend. All sessions are scheduled
for the Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas.
A111ti11 911111
Oi11Jrillli1111tio11
(Austin) Austin became the first city in
Texas to protect gay people against job
discrimination when Austin's City Council
passed a comprehensive equal employment
ordinance July 10. All city employees
and private employees (where 15
or more people are employed) are protected
from job discrimination on the
basis of age, sex, race, religion, national
origin, sexual orientation, or physical
handicap. State or federal employees are
not covered by the ordinance.
The local ordinance is expected to
speed up resolution of complaints.
Race, religion, national origin and sex are
also covered by federal legislation, but
EEOC has a tremendous backlog of cases.
The Austin Human Relations Commission
which drafted the law will handle the
complaints. Violation of the ordinance
will carry a maximum penalty of $200
fine.
Janna Zumbrun of Austin Lesbian Organization
was one of those who testified
for the bill, and she got a favorable reception
from both the Council and the audience.
A similar ordinance was introduced
last January but was defeated by a
different council. Zumbrun reported that
there was little opposition this time; only
two people testified against the bill, and
the council unanimously voted in favor
of it.
Fort Worth's only Gay Organization
Meetmgs are held every other Monday
•t 7 :30 p.m. at 5536 Jacksboro Hwy.
(T.J .'s Back Door!
I or information call (817) 338-0 128
or \\rite A RA, P.O. Box 7318
Fort \\orth, TX 76111
Memt>er of the
TEX,~S
GAY
r ASK
FORCE
Social I JT0!1 tical I Service I Educational
$15,000
$14,000
$13,000
$12,000
$11 ,000
$10,000
$ 9,000
$ 8,000
$ 7,000
$ 6,000
$ 5,000
$ 4,000
s 3,000
$ 2,000
$ 1,000
Fort Worth MCC Launches
Building Fund Drive
(f.t Worth ) Rev. R(1n Anderson, pastor of Agape Mctropoli·
tan Community Church, has announced a campaign to assure
even tu al purchase of property to house the church and related
community activities. Mure than a thousand dollars has already
been raised for the church's building fund. which has a
goal of $15.000.
Accordtng to Rev. Anderson, the church, which currently
leases facilities from the First Unitarian Church at 2800 Purington,
has long recognized the need to have f ull-t1111e facilities
in order to better serve the community. Any property purchased
by the group would also have space available fur a complete
communi ty center with service:. which might encompass
a clinic, alcoholics group, theatre, you th group and coflee
house. as well as office space for other area group:.. assured
Rev. Anderson. Donations to the fund (marked for "Bldg.
Fund") may be sent to the chu rch at P.O. Box 7029, Fort
Worth, TX 76 11 1. In addition, Rev. Anderson has urged full
community participation in various fund-raising activities
which the church plans in the near future.
OOPS!
PARTY TO HIGHLIG T
COMMUNITY BLOOD DRIVE
Our apologi to Wayne Ribble, who
should have received credit for the photo·
graphs accompanying last month's feature
on " Daddy's Girls."
FREE BLOODY MARYS highlight a
party being hosted Thursday, July 24, at
2800 Purington by AURA, local gay organization,
in cooperation wi th Agape
MCC.
Purpose of the party is to encourage
participation in the group's community
blood dnve. "The party is admittedly a
gunm1ck," acknowledged Steve Poyner,
'fGTF ~C llF.D lJ L E OlNCED
(San A111011io) The followmg Texas Gay
Task Force meeting schedule has been
announced by the groups' coordmating
council:
August 9-10, Houston, council meets:
September 27-2 , Dallas, council :
December 6-7, Fort Worth. council and
Hou c of D\!legates;
March 27-2 , Corpus Chrisl!, council;
June 18-20, Hou ton, Texa Gay Confe
rence III.
Addi twn.:illy . f GT F ewsletters arc
scheduled for publicatton in July, October,
Januarv and April.
Council and 1 lou e of Delegate meetmgs
are open to all members of TC'I f .
Information concerning the fexas Gay
f ac;k I orce can be obtained by writing
fG f I. P.O. Box 7318, Fort Worth , 1 X
7(,J f I .
~ C 0\1\IU\f'J' }' VL' B ~~· Jul. Y 1975
coordinator of the drive, "designed to reassure
people that giving a pmt of blood
re.illy is a simple procedu re. People can
actually spend a few minutes giving and
then go partying."
A goal of 50 pints has been set fur the
drive. The blood. wluch will be drawn on
location by professional technicians from
John Peter Smith I lospital, will go into a
permanent account at the hospital's blood
bank until needed by members of the Gay
Community (requested through AURA).
Transfers may also be made to other parts
ol the country in the event of a g;iy tragedy
such as the Up!>taus Lounge fire
\\hich occurred in New Orleans two years
ago.
Poyner urges all women and men who
can to .. give a pint of life" on the 24th
and then join in the partying. ·•saving a
life really is something to party about,"
he stressed.
Admission to the party ts the donation
of one pint of blood or a 2.50 dona·
tton to the group's "jail release as 1stance"
program. Further informatton is available
from AURA at (8 17) 338·0128 or MCC
at 534-9406. Persons Y.ho cannot make
the party may donate cltrectly to the account
at JPS I lospital by telling the blood
clerk to designate the donation for the
"AURA Pool."
COMMUNITY
}v ALLEN~.~~.5
Aainld by: Ric:Nrd nn CS.W., Randy
Beitel, Ken Cyr, W•YN Ribble, Moody
w.lls, Sue Harris, Kay Wileon, l .. G-vlord
Ind others.
COMMUNITY NEWS is published by AURA
(A...._., Unity 8c Reelwch Allociation),
not for profit but • a .-vk:e to the Gay
Community. Opinions 1tXpr...twe tho.e
of the Individual writers and do not nec.arily
reflect the views of this publication or
of AURA or lta members.
SUBSCRIPTION RATE ii $4 (bt ca.n) or
$3 (3rd Cl-) for 12 .-.....
LETTERS to tM editor of CN should be
signed. However. name will be withMld upon
requ•t. All letters are aub ect to ed1tinv
to meet space requirenMntl and to remove
potentially libelou1 1Uitement1.
Publication of the name of any person, busi·
neu or group in CN lhould not be construed
• any indication of the sexual prefer•n~ of
that person, businea or group. or of their
•mployns or members.
AD RA TES available upon request.
COMMUNITY NEWS, P.O. Bo)( 7367, Fort
Worth, TX 76111. (817) 338..0128
TGC II Ten Resolutions Passed by
Texas Gay Conference II
National Gay Unity Urged for Bicentennial
(San Antonio) "We hope that we gay women
and men shall be taking our rightful,
indeed dutiful role in connection with the
Bicentennial. The country belongs to us,
too, and we shall not endure another year
of the repression, oppression and exploitation
that we have suffered during our
first 200 years, when liberty, justice and
equality have been for 'them,' not for us.
"We mutually salute the notion of massive
Gay Pride Week celebrations for
June, 1976."
In a resolution ending with these two
paragraphs, the Texas Gay Conference II
expressed its desire for a nationally-coordinated
observance of Gay Pride 1976 in
observance of the Bicentennial.
The resolution was one of ten resolutions
passed by participants in the conference
held June 20-22 at the San Antonio
Country and the International Theatre at
HemisFair in San Antonio.
More than 150 Texans attended this
second annual statewide conference which
heralds the beginning of Gay Pride Week.
The Texas Gay Task Force, which now
sponsors the event, was formed at the
first TGC held last year in Fort Worth.
Participants from San Antonio, Fort
Worth, Houston, Dallas, Corpus Christi,
Denton, Austin and across Texas heard
Morris Kight of the Los Angeles Gay
Commuruty Services Center and Carolyn
Innes, founder of the Gay Nurses Alliance,
address the group on matters relating to
the Gay experience and the Gay Movement.
ln addition, conferees participated
in a broad range of workshop sessions
with topics ranging from those of interest
to professional Gays to those of interest
to Gay professionals.
Texas Gay Conference Ill will be hosted
next year, June 18-20, by the Houston
Gay Community.
Other resolutions adopted at the conference
dealt with national gay communication,
the Texas Homosexual Conduct
law, sexism, Gay teachers, Gay ministers
and police harassment.
National Gay Communication
A resolution was passed calling on the
National Gay Task Force to reexamine its
role as a self-defined "national clearing
house for information relevant to Gay
People," stating: "To the knowledge of
the participants of the Texas Gay Conference
II, the Nattonal Gay Task Force has
not served that function in a consistent,
systematic and reliable manner . . .. "
The resolution further seeks to elicit
reasons for this supposed failure from the
NGTF and determine if the Task Force
plans to assume this role in the future .
The resolution also praises NGTF for the
work it has done and urges TGTF members
who have not already done so to
join NGTF.
Sexism
The problem of sexism was examined
and a resolution passed instructing the
TGTF Coordinating Council to "appoint
a committee to explore, educate and set
guidelines for the gay residents of Texas
to facilitate consciousness in an attempt
to attain human equality for aJI people .... "
Texas Homosexual Conduct Law
Rep. Craig Washington of Houston came
in for praise for his continuing support of
Gay People and in particular for his effort
to remove homosexual conduct from the
state penal code. Rep. Joe Spurlock of
Fort Worth was censured for his lack of
concern for his Gay constituents and his
efforts to retain the criminality of homosexual
conduct.
Police Harassment
The Conference censured and condemned
the actions of members of the Fort
Worth Police Department at the fust Texas
Gay Conference last year in Fort Worth.
It also urged support for Ken Cyr and
AURA in their efforts to improve the
(Continued on Page 12)
FREE BEER and Gay skits highlighted the first annual North
Texas Gay Pride picnic held last month at Queen's Point on
Garza-Little Elm Reservoir north of Dallas. Skits were per-formed
by a group billing themselves as "Two Dykes and a
Queen." More than 50 persons enjoyed the entertainment
and the booze.
CO\fMUN/T}' W ll'S JUI. }' 1cr 5 3
..------~\Q;~~~,~~-,~~-,-00:----,-N...-,P--~----,-,~.---.-.-~-l ~--,~~ -p,l
~ .""""'.. . """-" . :·.:1
""'1t I e llt ••
•r•111
·~
.....
~ I I 127
"'U.'lt Y H P
..... _ - -.=-----
---.'"-'~..~ ... .----~-
......... ... ...........
... . .
Mc0..•4'
. """" . -.. ., ......
. .......
-·-
...... --~ ~ ..........
x .... ~ -.... ~
v.
.... ...._.
.. . : :. ) (
. .- . :~·
t • .....-.....
"---;")
: : ·1
'• I I . .
•• . i
: •. : 1
•• 1 • 1
THIS IS HOW YOUR REPRESENTATIVE VOTED on your rights as a gay person. In the top
chart, a check or dot in the "Y" column 1s pro gay, and a check or dot in the "N" column is anti·
gay. "Y" indicates "yea," while "N" indicates "nay." The "X's" indicate those members who
had excused absences. In the lower chart, a check or dot in the "N" column 1s pro·gay, while a
mark in the "Y" column 1s ant1·gay. Was your representative representing your best interests?
4 CO\f.\/Ui\/TVN!.'WS / J !. >' 1975
NO D/FW REPRESENT \TIVE
!" PPORTS GAY CONCERNS
No matter where you live in Dallas or
Fort Worth. you can be sure that the
Legislator who is supposed to represent
you in Austin failed to represent your
interests as a gay person during thesession
which ended last month .
As reported earlier Ill Community News .
the issue of whether the private homo·
sexual acts of consenting adults should be
criminal was brought before the Texas
House of Representatives tor the firt time
in history when that body debated and
voted on the Committee Amendments to
S B.127. Than ks to Rep. Craig Washing·
ton of Houston. who called for a record
vote on the issue, we now have a printed
record of how every legislator in Texas
voted on this important issue. (See tabu·
Jation at left)
The record for the Fort Worth·Dallas
delegation is pretty d srnal. Other than
Rep. Mattox ol D.11las and Rep SI erman
of Fort Worth, who were ab ent at the
time of the vote. every member of the
Fort Worth-Dallas delegation voted to re·
tain the criminal sanction against the pri·
vate homosexual acts of consenting adults.
A worse record could hardly be imagined,
for even those legislators whose districts
have a si1able gay population, such as
Rep. Samuel 1 ludson of the Oak Lawn
area of Dallas, voted against gay people .
Particularly disappointing were the votes
of Rep Chris Miller of Fort Worth and
Rep Paul Ragsdale of Dallas who voted
agamst the gay people of their districts
in spite of their earlier promises of sup·
port.
This type of political double-crossing
together with the lack of support gay people
received from all the "closet" liberals
in the D/FW delegation points up rather
clearly that gay people will get absolutely
nowhere if we continue to sit back and
hope that the politicians will help us out
of the kindness of their hearts. Between
now and the 1976 elections. gay people
need to start letting their Legislators
know that we exist, that we arc watching
them, and that we can vote, too, if we expect
a better result the next time we go to
Austin. 1~ .1 B . ,anuy e1te 1 •
PROMOTE
EQUAL
PEOPLE
THESE ARE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES? Effort ls Its Own Reward
lf'ATCHINC THE 1'EXA~ LECl~LATUHE
Looking back on all the time we spent
in Austin, getting a bill introduced, testifying
at the committee hearings in April,
contacting Legislators and finally the
House debate in the last few days of the
session, my feelings are best described by
a comment which Rep. Leland of Houston
made to Rep. Craig Washington as the
House was voting fown the bill: "Effort
is its own reward, Craig." How true, for
win, lose or draw, it was a tremendously
exhilarating experience to be openly gay,
confronting the homophobia of the Texas
Legislature, asserting that we as gay people
have some rights that we are going to
claim whether they like it or not. Thus
are the rewards of a gay activist. While
we did not succeed in repealing the consensual
sodomy statute, we did succeed
By Randy Beitel
Unlike previous years when the debate
on the criminalization of the private homosexual
acts of consenting adults was
relegated to the obscurity of sub-committee
hearings, this year the debate took
place on the floor of the House, right out
there in public where any and all could
see and hear, anyone, that is, who was
still awake and in the House Gallery at
2:00 in the morning on May 29.
The debate began rather mundanely,
with Rep. Craig Washington of Houston,
the sponsor of the bill to repeal the consensual
sodomy statute, explaining the
various non-controversial provisions of
the omnibus penal code revision bill in
which the gay rights clause had been
hidden by the Criminal Jurisprudence
Committee. But shortly after Washington
began, he was interrupted and asked whether
this bill would repeal the law against
homosexual conduct - and the debate
was on .
Laughter, Catcalls from House
As soon as the word "homosexual" was
mentioned, the House broke out in a rash
of laughter, mutterings and catcalls, a
mood which was to characterize the debate
and which often necessitated the
Speaker's gaveling the unruly House members
to order so the debate could continue.
During the confusion, Rep. Spurlock of
Fort Worth introduced his anti-gay amendment
to Rep. Washington's bill, an
amendment which provided for the gutting
of the gay section of S.B. 127. Thus
the real debate continued, centered
around the Spurlock Amendment, the
pro-gays fighting the amendment, the
anti-gays pushing the amendment.
Rep. Gaston of Dallas broke into Rep.
Washington's presentation, asking whether
it was true that "only homosexuals
are against the amendment," thus implying
that any Legislators who voted in
favor of repealing the consensual sodomy
statute must be gay themselves.
Infuriated at this cheap rhetorical sham,
Rep. Washington responded forcefully ,
"You can persecute people, Mr. Gaston,
because you don't understand them, Mr.
Gaston; you can laugh about it, but that
doesn't make it right .. . . Article 21.06
only allows for the persecution of some
people that in my opinion have just as
much right to live their life the way they
want to as much as you do. And I don't
think this is right."
Not Politically Wise
Realizing that many of the Legislators
would vote against the sodomy law repeal
simply because of political expediency,
Rep. Washington noted that "I know
you're going to defeat the amendment ...
because its politically wise to do so. But
that doesn't make it right."
With a breastplate of righteousness, Rep.
Salem of Corpus Christi responded with a
virtual admission of homophobia: "Mr.
Washington, let me advise you that as far
as I'm concerned, it's not (a matter of being)
politically wise with me - I just don't
like it (homosexuality) worth a damn!"
Rep. Washington replied, "Well, you're
entitled to that opinion, but I don't see
how that gives you the right - I might
not like the suit you have on worth a
damn, but that doesn't give me the right
to take it off of you."
After some further attempts by Rep.
Salem to obfuscate the issue, Rep. Washington
cut him off by saying, "You can
stand up there and demagogue till hell
freezes over ... You can verbally abuse
me if you want ... but I put the amendment
(to repeal Section 21.06) up here
because I believe it is right for these (gay)
people and I have as much right to my beliefs
as you do to yours."
And so went the debate until 2:40 in
the morning, with the gay people losing
on two votes, 112 to 16 and 117 to 14.
651 SOUTH JENNINGS
in making the Legislature aware of our
presence as persons with serious arguments
and claims - and we assured them
that we would be back next session, and
we will.
GAYS NOW OK IN NEW MEXICO
(Santa Fe, NM) New Mexico became the
tenth state to eliminate penalties for sexual
acts between consenting adults in private,
effective July 1, when Governor
Jerry Apodaca signed a bill repealing the
penalties for sodomy. The bill, a comprehensive
reform of the state's rape laws,
had earlier passed the State Senate by a
vote of 41-1 and the State House by 53-0
with almost no debate.
Other states which have legalized sexual
acts of consenting adults in private are:
California, Oregon, Hawaii, Illinois, Colorado,
Ohio, Delaware, Connecticut and
North Dakota.
(817) 332-0745 • Fort Worth
Happy Hour - 4 to 6 p.m.
COMMUNIT> NFWS JULY 1975 5
I Cruising the News I
HOUSTON COMES OUT
( f/011sto11) Reprz!;entatives of this city's
Gay Community held a news conference
th1 month. Their purpose was to inform
the public that they will no longer accept.
being econd class citiLens.
Ray lhll, long-time Houston gay activist
and one of the organizers of the new Gay
Political Caucus, said questionnaires will
be sent to all candidates in the November
city election in an attempt to get them to
take stands on gay issues. The group will
be working for:
• Repeal of the state law that makes homosexual
acts between consenting adults
a 1.:rime:
• State Legislation outlawing job discrimmauon
against homosexuals ... as well
as removal of the local ban on hiring gays
as police officers:
• Federal legislation giving partners in
gay unions the right to file joint income
tax returns:
• lnclus1or of the homosexual perspective
in sex education classes in public schools.
~-..:.....:.
!'Hit
COUlO
BE
YOURt
For 011/y
110
Call (817) 338-0128,
or write P 0 . Box
7367, Fort Worth,
TX 76111 to advertise
m Community News.
1, coul!U\11 r ,\1~ ws / JUL r 1<175
Another of the spokespersons, Pokey
Anderson of N.O.W.'s Sexuality and Lesbianism
Task Force, stressed that women
in the group will also be working on reforms
that affect them as Lesbians such
as child custody battles.
The caucus will also work toward
changing the public's image of homosexuals
through full usage of the mass media.
Other Gay leaders appearing at the press
conference included Jerry Miller and the
Rev. Bob Falls, pastor of Houston's Metropolitan
Community Church, where the
conference was held.
Response to the announcement was
generally felt to be good, as the event
was given objective coverage by both
major newspapers as well as other media.
Support for the new Gay Political Caucus
from the Gay Community is expected
to be good. Organizers include representatives
of both liberal and conservative
elements as well as women's groups and
religious groups.
AU TI . GAY PRIDE MARCH
By Nina Wouk
(Austin) On Saturday, June 28, Austin
experienced its first legal gay pride march,
which was organized and led by lesbians.
One hundred people, mostly women,
marched up Congress Avenue to the Capitol,
chanting "Gay is twice as good as
straight" and similar sentiments. One older
woman joined us from among the small
crowd watching; a Chicana with two children
gave us a high-sign. The police escort
behaved itself admirably;not once were
we ordered to disperse. More people joined
us at the Capitol, where some of us sat
on the steps for awhile, making music for
ourselves and the TV newspeople. The
KTVV sound woman admired our "smash
phallic imperialism" sign, while we sang
'Tm gonna grow up to be a dyke" and
"you people who don't like me better
leave me alone." Then we reassembled
on the lawn to listen to women's music
and various speakers, including ones from
Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Fort
Worth. Art Addison of GPA told the other
gay men more or less to get organized,
LEGGETT LOSES
REINSTATEMENT TRY
(San Antonio) Rev. Gene Leggett lost
another round last month in his four-year
battle to regain his credentials as a minister
of the United Methodist Church. The
Southwest Texas Annual Conference
overwhelmingly rejected a petition by
Leggett's home church, St. Stephen's in
San Antonio, to allow him to perform
ministerial functions such as celebration
of holy communion, baptism and marriage
within the boundaries of that church.
Leggett was stripped of his credentials
by the Conference in 1971 after he openly
acknowledged his own gayness and his
ministry to gay people.
Bishop Eugene 0. Slater stated at a
press conference following the June 2-5
conference: "We do not condone the
practice of homosexuality, and consider
this practice incompatible with Christian
teaching. We could not appoint a selfavowed
homosexual to be pastor at any
United Methodist Church.
San Antonio newspapers gave considerable
coverage to Leggett's struggle, as did
two of the three local television stations.
as the lesbians had done. Janna Zumbrun
of ALO (to whom a big hand and a bouquet
of roses and sunflowers are more
than due) said that since the rain held off
until after the march, she knows that God
is a lesbian. When the rain finally did get
heavy, the rally moved onto the Capitol
porch, where music continued well into
the afternoon.
Channels 7 and 36 gave us good coverage
on the Saturday night news, and The
Texan printed a short article Monday.
The Austin American Statesman, however,
saw fit to ignore the march entirely.
One of the many good things about the
parade was the attendance of gay people
from all over the state and some local
"non-lesbian" women. One of the bad
things was the presence of photographers
whom no one had ever seen before or
since. For an event organized in two
weeks' time, the Christopher Street Day
Parade was an mcredible triumph.
(Reprinted from Pointblank Times)
Three Bars in One:
SPEAKEASY,
COUNTRY WESTERN
& PATIO BAR
HAPPY HOUR
EVERY DAY
5 to 8
A TOUCH OF THE OLD
& A TOUCH OF THE NEW
WELCOME TO
THE OLD PLANTATION
MONDAY:
10c Draft
Strawberry Daiquiri 90c
WHERE FRIENDLY PEOPLE MEET
3717 Rawlin1 • Dallu, Texu • (214) 528-6550
TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
Margaritas 90c % Price Well Drinks Champaign• Night
Bloody Marys 60c 50c Glass
Frozen Daiquiri 90c
SUNDAY
% Price Well Drinks
Margaritas 90c
When in El Paso, visit
SUNDAY
Free Draft & Food
SHOW-$1.50 Adm.
THE NEW PET ·sHOP
532-9721
800 E. San Antonio Street
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY
% Price Well Drinks Pool Tournament % Price Well Drinks
COMMUNITY NHWS JULY 1975 7
MIXED DRINKS
2308 W. ith Street
:J:J:l-O:>B6
Fort Worth
BEER BUST - Tuesday, 10 to 11 p.m.
2 to 2 - Seven Days a Week
I DALLAS
Act 111, 3115 Live Oak, 824-9043
Bayou Landing, 2609 N. Pearl, 742·3269
Bon Soir, 4527 Cole, 526-9432
Chuck's, 3019 W. Haskell, 526-9329
Crews Inn, 3220 N. Fitzhugh, 526-9320
Encore, 4516 McKinney, 526·9328
Entre Nuit, 3116 Live Oak, 823-0423
I
,..,...,..,...,..,,,,,...,..,,,,1
I I OLIVE I
I BRANCH I
I SALOON I I II Happy Hour I
s 7 I
II I OLIVE BRANCH SALOON I
II I Monday Wednesday 5 I 5- 12 p.m. 1
II I
5 p.m. 2 a.m. I5 I 2822 McKinney 5
I Dallas I I 823-0921 824-2770 I
w.111111111111111,.
8 COHH \/1'}' '>iLltS JUL>' 1975
Highland, 3018 Monticello, 526·9651
Joe's Place, 3019% Haskell, 526-9329
Marlboro, 4100 Maple, 526-9487
Old Plantation, 3717 Rawlins, 528-6550
Olive Branch, 2822 McKinney, 823-0921
One Way In, 2509 N. Fitzhugh, 824-9227
Ramrod, 3224 N. Fitzhugh, 526·9110
Sundance Kids, 4025 Maple, 526-9173
Sundowner, 2822 McKinney, 824·9304
Swamptrash, 3014 Throckmorton, 526-9438
Swinger, 4006 Maple, 526-9295
T J's, 3307 McKinney, 526-9368
Terry's Ranch, 4117 Maple, 526-9302
Villa Fontana, 1315 Skiles, 823-0372
ALSO . ..
Bachelor Quarter Baths, 3116 Live Oak,
823-0432
Club Baths, 2616 Swiss, 821-1990
Coronet Theatre, 2420 N. Fitzhu1h, 821·9489
Studio 9, 4817 Bryan, 823-0447
FORT WORTH
Bailey St. Wherehouse, 259 Bailey, 335-0232
500 Club, 500 W. Magnolia, 335-0692
Other Place, 2308 W. 7th, 335-0586
Regency Lounge, 1812 Hemphill, 927-9416
651, 651 S. Jennings, 332·0417
T.J.'s Back Door, 5536 Jacksboro Hwy,
624-0630
Organizations
Agape Metropolitan Community Church, P.O.
Box 7029, Ft. Worth, TX 76111 , Services at
2800 Purington, office (817) 534·9406
AURA (Awareneu, Unity & Research AS'Socia·
t ion). P.O. Box 7318, Ft. Worth, TX 76111 ,
(817) 338-0128, meetings every other Mon·
day evening, 7 :30, at 5536 Jacksboro Hwy.
(T.J .'s Back Door)
Daughters of Bil it is, Dallas, ( 214) 241 ·4118,
mHtings first & third Fridays
Dignity, P.O. Box 70, Euless, TX 76039, (me·
trol 469-6669, meetings fi rst & third Friday
evenings (includes Massi
G.0 .0 .D. (Gay Organization of Dallas), P.O.
Box 9928, Dallas, TX 75214, (214) 748
9880, meetings second & fourth Fridays
Metropolitan Community Church of Dallas,
3834 Ross Ave., Dallas, TX 75204, (214)
826-0291
r.J. I BACK DOOR
presents
DADDY's GIRLS
Every Sunday
Night
For Reservarions,
call (817) 624-0630
DRINK OF THE WEEK
Free Beer & Hot Dogs
FREE Every Sunday
8-10 p.m.
5536 JACKSBORO HWY.
Fort Worth, Texas
THURSDAY - SUNDAY
8·00 - 2:00
······•···········••··•··•····•·········
Hobos, a motorcycle social group for women.
For more information, contact T J's of Dallas
Wranglers, a motorcycle social group for men,
P.O. Box 35853, Dallas, TX 75235
DALLAS CRISIS LINE, (214) 241·4118
Texas Gay Task Force, P.O. Box 7318, Fort
Worth, TX 76111 , (817) 338-0128.
SUPPORT OUR
ADVERTISERS
- They Support us!
Rappin' with Rip
DATING & COURTSHIP
The other day in the encounter group l
conduct we were discussing the problem
of weak, frequent, short-lived relationships
that bear a variety of names (marriage,
union, lovers, spouses, whatever) and
all too frequently have one thing in common
their brevity.
One of the group members said the
greatest problem in establishing a relationship
is the inability to get to know someone
in whom you might be interested:
"We have no dating or courtship period,"
he said. "It's hello, hop in bed, and goodbye;
or if the bed hop was good enough,
stay together until the luster is gone and
then good-bye."
This criticism is all to valid. The date as
it stands now rarely lends itself to getting
to know what the other individual is
really like as a person on a day-to-day basis.
At most it involves perhaps a show or
dinner or the bars and dandng and then
bed. While sex is an important part of
any relationship, it has taken on an undue
importance in some segments of the gay
community. Many of the relationships
are based on sexual compatibility as opposed
to interpersonal com pa tibili ty. l
would not be naive enough to recommend
abstaining from sex until commitment is
made ; I would, however, like to entertain
the idea that putting off a sexual encounter
until some of the other facets of
a person are known may lead to a more
enduring relationship.
Now changing our modus opera11di is
not without risk. That "Mr. Right" may
just slip by if we don't play the game of
sex when we first meet; but, if he is "Mr.
Right," he probably will be around for
more of an introduction even if we
don't hop in to the sack the first night.
There is also the problem of how to
act in a dating situation. For many this
By Rip Corley
will be the first time in a new world of
having chosen not to get sexually involved
at the onset. Take a situation, if you will,
where you meet a guy in the bar. You
talk and seem to be compatible. As the
evening progresses, you both realize a mutual
compatibility. The hour grows late,
but you are still engrossed in one another
and do not wish to break this up just now.
You go out for coffee and then to the
more private atmosphere of his apartment
to continue to get to know one another
still better. There one turns to the other
for a little kiss to relate part of the gratuity
in getting to know this individual. In
most situations, this is the sexual turning
point, for one kiss leads to another and so
on. This is where it gets more difficult to
terminate the evening with only a night
cap, good conversation, and a goodnight
kiss. Most of us are not programmed in
this fashion, and such a situation would
be extremely anxiety provoking ... but
it doesn't have to be the end of the encounter.
During the night cap conversation,
explore one another's interest in
meeting again, perhaps the following day
for a show or dinner. Talking about the
nice points of having met promotes a continuing
interest. And provided the evening
goes this way, a goodnight kiss
should have more meaning than in the
past.
As this relationship progresses and there
are some feelings invested in the other
person, hopefully mutually, the question
arises about when more intimate contact
is in order and whether this indicates that
solidarity has entered the relationship.
The answer to the first part lies with the
two people themselves. There is no time
table for a sexual encounter in a relationship.
Probably when it feels natural is the
best timing. As for solidarity, if the sexual
encounter is looked upon as a further
( Hditor's Note: This colum11 addresses itself to the sexual prorniscuity of the
gay male and is not intended to Ol'erlook our wornen readers it's just a fact
that promiscuity is rnuch more prevalent amo11g males. Opinions expressed
in this and other columns and bylined articles are those of the author and do
1101 necessarily reflect the views of this paper or of its other slafl members.)
means of communication and not the
zenith of the relationship, then the liklihood
is enhanced of being able to identify
solidarity.
During this period it may be best to
date more than one individual. The one
who is most compatible will gravitate in
your direction. When this occurs, it is
time to consider more serious dating. At
this time sexual play may become more
important and meaningful to the relationship
but by no means should it become
the overbearing part. This is the time
really to get to know one another.
During this more serious dating period
there probably will be a muting of the
roles commonly assumed early in a relationship
and each person will slip into
who he really is on a da:y-to-day basis.
Few of us are the same person to old
friends that we were when we were new
friends, simply because we tend to make
more concess10ns and put our best foot
forward to foster the primary relationship.
This is not necessarily dishonest but
is merely a social courtesy due any person
we meet.
It is also during this time that some
problems will emerge. We must recognize
that when two people get together
and intend a long-term situation, there
will be some adjusting on both sides due
to the fact that there are two very distinct
and different individuals involved. If
these adjustments are extremely difficult
now, the likelihood of them being even
more so in an espoused relationship is
great.
If everything is working out favorably,
it is probably time to plan for a period of
courtship, during which both of you will
be getting comfortable with the idea of a
long-term relationship.
Regardless of the outcome of the dating
period, however, a good deal of growth
and mu tu al respect for the other person
(and other people) is sure to result from
the experience.
"Just a general dcscriptio11 \i.'ill
do, Mr. Marti11."
COMMUNITY Nt'WS JULY 1975 9
Civil Service Board Denies Discrimination
Against Gay Dallas City Employee
(Dallas) The Dallas Civil Service Board
has rejected claims of Steve Childers, a
leader in the local Metropolitan Community
Church, that he was passed over for
promotion because of his activities in the
church and as a gay actlvist.
The hearing before the Civil Service
Board was the latest development in the
battle for equal employment rights that
Childers began late in 1974. At that
time he scored high on a civil ervice
exam for promotion but was not even
interviewed for the position. When he
applied for a position in the property
room of the Dallas police department
(for which he was qualified by civil service
classification), a senior officer reportedly
told him it was against the code of
conduct to hire a homosexual.
At the hearing Police Sgt. H.J. Wages
told the board that the code of conduct
requires all employees to uphold the state
penal code. Smee the penal code makes
homosexual activities illegal, Wages contended,
it would be impossible for Childers
to adhere to the code.
Also appearing at the hearing was John
Stacha of the water utilities department
who denied that Childers was passed over
for promotion because of his sexual preference.
He explained that the employee
B
506 West Magnolia • Fort Worth
(817) 335-0692
D ILY PECI L
Open Monday thru Friday
4 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Open Saturday & Sunday
2 p.m. - 2 a.m.
SUNDAY (frc·m 2-10 p.m.:
Bloody Marys 50c
and Organ Music by Chester York
JO I COMMUNITY NLWS I JUI. }' 1975
selected for the post in question made an
even higher score on the test than did
Childers, who, he said, will still be eligible
to apply again whenever another job
opens up.
Childers charged that the refusal of the
police department to accept him amounted
to religious discrimination since his
participation m gay activities are all in relation
to his work in Metropolitan Community
Church.
The hearing before the civil ervice
board came after a maze of appeals and
hearings before other city officials.
After the boards' decision that there
was insufficient evidence of discrimination,
Childers said, "The city government
has many gays among its staff member,"
although most do not publicly acknowledge
it. "Everywhere around the country
laws are being changed in a movement
to guarantee equal employment opportunities
for gay people."
Although Childers is unsure at this time
what his next step will be, he stressed
that he considers the matter too important
to let it drop.
Both major Dallas newspapers, as well
as two television station , reported on
Childers' battle following the hearing.
Penn ylvania Governor
Recognizes Gay Right
(Philadelphia) Governor Milton J. Shapp
of Pennsylvania has issued the first state
executive order giving equal rights to Gay
People. The order read, in part, "I am
commiting this administration to work
towards ending discrimination against
persons solely because of their affectional
or sexual preference." The order further
et up an apparatus to implement the
governor's order. Two tate government
employees were instructed to review and
monitor the progress. The order instruct-
COURT A YS MCC OK
(San Francisco) The U.S. District Court
here has ruled that the California state
pnson ban on Metropolitan Community
Church services is unconstitutional and
ordered that the ban be lifted unless the
California Department of Corrections
can prove that the church services constitute
a "clear and pre ent danger" to the
DALLAS & FORT WORTH ministers of
Metropolitan Community Churches got
together in Fort Worth last month at the
South Central District Conference of
MCC. Left to right; Rev. David Carden,
assistant pastor, Fort Worth; Rev. Ron
Anderson, Ft. Worth pastor, and Rev.
Jim Harris, pastor of the Dallas church.
G.0.0.D. GETS FACE-LIFT
By Lee Gaylord
(Dallas) After a good deal of time and
effort, the membership of the Gay Organization
of Dallas unanimously approved a
new constitution and statement of principles
on June 20. The changes made were
felt neces. ary for the future growth of
the organization.
New officers were also elected at that
meeting and are: president, Larry Lingle;
vice president, Darryl Brown; secretary.
Lee G:trylord; and treasurer, Randy
Moreau. Additional information about
G.0.0.D. may be obtained by calling the
organization at (214) 748-9880.
ed, "They will work with state agencies
and private groups to further define the
problem and make recommendations for
further action. State departments and
agencie are instructed to fully cooperate
with them in the effort to end this type
of discnmmation."
"good order" of the prisons.
The court held that MCC is a bonafide
church, that it docs not teach or preach
homosexuality or sexuality of any kind,
and that the ban violates constitutional
guarantees of freedom of religion.
The two-year-old suit was originally
hrough by Rev. Jo eph Gilbert of Sacra·
mento and Rev. Tcre Rodenck
Now I'm Thirty .
Now I'm thirty .
I've been a faggot all my life.
It was in grade school I became aware
"Don't play with that; it might come
off in your hand!"
Maybe if Billy plays with it, it won't come
off in his hands. I love Billy.
Yes, it must have been grade school.
Too bad Billy died!
Now I'm thirty.
Junior high and then high school. Teenage
boy play, experimenting. We all did it.
And then girls.
Jim got married.
Now I'm thirty.
You've got to fight it boy. You can be like
the rest. I just have to give myself a little
more time--
time-time--
Now I'm thirty.
I'm glad to sec you have accepted yourself for
what you really are. It took you long enough and
you sure put up a fight but it's over now and you've
adjusted nicely and---but--
Now I'm thirty.
I met some faggots tonig11 t. Real live flesh and blood
faggo ts just like me. I guess it's the first time l ever
met a real faggot before. You know, they're human when
you see one up close. But, you see for me it's too late---
Now I'm thirty.
It's lonely in a closet and the hinges become rusty from
years of despair and after tears the door can't open and
your closet becomes your crypt.
Thirty is enough--
is enough--
is enoug11 ...
Anonymous
·········· · ······· · ·································· · ············· · ········~
COMMUNITY NEWS
only S3 - 3rd Class.
S4 - 1s t C lass
SIO - Supporting
Name --------------------
Address __________________ _
City/State/Zip
Make dit>ck payable lo C0!\1\1UNITY NF.WS
PO Box 7:167, Furl \\orlh TX 76111
I
I
I
I
···•·•···········••······••······•···•·····••·•••···•······•••••····•·······
literary Cay"
"DO IT!" Puzzle by Ario
A N E I v I v H A L L - u 0 N 0 s N I K c I D
A G E N E T D R D x 0
E N D I c K E N I A N
T R u G c T p D v N A
c A A R s u u H I H M
~
0 B c E A A D E D G T
c y R B p u T E A M I
H 0 M s p s H A L T H
F 0 R N H A E D L I w
T E 0 I 0 D D K v H p
L T T G M I c I A w p
A s E N E G v A v H A
H p B A R N E y A H s
The hidden words listed below appear
forward, backward, up, down or dia-gonally
in the puzzle. Find each of the
hidden words and box it in as shown.
Auden (W.H.) Homer
Barney (Natalie) LeDuc (Violette)
Cocteau (Jean) Sappho
Dickinson (Emily) Shakespeare (Wm.)
Forster (E.M.) Stein (Gertrude)
Genet (Jean) Vidal (Gore)
Gide (Andre) Vivien (Renee)
Ginsberg (Allen) Wilde (Oscar)
Hall (Radclyffe) Whitman (Walt)
T .J .'s of Dallas
COMMUl\f/TY VJ WS JULY 1975 I 11
•••••••••••••••••••
NEVER A COVER CHARGE
1812 HEMPHILL
Fort Worth
927-9416
••••••••••••••••••••
12 I COJfMUi\'/TY NEWS I JUI. y 1975
POINTBLANK TIM ES
A New Publication for
Lesbian/ Feminists
Subscribe: Only $3 for 12 issues
Pointblank Times, 1241 W Bell ..
No. 4, Houston, Texas 77019
Texas Gay Conference II
(Continued from Page 3)
police situation in Fort Worth.
Gay Teachers
Support for Jim Eggeling was expressed
in a resolution concerning his battle
against the Harlandale Independent
School District, which fired him after discovering
his Gayness.
Gay Ministers
The Conference joined in support of the
Rev. Gene Leggett in his struggle to be
reinstated as a minister of the United
Methodist Church.
Leadership
Resolutions of appreciation were also
passed for Gene Leggett for his work on
the Conference and Ken Cyr for his work
with TGTF .
JOIN NOW!
TEXAS GAY
TASK FORCE
P.O. Box 7318
Fort Worth, Texas 76111
Basic Membership
Low Income Membership
Contributing Membership
Supporting Membership
Patron (more than $100)
$10/yr
$ '5/yr
$25/yr
$100/hfe
$_/life
Name --- -------- ---- - --- --- - -
Addr- - ---- - --- - - ---- --- - ----
City/State/Zip -- ----------- ---~--
T~~hoM ____________________ _
TEXAS GAY
|
