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4 MONTROSE VOICE/JANUARY 10. 1986
GPC Presidential Candidates
The City, the Challenge,
Three candidates are currently entered in
the race for the presidency of the Houston
Gay Political Caucus. They are Ray Hill,
Annise Parker and Sue Lovell. All three
candidates responded to a MONTROSE
VOICE questionnaire and expressed their
reasons for seeking the top position in the
Caucus.
What is your experience with the
GPC?
Ray Hill, 45, trial assistant: One of
seven co-founders of GPC; served seven
years on the board, one as chair of the
board; six years on Political Action Committee, three as chair; chaired committee
to restructure screening process, and whatever odd jobs assigned by the previous or
current presidents.
Sue Lovell, 35: GPC board member;
former GPC vice president, and current
GPC president.
Annise Parker, 29, oil company
employee: member of GPC for five years;
board member for three years; board chair
for three years under three presidents;
membership chair for one year, and interim treasurer for six months. Experienced
in all areas of Caucus business: media spokesperson, speaker's bureau representative, political strategy, interacting with
elected officials and gay leaders, chairing
meetings, endorsements and screening,
finances, mailouts, by-laws, voter registration. Specific Caucus activities include:
GPC coordinator for the last "Night at the
Alley Theater;" Ginny Apuzzo dinner
committee; Re-established and served as
assistant editor of the monthly newsletter;
co-chair of the Speaker's Bureau; organizer of "An Evening for Women."
What is your gay/ human rights activism experience (outside of the Caucus)?
Hill: Active in civil rights struggles in
the early 1960's; Texas director Student
Mobilization Committee Against the War
in Viet Nam; co-founder Pacifica Radio
station KPFT (general manager 1980-81);
creator/ host KPFT Prison Show; lobbyist
for CURE (prison reform group) to restore
voting rights to former inmates; challenged three city ordinances on constitutional grounds (won two, one pending);
conceptualized, called and directed Houston Towne Meeting 1,1978; organized gay
pride march downtown, 1976 and gay
pride rally, 1977; joined Harvey Milk calling for a national march on Washington,
1978, and chaired executive and coordinating committees for National March on
Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights,
1979.
Lovell: KS/AIDS Foundation board
member; board member a founder of Federation of AIDS Related Organizations—a
lobbying organization to work for AIDS
funding; committee member of Citizens
for a United Houston; political campaigns
for progressive candidates; member Mayor's Task Force on AIDS; working with
THRF on the 21.06 case; assist Lesbian
and Gay Rights Advocates in their effort
to stop the state health board from adopting quarantine proposal; member
National Organization for Women,
Women's Lobby Alliance, and Women's
Political Caucus, and spoken to a wide
variety of groups in support of equal rights
for gay men and lesbians.
Parker: President (2 terms) Houston
Women's Softball League (300 members);
board member of Lesbian/ Gay Rights
Advocates (the statewide lobby group);
board member of Lesbian/ Gay Democrats of Texas; founding member of Rice
Gay/ Lesbian Support Group; member of
the National Gay Task Force; member of
the National Organization for Women,
member, of the Sierra Club.
Ray Hill
How do you view the current political atmosphere and outlook for gays
in Houston?
Hill: There is as much opportunity for
us in the current political atmosphere as
ever. Our enemies rallied around the referendum flag pole, but in November their
lists proved less successful than they previously imagined. Only our own fears
cloud the political atmosphere. With committment and hard work the outlook can
be bright.
Lovell: I think the political atmosphere
is much better now than it was a year ago.
This is due to the defeat of the Straight
Slate in the past municipal election. However, we must face the reality that Houston is not as tolerant of diversity as we
once thought it was. That many voters,
religious leaders and business leders do
not believe that gay men and lesbians
deserve equal rights.
I think our long range outlook is good if
we as a caucus and a community are committed to continuing to work for equal
rights. The short term outlook is optimistic. I think come endorsement time we will
have candidates seeking our support. The
past municipal elections showed that we
are still effective at getting our votes to the
polls. The most important thing that can
happen to ensure a favorable atmosphere
and outlook is to win the 21.06 case.
Parker: The current political atmosphere is rather bleak, and there is still
some sense of gays being political pariahs.
The Straight Slate won't slither away—
that hatred and paranoia will continue to
seek a target. There are bright spots, however. All the Straight Slate candidates for
city council were defeated, while our past
supporters are back on the job.
Gay men and lesbians will have to clean
their own political house. We have to present a united front to fight increasing
homophobia. We must overcome apathy,
sexism, racism and ageism and other barriers that divide us.
We must also continue to build on our
much-improved relationship with the nongay media. Obviously there is a lot of work
to do, but as Ginny Apuzzo says, "We have
no choice; it's a war we must win."
List what you feel are the major
needs or problems facing Houston's
gay community.
Hill: Misinformation and resultant
fears and depression about AIDS; closets;
lack of confidence among ourselves and
by politicians we have helped elect; job
and housing discrimination; care of people with AIDS, and lack of courage and
pride.
Lovell: I think there are two major
problems facing the gay community. One
is the AIDS issue, which is very important
and the second is to remember that there
are other issues which are equally impor
Sue Lovell
tant and must not be forgotten. We need
equality in employment, housing, the judicial syBtem, parenting and in health care
to name a few.
Parker: The major problem facing the
gay community is AIDS. We must deal
with funding, threats of quarantine, and
all the forms of anti-gay discrimination
that have been aggravated by this health
crisis.
The 21.06 case must be won. Its loss
could produce a domino effect across the
country.
Of course, the money to deal with all of
these issues must be raised.
We must also restore pride and confidence in ourselves as a strong, vital community.
List what you feel are the major
needs or problems facing the GPC.
Hill: Growth; the debt; new structure/
by-laws; involving more people; reform of
the endorsement process; alliances with
other minority groups, and better communication with elected officials.
Lovell: (No response to this question)
Parker: GPC is in a money crisis. We
have a serious debt to pay off. We also need
operating funds for the coming year. Without money, we can't do basic things like
pay the rent and phone bill, much less
accomplish goals.
We are also faced with declining membership, participation and community
respect. We must get people re-involved in
the Caucus.
Meeting the first two goals will lead into
the final major problem—reclaiming our
endorsements. We will have to prove ourselves again as a political force.
How do you propose, as GPC president, addressing the needs of Houston's gay community (esp. 21.06,
health crisis and accompanying
homophobic hysteria, employment
and housing bias)?
Hill: More active participation with
KS/AIDS Foundation and THRF in educating the community and the general
public of our concerns in the areas where
these organizations must reach the decisionmakers. GPC must go on the offensive to
fight homophobia so it is generally perceived as just another form of bigotry. An
aggressive campaign to inform the community of discriminators with whom they
spend monev.
Lovell: As GPC president, the most
effective way to address the needs of the
gay community is to continue and strengthen the Caucus' participation in electing
progressive candidates to office, and to
increase lobbying efforts of elected officials to be responsive to the needs of our
community.
The 21.06 case was reversed because of
new appointments of judges by President
Reagan. The ecunnmy may be better but
Annise Parker
we now face becoming criminals.
Concerning the AIDS issue we have got
to continue lobbying not only the city, but
the county and the state that the need for
education is crucial. That proposals such
as health cards and quarantine are not
viable solutions. We must convince
government that their responsibility is to
be resposive to the needs of all its citizens.
Most importantly to educate our community that they must be vocal and insistent,
as a community, that government
respond.
To gain equality in housing and employment we have to bo back to the first basic
step and that is documentation. I helped
initiate a documentation committee for
that very reason. And we must continue to
elect candidates to office that will vote in
favor of equal employment and housing.
Parker: The GPC president acts only at
the direction of the Caucus, but I would
certainly continue the Caucus' work with
KS/AIDS, Lesbian / Gay Rights Advocates (the state lobby group) and the Texas
Human Rights Foundation, which is leading the 21.06 fight. We are actively working with LGRA and AIDS organizations to
increase funding for AIDS education and
patient care and to preventdiscriminatory
legislation in the next legislative session.
Our city council should continue its
rational approach to AIDS (i.e. the new
council committee on health). But we are
ready to work publicly, behind the scenes,
with other groups—any way we can—if
any petition drives or pressure campaigns
are started.
We are already in the process of documenting discrimination and responding
to it, in part through our Economic
Response Committee. In the coming year,
we will devote more time to these vital
projects.
In general, our best weapon against discrimination and homophobia is a much
stronger and broader-based Caucus that
can solve problems and instill the kind of
pride in being gay that we need.
How do you propose addressing the
needs of the Caucus (esp. membership, fundraising and debt retirement)?
Hill: Expand the list by encouraging
pride and self worth, and by inviting our
non-gay supporters to join the list. Press
the importance of membership in everything we do. Organize a fundraising committee of people not tied down with other
Caucus responsibilities. Use the list for
membership and fundraising.
LovelLMembership. I want to increase
membership through an effective public
relations campaign of mailings and personal contact. We need to educate thecom-
munity that there is a place for everyone in
GPC, even non-political people. Fundraising and debt retirement. I would appoints
fundraising chair in order for GPC to
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