[1994] Tulsa Family News, December 1993-January 1994; Volume 1, Issue 1

{WORK IN PROGRESS}

TULSA FAMILY NEWS
Serving Tulsa's Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Communities — Our Families of the Heart
Volume 1, Issue 1

HIV Exposure Lawsuit Could Give Final Blow To Sodomy Law
By Tom Neal, Tulsa Family News reporter
A ruling by Oklahoma district level judge, Melinda Monette on a civil lawsuit filed by Drumright attorney, Tim Daniel, may strike the killing blow to Oklahoma’s "sodomy" law. The lawsuit seeks damages from the estate of a Gay man allegedly for knowingly exposing the plaintiff to risk of HIV infection (human immune-deficiency virus) during the course of a two-year sexual relationship. It is alleged that the decedent knew he had been diagnosed with AlDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome), concealed his health status, and knowingly enegaged in sexual behavior that exposed the plaintiff to high risk of infection. Exposing another person to risk of HIV infection without full disclosure is a violation of Oklahoma law.
Tim Cheek, attorney defending the estate of the decedent, challenged not the facts of the plaintiff's case but challenged the plaintiff's right to sue. Mr. Check claimed that the plaintiff, a person admitting to violating Oklahoma's "sodomy" statute, a felony crime, has no right to seek damages for an injury that occurred during "the commission of a crime" — i.e. the violation of Oklahoma's "sodomy" statute, ".... [the] detestable and abominable crime against nature, committed with mankind or with a beast, is punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary not exceeding ten years...."
Legal scholars have questioned whether Oklahoma's "sodomy" statute still applies to homosexual conduct. In 1986 in a case concerning heterosexual conduct, the law was found to be unconstitutional. In Post vs. the State of Oklahoma, the Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma found that "'natural repugnance' [on the part of many for certain sexual acts] does not create compelling justification for state regulation of 'abnormal' sexual acts involving consenting adults, and thus, application of....[the OK sodomy law]....to allegedly private, consensual acts violated defendant's constitutional right to privacy...."
Attorney Daniel suggests that the case, Post vs. the State of Oklahoma, logically should apply to homosexual conduct as well as heterosexual conduct but add that in our system of law these issues are determined by successive court tests. As a different circumstances are examined by the courts, the application of a ruling is better understood.
Some of the legal support for overturning sodomy laws was lost in a US Supreme Court ruling, Bowers vs. Hardwick, also from 1986.  This case found that homosexual conduct is not protected under the US Constitution’s implied right to privacy. Legal experts have characterized this 5-4 case as poorly reasoned, being more informed by traditional prejudice than by sound legal principles. Former US Justice Powell, who provided the "swing" vote to continue to criminalize private, consensual homosexual conduct, has since recanted his vote, saying he made a mistake.
In his response to attorney Tim Cheek, Mr. Daniel argued that his client should not lose "the most fundamental right, that of a fair hearing in court" because the client is Gay and engaged in homosexual conduct. In challenging defense attorney Cheek, Daniel claims that the ruling in Post vs. the State of Oklahoma applies to homosexual conduct as well. Daniel further states that the Bowers vs. Hardwick decision is the product of a sharply divided US Supreme Court and does not represent "settled doctrine." Daniel adds that while the Bowers vs. Hardwick decision does allow the state of Georgia to keep its "sodomy" law, it does not require Oklahoma to reinstate its "sodomy" law which has already been found to be unconstitutional.
Judge Monette ruled in favor of Tim Daniel's client, ruling that the decision of Post vs. the State of Oklahoma does apply to homosexual conduct. This means that homosexual conduct is no longer criminalized in the state of Oklahoma unless a higher court reverses Judge Monette's decision. Atty. Cheek said he would seek such a ruling from a higher court, up to the State Supreme Court if necessary. If Judge Monette's decision is upheld, Oklahoma's "sodomy" law will be clearly unconstitutional and Tim Daniel's plaintiff's case will go to trial like any other civil damages case. At press time, no further action had occurred. An appeal to a higher court and further rulings can be expected within the next several months.
Attorney Tim Daniel

HOSTILE CLIMATE
New report cites anti-gay public policy incidents in 41 states in past year
By CHRIS THOMAS
GayNetNews Service
A new report on anti-gay efforts across the nation spotlights several dangerous strategies being used by anti-gay groups, and shows how scattered victories can be turned into a broader base of support. "Hostile Climate: A State-by-State Report on Anti-Gay Activity" Was prepared by People for the American Way (PAW), a 300,000-member non-partisan constitutional liberties organization based in Washington, D.C.
According to PAW president Arthur J. Kropp, "While national battles over gay rights have captured, the limelight, dozens of low-profile campaigns against basic civil rights for gays and lesbians have been proliferating at the local level. The spread of anti-gay activity has reached a point where millions of Americans fear their most basic rights are being held hostage to hate politics.
According to the report, 41 states and the District of Columbia have experienced anti-gay activity since the November 1992 elections. A total of 132 state or local battles are chronicled in the report, and ranged from attacks statewide anti-discrimination laws to the vandalism of the home of Melbourne, Iowa, mayor Bill Crews, who had publicly come out just prior to his participation in the March on Washington. Schools are a major focus of anti-gay efforts, and the religious right movement
see Hostile Climate, page 4

TX Welcomes Apple
CUPERTINO, Calif. — Williamson County, Texas, county commissioners who snubbed Apple Computer Inc. at the end of November because of its domestic partner health benefits package for gay and lesbian employees reversed themselves a week on Dec. 7. Just a week before, on Nov. 30, the commissioners had refused 3-2 to extend a $750,000 tax abatement to Apple because of the domestic partners benefits. The second vote that give Apple the $1 million for improvements, also 3-2, involved no change in the computer firm's partners policy, which Apple insisted from the time the issue first erupted here nearly a month ago was not up for negotiation. "Our policy remains clear and we did not waiver," said Bill Keegan, Apple's spokesman in Texas. "We feel this policy is an important component of our business plan. It's a way to attract and retain the best and brightest employees."
–GayNet News Service

AIDS Bias at American Airlines?
November 22, 1993

Mr. Robert Crandall, President

Dear Mr. Crandall,
We were extremely disappointed to lean [sic.] that American Airlines has once again behaved irresponsibly in its treatment of passengers who either have or are perceived to have AIDS or HIV disease.
The latest incident of which we are aware, that of the forcible arrest of Mr. Timothy Holless from flight 50 out of Chicago, is in our view, deplorable. Our understanding of the facts leads us to belive that there was a phenomenal insenitivity to the needs of those who suffer from AIDS, and seems to us as if American's actions may have been violative of both the Air Carrier Access Act and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
To add insuit to the the [sic.] indignity of your treatment of Mr. Holless, when AIDS advocacy groups sought a response to the treatment of Mr. Holless, American's answer was that the incident does not warrant a response. That is unacceptable.
We understand that American has apologized to Mr. Holless. By that we infer you recognize that you have erred, and changed your opinion that the situtation merited no response. We will now look to see that American implements clear and appropriate guidelines with respect to how the airline will accommodate the needs of future travelers who have or are perceived to have HIV or AIDS. We expect shortly from you a clear statement of non-discrimination and full compliance with all Federal anti-discrimination laws, and we expect you to abide by that anti-discrimination in the future.
Rep. Barney Frank, D-MA
Rep. Henry Waxman, D-CA
Rep. Pat Schroeder, D-CO
Rep. Gerry Studds, D-MA
Rep. James Oberstar, D-MN
Rep. John Lewis, D-GA
Rep. John Olver, D-MA
Rep. Jolene Unsoeld, D-WA
Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-CA
Rep. Thomas Andrews, D-MA
Rep. Major Owens, D-MA
Rep. Jane Harman, D-CA
Rep. Tom Lantos, D-CA
Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-NY
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-CA
Rep. Marty Meehan, D-MA
Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-HI
Rep. George Miller, D-CA
Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-NY
Rep. Lynn Schenk, D-CA
Rep. Howard Berman, D-CA
Rep. Lynn C. Woolsey, D-CA
Washington, D.C.
The letter above was sent after Timothy Holless was arrested and removed by force from an American Airlines flight on November 14 bound from Chicago to San Francisco. Speaking with Tulsa Family News, Gus Whitcomb of American Airlines public relations department portrayed the incident as merely an effort to insure Mr. Holless' wellbeing.
see American, page 4

Tulsa Public Schools Ignore Pro-Gay State Educa. Regulations
By Tom Neal, Tulsa Family News reporter
The Tulsa Public School System has ignored for eight months state non-discrimination regulations that include protection for students based on sexual orientation. On March 18, the Oklahoma State Department of Education adpoted standards of performance and conduct for teachers. These standards were adopted as a result of HB 1017.
These standards state, "the teacher must strive to help each student realize his or her potential as a worthy and effective member of society ....the teacher: .....shall not on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, marital status, political or religious beliefs, family, social or cultural background, or sexual orientation, unfairly, a. exclude andy [sic.] student from participation in any program, b. deny benefits to any students, c. grant any advantage to any student...."
Jack Pontious, Manager for Human Resources for Tulsa Public Schcols (TPS) told Tulsa Family News that school system had not been aware of the regulations before Tulsa Family News called. Mr. Pontius indicated that Tulsa Public Schools would distribute the regulations sometime before March 1994. In the Tulsa area, the Jenks school system, in contrast, included these regulations at the beginning of the school year with all new teacher contracts.
Tulsa Family News asked the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Sandy Garrett, for an explaination of how it was that the second largest school district in the state not only was not in compliance with these regulation [sic.] but didn't even seem to know about them. Press secretary for the superintendent, John Delanders, initially took this request but failed to respond to further phone calls over several weeks.

Tulsa Family News, December 1993 – January 1994, page 1

[Comic caption: "Because their greed matters more than what he taught."]

Why Tulsa Family News?
Hey, girl that one’s cute, is she family? Said with irony, sometimes, said by men, or said by women (though maybe not quite in those exact words), the meaning of family for Lesbians, Gay men and Bisexuals is fluid.
Family is, yes, our birth/adoptive parents and siblings but family is also that tribe of women and men, sisters and brothers (or perhaps just sisters), who welcomed us after we realized our differences from the heterosexual world.
More than many tribes, we are a diverse group. We are separated by issues of gender, of race, religion and ethnicity, by class and by age, and by physical beauty. Sometimes, like biological families, we are cruel and abusive to one another.
But at our best, despised though we may be by HeteroAmerica, we strive for ideals that much of the rest of this country long seem to have forgotten.
For example, I was involved in several of the national planning meetings for this last March on Washington. For all the frustration and hard work of the process, it was characterized by an effort to empower and include persons of all statuses; race, gender, transgender, age, sub-communities: students, leather, religious, etc. No one else in America is even seriously trying democracy of this sort....certainly, not our government.
And perhaps this is not part of our special gift to America: in some Native American traditions, Men Who loved Men & Women who loved Women were known as Two-Spirits. They had special roles as shamans — those who showed the way. Perhaps, we can show the way to a country that often has failed to live the ideals it claims.
We must reclaim family from those who would take it for their use only — who would pervert it for their political and monetary gain. The family historically has been large and messy, sometimes biological but just as often tied together by need and sometimes, love. It has always included us, Lesbians, Gay men and Bisexuals, though not always by those names (spinster aunts and bachelor uncles, and as we know, being married doesn’t make straight).
The family in America has rarely been what the Christo-Fascists have claimed. We know it and they know it to. But demonizing us serves their political purpose. This country has a long and shameful history of slandering various minorities, creating an enemy within to play off folks’ fears so that a few could gain wealth and political power.
We have demonized Native Americans, Blacks, Jews, Catholics, Asians and others. These days, Lesbians, Gay men and Bisexuais are the enemy of choice, and the coffers of the Religious Right, the Christo-Fascists are full.
So this is Tulsa Family News, news for our families of the heart, and for our families that are biological, our brothers, sisters and parents, cousins, uncles, and aunts.
This is the first of what I hope will be many issues. Tulsa deserves to have its own event and entertainment paper. News from Oklahoma City is of interest but is not enough.
This paper follows several other attempts by folks, whom I honor for their hard work. Tulsa Family News can and will be there for Tulsa if you help us. Let us know what you like. Let us know what you don’t like (gently, please). Patronize the basinesses that support us and tell them that you saw their ad — there is a connection between your actions and this paper being here. And if you are a Lesbian or Gay business owner, reach out to your community via advertising. Lesbian and Gay bar owners have long carried much of the weight of helping the community — it’s time for some of the rest of us to share the job. Thanks.
Tom Neal, publisher.
PS, anyone interested in a Lesbian/Gay Indian organization, drop a line to Jesse, c/o TFN.

Kelly H. Kirby
Certified Public Accountant
9933 East 16th, Suite 104
Tulsa 74128
918-663-9399

Tulsa Directory
* Asterisks indicate distribution points
Bars & Restaurants
*The Alley, 3340 S. Peoria 744-0896
*Cherry St. Bakery, 1344 E. 15 583-8398
*Elearic Circus, 606 S. Elgin 587-8677
*Laff's, 311 E. 7th 583-5233
*Silver Star Saloon, 1565 S. Sheridan 834-4234
*Renegade, 1649 S. Main 585-3405
*Time n’ Time Again, 1515 S. Memorial 660-0856
*TNT’s 2114 S. Memorial 664-8299
*Tool Box, 1338 E. 3rd 584-1308
*Whittier Cafe, 416 S. Lewis, 582-2400
Retail Businesses/Galleries
*Indian Territory Coffee Company 1613 E. 15 587-1633
Galerie Europa, 203 N. Main 592-2787
Harry & Mrs. Jones, 1617 E. 15 582-1617
Jared’s, 1602 E. 15 582-3018
Ken’s Flowers, 1635 E. 15 599-8070
*Mohawk Music, 6157 E 51 Pl 664-2951
Novel Idea Discount Books
7104 S. Sheridan 492-0335
3356 E. 51 747-6711
*Phun Stuph, 1519 E. 15 584-7486
*Tomfoolery, 1565 S. Sheridan 832-0233
Organizations
ACT-UP, POB 532 74101
Names Proj. POB 318 74101 748-3111
P-FLAG POB 52800 74152 749-4901
HIV Resource Consortium
*TOHR, 4154 S. Harvard, Ste. H-1
Gay Line Info. 743-4297
Shanti Hotline 749-7898
B/L/G Alliance, Tulsa U. 583-9780
Oklahoma AIDS Hotline 800,535-2437
Other
*Tulsa Central Library, 400 Civic Ctr. 596-7977
*Chapman Student Ctr. TU, 631-0000
*University Center at Tulsa
Professionals
Theodore Campbell, MSW
1560 E 21 743-1000
Sandra J. Hill, MS, Psychotherapy 2865 E. Skelly, Ste. 215 745-1111
Tim Daniel, Atty. 352-9504 or 800-742-9468
Bill Hinkle, Atty. 749-1586
Kelly Kirby, CPA, 9933 E 16 663-9399
John Kirk, Realtor 747-5800, 745-2245
Tom Neal, Designer 832-0233
Buildings/Gardens/Graphics
Religious Organizations
*Family of Faith¯MCC, 500 W. ’A’ Jenks 298-4622
Affirmation (Methodist) 742-8213
*MCC-Tulsa, 1623Maplewood 838-1715
Dignity/Integrity 298-4648
*Canterbury Ministry Ctr. TU, 583-9780

TULSA FAMILY NEWS
Publisher/Editor
Tom Neal

918-832-0233
POB 4140
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74159

Issued on the 15th of each month, the entire contents of this publication are protected by US copyright 1993 by Tulsa Family News and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Publication of a name or photo in no way indicates or reflects that person’s sexual orientation.
Correspondance is assumed to be for publication unless otherwise noted and becomes the sole property of Tulsa Family News. All correspondance should be sent to the address above.
Tulsa Family News is a [sic.] event & entertainmnt newspaper distributed free of charge in local businesses and organizations.


Next Month
First in a Series: Interviews with City Council Candidates on Our Issues New Feature: Local Heroes

toMfooLery!
Tulsa’s Only Openly Gay-owned Gift Store
Pride Jewelry, Buttons, Stickers, Cards, Newsmagazines, T-shirts & Sweatshirts & more for Lesbians, Gay Men & Bisexuals, Our Families & Our Friends
Come find those Holiday Gifts at the Store where you know you’ll be treated like Family!
1565 South Sheridan, Tulsa
918-832-0233, Visa/MC accepted.
Open Evenings
Wed.-Thurs. 7-12, Fri.-Sat. 7-2am, Sun. 7-10pm

Tulsa Family News, December 1993 — January 1994, page 2

PROUD OF HIS PREJUDICE
The editodal reproduced above is from The Grove Sun, Grove, Oklahoma. It was faxed directly to Tulsa Family News with permission to reprint.
Should we laugh or cry after reading this editorial by its publisher, M. Gerald Stone? The view is so extreme and so ignorant that at first it is hard to take it seriously.
Sadly, though, we recognize that M. Gerald Stone is not being facetious. He’s serious when he suggest [sic.] that "sex between males is the main cause of the HIV virus." It seems that Mr. Stone is not one to let 10 years of medical evidence from around the world get in the way of his prejudice. He adds that "faggots" should not come crying to the government and the taxpayers for help in fighting the HIV epidemic.
Excuse us, Mr. Stone, but last we checked, Lesbians & Gay men were still citizens. We know that we are certainly paying our fair share of taxes (probably more) and we know it’s our government too, no matter how much that government treats us as 3rd class citizens. It’s our right to call on our government to try to prevent further suffering by finding treatment for HIV related diseases, including we hope a cure ultimately. It's our right to be angry at our government who during the past decade did so much less than it could have done precisely because it was dominated by men who think like you — though most of them were somewhat more subtle in expressing their bias.
Now, we recognize that it is your right to express yourself and we defend that right, no matter how churlish that opinion is. But we can’t help but wonder as we approach this sacred season — when Jews celebrate the miracle of the lamps, Pagans the lengthening of the day, and Christians, a man who called out for compassion, could you not put aside at least some of your hate? And as a journalist, couldn't you at least check your facts?

Timothy W. Daniel
Attorney at Law
Estate Planning, Adopbons, Personal Injury
Criminal Law, Bankruptcy, Workers Compensation
1-800-742-9468 or 918-352-9504
128 East Broadway, Drumright, Oklahoma
Weekend and evening appointents are available.
Know Your Rights!

SILVER STAR SALOON
New Year's Eve
at the Silver Star Saloon
Buffet, Champagne
Party Favors & Door Prizes
$10 couple, $6 single
Afternoon Beer Bust 4-7pm, Tues. - Fri.
Dancers on Thursdays thro' December
Look for Miss Gay Tulsa in January
1565 S. Sheridan, 834-4234

Tulsa Family News, December 1993 — January 1994, page 3

[duplicate of page 2]

News Briefs News Briefs News Briefs News Briefs News Briefs News Briefs News Briefs News

Arrests in Anti-Gay Killing
NEW ORLEANS — Grat Gunderson, 24, Ronald D. Graves, 24, and Mingo Graham, 23, were charged with 1st-degree murder in the stabbing death of Joseph Balog of Gulfport, Miss., while he was walking through the French Quarter of New Orleans earlier in November with a friend. The second man was seriously injured in the attack while 4 or 5 men yelled anti-gay epithets. Officials say they are looking for other suspects in the killing. According to police, neither the dead man nor his unidentified friend were gay even though their attackers apparently believed they were.

Previously Unknown Wilde Love Letters Auctioned
LONDON — A [sic.] anonymous bidder purchased a collection of love letters from author Oscar Wilde to Philip Griffiths for $27,580. The letters were written by Wilde to the wealthy young Griffiths in the 1880s and included a photograph of the famous gay playwright. The brief affair between the two men had not been previously known about and the letters were offered for sale through Christie's auctioneers by a descendant of Griffiths.

Library Ban on Out-of-Town Papers Anti-Gay?
TULSA, Okla. — The Tulsa County library commission has voted to prohibit out-of-town publications from being distributed at libraries, a move Tom Neal, the Tulsa reporter for the Wichita, Kan.-based gay paper The Parachute, says is aimed to excluding the gay publication from distribution at the libraries. Library officials denied that was their motive, noting that it will continue to carry The Gayly Oklahoman, which is published in Oklahoma City. (Editor's note: The Tulsa City-County Library does not distribute The Gayly Oklahoman and only carries one copy in its downtown branch.)

Clinton 'Not Done' With Military Issue Yet?
SEATTLE — Seattle radio and TV stations reported that while resident [sic.] Clinton was in the city for a summit conference with leaders of Asian and Pacific Rim nations in November, a jogger who was out running in the early morning ran into the president and commented that "You let gays in the military down, didn't you?" Clinton reportedly replied, somewhat enigmatically, "We're not done yet."

Mass Test for AIDS Virus Planned at Concert
SEATTLE — The Vancouver, Wash.-based Saliva Diagnostic Systems Inc. will help gather saliva samples at a Budapest rock concert on Nov. 26 in what the firm says will be the largest mass AIDS testing ever conducted. More than 1,000 samples will be collected and analyzed using the firm's self-administered saliva test, which checks for the presence of HIV. The samples will be analyzed by the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion in Budapest. According to Dr. David Barnes, director of the firm's European offices, the mass testing will be an opportunity to demonstrate the usefulness of the company's Omni-SAL device over standard HIV blood tests.

Anti-Bias Executive Order in Louisiana
BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana Gov. Edwin W. Edwards, has signed a proclamation barring state agencies from discrimination based on sexual orientation in providing services, hiring, awarding contracts or in the practices of state contractors.
The text of Gov. Edwards' executive order follows:
STATE OF LOUISIANA EXECUTIVE DE ARTMENT
BATON ROUGE EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. EWE 92 - 7
WHEREAS, a portion of the population of our State is subject to potential harassment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation; and
WHEREAS, the result of this potential harassment, and discrimination is the denial to some Louisianians of rights, privileges or benefits, solely on the basis of personal matters; and
WHEREAS it is inappropriate for government either to encourage or discourage, to condone or condemn in the area of sexual orientation;
NOW THEREFORE I, EDWIN W. EDWARDS, Governor of the State of Louisiana, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the state of Louisiana, do hereby order:
SECTION 1 - No state agency or department shall discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation against any individual in the provision of any services or benefits by such agency or department.
SECTION 2 - No state agency or department shall discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation against any individual in any matter pertaining to employment by the state, including, but not limited to, hiring, promotion, tenure, recruitment, and compensation.
SECTION 3 - All contracts for the purchase of services by any state agency or department shall be awarded without discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in any matter relating to employment.
SECTION 4 - This Order shall take effect immediately upon promulgation.

AIDS Scientist Urges Vatican to Relax Condom Rules
VATICAN CITY — Dr. Luc Montagnier, the French co-discoverer of HIV, has urged the Catholic Church to ease its restrictions on the use of condoms in an effort to fight the AIDS epidemic. "I don't want to give lessons to the Church, but I do invite it to be more pragmatic and tolerant," Montagnier said at a Vatican-sponsored gathering. Montagnier, himself a Catholic, said, "If AIDS is a diabolical disease, no method to beat it can itself be considered diabolical."

Black Clergy Urged to Battle AIDS
WASHINGTON — The Rev. George Stallings, archbishop of the Imani Temple, has urged other black ministers to overcome their moral concerns and assume a more active role in the battle against AIDS. "If preachers are apprehensive about AIDS issues because they view it as a result of sinful behavior, that is no excuse not minister to those afflicted," Stallings said at a recent meeting with United Response to Black America's Needs (URBAN). Also at that meeting, Stallings announced plans to develop an AIDS education program to be used by the clergy. According to URBAN, the reverend promised that Imani Temple would "become a center for black theological responses to the AIDS crisis in under-served communities." A similar call for the black clergy to assume a more active leadership role in fighting the epidemic was made in Philadelphia at a meeting sponsored by the Ecumenical Info. AIDS Resource Center.

Erotica Booming in Sexually Perilous Times
SAN FRANCISCO — According to a report in the November issue of _American Demographics,_ [sic.] fears about AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases have prompted Americans to curb

Sandra J. Hill, M.S.
Psychotherapy & Clinical Consultation
Sensitive to the Challenges of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgendered Individuals, Couples & Families.
2865 E. Skelly Drive, Ste. 215
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74105 745-1111

Novel Idea
Discount Books
7104 S. Sheridan, 492-0335
3356 E. 51st, 747-6711
Titles of Interest to the Lesbian & Gay Communities

Hostile Climate, cont. from page 1
is at the forefront of these efforts both in schools and elsewhere, according to the report. Anti-gay efforts in Arizona, Florida, Missouri, and Oregon have been spearheaded by members of the Christian Coalition, the Traditional Values Coalition, and the Oregon Citizens Alliance. By the Christian Coalition's own post-election tally, at least 66 right-wing candidates were elected to school boards across the nation, often using misleading claims of "homosexual-lesbian propoganda" in curricula to win election [sic.].
Another strategy being used by the religious right is to drive wedges between gays and other minority groups, including African-Americans and Jewish Americans. The term "special rights" has been appropriated for use in these battles, in which opponents claim that gays are not a "legitimate" minority group, and that the struggles fought by these other groups are being trivialized by the gay equal-rights movement.
National gay leaders were thankful that the report had been released, but also spoke strongly against the incidents documented. Peri Jude Radecic, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, called the report "shocking." Radecic added that the report "crystallizes the sobering reality that we are fighting an unprecedented mobilization by the Far Right, who are trampling over the ideals of freedom and liberty in their pursuit of political power." [sic.] In the coming months, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force will be working with other national, regional, and local groups, gay and non-gay, to turn back this march of hatred which masquerades as legitimate politics and threatens the real American values of fairness and decency," said Radecic.
Tim McFeeley, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign Fund, said that the report "is a landmark study, providing state by state documentation of the radical rights [sic.] agenda of intolerance, discrimination and violence."
Amid the losses at both the local and state levels, the report also cites a few successes. One particularly notable victory occurred when Minnesota became the eighth state in the nation to bar discrimination against gays in housing, public accommodations, and employment. The report says that one of the main reasons for the success in Minnesota was that members of the group "It's Time Minnesota" were able to marshall the support of several state religious leaders, including Catholic bishops, behind the anti-discrimination bill.
The nation's middle ground, "the undecided American," will be the next battleground in the struggle for equal rights, says the report. "Rising to this challenge," the report conlcuded, "gay rights supporters in communities across the country are reaching out to broaden their alliances with the business community, with African-Americans and Hispanics, and with the main-line churches. The next cycle will reveal which side has made the most compelling case to the American public."

American, cont. from page 1
Mr. Holless was visibly ill and was carrying a [sic.] IV bag which fed a catheter. Mr. Whitcomb said that the flight crew asked six times that Mr. Holless deplane temporarily for a more private conversation while his medical records were checked. Mr. Holless refused and was removed by Chicago police. Several eyewitnesses indicated however that Mr. Holless was dragged from the plane, screaming in pain.
At press-time, Congressman Frank told Tulsa Family News, that he had not yet recieved any response from American.

Tulsa Family News, December 1993 — January 1994, page 4

News Briefs News Briefs News Briefs News Briefs News Briefs News Briefs News Briefs News

their anything-goes sexual attitudes and behaviors of the past. But spending on pornography, sex toys and other sexually-related articles has been skyrocketing during the past 10 years or so, says a survey by the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco. "Because of fears about sexually transmitted diseases, people are having fewer partners," said Dr. Ted McIlvenna, president of the Institute. "So now they're buying paraphernalia."

'American Gladiator' Comes Out
LOS ANGELES — We are everywhere, gay rights activists are fond of pointing out. Yet another indicator of the reality of this small truism came for viewers of the TV program "American Gladiators," a show with a penchant for hunky guys and gals in light spandex super-hero costumes doing pretty silly things simulating soft-core war-game contests. During a chat with one of the regular beefcake hunks on the show called Turbo (yes, that's the kind of names they're known by), the interviewer asked him why he wears an earring. Turbo's cool response: "Because I'm gay." The rest of the interview went ahead without further reference to Turbo's - or with a body like that, maybe it should be "Mr. Turbo's" - sexual orientation. We suppose the next coming out semi-star will have to be one of the drivers on those strange monster-truck programs.

NIH Agrees to Ask Women About Sexual Orientation in Study
WASHINGTON — According to the American Association of Physicians for Human Rights, an organization of gay and lesbian doctors, the National Institutes of Health has agreed to ask about sexual orientation when it begins a massive study of women's health issues. The study, which will survey some 160,000 women nationally, will be the largest study of women's health ever undertaken by the federal government. It is scheduled to begin in January 1994. NIH agreed to include questions about sexual orientation and behavior after AAHR and the National Center for Lesbian Rights mounted an intensive lobbying campaign to convince the federal agency that there might be increased health risks among lesbians that would not show up in a survey of women in general. Earlier this year, Suzanne Haynes, an epidemiology expert with the National Cancer Institute, reported increased risk factors for breast cancer among lesbians, a study AAHR cited in convincing NIH to ask about sexual orientation in the upcoming $600 million federal survey.

Shareholders Nix Cracker Barrel Anti-Bias Policy
LEBANON, Tenn. — Shareholders of the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store chain of restaurants voted against adopting an anti-bias policy that would include sexual orientation at their annual meeting at the firm's headquarters. Rights activists say a 1991 company policy of hiring only straights and firing gays and lesbians remains in effect, a claim that the chain denies.

World's 1st Lesbian Sperm Bank Planned
OAKLAND, Calif. — Leland Traiman, a gay nurse, is in the process of opening the Rainbow Flag Health Services, which will be the world's first lesbian-specific sperm bank. Traiman says the medical service will stock only sperm donated by gay men and that the agency will encourage the women to meet the sperm donor because "a lot of lesbians don't want to have children by using anonymous donors, and they'd rather be connected to a gay male household than to a heterosexual one." Traiman says locating the sperm bank, which is planned to open next year, in Oakland makes sense because of the large number of lesbians believed to live in the city across the bay from San Francisco.

The Barney 'Homo Conspiracy'
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Joseph Chambers, a former Church of God minister and gay rights foe in Charlotte, N.C., is publishing a booklet indentifying Barney, the PBS-TV purple dinosaur currently the rage with the preschool set, as a "new age demon" who promotes homosexuality. Chambers, who was earlier this year removed as pastor of the Paul Creek Church of God after he had tried to claim ownership of the church and its property, has condemned Barney as "straight out of the new age and the world of demons and devils."

v (page 6, 7th page in the document)
THE GAY LIFESTYLE

HOLIDAY THEATER SCHEDULE
Company Show
American Theatre Co. POB 1265
A Christmas Carol December 10-23 $11-16 William Theatre, Perf. Arts Center
Broken Arrow Community Playhouse 1109 E. Memphis 258-0077 Clark Theatre 11440 E. Admiral
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever December 10-19 $10 BA Community Playhouse
Working December 17-19 $5 Clark Theatre
It’s Sad, So Sad, When an Elf Goes Bad December 21-23 $3 Clark Theatre
Helier Theatre 5328 S. Wheeling 669-6455
An Evening of Dance with Locomotion January 7-10 $5 Heller Theatre
Spotlight Theatre 1381 Riverside Drive 587-5030
The Drunkard December 18 January 8, 15 $7.50 Spotlight Theatre
Performing Arts Trust 101E Third
Jungle Book January 8 $7 Studio One, Performing Arts Center
Tulsa Ballet 4512 S. Peoria 749-6006
The Nutcracker December 16-23 (prices vary) Chapman Music Hall, Perf. Arts Center
Theatre North 132 N. Greenwood
Ma Rose December 12-18 $10 Studio One, Performing Arts Center
This schedule is brought to you as a service of Theatre Tulsa. Next performance: Tennessee Willlams' The Glass Menagerie, Jan. 21-30. Call 587-8402 for more info.

Paula Poundstone - The Pop Tart Queen
by Lee Moon - IN - Boston
Offbeat, eccentric; quirky, hysterically funny, a comedy watershed, an artist, and an inventor, are just a few of the words and ways that have been used to describe Paula Poundstone. She fits all of these descriptions and then some. She also possesses an extraordinary, insightful mind and a special talent for interacting with her audience.
When Paula hits the stage, she uses all of those elements in her routines. She addresses everything from cats (she has 5), to the Persian Gulf War. "I figure if you go to the bottom of the whole thing, ten years from now, it’s gonna turn out that some yellow ribbon salesman somewhere was at the root of the entire thing. I love the idea of tracing it. You know, you go through the Pentagon, through the ambassadors, through the Emir of Kuwait, and then there’s one little ribbon salesman basking in the sun..."
She has her own topics as well. On grown-ups: "You ever wonder why adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up? They’re looking for ideas!"
And on junk food: "Driving a convertible has changed my eating habits. I used to eat those Hostess Mini Gems with the white powdered sugar on the sides, Now I find I’m eating a bald doughnut with a lot of white junk on my face." She can tell you in exactly how many states Ring-Dings (which, she says, are far superior to Ho-Ho's) are sold, and the nutritional ingredients of Pop Tarts. ("Pop Tarts are a fine taste treat. They are truly one of life's finer pleasures. I don’t go anywhere without 'em. I do ’em cold right from the box.")
With her dead-on perception and deadpan delivery, Paula displays a remarkable ability to see things as they really are, not as they are meant to be. She says her intention "isn’t to upset or bother people; my intention is to entertain. It’s not like I’m a historian or an expert on anything. Particularly recently, I guess, I’ve made some effort to be political, but it’s also what interests me lately."
While on stage, her body language alone is entertaining as she drapes herself over the stool, wraps herself in the mike cord, or lays on the floor while delivering her material. Because of her improvisational approach and the relationship she develops with her audience, each show is an experience - no two are alike.
Paula was born in Alabama, ("Thankfully, I only spent one month there"), raised in Sudbury, Massachusetts, moved to San Francisco at the age of 19, and now resides in Los Angeles.
She credits Massachusetts as the state where she received her first break. "It’s the typical story of almost every comedian: I was busing tables at a club in town and they started an open-mike comedy show, and I thought I might be able to do that. So I did." Based on the audience response when she performed at various clubs, she felt that she had found her niche.
Despite frequent appearances on "The Tonight Show" and "Late Night with David Letterman", the 1989 American Comedy Award for Funniest Female Stand-Up, numerous cable television specials, including her own "One Night Stand - Cats, Cops and Stuff" on HBO, "The Paula Poundstone Show", (HBO’s "talk show with a twist"), and the nomination for an ACE Award, Paula remains low-key about her success and she has no plans to star in a movie or TV series. "I just do what I do. I have never been to [sic.] ambitious and one to seek fame or status." She likes comedy because it’s nice, easy work — it’s really a
See Poundstone, page 7

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Tulsa Family News, December 1993 – January 1994, page 6

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v (page 7, 8th page in document)
THE GAY LIFESTYLE

SILVER STAR SALOON
New Year's Eve
at the Silver Star Saloon
Buffet, Champagne
Party Favors & Door Prizes
$10 couple, $6 single
Afternoon Beer Bust 4-7pm, Tues. - Fri.
Dancers on Thursdays thro' December
Look for Miss Gay Tulsa in January
1565 S. Sheridan, 834-4234

Poundstone, continued from page 6
good job for me: I have no self-discipline. I don’t even write down my jokes and stuff on pieces ofpaper like other people. Everything that I do on stage is a reflection of how I spend my days and nights."
Just how these days and nights are spent is evident in her material (she does a funny routine about the comfort of airline travel), and where she is performing. Always on the go, her appearances at clubs, colleges, benefits and events take her across the conutry non-stop. She averages 45 weeks a year on the road.

How To Buy Real Estate Together
by Donald Vaughan

COUPLES: A Gay & Lesbian Newsletter
This article is written from a real estate lawyer's poitit of view. Couples interested in buying real estate together should consult their own legal, tax and financial advisors.
Most of us were brought up to believe that owning a home with a husband or wife is a major part of the "great American dream." Although some of us may still end up with the cottage on the hill, for most of us the dream has changed. We now are more interested in a condo in an urban center, a multifamily in a city neighborhood, or a vacation home, to say nothing of the dream spouse’s change in gender. Buying real estate with our companion is still a strongly-felt desire for many of us. This is the first in a four-part series of articles which will explore:
– the process of deciding what type of property, location, search process and financing to use;
– negotiating and closing the deal, moving in, running the place & selling;
– the merits of co-tenancy or other legal agreements which define the rights and obligations of the individual owners.
Is buying real estate together a good idea? The decision to buy a real estate together often times is the major choice a couple makes after establishing their relationship. There generally are three types of advantages and disadvantages gay and lesbian couples need to consider in making this decision.
Eager would-be buyers tend to think of the pros first: Buying real estate...
– will be economically rewarding;
– will be emoti0nally rewarding;
– will give us a solid mteofreturn;
– will create equity for us;
– will give us income tax benefits.
And now that...
– prices are at rock bottom, why not?
– interest rates are much lower, why not?
Real Estate is a status symbol both in society at large and our own community. On the other hand consider the cons. Buying real estate can cripple your incomes if one of you loses your job, nor is it a good way to shore up a troubled relationship. It can be a time commitment for which neither of you is ready. lt can accentuate differences in taste and long-range personal goals. If you break up dissolving estate assets can be messy, even with good agreements in place.
In the second article in this series, we will discuss the general formulas, lenders use to detetmine what housing expenses most couples can comfortably afford. An accoantant or financial advisor can advise a couple as to appropriate savings plans and disability and life insurance programs which may limit the financial risks involved. Co-tenancy agreements, to be discussed in the last article of this series; can define who pays what if problems with the relationship develop. Buying property together is a serious commitment; a detailed plan going in always simplifies the process, not to mention your sanity! Location, financing and looking for that winning piece of property will be in future issues.

John Kirk
"For All Your Real Estate Needs"
Res.: (918) 745-2245
Bus.: .(918) 747-5800
5727 South Lewis, Suite 120 - Tulsa, OK 74105
John Hausam,
REALTORS©

OUT IN THE STARS
Aries (Mar. 20-Apr. 19): Roll up the windows, gun the engine, and get a move-on. Ever since you left the city limits, you’ve no longer been subject to the federally-mandated 55-mph speed limit. That semi from Topeka is crawling up onto your tail, and he's about to crush you into a metal pancake if you don’t start moving as fast as you safely can. The officer will just politely give you a thumbs-up, so don’t worry.
Taurus (Apr. 20-May 20): These must not be the happiest days for our dear Les Nessman, newscaster at the fabled WKR Pin Cincinnati. Not only did he get kicked out of the locker room because they thought he was gay, now he's got a whole city aming to get him off the air. Les knows better, though, and you might try his technique next time there’s some static on your dial: grab one of your Buckeye News Hawk awards and tell Herb to sit on it.
Gemini (May 21-Jun. 20): Let’s clear one thing up right away. I’m so direct with you only because I care, not because anyone’s paying me on the side to feed you false advice. It’s tough, though, because some rather lucrative offers have come my way, but I’ve humbly placed my honesty toward you ahead of my need to stop eating macaroni and cheese. Not everyone else may be as magnaminous as I, so be sure to buys [sic.] lots of grains of salt to take with the advice you receive.
Cancer (Jun. 21-Jul. 22): I hafta get something off my chest about NAFTA. It was quite a laffta see that Ferengi guy debating the vice president. I told my whole staffta watch, and it quickly became obvious that hardly anything rhymed with NAFTA. Consider your own trade tariffs right now, because some of them maybe too high and might be inhibiting the free flow of happiness across your borders. If anyone offers you photos of Messrs. Smoot and Hawley, just decline and say that they make a marvelous couple.
Leo (Jul. 23-Aug. 22): Here are my Top 3 reasons (intellectual property laws prevent me from doing 10) why you should try to have more fun this week: 3. You’ve been a bump on a log for so long you’re getting wood rot; 2. That churning noise in your stomach has nothing to do with mass quantities of melted processed cheese flavor product; and Number One: Thanks to this advice, your world will be flooded with people all having more fun, and one of them has a very special type of fun all planned out for you.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep, 22): You walk into the waiting room, Ralph Edwards jumps out from behind the chair and screams, "This is your life," and your first instinct is to run back to the parking lot, head between your legs. Since you’re probably not (yet) a well-known star, though, you can do better. Haven’t you been secretly wishing for a sneak peek at the next couple of chapters? Of course, that may send you packing for the parking lot, but at least you’ll have a chance to rewrite the book.
Libra (Sep. 23-Oct. 22): Winter is here! Grease those skids, oil those chains, brush those gloves, and wash the mask. Someday you may want to take up outdoor activities as well but, in the meantime, be sure to buy your lift tickets early. The forecasters say it’s going to be an above normal season, so start planning those controlled avalanches now to keep everything under control.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov: 21): The ancient ways seem to be what you need this week. So I lit some. incense, turned down the lights, arranged all my stones in perfect concentric circles, andstarted to chant some Bulgarian folk music. After I was politely reminded that Foley's did not approve of such behavior in its furniture department, the answer appeared before my eyes. It’s absolutely crystal clear for you this week. It was there in front of me, almost in black and white. "Elegant luxury can be yours with low monthly payments."
Sagittarius (Nov.22-Dec. 20): What your world needs right now is a little more gay cultute. Fortunately, I have a few Petri dishes handy, and you know exactly where to find some of those pesky cultures that have been festering on the fringes of your laboratory. Now, let’s put them under this huge ultraviolet light, grow them to ten times their normal size, and then watch them explode in a mass of protoplasmic self-contradiction. Stop playing in the lab, and create some new life in the real world instead.
Capricorn (Dec. 21-Jan. 19): Tax-free municipal bonds. I'm not a registered broker or agent, so I can’t say anything else about them without running afoul of both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Gay Astrologers’ Collective, Local 1. But beware that some investments can take a very long time to mature, and the test is whether or not you can sit there and wait for time to take its course. Your most immature investments might just produce the most interest.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Sometimes I wonder about people who think there’s nothing more to life than quiet candlelight dinners, gentle walks along the beach, and cuddling in front of the television. I wonder how nice that would be, actually. Every once in a while, it’s time to turn off the sirens, unload the ammunition, and take off the fatigues; somewhere on the other side of your battle line is someone who wants nothing more than what you want. If you’re quiet enough, you might just hear them whisper.
Pisces (Feb. 19-Mar. 19): Turn on the Sunday-morning preachers (actually, please don’t, because it would only excite them), and you’ll hear that our country is morally bankrupt. They’re thinking of something totally different, but your own bank’s assets are critically low, and you need to take a serious look at your policy toward lending to foreign governments. Write off those uncollectible debts, open some new branches, and mail out a few thousand free credit-card offers.

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Tulsa Family News, December 1993-January 1994, page 7