This Way Out

They are the ones that identify themselves as homosexuals and they feel very important that people know what they do in their bedroom. What the OTA presented to us is the same old wolf they've changed the clothing to sheep. It is the recommendation that will come from the military that will almost certainly win here. What we have to do is to influence the Pentagon proposal. Barney Frank is a happy homosexual house hand on the Democratic Party plantation. He has been a militant activist demanding that society accept as normal. A lifestyle that the average American voter instinctively finds repulsive. Welcome to this way out, the International Lesbian and Gay Radio Magazine. I'm Greg Gordon and I'm Lysha Chappelle. Will Irish right be wrong about Sodomy repeal? Is Barney's compromise frankly out of step? And no dikes at HUD with Jesse at the Helms? All that and more because you've discovered this way

out. I'm Brian Nunes and I'm Cindy Friedman with NewsRap, a summary of some of the news in or affecting the Lesbian and Gay community for the weekend ending May 22, 1993. After years of pressure from both gay and lesbian rights activists and the European community, the Irish government this week decided to introduce legislation to decriminalize consensual sex between men 17 years of age and older. Said gay and lesbian equality network lobbyist Susie Byrne of Justice Minister Mayor Gjoggen Quinn, who raised the issue in the cabinet, she now has to sell it to the government supporters in the Dale, but with a large majority in Irish terms that should not be too difficult. The right wing in the country will make a huge fuss, but they are powerless now. Ireland is going to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th century. In the Ukraine, Kiev's two colors group, the first gay and lesbian

commercial organization to be officially registered there held the region's first major out of the closet social event. More than 500 gays and lesbians danced all night and an elaborate rave. Live entertainment included Ukrainian pop star Irina Biliuk, who told the crowd, I didn't know what it was going to be like to perform here, but now I want to say that I hope you will be free, free in your thoughts, free in your actions, free in your life. The Ukrainian Catholic Youth Committee bucked complaints from church leader Cardinal Lubychewski to co -sponsor the event. Amnesty International is protesting the Sodomy arrests of a gay male couple in Romania and is calling for investigation of reports that authorities torture gay men. Miral Cyprian Kukiu and Milorad Mutasku were arrested in late January near the Romanian city of Timiswara under Article 200. 17 -year -old Kukiu was released after two months' detention and is awaiting trial, which could result in one to five years in prison. Mutasku is still in detention facing charges of Sodomy with a minor

and Amnesty believes he is at risk for ill treatment in prison. Romania's official police newspaper Tim Polis described the pair as youth out of the control of society, who present a social danger. In South Africa, the banning of two AIDS prevention videos is being appealed to the country's Supreme Court. Cape Town's real communications produced both the heterosexual -oriented Safer Sex, a lover's guide, and Safer Sex for gay men with funding from the AIDS support and education trust. South Africa's Publications Committee in January ruled both videos intrinsically offensive, and in February, the Publications' appeal board judged them to be pornographic and offensive. The appeal board was particularly offended by the gay video for portraying homosexual relations as normal, satisfying, and right, and cited the old and new testaments in its opinion. The age of consent for gay sex in Britain is 21 compared to 18 for heterosexual acts, and three young gay men

are hoping to change that. With the support of Britain's largest gay civil rights organization, the Stonewall Group, Hugo Greenhall, Ralph Wilde, and William Perry are going to the European Commission on Human Rights, with their claim that the unequal ages of consent violate the European Human Rights Convention. 1700 men were prosecuted in Britain between 1987 and 1991 for consensual sex with men under 21. Housing guidelines being prepared by the British government are expected to be the first national document recognizing same -gender couples and opposing discrimination based on sexual orientation. In response to lobbying by the Stonewall Group and Torch, the Tory campaign for homosexual equality, Under Secretary of State at the Department of the Environment, Lord Strathclyde announced that new allocation guidelines for local housing authorities will be published soon. Local authorities will be encouraged to grant joint tenancies, and the guidelines will confirm that

discrimination based on sexual orientation and awarding joint tenancies is not acceptable. The housing situation is a little more complex at Ohio State University's Buckeye Village. In bringing the university's housing policies into compliance with its anti -discrimination policy, university president Gordon Ghee had decided, effective July first, to open the student family housing complex to gay and lesbian couples, signing a domestic partnership statement. When the plan was made public, complaints from students, parents, alumni, and at least one state lawmaker led the university to delay the new policy until the trustees review it sometime after the school year begins. In New York City public schools, the controversy generated by the proposed Children of the Rainbow Curriculum's message of tolerance for gays and lesbians probably won't be resolved by the recent school board elections. While the curriculum brought voter turnout to a 20 -year high, the results are strangely mixed in early tallying. John Nally, Jill Harris, and Angelica Rovera became the first

open gay and lesbians to win seats on New York school boards. However, Nally will probably be joined on the District 2 board by a man who specifically campaigned against the curriculum. The Staten Island District returned for incumbents while voting in three new conservatives and two new members endorsed by the gay and lesbian Empire State Pride agenda. In Queens District 24, where the Rainbow Curriculum was most bitterly resisted, a lesbian candidate was apparently defeated, foreign incumbents were reelected, and at least two new conservatives were added. The Springs of Life Ministries is preparing to add fuel to the fire with a new video, the gay agenda in public education. The makers describe it as portraying, quote, homosexual indoctrination in public schools, where adolescents are being encouraged to experiment with homosexuality, and without parental consent seek advice from gay organizations. Like its predecessor, the gay agenda, the new video will be widely

distributed to legislators as well as school officials. When the gay agenda reached the Pentagon, some of the top brass took it upon themselves to make copies and distribute them, but three men who tried to distribute the video to support and defend, which makes the case for ending the ban on military service by open gays and lesbians were thrown out of the Pentagon. The number of people who turned out for the National March on Washington for lesbians gay and bi equal rights and liberation may or may not have said a record, but their wallets definitely did. A press release from the Washington DC Convention and Visitors Association said, quote, no other single recent event, including the record breaking 1993 presidential inauguration has ever made such an enormous economic impact on the area. And quote, while the inauguration was estimated to have netted local merchant $65 million, the association believes the gay and lesbian marchers shelled out $177 million.

There have been three favorable decisions for open gays and lesbians in line enforcement. The Texas Supreme Court affirmed that the Dallas Police Department could not discriminate in hiring based on sexual orientation despite the Sodomy statute in the state's criminal code. The Texas Sodomy statute itself is currently being reviewed by both the State Supreme Court and the state legislature. The Maryland State Police abruptly announced a new policy that future applicants will not be questioned about their sexual orientation. The policy change was partly stimulated by a discrimination lawsuit brought by a Jane Doe lesbian applicant who is currently negotiating a settlement. In Florida, Broward County Sheriff Ron Cochran issued a directive to his department's employees prohibiting harassment and hiring discrimination against gays and lesbians. And finally, the rather conservative town of South Pasadena, California proudly announced this week that its entry in the 1994 Tournament of Rose's Parade would be named first outing. Apparently, once this news was published, someone pointed out to them

that outing could mean more than just the joys of travel they'd intended to portray because they quickly came up with a new name. First flight. That's News Wrap for the Week ending May 22nd, 1993, compiled and written by Cindy Friedman. Follow the news in your area. An informed community is a strong community. For this way out, I'm Cindy Friedman. And I'm Brian Nunes. There are some people here in Oregon. They're called the OCA. They've decided it's perverse to be lesbian or gay. They're making up a list and you know they'll check it twice because they're sure the Bible is exceedingly precise. I guess you might be wondering how they'll know if you are gay. The answer is quite simple. They have their little ways. You're a man who likes to cook. You're a woman

without a fraud. A following -of -home hide under your bed jump out and say, Oh, the OCA, if you're gay. And if you're not, who cares? So what? The OCA, the OCA, if you're gay. And if you're not, who cares? So what? The OCA, if you're gay. After the defeat of its statewide measure 9 anti -gain lesbian rights initiative last November, the Oregon citizens alliance decided to try to pass similar measures removing references to homosexuality as perverse and abnormal at the city and county level. On May 18, the small rural Oregon community of Cornelius, located about 20 miles west of Portland, passed city measure 34 -5 by a vote of 956 to 595, which amends the city charter to ban specific civil rights protections for gays and lesbians. In addition, it says that city money may not be spent, quote, to promote

homosexuality or express approval of homosexual behavior, end quote. Louise Rodgers has more. This newest local initiative was introduced by the Oregon citizen's alliance, the organization that sponsored the Infinite Ballot Measure 9 in Oregon. Brenda Saunders is a member of the Oregon citizen's alliance and a supporter of the Cornelius initiative. They are the ones that identify themselves as homosexual as being gay, bisexual. They put those titles on themselves and they feel very important that people know what they do in their bedroom. Ellen Lowe is the associate director for ecumenical ministries of Oregon. She says her group will concentrate their efforts in educating the public on what they believe is the OCA's real objective to deny homosexuals their civil rights. So that they understand that what the OCA is presented to us is the same old wolf. They've changed the clothing to sheep, but it is still a wolf. State lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit discrimination against gays.

Meanwhile, OCA -backed measures will be on the ballot in six Oregon counties and one city. Similar measures face core challenges in two cities. This is Louise Rodgers. Peter Reader's Brace of Holies. Repaid the Sistine Chapel. Say goodbye to Elton John. Get Martina out of tennis. Burn the cross out on your lawn. Oh the OCA. Look at you if you're gay. And if you're not gay. So what? Look at you anyway. Oh the OCA. Look at you if you're gay. And if you're not gay. So what? Look at you anyway. Beaver. Beaver. Get out of those matches. I told you. Stay away from Annie. Brother

to brother. Brother to brother. Brother to brother. Brother to brother. Brother to brother. This is Essex Temple reminding you that you've tuned into this way out. The International Gay and Lesbian Radio Magazine with Lucia Chappelle and Greg Gordon. We live for more four weeks. Turn me around. Keep on walking. Keep on talking. I'm not gonna be here. For every woman and man left the band. We're lesbian and gay. We were born in the USA. There's nothing more to say but left the band. A compromise proposed by Representative

Barney Frank pushed the U .S. military band debate to a new level of play last week. The gay Massachusetts Democrat drew fire from both sides and rebutted the charge that his proposal differs only slightly from the Dodd -esque don't tell compromise of armed services committee chair Senator Sam Nunn. It differs in a very critical way. It says that in addition to the military ending its policy of asking people and investigating people, it would explicitly recognize the right of gay men and lesbians when they are off duty, not on the military base in which they serve. It recognizes that right to act in ways that express their sexual orientation. If you look at the history of how gay men and lesbians have been victimized, virtually none of them have decided that they really had to tell their captain or the major about their sexual orientation. Somebody snooped on them. Somebody invaded their privacy. And what this would say was you no longer have to worry about that happening. You are entitled after work to live your life as a gay man or a

lesbian without any fear that this can be used against you. Our one area of disagreement with the congressman is identifying one self as gay or lesbian on duty on base. That would be prohibited under a policy that he is proposing. David Smith of the campaign for military service. We do not believe that that is a workable situation. I mean we do not believe that it is right to ask someone to keep their sexual orientation private. To identifying yourself as gay or lesbian constitute reading the advocate over coffee, does it constitute having a photo of you and your lover on your desk. You would have to look at heterosexual couples to draw a comparison. What did you do last night? Oh, I went to a party with my wife. Does that constitute revealing one sexual orientation? So you see the unworkable aspects of what congressman Frank is proposing. Frank's proposal received much sharper criticism from queer nation who staged a protest at his office. Barney Frank right now is a happy homosexual house hand on the Democratic Party plantation. Spokesperson Michael Petrellis. He's really serving as an uncle

Tom for the Democratic Party. He is not serving as a gay leader because he is suggesting this compromise can be acceptable. No, I'm sorry. Again, representative Barney Frank. I am willing to compare what I've done on behalf of gay life and rights to any of my critics. I have been working, I think, more effectively in the House of Representatives on blocking anti -gay initiatives and trying to protect the D .C. Saudi repeal. In fact, as the President Clinton, in August of 1991, I was one of the first people to say the President Clinton has been candidate Clinton. I hope you will support the repeal of this ban. Still questions abound about whether the Frank compromise would be a viable plan if it were adopted or if it is a good strategy in the present situation. Frank's gay colleague from Massachusetts, Representative Jerry Studs, told the L .A. Times, I don't think this is any time to raise the white flag. Studs, along with Tanya Domey of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and Tim McFeely of the Human Rights Campaign Fund, doubt that service in secret is workable and see progress in the fight against the ban. David Smith of the

Campaign for Military Service agrees. Look at how far the debate has moved. I mean, there is almost universal understanding that gay and lesbian people are in their armed services and serve with distinction and honor. There is almost universal understanding that that is going to continue. So we're now not if the ban is going to be lifted, but exactly how lifting the ban is going to be implemented. Obviously, I wish we could go further. By any Frank. I think, frankly, what you've got is some people who are trying to explain away why the results of our lobbying weren't better. It is the recommendation that will come from the military that will almost certainly win here. What we have to do is to influence the Pentagon proposal. Now, there are some people who say, well, let's lose. Better we can let them impose a complete and total ban as a statute, because it then won't be an executive order as it were in the past, that will totally accompany ban gay and lesbians. That's better because we will not have quote compromised. Although Senator Sam Nunn favors a don't ask, don't tell arrangement, he says as chair of the

Armed Services Committee, he would move to completely bargays and lesbians from service if President Clinton attempted to burn the military closet outright. One Republican on the Committee, Senator Dan Coates, expressed reservations about Nunn's solution, and sees Frank's proposal is no compromise at all. Despite the odds in Congress and despite being characterized as a pessimist by his erstwhile allies, Frank believes compromise is the key. People who say nobody should ever compromise would have never seen a civil rights bill through, because the first civil rights bill passed was never perfect. There would not be women in the military. We didn't start with women in the military, obviously having four rights, they still aren't. But we were able to get a front in the door and the move and move and move. Frank went on to say that while the civil rights issue is important, he is more concerned about the lives of the young men and women who have volunteered to serve their country who happened to be gay men and lesbians. He told the Associated Press, I think the primary goal for people like myself should be to protect

their rights and their lives rather than to worry about broader symbolic implications. For this way out, I'm Lucia Chappelle. My eyes have seen the glory of the coming out of queers, homophobes have trampled on our rights, they've done so out of fear. We have loosed our eyes in anger, and now it's plainly clear that gays are marching on. On May 24th, as this program is being distributed, the United States Senate is expected to vote on the nomination of Roberta Attenberg for the job of Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Attenberg is the first open lesbian named for a major job by President Clinton requiring Senate confirmation. Senate conservatives, led by Jesse Helms, had threatened to block confirmation. With excerpts from the Senate floor debate featuring Senator Jesse Helms, Banking Committee Chair Donald Regal of Michigan, and Carol Mosley Brown of Illinois,

Mark Beavis has this report. It was easy in the Senate Banking Committee last month, Roberta Attenberg breathed through with a vote of 14 to 4. The issue of her sexuality came up only briefly, but conservative Republican Jesse Helms of North Carolina is not a member of that committee, and so did not have a say during the confirmation hearings. He has, however, made his feelings about the nominee known, and Helms is expected to continue his efforts on the Senate floor. Mr. President, Chair recognizes Senator from North Carolina. We have crossed into threshold into the first time in the history of America that a homosexual lesbian has been nominated by a President of the United States for a top job in the United States government. My opposition is not merely because she's a lesbian. It is because she has been a militant activist demanding that society accept as normal, as normal. A lifestyle that most of the world's religions consider immoral, and which the average American voter instinctively

finds repulsive. I call it Yebashi if you want to. I don't call it that. I call it standing up for America's traditional family values. Senator from Michigan. Mr. President, before the Senator leaves, may I just pose a question to him? There was a story in the Washington Times on May 6th, and it attributes a quote to you, and I just want to know whether it's an accurate quote or not. Here's how the paragraph directly from the paper reads. Mr. Helm said he would try to block the nomination when the full Senate brings it up, quote, because she's a damn lesbian. I'm not going to put a lesbian in a position like that if you want to call me a bigot fine end of quote. And my question to you is that an accurate quote? That is largely correct. I'm not sure about the damn, but everything else I know is accurate. And I'm surprised that the distinguished chairman welcomed this nominee

without a word of wonderment about her career or about her lifestyle, or anything else. As a matter of fact, I was there. I thought you had the Queen of England before you. I'd like just a simple yes or no. Mr. President, I was voyhead and answered again, and again, and again. I don't know what the Senate is trying to prove. It's accurate, as I recall it, except for the use of the word damn. Very good. I may have said that, Senator, and make what you will of that. Frankly, I find it a very disturbing statement. Now, you can study the documents of this country, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, all of our founding documents. And we do not make differentiations on the basis that I think is being suggested here today. It's to who can serve and who can't serve, and who is a full citizen, and who is not a full citizen. If you're a citizen of this country, you have an obligation to serve. And if you're qualified and you step forward, you ought to be judged on the

basis of your qualification. Not skin color, not ethnic background, not sexual orientation. I don't like to quote in the Washington Times. I think it's distasteful. I think it reflects poorly on the United States Senate. That's not the standard we ought to use around here. It's a better country than that. I'm very fortunate we all are to now have three new members of this committee who are women senators. I've served in the Senate when we didn't have any women. I think we're a better Senate when we really represent the whole country and where everybody has a fair chance and an equal chance to participate. Senator Carol Mosley -Brawn, who is also a member of this committee, has been the first person in effect to cross the color line which should not exist in our society, but does to come here as an African -American woman to the United States Senate, and I feel privileged to be here at a time when that happened.

Senator from Illinois. Thank you, Mr. President. I rise in support of the nomination of Roberta Akkenberg. I was pleased to be able to vote for her in the banking committee and I'm proud that I will have an opportunity to cast a vote in favor of confirming her on the floor. Mr. President, Ms. Akkenberg and President Clinton knows that we are a multicultural, pluralistic society. And they know that the American dream of opportunity is for all of us and not just some of us. We are African -American and Polish -Americans and Hispanic -Americans and Irish -American and Asian -Americans and Greek -Americans. We are female as well as male. We are gay and lesbian as well as straight. One reason for Bill Clinton's victory was that he recognized that we are all Americans and he therefore campaigned to bring us together rather than to drive us apart. Mr. President, I am frightened this afternoon because I've sat on this floor and listened to the debate and I am frightened to hear the politics

of fear and divisiveness and of hatred rear its ugly head on this Senate floor. Roberta Akkenberg is indeed a pioneer. Gay rise activist David Mixner. She is the first lesbian or gay person who has opened the effort to go through the confirmation process. Although Mixner has not actually done any vote counts. I think it's going to be very hard for people to oppose her simply because she's a lesbian and at the same time continue their opposition to the military because I think it will truly point out where they're coming from that it's not national security that they're concerned about that outright opposition to gay and lesbian people. And so I think it's going to be very difficult for some of those people to oppose this combination. In fact, in Berge's confirm, she will become assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity. She will be in charge of eliminating discrimination in the nation's housing markets. In Washington, this is Mark Bevis. In the beauty of our loving, we have let ourselves be free. We will heal our wounds for justice for all humanity. We will must deny

our freedom or our sexuality. We will keep marching on. Glory, glory, I'm a lesbian. Glory, glory, I'm a gay man. Glory, glory, I'm a homosexual. I am true, Marching on. Thanks for choosing this way out, the International Lesbian and Gay Radio Magazine. This week, Cindy Friedman, Brian Nunes, Mark Bevis, and Louise Rogers contributed to program material. Thanks also to Ron Bookmire and Pacifica Network News. Linda and the Family Values Band, Ross Altman, and Leah Zakari with the City of Good Neighbors Corral of Buffalo, New York, performed some of the music you heard, and Kim Wilson composed and

performed our theme music. This way out is brought to you each week by a staff of community volunteers and is sustained by financial support from the community. Audio cassettes of this way out programs are available by mail, individually, or by subscription. Write to us for more information. Or with any comments, suggestions, or questions you might have, or just tell us know you're out there listening. Write to this way out, post office box 38327, Los Angeles, California, 90038, and please be sure to include the call letters of this station. This way out is produced by Greg Gordon, and Lucia Chappelle, and we thank you for listening on CKL and Toronto, KUNM Albuquerque, WKNO Memphis, and more than 80 others, including this community radio station. Now y 'all stay tuned.