Q-NOTES
Switchboard, Charlotte (704) 525-6128
AIDS Hotline, Charlotte (704) 333-AIDS
PFLAG Hotline, Charlotte (704) 364-1474
AIDS Hotline, Columbia (803) 779-PALS
Call Line, Wilmington (919) 675-9222
August 1990
PRIDE IN PRINT
TO ADVERTISE: 3641467
NCARRV Sponsors Conference On Homophobic Violence:
First Tuesday Calls For Letters Detailing Violence
BEST BETS
Aug. 1 Gay Parents
Aug. 4 MENAMORE
Aug. 5 Integrity
Aug. 7 First Tuesday
Aug. 8 Queen City Friends
Aug. 10 New Life MCC Cabaret
Aug. 11 Yadkin BWMT
Aug. 12 WOW Mother's Group
Aug. 15 WOW Meeting
Aug. 16 MCC Charlotte
Holy Union
ONE VOICE
SummerSing
Aug. 18 NC Senate Vote '90
Aug. 19 MCC Hickory
Aug. 22 Queen City Friends
Aug. 25 MCC Charlotte Pot Luck
INDEX
Barbara Kaplan Page 3
Business Cards Page 14
Calendar Page 2
Cowboys Line Dancers
Page 5
It's My Opinion Page 2
Letters to the Editor
Page 10
MCC Forms In Hickory
Page 8
MCC Minister's Holy Union
News In Brief
Page 7
Page 12
Organizations
Page 14
Quilt Comes To Charlotte
Social Highlights
Page 5
Page 1
Soft Spot
Page 6
By Adam Robinson
Special to Q-Xotes
The weekend of July 6-8 saw a gathering
of state leaders to discuss the problem of
homophobic and the need for further victim
assistance. The program, sponsored by North
Carolinians Against Racist and Religious
Violence, included workshops on improv
ing documentation around the state, under
standing the criminal justice system and the
special problems involving homophobia,
AIDS, racism and sexism.
Representatives Irom all parts of the state
attended. Chris Werte of First Tuesday was
the lone representative from Charlotte.
Speaking at the conference was Daimy
Addison, Associate Director of the North
Carolina Human Relations Coimcil.
A statewide steering committee was
created following the conference to coordi
nate the individual efforts of groups from
around the state. All areas of the state were
told to continue their documentation of ho
mophobic violence and ideas on ways to
expend such efforts were discussed. Further,
the committee reiterated the importance of
victim assistance and the need to have ad
equate support systems for all those who
need them. The North Carolina Coalition for
Gay and Lesbian Equality has proiwsed to
oversee the steering committee's efforts.
The most important way to fight homo-
phobic violence is through documentation.
However, work by steering committees are
unsuccessful without the support of those
who have been victims of discrimination
and violence. Therefore, it's your turn. Are
you angry at the people who have harassed
you or have discriminated against you be
cause they thought you were gay or lesbian
or had AIDS? Are you angry at the city and
state officials who refuse to do anything
about these hate crimes?
Apparently many government officials
are well meaning; they just don't believe that
gays and lesbians are jeered at, fired from
their jobs, beaten or sometimes killed. If you
are angry when you think of your own pain,
your brothers and sisters who have lieen hml
and those who will be hurt in the future, do
something about it.
"Document it!" says Ann Hammond,
Charlotte City Councilwoman. She was frank
when she stated that it was up to the gay and
Stop Helms! Boycott
Philip Morris, Inc.
Since 1986 , Jesse Helms, senator from
North Can)lina, has had 29 chances to vote
on issues that directly affect the lives of
lesbians, gays and people with AIDS, and he
voted wrong each time. Eight times he
blocked efforts to provide AIDS education
and prevention materials specifically tar
geted to prevent infection as a result of
intercourse. Four times Helms tried to in
voke mandatory HIV testing. He seems in
tent on furthering the spread of the disease
through his opposition to AIDS education
and prevention.
Philip Morris, Inc., makers of Marlboro
cigarettes, among others, has been Helms'
top corporate benefactor since at least 1977.
They have also contributed $200,(XX) for the
Jesse Helms museum. ACT UP/DC and
others urge you to;
1. Boycott ALL Philip Morris products
and Miller Beer products.
2. Join in the phone zap of Philip Morris'
Smokers' Advocate hotline (800) 343-0975
or their Retailers' Order Line (800) 446-7030.
3. Tell others about this action, and ask
retailers to stop selling Marlboro, etc.
4. Write to Hamish Maxwell, Chairman
and CEO, Philip Morris Companies, Inc.,
120 Park Avenue, New York, NY 1(X)17, or
at his home: 1 Pierpont Street, Brooklyn,
NY 11201.
lesbian community to prove such violence
exists before the city would do anything
about it.
Therefore, First Tuesday, Charlotte's Gay
and Lesbian advocacy group, asks for your
story. If you have experienced any incident
of harassment, discrimination or violence,
write us about it!! Send your letter to;
First Tuesday
P.O. Box 220293
Charlotte, NC 28222.
Do something about your pain and anger.
Strike back by destroying the silence. You
do not have to sign your name to your letter.
There is no risk involved. But if you do not
sign your letter, tell us why.
If you would rather talk to someone about
your experience, call the Gay and Lesbian
Switchboard at 525-6128 (provided by
Metrolina Community Service Project). There
is a safe and powerful way to help end dis
crimination. Help by doing your part.
Community Invited To Join
One Voice Summersing
"Pack up all your cares and woes —
singing high, singing low." ONE VOICE,
Charlotte's new gay and lesbian cbonis, in
vites the community to join them at
SM/«?wer5;ng on Thursday, August 16,1990,
from 7:00-8:30 pm at the Holy Trinity
Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 1900 The
Plaza.
SummerSing is an evening of fun, song
and comradeship, and will be a chance for
interested community members to meet the
Chorus before formal rehearsals begin in
September. No special materials are required.
Just come and enjoy. A social hour will
follow the SummerSing.
ONE VOICE is working on specific plans
for the 1990-91 season. Rehearsals for the
Christmas Concert will begin on Thiusday,
September 6, at a location to be announced.
New singing members will be welcome
dining the entire month of September, and
rehearsals will be held on Thursday nights
throughout the fall. The Chorus also hopes
to mount a cabaret show in late February,
and give an early summer concert in June
1991.
Chorus members have been meeting in
formally since their successful June 22
concert, socializing over desserts, attending
the theatre, and enjoying a safe sex party
given by MAP.
Persons interested in becoming members
of ONE VOICE are urged to attend
SummerSing, or call Dan Kirsch, President,
at 536-1372 and leave your name, phone and
address so you can receive the Chorus
newsletter. More details on the fall season
will be in the September Q-Notes.
Councilwoman Hammond
Speaks To First IXiesday
On Tuesday, July 3, Ann Hammond, an
at-large member of the Charlotte City
Council, addressed the gay and lesbian
community at First Tuesday's general
membership meeting. This, according to
Chris Werte, board member in charge of
government relations, was the first in a
planned series of individual meetings with
elected officials from the Charlotte/Meck
lenburg County area.
Ella Scarborough, city councilwoman,
was originally scheduled to address the
community. However, due to business in
New York, Councilwoman Scarborough
cancelled her appearance just three days
prior to the meeting. She will be rescheduled
sometime this fall.
Coimcilwoman Hammond addressed the
audience briefly, discussing the needs that
face Charlotte, including better housing,
more efficient transportation, better educa
tion and a crackdown on the city's dnig
problem.
Following her planned remarks, Coun
cilwoman Hammond addressed questions
from the audience. Talking bluntly about
equal rights, police entrapment and the po
litical power of the lesbian and gay com
munity, Councilwoman Hammond offered
a compassionate voice in support of First
Tuesday's mission to achieve human rights
for all gay and lesbian people in Mecklen
burg County.
Stressing the importance of coalition
building, she expressed support for a policy
statement from the City Council against
discrimination against gays and lesbians.
Concerned about the stories of discrimi
nation and violence that is part of everyday
life for Charlotte's gay and lesbian commu
nity, Councilwoman Hammond strongly
urged all people to ilocimient these incidences
to establish the proof needeil for protective
city ordinances.
She stated that First Tuesday's Docu
mentation Project was an important program
to achieve this end. However, without the
gay and lesbian community taking a more
active rote in the equal rights movement,
there was very little the City Council would
be willing to do on its own, according to
Councilwoman Hammond.
Ann Hammond
Chris Werte, coordinator of the program,
was pleased with the outcome of the pro
gram. "I think this meeting shows how im
portant it is for the conununity to take a more
active role in the gay rights movement.
Councilwoman Hammond kept asking me
why the community was not more vocal in
its own defense. Tbe impression was that
members of the City Council would be open
to listening to our message. Now we, as a
community, miust be wilhng to be out as gay
men and lesbians in order to achieve the
rights that should belong to every man and
woman in the community."
At the meeting. First Tuesday aimounced
that representatives from the local chapter of
the Names Project will address the First
Tuesday membership at its general meeting
on August 7 at 7:30 pm. The Names Project
will be bringing the Quilt to Charlotte Lalxw
Day Weekend and the representatives will
be talking about its significance to the gay
community. Anyone wishing more infor
mation on First Tuesday should call 376-
2320 or 376-6352.