Newspapers / Q-notes (Charlotte, N.C.) / March 1, 1991, edition 1 / Page 1
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- ' i. 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 Cali Line, Wilmington (919) 675-9222 March 1991 PRIDE IN PRINT N j,v ^V^TI(704) 531-9988 Volume 6, No. 3 Commission Votes To Limit Testing March 2 8:00P "D^es To Watch Out For” 7 7:00P Last night to join ONE VOICE Chorus 12 7:30P Fun & Games Night - 220 E. Park Ave. 17 St. Patrick's Day 19 7:30P Business Owners meet at liasons 26 7:00P Charlotte Gsy/ Lesbian Leadership Coalition Meeting at Unitarian Church 28 7:30P Passover Seder at MCC Charlotte 31 Plaster Coming April 617i Gag Busines^Crqft Expo INDEX Ask The Counselor Business Cards First Tuesday Events For The Record Fun and Ga3mies GALA Choruses Gays and the Bible Hey, Helen Letters Mr. Leather Carolinas Organizations Reflections Royal Court Social Highlights Soft Spot ...Sounds Good Tradesmen Amid angry protests by members of ACT- UP Triangle, the North Carolina Commis sion for Health Services voted on February 12 to severely limit anonymous testing for the HIV virus. The Commission voted to eliminate anonymous testing at all but sixteen (16) county health departments on September 1 of this year, and to eliminate such testing altogether on September 1, 1994. The Commissioners also ordered State Health Director Ron Levine to report back to them every six mcmths, and to evaluate the change the February 1993. The radical policy change followed months of debate on the issue and was ap proved despite overwhelming opposition from almost everyone directly involved in fighting the AIDS epidemic in Neath Caro lina. In a series of six public hearings held aroimd the state last month, 90% of the approximately 130 people presenting oral testimony supported the continuation of anonymous testing in all one hundred (100) county health departments. Immediately after the vote, ACT-UP member Jerry Salak read a statement to the Commission asking them "to vote again... and this time to bravely take a stand against those who choose to treat AIDS not as a disease caused by a virus, but rather as a political issue " When the Commission refused, ACT-UP member Julie Boler stood up and shouted, "Your decision is totally imacceptable. Mr. Chairman, ACT-UP Triangle chooses to block this meeting imtil an acceptable vote has been rendered by the Commission." At that point, about 25 ACT-UP members rushed toward the meeting platform, waving placards and chanting, "Your politics are killing us!" and "Confidentiality is a lie!" As Commission members left the room, the activists followed them out, shouting "Shame, shame, shame!" The demonstration continued outside. "They went out of order, so we went out of order," said Boler. Unfortunately, the situation may worsen if the General j^sembly takes up &e issue. The Joint Committee on Legislative Opera tions recently recommended that the Gen eral Assembly pass legislation to immedi ately end all anonymous testing in the state. ACT-UP members vowed to continue (he fight. "This is a public health issue and shouldn't be decided on the basis of politics," said Carol Hammerstein. Added Salak, "We'll target the legislature CM" anybcxly else who we see as thwarting our efforts to stop the AIDS epidemic in North Carolina." National Lesbian Conference Takes Shape The last steering committee meeting for the National Lesbian Conference, to be held in Atlanta April 24-28, occurred in early February at the national office in Atlanta. A core group of almost 30 lesbians fo cused on the filial design of the Conference and the specific tasks still to be accom plished. llie mcxid of the meeting was pur poseful and directed, with only a few di gressions into the policy discussions that have characterized these meetings in the past. Program Ccxirdinator Angela Acevedo presented a revised workshop and plenary Killers Of Gay Man Sentenced By David Stout Q-Notes Staff The two boys who shot Jeffrey Langston to death last May 27 as he left a Charlotte gay nightclub were sentenced to life in prison Febniary 8, after pleading guilty to the charge. Richard Hoey and Lawan McGill, both IS, pleaded guilty to shooting Langston in the chest after he refused to cooperate with their robbery demands. Court records show that Langston, who lived in Cabarrus County, came to Charlotte to go to the Scorpio night club. After 2 am, as he returned to lus vehicle alone, he came upon Hoey, McGill and An thony Hamilton (who was 13 at the time), trying to break into his car. As related by Hoey, the three boys had gathered at a firiend's house to go rob people in the neighborfiood. Hoey was carrying a sawed-off shotgim that belonged to all three boys that night when the three ended up behind a building on Freedom Drive. Then they saw Langston walking toward his car and confixxited him. Langston refused to give up his car and Hoey shot him at point blank range. The boys were caught within a week and Hamilton was sent to a maximum security juvenile detention home until he turns 18. Hoey and McGill sat in jail since early June awaiting trial. Hoey was originally c^ged with first-degree murder and four counts of armed robbery, facing a potential life plus 80 years in prison. McGill fkced charges of first- degree murder and ten counts of armed rob bery, which could have brought him a maximum sentence of life plus 2(X) years. In a plea bargain with die Mecldenburg County District Attorney's office, Hoey pled guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of armed robbery \\iiile McGill pled guilty to second-degree murder and five counts of armed robbery. Within minutes of hearing their guilty pleas. Judge Shirley Fulton sentenced both Hoey and McGill to life in prison. They will be eligible for parole in ten years. schedule that was reviewed in detail to as sure conformity to the original commitments made at the first national meeting in Durham, North Carolina, two years ago. Logistical concerns were also addressed in terms of workshop capacities, scheduled breaks, permanent on-going space require ments, and the overall cohesiveness of the plan. It was approved and accepted. The daily schedule begins with anti-oppression training in the morning, particularly anti racism and anti-ableism. After lunch will be general workshops encompassing a broad range of lesbian concerns including sexuality, legal and reli gious/spiritual issues, personal growth, health and relaticMiships. Also in the afternoon the pre-plenaries will facilitate the creation of a national lesbian organizaticxi. Ciurent confirmed workshop presenters include: Wilmette Brown, Julie Dorf, Elana Dykewomon, Joyce Hunter, Terri Jewel, Adrienne McGantt, Kimberly Melton, Botmie Morris, Torie Osborn, Lavinia Pinson, Uzenzile Poindexter, Sadie Rakushin, Zantua Rose, Kate Rosenblatt, Patricia Tavormina, Vera Whise and Bar bara Zoloth. The Marketplace for craftswomyn and vendors will be open daily. Spaces are still available. Contact Amoja Three Rivers at (703) 789-4257. Other daily events include a Showcase of lesbian performers (ccmtact Deborah Pagett at the national office); a Juried Art Show .(Gail Mayes at 404/521-2502); a special erdiibit of Native Amoican lesbian art (Janice Command c/o the national office); a non- juried art exhibit (Susan Fuchs c/o the na tional office); a Postcard Art Show (Rain bow Williams, 2854 Coastal Highway, St. Augustine, PL 32095); and a Lesbian Film and Video Festival. Exhibits in the various art shows may be sold with a 75% artist/25% NLC split. The evening sessions will include general addresses, plenary reports and panels. Spe cial events on Friday and Saturday not in cluded in the registration fee are a dance and concert respectively. The concert will fea ture Karen Williams, Lea Delaria, Sue Fink, Teresa Trull, Alix Dobkin, the Native American Dance Troupe and others. The NLC has almost 40 operating com mittees and urgently needs coordinators for a few and volimteers for all of them. Coor dinators are needed for Security, Transpor tation, Volunteers, Alternative Medicine/ Womb, Elder Dependent Care and Troubleshooters. Also, a work exchange policy has been developed for the Confer ence itself — 15 hours in lieu of registration. The most serious controversy of the weekend occurred over the issue of anti ableism advocacy. Debate ensued over the question of fundraising in inaccessible ^ces and finally resulted in the development of the following statement: The NLC appreciates all efforts for fundraise on our behalf. Any effort to incorporate our principles regarding accessibility would be greatly appre ciated. Please allow us to utilize this oppMtunity to educate your organiza tion regarding a broad range of ac cessibility issues. Deadlines are iq>coming for most of the art exhibits and program book advertising. The pre-registration deadline is March 31. For more information, please contact the national office at 404/373-XXX) (v/tdd). Q-Notes Acquires New Editor And Office By David Stout Q-Notes Staff Everyone involved in the Q-Notes family is happy to aimoimce that in the past few weelffi two major voids in the smooth op- erati(xi of the newspaper's publication have been filled: the newspaper has taken on a new Editorial Director and a permanent of fice has been leased in which to house the entire clerical and production operations. In response to an ad placed in the January issue of the paper, calling for interested persons to interview for the position of edi tor, there were very qualified applicants. But unfortunately, the position (and the miniscule salary) was designed with one person in mind, so a difficult decision had to be reached by the staff and tfaoi ^proved by the publisher. After meeting with each indi vidual, the position was extended to Dan Kirsdi. Kirsch, 37, moved to Charlotte in July 1989 to accept a job with the Charlotte Shake:^)eaie Company as Managing Direc tor. Upon his arrival in Charlotte, one of the first things Dan noticed was the glaring ab sence of any type of community-wide gay and lesbian musical organization. And hav ing been involved in a gay choral group in Philadelphia, Kirsch decided to put one to gether himself. Now, ONE VOICE, as the chorus is called, is a major force in the gay community on a statewide level. The group has performed at both the North and Soufti Carolina Gay Pride Marches, presented a Christmas cantata and most recently held a cabaret show. Continued on page 2
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