Salad Days
...Page 7
The Color of
(AIDS) Money
...Page 22
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G/L employment protection introduced
by Bob Roehr
Special to Q-Notes
WASHINGTON, D.C.—“The Employ
ment Non-Discrimination Act [ENDA] is a
great endeavor. It is another significant step
on freedom’s journey—another milestone in
the civil rights march of our time,” said Sena
tor Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) at a news
conference introducing the bill.
It prohibits an employer from discriminat
ing on the basis of an employee’s sexual
orientation in the context of hiring, firing,
promotion, or compensation.
“This bill is not about granting special
rights,” said Kennedy. “It is about righting
senseless wrongs.”
Representatives from approximately two
dozen supporting organizations were arrayed
behind him. A bevy of television cameras,
reporters, and supporters before him jammed
the hearing room of the Senate Labor and
Human Resources Committee.
“This bill is not about statistics. It is about
real Americans whose lives and livelihoods
are being shattered by prejudice,” said
Kennedy. He cited examples from across the
nation.
“Job discrimination is not only un-Ameri
can, it is unprofitable and counterproduc
tive.” Kennedy pointed to more than a quar
ter of the Fortune 1000 companies who have
moved to eliminate this discrimination and
“create a workplace environment where ev
eryone can excel.”
“For too long, our nation has tolerated this
insidious form of discrimination against this
group of Americans, who have worked as
hard as any other group, paid their taxes like
everyone else, and yet have been denied
equal protection under the law,” said Coretta
Scott King, the embodiment of the civil rights
movement.
“As my husband, Martin Luther King, Jr.
said, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere.’ Like Martin, I don’t believe
you can stand for freedom for one group of
people and deny it to others.
“So I see this bill as a step forward for
freedom and human rights in our country and
a logical extension of the Bill of Rights and
the civil rights reforms of the 1950’s and
1960’s,” said King.
“This is a great day for democracy. Mr.
Jefferson and Martin Luther King are smil
ing,” said the wheelchair-bound Justin Dart,
Jr. He was an appointee of former President
George Bush and a driving force behind
Continued on page 6
Sandy Crenshaw pumps gold
Charlotte Powerlifter becomes World Class Champion
A panel of three judges, one front and one
on either side, determine if the lift is accept
able. Gay Games IV Powerlifting competi-
by Frank Dalrymple
Special to Q-Notes
For almost a year, Sandy Crenshaw has
had but one goal in mind: to represent Char
lotte in Gay Games IV, and win a gold medal.
On Sunday, June 19, she did just that.
After ten months of well-planned, disci
plined training, under the direction of master
title holder/coach Charles Pressley, Sandy
ventured to New York City and made an
outstanding showing in her 82kg weight class.
During three grueling events, she lifted a total
of 771.2 lbs.
The severe heat conditions of the Carmine
Street Recreation
Center, and the re
sulting dehydration,
proved to be seri
ous impairments for
most of the compet
ing lifters. Many
(including Sandy)
were unable to lift
what had been their
“personal best”
records during
training.
Temperatures
hovered around one
hundred degrees for
the entire day’s
event. Sandy (and
her supporters) ar
rived at the venue at
10:00amforweigh-
in and equipment check. They remained for
the women’s lightweight competition and
her warm-up.
Sandy began her division lifting at 2:45
pm. The women’s heavyweight lineup in
cluded 14 lifters in four different weight
classes. They anived at Gay Games IV from
such states as California and Colorado, and as
far away as London and New Zealand.
tion complies with USPF (United States
Powerlifting Federation) rules and regula
tions. The best of three lifts is counted toward
the lifter’s total score.
During the first event. Squat, four out of
14 lifters failed all three of their attempted
lifts. Only five ( including Sandy) success
fully raised their trio of lifts in this event.
Because of the severe heat, trainer Pressley
had less weight placed on the bar than
Crenshaw had been lifting while training.
This proved to be
a very astute strat
egy, for Sandy
negotiated
smooth, success
ful lifts each time.
It was dishearten
ing to see lifters
fail to achieve
amounts previ
ously achieved
while in training.
After a break,
the platform was
changed over for
the Bench Press
event. It was now
4:15 pm and the
lifter, press and
spectators were
alternately ex
hausted and exhilarated.
While some of the women made one or
two accepted attempts, out of three, Sandy
was one of only five lifters to make all three
attempts successfully. By this time, the crowd
had their favorites, and Sandy was one of
them.
Her performance was something to be
Continued on page 28
Sandy Crenshatw lifts weight at the Gay
Games in New York
Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), Coretta Scott King and Tim McFeeley,
Executive Director of the Human Rights Campaign Fund at the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) press conference in Washington.
Lesbian and gay lawyers meet
by David Jones
Q-Notes Staff
DURHAM—Gay and Lesbian attorneys
from across North Carolina met in Durham
recently “to form a specialized statewide
attorneys’ organization,” according to a press
release issued by the new group. Called
GALBLONC (Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual
Lawyers of North Carolina), the group plans
to work on networking among and providing
support for members, lobbying, and educat
ing lawyers on special legal issues of interest
to gay, lesbian and bisexugl people. Major
issues the lawyers intend to address include
hate crimes, personal relationship matters,
child custody, employment and housing.
C. J. Reilly, who works in Hillsborough,
and Ed Farthing, a trial defense and personal
injury attorney in Hickory, were selected to
be spokespersons for the new group. They
told Q-Notes that lawyers around the state
had been quietly discussing the need for a
way to contact and work with other lesbian
and gay attorneys. When a meeting was pro
posed, Reilly said that “we all just asked
around, contacted people we knew person
ally, and invited only those who agreed to be
included.” Over 100 lawyers expressed in
terest in the new group, and 40 attended its
first meeting.
Farthing and Reilly both emphasized the
commitment that the group has to protect the
confidentiality of its members and mailing
list. “Some people just can’t take the risk
right now of joining, and others need to be
sure that their identities are protected when
they do,” Reilly said, “and that is exactly why
we need to work on changing that environ
ment of fear.” Farthing agreed, pointing out
that just by publicizing the existence of the
group, many closeted gay, lesbian and bi
sexual lawyers will find support in the knowl
edge that it exists.
The new organization is still developing
bylaws and will elect officers at a future
Continued on page 19
NC PRIDE 1994/FAGE 10
Pride 1994’s excess at $10,000 plus
by Don King
Special to Q-Notes
CHARLOTTE — At least $10,000.
That’s the preliminary figure for money
expected to remain after bills are paid for
North Carolina Lesbian & Gay Pride 1994,
which had a budget of $60,000.
“It takes some time to get in the final
bills,” said Dan Kirsch, one of the co-chairs
for the event’s steering committee.
“Because it’s more than we expected,
we’re taking our time on how to distribute
the excess. We want to be just as thorough
about that as we wanted to be in planning the
pride weekend.”
He said the steering committee expects
to have a full financial statement available
in mid July.
The steering committee will repay $ 1,000
to N. C. Pride, Inc., the corporation which
maintains the prideevent’syear-to-year con
tinuity. The loan, which provided seed
money for Pride 1994, is due August 1.
The Charlotte committee will pay addi
tional funds to N. C. Pride, Inc. to bolster the
state group’s accounts for future events.
Decisions will then be made regarding
remaining funds.
“The steering committee is looking at a
wide range of ideas, and we’re getting a lot
of good feedback from people who were
involved in Pride 1994,” Kirsch said.