Her story
in history
...Page 9
Rev. has no appetite
for Robertson
...Page 35
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Exodus staff
watched
dumbfounded as a
swarming pile of
crickets spread across
their office floor.
One woman picked
up the phone and
dialed 911, shaking as
she said, *There are
lesbians here with
bugs.
ffj
Exodus International swarmed
by Biblical plague of locusts
SAN RAFAEL, CA—^The San Francisco
Lesbian Avengers recently summoned a
“plague of locusts” onto Exodus International,
a cult-like organization whose mission is to
“cure” people of their homosexuality. The
Avengers chose to target Exodus because
conversion programs, a largely invisible form
of Christian Right organizing, have profoundly
devastating effects on lesbian, gay and bi
sexual people.
“If anyone deserves a plague of Biblical
proportions right now, it’s the Radical Right,”
said Avenger Liz Harris.
Five Avengers stormed the organization’s
headquarters, carrying signs proclaiming
“Queer Love is not a Disease,” and chanting
“Exodus, stop your hate and fear! Help like
yours is killing queers!” Once inside, the
activists climbed onto the reception desk,
shouted “We don’t need to be cured,” and
released 1,000 “locusts” (crickets) in an at
tempt to shut the operation down. The Exo
dus staff watched dumbfounded as a swarm
ing pile of crickets spread across their office
floor. One woman picked up the phone and
dialed 911, shaking as she said, “There are
lesbians here with bugs.” By the time she was
able to convince the police thAt it wasn’t a
prank call, the Avengers were on their way
back to San Francisco.
An umbrella referral agency. Exodus
claims to have converted 100,000people since
Anonymous testing to end in June
by David Jones
Q-Notes Staff
RALEIGH—^The North Carolina State
Health Department prevailed in its most re
cent attempt to end anonymous HIV testing,
reversing a decision just three months ago to
keep it available. In a 6 to 5 vote, the state
Commission for Health Services voted on
February 9, 1995 to end anonymous testing
on June 15, 1995. The same Commission
voted on November 4, 1994 to keep anony
mous HIV testing for two more years. The
Commission is the state independent rule-
making body that adopts health regulations.
State AIDS Advisory Council co-chair
David Jolly called the reversal of policy “gro
tesque.” At its November meeting the Com
mission endorsed a proposal by the Council to
keep anonymous HIV testing while programs
were developed to reduce barriers to testing.
The compromise proposal was worked out
OutCharlotte ’95 to hold first
cultural festival in October
1976 through a network of 75 “ex-gay minis
tries” in North America and affiliated organi
zations in England, Singapore, Australia and
the Philippines. “Freedom from homosexu
ality,” according to Exodus promotional ma
terials, “is increasingly experienced as the
former homosexual matures through ongoing
submission to the Lordship of Christ and His
Church.”
Such major right-wing operations as Fo
cus on the Family, the Billy Graham Evange
listic Association and the 700 Club refer people
to Exodus for placement in groups and live-in
conversion programs.
“ ‘ Ex-gays ’ are the trophies of the far Right,”
says Avenger Katie Hem. “They’re used in
right wing propaganda to prove that homo
sexuality is a chosen perversion. And that we
therefore don’t deserve basic civil rights.”
Many bisexuals, lesbians and gays be
come involved in conversion programs be
cause they can’t reconcile their conservative
religious backgrounds to their sexual orienta
tion. Some have been devastated by learning
they are HIV-positive and are searching for
emotional support.
“The ex-gay ministries pretend to provide
a service to straggling, traumatized people,”
says Harris, “In reality, this is a cult.”
According to past participants who have
rejected program teachings. Exodus leaders
Continued on page 31
CHARLOTTE—^Throughout history, gay,
lesbian and bisexual people have enriched
society with their contributions to art, music,
literature, politics, education, medicine and
sports. Walt Whitman, Gertrude Stein, Susan
B. Anthony, Michelangelo, Leonardo da
Vinci, Emily Dickinson, Tchaikovsky, Andy
Warhol, Tennessee Williams, Florence Night
ingale, MartinaNavratilova, Ma Rainey, Rock
Hudson and Rudolf Nureyev are just a few of
the more well-known persons whose accom
plishments we laud today.
To celebrate the life, accomplishments,
achievements and contributions of lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people,
a new group, formed out of the success of
North Carolina Lesbian & Gay Pride 1994,
recently unvieled its plans to hold an annual
cultural festival to honor the LGBT commu
nity.
OutCharlotte ‘95 wilt hold its first festival
October 11-15 of this year. The organizing
committee expects the 5-day event to draw
thousands to Charlotte for entertainment,
workshops, seminars, and speakers. Events
under consideration include gay and lesbian
films, theatre performances, comedians, book
signings, a business & crafts fair, a cabaret
show, an art exhibit, and a mega-dance in
Lfptown Charlotte, llie festival’s stated pur
pose is to foster awareness and appreciation
of LGBT culture through arts-related, educa
tional and historical programs.
“I am thrilled to be part of this event,”
exclaimed Julie Henry, co-chair of the Festi
val Steering Committee. “The positive im
pact of NC Pride 1994 is still resonating
through Charlotte’s LGBT community. We
chose the name OutCharlotte to identify what
the festival is and where it will be held, but we
expect the entire region to be here to cel
ebrate. We look forward to hundreds of
people participating as donors and volun
teers.” Henry co-sponsored a yard sale last
year to raise advance monies for NC Pride
1994, and currently serves on the Red Party
Board of Directors.
According to co-chair Jim Fulton, “Octo
ber 11 is National Coming Out Day, and we
couldn’t think of a better day to kick-off the
festival. October is also National Gay &
Lesbian History Month, and it’s a perfect
opportunity to share our cultural achieve
ments with the community-at-large. We’ll be
focusing a large part of the festival on educa
tional and historical seminars with knowl
edgeable speakers and community leaders.”
Fulton was a volunteer for NC Pride 1994,
and this year also serves as Operations Man
ager of the Gay & Lesbian Switchboard of
Charlotte.
“We have assembled a great team of com
mitted community leaders to plan this event,”
stated Festival Director Dan Kirsch. “We
believe the potential of OutCharlotte is un
limited, and that it will continue the dialogue
started with the community-at-large with last
summer’s Pride event. It will keep the LGBT
community visible, making it easier forpeople
to come out.” Kirsch was co-chair of NC
Pride 1994
The idea for the cultural festival occured
even before NC Pride 1994 was held, but it
took a series of focus group and town meet
ings to find a new group of people who were
willing to commit the time necessary to make
an event this big a success. Most of the
Festival Steering Committee (FSC) partici
pated in Pride in a volunteer capacity, and all
have performed leadership roles in commu
nity organizations. The 1995 Committee is
composed of: Jim Fulton and Julie Henry, Co-
Chairs; Elizabeth Pruett, Secretary; Albert
Lujan, Treasurer; Dan Kirsch, Festival Direc
tor; David Boxer, N. Tamara Fry, Brandalyn
Grier, Rodney McAllister, Jonathan Padget,
Linda Scott, Laura Starkey, David Stout, Amy
Sturkey and Naomi Swinton.
The FSC has been meeting since the begin
ning of January, and has issued several goals
for the festival: (1) to draw on the combined
strengths of the LGBT community and
Charlotte’s arts and educational organiza-
Continued on page 12
over a year of often heated debate by mem
bers of the Council. Jolly played a key role in
framing language that was acceptable both to
Council members in favor of and opposed to
anonymous testing.
ACT UP/Triangle’s Steve Harris, having
prevailed in court in several previous lawsuits
against the state, told Q-Notes, “We have met
with our attorney and we are considering our
options,” but did not want to discuss specifics
while their legal strategy was being devel
oped.
The State Health Department’s opportu
nity to reverse the decision came because
when the Commission voted at its November
meeting to keep anonymous testing, the State
Health Department had not published a public
notice of the state’s intent to adopt a perma
nent regulation. Therefore, the Commission
had to adopt a temporary regulation and vote
Continued on page 30
Nominations sought for
annuai Q-Notes awards
CHARLOTTE—Nominations are cur
rently being accepted for this yeafsQ-Notes
OUT! Bound Award and Mark Drum Meino-
rial Award, to be presented by Q-Notes dur
ing Pride 1995. This year will be the third
time the annual awards have been presented.
The Mark Drum Memorial Award is given
to recognize and individual who has done
outstanding and exceptional work in the HIV/
AIDS-affected community.
Mark Drum was a Q-Notes Staff writer
who chronicled his battle with the disease
until his passing in May of 1991. We are
honored to pay tribute to Mark and feel this
award is our appreciation in action.
The Q-Notes OUT!Bound Award is pre
sented to someone who has made a signifi
cant impact on the lesbian and gay commu
nity in North and/or South Carolina. This
person will have made a viable change
through activism, lobbying, and community
service.
If you or your community service orga
nization know a person who should be con
sidered for either prize, please write to us.
Include in your letter a brief personal profile
of the individual; a description of their work
and performance; and the reasons why their
contribution has been exceptional.
We are aware that hundreds of people in
the gay and lesbian community are commit
ted every day to extinguishing disease; suf
fering; bigotry; basking; and discrimina
tion, so choosing these recipients will be a
difficult process.
The deadline for your submission is
Monday, May 15.
All applications will be given serious
consideration by a nominating committee;
finalists will be voted on by the entire staff.
Please make sure that you include your
contact information, as we will be making
further inquiry regarding finalists.
Send your submissions to Q-Notes, P.O.
Box 221841, Charlotte, NC 28222.