Newspapers / Q-notes (Charlotte, N.C.) / April 1, 1995, edition 1 / Page 22
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X. PAGE22 Q-Notes T April1995 G^arlesion Gofumns ^uesiJiouse beautiful, SIniimaie ancf JfospHa£fe Z£.nieSe[fum /ooJ^iny in i£e Gi/y’s Jfisioric Q)is/rici. S/iori waf£lo fine resiauranis, ^reai s£oppin^, iourisi ailraciions andexcHiny niy£ifife. G£ar/esion’s fines i accommodaiions for men andwomen. (5ui/es and£)ou6Ies avaifaBIe, CBroc£are andinformaiion. sTianderBorsi^^ree/j GBarlesion^ SG29401 * 722"71i4J Alternative Dateline Private Screenings Meet Eligible Gay and Lesbians The “SAFE” Way!! English & Spanish Call Now!! 1-900-420-8686 ext. 123 OR 1-900-680-8788 ext. 578 24 Hours 18+ $2/min Avalon Comm (305) 525-0800 New military policy a dismal failure Guess Who’s HIV Positive. Some men’s idea of risk reduction is simply to avoid persons they think are HIV positive. If you think you can tell who’s positive by what you’ve heard — or what he looks like — then you’ve been playing an awfully risky guessing game. Don’t play roulette or live by rumors. Stop Guessing. Condoms ... every time. map WASHINGTON, DC—’’Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue” has turned out to be “Ask, Pursue and Harass” in many commands. That is the conclusion of a report issued by Ser- vicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), the sole national legal aid and watch dog organization that helps those targeted by the military’s policy on homosexuals. Febmary 28 marked the one-year anniver sary of the Clinton Administration’s new policy on gays in the military. In its report, SLDN carefolly documents the number of death threats and other known violations over the past year—including witch hunts, harass ment, and don’t ask violations — and details the specific incidents of abuse. SLDN’s study, “Conduct Unbecoming Continues: The First Year Under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue,”’ reports the fol lowing findings during the past year; • 340 total violations of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue, Don’t Harass” • 37 cases with “Don’t Ask” violations • 18 cases with “Don’t Tell” violations • 65 cases with “Don’t Pursue” violations • 62 cases with “Don’t Harass” violations • 15 actual or attempted witch hunts among the “Don’t Pursue” violations • 10 cases where servicemembers faced death threats in violation of “Don’t Harass” because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation Note: Multiple violations in the same case cause total violations to exceed total cases. • The US Navy and US Army accounted for the most cases of “Don’t Ask” violations; the US Army accounted for the most cases of “Don’t Tell” violations; the US Air Force accounted for the most cases of “Don’t Pur sue” violations; and the US Navy accounted for the most cases of “Don’t Harass” viola tions. These figures indicated the Service with the most cases involving a particular violation. These figures do not reflect, as a percentage of total active force in each Ser vice, which Service had the highest rate of cases with violation of the policy in general. • Women accounted for 47 of SLDN’s cases, or 25%, a percentage disproportionate to their numbers in the military. • The worst witch hunt occurred in the US Marine Corps in Okinawa, Japan at Camp Hansen from March to June 1994 in which over 21 servicemembers were questioned about the sexual orientation and activities of themselves and other servicemembers. De spite careful documentation of abuses by SLDN and cooperating attorneys in the New York based law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, US Navy and US Marine Corps officials have yet to acknowledge any impropriety in the witch hunt. • An Air Force memorandum dated No vember 3,1994, violates “Don’t Pursue” by directing inquiry officials to start actions ‘against other military members” “discov ered” during their investigations and “Don’t Tell” by directing inquiry officials to interro gate “parents, siblings and close friends” to obtain information to be used against service- members for purposes of discharge. • A US Navy memorandum dated June 1994 violates “Don’t Pursue” by instructing attorneys to conduct their own off-line inquir ies into the private lives of servicemembers and by expanding the scope of an investiga tion from a status case to an acts case, suggest ing that inquiry officials find “final evidence” of acts in cases involving statements of sexual orientation only. • Despite conceding violations of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue,” government officials have argued at discharge boards that violations of policy are not grounds for the servicemember to object. According to Pentagon figures, the rate of discharge for homosexuals in fiscal year 1994 did not decline as expected. Those figures also show that the US Air Force has stepped up efforts to target and discharge homosexu als, accounting for 15.9% of total homosexual discharges in 1991 and 30.1% of total homo sexual discharges in 1994. The cost of train ing replacements for all homosexual dis charges in 1994 exceeded $17.5 million, based on 1992 cost estimates provided by the De partment of Defense to the General Account ing Office. The costs are not adjusted for inflation and do not include the high costs of investigations, discharge hearings, adminis tration of the policy or defending the policy in court. Despite these and other violations, at least 15 lesbian and gay servicemembers have served openly in their units for one to three years. Records show that colleagues, co workers and commands support lesbian and gay servicemembers in units where they are allowed to serve openly, and there are no reports of verbal or physical harassment. C. Dixon Osbum and Michelle M. Benecke, attorneys and Co-Executive Directors of SLDN, prepared the report. Mr. Osbum stated, “Our findings clearly show that many com manders continue to ask, continue to witch hunt and continue to harass in direct violation of the new policy. Violations continue be cause the Pentagon has not adequately trained service personnel and it has not held com manders accountable for violations of the policy.” Benecke, former Captain and Battery Com mander in the US Army, added: “The key ingredient is leadership. In good commands, there are few violations of the new policy. Look at Colonel Cammermeyer, Petty Of ficer Meinhold, Captain Richenberg — their units are all tremendously supportive. It is only the senior leadership who want to make sexual orientation matter.” Metrolina AIDS Project 333-AIDS 800-289-AIDS New system crowns new queen by Jason Vann Special to Q-Notes On Saturday, March 18, the inaugural Miss North Carolina National Pageant was held at Bourbon Street in Winston-Salem, NC. The contest was a preliminary for the Miss Gay National Pageant, April 1 and 2 in Atlanta. Although five contestants registered for the event, scheduling conflicts kept two out of the competition. Those who did compete were Elizabeth Raven, Jas mine Vaughn and Dana St. James. The pageant com menced with the first scored category, “Creative Costume.” Jasmine mesmerized the audience with a realistic interpreta tion of Vishnu, the Hindu Goddess pos sessing multiple arms. She, and all her appendages, thrilled with precise, choreo graphed movements. Dana St. James was also well received with her webbed ap parel as the “Splderwoman” from the hit Broadway musi cal. The most anticipated category in all fe male impersonation pageants is probably ‘Tal ent,” because of the show-stopping routines Jasmine Vaughn, your new Miss North Carolina National that are invariably performed. This contest was no exception as Jasmine raised the roof with a ‘70s retrofunk number that featured two back-up dancers, afros, the bump, lam6 minidresses and a medley of groovy favor ites. Ah suki-suki now! Elizabeth Raven of fered a very good Cher impersonation, lip- synching to “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves” and, following a quick costume change into a full headdress and untanned-leather outfit, “Half Breed.” “Evening Gown” was next with all three contestants looking lovely in their form-fitting dresses and various accouterment. “Di vas” was the word that came to my mind. The remaining category was “On- Stage Interview” and then the pageant was over. When the final results were revealed. Jasmine Vaughn was announced to be the wiimer of every indi vidual category and the first Miss North Carolina National. Jasmine and first runner- up Dana St. James won the right to compete for the crown at the second annual Miss Gay National contest. “Good luck” to both contes tants.
Q-notes (Charlotte, N.C.)
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April 1, 1995, edition 1
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