Willie
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OutCharlotte 95 surpasses expectations
by Robert Marcus James
Special to Q-Notes
CHARLOTTE—^The closing ceremony to
OutCharlotte 95, the first-ever community
cultural festival held
in Charlotte, proved
just how successful
the event had been.
Folksinger Deidre
McCalla asked if she
could join the cast in
the finale. Artist-in
residence Paul
Bonin-Rodriguez
spoke about how
wonderful it had been
The OutCharlotte 95 banner hangs on
the pedestrian walkway over Trade St.
and transgender (LGBT) community for the
weekend. And playwright Terrence McNally
returned his honorarium to seed OutCharlotte
96 because “this [festival] has to happen
again.”
“It was a glorious
weekend,” ex
claimed Jim Fulton,
co-chair of the Festi
val Steering Com
mittee. “We had ex
ceptional artists who
truly participated in
the spirit of the festi
val, which was to
share LGBT culture
to be part of Charlotte’s gay, lesbian, bisexual with both the gay and non-gay communi
ties.”
Planned as an annual cultural festival to
celebrate the community, much of the success
of OutCharlotte 95 goes to dozens of volun
teers who contributed their time and expertise
at events throughout the year.
While the community can expect opposi
tion to any LGBT event, negative comments
made by Charlotte Mayor Richard Vinroot
turned out to be an added bonus for the festi
val. “I just don’t want to elevate the gay and
lesbian exposure in this community; that’s
my concern,” said Vinroot in a television
interview. He continued with, “If you ask me
why, then go to San Francisco, and I think
you’d know why.” The newscast went on to
Continued on page 11
Black gays join national Million Man March
by Bob Roehr
Special to Q-Notes
WASHINGTON, DC—“Black by Birth,
Gay by God, Proud by Choice,” read placards
canied by a group of a hundred gay men in the
Million Man March. The October 16 March
was called by the controversial Minister Louis
Farrakhan head of the Nation of Islam (NOI).
The National Black Gay and Lesbian Lead
ership Forum organized the contingent after
much soul searching and with some trepida
tion. But their participation matched the
warmly positive experience that permeated
the event.
Pride, determination, and a tinge of appre
hension shone on the faces of those gay men
who gathered a half dozen blocks off the Mall.
They girded themselves for the unknown chal
lenge of marching openly into an event or
chestrated by a group, the NOI, known to be
vocally homophobic.
“I pour a libation to remember our ances
tors and to remind us that we didn’t get here by
ourselves. That someone made a path before
us. And that we have an obligation to lay a
path for those who are coming behind us,”
offered Rev. Rainey Cheeks in his opening
prayer.
“I’m not here because of Farrakhan, or
despite Farrakhan, or to spite Farrakhan,”
said Derek Livingston, a co-chair of the 1993
Gay Rights March on Washington. “I’m here
because we are family and we are in crisis.”
“We are running cities and running cities
very well,” proclaimed Ken Reeves, Mayor
of Cambridge, Massachusetts. “And we are
proud to stand up and say that we make up
what black people are. And they could not do
it without us, and will not have to.
“We have a great African legacy, we have
always been proud of it. We are here to protect
it and not be absent from it...We are going to
have a warm and loving day. I claim it.”
Leadership Forum co-founder Phill Wil
son was the inspiration behind this rally. He
recited a list of friends and leaders lost “from
AIDS and other illnesses” as his reason for
marching. “Black men loving black men is a
revolutionary act. I say, let the revolution
begin.”
“What we are talking about today is a
revolution in our thinking, a revolution in our
way of seeing ourselves, and our relationship
to our community at large,” said Leadership
Forum executive director Keith Boykin.
' “You are the vanguard. You send the mes
sage of courage and hope to all those who
cannot be here. We represent the tens of
thousands of black gay men who are as
sembled on the Mall today and cannot be
there openly. We represent them.
“By wearing your African rainbows, by
showing your pride, you will send a signal
today to those who cannot yet be there but will
be there in the future.”
The marchers were advised of security
precautions, to stay together for protection.
“Do not respond to verbal outbursts from
others,” offered one parade marshal. “They
are not our enemies, they are just ignorant.”
And with that the group exuberantly stepped
Continued on page 11
US Supreme Court case sparks local action
by Eagle White
Special to Q-Notes
RALEIGH—^An October 10 gathering on
the steps of Raleigh’s Wake County Court
house provided a forum for several prominent
members and friends of the lesbian, gay and
bisexual (LGB) community to speak publicly
about Romer v. Evans, a landmark civil rights
case being argued that day before the US
Supreme Court. The mid-day rally, one of
about 40 such events planned across the coun
try, was attended by a small yet enthusiastic
group of concerned citizens. Curious passers-
by, part of the normal lunchtime throng of
downtown Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street Pe
destrian Mall, paused to read the placards held
by participants and to listen to speeches deliv
ered from behind a makeshift podium draped
in a rainbow unity flag.
The speakers, who represented several Tri
angle area, statewide and national organiza
tions, eloquently and passionately urged the
country’s highest court to uphold the right of
gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and other minorities
to seek legislative protection from discrimina
tion. Signs held by onlookers showed photos
of each of the Supreme Court justices, accom
panied by the printed question, “Justice
name>. What will you decide?”
MK Cullen, Executive Director of NC
PRIDE PAC for Lesbian and Gay Equality,
welcomed and thanked attendees then intro
duced Doug Ferguson, a third-year honors
law student at UNC Chapel Hill and member
of the Human Rights Campaign Board of
Governors. Ferguson gave the audience back
ground information on Amendment 2 and
subsequent appellate court actions in Colo
rado. (See text following this article.)
Mandy Carter, Human Rights Campaign
liaison to the Black Gay
and Lesbian Leadership
Forum, compared the
tactics used by Radical
Right supporters of
Amendment 2 to those
previously used to de
cry racial civil rights,
religious freedoms, and
women’s rights, elo
quently refuting argu
ments in support of the
amendment. Carter,
who had participated in
a vigil the previous
evening at the Supreme
Court building in Wash
ington, recounted look
ing at the building’s fa
cade.
“Right above the headway there are four
words, and this is exactly what the Supreme
Court should think about the day that they
make their decision,” Carter said, “What are
the four words? Equal justice under law. That’s
what this is all about.” Carter expressed
Doug Ferguson
optimism that the court would “do the right
thing,” saying that gays and lesbians are not
looldng for “special rights,” but “equal rights.”
Jeff Prince, director of the NC Lesbian and
Gay Health Project addressed possible nega
tive ramifications from a health care perspec
tive, saying, “If this amendment is upheld in
Colorado, a gay or les
bian person going to the
hospital could be de
nied health care simply
on the basis of the fact
that they are gay or les
bian. How frightening,
how terrible that that
could happen in this
country.” Prince added
that by holding the
amendment unconstitu
tional, the court could
“send a message of
hope...to a lesbian teen
ager who sits alone at
night in her bedroom,
contemplating
suicide...or to the gay
man who turns to sub
stance abuse....” Prince cited high rates of
suicide and substance abuse as two major
concerns faced by the LGB community which
might be helped by a court decision favoring
Henry offers
voters a choice
by Robert Marcus James
Special to Q-Notes
CHARLOTTE—Citing the current
leadership’s failure to represent all the citi
zens of this city. Sue Henry, 43, a long-time
gay/lesbian and women’s activist, has an
nounced her candidacy for mayor. Through a
grass-roots campaign, she is asking voters
who are similarly dissatisfied with the Repub
lican and Democratic mayoral candidates to
write in her name at the polls.
Henry moved to Charlotte from Boston in
1988 with her partner of nine years, Barbara
Parke. With a Master’s Degree in Library
Science from the University of South Florida
at Tampa, her first job in Charlotte was as a
reference librarian at UNC-Charlotte. She
left that position in 1991 to open Rising Moon
Books & Beyond, an independent alternative/
feminist/gay bookstore at 316 East Blvd.
Once settled in the community, Henry
began participating in many local organiza
tions devoted to positive social change. She
was co-chair of the North Carolina Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebra
tion held in Charlotte in
June 1994 and currently
serves as co-chair of the
Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/
Transgender Informa
tion Exchange, a bi
monthly gathering of
representatives from
Charlotte organizations
who discuss issues and
activities relevant to the
community.
“It is important that our leadership repre
sent all the people of our city,” Henry em
phatically said. “Back in 1992,1 was disap
pointed when both of the current mayoral
candidates voted against the Community Re
lations Committee recommendation to amend
Charlotte’s Public Accommodations Ordi
nance to bar discrimination based on sexual
orientation. These men recently spoke out
against OutCharlotte 95. Since they continue
to speak out against one group of citizens, I
felt it was important to step forward and send
a message that their discriminatory remarks
will not be tolerated.
“Pat McCrory’s campaign slogan is ‘A
Safe and Affordable City ’— if we assume it is
to be safe for everyone, then why has he stated
that he wished the gay and lesbian community
did not have their recent festival in Charlotte?
The same goes for Hoyle Martin who says he
puts ‘ People Before Politics. ’ It sounds decid
edly political to me when he excludes one
group of people from participating in their
community.
“Being practical, I realize that it is highly
unlikely I will win this election. However, it
is important to let these candidates know that
we expect to be fairly represented.”
A campaign committee has been formed to
support Henry’s candidacy. Campaign dona
tions can be sent to: Sue Henry, Write-in for
Mayor, PO Box 9481, Charlotte, NC 28299.
Sue Henry
equal rights.
Continued on page 32
To cast a write-in vote in the new elec
tronic election booths: 1) Press the gray
“Write-in Selection” button. 2) Press the
“Write-in Window” bar on the lower left
panel — the lights will be blinking. 3)
Write the name you want on the paper tape
in the window. The window will close
when all selections have been made and the
red “Cast Vote” button has been pressed.