Newspapers / Q-notes (Charlotte, N.C.) / March 6, 1999, edition 1 / Page 1
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The Carolinas' Most Comprehensive Gay & Lesbian Newspaper The Latest Q^POLL Results In March, “Equality Begins at Home” activities will occur in all 50 states as part of localized gay rights efforts. In April 2000, the Millennium March on Washington will take place. Which effort, local or national, do you feel will have the best results for gay equality? Local National Not sure 48% 31% 21°''“ Vote at www.q-notes.com Published Every Two Weeks On Recycled Paper • Volume 13, Number 21 • March 6, 1999 • FREE Commissioners repeal anti-gay, anti-arts laws by Dan Van Mourik Q-Notes Staff CHARLOTTE, NC—^The new Mecklen burg County Board of Commissioners wasted no time in undoing the wrongs of their prede cessors. As promised during the 1998 election campaigns of both Parks Helms and Reeky Carney, arts funding was once again brought before the board. On Tuesday, February 16, the commission ers rescinded the 2-year-old policy that cut arts funding because of objections to gay themes and characters in locally pro duced plays. They also re voked the restrictions that had required county-funded counselors to get parental ap proval when a child sought help or answers about sex or sexuality. The 8-1 vote happened quietly, unlike the April 1, 1997 vote that drew hun dreds to the Government Center to speak for and against the possible arts fund ing cut. Only a few princi pals from the earlier debate attended, including top arts council officials and one op ponent. The two rules were among the most controversial in commission history and resulted in a loud, bit ter and nationally watched debate with conse quences for the arts, counselors, churches, AIDS organizations, gay youth organizations and po litical leadership. The original vote was clearly an anti-gay initiative, targeting the Arts & Science Coun cil, which had an unexpected benefit. The ac tion united arts fans, gays, uptown power bro kers and thousands of others who objected to the anti-gay spirit of the entire debate. “It is heartening that newly elected county commissioners are responding to the vast num- The 8-1 vote happened quietly, unlike the April 1, 1997 vote that drew hundreds to the Government Center. ber of citizens who favor public funding for the arts and stand solidly behind the Arts & Sci ence Council,” said Michael Marsicano, presi dent of the organization. Only one of the five commissioners who voted to cut the funding. Republican Bill James, is on the current board. With litde surprise, his was the only vote against pulling the restric tions he and the other four members of the “Gang of Five” had worked so hard to put into ■ place. The furor over the arts started because of objections to gay themes in Charlotte Repertory Theatre’s production of An gels in America. The adopted resolution denied county money to arts agencies that exposed people to “perverted forms of sexuality” and that “deviate from the value and societal role of the traditional American family.” The same five commis sioners agreed to require that a parent must be told when their child talked to a coun selor about sex. That led to a protest from medical and mental health professionals who said the decision would steer kids away from coun seling. The new vote means County Manager Jerry Fox can consider the city and county tradition of allocating mpney to the arts council when he puts his budget together. Commissioners would still have to approve the money when they vote on the budget in June. Some, like James, say the arts council — which had a record year of fundraising after the 1997 vote — has proven that it doesn’t need tax money. “I think the board is fixing something that is no longer broken,” said Republican Tom Bush, former commission chair, after the vote. “The public clearly accepted that there’s no more need for taxpayers to fund the arts.” But there are those that disagree with Bush. “The censorship issue is very much alive,” said Janet Isenhart, artistic director of Actor’s The atre of Charlotte. Actor’s Theatre has twice put off a production of the play Dream of a Com mon Language because it fears a nude scene would cost the theater its arts council money and could jeopardize public funding across the board in Charlotte. “We and the community have been denied the opportunity to see a beautiful, wonderful play,” Isenhart said. “We have to go into self censorship mode now when we read scripts. It’s really quite scary.” Censorship lives on Organizers of the Charlotte Young Play wrights Festival have excluded one of five win ning entries from performances because its cen tral characters are lesbians. Festival sponsors. Children’s Theatre of Charlotte and Charlotte- Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), said discussion of sexual orientation was not appropriate for middle and high school audiences. Because some past winners were edited be fore being performed, the sponsors had told students in advance that winners could be deemed inappropriate for production. “I still consider it discrimination,” said Samantha Cellar, 17, whose play Life Versus the Paperback Romance was selected from among 200 plays. The play is about two adult women, one visually impaired, who meet, talk and fall in love. There is no explicit sex or nudity. Cellar, a junior at Northwest School of the Arts, recently came out as a lesbian. She said she plans to use her $100 prize to help pay to have the play produced at a local theater. “It’s a play-writing contest,” said Children’s Theatre spokesman Rob Odum. “We would never make a play ineligible'for the contest based on content. This play is still an award- See REPEAL on page 12 spirituality highlighted during EBAH campaign NC Lobby Day will bring GLBT citizens to the General Assembly by David Stout Q-Notes Staff WASHINGTON, DC—In conjunction with Equality Begins at Home (EBAH), an unprecedented national campaign of grassroots organizing scheduled for March 21-27, religious leaders across the country will devote their ser mons to the issue of GLBT equality. Congre gations will be called upon to support the full equality of GLBT people and to challenge the anti-gay attacks of the religious right. EBAH, coordinated by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) and orga nized by the Federation of Lesbian, Gay, Bi sexual, and Transgender Statewide Political Organizations, is the first-ever GLBT political campaign focused on actions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. “For many of us faith fuels our passion for social justice, while others of us feel forced to choose between our faith and our sexual orien tation,” said NGLTF Executive Director Kerry Lobel. “These Equality Begins at Home faith- based events and coalitions are critical to coun tering the homophobia and misinformation of the religious right. We thank all religious lead ers and faith-based activists who join us in this historic week.” In North Carolina, Equality NC (formerly NC Pride PAC), the lead organization in EBAH planning, has announced that spiritual issues will be highlighted on Sunday, March 21 and again on Sunday, March 28. (Equality NC is scheduling events from March 20-28, slightly longer than other states.) Community mem bers are asked to solicit the participation of sup portive clergy during the effort. One tvay that religious leaders can show their support is by endorsing a statement from Equal Partners in Faith, a multi-racial, multi-faith national network of religious leaders commit ted to equality and diversity. They have devel oped a Proclamation of Equality for people of all faiths to sign. It is hoped that the proclama tion will be read at prayer vigils, rallies and worship services held in connection with EBAH. “We are going to show mainstream America that this is not a polarization issue. There are many people of faith who support the full equal ity of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people,” said Rev. Steven Baines of Equal Part ners in Faith and an ordained Southern Baptist minister. In Michigan, supportive houses of worship across the state will fly rainbow flags during the week. In California, there will be an interfaith service at the capitol building. Other states plan ning worship services and faith-based activities for equality include Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Virginia and Wyoming. For more information on the Proclamation of Equality, call Equal Partners in Faith at (202) 296-4673 or write Washington office of UUA, 2026 P St. NW, Washington, DC 20036. NC Lobby Day The highlight of NC’s EBAH efforts is likely to be Tuesday, March 23 when Equality NC is organizing the state’s first-ever GLBT lobby day. Voters will converge in Raleigh to meet their Assembly representatives and discuss issues that impact them. Equality NC has highlighted four areas of special concern: reforming the Crime Against Nature (CAN) law; passage of a hate crimes bill that includes sexual orientation; re forming the “Teach Abstinance Until Marriage” law; and giving local municipalities the power to enact non-discrimination laws. Participants should arrive at the Legislative Building between 8:00-10:00am for registra tion and packet pick-up. Packets will include a map of the General Assembly, information on each participant’s representative (including of fice location and picture), hand-outs on issue talking points and additional materials to leave behind. During the registration period, a Lobby Clinic and Issue Clinic will be offered. From 9:00-11:30am, attendees will meet with their elected officials, followed by a press conference and rally until 12:30pm. From 1:00- 4:00pm, folks can attend the General Assem- See CAMPAIGN on page 12 Rev. Troy D. Perry MMOW board member Y2K March plans continue to move forward by David Stout Q-Notes Staff WEST HOLLYWOOD—Despite ongoing opposition from some ^segments of the com munity, the Millennium March on Washing ton for Equality (MMOW) seems to be on track. The Board of Directors recently met and approved the mission statement of the event, a voter campaign has been established and key endorsements have come through from two national women’s groups. At the board’s last meeting in West Holly wood, directors unanimously approved the fol lowing mission statement: “The mission of the Millennium March on Washington is to ener gize, mobilize and activate the lesbian, gay, bi sexual and transgender community, our friends, our families and our allies.” As part of that commitment, board co-chair Nicole Ramirez-Murray unveiled plans for GLBT Vote 2000, a campaign that'will encour age GLBT and allied constituents to connect with those groups throughout the nation who are engaged in voter registration. The campaign will direct people to those agencies through web links, print and electronic media and public events. The goal is to identify and help register new voters all over the country in anticipation of the important 2000 elections. In other business at the meeting, MMOW Executive Producer Robin Tyler presented a comprehensive work plan and a tentative bud get — both accepted by the board — and three new board members were selected: Donna Red Wing, National Field Director of the Human Rights Campaign; Ingrid M. Duran, executive director of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Jose Alberto Ucles, Assistant Director of Development at the Whitman-Walker Clinic. The board accepted the resignation of Eliza beth Birch, Human Rights Campaign execu tive director. Endorsements Two leading women’s organizations, the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the Feminist Majority, have added their names to thd growing list of supporters who are en dorsing the goals of the MMOW. In announcing its endorsement, NOW’s statement noted the group’s anticipation that “the March agenda will address discrimination based on not only sexual orientation, but also sex, race, class, age and disability” and that the See MARCH on page 12
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