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The Carolinas’ Most Comprehensive Gay & Lesbian Newspaper The Latest Q^POLL Results If the post office announced plans for a GLBT commemorative stamp featuring one of the following, which would you choose? Richard Simmons Divine 64"/- Susie Bright 31“/“ Vote at www.q-notes.com Come out responsibly on NCOD Published Every Two Weeks On Recycled Paper • Volume 14, Number 10 • October 2, 1999 • FREE Uniting AIDS groups select name, director by David Stout Q-Notes Staff RALEIGH—^Three Triangle-based AIDS service groups that have been working toward consolidarion into a single agency since last year have officially announced the name of the new combined organization: Alliance of AIDS Ser vices — Carolina (AASC). When the unification process is complete, AASC (comprised of the AIDS Service Agency of North Carolina, AIDS Service Agency of Or ange County and Triangle AIDS Interfaith Network) will be the largest AIDS service or ganization in NC with service delivery sites in three counties, a staff of more than 35 and a budget approaching $1.7 million. The stated goals of AASC are to “provide compassionate and non-judgmental care, pre vention, education and advocacy for people liv ing with HIV/AIDS, their loved ones, caregivers and communities at large.” William K. (Bill) Brent, Jr. will become ex ecutive director of AASC when the legal incor poration has been completed in late fall. He currently serves in the same capacity at the AI DS Service Agency of North Carolina — a position he has held for nearly four years. Before arriving in Raleigh, Brent was the founding executive director of the South Mis sissippi AIDS Task Force. Prior to that, he held several increasingly responsible positions with the American Heart Association, ranging from William (Bill) Brent, Jr. Program Director to Vice President of Programs and Research Development. The consolidation model adopted for the unification offers flexibility for taking on addi tional member agencies in the future. “We have intentionally designed a system that will be in clusive, that will improve and provide for the expansion of services and that will signal a new era of cooperation in service delivery to people living with HIV and AIDS,” Brent stated. ’ Additional AASC appointments include Debra Long, Director of Programs; Karen Moore, Durham/Orange County Director; Jacquelyn Clymore, Wake County Director; Nancy Daniel, Director of Development; and Sandra Simpson, Human Resource/Operations Manager. T Gay journalists hit; Floyd misses by Paul Harris Special to Q-Notes ATLANTA—In spite of the best efforts of Hurricane Floyd, gay and lesbian journalists from across the nation converged in sunny At lanta September 16-19 for their 8th annual gathering. The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) has well over 1000 mem bers working at the smallest local gay and les bian newspapers — literally put together on kitchen tables — right up to the largest national television and radio programs and major daily newspapers. The conference gives gay and lesbian jour nalists an opportunity to meet and discuss is sues of professional development as well as how to better serve the GLBT community. The keynote speaker for this year’s opening session was NBC Today show co-anchor Katie Couric. She joined the conference via satellite link-up because her flight from New York was cancelled due to the hurricane. She talked can didly about broadcasting issues and displayed a clear understanding of the difficulties facing GLBT journalists, including awareness of the “lavender ceiling” that makes it tough for on- air presenters to come out. A conference highlight for many attendees See JOURNALISTS on page 22 by David Stout Q-Notes Staff Before his untimely death in 1995 at the age of 50, gay visionary Robert Eichberg estab lished two lasting institutions within the GLBT community: The Experience, a community- based personal empowerment workshop, and National Coming Out Day (NCOD). Through The Experience, Eichberg encour aged tens of thousands of GLBT participants, over 17 years, to take responsibility for their well-being, relationships and community. As a co-founder of NCOD, he provided the vehicle to exercise these skills. In an insightful interview recorded the year before his death, Eichberg, a licensed clinical psychologist and the author of Coming Out, An Act of Love, spoke at length about his work and the dibilitating ef fects of living in the closet. Describing the im- ■ petus for NCOD, he re called, “The genesis of NCOD for me was at the March on Washing ton on October 11, 1987. I walked up to a number of people marching and said, ‘I think it’s great that you are here. I’m curious, are you out to your par ents?’ I almost consis tently got ‘no.’ I thought it was a shame; here we were, 600,000 strong and our success would only be determined by the media. If everyone here would go home and come out to their parents, brothers, cousins, friends and co-workers that 600,000 would turn into many millions.” Eichberg said his experiences at the March sent him to a February 1988 meeting of na tional GLBT leaders determined to gather sup port for a national day of coming out. The idea was an immediate hit. With his reputation as the guru of gay self disclosure well established, Eichberg often had his ear bent by closeted folks who needed to unload. Despite hearing every reason under the sun, he came to realize that what really kept individuals enslaved were their own fears. “When people give me all the reasons they give me for not coming out, I also know there is somebody there who is really scared. They are afraid they will lose love, lose a job — things Roh Eichberg they may eventually lose anyway. They place things above their self-esteem, self-worth and integrity. Sometimes I get frustrated by that. [But,] most of the time, I have a tremendous amount of compassion. I know how hurt and abused and scared most of us were while we were growing up.” Still, the onus of changing attitudes about homosexuality rests squarely on the shoulders of gays and lesbians, Eichberg felt. “The only people who can disabuse society of its beliefs about homosexuality are those of us who are homosexual. I want the truth about us to be told; we are the ones who can do this.” If Eichberg was alive today, this call to hon esty would still be his challenge to the GLBT community. To mark the 11th anniversary of NCOD — and honor the contributions of its founder — here are some simple things you can do to help foster change. 1. Participate in enLighten Charlotte, a community-wide dis play of rainbow-colored luminaries (contact the Gay and Lesbian Switchboatd of Char lotte, MCC Charlotte, One Voice or OutCharlotte for de tails). 2. Come out to a family member or friend. Explain that it is NCOD. 3. Fly the rainbow flag — or one of the other gay-subculture flags (leather, bear, etc.) — from your flagpole at home. 4. Stick gay-identified decals or clings on your vehicle. 5. Wear buttons or clothing proclaiming gay-positive messages. 6. Put a photo of your boyfriend/girlfriend on your desk at work. 7. Volunteer with (or make a donation to) a gay or supportive organization. State that your benevolence is in honor of NCOD. 8. Write a letter to your congresspersons ask ing them to support the Employment Non- Discrimination Act (ENDA) and Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA). Note that you are writing on NCOD. 9. Write a letter to media outlets asking them to provide appropriate coverage of GLBT is sues. Note that you are writing on NCOD. T October National Gay and Lesbian History Month National Breast Cancer Awareness Month OutCharlotte ’99 Cultural Festival National Coming Out Day CHARLOTTE (jgwiiMg gicyiP i October 1-31 October 1-31 October 5-10 October 11
Q-notes (Charlotte, N.C.)
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