The Carolinas’ Most Comprehensive Gay & Lesbian Newspaper
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Published Every Two Weeks On Recycled Paper * Volume 16, Number 8 • September 1, 2001 • FREE
Want to know
about Carolina
GLBT history?
See page 3
inside for more
details as we
continue our
Out of the Past
coverage.
Mr.SaifffSmoOl:
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Michael 2000wfiim
Page20. ^
Whars inside...
Israel Part 2 pages
Gay Softball
World Series page 12
GlAADAction
Sleri " page 13
NCPrideFest
2G01 page 16
Jade Estrada
plays in Chapel
Hill page 20
OutCharlotte
Cultural Festival
2001 page 21
See these ami mere news,
etUierialsamlleawres
when you step InsUel
See the Index on page B.
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reiationsiiip status
is most important to you?
State-recognized: domestic
partnership
State-recognized: civil union
Stato^ecognized: marriage
Beiigiously-performed
marriage even if not
state-recognize
None
Other
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Senatorship sinking, Helmsmanship
flagging—Jesse bails
by Leah D. Sepscnwol
Venator Jesse Helms is scootin’. Liter
ally. He’s got 17 more months to hover ’round
hallowed halls amidst hallelujahs in wave-like
chorus heard on the corner, across the coun
try, in every continent. The choraleers, with
long memories and deep wounds, are not
fooled by talk of an “old, mellowed man.”
Helms hardly glanced back since he
snagged his seat in ’72. He has plotted politi
cal tack, abandoned tact and torpedoed the
softest spots of present and future foe: Demo
crat Nick Galifianakis’ Greek heritage; Jim
Hunt’s liberal agenda; and Harvey Gantt’s
black race.
With malice toward all
Helms on:... the poor: “A lot of human be
ings have been born bums,” as TV commen
tator. ...a civil rights icon: 1983, opposed
Martin Luther King Jr.’s national holiday be
cause of the leader’s “communist ties.” ...a
US Senate colleague: 1993, sang Dixie to black
Senator Carol Moseley-Braun who led the de
feat of his proposal to grant a federal patent
for an insignia containing the Confederate
flag. ...a person with AIDS: 1988, from the
Senate floor, “If he had a father who was worth
a damn, he would not have gotten AIDS.”
...Hate Crimes Statistics Aa: 1990, proposed
amendment that stated: “The homosexual
movement threatens the strength and survival
of the American family” and “state sodomy
laws should be enforced.” ...a presidential
nominee: 1993, opposed the confirmation of
Clinton’s .HUD nominee, Roberta
' Achtenberg “because she’s a damn lesbian”
and two days later, “Not your garden variety
lesbian. She’s a militant activist, mean les
bian.” ...ailing, indigent patients: 1995, pro
posed to amend the Ryan White CARE Act,
thereby cutting funds to local gay commu
nity health centers caring for men, women
and children with HIV and AIDS. ...the New
York Times and Washington Post: 1998 “...are
both infested with homosexuals. These people
are intellectually dishonest in just everything
they say or do. They start by pretending that
it is just another form of love. It’s sickening.”
Second Chance
Prom was first rate
CHARLOTTE, NC — Amidst all the se
rious clamor for marriage rights and civil
unions, for equal protection and a safe coun
try for us all; among the heavy headlines that
beg for front
page place
ment — it’s
nice to find
something
close to
home —
newsworthy
for its quiet
simplicity: it
made people
happy.
T h e
“United in
Love: Second-Chance Profn” was just that, an
opportunity to go to a prom for the first time
or get to take the one you really wanted to go
with in the first place.
Sponsored by Unity Fellowship Church
See PROM on Page 26
Tiffany Hatcher and
Jennifer McCoach
... local schools and education agencies: 2001, introduced
the Better Education for Students and Teachers Act, de
nying federal funds to any local school district or edu
cation agency that “discriminates against the Boy
Scouts of America or any group that prohibits ho
mosexuals.” ...the President of the United States:
1994, warned President Clinton to “bring a
body guard” when visiting North Carolina
military facilities.
Three decades of diatribe. Five elections
won by mere bare-bones majority and the
help of “Jessecrats.” Those otherwise and
not-so-wise Democrats who jumped
into Jesse’s closet just long enough to
vote yes for “Senator No.”
Good ol’ boys learn to spit early
on. And Helms always aimed for our
faces. By bluster, by bombast, Bible-
bouyed, but by golly, he lasted. We
rallied, we prayed, paraded and fasted.
“All good things come to
those who wait”
No one beat him. No one could, ex
cept another conscience-less cad — and
so he had: Jesse has caught up with Jesse.
And there is no contest and no protest.
The legacy ... hmm, let’s see: dwindled
donations. Dot down home. Dole on deck,
and frail, failed feet.
The bad thing will have lasted 30 years. The good thing, all the sweeter for it — \
lived long enough to say, “Amen.” ▼ Resource acknowledgement: HRC
OutCharlotte Executive
Director Dan Kirsch bows out
we got
^-shirT
JLhe Board of Trustees of OutCharlotte has
announced that Dan Kirsch, founder of the or
ganization and its executive director for the past
seven years, will resign effective at the end of this
year.
Board Co-Chairs Vikki Hunley and Tim
Mattox issued the following sutement: “There
are not enough words to express our gratitude to
Dan for what he has done for OutCharlotte and
for what he has contributed to
the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender community. He is
certainly leaving a legacy that
has made, not only a positive
mark on Charlotte, but also on
the hearts of all who have had
the pleasure of working with
Dan.”
Kirsch also issued a state
ment. “I would like to thank the
community for giving me the
privilege of creating something
from the ground up — some
thingvalued by this community
something that has helped
change attitudes and perceptions, something that
has brought many new voices to the table. In the
twelve years I’ve lived here, and in my seven years
as Executive Director of OutCharlotte, I’ve seen
remarkable changes in our community
“I have loved doing this work. It’s been very
rewarding. I choose to leave now because I rec
ognize the signs of burn-out in myself Rather
than see even the slightest impact on the effec
tiveness of this great organization, I decided to
step away and allow OutCharlotte’s important
work to continue on course.
“It’s been an honor to serve the community
in this way, and the support and fi^iendship of
donors, volunteers and participants has been in-
Dan Kirsch
valuable in making OutCharlotte what it is to
day. I hope the community will continue their
support in order to keep OutCharlotte success
ful and strong, so future needs and issues can be
addressed with creativity and integrity.”
Kirsch has no plans after he leaves
OutCharlotte except to take a break. He will con
tinue work on the seventh annual cultural festi
val, scheduled for October 3-7 at various loca
tions around the city.
Kirsch started Out
Charlotte in January 1995 with
other community members as
an outgrowth of the successful
statewide North Carolina Pride
Celebration held in Charlotte
in June 1994. His background
in not-for-profit ans manage
ment has included stints with
North Carolina Dance Theatre
and the North Carolina
Blumenthal Performing Arts
Center.
The mission of Out
Charlotte is to give positive
voice and visibility to lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people by
celebrating our cultures through the arts, enter
tainment and learning opportunities.
OutCharlotte produces an annual cultural festi
val in October, presents the Charlotte Gay & Les
bian Film Series, is producing the new LGBT
soap opera Southern Disclosure ioi airing on pub
lic access, and this year is hosting the Gill
Foundation,s OutCiving InCommunity program
often free fundraising trainings, open to any not-
for-profit organization in the community.
The OutCharlotte Board ofTrustees is de
veloping a transition plan, which includes the
formation of an Executive Director Search
Committee. T