CGLA Hosts Southeastern Conference
April 11-14, 1985
Four days filled with workshops, panel
discussions, major speeches by regional
and national leaders, concerts by lesbian
and gay musicians, theatre, book and craft
displays, professional and political
caucuses, a gay film festival, a Passover
seder, and hundreds of us from Louisiana
to Tennessee, Florida, the Carolines, and
Washington, DC — that's the 10th South”
eastern Conference for Lesbians and Gay
Men, which CGLA will host April 11-14.
The Conference began in Chapel Hill in
April 1976. CGLA voted last May to bid on
hosting the tenth year gathering and
helped organize a steering committee that
includes representatives from across North
Carolina. This committee and various sub
committees have been meeting regularly
since October to organize the confab.
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
Conference events will begin on Thurs
day with the lesbian slideshow, a travel
ing collection of slides submitted for
competition by lesbians throughout the
U.S., and a meeting of the Southeast
Region of the National Association of Gay
and Lesbian Democratic Clubs. A Passover
seder is planned, and the day will con
clude with a Unity Party.
Friday is slated as a workshop day,
with six workshop periods scheduled
throughout. General subject areas include
politics and activism; the law and legal
issues; health issues; feminism; social
issues, including pornography; business
and work; "coming out"; student organiz
ing; history, art, and literature;
religion; and relationships.
The Workshop Subcommittee has distri
buted letters asking for suggestions of
workshop topics and facilitators and are
receiving suggestions from people
throughout the region.
Friday's speaker is Deacon Maccubbin,
founder and operator of the world's
largest lesbian/gay bookstore. Lambda
Rising in Washington, DC, and an articu
late and respected activist in the
District.
Plans for Friday evening include the
staging of the Jane Chambers' play Last
Summer at Bluefish Cove."
And later Friday evening, the male
duo of Phillips and Romanovsky will
perform in concert. Their 1984 albumn (on
the Fresh Fruit Records label) includes
selections like "The Prince Charming^
Tango" and "Womb Envy." The Entertainment
Subcommittee hailed them as the best of
the gay male vocal groups they had heard
and think they'll be a hit at the
Conference.
A panel discussion la slated for Satur
day morning to present information about
and analyses of some of the important
issues confronting our communities. A
staff member of the Gay Rights National
Lobby will discuss legislative issues, gay
writer Richard Goldstein will speak on
sexual politics and the "new right," and
writer/activlst Minnie Bruce Pratt will
discuss divisions in our communities. A
fourth panelist will discuss AIDS and the
politics of AIDS.
A plenary session of the Southeastern
Conference will follow the panel. And
Judy Goldsmith, president of the National
Organization for Women, will be a noontime
speaker.
Saturday afternoon is slat.ed for work
shops, especially those which focus on
building skills to help us effectively
deal with issues presented in the morning
panel discussion. Some of the "how to"
topics to be offered include media work,
fundraising, coalition building, legisla
tive and electoral process work, community
networking, and social action.
Speaker Gil Gerald, executive director
of the National Coalition of Black Gays,
will conclude the afternoon session.
Events for Saturday evening include a
concert by lesbian singers Diane Lindsay
and Sue Fink. Fink is known for her
lyrics to "Leaping Lesbians," and has per
formed often with Meg Christian. Planners
are also hoping to revive the "Her Singing
Chorus" for a grand finale. This chorus,
composed of Triangle Area lesbians,
appeared at previous Chapel Hill and Tide
water (VA) conferences with a rousing
rendition of an old fashioned religious
revival, complete with testimonials and
hymn singing.
(see GONFERENCE on page6}
A COUNTRY JOURNAL ^
FOR GAY MEN EVERYWHERE
SPRING. SUMMtR. FALL * WINTER
3.50 SAMPLE copy LATEST ISSUE
10.00KE6ULAP SUBSCRIPTIONUYR)
IS.OOVNTH FIRST UASS MAILING
^Route I, Bck IZhE ^ B^rsvOh, W. ® 28P05 ^
w
If;
! ^