Newspapers / Community Connections (Asheville, N.C.) / April 1, 1991, edition 1 / Page 1
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COMM UNI TY CONNECTIONS Asheville Gay and Lesbian Information Line: 253-2971 A project of the Asheville Gay and Lesbian Community Council To report anti-gay/HIV+ discrimination/violence: SALGA Documentation Project: 253-1656 Funded by a Resist grant U. S. Department of Justice toll-free: 1-800-347-HATE Asheville, NC Serving the Southern Appalachian Gay/Lesbian Community Vol. III, No. 4 April, 1991 WNC Bids for NC Pride '92 At its February meeting, The WNC Lesbian/Gay Pride Committee voted to submit a bid to hold the 1992 statewide Pride celebration and march in Asheville. To insure complete community-wide support of the event, the committee also voted to become a subcommittee of the Asheville Gay and Lesbian Community Council. AGLCC and WNCL/GPC will work hand-in-hand to co-ordinate the Pride celebration. At this time, the gay and lesbian community of WNC is the only one interested in submitting a bid. Bids must be submitted by April 4, and must be approved by NC Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality. NCCGLE will make the decision at its meeting in Hickory on May 4. This year’s march will be held in Raleigh to coincide with the long session of the state legislature. If Asheville is selected as the Pride site for 1992, it will mark the first time the march and celebration has been held outside the Triangle area since its inception in 1985. "This is an excellent opportunity for the WNC gay and lesbian community," said Ron Huskins, Chair of WNCL/GPC. "I feel this community is ready to meet the challenge of holding a statewide event, and we have some new, fresh ideas that I think will enhance future Pride celebrations." ▼ Boone Gays Receive Threat ATTORNEY GENERAL’S WARNING'- Not being a white so-called 'Christian’ heterosexual, living In North Carolina is hazardous to your health. The Boone gay coalition met for the second time on February 27. The meeting was attended by about 45 gay men and lesbians and two policemen. "Initially there was a little uneasiness with the police being there, until people realized why they were there," said Anita Hege, one of the participants. The first order of business was to discuss the reason for the police presence. The police department had taken seriously the threat received by Terry Taylor, the woman whose phone number was listed as a resource in the Watauga Democrat and on TV. A male caller told Taylor to tell the group that if they met in February as planned, the meeting would be their last. Taylor immediately called the Boone Police Department. The police department told Taylor that they would send two policemen to the meeting, just in case there was any trouble. The two policemen stood outside the building as participants arrived, then came into the building and stayed outside the meeting room throughout the meeting. Before the meeting ended the room was getting hot, and the group had relaxed so much that they opened the door. During the social time that followed the meeting, many in the group went over to the policemen and chatted, thanking them for their presence. Afterwards, the police walked outside with group members and stood outside the building as people left. In their discussion of the incident, members of the group stated that the police were really nice. They didn’t seem intrusive. People then talked about personal experiences they had with gay- bashing, and about gay-bashing in general. Community Connections asked if Hege felt that people were more apprehensive as a result of this experience. "It turned out to be a very positive experience," Hege said. "People are not more apprehensive as a result of this. They responded to it in a very matter-of-fact way.... The group intends to keep publicizing their meetings in area media." The group does not yet have a name. Perhaps at their next meeting they will get to that item on the agenda. The Boone gay and lesbian group meets the last Wednesday of each month. They also have a social event between meetings. For information, call 264-4109. ▼ NC Hate Crimes Rise The 1990 Report on Violence, Discrimination, Threats and Harassment Against Gay Men and Lesbians and AIDS-Affected People in North Carolina The following article is excerpted from the report edited by Janelle Lavelle of Greensboro, and the statement at NCCGLE’s press conference March 6for release of the report by Martha Wilson, Co-Chair of the North Carolina Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality. Assisting Janelle Lavelle in the report’s graphic design and production were Richard Epson-Nelms and Jon Mark Jackson. Anti-gay and lesbian violence, harassment and discrimination in North Carolina is serious business. Figures from the state for the last five years have comprised a disproportionate percentage of the national totals compiled by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. The data for 1990 show similar disturbing totals of violence and discrimination targeting gay and lesbian citizens in North Carolina: 1,530 incidents in all. This report also includes data on discrimination and threats directed at people with AIDS or HIV infection. It was released simultaneously with reports of anti-gay violence in other parts of the United States. In past years, North Carolina has reported more incidents than any other state in the country. This year’s report reflects a significant increase in incidents over the 1,204 in 1989. This is the first year that compilation of statewide statistics has been the respon sibility of the North Carolina Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality, and it is the first time that the statewide report has been issued separately and not included in national statistics released from Washington by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. The information in the report was compiled from three gay and lesbian hotlines (Metrolina Gay and Lesbian Switchboard, Charlotte; Alternative Resources of the Triad’s Gay and Lesbian See CRIMES, page 17
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