page 0 - Out in the Mountains

Civil rights petition circulated

A petition is being circulated
around Vermont in support of a
lesbian/gay civil rights statement. A
similar statement last year was signed
by over 650 Vermonters and was
published in the Burlington Free Press
about a week before the lesbian/gay
pride march. Attempts to have this
same ad placed in the Rutland Herald
and the Barre Times-Argus were
thwarted by some undefined advertising
policy.

It is the goal of parade organizers
this year to gather 2000 signatures and
to publish the statement in five major
Vermont newspapers. This goal can be

reached with your help.

Copies of the petition are inserted
in each copy of OITM, so here's your
chance. Ask your friends, co-workers.
family, neighbors, etc. to show their
support for you by signing this petition.

It's also very important that
people back this statement financially.
It's very expensive putting these ads in
prominent papers.

There is a place for people to say
yes or no to a mailing list. This refers
to a mailing list being pulled together
by VLGR to keep Vermonters informed
on various political issues of particular
concern to lesbians and gay men. This
mailing list will be strictly confidential

  

COME BE
YOUR FAVORITE PERFORMER

Lip-Sync Contest In June



O

135 Pearl Street

50

Practice Nights- Thursdays In May

Watch For Details

Open 7 Days a Week
Mon.- Fri. Open at 5pm
Sat. + Sun. Open at 8pm

Downstairs ls Open Tues., Thurs., Fri., and Sat.

Burlington. Vermont

O

Tues. Ed's $1 Bud Night
Wed. Ladies Night
Thurs. Boys Night Out

     
   

O

802 ' 863 - 2343

5‘ Letters Home

frompage4

much, there is no way that your
thoughts would not have an impact.
While I will continue to chart my life's
course in a way which best fulfills my
needs and beliefs, I do care about what
you think.

Yes, I guess I will always be
"tilting at windmills." Such tilting
fulfills a deep need of mine to help
right situations which I believe are
wrong. And at the moment my major
focus is on efforts to combat
homophobia, and to lessen the hysteria
surrounding AIDS.

For some people, Mom, working
for _a cause can be done in a detached
way, ie., sending a check to the Cancer
Society. But for me, such detached
involvement doesn't "cut the mustard."
Therefore my efforts related to gay
activities are often in the ‘public eye."
I know you and I disagree about this
topic. How differently you might
perceive my publicness if I were
involved with something like the Sierra
Club as opposed to gay rights.
Ironically, the ease with which a
person could stand up and talk about
gay issues as compared with
environmental or any other issue is
exactly what I’m fighting for. As long
as you or I have to feel uncomfortable
or threatened by such an action, then
there is every reason to be active and
public.

You and Dad appear to be very
concerned about my involvement with
the gay/lesbian newspaper. I can
understand your fear that my whole
life revolves around my gayness, but
that assumption just isn't true. There
is no way I could avoid being a part
of the heterosexual world even if I
wanted to. Gay or straight, all of us
have to deal with a variety of
everyday activities, work, going
shopping, etc.

But I am gay and that part of me
needs periodic involvement with and
nourishment from the lesbian/gay
community. I believe this is true for
the majority of lesbians/gay men. In a
rural. Sparscly populated state like
Vermont, :1 major way of helping
people counteract isolation is through a
state-wide newspaper. I think this is
one of the most important activities I
am involved with.

Well, I could go on and on, but
perhaps it would be better to continue
the discussion during my next visit.
Much of what I do is difficult for you
to understand, I know. But more
understanding on both our parts will
001)’ _h3P_Den from continued
communication. Thanks for your
continued love and support.

Burton

Love,