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JAN 5 1987

VERMONT’S NEWSPAPER for LESBIANS and GAY MEN

 

‘Vol. 1 No. 11

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January 1987 i

Is Now the Time?

Commentary by Howard Russell

Discussions have begun over the last
several months regarding the possibility of
introducing a lesbian/gay civil rights hill
into the Vermont legislature this year.
These discussions have been happening
informally as well as at the statewide
Lesbian/Gay Coalition meetings and at
meetings of a special legislative
subcommittee which is an offshoot of the
statewide coalition (sec accompanying
article).

Aside from the numerous logistical
questions, there is a more important
question which must be asked and that is,
‘'15 this the right time?" Lesbians and gay
men have just been through a battering by
the homophobia accompanying the recent
ERA campaign. We have seen our foes
attack full force and we have seen our
allies retreat under this onslaught. Are we
ready to pick up where they left off? Do

we have the energy and commitment to.

continue the offensive?

If we choose to go ahead we must do
so with the full knowledge that there will
be a personal toll that each one of us will
pay for this effort. There will be
letters-to—thc-editor which will undoubtedly
say some awful things about us. There
will probably be an increase in the
harassment and perhaps violence that each
of us experiences personally. You can't
push against these kinds of longstanding
oppressive limits without some kind of
backlash. I don't say this to scare anyone
but to be honest about what I think all of
us need to expect. Conservative elements
in this state, and beyond, will do their best
to make us pay dearly for daring to
challenge the oppression that they see as
good and just.

ERA Campaign Obscures AIDS Facts

Now that the election is over we can
all let out that deep breath we have been
holding in and get back to our lives, right?
For some of us that will not be so easy to
do. There were targeted victims of this
year's season of political distortions. Not
all of these victims were able to defend
themselves. Some of the most notable were
the persons with Human lmmunodefieiency
Virus(HlV) infections: A.l.D.S. and A.R.C.

At some point during the debates a
connection was made between A.l.D.S. and

So. if l am right, introducing and
fighting for this bill is going to put us
through some real hard times. ls it worth
it? Should we do it now?

To the first question, I believe the
answer is unequivocally yes. We. as
lesbians and gay men, fully deserve to
have our rights guaranteed to us by law.
We deserve freedom from unjust
discrimination in employment, in housing.
in public accommodations, and in all areas
where others are protected. We will figh‘
this battle not only for ourselves but for
those who follow us.

Should we do it now? There are
reasons I have discussed which dictate
caution. Yet there are also reasons why no
seems exactly the right time.

We have a governor who supports
lesbian/gay civil rights and she should be
on our side in this struggle. We have what
will probably be one of the most liberal
legislatures in the history of this sta.c. We
have legislators who will sponsor and fight
for this bill. And we have a leshian/gay
community that emerged from the
homophobia-filled ERA campaign not only
feeling battered, but also feeling angry.
This anger can energize us in demanding
and securing change.

Forcing change will be painful and
costly no matter when we do it. But
tolerating the oppression has a much higher
price tag. The daily barrage on our
dignity, our feelings of self-worth and our
ability to love who we choose is priceless.

It is not an easy decision, but it is a
very important one. Should we go ahead
or should we wait? You deserve to have
your voice heard in this decision. Join us
at the February 1, 1987 special statewide
coalition meeting and help us decide. llo
to see you there.

COMMENTARY Keith Goslant
baffle me. The end result, however, was
the segregation of another minority, the
deepening of confusion and a validation of
fear and anger.

The issues surrounding H.l.V. infections
have been somewhat confusing: Who is at
risk? Is it a problem for only specific
groups? Do these groups put "innocent"
victims at risk? '

None of these questions were addressed
or answered during the E.R.A. campaign.

continued, page 2

the E.R.A. This connection continues to