Page 4. Out in the Mountains 
-Long Distance Gay Father

SECOND 1987 LESBIAN/GAY
PRIDE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
MEETING
Beth Morse

On Feb. 2, the second meeting of the
1987 Lesbian/Gay Pride Organizing
Committee was held in Burlington. Again,
seven people attended. The possibility of
some statewide activity taldng place in the
week prior to the march itself was briefly
discussed, but since there was only one
person from outside the Burlington area
present, nothing could be planned. (The
idea of this would be to emphasize that
the Pride celebration is a statewide event,
not just a Burlington event.)

A theme is still needed. This is the
fifth annual march and will be the first to
happen after the ERA campaign last year
and the anti-discrimination bill being
introduced into the legislature this year; the
theme/slogan could reflect our sense of still
being here after all these events. Until
there is a theme, posters and buttons, etc.,
cannot be planned. The main goal of the
next meeting. Monday, March 2, will be to
decide on a theme.

The march is scheduled for Saturday,
June 20. It was decided that this year,
instead of bringing in a single keynote
speaker from outside the state, a number
of local speakers will be invited, (both to
give it a more local feeling and to save on
the expenses). Lots of "names of

My son turns nine next month. I
won't be there for the party, instead we'll
have to content ourselves with a phone
call, a small gift sent out ahead of time,
and the knowledge that we'll see each
other again sometime this summer. From
2.500 miles away, that’s about the only
thing possible.

Like most of the rest of our interac-
tions, it is a ritual which has developed
over time to meet the special needs of a
long distance father-son relationship.

Miguel was an accident. Maria (his
mother) and I met at a lesbian and gay

well-known Vermont lesbians and gay men
were suggested (you may be one of them!)
as well as Gov. Kunin and the mayor of
Burlington, whoever the mayor may be by
June.

For movie fans, the possibility of two
or three short movies is being looked into,
with showings Friday and Saturday. _

More help, suggestions and ideas are
needed. There is a lot to be done and
decided on and June is not that far away!
The next meeting will be Monday, March 2
at 7:30 at the Peace and Justice Center.
There is also another meeting scheduled for
March 30, same time, same place. Please
come, bring your ideas, your enthusiasm
and your pride!

dance. We immediately became close
friends, and when that friendship took on
physical and sexual expression, neither of
us gave any thought to birth control.
Being good gay kids, it was simply not part
of our frame of reference.

When Maria became pregnant and
decided to have the baby, we tried to
figure out appropriate parenting roles. It
was assumed, from the beginning, that my
fathering would be more than a biological
act. Through the years, we have impro-
vised, made up, and invented ways to deal
with our very non-traditional family
structure. By and large, it has worked well
for all concerned. I feel privileged to play
an active, if somewhat limited, parenting
role; Maria loves being a mother and
knows she can call on me at any time for
support and help; and Miguel is turning
out to be (if I may boast a hit) an excep-
tional young man.

Part of our ongoing closeness comes
from the fortunate fact that for two years,
while Maria studied and travelled in
Europe, Miguel lived with me. Any parent
who has gone through the two’s and
three’s will tell you that you can’t survive
those years without a life-time bond
forming. So it was in our case. Living as
a single father and full-time student while

AIDS Info. C0nt’d

fiom page 3

among those still negative but engaging in
risky behavior.

Since most of the proposed testing is
to be done in medical settings, what is the
medical value of testing absent an
intervention for those who are HIV
antibody positive? Does a physician learn
anything that would be relevant to the
purpose of the hospital admission, or which
would alter the care to be provided? If the
purpose is to inspire physicians to do
prevention counseling, why not conduct an
educational campaign among physicians
about counseling? What evidence is there
that physicians or other hospital staff are
prepared to do this kind of counseling?

Who will pay for testing and
counseling? The CDC is not proposing
major increases of federal funding to cover
these costs.

What about the social costs of such a
program? The CDC acknowledges that
there is discrimination against those who
test positive or who are in some way
associated with A.I.D.S. Any testing
program, at a minimum, should be
accompanied by legislation banning
discrimination on the basis of antibody
status.

What will be the impact on health
insurance coverage if test results become
part of the medical record? Is the Medicaid
/ Medicare system prepared to pick up all

CAGLR Receives Grant

The New Hampshire Citizens’ Alliance
for Gay and Lesbian Rights was recently
the recipient of more than $18,000 from
the Federal Center for Disease Control
(CDC) for A.I.D.S. education and risk
reduction among gay and bisexual men in
New Hampshire.

Planned are a wide range of services
and activities that provide accurate
information about A.I.D.S. and risk
reduction in an atmosphere of trust and
confidentiality. Activities include:

A.I.D.S. 101 -- a basic seminar on
A.I.D.S. from medical and social
perspectives. This is designed for larger
groups of 10 or more in public settings and
private homes with a social pot-luck dinner
as well.

Safer sex education -- an informative
and fun participatory program on how to
practice and eroticize safer sex.

NAIL - the New Hampshire A.I.D.S.
Information Line, which began operation
January 5th, offers direct and accurate
information about all aspects of A.I.D.S.

those who will be denied coverage under
the private system?

What assurances can be given to
individuals that testing will not be the first
step toward measures such as reportability,
contact tracing and quarantine? Any hint of
such a possibility will drive some people
away from situations which might result in
testing -- including seeking medical care
they may need for non-A.I.D.S. related
illnesses.

,_ continued, pa e 12
and A.I.D.S.-related stress. NAIL also

provides referrals to confidential and
trusted testing locations, private counselors,
health facilities, and support groups
throughout the state. Operating hours of
NAIL. are presently Mon-Wed from 7 to 10
pm. The number is (603) 224-3341.

CAGLR will also distribute A.I.D.S.
and risk reduction information in bars and
other businesses and will conduct a
statewide survey among those in high risk
groups. A media campaign will be
conducted to reach rural gay and bisexual
men who may not be exposed to
information through other means.

CAGLR is planning these activities to
reach as many people as possible
throughout New Hampshire. If you would
like to host a potluck dinner to allow your
fi'iends an opportunity to get information
or simply talk about the impact A.I.D.S.
has had on our lives, call CAGLR, and a
member of the A.I.D.S. Education
Committee can be sent as a facilitator.

Volunteers are needed for short and
long term commitments, This is also a
great way to meet new friends while
making an impact on the spread of A.I.D.S.

If you want to Iotow when activities
will be in your area, or to plan an activity
in your town, please call the CAGLR office
at 603-228-2355.

The Vermont Committee for A.I.D.S.
Resources, Education and Services
(Vermont CARES) offers a similar
education program. If you would like to
host a small A.I.D.S./healthy sex discussion
for your friends in Vemtont contact
Vermont CARES at 802-862-5917.

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