Page 8, Out in the Mountains Lesbian/ Gay Liaisons Report In With the legislative session in full swing, much of the liaisons’ work with the Govemor’s office has centered on two bills of particular interest to the lesbian and gay community, H.239 and 247. Both bills have been followed actively by the Governor’s office, and received wide support from state government agencies. H.239, which regulates blood testing for antibodies to the virus associated with A.I.D.S., passed the House on March 13. The Governor’s legislative liaison, the Department of Health, and the Commissioner of Insurance and Banking all played an active role as the bill went through committee and the House. Although intense insurance company opposition and tight legislative deadlines resulted in removal of provisions regulating insurance use of the Poetry, A Mental Escape! by Joyce Arriving promptly at 7:30 p.m. at the Maverick Media Center on North Street. I proceeded to organize myself in my chair. With pad and pencil in hand, I prepared for an evening of poetry. Soon all available seats were filled and latecomers formed a double circle on the floor in front of me as forty women settled down to listen to poems written by local women. Melanie Kaye/Kantrowitz, poet and editor of 111; Tribe of Dina was the featured guest, reading from her published works. Closing my eyes and relaxing, I became a mental traveler to the college campus at Berkeley, California in the spring, and then up to Alaska in ancient times when animals could become people and people could become animals. Often I returned to Burlington for a summer solstice or a walk with my best friend on frozen Lake Champlain. Hot summer evenings filled my senses letting my body forget the chilly March weather outside the gallery while a VT Heritage Tour Co., Inc. Group Tours "Great Escape" Lake George, NY "Man that needs day away." Leave Burlington 8:00 a.m. Rutland 9:30 a.m. (Prices include: All day pass, rides & two lunches. Return by 11:00 p.m.) "Men’s Night Out on the Town" June 27-28 Lake George, NY Best Western - William Henry Inn (Menu - Fish, chicken or prime rib. Complimentary glass of wine) Leave Burlington 11:00 a.m. Rutland 12:30 p.m. Enjoy night life on Lake George! More information/prices..655-0935 rest, legislative discussion of the issue helped raise awareness of problems associated with insurance testing. A fact sheet on H.239 was sent by co-liaisons Heather Wishik and Terje Anderson, and was circulated among relevant officials in state government. Both Wishik and Anderson testified on the legislation in front of the Health and Welfare Committee. Governor Kunin spoke in favor of the legislation in an extensive radio interview on WDEV. The Governor has also taken a strong and positive interest recently in other A.I.D.S.-related issues. She has called upon television stations to accept advertisements for condoms. She met with federal Secretary of Health and Human Services Otis Bowen during a visit to Washington, where they rough draft of "Ode to a Summer’s Night" was read. The poems varied on subject matter from friends and lovers to murder and rape. My emotions ranged from love and sadness to fear and outrage as each poem sent its message out for the rest of the world to hear. Before the close of the evening a local songwriter had taught us how to say "I love you" in over ten languages. Songs written while travelling celebrated the diversity of all people. Now images of lovers holding each other, and what it is like to be of color in a predominately white society all blend together as memories of a womyn’s poetry reading into my consciousness. from page 4 CONVOCATION (sharing truths about oneself) is worth the risk. It was learned during the week-end that the Canada Customs is banning the importation of all gay literature. Consequently, we of the resolutions of the group involved petitioning that bureaucracy to rescind its interdiction and restore freedom to its citizens. Another resolution commended the U.U.A. for its work on AIDS, through the central office and active ministers such as the Rev. Carl Thitchener of Amherst, N.Y. (who handed out condoms during a church service on AIDS), and the Rev. Orloff Miller of the San Francisco AIDS Crisis Ministry. Expansion of AIDS outreach on both the continental and district levels, as well as the hiring of a full-time staff person, were also recommended to the U.U.A. U. U. L/G Brunch Held by Dot The second monthly U.U. Gay and Lesbian brunch took place Sunday, March 15. It was a great success with 16 people in attendance, an ample feast and lively conversation. A good time was had by all and the group encourages more to attend. Future brunches will be held the third Sunday of every month. For more information call 862-8507 or 862-6377. held an in-depth discussion of the A.I.D.S. epidemic. The liaisons have relayed their strong appreciation for the Govemor’s interest in A.I.D.S. to members of her staff. Anderson and Wishik also said that they have discussed H.247, the sexual orientation anti-discrimination bill, with the Governor's staff, and that they are pleased with the support the legislation has received from Kunin’s office. "All of our contacts with the Governor and her staff have been positive and supportive," said Anderson. "We’re pleased with the working relationship which has developed during the legislative session. The staff has gone out of their way to communicate with us on key issues. We look forward to building on that very positive beginning." BFP Endorses H.247 Calling it "another milestone in the state’s tradition of guaranteeing equal treatment under the law to all of its citizens," The Burlington Free Press endorsed Bill H247 in a February 18, 1987 editorial. The editorial cited results from VLGR’s violence/harassment survey and concluded that "providing protection for gays should be as important to lawmakers as laws which prescribe equal treatment for other minorities." It further stated that "to see to it that gays are not targets of violence and intimidation is to accord them the same treatment as other Eople in a free society." In the afternoon, we l experienced a very emotional closing circle, said our goodbyes, and then went our separate ways, feeling strengthened, growing, learning, above all, not alone in this world, and anxious to share with our far-flung sisters and brothers the fruits of our labors. An exclusive tour of the Canadian Gay Archives was granted our group on Sunday; it is one of the world's largest repositories of lesbian and gay archival materials and contains documents from all over the world, some of historical significance much greater than its cramped quarters would indicate likely to be found there. Next year, the U.U.LG.C. will meet in Portland, ME. Celebrating an (_AII1’ti1J21'5tII‘g? Send us your anniversaries! We want not only to keep us all informed of lesbian and gay news, we want to note our personal and commu~ nal celebrations. If you have ever wanted to publicly proclaim your anniversa.ry(for example), this is your chance. To have your anniversary published, we need to receive the following information by the 15th of the month preceeding publication. Please send the full names of both partners, number of years as a couple and anniversary date. Please specify if you want only your first names published.Send to Out in the Mountains PO Box 438 Hinesburg, VT 05461