S278 Public Hearing frompage 7

long list of mothers supporting gay care-
givers and teachers. Keith Goslant, liaison
to the governor, questioned,"At what point
does the need for silence become oppres-
sion?” Later, a native Vermonter said that
the opposition was “twisting those terms so
much you make me weep. The level of
hatred in this room terrifies me.”

The evening wore on, the television
news people left, and still people testified.
This year anonymous testimony was per-
mitted. Many letters were read by brave
proponents of the bill as the room of 700
people listened in nervous anticipation.
Mothers who feared losing custody of their
children, people fearing the loss of hous-
ing, and teachers fearing the loss of jobs all
sent anonymous testimony.

At 10:30 the list of people wishing to
testify was still long. The crowd began
thinning out. One of the buses must have
left as a block of opponents filed out.

A representative from Concerned
Women of America and another from
Eagle Forum talked of the breakup of the
family unit and the destruction of society.
The hatred and fear were clearly outlined,
and the night wore on.

At 11:30, about 300 people remained,
not all the people being called to testify
stepped forward. Will Hunter called out 8
people listed as opponents before someone
stepped forward. The proponents remained
in the room and awaited their turn.

“Please, it’s time we speak out against
discrimination,” pleadedl enniferWallace—
Brodeur.

“Listen to the opposition”, said
Howdy Russell, “they will tell you more
clearly than I can why we need to pass this
bill in Vermont. You will hear about fear,
hatred and bigotry.”

John Bloomer, committee member
from Rutland, left before 10:30. Phil Hoff
stayed until about 11:30. At midnight,
Mary JustSkinner announced that the hear-
ing would end at 1am.

The men and women wearing the blue
tags of support sat in silence as words of
hate and fear were hurled at the micro-
phone. Atmidnight, clearly the blue embla-
zoned people outnumbered the remaining
opposition. Testimony continued. Many
stayed until the bitter end, they said, in case
the list of names of proponents wishing to
testify ran out. It did not.

At 12:30 it was clear that all were
exhausted. Chester Kitchum, committee
member from Middlebury, moved next to
Ms. Skinner. The three remaining commit-
tee members, Hunter, Kitchum, and Skin-
ner, listened as the oppostion’s testimony
now turned on them. In their opinions, the

hearing had been run unfairly, there had not
been sufficient public announcement, and
on and on. It seemed as if the strategy of
opposition had changed from attacking

gays to attacking a group of legislators that _

could even consider such a bill.

At 1:00 it seemed that the room
breathed a collective sigh of relief. Another
public verbal bashing of gays was over.
There were no clear winners, only a lot of
very battered people.

The Judiciary Committee will vote on
whether or not to recommend this bill to the
Senate by February 26. Then the Senate
will vote on the bill and, if the vote is
favorable the bill moves on to the House
and another battle begins.

Thank you to all who helped to create
a good turn out of support for S278. Now it
is essential that we follow this effort with
thank you’s to the senators who vote for the
bill and questions for those who vote
against it It is essential that we continue to
lobby, this time with our house reps.

Next month we will print photos and
excerpts from the hearing. Also, an article
describing a model evening of lobbying
where 8 people, sat with Sen. Dennis De-
laney and discussed the need for S278 for
two hours in an informal setting.

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March1988

Coming Out from page 7
of the AIDS closet, telling people one-on-
one and in groups. A major breakthrough
was being interviewed by theRutland Her-
ald/Times Argus.

In mid-February, I made my first pub-
lic appearance as a PWA in Barre. Speak-
ing in public is frightening for me, given
the speech problems I have. The crowd
received me warmly; it helps give me the
confidence to do it again.

Being active in Vermont CARES,
coming out publicly, has helped me with
the isolation of having AIDS in Vermont.
I only know three other people with AIDS
in Vermont. On a recent visit to a friend in
New York,I saw how isolated PWA's are in
Vermont. At PWA lounges, lunches and
drop-in events, dozens of people with
AIDS sit around and exchange notes on
treatments, t-cell counts, and life after diag-
nosis. There is something very comforting
about learning from and sharing with others
who have “been there.” While I’m very
glad that there are few people with AIDS in
Vermont, I do find ‘myself wishing there
were more people to talk with here.

I go through cycles of sadness, of
anger, of self-pity, of frustration and hope-
lessness; but I also enjoy periods of happi-
ness, of appreciation for my day to day joys,
of hope and determination, and of playful-
ness. I laugh about it all much more than
you might imagine (please, any good
dementia jokes?).

I refuse to be seen or treated solely as
a person with AIDS. I don’t want people’s
pity or coudescension, but I do demand the
right to be treated with respect and consid-
eration. Despite the diagnosis and the effect
it has had on my life, I remain, in essence,
the same person I have always been with
the same strengths and weaknesses, and
growing everyday from the experience.

The
Forsberg

Center

Walter I. Zeichner
lg/[.AilC.l’l., N.C.C.

syc ot erapy 8* Bad ork
Gay Positive Counseli1{1z,‘)g

 

 

323 Pearl Street
Burlington, VT 05401
863-5510