Out in the Mountains

The Best & Worst of Gay Vermont

Paul Olsen
Photographs by Fred & Kip Roberson-
Kuhr

COLCHESTER -- It's time for Out in The
Mountains’ first best and worst of
Vermont list. Following the lead of the
Burlington Free Press, Vermont Times and
the Montreal Mirror, I have compiled a list
of what I think represents the best and
worst of lesbian and gay Vermont. As I
am the guy who compiled the list, the
winners and losers represent the opinion of
me.

News/Politics:

Best News Personality:

WPTZ's Blaine Applegate (who cares what
he says—-turn the volume down and just
watch).

Worst News Personalities:

WCAX's Marselius Parsons & Jack
LaDuke (when will Channel 3 realize that
TV is a visual media?).

Best Gay Newspaper:
Out in the Mountains (of course!)

 

Best Volunteer Gay Causes:
Outright Vermont or a Howdy Russell
campaign.

Best Politicians:

Representatives Thomas Fleury of
Burlington & Bill Lippert of I-Iinesburg
(the only out members of the Vermont
Legislature).

Worst Politicians:

The cowardly State Representative Ricky
Westman of Cambridge who refuses to
use his position as minority leader to in
any way support or vote for issues
important to our community.

Best Political Organizer:
Peggy Luhrs (intelligent, hard working
and committed——a Vermont institution).

Our Community's Best Friend:
Governor Howard Dean (okay he's not
perfect but I believe he is committed to
justice for our community).

Our Community's Worst Enemies:

Rev. Richard Callahan of the Maranatha
Christian Church in Williston and Rev.
Craig Benson of Cambridge (like many
hate mongers, the evil Callahan and
Benson are using their influence to

 

advance a nationwide "christian"
supremacist agenda).

Religion:

Best Spiritual Leader:

Rev. Gary Kowalski (committed to justice.

insightful. thoughtful and kind——for insight
into the man. read his book (The Souls of
Animals).

Worst Spiritual Leader:

Bishop Kenneth Angell (anti-choice.
anti—safe sex. anti-women. anti—gay &
lesbian civil rights. and anti—justice. Can
you say Antichrist’).

Social:

Best Place to Meet Gay Men:
On vacation or in Montreal.

Best Place to Meet Lesbians:
Hinesburg.

Best Gay Bar:
Pearls Bar (the sentimental favorite and
now partially smoke free).

Worst Gay Bar:

Pearls Bar (as my friend Mike says "if
you're quiet enough you can actually hear
Pearls suck").

Tax 6 Accounting Services

19%

L A

Julie M. Miller
Certified Public Accountant

45 Collins Mtn. Road
Richmond, Vermont 05477

802-434-5004

 

 Woodweaver Construction

Residential Remodeling
General Carpentry
Fully Insured - Free Estimates

Melinda Scott

Natalie Grant

RR1, Box 2562,
Huntington, VT 05462
(802)434-5262

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