Out in the Mountains Letters to the Editor Continued from page 3 Lesbian Sex and Transsexuality 101 The (VCLGR) Queer Town Meeting was quite an event. Hope everyone got what they needed and learned some new ways of thinking. It is exciting to see just how queer the Green Mountains are. I just hope that next year we can have some workshops that go beyond the basics. I volunteered to help facilitate the Lesbian Sexuality workshop. (My co-facilitator) Suzanne and I tried to design an hour of diversity and information. We contacted women to talk about safe sex, S/M that is sane, safe and consensual, bisexuality, and transsexuality. We knew we couldn’t cover everything in an hour! Things like sex 101, how to talk about sex (we are not as articulate as our gay men friends seem to be), lesbian bed—death (a dreadful thing, just because we don’t have an appendage that gets up doesn’t mean we can’t be inspired), et al. do need to be discussed. Next year we ought to W V Forconfidenfial AIDS Information Call 1-800-882-AIDS schedule several workshops! If you don’t want to wait until another conference to talk about sex get involved in the Lesbian Sexuality Discussion Series. Contact Shari Brenner at 1-800-244-7639. My participation in the workshop was usurped by the group’s discussion about what lesbians do in bed. OK, that’s fine, but we clearly stated that transsexuality was to be part of the workshop — and I don’t like the possibility that women aren’t ready or willing to talk about transsexuals It is my firm belief that the gay and lesbian community has got to open their hearts, minds and arms to diversity and stop this self-righteous indignation with anyone that doesn’t follow their frightfully narrow prescription. Yes, and that involves sex in that our comfort levels with ourselves lead to our comfort levels in the world — and in bed. How about this, a narrow political perspective leads to a narrow sexual spectrum... Shelley V. Smith Plainfield **=l=** The Radical Wrong Despite grandiose claims by the Christian Coalition and other radical right groups, the Republican sweep in the midterm elections was not a mandate for the social agenda of the party‘s extreme right wing. Where voters spoke directly on the subject of equal rights for gay people, they sent a clear message that their vision of change does not include an agenda of intolerance. Anti-gay initiatives and extremist candidates were defeated in the midst of the Republican rout. In conservative Idaho, where Republicans swept Congressional and state elections, GOP voters provided the margin of victory over anti-gay Proposition 1. In Oregon, where the Christian Coalition dumped 650,000 “voters guides” directing people to approve Measure 13, voters rejected Pat Robertson’s agenda and sent a clear signal that they oppose discrimination and support equal rights for all people. In Congressional elections, the gay community contributed to the defeat of Oliver North, contacting 15,000 moderate voters throughout the state — equivalent to 29 percent of Senator Chuck Robb’s margin of victory. All 13 Senate incumbents who cosponsored our 32 N. Champlain St. Burlington VT. 05401 802/864 ° 7198 ° FAX 802/658 ° 1556 K J & El-SA RLJ‘ (2 hot nightspots under one roof) open sunday-friday: 7:30-2 sa turda y: 135 PEARL $72 BURLINGTON, VERMONT 05401 CALL (802) 863-2343 FOR OUR WEEKLY CALENDAR OF EVENTS 7:30- 1 14