top legislative priority — the Employment
Non—Discrimination Act — were
reelected. Of 120 House cosponsors, 100
were reelected, and 11 new members
have pledged to cosponsor the bill.

These results confirm trends seen in a
series of public opinion polls, which
show broad public support for equal
rights. A U.S. News & World Report
poll found that two—thirds of voters
support equal rights for lesbian and gay
people, including majorities of Clinton,
Bush and Perot voters. The respected
Times Mirror Center for the People &
The Press reported that the most
important swing vote in the electorate —
comprising one—fifth of all registered
voters — is “highly tolerant of
homosexuality”.

Perhaps this is why none of the right’s
social issues are included in the
Republican’s “Contract With America”.
Extreme anti-gay views do not attract
mainstream voters. Voters sent a
message of frustration and alienation
with an unresponsive government —
sentiments that lesbian and gay people
know only too well. We must join
together to tap into the good will that
exists for us and appeal to the values
that we share with all fair—minded
Americans. From a position of unity and
strength, we can advance into the
uncertain future ahead of us.

Tim McFeel_y

Executive Director, Human Rights
Campaign Fund

Washington, D.C.

(Editor’s note: Both Senator Jim Jeflords
and Representative Bernie Sanders, who
were reelected in November, support
ENDA, the Employment
Non—Discrimination Act. Senator Patrick
Leahy, who was not up for reelection in
1994, also supports ENDA.) V

Letter to
Another Editor:

Mona Limbaugh?

The following letter appeared in the
November 12, 1994, edition of the
Burlington Free Press. The letter’s
author, Joseph F. Watson, is a current
board member of the Vermont Coalition
for Lesbian and Gay Rights.

In her commentary, “Sex survey
explodes liberal myths,” Mona Charen
says, “The sex survey  will disappoint
 gay activists and other purveyors of
myths.” Well I’m a 31-year-old gay
man, and I’m not at all disappointed by
the numbers in the survey. I feel it
doesn’t matter how many people are
gay.  Gay people are entitled to equal
rights to housing, employment, etc.,
whether they make up 4.2 or 10 percent
of the population.

I’m also not disturbed to learn that
Americans are not “madly bed—hopping

 

Susan McKenzie, M. S.

Experienced Feminist Therapist-Licensed Psychologist
Formerly Affiliated with the Women’s Therapy Center, Burlington, VT

Announces the opening of a new practice in Norwich, VT
Lesbian issues: Relationships, Parenting, Childhood Trauma, Life
Transitions, Anxiety and Depression

Insurance Accepted - Sliding Fees - Supervision and Consultation

(802)295-5819

15

 

January 1994
before marriage.” I’ve only had sex with
one person in my life. (I don’t generally
mention this fact in polite conversation,
but Charen, seemingly obsessed with

sex herself, brought the subject up at my
breakfast table, so  ) That person, my
spouse, and I have been together for
years and expect to be together for the
rest of our lives. 

Finally, Charen says, “... there is bad
news for AIDS activists in this research
as well. The survey found that people
tend to have sex with people like
themselves. This means that AIDS is
likely to remain concentrated among the
groups who are already infected ...” To
suggest that AIDS activists would
consider it bad news that AIDS is in any
way contained, is horribly cold—hearted,
selfish and truly disgusting. 

Who is this Mona Charen anyway, Rush
Limbaugh in drag?

Joseph F. Watson
East Middlebury V

reative Design,
Training and

Support Services

for the Mac and PC

‘as’? 8.1’ PAUL st-