0 I have a friend I told (about) the Queer Town Meeting. He said, ‘I hate that. Why do you say (‘queer’)?’ I said, ‘Well if we use that word, it’s not going to be used against us.’ Each of us, remember that ageism is very much a reality in the gay men’s culture it can be very vicious. I’m going to try and share this with as much love as I can I’m a multiculturalist, I’m a lesbian, I am an African—American As an African—American, I have not been included. I have been excluded. And it doesn’t feel good at all. It’s very, very painful. You’re scared all the time. You’re in pain all the time. And you wonder a lot and are shocked a lot when so—called allies and so—called friends intimate this ‘Wait, wait, we can’t let it happen now. Let’s wait. We’ve got to do this work first. This is more important. This is a priority. So wait, wait, wait.’ Some of you remember during the outset of the women's movement, as lesbians when you were told, ‘No, no, no. Wait! We can’t include you now. Shut the fuck up!’ You remember that! Some of you, as gay men, I’m sure at some point in your lives someone has said to you, ‘Shhh! Be quiet, be quiet. Don’t make any waves. Don’t rattle the cages. It’s not time for it. It’s not time for it.’ Let me tell you something, there’s no prescribed size for a banner! Bisexual can fit up there! Drag can fit up there! Transgender can fit up there! You make it fit! You have the power to make it fucking fit! One of the most encouraging things about this is that I’ve never seen so many men know how to match their clothing. V Queer Town Voices January 1995 MIDDLEBURY -- On November 12, 1994, over 500 gay, lesbian, and bisexual Vermonters converged upon Middlebury for the Vermont Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights 2nd Annual Conference: A Queer Town Meeting. This is what some of them had to say. Mary Hurlie -- VCLGR Co-Chair, Hinesburg “I’m very interested in seeing the (VCLGR) Board develop and start to be able to do the long—term stuff that we’ re hearing from our communities I’m very interested in seeing the structure work for us My vision for next year is to be doing more regional stuff around the state, informational stuff, programming, networking, whatever is needed, whatever it takes, whatever people want. “I think sometimes I get discouraged that I think people don’t want to be involved they don’t really care. What I take away from today is that’s not true. People do care. People say they don’t think of themselves as political but if political means being involved and having some sense in our direction, in our destiny, I Christopher Wesolowski -- VCLGR Co-Chair, Newfane “I think (VCLGR will be) growing stronger, becoming more regionalized. I think we’re hearing a need to have a presence all around the state We haven’t heard much from the South, but there are a lot of us in the South, so that’s going to change. “People are very committed and they’re serious about what they want to do The folks who came here, there’s an inherent commitment to the whole process, the wholeness of being out and being gay. To me, that’s the energy I take home.” Chris Tebbetts -- Newly hired Men’s Health Project Coordinator for Vermont CARES, Burlington “(This event) is very energizing and very inspiring (I hope to get) a feel for what . h ' , h h thmk people want to be), t e community wants w at t e 1 Continued on page 18. Women’s Issues B LAC KWOOD A N D E'l M Bl k cl I een . ac woo I Pamela Kraynak MARKRUBIN’LCSW ATTORNEYS AT LAW Psychotherapy 0 Employment law 84 Pine Street 0 Education law p_O_ BOX 875 Mansfield Psychotherapy Associates 177 Battery Street Burlington, VT 05401 (802) 863-9079 0 Small Business 0 Wills, Relationship Contracts 0 Commercial & Residential Real Estate Burlington, VT 05402 (802) 863-2517 17