Out in the Mountains Curtis Announces State Senate Bid ,.§ \'\M Photo by Stacianne K. Visco Candidate David Curtis campaigns at the recent "Pride Without Borders” rally in Burlington. - by Paul Olsen BURLINGTON -- On May 23, 1996, Burlington Democrat David Curtis announced his candidacy for one of Chittenden County's six seats in the State Senate. If elected, Curtis, who wasdiagnosed with AIDS in 1994, would become the first openly gay member of the Vermont State Senate. As evidenced by his activism in Vermont's Democratic party and gay community, Curtis, 58, has a long history of public service. As an attorney, he served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1975-1976, was appointed Vermont's Defender General from 1985-1987, and has held various positions within the Democratic party. Curtis currently serves on__the boards of Vermont CARES, the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont, and the AIDS Action Council. a 5 Curtis was active in efforts to pass Vermont's Gay Rights Bill, and most recently worked as a member of the Adoption Reform Task Force. At the 1995 Vermont Coalition for Lesbian & Gay Rights (VCLGR) conference, he was awarded the VCLGR Leadership Award for his advocacy work dealing with issues of HIV/AIDS. Curtis .cites property tax reform, the restoration of civility to the State Senate, and continued health care reform as priorities if elected. "We need to begin to look at the issues surrounding managed care. Some states have experienced some major problems with HMOs and managed care. We need to start looking at things like a patient’s bill of rights," Curtis said. . . When asked to describe the responsibilities that would accompany serving as an openly gay State Senator, Curtis responded "I don't have a sense that being openly gay makes a significant difference in terms of what one should or should not do. I did not have that sense when I was Defender General. Being elected a Senator imposes certain responsibilities to be a leader whether one‘ is gay or straight. As a gay man, I hope I have greater sensitivities to issues that come up surrounding sexual orientation." » Privately or publicly, Curtis‘ health may be an issue in his State Senate campaign. While his campaign announcement has been greeted with enthusiasm‘ by many, some have expressed concern about the impact this race might have on his health and, if elected, his ability to serve. When asked about these concerns, Curtis said, "Obviously. they are things I've thought about. I talked with my family, friends and my physician; They felt that it would not have an adverse impact on my health. There are_ certainly going to be some limitations. In terms of serving, I talked with a number of people who have been in the Senate who know me and the response I uniformly received was that they felt I was able to serve and thatl would do a good job." Curtis faces a number of challenges in his campaign for the State Senate. As an openly gay candidate, Curtis must deal with homophobia. "Homophobia plays a role in every campaign where we run as openly gay," said Howard Russell, former Chittenden County State Senate candidate. Curtis must also win one of the six nominations in the Democratic primary on September 3. If successful in the primary, Curtis anticipates a difficult race in the November general election. His fourth and perhaps most valiant fight may be the issues he faces living with AIDS. ‘ Russell views Curtis’ campaign as significant in many ways for the gay community. "Our whole lives we've been marginalized and on the outside this is a step forward saying ‘we deserve a place at the table"' Russell said. V A eubeeription to Out In The Mountains the perfect gift! Vt Area Resources Please help us with this listing by advising us of changes in your group's status and address. Rep. William Lippert (D-Hinesburg) Statehouse 1-800-322-5616 or 828-2228 Home 482-3528. Addison County Women In Crisis PO Box 67 - 53 Court St., Middlebury, VT 05753 (802) 388-4205 . ALMA (Active Lesbians of the Monadnock Area) P.O. Box 6345 - Keene, NH 03431 (603)352-6741 » Amelia Earhart P.O. Box 746 - Lebanon, NH 03766 . American Civil Liberties Union 1 10 East State Street 0 Montpelier, VT 05602 (802) 223-6304 Battered Women’s Services, Inc. PO Box 828 0 Montpelier, VT05601 24 hour Hotline (802) 223-6855 Brattleboro Area Gays & Lesbians PO Box 875 0 Brattleeboro, VT 05302 (802) 254-5947 Brattleboro Area Lesbian Center 71 Elliot St. ' Brattleboro, VT 05301 Burlington Police Department Community Based Police Office Lieutenant Bill LaWare (802) 658-7658 Burlington Women’s Council City Hall 0 Burlington, VT 05401 (802) 865-7200 Christ Church Presbyterian-More Light Church Redstone Campus; Univ of Vermont. Burlington, VT 05401 - (802) 862-1898 CRONES - for women over 40 ‘ PO Box 242 - Winooski, VT 05404 DaGLO Dartmouth College GLB Organization Hanover, NH 03755 - (603) 646-3636 Dignity Vermont . - PO Box 782, Burlington, VT 05402 (802) 863-1377 Friends In Adoption 44 South Street - PO Box 1228 Middletown Springs, VT 05757 ' 802.235-2373 Gay Father’s Support Group PO Box 234 Essex Junction, VT 05423 - 802.879-7883 GLSTN (Gay/Lesbian/Straight Teachers) Network PO Box 930 0 Amherst, MA 01004-0930 Gay Info Line 26 S. Main St. ° Box 181 - Concord, NH 03301 (603) 224-1686 ' Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Alliance _ Goddard College - Plainfield, VT 05667 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Alliance Landmark College - Putney VT 05346 802-387-6752 Golden Threads PO Box 65 - Richford, VT 05476-0065 802-848-7037 Hear Us OUT 0 P.O. Box 285 - Brattleboro, VT 05302 - (802) 257-0332 Interweave—Gay/Les,bianIBi/T ransl Straight Unitanan Universalists 152 Pearl Street - Burlington, VT 05401 Kwanzaa - Multicultural Educational Resource Group P.O. Box 583 - Burlington, VT 05402-0583 Keene State College LBG Alliance Keene State College 0 Keene, NH 03431 LUNA- Lesbians United, Never Apart c/o Umbrella Women's Center One Prospect Avenue 0 St. Johnsbury, VT 05819 (802) 748-8645 Men’s Health Project PO Box 5248 - Elmwood Ave. Burlington, VT 05401 - (802) 863-2437 - Men Alive! PO Box 423 0 Burlington, VT 05402 (802) 865-2247 Middlebury G/L/B Alliance Middlebury College - Middlebury, VT 05753-6033 Monadnock Gay Men (MGM) PO Box 1124 - Keene, NH 03431 - (603) 357-5544 NEQLACE- NorthEast Queendom Lesbians Activating Community Empowerment c/o Umbrella Women's Center NEVGALR- North East Vermonters for Gay and Lesbian Rights - c/o Umbrella Women's Center One Prospect Ave. - St. Johnsbury, VT 05819 (802) 748-8645 NH Citizens Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Rights P.O. Box 730 0 Concord, NH 03302 (603) 224-1686 - One in Ten—Castleton State’s g/1/b student group. Call 802.468.5611, x392. OLOC— Old Lesbians Organized for Change P.O. Box 242 - Winooski, VT 05404 Out In The Mountains PO Box 177 - Burlington VT 05402-0177 (802) 388-6503 OUTRIGHT VERMONT PO Box 5235 - Burlington, VT 05402 (802) 865-9677 ~ Youth Hotline: 1-800-452-2428 PFLAG - Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Brattleboro Contact .1. Cram - 409 Hillsinds - Brattleboro, VT 05301 (802) 257-5409 Central Vermont J. Pecor 0 159 Sheridan St. Ext. - Barre, VT 05641 (802) 479-9246 Lake Champlain Chapter_ Lil Venner 0 23 Birchwood Lane Burlington, VT 05401 ~ (802) 863-4285 Manchester Area Mae and Jay Morrow (362-4400) V P.O. Box 92 0 Manchester, VT 05254 Rutland Area Julie and Peter Cooper (773-7601) 11 North St. - Rutland, VT 05701 ‘Peace and Justice Center 21 Church Street - Burlington, VT 05401 (802) 863-832 Radical Fairies RR2 - PO Box 1640 - Plainfiled, VT 05601 (802) 229-1952 SAGE (A social and support group for gay men over forty) PO Box 863 - Burlington, VT 05402 (802) 454-1635 _ Social Alternatives for Gay Men (SAM) PO. Box 479 0 Norwich, VT 05055 (802) 649-3133 Umbrella Women’s Center One Prospect Ave. - St. Johnsbury, VT 05819 (802)748-8645 Vermont Bisexual Network PO Box 8124 - Burlington, VT 05402 Vermont Coalition for Lesbian & Gay Rights P.O. Box 1125 0 Montpelier, VT 05602 (802) 454-8552 Vermont Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights Liaisons to the Governor’s Office, Legislature, and State Government * Susan Aranoff (802) 728-4121 Keith Goslant (802) 454-8552 Vermont GLBT Pride PO Box 5113 0 Burlington, VT 05402 (802) 865-3734 - (802) 658-1602 Vermont Gay Men’s Spiritual Support Brotherhood 5 Raymond Place 0 Burlington, VT 05401 (802) 863-9684. Vermont Gay Social Alternatives PO Box 237 - Burlington, VT 05402-0237 (802) 865-3734 Vermont Gay Volleyball PO Box 248 - Hinesburg, VT 0546] Vermont Human Rights Commission 133 State Street - Montpelier, VT 05633-6301 (802) 828-2480 Vermont Lesbian & Gay Parents 131 Lyman Ave - Burlington, VT 05401 (802) 660-2713 VIVA (Visible in Vermont Arts) P.O. Box 812 - Burlington, VT 05402 (802) 863-2307 Woman Center 5 School Ave., Montpelier, VT 05602 (802) 229-6202 Women’s Crisis Center PO Box 933 0 Brattleboro, VT 05302 24 Hour (802) 254-6954 - Business (802) 257-7364 Women Helping Battered Women P.O. Box 1535 ° Burlington, VT 05402 Hotline: 658-1996 Women’s Information Service (WISE) 79 Hanover Street - Lebanon, NH 03766 Office (603) 448-5922 - Hotline (603) 448-5525 Women's Rape Crisis Center PO Box 92 - Burlington VT 05402 .(802) 864-0555 V W.O.W. - Women of the Woods c/o RFD #1, Box 5620 - Worcester, VT 05682 (802) 229-0109 V 135 Pear Daily 7:30 to close 135 Pearl Street Burlington, VT 8 0 2 8 6 3 - 2 3 4 3 Weekly Events- Mondays-—Free Pool Tuesdays—$1 Bud Drafts Wednesdays—— Heartattack DJ Roberto & Friends Monthly Events- First Friday, Women’s Dance 5-9PM 2nd...Sunday Lipliner—Drag Show w/hostess Venus 9PM 3rd...Sunday Women’s Cabaret Monthly women’s entertainment 6-10 $3 Cover 4th...Sunday Bucks Tea Dance 9-12 PM Call for other nightly events