V Letters to the Editor

Some of Our Straight Readers Speak Out

Responding to John
Dear Folks:

Re: The letter of John C. Dechon of El Paso,
Texas (see Letters to the Editor, Dec. 96) ; re:
“only homosexuals would read the magazine.”

I never did have any attraction to men, and
John certainly hasn’t done much to change my
mind. However, since I did read his letters in
OITM, I must not be stra-ight after all. I’m not
interested in asking him for a date (I’m married,
and I never go out with cultists), but maybe I
should thank him for recruiting me to homosexu-
ality via his all-powerful logical proof. Either that
or I’ll have to cancel my subscription.

He did insinuate he might be on his way up
here. Maybe I’ll just buy a gun.

Peace and love,
Walter Forest

HIV/AIDS Coverage Needs Attention
Dear Folks at OITM:

Thanks for putting together such a great
publication. I look forward to each new issue, in
spite of the fact that I am a practicing het [even
though nasty old John from El Paso, Texas seems
certain that all your readers must be gay].

One issue I’m hoping to see addressed,
though, is the growing controversy over AIDS —
i.e. is AIDS really caused by HIV? Are the tests
actually reliable or accurate? Is AIDS in fact not
one disease but many? Not to mentionthe fact
that many AIDS or HIV patients have been
“cured” (more or less) of this supposedly incur-
able disease by alternative therapies, whereas
conventional treatment (AZT, etc.) produces
nothing but death. When I first heard ‘such
theories I felt a bit skeptical, I admit, but now I
am hearing such things from reputable folks who
have done their homework and know what they
are talking about (Gary Null, for one).

I hope someone can tackle this important topic
in upcoming issues. '

Nancy Ellen
Plainlield, Vermont

We hope to address HIV and AIDS issues more
fully in future issues. A few short notes: New
treatments (some including AZT) have helped
HlV+ individuals live longer lives, though a
“cure” remains unavailable at this time. Asfor
the accuracy ofHIV tests, it depends on the test in
question. Most are fairly reliable, though check-
ing twice when in doubt is always a good idea.
Many of the groups listed on our Health Re-
sources page can answer any further questions
you may have about the virus. - Editor

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Out in the Mountains

Paper Chase
Dear OITM:

Keep up the good work! I love “Dykes to
Watch Out For.” Sorry that you went to news-
print from nice old white bond paper. I used to
save OITM, but now I recycle ‘em with the other
newspapers. Didn't any libraries complain? But
for the rest, you’re doing a greatjob.

B.M.

We recently investigated returning to white
paper stock, but the cost per press run was
nearly four times what we pay for newsprint.’
With paper prices continuing to rise and our
funding still at the break-even level, it seems
unlikely that we’ll be able to afiord a return to
the good old days any time soon. - Editor

Letters to the Editor can be sent to us at
OITM, PO Box 177, Burlington VT 05402, or by
e-mail to oitm@together.net. Please include your
name, address, and telephone number in case we
need to contact you for verification or clarifica-
tion. Also, please note if you wish your letter to
be signed "Anonymous" when published. Letters
must be received by the 15th of the month prior
to publication. V

Vermont Pride ‘97

Organizational Meeting .

Planned

MONTPELIER — It’s not too early to start plan-
ning for the 1997 Vermont GLBT Pride celebra-
tion. Last year’s coordinators (Bob Bolyard, Craig
Stevens, and Robert Toms) will hold an organiza-
tional meeting for all interested people on Sunday,
February 9th, at 2:00 p.m. at the Vermont AIDS
Council offices, Room 27, 73 Main Street in Mont-
pelier.

This will be a great chance to get together with
people from all over the state and discuss what was
good about last year’s event and what can be done
to make this year’s even better.

All clubs, groups, organizations, and businesses
are encouraged to send a representative to this
meeting. It will only be through total participation
from our community that the Vermont Pride cel-
ebrations can continue to grow.

If you have any questions, contact Craig
Stevens (802-658-1602) or Bob Bolyard (802-865-
3734) or send information to Vermont Pride, PO
Box 5113, Burlington VT 05402-5113. V

VERMONT’S FORUM FOR LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER ISSUES

I By subscribing now to Out in the Mountains, not only will you guarantee delivery to your mailbox
| (in a discreet envelope), but you will also help us to underwrite the rising costs of publishingvand
I distributing the newspaper. We welcome any additional contributions you can make to support our
continuing existence. Checks should be made payable to our publisher, Mountain Pride Media,
and sent, along with this form, to: OITM ' PO Box 177 0 Burlington VT 05402-0177.

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3

February I 997

Out and About. . .

Mary Alice Schatzle and Donna Lescoe were featured in an
article on domestic partnerships in the January 2 1 st issue of the
Advocate, the nation’s gay and lesbian news magazine. The
couple subsequently was invited to join Elizabeth Birch of the
Human Rights Campaign Fund for a “Gay Marriage” talk show
on MS—NBC, a national cable channel...Kevin Moss, 21 Profes-
sor of Russian at Middlebury College, celebrates the publica-
tion of Out oft/1e Blue by Gay Sunshine Press. Moss edited the
collection of classic and contemporary gay Russian writings...
Check out the winter issue of the Vermont-based holistic news-
paper Eleventh Hour Cauldron (Box 1596, Waifslield VT
05673) for a refreshingly honest article called "Does Gay Mean
Cheerful?" by publisher Chris Coolidge. . .Planned Parenthood
of Northern New England recently addressed gay and lesbian
concerns and featured the P-FLAG group (Parents and Friends
of Lesbians And Gays) in a segment of its television show
“Facts For Life,” which ran on local cable stations in January.
The group plans an upcoming workshop called “I Am What I
Am: Working with Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youth. For more
information, call (800) 488-9638. . .Nearly one hundred people
attended a memorial for Jimmy Moyer, one of the previous
owners of Pearls in Burlington. Moyer died of a heart attack on
December 6 while vacationing in Africa. The service was held
on December 28 at the Dog Team Tavern in Middlebury. V

lfyou have news you’d like to include in our monthly “Out
ana' About" column (weddings, anniversmies, births, deaths,
awards, promotions, etc.), please send them in to us at PO Box
/77, Burlington VT05402 or e-mail us at oitm.@toget/iernet. I)on '1
forget to include your name andp/tone number in case we need to
contact you for clarifications or verification.

Vav 9.‘ ' I
-~......7
V Qv~Q"‘Q ‘V-



Happy ‘Valentine's Day, ,5hez'[a!
I hn/e you more each passing day.

foreveryaars, 9\[ett1'e

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Happy '1/akntine’5 Day to
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L — Tharzhsfor the Chnlstvrzas rincq.
7{ere’5 hoping for years afha/id-
fazzdliny and passion, in a creative,
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Happy 1/afent1'ne’5 (Day.

Love, K.

h_‘j_2_“—::

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