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Out in the Mountains

Gay Day '97: Will You Have the Lavender Flu or Just Spring Fever?

by Ana Melo

On Monday, March 24th, will you and your
co-workers come down with Lavender Flu or
Spring Fever‘?

. Gay Day, also known as Gay Strike Day, will
be observed this year for the first time in both the
United States and Canada. On this day, Gay Day
organizers encourage people to call in sick to dem-
onstrate the presence and economic clout of the
gay working community.

Unlike Gay Pride Day, Gay Day will be a quiet
affair. No parades celebrating our colorful diver-
sity will be held. A rainbow ribbon or pin will be
worn by those participating or those in sympathy
with the gay community.

This idea was first proposed by Debbie Golden
and Wayne Seidl during a discussion on the
Internet. Debbie commented, “Gay Day to me is a
day when we show the rest ofthe country what we
do, who we are, and how important our contribu-
tions are to this country. This is not a celebration
or a party — well you could have one if you wanted
— this is a self-reflective day where we are very
much in touch with how we make our contribution
to our countries.”

Seidl added, “The purpose of my idea (Gay

Strike Day) is to show the country that we do in- '

deed make up a large part of the population, that
what we do does matter in the general course of
things.”

Regular Meetings

AA MEETINGS:

BURLINGTON — Sundays, 5 p.m., Christ
Church Presbyterian, Redstone Campus, Uni-
versity of Vermont.

— 'l‘hursdays, 7 p.m., St. Paul’s Cathedral,
Cherry Street, Burlington. Call 658-4221.
CONCORD (NH) — Wednesdays, 7:3() p.m.,
First Congregational Church, North Main and
Washington Streets. I '
KEENE (NH) — Saturdays, 7—8:30 p.m. Call
(603) 357-4300., ' ‘
MANCHESTER (NH) —- Sundays, 7:3() p.m.,
Unitarian Universalist Church, 669 Union St.
NASHUA (NH) — Mondays, 7:30 p.m.,
Nashua Unitarian Church.

BISEXUAL NETWORK OF VERMONT
Last Saturday of each month, 6:30 p.m., City
Market, Burlington. Call 658-9544 or 865—3()62.
Discussion group: first Sunday of each month,
4:00 p.m., Outright Vermont offices. For more
info, call 849-6638.

COLLEGE GROUPS:

Beacon Club (Lyndon State) — Wednesdays,
6:3() p.m. For details, call 626-4154.
Middlebury GLBA — Sundays. 8:()() p.m..
Chellis House (behind Proctor Hall).

UVM GLBA — Thursdays, 7:3() p.m. Forlo-
cation and/or more details, call 656-()699.

GAY GUY GET-TOGETHERS in SE VT
Second and fourth Monday (2/1() and 2/24). For
more info, call Carey at 254-8263.

HIV/AIDS MEETINGS:

AIDS SERVICES FOR THE MONAD-
NOCK REGION — "Coffee Clutch" for
people with HIV/AIDS every Tuesday from 1-
2:30 p.m. at 25 Roxbury St, Keene NH. For
more info, call (800) 639-7903.
BRATTLEBORO AREA AIDS PROJECT
— For PLWA, friends, and families. 4th
Floor, 67 Main St., Brattlcboro. Wednesdays,
12:3()-1 :30 p.m. Call Maryann at 254-8263.
— Support/discussion group for Gay/Bi-
sexual Men. 2nd and 4th Sundays, BAAP
Meeting Room, 67 Main St., Brattlcboro. 3-5
p.m. For more info, call 254-8263.

SUPPORT GROUP FOR HIV+/AIDS.

WOMEN — Mondays, 3:30-5:30 p.m.,
Greenfield MA. Call (413) 773-8888.

VERMONT CARES -—‘Supp“ort group’ for-
gay/bi men living with HIV/AIDS, Mondays, ’

5:30-7'p.m. Call 863-2437. '
SUPPORT GROUP FOR AFRICAN-
AMERICAN MEN Iiying with HIV/AIDS ——

Alternate Tuesdays, Call Ayana at 863-2437 for ‘

dates, times, and locations.
WASHINGTON COUNTY AREA SUP-
PORT GROUP for people living with HIV/
AIDS —-Second and fourth Thursdays, 2-3:30
pm. Call 229-4560 for location and more info.
Support group for family and friends of people
living with HIV/AIDS, Thursdays, 5-6:30 p.m.
Call 863-8162.

HUNTINGTON OPEN WOMEN’S LAND
(HOWL) -
Sunday brunches, 1 1 a.m.-2 p.m. Call 864-5595.

INTERWEAVE (Unitarian Universalist Group)
Brunch on 2nd Sundays, 12:30 p.m. at First Uni-
tarian Universalist Society’, Burlington.

KEENE GAY MEN’S SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesdays. Unitarian Universalist Church, 69
Washington St., Keene, NH. Call (800) 639-7903.

LESBIAN SOCIAL/SUPPORT GROUP
For women 40 and older. In Brattlcboro. For more
info, call 254-7345.

MYRIAD NETWORK

For g/I/b/t’s in the Berkshires. Fridays, 7 p.m.,
First Congregational Church, Williairistown MA.
Write Box 288, Williamstown MA 01267.

NETWORK NORTH

Cheap Movie Nights;fTuesdziys, 6:15 p.m. at
Wilton Mall Food Court, Wilton NY.

Coffee Nights, Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. at Un-
common Grounds, Saratoga Springs NY.
Coffee Mornings, Thursdays. 9:30 a.m. at Un-
common Grounds, Saratoga Springs NY.

* OUTRIGHT VERMONT (GLBQ youth)

Groups are for youth age 23 and under; call (800)

GLB-CHAT for more info. ‘
Youth group: Fridays, 7-9 p.m.
Men’s group: Wednesdays, 7—8:30 p.m.
‘Zine publishing group: First Wednesday
every month, 7-9 p.m. , '
Women's group: Second and fourth Tuesdays _
ofevery month, 7-9 p.m.

P-FLAG OF CENTRAL VERMONT

3rd Sundays, 1 p.m.. 2nd Floor Chapel, Unitar-
ian Universalist Church, Montpelier (use School
Street entrance). New contact to be announced.

‘P-FLAG OF CHAMPLAIN VALLEY

2nd Sundays, 2-4 p.m. at the First Methodist
Church, Burlington (use the Buell St. street level
entrance). For information, call Lil at 863-4285

or Jeneva at 878-2838.

SOCIAL ALTERNATIVES FOR MEN (SAM)
Tuesdays, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m..For more info, con-
tact Ed at 649-3133 or SMED@valley.net.

STRAIGHT SPOUSES OF GLB PARTNERS
Support group, every third Tuesday at the Unitar-
ian Universalist Church in Northampton MA. Call
Jane at (413) 625-6033.

TRANS (Transgender Support Group)
First and third Tuesdays of every month in Burl-
ington. For more info, call 472-81 15.

YOUTH AWARE

Support for GLBT youth in Addison County. First
Tuesdays, 7:00 p.m., Ilsley Library Meeting
Room, Middlebury. Coffeehouse and movie ten
days later. Call (800) GLB-CHAT for more info.

  
 

He envisions “one day to remind the rest of the population that we
still do not have even the basic rights to which we are entitled: equal
taxation and legalized relationships.” Seidl further hopes that gay, les-
bian, bisexual, and transgendered people will use the day to volunteer
time to community groups. “By spending the day in community ser-
vice, whether volunteering to work with an organization for the vic-
tims of AIDS, volunteering at a local soup kitchen or food bank, or
organizing a community cleanup, we will be getting our point across
while doing something to benefit the communities in which we live.”

Gay Day is dedicated to gays living and working in high risk areas
where coming out of the closet may lead tojob loss or physical injury.
Calling in sick will give them an opportunity to express themselves in
a safe, non-confrontational way. As was expressed by one member of
the on-line discussion group, “You can’t be fired or beat up for being
sick and taking a day off to recuperate.”

Ron, another contributor to the discussion, summed it up nicely
when he said, “Gays have from day one been the bread, comfort, wine
and culture to a hungry world. Can you possibly imagine living in a
world without gay artists, writers, decorators, designers, engineers,
marines, and football players‘? It would be a dull world indeed.”

For more information you can contact Gay Day organizers via e-
mail at GAYDAY97@ao1.com, or fax a request for more details to
(305) 296-9599. V 1

Big City Players Looks Ahead to

1997 Season

BURLINGTON —- Big City Players, Inc., a Burlington-based theater
company, hopes to finalize plans to bring Greg Louganis to Vermont
this coming year to perform his one-man show “The Only Thing Worse
You Could Have Told Me. . 

Also on the schedule are productions of BCPI’s first musical, “Cow-
girls,” and the world premiere of “If Only for a Moment,” another
musical which looks at HIV/AIDS and discrimination. BCPI plans to
bring the Massachusetts a cappella group Harmonic Convergence to
the area for a spring concert.

BCPI has also made significant changes to its membership struc-
ture ($25 for a lifetime membership), resulting in more benefits (such
as free tickets and a newsletter) for those who help to support the group.
The installation of a toll-free number for information and ticket sales
(1-888-212-5884) should also help to boost publicity around the group’s
performances.

For more information about Big City Players, call 864-1574 or the
toll-free number, or write to BCPI, c/0 PO Box 1012, Burlington VT
05402-1012. V

Discover V
the Power of

ADVERTISING!

Our advertisers are very important to us.

As we continue to grow, we have more ad space available.
Ifyou would like to find out more about placing an ad in
Our in the Moiiiirai/is, please call Hugh at (802) 388-6503.

  

SAVE THESE DATES: Thurs 8 Fri. May 8 8 91

Va:-mat ,4lD§ Qyrnrasiurn ‘'17

issues llll MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE use ‘AND PAIN MANAGEMENT
May 3-9. V197, Cdmitou Coal. Gt), Burlington

An intensive skills-building and training opportunity for physicians, nurses, home
health providers, mental health workers, substance abuse counselors, case managers
and others involved in.the support.and care of people living with HIV and AIDS.

Featuring 30 workshops in 4 Focus Tracks:
' . Medical lnlorniation ° Chemical Dependencelllecovery,
° Mental Health Practice ° Case Management _
CEUs pending _for all providers. Costs To Be Determined.
Scholarships‘ and Childcare available.

‘We are hoping to make thisfree to anyone living with H1l"0r AIDS.
Call your ASO or these numberzrfar details.

For more information call: 802-656-2292 or 800-244-7639

Jointly Sponsored by the7Vermont HIVIAIDS Care Consortium; Vermont
Department of Health AIDS Program; The New England AIDS Education and
Training Center and the University of Vermont College of Medicine