2 5- O_u.I, IN THE MOUNTAINS — NOVEMBER 1997 Our‘ /77 1779 /I//or//7/a’/'/7.5‘ Established in 1986 Editor: Christopher Moes Business Manager: Steven West Production Manager: Donald Eggert Circulation Manager: David Grist Website Managers: Kathie Sawyer, Tracy Buttles Proofreader: Elizabeth Hansen Office Manager: Tracy Kommons Sales: Donna Freeman, Roger Mapes Brailist: Deborah Cloutier Fowler Computer Support: Amy Hoffman Intern: Gwynn Guilford Website Intern: Lenna Cumberbatch Contributors: Bennett Law, James Montstream, Peter Kurth, Steven Stowell, Lynn Martin, Donald Giguere, Betsy McLane, Carey V. Johnson, Celia Cuddy, Constance Craving, Endora, Allen Fletcher, Donna Freeman, David Gramling, Joy D. Griffith, Sal lnglima, Kirsten lsgro, Rev. Christine Leslie, Peggy Luhrs, Paul Olsen, Beth Robinson, Esther Rothblum, Chris Tebbefis 0111/27 the Moun/a/'ns(|SSN 1081-5562) is published monthly by Mountain Pride Media, Inc. The newspaper maintains offices at 109 South Winooski Avenue in Burlington, Vermont. Our mailing address is PO Box 177, Burlington, VT 05402-0177. Our email address is oitm@together.net and our website is located at http://www.vtpride.org. The subscription rate is $20 per year within the United States of America. @1997, Out in the /Ilallllla/IIS Mountain Pride Media Board of Directors Liz Campbell, Margrit Dutta, Joy Griffith, Nat Harrison, Steve Kopstein, Kathie Sawyer, Ross Sneyd, Deborah Lashman, Lanny Jones, Cheryl Canni Statement of Purpose The purpose of Out//7 the Moun- ta/hsis to serve as a voice for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgendered people, and our supporters in Vermont. We wish the newspaper to be a source of information, insight, and affirmation. We also see OITM as a vehicle for the celebration of the goodness and diver- sity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered communities here in Vermont and elsewhere. Editorial Policy We will consider for publication any material which broadens our under- standing of our lifestyles and of each other. Views and opinions appearing in the paper do not necessarily represent those of the staff. This paper cannot and will not endorse any candidates or actions of public officials on issues of importance to lesbians, gay men, bi- sexuals, and transgendered persons. We reserve the right not to pub-' Iish any material deemed to be overtly racist, sexist, anti-Semitic, ageist, classist, xenophobic, or homophobic. Writers‘ guidelines are availbale on request. All materials submitted must include a name and a contact number. However, within the pages of the news- paper, articles may appear anony- mously upon request, and strict confi- dentially will be observed. Articles, letters, and artwork . should be sent to us by the 20th of the month prior to the month of publication (i.e. February 20th for the March issue). We encourage and implore our readers to do what they can to make 0/TM a paper which truly represents the many voices of our communities. Materials should be sent to: Out in the Mountains ‘PO Box 177 Burlington, VT 05402-0177 phone: (802)865-9294 email: oitm@together.net OITM now available in braille format! Contact.Chris Moes at (802) 865-9294 for more information. EDITORIAL: Why can ’twe ditors are opinionated people. It seems that it is a prereq- uisite for an editor to piss people off. As attractive as that seems, it is less attractive in a small community like Ver- mont, or specifically the GLBT community of Vermont. Unfor- tunately if I am to piss someone off, there is little chance that I will be able to avoid that person in the future. More often than not, that person and I will be sharing some acquaintance, or friend, if not an ex lover. On the other hand, if I am not pissing off someone I am not doing anything, and there is just no single possibility of not pissing off someone. Editors come to realize this early I guess, and perhaps that was the birth of the editorial. If there is no way that I won't piss someone off, then I might as well intentionally piss people off, this way I will have more control over who it might be. Everyone may breathe a sigh of relief, I will not talk about the Women's Council. ~ Remember the famous statement: ”Why can't we all get along?” these were words uttered by one who has never at- tempted ”community building” I'd hazard to guess, at least not in the diversely opinionated GLBT communities. There is the belief that our diversity is our strength, and despite what I just said, I still believe that. That idea; however, is the first thing all of us forget, and I am probably the first to forget it. Perhaps we should all have that placed on the wall of every organizing meeting, at every board meeting, and at every conference. But the question remains, can we get along? I am not opti- mistic. I have; however, watched some people in the‘commu- nity get along with most people they come in to Contact and even conflict with. It is inspiring. At the same time, I have seen people whose actions with our community organizations can only be described as destructive or selfish or counter-produc- tive, I don't want to get along with someone like that, and I'm sure I have been accused of all of those things. In Vermont the most obvious division is Men and Women. Gay men and Lesbians have such different needs, that it some- times amazes me that we have come this far. Our bodies are different, our attractions are different, our tastes are different. If you think about it, the thing we share most is the same oppres- sor. It is tribute to our community that we have done soymuch together. However, I wonder what the future will hold, as gay white men become increasingly marketable and mainstream. In a small community we need to work together, and for the most part we have. _ Another division is between the conservatives and Liber- als. There is a certain irony that has come about where Vermont the most liberal state in the nation has a primarily conservative gay community. This combination makes it truly fertile for the marriage battle, which is more an agenda of the conservative sector of the gay population. This division is a tough one when it comes to us wanting the same thing. My opinion on the marriage issue is more com- plex than I am for or against it. On one hand, with the recent studies that have shown that queer youth are more seven times - more likely to attempt suicide, marriage loses all of its urgencey. On the other hand, the opponents of gay marriage are our usual enemies, and having them oppose gay marriage puts them on Searching for a Realtor with considerable experience? Call on the agent people have a been turning to for 15 years. 3 Bill Desautels K Realtor, CRS, GRI North Professionals o 655-3333 ext. 17 Each offlce Independently owned and operated _- —_V~Prou.d‘me_mber-of-ttre Rainbow Business Association V 9 all get along? the defensive rather than the offensive; fighting us rather than making antigay initiatives. Everyone who heard Nancy Sheltra vs. Beth Robinson debate gay marriage on the radio realizes that this is a much better position for our community, at least aslong as Beth Robinson is part of it.’ So when it comes down to it, I don't oppose or support gay marriage. What I do oppose however is the idea of "straight acting". I have yet to understand what this means. Does this mean act- ing like Arnold Schwarzenegger, or Jesse Helms, or Bill Clinton? They are all straight and act it. What an incredibly boring world it would be if we all acted like Sylvester Stallone. Imagine the conversation! In our quest for gay marriage do we all have to be monogamous and middle class and straight acting, whatever it means? No, I assume it doesn't. If it did, I would oppose it. Sorry, I have gotten away from my point which was, ”can we get along”, and that question is one in which we can only answer with another question: What do we want to achieve? Personally, I want to acheive a world where we all can be who we want to be, regardless of who that might be, within the realm of respect and consent. Maybe this is what most of us want. Maybe it's just the details that trip us up. I assume I will con- tinue to piss people off. I will try to make sure they're the right people. around VBI‘Ill0IIt . VIVA : Visible In The Vermont Arts, (VIVA) , a group that started two years ago I to help present and promote GLBT : artists to the community has be- a come a part of Mountain Pride Me- ' dia, the parent organization to 01/1 . //7f/7e Mar//rla/'/7.9. Tracey Kommons : will be the director and is looking , for more people interested in being : on a planning committee. The mis- sion of VIVA is to promote GLBT : arts and performance in the com- : munity, to build community through 0 events, and to raise money for MPM : and other nonprofit organizations . through collaboration. Up coming : events planned are an art show at . the VCLGR Conference in Rutland : on Nov. 8th, a benefitin December, , and a women's music cabaret in .0 January. VIVA will also work on a : GLBT film festival perhaps in con- 0 junction with GLITTER, probably in : March orApriI, a Prom for OutRight o in May, an event in conjunction with : Pride in June, and if all goes well u an outdoor women's music festival : next summer. People interested in a helping out should call Tracey at the : OITM office at 865 9294. , . : Oun HISTORY . Charles Emond will be teaching his : course, "Hidden Hostory: Ho- . mosexuality and Western Civili- 9 zation", at the Community College :of Vermont sites in White. River 0 Junction and Springfield. According : to the catalog: “This course will be 0 a survey of the attitudes of various : societies toward homosexuals and o homosexuality from the beginnings : of Western Civilization to contem- o porarytimes. Students will increase : their understanding of homosexu- o ality in various societies and their : awareness of the contributions of 3 gay men and women to the devel- ' ° opment of our culture." The course Iwill be offered in Springfield on 0 Wednesday mornings from 9 to 12 2 starting January 28th (call 802-886- 0 2748). It will be offered in White : River Junction on Tuesday night 0 starting January 27th (call 802-295- 1 7513). I THE ROYAL Counr : It may be a long drive from Rutland 0 to WRJ, but it will probably be worth : it on Nov. 8th, after the conference, 0 the Royal Court of NYC will be per- : -forming a benefit forACORN at the a American Legion hall ball room on : South Main Street. Tickets are $10 . in advance and $15 at the door. : 0 JAMES DEAN 0 The Champlain College players will : present a year long tribute to James a Dean with two new stage adapta-: tions of his first two films. East Of. Eden, based on the final third of : John Steinbeck’s epic 1952 novel, . will be the fall presentation and is ° scheduled for Thursday-Saturday: Nov. 13-15 and Friday and Satur- 0 day Nov. 21-22. All performances : . are at 8pm in Alumni Auditorium on 0 Champlain College Campus. Hebe/: W/1‘/701/1,4 Cause is the spring pro— 0 duction opening on Thursday April : 9th. FMI call 860 2797. o O O GAY LIFELINE o The Gay Info line of New Hampshire : is getting to work on the next edi- 0 tion of “The Gay Iifeline" which the ° last issue was a comprehensive list- . ing of the resources available to: GLBT residents of New Hampshire . and some of Maine and VT. The: next edition will be for Vermont and . New Hampshire, and will include 0 the help of OITM. The Guide lists : resources in various categories in- 0 cluding bars, restaurants, accom-: modations, Social and Support- Groups, Student and Youth Groups, : Twelve Step Groups, among others. 0 If you are interested in helping, do- : nating or being listed get in touch o with OITM, orThe Gay Info Line at : 26 S. Main St., Box 181, Concord 0 NH 03301 or call at (603) 224-1686. : - o JIM Jerronos . If all of this isn’t enough to do, take 0 a minute to call and thank Senator : Jim Jeffords for all the work he has . done for ENDA. Congress is right: now having hearings on the issue, . and we are lucky to have such a 0 supportive Republican senator. His number is-‘1-T808835 5500.-‘A’ .: