22 — OUT lN THE MouNTAiNs — JUNE 1998 I'D TURN BACK IF I wear YOU! This fabulous community survey . begins on the previous page (21). Turn back now to find out how ’_ you could be eligible to win prizes for filling out and returning this ,— quick questionnaire. 16 Do you feel your political views are being adequately represented by the VCLGR? Dyes D no If no, why not? 17 What means of com- munication would be beneficial in sharing information and perspec- tives on political and legislative issues? 24 How many people read your copy? 25 Do you consult it like the yellow pages when shopping for goods/ services? Dyes D no 26 Are there any busi- nesses or agencies where you would like to see 0lTM available? 18 Are you currently a member of: D The VCLGR D Outright VT D VGSA D Ame|ia’s D Brattleboro Area Dykes D Radical Faeries D Human Rights Campaign (HRC) D National Gay Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) D BiNet D TRANS D other community—based organization: ‘ 19 How often do you go to a bar which is primarily gay or lesbian? D daily D weekly D bi—weekly D monthly D annually D never 20 Which of the following do you go to more than once a month? D Rainbow Cattle Company D Frontrunner D The Edge D 135 Pearl D Blaifs D Montreal bars or clubs D other: 21 Dolyou attend gay pride? D Vermont D New Hampshire D Boston D Montreal D Maine D New York ~ D other: 22 How did you first hear about 0lTM? ‘ D picked it up D found it on web D word of mouth D referred to by hotline D referred to it by cornmunity—based organization D other: 23 How do you get OITM? D subscribe D pick it up D internet D other: 27 What other newspapers do you read regularly? D Burlington Free Press DTimes Argus D Rutland Herald D Brattleboro Reformer D Bennington Banner D Boston Globe D NY Times D USA Today D Caledonia Record D Valley News D Addison Independent D Vox D Seven Days D The Vermont Times D other: 28 What other GLBT publications do you read regularly: A - D Advocate D Out D Bay Windows D In Newsweekly D in the Life D Washington Blade D Curve D Girlfriends D Tapestry D Poz D A&U D Anything that Moves D Circles D RFD D Sojourner D GCN D other: 29 Should 0lTM refuse advertisements from: D Alcohol products D Tobacco _ products D Alcohol vendors D Phone sex services D other: 30 Do you prefer to have a health care professional who is GLBT? Dyes D no it no, why not? ' NAM E (necessary for drawing) ADDRESS EMAIL 31 Have you ever patron- ized a business because you have seen it adver- tised in OITM? Dyes D no Which one/s? 32 Do you own a computer? Dyes D no 33 Do you have Internet access? Dyes D no 34 Which of the following places do you visit more than once a year? D Montreal D New York D Boston D Provincetown D Ogunquit D Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival D Quebec City D San Francisco D other: 35 What would you like to A see more of in 0lTM? 36 What would you like to see less of in OITM? 37 Do you feel 0lTM adequately represents your community? Dyes D no if no, how can we do so? 38 Do you like 0|TM’s layout? Dyes Care» to _.e:lai3t:i-l*§a’tel?::,l‘:‘. if A Send alon»g',‘,a».;notvey_ and tel-li usi eve_‘r_yth:ing you thinilt :w'et.,-hee:d'.'to _, know: ' r .; cur nus our mu seiin II In us. IT woiirr no us, on You, "“,:L:'f'Ji"'lF’x.1’i'r ANY G000 LAYING BESIIJE Yflllfl TIIILET. @ Everything to Gain BY DONNA WILLIAMSON Sandra lives in a tiny, iso- lated Georgia town. She has lived there all her life, as has her mother, her children, and her grandchildren. She is 68, and spends her time visiting her mom in the assisted care housing, reading, going to church, and occasionally car- ing for her grandchildren. Typical smal1—town stuff in a typical golden years life, you think? Well, you'd be very mis- taken. Sandra discovered rather late in life that her true emo- tional and sexual orientation is lesbian. And she feels so alone, isolated in a world where people think they know "her story inside and out, sur— rounded by openly hetero- sexual, homophobic neigh- bors, relatives, and friends. The one person who knows is her long—time best friend, a minister's wife, with whom Sandra has shared some pas- sionate interludes, but who has no inclination to give up het- erosexual privilege, no matter how drawn she is to Sandra's desire and devotion. And her friend is terrified that anyone could know about either her or Sandra. Life seems to close on Sandra more every day. She feels a hollowness inside and is incredibly lonely. She only knows two other lesbians, and they live far away; though they are good friends, and they call her fairly often, they have busy lives so very far away. Every day getting up is harder to do, and she begins to wonder why she even bothers. She cries a lot, but tries hard to keep her spirits up, learning to use her new computer and finding some pleasure in email. But the isolation and loneliness persist, until one day, a packet arrives from her friends from so far away. . The packet contains in- formation about an organiza- tion called Golden Threads and it contains letters (uniden- tified) from people just like herll At last she knows for sure that there are others, women who have discovered late in life that they were unhappy for so long because they were try- ing to live a life that didn't fit them, that they have found friendship and companionship . and even new love through this correspondence service. Her hands tremble as she writes her self—description. Will anyone want to write to her? Will she make any new friends? She dares not even hope to meet a lover, though that thought lingers tempt- ingly at the back of her mind. She puts the letter in the mail to Golden Threads, and waits tremulously and with great anticipation to see who will answer her lonely cry. She also writes letters to several of the women that she has ”met” in the pages of the Golden Threads newsletter. Finally, the long—antici— pated clay arrives when her postal carrier brings her first letters from new Golden Threads friends. One from a woman named Io especially catches her interest, and she rushes to her computer, anx- ious to make furthercontact. After numerous letters and telephone calls, Sandra visited Io. The weekend visit . turned into a three week stay, and finally Sandra excitedly called her friends to let them know that she and I0 were go- ing to Georgia for a brief visit to collect some clothes and tie up some loose ends. Who knows how long this ”visit” will last! A lifeline for many women like Sandra, Golden Threads provides friendship, companionship, and even new love for older lesbians. You can contact Golden Threads, billed as the "Discreet Contact Pub- lication for Lesbian Women over 50, and younger; "by mail at PO Box 65, Richford, VT 05476-0065, by e—mail at GOLDENTRED@aol.com, or on the web at http:// members.aol.com/ goldentred/ index.htm (Note: Although Sandra is a real person, her name and details about her life have been changed to protect her pri- vacy.) “Queer” Wedding continued from page five gift registries. A consultation with Chef Rick of New England Culinary Institute, led to a three-tiered vanilla wedding cake with Batgirl and Mother Nature adom- ing the top. Travis Shore was secured to perform the ceremony in the role of a Native American medicine man, and two favorite childhood songs com- prised the musical selections. Finally the “big day’ anived and shortly after dinner, a rare moment of silence fell over the cafeteria, signal- ing the commencement of the cer- emony. With some last minute prompt- ing from Amy's best man, the wedding singer, Chuck Hussain, clad in a strik- ing ’70s disco ensemble, burst into a spectacular rendition of"All by Myself." Accompanied by organist, Jus- tin Hoy, the song progressed as the “flower” girl, Rachel Figura, led the rest of the wedding party into the “church,” dropping multi-colored feathers from a clear, plastic bowl to mark a trail. After everyone successfully reached the altar, Shore gave a moving sermon about the current state of affairs within the college, drawing great applause. The marriage of Alexia Blankenship and Amy Needleman failed to dispel any of the political questions which shroud the college. However, it did bring momentary re- lief and fun into the lives of students, perhaps too diverse for their own good. Right now, that is the only thing that matters.