2 — OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS — OCTOBER 1998 OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS Established in 1986 — EDITOR IN CHIEF - ‘ Christopher Moes — ARTS 8: ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR — Cathy Resmer —YoUTH EDITOR — Andrew Campbell — COPY EDITOR - Barbara Dozetos — BUSINESS MANAGER — Steven West — DESIGN MANAGER — Donald Eggert - CIRCULATION MANAGER — David Grist Columnists: ‘Skeeter Sanders. Crow Cohen, Barbara Dozetos. Keith Goslant. John Hannah. Rev. Christine Leslie, Susan Murray, Beth Robinson, Esther Rothblum. Bari Shamas. Miki Thomas. Kimberly A. Ward, Thomas Henning Contributors: Tim Palmer, Chris Tebbetts, Jennifer Dzuria, Joy Grifiith, Bennett Law Photographers: SooiApplegate. Mari-Beth Delucia MOUNTAIN PRIDE MEDIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joy Griffith, Bennett Law, Larry Rudiger, Steve Kopstein, Cheryl Carmi, Floger Mapes, Kevin McAteer, Barbara Dozetos, Rekha Bosha, Joseph Flyan, Chuck Starr STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The purpose of Out in the Mountains is to serve as a voice tor 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 OlTM as a vehicle for the celebration of the culture and diversity 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 understanding of our lifestyles and of each other. Views and opinions appearing in the paper do not necessarily represent those of Out in the Mountains. This paper cannot and will not endorse any candidates or actions of public otficials on issues of importance to lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgendered persons. We reserve the right not to publish any material deemed to be overtly racist, sexist, anti-Semitic, ageist. classist, xenophobic, or homophobic, » Writers’ guidelines are available on request. All materials submitted must include a name and a contact number. However, within the pages of the newspaper, articles may appear anonymously upon request, and strict confidentially will be observed. Articles, letters, and artwork should be sent to us by the 20th ot 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 OITM a paper which truly represents the many voices of our communities. Outin the Mountains(lSSN 1081-5562) is published monthly by Mountain Pride Media, inc. The newspaper maintains otiices at 109 South Winooski Avenue in Burlington, Vermont. Our mailing address is PO Box 177, Burlington, VT 05402- 0177. Our email address is oltm@together.net and ourwebsite is located at http:/Mww.vtprlde.org. The subscription rate is $20 per year within the United States of America. @1998, Out In the Mountains Out in the Mountains PO Box 177 Burlington VT 05402-0177 phone: (802) 865-9294 email: oitm@together.net EMAIL BOXES: calendar@vtpride.org events editor@vtpride.org reporting ads@vtpride.org advertising arts@vtpride.org art listings heaith@vtpride.org health issues youth@vtpride.org youth issues mpm@vtpride.org our publisher webguru@vtpride.org web into EDITORIAL Moes’ Parting Thoughts & Shots HRC SPEAKER POOR CHOICE FOR VERMONT MEETING 0 this is my final issue, and l have much I want to say about that, but first I need to get this off my chest: l am really disappointed that the VCLCR has invited Winnie Stachelberg to be the keynote speaker at the annual ”our” town meeting. Although this might be the only oppor- tunity for the HRC to find out where Vermont is. The HRC has stood out as an organization who is the domain primarily ofGay white men with a great deal of money who live in one of the three or four urban gay mec- cas. As for rural queers, forget it. As for anyone who doesn't have political clout or the cause du jour, face it you are out of luck. In the words of the former head of the HRC, Tim McFeeley, "I think the HRC is clearly defined as a white person's organization. HRC will not be as comfortable a place to black gay people as their own.” The H RC also has a pretty prominent history of running over local and grassroots organizations, both in their fundraising and their usurpation of local groups’ space/ profile/ media time. An excellent example of the work the HRC has done homogenizing us is when The HRC had the word Transgendered removed from the Employment Non Dis- crimination Act, or ENDA. The hope was that the removal of the word would make it more palatable to congress. But that shouldn't bother the VCLCR who hasn't even bothered to add Transgendered to their name let alone fight for legal protections of Transgendered people in Vermont. The HRC has also been instrumental in organizing the so called "Millennium March” on Washington. This march stands in Contrast to earlier marches on Washington in that it isn't being put together by a coalition of organizations as they had, but is instead the project of the HRC and the Metropolitan Community Churches. Troy Perry the leader of the gay evangelical church has presented this event as an opportunity forthe church to gain thousands of new members. The Millennium march has been attacked from all sides, by people who feel that our resources should be spent on a state level, to others com- plaining about the refusal of the organizers to work with othergroupsin shapingamore inclusive march. Many are of- fended by the theme ”Faith and l?'ar_rIily"‘ whicli ‘caters to a Christian and conservative aesthetic and message while excluding people who don't think only in the Family or Fear of God confines of white middle class America. Despite the division throughout the communities, the HRC and MCC steam forward. The HRC has never really done anything for rural people or for smaller cities, or really anyone outside the Chelsea, Dupont Circle, W. Hollywood, South End continuum. They are happy to take our money should they stumble across it but don't expect much of any- thing in return.The HRC is far more interested in Their fear- less leader Ann Birch having her lips firmly planted on Bill "DOMA” Clinton's ass. Bill Clinton who throws us an oc- casional bone, has seen perse- cutions against gay and Les- bian service members increase far beyond what it had been before his ”Don’t ask, Don't tell policy.” But you canguarantee that the HRC will be able to bring out a Transgendered per- son, or a person of color to sing its praises. It is far easier to find someone willing to do that then to actually make an effort to create an organization which speaks for anyone but the highest bidder. Mostofthelarge national organizations, like HRC or AlDSride are not interested in Vermonters or the well being of rural people. They are inter- ested in making money. The HRC has transformed the movement into one big mar- keting opportunity for their equality logo. if Vermont is going to survive the onslaught of a cal- culated right wing it is not go- ing to be by the likes of the HRC who couldn't organize a rural state if they were loggers. Just like AlDSride, GLBT Ver- monters are going to have to use our own precious re- sources, and protect those re- sources from being drawn out by savvy PR outfits like AlDSride or the HRC. GOOD-BYE want to take a minute and thank everyone who has been so helpful and gra- cious to me and OITM over the last year and a half. its true that when something goes wrong I generally get the blame, but at the same time when things go well l generally get the credit. But the truth is that this paper is and continues to be a project of the C-LBT community of Ver- mont and neighboring regions, and it is the energy, the intelli- gence and the compassion of this community that makes this paper something we should all be proud of. ’ I am not worried about :the future of this paper, be- cause it will be run by the cre- ative and thoughtful energy of Barb Dozetos and many volun- teers, under the guidance of a Mountain Pride Media Board which is really the finest and most professional group of people I have ever seen as- sembled under one goal. With Bennett Law in the president's chair and his selfless dedica- tion to the diverse needs of our statewide community, I can't imagine a more optimistic fu- ture. Editing this paper has far too many to name, and it has taken me across and up and down this state. I have a new appreciation for places like Bennington and Rutland and St. Johnsbury. In each of these towns and cities and so many others I have met GLBT people working and living, and who are an integral part of their local communities and part of a larger GLBT network that is very much a commu- nity, one which few people re- alize its actual size. There is a wealth of people in this com- ‘great many incredible people, brought me in contact with a GOODBYE,p20 ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE MOUNTAIN PRIDE MEDIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS To Out in the /\/lourzhziirs’ Readers: CHRIS MOES MOVES ON The October issue is the last for Chris Moes as Editor of Out in the Moiirrtaiirs. During his year-long tenure, Chris worked tirelessly to advance the paper in a number of areas, always through a ’round—the—clock dedication to participat- ing in and reaching out to Vermont's GLBT community. It's easy to reel off a list of visible, concrete improve- ments implemented by Chris and his band of volunteers dur- ing the past year, among them: Most noticeably, Chris helped update the look of the paper to a more visually stimulating, engaging periodical. Not only are there a host of new, regular columnists (including clergy and a psychologist), but Health & Fitness and Arts & Entertainment sections have been introduced into the paper in an effort to address additional aspects of our lives. The classifieds have been revitalized, and gender par- ity has been achieved among cartoons! Through Chris’ efforts, the number of drop—off sites has tripled. We are now printing 6000 copies each month, which are distributed to subscribers and through 250 drop-off sites around the state and throughout New England (and even in Washington, DC, where it has been reported that the paper fetches $1.00 a copy for its vendor). Monthly ad revenues from the paperjumped to as high as $3000, providing the funds needed to provide limited sti- pends to a couple of the volunteers without whom the paper would not be completed each month. But for all his energy and dedication to producing a monthly paper, Chris’ greater contribution has been to ar- ticulate and advocate for a loftier vision of Out in the Moun- tairrs before the Mountain Pride Media board. Chris has pushed endlessly to move us all away from comparing the paper to its former self in favor of visualizing the paper of the future, and has instigated efforts to map a plan for realiz- ing that future. Not only does Chris leave a legacy of ad- vancements at the paper, but through his insightful and dogged recruitment of board members, he will have a last- ing impact on Mountain Pride Media. All of us at Mountain Pride Media extend our thanks and gratitude to Chris for living his commitment to our community. NEW EDITOR NAMED Next month, Barbara Dozetos, who has served as Copy Editor during the past six months, steps up to be the paper's next editor. Readers know her as the author of the monthly column ”Progeny,” exploring the issues specific to GLBT par- ents and their children. We at Mountain Pride Media know her as an energetic, enthusiastic woman passionate about con- tinuing to build Out in the Moimtaiizs as a constructive instru- A MESSAGE, p20