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Gay Is Beautiful!

Gay Is Beautiful! image
Parent Issue
Day
4
Month
February
Year
1972
OCR Text

This year, the gay movement pressured the UM into hiring two student assistants to work on behalf of gay students and groups. Since the spring of 1971 we have been demanding professional University staff people to represent gay interests. As a result of this campaign by members of the Gay Liberation Front and Radical Lesbians, two gay people are finally spending taxpayers' money in an effort to end discrimination against gay people.

Radical Lesbians and the GLF were recognized as student organizations in the spring of 1970. However, the University administration proved itself resistant to acknowledging the legitimacy of gayness. A request for a Midwest conference of gay people was denied by University President Robert Fleming, although he allowed a gay dance, the first in a series, to be held at the Union. The campaign for fulltime salaried gay advocates, directed by a group of gay people and liberal University staff, finally reached a compromise in late October with the hiring of program assistants Cyndi Gair and Jim Toy. The creation and filling of the positions may be nothing more than a liberal move to institutionalize and co-opt the energies and anger of gay people. Whatever may be the University's hope of keeping its "gay advocates" in the institutional closet, Jim and Cyndi intend to use this opening to the fullest advantage.

With the limited funds available to the them, Cyndi and Jim hope to function as peer advisors to gay persons, liaison between gay people and the straight community, program builders, a clearinghouse for gay activities and information of local and national interest, and advocates for freedom from sexual repression.

In particular, we would like to see the creation of a gay community center. Presently we operate a gay coffee house at Canterbury on Friday evenings, but this is only a beginning. We hope that persons who do not feel able to express their gayness openly will contribute to the founding of a center.

The gay help line continues its service to troubled gay people. At our request members of the University counseling service will help us solve problems that arise during phone and face-to-face counseling. We have been able to find four professional counselors whom we trust, and consequently will refer people to these counselors upon request.

Rap sessions for persons new to Ann Arbor or who are beginning to "come out" as gay people are continuing. Informal raps occur at Canterbury, and ongoing groups meet at private homes or on campus.

Gay people devote much of their time to the education both of themselves and of straight people in matters pertaining to gayness, sex roles, sexual oppression, and sexuality in general. We often rap with students in psychology and sociology, both within classes and outside the education machine. We have had some fine raps with high school students and will be doing more.

As a long-term goal, we hope to establish some kind of gay studies program at the University and would like to see gayness discussed openly in high school sex education courses.

We plan to sponsor a mid-west gay conference on campus in April and will probably run into interference from the University administration. Should this occur, we hope for support from our straight sisters and brothers.

As of January 1, persons 18 and above will be able to drink in public taverns. The gay bar situation in Ann Arbor is bad at best - all gay people are exploited by the atmosphere that obtains here and in bars generally. When we determine how to move on this particular front we will ask for your help. Gay liberation means straight liberation! No one is free until we are all free! (People who would like information about gay activities or help with gay problems can call Cyndi or Jim at 763-4182 or drop by the Office of Special Services, 3rd floor, South Wing, Michigan Union. Don't be put off by the institution - we're working for the people!)