1990 Census: Whether "they" Like It Or Not, We Exist!
All members of the community are urged to attend the events marking the celebration of Lesbian and Gay Men's Awareness Week, sponsored each year by the Lesbian-Gay Men's Rights Organizing Committee at U-M. Rallies, workshops, films, and other events are scheduled for March 24 through April 1. Please call 763-4186 for details.
The 1990 U.S. Census could have a significant impact on issues affecting lesbians and gay men, according to Ivy Young, Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce's Lesbian and Gay Families Project. For the first time ft history, the U.S. Census Bureau has added the category "unmarried partner" to the "relationship" section of the census questionnaire. This may be the Bureaus attempt to achieve an accurate count of the number of heterosexual couples living together without "benefit of marriage," but by simple deduction, the Bureau will also be able to determine the number of same-sex couples living together in presumably committed relationships.
This calculation raises issues of governmental intrusion into individual privacy. Therefore we need to consider our options about responding to the Census. An individual decision to boycott the Census would be understandable, but a preponderance of boycotting will lead to a gross undercount of same-sex couples and a skewed statistical profile - a continuation of our invisibility. Let's all consider carefully what we have to lose by being truthful - and what we stand to gain. We need to have our relationships and our families recognized, both informally and officially. Our struggle for our rights can only be helped by as accurate a count as possible of our families. Whether "they" like it or not, we exist!
Gay Liberation's Purpose is to provide information, counseling, and related social services for people concerned about sexual orientation.
Community Service include a Hotline: crisis intervention, peer counseling, referral. Education: workshops and conferences on lesbian and gay male concerns, with an emphasis on how people in the "helping professions" and "teaching professions" can work positively with lesbian and gay male clients, patients, & students. Speakers Bureau: phone for information. Human & Civil Rights: information and referral to help people who are being discriminated against because of their actual or presumed sexual orientation or because of their presumed "cross-gender" characteristics; lobby ing for human and civil rights. Community Organizing: information and assistance in organizing groups, setting goals, addressing conflict, linking with other groups and resources.
Gay Liberation Meetings vary according to purpose; we do most of our work in subcommittees (counseling, groupwork, education, civil rights). Call for time and place. Gay Liberation includes UM students, staff, and faculty, and people from the larger community. We have a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer We're a registered non-profit organization.
Gay Liberation, c/o 4117 Michigan Union, Ann Arbor, Ml 48109, info: 763-4186; holline: 662-1977.