Baker new PAC chair
Bill seeks to amend
immigration law
A hill to remove provisions of the US
immigration laws that permit exclusion of
aliens on the basis of sexual orientation
and political ideology has been introduced
into the US House of Representatives.
Sponsor Rep. Barney Frank of Massa­
chusetts, whom The Advocate is now
referring to as “ openly gay,” says the cur­
rent law is “ simply inconsistent with our
role as the defender of freedom in the
world.”
Undercurrent law, individuals may be
barred from entry or immigration to the US
if they are gay (defined by INS as a patho­
logical disorder) or if they espouse politi­
cal views unpopular with the US govern­
ment, according to the New York Times. •
Catastrophic coverage to
include AIDS (maybe)
Designer Lez
President Reagan has endorsed plans to
offer an expansion of Medicare to cover
the costs of catastrophic illnesses. While
the Administration’s plans are limited to
coverage of senior citizens, only members
of Congress have vowed to amend the pro­
gram to include citizens of all ages.
Rep. Paul Waxman of California said on
National Public Radio that the plan, which
is expected to find broad support in Con­
gress, would be expanded to include others
than just senior citizens. Waxman specifi­
cally cited AIDS patients as a group that
would benefit from expanded Medicare
coverage.
•
Readers of two Ohio newspapers were
treated to an ad featuring a photograph of
two women lying on a bed, gazing at each
other. The text of the ad reads: “ The stuff
fairy tales are made of . . . My happily-
ever-after . . . just look at her. My spirit
soars at the mere sight. . . Only Christian
Dior for my princess.”
Apparently the text was meant to run
under a photo of a man and a woman, but
at the last moment the photo of the two
women was substituted to display the wo­
men’s sleepwear. The text was not
checked for “ appropriateness,” according
t
to the Gay Community News.
Right Step Kecoxen ”
V nir right step to recoxerx
The federal government has begun
anonymous testing for the AIDS virus in
five hospitals nationwide, in order to ob­
tain a representative sample to determine
the percentage of the population that has
been exposed to AIDS. The blood samples
are not labelled with the patients’ names,
nor is permission requested. No attempt
will be made to contact those whose blood
tests positive to HIV antibodies.
California’s strict laws preserving
anonymity in HIV tests are interfering with
that state’s cooperation in the national
sampling.
Meanwhile, the Center for Disease
Control (CDC) has recommended, as part
of AIDS prevention programs, that all
hospital admissions and applicants for
marriage licenses be tested for the HIV
antibodies. The testing program would
identify those who have been infected with
HI V so they could be counselled about risk
reduction, according to the CDC.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force opposes the program, claiming that
mandatory testing would drive people
Harry Britt, openly gay City Supervisor
from San Francisco is running for Con­
gress and will attend a fundraiser in Port­
land sponsored by the Right to Privacy
PAC. The fundraiser is tentatively set for
March 13, place to be announced.
Britt is running for the seat left vacant
by the death of Sala Burton. Britt was
elected to the San Francisco Board of
Supervisors following the assassination of
Supervisor Harvey Milk. Also running for
the congressional seat is Nancy Belosi,
who was instrumental in dismantling the
Lesbian and Gay Caucus of the Democratic
Party. Belosi has been endorsed by San
Francisco Mayor Diane Feinstein. Cali­
fornia’s 5th District has one of the largest
lesbian and gay populations in the US. •
Where do I apply?
“ The Reagan Administration an­
nounced details today on a sweeping drug­
detecting program that will require about a
million Federal workers to submit urine
samples under strict controls to prevent
cheating, including direct observation of
urination in some cases,” New York Times
2/20/87.
Didn’t this used to be called something
else?
Government fears of wide-scale cheat­
ing on drug tests are apparently well
founded. For example, a woman living in
a Midwest city reportedly needed more
than $50,000 last year selling urine sam­
ples. (That’s good old American free en­
terprise, worthy of Hero of the [Reagan]
Revolution, Second Class, I’d say.)
•
Phone sex jerked
“ 976” telephone numbers have been
shut down by Mountain Bell in New Mex­
ico, due to alleged misuse by callers. A
spokesperson for Ma Bell said the “ Abu­
sive and sexually suggestive language”
and complaints from parents whose
children have run up huge phone bills
forced the decision to terminate the service,
according to The Advocate.
•
Clarice Johnston, DMD
2 T 3 - 3 A 9 9 ■ 1
230
N E - 20th
(Txvo blocks North of Burnside)
h»r mt< intuì inti t .ill milMth thrrgtm
800 221*9053
• I reatment explained and discussed
*
621*3201 r:::
| ”i » n \ \ k
m
IM»nsRi.,td h.nland
• Nitrous oxide
• Flexible payment plans
• New patients welcome
'**_• s|
A cbemkaldepeiukvc) treatment center jar th e#y and lesbian cmnmumty
Just Out 6 March. 1987
This month's testing news
vrsA
«
Britt due in Portland
Full service dentistry for adults and children
Gay and lesbian
relationships get crazy
around drugs and alcohol
j i h I taking the right step to rccou-n could
make the difference Kiulu Step Kecoxen l’rm*rum
offers xou the help to change chemicallx dependent
relationships into rewarding ones
John Baker has been elected chair of the
Right to Privacy Political Action Commit­
tee. Baker, a Portland native, is a founding
member of the PAC, which began in 1981.
Baker plans to consolidate the strengths of
the PAC and to involve the gay community
at more levels of the political process dur­
ing his tenure as chair.
Keeston Lowery, stepping down as
chair, says he plans to remain the liaison to
Governor Neil Goldschmidt, Congressman
Les AuCoin, and other elected officials.
The Right to Privacy PAC was the eighth
most successful political action committee
in Oregon last year in terms of dollars
raised, reports the Oregonian. Right to
Privacy garnered $39,444 for state candi­
dates. Funds raised for national candidates
are not included.
Baker and Lowery recently attended a
meeting of West Coast Gay Rights PACs
in Palm Springs. After attending the meet­
ing, Baker said the Right to Privacy is
among the three most sucessful gay PACs
on the West Coast in terms of dollars raised. •
away from public health programs.
And presumably from marriage.
O pen days, even in gs and Saturdays