RFD Issue 61 Spring 1990

No. 61

o u n t r y Jo u r n a l

LOR @AY HEN EVERYWHERE

While our Dear Love of Comrades Calendar for 1990 was an artistic and critical success-lots of good reviews in the gay press across the country!-it wasn't as profitable a fundraiser for RFD as we had hoped. In debating whether or not to produce another calendar for 1991 we have decided to turn to you our subscribers and readers. To what degree do you encourage and support us in these publishing efforts beyond the production of our quarterly journal?

The major cost of the calendar was its printing. Since the calendar had no subscription or advertising base to offset that expense, we are considering ways to finance it.

CALENDAR SUBSCRIPTIONS??

While we don't expect our readers to subscribe to a calendar, we were gratified by the response to the gift subscription offer: you give a gift subscription of RFD to a friend; we give you a free calendar. Lots of you said "Yes" to that. So we are willing to continue that offer through 1990.

Our goal is 100 new subscribers every quarter. That will mean 10% of you each quarter must elect to turn a friend on to RFD. It’s a gamble we ask each of you to make for us. If we fall too far short of that goal in this first quarter, then we may not have generated enough money to produce a calendar for 1991. Then we would have only a 1990 calendar to send you. That won't help you to follow the 1991 seasons, but you will get 14 great photos by 6 talented photographers.

DEAR LOVE OF COMRADES MEMORIALS A second way to underwrite the calendar's expense and make it even more an expression of its thematic title is the plan for "Memorial Panels” to be incorporated into the 1991 calendar. Are there special friends or lovers who have died whom you would like us to remember? Together we can make the calendar into a "Quilt" of remembrance.

For $30 you can reserve a memorial space this size for one of your dearly loved comrades:

nal for gay men which focuses on country living and encour­ ages alternative life-styles.

Articles often explore the building of a sense of commu­ nity, radical faerie conscious­ ness, the caring for the en­ vironment, as well as sharing gay men's experiences.

Editorship responsibility is shared between the Department Editors and the Managing Edi­ tors. The business and general production is centered at Short Mountain Sanctuary in rural middle Tennessee.

Features are often prepared in various places by different groups.

RFD (ISSN 0149-709X) is pub­ lished quarterly for S15 per year by Short Mountain Collec­ tive, Rt. 1, Box 84A, Liberty, TN 37095. Second class post­ age is paid at Liberty, TN and additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: send address chan­ ges to RFD PO Box 68, Liberty, TN 3709*5 ISSN # 0149-709X USPS # 073-010-00

Minimally we suggest the copy includes the friend's name, year of birth and death, maybe a favorite quote or expression, maybe "In loving mem ory..." or maybe a picture of a Quilt panel you or friends already have created.

SLIDING-SCALE REMEMBRANCE For a suggested donation of $10 or whatever you can afford- No one will be refused remembrance for lack of money!-we will include the name of your deceased comrade in a special group panel designed by the RFD staff artists. And if you want a larger remembrance space, just make your request. With a $10 or more contribution to this project we will also send you the calendar for free.

DECISION DATE: MAY 10 All requests for "Remembrance Panels" must be received by May 10. Please include with your request either your camera ready copy or all the words you wish us to compose into an attractive design.

If by mid May we have a good response to these two ideas, then we will proceed with a Dear Love of Comrades Calendar for 1991. The continuation of this project is very much dependent upon your interest and participation.

BARGAIN CLOSE Copies of the 1990 Dear Love of Comrades Calendar are NOW available at HALF PRICE: $5 for 1 or 3 for $10 Great belated gifts for friends!

Non-profit tax exempt status under #23-7199134 as a func­ tion of Gay Community Social Services, Seattle Washington.

MEMBER: CCLM (Coordinating Council of Literary Magazines) IGLA (Int'l Gay & Lesbian Assoc.)

INDEXED by Alternative Press Media PO Box 33109 Baltimore, MD 21218

@ Gary Plouff Self-Portrait

contributors Kat Asboth................ ^10,50 Mo Banan.................. 16 Jla Bell.................. 26 Jack Dav is................ 29 Terry DeLieont............ 49 Stephen Fowlkes........... FC Donald Fox................ 15 Agnes de Garron........... 10 Green jeans................ 6 Sean Hennessey............ 36 Glen Hopkins.............. 44 Albert J.T. Jones......... 18 Rudy Kikel................ 29 D. S. Lawson............... 29 Peter Manale.............. 22 Buddy May................. 19 M. S. Montgoeery........... 29 Moonhawk.................. 20 Michael O'Maily........... 24 Gary PIouf f.... ............1,31-34, BC Bill of Southern Illinois..50 Michael Swift............. 25 Eric Tor.................. 35 Aliza Luick-Thraes........ 30

1 AGING

llA T R IB E The

P U B L I SHEERS. Short. M o u n t a i n C o l l e c t i v e

VOLUNTEER

DEPARTMENT

EDI T O R S

Book Reviews - Garland Terry TX Brothers Behind Bars - Len Richardson OR Gardening - Greenjeans TN Gatherings - Herean Strumpf OH Kitchen Queen - Buddy May GA Lunar Calendar - Moonhawk GA Music - Glen Mitroff WI Poetry - Steven Riel MA Spirituality - Paul Maier KY FEATURE Raging Foreign Diatribe The Pink Label Group - Canada ERONT COVER Stephen Fowlkes B # = *C K

C O V E R

Gary P 1ou ff

translation from Back Cover: the Sun conjunct with the Ram in its house at the tilting of the balance in the Spring/ the Festival of celebration of the First of the Year/ and religious rites of the New Year are to take place/ the Watcher Stone at sunrise is illuminated by the Sun/

contents / index FOR DIALOGUE AND ESSAYS China On My Mind For Reasons of State Out With the Hillbillies Body Images and Such BOOK REVIEWS After the Ball BROTHERS BEHIND BARS In Prison and a Homophile CONTACT LETTERS EMVIROMMEMT EEATURE Raging Foreign Diatribe Introduction Conversation Contact Nettie Quiche Radical Faeries, Why So Few of Color?

Canadian Humor Thistle Soup City Quests GARDENIMG GATHERIMGS HEALTH HUMOR Church Ladies For Choice Wally’s Secret KITCHEM QUEEM

1 3 2 €> a /\ a

5 o 2 2 2 2 1 *7 I S 5 1

Jim Bell

Jay Hatheway Terry DeLimont Bill of Southern I Peter Manale Albert J.T. Jones

3 5 3 5 3 e> 3 €> 3 ^ 3 <3 a o a i a l a 2 €>

Green jeans

1 O 1 2 15 15 1 €> 1 ^

Donald Fox Mo Banian Buddy May

a

LUMAR

CALENDAR M E D IA RHOTOGRARMIC EEATURE ROETRY Friendship Parts Nice Testicles Poet Retracing An Obscene Crime SPIRITUALITY Isis, Astarte et al God, a Poet and Playwright

2 O

Moonhawk

3 1 2 9 2 ^ 2 <3 2 <9 2 <3 3 O 2 a 2 a 2 5

Gary Plouff M.S. Montgomery Rudy Kikel D.S. Lawson Jack Davis Aliza Luick-Thrams Michael 0"Mally Michael Swift

LE T T E R S

TO

FvF D Hi

y a ' 11,

H o p e a l l is w e l l f o r y o u .

(Also, I've been so busy that time has not been permitting, but I s h o u l d take this o c c a ­ s ion to tell y o u that S h o r t M o u ntain has done an absolutely Job with RFD. You f o l k s h a v e fa r s u r p a s s e d any e x p e c t a t i o n s t h a t I h a d at R u n n i n g W a t e r w hen the d e c i ­ sion was made for you to take RFD. Everything about the mag s a y s new m o t i v a t i o n , energy, spirit.

Content, graphics, photos, etc.

I really need to tell y o u how m u c h y o u are appreciated.

And as if heaps of praise for the mag weren't enough, I was b 1 ow e d away ( i s n ' t t h a t y o u y o u s a y it down there?) by the calendar!

I know how much work goes into this stuff. a veteran a c t i v i s t of 15 y e a r s , I've been through the endless work.

I just want you folks to know how RFD sustains us out here, and how much I appreciate all of your work.

Much

love,

Ted Bohn Newfane,

Dear B r o t h e r Faeries, Dear RFD,

At

T h i s is not a c o n t a c t l e t t e r as y o u c a l l it.

T h i s is a letter of complaint and d i s a p ­ pointment.

Y o u r J o u r n a l and g r o u p is not like I e x p e c t e d it w o u l d be.

I s uppose most of the blame for my m i s u n d e r ­ standing of y our group goes to "Advocate M a n . " Their article about you didn't fully explain e v e r y t h i n g ab o u t y o u r g r o u p and I w a s m i s l e a d [ s i c ] into thinking it w a s something else.

I r e a l l y d i d n ' t care for the content of y our J o u r ­ nal a f t e r r e a d i n g it.

It is no_t w h a t I'm l o o k i n g for.

I w a s e x p e c t i n g a g r o u p that h e l p s g a y s w h o live in small to w n s or r u r a l a r e a s to get together.

A f t e r r e a d i n g the contact letters in the back of your Jour n a l I could only [sic] one other guy who lives in Illinois and he isn't even my type.

What I would really like is my m o n ey back.

I'd be m o r e t h a n g l a d to s e n d the c o p y of the "C o u n t r y J o u r n a l [ s i c ] that y o u s ent me.

It h o l d s no i n t e r e s t for me now or in the f u t u r e .

I know I proba b l y won't hear from you but I decided to write anyway.

I can't see any sense to c o n ­ tinue receiving something that I don't want.

Please send me a l e t t e r t e l l i n g me y o u w ill mai l me my F i f t e e n d o l l a r s back in exchange for my m a i l ­ ing b ack the "J o u r n a l " that y o u s ent me.

I ’m s u r e there are others who would enjoy it immensely.

t h a n k y o u a l l ( o r is t h a t you'll southern familiar) for th e k i n d e s t a n d a s s i s t a n c e t h a t y o u ' v e e x t e n d e d to me over the last year.

By g r a n t ­ ing me a free subscription you h a v e a l l o w e d m e to k e e p my dignity and help me to keep my identity (even though the a d m i n i stration at this fac i l i ­ ty has tried it damest to stop me!)

Through RFD I have kept in t o u c h w i t h the e v e r c h a n ­ g i n g w o r l d in w h i c h we share this e x i s t e n c e .

A l t h o u g h at times it has been most hard on me, that is the l o n e l i n e s s , and the l ack of lov e and u n ­ d e r s t a n d i n g f r o m one such as we are, R F D h as m a d e some of the hard times a little soft­ er.

The last m a gazine send to me w a s m a r k e d "last issue," t h u s I m u s t a d m i t t h a t the party is over and that until I can afford this luxury I must do without.

For at this fed­ eral f a c i l i t y , p o s i t i o n s of e m p l o y m e n t are v e r y r a r e and th o s e that are to be had pay the b a r e s t of m o n i e s (in my case a total of $^_AA £« hour , w h i c h d o e s n o t g o v e r y far with 1989 prices for the sun­ d r y i t e m s t h a t t h e y do not

Sincerely yours, T. B.

VT

E d . n ote: Of c o u r s e we r e ­ funded his money.

RFD is not for e v e r y o n e .

Shalom Dear Faeries: Ge n 11eme n : I e n j o y r e a d i n g R F D and h ave ( A ££ A AZ. d e c i d e d to s u b s c r i b e to your witty, wonderful m a g a ­ zi n e ! !!! !

By the way, h a v e you done any articles on f a e r i e s w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s or those of us w h o m a i n t a i n our Jewish identities???

To be J e w i s h and a f a e r i e m a y s e e m incompatible, but, then it may

not.

I

depends

on

how

one

v i e w s things.

As long as we are in harmony with nature, I d o n ' t t hink the tvo are that different!

We need each other!!!!!

Sincerely, Alan Zamochn ick Philadelphia, PA

A f u n n y t h i n g h a p p e n to me t his week.

A f r i e n d of m i n e f r o m A u s t r a l i a m a i l e d me a copy of your RFD magazine.

As I looked over summer no. 58 I found out that it was printed h e r e in the S t a t e s .

At any r a t e I e n j o y e d it v e r y much.

I would enjoy more contact ads and s o m e p h o t o s .

All in all y o u h a v e a g o o d and s i n c e r e magazine.

Sincerely,

this

su p p ly.)

a

I would

It

goes

like

to

without

s a y i n g t h a t y o u h a v e been g e n erous and kind to allow me the opportunity to enjoy that which has been denied me dur­ ing my two ye a r s of incarcera­ t i o n ........ p r i d e a n d hope.

Once

again

many

heart

felt

thanks, brother faeries for I will remember all of the k i n d ­ est s h o w n me, fo r I w i l l not be locked away forever and in a y e a r or so I w i l l h a v e my freedom.

U n t i l then m a y all that y o u do be as s w e e t and enjoyable as you have been to me.

M a y the s p i r i t of life a b o u n d in all y o u do always, with love and understanding.

Jayson M. Har r i s Fort Worth, TX

The mag is fab.

But--why the W o o land article on p. 38 about better os?

"Without feeling the touch of a lady 's hand. " This stuff is P USH ED at us 24 hours a da y e v e r y w h e r e else.

I do not_ w a n t to s e e it in R F D ■ Are the editors asleep?

Love ya.

A friend

R. Thomas Ches an i n g , MI

time

Dear RFD,

Hi Guys,

Dear Editor,

Daveen Gurleen’s "Faerie Action Shopping Spree" review (Winter ’89 RFD) was fab beyond belief!

I was so ex­ cited by reading it that I bit through my strand of pearls.

I hope to see more RFD Chroni­ cles of faerie Glamour-inAction.

R F D is l o o k i n g g r e a t and y o u g u y s are d o i n g a w o n d e r f u l job.

I am v e r y p l e a s e d to k n o w it is in c a p a b l e a n d caring hands.

It continues to s e r v e a v a l u a b l e s e r v i c e to ou r c o m m u n i t y and a k i n d of "window" of our culture to the general society.

K eep it up!

Hugs,

In L e t t e r s , # 5 9 , I w a s no t complaining about the 10-point type.

The point system, 72 to the inch, is u s e d to m e a s u r e the he of ty p e .

This machine and virtually all s t a ndard typewriters have 10point t y p e .

1 objected to the

Love, Paddywacks of Chic., II.

Ron Lambe Asheville,

NC

P.S. Do any of those Minneapolis girls need dates?

Dear faerie

To

the RFD people:

Your magazine is such a unique and p o s i t i v e p i e c e of w o r k I don 't k n o w ho w it m a n a g e d to e s c a p e my attention until recently.

(I pride mys e l f on keeping abreast of s u c h writing.)

Anyway, a friend recently shared Issue #60 with me, a n d I f e l t an u r g e to write and tell you how much I e n j o y e d it.

I e n j o y e d the e c l e c t i c v a r i e t y in the a r ­ t i c l e s , a n d th e u n d e r l y i n g a f f i r m a t i o n that ga y me n are more substantial creatures than the p e n i s - c e n t e r e d c o m ­ p u l s i v e s that g a y p u l p p u b ­ l i c a t i o n s s e e m to imply.

I like the combination of deeps e a t e d r u r a l v a l u e s and N e w Age consciousness reflected in the writing in RFD. One thing perplexed me, though, a nd m a y b e y o u can h e l p me u n d e r ­ stand it.

The frequent use of the term, "faerie," runs through the magazine.

Now, I was an E n g l i s h m a j o r in c o l ­ lege and did plenty of reading in the historical antecedents of our modern language.

But I can't get a fix on the meaning of that term.

It seems pretty c o m m o n l y u n d e r s t o o d by R F D r e a d e r s (I g a t h e r , f r o m its frequent use), but I don't get it.

Can you define it for me?

(Please d o n ' t th i n k I'm k i d ­ ding; I really don't know, and 1 want to . ) Hope to hear from you, and t h a n k s for being there.

Sincerely,

Larry Ruggieri Dayton, OH

^°w Bout it readers what does the term Radical Faerie mean to you?

friends,

Since certain books I've read have considerably influenced and e x p a n d e d m y f a e r i e c o n ­ sciousness, I began wondering which books other faeries feel have greatly enriched and deepened _tb£_ir faerie spirits.

I figured there must be a lot of relevant books I don't know a b o u t , so t h i s q u e r y is m y a t t e m p t to r e m e d y t h a t .

I hope you'll respond; I'll send you a compilation list of the books mentioned by o t h e r

faeries.

This

is

one

wa y

we

can help each other learn and g r o w a n d s p r e a d the f a e r i e magic!

The b o o k s o b v i o u s l y d o n ' t h a v e to be g a y - t h e m e d , but please list Just any book that m i g h t have in­ fluenced y ou in a general way,

but

only

those

books

that

directly or indirectly touched y our FAERIE SELF (whatever you take that to be).

The b o o k s might come from a wide variety of fields, such as s p i r i t u a l i ­ ty, a n t h r o p o l o g y , mythology, history, feminism, politics, sex, "children's" books, art/ m u s i c / d a n c e / t h e a t r e , poetry & f i c t i o n ,

humor,

fantasy

&

magic, etc., including c o m ­ b i n a t i o n s of these.

Please list the e x a c t title of the b ook and the a u t h o r ’s name.

If p o s s i b l e , a d d i t i o n a l info would be appreciated, such as a o n e - sentence description of the book (the book jacket can help you out), the p u b l isher's n a m e and a d d r e s s , etc.

This is e s p e c i a l l y I m p o r t a n t w i t h

books

that

are

obscure

or

difficult to find.

I hope to hear from you.

And thank you!

P.S. If you can send a stamp for the com pilation list, that will help.

Also, if you don't have book titles to share, but would still like a copy of the compilation list, please send a stamped envelope.

Thanks.

Bru Dye P.0. Box 1251 Canal Street Sta. N e w York, N Y 10013

5

1 0 ~ E 1 £. £ h

RFD

s e t t i n g .

P i t c h

m e a s u r e s the w±dt_h of type.

10-pitch, or 10 characters to the lateral inch, is virtually unr e a d a bl e , while 12-pitch, l i k e the p r e s e n t , is c o m ­ fortable.

T h e c o n t r a s t is e a s i l y s e e n in C a l l fo r D i a ­ logue #59.

My contribution is s e t in 1 0 - p i t c h , w h i l e the adjacent, much more readable c o n t r i b u t i o n of N i g h t Sky is set in the also more readable 12-pitch.

The t y p o g r a p h y is not the only contrast between the two p i e c e s .

Night Sky's d iscussion of man-boy love is the m o s t b r i l l i a n t a n d i n ­ s i g h t f u l I h a v e e v e r seen in any j o u r n a l , i n c l u d i n g the academic and scientific.

I am m o r e than tw i c e h i s age, yet my e x p e r i e n c e p o i n t s to the identical conclusions he

reaches.

Of

all

the

me n

and

y o u t h s I h a v e l o v e d or been 'in love' with, I have not had sex w i t h a n y .

I have slept w i t h a n u m b e r of t h e m .

If this sounds c o n t r a d i c t o r y , 11 is; it I n v o l v e s , as c a n be i m a g i n e d , n u m e r o u s n i g h t s of unfulfilled longing, but w i s e ­ ly and rightly so.

I wish the Night Sky article could s o m e ­ ho w be m a d e a v a i l a b l e to the national leadership of NAMBLA. Every good wish for continued success, and love from Art Dow ling Long Beach, CA

Ed note: In response to your appeal for a readable type, w e ’re working on it. This typewriter runs on four D cell batteries and allows us to get in those last minute hot flashes.

The other type is done many weeks in advance in a land far far away.

Dear Friends, I had recently been unable to renew my subscription because I’m retired and getting less and less with rising costs, but seeing your ad in NAMBLA reminds me of my enjoyment of RFD. Put me back on your list!

Love , Barron E. Wilson

Hi Guys!

Wow, another great issue!

The transition went pretty s m o o t h ­ ly, so it s e e m s .

You g u y s

never

let

us,

the

readers,

down.

T h a n k s so much.

Dave and I h a v e been g e t t i n g RF D since before we met, some 10+ years ago.

(We met through an RFD contact letter.)

We c e r ­ t a i n l y me t a lot of f r i e n d l y me n t h r o u g h the c o n t a c t l e t ­ t e r s o v e r the y e a r s .

I've even got an a m a z i n g s t o r y of how I met a couple of men from my area before they got around to a n s w e r i n g a l e t t e r we had written for the current issue.

I wa s d o w n at the local nud e beach and cruised over to sit w i t h these a t t r a c t i v e men at the far end.

They thought I s o u n d e d p r e t t y f a m i l i a r and c h e c k e d t h e i r R F D w h e n they got home and sure enough there wa s that g u y f r o m the b e a c h !

15 or more y ears difference in th e a g e s of the p e o p l e i n ­ volved.

I would appreciate h e a r i n g f r o m any R F D r e a d e r s

who

have

ever

engaged

in

transgeneration a 1 is m , and who would be willing to answer and r e t u r n a c o p y of a q u e s t i o n ­ naire.

Non-biased, discretion and anonymity are a s s u r e d , and y o u r h e l p is s i n c e r e l y r e ­ quested and appreciated.

B r i d w e 11 P.O. Box 543 Lynnwood, WA

98046

Dearest Arcadian Faeries!!

If you sent aail to Lavender Lieder at Running Water and have not heard froa us that is why. And, I would like to know about it.

Please giaae a subscription to RFD. I feel somewhat guilty for not getting one before this.

I’ve been reading RFD for years, but have been buy­ ing it froa bookstores with­ out realizing that this was less reaunerative for its pub­ lishers. Froa now on, it’s subscription only, I proaise!

There have been a few coaaents froa readers lately ex­ pressing dissatisfaction with the (perceived slant toward radical faerie concerns and/or natural religions.

(Also a few about 1ess-than-perfect editing.)

Heed thea not!

These are soae of the things I like so auch about RFD and 1 would be soaewhat perturbed if it were otherwise.

If I want aainstreaaed assiai1ationist, let’s join the yuppies crap, I can buy The Advocate or soae other siailar type rag. Or go to any local bar.

I enjoy quarterly reminders that there are soae people out in the heartland who know that the gay coaaunity in America could be and used to be, and should be auch more diverse and ex­ ploratory and joyous than it seems to be lately.

I say if anything, turn up the heat!

Do it in the streets and scare the horses. We need more Faerie Action Shopping Sprees.

Please write to ae directly froa now on.

I apologize for any inconveniences.

Remain Beautiful.

Naaas te, Cary

Ron Laabe 104 Trotter Place Asheville, NC. 28806

Dear E d i tors

We've

become

friends I would

since then.

Dave and like to submit another

contact

letter

c l o s e s t looking

of to

share our p l a c e w i t h a man desiring to experience what we have here.

Thanks so much for doing your part.

Keep up the good work !

Randy Krahn Bridgeville,

CA

Dear Friends, We advertised Lavender Lieder with the address of Running Water with the expectation that aail sent there would be forwarded.

The caretaker there has left and there is no indication that any of the aail sent there was kept.

I have not received anything since Hay 1989 other than one letter I happened on.

Sirs: I am a t t e m p t i n g to do a n o n b i a s e d s u r v e y on the s u b j e c t of transgeneratio na 1 is m ; that is, s e x u a l e x p e r i e n c e s an d relatio n s h i p s where there are

and Readers,

R F D is an e x c e l l e n t , highly respected magazine within gay and liberal communities alike.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , the N A M B L A ad p u b l i s h e d in R F D is u n d o i n g t he p o s i t i v e i m a g e t h a t so many gays and gay sympathizers h a v e s a c r i f i c e d so m u c h to build.

Hom o p h o b e s maintained that g a y s m o l e s t c h i l d r e n .

6

N A M B L A f e e d s that m i n d s e t .

Gay rights activists are p u t ­ ting t h e i r c a r e e r s , reputa­ tions, a n d — in m a n y in­ s t a n c e s — t h e i r _li. ves on the l i n e to e n s u r e t h a t h o m o ­ sexuals are not discriminated a g a i n s t in j o b s and housing.

NAM B L A is undoing their fine work by a d v o c a t i n g sexual r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h und e r a g e males.

R F D 's "Call for D i a ­ l o g u e " in r e l a t i o n to N A M B L A is valid journalism, and Night Sky's article in Issue 060 was excellent.

H o w e v e r , we at Ci.££j[e Ne^ivoric jVews believe that N A M B L A is not a c t i n g in t h e b e s t i n t e r e s t s of g a y rights.

T h e r e f o r e , we are canceling our exchange adver­ tising agreement with our Spring 1990 issue and ask that R F D r e f r a i n f r o m r u n n i n g the £±££l_e_ N £ £ w o r k N<sw£ ad until N A M B L A has ceased advertising in y our magazine.

Kris Aaron, Editor Circle N e t w o r k New s

erratum Dear Brothers, Several people have mentioned how much they like the colla­ boration between Adam Christiansen’s drawing and ray writting on page 26, Fall RFD, 1989. Adam did not do the drawing.

The pen drawing and the writing are mine and I’m pleased that you chose to use them. Thank you.

A 1 Jaeger

Here at RFD, while w e ’re busy with preparations for our Spring garden we are casting an eye to the season of set­ ting seed. We are contempla­ ting establishing an RFD Seed Exchange whereby you interes­ ted gardeners would send in seeds of one or more of your favorite plant friends.

We would then channel that seed to another gardener who had likewise sent us some seed.

Meanwhile you in turn would re­ ceive seed froa another garden­ er. At this point w e ’re inter­ ested in feedback and advice.

Do you have any input on such an adventure7 Shall we share, our seed? Please send respon­ ses to Greenjeans C/0 RFD.

SENATE HATE CRIMES In a 92-4 vote on February 8 the Democratically controlled U.S. Senate passed the Hate Crimes Statistics Act. The law calls •‘or the U.S. Department of Justice to compile and pub­ lish data on crimes that mani­ fest prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity. A diverse coali­ tion fought to prevent dele­ tion of sexual minorities.

The passage of the bill is a major victory over rabidly homophobic Senator Jesse Helms who was able to block passage of the bill last year with a filibuster. NGLTF was able mus­ ter enough cosponsers of the bill to block a filibuster this time around.

“For the first time in his­ tory, Congress has said it is a fundamental civil right to be able to walk down the street, go to our gathering places and on outings without getting gay-bashed - and to live fully in our society with­ out violence or defamation," National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Robert Bray said. from Gay Community News

NEW

JUDGES

CODE

Successful lobbying by the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association (NLGLA) caused the American Bar Association (ABA) to include a ban against dis­ crimination based on sexual orientation in its draft Model Code of Judicial Conduct.

Specific protection in the code means that lesbians and gay men can expect and demand fair treatment in the judicial system.

The code applied to judges throughout the country and sub jects them to discipline if they violate its ethical canons.

It will now send an

explicit message to judges that they will be held person­ ally accountable if they dis­ criminate against gay people.

The NLGLA Board of Directors, which is meeting in Los Angeles at the same time as the ABA, will continue to press for the inclusion of sexual orientation in the final Model Code of Judicial Conduct and for other legal protections for lesbians and gay men.

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND In the wake of the failure of San Francisco’s domestic partnership law on election day, the Human Rights Campaign Fund has decided to develop a nationwide family registry pro­ gram to build grass roots sup­ port for the concept of les­ bian and gay families.

"We can no longer wait for lesbian and gay men in long­ term loving relationships to be validated and acknowledged by this country’s legislative and political bodies," HRCF executive director Tim McFeeley stated in announcing plans for a National Family Registry.

"The lesbian and gay community is going to have to lay the groundwork first.”

"Many lesbians and gays have created true families, with strong bonds of love and com­ mitment that withstand soci­ ety’s pressures to destroy them. While we fight to broaden society’s definition of the family to encompass les­ bian and gay relationships, we must provide support and vali­ dation to our own community," McFeeley said.

"These family units are not limited to traditional domes­ tic partnerships or two-person couples," she noted.

“We want

to encompass a broader defini­ tion of family. While we re­ cognize that this is an ambi­ tious effort, we are committed to taking the steps needed to end discrimination against the families created py lesbians and gays," Stoll said.

The primary goals of the Registry will be as an educa­ tional tool to increase the visibility of lesbian and gay families and to recapture the term "family” from the right wing.

Beyond its utility as an educational tool, the National Family Registry will provide an alternative “insti­ tution" to conventional marri­ ages, providing recognition and support in the lesbian and gay communities for the rela­ tionships that are forged within it.

"It is clear that the general public has not yet moved to the point where it is willing to affirm lesbian and say fami­ lies," McFeeley commented.

"What we can do with the Registry is educate the public so that they will understand that many lesbians and gays have families which are as im­ portant to us as the families of heterosexuals are to them,” he continued.

Plans for the organization of the Registry are currently underway.

Lesbians and gays who would like to participate should contact Kathleen Stoll at HRCF in Washington, (202) 628-4160.

HRCF hopes to launch the National Family Registry on February 14, 1990, Valentine’s Day. Gay S p o u s e No G r o u n d s for An n u 1m e n t Latent homosexuality at the time of marriage does not con­ stitute grounds for annulment, the Vatican's court of appeals ruled recently.

The judges of the Sacred Roma Rota issued their decision in a case in which they decided that the husband’s hoiosexuality “does not exclude the pos­ sibility of a happy marriage."

Annulment is the process by which married Roman Catholics can restore themselves to their original position in the eyes of the church, just as if they had never been married.

This judgement fits in with recent church pronouncements about the distinction between a gay orientation, which is not a sin, and homosexual acts, which are.

FUNDIESFORBID G A M E S III Unnamed “Christian leaders who live in Greater Vancouver" shocked organizers of Celebration ’90: Cav Games III and Cultural Festival last month with full page ads in the city’s two major dailies calling for a shut down of the event: "We therefore with ail reverence and serious inten­ tion, m Christ's name, make a public statement: That because these games will bring God’s Judgement on us ail in this city, we therefore forbid them in the name and authority of Jesus Christ. We beleive that they shall not take place," said one section of the ads.

Negative reaction was swift: "These bigots aren’t fit to wash the feet of the women and men they have witlessly vili­ fied in their ads," commented John Dixon. President of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. Letters to the editors of the two news­ papers were overwhelmingly opposed to the ads, provoking a virtual apology from the Vancouver Sun, one of the two newspapers to run the ads: "We regret that it went unflagged as advertising and we unequivocally deplore its lack of signatures or attribution.

In addition, we consider its message repugnant," the re­ sponse read in part.

Shawn P. Kelly, Consulting Executive Director of the Games, commented: "To a large extent, these particular ads backfired. W e ’ve had a tremen­ dous outpouring of offers of volunteer and financial sup­ port because of them. But we are concerned about the abili­ ty of groups such as this to raise large amounts of money to try to stop us. We take any such threats from the funda­ mentalist right very serious­ ly, and we appeal to the inter­ national 1esbian/gay community to support us now."

Inquiries about Gay Games III and Culture Festival, to take place August 4-11, 1990, re­ garding participants, specta­ tors or donors, should be ad­ dressed to: Celebration '90, 1170 Bute St, Vancouver, B.C. V6E 1Z6.

FLORIDA

S-TORS

I - A B O R T I O N

D R IV E The Florida state legislature rebuffed Governor Robert Martinez’s (R) efforts to re­ strict abortion rights in the first special state legisla­ tive session since the Webster decision.

The Florida Senate Health and Rehabilitative Services Committee chaired by Eleanor Weinstock (D> voted down the anti-abortlon mea­ sures 9-3.

The full Senate failed to bring a restrictive bill to the floor by a 22-18 vote. Such a move to override the committee vote requires a two-thirds vote.

"In choosing Florida as the state to lead the anti-abor­ tion drive opponents made a big mistake," said Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority.

Florida leads the South and is 12th in the nation for the percentage of women in the state legislature.

Ninety percent of the women in the Florida Senate (9 out of the 10) voted for a woman’s right to choose abortion while two-thirds (20 of the 30) of the men voted to restrict abortion rights.”

8

R E A C H E D irsl E I RS>T SUIT UNDER THE IMEUI E E D E R ^ L _ IR h o u s i n g <*c:t The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois (ACLU) an­ nounced recently it has reached a settlement in the federal lawsuit it filed on behalf of Charles Baxter against the City of Belleville, Illinois.

The city had tried to prevent Baxter from opening a home for persons with AIDS or who are infected with the human immuno­ deficiency virus (HIV), which leads to AIDS. The resolution of this case should help stop housing discrimination based on AIDS. It makes clear there is a federal legal remedy for such discrimination, and anyone who commits such dis­ crim i nat ion- - inc 1ud ing govern­ ment bodies--will have to pay for their actions.

Judge Stiehl found that the conclusive medical evidence presented in a three-day hear­ ing showed “that persons who are HIV-positive pose no risk...to the community," and that the city’s refusal to grant a permit for HIV -infec­ ted persons was "based almost exclusively upon misapprehen­ sions about the spread of HIV." "Irrational hysteria and public panic cannot sup­ port activity that violates the Fair Housing Act and is clearly discriminatory,” Judge Stiehl concluded.

In the settlement, the city agrees that the "tenancy of an HIV-infected individual does not constitute a direct threat to the health and safety of other individuals." Hammell stated, "This is an extremely important precedent." Many other HIV-infected persons who encounter discrimination in housing or other areas can use this settlement in their ef­ forts to bring an end to such discrimination."

M ED IA

E N V IR ® N M E N T

SHORT STORX SOUGHT The James White Review, a na­ tional gay men’s literary quar­ terly has signed with Crossing Press to do a selection of their short stories to be pub­ lished in the Spring of 1991.

Writers interested in being a part of this collection can submit their short story, a limit of 25, double space pages, with an SASE until May 1 1990. Upon publication, Crossing will pay an honor­ arium to all the authors. Sub­ scriptions to The James White Review are $12.00 a year.

Inquiries can be addressed to The James White Review, PO Box 3356, Traffic Station, Minneapolis, MN. 55403.

HOLY

T IT C L A M P S

A new rag is available from the city that brought vou the Faerie Action Shopping Spree, Holy Titciamps called a "punk rock fag’zine," is humorous look at life. Write: Boxholder PO Box 3054, Minneapolis MN 55403.

R^DISH Startup Radical Fairy Magazine Leo Ayers 584 Castro St. Box 321 S.F. CA 94114 415/922-7370

HEAD

R E E S X GfSlS Christina Orr-Cahill the direc­ tor of the Corcoran Gallery of Art resigned recently shortly before the trustees were to vote on whether to fire her.

Ms. Orr-Cahill came under fire when she chose to cnacel the critically acclaimed Robert Mapplethorpe exhibet because of its homoerotic and S and M nature. Even after the gallery apologized for its actions criticism continued. Artist’s boycotts caused the cancella­ tion of two exhibets and ar­ tist Lowell Nesbit withdrew a bequest of more than $1 million.

BOYCOTT

TU M ^

Friends of Animals is calling for a more widespread boycott of the Tuna industry. Dolphins and Yellowfin tuna swim togeth­ er so when the nets are thrown to catch the tuna the dophins get entangled in the nets and are unable to surface to get air to breathe so they strug­ gle in desperation until they drown. More than 500,000 dol­ phins have died in the past two years alone. To date, the commercial tuna industry has refused to take serious steps to reduce the carnage. So the killing of dolphins goes on.

Please stop buying and eating tuna todav. For more informa­ tion contact: Friends of Animals, PO Box 1244, Norwalk, CT 06856.

STYROFOAM

WARS

McDonald’s Vice President of Environmental Affairs got a surprise along with his morn­ ing mail last spring when thou­ sands of citizens sent all the styrofoam they could collect directly to his office. The action was part of the Virginia-based Citizen’s Clearinghouse for Hazordous Waste (CCHW) McToxics Campaign, an effort to call attention to the 1.5 billion cubic feet of styrofoam used in McDonalds’ packaging annu­ ally. The issue pits preserva­ tion of the environment against the necessity of a bur­ ger package that "keeps the hot side hot and the cold side cold. “ Many consider the manufactur­ ing of a styrofoam product with a life span of ten min­ utes from counter to trash an example of corporate behavior at its most frivolous. If in­ dustry's that determine pro­ duct availability choose to make such decisions, returning their styrofoam to them is just one of many creative-and legal- tactics citizens might want to make use of.

9

The McToxics campaign will con-tinue “until McDonald’s caves in," and encourages continual citizen participation. Styro-foam products may be sent to: Mr Shelby Yastrow, Vice President of Environmental Affairs, The McDonald’s Corporation. One McDonald’s Plaza, Oak Brook, IL 60521. For additional information, contact CCHW at PO Box 926, Arlington VA 22216 703/276-7070. Another way to draw attention is when you receive something in the mail packed with styrofoam send the popcorn back to the company and say you will not order from them again if they continue to ship with styrofoam.

EARTH

DOV

1 <?<?0

April 22 marks the 20th anni­ versary of the first Earth Day, credited for being the springboard for the modern day environmental movement, with the earth being closer than ever to an environmental holo­ caust, organizers are calling for the largest public aware­ ness of the plight of our world. Denis Haves, chairper­ son of the Earth Dav Coalition points out “Environmental con­ cerns are gut issues, survival issues. We as Homo sapiens are uniauelv designed for this world and are inextricabiv linked to it. As the earth sickens, so do we." Some of the programs planned for Earth Dav are: planting a billion trees, evervone is encouraged to plant and care for one tree: teach-ins: urban gather­ ings, parades conferences and demonstrations: religious events: wearing of the green to demonstrate solidarity in concern for the fate of our planet. To find the Earth Day coordinator nearest you. contact: Earth Dav 1990 Coali­ tion. PO Box AA. Stanford Uni­ versity, CA 94305. or call 415/321-1990.

taken from EE The Environment­ al Magazine. A great new maga­ zine. $20 for six issues.

Write EE Subscriptions, PO Box 6667, Syracuse, NY 13217

MAY GATHERING IN MINNESOTA

NORTHEAST E ^ E R I EES E G >'•. ’ • A h v J i t

Minnesota's governor has proclaimed 1990 the Year o f the Polka'. In keeping with this theme, Kawashaway Sanctuary has planned a gangbusters show for the F irst A nnual K aivash aw ay Sprin g G athering a n d P o lk a fe st (FAKsGAP), slated for May

25-29 The annual Kawashaway Sanctuary Gathering earns its reputation as Minnesota's best faerie Polkafest by offering wooden dance floors, friendly accomodations (tent sites only) and five days and nights filled to overflowing with faerie magic! Gathering-goers will also get a chance to experience the exciting polka in an entirely different way.

Knowing th a t faerieness and polka-ing both involve the heart as well as the dancing feet, Whilmena Pipkinski and her Screaming Accordion hope to set hearts a puinping in time to polka music with her new areobic exercise routine, Polkaerobics'.

For a compleat schedule of FAKsGAP events please contact: Maude 3612 Chicago Avenue Minneapolis, Minnesota 55407 612/823-6996

Also, Kawashaway Sanctuary invites all you Rainbow people to stop at Kawashaway after the Rainbow Gathering to be held in Minnesota in early .July, Watch this space or contact Maude for more information.

Kawashaway Sanctuary it a newly-farmed faerie retrmt space in Northern Minnesota near Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area It is about lust hours rw/lheast of Duluth,

SHORT MOUNTAIN BELTANE BASH April 27-Mav 6 narks the Tenth Anniversary of Short Mountain’s Spring Gathering.

We will celebrate by weaving a May Pole, sweatlodge ceremonies, flawless drag and other festivities. Join us April 20 for the pre-Gathering work week, write S.M.S for ■ore information.

“V v 1 *

’

'S ,

Pinebush Spring Gathering April 19-22 at Camp Thoreau, Pinebush, New York. Contact their listing.

* ;.y / ' ’ ;

Q U E E N S

B I R T H D A Y

GATHERING

oatUerin<>s

Beginning 6:00 pm May 18-21, 50 miles west of Ottawa Canada contact Les Fees Du Canada.

WILLOW HOLLOW RANCH Spring Gathering May 25-28, contact them for details.

BLUE HERON FARM Fall Gathering August 25September 3. Shelter Raising Weekend July 7 and 8, come to work and/or feed and support the crew. Contact Northeast Faeries for info.

E<^ER I E S „ E ^ G G O T S and ERIENDS A gathering in Northeast Texas near Linden Mav 25-28. Contact Lee Sprue 11, Rt 3 Box 192, Linden. TX 75563 214/756-5627 or Hyperion, PO Box 191211, Dallas, TX 75219 214/871-1032 <e*MERIC*=*N R I D G E GATHERING Near Mt. Rainier and Naches Washington. April 27- Mav2.

For more information contact with SASE: Dan Hall 517 Maloen Ave. E., Seattle, WA 98112 10

^ n ^ w /^n g o S ^ N C T U ^ k R Y

g

GATHERING Held in a rural area of western New York State July 2022. Write for more details.

RUNNING CLOSES

W^TER

Running Water is closed bv Order of the Mitchell County Sanitation Deoartment. No Gatherings or "Entertainment" of guests will be allowed until extensive imorovements in showers/to i 1et facilities are erected. The Board of Trustees is tackling this (of manv> problems. The Board of Stepoing Stone. Inc. January 16. 1990.

FAERIE CONTACTS Atlanta Fairy Circle 404/622-4112 Canadian Faeries Les Fees, du Canada Ken Hillis 54 Augusta Ave. Toronto ONT Canada M5T 2K8 416/594-0577 Chicago Faerie Circle PO Box 148369 Chicago IL 60614 312/525-9252 Chicago Faeries c/o Midwest Mens Center PO Box 2547 Chicago IL 60690 "Fadish" Computer Bulletin Board 415/861-4221 8Byt no parody Ganawango, western NY Jay Stratton 121 Union St. Westfield NY I4787 Gray Lady Place Kenn Wah1er-Zanghi PO Box 611 Blum TX 76627 L ’Affaire The Beau Monde PO Box 3036 Pineville LA 71361 Mid-Atlantic Faeries Bob Lubarsky 220 N Mulberry St. Lancaster PA 17603 Minnesota Tell-a-faerie 612/334-1948 New York Citv Faerie Circle PO Box 1251 Canal Street Station NY NY 10013, Gay Switchboard 212/ 777-1800 Nomenus San Francisco 415/957-0514 or Wolf Creek PO Box 312 Wolf Creek OR 97497 503/866-2678 Northeastern Faeries including Blue Heron Farm Hal Tatelman 6158 E. Pratt St. Baltimore MD 21224 Northwestern Faeries 1510 19tn Ave Seattle WA 98122 Northwoods John Sutton 2440 Garfield Ave. S Minneapolis MN 55405 Philadelphia Faeries Earth/Surgay 1905 Soring Garden St. #1-R Philadelphia PA 19130

Rainwoods Sky hawk PO Box 203 Fork Union VA 23055 San Francisco Faeries Tel-a-Fa iry 415/648-6064 Events and message tape for The Bay Area Faeries.

Santa Cruz Fairy Line 408/427-4545 Events and incoming message tape for Santa Cruz area Seattle Fairy Phone 206/784-0085 Event tape for Seattle area.

Short Mountain Sanctuary Rt. 1 Box 84-A Liberty TN 37095 Southern California Harry Hay and John Burnside 5343 La Cresta Ct. L.A. CA 90030 Urinations Capitol Faeries Raphael Sabatim 1332 15th St. NW B-4 Washington DC 20005 202/745-0414 Willow Hollow Ranch PO Drawer 70 Purlear NC 28665 KWELULE

TRIBE

The Spokane and Inland Empire Faerie information and Historical Research Project is presently exploring and restoring our past culture.

Blending with our New Age ideas to formulate and redis­ cover ourselves as we redis­ cover and reclaim our culture.

Finding new ways of assimila­ tion into the present day society around us.

If any faeries are out flying about in the Northwest, Spokane area. You are welcome to visit and places are avail­ able for you to stay. Contact us at the Kwelule Tribe, P.0.

Box 472, Spokane WA 99210, phone 509/747-6912.

ADDITIONAL GATHERINGS DYKES FAGGOTS IN C L A S S STRUGGLE To be held at the Nomenus Wolf Creek Sanctuary April 26-May 2 Write PO Box 312, Wolf Creek 97497.

11

M A IM O W O O D S The Men’s Soring Retreat will be held Mav 31-June 3 at Haimowoods--near Kenosha. Wl. Private Rooms wiil cost $33 per night: Community soace and outdoor tent soace will cost $25 per night. In addition you will need to bring a bag of groceries as food is not included in the room rental. A $40 non-refundab 1e deposit must be received by April I with the balance due by May 1.

No exceptions! So, start sav­ ing your monev now. Those who want to present a workshop should contact the Midwest Men’s Center, PO Box 2547, Chicago, IL 60690.

EAGGOX CAMF>

WITCH

A four dav weekend intensive camp for gay men who identify themselves as witches will be held September 21-24, 1990 in a central Midwest location.

The weekend will include Ritual, discussions about gay spirituality, fun and games, workshops and networking.

Enrollment for the weekend is limited to forty men. No drugs or alcohol will be allowed at the event. The deadline for registration is June 21. To begin the registration process or for more information write to: F.W.C., Box 45107, Kansas City. MO 641 1 I

SOFTE N I N G XME SXONE Men’s Gathering and Celebration Memorial Day Weekend May 25-28. Come to play teach and nurture.

Workshops, sweats, mudpit1 dancing, no talent show, and other stuff. We outreach to gay and straight men. Contact: Matthew or Phaedrus, Twin Oaks Community, Rt. 4 Box 169, Louisa VA 23093.

SRI R I T U A L A N REXREAX The 5th Annual New Mexico Gav and Lesbian Spiritual Retreat will oe held Labor Dav weekend at the Lama SDiritual Community. Sponsored by the New Mexico Foundation for Human Enrichment. PO Box 807, Aibuqueroue, NM 87103, 505/842 9585.

H E A R T L A N D

P A G A N

The Heartland Spiritual Alli­ ance is sponsoring this years festival being held Memorial Day weekend May 25-28 Occuring at the same time will be the Church of All Worlds Re-Union.

For Registration Packet send 51.00 to PO Box 3407, Kansas City, KS 66103 or Rhiannon 8 I6/561-6111.

INTERNATIONAL LESBIAN AND GAY This years conference is being held in Stockholm, Sweden July 1-7 contact: ILGA, c/o RFSL, Box 350, S-101 24 Stockholm, SWEDEN. RH I L A D E L R H I A P R ID E Celebrating 25 years of gay and lesbian activism, pride and achievement on June 2nd.

Philadelphia's first gay and lesbian rights demonstrations occured on July 4th 1965 so they are planning a worldclass parade for 1990. Contact Karen Donahoe 609/881-5103.

INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE Many National and Internation­ al AIDS services organizations have followed the lead taken by the International League of Red Cross Societies in their boycott of the Sixth Interna­ tional Conference on AIDS scheduled for San Francisco in June of 1990. The boycott is a result of the Immigration and Naturalization Service oolicv which reauires all antibodv oositive people who enter the country to get a special wai­ ver before thev would be allowed into the U.S. The wai­ ver wouid come in the form of a stamp on the persons visa.

While the stamp won't specific­ ally mention the person is HIV + s/he will need to dis­

close their HIV status to the U.S. embassy in their country when thev apply for the wai­ ver. While the information is to remain confidential, the possibility for embassy work­ ers to gain access to the information concerns many AIDS activists. At this point in time there is no resolution to the INS policy. The organiza­ tions protesting the INS poli­ cy want the U.S. to acknow­ ledge that we have the largest number of AIDS cases in the world and do not need to dis­ criminate against foreign nationals.

C o n d o m s Not. Equal Although the constitution states that "All men are cre­ ated equal", such may not be for the condoms they are using. Four of the nation’s most popular condom brands per­ mitted the AIDS virus to es­ cape. Leakage was found in one of ten condoms tested in each of three brands (a 1OX failure rate) and six of 25 tested in the fourth (a 24% failure rate).

The latex condoms that per­ mitted the AIDS virus to es­ cape - either through pin­ holes, tears or pores in the rubber membrane - included the Lifestyles Conture made by Ansell Americas, Inc., the Trojan Naturalube and Trojan Ribbed, made by CarterWallace, Inc., and the Contracept Plus, manufactured bv National Sanitary Laborator ies.

The top ten ranking was domi­ nated by products manufactured

by Schmid Laboratories, which markets the Ramses and Sheik condom brands and Circle Rubber Corp., which makes such products as Gold Circle, Gold Circle Coin and Pleaser.

The 1,000 page UCLA report emphasized that the use of even the lowest scoring condom is preferable to not using a condom for disease prevention.

AIDS

RESOURCES

NINE OUNCES: A Nine Part Program For the Prevention of AIDS in HIV Positive Persons,

by Bob Flaws, Blue Poppy Press, 1775 Linden Ave., Boulder, CO 80302 303/442-0796 the cost is 58.95.

12

"AIDS AT LAST THE GOOD NEWS" is a two tape set which in­ cludes dozens of stories of studies and treatments that various people have used to improve their health. "AIDS AT LAST THE GOOD NEWS" by Steven LaVelle may be purchased in most bookstores or ordered directly from the Hypnodyne Foundation, PO Box 17353, Clearwater, FL 34622 813/5362960, for 524.95 plus 52.50 shipping.

LESBIAN AND HEALTH (.ONFERENCE

GAY

Announcing the Third Interna­ tional Lesbian and Gay Health Conference and Eighth National AIDS Forum to be held from July 18 thru 22, 1990.

NLGHE 1638 R Street, NW Washington DC 20009 MONTREAL

S ID A

I’m writing to inform you about the creation of Mtl Sida, a group dedicated to helping people with HIV and people living with AIDS. Mtl Sida’s aim is to provide technical and moral support for people who are HIV posi­ tive or who have AIDS. As well, we will be providing help for their day to day needs, organizing discussion groups and more.

Mtl SIDA, 3575 boulevard StLaurent #232, Montreal, Quebec H2X 2T7 514/844-8314.

ROOD

RRER

IN E O

Community health organizations can receive a 15-minute video­ tape that advises Deoole infected with HIV to be espec­ ially careful about the foods they eat and how they prepare those foods. The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control developed this video to warn people with weakened immune systems that they are susceotible to foodborne illnesses, which can result from imorooerlv cooked and handled foods. The video can be obtained from the National AIDS Information Clearinghouse at 800/458-5231 taken from "The Advocate

A C A L L FOR D I A L O G U E Dear Brothers; Night Sky's discourse on man/boy love is no­ thing more than cathartic, narcissistic selfindulgence under the guise of omniscient objec­ tivity.

He is lending support to the hetero­ sexist and patriarchal rhetoric we have all been subjected to. He has drawn upon his own morose experience to deflect ownership of his experience as a personal one, criticizing all such relationships.

As for his suggestion of prostituting the third world poor youth, it speaks for itself. I can hardly view forcing a (straight?) youth to resort to cocksucking in order to survive, as a "relative good."

I cannot help but wonder if maybe his relation­ ships with young men followed along this line of thinking.

I suggest that the problem lies not with man/boy love but with Night Sky. Kooden (et al., 1979) suggests that, "Fears of job or income loss, or concerns about endanger­ ing professional credibility, inhibit homosex­ ual identity formation."

Little boys grow up and leave the roost. It is the "nature of the beast," so to speak, and to impair or delay this for s e l f - s e r v i n g i n t e r e s t s is unconstructive.

"Stigma is the bastard of oppression," states Warren (1980). There is no reason why a child or adolescent should be traumatized over geni­ talia, i.e., physical/visual contact (of his or another's) unless he was conditioned to react in that manner--and we've all been inundated with the shame/guilt trip regarding genitalia.

Every relationship is based on an inequity of power, whether it be a sexual, social or roman­ tic one. Kids don't need to be protected from

molesters.

They need to be protected from society's tyrannical, heterosexist and patri­ archal system which alienates them from their own feelings and identity validation.

You do not empower someone by taking away their free­ dom and rights.

Research shows that on the average, males report awareness of same sex feelings at age 13 and acting on these feelings at age 15 (Troiden, et a l ., 1989) and he states, "People construct their sexual feelings to the extent that they actively interpret, define and make sense of their erotic yearnings using systems of sexual meanings articulated by the wider culture."

That wider culture is heterosexist and devastating to not only gay youth, but to those who may have had a gay experience as so many boys do, or are aware of gay feelings but haven't acted on them, whether they are gay or straight.

The unspoken caveat is that sex is bad and therefore only "adults" should be allowed to enjoy it. Sex is neither good nor bad for us.

However, how we may feel about it can be. The harm comes from the stigma and not the act itself (and I'm only addressing pederasty here, not pedophilia).

The gay community should be leading the way in shucking these religious, moralistic and very negative views on sex, our feelings and our bodies.

What is unconstructive is to naively ignore (or oppress) adoles­ cent sexuality. Gay youth will experiment and learn. The only question is, will they do it within a positive support system, or from the "johns," the "chickenhawks," or even worse, heaven forbid, from heterosexuals???

Gary Hayes Hancock, NY

received this, letter in response to our request for someone to coordinate a pen pal program for prisoners.

said, "It is obvious that scamming by certain inmates is common knowledge among employ­ ees and inmates."

Elaborate swindling schemes continue to flourish, culti­ vated by prisoner who direct their wiles at vulnerable and naive gay men. Some operators of these multi-million dollar scams are being exposed, but the fleecings continue.

Only small operators of these schemes have been isolated; while big time crooks continue to live in dormitory style housing which facilitates the execution of these large scale frauds.

If this knowledge exists in prison, it apparently is not well known among gay males who respond to pitches from these con men. In some measure, gay publications which facilitate and encourage correspondence with these not-so-gay de­ ceivers must share responsi­ bility for this shabby story.

But how can we explain our­ selves for being so willingly victimized?

Possibly nowhere have these scams been more extensive than at Louisiana State Peniten­ tiary whose post office is Angola. in October, 1989, Ross Maggio, a former Angola warden appointed by a federal judge to conduct a probe, questions whether enough is being done to stop these ac­ tivities. Basing his str'ements upon interviews \ th correction officials, Maggio

In Louisiana, a multi-million dollar scam aimed at homo­ sexuals continues to be the t$get of a parish (county) grand jury investigation and has been cited by an inmate as the reason behind the unsolved slaying of a Mississippi judge and his wife.

Well organized, the extortion schemes are said to be most lucrative when exercised with lonely outside homosexuals who are enticed into webs of de13

ceit. in southern prisons some inmates involved in the schemes are said to be Dixie Mafia. Inmates mentioned in ?!spatches have names like Kirksey Nix. Another name is Bobby Fabian, said to be a whistle blower, or in prison parlance— a snitch Fabian was removed from Angola tor his personal safety. As the prison investigation conFihn^ n S in J a n u a r y^ 1990, Fabian was reportedly removed a second time to another un.^sc!/->se°l prison because of threats on his life.

Literature exposing these scams is not extensive and is not easily found. m rfd AmT?hr 8 l ' contributor Robert Smith wrote of his victlmizaa Mississippi inmate.

Smith lost $1,000 in an al­ tered money order operation.

In July -89 the LA Advocate #528 printed a story by pseu­ donymous Leif Wallacef Wal­ lace responded to an Advocate personal ad: GWM 23, 140# Sllu, Seeks sincere warm relationship.--i-m romantic.

cuddly, shy, and need someone special in my life. etc.

Wallace reported that no rela­ tionship grew our of this contact, but he did have an emotional and financial night­ mare from which he is not yet recovered.

After being lured into the Louisiana Penitenti­ ary scams, and learning that inmates have bilked thousands of victims, Wallace initiated his own investigation into the vast pyramid and franchised operation of prisoners de­ frauding vulnerable gay men.

Wallace found other victims throughout the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.

Answering the ad cost Wallace $17,200, a considerable amount of pride and he yet fears for his life. Another victim lost $200,000.

A Canadian Parlia­ mentary official lost his job and was publicly exposed as a homosexual when he refused to be blackmailed.

Wallace reported statements made by Louisiana sheriff's detective Ivy Cutrer who said there are convicts sitting up there, making more money than you and me put together. They support families on the out­ side, put up their women in penthouses, and give them Mercedeses.

A story of attempted blackmail by convicts was ended quickly when the editor of a small, nationally circulated gay contact publication known as Country Exchange, took deci­ sive action.

In June 1986, editor Charley Richardson warned readers of scam activi­ ty . Later, in a personal conversation with me, he told of his action to stop black­ mail.

He wrote the outside contact of a prisoner, de­ manding return of letters written by Exchange club mem­ ber who had received blackmail threats.

Surprisingly, the letters were returned.

It seems that, in some cases, counter-threats of publicity and exposure of the inmate scheme can stop a vicious con game, but few gays are willing to actively resist or protest.

Swindling schemes vary ac­ cording to the ability and experience of the inmate oper­ ators.

Richardson wrote of the most widely practiced variation.

A hard-luck story develops, said Charley, about a kid who gets into trouble for the first time. Then you get calls from a supposed

probation officer or a guy from Second Chance, a halfway house. The bottom line is to send money for transportation.

relationship ad turns out to need money--for whatever reason--hang up the phone or tear up the letter.

It is one of the oldest scams around. The operator is fair­ ly slick; he does not ask you to send money directly to him, but to another person who is supposed to be his probation officer, or the director of a halfway house.

Needless to say, there is no probation officer of that name nor is there a halfway house--sometimes called Second Chance or Work-release.

I could find few cautionary words about gay contact cor­ respondence in our RFD. In the spring of '83, RFD stated its revised editorial policy in Brothers Behind Bars.

Money is mentioned only brief­ ly. Under the heading, "Fi­ nancial Support: A small amount of money can go a long way to make a prisoner's life more tolerable. Be suspicious of any requests for a larger amount." RFD did not further quantify the words small and large.

So what do prison officials, the law and postal authorities have to say about this?

Annette viator, chief legal counsel for the Louisiana Department of Corrections said, "The perpetrators of these scams are as skillful as they are heartless.

They learn from experience what works with what type of per­ son.

These are not stupid inmates. There is always an outside contact--sometimes the inmate's lawyer, or even his mother--who is the banker."

Charley Richardson reported that he was told by a postal regulator that little could be done to prevent these scams.

The convicts are not selling anything, they are only break­ ing a promise to do something that is questionably legal.

Even if caught these scams are rarely tried, and convictions are almost unheard of, said Charley.

And if they are closed down, it is easy to start the whole thing again at very little cost.

Charley advised readers: Never send money to anyone that you do not know personally, in­ cluding charities.

Robert Smith in RFD summer '82 wrote to readers: Prior to writing any prisoner, a reader should request a Prisoner profile from the warcfin~s office. Smith said the pro­ file documents are public knowledge and are available for the asking. Said Smith, "Had I obtained a profile from the warden at Parchman, MS before writing my friend (in­ cidentally he's straight but convincingly writes as a gay) I would have been spared the embarrassment of an examina­ tion of my personal life by US postal officials."

Leif Wallace concluded: If the person you contact through a I4

It seems to me that a complete examination of our philosophy toward prisoners is needed.

Why do we have any obligation to support prisoners, at the expense of our more distressed gay brothers?

Back in time somewhere, RFD editors assumed, along with some other publications known as "radical gay rags," that gay people should support socalled Brothers Behind Bars.

As the prisoner manipulated their RFD contacts, so too did RFD manipulate its readers with suggestions of our oblig a t i o n to i n c a r c e r a t e d convicts.

We were reminded of our kin­ ship with prisoners and sin­ ners.

Kinship is somewhat relative, depending upon which state laws and religious be­ lief we live under. There in p r i s o n , the c o n s c i e n c e reasons, but for the grace of god, goddess, or head cocksucker, I also would be for just having sex.

Thus, it seems we respond when we are troubled with residual guilt.

But please, no more.

I conclude that we gays, as a class, are not intellectually, professionally, emotionally, or financially able to support devious criminals and socio­ paths. Surely these are not my Brothers Behind Bars.

If RFD is to resume the pub­ l i c a t i o n of p r i s o n e r s ' pitches, as was done in the past, then it should also print the warden's Prisoner Profile--as mentioned by Robert Smith. But better yet, let's just abolish RFD's pris­ oner section in favor of con­ cerns with higher priority.

Skip Ward

F A £ Z l£ ACTION

Church Ladies or C h oice L . DONALD FOX *& a H0P£L6SS Churchladies for Choice is a non-aligned, nondenominational, non-partisan, pseudo-anarchist, faerie-identified, pro-active, pro-feminist, political action group. We are committed to a broad spectrum of personal, social and politi­ cal liberation, and gender justice.

We are pleased to announce a new faerie-identi­ fied pro-choice group in Pittsburgh called Churchladies for Choice.

As you can see from the accompanied photos, we are a group of men who are heavily into polyester! Our purpose is to make our presence known in favor of Freedom of Choice in the current abortion debate.

Churchladies for Choice is especially committed to supporting the feminist women's community on issues regarding reproductive freedom, ending men's violence, promoting economic justice, and challenging the patriarchal, hetero-male domi­ nated system, which oppresses women, children and the planet.

On October 28, 1989, Churchladies for Choice made their debut in full garb at the Allegheny County Reproductive Clinic chanting, "Clap your hands, raise your voice, we Churchladies are for choice!" singing a chorus or two of "Roe, Roe, Roe v. Wade," and waving "Keep Abortion Legal" signs at Operation Rescue fanatics camped outside the door of the clinic.

Churchladies for Choice utilizes methods which are non-confrontational, non-violent and em­ ploy, whenever possible, the use of spontane­ ous, swooping theatrical magic (in skirts).

Our second ZAP took place on Tuesday, November 14, 1989, in Pittsburgh City Council chambers as we wagged out fingers and "tsk, tsk, tsk-ed" Councilman Otis Lyons for his remarks the pre­ vious week that incest was supported by the Bible, and was a lesser "sin" than abortion.

Not only did this particular ZAP make the local TV news, the Pittsburgh Press and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but it also got a brief mention in the November 15 edition of USA Today.

1.

We call for an immediate transformation of the so-called "sidewalk counselors." we call for an immediate end to the blatant, overt and tacky harassment of clients. We proclaim that t.ne world should be a safe zone from this harassment.

2. we call for an immediate transformation of conduct by the anti-choice agitators. We call for an immediate end to all violence against abortion clinics and all violence and harass­ ment of clinic staff, clients, volunteers (ESCORTS), police officers, media, shopkeepers and the good citizens of East Liberty (Pitts­ burgh). We proclaim that this nonsense should be cut out, and that peace shall prevail.

We're currently in the process of sending out a Churchladies for Choice Bulletin and newsletter on a semi-regular basis.

(Anyone who wants a copy can send a stamped, self-addressed en­ velope to H o p e (1e s s ) Kase, 3159 Beechwood Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15217.) And are looking forward in the coming year to more pro-choice ZAPs at reproductive clinics around the Pitts­ burgh area.

3.

We call for an immediate transformation of Operation Rescue we call for an immediate end to their hateful, intrusive, costly, and in ?S2eraii tastel®ss tactics. we proclaim that m°,u law, cult, Operation Rescue, be banished rrom the planet.

Following is a copy of our Churchladies for Choice Mission Statement and Manifesto (written

by Lunatique Fringe and Fran): I5

4.

We call for an immediate transformation of American politics. We call for an immediate end to all legislative and judicial restric­ tions on abortion rights at the national, state, and local levels of government.

We proclaim that these laws are null, void, and stupid.

5.

We call for an immediate transformation of the heaJ.th care system. We call for an immedi­ ate end to the restrictive, unfair and sparse practices of the system.

We proclaim that health care is a basic human right and shall be available and accessible to all human beings and pets, regardless of income, species, social status or ability to pay.

6.

We call for an immediate transformation of men's attitudes and behaviors. We call for an immediate end to the destructive men's atti­ tudes towards sexuality, birth control, preg­ nancy planning and STD transmission.

We pro­ claim that men should enter the age of enlight­ enment and responsibility.

SECRET

7.

We call for an immediate transformation of men's attitudes toward masculinity and other men. We call for an immediate end to hypermachoism, homophobia, heterosexism, sexism and general uptightedness.

(Get over it, guys!)

We proclaim that men are by nature gentle, loving, warm, creative and silly beings.

(Wally's bedroom.

Beaver enters.)

A knock at the door.

The

WALLY. Gosh, Beav', I'm sure glad it's you. I don't know how I would of explained these pic­ tures to Mom and Dad. BEAVER. Lemmee see.

Bey, Wally, how come these guys don't have any clothes on?

8.

We call for an immediate transformation of the traditional male uniform.

We call for an immediate end to the blandness, melancholy and general malaise that typifies the way that most men clothe themselves.

We proclaim that skirts, dresses, pants suits (if polyester), hats, handbags and other carefully chosen ac­ cessories, worn by men are both a fashion statement and political statement.

Remember: You are what you wear, and the clothes do make the man.

WALLY. That's how I like 'em, Beav'. I mean, looking at these pictures makes me feel all kinda neat inside. And my dick gets hard.

BEAVER. queer?

But, Wally, doesn't that mean you're

WALLY. It's hard to answer that question ap­ propriately in the pre-Stonewal1 era, Beav'.

And it's all so confusing, anyway.

9.

We call for an immediate transformation of the language. We call for an immediate end to hypocrisy, sexism, inauthenticity and dishones­ ty in our language.

We proclaim that the Re­ ligious Right is neither.

Another thing: Men shouldn't say they're getting dressed unless they are planning to wear one.

And another thing: why do they call those things that they sing "hymns" when women sing them too?

Hmmmmmm?

BEAVER.

What is?

WALLY. Guys. I mean, this one guy at school.

Billy Weathershaft. The way he looks at me in the locker room makes me wanna look right back.

And then he looks away! Cripes!

BEAVER.

Wow, I thought only girls did that.

WALLY. And the worst part is, you know how with some guys you kiss 'em & they kiss you right back, and with some they don't kiss you back at all, but either way you don't know what's what?

10. We call for an immediate transformation of the world and the universe.

We call for an immediate end to oppression. We proclaim that the world should be a really nice place to live.

BEAVER.

we, Churchladies for Choice, are devout. We pray for Choice. We say, "Amen!" to Choice.

We even genuflect for Choice.

Not personally but I get the picture.

WALLY. Well, the one time I kissed Billy, he sorta kissed me back & sorta didn't. What the fuck does that mean?

We invite, recruit and encourage other men of conscience to join us in our crusade for a peaceful, just, equitable and frolicking world.

We are Churchladies for Choice.

Isn't that special?

BEAVER. Wally, you can't say that. the Fifties.

This is

WALLY. You're right, Beav*.

I apologize.

Puberty's hard enough to get through without gay oppression. I lost my head for a second.

GODDESSES BLESS YOU!!!

BEAVER. Don't worry, Wally, you've always got your pictures.

Hey, that guy with the tattoo is actually kind of cute.

I6

ABBOTT V. MEESE

R F D has received many responses both posi­ tive and negative to our request for someone to coordinate a penpal program for our Brothers Behind Bars, we are proceeding cautiously be­ cause of some information we've received from people who had been involved with writing pri­ soners. We are still committed to initiating a penpal program. We want to get as much information as possible before we begin. Thanks to the many people who responded to our request.

The class action which challenged mail and literature policies of the federal prison sys­ tem. This action instituted further protection of the inmates' right to receive educational mail.

RFD JOURNAL falls under educational literature category and cannot be refused to any inmate who requests the journal in a feder al institution. Almost all the state institu­ tions follow federal guidelines-~exceptions are TDC and Starke Fl.

ACLU CHALLENGES DENIAL OF VISITATION FOR LESBIAN INMATE. 1/8/90 The ACLU has filed suit in federal court in Pennsylvania to overturn a county jail visita­ tion policy which forbids lesbian and gay lovers from visiting inmates.

RESOURCES: OFFENDER AID AND RESTORATION Dave Eberhardt, Baltimore O.A.R. 401 East Eager St. Baltimore, MD 21202

The ACLU represents a woman inmate of the Blair County Prison who was denied visitation with her lover because, according to the warden, the prison "can't condone such relationships."

OAR works to help jail inmates in a number of ways. They have 10 offices in 6 states. They manager halfway houses, bail bonds, job train­ ing and placement, etc.

The ACLU is challenging the policy as a viola­ tion of the equal protection guarantees of the Constitution and as "arbitrary" and "not rationally related to any legitimate penologi­ cal goal."

The visitation at issue in the case, moreover, is non-contact visitation.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Habitat & Church Streets Americus, GA 31709 Mark Lassman-eul, Volunteer Services. Most of HFH work at present is not in building, but in office administration.

They can offer fur­ nished housing, subsistence stipend, and wel­ come applications from prisoners soon to be released.

"The warden's denial of visitation appears to be nothing more than the desire to discriminate against an unpopular group," said Nan Hunter, Director of the ACLU Lesbian and Gay Rights Project.

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Many of us have been snatched from the "sacred arms" of society for crimes we either did or did not do.

For those of use who have the privilege of freedom (mentally or physically) are responsible for creating the avenues of communications needed to help our brothers and sisters that are held in captivity.

Being incarcerated, we are in the need of sup­ port (mentally and physically), as well as a place in which to express our daily struggles and share the information on how the "justice system" is carried out.

Even though a trans­ vestite's, transsexual's, or homophile's expe­ rience may vary drastically depending upon how and where we may be incarcerated (county jail, federal or state penitentiary, or mental insti­ tution), this oppression that we have reflects the struggle of both lesbians and homophiles everywhere but mostly the problems that extend from prison itself.

To me, prison and being a homophile is just like growing up--there is a lot of stages that I have to go through, each one with its own dangers and pitfalls. I've found it to my own advantage to acquire my own space and allow very few people (friends) into it.

I was not always the type of person who had such a broad outlook on life.

I used to be a real snobbish and asinine person. It took me a total of 30 years to actually come to the real­ ization of my true potential, my homophileness; so I know how hard it is for us.

I feel now that it is time for me to give part of myself, and just maybe, my words and feel­ ings will help another "liberal minded" person through what I have been through and am still going through.

While being incarcerated I am forced to remind myself "that if a person does not look within his or her prison (one's-self) he or she will never unlock his or her true potential." Once I had found my true potential I was able to understand the following:1 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Being myself means more than being what somebody else wants me to be.

Believing in myself is the best attribute that can be bestowed upon one's self.

To realize that if you bring another "lib­ eral minded" person up you will also bring yourself up.

To realize that you cannot be manipulated u n l e s s you a l l o w y o u r s e l f to be manipulated.

To realize the difference between gayness and sex.

That being incarcerated (mentally and physically) is "no-where;" being free is somewhere and everywhere.

If you do not care for yourself, then why should someone else care about you.

While awaiting trial on charges of murder in Florida, I was incarcerated without bail for a period of approximately eight (8) months. The jail which I was in (St. John's County Jail, St. Augustine, Florida) was densely over-popu­ lated. This jail was designed to house 200 people comfortably, but this establishment now held 350 people of which approximately 171 or 49% were transvestites, transsexuals, and or homophiles ("liberal minded").

Inside this establishment each bullpen was run by a Den Mother (GM) or Den Father (M) or both.

The den mothers or den fathers literally dis­ tributed the food in the bullpen (cell), super­ vised all clean-ups, and established the un­ written rules (and quite regularly administered punishment, unofficially of course).

Almost every den mother or den father possessed a "young boy" (a person who gives sexual grati­ fication). In other words, to be sure that you were protected from gang-bangs (rapes), extor­ tion, and or other violent acts, a "liberal minded" person was coerced (mentally or physically) to assume the role of a "young boy" if they could not handle themselves.

While being in this form of incarceration what was of paramount concern to me was the fact that the jailers as well as the administrators were undoubtedly aware of the whole situation and had undertaken no legal or administrative action to prevent it from happening. Moreover, very few incidents were reported where vast damage was done to an individual; the jailers seemed to maintain a policy of concealment in regards to rapes, extortion, beatings, etc., and rarely, if ever, initiated criminal pro­ ceedings. Indeed, the perpetrators of the act were almost never disciplined at all.

By the same token, the victims were never given the opportunity of pressing charges against the perpetrators. Incredibly, the jailers on a few occasions actually destroyed the victim's cor­ respondence in which specific incidents were reported.

The victim was also subjected to vexations by the administrative staff and told that they w ould be p laced in isolated confinement.

On October 3, 1974, I was awakened by one of the jailers and was told to get dressed because I was transferred. Then at approximately 3:30 AM, after being fed I was cattled into an iso­ lation cell (van), where we were told that there was to be no talking or smoking. We left the St. John's County Jail in St. Augustine, Florida, about 4 o'clock in the morning heading for the Reception and Medical Center in Lake Butler, Florida. Once we had got to Lake But­ ler the prison guards had very little interest in how you were feeling or how you might have felt a that present juncture of time.

All these people are concerned about is putting a name and number on your wrist.

This name and number means $18,000.00 a year per individual.

Over a period of eleven years I have conversed with hundreds of men and teenagers who have been victimized by rapes, assaults (physically and mentally), extortions, intimidations, etc., all of which were being done by the "macho" species. After being a victim of these crimes, 'e yictim the option of either staying in population or going through the rigors of the illusory protection afforded by safekeeping "protective custody."▼

blend. Add the finely minced carnation petals.

Beat the mixture for at least 2 minutes.

Pour the batter into lightly-oiled muffin pan, each one 3/4 full. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for a few minutes and serve warm. Yield: 12 cakes.

MARIGOLD BUNS 1 T. yeast 2 c. flour 2 eggs 1 c. marigold petals 1 c. raisins

Greetings, Thank the Goddess it's SPRING! I hope that all of you were warm and cozy during the frigid months of winter and had a nice hairy man to cuddle up to on those long, cold nights.

Now that winter is behind us, it's time to think about plowing and planting. When you're busy putting all those lovely vegetables in the garden, don't forget about planting some of Mother's beautiful flowers.

Most of them are edible, and you can make a lot of wonderful dishes with them.

At Short Mountain, the spring salads are a blaze of color with the addition of the white flowers of the locust tree, the pink of red bud blossoms, and the white and purple of violets. The leaves of the violets are also added to the salads. Besides having a wonderful flavor, they're very high in vitamin C. To celebrate the beautiful joy of spring, I thought it would be nice to share some of my recipes using flowers. The recipes I chose use carnations, marigolds, and red bud blossoms.

The next time you have some friends over for dinner or you make dinner for that special someone, surprise them with the marigold buns for dinner and the carnation cakes or red bud fritters for dessert.

Impress them with some­ thing different. Be daring!

Preheat oven to 375F. Dissolve the yeast in 1/3 c. warm water (110-115F); stir into the flour and sugar/honey. Set to rise overnight.

The next morning, add the eggs, marigold petals, raisins, and salt. Blend well to form a stiff dough. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic--about 10 minutes.

Set the dough in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk. Work in the soft butter with your hands; let rise again until doubled in bulk. Shape into buns; let rise again on a large cookie sheet that has been buttered.

Bake in pre heated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter and serve hot.

Yield: about 15 buns.

RED BUD FRITTERS 1 c. flour 1/2 t. salt 1/4 t. baking powder 1 egg, beaten 1 c. milk

Beguiling.. . .

Maddie Elverton leads a double life: as a fashionable member of English society by day, as an adventurous highway robber by night. In no other way can she reconcile the demands of family with her need for ad­ venture. But that carefully-balanced world is threatened when she falls in love with the beautiful AllieSifton.

"Vicarious ad venture, low-key intrigue, and some nicely done erotica," writes columnist Lee Lynch.

CARNATION CAKES

BEHIND THE MASK

1/4 t. ground cloves 1/8 t. nutmeg pinch of salt 1 c. milk 1 c. fragrant carnation petals, finely minced

Cream together the butter and sugar/honey.

Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift together the flour, baking powder cloves, nutmeg, and salt; blend well.

Add tue milk gradually and

1 qt. opened red bud flowers oil for deep frying sugar/honey

Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder to­ gether into a bowl; blend in the beaten egg.

Add the milk gradually and beat into a smooth batter. Stir in the red bud flowers until well blended. Heat the oil until sizzling; drop the batter, a tablespoon at a time, into the oil and fry until golden brown all over. Drain the fritters on paper towels. Sprinkle with sugar or brush with honey that has been thinned slightly with a little warm water and serve warm. Yield: 4 servings.

I hope that you will give these recipes a try and enjoy them. I hope all of you have a beau­ tiful spring with gentle, warm rains for the gardens. Until we meet again this summer, take care of yourselves and be well.

1 c. softened butter 2 c. brown sugar or 1-1/2 c. honey 2 eggs 2 c. flour 2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt 1 c. soft butter 3 T. sugar or 2 T. honey melted butter

a novel by Kim Larabee $6.95 in bookstores, or dip this ad to order.

J Enclosed is $7.50 (postpaid) for one copy of Behind the Mask. name: ___________ _____________ city

address:

.................... ..........

state

/jp

ALYSON PUBLICATIONS Dept. P-2; 40 Plympton St.; Boston, MA 02118

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fore dawn, the moon will conjunct Mars. The morning of the 21st, just before dawn, you will see the small crescent of the old moon conjunct Venus.

That same morning, the Lyrid meteor shower will be visible. You should be able to see it good with the old moon being faint. On the 28th, you can see the crescent of the new moon conjuncting Jupiter.

It will be a lot closer to the horizon than it was on the 1st.

The best days to plant above-ground crops this month are 1,2,6,7,8,9,28,29, and 30. The best days for below-ground crops are 11,12,16,17 20 21,22, and 24.

Spring is here and it's time to plant our gar­ dens and flower beds for this year. Some of you readers are very familiar with the moon signs and know how to plant by the signs and moon phase. For those readers who are not that familiar with the signs, I am starting a new feature in my column. At the end of each para­ graph giving you the astronomical events for each month, I'm adding the best planting days for each month.

I have divided them into the days that are best for above-ground crops and below-ground crops. It would be good to" check any particular day on the lunar calendar to see if the sign changes on that day. if it does, do your planting before the sign changes. The calendar has been done using central time as is this one. Beginning with the summer issue, all times will be eastern time.

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It will be almost directly overhead at sunset.

On the 15th, Mercury will be visible just above the horizon at sunset.

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I hope the new information I’ve put In will be of benefit to all of you in the planting of your vegetables and flowers.

A side bit of information some of you may appreciate is that the sign of Libra rules flowers.

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radical movement). Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen fully anticipate this reaction by reminding us that “books which tell the gay community that all is not well, that we are in danger, and — worst of all — that we are partly at fault, come in for savage attack from the brokers of political correctness.”

To their credit, however, this book’s call for moderation in dealing politically with straight society and for a moral framework in dealing with each other has not been tempered by these likely threats of repercussion. They can be commended, at the very least, for holding true to their convictions.

Th e

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OFTEN

F IN D S O N E S E L F

IN

THE

C O M P A N Y O F S U C H VE R Y Q U E S T IO N A B L E A L L IE S .

— Felix Aylmer in Separate Tables

p’M N O T L IV IN G W IT H Y O U . W E O C C U P Y T H E S A M E C A G E .

— Elizabeth Taylor in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof Are participation in public sex, pedophilia, transvestism and a host of other ‘-isms homosexual issues per se! Many do not believe so and are daunted by gay militants who insist they be included under the gay rights umbrella. The authors of After the Ball would agree and, in effect, are asking “all of the screamers, stompers, gender benders, sadomasochists, and pedarists” to go back into the closet for the sake of the movement, to present one sanitized version of who we are to straight oppressors. This is a quixotic and restrictive request which Kirk and Madsen realize at the same time they propose it.

You may have noticed that there has been no editor for these reviews listed on the title page over the past few issues. Well, now there is one: yours truly, Garland Terry, of picturesque Austin, Texas. We look forward to bringing out a fuller Books section in the future, especially if you'll send me your homemade reviews — care of the regular RFD address as well as your illustrations, hot tips, and (publishers...) your samples. Like my predecessor, Raphael, 1 want to encourage you to dig into not only the genre of new gay literature, but into favorite books of any genre past and present that you think RFD readers might also find meaningful. You know our common concerns; you judge what may stimulate others. Share your most enlightening or controversial.

Let s face it: the gay community is too diverse to ever speak with one voice, be it with a radical, liberal or moderate twang. The gay community is in fact a misnomer; it might best be described as occasionally overlapping gay communities. While this might make it difficult to coordinate political movements, we must take solace in this strong testament that, indeed, we are everywhere. We bring to the public and political arena more differences than similarities. Our political persuasions, agendas, tactics and ultimate goals, lifestyles and value systems are too varied to ever settle for the least common denominator among us: the right against discrimination based on what we, as consenting adults, do in the privacy of our own bedrooms.

We have a limited number of review copies available. Write and tell me your interests if you d like see what we have in that category.

Iry to write your review like you are informing an intelligent friend of your assessment of a book; get excited or really dish it, depending on how you feel. Just don’t write with puffery, academese and verbiage. If you can, submit in typed form (or Mac disk); otherwise, any means is fine. ( ontributions may need to be edited for space. In fact, short capsule reviews are most welcome. Be sure to incorporate quotations and concrete examples so we see what you're saying. And please include the book s price, number of pages, publisher's name and the aiidress if at all possible! Remember our rural readers without a handy gay bookshop nearby... I am eager to hear about your best reads! -GT

Knowing they will be unable to muzzle certain members of the community, the authors’ frustration turns to embarrassment, resentment and anger. Kirk and Madsen feel compelled to use gentle, nonconfrontive persuasion with straights. (Look: we’re just like you and will go out of our way not to offend you.) They show no such restraint when dealing with gays who do not fit in with their master game plan. (We don’t like you; shut up!)

Their indignation, however, is misdirected. It targets the minority (albeit boisterous and ostentatious) members within our community and not the straight media which, to bolster their ratings, selectively focuses on these individuals to represent us. Nor does it target those who, by refusing to come out and challenge the stereotypes, perpetuate the Big Lie portrayed by the media.

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If the media is providing more air time and column space to the bizarre, the theatrical, the confrontive, the lurid, then it is up to us to force a more balanced view about who we are to the straight community — and to those gay people just coming out and in need of more diverse role models. This can’t be done by chastising or censuring the fringe groups, but rather by providing our own good copy to the media which reflects our viewpoints. In effect, we must learn to make more noise than the current media darlings.

“AFTER THE GAEL” Will the Real Gay Majority Please Stand lip?

ATIER THE BALL, By Marshall kirk and Hunter Madsen, Ph.D. Doubleday, 1989.

Reviewed by Peter Manale Touted by its authors as a gay manifesto for the Nineties, After the Ball is a daring and controversial book which offers an in-depth look at homophobia in America, followed by a scathing indictment of the gay male community. No doubt the book will elicit a backlash of criticism from gay militants and their ilk tor the audaciousness of their comments (especially their characterization of the "politically correct” and the

As the authors document, this will not be an easy task. However, as we continue to make political inroads, as more of us come out, as more pressure is exerted on the media to tell the truth, as the natural process of assimilation occurs within our maturing movement, our “other voices” will be heard.

22

seven-page Grecian-formula for change clearly shows that Kirk and Madsen are more interested in vituperating gay men for their own cathartic reasons than in offering positive, realistic suggestions for hope and change.

Y O U R L O V E A F F A IR W IT H Y O U R S E L F H A S R E A C H E D H E R O IC P R O P O R T IO N S .

FO R M E .

IT D O E S N ’ T S E E M TO L E A V E M U C H R O O M

ARE YOU SURE YOU CAN G E T A LO N G

W IT H O U T

S O M E O N E T O H E L P Y O U A D M IR E Y O U R S E L F ?

T h is

—Joan Crawford in Possessed

m a y

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E V E R Y S E N T E N C E W IT H

A

P R O P O S IT IO N .

I C A N A F F O R D A B L E M IS H O N M Y C H A R A C T E R B U T N O T O N M Y CLO THES.

— Doris Day to Rock Hudson in Pillow Talk — Vincent Price in Laura

How we treat one another is as important, if not more important, than how straight society treats us. And our score card, to date, is far from perfect. Our social interactions are still driven predominantly by sexual competition and conquest. While we damn straight males for their excessive sexual objectification of women, we canonize this same behavior when directed by us to other males.

Turning their cross hairs from the fringe, Kirk and Madsen next blast the gay milieu at large. “A lot of it has looked immature, self-centered, destructive, silly, and creepy,” they report. The barrage of virulence intensifies. Many within the community are branded as hedonistic, superficial, licentious, histrionic, deceitful, predatory, preoccupied with youth and beauty, and/or amoral.

However, all is not as bleak as the authors would have us believe. Our expectations of ourselves and of our community seem to be evolving.

Having to face our own mortality and the possibility of premature death has been a sobering experience for most of us. It is only in the wake of AIDS that we, as men, are beginning to see one another as more than potential tricks and showing real compassion toward one another.

Under the specter of death, we have begun taking a deeper look at the preciousness of life and love, the potentialities within relationships (beyond sexual gratification), and the importance of a caring, sustaining community. Hopefully, the lessons learned will remain intact long after the crisis has abated.

True, all of us may have exhibited some of these traits at some period in our lives; true, we need to be able to honestly identify, rebuke and modify these negative human (not gay) flaws when they surface; but the authors’ strategy of overkill backfires and merely appears vindictive in nature.

W HAT A D U M P !

— Bette Davis in Beyond the Forest While 1 admire the tenacity with which Kirk and Madsen criticize some areas within the community that we might work on, 1 question the writers’ real motives for suggesting reformation. If we as a gay “household” decide our house needs cleaning — and whether this would require light housekeeping or a major refurbishing is open to debate — we should primarily be instituting this because such changes in lifestyle would lead to healthier and happier inhabitants within our home, not because this might placate our perturbed heterosexual neighbors.

Others within the gay community continue to make progress in integrating a positive gay identity within a broader context of selfactualization and spiritual (not to be confused with religious) growth.

Lesbian and gay churches, twelve-step fellowships (eg, A A and AlAnon) along with countless rap groups on relationships and intimacy attest to the fact that many arc searching for answers outside of themselves within the framework of a supportive, healing community.

A true gay manifesto for the Nineties would build from these strengths, not merely offer a tirade of what is wrong.

Homophobia is alive and well and living in every neighborhood in America. Its insidious nature impacts upon us all, even if we pretend to hide it or ignore it. It is a force that cannot be denied by the gay community. Some use massive denial or seek unhealthy diversions (such as alcohol, compulsive sex, etc.) in an attempt to elude its grasp.

Some face the monster directly and, through aggressive political action, attempt to batter it into submission. Others, opting for less confrontive political measures, try to tame the monster with reason and compromise.

Tension and animosity persist between competing political camps over which of these methods is most productive. The verdict or the desired results are still not in.

If a sizable faction of moderate yet unpoliticized gay men does exist, the cynical and embittered intonations of this book will do nothing to mobilize this force. Accusing the media of not showing a realistic view of the gay community, they mimic this imbalance by failing to portray the mainstream they wish to promote. By focusing almost exclusively on the negative, stereotypical aspects of gay life and condemning them, Kirk and Madsen prove that, indeed, “in all respects other than what we like to do in bed, we’re exactly like fstraight] folks.”

In the meantime the effects of homophobia continue to have a daily impact upon us. Without a doubt, we must continue to press for long­ term political change outside our community to squelch homophobia in all its forms. However, by solely focusing on “them” (homophobes) and blaming them for all our woes, we avert attention from “us” and the difficult responsibilities we have concerning how we can improve our community internally to make individuals’ lives more satisfying and fulfilling. To do this requires that we make a candid evaluation of ourselves as a community — at its strong and weak points — and suggest alternatives for improvement.

The authors conclude by announcing The ball is over. On the twentieth anniversary of Stonewall, they are finally putting up the chairs, packing off the punch bowls, and tossing out the celebratory bunting. The masks have come off, and the ridiculous evening gowns have made their last exit. The beautiful room is empty. Tomorrow, the real revolution begins. So go home, get changed, and be at the (train?) station by eight.

The authors of After the Ball go to great lengths detailing the steps needed to challenge straight America’s perceptions of us, mostly through the use of a national media campaign; they fall short in offering practical ways to reform our own culture. Only a few references to exemplary gay individuals who they would like on their team are noted (Barney Frank, for one, although this was before his reported dalliances with a male prostitute). On the whole, however, few of us escape their wrath.

While many of us hope to ultimately arrive at the same destination, we’ll opt for taking the bus.

Except for a fanciful and nebulous proposal of returning to the “good ole days” (using the society of Ancient Greece as a model for intergenerational relationships among gay adults), they offer us no feasible suggestions on amelioration within our community. Their brief 23

Greeks.

Demeter lost her daughter (or her younger self) Persephone.

As she mourned her loss, she drained the earth of its life-blood.

It is said that the earth was revived by the laughter of the despondent Demeter, when Baubo, daughter of the Queen of Eleusis, flashed her vulva in Demeter's face. Her great temple was erected at Eleusis, where religious festivals were held to celebrate the sowing, sprouting and reaping of the grain. The story of Perse­ phone and Demeter illustrates the universal forces of creation, preservation and destruc­ tion all bound into one entity.

Similarly, Demeter contains a trinity: virgin/creator; mother/preserver; and crone/destroyer. Echoes of this triad are also found in Inanna, the great Summerian goddess.

ISIS A s im e D ia n a

HetAie DeneieK

Diana

K ali iN A N N A b M lC H A e t O 'HALLY

When Inanna descended from her heavenly throne to the underworld, she was gradually stripped of her garments until she stood naked before her sister, the goddess of death. She was held prisoner for three days, then hanged from a tree. Her release was conditional only upon providing a replacement for herself in the underworld. She chose her over-ambitious lover Dumuzzi, the shepherd-god, who had set himself up on her throne in her absence. He was god of vegetation without whom all growing things ceased to exist. Luckily, his sister followed him to the underworld, where she replaced him for half the year, thus permitting the annual flowering of the desert each year.

Ever since first hearing the goddess chant, I’ve wondered who the women named in the chant are. Although their names carry many connota­ tions for me, it has occurred to me that I don't know very much about these goddesses or the contexts in which their myths were devel­ oped. So I decided to investigate, to see what is so interesting about them.

Kali, the great Hindu goddess, also embodied the triad of creator, preserver and destroyer, although today she is most remembered in her destroyer aspect, squatting over her dead con­ sort, Shiva.

She feeds on his entrails while riding on his prick! Kali bore the title of ounti or Kunda, the root of his ubiquitous Indo-European word for the vagina. She person­ ifies the earth which supports, then consumes that which she has loved and nurtured.

I found two books to be full of interesting anecdotes: The Book of Goddesses and Heroines,

by Patricia MonagKan "'and The Woman's Encyclo£ 3 edia of Myths of Secrets,~by Barbara G. Wa^ er- As we_lT, the Encyclopedia of Reliqion, edited by Mircea Eliade, publishe<r~by Macmillan, proved to be very informative.

In brief, here is what I have learned.

Foremost, there are many similarities in the stories that revolve around the goddesses. For example, Isis, Astarte, Demeter, and Inanna, each embody the archetypal Mediterranean fer­ tility goddess. Her power over the earth is linked with a cycle of loss, then reunion with, a lost lover, often incestuous in nature.

We have, for example, Isis, one of the princi­ pal goddesses of ancient Egypt, searching the world over for the dismembered limbs of her brother/lover, Osiris.

The story has a happy ending because she finds almost all the parts and succeeds in reassembling her brother's body. Although his cock is missing, the re­ sourceful goddess succeeds in crafting him one out of gold to make him whole again.

Now, is that precious or what? Osiris, we learn, is the God of the Nile waters; the cyclical flood­ ing of its banks allows the Garden to grow.

Astarte, the principal goddess of the Phoeni­ cians, dates back to the Bronze Age. She was the Queen of Heaven, mother of heavenly souls.

In Syria and Egypt, her sacred dramas cele­ brated the rebirth of the Solar God, her son/ lover, each 25th of December. (This makes Mary the new kid on the block, doesn't it?)

In order for this to happen, Astarte had to de­ scend to the underworld to reclaim him. Mean­ while, back on earth, all copulation ceased until she returned with him.

Demeter H

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t

fsis

Then we have Hekate, the pre-Olympian Greek goddess of the spirit world. It is said she wandered the roads of ancient Greece accom­ panied by her sacred dogs at the dark of the moon, where she gathered offerings left by her devotees at forks where three paths crossed.

Again we are reminded of the feminine trinity.

As Queen of Death she ruled over the powers of regeneration and rebirth; during the Middle Ages she became associated with witchcraft and sorcery.

cross in a college production of a medieval play, and the audience of lacquered Episcopali­ ans and scruffy campus cynics wept because of the reality, the truth of my performance, a truth which came forth through God. I am allied with a God who contains everything that exists: the world, us, good, bad, the rebellious, the sinful, martyrs, aesthetes, even politicians.

I am in contact with a God so complex and awesome it provokes endless orgasm in me, me, a drop of brackish water begging to drown in His vast, endless, allinclusive, cleansing, purifying sea--and so live forever. God embraces all because He is utterly sophisticated and cosmopolitan and catholic as is every true artist. He is the Supreme Artist because He created from out of His loneliness and ennui a world crowded with startling dramas of humankind: spoken land­ scapes of penetrating intelligence, heartstop­ ping beauty, deep emotion.

Finally, there is Diana, the Roman deity de­ rived from the Greek goddess, Artemis. Like Isis and Astarte, she came to represent the variabie energies of the feminine.

She was therefore contradictory: the virgin who pro­ moted promiscuity, and the huntress who pro­ tected animals. Diana is often pictured as the lightly-clad, bow-bearing figure riding a cres­ cent moon, or striding through the forest with her nymphs.

As Artemis she is portrayed with many breasts, symbolizing the nourishment of the earth's creatures. Her cult was widespread 1J?.

Pa 9 an world, rivaling the Madonna cult of the early Christians. it is said she re­ mained Goddess of the woodlands throughout Medieval Europe. Even as recently as the 18th century, she was still so honoured in England.

Because He experienced the world viscerally through His improvisation Christ — lie wanted to examine his artwork up close— He became even more worldly.

He came to realize that the flesh is weak and finite.

He understood He must love more than condemn because He saw that in the end we are all children, children touch­ ingly striving for self-mastery.

The study of the goddesses and their myths is a complex one, due to the fact that there exists a certain amount of scholarly dispute over their origins and transformations over the ^ n^ ries‘ To comPlicate matters, the concept ot the goddess is not necessarily a simple one, as she often comprises different facets and personas, and can be absorbed by other qoddesses over time.

However, there is also a remarkabie sense of continuity and overlap among the stories associated with them, so that in my mind, they all blur back into one.

However, God does feel some disappointment over creating so naughty and disobedient a thing as man and woman. He wonders if He should have made only saints because He understands that for art to be great it must be c?ntirely pure.

On the other hand, He craves excitement. He is fond of lusty melodrama: it speaks to the human in Him. He had to compose an earthly--and earthy--play with conflict: forces of good arrayed against forces of evil.

He doesn't want to be bored by His own play. He knew free will would make for passionate and honest act­ ing, would facilitate the clash between the hero and the villain, would make the world dramatically beautiful as it always is when ravaged by war, when covered with blood and ashes. Never letting us forget that He is the ultimate director, He ends the play as artistic logic dictates, though half the cast is usually dead by the time the curtain falls.

I hope these glimpses into their myths have rired your imaginations and have inspired vou to discover more. Blessed be.V

GOD

APoet W Playw right

by Michael Swift ^ ^ Does the soaring soul exist? Yes, despite the scoffing intellectual with the unconscious as his version of the soul, despite the denial of the scientist who ironically causes the un­ believable to happen when his rocket soars beyond common sense to the moon.

I--when I feel wounded as happens with modern mystics and space-age poets— fly out of my body to God. I forget my mortal, decaying figuration.

J can go without food, drink, sex, sleep--all the bodily pleasures and nagging human needs. All physical pain disappears, evaporates.

I go beyond dying. I understand the most arcane and elusive of poems.

I feel electronic angels brushing their mylar wings against my naked flesh; I wake in the night and hear their atonal song.I

In addition to His desire for sincere acting, He gave man free will so that He could test our fickle love for Him. We fudged the first test when we savaged the first performance given by a celestial super-soul dressed in the charac­ terization of hauntingly lovely Christ.

He discarded the original feudal script and created democracy because He saw that autocracy led only to evil and plays possessing only evil and not also its opposite are undramatic, aes­ thetically incomplete, incapable of synthesis.

I have always reached for the poem that is God because I have always hurt so much, have been wounded by too much dishonest poetry written by dinosaurs. I too bear a rcar on my left side.

I too was crucified beca e I refused to give way to the Pharisees.

I carried the Master's 25

Certification Card _fp_r__Essay_Competjtion._'Q 8 _‘‘ _China in My Mind”

RADIO BEIJING

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Mr. Bell Rudlo Beijing would like to thunk you for taking purt in our competition, China in My Mind.

We ure happy to ouy thut your coooy won third prize.

"Chinn in My M ind”.

China has been in my mind for a very long time, in fact sixtyfour years; a short time compared to the recorded history of China, whereas Aus­ tralia only recently celebrated its Bicentennary of two hundred years of white settlement on the 26th January 1988.

tenant and we became good friends.

When he learned that I was going into China last year, he suqqested I write a series of questions on envelopes and he would write the equivalent in Chinese on the reverse side; these proved invaluable.

I think my very first memory at about four years was having a white dinner plate almost covered in blue designs.

Later in life I learnt this was your famous Willow Pattern. My Mother regularly told me stories about the brave Emperor with his big sword, and his beau­ tiful Empress.

He would protect her from the dragon, all sorts of other dangers and then they would walk over the curved bridges, go into the forests, climb the mountains etc., and they lived in a palace.

The China International Travel Service (H.K.) was extremely courteous and helpful and ar­ ranged all my travel documents. The Manager came to see me and said that in his opinion I would not regret my decision to travel indepen­ dently and also felt that I would be assisted in many ways. He must have had some psychic powers as I was helped genuinely every day. On the train from Guangzhou to Beijing, the above envelopes were very helpful, also a talking point between the passengers and they seemed amazed that a sixtyeight year old foreigner was travelling alone with only a back-pack as lug­ gage. The journey by hard sleeper was both exciting and interesting and I was impressed with the speed that the express train reached; this speed was thrilling, and the long journey to Beijing seemed short.

I was never afraid of the dragon as I thought he had a kind face and I never tired of the stories.

When I was six, at school, I learnt that a very big country to the north was called China, and to give young children some idea of the number of people living there, the teacher told us that if the Chinese people marched four abreast past one given point, then the column would never end.

I did not comprehend this until later in life.

Outside the Beijing Railway Station I bought a map as I did not have any accommodation booked in advance, but the map was all in Chinese.

However a young local tour guide approached me and suggested a back-pack hotel so I went by taxi. This is where I like to stay as it ex­ clusively caters to foreigners, all back-pack­ ing and travelling and living the cheapest possible way all over the world.

The staff here were very friendly and all spoke English.

I asked a lot of questions which were courte­ ously answered and I was supplied with a lot of good local information. They also asked a lot of questions about Australia, especially about kangaroos and koala bears.

My beloved Grandmother was ahead of her time and experimented with Chinese foods which at that time, about sixtyfour years ago, was not generally done, and she was always welcomed very cordially into the two Chinese stores.

I used to go along with her as much as possible and I became aware at an early age of the friendly nature of the Chinese.

Later in life I became self-employed and received good busi­ ness advice many times from Chinese merchants who knew me through my Grandmother.

A cousin of mine was a buyer of manufactured clothing, and went many times into China before that country was opened to foreigners. On return he spoke very highly of the people he met. Later I became a landlord and had a young Chinese

Back on my hobby farm at Nimbin in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, I listen whenever I am there to Radio Beijing, which I enjoy. When I knew for sure I was going to China, I wrote to them and had a prompt reply with a request to see them. At their headquarters I was well 26

received and spent about three hours being interviewed about my alternative lifestyle on my hobby farm and general questions about our wonderful country (which is referred to as Down Under).

Marble Barge, The Long Corridor and The Bronze Ox were fantastic. However it is difficult to pin-point a few items as everything is so in­ credible in design, which of course was the imagination of The Empress and she must have been very satisfied with the final result.

I went on an organised tour to The Great Wall and had read as much as I could before depar­ ture, all of which was not to be compared to seeing it in reality, and I savoured the smell of time.

All the words ever written could never fully give the thrill of seeing it for first time and X benefited by my prior knowledge.

To get the full feeling of such a colossal phenomenon, you have to use your imagination and go back in time, to The Emperor who first conceived the idea, the engineers, the surveyors, the stone-masons, the cooks, the chain of food supply and a host of other ancil­ lary activities, plus of course the manpower and their tools. It is mind boggling to think that without present day know-how that such a structure could have been built without backhoes, bulldozers, cranes etc., being a stone­ mason myself I was moved emotionally. Today if a similar project was in the pipeline for con­ struction, no company would tender as the job would be beyond their capabilities.

The time spent on The Great Wall was a thrilling experi­ ence which will last as long as I have my brain.

3

The Gugong Palace Museum was also visited one morning and I was so impressed I did not leave until afternoon.

Here again I was approached by a young university student who willingly offered his services as a guide and refused to take any remuneration except of course a cold drink on conclusion as I insisted.

The Tian'anmen Square is unbelievable in size and I would like to see the annual parade on National Day. I also visited Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall, and to easily find the end of the queue of people, look for the man with the big red flag, which is about three metres by two metres and Si ky any standard; look for him on the left hand side of the Memorial Hall. When I joined the queue I stood on the inside of the four abreast visitors, looked along the line and it seemed to go to infinity, then it turned left for a similar distance, and then headed towards the Hall. i daresay a total length of about one kilometre, well very long. j was prepared for a very long wait, but the queue kept moving and to my surprise it took only fifty minutes from the time I joined the Queue until I was outside the Hall/ and to me this was amazing.

One day I decided to use the underground rail­ way so bought a ticket from a lady who spoke English. She indicated towards the underground platform, so i set off with confidence. Before the train arrived, the above lady came to me on the platform and requested a couple standing nearby to look after me and to see that I left the train at my desired destination.

I think this couple seemed delighted in being able to assist me.

Another generous show of kindness towards a foreigner and most appreciated.

The Chinese people take this pilgrimage very seriously, and when I came very close to enter­ ing, I could see wet eyes but the people just let the tears roll down their cheeks and this indicated to me they were genuine thankful tears with no embarrassment evident. It was also a very solemn occasion for me to see this great Statesman lying in state for posterity, and I felt very sorry that he probably had a lot of problems in his life in unifying China.

f/ tJ1S buS change-over terminal on my way to The Summer Palace, I was looking for the departure point when I was approached by a Chinese lady who spoke English and she asked if I was P,ln9 uto The Summer Palace. She suggested I take the mini bus at very little extra cost as this wouid be quicker and more comfortable.

Another example of the friendly and thoughtful attitudes by locals towards foreigners.

The last day was spent visiting The Friendship Store and going on bus rides. I just got on and off buses, hoping I would finally get back to the main railway station, which I did. The Friendship Store is certainly an eye opener with the fantastic array of high quality prod­ ucts for sale. in this store and others I visited, I was surprised to see the lack of adding machines and the only method used was the abacus.

This was very interesting and it took my mind back to when I was six, when I visited the Chinese stores with my Grandmother, as these calculating frames in use then always fascinated me and have proved their efficiency over a very long period of time.

The imagination of The Empress who commissioned tnis Palace knew no limits and the sheer magnitude °f it all must be seen to be believed. I tnink she must have driven her architects alost to distraction with her suggestions, de­ signs and alterations; probably demands may be ore appropriate, with great respect. However, nanks to this amazing Empress, there is now a rabulous Palace complex for the Chinese people and foreigners to enjoy.

I am fascinated by the universe and outer space etc., and on my last afternoon in Beijing there was a most violent atmospheric disturbanceclouds from brilliant white through all colour­ ings of grey to almost black were being hurled violently through the cosmos. Then came the horrific lightning and deafening thunder.

To me, this was a daytime display of fireworks put on especially for my benefit to say thank you for coming to China, good travelling and an invitation to return.

At one building I saw restoration work in prog­ ress and one young strong looking man was hav­ ing a difficult time in getting the external coating off one huge wooden post, and I think he was annoyed with his ancestors for being such good tradesmen, with respect. A particu­ lar aspect of one building was a long flight of steps leading up to another building and the treads were only half the normal height. This was unusual in the fact that my leg muscles did not get tired whilst climbing or descending, so another fantastic idea from The Empress.

The

On the train back from Beijing to Guangzhou I 27

was again treated very kindly by the other passengers. A young doctor on the train organised my luggage into a cloak room, thus ena ling me to go sight-seeing around Gyangzhou. Another act of kindness especially to the aged like myself. y

Our First Significant Fashion Statement of the GAY 90's The NEW RFD Tank Top

rhe above trip to The People's Republic of China was the most memorable of all the over­ seas countries I have visited, and lots of fun.

The courtesy I received every day was amazing and I presume this is the normal routine towards all foreigners. I was born on the 15th June 1919, "The Year of the Sheep," and life ? h L b?en V? 5y ki nd t o me* The ama2ing thing is that i could not speak one word of Chinese, and to me, China is a tourist's paradise.

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A Call for Submissions for

G ay Men an d Magic: The R a d ica l F aeries We (Herman, Tom & Tom) are putting together a book about the Radical Faeries. We expect to have a commer­ cial publisher, but would self publish as an alternative.

Submissions can be on the topic of your choice.

1lere are some possible topics: • Spirituality • Politics • Gatherings • Fairie Households & Communities • Visions for the Future

If you would like your submission returned, please include a SASE. We would appreciate contributions as soon as possible.

Send contributions to: Tom Lam (Kwai) 2546 Capitola R d ,#67 Santa Cruz, C A 95062 " f'*u- I.ulv vamn{! .'1 j v,hot,n anil .iiotxK' .1 1Mb m.-ih iii >. U-iifik III w »2<4 ,m >

28

or call:

Herman Strum pf (201) 333-4195 Tom Seidner (607)273-0558 Tom Lam (408)475-1087

from a series of poems called pAh'i’b by rtudy kikel MY CHEBT

MY ANAL SPHINCTER

There's a summer of 'fiftysix snapshop of me on the farm in khakis and a t-shirt in which my ribs stick out farther

Breathing word that another of your blockades was in effect during my adolescence meant having to lie on the floor

than do those pancakes it was hard to believe would ever swell up into a chest. but faith I had— Faith Yews, possessed of a

while mother, holding the prong from a suspended enema bag in her hand, bent over me. There was more poking still on

chest larger than any we Long Island Pressboys had acquired at fourteen, boys who--for that reason?--once we had delivered our

the parts of two longshoremen who sidled on Forty-second Gtreet up to me, where I had been wandering around on the

dailies would congregate on her Glendale stoop.

Faith Yews undid and helped prompt me to pursue a course of self-improvement, by

night i was "dropped" by my first lover— at nineteen, the older man in my life, a ho wanted-you reasoned subsequent to those

announcing that when 1 stood sideways, I disappeared! A mail order Charles Atlas course— he on whom sand would never again

ordeals--surprise guests pressing for accommodation at one's thresnold? And who knew in the course of their abrupt departures

be kicked--followed up b y a myriad of pulleys, push-ups, bars to be pressed and--what?--six years of being strapped onto steel

what household treasures would be drawn after them? Oh, not having the knack of playing the good host--or hostess— I'm sure I've missed

racks (but perish the thought no sports)--and how apparent have 1 become? Parent to mi.nors-parent to two pectorales

some life experiences.

But these are plague years, and if I live through them it may well oe because--like some fastidious

minor and their big brothers major--yes. you my pretties whom I have spent much time "rearing"-no matter what way I present myself in a Back Bay gym crowded with attractive twentyyear-olds, am 1 not, pushing forty-five, invisible still?

'50s Catholic high school girl of my acquaintance with whom one couldn’t get "beyond" some French kissing--for the last twenty-five years all you've granted entry into precincts ovtr which you stand guard--good dragon!--is a little exploratory tongue.

NICE TEBTICLEb

by D.i». Lawson FRIENDSHIP

by M.S. Montgomery The first time, we made love by twos and threesj and later, gazing with lysergic eyes, mind melting into mind with slippery ease, mortality stripped off its sad disguise, as aureoles consumed our bodies, far behind, into a shining point.

We were, we knew, nothing but what we'd never thought to findi one spinning snowflake in a field of blue.

I sayi "You have nice testicles" And you let out a hiss like a deflating tire.

Trying to atone, I ask: "How many nice testicles are there in the world?'

"A ton.

Like sedum.

In the grass everywhere."

POET

by Jack Davis

That was a time.’ We call it friendship nowi blackberry picking, stopping on the trail to talk, to breathe the air, to see a cow suckling her calf, we hoard our brimming pail and watch each other lie beneath a tree, so happy now you've come to live with me.

I would if 1 could Take off my clothes And meet you as 1 am, Naked man with words.

29

fro m R etracing A n Obscene C rim e V.

V

1

L U IC K - T H R A M S

(editor's note* The first three sections of this poem were published in K F D h 59. o e c t i o n III s h o u l d have e n d e d w i t h the line "and of str a y cotton threads.")

i w a l k e d n e x t to the c o t t a g e w h e r e a G r a n n y r i p e w i t h y e a r s s a t , c r a d l i n g m e in h e r s a g g i n g r o c k e r , t h e o n e s a v e d f r o m t h e l i r e o f '2 5 » i s a w us, m e s u n k upon her a p r o n e d lap, s t o r i e s f l o w i n g of p i o n e e r folk, o f m i r e d M o d e l T ’s, o f f e v e r i s h d e a t h a n d h o t unending drought, corn a nickel a bushel--too cheap to g r o w to b u r n , bhe filled me with shivarees, t a l e s of c o m i c c o u r t s h i p — too m a n y b e a u x f o r one p r a i r i e l a s s to e v e r c h o o s e - - b u g g y r i d e s r o u n d quiet starlit lakes, oven a deadly Dillinger, chased d o w n o ur c o u n t r y g r a v e l r o a d s by c o p s too g r e e n , too fair to f o r e s e e c a r p e t - t a c k s h o w e r s o u t of c r a c k e d r e a r windows.

A w e s o m e , ye t i sat s e c u r e on G r a n d m a ' s lap, the w o r l d no l a r g e r than her tales, but s u r e l y all the same q u i t e full.

Gran n y all alone with her timeless p a s t , me t h e r e w i t h her, m y e y e s as l a r g e as p r o u d p i o n e e r w o m e n ' s f i n e d i s h e s , b r e a t h l e s s a l l the w h i l e G r a n d m a f l o w e d w i t h a c c o u n t s o f old.

VI. i w a l k e d , a l o n e , f r o m c o t t a g e to f r o n t y a r d , the a s n t r e e s a l l a r o u n d m e. i felt safe, my c h i l d h o o d s n a m e s a k e p o i s e d to b u f f e r i ts d o t i n g s o n . i saw autu m n firold, t h e m a g e n t a , d e e p b r o w n , r u s t e a s i l y f l o a t o n d o w n , d o w n t o w h e r e i c o u l d g r a b h a n d f u l s of g r i t t y l e a v e s , color dripping between my rake-worn fingers, huge ba n k s of s n a r e d d r i f t i n g sn o w p i l e d up a b o v e the cozy winter dens of evil bloodless garter snakes.

Leafless a s h b r a n c h e s s w a y e d in t h e c h i l l y r o a r i n g w i n d s o f b l a c k late-March dusks. i s a w A u g u s t d a y s , the y a r d c l i p p e d c l ose, f l e e t s of o v e r s i z e d l a n d y a c h t s d o c k e d on its edge, the p a s s e n g e r s all g a t h e r e d for yet a n o t h e r tribal union.

C o u s i n s , a l l of t h e m f o r e v e r kin, p u s h i n g , c h a s i n g , scoring sweaty homeruns, spiking rubbery v o l l e y c a l l s ; D u sty wrestled with, kittens dropped from careless arms, the y a r d f u l l o f life. *+-H p i c n i c g o e r s , p r a i r i e p o p u l i s t committee members, winter bridge circuit champs, g r a d u a t i n g t e e n 3 --a n y season, a n y year, the a s h - l m e d yard a h o m e to a ll, n o one t o o f o r e i g n or u n r e l a t e d . . . suddenly, sto o d still, the p l e a s a n t n e s s was inter r u p t e d . i saw myself — a f r i e n d in a r m - - w a l k a c r o s s a m o o n l i t n i g h t , t h e y a r d a k n o w i n g h o s t j it w a s a n i g h t n o t y e a r s a g o , b u t in t h e l a s t O l y m p i c y e a r . i s e n s e d the end w a s near; my g e n t l e f r i e n d h e l d me, we c r i e d i n t o e a c h o t h e r ' s c h e e k s , tears dropped onto a quiet l i s tening plain.

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i w a l k e d into my parents' bedroom.

Mama lay sleeping, e s c a p i n g t h r o u g h c l o u d e d d r e a m s of o e t t e r t i m e s , of m o n e y in t h e b a n k * a t 50 i t ' s t o o h a r s h t o k n e w t h e s a v i n g s g o n e , n o c h a n c e to c a t c h l o s t y o u t h ' s toil. inhere a r e *he children, asks a w h ispered moan* I am so alone. i see her l y i n g there, c a u g h t b e n e a t h the w e i g h t o f t ime, trapped under Llijah F o r d ' s p i o n e e r p l o w , t h r o w i n g o p e n i n I 056 t h e m a t t e d p r airie sod w h i c h now c o d d l e s croken, d y i n g ashes.

D i s t r a c t e d b y the i n n o c e n t r o m p i n g s of u n k n o w i n g chil d r e n , u n a w a r e of wa l l b t r e e t or P e n n s y l v a n i a A v e n u e , M a m a sleeps.

C o r nered by the m i s e r y of our muted wa i l i n g times, chased.

The phone rings.

I t ’s l l * 4 5 - - a q u a r t e r t o m i d n i g h t .

How c a n t h i s be, i w a n t to xr.ow, h o w c a n a p h o n e r i n g a t s u c h an hour in a n y c i v i l i z e d l a n d . i see M a m a jump, startled.

H e r m a n g o n e , she g r o p e s f o r h e r f a d e d p o l y e s t e r and a pair of smudged glasses.

Dazed, she feels her w a y to the s c r e a m i n g phone, no c h i l d r e n , no l a m b s there to c u s h i o n her b a t t e r e d ears fr o m s h r i e k i n g bells.

H e l l o , i h e a r h e r m a n a g e , w h o it is.

I t ' s t h e s h e r i f f ’s office w i t h the lat e s t news* i t ’s a l l o v e r , w e a r e d o n e - Ashlawn Farm has been foreclosed.

30

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TH E PH O TO G R A P H Y O F

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:IN T R O :

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So, whatHa life like in the Great Green Norm."

Imagine the second-largest country on earth (3,852,000 square miles) with about the same population as California. Since most of the population lives within 75 miles or so of the US border (so what's wrong with snuggling?), most of the rest of our country is thinly popu­ lated, or, as in the case of some mountain or arctic areas, not populated at all. One advan­ tage is that almost every one, even in the large cities, has wilderness in reach.

Has anybody watched "Great White North" on Second City TV? Well, that gives you about as accurate an idea of what Canada is like as "All in the Family" does for America.

Gay life? There's good and bad.

Most gays seem to wind up in large cities, and we have no more than a dozen that qualify as large. So country gays seem fairly isolated.

As of the moment there is no national gay periodical, when there was, it was published in Toronto.

The only rural gay magazine now is RFD. when Liberal Prime Minister Trudeau took "the government out of the nation's bedrooms" in the 1960s, what was done was decriminalize (as distinguished from legalize) gay sex.

So sex became legal between consenting adults in private--private being defined as no more than two people present.

Anything else remained proscribed. The age of consent for gays was 21 while it was 17 for heterosexuals. Previously, there hadn't been such a thing as consent for gays.

Starting in January, 1988, the Conservatives (of all people) reduced the age of consent for gays and straights to 15 (or 17 if one party was an adult in any sort of supervisory capaci­ ty over the other). This seeming liberalism has been accompanied by a vendetta of prosecu­ tions of old child abuse cases; although many of the cases involve what was plainly rape others were consensual and would now be legal] some involved children of 19 or 20, anc some go back more than 30 years.

Ph oto by

Sean

Hennessey

Should a group of Canadian rural gays use a US magazine to communicate with other Canadians?

Why aren't there Canadian publications to do this? Should we start one? In RFD, would we Canadians be talking to other Canadians--actually a tiny portion of RFD's readership--or to Americans? Do we want, or need, to talk to Americans?

These were the subjects of a late-night, ram­ bling discussion at Sephan's house near Nelson in August, 1989.

During the discussion, Michael suddenly got up and left.

The next morning we got together to write an article about it all.

Instead, the talk started up again.

The following is a revised version of a tran­ script of the taped conversation. Michael is a teacher in southeast BC; Jim is an ex-American living on the west coast; Sephan is a former American and draft exile. Sean is of Quebec descent, though born in the US and having lived mostly in Canada.

CONVERSATION

Another program seems aimed at gay books and magazines-~customs officers and police officers have censorship powers in Canada. Even The Joy of Gay Sex, freely available in libraries, is extremely "hard to import if you're a gay book­ store. Urban Aboriginals, written in Canada by a Canadian, cannot Be legally imported.

The British tradition of minding one's own business continues to make our society fairly tolerant, and we do have one gay Member of Parliament, who was re-elected after he came out to his constituents. However, there has been a resurgence of urban gay-bashing and of hate mongering by born-again Christians who have published a couple of $10,000 newspaper ads warning Vancouver of earthquakes if it hosts the 1990 Gay Games.

Yes, AIDS is a very serious problem in Canada.

And our provincial and federal governments seem to be having problems facing that fact and realizing they must deal urgently with it.

Still, the landscape makes up for a lot. •

JIM: Sean and Michael were having an amiable argument.

SEAN:

It was a bloody fight we were having.

MICHAEL:

It was great.

I really enjoyed it.

JIM: About Americans, I think we should make the point that Americans in North America are sort of in the same position as straight men in our society--a little bit "ugly" without mean­ ing to be at all.

I don't think they mean to be. But if we explain it that way, or in those terms, RFDers would begin to comprehend the ambivalence of Canadians' feelings about Ameri­ cans. Because Canadians do have those feelings and they do have reasons for feeling them.

That is not to say Canadians shouldn't share the blame for any failure to communicate, or for exploitation, oppression or any of those things.

MICHAEL: How about a preamble that explained what occurred in general in the conversation, to sort of prepare people that, in this ar-

tide, there are a lot of intense feelings in Canada about Americans.

Some of us disagreed with labeling, but the reality is that those labels allow us to discuss what's happening.

And we'd like people to read the whole ar­ ticle--! don't know why I want to prepare people, maybe that's my teacher sort of thing-I want to prepare people so that there's learn­ ing going on rather than a reaction; and I think it could be done very nicely.

Something like, "This is a very intense declaration by some people of their deep feelings about the political situation and oppression. We invite you to sort of sit back after the article and reflect on it before reacting." Be prepared for a heavy article.

JIM: May I point out that we discussed (at length) whether we should even be doing an article in an American magazine.

And this is why. And we all do wonder, Sean.

You're not alone. You just wondered harder than the rest.

MICHAEL:

I wonder, too.

SEPHAN: I think that's very heavy to take advantage of an American publication that of­ fers us space. I don't disagree with you at all, in anything you said, but I don't know if the forum to express those thoughts is a publi­ cation that's offering us an opportunity for communicating with others.

JIM: Well, if you couldn't talk about it in RFD, where could you talk about it?

SEAN: I think that they would be open.

Here we have a section of RFD that's aimed to rural gay men in Canada. They've invited us to do that and we're doing it--and one of our impor­ tant issues is how we relate to the US. We're sharing something very deeply held by us.

JIM: The point ought to be made that the 49th parallel is an arbitrary line that's drawn across the topography. It has nothing whatever to do with the landscape; it doesn't have any­ thing to do with the people who were here be­ fore the whites came. And it doesn't neces­ sarily have all that much to do with us, be­ cause, in some ways, there are more similari­ ties north to south than there are east to west.

SEAN: I don't think that's true.

It works both ways; there are similarities both direc­ tions. I don't think it's true that there are more north and south.

JIM:

in some ways there are.

SEAN:

Yeah, in some ways.

MICHAEL: Geographically, there is a real link north and south, and that does affect psycho­ logically the people who live there. When I go down to Spokane, or sort of north of Spokane, I feel very much kinship there, I don't feel a line.

SEAN: I don't feel that way, but I live slightly farther from the border than you.

JIM: Some of us even live south of the 49th.

I think I have more in common with people in the San Juan Islands than I do people in New­ foundland or Toronto.

SEAN: I certainly can't say that at all.

Actually, there was a place I lived in Quebec very close to the border. I lived there for years before I found out what state was south of us. There was absolutely no connection with the States.

MICHAEL: I have a real link to Newfoundland; I don't know why, but I feel real kinship.

SEAN: I do, too; I have generations of links with Quebec.

MICHAEL:

I think these are some good points.

JIM: It's like old Pierre T(rudeau) used to say--"Sharing the continent with the Americans is like sleeping with an elephant. (Regardless of gender, I presume.)

Every twitch and turn is bound to have an effect on you."

MICHAEL: Yesterday, David said the cat kept getting on his bed during the night; he had to push it off 8 times. Why did he bother? If he was allergic, then okay.

JIM: I see the point, but the Americans don’t worry too much about rolling over and crushing Canada. We'd scratch 'em if they tried. At least, we'd try to scratch 'em.

MICHAEL: I'm amazed at your antipathy to Amer­ icans. I'm amazed. I'm not putting them down.

I haven't met it in a long time.

It's not something that's part of my life, and a lot of my friends are Americans.

In this area a lot of American draft dodgers came up here.

JIM:

I don't like it.

SEAN:

What?

JIM: The United States. I have reasons for it. Why shouldn't I be anti-American if I have reasons to be?

MICHAEL: I'm not saying you shouldn't be. I'm finding it really interesting, really powerful.

I haven't had to deal with it for a long time.

I find Jim's antipathy more personal, and Sean's is more political.

I'm sort of with Sean.

JIM: I do have political antipathies as well.

I detest the American political system (not that the Canadian one is much better).

MICHAEL: I sort of trust Sean's political view, and I know that Jim's is political, too, but there's also a bitterness that I felt at one time. I don't know where it's gone or I don't know where I put it.

SEAN: So perhaps that is part of your reac­ tion— that you've gone through the same thing.

MICHAEL: I think that’s what was happening last night when I left.

I suddenly felt this incredible turmoil inside. . It wasn't from anyone--it was just--Aha! I have either hidden myself, confronted this and let it go, or there is still something happening there and I really don't want to get back in that, because that was very destructive for me.

When I direct hate outward, it's really hate inward.

And I don't want to do that any more.

JIM: There's a difference between spending a lot of time and en e r g y hating, and m e r e l y

want to.

detesting.

JIM: And we don't realize that all Americans don11 have them.

MICHAEL: r'm at ’a level now where I'm attempt­ ing to see through all the perceptions and illusions, and let them all go.

I'm glad you're here, and this has happened. It's real.

MICHAEL: They don't have to examine their motivations the way we do. To me they are like a teenage boy who thinks he's right in every­ thing he does, not because he's evil, but be­ cause he hasn't got the experience; because he hasn't been taken down by an older man, hasn't been taught a few things. Americans don't have to discover themselves inside yet. They're at the point now, politically, where they're going downhill fast, and the rest of the world is going to tromp all over them.

And they're going to have to figure out what it is that they are, and it's not going to be long.

They're going to react violently.

JIM: It's probably partly the difference be­ tween being an intense Scorpio, and whatever sign you are.

MICHAEL:

Oh, yes.

SEAN: For me, I often get into this problem in my head.

It's a contradiction.

I've known many Americans in my life and I've lived in the States, and there are so many wonderful Ameri­ cans, too; but as you say, politically, the United States is a straight man, standing right next to me, ready to hammer my ass.

It's a violent man, too. It's a very difficult person to stand next to— a big, violent man.

JIM: One problem is that Americans really don't know much about Canada— they just know it's off to the north and has Mounties and moose and stuff.

Canadians are certainly more aware of the US.

MICHAEL: The good thing is that it makes us know where we are.

SEPHAN: My nephew says that Americans know more about Canada then Canadians know about the US, so I ask him who was Prime Minister, and he didn't know. You'd be hard pressed to find a Canadian who didn't know George Bush was presi­ dent.

He thinks Americans know more about everything.

JIM: I think Canada is a nation because of the United States. It's where we get our identity.

If it wasn't for the United States, we'd have to invent one, as somebody used to say about God. SEAN: If it weren't for the United States, there'd still be a nation here, or several nations.

Australia hasn't got the US next door, and it has still managed to turn into a nation; and there are lots of examples of that, too.

That's a commonly heard thing, and it's true in part that the Confederation was formed to avoid being swallowed up by the United States.

But it's possible that we overempha­ size that.

JIM: That's a national characteristic.

MICHAEL: We were talking yesterday about the fact that they brainwash themselves--that's one reason why I'd like us to take part in this for RFD and tell it like it is.

SEPHAN:

JIM: If RFDers tromp all over us then we'll know there is no hope for Canada/US relations.

JIM: Oh, we do a lot of overreacting.

The oppressed should usually get some of the blame for their oppression, but not 100%. what we should have is a national psychoanalysis and then we’d be sane.

SEAN:

MICHAEL: I believe some of them will be shocked, and some will say, "I knew that al­ ready; I understand that," and it will give much more cement between us.

Oh, we have one all the time.

SEPHAN: There's a balancing side, and that is what is there about the US that we can appre­ ciate? What, of value, is there in their whole society for the world as a whole, today?

SEPHAN: One thing I notice about visitors from the States is that they seem to fall into two categories: one is "Everything is just the same--you have Texaco, McDonald’s, Woolworth's, Safeway." All they see is the similarities.

There is another group of people who come up, and they really appreciate the subtle differ­ ences about Canada.

It's what thev love--the environment, the way people feel about the land, the pace of life, the quality of life.

MICHAEL: I see energy. I just love Americans for their energy and the fact that you can do anything you want, or get away with anything.

I mean, that's positive, and there are few restrictions.

SEPHAN: I think there’s a lot of friendliness.

On the surface, anyway, Americans are much friendlier and outgoing to strangers or travelers.

JIM: I had a big fight with B. once about that; he'd lived here for years and insisted the only difference was the Queen.

The Queen really has not much to do with us--George Bush is more important than the Queen.

MICHAEL: It is a very subtle, difference.

JIM:

Or the way we see it.

MICHAEL: I like American men in many ways, and the fashion that comes out. I like the variety of their culture.

They have everything there that you could want.

important

Subtle doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

SEAN: That's true of Canada, too. of Brazil.

SEPHAN: But they all don't realize that we all don't have loaded revolvers in the glove compartment.

MICHAEL:

They don't understand that we don't

That's true

MICHAEL: I find that oth er cultures have limits. Maybe I have more access in the US. 38

SEAN: The American accessibility is a blessing and a problem for us. US culture is too acces­ sible to Canadians--that's a key problem for us.

C ontact for

nadidns!

MICHAEL: And we use them unabashedly for everything they've got. And then I chastise them for everything I don't like. I don't like that part of me— I think it's hypocritical.

JIM: The world is like that--they want Ameri­ can stuff but they don't want all the stuff Americans are gonna give them.

One of our reasons for anti-American feelings may be our resentment of our own dependence on them.

SEAN:

It's true of us with all countries.

MICHAEL: I want you for this, this and this, but don't show me your bad side in the morning.

SEAN: I think there is a potential for great value to the world jLn the States and their feeling that they are moral.

JIM:

Boxholder Box 733 Ganges, B.C. VOS 1E0

Feelings aren't necessarily true.

SEAN: I think it is not true, but it's a great part of the American mythology that it's true.

The US "doesn't do things that are bad."

"The US is the right side."

MICHAEL:

What's the value of that?

SEAN: I think when Americans have gone through an understanding that they are not j3oing that, then there's a potential of looking at how they could make it true.

SEPHAN: There's the idea of perfectibility, that society is not static; whereas the French would tend more to feel their society was al­ ready perfect.

JIM: How close are they to understanding that?

They almost made it during Viet Nam and"watergate. Now look at what they have.

SEPHAN: Also, it's not that they did nothing.

When they are convinced that they are wrong, they do change, or at least they try to change right away.

SEAN: What about Oliver North? Clearly he was doing something against international law and US law.

JIM:

Yes, we really do want to encourage contact amongst rural Canadian gay men. And we've even got a volunteer to coordinate a first step. If you'd like to appear on a contact list of rural Canadian gay men (to be circulated only to others on the list), send your name and ad­ dress, a couple of stamps, and up 25 words of introduction ("Happy faggot with seven kids welcomes visitors and part-time cooks...." to:

Even Reagan said, "It's not right."

SEAN: What I perceive is that he has a good following, a lot of support in the US. SEPHAN: There is the underlying attitude that when something is wrong, then, of course, they'll change.

Ji.;’. CdadJa uck» a real goody-goody attitude towards itself.

Much of its capital is in­ volved in gross exploitation in the Third World. Canada is composed of humans, with all that that implies, and shouldn't think it's very holy.

SEPHAN: The war did stop, and it did because enough people became convinced that it was wrong.

SEAN: And they had the right to say so— but it isn’t limited to the US^ TRe same thing hap­ pened during the Boer War. 'L:

Real man-eating Nettle QUICHE If your area is blessed (?) with stinging nettles (Urtica species) you should know how useful they are.

The tender young spring shoots steamed or boiled (which removes the sting) are an excel­ lent pot herb, on the order of spinach or kale.

Nettles are an excellent source of vitamin A and iron, as well as fiber. Also, as they say, revenge is sweet.

Rubber gloves are a great help in the picking and preparation.

If you do get stung, it's good stimulation, as any healer will tell you.

The long fibers in the mature stems can be processed and spun like flax.

Some gardeners say leaves placed in and on top of the planting row will control carrot fly.

Nettle Quiche 1 cup steamed chopped nettles butter 1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms 1 cup grated cheddar 1 medium onion in rings 1/2 cup flour 3 well-beaten eggs 1-1/2 cups cream 1 teaspoon coriander 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper Arrange nettles in buttered guiche pan. Cover with layers of mushrooms, cheese, and onions.

Blend flour, eggs, cream, spices. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients.

Bake 35-40 minutes in a 400F oven. Serve hot or cold.

This is a heritage recipe, handed down from Marcus Apicius, who, in case you've forgotten, was a First Century Roman gourmet.

Having squandered most of his large fortune on feasts, he committed suicide rather than economise.

more "faeries" of other cultures, colors heritages hear the radical faerie call?

Rad ic al Faen es:

and

Perhaps it has to do with the language with which radical faeries speak.

Images, symbols, words and concepts that are predominantly white ethnocentric in origin cannot be assumed to strike responsive chords in people of other cultures and heritages. Their gods and god­ desses, spirits, symbols, words and concepts may be quite different, may take different paths to the truth of their being in and of the Earth. We need to explore the "faerie-like" consciousness of people of other colors and cultures. For if we believe that "gay people" were the visionaries, shamans, healers, teachers, poets, mediators, etc. (what we de­ scribe as characteristics of radical faerie consciousness) throughout history, then we must learn the histories of peoples from other parts of the world where the Americanized white eth­ nocentric viewpoint is not the dominant view.

We must learn new languages of spirituality and gayness, and incorporate images, symbols, words and concepts that are multicultural and multiracial.

Why so few o COLOR?

African and ancient Native American spirituali­ ty teaches us that everything is inhabited by spirit.

Ancestry is an integral part of this spirituality. Red, yellow, brown and black gay brothers whose histories we may know little or nothing of, our ancestors call to be reunited with us. Knowing where, what and who we have been can enable us to better know who and what we are now.

Radical faerie spiritual gather­ ings can be a place to explore these ties with our diverse gay histories and to celebrate the spiritual immanence that unites us as gay spirits in the world today.

Racism is a troubling word. It makes people uneasy and uncomfortable.

Among radical faeries it seems almost anathema to talk about racism. After all, radical faeries are aware beings, visionary people seeking higher ground based on love and healing. Why then do so few incipient faeries of color hear the call to radical faerie gatherings?

About a dozen radical faeries explored this question at the 10th anniversary radical faerie spiritual gathering at Camp "Peace" near Mali­ bu, CA, in October, 1989.

Problems of racism and oppression were discussed, leading to new insights and understanding.

From this insight also came a sense of new possibilities about how our call can reach more faeries of color, can be a truly universal radical faerie call.

For many, faerie gatherings have become wonder­ land in the woods, a vacation oasis away from the day-to-day activities in the predominantly straight world. Many faeries express the feel­ ing of having reached a plateau.

Recognizing that many people come to faerie gatherings at different stages of evolving consciousness, as a whole, the radical faerie movement has en­ abled a basic sense of identity, consciousness and perspective of radical faeries as unique people different from traditional notions of "gay,” "straight," and "bisexual" to evolve.

But this evolution has taken place predominant­ ly within a white, Euro/Anglo ethnocentric context. From the language of the call, some­ times with its hints of the Old Religion and neo-paganism, to the majority of faces that come to gatherings, radical faerie culture is predominantly white faerie culture. Why do not 40

We must renew our awareness of the political within our spirituality. Whether we like it or not, being a radical faerie is a political act, for by its nature it stands in contradiction of the dominant straight culture and the dominant gay assimilationist subculture.

We are not a people motivated by acquiring property, wealth and power over others. We offer an alternative vision of community based on mutual trust, love and healing, things all of the world is des­ perately in need of. Such a state of being is not an issue of class or race, yet it is sub­ versive to the powers and institutions that are the underpinning of modern society. We must use our vision and faerie consciousness to reach out to our brethren who are not middle class and white.

We must incorporate our spirituality into the politics of the present day to end economic oppression, ecological destruction, prejudice and fear of all that is different from "mainstream" culture. Ours is a gentle way, a life affirming, life celebrating way.

Radical faerie gatherings should not become political conventions where we discuss and debate social injustice issues in the ab­ stract.

But, our consciousness must include political and social awareness, for it is no­ thing short of the survival of mankind with which we are involved.

The path of truth and light, wherever it may lead us and no matter what the issue, is one we cannot avoid if we are to be true to ourselves and our lives as radical faeries.

We have shared our unique gifts among ourselves and grown in our capacity to love and be vulnerable.

We now must share them with the rest of the world, and most im­ mediately with all radical faeries no matter what their color, heritage or cultural background.

This is the creative challenge that we face upon the threshold of a new decade.

In creat­ ing calls to gatherings across the continent, let us expand our awareness and embellish our language to speak to the needs of other faeries whose needs may be different from our own. Let us incorporate the images, symbols, words, archetypal gods and goddesses and spirits of other cultures so that radical faeries, whether they be black, brown, red, yellow or white (or any combination thereof), all will hear the call, will hear a truth ringing from within that calls them to be with their brethren who seek to know them and love them for what and who they are, and not for what any one ethnocentricity describes or defines them to be.

As a radical faerie of color (of mixed race and therefore mixed cultures and heritage), I arr immensely hopeful of our ability to meet this challenge.

I call upon all who are concerned with what I have addressed in this article tc express their viewpoints.

I especially call upon my gay brothers of color to express and exchange viewpoints, to voice their perspective about their lives and their spirituality.

Let us begin to act and creatively share our unique gifts in healing our dis-eased world.

Canadian

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A country guy went to the city for a dirty weekend. At the hotel they asked if he wanted a room with a king or a queen.

"Well, if you don’t have one with a handsome prince, I ’d rather be by myself."

No selection of Canuck humour would be complete without Newfie jokes (Newfies are Newfound­ landers.). We could only find two that were reasonably inoffensive (to Newfies): Newfie: Mainlander: Newfie: Q:

Would you care for some tongue?

Oh, I could never eat something that comes out of an animal's mouth!

W o u l d you like s o m e e g g s 1nstead?

what is black and blue and (Moats in the bay?

There was a young man of Eau Clair Who had an affair with a bear.

But the surly old brute with a snap of his snoot Left him only one ball and some hair.

There was a young student of Queen's who haunted the public latrines.

He was heard in the john Saying "Bring me a don-But spare me those dreary old deans."

Away with tunics, cocked hats, swords.

In proof of stearn endeavour, We'll wear (where Adam wore the fig) The Maple Leaf forever.

A psychiatrist giving a word-association test to a patient with a few problems: "What do you think of when I say car?"

"Sex." When I say boat?

Sex." "When I say vagina?"

"Saskatchewan.

"Americans are our best friends, whether we like it or not."--Robert Thompson, former lead­ er of the Alberta Social Credit Party.

(C MICHAEL’S THISTLE SOUP } For each serving, boil or steam down 12 Canada or Bull Thistle flower heads.

Cook until you have a stock (until the heads are pale).

Remove the heads.

Combine this vegetarian stock with sliced vege­ tables, or add meat if you want

SEPHAN'S BEAR STORY

I was going down the Dead Dog Trail one day, toward River Farm. I had Jo, a German Shep­ herd, with me and she was way out in front. I had lost sight of her. As I was walking along, she came barreling up the path, ran literally between my legs, and I turned around to look at her--I was wondering what was the matter with her. Then it dawned on me what was happening, and I turned around to see this black bear charging up the path after Jo. It was every bit as startled to see me as I was to see it, and we both sort of stopped dead and quit breathing for a few minutes. Finally, it slow­ ly turned around and kind of ambled off, look­ ing over its shoulder at me.

I always have a hard time convincing people never ever to put the ash bucket down but on the ground. Sure, it’s only a problem once in ten thousand times, but I know of a deck and a house that burned that way.

Then there was Running Water's former outhouse.... JIM The first day of our first weekend together was spent getting acquainted or reacquainted.

Somehow we got started swapping stories about life in the wilderness, then realized we might be able to use them to fill up part of our pages.

We don't see too much in RFD about getting along with the creatures who were here before us, so we hope this will be of interest.

Eric has a good mocse story. He's a provincial park naturalist. Something they do is collect moose manure, stick it on toothpicks, and var­ nish it. This is a real hit as a handout at nature talks for groups of kids.

You can’t gross out kids. So Eric had a nice chat with an American couple who were fascinated by the wildlife in the park.

He gave them one of these souvenirs, they were quite pleased with it, stuck it in the ashtray of the car, and headed home. Got to U.S. Customs at the bor­ der, right? Zero tolerance, right? Moose poop is dark brown and does look a little like hash­ ish, right? Bad scene, right? Fortunately, Customs only confiscated the object and not the car. We can only hope some NARC tried to smoke it___

SEPHAN'S BARE STORY When we first moved here, this place was con­ siderably more isolated than it is now--there was a long, treacherous driveway and no one ever wandered down by accident. In those early days, we used to go naked pretty much whenever we wanted.

I remember after being here about two years, I wandered down to the river naked, which I used to do. On my way back up, I came around a bend in the driveway and I came upon three teenaged girls on horses.

They were neighbors but we had never even seen them on. the land before, let alone coming down the drive. By the time I saw them, there was abso­ lutely nothing I could do except continue right on, walk by them and sort of smile.

A friend tried to help me out by putting a new handle on my axe. What he actually did was to take a new handle I had bought in Spokane es­ pecially for my splitting maul.

He shaved it down to fit the eye of my axe. My expensive new maul handle was wasted on an old axe that didn't even require a new handle.

A friend named Jim has a good bear story.

He has a cabin in a ghost town--the only resident.

He returned from town once to find a bear in his kitchen, having lunch.

The poor creature was so panicked that he almost wrecked the place finding a way out.

Bears don't shit in the woods all the time.

why do city visitors always want to experiment with the stove to see how much heat they can get out of it? Having known that stove for several years, as well as others, I'd much rather put on a sweater than push my luck even a little bit.

A friend named Jim has a good story about city visitors and outdoor plumbing facilities. One of his guests absolutely insisted on using a five-gallon pail after dark. It was kept in the loft, and one historic day, while the pail was being carried out to be emptied, the stairs broke....

SEPHAN'S BEAR STORY W. from Revelstoke was here visiting— we were sound asleep, in the middle of the night.

"Sephan, wake up, there's a bear outside, wake up!"

This meant absolutely nothing to me, since there was a bear outside every niqht.

I tried to tell him to go to sleep.

"No, no, there's a bear outside." So I said, "Fine, if it's in the house, wake me, okay? Outside is where he belongs."

SEAN'S BARE STORY

SEANS ...

In Algeria, I was with a group of about 20 foreign teachers living in a classroom while waiting for accommodations. I was last to bed one night and had to get back up to turn out the light. So, I discovered it was inappro­ priate to walk around naked in Algeria--it's okay to hold hands, though.

I ran into a hunter once in a valley up near my place in the wilderness.

He was hunting bear for the parts he could sell in Chinatown. That would be the gall bladder and the paws.

He seemed like a realist, and I was glad to hear the price is going down significantly.

So, there should be less pressure on the bears.

42

JIM'S SEAL STORY

SEAN'S BARE/BEAR STORY

A lady got really concerned about some seals she saw in the harbour--there was one large one and two smaller ones swimming under it.

It looked like they were trying to help the large one keep afloat and she was really worried. A more knowledgeable person informed her it was breeding season, the large one was the male and the smaller females were helping him all right.

I just remembered one of my favourite bear stories. One night I was partying in Kaslo, 42 Km. away, and went back with a van load of people.

For some reason there was a roadblock--the Mounties were looking for someone and asked us all for ID. They never could wake Jay--he's a very sound sleeper, and he wound up sleeping all night in the van.

Three or four nights later I was sleeping at Jay's house, which is a little cabin. He had been having a problem with bears after his goats. We were asleep--l woke up and looked through the window right beside Jay's bed. There was a bear with his nose up against the window. I didn't know where the rifle was, so I barely whispered in Jay's ear, "Jay, there's a bear."

Jay jumped up, grabbed his rifle in the dark and went out.

What I did was put on my trousers. Then there was Jay running out stark naked with a rifle and a flashlight looking for a bear, but there wasn't one. The end of that story is the next night he spent in the goat pen and found the bear. I'll never forget the sight of Jay stark naked with his rifle.

JIM'S OTTER STORY On January 1, 1987, I got an emergency call from the house sitter on an estate where I gardened in the summer.

Seems a huge rat had gotten into the crawl space, died there, and was stinking up the whole house. I had the flu but went over.

I knew right away it wasn't a dead rat, but couldn't imagine what a seal would be doing at the top of a 75-foot cliff.

Over in the corner I could see something moving, and then realized it had four heads. I thought I was hallucinating until I made out that it was four yearling otters. I drove them out and nailed scrap boards over the holes. It turned out their den had been destroyed by a construction project next door and they had found a better one.

JIM'S RAVEN STORY Ravenscroft (Raven's Farm) used to have a nest• ing tree that was used for years and years.

The last time the ravens had their usual one chick. It takes about as much squawking and gronking to get one raven chick on the wing as it does about 200 baby robins. So this one and his parents moved from tree to tree in the neighborhood. Finally, after about three weeks of racket, they wound up in my neighbour's woods.

His wife was preggers and after about t hree days there was one long, awful squaaaaawk.

I never heard him again and no more nesting, either.

SEAN'S A fellow from Paris who was cycling from the Yukon to Guatemala City made a bit of a detour and stopped at my house for tea one afternoon since he'd heard I spoke French. He stayed for three months. I was renovating my house with a broken ankle--he did everything.

He was wonderful! when he finally got to Guatemala City, he kept on going to Panama City.

Then he got on a plane to Miami, then busses to Nelson; he hitched to my house and stayed for another two months.

JIM'S ...

SEANS ...

Here's a nude story that happened to me in Montreal.

I was living in a second floor apartment, and there was another apartment above me.

In Montreal, the staircases are often outside.

The staircase from upstairs curved down past my balcony to the ground.

Here's a bear story I hope will gross out a few Americans.

In June of 1988, I was camping in the Olympic National Park and met a guy quite interested in fishing and hunting. He told me the logging companies and the state had gotten together to kill bears in the tree farms and State Forest.

One hunter had killed 1,500 bears over three seasons.

What "reason" is there for doing something like this?

SEPHAN'S When I first bought my trailer there were a few weeks before the septic tank was hooked up.

One night I woke up to a terrific bump against the trailer.

When I opened the window and looked out, there were two cinnamon-coloured bears drinking water from where the sink drained out on to the groun'

as

So one day a meter reader came down that stair­ case, saw me through the window (I thought), jumped over the banister onto my balcony, and rang my doorbell (thus avoiding walking down to the ground and back up).

I didn't have any clothes on but I thought he'd seen that, so I just went to the door to let him in.

He started to say, "I'm from Gaz Metropolitain and I've come to read your meter," but as he was saying this his eyes went down my body and he didn't finish his sentence. He blurted out, "T'es tu fou, toe?" (Roughly, "You must be crazy."). He turned around, ran away, and was never seen again.

or of the "Volk," millions of people around the world lost their lives. Here the individual was conceptualized as a "subject," to be dealt with as property, and if need be, killed.

In these "totalitarian" states where the sover­ eignty of the individual was not recognized or understood, the state reserved unto itself the criteria of right and wrong, good and bad, the first and last arbitrator of law, justice and social order. In each instance, the only jus­ tification required for action was "for the good" of the state, because it was precisely in the state that absolute, or "total" sovereignty resided.

FOR U t e O M OF

SSSTATE Jay Hatheway Over the past several years, especially since the beginning of the Reagan presidency in 1980, there has been a frightening drift away from a long-held French Enlightenment belief in the "natural rights theory" of man, towards a posi­ tion which maintains that all rights are grant­ ed by the authority of the State in accordance with its interests.

According to the natural rights theorists, upon whose beliefs our Con­ stitution is premised, what distinguishes hu­ manity is the capacity for reason and perfecti­ bility.

By using "reason," the Enlightenment philosophers believed humanity could perfect itself, if not metaphysically, then certainly morally.

Supporting natural rights is the theory of natural law which maintains that there are "certain moral precepts of natural justice which must form the basis of all law"^ and from which natural rights are derivative.

This theory was understood as the premise for the development of natural rights which argued in favor of the sanctity and dignity of the individual both in a "state of nature" and in "society." In a "state of nature," mankind was viewed as either good or bad.

By mutually agreed upon criteria, sovereign individuals entered into contracts in order to establish civil governments, either to provide protection (to protect us from our "bad" nature) or to contribute to our "perfection" potential in a manner consistent with natural law, and thus the function of government was to regulate or control natural rights, not to usurp them. In the case of the French Enlightenment thinkers, the state in fact had no rights except those which the individual voluntarily surrendered to it— and then only on a provisional basis.

In the event that the agreed upon government "con­ tract" broke down, one could "withdraw" from the contract. Thus, the familiar words, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights ... that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that, whenever any form of government becomes de­ structive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it...."2 Contrary to this position is a belief which posits that "individual rights" are in fact not "natural" but rather "gifts" granted from the state.

In the West, two of the best known examples are that of the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.

In the instance of Nazi Germany, "individual rights" were also related to the biologic necessity of the German Volk. In both cases however, the sovereignty of the individu­ al was not a recognized principle, even if their laws vaguely "acknowledged" such con­ cepts. The negative consequences to the indi­ vidual and to humanity of this position are well known. In the name of the State, Party,

In the United States, the concepts of natural law and the "sovereignty of the individual" as intrinsic principles defining the relationship between the ruled and the rulers are expressed by a belief in the "consent of the governed."

James Madison, in the Federalist Paper # 39, elaborated on this point. "If we resort for a criterion to the different principles on which different forms of government are established, we may define a republic to be, or at least may bestow that name on, a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during plea­ sure, for a limited period, or during good behavior.

It is essential [sic] to such a government that it be derived from the great body of the society, not from an inconsiderable proportion, or a favored class of it ii3 The intention, of course, was the establishment of a government that not only derived its legiti­ macy from the governed, but also was mindful of its obligations and responsibilities to protect the rights of its citizens consistent with the principles of natural law while concurrently fostering a belief in civic responsibility and duty. The end result was to have been mutually beneficial to all concerned.

This has not always been the case, and history is replete with examples of significant breaches in the public trust.

The writers of the Constitution and the Federalist Papers understood human nature well enough to antici­ pate problems. It was their belief however, that a federal structure with separation of powers (within the various states, between the state and federal governments, between the branches of the federal government) would pro­ vide sufficient protection from any one element gaining the upper hand in the system and there­ by disturbing the diffusion of power they so ardently sought. Unfortunately, they could not have foreseen a future in which the relation­ ship between the sovereignty of the individual and the distribution of power would be chal­ lenged in a way inconsistent with the Enlight­ enment theory of natural law. This is, never­ theless, exactly the situation in which the United States finds itself today.

44

Within the past five decades, the beliefs of the Enlightenment have been turned upside down.

Rather than "sovereign citizens," Americans now find themselves in the position of "subject," not endowed with "certain inalienable rights," but rather captives to the whims of an in­ creasingly arbitrary state in the manner of the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany, a phenomenon which is often referred to as the prerogatives of the "machtstaat." The "natural rights of the individual" have been replaced by those

"granted" by the state, and "reasons of state" have increasingly been used to justify govern­ ment actions.

Although in the US the most infamous modern examples of this phenomenon are Watergate and the Iran-Contra Affair, two very important recent examples are evident: the 1989 drug related Supreme Court decisions (Sk inner v. Railway Labor Executives: National Treasury Employees v . Von Raab) and the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. The former provides a legal foundation for "reasons of state" over civil liberties and trashes the Fourth Amendment, while the latter provides the mechanism for observation of the entire US population through the guise of "an employment verification system" in order to "protect" us against "unlawful aliens."

come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure....

T h e r e is no d rug e x c e p t i o n to the Constitution."b The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution reads, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but on probable cause, supported by oath or affir­ mation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the person or things to be seized. " ' The drug case clearly does not square with the concept of "probable cause," since individuals may now be tested even where probable cause cannot be determined, so long as the government has determined the existence of a compelling interest. That this flies in the face of the Constitution is obviously recognized by Mar­ shall.

More individious is the basic concern that the government is now legally determining what is and what is not in need of "individual suspicion."

Thus, with this breach in the Fourth Amendment made, the government now has the legal precedent to determine what consti­ tutes sufficient compelling interest to invade a person's privacy "for the common good" with­ out establishing probable cause.

If today the compelling interest is drug abuse, then tomor­ row it may be something else. By inference, it may be argued that the crisis is whatever the government says it is, and for the citizen, this spells definite "disastrous consequences."

Any issue could be used by the government if it felt sufficiently threatened: AIDS, liberals, gays, lesbians, democrats, book::, speech, thought, abortion, you.

At issue in the drug cases was the constitu­ tionality of the federal government's desire to test all people within certain categories of workers, in this instance railway workers who have been involved in accidents, and selected Customs Service employees responsible for drug prevention and interdiction. The railway case, supported by the government, was initially overturned by the Ninth Circuit Court of Ap­ peals in California, because "that court found that, by subjecting individuals to searches without first requiring any 'particularized suspicion' that the person had used drugs, the testing program violated the Fourth Amendment's prohibition against unreasonable searches. " 4 In the instance of the Customs Service (of the Treasury Department), the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans upheld the govern­ ment's position, and the lawsuit on behalf of a customs union was appealed to the US Supreme Court. The Court ruled in favor of the federal government in both cases, however they ruled for more limited testing than the United States Customs Service wanted. The decisions were not unanimous: whereas the Court ruled 7-2 in favor of the government against the railway workers, the decision was split 5-4 in favor of the government's position in the Customs case. Of particular interest, however, were the opinions of Justice Kennedy for the majority.

The other issue which is troublesome is the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

Besides the rather odious burden of proof that we must provide attesting to our citizenship and employability, the Act allows for the cre­ ation of national work cards which can be veri­ fied in a national databank. Specifically, the Act requires an "Employment Verification Sys­ tem" to be applied to all who seek employment in the US. The "system" requires that the individual prove citizenship or legal alien status.

In order to do this, one can use two categories of documents: 1 ) documents estab­ lishing both employment authorization and iden­ tity (US passport; certificate of US citizen­ ship; certificate of naturalization; unexpired foreign passport with authorization to work; or resident alien card with photo and work author­ ization permit), or 2 ) one document each from "documents evidencing employment authorization" (social security account number card; certifi­ cate of birth in US or nationality at birth( and "documents establishing identity of indi­ vidual" (drivers license or similar state ID, and other documentation for those under 16) .

Kennedy agreed that the tests were "searches," and that they were "reasonable" because there existed "diminished" privacy interests of em­ ployees in relation to the government's "com­ pelling interest" in deterring drug abuse by railway workers at work.

Furthermore, the government's interest was such that there was no need for a showing of "individual suspi­ cion," if only because of the "disastrous con­ sequences" that may result from railroad wor­ kers on drugs. In the Customs Service case, the rationale was that the government did not need "individualized suspicion" because workers were "front-line interdiction personnel" and, "unlike most private citizens or government employees in general, employees involved in drug interdiction reasonably should expect effective inquiry into their fitness and probi­ ty;" further, "the government interest 'in safeguarding the borders and public safety' was compelling and outweighed the privacy interests of the two categories" 5 [out of three catego­ ries of Customs workers to be tested, the other t being handlers of classified materials].

According to the Act, "Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize, directly or indirectly, the issuance or use of national identification cards for the establishment of a national identification card."

However, the "President shall provide for the monitoring and evaluation of the degree to which the employ­ ment verification system established ... pro­ vides a secure system to determine employment eligibility in the United States and shall

In response to the ruling on the railway wor­ kers, Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote, "History teaches that grave threats to liberty often A5

recent developments, neither in the samples discussed above, nor by the recent activities of the staff of the Reagan/Bush Administration.

What is especially disconcerting is the rapid­ ity with which these developments are taking place, and the complacency with which the pub­ lic is accepting them.

Of the Nazis it has been written, "The Nazis criticized the exis­ ting legal systems as 'liberal and formalis­ tic.' In particular, they objected to prin­ ciples such as equality before the law, or that no action should be treated as a crime unless it had been declared such by a law. Although it is true that the legal positivist approach of the judiciary enabled the new [German] gov­ ernment to implement its will as law, this approach defined the will of the regime far too rigidly and narrowly for the purposes of Hitler and his movement.

As a result, the regime increasingly insisted that formal law must no longer be regarded as the sole criterion for judging whether an action was right or wrong.

Instead of the strict adherence to the letter of the law characteristic of the legal positiv­ istic approach, more scope must be given to the interpretation of the law in light of wider values. In place of the principles of natural justice the Nazis substituted 'healthy popular feelings,' 'the welfare of the national com­ munity,' 'National Socialist ideology,' or, most crucial of all, 'the will of the Fuhrer,' as the criteria which should influence the judiciary in its interpretation of the law."

No truer words were ever spoken of Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Oliver North, or Edwin Meese.

examine the suitability of existing federal and state identification systems for this purpose."

If it is found that the "system" is not suit­ able, the President has the statutory right to "implement any such changes in requirements ... as may be necessary to establish a secure sys­ tem to determine employment eligibility in the US." Such changes must conform to "Restric­ tions or Changes in the System" which state only that the system must be "capable of reli­ ably determining whether (1 ) a person with the identity claimed by an employee or prospective employee is eligible to work, and (2 ) the em­ ployee or prospective employee is claiming the identity of another individual."

(Note that the system does not require identification for the purpose of proving that you are who you say you are, but instead that you are not someone else— and to do this, a cross-reference mechan­ ism is necessary!)

"If the system requires individuals to present a new card or other document (designed specifically for use for this purpose) at the time of hiring, recruit­ ment or referral, then such document may not be required to be presented for any purpose other than under this Act nor to be carried on one's person."

The Act calls for a "Feasibility Study of the Social Security Number Validation System" by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (and others) to carry out the provisions of Section 274A (this Reform Act) for the creation of new cards and the prevention of their counterfeit­ ing in order to "inquire into technological alternatives for producing and issuing social security account number cards that are more resistant to counterfeiting than social securi­ ty account number cards being issued on the date of enactment of this Act ... including the use of encoded magnetic, optical, or active electronic media such as magnetic strips, holo­ grams, and integrated circuit chips.

Such inquiry should focus on technologies that will help ensure the authenticity of the card, rather than the identity of the bearer (note here that even if the card is "authentic" but the identity of the person on the card is not, the system will still have the ability to de­ termine "whether the employee is claiming the identity of another individual"). Further, the Act would allow for a "major change" in the verification system which would "provide for a telephone verification system under which an employer, recruiter, or referrer must transmit to a federal official information concerning the immigration status of prospective employees and the official transmits to the person, and the person must record a verification code."y

Take for instance the Nazi concept of justice "behind the law."

"Any person who commits an act which the law declares to be punishable or which is deserving of punishment according to the idea of a penal law and health popular feeling, shall be punished.

If there is no penal law directly covering an act, it shall be punished under the law the basic idea of which fits it best. " 9 Kennedy's ruling on a lack of need of individual suspicion is strikingly similar to this position, and indeed, the Nazi concept of "healthy popular feeling" could very well fit the government rationale for its be­ havior in the so-called war on drugs, or any of its "compelling interest" activities, for that matter.

The natural rights theory of man is under at­ tack from the very government which is tasked with the responsibility of upholding it. Blind to any save their own unsavory political ambi­ tions, the legal upholders of the Constitution are quickly and quietly destroying the very foundations of what is actually good in our political system. Unless we are prepared to push back this incessant onslaught on our per­ sonal sovereignty, integrity, and responsibili­ ty, we too will one day soon wake up to the words of the Nazi Reich Minister of Justice, Dr . Franz Gurtner:

The most obvious danger in this is the abuse of information which the federal government could engage in with its computers— which over time would contain vital information about every single person who would ever attempt to obtain work.

Further, there is no provision that individuals may see what is on their magnetic strip, nor what codes will be used or what specifically will be encoded.

One's marriage or sexual orientation status?

One's HIV status? One's political persuasion? One's religion?

Electronic/computer monitoring, national work cards, and breaches in the Fourth Amendment are death knells to our freedoms and the Bill of Rights. A belief that a totalitarian system cannot happen here is simply not supported by

"A law which originates from the rule, 'nulla poena sine lege' regards as illegal only such actions as violate an existing clause of the penal law. Whatever is not forbidden and threatened with punishment is considered to be permissible. Such a law follows from the con­ ception of formal wrongdoing. National Social­ ism substitutes for the conception of formal wrong the idea of factual wrong: it considers every attack on the welfare of the national 46

such a case must necessarily be unlimited.

community, every violation of the requirements of the life of a nation as wrong.

In the fu­ ture, therefore, wrong may be committed in Germany even in cases where there is no law against what is being done.

Even without the threat of punishment, every violation of the goals toward which the community is striving is wrong per se. As a result, the law gives up all claim to be the sole source for determining right and wrong. What is right may be leaned not only from the law but also from the concept of justice which lies behind the law and may not have found perfect expression in the law.

The law certainly continues to be the most important source for the determination of right and wrong because the leaders of a nation ex­ press their will in the law. But the legisla­ tor is aware of the fact that he cannot give exhaustive regulations covering all the situa­ tions which may occur in life; he therefore entrust the judge with filling in the remaining gaps.... 0

"The controversy always centered on the ques­ tion, who assumes authority concerning those matters for which there are no positive stipu­ lations, for example, a capitulation. In other words, who is responsible for that for which competence has not been anticipated.

"In a more familiar vein it was asked, who is supposed to have unlimited power. Hence the discussion about the exception, the extremus necessitatis casus. This is repeated with the same legal-logical structure in the discussions on the so-called monarchical principle.

Here, too, it is always asked who is entitled to decide those actions for which the constitution makes no provisions; that is who is competent to act when the legal system fails to answer the question of competence."'-' Schmitt's response is not assuring, states categorically:

Where does sovereignty lie? In the end, who will be held responsible? Have the theories of natural law and natural rights been sacrificed to the authority of the state?

Fifty-five years ago, Carl Schmitt, considered by many Western scholars to be one of the great intel­ lects of the twentieth century, and perhaps one of the most controversial (he was a participant in National Socialism between 1933 and 1936) addressed the same question.

His perspective is from the time of National Socialism, however the observations are as valid today as they were in 1934:

for he

”[F]rom a liberal constitutional [i.e., natural law] point of view, there would be no jurisdic­ tional competence at all, the most guidance the constitution can provide is to indicate who can act in such a case. If action is not sub­ ject to controls, if it is not hampered in some way by checks and balances, as is the case in a liberal constitution, then it is clear who the sovereign is.

He decides whether there in an extreme emergency as well as what must be done to eliminate it. Although he stands outside the normally valid legal system, he neverthe­ less belongs to it, for it is he who must de­ cide whether the constitution needs to be sus­ pended in its ent irety." '*■

"Sovereign is he who decides on the exception.

Only this definition can do justice to a bor­ derline concept.

Contrary to the imprecise terminology that is found in popular litera­ ture, a borderline concept is not a vague con­ cept, but one pertaining to the outermost sphere.

This definition of sovereignty must therefore be associated with a borderline case and not with the routine.

These observations are rapidly becoming our reality. Unless we are prepared to put a brake on these developments, our future will be bleak indeed, yet there is no reason to believe that such a future is inevitable. Out present pre­ dicament is the consequence of more than fifty years of government propaganda and intervention directed against the public, beginning with the ostensibly benign social legislation of the Roosevelt administration in the Great Depres­ sion (although one could present a case that it has been a factor especially evident since World War One). The national security concerns of the government during World War Two con­ tributed to the continuation of this state of affairs until well after the end of hostili­ ties.

Today, the argument "for reasons of national security" has produced a mentality in which literally anything can be justified in the name of the "national security state," i.e., the requirement for a "healthy popular feeling" in spite of constitutional "ob­ stacles." And in the name of "national securi­ ty," citizens of the United States have been exposed to illegal wiretapping, surveillance, murder, shadow governments (as in Iran Contra), "employment verification," the weakening of the Fourth Amendment, intimidation, harassment, currency manipulation, recession, and unemploy­ ment, to name but just a few of our govern­ ment's undertakings.

The justifications used to support "national security" are varied: Nazi infiltration, communist infiltration, drugs, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, economic dis­ location, domestic disturbances, pornography, AIDS, "crime," secular humanism. In each case, however, the government has unilaterally de­ clared who or what the "enemy" is, and has

"The assertion that the exception is truly appropriate for the juristic definition of sovereignty has a systematic, legal-logical foundation. The decision on the exception is a decision in the true sense of the word. Be­ cause a general norm, as represented by an ordinary legal prescription, can never en­ compass a total exception, the decision that a real exception exists cannot therefore be en­ tirely derived from this norm....

What is argued about is the concrete application, and that means who decides in a situation of con­ flict what constitutes the public interest or interest of the state, public safety and order.

The exception, which is not codified in the existing legal order, can at best be character­ ized as a case of extreme peril, a danger to the existence of the state, or the like. It cannot be circumscribed factually and made to conform to a preformed law.

"It is precisely the exception that makes rele­ vant the subject of sovereignty, that is, the whole question of sovereignty.

The precise details of an emergency cannot be anticipated, nor can one spell out what may take place in such a case, especially when it is truly a matter of an extreme emergency and of how it is to be eliminated. The precondition as well as the content of jurisdictional competence in 47

reacted independent of the body politic (for the "common good") with a "siege mentality.”

It has demanded of the public that it must support the "official response" in order to stave off imminent disaster, and like the frightened elected deputies of the Third Reich, our elected representatives in conjunction with an ideologically compromised court system have "rolled over and played dead," claiming that because the federal government has more "know­ ledge" and "facts," they are in a better posi­ tion to know how to handle the crises. The problem is that the public is continuously bombarded by new "national security" crises while the "old" ones have not dissipated suf­ ficiently for the government to rescind its previous encroachments upon the sovereignty of the individual or the concept of natural law; and Congress, for all of its public relations activities, is paralyzed by ideological myopia into inaction.

But ultimately, and in reality, the United States is not only Congress, not only the Exec­ utive, nor the Judiciary.

It is a reflection of its people, and when the people speak loudly enough, the "hired help" listen, as witnessed by the experience of the Vietnam War or the civil rights movement, even though they were long and at times bitter struggles. Now, as then, we must no longer have faith that those in public office have our "best interests" at heart, and as we did then, we must take back what is rightfully ours: our sovereignty, our Constitution, our rights, and our futures.

If we can do this, then we will have prevented a disaster that will make the Third Reich or Stalin's terror seem tame by comparison.

NOTES 1.

Noakes, Jeremy and Pridham, Geoffrey.

Documents on Nazism, 1919-1945 (London: Jonathan Cape, 1974), p. 227.

2.

Declaration of Independence, American State Papers, Vol. 42 (Chicago: Encyclope­ dia Britannica, 1952), p. 1.

3.

Madison, James, "The Federalist Papers, 139" Ibid., p. 125.

4.

Greenhouse, Linda, "Court Backs Tests of Some Workers to Deter Drug Use." New York Times, March 22, 1989, p. 11.

5.

Ibid., p. 11.

6.

Ibid,, p. 11.

7.

The Constitution, American State Papers, supra, Vol. 43, p. 11.

8.

Conference Report, Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. U.S. House of Repre­ sentatives, Report 99-1000 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Printing Office, 1986), pp. 317 passim.

9.

Noakes, Documents. supra, p. 271.

^g.

Ibid., p. 271.

;q , Schmitt, Carl, Political Theology. Trans,

by George Schwab (Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1985), pp. 7-11 passim.

12.

Ibid., p. 7.

-30-(4.7)

Well, I'll be dad-burned if it ain't all of our good RPD buddies come back out here to Rocky Top for springI Welcome, Ya'lll It's great to see yer smilin' faces again. Sure enough; a warm spring day, beautiful flowers everywhere and a big circle of friends to share it all with is the only way to get the year started right.

Pick yerself a spot here on "Gossip Log" and we'll sit a spell whilst Mountain Boy finishes changin' his clothes.

I see ya'll a eyein' my joggin' outfit. May seem a bit out of character fer the 'ole Hill­ billy; but it's just the possums whiskers fer this time of year.

Shucks; it's easy to put on an inch or two during the winter. So my partner, Mountain Boy, and I is a mountin' our annual battle of the winter bulge. We try to jog or hike a ways every day during February and March.

Tones us up good for the summer ahead; and we have a blast doin' it.

Oh, yea; the squirrels and rabbits is all cornin' out of their dens now. The birds are all back from their crusin' down South. Baby fawn have joined the deer herds.

And the sweet smell of new grass is everywhere, Bein' outdoors in the midst of all this is a real, fer real rush. We wouldn't miss it ter nothin' !

Oh, speakin' of new things; ya'll ain't heard the good news. Northwest Arkansas has got itself two new hot night spots to visit whilst yer here I Ron's Place and Ground Zero both opened this winter and ya'll just got to stop by. Both bars are in Fayetteville, just south of here; and they're really hoppin'.

Ron's Place was built in a converted warehouse and it's really enormous I The super high ceil­ ings and concrete structure make it feel open and spacious even when the bar is crowded. A lot of local college students flock here on a regular basis givin' the bar a young, energetic crowd. You won't experience any better than Ron's for high tech and home fun.

Now; Ground Zero is a closer, more intimate bar -- more to 'Ole Hillbilly's style.

It is located in the basement of the Mountain Inn right in downtown Fayetteville.

Its large dance floor serves as an excellent show stage and lights flash to every style from Pop to Rock to Country. There's a little somethin' fer everyone at Ground Zero.

Yup; I'd say we been a doin' f ie real healthy growin' during the winter in there here parts.

Yo, Mountain Boy; we is still all a sittin' out here on the "Gossip Log".

I see he's decked out fer a quiet day of hiking; and he even brought the camera.

That's a hellashus idea! Why don't ya'll grab yer cameras and come along with us this mornin'?

Today we're a hikin' the fitness trails around beautiful Lake Atalanta here in Roger, Arkansas.

It's only a couple miles long but one of the most popular sites in the state.

Why, sure; there's more natural beauty bundled up in this here lake than you can ever capture on camera in a lifetime. The water is so clear you can see brim, bass and catfish dance in the sun. Multi-colored turtles of every size and shape glide by. Ducks and geese of every style and color live there year round; so babies should be a sight to see this time of year.

As we walk the winding trails from fitness zone to fitness zone, ya'll will see a complete rain­ bow of wild flowers and cliff side landscapes.

Oh, there's five of them fitness zones along the path with stretch and toning equipment; perfect for makin' the hike a healthy one as well as seriously appealing to yer eye or camera lens, especially with all them beautitul men workin' out.

Ya'll grab yer cameras and pile in the back

ding Meeting last summer.

I am still friends with some of the M.C.C. group, and see them occasionally, and have my pen-pals, two of which I have had the pleasure of meeting in person. That, and school, and working a parttime job keeps me quite busy, and pretty con­ tent, as I really never considered myself in the mainstream of gay life, no matter where I've lived. And none of my friends seems to be offended by my girth.

As some people do not openly state "no chubbies" in their Contact Letters, most are still pretty blatant about it, choosing fancy-wording to weed out the unwanteds. This is sad, for there are a great number of people who are large, and are quite comfortable with the know­ ledge that this is what they ARE, and have quit worrying about it long ago. But, I would like for you who are more physically-fit than some of us to please THINK about what you are doing.

Could we be sending the wrong message to our younger brothers, that only the young and the beautiful are valuable in this lifestyle, and that the rest of us are supposed to just DISAP­ PEAR? (Merely WISHING us away doesn't work, folks. We're still out here. And that also goes for our brothers who are greying, balding, over 30, physically-challenged ("disabled"), etc.) And in sending the message that not all are valued, are we not sending them back into those closets they are trying so desperately to leave, closets which we ourselves despised so, not very long ago?

The masthead over the Contact Letters section of this magazine states: ..."saying NO to any particular trait or characteristic may unneces­ sarily offend a brother." Leafing through the letters this past week has made me, well.... 'ill at ease.' What has upset me so is that many, while steering clear of mentioning other traits that you would NEVEK want in a potential mate, (such as a constant talker, or worse-yet, a nose-picker,) seemingly think NOTHING of excluding larger people (substitute 'fat,' 'chubby, ' 'obese, ' or whatever you usually would.)

PLEASE, consider the feelings of others, when you compose your Contact Letters, as the edi­ tors of this journal have requested, in numer­ ous ways, and countless times, over the years, and made an ATTEMPT at being as open-minded as we CLAIM to be. There's a lot more at stake in this life than just finding a lover, like BEING A FRIEND.

Personally, I don't understand this.

In a world where almost all of us are, for the most part, shunned like the plague, we have shut out a portion of out own brotherhood, simply be­ cause of their body-image, and many times to the point of not even wanting them as friends, let alone potential mates. More than anything, we seek mirror images of ourselves, when we aren't out there frantically seeking "Mr. 'Per­ fect ion-in-Flesh. '" Yes, I am a chubby.

Bitter, you ask? Yes, somewhat. But I must ask this: how would YOU feel if, at the end of a Contact Letter you (as a physically-fit person) read "Perfect speci­ mens need NOT reply," ESPECIALLY when it is one that you had every intention of responding to? (and one that had you 'squirming in your seat'?) Yes, I DO have a fantasy man of my own: HAIRY, thick as carpeting, from the neck down. (I wouldn't mind getting to know a body­ builder, either, for that matter, or a prowiestler type.)

One of the articles in issue # 58 (Summer, 1989,) asked what we in rural areas do for socialization. I have gained quite a few GOOD friends through the Contact Letters section, and an article on Spirituality that I wrote, that was published in issue # 53 (Winter, 1988.) I am probably more fortunate than some of your other readers, in that I live only 25 miles from the SIU campus at Carbondale, which is an oasis in this Bible-belt region of Funda­ mentalists and other intolerant persons.

At first, I was involved with M.C.C. there, but found myself to be more comfortable within the Society of Friends (Quakers,) and began atten­ 50

RFD prints contact letters free of charge. We also provide a free forwarding service for readers who prefer not to publish their address.

Donations, however, are greatly appreciated.

We ask that your letters be brief (under 200 words) and positive in stating your preferences.

Saying NO to a particular trait or characteristic may unnecessarily offend a brother.

We reserve the right to correct spelling and to edit as we see fit.

RFD assumes no responsibility for claims made in the letters, and we urge correspondents to exercise caution, especially with any financial dealings.

For responses from prisoners we advise contacting Joint Venture, P.O. Box 26-8484, Chicago, IL 60626, before replying.

Dear RFD,

Dear RFD Readers,

I am Gene, and I'm interested in l e a r n i n g m o r e a b o u t e x ­ tended f amilies, and o t h e r a l t e r n a t i v e life s t y l e s ; i n ­ cluding homesteading, earth

We (Gary, B r y a n ) are l o o k i n g for an ap prent i c e / h a n d to help us w i t h s p r i n g / s u m m e r w o r k this ye a r .

We h a v e a small

m a g i c ,

h e i f e r s , bees, r a i s e a l arge g a r d e n and h a v e a s m a l l o r ­ chard.

T h i s s u m m e r we w ill a l s o be b u i l d i n g a g a t h e r i n g pavilion.

We are also looking for h e l p in s p r i n g p l a n t i n g and fencing as well as haying a n d f o u n d a t i o n w o r k on the pavilion.

We can offer room, b o a r d and a s m a l l s t i p e n d as w e l l as t r a i n i n g in f a r m i n g techniques.

If y o u are i n ­ terested please contact us at Rt. 1, Box 1 4 4, D e k a l b J u n c ­ tion, N Y 1 3 630.

(315) 3 47 2178.

Sincerely,

n a t u r a l

h e a l i n g

&

faerie gatherings.

Would like to m e e t s o m e o n e to a t t e n d my first g athering with.

I need to get away from the rat-race of the city; but am not quite sure h o w to p u l l it off.

My funds are very limited.

Have my o w n transportation and things, but little cash.

Any ideas?

I'm 5 2, s t a b l e , s i n ­ cere, not afraid of hard work.

Very honest, gentle & loving.

A m a l e n u r s e by p r o f e s s i o n , m a s c u l i n e & c l e a n cut.

How about it, guys, any leads?

Am also l o o k i n g fo r one c o u n t r y boy who's ready to settle down and b u i l d a l i f e , h o m e a n d future for two.

Love to kiss a n d

c u d d l e .

someone

W o u l d

s l e n d e r ,

w i t h

p r e f e r l i t t l e

or no body hair.

Will answer all.

In friend s h i p and love, Gene 89 Mass. A v e .

Box 179 Boston, MA 02115

Olde, evil Warlock, into Death 8 D e s t r u c t i o n ( w o u l d like to 8 a a V am py re but dozes off as soon as Darkness falls), seeks b l a c k d w a r f or C a l i b a n , or c u t e

y o u n g

&

t e n d e r

v ictim, or both. into the Forest.

Y P-O. Box 899 Astor Sta. Boston, MA 02123

F a e r i e

Come with me

f a r m

w h e r e

Bryan

we

k e e p

s h e e p ,

and Gary

I am a 48 year old, gay, white businessman considered nice l o o k i n g , w i t h a husk y , h a i r y b u i l d on a 6ft., 1 - 1 / 2 inch frame, weight 210 p o u n d s , b r o w n h a i r , b r o w n e y e s an d mustache.

It ha s been f ive ye a r s since I lost my mate in an a u t o a c c i d e n t and j u s t a y e a r ago, decided I would like to find a true love again.

In our d r u g o r i e n t e d , b o o z e ladened society, I found it was not e a s y to f i n d s o m e o n e m a ­ ture.

In many cases, the call of the streets was more i m p o r ­ tant than the c o m f o r t and security of a good home and a p a r t n e r s h i p in a business.

I am looking for a young (18 to 28), s i n c e r e , c l e a n - c u t ga y guy who is wants a monogamous, permanent r e l a t i o n s h i p with an o l d e r guy who can and will

5I

show him what caring and f r i e n d s h i p r e a l l y means.

I d o n ' t c a r e if y o u f i n i s h e d college or dropped out of high school.

I d o n ' t c a r e if y o u are handsome or average l o o k ­ ing, h u n g or small, h a i r y or smooth skinned, all I c a r e a b o u t is if y o u a r e c l e a n , sincere, honest and truly looking for an opportunity to settle down to a very c o m f o r ­ ta b l e life w i t h s o m e o n e w h o will return every bit of love, care, c o n c e r n and a f f e c t i o n that you put forth, even more so.

I do p r e f e r s o m e o n e wh o is thin to average built, drug free, and the h o m e b o d y type.

I am sexually active, but not with any p a r t i c u l a r p reference to the sex act except that it be m u t ually sat is f a c t o r y . 1f you are interested and serious about the above, please send a photo and letter telling a bit about yourself.

Oh yes, I am willing to relocate that s p e ­ cial s o m e o n e at my e x p e n s e .

Serious only may call me c o l ­ lect at (717) 541-8819 p r e f e r ­ ably between 10PM and 2AM F.ST. C h a rles M. Buttorff 6539 H e a ther Court.

Harrisburg, PA 17112 * I

Dear RFD: I am in s e a r c h of a l i v e - i n / caretaker for a Victorian six bedr o o m farm house near G e t ­ t y s b u r g , PA. T h e f a r m is s i t u a t e d on 40 a c r e s in Mt. Joy Township.

There is p o t e n ­ tial Income as a bed & b r e a k ­ fast b u s i n e s s .

Right n o w , I n e e d s o m e o n e i n t e r e s t e d in l i v i n g at the f a r m , in e x ­ change for maintenance, repair

a n d c a r e of the h o u s e and surrounding gardens and pond.

If interested, please contact me.

(814) 456 - 2592 - - e v e s .

John M. P.O. Box 3682 Gettysburg, PA

17325

Cyrwyn 709 Dill ard St. , 773 G r e e n s b o r o , N C 27403

Dear B r o t h e r s , I am a GWM living in southwest Virginia.

I am h o n e s t , d i s ­ crete, honest and caring p e r ­ son.

Lonely as I do not have a l o v e r nor any g a y f r i e n d s .

1 am a s a f e p e r s o n - - d i s e a s e free.

I w o u l d love to h e a r from anyone out there.

I have a lot of love and affection to offer.

W r i t e me in care of R F D and they will f o r w a r d my letters.

Hoping to hear.

"15" of Southwest c/o R F D / 61

Virginia

Are y ou a 1e a t h e r f a e r y / sham a n ?

I'm s e e k i n g like-minded brothers with whom to commune, play, practice, teach a nd learn.

Whether a leatherman with faerie consciousness or a faery who wants to explore the magic intensity of S M , are you walking a spir11ua 1/sham anic path7 Come, walk awhile with me.

Y o u r age is not i m p o r ­ tant, but sincerity and e x p e ­ rience is.

Personality, shared values, fr i en ds hip / l o y a l t y , o p e n n e s s are v e r y important qualities.

I want more than sex and hot bodies.

We s h o u l d w a n t to s h a r e i n ­ t ense intimacy, commitment, tr u s t - b u 11d 1 ng , a passion for s u b m i s s i o n and l e a t h e r , and other common interests.

My interests are b r o a d : classical music, metaphysics, politics, s o c - p s y c h , the sciences, e l e c ­ t r onics, the a t r e , the arts, yoga.

I've a p a s s i o n for e x o t i c

p l a n t s ,

c a t s ,

general, especially non-caring attitudes.

I'm 41, a Libra, 5 '8 " , 15 0 l b s . , w i t h l o n g b r o w n h a i r and b e a r d / m o u s t a c h e . A w r i t e , m e m b e r of NLA, smoke and many many other things.

Who are you?

s p i c y

food, intelligent people, stimulating conversation for hours, mo un ta i ns , massage, long hair and beards, British h u m o r and s a t i r e .

I can d e ­ scribe myself as a quiet p e r ­ sonality, often very serious, responsible, organized, inde­ pendent, intelligent and very w ell e d u c a t e d , h o w e v e r very easy going.

I'm s e x u a l l y versatile.

I'm not into the 6 a r scene, but h a v e been an a c t i v i s t for y e a r s , b o t h in the faery movement and l e a t h e r / S M scene.

I find myself increasingly intolerant of druggies, commercial radio and T V , sma ll talk, loud­ mouths, bigots, fools, ex­ ploiters and stupidity in

smooth, top, bottom, seek relatio nship /peni s, short/ long.

No drugs, smoke, S. or M., fats and ferns are banished all.

G o d -1 ike -p e r f e c t - m u s c u lar m en, t h e s e along, s h o u l d heed this call.

I am, I want, I need, I hope, I think, I like; Exercise, healthfood, gardening, leather, a w o o d e d hike.

Safe-sex, sensual m a s ­ sage, B u d d h i s m , o r g a n i c s , my e s s e n c e

Hi RFD Readers!

t i r e d , S i n c e r e

I am a g a y B l a c k m a l e i n t e r ­ e s t e d in m e e t i n g and m a k i n g friends in the N o r t h Carolina area.

I am h o p i n g to a l s o find that special person for a long, enjoyable and m o nogamous relationship.

Race is really u n i m p o r t a n t a n d I u r g e all t h a t a r e i n t e r e s t e d to r e ­ spond.

A p h o t o of y o u r s e l f and d e t a i l e d l e t t e r w o u l d be g r e a t l y a p p r e c i a t e d by this guy.

F o r s o m e d e t a i l s about myself, I am 32, 6 '3" , 2 0 0 lbs., s l e n d e r b u i l d and a t ­ tractive.

I consider myself to be a v e r y c a r i n g , s i n c e r e and t h o u g h t f u l p e r s o n .

Hope to f i n d that s p e c i a l s o m e o n e w i t h the s a m e q u a l i t i e s and desire for a lasting m o n o g a ­ mous friendship.

If you t to k n o w m o r e a b o u t me, then all i n t e r e s t e d g u y s s h o u l d m a k e a d ash for those p e n c 1I s - - N O W !

Danny c/o R F D /61

m e m b e r ,

a t

l e a s t

F i n e

home

l i f e ;

we

enjoy drama, good television, reading, excellent meals, a social drink, and sex.

John Allan 5116 N.W. 51 Terrace Coconut Creek, Florida

H e l l o !

My

n a m e

i s

33703

D a v i d ,

Alan, J a s o n , Paul.

Middleaged, child, black, white, blonde, tall.

Singer, writer, farmer, another dancer in the light.

C o m e s h a r e my dream, my h e a r t , f or I d a n c e al o n e again this night.

H e a r my voice, my creed, my quest, a s i r e n ’ s

o n l y

A l s o

h o p e f u l n e e d

.... ;

a n s w e r

please.

If r e a d b e t w e e n the lines, e a c h o n e ' s the same.

Vulnerable, dreams, p r a y e r s . .. e a c h w i t h a name.

Brothers!

S e e k me ! C h o o s e m e !

Ignore all t h a t ' s above.

W h a t I'll promise, I'll ask for, a shared life time of l o v e ......

Peter Richards RR 772, Box 166 Lyles, TN 37098

W A N T E D .... J o b as f a r m h a n d on KY area farm.

I am a fast l e a r n e r but h a v e no e x p e r i ­ ence.

It has been my fantasy fo r so long.

My other f a n ­ t a s i e s a r e s k i n n y d i p p i n ', camping, hiking, nude g a r d e n ­ ing (well I did say fantasy).

I b e l i e v e a l ot of p e o p l e p o s sess the same dream.

I am 25, 1 3 0 77, d i r t y b l o n d e an d b l u e / g r e e n eyes.

I love red heads.

Of c o u r s e , I love brown, black, and blonde hair

s o n g ;

Lee Givans Box 58734 Louisville,

KY

40258-0734

3 0 ,

quiet, neat, w i t h c h a r m and personality, and a s e n s e of humor.

N o w t h a t ' s n o t to o difficult.

We enjoy the w i n ­ ters in Florida, and move into N e w E n g l a n d for the summer.

If you drive, all the better.

If you enjoy y ard work, great.

The home atmosphere is quiet, friendly, h i g h s t a n d a r d s of l i v i n g .

t h e s e .

too.

2 is c o m p a n y ; 3 is a fa m i l y .

W e a r e in th e m a r k e t f o r a t h i r d

a r e a f r a i d ,

H i r s u t e ,

R e t i r e d 34 y e a r old s e e k i n g pen-pals.

[G e e z e , that sounds so i m p e r s o n a l a n d B O R - i n g .

Let's try this...]

H OWDY from Minnesota!!!

Cute, long­ haired, scruffy mustached fellah looking for friends.

[N a h , t h a t s o u n d s l i k e I ' m r e a d y to g o to 0 z to g e t a brain.

M a y b e if I j u s t m e n ­ tion some of my interests. . . ] Playing 12-string guitar, camping, rock-hounding, fish­ ing, k i t e - f l y i n g , origami, electronics, candle-light, masculinity, rum or w i n e , intelligent conversation/ humor, dancing, praise for my cooking, wildflowers, new and old-age music sounds, northern lights, w i s h i n g I could play keyboard, palm reading, h a r ­ monizing, c aM e 1 c i g a r e t t e s , computers, doggies, p h o t o g r a ­ phy , natural spirituality (vs. man-made), uncut lawns, p h y s i c s , c a n o e i n g , the smell of a g o o d p i p e , scratchy towels, mustaches & hairy

c h e s t s ,

h o n e s t y , . . .

[ H m m mm

... that sounds like I'm f i l l ­ ing out a q u e s t i o n n a i r e for being centerfold.

But how do you let them k n o w y o u ' r e not really looking for someone to bunk down w ith?

That all you want are p e o p l e to w r i t e to for now.

Oh s u r e , if t h e ri g h t g u y c a m e a l o n g I d o u b t i f

I ' d

k i c k

h i m

o u t

o f

bed

real fast ... after all, isn't that the 'someday' reason you are keeping you r cozy home in the wood s ?

Mike, you're t a l k ­ ing to y o u r s e l f again, y o u ' d better get some p e n - p a l s — fast!]

A n y o n e r e a d i n g this that w o u l d c a r e to c o n t a c t a c u t e g a y g u y l i v i n g in the woods, p l e a s e s e n d a l e t t e r to : Mike Rt . 1, Box 169 No r t h Branch, MN

but do not think we are better than a n y o n e e lse in any way.

We h a v e bot h been s t r a i g h t married, and divorce and have experienced our share of trials and tribulations along l i f e ' s p ath.

N e i t h e r of us are int o the bar s c e n e a n y ­ more; you can have more fun at home and it's so much cheaper.

We tr y to be r e a l i s t i c an d down to earth.

We both thank God for bringing us e a c h oth e r ; no w we are a s k i n g him to lead us to a c l o s e f a m i l y of s i n c e r e f r i e n d s , to s h a r e the g o o d t i m e s w ith, and the bad o n e s too.

Please write soon!!

We w i l l w e l c o m e all correspondence including foreign countries.

N o phonies p l e a s e . ... Y o u r s , Brent and Sam P.O. Box 128 French Village,

55056

MO

to relax and have a good time while youth is still (for the m o s t p a r t ) on m y s i d e .

At this point in life I'd rather do s o m e t h i n g a n d r e g r e t it than to not do s o m e t h i n g and regret not doing it.

Drawing t h e

l i n e

a t

w h a t

i s

l e g a l ,

e t h i c a l , m o r a l and safe, I f i g u r e t h e r e ' s a w h o l e lot left for me to try.

G i v e me s ome ideas, f e l l a s .

I'd be happy to correspond with a n y ­ one w h o c a r e s to wri t e .

New O r l e a n s

l o c a l s

a r e

f r e e

t o

c o n t a c t ,

t o o .

Who

k n o w s

—

maybe someday I'll find s o m e ­ one to share the adventures of life with.

Sincerely, Ray Whiting 519 Frenchmen (7206 New Orleans, LA 70116

63036 Hi 1

P.S. P L E A S E e n c l o s e a s t a m p with y our letter so that I can send you a reply.

Sorry, but times are r e a l l y that h a r d - honest.

Dear B r o t h e r s , We are a young gay couple, 25 & 34, and we live in the rural O z a r k s in S o u t h e a s t e r n M i s ­ souri.

I am from the Nor t h e r n A d i r o n d a c k r e g i o n of u p s t a t e N Y , a n d S a m is f r o m N o r t h Ca rolina, w her e I was s t a ­ t i o n e d in the m i l i t a r y , w h e n we met 2-1/2 years ago.

When I f u l f i l l e d my m i l i t a r y c o m ­ m i t m e n t , we d e c i d e d that we wanted the quiet peaceful life of t h e r u r a l c o u n t r y , and chose a location where neither of us or o u r f a m i l i e s h a v e ever lived.

The Ozark region of M i s s o u r i is t r u l y b e a u t i ­ ful, and we love it here very much.

There is only one p r o b ­ lem: we love our brothers and s i s t e r s ,

a n d

r e a l l y

m i s s

having friends around us.

We h ave l e a r n e d that It is e x ­ tremely difficult to even find gay friends in rural Missouri.

W e ' r e b e g i n n i n g to t h i n k we are the o n l y g a y m e n in our area.

I am no l o n g e r in the m i l i t a r y w h e r e I h ad to h i d e my s e x u a l i t y , and it is due time t h a t we b e g i n m a k i n g contacts and establishing new friendships.

We k n o w t here m u s t

be

p e o p l e

o u t

t h e r e ,

single or coupled, who are in the s a m e b oat as we are.

We bought our 10 acres in February , 1 9 8 9 , and h av e been building our new home, little by l i t t l e , e v e r since, J u s t the two of us, just the way we vant it.

We b o t h love God,

Dear F r iends~~ As I a p p r o a c h my 3 5th b i r t h ­ day, I'm r e a l i z i n g t here is st i l l a lot I w a n t to learn, explore, experience and do.

I would pre f e r to share it with someone, or s e v e r a l .

I'm looking for p e n p a l s / c o r r e s p o n d e n t s f r o m all over, w r i t i n g on j u s t a b o u t any topic.

My interests include creative h a n d w o r k , m e t a p h y s i c s (science of mind, Bible, tarot, etc.), r o l l e r s k a t i n g , travel, art, reading, writing, p eople-andw h a t - m a k e s - t h e m - t i c k , animals, houses, swimming, sex, I'm a l m o s t 35 ( 1 1 / 2 7 / 5 4 ) , 5'91 / 2 ” , br/br, 150 # (+/-), not unpleasant to look at, g e n e r ­ ally happy, divorced father of four, can earn money in s e v e r ­ al avenues, not a materialist, d o n ' t d r i n k or do dru g s , can relocate.

A few of the things I'd like to do in the next few y e a r s — h a v e one or two bo o k s published, take a Pacific cruise, visit Vermont an d Maine, have a m o u n t a i n cabin w h e r e I can h a v e my m o r n i n g c o f f e e in the f o r e s t s k y c l a d with the animals, take a train c r o s s - c o u n t r y , m i l k a cow, host S N L , learn to juggle fire clubs, cut a gold album, be a comedian, etc.

I enjoy s o u t h ­ ern gospel, C&W, "easy l i s t e n ­ i n g , ” c l a s s i c a l piano, m o u n ­ tain m u s i c (jigs & r eels), a l m o s t a n y t h i n g on the h a m ­ m e r e d d u l c i m e r ( w h i c h I w ant to l e a r n to p l a y ) , s o m e new age, and mo s t any other r e a s o n a b l e music.

(I see no reason or excuse for hard rock or heavy metal.)

Sometimes I take myself too seriously, but as t i m e a n d a g e t a k e t h e i r toll on my b ody I'm l e a r n i n g

M y n a m e is K e n .

I'm a gay white male, 6 '2 ” , l i g h t b r o w n / b l o n d e h a i r and h azel blue eyes.

I am rather plump (260 lbs) and I Jove to cuddle.

I'm also quite hairy, though not gujte a gorilla.

I am looking for someone between 26 and 46 y e a r s of age for a relationship, but f riendship is important also, so I would appreciate hearing f r o m e v e r ^ o n e w h o w o u l d c are to write.

I prefer my man to be f a i r l y tall (5 ' 1 0 " to 6 ' 2 ” ), but it isn't Je r r j b j y Important.

What l really want is someone who has some depth of c h a r a c t e r and a h e a r t of gold.

G o o d l o o k s w o u l d be nice, and I p r e f e r w h i t e or Amerind, fairly well built.

I p r e f e r b e i n g bo t t o m , but 1 'm o p e n to a l_ot_ of p o s s i b i l i ­ ties, as I'm totally i n e x p e r i ­ enced.

I h a v e b e e n s t u c k in th e c i t y f o r 20 y e a r s , but c o u n t r y l i f e is a l w a y s m y first love.

I love Jong forest walks, £g j d s n u g g l i n g weather, the mountains, r e a d ­ ing , c o o k i n g , swimming, S c o t s / I r i s h m u s i c , c h e s s and long evenings alone with that special s o m e o n e , laughing and playing t o g e t h e r . PJgase take me away from the city where I can w o r ship nature in the old traditions, as well as worship you!

Ken McC u n e 400 N. Industrial Waco, TX 76710 I

#199

Dear B r o t h e r s , I have enjoyed reading many l e t t e r s in y o u r m a g a z i n e , it s e e m s

t h e y

a r e

my

k i n d

o f

people.

I am 42 y e a r s old, 6 ’, 185 lbs., salt & p e p p e r h a i r w i t h a h a n d l e bar m o u s ­ tache.

H a p p y , h e a l t h y and s u c c e s s f u l , not c l o s e t e d but not v e r y i n v o l v e d in the gay community.

I w a n t to be a c ­ tive in the whole planet, not a small s u b - c u l t u r e being a m a s s a g e t h e r a p i s t has t a u g h t me the pain knows no boundary.

I am looking for penpals young o r

o l d

t h a t

a r e

a c t i v e

i n

metaphysics, healing, art, classic chevy's exploring the R o c k y M o u n t a i n s and true gay experiences.

Please write when you have a few m o m ents to

there,

My

name

is

Michael

l o o k i n g

t o

m a k e

friends,

etc.

8

i n c h e s

t a l l ,

I'm

and

I' m

s o m e

ne w

39,

5 feet

b r o w n

h a i r ,

h a z e l e y e s and h a v e a beard.

I'm into new age spirituality, health food, solar energy, old cars, swap meets and animals, but m o s t of all g o o d p e o p l e with a sense of humor.

I live in my motor home full time and travel to the northwest in the early summer.

I would love to hear from folks in the n o r t h ­ west (N. C a l i f . and O r e g o n ) who might be interested in me v i s i t i n g in my t r a v e l s .

So please write.

I ' d l o v e to h e a r from you.

H e a l t h and happiness, Michael 4865 N. La Canada Tucson, A Z 85704

He llo RFD Readers: Rural San Diego County, C a l i ­ f o r n i a , c o a s t a l g a r d e n e r (50 fruit trees), reclusive, good looking, 63, 5 '6", 127#, TRIM, hai r y , cut, b lue eyes, m o u s ­ tache, h e a l t h-oriented life­ s t y l e (no a l c o h o l , tob a c c o , drugs), educated, worldtraveled, sensitive, caring, musician, artist, reader, theatre, movies.

Seeking Intimacy, touching, passion, kissing, reciprocated oral sex only.

No penpals.

Burt Suite 113 103 No. Highway 101 Encinitas, CA 9 2 0 2 4

Hi. My

dream

and

J . S.

1619 Page St. San Francisco,

CA

94117

Dear Friends,

2075 South U niversity Box 269 Denver, CO 80210

He l l o out

spend 2 mont h s backpacking on the P a c i f i c C r e s t T r a i l this summer (--not p a r t i c u l a r about where).

I'd like to f i n d a companion, an experienced backpacker, for this a d v e n ­ ture.

I'm 33, in fair shape, like to do a m o d e r a t e ( 8-10 mi. d a y ) p a c e , v e g e t a r i a n , meditator.

P l e a s e w r i t e if this is a strong interest and possibility for you.

Blessings,

intention

is

to

I'm p l a n n i n g to r e l o c a t e to S a n t a Fe, N M this s u m m e r or fall and w o u l d like to m a k e some new friends (and h o p e f u l ­ ly a l o v e r ) w h o l i v e s there.

I've visited Santa Fe in 1982 and the m a g i c is s t i l l w i t h me.

It is i n e v i t a b l e that I must live there...my spirit is ready.

M y n a m e is J o s e p h , a y o u t h f u l 40, 6' tall, 170#, dark short hair, clean-shaven, h a n d s o m e , I t a l i a n and n a t i v e American, healthy, non-smoker or s u b s t a n c e a b u ser.

I con­ sider m y s e l f very a f f e c t i o n ­ ate, s e n s u a l , spiritual, o p e n , honest, humorous, creative, wise, aware, romantic, bright, considerate, and u n p r e t e n ­ tious.

A n d my i n t e r e s t s i n ­ clude: bicycling, massage, travel, ethnic foods, folk art, flea markets, mythology, psychology, pagan ritual, dancing, laughing, and loving.

I'm a talented artist, writer, and p h o t o g r a p h e r and feel that S a n t a Fe w o u l d be the b e s t space or place for me to c o n ­ t i n u e my c r e a t i v e p u r s u i t s . ( T h e r e 's a l w a y s r o o m for one more!)

S o . . . p l e a s e take out y our pen and write me a letter and let's become good friends (at least, by mail, for now).

Photos are also welcome.

Many thanks!

Loving t h o u g h t s , Joseph P.O. Box 640444 San Francisco, CA

94164 I

Hi :

My name is Randall and I live in the C a lifornia Sierra F o o t ­ hills.

I l i v e on a s m a l l ranch and I help a friend with her sheep.

Also I own a small flock of sheep and a few dairy goa t s .

Ve p r o d u c e w o o l for the hand spinners and w e a v e r s .

I am interested in penpals and m a k i n g new f r i e n d s .

I am s o m e w h a t of a sh y p e r s o n .

I a m as f o l l o w s : 5 ' 7 " , b l u e

g r e e n eyes, Libra, H I V neg., s a f e sex.

S o m e of my i n t e r ­ ests: G a rdening both veg. and f 1o w e r s - - r e t a i 1 and wholesale.

T h i s is s o m e t h i n g that I am i n t e r e s t e d in d e v e l o p i n g in the future.

Cheese produc t i o n both retail and wholesale.

I have been a c t iv el y m il k in g s h e e p and g o a t s for the last several years.

And I would like to m a k e c h e e s e s o m e t i m e in t h e f u t u r e .

Livestock p r o d u c t i o n and g e n e t i c s this is s o m e t h i n g that I am p r e s ­ ently doing.

Always inter­ ested in learning more.

Plants produc t i o n and genetics this is s o m e t h i n g that I am p r e s e n t l y doin g .

Always in­ terested in learning more.

I am interested in learning more a b o u t c a t t l e p r o d u c t i o n , and cattle genetics.

In the past I have been very active with p r o d u c i n g and p r o c e s s i n g and w h o l e s a l i n g a l i n e of f o o d items that I have p r o d u c e d for w h o l e s a l e to the top ten p e r ­ cent of the San Franc i s c o Bay Area E p i c u r e a n Market.

This ha s b een the m a i n p a s s i o n of my life!

I have worked with the W h o ' s W h o of the chefs, c a t e r s , and bu y e r s .

It has b e e n

h a r d

f o r

me

t o

f i n d

friends who can understand the k i n d of w o r k that I do.

An d to u n d e r s t a n d t h a t m y f r e e time d e p e n d s on the s e a s o n s and the weather, etc. and all the p e r i l s that a f f e c t both farmers and r a n c h e r s , and all f o l k s that live in the c o u n ­ try.

Take care and w r i t e s o o n ! Viva Epicurean.

Randal 1

P.O. Box 506 P 1acerv i1 1 e , CA

95667

Dear No r thwe s t ern RFDer, I've r e c e n t l y m o v e d to P o r t ­ l a n d , O r e g o n , f r o m t he S a n Fran c i s c o region, in e x p e c t a ­ ti o n s of b e t t e r w o r k l i f e and homelife.

It is h o p e s of satisfying physical lovelife that I write to you.

In SF I ha d m a n y s a t i s f y i n g f r i e n d ­ s h i p s and a fe w g o o d s e x u a l c o n t a c t s , but t hose w e r e all casual ones, and that bent me out of s h a p e b e c a u s e I am by no m e a n s a c a s u a l p e r s o n .

I am a p a s s i o n a t e , faithful, s i n g l e h e a r t e d lover!

I am a l s o

h a i r y ,

b e a r d e d ,

b a l d i n g

and 40, h u s k y (5 '11 " , 195#) and v ery bright.

I have a Ph.D. in cosmology, a neat job in computer graphics research, and a p a s s a b l e high tenor voice.

I have a c o u n t e r - c u l ­ tural p e r s p e c t i v e (unrecon­ s t r u c t e d r a i n b o w h i p p i e in-

side) and see the War on Drugs as an assassination attempt on t he

B i l l

o f

R i g h t s .

Smoke

none, t o k e a l ittle, d r i n k socially.

H I V n e g a t i v e and c o m p l e t e l y safe.

You s h o u l d be, too.

I l ike m e n w h o are s l i g h t l y y o u n g e r (30's), and especially like skinny, l o n g ­ haired r a i n b o w freaks.

But si n c e I h a v e been d e a l t w i t h harshly by looksism in the gay subculture, I d o n ' t w i s h to e x c l u d e s o m e o n e o nly by his l o o k s

o r

a g e .

W h i l e

i t

i s

first and foremost a lifetime sex u a l l o v e r that I seek, I also w ill be h a v i n g s p a c e at home ( s p l i t - l ev e l s u b ur b an deluxe) for v i s i t o r s and roommat e s .

David K e r 1 i c k a/k/a Persimmon 5627 SW 45th Ave. Portland, OR 97221

Friends

of

the Earth,

Affectionate GWM 28 y . o ., 6'1", 175/7, brown hair (t h i n ­ ning), c l e a n s h a v e n , h o n e s t , compassionate, considered handsome, nutrition minded, g o o d s h a p e and h e a l t h , warm, mature, h u m o r o u s , r e l ationship e x p e r i e n c e d , s e n s i t i v e an d mor e . . . s e e k s YOU. N o cigs or drugs--you must agree.

Light drinking 0.K .

I live for n a t u r e — ££REAE£L> AAAAR8 > A££££AAR8. > star gazing, beach c o m b i n g , g a r d e n i n g , c ave e x ­ ploration, and sometimes going barefoot.

Indoor activities include music, videos, plants, cooking, conversation, an d quiet evenings alone with someone I care and respect and more.

M y S A F E S E X l i f e is food foreplay (ever try it?).

I have/can expand my horizons.

I l ike to k iss, c u d d l e , m a s ­ sage, and give myse lf to a man thr o u g h touch.

I earned 3 university degrees in geology and o c e a n o g r a p h y .

P l e a s e do not f e e l i n t i m i d a t e d by my education.

I s e e k a ma n wh o values nature, some interest in f o o t f o r e p l a y ( a c t i v e or passive), relationship-ori­ ented, and c o m p a t i b l e i n t e r ­ ests.

I have much love, s u p ­ port, and a f f e c t i o n to give.

Can y o u feel at eas e w i t h a RARER RRd roman^AR m an ?

De­ sire to k n o w a m a n , then friendship, then will consider a relationship.

W i l l i n g to exchange photos.

EA££££ ££EAZ —— Z £ R £ £ £ •' s e r i o u s , h o n e s t , 18 y.o. to e a r l y 30's, c l e a n shaven, and sincere.

Letters automatically trashed: emo­ tional ice-cubes, prisoners, f a c i a l hair, m e n o l d e r than

e a r l y 3 0 's .

All b a r e f o o t f a r m b o y s p l e a s e apply.

With peace, Ky 1 e Mart i n 9640 SW Frewing St. , /73 Tigard, OR 97223

Hi guys, This re tired g o a t h e r d -natura 1 foods store shopkeeper, now turned b o d y w o r k e r -m a s s e u r would like to meet other s o v ­ ereign entities to share life, p e a c e , m o t h e r e a r t h and p o s ­ sibly a small r e s o r t -retre a t .

I'm s e e k i n g e x p a n s i o n of my sp i r i t u a l i t y and k n o w ingness and h o p e to p r o v i d e a s p a c e f or o t h e r s to do the s ame or more.

I've just sold my home and am t r y i n g to d e c i d e w h a t to d o n e x t after I g o to M e x i c o and rid myse l f of being HIV*.

M o t h e r e a r t h is m y p a s s i o n a n d s h e t r e a t s my g a r d e n s well.

I 've b een in the northwest all my life but am c onsidering a more tropica] clime.

Any ideas.

Anyone w a n t to s t a r t s o m e t h i n g or a l l o w me to be p a r t of w h a t you have going.

I'm a v e r s a ­ tile 6' 170/7 GWM, hazel eyes.

Soft hairy brown body, usually b e a r d e d , 35 y r s .

Scorpio.

V ery g o o d w i t h han d s .

Love music.

U s e d to be a w o r k ­ aholic but have found time for p l e asure essential to joy and peace.

I enjoy my p h y s lcality and hope to find one to d e v e l ­ op the m a x i m u m p o t e n t i a l of our w o n d e r f u l bodies and minds.

Together.

You can be y o u and I can be me in this relationship.

At least I hope to f u l f i l l those things.

G r e a t p o t e n t i a l here.

Write soon as I want to get on with it all.

Bob Kent P.O. Box 541 Eatonv i1 l e , WA (206) 832-4713

skinny men and snuggling is my favorite thing.

I enjoy many different activities: bi­ cycling, camping, hiking, wood working, dogs, environmental issues, a n t i q u e s , love, life and m u c h more.

If y o u ar e i n t e r e s t e d , on the s l i m to s k i n n y side, and w i l l i n g to relocate here, please write me a n d i n c l u d e a p h o t o if y o u c a n . Take care.

Paul Roberts P.O. Box 2931 Wenatchee, WA

98807

M ale couple, 53, 49 (together for 19 years) wish to c o r r e s ­ p o n d to t h o s e w h o l o v e a n d respect Nature.

Have a large p i e c e of f o r e s t s i t u a t e d 1 hour 30 minutes from Montreal in the Laurentlan Mountsi ns - we are there every weekend and on v a c a t i o n s .

Nice river (rapid water) and endless miles of trails.

Small cabin which can sleep 4 comfortably.

No running water (toilet facilities outside).

In the summer a tent which can sleep 2 or 4 c o z i 1y .

Have l and­ scaped about 6 acres in middle of this paradise with gardens, lawns, etc. (and continuing).

E l e c t r i c i t y and a g.d. phone.

Clothing is o p t i o n a l inside and out.

No hunting allowed on o u r l a n d a n d we r e s p e c t w h a t M o t h e r E a r t h has g i v e n us.

Are into t he local m e d i ­ cinal herbs in a serious way.

If you are Interested and you are gay, male, 21 years old or o v e r , s i n g l e or c o u p l e a n d w o u l d e n j o y c o r r e s p o n d i n g we w o u l d be m o s t h a p p y to h e a r f r o m you.

P h o t o ( s ) c o u l d be appreciated.

F r e n c h is the l a n g u a g e s p o k e n a l t h o u g h one of us speaks, reads and writes English.

R o b e rt-Andre P.O. Box 5460 Station B Montreal, Quebec CANADA H3B 4P1I

98328

Hi

I have finally built my dream house in the beautiful Cascade M o u n t a i n s of W ashington State.

I love l i v i n g h e r e and truly a p p r e c i a t e a ll the n a t u r a l w o n d e r s a r o u n d me.

The onl y thing missing is the right man to share my life with.

I'm a GWM, 40, 6 'l", 150 lbs., dark blond hair (thin on top), blue eyes and short trimmed beard.

I am l o o k i n g fo r s o m e o n e to b u i l d a life long c o m m i t m e n t with, one d ay at a time, w h o a l s o

l i k e s

style.

I

t h e

am

55

r u r a l

l i f e

attracted

to

Dear Friends, I want to share the great life that I have.

Eighty acres in paradise.

It would take v o l ­ umes to describe how rich I am and how abundant are my joys.

Not without struggles, of course.

It would be great to m e e t

s o m e

R F D

' e r s

.

I

am

s t a r t i n g to tra v e l p l u s I'd love to have visitors.

I know I won't disappoint anyone.

I am a very good person; easy to look at, f r i e n d l y , h u m o r o u s , i n t u i t i v e and fun.

I don't

s m o k e , or do d r u g s .

Drink very little.

I ' m h i g h on life; accepting and tolerant.

Y o u t h f u l , v e r y ope n and s i n ­ cere.

A v i s u a l a r t i s t and writer.

I w ill be t r a v e l i n g in t h e U . S . e s p e c i a l l y to Austin, Texas, and M e x i c o .

Let's meet.

Thanks.

Sincerely, Dan Mar te 11 P .0. Box 474 Port Carling, Ontario CANADA POB 1J0 (705) 765-6212

Dear RFD Readers, I am a black, attractive Cancerian, 32 years, 6 ft. 2 in., s l i m 170 lbs. w i t h b e a u t i f u l brown complexion, brown eyes, b l a c k hair.

I am an a r t i s t / sculptor with fashion design being my major Interest, along with languages, reading, traveling, the creative arts, design, people, gardening, c o r r e s p o n d i n g a n d the b e a t g o e s

o n .

I

w o u l d

l i k e

t o

correspond with down-to-earth, open people of all colours and ages from all over the planet earth.

I live in a very is o ­ l a t e d p art of the w o r l d and a lso in an i s o l a t e d c o u n t r y village completely surrounded by sugar cane fields.

I speak G e r m a n ,

a n d

h a v e

cent p h o t o g r a p h number.

Hello T h i s l e t t e r c o m e s f r o m a 46 yea r old rural, somet imes-herm i t , w h o is s e e k i n g a l i f e p a r t n e r to share the work and p l e a s u r e s of life through the f o u r s e a s o n s on m y W V h i l l farm.

It w o u l d be n i c e to meet someone who has some farm knowl e d g e or experience.

Last year I shipped a '76 VW Beetle to V e n e z u e l a and f r o m there drove 22,000 miles through 10 countries over a 7 month p e r i ­ od so I am at times a d v e n t u r ­ ous.

On the o t h e r h a n d , I sometimes find it difficult to leave the solitude of my h i l l ­ side to go to a movie 18 miles away.

FACTS: Stopped smoking c i g a r e t t e s last y e a r for the nth time; I'm no cook and I'm too impatient.

STATS: 5 '11", 180#, brown-gray hair.

LIKES: Travel, camping, phot o g r a p h y and video, honesty and staying p o w e r in an i n d i v i d u a l .

So, h e r e I sit on a w i n t e r ' s day looking out my window across a small ravine to the oak-leafs t r e w n f o r e s t f l o o r on the other s i d e - - A L O N E .

Larry Box 143 Hurricane,

WV

25526

Hey RFDers,

against anyone helping me with Spanish, French, Swedish, Danish, Dutch and Italian.

No subject is taboo by me as I am h e r e to d e v e l o p m e n t a l l y as far and wide as possible.

So I will close with the e x p e c t a ­ tion of hearing from y ou soon.

I am l o o k i n g fo r f r i e n d s to write to who live in Amst e r d a m and B e r l i n .

I would welcome any s u g g e s t i o n s on ho w to go about this so that if and when I ever get the w o n drous o p p o r ­ t u n i t y to v i s i t th e s e c i t e s I'll know someone there.

Daniel France G.P.O. Box 10689 Georgetown, Guyana South America

Scott c/o R F D /61

I'm 41, 5 '9", 135 lb., h a p p y and h e a l t h y .

I live s i m p l y a n d f r u g a l l y so I c a n h a v e free time and can focus.

T h o r e a u and z e n are m a j o r influences.

My main i n t e r ­ ests: r u n n i n g and b o d y b u i l d ­ ing, drawing, playing fingerstyle guitar, reading, and the outdoors.

I walk and bicycle for t r a n s p o r t a t i o n and g r o w much of what I eat.

I seek a companion who shares my values a n d / o r s o m e of my i n t e r e s t s .

F r i e n d s h i p is m o r e i m p o r t a n t to m e t h a n s e x or r o m a n c e , w h i c h are all r i g h t , but not necessary.

N o t o b a c c o or other drugs please.

Write from anywhere.

I'll a n s w e r all letters.

I can relocate.

Frank c/o Bauer Rt. 1, Box 184 B l a n c h a r d v i l l e , WI 53516

Masculine, attractive 6 '1 hairy, white, craftsman/ w o o d s m a n a g e 30 , 1 6 0 l b . , brown long ha ir--some facial, white m o u s t a c h e and wild green e y e s

n o t h i n g

Dan S .

4215 Buechner Ave. Cleveland, OH 44109-5034

s e e k s

I am a G V M and like so m a n y Other gay men, I am lonely and desire to c o r r e s p o n d with other men regardless of their race or location or desire.

I welcome all so write and begin a friendship that may develop into s o m e t h i n g else.

I love g a r d e n ,

m u s i c

and

l i f e .

W i l l

a n s w e r

correspondence.

John P.O. Box 180 Peterstown, WV

24963

c o u n t r y a l l

Hi

I'm a 27 y e a r old (butch) guy looking for one g o o d £ri_end in the n o r t h w o o d s area.

Prefer someone that is tall, bearded and w e l l built.

H o n e s t y and s e n s i t i v i t y are a l s o i m p o r ­ tant, I'm 5'9, 180 lb., green eyes, thinning hair, somewhat muscular, bushy moust a c h e and h a v e a big heart.

My i n t e r ­ ests include people, animals, old h o u s e s , wo r k , play, and g r e a t ( s a f e ) sex.

My two nasty habits are that I smoke and drink, a l t h o u g h n o t to excess, I live in I r o n w o o d , Mic h i g a n (the U .P . ) .

If I've said anything that appeals to you, and live w i t h i n a few hours drive, I e n c o u r a g e you to d r o p me a l ine w i t h a re-

56

f u r r y

y o u n g e r

b r o t h e r / c 1 ose c o m p a n i o n and f r l e n d / m o n o g a m o u s lover, 5 '10 & u n d e r p r e f e r a b l y H I V + n ons y m p tomatic to share and help r e b u i 1d/m o d e 1 country home and home based wood craft business located in the Mis s o u r i Ozark hil l s .

M y h o m e is e x t r e m e l y secluded, very private, c l o t h e s not n e c e s s a r y .

I'm extremely open minded, mellow and E a r t h r e l i g i o n o r i e n t e d .

S e x u a l l y I e n j o y b e i n g fun l o v i n g

The f o l l o w i n g w e r e r e c e i v e d a f t e r the a r b i t r a r y c u t - o f f date.

I was able to get these t y p e d up, but n o t c o l l a t e d i n t o the p r e v i o u s l y s o r t e d g r o u p . Read on !

and y o u r phone

w i l d

—

no

h a n g u p s .

W h a t e v e r y o u r k i n k is m a y b e you'll teach me.

I'm p r e f e r ­ ably safe, but ... o c c a s i o n a l ­ ly.

I ’m here waiting in hopes of that one person whose w i l l ­ ing to " w o r k " on k e e p i n g an o pen m i n d e d h o n e s t trusting and s i m p l e friendship/re 1ationship.

Serious inquiries o n l y

—

n o

p e n

p a l

Please send updated zerox photo copy to:

s t u f f .

photo

or

Eric Woodsong P.O. Box 23334 St. Louis, M O 63156 I

H owdy y a '11 I am interested in corresponding/meeting my f a e r i e brothers in the central Texas

area.

I am G W M , 30, 5 '10" with a l a r g e f r a m e and even larger heart.

I don't have a specific d escription of a type person I want to meet because I h ave n e v e r been one to try and a t t r a c t a s t e r e o t y p e .

I want friends that can stand on their own merits, not pretend to be s o m e t h i n g t h e i r n o t !

Lately, I have been studying a lot of b o o k s on m a g i c k .

I k n o w t h e r e m u s t be o t h e r s around the h ill c o u n t r y w h o s t u d y

a l s o .

W h a t

a b o u t

Eeyore's birthday party?

Is there a n y o n e w h o a t t e n d s it every spring the way I do.

If so write.

Maybe we could sit in a d r u m c i r c l e t o g e t h e r .

Eventually I would like to try and o r g a n i z e a f a e r i e c i r c l e in A u s t i n .

If t h i s s o u n d s interesting let's get together and do it.

Anyw a y my wish is to s o m e d a y h a v e a c i r c l e of friends who u n d e r s t a n d each others needs, care deeply for each other and show a sense of love that seems to be missing from my p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n .

H ar m ye n on e , t h y w i l l be d o n e . Blessed b e !

Steven Hanes 1900 B. A 1 bury Cove Austin, TX 78758 (512) 837-8126 I

G'day RFD Readers!

There is a place south of the C a n a d i a n R i v e r and n o r t h of m u c h of T e x a s ; a n d s t i l l a part of Texas.

Rural in a t m o ­ sphere, this place is a s c a t ­ tering of s m a l l c i t i e s n e a r the hu b of a l a r g e r c ity in the p l a i n s of the s o u t h w e s t .

The S p a n i s h , o v e r 400 y e a r s ago, c a l l e d t h i s v a s t a r e a ”ll a n o e s t a c a d o , " or s t a k e d plains.

The land is diversity abounding with immense c a n ­ yons, scrub covered prairies, gently r o l l i n g hills, w i nd swept tumbleweed and in areas groves of towering old trees.

In c o n t r a s t , th e A m a r i l l o skyline is as prom i s i n g as the w e s t e r n s u n s e t b l e n d i n g into twilight.

My name is Leon and I am a w a r m G W M w h o l i v e s a simple lifestyle.

I'm healthy, of average looks, 29, 5 '7", i45, s h o r t b r o w n hair, h a z e l eyes and moustache.

I'm most interested in a TALL ( 6 '1" * ), slim to m ed i u m built friend to mid - 4 0 s , c l o s e to my age.

1 e njoy p l a n t s , horticulture, books (and used book stores), music, m o v i e s , w a l k i n g (be­ sides the surrounding countryside, P am p a has 31 city parks), nature and the arts of massage and reflexology.

I do have an i m m e n s e i n t e r e s t i

feet, which may explain why a ma n on hi s f eet m o s t of the time could benefit from one of my massages.

In this day and age, I e n j o y s h a r i n g in all f o r m s of s a f e i n t i m a c y .

If you know of this place where I live, or liv e h e r e y o u r s e l f , and h a v e l i k e d w hat y o u ' v e r e a d so far, then d r o p me a f e w

l i n e s ,

t e l l

me

a b o u t

yourself.

Leon 1112 Sierra Drive Pampa, TX 79065-2630

Dear Brothers-This is an open invitation to anyone coming to--or traveling thru the Santa F e / n orthern New M e x i c o area.

We are on the e d g e of t o w n w i t h r o o m f o r camping/parking, a c c e s s to k i t c h e n

a nd

s h o w e r s

w h i l e

you're in the area.

Beautiful view s , h i g h d e s e r t , m o u n t a i n tops all around.

Barbed wire, b a r k i n g d o g s and gees e , too.

H e a v e n and hell.

W e a t h e r is p l e a s a n t May -0 c t .

Advance n o t i c e is a p p r e c i a t e d .

In brotherhood-Dimid Ha yes P.O. Box 9420 Santa Fe, NM 87504 (505) 471-1735

f o o d ,

s e a s o n .

C o o l ,

w e t

w i n t e r s

bring the w o o d-cutting months, or i n d o o r c o n s t r u c t i o n .

We h a v e hot and s u n n y s u m m e r s a b o v e the fog.

G a r d e n i n g is

biggest

h o me - b a s e d

chore

and f ence-bu iId ing p r o f e s s i o n ­ ally o c c u p i e s a lot of t hose summer days.

Playtime brings

T h i s big g u y f r o m s o u t h e r n N e v a d a w o u l d l ike to m e e t a sincere man for a r e l ationship of some sort (we will have to w a i t and see w h a t d e v e l o p s ) .

If you are over 30, have your h e a d t o g e t h e r and k n o w w h e r e i t s at, a n d a r e a d o w n to Earth, warm, caring, friendly guy, I would like to hear from you.

I like well fed, balding guys with hairy bodies.

Must be cle a n , a non s m o k e r , non drug user, It drinker ok, HIV* ok also.

About myself, 1 am a G W M 27, 6'4", 2 0 0 # w i t h d a r k hair.

I have ma n y interests outdoors indoors, movies, t r a v e l ,

of RFD:

We a r e a c o u p l e of m e n , 40 y e a r s old, w h o h a v e been t o ­ g e t h e r for ten y e a r s on our land here in northern C a l i f o r ­ nia.

We h a v e d o n e a lot in those years towards achieving self-sufficiency.

And as anyone living on the land can tell y o u , the list of p r o jects and m a i n t e n a n c e is a l m o s t never ending.

But also never e n d i n g is the o p p o r t u n i t y to learn and discover.

We do it everyday.

C u r r e n t l y we feel we h a v e a r r i v e d at the p o i n t where we could share our place with a man who would be i n t e r ­ ested in e x p e r i e n c i n g our lifestyle.

We live in what is considered a remote location, some 50 miles from the Pacific and at 3 0 0 0 ' e l e v a t i o n .

We p r o d u c e our own e l e c t r i c i t y w i t h sun and wate r .

Several springs give us d e l i c i o u s water and an abundant garden.

We are d e f i n i t e l y c o n s i d e r e d "roughing it" by those a c c u s ­ t o m e d to the cit y l i g h t s and gay bars.

The c h o r e s and activities vary from season to

our

H ello

w a t e r ,

H ello men

p e t s ,

visits from a wide network of o t h e r ga y men, m o s t of w h o m are into the same lifestyle we promote.

We have great times together!

Our ideal would be a m a n in his 20s or 30s w i t h construction, gardening, and mechanical inclinations.

We are looking forward to t e a c h ­ ing h i m a lot of s k i l l s .

H o p e f u l l y , he w o u l d h a v e a s k i l l or m e a n s of s u p p o r t i n g himself financially.

We can share our garden, tools, p r o ­ vide a c o m f o r t a b l e sepa r a t e housesite, but p r o b a b l y no money.

If t h i s l o o k s l i k e something you could get into, let's start a dialogue and see what h a p p e n s . Hugs to you!

Randy Krahn St. R t . Box 6 7 -C Bridgeville, CA 95526

w a l k s , and am w i l l i n g to try a n y t h i n g once.

I am l o o k i n g f o r s o m e o n e to s h a r e my love w ith.

If any of this s o u n d s good to you, give me a call (? ( 7 0 2 ) 3 7 9 - 3 4 0 9 or f a x m e a l e t t e r (702) 7 3 2 - 7 2 7 4 .

I'll be looking forward to hearing from a good man.

AAREND c/o R F D / 61

57

Dear B r o t h e r s ’: We are two longtime RFD r e a d ­ ers, T im & P a t r i c k , w h o will be t r a v e l i n g f o r 10 w e e k s t h r o u g h E u r o p e in the a u t u m n of '90.

Our general itinerary includes: Holland, Belgium, northern France & Paris, G e r ­ many & Berlin, Czechoslovakia,

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We 'd also a p p r e c i ­ ate hearing from other readers w h o h a v e any i n f o r m a t i o n on the a b o v e i n t e r e s t s or w h o w i s h to s h a r e i d e a s w i t h us about our trip.

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t o

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We are two w h o s e a r c h for a t h i r d m a n to J o i n us f o r a lifetime commitment as a "faml 1y . " I am 4 7 y e a r s ol d , 5 '6 " , 13 5 lb. a n d m y o t h e r h a l f is 3 7 y e a r s ( y o u n g ) , 5 '8", 130 lb.

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We live in a modest, but c o m ­ fortable, lifestyle.

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Somewhere out there is a m a n w h o w o u l d l i k e to equally share in such a r e l a ­ tionship.

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WANTED; Your old, u sed books and m agazin es dealing with gay male (sorry, not lesbian) them es.

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• What's the toll-free number for the National Gay and Lesbian Crisis Line?

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63

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Mail all correspondence (advertiDing, subscriptions, business, submis­ sions. or letters) to R F D , P . O . B o x 6 8 , I— 1 b e r t , v , TN 37095 Contributors and editors can be reached through this address also.

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Please write for our ad rate card.

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Sample copies of the most recent issue are . 2 5 (post paid) Back issues are rt? 3 . 5 0 if less than one year old. Back issuefl older than one year are ^ 2 . 0 0 each, iwe are out of issues » \ ~Q. 6-8 ,2a, 30 ,32 ,36,53) Please add postage of . O O for five issues and for each additional five thereof.

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RFD itself is not copyrighted.

However, each accredited contribution (written material, photo, artwork) remains the property of tnose con­ tributors, and nothing of theirs mav be re-published in any form with out their permission.

All non-credited material may be republished freely. Mention of the source would be appreciated.

Due dates for submissions to recieve full consideration are: SUMMER AUTUMN WINTER

1990 1990 1990

Issue #6! *^RR I L_ 15.

1^ ^ ° Issue *63 JUI— V 15.

1 9 ** ° „ _ Issue »64 N O V E M B E R 15.1 ^ <3O

RFD is published quarterly and is delivered around the Solstice and the Eguinox. Second class mail takes up to three to four weeks. If vou don't recieve vour copy within a month of the publishing date, please check with us. The number of vour last issue is on the mailing label.

Second class mail will not be forwarded, so you must let us know if

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We print the names of all contributors, but not their addresses '(except for contact letters). Contributors can be reached through RFD. We do not give out the addresses of subscribers, however RFD will forward mail to them.

W R I T T E N — Please share your knowledge and vision through RFD. This is a re* a cl e r~ uo xr i t t e n journal, so it is your forum. If possible, send in your contribution typed and doub1e-spaced. RFD prefers to wield the editorial pencil lightly, so please send your submission to us as close to the way you would have them appear as as possible. We do correct spelling and punctuation unless vou note otherwise.

Artwork: We always need more graphics and photos than we have If vou are an artist or a photographer (vou don't have to be professional, just talented) Send us a portfolio.

P H O T O S — If vou have a choice, black and whites reproduce better than color, however, if vou have a gem of a color photo, .eno it to us anyway. If vou would like special treatment of vour work or want it returned, please be specific. No negatives, please.

I N G S — It is hard for us to get a good quality repro­ duction fron color drawings and light pencil drawings. Light blue is invisible to the camera, however, red photographs black, (try using red colored pencil instead of graphite sometimeAgain, if vou request special handling, be specific.

We will report to you as soon as possible if vour submission is selec­ ted for publication, but we sometimes hold material over for future issues, and it mav be some time before actual publication, please bear with us. A seif addressed, self stamped envelope will insure tne re­ turn of vour originals.

RFD WILL SEND CONTRIBUTORS ^ ONE COPY OF THE ISSUE IN WHICH Th EIR WORK APPEARS AS PAYMENT. Second copy upon request.

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