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Pittsburgh Gay News #20 April 1975

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Summary

This edition of Pittsburgh Gay News (Number Twenty, April 5, 1975) covers a range of topics, including:

The Persad Center, a counseling agency, is facing a severe financial deficit and a slow-moving lawsuit against the County Commissioners. They’ve taken emergency measures like raising client fees and organizing fundraisers, including a cocktail party on April 19th. Commissioner candidate Michelle Madoff has publicly supported Persad.
Racism at Home Circle Club: A coalition of gay women and Gay Alternatives Pittsburgh (GAP) is filing a discrimination complaint against the Home Circle Club on Vinial Street for an alleged anti-black racist door policy enforced by manager Gary Sisk. The Gay News has joined the protest by refusing advertising from the club.
Gay Pride Week (GPW) 1975: Pittsburgh’s Gay Pride Week is expanding to a nine-day festival from June 14-22. Events include workshops by Persad Center, a Wine and Cheese Party by Dignity-Pittsburgh and MCC-Pittsburgh, a proposed women’s day, and a coffeehouse and dance by Gay Students at Pitt and GAP. A parade permit for June 22nd has been granted.
National Gay Archives: A national gay archives, envisioned by the late Dr. Howard J. Brown, is being established. Barbara Gittings is coordinating the project, which aims to collect gay-related papers, books, and movement materials, potentially housed at the New York Public Library.
United Methodist Church Debate: The United Methodist Church is experiencing a “storm of controversy” over the ordination of openly gay clergy. While the Bishop of the Western Pennsylvania Conference has stated opposition, a 1972 General Conference statement acknowledges homosexuals as “persons of sacred worth” but deems homosexual practice “incompatible with Christian teaching.”
Civil Service Job Protections: New U.S. Civil Service Commission guidelines are expected to open 2.5 million jobs to openly gay and “closet” gay individuals, providing job security against discrimination.
“Lexington Six” Jailed: Five women and one man in Lexington, Kentucky, all members of gay organizations, have been jailed for civil contempt for refusing to testify before a Federal grand jury investigating two women suspected in a 1970 bank robbery. Their attorney claims they could be held for up to 18 months without bond or conviction.
Murder of Lige Clarke: Popular gay author and journalist Lige Clarke was murdered by Mexican bandits while on vacation. He was co-author of two books with his lover, Jack Nichols.
Critiques of the Gay News: Reader viewpoints include a request for female “erotic” photos to balance the male feature and a criticism of the paper for being “establishment-oriented,” not exposing those who “rip off the gay community,” and having “sexist-racist-anti-Semetic want ads.”

Other articles discuss movie projects exploring gay themes (“Dog Day Afternoon” and “The Front Runner”), a single taxpayers’ group lobbying for uniform tax rates, Robert Strauss’s private apology for an anti-gay slur, and various national and local gay community updates. The newspaper also salutes Pittsburgh’s Gay Coffeehouse volunteers for providing a non-alcoholic space for the community.

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