Summary
- Universal Church of Celebration (UCC) Established: Pittsburgh’s first gay church, UCC, was founded on June 16, 1973, with regular Sunday services on Flagstaff Hill. They plan to expand to include a Jewish congregation, a 24-hour community center, and a crisis hotline.
- Gay Legal Defense Fund and Hotline: A 24-hour hotline (362-2122) and legal defense fund are now fully operational to combat police harassment and discrimination against the gay community. The article details multiple instances of police abuse and urges victims and witnesses to report incidents.
- GAP Activities and Upcoming Events: Gay Alternatives Pittsburgh (GAP) is sponsoring an “End-Of-Summer Picnic” on September 2, gay dances on September 22 and October 13, and continues to hold weekly community meetings and a Saturday night coffeehouse.
- Gay Liberation Course at Pitt: The University of Pittsburgh will offer a 3-credit course titled “Gay Liberation, Marcuesean Analysis, and the Conspiracy Against Bi-Sexuality/Human-Sexuality: A Study In Social Movements” in the fall.
- “Woman Becoming” Journal: The second issue of the feminist journal “Woman Becoming,” which includes a story about a lesbian relationship, is about to be published.
- Advertising in NGAY NEWS: The newsletter, with a circulation of over 4,000, is soliciting advertisements for its next issue, emphasizing its role as the primary communication channel for the local gay community.
- Dr. Judd Marmor’s Reconsideration of Homosexuality: Dr. Judd Marmor, Vice-President of the American Psychiatric Association, has publicly stated that homosexuality is not pathological but an alternative and viable lifestyle, urging psychiatry to stop classifying gay individuals as mentally ill.
- Elections for GAP Officers: Annual elections for GAP’s steering committee (co-chairpersons, co-treasurers, and secretary) will be held on October 7, with nominations accepted on September 23 and 30.
- Gay Students at Pitt (GSP) Programs: GSP will participate in the University of Pittsburgh Student Activities Fair, host gay activist Barbara Gittings on September 28, schedule a human sexuality conference in November, and feature author Sydney Abbot in January 1974.
- Community Center Survey: GAP is continuing to gather feedback through a survey to assess interest and ideas for a Pittsburgh-area gay community center, indicating strong initial support.
- “20 Questions About Homosexuality” Publication: GAP has received permission to reprint and distribute “20 Questions About Homosexuality” by the Gay Activists Alliance of New York, a resource designed to help individuals “come out” and educate others.
- Critique of “Jesus Christ Superstar” Movie: Barbara Cohen critiques the film for its stereotypical and offensive portrayals of Black people, Jewish people, gay men, and poor people.
- Houston Mass Murders and Media Bias: A letter to WTAE-Television criticizes news staffer Paul Long for his prejudiced reporting on the Houston mass murders, arguing that he unfairly condemned the entire gay community.