LGS HOME PAGES: http://www.josken.net

ISSN 1446-4896

At the time of writing Iraq has been forced out of Kuwait and the region has been devastated mainly by Western imperialism (including Australia). This victory of imperialism is nothing for gay men and lesbians to celebrate. It can only make the forces of anti-homosexuality more confident. The British government, of Clause 28 fame, having dealt with the Arabs who stepped out of line, will have an easier time dealing with other "deviants" who step out of line. (One British tabloid made this clear when it accused Saddam Hussein of being gay, i.e. "perverted".) In Australia the gloating anti-Arab racists are the same people who "poofter bash" and discriminate against us. It was encouraging to see many gay men and lesbians in Australia, Europe and America demonstrate against the war. It proves that we can build a campaign and find common ground with migrants, workers and other oppressed people in society. These are some encouraging aspects of events during the war.

THE following letter, signed by Ken Davis, was sent by GSG to the Sydney Morning Herald and was published by that paper on the 18/1/91.

it is gratifying that after so much effort, the suffering associated with the Chelmsford Hospital has come into the public arena. For many people, however, Chelmsford is only the tip of the iceberg of a long history of psychiatric abuses in Sydney. "Deep sleep" is not the helf of it.

Let us not forget that Dr Bailey was the centre of street protests in 1973 due to his leading role in using psychosurgery to "cure" homosexuality. Scores of lesbians and gay men were forced into lobotomy-like operations, which in many cases ruined their abilities to work, to concentrate, to remember, to be creative and outgoing people. Those years, not so long ago, were the dark times, when terrible drug therapies were prescribed, and hundreds were tortured in "aversion therapy". For all the pain and destruction that was wrought, no one became heterosexual.

Of course homosexuals were not the only victims. After Dr Bailey and his colleagues, under pressure, abandoned homosexuals as candidates for neurosurgery, Aborigines and "depressed housewives" increaaingly came under the scalpels.

All the victims of these brutalities that wore perpetrated in the name of psychiatry deserve compensation. All the doctors who ordored these "treatments" should be publicly investigated.

GSG has made a submission regarding psychiatric abuses practised on homosexuals to the National Inquiry Concerning The Human Rights Of People With Mental Illness.

In Argentina members of the Comunidad Homosexual Argentina (CHA) have had their names and ID numbers published in a newspaper. These details were provided to the paper by the attorney general. CHA has been denied any legal status, forcing the shut down of gay rights and AIDS work nationwide and banning the group from renting an office and collecting money. GSG has sent a letter of protest to the Argentine consulate-general in Sydney.

GSG has also replied to an appeal by the Gay Liberation Movement of Cyprus by writing a protest letter to Hie Beatitude Archbishop Chrystostomos, who announced the excommunication of gay people and their supporters. Letters can be sent to: The Archbishop's Palace, Nicosia, Cyprus.

In the USA Sandy Nelson, an employee of the Morning News Tribune, Tacoma USA, waa transferred from a reporting beat to a non-writing position. Sandy is a socialist and an activist in the campaign for a Lesbian/Gay Rights Ordinance in Tacoma. GSG has protested to the editor of the paper.

On the bright side, GSG has written to Charles Haughey, prime minister of Ireland, congratulating him on his announcement of passing through gay law reform.

The Gulf War has given the perfect cover for the Stalinist regime to clamp down on the democratic movements in the Baltic states. Evidently glasnost got out of Gorbachev's control and he is determined to squash it. Western governments have made some noises but have indicated that they will not offer any real objections to condemn the Soviet state.

GSG states its support for the right of the Baltic (and other Soviet) people to decide their own future. We also note that sexual rights are inseparable from political and civil rights. It is no coincidence that the first conference on homosexuality, in decades, in the USSR, took place in Tallinn, Estonia last May. The present clempdown will affect gay men and lesbians as much as anyone else. Gay people have already fallen victim to the Stalinist state in Moscow and other Russian cities.

So far two women have been acquitted after pleading not guilty. The magistrate decided that throwing condoms is not a cause of danger to other persons. To top it all one of the police officers contradicted previous police evidence.

Meanwhile GSG received a reply from the office of the ombudsman. In it we have been told that our complaint againat the conduct of the police has been passed on to the police internal affairs branch for investigations. This branch is to conduct the initial investigation after which the ombudsman will decide what further action is appropriate. The police investigation may take some months,

GSG questions the appropriateness of the police force investigating itself. It will be up to gay and lesbian activists to push the matter further if the outcome is not to our satisfaction. The demand that the charges be dropped still stands.

During the Mardi Gras Festival Gay Solidarity Group and the New Left Party Lesbian & Gay Group presented a range of forums at the Bagel House. The series, entitled "Hot Topics with Wry", lived up to its name as almost all forums saw a full house with time for some interesting & lively discussion.

Deaf Culture explored aspects of deaf lesbians' and gay men's lives as well as the problems faced by a minority within a minority i.e. invisibilty in the general gay community.

Sexual Politics in Country & Western Music proved to be lots of fun with an entertaining son et lumiere analysis of the lyrics and lifestyles of some of C & W's greatest. Interesting revelations were made about Loretta Lyn, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and of course k d lang.

Tho forum for Public Radio & TV was smaller but ensured a lively debate on the future directions for our media. The low attendance might be an indication of the neglect of our larger, somewhat bureaucratic organizations. Let's not forget that if we want to use education to fight anti-homosexuality and bashings, then ignoring our own media groups is not the way to go about it. They need our support.

We Are Family - Lesbian & Gay Parenting raised some interesting issues over how this society raises children and how we're forced to construct our own relationships with children around these traditions. Or do we? Do we really even need a "father's" name on our children's birth certificate?

It's so refreshing to hear a positive, non-compromising talk on "sex" rather than just on our general "sexuality". Dangerous Desire - Lesbian & Gay Sex in the 90s saw two such talks -especially Kimberley O'Sullivan's. It's a shame some of those in our community go on about our "strength in diversity" while at the some time preferring that some should keep their sexuality for the bedroom only, if not the closet. Bravo Kimberley.

Many thanks to the Bagel House staff and to those who participated and attended and made donations. Special thanks to Jackie Wurm from the New Left Party for all her efforts.

Melbourne's monthly newsletter of gay end lesbian activism is available from PO Box 108 North Carlton VIC 3054 for $13 ($5 concession) for 1 yr.

GSG meets every month on the second Thursday at 8pm at the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, opposite the station. Meetings are due:

CURRENT NEWSLETTER AND ARCHIVE OF PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS

Mannie has a personal web site: RED JOS: HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISM

Mannie's blogs may be accessed by clicking on to the following links:

MannieBlog (from 1 August 2003 to 31 December 2005)

Activist Kicks Backs - Blognow archive re-housed - 2005-2009

RED JOS BLOGSPOT (from January 2009 onwards)

This page updated 18 SEPTEMBER 2014 and again on 26 APRIL 2017

Page 10