Subject: soc.motss FAQ (monthly posting)
From: Stephanie Smith <[email-masked]>
Date: 3 Oct 1995 00:08:51 GMT
Newsgroups: soc.motss

Archive-name: motss/faq
Posting-Frequency: monthly (first day)
Version: 2.7-TEXT
URL: http://www.skepsis.com/.glbo/motss/newfaq1.html

Motss FAQ V2.7-TEXT
(last updated: October 1, 1995)
------------------------------------------------------------

0. Preliminaries

0.1 How to read this document

New revisions are shown in the following manner:  A ``+'' indicates
a new entry,and a ``*'' indicates a changed entry from the previous
version of the FAQ.

0.2 Copyright Status of This Document

ALL OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS FAQ IS IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN and may be
reproduced at will by any one and for any purpose.  Please send all
updates to [email-masked].  Requests for copyright release of this
document will be ignored, as you would already know its status if you had 
read this question.

This document is an update of Motss FAQ V2.6-TEXT, posted to soc.motss on
Sep 1, 1995.  This document is crossposted to soc.answers and news.answers
and should appear regularly in those three groups at the beginning of
every month.  You can also find it in any news.answers archive site.

This FAQ is based on the input of countless soc.motssers around the world
and from many periods of time.  Like most FAQs, it consists largely of
opinion and heresay.  The maintainer makes no warranties as to the
accuracy or timeliness of the information contained in this document. 
Your mileage may vary.  Readers are encouraged to post questions to
soc.motss or to seek answers to any question not answered in this document
in one of the many motss forums on the Internet. 

0.3 Index of questions

1. soc.motss
1.1 soc.motss: history, demographics and audience

1.1.1 What does motss stand for?
1.1.2 When was soc.motss created?
1.1.3 Why hasn't soc.motss been changed to something more obvious?
1.1.4 How much traffic is moved over soc.motss during a month?
1.1.5 What is the intended audience of soc.motss?
1.1.6 Are heterosexuals welcome on soc.motss?

1.2 posting to soc.motss

1.2.1 What subjects are/aren't legitimate on *.motss?
1.2.2 Can you give me more specific guidelines?
1.2.3 What will happen to me if I post to soc.motss?
1.2.4 Can I post anonymously to soc.motss?
1.2.5 My site has read-only access to soc.motss...
1.2.6 My site doesn't get soc.motss
1.2.7 What will happen to me if I read soc.motss?
1.2.8 What about personal ads?
1.2.9 What about uuencoded images?
1.2.10 Since you brought it up, what about copyrights on the Internet?

1.3 crossposting to/from soc.motss

1.3.1 I saw something in another newsgroup that everyone in soc.motss 
      should read...
1.3.2 What about crossposting from soc.motss to other newsgroups?
1.3.3 What about regional groups?
1.3.4 Someone started including soc.motss in the Newsgroups: line from 
      another thread.

1.4 killfiles and other USENET things

1.4.1 How do I add this person to my kill file?
1.4.2 How do I make my newsreader do {desired function}?
1.4.3 How do I find out someone's e-mail address?
1.4.4 Why do some people have *'s in their names?

1.5 Other GBLO-oriented resources

*1.5.1 Other USENET *.motss newsgroups
1.5.2 How can I start a regional newsgroup?
1.5.3 Are there mailing lists I can subscribe to?
1.5.4 Are there BBSes I can subscribe to?
1.5.5 What is the QRD?
1.5.6 Are the soc.motss-specific things archived on the net?

1.6 Accessing GIFs, bios, etc.

1.6.1 How do I get motss pictures via FTP?
1.6.2 How about the WorldWideWeb?
1.6.3 Can I get pictures via e-mail?
1.6.4 Where do I find GIF/JPEG viewers?
1.6.5 Where are the bios of soc.motss folks?
1.6.6 How about motsser's home pages?

1.7 soc.motss bandwidth/issues

1.7.1 There so much traffic, can't we split the group up?

2. soc.motss folklore
2.1 Lingo on *.motss 

2.1.1 What are twinks?
2.1.2 What are smurfs?
2.1.3 What are bears?
2.1.4 What are muffins?
2.1.5 What are bicuits?
2.1.6 What does GBLO*/LGBO*/etc. mean?

2.2 Codes and things

2.2.1 What are all those numbers and letters 
        in peoples' .sig files?
2.2.2 What is the motss.map?
2.2.3 Where can I get soc.motss t-shirts?

2.3 Motss.con

2.3.1 What is motss.con?
2.3.2 When/where is the next motss.con?

2.4 Miscellany

2.4.1 What are RRP's?
2.4.2 How much was raised?

3. Science and Medicine
3.1 Kinsey and other studies

3.1.1 What is the Kinsey scale?
3.1.2 What is the origin of the "10% figure"?
3.1.3 What else did Kinsey find?
3.1.4 What is the Janus report?

3.2 AIDS and HIV

3.2.1 Is HIV the same as AIDS?
3.2.2 What is the "AIDS" test?
3.2.3 Since my partner and I are both HIV negative, 
        we don't have to bother with safe sex, do we?
3.2.4 I read about some controversial hypotheses 
        regarding AIDS/HIV...
3.2.5 Where can I get more 
        information?

3.3 Biology/Chemistry, etc.

3.3.1 What's all this about brain differences in gay men?
3.3.2 Wasn't that an awfully small sample?
3.3.3 Weren't there some exceptions?
3.3.4 What exactly does this study prove?

4. GBLO-history, sociology
4.1 History

4.1.1 What's the origin of the pink triangle?
4.1.2 Does the pink triangle point up or down?
4.1.3 What is the origin of the lambda symbol?
4.1.4 What is the origin of the rainbow flag?
4.1.5 What is Stonewall?
4.1.6 Who was Harvey Milk?
4.1.7 Was he the first openly GBLO* 
        elected official in the U.S.?

4.2 Sociology

4.2.1 Does "gay" imply male?
4.2.2 What is the correct term to include everyone?
4.2.3 Is "gay" a noun or an adjective?
4.2.4 When the grammar books tell me to 
        say "he", "him", etc.  what should I do?
4.2.5 Is it "sexual orientation" or "sexual preference"?
4.2.6 What is "After the Ball"?

5. Politics
5.1 Annual Events

5.1.1 When is the Pride March in {city name}?
5.1.2 When is National Coming Out Day?

5.2 Gay rights laws

5.2.1 What countries have laws against discrimination 
        on the basis of seuxal orientation?
5.2.2 Where is same-gender sex legal?
5.2.3 What states have sodomy laws?
5.2.4 What about discrimination by private employers?
5.2.5 Didn't the US Supreme Court say sodomy was a crime even in private?

5.3 Past and Current Events

5.3.1 What states are currently contemplating anti-GBLO laws?
5.3.2 What was Measure 9?
5.3.3 What is/was Amendment 2?
5.3.4 What's going on with Hawaii and same-sex marriage?

5.4 Organizations

5.4.1 What is GLAAD?
5.4.2 What is the HRCF?
5.4.3 What is the NGLTF?
5.4.4 What is NAMBLA?
5.4.5 What GBLO organizations exist for people in high-tech?
5.4.6 Where can I find out about other groups?

5.5 Activism

5.5.1 I saw an 800 number that is maintained by 
        {homophobic group}.  Should I post it so everyone can call 
        and tie up the line?
5.5.2 OK, what about an e-mail address?

6. Anti-GBLO entities
6.1 People

6.1.1 Who is Orson Scott Card?

9. Miscellaneous
9.1 Travel

9.1.1 I'm/we're going to {insert place} 
        and want to know what hotels/restaurants are gay friendly, etc.

9.2 Commerce

9.2.1 Where can I buy GBLO stuff by mail order?

------------------------------------------------------------
1. soc.motss

1.1 soc.motss: history, demographics, and audience

1.1.1 What does ``motss'' stand for? 
The acronym ``motss'' stands for ``Member of the same sex''. This somewhat
cryptic name comes from a similar one which was used in the newsgroup
net.singles (``What do you do if you're in a bar and a MOTOS walks up to
you...'').  When the created of a GBLO*-oriented group first came about,
people were nervous about having a highly visible gay group, and so
``net.motss'' was accepted as a compromise. 

1.1.2 When was soc.motss created?
October 7, 1983, as ``net.motss''.  After the great newsgroup 
renaming, it became soc.motss.  Here is Steve Dyer's initial posting
(sometimes referred to as the ``soc.motss charter''):

        Net.motss is a forum for the discussion of gay-related
        issues of interest to all members of USENET.  Its name is
        an acronym for "members of the same sex", coined by
        contributors to net.singles as an analogue to
        MOTOS - "member of the opposite sex."  It is therefore,
        unfortunately, a euphemism of sorts - an alternative to the
        preferred 'net.gay'.  Nevertheless, the proponents of the
        group have gladly passed on this minor issue so that the
        group should be swiftly formed. [After a year of
        operation, it was suggested that net.motss change its name
        to net.gay, in recognition of its success which confounded
        even its staunchest critics.  However, by that time, the
        acronym 'motss' was pretty well established in the USENET
        community. -SD]

        Net.motss is designed to foster discussion on a wide
        variety of topics, such as health problems, parenting,
        relationships, clearances, job security and many others.
        Gay members of USENET will find this a supportive
        environment for the discussion of issues which have
        immediate impact on their everyday lives.  Those who
        aren't gay have an opportunity to be informed by the
        discussion, and are encouraged to read the news items and
        contribute their own questions and opinions.

        Net.motss is emphatically NOT a newsgroup for the
        discussion of whether homosexuality is good or bad,
        natural or unnatural.  Nor is it a place where conduct
        unsuitable for the net will be allowed or condoned.
        Rather, like every USENET news group, it is an opportunity
        for people all across the world to express their opinions,
        exchange ideas, and come to appreciate the diversity
        within the USENET membership.
 
/Steve Dyer

1.1.3 Why hasn't the name been changed to something more obvious, like 
      soc.lesbigay?
Several reasons, and none of them completely answer this question.
First, some people feel that ``soc.motss'' has its own unique culture,
and changing the name would change the tenor of the group.  Additionally,
while there are reference online which describe most newsgroups and
what they are for, some people feel the additional exposure would create
problem with outside infiltration on the part of unsupportive people.
To some extent is hasn't happened because no one has come up with a
name that a vocal majority of the participants like.  This topic comes
up regularly.

1.1.4 How much traffic is moved over soc.motss during a month?
[Question 1.1.4 used to address how many readers soc.motss has, but because 
 of the massive deterioration in statistical tools available to measure 
 users on USENET, that question was rendered obsolete.  However, tools to 
 measure traffic are still highly accurate, and that data is presented in 
 this answer.]

USENET usage and traffic figures (Arbitron) are posted to news.lists 
regularly and are available from ftp://ftp.uu.net/usenet/news.lists/.
For the month of January 1995 there were 7054 messages (or 227 per day),
for a total of 10.5 MB.  Approximately 12% the posts on soc.motss were
crossposted to other groups. 

1.1.5 What is the intended audience of soc.motss?
Predominately, this group caters to the non-heterosexual USENET community.
It is intended to be a space where people can discuss issues of import to
the non-heterosexual community, and therefore, the tenor of the group is
predominantly non-heterocentric.  As stated before, the group is not
intended to be used as a soapbox for people who dislike gays, bisexuals,
lesbians, etc., wish to debate the legitimacy of non-heterosexual
lifestyles, practices, etc., or to spew hate.  There are other USENET
newsgroups where those people will find ample opportunity to state their
case and engage endless discussion on those topics.  Site USENET
administrators will have the best information as to which newsgroups are
carried at any particular site. 

1.1.6 Are heterosexuals welcome on soc.motss?
Yes, provided that the newsgroup's ideals are respected regardless of what
someone's opinion on gay/lesbian/bisexual/etc. issues are. There are
several straight people whose opinions are highly regarded; in fact their
perspective on issues discussed is greatly appreciated. Interaction
between GBLO* and straight-but-pro-GBLO* soc.motss.folk have proved
enlightening, informative, and uplifting. 

1.2 Posting to soc.motss

1.2.1 What subjects are/aren't legitimate on soc.motss?
Anything GBLO*-related that's on your mind is fair game, with a few major
exceptions, primarily that condemnations of or ``justifications'' against
homosexuality do not belon in soc.motss.  They can go in
talk.politics.homosexuality or talk.politics.misc. 

In addition, remember that this is ``GBLO*-friendly space'';  it was
created for the GBLO* USENET community to interact on issues relevant and
important to them.  Thus, we strongly urge people to take care about
issues such as heterocentricism, or posting in such a way that presents
soc.motss as if it were a ``test tube'' to examine or ask questions that
might be well-intended, but not necessarily of interest to the GBLO*
community. 

1.2.2 Can you give me more guidelines?
By reading soc.motss one will find an enormous amount of information
and different perspectives coming from a very diverse community.
It is very unlikely that there will be a simple answer to any 
question of the "I've always wondered about how you gays/lesbians/etc."
variety.  If you have a question that might be misconstrued, you might
try asking someone in e-mail first.  From reading soc.motss for a time,
you might be able to choose someone who seems more receptive to a 
question out of left field.  If you feel you must post, then 
please try to frame your posting in such a way that the intent won't
be misconstrued.

The suggestion to read for a while before posting can't be overstressed,
and this applies to almost every newsgroup.  Also, the news administrator
at your site should be able to answer any other questions you might have.
The long-established rules of ``netiquette'' still apply, and are worth
re-reading!  As for posting style - again established USENET guidelines
(ask your news admin!) provide several good suggestions: be
very careful about how much included text you make to follow-up postings;
be very very careful to read the headers and watch for inadvertant
cross-postings; check attributions; avoid sexist language, etc.

1.2.3 What will happen to me if I post to soc.motss?
The answer is, in general, nothing.  Lots of people of all orientations
read and write to soc.motss, so strictly speaking you're not ``coming
out'' just by posting here.  Still, some people may draw conclusions about
your sexual orientation from the fact that you post here. 

You should assume that any posting to USENET is in the public domain and
could end up anywhere:  the general media, someone's files, a fundie's
hate list, an entrepreneur's sales contact list, (all have happened in the
past), etc.  If you can't stand by your posting, then don't post. 

1.2.4 Can I post anonymously to soc.motss?
Don't underestimate the sense of liberty and self-esteem that may
come from posting an article under your own name.  Nevertheless, many 
of us are sensitive to the difficulties this may post for some people,
especially those who are in sensitive positions where disclosure of
orientation could have dire consequences.  

There are two good options:

- Use an "anonymity server".  This most widely-used system is
anon.penet.fi, and anonymous posts can be sent to soc.motss by sending
mail to [email-masked] where you will be assigned a double-blind
anonymous ID if you don't already have one. Note: this system does not
tolerate being used to anonymously harass specific newsgroups!  People
doing so will be barred from using it! 

- The following people have (at one time or another) offered to repost
submissions after removing any identifying headers, and to forward
and e-mail responses back to the sender:

             Bradley Clymer          [email-masked]
             Laura Creighton         [email-masked]
             Bob Donahue             [email-masked]
             Andrew Gollan           [email-masked]
             Roger Klorese           [email-masked]
             Neil Perret-Green       [email-masked]
             Cindy Tittle Moore      [email-masked]

Please provide a valid name and e-mail address so that this person can
get follow-up mail back to you.  These names and addresses will be
kept confidential.

1.2.5 My site has read-only access to soc.motss...
You can send e-mail to [email-masked].  Your mail message will
be transformed into a USENET article and posted to soc.motss.  The 
mail-to-news gateway at DEC has been permanently closed.  Mail sent to 
that address will bounce.

Optionally, you might want to subscribe to a public access site. The
semi-official list of public access (UNIX) sites (nixpub) is available
from lgnp1 (+1 215 348 9727, login=guest) and is posted periodically to
comp.misc. 

1.2.6 My site doesn't get soc.motss 
If your site uses NNTP, you may be able to set your NNTPSERVER to a
nearby, friendly site on the net which permits machines on your network to
read news remotely.  Once upon a time there were public news servers
available on the Internet, but they have all been closed. 

You can also get the soc.motss traffic via email digest by contacting Jimmy 
Atiken at <[email-masked]>.

1.2.7 What will happen if I read soc.motss?
In general, nothing.  (You may be informed, or infuriated, of course, but
that's a standard USENET hazard.) If you're extremely concerned, you
should be aware that most system news software leaves your `.newsrc' file
unprotected by default.  There are system-dependent commands to protect it
(make it unreadable except by you), but none are air-tight.  As in other
areas of life, you have to decide if this is an acceptable risk for you. 

1.2.8 What about personal ads?
Well, in general, they're frowned upon.  First of all, most people don't
take them seriously, since frequently posts of this sort come from leaving
a terminal unguarded and then having someone play a practical joke. 
Second, there are better ways to introduce yourself to the net rather than
just posting measurements, etc. If you really want to post a personal ad
to the net, there are newsgroups for that - try soc.penpals or
alt.personals.ads for starters. 

1.2.9 What about uuencoded images?
In general it's a bad idea.  For people on slow links (e.g., SLIP/PPP
connections) it can tie up the lines, and they take up disk space.  In
addition, people's tastes are so varied that most people will simply not
be interested. 

If this is a picture of you, and it's not X-rated, you might want to
submit it to the soc.motss picture archive on spdcc.com.  See section 1.6
for more information. 

If you feel you must send it to the net, two ways to do this might be to
either 1) post it to alt.binaries.pictures.erotica(.male|female), or 2)
make it available by anonymous ftp (at your own site and your own risk),
and then post a short message announcing it to the group.  Note that
digitizing and proliferating images from magazines, etc., may be in
violation of copyright laws. 

1.2.10 Since you brought it up, what about copyrights on the Internet?
There has always been a lot of dangerous misinformation circulating on 
the Internet about how copyright law applies to both posters and 
readers.  This subject is made even more complicated by the truly 
international scope of the Internet, so the laws of any one country do 
not necessarily prevail on any one newsgroup.

However, if you live in the United States, you are in luck: the Library of
Congress (the agency charged with issuing copyrights in the US) is on the
Internet.  Their Copyright Office is accessible via gopher or web browser
at gopher://marvel.loc.gov/11/copyright and Circular 1 contains all the
copyright law that most US citizens ever need to know.

1.3 Crossposting to/from soc.motss

1.3.1 I saw something in another newsgroup that everyone in soc.motss 
      should read...
No, you probably didn't.  It is generally bad manners to crosspost or
duplicate something from another newsgroup to soc.motss just because it
has something to do with GBLO* people or issues, and/or you think that
people here should read it.  It is especially bad manners to crosspost
articles that are not welcome here (see above); and the best thing to do
with such posts is to either ignore them, or, if you must, reply by
e-mail. It is sometimes acceptable to post a brief note (on soc.motss
only!) saying something to the effect of ``In newsgroup a.b.c there is a
thread called blah-blah.  Check it out if you're interested.''

In general, the only thing that happens when outside threads from other
newsgroup ``leak'' into soc.motss is that we have a difficult time
cleaning up the ensuing mess. 

1.3.2 What about crossposting from soc.motss into other newsgroups?
In general the same rules apply.  The reason there are thousands of
newsgroups is to compartmentalize areas of interest and not to link them
all together.  In general, people who have common interests in the
newsgroups you might want to cross-post read them both anyway. 

1.3.3 What about regional newsgroups?
Here it's a little greyer, but similarly, the regional newsgroups were set
up for the purposes of discussing local events, and not as alternate
newsgroups to discuss large-scale issues. In addition, some people read
only regional newsgroups because the bandwidth is lower.  Thus, filling
them back up with crossposts is counter-productive to their purpose. 

1.3.4 Someone started including a soc.motss in the Newsgroups: line from 
      an outside thread...
There's not much we can do to prevent this from happening, in general what
works best is to ``sit on your hands'' and ignore it.  Sometimes it's
successful to follow-up with a polite posting explaining that the topic
isn't appropriate to soc.motss and reset the Followup-To: header entry
such that it doesn't include soc.motss.  For very large threads it's
almost impossible to do this, and we end up having to wait it out.  As
usual, the rules for net.etiquette and constructive posting apply, esp.
those pertaining to following up to postings (remember to check your own
headers!). 

1.4 Killfiles and other USENET things

1.4.1 How do I add someone/something to my KILL file?
This varies with news reading software.  Many people are using rn or trn
where the answer is "type Ctrl-K while in soc.motss, then edit in the line
/evilpersonsname/h:j substituting the actual name (or subject) between the
slashes." For other newsreaders, and for lots of USENET help in general,
refer to the group news.answers.questions. 

1.4.2 How do I make my newsreader do {desired function}?
Check the user's manual, if there is one.  Ask someone at your site who
knows.  If all else fails, you can post a question in
news.newusers.questions.  Be sure to mention the operating system and
newsreader program (and version) you use.  Remember that it is good
manners to read a group for a while before posting.  Your question may be
frequently asked (and might be in the FAQ), and you'll have the answer
without having to post it yourself. 

1.4.3 How do I find someone's e-mail address?
This is answered in weekly FAQ postings in news.newusers.questions.

1.4.4 Why are some people referenced with *'s in their names?
This is sort of a ``badge of dishonor'': some people have earned such an
undesirable reputation (in soc.motss for being USENET homophobes of note)
that some people replace the vowels in their name with *'s.  The
tongue-in-cheek folklore is that by posting their ``real'' name, you're
invoking their presence (which everyone wants to avoid). 

1.5 Other GBLO-oriented network resources?

* 1.5.1 What other USENET GBLO newsgroups are there?
There are several regional motss newsgroups:

- aus.culture.lesbigay is an Australian national newsgroup.
- ba.motss is a San Francisco Bay Area regional newsgroup.
- can.motss is a Canada national newsgroup.
- ne.motss is a New England (northeastern US) regional newsgroup.
- pa.motss is a Pennsylvania (US) regional newsgroup.
- pgh.motss is a Pittsburgh, PA local newsgroup.
- pnw.motss is a newsgroup for the Pacific Northwest region of the US.
- soc.support.youth.gay-lesbian-bi is a support group for glb* youth.
+ - soc.women.lesbian-and-bi is a group for lesbian and bisexual women.
- uc.motss is a local newsgroup for the University of California.
- uchi.motss is a local newsgroup for the University of Chicago.
- uk.gay-lesbian-bi is a national newsgroup for the United Kingdom.

There are also other newsgroups that routinely carry threads of 
GBLO-interest:

- alt.sex.bondage and rec.arts.bodyart carry topics of interest
           to some specific motss sub-communities.
- alt.sex.motss carries sexually explicit discussion and stories for
           MOTSS folks.
- alt.politics.homosexuality and talk.politics.misc tend to a
           higher level of flamage about LGBO* issues.
- clari.news.gays:  This is part of Clarinet, a commercial
           subscription service carried by some Usenet sites.  Carries UPI
           newswire stories relating to lesbian/gay issues.
- sci.med.aids for AIDS issues
- soc.bi: for discussions of bisexuality
- soc.support.youth.gay-lesbian-bi is a moderated support group for youth.

Of course, We Are Everywhere (TM), so you will also see LGBO* viewpoints
in many newsgroups.

1.5.2 How can I start a new regional newsgroup?
It usually depends on the region, but for the most part, one would
determine that there was a sufficient level of interest (would there be
several useful postings a week of interest for that region?), then bring
up the topic in the region's xxx.general newsgroups (where xxx is the
region of interest).  If there is no discussion or opposition, and you
have the ability to create new groups (if you do, then you'll probably
know it), you can do so. Most areas like to start with a local mailing
list first. 

There is detailed information in a FAQ which is posted to
news.announce.newusers. 

1.5.3 Are there mailing lists I can subscribe to?
Yes; more than 250.  A current listing of all GBLO mailing lists is
available in the QRD, in the pub/QRD/electronic/email directory at
ftp.qrd.org.  This listing is maintained by David Casti 
<[email-masked]>.  An HTML version is maintained by the QRD staff at 
http://www.qrd.org/QRD/www/electronic/email/lgbt.lol.html

To obtain a listing of all the current GBLO* lists via email, send an
message to [email-masked] with the following four lines:

open
cd /pub/QRD/electronic/email
get lbgt.list.of.lists
quit

1.5.4 Are there BBSes I can subscribe to? 
Yes, lots - about 500.  Policies vary regarding access and fees. Some are
networked via Fidonet or Gaycom or other store-and-forward networks, and
some are accessible via Starlink. The current list is maintained by Billy
Kennedy <[email-masked]>, and posted to soc.motss
and alt.bbs.lists monthly.  The latest version is available from the QRD. 

1.5.5 What is the QRD? 
The Queer Resources Directory (QRD) is an online library with almost 100
megabytes files of interest to MOTSS folks.  It started out as an archive
site for ACT-UP in 1991 and has grown to encompass news clippings, media
kits, resource lists, contact information, and everything else.  During
1994, it was accessed more than one million times, and shipped more than
ten gigabytes of data to clients in response to these inquiries. 

The QRD is headquartered at qrd.org, and is run as an all-volunteer
operation on donated hardware and network access.  All files are
accessible via email, FTP, gopher, WAIS, and the world wide web.  To
receive a copy of the current QRD FAQ file, which includes instructions
for using all of the QRD's many access methods, send mail to [email-masked]. 
An autoreply will be generated and mailed back to you immediately. 

1.5.6 Are there soc.motss specific things archived on the net?
Yes.  Many things are archived in the QRD or in other archives at
ftp.casti.com.  There is also a very extensive picture collection which 
is accessible via FTP on spdcc.com, and there is a soc.motss WWW page at 
http://www.skepsis.com/.glbo/

1.6 Accessing GIFs, etc.

1.6.1 How do I get motss GIFs/JPEGs via FTP? 
The soc.motss picture archive contains digitized images of motss-folk (not
X-rated) in GIF or JPEG form.  To obtain these pictures over the Internet
via FTP, do the following: 

% ftp ursa-major.spdcc.com     -OR-     ftp 140.186.80.3
Connected to ursa-major.spdcc.com.
220 ursa-major.spdcc.com FTP server
(Version 4.172 Sun Dec 4 17:20:50 EST 1988) ready.
Name (your.hostand.domain:yourname): anonymous
331 Guest login ok, send ident as password.
Password:
230 Guest login ok, access restrictions apply.
ftp> cd /pub/motss.pix
250 CWD command successful.
ftp> dir
[directory listing with each letter of the alphabet and an index file or two]
ftp> cd k
[for example]
ftp> bin
[this is ESSENTIAL]
200 Type set to I.
ftp> get kurisuto.gif
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for kurisuto.gif (97477 bytes).
226 Transfer complete.
local: kurisuto.gif remote: kurisuto.gif
97477 bytes received in 1.1 seconds (84 Kbytes/s)
ftp> get another.gif
200 PORT command successful.
150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for another.gif (65535 bytes).
226 Transfer complete.
local: another.gif remote: another.gif
65535 bytes received in 1.0 seconds (66 Kbytes/s)
ftp> bye
221 Goodbye.

To submit an image for this archive, upload it to spdcc.com:/pub/incoming
and send a note to Steve Dyer <[email-masked]>, so he'll know to look for it.

1.6.2 What about the WorldWideWeb?
 
For the world wide web, the directory tree URL is: 
ftp://ursa-major.spdcc.com/pub/motss.pix/

The archive is mirrored daily on ftp.casti.com and is likewise accessible 
there through gopher and web.
 
1.6.3 Can I get pictures by email?
Not directly from spdcc.com.  However, many sites around the Internet
provide an "FTP-via-email" facility.  To obtain an index to the motss.pix 
archive, send the following message to [email-masked]:

        connect spdcc.com
        cd pub/motss.pix
        get INDEX
        quit

When transferring GIF or JPEG files, you will need to include the
keywords "binary" and "uuencode" before the get command.  For more help,
send a message to [email-masked] containing only the word
"help" for directions on using the service. 
 
1.6.4 Where do I find GIF viewers?  

- Sun and X11 programs can be found on ursa-major.spdcc.com under
           the directory /pub/progs. (URL: ftp://spdcc.com/pub/progs/)
- For Silicon Graphics workstations, a program called 'pxdraw' (part
           of a suite of programs 'pxtools') is available via anonymous ftp
           from gauguin.princeton.edu.  This and the other programs all read
           a variety of formats, and allow conversion to grayscale and among
           the different formats, including postscript so you can print it
           out if you've got the PS printer.
- MS-DOS: get CSHOW.EXE from the wustl archive via FTP, or see these
           files in PD:{MSDOS.GIF} on SIMTEL:
             FASTGIF.ARC 37K  880306  View GIF format files. EGA/VGA only
             GDS109.ZIP 138K  910521  Displ GIFs with unlimited zoom, SVGA/VGA
- Macintosh GIF viewers are available from sumex-aim.stanford.edu in
           /info-mac/apps and called Giffer 1.1.2 and GIFConverter 2.2.9.

Also check the FAQ in comp.graphics for a complete list.

1.6.5 Where are bios of soc.motss folks kept?  
These are located in an archive on ftp.casti.com in the subdirectory 
/pub/soc.motss.  They are *not* part of the QRD.  Contact David Casti 
<[email-masked]> with questions, or to submit or update your bio.

1.6.6 How about motssers' home pages?
Links to some homepages are at http://www.skepsis.com/.glbo/motss/people.html
You can ask to have your page added by using a button on that page or by 
sending mail to [email-masked].

1.7 soc.motss bandwidth issues

1.7.1 There is so much traffic on soc.motss... can't we split the group 
      up to make it easier to read?
Like the issue of renaming the group, there is no consensus about how this
should be done.  This topic also comes up regularly, so you probably won't
have to wait very long before you see it.  Many people have suggested
different ways of splitting the group up, others feels that such a
fragmentation would adversely affect the group's dynamics.  For people who
are overwhelmed by the traffic, using a threaded newsreader like trn or
tin might help in that you can select the threads you find interesting and
ignore the rest.  Regional newsgroups usually carry most of the important
notices and have considerably less traffic. 

------------------------------------------------------------
2. soc.motss folklore

2.1 Lingo on soc.motss

2.1.1 What are twinks?
Generally, a cute young (male) thing (also CYT). Known as "golden,
cream-filled, and ready to be eaten." (Etymology: In the US, Twinkies(tm)
are snack cakes with these same properties.)

2.1.2 What are bears? Persons, usually men, whose physical characteristics
tend towards the husky and hirsute.  A mailing list for bears and
bear-lovers can be found on queernet.org.  Contact
[email-masked] for more information.  There is also a WWW
Bears Resource Page at http://www.skepsis.com/.gblo/bears/

2.1.3 What are smurfs?
Usually indicate an irreverant, silly cute poster. Some soc.motss
participants have formed a loose organization called the "Smurf Gang". 
Never take a Smurf Gang posting at face value. (Etymology: the cartoon
characters). 

2.1.4 What are muffins?
A member of the soc.motss community who reads but never posts, at least
not under their own name.  Usually used to refer to gay, lesbian, or
bisexual persons. 

2.1.5 What are biscuits?
Heterosexual soc.motss participants.  This term got coined after "muffin"
got popular and some people left felt out. 

2.1.6 What does GBLO*/LGBO*/etc. mean?
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Other, and Anyone Still Left Out. LGBO, BLGO, etc.
are permutations of this. 

2.2 Codes and things

2.2.1 What are all those numbers/letters in people's .sig files?
A string of letters and numbers beginning with a B and a number are the
"bear codes", which refer to the poster's build, furriness, etc.  An
article explaining the bear codes is available via FTP from spdcc.com; the
filename is "pub/NBCS.V1.9".  Copies are also available from many other 
sites on the net.

Other cryptic letter/number combinations appearing in signatures usually
indicate one of the many "codes" developed in response to the original
bear code. (Twink code, Smurf code, Pig Code, Muffdiva Index, Pearce Code,
Womyns.grrl.code, and the Nibelung Code).  There are also non-soc.motss
spin offs: Geek Code, Cat Code (from rec.pets.cats), but all of these are
based on the NBCS.  Most of these are archived in the sig-codes directory on 
the QRD. 

2.2.2 What is the motss map?
In 1989, a list of people's (submitted) cities of residence and crude
posting frequency (expressed as pastry type: muffin, biscuit, cheesecake,
etc... by the end there were over 100 different pastries!) was assembled. 
With almost 400 responses, a map was created (GIF image or Postscript
versions are available from the WWW at skepsis.com or via FTP at
spdcc.com) showing the distribution of motss.folk in North America and the
UK (that's all there was at the time!). The motss.map design is also on
the second version of soc.motss t-shirts (sweatshirts, tank-tops, etc.)
done in 1990. 

Another mapping project is in the planning stages and should be underway 
by now. 

2.2.3 Where can I get soc.motss t-shirts?
Probably you can't - at least not at the moment.  The first set of
t-shirts were done in 1988, and have the word "soc.motss" outlined in
white with a rainbow of colors cutting horizontally through the letters. 
The second batch were done in 1990, have have "soc.motss" with a blurred
rainbow vertically through the letters (so each one is slightly
different).  Below that is the 1989 version of the motss map. 

At present, no one has stepped forward and offered to do a "new" soc.motss
t-shirt.  (One idea for a bumper sticker that would also make a great
t-shirt is "I [pink triangle] soc.motss".)

2.3 motss.con

2.3.1 What is motss.con?
In San Francisco during 1988, an informal gathering for a few days
took place to take advantage of the opportunity for people to meet each
other face-to-face ("you don't look anything like your posts").  Everyone
had so much fun, it was repeated in 1989 in Boston; 1990 in Denver; 1991
in Toronto; 1992 in Portland, Oregon; 1993 in Boston; and in 1994 in Las 
Vegas. 

Generally, the decision of when and where the con is held is made up by
competing groups of people in different locals vying for the honor based
on proposals submitted near the beginning of the year. The group as a
whole votes on the set of proposals, picking one. Traditionally, there is
one "official" motss.con per year, usually in the early summer.  Several
"mini-cons" are held every year worldwide, and regional dinners, events,
get-togethers, etc. are very common, esp. when someone is visiting town. 

2.3.2 When/where is the next motss.con? 
Washington, DC during the first weekend in October.  To stay up to date 
on con plans, subscribe to the con mailing list by sending email to 
[email-masked] containing only:

        subscribe con8

2.4 Miscellany

2.4.1 What are [the] RRP's? 
Red Rhinestone Pumps, and although mythical (no one's produced a pair
yet), they were the object of a dare for someone to wear them in an
out-of-place place with the payoff being pledged money to a GBLO-oriented
charity. In early 1994, pledges were taken for the NGLTF's Fight the Right
campaign to raise money to help produce the "Sex, Lies, and Videotape"
video which points out the gross distortions the Radical Right uses to
promote bias against non-heterosexuals. 

2.4.2 How much was raised?
Over $7000.

------------------------------------------------------------
3. Science and Medicine

3.1 Kinsey and other studies

3.1.1 What is the Kinsey scale?
In the 1948 book Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, the Kinsey
researchers made the (then) startling assertion that homosexual behavior
was not restricted to identified homosexuals.  (The book was based on
an in-depth survey of thousands of men.) The authors said that it made
more sense to look at a person's behavior and psychological response as
being at some point on a spectrum or scale:

     0 = entirely heterosexual
     1 = largely heterosexual, but with incidental homosexual history
     2 = largely heterosexual, but with a distinct homosexual history
     3 = equally heterosexual and homosexual
     4 = largely homosexual, but with a distinct heterosexual history
     5 = largely homosexual, but with incidental heterosexual history
     6 = entirely homosexual

(Someone posted excerpts from "Incidence, Frequency, and the Kinsey
0-6 Scale" by C A Tripp, from The Encyclopedia of Homosexuality.  This
answer and the next two are adapted from that posting.)
 
3.1.2 What is the origin of the "10% gay" figure?
In the same book (see previous answer), Kinsey published survey
results that over the past three years 4% of the men were Kinsey 6's
(exclusively homosexual experiences) and 6% were Kinsey 5's (homosexual
with only incidental hetereosexual experience); 4% + 6% = 10%.  The
parallel statistic for women in the same studies is 3 to 8% (scale 4 to
6).  The works don't really match exactly in what they were measuring.
Like any sociological study, Kinsey's has been challenged on a number of
grounds.  More recent studies have generated statistics far above or
below these numbers (especially for women), but nothing more
authoritative has been published.

The key difficulty with the 10% figure has proven to be how researchers 
define "gay".  Since there is no agreement in the scientific community on 
what characteristic(s) make people gay, these studies have very little 
meaning or impact outside the popular media coverage they generate.
 
3.1.3 What else did Kinsey find?
Well there are two whole books, but here are a few numerical
excerpts.  "[A]t least 37% of the male population has some homosexual
experience between the beginning of adolescence and old age....  This is
more than one male in three of the persons that one may meet as he
passes along a city street." In addition, 13% of males react erotically
to other males without having overt homosexual contacts after the onset
of adolescence.  (This 13 percent, coupled with the 37 percent who do
have overt homosexual experience, means that a full 50 percent of males
have at least some sexual response to other males after adolescence -
and conversely, that only the other 50 percent of the male population is
entirely heterosexual throughout life.)

- 4% of males are exclusively homosexual throughout their lives after
the onset of adolescence.

- 8% of males are exclusively homosexual (scale 6) for at least three
years between the ages of 16 and 55.

- 13% of males have more homo than hetero experience (scale 4-6) for at
least three years between the ages of 16 and 55.

- 18% percent of males have at least as much homo as hetero in their
histories (scale 3-6) for at least three years between ages 16 and 55.

- 25% percent of the male population has more than incidental
homosexual experience or reactions (scale 2-6) for at least three years
between the ages of 16 and 55.

 On the other hand, these Kinsey findings are beside the point in a
way.  Even if the figure was 1%, or a fraction of a percent, discrimination 
would still be wrong.

 (By the way, equivalent figures are not available for women because
"equivalent female data often cannot be understood without extensive
additional explanation", according to Tripp's article.)

3.2 AIDS and HIV
 
3.2.1 Is HIV the same as AIDS?  
In a word, no.  HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the name of a
virus that is almost universally believed to be the cause of AIDS.  A
person may be "asymptomatic" (having no symptoms, feeling perfectly
well) for months or years while HIV positive.

Technically, AIDS is not the name of a disease but rather of a
syndrome, a collection of symptoms indicative of an advanced stage of
HIV disease, in which case HIV has destroyed enough of the immune system
that opportunistic infections have been able to set in.  Oh yes - a
person diagnosed with AIDS is not an "AIDS victim" but a "person with
AIDS" or "PWA".
 
3.2.2 What is the "AIDS test"?  
The so-called AIDS test is actually a test for the presence or
absence of antibodies in the bloodstream.  These are created by the body
in response to the HIV infection.  There is no test at this time to
detect the presence of HIV directly.  A person who is infected will
still test negative in "HIV tests" (so-called "AIDS tests") for a period
of time.  To be "HIV positive" means that the antibodies have been found
in the blood.

There are two tests currently in use: the ELISA for initial
screening, and the Western blot to confirm a positive ELISA.

Tests sometimes produce "false negatives"; i.e., the person has the
HIV antibodies, but the test does not detect them.  For that reason (and
others), any claims that a person (especially a medical practitioner)
are "certified HIV-negative" should be viewed with skepticism.
 
3.2.3 Since my partner and I are both HIV negative, we don't have to 
      bother with safer sex, do we?
Yes, you do.  First, a negative test does not necessarily mean you
are not HIV infected (see previous Q).  Second, even if you are not now
infected one of you could become infected in the future.  Otherwise you
are betting your life on a possibly illusory belief in your safety.

3.2.4 I read about some controversial hypothesis concerning AIDS/HIV
While AIDS research is an evolving field, and undoubtedly we will discover
things that will force us to revise policy concerning how HIV is spread,
and especially strategies for treating people with HIV, it is vitally
important to remember in the context of soc.motss that many people reading
the group are HIV+, have AIDS, or have people close to them who are HIV+
or have AIDS, or have lost people close to them from AIDS-related
complications.  Thus, posting things like "Only drug use causes AIDS", or
"HIV and AIDS aren't related", etc. aren't constructive, nor productive. 
No one believes that we know all there is to know, at the same time, no
one is going to accept any facile global statement concerning AIDS/HIV,
especially when it's established that a very diverse population of people
world-wide have died from AIDS-related illness and contracted HIV froma
variety of different mechanisms. 

If you feel you must post on these issues, PLEASE have references to back
yourself up!  This issue cuts too close to home for many people, and
random "opinions" are not going to ease anyone else's pain. 

3.2.5 Where can I get more information? 
If you have specific questions, your best bet is to subscribe to
sci.med.aids or contact your local AIDS service organization.

3.3 Biology of sexual orientation
 
3.3.1 What's all this about brain differences in gay men?  
A brief article in the 30 Aug 1991 issue of Science (published in U.S.)
reported research by Dr Simon LeVay.  Levay autopsied the brains of 41
persons: 

- homosexual men: 19 (including 1 bisexual) who had died of AIDS;
- heterosexual men: 16, assumed to be heterosexual, including
- 6 died of AIDS (including 2 who "denied homosexual activity"
               and 4 who had no sexual orientation recorded)
- 10 died of other causes and had no sexual orientation recorded
- women: 6, also assumed to be heterosexual.

LeVay found that a tiny cell group called INAH 3, part of the
anterior hypothalamus, was more than twice as large in the presumed
heterosexual men (0.12 +/- 0.01 mm^3) as in either the homosexual men
(0.051 +/- 0.01) or the presumed heterosexual women (0.056 +/- 0.02).
(INAH = interstitial nuclei of the anterior hypothalmus.)  He found no
differences in INAH 1, 2, or 4.
 
3.3.2 Wasn't that an awfully small sample?
Statistical analysis takes into account the sample size and the
differences between results for the two groups.

The probability that this result reflects a true difference in the
general population was 99.9% as between homo and presumed hetero men,
99.1% as between presumed hetero men and presumed hetero women.  When
the 19 homosexual men were compared against only the presumed hetero men
who had died of AIDS, the same difference was found, with a probability
of 97.2% that this reflects a true difference in the general population.

There was no statistically significant difference between the size
of INAH 3 between the homosexual men and the women, nor between the
presumed heterosexual men who died of AIDS and those who died of other
causes.
 
3.3.3 Weren't there some exceptions?  
The results were not uniform:  some presumed heterosexual men had
small INAH 3 nuclei, and some homosexual men had large nuclei.  LeVay
says this could mean that sexual orientation, though important, "may
not be the sole determinant of INAH 3 size" or that some subjects were
assigned to the wrong groups.

Note that the statistical results in the preceding Q take these
exceptions into account.
 
3.3.4 What exactly does this study prove?
LeVay (who is himself gay) said that the study shows that sexual
orientation in men "is amenable to study at the biological level".  It
does not show whether the size differences cause or result from 
differences in sexual orientation, or both are caused by some third factor as
yet unidentified.  The article did not mention genetic influences.

------------------------------------------------------------
4. GBLO-history, sociology

4.1 History

4.1.1 What's the origin of the pink triangle?
In the 1930's and 1940's, the Nazis used colored geometrical figures to
identify classes of prisoners in the concentration camps. The pink
triangle was used for homosexual men.  There was no badge specifically for
lesbians: the Nazis used a black trianglr for female ``sex offenders'',
which (to them) included lesbians, prostitutes, and women who refused to
bear children for the Reich. 

4.1.2 Does the pink triangle point up or down?
The Nazis made homosexuals wear the triangle with the point facing up.
ACT-UP flipped the symbol and made it their own.  Both ways are correct.

4.1.3 What's the origin of the lambda symbol?
The Greek letter lambda is often used as a symbol for gay liberation.  It
was originally chosen by the Gay Activists' Alliance of New York City in
about 1969.  From Toby Marotta's 1981 book _The Politics of
Homosexuality_: 

The Greek letter lambda, now a popular symbol for gay liberation, was
selected as GAA's logo because as a symbol for wavelength in quantum
physics, it was thought to suggest dynamism.  The founders wanted a symbol
that would associate GAA with energetic action in the pursuit of gay
liberation. [p. 145]

4.1.4 What's the origin of the rainbow flag?
The rainbow flag symbolizes the diversity of the GBLO community.  It
first appeared in the late 1970's, although there is some debate as to
its actual origins.

4.1.5 What is (the) Stonewall?
The Stonewall Inn is a bar in Greenwich Village which was the site of
several riots in late June, 1969, which in modern-day folklore is looked
upon as one of the events that led to GBLO* liberation. 

A very good article appeared in the Advocate in 1987. A copy of this
article can be found in the motss FTP archive on skepsis.com
(pub/motss/stonewall.txt), or on the world wide web as part of the
soc.motss ``Pink Papers'' series  
(http://www.skepsis.com/.gblo/motss/pink_papers/). 

4.1.6 Who was Harvey Milk?
In 1977, Harvey Milk was elected supervisor of San Francisco (equivalent 
to city councilor and county councilor since San Francisco is a
combined city/county government).  He appealed to a coalition of gay men
and lesbians, non-gay working people, and the elderly.  In November
1978, Milk and Mayor George Moscone were shot to death in City Hall by
former Supervisor Dan White.  In the trial, White's lawyer pleaded the
"twinkie defense":  that is, White should not be held responsible for
premeditated murder because he was strung out on sugar from eating
Hostess Twinkies.  The jury apparently agreed, and convicted him of a
lesser crime.  For murdering two human beings, White was sentenced to
seven years in jail.  The gay and lesbian community erupted in several
nights of riots.  White was later parolled, and committed suicide.
A good book on Milk's career is The Mayor of Castro Street by
Randy Shilts; a good movie is The Times of Harvey Milk.  

The Mayor of Castro Street is supposedly being developed as a film to be
directed by Gus Van Sant.  Representatives from the GLBO* community have
been meeting with the film's producers to discuss issues related to the
film. Filming should begin in early 1993 in San Francisco.  "At this
writing, no concrete decisions have been made as to who will play Harvey
Milk, through Robin Williams is a likely candidate." [SF Sentinel,
23-Jul-1992]

4.1.7 Was Harvey Milk the first openly gay or lesbian elected official in 
      the US? 
No.  In 1972, Nancy Wechsler was elected to the Ann Arbor, MI city council
on the Human Rights Party ticket, running openly as a lesbian and a
socialist.  She served on the council until 1974. She now lives in Boston
and is still active in left-progressive and lesbian/gay politics.  This
status is often (incorrectly) attributed to Elaine Noble who was elected
to the Massachusetts legislature in 1974.  She served a few terms and then
decided to pursue interests outside of elective politics.  In 1991 and
1993 she ran an unsuccessful campaign to gain a seat on the Cambridge MA
city council. 

4.2 Sociology

4.2.1 Does ``gay'' imply male?
You'll get different answers from different people.  In general, it is
safe to assume that some people will feel excluded by the term ``gay''. 

4.2.2 What is the right term to include everyone? 
There is no one right answer.  A growing number of people use ``queer'',
but others feel uncomfortable with that.  On soc.motss, you'll see
references to LGBO* (and permutations), motsseurs, motssers, motssketeers,
etc. but that includes people of any sexual orientation who read this
newsgroup.  For the most part people are offended by "homosexual" since
that is felt to be more clinical than personal. As a rule, someone will
feel excluded by any term you use.  If you are responding to someone
else's post, it is usually safe to use whatever term an author has
self-identified with. 

4.2.3 Is ``gay'' a noun or an adjective?
Many people are offended by the use of ``gay'' as a noun in sentences like
"Bar the door, Martha, the gays are coming!."  This usage should probably
be avoided. 

4.2.4 When the grammar books tell me to say "he", "him", "his" in
      referring to a person of unspecified gender, what should I do? 
There's no one right answer.  You could stick with your grammar book --
after all, you have hundreds of years of English history behind you.  You
can use "they", "them", and "their".  This choice is very popular but
sometimes confusing to the reader.  You can use "she", "her", and "her".
You can use combinations like "s/he", "him/her", "his/her": all
constructions which became common in the 1970s but have largely
disappeared today, except from certain kinds of legal documents.  You can
make up pronouns like "sie" or "cos"  -- if you're stuck trying to decide
what to do, this is an especially good solution.  Be advised, though: any
of these will offend someone. 

4.2.5 Is it "sexual orientation" or "sexual preference"?
Although both terms have been widely used, "sexual orientation" is
emerging as the preferred term for most.  This is because "sexual
preference" implies sexuality is a *chosen* trait, and this implication
(which most believe to be false) sometimes causes problems when persons
try to gain equal rights based on "preference" instead of "orientation".

4.2.6 What is After the Ball?
ATB is a book, written in 1989 by Hunter Madsen and Marshall Kirk, that
suggested strategies for gay culture to be accepted by, and incorporated
into, mainstream American culture, and offered a "code of conduct" for
members of the gay community.  Because of the authors' ideas and the way
in which they were presented, ATB became the subject of much controversy
in soc.motss and other forums.  Chances are that, pro or con, your
"compelling statement" about ATB has probably been made here before, and
all it will do is to stir up the same arguments one more time. 

------------------------------------------------------------
5. Politics

5.1 Annual Events

5.1.1 When is Pride Day in {city}?
Typically these are in the last two weeks of June, but they vary
from city to city.  The timing commemorates our movement's "Boston Tea
Party":  On June 28, 1969, New York City police pulled yet another raid
on the Stonewall Inn, a bar in Sheridan Square.  This time, instead of
meekly submitting, the patrons (most of them stereotypically effeminate 
drag queens) fought back with pride, and the modern gay-rights
struggle sprang up in cities across the U.S. and in other nations.

During the spring every year, substantial traffic about gay pride 
marches is generated in soc.motss.  If you have information about a march 
in your town, please post it for the rest of us!

5.1.2 When is National Coming Out Day?
October 11th, starting in 1988.  This date commemorates the 2nd March on 
Washington, 10/11/1987.

5.2 Gay rights laws

5.2.1 Which governments have laws against discrimination on the basis
of sexual orientation ("a/d laws")?

- Australia: no national a/d law.  New South Wales has one.
- Canada:  At the provincial level, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec,
           New Brunswick, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia,
           have a/d laws, as does the Yukon.  There is no Federal a/d law;
           recent court decisions and appeals have somewhat confused the
           question of whether or not sexual orientation is already
           covered by Federal law.
- Denmark:  A/d laws for service to customers include sexual
           orientation.  (My correspondent believed that a/d laws prohibited
           discrimination in employment and housing, but could not track
           them down.) The criminal code also prohibits public statements
           that promote hatred against recognized groups including sexual
           minorities; but the in only case to date-antigay letter to a
           newspaper-the defendant was acquitted.  Registered partnership
           is available to persons of the same gender if one or both
           are Danish citizens resident in Denmark, and is done by mayors
           but not priests.  Registered partnership (unlike marriage)
           does not give the right to adopt children.
- Italy: The age of consent is 16; however, if neither partner is
           18 or over, the age of consent is 14.
- New Zealand: New law will go into effect Feb 1, 1994 and cover
           the military, police, housing, employment, and may even
           require religious groups to comply.
- Norway:  General a/d laws against discrimination on race,
           religion, political view, and sexual preference.  A law proposal
           concerning "registered partnership" is under discussion in the
           Parliament.  This law will not give the right to adopt children.
- U.S.A.:  nothing at the Federal level, except a/d rules in the Federal
           civil service.  (The military does discharge lesbians and gays.)
           The states of Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Hawaii, New Jersey,
           Vermont, California, Connecticut, and Minnesota have
           comprehensive a/d laws.  Many U.S. cities and counties 
           do also, and some governors have issued executive orders that 
           affect employees of their state governments.  The NGLTF 
           (National Gay and Lesbian Task Force) in Washington DC
           maintains a list.  

5.2.2 Where is same-gender sex legal?

- Australia: in every state, *including* Tasmania.
- Canada:  A person 18 or older may consent to sex with anyone else.
           A person 14 or older may consent to sex with a person not
           in a position of authority over them, not for money, and not
           if it is anal sex.  A person 12 or older may consent to sex
           with a person not in a position of authority over them, not
           more than two years older than them, and not if it is anal sex. 
           Anal sex is illegal unless the two immediate participants are
           both over 18 or married to each other.  A court recently struck
           down the exception in the above law regarding anal sex.  This
           would make anal sex legal under the same conditions as sex in
           general. This may be appealed by the Federal government.
- Denmark: The general age of consent is 15.  There is an 18-
           year limit for relations with "children given into your
           care for upbringing or education"; that is, adopted-children or 
           teacher-pupil relationships.  All of these rules are part of
           the criminal code, which applies only to people of age 15 or 
           older. This means that you cannot break them whatever you do,
           if you are younger than 15.
- Ireland: The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 1988 that 
           Irish law contravened the European Convention for the Protection
           of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.  In 1990 the Irish 
           Minister for Justice announced that a bill to reform Irish 
           law in line with the ECHR decision would be presented to the 
           Oireachtas (Irish parliament).  This bill became law in 1993,
           making same-sex sex legal for adult men and women.
- New Zealand: gay sex is legal for consenting males and females 16
           and over.
- Norway: age of consent is uniformly 16.
- U.K.: legal in private for males over 21 who are not in the armed forces.
           Legal in private for females over 16, because British law does
           not recognise the existence of lesbianism.  Homosexual activity of
           any kind is prohibited in the British armed forces.  The Special
           Investigation Branch of the MPs have draconian powers to search
           through private possessions, letters, etc.  Thus, they often
           follow "chains" of gay and lesbian people through the forces. 
           The Ministry of Defence has recently decided that homosexual
           acts in the armed forces will no longer be considered criminal
           offences and subject to courts-martial.  Homosexuality, 
           though, remains "incompatible with military life", and those
           discovered to be homosexual are subject to discharge.
- U.S.A:  this varies at the state level.  Roughly half the states
           have reformed their laws (by legislative or judicial
           action) to remove restrictions on sexual activity between
           consenting adults in private.  The D.C. council passed a
           reform law but it was overridden by Congress.

5.2.3 Which of the United States have active sodomy laws?

-Alabama - doesn't apply to married couples
-Arkansas
-Arizona
-Florida
-Georgia
-Idaho
-Kansas - homosexual only
-Louisiana
-Massachusetts - unenforcable, but people do still get arrested
-Maryland - homosexual only
-Michigan - unconstitutional by court (under appeal?)
-Minnesota
-Mississippi
-Missouri - homosexual only
-Montana - homosexual only
-North Carolina
-Oklahoma
-Rhode Island
-South Carolina
-Tennessee - homosexual only
-Texas - homosexual only
-Utah - doesn't apply to married couples
-Virginia

5.2.4 What about discrimination by private employers?
Many employers and unions in a number of countries have also established
non-discrimination policies.  A separate list, covering North American
organizations, is posted approximately once every month.  The QRD has a
copy of this list, and you can request an e-mail copy by writing to the
list maintainer, Larry Stratton ([email-masked]). 
 
5.2.5 Didn't the U.S. Supreme Court say sodomy was a crime even in private?
Not exactly.  By a 5-4 decision in the 1986 case of Bowers v Hardwick, the
Court ruled that a state could pass a law criminalizing homosexual
behavior even in private because the Constitutional right to privacy did
not extend to sexual relations between members of the same sex.  An
analysis of why this was a bad decision (not just for us, but for the U.S.
Constitution) may be found in Laurence Tribe, On Reading the Constitution. 

5.3 Past and Current Events

5.3.1 What states are currently contemplating anti-GBLO laws?
At the time of this writing, we are between political campaigns and there 
are no statewide measures in the immediate future.  However, you may 
contact the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (202-332-6483) or the Human 
Rights Campaign Fund (202-628-4160) in Washington DC to find out the 
latest on what has qualified for a ballot, and where.

5.3.2 What was Measure 9?
Measure 9 was placed on the ballot in Oregon in 1992 by the Oregon
Citizen's Alliance, headed by Lon Mabon.  It would've forbidden the state
to recognize categories such as "sexual orientation" or similar phrases
that included homosexuality.  State, regional or local monies or
properties could not be used to promote, encourage, or facilitate
homosexuality.  (The entire text is available on the QRD.) It lost, but
Mabon insisted that the OCA would try again in the next election.  They
did (Measure 13 in 1994), and it also lost.  The OCA has since placed
regional and county resolutions on the ballot, some of which have passed. 
The state legislature passed an act preventing any such measure from being
enforced, however.  This act could be overturned by a simple majority vote
by any future legislature, or a two-thirds vote, if needed to override 
the governor's veto. 

5.3.3 What is/was Amendment 2?  
In the November 1992 election in the US state of Colorado, voters approved
by a 53-47 percent margin the following amendment to the state's
constitution: 

Be it Enacted by the People of the State of Colorado:

Article 2, of the Colorado Constitution is amended by the
addition of Section 30, which shall state as follows:

NO PROTECTION STATUS BASED ON HOMOSEXUAL, LESBIAN, OR BISEXUAL ORIENTATION.

Neither the State of Colorado, through any of its branches or departments,
nor any of its agencies, political subdivisions, municipalities or school
districts, shall enact, adopt or enforce any statute, regulation,
ordinance or policy whereby homosexual, lesbian or bisexual orientation,
conduct, practices or relationships shall constitute or otherwise be the
basis of, or entitle any person or class of persons to have or claim any
minority status, quota preferences, protected status or claim of
discrimination.  This Section of the Constitution shall be in all respects
self-executing. 

Immediately upon passage, a judge in Colorado granted an injunction
preventing Amendment 2 from ever becoming effective, pending the outcome
of a court challenge.  Later in 1994, Amendment 2 was found to be
unconstitutional by the Colorado State Supreme Court.  The case has been 
accepted by the US Supreme Court for its 1995-1996 session and a decision 
is expected some time in 1996.

5.3.4 What's going on with Hawaii and same-sex marriage?  
The battle over same-sex marriage in Hawaii will be fought over the next
two years, with a final ruling by the Hawaii State Supreme Court
anticipated in 1996.  The QRD has lots of information about this issue,
including recent clippings. 

5.4 Organizations

5.4.1 What is GLAAD?
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Deformation has chapters in Atlanta,
Dallas, Denver, LA, NY, and SF. One of the their primary goals is
monitoring the media for pro-GBLO and anti-GBLO content and commenting
either positively or negatively on it through press releases. Quite a bit
of information is available on the QRD. 

5.4.2 What is the HRCF?
The Human Rights Campaign Fund is an organization which is a lobbying
presence for the GBLO community.  They can be contacted at: 

The Human Rights Campaign Fund
1012 14th Street, NW  Suite 607
Washington DC 20009
(202) 628-4160
(202) 347-5323 [FAX]

The QRD has more information.

5.4.3 What is the NGLTF?
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is dedicated to winning gay and
lesbian rights and ending homophobia and discrimination, harassment and
violence against GBLO people. More information is available on the QRD. 

5.4.4 What is NAMBLA?
The North American Man-Boy Love Association "support[s] men and boys
in consensual relationships with one another and help[s] educate society
about the nature of such relationships," according to a posting by one
of its members.  For info:  NAMBLA Info, Dept RR, P.O.Box 174, Midtown
Station, NYC NY 10018, or email [email-masked].  Discussion of NAMBLA's
goals via postings to soc.motss and in the LGBO* community often stirs
sharp controversy.  More information is available on the QRD.

5.4.5 What GBLO organizations exist for people in high-tech?

- High Tech Gays (HTG) is a group based in San Jose, California,
which has many social activities for its local members (although HTG's
members hail from across the USA).  HTG has been active in opposing
the U.S. government's reluctance to give security clearances to
lesbians and gays, and in other local and regional gay-rights issues.

         HTG can be reached at P.O. Box 6777, San Jose, California 95150.
Their voicemail is at (408) 993-3830, and they can be reached via BBS
at (415) 572-9594.

- The National Organization of Gay/Lesbian Scientists and Technical
Professionals (NOGLSTP) is a non-profit corporation, and can be
reached at PO Box 91803, Pasadena, CA 91109-9813.  Their phone number
is (818) 791-7689, and they can be reached via Internet at
[email-masked].

5.4.6 Where can I find out about other groups?
The QRD has a very large list of organizations.  David Casti 
<[email-masked]> also maintains a list of glb* organizations which can 
be reached by electronic mail.  Updates are posted to soc.motss regularly.  
Contact him for a copy, or to have your organization listed.

5.5 Activism

5.5.1 I saw an 800 number that is maintained by {homophobic group}. 
      Should I post it so everyone can call and tie up the line? 
You may or may not want to post it as a matter of information.
However, you should be aware that owners of 800 numbers get a log
that shows the time, duration, and calling number for every call.  This
is true even if caller ID is not available in your area.  You should
also be aware that your home phone service can be cut off if you make
repeated harassing calls from your home phone.

5.5.2 OK, how about an e-mail address?
With more companies becoming connected to the Internet, e-mail
contact information is becoming more prevalent (e.g., 
[email-masked]).  In the case where a person or
company is involved with either pro- or anti-GBLO activities, it would
be helpful for this information to be available to people to send 
along their thoughts.  However, net-etiquette still applies: sending
e-mail bombs, forged e-mail, etc. will neither be productive or
convincing to anyone.

------------------------------------------------------------
6. Anti-GBLO entities

6.1 People

6.1.1 Who is Orson Scott Card?
A science fiction writer of books including Ender's Game, Card has
been the subject of frequent flamefests on rec.arts.sf-lovers and the
object of demonstrations by Queer Nation.  Card is a Mormon, and has
expressed some strongly negative views of homosexuality.  If you want to
explore his views, please post a request for people to email you.  Those
of us who have been around for a while would rather not go over the same
ground again. 

Mr. Card has issued warnings that unauthorized reproductions of
his work - including electronic postings and transmissions of them -
will be dealt with harshly.  This includes his Mormon writings on
homosexuality, which he claims were written specifically for a Mormon
audience and must be read in their original context in order to be
meaningful.  If you're searching for electronic versions of these
articles, consider yourself warned.

------------------------------------------------------------
9. Miscellaneous

9.1 Travel

9.1.1 I'm/we're going to Europe and want to know which hotels and 
      restaurants are gay-friendly.

Long before you leave, pick up a copy of Are You Two...Together? (1991,
Random, ISBN 0-394-58454-6).  In it, co-authors Lindsy van Gelder and
Pamela Brandt travel through the U.K., Belgium, the Netherlands, France,
Spain, Germany, Italy, and Greece.  They give you lots of historical
background on attractions of interest, especially those with a gay or
lesbian connection.  They also list hotels, bed & breakfasts, and
restaurants that welcome gay and lesbian couples.  They also mention LGB
organizations and a few bars. 

9.2 Commerce

9.2.1 Where can I buy stuff by mail order?
Most local and national LGBO*-oriented magazines have advertisements
that will lead you to merchandise you want to buy.  Because this _is_ a
frequently asked question, I'm listing a few sources that have been
posted or advertised.  I have no financial interest in any of the 
listings that follow.

- Queer Nation Boston sells QN stickers by mail.  Send email with
           your U.S. mail address to "[email-masked]" and they will
           send you their information packet.  Sorry, I don't know their
           policy for non-U.S. mailings.
- Don't Panic, 8721 Santa Monica Blvd #13, Los Angeles CA 90069, USA
           sells buttons and T-shirts (800 457 2642 in the US).  Source:
           advertisement in Oct 22 {Advocate}; I have no personal knowledge
           of this place.
- Many LGBO* booksellers do a large business by mail.  One such is
           Lambda Rising, +1 800 621 6969 in U.S. and Canada, +1 202 462 6969
           from other countries.  (I called 14 Oct 1991 to verify they will
           fill orders from outside the U.S.)
- Gifts of Athena, 2199 Lee Rd, Cleveland OH 44118, USA, lesbian
           owned and operated, sells rainbow flags, women's music, mehn's
           music, T-shirts, and jewelry.  Phone: +1 216 371 1937 (Mon, Wed,
           Thur, Fri 10-8; Sat 10-6; Sun 12-5).  They will ship to US and
           Canada on Visa and MC but you'll need to tell them about Canadian
           customs regulations that may apply.
- NOW Products (National Organization for Women) has a small
           catalog/flyer (one page of newsprint) of jewelry, T-shirts, bumper
           stickers, stationery, etc., which are woman-positive and gay-
           friendly.  NOW Products, 1000 16th St NW #700, Washington DC
           20036.  A retail store is at 1615 K St NW in Washington.
- "Shocking Gray", 1216 East Euclid, San Antonio TX 78212, (800)
           788-4729.  SG produce an upscale, "Sharper Image"-style catalog
           specifically targeted at the gay and lesbian market.
- Dan Kaufman Graphics in DC does buttons, t-shirts, bumper-stickers,
           magnets and other small items.  For a free catalog, phone: 
           (202) I'M OUT-RU? [466-8878]; FAX: (202) 466-8879; e-mail:
           [email-masked]; or mail: Catalog Request, Dan Kaufman Graphics,
           Dept. X, PO Box 4901, Washington, DC 20008.