Date: Tue, 23 May 95 01:19:24 PST From: "Benjamin, Dale" here is another group that you scientists/programmers/researchers/techies/etc might be interested in: High Tech Gays PO Box 6777 San Jose, CA 95150 408-289-1484 Founded in 1982, it's purpose is "to increase awareness of the presence of gays in the high tech industry, and to provide support to members. Publishes a newsletter." ______________ High Tech Gays PO Box 6777 San Jose, CA 95150 VoiceMail: (408) AUX-1-HTG BBS: (415) 572-9594 (with internet email access) Email: info@htg.org. ____________________ HTG: An Introduction High Tech Gays was founded on the principle that all persons deserve fair and just treatment by the government, their employer, the law and the professional societies to which they belong regardless of their sexual orientation. HTG has worked to achieve these goals through political and social action since its founding in 1983. As a non-partisan association of gays and lesbians in the high tech and supporting industries, HTG provides a means by which people with similar interests can meet each other socially, assist each other in their job search and become active in the gay rights movement. As a social organization, HTG gives members and friends a wide range of opportunities from which to choose, from water or snow skiing to river rafting and camping, from afternoons in a museum to evenings at the theatre. All in addition to the monthly potluck meeting which includes a guest speaker. In the time HTG has been in existence, the organization has attained worldwide visibility via articles that have appeared in The Advocate, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The San Jose Mercury News. These articles have profiled HTG's various efforts to fight discrimination in the work place and in the process of obtaining a government security clearance. In addition, HTG has become very influential in the political arena. Candidates seeking public office often request the opportunity to address the membership at the monthly meetings. Membership includes discounts on the various activities organized by HTG and a monthly newsletter with up to date information about the organization and the community. HTG also maintains an electronic Bulletin Board Service which offers a variety of features such as job offerings, information on obtaining security clearances, a chat mode and much, much more. So join the hundreds of lesbian and gay professionals from around the nation and the world. Become a member of High Tech Gays! -- Bill Weaver, President _______________ Monthly Meetings Regular membership meetings are held on the second Sunday of every month and begin with a potluck dinner followed by a guest speaker. Some of our past guests: - The Hon. Donna Hitchens, Superior Court Judge - Linda Speraw, producer of the video "The Last Laugh" - Mother Tongue Feminist Theater - Matthew Coles, American Civil Liberties Union - Hank Plante, TV news anchor at KPIX - San Jose Mayoral Candidates * Frank Fiscalini * Susan Hammer * Shirley Lewis - John Caldwell, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation - Robert Stipicevich, Fremont School Board - Pam Walton, producer of the video "Out in Suburbia" and "Gay Youth" - Cleve Jones, NAMES Project - Tom Nolan, San Mateo County Supervisor - John Laird, first openly Gay mayor of Santa Cruz - Congressman John Vasconcellos ___________________ Gay Rights Activism HTG is committed to lesbian and gay rights activism. Here are a few examples HTG's involvement: - Supported effort to pass AB 101, the Gay Rights Bill, in California - Participated in the national March on Washington in 1987 & 1993 - Participate yearly in both the San Jose and San Francisco Pride Celebrations - Host benefits for local AIDS support groups - Support the efforts of BAYMEC and NGLTF through cooperative membership - Annually bestow the Richard P. Rudy Community Service Award to a dedicated member of the gay and lesbian community - Ongoing efforts by the Political and Business Action Committee (PABAC) to persuade companies to change their Equal Employment Opportunity policy to include sexual orientation - Provide information to lesbians and gays attempting to obtain a Government Security Clearance ______________________________ Industrial Security Clearances HTG has and will continue to support lesbians and gays in their fight for Security Clearances in civilian employment: * High Tech Gays v. Defense Investigative Security Clearance Office, which began in 1984 and first culminated in a very positive ruling by US District Court in August 1987 supporting the rights of gays and lesbians to be treated the same as heterosexuals in the security clearance process. The ruling was unfortunately overturned by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in February of 1990. * Jean Kovalich v. Defense Investigative Service, in which Kovalich was demoted for being a lesbian. The government finally backed down and made a very positive out-of-court settlement. * Robert Weston v. Lockheed, in which a defense contractor, on advice from the federal government, would not even process an application for clearance because Weston is gay. _________________ Social Activities Activities are organized for fun and relaxation year round. Here are just a few examples: Theatre... - An evening at La Cage Revue - Beach Blanket Babylon - Ballet Trocadero de Monte Carlo - Performances by San Jose Civic Light Opera, TheatreWorks, San - Jose/Cleveland Ballet, Palo Alto Players and many others - Big Lil's Cabaret Melodrama & Pizza Party - Lily Tomlin's "Search for Intelligent Signs of Life" Outdoors... - San Francisco stairway hikes - Alpine and cross country ski trips - Camping - Whitewater rafting - Bike trips - Wine country touring - Horseback riding - Bay sailing - Picnics - Water skiing - Beach parties - Hiking HTG Specialties... - Chicken Liver & Brussells Sprouts Dinner - Dessert Orgy - Tacky Tours General Interest... - AIDS Bike-A-Thon fundraiser - Disneyland - Castro Street Fair - Dinner nights - Games nights - Halloween party - Robert Mapplethorpe Exhibit - Gay Games - Movie nights - Stanford Linear Accelerator - NASA Ames Research Center - Robert Mapplethorpe Exhibit