From: WillNich@aol.com Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 17:28:36 -0500 (EST) Subject: A Sampling of Articles from the March Issue of The Letter Following is just a sampling of articles coming up in the next issue of The Letter - Kentucky's gay and lesbian newspaper. David Williams, Editor BABY GIRL CAN BOAST OF FOUR OUT AND PROUD PARENTS by David Williams, Editor A baby girl born at Clark County Memorial Hospital in Clarksville, Indiana on January 22 may have one advantage that most other children don't have: not one or two parents, but four. The lucky girl, Catharine Caperton--a healthy 9 lb. 5 oz.--is the biological daughter of area residents Cathy Lester and Adam Caperton. But she also has a second mother, Renee Nash, who is Lester's lover, and a second father, Dwayne House, Caperton's lover. Catharine was conceived at the University of Louisville OB-GYN clinic by means of artificial insemination. Officials at the clinic had no problem with the homosexuality of both parents and their lovers. Their only requirement, a legal concern, was that the two biological parents be married--heterosexually, that is. Lester's only other option would have been insemination by an anonymous donor, which she didn't want. Both Lester and Nash wanted to have an active and involved father. Everyone else involved in the process, from physicians to obstetricians to attorneys, was aware from the start that the child would have a gay father and a lesbian mother. "My obstetrician went so far as to comment that there would simply be more people to love the baby," Lester says. Nevertheless, legal documents were drawn up to protect the child against any eventuality. Caperton, Lester and Nash aren't strangers to each other. All three work in Child Protective Services in Louisville. As part of their jobs, they do panel presentations on alternative families for social workers statewide. In addition, Lester and Nash are licensed foster parents in Indiana. Now that the baby has been born, Caperton and Lester, as planned, have initiated the divorce process. In exchange for Caperton giving full and permanent custody of the child to Lester and Nash, Nash and Lester have agreed not to request child support. Even so, Caperton has probably more than made up for it with clothing, toys, and numerous other gifts. He does have the right to have the child for visits every other weekend and one day during the week. At some point after the divorce is final, Caperton and Nash plan to wed so that Nash may also be legally inseminated at the same clinic, thereby ensuring biologically related two children for the parents. LESBIAN FILM TO BE PRESENTED BY GAY ARCHIVES The Kentucky Gay and Lesbian Library and Archives will be bringing a new lesbian documentary film to the Baxter Avenue Theatres in Louisville April 7 and 9 as part of its fundraising efforts. "Paris Was A Woman" is the critically acclaimed portrait of the creative community of women writers, artists, photographers and editors who flocked to the Left Bank of Paris in the early decades of this century, when Paris was the undisputed cultural capital of the world. Utilizing groundbreaking research, newly discovered home movies, and intimate storytelling, the movie recreates the mood and flavor of this now-lost female artistic community. Besides such luminaries as Gertrude Stein, Colette, and Romaine Brooks, the movie will treat viewers to some of the lesser lights of the era, including author Djuna Barnes, painter Marie Laurencin, photographers Berenice Abbott and Gisele Freund, and booksellers Sylvia Beach and Adrienne Monnier. One of the highlights of the movie is a rare silent film strip of Gertrude Stein and her lover, Alice B. Toklas, walking the dog in a Paris park. On a voice-over, Stein reads a love poem to Toklas. The 75-minute film was directed by Greta Schiller, who also directed the groundbreaking Emmy- award winning gay documentary, "Before Stonewall." Tickets are just $6 each and may be obtained through the archives (phone: 502/636-0935). Look for further details about other ticket outlets in the next internet posting of The Letter. NEW LAMBDA ANNOUNCES BOARD ELECTIONS New Lambda, a Louisville group that helps organize events to raise funds for various worthy causes, will be holding elections for all seven positions on its board of directors Saturday, March 1, at its headquarters, 632-A E. Market Street just east of the bar district. Anyone interested in serving on the board should call 584-7650, or simply show up at the meeting and speak briefly on why they think they would be an asset to the board. Voting is open to the general public. New Lambda annually raises thousands of dollars for Community Health Trust and other organizations. Some of its events include the annual Pride Picnic in Louisville at the end of June, and the popular Passport Party in the fall. Current officers are President Rick McLargin, bartender at Tryangles; Vice President Tina Bell of Tynkers Too/The Rage; Secretary Ken McAmish; and Treasurer Brian Todd. LEADERSHIP SEMINAR COMING TO LOUISVILLE An interactive gay empowerment event entitled "Leadership for the 21st Century" will be offered Friday evening, March 7, at the Clifton Center, corner of Clifton and Payne in the Frankfort Avenue corridor. "Leadership begins in our hearts," says speaker Honey Ward. "When we function more consciously, commitment and passion become effective resources at our fingertips. That is simultaneously powerful and empowering." Ward facilitates The Experience, an empowerment seminar offered for the last nineteen years to the gay and lesbian community and its allies. Some of the topics covered in the Leadership evening will be: honoring and developing personal leadership skills; enhancing abilities to support other leaders; respecting and aligning with one another to achieve your goals; and creating a proactive agenda for the community. The event in Louisville will last only one evening, but it's just a taste of what people can expect when they sign up for The Experience. The Experience is an exciting 2-1/2 day weekend workshop designed to support participants in being more powerful. Over 30,000 people have done the workshop, which has served the community since 1978. It is scheduled in Louisville for April 18-20 with a post-event on April 22. For more information, or to reserve a space for the March 7 presentation of "Leadership in the 21st Century," call 502/244-7968 or 1-800-966-3896. GAY SCHOLARSHIP FUND SEEKS APPLICANTS The Ken Terrill Memorial Award, now in its second year, will provide $1000 to help defray the college expenses of an undergraduate student who has demonstrated leadership in or service to the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community of the University of Louisville or the greater Louisville metropolitan area. Applications are now being accepted for the 1997-98 academic year. Ken Terrill, known affectionately by students and faculty alike as KT, was an associate professor of Theatre Arts at the university for seventeen years. He was also a long-time advocate for gay, lesbian, and bisexual students. He served from its inception until his death in March 1994 as faculty advisor for the Gay and Lesbian Student Union, which later became GLOBAL. The award has been endowed by Mr. Terrill's family and friends as a lasting tribute to his commitment to students and the gay, lesbian and bisexual community. To apply, students should submit a letter discussing their service to the aforementioned community. Two letters of recommendation from others familiar with the applicant's involvement should accompany the letter of application. For current UofL students, one of these letters preferably should come from a member of the UofL faculty or staff. Applicants must be in good academic standing. The award will be made by a committee consisting of Prof. Michael Hottois, Chair, Theatre Arts; Tom Jenkins, Director, Academic Information Technology; Rob Allen, Interfaith Center; and Doug Wilkie. Applications and the letters of recommendation should be sent to Dr. Roselle Taylor, Office of the Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40292; phone: 502/852-6490 or fax: 502/852-6888. Applications are due no later than April 1. Notification of award will be made in early May. GAY IRISHMAN PROFILED The people that run the St. Patty's Parade in Boston might not want gay lads and lasses marching alongside them come March 17. But if they only knew that one of their greatest heroes was gay, maybe they'd have second thoughts. See page 21 for details. Only in The Letter - Kentucky's gay and lesbian newspaper! SWEET EVENING BREEZE PROFILED Jeff Jones of Lambdanet has written a wonderful biographical sketch of one of Lexington's most famous "characters": Sweet Evening Breeze. Was s/he a hermaphrodite (as she told everyone), or did s/he simply like dressing in women's clothes? Sweet Evening Breeze was a colorful person who continues to be commemorated by an award given out each year by Lexington's Imperial Court. Jones' loving portrayal can't be missed! -30-