The New York Times - November 24, 1985
Pauline Yoshihashi

The conference was sponsored by the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Democratic Clubs and the Municipal Elections Committee of Los Angeles. The organizers asserted it was the first official meeting of homosexual politicians from around the country. The keynote speaker was a member of the British Parliament, Chris Smith.

The 170 delegates who attended the three-day conference included elected and appointed officials from California, New York, Florida, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Missouri, as well as political activists and potential office-seekers.

The delegates emphasized the importance of encouraging other homosexuals to run for office and supporting those homosexual officeholders who had not yet disclosed their sexual orientation.

Hopes for Encouragement

"We have 20 elected officials at the city council level or higher who identify themselves as gay, and a lot of appointed officials," said Valerie Terrigno, the former Mayor of West Hollywood, who is a member of the City Council there. "Compared to five years ago, that's a lot, and there are others who haven't come out yet. We're hoping that our standing up here and saying it's O.K. will encourage them."

Although the conference did not officially center on AIDS, the political and social problems caused by acquired immune deficiency syndrome were discussed in most of the seminars and in the conference's formal report.

"The AIDS crisis is our most pressing political issue now, but that's not what has brought us to this conference," Tom Chorlton, executive director of the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Democratic Clubs, said. "We're furthering two decades of gay and lesbian political struggle."

Mr. Chorlton said that a recent swing toward conservatism had spurred the homosexual groups to form their own political action committees and other political entities. "All of the officials we have were elected on their own steam, but we can't wait," Mr. Chorlton said. "We need to pull together."

Fears of Conservative Actions

Many leaders say they fear that AIDS is provoking conservative groups to actions that will slow the progress of the homosexual-rights movement. "AIDS has been an excuse for homophobic people to vent that ugliness," John Heilman, Mayor of West Hollywood, said. "You can't deny that. But most people are decent, and given the opportunity, will listen to reason."

Mr. Smith, the first Member of Parliament to say publicly that he is a homosexual, said in the keynote speech that although the incidence of AIDS in Britain was not yet so high as in the United States, the same fears existed.

"The homosexual movement in Britain is not quite where it is here, and AIDS has certainly produced the same kind of hysteria," Mr. Smith said. "Still, one thing we don't have in Britain that you have here is the Jerry Falwell type of religious opposition," Mr. Smith said. "It's extremely important that candidates not allow homosexuality to become the most important issue, and show that gays and lesbians can be equally competent and effective despite that type of opposition."

Caution on Limiting Issues

In the workshops, delegates cautioned colleagues not to become single-issue politicians.

"What are gay issues?" asked David Scondras, a City Council member from Boston. "We're concerned with women's rights, defense spending, partnership rights, people of color, all sorts of issues. We can't afford to limit ourselves, and it's a mistake to do so."

Several delegates said that a major benefit of the conference was getting to meet other homosexuals who won offices on their own and discussing mutual problems. But conference officials agreed that the biggest contributions to their causes would be the show of solidarity and the overcoming of fear in exposing their personal attitudes.

"We've learned that we can't count on the Democrats or anyone else to pull us through," Virginia Apuzzo, deputy director of the Office of Consumer Protection for the State of New York, said. "We've learned that the basis of our power is within ourselves, and that we simply can't afford to be divided."

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