Newsgroups: bit.listserv.gaynet
Date:         Mon, 17 Aug 1992 00:17:02 -0400
From:         gaynet@ATHENA.MIT.EDU
Subject:      GayNet Digest Volume 5 Issue 631

In this issue:
                        The Business of Business
                            Summer Vacation
                           OREGON: Anti-gay!
        Antidiscrimination policy at the University of Michigan.

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Date: 16 Aug 92 11:27:35 EST
Subject: The Business of Business
From: An Anonymous Sender

      What with all the discussion lately about "the gay market," I thought
people might be interested to see what the marketing study itself, conducted
by an outfit called "Overlooked Opinions," has to say. The following is taken
from a charming little publication called "Affluent Markets Alert," for March
1992. In case there were any doubts, the last sentence says it all.

      "In this age of micro-targeting, the phrase, 'leave no niche unturned,'
has become the survival tactic of many marketers. One glaring exception to
this strategy, however, is the gay market. Many, if not most, mainstream
advertisers still fear reprisal from 'middle America,' or turn a blind eye to
this large and lucrative market because of their own discomfort. Homophobia,
fear of change, and uncertainty because of the lack of a large body of
research have kept all but a few marketers away from homosexuals; and a large
proportion of those who have subtly appealed to this segment have done so
covertly with public denials of their efforts.
      "In our opinion this fear is unfounded, and the opportunities are too
good to miss. We've seen no evidence that companies who have directly marketed
to gay consumers have suffered any kind of damage (either on the bottom line
or the front line) as a result of their efforts. Absolut Vodka, for example,
has marketed directly to gays, and enjoys the status of the #1 vodka in the
country. The gay market is among the affluent in the U.S., is proven to be
among the most style-setting and socially influential, has a built-in media
available, and, because it is under attended to, it rewards marketing efforts
with strong brand loyalties. The under-marketing of the gay market is
sustained by a Catch-22 situation: an uneasiness towards marketing to gays is
the reason there is little research on them; a lack of research prevents many
from initiating gay market strategies. The Gay Market, by Overlooked Opinions,
offers a partial solution to this problem. The study examines the 19 million
Americans who comprise this group (in our opinion this is a solid,
conservative estimate), providing detailed demographic data telling us why we
should target the gay market, as well as sociological data giving us clues as
to how to do it right. So, get over the archaic inhibitors, and get down to
the business of business: improving profits."

------------------------------

Date:         Sun, 16 Aug 92 10:48:54 CDT
From: MORIARTY@VM1.NoDak.EDU
Organization: North Dakota Higher Education Computer Network
Subject:      Summer Vacation

Hi,  I had a good week in P-town in early August.  My hosts tell me
that the crowds were smaller than last year, but there seemed to be
plenty of gay and lesbian couples around, along with lots of liberal-
minded striaght couples, a sampling of hippies and French Canadians,
and whoever else.  I found P-town reasonably priced, friendly, and
magical.
     So that was my summer vacation.  Has anybody been to Saugutuck,
and do you recommend it?  I'm starting to travel and I'd like to find
as many gay-friendly resorts as I can.  Recommendations?

------------------------------

Date: 16 Aug 92 15:22:00 CST
From: "MSUVX2::CONLEY" <CONLEY%MSUVX2.decnet@memstvx1.memst.edu>
Subject: OREGON: Anti-gay!

	Hi all,

	  Once again, more BIGOT news!
	  Just read the Sunday paper finding out that a "conservative
	political group has forced a referendum on the strongest
	anti-homosexual measure ever considered by a state."
	"The proposal, which would classify homosexuality as
	'abnormal, wrong, unnatural and perverse' and allow
	discrimination against homosexuals in Oregon,..."
	The article also says that Colorado has a similar proposal.
	  I don't really have a comment here, but am just curious
	as to whether any action is being taken against these
	conservative bigots!  There will be a vote on this proposal
	in November that will "remove legal protection for homosexuals".
	Is the Gay and Lesbian Task Force aware and what's being done?
	  Now that "one more item of interest" is in the open, I see it
	as "fair game".   Anyone bring the shells?

	  On the lighter side, I hope to see everyone, EVERYONE!, on the
	mall in Washington, DC in October; haven't finished my plans for
	the occassion yet, but any helpful info. would be appreciated.
	Thanks in advance........ 	"Homosexuality Is"


					Later,
					Steven Conlee
					CONLEY@MEMSTVX2.MEMST.EDU

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 16 Aug 92 21:05:54 EDT
From: weiben.wang@um.cc.umich.edu
X-Mts-Userid: 69BA
Subject: Antidiscrimination policy at the University of Michigan.

Unfortunately, I must correct Ryon Brame, who claimed that the
University of Michigan has an anti-discrimination policy which
includes sexual orientation.  If only it were true!  The regents
steadfastly refuse to change the bylaws.  The previous president
did however issue a presidential policy banning discrimination,
but it is largely unenforceable, since it has never been approved
by the regents, and they most certainly would not should the issue
come up.  In fact, last fall, an unofficial proposal to open
student family housing to "non-traditional families" landed in the
hands of a bunch of fundamentalists who brought it to the Board of
Regents.  This proposal had not been formally put forward, not was
it even on the meeting agenda, but the board nevertheless took it
upon itself to vote to uphold the "traditional family."  Only a
few parts of campus protect gay men and lesbians against
discrimination, most notably the law school (that should tell you
something about this campus when the law school has a more
progressive stance than the rest of the university).  All law
firms which recruit at the law school must sign the school's anti-
discrimination policy.  Two firms refused, and one contacted the
Board of Regents.  There were apparently threats from the Board's
fundamentalist right wing member that Board would vote to have the
policy rescinded, and some law students geared up for a fight.  As
far as I know, nothing came of the threat, although the incident
serves to illustrate the attitude of the regents.  As it appears
now, is decades away from passing such a policy.  All I can say
is, I'm glad I'm leaving!  (Michigan also has the distinction of
being one of the states that still has a sodomy law on the books,
and it is occasionally enforced.  No chance it'll be repealed any
time soon either.  In general, I find the environment here narrow-
minded, conformist, and bigoted and the gay community very
closeted; however, I have also been accused of being an East Coast
snob.)
     As far as presenting a case to the Regents of the University of
Alaska, it might be useful to point out how many universities
*have* protections for gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals, despite
Colorado and Michigan.  I believe the latest count includes over
100, including most of the Ivy League.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 16 Aug 92 21:11:26 EDT
From: alewis@ds5000.dac.northeastern.edu
Source-Info:  From (or Sender) name not authenticated.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

We want to know what gets you HOT!  Bisexual writers Karen Friedland and
Drew Lewis are accepting stories from bisexual writers of all genders,
colours, abilities, and flavours for a new anthology of Bi erotic fiction.

Stories can be about women with women, men with men, women with men, or any
combination in greater numbers;  vanilla or s/m; genderfucked or not; all
possible combinations of any of the above.

The requirements:  The stories get you (and US!) off; that they either
eroticize safer sex, clearly predate the AIDS crisis, or be set in another
time/world/universe/dimension; that they be written by bi identified writers.

If you think that your erotica  fits these requirements, then send it,
along with a brief bio, to alewis@ds5000.dac.northeastern.edu if you have email
access, or, by US mail to:  Anthology, c/o Drew Lewis, 45 Symphony Rd #502,
Boston, MA 02115
by MARCH 15, 1993.

We especially encourage submissions from bisexual writers of colour, disabled
bisexuals, and other non-mainstream bisexually-identified writers.

ABOUT THE EDITORS:

Karen Friedland is:
    A Boston Bi-woman, editor of _Bi_Girl_World_ and founder and former
facilitator of the Bisexual Women's Rap Group at the Cambridge Women's Center.
Born around the time Kennedy was shot, she'd like to be labelled as a Jewish
Bisexual Vegetarian, if she has to be labelled at all.  Mostly writes poetry,
under normal circumstances, and also wishes to write and direct movies.

Drew Lewis is:
    editor of _Bi_Men:__We_Claim_Our_Name_ (tentative title, 1993 Times Change
Press), former editor of BBMN News, and a writer whose work has appeared in
numerous publications.  A student at Northeastern University, he has been an
active member of the bi movement since he came out.  A member of Generation
X (alternatively known as the slacker generation or the twenty-something
generation), he is proud of his Jewish heritage (although now considers
himself into discordianism, mysticism, and shamanism), is into postive
body image through body art and modification, and identifies as a sex radical
and a mostly het bi queer punque boy.

Drew Lewis  alewis@ds5000.dac.northeastern.edu / as149@cleveland.freenet.edu
          Warning: Government is hazardous to your health
     Save me from those who would pass laws to protect me from myself
"The right to take drugs, the right to an abortion, the right to suicide, the
right for people to engage in private, consensual sexual activity, be it
commercial or not, these are all interconnected.  The loss of any one of
these rights diminishes the strength of the others, giving the govenment more
control over the bodies of those it governs -- control it should never have."

------------------------------

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