Jim Andris, Facebook

ANITA IN JOPLIN

Anita Bryant may want to send all gays scurrying back to their closets and locking the doors from inside, but whenever she appears in a town, gay people arrive from all over the area to protest against her repressive thinking and to demonstrate openly for human rights for all people.

On September 24, Ms. Bryant went to Joplin with Chuck Colson, the reborn Watergater, to speak at a revival meeting. The previous night, a fierce storm blew down the tent that was to be used for the meeting. That afternoon, Joplin saw its first gay demonstration, as 225 gay women and men and their straight supporters from all over Missouri, as well as from Kansas and Arkansas, marched through the downtown section of the city calling for human rights for all people, and expressing their pride in being gay.

Almost 100 of the marchers came from St. Louis, 65 by chartered buses and the rest by car. St.Louis gay women can be proud of the role they played in the organization of the whole march and in coordination of the St.Louis contingent. Parade permits were obtained and police protection was much in evidence.

Despite many rumors of violence, which unfortunately scared away many potential marchers, the demonstration was peaceful. Although there was some heckling, mostly from young people, there were also many expressions of support from the people of Joplin. There was danger of violence at the revival meeting itself, and the St. Louis people voted not to attend that: we had already made our point with the march and a walkout was expected by Ms. Bryant.

The march itself was beautiful: a long line of gay people walking two-by-two; an elderly woman from MCC-Kansas City who rode part of the way and walked the rest; a group of Pittsburg, Kansas, Straights for Gay Liberation; people of all ages, religions, and walks of life rejoicing in their gayness and working together for human rights.

—-Marvin K

An earlier report of this event contained in the October issue contained this additional information:

"Many people crried signs on the human rights there, and as we marched, we chanted, "Freedom now!" "Straight, gay, Black, White, Same Struggle, Same Fight!" "Unemployment, High Inflation, We're Not To Blame For the State of the Nation!" "Two-Four-Six-Eight, Gay Is Just as Good as Straight!"

Only a few people from the march went to the revival meeting itself. There were several reasons for this. The possibility of violence was strong; both the police and our lawyer mentioned this, and CB radios told of rednecks gathering up their bottles and clubs to "beat up the queers." Also, a walkout was expectd nd would not have been a shock to Anita as i was then that tactic was first used in Virginia."