SCOTSGAY MAGAZINE ================= ScotsGay is a bi-monthly magazine for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals. Edited, printed and published in Scotland Issue 20 - February 1998 ELECTRONIC EDITION ***Now available on the Web: http://www.scotsgay.co.uk/ How to Subscribe and Unsubscribe information is now at the END of the magazine. All Material Copyright (c) Pageprint Limited 1998. Permission is hereby given to distribute this material provided that this copyright notice is included and that distribution is specifically for non-profitmaking reasons. Distribution for profit must be done only with prior written consent of the magazine any deviation from this will be seen as an infringement of copyright. Hardcopies are limited to one per person for personal use only and such hard copies are subject to the same copyright restrictions as laid out above. The printed edition of ScotsGay is available by post at the following rates: 6 issue sub (UK & EC) 6ukp 6 issue sub (Overseas) 12ukp 12 issue sub (UK & EC) 10ukp 12 issue sub (Overseas) 22ukp Make Cheques and POs payable to 'Pageprint Limited'or 'ScotsGay'and send them to: Subscriptions ScotsGay Pageprint Limited PO Box 666 Edinburgh Scotland EH7 5YW In this issue: Editorial - fuck you Tony News - reports & investigations Otton On... - on the roof of the world Ogg's View - tart or bitter? Inside Out - the total scene guide Venues - what and where Scene - gossip from everywhere Boxes - the ScotsGay Meet Market Letters - your views in print International - news from around the world Reviews - books, video & films Listings & Helplines - checked and updated every issue Music - Joy DJ Alan's latest chart ScotsDyke - dykes' diary ---------------------------- EDITORIAL ========= Memo to the Prime Minister: In Bolton, seven gay men have just been convicted of consenting gay sex in the privacy of their own homes as there were more than two participants involved. Two of the men have been put on the Sex Offenders' Register because one of the men was "under age". The judge, Michael Lever, QC, handed down probation and community service orders to the younger defendants: Gary Abdie, David Godfrey, Mark Love and Jonathan Moore, (all in their early 20's), and to Craig Turner, aged 18. He gave Norman Williams (33) a two-year suspended prison sentence. Terry Connell (55) received a nine-month suspended sentence, and was ordered to pay ukp500 towards the cost of the prosecution. Both Williams and Connell, (who had sex with Turner when he was 17-1/2, just six months below the gay age of consent), were forced to sign the Sex Offenders' Register, which lumps them together with rapists and child sex abusers. This trial has cost the public purse thousands of pounds and has ruined the lives of those involved - one of whom has had their car and house trashed by caring neighbours. You could have stopped it all. Either by telling your law officers to change guidelines on prosecution policy (as was done by the Tories in Scotland YEARS ago). Or by changing the law. On 24th February 1994, during the Age of Consent Debate, you told the House: "At present, the law discriminates. There is no doubt about the personal misery that such discrimination brings." Your Out Gay Cabinet Minister Chris Smith at least wrote to the judge asking for leniency. The Closet Mandy is too busy playing with his Dome. But you did zilch. Fuck you, Tony! John Hein ---------------------------------------------- NEWS ==== MAN OF GOD BOTHERED A Scots gay cleric has been unfrocked by his Church and faces allegations of fraud following allegations of missing funds at HIV/AIDS projects in the North of England. The Reverend James Gough McManus was suspended last Autumn by the Metropolitan Community Church for action unbecoming a minister. And the former AIDS/HIV worker with Cleveland County Council is also facing investigation by Middlesborough Police Fraud Squad over allegations about substantial sums missing from his former employers and other AIDS/HIV organisations with which he was involved. His suspension from the ministry followed complaints by a well known lesbian author that McManus had failed to deliver a commisioned chapter for a book and had then lied about his failure. He was put on probation by his church and offered counselling, but the suspension will now continue at least until any issues regarding the alleged frauds are resolved. McManus, who hails from Fife, was Secretary of the Scottish Homosexual Rights Group in the 1980's, but resigned following eccentric behaviour which involved abusive letters being sent to the then Glasgow College of Technology's Student Association. McManus denied writing the letters claiming that they had been written by an assistant whom he refused to name on the grounds that to do so would be contrary to Canon Law! According to veteran gay campaigner Ian Dunn, McManus also ran up large bills at the Church of Scotland bookshop in Dunn's name - bills which were never paid. As a Student Officer at Glasgow University, he resigned after a letter was written by him on behalf of the Students Representative Council complaining to Edinburgh District Council about three gay men who were living in a shop cellar without benefit of planning permission. None of the men had any connection with Glasgow University and all were made homeless as a result of his intervention. After graduation from Glasgow, McManus was employed by Cleveland County Council as HIV/AIDS co-ordinator and was responsible for the formulation of the County's HIV/AIDS policy. In 1996, following local government reorganisation in England, McManus took up a ukp25,000 per year post with Stockton Council as policy and performance review officer. He resigned from this job in May 1996 after being suspended when the alleged irregularities at his former employers came to light. McManus is now believed to be in Brighton where news of the allegations came as some surprise to one community activist who claimed that McManus was much admired in the area for bringing the attention of the Charities Commission to deficiencies in the running of a Sussex AIDS/HIV body. COMMONS TO DEBATE EQUALITY NETWORK PROPOSALS The House of Commons is to debate amendments to the Scotland Bill proposed by the Equality Network. The amendments seek to improve the Scottish Parliament's powers to eliminate discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. They were tabled on February 17th by three Scottish National Party MPs, and Liberal Democrat and Labour MPs are expected to add their names. Four amendments have been tabled. The first seeks to give the Scottish Parliament power to extend the existing anti-discrimination laws, such as the Sex Discrimination Act. The second would give the Parliament power to impose duties on the public bodies it controls to secure equal opportunities for all. The third and fourth amendments add the words ‘sexual orientation' and ‘gender identity' to the definition of equal opportunities given in the Scotland Bill. Roseanna Cunningham, SNP MP for Perth and Kinross, and the SNP's Equality spokesperson, said, "These amendments would enable Scotland to take the same leaps forward as other small European nations in giving equality of treatment to lesbians and gay men. I believe a Scottish Parliament would have the energy and motivation to drag so many of our laws into the modern age. In the light of the Lisa Grant case, it is now even more important to get ‘sexual orientation' and ‘gender identity' included in any definition of equal opportunities. These areas must be made explicit, otherwise, as we have seen, there can be no guarantee of equal treatment." The government's large majority means that the amendments can only succeed if the government accepts them. Tim Hopkins of the Equality Network said, "At present the government proposes only to allow the Scottish Parliament to impose restricted equality duties, not covering sexual orientation, or for example, age discrimination. We hope they will think seriously about the amendment to allow the Parliament to impose wider equality duties on the public bodies it controls. Without this the Parliament will be unable to deliver equality for all in the services for which it is responsible, and will have less power in this area than the Welsh Assembly." The amendments are expected to be debated by the full House of Commons in the second or third week of March. The amendment to give the Parliament power to impose duties on public bodies it controls to deliver their services with regard to equality of opportunity for all people is amendment 348 on the order paper. The amendments to add the words ‘sexual orientation' and ‘gender identity' to the definition of equal opportunities in the Scotland Bill are amendments 349 and 350 on the order paper. AMNESTY Amnesty International (AI) was due to launch its Scottish Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Network on Wednesday 25th February at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre. Guest speakers were due to include Bishop Richard Holloway and a member of the UK-wide GLBT Network who was to talk about establishing an active group to campaign on behalf of those gay, bisexual and transgender people around the world imprisoned because of their sexuality. EDINBURGH ATTACKS The current spate of attacks on gay men in and beside popular ‘gay village' venues is being closely monitored at Gayfield Square Police Station. Superintendent Jim Taylor and Sgt Fiona Blenkiron met local activists on 11th February to ensure that police responses were "fair and effective". Mr Taylor has drafted a new GDO (General Divisional Order) 15/97 which runs to three pages and sets out the manner of police response and patrolling in the ‘village' and at cruising areas nearby. Police support the Candlelight Walk/Vigil due to be held on Sunday 5th April (contact Dean Conway on 0131-447 7751 for further details) but not a "gay monitoring" on the Hill itself. The reign of terror perpetrated by Clive Winter and Paul Davidson has been stopped. Both men are now serving gaol sentences. Their vicious attacks on fellow gays was a big challenge for Police/Gay Liaison for here it turned out to be our own kind who were deriving bent pleasure out of queer bashing. Ian Dunn TALKING BOLLOCKS - UNZIPPED! In an all-new show, the Glasgow gay guys that created the sell-out hit Talking Bollocks, reveal all!... Well maybe not quite everything. With new performers and new stories, Talking Bollocks - Unzipped! looks at how gay men see themselves and show themselves, and how they look at the world. On the Scene or on the street, do we always get what we see? Do we ever really get what we want? The naked truth ... (or not!) Talking Bollocks - Unzipped! presents the real experiences of ten men, aged 19 to 60, growing up and living as gay men in Scotland. Written and performed by the guys themselves, the production is at times outrageous, at times angry; sometimes camp and passionate, sometimes dark and poignant. Stories that are personal, but also common to us all. The production is at Glasgow's Ramshorn Theatre, 98 lngram Street, from Wednesday 1 to Saturday 4 April at 7.30pm. Tickets cost ukp4.00 with ukp1.50 concessions on the opening night, and ukp6.00 with ukp3.00 concessions, from Thursday to Saturday. Tickets are available from Ticketlink on 0141-287 5511. PROUD STUDENTS Student Pride at the University of Glasgow (2nd - 7th of February) kicked off with a controversial presentation by Garth Menzies of the Christian Union on the issue of ‘Christianity and Homosexuality'. Menzies argued that sexuality was a vital part of the human being, something about which we should feel no shame. However, reading the book of Genesis it was clear that God had ordained that sexual expression should be reserved for the union of marriage between man and woman only. Needless to say a vigorous, passionate, heated debate began. A counter-argument proposed by Nick Thompson, the New Zealand Haka demon of Glasgow Uni., suggested that if sexuality was such a core dimension of the human personality it was unjust and destructive to insist that those of a homosexual orientation should deny and repress this facet of themselves. Derek Coyle, the only gay Paddy (we all know that an Irish homosexual is a man who prefers women to Guinness), argued that Christ told the eunoch ( a sexual outcast in ancient Israel ) he would be with him in the Kingdom of Heaven. Coyle also argued that the Church blessed the sexuality expressed in sterile marriage unions as good, for it furthered the union of the couple and this could open the way for an acceptance of gay unions as morally good. David Smith knocked the original and best homophobe, St. Paul of Corinthians fame, by saying he had no concept of innate homosexuality and he was reacting to the idolatry of sexuality he witnessed in ancient Greece and Rome and not homosexuality per se. Glasgow Uni. was visited on Wednesday the 4th of February by John Wilkes, director of Phace West and Jim Mearns, a member of the LGB branch of Unison, the equality branch of the Labour Party. Both argued for the possibility of a gay dimension to the New Scottish Parliament (and sure wouldn't it be a rather dull place without it). Both acknowledged the pressing necessity for equality under the law, legislation relating to inheritance rights and security in the workplace. Thursday witnessed a hectic debate in the hallowed GUU debating chambers on the issue of Gay Parenting. Councillor Louise Fife of Glasgow City Council, a parent herself, argued that gay parents would have all the skills required: they could change nappies, secure an income, bring the children on holidays. A wise-ass from the floor suggested gay men could not breat-feed to which Councillor Fife coolly replied as to whether he'd heard of the bottle!!! The famed karoke diva of Sadie Frosts, Karen Dunbar, rebuked one heckler with the statement that he probably discovers a lot of lesbians amongst the women he chatted to in bars, only in her case it happened to be true!!! . The principal organizer of Student Pride in Glasgow, the Zeus of the Scene, (the reason why the Greeks invented Greek Love), Menelas Siafakas, had Phace West, Gay Men's Task Force, The Lesbian Line, Pride Scotland, the LGB Youth Group, Unison and Lesbian Archives present material on the Friday in the John MacIntyre Building. On Sunday Student Pride concluded with a 5K sponsored run in Kelvingrove Park on behalf of Body Positive, Strathclyde which raised an estimated ukp100. The GFT showed ‘Jeffrey' and'When night is falling' as their contribution to a week of intensively gay activity. Menelas thanks all those who gave generously of their time, talent, effort, good looks and love to Student Pride '98 which helped to make it a memorable, proud and joyfully gay week for all concerned. See you in '99. Derek Coyle NEW STATUS Body Positive Strathclyde has now been incorporated as a charitable company limited by guarantee after an overwhelming ballot by members. HI BRUCE! Bruce Fraser has been appointed as Development Worker with Gay Men's Health in Edinburgh. HASH The new freesheet Cruise dropped a bollock in its first issue by printing an illustration of a sycamore leaf beside a tendentious anti-cannabis diatribe. This clearly reflected the author's knowledge of his subject! DROP-IN Pride Scotland are operating drop-ins on Tuesday 6-7pm at their Edinburgh office and Tuesday and Thursday 6-7pm at their new Glasgow office in the GGLC. The event itself is to be held in Glasgow on 13th June. SELL OUT The Edinburgh LGB Centre is finally about to change hands. OUTRIGHT is to sell to the LGB Community Project and will be spending some of the proceeds (after paying off debt) by employing a part time worker. The Centre is the oldest in the UK. CONFERENCE The public services union UNISON is running Scotland's first pink policing conference in Glasgow on 20th March in co-operation with the Equality Network. It's entitled "To Serve & Protect: Policing The Lesbian And Gay Community". ENOBLED Lord Watson (formerly Mike Watson, the Govan Labour MP ousted by Mohammed Sarwar) has agreed to become OUTRIGHT Scotland's latest Patron. He joins Life President Janey Buchan and Patrons Kay Carmichael, Robin Cook, Roseanna Cunningham, Jessie Devlin, Linda Hendry, Bishop Richard Holloway, and Edwin Morgan. STOP PRESS +++ After the printed edition of ScotsGay closed for press, we were sorry to hear of the death of Jessie Devlin, a long time friend of our community. An appreciation will follow in our next issue. POLICE Edinburgh's Gayfield Police Station wants to encourage more incident reporting. If you witness anything - stay away, but call 999, 112 or 0131-556 9270 (or go into the police station). Keep a careful note of what you see. BEACH Dundee LGB Switchboard Youth Group are to hold a Beach Party this summer. Details from Dundee Switchboard on Dundee (01382) 202620. ------------------------------------------ OTTON ON .... ============ TIBET:- FORBIDDEN FRUIT IN THE FORBIDEN LAND As the first Western journalist to interview gays in Tibet, Garry Otton dodges Himalayan landslides and the Chinese secret police searching for the abominable homosexual living on the Roof Of The World. Forget Gran Canaria. In the seventeenth century, Beijing was the gay sex capital of the world. Much of the glitterati openly indulging in a bit of fen tao zhi ai. Quite literally, "the love of shared peach." There was even a boom in gay writing, much of it homoerotic fiction penned by best-selling authors. But it took a conservative backlash by the Manchu Qing government in 1740 and the full weight of a Communist revolution in 1949 before a Chinese Embassy spokesman could assure readers of Gay Times magazine with any amount of conviction: "We do not have homosexuals in China." Four years ago, a crack appeared in the wall. A letter found its way to Australian gay magazine, Capital Q from a Chinese man claiming he was being subjected to regular sessions of electroshock therapy while his lover underwent hard labour in a re-education camp. Although homosexuality is not illegal in China, they were accused of "bad morality and mental disorders" indulging in a practice that was expected to "disrupt social order and harm society." He pleaded in his letter to the outside world: "Please do not forget that gay people are suffering in China." Gay rights don't amount to much in a country that turned its guns on its own people in Tiannanmen Square and, according to Amnesty International, executes more of its citizens every year than the rest of the world put together. They barely amount to much amongst countries busy selling China arms, equipment used for torture and shaking hands with them on lucrative business deals. So what the world cares for homosexuals living in that vast, neighbouring Himalayan region of Tibet, occupied by the People's Republic of China since 1959, is anybody's guess. Up until now, I had assumed Tin Tin was the only gay man in Tibet. Tsering Shakya from the Tibet Information Network in London did his best to set me straight. "Before the present Dalai Lama, Tibet was ruled by the Regent Reting who was widely rumoured amongst the aristocracy to have had boyfriends. Homosexuality was also widespread in Tibetan monasteries, which, before the Chinese invaded, could house up to several thousand men and boys. Each monastery had its own tall, strong disciplinarian monks who carried huge sticks and acted as monk-policemen. They did not have a scholarly attitude or a particularly religious inclination and wore make-up. Parents would often frighten their children by warning them the monk-police would take them away. There was much gossip about their interest in young boys. The expression in Tibetan, trap'i kedmen means ‘monk's wife' and refers to the effeminate boys who formed relationships with these monk-police." In the autumn of 1996, I stuffed my rucksack with layers of clothes in preparation for those cold Himalayan nights. Hi-energy bars for when you don't fancy the plate du jour and Immodium for when it doesn't fancy you! I was ready. Almost. Huge mountains of snow and bureaucracy have to be crossed before anyone can enter Tibet. Soldiers of the Red Army are posted on all roads in and out of Tibet's capital, Lhasa. They hug their rifles on bridges, in towns, at various posts along major routes and, of course, on the borders. Visas can be refused at the last minute. China can do without tourists snooping around, but our hard currency is as welcome to them as white gold from the Yamdrok Tso lake. The Chinese compromise by forbidding entry to individual travellers and granting visas only to tour groups on a restricted itinerary. My attempt to get an individual visa was flatly refused, but I passed as a student and latched on to a group from Bangkok. I spent a few days in Katmandu waiting for my flight to Lhasa. From where I sat in the shade of Rhododendrons, I felt I could reach out and touch the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. A couple of boys were confidently embracing each other nearby; others walked by me, arm in arm. Nepal is a country where public displays of affection between males is perfectly acceptable. Such displays between members of the opposite sex, on the other hand, are not. After witnessing a young Nepalese leading a Westerner through the streets by his hand, I wondered out loud to my Nepalese guide if his country was perhaps becoming popular with western homosexuals. "They are not homosexual," he scoffed. "Just friends." (Well… Whatever. It's certainly not heterosexual)! Similar displays were routinely dismissed with the same customary zeal. The denial of homosexuality, of course, pays lip-service to the supremacy of heterosexuality. This is world-wide and man-made. When a survey conducted by the Indian Medical Association revealed an astonishing 90% of men in Delhi's Tihar prison indulged in gay sex, the Inspector General of prisons, Ms Kiran Bedi told the TV programme Eyewitness that homosexuality was not a "problem" in Indian prisons: "The chronic overcrowding in the Tihar jail is a deterrent against homosexuality." She was echoed by the Family Conciliation Service Centre's Janak Raj who said: "Homosexuality is against the dignity, honour and religious sentiment of the citizen's of the country" and suggested strip-lighting as a deterrent. On the other hand, of course, such denial provides the perfect smokescreen for men eager to explore the homosexual side of their nature. In Britain there exists that same level of denial. Just a different smokescreen. Married men who enjoy sex with men, or otherwise don't identify as gay at all, privately trawl the lonely hearts ads or cruise areas they know like-minded men go. It is endemic. Whether in the dead of night or under everyone's noses, like Nepal: It serves the same purpose. Just look to the East and weep, men! Not everyone who had booked the morning flight to Lhasa on China South-western Airlines were able to board the plane. There were simply not enough seats for the number of people who had booked. Furious passengers stormed the check-in desk, desperately waving their tickets at anyone remotely official. Our group, patched together by a tour operator, was at the front of the scrum. On board, and ignoring the hideous in-flight recording of an American game show, I watched in awe as we skirted Everest and the tallest mountains on the planet, before touching down on the Roof of the World. Lhasa is 37 miles from the airstrip at Gongkar. The drive into the capital is through a valley hemmed in by mountains. The sky is a blue, so deep, you half expect to see the moon and stars. In Lhasa, I found the Tibetans notoriously shy after years of surveillance by a network of spies and informers. A sharp contrast to the Chinese whose music and propaganda barks from distorted loudspeakers and Tannoys everywhere. The Chinese have been pouring into Tibet on the back of financial incentives handed out from Beijing for years. They own most of Lhasa now, mowing down Tibetan monasteries and buildings to make way for their gawdy shops, tasteless architecture and crappy monuments to Socialism. A row of brothels line the sacred Lingkhor, a route trodden by centuries of pilgrims. At first, Lhasa is a huge disappointment: one huge Chinese Take-Away with as much taste as a spring roll. I spent my first day acclimatising to the lack of oxygen and wandered down to the Chinese market in front of the Potala Palace, the former home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace prize winner and 14th reincarnation of Chenrezi, the Buddha of Compassion, who now runs his Government-in Exile from India. At her stall, I found a Chinese woman selling framed pictures of Stalin and Mao Tse-tung, the late Communist leader of China; who starved thousands to death in his Great Leap Forward. My search for gay Tibetans soon presented itself in the form of a 24-year-old former refugee called Lobsang. We got chatting by a market stall. He had crossed the Himalayas to escape Chinese rule and was taught English in India before being sent back to Tibet. "Tell the outside world what is happening in my country," he begged. I promised I would if he could do something for me. So we struck a deal. Lobsang would find me a "homo-seshual." This is my part of the deal:- Lobsang's grandfather had been tortured and killed by the invading Chinese. He'd been spared none of the tyrannical stories of the Cultural Revolution under Chairman Mao Tse-tung and like nearly all Tibetans, yearns for a free Tibet. His feelings ran so deep, that when I played him the South American group, Mecano's "Dalai Lama" on my Walkman, he kept repeating the words Dalai Lama every time he heard it and had to wipe away the tears with his sleeve. When China first invaded Tibet, they wanted to wipe out its past. Images and artefacts were either melted down to swell Beijing's coffers or sold in antique markets in Hong Kong. Tibetans were no longer allowed to wear their traditional costume, or worship freely. Fewer than 10 of its 2,463 monasteries have survived. These were crazy times. Protesters were shot or imprisoned. Women had abortions forced on them or their children taken away for indoctrination in China. Most bizarrely, whole villages were ordered out into the fields to kill ‘parasites.' - beating pots and pans until the birds dropped dead from exhaustion. Some species were wiped out altogether. It was a task particularly resented by most Tibetans for whom all life is sacrosanct. Even children had to participate: collecting their quota of insects in jars. But without birds to eat them, the insects thrived and blighted the crops. By 1960, the whole of China was gripped by a terrible famine. Party cadres beat peasants who tried to steal wheat kernels from the fields. As starvation led to cannibalism, the Panchen Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, wrote to Chairman Mao imploring him to have compassion on his countrymen after witnessing peasants picking grain from horse-manure. For his impudence, Mao threw him in prison. 30 million Chinese and Tibetans perished. Lobsang agreed to contact two "homo-seshual brothers" he knew. More remarkably, he confided that "they love each other." Further questioning revealed his interpretation of "brothers" was a little on the generous side. They were, in fact, just lovers. I hoped these "homo-seshuals" wouldn't be too disappointed when they discovered all I wanted was a quick chat over a small glass of Chang. At first, Lobsang suggested bringing a "homo-seshual" to the hotel, but after spotting the cameras in the lobby recording our every move, I didn't want to take any chances. It was difficult enough arranging anything outside our tour group's tight schedule, but by a strange twist of fate, the last minute cancellation of a visit to Ganden monastery left the following afternoon free. The People's Armed Police had been called in after monks refused to remove pictures of the Dalai Lama at the monastery. There had been some shootings. It was now closed to foreigners. We arranged to meet outside the gates of the beautiful Norbulingka Park. These are the gardens of the Summer Palace from where the Dalai Lama made his impromptu escape into exile at a few minutes before 10pm on the 19th March, 1959, when the Chinese began shelling Lhasa. I arrived early by rickshaw and spent some melancholy hours walking through the gardens, my head bowed, deep in thought. My reverie was eventually disturbed by the sound of some giggling in the grass to my left. A small family were picnicking together, watching their three-year-old chasing butterflies. After I returned their smiles, they beckoned me to join them and pushed a cup of warm yak butter tea into my hand. I spent some time amusing them with my water-colours before engaging in conversation with the father who was learning English at a nearby school. As the sun sank behind the trees, I took a quick look at my watch, reminding me I was supposed to meet Lobsang outside by the gates of the Norbulingka Park. Before getting up to leave, I pressed my hands together and bowed my head to each family member in turn. When I arrived at the gates, Lobsang was sitting in the shade of a willow tree looking downcast. He shrugged his shoulders in despair. His friend, Tsering, the "homo-seshual" had not turned up. To be continued. Photographs: Garry Otton (c) Garry Otton 1996 Certain changes have been made to protect the lives of individuals. Tibet Foundation:- 10 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2SH (Tel: 0171-404 2889) getza@gn.apc.org Amnesty International UK Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Network:- 99-119 Rosebury Avenue, London EC1R 4RE (Tel: 0171-814 6200) groups@amnesty.org.uk ---------------------------------------------- OGG'S VIEW ========== TART LEAVES BITTER TASTE Derek Ogg is a leading criminal lawyer and gay activist. He founded SAM, Scotland's largest AIDS/HIV agency in the 80's, and is currently a Trustee of Milestone House, Scotland's only AIDS hospice. He helped found the ground-breaking radical AIDS education agency GMFA in London in 1992. I was hooked to Esther Rantzen's series Prostitutes (BBC 1), no less so than the episode which featured Frank, the gay escort out of Liverpool and into London. There are hundreds of thirty-somethings in London who look at least as good as Frank and are giving it away, so I was puzzled by his claim that he'd only rent out to guys who were OK looking. A luxury I'd have thought he would scarcely have, with all due respect. But it wasn't economies with the truth such as that which really bothered me so much as the whole self-delusion of his screen persona. I was deeply saddened by this man's story, by the lack of any sense of human outrage during the whole programme that this man had come to prostitution through the trap door of child abuse and crippled self-esteem. I disagree with critics such as Megan Radclyffe in Gay Times that Frank came across as full of himself and narcissistic. Here was a guy whistling in the dark to keep his spirits up, and he had, one suspected, been doing that since he was an 8 year old boy removed from loving foster carers to be returned to his abusive, violent natural family. You would have to have a heart of stone not to have wept at his description of his childhood. Frank, telling that story did not, however, weep. It's fine for us radical gays to take the view that the ‘workers in the sex industry' are just doing a job, providing a much needed service and that they should not be stigmatised or put down (so far so uncontroversial) but it's altogether a different thing to suggest that this is a biz, a bit like waiting at tables or bar work that is just something ordinary guys can, and do, just harmlessly drift in and out of. It certainly suits a lot of gay publishers to tout that view given the advertising revenues their classified ads bring in per issue especially in London where half the freebies are kept afloat by such ad money. Into the bargain there will always be the Franks of this world who'll pretend they are cool and in control and have, like total control of the situation man and like they're just like making out fine you know. The next thing I'm going to write is so hard to do without sounding right wing (I'm not) uptight (definitely not) or a prude (double definitely not). My real worry is that by being so uncritical of the whole escort phenomenon we are trapping the damaged, the hurt and the lonely rent boys in that very profession. Whilst they whistle in the dark we write a symphony of politically correct mood music in reply. If Esther's programme has shown us anything it's how child abuse, in all its many guises, creates adults who live with that little abused, scared and hurt child still inside, still crying out for someone somewhere to care for them as they always should have been. Our sex industry may well have well-adjusted super salespeople working in it, I suspect it has many more slaves . In Scotland local organisations like Scot Pep (Scottish Prostitutes Education Project) provide a lifeline for men and women who need support or even a friendly safe space to escape to for a little while. Ask them if the lifestyle is as casually glamorous and daredevilish as some are painting it and you'll get a dusty answer. A responsible and community spirited gay scene will want to make sure we are offering a way out and a hand up to men on their knees, in the figurative as well as literal sense, being laissez faire on the other hand can sometimes seem to be another way of saying "I don't care." There are good arguments for legalising prostitution, not least because it would free many vulnerable people from the influence of heavy criminals and de-stigmatise sex for sale, allowing it to develop as a recreational, therapeutic or convenience experience for a wide cross section of the public. But until the underlying reason why many young people end up doing the job today are addressed it seems to me that when the punter exercises that right of ‘consumer choice' he may unwittingly be perpetuating the very abuse which led the selected ‘escort' to take the money in the first place. As a new Scottish Parliament hoves into view, we are rightly going to demand our equal rights to dignity and equal treatment. Yet remember we shall be an even smaller minority in Scotland (in terms of political and cultural visibility and clout) than we are at the moment on the British political stage. To be heard and listened to we shall have to demonstrate a responsibility, ethic and compassion about sexual politics that gives us a high ground to inspire politicians to support us. It may stick in the craw of many of my fellow activists to think that as a community we could do with improving our act a little and if we don't the Press will exploit it, but that is real life. I want a gay community to be respected because it's worth respecting. Equality I demand as a citizen, respect it seems to me we each, and as a community, have to earn. That could start with a harder and more critical look at ourselves, escorts and all. Derek Ogg ------------------------------------------------------------ INSIDE OUT ========== Scotland's grooviest guide to the whole lesbian, gay and bisexual scene. All the gossip and happenings from all over the country, and where it's all going on... Or, if you're for staying indoors and in bed, check out our Biggest Ever Meet Market! In this issue: Venues Edinburgh Glasgow Dundee Aberdeen Inverness ScotsGay Voice Personals Boxes - the ScotsGay Meet Market ---------------------- VENUES ====== Aberdeen ABERDEEN WOMEN'S CENTRE Shoe Lane, off Queen Street. Tel: (01224) 625010. Fax: 01224 625777. Mon-Fri 9.30-4pm. Where the women hang out. Lesbian group meets Wed 8-10pm. CASTRO BAR AND CLUB 47 Netherkirkgate. Tel: (01224) 624472. Mon-Fri 5pm-2am, Sat-Sun 3pm-2am. Aberdeen's longest established gay venue. CLUB 2000 62 Shiprow. Tel: (01224) 596999. 9pm-2am. Aberdeen's newest gay pub/club. Small and intimate. Cabaret (drag) every Friday. DJ on Saturday. Dundee DEVA'S 75 Seagate. Tel: (01382) 226840. Mon-Sat 11am-Midnight. Dundee's long established gay bar. Dance floor with DJ Thu-Sat. Pool table. Something for everyone! LIBERTY NIGHTCLUB 124 Seagate. Tel: (01382) 200660. Wed-Sun 11pm-2.30am. Good atmosphere, very popular disco with wide selection of sounds and the occasional act/PA. Thursdays and Sundays are quieter - but not much. XS St Andrew's Lane (behind Liberty Nightclub). Tel: (01382) 200660. Mon-Sat 7pm-Midnight. Sun 7-11pm. Cafe/bar for lgb clientele under the same successful management as Liberty to which it has its own entrance. Dunfermline CLUB Xs 27 Canmore Street. Tel: (01383) 621700. Fri-Sat 10pm-2am. Fife's first all gay venue, building on a successful one nighter. Wed-Fri 3pm-Midnight, Sat 5pm-Midnight, Sun 7pm-Midnight. Upstairs Terrace Bar is open as a mixed bar for social gatherings. Edinburgh BENT 100% The Shooting Gallery, Broughton Street. Infoline: 0131-467 2551. Every 4th Saturday from 21st February 1998. 10pm-3am. ukpukp5 B4 11pm, ukp7 after. Gay club with strict "Nae Breeder" door policy. BLACK BO'S 57/61 Blackfriars Street. Tel: 0131-557 6136. Daily Noon-2pm (in the bar) and 6pm-10.30pm. Superb little vegetarian restaurant. Friendly staff. Mixed clientele. Excellent value lunch menu. BLUE MOON 1 Barony Street/36 Broughton Street. Tel: 0131-556 2788. Mon-Thu 9am-1am, Fri-Sat 9am-1.30am, Sun 9am-Midnight. Popular lesbigay cafe/bar complex. BOBBIE'S BOOKSHOP 220 Morrison Street. Tel: 0131-538 7069. Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm. Mixed bookshop selling a selection of UK and imported gay magazines. CAFE KUDOS 22 Greenside Place. Tel: 0131-556 4349. Daily Noon-1am. Food Noon-9pm. Fresh, stylish and always crowded. Mainly gay but tolerant of well behaved heterosexuals. CAFE LUCIA 13-29 Nicolson Street. Tel: 0131-662 1112. Generally 10am-10pm but hours vary according to performances. Mixed bar attached to the Edinburgh Festival Theatre. Full of luvvies and their friends! CATWALK CAFE 2 Picardy Place. Tel: 0131-478 7770. FAX: 0131-478 7771. Not going for a gay clientele, but still decidedly gay friendly. C.C. BLOOM'S 23 Greenside Place. Tel: 0131-556 9331. Mon-Fri 7pm-3am, Sat-Sun 2pm-3am. Karaoke on Thursday and Sunday. Male strippers Sun at 4.30pm. Disco every night from 10.30pm. CITY CAFE 19 Blair Street. Tel: 0131-220 0125. 11am-11pm. Not as outrageously mixed as it used to be, but still seriously conventional. CLAREMONT BAR & RESTAURANT 133/135 East Claremont Street. Tel: 0131-556 5662. FAX: 0131-558 3539. Bar: Mon-Sat 11am-1am, Sun 12.30pm-1am. Restaurant: Mon-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm and 6pm-10pm, Sat 11.30am-10pm, Sun 12.30pm-10pm. Gay owned, gay friendly and renowned for courtesy, comfort and good food. WWW: http://members.aol.com/scifipub E-mail: scifipub@aol.com CLOUDS 16 Forth Street. Tel: 0131-550 3808 FAX: 0131-550 3807. A gay-owned business helping those seeking to rent accommodation, landlords and those looking for flatmates find each other based on similar requirements, criteria, life-styles etc. E-mail:cloudsacc@aol.com CYBERIA 88 Hanover Street. Tel: 0131-220 4403. Daily 10am-10pm (12pm-7pm Sun) Friendly mixed cybercafe with friendly mixed staff. Where the wired queers hang out. WWW: http://www.cybersurf.co.uk/ E-mail: edinburgh@cybersurf.co.uk DIVINE DIVA'S The Venue (Top Floor), 15 Calton Road. Tel: 0131-556 8997. Every fourth Friday - 9.30pm-3am. Next on 20th March. Women only one nighter with all proceeds going to Edinburgh Switchboard. EDINBURGH LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL CENTRE 58a and 60 Broughton Street. Houses PJ's , Nexus Cafe-Bar, OUTRIGHT Scotland, Pride Scotland and Massage for Health. Also provides meeting and noticeboard space for many lesbigay organisations. Private mailboxes available. FANTASIES 8b Drummond Street. Tel/FAX: 0131-557 8336. Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun Noon-9pm. Scotland's ONLY licenced SEX shop where you'll be made welcome by the very bearish Vince (who's straight) or Paddy (who isn't). Toys galore, video rental too! Glamour shop upstairs. FOUR BBBB's CLUB 26b Dublin Street. Tel: 0131-538 7775. Big Beary Bulky Boys have their own club at Intense in the New Town Bar on the 4th Friday of the month. 8-10pm - bar opens to non members 9pm-1am. FRENCH CONNECTION 89 Rose Street Lane North. Tel: 0131-225 7651. Mon-Sat Noon-1am, Sun 1pm-1am. Intimate bar just off Rose Street Crawl. Never a dull moment. Karaoke Tue/Fri. JOY Wilkie House, Cowgate. JOY Info Line: 0131-467 2551. Next dates: 7th March, 4th April, 2nd May. 10pm-3am. Joy, Scotland's most upfront gay club! ukp7 members/ukp8 non-members (reduced entry of ukp5 before 11pm). E-mail: clubjoy@hotmail.com WWW: http://freespace.virgin.net/alanjoy.dj/joyhome.htm LOVEATE BISTRO Within the Stag & Turret, 1-7 Montrose Terrace. Tel: 0131-478 7231. Mon-Sat Noon-3.30pm and 5-9pm. Cosy upstairs bistro. Good value food with special discounts for bus drivers and OAPs! MASSAGE FOR HEALTH 58a/60 Broughton Street. Tel: 0131-669 8039 or 0131-478 1090. By appointment only. Therapeutic massage from ITEC qualified practitioners Anne and John. Concessions available. NEW TOWN BAR 26B Dublin Street. Tel: 0131-538 7775. Mon-Thu Noon-1am. Fri-Sat Noon-2am. Sun 12.30pm-1am. Especially popular with Bears, but has wide clientele. Intense, the sub-basement leather and fetish bar is open Wed-Thu 10pm-1am, Fri-Sat 10pm-2am and Sun 10pm-1am - men only, dress code. NEXUS CAFE-BAR 60 Broughton Street. Tel: 0131-478 7069. 11am-11pm. The cafe at the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Centre. Now under new management with a new name and increasingly busy. E-mail: nexus1cb@aol.com No EIGHTEEN 18 Albert Place. Tel: 0131-553 3222. Mon-Sat Noon-10pm, Sun 2-10pm. Sauna club for gay gentlemen - run by a couple of straight Dykes! Open on Sundays - great for that aprŹs Kirk Session! THE OUTHOUSE Broughton Street Lane. Tel: 0131-557 6668. Mon-Sat Noon-1am. Sun 12.30pm-1am. Gay friendly cafe bar in a small lane in the gay triangle. OUT OF THE BLUE 36 Broughton Street. (Downstairs at the Blue Moon Cafe). Tel: 0131-478 7048. Noon-9pm. New gay and lesbian store selling books, mags, videos, wearing apparel, etc. Providing some welcome competition for Mrs Tubby Bear at PJ's! PJ'S 60 Broughton Street. Tel: 0131-558 8174. Mon-Sat Noon-7pm, Sun Noon-5pm. Gifts and toys for gay boyz and girlz. ROUTE 66 6 Baxter's Place. Tel: 0131-524 0061. Mon-Sat 12.30pm-1am, Sun 3pm-1am. Misnamed - it's the best Route to a 69 that we've ever found - ask for details of where the bus stops are! The only gay bar in Scotland which serves Real Ale. THE STAG & TURRET 1-7 Montrose Terrace. Tel: 0131-478 7231. Mon-Sat 11am-1am. Sun 12.30pm-1am. Friendly gay boozer just round the corner from the Solas Centre. Entertainment most evenings. SOLAS CAFE 2/4 Abbeymount. Tel: 0131-661 0982. Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 11am-4pm, Wed 5-9pm. Attached to Solas National HIV Information Centre. Good home cooking (everything cooked on the premises). Both dead animal and veggie. TACKNO Club Mercado, 36-39 Market Street. Tel: 0131-226 4224. Last Sun of each month 11pm-4am. DJ Trendy Wendy. Mixed and crowded club night. TASTE The Honeycomb, 36-38a Blair Street. Tel: 0131-220 4381. Sun 11pm-3am. Weekly mixed members' club with DJs Fisher and Price. THEATRE ROYAL BAR 24 Greenside Place. Tel: 0131-557 2142. Mon-Sat Noon-Midnight. Basically straight, this Real Ale bar (formerly a Gas Board Showroom) in the middle of Edinburgh's Gay Triangle attracts a fair number of queers for an off-scene pint before heading for nearby fleshpots. TOMMY THAI'S BAR Linden Hotel, 9-13 Nelson Street. Tel: 0131-557 4344. Daily Noon-11pm. Cosy bar attached to Edinburgh's biggest gay hotel. Cruisy at times. Superb Thai restaurant. Owned by London's Philbeach Hotel. WWW: http://www.scotsgay.co.uk/linden/ E-mail: 100756.3112@compuserve.com WEB 13 13 Bread Street. Tel: 0131-229 8883. Mon-Fri 9am-10pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun Noon-6pm. Informal mixed cybercafe with homely and approachable staff. WWW: http://www.web13.co.uk/ E-mail: queries@web13.co.uk WORLD CAFE IN LEITH 30 Sandport Street. Tel: 0131-538 7076. Tue-Fri 10.30am-10pm. Sat-Sun Noon-10pm. Gay friendly cafe in Leith offering coffee and snacks from around the world. Falkirk DROOKIT DUCK 16 Grahams Road. Tel: (01324) 613644. Mon 11am-3pm and 5pm-11.30. Tue-Thu 11am-3pm and 5pm-12.30am. Fri-Sat 11am-1am. Sun 7pm-Midnight. Straight bar used by a few discrete local gays. Near to Grahamston station. PIERRE'S RESTAURANT FRANÇAISE 140 Grahams Road. Tel: (01324) 635843. Lunch: Tue-Fri Noon-2.15pm. Dinner: Tue-Sat 6.45-9.30pm. Mixed discreet clientele. Real French food and wine at a reasonable price. Galashiels GREEN'S DINER 4 Green Street. Tel: (01896) 757667. Mon-Tue 10am-5pm. Wed-Sat 10am-10pm. Mixed. discreet trendy cafe/bar. Regular meeting place for all Border Town lesbians, gays and bisexuals. Closed Sundays. Glasgow AUSTINS 183a Hope Street. Tel: 0141-332 2707. Mon-Fri 4pm-Midnight, Sat-Sun 2pm-Midnight. Friendly and busy basement pub. Entertainment every evening. Happy hours: Mon-Fri 4-9pm, Sat 7-10pm. BENNETS DISCO 80-90, Glassford Street. Tel: 0141-552 5761. Tue-Sun 11pm-3am. Beautifully appointed busy club. Frequent PAs. Tuesdays are straight. CCA Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street. Tel: 0141-332 7521. Centre open Mon-Wed 9am-11pm Thur-Sat 9am-Midnight Sun Noon-5pm. Bookshop Mon-Sat 10am-6pm Sun Noon-5pm. Galleries Mon-Sat 11am-6pm Sun Noon-5pm (admission free). Two galleries, two performance spaces, cafe bar and bookshop. Lesbigay friendly place bustling with life, the universe and everything. Wheelchair accessible apart from upstairs performance space. E-mail: gen@cca-glasgow.com CAFFE LATTE 58 Virginia Street. Tel: 0141-553 2553. Mon-Sat 11am-Midnight, Sun 11.30am-Midnight. European style diner. Relaxed atmosphere. Wide selection of pastas, pizzas and sandwiches. CENTURION 19 Dixon Street. Tel: 0141-248 4485. Fax: 0141-400 1080. Sauna and Shop: Sun-Fri Noon-10pm, Sat Noon-Late (Allnighter). Shop sells toys, videos, mags and everything in between. Very busy on Sundays! CLONE ZONE 35 Virginia Street. Tel: 0141-552 3103. Mon-Wed 10.30am-6pm, Thu-Sat 10.30am-10pm, Sun 1-7pm. The largest gay shop in Scotland. Clothes, videos, magazines, toys. COURT BAR 69 Hutcheson Street. Tel: 0141-552 2463. Mon-Sat 11am-Midnight, Sun 8.30pm-Midnight. Small bar beside former Sheriff Court. Straight until mid-evening. DELMONICA'S BAR 68 Virginia Street. Tel: 0141-552 4803. Daily Noon-Midnight. Busy pub with backroom area (not THAT kind of backroom!). Pool table. FLAMINGO'S 26 Cheapside Street. Tel: 0141-248 4823. Fri-Sun 11pm-3am. Revamped club in the former Garbos/Gillespies premises. Various PAs, exotic dancers, etc. GLASGOW GAY & LESBIAN CENTRE 11 Dixon Street. Tel/FAX: 0141-221 7203. Daily 10am-10pm. Glasgow's community centre for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals. Cafe. Other businesses in the centre include Asset Mortgages. Two large meeting rooms available for hire. Not as busy as it should be - it needs your support! Fully wheelchair accessible venue. WWW: http://www.gglc.org.uk/gglc/ E-mail: gglc@gglc.org.uk INTERNET CAFE 569 Sauchiehall Street. Tel: 0141-564 1052. Mon-Fri 9am-11pm, Sat 10am-11pm, Sun 11am-11pm. Friendly staff, mixed clientele, full Internet access from ukp2 per half hour. Food served all day. WWW: http://www.linkcafe.co.uk/ E-mail: tim@linkcafe.co.uk THE LANE 60 Robertson Street Lane (off Argyle Street). Tel: 0141-221 1802. 1-10pm. Newly opened "Exotic Gay Men's Club" with sauna and private cabins. Promotional offers. Look for the green light. LOVE BOUTIQUE The Arches, Midland Street. Tel: 0141-221 9736. 10.30pm-3am. 1st Saturday of the month. Busy mixed club popular with the younger crowd. OVER THE RAINBOW BISTRO 6 Kersland Street. Tel/FAX: 0141-357 3739. Cafe: Thur-Tue 9am-5pm. Bistro: Mon-Sat 7-11pm. Friendly cafe/bistro in the heart of the West End run by two beautiful, recently married, drama queens. Mixed clientele. Full vegetarian menu available. BYOW. Booking advised in the evening. THE POLO LOUNGE 84 Wilson Street. Tel: 0141-553 1221. Mon-Thu Noon-1am, Fri-Sun Noon-3am. Upmarket bar. Piano Bar on Tuesdays, Jazz on Sundays. Something new and definitely different. Trophy Room now open. Voted No.1 club in UK by Boyz. QC's CAFE-BAR GGLC, 11 Dixon Street. Tel: 0141-204 5418. Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 11am-6pm. The tastefully decorated eaterie for the Glasgow Gay and Lesbian Centre. SADIE FROST'S 8-10 West George Street. Tel: 0141-332 8005. Noon-Midnight. Bar meals Noon-7pm. Friendly staff who compliment the upmarket decor. Nice and convenient for rail travellers to the North and East of Scotland. TIN PAN ALLEY 39 Mitchell Street. Tel: 0141-248 8832. Mon-Tue. 11pm-3am. DJ Stella. Entry ukp2/3. Drinks ukp1.50. Tacky and cruisy as ever (in the nicest possible way). TRON THEATRE CAFE BAR 63 Trongate. Tel: 0141-552 8587. Noon-Midnight. Friendly theatre bar. Mixed. VICTORIA BAR 157-159 Bridgegait. Tel: 0141-552 6040. Mon-Sat 11am-Midnight, Sun 12.30pm-Midnight. Basically straight, but justly popular with Glasgow's many Real Ale queens and dykes. THE WATERLOO 306 Argyle Street. Tel: 0141-221 7359. Daily Noon-Midnight. Popular, crowded, down to earth gay drinking shop. Scotland's oldest gay bar - what more can we say? Busy, busy, busy! Inverness NICO'S BAR/BISTRO Glen Mhor Hotel, Ness Bank. Tel: (01463) 234308. Wed and Fri 9-11pm. Smart relaxed bar popular with local gays especially on Wednesday and Friday nights (9.15pm onwards). Mixed clientele. Kilmarnock KAYPARK TAVERN 27/29 London Road. Tel: (01563) 523623. Straight pub - the lounge is used by some local gays on Mondays evenings. Stirling BARNTON BISTRO 3 1/2 Barnton Street. Tel: (01786) 461698. Mon-Thur 10.30am-11.45pm, Fri-Sat 10.30am-12.45am, Sun Noon-11.45pm. (Food: Day and early evening). Near to railway station, Mixed, busy, bohemian and friendly bar/bistro. Popular with students and Sons/Daughters of the Rock alike. Good food. Real Ale. ------------------------------------------------------------ DUN EIDEANN =========== Hiol! Highlight of the month was the successful ceilidh ball held by Switchboard in the Assembly Rooms. Kilts galore and snogging on the stairs - with a packed house full of dykes and pooves (plus a few of our straight friends just to show how tolerant we can be!). At the ball, I bumped into Jean Reid who tells me that her proposed gay complex has come unstuck due to problems with landlords. It was supposed to have featured a Health Club, a Night Club and a Gay Men's Sauna. Shame, but you can't win them all. The recent spate of queerbashings in Edinburgh led to major coverage in the straight press, but what hasn't helped has been the suggestion that a "gay vigilante force" would start patrolling the hill. Stuff and nonsense - but just about what you'd expect from the Evening News who can't quite work out if gays are good, bad or even read the newspaper! It's almost time for Mr Gay UK again, when the small but perfectly formed Terry George packs his toothbrush and takes to the road for a month - this year with a film crew in tow! The Edinburgh heat is on Thursday 5th of March in CC's (Glasgow's chance is on the following night in Bennets). If you want to enter, the number to call is 0870 1200 600. And may the best man win! Up the road in Dunfermline, Jamie at the Cellar Club tells me that what started as a one nighter and expanded to include a pub night as well has been so successful that it's changing its name and going totally gay from 6th March. The place will be called Club Xs (apparently Brian in Dundee is taking this as a compliment). This is a first for Fife and, as it is set in a quiet street with plenty of parking right outside the club, it makes it the perfect venue for anyone worried about being seen going into a gay bar - something us Big City Lads often forget is important to some people. There will always be security on the door and inside the club for members' safety. Free membership can be obtained in the club (or the pub upstairs) in person or by dropping them a letter. Back in Edinburgh, just space to remind you that JOY's March 7th bash at Wilkie House will feature guest DJ Dave Randall from Chug N Bump records. JOY aficionados will recognise Dave's tunes instantly from constant airing at the club. He also appeared at the JOY Gender Bender Weekender in May last year so it's about time he popped up again. Catch you next month when I'll be talking again about people of whom R Donaldson of Dalkeith has never heard! Iain iain@drink.demon.co.uk ---------------------------------------------------------- GLASCHU ======= A well, time for ScotsGay's Glasgow writerist to get his pile of drivel into the mud-shacks of my international fans, so, in the words of the Divine David (Coverdale), "Here I go again". February - the worst month of the year as far as the licenced trade is concerned, so I wisnae expecting tae huv an awfy lot tae write aboot this issue. However, you'll be glad to know it's not been too quiet. This year's Gay Ball attracted a record crowd, we got landed with all the usual St Valentine's Day crap that all you soppy queens love and, even worse, Friday 13th theme parties! How eighties! "Scary" cocktails, bar staff in fancy dress, and slosh around some tomato sauce to add to the "atmosphere". Yeah, right! And I thought all this theme night bollox died out fifteen years ago! It was naff then, it's even naffer now. Actually, do you know why bars make up "special" cocktails for theSE nights? It's usually to get rid of all the stock that's been delivered by mistake. You know the kind of thing: somebody orders a bottle of something obscure, a whole case of it gets delivered in error and it lies around the cellar until it's too late to send it back, so somebody decides, "Hey, let's have a theme party and get rid of all the crap that's lying around gathering dust!". I once had to do this with a case of Green Chartreuse and one of Benedictine. It was a beach party, so we served it up in scooped out pineapples, charged a fortune and shifted the lot! Tasted absolutely fucking awful, but throw in some fruit and umberellas and the bimbos will fall for it every time! Maybe that's why I think theme nights are crap, but if you've ever had to scoop out 200 bloody pineapples, you'd probably agree. Anyway, since my last outpourings, the scene has lost one venue and gained another. Penelopes finally lost the Pink Pound after pissing the punters about over the festive period. Charging people to get in to what was supposed to be a free night and letting all those rat arsed bloody straights in didn't go down too well with the Janets who promptly finished their drinks when the fighting started and buggered off to Tin Pan Alley! No sympathy for them, they chanced their luck and fucked up big time! DJ Boff was getting the run-around too, and has now left the club, but all you Abba fans can still catch him doing his 70's and 80's handbag stuff down at the Waterloo on Saturdays. The Lane sauna opened late last month and is currently open 1-10pm every day. Although they're still waiting on getting the steam room and sunbeds fitted, the sauna, video lounge and private cabins are fully operational and free tea/coffee and soft drinks are available. I just wish I'd remembered to take my toolkit with me on my visit, 'coz us headbangers need a small engineering workshop to get our jewellery off (and out), and the combination of hot ironmongery and my long hair was making it uncomfortable to stay in for more than a few minutes. Maybe all you sheep with your Number One crops have the right idea! Meanwhile, over at the Centurion Health Club, Gordon, Alex and Derek have been dreaming up new ideas and promos to keep all you sauna fans happy. The gym equipment will probably have arrived by the time you read this - for which there's no extra charge, sunbeds are currently on special offer and they're giving out free breakfasts, soup and rolls. The Saturday all nighters are proving increasingly popular and the club has now brought out a loyalty card to give cheap entry to regular customers. Now you've probably all seen the stuff in the press about the Polo and Bennets winning their Boyz awards, but what's this story about it being the first time that any of them have been awarded North of the Border? I'm afraid not! The first Boyz award to go to a Scottish club was actually made in 1994! And I should know, 'cos I was the first Scottish club owner to get one! Sorry to burst your bubble, King and Gibson sisters, but it's nice to see you following in my footsteps. I see we've now got another two gossip columnists on the loose with the appearance of Cruise magazine. Should be interesting to see if we all end up slagging off the same places and people which generally used to be the case when other mags were on the go. I see that one of the Cruisers in Residence, Ms Hutton, is as critical as I am of the piss-elegant Merchant City queens. I think the right term is "fur coat and nae knickers". Well, ruff trade like what I is may not have the fur coat, but at least I wear knickers - they keep my ankles warm (I wish!). Oh, by the way Betty, if a Merchant City queen tells you she's in PR it actually means they stand in Argyle Street handing out leaflets for Burger King and the ones who tell you they're in retail merchandising really mean they're a ShopJanet! Flamingos (What do you mean, I've drunk all the Furstenberg?) have just had a few good acts up recently including Toy Boy who did some interesting things with fruit and vegetables. Not that there's anything wrong with shagging vegetables: you should see some of the trade I've had recently! Sassy Stryker also appeared and spent a fair chunk of her act slagging off Dels, where she seemed to have had a bad experience. Hopefully, now that January and February are over, the club should start picking up as Chris has some more acts lined up for March. I've always thought it a pity that so many sheep on the scene are too bloody lazy to walk a little bit further out of the Pink Triange, prefering instead to pay higher prices, put up with the arbitary dress codes that depend on who's on the door and whether it's a quiet night or not. And don't forget to kiss the bouncer's arse on the way in - this hows that you've got the 'right' attitude. The South Side Sluts are having a right old moan just now about all the tree-felling that's going on 'up the hill'. The park-keepers have been cutting back the foliage and digging up the bushes that so many cruisers know and love. Bloody marvelous, isn't it? The Council Tax is going up, services are getting cut, but they've still got enough dosh to go chopping bushes down to spoil things for those who like their trade 'al fresco'. And for those of you out cruising for a shag, avoid the path up from the duck pond 'cos it's arse deep in mud and you'll break your neck - you can't have a good shrub-trembler if you're in plaster! The Bear's Club had a good turn-out for their Valentine's Day disco with over 40 fur fanatics coming from as far afield as Edinburgh and Dublin. Organiser Robert was very pleased about how the night went and asks me to pass on thanks to Des and Robert for doing the catering. Further Bear's Club meetings will be held in the Court Bar on the second Saturday of the month at 8.45 and the date of the Mr Bear UK contest will be announced shortly. Well, that's about it, so I'd better get this off to the Great Bald One for publication. But finally - PLEASE, no more comments about me looking like Jon Bon Jovi, Taylor Hanson, Joey Tempest or Jennifer Ariston. We don't ALL want to look the same as everyone else with a nice fake designer shirt, ShopJanet haircut and Caterpillar boots! Keep on rockin! Minerva minerva@drink.demon.co.uk ---------------------------------------------------------- DUN-DEAGH ========= Is it or is it not open? The troubled new venue Bloody Heck closes when they feel like it despite having decorated their windows with opening hours. Boss Andrea is telling friends she has sold it and it is advertising house music nights on posters across town. Multiple errors led to it failing to attract its target crowd ensuring that the existing venue survives the second challenge to it in as many years. A door entry change to ukp15.00 allowed those who could afford it to drink free pints and nips in an effort to warm up the venue. Ambulance crews who attended the inevitable fights were not so warm. The Deva refurb has not yet started so perhaps it will be in March. The pub, still owned by Karen, is managed by Kerry who makes the place a lot more welcoming. Still keeping a good number of mixed clientele during the day, the evenings are a bit quieter except for karaoke on Wednesdays. Bar XS appears to lose out on Wednesdays to Deva's Karaoke but is getting busier at other times. Quizzes, Bingo, drinks promos are attracting people, but mainly later in the evening. They stopped opening daytime due to lack of customers on Saturdays many have questioned whether 6 or 7 weekends was a long enough trial period. Recently the owner was spotted flying down the spiral staircase (haven't we all) to recover the bar's GQ magazine from a chicken who kept it thinking it was "free" despite the cover price of almost three quid. Probably he is so used to getting the quality magazine "ScotsGay" for nothing he thought all good things in life were free - not so young man, not so! Congrats to Dundee Outreach Team who made a brilliant Valentine's Night at Liberty with their message passing service. For just twenty pence you could pass a love message anonymously and many were. Happy shags were had that night and the novel passion pouches which contained condoms and lube were put to good use. Pride Scotland is in Glasgay this year and DOT are planning to run a bus again from Dundee. It's a reasonably cheap way to get there and back (if you come back) and hopefully it will be nice weather this year. Still some doubt as to whether Virgin are providing a dance tent so Liberty's DJ 'BP' doesn't know if he's on or not. Some brave souls are thinking of having a Dundee Pride - we don't know if that's on or not. My natural wish to live will preclude one from marching along the High Street shouting "We're queer and we're here" or similar. The Hilltoon Huns & Douglas Shams need little excuse to batter the shit out of the Menzieshill Mincers! Liberty is busier with the successful XS opening - even on the quieter nights. They seemed little troubled by the rise and fall of Bibliotek - as they predicted! Liquid Silk -------------------------------------------------------------- OBAIR DHEADHAIN =============== Hi Y'all, how's it goin'? Well, the time has come once more for my monthly ramblings again! Unfortunately, it's time to jump onto my new soap box (CalMac jumped up and down so much on my last one that he broke the bloody thing!). Y'know, the one thing I hate in this world is homophobia. Don't we all, but imagine walking into a nightclub, somewhere like the Ministry or Zuu, or even Amadeus. Then imagine being told that because you're gay, you're not allowed in. Then imagine how you'd feel. Angry? Upset? Depressed? Well, imagine that the shoe is on the other foot, and it's a straight guy, perfectly open-minded and willing to accept people for who they are, walking into a gay club. Would you like to be in the same situation, where someone walks into a pub or club and gets told that they shouldn't come in simply because their sexual orientation isn't the same as most of the other people in the place? It's pretty ridiculous, isn't it? The other night I observed a similar situation. Some poor straight guy, who used to frequent a couple of gay venues, walked in and was more or less told that he wasn't welcome. What the hell are we striving for here? A gay ghetto, or equality? We're not going to achieve the latter unless we accept other people for who they are, in the same way that we want to be appreciated in the same way. Anyway, that's just my little thought for the day. So, what's going on in Aberdeen then? Well, quite a lot compared to what's been happening in recent months. After the announcement that a new gay venue was to open in Aberdeen, Castro promptly closed for a week and had a redecoration exercise. It was quite tasteful I thought. It looks a lot brighter, and the upstairs bar actually looks a lot bigger. However, the paint was still tacky on the opening night, and much of it has since flaked off as a result, including that on the floor tiles downstairs. Having said that, the changes certainly do make the place look a lot better, and the kitchen utensils on the ceiling downstairs are a nice touch too!! Club 2000 opened on the 6th of February, as planned. As I walked in, I didn't really know what to expect, but what I saw was a lot better. Although the venue itself is fairly small, and doesn't really rank alongside bigger nightclubs, the somewhat plush decor does make for a fairly relaxing atmosphere. The first night featured a free bar, and though I'd love to report on that a little more, I did end up somewhat worse for wear towards the end of the night. At first, the drinks prices, and the daily fiver entry fee seemed a little bit prohibitive, but changes have been made to both. It's now free to get in every night of the week, except Friday and Saturday, and it costs ukp3 between 11pm and 12am, and ukp4 after midnight. At the time of writing, the entry fee was being dropped for one week. Entertainment is promised on a regular basis, with regular cabaret on the agenda. Bottled beer prices have been reduced to ukp2, and spirits prices have been reduced accordingly. A nice place to visit, and the competition can only be good for the scene in Aberdeen. One other change has been made to the opening hours. As of Monday 23rd February, the opening hours will be 9pm until 2am. So, there's a little more there to digest than normal, so I shall let you get on with it. Hopefully things will continue to look up for our scene. At the end of the day, the more choice there is, the better, so please people, support both venues and we'll keep them. Right, I've got to go away to work now, so take care and have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do! Gus Gus@drink.demon.co.uk --------------------------------------------------------- INBHIR NIS ========== Hi there folks, how are you all? Way back last year a Scot abroad namely "Roy" e-mailed me at ScotsGay HQ. Roy is an ex-Invernessian, now living in America. He was surprised to hear about "the scene" up here, and asked to find out more, so details were duly e-mailed back. Roy said he would be returning home to visit his parents in Feb 98 and wanted to be shown round and meet some of the gay locals. Well, I'm happy to report that this has now happened, and a pleasant night was had by all last Wednesday. It just goes to show you what can be done!! Well now, ROH. Their by now highly successful Valentine's Ceilidh on Friday the 13th Feb was a very well attended and successful occasion with in excess of 150 folk attending from all over including some strange places, including Birmingham, Yorkshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Wick (not to mention Ullapool (sorry Jackie!)). The clean, foxy, hygienic (plucked and moisturised) Highland looking young Miss Ronald graced us with his presence and the newest "couple" in Inverness, Ian and Dan, were there too, looking very good together. Good luck, Ladz. Many groups were represented, including Highland Gay Men's Group, Highland YGG, Out + About Lesbian Group, Moray Group and the Highland T Group - though the attendance of the latter was down on last year - but speaking to Julia, my contact with the T Group, she assures me all is well with the group and they continue to enjoy events and group meetings together. Had my first meeting with Out + About at the event and was impressed with their obvious passion and spirit. However, I did get left with the feeling that if you happened to be younger than them or have different experiences then your opinion was worthless. I hope I'm wrong, but that was the impression I was given. I also met some of the Girlz from Moray and what a lovely, warm friendly crowd they are. I'll be in touch, Girlz! So, all in all a highly successful evening and, as usual, full marks to the staff at Reach Out, also sincere thanks to the owners and staff of the Station Hotel for their friendly and efficient service. I wish there were more 'friendly' establishments like them. Also, before I finish, it was good to experience the co-operation between reporters at this event. Apart from myself, the gorgeous Andrew from the Moray Gazette was there and also the slightly less gorgeous but definitely more infamous Paul Ivison of Gay Scotland was there too!! (Nice to see you again Paul) (Claws away, John!). Well, that's it for now, except to say that there's been no writ or summons to Court for defamation from Gussie yet!! Besides, it's true, so it can't be defamatory! Take care, folks. See ya's. Calmac calmac@drink.demon.co.uk ------------------------------------------------------ SCOTSGAY VOICE PERSONALS ======================== It's completely free to place your ad on 0800 138 4121 We'll print your ad in our next few issues and you can pick up replies on 0891 556613. That's also the number for our Browse Hotline - 0891 556613. Calls to 0891 cost 50p per minute which is half the price charged by some other gay magazines! See magazine for full conditions of service. Edinburgh 38 year old, straight acting, medium build, clean shaven, looking for master. I'm a slave, into leather, rubber, anything. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 8082. Edinburgh Mark, 24, very straight acting and looking, is looking for older guy with interests in leather. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 8002. 23 Year Old 5'11", short brown hair, slim build, likes pubs, sport, football and music. Looking for similar 18-27 year old. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7991. Attention: Ian Will Ian from North Edinburgh who called Number 7941 on 5th of February please call me again and leave your phone number. Paul. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7979. Charles 5'10", short brown hair, hazel eyes, good looking. Looking for a good looking, straight acting 30-38 for a relationship. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7969. Edinburgh Josef, has been in Edinburgh for two and a half years and is looking for 18-30 year old gay or bi guy for fun together. W/e if possible. Open to all possibilities. Also looking for gym buddies. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7951. Paul 29, 5'7", slim build, cropped hair is looking for 30+ guy for good time and possible 1-2-1. Into underwear, socks. I want someone to share and have a god time. Non smoker. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7941. Photo Shoot Stuart is looking for 18-25 year old guys who are good looking and have a horny attitude. He'll take photos of you for your own use or for publication. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7924. Perth 29 year old, 5'8", medium build, GSOH, reliable and honest, new to scene, inexperienced. Looking for 20-30 year old who enjoys nights in and out and fun and friendship possibly a 1-2-1. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7888. Central Scotland Two gay guys looking for another active guy for discreet fun. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7707. Edinburgh Area Alan, 34, lives just outside Edinburgh, looking for guys for fun. Into most things. Uninhibited. Can accommodate or travel. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7668. If.. If Robert Carlyle can and Ewan McGregor can - then you can too! Bob requires photographic models: still or video. You can view my work first. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7635. Edinburgh 23 year old, 5'11", into music, pubs, clubs, badminton. Looking for similar 18-26 year old in Edinburgh or Glasgow. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7280. Leather Trevor, 28. Bi-curious but into leather. Ready to go the full hog with dominant leather man. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7112. Daddy's Boy? Uncle Andy, 48, is looking for Daddy's Boys 18-35 for no strings fun. Light discipline if required. Anywhere - can travel or accommodate. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 7040. Glasgow Dave, 33, 5'10", grey/green eyes, no bad looking, slightly hairy, straight acting/looking. Looking for much older possibly bald (or balding) grey or white hair. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 6982. Central Scotland David, 6', 32, blond hair, blue eyes, passive, smooth skinned. Into rubber, leather, waders, etc. Seeks genuine older guy(s) - not overweight - for fun. You won't be disappointed. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 6691. Glasgow Gordon (40's) seeks the company of young slim guy(s) under 26 who prefer the company of older men. Phone: 0891 556613 - Number 6411. -------------------- BOXES - THE SCOTSGAY MEET MARKET ================================ To reply to a Contact Ad: By e-mail: We can now accept replies by e-mail for Box Numbers. They should be sent to boxreplies@drink.demon.co.uk and will be printed out and posted on by snail mail to the box number holders. There will be no charge for this service. As box number holders are unlikely to have access to e-mail, please include your name and address so that they can get back to you! And remember to include the box number that you're replying to clearly on each reply. By snail mail: Just pop your reply in an envelope with the box number written in the TOP RIGHT corner and place the envelope with your reply inside another envelope with two loose first class stamps. If you are writing from outside the UK, an International Reply Coupon (IRC) should be enclosed for each reply instead of postage stamps. International Reply Coupons are available from most Post Offices throughout the world. We are unable to send on replies without postage stamps or IRCs. Send all replies to: ScotsGay Magazine, Pageprint Limited, PO Box 666, Edinburgh. EH7 5YW. To place a Contact Ad: Write to the above address enclosing your advertisement copy. Ads are FREE of charge to the advertiser. Or you can send them by e-mail to scotsgay@drink.demon.co.uk Personal Ads in ScotsGay's Meet Market are read by more people than any other Scottish Gay Title! WOMEN Strathclyde Hullo there! I am 44, small, cuddly or fat depending on whether you like me or not! I'm a professional woman with a dog and a cat and a huge mortgage. Have a quirky sense of humour and enjoy meals out with friends, reading, going to the pictures and generally having fun. Seeking e-mail companions initially and lets see where it goes! E-mail: Maz2635@aol.com. Box SG20021. MEN Looking For Fun In Edinburgh Hairy man (26, 5'9", short dark brown hair, green eyes) looking for fun and friendship (maybe more) with non-smoking male 25-35 in the Edinburgh area. Box SG20001. Beginners Please Are you at uni/college? Nervous about possibly being gay or bi? Frightened to experiment out with guys the same age in case you're not or make a fool of yourself? Why not talk things over and maybe try things out with an older guy who will help you explore your needs and offers total discretion? Box SG20002. Stirling I'm a 21 year old student in Stirling. 6', heavy build, brown hair/eyes. Looking for other YOUNG guys in the same area who are into a bit of fun. No queens or over 35's, please! Box SG20004. London 37 year old London based male with a GSOH seeks friendship. Box SG20005. Hello! We are looking to meet men in the Edinburgh area for friendship. Box SG20009. Scottish Borders 28 year old straight acting and looking gay guy. Clean shaven, slim build, blue eyes. Likes music, cinema etc. Seeking similar age/likes in Borders area. Box SG20010. Home Sick Scot Would love to hear from gay males in the Glasgow area. I now live in Manchester and miss living in Scotland. I am a non scene person and have a great sense of humour. Hoping for friendship maybe leading to 1-2-1. Why not drop me a line? Box SG20011. 18 to 26 - Aberdeen Area? Guy, 30, 6', slim, dark hair/eyes, into music, theatre, cinema, pubs, scene. Box SG20012. Harrow - Middlesex 19 Year old inexperienced virgin seeks friends. My name is Joshua and I'm 5'11" tall, slightly hairy chest and hairy legs. Box SG20014. Scotland/Anywhere - Master Sought Master sought for novice slave 35. Interests include bondage, poppers and toys. Interested in heavy sessions with experienced master willing to stretch limits. Detailed letter please with mine in return. Box SG20015. Edinburgh - Young Lad 24 year old lad seeks older man - prefer 30-42 , tall. Box SG20016. Clean Non-scene Man Desired Hi! I am relatively new to the scene and would like to meet a discreet, clean and attractive man to receive some tutoring. I am a very attractive 30 year old and enjoy bodybuilding and motorbikes I live in Central Scotland and can travel but not accommodate. Box SG20017. Tayside/Anywhere 26 year old guy, slim, red hair and very horny looking for young guys anywhere to meet for fun, maybe more. Box SG20018. Cigar Chomper Wanted Mature, older, cigar chomping, leather, 'tached guy sought. OK, I know this is asking too much, but if you're any of the above, why not contact this 24 year old, good looking, Edinburgh lad? Box SG20019. Glasgow Chinese I'm a 20 year old Chinese student at Glasgow, looking for a 19-29 year old Scottish friend. Box SG20020. Glasgow - Anywhere Glasgow guy, 40's, interested in meeting guys 18-26 who are genuinely interested in older guys. You should be slim and non-smoking and interested in eating out and quiet nights in. Looks unimportant. Box SG20022. Stirling Stirling student, 18, seeks guy of similar age for friendship and possible 1-2-1. Box SG20024. Ayrshire - Glasgow Male, 34, 5'10", varied interests, GSOH, seeks others for friendship or possible 1-2-1. Box SG20025. Under 25? Man, late 20's, own flat, looking for bi guy under 25 for fun, friendship. You: active, w/e, with sense of humour. I like overseas travel. Can travel or accommodate. Box SG20026. Ayrshire - Glasgow Gay male, 30's, GSOH, into linedancing, boardgames, walks, etc. Seeks friends/companion, possible 1-2-1. You: 18-30, genuine. Box SG20027. Foreigners Under 25 Late 20's guy, looking for foreigners living in Edinburgh for safe fun and friendship and good times ahead. You: Bi, active, open minded, maybe do sports. All letters answered. Phone helps. Box SG20028. Glasgow - Central Belt Attractive young Glaswegian, inexperienced, passive fantasies. WLTM older male/couple (35+). Photo please. Box SG20029. Experienced Master Specialises in whipping and bondage, looking for well built and tough slaves 18-40. Central Scotland or anywhere. Box SG20030. Safe Fun In Fife Novice guy (33), non scene, non smoker, wishes to share kisses, cuddles and hand relief with a similarly inexperienced gay/bi/married guy (28-40). Discretion guaranteed. Box SG20031. Horny Skinhead 34 year old, zero crop, blue eyes, 10.5 stones, 14 hole cherry red DM's, camo's. Want to meet other skins for hot wet fun in used gear. Phone number gets quick reply. ALAWP. Box SG20032. Can You Reach My G-Spot? Slim, w/e guys required, 18-50, by 39 year old passive guy for no strings fun in Fife, Edinburgh or Glasgow areas. Can travel or accommodate. ALA. Have you got the equipment? Box SG20034. Men For Group Looking for men under 35, w/e, for fun sports and pleasure. I'm in my late 20's, own flat. Active people preferred. All letters with phone so let's get together. Write soon. Box SG20035. Glasgow Lad Moving On Up 26 year old, blond, blue eyes, VSA, told GL + VGSOH. 5'11" + V fit. Moving north (Aberdeen/Dundee) to study September '98. Seeks similar new friends to show me around. Maybe 1-2-1. Sincerity required. ALAWP. Box SG20036. Straight Acting Glasgow Gay - 32 Are you slim, smooth, 18-27, straight acting, horny, seeking some fun? Then this 32 year old good looking athletic body, straight acting, loves music, conversation, etc. Send photo optional. Box SG20037. Tayside Man - 35 Dark hair and looks, 5'9", average build, likes sports, music, theatre, eating out. Looking for man 25+ for 1-2-1/relationship. ALAWP. Box SG20038. Party Time! Swinger's party, Paisley area soon. Guys 18-50 MUST be uninhibited. Write with full details - age etc - and ALL vital stats. Photo's appreciated. Let's all hang out together, Boys! ALAWP. Box SG20039. VWE Passive Skinhead 27 year old passive guy into TT, red, blue, smoking, aromas. Age and looks not important. Send explicit letter and photo for prompt reply. Box SG20040. Kilts And Briefs 31, short dark hair, 'tache, medium build, quite hairy. Into thongs, kilts, - full and mini. Also swimming. Seeks 25-45 guy for fun and friendship. ALA. Edinburgh. Also Central and Glasgow. Slaves Wanted Edinburgh slaves required with own accommodation for training, chaining and discipline. I am 28 years old, tough and sadistic. You will obey or suffer. Box SG20042. Glasgow - Lanarkshire Passive guy, 35, 5'11", slim, GSOH, solvent, seeks top man under 35, s/a, for night time frolics. Bi guys welcome. Can accommodate Mr Right! It could be you, Box SG20043. Paisley - Glasgow Over sexed, under experienced 42 year old, in OK nick, seeks younger, skinny, horny friend for mutual education and fun. Animal lovers and sci-fi fans particularly welcome. Make my day! Box SG20044. Sub Skin Seeks active guys into yellow and boot licking for long hard sessions. ALAWP and phone, Sir! Box SG20045. Slaves Wanted Edinburgh master (29) requires bondage slaves with own accommodation for humiliation, training and abuse. Frank and explicit letter required. ALAWP. Write to me now. Box SG20046. Inverness Invites 1-2-1 On Trial Approaching late 30's, youthful outlook, WLTM student/professional type (Eastenders Simon? Casualty Sam?), non smoker, bespectacled?, slim/medium build. Me: 5'8", goatee, sharing fitness, arts, veggie food - wine. Genuine. ALA(WP?). Box SG20047. Glasgow - Anywhere Friendly easy going 29 year old seeks cute guy with GSOH for friendship/1-2-1. Interests include music, sport, travel. Write soon with photo/number (if possible) for immediate reply. Genuine replies only. Box SG20049. Hirsute Glasgow Male Glasgow based male, late 20's, educated, with firm, toned, very hirsute body, seeks a playmate, perhaps a couple for sexy fun and friendship without ties. Likes: moustaches, muscles, hairy chests. Box SG20050. Central Region Gay Male Passive 26, 6', brown hair, blue eyes, average looks, seeks similar professional guy 25-35 for friendship, possibly 1-2-1. ALAWP. Box SG20051. Falkirk - Stirling Guy new to area, s/a, n/s, looking for friendship and possibly more. Must have GSOH and reasonable looks. ALA with photo. Under 45 preferred. Box SG20052. Paradox Seeks Anomaly Gay 40, tall gym freak, involved with mainstream meditation spirituality off and on for years, seeking gay similars. Tired of complacent heterosexual owners of the divine. Gay group anywhere? Box SG20053. Glasgow - Wrestling Fun 5'8", fit and 52 seeks younger, well built, smooth guys around my own height for fun fights. Your mat or mine. Let's share fun, fitness and being physical! Box SG20055. Edinburgh Guy Wants Sleaze 33 year old lad wants dominant guys, any age, for w/s and hard times indoors or out. Anything goes. Skins, bikers especially welcome. ALAWP. Box SG20056. Leather Three leather clad guys from Glasgow and Edinburgh found that cruising in our leathers at Warriston Cemetery is a great safe place to go and have horny fun in your leathers. Box SG20057. London - Scots - Irish Lochgelly and Irish leather awaits you for a traditional school strapping. Surplus authentic straps for sale. Box SG20058. Skinheads Wanted Fully kitted booted skins wanted by this very submissive lad into bootlicking, gob, verbal, rimming, w/s, etc. Anything goes action. ALAWP. Box SG20059. Fife - Central 5'11", athletic, slim build, good looking, s/a, s/l, 24, WLTM similar 18-25 for friendship or maybe more. Must be non scene and slim and a good laugh. Photo if possible. Box SG20060. Glasgow 5'10" Highlander now living in Glasgow West End seeks others. Me: 28, not bad looking, short hair, average build, enjoys pubs, food, cinema and pubs. You: around same age, good looking, straight acting. First timers welcome. I'm not a lover of "the scene". ALA - photo appreciated. Box SG20061. Glasgow Guys Glasgow gay guy, 34, seeks guys 20-40 for fun. Into w/s, spanking, massage, videos. I'm honest, sincere, maybe 1-2-1. W/e. ALA - photo helps. Sorry, no tubbies. Box SG20062. Fox Seeks Bear 35, 5'10", slim, swimmer's build, sporty, non scene, professional needs tall, big, muscular, VWE, active, genuine, caring, butch under 45. Northumberland/Edinburgh. Box SG20063. Romance Glasgow guy, 33, seeks oriental/Asian for friendship/1-2-1. Must be genuine, affectionate with GSOH. Please send informative letter with photo/number for quick reply. Discretion assured. Write soon. Box SG20064. Scots/Irish Men Sought! Attractive 27 year old, 5'8", medium build, living in London, looking for friendship, visit exchange, maybe more. Interests include: Irish/Scottish culture, music (Traditional, rebel), Celtic FC. SA essential! Photo? Box SG20065. Young Skinhead - Edinburgh Looking for active mates into blue, red, TT. Can travel and accommodate. Send frank letter and revealing photo in return for mine. Box SG20066. Scotland - England - Anywhere You are 18-20 years old, looking for an uncle type guy who can offer genuine love and affection. You have a genuine preference for the older man. Slim, w/e, smooth, quiet guys. Box SG20067. Leather Master Wanted By 26 year old novice to train me to be his slave. ALAWP. Detailed letter please. Box SG20068. Time For Tubby Bye Byes! Ageing tubby, 40, small, fat and extremely hairy (red), seeks young smooth Noo-noo to steal his Tubby Toast. Box SG20069. Strathclyde - Anywhere GWM, slim, 26, told VGL, No 1 crop, s/a, open-minded, w/e, seeks new experiences. Bored with vanilla, wants to sample new flavours/activities. Please write with detailed suggestions. Can accommodate. Box SG20070. Evangelical Christian 39 year old, 6ft, 14.5 stone university graduate, seeks sincere caring Christian male with GSOH up to 40 years old. Photo appreciated. ALAWP. Box SG20071. Edinburgh Professional guy (50), active, seeks younger passive guy. I have own varied interests. Non scene. Discretion required and given. I am 5'8", slim, hirsute, 'tache. ALA. Box SG20072. West Lothian Boy David, 43 years old, 5'6", slim build, quite muscular, would like to meet a guy 25-40 for friendship and fun. Interests include music, cinema, hillwalking. Genuine guy. Box SG20073. Central Scotland Slim, dark, exhibitionist, w/e, enjoys mirrors, poppers, oil. Would like to satisfy your curiosity. Like photos and camcorders. Very discreet. Box SG20074. Aberdeenshire Hi! I'm 27, 6ft, medium build, smooth, good looking, non scene, very loyal, open minded, into cross dressing, bondage, massage. Looking for same for erotic evenings of fun. Very genuine. Safe fun. Travel only. Box SG20075. Glasgow 35 year old guy, slim and good looks, seeks honest and genuine guy (25-40) for shared times together. Box SG20076. Passion Young 38 European, working in Scotland, 5'11", slim, fit, told attractive, looking for passionate relation with humorous, adventurous, curious Epicurean guy. Tall/hairy/SA most welcome. Box SG20077. Glasgow Couple Want Fun In '98 Bear type cubs welcome, 'taches a bonus, hairy. We are 38 and 39. Dark/red. Safe fun and friendship. We have transport and accommodation. Send photo and we will return. Box SG20078. Master Sought Master or dominant friendly guy interested in bondage, leather, ropework and toys only sought by mature submissive guy for regular sessions. Good imagination helps. Dundee or reasonable distance. Box SG20079. Dundee - Tayside Passive guy, 50's, n/s, s/a, varied interests, looking for caring active guy of any age for friendship and relationship. Sincerity more important than looks. Can travel/accommodate. ALA. Box SG20080. Whacko! Guy seeks others, gay, straight, bi, into bare spanking, either way/both ways. Instruments available. Photo? Box SG20081. Fife - Edinburgh - Dundee And Surrounds Shy, mid 30's guy, slim, short hair, caring, WLTM guy 30-45, medium build, hairy a bonus, bald no problem. Get in touch. Box SG20082. Glasgow - Lanark - Exotic Oriental Newly arrived 28 year old Oriental seeking to fathom the secrets under the Scottish kilt. Looking for guys under 32 for some horny fun, friendship and possibly relationship. Box SG20083. West Lothian Area 29, 5'7", slim, s/a, seeks man 30+ for friendship and fun. Prefer slim/medium built guy. Honest, sincere, with GSOH. Very affectionate. Would love to meet same type of man. Box SG20084. Scotland Attractive guy, 30, seeks s/a smart suited businessman or shirt and tie rep or office type 25-45. Must be handsome and sincere. SOH is also essential. Box SG20085. Are You Up For It? You are a quiet young gay lad 18-20 years looking for a long term relationship with a father or uncle type figure who will offer genuine love and affection. Glasgow man (60) is waiting to hear from you. If you are smooth, w/e, GSOH (no hyperactives). Box SG20086. RU18-20? Student or unemployed gay lad? Semi retired gent seeks young lad 18-20 years old, possibly a student or an unemployed lad from rural area looking for work and accommodation in Glasgow. GSOH, w/e, passive, smooth and non scene. Box SG20087. Forty's Only In The Mind - Glasgow You: tall, "0" crop/bald, muscle groups important, plant lover, well adjusted, maybe enlightened, not vice free, sought by similar (very) for shared gym circuits, safe fun, maybe something karmic. Box SG20088. Northern Scotland - Inverness 38 going on 39 seeks 28 going on 29 (or consider mature 25+). Me: slim, hairy, cheerful personality, non smoker, possibly relocating to Glasgow. You: medium build, non smoker, into fitness, spring romance. Forget Cilla's contestants - make me your blind date or choice destination. ALAWP. Box SG20089. I Need a Man For Spring Ayrshire, youthful, 52, slim, good body, passive WLTM discreet, active male, 45-60, for mutual pleasure and share new experiences. Likes briefs, gay videos. Will travel most areas of Scotland at weekends. Box SG20090. Small And Fat? Me too! 42 year old hairy fatty seeks smooth young (18-21) fatty to test loading capacity of my large double bed. ALAWP but looks unimportant. Box SG20092. Not Looking For Love Are you just looking for a bit of afternoon or evening fun? If you're 18-26, cute, smooth and genuinely seek the company of older guys, why not give it a go? I'm 39, live in Edinburgh and await your letter! Box SG20093. German Bear 39, blond, hairy, very stocky, healthy and fit is looking for nice muscular Scottish lads for fun and more. Box SG20095. Spanking Subs Wanted Late 30's, slim, tall guy seeks other guys (20-40) wishing to fulfil school day fantasies and other spanking/bondage fun. Edinburgh. Box SG20098. Cummin To Scotland 49 year old Manchester crossdresser, likes giving oral, receiving anal, has booked Easter Holiday in Oban. Cum stay with me? Have 7" in my silk panties for you. Love Sophie xxx. Box SG20096. BISEXUAL Edinburgh Bisexual Me: male, 35, tall 6'2", slim and quite fit, non-smoking vegetarian, loves cycling, Lycra, eating out, eating in, mostly vanilla love and cuddles, but has the occasional kinky streak into mild spanking and bondage... You: female, open-minded, into knotty frolics and friendship. Box SG20097 Curious Guy - Edinburgh Seeks first time experience and horny fun. Me: 6'2", dark hair, good looks with medium build. You: 18-29 slim/medium build, good looks and horny, possible you're curious too and seek that first time wank. Box SG20003. Fife Bi Guy Needs You! I'm 32, W/E, good stayer and repeater, 6'4" tall, large build, short blond hair and blue eyes. I like most things and have a large selection of toys to play with. I'll try anything at least twice. I can only travel. Hope to meat you soon. Box SG20007. Edinburgh Married guy looking for no strings fun with guys or gals. Love oral, sometimes with poppers. 37, 6'3", brown hair, blue eyes, clean shaven, 7" thick and cut. Box SG20048. Glasgow Bi guy, 33, slim build, w/e, seeks female for friendship hopefully leading to 1-2-1. Also with bi couples for fun and excitement. Box SG20054. Central Scotland - Glasgow - Edinburgh Friendly guy, 40, seeks younger (18-22) bi guys for fun and no strings friendship. Your place or mine. Non smokers preferred. Box SG20091. PASSING GLANCES Polo Lounge Sat 24th Jan - 2ish. Guy in black cat jacket downstairs in club with partner - you weren't too keen to snog him - kept looking at me sitting on stool next to dance floor (shiny blue shirt, black trousers and glasses). I should have spoken but didn't. Can I now? Box SG20006. Barry From Dundee We met in Edinburgh during the Festival. I didn't have e-mail, I do now. I will be in London (and maybe Scotland?) August '98. Let's get in touch! Rick from Seattle: soitgoes@scn.org Inverness - Paul Met you in the cottage. You know we must meet again. George. Box SG20094. INSIDE Free Subs For Prisoners ScotsGay is sent free of charge to inmates of HM Prisons and Institutions. Please send your written request to ScotsGay, PO Box 666, Edinburgh. EH7 5YW. Gay Prisoner Requires Contact Gay pen pal required. I'm 52, love writing letters and enjoy collecting postcards and meeting other gays or lesbians. Box SG20033. FRIENDS ABROAD Sensitive BS Woman From Sweden ...seeks meaningful, deep friendship, maybe relation with someone. I`m 32, single, writing science fiction, like nature, New Age, meditation, cats. Write: Britt Salgstrom, Hokgrand 9B, 783 31 Sater, Sweden or E-mail : anna-smith@usa.net Texas Lesbian Wants E-mail Pals My g/f and I plan to visit Scotland and would like to correspond with Scottish lesbians for advice on where to stay, etc. Please write me at cyndigo@txdirect.net see my webpage at http://members.tripod.com/~cyndi45/index.html or snail-mail to: Cyndi Johnson, 12231 Ridge Spur, San Antonio, TX 78247-3482, USA. Beach Surfer From Holland Hi! I am 31, 78kg, 185cm, blond, 8.5", lean body, looking for active man. E-mail: globart@euronet.nl or write: Bart Niesink, Oudeprins Weg 9b, Bergen, NH, Holland. Oz SkateBoys Coming To Scotland 2 Aussie Guys planning a trip to Scotland in the near future, we're 22 and 21, into Partying and the like... Want to make friends with some cool Scots boys to show us around and to party with! If you're around our age and want to show us around then write back! And don't panic, we're both really cute and have good bodies so you won't feel like a lepre! E-mail: kip22@hotmail.com or write: Kip R, PO Box 2296 MDC, Prahran, Victoria, 3181, Australia. Long Haired Beach Boy I'm a healthy, very good looking, in shape 30 year old beach boy with long dark blond hair. Seeking same between 18-30. E-mail: heysurferdude@webtv.net Indonesia Looking for friend. Hi everybody. I hope someone sends some e-mail for me or writes to me. Thank you. I await your response. E-mail: ohliedf@indosat.net.id or write: Ohlie Arliansyah, JL.Muding Indah IV/9, Kerobokan Kuta, Bali 80361, Indonesia. USA Hi There! My name is Reggie and I am a 30 year old single Gay Black male and I live in Philadelphia, PA, USA. I am 6ft, 200lbs, masculine, attractive and in good shape. I have smooth, dark skin, hair and eyes. I enjoy reading, travelling, movies, studying foreign languages and martial arts. For fun, I like to hang out with my friends, meet new people, ice skate and ride horses. My majors in university are East-Asian Studies and International Business with a minor in Psychology. I speak French, Mandarin Chinese (some Cantonese), some Italian, Spanish and German. I am hoping to meet Gay men (Guys of ALL RACES) (18-40) for casual fun, dating or hopefully, a long term committed relationship. Or if you're just visiting Philadelphia, PA (Philly) and would like to meet someone for friendship or a good time. E-mail: 103354.3414@Compuserve.com Australian Guy 27 year old, blue eyes living in Sydney, slim build. Would like to hear from guys around the same age living in Scotland especially Edinburgh. I like reading, music (electronica), and travel. Plus more. E-mail: drax2@bigpond.com or write Bruce Newman, 3 Bimbil Place, Castle Hill, NSW, Australia 2154. USA Boy 27 year old USA boy visiting Glasgow March 17-18! Looking for hot 1 on 1 or group action! I'm 5'10, 155lbs, fit ,brown hair buzz cut, dick is 7 inches cut and pierced. Send reply and photo to michaelmn1@aol.com or write: Michael Marshall, 330 Oak Grove Apr 220, Minneapolis, MN 55403, USA. Scot Wants To See His Homeland Hi. I'm planning a trip to Northern Scotland in July. I'm 37, 200#, 6ft. Would like to hear from others about gay life. E-mail: dow1@webtv.net or write: Dow Nicholson, 1040 NE 16th Ave #3, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304, USA. Looking For That Someone!! Hi there! I'm a gay guy aged 18. I would like to know anyone from all over the world. I treasure friendship and I'm sure that my friends are the most important thing in my life. I hope to hear from gay guys out there, wherever you are!! Write: Hardy Danes, Blk 128 Bedok North St. 2, #11-16, Singapore 460128 or E-mail: hardimin@usa.net Brazilian Mate Hi there... I am a Brazilian bloke aged 28, gay, good looking, straight acting and going to live in Glasgow for one year for an MBA starting Aug 98. I am looking for friends in Glasgow so that I don't feel like fish out of water when I get there. I live in Sao Paulo, Brazil. My e-mail is rodaher@ibm.net or write: Rogerio Almeida, Rua Inhambu 942 Apt 11, Sao Paulo - SP - Brazil, CEP 04520-013. Hope to hear from you ! I Want Penfriends I want penfriends in countries as Brazil, Japan and USA, and also in UK. I am interested to correspond with gay people who are young (18-33 years of age), and my interests are various as music, poetry and other stuffs. Please write to me! E-mail: runxx@hotmail.com or write: Jan Josefsson, Hdradsvdgen 3, 6tr, S-152 48 Svdertdlje, Sweden. Finding My Roots Gay Games participant (from California), looking to find my Scottish roots after the competition, mid August. 6'1", blond, blue, great smile and a whole lot of fun! Contact me at: chadsan@cats.ucsc.edu or http://www2.ucsc.edu/~chadsan/ or write: Chad Sanger, 220 Fairmount Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, USA TO LET Room For Rent Wanted: Flat mate for 24 year old. Large room in central, newly decorated flat. Double glazing, kitchen with all mod-cons and cable TV!! Electric shower. 8 Mins from Princes St Edinburgh and just off London Rd. Only ukp210 (inc. Bills). Box SG20013. Inverness Relocating? Or available to local guy. Mid 30's guy seeks younger flatmate - perhaps more long-term (short term considered) sharing domestic/social life, fitness pursuits. Provide/practice massage on stressed out bodies. Non smokers only. Discuss terms. Telephone: Inverness (01463) 237138. JOBS WANTED Licenced Trade Experienced Club/Bar Manager seeks position in gay or straight establishment. References available. 14 years experience. Box SG20008. JOBS OFFERED Cash For Your Body Photogenic guys can earn ukp75 cash - or ukp100 with chest and arm definition - posing for Mike Arlen who has had 13 glossy magazines published called Mike Arlen's Guys. Send snapshots of your magnificent body to him: Mike Arlen, Wetherby Studios, 23 Wetherby Mansions, Earls Court Square, London. SW5 9BH or call him on 0171-373 1107. Models Wanted Previously published photographer looking for good-looking young (18-25) guys with a horny attitude to model in the style of Vulcan, Euroguy, Globalguys etc. Fees payable. Please telephone (withheld numbers not accepted) Stuart on 0141-636 6556 or E-mail me on Sborg16184@aol.com BACK RUBS Best Massage At Best Price Too! Sensual all over body massage by passive, stout and cuddly gay man. To visit: call 0131-271 0481 or leave number and name on Ansa-Phone. See you soon! Edinburgh Masseur A caring skilled personal touch at excellent poundstretcher value. ukp15. Jim. 0131-556 7199. Escort - Kissogram - Massage The very best for entertainment. The ultimate in sexual fantasy. Private shows or parties: the choice is yours. Telephone: 0411 284558. Glasgow - Edinburgh All over body rub. Black muscular guy. In or out calls ukp30. Chris. Telephone: 0705 008 2461. E-mail: gym.stud@btinternet.com Massage - Paisley Let me rub you up the right way - using essential oils. Reasonable rates. Give yourself a treat!!! Ask for Tony. 01505 324561. Massage Your Cares Away Treat yourself right. Sensual massage given. The ultimate body rub. Reasonable rates. Ask for Mike or Chic - 0141-889 1764. SERVICES Contact Mag Contact Mag for adults: contains over 600 photos. Approval copy from: Matchmaker (K38), Chorley, PR7 4BS. Or ring: 01257 480155 (24 hours). French/German Tuition French and German tuition, also English as a Foreign Language, taught by Qualified Teacher, Glasgow West End. Call 0141-334 9487. Golden Wheel Seeking discreet gay or bisexual new friends, male or female? Long standing service, all areas and worldwide. Send stamp for details to: (Sadie), The Golden Wheel, Liverpool. L15 3HT. Pen Friends Lesbian Gay and Bi Pen Friends, non profit service, Box numbers, Monthly listings, no out dated ad's, free voice mail, SAE PO Box 2000, Horwich, Bolton, Lancashire, England, BL6 7PG. Tel/Fax 01204 667747 or e-mail lgb@clara.net WWW: http://www.angelfire.com/ga/lgb/index.html Scottish Contacts Magazine out every three months. Bi and TV, sub/dom sections. Out now: ukp6 mail order available. Scottish Contacts, PO Box 1396, G4 9JJ. For Bi TV contacts ring 0336 426310 (all calls cost 50p per minute). The Cellar Contact group for hot, horny, raunchy guys into leather, rubber, uniform, denim and bikers. Plus "Studs", our new additional listing for all skins, boots and shorts enthusiasts. Information: 2 stamps. PO Box 17, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. IP32 7AT. Worldwide Penfriends Regular lists. Make friends, exchange holidays, improve your languages. For general and music lovers' lists send ukp3 to "The Penpal List", c/o 221B Merton Road, Southfields, London. SW18 5EE. PHOTOGRAPHY Ginger Snaps 35mm film developing and printing service. Mail orders processed in 24 hours. Videotape conversions to and from all worldwide systems using broadcast spec equipment. Scanning: images scanned onto disk or via e-mail. Call in or phone. 21 High Street, Acton, London. W3 6NG. Tel: 0181-993 6772. Fax: 0181-993 9982. E-mail: bginger@dircon.co.uk. Visa, Mastercard, Amex welcome. VIDEOS Free Video Lists The premier "one-stop" mail order service for all the best videos/books/photosets from Prowler, Pride, SAP, Load, etc., etc. Plus exclusive 'BoyBabe' videos unavailable anywhere else! Trading Post, Freepost BR1307, Eastbourne. BN21 1BR. Telephone: 01323 737481. Gay Bi TV SVS for all the best gay - Falcon, Catalina, Forum, Hothouse and more. TV and Bi selection includes "Las Vegas She-Males", "Transi-spektakel", "Cocks In Frocks", "Ember-Bi", "T/S Trouble", "To Bi For". Phone 0973 980553 for immediate delivery Central Scotland. We also offer mail order service. WHERE TO STAY Ardbeg House Ardbeg House Hotel, Dervaig, Isle of Mull. Welcome breaks, two nights or more, ukp27 per person per night, Dinner B&B (some en-suite rooms with four poster beds). Scenically situated. Beautiful period country house full of character, home comforts and good food. Phone Neil on 01688 400254. Birmingham, West Midlands Sebastion Guest House. Telephone: 0121-455 9459. Large Georgian house located in the city centre, close to the gay village, all rooms colour TV, double beds, tea/coffee, communal lounge, sun room and large gardens. Blackpool Regent Hotel. Telephone: Blackpool (01253) 622787. Recently refurbished, Late Bar, Happy hour daily, En-Suite available, Flamingo's concessions, Mid-week specials Mon-Fri ukp44 B/B, Fri-Mon B/B (excluding Bank Holidays). Single nights available. Call Ernest NOW to avoid disappointment. Brighton Shalimar Hotel, 23 Broad Street, BN2 1TJ. Exclusively gay in centre of gay village. Most rooms en-suite. Four poster for that special occasion. Full English breakfast. Tea/coffee. Fridge. Hairdryer. Colour Television. Clock Radio/alarm. Telephone. Residents' bar. Phone or Fax Kevin or Lawrence - 01273 605316. Capital Accommodation Want a gay stay for a holiday or just a change of scene?!!! Aries Guest House offers a warm, friendly welcome to Edinburgh. Ten minutes from Princes Street, close to theatres, cinemas, shops and restaurant, clubs and bars. Telephone: 0131-229 4669. Central Private Hotel Mixed clientele, Junction 28 M1, short distance to Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, ALTON TOWERS, Sherwood Forest, Rooms En-suite, Licensed Restaurant, vegetarians, laundry service. Own front door key, no restrictions, Massage & Sunbed room. Weekend rates available. Phone: 01623 552373/Fax: 01623 443106. Edinburgh Mansfield House - Small elegant guest house within minutes of bars and clubs. All rooms have colour TV, tea and coffee making facilities. Basic room or En Suite. Continental breakfast available until midday. 57 Dublin Street, Edinburgh. EH3 6NL. Tel/FAX: 0131-556 7980. New York and San Francisco Pride Travel has the largest selection of gay and lesbian friendly hotels, guest houses and apartments in New York, San Francisco and throughout the USA/Canada. For brochure, phone Pride Travel-USA on 01273 606656. Provincetown USA Provincetown - America's most popular gay/lesbian resort. It's like being at Gay Pride every day of the week. Live the legend. For free brochure telephone Pride Travel-USA on 01273 606656. Rothes Glen Hotel Moray's premier country house hotel, in acres of grounds and glorious views towards the Grampian Mountains, is noted for warmth and friendly service. Six miles south of Elgin, midway between Inverness and Aberdeen. Contact Michael or Freddie, Rothes Glen Hotel, Rothes, Morayshire. AB38 7AQ. Telephone: 01340 831254. E-mail: 101516.1660@compuserve.com Scarborough Hotel Interludes, "Holiday Which" recommended, welcomes gay men/women. Friendly, peaceful atmosphere. Licensed. Unique theatre theme. Elegant, en-suite, non-smoking seaview bedrooms (double, twin, 4-poster). ukp24pp B&B with 5% discount for 4 nights and 12.5% for 7 nights. Phone Ian/Bob 01723 360513. Southern Spain B+B. Private luxury villa, pool secluded. Stunning views to Mediterranean. Close to gay beaches, busy scene. For brochure: Tel/Fax Chris, Peter, 0034 524 73252, mobile 0034 509 556654. Torquay Oscars Hotel is a gay family run hotel in the heart of Torquay's English Riviera. Single, Double & Triple rooms available all year round. Very comfortable 2 star accommodation and candlelit cellar restaurant. Call Ricky or Allan for details. 01803 293563. 10% discount on stays of three nights or more offered to ScotsGay readers! ------------ InsideOut: a monthly magazine for lesbians, gays and bisexuals. ISSN: 1360-9327. Edited, printed and published in Scotland. (c) Pageprint Publishing Limited, February 1998. PO Box 666, Edinburgh. EH7 5JW. In even numbered months, InsideOut appears as part of ScotsGay. Non profit use by the lesbigay community of material in the magazine will normally be permitted free of charge - but contact us first for permission. We haven't had sex with most of the people who appear in the magazine, so we don't actually know what their sexuality is. Editorial: Tel: 0131-539 0666. Fax: 0131-539 2999. E-mail: scotsgay@drink.demon.co.uk. Internet World-Wide-Web: http://www.scotsgay.co.uk/ Advertising: Tel: 0131-558 1279. Fax: 0131-539 2999. Subscribing by E-mail: Send a 'subscribe scotsgay-list' message to listserver@drink.demon.co.uk and the text files of future editions will be delivered to you by e-mail. ----------------------------------- LETTERS ======= ScotsGay welcomes letters from readers. They should be sent to: ScotsGay Letters, PO Box 666, Edinburgh EH7 5YW, fax them to: 0131-539 2999 or alternatively send them via e-mail to letters@scotsgay.co.uk --- 30 Gayfield Square Edinburgh EH1 3PA Dear John, SELF-IMPORTANCE Why, I wonder, did the self-important Paul Bryan-Ivison instruct the censorship of the word "gay" before "Gordon McMaster" in OUTRIGHT's contracted display advert in the January 1998 edition? OUTRIGHT provided the Editor (Andrew Wilson) with a detailed New Statesman dossier on the deceased MP for Paisley South. I suspect the answer is that GS is afraid to take a stand on the issue. Well done ScotsGay where you printed OUTRIGHT's advert without alteration - and there has been no negative reaction. Ian Dunn --- Name and address supplied Dear Sir, LOW STANDARD I am writing in absolute frustration and disgust at the quality of the content of each week's submission by Calmac. I was under the impression that these columns were an information section on what was happening in and around my area, and not a bitching column for personal grievances and occasional outing of fellow gay men who are heartily sick and tired of the trash that Calmac writes. There are numerous events, happenings and general frolics that are overlooked each week or missed out entirely, we find the contents of his column to be of the lowest standard and definitely does not represent the needs or requirements of the community at which it is aimed. He merely uses the column to let everyone know what he's been doing or to get any personal gripes off his chest. I think the Editor needs to rethink his policy on the content of Calmac's submissions and to be honest kick Calum's arse and have him replaced by someone who can provide an Informative and Unbiased events diary and witty overview of up coming and recent happenings. Not his recent shag trips to Edinburgh or his views on cottaging, of which Calmac is no stranger to. I and the rest of my chums will be boycotting the article until something is done, and I will take this opportunity to nominate myself as replacement for Calmac. Yours Sincerely --- Calmac Replies: I would like to address a couple of points the letter raises, but firstly I would like to say that the Editor was not going to include the letter in the mag, but I insisted as I didn't want it spread about that I wasn't willing to be criticised in print. This is the first letter of its type that ScotsGay has received about this column and I am happy to acknowledge it, however I will also acknowledge here the many more faxes and e-mails from as far apart as the Black Isle to Glasgow and the USA that I have received complimenting the column (which I wouldn't normally "boast" about). Anyway, to answer some of the points, as far as I am aware I have covered and reported on every major Inverness happening in my column. As many may appreciate, there can be long periods where nothing particularly newsworthy takes place in Inverness. I honestly cannot think what events of significance have happened that I have not covered, ROH organises most things and they have never complained of lack of coverage. If any other organisations have had newsworthy events I have not been told of them, and I am only as good as the info I receive. Unless our letter writer is complaining that I have not mentioned particular private pissups and nights out, I can't think what I've missed, and if I have, nobody gave me the info, so tough! As for "outing" Jesus, our letter writer wasn't even party to the conversation that took place, and nobody knew the chap involved, and I don't particularly think that calling a complete stranger Jesus and quoting what he said is "outing" him. My name is Calmac, not Tatchell! --------------------------------------- INTERNATIONAL ============= International News from Rex Wockner COUPLES MEASURE TAKES EFFECT The Canadian province of British Columbia's groundbreaking law giving gay and lesbian couples the same rights and obligations as heterosexuals in the areas of child support, custody and access took effect recently. It is the first law of its kind in North America. If a same-sex couple breaks up, children will be entitled to spend time with and receive support from both parents. The partners can seek child-support payments from each other and the kids can sue for support. "Children have the right to expect adequate support, appropriate custodial access and continuing caring relationships with both parents regardless of sexual orientation and marital status," said provincial Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh. British Columbia has adopted several other gay-inclusive measures. Partners of civil servants receive spousal benefits, welfare officials recognize same-sex households when calculating benefits, gay couples have equal adoption rights, and gay partners are recognized under provisions regulating insider trading of securities. TWO GAYS RECEIVE SWISS HOLOCAUST REPARATIONS Two unnamed European men have become the first gays to receive aid from the Swiss Fund for Needy Victims of the Holocaust, according to the Washington Blade and Swiss gay activists. The fund - which targets Nazi victims who never received Holocaust compensation or otherwise have suffered ongoing hardship - was created after the Swiss government and Swiss banks were accused of storing gold stolen by the Nazis, failing to disclose the location of the gold after the war, and denying Holocaust survivors and their descendants access to dormant accounts. The two men, one of whom lives in France and the other in Poland, received about ukp2,100 each from a pot of ukp310 million that is awaiting distribution. The French man was held in a concentration camp for six months at age 18 then forced into the German army. The Polish man was jailed at age 17 for violating Nazi Germany's sodomy law and remained jailed until the end of the war. BAHAMAS Christian preachers and 50 of their supporters have marched through downtown Nassau, Bahamas to protest against a planned stop by a gay cruise at a private island owned by Norwegian Cruise Line. The group prayed and sang hymns in Rawson Square across from Parliament Square. The cruise ship, meanwhile, aborted the visit due to bad weather. It was the same Atlantis Events cruise that earlier was banned from docking in the Cayman Islands - setting off a gay boycott of the Caymans. "The Bahamas has almost become a mecca for these rear-admirals," protester Rev. Stunce Williams told the Caribbean News Agency. But Tourism Minister C.A. Smith was unmoved by the demonstration. "Last year, the islands of the Bahamas welcomed more than 3.4 million vacationers of all ages, religions, races and sexual preferences," Smith said. "The people of the Bahamas do not discriminate against nor judge other people of the world." ITALY A gay shepherd in Africo Nuovo, Italy, was tortured and left for dead by the Ndragheta Calabrian Mafia, local police said. They blamed the attack on relatives of the 65-year-old lover of the shepherd, who is 20 years old. Two suspects have been arrested for kidnapping and attempted murder. The attackers abducted the young man, drove him to a deserted location, beat him with sticks, bound him with barbed wire and hung him from a tree, where he remained until discovered the next morning by a passing motorist. NEW ZEALAND New Zealand's "Tranny Granny" has become the first transsexual to be made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for service to the community. Jacqui Grant, who lives in Moana, was honoured for her work with young people, including having fostered more than 50 children over the past 18 years. Grant has lived as a woman for over 25 years and is thought to be the only transsexual approved for fostering by the state Children and Young Persons Service. She also runs courses for children with behavioral problems and founded Moana Zoo, a 50-acre home for endangered animals. PANAMA Panamanian gays launched their own political party recently, reported Agence France-Presse. The Association of Panamanian Homosexuals said it represents 75,000 citizens and has "the numbers necessary to constitute a powerful political force to compete against the [ruling] Democratic Revolutionary Party and the [opposition] Arnulfista Party." Spokesman Lloyd Gamez called for the creation of a zone in Panama City were gays and transgendered people can conduct commercial and recreational activities without interference. SOUTH AFRICA South Africa's Pretoria High Court has ruled that South African Police Services Medical Aid violated the constitution when it refused to extend health coverage to lesbian police officer Jolande Langemaat's lover of 11 years, Beverley-Ann Myburgh. South Africa is the only nation in the world with a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation written into its constitution. THAILAND The Thai lesbian group Anjaree held their first national conference last month at Bangkok's Siam City Hotel. Entitled "The Rights of Lesbians and the Role of Academics and the Media," the confab also hosted Thailand's first lesbian theatrical performance - a 20-minute skit written specially for the occasion. --------------------------------- REVIEWS ======= books German Bears by Klaus Schulte-Derne Verlag rosa Winkel, ukp13.99 WOOOOOOOOF! Remember The Bear Cult? You know, the glossy book with all those American bear pics in various stages of undress - the one that éditions aubrey walter had to ship across the Atlantic in huge numbers (still don't know why it was published over here, not that I'm complaining of course!). Well, if it made its way into your pile of regular books by the loo, you'll have to seek out this tasteful addition to the family. A full-bodied 100 b&w photographs of a wide range of styles and shapes of bears from all over Germany fill the pages of this well-produced book. If anything, the quality of the photography is better than its predecessor, and there's certainly more to choose from (I'll have Albert above, please, at least for starters). Given the number of ostracised "fat", "old" and "hairy" gay men that were welcomed back into the fold by The Bear Cult and the various US bear magazines, it will be interesting to see how many more come out of the woodwork if German Bears gets the distribution it deserves. One thought does occur to me though: with Prowler and Millivres dominating the British glossy market, what are the chances of a British bear book? Seumas Macmhicean --- The Prehistory of Sex: four million years of human sexual culture by Timothy Taylor Fourth Estate, ukp8.99 Sex is fundamental to human life but this is the first time anyone's actually bothered to survey the archaeological evidence concerning sexual activity. Indeed, the assumption has been that sex was entirely functional until relatively recent times, nor was it considered an entirely proper subject for archaeological investigation. Taylor has no such qualms and romps through prehistory, peeking behind the curtains and with binoculars focused on the fields. One thing is immediately obvious - sex has been fun for a very long time. The discussion of our "embarrassing relatives", the pygmy chimp or bonobo, oozes with mercurial glee and we are treated to some rock art which doesn't make it into the official guidebooks. Taylor's frustration with those who forget about the existence of both women and homosexuality is clear. He is quick to point out that ‘ritual' palćolithic phallic rods could just be plain old dildoes. Should this demotion of a potent symbol of male power bring a smile to your face, he also suggests that many of the Great Mother Goddess carvings are stone age editions of Playboy. It's not all fun, of course. The discussions of the origins of homophobia in herding societies and of the debate surrounding the gay gene are invaluable, and the main reference to lesbianism laments its invisibility. A book as wide-ranging as this can't go into as much detail as some of the material deserves, but it provides a fascinating introduction to a long-neglected subject. Feorag NicBhrěde --- The Mammoth Book of Gay Erotica edited by Lawrence Schimel Robinson Bargain, ukp6.99 Do you believe in old wives tales? If your answer is yes, you better go and get yourself a big bag of carrots to keep your eyesight from deteriorating too much. Over 500 pages of pure unadulterated filth for the likes of you and me by over thirty of the most talented writers of this genre. I don't usually parrot what publishers write about books on the back of them but I'll make an exception here with just a couple of sentences penned by the copywriters of the publishers: Passionate, open, honest, direct and intensely erotic fiction giving us rare gems by Andrew Holloran, Neil Bartlett, Stan Persky and many more. In this book you'll find complete erotic novellas, sexy and intriguing characters, gorgeous settings and a garden of sensual delights in which gay men write openly and joyously to other gay men about their passions, their loves and their desires. And with all this for under 7 quid, this one is a must for everybody! Dirk Kriete --- Obsessions by Joseph Mills Millivres, ukp7.50 A collection of short stories from Scottish novellist Joseph Mills, author of Towards The End which I haven't read but will now seek out. Nicely observed little tales of gay life from which the humanity of the author shines out. Thanks for reminding me (in Watch Out, The World's Behind You) of the Irn Bru sign. And the Scots language is handled superbly. John Hein -- Truman Capote by George Plimpton Picador Price, ukp20 A compilation of memories from people who knew Capote: some friends, some enemies and some who have been acquainted with him over the years. A life story that takes us from the days of his Southern childhood to his early days in New York and then on to his first literary successes and on to his jet setting days, his alcoholism and isolation. Truman Capote rose through the ranks of society at high speed and we see from reading this book that it was a turbulent journey. Although gathering friends along the way he also gathered some enemies and this book's strength is that it relays the experiences of and gives as much credence to the stories of his enemies as it does to his friends, thereby giving us a more rounded picture of Capote. A well written and well structured biography that pleads to be taken off the shelf and read. Andy Martin -- video It's that time of the month when the pile of videos which must be reviewed beckon from the corner of the room and I go and do my duty. First up was Diary of a Sex Fiend. Directed by Jean-Marc Pruveur, it showed just how incestuous the UK porno industry is with the beginning being shot in Prowler's Soho premises despite it being a Dangerous To Know title. And it all seemed jolly erotic too - that was until I saw that our hero had a Prince Albert. And suddenly I didn't have an erection any more! Prowler's Sex Drive Part One, is another of their overseas productions - Poland this time? - with the usual selection of predictably pleasant young men doing predictably little to each other in order to get an 18 Certificate. However, it suffered from a pierced nipple, so that one didn't wax my dolphin either. I'm a vanilla perve and proud of it! A Body To Die For, a John Travis film, turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. Billed as a "Who Dunnit", I'm afraid that this American video just didn't deliver. Not only was the sound crap (sounding as if it had been recorded in a tunnel), but the storyline didn't work. That said, pleasant enough bodies - a little bit more mature than the previous titles. Zipper's Coming Together proved altogether more interesting. A country sex rampage with a variety of different types of guys ranging from Twink to Biker and Farmer to local PC Plod. Yup, this passed the stiffie test all right! Strangely enough, the most erotic film in this little pile turned out to be an art film with a 15 Certificate from Dangerous To Know: Lilies. An intense little film by John Greyson, it tells the tale of a Bishop visiting a prison where the inmates take him prisoner and act out scenes from their/his past. A disturbing and threatening past which is all too believable despite the stylised nature of the production. Highly recommended! Justin Milne --- film After the great success of "Forrest Gump" a while ago Hollywood producers realized having a leading man who is mentally maladjusted in a movie could fascinate audiences. There are two new titles making the most of this idea and you have to include on your must-see list "As Good As It Gets" (15) that is Jack Nicholson's best film in years and is bringing him all kinds of awards. He is a best selling novelist whose main problem is he insults everyone he meets, particularly a gay neighbour, Greg Kinnear, and expresses outrageous venom towards Greg's minuscule dog. Jack has a cleanliness fetish and on regular visits to a local restaurant takes his own knives and forks in plastic bags. Only one waitress there, Helen Hunt, will tolerate his rudeness and tells the manager not to bar him as she can cope with his peculiarities. Jack is distraught when she is off work taking her son to hospital with chronic asthma attacks. Because her absence disturbs him, he insists on paying his doctor to put the boy on a course of treatment. Helen is grateful to have a specialist in her life, but suspicious of the Nicholson motives. "As Good As It Gets" is constantly entertaining and frequently very touching. It has the most beautiful little boy you have ever seen onscreen and, what ever films you miss this year, this must not be one of them. "Good Will Hunting" (15) has received a Golden Globe award for the best original screenplay of the year which was written, amazingly, by the juvenile lead in it, Matt Damon, with Ben Affleck who plays his best friend. Matt is a poverty stricken 20 year old whose orphanage childhood has made him terrified of becoming too close to anyone in case they are taken away from him. He is a janitor at the local Boston college when he isn't getting into fights. His one advantage in life is an extraordinary mind that can remember everything he reads and, mathematically, he is far in advance of the college professors. When one of them discovers this, he tries to rescue Matt from a prison sentence for violence. The judge agrees to a suspended sentence if he will agree to psychiatric treatment. But he laughs in the face of the first few psychiatrists he meets. Only Robin Williams manages to gain his respect. Young Mr Damon is an attractive addition to our screens who has several more movies coming out soon. Good looks and a brain. What a combination. Stage plays that have a pessimistic ending are a very risky business to film. Stage audiences don't seem to mind a suicide before the final curtain, but filmgoers seem to want hope in the final fadeout. Peter Fonda being shot dead on a motor bike in the last minute of "Easy Rider" is one of the very rare dismal endings of a hit film. And that was because in 1969 drive-in cinemas were big business in America that had audiences sitting in their cars smoking pot with the windows tightly shut listening to the continual pop records on the soundtrack at maximum volume. "Bent" (18) started as a stage play that was educational more than enjoyable showing how gays and Jews were persecuted in pre-war Nazi concentration camps. Filming it is a very brave decision. Revered stage director Sean Matthias has opened the story imaginatively in a warehouse club setting that has Mick Jagger performing in drag. Clive Owen is one of the sexiest leading men amongst British actors with or without hair and his performance here deserves awards. But how Nazi guards degrade inmates is only likely to be your scene if you love being a sadist or masochist. "Bent Men" (15) will stay in my mind forever as the first movie in which a straight guy leaving prison is asked whether he was made to have sex with the other inmates and admits to having done so and enjoyed it. Yet he plans to get married on his first day of release, but somehow gets involved in a bank robbery with hilarious consequences. Writing a farce about robbing a bank is not easy and "Best Men" has problems deciding whether it in a comedy or a thriller. Nevertheless it has some very attractive guys to study while you make a decision. Eddie Murphy made a fortune from his "Beverley Hills Cop" films making the world realise black witty con men can be very entertaining. Now another black guy, Chris Tucker, has followed exactly in his path with "Money Talks." (PG) which is well worth your time. While in police custody he is handcuffed to a major villain while they are transferred in a police bus. The villain's friends land in a helicopter to rescue him and as they are handcuffed together, Mr Tucker is dragged with him while the police are mowed down with machine guns. Charlie Sheen is a TV reporter desperate for a good story who gets involved and their exploits are very funny and nerve wracking. A Hollywood action thriller at its best. The makers of "Wag The Dog" (15) couldn't be more pleased about Mr Clinton's private life as their plot has a US President being accused of molesting a teenage girl two weeks before the election. Robert De Niro plays a White House advisor brought in to cover up potential disaster. He joins forces with a Hollywood producer, Dustin Hoffman, in a desperate attempt to divert the country's attention from a presidential scandal to a new war in Albania. It is 97 minutes of great amusement. If the world of the future interests you "Gattica" (15) is the film for you. It in set in a time when you can choose the genetic make-up of your child. Dazzling intelligence? A non-violent nature? Long life span? Never having to worry about being fat, short or bald? The leading man is Ethan Hawke who was so bewitched by his loading lady in this, Uma Thurman, they have been together since production finished. Remember the easy to look at Jude Law as Bosie in the Oscar Wilde film recently? He makes his American debut here. It is already winning awards at festivals of science fiction and fantasy films. One of the most uncommercial films I have ever seen is the Russian "Mother and Son" (15) which has brought critical raves at its opening in the States with director Martin Scorcese saying, "Why can't America make cinema like this?" Why they would not bother to is because they are obsessed with making big bucks which this little masterpiece is not at all likely to. It is 73 minutes of a good looking young man taking care of his invalid mother in a country house and carrying her around the countryside. It will appeal to anyone who has taken care of an elderly parent at the end of their life. Although it was incredibly slow I loved it. And I hope Mr Scorcese persuades the leading man, Alexei Ananishnov, who is presently manager of Pepsi Cola in St. Petersburg, to work for him in movies very soon As Ralph Fiennes is a hot property right now there will be many eager to study him in "Oscar And Lucinda" based on a Booker prize winning novel by Peter Carey set mostly in Victorian Australia. Training to go into the church Ralph becomes frequently lucky at gambling, but hesitates to tell anyone because of the moral climate of the times. On the ship to Sydney he meets a kindred spirit, Cate Blanchett, who owns a glass factory. Together they plan a church made of glass. Mostly of interest to Fiennes fanatics and there are quite a few of them. In "Les Voleurs" (18) an attractive girl, Laurence Cote, is having an affair with a policeman, Daniel Auteuil, and another with philosophy professor, Catherine Deneuve. When Mr Auteuil is not investigating crimes he is consulting Miss Deneuve about where their mutual interest has disappeared to. As she is working with a den of French thieves they both have their work cut out persuading her to give it up and decide which of them she would prefer to be with. Best Of The Current Releases As "Scream" made $100 million profit we now have "Scream 2" (18). Those who loved all that blood and screaming the first time around will expect college girls to suffer and suffer. "Mrs Dalloway" (PG) is a gem if you like the idea of a 1923 Virginia Woolf story about Vanessa Redgrave giving a party to include the people she has loved most in her life. It is the upper classes facing the dramas of the day including Rupert Graves as a shell shocked former soldier giving the most sensitive performance of his life. "Junk-Mail" is a likeable Norwegian oddity about a postman who opens any post that appeals to him. When a girl he fancies drops her keys he goes to her flat to explore. Mostly of interest to Norwegians living here. "Middleton's Changeling" (18) is based on a 300 year old play that is a vortex of lust, corruption and death in glorious colour. Set in Spain it has the daughter of the richest man in Alicante engaged to one man who falls in love with another. She persuades her disfigured servant to murder her fiance, but then he insists on payment of the horizontal kind. Billy Connolly wanders in and out giving the impression he was there for the sunbathing. A good looking cast keeps the interest going. Malcolm Epstein ------------------------------------------ LISTINGS ======== We TRY to provide Scotland's most up-to-date and accurate listings. If your group isn't listed, - or if your entry needs updating - please write to ScotsGay with full details. We're not clairvoyant: If we don't know about it, it just won't go in! We'd also like to know about your forthcoming events and meetings. Although many of the listings are for specific towns, they often cover a much wider area. If in doubt, you can always phone one of the Switchboards for more information. Write to:- ScotsGay Listings, Pageprint Limited, PO Box 666, Edinburgh EH7 5YW, Fax them to: 0131-539 2999 or e-mail them to listings@scotsgay.co.uk. NATIONAL ORGANISATIONS OUTRIGHT SCOTLAND is Scotland's oldest lesbian, gay and bisexual rights organisation. It was founded in 1969 as the Scottish Minorities Group, later became the Scottish Homosexual Rights Group and changed its name to OUTRIGHT SCOTLAND in December 1992. OUTRIGHT SCOTLAND owns the Edinburgh Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Centre. To contact, write to: The Secretary, OUTRIGHT SCOTLAND, 58a Broughton Street, Edinburgh. EH1 3SA or send E-mail to alecd@dircon.co.uk Why not join OUTRIGHT SCOTLAND? Membership is ukp15 waged, ukp9 low-waged (under ukp10,000 pa) and ukp5 unwaged. Life membership is ukp150. Please make out your cheque/Postal Order to OUTRIGHT SCOTLAND and send to The Membership Secretary, OUTRIGHT SCOTLAND, 58a Broughton Street, EDINBURGH. EH1 3SA. EQUALITY NETWORK: Working for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in Scotland. Write: c/o 58a Broughton Street, Edinburgh. EH1 1SA. Tel: 07020 933 952. Fax: 07020 933 954. WWW: http://www.diversity.org.uk/equality E-mail: equality@diversity.org.uk Write, phone e-mail for more details of our campaigning work, and please join the campaign network! LESBIAN ARCHIVE AND INFORMATION CENTRE: The UK's largest and most significant collection of materials relating to lesbian lives. LAIC (at Glasgow Women's Library) 109 Trongate, Glasgow. G1 5HD. Tel: 0141-552 8345. Open Tue-Fri 1-6pm and Sat 2-5pm. WWW: http://www.quine.org.uk/resources/glasgow_womens_library/lesbian_archive.html PRIDE SCOTLAND: Pride Scotland organises the annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered Pride event in Scotland. Phone: 0131-556 8822 or 0141-400 2640 Mon-Sat 2-5pm, Tue 7-8pm. Or write: c/o 58a Broughton Street, Edinburgh. EH1 1SA. E-mail: pridescotland@drink.demon.co.uk WWW: http://www.scotsgay.co.uk/pride/ All kinds of help are urgently required all year round! Next Pride Scotland: Glasgow June 13th 1998. SPEAK OUT SCOTLAND: is a new pressure group which aims to protest against cases of homophobia, in and around Scotland, using non-aggressive direct action. Write: 58a Broughton Street, Edinburgh. EH1 3SA or e-mail: speak.out.scotland@drink.demon.co.uk LOCAL ORGANISATIONS ABERDEEN: North East Scotland Gay Group caters for all ages and meets at 7.30pm on the 3rd Sunday of every month. Phone Ron on Aberdeen (01224) 312547 (7-11pm) for information. Icebreakers is a social group which meets on 2nd Friday and last Monday of each month. Contact Grampian Switchboard for details. BORDERS: Borders Gay Switchboard operates every Thursday evening 7.30-10pm for confidential information, advice and counselling. Phone Galashiels (01896) 756611 or write to Borders Gay Switchboard, PO Box 13305, Hawick, Borders. TD9 9YG. CAITHNESS GAY AND LESBIAN CONNECTION: A friendly informal group which meets regularly. Write to: Box 689, Journal Office, 42 Union Street, Wick, Caithness. KW1 5ED. CENTRAL REGION: Forth Friend has a disco (1st Saturday of most months) and a social group which meets every second Wednesday. The Forth Friend phoneline operates each Monday from 7.30pm to 9.30pm on Stirling (01786) 471285. Or write to: PO Box 28, Stirling. FK9 5YW. DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY: Regular social meetings - usually every second Wednesday. For details of all events: phone Dumfries (01387) 261818 Thursday 7.30-9.30pm or write to Dumfries and Galloway Lesbian and Gay Group, PO Box 1299, Dumfries. DG1 2PD. DUNDEE: Tay Friend, holds regular social meetings for gay men. Write to: Tay Friend, PO Box 182, Dundee. DD1 9UP. Or phone Dundee Switchboard. EDINBURGH: Icebreakers is an alternative to the scene and takes place between 8pm and 9.15pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each calendar month in Cafe Kudos. Phone Lothian Switchboard for details. ELGIN: Moray Lesbian and Gay Network meets second and fourth Wednesdays of each month 7.30pm in the Cat's Whiskers pub in New Elgin. Also meets every Saturday 3.30-5pm for informal coffee afternoon in Mathieson's Pastisserie (lower ground floor of St Giles shopping mall). Sunday afternoon outing takes place every 4th Sunday. Phone Moray Switchboard for details. Or write: MLGN, 2-4 Lamb Street, Bishopmill, Elgin. IV30 2DG. FIFE FRIEND: Small voluntary phoneline offering support, advice and information to lesbians and gay men within Fife. Friday: 7.30-10.30pm. Telephone: Kirkcaldy (01592) 266688. Write to PO Box 19, Kirkcaldy, Fife. KY1 3JF. Runs a monthly disco. GLASGOW: Glasgow Gay & Lesbian Centre Project, fundraising, campaigning and social group. Committee meetings held on 1st Saturday each month at 2pm in the Centre, open to all. Write to Glasgow Gay & Lesbian Centre, 11 Dixon Street, Glasgow, G1 4AL or contact 0141-221 7203 (phone/fax). Childcare expenses and BSL interpreter available - please give advance notice. E-mail: gglc@gglc.org.uk WWW: http://www.gglc.org.uk/gglc/ Glasgow Gay Group is an informal social group for gay men. Has a regular weekly pub night as well as running other social events like theatre, cinema, bowling, etc. Phone: Logan on Duntocher (01389) 875078. Icebreakers Café, for lesbians, gays and bisexuals new to the scene:12.30-3pm on First Sunday in each month. GGLC, 11 Dixon St. Details from Strathclyde Switchboard. HAMILTON: Lanarkshire Gay Men's Group is a group which meets every Wednesday. Social and educational events. Details from Phace West: 0141-332 3838. E-mail: phacewest@enterprise.net INVERCLYDE: Inverclyde Gay & Lesbian Group meets every other Wednesday at the Greenock Arts Guild. Cręche facilities are available. Contact Greenock (01475) 745903, daytime, for further info. P.O. Box 9700, Port Glasgow, PA14 5YD. E-mail: inverclydeglg@drink.demon.co.uk INVERNESS: Highland Gay Men's Group meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 28 Huntly Street. Phone: Inverness (01463) 711585 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) or write to: PO Box 67, Inverness. IV1 2XX. WOMEN'S GROUPS ABERDEEN LESBIAN GROUP: Meets every Wednesday 8-10pm in the Women's Centre, Shoe Lane. Phone: Babs Greenwood on Aberdeen (01224) 625010. E-mail: ab.womenscentre@dial.pipex.com DUNDEE: Sumbiddies Dachters (Lesbian Support Group) meets at 7pm every second Tuesday at Women's Health & Family Project, 1 Russell Project, Hilltown, Dundee. DD3 7RU. Telephone: Dundee (01382) 810230. EDINBURGH: AD Group: For lesbians 40+. Monthly meeting and frequent social events. For details, phone Edinburgh Lesbian Line or E-mail 40plus@drink.demon.co.uk Dykes Nytes Out: Social events for couples and singles. Meets 1st, 2nd and 3rd Friday of each month in Café Kudos. Phone Edinburgh Lesbian Line for details. Edinburgh Bisexual Group meets every Thursday at 8pm-9.30pm in the Edinburgh Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Centre, 58a Broughton Street. All welcome. Edinburgh Lesbian Line 0131-557 0751, Mondays and Thursdays 7.30-10pm. For information, advice and counselling in confidence. Write to: PO Box 169, Edinburgh. EH1 3UU. Lesbian Mothers Group: Phone: Sue Robertson - 0131-556 3899/4563. Or write: One Parent Scotland, 13 Gayfield Square, Edinburgh. EH1 3NX. LIAS: Lesbian Information And Support. A self help group which meets fortnightly at 40 Shandwick Place (EAMH Meeting Room). Offers help and support and provides a comfortable environment to meet and discuss problems/issues for the lesbian community in the Lothians. Phone: 0131-225 8508. GLASGOW: Glasgow Lesbian Line: 0141-552 3355 Wednesdays 7-10pm. Write to: PO Box 686, Glasgow. G3 7TL enclosing an sae for monthly 'Lavender Listing'. Glasgow Women's Library, 4th/5th Floors, 109 Trongate, G1 5HD. Tel: 0141-552 8345. Open Tue-Fri 1-6pm. Sat 2-5pm. Closed Mon. Lending and reference library - books, magazines, journals, videos, leaflets and information. UK and overseas feminist and lesbian publications. Contains the Lesbian Archive and Information Centre - a unique national collection of publications, journals and ephemera by and for lesbians. WWW: http://www.quine.org.uk/resources/glasgow_womens_library/ Jive Classes: Wednesday nights from 7.30-10.30pm. Beginners through to advanced, no need to bring a partner. Phone Glasgow Lesbian Line for venue details. Lesbian Mothers Discussion Group: Meets every second Monday from 6-8pm. Support group, social events, informal chat. Cręche and fares help available. Phone Vicky on 0141-333 1450. Listening Ear: Counselling for lesbians available at the GGLC every Monday 1.30-2.30pm. Phone: 0141-221 7203 for details. Massage and Aromatherapy: Qualified practitioners offer a sliding scale of fees for women on low incomes. Phone Glasgow Lesbian Line for details. OLGA - Older Women's Group: Phone Glasgow Lesbian Line for details. Self Defence and Personal Safety: Personal safety and self defence courses for lesbians are offered by the Women's Safety Centre, Wellpark Women's Business Centre, 120 Sydney Street, Glasgow. Tel: 0141-554 7676. Women's Badminton Group: Meets weekly. Phone Glasgow Lesbian Line for details. Women's Five-a-side Football: Indoor football on Sunday evenings 5-7pm. Mixed ability, new members/visitors welcome. Phone Glasgow Lesbian Line for venue details. INVERNESS: Out and About is a friendly lesbian social group that gets together once a month. Write to: PO Box 91, Inverness. IV1 2GJ. LESBIAN INFORMATION SERVICE: PO Box 8, Todmorden, Lancashire. OL14 5TZ. Please enclose an sae. Phone/Fax: Todmorden (01706) 817235. LILLIDOTS: Lesbian Feminist Walking Group. Contact via Dundee Switchboard, Edinburgh Lesbian Line, Glasgow Lesbian Line or Grampian Switchboard. BISEXUALS EDINBURGH BISEXUAL GROUP: Meets every Thursday at 8pm-9.30pm in the Edinburgh Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Centre, 58a Broughton Street. There's an excellent programme of talks and speakers usually followed by a visit to a local pub for socialising. Phone: Edinburgh Bi Helpline on 0131-557 3620. GLASGOW BI GROUP: New group in process of formation. Contact: David Craig, c/o GGLC, 11 Dixon Street, Glasgow. G1 4AL. GLASGOW BI WOMEN'S GROUP: The group has folded, but their web pages linger on! WWW: http://www.quine.org.uk/gbwg/ ATHEISTS/HUMANISTS EDINBURGH FREETHINKERS: An informal network of militant atheists (with one militant humanist agnostic atheist). Write to: PO Box 666, Edinburgh. EH7 5YW or E-mail god@antipope.org GAY AND LESBIAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION (GALHA): A group for non religious lesbians gays and bisexuals which promotes an enlightened, rational Humanist approach to homosexuality. Details from GALHA National Office, 34 Spring Lane, Kenilworth, Warwickshire. CV8 2HB. Phone/Fax: Kenilworth (01926) 858450. WWW: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/hompepages/GALHA/ E-mail: GALHA@compuserve.com BEARS BEARS' CLUB UK: For hairy, moustached and bearded men and their admirers. Edinburgh: Meets in the New Town Bar on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 8.30pm. Glasgow: Meets every 2nd Friday of each month in the Court Bar from 8.30pm. Glasgow contact: 0141-883 9055. E-mail: glasgowbears@drink.demon.co.uk. Write: BCUK, PO Box 89, Hoylake DO, Wirral. L48 4LD BEREAVEMENT LESBIAN & GAY BEREAVEMENT PROJECT: Lesbians and gay men needing advice and support can ring 0181-455 8894 at any time. Or write to: Lesbian & Gay Bereavement Project, Vaughan M Williams Centre, Colindale Hospital, London. NW9 5HG. THRESHOLDS: Individual and group support for gay men, bisexual men and men who have sex with men, within Edinburgh and the Lothians. 10a Union Street, Edinburgh. EH1 3LU. Telephone: 0131-558 9444. BIKERS GAY BIKERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB: A UK-wide club for women and men. Active Scottish section. Details: GBMCC, PO Box 33, Nottingham. NG10 2BF. CHRISTIANS CHANGING CHURCH ATTITUDES: Write c/o 58a Broughton Street, Edinburgh. EH1 3SA. E-mail: cca2000@btinternet.com EVANGELICAL: Lesbian or gay? From an Evangelical tradition? So are we. Phone: Ewan on Polmont (01324) 715542. HOLY TRINITY METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH: An inclusive church of the lesbigay and trangendered community open to all irrespective of sexuality. Services: 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month at 6pm in the Quaker Meeting House, Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh and 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month at 2pm in the GGLC, 11 Dixon Street, Glasgow. Phone John on 0131-556 1309. Write: Holy Trinity MCC, PO Box 12433, Edinburgh. EH1 3FU. or MCC, GGLC, 11 Dixon Street, Glasgow. G1 4AL. WWW: http://www.geocities.com/westhollywood/8362 or E-mail: mcc.edinburgh@cheerful.com L&GCM: Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement. Write to PO Box 1436, Glasgow. G31 2NY. QUAKERS: Quaker Lesbian and Gay Fellowship (formerly Friends' Homosexual Fellowship) is a welcoming and supportive national group for people of all sexual orientations and their friends. Write to: Ruth, 3 Hallsfield, Cricklade, Swindon, Wilts. SN6 6LR. QUEST: Organisation for Roman Catholic men and women who are gay. Monthly meetings are held in Glasgow. For information, call Linkline Glasgow on 0141-948 0397. Sunday 7-10pm. Or you can write to: Quest, PO Box 280, Glasgow. G12 0AW. E-mail: quest@dircon.co.uk COMMUNICATIONS BORDERS BULLETIN BOARD: Computer based information, programs and gay message exchanges. On-line 24 hours a day. To gain access to these areas, register as a new user and leave a messsage for the Sysop who will upgrade your access accordingly. Connect speeds 2400-28,800 baud. Hawick (01450) 377877. CHAPPS BBS: 24 hour board operating at speeds up to 28,800. 0131-539 1132 or 0131-538 3345 (speeds up to 14,400) Fido echoes. LAMBDA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB (EUROPE): Europe's only club for gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered amateur radio enthusiasts and their friends. Sae to: LARC, PO Box 2782, Brighton. BN1 7LJ. LAMBDA BOARD - EDINBURGH: The UK's oldest lesbigay 24 hour computer based bulletin board system. Private mailboxing, areas for Women, Gay Men, Bisexuals, Leather Enthusiasts, TV/TSs, etc. 0131-556 6316. Scrolling (8N1) and Viewdata (Prestel) formats at speeds up to V22bis (2400/2400). CULTURAL CLANN AN UABHAIR (A FAMILY OF PRIDE): New York City's own Gay & Lesbian Scottish Association. Membership open to anyone. Dances, ceilidhs, cultural events throughout the year. A particular warm welcome to anyone visiting our town from Scotland! E-mail: ibetts@erols.com for any and all information, or snail mail to Clann An Uabhair, G.L.S.A., P.O. Box 630, Murray Hill Station, New York, NY 10016, USA. Phone: 00 1 (212) 726-1418. GAY ABBA FAN CLUB: For anyone wanting to meet with other guys with a Scandinavian fixation, watch/swap videos, memorabilia or just jam with other Svenskas. Phone: 0141-943 1428. GLASGAY!: Lesbian and gay arts festival. Postponed until 30th Oct - 7th Nov 1998. Write: c/o GGLC, 11 Dixon Street, Glasgow. G1 4AL. GLASGOW GAY MEN'S CHORUS: Meets Mon, 7.30pm, GGLC. No auditions: new members always welcome. Phone: 0141-337 3806. INTERNATIONAL KILT APPRECIATION SOCIETY (IKAS): Contact and social group for guys interested in viewing/wearing kilts. Regular newsletter: SAE Mervyn Tacy, ‘Ziveli', 20 Ordsall Park Road, RETFORD, Notts, DN22 7PA. WESTERN STARS: Western style line and partner dancing for gays, lesbians and friends of goodwill. Mon evenings, Wee Red Bar, Art College. Phone: 0131-453 3284 for details. DRINK PROBLEMS If you have a drink problem and want help and advice, you can ring Tom on 0141-770 6599, 7 days a week anytime. Tom refers to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), but does preparatory work. FORCES AT EASE: An advice service to armed forces personnel and their families on any subject. Free, independent, confidential, impartial. Write: 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6LS or phone (Sundays 5-7pm only) 0171-247 5164. RANK OUTSIDERS: Support group of Lesbian and Gay Ex Armed Forces Personnel. No rank distinctions. Write:Rank Outsiders, BCM Box 8431, London. WC1N 3XX. National Helpline: 0171-566 0044 Wed 7-9pm. Scottish Co-ordinator: Calum McLean. Phone: Inverness (01463) 236878. HEALTH MATTERS BODY POSITIVE (GRAMPIAN): Support and assistance for gay and bisexual men with HIV/AIDS. Phone: Aberdeen (01224) 404408. Or write to: PO Box 83, Aberdeen. AB9 1AA. BODY POSITIVE (LOTHIAN): Phone to speak to a gay positive person 1:1 on 0131-652 0754 Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 10am-4pm, Thur 10am-7pm. Or write to: 37-39 Montrose Terrace, Edinburgh. EH7 5DJ. BODY POSITIVE (STRATHCLYDE): Providing support for those HIV+ and with AIDS in the West of Scotland. Phone: 0141-332 5010. Fax: 0141-332 4285. Centre open at 3 Park Quadrant, Glasgow. G3 6BS. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. WWW: http://homepages.enterprise.net/bpstrathclyde/ E-mail: bpstrathclyde@enterprise.net BODY POSITIVE (TAYSIDE): Self help for HIV+ people on Dundee (01382) 461555 Tue, Wed Thu 10am-4pm. CENTRE FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH: 6 Sandyford Place, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. G3 7NB. Open Tue-Thur 10am-4.30pm (other times by arrangement). Fully accessible. Telephone: 0141-211 6700 (Minicom: 0141-211 6701). CRUSAID SCOTLAND: 25 Queensferry Street, Edinburgh. EH2 4QS. Telephone: 0131-225 8918. Fax: 0131-220 4033. AIDS/HIV Fundraisers who organise the annual Walk for Life. WWW: http://www.crusaid.org.uk/ E-mail: office@crusaid.org.uk DOT (DUNDEE OUTREACH TEAM): Harm Reduction Centre, 55 Constitution Road, Dundee. DD1 1LB. Telephone: Dundee (01382) 201919. Sexual health and relevant issues for gay and bisexual men. Free and confidential service. Drop in coffee shop: Sat 2-5pm. Friendly and informal. FRIENDS FOR LIFE: Provides support and information in Glasgow and surrounding areas to people affected by terminal or long term chronic illness. ie Cancer, AIDS, MS, etc. Please call 0141-204 2202 or write to Friends for Life, 5th Floor, 52 St Enoch Square, Glasgow. G1 4DH. GALUP: Gay and Lesbian United Programme. Promotes health issues among lesbians gays and bisexuals in the Dundee area. Write: c/o YMCA Special Projects Office, 76 Bell Street, Dundee. GAY MEN'S HEALTH: A voluntary sector project for gay men, bisexual men and men who have sex with men. Services include individual support and counselling, Thresholds (a bereavement project), scene work, educating and training. 10a Union Street, Edinburgh. EH1 3LU. Telephone: 0131-558 9444. TeleFAX: 0131-558 9060. GAY MEN'S TASK FORCE: Freephone 0800 525253 (Mon-Tue 7pm-9pm). GLASGOW BARS AIDS WELFARE FUND: Raises funds for various HIV/AIDS projects in the Glasgow area. PO Box 3954, Glasgow. G31 2YF. E-mail: gbawf@hotmail.com GLASGOW HIV CARERS SUPPORT GROUP: Phone: 0141-221 8100. Or write to: Suite 226, Baltic Chambers, 50 Wellington Street, Glasgow. G2 6HJ. GRAMPIAN AIDS LINE: Aberdeen (01224) 574000 or write to GAL, PO Box 250, Aberdeen. HAVEN: Drop-in space for those affected by HIV and AIDS in the west of Scotland. Mon-Fri 11am-5pm. Ruchill Hospital, 520 Bilsland Drive, Glasgow. G20 5NB. Tel: 0141-946 7120 ext 1550. HEALTHY GAY SCOTLAND: Freephone 0800 731 8101 (7-10pm). Advice and info on AIDS/HIV. Free condoms and lube available by post from their website: http://www.hgscotland.org.uk LANARKSHIRE HIV AND AIDS COUNSELLING: Phone Airdrie (01236) 747960 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) MILESTONE HOUSE: Residential care (primarily respite and paliative care) for people with HIV/AIDS. 223 Oxgangs Road North, Edinburgh. EH14 1EB. Phone: 0131-441 6989. OASIS: Drop-in and information service for gay and bisexual men. Mon-Wed, Fri 10am-5pm, Thu 10am-10pm. 10a Union Street, Edin. Tel: 0131-558 9444. PAISLEY SUPPORT GROUP: For people with HIV, partners, friends and family. First Wednesday of the month 7.30pm at The Wynd, School Wynd (off Moss Street). Phone: Margaret McAllister on Brediland (01505) 814284. PHACE WEST: A locally based and managed agency for people affected by HIV/AIDS serving Glasgow and the West of Scotland. 49 Bath Street, Glasgow. G2 2DL. Phone: 0141-332 3838 (Fax: 0141-332 3755). E-mail: phacewest@enterprise.net POSITIVE ACCOMMODATION: Tel: 0141-552 4488. POSITIVE HELP: Practical help for people who are HIV+ or who have AIDS and their families, children, friends and carers. 13 Great King Street, Edinburgh. EH3 6QW. Phone: 0131-558 1122. THE RAINBOW FUND: Raising funds for the benefit of the residents of Ruchill HIV/AIDS Unit. PO Box 9525, Johnstone. PA5 0YB. Phone/Fax: Johnstone (01505) 347301. E-Mail : 106756.701@compuserve.com REACH OUT HIGHLAND: encourages and supports people throughout the Highlands - whether living there or visiting - to take responsibility for, manage, and make informed choices about their sexual health and well-being. 28 Huntly Street, Inverness. IV3 5PR. Phone: Inverness (01463) 711585. E-mail: support@reachout.demon.co.uk SOLAS NATIONAL HIV/AIDS INFORMATION CENTRE: 2/4 Abbeymount, Edinburgh. EH8 8EJ. Information, advice and cafe. Information centre: Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri 11-4pm, Wed 5-9pm. Phone: 0131-659 5116. E-mail: information@solas.demon.co.uk STEVE RETSON PROJECT: Weekly sexual health service for gay men. Tuesday 5.30-9pm. Department of GU Medicine, Main Outpatient Department, Royal Infirmary, 16 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow. Phone: 0141-211 4753. WAVERLEY CARE TRUST BUDDY SERVICE: Buddying Service for people with HIV/AIDS. Buddy Service Co-ordinator, 4a Royal Terrace, Edinburgh. EH7 5AB. Phone: 0131-556 3959. Fax: 0131-556 5045. NATIONAL AIDS HELPLINE: Freephone 0800 567123. 24 hour service for confidential advice and information. Minicom: 0800 521361 (10am-10pm). Other languages: Arabic 0800 282447 (Thurs 6-10pm), Bengali 0800 371132 (Tues 6-10pm), Cantonese 0800 282446 (Mon 6-10pm), Gujerati 0800 371134 (Wed 6-10pm), Hindi 0800 371136 (Wed 6-10pm), Punjabi 0800 371133 (Wed 6-10pm), Urdu 0800 371135 (Wed 6-10pm) and Welsh 0800 371131 (Daily 10am-2am). (All calls to 0800 numbers are free except from some mobile networks). LEATHER MSC SCOTLAND: MSC Scotland, PO Box 28, Edinburgh. EH3 5JL. MSC Scotland is a member of the European Federation of Motorcycle Clubs. LEGAL GAY AND LESBIAN LEGAL ADVICE: GLAD is a London based advice line run by lesbian and gay lawyers. Phone: 0171-831 3535 (Mon-Thu 7-9pm). State clearly that you seek Scottish legal advice as our law is very different from that of England and Wales. NON-MONOGAMY ABUNDANCE: New supportive UK/European network for non-monogamous people. For more info on polyamory/polyfidelity, write enclosing sae to: Abundance, PO Box 5190, Birmingham. B13 9DJ. E-mail: polyenq@sugito.demon.co.uk ORDERS ORDER OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE: The Sisters and Brothers of the OPI are part of a world wide order of queer men and women of all sexualities which is open to all who feel the habit. Its tenets are: The expurgation of stigmatic guilt and the promulgation of universal joy. Contact Sister Solicitation OPI, c/o 58a Broughton Street, Edinburgh. EH1 3SA. E-mail: alecd@dircon.co.uk ORDER OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE (CONVENT OF MORAVIA): Sister Bobby, 2-4 Lamb Street, Bishopmill, Elgin. IV30 2DG. Informal get together every Monday. Contact Moray Switchboard for details. OUTDOOR CLUBS DUNDEE HILLBILLIES: New hillwalking group mets 2nd and 3rd Sundays of the month. Contact: Derek on Aberlemno (01307) 830428. GAY OUTDOOR CLUB: Holds regular events including walking, cycling, mountaineering, camping, youth-hostelling, badminton and swimming. Please send an A5 s.a.e. to GOC, PO Box 16124, Glasgow, G12 9YT, or ring one of the Scottish contacts: East: Grant on 0131-556 8705, West: Jonathan on 0141-334 0812; North: Michael on Inverness (01463) 230651. Website: http://bi.org/~goc GAY RAMBLING GROUP: Walks on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Phone Ross on 0141-427 1511. OVER FORTIES PHOENIX: The only national group for the over forties and friends of any age. Write (enclose sae) to: Phoenix, PO Box 103, Wallington, Surrey. SM6 9SJ. PARENTS PARENTS' FRIEND: Phone: 0113-267 4627. Or write to: Voluntary Action Leeds, Stringer House, 34 Lupton Street, Hunslett, Leeds. LS10 2QW. PARENTS' SUPPORT: Support for parents of lesbians, gays and bisexuals. Phone: Alice on Lanark (01555) 895306. SCOTTISH PARENTS ENQUIRY SERVICE: Support for parents of lesbians gays and bisexuals. Contact via Lothian Switchboard or write to SPE, PO Box 169, Edinburgh. EH1 3UU. POLITICAL DELGA: Liberal Democrats for Lesbian and Gay Action - write to 4 Cowley Street, London. SW1P 3NB or E-mail archdruid@cix.compulink.co.uk WWW: http://www.libdems.org.uk/people/aos/delga LESBIANS AND GAY MEN SUPPORTING IRISH POLITICAL PRISONERS/IRISH SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGNS IN SCOTLAND/LONDON: For details of monthly pickets, socials, functions, commemorations, etc, write to: Paul, BM Box 7970, London. WC1N 3XX. LIBERAL PARTY LESBIAN AND GAY CAMPAIGN: Phone: Southport (01704) 500115 (day), 0151-259 5935 (ansaphone), write to: Liberal Party Lesbian & Gay Campaign, 41 Sutton Street, Liverpool. L13 7EG. WWW: http://www.libparty.demon.co.uk/ E-mail: libgay@libparty.demon.co.uk THE PASSION BRIGADE: Mixed sex/sexuality - all ages and races. Anarchism. Details (2 postage stamps please) from BM Box 207, LONDON. WC1N 3XX. SCOTTISH LABOUR CAMPAIGN FOR LESBIAN AND GAY RIGHTS: Works within the Labour and Trades Union movement to secure equality for lesbians and gay men. Meets quarterly. Contact c/o GGLC, 11 Dixon Street, Glasgow. G1 4AL. TORCHE: Tory Campaign for Homosexual Equality - write: BM TORCHE, London WC1N 3XX. RAPE/SEXUAL ABUSE RAPE AND ABUSE LINE: For male and female survivors. Women: Dingwall (01349) 865316 7-10pm nightly. Men: Dingwall (01349) 862686 Mon and Wed 7-10pm. Write: PO Box 10, Dingwall. IV15 9LH. REAL ALE GAY REAL ALE CLUB: Meets regularly for sampling of Real Ale in Glasgow pubs. Contact: Douglas 0141-883 9055 or E-mail: dwalker994@aol.com SCIENCE FICTION DELANEY'S EDINBURGH CHILDREN: Meets every 1st Sunday of the month in Stonewall Café from 3-4.30pm. Contact Jane on 0131-556 6109. DELANEY'S GLASGOW CHILDREN: Meets every 3rd Sunday of the month. Contact Paul on 0141-339 9176. S/M SM GAYS: Write to SM Gays, BM SM Gays, London. WC1N 3XX. E-mail: smgays@aol.com SPORTS ABERDEEN GAY MEN'S SWIMMING GROUP: Swim every Wednesday: Phone: David on Aberdeen (01224) 317552. EDINBURGH GAY MEN'S RUNNING CLUB: Meets for 3-4 mile casual local run. Alistair on 0131-661 0008. EDINBURGH GAY MEN'S SWIMMING GROUP: Meets informally Mondays at 8pm in the Commonwealth Pool. Phone: Tom on 0131-229 5755. GAY BODYBUILDERS/WEIGHTRAINERS CLUB: Contact Winston Duncan on 0171-379 3480 for contact with Scottish members and nationally. GAY HIGHLAND SPORTS GROUP: Contact Brian on Inverness (01463) 237138. Badminton, 10-pin bowling, swimming. Welcomes visitors to the area. GLASGOW BADMINTON GROUP: Meets Wednesdays 6.30-9.30pm, during term-time, in the games hall at Knightswood Secondary School, Knightswood Road. Contact: Andrew on 0141-576 6875. GLASGOW SWIMMING GROUP: Meets Thursdays at 8pm, during term-time, in the pool at Woodside Secondary School, Berkeley Street. Contact: Derek on Stirling (01786) 475897. LESBIAN & GAY FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS NETWORK: Phone: Ewan on 0141-779 2321. STUDENTS Many Universities and Colleges have Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Societies. Contact these via your Student Union or Student Association. Many are open to non-students living in the area. There are also groups covering wider areas run in conjunction with the National Union of Students - East of Scotland: Write to LGB Officer, East of Scotland Area NUS, 11 Broughton Market, Edinburgh. EH3 6NU or phone on 0131-556 6598. North of Scotland: Write to LGB Officer, North of Scotland Area NUS, University of Aberdeen, 50/52 College Bounds, Aberdeen, AB2 3DS. West of Scotland: Write to LGB Officer, West of Scotland Area NUS, Cathcart House, Langside College, 50 Prospecthill Road, Glasgow. G42 9LB. NUS Scottish LGB Officer on 0131-556 6598 or write to NUS Scotland, 11 Broughton Market, Edinburgh. EH3 6NU. E-mail: nus-scot@dircon.co.uk OPEN UNIVERSITY L&G SOC: Phone: David: on 0141-554 7159. TV/TS ABERDEEN: Crossdressing Group. Contact Grampian Switchboard for details. EDINBURGH: Scottish TV/TS Group meets in private rooms last Saturday of each month. Ring Lothian Switchboard for further information. GLASGOW: Crosslynx meets second Wednesday of each month (except December) from 7pm-10pm. Phone: Crosslynx Helpline on 0141-332 3333 Mon 7.30-9.30pm. HIGHLAND T-GROUP: Monthly TV/TS support group. Contact Inverness (01463) 711585 (9am-5pm) or write to: PO Box 67, Inverness. IV1 2XX. VISUAL IMPAIRMENT VISUAL IMPAIRED GAY GROUP SCOTLAND (VIGG): Offers a listening ear and support to women and men. Phone Colin and Jim: Dumfries (01387) 261679 or write to: VIGG, 112 Annan Road, Dumfries. DG1 3EZ. WORKPLACE EIS GAY AND LESBIAN NETWORK: Write c/o 46 Moray Place, Edinburgh. EH3 6EH. Or contact Veronica Rankin, Equality Officer, on 0131-225 6244 or 0141-353 3595. GMB: Contact Mary Harrison, Regional Equal Rights Officer, Fountain House, 1/3 Woodside Crescent, Glasgow. G3 7UJ. Phone: 0141-332 8641. GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL G&L EMPLOYEES FORUM: Phone: John Dawson on 0141-959 7457 or Charles Thomson on 0141-287 3744. UNISON GLASGOW CITY LESBIAN & GAY GROUP: Meets monthly on Payday Tuesday in the GGLC 6pm. Phone: Neil MacInnes 0958 754315. UNISON NATIONAL L&G CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE: Phone: Steve Weddell on 0131-469 3880. Or write: c/o 18 St Giles Street, Edinburgh. EH1 1PT. UNISON WEST NETWORK: For UNISON members in the West of Scotland. Meets Quarterly. Phone: Neil MacInnes 0958 754315. YOUTH GROUPS ABERDEEN LGB YOUTH GROUP: For 21s and under. Meets 2-5pm on 2nd and 4th Saturdays, Phone: Aberdeen (01224) 272975, E-mail src038@abdn.ac.uk or check webpage at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~src038/ DUNDEE LGB YOUTH GROUP: Weekly group for young lesbians, gays and bisexuals or anyone who is unsure. Informal meetings held on Sunday evenings. Phone Dundee LGB Switchboard for details (Mon 7-10pm Dundee (01382) 202620) or write to PO Box 53, Dundee. DD1 3YG. GLASGOW LESBIAN AND BISEXUAL YOUTH GROUP: Youth group for women aged 21 and under. Meets fortnightly on Monday evenings. Contact Jai or Lyndsay at Glasgow Lesbian Line for details of venue. HIGHLAND YOUTH GAY & BISEXUAL GROUP: Meets 7.30pm 1st Wednesday at 28 Huntly Street, Inverness. Contact Inverness (01463) 711585 (9am-5pm). IRVINE: O.L.A. is a group for young gay/bisexual men under 26. Meets Mon 7-9pm. Details: Kevin Wright, Ayrshire Central Hospital, Irvine (01294) 323473. LESBIAN YOUTH SUPPORT INFORMATION SERVICE: PO Box 8, Todmorden, Lancashire. OL14 5TZ. Enclose sae. Phone/Fax: Todmorden (01706) 817235. SONS AND DAUGHTERS CLUB: A new group for the sons and daughters of lesbian, gay and bisexual parents enables these children to mix with each other in a social environment. Activities include outings to fairgrounds, cinema and shows, etc. Phone Strathclyde Switchboard for details. STIRLING YOUTH GROUP: Details from Forth Friend on Stirling (01786) 471285 Mon 7.30-10pm. STONEWALL YOUTH GROUP: Group for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people aged 14-18 in the Lothians. Meets every Friday 7-9.30pm. Phone: 0131-556 4040 (Tue 7.30-9pm) or E-mail: edyouth@cableinet.co.uk STONEWALL FRIENDS: Friendly, fun, informal social group for gays, lesbians and bisexuals (18-26) in the Lothians. Meets every Wednesday with regular social events at other times. Phone: 0131-556 4040 (Tue 7.30-9pm) or E-mail: edyouth@cableinet.co.uk STRATHCLYDE LESBIAN GAY AND BISEXUAL YOUTH GROUP: Friendship and support for under 26s. Meets Tuesday 7.30pm at the GGLC. Details from Strathclyde Switchboard or Glasgow Lesbian Line. Write c/o GGLC, 11 Dixon Street, Glasgow. G1 4AL. WWW: http://bigles.ml.org/ E-mail: info@bigles.ml.org ---------------------------------------- SWITCHBOARDS AND HELPLINES ========================== BORDERS GAY SWITCHBOARD: Thurs 7.30-10pm Phone: Galashiels (01896) 756611 CROSSLYNX HELPLINE: Mon 7.30-9.30pm Phone: 0141-332 3333 DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY L&G PHONELINE: Thurs 7.30-9.30pm Phone: Dumfries (01387) 261818 DUNDEE LGB SWITCHBOARD: Mon 7-10pm Phone: Dundee (01382) 202620 EDINBURGH BI HELPLINE: Thurs 7.30-9.30pm Phone: 0131-557 3620 EDINBURGH LESBIAN LINE: Mon, Thurs 7.30-10pm Phone: 0131-557 0751 FIFE FRIEND: Fri 7.30-10pm Phone: Kirkcaldy (01592) 266688 FORTH FRIEND: Mon 7.30-9.30pm Phone: Stirling (01786) 471285 GLASGOW LESBIAN LINE: Wed 7-10pm Phone: 0141-552 3355 GRAMPIAN LESBIAN, GAY & BISEXUAL SWITCHBOARD: Wed & Fri 7-10pm, Tues 2-5 Phone: Aberdeen (01224) 633500 (Minicom available) Fax: Aberdeen (01224) 634055 LOTHIAN GAY & LESBIAN SWITCHBOARD: Nightly 7.30-10pm Phone: 0131-556 4049 MORAY LGB SWITCHBOARD: Men: Tue & Fri 7-10pm Women: Thu 7-10pm Phone: Elgin (01343) 541188 STRATHCLYDE GAY AND LESBIAN SWITCHBOARD: Nightly 7-10pm Phone: 0141-332 8372 LONDON LESBIAN AND GAY SWITCHBOARD: 24 hours Phone/Minicom: 0171-837 7324 ---------------------- MUSIC ===== ALAN's JOY CHART 1. Dr Mu - NDN Metropolitan 2. Fata Morgana - Black Steer (Malawi Cob Mix) Protea 3. Dave Randall - Bombay Chug N Bump 4. Jez & Choopie - Yim (Sourmash / Graham Gold / Qattara Remixes) Multiply 5. Three 'N One - No Way Out (One Way) Low Sense 6. Prezioso - Raise your Power (Stretch) TEC 7. Dex & Nik C - Groundswell (Fruitloop Mix) Chug N Bump 8. Wyseguy - Housemaster (Gavi B Remix) Boo! 9. Joy Foundation - Space Of Mind First Born 10. Bleep & Booster - Don't Stop / Cocaine Nu 11. Tiny Tim & DJ Gary - Down & Out Bonk! 12. Tin Tin Club - Respect Tin Tin Club 13. Tony De Vit - Bring The Beat Back / Don't Ever Stop TdV 14. Sandman - Wasteland (Doom XPA 001) Rabbit City 15. Paganini Traxx - Release Yourself (Hypno Frantic Funk Mix) Sony S3 16. Mandroid - Welcome To Hell Rabbit City 17. DJ Quicksilver - Planet Love (Tidy Trax Remix) Positiva 18. The Shaker - Star (Canyon Remix) Ugly Bug 19. The Crystal Method - Keep Hope Alive (BT's Creatine Method Mix) Sony S2 20. Floribunda - Mother's Pride (Big C Remix) Heat ------------------------------------------- SCOTSDYKE ========= The hypocrisy of the armed forces' attitude towards lesbians and gay men has been in the news again. The surprise was the supportive coverage tabloid rag The Sun (19th February 1998) gave to two women dismissed from the army because of their lesbian relationship. Senior officers had turned a blind eye to Lisa Cram and Claire Procter's previous romps with male troops, including two married men -- adultery is an offence under military law -- one a sergeant. A new code of conduct has just been put before the Army Board for approval and is expected to come into force by the summer. Although it lifts the absolute ban on adultery, affairs between soldiers will remain forbidden (Daily Telegraph, 20th February 1998). Meanwhile, the government has pledged resistance "at every stage" to legal challenges to the ban on homo- and bisexuality, citing the sort of excuses which make you wonder if they've noticed the number of women now serving. In the Sun article, Lisa and Claire pledged their determination to join the legal action brought by four ex-officers in the European Court of Human Rights. Should they succeed, the government faces a compensation bill of around ukp1 billion and the ban will be lifted. Even then, gay service personnel face a rough ride, if the views of their prospective colleagues are anything to go by. At the time the legal action began, the Daily Telegraph (5th March 1996) solicited the opinions of people of different ranks in all the armed services. They ranged from threats of violence ("On a ship the gay would have nowhere to run") to the plain strange ("Men don't like taking showers with men who like taking showers with men"). The most hopeful comment came from an army Lieutenant Colonel who seemed to have his mind on his job "When I go to war, I would rather have alongside me a guy who shoots straight, than a straight who shoots crooked". In the meantime, Claire and Lisa have to rebuild their lives together. Neither of them had come out to their family when they spoke to the Sun and they are both unemployed. Claire, formerly a high-ranking women's snooker player who once beat Alex Higgins, plans to enter the fire service and Lisa plans a total change of direction as a care assistant. Heather & Feorag books Gone Is The Shame - A Compendium of Lesbian Erotica, introduced by Marti Hohmann Ph.D. Masquerade Books Well I'm told that this is a very hot and erotic book. My other half disappeared with it to her pad a week ago, and has not been seen since (well, almost! - she was apparently seen out buying a pizza on Thursday night)! Gone Is The Shame has fifty one explicit and erotic stories, letters and memoirs for you and your lover to enjoy, so get to it! -- Chicken by Paula Martinac. Alyson Books This is the first of Paula Martinac's books I have read and to begin with I thought, "here we go again", another dyke book of two lovers splitting up, and this is indeed the story. However, although that was part of the book, I was quite surprised and impressed - the plot was good and the twists unexpected. Lynn, a ghostwriter, has split from Claire after thirteen years and although she goes through the vendetta stage (it was Claire that finished it) and Claire is still clearly on her mind, she seems to be keeping busy with the two young girls she is seeing, along with all their problems. The first is Lexy, a waitress with a very alluring toybag and the other is Jude, the daughter of a feminist artist who is famous for carving oversize wooden scuptures of women's genitals. She is also working for the author of the book Lynn is ghostwriting. Little does Lynn know that Jude's mother is now the new partner of Claire - how will she react when she finds out? This book is sharp, funny and twisted - I couldn't put it down. Heather White ------------------------------ CREDITS ======= ScotsGay: a bi-monthly magazine for lesbians, gays and bisexuals edited, printed and published in Scotland. ISSN: 1357-0595. (c) Pageprint Publishing Limited, February 1998. Non profit use by the lesbigay community of material in the magazine will normally be permitted free of charge - but contact us first for permission. We haven't had sex with most of the people who appear in the magazine so we don't actually know what their sexuality is. Editor: John Hein. Contributors in this issue: Ian Dunn (News), Garry Otton & Derek Ogg (Features), Liquid Silk, Iain, Minerva, Calmac & Gus (Scene), Rex Wockner (International), Seumas Macmhicean, Feorag NicBhrěde, Dirk Kreite, John Hein, Andy Martin (Books), Justin Milne (Video), Malcolm Epstien (Film), Alan Nicholls (Music), Heather White & Feorag NicBhrěde (ScotsDyke) Editorial Enquiries: Write to: ScotsGay, Pageprint Limited, PO Box 666, Edinburgh. EH7 5YW. Telephone: 0131-539 0666. Fax: 0131-539 2999. E-mail: scotsgay@drink.demon.co.uk We welcome news, articles, photos, cartoons, etc. - especially lesbian and bisexual material. Advertising Enquiries: Telephone: 0131-558 1279. Fax: 0131-539 2999. World-Wide-Web: http://www.scotsgay.co.uk/ Subscribing by Internet: Send a 'subscribe scotsgay-list' message to listserver@drink.demon.co.uk and the text files of future editions will be delivered to you by e-mail.