April 13-19
1998
U.S.: Officials of the Catholic University of America refuse to allow out-lesbian Candace Gingrich to speak on campus. She had been invited by Rev. Robert M. Friday, vice president of student life, and the university's Organization for Lesbian and Gay Student Rights. * Christina Crawford is on a national tour promoting her book Mommie Dearest. * HRC criticizes Nike Corp for welcoming Reggie White back to the Green Bay Packers after White made a speech using racial, ethnic and anti-gay stereotypes. * On the subject of George Michael's arrest, Rex Wockner writes: 'Poor thing. A bloke ought to be able to wank his willy in a loo without it becoming an international incident.'
1993
U.S.: In Wilmington, N.C., three marines are acquitted of charges that they assaulted three men in a gay bar. * A family court judge in Manhattan rules that a man who donated sperm to a lesbian couple has no right to be declared the 11-year-old girl's father, or even have visitation rights, because the man signed an agreement relinquishing all parental rights. * President Clinton holds a one-hour meeting with gay groups.
1988
U.S.: Lesbian attorney Roberta Achtenburg wins a healthy 36 percent of the vote, but loses the race for state assembly in San Francisco. * * LA district attorney, Ira Reiner, seeks to close down the city's bathhouses after an undercover probe. The lawsuit charges several bathhouse owners with violating the county's law banning sexual intercourse and oral sex in the spas. * Right-wing talk show host Morton Downey Jr. is acquitted by a judge of assaulting gay activist Andy Humm, when Humm appeared on Downey's show. * Rep. Pat Schroeder, D-Colo., says the liberals must take back the concept of the American family from the right-wing.
1983
U.S.: Hank Diethelm, owner of San Francisco's premiere leather bar, The Brig, is killed during an S&M 'sex scene.' Jeffrey Jan von Tongerin is arrested. * Frank Collin, the former leader of the American Nazi Party who was sent to jail in 1980 for taking liberties with children, is paroled. * San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein signs a law requiring candidates to run under their real names. This measure was prompted by the campaigns of colorful characters, most notably 'Sister Boom Boom' (Jack Fertig) who ran for the Board of City Supervisors, winning 23,124 votes. Boom Boom listed his occupation as 'nun of the above.'