li   Self Help Psychology Magazine Article: Finding Gay, Lesbian and
   Bisexual Information Off the Net

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         Finding Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Information Off the Net
                Community Centers, Libraries and Bookstores

                          Gail S. Bernstein, Ph.D.


   It's a sad fact of life that the only information many people have
   about gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals is negative. It's also a
   fact that all manner of false and prejudiced information continues to
   be widely disseminated. To give just one small example, in April,
   1995, one of the leaders of Colorado for Family Values (from whence
   came the anti-gay ballot initiative) told an interviewer that gays
   were, among other things, child molesters. That's simply not true:
   most child molesters are heterosexual men. That sort of misinformation
   is the reason the dissemination of accurate information is an ongoing
   necessity of life.

   This article is the first in a series about finding good information.
   My comments are based on what I know about finding information in the
   U.S. I welcome submissions about ways in which to find good
   information in other countries.

   The best sources, in my experience, are gay, lesbian and bisexual
   community centers, bookstores and libraries. Most large cities have a
   center that you can find by looking under "gay" or "lesbian" in the
   white pages of your phone book. Community centers usually have people
   to talk with, small libraries, and brochures and flyers about all
   manner of other resources.

   Libraries are also good places to look. Librarians are, by and large,
   opposed to censorship and supportive of keeping a wide variety of
   views and information available to the public. In addition, there is a
   substantial number of openly gay, lesbian and bisexual librarians.
   Libraries are, however, subject to budget constraints that limit how
   much new material can be acquired on any topic. That's why I recommend
   going to the largest library you can find: it's more likely to have
   what you want than smaller or branch libraries.

   Bookstore owners and staff, particularly in small alternative or
   larger privately owned stores, are also great supporters of supplying
   the public with as much diverse and varied material as possible. In
   addition, bookstores often function as community centers, even in
   cities where other centers exist, and offer information oncoming
   events, referrals to all sorts of services and professionals, and
   information on where to find other like-minded people.

   People in rural areas and towns or cities too small to support
   community centers usually have more trouble finding information
   off-line. Libraries can order materials from other, larger libraries
   through interlibrary loan, but some people may not feel comfortable
   with making a request for bisexual, gay or lesbian material, small
   towns being notorious for the lack of privacy they afford.

   Fortunately many of the friendly bookstores in the U.S. do mail order
   business and have catalogues and/or 800 numbers. This isn't quite as
   direct and friendly as walking in the door of a center, library, or
   store, but it is a way of establishing a connection without
   sacrificing your privacy. One of the most well-known bookstores in the
   U.S. is Lambda Rising in Washington, D.C. It has an 800 number
   (1-800-621-6969) and an e-mail address (lambdarising@his.com), and
   does a large mail-order business.

   Some of the best off-line collections of information on community
   centers, bookstores, and all sorts of other resources can be found in
   travel guides aimed at gay, lesbian and bisexual audiences.

   There's no shortage of good information and supportive people in the
   world, but sometimes it can be hard to find them. The next part of
   this series will look at organizations other than community centers.
   Meanwhile, please let me know what else you'd like to see in this
   section of Self-Help Psychology Magazine.


               About the author, Gail S. Bernstein, Ph.D.


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