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‘Sodomy’ repeal to be delayed

Adapted from reporting

by Harry Langhorne

State Sen. Louis G. Hill was considering delaying the introduction of his bill to repeal what became known as Pennsylvania’s “sodomy” statute because too many legislators considered it “dangerous politically” to support the measure during an election year. More than half of the Senate was up for election.

According to an informal poll Hill conducted among his colleagues, six of 22 senators would vote in favor of the repeal. Twenty-six votes were needed for it to pass.

In the Judiciary Committee, where the repeal would be assigned once introduced, Neeley said five members were in favor of reporting it out with a recommendation to pass it, four were opposed, three were undecided and three did not respond to the informal poll.

 

New owners at Giovanni’s

Adapted from reporting by PGN staff

On June 1, the city’s gay-liberation bookstore changed hands.

Dyan Dreisbach and Jennifer Turner purchased Giovanni’s Room from Pat Hill, who owned and managed the story for the previous two years. Hill said she wanted to devote more time to her painting.

Dreisbach and Turner lived openly as a couple in their dorm at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. Dreisbach was president of the freshman class and previously volunteered at Giovanni’s Room and the Lesbian Coffeehouse.

The new owners hired author Dolores Klaitch to take over the day-to-day management of Giovanni’s Room. Klaitch said she hoped to start a series of book-related cultural events.

The store stood at the time at 232 South St. Giovanni’s Room now has a building at 345 S. 12th St.

— compiled by Paige Cooperstein

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