In the mid-seventies Margo Schulter was a staff writer for the Gay Community News newspaper (out of Boston), and a member of the activist community that surrounded the GCN in its early collective days. She wrote a number of features for the paper, as well as letters to the editor, and used it to advertise her nascent music career. She was out, both as a transsexual woman and as a lesbian. Her early articles confidently defending this identity, in the midst of American lesbian power brokers pushing trans women out of lesbian spaces, are striking.
The following is an attempt to find every feature, letter to the editor, or other mention of Margo in the paper from this time. These mentions were compiled by simple grep searches of the OCR'd text in the archived PDFs. I've strived to find every reference, but can't guarantee that I have and welcome corrections.
GCN: March 16th, 1974 Edition
The March 16th, 1975 issue is the first where Margo is listed in the paper's masthead as news staff. The issue also includes a Coming Out column where Margo comes out as a twenty three year old lesbian, and as a woman who "spent the first 22 of those years in an unwanted male status and a biologically intermediate body". She tells a quick version of her "coming to transsexuality" story, and relates a medical condition that is possibly an intersex condition (without using the word).
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: March 30th, 1974 Edition
The March 30th, 1974 issue features an article titled Transsexophobia: Old Arguments Against New People where Margo makes the case that the prejudices against transsexuality are the same prejudices that gay people face, and everyone had a responsibility to support transsexuals by not denying them space in meetings, and not disavowing transsexual rights.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: May 4th, 1974 Edition
Margo disappears from the masthead in the May 4th, 1974 issue, but the paper does contain a classified ad from her in the services section.
FREE THRILLS (MUSICAL) offered by Modal Cosmic Blues Ensemble — one-person medieval sound w/xylophone-kalimba mini-organ. Get it while you can!
A version of this classified ad will appear on and off over her time at the paper.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: June 29th, 1974 Edition
The June 29th, 1974 edition of the paper features a larger than normal classified footer display ad from Margo for her musical services.
LESBIAN MEDIEVAL BLUES??!! MARGO SCHULTER is the one and only MODAL COSMIC BLUES ENSEMBLE. One Person medieval, exotic band; original songs - instrumentals with organ, xylophone, kalimba. Have performed with the Lesbian Science Fiction Theater. Seek Gay Community audiences. Fee Negotiable. Call 232-4181, eves. till 3 a.m. - OR - 1872 Commonwealth Ave., Apt. 3, Brighton 02135.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: July 13th, 1974 Edition
The July 13th, 1974 edition of the paper published a letter from Margo outlining the ways she, and other transsexual women, were excluded from lesbian sisterhood unless they hid who they were.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: July 20th, 1974 Edition
In the July 20th, 1974 edition of the paper there's an advertisement for a performance by Margo at the Cambridge Folk and Tale House. The performance date is listed as Monday, July 22 8:00 P.M., with admission being $1.50. By a quirk of fate (or of editorial), this advertisement is listed under an article titled The TV - TG - TS Phenomenon, written by Ari Kane (of Fantasia Fair fame).
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: August 3rd, 1974 Edition
In the August 3rd, 1974 edition of the paper, Edward Gibbs Rose wrote a warm and positive review of Margo's first solo concert at the Cambridge Folk and Tale House on July 22.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: September 21st, 1974 Edition
Margo did not reappear on the masthead in the September 21st, 1974 edition, but the paper did print a letter to the editor from her regarding a previous feature (in the August 24th, 1974 edition) written by Deborah Rose where she interviewed Gina Covina and Laurel Galana, (then editors of Amazon Quarterly). Margo objected to Galana's idea that time spent on the transsexual issue was wasted energy and defended both her womanhood and lesbian identity.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: February 22nd, 1975 Edition
Margo does not appear in the masthead of the February 22nd, 1975 issue, but this edition does feature a long article from her titled The Lesbian/Transsexual Misunderstanding where she writes about "the transsexual issue" in lesbian spaces, and challenges she faced attempting to move in lesbian spaces as an out transsexual lesbian.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: March 8th, 1975 Edition
Still not in the masthead of the March 8th, 1975 edition, Margo nonetheless wrote a generally positive review of the latest Amazon Quarterly issue (Vol 3. #1) that does not engage with "the transsexual issue" at all. This edition also featured a letter to the editor from Michael Jay praising Margo's Lesbian/Transsexual Misunderstanding article and asking the paper to find a female to male transsexual for additional perspective.
GCN: March 15th, 1975 Edition
In the March 15th, 1975 paper, Margo reappears in the masthead, (simply as "MARGO" with no last name), this time under the Features Staff heading. This edition features an article from Margo titled The Transsexual/Lesbian Misunderstanding where Margo attempts an analysis on why this misunderstanding exists.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: March 22nd, 1975 Edition
In the March 22nd, 1975 edition Margo writes a glowing review of the musical duo Jade and Sarsaparilla.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: March 29th, 1975 Edition
In the March 29th, 1975 edition a letter to the editor appears from Mordecai (Crazy Paul) praising Margo for her article on transsexual lesbians.
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GCN: April 5th, 1975 Edition
The April 5, 1975 edition the paper printed a letter from Sarah V. Montgomery which praised Margo's articles in the paper.
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GCN: April 12th, 1975 Edition
In the April 12th, 1975 edition Margo wrote a piece that was part research, and part speculation, on lesbianism in history.
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GCN: May 3rd, 1975 Edition
The May 3rd, 1975 edition features an uncredited news story about the People's Bicentenial that mentioned Margo's reporting
Margo Schulter reported that she approached PBC with a request for a gay speaker on April 12, and presented a copy of a suggested speech April 13. She stated, "The people at the local PBC suggested that the speech be about 11 minutes long, and gave me the impression that there was a good chance that some gay person could speak." Schulter was informed on Tuesday, April 15 that a gay speaker would not be included. "I was told that the PBC did not want to deal with peripheral issues, such as gay liberation."
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: May 10th, 1975 Edition
The May 10th, 1975 edition's calendar features an event listing for Friday May 9th advertising a Margo performance.
The indomitable, incomparable, Margo, singing and making music at the Other Voices Bookstore, 30 Bromfield St., Boston, at 8 pm this evening. An experience you will not soon forget
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: May 24th, 1975 Edition
In the May 24th, 1975 edition of the paper Rose Flower wrote a review of Margo's musical performance at Other Voices Bookstore as part of a Good Gay Poets event. Good Gay Poets was a press run by the staff of the gay newspaper Fag Rag.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: May 31st, 1975 Edition
The May 31st, 1975 edition the paper ran a letter from Margo responding to a David Brill article from the May 24th, 1975 edition, where he expressed conflicted feelings about the death penalty and mentioned liberation and liberation adjacent groups who thought it should be used against rapists and murderers of gay people. Margo advocated for full death penalty abolition and linked her position and feelings to her feminism and lesbianism.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: June 7th, 1975 Edition
In the June 7th, 1975 edition of the paper Margo reviewed a number of books from The Feminist Press intended for children and adolescents. She was positive on the books for their dismantling of gender stereotypes, but disappointed that the books didn't have more gay relationship representation.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: June 14th, 1975 Edition
The June 14th, 1975 edition contained a calendar item advertising a GCN Birthday Celebration show with Margo performing.
G.C.N. Birthday Celebration! Featuring Jade and Sarsaparilla, The Next Move Theatre, and Margo, at 2 p.m. at the Charles Playhouse, 74 Warrenton St., Boston. Donation $2.50. All proceeds will help G.C.N. start off its third year of growth. Stay tuned for further information
GCN: June 21st, 1975 Edition
The June 21st, 1975 edition features a letter to the editor written by Margo, critiquing a piece by Allan Stewart in the March 8th, 1975 edition which made a case that the gay liberation movement was losing its way, and that he was "no longer gay" -- just an ordinary human being whose sexual preference happens to be for people of my own sex.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: June 28th, 1975 Edition
The June 28th, 1975 edition of the paper printed a somewhat silly letter from Margo responding to a silly M.T. Head article from the June 14th, 1975 edition of the paper, Margo asserted that it wasn't short legs that made a lesbian, but short names.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: July 5th, 1975 Edition
The July 5th, 1975 edition of the paper featured a letter to the editor from Janine Bernier recounting a Jade and Sarsaparilla performance from the June 22nd benefit show at the Charles Street Playhouse where the duo dedicated their song "She's that Kind of Woman" to Margo
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GCN: July 12th, 1975 Edition
The July 12th, 1975 edition contains a house ad where the paper thanks Margo, Jade & Sarsaparilla, and The Next Move for a great benefit.
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GCN: August 23rd, 1975 Edition
In the August 23rd edition of the paper Margo wrote a feature on the welfare system discussing Governor Dukakis's plans to remove employable persons age 18 - 65 from the general relief rolls (roughly 18,000 people). She also shares her own experience of being on general relief and trying to find a job.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: September 13th, 1975 Edition
In the September 13th, 1975 edition of the paper Margo wrote a feature article titled Lesbianism and/or Bisexuality, which discuss whether bisexual women can be lesbians or not.
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GCN: September 20th, 1975
The September 20th, 1975 edition contains a display ad for an Encore Performance featuring Margo, Jade & Sarsaparilla, and The Next Move Theater Company. The event's date is listed as Sunday, September 21 at 2:00pm at the Charles Playhouse Cabaret. Admission is $2.50 with proceeds to benefit the Gay Community News.
The paper also features an advertisement for an Adult Education Program at the Homophile Community Health Service, with Margo leading a Monday evening class titled Medieval Music from a Gay Perspective.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: October 4th, 1975 Edition
The October 4th, 1975 edition of the paper featured a letter from Doug Lachman praising Margo's article on bisexual (or "non-exclusive") lesbians.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: October 11th, 1975 Edition
The October 11th, 1975 edition of the paper featured a letter from Margo responding to a article in the September 27th, 1975 edition credited to the New Jersey Lesbian Caucus. Margo objected to the Caucus's strict definition of lesbianism.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: November 29th, 1975 Edition
The November 29th, 1975 edition of the paper featured a letter from Rosalie Nichols (editor of Lesbian Voices), dismissing Margo's article on bisexual lesbians and stating the word for women who had relationships with men was bisexual and not lesbian.
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: December 27th, 1975 Edition
In the December 27th, 1975 edition Margo wrote a feature titled Macrobiotic Morality' Protest Set that covered a planned demonstration against the East West Foundation, an organization that promoted a macrobiotic diet and claimed (among other things) that homosexuality was caused by a dietary imbalance that macrobiotics could "cure".
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: January 17th, 1976 Edition
The January 17th, 1976 edition features an uncredited news story with the title Picketers Protest 'BehaviorMod' Diet. This story describes a protest again the East West Foundation and Michio Kushi's seminar that included information how how a macrobiotic diet could "cure" homosexuality. This article features paraphrased quotes from Margo, and a photograph of her.
According to Margo Schulter, a GC staff member, not everyone in the East-West Foundation necessarily agrees with Kushi's stated view. One E-WF person said that a genuinely gay person would become more gay on a macrobiotic diet; he added that in Japanese tradition gay love had been "a fine art." Without claiming to be a final authority, this E-WF person suggested that Kushi challenges people who are not really gay but affect a gay lifestyle without inner feeling, and that he would also challenge people who play at being heteroexual. So far Kushi himself has not modified his public view that gay relationships cannot be "fully mature".
Northeastern University Archive
GCN: June 26th, 1976 Edition
The June 26th, 1976 edition had a long feature by David Brill celebrating the third anniversary of the newspaper. This feature included a photo spread, where a picture of Margo was captioned "If music be the food of love • " Margo Schulter, a GCN staff writer, is also a musical performer