Betty Berzon

Betty Berzon, an author and pioneering psychotherapist, who was a beacon of the Los Angeles gay and lesbian community for three decades, died Tuesday at her Studio City home after a 20-year battle with cancer, according to her partner, Terry DeCrescenzo. She was 78. In 1971, at a time when gay professionals could lose their livelihoods if they publicly affirmed their homosexuality, Berzon helped found the country's first social service agency for gays and lesbians, now called the L.A.

Betty Berzon, an author and pioneering psychotherapist, who was a beacon of the Los Angeles gay and lesbian community for three decades, died Tuesday at her Studio City home after a 20-year battle with cancer, according to her partner, Terry DeCrescenzo. She was 78. In 1971, at a time when gay professionals could lose their livelihoods if they publicly affirmed their homosexuality, Berzon helped found the country's first social service agency for gays and lesbians, now called the L.A.

Was your choice to promote a Colorado ski resort a mindless decision or a defiant one by editors who care more about reader appeal than truth and justice? BETTY BERZON Studio City

SURVIVING MADNESS: A THERAPIST'S OWN STORY By Betty Berzon University of Wisconsin Press 242 pages, $27.95 (illustrated) * In a world filled with dangers of all kinds, from terrorism, global warming and overpopulation to economic injustice, pension-fund raiders, serial killers and drunk drivers, it is hard to understand why so many people feel threatened by the mere existence of men and women who happen to be sexually attracted to members of their own gender.

Regarding "Turns Out the Happy Couple Is Gay" (Feb. 5): Christopher Martell, psychology professor at the University of Washington, is quoted as saying that the new Gottman Institute gay couples' workshops "are really the first exclusive workshops that can give same-gender couples strategies for dealing with problems." Gay and lesbian therapists have been doing same-sex couples workshops all over this country for 30 years, beginning with the ones I did in the early 1970s and have done ever since.

In regard to development of the corner of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Ventura Boulevard in Studio City, Polly Ward, claiming she represents homeowners in the area, is protesting the issuance of liquor licenses to three restaurants planned for the shopping center. I am a homeowner just a few blocks away. I believe the developer, Ira Smedra, is doing us a favor by bringing three upscale restaurants, with liquor licenses, to the area. I would like to go on record as a homeowner who approves of this kind of growth and welcomes the presence of new businesses in my neighborhood, especially food establishments that have proven successful in other parts of the city, as Kaktus, the Daily Grill and Louise's Trattoria have.

In reply to Tony Lucente's letter regarding the development project at the corner of Laurel Canyon and Ventura Boulevard, Mr. Lucente's arguments to me are quite flawed. First of all, I did not say that the developer was "doing us a favor by bringing more restaurants to the area." I said upscale restaurants, something the Valley has notably few of. Second, it isn't only "liquor-serving restaurants" that bring more traffic to an area; it's any new commercial establishment. Why not just leave that big gaping hole at the corner of Ventura and Laurel Canyon?

Occasionally, people come out from "under their rocks" and say some pretty amazing things. Take Betty Berzon's letter regarding Polly Ward's opposition to three proposed liquor licenses for the mini-mall development at Laurel Canyon and Ventura boulevards in Studio City. Surely, Berzon has been under her rock for too long as evidenced by her statement that Ward only claims to represent homeowners in the area as their "self-anointed" spokesperson for the Studio City community. On the contrary, any informed Studio City resident knows that Polly Ward is the four-term current president of the Studio City Residents Assn.

SURVIVING MADNESS: A THERAPIST'S OWN STORY By Betty Berzon University of Wisconsin Press 242 pages, $27.95 (illustrated) * In a world filled with dangers of all kinds, from terrorism, global warming and overpopulation to economic injustice, pension-fund raiders, serial killers and drunk drivers, it is hard to understand why so many people feel threatened by the mere existence of men and women who happen to be sexually attracted to members of their own gender.

It is the second half of the century and a UCLA biologist named Omar has discovered a test to identify the sexual orientation of newborns. When he goes public with his test, he consults a gay research assistant, who leads him to Artemis, a grass-roots gay leader. Together, they create an institute to study gay life and launch a network of after-school programs for gay children where they learn to be happy and well-adjusted.

It is the second half of the century and a UCLA biologist named Omar has discovered a test to identify the sexual orientation of newborns. When he goes public with his test, he consults a gay research assistant, who leads him to Artemis, a grass-roots gay leader. Together, they create an institute to study gay life and launch a network of after-school programs for gay children where they learn to be happy and well-adjusted.

Regarding "Turns Out the Happy Couple Is Gay" (Feb. 5): Christopher Martell, psychology professor at the University of Washington, is quoted as saying that the new Gottman Institute gay couples' workshops "are really the first exclusive workshops that can give same-gender couples strategies for dealing with problems." Gay and lesbian therapists have been doing same-sex couples workshops all over this country for 30 years, beginning with the ones I did in the early 1970s and have done ever since.

Was your choice to promote a Colorado ski resort a mindless decision or a defiant one by editors who care more about reader appeal than truth and justice? BETTY BERZON Studio City

In reply to Tony Lucente's letter regarding the development project at the corner of Laurel Canyon and Ventura Boulevard, Mr. Lucente's arguments to me are quite flawed. First of all, I did not say that the developer was "doing us a favor by bringing more restaurants to the area." I said upscale restaurants, something the Valley has notably few of. Second, it isn't only "liquor-serving restaurants" that bring more traffic to an area; it's any new commercial establishment. Why not just leave that big gaping hole at the corner of Ventura and Laurel Canyon?

Occasionally, people come out from "under their rocks" and say some pretty amazing things. Take Betty Berzon's letter regarding Polly Ward's opposition to three proposed liquor licenses for the mini-mall development at Laurel Canyon and Ventura boulevards in Studio City. Surely, Berzon has been under her rock for too long as evidenced by her statement that Ward only claims to represent homeowners in the area as their "self-anointed" spokesperson for the Studio City community. On the contrary, any informed Studio City resident knows that Polly Ward is the four-term current president of the Studio City Residents Assn.

In regard to development of the corner of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Ventura Boulevard in Studio City, Polly Ward, claiming she represents homeowners in the area, is protesting the issuance of liquor licenses to three restaurants planned for the shopping center. I am a homeowner just a few blocks away. I believe the developer, Ira Smedra, is doing us a favor by bringing three upscale restaurants, with liquor licenses, to the area. I would like to go on record as a homeowner who approves of this kind of growth and welcomes the presence of new businesses in my neighborhood, especially food establishments that have proven successful in other parts of the city, as Kaktus, the Daily Grill and Louise's Trattoria have.

Moving against a Los Angeles youth agency for the second time this year, the state has filed new allegations accusing staff members of engaging in sexual conduct with teenagers under their care. The latest charges come six weeks after the state Department of Social Services initiated action to revoke the license of Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services Inc.

Myra Riddell, a psychotherapist, former president of the Los Angeles County Commission for Women and pioneering activist for lesbian and gay rights, died Jan. 11 at her Studio City home. She was 81. Riddell had Alzheimer's disease, according to a longtime friend, Susan M. Wolford.