Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 16:03:19 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 10/28/98 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. Documentary on street kids to screen 2. CA: GLSEN conference announcement ====================================================== Date: Sun, 25 Oct 1998 08:57:52 -0700 From: Laursiegel@aol.com (by way of Steve Basile ) Subject: "Street Kids" Documentary to Screen in NYC, CHI, ROCH From: Desi del Valle Subject: Street Kids Documentary to Screen in New York City Street Kids Documentary to Screen in New York City The story of a theatre company of homeless gay teenagers in Hollywood will be presented in HBO's Frame-by-Frame Documentary Film Festival for one week October 23 through 29. Film also plays in Washington, D.C. on October 19, Rochester, NY on October 20, and Chicago on November 14. Narrated by Sir Ian McKellen, SURVIVING FRIENDLY FIRE is an award-winning film that tells the powerful story of a group of runaways in a Hollywood homeless shelter. Most of these teenagers are gay, and many ran away from intolerant and abusive parents. In the shelter, the kids joined a self-proclaimed "theatre activist" who taught them they could change their lives through a workshop that helped them learn how to become actors and playwrights. The emotional and entertaining play that they created, about abuse in the home, growing up gay and lesbian, and surviving on the streets became a highlight of a Los Angeles international festival in 1993. As seen in the film, most of the young people have since gone on to much improved lives, and they attribute their success to the opportunity their play offered them. Screenings of SURVIVING FRIENDLY FIRE will be held at The Screening Room in Tribeca, at 54 Varick Street, as part of HBO's new Frame-by-Frame Documentary Showcase. Schedule is as follows: Fri, OCT 23 - 12pm Tue, OCT 27 - 8pm Sat, OCT 24 - 10 am Wed, OCT 28 - 10 pm Sun, OCT 25 - 12 pm Thu, OCT 29 - 12pm Mon, OCT 26 - 12 pm (for more festival info: 212/512-1661) Other upcoming screenings include Washington, D.C. Reel Affirmations Film Festival on October 19, Rochester, NY Gay & Lesbian Film Festival on October 20 and Chicago's Reeling '98 Festival on November 14. Director Todd Nelson and some cast members will be on hand at the New York and D.C. screenings for Q&A. Since its premiere at the San Francisco Lesbian & Gay Film Festival in the summer of 1997, SURVIVING FRIENDLY FIRE has played in 25 film festivals around the world, including in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Chicago and Munich, Germany. It has won Best Documentary Awards at the Great Plains Film Festival and the George Sidney Documentary Competition. It also has been donated on videotape to hundreds of community organizations, shelters, schools and libraries throughout the U.S. "An inspirational, vital, vitriolic and entertaining offering." HOLLYWOOD REPORTER "Dynamic and intense." WILLIAMETTE WEEKLY "Enraging and inspiring." SENSORY PERCEPTIONS "A real life A Chorus Line... Surviving Friendly Fire deals in universal truths about succeeding against the odds, and about the reality that art can save lives." BAY AREA REPORTER "Impressive." BOSTON GLOBE "An inspirational and moving film." TAMPA BAY TIMES "A non-fiction Fame in which gay street kids have turned their trauma into a hit stage show. The emotions are raw but real." BOSTON PHOENIX "Surviving Friendly Fire makes you marvel at the resilience of the human spirit, and wish every town could give its abandoned children such a simple second chance." JUST OUT To reach filmmakers or cast members, call Surviving Films at (213) 384-0810. To reach the film's distributor, call Frameline Distribution at (415) 703-8654. ********************** NOW AVAILABLE FROM FRAMELINE: AMOS GUTMAN, FILMMAKER BAYOU BLUE DIARY CHOCOLATE BABIES HOMO PROMO (now available in 35mm!) TAMPON THIEVES THE TIME BEING TOMBOY YELLOW FEVER Visit www.frameline.org/distribution for more information or call (415) 703-8654. =============================================================================== Subject: Teaching Respect For All '98 Date: Sun, 25 Oct 98 17:43:41 -0800 x-sender: jspear@trudy.digitopia.com From: John Spear (415-551-9788) To: News from GLSEN Sender: ............................................................ An important message from GLSEN-Alert, the electronic news service of GLSEN. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network -- GLSEN 121 West 27th Street, Suite 804 New York, NY 10001 212-717-0135; 212-727-0254 - fax glsen@glsen.org http://www.glsen.org/ ............................................................ Teaching Respect For All '98 The National Summit on Ending Anti-Gay Bias in Schools NOTE: Standard registration discounts have been extended until Wed. Oct. 28. Hotel discounts have also been extended. If you haven't registered yet, what are you waiting for? There are only a few more days left! PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Complete Descriptions available at http://www.safeatschool.org KEYNOTE ADDRESS by Suzanne Pharr Suzanne Pharr is the author of Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism and In the Time of the Right: Reflections on Liberation. A social and economic justice worker from the South, is the founder of the Women's Project which, for 17 years, has done multi-issue, multi-racial organizing and political education in Arkansas. WORKSHOP SESSION 1 Sat. 10/31 11:00-12:30 The Federal Law Regarding Sexual Harassment in Schools * LGBTQ in the Foster Care System * Using Media to Challenge Discrimination * Overview of High Schools for LGBT Youth * Making Our Schools Safe Learning Environments for Our Transgendered Youth * How "Healing the Hurt" Conferences are Reaching New Audiences * Power Plays and Seats at the Table * Queer Youth - Speaking in Tongues * How to Start a GSA * School Safety Issues * An Inclusive Liberation Agenda * Bi 101 * Elementary School LGBT Lesson Plan * GLB Issues for Middle Level Educators * 500 Years of Queers in American History * Turning It Around! * Fundraising Fundamentals WORKSHOP SESSION 2 Sat. 10/31 2:00-3:30 CENSORED! Students and Teachers Fighting Back * Making Schools Safe * Building Coalitions * Coming Out as Advocates of GLBT Issues in the Classroom * Safe Schools Programs That Work! * Negotiating Safer Sex * Bisexuality, Schools and Families * Castro Clones, Legitimate Lesbians, Bona Fide Bisexuals, True Transgenders * Paradise Lost * Grant Writing for Community Based Organizations * Storming the Capital! * Ask! People for Money Face To Face * Inclusivity in Queer Youth Movement * MediaBasics * Media Activism & "It's Elementary" WORKSHOP SESSION 3 Sat. 10/31 3:45-5:15 MediaPresence: Interview Strategy and Technique * The Virtual Au Pair * "The Locker Room * Reaching Out to Catholic High School and Church Communities * Fix Your Fundraising Events * The National High School Quilt Program * District Professional Development * Preventing and Dealing with Sexual Harassment in a School Environment * The Religious Right in the Schools * Recognizing and Assisting Transgendered Children * Youth Can Do More than Stuff Envelopes * Building GSA Networks * Combating Homophobia in the Elementary Class Room * Time to C.H.A.N.G.E. (Challenge, Help, and Activate the Next Generation through Empowerment) * Women in Love: Portraits of Lesbian Mothers and Their Families WORKSHOP SESSION 4 Sun. 11/1 9:30 -11:00am Legal Protections for LGBTQ Youth in Schools * What's Happening with GLBT Issues in Teacher Education * Grades 5-8 issues on LGBT * How to Educate Elementary School Parents & Guardians about Homophobia * A "Wedge" Issue to Destroy Public Education * Addressing Queer Curriculum Across Disciplines * Anti-Homophobia Exercises for the K-12 Classroom * "Gay Youth" in the Classroom * Working With Youth From Mixed Families * Teachers Rights * Breaking Down the Wall of Homophobia * Race, Class, and Homophobia in Urban Schools * Creating Positive Images in and for Our Schools * Elections, Policies, Advocacy, Volunteering. CLOSING BRUNCH AND AWARD CEREMONY Sat. 11/1 Noon-2:00 pm End the weekend with comedy by Marga Gomez and the presentation of the GLSEN's Pathfinder Awards, given annually to individuals and organizations that have shown exemplary commitment to creating safe and affirming schools. OAKLAND MARRIOTT CITY CENTER - (510) 451-4000 The conference hotel is located at 1001 Broadway, adjacent to the City Center BART station. Mention Teaching Respect For All and receive the conference rate of $120/night. Call (510) 451-4000 for directions to the hotel. MEDIA/PRESS Members of the press interested in receiving media credentials for the conference should register with Jim Anderson, Director of Communications. Call Jim at 212-727-0135 ext. 136. ============================ Teaching Respect For All '98 The National Summit on Ending Anti-Gay Bias in Schools FAX-REGISTRATION FORM Register No Later than Wednesday October 28, 1998 -- On-Site Prices are Higher TO: TEACHING RESPECT FOR ALL '98 Registration FAX: 916-853-8585 FROM: SEE BELOW REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Name: ___________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________ City/State/Zip:___________________________________________________ E-Mail: ___________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________________________________________ Fax: ___________________________________________________ REGISTRATION OPTIONS: STANDARD LIMITED INCOME* YOUTH** CONFERENCE ___ $120 ___ $99 ___ $35 BRUNCH ___ $40 ___ $30 ___ $20 PAYMENT METHOD: Charge my: ___ Visa ___ Mastercard ___ American Express Name on Card: ___________________________________________________ Card Number: ___________________________________________________ Exp Date: ___________________________________________________ Signature: ___________________________________________________ OTHER REGISTRATION OPTIONS: Call (916)853-8555 or register at http://www.glsen.org * Limited Income refers to participants who do not earn enough to afford the conference registration fees ** Youth are 24 years old and younger John Spear National Field Director ************************************************ The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network email: jspear@glsen.org web: http://www.glsen.org/ WESTERN FIELD OFFICE * NATIONAL OFFICE: 1360 Mission Street * 121 West 27th Street Suite 200 * Suite 804 San Francisco, CA 94103 * New York, NY 10001 tel: (415) 551-9788 * tel: (212) 727-0135 x 114 fax: (415) 551-9789 * fax: (212) 727-0254 ************************************************ ............................................................ Visit the GLSEN Blackboard online: http://www.glsen.org/ Past GLSENAlert posts are archived on the GLSEN Blackboard: http://www.glsen.org/pages/sections/news/glsenalert/ ............................................................ TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE You may add or remove yourself from this mailing list by going to: http://www.glsen.org/pages/sections/news/glsenalert/ If you have problems or questions, you can contact the list server administrator at: ............................................................ ====================================================================== Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/ Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 17:15:42 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 10/28/98 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news, pt. 2 1. NY: Students form alliance to fight hate 2. CA: GLSEN SF-EB essay contest 3. GSA resources 4. National toll-free 24-hour suicide hotline for gay & questioning youth 5. Web site for FTM transgender youth ========================================================================== Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 09:39:30 -0700 From: Jessea NR Greenman The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project thinks it also would be helpful for students, parents, and allies to write to the New York State Board of Regents to urge adoption of statewide curricular policies which are inclusive of fair and accurate information about LGBT people: The State Department of Education's Web Pages are at http://www.nysed.gov/ The Board of Regents [the name for the state board of education]. http://www.nysed.gov/regents.html Not state adoption. Local boards of education make text decisions. Curriculum adoption and implementations are also done locally. HOWEVER, the STATE education department DOES SET broad standards for public school students in seven basic disciplines. Since the standards are relatively broad, school districts, individual schools, and teachers exercise some discretion over what is taught. However, schools are assessed in part by how well the students perform on state competency tests. This helps encourage schools' adherence to state standards and provides the opportunity for lobbying the state to do more re LGBT inclusion. NYS has NOT, in the past, been cooperative or forthcoming in providing answers to our several letters of inquiry. The impression given is (surprise!?) one of a huge bureaucracy with no one really in charge and no one caring very much about our issues or anything else. NY's Dept. of Ed. is trying to "improve education throughout the state through our 'New Compact for Learning'(1991, reprinted 1993 and still the current document being distributed by the state)." It calls for "collaboration on a broader scale than we have yet managed -- by parents, educators, State and local governments, COLLEGES, libraries, museums, SOCIAL-SERVICE RELATED AGENCIES, COMMUNITY GROUPS -- to bring together our collective energies in order to raise and educate our children better." [Capitalization emphasis added, and also below, to indicate language useful to education equity advocacy.] You can get a free copy of the compact by writing to the state DOE at address shown below. We understand that 1994 plans for "school-based planning and shared decisionmaking" which the Regents required each district to adopt and implement are still in effect. These plans call for PARENTS and teachers to participate with administrators and school board members in setting policy for local schools. This is a TERRIFIC opportunity to get PFLAG and LGBT parents involved! Below IS THE NEW YORK STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S nondiscrimination statement: "The State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, creed, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, race, gender OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION in the educational programs and activities which it operates. Inquiries concerning this policy of equal opportunity and affirmative action should be referred to the Department's Affirmative Action officer, NYS Education Department, 89 Washington Ave. Albany NY 12234." ======== TIMES UNION, October 25, 1998 645 Albany-Shaker Road,Albany,NY,12201 (Fax 518-454-5628 ) (E-Mail: tuletters@timesunion.com ) ( http://www.timesunion.com ) Students form alliance against hate Guilderland-- Gay and straight teens unite to seek acceptance of alternative lifestyles KIMBERLY MARTINEAU, Staff writer [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] O+O+ O+O+ O+O+ O+O+ O+O+ O+O+ Jessea NR Greenman, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month "Talk does not cook rice." Chinese proverb. ================================================================================== Date: Tue, 27 Oct 1998 16:56:39 -0700 From: Jessea NR Greenman [the below items are from the GLSEN/SF-EB newsletter November 1998] ESSAY CONTEST _____________________________________________________________ "A GLBT* PERSON THAT I ADMIRE" _____________________________________________________________ * GLBT is short for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender The essay may be about some famous contemporary or historical figure, or someone you know or interview. First prize: $300 Second prize: $200 Third prize: $100 Sponsored by: GLSEN/SF-EB, Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network/San Francisco-East Bay (formerly BANGLE, Bay Area Network of Gay and Lesbian Educators) * Essays must be 300-400 words long, typed, double-spaced, and will be judged on how well they communicate information on the subject. * The contest is open to any high school student, regardless of sexual orientation, in the counties of San Francisco, Alameda, or Contra Costa, in both public and private high schools. The contest is open to a high school student in another area if the essay is submitted by a member of the San Francisco-East Bay chapter of GLSEN. * Be sure to include your name, grade, high school, and mailing address along with your essay. Please include a teacher's name if you use your school as your mailing address. Include a phone number if you would like to be notified by phone. * Winners will be notified by May 1, 1999. The judging will be done by a panel of teachers and writers. Awards will be paid by check. In the case of ties, prize money will be split. * No more than two entries may be submitted by a single student. Students retain copyright ownership of their entry, but by entering the contest grant GLSEN/SF-EB the right to publish the entry in the GLSTN/SF-EB newsletter. * Entries must be postmarked by Wednesday, March 31, 1999. Mail to: GLSEN/SF-EB Essay Contest P.O. Box 70554 Point Richmond, CA 94807-0554 =============================================================================== GSA RESOURCES by Beth Reis An often updated list of titles, descriptions, publishers, ordering info, etc. on books and videos that would be appropriate to recommend to high school- based clubs and gay-straight alliances is available on our Safe Schools website, http://members.tripod.com/~claytoly/ssp_home If anyone has resources you wish we would add, please do let us know (elizabeth.reis@metrokc.gov). =============================================================================== 24-HOUR TOLL-FREE HOTLINE FOR YOUTH: The Trevor Project has a round-the-clock national toll-free suicide hotline for gay and questioning youth. Teens who call 800-850-8078, can talk to trained counselors, find local resources and take important steps on their way to becoming healthy adults. All calls are free and confidential. =============================================================================== Date: Tue, 27 Oct 1998 20:00:27 -0700 From: "TransBoy Resource Net" Subject: New web site for FTM Transgender Youth I am pleased to announce the birth of a comprehensive new web page for F2M (female-to-male) transgendered, transsexual, genderqueer and questioning youth... The first of its kind. Come visit us! : **** TransBoy Resource Network http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Park/6484 **** We think this is an important and much-needed resource for trans youth so please help us get the word out about this site >>by adding a link from your web site or directory<< and/or forwarding this note and the URL to anyone else you think might be interested! Thanks in advance for your help. TransBoy Resource Network ___ TransBoy Resource Network (TBoRN) http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Park/6484 transboys@hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ======================================================================== Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/