Date: Mon, 29 Sep 1997 13:04:45 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: NATIONAL ESSAY WINNER ANNOUNCED VICKI EAKLOR OF ALFRED, N.Y. WINS OCTOBER'S LESBIAN & GAY HISTORY MONTH CONTEST MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Liz Tracey (212) 807-1700 pager: (800) 946-4646, pin #1423527 e-mail: tracey@glaad.org NATIONAL ESSAY WINNER ANNOUNCED VICKI EAKLOR OF ALFRED, N.Y. WINS OCTOBER'S LESBIAN & GAY HISTORY MONTH CONTEST NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 29, 1997-The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced today that Dr. Vicki L. Eaklor of Alfred, New York was the winner of the first-ever national essay contest celebrating October as Lesbian & Gay History Month: A Celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History. Her essay will appear in more than 20 lesbian and gay publications from coast to coast. Contestants were asked, "What does lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history mean to you, and how do you envision that history influencing the future of the movement?" The judges read nearly 75 entries from places such as Salt Lick, Kentucky and El Monte, California. Eaklor's essay, "Without Visibility There is No History," focused on the importance of political activism and visibility in shaping the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The essay will appear in a number of publications, including The Washington Blade (DC), Lesbian & Gay New York, Windy City Times (Chicago), Dallas Voice, Seattle Gay News and the Gayly Oklahoman. "I am thrilled to have not only have won, but to have played a part in celebrating Lesbian & Gay History Month," said Dr. Eaklor. "From the classroom to the boardroom, our history is essential for the community and the whole world to understand and appreciate." Dr. Vicki L. Eaklor teaches in the Division of Human Studies at Alfred University in Alfred, New York. Every other year, she teaches a course entitled "Gay American History" to undergraduate students. She is currently working on an extensive essay on recent lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history. Dr. Eaklor has been out for more than 15 years, and has a partner of 9 years. For her winning essay, Eaklor will receive a round-trip ticket anywhere American Airlines flies in the continental US, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas. "Vicki's essay speaks to the heart of what GLAAD and many of today's gay rights organizations strive to accomplish; visibility," said GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry. "This community's history has been defined, and continues to be shaped, by those brave and courageous individuals who have been the most visible spokespeople for our struggle." For more information on Lesbian & Gay History Month, a calendar of events, the official Resource Guide, a listing of endorsers and co-sponsors, links to other history sites, online events, a history month quiz and much more, please visit the Official Lesbian & Gay History Month Web site at http://www.glaad.org/glaad/history-month/index.html. GLAAD is pleased to have American Express Financial Advisors as History Month's primary corporate sponsor. GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate, and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. -30- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org TO REPORT DEFAMATION IN THE MEDIA - Call GLAAD's Alertline at 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or go to the GLAAD Web Site at www.glaad.org and report through our Alertline Online. TO JOIN GLAAD AND RECEIVE GLAAD's DISPATCH AND QUARTERLY IMAGES MAGAZINE, call 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or join on the Web today at www.glaad.org/glaad/join/join-about.html TO SUBSCRIBE TO GLAAD-Net, GLAAD's electronic mailing list, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Subscribe GLAAD-Net" TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Unsubscribe GLAAD-Net" GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.