Date: Tue, 6 Aug 1996 09:25:59 -0700 From: glaad@glaad.org (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Subject: GAY AND LESBIAN MEDIA CENTER OPENS IN SAN DIEGO FOR REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Alan Klein (212) 807-1700 Pager: (800) 601-5483 (please include area code) VOICES '96 Media Center (San Diego) 8/10-8/15/96: (619) 595-7949 GAY AND LESBIAN MEDIA CENTER OPENS IN SAN DIEGO FOR REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST ANN NORTHROP TO MONITOR HATE, LIES AND STEREOTYPES NEW YORK CITY, AUG. 6, 1996-The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), in an unprecedented coalition with local San Diego and national lesbian and gay organizations, will conduct its Republican National Convention (RNC) media operations from the VOICES '96 Media Center, which is open from August 8 through August 15 and is located at 327 4th Avenue (between J and Harbour Blvd). The VOICES '96 Media Center telephone number is (619) 595-7949. GLAAD will monitor the RNC and media coverage of the convention to ensure fair and accurate presentation of lesbian- and gay-oriented issues. The organization will offer rapid response with decisive commentary on the GOP's words and deeds throughout the four-day event. GLAAD will also monitor the GOP's treatment of Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe, the nation's second openly gay Republican representative, and the convention's handling of the Log Cabin Republicans, the national organization of lesbian and gay Republicans. "Both the Republicans and Democrats have targeted the lesbian and gay and AIDS communities as scapegoats with hateful and bigoted election-year distortions," said Ann Northrop, a spokesperson for GLAAD. "We feel it is imperative at this point in history to be in San Diego to actively oppose these lies and insults which are part of a general tone of divisiveness." The reportage on lesbian and gay issues throughout the 1996 presidential campaign has also been disappointing, according to Northrop, "the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is a perfect example of the appalling ignorance in the media. It's become clear to us that we need to take a more proactive stance and give the American public the facts rather than our opponent's distortions and lies." While in San Diego GLAAD will also operate "Media Express," a project to assist community-based lesbian and gay organizations and activists in targeting and packaging their messages. According to GLAAD Community Affairs Director Donna Red Wing, "GLAAD will open up its media tool box to the community at this one-stop shop, offering not only the tools but also the skills to use them." Media Express will open on Sunday, August 11 and will remain open until Thursday, August 15. Hours of operation are from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Media Express is located at the Hillcrest Lesbian and Gay Community Center, the hub for VOICES '96 (Voters Organized in Coalition for the Elections) activities, at 3916 Normal Street. VOICES '96 is a San Diego-based grassroots coalition of organizations representing the gay, lesbian, bi and transgendered communities during the Republican National Convention. GLAAD is the nation's lesbian and gay news bureau and the only national lesbian and gay media watchdog organization. GLAAD 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 VISIT THE GLAAD WEB SITE AT http://www.glaad.org! GLAAD 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 trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.