Date: Mon, 20 May 1996 10:21:59 -0700 From: glaad@glaad.org (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Subject: GLAADAlert 05.20.96 GLAADALERT May 20, 1996 The GLAADAlert is the bi-monthly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation FROM THE PULPIT OF HATE The Chicago Tribune featured an offensive column entitled "Tolerating Ourselves To Death" in their May 15th issue. the commentary written by Linda Bowles, opposing same gender marriage, promotes the worst possible stereotypes of the gay and lesbian community and passes myths off as fact. Bowles uses as one of her attacks the question of whether sexual orientation is a choice or not. She writes, "These tactics have allowed the development and spread of a number of myths and fairy tales about homosexuality...The position of many Americans is shaped by the belief that homosexuals are born that way. Homosexuals ask, 'Why would we deliberately choose a lifestyle that is so reviled?'--implying they had no choice. But this is a question that could be asked by a drug addict or a sexual voyeur or a pedophile." She ends her commentary by saying, " Homosexual marriage requires the surrender of cherished principles and the abandonment of fundamental values. It makes a mockery of the natural family, corrupts the church, endangers our national health and further lowers the moral bulwarks that hold back a rising tide of human depravity." Bowles insufficiently supports any of these conclusions, offering only stereotypes as evidence. Please write the Chicago Tribune and respond to Bowles article. Contact: Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, Fax: 312.222.2598, e-mail: TribLetter@aol.com CENSORSHIP ON THE NET The American Family Association has appointed itself the police of the Information Super Highway. Starting with online provider CompuServe, Inc., the AFA has pledged to make sure the Internet is properly censored to fit their agenda. Their active campaign has included reporting CompuServe to the FBI on charges that the company was violating the Communication Decency Act, which criminalizes "indecent" materials on the Internet. The enforcement of the Communications Decency Act has been suspended pending the ruling of a three judge panel on the Act's constitutionality. If enforced, the vague wording in the CDA could potentially affect posting information about abortion, AIDS, sex education and the gay and lesbian community. CompuServe was recently criticized by GLAAD for removing 200 newsgroups from their service in response to an order by a German official to close those with "offensive" words, including "gay," "lesbian" and "homosexual." After response from the gay and lesbian community, CompuServe has reinstated these newsgroups. Please send letters of support to CompuServe. Contact: Robert Massey, President, CompuServe, Inc., 5000 Arlington Center Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43220 or e-mail CompuServe Feedback at 70006.101@compuserve.com. CLOTHESTIME NOT FOR ANY CLOSET Lesbians and gay men have been largely invisible in television commercials, the product of advertisers' fears of losing revenue. IKEA was the first to break the silence by airing an ad featuring a gay couple in 1994. Now, Clothestime follows suit. The national women's clothing chain has started a bold new advertising campaign, which includes lesbian and transgender images. Unfortunately, like the IKEA advertisement, Clothestime's ads are suffering from lack of airtime. Many of the stations that do run the ads have run them late at night and at odd hours. Please send Clothestime letters of support for their bold new campaign. Contact: Clothestime, 5325 East Hunter Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92807 or call their advertisement comment line at 714.779.1033. ALL IS NOT NORMAL IN NORMAL The Chicago Tribune reports that the central Illinois town of Normal has rejected a proposed ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation. The May 8th article entitled "Illinois City Rejects Gay Rights Measure Advocates: Normal Is Not The Rule" quotes one Normal City Council member saying, "Even though we are growing by leaps and bounds, we still have the feel of a small town and people want to preserve that. My feeling is that the gay lifestyle should not be condoned." The City Council supports its decision by explaining that gay men and lesbians are already protected under the law by citing a lack of discrimination and abuse reports filed. As background, the article draws comparisons to Colorado, Oregon and Idaho, describing the similar legislation in those states, as well as for the harassment and violence toward the lesbian and gay community that often follows. Please write letters to the editor of the Chicago Tribune about your feelings toward the lack of equal protection in Normal, Illinois. Contact: Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, Fax: 312.222.2598, e-mail: TribLetter@aol.com The GLAADAlert is the bi-monthly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in the media as a means of combating homophobia and all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. Contact GLAAD by e-mail at glaad@glaad.org or by phone at 213.658.6775 (Los Angeles), 212.807.1700 (New York), 413.586.8928 (Northampton), 503.224.5285 (Portland, Oregon), 202.986.1360 (Washington, DC) or 415.861.2244(San Francisco). Visit GLAAD's Web Site at http://www.glaad.org "GLAADAlert," "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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.