Date: Mon, 8 Jul 1996 17:41:48 -0700 From: glaad@glaad.org (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Subject: GLAADAlert 07.08.96 GLAADALERT July 8, 1996 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation HOMOPHOBIC ANTI-DRUG AD HITS TV AIRWAVES Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA) has recently issued ten public service announcements (PSA's) as part of its campaign to end heroin use. Unfortunately, one of the ten television PSA's now being distributed to the nation's top 50 media markets suggests that drug use ultimately leads to sex with men, which is portrayed as a more severe social ill. GLAAD asked PDFA to recall the ad, but a terse response from PDFA flatly refused to address GLAAD's concerns. The PSA presents the teen-aged "David," who describes his downward spiral due to heroin addiction, from unemployment to life on the street. He concludes by saying, "=8Aand now I have sex with men (cuts to a long-shot) for money, to support my habit." (Then there is an abrupt cut - David cries.) "I wish I didn't have to be like this." The ad has the potential to exacerbate higher-than-average risks gay and lesbian youth face for substance abuse and suicide by implying that being gay is worse than being addicted to heroin. On the whole, GLAAD agrees with the aims of this campaign but cannot support it as long as one of the spots contains a homophobic message. Contact: Richard D Bonnette, President, Partnership for a Drug Free America, 405 Lexington Avenue, 10174, 212.973.3500. SHOWTIME REVIVES BASTARD OUT OF CAROLINA Bastard Out Of Carolina, the best selling novel by open lesbian Dorothy Allison, has had an uphill climb in the production of its screen adaptation. The book originally landed at Showtime, with Allison Anders slated to direct. After two years of development, Showtime "made the mistake of letting it go" when Anders left the project. Turner Network Television (TNT) then picked up the property, this time with Anjelica Huston directing. The film reached completion at TNT, but TNT Chairman Ted Turner stopped it from premiering when he saw certain "controversial" scenes. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "The network announced that in order to meet program standards for TNT -- an ad-supported basic cable network -- the company would have to request specific edits that neither the network nor filmmakers felt would be in the best interest of the movie...But, Showtime, a pay cable network with no advertising, had no such problems and will show the Huston-directed movie in the fourth quarter of this year." Please thank Showtime President Jerry Offsay for realizing the importance of this film and for letting it get the airtime it deserves. Contact: Jerry Offsay, President, Showtime, 10 Universal City Plaza, 31st =46loor, Universal City, CA 91608-1097, phone: 818.505.7700, fax: 818.505.7755 CROSSROADS IN PINE VALLEY They say that life imitates art. But the July 9th issue of Soap Opera Weekly tells us, "At Pine Valley High, Art Imitates Life." The story by Carmen McDowell revolves around the startling similarities between the coming out of All My Children character Michael Delaney (played by Chris Bruno) and real life Missouri teacher Rodney Wilson. Wilson, a teacher at Mehlville High School in St. Louis, was the center of much controversy when he came out to his history class while discussing the Holocaust. Delaney, too, was also the center of controversy in fictional Pine Valley when he came out to his history class while addressing the same topic. McDowell writes that after studying materials from PFLAG and GLSTN for Delaney's character, All My Children's writers became particularly impelled by Rodney Wilson's story. AMC headwriter Lorraine Broderick recalled, "Rodney, along with other gay teachers, really inspired us. What they have been able to accomplish, given their obstacles, gave us so much to be able to think about when we were developing the story. It was gratifying to be able to write about things that had actually happened to real people." No one, however, was prepared for the popularity behind the storyline. Chris Bruno, who was at first reluctant for his character to come out, began to change his attitude. McDowell writes, " the fan mail began to arrive -- fans cheering him on, letters from kids telling Bruno that they would rather commit suicide than tell their parents about their homosexuality, notes from gay teachers who were considering coming out to their classes. He has been pleasantly surprised by the positive reaction." All My Children received a GLAAD Media Award in 1996 for its representation. Wilson noted, "This story can only help people understand what it means to be gay and what the gays-in-the classroom debate is all about." Please thank Carmen McDowell and Soap Opera Digest for such a thoughtful article. Also, let Lorraine Broderick know what the storyline has meant to you and that you hope Michael will continue to be integrated into the story. Finally, write Chris Bruno and let him know what his character means to you. Contact: Carmen McDowell, Soap Opera Weekly, 41 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10010, e-mail: SPWpubpop@aol.com, Carmen McDowell's e-mail address: sandiego@accessone.com; Lorraine Broderick, Headwriter, and Chris Bruno, All My Children, 320 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023 EXTRA FANCY ON MTV Alternative rockers have recently been breaking ground in recognizing homosexuality. Tensions arose last year when Guitar magazine featured two male members of Red Hot Chili Peppers kissing. Green Day brought to the forefront the queer band Pansy Division by featuring the group as an opening act and bringing lyrics with gay and lesbian sensibility to a new audience. Now, Los Angeles band Extra Fancy has made it to MTV with its extremely queer single and video "Sinner Man." =46ronted by openly gay Brian Grillo, Extra Fancy presents a video featuring kissing between two men. Their management reports, "MTV's 120 Minutes accepted this video and AIRED it, AS IS, on Sunday, June 23." But, as they also report, that the video has only aired once. Please write MTV and let them know that you appreciate their running the Extra Fancy video and encourage them to give more airtime to this and other gay and lesbian themed videos. Contact: Judy McGrath, President, MTV Networks, 1515 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, phone: 212.258.8712, e-mail: feedback@mtv.com or minutes120@aol.com. DIVERSITY, YES...PROPAGANDA, NO A syndicated column by San Francisco Chronicle columnist Debra Saunders asks the question, "Who Is It Who Really Wants To Propagandize In School?" Saunders tries to convince her readers that the gay and lesbian community is responsible for forceful brainwashing in the public school system. She describes one mother who was upset that her seven year old son attended a lecture by a gay parent discussing his life and family, and was appalled that her son also worked on a banner for Gay and Lesbian Pride. The mother claims that had she known, she would have withdrawn her child, who she believed was too young to learn about homosexuality. Saunders bills herself as gay supportive. She writes, "there are parents whose religions view homosexuality as a sin. I don't agree with them. And I would support a school policy that forbids children from mistreating gays; that deals with behavior." Instead of including gay and lesbian people in the human family, and stressing the importance of tolerance, respect and understanding at the school level, she alleges that some children are too young to deal with homosexuality because "some...may not even know what sex is" Please write Debra Saunders and let her know that children do understand that families come in different colors, shapes, and sizes, and they do understand love. Contact: Debra Saunders, San Francisco Chronicle, 901 Mission Street, San =46rancisco, CA 94103, e-mail: chronletters@sfgate.com The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. GLAAD is the Lesbian and Gay News Bureau and the only national Lesbian and Gay multimedia watchdog organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. Copies of articles referred to in the GLAADAlert are available to our members by contacting GLAAD. 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 =46rancisco). 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.