Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 15:29:06 -0700 From: GLAAD Subject: GLAADAlert 01.17.97 GLAADALERT January 17, 1997 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Contents: 1. Emergency Ellen Action-Her Closet May Be Swinging Shut! (ABC (television network), Ellen (television sitcom)) 2. Hawaii Paper Hits Courts on Same-Sex Marriage (Honolulu Star-Bulletin (newspaper)) 3. The Gospel According to E.J. (Arizona Republic (newspaper)) 4. Casper, The Friendly Editorial (Casper (WY) Star-Tribune (newspaper)) 5. San Francisco Chronicle Covers Gay Asylum Issues (San Francisco Chronicle (newspaper)) 6. Working It Out, Texas-Style (Houston Chronicle (newspaper)) 7. You Can Never Have Enough Hats, Gloves and Shoes (Comedy Central (cable network), Absolutely Fabulous (television comedy)) 1. Emergency Ellen Action-Her Closet May Be Swinging Shut! ABC Television may be slamming shut Ellen's closet door forever. ABC has decided to put Ellen on hiatus during March and April. ABC Entertainment President Jamie Tarses said that the network has yet to decide whether an Ellen coming out episode (which has as yet not been taped) will air. Radical religious groups are taking advantage of this unfortunate turn of events by mounting an unprecedented campaign of pressure against ABC and Disney. Following Tarses' statement, Ellen Morgan sang her way out of the closet during the January 10 taping of the show. In the episode, Ellen attends a rock 'n' roll fantasy camp, where she performs a song, which she penned, called "I'm Scared of Being Afraid." In the third take of the song, the Morgan character crooned, "So here's what I have to say...And by the way, I'm gay! It's okay!" As the studio audience cheered, she ended the song with the refrain "I'm gay! I'm gay! I'm gay!" A spokesperson for Ellen indicated that the take was an unscripted, spontaneous improvisation by DeGeneres and would not air. The coming out song seems to make clear DeGeneres' intention to let her character out of the closet. It also may highlight her frustration with the show being placed on hiatus and Tarses' waffling on whether or not to let the character out. On January 14, the radical religious American Family Association issued a release urging people to demand that Disney follow the AFA's hate agenda and force Ellen Morgan to stay in her closet. Meanwhile, due to ABC's waffling, internet activists on Prodigy have started a campaign to send ABC waffle coupons, pictures of waffles, packets of waffles and homemade waffle recipes via snail mail and e-mail. Only the lesbian and gay community and its supporters can turn the situation around. Do not let religious radicals control what you can watch on television-let Ellen out! Please join in the Prodigy campaign. Also, write letters and call both ABC and Disney insisting that ABC let Ellen out and renew its commitment to diversity and inclusion in its programming. Contact: Michael Eisner, Chairman and Dean Valentine, President of Network TV and Television Animation, Walt Disney Company, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521, phone: 818.560.1000, fax: 818.560-1930, e-mail/WWW: http://www.disney.com/Mail. For ABC: Jamie Tarses, Entertainment President, ABC Television Network, 2040 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067, fax: 310.557.7679, e-mail: abcaudr@ccabc.com. For sponsor contacts and more information, visit the GLAAD website at www.glaad.org. 2. Hawaii Paper Hits Courts on Same-Sex Marriage David Shapiro, managing editor for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, wrote a January 4 editorial claiming that same-sex marriage is not about civil rights and shouldn't be legalized through the judicial system. "The biggest fallacy of this debate is that gay marriage is a civil rights issue that must be decided by the courts," he writes. "Nonsense. If it's such a pressing civil rights matter, why isn't it a serious issue in any other state? It's simply a public policy matter that needs to be decided by Hawai'i voters and their elected representatives." He then suggests that if the state's high court rules in favor of same-sex marriage, the people should pass a constitutional amendment to define marriage solely as between one man and one woman. "Voters narrowly approved a constitutional convention in the last election," he says, "but special interests are challenging the vote in court." Shapiro is apparently unaware of the central role the judicial system plays in protecting civil rights and liberties, particularly when they are not supported by the majority of the people. The overturning of miscegenation laws, which barred interracial marriage, and a host of voters rights issues have been resolved by the court sometimes in direct opposition to the majority view. (It is noteworthy that in 1967, when the U.S. Supreme Court's Loving v. Virginia ended all anti-miscegenation laws, interracial marriage was less popular than same-sex marriage is today.) Further, it was hardly a "special interest" that is challenging the vote for a constitutional convention. Normally, an "extraordinary majority" is required by Hawaiian voters to approve the calling of a Constitutional Convention, and in the 1996 election, only a "simple majority" was achieved. The state Attorney General ruled that the simple majority should stand, in spite of tradition to the contrary. Therefore, it is being legally challenged. It seems ironic that Shaprio cannot understand that the will of the people was simply not enough to bring about a Constitutional Convention considering how much he argues for the democratic process. Write the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and suggest that Shapiro familiarize himself with the established tradition of the courts in the advancement of civil rights, as well as how constitutional reform works within his state. Contact: David Shapiro, Managing Editor, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, HI 96802, fax: 808.523.8509, email: davids@aloha.net. 3. The Gospel According to E.J. In the January 9 Arizona Republic, E.J. Montini wrote a column entitled, "So Sayeth the Bible," in which the author challenges the ways that members of radical religious groups selectively use the Bible to suit their own anti-gay agenda. Montini focuses on one state legislator in particular, Rep. Karen Johnson (R-Mesa), and her recent attempts to ban gay organizations from public schools and universities and declare sodomy a Class 6 felony. "Her Bible tells her that homosexuality is an abomination," the writer says. "To her, gays are sinners, if not criminals. Johnson may be an elected official, but she follows what she'd call a 'higher law.'... I differ with Johnson not because she's a zealot who goes too far, but because she's a zealot who doesn't go far enough." Montini suggests that Johnson feels she is interpreting the Bible literally, and should be thorough in that conviction: "If Johnson truly believes what she says, she'll also push for a law prescribing the death penalty, as the Bible does, for anyone who works on the Sabbath [and demand] that a person who commits adultery be stoned to death. In Mark 10:11, anyone who gets married after divorce is committing adultery. If that were made into law, we'd be able to rid ourselves of one indicted governor and at least one ornery U.S. Senator, not to mention the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives." Finally, Montini notes that as a woman, Rep. Johnson is herself at odds with her guiding text. According to Timothy, 2:11-12, they include, '"Let a woman learn in silence with all submissiveness,' and not 'teach or have authority over men; she is to keep silent.'" Please thank the Arizona Republic for Montini's expose of the hypocrisy and bigotry behind Rep. Johnson's use of the Bible. Contact: Pam Johnson, Managing Editor, Arizona Republic, P.O. Box 2244, Phoenix, AZ 85002, fax: 602.271.8933, e-mail: opinions@aol.com. 4. Casper, The Friendly Editorial An editorial in the January 12 edition of the Casper (Wyoming) Star-Tribune celebrated the state's constitutionally enshrined emphasis on equality while lambasting state House and Senate members who have pre-filed anti-gay marriage legislation (HB 94). "The proposed legislation smacks of the same prejudicial mind set that created the old miscegenation laws in the South which prohibited interracial marriages," the editorial says. According to the state Constitution, it says, "laws that affect political rights or privileges cannot discriminate based upon sex. Legislation that would deny same-sex couples access to the marital status and its concomitant rights and benefits clearly discriminates on the basis of sex." Then, quoting Loving v. Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on miscegenation laws, the editorial notes that marriage is considered a vital personal right essential to the pursuit of happiness. "The state cannot arbitrarily limit some citizens' fundamental rights. That's at the core of what liberty and equality mean. 'HB 94' is a misguided attempt to elevate some people's prejudice against homosexuals into law. Let us take pride in being the Equality State. Equality for everyone." In a time when states across the country are considering anti-same-sex marriage laws, this rational and level-headed response to the hysterical homophobia brings the central issue of same-sex marriage-ensuring civil rights and equal treatment under the law-into sharp focus. Please thank the Casper Star-Tribune for an excellent editorial on gay marriage. Contact: Hugh Jackson, Deputy Editor, Casper Star-Tribune, 170 Star Lane, Casper, Wyoming 82604-2883, fax: 307.266.0568, email: ed@trib.com. 5. San Francisco Chronicle Covers Gay Asylum Issues In the January 13 San Francisco Chronicle, a front-page story highlighted a host of situations in which lesbians and gay men are seeking political asylum in the U.S. "Even as the federal and state governments take steps to restrict immigration and halt the flow of foreigners arriving here illegally," it states, "a growing number of gays and lesbians are applying for-and winning-political asylum because of persecution based on their sexual orientation." The story explains how in 1994 Attorney General Janet Reno issued a memo declaring that the Immigration and Naturalization Service and immigration judges should begin to recognize sexual orientation as a legitimate class for protection from political persecution. Since then, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and other groups have seen success in protecting the rights of those seeking asylum from torture, rape and abuse experienced in countries around the globe. While some anti-immigrant groups have attacked this use of asylum law, Sydney Levy of IGLHRC states "'This is a fair and appropriate application of the law, not a great expansion of it.'" Personal stories of asylumees and specific applications of the law are included in the story as well. While immigration has become a major theme in the media as the federal and many state governments continue to restrict immigration and care for immigrants, media focus on the issue has rarely discussed how lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people are affected. By opening examination of lesbian and gay asylum issues, the Chronicle brings attention to an important issue of social justice. Please thank the San Francisco Chronicle for a balanced and informative article on this underreported issue. Contact: William German, Editor, San Francisco Chronicle, 901 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-2988, fax: 415.543.7708, e-mail: chronletters@sfgate.com. 6. Working It Out, Texas-Style The January 10 edition of the Houston Chronicle featured an engaging article on coming out in the workplace. In the story, author L.M. Sixel describes several gay men and their decisions to come out-or stay in the closet-at their jobs. "The decision to 'come out' at work is a tough one, experts say. Many gays and lesbians worry they will be ostracized by their co-workers or that it will harm potential advancement if their reveal their sexual orientation," Sixel notes. "But sometimes they figure it's more important to be up front and let their colleagues know they have same-sex relationships." One man, Dale Carpenter, works for one of Houston's biggest law firms, and came out during the job offer so there would not be trouble later. Another, an engineer at an oil company, does not want anyone to know, "because he works with too many insensitive people. Some make cruel jokes about gays; others just point and whisper," the author says. "So he quit going to Christmas parties and makes sure he never talks about doing things with other people on weekends." Sixel quotes David Wantz, the director of the University of Indianapolis' career counseling center, who says that, "Coming out is easier for people who work in fields where reason and enlightenment play a role, such as law, medicine and higher education." He says that in jobs that depend on the perceptions of others, such as being in the military or being a firefighter, coming out is more difficult. However, the article ends on a hopeful note, saying that, "Generally, if you have a good relationship with your bosses and co-workers, that will continue once you make your sexual orientation known. People tend to be more tolerant when they realize they know someone who's gay and that he doesn't have two heads." The article makes a variety of good points, from the importance of appreciating one's environment before coming out to acknowledging that coming out at work is, in the end, a highly personal choice that can be both liberating and frightening. Unfortunately, the author does not interview any lesbians nor explore the ways that coming out can carry a different set of issues for women who are also gay. Please let the Houston Chronicle know that the article is appreciated, and encourage them to give the issue more in-depth and inclusive coverage in the future. Contact: Tony Pederson, Managing Editor, Houston Chronicle, PO Box 4260, Houston, Texas 77210, fax: 713.220.6677, email: hci@chron.com. 7. You Can Never Have Enough Hats, Gloves and Shoes This Sunday, January 19, Patsy (Joanna Lumley) and Edina (Jennifer Saunders), the pill taking, booze drinking, fashion loving duo from England's smash hit Absolutely Fabulous, will reunite for a final special, "The Last Shout." Comedy Central has broadcast this critically acclaimed sitcom over the past two years, which features a number of openly gay characters and gender-bending subplots and has become a favorite show among the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Most noteworthy of a number of openly gay players, is Edina's ex-husband Justin, and his life partner Oliver. In "The Last Shout," Saffy, Justin and Edina's daughter, invites not only her father to give her away at her wedding, but also includes Oliver on her special, if not chaotic, day. Ab Fab consistently has been gay friendly. Last year, Lumley and Saunders gave the Advocate an extensive interview about the show's inclusion of gay content, and about the community's almost obsessive embrace of the show and its characters. Please write Comedy Central and thank them for including Absolutely Fabulous in their line-up. Encourage them to continue to feature programming that unapologetically includes fabulous gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters. Contact: Doug Herzog, President, Comedy Central, 1775 Broadway, New York City, NY 10019, fax: 212.767.8582, e-mail: dherzog@comcentral.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), 202.986.1360 (Washington, DC) or 415.861.2244 (San Francisco). Report defamation in the media by calling GLAAD's Toll-Free AlertLine! 1-800-GAY-MEDIA (1-800-429-6334) Visit GLAAD's Web Site at http://www.glaad.org "GLAADAlert," "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. 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