Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 17:21:18 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADAlert 02.14.97 GLAADALERT =46ebruary 14, 1997 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Contents: 1. Ellen Coming Out Date Set (Ellen (television sitcom), ABC (television network), The Walt Disney Company (multimedia entertainment company)) 2. Rosie's Big "Inning" (The Rosie O'Donnell Show (television talk show)) 3. CBS Builds Lesbian Bridges (Nash Bridges (television drama), CBS (television network)) 4. When Love Turns Mean (San Francisco Examiner (newspaper)) 5. Four Boys Kissing (The Naked Truth (television sitcom), NBC (television network), Spin City (television sitcom), ABC (television network)) 6. San Marino Paper Perverts Journalism to Spread Lies (San Marino Television (newspaper)) 7. It's A Girl! (UPI (newswire), Reuters/Variety (newswire), The Washington Post (newspaper), New York Post (newspaper)) 8. A Smooth Transition in Iowa (Des Moines Register (newspaper)) 9. The Sweet Life-A Valentine's Media Round-Up (San Francisco Examiner (newspaper), Glamour (magazine), The Washington Post (newspaper), FOX (television network)) 1. Ellen Coming Out Date Set According to the February 14 Hollywood Reporter, ABC has tentatively set April 30-the first Wednesday of the May sweeps-as the date for Ellen to come out as a lesbian. "The final thumbs-up on Ellen's outing depends on ABC and Disney execs approving a script, which has not yet been submitted, spies say," said the Reporter. Additionally, GLAAD sources have revealed that Oprah Winfrey has been approached to play Ellen's therapist, giving further weight to rumors that Ellen would be coming out to her therapist. Momentum is gaining, and again it is crucial to send support for Ellen's coming out to ensure the first-ever openly lesbian or gay title character on television. The show was placed on hiatus and then reinstated recently after a letter campaign by GLAAD, but ABC Entertainment President Jamie Tarses still refuses to commit to whether the episode will actually run. Radical religious groups still seek to control what you can see on television, and have staked out Ellen as one of the main battlegrounds. Help make history! Write Disney and ABC and tell them that it is high time to let Ellen out. Contact: Jamie Tarses, Entertainment President, ABC, 2040 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067, fax: 310.557.7679, e-mail: abcaudr@ccabc.com; Michael Eisner, CEO, David Neuman, President, Walt Disney Television, The Walt Disney Company, 500 South Buena Vista, Burbank, California 91521, fax: Michael Eisner - 818.560.5155, e-mail through feedback form on WWW: http://www.tvplex.com/Note. 2. Rosie's Big "Inning" With a stern look and a few words, Rosie O'Donnell has started "inning," celebrities on her show. On the January 20 episode of the Rosie O'Donnell Show, Kathy Kinney (The Drew Carey Show) recounted a story about going to Richard Simmons' aerobic studio in Los Angeles. "Richard was pretty enamored with my tall, handsome [male] friend," Kinney said. "So he kept ponying over to me." Rosie's eyes narrowed slightly and she interrupted, "I think he just liked you." Kinney, wanting to continue her story, said, "I actually don't think so." Rosie's eyes widened, and she shook her head slightly as if to admonish Kinney, and repeated, "No, I think he did." Kinney broke, saying, "Oh, he liked me, he liked me a lot," and Rosie, further scurrying to closet Richard Simmons, added, "It was all about you." Within this moment is a rare glimpse at the tyranny of "inning" which goes on constantly within the media. Rosie, in her zeal to cover up the discussion of sexual orientation, forced Kinney to change facts to the point of absurdity. Rosie is guilty of "inning" a celebrity which must be seen as far worse than outing one. After all, if a closeted gay celebrity is outed, the truth is at least still being told. Rosie, and others who engage in "inning," are actively promoting lies and demonizing lesbians and gay men. Please let the Queen of Nice know her revisionist editorializing fosters a culture of closets. Contact: Rosie O'Donnell, NBC Studios, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 800E, New York, NY 10112; feedback form on WWW: http://www.rosieo.com/cmp/mail.htm. 3. CBS Builds Lesbian Bridges =46ollowing a gay wedding episode on January 31, CBS's San Francisco-based Nash Bridges came back February 7 with the title character's (Don Johnson) sister, Stacy (Angela Dorhmann) announcing she is a lesbian. After Stacy is attacked, Nash comes to her house to investigate. His ex-girlfriend, Sam shows up unexpectedly, and as the two women kiss, Nash realizes that his ex has now become his sister's girlfriend. While Nash is completely accepting, their father remains clueless and tries to set Stacy up on a date, even though she tells him she's "dating women now." By the end of the episode, both Stacy and Nash lose their respective girlfriends, marking it up to the "Bridges curse." With a recurring lesbian character and a same-sex kiss, a gay wedding and a number of other gay references and plotlines throughout its first season, Nash Bridges is becoming one of the most inclusive programs on television, realistically weaving lesbian and gay characters into the San =46rancisco-based show's landscape. Unlike NBC's Suddenly Susan, another San =46rancisco-based television show, Nash Bridges has repeatedly been inclusiv= e in its representations. Our community deserves inclusion in the plots, especially on shows based in a city with such a large lesbian and gay population. Please thank CBS for this quality programming and encourage them to develop Stacey's character. Contact: Leslie Moonves, President of CBS Entertainment, CBS, 7800 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036, e-mail: marketing@cbs.com. 4. When Love Turns Mean Through the diary of one gay man, a front-page February 9 article in the San Francisco Examiner exposed the nightmare of lesbian and gay domestic violence. When Mark Ankeles died suddenly of a heart attack in December at age 50, "a death that family, friends, legal advocates and counselors consider related to the [18] years of abuse, he left behind a shattering legacy [his diary]," according to the story. Quoting a spokesperson from Community United Against Violence (CUAV), the local agency fighting anti-gay violence, the article says that, "The gay community has been reluctant to speak about or report domestic violence, fearful of police or public reaction." The lengthy piece tells of Mark's struggle with abuse and his eventual escape from his abuser, including excerpts from his diary and stories from friends and family. Going beyond statistics and statements from counselors, the article goes to the heart of the issue of domestic violence without shying away from one person's tragic story. The estimated 500,000 gay male survivors of domestic abuse in the United States deserve to have their story told, and media coverage will hopefully prevent others from similar attacks. Please commend the Examiner for this unflinching, sensitive and compelling story. Contact: Phil Bronstein, Editor, San Francisco Examiner, 110 5th Street, San Francisco, CA 94111, fax: 415.512.1264, e-mail: sfexaminer.com. 5. Four Boys Kissing Two recent sitcom episodes featured reluctant male same-sex kisses. On the January 23 episode of NBC's sitcom The Naked Truth, two straight men posed as gay and engaged in lip-locking. Two regular characters, Nick (Jonathan Penner) and Dave (Mark Roberts), are "outed" as gay to their boss, Les (George Wendt) by a co-worker. Les tells the two that he wants them to sit with his father at the Superbowl to educate him about gay men. To get the tickets, Nick and Dave play along, acting affectionate, but a co-worker almost blows their cover. Les says they have to prove they are gay by kissing. They do after a little protesting, and to Nick's surprise, Dave won't let go. When Nick reacts to Dave's passions, Dave responds, "You loved it and you know it." On ABC's Spin City's February 11 episode, Carter's (Michael Boatman) dreams of reconciliation with an ex-boyfriend (Luke Perry) are dashed when Perry tells Carter he has "decided he is straight" and is getting married to a woman. In response, Carter drags Mike (Michael J. Fox) into a charade in which the two of them act as if they are a couple, and includes a kiss between them. Mike acts shocked by the kiss and goes over the top in his discomfort, but in the end lets Carter know that he'll always be there for him. The shows represents network television's progress towards networks allowing gay male same-sex kissing. While lesbian couples have recently broken through the barrier, in made-for-TV movies such as Serving in Silence: The Margaret Cammermeyer Story and Two Mothers for Zachary and on ABC's drama Relativity, gay men, such as Matt on Melrose Place, still settle for hugs. First it was two straight men, then a straight man and a gay man who are pretending to be partners-maybe next time it can be two gay or bisexual men who really mean it. The presentation of male same-sex kissing is critical to our community's realistic representation, and destigmatizes portrayals of our love. Write NBC and ABC and let them know that this sexual charades and sexual orientation play is appreciated, and encourage them to expand portrayals of same-sex kisses to characters expressing true love and affection. Contact: Warren Littlefield, President, NBC, 3000 West Alameda Avenue, Burbank, CA 91523-0000, fax: 818.840.3247, e-mail: nbc@aol.com; Jamie Tarses, Entertainment President, ABC, 2040 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067, fax: 310.557.7679, e-mail: abcaudr@ccabc.com. 6. San Marino Paper Perverts Journalism to Spread Lies The San Marino (California) Tribune is waging an all-out war on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth, and launched the first attack under the guise of hard news. In the January 9 Tribune, a news article began, "The San Marino Unified School District will conduct a series of closed door student lunchtime meeting on the high school campus, one of which coaches students on how to tell others that they are homosexual. 'Project 10,' which promotes homosexuality as a viable lifestyle choice among already vulnerable teenagers, is expected to be the most controversial among the topics." After being rightfully attacked by the school board and school administration for false, misleading and alarmist journalism, the January 16 Tribune included an editorial denying any misdoing by staff writers, and opposing what it calls, "the High School's plan to hold secret noontime meetings for students believing themselves to be homosexuals....Programs such as this mess with kids' heads. If that's what the parents of San Marino want, so be it." Below the editorial, the Tribune reprinted the anti-gay so-called "reparative therapy" article recently in the Wall Street Journal (see GLAADAlert 1/10/97) saying that in the article, "the true professionals who really have experience in this field debunk most of the myths and 'junk science' offered by [the School District]." Not only are both articles harmful to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth, they are an affront to legitimate journalism, presenting anti-gay religious radical propaganda not only as editorial, but as hard news. By spreading misinformation, the Tribune confuses its readers with alarmist yellow journalism. In reality, the local high school was planning support groups around a variety of themes, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. Prior to implementing the program, the administration consulted with Project 10, a lesbian and gay youth organization in the Los Angeles school district, about how to best serve students. The San Marino High program was not in any way affiliated with Project 10, however. The local school board, high school administration, teachers and others had already been fully in support of the program, which had been discussed in public meetings. Inform the San Marino Tribune that they do a disservice to their community and threaten the well-being of lesbian and gay youth with their hysterical, unprofessional and ill-informed approach to journalism. Contact: Peter Day, Managing Editor, San Marino Tribune, 2260 Huntington Drive, San Marino, CA 91108, fax: (818) 457-6436. 7. It's A Girl! On February 10, Melissa Etheridge and Julie Cypher became moms, though you wouldn't know it from at least one article about the birth. The United Press International (UPI) story was headlined "Melissa Etheridge A Mom," and was headlined, "Grammy-winning rock singer Melissa Etheridge and her lover, filmmaker Julie Cypher, are new parents." Meanwhile, the Reuters/Variety story didn't recognize that Etheridge was the baby girl's mother, stating just, "The lesbian lover of rock singer Melissa Etheridge gave birth Monday to a baby daughter." The Washington Post said, "Grammy-winning singer Melissa Etheridge and her partner, Julie Cypher, are the proud mothers of a baby girl, Bailey Jean Cypher." Prior to Bailey's birth, A.J Benza noted in his New York Post gossip column that Etheridge was "bracing for fatherhood." The media should recognize Etheridge as Bailey Jean's mom, even though Cypher is the biological mother. To fail to do so ignores the close bond between mother and daughter, and between Etheridge and Cypher. Please let UPI, Reuters/Variety and the Post know how you feel about their baby announcements. Contact: UPI, 1400 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20005, fax: 202.898.8057; Reuters/Variety, 199 Water Street, New York, NY 10038, fax: 212.859.1717; Leonard Downie, Editor-in-Chief, Washington Post, 1150 15th Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20071, e-mail: webnews@washpost.com; Ken Chandler, Editor, and A.J. Benza, New York Post, 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036-8790, fax: 212.930.8540, e-mail: newyorkpost@delphi.com. 8. A Smooth Transition in Iowa A post-operative transsexual returned to her students at the University of Iowa and received overwhelming support, according to the January 27 edition of the Des Moines Register. "Donald McCloskey, 54, returned to Iowa City last week for the start of the spring semester as Deirdre McCloskey," the author, Charles Bullard, writes. "McCloskey is still a highly regarded, Harvard-educated economist and historian, but she is now a female professor instead of a male professor." Later the story quotes McCloskey saying, "'If there's nothing shameful about being a woman, then there's nothing shameful about becoming one.'" Bullard adds that, "The students seemed to take the news in stride, and university officials have also accepted McCloskey's transformation." In a time when media frequently sensationalizes transgender people (if they cover them at all), this down-to-earth and enlightened article presents a well-adjusted, intelligent transsexual in an accepting community. Please give the Des Moines Register appreciation for this trans-inclusive coverage. Contact: Des Moines Register, P.O. Box 957, Des Moines, IA 50304, fax: 515.286.2511, e-mail: letters@dmreg.com. 9. The Sweet Life-A Valentine's Media Round-Up: Something thematic on cupid day is unavoidable, especially when a variety of Valentine's-related media around the country included lesbians and gay men. Here are some of the highlights (and a major "lowlight") of lesbian and gay inclusion: =85 The San Francisco Examiner on February 9 ran "First Person: Valentine Memories," including one by MacArthur Flournoy, an African-American HIV-positive gay man and his HIV-negative partner, Glenn Alexander: "For all the years since [finding out he was positive], I wanted a picket fence, values and spirituality in my life. Glenn has brought me that. His love is like an ocean-it's always there, absolutely breathtaking." =85 Guinevere Turner (Go Fish) guest-wrote a column in the February Glamour discussing the way she was unexpectedly emotional when two of her women friends announced their coming nuptials to her: "My usual cynicism fails me completely and I surprise myself by feeling genuinely moved. I, who scoff at the idea of marriage, almost have tears in my eyes." =85 The February 11 Washington Post featured an article about Valentine cards, noting that, beyond Hallmark, "In Beverly Hills, 10% Productions makes cards depicting same-sex couples in loving embraces." It also noted that cards should address alternative families, including same-sex unions. =85 A more "homostupid" than homophobic ad on FOX during Valentines Week features Pauly Shore shooting love arrows. Shore accidentally hits a cameraman, who gives him a big hug. The screen goes blank and a voice-over said, "The following scene was edited for your protection." 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), 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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