Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 15:53:02 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADAlert 03.14.97 GLAADALERT March 14, 1997 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Good Things About Night Sins Night Sins, a two-part mini-series which aired on CBS February 23 and 25, featured a subplot including two closeted gay men in what may be the most direct sexual scene between two men so far on network television. In Night Sins, Valerie Bertinelli and Harry Hamlin work to solve a small-town abduction of a young boy. Hamlin's investigation leads him to a professor who lies to disassociate himself from the kidnapper, who he suspects to be a pedophile. When Hamlin goes to the professor's house to question him a second time, he walks in on the professor and his male lover rolling around under the sheets. While Hamlin interrogates them, both men are shown embracing in bed nude from the waist up. The professor explains that in a small town, he could lose his job if people found out he was gay, and that telling the truth would have meant exposing this. Moreover, he suspects the kidnapper is a child abuser, and says he will not have his life as a gay man connected to the acts of a "sick and twisted" pedophile. The gay men play two important roles in promoting accurate and inclusive representation of gay people. By explaining the real discrimination gay people face both in their communities and the workplace, the professor not only highlights how the force of the closet can lead to other lies, but his own fears that the community would react to him with the hateful myth that gay men are pedophiles (in fact, studies show that over 98 percent of child molesters are heterosexual men). Additionally, by showing two gay men in bed together CBS further destigmatizes this image and moves television closer to showing authentic and natural same-sex intimacy. Please commend CBS for an intelligent and courageous inclusion of gay men in Night Sins. Contact: Leslie Moonves, President of CBS Entertainment, CBS, 7800 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036, e-mail: marketing@cbs.com. CNN Plays "Sexual Roulette" On "Sexual Roulette," the March 9 episode of Impact, a new show on CNN, correspondent David Lewis took on the sensitive and controversial topic of why some young gay men continue to practice unsafe sex despite knowledge of how to prevent HIV-infection. Focusing on South Beach in Miami, Lewis says, "Behind the facade of perfect bodies and perfect tans lies a dark reality: According to a troubling new study, one out of every four gay men in South Beach has tested positive for HIV." He then interviews both those conducting the study and HIV-positive and negative young gay men, who discuss reasons why people make dangerous sexual choices. They range from thinking protease inhibitors mean a cure is near, to practicing unsafe sex in supposedly monogamous relationships that aren't. Also, as one young man puts it, "An element of that self-loathing, that homophobia that drives kids to do things that are not the best things for them, and that they know better." Then Lewis does not quote people as he speculates about the role of bathhouses: "The resurgence of gay bathhouses and sex clubs across the U.S. is another problem, critics contend. Inside most, condoms are free and safe sex posters are everywhere. But its also a place where gay men have anonymous sex," he says. "Some AIDS activists claim that most unsafe sex takes place in the bedroom, not in clubs...But other activists argue that the type of person who frequents a bathhouse usually has multiple unsafe partners, causing the virus to spread further from the backroom to the bedroom, and on to the larger community." In general, the story provided thoughtful and reasoned investigation, but the imagery accompanying the reporting told a different story. They seemed to be there mostly to titillate, with lurid close-ups of the (headless) bodies of muscular men at the White Party, bathhouse interiors, men attached to IVs in the hospital and the neon lights on Ocean Drive. Additionally, without any cited evidence or interviews to back his claim about the "type of people" who go to bathhouses, Lewis simply rehashes the same attacks on gay sex that first surfaced in the mid-eighties. His comment that "those types" will spread disease "to the larger community" sounds a lot like the gay sex bashing AIDS hysteria of a decade ago. Please write to CNN and let them know that coverage of this critical issue is appreciated, but that the sensational imagery and misleading commentary confused and misrepresented the story. Contact: Ed Turner, Executive Vice President, CNN, 1 CNN Center, Atlanta, GA 30348-5466, fax: 404. 737.3323, e-mail: cnn.feedback@cnn.com. Entertainment Weekly's Xenapaolooza The March 7 Entertainment Weekly featured a story entitled "Xenaphilia" which examined both lesbians' and other viewers' growing obsession with UPN's syndicated program Xena: Warrior Princess. "At Meow Mix, a New York [lesbian] hotspot, all eyes are glued to the TV screen over the bar, where Xena is about to plant The Kiss," the article says. "As she leans in and locks lips with Gabrielle, her fresh-faced charge, the distaff horde packing the bar erupts in a cacophony of whoops and whistles." Later, a lesbian library science student notes, "It's the only show on TV where I don't feel invisible." The story adds, "Though [Xena] is regularly shown in the intimate company of men, sexual ambiguity is a mainstay of the show-which openly gay Xena producer Liz Friedman is all too happy to admit: 'I don't have any interest in saying they're heterosexuals. That's just bulls---, and no fun, either.'" By appreciating the lesbian fan base of the show, Entertainment Weekly not only lets its readers know what has been long understood by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, it also recognizes lesbians as part of the mosaic of America. Through the open speculation about both Xena and Gabrielle's sexual orientations, the magazine highlights why open discussion of sexual identity is not only relevant, it can also be a lot of fun. Please thank Entertainment Weekly for recognizing an important part of Xena's viewership-and exploring Xena and Gabrielle's sexual identities. Contact: Entertainment Weekly, 11766 Wilshire Boulevard, 17th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90025, fax: 310.268.7610, e-mail: letters@ew.com. Anti-Gay Attack on the Friendly Skies A new anti-gay campaign by radical religious hate groups targets American Airlines for their support of lesbian and gay men. The radical religious hate groups American Family Association, Family Research Council, Concerned Women of America and Coral Ridge Ministries recently sent a manifesto the airline's president, Robert L. Crandall, calling gay men and lesbians "immoral, unhealthy and destructive to individuals, families and societies." The anti-gay groups demanded that American Airlines drop its support for lesbian and gay customers and employees, including sponsorship of programs and events associated with GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign. The hate groups are attempting to flood the airline with angry letters, and have launched an insidious media campaign, speaking out against American and spreading lies and misinformation about the lesbian and gay community. In recent years, American Airlines as well as hundreds of other American corporations have recognized the diversity of their consumers and employees. The singling out of the airline by the radical religious groups flies in the face of a solid trend in corporate America towards valuing not only lesbian and gay employees but our community at large. According to Hollywood Supports, over 375 major employers have domestic partnership benefits for same-sex spouses, including American Express, Bank of America, Eastman-Kodak, IBM, Time Warner, Xerox, all the major Hollywood movie studios, 32 cities and 9 counties. A complete list can be found at their Web site at www.hsupports.org/hsupports/employer-listing.html. The scare tactics of radical religious groups have been ineffectual in the past, most recently the American Family Association and other groups supposed "boycott" of Disney. During the fourth quarter of 1996, Disney's profits rose 27 percent to $858 million, citing strength in all three of its major divisions. Please write American Airlines and let them know that you support their work with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Contact: Robert L. Crandall, President, American Airlines, P.O. Box 619612, MD 2400 DFW Airport, TX 75261-9612, phone: 817.967.2000, fax: 817.967.2000, e-mail: webmaster@amrcorp.com. "The Castro" Makes for Great Television In the third segment in San Francisco PBS-affiliate KQED-TV's acclaimed series Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco, director/writer Peter L. Stein takes a close look at the transition of the Castro district from a sleepy immigrant community to the "Gay Mecca" that it is today. In addition to covering the neighborhood itself, "The Castro," airing March 15, tells the story of lesbian and gay San Francisco, and its connections to national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender politics and community. Additionally, Stein, an openly gay filmmaker, recognizes that while the Castro is, as the documentary states, "a kind of gay hometown" for some, it has fostered a love-hate feeling in others, including people of color and women, who have sometimes felt marginalized by the predominantly white and male citizenry. The anti-gay violence in the neighborhood is discussed, as is the commercialism of the "strip." The documentary not only opens up the neighborhood to all the program's viewers, but documents a unique, vital gay neighborhood from its beginning. Please thank KQED for both producing and airing "The Castro." Contact: Mary Bitterman, President, KQED, 601 Mariposa Street, San Francisco, CA 94110-1400, comment line: 415.553.2100, e-mail: tv@kqed.org. New Jersey Trashed A recent article celebrating the Garden State's largest lesbian and gay organization is taking some heat from conservative readers. The March issue of New Jersey Monthly included a story entitled "People Like Us," by Nancy Erickson, which not only profiled the Gay Activists Alliance in Morris County (GAAMC), but detailed the lives of some of its members. Erickson writes, "They are mothers, fathers, grandparents, and foster parents; they are teachers, coaches and college students; they are your co-workers, bosses, neighbors or fellow church members. In short, they are Everyman-and Everywoman." GAAMC, which meets weekly in suburban Morris County, New Jersey, boast more then 600 members and discusses education, politics and social issues, serving as a fun, safe environment for the community. Since running "People Like Us," the magazine has received numerous complaints from angry subscribers, some claiming the article promotes "deviant behavior." Others have canceled subscriptions, and there are growing concerns by the magazine about an advertising backlash. "GAAMC was very pleased by the article," GAAMC Vice President Andy Dick told GLAAD. "New Jersey Monthly has made the effect to truly reflect the diversity of the state by including the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community." Please contact New Jersey Monthly and thank them for this insightful article about GAAMC. Also encourage them to continue to explore the issues that face our growing community in the Garden State. Contact: Kate S. Tomlinson, Editor In Chief, New Jersey Monthly, PO Box 920, Morristown, NJ 07963-0920, fax: 201.538.2953, e-mail: editor@njmonthly.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. 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. TO JOIN GLAAD AND RECEIVE GLAAD's DISPATCH AND QUARTERLY IMAGES MAGAZINE, call 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or join on the Web today at www.glaad.org/glaad/join/join-about.html TO SUBSCRIBE TO GLAAD-Net, GLAAD's electronic mailing list, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Subscribe GLAAD-Net" TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Unsubscribe GLAAD-Net" GLAAD is the nation's 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 discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.