Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998 20:17:46 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADAlert April 24, 1998 GLAADALERT April 24, 1998 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Rainbow Flags Fly at Half-Mast for Ellen Late Thursday night, ABC sources confirmed that the network had decided to cancel Ellen. The decision comes after many months of speculation regarding the sitcom's future, which began with the parental warnings which were issued on the primetime show, and continued into March, when they put the show on hiatus. ABC's announcement last week of their decision to air only the season finale, pre-empting two episodes that had already been taped, served as a final sign from the network that Ellen's cancellation was impending. The mid-season replacement, Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place will run in Ellen's place for at least the next two weeks, and perhaps into next season. Ellen DeGeneres expressed disappointment to Daily Variety but said: "Look for me in my new sitcom, 'Two Girls, a Horse and Some Wine Coolers.'" "ABC's decision clearly denies the profound impact which Ellen has had on our society and the future of television programming," said GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry. "Ellen has served as a lifeline for our community, and especially for the nation's gay and lesbian youth. It will be sorely missed." GLAAD has received many testimonials in the last year, and many of them from youth, regarding the positive impact which Ellen Morgan's coming out has had upon them. One 14 year-old lesbian called into CNN's Larry King Live show last fall and told GLAAD Entertainment Media Director Chastity Bono that "I knew I was gay before I'd even heard of Ellen, but without role models like them [DeGeneres and Bono] I would...have killed myself." Please tell ABC how you feel about their decision. Emphasize the impact which the show has had on you personally, and encourage them to continue to include positive lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender characters in their programming. Contact: Jamie Tarses, Entertainment President, ABC, 2040 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90037, e-mail: netaudr@abc.com, or call ABC at: 310.557.7777 and ask to be connected to their audience response line Damon Revisits Men on Film On the April 20 episode of FOX's Damon, star Damon Wayans portrays an effeminate gay man strictly for laughs, in a manner reminiscent of his offensive Men on Film character from In Living Color. In an effort to distract a judge at a cigar club while his friend steals a list from the judge's briefcase, ultra-straight Damon puts on an overtly effeminate, limp-wristed manner and makes less-than-subtle references to gay male sex in order to get some laughs. Besides suggestively sucking on an oversized cigar, Damon asks the judge if he vacations on the "Gayman Islands." Finally, uncomfortable, the judge leaves, but not before Damon and his friend successfully obtain the item from his briefcase. In the early 1990s, Damon portrayed an effeminate gay man in a skit on FOX's hit show In Living Color. In spite of outcries from the lesbian and gay community then, it seems that Wayans still finds fueling gay stereotypes for laughs more important than offending a large segment of the population. Please write Damon and FOX and let them know that this stock gay character is as unnecessary today as it was in the early 1990s. Contact: … Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner, Caryn Mandabach, Damon Wayans and Dick Blasucci, Executive Producers, Damon, Carsey-Werner Productions, 4024 Radford Avenue, #3, Studio City, CA 91604 … Peter Roth, President of Fox Entertainment Group, Fox Television Network, 10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606, fax: 310.369.7363, or call the viewer hotline at: 310.369.3066 20/20 Talks Labels On April 17, 20/20 featured an extensive piece on JoAnn Loulan, a prominent writer who has been involved in a committed relationship with a man for the last two years. According to the segment, some members of the lesbian community have felt discomfort in hearing about Loulan's present relationship, since Loulan continues to identify as a lesbian in spite of her current partner's gender. Correspondent Lynn Sherr interviews Loulan, her boyfriend, a number of lesbian and gay individuals, and has a particularly insightful interview with sociologist Dr. Paula Rust. The segment depicts a human and compassionate portrait of JoAnn Loulan, discussing the impact of the backlash upon her personally. It also examines the conceptual fluidity of sexual identification. "We're trying to apply words to a reality that doesn't stay still," says Rust. "And it doesn't work, because that's not the way reality is; that's not the way people experience their sexuality." Sherr then asks her "What you're saying is that we get into trouble when we put these labels on sexuality?" to which Rust answers "Yes, and it is necessary. We need to talk about these things, so we do need labels, but at the same time, we need to realize that these labels are artificial." Loulan herself closes the piece by saying that "We aren't so clear as to what is orientation and identity. It doesn't matter what anyone else says, it doesn't matter who your partners are, it doesn't matter what anyone says to you about what you are. This is inside you." 20/20 gives us an unusually detailed segment on sexual identification, and does a good job of explaining the tension which Loulan's identification has caused within the community. What is lacking, however, is the presence of bisexual voices within the discussion. While Dr. Rust is the author of a book entitled, Bisexuality and the Challenge to Lesbian Politics, and while there is some discussion of bisexuality, there is no air time given to identified bisexual people. Please thank the producers of 20/20 for including this discussion of sexual identification. However, encourage them to continue their discussion of sexual orientation and identity in a later piece devoted to bisexuality. Contact: Victor Neufeld, Executive Producer, 20/20, 147 Columbus Ave., 10th Floor, New York, NY 10023-5900, fax: 212.456.2969, e-mail: 2020@abcnews.com Columnist Jill Porter Admits Errors in Her Re-Porting In the April 17 edition of the Philadelphia Daily News, Columnist Jill Porter ran an apology for having written a vicious column regarding the April 13 murder of a lesbian. The headline on the cover of the April 15 edition reads: "The Odd Couple: Slaying puts spotlight on eccentric behavior of victim & roommate," and Porter's original column, entitled "To their neighbors, victims meant trouble," begins: "For a moment, I thought I heard weeping mingling with the murmur of the cherry tree in Loxley Court. I must have been wrong." She says, noting that "the women and their habits were odd." She later quotes a neighbor as saying that visitors to the victims' home "looked dangerous." Porter paints a picture of the victim (Lois DeVita) and her partner (Holly James) as bizarre and somehow deserving of the brutalization they faced. In her apology, entitled "We hurt, too, but it didn't show: Column unwittingly victimized victims," Porter says: "the column did seem to endorse the neighbor's suggestion that the victims were responsible for what happened to them. It was an ironic lapse, considering I've written more than one column decrying the blame-the-victim mentality, especially as it applies to women." She goes on to address the paper's headline, too, explaining that the media is often insensitive in their reporting on crime victims, but attempts to justify it by stating that media professionals have a responsibility to report details of major news stories. "[W]e usually abide by an unspoken agreement to anoint all victims with a wholesomeness worthy of Norman Rockwell...[b]ut when reality isn't that accommodating, when victims are troublemakers or kooky eccentrics or they lead unsavory lives, it creates a dilemma." Please let Ms. Porter and the editors at the Philadelphia Daily News know that while Porter's apology was timely, it was not nearly as thorough as it should have been. Lesbian and gay people are not "kooky eccentrics" and do not lead "unsavory lives" based solely upon their sexual orientation. Contact: … Brian Toolan, Managing Editor, Philadelphia Daily News, 400 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130-4015, fax: 215.854.5910, e-mail: dailynews.opinion@phillynews.com … Jill Porter, Columnist, Philadelphia Daily News, 400 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130-4015, fax: 215.854.5910 EW Takes Minutes An article in the April 24 issue of Entertainment Weekly (EW), points out many of the same problems with a recent 60 Minutes story that GLAAD had commented on earlier this month (see GLAADAlert 3.27.98). Regarding the March 22 show, EW ascertained that the newsmagazine which "often turns up its nose at topics deemed too 'tabloid'," offers "the best and worst of American journalism." Emphasis was placed upon Mike Wallace's rather one-sided coverage of gay studies programs on university campuses. "Mike Wallace offered a limp would-be exposé of gay-studies... that showed just how out of step Minutes can be," EW states. Pointing out that "Wallace proceeded to bash homosexual-history courses and the distribution of safe-sex handbooks," EW criticizes 60 Minutes for using "cheaply cut" camera shots to vilify and belittle those who take lesbian and gay studies seriously. Originally asserting its concern with 60 Minutes ' biased coverage, GLAADAlert pointed out that Wallace's piece was "far from objective." Initially stating that both Wallace and the show "irresponsibly make the issue of queer studies far more sensationalistic and lurid than it actually is," GLAAD continues to express regret that Wallace's "discomfort with the subject matter outweighs his journalistic integrity." Please write EW and thank them for recognizing many of the intrinsic problems with that 60 Minutes story. Also, please write 60 Minutes and reassert your displeasure with their misguided attack on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender academia. Contact: … James W. Seymore, Jr., Managing Editor, Entertainment Weekly, 1675 Broadway, New York, NY 10019-5895, fax: 212.522.0074, e-mail: letters@ew.com … Andrew Heyward, News President, CBS Television Network, 524 West 57th St., New York, NY 10019-2902, fax: 212.975.9387 … Don Hewitt, Executive Producer, 60 Minutes, 555 West 57th St., New York, NY 10019-2925, fax: 212.975.2019 Will the Press-Telegram "Get It?" The April 20 issue of the Long Beach (California) Press-Telegram featured an op-ed entitled "Will Hollywood Ever Get It?" in which Leslie Carbone, a writer for the anti-gay Family Research Council, states that the reason why shows such as ABC's Ellen and Nothing Sacred were suffering from low ratings was due to Hollywood being "out of touch with mainstream America." Carbone blames the "Hollywood Elite," a group whom she cites as the cause of the decline of moral values on television. Through Ellen, she is convinced that the "Hollywood Elite" has launched its "most relentless gay-empowerment campaign" and "is mainstreaming homosexuality, which the show tries to accomplish by portraying it as a normal lifestyle." She then goes on to say, "While some offensive programs have achieved high ratings, Americans have made it clear that they prefer their beliefs. Mainstream America is not represented by characters like Ellen and Father Ray. Most Americans are not lesbians, and they don't attend churches pastored by priests who aren't sure that God exists." She then rounds out her article by saying, "Mainstream America is moms and dads who work hard to provide for their children, who pack school lunches, help with homework, play backyard games, and do their best. It's children who go to school, play with their friends, and do their chores. It's families who love and worship God and love and care for one another." Carbone's narrow view of America comes through loud and clear in this op-ed. She seems to be under the assumption that shows that reflect her personal belief system should be the only ones seen on television. Diversity and inclusivity never enter her mind as she is allowed, unchallenged, by the Press-Telegram to tell readers that the closet is a wonderful place for people to be. Also, Carbone fails to mention that many lesbian and gay people are also mom and dads, children and families who worship God and love and care for one another. Finally, it is worth noting that the gay-themed release The Object of My Affection raised an estimated $10 million dollars last weekend, making it the highest grossing comedy of the weekend. It seems Hollywood has gotten "it"-America is ready and willing to accept lesbian and gay characters. Carbone simply can not see that through her veil of ignorance. Tell the Press-Telegram that this op-ed is offensive and narrow minded. Also convey to them that having an op-ed from a writer for the far-right, anti-gay Family Research Council is wholly inappropriate. Would they allow a racist organization to pen a piece on race relations? Contact: Larry Allison, Editorial/Opinion Page Editor, Press-Telegram, 604 Pine Ave., Long Beach, CA 90844-0001, fax: 562.499.1277 Times Are-A Changin' The April 19 issue of the Los Angeles Times features an article entitled "Playing Straight With Gays," in which writer Cliff Rothman explores the "new 1998 model of gay man" as the "swishy stereotype fades from film." Rothman writes that "It's been a long haul. Gays have moved from invisible to tortured pervert to diseased victim. They've played Eve Arden, Camille and RuPaul acerbically quipping, suffering nobly or swishing royally. Now they're certified husband material--if not yet to the boy next door, at least to the girl next door--unapologetically gay and the male lead of a major studio film for the first time." Using the recent release of 20th-Century Fox's The Object of my Affection and the soon-to-be-aired Lifetime movie Labor of Love as his examples, Rothman notes that gay male characters are as fleshed out as they have ever been on film. He also notes that for the first time "Family is no longer an obscene word for gay men." He writes "The watershed shift this year owes its debt to last year's watershed shift. Rupert Everett in My Best Friend's Wedding and Kevin Kline in In & Out were handsome, masculine, gay and center stage--though Kline was mostly in the closet and asexual, and Everett was the sidekick rather than lead. But still, showcased in farcical comedy--a still-accepted norm for tiptoeing through gay life--the films were the seventh and 22nd top-grossing domestic films of the year...While not yet openly waving the banner for gay equality next to the Hollywood sign, studios are taking the plunge with prominent, and positive, gay characters in upcoming big-budget films in unprecedented numbers." Rothman's assessment is that "In fairness to Hollywood, films don't lead, they mirror. Hollywood is homophobic because America has been homophobic. And the films are changing because America is changing." Please thank Cliff Rothman for such an interesting and well thought out article on Hollywood's growing willingness to represent lesbians and gay men in fairer and more accurate ways. Contact: Michael Parks, Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, fax: 213.237.7679, e-mail: letters@latimes.com New York Times Weds Insight with Strong Journalism In an April 17 cover story, the New York Times ran a feature on the religious aspect of same-sex marriage and commitment ceremonies. Times reporter Gustav Niebuhr meticulously covers the struggle for the equal right to marry, examining the effects of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DoMA), the ongoing court battles in Hawaii and Vermont, and interviewing clergymembers and representatives from a wide array of religious denominations, including the Roman Catholic Church, the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), Judaism, the Presbyterian Church, Episcopalianism, and the United Church of Christ. Throughout the piece, Niebuhr emphasizes the fact that there are growing numbers of religious leaders who are not only accepting the concept of same-sex marriage, but who are performing same-sex unions. Please thank the New York Times for this thorough and insightful piece. Contact: Bill Keller, Managing Editor, New York Times, 229 West 43rd St., New York, NY 10036-3959, fax: 212.556.3690, e-mail: letters@nytimes.com (include phone number when sending e-mails) Gay Mags Go Family The April 18 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle featured a piece called "Today's Gay Magazines -- Less Sex, More Families" in which writer Elaine Herscher profiles two upcoming magazines: Alternative Family, the first "national parenting magazine for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender parents and their children," and Arrow, a magazine "for monogamous gay men." Herscher explores how the lesbian and gay civil rights movement has affected magazines. She writes, "If you want to know where the gay and lesbian civil rights movement is headed, take a look at its newest publications. The latest entries are more marriage- and family-oriented and just plain cuddlier than ever before." Herscher continues, "Both magazines represent a palpable shift in the interests of gay men and women that would have been unthinkable until recently. Some say it's the gay community leaving its adolescence behind." The article goes on to say, "In keeping with the family theme, both Arrow and Alternative Family will eschew such mainstay advertising for gay publications as cigarettes and sex ads. Alternative Family bans alcohol ads." Please thank the San Francisco Chronicle for profiling two magazines that represent diversity in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Contact: Jerry Roberts, San Francisco Chronicle, 901 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, fax: 415.896.1107, e-mail: chronletters@sfgate.com Lifetime's Labor of Love On the heels of The Object of My Affection, on May 4, Lifetime Television will premiere the story of a gay man and his best friend who are trying to have a baby together. In Labor of Love, Micky (David Marshall Grant), a recovering alcoholic and school teacher, and Tex (Marcia Gay Harden), a down-and-out artist, decide that regardless of their doomed love lives, its time to start a family. When love walks back into both their lives, problems arise as they try to define the rules of their new family. Labor is a yet another strong story from Hollywood that shows audiences that family is defined by love, not law. Please check out Labor of Love and thank Lifetime for yet another positive gay-inclusive movie. Contact: Rosemary Sykes, Program Director, Lifetime, 309 West 49th St., New York, NY 10019-7316, fax: 212.424.7369, e-mail: comments@www.lifetimetv.com The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation in the media as a means of challenging 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), 415.861.2244 (San Francisco), 202.986.1360 (Washington, DC), 404.607.1204 (Atlanta) and 816.756.5991 (Kansas City) Feel free to pass GLAADAlert on to friends, family and associates! Report defamation in the media by calling GLAAD's Toll-Free AlertLine! 1-800-GAY-MEDIA (1-800-429-6334) Visit GLAAD Online at http://www.glaad.org "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. GLAADAlert may be freely distributed and reprinted in all forms of media under the condition that any text used carry the full attribution of "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 a national organization that 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.