Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 22:48:55 -0400 From: glaad@glaad.org (GLAAD - the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Subject: GLAADAlert December 17, 1998 GLAADALERT--December 17, 1998 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation 1) Newsweek -- Insult to Injury 2) Village Voice -- Homophobia Begins At Home 3) ESPN -- The Drama of the Gay Athlete 4) MAMM -- Lesbians and Breast Cancer 5) Bergen Record -- Who's Netting Who? 6) Philadelphia Papers Cover The Community Editor's Note: Due to the holiday season, GLAADAlert will be on hiatus until January 8, 1999. 1) Newsweek - Insult to Injury In the December 21 issue of Newsweek magazine, Mark Miller writes "The Final Days and Nights Of a Gay Martyr." Instead of Miller using the more than 1,000 words to explore a hate crime that has left a nation still reeling, he uses the space to draw a gratuitous and unflattering picture of Matthew Shepard, with little or no valuable information or analysis added to the discussion surrounding his brutal death. The article quotes "[e]xclusive interviews with some of his closest friends," who state that "Shepard was drinking more and fighting a slow slide into despair, even though he was taking prescription drugs to control depression." It then recounts one friend's tale of Shepard's having been sexually assaulted on a trip abroad, and on a night when they went out together, how he had planned to commit suicide by "taking all his meds," finally calming down after hours of talking. Miller then recounts the stories of a "limo driver" who had driven Shepard to a gay bar in Colorado, and whom Shepard befriended shortly before his murder. Miller describes Shepard as "lonely and eager for human contact," and writes that he may have been an easy target because of the depression, drugs and alcohol. Sadly, what Newsweek has done is drawn a picture right out of Jacqueline Susann's "Valley of the Dolls," of a young man sliding towards his demise on a road strewn with emotional problems, substance abuse, and a "party boy" mentality. A more valuable story might have taken the opportunity to examine the loneliness and isolation that Shepard must have felt in Laramie as a young gay man, and the difficulties many gay youth have with these very issues. The intent of the writer can only be conjectured: did he intend to deflate the "mythology" of Matthew Shepard? Did he mean to tell a cautionary tale a la "Looking For Mr. Goodbar?" Whatever their intent, Newsweek and Mark Miller manage to denigrate and insult the memory of a dead young man who suffered at the hands of two whose hatred knew no bounds, not because he liked to go out dancing and find friends, but because he was gay and not ashamed. Write to Newsweek and tell them this coverage was disrespectful and gratuitous. Contact: Mark Whitaker, Managing Editor, Newsweek, 251 West 57th St., New York, NY 10019, fax: 212.445.4120, e-mail: letters@newsweek.com (be sure to include name, address, and phone number with all letters) 2) Village Voice -Homophobia Begins At Home In the December (TK) edition of the Village Voice, (tk) editor Richard Goldstein writes about the intersection of homophobia and masculinity in a fascinating, erudite and exceptionally intelligent essay entitled "The Hate That Makes Men Straight: Psychoanalysts probe the roots of homophobia." Coming on the heels of the American Psychoanalytic Association's first ever public forum on homophobia, Goldstein takes on the nature of gay-bashing, pointing out the ways in which young heterosexual men take in the culture surrounding them and sometimes reproduce the "background noise" of homophobia in our society. The writer then goes on to illuminate the psychoanalytic community's history with the lesbian and gay community - the birth of the term "homophobia" in 1972, and subsequent dropping of homosexuality as an illness from the professional diagnostic manual a year later. The discussion around the phobia as an actual pathology is still debated by clinicians, and the author asks if it may be a tool through which boundaries are defined for masculinity? Goldstein posits this, noting that "the fear of being perceived as gay holds guys together." Explicating this through example (boys on the playground, adolescents and dress codes) the article then explores the idea that homophobia, while certainly enforcing male power, "has nothing to do with loving women. But it has everything to do with fear of femininity." He then quotes scholars who have written on the topic of homosexuality and gender, and comes to rest with the question: How does one eradicate homophobia? And the answer is perhaps more complex than one might want to know: a more fluid model of sexuality, and one of masculinity that is "normal, [and] nondefensive." Goldstein ends: "Short of this transformation, perhaps the best weapon against homophobia is to acknowledge it." Please contact the Village Voice and thank them for this deeply thoughtful, and thought-provoking examination of a topic which receives too little attention in the media. Goldstein's very insightful writing of this piece shows the value in doing exactly that. Contact: Doug Simmons, Managing Editor, Village Voice, 36 Cooper Square, New York, NY 10003, fax: 212.475.8944, e-mail: editor@villagevoice.com 3) ESPN-The Drama of the Gay Athlete Sports cable station EPSN broadcast "Outside The Lines: The World of The Gay Athlete" on December 16, examining the issues facing professional athletes both in and out of the closet. Among the topics covered by the special were: why are there no openly gay male players in Major League Sports? What's the difference between homophobia towards male athletes and female sports figures? How do rumors about an athlete's sexual orientation effect their career? In addition, interviews with a high school football player dealing with his gayness, a "closeted" college athlete, and a profile of Oberlin College's Mike Musca, who is the first openly gay university athletic director. Also included were openly lesbian tennis stars Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King. Along with the show, which is part of an ongoing series by ESPN, a special three-part Web series appeared on their Web site (http://www.ESPNsportszone.com) using text, sound and video clips from the show. The site also provided unique takes on the topic: openly gay comic Ant talks about sports and gay men; a history timeline of out lesbian and gay athletes, and the findings of a survey regarding sports figures, homosexuality and how the public might perceive an athlete who came out. Please contact ESPN and thank them for this important coverage of our community and sports, and the homophobia that still confronts them on a daily basis. Contact: Mr. John Wildhack, Senior VP of Programming and Mr. Craig Lazarus, Producer, "Outside the Lines", ESPN, 935 Middle Street, Bristol, CT 06010, fax: 860.585.2213, feedback form: http://ESPN.SportsZone.com/sitetools/contact/lettersespn.html 4) MAMM -Lesbians and Breast Cancer In the December/January issue of the magazine MAMM, Liz Galst examines, with clarity and depth, the numbers on lesbians and breast cancer, deflating some of the widely-held beliefs about the risks for lesbian women, and illuminating some of the reasons why hard accurate data is hard to come by. Galst quotes the frequently-cited statistic that one in three lesbians will develop breast cancer. She traces back the origin of this figure, finding that a reporter who took the citation of one in 9 of all women and then figured that lesbians being at twice to thrice greater risk would then result in a figure of one in three. The writer then looks at the scarcity of specific research on lesbians and breast cancer - much of the data was derived from drawing comparisons with other studies. She also addresses the fear that being lesbian is in and of itself a risk factor, writing that while various factors may increase risk: child-bearing history, individual weight, alcohol consumption, these are not endemic to a particular population or sexual orientation. What may prove even more problematic is the reluctance by many members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to seek medical care due to perceived, and according to studies, very real bias against them in the medical profession. (This less-frequent access of health care may increase the mortality rate for lesbians from breast cancer, but not in fact demonstrate a greater risk of contraction.) Galst ends the article by examining current ongoing studies being conducted to ascertain the real correlation between lesbians and breast cancer, what those correlations are, and then how to utilize this information to target outreach based on particular behaviors that may increase risk. Please write to MAMM and thank them for an invaluable piece of reporting on the very real epidemic facing women, and how lesbians need to be included in the research if the fight against breast cancer is to be won. Contact: Jennifer Hsu, Managing Editor, MAMM, 349 West 12th St., New York, NY 10014-1796, fax: 212.675.8505, e-mail: letters@mamm.com 5) Bergen Record - Who's Netting Who? In the December 14 edition of the Bergen Record , reporter Debra Lynn Vial examines the dangers to young lesbian, gay and questioning teens posed by predators on the Internet in "Gay teenagers are easy prey for on-line stalkers." The article points out that while the Internet has acted as a lifeline for many lesbian, gay and questioning teens, yet can also place them at risk from predatory adults who then may exploit them sexually, sometimes assaulting them physically. Unfortunately, while all young people are at risk from pedophiles online, who may pose as other young people, gay teens may be at a particular risk: oftentimes they are isolated and need support, trusting anyone who gives them affirmation, and if a crime is committed, they are wont to report it because it may involve disclosing their sexual orientation. While Vial talks to law enforcement officers, advocates for online safety, and young people themselves. It also profiles a gay adult who poses as a young person to entrap pedophiles and knock them offline. Vial finishes by noting how difficult it is at this point to capture and prosecute these crimes: they can prove daunting to document, and insufficient staffing of computer crime divisions may hinder investigation. While the article presents the reality of how important the Internet is for young people who may not have local youth groups, publications, or even a friend in whom they can confide, Vial unfortunately does not confront the stereotype of lesbians and gay men as "predatory" adults who recruit children. Her silence on the issue may allow readers to continue to this myth to go unchallenged. In addition, the article's portrayal of the net as a frightening place filled with child stalkers overshadows the substantially constructive, community-building aspects of the Internet. Finally, in the writer's "Tips for keeping children safe on the Internet," (which all certainly make sense) there is no acknowledgement of the needs of lesbian, gay or questioning youth who might feel uncomfortable using a computer situated in a heavily trafficked area of their house, or may be afraid (with good cause) of having their sexual orientation revealed. Please write to the Record and let them know your opinion of their article. Contact: Vivian Waixel, Editor, The Record, 150 River St., Hackensack, NJ 07601-7156, fax: 201.646.4135, e-mail: newsroom@bergen.com 6) Philadelphia Papers Cover The Community Two recent articles in Philadelphia's daily newspapers cover diverse issues of concern to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. o In the December 13 edition of the Philadelphia Daily News, reporter Yvonne Lafty tells the story of Thomas Kalt, Jr., the first openly gay police officer in Philadelphia. Having just graduated from the Police Academy, Kalt speaks of never having felt the need to keep his sexual orientation a secret. The Philadelphia Police Commissioner is interviewed, as well as the president of the Gay Officers Action League in New York City, all applauding Kalt's courage, standing firm in the face of homophobia, as a law enforcement officer and a gay man. o In the December 13 edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Lucia Herndon's "The Family" column takes on the issue of holidays and families - and how, "for the parents of some lesbian and gay people, the holidays are anything but festive." Interviewing the president of the Philadelphia chapter of P-FLAG (Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays) Sue Cassidy, Herndon's column offers helpful and much-needed advice for those families celebrating the holidays with their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members. [For more information about P-FLAG's Holiday Tips, see GLAADLines 11/23/98] Please thank these newspapers for their important and personal coverage of our stories and lives. Contact: o Ellen Foley, Managing Editor, Philadelphia Daily News, 400 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130-4015, fax: 215.854.5910, e-mail: dailynews.opinion@phillynews.com o William Ward, Managing Editor, Philadelphia Inquirer, 400 N. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19130-4015, fax: 215.854.5884, e-mail: inquirer.letters@phillynews.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 (LA), 212.807.1700 (NY), 415.861.2244 (SF), 202.986.1360 (DC), 404.876.1398 (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 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 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" The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in the media as a means of combatting homophobia and 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.