Date: Wed, 24 Nov 1999 17:41:48 -0800 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADAlert - November 25, 1999 GLAADAlert November 25, 1999 GLAADAlert is the bi-weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation The Essence of Family The December issue of Essence features an end-of-the-century appreciation of the Black family in America. The section's lengthiest piece, "Kindred: A Portrait of Our Families Today," turns the spotlight on the evolution and transformation of the Black family amid challenges and social change. "Throughout our history, we have recreated family the way we do our music, style and food - by taking the little left us and claiming it, making it our own and healing it with our particular brand of grace," writes Essence contributor Valerie Wilson Wesley in the introduction. "We shook up the institution of family and made it work for us. As a result, our families thrive in many diverse forms as we move into the twenty-first century." Among the many families profiled in "Kindred" are April McLemore and Devetta Johnson, residents of Kyle, Texas, and partners since 1997, and their sons, 11-year-old Rashaad and 6-year-old Tariq. "Two Mommies, Two Sons" tells the story of McLemore's coming out in Atlanta, her romantic (albeit long-distance) relationship with Johnson, and her eventual creation of a strong, new family with Johnson in Texas. Essence's inclusion of the McLemore-Johnson family's story is a powerful affirmation of lesbian and gay people of color and their families. Please thank Essence for this important feature. Contact: Ms. Susan L. Taylor, Editor in Chief, Essence, 1500 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, fax: 212-921-5173, e-mail: letters@essence.com "Kill Ed Templeton": A Dangerous Game In October, GLAAD learned of "Kill Ed Templeton!" - a shooting gallery-style game featured in the "Toy Machine" area of Skateboard.com , a Web site for skateboarding enthusiasts. The game's introductory screen reads, "Kill Ed Templeton! It's simple to play. Just shoot at Ed as he skates around and tells you what a fag he is - just like real life. *Ed is not really gay. And we in no way advocate shooting him. It's a game, for christ's [sic] sake!! [sic]." In the game, a cartoon representation of Templeton (a well-known professional skateboarder) crosses the screen saying, "I'm a fag." The object of the game is to shoot Templeton, with each "hit" resulting in a bloody wound and a scream from the victim. Since learning of the game, GLAAD has made repeated attempts to contact Tum Yeto, a prominent skateboard distributor and the owner of the Web site. Tum Yeto representatives have refused to answer or return our calls. Templeton himself has asked that the game be dropped from the Web site. His requests were also ignored. Despite its disclaimer, "Kill Ed Templeton" suggests violence against gay men on account of their sexual orientation or gender expression. It endorses and legitimizes a dangerous mindset among our nation's youth - that gay men are somehow deserving of violence and harm, and that inflicting such harm is "cool." "Kill Ed Templeton" represents a clear threat to the safety of gay men. Please write to Tum Yeto owner Tod Swank and ask that he remove this "game" from his Web site. Contact: Mr. Tod Swank, Owner, Tum Yeto, 2001 Commercial Street, San Diego CA 92113, fax 619-232-9666, e-mail: swank@tumyeto.com Troy Record and Albany Times Union: Outstanding Local Commentary A high-school student in Clifton Park, N.Y., was suspended from school recently. Though accounts of the incident vary, several people - including the student himself - have indicated that his suspension was the result of self-defense against anti-gay physical harassment. Unfortunately, no final findings have been released, as the school board, citing concerns for student confidentiality, has declined to discuss the case publicly. Two local newspapers, the Troy Record and the Albany Times Union have offered exceptional commentary on this developing story. =85 The Nov. 14 Record featured an editorial ("Hate still a blight on American scene") which opened with a series of hypothetical scenarios in which a Black student is harassed. The last such scenario is an incident just like the one at Shenendowah High School. "Would anyone be suspended?" asks the Record. "Probably the student who did the pushing, as the student who was getting harassed was acting in self defense. Simple as pie, right? Now substitute the word homosexual for the word black. The rules shouldn't change, but they do, as was the case at Shenendehowa in Clifton Park." The Record advocates a revised school harassment policy inclusive of sexual orientation which would protect all students from harm and ensure a safe learning environment. After all, the paper notes, "If role models for proper behavior aren't provided in our schools, where are out young people to learn?" Please thank the Record for its forceful editorial. =85 In a tight and compelling Nov. 16 column, "As hands are tied, so are tongues," Times Union's Saratoga Bureau Chief Jim Rogalski criticized the district's refusal to comment on the case. Rogalski quotes Superintendent Robert McClure as saying, "We took appropriate action for those who were involved." "I'm sorry, Mr. McClure," Rogalski replies, "but that is of little comfort. The public deserves much, much more. =8A No one is asking fo= r the names of any of the students involved. These are basic procedural questions of how the school district is dealing with this very serious allegation. =8A Perhaps they were [disciplined]. Perhaps they weren't. We just don't know because the district isn't saying. And that's unfair to all Shenendehowa students who might suffer harassment in the future." Please thank Times Union for Rogalski's articulate analysis and advocacy. Contact: Ms. Lisa Robert-Lewis, Editor, The Record, 501 Broadway, Troy, NY, 12181, fax: 518-272-1202, e-mail: newsroom@troyrecord.com Mr. Jeff Cohen, Editor, Times Union, 645 Albany-Shaker Road, Albany, NY 12201, e-mail: tuletters@timesunion.com GLAADAlert is the bi-weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in all media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Contact GLAAD by e-mail at glaad@glaad.org or by phone at 323.658.6775 (LA), 212.807.1700 (NY), 415.861.2244 (SF), 202.986.1360 (DC), 404.876.1398 (Atlanta) and 816.756.5991 (Kansas City) =46eel free to pass GLAADAlert on to friends, family and associates! Report defamation in the media and breaking news of interest to the LGBT community 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. 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The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in all media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~= ~~ "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.