Date: Fri, 21 Jun 1996 11:56:15 -0700 From: glaad@glaad.org (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Subject: GLAADlines 06.21.96 GLAADLINES contact: Claudia Manley (212) 807-1700 manley@glaad.org http://www. glaad.org News, Tips, and Information about the Gay & Lesbian Community June 21, 1996-- NEA UNDER ATTACK... AGAIN: GLAAD stands with the National Center for Lesbian Rights in support of filmmaker Cheryl Dunye and her film The Watermelon Woman. Dunye has found herself the center of a storm surrounding NEA funding. Conservative critics have decried the film, which recasts movie history with black lesbians in the starring roles, and the NEA for funding the work. "Cheryl's film throws open the closet door that has kept images of African-American lesbians from both the lesbian and gay community and from our culture at large," said Tamra King, GLAAD's Entertainment Media Director. "This purely political attempt at sabotaging an entertaining and educational film does a disservice to all Americans." For more information contact Alan Klein (GLAAD) at (212) 807-1700 or Kate Kendell (NCLR) at (415) 392-6257. TRENDS IN VIOLENCE: The Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force will release a Pennsylvania-wide study on discrimination and violence on June 27 at 10am at the Task Force's office. Melinda Paras, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and local community leaders will also be present at the press conference. Embargoed copies of the study will be available 48 hours in advance to reporters. For more information contact Rita Addessa (Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force) at (212) 772-2001. DEATH EXHIBITED: Health Force: Women and Men Against AIDS is opening an exhibit "Dear Mr. Death," illuminating the impact of death on urban communities. The exhibit, which includes a collection of personal letters written by Bronx residents to express their feelings about death and its impact on their lives, will be at St. Peter's Church in New York City on June 24 from 5:30 to 8pm. It will also be on display at Grand Central Station until the end of June. For more information contact Health Force at (718) 585-8585. HERSTORY REPEATS ITSELF: The Lesbian Herstory will hold Open Houses June 28, 29, and July 1. The Lesbian Herstory Archives will also have contingents for both the Dyke March (June 29) and the Annual Lesbian & Gay Pride March (June 3). For more information contact the Archives at (718) 768- DYKE. LOFTY PRIDE EVENTS: The LOFT: The Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, Inc. presents a dramatic reading of Terrance McNally's Tony award-winning comedy "Love! Valour! Compassion!" at 8pm on June 22 and 23 at the LOFT in White Plains, NY. The LOFT will also hold its 7th Annual Pride Dance and Raffle on June 28 at 8pm at the Holiday Inne Crowne Plaza in White Plains. For more information on both of these events contact the LOFT at (914) 948-4922. If you know of an event that merits media coverage, or if there is a news story breaking in your area, please contact us. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of individuals and events in all media as a means of combating homophobia and all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. To subscribe contact Claudia Manley at (212) 807-1700 or at glaad@glaad.org. "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org VISIT THE GLAAD WEB SITE AT http://www.glaad.org! 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 trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.