Date: Mon, 29 Jul 1996 09:26:03 -0700 From: glaad@glaad.org (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Subject: GLAADlines 07.29.96 GLAADLINES contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www. glaad.org News, Tips, and Information about the Gay & Lesbian Community July 29, 1996-- MAPPLETHORPE REVISITED IN CINCINNATI OBSCENITY TRIAL: On August 5, Gary Allgier, owner of the gay bookstore The Pink Pyramid, and two clerks will go before the Ohio First District Court of Appeals on obscenity charges for renting world-renowned filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini's critically acclaimed Salo: 120 Days of Sodom. "This is a trial that should not be taking place," said Leanne Katz, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC). Katz suggests that, like the 1990 Mapplethorpe case when city prosecutors charged the Contemporary Arts Center with obscenity, this latest obscenity trial cast Cincinnati officials as "oppressive, obsessive anti-obscenity crusaders [that] seek out lesbian and gay targets." More than a dozen organizations including the NCAC, American Civil Liberties Union and the Museum of Modern Art have filed a "friend of the court" brief on behalf of the defendants. For more information contact Leanne Katz (NCAC) at (212) 807-6222 or e-mail at ncac@netcom.com. OLYMPIC WORSHIP FOR LESBIAN AND GAY CHRISTIANS: At the Gay & Lesbian Visitors Center in Atlanta, lesbian and gay athletes, coaches and fans in town for the Olympics congregated on July 28 and will gather again on August 4 for an ecumenical worship service. Rev. Paul Turner of Abundant Grace Community Church noted, "This is the first time in the history of this international gathering that anyone has cared enough to attempt to meet the spiritual needs of the gay and lesbian community, which includes our athletes." In addition to Abundant Grace, the services' hosts include Redefined Faith Unity Fellowship, St. Aelred American Apostolic Catholic Church and Virginia-Highland Baptist Church. For more information contact Rev. Paul Turner (Abundant Grace) at (404) 815-0036 or GLAAD's Atlanta Media Resource Center at (404) 876-1398. GAY SOLDIERS TARGETED IN HAWAII WITCH HUNT: The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) reports that military prosecutors are aggressively questioning suspected gay male servicemembers at Hickam Air Force Base and elsewhere in Honolulu, in violation of "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue." The most recent round of investigations began with a criminal conviction and an offer of a reduced sentence for one Air Force member for identifing other servicemen engaging in consensual gay sex. At least 17 servicemembers from all branches have been targeted. One has been separated, two await discharge and at least one other faces possible court-martial and jail-time. The Department of Defense, the Air Force and the Hickam Air Force Base have failed to respond to numerous inquiries from the servicemembers and Congressional representatives. For more information contact Kirk Childress (SLDN) at (202) 328-2344 or e-mail at sldn1@aol.com. VANCOUVER CELEBRATES PRIDE: Over 20,000 participants from around the Pacific Northwest will gather in Vancouver, B.C., over next weekend for pride festivities. The main events are on Sunday, August 4, including a parade with over 100 entries and a huge dance party at the West End Community Center. Following the parade, a festival at Sunset Beach Park with musicians, local celebrities and a "dunk-a-hunk/dunk-a-dyke/dunk-a-drag" booth will rock into the early evening. For more information contact Vancouver Pride at (604) 687-1445 or visit their web site at http://www.vanpride.bc.ca. 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 (GLAAD) is the nation's lesbian & gay news bureau and the only national lesbian & gay multimedia watchdog organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate, and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. To subscribe contact Don Romesburg at (415) 861-2244 or at romesburg@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.