Date: Mon, 25 Nov 1996 17:58:59 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines 11.25.96 GLAADLINES contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 25, 1996 News, Tips, and Breaking Stories about the Gay & Lesbian Community COURT RULING SAYS NO TO HIGH SCHOOL HOMOPHOBIA: In an unprecedented decision, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on November 19 that three Ashland, Wisconsin School District administrators violated the rights of student Jamie Nabonzy by not protecting him from years of anti-gay harassment and violence. The two parties agreed to a $900,000 out-of-court settlement. "It sends a very strong message to administrators in this country that if they do not take appropriate action to protect lesbian and gay youth, they will have a high price to pay," Nabonzy said. David Buckel, a lawyer for Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund (LLDEF), noted that "This is the first case in the country where school officials were found liable for failing to address anti-gay abuse." The decision could help extend current anti-discrimination policies to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. In related news, the Safe Schools Coalition, a Washington state coalition of youth and education organizations, issued a groundbreaking student survey on November 14 which found 34% of gay, lesbian and bisexual students have suffered anti-gay harassment at school. For more information contact Peg Byron (LLDEF) at (212) 995-8986 and Frieda Takamura (Safe Schools) at (206) 946-4695. GAY AUTO INDUSTRY EMPLOYEES GETTING INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT: On November 13, one day before the Campaign for Equal Rights at Chrysler began picketing Chrysler dealerships nationwide, Chrysler CEO Robert Eaton issued a formal announcement stating clearly that Chrysler "does not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any employee on any basis, including sexual orientation." Ford Motor Company followed suit on November 14, and General Motors is complying also. Chrysler employees are continuing to pressure management to make "true and substantial change" with diversity training and the addition of the words "sexual orientation" to the contract with the United Auto Workers (UAW). For more information contact Ron Woods (Campaign for Equal Rights at Chrysler) at (810) 545-7699 or pager (313) 609-1517; WWW: www.critpath.org/chrysler-campaign. HAWAII "CONCON" DANCES AROUND GAY MARRIAGE ISSUE: Normally an "extraordinary majority" is required by Hawaiian voters to approve the calling of a Constitutional Convention (ConCon). However on November 20, State Attorney General Margery Bronster ruled, despite only a "simple majority," that during the 1996 elections, Hawaiian voters did elect to hold a ConCon in order to discuss key legislative issues, including sex-same marriages. The tally was 163,869 for, and 160,153 against.. "It's only her opinion," said attorney Dan Foley, who represents three gay couples suing the state for the right to marry. Opponents of same-sex marriage hope that a ConCon would result in a constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage "The only opinion that matters is the Supreme Court's." For more information contact Tom Ramsey (Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project) at (808) 944-6743 or e-mail at ramsey@math.hawaii.edu. AIDS PIONEER DEBUNKS SOUTH BEACH'S "FANTASY ISLAND" IMAGE: William Darrow, a Florida International University professor formerly with the Centers for Disease Control, studied South Beach gay men and found patterns of HIV infection differing sharply from other parts of the country. Unlike other recent studies showing young gay and bisexual men to be at greater risk, Barrow's study showed that men aged 30 and older are at greatest risk in the Southern Florida community. The report said 78.6% of men aged 30 and older had engaged in unprotected anal intercourse in the last year, in comparison with 72.4% of men aged 18 to 29. Reporting his findings at the November 20 annual meeting of the American Public Health Association, Darrow said positive news about new AIDS treatments, as well as the South Beach "holiday mood," could be contributing factors. For more information contact William Darrow (Florida International University) at (305) 919-5252. HATE CLEANED UP AT QUEER CYBERCENTER: After being vandalized on October 31 by homophobic computer hackers, the Web page of the Queer CyberCenter (QCC), a project of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center and The University of Southern California that gives Internet access to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, has been restored. Visitors who logged-on saw text that was replaced with anti-gay messages such as, "What we are is wrong, faggots are wrong, the bible says so. If you are gay...the QCC recommends suicide." Since its restoration, the QCC has strengthened security against possible future attacks. Earlier in the year, GLAAD published a report on the proliferation of hate on the Internet. "We must not get too relaxed about this--they certainty aren't. They repeat and distribute their message whenever and wherever they can," says John Waiblinger, QCC Project Manager. For more information about the vandalism at the QCC contact John Waiblinger (213) 993-7413 or e-mail at waibling@usc.com. To report events that merit media coverage, or news stories 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. 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