Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 18:07:38 -0500 From: glaad@glaad.org (GLAAD) Subject: GLAADLINES 1.5.98 GLAADLINES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 5, 1998 News, Tips and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org LAMBDA LEGAL LOOKS AHEAD TO NEW YEAR: Celebrating its 25 anniversary in 1998, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund (LLDEF) has announced that the new year will see a record number of lesbian, gay and AIDS-related concerns in the country's highest courts. "The Supreme Court and other high-level courts are expected to address employment, the military, disability protections, family and other fundamental constitutional issues for lesbians, gay men and people with HIV in 1998," said LLDEF Legal Director Beatrice Dohrn. "We expect an unprecedented number of decisions from top-level state as well as federal courts, and they are likely to affect the way lesbians and gay men are treated across the country for many years to come." In addition to the Hawaii high court same-sex marriage ruling, LLDEF expects to see the Shahar job discrimination case come before the U.S. Supreme Court as well as another employment-related case, Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., which urges the federal sexual harassment law be applied without regard to sex or sexual orientation. For more information contact Peg Byron (LLDEF) at (212) 809-8585, ext. 2309 or pgr. (888) 987-1984. UTAH POLITICIAN BENT ON DESTROYING WORKPLACE ANTIDISCRIMINATION LAW: After months of political maneuvering begun months ago by Salt Lake City Councilman Bryce Jolley to prevent city anti-discrimination law from applying to issues of sexual orientation, the politician is now trying to repeal the recently passed policy. Last month, the council voted 5-2 to approve the law, making the city the first in Utah with such a policy. But on January 5, the terms of three members who voted for the law expired. Jolley will attempt to repeal the law at the January 12 meeting. Both sides have one councilman-elect vowing allegiance, with the third, Roger Thompson, not saying where he stands. Jolley claims his reasons have nothing to do with being anti-gay, but rather that the law is poorly written and singles out gay people for protections all people should receive. But according to University of Utah law professor Ed Firmage, Jolley is just milking a hotbutton issue, and says, "I only see political [not legal] problems with the law passed." Charlene Orchard, chairwoman of the Utah Human Rights Coalition agrees. "There's a reason we still need to try to protect people who are different. In a perfect world, we could say discrimination shouldn't happen to anyone [due to sexual orientation], but it does." For more information contact Charlene Orchard (UHRC) at (801) 328-2504. ELLEN MAKES BIG NEWS FOR 1997: With a number of the different polls, surveys and studies on the top newsmakers for 1997, Ellen DeGeneres and her historic openly gay lead character on the ABC sitcom Ellen has been consistently identified as one of the biggest stories of the year. The Video Information Show Report Study, which examines major television newsmagazines, placed DeGeneres third, with 283 stories, behind only Princess Diana and Jonbenet Ramsey. Readers of the Philadelphia Daily News were evenly split between DeGeneres and Princess Diana in voting on "TV that rocked our world." TV Guide named DeGeneres the third "Best of '97." In its "Man of the Year" issue, Ellen's coming out episode got Time's pick for the second best television event of 1997, highlighting the comedic quality of the episode. People Magazine placed DeGeneres among its 25 Most Intriguing People of the Year. "Years from now, the historical impact of Ellen DeGeneres' coming out and the groundbreaking program will be remembered as one of the major milestones for lesbians and gay men during the 1990s," said GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry. "In 1997, the media's enthusiasm for this story indicated America's enthusiasm for discussing and exploring cultural, legal and political issues of sexual orientation. In 1998, GLAAD hopes this will translate into even more powerful, honest and realistic representations of gay people and our families by the entertainment and news media." For more information contact Cathy Renna (GLAAD) at (212) 807-1700 or pgr. (301) 215-1354. AT HEART OF BIBLE BELT, FAMILIES FLOCK TO DISNEYWORLD: In yet another indication that a call by leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention to boycott Disney is not being heeded by Baptists or anyone else, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, has announced a record 17 million visitors in 1997, up a whopping 23 percent from 1996. The Southern Baptist leaders attempt to boycott was due in part to its inclusive employment practices and diverse entertainment media representations of gay people. Meanwhile, according to trade publication Amusement Business, the Tokyo Disneyland attracted 17.3 million visitors, becoming the most visited theme park in the world. "In 1997, people of faith worldwide clearly saw through the small-minded tactics of the handful of far-right leaders at the Southern Baptist Convention to recognize that Disney still offers the same family-oriented entertainment it always has," said Cathy Renna, GLAAD Acting Media Director. "Supporting equal treatment of gay people is just an extension of that philosophy." For more information contact Cathy Renna (GLAAD) at (212) 807-1700 or pgr. (301) 215-1354. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (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 registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 DISPATCH AND 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" GLAAD is a national organization that 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 registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.