Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 19:24:59 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines 01.26.98 GLAADLINES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 26, 1998 News and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org COURT RULES FOR SAILOR IN "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" AOL CONTROVERSY: On January 26, federal judge Stanley Sporkin granted a preliminary injunction for sailor Timothy R. McVeigh (no relation to the Oklahoma City bomber), ruling he remain on active duty until his lawsuit against the Navy for breaking both "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act is resolved. "[The Navy] violated the very essence of 'Don't Ask, Don't Pursue' by launching a search-and-destroy mission" on McVeigh, Sporkin said. In related news, on January 23, America Online (AOL) acknowledged its error in giving unauthorized Navy officials personal information linking McVeigh to his gay-identified screen name. "We are encouraged that America Online has acknowledged its error and has committed itself to extra measures that will prevent this from happening again," said Joan M. Garry, GLAAD's Executive Director, "This incident should reinforce to AOL the importance of privacy on the Internet. Particularly for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, access to the Internet is extremely important, and for some, such as those in the military, possibly their sole source of community." For more information contact Cathy Renna (GLAAD Interim Communications Director) at (212) 807-1700 or pgr. (301) 215-1354 and Kirk Childress (Servicemembers Legal Defense Network) at (202) 328-3244. CHICAGO TRIBUNE SOUGHT GAG ORDER IN OBIT DISCRIMINATION DISPUTE: Amidst a current dispute over the Chicago Tribune's discrimination against a gay man and his partner in obituary listings, the newspaper offered to change its policy under the condition that the couple be forbidden from mentioning the dispute or the policy change, according to Timothy Marback, the plaintiff in the case. When Marback's mother died a year ago, the family placed a standard obituary, listing Timothy's partner, Steven Hillyer, in the standard format for a partner, reading that the mother was survived by "Timothy (Steven)." The Tribune refused to print the notice, and Marback has a March 3 hearing scheduled with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations. The paper quietly changed its policy and now treats same-sex partners as equal to others, but is arguing that the First Amendment protects its right to have refused the obituary in the first place. According to Marback, the newspaper offered a conciliation in which it would change the policy but said the family "would not be allowed to tell anyone that the policy had changed or discuss the case." Another condition in the conciliation proposed that the family would be fined $5,000 for each person they told. "It strikes me as ironic that while the Tribune is arguing on the grounds of free speech they would attempt to silence ours," said Marback. "Do I have a First Amendment right? Whose right is greater? This wasn't some political message. It was a death notice." For more information contact Timothy Marback and Steven Hillyer at (212) 989-1933. GLAAD WORKS TO SAVE ELLEN'S FUTURE: Sources at both ABC and Touchstone Television have indicated to GLAAD that the decision to cancel or renew the award-winning, critically acclaimed program Ellen could happen at any time, and GLAAD is working to ensure the survival of the groundbreaking show. "Since the possibility of Ellen Morgan coming out first hit the public in the fall of 1996, GLAAD has been central in bringing both the lesbian and gay community and the media news and information about this intelligent and history-making program," said GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry. "We've rallied support from gay people, families and friends everywhere to urge ABC to Let Ellen Out, and brought communities together to Come Out With Ellen. Now we must strive to see that ABC keeps Ellen alive for another wonderful season of diverse, high-quality programming." For more information contact Cathy Renna (GLAAD Interim Communications Director) at (212) 807-1700 or pgr. (301) 215-1354. GAY FILMS GARNER APPLAUSE AND AWARDS AT SUNDANCE: As the Sundance Film Festival closed, four lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender films received awards and other high praise, promising a strong year in independent lesbian and gay cinema for art house audiences across the country. Out of the Past, a documentary profiling Kelli Peterson's heroic struggle to form a gay/straight alliance at her Salt Lake City high school won an audience award, while a Filmmakers Trophy, given by movie makers at the festival, went to Divine Trash, which reflected on John Waters' making of the influential and raunchy film Pink Flamingos. 2by4, in which an Irish-American straight construction worker seeks comfort in the arms of a male hustler, garners a cinematography prize, and the Waldo Salt screenwriting award went to High Art, the only lesbian-specific feature in the festival. "GLAAD is excited by the recognition received by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender-related works at Sundance this year," said GLAAD Entertainment Media Director Chastity Bono. "We congratulate all of the filmmakers at Sundance who share a vision with us that lesbian and gay stories are worth being told and we look forward to seeing their work in movie houses across America." For more information contact Cathy Renna (GLAAD Interim Communications Director) at (212) 807-1700 or pgr. (301) 215-1354. ERRATUM: The January 20 GLAADLines indicated that the San Diego Gay Men's Chorus performed at the Super Bowl pre-show. It was actually the San Diego Men's Chorus. GLAAD regrets any confusion this may have caused. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is the nation's largest lesbian & gay multimedia advocacy 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 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.