Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 18:52:26 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines April 27, 1998 GLAADLINES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 27, 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 INTERNET FILTERING FACES UNCONSTITUTIONALITY AROUND THE COUNTRY: In a number of states, the use of Internet filtering software (IFS) is being challenged in court. On April 7, a U.S. District Court judge for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled that the Loudoun County library system must cease using the IFS X-STOP in its public computers, saying it violated the First Amendment, and ruled it must prove that the state has a "compelling interest" to filter Web sites because libraries are "places of freewheeling and independent inquiry." A lawsuit by civil right organizations against the library system is expected this summer even though Library Board Chair John Nicholas pledges to fight the current case to the U.S. Supreme Court. In New Mexico, Oasis Magazine, a popular Webzine for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth, has joined the American Civil Liberties Union in a lawsuit against the state after passage of SB 127, which criminalizes Internet materials that are "harmful to a minor." Oasis Magazine editor Jeff Walsh noted the vagueness in language could potentially block his site that has served as a resource to an estimated 40,000 readers worldwide. In Utah, the Utah Education Network, which serves as the hub of all statewide public school computer activity, is working with a filtering service called Secure Computing to offer weekly blacklists. "While the Virginia decision is heartening, new censorship laws and growing arbitrary use of Internet filtering software in public settings is startling," GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry said. "GLAAD pledges to work with other groups and continue our own education around this vital issue." Along with GLAAD's Access Denied, a groundbreaking report detailing the impact of IFS on the gay community, GLAAD is teaming up with the Internet Free Expression Alliance in its fight against proposed federal Internet filtering legislation. For more information, contact Loren Javier (GLAAD Interactive Media Director) at (415) 861.2244 or javier@glaad.org. GLAAD APPLAUDS RECORD-BREAKING GAY NOMINEES FOR MTV MOVIE AWARDS: A week after they were announced, GLAAD congratulated the five nominees in three categories of the 1998 MTV Movie Awards that are lesbian, gay or bisexual. This number is up from two nominees in 1997, the first year in which lesbian and gay performances received the honor. Nominees include Rupert Everett in My Best Friend's Wedding (Comedic Performance and Breakthrough Performance), Joey Lauren Adams in Chasing Amy (Breakthrough Performance), Adams and Carmen Llywellyn in Chasing Amy (Best Kiss), and Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck in In & Out (Best Kiss). "MTV's recognition of these films and performers for their wide appeal shows the universality of lesbian and gay subject matter," said GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry. "Their inclusion speaks as loudly to the increasing recognition of diverse images in the entertainment industry as the strong box-office numbers The Object of My Affection is currently enjoying. GLAAD commends each lesbian, gay and bisexual nominee for the strength and integrity of their performances." MTV will broadcast the Awards on June 4. For more information, contact Bill Horn (GLAAD Assistant Entertainment Media Director) at (213) 658-6775 or horn@glaad.org. VIRGINIA NEWSPAPER REJECTS GAY YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP AD AS "OBJECTIONABLE": A youth advocacy group found itself unable to let students know about a scholarship when the Richmond Times Dispatch (RTD) recently rejected the ad as "objectionable or questionable." The ad read, "College Scholarships for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Youth Age 21 and under apply to Richmond Organization for Sexual Minority Youth (ROSMY) 804-353-1699." According to ROSMY Executive Director Chris Clarke, RTD Advertising Director said that, "We take our readers into consideration and don't want to offend them." According to Adam Silvey, recipient of ROSMY's first scholarship, "I respect the RTD's right to reject the ads that run in their paper but I question their rejection of this ad. What's objectionable about college scholarships? Are they saying that I, as a young gay man who received one of these scholarships, am objectionable?" For more information contact Chris Clarke (ROSMY) at (804) 353-1699. FIRST-EVER CONFERENCE ON AGING IN THE GAY COMMUNITY CONVENES IN NEW YORK: On May 1 and 2, the First National Conference on Aging in the Gay and Lesbian Community, sponsored by Senior Action in a Gay Environment (SAGE), will be held at Fordham University in New York City. Keynote speakers Dr. Robert Butler and Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon will highlight the conference's theme, "Gays and Lesbians Growing Older-Expanding the Family Portrait." Other presenters will include GLAAD Deputy Director Jason Heffner addressing the issue of older lesbian and gay media representations, longtime gay activist Frank Kameny, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute Director Urvashi Vaid, Shevy Healey of Old Lesbians Organizing for Change, and many others. For more information contact Dawn Martin (SAGE) at (212) 741-2247. PHILLY AND SOUTH CAROLINA SHOW THEIR PRIDE: Both Philadelphia and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina are celebrating lesbian and gay pride during the upcoming week, with larger events than ever before. The 6th Annual PrideFest Philadelphia, held April 29-May 3, will feature programs sponsored by more than 60 regional organizations and will cover topics including arts, education, sports, politics, marriage, religion and workplace issues, culminating in SundayOUT!, an all-day outdoor festival. Meanwhile, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina's Lesbian and Gay Pride March & Festival will happen from April 30-May 3 despite efforts by local radical religious groups and the mayor to block it. Among the featured entertainers and speakers will be talk show queen RuPaul, comedian Kevin Snow, and disco divas Alicia Bridges, Thelma Houston, Sister Sledge and Gloria Gaynor. For more information contact Nina Zucker Associates (PrideFest Philadelphia) at (610) 667-0706 and the South Carolina Pride organizers at (803) 272-3341. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is the nation's 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.