Date: Mon, 1 Jun 1998 19:22:56 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines June 1, 1998 GLAADLINES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 1, 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 1) NGLTF STUDY SHOWS MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SUPPORT EQUAL RIGHTS FOR GAY PEOPLE 2) GLAAD CONDEMNS REMARKS BY CHARLTON HESTON 3) GLAAD INVITES AFA TO JOIN IFS CRITICISM 4) ACT UP/WASHINGTON TO HOLD POLITICAL FUNERAL FOR MICHAEL 5) LESBIAN PHYSICIANS GATHER FOR CONFERENCE 6) DC DYKE MARCH PROMISES TO BE POLITICAL NGLTF STUDY SHOWS MAJORITY OF AMERICANS SUPPORT EQUAL RIGHTS FOR GAY PEOPLE: According to a groundbreaking study released May 29 by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) Policy Institute, a growing majority of Americans support equal rights for lesbian and gay citizens. Kerry Lobel, NGLTF Executive Director said, "This report empirically and objectively proves that while the voice of the anti-gay right wing may be loud in its opposition to equal rights, its claim to majority public opinion is unjustified." The report, "From Wrongs to Rights: Public Opinion of Gay and Lesbian Americans Moves Toward Equality," found that 84 percent support equality on the basis of sexual orientation in the work place, 81 percent support equal housing opportunities, 62 percent support equal inheritance rights, 57 percent support social security benefits for same-sex couples, and 66 percent voiced support for lesbians and gay men to serve in the military. For more information contact Betsy Gressler (NGLTF Deputy Political Director) at (202) 332-6483 ext. 3306. GLAAD CONDEMNS REMARKS BY CHARLTON HESTON: GLAAD recently received a transcript and videotape from The Violence Policy Center in Washington, DC, of a speech delivered by Charlton Heston last December to the Free Congress Foundation. To read Mr. Heston's speech in its entirety, visit http://www.vpc.org/nrainfo/speech.html (The Violence Policy Center's Website). Joan M. Garry, GLAAD Executive Director said, "GLAAD finds portions of Mr. Heston's very carefully-worded remarks to be both offensive and misleading. Mr. Heston's sentiments concerning lesbians and gay men -no matter how carefully veiled-are nonetheless transparent. Such disparaging remarks serve as fuel for those who fear difference and promote intolerance. Equally abhorrent," Garry continued, "are Mr. Heston's offensive remarks regarding African Americans and feminists. Finally, Mr. Heston's analogy recalling the Gestapo is shameful. GLAAD hopes that public figures use every opportunity possible to dismantle the still sturdy walls of prejudice. GLAAD will continue to work in concert with our colleagues-men, women, black, white, straight and gay-to ensure civil rights for us all." For more information contact The Violence Policy Center at (202) 822-8200. GLAAD INVITES AFA TO JOIN IFS CRITICISM: The religious political extremist group, The American Family Association (AFA) announced that the Cyberpatrol, the popular Internet filtering software (IFS) has blocked its Website due to the fact that the AFA violates filter guidelines on "Intolerance." Until the AFA's site had been blocked, the group had been a vocal advocate for of filtering software and had assisted in the marketing of another IFS, X-STOP. GLAAD, on the otherhand, has long been a staunch advocate for free speech on the Internet and has once more challenged IFS in its recent groundbreaking report "Access Denied." GLAAD Interactive Media Director, Loren Javier said, "Perhaps now the AFA understands the value of free speech for all on the Internet. GLAAD hopes the AFA will combat Internet censorship and oppose all policies requiring IFS use by schools and libraries." For more information contact Loren Javier, GLAAD Interactive Media Director at (510) 831-1092 or javier@glaad.org. ACT UP/WASHINGTON TO HOLD POLITICAL FUNERAL FOR MICHAEL: To honor the wishes of veteran AIDS activist and ACT UP/Washington founder Steve Michael, the organization will hold a march and political funeral in Lafayette Park in front of the White House on June 4. Michael died on May 25 from AIDS-related causes and is survived by fellow AIDS activist and partner of seven years Wayne Turner. In addition to his clever, confrontational and theatrical ACT UP work, Michael also ran for President in both 1992 and 1996 with the AIDS Cure Party. He followed then-candidate Bill Clinton throughout the 1992 campaign demanding that Clinton incorporate aggressive advocacy for AIDS-related research, healthcare and education funding into his platform. For more information contact Wayne Turner (ACT UP/Washington) at (202) 547-9404. LESBIAN PHYSICIANS GATHER FOR CONFERENCE: In Northampton, MA, from June 4-7, hundreds of lesbian doctors, medical students and their partners will gather for the 15th Annual Women in Medicine (WIM) Conference, "Promoting Women: Giving Wings to Our Dreams, Personally and Professionally." The four-day event, sponsored by the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA, will feature keynote speakers including breast cancer expert Susan Love, MD, and author Leslie Feinberg. The conference will include a host of workshops on health and employment-related issues. "WIM is designed to create an environment in which lesbian physicians can study the impact of homophobia on lesbians' health and address cutting-edge women's health issues," said WIM '98 Chair Lynn Zashin, MD. For more information contact Sue Rochman (GLMA Communications Director) at (415) 255-4547. DC DYKE MARCH PROMISES TO BE POLITICAL: The DC Lesbian Avengers have organized a Dyke March for June 6, the day before Washington, DC Pride, and pledges the event will be "explicitly political." Hundreds of lesbians from around the East Coast are expected to attend. "The march is certainly a celebration of dyke culture. But it is also, importantly, a demand that lesbian issues...from racism and sexism, to homophobia, to child care and health care, to queer bashing and economic violence...be heard," said Avenger's spokesperson Beth Armitage. For more information contact Beth Armitage (Lesbian Avengers) at (202) 374-9090. 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. 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