Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 19:42:38 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines - January 25, 1999 GLAADLINES Contact: Liz Tracey, Publications Manager (212) 807-1700 tracey@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 25, 1999 News and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community 1) Pentagon Fires Record Number of Lesbians, Gay Service Members 2) Pro-Life Lesbians and Gays Banned from March 3) Internet "Decency" Law Hearings Held 4) Intel's New Chip May Reveal Identity Online PENTAGON FIRES RECORD NUMBER OF LESBIANS, GAY SERVICE MEMBERS: Late Friday, the Pentagon released its figures for discharges made under the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue" policy for fiscal year 1998. Five years after the policy was implemented, a record 1,145 people were fired for being lesbians or gay men, marking a 92% increase over the number for 1994, and the largest number of people discharged over sexual orientation in over a decade. C. Dixon Osburn, Co-Executive Director of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, commented on the report : "These numbers are shameful. Military leaders have turned a blind eye to the continued asking, pursuit and harassment of gays, lesbians and bisexuals serving our country. What will have to happen before the Pentagon turns its ship around?" The Pentagon released the numbers only after pressure, when a San Antonio Express News story reported that Air Force discharges had risen to 414, the highest level in two decades. The Express News also reported that one source, basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, accounted for 65% of the 414 discharges. For more information about the Pentagon's report, contact Julia Adams (Servicemembers Legal Defense Network) at (202) 328-3244. PRO-LIFE LESBIANS AND GAYS BANNED FROM MARCH: The Pro-Life Alliance of Gays and Lesbians (PLAGAL) reported that it was banned from participating in the 26th Annual March for Life by organizers of the march. According to PLAGAL, an officer of the District Of Columbia police department ousted members of the group immediately before the march began, stating that his orders "came from unnamed leaders of the March." "Today, a few narrow-minded pro-lifers said that gays are not fit to help save lives," said Ms. B.A. Keener, Vice-President of PLAGAL. "The truth is that there are plenty of gays and lesbians who are sincerely pro-life." The March For Life is held annually in January to protest the Roe v. Wade decision, which gave women the right to abortion in 1973. PLAGAL has participated annually in the march since 1991, and has said that it plans to be present again next year. For more information, contact PLAGAL at (202) 223-6697. INTERNET "DECENCY" LAW HEARINGS HELD: A U.S. District Court hearing began on January 20 in the challenge against the Child Online Protection Act (COPA), also known as "CDA II". Judge Lowell A. Reed, Jr., placed a temporary restraining order on the U.S. Attorney General and the Department of Justice in November 1998, to prevent them from enforcing COPA until the issues arising from a lawsuit seeking to strike the law down can be heard. Those seeking to strike COPA down have concerns regarding how online material will be deemed "harmful to minors," and who will make that determination. The law also enjoins web site owners, many of whom may have off-site links whose content they may not know fully, to verify age with credit cards or digital "age verification " certificates, or be subject to fines up to $50,000 a day and/or imprisonment up to 6 months. "As with the Communications Decency Act, legislators have enacted a bill which will have a 'chilling effect' on free speech," said Joan M. Garry, GLAAD Executive Director. "Unfortunately, we have witnessed many of the vibrant neighborhoods that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community have created on the Net being labeled as `harmful to minors’, even when they have no sexual content whatsoever. We hope that again, a judicial remedy to what may well be a well-intentioned act of censorship can be found." For more information, contact Loren Javier (GLAAD Interactive Media Director) at (925831-1092 or via email at javier@glaad.org. INTEL'S NEW CHIP MAY REVEAL IDENTITY ONLINE: In a breaking story, Net privacy groups are calling for Intel Corporation, the world's largest maker of PC computer chips, to disable new technology in its Pentium III chips. The new chip will transmit its unique serial number both internally and across the Internet in order to verify the identity of users. While consumers can disable the transmission of the identifier, it will re-enable itself once the computer is switched on again. "What Intel doesn't realize is that while it may be enhancing shopping on the Web, or helping track computer usage, it's also putting people at risk," said Loren Javier, GLAAD Interactive Media Director. "Young people may be identified as using lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender web sites long before they wish to discuss their sexual orientation with others. As with Navy officer Timothy McVeigh, Net privacy even now is subject to breaches by people. Imagine if your computer is giving away its equivalent of DNA every time you point and click? Those who have found some safety and support on the Net and remain in the closet will find this latest 'feature' from Intel problematic." For more information, contact Loren Javier (GLAAD Interactive Media Director) at (925) 831-1092 or via email at javier@glaad.org. 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 Wonbo Woo at (212) 807-1700 or at woo@glaad.org. 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