Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 19:53:27 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines - August 16, 1999 GLAADLINES Contact: Sean Lund, GLAAD (323) 658-6775 x18 lund@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AUGUST 16, 1999 News and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community ANTI-GAY AD CONFRONTS CANDIDATES IN IOWA: As presidential candidates and media flocked to the Republicans' Iowa Straw Poll, a controversial newspaper ad asked candidates to stand against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (lgbt) equality. Sponsored by a coalition of anti-gay groups, the ad in the August 13 Des Moines Register called on candidates to sign a pledge to, among other things, "resist all attempts to provide the benefits and privileges traditionally accorded married couples to unmarried 'domestic partners,'" and "[oppose] federal legislation that would expand [non-discrimination law] to include special legal protections based on sexual behavior or preference." August 13 also saw the release of "Y2K Presidential Candidates & Gay and Lesbian Equality," a Human Rights Campaign (HRC) report looking at candidate positions on lesbian and gay issues. "The lesson from the 1998 elections was that the voters overwhelmingly reject extremism and divisive, anti-gay rhetoric," said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg. While welcoming the change in tone from some candidates, Stachelberg cautioned that those who embrace discriminatory policies will alienate mainstream voters. "Any candidate who signs this pledge is really pledging to ignore American voters who overwhelmingly support non-discrimination." For more information, contact HRC Communications Director David Smith at (202) 628-4160. DEFENSE TO FOCUS ON AMEDURE, "HOMOSEXUAL PANIC" IN NEW TRIAL: Defense attorneys for Jonathan Schmitz, whose retrial for second-degree murder in the 1995 killing of Scott Amedure begins August 19, will now accuse Amedure of stalking and relentlessly pursuing Schmitz after their unaired appearance on The Jenny Jones Show. Jeffrey Montgomery, executive director of the Triangle Foundation, Michigan's statewide lgbt anti-violence civil rights advocacy organization, says the tactic is noteworthy because Schmitz' claim of mental illness is barred as a defense in the new trial. "The defense team has indicated that they will be putting the defenseless dead man on trial," Montgomery said. "Unlike rape or domestic violence cases, where going after the victim is regarded as risky, falsely painting a gay victim as a predator seems calculated to create in the eyes of the jury a justification for Amedure's murder." For more information, contact Triangle Foundation Executive Director Jeffrey Montgomery at (313) 537-3323. "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" UPDATED; WINCHELL MURDER HEARING CONTINUES: In the wake of record-high servicemember discharges on account of sexual orientation, the Pentagon Friday revised its "don't ask, don't tell" policy on lesbians and gay men in the military. The Pentagon ordered commanders to seek approval from senior civilian officials at the Pentagon before opening certain types of investigations and ordered ongoing anti-harassment education for all military personnel. The revisions came as testimony continued in the Article 32 hearing (the military equivalent of a grand jury hearing) for Private Calvin Glover, charged with allegedly committing premeditated murder of Private First Class Barry Winchell. "It's truly unfortunate that something so serious had to happen before the Pentagon would finally move on this," said Stacey Sobel, senior staff attorney for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), noting that Winchell had faced anti-gay harassment for at least four months prior to his murder. "Pentagon officials have had very similar guidance sitting on the shelf for two-and-a-half years. It's shameful that it wasn't released earlier when so many other servicemembers' careers and physical safety were at risk." For more information, contact Stacey Sobel, SLDN senior staff attorney, at (202) 328-3244. GLSEN, DOCKERS PARTNER TO BRING TOGETHER YOUTH LEADERS: For the second consecutive year, Dockers Khakis will fund a national scholarship program to bring over 100 youth to "Teaching Respect for All '99," the third annual conference of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The conference, held October 1-3 in Atlanta, is the largest national summit of parents, educators, students, and concerned community members working to end anti-gay bias in K-12 schools. The Dockers-sponsored Youth United Against Bias scholarship fund represents an opportunity for lgbt students to attend the conference. "One of the great hurdles standing between youth activists and their ability to participate fully in the larger civil rights movement is money," said GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings. "These scholarships will allow youth and their adult allies to join together, learn from one another, and build stronger alliances as they work to end anti-gay harassment in hometown schools." For more information, contact GLSEN Director of Communications Jim Anderson at (212) 727-0135, ext. 136. GLAAD, the nation's lesbian & gay media advocacy organization, 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. "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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The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in the media as a means of combating homophobia and 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.