TO: Editor of lesbian/gay publication FROM: Donald Suggs, GLAAD/NY DATE: July 12, 1993 RE: This week's GLAAD Tidings GLAAD TIDINGS By Cathay Che The July 5th issue of US Nows & World Report features an extensive cover story which summarizes straight America's opinions of lesbians and gay men. The article clearly states that lesbians and gay men are asking for more than tolerance - we want full civil rights. The problem, according to this article, however, is that an alarming number of Americans are willing to let us live our lives, but not to treat us as equals. By elaborating on the symbolic meaning behind President Clinton's campaign promise to lift the ban on lesbians and gay men serving in the military, the article is able to offer some perspective on several important issues, including the importance of coming out and lesbian and gay parenting. However, the article is in no way comprehensive, it fails in representing the diversity of people and opinions within the lesbian and gay community, relying on isolated quotes and limited statistics. In addition, a separate article in the same issue titled "Intimate Friendships" takes a look at lesbian and gay relationships in history before the established "Gay Rights Movement", This article also offers sophisticated information about the changing ideas about sexuality through the centuries, concluding that homophobia may in part be fueled by society's fear of chaos through the breakdown of gender roles. Write to US News & World Report to thank them for their efforts, but be sure to mention what they left out. Write to: Mortimer B. Zuckerman Editor in Chief US News and World Report 2400 N Street NW, Wash, DC 20037-1196 ----- On a lighter note, the August issue of Vanity Fair continues the lesbian media blitz with an in-depth cover story interview with but lesbian singer kd lang. kd speaks in length about her lesbianism in the interview, offering: "I don't know why I'm gay... I find women more enticing both emotionally and sexually". While some of what she says will no doubt be controversial within as well as without the lesbian and gay community, both sides should get a real kick out of the Herb Ritts cover shot and accompanying pictorial by Herb Ritts which features kd, dressed in men's clothes, and supermodel Cindy Crawford. The cover shot, a spoof of similar Norman Rockwell motifs, shows kd lounging in an old-fashioned barber's chair while Cindy shaves her. Apparently, this was a fantasy come true for kd who looks like the cat that swallowed the canary in all of the pictures, Write to Vanity Fair and thank them for their creative approach in celebrating our first openly lesbian country singer and a rich lesbian tradition of butch/femme. Write to: Graydon Carter Editor Vanity Fair 350 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10017 GLAAD Tidings is a regular publication of GLAAD/NY, the New York chapter of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. If you see or hear lesbians or gay men in the media, let us know. Write to us at GLAAD/NY, 150 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10001 or call us at 212.807.1700. ----- GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION TO: Editor of lesbian/gay publication FROM: Donald Suggs, GLAAD/NY RE: GLAAD Tidings DATE: July 14, 1993 GLAAD TIDINGS By Cathay Che The only national lesbian and gay variety show on public television is being threatened by right-wing backlash. When In the Life began broadcasting in 1992, under the sponsorship of New York city affiliate WNYC, it became America's first nationally distributed, lesbian and gay- oriented television show. As In The Life gears up for it's second season, PBS remains hesitant in providing full-scale, national support for the program. PBS has refused to distribute In The Life, which means the producers of the show must arrange for air-time with each station individually. This also means that ITL is excluded from the better time slots, generally reserved for official PBS offerings. Why? Well, right-wing backlash, and the money donated to Public Broadcasting by wealthy conservatives in the South who want more Christian programming is a strong motivating factor. But we pay taxes too. And perhaps PBS needs to hear more from us about how our lesbian and gay dollars are supporting them, and how crucial In the Life in to lesbians and gay men across the nation. Write to: Harry Chancey Senior Vice-President & Director of Programming WNET 356 W. 58th Street NY, NY 10019 It is equally important to write letters of thanks to WNYC for their continuing support in co-producing In the Life. Address letters tot David Sit Managing Programmer WNYC 1 Center Street NY, NY 10007