Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 15:38:39 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAAD TO TAKE ON FORMER HOLLYWOOD SUPPORTS PROGRAMS "SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN THE WORKPLACE" TO BE EXPANDED AT ITS NEW HOME MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Liz Tracey (212) 807-1700 pgr. (800)-946-4646 pin#1423527 e-mail: tracey@glaad.org GLAAD TO TAKE ON FORMER HOLLYWOOD SUPPORTS PROGRAMS "SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN THE WORKPLACE" TO BE EXPANDED AT ITS NEW HOME LOS ANGELES, CA, SEPTEMBER 16, 1997 - The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced today that it will be taking on three programs formerly run by Hollywood Supports, including the groundbreaking "Sexual Orientation in the Workplace" seminars. Hollywood Supports, an entertainment industry workplace education and support project, was launched in the fall of 1991 by leading entertainment industry figures to counter workplace fear and discrimination based on HIV status and sexual orientation. It was recently announced by Richard Jennings, Executive Director, that Hollywood Supports would be transferring three of its programs in order to broaden their scope both geographically and within industries. In addition to taking on the "Sexual Orientation in the Workplace" seminars, which have been presented at numerous entertainment corporations, including AT&T, CBS, Disney, Fox, Knight-Ridder, MCA, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros., GLAAD will also be continuing the Day of Compassion events and the Public Forums on lesbian and gay issues conducted for members of the entertainment industry. Day of Compassion has provided an entire day of programming by network and cable television, print media, Internet providers and media and radio stations to raise awareness around the issues faced by those affected by HIV and AIDS since 1993. Mark Abelson, who oversaw the Sexual Orientation in the Workplace seminars at Hollywood Supports, will continue in this capacity at the GLAAD Los Angeles office beginning September 15. "Having been associated with GLAAD since the founding of its Los Angeles Chapter, I couldn't be more pleased that these programs will be taken over and made more broadly available by GLAAD," said Richard Jennings. "GLAAD's mission for fair, accurate and inclusive representation of lesbians and gay men in the media makes it an ideal home for these projects. Not only will entertainment audiences see the fruits of GLAAD's labors, but training professionals in other industries on issues of sexual orientation is one of the best ways to assure that diversity will thrive, both on screen and off." Joan M. Garry, Executive Director of GLAAD, observed, "Hollywood Supports has been one of the leaders in helping illuminate the importance of discussing sexual orientation and identity in the entertainment industry, and the enormous support of generated by the entertainment industry for Hollywood Supports made it the best in its field. GLAAD is eager to help continue this vital work, and I'm certain that the strengths of our organization, combined with the goodwill and respect that Hollywood Supports enjoys within the industry will make these programs even more successful in their missions, and GLAAD more successful in ours." GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. -30- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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.