Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 21:09:19 +0000 From: Clare Howell Subject: InYourFace MEDIA ADVISORY - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Riki Anne Wilchins, riki@gpac.org (212) 645-1753 .SUNY CHANCELLOR CALLS SEXUALITY CONFERENCE 'OFFENSIVE' .NOW-NY SUPPORTS SUNY PRESIDENT BOWEN .ADVOCATES FOR TRANSGENDER PRISONERS CHALLENGE DISCRIMINATION AT VACAVILLE Contact: Susan Wright, NCSFreedom.aol.com (718) 383-3318 SUNY CHANCELLOR CALLS NEW PAULTZ SEXUALITY CONFERENCE 'OFFENSIVE' ========================================== [New York, NY: 28 Jan 98] CHANCELLOR JOHN Ryan stated at yesterday's SUNY Board of Trustees meeting that the recent conference at New Paultz (Revolting Behavior: The Challenges of Women's Sexual Freedom) included components that were "needlessly offensive to many people, including people of faith." He accused SUNY-New Paultz President Bowen of "errors of judgement" which "cause harm and embarrassment to the State University." He added, "While the complexities of sexuality from many perspectives are clearly appropriate matters for academic study and discourse, the New Paultz conference promulgated a 'how to do it' manual of lesbianism and sadomasochism--not at all appropriate for a university." "Staff members... have been afraid of the reprecussions that might result if they included supposedly controversial topics like how to have safe sex," said Emily Haight of the Student Assoc. in Albany. "We're worried that issues important to students' lives and health are being suppressed by Chancellor Ryan." Said Rev. Meg Riley, Dir. of the Unitarian Universalist Assoc., "It is always disturbing when the phrase 'people of faith' is used to mean people who are homophobic and anti-sex. For many people, it is our faith that demands that we fight bigotry and oppression." SUNY Board Ignores Report Exonerating Bowan ------------------------------------------- [30 Jan 98] Led by Chancellor Ryan, the Board of Trustees voted to ignore the Review Committee's report that absolves President Bowen of wrongdoing in regard to the women's sexuality conference. The committee, appointed by the Chancellor, said in its 40-page report that the trustees should provide "staunch support" on issues of academic freedom "especially during times of controversy," and that "taxpayer support is provided as a matter of public policy and cannot depend on the wishes of individual taxpayers or the disagreement of specific taxpayers with particular activities." President Bowen responded, "I am shocked and dismayed that the Chancellor has chosen to ignore the findings and conclusions of his own Review Committee which found that 'the President's decision to allow the conference to proceed was based on the time -honored tradition of free expression of controversial subjects within higher education.'" ### Contact: Susan Wright (718) 383-3318 NOW-NY SUPPORTS SUNY PRESIDENT BOWEN ==================================== [New York, NY: 2 Feb 98] THE NEW YORK STATE Chapter of NOW passed a resolution at its convention on 9 Nov that addresses the condemnation of SUNY New Paultz's recent Women Studies conference on sexuality that included topics of sadomasochism (S/M) and sex toys. The resolution states, "[NOW] hereby resolves to commend President Bowen for this stand on the right of free speech under the First Amendment and condemns Governor Pataki's participation in this orchestrated campaign." An educational discussion on S/M was held at the 20 Nov NOW-NY general meeting at which members who support the S/M Policy Reform Project spoke about the need to destigmatize sexual self-expression and S/M practice. The text version of the presentations are available on the S/M PRP webpage: ### Contact: Scott Cozza (707) 778-0564 and Judy Greenspan (510) 834-5656, ext 3150 ADVOCATES FOR TRANSGENDER PRISONERS CHALLENGE DISCRIMINATION AT VACAVILLE STATE PRISON ============================================= [New York, NY: 21 Jan 98] SUPPORTERS OF THE rights of transgender prisoners today sent a letter to Warden Ana Olivares of the California Medical Facility-Vacaville challenging the lack of care and treatment of the incarcerated transgender prisoners there. The newly formed Ad Hoc Committee for Prison Health Care Reform called for Warden Olivares to investigate the "poor and nonexistant" medical and mental health care of TG prisoners. Claiming that some corrections officers "demean, demoralize, humiliate and discriminate against transgender prisoners," the committee called for special training for correctional officers and staff on the psych- social issues of the TG community. Judy Greenspan, Dir. of Catholic Charities' HIV/AIDS in Prisons Project, noted that most of the TG population is automatically housed in the prison's HIV Unit whether or not they are HIV+. "Transgender prisoners are often the victims of rape and violence within society and within prisons. The fact that they are housed in the HIV Unit unnecessarily puts them at risk for HIV infection." The committee, made up of more than 25 groups and individuals, is seeking a meeting with Warden Olivares to discuss these issues and others regarding prisoners' access to hormone therapy and peer support groups. ### Subscriptions. Please send: Subscribe iyf-online or Unsubscribe iyf-online to MajorDomo@Apocalypse.Org For prior press releases, check the GenderPAC website at: http://www.gpac.org (c) 1996 InYourFace An oline, news-only service for gender activism. When re-posting, please credit InYourFace.