Date: Tue, 13 May 1997 15:33:33 -0700 From: richter@eecs.berkeley.edu (Jean Richter) Subject: 5/13/97 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. Canada: Anti-gay meeting in Surrey 2. CA: Study blasts abstinence-only sex education 3. National Day of Silence seeks staff ================================================================== Date: Mon, 28 Apr 1997 20:48:13 -0600 From: Deb Bridge Here's what I know from Canada: On Sunday, April 20th, a group of parents met at the Renaissance Hotel in Vancouver to hear Tom Crites and others from Calgary give "testimony" on what was titled "The Facts about Homosexuality." The meeting, which was screened and thus open only to nonentities and anti-gay rights supporters, was widely advertised and (mis)led some people to believe it was actually a meeting of the Surrey School Board. I've not received any reports about how widely the meeting was reported on, or on its outcome, but the groups that organized it are affiliated with the U.S. based Family Research Council. ************** On Sunday, April 27, Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada, called a federal election for June 2. Many groups, anticipating the election call, had begun campaigning weeks earlier. One such group was EGALE, Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere, a national organization headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, the nation's capitol. EGALE is the Canadian equivalent of a number of U.S. groups, such as HRC, GLAAD, and the Lambda Legal Defense Fund, and it is a highly credible organization that exercises a lot of "sway" with federal politicians and other groups. John Fisher, Executive Director of EGALE, embarked on a nationwide tour in late April and will visit most major cities. The purpose of the tour is threefold: - to help make Canadian voices count in the upcoming federal election; - to discuss litigation strategies for our communities; - to develop our national action network on lgbt rights. ************** Remember, Canada is further ahead of the U.S. in gay rights in some ways... Hugs...Deb --------------------------------------------------------------- canuck.com - The best Internet address in Canada ======================================================================== Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 14:19:44 -0700 From: Jim Hahn Subject: Chronicle Article I spotted an article in the SF Chronicle on page A15 Headline: Study Blasts Abstinence-Only Sex Education Quote: "The two groups also said that abstinence-only sex education curicula violated the state education code because they deny students information about contraception, fail to mention that condoms may reduce the risk of HIV infection and depict gays and people of color in an unflattering light" Jim Hahn hahnja@cooley.com ======================================================================== Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 06:19:17 -0700 From: Gay Lesbian Bisexual Student Support Services at Indiana University Subject: National Day of Silence Seeks Staff (fwd) Forwarded by Request: Please forward widely: ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- Subject: acui_glbcc National Day of Silence Seeks Staff (Sorry for the length) ***Coordinators sought for Day of Silence 1998*** Who can answer my questions? Email Jessie Gilliam at jmg8r@virginia.edu or Maria Pulzetti at mkp6n@virginia.edu with your questions. April 9, 1997 marked the first annual National Day of Silence. 104 high schools and colleges nationwide took part in this youth-organized event. On the Day of Silence, youth who support LGBT equality take a vow of silence from 8am-5pm in order to raise awareness of the silence faced by LGBT people everywhere. The Day of Silence 1998 will be Wed., April 8, 1998. The Day of Silence is the largest event organized by and for LGBT youth in the country (as far as we know!). Because the event has expanded so much in the past year, the national co-coordinators of the Day of Silence, Jessie Gilliam and Maria Pulzetti, are expanding the staff of the Day of Silence. Positions available are regional coordinators (northeast, south, midwest, southwest, west coast, international), high school coordinator, fund raising coordinator, and public relations coordinator. Both Gilliam and Pulzetti will continue to coordinate the Day of Silence overall. *****ALL POSITIONS ARE VOLUNTEER***** Who is eligible to apply? Anyone between the ages of 16 and 24 who is either in school at some level or involved in a lgbt youth organization. Applicants need not be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Applicants must have an email account and daily access to the internet. What do these jobs entail? REGIONAL coordinators will work closely with the national coordinators in recruiting schools to participate in the Day of Silence and advising schools, about the event. Regional coordinators will not have responsibilities over the summer. The HIGH SCHOOL coordinator will work to get more high schools involved in the Day of Silence. S/he will probably want to work closely with GLSTN. S/he will not have summer responsibilities. The FUND-RAISING coordinator will have the task of raising money for the Day of Silence. The fundraising coordinator will work with the national coordinators to create a budget and fundraising plan for the Day of Silence. The fund-raising coordinator will have responsibilities over the summer. The PUBLIC RELATIONS coordinator will work on developing a media contact database and in writing press releases and working with the media to publicize the Day of Silence. From February until the Day of Silence, the PR coordinator will be responsible for weekly press releases distributed over the internet and through US Mail. The PR coordinator will not have summer responsibilities. Do I need to have experience in organizing a big event like this? Experience with an event as large as the Day of Silence is not necessary. We are looking for people with organizing experience and/or experience with lgbt youth, but demonstrated enthusiasm and willingness to work hard will be crucial also. How can I apply? Your application needs to include a resume, a cover letter, one letter of recommendation, and a non-fiction writing sample of at least 300 words (a critical essay, newspaper article, press release, etc). High school students who do not yet have resumes need not worry--just send a description of leadership experience, organizing experience, GPA, and computer skills. Please send your application IN DUPLICATE (two copies of everything!) to: Day of Silence, c/o Maria Pulzetti 209 Greene St. N. Andover, MA 01845 The deadline for applications is May 31, although an extension can be granted if the co-coordinators are contacted in advance. Who can answer my questions? Email Jessie Gilliam at jmg8r@virginia.edu or Maria Pulzetti at mkp6n@virginia.edu with your questions. * - * - * - * - * Maria Katherine Pulzetti University of Virginia mkp6n@uva.pcmail.virginia.edu http://faraday.clas.virginia.edu/~mkp6n ==================================================================== Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/