Date: Tue, 9 Sep 1997 16:31:09 -0700 From: richter@eecs.berkeley.edu (Jean Richter) Subject: 9/9/97 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news and alerts 1. Thailand: More info on LG ban from teacher training schools 2. Coordinators needed for 1998 National Day of Silence 3. Results of health issues survey of UK lesbians & gay men on the web 4. UT: More on Jacob Orozco's suicide ======================================================================== From: GLSTNAlert@aol.com Date: Mon, 8 Sep 1997 14:07:19 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Support Thailand's Future Teachers!! ACTION ALERT FROM: International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission Please support Thailand's future teachers. See "What You Can Do" Below. GAYS AND LESBIANS BANNED FROM ENROLLING IN THAILAND'S TEACHER TRAINING SCHOOLS On December 26, 1996, in a report in the Bangkok Post, the Rajabat Institute Council, the collective governing body of all of Thailand's teachers colleges, declared that it would bar homosexuals from enrolling in any of its colleges nationwide. The announcement brought strong criticism from human rights groups and many others, who are urging the repeal of this discriminatory policy. On January 25th, Suraporn Danaitangtrakul, a Deputy Education Minister, proposed that the Institute set a new criteria to bar people with "improper personalities," but not certain groups such as homosexuals. Anjaree, a lesbian group in Thailand, supported Mr. Saraporn's ideas but said the term "improper personalities" needs to be more clearly defined. Furthermore, members of Anjaree are working with other human and civil rights groups to request that the ban be dropped and that an anti-discrimination clause be added to the charter of the colleges. They are currently planning a conference to discuss opposition to the ban. In a recent positive development, the Commission on Justice and Human Rights of the Thai Parliament has discussed the matter and decided that the ban goes against human rights principles. This occurred after hearing testimonies from psychiatrists confirming that homosexuals were not sick or abnormal. Members of Anjaree were also asked to present lesbian and gay arguments against the ban. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Please express your concern and call for the immediate rescinding of the Rajabat Institutes ruling by writing, faxing or emailing the following relevant people, all of whom are formal members of the Rajabat Institutes Council. NOTE: PLEASE REMAIN FORMAL AND VERY COURTEOUS IF YOU LODGE PROTESTS. HARSH, NEGATIVE, EMOTIONAL AND ANGRY LETTERS MAY BACKFIRE. In Thailand, people highly value politeness and courtesy and we ask that you please observe this. Protest letters that recognize this decision is out of step with Thailand's high regard for democracy and human rights are likely to have a positive impact. H.E. Mr Sukavich Rangsitpol, Minister for Education & Chairman Rajabat Institutes Council Ministry of Education, Ratchdamnoen Road, Bangkok, Thailand Fax. (66 2) 282 9241 Email: bumrung@emisc.moe.go.th The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education (Vice-Chairman Rajabat Institutes Council) Ratchdamnoen Road, Bangkok, Thailand Fax. (66 2) 282 9241 Email: bumrung@emisc.moe.go.th Mr Charoon Choolarp Secretary-General Rajabat Institutes Council C/o Ministry of Education Ratchdamnoen Road, Bangkok, Thailand Fax. (66 2) 282 9241 Email: charoon@oric.rajabhat.ac.th ============================================================= International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission 1360 Mission St., Ste. 200 San Francisco, CA 94103 USA Tel: +1-415-255-8680 Fax: +1-415-255-8662 E-mail: mirka@iglhrc.org Check out our website at http://www.iglhrc.org/ *THE INTERNATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (IGLHRC) is a San Francisco based non-governmental organization. IGLHRC's primary mission is to monitor, document and mobilize responses to human rights violations on the basis of HIV/AIDS sero-status, sexual orientation and gender identity. _______________________________________________________ The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) 121 West 27th Street, Suite 804 New York, NY 10001 212-727-0135 http://www.glsen.org _______________________________________________________ Do not hit reply to send an email to GLSEN. GLSEN's email address is glsen@glsen.org Staff Addresses: Deidre Cuffee-Gray: dcuffee-gray@glsen.org Jenesha de Rivera: jderivera@glsen.org Janice Goldfarb: jgoldfarb@glsten.org Kevin Jennings: kjennings@glsen.org John Spear: jspear@glsen.org Student Pride: studentpride@glsen.org GLSEN Interns: GLSTNintrn@aol.com _______________________________________________________ GLSENAlert is a GLSTN news bulletin service of the The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). * * * * * * * To Unsubscribe from GLSTNAlert simply send an email to GLSTNAlert@aol.com with the words "unsubscribe" in the subject line (no quotes and note the lack of space in GLSTNAlert). * * * * * * * To Subscribe to GLSTNAlert simply send an email to GLSTNAlert@aol.com with the words "subscribe" in the subject line (no quotes and note the lack of space in GLSTNAlert). Also: please write your name in the message portion of your email. _______________________________________________________ ===================================================================== X-Sender: verry@bengal.oxy.edu Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 15:24:47 -0700 From: Bart Verry Subject: national day of silence >Return-Path: owner-glbso@QueerNet.ORG >Date: Mon, 8 Sep 1997 16:39:38 -0500 (CDT) >From: "C. J. Liotta" >To: glbso >Subject: national day of silence > >PLEASE RESPOND TO AUTHOR > > > >Hi- My name is Josh Jensen, and I am the Public Relations coordinator >for the National Day of Silence. If you have any questions about the >following press release, feel free to email me a jojensen@uhavax.hartford.edu, >or contact the national coordinators at their respective email addresses listed >in this press release. Even if you yourself are not interested, it would be >appreciated if you could get this information out to people that might be. >Thanks! > >-Josh > > > >----- >Do you want to do something about homophobia in our school/community? >Do you want to raise awareness of LGBT issues? >Do you want to work with LGBT youth leaders from across the country? > > If so, then we want you!!! > > > COORDINATORS NEEDED FOR NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE 1998 > > The National Day of Silence is the largest national >lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) awareness evnt run by and >for youth. In April 1997, students from the University of Virginia >coordinated the first National Day of Silence, with students at over >100 colleges and high schools across the country participating. >On the National Day of Silence, students of all sexual orientations >who want to protest the silence created by homophobia and ignorance take >a vow of silence for one day. Instead of speaking, they hand out information >about the event. > > Due to the tremendous success of the 1997 event, the National Day of >Silence is recruiting regional coordinators to help organize the 1998 >Day of Silence. Still needed are regional coordinators for the south and >northeast, an international coordinator, and a fundraising coordinator. > > All positions are volunteer and begin immediately. Coordinators will >be working with the national co-coordinators and each other to spread the >word about the National Day of Silence to schools in their area and >help those schools organize the National Day of Silence. Coordinators will >spend an estimated 2-3 hours per week during the fall semester and 1 hour per >day during the spring semester. The positions are a great opportunity to >learn organizing and leadership skills, and since the National Day of >Silence is a relatively new event, creative and innovative ideas are >encouraged. > > Applicants for coordinator positions need to have daily access to an >email account, and preference is given to youth applicants (25 and >under). Applicants need not be LGBT--we do not discriminate on the >basis of sexual orientation. > > To apply for a coordinator position, please send a letter detailing >leadership/activist experience, why you are interested in working on >the National Day of Silence, and what you can bring to our staff. Letters >should be sent via email to Jessie Gilliam (jmg8r@virginia.edu) and Maria >Pulzetti (mkp6n@virginia.edu), National Co-Coordinators. > >The Second Annual National Day of Silence will be on April 8, 1998. >For more information about the Day of Silence, please see the web page >at http://wsrv.clas.virginia.edu/~mkp6n >-- >Joshua Jensen >----------------------------------- >jojensen@uhavax.hartford.edu >http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~jjensen/ > > >********** > >To post, send mail to glbso@queernet.org. >To unsubscribe, send mail to majordomo@queernet.org; put a line saying > unsubscribe glbso >in the body. (This may fail if your address has changed since you signed >up; if so, or for other assistance, contact glbso-approval@queernet.org.) > > Bart Verry Director of Student Services, Occidental College 1600 Campus Road Los Angeles, CA 90041 (213) 259-2531 office (213) 341-4984 fax http://www.oxy.edu/oxy/oxycomm/admin/orglwww/index.htm ===================================================================== The results of the largest survey of UK lesbians and gay men on health issues is available at URL: http://www.WOLFSON.TVU.ac.uk/staff/homepage/ramirar/phci.html ===================================================================== Date: Tue, 9 Sep 1997 14:40:12 -0700 (PDT) X-Sender: donromes@pop.sirius.com From: romesburg@glaad.org (Don Romesburg) Subject: re: Jacob Orozco I'd appreciate if you'd distribute this. Two of us GLAAD staffers in the San Francisco Media Resource Center hail from Utah, and the horrible news of Jacob Orozco's suicide hit both of us pretty hard. While queer youth have it hard everywhere, Utah has its own special brand of repression, and it exhibits itself in so many ugly ways. I had the opportunity to meet Jacob several years ago when I did an interview with East High GSA founder Kelli Peterson for the queer youth magazine InsideOUT. Jacob was clearly highly regarded by his friends and peers in the East High School Gay/Straight Alliance. He was gentle, funny and warm-hearted. Especially in this time of grief, I think it is critical to let those involved with the East High Gay/Straight Alliance and other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in Utah know that they are supported and admired for thier courage, tenacity and strength. They serve as an inspiration not simply to those who will come after, but those who came before. A memorial service for Jacob held by close friends will be held this Friday. Cards and other condolence messages can be sent to: East High School Gay/Straight Alliance c/o Camille Lee, Advisor 840 S. 1300 E., Salt Lake City UT 84102 In addition, anyone who wants to send a special message to Kelli Peterson can do so at: Kelli Peterson c/o the Utah Stonewall Center 770 S. 300 W., Salt Lake City, UT 84101 Thanks for passing this on. Yours in struggle, Don Romesburg ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Don Romesburg -- SF Media Resource Center Manager/Publications Manager Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) phone: (415) 861-2244 fax: (415) 861-4893 e-mail: romesburg@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. Check Out GLAAD's Bi Visibility Web Site at www.glaad.org/glaad/bi_visibility. OCTOBER IS LESBIAN & GAY HISTORY MONTH! Check out LGHM's Official Web Site at www.glaad.org/glaad/history-month/index.html! GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation in all forms of media as a means of challenging homophobia and all forms of 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. ====================================================================== 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/