Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 16:38:21 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 3/12/98 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. PA: LGBT scholarship opportunity 2. Friday's 20/20 features gay teachers 3. General info on LGBT scholarships 4. National Day of Silence 5. NGLTF legislative update ========================================================================== X-Sender: scotts@isl1.ri.cmu.edu Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 15:16:50 -0500 From: "Scott A. Safier" Subject: Western PA LGBT scholarship available LAMBDA FOUNDATION scholarships for 1998: The Lambda Foundation has requested applications for its annual $2000 scholarships. There are two scholarships, one for graduate students and one for sophomore and junior undergrads. They are awarded to students who have made an outstanding contribution towards the integration of GLB people and culture into their college community (which should be in Western PA or the tri-state area). The deadline for applications is April 15. We *do* *not* have any application forms; contact the Lambda Foundation, PO Box 5169, Pgh, PA 15206 if you want one. Scott A. Safier Manager, Technical Development Design One Software, Inc ========================================================================== Subject: ALERT TO ALL - SHOW ON GAY TEACHERS Date: Wed, 11 Mar 98 14:01:50 -0400 x-sender: jegan@trudy.digitopia.com From: James Egan To: News from GLSEN Sender: ............................................................ An important message from GLSEN-Alert, the electronic news service of GLSEN. The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network -- GLSEN 121 West 27th Street, Suite 804 New York, NY 10001 212-717-0135 -- 212-727-0254 - fax glsen@glsen.org Visit the GLSEN Blackboard online: http://www.glsen.org/ ............................................................ Deidre - Can you post this to GLSENtalk. Thanks jme ATTENTION TO ALL - SHOW ON GAY TEACHERS Friday March 13 ABC - 20/20 - "Gay Teachers in America's Schools" The show will be a feature on Gay teachers in the US and will feature Kevin Jennings and two GLSEN members. Gerry Crane. A GLSEN member from Michigan will be one of the teachers featured. Gery who has recentally passed away, a loss greatly felt, was a huge force in the Michigan area. He was forced to resign as a music teacher because he was openly gay. Wendy Weaver. A GLSEN member from the Salt Lake City area will be the other teacher featured. Wendy is involved in a current dispute with the Spanish Fork HS - as they refuse to allow her to discuss her "homosexuality" and have fired her from coaching volleyball. Wendy is currently working with ACLU and GLSEN UTAH to fight this. I urge everyone to check out the program. ............................................................ Visit the GLSEN Blackboard online: http://www.glsen.org/ Past GLSENAlert posts are archived on the GLSEN Blackboard: http://www.glsen.org/pages/sections/news/glsenalert/ ............................................................ For information about subscribing and unsubscribing to GLSENAlert, send an email to: with the subject of body: help If you have problems using these commands, you can contact the list server administrator at: ............................................................ ============================================================================= Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 13:42:47 -0700 From: Jessea NR Greenman Subject: LGBT Scholarships/Financial Aid in General Reminder to readers of The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project list re LGBT Scholarships/Financial Aid in General. THIS IS THE APPLICATION SEASON FOR MANY SCHOLARSHIPS. WE REMIND YOU THAT THERE IS A WEB AREA DEDICATED TO FINANCIAL AID OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO LESBIAN AND GAY STUDENTS: http://www.finaid.org/finaid/focus/lgb.html This special interest section is provided courtesy of the LGBT Issues Committee of the California Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators [but includes information on other states where available]. If you have information on other scholarships of interest to LGBT students or you want to update the current listings, please contact Ken Souza, Marketing Account Manager Educaid POB 31363 San Francisco CA 94131-1363 Phone= 415-824-4547, Fax= 415-824-3420 Email= ken_souza@educaid.com ALSO, TELL ANY STUDENTS YOU KNOW that students can and should do their own searches for available scholarships for which they might be eligible by going to the FREE FastWeb Scholarship Search Service at http://www.FastWeb.com ================================================================ From: UfmccHq Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 20:56:06 EST Subject: NEWS RELEASE: National Day of Silence Announced for April 8, 1998 We are dependent upon friends such as yourself to promote the National Day of Silence. Thank you for your help in getting the word out. N E W S R E L E A S E MARCH 11, 1998 For Immediate Release OVER 100 HIGH SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN 1998 NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE CONTACTS: Phone: David Mariner, Advocates for Youth 202-347-5700 Email: Jessie Gilliam, Co-chair, National Day of Silence jmg8r@virginia.edu Maria Pulzetti, Co-chair, National Day of Silence mkp6n@virginia.edu CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA -- The National Day of Silence, the largest national (US) lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (lgbt) awareness event run by and for youth, will take place on April 8, 1998. Already more than 100 high schools, colleges and universities have signed on to participate. The first Day of Silence was held at the University of Virginia in April 1996 and has since spread nationwide. On the National Day of Silence, supporters of lgbt rights take a nine-hour vow of silence (8 AM - 5 PM) to draw attention to the silence that homophobia causes. Instead of speaking, participants hand out cards that read: "Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. I support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. People who are silent today believe that laws and attitudes should be inclusive of people of all sexual orientations. The Day of Silence is to draw attention to those who have been silenced by hatred, oppression, and prejudice. Think about the voices you are not hearing. What can you do to end the silence?" After the silence hours, organizers hold events to further educate people about homophobia and other lgbt issues. The National Day of Silence is organized by a volunteer staff of full time students. Jessie Gilliam and Maria Pulzetti, co-chairs of the event, are featured in the "Profile in Courage" in the March issue of Oasis Magazine (www.oasismag.com). They have also been invited to appear as keynote speakers at Youth Pride Day in Washington, D.C. on April 18. National Day of Silence Co-chair Maria Pulzetti comments, "I have watched this event grow from a first-time event at a conservative university to a national and even international movement of youth working to end homophobia. The strength of this event lies in the fact that it fills a real need for solidarity among youth concerned about lgbt rights. The National Day of Silence is the only national event created and organized by youth. The collective statement we make is staggering." The National Day of Silence has received organizational endorsements from the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN), Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), Advocates for Youth, !OutProud!, And Justice for All, and Youth Guardian Services. If you or someone you know attends a school, college, or youth group and would like to participate in the National Day of Silence, please contact your regional coordinator (see web page, http://www/youth-guard.org/ndos) or send e-mail inquiries to mkp6n@unix.mail.virginia.edu -------------------------- Maria Katherine Pulzetti University of Virginia mkp6n@unix.mail.virginia.edu http://www.youth-guard.org/ndos "We solemnly vow that there should never be another season of silence until we have the same rights everywhere on this green Earth." --Elizabeth Cady Stanton, 1881 (END) ================================================================================= From: "Channel Q" Sender: postmaster@ngltf.org Reply-To: ngltf@ngltf.org Date: Wed, 11 Mar 98 20:41:24 -0400 Sender: ngltf To: Multiple recipients of Activist-Org - Sent by Subject: 3/11 State Legislative Update **************************************************************************************** NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE PRESS RELEASE Contact: Tracey Conaty, Field Organizer 202/332-6483 x3303, tconaty@ngltf.org pager 800/757-6476 2320 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 http://www.ngltf.org **************************************************************************************** TASK FORCE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: MAJOR FAVORABLE COURT RULINGS CONTRAST TO LACK OF LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS; TWO STATE REPUBLICAN PARTIES ADOPT ANTI-GAY PLATFORMS WASHINGTON, DC---March 2, 1998 --- Recent court rulings in favor of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) rights provided a welcome contrast to the recent, disappointing repeal of Maine's civil rights law and slow-going progress in state legislatures. In less than a week's time - February 27 to March 4 - three important court rulings have come down in favor of equality for GLBT persons. "The courts have once again proved an important safety net in ensuring basic constitutional and human rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people," stated NGLTF executive director Kerry Lobel. Today the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force released its latest Legislative Update. The Legislative Update tracks GLBT-related and HIV/AIDS-related bills in state legislatures throughout the country for the 1998 legislative year. This Update documents well over 100 pieces of GLBT and HIV/AIDS related bills in 33 states. Attacks against GLBT families in the form of anti-adoption/foster care, anti-marriage, and anti-domestic partnership measures were numerous. In addition to legislation, in other state news both the California and Kansas Republican parties adopted virulent anti-gay resolutions. The California resolution goes so far as to equate homosexuality with "incest, sexual child abuse, bestiality, and pedophiles." On the judicial front, on February 27 an Alaska Superior Court rejected the state's request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two men for the right to marry. Similar to the way the Hawaii marriage case progressed, the judge ruled the State of Alaska must show a compelling interest to prohibit same gender couples from marrying. The state will likely appeal the ruling to the State Supreme Court. If the lower court ruling is upheld, a trial would be held where the state would be made to demonstrate a state interest in order to discriminate against same-sex couples. Also like Hawaii, there is now a measure in the state legislature calling for a state constitutional amendment to restrict marriage. The Hawaii measure passed that state's legislature last year and is set to go before voters this November. Days later after the Alaska decision, a New Jersey court came down with a ruling that put yet another dent in the armor of discrimination. On March 2, a New Jersey state appeals court ruled that the Boy Scouts of America prohibition against gay men was a violation of the state's civil rights law which bans discrimination against based on sexual orientation. Then on March 4, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that federal sexual harassment law includes same-sex harassment. This is an important victory as harassment against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons often occurs as a form of sex harassment where men are ridiculed for being "too feminine" or women for being "too masculine." These rulings are stark relief to the repeal last month of Maine's civil rights law. The measure was passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Angus King last May. Right wing groups secured signatures to put the issue to a public vote, employing Maine's rarely used "people's veto" provision. The law was repealed by less than two percentage points on February 10. The invoking of New Jersey's civil rights law in the Boy Scouts decision highlights the necessity of anti-discrimination laws and the disappointment in the repeal of Maine's law. "These recent decisions further underscore the importance of civil rights laws for our community. Without the law in New Jersey, the court may not have ruled as it did," said Kerry Lobel. Ten states have laws banning discrimination based on sexual orientation. They are New Hampshire (1997); Rhode Island (1995); Minnesota (1993); California, Vermont and New Jersey (1992); Hawaii and Connecticut (1991); Massachusetts (1989); and Wisconsin (1982). The text of the update with accompanying charts and maps is available at http://www.ngltf.org. As of March 11, 1998, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force tracked 146 gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (GLBT) or HIV/AIDS- related state legislative measures. They have been introduced in 33 states and Puerto Rico. The Task Force has classified 67 of these bills as unfavorable and 79 as favorable to the GLBT community. HIV/AIDS related bills account for approximately a third (49) of all measures tracked. When these HIV-related measures are taken out of the equation, 56 bills are considered favorable while 41 are unfavorable. Of these 97 measures, 17 relate to the issue of civil rights; 15 to domestic partnership; 17 to marriage;11 to hate crimes; 13 to schools and campus; seven to sodomy; six to families; one to health, and one specifically to the transgendered community. Attacks appear to be most pronounced against gay and lesbian families. Combining the areas of marriage, domestic partnership, and families, there are 27 measures that are hostile to GLBT families.! In the arena of civil rights, 14 favorable measures were introduced, though passage for most of them seems unlikely. In addition, while 4 states in 1997 passed hate crimes laws that included sexual orientation (see NGLTF's Capital Gains and Losses 1997), it's unlikely that 1998 will come close to a repeat of such a major legislative success. [non-schools-related items deleted] SCHOOLS: Measures pertaining to schools have been introduced in at least six states (CA, CO, GA, IN, RI, WA). Two unfavorable bills in Indiana would create an abstinence education study committee and mandate teaching abstinence in sex education classes. The Georgia bill would restrict information about homosexuality. There are two favorable bills. They are a safe schools measure in Washington and a resolution in Rhode Island requesting the Department of Education to make available sensitivity training about homosexuality. - 30 - Media Note: Contact information for state activists and organizations working on legislative issues is available from NGLTF Field Organizer Tracey Conaty at 202/332-6483 ext. 3303, tconaty@ngltf.org. This information was gathered by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force from a variety of sources, including news reports, activists, various organizations, and state legislative libraries. Due to the often fast pace of the legislative process, some of this data may be incomplete or quickly out of date. This legislative update is intended to provide an overview of the type of favorable and unfavorable activity happening in state capitals. NGLTF will release a final accounting of favorable and unfavorable bills later in the year in our 1998 edition of Capital Gains and Losses. Individuals with information on legislative activity not in this report should contact the NGLTF Field Department at 202/332-6483, extension 3303, tconaty@ngltf.org. _____________________________________________________________________ Founded in 1973, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force works to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people at the local, state and national level. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society. _________________________________________ This message was issued by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Field Department. If you have any questions regarding this post, please direct them to the contact information at the top of this email. If you wish to UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, please send an email with "UNSUBSCRIBE ACTIVIST-ORG" in the subject and body of your email message to ================================================================================== 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/