Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 17:02:32 -0700 From: Jean Richter Subject: 5/25/99 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. GLAAD news on internet filtering and student's banned play 2. NY: Schenectady PBS station will air "It's Elementary" in June 3. FL: News article on pioneering gay-straight alliance ================================================================== Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 17:10:06 -0700 Subject: GLAADLines - May 17, 1999 From: "Channel Q News" FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 17, 1999 GLAADLINES Contact: Jerry Weinstein GLAAD Publications Manager (212) 807-1700 x18 weinstein@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org Index to Stories: [unrelated items omitted] 1. SENATE DEBATES FILTERING OPTIONS 2. THE PLAYS THE THING News and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community SENATE DEBATES FILTERING OPTIONS: On Thursday, May 13, the Senate approved a measure, attached to a youth crime bill, mandating that Internet service providers (ISPs) provide filtering software to subscribers. At the same time, presidential hopeful Senator John McCain (R-AZ) continues to push forward a bill that would require schools and libraries to use filtering software. Amidst the legislative debate, the Internet Free Expression Alliance, (of which GLAAD is a member), recently sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman William E. Kennard. The letter informs Kennard, "We agree with your observation that parents should be educated on Internet use and be provided with the information they need to allow them to better supervise their children's online activities. Such information should enable parents to make informed choices, including non-filtering as well as filtering options, which are consistent with their values." GLAAD is concerned that Internet users will find their access to educational, social and health resources restricted due to these measures. For more information, contact GLAAD's Interactive Media Director, Loren Javiuer at (415) 861-2244 or via e-mail at javier@glaad.org. THE PLAYS THE THING: When 17-year old high school student Samantha Gellar won the Charlotte Young Playwrights Festival for her play Life Versus the Paperback Romance, she could not have imagined the drama to follow. The sponsors of the contest, Children's Theatre and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, chose not to produce the work, labeling the content--two women falling in love--as age inappropriate for 11-year olds. Said Ms. Gellar, "I grew up in Charlotte when it was the 'will of the community' to keep black children out of my school," she said. "And I have seen the 'will of the community' lead young lesbian and gay youth to drop out of school and worse, rather than face harassment from other students and even from their teachers." The play will have its New York premiere as part of a benefit event, "Not Just a Stage: Youth Against Censorship," to be held at the Public Theater on June 14. It will star "Fried Green Tomatoes" actress Mary-Louise Parker, and will be followed by readings from actor Kathleen Chalfant, and playwrights Tony Kushner and Terrance McNally. For further comment, please contact Jim Anderson, Director of Communications for the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network at (212) 727-0135 or via e-mail at janderson@glsen.org. GLAAD is the nation's lesbian & gay multimedia advocacy organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate, and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. To subscribe, contact Wonbo Woo at (212) 807-1700 or at woo@glaad.org. "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 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" (without the quotation marks). Make sure that you turn off all signatures and extraneous text. TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Unsubscribe GLAAD-Net" (without the quotation marks). Make sure that you turn off all signatures and extraneous text. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in the media as a means of combating homophobia and 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. ================================================================================= From: SARATOGANY@aol.com Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 18:14:10 EDT Subject: Schenectady: WMHT (ch17) Will Broadcast "It's Elementary" 6/8/99, 9pm Message from: The Coalition for Safer Schools of NYS, PO Box 2345, Malta, NY 12020 John Myers, Director of Operations and Programs WMHT channel 17 (NY Capital Region), will broadcast "It's Elementary: Talking about gay issues in school" in June (6/8, 9pm) as part of a series of programs focusing on prejudice, hate crimes, and what is being done to increase tolerance and understanding in our society. Fortunately, most of the response received on "It's Elementary" has been positive, encouraging WMHT to broadcast the program. But they have also gotten some angry calls from viewers vowing to campaign against the broadcast to the bitter end. I hope that you and others who support the broadcast will campaign equally as diligently in favor of bringing diversity and understanding to our community. Please contact WMHT and thank them. WMHT Educational Telecommunications P.O. Box 17, Schenectady, New York 12301-0017 Phone: 518-357-1700 Fax: 518-357-1709 E-mail: reaction@wmht.org (Please lets us know if your local PBS station will be broadcasting "It's Elementary" and if so, provide channel/date/time.) ============================================================ Following is an article from WMHT member magazine on the four diversity programs in June. Working Toward a Better Understanding Over the last year, it seems that violent hate crimes have commanded more public attention than at any other time in recent history. The dragging death of James Byrd Jr. because he was black and the beating death of Matthew Shepard because he was gay are disturbing examples of hate*s poisonous influence. Over four Tuesdays this month, WMHT and WMHQ will tackle the issue of hatred head-on by presenting a variety of programs spotlighting how communities, teachers and students are helping one another work toward a better understanding of all segments of our society. Forgotten Fires * Tuesday, June 1, 9pm, WMHT * is a powerful inquiry into the burning of two black churches in rural South Carolina by two young members the Ku Klux Klan. The program puts a uniquely human face on hatred, focusing on the experience of race through the eyes of Clarendon County's inhabitants * both black and white * a community which is forced to confront the true state of race relations in the post-Civil Rights South. It's Elementary: (Talking about gay issues in school) * Tuesday, June 8, 9pm, WMHT * is an award-winning documentary that spotlights the benefits of addressing lesbian and gay issues with students in a safe, nonjudgmental environment * to reduce name-calling and stereotyping, prevent violence, dispel fears, and support families of all kinds. The program is designed to help parents and educators grappling with finding a way to raise fair-minded children who have the skills to respond to the diversity around them, and encourages constructive dialogue on one of the most divisive issues facing school communities today. (Also it may be broadcast in the Albany/Schenectady area on WMHQ channel 45, check for schedule.) Not In Our Town II: Citizens Respond to Hate * Tuesday, June 15, 9pm, WMHQ * travels to communities whose efforts to combat intolerance were inspired by Billings, Montana, residents' success in countering an upsurge of hate crimes. From Bloomington, Illinois, to Columbia, South Carolina, citizens rebuild churches and act to prevent racially-motivated arson. From Medford, Oregon, to Kokomo, Indiana, office workers, middle-school students and newspaper reporters create positive community solutions to hate violence. Skin Deep * Tuesday, June 29, 9pm, WMHT * is a compelling tale of the complexities of race relations in America today, as experienced by a diverse group of college students. The film profiles deeply held attitudes and feelings about race through interviews and scenes from home and campus life. The program also looks at a weekend retreat of interracial dialogue that provides a view of the challenges that remain in creating a racially tolerant society. ================================================================================= South Florida Sun Sentinel, May 18, 1999 200 E. Las Olas,Fort Lauderdale,FL,33301 (Fax 954-356-4624 ) ( http://www.sun-sentinel.com ) (E-MAIL: letters@sun-sentinel.com ) Pioneering group fosters harmony, respect for gay students By TIM COLLIE Erin Kafka's classmates suspected she was gay before it ever occurred to her. Apparently threatened by even the question of her sexual orientation, they taunted Erin and stuffed anonymous notes in her backpack and locker until she moved to another school. [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] ================================================================================= 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/