Date: Fri, 03 Sep 1999 16:26:51 -0700 From: Jean Richter Subject: 9/3/99 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. CA: NGLTF action alert on AB 537 2. 20/20 to feature segment on homeless LG teens 9/13 3. GA: Dockers to sponsor scholarships to GLSEN conference = = Reply-To: listserver@channelq.com Date: Thu, 2 Sep 1999 22:42:28 -0700 From: "Channel Q" < To: (LGBT Political Activists), queerpolitics@abacus.oxy.edu Subject: NGLTF Action Alert: CA public education nondiscrimination bill ********************************************* NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE ACTIVIST ALERT Contact: Dan Hawes, Field Organizer 202-332-6483 x3222 dhawes@ngltf.org http://www.ngltf.org 1700 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC ********************************************* CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EDUCATION NONDISCRIMINATION BILL REINTRODUCED! URGE YOUR STATE SENATORS IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS TO SUPPORT AB 537! A new measure has been introduced that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in California public schools and community colleges. The bill essentially would add sexual orientation to the general anti-discrimination provisions of the California Education Code that would require public schools and community colleges to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in their programs and activities, the same way discrimination is prohibited when it comes to sex, ethnicity, race, national origin, religion, and mental or physical disabilities. AB 537 is currently pending in the State Senate. This=20 is our second chance. Earlier this year a similar comprehensive anti-discrimination measure, AB 222, the Dignity for All Students Act, lost by only one vote. Please call today to protect all of our students! WE STRONGLY URGE ALL FAIR-MINDED CALIFORNIANS TO CALL, E-MAIL OR FAX LETTERS OF SUPPORT TO YOUR RESPECTIVE STATE SENATORS. WE ESPECIALLY NEED CALIFORNIANS LIVING IN THE DISTRICTS REPRESENTED BY THE FOLLOWING SENATORS TO TELL THEM TO VOTE YES FOR AB 537! SENATOR JOE BACA (D - Rialto), senator.baca@sen.ca.gov Capitol Phone: 916-445-6868, Fax: 916-445-0128 San Bernardino Phone: 909-885-2222, Fax: 909-888-5959 SENATOR WES CHESBRO (D - Humboldt County), wesley.chesbro@sen.ca.gov Capitol Phone: 916-445-3375, Fax: 916-323-6958 Santa Rosa Phone: 707-576-2771, Fax: 707-576-2773 Eureka Phone: 707-445-6508, Fax: 707-445-6511 Napa Phone: 707-224-1991, Fax: 707-224-1992 Ukiah Phone: 707-468-8914, Fax: 707-468-8931 SENATOR JOE DUNN (D - Santa Ana), senator.dunn@sen.ca.gov Capitol Phone: 916-445-5831, Fax: 916-323-2323 Garden Grove Phone: 714-705-1580, Fax: 714-705-1586 SENATOR BRUCE MCPHERSON (R - Santa Cruz), bruce.mcpherson@sen.ca.gov Capitol Phone: 916-445-5843, Fax: 916-445-8081 Santa Cruz Phone: 831-425-0401, Fax: 831-425-5124 Salinas Phone: 831-753-6386, Fax: 831-753-6385 SENATOR JACK O'CONNELL (D - San Luis Obispo), senator.oconnell@sen.ca.gov Capitol Phone: 916-445-5405, Fax: 916-322-3304 Santa Barbara Phone: 805-966-2296, Fax: 805-966-3707 Ventura Phone: 805-641-1500, Fax: 805-641-3647 San Luis Obispo Phone: 805-547-1800, Fax: 805-547-1871 SENATOR STEVE PEACE (D - El Cajon), senator.peace@sen.ca.gov Capitol Phone: 916-445-6767, Fax: 916-327-3522 La Mesa Phone: 619-463-0243, Fax: 619-463-0246 Chula Vista Phone: 619-427-7080, Fax: 619-426-7369 If you want to find out your local legislators, please check the government pages of your local phone directory or access any of the following websites: http://www.sen.ca.gov/~newsen/senators/yoursenator.htp http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html http://www.smart-vote/org This action alert is from the California Alliance for Pride and=20 Equality (CAPE), a nonprofit, nonpartisan grassroots organization representing the interests of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities. For up-to-date information on this bill's developments, please contact CAPE legislative advocate Eric Astacaan at 916-492-6160 or at EMail@calcape.org. CAPE's mission is to ensure the dignity, safety, equality and civil rights of all LGBT Californians by: directly lobbying the state government for appropriate legislation and public policies; educating the public about the communities' issues and concerns; and, coalescing with other communities to promote equality=20 and understanding. 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. To help achieve this, NGLTF is committed to strengthening statewide GLBT political organizations in an effort to pass laws promoting equality for GLBT people. NGLTF works with statewide GLBT organizations to promote inclusive GLBT legislation while recognizing the autonomy of each state organization to set its own legislative priorities. _________________________________________________________________ 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. If you have a question regarding this post, please direct it to the contact at the top of this message. _________________________________________________________________________ This message has been distributed as a free, non-profit informational service, to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. Please do not publish or post in a public place on the Internet, copyrighted material without permission and attribution. Forwarding of this material should not necessarily be construed as an endorsement of the content. Some messages may be from anti-gay organizations and are forwarded as opposition research. = = = Date: Fri, 3 Sep 1999 04:25:09 -0400 (EDT) From: "Tina M. Wood" < Subject: Upcoming 20/20 segment (fwd) =20 CONNIE CHUNG REPORTS ON THE DISTURBING NEW TREND OF TEENAGERS KICKED OUT OF THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEY ARE GAY OR LESBIAN, ON "20/20 MONDAY," SEPT. 13 Source: ABC NEWS MEDIA RELATIONS Published: September 02, 1999 - 05:24:57PM [National] Television _________________________________________________________________ =20 NEWS August 31, 1999 =20 CONNIE CHUNG REPORTS ON THE DISTURBING NEW TREND OF TEENAGERS KICKED OUT OF THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEY ARE GAY OR LESBIAN, ON "20/20 MONDAY," SEPT. 13 =20 Connie Chung reports a disturbing new trend of homeless gay and lesbian teenagers who say they have been thrown out of their homes=20 by their parents. From the smallest towns of America's heartland, homeless teenagers tell Ms. Chung they were disowned, left to fend for themselves, because of their sexual orientation, on "20/20 Monday," SEPT. 13 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. =20 Editors please note: a photograph of Connie Chung is available on www.abcmedianet.com. =20 "Daniel" says his mother threw him out of his home when he told her he was gay. He was 17 years old. Daniel says he was thrown out because he is gay. "I was an embarrassment to my family," he tells Ms. Chung.=20 "I remember my mom saying . . . when I was ready to live my life right, then I could come home again." With nowhere to turn in this small Nebraska town of just 300 people, and with just $200 to his name, Daniel boarded a bus to Los Angeles, where he has been homeless and struggling ever since. =20 When Ginger was just 16 she told her mother she was a lesbian. "My mom asked me to get my stuff and leave . . . I didn't know what to do or where to go, 'cause it was a small town and there was nobody there=20 to help me." Ginger had tried to keep her sexual orientation a secret. Now, in her tiny Iowa hometown where everyone knows each other, Ginger is an outcast: "They didn't want anything to do with me because I am gay." =20 Verna Eggleston is the executive director of Hetrick Martin Institute, a New York City agency serving gay and lesbian youth. She believes kids like Daniel and Ginger are part of a frightening trend: "We serve 1300 homeless kids a month. I think more kids are getting thrown out because they're gay," she tells Ms. Chung. =20 Without a home, or family, these teenagers often pay devastating price for their sexual orientation. Experts say about a third of all teenage suicide attempts are by gay and lesbian kids. Often, these teens=20 turn to prostitution to survive: ". . . maybe it doesn't start with survival sex. Maybe it comes with some adult saying I'll give you a bed. I'll give you a hot meal. You can stay at my house. And then comes the attack," Ms. Eggleston says. =20 Ms. Eggleston says most parents think they are doing the right thing by throwing their child out. "They think they're parenting. They=20 feel like if you can't do it my way, my rules, then you're out the door and you need to go somewhere else." =20 Ginger, now 20 years old, has been homeless since her mother threw her out four years ago. Ms. Chung speaks with Ginger's mother and brings both mother and daughter together to talk for the first time about sexual orientation and whether they can heal their wounded relationship. "It's hard to talk about your sexuality . . . it's hard," she tells her daughter. =20 Many of these teenagers say they wish they were not gay and, if they had a choice, they would be heterosexual. But it is not a choice, "Daniel" tells Ms. Chung: ". . . if I had the choice, I wouldn't . . . choose something that would make my life so difficult." =20 Victor Neufeld is the executive producer of "20/20". (CLOSED-CAPTIONED) =20 ABC News Media Relations: Jenny Parker (212) 456-1624 =20 = = = Reply-To: listserver@channelq.com Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 19:53:27 -0700 From: "Channel Q" < Subject: GLAADLines - August 16, 1999 PalatinoG= LAADLINES TimesContact: Sean Lund, GLAAD (323) 658-6775 x18 lund@glaad.org 0000,0000,fefehttp://www.glaad.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AUGUST 16, 1999 News and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community =20 Palatino[unrelated items omitted] GLSEN, DOCKERS PARTNER TO BRING TOGETHER YOUTH LEADERS: For the second consecutive year, Dockers Khakis will fund a national scholarship program to bring over 100 youth to "Teaching Respect for All '99," the third annual conference of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN). The conference, held October 1-3 in Atlanta, is the largest national summit of parents, educators, students, and concerned community members working to end anti-gay bias in K-12 schools. The Dockers-sponsored Youth United Against Bias scholarship fund represents an opportunity for lgbt students to attend the conference. "One of the great hurdles standing between youth activists and their ability to participate fully in the larger civil rights movement is money," said GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings. "These scholarships will allow youth and their adult allies to join together, learn from one another, and build stronger alliances as they work to end anti-gay harassment in hometown schools." For more information, contact GLSEN Director of Communications Jim Anderson at (212) 727-0135, ext. 136. PalatinoGLAAD, the nation's lesbian & gay media advocacy organization, 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 GLAADNOTES 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.=20 = = = Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation= Nationally) These messages are archived by state on our information-loaded free web= site: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/