Subject: MEDIAlert! ['A']- 1/5/98 (adoption; sex ed)
From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 13:05:29 -0500 (EST)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
INDEX:  "MEDIAlert!" - 01.05.98 [Part "A" ONLY]

-ITEM 1:  "Family Feuds" [Family Research Council; New Jersey; Pat Oliphant;
Universal Press Syndicate; New York Post].

-ITEM 2:  "The Abstinence-Minded Professors" [American Family Association;
USA Today; In These Times; Committee on the Status of Women; Sex Respect;
Choosing the Best; SIECUS; Public Media Center].

NOTE:  Parts "B" [Items 2-3] and "C" [Media/Briefs] have been posted
SEPARATELY.
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M   E   D   I   A   l   e   r   t   !
__________________________

January 5, 1998   Al Kielwasser

[1]

F A M I L Y   F E U D S

As the result of a recent class action lawsuit, New Jersey has lifted its ban
on the joint adoption of children by gay and lesbian partners.  This landmark
decision makes New Jersey the first state in the country to give unmarried
homosexual AND heterosexual couples the same adoption privileges as married
couples.  However, critics have bristled most over the issue of lesbian and
gay parenting.

Typical of a flurry of press releases from homophobic groups, the Family
Research Council attacked New Jersey's adoption settlement as an immoral
effort to "redefine the family" (Dec. 18).  "What homosexual activists are
calling a landmark victory in the battle for 'equal rights' amounts to a
landmark defeat for the best interests of children," said FRC spokesperson
Robert Knight.  "Children are too vulnerable and too precious to be used as
pawns in the promotion of a political agenda."

Founded in 1983, "to promote and defend traditional values in print,
broadcast and other media outlets," the FRC claims to provide "an alternative
voice in the press -- a voice for the family."  Accusing homosexuals of
preying upon children is hardly original, however, though the FRC's concern
could not be more hypocritical.

Right-wing organizations like the FRC are themselves guilty of using children
as pawns -- relentlessly exploiting children's issues, in pursuit of their
own homophobic agenda.  Unfortunately, this point is seldom considered by the
mainstream press.

In covering the New Jersey adoption case, several "mainstream" pundits simply
parroted the FRC and other hate-mongers.  Among the worst examples is an
editorial cartoon from Universal Press Syndicate (Dec. 18), which has
appeared in newspapers across the country.

Drawn by Pat Oliphant, the cartoon depicts an official representing the "New
Jersey Department of Unisex Adoption."  Sinister and imposing, the man is
shown handing "Papers of Adoption" to a small, seemingly frightened child.

"I have good news and bad news," the man says.  "The good news is, you've
been adopted.  The bad news is, your new mother's name is Bruce."  In the
corner of the cartoon a little bird adds:  "And no, you don't have any say in
the matter."

The graphic homophobia of Oliphant's cartoon is echoed -- if not amplified --
in the words of an editorial by the "New York Post" (Dec. 20).  Comparing
lesbian and gay parenting to incest or child molestation, the newspaper urges
elected officials to reverse New Jersey's "adoption fiasco."

"The media are treating the story as another step in the advance of gay
rights, but that's only the half of it," the "Post" opines.  "New Jersey has
(knowingly or not) joined the cultural radicals seeking to degrade the
institution of marriage."

"Marriage exists in large part for the benefit of the children produced by a
conjugal union," according to the "Post."  "The institution of marriage is an
effort to ensure a child the stability and support of a mother and father --
which a purely emotional or erotic attachment can't be expected to
guarantee."

The newspaper further argues that:  "Giving homosexuals the right to marry
will be a major (if not the final) step on the path that will make their way
of life coequal with conventional practice.  But their victory may well come
at the expense of the children gays may adopt....  Moreover, such a child may
not even have his two daddies or mommies for long, considering how volatile
homosexual partnerships can be."

"Ask any expert on child development if this is at all desirable," the "Post"
concludes.  "You don't have to ask, because you know the answer."

With that final point, the newspaper unwittingly reveals an unquestioning
ignorance that sustains all homophobia.  Too often, in the debate over issues
like gay and lesbian adoption, mainstream media tend to confuse EXPERT
HOMOPHOBES with HOMOSEXUAL EXPERTISE.  Along with Oliphant and the FRC,
however, the "Post" knows as much about homosexuality as it asks:  Nothing.

****  ACTION ALERT!   Answer the questions that homophobes don't ask; send
critical comments to:  Mark Kalech, Managing Editor, New York Post, 1211
Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036-8790, e-mail [email-masked]
(or [email-masked]), web-site www.nypostonline.com;  Lee Salem, Vice
President and Editorial Director, Universal Press Syndicate, 4520 Main
Street, Kansas City, MO 64111-7701, tel. 800-255-6734, fax 816-932-6684,
e-mail [email-masked];  Robert Knight, Director of Cultural Studies,
Family Research Council, 801 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, tel.
202-393-2100 (or 800-225-4008), fax 202-393-2134, web-site www.frc.org.

Pat Oliphant's editorial cartoons -- including his lesbian/gay adoption panel
-- can be viewed online at Universal Press Syndicate's web site
(www.uexpress.com/ups/); this site also features an "Oliphant Discussion
Area," for posting public comments on the cartoonist's work.

R e / S o u r c e s :  Taking an activist overview of adoption and related
matters, "Here to Stay -- A Working Paper on Lesbian and Gay Family Issues"
is available from the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, 2320 17th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20009, tel. 202-332-6483 (ext. 3314), e-mail [email-masked],
web-site www.ngltf.org. ].

[2]

A B S T I N E N C E - M I N D E D   P R O F E S S O R S

The American Family Association's vice-president, Tim Wildmon, has penned a
"guest editorial" for America's largest newspaper, "USA Today" (Jan. 6).
 According to Wildmon, the newspaper specifically "asked AFA for a response
to a series of editorials which they will run on the sex education issue."

Wildmon begins his editorial by asking:  "Why are we afraid to teach our
youth that sex outside marriage is wrong?"  Though he never answers this
(mis)leading question, it sets the tone for the rest of his deluded response.

"Any form of sex education that does not begin with the premise taught by the
Bible -- and all major world religions -- that sex outside marriage is sinful
in the sight of God, is fundamentally flawed," Wildmon goes on to argue.  "If
we remove God and the Bible from the issue, we are left without a moral guide
to human sexuality."

"We often send a convoluted message to a generation looking for guidance," he
also insists.  "Even if we encourage them to avoid having sex, we hand them a
condom on the way out of class." 

Notably, this dire view of the situation is a characteristic ploy of
heterosexual supremacists -- deflecting attention away from the fact that
many schools are too afraid to teach anything BUT the "abstinence-only"
programs pushed by religious extremists.  Contrary to Wildmon's claim, most
textbooks actually PROMOTE monogamous, heterosexual marriage -- to the
EXCLUSION of anything else (like masturbation and homosexuality, monogamous
or not).

The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS)
estimates that only 10 percent of the nation's schools offer fair, accurate,
and comprehensive sex-education programs.  Less than half of all states
mandate ANY sex education at all. 

As Annette Fuentes, a fellow at Columbia University's Graduate School of
Journalism, points out:  "The religious right has been hammering away at sex
education programs in local school districts across the country, while
pushing programs that send a 'sex-equals-death' message....  For health
experts and educators it's a dangerous mix of politics and religion that
ignores sound public health practices and the realities of teen sex."

In a recent article for "In These Times" magazine (Dec. 28), Fuentes also
suggests that "the conservative drive to control teenager's sexuality" has
been more successful -- and deadlier -- than the public is has been lead to
believe.  For example, when Congress passed welfare reform legislation last
year, Fuentes observes that:  "Overshadowed by the welfare-to-work aspects of
the new law was a provision to fund programs to teach kids that sex before
marriage is not only morally wrong but almost always dangerous to their
health."

Without much scrutiny, various Right Wing groups have used both public and
private funds to create their own "sex ed" curricula.  Though typically
racist, sex-negative and homophobic, these programs are infiltrating a
surprising number of public schools.

Phyllis Schafly's Committee on the Status of Women, for example, is
responsible for producing "Sex Respect" and "Choosing the Best" -- two of
"the most widely used programs in public schools."  Paid for with a million
dollars in state and federal funds, "Sex Respect" was first published in
1985.  This curriculum teaches children that AIDS can be transmitted by
kissing, and warns that:  "There's no way to have premarital sex without
hurting someone."

According to a survey commissioned by the Public Media Center (May 1997), "1
in 4 of the country's school districts use abstinence-only curricula and 1 in
8 use 'Sex Respect' in particular."  In California alone, the survey found,
"One-third of the state's school districts report that they have been
pressured to modify sex education programs, primarily by religious groups."

Collectively, the destructive force of this propaganda has not only been
denied by the Christian Right.  Abstinence-only campaigns are more dangerous
and widespread than the mainstream press reports -- or the general public
knows.

**** ACTION ALERT!  Counter the AFA's disinformation efforts; send comments
on Wildmon's commentary to:  David Mazzarella, Editor, "USA Today," 1000
Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22229, fax 703-276-6585, e-mail
[email-masked].

Caustic comments, or other feedback, can also be copied to:  Tim Wildmon,
Vice-President, American Family Association, P.O. Drawer 2440, Tupelo, MS
38803, tel. 601-844-5036, fax 601-844-9176, e-mail [email-masked], web-site
www.afa.net.

R e / S o u r c e s :  The Sex Information and Education Council of the U. S.
provides a wide range of services and resources -- helping teachers,
activists and community groups to promote sexuality and HIV/AIDS education
programs that are fair, accurate and comprehensive.  Contact:  SIECUS, 130
West 42nd Street, Suite 350, New York, NY 10036-7802, web-site
www.siecus.org.

"No Sex Ed:  Congress Pushes Abstinence in the Schools" is a current article
by Annette Fuentes, featured in the December 28 issue of "In These Times" --
a biweekly magazine of "independent news & views."  Contact:  Annette
Fuentes, Contributing Editor, "In These Times," 2040 N. Milwaukee Ave.,
Chicago, IL 60647, tel. 773-772-0100, e-mail [email-masked].

For more information about the PMC report on "abstinence-only" education,
contact:  Public Media Center , 466 Green Street, San Francisco, CA
94133-4067, tel. 415-434-1403, fax 415-986-6779, web-site
www.publicmediacenter.org.

[End, Part "A"]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT MEDIALERTS

Distributed continuously since 1992 as a community press service,
"MEDIAlert!" [TM] is a biweekly action and advocacy oriented column of media
criticism, focused on lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender issues. Recipients may
print, publish or post this material, in whole or part, under this or any
title, without prior permission.  When appropriate, attribution can be made
to "Al Kielwasser" and/or "MEDIAlert!"  File copies of publications using all
or part of any "MEDIAlert!" are always appreciated.  Contact:  MEDIAlert!,
163 Park Street, San Francisco, CA 94110-5835, voice-mail/fax 415-826-5203,
e-mail [email-masked].

------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHOR NOTES

The editor of "Gay People, Sex and the Media" (New York:  Haworth Press), Al
Kielwasser's media criticism and research have appeared widely, in both
popular and academic publications; he was twice elected Chair of the Gay &
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area.

________________________________________

INDEX:  "MEDIAlert!" - 01.05.98 [Part "B" ONLY]

-ITEM 3:  "Militant Homophobes" [Associated Press; New York Post; Pentagon;
Tom Duane; America Online; Tim McVeigh].

-ITEM 4:  "Good Is Gay" [As Good as It Gets; Greg Kinnear; James Brooks; At
the Movies; Variety; Hollywood Reporter; Heat; Entertainment News Wire;
Advocate; Calgary Sun; Jam!].

NOTE:  Parts "A" [Items 1-2] and "C" [Media/Briefs] have been posted
SEPARATELY.
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M   E   D   I   A   l   e   r   t   !
__________________________

January 5, 1998   Al Kielwasser

[3]

M I L I T A N T   H O M O P H O B E S

Tom Duane, a gay man and New York City Council member, has called for the
eviction of military recruiters in Times Square.  As long as the Pentagon
enforces homophobic policies, Duane says, a military recruitment center has
no place on city property.

In reporting on Duane's effort to combat homophobia, the Associated Press
(Dec. 15) actually contributes to the problem.  AP's coverage succeeds in
drawing attention AWAY from the central problem -- all but ignoring the
Pentagon's record of bigotry.

The AP story opens with a "blame-the-victim" lead, immediately reversing the
roles of "persecutor" and "persecuted."  The slant suggests that Duane is not
a victim of the Pentagon's homophobia -- but that the Pentagon is a victim of
Duane, a homosexual.

"The military recruiting station in Times Square has been a fixture since
1946, drawing a few good men and women from the tide of tourists, hustlers,
stragglers and working people rushing past each day," AP's article begins.
 "Now the station is under attack."

Diverging from AP's standard "pyramid" style, it is only by the THIRD
paragraph that the wire service finally reports:  "Businesses say it's an
eyesore in the sanitized new Times Square and gets in the way.  And a city
councilman angry over the military's ban on gays says the station has no
right to occupy city land rent-free."

Following paragraphs report nothing more substantive about the issue, but wax
further on the station's record of service ("The Times Square station is rare
in serving mostly walk-ins....  It draws the biggest crowds of any
recruitment station -- roughly 10,000 a year....") and landmark status ("The
chrome-and-glass kiosk sits on a triangular traffic island....  Its marquee
flashes:  'Be All You Can Be' and 'Aim High.'").  A military spokesperson,
Army Lt. Col. Tom Begins, is quoted on the station's general history and
significance -- but he is NOT asked to defend the specific charges in this
case.

These and other (more or less) irrelevant facts overshadow any gay
opposition.  In paragraph eight, for example, the AP article quotes "Lawrence
Bembry, 27, a Queens College student, walking by West 43rd Street and
Broadway."  "They shouldn't get rid of it," Bembry says of the recruiting
station.  "It's just a part of Times Square."

In paragraph nine, readers get still more puffery about the station.  "A
quartet of spit-shined recruiters from each of the military's four branches
works from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., five days a week, handing out literature, tests
and advice," AP reports.  "On Monday, five recruits sat in the warmth of the
station, preparing for a 30-minute test that includes simple math and English
questions."

Paragraph ten quotes yet another "man-on-the-street" -- and defender of the
station -- "Dimitrie Diaz, 23, of West New York, N.J., who took the bus in
for a second shot at the test he failed last month."  "This center is the
easiest to get to," Diaz says.  "I wouldn't want them to take it away from
here."

Not until paragraph THIRTEEN does the article again mention that:  "Tom
Duane, a gay City Council member who heads a subcommittee on land use, just
wants the recruitment center off city land."  Duane is quoted -- for the
first time -- in paragraph FOURTEEN ("This is another step in finding out how
the military is allowed to be there for free while it continues its policies
of discrimination").  The military's record of discrimination is mentioned,
at last, in the fifteenth paragraph ("Homosexual activity is barred in the
U.S. military....  In fiscal 1996, 844 people were thrown out of the military
under the policy").

In contrast to the SINGLE quote attributed to Duane, AP cites SEVERAL
military boosters.  Those quoted include:  station commander Sgt. Lary Ruiz
("I can't tell you how important running this station is to defending our
country"), New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani ("For people to argue it should be
removed makes me embarrassed"), and prospective military recruit Joheo Uddin
(who reportedly "said the station can help young people in a city where the
unemployment rate, at 9 percent, is twice the national rate").

Uddin is also given the last word.  "They really try to help you here," he
says in the article's final paragraph.  "They understand."

All together, SIX pro-military individuals are quoted by the Associated
Press.  Just ONE person -- Duane himself -- is quoted in opposition to
homophobia.

However biased it might be, AP's coverage of this story is "outdone" by the
blatant homophobia of a feature from the "New York Post" (Dec. 15).  In an
op-ed headlined "Gay City Pol Proves He's Made of Meddle," columnist Steve
Dunleavy open with a rhetorical swipe at Duane and his campaign.

"Frankly, Tom Duane, I don't give a damn about your sexual orientation,"
Dunleavy says.  "But your latest foot-stamping should qualify you for a
comfortable padded room in Bellvue....  Boot the military recruiters from
their landmark booth in Times Square after more than half a century?  And all
because you've decided that the military is against you and other gay men and
lesbians?"

Relying more on histrionics than history, Dunleavy continues to blast the
"idiocy" of anyone who could want the military out of Times Square.  "A lump
gathers in one's throat when you try to grasp how many kids passed through
the doors of that recruiting depot on their way to Korea, Vietnam, Panama,
Grenada, Haiti and The Gulf," he writes.  "And the lump thickens when you
recognize that so many would never see that recruiting booth again."

According to Dunleavy:  "Councilman Tom Duane might not have had the freedom
to be openly gay if it hadn't been for those kids."  The "Post" is apparently
lump-less on the subject of LESBIAN and GAY kids, however.

Dunleavy fails (without trying) to grasp how many children suffer needlessly
at the hands of homophobes.  Moreover, his laughable suggestion -- that U.S.
military campaigns have secured "the freedom to be openly gay" -- defies both
history and common sense.

Similarly, Dunleavy also argues:  "Some of those who passed through the
recruiting station, I assume, were gay.  And many risked their lives to make
sure that Tom Duane had a soapbox to tout his rubbish."

"Look, this is all nonsense," he continues.  "Here is this nitwit calling the
military anti-gay.  I suppose that if a gay recruit goes around a parade
ground with a sign reading, 'Hey, hey, whaddya say?  Guess what?  I'm very
gay,' some officer might react.  But only in the same way as to some nut
carried a dueling sign reading: 'Hurry, hurry, please don't worry. It's not
too late for you to go straight.'"

"If I had my way, I would put a giant picture -- you know, that famous one in
Life magazine of a sailor kissing a girl in Times Square -- right over the
recruiting booth," Dunleavy quips.  "And then I would hang it outside Duane's
apartment."

"Gays, lesbians and heterosexuals shed the same color blood on the
battlefield," he concludes.  "Get over it, Duane.  You are running out of
issues to put your self on center stage."

Of course, homophobia is indefensible PRECISELY BECAUSE "gays, lesbians and
heterosexuals shed the same color blood."  In addition, and contrary to
Dunleavy's claim, homosexuals have not "decided" that military policies are
homophobic.  The record speaks for itself.

Instead of "nitwits calling the military anti-gay," other news reports are
filled the stories of gay and lesbian soldiers who have been persecuted by
the Pentagon -- simply for telling the truth about their sexual orientation.
 Individuals merely suspected of "homosexual conduct" are also hunted down.

Most recently, for example, Navy officials have demanded the discharge of an
officer with 17 years of experience --  just because he used the word "gay."
 Chief Petty Officer Tim McVeigh included the word in an e-mail profile of
himself, posted to America Online and "discovered" by the Pentagon.

Writing like a newspaper columnist who has never read a newspaper, however,
Dunleavy makes no mention of that case -- or any of hundreds like it.
 Instead, he proposes that homosexuals actually invent homophobia, as a means
of political "foot-stamping."

Ultimately (and ironically), Dunleavy's contempt for the "idiocy" and
"rubbish" of others is sorely misplaced.  Though he refers to Duane as a
"motor mouth," "moron" and "nitwit," these terms are much more fitting
descriptions of Dunleavy himself.  And, for that matter, of the "New York
Post."

****  ACTION ALERT!   The mainstream press should always learn from -- or at
least be held accountable for -- its homophobic mistakes.  Point them out.
 Contact:  John Podhoretz, Op-Ed Editor, and Mark Kalech, Managing Editor,
New York Post, 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036-8790, fax
212-930-8546, e-mail [email-masked] (or [email-masked]), web-site
www.nypostonline.com;  Darrell L. Christian, Managing Editor, Associated
Press, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10020-1666, fax
212-621-7520, e-mail [email-masked], web-site www.esua.net/ap.

R e / S o u r c e s :  The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network distributes
action alerts, news bulletins, and various activist resources; the
organization's web site includes samples of letters that individuals should
send to local newspapers ("informing the public of abuses against suspected
gay servicemembers") and public officials ("emphasizing the discrimination
inherent in military recruiting").  Contact:  SLDN, P.O. Box 65301,
Washington, DC 20035-5301, tel. 202-328-3244, e-mail [email-masked], web-site
www.sldn.org/index.html.

The Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors also organizes against
military homophobia -- and militarism in general.  CCCO publications include
"Action Guide -- Countering the Recruiters," which provides fact sheets,
sample flyers, and press releases; he organization's web site offers advice
on "publicizing peace through media activism."  Contact:  CCCO, 655 Sutter
Street, #514, San Francisco, CA 94102, tel. 415-474-3002, fax 415-474-2311,
e-mail [email-masked] (or [email-masked]), web-site
www.libertynet.org/~ccco/.

For online information about Tim McVeigh's case, browse his home page
(www.geocities.com/Pentagon/9241/INFO.HTML), or send e-mail to:
 [email-masked].

[4]

G O O D   I S   G A Y

"As Good as It Gets" is a feature-length romantic comedy that stars Jack
Nicholson as arch-bigot "Melvin Udall" -- a racist, sexist homophobe -- who
apparently hates gay men AND their pets.  Greg Kinnear plays his unfortunate
neighbor, "Simon Nye," a gay artist.

During the film, Melvin not only assaults Simon, but gets his little dog too
-- by throwing it down a garbage chute.  Reviews of Kinnear's gay character
have been generally good (and brief).

"At the Movies" (Dec. 24), a feature syndicated by the Associated Press, is
terse but gracious.  "In his fourth starring film, Greg Kinnear confirms the
wisdom of his leaving late-night television," AP notes.  "His portrayal of
the stricken artist is poignant and hilarious."

Entertainment News Wire (Dec. 18) offered another upbeat review.  According
to critic Joshua Mooney, the film's main characters "all make an unlikely
extended family in a film that is as hard to categorize as it is enjoyable."
 Of Greg Kinnear, Mooney writes that he, "for one, continues to grow as an
actor.  The former talk show host reveals even more dramatic and comic skills
than he did in earlier films."

Similarly, Louis B. Hobson -- a critic for "Jam!" and the "Calgary Sun" (Dec.
24) -- had this to say:  "Kinnear gives Simon a winsome charm that makes him
vulnerable but also genuinely funny.  After Simon's life-threatening
accident, Kinnear dispenses with most of Simon's affectations, revealing
instead the man's fears and insecurities."  By Hobson's estimate, this "
ever-so-slightly effeminate character" is a perfect foil for the film's
antagonist -- "Nicholson and Kinnear play their relationship for odd-couple
hilarity."

"Variety's" (Dec. 10) Todd McCarthy also enjoyed "the filmmaker's ability to
deliver crowd-pleasing entertainment."  However, he adds:  "The three main
characters and their problems become tiresome well before the far-too-long
postponed denouement."

According to McCarthy, the film's least likable character -- Nicholson's
homophobe -- is ultimately the best played.  By contrast, Kinnear's
homosexual performance is faintly praised, as just a "decent" effort (but
nothing more).

Another leading trade magazine, "The Hollywood Reporter" (Dec. 10), had even
less to say about Kinnear's character.  In his review of "As Good as It
Gets," critic Duane Byrge writes only that:  "Among the supporting roles,
Greg Kinnear as Melvin's neighbor shows unmistakable acting talent as a gay
artist who has sunk to the depths of personal depression."

Offering the most unique slant, Robert Hofler's syndicated "Heat" column
(Reuters/Buzz, Dec. 24) brought concerns raised by several critics to the
attention of filmmakers.  He notes:  "There are those movie critics out there
who adored 'As Good As it Gets,' but frankly, many of them have pointed out
that the movie doesn't always make sense, especially several aspects of the
sympathetic but quite pathetic gay character played by Greg Kinnear."

For Hofler, the gay character begs several questions that filmmakers have not
(adequately) answered.  Specifically, he asks:  "Why does this successful
artist 1) have no health insurance, 2) send a friend out to pick up models
off the street for him, and 3) suddenly have no friends who will care for him
after he is hospitalized?"

Not surprisingly, alternative media have paid the most attention to these and
other questions about "As Good as it Gets."  "The Advocate" (Dec. 23)
recently devoted a fairly lengthy cover story to "Greg Kinnear's Big Gay
Adventure," in which the actor ruminates on everything from playing gay roles
to being gay bashed.

"The character, Simon Nye, was just extraordinary," Kinnear says of his
recent work.  "He had decency and humanity.  He was complex.  He had all the
layers and contradictions that you look for in a character -- straight, gay,
whatever."

Kinnear stops short of describing the character as "groundbreaking," however.
 His role is not so much a trend-setting part, he suggests, as it is the part
of a trend.

"It's 1997, and across the board every great actor whom I love, admire and
respect, from Al Pacino to William Hurt to Tom Hanks, has played a gay
character," Kinnear explains.  "I'm not leading the entire movie industry
into some uncharted waters here."

"As Good as It Gets" is a Sony Pictures Entertainment release, directed and
co-produced by James L. Brooks.  A successful television producer as well,
Brooks is also responsible for the inclusion of gay characters on such
top-rated sitcoms as "Cheers," "Taxi" and "The Simpsons."

****  ACTION ALERT!   Share your own critical thoughts with  Laurence Mark,
Richard Sakai and Laura Ziskin, Executive Producers, "As Good As it Gets,"
TriStar Pictures, The TriStar Building, 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver
City, CA 90232.  An online feedback form is also available at TriStar's web
site (www.spe.sony.com/Pictures/feedback.html#feedback).

R e / S o u r c e s :  Additional feedback can be sent to the Associated
Press, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10020-1666, fax
212-621-7520;  Reuters/Variety, 199 Water Street, New York, NY 10038, fax
212-859-1717, e-mail [email-masked], web-site www.reuters.com;  "Daily
Variety," 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, tel. 213-857-6660, fax
213-857-0742;  "Hollywood Reporter," 5055 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
90036, tel. 213-525-2000, fax 213-525-2377, web-site
www.hollywoodreporter.com;  "Calgary Sun"/Jam! Movies, web-site
www.canoe.ca/JamMovies/home.htm;  Robert Hofler, web-site www.buzzmag.com.

[End, Part "B"]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT MEDIALERTS

Distributed continuously since 1992 as a community press service,
"MEDIAlert!" [TM] is a biweekly action and advocacy oriented column of media
criticism, focused on lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender issues. Recipients may
print, publish or post this material, in whole or part, under this or any
title, without prior permission.  When appropriate, attribution can be made
to "Al Kielwasser" and/or "MEDIAlert!"  File copies of publications using all
or part of any "MEDIAlert!" are always appreciated.  Contact:  MEDIAlert!,
163 Park Street, San Francisco, CA 94110-5835, voice-mail/fax 415-826-5203,
e-mail [email-masked].

------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHOR NOTES

The editor of "Gay People, Sex and the Media" (New York:  Haworth Press), Al
Kielwasser's media criticism and research have appeared widely, in both
popular and academic publications; he was twice elected Chair of the Gay &
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
INDEX:  "MEDIAlert!" - 01.05.98  [Part "C" ONLY]

"MEDIA/BRIEFS"

-ITEM  1:  "Best of the Best" [Ellen; All My Children; Volkswagen].
-ITEM  2:  "Take Three" [Tracey Takes On; HBO].
-ITEM  3:  "Glama-rous Music" [Gay/Lesbian American Music Awards].
-ITEM  4:  "Central Complaint" [Daily Show Year-End Spectacular].
-ITEM  5:  "Write Stuff" [OutWrite '98].
-ITEM  6:  "Cable Cash" [Cable Positive Assistance Fund].
-ITEM  7:  "Shape of Things to Come" [Circles Magazine].
-ITEM  8:  "It's Your Movie" [S.F. International Lesbian & Gay Film
Festival].
-ITEM  9:  "Porno Pamphlet" [Banning Pornography Endangers Women].

"WEB WATCH"

-ITEM 10:  "Stuff of Life" [Women In The Life].
-ITEM 11:  "Scope It Out" [Kaleidoscope Youth Coalition].
-ITEM 12:  "Musical Notes" [Outvoice!].
-ITEM 13:  "Cutting Edge Humor" [Lesion Nation].
-ITEM 14:  "E-Media Activism" [Best Practices Toolkit].
-ITEM 15:  "Filipino Focus" [Chikahang Progay].
-ITEM 16:  "Down & Out" [Australian Lesbian/Gay Newspapers].

NOTE:  Parts "A" and "B" [Action Alerts!] have been posted SEPARATELY.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

M   E   D   I   A    l    e    r    t    !
___________________________

M   E   D   I   A  /  B  R  I  E  F  S

January 5, 1998       Al Kielwasser

[1]

***  BEST OF THE BEST . . . .    "TV Guide's" year-end issue (Dec. 20-26)
includes a 30-page catalog of "The Best of '97."  With several lesbian and
gay entries, this year's solute to television is a sign of the times.

Ellen DeGeneres ranks third on the magazine's overall list of top-10
performers -- "each a person of strong personality and great accomplishment."
 According to "TV Guide," Ellen's coming out "did more than resuscitate a
fading sitcom; it turned DeGeneres into a pop culture pioneer."  As the
editors note:  "Love her or loathe her, you have to admit that Ellen
DeGeneres kicked her career into another echelon with those three little
words -- 'Yep, I'm gay.'"

Whether she is accepting an Emmy on behalf of gay teenagers, or "beaming
proudly for the cameras with live-in love, actress Anne Heche," "TV Guide"
says:  "DeGeneres has grown gracefully into her new role as both an artists
and activist."

"I'm a happier person," adds DeGeneres.  "We've hit our stride, but it's the
letters I get, not just from gays but from heterosexuals who write to say
that I've made the world a better place for their children.  That makes me
happier than anything."

Two other gay performances are praised, more briefly, by "TV Guide."  On a
shorter list of the year's best soaps, the magazine cites "All My Children's"
Ben Jorgensen -- for his portrayal of "a gay teen pressured to go straight by
his uptight parents and quack therapist."  Jorgensen "delivered a performance
of aching sensitivity and truth," says "TV Guide."  "In the process he set a
new standard in actor bravery."

Last (and perhaps least), "TV Guide" gives a nod to Volkswagen, for producing
the year's best commercial -- "Sunday Afternoon."  "Two young guys tooling
around in their VW Golf salvage a beat-up armchair from the trash, then
discard it because of the pungent odor wafting from the backseat," the
magazine explains.  "Set to the funky beat of Trio's 'Da Da Da,' this spot
was embraced by Gen-Xers and gay groups, the latter viewing the pair as a
couple."

C o n t a c t :  Steven Reddicliffe, Editor-in-Chief, "TV Guide," Radnor, PA
19088; "TV Guide Online," web-site www.tvguide.com, e-mail
[email-masked].

[2]

***  TAKE THREE . . . .    The HBO network has announced that Tracey Ullman's
comedy series -- "Tracey Takes On" -- will be renewed for a third season in
1988.  The critically acclaimed show, which has earned four Emmys and three
CableACE Awards, has also been cited for its gay-inclusive content.
 According to promoters, new episodes will revisit a number of characters
portrayed by Ullman over the past two years -- including "gay male flight
attendant Trevor."

C o n t a c t :  Tracey Ullman and Allan McKeown, Executive Producers,
"Tracey Takes On," and Dave Baldwin, Programming Senior Vice President, HBO,
1100 Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10036-6712, tel. 310-201-9274, fax
212-512-8051, web-site www.hbo.com.

[3]

****  GLAMA-ROUS MUSIC . . . .    Nominees for the 2nd Annual Gay/Lesbian
American Music Awards (GLAMA) will be announced on January 11, in New York
City -- and online, via a live Internet simulcast "to over 60 countries
across the globe."

"The growth we've seen in GLAMA this past year has been remarkable,"
according to creator and co-executive producer Tom McCormack.  "The number of
releases by out lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender recording artists as
well as major and indie record labels producing them is growing at a very
fast rate."  Award categories cover the scope of musical variety -- including
honors for "Album of the Year," "Video of the Year," "Dance Music," and
"Original Out Song."

GLAMA was founded in 1995, as "the first and only national music awards
program to honor the work of out lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
recording artists."  The 1998 awards ceremony is scheduled for March 9.

C o n t a c t :  GLAMA Inc., tel. 212-592-4455, e-mail [email-masked],
web-site www.glama.com; the online simulcast will be provided by GLOradio
(www.gloradio.com), a web-based radio network "producing daily and weekly
news, talk and entertainment programs specifically for the GLBT communities."

[4]

***  CENTRAL COMPLAINT  . . . .    Comedy Central's "Daily Show Year-End
Spectacular '97" (Dec. ) offered a humorous version of the "year-in-review"
programs that dominate television every New Year.  Unfortunately, however,
this "Daily Show" special displayed the same, sarcastic heterosexism seen in
regular episodes of the series.

Specifically, in its review of 1997's major new stories, the "Year-End
Spectacular" had nothing nice to say about Ellen DeGeneres.  After showing a
news clip in which a lesbian remarks "Ellen is our Rosa Parks," the "Daily
Show's" commentator scoffed:  "Of course, Rosa Parks didn't need to boost her
sitcom ratings."

In a fiercely homophobic society, there are many motives for coming out.
 Popularity isn't one of them.

C o n t a c t :  Doug Herzog, President and CEO, Comedy Central, 1775
Broadway, New York, NY 10019, fax 212-767-8592, e-mail [email-masked]
(or [email-masked]).

[5]

***  THE WRITE STUFF . . . .    "OutWrite '98" -- a conference of queer
writers and writing -- takes place on February 20-22, in Boston.  Organizers
expect that over two thousand queer writers, activists, booksellers, and
artists will attend this year's event -- "to meet and discuss the issues
facing the queer community."  Registrations are now being accepted, and must
be received by February 8.

C o n t a c t :  "OutWrite '98," 29 Stanhope Street, Boston, MA 02116, tel.
617-262-6969, fax 617-267-0852, e-mail [email-masked].

[6]

***  CABLE CASH . . . .    The "Cable Positive Assistance Fund" is a service
to -- and of -- the cable television industry, offering confidential grants
for persons with HIV.  Eligible individuals include current or former
employees of cable-related companies, and their immediate families and
domestic partners, "who are living with HIV/AIDS and are in need of financial
assistance."  The funds can be used to cover a variety of mundane expenses --
including rent, travel, medical, and utility bills.

Cable Positive is a nonprofit organization, "dedicated to unifying the
talents, resources, access, and influence of the communications industry to
raise AIDS awareness." The group also funds the creation of local television
programs, creates and distributes public service announcements, and assists
other nonprofit AIDS organizations with securing airtime.

C o n t a c t :  Cable Positive Inc., 1775 Broadway, 8th Floor, New York, NY
10019, tel. 212-713-7110 or 800-378-AIDS, e-mail [email-masked], web-site
www.cablepositive.org.

[7]

***  THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME . . . .    "Circles Magazine" is slated to
debut next month (Feb. 1998), as a new bimonthly publication "for the
national lesbian community."  For the past year, the magazine has been
circulated locally, as a free publication in Colorado.  According to
publisher Kit McChesney, the magazine quickly "attained national and
international attention" and is ready to move on to even better and bigger
things.  McChesney intends to keep her editorial focus broad, covering
"issues of interest to all lesbians," with articles parenting, activism,
culture, sports, and more.

The revamped magazine should be available for purchase on at newsstands and
independent bookstores "around the country, in Canada, and selected parts of
Europe," says McChesney.  An online version of "Circles" will also be
launched, at www.circlesmagazine.com. 

C o n t a c t :  Kit McChesney, Publisher, "Circles Magazine," 825 South
Broadway Ave., Suite 40, Boulder, CO 80303, tel. 303-499-2636, fax at
303-499-2615, e-mail [email-masked].

[8]

***  IT'S YOUR MOVIE . . . .    Submissions are now being accepted for the
22nd International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, which will run from June
19-28 in San Francisco.  Coordinators of the event are seeking films "by or
about lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people" and "work by
women, people of color and the differently-abled is especially welcome."  The
deadline for all entries is February 2, 1998.

Begun as a small one-night showing in 1977,  the San Francisco International
Lesbian & Gay Film Festival is now "the world's oldest and largest event of
its kind."  The festival is produced by Frameline, a non-profit organization
dedicated to the exhibition, distribution, promotion and funding of lesbian
and gay film and video.

C o n t a c t :  Frameline, 346 Ninth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, tel.
415-703-8650, e-mail [email-masked], web-site www.frameline.org.

[9]

***  PORNO PAMPHLET . . . .    A new pamphlet by libertarian activist Wendy
McElroy argues that:  "Banning Pornography Endangers Women."  "Since the
mid-1980s, a strange sight has been on the political horizon," McElroy
observes.  "Feminists are standing alongside their arch-enemies,
conservatives and religious fundamentalists, to call for anti-pornography
laws."  Distributed by the International Society for Individual Liberty, the
pamphlet purports to explain how this phenomenon "threatens the well-being of
women in several important ways."
 
C o n t a c t :  International Society for Individual Liberty, 836-B
Southampton Rd., #299, Benicia, CA 94510-1960, tel. 707-746-8796, fax
707-746-8797, e-mail [email-masked], web-site www.isil.org.

W   E   B    W   A   T   C   H
________________________

[10]

*** STUFF OF LIFE . . . .    "Women In The Life" is a monthly magazine,
focused on African-American lesbians.  Available in both print and online
versions, web editions of the magazine offer a smaller (but no less
interesting) selection of each month's features.
[http://www.womeninthelife.com].

[11]

*** SCOPE IT OUT . . . .    A new web page "geared for Lesbigay youth" has
been launched by the Kaleidoscope Youth Coalition.  Though the coalition is
based in Columbus, Ohio, co-chair Bob Eckhart says:  "We have tried to
include lots of resources and links for young people all over the world"
[http://www.kaleidoscope.org].

[12]

*** MUSICAL NOTES . . . . Speaking of the queer music beat, "Outvoice!"
offers an online newsletter, e-mail discussion group, and -- most recently --
a web page.  First conceived in 1996, "Outvoice!" expanded onto the web in
November of 1997; and while the service continues to evolve, says founder
Daniel Jenkins, his basic goal remains the same:  "To bring together fans of
gay/lesbian music of all genres through discussion and promotion of 'our'
music" [http://www.queernet.org/outvoice].

[13]

*** CUTTING EDGE HUMOR . . . .    "No, it's not a support group for people
who forgot to wear bike shorts on a 30-mile weekend ride, but an outrageous
online lesbian humor magazine."  So says "The Web" magazine (Jan. 1998), in
its review of "LESION NATION" -- an online 'zine that is "sharply written,
stylishly designed and agenda free."  "Do you possess upstanding morals, vote
Republican, and eagerly await the next issue of Martha Stewart Living?," the
magazine asks.  "Best stay away, then, unless you wanna see yourself
skewered" [http://www.lesion.com].

[14]

*** TECHNICAL SUPPORT . . . .    The Benton Foundation's Communications
Policy and Practice program has expanded its "Best Practices Toolkit."  "This
area of Benton's web site is intended to provide you with tips and tools for
better using Internet technology to promote your nonprofit's goals," explains
Jillaine Smith, Senior Associate for the Benton Foundation
[http://www.benton.org/Practice/Toolkit].

Smith also recommends these other resource sites, which should be of interest
to media activists:

 - "20/20 Vision's Activist Toolkit" --  which includes "a series focusing on
writing Op-Ed pieces and Letters to the Editor, and having a voice in talk
radio" [http://www.2020vision.org/tools].

- "Designing Effective Action Alerts for the Internet" -- a site-full of good
advice, created by long-time activist and UCSD Communication Dept. professor
Phil Agre [http://weber.ucsd.edu/~pagre/alerts.html].

- "Communications Skills Institute" -- suggestions for community groups on
"getting press by doing surveys" [http://www.csitucson.com/].

[15]

*** FILIPINO FOCUS . . . . .    Published online and distributed by e-mail,
"Chikahang Progay" is a newsletter for and about gay men in the Philippines.
 "In the new year Chikahang will strive to keep gay issues on the agenda of
the people at the national and local levels," according to spokesperson Oscar
Atadero.  "1998 will be an exciting year for Progay and all freedom-loving
gay Filipinos."

"Chikahang is the Filipino gay lingo for 'chatter among friends,'" Atadero
explains, "and 'Chikahang Progay' aims to establish friendships with the
lesbigaytrans communities and other interest groups in the Philippines and
the world" [http://members.tripod.com/~progay_philippines/].

[16]

*** DOWN AND OUT . . . .    For access to Australian lesbian/gay newspapers,
netizen Graham Underhill recommends these "down-under" sites:

- "Adelaide Gay Times" [http://www.gt.box.net.au].

- "Brother Sister" [http://www.brothersister.com.au].

- "Capital Q Weekly" [http://www.capitalq.com.au].

- "Melbourne Star Observer" [http://www.bluestone.com.au/mso/].

- "Queensland Pride" [http://www.rainbow.net.au/~qldpride/].

- "Sydney Star Observer" [http://sso.rainbow.net.au].

- "West Side Observer" [http://www.iinet.net.au/~lezderin/frames/index.html].

Underhill has also compiled a much larger list of web sites, list services,
and other online news sources -- with a Euro-Australian, English-language
emphasis.  This directory is available on disk or via e-mail
[[email-masked]].

[End, Part "C"]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABOUT MEDIALERTS

Distributed continuously since 1992 as a community press service,
"MEDIAlert!" [TM] is a biweekly action and advocacy oriented column of media
criticism, focused on lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender issues. Recipients may
print, publish or post this material, in whole or part, under this or any
title, without prior permission.  When appropriate, attribution can be made
to "Al Kielwasser" and/or "MEDIAlert!"  File copies of publications using all
or part of any "MEDIAlert!" are always appreciated.  Contact:  MEDIAlert!,
163 Park Street, San Francisco, CA 94110-5835, voice-mail/fax 415-826-5203,
e-mail [email-masked].

------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTHOR NOTES

The editor of "Gay People, Sex and the Media" (New York:  Haworth Press), Al
Kielwasser's media criticism and research have appeared widely -- in both
popular and academic publications; he was twice elected Chair of the Gay &
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area.

________________________________________

Shape the forces that shape our society . . .
Challenge homophobia in and through the media!
________________________________________