Date: Fri, 10 Mar 1995 16:59:36 -0500 From: GLAADP21@aol.com M E D I A W A T C H for March 9, 1995 by A L K I E L W A S S E R Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter KISS-O-PHOBIA . . . AGAIN. Quuer lips continue to occupy the extraordinary attention of media producers and media watchers alike. For the "decent Americans" of the American Family Association (and other misnamed censorship groups), few images have elicited more fear and loathing than the "homosexual kiss." Considerable time (and money) has been spent to protest even the mildest media kiss between lesbians or gay men on "Roseanne," "Melrose Place," "Northern Exposure," and other popular TV shows (including, most recently, made-for-television movie "Serving In Silence"). The print media are not immune to the forces of kiss-o-phobia. Two San Diego newspapers -- "The Reader" and "The Union-Tribune" -- have banned an advertisement that features two lesbians ALMOST kissing. The ad promotes the newly released feature film, "Erotique." "Erotique's" producer, Chris Wood, said the actions of both newspapers left him "shocked," particularly since the display ad has already appeared in many other newspapers and is the same image used to promote the film in theater lobbies. The publisher of "The Reader" said the ad was "moralistically" unacceptable. "I don't want to encourage gay relationships," Jim Holman explained, "It was my decision not to be an agent for immoral behavior." Hollman's conservative newspaper also refuses to run lesbian or gay relationships ("personals") advertising. A spokesperson for "The Union-Tribune" -- the leading San Diego daily -- was a bit more evasive. Display Advertising Director Dexter LaPierre claimed that the ad was "a little bit too explicit" for his newspaper, but he insisted that homophobia "had nothing to do with it." "The Union-Tribune" did agree to accept the ad, once significant alterations were made. Of course, it's not clear if the "Union-Tribune" would require similar changes to ads featuring heterosexual displays of affection. Such a policy could wipe out too many lucrative mouth-wash and lip gloss accounts. In fact, neither the "Union-Tribune" nor "The Reader" would think twice about using images of heterosexual kissing to sell everything from cigarettes to soft drinks (not to mention newspaper subscriptions). A photo of a man and woman kissing while enjoying some carcinogenic consumer product is just fine. But a photo of two lesbians ALMOST kissing? No, no. That's just "a little too explicit." As part of a systematic effort to deny our capacity for love, these acts of censorship assault the basic humanity of lesbians and gay men. Moreover, the content standards employed by most mainstream media seem to condone (if not encourage) the portrayal of same-sex violence between men and women, while simple displays of same-sex affection are "taboo." Protest letters (sealed with a kiss?) should be directed to Jim Holman, Editor-Owner, "The Reader, P.O. Box 85803, San Diego, CA 92186-5803, tel. 619-235-3000; Helen K. Copley, Publisher, "The Union-Tribune," 350 Camino de La reina, San Diego, CA 92108, tel. 619-299-3131. Copy your comments to Chris Wood, Co-Producer, "Erotique," Group 1 Film Company, 9230 Robin Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90069, tel. 310-550-7280. AND SPEAKING OF HETEROSEXISM Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House of Representatives -- and the reported "second most powerful man in the United States" -- continues his heterosexist and homophobic rants to the press. Speaking before the cameras and microphones on March 7, Gingrich denounced counseling programs for lesbian and gay high school students. These programs, Gingrich maintains, serve to "recruit" children into homosexuality. Gingrich also joined in the now-perrenial attack on "Heather Has Two Mommies," a children's storybook that depicts a warm and loving lesbian family. According to the Speaker, such a book is bad for young minds. On this point, Gingrich is as hypocritical as he is heterosexist. Would the story of his own family life would be a better allegory for young readers? Newt served his first wife with divorce papers while she lay seriously ill in a hospital bed. And while Newt has been expounding his narrow-minded bigotry, his sister Candace, an out lesbian, has been lobbying on Capitol Hill to protect AIDS funding and gay and lesbian rights. Unfortunately, Newt Gingrich is not swayed by facts, logic or his own family. So much for "traditional values." At his press conference, Gingrich also announced that homosexuality is not a "reasonable lifestyle." Therefore, the pedantic Speaker concluded, the subject simply has no place in the classroom. What is TRULY unreasonable here is the continued censorship of lesbian and gay history and culture. The facts of our lives are, after all, just that -- facts. To insist that these truths be hidden is intellectually dishonest. Such censorship is morally reprehensible as well. Silence in our schools not only fails to prevent homophobic discrimination, but actively encourages the violent oppression of lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Newt Gingrich couldn't be more wrong. Our schools are recruiting grounds for homophobes, not homosexuals. In fact, Gingrich is a victim of the very ignorance he now intends to perpetuate. He is a homophobe precisely because he never read anything fair or factual (if anything at all) about homosexuality in his high school textbooks. There's a particularly vicious circle at work here. And for the sake of all youth -- and, really, for the sake of the nation -- it must be broken. The climate of hatred in which we live is sustained by the textbooks our children read. The classroom is where so much bigotry begins, and that is where it must finally be stopped. Contact Newt Gingrich, Office of the Speaker of the House, H-204 Capitol Building, Washington, DC 20515, tel. 202-225-4501, fax 202-225-4656, e-mail georgia6@hr.house.gov. Also contact the editors of your local newspapers and magazines, asking them to denounce this latest round of Gingrich gay-baiting; remind your elected representatives to do the same, preferably on the floor of the House and Senate. Addresses and phone/fax numbers for your Congresspersons are available by calling 202-224-3121; a list of Congressional e-mail addresses is available from CONGRESS@HR.HOUSE.GOV. REALLY NEWSWORTHY "Reality Check" is a CBS News segment dedicated to the time-honored journalistic notion that "things aren't always what they seem to be." The investigative feature is intended to probe the "story behind the story" and, significantly, the producers are soliciting public tips via e-mail. How about a segment penetrating the false rhetoric of "special rights?" Or a piece exposing the ugliness of the many "hate videos" that are being quietly distributed by the so-called "Religious Right?" The "family values" preached by far-too-many parents who have forced their own lesbian and gay children into homelessness (or suicide) is another yet-to-be-told news story worthy of a "reality check." The program's producers could also examine the reality behind the facade of tax-exempt homophobic hate groups masquerading as "churches." Illegal lobbying is but one of many questionable activities practiced under the guise of religious expression. "Reality Check" could also investigate the facts behind such wide-spread fictions as "homosexual child molestation," "gay domination of public broadcasting," or the many incompetent "research" studies regularly used to make insupportable, misleading and defamatory claims about the queer community (claims that are often reported but seldom challenged in the mainstream press). Of course, the list of story ideas is virtually boundless. Suggestions should be sent to realitycheck@cbs.com, or write to "Reality Check," CBS News, 51 W. 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019, tel. 212-975-4321. MEDIA BRIEFS * SPECIAL WRITES . . . "The Evergreen Chronicles" (a journal of gay and lesbian arts and cultures) plans to publish special issues on and for queer youth, featuring "the words of queer youth along with the words of adults who work with queer youth." Inquiries can be sent by e-mail to raff0003@gold.tc.umn.edu. The deadline for submissions is July 1, 1995. * IT'S YOUR CALL . . . Arch-homophobe James Dobson has been using his national radio show to encourage listeners to call AT&T and protest the telecommunications company's "homosexual agenda" (AT&T has sponsored the Gay Games and has offered employees a gay/lesbian workshop). Throughout Dobson's campaign, calls from homophobes reportedly outnumbered the calls from homosexuals. To reverse that trend, you can call 800-336-6939 (messages only, any time) or 908-221-4191 (during business hours). You can also write to Robert Allen, CEO, AT&T, 295 N. Maple Avenue, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, e-mail attmail!csc@att.com. * MULTIMEDIA ACTIVISM . . . "Conduct Unbecoming," Randy Shilts' book about gays in the U.S. military, has been released as a new CD-ROM. The interactive disc extends Shilts' text with filmed segments and an "e-Post" program, which will print, fax or e-mail "automatic" letters to the reader's local Congresspersons. The CD version also includes photographs (from childhood through adult life) of the gays and lesbians chronicled in Shilts' book, prompting reviewer Patricia Holt to observe: "It's hard to look at a person's baby pictures and think of him or her as the enemy within." * TRANSGENDER AMERICA . . . "America On-Line" (AOL), a leading national computer BBS service, has added a new Transgender Community Forum (TCF), to offer "a support group dedicated to helping everyone in the transgender community and to provide education and outreach about transgender issues." AOL subscribers can access the TCF via the keyword "Gender." # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # WE MUST CONFRONT THE MEDIA'S HOMOPHOBIA IN ORDER TO CURE IT! TO NOTIFY GLAAD-SFBA OF ANY DEFAMATORY OR AFFIRMATIVE MEDIA COVERAGE, CALL OUR 24-HOUR MEDIA WATCH HOTLINE AT 415-861-4588 OR WRITE TO "MEDIA WATCH," GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION-SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, 1360 MISSION STREET, SUITE 200, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103, tel. 415-861-2244, fax 415-861-4893, e-mail GLAAD SFBA@AOL.COM. FOUNDED IN 1988, THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA CHAPTER OF GLAAD IS A MEMBERSHIP-BASED COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO CULTURAL ADVOCACY AND MEDIA ACTIVISM. GLAAD-SFBA PROMOTES THE FAIR, ACCURATE AND DIVERSE REPRESENTATION OF LESBIAN, GAY AND BISEXUAL LIVES IN ALL FORMS OF MASS MEDIA. ------------------------------------------------- "MEDIA WATCH" is a weekly report that may be reprinted or posted without prior permission, provided that, whenever appropriate, attribution is made to Al Kielwasser and/or GLAAD-SFBA. We greatly appreciate copies of any publications that use all or part of the "MEDIA WATCH." 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