Subject: GLAAD MediAlert, Nov. 27
From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 28 Nov 1995 14:57:17 -0500

INDEX:
1.  "Combating Cyber Phobia" (Microsystems Software, Cyber Patrol)
2.  "Sexual Stupidity"  (Sexuality Information and Education Council of the
United States, Concerned Women for America, Focus on the Family, Coalition
for Positive Sexuality)
3.  "The Games SOME People Play (Swaps, Tribune Entertainment, All-American
TV)
4.  "POZ For Concern" (POZ magazine, Liz Smith)
5.  "Media Briefs" (Making Contact, web sites, The Arizona Republic/Ballot
Measure Nine, Communications Decency Act).
6.  General Information (about GLAAD; about MediAlert; about membership)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

       M  e  d  i  A  l  e  r  t   

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

for the week of 
November 27 - December 3, 1995

by
Al Kielwasser 
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, 
San Francisco Bay Area 

C O M B A T I N G   C Y B E R   P H O B I A   

Regulation of the Internet continues to be a top priority for censors at all
levels of society, from Congress to the clergy.  Much of this effort has
championed the "protection" of children from "indecent" and "obscene"
communications.

Billed as "self-censorship" alternatives, various software companies have now
begun marketing internet "blocking" programs.  Aimed at parents, these
programs essentially restrict access to certain "objectionable" Internet
sites and services.  Recent entries in the field include "SurfWatch,"
"KIDSAFE," and "Cyber Patrol."

Published by Microsystems Software, "Cyber Patrol" claims to make the
Internet "safer for all children."  Originally, the company's criteria for
what constitutes "safe" material EXCLUDED any lesbian, gay, bisexual or
transgender resources.  For example, software's "banned" web sites included
everything from Gay Games 1988 to the Billy DeFrank Lesbian and Gay Community
center in San Jose.

In response to protests, Microsystems has now promised to revise the
company's homophobic criteria.  Spokesperson Richard Gorgens explained that
blocked Internet sites are selected by a panel of educators and parents,
following "well-defined" criteria.  According to Gorgens, gay and lesbian
resources will no longer be automatically excluded or blocked.

It remains to be seen if Microsystems will continue to pander to parental
homophobia.  Unfortunately, queer youth are literally dying for information,
which should not be denied them under ANY pretense.  It should NOT be deeply
homophobic parents who decide what information is available to their lesbian
or gay children.

***  ACTION ALERT!  Encourage Microsystems to include lesbians and gays on
its selection panel and ask the company to send you a copy of the current
site-blocking guidelines utilized by that panel; remind Microsystems NOT to
pander to parental homophobia.  Contact:  Richard Gorgens, Microsystems
Software, Inc., 600 Worcester Road, Framington, Massachusetts, 01701, tel.
508-879-9000, e-mail [email-masked], URL http://www.cyberpatrol.com.
 Microsystems also encourages people to seek review of any currently blocked
site by e-mailing [email-masked].

S E X U A L   S T U P I D I T Y   

The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SEICUS)
celebrated its 31st anniversary this year.  The organization's mission, as
articulated in 1964, seeks "to establish human sexuality as a healthy entity
. . .  to dignify it by openness of approach . . .  designed to lead toward
its understanding and its freedom from exploitation . . . ."  Because SEICUS
promotes comprehensive (and non-homophobic) sex education, the organization
and its publications have become a favorite target for exploitation by the
"Religious" Right.

A recent fundraising campaign by the "Concerned Women for America" (CWA),
which bills itself as "the nation's largest pro-family women's organization,"
attacks sex education in general and SEICUS in particular.  The CWA mailer
features a photo of a young school girl under the banner headline:  "I don't
want her robbed of her innocence.  Do You?"  Inside the envelope CWA members
are told that SEICUS -- "the main source of sex education materials adopted
by the U.S. Department of education" -- has the audacity to claim that
children should be taught:  "Some men and women are homosexual,"
 "Homosexuals are also known as gay men and lesbian women" and "Some couples
who love each other live together in the same home without getting married."

CWA  president Beverly LaHaye tells her members:  "Imagine!  Innocent
children of 5 or 6 years of age being told homosexuality is normal . . . .
 young hearts and minds not ready for such information . . . .  THIS IS
WRONG!"  LaHaye encourages her members to lobby local school boards to adopt
"pro-family sex instruction" that teaches only "heterosexual sex between man
and woman" and "pre-marital abstinence."  Moreover, she encourages her
members to fight "anti-family sex instruction" that teaches children the
"importance of self and desires," "homosexuality/bisexuality normal," "sex is
'safe' with condoms," and "all options are equal in value."

Two "petitions of protest" are included in the CWA mailing.  One is directed
to Debra Haffner, the executive director of SEICUS.  The other is directed to
the CWA member's Congressperson.  The congressional petition states:
 "Because you are my representative in Congress, I am petitioning you today
to investigate if the Sex Information and education Council of the United
States (SEICUS) receives any federal or state funds, either directly or
indirectly.  I am outraged at the sex education agenda SEICUS wants to force
on every child and school in America . . . .  NO CHILD SHOULD BE MADE TO
PARTICIPATE IN SIECUS-DESIGNED PROGRAMS THAT BLATANTLY PROMOTE PROMISCUITY,
HOMOSEXUALITY, MASTURBATION, ABORTION, INCEST, AND PEDOPHILIA.  Please let me
know in writing what you will be doing in our district and in Congress to
protect our children from SIECUS's influence."

What the greedy LaHaye conveniently ignores is that -- all across the United
States -- it is common for school districts to allow parents to "opt out"
their children from ANY sex education course, and most textbooks still
PROMOTE HOMOPHOBIA.  To suggest that SEICUS guidelines encourage pedophilia
or incest is a fabrication, betraying the fact the LaHaye is less interested
in the truth than she is making money off of her members' fears.

LaHaye announces that she will be sending a copy of a new CWA publication,
"School Administrator Sex Education Report," to school districts throughout
the country, to alert public officials and "stop this blatantly evil and
perverse indoctrination of innocent, unsuspecting children."

SEICUS has also come under attack from the homophobes at "Focus on the
Family" (FOF).  FOF's Ron Reno has recently published a "research" paper
entitled "SIECUS:  You Won't Believe What They Want to Teach Your Kids."  FOF
has also been circulation a racist and sex-negative video "Sex, Lies & . . .
 The Truth," which the organization claims "has been used in more than 10,000
public schools."

***  ACTION ALERT!  Write your Representatives in the U.S. Congress,
encouraging them to reject the CWA's efforts to promote ignorance and hate;
copy your correspondence to SEICUS.  Also, encourage your local school board
to adopt the sort of curriculum outlined in the 1991 SEICUS publication,
"Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education:  Kindergarten - 12th
Grade."  Finally, arm yourself with information about SEICUS and its many
worthy projects.  Contact:  SIECUS, 130 West 42nd Street, Suite 350, New
York, NY 10036-7802, tel. 212-819-9770, fax 212-819-9776.
            Additional resources are available from the Coalition for
Positive Sexuality, which has published a pro-sex, pro-queer pamphlet for
distribution to teens.  Contact:  Coalition for Positive Sexuality, 3712 N.
Broadway, # 191, Chicago, IL 60613, tel. 312-604-1654, e-mail
[email-masked], URL http://www.positive.org/~cps.
            For information from and about the homophobes and their efforts
to censor fair and factual textbooks, request a free copy of "Concerns About
Public Education" (item FX345) from Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, CO
80995, tel. 800-A-FAMILY.

T H E   G A M E S   S O M E   P E O P L E   P L A Y   

This year, lesbians and gays have made unprecedented inroads in TV drama,
comedy and talk.  However, queers have remained conspicuously absent from one
genre -- the "relationship game shows" (programs like "Singled Out," "Love
Connection," etc.).  

Two new relationship game shows will be added to the growing television genre
for the Fall, 1996 season.  "Swaps" is being billed as a "clean" program, in
which couples who had been in a relationship decide whether to get back
together or date someone else.  The series will be produced by Tribune
Entertainment.

All-American TV will produce a one-hour relationship show.  As yet unnamed,
the series intends to offer a "positive look at love in the '90s."  Host John
Schneider, of "Dukes of Hazzard" fame, "will travel around the country and
bring together couples."

Built specifically  around DEMONSTRATIVE romance, such shows COULD contribute
uniquely to lesbian and gay visibility.  For the most part, mainstream
television has refused to portray lesbians and  gay men as romantic -- let
alone SEXUAL -- beings.  The real-world consequences of such that refusal can
be found in the homophobic hatred that surrounds public expressions of lover
between queers.  In her new book "Eight Bullets," for example, Claudia
Brenner details the death of her lover, who was shot and killed by a man who
happened to see the women KISS.  

***  ACTION ALERT!  Encourage the distributors of these programs to break new
ground, avoiding the heterosexist bias of every game show that has come
before them.  Contact:  Rick Jacobson, CEO, Tribune Entertainment, 435 N.
Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, tel. 312-222-4441, fax 312-222-3815;  Henry
Siegel, President, All-American Television, 875 Third Ave., 9th Floor, New
York, NY 10022, tel. 212-418-3000, fax 212-418-3010.

P O Z   F O R   C O N C E R N   

POZ -- "the magazine by and about people whose lives are affected by AIDS" --
competently fills a grotesque gap in the media marketplace.  Unfortunately,
the magazine's own record of professionalism is tainted by association with a
less-than-ideal journalist, Liz Smith.  Smith is featured prominently in
recent POZ promotional materials, in which she describes the magazine as
"powerful, courageous and beautifully written."

It is ironic (and sad) that Smith -- who has treated her own lesbianism as a
social disease -- should speak of journalistic "courage."  One of the
nation's leading gossip columnists,  Smith writes for "New York News Day" and
appears on the "E!" cable network.  In past columns, Smith has purposely
masked the homosexuality of celebrities such as Malcom Forbes and Rock
Hudson.  She has referred to lesbians and gay men as "you people."  In 1984,
Smith expressed public disgust when Harvey Fierstein thanked his lover at the
Tony Awards.  She continues to refer to "sexual preference" rather than
"sexual orientation."

Smith's writing has -- not surprisingly -- reflected a sex-negative
bitterness.  Reviewing Judy Nelson's book "Love Match," for example, Smith
wrote:  "There is nothing about S-E-X.  (This is probably good -- a landmark
perhaps -- since most lesbian literature, gay newspaper coverage, and general
gossip seem to be exclusively about sex.)."

This June, the gossip columnist was "outraged" by gossip that she had begun a
relationship with ABC-TV  reporter Cynthia McFadden.  Said Smith:  "I'm a
72-year-old who lives alone.  This is just so unfair to Cynthia and her
career."  For Smith, homosexual gossip (however founded) has always been much
more "unfair" than the heterosexual gossip (however unfounded) that she has
spread for years.

When asked why his magazine would choose an alliance with Smith, POZ's Sean
Strub replied:  "My experience, in 15 years of New York activism, is that she
is far more friend than foe.  Moreover, I think she has grown to find pride
in her lesbianism and the community we share with her."  

Defending Smith's "occasional slips of the tongue," Strub notes that POZ "is
proud to have her support."  He adds:  "The reasons why we use her quote in
our promotional materials are the same reasons why it is critical that we
demand that she represent a model of journalistic integrity on gay and
lesbian issues:  she is respected, well-known and accessible to middle
America."  So is Jesse Helms. 

***  ACTION ALERT!  Send comments to:  Sean Strub, Strubco, Inc./POZ
Magazine, 349 West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014, tel. 212-242-1900, fax
212-691-5246.

M E D I A   B R I E F S   

*  GETTING CONNECTED . . .   "Making Contact" is a new, nationwide,
progressive radio series designed to "give listeners information they need to
take action."  Recent programs have addressed "Hate Radio," "The Political
and Religious Right," and "Homophobia in America."  Encourage your local
broadcast outlets to carry this vital series, which is available free to all
public radio stations.  
            For a catalog of taped programs, as well as more information
about the series and how you can support it, contact:  "Making Contact,"
National Radio Project, 830 Los Trancos Road, Portola Valley, CA 94028, tel.
415-851-7256, fax 415-851-0731, e-mail [email-masked]. 

*  WEB WATCH . . .   (1)  World Wide Web browsers can now access the home
page of the European Gay & Lesbian Sports Federation
(http://www.gaysport.org).    (2)  October Films has set up a web site to
coincide with the release of the new lesbian love story "When Night Is
Falling" (http://www.octoberfilms.com).    (3)  AIDS/HIV web sites include
the ArtAIDS Home Page
(http://artaids.dcs.qmw.ac.uk:8001/entrance/entrance.html), the Names Project
AIDS Memeorial Quilt (http://www.aidsquilt.org), and the Safe Sex Page
(http://www.cmpharm.ucsf.edu/~troyer/safesex.html).  

*  BAD REVIEWER . . .  "Ballot Measure Nine" is a documentary that details
the fight against the anti-gay hate initiative sponsored by the Oregon
Citizens Alliance (OCA).  Though giving it three out of four stars, Bob
Fenster's review of this documentary calls for an odd sense of "balance."
 Fenster laments:  "It's evident that the filmmakers side with the gay
activists.  OCA leaders are always shown making extreme, hate-mongering
statements, while no extreme gay activists are included in the film.  The
film reports the vandalism and violence visited upon gay supporters, but has
nothing to say about cases of retaliation against the OCA."  Fenster
concludes:  "Despite its prejudices, the film does succeed as a document of
how the divisiveness in American politics is splitting the American people."
 
            Excuse me?  This is a documentary, not a newscast -- the point of
view is EVIDENTLY purposeful, not unintentional or devious.  Moreover, this
film documents HOMOPHOBIA, not some vague "divisiveness" that is the equal
product of queer and straight prejudice.  Fighting back against that
homophobia -- in a literal effort to preserve one's life and liberty -- can
NEVER be "extreme."  
            Fenster's review appeared in "The Arizona Republic" (November
10).  Contact:  "The Arizona Republic," Box 1950, Phoenix, AZ 85001, fax
602-271-8933, e-mail [email-masked].

*  E-MEDIALERT . . .  On-line users can join in the effort to put the breaks
on the homophobic, sex-negative and censorious Exon/Coats "Communications
Decency Act" (CDA) now worming its way through Congress.  For more
information on the campaign to stop the CDA, e-mail [email-masked] (put "send
alert" in the subject line for the latest alert, or "send cdafaq" for the CDA
FAQ.)  For general CDA information, e-mail [email-masked]; for information
on the current status of the CDA, e-mail [email-masked].

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A B O U T   G L A A D . . .

The GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION  challenges homophobia in and
through the mass media . . .   shaping the forces that shape our society.

Founded in 1988, the SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA CHAPTER of GLAAD is a non-profit,
volunteer-based, membership organization dedicated to cultural advocacy and
media activism.  GLAAD/SFBA promotes the fair, accurate and diverse
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To notify GLAAD/SFBA of any defamatory or affirmative media coverage, or to
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