From: GLAADSFBA@aol.com Date: Wed, 1 May 1996 22:18:08 -0400 Subject: MediAlert! - Apr. 28 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ INDEX: "MediAlert! - April 28" -Item 1: "Some Of My Best Friends Aren't" [People Magazine; Friends]. -Item 2: "Post Waste" [New York Post; Organization of News Ombudsmen; GOAL]. -Item 3: "Disney Drag" [Disney; AFA; RuPaul's Party Machine; VH-1; Hyperion; Growing Up Gay; Lettin' It All Hang Out; Donald Duck]. -Item 4: "A Word Of Warning" [Entertainment Weekly; Parent's Guide]. -Item 5: "Media/Briefs" [Texas Triangle/AFA; Sarasota Herald-Tribune/Petrelis]. -General Information [about GLAAD; about MediAlerts]. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ M e d i A l e r t ! ___________________ for the week of April 28, 1996 by Al Kielwasser Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, San Francisco Bay Area [ 1 ] S O M E O F M Y B E S T F R I E N D S A R E ' N T With "Friends" as her focus, TV critic Elaine Showalter challenges the networks to "grow up" -- and finally create LEAD characters that are UNDENIABLY gay. Her brief but refreshing commentary appears in the May 6 issue of "People" Magazine ("Picks & Pans: Tube"). According to Showalter, "Friends" has maintained "a running joke" about the sexual orientation of Chandler, one of the sitcom's central characters, played by Matthew Perry. This theme has been a staple ever since the series debuted in 1994, and Showalter cites several examples: "Women think [Chandler] is gay and, when he and roommate Joey (Matt LeBlanc) take baby Ben for a walk, assume they are a couple. A female coworker of Chandler's tries to set him up with a guy; even spacey Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) has described him as having 'homosexual hair.' When Chandler grew forlorn after Joey moved, his gloom fueled media speculation about his coming out (Joey has since moved back)." Yet, even as they are encouraged in fiction, these rumors are denied in fact. "For their part, the show's creators insist that Chandler is not gay, and that's that," Showalter writes. " I guess we are not going to see the 'Friends' episode called 'The One Where Chandler Comes Out.'" Chandler's unabated heterosexuality could be "fair enough," Showalter reasons. After all, "coming out is not a lifestyle choice, like turning vegetarian. And much of the recent societal buzz is about stereotypes: Exactly what is homosexual hair? Don't straight men miss old roommates, too?" "Besides," Showalter adds, "'Friends' is way beyond the homophobic leering of a '70's sitcom such as 'Three's Company'...." Nevertheless, as Showalter suggests, "Friends" also betrays a baneful double-standard in Hollywood. The male lead is instinctively reserved for "heterosexual heartthrobs;" homosexual characters are segregated to supporting roles. Showalter concludes: "Viewers today rightly resist cliches about sexual identity, but we're also more willing (if 'Friends' would dare us) to accept the notion that even comic favorites can make discoveries about themselves. Gay characters have come along way on prime time, but producers seem unwilling to make them lead characters. It is time to grow up. If Chandler got a life to match his hair, I'd still be there for him." Because lesbian and gay characters have been so rare, even supporting roles represent significant shifts in the sitcosmos. But there is still a long way to go. Restricting queer folk to the back of the cast is simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH... especially amongst friends. ++++ ACTION/OPTIONS! Showalter's commentary, though brief, is a welcome challenge to the diminished expectations of too many TV creators, critics AND consumers. Send comments or compliments to: "People," Time & Life Building, Rockefeller Center, New York, NY 10020-1393, fax 212-522-0794, e-mail 74774.1513@compuserve.com, URL http://www.pathfinder.com/people/. - To lobby for a lead at last, contact: Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, Producers, "Friends," Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, 300 South Television Plaza, Burbank, CA 91505; copy your correspondence to Paul McGuire, Executive Vice President of Prime-Time Programs, and Warren Littlefield, President, NBC Entertainment, 3000 West Alameda Avenue, Burbank, CA 91523, tel. 818-840-4444, e-mail entertainment@nbc.com, marketing@msn.com or nbcshows@msn.com. [ 2 ] P O S T W A S T E Homophobic editorials are not uncommon at New York's least-reputable newspaper, the "Post." The April 8 issue is no exception. In a deprecatory editorial headlined "New York's Gay Cops," the newspaper resurrects several hackneyed delusions. Drawing (suggestively) from the language of conservative gays, the editorial begins with a declaration of just how goods things really are for homosexuals these days: "In New York -- a city with a substantial homosexual population -- gay life exists in a state best described as virtual normalcy. Long gone are the days when police raided gay bars; long past are the times when homosexuals feared losing their jobs .... In fact, no one much cares how gays live their private lives; there is a substantial consensus that sexual preference is not a public concern." But are homosexuals happy? No, says the "Post." The newspaper argues: "One might imagine that this live-and-let-live, quasi-libertarian arrangement -- which was achieved only in the last generation -- would be regarded by homosexuals as a major social victory. Not so. Gay groups continue desperately to search for manifestations of discrimination, seeking not tolerance, but compulsory celebration." As evidence of this decadence, the "Post" cites recent efforts by the Gay Officers' Action League (GOAL) to gain legal recognition within the NYPD. According to the "Post:" "The group complains that the Police Department is unwilling to treat GOAL exactly as it does ethnic and racial fraternal organizations within the NYPD. GOAL, for example, protests that the Police Department band -- a privately managed enterprise -- chooses not to march in the Gay Pride parade, even though the musicians take part enthusiastically in the St. Patrick's Day celebration." The "Post" editorial then spits: "Pardon us -- but this takes the concept of 'non-discrimination' into the realm of absurdity. Homosexuals are not an ethnic group; they are people who choose to define themselves by their sexual preference -- by what they do behind (or, often, not behind) closed doors. It's not too much to ask for tolerance. But for people who would define themselves by the kind of leather they wear -- while doing things that can't be described in a family newspaper -- to demand that they be treated as if they were an ethnic community seems very much off base. Indeed, to pretend that there's a parallel between the Gay Pride parade and Columbus Day borders on the obscene." The editorial concludes by noting: "Only in the land of make-believe can sexual preference be compared to ethnic heritage. In the real world, private organizations (like the Police Band) will continue to reject efforts to force them to celebrate homosexuality. Not unexpectedly, the "New York Post" has confused the issues and distorted the facts. Apparently, ACCURACY is not one of the hallmarks of "a family newspaper." The "Post" reports that the Police Band "chose not to March." The "New York Times" describes the situation differently ("Gay Officers Sue NYC Police, Alleging Bias," April 4), however. According to the "Times," GOAL accused the Police Department of discriminating against the group "by not allowing the league to use a department van during last year's Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade down Fifth Avenue, and by not allowing the department's marching band to participate in the event...." The "Times" also cites several other specific charges of discrimination, conveniently overlooked by the "Post." The "Times" reports: "The group maintains in the complaint that the Police Department violated constitutional guarantees by refusing the league permission to have a ceremony and set up a display at police headquarters honoring the contribution of gay police officers." Other fraternal organizations, the "Times" notes, are currently allowed such "ceremonies and displays." At every turn, the "Post's" language -- "sexual preference," "behind closed doors," "obscene" -- intends no explanation, only disdain. The bulk of the editorial is consumed with additional errors of fact or twists of "logic." For instance: * The ostensible absence of "police raids" is NOT tantamount to nirvana. Nor is it an "arrangement" for which homosexuals should be thankful. Since when are victims of persecution expected to thank their attackers for, finally, stopping the abuse? Notice that the "Post" is quick to condemn "thankless" gays, but is utterly silent on the subject of UNREPENTANT HOMOPHOBES. * Workplace discrimination is hardly, as the "Post" suggests, a thing "long past." Various surveys continue to document homophobia's impact on job security, performance and opportunity -- even in those cities or states that have legally banned discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Of course, most employers in the U.S. are free to harass, fire and undercompensate their employees simply because they are (or appear to be) lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered. * The "Post's" argument that gay groups "search for discrimination" also ignores endless documentation of discrimination in housing, healthcare, education, and parenting. Similarly overlooked are statistics on homophobic hate violence. The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs tracked 2,212 incidents of hate violence in just 11 cities; slightly fewer incidents were reported than in the previous year, but the 1995 crimes were more vicious than ever -- bruised kidneys, fractured skulls, multiple stab wounds, murder. The director of the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project predicts 1996 will be even worse. * The "Post's" simplistic assertion that homosexuals want to be treated "exactly as ethnic and racial groups" is problematic -- even when it is made by homosexuals. This claim tends to dismiss queers of color and the reality of racism. The assertion suggests that "ethnic and racial" groups (presumptively heterosexual) have already attained full equity and justice, and that homosexuals (presumptively white) just want their piece of the bounty. The claim also panders to a depraved notion that only some sort of genetic basis for homosexuality can merit equal treatment under law. Sexual orientation might very well be biologically-determined, but the constant pleading -- "If it WAS a choice, WHO would be gay?" -- is simply pathetic. This plea resonates with apologetic begging, really. And the FIRST item on Armistead Maupin's list of seven ways to "strengthen the body politic" is: "Stop begging for acceptance .... Your job is to accept yourself -- joyfully and with no apologies ...." * The "Post's" conclusion, that "no one much cares how gays live their private lives," seems to have been written in an historical vacuum. Has no one at the newspaper heard of Amendment 2... or the myriad other anti-gay laws that seem very concerned with how gays can -- and cannot -- live their lives? What the "Post" meant to say was that no one much cares how gays live their lives, as long as they don't ask for basic civil liberties, custody of their own children, fair housing, equal opportunity, or even -- in homophobia's most extreme expression -- the right to life and happiness. Ironically, the manifest vitriol of the editorial itself disproves the "Post's" own allegation. If "sexual preference is not a public concern," why do the newspaper's editors spend so much time asserting their heterosexual supremacy? The "Post's" final claim -- "private organizations will continue to reject efforts to force them to celebrate homosexuality" -- is, in effect, a promise. Through inaccurate and biased journalism, the "New York Post" will continue to celebrate homophobia. ++++ ACTION/OPTIONS! Some promises are not meant to kept (at least, not easily). Send continuing criticism and complaints to: "The New York Post," 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, fax 212-930-8546, e-mail nypmail@aol.com. - The Organization of News Ombudsmen (ONO) "monitors news and feature columns, photography, and other forms of media for fairness, accuracy, and balance, and brings sub-standard items to the attention of the appropriate members of the news staff" (URL http://www.infi.net/ono/). [ 3 ] D I S N E Y D R A G The national American Family Association (AFA), "along with other organizations," has been promoting an on-going boycott of Walt Disney products and theme parks. In a recent AFA newsletter, president Donald Wildmon cites further "evidence" that "Disney is becoming more bold in its promotion of the homosexual agenda." According to Wildmon: "The Walt Disney Company has once again given its corporate blessing to sexual perversion by publishing and promoting the autobiography of a homosexual transvestite. Through it's subsidiary Hyperion, Disney has published 'Lettin' It All Hang Out,' written by RuPaul, a well-known 'drag queen' entertainer." Wildmon further reports that: "Last June Hyperion published a book written by three homosexual comedians and aimed at 'gay youngsters who were raised by heterosexuals' ["Growing Up Gay"] .... In addition, Hyperion is planning to publish a book by author Daniel Harris about 'gay culture.'" As if the new books were not enough, an exasperated Wildmon also accuses Disney of putting "foul language into cartoon dialogue." Wildmon claims to have been personally horrified by a "Walt Disney Cartoon Classics" video in which Donald Duck says "Fuck You!" "The use of the 'f' word by Donald Duck is very sick humor," says Wildmon. "This is simply another incident where Disney has signed their work with an obscenity. The best thing parents can do is to stay away from Disney products." ++++ ACTION/OPTIONS! Send counter-boycott messages to: Michael Eisner, Chair, The Walt Disney Company, 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521, tel. 818-560-1000, fax 818-560-1930. - In addition to "perverting" the Disney press, RuPaul can now be seen on VH-1. The super-model dons a VJ frock for "RuPaul's Party Machine" (April 27) -- a very queer-friendly dance video/chat show. Send compliments to: Video Hits One (VH-1), 1515 Broadway, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10036, tel. 212-713-6458. [ 4 ] A W O R D O F W A R N I N G As far as popular glossies go, "Entertainment Weekly" has done better than some in its coverage of lesbian, gay and bisexual issues. Last September, for example, the magazine devoted an issue to "The Gay '90s: Entertainment Comes Out of the Closet." It is especially frustrating, therefore, that this magazine continues to reinforce the closet mentality through a (slightly) subtle but serious practice. "EW" regularly offers brief movie summaries, which are intended to serve as "Parents' Guides." These tip sheets tell parents what the movie is about, whether kids will want to watch it, and if the film contains objectionable words, violence, scariness, drugs, sex or nudity. Unfortunately, "EW" has thoughtlessly added "homosexuality" to its shopping list of content warnings. Lesbian or gay content is grossly identified as potentially problematic, whether or not the material has anything to do with sex or nudity (the only themes that cause HETEROSEXUALITY to be flagged, though straight sex is never identified as such -- just "sex" itself!). For example, "EW's" May 3 issue reviews "For The Moment." The "Parent's Guide" points out that this movie contains: "Sex/Nudity: Lill and Lachlan have sex offscreen; the bare backside of a local woman who sells sexual favors to the pilots; innuendo about the homosexual relationship between two pilots. Drugs/Alcohol: Lachlan and his friend guzzle from a bottle; pilots buy liquor from a bootlegger. Appropriate Ages: 13 and up." In the April 29 issue, "EW" offers parental guidance regarding "Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy." The rating indicates: "Will Kids Want to Watch It? Only fans of the cross-dressing TV troupe will laugh at this no-brainer, and even they will find it hard to swallow offensive characters like Cancer Boy. MPAA: R. Sex/Nudity: A running gag about a father who has trouble coming to terms with his homosexuality features the man's bare butt numerous times; Dr. Cooper has sex offscreen with two women simultaneously. Drugs/Alcohol: The whole story is about a mood-altering drug; scientists get drunk; a man has a drink at a Christmas celebration; cocktails at a party" "EW's" treatment of "Brain Candy" contrasts with the magazine's listing for "The Last Supper," which appears in the same issue. The "Guide" simply indicates: "Sex/Nudity: A couple have sex, clothed; one of the women masturbates under the covers." Finally, "EW's" March 15 issue -- a "Kids Special Edition" -- reports that "there are some chuckles to be had from 'The Birdcage,'" adding that" "Some parents may be concerned about the movie's homosexual themes, but the issues are presented humorously and affectionately .... Lesson to Extract: Be proud of who you are and where you come from, no matter what others may think." Once again, however, homosexuality is singled out on the "Parents' Guide" warning list: "Sex/Nudity: Many male and female buttocks in G-strings and a brief shot of a woman's bare breasts. There's an abundance of gay sexual innuendo but nothing physical. Drugs/Alcohol: Wine and liquor are part of the atmosphere, as tensions mount, so does consumption. Violence/Scariness: Many pratfalls. Objectionable Words/Phrases: About 20. Appropriate Ages: 17 and up." Though perhaps not intentionally homophobic, the "Parents' Guide" system is possibly doing more to encourage than challenge parental ignorance. It is unfair and unacceptable to routinely classify "gay sexual innuendo" in the same breath as drug abuse, violence or offensive language. "Homosexual" is NOT a warning label. ++++ ACTION/OPTIONS! Encourage "EW" to bring its guidance system in line with the magazine's otherwise-enlightened editorial policy. Contact: Norman Pearlstine, Editor-In-Chief, "Entertainment Weekly," 1675 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, URL http://www.pathfinder.com/ew/. The magazine can also be accessed through "EW's" America Online forum (keyword: EW). [ 5 ] M E D I A / B R I E F S * B O Y C O T T B A C K F I R E S . . . Kay Longcope, editor of the lesbian/gay "Texas Triangle" newspaper, reports that a fundamentalist boycott targeting her advertisers has apparently backfired. The campaign had been orchestrated several months ago by Wyatt Roberts, director of the American Family Association of Texas and host of a local radio series, "The Texas Family Update." Roberts' radio program was recently canceled by host station KIXL-AM, a member of the Christian Broadcasting Network. Additionally, several "Triangle" advertisers have suggested that the publicity generated by the boycott actually helped to BOOST their sales. According to the newspaper, "First Texas Honda, the site of weekly demonstrations by Roberts' supporters, is experiencing its most successful year in franchise history." "For four months, Wyatt Roberts has tried to drive us out of business," Longcope said. "But come next week, he'll be off the airwaves and we'll still be publishing. Ironic, isn't it?" CONTACT: Kay Longcope, Editor and Publisher, "Texas Triangle," e-mail TxTriangle@aol.com; Wyatt Roberts, State Director, AFA of Texas, P.O. Box 140917, Austin, TX 78714, tel. 512-472-9196; Gene Bender, General Manager, KIXL-AM, Suite 300, 3910 S. IH34, Del Valle, TX 78704. * G O O D N E W S . . . Writing for the "Sarasota Herald-Tribune" (April 20), Christine Hawes recently profiled outspoken activist Michael Petrelis. Petrelis was in Florida to deliver a speech on gay men's sex and health at the University of South Florida/New College. Though relatively brief, Hawes' article is a good read that also manages to avoid the heterosexist pitfalls commonly found in such features. NO homophobic bigots are quoted for "balance;" homosexuality, anal sex and other issues are NOT treated as essential controversies. Thus, Hawes manages to capture the particular passion ("I'm HIV-infected and I will die of AIDS. I will not die of my inability to get married in front of a priest") and personal philosophy ("The activism I've embraced, while abrasive at some times, is good because I push the envelope for all of us.") that motivate Petrelis' current work. In effectively representing a distinctive voice in the queer community, Hawes' column contributes to the broader goals of fair, accurate and diverse reporting. CONTACT: Christine Hawes, "Sarasota Herald-Tribune," P.O. Box 1719, Sarasota, FL 33578, fax 813-957-5276. ___________________________________________________ ABOUT GLAAD 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 an independently incorporated, nonprofit organization, dedicated to media literacy and cultural activism. GLAAD/SFBA promotes the fair, accurate and diverse representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lives, in all forms of mass media and throughout popular culture. To report any defamatory or affirmative media coverage, call the 24-hour GLAAD Hotline (415-861-4588), or write to: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, 1360 Mission Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94103, tel. 415-861-2244, fax 415-826-5203 or 415-861-4893, e-mail glaadsfba@aol.com, URL http://www.ccnet.com/gaytrek/glaad.html. ____________________________________________________ ABOUT MEMBERSHIP GLAAD members encourage, enable and engage in "back talk" -- the critical conversation described by Marshall Mcluhan, when he wrote: "Propaganda begins when dialogue ends. I talk back to media and set off on an adventure of exploration." For further information about joining in GLAAD/SFBA's many ventures in media advocacy and activism, request a membership packet from: Bonnie Haley, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, 1360 Mission Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94103, tel. 415-861-2244, fax 415-861-4893, e-mail glaadsfba@aol.com, URL http://www.ccnet.com/gaytrek/glaad.html. For membership information in any of the following cities, contact these Chapter Offices: Atlanta (tel. 404-876-1398, fax 404-876-4051), Chicago (tel. 312-871-7633, fax 312-685-8064), Dallas (tel. 214-521-5342 ext. 816, fax 214-247-5803), Kansas City (tel. 816-374-5927, fax 816-561-7604), Washington, DC (tel. 202-429-9500, fax 202-857-0077), San Diego (tel. 619-688-0094, fax 619-294-4814). The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area is a nonprofit [501(c)(3)] organization. ____________________________________________________ ABOUT MEDIALERTS "MediAlert!" [TM] is a weekly, activist-oriented column of media criticism, produced and distributed on request by GLAAD/SFBA. This material may be printed, published or posted, under this or any title, in whole or part, without prior permission. When appropriate, attribution may be made to "Al Kielwasser" and/or "GLAAD San Francisco" ________________________________________________ Next "MediAlert!" - Wednesday, May 8.