From: MediAction@aol.com Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 09:06:09 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Media/BRIEFS - 05.23.97 [Part "B"] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- INDEX: "MEDIAlert!" - 05.23.97 [Part "B" ONLY] -ITEM 3: "School Daze" [California Assembly; AB 1490; Teaching Respect For All]. -ITEM 4: "No Laughing Matter" [The Daily Show; Comedy Central]. -ITEM 5: "Unsuitable Ratings" [Ellen; Drew Carey; TV Parental Guidelines Oversight Monitoring Board; ABC]. -ITEM 6: "E-Media Briefs" [Gay and Lesbian Atheists and Humanists]. -ITEM 7: "Mind Over Media" [Radical Teacher]. -ITEM 8: "Web Watch" [Gay Men Fighting AIDS; Gay and Lesbian Association of Retiring Persons; Ecola Magazine and Newspaper Directory; Online Activism; Feminist Activist Resources on the Net; Activist's Oasis; An Activist's Strategic Guide to the Internet]. NOTE: Part "A" (ITEMS 1 - 2) posted separately. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- M E D I A l e r t ! _________________________ M E D I A / B R I E F S May 10 - 23 Al Kielwasser [3] *** SCHOOL DAZE . . . . George House, a member of the California state legislature, has introduced "Assembly Bill 1490," which would prevent schools from using state funds to purchase any textbook or videotape "that promotes or advocates homosexuality as a viable alternative lifestyle." According to the "Modesto Bee" (May 4), House's bill also includes "a provision that would stop school districts from referring students to organizations that advocate a gay lifestyle or say that it is OK to be gay." In response to AB 1490, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN) is providing California legislators with copies of "Teaching Respect For All" -- a video that would be banned under the proposed law. "For bureaucrats who have not even seen the materials in question to tell our schools what they can and cannot talk about is mind control, pure and simple, which is the opposite of what we need in education," said GLSTN executive director Kevin Jennings. Existing state law already requires that textbooks used in California's public schools "teach honor and respect for monogamous, heterosexual marriage." Because of its size and purchasing power, California exerts a nationwide influence on what publishers do -- and do not -- include in textbooks. C o n t a c t : California State Assembly, Sacramento, CA 95814, web-site leginfo.public.ca.gov; GLSTN, tel. 212-727-0135, e-mail glstn@glstn.org. [4] *** NO LAUGHING MATTER . . . . Airing on the Comedy Central cable network, "The Daily Show," is a hybrid of news, talk show and comedy routines -- basically, an expanded rip-off of the "News" sketches pioneered by "Saturday Night Live." A recent episode (May 15) featured a bit entitled "Prom Queen," which mocked and maligned gay youth. The segment featured a news clip of Jacob Eiler -- a (real-life) gay teenager in Anderson, Indiana -- who had decided to take a male date to the prom. As he pointed to the slashed tires of his car, Elier described recounted the harassment that followed his decision. Though coming out had made him "infamous for being gay," he explained, this was matter of "civil rights." Reacting to the news clip, "Daily Show" host Craig Kilbourn mocked the idea that this issue had anything to do with human dignity or safety. Joking of hate crimes against "homosexual tires," Kilbourn scoffed at the teenager's claims of harassment. Elier's reference to civil rights should offend "black people," Kilbourn suggested. The "Daily Show" host joked that, in response to news of the boy's plight, efforts would be underway for "freeing the gay slave trade." "Hundreds of civil rights activists" are planning "to storm queer farms... freeing prisoners wearing zipper masks," Kilbourn quipped. In a final attempt at humor, Kilbourn suggested that gays coming out in high school would entail such sporting events as "antique restoration" and an "indoor speed record for the reach around." C o n t a c t : Comedy Central, 1775 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, tel. 212-767-8647, web site www.comedycentral.com. [5] *** UNSUITABLE RATINGS . . . . Not surprisingly, the nation's new TV ratings system is exhibiting a heterosexist bias. Recent lesbian-themed episodes of "Ellen" have been rated "TV-14," even though they contained no more references to sex (and certainly less violence) than other shows. The May 14 episode of "Drew Carey" -- a series that does NOT feature a lesbian or gay character -- was given a "TV-PG" rating, for example. Airing on the same night, and on the same network (ABC), "Ellen" rated a "TV-14." Ironically, the May 14 episode of "Ellen" dealt with fears about homosexuality and children. Instead of recommending such pro-social programming, the unfair rating catered to parental homophobia. As defined by the new ratings guidelines, "TV-PG" is meant to indicate: "Parental Guidance Suggested - This program may contain some material that some parents would find unsuitable for younger children." A rating of "TV-14" advises: "Parents Strongly Cautioned - This program may contain some material that many parents would find unsuitable for children under 14 years of age." Under the current system, ratings are determined by the networks and producers of each show (though individual stations are supposedly capable of making their own changes). An Oversight Monitoring Board -- composed largely of industry leaders -- is charged with ensuring "uniformity and consistency" in applying the ratings. According to the Board's mandate, members examine programs whose rating may have been inappropriate and "will review publicly criticized programs to ensure the accuracy of the guidelines." C o n t a c t : TV Parental Guidelines, Oversight Monitoring Board, P.O. Box 14097, Washington, DC 20004, tel. 202-879-9364, e-mail bsavoie@nab.org, web-site www.tvguidelines.org; ABC, Broadcast Standards Department, 77 W. 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6201, tel. 212-456-7777, fax. 212-456-2381, e-mail abcaudr@abc.com, web http://abc.com. [6] *** E-MEDIA BRIEFS . . . . The association of Gay And Lesbian Atheists And Humanists (GALAH) has launched a new e-mail list, which will carry meeting announcements, press releases, and discussion posts. Members can join the list service by sending a message to: aq981@lafn (with name and e-mail address in the body of the message, and "GALAH Mailing List" in the subject line). In addition to supporting campaigns against homophobia and the Religious Right, GALAH seeks to provide a forum where "people are free to express non-religious and even anti-religious views without fear of backlash." The organization also "promotes lesbian/gay/bisexual visibility in national Freethought publications, and atheist/humanist visibility in publications within our community." C o n t a c t : GALAH, 1718 M Street NW, #157, Washington, DC 20036, tel. 202-262-6265, e-mail aq981@lafn.org. [7] *** MIND OVER MEDIA . . . . The current issue of "Radical Teacher" magazine (Spring 1997) is devoted to media studies, and includes several articles of interest to lesbian and gay activists. Among the highlights: an examination of AIDS activist video, by Alexandra Juhasz (author of the book "AIDS TV"), and an essay on children's cyber-rights ("Empowering Children in the Digital Age"), which argues against homophobic efforts to protect "childhood innocence" by censoring the net. "Radical Teacher" is published nationally by the Boston's Women's Teachers' Group, a progressive nonprofit organization. C o n t a c t : "Radical Teacher," P.O. Box 169, W. Somerville, MA 02144. [8] W E B W A T C H _____________________ *** SAFER-SEX SITE . . . . Gay Men Fighting AIDS (GMFA) has launched a volunteer-produced web site -- "in true GMFA style... sexy, down-to-earth and direct." Highlights include a safer-sex quiz and excerpts from the GMFA newsletter, along with "safer sex pages giving you the low-down on whatever pushes your buttons." GMFA is an AIDS prevention and education group, based in London [ http://www.demon.co.uk/gmfa/ ]. *** SENIOR CLASS . . . . Established "to enhance the aging experience of gays and lesbians," the Gay and Lesbian Association of Retiring Persons (GLARP) is an international, nonprofit membership organization. The group recently launched a web site, promising to pioneer a collection of information for and about senior queers. GLARP is filling a tremendous void, according to executive director Mary Thorndal, who noted: "Getting older is already challenge enough -- aging as a gay or lesbian is even harder'' [ www.gaylesbianretiring.org ]. *** POSITIVE LINKING . . . . The Ecola Magazine and Newspaper Directory now includes links to lesbian and gay publications. The site provides state-by-state listings for magazines and newspapers across the country [ www.ecola.com/news/magazine/current/gl/ ]. *** CYBER-ACTIVISM . . . . The World Wide Web continues to offer activists a virtual wealth of resources. Among the sites to see: . . . "Online Activism" -- a basic directory of groups and associations, something of an activist's Yellow Pages [ www.ai.mit.edu/projects/ppp/polact.html ]. . . . "Feminist Activist Resources on the Net" -- a basic resource post, linking feminism and activism on the info-highway [ www.igc.apc.org/women/feminist.html ]. . . . "Activist's Oasis" -- a site for sore eyes, this "oasis" offers help for the harried activist in the form of "relaxation, inspiration, and tools" [ www.matisse.net/~kathy/activist/activist.html ]. . . . "An Activist's Strategic Guide to the Internet" -- a guide to using virtual reality for creating real world change [ workshop.matisse.net/~kathy/activist/actguide.html ]. [end] -------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT MEDIALERTS Distributed as a community press service since 1992, "MEDIAlert!" [TM] is a bi-weekly, advocacy oriented column of media criticism, primarily 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. Next "MEDIAlert!" = June 6, 1997. Contact: A. P. Kielwasser, MEDIAction, 163 Park Street, San Francisco, CA 94110-5835, voice-mail/fax 415-826-5203, e-mail mediaction@aol.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------- AUTHOR NOTES Al Kielwasser is the editor of "Gay People, Sex and the Media" (New York: Haworth Press). His media criticism and research have appeared widely, in both mainstream and academic publications (including the "Journal of American Culture," "Journal of Homosexuality," "Journal of Popular Culture," and "Critical Studies in Mass Communication"); he was twice elected Chair of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area.