Subject: MEDIAlert! - [A] 8-29-97
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 29 Aug 1997 22:17:43 -0400 (EDT)

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INDEX:  "MEDIAlert!" - 08.29.97 [Part "A" ONLY]

-ITEM 1:  "Risky Reporting" [Reuters; New England Journal of Medicine; Young
Gays, Fear Recedes-Risks Rise; Baltimore Sun; Public Media Center; The Impact
of Homophobia and Other Social Biases on AIDS].

-ITEM 2:  "For Love or For Hate" [For Better or For Worse; Universal Press
Syndicate; Topeka Capital-Journal; Augusta Chronicle; Christian Family
Network; American Family Association].

Part "B" ["Media/Briefs" and "Web Watch"] posted SEPARATELY.
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M   E   D   I   A   l   e   r   t   !
__________________________

August 29, 1997   Al Kielwasser

[1]

R I S K Y  R E P O R T I N G

A recent article from Reuter's news service points to chronic problems in
covering the health of lesbians and gays.  Citing a research note from the
"New England Journal of Medicine," Reuter (August 13) reports that:  "People
who risk contracting HIV may be resuming risky practices because they think
new treatments have made AIDS less of a health threat."  The article proceeds
to summarize findings of a small-scale survey of gay men in San Francisco,
who were polled to "gauge the effect of optimistic publicity" surrounding
drug combinations known as protease inhibitors or "AIDS cocktails."

Reuter's immediate emphasis on "people who risk contracting HIV" sets an
unfortunate tone, common throughout the health and welfare beat.  However
subtle, a distinction between "people who risk" and "people who are AT risk"
is hardly insignificant; it represents the difference between seeking genuine
solutions and simply blaming the victim.

This "blame-the-victim" bias has been especially blatant in coverage of gay
youth.  An article by Jonathan Bor, staff writer for the "Baltimore Sun"
(August 15), is regrettably typical.  Headlined "Young Gays:  Fear Recedes -
Risks Rise," the article's subhead further announces: "A survey in major
cities finds alarmingly high rates of unsafe sex practices and the virus that
causes AIDS, especially among blacks."

In lieu of definitive statistics, Bor begins his article by describing the
social scene at "at bars that cater to African-American gays along the East
Coast."  After several paragraphs of this, he reports that "something else
has become part of the social fabric among the clientele here and elsewhere:
 a surprisingly casual attitude toward risky sex."

That attitude, Bor reports, has been linked to high rates of HIV infection,
"according to a federally sponsored study of young gay men being conducted
around the nation."  Finding his own evidence to support the study's
tentative findings, Bor quotes such bar patrons as 19-year-old Davon Evans,
who says:  "There's people who have the virus and know they have the virus
and give it to other people."  Davon, the article reports, has "chosen
abstinence."

According to Bor, the nationwide study currently underway relies upon
"street-level epidemiology -- that branch of medicine that deals with the
spread and, ultimately, the control of disease."  He cites a local (but not
atypical) example of such efforts, in which a research team sets up shop
outside a gay bar and:  "Using a large van as its mobile headquarters, the
team interviews men ages 15 to 22 about their attitudes and sexual practices
and takes blood samples."

"The findings are worrisome," Bor reports.  "With little variation from city
to city, 7 percent of the volunteers tested positive for HIV....  Perhaps
more alarming is that 39 percent said they had engaged in unprotected
intercourse with a man during the previous six months -- a practice that
would almost certainly lead to increasing rates of infection as the men age."

The "Sun" quotes Linda Valleroy, a CDC epidemiologist supervising the survey,
who explains that sex -- as opposed to IV drug use -- is the primary source
of transmission .  According to Valleroy, "the hot spot of the epidemic among
youth is among men who have sex with men," particularly African-American gays
(11 percent of African-American subjects tested HIV positive, compared to 4
percent of whites).

As Bor reports, Valleroy and "others involved in the study are confident that
the carefree attitudes of youth partly explain the high-risk approach to
sex."  "Perhaps, too," Bor goes on to suggest, "the news about promising
therapies has given a false impression that AIDS has been cured."

Finally, Bor quotes another local bar patron -- 20-year-old Steven Tuttle --
who says of his fellow gay youth:  "They know the consequences.  They know
what to do to have safer sex.  But people don't want to listen."  The
reporter concludes:  "At the bars, some say it's time somebody documented
what they know but are loathe to say -- lessons learned by an older
generation are being ignored."

Significantly, the issue of homophobia -- and its role in perpetuating AIDS
-- is fully sidestepped by the "Sun."  Not once, for example, did Bor
consider whether the "lessons learned by an older generation" are being
BLOCKED, rather than ignored.

Nowhere in Bor's article is any mention made of the dismal state of sex
education in our nation's public schools, particularly as it relates (or
fails to relate) to gay, lesbian and bisexual youth.  Neither is any weight
given to the mainstream media's own refusal to affirm or reflect the lives of
young homosexuals; most television networks refuse even to air same-sex
public service announcements, directly intended to reduce the rate of HIV
infection among gay youth.

Like Bor, many journalists regularly affirm the notion that "carefree
attitudes" of young gays are linked to the spread of AIDS.  Yet these
reporters utterly ignore the reality of (let alone any research on)
HOMOPHOBIC ATTITUDES -- which can hardly be separated from the "risky"
behaviors of gay youth.  The deadly combination of racism with homophobia is
similarly overlooked, even as the media express "surprise" at higher rates of
HIV infection among young African-American gays.

A special report by the Public Media Center, published in 1995, specifically
addressed the impact of homophobia on AIDS.  As proven by dozens of failed
media campaigns, the report suggested, "it is homophobia that has remained
the crucial blind spot that must first be addressed if our efforts to
generate humane and responsive answers to AIDS are not to be permanently
frustrated."

"The specter of homophobia looms so large and threatening that apparently we
have thus far been afraid even to speak of it in direct terms," the Center
concluded.  "It is our contention that just as AIDS-Related Stigma is the
driving force behind our nation's lackluster response to HIV/AIDS, so the
unaddressed issue of homophobia remains the unseen cause of the spread of
AIDS-Related Stigma within U.S. society."

Efforts to include fair and accurate information about homosexuality in
children's media -- from textbooks to television -- are routinely thwarted by
the Traditional Values Coalition (TVC), Concerned Women for America (CWA),
and other well-financed organizations on the "Religious Right."  Yet, news
reports about young gays and the "rising risks" of HIV never include
investigations of these organizations -- and the homophobic, sex-negative
curricula they successfully promote.

To teach a child -- as most educational media do -- that homosexuality is a
lifestyle not worth living, is ultimately to teach homosexual children that
their lives are worthless.  That gay youth are dying should be far less
"surprising" a fact than that they manage to survive at all.

Complex issues of stigma and self-esteem are dismissed by the mainstream
media, in favor of more simple (and sensational) stories -- shifting far more
blame than is due to the victims.  Time and again, the impression is
reinforced that gays who have unsafe sex must be purposely ignorant.  This
image of suicidal hedonists surely provides great comfort to a heterosexist
society, in which uncontested bigots would claim their total innocence --
while homosexuals are blamed for the hate crimes of homophobes.

* * * *  ACTION  ALERT!   As reports of research on gay youth and AIDS/HIV
circulate around the nation, insist that news media finally get the story of
homophobia.  Send critical feedback to:  William Marimow, Managing Editor,
and Jonathan Bor, Staff Writer, "Baltimore Sun," 501 N. Calvert Street,
Baltimore, MD 21278, fax 410-752-6049, e-mail [email-masked], web site
http://www.sunspot.net (copy all correspondence to the newspaper's ombudsman,
Edd Hewitt, Reader Representative, e-mail [email-masked]);  Reuters,
199 Water Street, New York, NY 10038, fax 212-859-1717, e-mail
[email-masked], web site http://www.reuters.com.

Ask the CDC to promote better research and reporting of AIDS, guiding the
press to include homophobia as a relevant factor.  Contact:  Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30333, tel.
404-639-3311, web site http://www.cdc.gov.  The CDC National AIDS
Clearinghouse specifically "facilitates the sharing of HIV/AIDS and STD
resources and information about education and prevention, published
materials, and research findings, as well as news about related trends."
 Contact:  CDC NAC, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003, tel.
800-458-5231, e-mail [email-masked], web site
http://www.cdcnac.org.

[ Re/Sources:  A 40-page booklet -- "The Impact of Homophobia and Other
Social Biases on AIDS" -- is available from the Public Media Center, 466
Green Street, San Francisco, CA 94133, tel. 415-434-1403, fax 415-986-6779. ]

[2]

F O R  L O V E  O R  F O R  H A T E

For several days in late August, cartoonist Lynn Johnston put young gay love
at the center of her widely-syndicated comic strip "For Better or For Worse."
 Reaction to the series, which ran from August 20-23, has ranged from benign
to bigoted.  Several heterosexual supremacist groups launched nationwide
attacks on the "pro-homosexual" plot, while a spattering of newspaper editors
opted to censor the "controversial" storyline.

Specifically, the four-day series revolved around "Lawrence," a gay
character, as he attempted to cope with the upsetting news that his boyfriend
("Ben") might be moving away.  In the August 22 strip for example, Lawrence
and his best (straight) friend,  "Michael," ruminate on the pains of love.
 "Ben isn't leaving forever," Michael tries to reassure his forlorn chum.
 "Besides, you have to be prepared to feel pain if you're gonna fall in
love....  You both let down all of your defenses, you allow someone to enter
your heart -- and you take the risk of losing each other."

Without regard for sexual orientation, Michael takes a universal perspective
on first love.  "But it's the joy of having had that time together that makes
it all worthwhile!," he exclaims.  "It's the laughs, the memories -- and all
the good stuff you've shared -- that make falling in love....  worth that
risk!!"

The August 23 strip further rejects the temptations of homophobia, with
humor.  As they eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Lawrence says to
Michael:  "My being gay has never changed our friendship.  You've never
treated me like I was evil...."  And Michael replies:  "But I have to tell
you Lawrence, there is one thing about your lifestyle that has bothered all
of us for a long time....  You don't eat your crusts."

In covering the story surrounding the strip, a number of mainstream
journalists made the same mistake as Christopher Clark of the Associated
Press (August 13).  Clark reported that the gay cartoon character had
"angered editors and conservative readers," though the adjective "homophobic"
would have been more accurate than "conservative" in this case.  Moreover,
Clark ONLY reported such "angered" responses.  He did not seek opinions from
the majority of newspapers, whose editors WOULD run the strips, let alone
responses from gay or lesbian groups PLEASED by the portrayal.

In general, more column inches were given to groups like the Christian Family
Network (CFN) -- which complained that the comic strip was "being used to
push the homosexual agenda."  "The comic page, read by all family members
including the very young, is one place in the newspaper that should be safe
from unhealthy agendas," said CFN president Don Jackson.  "This page should
not be used as an indoctrination tool for the homosexual lifestyle... this is
another example of media power gone wrong."

Presumably, sexist or militaristic comic strips like "Blondie" or "Beetle
Bailey" (indoctrination tools for the heterosexual lifestyle?) are evidence
of media gone right.  Homophobic critics are themselves responsible the
least-healthy agenda, which the media push most.  Hypocritical to the core,
the CFN insists that children should be safe from indoctrination -- except
its own.

The American Family Association, the nation's leading anti-gay media watchdog
group, readily joined in CFN's protest.  Via the Internet, the organization
issued a special "AFA Action Alert" (August 18), urging readers to condemn
any newspaper that printed "FBOFW."  In seeming disregard for copyright
restrictions, the AFA's web page also reprinted each of the four comic strips
-- in their entirety, and without apparent credit to the Universal Press
Syndicate [http://www.afa.net/fbofw.htm].

In a special advisory to the 1,700 newspapers that legitimately carry
"FBOFW," Universal Press Syndicate -- the strip's distributor -- alerted
editors to the storyline more than a week before publication.  Evidently, the
company felt professionally obligated to offer such an "early warning."
 Universal Press has not yet explained the rationale behind this advisory
policy, however, which apparently (unfairly) singles out lesbian and gay
content.

Approximately 20 daily newspapers informed Universal Press that they would
not run "FBOFW's" gay storyline, but would print reruns of the comic strip
instead.  Topeka's "Capital-Journal," for example, claimed that the gay theme
did not reflect "the standards of the community."  "It is a decision that
took a lot of thought on our part," said publisher John Goossen.  "We feel
that the comics page is different from what we cover in our news pages, where
we cover the newsworthy activities of the gay and lesbian community as news."

In fact, Goossen's decision is entirely THOUGHTLESS.  Intent on keeping
positive images off the comics page, he treats lesbians and gays as
less-than-human -- permitted to exist only when "newsworthy" (and abnormal or
bizarre...  like men who bite dogs).

The Kansas-based "Augusta Chronicle" also rejected the gay-themed strips,
explaining its decision in an editorial titled:  "Lawrence & Values" (August
20).  Lamenting "popular culture's assertion that sexuality has no moral
boundaries," the newspaper touted "successful efforts in recent years by
primarily Christian therapists and support groups to convert homosexuals back
to a healthier lifestyle."

"Is our editorial opposition to unhealthy same-gender sexual relations 'an
attempt to impose our values on others,' which is the usual liberal line?,"
the newspaper asked.  "Our response is simply this:  Someone's values are
going to prevail in this ongoing cultural battle.  Why not the values of our
founding fathers and the Judeo-Christian tradition which made this country
great?"

The editorial staff provides no evidence for any of the "Chronicle's" claims
about mental health and sexual orientation.  Neither do the nostalgic editors
indicate whether the values they profess continue to include slavery --
certainly practiced by "our founding fathers" -- or such fine
"Judeo-Christian traditions" as the colonial witch hunt.

Unfortunately, while not defending the editors who censored her gay
storyline, cartoonist Lynn Johnston has all but excused their bigotry.  "I
got wonderful calls from editors who said they couldn't run it even if they
wanted to," said Johnston.  "I understand that."

Johnston further explained that, particularly in small communities,
"everybody knows the editors and the editor can't go and have coffee and a
doughnut without someone saying, 'Why are you running that junk in the
paper?'"  However, she added:  "It's not frustrating for me but for the
people who are harassed, because they have to put up with this every minute
of their lives."

"FBOFW's" Lawrence first came out in a 1993, when the character was 17, and
Johnston based the incident on a real-life experience involving her own gay
brother-in-law.  The character has appeared regularly since then; his
boyfriend Ben has been featured once before, as Lawrence's prom date.

"FBOFW" debuted in 1979.  The strip is currently published by newspapers in
23 countries and has been collected in over 17 books.

* * * *  ACTION  ALERT!   While supporting the syndicate's publication of
"FBOFW," encourage UPS to reconsider its (apparently) heterosexist policy of
"warning" editors about lesbian or gay content; additionally, advise UPS to
investigate and discourage use of its copyrighted material by the AFA and
other hate groups.  Contact:  Elizabeth Anderson, Associate Director,
Universal Press Syndicate, 4520 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111-7701, tel
800-255-6734 or 816-932-6600, web site http://www.uexpress.com.

Criticism of their bigoted editorial stands should be sent to:  John Fish,
Managing Editor, "Augusta Chronicle," P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, GA 30903, fax
706-722-7403, e-mail [email-masked], web site
http://augustachronicle.com;  John Goossen, Publisher, "Topeka
Capital-Journal," 616 S.E. Jefferson, Topeka, KS 66607, tel. 785-295-1299,
e-mail [email-masked], web site http://www.cjonline.com (copy
correspondence, at the same address, to:  Mark Nusbaum, Executive Editor,
tel. 785-295-1191, fax 785-295-1230, e-mail [email-masked]; "Letters
to the Editor," e-mail [email-masked]).

To monitor media activities of the homophobic Christian Family Network,
request free copies of CFN's cable access TV series -- "Pro-Family
Perspective" -- or browse the CFN "Media Watch" web page.  Contact:  Don
Jackson, President, CFN, P.O. Box 24171, Dayton, OH 45424-3613, tel.
937-236-4533, fax 937-236-5056, e-mail [email-masked] (or
[email-masked]), web site http://www.cfnweb.com.  For the American
Family Association, contact:  Donald Wildmon, President, AFA, P.O. Drawer
2440, Tupelo, MS 38803, tel. 601-844-5036, fax 601-844-9176, e-mail
[email-masked], web site http://www.afa.net.

[ Re/Sources:  An online "For Better or For Worse Archive" is maintained by
the Universal Press Syndicate, http://www.uexpress.com/ups/comics/fb. ] 

[End - Part "A"]

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Distributed continuously since 1992 as a community press service,
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criticism, focused on lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender issues. Recipients may
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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
mainstream and academic publications; he was twice elected Chair of the Gay &
Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area.