************************************************* The week of 8/07/95 on T H I S W A Y O U T the international gay & lesbian radio magazine * In NewsWrap: Bill Clinton issues first-ever U.S. Presidential executive order explicitly prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination --this one covers security clearance checks ... Church hierarchies and queers collide in Austria, Poland, Britain and Italy ... and other stories; * TWO's Ziad Dajani reports from Bucharest on the continuing repression of gays and lesbians in post-revolutionary Romania; * Keith Boykin, a gay African-American special assistant to U.S. President Bill Clinton, debunks some common assumptions about race and homophobia in the first of a 2-part conversation with TWO's Bert Wylen ... ... and more! ==========================*============================= --------- ===> NewsWrap <=== --------- For the week ending August 5, 1995 (As broadcast on TWO Program #384, distributed 8-07-95) [Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Greg Gordon, Jason Lin, Bill Stosine, Graham Underhill and Ron Buckmire] THE FIRST U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ORDER EVER TO EXPLICITLY PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION WAS ISSUED AUGUST 4th BY BILL CLINTON, WHEN HE ADDED "SEXUAL ORIENTATION" AS A PROTECTED CATEGORY FOR PURPOSES OF DETERMINING ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED MATERIALS. THE MYTH THAT GAYS AND LESBIANS PRESENTED A SECURITY RISK HAD LONG BEEN A BARRIER TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT IN CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT AND RELATED PRIVATE INDUSTRY WORK REQUIRING SECURITY CLEARANCES. A RECENT GOVERNMENT STUDY FOUND THAT UNDER THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, MOST U.S GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO GRANT SECURITY CLEARANCES TO LESBIANS AND GAYS ... BUT THE CLINTON DIRECTIVE CODIFIES AND CLARIFIES WHAT HAD BEEN A PATCHWORK OF VARIOUS AGENCY POLICIES. THE ORDER ALSO ESTABLISHES AN APPEALS PROCESS FOR THOSE LESBIANS AND GAYS WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN DENIED CLEARANCES. [REUTER NEWS SERVICE, ASSOCIATED PRESS, and press releases from THE NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE and THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND] IN AUSTRIA, GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST KURT KRICKLER AND A GROUP IDENTIFIED AS OPUS LEI THIS WEEK FOLLOWED THROUGH ON THEIR PROMISE TO "OUT" FOUR BISHOPS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH THERE, NAMING CHRISTOPH SCHOENBORN, ANDREAS LAUN, KLAUS KUENG AND EGON KAPELLARI AS GAY MEN. ALL FOUR FLATLY DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS AND TWO ACTED IMMEDIATELY TO FILE LAWSUITS. ALTHOUGH KRICKLER CLAIMED THE ALLEGATIONS WERE BASED ON WHAT HE CALLED "WATERTIGHT" EVIDENCE FROM THREE DIFFERENT SOURCES, HE DID NOT PRESENT ANY OF THAT EVIDENCE AT THE COFFEEHOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE AUGUST 1st. AND WHILE THE OUTINGS ARE OSTENSIBLY A TACTIC IN A CAMPAIGN TO EQUALIZE AUSTRIA'S AGE-OF-CONSENT LAWS, THE TARGETS ACTUALLY REPRESENT A RANGE OF POLITICAL OPINONS, FROM ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE TO LIBERAL. SCHOENBORN, WHO'S LIKELY TO BE AUSTRIA'S NEXT CARDINAL, SAID THAT HE HAS ALWAYS CONDEMNED UNFAIR TREATMENT OF GAYS AND LESBIANS, ALTHOUGH HE DENOUNCED THE OUTING STRATEGY. IN ROME, ALTHOUGH THE VATICAN PRESS OFFICE MADE NO COMMENT, A VATICAN RADIO REPORT SAID, "IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF SQUALID TITTLE-TATTLE, COMPLETELY FANCIFUL, SO VAGUE AND INCONSISTENT THAT IT DOES NOT EVEN DESERVE TO BE LABELED SLANDER ... IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A GREAT REVELATION, THE START OF A HUGE SCANDAL. INSTEAD, THE LATEST ATTEMPT TO DRAG THE AUTRIAN CHURCH THROUGH THE MUD ... APPEARS DECIDEDLY LIKE A STORM IN A TEACUP." NONETHELESS, KRICKLER AND HIS PRESSURE GROUP SAY THAT THEY'LL OUT SIX POLITICIANS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER. [ASSOCIATED PRESS and REUTER NEWS SERVICE] IN POLAND, THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IS NOW SEEKING TO PREVENT GAYS AND LESBIANS FROM WORKING AS TEACHERS. THAT'S THE LATEST STEP IN A CONTINUING CONTROVERSY SPARKED BY A PROPOSAL TO INCLUDE PROTECTIONS FROM DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN POLAND'S NEW CONSTITUTION. THE DRAFT MEASURE LED TADEUSZ PIERONEK, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE POLISH BISHOPS CONFERENCE, TO SAY, "DOES IT MEAN WE WILL LEGALIZE GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES AND THEN HAVE TO ALLOW THEM TO TAKE IMPORTANT POSTS AND BRING UP CHILDREN?" [SEATTLE GAY NEWS and THE NEW YORK TIMES] LONDON'S GAY AND LESBIAN DIRECT ACTION GROUP OUTRAGE CONTINUES ITS OWN BATTLE WITH THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, THIS TIME TARGETING A MINISTRY CLAIMING TO CONVERT GAYS AND LESBIANS INTO HETEROSEXUALS. AT A LATE-JULY SERVICE CELEBRATING THE RETIREMENT OF JOHN TAYLOR, ANGLICAN BISHOP OF SAINT ALBANS, OUTRAGE MEMBERS PROTESTED TAYLOR'S ASSOCIATION WITH COURAGE, A SO-CALLED "CHANGE MINISTRY". OUTRAGE MEMBERS STORMED THE ALTAR DURING TAYLOR'S FAREWELL ADDRESS, DRIVING HIM FROM THE PULPIT WITH CHANTS OF "TAYLOR OUT, COURAGE OUT!" AFTER ONE MEMBER GAVE A BRIEF SPEECH, THEY LEFT, CHANTING "CHURCH OF HATRED, CHURCH OF FEAR, STOP CRUCIFYING QUEERS!" THEIR PRESS RELEASE SAID, "OUTRAGE HAS REPEATEDLY TRIED TO GET THE CHURCH HIERARCHY TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF EX-GAY GROUPS AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE THAT SUCH GROUPS DO TO VULNERABLE, OFTEN YOUNG, PEOPLE THAT THEY TARGET. TODAY'S ACTION SENDS A MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND THAT THE LESBIAN AND GAY COMMUNITY WILL NOT STAND BY AS THE CHURCH ALLOWS OTHER GAY PEOPLE TO BE DAMAGED IN THE NAME OF THEIR RELIGION BY FUNDAMENTALIST BIGOTS. WE ARE SEEKING AN UNEQUIVOCAL CONDEMNATION OF THE ACTIONS OF THE EX-GAY GROUPS FROM THE CHURCH AND WILL NOT STOP OUR CAMPAIGN OF DISRUPTION UNTIL THE CHURCH ACKNOWLEDGES ITS RESPONSIBILITIES". [SEATTLE GAY NEWS] ANTI-GAY ORGANIZING IS ON THE RISE IN ITALY, WITH THE FORMATION OF A GROUP CALLED THE DEFENSE COMMITTEE FOR THE NATURAL AND CHRISTIAN FAMILY ORDER. THE ORGANIZATION'S PRESIDENT CODA NUNZIANTE SAID, "HOMOSEXUAL DEBAUCHERY, CONTRARY TO GOD'S LAW, IS REPUGNANT TO THE CONSCIENCE, AND PEOPLE REJECT IT AS A DEEP MORAL DISORDER". THE COMMITTEE HAS COLLECTED 70,000 SIGNATURES PETITIONING THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TO REJECT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT'S 1994 "STRASBOURG RESOLUTION" SUPPORTING EQUAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING MARRIAGE RIGHTS, FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS. ITALY'S NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, ARCIGAY-ARCILESBICA, HAS ALSO COLLECTED 70,000 SIGNATURES ON ITS PETITION SUPPORTING THE "STRASBOURG RESOLUTION". [SEATTLE GAY NEWS and ARCI press release] THE HOMOPHOBIA OF ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE MAY HAVE DESTROYED THE FUTURE OF THE ZIMBABWE INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR, WHICH HAD GROWN TO INCLUDE EXHIBITORS FROM 120 COUNTRIES. HIS GOVERNMENT HAD ACTED LAST WEEK TO BAN THE GROUP GAYS AND LESBIANS OF ZIMBABWE FROM EXHIBITING AT THE BOOK FAIR, AND DESPITE THE PROTESTS OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, MUGABE ADDED INSULT TO INJURY IN HIS SPEECH OPENING THE EVENT ON AUGUST 3rd. HE SAID, "IS THE BOOK FAIR BASED ON SODOMY? I DON'T BELIEVE THEY HAVE ANY RIGHTS AT ALL ... I FIND IT EXTREMELY OUTRAGEOUS AND REPUGNANT TO MY HUMAN CONSCIENCE THAT SUCH IMMORAL AND REPULSIVE ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE THOSE OF HOMOSEXUALS, WHO OFFEND BOTH AGAINST THE LAW OF NATURE AND THE MORALS AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS ESPOUSED BY OUR SOCIETY, SHOULD HAVE ANY ADVOCATES IN OUR MIDST AND EVEN ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD. IF WE ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALITY AS A RIGHT, AS IS BEING ARGUED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF SODOMISTS AND SEXUAL PERVERTS, WHAT MORAL FIBER SHALL OUR SOCIETY EVER HAVE TO DENY ORGANIZED DRUG ADDICTS, OR EVEN THOSE GIVEN TO BESTIALITY, THE RIGHTS THEY MIGHT CLAIM AND ALLEGE THEY POSSESS UNDER THE RUBRICS OF 'INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM' AND 'HUMAN RIGHTS', INCLUDING THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS TO WRITE, PUBLISH AND PUBLICIZE THEIR LITERATURE ON THEM?" MUGABE'S REMARKS STIRRED PROTEST IN THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY. FOUR OF THE BOOK FAIR'S TRUSTEES RESIGNED IMMEDIATELY. THE LARGEST FOREIGN EXHIBITOR AT THE FAIR, THE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA, ANNOUNCED IT WOULD NOT PARTICIPATE NEXT YEAR UNLESS ZIMBABWE'S GOVERNMENT GUARANTEED FULL FREEDOM OF PUBLICATION AND DISPLAY. THE ASSOCIATION ALSO CANCELLED PLANS TO WORK JOINTLY WITH THE ZIMBABWE INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR ON A MAJOR REGIONAL EXHIBITION. HIVOS, A DUTCH AGENCY WHICH HAS BEEN A MAJOR FUNDER OF THE ZIMBABWE INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR, SAID THAT HUMAN RIGHTS HAVE BEEN PREJUDICED AND THAT "THE ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT WILL ... HAVE TO ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES". A BRITISH EXHIBITOR SAID, "THIS COULD BE ZIMBABWE'S LAST INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR". [REUTER NEWS SERVICE and ASSOCIATED PRESS] DENMARK'S NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS, LBL, HAS HAD TO SCALE BACK ITS ACTIVITIES IN THE WAKE OF A FINANCIAL CRISIS. CREDITORS TOOK LBL TO COURT, AND THE RESULTING AGREEMENT FORCED THE GROUP TO CLOSE ITS CAFE AND DISCO IN COPENHAGEN. LBL IS ALSO MOVING ITS COPENHAGEN HEADQUARTERS TO A SMALL OFFICE SPACE. LBL'S OTHER ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING PUBLICATION OF THE NEWSPAPER "PAN-BLADET", WILL CONTINUE. [SEATTLE GAY NEWS] THE NEXT GAY GAMES, THE INTERNATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN SPORTS COMPETITION, IS STILL THREE YEARS AWAY, BUT ITS AMSTERDAM ORGANIZERS REPORT HAVING ALREADY RECEIVED $390,000 IN SPONSORSHIP FROM A CABLE NETWORK, "A 2000". GAY GAMES PRESIDENT MARJO MEIJER SAID, "GAY GAMES HAVE NEVER ATTRACTED SPONSORS THIS EARLY AND THIS BIG. THIS SPONSORSHIP SHOWS THAT THE 1998 GAY GAMES AMSTERDAM IS ON THE MAP OF WORLD EVENTS". [DE GAY KRANT] AND FINALLY ... WHILE SO MANY MEDIA STARS ARE BUSY DENYING THAT THEY ARE GAY OR LESBIAN, IT'S CONFIRMED THAT ONE POPULAR TV PAIR ARE A GAY COUPLE. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL DANIELS OF AUSTRALIA'S GAY AND LESBIAN NEWSPAPER "BROTHER SISTER", JOHN KRICFALUSI OUTED HIS CREATIONS REN AND STIMPY. HE SAID, "WELL, IN REN'S CASE IT'S NOT COMPLETELY BY CHOICE -- HE WOULD REALLY RATHER HAVE HUMAN WOMEN; BUT WHEN YOU LOOK LIKE REN, YOU TAKE WHAT YOU CAN GET! STIMPY, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS LIKE TOTALLY INTO IT. BUT THEY ARE MARRIED, SO THAT'S OKAY! THE LOVE THEY HAVE FOR EACH OTHER IS UNCONDITIONAL, ESPECIALLY THE WAY STIMPY FEELS FOR REN. REN IS PERFECT, REN CAN DO NO WRONG". [BROTHER SISTER] ************************************************* Some "THIS WAY OUT" operating expenses are funded by grants from THE C.P. ESTES GUADALUPE FOUNDATION and THE ADVOCATE, the award-winning national gay and lesbian newsmagazine, and by individual donations from listeners worldwide. THIS WAY OUT is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit under the corporate name of OVERNIGHT PRODUCTIONS, INC. -------------------------------------------------------- THIS WAY OUT airs on over 85 public/community radio stations throughout the U.S. and Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, and on global shortwave station Radio For Peace International (RFPI). For a complete Station Carriage List and/or more information, write to THIS WAY OUT at P.O. Box 38327, Los Angeles, CA 90038-0327, or e-mail your request to: TWOradio@aol.com . ---------*----------- For a current list of participating stations and lots of other information about THIS WAY OUT (including cassette subscription information), you can also check out our brand-new WORLDWIDE WEB home page! Find it on the Queer Resources Directory ... Our page is at http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/media/radio/thiswayout ************************************************* HAVE YOU SEEN THE IMPORTANT LETTER ABOUT FUNDING "THIS WAY OUT" FROM LESBIAN-FEMINIST HUMORIST KATE CLINTON? YOU CAN REQUEST AN E-MAIL COPY FROM TWORADIO@AOL.COM. ********************THANKS!**********************