************************************************* The week of 8/14/95 on T H I S W A Y O U T the international gay & lesbian radio magazine * In NewsWrap: An outed Austrian bishop may replace an ousted cardinal ... there may be up to six thousand homeless gays and lesbians in Australia, according to a recent report ... Zambia, the U.S. and South Africa debate what to do about AIDS in prison ... and several other stories [anchored by Cindy Friedman and Brian Nunes]; * Sacred cows and cultural contradictions confound activists in India, highlighted by a lawsuit involving the editor of the country's only gay newspaper and international media mogul Rupert Murdock [Karen Allen reports from Delhi]; * African-American gay man Keith Boykin, a special assistant to U.S. President Bill Clinton, talks about race and homophobia in the conclusion of a two-part conversation with TWO's Bert Wylen ... ... and more! ==========================*============================= --------- ===> NewsWrap <=== --------- For the week ending August 12, 1995 (As broadcast on THIS WAY OUT Program #385, distributed 8-14-95) [Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Jason Lin, Greg Gordon, Bill Stosine and Ron Buckmire] IN AUSTRIA, WHERE A GAY AND LESBIAN DIRECT ACTION GROUP THIS MONTH "OUTED" FOUR ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS AS GAY MEN, CARDINAL HANS GROER HAS RESIGNED HIS POST. IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, 5 MEN HAVE ALLEGED THAT GROER MOLESTED THEM WHILE THEY WERE HIS STUDENTS AT A CATHOLIC BOYS SCHOOL. GROER HAS NEVER DENIED OR CONFIRMED THE REPORTS. THE VATICAN IS EXPECTED TO ACCEPT GROER'S RESIGNATION, AND ONE OF THE FOUR "OUTED" BISHOPS IS LIKELY TO SUCCEED HIM. [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] IN GERMANY, A LEADING POLITICIAN HAS RESIGNED FOLLOWING CHARGES OF SEXUAL HARRASSMENT BY AT LEAST 4 OF HIS MALE STAFF. HEINZ EGGERT IS SAXONY'S MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR AND THE DEPUTY LEADER OF THE RULING NATIONAL CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION. HE'S ALSO A MARRIED FATHER OF 4. ALTHOUGH EGGERT HAS DENIED THE CHARGES, HE SAID THE PUBLICITY HAD BECOME "UNBEARABLE". [CHICAGO OUTLINES] THE U.S. NOW HAS ITS FIRST OPENLY GAY OR LESBIAN EVER ELECTED TO STATEWIDE OFFICE, ALTHOUGH HIS ORIENTATION WASN'T PUBLIC AT THE TIME OF HIS ELECTION. VERMONT'S STATE AUDITOR ED FLANAGAN WAS ELECTED IN 1992 BUT ONLY RECENTLY PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS A GAY MAN. THIS YEAR, FLANAGAN QUIETLY JOINED BURLINGTON'S PRIDE MARCH IN JUNE. NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF THE EVENT INCLUDED A PHOTO SHOWING HIM AMONG THE MARCHERS; AND ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT IDENTIFY HIM BY NAME, IT STIMULATED INQUIRIES THAT LED TO HIS COMING OUT. [ASSOCIATED PRESS] OPENLY GAY WASHINGTON STATE SENATOR CAL ANDERSON DIED AUGUST 4TH AT THE AGE OF 47 FROM COMPLICATIONS OF AIDS. THE FIRST OPEN GAY EVER TO SERVE IN THE WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE, ANDERSON SERVED IN THE HOUSE FROM 1987 THROUGH 1994, WHEN HE WAS ELECTED TO THE STATE SENATE. HE WAS ALSO A FOUNDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF LESBIAN AND GAY OFFICIALS. [SEATTLE TIMES and INT'L NETWORK OF LESBIAN & GAY OFFICIALS press release] ANOTHER RECENT AIDS DEATH OF A GAY U.S. POLITICIAN WAS THAT OF FORMER REPUBLICAN U.S. CONGRESSMEMBER JON HINSON, IN LATE JULY. HE WAS 53. HINSON WAS FIRST ELECTED BY A MISSISSIPPI DISTRICT IN 1978. HIS GAY ASSOCIATIONS FIRST BECAME PUBLIC DURING HIS 1980 REELECTION CAMPAIGN, BUT HE CLAIMED TO HAVE PUT ALL THAT BEHIND HIM AND WAS NARROWLY RETURNED TO CONGRESS. IN 1981, HE RESIGNED HIS SEAT AFTER BEING ARRESTED FOR SODOMY IN THE HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING. HE LATER BECAME ACTIVE IN THE GAY AND LESBIAN CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, CAMPAIGNING AGAINST THE U.S. MILITARY BAN ON GAYS AND LESBIANS AND FOUNDING TWO ORGANIZATIONS IN VIRGINIA. [WASHINGTON (D.C.) BLADE] THE BRITISH MILITARY MAY SOON BE MAKING ROOM FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS, DESPITE JUNE'S HIGH COURT DECISION UPHOLDING THE PRESENT BAN. THE MAINSTREAM LONDON TELEGRAPH NEWSPAPER REPORTED THAT ARMED FORCES MINISTER NICHOLAS SOAMES DIRECTED DEFENSE SECRETARY MALCOLM RIFKIND TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT PANEL DEVELOP A "COMPROMISE" POSITION. AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE IN THE DEFENSE MINISTRY SAID ONE POSSIBLE COMPROMISE MIGHT BE TO MAINTAIN THE BAN IN SITUATIONS OF CLOSE, CONFINED WORKING CONDITIONS OR GREAT DANGER, WHILE OPENING OTHER AREAS OF SERVICE TO GAYS AND LESBIANS. [CHICAGO OUTLINES] THERE MAY BE FIVE-TO-SIX THOUSAND HOMELESS GAY AND LESBIAN YOUTH IN AUSTRALIA, ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT. THE REPORT, ENTITLED "AS LONG AS I'VE GOT MY DREAMS", WAS DEVELOPED BY THE 2010 ASSOCIATION, A LESBIAN AND GAY YOUTH PROGRAM IN SYDNEY, WITH THE SUPPORT OF NEW SOUTH WALES MINISTER FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES RON DYER. IT SAYS THE HOMELESSNESS RESULTS FROM FAMILY REJECTION, HOMOPHOBIA IN THE SCHOOLS AND HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES, COMPOUNDED BY THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S OWN LOW SELF-ESTEEM, DRUG ABUSE AND EXPERIENCE OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION. IT RECOMMENDS INCREASED PUBLIC HOUSING, SUPPORT FOR YOUTH AT RISK FOR HOMELESSNESS, AND ANTI-HOMOPHOBIA TRAINING IN SCHOOLS. THE NEW SOUTH WALES MINISTRY FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES WILL BE ASSEMBLING A COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE SERVICES FOR YOUNG HOMELESS GAYS AND LESBIANS. [MELBOURNE STAR OBSERVER] THE ISSUE OF AIDS AMONG PRISONERS IS COMING TO THE FORE IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES THIS MONTH. IN ZAMBIA, WHERE THE PREVALENCE OF AIDS IS VERY HIGH, 100 HIV-INFECTED INMATES WERE RELEASED THIS WEEK. A DEPARTMENT OF PRISONS SPOKESPERSON SAID, "INMATES WITH AIDS ARE RELEASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF MEDICAL OFFICERS BECAUSE PRISONS ARE NOT THE PLACE FOR KEEPING TERMINALLY ILL PEOPLE. RELEASING THEM ALSO ENSURES THAT THE SPREAD OF THE EPIDEMIC IS LIMITED." A 1993 STUDY FOUND THAT PERHAPS ONE-SIXTH OF ZAMBIAN PRISONERS WERE HIV-POSITIVE AS A RESULT OF MALE-MALE SEX AND SHARING OF RAZOR BLADES. [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] A JUDGE IN OHIO HAS ISSUED THE FIRST U.S. FEDERAL COURT RULING THAT AIDS-RELATED ILLNESS CAN CONSTITUTE EXTRAORDINARY PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT QUALIFYING FOR REDUCED SENTENCING. FEDERAL JUDGE ANN ALDRICH WROTE IN THE CASE OF CONVICTED ROBBER CARLO STREAT THAT, "WHILE HIV STATUS ALONE DOES NOT WARRANT A SENTENCE REDUCTION, ONCE A DEFENDANT HAS DEVELOPED INFECTIONS RELATED TO HIS OR HER COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM, THOSE IMPAIRMENTS MAY BE SUFFICIENT..." THE DECISION WAS APPLAUDED BY THE LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND, WHICH SUBMITTED A BRIEF IN THE CASE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COURT. [LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND press release] SOUTH AFRICA HAS BEEN SEGREGATING ITS PRISONERS WITH HIV, AND A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS HAS CALLED FOR DISTRIBUTING CONDOMS INSTEAD. THE ANC'S CARL NIEHAUS BELIEVES PRISON OFFICIALS SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE PREVALENCE OF HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVITY AMONG INMATES. ALTHOUGH SOUTH AFRICA HAS MADE HIV TESTING FOR PRISONERS VOLUNTARY RATHER THAN COMPULSORY, NIEHAUS BELIEVES THE SEGREGATION OF HIV-POSITIVE INMATES SERVES TO PUNISH THOSE WHO TAKE THE TEST. [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] IN CANADA, THE BRITISH COLUMBIA COUNCIL OF HUMAN RIGHTS HAS ORDERED A GYNECOLOGIST TO PAY DAMAGES TO A LESBIAN COUPLE BECAUSE HE REFUSED TO PROVIDE THEM ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION. DOCTOR GERALD KORN OF VANCOUVER CLAIMED HE FEARED HE'D BECOME INVOLVED IN A LAWSUIT IF THE COUPLE LATER BROKE UP, BUT THE COUNCIL BELIEVED SUCH A SUIT TO BE UNLIKELY. KORN MUST NOW PAY TRACY POTTER AND SANDRA BENSON 3,400 CANADIAN DOLLARS -- ABOUT $2,500 U.S. -- FOR EMOTIONAL INJURY AND EXPENSES. [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] RUSSIA'S JUSTICE MINISTRY IN LATE JULY DENIED OFFICIAL REGISTRATION TO THE LESBIAN, GAY AND BISEXUAL TRIANGLE CENTER, SAYING IT "CONTRAVENED THE NORMS OF PUBLIC MORALITY." TRIANGLE PROTESTED IN A LETTER TO THE MINISTRY THAT SAID, "THE REFUSAL TO REGISTER OUR ASSOCIATION IS A PURE AND SIMPLE VIOLATION OF LIBERTY AND HUMAN RIGHTS." [e-mailed report from T.W.O. correspondent BJORN SKOLANDER] BUT IN COSTA RICA, A GAY AND LESBIAN ORGANIZATION HAS WON THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION IT WAS PREVIOUSLY DENIED. THE GROUP, FORMERLY KNOWN AS "ABRAXAS" AND NOW CALLING ITSELF "PINK TRIANGLE", WAS THE FIRST GAY AND LESBIAN ORGANIZATION EVER TO TRY TO GET OFFICIAL RECOGNITION FROM COSTA RICA'S OFFICE OF REGISTRATION OF ORGANIZATIONS. [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] AN ARSON FIRE IN KEY WEST, FLORIDA ON AUGUST 3RD DESTROYED THE COPA, A POPULAR GAY CLUB, ALONG WITH 4 OTHER BUSINESSES. THE U.S. BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS IS INVESTIGATING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. [MIAMI HERALD] LAST YEAR'S STONEWALL 25 IN NEW YORK CITY CELEBRATED A HERITAGE OF PRIDE BUT HAS LEFT A LEGACY OF DEBT. THERE'S STILL ALMOST $300,000 OUTSTANDING OF THE INITIAL DEBT OF $365,000. SOME CREDITORS HAVE FORGIVEN WHAT'S OWED THEM, WHILE STONEWALL 25 CONTINUES TO REALIZE INCOME FROM SALES OF PROMOTIONAL ITEMS AND A VIDEO OF THE EVENT. [WASHINGTON (D.C.) BLADE] AND FINALLY ... PROFESSOR JENNIFER GERARDA BROWN OF THE QUINNIPIAC COLLEGE OF LAW HAS COMPLETED A DETAILED STUDY OF THE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC IMPACT SHOULD HAWAII LEGALIZE GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES. SHE BELIEVES THAT EQUAL MARRIAGE RIGHTS WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE TOURISM, CREATING NEW JOBS AND NEW BUSINESSES, AND ENLARGING STATE TAX REVENUES. MOREOVER, SHE FINDS THAT HAWAII IS READY TO HANDLE IT ALL WITH NO NEW GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT REQUIRED. THE CONCLUSION OF THE LAWSUIT FOR SAME-GENDER MARRIAGES WON'T COME UNTIL NEXT YEAR, BUT BROWN'S CONCLUSION IS PUBLISHED IN THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LAW REVIEW: A BOTTOM-LINE INCREASE OF FOUR BILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS ... ENOUGH TO WIPE OUT HAWAII'S CURRENT BUDGET DEFICIT! [HONOLULU ADVERTISER] ************************************************* 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!**********************