************************************************* The week of 8/28/95 on T H I S W A Y O U T the international gay & lesbian radio magazine * In NewsWrap: Philippine lawmakers consider establishing a lesbian & gay seat in Congress ... Israelis charge Palestinians with anti-gay abuses ... responses vary to lesbigay participation in annual "India Day" observances in the U.S. ... protesters "greet" homophobic Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe in South Africa ... and several other stories [anchored by Cindy Friedman and Brian Nunes]; * In "Getting Simon: Two Gay Doctors' Journey To Fatherhood", Baltimore psychologist KEN MORGEN provides a personal account of his efforts to become a parent. He talks with John Stupeck about the frustrating but ultimately successful process that gave birth to his dream-come-true family ... * The murderous ambush of a lesbian couple on a camping trip in 1988 shocked many Americans into taking a closer look at homophobic violence. CLAUDIA BRENNER talks with Sue Pierce about that unprovoked sniper attack and its aftermath -- the subject of Brenner's new book "8 Bullets: One Woman's Story of Surviving Anti-Gay Violence"... ... and more! ========================*=========================== --------- ===> NewsWrap <=== --------- For the week ending August 26, 1995 (As broadcast on THIS WAY OUT Program #387, distributed 8-28-95) [Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Jason Lin, Greg Gordon, Bill Stosine, Rex Wockner and Ron Buckmire] A BILL FILED THIS WEEK IN THE PHILIPPINES WOULD ESTABLISH A SEAT IN CONGRESS THERE REPRESENTING LESBIANS AND GAYS. IN ADDITION TO 204 ELECTED CONGRESSMEMBERS, THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION EMPOWERS THE PRESIDENT TO APPOINT UP TO 25 MEMBERS TO REPRESENT SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS -- KNOWN AS "SECTORS" -- SUCH AS LABOR AND YOUTH. ON AUGUST 22ND, CONGRESSMEMBER REYNALDO CALALAY PROPOSED CREATING A SECTOR FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS, SAYING, "THERE IS A GROWING RECOGNITION BOTH HERE AND ABROAD OF THE EMERGING RELEVANCE ... OF THAT DISTINCT SEGMENT OF SOCIETY KNOWN AS THE 'THIRD SEX' .... CIVILITY...REQUIRES THAT THIS PECULIAR SEGMENT OF OUR PEOPLE BE EXTENDED OUR UNDERSTANDING, NOT RIDICULE; OUR COMPASSION, NOT HARASSMENT." [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] IN ISRAEL, GAYS WERE CITED AMONG THE TARGETS OF CIVIL RIGHTS ABUSES BY THE PALESTINIAN PREVENTIVE SECURITY SERVICE, IN ALLEGATIONS BY THE ISRAELI HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP B'TSELEM. B'TSELEM'S REPORT CLAIMED THE PALESTINIANS WERE ARRESTING AND DETAINING SUSPECTS WITHOUT WARRANTS OR FORMAL CHARGES, GOING OUTSIDE THEIR JURISDICTION, AND SOMETIMES PHYSICALLY TORTURING DETAINEES. B'TSELEM CHARGES THAT THE PALESTINIANS ARE ACTING AGAINST THOSE THEY BELIEVE TO BE IMMORAL, INCLUDING GAYS. THE PALESTINIAN PREVENTIVE SECURITY SERVICE DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS. [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] THE ANNUAL AUGUST CELEBRATIONS OF INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE A WIDE RANGE OF RESPONSES TO GAYS AND LESBIANS IN THAT COMMUNITY. IN NEW YORK CITY, SALGA, THE SOUTH ASIAN LESBIAN AND GAY ASSOCIATION, WAS DENIED THE CHANCE TO JOIN IN THE AUGUST 20TH INDIA DAY PARADE FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR. ALTHOUGH ONCE AGAIN THE REASON GIVEN WAS THE GROUP'S IDENTIFICATION AS "SOUTH ASIAN" RATHER THAN EXCLUSIVELY INDIAN, SEVERAL OTHER "SOUTH ASIAN" GROUPS WERE ALLOWED TO MARCH. BUT THE GAY AND LESBIAN INDIAN GROUP TRIKONE WAS CHEERED HEARTILY ON THE SAME DAY IN THE INDIA DAY PARADE IN FREMONT, CALIFORNIA -- AND THE FESTIVAL'S ORGANIZERS HAD SPECIFICALLY INVITED TRIKONE TO PARTICIPATE. [FOCUSPOINT/Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN =and= SAN JOSE (CA) MERCURY-NEWS] ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE HAS BEEN SPEAKING OUT AGAINST GAYS AND LESBIANS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF AUGUST -- AND AS HE ARRIVED IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR A REGIONAL SUMMIT ON AUGUST 28TH, THERE WERE SOME 200 DEMONSTRATORS VOICING THEIR PROTEST. THE DEMONSTRATION WAS ORGANIZED BY SOUTH AFRICA'S NATIONAL COALITION FOR GAY AND LESBIAN EQUALITY, WHICH PLANS TO CONTINUE TO PICKET MUGABE THROUGHOUT HIS VISIT. PROTESTORS KISSED AND HUGGED AS WELL AS CHANTED IN A MOCKING WELCOME TO MUGABE. THEIR POSTERS INCLUDED THE SLOGANS "MUGABE BEWARE, YOU ARE ENTERING AN EQUAL RIGHTS ZONE", "IGNORANT HATRED LIKE MUGABE'S CAUSES GENOCIDE" AND "MUGAYBE OR MUGAYBE NOT!" [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] GAYS AND LESBIANS IN VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA AND IN CALIFORNIA'S ORANGE COUNTY CELEBRATED PRIDE IN AUGUST. RAIN ON AUGUST 7TH DIDN'T STOP SOME 20,000 SPECTATORS FROM TURNING OUT FOR VANCOUVER'S 17TH ANNUAL PRIDE MARCH, WHICH FEATURED 75 FLOATS. ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO WATCH ORANGE COUNTY PRIDE ON AUGUST 13TH, WHICH FEATURED DANCERS FROM DISNEYLAND'S GAY AND LESBIAN EMPLOYEE GROUP. [GAY & LESBIAN TIMES/San Diego, CA =and= UPDATE/San Diego, CA] IN WASHINGTON STATE, HOMOPHOBIC REMARKS BY THE SPOKANE COUNTY CORONER SPARKED CALLS FOR HIS RESIGNATION FROM ACTIVISTS ACROSS THE U.S. THE BODY OF 9-YEAR-OLD RACHEL CARVER WAS FOUND LAST JUNE AND HER UNCLE CONFESSED TO THE MURDER. SHE'D PREVIOUSLY BEEN REMOVED FROM HER FATHER'S CUSTODY AND RELOCATED TO SPOKANE BECAUSE OF CHARGES HE'D SEXUALLY MOLESTED HER, AND AUTHORITIES ALSO SUSPECTED SHE'D BEEN MOLESTED BY HER UNCLE AND BY HER MOTHER'S BOYFRIEND. BUT DESPITE ALL THAT, WHEN DOCTOR DEXTER AMEND EXAMINED HER BODY AND FOUND EVIDENCE THAT SHE'D BEEN REPEATEDLY SODOMIZED, HE INSISTED SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF THE METHOD OF HER ABUSE THAT IT WAS "HOMOSEXUALS" WHO HAD ABUSED HER. HE WENT ON TO SAY "TO HAVE EVERYBODY THINK THAT HOMOSEXUALITY IS OKAY IS A BUNCH OF BALONEY", AND IN A FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEW HE BLAMED HOMOSEXUALITY FOR AIDS AS WELL. SPOKANE COUNTY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION CHAIR JANET STEVENSON WAS QUICK TO RESPOND, SAYING "DOCTOR AMEND HAS SCAPEGOATED AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE. HIS COMMENTS ARE PERSONAL IN NATURE AND DEVOID OF FACT". OTHER PROTESTS HAVE COME FROM THE NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE AND THE GAY AND LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION. [BAY AREA REPORTER/San Francisco; FOCUSPOINT/Minneapolis- St. Paul, MN; GAY AND LESBIAN TIMES/San Diego, CA] GAY & LESBIAN ISSUES ARE STIRRING CONTROVERSY IN THE U.S. MID-WEST. ILLIONIS HAS LEGALLY RECOGNIZED LESBIAN CO-PARENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME. A PRECEDENT-SETTING APPELLATE COURT RULING IN JULY OPENED THE DOOR FOR A COOK COUNTY JUDGE TO FINALLY APPROVE TWO COUPLES' ADOPTION PETITIONS ON AUGUST 24TH. [CHICAGO TRIBUNE =and= LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND press release] ON AUGUST 21ST, THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA DECIDED TO DELAY UNTIL AFTER NOVEMBER ELECTIONS ITS CONSIDERATION OF ADDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS A PROTECTED CATEGORY UNDER THE CITY'S HUMAN RIGHTS ORDINANCE. [SIOUX CITY JOURNAL] THE CITY COUNCIL OF SAUGATUCK, MICHIGAN -- A RESORT TOWN MUCH FREQUENTED BY GAYS -- UNANIMOUSLY VOTED DOWN PROPOSED CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS. CITY MANAGER PERRY FRANZOI SAID, "THE CITY COUNCIL BELIEVES SUCH AN ORDINANCE WOULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND DETRIMENTAL TO THE CITY" BECAUSE OF THE "AMOUNT OF TIME AND MONEY ENFORCING AN ORDINANCE LIKE THIS." ALSO, THE SAUGATUCK CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU VOTED TO RESCIND ITS OWN 2-YEAR-OLD NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY AS "TOO CONTROVERSIAL". [WINDY CITY TIMES/Chicago] CONSERVATIVES IN SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA IN MID-AUGUST ANNOUNCED A CAMPAIGN TO END THE CITY'S SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAMS FOR GAY AND LESBIAN YOUTH. THE CATHOLIC DEFENSE LEAGUE, MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN COALITION AND MINNESOTA FAMILY COUNCIL JOINED TOGETHER TO PROTEST THE YEAR-OLD PROGRAM CALLED "OUT FOR EQUITY". THEY CITE THE COST OF THE PROGRAM BUT ALSO BELIEVE IT'S A MEANS FOR "PROMOTING" HOMOSEXUALITY. [ST.PAUL PIONEER PRESS] A MAINSTREAM U.S. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONSULTING FIRM HAS REPORTED THAT THE ACTUAL COST TO EMPLOYERS OF DOMESTIC PARTNER BENEFITS IS QUITE SMALL. HEWITT ASSOCIATES SAYS THAT ABOUT 150 U.S. COMPANIES HAVE INSTITUTED THOSE BENEFITS SINCE 1982, BUT THAT ONLY ABOUT 3 PERCENT OF EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY SIGN UP FOR THEM, AND THAT ALMOST 70 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO DO ARE HETEROSEXUAL. THEY ATTRIBUTE THE LOW ENROLLMENT RATE TO MOST PARTNERS ALREADY HAVING THEIR OWN COVERAGE. HEWITT ALSO FOUND THAT CLAIMS BY PARTNERS OF GAY AND LESBIAN EMPLOYEES DO NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THOSE OF THEIR MARRIED HETEROSEXUAL COUNTERPARTS. [ASSOCIATED PRESS =and= PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS] OCTOBER IS INCREASINGLY OBSERVED AS GAY AND LESBIAN HISTORY MONTH IN THE U.S., AS WAS RECENTLY ENDORSED BY THE U.S. NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. THIS YEAR IT MAY BE HISTORY-IN-THE-MAKING AS WELL. THE TRIAL OF JONATHAN SCHMITZ WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 16TH -- HE'S THE MAN ACCUSED OF MURDERING GAY SCOTT AMEDURE AFTER HE CONFESSED HIS SECRET CRUSH ON SCHMITZ DURING A TAPING OF THE POPULAR JENNY JONES TV TALK SHOW. AND HEARINGS BEFORE THE U.S. SUPREME COURT ON COLORADO'S AMENDMENT 2 -- THE MEASURE TO PROHIBIT AND OVERTURN CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS FOR GAYS, LESBIANS AND BISEXUALS -- ARE SCHEDULED TO BEGIN ON OCTOBER 10TH, THE EVE OF NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY. [FRONTIERS/Los Angeles =and= ASSOCIATED PRESS] BUT THE MAN WHO FOUNDED NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY, ROB EICHBERG, HAS DIED AT AGE 50 OF AIDS-RELATED ILLNESS. PSYCHOLOGIST EICHBERG ALSO CREATED A POPULAR WORKSHOP CALLED "THE EXPERIENCE" TO SUPPORT GAYS AND LESBIANS IN COMING OUT, AND WROTE THE CLASSIC BOOK "COMING OUT: AN ACT OF LOVE." [ASSOCIATED PRESS =and= HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND press release] THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS BECAME THE LATEST ELEMENT OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION, WITH A MID-AUGUST STATEMENT BY SECRETARY JESSE BROWN. NOW, OF THE 14 CABINET-LEVEL DEPARTMENTS, ONLY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS YET TO ISSUE SUCH A PERSONNEL POLICY. [HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND press release] IN WHAT MAY BE A FIRST FOR THE U.S. MILITARY, AN OPENLY GAY ARMY RESERVE OFFICER IN MID-AUGUST ASSUMED A COMMAND POSITION. A COURT INJUNCTION HAS ALLOWED 13-YEAR-VETERAN CAPTAIN KEN OSBORN TO REMAIN IN UNIFORM BECAUSE HE'S ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS IN "ABLE VERSUS THE U.S.", A KEY LEGAL CHALLENGE TO THE SO-CALLED "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" POLICY. OSBORN NOW COMMANDS THE HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT OF THE 155TH CORPS SUPPORT BATTALION IN EL MONTE, CALIFORNIA. [GAY AND LESBIAN TIMES/San Diego, CA] AND FINALLY ... THEY MUST'VE REALLY BEEN STOMPING AT A NEW YORK DISCO RECENTLY, BECAUSE THE TRADITIONAL MIRROR BALL FELL DOWN FROM THE CEILING AND LANDED SMACK ON THE HEAD OF DRAG PERFORMER BILLIE ANN MILLER. BUT DISASTER WAS AVERTED BECAUSE THAT QUEEN WAS PROPERLY CROWNED, AND ACCORDING TO A WITNESS HER "HUGE" TIARA HELPED ABSORB THE IMPACT AND PROBABLY SAVED HER LIFE. [BAY WINDOWS/Boston, MA =and= OPTIONS/Providence, Rhode Island] ************************************************* 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 audiocassette subscription information), you can also check out our 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!**********************