************************************************* The week of10/30/95 on T H I S W A Y O U T the international gay & lesbian radio magazine * In NewsWrap: Openly-gay U.S. Congressmember Gerry Studds, reportedly stung by "The Republican Revolution", announces he won't seek re-election next year ... Members of The New Zealand Parliament and activists in Sweden keep the heat on Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe over his notoriously homophobic remarks ... British navy survey reveals rank and file opposition to openly-queer personnel ... and several other stories [anchored by Cindy Friedman and Brian Nunes] ... * The Concerned Women For America recently purchased ads in selected mainstream U.S. newspapers condemning The National Education Association for its support of Gay & Lesbian History Month. Youth activist and author Patricia Nell Warren ("The Front Runner") discusses the CWA's homophobic "ruthlessness" in a personal commentary ... * Michelangelo Signorile, columnist and author of the best-selling "Queer In America" has turned the controversial topic of "outing" inward in his latest book, "Outing Yourself". In the final installment of a month-long feature interview, TWO's Josy Catoggio talks with Signorile about coming out on the job, and the importance of visibility for the full spectrum of the lesbigay community ... ... and more! ========================*=============================== --------- ===> NewsWrap <=== --------- For the week ending October 28, 1995 (As broadcast on THIS WAY OUT Program #396, distributed 10-30-95) [Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Jason Lin, Greg Gordon, Bill Stosine, Graham Underhill, Ross Stevenson, Brendon Wickham, and Ron Buckmire] OPENLY-GAY U.S. CONGRESSMEMBER GERRY STUDDS ANNOUNCED ON OCTOBER 28th THAT HE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION IN 1996. DEMOCRAT STUDDS IS CURRENTLY SERVING HIS TWELFTH TERM, HAVING REPRESENTED MASSACHUSETTS IN THE U.S. HOUSE FOR 23 YEARS. STUDDS WAS FORCED OUT OF THE CLOSET IN 1983 WHEN HE WAS CENSURED BY CONGRESS FOR AN EARLIER AFFAIR WITH A MALE CONGRESSIONAL PAGE. ONCE OUT, HOWEVER, HE BECAME A STAUNCH ADVOCATE FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS, WITHOUT LOSING THE POLITICAL SUPPORT OF HIS CONSTITUENCY. STUDDS HAS BEEN NOTABLY DISEMPOWERED POLITICALLY SINCE THE REPUBLICANS GAINED CONTROL OF CONGRESS IN 1994. THEIR RESTRUCTURING ELIMINATED THE COMMITTEE HE HAD CHAIRED, AND HE'S REPORTEDLY BEEN OFFENDED BY THE GLEE WITH WHICH THEY'VE WORKED TO DISMANTLE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS HE LABORED TO PASS. [Source: THE BOSTON GLOBE] THE HOMOPHOBIC PRONOUNCEMENTS OF ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE CONTINUE TO DRAW INTERNATIONAL PROTEST. 37 MEMBERS OF THE NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT SIGNED A LETTER DRAFTED BY OPENLY GAY M.P. CHRIS CARTER SAYING, "WE ARE SURE THAT, AS A BLACK AFRICAN WHO GREW TO ADULTHOOD IN A WHITE-DOMINATED RHODESIA, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT DISCRIMINATION IS USUALLY BASED ON IGNORANCE." THE LETTER ALSO CALLED ON MUGABE TO INSTITUTE LEGAL PROTECTIONS FROM DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION. NEW ZEALAND'S GAY AND LESBIAN ACTIVISTS ARE PLANNING PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS WHEN MUGABE VISITS THEIR COUNTRY IN EARLY NOVEMBER FOR THE COMMONWEALTH PRIME MINISTERS CONFERENCE. IN SWEDEN, 20 GAYS AND LESBIANS DEMONSTRATED OUTSIDE ZIMBABWE'S EMBASSY IN STOCKHOLM ON OCTOBER 19TH. THEY CALLED ON MUGABE TO STOP HIS ANTI-GAY ACTIVITIES AND ASKED THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT TO DECREASE ITS FOREIGN AID TO ZIMBABWE. [REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS] THE BRITISH DEFENSE MINISTRY REPORTED THIS WEEK THAT CONTINUING THE BAN ON SERVICE BY OPEN GAYS AND LESBIANS IS SUPPORTED BY "AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY" OF NAVAL PERSONNEL OF ALL RANKS -- PERHAPS AS MANY AS 90 PERCENT. THE RESULTS OF THE NAVY'S INTERNAL SURVEY ARE BEING TURNED OVER TO THE GOVERNMENT. THERE'S REASON TO SUSPECT THE DECK MAY HAVE BEEN STACKED, HOWEVER, AS NAVY BRASS HAS BEEN VOCAL IN SUPPORT OF THE BAN. A DEFENSE MINISTRY TASK FORCE IS CURRENTLY REVIEWING THE BAN, BUT ACTIVISTS ARE SUSPICIOUS OF THAT PROCESS AS WELL, SINCE THERE ARE NO PLANS TO TAKE TESTIMONY FROM GAYS AND LESBIANS DISCHARGED FROM MILITARY SERVICE. [REUTER NEWS SERVICE and GAY TIMES OF LONDON] THE CONNECTICUT SUPREME COURT THIS WEEK HEARD ORAL ARGUMENTS IN AN APPEAL OF A DECISION BANNING MILITARY RECRUITERS FROM STATE-FUNDED SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST GAYS AND LESBIANS. THE SUIT WAS FILED IN 1992 BY THE CONNECTICUT CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION AND THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION ON BEHALF OF THE GAY AND LESBIAN LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT. A LOWER COURT RULED IN THEIR FAVOR IN 1994, DENYING MILITARY RECRUITERS USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES BECAUSE THEY VIOLATED CONNECTICUT'S HUMAN RIGHTS LAW. [AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION press release] AN AFFILIATE OF THE U.S. REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE CALLED THE COLLEGE REPUBLICANS OF COLORADO HAS FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST THREE COLORADO STATE-SUPPORTED COLLEGES THAT PROHIBIT THEM FROM DISCRIMINATING AGAINST GAYS AND LESBIANS. TO RECEIVE OFFICIAL RECOGNITION AND THE USE OF CAMPUS FACILITIES, STUDENT GROUPS AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY AT FORT COLLINS, THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO AT GREELEY, AND THE METROPOLITAN STATE COLLEGE OF DENVER MUST PLEDGE NOT TO DISCRIMINATE ON GROUNDS INCLUDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION. TAKING OFF FROM THE RECENT U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION THAT ALLOWED BOSTON'S SAINT PATRICK'S DAY PARADE TO BAN GAYS AND LESBIANS, THE FILING SAYS THAT, "IF THE COLLEGE REPUBLICANS ... WERE COMPELLED TO ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALS ... THIS WOULD CHANGE THE MESSAGE COMMUNICATED BY THE COLLEGE REPUBLICANS' SPEECH AND OTHER FIRST AMENDMENT ACTIVITIES." [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] IN AUSTRALIA, MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT UNION VOTED BY A MARGIN OF 6-TO-1 TO ESTABLISH THE PAID POSITION OF "QUEER OFFICER". THEY REASONED THAT THE PAID POSITION WOULD GIVE MORE PERMANENCE TO REPRESENTATION FOR SEXUAL MINORITY STUDENTS THAN THE SHIFTING POPULATION OF CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS. THE POSITION WILL BE FILLED BY ELECTION AND IS PLANNED TO ASSIST LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANY, AND ANY OTHER NON-HETEROSEXUAL-IDENTIFYING STUDENTS IN OBTAINING SCHOLARSHIPS AND WITH OTHER CAMPUS ISSUES, AS WELL AS PROVIDING PUBLIC EDUCATION AND SAFER-SEX PROMOTION. THE CAMPUS YOUNG LIBERALS GROUP IS PROTESTING AND HAS THREATENED A LAWSUIT. [BROTHER SISTER/Australia] AN UNPRECEDENTED 12 OPENLY GAY AND LESBIAN CANDIDATES WERE ON BALLOTS IN NEW ZEALAND'S MID-OCTOBER ELECTIONS -- AND ALL OF THEM LOST. 8 OF THEM WERE RUNNING AGAINST EACH OTHER TO REPRESENT THE HEAVILY GAY AND LESBIAN WESTERN WARD ON THE AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL. THE ONLY INCUMBENT, TREVOR BARNARD, LOST HIS SEAT REPRESENTING THE TAMAKI WARD ON THE AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL AS PART OF VOTERS' GENERAL REJECTION OF HIS ALLIANCE PARTY. THE ONLY QUEER VICTORY WAS GEORGINA BEYERS' LANDSLIDE ELECTION IN THE CARTERTON DISTRICT TO BECOME NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST TRANSSEXUAL MAYOR. [OUT! MAGAZINE/New Zealand] IN IOWA, THE STATE'S CHAPTER OF THE RIGHT-WING AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION HAS TARGETED A GAY-FRIENDLY MAYORAL CANDIDATE FOR DEFEAT. LEE CLANCY LED THE FIELD IN A PRIMARY IN MID-OCTOBER TO WIN A PLACE ON THE BALLOTING FOR MAYOR OF CEDAR RAPIDS. IN JUNE, SHE'D BEEN ONE OF THE SPONSORS OF A SUPPORTIVE ADVERTISEMENT IN CELEBRATION OF GAY AND LESBIAN PRIDE MONTH ... AND THAT "IS GOING TO HURT HER AND IT'S GOING TO HURT HER BAD", PROMISED LARRY JOHNSON, DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION OF IOWA. UNFORTUNATELY FOR JOHNSON, CLANCY'S OPPONENT, J.D. SMITH, AGREES WITH HER THAT GAY AND LESBIAN ISSUES SHOULD BE DEBATED AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS RATHER THAN A LOCAL ELECTION ... AND WHEN ASKED HIS POSITION ON GAY AND LESBIAN CIVIL RIGHTS, SMITH SAID, "I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ONE". JOHNSON EXPRESSED PARTICULAR DISMAY THAT TRANSGENDERS WERE ADDED AS A PROTECTED CATEGORY OCTOBER 10th TO IOWA CITY'S HUMAN RIGHTS ORDINANCE BY A VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. [CEDAR RAPIDS GAZETTE] IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA GAYS AND LESBIANS HAVE BEEN WAITING SINCE 1991 FOR MAYOR RENDELL TO BRING ABOUT DOMESTIC PARTNERS BENEFITS FOR THE CITY'S EMPLOYEES, BUT HE'S NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GET THE MEASURE OUT OF COMMITTEE AND ON TO THE CITY COUNCIL FLOOR. IN A PRE-ELECTION DEBATE IN MID-OCTOBER, HE VOICED HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA, SAYING HE PLANNED TO BRING IT UP AGAIN WITH THE COUNCIL. FAILING THAT, HE SAID HE'D SIGN AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, BUT ALSO SAID THERE WOULD NOT BE TIME TO DO SO BEFORE THE NOVEMBER BALLOTING. HIS REPUBLICAN OPPONENT JOE ROCKS REJECTS THE PLAN AS TOO COSTLY. [PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER] CANADA HAS DROPPED ITS PLANS TO INCLUDE QUESTIONS ABOUT GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES IN ITS 1996 CENSUS. AN AGENCY SPOKESPERSON SAID, "WE KNOW FROM TESTING THAT THERE ARE CANADIANS WHO FEEL OFFENDED, UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT LIVING ARRANGEMENT. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE CENSUS IS TO COUNT EVERYONE". EQUAL RIGHTS FOR SAME-GENDER COUPLES IS A MATTER OF CURRENT CONTROVERSY IN CANADA. [TORONTO GLOBE & MAIL] CANADA'S OLDEST GAY AND LESBIAN ORGANIZATION HAS SHUT DOWN. AFTER 24 YEARS, THE ASSOCIATION OF LESBIANS, GAYS AND BISEXUALS OF OTTAWA NOW EXISTS IN NAME ONLY, WITH A SKELETON BOARD OF DIRECTORS. WITH 16-THOUSAND-DOLLARS' DEBT AND MEMBERSHIP DOWN TO 150, THE ASSOCIATION HAS CLOSED ITS OFFICE AND ENDED PUBLICATION OF ITS NEWSLETTER "GO INFO". "GO INFO"'S ADVERTISING REVENUE HAD BEEN A MAJOR SOURCE OF INCOME FOR THE ASSOCIATION, BUT ONE-THIRD OF THAT INCOME HAS BEEN LOST SINCE "CAPITAL XTRA!" BEGAN PUBLICATION TWO YEARS AGO. THE ASSOCIATION HAD WORKED TO SUPPORT GAYS AND LESBIANS IN DEVELOPING A POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE, TO PROVIDE PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND TO LOBBY FOR SOCIAL CHANGE. OTTAWA ACTIVIST BARRY DEEPROSE REMARKED, "I THINK PEOPLE BECAME LESS POLITICAL AS OUR RIGHTS BECAME MORE ENSHRINED IN LEGISLATION." [PHILADELPHIA GAY NEWS] IN AUSTRALIA, NEW SOUTH WALES ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SHAW IS PROPOSING LAW REFORMS FAVORABLE TO TRANSGENDERS. HE'S SEEKING BOTH TO ENABLE THEM TO RECEIVE BIRTH CERTIFICATES RECOGNIZING THEIR NEW GENDERS AND TO PROTECT THEM FROM EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION. THE NEW SOUTH WALES STATE CABINET HAS AGREED TO HIS PROPOSALS AND THEY'LL BE INTRODUCED IN THE STATE PARLIAMENT IN THE NEW FEW WEEKS. [SYDNEY TELEGRAPH-MIRROR] IN BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, THE HUMAN WELFARE AND COMMUNITY ACTION COMMISSION VOTED IN LATE SEPTEMBER TO INCLUDE TRANSGENDERS AS A PROTECTED GROUP UNDER ITS ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY. THE MEASURE REQUIRES APPROVAL BY THE BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL. [BAY AREA REPORTER/San Francisco] WHEN GERMANY'S MILITARY CHAPLAINS HELD A SERVICE HONORING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BUNDESWEHR, THEY NATURALLY EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT VOLKER BECK -- AND TO "MRS. BECK" AS WELL. OPEN GAY BECK TURNED DOWN THE INVITATION WITH A LETTER NOTING THAT HIS MALE PARTNER IS, "FIRSTLY, A MR. AND NOT A MRS., AND SECONDLY, NOT CALLED BECK." [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] AND FINALLY ... IN THE AUSTRALIAN STATE OF VICTORIA, THERE'S A NEW ORGANIZATION FOR GAY AND LESBIAN POLICE OFFICERS. WHILE THE STATE POLICE ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS THOSE OFFICERS ALREADY RECEIVE EQUAL TREATMENT, THE GROUP SAYS SUPPORT IS NEEDED FOR OFFICERS TO "COME OUT" ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND THAT THEY WILL SEEK BENEFITS FOR THEIR DOMESTIC PARTNERS EQUAL TO THAT OF HETEROSEXUAL OFFICERS' MARRIAGE PARTNERS. THE TWENTY OR SO CURRENT MEMBERS HAVE CHOSEN A NAME SO APPROPRIATE, YOU'VE GOT TO WONDER WHY IT HASN'T BEEN USED BEFORE: THE LAVENDAR BLUES. [SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, MELBOURE AGE, and CAPITAL Q/Sydney] ************************************************* 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. 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