************************************************* The week of 12/04/95 on T H I S W A Y O U T the international gay & lesbian radio magazine * In NewsWrap: A South African Parliamentary committee recommends banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in the country's armed forces ... sodomy reform in Romania, required for the country's membership in The Council of Europe, has been hobbled by three extremist political parties in the country's Chamber Of Deputies ... London's direct-action group OutRage plans to truly establish a "queer nation", if only for a week ... Colorado's U.S. Congressmemeber Patricia Schroeder and U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon, each of whom have supported lesbigay rights, announce their imminent retirement from the national political scene, while Massachusetts pro-lesbigay Republican Governor William Weld says he'll run for the U.S. Senate in 1996 ... and several other stories [anchored by Cindy Friedman and Brian Nunes] ... * A recently-released award-winning film from Canada has stirred controversy in the U.S. after receiving a "no one under 17 admitted" NC-17 rating. Pam Marshall and Chris Wilson talk with the director and provide clips from the lesbian love story-themed motion picture "When Night Is Falling" ... * In the third of a multi-part feature interview with Josy Catoggio, Urvashi Vaid, former Executive Director of The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force and author of the recently-published "Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Gay and Lesbian Liberation" discusses the goal of sexual liberation beyond the "nature versus nurture" question seemingly inherent in the debate over lesbigay civil rights ... ... and more! ========================*=============================== --------- ===> NewsWrap <=== --------- For the week ending December 2nd, 1995 (As broadcast on THIS WAY OUT Program #401, distributed 12-04-95) [Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Jason Lin, Bill Stosine, Greg Gordon, Graham Underhill and Ron Buckmire] IN SOUTH AFRICA THIS WEEK, PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA'S AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS PROPOSED OPENING MILITARY SERVICE TO GAYS AND LESBIANS, IN ACCORD WITH THE NATION'S CONSTITUTIONAL BAN AGAINST DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION. THE MOVE WAS OPPOSED BY THE NATIONAL PARTY, WHICH GOVERNED DURING APARTHEID, CLAIMING IT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO DISCIPLINE AND DAMAGE MILITARY EFFECTIVENESS. BUT THE ANC PREVAILED AT LEAST IN THE PARLIAMENT'S JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON DEFENSE, WHICH VOTED TO INCLUDE A BAN ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION DISCRIMINATION IN ITS "WHITE PAPER" ON MILITARY ISSUES. WHILE THE "WHITE PAPER" IS NOT BINDING, IT IS SAID TO CARRY CONSIDERABLE WEIGHT WITH THE GOVERNMENT. [Sources: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS and REUTER NEWS SERVICE] REFORM OF ROMANIA'S SODOMY LAW WAS STALLED IN LATE NOVEMBER WHEN THE LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, VOTED TO REJECT AN OMNIBUS BILL UPDATING THE PENAL CODE. THREE EXTREMIST PARTIES VOTING AGAINST THE PACKAGE -- THE PARTY OF ROMANIAN NATIONAL UNITY, THE GREATER ROMANIA PARTY AND THE SOCIALIST WORKERS' PARTY -- CITED SODOMY REFORM AS THE KEY TO THEIR OPPOSITION. ROMANIA'S ORTHODOX CHURCH HAS BEEN CAMPAIGNING HEAVILY FOR A YEAR TO INCREASE CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR HOMOSEXUAL ACTS. THE ROMANIAN PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN STRUGGLING WITH SODOMY REFORM SINCE IT WAS MADE A CONDITION FOR THE COUNTRY'S MEMBERSHIP IN THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE. ALTHOUGH PREVIOUS VOTES BY BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT HAD BEEN WIDELY REPORTED TO HAVE ESTABLISHED THE NEW SODOMY LAW, THE REFORM TURNS OUT TO BE DEPENDENT ON FINAL PASSAGE OF THE ENTIRE PACKAGE OF AMENDMENTS TO THE PENAL CODE. THIS MEANS THAT PRIVATE SEX ACTS BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS OF THE SAME GENDER ARE STILL PUNISHABLE IN ROMANIA BY ONE TO 5 YEARS IN PRISON. [REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS] BRINGING A NEW DIMENSION TO THE PHRASE "QUEER NATION", LONDON'S DIRECT ACTION GROUP OUTRAGE WILL BE ESTABLISHING ITS OWN GAY AND LESBIAN COUNTRY -- IF ONLY FOR A WEEK. AT A COST OF $13,000, THEY'VE ARRANGED TO RENT EVERY BUILDING AVAILABLE ON LUNDY, A SMALL ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF DEVON, ENGLAND, WHICH HAS ONLY 12 RESIDENTS. DURING THEIR OCCUPATION, OUTRAGE INTENDS TO FLY THE RAINBOW FLAG, PRINT GAY MONEY AND ISSUE MARRIAGE LICENSES TO GAYS AND LESBIANS. THE ACTION IS MEANT TO ENCOURAGE BRITAIN TO ADMIT MORE GAY AND LESBIAN REFUGEES. [REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS, citing Australia's CAPITAL Q] IN AUSTRALIA, THE NEW SOUTH WALES STATE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY IN MID-NOVEMBER NARROWLY REJECTED A BILL TO EXTEND TO HETEROSEXUALS PROTECTIONS NOW GRANTED TO GAYS AND LESBIANS. THE BILL WAS INTRODUCED BY NATIONAL PARTY MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WENDY MACHIN, WHO SAID STRAIGHTS WERE INCREASINGLY BEING HECKLED AND HARRASSED IN GAY NEIGHBORHOODS SUCH AS OXFORD STREET. SINCE HER PROPOSAL FAILED, NEW SOUTH WALES' ANTI-DISCRIMINATION ACT CONTINUES TO PROHIBIT ONLY DISCRIMINATION AGAINST AND VILIFICATION OF GAYS AND LESBIANS. [SYDNEY (Australia) MORNING HERALD] IN THE U.S., TWO SUPPORTERS OF EQUAL RIGHTS FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS WILL BE RETIRING FROM THE NATIONAL POLITICAL SCENE, BUT ANOTHER MAY BE ENTERING IT. OUTSPOKEN LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PATRICIA SCHROEDER, ONE-TIME PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL AND FOR 24 YEARS A U.S. CONGRESSMEMBER FROM COLORADO, ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT SHE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION IN 1996. U.S. SENATOR MARK HATFIELD OF OREGON, A MODERATE REPUBLICAN WHO WAS PARTICULARLY SUPPORTIVE OF GAYS AND LESBIANS WHILE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE, ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT HE WILL NOT BE SEEKING ANOTHER TERM. BUT MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR WILLIAM WELD, OFTEN HELD UP AS A MODEL OF A REPUBLICAN WHO IS NONETHELESS ACTIVELY SUPPORTIVE OF GAYS AND LESBIANS, HAS ANNOUNCED HE'LL BE RUNNING IN 1996 FOR A U.S. SENATE SEAT. [REUTER NEWS SERVICE, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, and LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS press release] DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS NOW PROHIBITED IN THE EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES OF THE 9TH U.S. CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS. THE POLICY WAS ESTABLISHED THIS WEEK BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE CIRCUIT'S JUDICIAL COUNCIL. ALTHOUGH THE NATIONAL U.S. JUDICIAL COUNCIL ORDERED ALL 12 FEDERAL APPELLATE CIRCUITS TO UPDATE THEIR EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION STANDARDS, THE 9TH CIRCUIT IS THE FIRST TO INCLUDE SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS A PROTECTED CATEGORY. THE 9TH CIRCUIT INCLUDES 9 WESTERN STATES, GUAM AND THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS. [UPDATE/San Diego, CA] A U.S. FEDERAL JUDGE IN KANSAS HAS KEPT THE LESBIAN NOVEL "ANNIE ON MY MIND" ON THE SHELVES OF THE OLATHE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S LIBRARY. ALTHOUGH "ANNIE ON MY MIND" WAS NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 1982 BY THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, IT'S BEEN A TOP TARGET OF CENSORSHIP EFFORTS ACROSS THE U.S. EVER SINCE. THE JUDGE FOUND THAT OLATHE'S SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT HAD ACTED SOLELY OUT OF HIS PERSONAL HOMOPHOBIA IN TRYING TO BAN "ANNIE" FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY. THAT SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT ALSO HAPPENS TO ACT AS PRESIDENT OF STUDENT LIFE AT A FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN COLLEGE. [U.S.A. TODAY] THE U.S. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL THIS WEEK ANNOUNCED A NEW SERIES OF T.V. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS ENCOURAGING SAFER SEX. THE CAMPAIGN, CALLED "RESPECT YOURSELF, PROTECT YOURSELF" IS SPECIFICALLY AIMED AT TEENS, AND ONE SPOT IS THE CDC'S FIRST EVER TO TARGET GAY MEN. THAT SPOT IS ANYTHING BUT EXPLICITLY GAY, HOWEVER -- IT SIMPLY PORTRAYS A GROUP OF YOUNG MEN DISCUSSING SEX, ONE OF WHOM SAYS "I'M HIV-NEGATIVE AND I INTEND TO STAY THAT WAY". NONETHELESS, THE RIGHTWING FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL CALLED THE PSA'S "AN IRRESPONSIBLE USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS" FOR SEEMING TO CONDONE TEEN SEX. BUT U.S. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY DONNA SHALALA, WHO'S TAKEN FLAK ALREADY -- BOTH FROM THOSE WHO SAY THE PSA'S GO TOO FAR, AND THOSE WHO SAY THEY DON'T GO FAR ENOUGH -- SAID, "IF YOU DON'T LIKE THESE ADS, YOU'RE OLD". [REUTER NEWS SERVICE and GLAAD press release] HIGH SCHOOLS IN DENVER, COLORADO WILL BEGIN A NEW CAMPAIGN AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA IN EARLY 1996. DESPITE INTENSE OPPOSITION FROM FOCUS ON THE FAMILY AND OTHER RIGHT-WING CHRISTIAN GROUPS, THE DENVER SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS APPROVED A POSTER FOR DISPLAY IN ITS 10 HIGH SCHOOLS. THE POSTER PUBLICIZES THE DISTRICT'S POLICY PROHIBITING HARRASSMENT BASED ON RACE AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION. IT'S INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO DISCUSS DISCRIMINATION ISSUES WITH SCHOOL COUNSELORS, AND THE COUNSELORS WILL UNDERGO SPECIAL TRAINING FOR THAT PURPOSE. [ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS/Denver, CO] A MINISTER IN IRELAND HAS RESIGNED HIS POST FOLLOWING NEWSPAPER REPORTS THAT HE BROUGHT AN EROTIC GAY FILM HOME FROM A TRIP TO AMSTERDAM. DAVID TEMPLETON RESIGNED FROM SERVICE WITH THE ARDS PRESBYTERY CONGREGATION IN BELFAST WITHOUT MAKING PUBLIC COMMENT. HE HAD BEEN ON SICK LEAVE SINCE THE FIRST PUBLISHED REPORTS OF HIS QUESTIONING BY CUSTOMS OFFICIALS ABOUT THE FILM EARLIER THIS YEAR. [THE NEWS-TELEGRAPH/St. Louis, MO] PRIESTS IN THE SWEDISH LUTHERAN CHURCH HAVE ESCALATED THEIR PROTEST AGAINST RELIGIOUS CELEBRATION OF GAY AND LESBIAN WEDDINGS, ALTHOUGH SWEDEN LEGALLY RECOGNIZES GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES. 49 PRIESTS ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT THEY WROTE AN OFFICIAL LETTER OF PROTEST TO BISHOP LARS ECKERDAL FOR PERMITTING A RECENT TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE CEREMONY FOR TWO MEN IN GOTHENBURG. THE LETTER SAID, "WE CANNOT POSSIBLY SEE YOU NOW AS OUR SPIRITUAL LEADER" AND ASKED ECKERDAL NOT TO ATTEND SERVICES IN THE PRIESTS' PARISHES. [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] BUT AL-AZHAR, EGYPT'S HIGHEST SUNNI ISLAM AUTHORITY, HAS APPROVED GENDER REASSIGNMENT SURGERY. A FATWA ISSUED IN MID-NOVEMBER SAID, "A MAN CAN UNDERGO AN OPERATION TO BECOME A WOMAN, AND A WOMAN CAN DO THE REVERSE, IF A DOCTOR DEEMS INTERVENTION NECESSARY TO BRING OUT SIGNS OF FEMININITY OR MASCULINITY WHICH ARE PRESENT BUT HIDDEN." ACCORDING TO EGYPTIAN CIVIL AUTHORITIES, ABOUT 20 TRANSSEXUALS HAVE REGISTERED IN EGYPT SINCE 1988. [SYDNEY (Australia) HERALD SUN] AND FINALLY ... THE MISSION OF AUSTRALIA'S EROS FOUNDATION IS TO IMPROVE THE IMAGE OF THE NATION'S SEX INDUSTRY. ITS LATEST CAMPAIGN IS TO STOP THE EXPORT OF BULL PENISES, ON THE GROUNDS THAT ANY CLAIMS THEY HAVE APHRODISIAC EFFECTS ARE JUST A LOAD OF BULL. LAST YEAR 5,000 TONS WERE SHIPPED FROZEN FROM AUSTRALIA TO ASIAN MARKETS AT A COST OF $1.15 PER KILO, BUT STILL THE DEMAND OUTSTRIPS THE SUPPLY; OR, AS TENARRA MEAT COMPANY MANAGER FRED McDONALD SAID, "WE CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THEM." HE DENIES THAT HIS COMPANY CLAIMS ANY APHRODISIAC POWERS FOR THE PRODUCT, REMARKING "OUR CUSTOMERS JUST SAY, 'THEY ARE GOOD FOR THE MEN'." AUSTRALIA'S OWN ADVERTISING RULES WOULD PROHIBIT MARKETING THE PRODUCT AS AN APHRODISIAC. THE ONLY LEGITIMATE APHRODISIAC ANIMAL PRODUCT THERE IS POWDERED DEER HORN, WHOSE HARVEST DOES NOT DAMAGE OR PAIN THE DEER. EROS FOUNDATION SPOKESPERSON ROBBIE SWAN SAID, "THE LIBIDO-ENHANCING CLAIMS ARE FRAUDULENT IN THE EXTREME. THEY ARE ABOUT AS MUCH USE AS A BULL'S TONGUE." [REUTER NEWS SERVICE] ************************************************* Some "THIS WAY OUT" operating expenses are funded by grants from THE C.P. ESTES GUADALUPE FOUNDATION, THE MARTHA J. TROLIN PHILANTHROPIC FUND 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 continually-updated 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 FROM LESBIAN- FEMINIST HUMORIST KATE CLINTON ABOUT THE FINANCIAL SURVIVAL OF "THIS WAY OUT" ? YOU CAN REQUEST AN E-MAIL COPY FROM TWORADIO@AOL.COM. ********************THANKS!**********************