************************************************* The week of 12/11/95 on T H I S W A Y O U T the international gay & lesbian radio magazine * In NewsWrap: Hawaii's "Commission On Sexual Orientation & The Law" recommends expanding existing marriage laws to include gay and lesbian couples ... a sweeping pro-lesbigay "Sexuality Discrimination Act" in Australia may have been introduced too late for consideration during the current legislative session ... gays and lesbians in Oregon are shaken by the possible hate crime murders of an activist lesbian couple there ... protests continue to dog Zimbabwe's homophobic President Mugabe, this time in The Netherlands ... in its first federal appellate court test, the Clinton "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military policy is challenged before all 13 judges of the 4th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals ... and several other stories [anchored by Cindy Friedman and Greg Gordon] ... * In what notorious homophobe Lou Sheldon of The Traditional Values Coalition called a "pay off" of a campaign promise made to him by House Speaker Newt Gingrich, special hearings on "Parents, Schools and Values" were held December 5th and 6th before the U.S. House of Representatives' Economic and Employment Subcommittee on Oversight And Investigations. Sheldon himself did not testify, but witnesses ranged from former U.S. Education Secretary William Bennett to California mother Mary Griffith, whose gay teenaged son committed suicide. TWO's Lucia Chappelle and Greg Gordon (with a big assist from Cindy Friedman) present an extended report, including an interview by Frank Stoltze (KPFK-FM/Los Angeles News Director) with Danny Jenkins, Director of Youth Services at Los Angeles' Gay & Lesbian Community Services Center about the realities faced by lesbigay students ... * In the fourth of a multi-part feature interview, 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" talks with TWO's Josy Catoggio about the need to bring the many single-issue campaigns that Vaid says characterize American progressive politics (including lesbigay rights) into a more powerful inclusive holistic movement ... ... and more! ========================*=============================== --------- ===> NewsWrap <=== --------- For the week ending December 9th, 1995 (As broadcast on THIS WAY OUT Program #402, distributed 12-11-95) [Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Jason Lin, Bill Stosine, Greg Gordon and Ron Buckmire] _________________________________________________ Please note that a special extended report on the recent U.S. Congressional hearings on "Parents, Schools and Values" follows "NewsWrap"... _________________________________________________ EXTENDING EXISTING MARRIAGE LAWS TO INCLUDE GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES APPEARS TO BE THE SIMPLEST APPROACH TO ESTABLISHING EQUAL RIGHTS, ACCORDING TO HAWAII'S "COMMISSION ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND THE LAW". THAT WAS THE CONCLUSION OF THE FINAL REPORT THE GOVERNMENT COMMISSION TURNED OVER TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE THIS WEEK AFTER MONTHS OF RESEARCH AND TESTIMONY. THE COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE HAWAII LEGISLATURE IN THE WAKE OF A STATE SUPREME COURT RULING THAT THE DENIAL OF MARRIAGE LICENSES TO GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES CONSTITUTED ILLEGAL DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF GENDER. UNLESS THE STATE LEGISLATURE TAKES ACTION, THE STATE WILL HAVE TO PROVE IN A PENDING TRIAL COURT HEARING BOTH A COMPELLING JUSTIFICATION FOR RESERVING MARRIAGE FOR HETEROSEXUALS ONLY, AND THAT DENYING MARRIAGE TO GAYS AND LESBIANS IS THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE MEANS OF SERVING THE STATE'S INTERESTS. SINCE THE STATE IS NOT LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO MEET THAT BURDEN OF PROOF, IT'S GENERALLY EXPECTED THAT "THE HAWAII EQUAL RIGHTS MARRIAGE PROJECT" WILL WIN THAT CASE, ESTABLISHING LEGAL MARRIAGES FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS IN HAWAII. HETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGES IN ONE STATE ARE AUTOMATICALLY RECOGNIZED IN ALL OTHER U.S. STATES, ALTHOUGH SOME STATE LEGILSATURES HAVE ALREADY CONSIDERED SPECIFIC MEASURES THAT WOULD NOT EXTEND THAT COURTESY TO SAME-GENDER MARRIED COUPLES. [Sources: THE NEW YORK TIMES, NEWSWEEK magazine, NATIONAL FREEDOM TO MARRY COALITION press release, and "GLAADLINES" from The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation] IN WHAT AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR LESBIAN AND GAY RIGHTS SPOKESPERSON BRIAN GRIEG CALLED "THE MOST PROFOUND AND SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF HUMAN RIGHTS LEGISLATION AUSTRALIA HAS EVER SEEN", "THE SEXUALITY DISCRIMINATION ACT 1995" WAS INTRODUCED IN THE AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT IN LATE NOVEMBER BY DEMOCRAT SID SPINDLER. IT WOULD EXTEND TO GAYS, LESBIANS AND TRANSGENDERS THE FULL RANGE OF NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS NOW ESTABLISHED FOR DISCRIMINATION BASED ON GENDER, RACE AND DISABILITY. HOWEVER, THE BILL DOES INCLUDE EXEMPTIONS FOR CHURCHES AND CHURCH SCHOOLS WITH RELIGIOUS OBJECTIONS TO HOMOSEXUALITY, AND SPINDLER WAS CAREFUL TO SAY, "THE BILL DOES NOT PROMOTE HOMOSEXUALITY, DOES NOT GIVE ANY SUPPORT TO PEDOPHILES, DOES NOT ATTACK THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE, BUT SIMPLY EQUALIZES THE LEGAL POSITION OF SAME SEX COUPLES WITH DE FACTO HETEROSEUXAL COUPLES." THE BILL IS LIKELY TO DIE WITHOUT A VOTE, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN INTRODUCED LATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. WITH ELECTIONS PENDING, SOME HAVE VIEWED ITS INTRODUCTION AS A CYNICAL POLITICAL MANIPULATION. NONETHELESS, THE AUSTRALIAN CHRISTIAN COALITION WAS QUICK TO REACT IN THE STRONGEST TERMS, WITH ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOHN McNICOL QUOTING ADOLF HITLER'S WORDS, "I WANT TO RAISE A GENERATION DEVOID OF CONSCIENCE" AND SUGGESTING THAT THE DEMOCRATS SHARED THAT GOAL. [AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS and "BROTHER-SISTER"/Australia] IN FRANCE, A LESBIAN COUPLE WON RECOGNITION FROM AN APPEALS COURT -- AFTER ONE OF THE WOMEN HAD DIED. THE LATE-NOVEMBER DECISION UPHELD AN AWARD OF INSURANCE COMPENSATION TO THE SURVIVOR IN RECOGNITION OF HER "MAJOR MORAL SUFFERING" AFTER HER LOVER WAS KILLED IN A CAR CRASH. THE RULING REPRESENTED "A NEW ADVANCE IN THE RECOGNITION OF THE RIGHTS OF A GAY PARTNER", IN THE WORDS OF THE PARIS NEWSPAPER "LIBERATION". [REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS] GAYS AND LESBIANS IN OREGON HAVE BEEN SHAKEN BY THE DOUBLE MURDER OF A MDEFORD LESBIAN COUPLE WHO WERE ACTIVE CAMPAIGNERS AGAINST HOMOPHOBIC BALLOT MEASURES THERE. MICHELLE ABDILL AND ROXANNE ELLIS, PARTNERS FOR 12 YEARS, HAD BEEN MISSING FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THEIR REMAINS WERE DISCOVERED DECEMBER 8TH IN THE CAMPER SHELL OF THEIR TRUCK. MEDFORD POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING THE DEATHS AS HATE CRIMES BECAUSE THE COUPLE HAD RECEIVED DEATH THREATS IN THE PAST. POLICE HAVE NOT YET REVEALED THE DETAILS BUT SAY BOTH DIED VIOLENTLY, AND ARE TAKING SERIOUSLY THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE COUPLE'S ABDUCTION AND DEATH ARE RELATED TO THEIR HIGH-PROFILE ACTIVISM. [COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE-TELEGRAPH, NANDO TIMES, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS and REUTER NEWS SERVICE] THE HOMOPHOBIC RHETORIC OF ZIMBABWE'S PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE WAS PROTESTED BY ABOUT 50 DUTCH GAYS AND LESBIANS IN LATE NOVEMBER IN MAASTRICHT, WHERE MUGABE WAS ATTENDING THE GLOBAL COALITION FOR AFRICA CONFERENCE. IN ADDRESSING THE CONFERENCE, MUGABE CALLED HOMOSEXUALITY "UN-AFRICAN AND AN ABOMINATION" AND SAID THAT "SOME MEN FORCE OTHERS TO BECOME WOMEN." WHILE SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES EXPRESSED AGREEMENT, NO ONE AT THE CONFERENCE TOOK ISSUE WITH MUGABE'S REMARKS -- NOT EVEN THE DUTCH MINISTER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION JAN PRONK, WHO FELT HIS ROLE AS CHAIR OF THE CONFERENCE MADE IT INAPPROPRIATE FOR HIM TO SPEAK OUT. PRONK'S SILENCE WAS PROTESTED IN THE DUTCH PARLIAMENT BY THE NETHERLANDS' GREEN PARTY, AS WELL AS IN A LETTER FROM ABOUT 100 DELEGATES ATTENDING THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE DUTCH NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN GROUP "COC". [per cybercorrespondent BERT SCHUUR and REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS] AT THEIR ANNUAL CONGRESS, "COC" ALSO HAD TO DEAL WITH A NUMBER OF INTERNAL ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES, INCLUDING LOBBYING AGAINST A PENDING SUBSTANTIAL CUT IN ITS GOVERNMENT FUNDING. BUT THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE LATE NOVEMBER MEETING IN HAARLEM WAS A SPEECH BY THE DUTCH UNDERSECRETARY FOR JUSTICE MRS. SCHMITZ, WHO AUTHORED THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT'S POSITION PAPER ON GAY AND LESBIAN ISSUES AS PART OF THE PENDING OVERHAUL OF THE NETHERLANDS' FAMILY LAWS. SAYING IT WOULD BE UNWISE FOR THE NETHERLANDS TO MOVE TOO FAR OUT OF LINE WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, SHE STATED HER POSITION AGAINST FULL LEGAL MARRIAGES FOR SAME-GENDER COUPLES BUT FAVORING ESTABLISHMENT OF A MARRIAGE-LIKE OFFICIAL REGISTRY OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITHOUT THE RIGHT TO ADOPT CHILDREN. [per cybercorrespondent BERT SCHUUR] 5,000 GAYS AND LESBIANS MARCHED THROUGH MADRID DESPITE COLD AND RAIN IN LATE NOVEMBER TO DEMAND LEGAL RECOGNITION OF THEIR RELATIONSHIPS AND EQUAL RIGHTS. AT A RALLY IN THE PUERTO DEL SOL PLAZA, THEY DELIVERED THEIR MANIFESTO AGAINST "ANY IMPLICITLY OR EXPLICITLY HOMOPHOBIC ACT, EXPRESSION OR STATEMENT BY INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, GOVERNMENTS OR INSTITUTIONS, AS WELL AS ALL AGGRESSION, PHYSICIAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL, THAT ANY PERSON SUFFERS AS A RESULT OF HIS OR HER SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY." [REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS] IN ARGENTINA, THE GROUP LESBIANAS A LA VISTA -- LESBIANS ON SIGHT -- DEMONSTRATED FOR EQUAL RIGHTS BY PUTTING ON A PUBLIC PUPPET SHOW. THEY CREATED TWO LONG-HAIRED LESBIAN PUPPETS AND A SKIT IN WHICH THEY BEGAN WITH A DANCE AND ENDED WITH A PASSIONATE KISS, ALL TO THE STRAINS OF A BOLERO WHOSE LYRICS CELEBRATED THE "SPECIAL LOVE" OF A COUPLE WHO "ARE MORE THAN JUST FRIENDS". THE PUPPET SHOW WAS PERFORMED THREE TIMES IN THE SAN TELMO AREA OF BUENOS AIRES ON DECEMBER 3RD, WITH MANY OTHER GAY AND LESBIAN GROUPS PRESENT TO LEND SUPPORT. LEAFLETS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO PASSERS-BY, SOME OF WHOM JOINED THE GAYS AND LESBIANS -- AND THE PUPPETS -- IN DANCING IN THE STREET AS THE SUN SET. [per ALEJANDRA SARDA of LESBIANAS A LA VISTA] THE U.S. BAN ON MILITARY SERVICE BY OPEN GAYS AND LESBIANS CAME UNDER SCRUTINY THIS WEEK IN A RARE HEARING BEFORE ALL 13 JUDGES OF THE 4TH CIRCUIT OF THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS. A MORE TYPICAL 3-JUDGE PANEL OF THE COURT HAD REQUESTED THE "EN BANC" HEARING IN THE CASE OF NAVY LIEUTENANT PAUL THOMASSON, WHO WAS DISCHARGED AFTER TELLING HIS COMMANDER THAT HE IS GAY. THOMASSON'S ATTORNEY ALLAN MOORE ARGUED THAT THE SO-CALLED "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" POLICY VIOLATED THOMASSON'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH, AND SAID "THIS POLICY IS BASED ON THE IRRATIONAL CONCERNS OF SOME HETEROSEXUALS." DEFENDING THE GOVERNMENT'S ACTION, DEPUTY SOLICITOR GENERAL ED KNEEDLER COUNTERED BY SAYING, "IT IS NOT PREJUDICE. IT IS PRUDENCE." KNEEDLER ARGUED THAT THOMASSON'S STATEMENT WAS EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN PROHIBITED HOMOSEXUAL CONDUCT. ONE JUDGE SAID THAT WAS A RATIONAL ASSUMPTION, BUT SEVERAL OF THE JUDGES ASKED IF DISMISSAL WOULD FOLLOW FROM OTHER STATEMENTS THAT COULD BE LINKED TO ILLEGAL ACTS. SOME OF THE JUDGES APPEARED RELUCTANT TO INTERFERE WITH THE AUTHORITY OF CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT TO RUN THE MILITARY. A DECISION IS NOT EXPECTED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, AND WHATEVER THE OUTCOME, IT IS LIKELY TO BE APPEALED TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT. [THE ASSOCIATED PRESS and REUTER NEWS SERVICE] IN A RELATED STORY, THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE U.S. MILITARY BAN ON GAYS AND LESBIANS WAS ALSO CONSIDERED THIS WEEK BY A PANEL OF THE 9TH CIRCUIT U.S. COURT OF APPEALS IN THE CASE OF VETERAN ARMY NATIONAL GUARD COLONEL MARGARETHE CAMMERMEYER. THE HIGHLY-DECORATED NURSE WAS THE HIGHEST-RANKING OFFICER EVER TO BE DISCHARGED FROM U.S. MILITARY SERVICE FOR HOMOSEXUALITY. SHE WAS REINSTATED ON THE ORDER OF U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE THOMAS ZILLY, A MOVE THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT CONTEST -- BUT ZILLY ALSO DECLARED THE MILITARY BAN UNCONSTITUTIONAL, A RULING THE GOVERNMENT CLAIMS WAS TOO BROAD. [per LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND press release] AND FINALLY ... IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH OF A HOMOSEXUAL PHYSICAL DISPLAY OF AFFECTION FOR A MOVIE TO GET A RESTRICTED RATING IN THE U.S., BUT AT LEAST ONE SOURCE IS READY TO RATE A REAL-LIFE GAY MAN AS "PG". THAT'S THE ACRONYM DECEMBER'S "SELF" MAGAZINE SAYS HETEROSEXUAL WOMEN ARE CURRENTLY USING FOR "PROBABLY GAY", AS IN, "IF HE'S HANDSOME, SMART, FUNNY, UNMARRIED AND UTTERLY UNINTERESTED IN YOU, HE GETS A 'PG' RATING." AND IF YOU'RE A GAY MAN INCLINED TO CALL THAT SAME MAN A "SISTER", CONSIDER THAT THE ACRONYM "SIS" STANDS FOR "A STUD IN SPANDEX" -- WHICH "SELF" DEFINES AS "A GYM PREDATOR WHOSE INTEREST LIES IN SWAPPING SWEAT, NOT KNOWLEDGE." [PRNewswire] ======================================================== =SPECIAL EXTENDED REPORT= U.S. CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON "PARENTS, SCHOOLS AND VALUES" GETS MIXED REVIEWS [prepared by CINDY FRIEDMAN, LUCIA CHAPPELLE and GREG GORDON] TWO DAYS OF HEARINGS ON "PARENTS, SCHOOLS AND VALUES" WERE HELD THIS WEEK BEFORE THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS. THE FIRST NEWS OF THESE HEARINGS CAME IN SEPTEMBER FROM NOTORIOUS HOMOPHOBE LOU SHELDON, WHO USED THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT AS A FUNDRAISER FOR HIS TRADITIONAL VALUES COALITION. SHELDON SAID THEN THAT THE COALITION WAS ACTIVELY ASSISTING THE SUBCOMMITTEE WITH RESEARCH FOR THE HEARINGS -- WHICH HE CALLED HIS PAY-OFF ON A 1994 CAMPAIGN PROMISE BY HOUSE SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH. SHELDON'S INVOLVEMENT SPARKED A MAJOR OUTCRY FROM THE NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN. THEIR OBJECTIONS, AS WELL AS PRESSURE FROM THE GAY AND LESBIAN LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS, WERE PROBABLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TWO POSTPONEMENTS -- AND FOR WHATEVER BALANCE THERE WAS IN THE TESTIMONY THAT WAS ACTUALLY HEARD. IN OPENING THE HEARINGS ON DECEMBER 5TH, SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR PETER HOEKSTRA, A REPUBLICAN FROM MICHIGAN, SAID THE FIRST DAY'S WITNESSES WOULD EXPLORE THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN SCHOOLS AND VALUES IN THE "BIG PICTURE". THEY WERE FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION WILLIAM BENNETT, AUTHOR OF THE POPULAR "BOOK OF VIRTUES", AND "CALIFORNIA TEACHER OF THE YEAR" PATRICIA ANN BALTZ. NEITHER ACTUALLY MENTIONED GAYS OR LESBIANS, ALTHOUGH BOTH CALLED FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOT TO INTERFERE IN LOCAL CONTROL OF EDUCATION, AND BENNETT WAS CAREFUL TO SAY, "I'M NOT HERE TO BASH ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLES OR DEBUNK ANYBODY'S LIFE". ON THE SECOND DAY, HOWEVER, HOMOSEXUALITY WAS A CENTRAL THEME AS AN ELEMENT IN SEX EDUCATION AND DIVERSITY TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOLS. THREE OF THE 8 WITNESSES WERE CLEARLY SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE PROGRAMS. ANNE SIMON, A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER FROM MASSACHUSETTS, RECOMMENDED TO THE COMMITTEE BY THE LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS, PRAISED THE GAY/STRAIGHT ALLIANCE PROGRAM AT HER SCHOOL AS PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING AND TOLERANCE THAT ASSISTED HER IN CREATING A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL HER STUDENTS. ALAN STORM, A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR FROM ARIZONA, SAID MOST OF HIS STUDENTS' PARENTS SUPPORT SEX EDUCATION, AND SAID COMMUNITIES CAN AND SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO PROECT YOUNG PEOPLE'S HEALTH. MARY GRIFFITH, WHOSE BOOK "A PRAYER FOR BOBBY" TOLD THE STORY OF HER GAY TEENAGED SON'S SUICIDE, ALSO TESTIFIED. THE CALIFORNIA MOTHER WON THE VOCAL PRAISE AND SYMPATHY OF ALMOST ALL THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS. SHE BEGGED THE CONGRESS NOT TO CURTAIL PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO STOP THE HARASSMENT AND ABUSE GAY AND LESBIAN TEENS EXPERIENCE IN SCHOOLS. FIVE WITNESSES SPOKE AGAINST SEX EDUCATION AND DIVERSITY TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THEIR SCHOOLS, THREE OF THEM EXPLICITLY CONCERNED WITH THE SO-CALLED "PROMOTION" OF HOMOSEXUALITY. LAW PROFESSOR GEORGE DENT ASSERTED THAT MANY SCHOOLS ARE FORCING PARENTS TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN ATTEND PROGRAMS THAT VIOLATE THEIR RELIGIOUS AND MORAL BELIEFS. SANDI MARTINEZ, OF CONCERNED WOMEN FOR AMERICA, COMPLAINED THAT HER NIECE HAD BEEN UPSET BY THE GRAPHIC DIALOG IN A SEX EDUCATION VIDEO ADOPTED BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD. OTHER WITNESSES INCLUDED A MASSACHUSETTS INITIATIVE ORGANIZER WHOSE MEASURE TO BAN SCHOOL-BASED CONDOM PROGRAMS FAILED, AND A MINNESOTA SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE WHO LOST TO A PRO-DIVERSITY TRAINING OPPONENT. THE BIGGEST SURPRISE WAS THE CURIOUS TESTIMONY OF CLAIRE CONNELLY, PRESIDENT OF THE VENTURA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA GAY AND LESBIAN RESOURCE CENTER. WITHOUT DOCUMENTATION, SHE CLAIMED THAT 3 BILLION DOLLARS IN FEDERAL FUNDS ARE SUPPORTING COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS RUN BY GAYS AND LESBIANS TO INFILTRATE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PROMOTE PROMISCUITY. CONNELLY CONFERRED WITH LOU SHELDON OUTSIDE THE HEARING ROOM SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE PROCEEDINGS. BOTH DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS APPEARED TO BE APPROPRIATELY SKEPTICAL OF THE TESTIMONY OF THESE WITNESSES. LOU SHELDON HIMSELF DID NOT TESTIFY, NOR DID CANDACE GINGRICH, THE OPENLY-LESBIAN HALF-SISTER OF THE HOUSE SPEAKER, WHOSE REQUEST TO APPEAR CAME TOO LATE. ALSO NOTABLY ABSENT FROM THE LINE-UP WERE YOUNG PEOPLE OF ANY SEXUAL ORIENTATION. SO WILL THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES' "PARENTS, SCHOOLS AND VALUES" HEARINGS HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE PLIGHT OF GAY AND LESBIAN YOUTH -- FOR GOOD OR FOR ILL? THE TRADITIONAL VALUES COALITION'S LOU SHELDON CLAIMS THAT THE HEARINGS SUPPORTED HIS CONTENTION THAT HOMOSEXUALITY IS PROMOTED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE CONGRESS SHOULD INTERVENE TO STOP THAT. OPENLY-GAY REPRESENTATIVE STEVE GUNDERSON, A REPUBLICAN FROM WISCONSIN AND A RECOGNIZED EXPERT ON EDUCATION WHO SAT IN ON THE HEARINGS, SAID THAT NO ONE COULD SAY A CASE HAD BEEN MADE THAT SUCH PROMOTION WAS TAKING PLACE. THE NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN BOTH FEEL THE NEGATIVE TESTIMONY JUSTIFIED THEIR WORST FEARS ABOUT THE HEARINGS. THE LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS PUT A HAPPY FACE ON THE MATTER, CALLING IT THE FIRST FEDERAL DISCUSSION OF THE HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION EXPERIENCED BY GAY AND LESBIAN YOUTH, THE OPENING OF A GOOD DIALOG, AND A FORUM WHERE MYTHS ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDING WERE BUSTED. AS FOR THE LARGER AMERICAN PUBLIC, THE HEARINGS PROBABLY MEANT VERY LITTLE ... NO SPECIFIC LEGISLATION WAS AT STAKE, AND BROADCAST MEDIA COVERAGE WAS NOTABLY MEAGER. [Sources: for this report: THE WASHINGTON BLADE, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, REUTER NEWS SERVICE, and press releases from THE LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS, THE NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN TASK FORCE and THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN] ************************************************* 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). 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