************************************************* The week of 01/08/96 on T H I S W A Y O U T the international gay & lesbian radio magazine * In NewsWrap: A British military task force recommendation echoes the U.S. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy ... an interracial gay wedding stirs media controversy in South Africa ... a vicious Neo-Nazi gay-bashing murder makes news in Houston, Texas ... hundreds of lesbigay youth storm Sacramento for a first-ever California "Youth Lobby Day" ... German prosecutors deny telling Compuserve to pull the newsgroups ... and several other stories ... [anchored by Cindy Friedman and Brian Nunes] * The biggest selling book in the world is easily the most controversial. Nationally-syndicated openly-lesbian U.S. newspaper columnist and now radio commentator Deb Price demonstrates how the Bible continues to serve as the rationale for varying political ideologies ... * A recently-published novel called "In A Family Way" brings out the web of relationships involved in an unusual custody fight between a lesbian family and their gay male sperm donor. Even more "novel" is the fact that the book was written by a heterosexual woman. Julie Drizin talks with P-FLAG mom and author Rochelle Hollander Schwab ... ... and more! ========================*=============================== --------- ===> NewsWrap <=== --------- For the week ending January 6th, 1996 (As broadcast on THIS WAY OUT Program #406, distributed 01-01-96) [Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Jason Lin, Bill Stosine, Greg Gordon, Graham Underhill, Patricia Nell Warren and Ron Buckmire] IN GREAT BRITAIN, A MINISTRY OF DEFENSE TASK FORCE HAS RECOMMENDED "RELAXING" THE CURRENT BAN ON MILITARY SERVICE BY GAYS AND LESBIANS INTO A POLICY RESEMBLING THE UNITED STATES' SO-CALLED "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL". THE TASK FORCE REPORT BEING FORMALLY DELIVERED TO THE PARLIAMENT SAYS THAT IN OTHER COUNTRIES "THE ADMISSION OF GAYS HAD MADE LITTLE PRACTICAL DIFFERENCE TO OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY." THERE'S STILL STRONG OPPOSITION FROM FIRST SEA LORD ADMIRAL JOCK SLATER, THOUGH, WHO SAID THAT HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES WERE "IN NO DOUBT" THAT THE MILITARY SHOULD CONTINUE AUTOMATIC DISMISSAL OF GAYS AND LESBIANS. THE TASK FORCE'S OWN SURVEY HAD PREVIOUSLY FOUND THE BAN SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THE RANKS IN EVERY BRANCH OF THE MILITARY. [Source: THE SUNDAY TELEGRAM/London] ALSO IN GREAT BRITAIN, BRITISH RAIL IS APPARENTLY FAILING TO CARRY OUT THE NEW DOMESTIC PARTNERS POLICY IT ANNOUNCED IN 1995. ONE OF ITS EMPLOYEES HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE RAILROAD FOR DENYING HER LESBIAN PARTNER THE FREE TRAVEL GRANTED TO HETEROSEXUAL EMPLOYEES' PARTNERS, WHETHER MARRIED OR NOT. [REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS citing DIVA magazine] BUT THEN, QUEEN ELIZABETH WOULDN'T EVEN ALLOW HER OWN EMPLOYEES' GAY AND LESBIAN PARTNERS TO ATTEND HER ROYAL HOUSEHOLD CHRISTMAS STAFF BALL ... AND SHE HEARD ABOUT IT FROM SEVERAL OTHER QUEENS IN LONDON. MEMBERS OF LONDON'S DIRECT ACTION GROUP OUTRAGE!, SOME IN FULL DRAG, BESIEGED THE GATES OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE DURING THE PARTY IN PROTEST. OUTRAGE! MEMBER STUART COLLEY SAID, "IT'S SCANDALOUS THAT HER MAJESTY IS GIVING ROYAL PATRONAGE TO ANTI-GAY DISCRIMINATION. THE GAY MEMBERS OF HER FAMILY MUST BE HORRIFIED." [REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS] IN SOUTH AFRICA, THE WEDDING OF AN INTERRACIAL GAY MALE COUPLE STIRRED INTENSE MEDIA REACTION. THE CEREMONY, BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, WAS PERFORMED BY A MINISTER IN A JOHANNESBURG NIGHTCLUB. CAUCASIAN NEIL MILLARD EXCHANGED VOWS WITH INDIAN VENASH MOORIKEN, HOPING BOTH TO AFFIRM THEIR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER AND TO DEMONSTRATE THAT PEOPLE WITH HIV CAN "STILL LEAD A NORMAL LIFE." [REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS] THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS NOW RECOGNIZED DOMESTIC PARTNERS, ALBEIT IN A RATHER BACK-HANDED WAY. THE HOUSE ETHICS COMMITTEE HAS BEEN REVIEWING ITS POLICIES LIMITING GIFTS THAT CAN BE ACCEPTED BY CONGRESSMEMBERS AND THEIR STAFF. THE COMMITTEE ANNOUNCED IN MID-DECEMBER THAT IT WAS EXPANDING ITS DEFINITION OF "FAMILY" TO ALLOW FOR REGISTRATION OF "SIGNIFICANT OTHERS", INCLUDING GAY AND LESBIAN PARTNERS. ONCE REGISTERED, THOSE SIGNIFICANT OTHERS ARE EXEMPT FROM THE $250 CEILING ON GIFTS. [THE WASHINGTON BLADE] ENTERTAINMENT GIANT MGM, METRO-GOLDWYN MAYER, ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT GAY AND LESBIAN PARTNERS OF ITS EMPLOYEES WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR FULL SPOUSAL BENEFITS BEGINNING FEBRUARY 1ST. [THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] AND "THE NEW YORK TIMES", THE SELF-DESCRIBED "NEWSPAPER OF RECORD", AFTER YEARS OF USING "LIFE PARTNER" AND "LONG-TIME COMPANION", HAS FINALLY AGREED TO ALLOW PAID DEATH NOTICES TO REFER TO GAY AND LESBIAN DOMESTIC PARTNERS AS "LOVERS". [as reported by GLAAD - THE GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION] SEVERAL HUNDRED YOUNG GAYS AND LESBIANS PARTICIPATED IN CALIFORNIA'S FIRST "YOUTH LOBBY DAY" THIS WEEK, SPONSORED BY THE LIFE LOBBY, CALIFORNIA'S LOBBY GROUP FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS AND PEOPLE WITH AIDS. ORGANIZERS HOPED THAT FACE-TO-FACE CONTACT WITH STATE LEGISLATORS WOULD WIN VOTES FOR YOUTH INTERESTS THE SAME WAY IT DID PREVIOUSLY IN MASSACHUSETTS. THEIR MAIN GOALS WERE TO ESTABLISH AIDS EDUCATION FOR 5TH & 6TH GRADERS AND TO ADD "SEXUAL ORIENTATION" AS A PROTECTED CATEGORY UNDER THE CALIFORNIA EDUCATION CODE, BUT THEY ALSO PROTESTED STATE SENATOR ROB HURTT'S EFFORT TO RE-INSTITUTE SODOMY AS AN OFFENSE IN THE CRIMINAL CODE. THE YOUNG PEOPLE VISITED THE OFFICES OF THEIR OWN REPRESENTATIVES, WITH THOSE BELOW VOTING AGE BEING ESCORTED BY MEMBERS OF P-FLAG, PARENTS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS. OTHER ADULTS INVOLVED INCLUDED OPENLY GAY LOS ANGELES SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER JEFF HORTON, AND "THIS WAY OUT" CORRESPONDENT PATRICIA NELL WARREN. ON THE SAME DAY, THERE WAS A BATTLE OVER THE SPEAKERSHIP OF THE ASSEMBLY THAT GAVE THE REPUBLICANS A CLEAR MAJORITY, WHICH SERVED BOTH TO DASH HOPES FOR THE AIDS EDUCATION MEASURE AND TO ALL BUT ELIMINATE THE YOUTH LOBBYING FROM ANY MEDIA REPORTS. [per an on-scene report by PATRICIA NELL WARREN, and reports in THE BAY AREA REPORTER/San Francisco, THE GAY & LESBIAN TIMES/San Diego, and a press release from GLAAD - THE GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION] IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, TWO NEO-NAZIS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR THE VICIOUS STABBING MURDER OF A GAY MAN OUTSIDE A GAY BAR. 19-YEAR-OLD DANIEL BEAN AND 21-YEAR-OLD RONALD GAUTHIER CLAIM IT WAS IN RESPONSE TO SEXUAL ADVANCES BY FRED MANGIONE THAT THEY STABBED HIM 35 TIMES. HOWEVER, SEVERAL WITNESSES HAVE TOLD POLICE THEY HEARD THE SUSPECTS SAY, "WE'RE GONNA GET A FAG" BEFORE THEY EVER MET MANGIONE, AND ALSO SAY, "WE CUT UP THIS FAG REAL BAD" WHEN FLEEING THE SCENE. THE SUSPECTS ARE HALF-BROTHERS AND BELONG TO A NEO-NAZI GROUP CALLED "THE GERMAN PEACE CORPS", WHICH POLICE SAY TARGETS GAYS AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS FOR VICTIMIZATION. THE F.B.I. HAS JOINED THE INVESTIGATION WITH AN EYE TO POSSIBLE CHARGES FOR CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. [THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] "THE TEXAS TRIANGLE", A LESBIAN AND GAY NEWSPAPER, IS FINDING STAUNCH SUPPORT FROM ITS MAINSTREAM ADVERTISERS IN THE FACE OF ATTACKS BY CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVES. SINCE SEPTEMBER, AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WYATT ROBERTS HAS USED HIS WEEKLY RADIO SHOW ON AN AUSTIN CHRISTIAN STATION TO READ THE NAMES OF BUSINESSES ADVERTISING IN "THE TRIANGLE". IN MID-DECEMBER, HE WROTE TO 50 "TRIANGLE" ADVERTISERS SAYING HE'D BROADCAST THEIR AFFILIATION WITH THE "TRIANGLE" UNLESS THEY TOLD HIM WITHIN TEN DAYS THAT THEY'D PULLED THEIR ADS. ROBERTS SAYS HE WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THE BUSINESSES ARE, IN HIS WORDS, "HELPING TO SUBSIDIZE THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA". THUS FAR, A COUPLE OF BUSINESSES HAVE DROPPED THEIR ADS AND A FEW MORE ARE CONSIDERING DOING SO, BUT MOST "TRIANGLE" ADVERTISERS HAVE REACTED WITH ANGER TOWARDS ROBERTS. FIRST TEXAS HONDA HAS CONTINUED ITS AD DESPITE A PROTEST DEMONSTRATION BY MEMBERS OF ROBERTS' GROUP. [THE AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN and THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE] THE GLOSSY U.S. LESBIAN MAGAZINE "DENEUVE" IS OPENING THE NEW YEAR WITH A NEW NAME IN THE WAKE OF A LAWSUIT BY FRENCH ACTRESS CATHERINE DENEUVE CHARGING INFRINGEMENT OF TRADEMARK. BEGINNING WITH THE JANUARY/FEBRUARY EDITION, THE 5-YEAR-OLD BIMONTHLY WILL BE KNOWN AS "CURVE". THE MAGAZINE'S PUBLISHER SAYS "DENEUVE" WAS NAMED FOR HER FIRST LOVE AND DENIES HAVING SUGGESTED ANY CONNECTION TO THE ACTRESS. THE PUBLISHER ALSO NOTES THAT CATHERINE DENEUVE HAS BENEFITTED FROM LESBIAN FANS OF HER FIVE MAJOR FILM ROLES AS A LESBIAN OR BISEXUAL. IRONICALLY, "DENEUVE" WASN'T ORIGINALLY THE ACTRESS' NAME EITHER -- SHE WAS BORN CATHERINE DORLEAC. [THE GAY & LESBIAN TIMES/San Diego and "DENEUVE"/"CURVE" press release] IN HONG KONG, THE MAJOR MAINSTREAM NEWSPAPER "APPLE DAILY" HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT AN ADVERTISEMENT FROM THE GAY AND LESBIAN SUPPORT GROUP HORIZONS. ACCORDING TO HORIZONS SECRETARY DANIEL KONG, THE PAPER WASN'T WILLING TO RISK POSSIBLE COMPLAINTS FROM READERS. HORIZONS IS RESPONDING WITH PRESS RELEASES TO LOCAL MEDIA DENOUNCING THE "APPLE"'S DISCRIMINATION AGAINST GAYS AND LESBIANS. [REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS] WHEN GLOBAL ON-LINE GIANT COMPUSERVE LAST WEEK CUT FROM ITS SERVICE 200 NEWSGROUPS, INCLUDING MANY NON-SEXUAL GAY AND LESBIAN MESSAGE BOARDS, THE COMPANY CLAIMED THAT GERMAN AUTHORITIES HAD SPECIFIED WHICH NEWSGROUPS SHOULD BE CUT, UNDER THREAT OF PROSECUTION. HOWEVER, GERMAN PROSECUTORS ARE TELLING A DIFFERENT STORY. MUNICH SENIOR PUBLIC PROSECUTOR MANFRED WICK THIS WEEK DENIED HAVING THREATENED CRIMINAL CHARGES, AND ALSO DENIED HAVING STIPULATED WHICH NEWSGROUPS TO CUT, SAYING "IT WAS THE DECISION OF COMPUSERVE ALONE". A COMPUSERVE SPOKESPERSON REPEATED THAT THE GERMAN AUTHORITIES HAD SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED THE NEWSGROUPS AND INDICATED A REAL POSSIBILITY OF ARREST. COMPUSERVE ALSO CONFIRMS THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED AN AVALANCHE OF COMPLAINTS FROM USERS. GLAAD, THE GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAIN DEFAMATION, HAS CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS COMPUSERVE AND NOT THE GERMAN OFFICIALS WHO SELECTED THE NEWSGROUPS, AND NOTES THAT COMPUSERVE HAS MADE NO EFFORT TO RECONNECT THOSE THAT ARE CLEARLY LEGAL IN GERMANY. [THE ASSOCIATED PRESS and a press release from GLAAD] AND FINALLY ... REPORTEDLY THE HOTTEST SHOW IN LONDON RECENTLY WAS THE BALLET "SWAN LAKE" PERFORMED BY AN ALL-MALE CAST. THE CHOREOGRAPHER DENIED THAT MADE IT INTO A GAY LOVE STORY, AND ALSO DENIED THAT IT SATIRIZED COMPOSER PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY -- WHO, AS IT HAPPENS, WAS A GAY MAN HIMSELF. HE SAID, "I DEFY ANYONE TO LAUGH." BUT WHILE THE PERFORMANCE ITSELF MAY NOT HAVE DESERVED LAUGHTER, THE CORPS DE BALLET OF MALE SWANS WORE FEATHER-COVERED SHORTS. [SYDNEY MORNING HERALD] ************************************************* 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 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 ************************************************* LOOKING FOR WORTHWHILE RECIPIENTS FOR YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE CHARITABLE DONATIONS? PLEASE READ 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!**********************