************************************************* The week of 01/15/96 on T H I S W A Y O U T the international gay & lesbian radio magazine * In NewsWrap: Transgender civil rights appear to be advancing in the European Community, while Boston transgender activists demonstrate against hate and lobby for their rights ... anticipating a queer-positive outcome to the same-gender marriage case now before Hawaii's Supreme Court, state legislatures in South Dakota and California will consider bills to deny recognition of same-gender marriages legally performed in other states ... four San Francisco Bay area congregations are kicked out of the American Baptist Chuch for being too lesbigay-friendly ... imagine Richard Nixon in his trademark "5 o'clock shadow" -- and a dress ... and several other stories ... [anchored by Cindy Friedman and Brian Nunes] * Reports indicate that a new film comedy called "French Twist", a surreal portrait of a bisexual love triangle, penned by and starring a proud butch dyke, will be one of the nominees for "Best Foreign Film" at this year's Oscar ceremonies. TWO's Chris Wilson and Pam Marshall preview this "bi bi love" saga with translated excerpts from the movie ... * A recently-published book called "A Guide To Sexual Orientation In The Workplace", co-authored by Bob Powers and Allan Ellis, responds to both the trend towards coming out on the job and the new wave of workforce diversity awareness training. In the first of a two-part feature interview, Ellis talks with TWO's Josy Catoggio about how corporate America has been responding to these issues ... ... and more! ========================*=============================== --------- ===> NewsWrap <=== --------- For the week ending January 13th, 1996 (As broadcast on THIS WAY OUT Program #407, distributed 01-15-96) [Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Jason Lin, Bill Stosine, Greg Gordon, Graham Underhill and Ron Buckmire] TRANSGENDER CIVIL RIGHTS APPEAR TO BE ADVANCING IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY. THE EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE HAS BEEN CONSIDERING THE CASE OF A BRITISH MAN FIRED FROM HIS JOB AFTER ASKING TO COME TO WORK AS A WOMAN IN THE EARLY STAGES OF GENDER REASSIGNMENT. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS RECOMMENDED THAT EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST TRANSGENDERS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ILLEGAL UNDER THE SAME RULES THAT REQUIRE EQUAL TREATMENT FOR MEN AND WOMEN...AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS RATIFIED BY THE COURT. THIS COULD MEAN PROTECTION FROM JOB DISCRIMINATION FOR TRANSGENDERS THROUGHOUT THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY. IN BRITAIN ITSELF, A BILL HAS BEEN INTRODUCED IN PARLIAMENT TO LEGALLY RECOGNIZE GENDER REASSIGNMENTS, AS MOST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ALREADY DO. [Source: per "STEPHEN WHITTLE" LONDON GROUP "PRESS FOR CHANGE" online press release] IN BOSTON, THE LATE-NOVEMBER MURDER OF TRANSGENDER CHANELLE PICKET HAS SPARKED CONTINUING ACTION TO PREVENT HATE CRIMES. ABOUT 250 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN A MEMORIAL CANDLELIGHT MARCH IN EARLY DECEMBER. A "REMEMBER CHANELLE" COMMITTEE THEN ORGANIZED TO MONITOR MEDIA COVERAGE, LOBBY THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE FOR LAWS AGAINST BIAS CRIMES, AND TO ASSIST THE VICTIMS OF HATE VIOLENCE AND THEIR FAMILIES. [per "NANCY NANGERONI" COMMITTEE online press release] THE MURDER OF A GAY MAN IN TEXAS MAY LEAD TO U.S. CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS ON HATE CRIMES NATIONWIDE. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE SHEILA JACKSON LEE, A TEXAS DEMOCRAT, IS ASKING THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO HOLD THE HEARINGS. THE F.B.I. WAS ALREADY INVOLVED IN INVESTIGATING THE VICIOUS STABBING OF FRED MANGIONE FOR POSSIBLE CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND TERRORISM CHARGES. THE NEO-NAZIS ACCUSED OF THE CRIME, HALF-BROTHERS DANEIL BEAN AND RONALD GAUTHIER, ARE BEING HELD WITHOUT BAIL. [THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE] IN SCOTLAND, VICKI McKEAN BECAME THE FIRST LESBIAN OR GAY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM EVER TO BE ALLOWED TO USE IN COURT A PROVOCATION DEFENSE COMMONLY USED BY HUSBANDS WHO KILL ADULTEROUS WIVES. McKEAN LAST YEAR CELEBRATED A MARRIAGE CEREMONY AND HAD LIVED TOGETHER FOR 4 YEARS WITH HER LIFELONG FRIEND CONNIE ANDREW. WITHIN MINUTES OF BEING TOLD THAT ANDREW HAD A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH STEPHEN BLACKWELL, McKEAN STABBED BLACKWELL 11 TIMES, KILLING HIM. THE GLASGOW JURY ACCEPTED HER PROVOCATION DEFENSE, FINDING HER NOT GUILTY OF MURDER BUT SENTENCING HER TO 8 YEARS IN PRISON ON THE LESSER CHARGE OF CULPABLE HOMICIDE. [THE SCOTSMAN] BILLS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN BOTH THE CALIFORNIA AND SOUTH DAKOTA LEGISLATURES TO PROHIBIT RECOGNITION OF LEGAL GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES PERFORMED IN ANOTHER STATE. THE CALIFORNIA BILL, AB1982, WAS INTRODUCED BY REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLYMEMBER PETE KNIGHT, WHO SAID, "IT'S NOT RIGHT TO GIVE SAME-SEX COUPLES THE SAME ECONOMIC BENEFITS MEANT TO AID FAMILIES RAISING CHILDREN." THE MEASURE IS VIEWED AS HAVING A GOOD CHANCE TO PASS IN BOTH HOUSES OF THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE. IN SOUTH DAKOTA, REPRESENTATIVE ROGER HUNT IS RE-INTRODUCING HIS 1995 MEASURE TO DENY RECOGNITION TO GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES. LAST TIME, IT PASSED THE SOUTH DAKOTA HOUSE BY A 4-TO-1 MARGIN, ONLY TO DIE IN COMMITTEE IN THE STATE SENATE. SIMILAR BILLS HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN PASSED IN UTAH AND REJECTED IN WASHINGTON STATE. HETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGES IN ANY U.S. STATE ARE RECOGNIZED IN ALL THE OTHER STATES EVEN THOUGH STATE MARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS DIFFER. [THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS, UPDATE/San Diego, GAY & LESBIAN TIMES/San Diego, and press releases from THE LIFE LOBBY and openly-lesbian California Assemblyperson Sheila Kuehl] THOSE MEASURES ARE BASED ON THE EXPECTATION THAT A PENDING COURT CASE WILL MAKE HAWAII THE FIRST OF THE UNITED STATES TO LEGALLY MARRY SAME-GENDER COUPLES. HAWAII'S GOVERNOR BEN CAYETANO BELIEVES THE BEST SOLUTION TO THE CONTROVERSY IS TO ESTABLISH LEGAL DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS FOR BOTH HETEROSEXUAL AND SAME-GENDER COUPLES AND TO LEAVE THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE TO THE CHURCHES. HE SAID, "THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE IN THE ROLE OF SANCTIFYING MARRIAGES. THAT'S WHEN THEY RUN INTO PROBLEMS." HOWEVER, THE HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE IS NOT EXPECTED TO FOLLOW HIS RECOMMENDATIONS. [THE HONOLULU ADVERTISER] FOUR SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA CONGREGATIONS HAVE BEEN VOTED OUT OF THE AMERICAN BAPTIST CHURCH FOR THEIR GAY-FRIENDLY POLICIES. APPARENTLY A LARGE MAJORITY OF DELEGATES TO A SPECIAL REGIONAL MEETING OF THE 1-1/2-MILLION-MEMBER DENOMINATION AGREED WITH JAMES DUNN, PASTOR OF THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF STOCKTON, THAT, "THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO PLACE IN THE OLD OR NEW TESTAMENT THAT MODELS, EXALTS OR BLESSES HOMOSEXUAL, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL OR TRANSGENDERED RELATIONSHIPS." THE FOUR CHURCHES WERE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF WELCOMING AND AFFIRMING BAPTISTS, WHICH BELIEVES THAT GAYS AND LESBIANS HAVE AN EQUAL RIGHT TO FULL PARTICIPATION IN THE CHURCH COMMUNITY. [THE SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS] A MASSIVE SURVEY OF US FIRST-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS INDICATES A GROWING ACCEPTANCE OF GAY AND LESBIAN RELATIONSHIPS. THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION COLLECTED ALMOST A QUARTER-MILLION QUESTIONNAIRES FROM STUDENTS AT SEVERAL HUNDRED INSTITUTIONS AND WEIGHTED THE RESULTS TO MATCH THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF US STUDENTS ENTERING COLLEGE FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE BELIEF THAT GAY AND LESBIAN RELATIONSHIPS SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FOUND ONLY 30 PERCENT SUPPORT, A RECORD LOW FOR THE PERIODIC SURVEY. THE HIGHEST SENTIMENT AGAINST GAY AND LESBIAN RELATIONSHIPS WAS FOUND IN 1987, AT 53 PERCENT. THIS YEAR'S APPROVAL OF GAY AND LESBIAN RELATIONSHIPS WAS EVEN MORE STRIKING SINCE SUPPORT HAD DIMINISHED FOR CASUAL SEX AND LEGAL ABORTION. [THE ASSOCIATED PRESS] IN ISRAEL, AN OPENLY GAY MAN HAS DECLARED HIS CANDIDACY FOR THE KNESSET. THE WOULD-BE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IS UZI EVEN, WHO'LL BE RUNNING ON THE MERETZ PARTY TICKET. MEMBERS OF THE HAREDI AND SHAS PARTIES WERE QUICK TO RESPOND THAT THEY WOULD NEVER JOIN IN COALITION WITH A PARTY SUPPORTING AN OPEN GAY. [REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS citing HA'ARETZ] IN AUSTRALIA, THE OPPOSITION DEMOCRATS HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR A TRANSGENDER LESBIAN CANDIDATE FOR PARLIAMENT. JULIE PETERS BELIEVES HER INTEREST IN POVERTY, HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND THE ENVIRONMENT WILL WIN HER THE LABOR PARTY'S TRADITIONAL SEAT KNOWN AS BATMAN. [MELBOURNE STAR OBSERVER] NEW ZEALAND WILL HAVE A WEEKLY HALF-HOUR GAY AND LESBIAN TELEVISION PROGRAM BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CHRIS GOLDSMITH SAYS ITS NEWS, INTERVIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT SEGMENTS WILL OFFER WHAT HE CALLS A "MORE CORRECT PORTRAYAL" OF THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY THAN THE TYPICAL MAINSTREAM COVERAGE OF PARADES AND PROTESTS. WITH THE HELP OF NEW ZEALAND'S GAY AND LESBIAN NEWSPAPER "EXPRESS", THE SHOW WILL AIR ON HORIZON PACIFIC TELEVISION IN SIX CITIES. [REX WOCKNER INTERNATIONAL NEWS citing MARK PROFFITT] THE U.S. SUPREME COURT THIS WEEK PRESERVED AN APPELLATE COURT DECISION RESTRICTING BROADCASTING OF SO-CALLED "INDECENT" MATERIAL TO THE HOURS OF 10 PM TO 6 AM. THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, OR F.C.C., ESTABLISHED THE RESTRICTIONS TO PROTECT CHILDREN, AND THE COURT BELIEVES THEY DO NOT VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. IN ITS ENFORCEMENT OF THE VAGUELY-DEFINED INDECENCY RULES, THE F.C.C. HAS BEEN MUCH LESS ACCEPTING OF HOMOSEXUAL MATERIAL THAN HETEROSEXUAL MATERIAL, AND RELATIVELY UNIMPRESSED BY THE POSSIBLE REDEEMING SOCIAL VALUE OF EXPLICIT AIDS PREVENTION INFORMATION. THE SUPREME COURT ALSO REFUSED TO HEAR A CHALLENGE TO CONDOM AVAILABILITY AT PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. [U.S.A. TODAY and HALEY/BADER/POTTS legal memos] EIGHT MONTHS HAVE PASSED SINCE BEN WRIGHT, VETERAN GOLF COMMENTATOR FOR THE U.S. TV NETWORK CBS, WAS QUOTED AS MAKING HOMOPHOBIC REMARKS ABOUT LESBIANS IN THE U.S. LADIES PROFESSIONAL GOLF ASSOCIATION, OR L.P.G.A. HE CLAIMED THEN THAT THE QUOTES WERE "A PACK OF LIES", AND CBS NOT ONLY STOOD BEHIND HIM, BUT SIGNED HIM UP FOR ANOTHER 4 YEARS. THIS WEEK, HOWEVER, HE WAS SUSPENDED WITH PAY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THAT CONTRACT. APPARENTLY WHAT FINALLY TIPPED THE BALANCE WAS WRIGHT'S TELLING SPORTS ILLUSTRATED MAGAZINE THAT THE REPORTER WHO'D QUOTED HIM MIGHT BE A LESBIAN HERSELF. WRIGHT ADMITTED THAT HE'D MADE SOME INSENSITIVE REMARKS, AND EXTENDED PUBLIC APOLOGIES TO REPORTER VALERIE HELMBRECK AND THE L.P.G.A. [THE NEW YORK TIMES and THE GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION (GLAAD) press release] AND FINALLY ... WHAT A DRAG: U.S. FASHION PUNDIT MISTER BLACKWELL HAS INCLUDED IN HIS ANNUAL 10 WORST-DRESSED WOMEN LIST RADIO SHOCK JOCK HOWARD STERN, WHO CAMPS IT UP ON THE COVER OF HIS BEST-SELLING BOOK "MISS AMERICA". BLACKWELL SAID, "LET'S FACE IT. HOWARD'S 'MISS AMERICA' DRAG LOOKS LIKE GODZILLA IMPERSONATING GYPSY ROSE LEE." BUT EVEN MORE CHILLING IS THE NEWS FROM BIOGRAPHER MALCOM TENNIPER, WHO SAYS HE HAS IRONCLAD EVIDENCE AND EVEN PHOTOS OF A FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT WHO PARTIED WITH F.B.I. QUEEN J. EDGAR HOOVER AND HANDLED HIS JOB STRESS BY DONNING GARTER BELT AND HOSE, HIGH HEELS, WOMEN'S UNDERWEAR, AND FRILLY DRESSES: THE UNLOVELY RICHARD M. NIXON. [per the tabloid WEEKLY WORLD NEWS] ************************************************* 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. 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