************************************************* The week of 03/18/96 on T H I S W A Y O U T the international gay & lesbian radio magazine * In NewsWrap: The threat of a trial on charges of homosexuality against a Greek Orthodox priest triggers 5 hours of rioting and 70 injuries in Cypress ... The Philippines' top military leader says "there is no way we will accept gays in the armed forces" ... same-gender couples will be counted in New Zealand's next census ... queers are once again prevented from participating in New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade ... the 10th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's notorious "Bowers vs. Hardwick" decision is observed ... and several other stories [anchored by Cindy Friedman and Brian Nunes] ==> You can read the complete transcript of NewsWrap below. * DELTA LAMBDA PHI, a national social gay fraternity founded in 1986, provides gay men with a unique variation on the college fraternity experience. It now boasts a thousand alumni and over 20 active chapters on campuses around the U.S. To "compare and contrast" how Delta Lambda Phi fits into the college "Greek" system, David Christopher Meitzler talks with the president and members of one of the fraternity's newest chapters, Alpha Mu, at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, just west of Detroit ... * John Berendt's "MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL" is the best-selling tale of a sensational murder trial in the genteel Southern town of Savannah, Georgia. Its most high-profile character is a black drag queen known as "The Lady Chablis". The book has been on the New York Times best-seller list for more than 2 years, has sold more than a million copies worldwide, been translated into 11 languages, and is being made into the proverbial "major motion picture". In the first of a multi-part feature interview, TWO's Josy Catoggio talks with Berendt about the phenomenal popularity of his book, and how that has affected the real-life characters he has written about ... =========================*============================== NewsWrap For the week ending March 16th, 1996 (As broadcast on THIS WAY OUT Program #416, distributed 03-18-96) [Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Bill Stosine, Jason Lin, Greg Gordon and Ron Buckmire] IN CYPRESS, THE THREAT OF A TRIAL ON CHARGES OF HOMOSEXUALITY AGAINST A GREEK ORTHODOX PRIEST THIS WEEK TRIGGERED FIVE HOURS OF THE WORST RIOTING IN THE ISLAND NATION'S RECENT HISTORY, LEAVING 70 PEOPLE INJURED. THE RIOTING OCCURRED OUTSIDE THE ARCHBISHOP'S PALACE IN NICOSIA, WHERE POPULAR CLERIC ARCHIMANDRITE PANGRATIOS MERACLIS APPEARED BEFORE THE HOLY SYNOD TO ANSWER CHARGES BROUGHT BY ARCHBISHOP CHRYSOSTOMOS THAT MERACLIS HAD SEDUCED A MALE STUDENT. THE SYNOD DECIDED TO INDEFINITELY SUSPEND THE TRIAL, AND ALSO TO CANCEL ELECTIONS FOR THE BISHOPRIC OF MORPHOU, WHERE MERACLIS IS THE PEOPLE'S FAVORITE. MERACLIS SUPPORTERS ARE CONFIDENT THAT HE WOULD BE FOUND INNOCENT IF THE TRIAL HAD PROCEEDED. THE TOP MILITARY LEADER IN THE PHILIPPINES SPOKE OUT THIS WEEK AGAINST SERVICE BY OPEN GAYS AND LESBIANS. PHILIPPINE CHIEF OF STAFF GENERAL ARTURO ENRILE SAID SIMPLY, "THERE IS NO WAY WE WILL ACCEPT GAYS IN THE ARMED FORCES. I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN. I HAVE MY OWN WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS." HE ALSO SAID THAT "PEER PRESSURE" WOULD FORCE ANY GAYS IN UNIFORM TO LEAVE THE MILITARY, AND PROMISED TO "DEAL ACCORDINGLY" WITH ANYONE ON HIS OWN STAFF WHO TURNS OUT TO BE GAY. BUT THE PHILIPPINES' NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF, GENERAL RECAREDO SARMIENTO, SAID OPEN GAYS AND LESBIANS WERE WELCOME TO SERVE ON HIS FORCE IF THEY DID THEIR JOBS AND DIDN'T "BEHAVE SCANDALOUSLY". AND MANILA'S MAYOR, ALFREDO LIM, DESPITE HIS TOUGH-ON-CRIME NICKNAME OF "DIRTY HARRY", REMARKED THAT HE WOULDN'T MIND IF PROPERLY UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICERS WORE "A LITTLE BLUSH-ON AND LIPSTICK" ON THE JOB, SAYING, "THERE'S NO LAW BARRING ANY COP FROM LOOKING BEAUTIFUL WHEN CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION." DESPITE THE SHARP TURN TO THE RIGHT IN AUSTRALIA'S ELECTIONS THIS MONTH, GAY AND LESBIAN ACTIVISTS ARE STILL HOPEFUL FOR FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND TO MAKE PENSIONS AVAILABLE TO SAME-GENDER PARTNERS. NO GAY OR LESBIAN CANDIDATES WERE ELECTED, BUT TRANSGENDER LESBIAN DEMOCRAT JULIE PETERS WAS ENCOURAGED BY THE VOTES SHE GOT IN HER FAILED BID FOR A SEAT IN THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT TO TRY FOR A SEAT IN THE VICTORIAN STATE PARLIAMENT. AT LAST WEEK'S ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IN BUENOS AIRES, LESBIAN VISIBILITY WAS HIGH -- AND ALSO HIGHLY AUDIBLE. A NUMBER OF THE LESBIANS BROUGHT DRUMS AS WELL AS WEARING THEIR INTERPRETATION OF WITCHES' HATS IN MANY COLORS. OTHER MARCHERS CHANTED SUPPORTIVE SLOGANS. ALSO IN BUENOS AIRES, A LANDLORD IS OFFERING UNITS IN A SUBURBAN APARTMENT BUILDING EXCLUSIVELY FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS. HE SAID IN A TELEVISION INTERVIEW, "WE'RE MANAGING ALL THIS WITH GREAT DISCRETION. WE'RE NOT GIVING INFORMATION OVER THE PHONE, WE'RE JUST MEETING PEOPLE PERSONALLY. THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN VERY GREAT, AND VERY SERIOUS." SAME-GENDER COUPLES WILL BE COUNTED WITH OTHER UNMARRIED COUPLES IN NEW ZEALAND'S UPCOMING CENSUS. INSTRUCTIONS FOR ONE QUESTION READ, "IF YOU LIVE WITH A PARTNER AS A GAY OR LESBIAN COUPLE, TICK 'YOUR PARTNER OR DEFACTO GIRLFRIEND OR BOYFRIEND'." TEN YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THE U.S. SUPREME COURT UPHELD GEORGIA'S SODOMY LAW IN THE CASE CALLED BOWERS VERSUS HARDWICK ... AND THE GEORGIA STATE SUPREME COURT ISSUED A NEW RULING THIS WEEK THAT THE LAW IS A LEGITIMATE USE OF STATE POWER TO FURTHER WHAT THE COURT CALLED "THE MORAL WELFARE OF THE PUBLIC". THAT DECISION CAME IN THE CASE OF CHRIS CHRISTIANSEN, WHO WAS FINED $500 AND PLACED ON PROBATION FOR A YEAR AFTER APPROACHING A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY FOR ORAL SEX. GEORGIA'S HIGH COURT REJECTED CHRISTIANSEN'S ARGUMENT THAT HIS ACTION WAS PROTECTED BY STATE CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES OR PRIVACY AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. MEANWHILE, GAYS AND LESBIANS OBSERVED THE BOWERS VERSUS HARDWICK ANNIVERSARY WITH A CONFERENCE AT THE JOHN MARSHALL LAW SHOOL IN CHICAGO. THIS WAY OUT'S RON BUCKMIRE WAS THERE AND HAS THIS REPORT: NEARLY 300 LAW STUDENTS, LAWYERS AND ACTIVISTS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND ENGLAND ATTENDED "SEX, LAW AND SOCIETY: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE" MARCH 14TH THROUGH 16TH. THE 1986 U.S. SUPREME COURT RULING IN "BOWERS", WHICH UPHELD GEORGIA'S LAW BANNING CONSENSUAL HOMOSEXUAL SODOMY, WAS REFERRED TO AS A GHOST HAUNTING U.S. CONSTITUTIONAL LAW SINCE. CONFERENCE ATTENDEES ARE NOW ANXIOUSLY AWAITING A DECISION IN THE LATEST GAY-RELATED CASE BEFORE THE COURT, ROMER VERSUS. EVANS, ON WHETHER COLORADO'S ANTI-GAY AMENDMENT 2 IS CONSTITUTIONAL. PARTICIPANTS ARE HOPING THAT A FAVORABLE RULING IN "ROMER" WILL REMOVE THE SPECTRE OF BOWERS VERSUS HARDWICK, AND THAT 10 YEARS FROM NOW, WE WILL ALL HAVE FORGOTTEN "BOWERS", BUT BE HOLDING CONFERENCES ON THE POSITIVE LEGACY OF "ROMER" INSTEAD. NEW YORK CITY'S IRISH LESBIAN AND GAY ORGANIZATION, KNOWN AS ILGO, HAS ONCE AGAIN PROTESTED THEIR EXCLUSION FROM THE CITY'S ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE, BUT THIS YEAR THEY RECEIVED SOME SUPPORT FROM GERRY ADAMS, PRESIDENT OF THE IRISH INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT SINN FEIN. ON MARCH 12TH ADAMS SAID, "AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM MANY PLACES, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK WE'RE BIG ENOUGH TO BE INCLUSIVE." ON MARCH 14TH, ADAMS FELL BACK TO SAYING OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN PARADE ORGANIZERS AND THE IRISH GAYS AND LESBIANS, "I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT RESOLVED TO THE SATISFACTION OF ALL, AND IN A MANNER WHICH ACCORDS TO EVERYONE THE RESPECT WHICH IS OUR DUE." THE CITY OF NEW YORK AGAIN THIS YEAR DENIED ILGO A PERMIT FOR THEIR OWN PARADE AT THE SAME TIME AS THE BIG ONE. ILGO HAS CHALLENGED THE PERMIT PROCESS AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, BUT THIS WEEK A U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE REJECTED THEIR REQUEST FOR A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION. BEFORE THE MAIN PARADE BEGAN ON MARCH 16TH, SEVERAL HUNDRED GAYS AND LESBIANS SAT DOWN IN THE STREET AND REFUSED TO MOVE. 36 WERE ARRRESTED FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT. IN UPSTATE NEW YORK THIS WEEK, THE ALBANY COUNTY LEGISLATURE VOTED BY AN ALMOST 2-TO-1 MARGIN TO APPROVE A HUMAN RIGHTS BILL WHICH INCLUDED SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS A PROTECTED CATEGORY. THE BILL PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS. THERE WAS A LITTLE EXTRA DRAMA AT THE ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONIES OF GLAAD, THE GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION. ACTOR MITCHELL ANDERSON OF THE POPULAR FOX TELEVISION NETWORK DRAMATIC SERIES "PARTY OF FIVE" ATTENDED THE MARCH 10TH EVENT IN LOS ANGELES AS A PRESENTER ... BUT HE CHOSE HIS MOMENT ON THE PODIUM TO RESPOND TO A REPORTER'S EARLIER QUESTION OF HOW IT FELT TO BE A STRAIGHT MAN PLAYING A GAY ROLE. ANDERSON SAID HE NEEDED TO CORRECT THE REPORTER'S ASSUMPTION AND ANNOUNCED THAT HE IS A GAY MAN PLAYING A GAY ROLE. THE CROWD RESPONDED WITH A STANDING OVATION. BUT A BOSTON-AREA HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER WHO CAME OUT AS A LESBIAN TO ONE OF HER CLASSES RECEIVED A MUCH COLDER RECEPTION. ONE CHRISTIAN STUDENT'S PARENTS ARE NOW ASKING THE CITY OF BROOKLINE FOR $360,000, CLAIMING THEIR DAUGHTER SUFFERED EMOTIONAL STRESS AND HAD TO TRANSFER TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL AS A RESULT OF THE TEACHER'S COMING OUT. TOWN OFFICIALS BELIEVE THERE IS NO MERIT TO THE CLAIM FOR DAMAGES. LEGISLATION TO DENY LEGAL RECOGNITION TO GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES ADVANCED THIS WEEK IN COLORADO AND IDAHO. THE BILLS IN BOTH STATES HAD PREVIOUSLY PASSED IN THE STATE HOUSES, AND THIS WEEK WERE PASSED BY THE STATE SENATES, BY A 7-TO-1 MARGIN IN IDAHO AND A 3-TO-1 MARGIN IN COLORADO. COLORADO'S RELATIVELY GAY-FRIENDLY GOVERNOR ROY ROMER HAS NOT SAID IF HE WILL VETO THE MEASURE WHEN IT REACHES HIS DESK IN THE COMING WEEK. IDAHO GOVERNOR PHIL BATT HAS ALREADY PROMISED TO SIGN IT, WHICH WOULD MAKE IDAHO THE THIRD U.S. STATE TO ENACT SUCH A LAW, AFTER UTAH AND SOUTH DAKOTA. TENNESSEE'S BILL TO DENY RECOGNITION TO GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES WAS PASSED BY THE STATE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE THIS WEEK AND SHOULD BE VOTED ON BY THE FULL HOUSE IN THE COMING WEEK. THE TENNESSEE STATE SENATE HAS ALREADY APPROVED THE MEASURE. WITH NEW BILLS AGAINST GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES INTRODUCED IN MICHIGAN AND OKLAHOMA, 19 STATES ARE NOW CONSIDERING SIMILAR MEASURES. THEIR PASSAGE HAS BEEN BLOCKED IN ANOTHER 7 STATES. ALL THIS ACTIVITY HAS BEEN SPARKED BY THE POSSIBILITY OF LEGAL GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES IN HAWAII AS A RESULT OF A COURT CASE TO BE TRIED LATER THIS YEAR. NEBRASKA HAS STOOD OUT AS THE LONE STATE WHERE A BILL HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TO GRANT LEGAL RECOGNITION TO GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES, BUT THIS WEEK THE NEBRASKA CHRISTIAN COALITION HELD A RALLY OPPOSING THEM. COALITON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DOUG PATTON TOLD A CROWD OF ABOUT 300 THAT "WE ARE NOT HERE TO ANY WAY DENIGRATE, HUMILIATE OR VERBALLY BASH HOMOSEXUALS OR ANYONE ELSE", BUT THAT "A SOCIETY THAT SANCTIONS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS ONE THAT WILL TRAMPLE ON YOUR RELIGIOUS RIGHTS." THE DEMONSTRATORS KNELT TO PRAY FOR RECOGNITION OF THE SINFULNESS OF WHAT THEY CALLED "SODOMITE RELATIONSHIPS". ALTHOUGH NEBRASKA GOVERNOR BEN NELSON HAS EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR A BAN ON SAME-GENDER MARRIAGES, NO SUCH BILL HAS BEEN INTRODUCED THERE, OR IS LIKELY TO BE, WITH THE STATE'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMING TO A CLOSE. AND FINALLY ... WHILE THERE MAY BE MANY PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THE WHOLE SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE QUESTION HAS GOTTEN OUT OF HAND, BRENT LEDGER, A COLUMNIST FOR TORONTO'S GAY AND LESBIAN "XTRA!" MAGAZINE, OBSERVED THAT "I SOMETIMES THINK THERE ARE MORE GAY WEDDINGS ON TV THAN THERE ARE IN REAL LIFE!" Sources for this week's report: Reuter News Service; cybercorrespondent Mark Proffitt citing Brother-Sister/Australia; Alejandra Sarda of Escrita En El Cuerpo/Argentina; press releases from The American Civil Liberties Union and The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force; Rex Wockner International News Service; U.S.A. Today; The New York Times; The Associated Press; The Albany (New York) Times-Union; The Idaho Statesman; The Memphis (Tennessee) Commercial Appeal; The Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald; The Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal-Star; and The Daily Nebraskan. ========================================================