*************************************************
                       The week of 03/25/96 on
                          T H I S    W A Y    O U T
          the international gay & lesbian radio magazine

* In NewsWrap:  Continuing a 15-year "tradition" of promises, Canadian Prime
Minister Jean Chretien announces that his government will introduce
anti-discrimination legislation to protect gays and lesbians before the next
elections ... a gay man from Armenia wins asylum in Denmark, while an Iranian
gay man is denied asylum in Sweden ... more anti-same-gender marriage
maneuvers in several U.S. state legislatures ... AIDS claims pioneering
African-American queer military activist Perry Watkins ... and several other
stories [anchored by Cindy Friedman and Jon Beaupre]

          ==> Read the complete text of NewsWrap below!

* About 200 members of P-FLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians &
Gays) traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to lobby Congress in support of
ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.  Verna Avery Brown talks with
P-FLAGers Gail and Pat Rickey about their experiences not only in D.C., but
as part of a busload of parent activists who promoted lesbigay rights along
their route to the U.S. capital ...

* While many Irish-American lesbigay activists have fought court battles
trying to participate in St. Patrick's Day parades in some U.S. cities, The
Gay & Lesbian Alliance of Syracuse has marched in that upstate New York
city's festivities for the past 6 years, including this year's parade on
March 17th.  Correspondent Eugene Sonn explains why St. Patrick seems to
favor lavendar with his green in Syracuse ...

* 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.  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 second of a multi-part feature interview,
Josy Catoggio talks with Berendt about one of the real-life main characters
in his book, Savannah's celebrated black drag queen The Lady Chablis (and you
can call him "The") 


===========================*============================
                                     = NewsWrap =
               For the week ending March 23rd, 1996
        (As broadcast on THIS WAY OUT  Program #417,
                              distributed 03-25-96)
[Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Bill
Stosine, Jason Lin, Bjorn Skolander, Jon Beaupre, Greg Gordon and Ron
Buckmire]

CANADA'S PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT, BEFORE THE
NEXT ELECTION IS HELD, HIS GOVERNMENT WILL INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO PROHIBIT
DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION.  ALTHOUGH SUCH LEGISLATION HAS
BEEN PROMISED IN CANADA FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS WITHOUT MATERIALIZING,
CHRETIEN'S ANNOUNCEMENT CAME AS A SURPRISE EVEN TO MEMBERS OF HIS OWN LIBERAL
PARTY.  CHRETIEN SAID HE'D MADE A PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO ESTABLISH CIVIL
RIGHTS PROTECTIONS FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT PART OF THE
LIBERAL PARTY PLATFORM.  WHILE CHRETIEN SAYS HE MADE THE COMMITMENT DURING
HIS ELECTION CAMPAIGN, HIS ANNOUNCEMENT CAME THE DAY AFTER A REPORT BY
CANADA'S HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER MAX YALDEN, WHO SEVERELY CRITICIZED THE
LIBERAL GOVERNMENT FOR NOT HAVING ADDED SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS A PROTECTED
CATEGORY IN CANADA'S HUMAN RIGHTS ACT.

A GAY MAN FROM ARMENIA HAS BEEN GRANTED ASYLUM IN DENMARK.  HE'S THE FIRST
ARMENIAN TO WIN REFUGEE STATUS IN DENMARK BECAUSE OF HOMOPHOBIC PERSECUTION.
BUT A GAY IRANIAN MAN HAS BEEN DENIED ASYLUM IN SWEDEN.  THE NATIONAL
ORGANIZATION RFSL REPORTS THAT THE SWEDISH IMMIGRATION BOARD AND ALIEN
APPEALS BOARD SEEMED TO DOUBT THE IRANIAN'S STORY OF PERSECUTION AND THREATS
OF EXECUTION BY POLICE IN HIS HOMELAND.  BECAUSE OTHER IRANIAN GAY APPLICANTS
HAVE BEEN GRANTED ASYLUM IN THE PAST, RFSL IS CONCERNED THAT THE DENIAL IN
THIS CASE MAY REPRESENT A MORE RESTRICTIVE POLICY FOR FUTURE DECISIONS.

GAY AND LESBIAN ACTIVISTS IN BRAZIL HAVE DELUGED THEIR GOVERNMENT WITH
PROTEST LETTERS OVER THE ARREST OF GAY BRITISH NATIONAL DAVID HARRAD.  HARRAD
EMIGRATED TO BRAZIL TO BE WITH HIS PARTNER TONI REIS, BUT WAS DENIED THE
RESIDENCY PERMIT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AUTOMATIC FOR A LEGALLY-MARRIED COUPLE.
 HARRAD WAS ARRESTED LAST WEEK AFTER REFUSING TO LEAVE BRAZIL WHEN HIS VISA
EXPIRED.  HE'S BEING REQUIRED TO PAY A FINE, LEAVE THE BORDERS OF BRAZIL, AND
OBTAIN A NEW TOURIST VISA BEFORE RETURNING.  NATIONWIDE ATTENTION TO THE CASE
BY BRAZIL'S MEDIA LED 18 WOMEN TO PROPOSE MARRIAGE TO HARRAD, ONE OF THEM A
PREGNANT WOMAN WILLING TO TESTIFY THAT HE'S FATHERED HER CHILD ... BUT HARRAD
SAYS HE NEVER GAVE A MOMENT'S CONSIDERATION TO THE PROPOSALS.

IDAHO GOVERNOR PHIL BATT THIS WEEK SIGNED INTO LAW A BILL TO DENY LEGAL
RECOGNITION TO GAY AND LESBIAN MARRIAGES, MAKING HIS THE THIRD U.S. STATE TO
DO SO, FOLLOWING UTAH AND SOUTH DAKOTA.

COLORADO'S BILL TO DENY RECOGNITION TO SAME-GENDER MARRIAGES WENT TO GOVERNOR
ROY ROMER'S DESK ON MONDAY, BEGINNING A TEN-DAY PERIOD IN WHICH HE CAN VETO
IT, SIGN IT, OR ALLOW IT TO PASS INTO LAW WITHOUT HIS SIGNATURE.  IN A RADIO
INTERVIEW THIS WEEK, ROMER INDICATED THAT HE SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF DOMESTIC
PARTNERSHIP LEGISLATION OTHER THAN TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE THAT WOULD GIVE SOME
LEGAL WEIGHT TO GAY AND LESBIAN RELATIONSHIPS, AND THAT HE MIGHT VETO THE
MEASURE NOW BEFORE HIM BECAUSE IT FAILS TO DO SO.

THIS WEEK ANOTHER MEASURE TO DENY EQUAL MARRIAGE RIGHTS TO GAYS AND LESBIANS
WAS PASSED BY THE KANSAS STATE HOUSE, BY A MARGIN OF MORE THAN 3-TO-1.
 MEASURES TO DENY RECOGNITION OF GAY AND LESBIANS MARRIAGES ARE STILL IN
PROCESS IN 14 OTHER U.S. STATES, AND THEY'VE NOW BEEN BLOCKED OR WITHDRAWN IN
11 MORE, WITH BILLS KILLED THIS WEEK IN FLORIDA, IOWA, AND WISCONSIN.

ALL THIS LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY COMES IN RESPONSE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF LEGAL
MARRIAGES FOR SAME-GENDER COUPLES IN HAWAII AFTER A TRIAL LATER THIS YEAR.
 HAWAII'S OWN STATE LEGISLATORS HAVE ALSO BEEN WRESTLING WITH THE ISSUE, BUT
APPEAR TO HAVE REACHED A STALEMATE, WITH THE HOUSE PASSING A BILL TO DENY
RECOGNITION TO SAME-GENDER MARRIAGES, AND THE SENATE PASSING A BILL TO
ESTABLISH LEGAL DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS.  THIS WEEK,
LEADERS IN THE HAWAII STATE HOUSE AND SENATE SAID THEY WOULD NOT TAKE UP EACH
OTHER'S BILLS THIS SESSION.

A MEASURE PASSED THIS WEEK BY A MICHIGAN STATE SENATE COMMITTEE TAKES A
DIFFERENT TACK IN DENYING EQUAL RIGHTS TO SAME-GENDER COUPLES.  A RIDER TO A
BILL TO FUND STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WOULD DENY THOSE FUNDS TO ANY
SCHOOL WHICH OFFERS DOMESTIC PARTNER BENEFITS TO ITS STUDENTS, FACULTY OR
STAFF.

DESPITE THE HOSTILITY IN U.S. STATE LEGISLATURES TOWARD SAME-GENDER
MARRIAGES, THE NUMBER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE U.S. RECOGNIZING GAY AND
LESBIAN RELATIONSHIPS CONTINUES TO GROW.  THE ALBANY, NEW YORK COMMON COUNCIL
THIS WEEK VOTED BY A LANDSLIDE TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICIAL DOMESTIC PARTNERS
REGISTRY FOR UNMARRIED COUPLES, WHETHER SAME-GENDER OR HETEROSEXUAL.  ALBANY
MAYOR JERRY JENNINGS IS EXPECTED TO SIGN THE MEASURE INTO LAW AND MAKE HIS
CITY THE FOURTH IN NEW YORK TO ESTABLISH A DOMESTIC PARTNERS REGISTRY.  THE
LICENSE WOULD CARRY NO SPECIFIC LEGAL BENEFITS.

THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL VOTED IN MID-MARK BY A MORE THAN 2-TO-1 MARGIN TO
EXTEND HEALTH CARE BENEFITS TO THE UNMARRIED PARTNERS OF ITS CITY EMPLOYEES,
REGARDLESS OF GENDER.  THAT MEASURE WILL REQUIRE THE APPROVAL OF THE
MASSACHUSETTS STATE LEGISLATURE TO BECOME LAW.

THE LANSING, MICHIGAN CITY COUNCIL THIS WEEK VOTED 5-TO-3 TO ADD SEXUAL
ORIENTATION AS A PROTECTED CATEGORY IN ITS CIVIL RIGHTS ORDINANCE.  FAMILY
STATUS, HEIGHT AND WEIGHT WERE ALSO MADE PROTECTED CATEGORIES WITH THE SAME
BILL.  OPPONENTS HAVE ALREADY BEGUN PLANNING FOR REPEAL, MOST LIKELY BY MEANS
OF A BALLOT INITIATIVE.

THE U.S. SENATE VOTED THIS WEEK BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO REPEAL A MEASURE
REQUIRING THE DISCHARGE OF MILITARY PERSONNEL WITH HIV.  THE ORIGINAL
MEASURE, AN AMENDMENT TO THE ANNUAL ARMED FORCES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, WAS
WRITTEN BY THE ARCH-HOMOPHOBE OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
REPUBLICAN ROBERT DORNAN OF CALIFORNIA.  IT'S VERY MUCH IN QUESTION IF THE
REPEAL MEASURE WILL PASS IN THE HOUSE.

AIDS-RELATED ILLNESS THIS WEEK TOOK THE LIFE OF A PIONEERING AFRICAN-AMERICAN
ACTIVIST IN THE STRUGGLE FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS TO SERVE OPENLY IN THE U.S.
MILITARY.  ARMY SERGEANT PERRY WATKINS DIED AT THE AGE OF 48.  WATKINS
CHECKED "YES" ON THE QUESTION ABOUT "HOMOSEXUAL TENDENCIES" ON HIS ARMY
ENLISTMENT APPLICATION IN 1967, BUT WAS NONETHELESS FOUND QUALIFIED TO SERVE.
 HE RE-ENLISTED THREE TIMES, SPENDING MUCH OF HIS OFF-DUTY TIME AS A DRAG
PERFORMER, BEFORE THE ARMY FINALLY REFUSED TO RE-ENLIST HIM IN 1984 BECAUSE
HE WAS GAY.  WATKINS WON A LANDMARK VICTORY WHEN A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT IN
1989 ORDERED THE ARMY TO ALLOW HIM TO RE-ENLIST.  WATKINS INSTEAD ACCEPTED A
CASH SETTLEMENT AND FULL RETIREMENT BENEFITS.  GAY MILITARY ACTIVIST PERRY
WATKINS, DEAD THIS WEEK FROM AIDS-RELATED ILLNESS AT THE AGE OF 48.

THE CONNECTICUT STATE SUPREME COURT THIS WEEK ISSUED A 3-TO-2 SPLIT DECISION
TO UPHOLD A BAN ON MILITARY RECRUITERS AT THE SCHOOL OF LAW AT THE STATE
UNIVERSITY AT STORRS, ON THE GROUNDS THAT THE U.S. MILITARY POLICY AGAINST
SERVICE BY OPEN GAYS AND LESBIANS VIOLATES CONNECTICUT'S HUMAN RIGHTS LAW.
 NO OTHER EMPLOYER WITH DISCRIMINATORY HIRING PRACTICES IS ALLOWED TO RECRUIT
ON STATE CAMPUSES, AND THE COURT REFUSED TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR THE
MILITARY.  BECAUSE THE DECISION IS BASED ON A CONNECTICUT LAW, THE CASE
CANNOT BE APPEALED FURTHER.

AND FINALLY ... WHAT ARE LESBIANS FOUR TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DO THAN THE
GENERAL PUBLIC?  ACCORDING TO MARKET RESEARCH, THE ANSWER IS: BUY A SUBARU.
 THE JAPANESE AUTOMAKER IS NOW TARGETING LESBIANS WITH A NEW SERIES OF ADS TO
BEGIN RUNNING IN THE GAY AND LESBIAN PRESS IN APRIL.  ACCORDING TO THE TRADE
JOURNAL ADVERTISING AGE, ONE OF THE FIRST ADS SHOWS A PAIR OF
OUTDOORSY-LOOKING WOMEN SMILING AT EACH OTHER, WITH THE CAPTION, "IT LOVES
CAMPING, DOGS, AND LONG-TERM COMMITMENT ... TOO BAD IT'S ONLY A CAR."

Sources for this week's report:  Reuter News Service;  RFSL's "News from
Swedish Lesbian/Gay Politics";  Luis Mott of The Brazilian
Gay/Lesbian/Transgender Association;  Bo Mortenson of Radio Rosa/Copenhagen,
Denmark;  The Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph;  The Associated Press;  The
Honolulu Advertiser;  The Des Moines Register;  press releases from The
Hawaii Equal Right to Marry Project, The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force,
The Log Cabin Republican Club of Florida, The Human Rights Campaign, The Gay
& Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and Michigan's Triangle Foundation;
 The Albany (New York) Times Union;  The Boston Globe;  The Chicago Tribune;
 The New York Times;  and The San Jose (California) Mercury News.
========================================================
Some THIS WAY OUT operating expenses are funded by grants from THE C.P. ESTES
GUADALUPE FOUNDATION and THE GILL FOUNDATION, and by individual donations
from listeners worldwide.  Special thanks this week to the UNCOMMON CLOUT
Visa  cardholders who have designated THIS WAY OUT as one of 82 nonprofits to
receive a percentage of their chargecard purchases.  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, and on
Costa Rica-based 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, U.S.A., 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
**************************************************