************************************************* The week of 04/29/96 on T H I S W A Y O U T the international gay & lesbian radio magazine * In NewsWrap: Dutch members ask the European Parliament if legalizing same-gender marriages in The Netherlands would conflict with any European Union regulations, while same-gender partners win legal recognition in A.C.T., the Australian capital city ... there's a renewed promise from Canada's Justice Minister to add sexual orientation to the country's Human Rights Act ... ILGA-Portugal becomes the first lesbigay group to win legal recognition in that country ... homophobic U.S. Congressmember Robert Dornan moves to reinstate the just-repealed regulation banning HIV-positive military personnel, and, for good measure, to also rescind the Clinton "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy ... and several other stories [anchored by Cindy Friedman and Brian Nunes] ==> Read the complete text of NewsWrap below! * In the U.S., the Second Annual West Coast Conference of GLSTN - The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Teachers Network - convened last weekend in Los Angeles. Attention at the conference focused on a contingent of teachers from Utah, and -- to head off formation of a gay-straight student alliance at a Salt Lake City high school -- the recently-enacted statewide legislation barring all extracurricular school clubs. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis and multi-talented performer Robert Guillame were also there to lend star power (and their support) to this first such event to be held at an elementary school. This Way Out's Mike Wilber was on hand to prepare this report [with production assistance by Chris Wilson, Pam Marshall, and Christopher David Trentham] ... * Heterosexual journalist Kurt Chandler's 1992 special feature for the Minneapolis Star Tribune formed the basis for his 1995 book, "Passages Of Pride: Lesbian & Gay Youth Come of Age". In the conclusion of a 3-part feature interview, Chandler talks with This Way Out's Josy Catoggio about the Religious Right's war against positive programs for queer youth ... =========================*============================== = NewsWrap = for the week ending April 27th, 1996 (As broadcast on THIS WAY OUT Program #422, distributed 04-29-96) [Compiled & written by CINDY FRIEDMAN, with thanks to Brian Nunes, Bill Stosine, Jason Lin, Greg Gordon, Rex Wockner, Ron Buckmire and Bjorn Skolander] THE QUESTION OF EQUAL MARRIAGE RIGHTS FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS HAS COME BEFORE THE EUROPEAN UNION. FOLLOWING THE HIGHLY-PUBLICIZED MID-APRIL VOTE BY THE SECOND CHAMBER OF THE DUTCH PARLIAMENT IN SUPPORT OF SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE, TWO NETHERLANDS MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HAVE ASKED THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO CONSIDER WHETHER SUCH A LAW WOULD POSE ANY CONFLICTS WITH EUROPEAN REGULATIONS. IN WHAT'S BELIEVED TO BE A FIRST IN AUSTRALIA, UNMARRIED COUPLES, INCLUDING GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES, HAVE WON LEGAL RECOGNITION UNDER PROBATE LAW IN AUSTRALIA'S CAPITAL CITY, THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY. MARRIAGE PARTNERS HAVE ALWAYS HAD INHERITANCE RIGHTS IN THE ABSENCE OF A WILL, BUT UNMARRIED PARTNERS HAVE HAD NO LEGAL STANDING TO INHERIT WHEN ONE DIES INTESTATE, REGARDLESS OF THE DURATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP. BY AN ACT OF THE A.C.T. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, UNMARRIED PARTNERS IN THE CITY WILL BECOME ELIGIBLE TO SHARE IN AN ESTATE, EFFECTIVE MAY 1ST. A.C.T. ATTORNEY GENERAL GARY HUMPHRIES SAID, "THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT ANY LOVING RELATIONSHIP SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED FOR THE PURPOSES OF DISTRIBUTION AFTER DEATH, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE MARITAL STATUS OR SEXUALITY OF THE PARTNERS." LEGAL RECOGNITION FOR GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES AND CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS FOR GAYS, LESBIANS AND TRANSGENDERS WILL BE CONSIDERED IN BOTH THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT AND THE NEW SOUTH WALES STATE PARLIAMENT IN THEIR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS BEGINNING IN MAY. THE FEDERAL BILL INTRODUCED BY DEMOCRATIC SENATOR SID SPINDLER WOULD PROVIDE PROTECTIONS FROM DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND TRANSGENDER IDENTITY IN THE AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS, AND GOVERNMENT PENSIONS, WHILE GIVING SAME-GENDER COUPLES LEGAL STATUS EQUAL TO THAT OF UNMARRIED HETEROSEXUAL COUPLES. THE NEW SOUTH WALES STATE PARLIAMENT IS EXPECTED TO PASS A BILL EXTENDING LEGAL RECOGNITION TO GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES. STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF SHAW HAS PROMISED TO SPONSOR THE BILL. SHAW IS ALSO PROPOSING TO EXTEND THE NEW SOUTH WALES ANTI-DISCRIMINATION ACT, WHICH ALREADY PROTECTS GAYS AND LESBIANS, TO COVER TRANSGENDERS AS WELL. PORTUGAL HAS EXTENDED LEGAL RECOGNITION TO A GAY AND LESBIAN ORGANIZATION FOR THE FIRST TIME. ILGA-PORTUGAL HAS BEEN ACTIVELY LOBBYING THE NATIONAL PARLIAMENT TO ADD SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS A PROTECTED CATEGORY IN THE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION CLAUSE OF THE PORTUGESE CONSTITUTION, AS WELL AS WORKING TO EQUALIZE THE AGE OF CONSENT FOR SAME-GENDER SEX, AND WIN LEGAL RECOGNITION FOR SAME-GENDER COUPLES. CANADIAN JUSTICE MINISTER ALAN ROCK THIS WEEK RENEWED HIS PROMISE TO INTRODUCE A BILL IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS TO ADD SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS A PROTECTED CATEGORY UNDER CANADA'S HUMAN RIGHTS ACT. A BILL INTRODUCED BY THE GOVERNMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED, IN CONTRAST TO THE SIMILAR MEASURE PROPOSED LAST WEEK BY OPENLY GAY MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT SVEND ROBINSON, WHICH WOULD BE HEARD ONLY IF HE'S A WINNER IN A PARLIAMENTARY LOTTERY. WHILE ROCK IS THE 7TH CANADIAN JUSTICE MINISTER TO MAKE SUCH PROMISES WITHOUT THE MEASURE EVER HAVING COME TO A VOTE, THIS TIME THE ISSUE HAS THE STATED PERSONAL COMMITMENT OF PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN. THE REAL ISSUE IS WHETHER CHRETIEN WILL ALLOW HIS LIBERAL PARTY MEMBERS TO VOTE THEIR CONSCIENCES OR FORCE THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE BILL. WITH ELECTIONS NOT FAR OFF AND THE CONSERVATIVE REFORM PARTY MAKING A CAMPAIGN ISSUE OF ITS OUTSPOKEN OPPOSITION TO CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS, LIBERAL PARTY MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT ARE REPORTEDLY BEGGING CHRETIEN TO REQUIRE THEIR SUPPORT IN A SO-CALLED "WHIPPED VOTE" TO GIVE THEM AN OUT. TASMANIA'S SODOMY LAW, THE LAST IN AUSTRALIA, IS IN THE NEWS AGAIN. TASMANIAN PREMIER TONY RUNDLE HAS SAID HE'S LIKELY TO ALLOW LIBERAL PARTY MEMBERS OF THE STATE PARLIAMENT TO VOTE THEIR CONSCIENCES ON REFORMING THE LAW, AND TASMANIAN GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST RODNEY CROOME BELIEVES THAT WOULD ACTUALLY IMPROVE THE CHANCES FOR PASSAGE OF REFORM IN TASMANIA'S UPPER HOUSE. TASMANIA'S SODOMY LAW WAS PROTESTED THIS WEEK BY U.S. MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCHDOG GROUP AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL DEMONSTRATING OUTSIDE THE AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.. THEIR PRESS RELEASE CALLED THE MAXIMUM PENALTY OF 25 YEARS IN PRISON "OUTRAGEOUS" AND SAID THAT AMNESTY WOULD CONSIDER ANYONE IMPRISONED UNDER THE RARELY-ENFORCED STATUTE TO BE "A PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE". IN THE U.S., THIS WEEK'S FINAL PASSAGE OF THE MUCH-DELAYED 1996 FEDERAL BUDGET INCLUDED REPEAL OF THE REQUIREMENT TO DISCHARGE MILITARY PERSONNEL WITH HIV. THE HIV BAN HAD BEEN TAGGED ONTO A MAJOR DEFENSE SPENDING BILL BY HOMOPHOBIC CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEMBER ROBERT DORNAN. HE IMMEDIATELY USED HIS POSITION AS CHAIR OF THE HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL NOT ONLY TO TRY TO REINSTATE THE HIV BAN, BUT ALSO TO ATTEMPT TO REPEAL THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S SO-CALLED "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" POLICY ON MILITARY SERVICE BY GAYS AND LESBIANS. BOTH OF DORNAN'S MEASURES WERE PASSED BY HIS SUBCOMMITTEE AND WILL NEXT BE CONSIDERED BY THE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE. THE LATEST VICTIM OF THE U.S. BAN ON MILITARY SERVICE BY OPEN GAYS AND LESBIANS IS MARINE RESERVE CORPORAL KEVIN BLAESING. AN ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD THIS WEEK UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO DISCHARGE BLAESING, WHO LAST YEAR SKIPPED A SCHEDULED DRILL TO SPEAK AT A GAY AND LESBIAN PRIDE RALLY, WHERE HE ANNOUNCED HE IS "A PROUD GAY MAN". THE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD VIEWED 2 DIFFERENT VIDEOTAPES OF BLAESING'S SPEECH, ONE PRESENTED IN HIS DEFENSE, AND ANOTHER BY THE MARINES. THE LATTER WAS RECORDED BY A CHRISTIAN GROUP AND HAD BLAESING BARELY AUDIBLE ABOVE CHRISTIAN PROTESTORS SHOUTING "QUEERS SPREAD AIDS". THE U.S. COUNCIL OF BISHOPS OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH STATED TO THE DENOMINATION'S GENERAL CONFERENCE IN DENVER, COLORADO THAT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE BOTH OPPOSING ORDINATION OF GAYS AND LESBIANS, AND MAINTAINING THE CHURCH'S POSITION THAT HOMOSEXUALITY IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH ITS TEACHING. EVEN THOUGH 15 RENEGADE BISHOPS HAD PREVIOUSLY DECLARED THEIR PERSONAL OPPOSITION TO THE 8.5-MILLION-MEMBER DENOMINATION'S CONDEMNATION OF HOMOSEXUALITY, THE ANTI-GAY AND -LESBIAN STATEMENT WAS UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED BY THE 67 MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS. "THE BIRDCAGE", THE U.S. MAINSTREAM REMAKE OF THE CLASSIC FRENCH FILM "LA CAGE AUX FOLLES", HAS BECOME THE TOP-GROSSING GAY-THEMED FILM OF ALL TIME. THE ROBIN WILLIAMS VEHICLE TOPPED THE CHARTS IN ITS OPENING WEEKEND, AND NOW AFTER 6 WEEKS IN RELEASE HAS GROSSED MORE THAN $100,000,000 IN U.S. THEATERS. BY CONTRAST, U.S. GROSSES FOR "PHILADELPHIA" TOTALLED $78,000,000, WHILE "LA CAGE" MADE ONLY $17,000,000 IN THE U.S. U.S. CORPORATIONS WITH GAY-FRIENDLY POLICIES WERE REMARKABLY PROFITABLE LAST YEAR. SINCE 1992, JAMES DEAN, PRESIDENT OF THE STONEWALL ADVISOR, HAS MONITORED THE PERFORMANCE ON U.S. STOCK MARKETS OF COMPANIES WITH BINDING POLICIES AGAINST DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN HIRING AND EMPLOYMENT AND SIX OTHER CRITERIA. DEAN PUBLISHES THE RESULTS UNDER THE TITLE OF THE STONEWALL INDEX. IN 1995, 36 COMPANIES MADE THE LIST, AND THE COMBINED VALUE OF THEIR STOCK SKYROCKETED BY A RECORD 40 PERCENT. THE INDEX ROSE ONLY 6.6 PERCENT IN 1994, AFTER INCREASES OF OVER 20 PERCENT IN 1993 AND 1992. BRITISH BUSINESSES HAVE EXTENDED RECORD SUPPORT TO MANCHESTER'S FOURTH ANNUAL GAY AND LESBIAN ARTS FESTIVAL, "IT'S QUEER UP NORTH". THE AVANT GARDE HAPPENING BEGAN ITS 2-WEEK RUN APRIL 26TH, AND 45,000 PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND. EVENT DIRECTOR GAVIN BARLOW SAID, "WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, BUSINESSES WOULDN'T TOUCH THE FESTIVAL. NOW THEY DON'T SEE IT AS A PROBLEM TO SUBSIDIZE GAY EVENTS." THE FESTIVAL ALSO RECEIVED FUNDING FROM BOTH THE BRITISH AND EUROPEAN ARTS COUNCILS FOR THE FIRST TIME. AND FINALLY ... A RECENT ARTICLE IN "LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE" DISCUSSED THE "GAY SENSIBILITY" THAT OPENLY-GAY AND -LESBIAN WRITERS HAVE BROUGHT TO ALMOST EVERY U.S. PRIME-TIME TELEVISION SITCOM. IT QUOTED KELSEY GRAMMAR, STAR OF THE AWARD-WINNING HIT SHOW "FRASIER", AS SAYING THAT FOR GAYS, "IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO BE VERY ENTERTAINING AND CHARMING AND WITTY AND URBANE. I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD BE DOING IT MORE OFTEN. THERE ARE SO MANY DULL STRAIGHT MEN." Sources for this week's report: The Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald; Brother-Sister/Australia; The Chicago Tribune; Reuter News Service; Rex Wockner International News Service; U.S.A. Today; The New York Times; The Quad City Times/Davenport, Iowa; The Washington Blade; The Associated Press; Variety; and cyberpress releases from Amnesty International, The American Civil Liberties Union, Log Cabin Republicans, The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, The Human Rights Campaign, The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and Goncalo Diniz of ILGA-Portugal. ======================================================== Some THIS WAY OUT operating expenses are funded by grants from THE C.P. ESTES GUADALUPE FOUNDATION, THE GILL FOUNDATION, THE KICKING ASSETS FUND OF THE TIDES FOUNDATION, and by individual donations from listeners worldwide. Special thanks to UNCOMMON CLOUT Visa cardholders who have designated THIS WAY OUT as one of several 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), please visit our continually-updated WORLD WIDE WEB home page. Find it on the Queer Resources Directory ... Our page is at: http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/media/radio/thiswayout *************************************************