Date: Tue, 19 Aug 1997 15:57:36 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: LESBIAN & GAY HISTORY MONTH ESSAY CALL FOR ENTRIES WINNER FLIES FREE IN COMMUNITY WIDE EVENT MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Liz Tracey (212) 807-1700 pager: (800) 946-4646, pin #1423527 e-mail: tracey@glaad.org LESBIAN & GAY HISTORY MONTH ESSAY CALL FOR ENTRIES WINNER FLIES FREE IN COMMUNITY WIDE EVENT NEW YORK, AUGUST 19, 1997-The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced today a national essay contest celebrating October's "Lesbian & Gay History Month: A Celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History." The essay, which will appear in numerous lesbian and gay publications coast-to-coast, will highlight the historical significance of the community and its continued struggle for equal rights. In the essay, participants will be asked to write on the topic, "What does lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history mean to you, and how do you envision that history influencing the future of the movement?" This question incorporates the theme of this fourth annual event, "Reclaiming the Past, Charting the Future." "This essay contest is a wonderful opportunity for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to explore their history, both personal and collective," said Joan M. Garry, Executive Director of GLAAD. "It's an especially exciting opportunity for young people to learn about the struggle that preceded them, and connect it to our ongoing growth as a people." The essay will appear in numerous lesbian and gay publications across the country throughout the month of October, helping to highlight this community-wide celebration of who we are. The winner will receive a round trip ticket anywhere American Airlines flies in the continental US, Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas (some restrictions apply). The judges will include, among others, GLAAD staff Sean Sasser, Chastity Bono and Liz Tracey, History Month founder Rodney Wilson, GLSEN's Kevin Jennings and HRC's Donna Red Wing. Submissions should be no longer than 750 words. They must be received no later than Monday, September 22, and must be typed. This contest is open to all. A winner will be announced on Monday, September 29. Submissions should be addressed to Bill Horn, LGHM Essay Contest, GLAAD, 150 W. 26th Street, #503, New York, NY 10001, or sent via e-mail to horn@glaad.org. GLAAD is pleased to be co-sponsoring Lesbian & Gay History Month with a number of other national organizations. In addition, GLAAD is proud to have American Express Financial Advisors as History Month's primary corporate sponsor. For more information on History Month visit GLAAD's official History Month World Wide Web site which can be accessed through GLAAD's Homepage at www.glaad.org. GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate, and inclusive media representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. -30- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org TO REPORT DEFAMATION IN THE MEDIA - Call GLAAD's Alertline at 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or go to the GLAAD Web Site at www.glaad.org and report through our Alertline Online. TO JOIN GLAAD AND RECEIVE GLAAD's DISPATCH AND QUARTERLY IMAGES MAGAZINE, call 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or join on the Web today at www.glaad.org/glaad/join/join-about.html TO SUBSCRIBE TO GLAAD-Net, GLAAD's electronic mailing list, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Subscribe GLAAD-Net" TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Unsubscribe GLAAD-Net" GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.