Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 12:25:19 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLSEN AND GLAAD PRAISE IN & OUT COMEDY SENDS IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT DISCRIMINATION MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts: Liz Tracey (GLAAD) (212) 807-1700 pgr. 1800 946 4646 #1423527 e-mail: tracey@glaad.org John Spears (GLSEN) (212) 727-0135, ext. 114 e-mail: jspear@glsen.org GLSEN AND GLAAD PRAISE IN & OUT COMEDY SENDS IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT DISCRIMINATION NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 17, 1997-The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) today praised the new film In & Out, stating that the movie brought audiences an important message about job discrimination facing the lesbian and gay community. The Paramount film explores the media storm surrounding Howard Brackman (Kevin Kline), a small-town English teacher, being inadvertently "outed" when a hometown celebrity (Matt Dillon) wins an Oscar. The announcement comes as a great surprise to the townspeople, most of all to Howard and his fiancee (Joan Cusack). The story brings a gay tabloid reporter (Tom Selleck) to town to dig for the truth. Along the way, Howard struggles with his own self-identity as the townspeople play out and confront their own myths and stereotypes about gender and sexual orientation. Additionally, the film refuses to shy away from same-sex intimacy, and ends with the message of acceptance for Howard. "In & Out explores stereotypes and assumptions many people still hold about the lesbian and gay community," observed Joan M. Garry, Executive Director of GLAAD. "With humor and wit, the film plays on these stereotypes to illuminate qualities all people share-the great expanse of our commonality, and how small the differences can be. Most importantly, In & Out portrays very real issues confronting our community: The prejudice and discrimination in the workplace and in our towns that lesbians and gay men face every day." With the nationwide release and Washington, DC premiere of In & Out slated for Thursday, September 18, GLSEN will host a press conference with former high school teacher Rawley Farnsworth, applauded as "one of the finest gay Americans" by actor Tom Hanks in his Oscar acceptance speech for the film Philadelphia in 1994. Kevin Kline's role in In & Out was inspired by Farnsworth, and his celebrated friendship with Hanks. The press conference will be held in the First Amendment lounge of the National Press Club. A fundraising reception for GLSEN, as well as to honor Farnsworth is scheduled that evening. "As an organization that works with gay, lesbian and supportive straight educators, we know well the ignorance that has surrounded and clouded these issues," said John Spear, National Field Director for GLSEN. "We know of many cases where, unlike In & Out, educators may be reprimanded, censured, and even fired because of their sexual orientation. This movie helps send the message that gay teachers can be valuable role models, not just for actors preparing for a part, but for an entire town to learn about the importance of diversity, and what different people can bring to the table of the community in which they live." GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in the media as a means of combating homophobia and all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. With over sixty chapters, and a membership of over five thousand teachers, parents, and concerned citizens, GLSEN is the only national organization working to ensure that schools are places where all people are valued and respected, regardless of sexual orientation. -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.