Date: Mon, 6 May 1996 08:51:54 -0700 From: glaad@glaad.org (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Subject: GLAADAlert 05.06.96 GLAADALERT May 6, 1996 The GLAADAlert is the bi-monthly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation CHANDLER - GAY OR STRAIGHT? The sexuality of one of America's favorite Friends has become the hot topic of debate in living rooms and in Cyberspace all over the country. Questions about the sexual orientation of NBC hit sitcom Friends character Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) have been raised in several episodes. In one instance, a female co-worker assumes that he is gay. Mr. Heckles, the downstairs neighbor, also assumes he's gay. During sweeps week, Caroline (Lea Thompson from Caroline in the City) thinks that he and Joey (Matt Le Blanc) are gay fathers. The topic has been so popular that magazines have taken on the question. In March, Entertainment Weekly pondered Chandler's sexuality. This month, in its May 6th issue, People Magazine addresses the debate. Writer Elaine Showalter comments, "For their part, the show's creators insist that Chandler is not gay, and that's that. Fair enough. Coming out is not a lifestyle choice, like turning vegetarian, and much of the recent societal buzz is about stereotypes." But, she goes on to say, "despite what the producers claim, sexuality on Friends is more complicated than to be or not to be. As Ross ruefully explained in the pilot, Carol hadn't realized she was gay until they were married. Viewers today rightly resist clich=E9s about sexual identity, but we're more willing (if Friends would dare us) to accept the notion that even comic favorites can make discoveries about themselves." Write People Magazine and thank them for presenting such a humorous and enlightening article. Also write Entertainment Weekly for its treatment of the subject as well. Contact: Landon Y. Jones, Jr., Managing Director, and Elaine Showalter, writer, People Magazine, Time & Life Building, Rockerfeller Center, New York, NY 10020, fax: 212.522.0794, e-mail: 74774.1513@compuserve.com; James W. Seymore, Jr., Managing Director, Entertainment Weekly, 1675 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, e-mail: ew-webmaster@pathfinder.com. ABOUT THE BIRDS AND THE BEES... In the May 2nd issue of the New York Times, Felicia R. Lee asks the question, "Is the dreaded 'big talk' pass=E9?" The piece offers suggestions for parents to make talking to their children about sex and sexuality easier. The article launches with an example of a mother who was taken aback when her child asked her questions about homosexuality. Interviewing parents and specialists, Lee concludes that the subjects of sex and sexuality cannot be condensed into one lump talk about "the birds and the bees." The article includes some resources for educating children about sex. One of the books listed is Ann Heron's "Two Teenagers in 20: Writings by Gay and Lesbian Youth." Write the New York Times and thank them for such an affirmative article. Contact: The New York Times, 229 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036, fax: 212.556.3690, e-mail: letters@nytimes.com MICHIGAN RESIDENT STEAMED ABOUT SAME GENDER MARRIAGE The debate surrounding the upcoming decision in Hawaii about legalizing same gender marriage has spread to all areas of the country. Eric Standen, a resident of Battle Creek, Michigan for six years, used a guest column in the April 28th issue of The Battle Creek Enquirer to denounce same gender marriage. Addressing an earlier March 22 guest column by Reverend Gregory Youngchild, who stated that same gender marriage is "a simple matter of justice and nondiscrimination," Standen responded that gay men and lesbians have the exact same rights as non-gay people do. He explained, "homosexuals may marry, but just like heterosexuals, they must marry a member of the opposite sex." Standen painted the fight for equal rights as a conspiracy by saying, "What is going on in Hawaii can be seen a deliberate attempt by a small, well-organized, politically active and relatively wealthy special-interest group to use a constitutional loop-hole - that is, the 'full faith and credit clause' - for the sole purpose of obtaining special financial and legal benefits for its members." Send your comments to The Battle Creek Enquirer. Contact: The Battle Creek Enquirer, 155 West Van Buren Street, Battle Creek, MI 49016, fax: 616.964.0299, e-mail: enquirer@ccm.tdsnet.com. WHEN A MAN LOVES A MAN... In the May 4th issue of Billboard Magazine, New York based independent recording artist Jesse Hultberg writes on the impact made by the recent burgeoning of "out" gay and lesbian recording artists. He first challenges the reader to think of an out, American male pop performer on a major label. When he lets the reader know that there is none who fit that category, he offers this is not the end, but the beginning. Hultberg writes, " Who cares if you're gay, straight, black, white, blah, blah, blah? I agree, but... if we don't care, why aren't there already famous American, gay male musicians whose lyrics use same-sex pronouns? We do care, and it does mean something. It implies the beginning of an end to exclusion." While gay and lesbian artists have flourished on independent labels, he notes the "coming out" of pop stars such as Melissa Etheridge, kd lang, Andy Bell and Elton John has caused major labels like Atlantic Records to look toward the gay and lesbian market. Write Billboard Magazine and thank them for including such an insightful article. Contact: Billboard Magazine, 1515 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, e-mail: input@billboard-online.com The GLAADAlert is the bi-monthly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. 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. Contact GLAAD by e-mail at glaad@glaad.org or by phone at 213.658.6775 (Los Angeles), 212.807.1700 (New York), 413.586.8928 (Northampton), 503.224.5285 (Portland, Oregon) or 202.986.1360 (Washington, DC). Visit GLAAD's Web Site at http://www.glaad.org "GLAADAlert," "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~= ~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org VISIT THE GLAAD WEB SITE AT http://www.glaad.org! GLAAD 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 trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.