Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1996 17:07:46 -0700 From: glaad@glaad.org (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Subject: Special GOP Convention GLAADAlert 08.15.96 GLAADALERT August 15, 1996 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation -SPECIAL GOP CONVENTION ISSUE- This is a special double-issue of GLAADAlert from San Diego for Thursday, August 15 and Friday, August 16. GLAADAlert will run next week on its regular Friday schedule. NEWS FLASH FROM SAN DIEGO: LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS UTTER FOUR-LETTER WORD: D-O-L-E At a news conference today, August 15 at 3:15 PM PDT, the Log Cabin Republicans, the national gay and lesbian Republican organization, announced their endorsement of the Dole/Kemp ticket. San Diego Union-Tribune Continues Shoddy Gay Coverage The San Diego Union-Tribune continues its head-in-the-sand approach to journalism with its blackout of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and AIDS issues at the GOP National Convention. Union-Tribune reporters, who have interviewed many prominent national and local lesbian and gay leaders, have repeatedly suggested that the Trib would soon be running lesbian- and gay-oriented coverage. On August 15 the paper ran "Gay Factions Join Together to Push a Common Agenda." The story attempts to compare the goals of the Log Cabin Club, the lesbian and gay Republican organization, with those of the VOICES '96, an unprecedented coalition of over 30 local and national lesbian, gay and AIDS organizations. The story only skimmed the surface, however, ignoring the differing approaches of various lesbian and gay organizations and only provided a half-baked and unsophisticated exploration of community concerns. The article also cut in half the number of activists at the two-thousand person March and Rally for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights on August 12. Worse yet, the article, and the newspaper in general, has failed to report on the homophobic planks in the Republican platform. Also unmentioned are the various AIDS protests and rallies. Meanwhile, the cheerleading for the Republican National Convention as well as the Christian Coalition keeps rolling off the presses. Write and let the San Diego Union-Tribune know that this type of biased and partisan cheerleading is unacceptable. The San Diego Union-Tribune's anti-gay, AIDSphobic reportage (influenced by its arch-conservative publisher?) deserves nothing but condemnation. Contact: Karin E. Winner, Editor, San Diego Union-Tribune, P.O. Box 191, San Diego, CA 92112, fax: 619.293.1896, email: utletters@aol.com C-SPAN Airs Full Coverage of Lesbian and Gay News Conference On August 15, C-SPAN provided full, unedited coverage of an August 14 news conference held by the VOICES '96 which focused on the media's unwillingness to cover lesbian, gay and AIDS issues. The news conference also exposed the media's blind acceptance of the "big tent" myth hyped by Republican media strategists. Speakers at the lesbian and gay news conference included Ann Northrop, spokesperson for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), Candace Gingrich for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Joe Zuniga for AIDS Action Council and Melinda Paras, Executive Director of the National Lesbian and Gay Task Force (NGLTF). In addition, Al Franken, comedian and author, arrived on the scene and said, "I'm all for same-sex marriage," and, turning to Candace Gingrich, joked, "and speaking of your brother Newt, I'm also for same-marriage sex." Speakers exposed the mainstream media's virtual blackout of lesbian, gay and AIDS issues and challenged the media to be more assertive in examining the Republican platform and to move beyond the slick feel-good facade that has characterized broadcast and print media convention coverage. Let C-SPAN know that you appreciate their balanced coverage and that opposing viewpoints at the Republican National Convention are important and newsworthy. Also encourage them to re-air the news conference and continue to seek out gay and AIDS reportage. Contact: C-SPAN, 410 North Capitol Street NW, Suite 650, Washington, D.C. 20001, fax: 202.737.3323, email: viewer@c-span.org GLAAD PROTESTS ANTI-GAY RADIO SLUR After blasting Los Angeles radio station KFI-AM's conservative talk show host Bill Handel for describing a waiter as a "prancy little fag" on his talk show in March, a representative of GLAAD met last week with him to challenge his homophobic remark. The meeting, which lasted just under an hour, was characterized as productive by John Henning, Chair of GLAAD's Los Angeles Monitoring and Response Committee. "I think that Bill Handel now understands why the word is so hurtful to lesbians and gay men," said Henning. Henning was invited by Handel and station management to appear on Handel's show the next day (August 8). According to Henning, "A wide-ranging exchange on anti-gay and -lesbian defamation occurred." While on the air, Henning called on Bill Handel to stop his use of the word 'fag,' saying "that word sums up for most gay people the real hurt that they have felt at the hands of homophobic straight people." While Handel should be applauded for his willingness to discuss the issue, at press time, he has not apologized for his homophobic remark. Write and let him know that a little progress is good, but he has a long way to go. Contact: Bill Handel, "Handel Yourself in the Morning," KFI-AM, 610 South Ardmore Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90005, fax: 213.385.7076. Reportage Round-Up: Covered Despite the general blackout or distortion of lesbian and gay GOP Convention issues being covered by the nation's news media, some accurate reportage did get through to the American public. The August 14 edition of ABC "World News Tonight" ran an excellent news package about the Log Cabin Republican's struggle for inclusion in a party that, for all of its "big tent" hype, has remained largely unwelcomed. The Los Angeles Times has published consistent coverage of the various protests staged by many groups, including lesbian, gay men and AIDS activists. Both the Boston Globe and the Baltimore Sun printed photos of an August 13 ACT UP demonstration held outside the GOP Convention Center. In USA Today on August 14, the "USA Snapshots" included a poll which reported increased support for equal treatment of lesbians and gays in the workplace, and an article that examined the quest of Log Cabin Republicans to find legitimacy within their party. The August 14 San Diego Daily Transcript devoted a quarter-page to the August 12 March and Rally for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights. Reportage Round-Up: Covered Up The Arizona Republic reported in a story about gay Republicans that "Dole has advanced a theme of tolerance on such issues as abortion, gay rights, affirmative action and immigration," an assertion that flies in the face of the most homophobic platform in history. The Associated Press ran a wire story that completely misrepresented the August 13 ACT UP demonstration by printing false claims by a Buchanan supporter that ACT UP protesters had ripped up Buchanan signs and hit a Buchananite. They failed to speak with sources from ACT UP or VOICES '96 to confirm the rumors before going to press. The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. GLAAD is the lesbian and gay news bureau and the only national lesbian and gay multimedia watchdog organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. Copies of articles referred to in the GLAADAlert are available to our members by contacting GLAAD. 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), 202.986.1360 (Washington, DC) or 415.861.2244(San Francisco). Report defamation in the media by calling GLAAD's Toll-Free AlertLine! 1-800-GAY-MEDIA (1-800-429-6334) 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.