Date: Fri, 9 May 1997 17:34:12 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADAlert 05.09.97 GLAADALERT May 9, 1997 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Can Heche Shatter Hollywood's Lavender Ceiling? In the wake of actress Anne Heche's coming out as Ellen DeGeneres's "mate," discussion in newspapers across the country has centered on her future marketability as a romantic leading (heterosexual) lady. In the May 4 Boston Globe, Matthew Gilbert writes that Heche's potential should be undisturbed because "moviegoers have been buying homosexuals in heterosexual roles for decades," citing Rock Hudson and Montgomery Clift whose personal lives were kept in the closet by the "studio system." The April 30 Los Angeles Times takes a decidedly pessimistic stance saying Heche has poor timing because she isn't established yet, and in the words of one writer-director, "She's not known for anything...she'll be known as the gay actress, as Ellen's girlfriend." Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle underscores the seriousness of the issue by writing in an April 30 article that what happens to Heche will say a lot about the meaning of stardom at the turn of the century and about the "culture's deepest responses to homosexuality." In an industry that centers on marketing images to a wide variety of people there is no place for bigotry. When the debate arises as to whether Anne Heche will continue to be offered leading roles, the most important element should be her ability to act. Her courage to challenge homophobic and unproven conventional industry wisdom about being openly gay should earn her the benefit of the doubt. As Heche's new manager Arthur Imparto states in a May 1 Los Angeles Times article, "If artists play games and live a half-truth, their artistry is affected." Please write these publications and remind them that Heche's bold move to come out flies in the face of Hollywood nay sayers and should be celebrated. Contact: Boston Globe, P.O. Box 2378, Boston, MA 02107, fax: 617.929.2098, e-mail: letter@globe.com; USA Today, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22229, fax: 703.247.3108, e-mail: editor@usatoday.com; Shelby Coffey, Editor-in-Chief, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, fax: 213.237.4712, e-mail: letters@latimes.com; William German, Editor, San Francisco Chronicle, 901 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-2988, fax: 415.543.7708, e-mail: chronletters@sfgate.com; Ian Valentine, USA Networks International, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Post Highlights Gay Immigrates Struggle On April 23 the Washington Post ran an article illuminating the dire ramifications a new immigration law will have on lesbian and gay illegal immigrants. The new law requires that in order to remain in the United States illegal immigrants must prove their deportation would cause, "extreme hardship to a parent, child, or spouse who is a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident," according to the article. "Most gay men and lesbians, according to the [Lesbian and Gay Immigration Rights] Task Force, come to the U.S. for the same reason other immigrants do-to work, study and seek a better life. By those whose native countries persecute homosexuals also flee expecting to find a more welcoming environment." Author Pamela Cosntable illustrates the direct effects by telling the story of a gay couple, Pat Gleason and Wan Lee. "Struggling for words, Lee said he would feel lost if forced to return to Malaysia," were he would "suffer great hardship. 'I will lose everything,' he said brushing away tears that were rolling down his cheeks." Please thank the Washington Post both for their details on the new law and its effect, and for the human and honest way in which they portray the personal difficulties it is causing for lesbian and gay illegal immigrants and those who love them. Contact: Robert G. Kaiser, Managing Editor, Washington Post, 1150 15th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20071-0002, fax (202) 334-4475, e-mail: webnews@washpost.com. Ellen Breaks Free From Her "Glass Closet" Ariel Kaminer's May 5 article in New York Magazine examines the media phenomena of Ellen DeGeneres's recent outing. While many articles of late have focused on DeGeneres's coming out as a lesbian, Kaminer's "Glass Closet" asks why with changing views by the public of homosexuality, the media insists on maintaining the secrecy of celebrities who live out lives, but have never announced their orientation to a major media outlet. He writes that "in the mistaken name of tolerance, celebrities are routinely afforded the option of living an openly gay and lesbian life, in full view of the world, and still being officially coded as straight, with all the privileges that entails." With DeGeneres' example, Kaminer concludes, "having witnessed someone open the glass closet and step outside, it's going to be awfully hard to keep pretending we can't see it." While underscoring the courageous decision of a major television star to come out in the mainstream media, Kaminer's "Glass Closet" does add an interesting perspective to this historic event. While the media has touted DeGeneres's coming out, Kaminer asks the simple but essential question, "When was she in?" For celebrities being out seems to be not how they live their lives, but whether or not they say two words to the media: "I'm gay." Please thank New York for this insightful and thought-provoking article. Contact: Caroline Miller, Editor-In-Chief, New York Magazine, 444 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022-6903, fax: 212.599.2455. Ann Landers Gives Good Advice In the May 8 Ann Landers advice column, Ann gives sage advice to a gay man who had been invited to the wedding of his partner's ("Tom's") sister. His mother-in-law, however, "sees this as strictly a family event, and has told Tom that she would rather I not attend." He is struggling with whether he should honor his relationship and the wishes of Tom's sister, or respect what he feels to be the hurtful request of the mother. "I really don't want to make her miserable on such an important day," he concludes. Ann responds that, "You have been invited to this wedding by the bride. This is HER day, and her wishes should prevail. By all means, go and be sure to ask Tom's mother to dance." While Ann Landers has given mixed support to lesbian and gay relationships in the recent past, she should be applauded for recognizing that the discomfort of the mother is her problem, and that she is the one who should have to confront it--not the rest of the wedding party. Please thank Ms. Landers for this pearl of wisdom. Contact: Ann Landers, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., #700, Los Angles, CA 90045-5600. GLAADAlert Follow-up: Homophobic Honda Ad Keeps on Rolling A national Honda ad perpetuating an anti-gay stereotype has resurfaced after being widely criticized by the lesbian and gay community (December 13, 1996 GLAADAlert). The offensive commercial features a young man being interviewed for a variety of implicitly undesirable employment opportunities. In the final scene, the man talks to a sailor who says, "Twelve men, one boat--what could be better?" while placing his hand on the young man's shoulder. The man looks nervously at the sailor's hand and then turns to the viewing audience with a wide-eyed look pleading for help. That Honda produced an advertisement which blatantly relies on the stereotype that the sailor and his crew (read predatory and gay) are a threat to the young man's (presumed) heterosexuality was patently offensive. That Honda is now choosing to resume airing this insulting commercial is a further slap in the face of the gay community. Such stereotypes contribute to society's hostility towards gay people, which in turn leads to gay bashing. Let Honda know that if they continue running this hurtful ad they will certainly wreck their image. Contact: Koichi Amemiya, President, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., 1919 Torrance Boulevard, Torrance, CA 90501, fax: 310.783.3900, WWW: www.honda.com. 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. Contact GLAAD by e-mail at glaad@glaad.org or by phone at 213.658.6775 (Los Angeles), 212.807.1700 (New York), 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 registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 the nation's 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 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.