Date: Fri, 3 Oct 1997 14:52:40 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADAlert 10.03.97 GLAADALERT October 3, 1997 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation CNN Confuses Gay Male Erotica With Child Pornography An otherwise well-done September 30 CNN report on an Internet sting of 1,500 suspected child pornographers needlessly attached adult gay male erotica to the story, perpetuating myths and stereotypes of gay men as predators of children. The report stated that, "[New York Attorney General Dennis] Vacco said one of the most frightening things about the widespread child pornography is that many of the pictures appear to be recent, not old pictures just now surfacing on the new medium." It continues, "A demonstration at the news conference showed just how freely pornography flows over the Internet. Within 10 minutes, investigator Michael McCartney--using an e-mail address that kept his identity secret--was in contact with someone who e-mailed him a picture of an adult male having sex with an adult male. McCartney called the images he saw during the child pornography sting 'so horrific' that they kept him awake at night." Without any apparent relevance to the story, the discussion of adult male erotica distribution via the Internet during a discussion of child pornography blurs the profound difference between the two. While some criticism lies with the investigator for trying to illustrate the ease of accessing child pornography by instead accessing gay erotica during the news conference, CNN chose to emphasize the same-sex nature of the accessed photos. For CNN to highlight gay erotica in its report without explicitly articulating its lack of relevance to the crime of child pornography fuels the flames of ignorance and bigotry towards gay men. Study after study have shown that over 99 percent of all child molesters are heterosexual men, and the connection implied between gay men and child porn in this story is both misleading and offensive. Let CNN know that regardless of whether homo-ignorance or homophobia allowed this to happen, reporters and editors must be made more aware of the damaging influence such an anti-gay association can have on our community. Contact: Rick Kaplan, President, CNN, PO Box 105366, Atlanta, GA 30348-5366, fax: 404.827.4063, e-mail: cnn.feedback@cnn.com, feedback form: www.cnn.com/feedback. Deb Price Exposes the Damage of So-called "Reparative Therapy" In the September 26 article of lesbian journalist Deb Price's outstanding Detroit News column, she looks at studies that go beyond the recent American Psychological Association (APA) decision urging that "psychologists not dupe patients into thinking that being gay is sick." "Psychologist Ariel Shidlo felt frustrated," she writes. "Many of his colleagues within the APA shared his belief that therapeutic attempts to 'cure' homosexuality are not just ineffective but harmful. Yet data documenting the damage--data that might lead the APA to brand such therapy unethical--didn't exist." Price explains that Shidlo and psychologist Michael Schroeder are halfway into a study interviewing 200 people who futilely attempted to become heterosexual with the help of a licensed therapist or a so-called "ex-gay" counseling group. The preliminary damages they face, she reports, include high levels of depression which can lead to self-destructive behavior like unsafe sex, drug abuse and attempting suicide. "Having been misled into thinking that being gay is a mental disorder and something that can be changed if they'll only try hard enough, many people become doubly flawed when a 'cure' eludes them," she reports. "Ironically, the one way reparative therapy is beneficial to a few people is proving to them that they really are gay and should accept themselves, Shidlo's research shows." She adds that many patients lied to their reparative therapists, telling them what they wanted to hear while they continued to have gay male relationships. "The healthiest journey for gay people is toward self-acceptance," Price says. "Therapists can mark the path or stay out of the way. Clearly, there's no other ethical option. Blocking the path does real damage. And that's no longer just a claim." Price lists several resources for people struggling with self-acceptance, including the ex-ex-gay Web site at http://members.aol.com/exexgay/index.html. Please commend the Detroit News and Deb Price for her ongoing level-headed, well-reasoned column and specifically for going where the APA was unwilling to--yet. Contact: Deb Price, c/o Letters to the Editor, Detroit News, 615 W. Lafayette, Detroit, MI 48226, fax: 313.222.6417, e-mail: letters@detnews.com. Augusta Chronicle Attacks Support for Gay Youth An editorial in the September 25 Augusta Chronicle attempts to "expose" the "pro-homosexual agenda" of the national Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) but ends up attacking gay youth and muddling the truth. Discussing the recent skirmish begun by Georgia School Superintendent Linda Schrenko who said the national PTA has a "pro-homosexual stance," the Chronicle points to a 1994 PTA/Anti-Defamation League brochure on advice for parents: "The first three pages properly criticize discrimination based on sex, race or nationality. Then on the fourth page, 'sexual orientation' suddenly (and cleverly) joins the list. It concludes that parents, when talking to their kids, shouldn't be 'prejudiced' against a lifestyle condemned by the world's major religions!" The Chronicle then says another PTA brochure, "Talking with your Teen About Sex," "peddles the homosexual mantra that 'AIDS is rapidly spreading among heterosexuals.' Yet it fails to mention that homosexual sex is the largest cause of AIDS in American men." The bigotry of the Chronicle editorial staff blinds them to both their hate and the dangerous falsehoods they assert. As exemplified by the September 30 letter by U.S. Catholic bishops, many people of faith applaud tolerance and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. To claim that urging parents to teach children not to be 'prejudiced' against people on the basis on their sexual orientation is part of some "clever" conspiracy of "pro-homosexual" people borders on paranoia. What alternative would the Chronicle editors suggest? That parents encourage their children to discriminate against lesbians and gay men? In addition, the reality that "AIDS is rapidly spreading among heterosexuals" is hardly a "homosexual mantra." It's a fact. Would the Chronicle have parents shield their children from this information? The Chronicle should take a cue from the bishops and millions of other members of the "world's major religions" who oppose hate and intolerance and encourage children to grow up in a world free of bigotry of all forms. These are the same editors who assumed to speak for all people of faith in August when they attacked the comic strip For Better or For Worse, saying "Someone's values are ultimately going to prevail in this ongoing cultural battle. Why not the values of our founding fathers and the Judeo-Christian tradition which made this country great?" (GLAADAlert 8.21.97, "Anti-Gay Editors At Their Worst"). Let the Augusta Chronicle know that the misguided and prejudice rantings of its editorial staff make the newspaper appear to be promoting hate and lies, which not only does a disservice to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families and friends, but to children, parents and educators everywhere. Contact: Phil Kent, Editorial Page Editor, Augusta Chronicle, P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, GA 30903, fax: 706.722.7403, e-mail: letters@augustachroncile.com. South Florida Paper Profiles GLSEN The September 25 edition of the (South Florida) Sun-Sentinel featured an in-depth profile of Kevin Jennings, founder of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) which explores a host of issues facing lesbian and gay youth and GLSEN's challenge to educators to intervene in cases of discrimination against gay youth. In addition to interviewing Jennings, several chairs of local GLSEN chapters in Greater Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach and school officials, the article explains GLSEN's mission: "That means, according the GLSEN's agenda, that students and staff are protected from discrimination and harassment, that staff is provided workshops and training in homophobia, that age-appropriate information on homosexuality is available in school libraries, that there is support for lesbian and gay clubs and activities, and that the curriculum at every grade level is accurate and inclusive." It adds, "School boards are learning that ignoring anti-gay hostility can be costly," citing how last year a Wisconsin high school was forced to pay $900,000 for failing to protect Jamie Nabzony from harassment and physical harm. It also discusses the recent survey finding that "on an average day, students hear the words 'faggot' or 'dyke' 26 times. In only 3 percent of the cases do teachers intervene." It also distinguishes between abstract debates about morality and real prejudice and harassment. "This isn't about sex, Jennings says. It's about justice and compassion and common courtesy," it notes. In addition, it gives resources for both local and national GLSEN. Considering how often the discussion on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth and school issues are obscured by attacks by radical religious ideologues, the Sun-Sentinel writes an excellent and thoughtful article without feeling the need to dilute the powerful message of the fight against bigotry and discrimination with anti-gay hate groups' dogma as supposed "balance." Please commend the Sun-Sentinel for a lengthy and engaging article on this vital organization and the issues of lesbian and gay young people and educators. Contact: Earl Maucker, Editor, Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Olas Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301-2293, fax: 954.356.4676, feedback form: www.sunsentinel.com/SunServe/letters_editors.htm. Court TV Gets Domestic On October 6 at 9 am Eastern, Court TV will highlight domestic partnership on its informative, casual legal show Legal Cafe. Between commentary on the legal aspects of domestic partnership and same-sex couples being denied the legal right to marry, the show includes a number of taped segments featuring a lesbian couple. The couple speaks frankly about having to negotiate finances and legal issues, with the commitment of a married couple, but not without the same legal safeguards. The segments highlight the loving relationship between the women, includes a discussion about coming out and features home movies of their commitment ceremony last year. Please check out Legal Cafe and let Court TV know what you think about this show. Contact: Erik Sorenson, Executive Producer, Court TV, 600 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10016, fax: 973.3355, feedback form: www.courttv.com/contact. Ru And Improved On October 2, on the always fun and flamboyant RuPaul Show on VH-1, Ru introduced the audience to his family. First the show featured footage of RuPaul performing at a large family reunion. Then RuPaul brought out his three sisters and father, and they reminisced about his childhood and his deceased mother. When RuPaul asked one of his sisters what she would do if her son asked if he could be a drag queen "just like his Uncle Ru," she responded, "I'd say 'Let's go to Patricia Field,'" a New York shop that caters to drag queens. Since the show was revamped in July for its second season, the RuPaul Show has seen the host reveal his more outrageous side, with the biting humor of a drag queen, his open expression of his sexual orientation and a stronger sense of camp. In doing so, VH-1 has a stronger, better program on its hands, showing once again, just as with Ellen, that by allowing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and issues to be openly celebrated and explored, television becomes more engaging and entertaining. Please thank RuPaul and VH-1 for this continually fun, gay-positive, drag extravaganza. Contact: RuPaul and Jeff Gaspin, Senior Vice President of Programming and Production, VH-1, 1515 Broadway, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10036, fax: 212.846.1751, e-mail: Shows@vh1.com. The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation in the media as a means of challenging 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), 415.861.2244 (San Francisco), 202.986.1360 (Washington, DC), 404.607.1204 (Atlanta) and 816.374.5927 (Kansas City) 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 "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 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.