Date: Fri, 1 May 1998 20:37:57 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADAlert May 1, 1998 GLAADALERT May 1, 1998 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Reggie Continues To Preach Bigotry The media continues to follow the Green Bay Packers' Reggie White after his March 25 statement to the Wisconsin State Legislature, in which he compared gay people to "liars, cheaters and backstabbers." On an April 27 20/20 interview he claims to "hate the sin/love the sinner," while his wife accuses CBS Sports of dumping White because of pressure from something called "the sodomite community." White also stated that in calling homosexuality a sin he is "speaking out against things that are hurting our children, and killing off our people. If people think that's a contradiction and that's hate, they need to take it up with God." On April 24, the Wall Street Journal claimed "Minister White is in fact in big trouble for having said, 'Homosexuality is a decision, not a race,'" ignoring his assertion that tolerance of gay people was harmful to America or his comparison of gay people to "liars, cheaters and backstabbers." Greg Cote in the April 27 Miami Herald provided a different perspective, saying, "Disappear, Reggie White." Cote says, "Reggie White has shamed himself. Worse, he has shamed that which he would wrongly hold before him as a shield: His religion." White is using attacks on the gay community to influence political issues by speaking before the Wisconsin Legislature. In addition, White is currently joining anti-gay radical religious groups in an attempt to repeal a non-discrimination ordinance which protects people from being fired or thrown out of theirs home simply on the basis of their sexual orientation. In the United States, something called the Separation of Church and State allows White to hold his divisive and ignorant views, however disappointing and destructive they may be. Many people of faith, including Coretta Scott King and Rev. Jesse Jackson, disagree with White. Yet White not only believes his view of God is the only right view, he seems to feel it is a justification to deny basic human rights to gay people. Ask the Wall Street Journal why they glossed over the issue in their commentary and commend the Miami Herald for calling White on his hypocrisy. Also, ask Nike and S.C. Johnson & Son why they continue to subsidize White's political campaign against gay people through their sponsorship of him. Contact: … Paul Steiger, Managing Editor, Wall Street Journal, 200 Liberty St., New York, NY 10281-1003, fax: 212.416.2658 (fax machine gets turned off at 4pm EST), e-mail: letter.editor@edit.wsj.com … Larry Olmstead, Managing Editor, Miami Herald, One Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132-1693, fax: 305.376.8950, e-mail: HeraldEd@herald.com … Nike Corporation Consumer Relations, phone: 800.344.6453, e-mail via WWW: http://www.nike.com/talktous/ … S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Consumer Relations, phone: 800.558.5566, e-mail via WWW: http://www.scjohnsonwax.com/crc_form.html Mad About Marriage On the April 28 episode of NBC's Mad About You, resident lesbian couple Debbie (Robin Bartlett) and Joan (Suzie Plakson) learn lessons of commitment and re-evaluate their relationship after escaping from a restaurant fire. At the beginning of the episode, Debbie, Paul's (Paul Reiser) sister, finds out that her girlfriend Joan is being featured in a magazine as one of the most "eligible bachelorettes" in New York. Debbie is offended that Joan would even consider being interviewed and reminds her that they are in a long term relationship. Later, a fire breaks out in the restaurant they are dining in. The two realize that life is precious and that they should get married. Troubles again arise when Joan discusses signing a pre-nuptial agreement. In the end however, Joan proves to Debbie that she means everything to her by offering her a blank check. The two resolve their problems and the wedding is back on. Debbie and Joan are two of the best lesbian or gay characters on television today. Their marriage is the next natural step in their relationship, especially relevant on a sitcom about couplehood. This particular issue is an important one, especially in light of the forthcoming judgment in Hawaii, as well as the ongoing Supreme Court cases in Alaska and Vermont, which will set precedent on same-sex marriage. Please thank NBC and Mad About You for depicting such wonderful lesbian characters in real life situations. Also, check out Mad About You's season finale on May 19 when Ellen DeGeneres makes a cameo as Paul and Jamie's (Helen Hunt) nanny. Contact: … Warren Littlefield, President of Entertainment, NBC, 3000 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, CA 91523-0001, e-mail: mad@nbc.com … Victor Levin, Danny Jacobson and Paul Reiser, Executive Producers, and Helen Hunt, Co-Executive Producer, Mad About You, TriStar Television, 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, feedback form: http://www.spe.sony.com/tv/shows/mad/index.html (click on "connection") Chicago Hopeful for a Friendlier Future The April 29 episode of Chicago Hope featured a storyline which compassionately illustrated the difficulties which transgender youth often face as a result of their sexual identification. The episode features a young child named Jonah Boyd (Shawn Pyfrom), who, although born a boy, seems to identify as a girl named Jessica. Jessica is brought to the hospital after sustaining injuries in a fight at school, and is treated by gay physician Dr. Dennis Hancock (Vondie Curtis-Hall). Jessica explains to the doctor that her classmates often pick on her, presumably because she does not conform to societal gender roles. When Dr. Hancock tells Jessica's mother, Valerie (Mackenzie Phillips) that Jessica will be fine, Valerie responds by telling Dr. Hancock that Jessica is not her daughter, but rather, her son, Jonah. Valerie and her boyfriend, Luther (Conor O'Farrell) later return to the hospital, and Dr. Hancock tells them that Jessica may have Gender Identity Disorder (GID), explaining to them that Jonah may feel like a girl trapped in a boy's body. While Valerie proceeds to ask Dr. Hancock for his advice, Luther simply dismisses the suggestions. Valerie brings Jessica back to Dr. Hancock later, because Jessica has apparently attempted suicide. Jessica tells him that Luther "screamed at my mom; he called me a fairy...he said that if he ever caught me wearing girls' clothes again, he'd cut off my...he said that if I wanted to be a girl, he'd make me a girl." Dr. Hancock speaks with Valerie and Luther, and tells them that "What's going on with Jonah can't be 'cured' by threats and intimidation. This is not a choice he's made," and later tells Valerie that "Jonah's not the only one that needs to change." In the end of the episode, Valerie comes to visit Jessica in her room, and brings Jessica's favorite doll. "So, doctor, what happens next?" she asks. "How does this work-this Gender Identity thing?" Dr. Hancock tells her that "there's no way to know, really-not yet...The important thing to remember is that Jonah will be happy if he's allowed to be who he really is." Jessica apologizes to her mother, but Valerie responds by telling her: "You have nothing to be sorry for, okay? I love you because you are my child. I'm the one that should be sorry. Luther's gone. He's not going to bother you anymore." Chicago Hope's candid portrayal of Jessica and her mother, as well as its intelligent discussion of GID, are refreshingly honest and positive. What's more, the episode eloquently addresses the emotional and physical victimization which so many transgender people face from a very early age. Jessica's attempt at suicide demonstrates the devastating effects of the brand of ignorance and hatred which Luther's abusive behavior exemplifies. Once again (see GLAADAlert 3.27.98, GLAADAlert 11.7.97, GLAADAlert 10.11.96), Chicago Hope has proven its commitment to staying on the forefront of thoughtful, inclusive programming, and its unswayed support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. Please thank CBS and the producers of Chicago Hope for this exceptional piece. Contact: … Leslie Moonves, Entertainment President, CBS Television Network, 7800 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036-2165, e-mail: audsvcs@cbs.com, or call the automated viewer response line: 212.975.3247 or 212.975.3248 (may ring many times, but they will pick up eventually) … John Tinker & Bill D'Elia, Executive Producers, Chicago Hope, c/o 20th Century Fox, 10201 W. Pico Blvd., Trailer 773, Los Angeles, CA 90035, fax: 310.969.1222 People Floats Boatman The April 27 People featured a profile of Michael Boatman, who along with Chicago Hope's Vondie Curtis-Hall, plays one of only two regular lesbian or gay characters of color currently featured on prime-time television. People writes, "When the gay media advocacy group GLAAD named ABC's Spin City the outstanding comedy series last year, they particularly praised Michael Boatman's portrayal of outspoken gay Cater Heywood, a New York City mayoral aide." The article interviews Boatman, Michael J. Fox and others involved with the show, and discusses Boatman's personality, career, and family. It ends by stating, "Last year, at another GLAAD awards ceremony, a fifty-something fan took the actor aside to tell him about the fan's teenage years as a closeted-and suicidal-homosexual. Recalls Boatman: 'He said, "If there had been someone like you around when I was a kid, I might never have tried [to kill myself]." That was really affecting,' says the actor. 'The idea that we can tinker with people's perceptions of themselves is scary. But in this instance, it was great.'" Throughout the personality profile, People and Boatman also articulate the critical role that fair, accurate and inclusive media representations--or an absence of them--play in the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as well as society at large. Please thank People for a great profile of Michael Boatman and the value of his character to gay representation. Contact: Carol Wallace, Managing Editor, People Magazine, Time & Life Building, Rockefeller Center, New York, NY 10020, fax: 212.522.0794, e-mail: editor@people.com Transgender Voices in the Miami Herald The April 29 Miami Herald features an excellent personal profile on Nick Sarchet, an FTM transsexual living in South Florida. "Maybe you think Nick Sarchet is a tortured soul. Someone who deserves your pity. Or maybe, like the two men who beat him up two weeks ago, you think he's some kind of freak," staff writer Lori Teresa Yearwood begins. When attacked and called "faggot," Yearwood writes, "He didn't dare tell them what he really was. Because...until last month [he] went by the name of Kimberly Lin Smith...[He] is a women in the process of becoming a man. 'I want what's in my mind to be congruent with the way I look,' Nick says." Yearwood explores Sarchet's childhood as a girl who "always thought of herself as a boy." After trying to pretend he was a heterosexual woman, marrying a man and having a son, Yearwood says, he divorced and came out as a lesbian. But "she still stared at herself in the mirror and thought, That doesn't feel like me," Yearwood says. "Her friends are still grappling with the change but strangers and new acquaintances consider her a man. Nick hasn't told his parents about becoming a man. His worst fear is that they will try to take his son." Yearwood also notes that Nick's son said he wants Nick to be his "mommy," and that Nick "knows it's difficult for his son." Still, Nick's therapist adds, "'It's similar to what gays and lesbians experience. Many [transgender people] are wonderful parents. But the children have to deal with a lot of outside prejudice and hostility long before they're ready.'" The article also notes that Nick is coming out of a lesbian relationship, in which his ex, Laurel Sprague, struggles to understand him. "It's almost dinner time in the Sarchet and Sprague household. Nick's little boy romps around with Sprague's son. The phone rings. It's a friend of Nick's, wanting to know if Nick is going to scuba diving class, [but] his face is still too swollen from the attack to wear his goggles. The caller worries about Nick. He's fine, Nick reassures. Just needs a little more time to heal. Luckily, he is not without a sense of humor," the story ends. "'I have nothing to hide,' Nick says, 'except my breasts.'" Such an open, human and unbiased look at the struggle of a transitioning FTM is fairly unique to a mainstream media outlet. Without glossing over the real challenges and dangers faced by Nick Sarchet, Yearwood and the Miami Herald provide a powerful view of the state of struggle for one transgender person and for transgender people nationwide. Let the Miami Herald know how much this kind of trans-inclusive representation is appreciated and vital. Contact: Larry Olmstead, Managing Editor, Miami Herald, One Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132-1693, fax: 305.376.8950, e-mail: HeraldEd@herald.com "Sanctioned Gay Bashing" in Oklahoma Reflecting on the State Democratic Party's charge to "oppose, deplore and disavow discrimination, extremism and hatred of every kind," Tulsa [Oklahoma] World writer Brian Ford notes that when it comes to lesbians and gay men, the party falls far short. Ford writes, "State Democratic lawmakers raised no argument recently when a bill to bar convicts from working in schools was amended to also bar homosexuals. Likewise, Democratic House members failed to utter a word of dissent when legislation was amended to prohibit children from being placed in the foster care of 'someone who is a homosexual or a lesbian.'" Ford points to a critical letter from Tom Neal, the editor of the statewide gay newspaper Tulsa Family News to the Oklahoma Democratic Party executive director. While the party claims it doesn't not want to allow "hate to spill out on the floor of the House," Ford notes that Neal says, "the failure to oppose such measures loudly creates bigger problems for the gay community. He doubts that a similar amendment where the word 'homosexual' was replaced with 'Jew' or 'Catholic' would be passed." Ford says that Democratic Party representatives acknowledge some of the silence comes from this being an election year within a conservative state. Please thank the Tulsa World for an interesting look at fear, intolerance and politics in Oklahoma, and the shocking injustice of the combination for lesbian and gay people. Contact: Susan Ellerbach, Managing Editor, Tulsa World, 318 South Main Mall, Tulsa, OK 74103-3674, fax: 918.581.8353 (all letters must be signed, and include address and phone) Four Lesbians Featured in Congressional Quarterly The April 25 Congressional Quarterly features an article on four lesbians who are currently vying for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. "There has never been a woman in Congress who has publicly stated she is gay. In fact, there has never been a gay candidate, male or female, elected as a non-incumbent," it says. "With candidates such as [former Massachusetts state Rep. Susan] Tracy, who is running for the open seat of retiring Democratic Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, that could soon change....In the current political climate, where many Americans seem to draw distinctions between politicians' public lives and their private ones, some observers say sexual orientation may not matter on the campaign trail as much as it once did." Still, opponents sometimes use sexual orientation as a wedge tactic, it notes. The other three openly lesbian candidates mentioned in the article are Wisconsin State Rep. Tammy Baldwin, San Diego City Councilwoman Christine Kehoe and retired Army Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer. "As gay and lesbian candidates become more well-known and increasingly win their parties' nomination, it is likely that grass-roots conservatives will become involved in trying to defeat them," it says. "With term limits forcing state and local legislators out of office at a faster clip, though, it is likely that more gay elected officials will run for Congress in the coming cycles. With the support of [gay political advocacy] groups and a patchwork of other politically active blocs, Tracy hopes the public is ready to make history." Please thank the Congressional Quarterly for a balanced and interesting article about the challenges and victories lesbian and gay candidates face in today's political landscape. Contact: Sara Fritz, Assistant Managing Editor, Congressional Quarterly, 1414 22nd St. NW, Washington, DC 20037-1096, fax: 202.785.8784 The Denver Post Hits Homophobia in Women's Sports According to the April 28 Denver Post, the fear of being seen as a lesbian is widespread in women's sports. "According to a 1994 NCAA study, 53 percent of women's college athletes and 51 percent of women's coaches and administrators were concerned that their involvement in sports would lead others to assume they were homosexual," it starts. "Further, 49 percent of female athletes and 51 percent of female coaches said they felt homophobia was a hindrance to attracting and retaining women in athletic careers." It continues, "The emotional backlash could be felt throughout the state last month when four Southern Colorado basketball players, who said they were afraid of being labeled lesbians by their coach, quit and filed sexual-harassment charges. At the root of the issue is homophobia from without and within. Fear of homosexuals might have contributed to creating stereotypes about female athletes in the first place. But athletes and coaches fear the negative connotations." It also points out that while men often use the specter of homophobia against female athletes, many women in the profession are equally intolerant. "University of Tennessee superstar Chamique Holdsclaw created a bit of a stir in women's basketball when she told a national magazine earlier this year that she wanted to go to a 'straight school' out of high school, and that she asked coaches about it when she was recruited," it says. "[University of Massachusetts Professor Pat] Griffin said that is an unacceptable question for anyone to ask. 'It's the same as asking a coach if there are any blacks, Jews or Muslims on the team. You would never hear a football player asking a coach about gays on the team."' It adds that lesbian players fear being outed as well, and that "many [straight] players feel obligated to travel with their boyfriends or husbands to dispel rumors that they're gay" in professional golf. In its conclusion, the story highlights comments by openly lesbian former Stanford University basketball player Mariah Burton-Nelson, who says that "lesbians need to rally together to end discrimination." Please thank the Denver Post for shedding light on the dirty not-so-secret problem of homophobia in women's sports. Contact: Jeanette Chavez, Managing Editor, Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202-5177, fax: 303.820.1369, e-mail: letters@denverpost.com Ellen Cancellation Media Round-up Since ABC announced last week that it was canceling Ellen (GLAADAlert 4.24.98, "Rainbow Flags Fly at Half-Mast for Ellen"), media outlets across the country have been reacting to it. Here is a sample of the coverage: … USA Today featured an April 24 article called, "S.O.S.: Help save our TV shows." In GLAADAlert fashion, USA Today asked its readers to write to the heads of the various networks to save the shows it singled out as needy of help. They asked: "Would ABC actually jettison a Peabody Award-winning comedy for some pointless mediocrity that might better be titled 'Two Guys, One Girl and No Brains?'" They give us a snappy answer, too: "You bet." … In an April 27 United Press International (UPI) article on the cancellation of "Television's leading blonde comediennes," reporter Vernon Scott wrote that "DeGeneres, 40, did herself in by exiting the closet to confess she was a lesbian. Simultaneously her alter ego, the show's Ellen Morgan, discovered she too was a lesbian," continuing to say that "vanishing ratings suggests [sic.] [audiences] grew restive as Ellen Morgan increasingly played kissy-face with her girlfriends." He then makes a point of noting that "Unlike DeGeneres, [Candice] Bergen and [Cybill] Shepherd are straight, although they did not see fit to build their sitcoms around the fact. Had DeGeneres done the same, she might not be unemployed." Scott also includes the following misogynistic description of Murphy Brown: "Every man's nightmare. Feminine? No. Sexy? No. Funny? Sometimes." … An April 29 editorial by The Herald (Rock Hill, SC) stated that: "'Ellen' (the TV show) became more and more shrill by the week. In making its political points, it failed to be funny, a deadly sin for a situation comedy. Viewers started tuning out, and 'Ellen' nose-dived in the ratings." And what of the idea that ABC backed away from the show's controversial content? The Herald says that "'Ellen' lost viewers and ABC, in a no-win situation, pulled the plug. TV magnates might be tolerant of alternate lifestyles, but they have no room in their hearts for also-ran TV shows." … Entertainment Weekly's May 8 cover story, "Yep, She's Too Gay" provides a touching, human angle to the story, not only discussing the show's impact and struggles over the last year, but also showing readers the impact of the cancellation upon Ellen DeGeneres herself. Contact: … Kitty Yancey, Entertainment Editor, USA Today, 1000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209-3901, fax: 703.247.3108, e-mail: editor@usatoday.com … Roger Bennett, Los Angeles Bureau Chief, United Press International, 201 N. Figueroa St. #280, Los Angeles, CA 90012-2625, fax: 213.580.9880 … James Werell, Editorial Page Editor, The Herald, 132 West Main, Rock Hill, SC 29730-4430, fax: 803.329.4021 … James W. Seymore, Jr., Managing Editor, Entertainment Weekly, 1675 Broadway, New York, NY 10019-5895, fax: 212.522.0074, e-mail: letters@ew.com GLAADAlert Reminder: Labor of Love To Air On Monday, May 4, Lifetime Television will premiere Labor of Love, the story of a gay man and his best friend who are trying to have a baby together (see GLAADAlert 4.24.98). 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), and 816.756.5991 (Kansas City) Feel free to pass GLAADAlert on to friends, family and associates! Report defamation in the media by calling GLAAD's Toll-Free AlertLine! 1-800-GAY-MEDIA (1-800-429-6334) Visit GLAAD Online at http://www.glaad.org "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. GLAADAlert may be freely distributed and reprinted in all forms of media under the condition that any text used carry the full attribution of "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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.