Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 18:47:09 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADAlert October 22, 1998 GLAADALERT October 22, 1998 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Roundup: Matthew Shepard In the aftermath of the murder of Matthew Shepard at the hands of two Wyoming men, the coverage devoted to hate crimes legislation, the state of living as a lesbian or gay man in America, and the vigils that have been held around the country in his memory have confirmed this event as a watershed moment for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The majority of coverage has shown sensitivity and intelligence. The following outlets and columnists stand out: o The New York Times: The "gray lady's" continuing coverage of both the immediate and more far reaching implications of the Shepard murder has been exemplary. Articles have included excellent reporting by James Brooke from the scene; analysis of the impact of Matthew Shepard's death on local communities; an op-ed by acclaimed writer David Leavitt; another weekend op-ed which shone as some of the finest writing ever done on LGBT issues in a mainstream outlet; a Week In Review piece on hate crimes; and in-depth coverage of the New York City memorial, which was met by hundreds of police in riot gear, and resulted in numerous injuries and arrests. o TIME Magazine: The October 26 issue of TIME, whose cover story is titled "The War Over Gays", examines Matthew Shepard's murder, how lesbian and gay politics are changing in the face of increased visibility; hate crimes legislation and the upcoming decisions on same-sex marriage. The writers cover an enormous amount of ground, coming a little more than a year after the "Yep, I'm Gay" issue, which covered the coming out of Ellen DeGeneres in person and on her television show. The magazine also conducted an poll of American attitudes regarding hate crimes, the lesbian and gay community, and whether respondents know someone who is gay. Unfortunately, the TIME Online site posted one of these misleading questions, "Are homosexual relationships between consenting adults morally wrong?" as an online poll for visitors to their website to participate in. When GLAAD called TIME.com to register their concerns regarding the inappropriate question, they responded by substituting another, less blatantly loaded but far from ideal, question: "Do you think minority groups -- blacks, gays, the disabled and others --require hate crime laws to give them extra protection from attack?" o Newsweek Magazine: The October 26 issue of Newsweek examined Matthew Shepard's life and death in Laramie with a jaundiced eye. The story brought up an episode in Shepard's past that might have been intended to show him as naοve, but served instead to feed people's belief that lesbians and gay men "ask for it" by approaching people who they're interested in. On the other hand, a thoughtful Jonathan Alter piece examines the argument of how hateful rhetoric from radical religious extremists can help foster a climate where hate crimes can be thought of as acceptable. o U.S. News And World Report: A three story package in the October 26 issue covers Shepard's murder and the larger questions which arose from the tragedy. The effect on Laramie is explored in "A death on the prairie." Reporter Betsy Streisand speaks to local residents about how they feel about their lesbian and gay neighbors ("[I]f you show it off, well, then that's different," says one), and how lesbians and gay men have been harassed in the past and are now scared. John Leo writes a textbook right-wing argument against hate crimes legislation, arguing finally that "Equal protection should mean one law for all," missing the point that penalties for crimes committed against victims based on sexual orientation are often times punished less severely, and sometimes not prosecuted at all. In the third piece, a reporter goes back to Jasper, Texas, where James Byrd, Jr. was dragged to his death in June of this year in a racially motivated hate crime, to examine how this town handled its own tragedy, and what lessons can be learned from their experience. o Wired Online: This web-based daily publication from Wired Digital published "Killing Mobilizes Netizens", which documented the monumental role the Internet played in keeping the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community apprised of Matthew Shepard's condition, subsequent death and the hundreds of vigils that have been held across the country. Included in the story were the web sites of the hospital where Shepard was treated, the University of Wyoming's web site, Wired Strategies' (no relation) Matthew Shepard Online Resources, and quotes from Rex Wockner, whose wire service has provided numerous activists, organizations and journalists with critical information about the events. The story points out the continued growth of online media as both a tool for activism as well as a viable medium for hard news. o Mona Charen: Yet again, syndicated columnist Mona Charen managed to take what was an important moment for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and twist it to serve her own virulently anti-gay agenda. She accuses the community of using Shepard's murder as an opportunity to smear Christians, and through specious arguments based on faulty logic, charges that: anti-gay bias has decreased because AIDS made lesbians and gay men "sympathetic" to Americans; that "gay activists" are responsible for creating a "climate of hate"; that there's little or no evidence that Shepard's murder was motivated by bias; and that "gay activists" are the haters, not the hated. In place of a well-reasoned argument for her opinion based on evidence, analysis and logic, Charen has simply trotted out the old tried and true "blame the victim" strategy that seems to pass, at least for her, as a way to hurt the very people who question again, in light of Laramie, whether or not they're safe in their own hometowns. Contact: … Bill Keller, Managing Editor, and Howell Raines, Editorial/Opinion Page Editor, New York Times, 229 West 43rd St., New York, NY 10036-3959, fax: 212.556.3690, e-mail: letters@nytimes.com (inlcude phone number when sending e-mails) … James Brooke, Denver Bureau Chief, New York Times, 1624 Market St., #304, Denver, CO 80202-1518, fax: 303.623.4913 … Walter Isaacson, Managing Editor, Time Magazine, Time-Life Building, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, fax: 212/522-8949, e-mail: Letters@time.com (include phone and address with all correspondence) … Time Online, e-mail: webletters@time.com … Mark Whitaker, Managing Editor, Newsweek, 251 West 57th St., New York, NY 10019, fax: 212.445.4120, e-mail: letters@newsweek.com (be sure to include name, address, and phone number with all letters) … Harrison Rainie, Managing Editor, U.S. News & World Report, 2400 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20037-1177, fax: 202.955.2685, e-mail: letters@usnews.com … Steve Silberman, Staff Writer, Wired Digital, 660 Third St., Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94107, e-mail: newsfeedback@wired.com … Laura Mazer, Senior Editor and Mona Charen, Columnist, Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., #700, Los Angeles, CA 90045-5677, fax: 310.337.7625, e-mail: cre8ors@aol.com A Cross-Dressing Carey On the Wednesday, October 28 episode of the ABC hit sitcom The Drew Carey Show, Drew (Carey) and his heterosexual cross-dressing brother Steve (John Carroll Lynch) square off over the clientele at Drew's favorite watering hole, The Warsaw. Throughout last season, Steve's "coming out" was dealt with responsibly and with humor, as Steve was never the butt of hostile and transphobic humor (see GLAADAlert 11.21.97). In the October 28 episode, Drew stands up for his brother when he is accosted by a Warsaw patron. Steve, upset that anyone would tell him what establishments he can and cannot frequent, invites some of his transgender friends to the bar a few nights later. Drew and Steve soon fight over the bar's new patrons. While the casting of Steve's "cross-dressing" friends is a bit off base, the overall episode is exemplary. Last month, GLAAD contacted the producers of the show, who provided GLAAD with a script followed by a rough-cut of the episode. Throughout the month long communication, the production team at The Drew Carey Show made it clear that they wanted the representation of Steve Carey to be as fair and accurate as possible. Much to their credit, the sitcom has done more for American television audiences' understanding of cross-dressers than any other sitcom in recent TV history. Steve Carey is given an incredible amount of dignity, despite the often odd and twisted world the other characters seem to inhabit. Executive Producer Deborah Oppenheimer told GLAAD that Steve is one of the show's and audience's favorite characters, and that "we feel proud to present the character of a cross dresser to an audience of more than sixteen million people." Please thank The Drew Carey Show for the always impeccably dressed and confident Steve Carey and for consulting with GLAAD. Also, make sure to tune on October 28. Contact: Ms. Deborah Oppenheimer, Executive Producer, The Drew Carey Show, c/o Warner Bros. Television, Burbank, CA 91522-0191 Happy Homemaking On Dawson's Creek The October 21 episode of Dawson's Creek revolved around a class assignment based on the microeconomics of "alternative" family units. Each student needed to pick a name from a hat and the teacher assigned a certain situation that they were to research and for which they were to create an annual budget. Students are assigned to represent single mothers, wealthy couples and working class marrieds. Then one male student picks another male student's name. At first, they react as if they don't have to do the assignment, but the teacher says, "You will be a well-to-do same sex couple." The two guys are alarmed and ask, "What do you mean same-sex?" The teacher replies matter-of-factly, "As in gay...and you're going to get married so you have to have wedding expenses factored into the budget." The two still stunned ask, "What do you mean 'gay?'" To the show's credit, the whole issue is treated as "no big deal." The two students even complete their assignment with enthusiasm. At the end of the episode, the teacher asks the two how their wedding went. They respond, "We decided on casual...by the sea...just close friends and family...that way we can spend more money on the honeymoon." Please thank Dawson's Creek for remembering that gay couples are also family, and make up a piece of our diverse society. Also, thank them for presenting the storyline in a fair and honest manner, and for including it in an educational setting, where the discussion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues can be difficult and controversial. Contact: Mr. Kevin Williamson, Co-Executive Producer, Dawson's Creek, c/o Columbia TriStar Television, 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232; e-mail: http://www.spe.sony.com/tv/shows/dawson/theshow.html Columbus Dispatch Too Kind To Hometown Boy? In an October 16 story on a visit by radical religious spokesperson John Paulk, the Columbus Dispatch takes up Paulk's anti-gay rhetoric of conversion without looking too closely at what he's selling. The story, "Converted gay drag queen [sic] says others can change, too" comes on the heels of a November conference Paulk is organizing for educators, as part of his work for the religious political extremist group Focus On The Family. Paulk, who grew up in the Columbus, OH area, is presented as coming home to preach his message at an area church and to meet with local school representatives to offer the "options" of "conversion therapy" to young people who may be struggling with their sexual identity. The story opens with the inflammatory sentence: "Fifteen years ago he walked the streets of Columbus as a male prostitute. He was also known in drag circles as `Candi'Š". It then goes on to solicit token opposition from lesbian and gay organizations in the Columbus area, and a psychiatrist is asked about what makes a person gay; he comments that he doubts any "conversion would last." On first read, the reporter seems to have attempted to present a fair and balanced story. In fact, we are given an almost unchallenged view of what Paulk has been trying to sell Americans through radical religious rhetoric, magazine covers and now, television ads. No educators who work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning youth are interviewed, letting Paulk's statements about youth are counseled stand unopposed, and giving readers no idea of the difficulties LGBT young people face in schools. Paulk's contention that lesbians and gay men can be "changed" is given wide play, but the voluminous scientific/psychiatric evidence against "reparative" or "conversion therapy" goes unmentioned. No one who has gone through this therapy, and come to find out how damaging it was has a voice to counteract Paulk's. Please contact the Columbus Dispatch and let them know when writing stories about the campaign being waged against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in this country, that the responsible way to do it is by including the voices of those under fire, so that there is real fairness and balance on the subject. Contact: Andy Murphy, Managing Editor, Columbus Dispatch, 34 South Third St., Columbus, OH 43215, fax: 614.467.7580, e-mail: amurphy@dispatch.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 (LA), 212.807.1700 (NY), 415.861.2244 (SF), 202.986.1360 (DC), 404.876.1398 (Atlanta) 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. 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