Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 18:01:31 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADAlert November 19, 1998 GLAADALERT November 19, 1998 The GLAADAlert is the weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Alert to GLAADAlert Readers: due to the Thanksgiving holiday, GLAADAlert will not appear next week, but will resume publication on December 3. 1. Catch The Vibe 2. Judge Judy Lays Down the Law 3. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Covers All The Bases 4. Transgender Issues: Lost On The Washington Post? 5. Denver Post Continues To Shine 6. Stupid Software Tricks 7. In the Life Gets Rave Reviews from L.A. Times and the Baltimore Sun. 8. WCAU Falls Into The Toilet Trap Catch The Vibe In the December/January issue of Vibe magazine, writer Larry Flick writes a moving essay on the late openly gay singer Sylvester, whose hits defined a generation not only of music, but of the 1970s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Flick talks of Sylvester's music capturing what it was like to be a young, African-American gay man, and how it so moved him. Sylvester, who died of AIDS-related causes in 1986, left a legacy for this young writer, and others like him, and seeing him celebrated in this way is both groundbreaking and welcome. Vibe covers hip-hop culture, and at first glance may seem at first glance to be an unlikely publication to carry this piece, because of the macho culture associated with much of the music. In another article, the female trio Total is given significant coverage, including a lengthy discussion of controversy around their sexual orientation, some of which was generated by statements of the members of the trio. The reporter states that in this industry, no one is "all the way" out, and for Total to even "toy" with same-sex attraction is risky career-wise. Obviously, it would be ideal if musicians could be out, and have it not be an issue, but Vibe's addressing the topic is a welcome "breaking of the silence" around hip-hop and homosexuality. A third piece on the controversy surrounding the new film The Siege features an extensive discussion of the history of film protests by groups and organizations concerned with fair portrayals of minorities, including comments from GLAAD's Director of Community Relations Cathy Renna. Please thank Vibe for their December/January issue, which is an important and valuable step forward in making lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people more visible in an arena where they are often invisible and sometimes vilified. Contact: Mr. Jesse Washington, Managing Editor, Vibe Magazine, 215 Lexington Ave., Sixth Floor, New York, NY 10016-6022 Judge Judy Lays Down the Law On Wednesday, November 18 Judge Judy Sheindlin of the highly rated syndicated program Judge Judy presided over a case between two lesbians who had been former lovers. Regina Gaeta accused her former girlfriend Erlinda Alarcon of using her name and driver's license number on a traffic ticket. While the two argued their case, Judge Judy stuck to the issue at hand, seemingly never giving the plaintiff and defendant’s sexual orientation any thought. Her signature cut-to-the-chase, no nonsense style was consistently reserved for the facts of the case. Please thank Judge Judy Sheindlin and the producers of Judge Judy for handling this case responsibly, and not succumbing to a problem that often plagues some syndicated programs—unnecessarily playing up a sensational aspect in an attempt to secure ratings. Contact: Judge Judy Sheindlin, Host, and Randall Douthit and Peter Brennan, Executive Producers, Judge Judy, 1438 N. Gower, Building 48, Los Angeles, CA 90028-8383 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Covers All The Bases The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's coverage of the Creating Change Conference was a substantial statement about not only about the growing importance of the conference itself,but the growing visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Held by the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), Creating Change was attended by over 3,000 community members and activists from November 11 through November 15. In addition to daily coverage of the conference itself, including an agenda for readers, the reporters covered numerous and diverse issues. Among these were: the influence of the AIDS Quilt on a local photographer's work; the divisions between lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists when discussing tactics and strategies; the changing focus towards "grass-roots", state and local efforts; an opinion piece by Kerry Lobel, NGLTF executive director; coverage of a lesbian family with two children; a Youth Institute held under the auspices of Creating Change, and a look at lesbian, gay and bisexual students attending the conference. Please thank the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for their excellent and thorough coverage of the conference, and for taking the opportunity to use Creating Change as a foundation for an in-depth look at the regional lesbian and gay community. Contact: Ms. Madelyn Ross, Managing Editor, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 34 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1200, fax: 412.263.1263 Transgender Issues: Lost On TheWashington Post? A November 11 article by Washington Post reporter Peter Slevin did more harm than good, as the coverage of a wrongful death suit became a prime example of how far the media still has to travel to report fairly and accurately on transgender issues. In August 1995, Tyra Hunter, a transgender woman, was seriously injured in a car crash. When Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Adrian Williams arrived on the scene, he allegedly stopped treating Hunter for 5 to 7 minutes, and made derogatory comments, after finding her male genitals. Hunter's mother is suing Williams and the hospital at which Hunter later died for wrongful death, and is seeking $10 million in damages. Reporter Peter Slevin continually refers to Hunter as "a man who dressed as a woman" and "a cross-dresser," and uses male pronouns throughout. This blatantly disrespects Hunter, and her life as she had lived it. In addition, the story is written with an eye towards the sensational, with descriptions such as "The paramedic recoiled in surprise at seeing that Hunter was really a man…" and "He [Hunter] won trophies for his 'hair creations'." Perhaps most disturbingly, Slevin writes the following account of the court session: "Three transgender activists --men who live and dress as women, as Hunter did -- attended yesterday's court session. They were present in their makeup and their finery, (emphasis added) they said, to support Hunter's mother and to increase respect for people who cross genders." First Slevin correctly refers to the activists as transgender, then negates this by referring to them as male. The next line is simply offensive: the relevance of their "makeup" and "finery" to the case is nil. Additionally, for women to dress up when attending court is nothing new, let alone newsworthy. The rest of the story summarizes the case against the EMT and the hospital in a straightforward factual accounting. It's unfortunate that Slevin writes the facts long after he has shown his ignorance of the issues. Please let the Washington Post know that transgender people deserve the same respect as anyone else. Certainly Tyra Hunter deserves better than what the Post has allotted her here. Contact: Ms. Jackie Jones, DC Metro Editor, Washington Post, 1150 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20071-0002, e-mail via WWW: http://www.washingtonpost.com Denver Post Continues To Shine The Denver Post, whose coverage of the murder of Matthew Shepard stood out from the majority of newspapers with its depth and insight, has again contributed an important and fair article on hate crimes legislation. Coleman Cornelius reported on November 16 on the expected appearance this week of Aaron McKinney in court, who is one of two men accused of beating Matthew Shepard to death. Cornelius uses this occasion to examine both sides of the argument about hate crimes legislation, and points out that hate crimes laws which include sexual orientation are often fraught with America's ongoing contention over lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. The writer points out the landmarks laws in the arena of legislation, and then gives statistics on the frequency of hate crimes, and how many states have which type of laws. In the final analysis, Cornelius speaks to academics on both sides of the issue, balancing their informed experience in working with these laws and as legal researchers in the areas of law and criminology. Please thank the Denver Post for an excellent story illustrating the difficulties around hate crimes legislation, both legally and as a society. Contact: Ms. Jeanette Chavez, Managing Editor, and Ms. Coleman Cornelius, Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202-5177, fax: 303.820.1369, e-mail: letters@denverpost.com Stupid Software Tricks In a current print advertisement for McAfee anti-virus computer software, one of the best-selling programs of its kind, the headline reads "It's nice to know about something before it becomes a problem." You see a minister, and two hands: one appears to be male, the other female, presumably at a marriage ceremony. A third hand holds a note reading "She's a man!" Obviously, McAfee thinks that this is an amusing way to tout their anti-virus software as being so good, it "catches" problems before you could know about them. Unfortunately, it also demonstrates a clear-cut disregard for transgender people. Please write to Network Associates, Inc., and tell them that showing ignorance about transgender people is no way to sell software, let alone treat others. Contact: Ms. Jennifer Keavney, Public Relations Department, Network Associates, Inc., 3965 Freedom Circle, Santa Clara, 95054 In the Life Gets Rave Reviews from L.A. Times and the Baltimore Sun. This week, Los Angeles Times television critic Howard Rosenberg and the Baltimore Sun’s Dave Zurawik reviewed the November episode of In the Life, America’s gay and lesbian television newsmagazine. Rosenberg’s November 14th column begins by noting that "there is nothing else like it on the air," and continues, "Just because the ‘life’ here is gay and lesbian doesn’t mean this smart, vibrant, extremely informative hour isn’t also for heterosexuals. Although its target audience is homosexual, it’s for everyone wanting to witness the full panorama of society. I know one straight guy (blush) who watched a tape of Sunday’s program twice, and liked it a lot both times. And learned a lot, too." In closing, Rosenberg describes In the Life as "opinionated without being shrill or preachy while celebrating diversity in a way that you’ll not find on any other newsmagazine." Zurawik’s November 19 piece gave insightful praise as well, calling the show "one of the strongest and most valuable newsmagazines on television — an aggressive and thoughtful chronicle of gay and lesbian life and history," and the season premiere "a typically engaging mix of public affairs and popular culture." He looks into the content of the pieces, too, focusing mostly on a segment about a library’s struggle with a Baptist minister who forcibly removed a number of lesbian- and gay-themed books from its shelves. Zurawik notes that the piece "gives us context," calling it "‘In the Life’ at its best." He concludes, "In the end, the best thing about this newsmagazine: Unlike many of its commercial cousins, it is television that makes you think." Both Zurawik and Rosenberg took an objective approach to their columns, subjecting the lesbian and gay news magazine to comparison with its network peers, and found In the Life’s strengths therein. Their perceptive and informed commentary highlighted the importance of the monthly program to a vibrant community. Please thank both Howard Rosenberg and Dave Zurawik for their insightful reviews. Contact: * Mr. Howard Rosenberg, Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, fax: 213.237.7679, e-mail: letters@latimes.com * Mr. Dave Zurawik, Television Critic, Baltimore Sun, 501 North Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278, fax: 410.332.6977, e-mail: letters@baltsun.com WCAU Falls Into The Toilet Trap As mentioned in last week's GLAADAlert, local stations have been airing "exposes" of public sex taking place in men's restrooms in the effort to garner ratings during "sweeps month." While more than forty stations have aired these "investigations" since March of this year, the most recent station to fall prey to sensationalist exploitation was NBC's WCAU Channel 10 in Bala Cynwyd, PA near Philadelphia. Entitled "Private Behavior in Public Places," the report showed blurred footage of men engaged in sex acts in bathrooms of area shopping centers and malls. Nine people were arrested when they went to WCAU to protest the story, maintaining that the television report was a scare story that raised the specter of child molestation, and painted the activity as more commonplace than reality dictates. In fact, WCAU anchor Tracy Davidson stated, "Your son could easily see the same things we did if you send him into the bathroom alone," despite the fact that the Philadelphia Inquirer quoted representatives of the shopping malls as stating that they had never received any complaints of sexual activity or of children encountering them. In the same article, station manager Steve Schwaid defended the report, stating that, "This is strictly a piece in the public interest." While the station voices its concern about the dangers to children, they nonethless chose to air this footage in living rooms with children and young adults. WCAU's concept of public interest seems to be not necessailry by the best interests of young people, but rather quite simply by ratings, which then translate into dollars. Please tell WCAU that their sweeps report seems to be far more concerned with meticulous timing than with providing news with integrity. Also, tell them that they shouldn't let opportunism stand in for fair, accurate and inclusive images of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Contact: Mr. Stephen Doerr, News Director, WCAU-TV, Channel 10, 10 Monument Road, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004-1771, fax: 610.668.3700 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. 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 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" The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in the media as a means of combatting homophobia and 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.