Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 09:38:22 -0700 From: glaad@glaad.org (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Subject: GLAADlines 09.03.96 GLAADLINES contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www. glaad.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 3, 1996 News, Tips, and Breaking Stories about the Gay & Lesbian Community SENATE SET TO VOTE ON GAY MARRIAGE AND WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION: On September 5, the Senate is expected to vote on the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). During debate, Sens. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) and James Jeffords (R-Vt.) will introduce the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) as an amendment to DOMA. ENDA would outlaw job discrimination based on sexual orientation, and has the full support of President Clinton. "This strategy will benefit the community by forcing a debate on employment discrimination against gay people," said Human Rights Campaign Political Director Daniel Zingale. The Senate is expected to follow the House in voting for the anti-gay DOMA, which the President has said he will sign. For more information contact Alan Klein, GLAAD's communications director, at (212) 807-1700 or e-mail at klein@glaad.org. CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR LAUNCHES ASSAULT ON LESBIAN AND GAY FAMILIES: Governor Pete Wilson has quietly ordered the Department of Social Services to abolish adoptions by unmarried couples or single people. The changes would make it illegal for lesbians and gay men to adopt children. "As the number of children in desperate need of a caring and safe environment grows, Governor Wilson is playing politics," said Dean Larkin of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center (LAGLC). "This thinly veiled attack on gay and lesbian families and other non-traditional families is ultimately most harmful to the children who will remain wards of the state rather than being placed in secure and stable homes." Hearings will be held in San Jose (Tues. 9/3), West Sacramento (Wed. 9/4) and Santa Ana (Thurs. 9/5) before a final decision is made. For more information contact Jim Key or Mike Ausiello (LAGLC) at (213) 860-7357. GAY BOSTON POLITICO GETS BASHED, GAY COMMUNITY DIVIDED: Boston's lesbian and gay community is debating the case of David Scondras, an openly gay former Boston city councilor accused of making unwanted sexual advances towards a 16-year-old boy. Scondras' spokesman says he is the victim of "brutal gay-bashing." According to the Boston Globe, after Scondras touched the teenager's groin, the teenager beat him so badly that he suffered internal bleeding, a broken jaw, a broken nose and a swollen kidney. Jim Brinning, a hate-crime legislation advocate, said that Scondras' claim of gay-bashing "makes a mockery of everything [he has] fought for" because of Scondras' alleged sexual advances. Others, like Todd Fernandez, former chair of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Alliance, argue that the alleged sexual advance could not possibly justify the level of violence Scondras suffered. Scondras is set to go before the court October 25. For more information contact Alan Klein, GLAAD's communications director at (212) 807-1700 or e-mail at klein@glaad.org. COLUMBUS DISCOVERS LESBIAN AND GAY HISTORY: Long Road to Freedom, a nationally touring exhibition chronicling the gay and lesbian movement will be in Columbus, Ohio, September 5-12. The exhibit is sponsored by GLAAD, The Advocate, Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Inc. and locally by The Stonewall Union. The provocative exhibit features a quarter century of photos, cartoons, articles and interviews from The Advocate, a national lesbian and gay news magazine. "The Long Road to Freedom is a profoundly important testament to how far gay men and lesbians have come since the days of Stonewall," said Donna Red Wing, GLAAD's director of community affairs. The display will be shown at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Arts Complex at 867 Mt. Vernon Avenue, with a gala opening reception September 6. For more information contact Alan Klein, GLAAD's communications director, at (212) 807-1700 or e-mail at klein@glaad.org or Jamie Simmons at simmons@glaad.org. GAY JOURNALISTS MAKE WAVES IN MIAMI: Over 500 lesbian and gay journalists will convene in Miami September 5-8 for "Making Waves: NLGJA Convention '96," sponsored by the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. In addition to professional development workshops, speakers will include newswoman, writer and producer Linda Ellerbee, National Public Radio's Ray Suarez, CBS News President Andrew Hayward and NBC Vice President Cheryl Gould. For more information contact Howard R. Miller (NLGJA) at (305) 573-0882. To report events that merit media coverage, or news stories breaking in your area, please contact us. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is the nation's lesbian & gay news bureau and the only national lesbian & gay multimedia watchdog organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate, and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. To subscribe contact Don Romesburg at (415) 861-2244 or at romesburg@glaad.org. "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org VISIT THE GLAAD WEB SITE AT http://www.glaad.org! 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 trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.