Date: Mon, 18 Nov 1996 15:17:43 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines 11.18.96 GLAADLINES contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 18, 1996 News, Tips, and Breaking Stories about the Gay & Lesbian Community GLAAD HONORS CORPORATE LEADERS WITH FAIRNESS AWARDS: On Tuesday, November 19 at Noon, GLAAD will honor HBO's Sheila Nevins and the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom with its first Fairness Awards, established to honor a long-term commitment to fairness by leading supporters of equal rights nationwide. The Awards will be presented during a luncheon at the Rainbow Room. "The tireless work of Sheila Nevins and the attorneys of Skadden, Arps clearly shows how our nation's corporate and cultural landscape has grown to embrace all Americans-including lesbians and gay men," said Peggy Brady, Co-Chair of GLAAD's Board of Directors. "GLAAD's Fairness Awards honor them with recognition from their peers and the public at large for their work to end intolerance and bigotry and to promote fairness." For more information contact Alan Klein (GLAAD) at (212) 807-1700. ILLINOIS GOVERNOR FORBIDS ANTI-GAY DISCRIMINATION: On November 13, Illinois Governor Jim Edgar issued an Administrative Order forbidding discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in all employment decisions of Illinois state agencies. "This policy sends a strong message that discrimination against anyone, including gays and lesbians, is not acceptable," said Rick Garcia, director of the Illinois Federation for Human Rights, a statewide organization for lesbian and gay civil rights. "This demonstrates that the governor recognizes that a discrimination-free workplace is a productive workplace." The Order is expected to help significantly in the effort to pass a bill against anti-gay discrimination in the state. For more information contact Rick Garcia (Illinois Federation for Human Rights) at (217) 544-3401. DORNAN'S RE-ELECTION BID...A "B-1" BOMB: After his GOP presidential nomination bid crash landed, virulently anti-gay Representative Bob Dornan (R-Calif.) now finds himself being ambushed in his own backyard. Latina business consultant Loretta Sanchez, formerly a Republican but now a conservative Democrat, has claimed victory in the neck-and-neck struggle for Dornan's Orange County seat in the House of Representatives. Her lead has fluctuated since November 12 between 700 and near 1,000 votes, with only a few thousand provisional ballots left to count. "For 20 years, Dornan has just been a thorn in so many people's sides-homophobic, attacking the environment, attacking everything," said Bob Mullholland, policy advisor to the California Democratic party. Dornan, for his part, is reportedly charging voter fraud, and suspects large numbers of non-citizens voted. He is demanding an investigation into the matter. Final county results will be announced by November 26. For more information contact David Smith (Human Rights Campaign) at (202) 628-4160. VIRGINIA COLLEGE ACTIVISTS RALLY AS SCHOOL RECONSIDERS GAY CENTER: Today, November 18, students at George Mason University (GMU) in Fairfax, Virginia, held a rally to support the formation of a lesbian/gay/ bisexual/transgender resource center. Citing Virginia's sodomy law, the GMU Board of Visitors voted on September 18 to withhold a previously approved $15,000 in funding for the center. The Board of Visitors will reconsider their vote to pull funding at the next Board meeting on November 20. After the last vote, Board rector Marvin Murray stated that, "the activities of these [gay] people are illegal in Virginia....The University ought not to be spending resources supporting that sort of activity." For more information contact Beth Armitage (GMU) at (703) 993-2851 or e-mail: barmitag@osf1.gmu.edu. L.A. GAY AND LESBIAN CENTER CELEBRATES 25 YEARS: The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center is holding its 25th Anniversary Ball on November 23, to celebrate 25 years of service to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. At the event, the Center will also honor Elton John and MTV President Judy McGrath with its highest honor, the Rand Schrader Distinguished Achievement Award. They will be presented by Elizabeth Taylor and Courtney Love respectively. The award recognizes an outstanding individual for courageously championing gay and lesbian equality, significantly promoting gay and lesbian health and/or greatly enhancing the visibility of lesbian and gay people. Over 1,500 supporters and celebrities are expected to attend the gala event. For more information contact Jim Key or Mike Ausiello (The Center) at (213) 860-7357. 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 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 the nation's lesbian and gay news bureau and the only national lesbian and gay multimedia watchdog organization. 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 registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.