Date: Mon, 3 Mar 1997 15:24:12 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines 03.03.97 GLAADLINES contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 3, 1997 News, Tips and Breaking Stories about the Gay & Lesbian Community ATLANTA BOMBING FOCUSES ATTENTION ON HATE CRIMES: While national media continues its coverage of the February 22 bombing of the Otherside Lounge, an Atlanta lesbian nightclub, other recent terror attacks and intimidation against lesbians and gay men are escaping the media's watchful eye. On February 21, Lancaster, California police arrested Geoffrey Barr, a 21-year-old man who allegedly bombed the Back Door Bar, a local gay club, last October. According to Sgt. Mike Parker, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Department, a search of Barr's house revealed military explosive materials. "It is believed this crime occurred because of the sexual orientation of the establishment's customers," Parker said. On the same day, in Manatee County, Florida, the predominantly lesbian and gay Church of the Trinity Metropolitan Community Church suffered its second major attack in just six months. The church's sign was defaced with an anti-gay slur and flowers were uprooted. In September, the church was vandalized, burglarized and set on fire. "We are shocked and saddened by this obvious hate crime," said Rev. Gus Kein. For more information contact Jeffrey Montgomery (The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs) at (313) 537-3323. MAJOR MIDWESTERN CITIES CONSIDER DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP: Both Chicago and St. Louis are coming close to recognizing lesbian and gay domestic partnerships. On February 26, Chicago 44th Ward Alderman Bernard Hansen, with 30 co-sponsors, introduced an ordinance to extend health benefits to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian employees. The ordinance is expected to pass in early March and enjoys the full support of Mayor Richard Daley. Even the Chicago Tribune, which in the past has opposed gay civil rights ordinances, supported the measure in a February 28 editorial. In St. Louis, during a February 23 mayoral debate, 6 of the 7 candidates, including frontrunners Freeman Bosley, Jr. and Clarence Harmon, pledged to extend health benefits to same-sex partners. "Today's American families are composed of a variety of relationships and living situations.," said Rick Garcia, director of the Illinois Federation for Human Rights (IFHR). "We should recognize this and support those family units whatever their makeup." For more information contact Rick Garcia (IFHR) at (773) 244-3371. "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" PROTECTIONS DON'T WORK: The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) is calling upon Defense Secretary William Cohen for leadership after he downplayed the severity of a dramatic increase in the number of lesbians and gay men discharged from the Armed Forces since "Don't Ask, Don't Tell's" implementation. After the release of an SLDN report noting that 850 people were discharged from the military in 1996-a 42% increase over 1994- Cohen stated that "[the problem] is not of such a gravity as would warrant any change of policy...[but] if I find that the policy is being violated, I will do whatever I can to see that that's stopped." SLDN Co-Executive Director Michelle Benecke said she was encouraged by his statement though she added "our report names 443 specific violations in the last year and the response of senior brass so far has been to turn a blind eye." Benecke said. "Not one person has been held accountable in the last year for any of these abuses. People should be demanding to know why none of the officers clearly breaking the law have been disciplined, why there is no formal 'don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue' training manual and when Cohen intends to start holding these people accountable." For more information contact Michelle Benecke (SLDN) at (202)328-3244. GAY RADIO GOES GLOBAL: GLOradio, "the first broadcasting company specifically dedicated to global radio programming for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community," begins programming March 3. A number of excellent commercial lesbian and gay radio programs already exist, such as Lesbigay Radio in Chicago and 1 in 10 in Ohio, but GLOradio is an Internet-based broadcaster. Assisted by new technologies, the company relies on RealAudio software to bring live and archived programming to anyone who has a Web connection and a multimedia-capable computer. "We have a profound sense of pride in bringing quality news and entertainment shows to people in every country where there is Net access, every single day," said John McMullen, founder, President and CEO of GLOradio. The URL for the broadcaster is http://www.gloradio.com. For more information contact John McMullen at (206) 322-9000 or e-mail: john@hanginout.com. LESBIAN & GAY CENTERS KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE: On March 8, nearly 70 representatives from 16 California Lesbian and Gay Community Centers will convene in San Jose for a networking and skills building conference. According to Ralph Serpe, Executive Director of the Billy DeFrank Lesbian and Gay Community Center, which is sponsoring the event, Northern California has the largest concentration of gay community centers in the country. Workshops include fundraising, board and program development, voter registration and community organizing. For more information contact Ralph Serpe (Billy DeFrank Lesbian and Gay Community Center) at (408) 994-3010 (pgr.) or e-mail: bdfc@aol.com. 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. 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