Date: Mon, 24 Mar 1997 16:40:21 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines 03.24.97 GLAADLINES contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 1997 News, Tips and Breaking Stories about the Gay & Lesbian Community HOT ENTERTAINMENT AT STAR-STUDDED GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS IN N.Y.: On March 31, GLAAD will close its three-city Media Awards in New York, with performances from the Broadway cast of Rent and the cast of When Pigs Fly. Fifteen hundred people will gather at the Sheraton New York Hotel for the gala event, with special guests including Carol Channing, Joel Grey, Nell Carter, Terrence McNally, Wendy Wasserstein, James Naughton, Jessica Hect, members of the cast of ABC's Spin City and Gregory Harrison. Awards presented at the event will include: Outstanding Film (Limited Release), Outstanding Television Comedy Series, Outstanding Daytime Television, Outstanding Television Journalism, Outstanding Print Journalism, Outstanding Advertising and Outstanding Theater Production (Northeast). A silent auction will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner and the awards presentation at 7:30 p.m. For more information contact Alan Klein (GLAAD communications director) at (212) 807-1700, ext. 11 or e-mail at klein@glaad.org. COME OUT WITH ELLEN AT GLAAD PARTIES NATIONWIDE: In at least five major cities, with more to follow, GLAAD will host "Come Out With Ellen" parties to both mark a watershed event and encourage lesbian, gay and bisexual people to close their closets behind them. San Francisco, New York, Kansas City, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles will be the sites of major bashes on April 30 from 7-10:00 p.m. In addition to screening the coming out episode of Ellen live at 9 p.m., people will be able to enjoy "Absolut Ellen" beverages, send instant letters of support via the Internet to ABC and get a chance to win Ellen memorabilia. "This episode marks a historic turning point in television history, and GLAAD supports and applauds ABC and Touchstone for making the show possible," said GLAAD Entertainment Media Director Chastity Bono. "GLAAD hopes that lesbian and gay fans of the show will come out with GLAAD to come out with Ellen." For more information contact Chastity Bono (GLAAD) at (213) 658-6775 or visit the GLAAD Web site at www.glaad.org. ANTI-DISCRIMINATION BILLS MAKE HEADWAY AROUND COUNTRY: Following the introduction and near-passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in the U.S. Senate last fall, a host of state legislatures have considered bills to protect the civil rights of lesbians and gay men. Currently, ten states, including Arizona, California, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York and Washington, are debating adding sexual orientation to pre-existing civil rights laws which outlaw employment discrimination. New Hampshire's bill, HB421, passed in the state House on March 19 by a 205-125 vote. The bill got a strong boost when the Catholic Diocese of Manchester reversed a stance from previous years and supported the measure, and Governor Jeanne Shaheen has indicated she will sign the bill if it gets to her desk. For more information contact Mark Johnson (NGLTF) at (202) 332-6483, ext. 3314 or pgr. (800) 757-6476. LESBIANS AND GAY MEN BATTLE ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE LEGISLATION: According to a recent report by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), approximately a third of nearly 150 gay- and AIDS-related bills in state legislatures this year seek to ban same-sex marriage, even though there are no states in which it is legal. Four states have successfully fought off anti-gay marriage measures, including Maryland, New Hampshire, Wyoming and Washington. In Washington, Gov. Gary Locke vetoed the bill, which had passed both houses. Four other states have bills which have passed the full legislature: Mississippi, Arkansas, North Dakota and Virginia. In addition, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin are currently considering bills to legalize same-sex marriage. For more information contact Mark Johnson (NGLTF) at (202) 332-6483, ext. 3314 or pgr. (800) 757-6476. GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS IN D.C. JUST AROUND CORNER: Final preparations are underway for the GLAAD Media Awards in Washington, D.C. on March 26. Three hundred will gather at the National Press Club for an evening with special guests including Margarethe Cammermeyer, Rita Mae Brown, Steve Gunderson and Rob Morris, Ray Suarez, Candice Gingrich, Bob Hattoy and many more. Outstanding Music Album winner Extra Fancy will perform hits from their album, Sinnerman. Awards presented at the event will include: Outstanding Comic Book, Outstanding Music Album, Outstanding New Media and Outstanding Documentary. Local awards for Outstanding Radio Production, Outstanding Television Cable, Outstanding Publication and Outstanding Television will also be presented. For more information contact Cathy Renna (GLAAD Washington, D.C. Media Resource Center Manager) at (202) 986-1360. 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.