Date: Mon, 7 Jul 1997 16:56:02 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines 07.07.97 GLAADLINES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 7, 1997 contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org News, Tips and Breaking Stories about the Gay & Lesbian Community MCDONALD'S DOESN'T VALUE VALUABLE FAMILIES: On July 10 at 4 p.m. Valuable Families, a Northampton, Massachusetts organization for lesbian and gay parents and their children, will hold a press conference to express their outrage at McDonald's banning of the group from a national fundraising initiative. In early June, Valuable Families was invited to participate in the "Food, Folks and Fundraising" program, in which McDonald's hosts a dinner with a community non-profit and donates 15% of the proceeds to the group. As Valuable Families made plans, local McDonald's representatives informed them that the corporate headquarters had rejected the organization, calling it "too controversial." This comes on the heels of McDonald's support for Disney's workplace inclusion policy. "By rejecting our children's participation in an event of this kind, McDonald's has made it clear that our families are not welcome in their restaurant," said Valuable Families Board Chair Jeannie Dewey. GLAAD Associate Communications Director Liz Tracey added, "This is the second time in several months that McDonald's has publicly embraced diversity while shunning gay people and their kids behind closed doors. It is time for them to take a meaningful stance for inclusion." In April, GLAAD uncovered an internal advertising report stating that McDonald's had "traditionally avoided" advertising on television programming with gay-inclusive content. For more information contact Jeannie Dewey (Valuable Families) at (413) 367-9432 or Liz Tracey (GLAAD) at (212) 807-1700 or pgr. (800) 946-4646 pin# 1423527. GLAAD COMMENDS SET IT OFF WINNERS IN BLACK FILM AWARDS HONORS: During the first annual Black Film Awards, 1997 GLAAD Media Award nominee Set It Off garnered three awards. Queen Latifah won Best Actress for her performance as a bank robbing lesbian, while F. Gary Gray won Best Director. The film also received the Best Soundtrack award. "It is wonderful to see such a lesbian-inclusive film being recognized by the Black Film Awards," said GLAAD Entertainment Media Director Chastity Bono. "GLAAD congratulates Queen Latifah and F. Gary Gray on receiving this recognition for this significant, engaging and provocative movie." For more information contact Liz Tracey (GLAAD) at (212) 807-1700 or pgr. (800) 946-4646 pin# 1423527. TEXAS LESBIAN CO-PARENT CAN SEEK VISITATION RIGHTS: According to a June 3 decision by a Texas appeal court, same-sex co-parents of children have the right to seek visitation rights. The Third Court of Appeals found that Lisa Ann Fowler had the right to seek visitation of her son, regardless of her biological status with the child, based on a state law saying visitation can be legally sought by a person "who has had actual care, control and possession of the child for not less than six months preceding the filing of the petition." "From our perspective, it's nationally significant that a Texas appellate court would not get caught up in the issue of sexual orientation but in fact would look at the reality of the relationship between Lisa Fowler and her son," said Kate Kendall, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR). "The most important fact is that she, with her partner, raised a child. The child viewed both of them equally as parents." For more information contact Kate Kendall (NCLR) at (415) 392-6257. GAY YOUTH GATHER FOR YOUNG, LOUD & PROUD CONFERENCE: From July 12-13, over 600 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning young people from around the country will attend the Young, Loud & Proud Youth Leadership Conference in San Francisco. The event, hosted by LYRIC (Lavender Youth Recreation & Information Center), is free of charge, and will include workshops and caucuses on such wide-ranging topics as "Starting a Gay-Straight Alliance At Your School" to "If Only I Were Cute: Body Image in the Gay Community." "It's important for young people to know that they are empowered and [can] make positive social change," said Steering Committee member Steve Scott-Diaz, adding that the conference will "allow us to develop the skills we need as advocates, educators and activists." For more information contact Joseph Rios (LYRIC) at (415) 703-6150. 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.