Date: Mon, 11 Aug 1997 15:52:53 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines 08.11.97 GLAADLINES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 11, 1997 contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org News, Tips and Breaking Stories about the Gay & Lesbian Community BALDWIN RUNS FOR CONGRESS: Wisconsin State Representative Tammy Baldwin (D) will be seeking the seat of retiring four-term Congressman Steve Klug (R) in 1998. Baldwin, endorsed by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, served four terms as county supervisor and is in the middle of her third term in the Wisconsin State Assembly. If elected, Baldwin will be the first out lesbian in the United States Congress. Baldwin has already amassed a war chest of over $100,000 and has high name recognition due to her long political career. For more information, contact Kathleen DeBold of the Victory Fund at (202) 842-8679. WASHINGTON STATE TO VOTE ON EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION: The Washington (State) Secretary of State announced recently that gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people and family and friends had collected more than the 188,000 signatures needed to qualify a non-discrimination in employment initiative for the November ballot. If passed, the initiative would make discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation or identity illegal in Washington. Hands Off Washington (HOW), the organization which planned the initiative and coordinated the signature gathering effort, has hired a campaign manager, begun to raise funds for the campaign, and developed a "300% project." According to Jan Bianchi, executive director of HOW, "We must get 100% of our community registered to vote, 100% of them to the polls, and 100% of them to vote 'Yes on I-677.'" For more information, contact Susan Thomas (Hands Off Washington) at (206) 323-5191. IN THE LIFE CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS: In the Life, America's first gay and lesbian series seen on national public television, is celebrating its fifth year anniversary with an hour-long summer special. The show, airing throughout late August and September, highlights In the Life's growth since infancy. The show, which receives no PBS funding, began on just six public stations, but now airs on nearly 100, including 19 of the top 20 television markets. Initial resistance to In the Life, including a 1992 rebuke by Bob Dole from the Senate, has shifted to general acceptance of the series by more and more program directors in every region of the country. Some larger stations, however, are notable holdouts, such as WYES in New Orleans and KETC in St. Louis. "While there are stations that still resist airing In the Life, the fact that we can be seen by over 80 percent of America's television sets is a real victory," said In the Life Director of Communications John Catania. "In an age where mainstream media coverage swings wildly from insightful coverage about Ellen to some of the garbage that flowed around Cunanan, a newsmagazine program with gay journalists telling the stories of gay America is greatly needed." For more information, please contact John Catania (In the Life) at (212) 255-6012, ext.307, e-mail: inthelifetv@nycnet.com. GAY SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES: Over 1,700 athletes representing 112 teams from across North America are descending on San Diego for the largest ever Gay Softball World Series, "Ride the Wave," August 12-16. This event, which is the largest annual gay and lesbian sporting event in North America, is complete with special events, including a welcoming party, opening ceremonies, talent show and celebrity T-shirt auction. Closing Ceremonies will be held at the San Diego Zoo. Competition, held on 14 fields at three different complexes, will be in both Open Division (A, B and C) and Women's Division (Competitive and Recreational). For more information, contact George Biagi ("Ride the Wave" Chairperson, North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance) at (619) 295-5556. HONOLULU PRIDE FESTIVAL: The first annual Honolulu Gay and Lesbian Cultural Festival (HGLCF), held in conjunction with the 8th annual Honolulu Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, begins August 15 at the historic Hawaii Theater. GLAAD's own Entertainment Media Director, Chastity Bono, will speak. The local lesbian and gay community faces the possible legalization of same-sex marriage by the courts and the prohibition of same-sex marriage by an amendment to the state constitution which will be voted on in November. During the events, participants will enjoy dance, theater, song and film. For more information, contact Ann Moriyasu, HGLCF Director, at (808) 941-0424 ext. 18. 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.