Date: Mon, 29 Dec 1997 18:20:57 -0500 From: glaad@glaad.org (GLAAD) Subject: GLAADLINES 12.29.97 GLAADLINES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 29, 1997 contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org News, Tips and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the winter holiday, this week's GLAADLines is abbreviated. Next week, it will return in its full format. GAY GROUPS URGE WIZARDS PLAYERS TO WRITE CHECKS FOR ANTI-GAY HEX: GLAAD and Gay Men & Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) today called upon Washington (DC) Wizards players Tracey Murray and Rod Strickland to use fines imposed on them for fighting over gay allegations to fight anti-gay violence and intolerance. After the two basketball players came to blows, allegedly prompted by Murray's accusation that Strickland was gay, Wizards General Manager Wes Unseld fined both players $25,000 and ordered them to apologize and donate the fines to charities of the other's choice. GLAAD and GLOV are suggesting that the $50,000 be donated to their respective organizations. "The message [is that] even the suggestion of being gay is justification enough to start battering someone [but] anti-gay violence is far from acceptable. In the District of Columbia, the Wizard's home, it is in fact against the law," said GLOV Executive Director Sharen Shaw Johnson. GLAAD DC Media Resource Center Manager Cathy Renna added, "GLOV and GLAAD salute Unseld for fining the players and feel our two DC-based organizations are ideal choices for receiving the money: GLOV works to counter violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people; GLAAD works to protect this targeted community against the kind of media defamation that was an inescapable by-product of these athletes' brawl." For more information contact Cathy Renna (GLAAD) at (202) 986-1360, pgr. (301) 215-1354 and Sharen Shaw Johnson (GLOV) at (202) 737-4569. SHAHAR/BOWERS CASE GOES TO SUPREME COURT: The nation's highest court may hear the case of Robin Shahar, who was denied a job by Georgia Attorney General Mike Bowers for marrying another woman in 1991. Bowers, already familiar with the high court from the 1986 Bowers v. Hardwick decision upholding anti-sodomy law, claimed Shahar's ceremonial same-sex marriage would harm public perceptions of the state's Department of Law and its commitment to enforcing the anti-sodomy law. Shahar's lawsuit claims that Bowers violated her constitutional rights of association and equal protection. Bowers, who is currently running for governor, has since admitted that for over a decade he was involved with an extramarital affair in a state where adultery is also illegal, and acknowledged that Shahar's dismissal made him a "moral hypocrite," though he stood by the legal merits of the case. In her Supreme Court appeal, Shahar's lawyers argue that Bowers' action "rests on irrational prejudice toward gay people." ACLU-Georgia Executive Director Theresa Nelson said, "We are asking the Supreme Court to overturn the decision and tell Bowers that he broke the law [by withdrawing Shahar's offer]. Like all Americans, Shahar should be able to love and work and not have to choose between the two." For more information contact Denny Lee (ACLU) at (212) 549-2561. UTAH REBUTS LESBIAN TEACHER LAWSUIT: In a move surprising no one, the Utah Attorney General's Office on December 27 denied that Spanish Fork high school teacher Wendy Weaver's civil rights had been violated by a school-issued sweeping gag order regarding her sexual orientation and her firing as coach of the girls volleyball team because she is a lesbian. The Attorney General's Office claims that Weaver's "speech regarding her sexual orientation is not a matter of public concern and does not rise to the level protected by the First Amendment." Weaver contends the gag order demanding she not discuss her sexual orientation with coworkers, students or their parents and others would forbid her from engaging in basic speech. Earlier last week, a local anti-gay group filed a separate suit in state court targeting Weaver with claims of child abuse, sodomy and unprofessional conduct. The suit is seen by many as a legally baseless witch hunt intended to intimidate Weaver into dropping her civil rights struggle. "I expected them to get dirty," said Weaver, sarcastically adding the suit made a "nice Christmas present." For more information contact Denny Lee (ACLU) at (212) 549-2561. To report events that merit media coverage, or news stories breaking in your area, please contact us. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (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 registered 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. 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Check Out GLAAD's Bi Visibility Web Site at www.glaad.org/glaad/bi_visibility. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation in all forms of media as a means of challenging homophobia and all forms of 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.