Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 17:26:02 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines 02.17.98 GLAADLINES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 17, 1998 contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org News and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community HATCH ENDORSES HORMEL WHILE LOTT CONTINUES TO SUPPORT BLOCK: In a surprise turn of events, conservative Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) has become one of only two Republican senators on record endorsing openly gay philanthropist James Hormel's appointment as ambassador to Luxembourg--even as Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott has pledged to continue blocking the nomination. In a February 13 interview with the Deseret News, Senator Hatch said he supported Hormel because, "I don't like discrimination of any type. I don't believe in preventing someone from serving as long as they conduct themselves within certain standards.." According to Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Communications Director David Smith, " Mr. Hormel is completely qualified for this position. His nomination was approved by the Foreign Relations Committee and bipartisan support for his nomination continues to grow. We welcome Senator Hatch's support for him, and fully expect the majority leader to bring this to a vote soon." For more information contact David Smith (HRC) at (202) 628-4160. IN WAKE OF VOTE TO STRIP RIGHTS, MAINE GOVERNOR FEARS ECONOMIC IMPACT: A week after Maine's voters repealed a law which provided equal protections from discrimination to lesbians and gay men, Governor Angus King has said that the state will face "immeasurable" but "real" economic damage as a result. The Maine Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance, however, issued a statement on February 13 declaring its opposition to any economic boycott of Maine goods, services or tourism. For more information contact Betsy Smith (Maine Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance) at (207) 761-3732. FIRST-EVER VICE VERSA AWARDS HONOR GAY PRESS: From over 450 submissions, winners of the first-ever Vice Versa Awards for excellent in the gay and lesbian press were announced by the contest's coordinators, Q Syndicate. Notable among the 21 winners was Kyle Young's "The Ex-Files: A former follower sheds light on ex-gay ministries," from Outsmart Magazine in Houston, which received the Randy Shilts Award for Outstanding Achievement, the highest honor. In addition, the San Francisco Bay Times won honors in eleven categories, the largest number of awards in Division A (weekly and biweekly publications), while in Division B (monthlies and quarterlies), the Baltimore Alternative won seven awards. For more information contact David Bianco (Q Syndicate) at (888) 383-7911. NEW TRANSGENDER NEWS SERVICE AVAILABLE TO MEDIA: On February 17, the transgender advocacy group It's Time America! (ITA) announced the launching of the It's Time! News Service (ITNS) to bring news agencies up-to-date information on the transgender community. "It is our hope that through this news service we can promote improved communication, understanding and cooperation among all minority groups," said ITA Acting Media Director Penni Ashe. To receive ITNS or for more information contact Penni Ashe (ITA) via e-mail at penn45@ma.ultranet.com. WRITERS, STUDENTS, YOUTH AND TRANSPEOPLE HOLD CONFERENCES: Four major conferences happening around the country this coming weekend reveal some of the vast diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. In Boston, over 1,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender artists and activists will gather February 20-22 for OutWrite, where they will discuss issues facing lesbian and gay writing and culture. Meanwhile, in Denver, Colorado, from February 18-21, the National Diversity Conference for Youth will bring together teens, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people, from all over the country for discussion on a wide array of social concerns for youth. Young people will also participate in "Across the Fruited Plain," the 1998 Midwest Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay Transgender College Conference from February 20-22. Finally, the American Boyz-sponsored True Spirit Conference for all gender variant people on the FTM (Female-to-Male) spectrum will also take place February 20-22 in Laurel, Maryland. For more information contact Karen Bullock-Jordan (OutWrite) at (617) 262-6969; National Diversity Conference for Youth at (303) 221-1827; David Barnett (MLGTCC-98) at (312) 413-9862; and American Boyz Coordinator-in-Chief Gary Bowen (True Spirit) at (410) 392-3640. 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 only national lesbian & gay multimedia advocacy 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 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. 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 a national organization that 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.