Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 17:22:14 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines June 8, 1998 GLAADLINES contact: Don Romesburg (415) 861-2244 romesburg@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 8, 1998 News and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community TEXAS REPUBLICANS DENY LOG CABIN CLUB ACCESS TO "BIG TENT": On June 3, the Texas GOP said they would not allow the Log Cabin Republicans, the national lesbian and gay Republican organization, to have a booth at the state convention June 12 and 13 in Fort Worth, and compared the group to pedophiles. Texas GOP Communications Director Robert Black said: "We're not going to allow a forum for the kind of hateful language against people of faith that the Texas Freedom Network, or the KKK or the National Man-Boy Love Association [sic] or whoever else wants to spew." Log Cabin Executive Director Rich Tafel said, "You can't call yourself a big-tent party and discriminate against people at the same time. As a Christian minister, I am offended that our organization is being accused of 'spewing hate' against people of faith. There is no question that only one side in this is spreading hatred-that is Robert Black and the Texas GOP. What is it going to take for good Republicans to wake up and confront what is happening to their party?" Log Cabin will hold a rally in Fort Worth on June 13 to call attention to the issue. For more information contact Kevin Ivers (Log Cabin Republicans) at (202) 347-5306 ext. 12. GLAAD APPLAUDS TONY WINNERS, COMMENDS MCNALLY'S COURAGE: Following the Tony Awards ceremony June 7, GLAAD issued hearty congratulations to Cabaret, which won four awards including Best Musical Revival and openly gay playwright Terrence McNally for his moving stand against anti-gay censorship in his acceptance for the Best Book Tony for Ragtime. Recently, the Manhattan Theatre Club dropped McNally's new work in development, Corpus Christi, after receiving death threats over its gay content. But after pressure from progressive and artistic communities the theater reinstated it and now stands in full support of the project. Addressing the audience at the awards last night, McNally said, "You came together when I was in trouble. Our voices were heard and we won." He also told reporters backstage that, "No one has the right to tell us what we can and cannot write." GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry said, "Both Cabaret and Terrence McNally deserve much applause for their insistence on the freedom to create artistic visions that are inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender themes." For more information contact Bill Horn (GLAAD Assistant Entertainment Media Director) at (213) 658-6775. WASHINGTON STATE DEMOCRATS SAY "I DO" TO SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE: At its convention on June 6, the Washington State Democratic Party officially adopted a stand in favor of same-gender marriage as a part of its platform. The Marriage Resolution reads: "We affirm that because marriage is a basic human right and an individual personal choice, the state should not interfere with same-gender couples who choose to marry and share fully and equally in the rights, responsibilities and commitment of civil marriage." Legal Marriage Alliance of Washington Director John Wilkinson said, This represents a coming together for the party, which has experienced some division over marriage. This will allow voters from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to unify behind Democratic candidates to retake the state legislature. It also proves once again that the Democratic Party of Washington State is the party of the people." For more information contact John Wilkinson (Legal Marriage Alliance of Washington) at (888) 731-8166. GLAAD SUPPORTS PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO PROTECT CHILDREN ONLINE: GLAAD is applauding efforts by both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Representative Nick Lampson (D-Beaumont, Texas) which specifically target child pornographers and pedophiles. A disturbing recent trend in Internet legislation has attempted, under the guise of protecting children, to limit free speech and access to age-appropriate materials on the Internet through the mandated use of Internet Filtering Software. Instead, both the FTC proposal and the Lampson Bill focus on strengthening existing laws against those who victimize children. The FTC seeks to require sites to obtain parental permission before collecting information from children who are 12 and under. The Lampson Bill would give an additional $2 million to the Customs Service's International Child Pornography Investigation and Coordination Center for Internet enforcement. "GLAAD agrees that the FTC should act to ensure child safety. We're encouraged by the proposal to strengthen existing child pornography laws as opposed to censoring what is often educational and important information for children," said GLAAD Interactive Media Director Loren Javier. For more information, contact Loren Javier (GLAAD Interactive Media Director) at (925) 831-1092 or javier@glaad.org. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is the nation's 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. 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