Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 20:29:43 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines August 24, 1998 GLAADLINES FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 24, 1998 News and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community contact: Sharen Shaw Johnson (703) 465-1746 sjohnson@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org GLAADLines Index: 1) ALASKA SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE VOTE PROMPTS LEGAL LOGJAM 2) WATCHDOG GETS NEW TEETH 3) THE WELLNESS DANCE 4) RECLAIMING THE GOSPEL 1) ALASKA SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE VOTE PROMPTS LEGAL LOGJAM: Alaska Superior Court Judge Senter Tan will convene a hearing in Anchorage Monday, Aug. 31, about a November vote to amend Alaska's constitution to ban same-sex marriages. To date, the ballot question has drawn three separate court challenges. The most recent is from the Alaska Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union Gay/Lesbian Rights Project. Jennifer Rudinger, Alaska Civil Liberties Union executive director, said the two organizations are making "a very creative argument" that the proposal "would not really amend the state constitution but would revise it" - which could not be done by referendum but would require a constitutional convention. A second group, which favors the proposal, wants a change in how the question is worded on the ballot. The third challenge comes from four Alaskans, including the two Anchorage men whose attempt to get a marriage license sparked the legal challenge leading to the constitutional amendment campaign. For more information, contact Jennifer Rudinger, Alaska Civil Liberties Union executive director, at (907) 258-0044. 2) WATCHDOG GETS NEW TEETH: Amnesty International USA (AIUSA), U.S. affiliate of the international human rights group, says it soon will be able to more closely monitor abuses based on sexual orientation and identity through a $100,000 grant from the Joyce Mertz-Gilmore Foundation. The award, which will be matched by AIUSA, will be used to hire staff and to expand work now performed by volunteers. Noting that lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender (lgbt) persons remain among the top targets of human rights abuses worldwide, AIUSA Executive Director William Schulz said, "Our aim is to mobilize public pressure necessary to challenge discriminatory treatment, change legal environments, and engage in widespread human rights education." For more information, contact Gerald Lemelle, ACLU deputy executive director of action, at (212) 807-8400. 3) THE WELLNESS DANCE: Washington, D.C.-area lesbians and bisexual women living with breast cancer are being offered 12 free movement classes beginning in September. The series uses dance, movement and art to help participants achieve physical mobility and focus positively on recovery. Margo Miller at the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, which is sponsoring the series, said, "Creating art is the goal, rather than physical therapy. It makes the healing process easier." The program is being facilitated by dance therapist Dr. Renata Georgetti and being funded by Avon Corp. and the Mautner Project for lesbians and other women battling cancer. For more information contact Miller at the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, (301) 270-6700. 4) RECLAIMING THE GOSPEL: "Justified" -- a song David North wrote in response to "It's Not Natural" -- will be among numbers performed at "Praisin' In the Grass" on Saturday, Aug. 29. "It's Not Natural," a gospel song attacking lesbians and gay men, was written and recorded by the Winan sisters, part of the nationally-know Winan gospel singing family. The song and the ensuing controversy received protracted national media attention. The outdoor concert and picnic is to benefit a CD project by North's group, David North & The Gospel Celebration. The group, which describes itself as "committed to presenting a spirited variety of gospel music for the inspiration, encouragement, and empowerment of all God's people," will mix original contemporary compositions such as "I am not Ashamed," another North song, with spirituals and traditional hymns. The concert begins at 6 p.m. at 13226 Braddock Road, Clifton, Virginia. For more information, contact Alana La Bel at 703-847-9533 or e-mail her at AJTygger@aol.com. 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 Wonbo Woo at (212) 807-1700 or at woo@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.