Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1998 16:21:25 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines November 9, 1998 GLAADLINES Contact: Liz Tracey, Publications Manager (212) 807-1700 tracey@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 9, 1998 News and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community 1. BALTIMORE GAY MAN SHOT & WOUNDED; COMMUNITY RALLIES: 2. HOUSTON MEN ARRESTED UNDER TEXAS SODOMY LAW 3. MTV LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVE WITH SHEPARD EPISODE 4. GLAAD TO CONTINUE WORK FOR EQUAL MARRIAGE RIGHTS BALTIMORE GAY MAN SHOT & WOUNDED; COMMUNITY RALLIES: Leonard "Lynn" Vines, a well-known drag performer in Baltimore, Maryland, was shot and wounded six times when he went to meet family members in the neighborhood where he grew up. Vines, 31, was planning to look at an apartment when he was confronted by a group of approximately 20, who called him a "drag queen faggot" and told him that "drag queen faggot bitches" weren't allowed in their neighborhood. When Vines told them he was visiting his family, and didn't want any trouble, he was punched in the face, and then, while attempting to escape, was shot six times. Having survived the attack, Vines is confined to a wheelchair and will undergo a long recovery. "I believe that a climate has been created in this country which tells young people like those who attacked Leonard Vines that gays and lesbians are less than human and can be victimized at will. Why is it that gays and lesbians are the only group who are unprotected by our government against vicious crimes like this?" said Anthony McCarthy, a board member of the National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum (NBLGLF), and a Baltimore resident. A rally was held on Friday, November 6 on the block where Leonard Vines was shot, and was organized by The Vines family, NBLGLF, The Free State Justice Campaign, the National Lesbian and Gay Task Force and the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore. For more information contact Anthony W. McCarthy (NBLGLF) at (410) 547.9282 or via e-mail at nblglf@aol.com. HOUSTON MEN ARRESTED UNDER TEXAS SODOMY LAW: Two men in Houston, Texas were arrested under that state's 119-year-old sodomy law, when they were witnessed by police having consensual sex in a private apartment where one of the men lived. The police were called to the apartment by a complainant who directed them to the apartment stating that a robbery was taking place; the complainant was subsequently charged with filing a false report. The two men were held in jail for several hours, and then released on $200 bail. They face arraignment on November 20, which could result in a maximum $500 fine. While challenges to the Texas sodomy law, which singles out same-sex acts for prosecution, have been unsuccessful, some have observed that this most recent case may be a significant challenge to the law's constitutionality. Clarence Bagby, president of the Houston Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus stated, "We certainly hope to move this forward, and we’d love to see it move all the way up the ladder and be declared unconstitutional." In 1997, the state sodomy law was used by a Texas child protection worker to remove a three-month-old child from a foster home provided by two lesbians, saying "Homosexuality is against the law and CPS (Child Protective Services) were knowingly condoning it. For more information, contact Clarence Bagby (Houston Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus) at (713) 521.1000. MTV LAUNCHES NEW INITIATIVE WITH SHEPARD EPISODE: MTV will launch a new anti-violence initiative, "Fight for Your Rights: Take a Stand Against Violence" on Wednesday night, November 11 at 10:00 p.m. with an episode of its documentary series True Life focussing on the recent murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student. The show, entitled True Life: Matthew's Murder will include coverage from the city where Matthew lived and died, Laramie, Wyoming, where friends reflect on the loss of Shepard to violence. In New York City, a vigil where police confronted 5,000 marchers, resulting in charges of police brutality and over 100 arrests, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community makes its anger and sadness known. MTV also traveled to South Carolina, where young people talk about the murder, struggling with the belief that somehow gay people "ask for it," while also feeling the horror of the brutality of the hate crime in question. During the show, viewers will be provided with an 800 hotline for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth, as well as a web site with live peer counselors available immediately after the show. In addition, the "Fight for Your Rights" initiative will produce television programming, public service announcements, and live events in order to empower young people to take a stand against violence. For more information about the show, or about the "Fight for Your Rights" program, contact Marnie Malter (MTV) at (212) 258.7004. GLAAD TO CONTINUE WORK FOR EQUAL MARRIAGE RIGHTS: While the results in the November 3 ballot initiatives in Hawaii and Alaska were disappointing for those working towards the freedom to marry for all, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) will renew its efforts in the fight for equal marriage rights. "This is an issue about 'real' people falling in love; 'real' people spending their lives together. Ultimately, we have faith that most Americans will agree that the freedom to marry is not only a wonderful thing, but an absolute and undeniable right." To this end, GLAAD will continue to provide national and regional media with access to those who are most directly affected by this vote (clergy, couples, children, parents and friends of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender individuals) and who can put this issue into a universal context via their poignant, determined and courageous stories. For more information, contact Wonbo Woo (GLAAD) at (212) 807-1700, or via e-mail at woo@glaad.org. CORRECTION: In the November 2 edition of GLAADLines, Rep. Evelyn Mantilla, a Connecticut state representative was identified as lesbian. In fact, Rep. Mantilla identifies as bisexual. We regret the error. — The Editorwe 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 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" The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in the media as a means of combatting homophobia and 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.