Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 15:11:59 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAADLines November 16, 1998 GLAADLINES Contact: Liz Tracey, Publications Manager (212) 807-1700 tracey@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 16, 1998 News and Breaking Stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community 1. Creating Change Conference Biggest Yet 2. Students Seek Injunction Against Salt Lake City School Board 3. Transgender Murder Trial Begins in Washington D.C. 4. New Study Finds Homophobia Rising in High School Students 5. GLAAD Finishes LA County Trainings CREATING CHANGE CONFERENCE BIGGEST YET: More than 3000 people attended the 11th annual Creating Change conference, held by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) in Pittsburgh, PA from November 11 - 15. The conference is the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender conference held in the U.S., with more than 100 workshops, a Youth Institute, a People of Color Institute, the third annual conference of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender federal government workers, and the official launch of "Equality Begins At Home," a week-long nationwide series of state actions for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. Equality Begins at Home will take place from March 21 to March 27 1999, and calls for the passage of hate crimes legislation across the country will be featured as part of the actions. For more information about Creating Change or Equality Begins at Home, contact Tracey Conaty (NGLTF Communications Director) at (202) 332-6483 X 3303. STUDENTS SEEK INJUNCTION AGAINST SALT LAKE SCHOOL BOARD: Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund (LLDEF), the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) will be in court today asking for an injunction against the Salt Lake City School Board in an ongoing case seeking equal rights for lesbian and gay students. The case, East Gay High Gay/Straight Alliance v. Board of Education, concerns the October 1995 move by the Salt Lake City School Board to prevent the East High Gay/Straight Alliance from meeting. At that time, the Board terminated 46 clubs that were deemed non-curricular, in an effort to avoid violating the Federal Equal Access Act, which states that any federally funded school allowing non-curricular clubs to meet on its grounds must also grant access to other clubs, regardless of the club's views. Since the school board's action, clubs such as the National Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America have begin to meet again on school grounds. The injunction seeks to force the Board to grant the Gay/Straight Alliance access to school facilities even as the lawsuit to lift the ban on school clubs continues. For more information about East High Gay/Straight Alliance v. Board of Education, contact Peg Byron (LLDEF) at (212) 809-8585, or by pager at (888) 987-1984. TRANSGENDER MURDER TRIAL BEGINS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.: A suit seeking damages against a Washington, D.C., Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and a doctor at Washington D.C. General Hospital began on November 10 in Superior Court. The suit, brought by Hunter's mother, Margie Hunter, arose from the death of Tyra Hunter, a transgender woman who died in August 1995 after a car accident. The suit alleges that after Hunter was seriously injured in a car crash, EMT Adrian Williams stopped medical attention when he discovered Hunter's male genitals. Williams allegedly made a crude comment and backed away from Hunter, making jokes and laughing at her for 5 to 7 minutes, while onlookers implored him to treat the injured woman. The suit also alleges that the doctor who treated Hunter upon arrival at D.C. General Hospital did not follow accepted standards of care and delays in treatment led to Hunter's death. For more information about the trial, or about Tyra Hunter's death, contact Riki Anne Wilchins (GenderPAC) at (212) 645-1753. NEW STUDY FINDS HOMOPHOBIA RISING IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: A new study conducted by Who's Who Among American High School Students found alarming numbers of young people are still prejudiced again the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The poll, which surveyed more than 3,000 16 to 18 year old students who were recognized for their achievements, found that 48 percent admitted they felt prejudice towards gay people. That figure represents a 19 percent increase over last year's results. Kevin Jennings, executive director of the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) commented on the findings: "This startling increase is a wake up call for administrators and teachers who believe they are doing enough to teach their students the values of diversity and respect. These numbers suggest that homophobia is one of the last socially accepted prejudices, especially in our schools. Our schools are failing here." For more information, contact Jim Anderson (Communications Director, GLSEN) at (212) 727-0135 X 136, or via pager at (888) 869-6512. GLAAD FINISHES LA COUNTY TRAININGS: The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association (LHR) completed a series of joint trainings of the entire staff of the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. Nearly 800 attorneys and support staff were trained in forty seminars held during a five-month period which began in June. GLAAD, which conducts its "Sexual Orientation in the Workplace" seminars year-round, expanded and adapted its curriculum to meet the special needs of the Attorney's Office. James K. Hahn, Los Angeles City Attorney, stated, "GLAAD's 'Sexual Orientation In The Workplace' seminar is an invaluable management tool that I have used to reaffirm my strong commitment that no act of discrimination based on sexual orientation, or any other discriminatory conduct, will be tolerated in the Office of the City Attorney. I commend GLAAD and LHR on their efforts, and would urge any employer to integrate GLAAD's program into their workplace training curricula." For more information, contact Mark Abelsson (Director of Workplace Education, GLAAD) at (323) 658-6775. 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.