Date: Thu, 17 Feb 94 21:15:28 PST From: rlafont@eis.calstate.edu (Robert j Lafont) Subject: Hotline One of the things that GLAAD does is to monitor the media for positive and negative images of Gays and Lesbians. All GLAAD chapters have some form of a "Monitor/Response" procedure in place. Here is how it works. All GLAAD members and friends watch TV, listen to radio, go to the movies or read newspapers. Here in Los Angeles, our 8000+ army of eyes & ears, call a hotline (213 931-9GAY) and report whenever they hear about something of interest to GLAAD. We then transcribe the text of the messages and supply them to a committee that meets several times a month to determine what action should be taken. Sometimes a letter, sometimes a phone call, sometimes a full scale demonstration, sometime a pat on the back for a job well done. I would like to propose that what we do in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Denver, we expand to the world, via INTERNET. If each reader of this message will take a moment to post me a note describing a Monitor/Response issue that needs action, I will compile them and forward them to the appropriate GLAAD chapter and back to this mailing list, with update status as available. Many or our most effective and exciting successes to date are from single telephone calls to the right person by someone with a calm and sensible explanation of why a particular media messages is hurtful to Gay men or Lesbian women. I would like to turn GayNet into a tool for defending our lives. Please monitor your local media and when something offends you post a short note describing: WHO, WHAT, WHERE and WHEN or call the defamation hotline (213 931-9GAY) and we'll transcribe the notes and repost them here for action. Our GLAAD notes, which will be posted here frequently, will apprise you as to our successes. Send all replies to: Bob LaFont ____________________________________________________________