GLAAD/SFBA 6-11-93 Media Watch by Al Kielwasser CLINTON ON LINE Confirming their "commitment to change," Bill Clinton and Al Gore have announced that, "for the first time in history, the White House will be connected to you via electronic mail." "We eagerly anticipate the day when electronic mail from the public is an integral and normal part of the White House communications system," the President and Vice President stated. According to a memo from the Office of Presidential Correspondence, the White House will be connected to Internet and several other on-line media. Congress and various government agencies are expected to fllow suit, under the auspices of a program known as Americans Communicating Electronically (ACE). According to Clinton and Gore, "e-mail messages will be read and receipt immediately acknowledged. A careful count will be taken on the number received as well as the subject of each message." The White House anticipates being able to send back a "tailored response via electronic mail" by the end of the year. "Since this has never been tried before, the President and his Vice explained, "it is important to allow for some flexibility in the system in these first few days. We welcome your suggestions." To e-mail your suggestions and other comments: Bill Clinton: PRESIDENT@WHITEHOUSE.GOV Al Gore: VICEPRESIDENT@WHITEHOUSE.GOV SISTER 2 SISTER "Tell people to be honest. Don't live with lies. It's up to you, it's up to me, to bring this out." That's some of the advice offered by gay singer RuPaul Andre Charles in the latest issue of Sister 2 Sister. Sister to Sister is a glossy magazine that reports on the entertainment industry, with a particular emphasis on African American women. In "She's Quite a Man," RuPaul--who's been "doing professional drag for about eleven years"--talks about being gay and his decision to attend his family reunion. He writes: "My manager said, 'Ru, they are going to eat you alive.' But I said, 'No, baby. If they accept my Uncle Warren, they can accept anything." "I felt it was up to me to bring my family into the new age," RuPaul explains, "because I'm about world domination, honey." RuPaul also offers some insights into his experience with drag ("Underneath everything, we're all doing drag,honey.") and being gay ("People who live outside the main parameters of society see things other people don't see. It's like dogs that can hear things we can't hear."). Send comments to Jaime Foster Brown, Publisher, Sister 2 Sister, POB 41148, Washington DC 20018. EXTRA EFFORT Check out the June issue of Extra!, the magazine published by Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR). The issue's theme is "Confronting Homophobia: Gays and Lesbians in the Media." The magazine's eleven contributions touch on many themes. Included in the issue are articles examining the mediated hate campaigns of the "religious" right, educational equity and textbook reform,the track record of the mainstream media, lesbian and gay journalists, and media activism strategies. Direct comments and compliments to Jim Naureckas, Editor, Extra!, 130 W. 25th St. NY NY 10001, tel. 212-633-6700, fax 212-727-7668. TEACHING TOLERANCE, AGAIN In response to concerns that wealthy homophobes were attempting to exert editorial control at the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Law Center has reaffirmed a commitment to combat homophobia in "Teaching Tolerance." Teaching Tolerance is a magazine published by the Law Center and distributed free of charge to school teachers. Last month, Pam Walton (Producer of the video "Gay Youth") reported that Teaching Tolerance had come "under pressure from homophobic funders to omit articles that address the problems of gay and lesbian youth." While the magazinehad addressed such issues in the past, there was a mounting danger that it might no longer do so. According to Walton, she was privately informed by Carol Heller, a Teaching Tolerance Research Fellow, that: The Souther Poverty Law Center is more interested in raising money than in teaching tolerance." Sarah Bullard, editor of Teaching Tolerance, has refuted Walton's and Heller's claim and has denied that bigots with big checks compromised the Law Center's values. Bullard has vowed that her publication will not cater to such homophobic interests nor retreat from lesbian and gay issues. Thank Bullard for her commitment, and encourage her to act upon that commitment soon. Write to Sarah Bullard, Editor, Teaching Tolerance, Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave, Montgomery AL 36104, tel. 205-264-0286, fax 205-264-3121. MONEY MAGAZINE "How to Retire Early" is the cover story in the June issue of Money magazine. Written by Ruth Simon, the feature profiles various older couples and traces their financial success stories. Included among the cast are "Martha Burns, 51,a nd her partner Linda Hartsock, 53, (who) have socked away $140,000." Highlighting the feature article is a full-page photo spread of the grinning lesbian couple, standing in front of the house they plan to retire to by the year 2003. Feedback can be sent to Jason McManus, Editor-in-Chief, Money magazine, Time and Life Building, Rockefeller Center, NY NY 10020. [typed by Jessea Greenman]