Date: Fri, 26 Aug 94 00:42:40 EDT From: GLAADSFBA@aol.com GLAAD MEDIA WATCH -- AUGUST 25, 1994 BY AL KIELWASSER A MESSAGE IN BJORN BORG'S UNDERWEAR To commemorate the Swedish Riksdag's (parliament's) decision to legalize lesbian and gay marriages, the Bjorn Borg Underwear Company took out a two- page print advertisement. The ad, which appeared in the Stockholm daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, pictured two loaves of bread baked in the image of large penises leaning against each other. The text declared: "Because of the vote today in the Riksdag as to whether homosexuals are to be allowed to enter into registered partnership or not, we would like to remind the congregation of the eighth chapter of the fifth book of Moses, verse three: 'Man does not live by bread alone'." Noting that his customers included gay men and lesbians, Anders Arngorger, CEO of Bjorn Borg Underwear stated: "This is a way of directing our advertising campaign toward a segment of our circle of customers. If our advertising campaign has contributed to making homosexuals feel strengthened and supported, we are happy." Send comments to Anders Arngorger, CEO, Bjorn Borg Underwear, Götgatan 30, 11846 Stockholm, Sweden. A COMMERCIAL VENTURE According to Alliance for Progress (AFP), the Dallas-based nonprofit organization has filmed "the nation's first gay rights television commercial." An AFP press release says the new spot will "pointedly show that the lesbigay community shares the same values of family, religion, patriotism, and economic success as the heterosexual community." Entitled Sunday Morning, the spot is intended to depict the daily lives of lesbians, gays and bisexuals through a chronological series of vignettes. According to AFP co-founder Christopher Parman, "It's important that the lesbigay community educates parents, grandparents, friends, coworkers, and neighbors to the fact that the majority of lesbians and gays live normal everyday lives, except with same-gender partners. The most cost-effective way to inform them is through 30-second television commercials aired into their homes." Of course, the AFP strategy is built upon a contestable premise. Many "lesbigays" would assert basic differences -- rather than essential similarities -- when it comes to such values as "economic success" or "patriotism;" for some queers, identifying with mainstream values is not a prerequisite to liberation. On the other hand, it's probable that heterosexual voters will be less likely to pass hate legislation if they can see something of themselves in the lesbian and gay communities. AFP intends to broadcast the new commercial in political "hot spots," where lesbian, gay and bisexual civil rights are under direct attack, and the group is seeking financial support to expand the effort and its impact. Send inquiries to Jon Etienne Mourot, Alliance for Progress, The Centrum, Suite 700, 3102 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas, TX 7521- 94272, tel. 800-520-4237 or 214-520- 2205, e-mail AFProgress@aol.com. DOES NOT COMPUTE! The Journal American newspaper ran an August 9th article on "SCN," the Seattle Community Network. In a feature entitled "The Soul of a New Technology," reporter John Schuler examined the new SCN on-line service's many features. Describing the computer information system, Schuler writes: "This is clearly a non-profit service designed for everyone in the community. There are sections for youth, senior citizens, people with disabilities, and even an area called 'lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered neighborhood." "Even?" . . . The media bias exhibited here is subtle, yet significant. As one reader complained: "It was nice to get the mention about the LGBT Neighborhood, but my people are not side show freaks or . . . like it is unusual that our people can use computers or something?" Send feedback to the Journal American, P.O. Box 90130, Bellevue, WA 98009-9230, tel. 206-455-2222, fax 206-635-0603, e-mail JAEditpage@aol.com. QUEER-POSITIVE TEXTBOOKS & TEACHING The California State Board of Education is currently working on revisions to the History Curriculum Framework and the Visual/Performing Arts Framework. These "curriculum frameworks" are policy statements that substantially determine the content of courses and textbooks used in California's public schools. It is vital that fair and factual references to lesbian/gay/bisexual concerns are included in these curriculum frameworks. Getting into the frameworks is the first step towards full educational equity. And because it's a leading state for textbook sales, changes made in California will have an impact on textbook development across the nation. Certainly, the History Framework must recognize the long- censored history of lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Likewise, California students cannot fully understand or appreciate artistic masterpieces unless they know something about the queer artists who created them. To encourage inclusion in the framework revision process, write to the History Subject Matter Committee and/or the Visual & Performing Arts Subject Matter Committee, Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Office, P.O. Box 944272, Sacramento, CA 94244-2720. To get a schedule of public hearings of the frameworks, call 916- 657-3023. JUST THINKING ABOUT IT . . . A study to be published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior reports that between 8 and 12 percent of men and women in the United States, Britain and France have homosexual fantasies but do not act on them. Conducted under the auspices of the American Statistical Association, the study is the first to attempt measuring the prevalence of homosexuality by assessing the content of sexual fantasies. Using two different measures of orientation, the researchers found that the prevalence of homosexuality ranges from 6.2 to 20.8 percent amongst men and 3.3 to 17.8 percent amongst women. This study, like others, is constrained by the participants' willingness to disclose sexual information to a stranger. However, the results are still more sophisticated than the utterly bogus figures touted by Right Wing hate groups and reported by unquestioning journalists. For reprints/subscription information, refer reporters to the Archives of Sexual Behavior, Plenum Publishing Group, 233 Spring St., New York, NY 10013- 1578, tel. 212-620-8000, fax 212- 463-0742. MEDIA BRIEFS * BOLT is a lesbian/alternative young women's magazine. For details, contact BOLT magazine, 1216 Taylor St., Suite 21, San Francisco, CA 94108. * A new social studies teaching guide includes lesson plans on lesbian and gay history and politics, presented in the context of the U.S. civil rights movement. For more information about Struggle for Equality: The Lesbian and Gay Community, contact PACE, 115 West 28th St., # 3 - R, New York, NY 10001, tel. 212-643-8490, fax 212- 643-7867. * When Hate Groups Come to Town: A Handbook for Model Community Responses is available from the Center fore Democratic Renewal, P.O. Box 50469, Atlanta, GA 30362 tel. 404-221-0025. * Speak Out is the quarterly publication of the International Lesbian and Gay Youth Organization. For details, contact Speak Out, P.O. Box 542 NL- 1000 AM Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Information about the organization is available form ILGYO American Secretariat, P.O. Box 42463, Washington, DC 20015-0463, tel. 202-362-9624, fax 202-362- 9624, e-mail EP4417A@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU. WE MUST CONFRONT HOMOPHOBIA TO CURE IT! TO NOTIFY THE GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION OF ANY DEFAMATORY MEDIA COVERAGE CALL OUR DEFAMATION HOTLINE AT 415-861-4588 OR WRITE TO GLAAD/SFBA, 1360 MISSION STREET, SUITE 200, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103; FAX, 415-861-4893. SEND ITEMS FOR THIS WEEKLY REPORT TO THE ATTENTION OF "MEDIA WATCH" AT GLAAD/SFBA OR E- MAIL TO GLAADSFBA@AOL.COM. WHEN APPROPRIATE, ATTRIBUTIONS FOR ITEMS USED SHOULD BE MADE TO AL KIELWASSER, GLAAD/SFBA. AS ALWAYS, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE COPIES OF ANY PUBLICATIONS THAT USE ALL OR PART OF THE "MEDIA WATCH." THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUING INTEREST IN GLAAD'S WORK!