[glstn.video] Provided by: GLSTN 122 West 26th Street, Suite 1100 New York, NY 10001 USA Tel: (212) 727-0135 Email: glstn@glstn.org Web: http://www.glstn.org/respect/ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: John Spear, Assistant Director 212/727-0135 TEACHERS RELEASE NEW VIDEO WHICH IS SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON HOMOPHOBIA IN SCHOOLS PRODUCTION INSPIRED BY RADICAL RIGHT ATTACKS IN CONGRESS AND BEYOND New York, NY (February 16, 1996)--The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network released today a new video entitled "Setting the Record Straight." Made by Philadelphia film maker Jim Caiola (winner of a 1995 National Golden Apple Award for his educational film AIDS: The Next Generation), "Setting the Record Straight" features lesbian, gay, and straight teachers and youth addressing how homophobia damages schools in a dramatic eleven-minute video. GLSTN Executive Director Kevin Jennings characterizes the film as a direct response to anti-gay events such as the U.S. House "Hearings on Parents, Schools, and Values" (held at the behest of far right Traditional Values Coalition in December 1995) as well as propaganda such as The Gay Agenda, a video distributed to thousands of churches by far right groups over the past few years . "We are tired of having ourselves defined by people who portray us as predators and child molesters," Jennings said. "The point of the film is to give local organizers a tool with which they can fight back the next time there is an anti-gay initiative in their community, especially one dealing with youth or schools. Such initiatives can only succeed if their supporters can demonize us. We feel the film does an excellent job of putting a human face on the issue and communicating why homophobia must be addressed in schools." Jennings reported that the first public showings of the film were in Seattle on January 27 and in Boston on February 8, and that he envisions it being used in similar settings across the country by GLSTN chapters and other such groups. "It's basically a tool to start a conversation among friends and communities, hopefully on a small scale, where fears can be addressed and overcome. We plan to use it to win our friends and co-workers over, one heart at a time." Caiola was moved to make the film after his father, a straight teacher, was given Jennings' book "One Teacher in Ten: Gay and Lesbian Educators Tell Their Stories" by a colleague. "My Dad was so impressed by the teachers in the book, and I wanted to find a way to convey their stories on film," Caiola said. Caiola used footage shot by local GLSTN volunteers and then supplemented it with interviews with GLSTN chapter leaders as well as students who attended a GLSTN conference in Washington to produce the final product. "The video contrasts hateful things the Right says about gay people in general and gay teachers in particular--which are presented as text on the screen--with actual faces and stories of those folks, so that the lies become apparent," Caiola said. "I'm glad we can finally answer some of the rhetoric I've been hearing for years now." Jennings added that local GLSTN chapters would premier the film over a period of the next two months at public events in over twenty cities, and that the video will also be available for other individuals and organizers to utilize. He added that this is the first of three videos GLSTN will produce, with future projects featuring a training video for school staff on the needs of gay and lesbian students as well as a film on lesbian and gay history designed for high school students. "It's the MTV generation, and we've got to use this medium if we're going to be successful," Jennings said. "If the radical Right can do it with The Gay Agenda, so can we." With over thirty chapters, and a membership of over three thousand teachers, parents, and concerned citizens, The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN) is the largest national organization working to insure that schools are places where all people are respected and valued, regardless of sexual orientation. .................................................................. GLSTN VIDEO ORDER FORM "Setting the Record Straight is a film everyone--gay, straight,parent, teacher, community member--ought to see. It puts a human face to an issue at the heart of today's debate on homosexuality: gay and lesbian issues in schools. If everyone saw this video today, homophobia would be a significantly smaller problem in our society." --Charely Todd, Headmaster, Watkinson School (CT) Available on VHS cassette * 11 minutes * $29.95 Name: ___________________________________________ Street Address: _________________________________ City/State/Zip: _________________________________ Phone: _________________________________ Email: _________________________________ Setting the Record Straight #___ copies @$29.95 each =$___________ + Shipping & Handling #___ copies @$3.50 each = $___________ GLSTN Minimum Annual Membership Fee (optional) $25.00=$___________ (members receive a 10% discount on video) 10% Video Discount for Members (10%) - $2.99=-$___________ TOTAL AMOUNT: $___________ METHOD OF PAYMENT: ____ Check enclosed (payable to "GLSTN") in the amount of USD$ __________ ____ Money order enclosed in the amount of USD$ __________ ____ Visa ____ Mastercard ____ American Express ____ Discover Name of Issuing Bank ___________________ Name as Appears on Card _______________________________________ Card # __________________________________ Exp. Date ___/___/___ Signature _____________________________________________________ PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO: GLSTN: Setting the Record Straight 122 West 26th Street, Suite 1100, New York, NY 10001 USA IF YOU ARE PAYING BY CREDIT CARD: YOU MAY FAX IT TO: OR E-MAIL IT TO: (212) 727-0254 GLSTN@AOL.COM Please make checks payable to GLSTN. Orders must be prepaid. Please provide exact street address. Pricing subject to change without notice. Please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery. .................................................................. This document is one of the many practical resources available online from GLSTN's web site at http://www.glstn.org/respect/. The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN) is the largest organization of parents, educators, students and other concerned citizens working to end homophobia in K-12 schools and to ensure that all students are valued and respected, regardless of sexual orientation. To fulfill its mission and to raise awareness of these issues, GLSTN produces audio, visual and text-based educational materials, provides training, produces community programming and conferences, and organizes a growing national network of over 40 regional chapters. Membership in GLSTN is open to anyone -- regardless of their occupation or sexual orientation -- who is committed to seeing that the current generation is the last to suffer from homophobia. More than 70% of our budget is funded by individual donations and we need your support to continue to make resources such as this available. GLSTN is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and all donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. GLSTN 122 West 26th Street, Suite 1100 New York, NY 10001 USA Tel: (212) 727-0135 Email: glstn@glstn.org Web: http://www.glstn.org/respect/ (c) 1994-1996, Gay, Lesbian & Straight Teachers Network (GLSTN) .................................................................. Copyright is held by the original author(s) of this document. You may redistribute this document for educational purposes provided that you do not change the material and all notices remain intact.