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The Miami Herald
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/entertainment/television/15602342.htm
Posted on Tue, Sep. 26, 2006
TELEVISION
Survey wonders where did all the gay characters go?
A GLADD study shows that networks are failing to represent the diversity of viewers.
BY GREG HERNANDEZ
Los Angeles Daily News
If not for scheming teen Andrew Van De Camp on ABC's megahit Desperate Housewives and Dr. Kerry Weaver on the long-running ER on NBC, the only regular gay or lesbian character on a returning broadcast network show this fall would be a closeted accountant named Oscar on NBC's The Office.
Of all the series regulars on the networks' 2006-07 prime-time schedules, there are only the returning three gay characters as well as six on new shows -- all in supporting roles, according to a study, ''Where We Are on TV,'' by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).
That makes for only 1.3 percent of all the regular characters on scripted network shows during a year when portrayals of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered characters have gotten unprecedented exposure in such films as Brokeback Mountain, Capote and Transamerica.
''In the last year, we've seen a tremendous amount of visibility on the big screen, reaching a large audience anxious to see our stories,'' said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/26/opinion/26tue2.html?pagewanted=print
September 26, 2006
Editorial
Playing Games With AIDS
More than 30,000 New Jerseyans have died of AIDS. About half of AIDS cases in the state can be traced to intravenous drug users who became infected by sharing contaminated needles. Many of these people would never have gotten infected had New Jersey given addicts access to clean needles more than a decade ago, when public health officials and a few politicians began fighting for the plans, which have become integral to AIDS prevention programs across the country and abroad.
Forty-nine states now have some system for providing clean needles to addicts. New Jersey has been the lone holdout - the only place in the union to stubbornly resist this proven strategy.
The State Legislature came a step closer to sanity recently when a Senate committee voted out a bill that would permit needle exchange programs in six AIDS-ravaged municipalities, including Camden and Atlantic City. Even so, the committee tabled a crucial companion bill that would have allowed people to buy up to 10 syringes at a pharmacy without a prescription.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/26/us/26aids.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
September 26, 2006
A Rare Kind of Food Bank, and Just Maybe the Hippest, Flourishes
By PATRICIA LEIGH BROWN
FORESTVILLE, Calif. - For most gardeners, spending a gorgeous Saturday morning harvesting basil and organic heirloom tomatoes is a life-enhancing experience. But for green thumbs at one particular garden - an innovative addition to a food bank for people with H.I.V. and AIDS - the life-embracing quality of a bountiful harvest is quite literal.
"I'm not a California effete kind of person; it's important to get the nutrition," said Andrew Eckers, a 51-year-old volunteer gardener with a fondness for sorrel and pea shoots who, when the disease had him fully in its grip, spent eight years in a wheelchair. "But this is also pleasurable."
Founded in 1999 to provide produce for people living with AIDS, the garden is part of what may well be the country's hippest food bank, a place where the Alice Waters grow-your-own organic food ethic supplants gloomy institutional staples like American cheese and day-old bread.
While most people find little appeal in the typical food bank, this one "creates a place of beauty," said Rachel Gardner, a retired chef from San Francisco who helps coordinate the volunteer work and gives nutrition and cooking classes for those the garden serves.
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com
http://www.gay.com/news/roundups/package.html?sernum=2424
Soulforce's Mel White speaks
Barbara Wilcox
Mel White, evangelical pastor and former ghostwriter to Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and Billy Graham, came to civil disobedience late in life -- years after his long and tortuous coming-out. His group, Soulforce, fights the religious and political oppression of gay men and lesbians through "relentless nonviolent resistance" inspired by Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King.
As he said on a recent visit to Gay.com to promote his new book, "Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right" (Tarcher/Penguin; $25.95), he often despairs of getting more gays on the barricades.
"I don't think we're noticing any more than the Jews did," he said, "until it's too late."
In the single year 1994, in one of his first out postings as dean of Dallas' gay-friendly Cathedral of Hope, White says he lost 10 young gay men to suicide or homophobic violence. The killings were chronicled in a February 1995 Vanity Fair piece, "Lone Star Hate," and by ABC News.
In May 1994, White learned not long after the fact, Christian fundamentalist activists met secretly in Glen Eyrie, Colo., to draft a long-term national political strategy targeting gay men and lesbians.
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=139&art_id=qw1159026481866B216
Lesbian pride on full display in Soweto
September 23 2006 at 05:59PM
By Sarah McGregor
Scores of lesbians staged a colourful march through the streets of South Africa's sprawling Soweto township on Saturday to declare their rights in an environment where they are often victims of sexual violence.
South Africa's constitution is the first in the world to recognise gay rights and it is poised to become the first African country to recognise homosexual marriage.
But rights groups say attacks on gays and lesbians have increased this year, which show that while the government recognises their rights the message has not filtered down to all South Africans.
Human Rights Watch reported a rising number of hate crimes against lesbians following the death of a young woman earlier this year who was beaten with golf clubs and bricks, then stabbed by boys in Cape Town's Khayelitsha township.
"The march is a way to say we're here to stay. We're not going to wake up tomorrow and not be gay anymore," said Ayanda Magudulela, 20, of Forum for the Empowerment of Women, a black pro-lesbian group based in the Soweto.
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com
http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060924/NEWS/609240349/1002&template=printart
Opinions strong over same-sex parenting
Zamna Avila (ZAVILA@RGJ.COM)
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
September 24, 2006
As more same-sex couples decide to become parents, discussions about reproductive technology, homosexuality and child rearing have become more common and contentious.
Recently, the U.S. House voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would have expressly prohibited same-sex marriages in the country.
For religious, political, surrogacy and gay-rights communities, gay couples having children with the help of a surrogate -- as Michael and Jack Kiserow of Sparks did -- generate strong opinions and can present frustrating consequences.
"It creates many long-reaching problems over custody; and there are significant emotional, financial and medical risks for women," said Janine Hansen, a former Sparks resident and the Independent American Party candidate for secretary of state. "Surrogacies create problems also for the children, especially when they go to gay couples because they don't have the opportunity to have a father or a mother in a traditional family or traditional sex roles."
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com
The Windy City Times
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=12658
SILENT NO MORE: Interview with Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer
by Richard Knight, Jr.
2006-09-20
What person in the GLBT community doesn't know of the heroic life of Margarethe "Grethe" Cammermeyer, whose story of being forced to leave the military after 27 years of exemplary service for admitting she was a lesbian was so eloquently told in the TV movie Serving in Silence? The 1995 film, based on her autobiography, went on to win several Emmys; was executive-produced by Barbra Streisand; and starred Glenn Close as Colonel Cammermeyer and Judy Davis as her partner, Diane.
Now, Sony Pictures has just released the movie on DVD. It includes a making-of featurette and memorable footage from the film's Hollywood premiere that include remarks by Cammermeyer and Streisand as well as clips from the 1996 GLAAD Media Awards that honored the film and Cammermeyer.
In junction with the DVD release of the movie, Windy City Times recently spoke with Cammermeyer. Here are some highlights from the conversation:
Windy City Times: The first question has to be if anything has changed for gays and lesbians in the military in the 11 years since the movie aired?
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SEP. 23, 2006
Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com
http://houstonvoice.com/2006/9-23/news/police/police.cfm
Dallas gays angered over criticism of lesbian sheriff
DALLAS - The Dallas Gay & Lesbian Alliance is upset over comments attributed to Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price criticizing lesbian sheriff Lupe Valdez for appointing a gay liaison officer, the Dallas Voice has reported.
A Dallas Morning News column - under the headline "Is sheriff reaching out or pandering?" - quotes Price dismissing the appointment as "probably just more P.R. pandering."
Morning News columnist James Ragdale, who joined in the criticism of Valdez, also quoted anonymous, unflattering comments about Valdez and her sexual orientation that he found on an underground chat room frequented by law enforcement officers, the Dallas Voice reported."I found [the column] to be very insensitive," said Pete Webb, president of the Dallas Gay & Lesbian Alliance, the Voice reported.
"The fact that the underground blogs and all of this inciting rhetoric was used was irresponsible of the newspaper, and it was irresponsible of the commissioner to mention that it was P.R. pandering."
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http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/09/092506canada.htm
Canadian Lawmaker Wants Gay Rights Tied To Foreign Policy
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
September 25, 2006 - 9:00 pm ET
(Ottawa) A Canadian member of parliament is calling for the adoption of theDeclaration of Montreal to be enshrined in the country's foreign policy. Thedeclaration was prepared this summer at an international LGBT rights conference tied to the first Outgames in Montreal.
Although document's principals are already part of Canadian law - equalrights, abolition of anti-gay sex laws, and equal marriage - New DemocraticParty MP says Canada should be promoting those values in its foreignaffairs.
Bill Siksay (pictured), the NDP spokesperson on LGBT issues, has filed amotion in the House of Commons calling on the government to implement thedeclaration.
"The Declaration of Montreal issues a challenge to all of us to stand up forLGBT human rights. I challenge the government to stand up for equality andenact domestic and foreign policies that reflect the provisions in theDeclaration without delay," said Siksay.
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http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-Music-George-Michael.html
The New York Times
September 25, 2006
George Michael Kicks Off European Tour
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 4:43 p.m. ET
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- A mature and modest George Michael took the stage this weekend in his first solo concert in 15 years, singing his greatest hits to 18,000 fans packed into Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi arena.
Michael kicked off his ''25 Live'' European tour, which will travel to 28 cities before Dec. 15, with a concert Saturday night. His performance included favorites such as ''Faith,'' ''Father Figure'' and ''Too Funky.''
Fans clapped, cheered, swayed and sang their way through the two-and-a-half-hour concert of ballads, covers and dance tunes.''It's coming back, it's coming right back,'' Michael, 43, called out to the crowd just before launching into the unexpected second sing-through of ''Too Funky'', a technical glitch Michael handled with ease.
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Forwarded from Ken's List <Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu>
To: kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/09/092406iowa.htm
Anti-Bully Bill Gets New Life In Iowa
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
September 25, 2006 - 12:01 am ET
(Des Moines, Iowa) The joint leaders of the Iowa Senate are calling forpassage of an anti-bully bill. In a letter to their respective partiesDemocratic leader in the Senate Mike Gronstal and GOP leader Mary Lundby arecalling for the measure to be brought to a vote.
"We can no longer afford a 'sticks and stones' attitude," the letter says.
Because the 50 member Senate is tied with 25 Republicans and 25 Democratsthe two party leaders work jointly and legislation requires the support ofeach to move forward.
But the bill is tied up in the House where Republicans for three years haverefused to consider the measure because its includes gays in a list ofcategories to be protected from harassment.
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Forwarded from Ken's List <Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu>
To: kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/ryanwhite/8wkn674y5biekx
Ryan White CARE Act Reauthorization
This week, the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate will considerthe Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act, a bill to reauthorizethe Ryan White CARE Act.
HRC has been working closely with allies and Members of Congress to get RyanWhite reauthorized. The current version of the bill does not contain enoughfunds to continue established programs and also adequately address theepidemic's spread to more rural areas of the country.
Please contact your Senators/Member of Congress and tell them to adequatelyfund this life-saving HIV/AIDS program and reauthorize it without anyanti-gay discriminatory provisions.
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Forwarded from Ken's List <Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu>
To: kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Letter--NCATE's Removal of Sexual Orientation/Social Justice
Dear Colleagues: Several of us from AERA's Queer SIG worked on this draftletter that we will send to NCATE. We are sending it out to you all to:Collect comments; to collect names to be added to the letter before we sendto NCATE; and to collect ideas for institutional "sign-ons". So, please sendyour names (and title, institution) and ideas. I will paste the letter belowthis.
Thank you, Therese Quinn
September, 2006
Dear Arthur Wise, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE):
We oppose the removal of "social justice" and "sexual orientation" from theProfessional Standards for the Accreditation of Schools, Colleges, andDepartments of Education, 2006.
The purpose of NCATE accreditation is to ensure well-prepared teachers forour nation's public schools, who can "help all students learn." To help allstudents learn, teachers must be prepared for diversity in education. Sexualorientation is a key part of diversity, as understood by our institutionsand communities and as represented in the NCATE definition of diversity.
Addressing sexual diversity in our classrooms is urgent, as indicated bythese facts: The population of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth is large.In a 2003 survey conducted by the Chicago Public Schools and the Center forDisease Control (the Youth Risk Behavior Survey) 6.3 percent of studentsattending Chicago Public Schools identified their sexual orientation as gay,lesbian, or bisexual.
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article.
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http://www.advocate.com/print_article_ektid36791.asp
September 26, 2006
Three men sentenced to prison for San Diego antigay assaults
Three people who assaulted six men outside a gay pride festival in San Diegowere sentenced to prison Monday, just days after pleading guilty to the Julyattacks.
Three people who assaulted six men outside a gay pride festival in San Diegowere sentenced to prison Monday, just days after pleading guilty to the Julyattacks. James Allen Carroll and Kenneth James Lincoln, both 24, and18-year-old Lyonn Taz Tatum were accused along with a 15-year-old boy ofyelling antigay slurs as they struck the men with a baseball bat and aknife. One victim was hospitalized with a broken skull.
Carroll, who wielded the bat, was sentenced by Superior Court JudgeFrederick Maguire to 11 years in prison for attempted murder and assault bymeans of force likely to produce great bodily injury. Tatum, who admittedstriking with the knife, will serve 8 years for assault with a deadly weaponand assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury.
Lincoln was sentenced to 32 months for helping shave Tatum's head after theattacks in an effort to conceal his identity. Prosecutor Oscar Garcia saidhe was pleased with the plea deals.
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