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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1994)
* • * » » » * * * » * » I * * » » * » I • • * \ \ « * » % V \ \ » f » % » » • « » « * » I I I » » I * i * • * . » * * * • • » • * » • « I V t ju s « o ut T O cto b er 7. 19 04 T 7 Conference aims at “Creating Change” The annual skills-building conference of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, called “Creating Change,” will be held Nov. 11-13 in Dallas, Texas, this year. More than 1,400 people attended last year’s conference. Workshops will focus on the skills needed to build a stronger gay, lesbian and bisexual move ment. More than 70 workshops will be presented, including an update on lesbian health organizing, and sessions on defining queer culture and orga nizing in the workplace. Plenary speakers will include Mel White, Letitia Gomez, Glen Maxey and Phill Wilson. Prior to the main conference, three full-day pre-conference institutes are being offered. The People of Color Organizing Institute will provide an opportunity to share experiences, build alli ances and critically assess the present status of people of color organizing work. The Transfor mation Institute, led by Suzanne Pharr, will ex plore overcoming the divisions among us as well as healing ourselves and aligning with others. A Race, Class and Gender Institute is also sched uled. “ ‘Creating Change’ is an opportunity for activists to review the year, preview the future, and talk about everything that entails,” said NGLTF Executive Director Peri Jude Radecic. The conference will be held at Southland Center Hotel in Dallas. Call 1-800-272-8007 for room reservations; for conference information contact Sue Hyde at (617) 492-6393. ACT UP women’s network protests at FDA ACT UP returned to the Food and Drug Ad ministration on Sept. 20. It was the site of perhaps the group’s largest and most successful action, the 1988 demonstration that literally shook the build ing and gained fast-track approval for new drugs. This time ACT UP was charging that the FDA “restricts women’s access to potentially lifesav ing experimental treatments.” Activists demanded that “all investigational and new drug applica tions must be researched by gender.” The action was spearheaded by the National ACT UP Women’s Network. The group also wants a label placed on over- the-counter vaginal anti-fungal creams, in En glish and Spanish, warning that “recurrent or persistent vaginal yeast infections may be a sign of HIV infection,” with an 800 number for coun seling and testing. The FDA “takes seriously the issues raised with regard to HIV infection in women,” the agency responded in a written statement. It pointed to the “Guidelines for the Study and Evaluation of Gender Difference in the Clinical Evaluation of Drugs,” released in July 1993, as removing "pre vious objections” to inclusion of women in early clinical trials. The FDA has already “warned manufacturers that it may refuse to review new drug applications that do not include women in the clinical trials. The FDA also noted that it does not conduct or regulate clinical trials. Seminar addressed changing demographics The National Congress on the State of HIV/ AIDS in Racial and Ethnic Communities, held Sept. 17, included a seminar on the changing demographic trends in AIDS-related cancers. Sta tistics indicate that increased numbers of people of color with HIV/AIDS are contracting such cancers. The seminar, entitled “AIDS-Related Can cers: An Overview of New Treatment Options,” introduced a new nationwide clinical trial pro gram for people with AIDS-related non-Hodgkins lymphoma. (San Francisco is the nearest test site.) The congress was hosted by the Public Health Service, U.S. Dept, of Health and Human Ser vices. It was designed to address the dispropor tionate burden AIDS places on ethnic and people of color communities. Latina lesbians mnve toward new vision “Adelante con Nuestra Visión” was the title of the first National Leadership and Self-Em powerment Conference for Latina Lesbians. Co sponsored by Lesbiana Latinas de Tucson and the National Latino/a Lesbian and Gay Organiza tion, the purpose of the conference was to give a national voice to Latina lesbian communities in the work toward a future of equality and justice on all fronts. Conference goals were to foster leadership, celebrate Latina lesbian cultural di versity and provide a national forum for the formulation of a Latina lesbian agenda. Participants were able to explore the work ings of the Latina lesbian movement at a Leader ship Institute, facilitated by Carmen Vásquez, director o f public policy for the New York City Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center. A cultural evening followed, featuring renowned poet, playwright and activist, Cherríe Moraga. Moraga was also the keynote speaker for a full day of workshops and gatherings on such topics as sex, health, community, relationships and le gal issues. At night women danced to the music of Rare Breed, a Latina lesbian band. In the morning, a networking breakfast was provided to meet rep resentatives of Latina lesbian organizations from all over the country. Sony rejects gay PSAs Two paid public service announcements en titled "Why not love?” and “Get used to it,” were rejected by Manhattan’s Sony Video 1 electronic billboard. The PSAs, directed by video artist Edgar Barens of VooDoo Productions, contrast images of two men fighting with the same two men kissing. Sony Video 1 Network Account Executive Tom DeTulleo informed Barens that the spots went against Sony’s Network Practices and Stan dards because they were “too controversial” and “could be construed as pro-homosexual.” How ever, the only applicable clause in the Sony Video 1 Standards and Practices is one that pro hibits “messages deemed obscene or not appro priate for Sony Video 1 Network display.” “Sony’s bigotry is the real obscenity here,” stated A1 Kielwasser, co-chair of the San Fran cisco Chapter of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. “The censorship of lesbian and gay affection perpetuates homophobic ha tred.” The electronic billboard is known around the world as a centerpiece of Times Square’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. c a th a rtic co m ics I SO.., YOU AND THE B O M B E R ARE. PLAYING A MAJOR PART IN THE o r g a n iz a t io n o f a d a n c e p a r t y t o b e n e f i t t h e n o o n »3 m COM M ITTEE ? WHAT DO YOU * H O PE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS DANCE? M — « A f V — * B H equal rights The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has initiated its Equality Statement Endorsement Project, which asks major political organizations, civil rights groups, unions, elected officials, gov ernment bodies and others to sign a statement supporting fundamental equal rights for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals. The state ment condemns radical right-sponsored ballot measures that target the civil rights of the sexual minority community. Celebrities Whoopi Goldberg, Armistead Maupin, Nora Ephron and Bernice Johnson- Reagon have endorsed the statement. Sens. Paul Simon and John Chafee and Reps. Patricia Schroeder, Barney Frank and Gerry Studds have lent their support. The AFL-CIO and the United Auto Workers have signed on, as well as the American Library Association, the National Law yers Guild, and the Southern Christian Leader ship Conference. NGLTF is distributing the list of endorsees to state and local groups. Of the 10 states with discriminatory initiatives at the beginning of the year, only in Idaho and Oregon did such measures make it onto the ballot. “This battle affects all of us working toward a justice-seeking society,” said NGLTF’s Sue Hyde. Lavender lawyers to convene in Portland The National Lesbian and Gay Law Associa tion, an affiliate of the American Bar Association, will hold its Lavender Law Conference Oct. 21- 23 in Portland. This year’s conference will feature advanced sessions on HIV/AIDS law, family law, and fight ing the radical right. The conference offers prac tical training, as well as more theoretical debates on the evolving legal issues confronting gay men and lesbians. Nearly 50 panels and workshops will consider a variety of topics, from employ ment law to potential uses and abuses of scientific research. The NLGLA, established in 1992, serves as a national voice for lesbians and gay men in the legal profession. The conference will bring to gether attorneys, judges, professors, law students and community activists. For information, contact NLGLA, PO Box 77130, National Capital Station, Washington, DC 20013-7130; (202) 389-0161. Compiled by Jann Gilbert and Bob Roehr andDivaTouchéFiam w PERHAPS PEOPLE WILL NOW COME TO ‘ S E E HOW SUCH A„ VULGAR OlSPUPf OF BADM IN D ED N ESS CAN BE CONFRONTED WITH A GOOD. HEALTHY DO SE OF j r t SLAPTHOLOGY. WERE HOPING TO SHARE THE C O N C E P T S » ^ OF WHAT TT M EANS TO BE “BADM INDED-ASY IN THE B E L IE F S OF THE OCA -A N D W E ) WILL EXPLORE s l a p t h o l o g y a s a r POSSIBLE WAY OF PROMOTING CLEAR ^ THINKING IN PEOPLE L IK E LON MABO H i p a q i " an><* 0 r ? rs Lts a 1 SUPPOSE THERMS NO ONE \NTHIS COMIC SHAMELESS ENOUGH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SPACE TO PLUG THE EVENT AND.... K Celebrities endorse