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advertising to cover costs as the show s ratings
continue to plunge.
A lm ost 100 advertisers have pulled their
support because o f host Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s
controversial com m ents about homosexuality.
K G W says it already has purchased program
ming to replace the talk show next year.
According to the G ay and Lesbian Alliance
A gainst D efam ation, S eattle’s K IN G -T V
dropped Dr. Laura on Dec. 1. T he N B C affiliate
had aired the controversial talk show in a prime
3 p.m. timeslot since its Sept. 11 debut, but begin
ning Dec. 5, the show started airing at 2 a.m. on
its independent sister station, KO N G -TV .
Portlands N B C affiliate, KGW , initially put
Dr. Laura in its 11 a.m. timeslot but after sever
al weeks of dismal ratings moved it to 1 p.m.
Since then, the station regularly has pre-empted
the talk show, usually with paid advertising to
help recoup some o f its losses; during recent
weeks, the program only has aired twice a week.
M ost stations across the country have rele
gated Dr. Laura to overnight timeslots. Others
have canceled it altogether.
Dr. Laura recently changed its format, now
closer resembling Schlessinger’s popular radio
show. Despite that, the infamous advice giver
has yet to m ention homosexuality directly.
So m e wonder w hether Schlessin ger has
changed her views about the subject or whether
her financial values have replaced her moral
values. In this case, it pays for her to keep quiet.
A n t i -G ay G r o u p
T argets Y outh
D
uring its O ct. 3 meeting, the Exodus Inter
national board o f directors gave official
sanction for the developm ent o f a new outreach
program geared toward youth struggling with
hom osexual issues. O regon’s Jason Thom pson,
Portland Fellowship co-director, will head the
national project, Exodus Youth.
Ironically, his anti-gay organization is listed
on one o f the country’s largest reference databas
es for sexual minority youth published by Out-
Proud, the N ational Coalition o f Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual and Trans Youth. “Find local sources of
friendship and support,” the Internet site says.
Exodus is well-known for its reversion thera
pies, which mental health professionals around
the world consider abusive and dangerous. The
Oregon Citizens A lliance is a contributor to the
organization.
A m ong Exodus leaders, discussions regarding
youth outreach have been under way for more
than six years. In April, Exodus funded a meet
ing to formulate a specific plan to launch a
youth ministry. Now, with the approval o f the
board and the creation of several new youth-ori
ented resources, Exodus is ready to implement a
referral service for youth resources and outreach.
“We have been anticipating the launching of
Exodus Youth for a long time,” Thom pson said.
“ I’m very excited to see it finally becoming a
reality.”
The National Youth Advocacy Coalition,
which works on behalf of sexual minorities, is
preparing to take the lead in strategizing against
Exodus Youth— particularly the dangerous and
harmful treatments and therapies such ministries
advocate. The group is hoping to hear from adults
about their experiences; suggestions and com
ments from anyone who has confronted Exodus
International and its affiliates, particularly
involving youth issues; and any other proposals.
T he coalition will gather information about
the experiences of young people who have
undergone such “reparative” and “transforma
tional” therapies and distribute them for the
media and for use in future publications. Those
submitting pieces may request anonymity.
Send comments as soon as possible to
nyac@nyacyouth.org. For more information about
the OutProud database, visit the Internet site
www. outproud. org/menu. html.
B o o k A w ard
P r esen ted to
de
P
D eborah B etron, b ro k e r
BÄ W
N
H elen
laywright Sandra de Helen’s The Bobbsey Turns
Go to Hell recently received accolades from
Literary Arts Inc.’s 2000 Oregon Book Awards, the
most prestigious honor available to writers
statewide. The drama category had only two other
finalists, Melinda Pittman and Will Sharp.
Rohan Preston, lead theater critic at M in
neapolis’ Star Tribune , served as the judge. He
wrote the poetry collection Dreams in Soy Sauce,
co-edited the anthology Soulfires and has won
numerous awards for his creative writing; his
expository work has appeared in the New York
Times, Washington Post and Chicago Tribune.
Preston said of The Bobbsey Twins G o to Hell,
“This piece balances strong artistic value with
social content— getting at pedestrian notions in
our culture— without the author taking herself
too seriously, which is always a key to success.”
T he writer is at work on a full-length play,
Witch!, about a modern-day witch hunt. j n
Compiled by Just O ut staff
Extending warm holiday greetings
to all of our friends and clients.
Thank you for your continuous
support.
IT
II
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