This Way Out

They have no way not to know I'm wearing the same t -shirt I wore when I make the announcement that there was challenging President Bush not to let me back home particular gifts are brought to our religious life from the struggle of gay and lesbian friends in the face of oppression to find and express their faith to come into a classroom with young children who may have gender identity conflict we must lift the horizon of the children and point them to a value in belief that the state has a vested interest in the truth is that gay and lesbian parents do exist it's a part of reality what Sheldon and his cohorts want to do is basically shield this fact from being taught in school welcome to this way out the International lesbian and gay radio magazine I'm Greg Gordon and I'm Lucia Chappelle Mexican murders and monitored mayhem spark international protests New Zealand

Quakers extend a friendly hand and traditional families demand unhealthy education all that and more because you've discovered this way out I'm Cindy Friedman and I'm Ron Buckmeyer with Newswrap a summary of some of the news in or affecting the lesbian and gay community for the week ending August 1st 1992 multiple murders of gay men in Mexico City in mid -July have sparked international protests five bodies were discovered in two apartments on a single day and a six three days later each had been tied to a chair stabbed and strangled one of the men was Dr Francisco Estrada Vaya a founder of Mexico's leading AIDS organization Ave de Mexico the police are holding two gay men as suspects in the murders of Estrada

Renadela Torrey Gonzales and Javier Rivera Melendez while police at first believe the Estrada murders to be crimes of passion their theory now is that the violence stemmed from a business deal gone bad some activists are convinced that the gay suspects are being scapegoated for killings motivated by homophobia the slings generated a flood of letters and editorials in the media protesting the poor record of Mexican police and solving murders of gay men further protests were stimulated by tabloid press coverage that seemed to blame the victims protest quickly became international as Ilga the international lesbian and gay association responded to the news the first Ilga demonstration was at the Mexican Embassy in Paris where 200 protesters were surrounded and charged by 1200 riot police injuring nine people Ilga organized further demonstrations at the Mexican embassies in Belgium Denmark the Netherlands Norway and Sweden

Amnesty International USA expressed concern in its 1992 annual report about human rights abuses against gays in Colombia Turkey and former USSR republics gays are among the social undesirables commonly kidnapped tortured and killed by Colombian death squads the reported not mentioned death squad activities against gays that activists have reported in Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Peru and other Latin American countries Amnesty's concern in Turkey is with police abuse and it's adopted the case there of transvestite gay activist Demet Demer in the former Soviet states Amnesty continues to investigate the enforcement of sawdame laws noting the difficulty in obtaining information about prosecutions in the absence of official statistics Amnesty assisted in the appeal that overturns the conviction of Russian gay Vladimir Murinov and in the US there are problems with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department the Colts report a recent investigation by county government named for investigator James Colts identified 62 deputies

accused of almost 500 incidents of police abuse including a number of shootings the report called the department quote a very difficult environment for gays and lesbians to work in or find employment and quote and investigators were struck by a general fear of reprisal among gay and lesbian deputies there are only two open gay or lesbian deputies in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department the third largest police department in the US the sheriff's largest contract is with the city of West Hollywood which will vote in a general election in November whether to continue that contract in Australia a homosexual panic defense has won the murder of a gay man acquittal from the Victoria State Supreme Court 23 -year -old Robert Murley went home with 65 -year -old Joe Godfrey after meeting him in a bar when Godfrey tried to hug Murley Murley stabbed him 17 times crushed his ribs with a chair

tried to decapitate him and left after setting the apartment on fire also in Australia Paulo Grady openly gay member of the new South Wales Parliament is demanding that the Ministry of Education make prevention of violence against gays and lesbians a compulsory part of the school's curriculum a teaching kit for this purpose is currently available to schools on request anti -racism education is already compulsory Australia's northern territory will be considering anti -discrimination legislation this month but sexual orientation is not one of the 13 protected classes even the conservative northern territory news editorialized in favor of including gays and lesbians in the bill but the territorial government made a deliberate decision to exclude them some big names have joined in the fundraising effort to defeat anti -gay and lesbian ballot initiatives in Oregon and Colorado in November both states will consider elimination and prevention of equal rights protections based on sexual

orientation tennis star Martina Navratilova and comic actress Lily Tomlin appeared at a Los Angeles benefit that raised $18 ,000 for Colorado's equal protection campaign Tomlin is also joining TV sitcom star Roseanne Arnold actress Faye Dunaway and filmmaker Gus van Zandt to sponsor a Hollywood fundraiser in support of the campaign for a hate -free Oregon Russia's oldest lesbian and gay newspaper Tema is caught between spiraling inflation and increasing production costs on the one hand and an inability to sell advertising on the other as founder and editor Roman Kalinin wrote in an international fundraising letter quote there are no gay businesses in Russia and straight businessmen don't want to put an ad in a gay paper end quote Tema's latest printing ran 25 ,000 copies but costs have gone up to 65 ,000 rubles per month the equivalent of $550 US dollars are

almost 10 years average Russian salary and after almost 19 years the US gay community news has been forced by money to suspend publication successful fundraising has not been able to overcome falling advertising and subscriptions income the Boston -based paper is about $66 ,000 in debt despite a 50 % reduction in paid staff although the organization is attempting a restructuring this could well be the end for the distinguished publication Richard Riyard has resigned as editor -in -chief of the advocate deleting US gay and lesbian magazine the resignation shocked many lesbian and gay activists because Riyard has overseen expansion and overhaul of the magazine in his two -year tenure under his stewardship the advocate opened bureaus in Washington and Chicago and circulation had reached 120 ,000 Riyard gave no reason for a sudden departure and publisher Niles Merton expressed surprise at Riyard's move and praised him as a brilliant agent of change

South Africa has reaffirmed its ban on the advocate a South African man had challenged the ruling but the appeals board ruled in a lengthy opinion that the publication is quote indecent and obscene and offensive and harmful to public morals end quote in New Zealand though the indecent publications tribunal has opened a door to some sexually explicit magazines that were formally banned although they must be labeled indecent several publications have been approved for sale in sex shops to people over 18 publications are still excluded if they quote reduce a person to her or his sexual parts end quote or if they depict violence coercion bestiality pedophilia or necrophilia or if they show women as inherently inferior the mainstream Ottawa's son has become Canada's first newspaper to indulge in a public outing former New Brunswick prime minister Richard Hatfield who died a year ago was described in a

column on eccentrics and politics as the gay playboy premiere of the province the BBC World Service of New Zealand has begun broadcast of coming out a six -week series of programs featuring interviews with gays and their families the interviewer is 20 -year World Service veteran Jim Hyley a gay man himself and finally 68 -year -old Mary Rathburn volunteers at the AIDS outpatient clinic of San Francisco General Hospital much loved by the patient says a surrogate grandmother she's known by the nickname Brownie Mary for the goodies she bakes for them apparently she's been delivering more than just a sweet treat to some however she was arrested by Sonoma County Sheriff on July 21st while reportedly mixing two and a half pounds of marijuana into the batter after being released on bail she said I make them for the worst of the patients the ones on chemotherapy and the ones totally wasting away I pick out the worst of them

and turn them on that news wrap for the week ending August 1st 1992 compiled and written by Cindy Friedman follow the news in your area an informed community is a strong community for this way out I'm Cindy Friedman and I'm Ron Buckmer golden gate California here I fall you saturday you light 25th I will be returning to California on united airlines flight 931 from

Londo Heathrow arriving to San Francisco at 4 .50 p .m. in the afternoon and I defy George Bush to prevent me from returning to my phone that was Tamas Fabregas a Spanish citizen but a US resident speaking at the eighth international conference on AIDS in Amsterdam late last month when he arrived in San Francisco Fabregas was greeted by a large media contingent and hundreds of well -wishers after being processed quickly by immigration officials who only glanced at his passport Fabregas reminded the assembled media that the U .S. law that bans non -citizens with HIV and AIDS from entering also affects those who are already in the country in the United States there are approximately 17 million foreign -born people living here if you drive them underground they are not going to take the HIV test if you threaten them with deportation and that contributed to the spread of

HIV and that's what these laws are doing and Louis Sullivan and George Bush them well know it shortly after all the TV cameras had been packed up reporter Matt Binder had a brief conversation with Fabregas the immigration officer told me that if you had told them that you had HIV or AIDS then they would have treated you differently because they would have been aware of it if they are saying that that only shows how hypocritical they are they fall well known my lover and I were pulled apart from the plane and taken to a special line there was a lawyer there with me it's been all over the newspapers and at least one network network CNN they have no way not to know I'm wearing the same t -shirt I wore when I make the announcement that I was challenging President Bush not to let me back home it's very ironic I came here almost 13 years ago I fell in love with with

the country and decided to stay here and I am a legal permanent resident and I got HIV infected in the United States and now every time I go back to Spain to visit my mother or to Europe for an AIDS conference I could be prevented from returning home and that is not acceptable is there something that you do now beyond this point I'm going to take a short vacation because I'm very tired this thing I know a full lot of work and my health is after all not that good I only have 10 these cells the average for a person without HIV is a thousand so I have to rest and that's what I'm planning to do rest and recover for a few days and then continue the fight I don't know for how long I'm going to be alive but I can guarantee you that for as long as I am alive I'm going to be fighting this loss activist Thomas Fabregas

talking with his beginning proud he's abrasive and loud he can roll like a lion or be me gas alive god knows he's courageous and sometimes outrageous he's not giving in he's determined to win he's a person who's living with AIDS living with life with life in our fears healing with health and roaring and roaring and it's a place to be here it's a step we can take and all the people whose lives are at stake

living with love we're alive in our fears embracing the light when shadows are created it's a place to begin it's a good way to start releasing the power we love in our hearts I'm Aramankalini from Moscow you are listening to this way out the international again lesbian or a damn magazine in art era in his island that a religious society of friends known as Quakers have resolved to accept and support gay men and lesbians this will include the

blessing of same sex partnerships from Wellington Q young for this way out the decision was reached at the friend's yearly meeting the national policy -making event it arises out as a Methodist's rejection of openly gay minister David Brommel last year friends reach their decisions by consensus and it was expected to take much longer with some Quakers taking a traditional Bible -based view of morality a statement signed by the yearly meeting clerk fill a short says in part a cornerstone of Quaker belief is that of God in everyone which makes each person precious and of value to God to the planet and to his or her community love has many shapes and colors and is not finite it cannot be measured or defined in terms of sexual orientation lesbian and gay friends have played and will continue to play a significant part in Quaker life thought and ministry both locally and nationally particular gifts are brought to our religious life from the struggle of gay

and lesbian friends in the face of oppression to find and express their faith we need the spiritual gifts which are unique to each individual's personality and experience we are now called to welcome publicly and explicitly the participation and service of lesbian and gay friends to help one another develop loving and equal adult relationships and friendships to explore ways in which we can through worship and sharing mark the joys and sorrows of one another's relationships and life circumstances to seek formal ways of recognizing a variety of commitments including gay and lesbian partnerships we realize that in making this present affirmation we oblige ourselves to face and deal with our own homophobia and unconscious prejudices together with society's limitations and denials of human rights and justice we affirm the beauty and equality of all people as a part of this planet we will work for reconciliation within ourselves within our meetings and within society in general a reconciliation which knows that the spiritual the mental the emotional

and the physical are one before God we ask for God's help a note with the statement says it is one of intent not accomplishment Quakers founded 300 years ago in England by George Fox have always been pioneers among Christians on social issues leading the anti -slavery and prison reform movements they are noted for their commitment to peace and social justice their simple lifestyle and their use of silence in worship only about 600 New Zealanders are Quakers but they are influential out of proportion to their numbers in the US a major branch the Quaker churches have reverted to a more conventional form of worship and belief but many individual congregations have decided to bless same -sex partnerships in Wellington Q. Young for this way out the California

State Board of Education has returned some controversial passages of proposed health education guidelines to its curriculum commission for revision right when religious groups had criticized the guidelines inclusion of alternative family models as well as self -esteem and stress management training supporters of the guidelines original treatment of non -traditional families view the board's recommendation as a defeat we have more on the story from Abanava and Lisa Martinez the State Board of Education a committee of 10 members appointed by the governor heard public testimony on what could go into the writing of health textbooks for California's school children gay and lesbian groups said the new health framework should have a comprehensive approach that includes all youth regardless of their gender ethnic background age sexual orientation social economic background culture language or disability holy calmly speaking for gay and lesbian coalition glad they children must learn to respect social diversity it's important because if we want to deal with

homophobia and the violence and discrimination that comes from people's ignorant about sexual minorities we need to do it for young people before they have a chance to start acting on these prejudices before they get ingrained to teach them since where the prejudices is a bad thing and that people have different sexual orientation and they always have and they always will. Convey says that his coalition has given testimony and provided considerable education material on homosexuality but that the opponents have redouble their efforts against them. It's very strong I mean as an archaea says three simple legends of social orientation in this document might seem to to you or me it's very threatening two fundamental groups and gay groups who who really think that homophobia is a good thing and the children should not be taught facts about sexual orientation in back two years ago when the same process was going on for history and social science textbooks we got preferences to gay and lesbian history included in the framework and then the board under pressure from fundamental groups removed those references before the frameworks were adopted so their

power is not to be underestimated. Alter conservative Christians were particularly antagonistic to a document that referred to the traditional family made up of two married male and female parents and one or more children and then acknowledged the existence of other families in contemporary society such as those headed by relatives friends foster parents and parents of the same sex religious organizations such as the Reverend Lou Sheldon's radical traditional values coalition saw this paragraph as being highly offensive. David Luellen is an attorney and president of the Western Center for Law and Religious Freedom an organization that provides legal representation to various right -wing Christian groups. There is no question that the Christian community at least the conservative or evangelical Christian community finds the guidelines to be objectionable largely because of their downplaying of the natural family the traditional family of

married parents and their children and their treating other relationships including same -sex couples as if they were equal whereas in fact the declared public policy the City of California as found by the state Supreme Court repeatedly is that there is a strong public policy favoring marriage in this state but the educational guidelines do not reflect that public policy. David Smith is the spokesperson for the Gay and Lesbian Services Center in Los Angeles. What we have here is another circumstance where public policy has been dictated in California by a very small group of fanatic right -wing religious extremists their distinct minority they will basically stop it nothing to prevent gay men and lesbians from achieving equal status with their non gay counterparts in society. The truth is that gay lesbian parents do exist people that are gay or

lesbian and who happen to be parents it's just a matter of life there are many foster parent situations where gay or lesbian couples would be acting as foster parents and this is just a part of our society it's a part of reality and what Sheldon and his cohort want to do is basically shield this fact from the public's view as well as shield this fact from being taught in schools and it's definitely a violation of one of the principles that this country was founded on you know the separation of church and state and it's an absolute outrage. David Luellen stated that despite the separation of church and state religious organizations should have just as much right as non religious groups in shaping public policy Lisa Martinez Los Angeles. Lue Sheldon national president of the traditional values coalition lashed out at the gays calling the proposed health textbook framework. A homosexual document that is promoting and advocating this lifestyle to young children we feel there's a recruitment document. We have studies that show us that 26

% of your 12 -year -olds and 5 % of your 17 -year -olds all undergo gender identity conflict meaning they're going to puberty and certain things are not clear in their mind concerning sexual identity. So if you come into a classroom with young children in the 4th or 6th grade who may have gender identity conflict you do not want to confuse them and send a mixed message and I believe the state should not be in a position of advocating a document that encourages same -sex relationships especially since the homosexual exclusive population in America according to the national Academy of Science study is less than 1 % homosexuality he is a dysfunctional behavior homosexuality is a underdeveloped stage of heterosexuality so we must lift the horizon of the children and point them to a value in belief that is concrete and the state has a vested interest in and the state doesn't have any vested interest you know in promoting a lifestyle or talking about same -sex parents.

It will be September before the education board makes a decision of the textbooks for California's school children it will be another decade before textbook guidelines are considered a game. I'm up on it all. You've got to be taught before it's too late before you are six or seven or eight to hate all the people your relatives hate you've got to be carefully taught

you've got to be carefully taught. Thanks for choosing this way out the International Lesbian and Gay Radio magazine. This week Cindy Friedman, Ron Buckmeyer, Matt Binder, Hugh Young, Abanava, and Lisa Martinez contributed program material. Thanks also to Herman Padilla, Rose Gordon, Graham Underhill, and Mike Alcalay. Al Jolson, Romanovsky and Phillips, Jewel Acans, and Myron McCormick from the original Broadway cast album of South Pacific performed some of the music you heard and Kim Wilson composed and performed our theme music. This way out is brought to you each week by a staff of community volunteers and is sustained by financial support from the community. Audio cassettes of this way out programs are available by mail individually or by subscription. Write to us for more information. We'd also like to hear from you with any comments suggestions or questions you might have just to let us know you're out there listening. Write to this way out post office box 38327 Los Angeles, California

90038 and please be sure to include the call letters of this station. This way out is produced by Lucia Chappelle and Greg Gordon and we thank you for listening on KHSU Arcada CINQ Montreal and WRPI Troy among many others and for supporting this local community radio station. Do stay tuned.