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We have to replace this ridiculous idea of just say no and then correct them with just know the fact. To me, it's more important to validate your audience and to make sure that what is being depicted really relates specifically to their lifestyle. Then she looked at me and she said, Karen, if you can get everything you want for Sharon with the price of your silence, be too much to ask. Welcome to this way out, the International Lesbian and Gay Radio Magazine. I'm Lucia Chappelle. And I'm Greg Gordon, American Medical Association for Scribes Discrimination. Another opening of a truer show. And one more plunge on the Thompson Kowalski roller coaster. All that and more, because you've discovered this way out. I'm Gabrielle and

Tolovich. I'm Manuel Núñez. With NewsRap, a summary of some of the news, in and affecting the gay and lesbian community for the week ending January the 14th, 1919. A resolution to add the term sexual orientation to the American Medical Association's anti -discrimination policy was defeated last month at the organization's House of Delegates meeting. Over 400 delegates representing states, counties and specialized medical fields defeated the measure on a voice vote after a brief debate. Ironically, the same body passed a resolution last June recommending that medical schools and hospitals implement policies of non -discrimination toward gay and lesbian students and residents. The resolution was introduced by the Washington DC delegation, which vows to bring it up again at the organization's next meeting in June. An openly gay employee of the Washington DC department store chain of Woodward and Lothrop has filed a union grievance charging the store with violating the anti -discrimination

clause in the union contract. Duane Rende alleges that the store, known as Woody's, refused to issue a spouse discount car to his liver. Woody's officials rule that discount benefits would only be given to the spouse and dependent children of heterosexual married employees. The company has agreed to open talks with the union regarding their policy. Woody's may have also violated the Washington DC and Montgomery County Human Rights Laws, both of which prohibit discrimination based on marital status and sexual orientation. A lawsuit has been filed against the Blair County Pennsylvania prison because of their jail visitation policy, which forbids lesbian and gay lovers, but not heterosexual girlfriends or boyfriends from visiting an inmate. A lesbian inmate was denied non -contact visitation with her lover by Warden Gary Sparks, who said that the prison can't condone such relationships. Jerry Crackoff, cooperating attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, who represents

the inmate, said, quote, this policy creates two tiers of inmates, making lesbian and gay prisoners second -class citizens within the prison. The ACLU is challenging the policy as a violation of the equal protection guarantees of the U .S. Constitution and as arbitrary and not rationally related to any legitimate panellogical goal. Last year, the Canadian Human Rights Commission upheld the right of a gay prisoner to have the same visitation privileges with his lover as heterosexual couples receive. Stories about AIDS from the World Health Organization, Romania and Atlanta, Georgia, made news in this first month of the New Decade, Mary Van Clay reports. The World Health Organization has announced that AIDS traveled around the world at a frightening rate in 1989. The number of reported new cases jumped by over 50 percent to more than 200 ,000. And for the first time, cases in Romania will now figure in. Former dictator Nikolai Chachescu always insisted that AIDS didn't exist in his country. But last week, Romanian television

said the disease killed five people in 1989 and that 19 others are infected. Here in the U .S., controversy over statistics also continues. This week, the AIDS activist group Act Up or AIDS Coalition to Unleashed Power tried to block entrances to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. They're charging that the CDC underreports the number of AIDS cases. They say that many people are dying with undiagnosed AIDS because of a lack of healthcare and because of the government's narrow definition of the disease. In San Francisco, I'm Mary Van Clay. Atlanta, Georgia, was the scene of two consecutive days of protest demonstrations organized by the local chapter of Act Up. On January 8th, over 500 people gathered at the State Capitol Building to urge repeal of the state's Sodomy Law. A total repeal of the law has been introduced by state representatives Cynthia McKinney and Jim Martin. Judy Siff, speaking for Act Up, said that the protesters

dealt openly with sex, incurring the ire of some politicians, including the state's governor. Several waves of civil disobedience followed a rally on the steps of the Capitol. Several groups staged kiss -ins and other actions in the street, resulting in 63 arrests. The following day, close to 500 activists assailed the Centers for Disease Control to protest their restrictive definition of AIDS. That action took a more aggressive form with people scaling the building to the roof, entering the building to demonstrate and other forms of direct action. 49 people were arrested. Siff said that the CDC's definition of which opportunistic diseases indicate a person has AIDS is based on early studies on gay white men. Those studies, she said, do not take into account that other groups, such as women and people of color, develop other types of opportunistic diseases. As a result, those people estimated to be about 2 million are denied financial and

medical benefits. Siff called both day's actions immensely successful, resulting in heightened awareness of both gay and lesbian rights and the AIDS crisis in the city and state. The Centers for Disease Control will have to prove in court that their policy of restricting the content of AIDS educational material, which is produced using federal money, is constitutional. The current policy state said even when AIDS educational material is directed to specific audiences, such as gay men, it cannot be, offensive to most educated adults beyond the target group. That policy has been challenged by five community organizations who are being represented by the Center for Constitutional Rights, the American Civil Iridis Union and the New York State Health Department. The federal government tried to get the case dismissed, but U .S. District Court just surely while cram has ordered the case to trial. And finally, observing Martin Luther King's birthday on January the 15th, Joey Flyer asked the country's first openly gay black elected official, Albany in New York, City

Oldman, Keith St. John, for his thoughts about living the dream the King often espoused. Dreams do come true, we have to remember that we have to keep on dreaming, but keep on working to realize those dreams. And I think if nothing else, the whole notion of empowerment, that concept is really coming to fruition. With time and with effort, we can provide skills and information so that people can really take control of their lives. And I try to take to various audiences that they speak to. I'd like to know if you have any insights on you mentioned the dream and so forth, and what the dreams will be, especially for our community, in the 90s. Well, my dream anyway for the 90s is to really get us together in any areas, lacks minorities, gay's and lesbian's even, they're not as organized as they can be or are not as together. There is a dream, it is coming true throughout the country. We're going to see a lot of accomplishment,

a lot of progress in the 90s, and of keeping your eye on the prize as we go through the 90s, the gay 90s. That's news rep for the week ending January 14th, 1990, written by Sandy Dwyer, with contributions from gay and lesbian publications and broadcasts throughout the world. Remember, an informed community is a strong community. Find out what's happening in your area by monitoring your local gay and lesbian media. For this way out, I'm Gabrielle Antolovic, and I'm Manuel Núñez. AIDS activists in New York City have lost no time in advising the city's new school's chancellor, Joseph Fernandez, on what needs to be done about one phase of the educational curriculum. Evelyn Tully Costa explains. School chancellor Fernandez was greeted by a picket line of act -up demonstrators on the steps of the Board of Education offices in downtown Brooklyn. The activists passed out leaflets and chanted throughout the chancellor's news conference held upstairs. Demanded, he made AIDS education the number one priority. We have to replace this ridiculous idea

of just say no, and then correct it with just know the facts. Alan Beck is a member of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power or ACT -UP. He says the 1 million schoolchildren in the city's public schools are not getting the information on AIDS they need. They're not learning how to protect themselves from this disease. That's the most essential thing that you could possibly be giving kids in AIDS education is simply to teach them what condoms do and how to use them and what the different modes of sexual activity are. But the curriculum is in place now entirely ignores the sexual activity of kids. When asked what programs could be implemented to improve the situation, Beck pointed to other cities. Atlanta has an excellent peer education program. They're not trying to keep their kids in the dark. They're telling kids what they need to know. San Francisco is doing a better job. Most of the cities in the nation are doing a better job than New York and certainly the rest of the western world. Beck alleges that conservative members of the Board of Education are acting

negligently and endangering the lives of the city's children. The school board here under pressure from these religious groups, which sit on the AIDS curriculum committee, actually, the school board outlawed any reference to oral sex rinse. And they said that it will not be allowed to discuss actually how condoms are used. New York is very backward at this point in terms of just facing the facts, the facts of 18 -AIDS sex today and how to protect kids from this disease. Funding to the demonstration outside, Fernand has expressed a willingness to look into the current AIDS curriculum, something he says he has not yet had a chance to do. Let me just say there's a chance that your head has been found and assumed that what could should be going to harm in terms of that type of education is going to happen. So we have to move back to the end of this year. Fernandes' assistance met with demonstrators promising future dialogue with the chancellor. Actup says this is a positive sign but stresses they will continue to agitate until they see a tangible change in AIDS education in New York City. This is Evelyn

Tully Costa. They picked the one you know by Don't you ever ask them why If they told you you would cry

So just look at them inside And know they love you You're listening to this way out, the International Lesbian and Gay Radio magazine. With Greg Gordon, I'm Lucia Chappelle. The first fiction film to deal with the latest developments in the AIDS crisis among gay men is premiering in San Francisco. Men in love explores the untold cultural changes taking place in the community as well as the pandemic's political controversies. Mike Alcalae of AIDS and Focus interviewed the film's director Mark Hustis. It's one of the first times I've seen a movie that really talked about such things as have you been tested? How did that come about? Was that purposely done? Yes, definitely purposely done. Well, it came out

of a lot of personal stuff for me because I am HIV positive and I dealt with that scene 20 ,000 times although not as idyllically as it is dealt with in the film. Yeah, I'm negative. Do you still want to be my lover if I tested positive? Based on Jonathan and Rocco and what they've been through, I know I could be there for you. There are no role models, you know, and for me that conversation comes up and it's always contradictory because I'll tell somebody I'm positive. Positive people will kind of shy away because you're like a mirror to them and their fact that they might die and then of course negative people shy away for other obvious reasons. My brother's an anthropologist and looking at your film, I'm sure the kinds of things that he would glum onto and it's something that I've never seen before outside of this epidemic is cremation, spreading of the ashes, the grouping of people to talk about the deceased in a very loving way, the tradition that that's building up, do you have any idea where

that's come from? It probably comes from where ancient roots, I mean that the, particularly the opening circle sequence where people pass around the bell and talk, I mean it seems like that's done in all sorts of different ethnic groupings, that the people do in one way or other circle around and pass around some sort of holy object and talk about a deceased person. That scene is completely documentary because what I did was I picked people who I knew were particularly affected by a friend lover who had died of AIDS and told them who the character Victor was but told them that I really would like them to put personal people in their lives in that context. And we went around that circle and people were crying, laughing, telling funny jokes, hugging each other and it was all very real. One day he came in and we were talking and he asked me who the cute little blonde manager was. And of course I probably

told him that it was Stephen and he was one of my best friends. And then he smiled and said thank you and walked out the door. And next thing I know Stephen's coming to work late with a smile on his face. You know it was really neat to watch those two fall in love and to find some sort of love to help them make it through the challenge of AIDS. In your mind the audience is a gay audience? I think basically so. And I think that it's important for films in a way to target a certain market. I think people can get caught up in what I call the Michael DeCoccus theory where you kind of like target these mythical Reagan Democrats as he did in his campaign that don't exist. And I think it's to me it's more important to validate your audience and to make sure that what is being depicted really relates specifically

to their lifestyle than trying to get into the quote unquote general population. A lot of our lovers, our sisters and brothers is a wound that cuts deep through our history of pride and one way to heal on the pain that we feel is stand by the living and remain unified. So if you've got a friend who's in touch with him, don't go burying him or drawing the shapes. Surrender your doubt by reaching out to a person who's living with him. It's a place to be here, it's a step we can

take, empowering people whose lives are at stake. Living with love, where the light is not free, embracing the light, and when the shadow of the key is over, it's a place to begin, it's a good way to start releasing the power of love in our heart. Making decisions about the care of a disabled loved one is always emotionally trying, but when the disabled person is gay or lesbian, their rights and those of their loved ones

can be compromised by the people appointed to make decisions for them. The six -year struggle of Karen Thompson and Sharon Kowalski is probably the most publicized case in point and their story continues. David Sears has this report. In November of 1983, Sharon Kowalski, a 27 -year -old teacher from St. Cloud, Minnesota, suffered severe brain damage in a car accident. When she came out of a coma several weeks later, she was unable to speak and could only move her right hand. For four years, Sharon had been living with her lover, Karen Thompson. The couple had exchanged rings, bought a house together, and named each other as beneficiaries in their life insurance policies. But their relationship had been kept a secret from all but their closest friends. Karen, an associate professor of physical education at St. Cloud State University, was initially barred from any contact with Sharon and was denied information about her condition because she was not legally a member of her family. When Karen was finally allowed to see her, she began working with her eight to ten hours a day, teaching her to eat and to type messages. But Sharon's parents refused to believe that their daughter

had ever been a lesbian. Her father used his position as legal guardian to stop Karen's visits and had Sharon move to a poorly equipped nursing home 180 miles away. For three and a half years, Karen Thompson was unable to see her lover as she fought in the courts for Sharon's rights to proper care. Finally last January, the judge in the case ordered competency testing, had Sharon move to a rehabilitation facility, and lifted the restrictions preventing Thompson from seeing her. Sharon's father, saying if he couldn't do it his way, he wouldn't do it at all, asked to be removed as her guardian. Thompson thought that the longstanding conflict was about to come to an end, but at a recent news conference in New York, she said that wasn't the case. The judge decided that it was too soon to appoint me as guardian, so he wanted to appoint a neutral third party guardian. And I was meeting with the person that he was recommending, and she was answering the questions fairly well and dealing with some of the issues. And then she looked at me and she said, Karen, if you can get everything you want for Sharon with the price of your silence, be too much to ask. Thompson felt the fact that she and

Sharon had been silent about their relationship before the accident, had been one of the main reasons she has had to work so hard afterwards in her attempts to protect Sharon's rights. Because I refused to be silent about what was happening, and what was continuing to go on in this case, the judge issued a gag order saying that no one could talk about Sharon's medical condition, her care, her treatment, anything about her sexuality, a little late. A book has been written, I mean the West 57th piece has been on, let's lock the gate after the horses are out. The irony is that there's no other side in this case anymore. It wasn't the parents who asked for the gag order. The judge did this on his own, so he made himself a party in the case, and then he made findings of fact with an evidentiary hearing, and then he arrived in an unconstitutional decision. The gag order was overturned on appeal, even though Thompson is now allowed to see Sharon and can even take her outside the institution for visits. She says the judge bowing to homophobic pressures has imposed other restrictions on their visits. We still have this

stipulation, it has to be with a staff escort, and when my attorney asked the judge why, the judge simply said to my attorney, well you know the parent's fear sexual abuse. A hearing on the issue of guardianship was scheduled for November, but the judge postponed the hearing when he decided to appoint an attorney to represent Sharon. Something Thompson had been requesting. Disregarding Sharon's request that he appoint a woman attorney from the Minneapolis area where she is now located, he appointed a male attorney from Duluth, a three hour drive away. Thompson says that since Sharon was moved out of the nursing home where she deteriorated both physically and emotionally, she has learned to use a voice synthesizer and has demonstrated an ability to use an electric wheelchair. She has often expressed her desire to live with Thompson, and Thompson hopes the judge will recognize Sharon's partial ability and establish her as Sharon's conservator rather than guardian. Thompson says one of the lessons she has learned is that lesbian and gay couples should explore filing durable powers of attorney with hospitals and their attorneys, as well as making living wills, signing partnership agreements with each other and writing legally valid

final wills. Though Sharon Kowalski will never fully recover from the effects of her injuries, she is regaining some of the human dignity and rights that have been long denied her. And as Karen Thompson says, some of the joy of life as well. The speech therapist would say, Sharon, when you work on the speech synthesizer, nope, I'm not going to touch those keys today, you know. And what do you want to do this? You know, do you want to do this? No. Well, what do you want to do, Sharon? And so Sharon, very clearly, just picks her hand up and tights right out on the speech synthesizer. Make love to Karen. And the speech synthesizer, which she was not going to touch today, right? Of course, I turned red, I was there with her that day. And Sharon's speech therapist turns red, and I didn't know either one of us were going to get her eyes off the floor. And then the speech therapist looked right at Sharon and said, I guess that does sound more exciting than any of the options I gave you. How nice, a tender untried feeling is growing in his heart when he sees his lover's glances. How nice, she finds him quite appealing, but holds herself

apart, still prefers not to take chances. He finds her name in poetry, she finds him on TV. They cast themselves as famous lovers back through history. But if both of them were women, or if both of them were men, who would be their famous lovers then? How nice, they're starting to go steady. He calls her every day, and they're going out together. How nice, their parents think they're ready. It will happen anyway. You can't hold them back forever. He's proud of her intelligence, she's proud of his physique. They're proud to be in public at the prom, they're cheek to cheek. But if both of them were women, or if both of them were men, where would they

dance together then? How nice, they're feeling so romantic, they're kissing on the street. They see no one but each other. How nice, no reason to get frantic. It's really pure and sweet, they love the like sister and brother. They stand in line for movies, and they hold each other tight. Go out with other couples, hand in hand under the likes. But if both of them were women, or if both of them were men, where would they show affection then? How nice, they're going to be married.

Their parents were so worried that there wouldn't be a wedding. How nice, traditions have been carried. Now the families in a flurry, oh it's such a happy ending. With rings and vows and showers, they will certify their love, with presents from the relatives and blessings from above. But if both of them were women, or if both of them were men, who would congratulate them then? How nice, how nice, how nice. Thanks for

choosing this way out, the International Lesbian and Gay Radio Magazine. This week, Sandy Dwyer, Gabrielle Antalovic, Manuel Nunez, Mary Van Clay, Evelyn Tully Costa, Mike Alkale, Joey Flyer, and David Sears, contributed program material. Thanks also to Amy Goodman and Don Rush. Crosby Stills, Nash and Young, Romanovski and Phillips, and Pilsha and Scramberg perform some of the music you heard, and Kim Wilson composed and performed our theme music. Satellite distribution of this way out is made possible through a grant from Christopher Street West Los Angeles. We'd like to hear from you with any comments, suggestions, or questions you might have. Address to this way out, post office box 38327, Los Angeles, California 90038. This way out is produced by Greg Gordon, and Lucia Chappelle. And we thank you for listening on WUSB Stony Brook, KFAI Minneapolis St. Paul, and Radio 2XX Canberra, among others, and for supporting this local community radio station. And as we always say, stay tuned.