Quarterly Newsletter
 Vol 2(2) February 1998

A Message from our Co-Chair: Martha Pritchard

This past year has been a growth spurt for GLSEN/DC. We are not in our second year of being a fully accredited GLSEN Chapter. In a year we have seen triumphs and tragedies, have been wildly successful at some things and failed at others. Local Gay Dad Tim Hannapel and the Piney Branch Elementary School PTA of which he is co-chair put on a showing and discussion of the film, "It's Elementary," amid great local pressures and nationwide media attention. A teen in Gaithersburg was beaten and harassed because he was perceived to be Gay. GLSEN/DC was involved in planning and presenting the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) all-day professional development workship on sexual orientation. We cultivated a new Chapter in Baltimore, but our presence in DC Public Schools was as dismal as ever. We started an email alert that reaches hundreds of local activists. We developed a web page. We networked and coalition-ed our little (or not so little) butts off. The more we did, the more we grew.. There are nearly 200 paid GLSEN/DC members now. Our mailing list is up to almost 800.

A poignant event this year was The Postcard. Some of you reading that phrase have already flinched. In this story the "we" is a small group of GLSEN/DC Steering Committee folks who happened to be around when we needed to inform the members about several upcoming events. In our enthusiasm and political naivete, we decided to produce a postcard rather than a closed flyer. We were thinking of saving money. We U.S. Mailed this postcard to people at their school and home addresses, glibly announcing who we were and where to find us when. It is amazing that it never once crossed any of our assorted minds that this could be catastrophically bad for someone who is closeted. Each of us there that night and in the ensuing days were so secure in our own safety that we never considered the safety of others. Some might call it narrow-mindedness. The mailing went out and the usual number of "forwarding order expired " and "undeliverable to addressee" messages came back. Very few people said anything about it to any of us, but those who did made it clear: there is an unknowing among the leadership of this organization, a lack of political sensibility. We were abashed. I have taken this to heart, since I was intimately involved in the project. To those whose lives were in any way compromised by The Postcard, please accept my humble and sincere apologies. I am only grateful that I do have the privilege of innocence because of not fearing for my job, housing, family, or well-being because of my sexual orientation.

Our cheerul, incongruous school bus at the 1997 DC Pride Festival is a Memorable image that I carry with me when things are tough at GLSEN/DC. And things often are. It takes an enormous amount of time, energy, and good counsel to run a grassroots organization, and one rooted in the life of schools has its own particular challenges. In the daily workings of GLSEN we struggle mightily with differences: age, race, color, gender, class of school or individual, ableism, education, assumptions of all kinds. Until Winter 1998, the GLSEN/DC Steering Committee has had the great benefit of the guiding voices of two of its founding members, Jill Karpf and Marge Tolchin. But to our great sadness, Jill and Margie have both stepped down from running this GLSEN Chapter in order to direct their energies to other work. Our founders leave the organization in the hands of individuals they brought up to be GLSEN's next leaders, and we will do them proud in our mission to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected, regardless of sexual orientation. GLSEN on!

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GLSEN/DC Offers Scholarships to LTI-4

Scholarships are available from GLSEN/DC to Chapter members who wish to attend the GLSEN Fourth Annual Summer Leadership Training Institute.. The week-long Institute is at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, from July 12-18, 1998. The training will focus on:

* Building a team of active volunteers to build and sustain our Chapter;

* Developing our Chapter's program and fundraising plans; and

* Learning specific skills (such as media relations) to help when you return home.

We would like to send eight GLSEN/DC or GLSEN/Baltimore members. There are five slots open. If you are interested in attending, please contact: GLSEN/DC at PO Box 363, Cabin John, Maryland 20818 or call (202)293-3358.

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PASSAGES Scholarships Sponsored by GLSEN/DC

GLSEN/DC is sponsoring seventeen scholarship registrations to the Passages Lesbian Conference on Saturday, March 14, 1998, at the Marvin Center of George Washington University, located at 800 21st Street NW, DC. Passages is an all-day conference for the Lesbian community which is open to all women. This year's keynote speaker is Blanche Wiesen Cook. There are workshops, a community awards ceremony, marketplace, and dance. Scholarships to Passages are for women for whom the $25 cost is a financial burden. GLSEN/DC is able to provide these scholarships thanks to the generosity of our members and a grant from An Uncommon Legacy Foundation.. An Uncommon Legacy Foundation funds studies and projects specific to Lesbians. GLSEN/DC is offering these scholarships because it is important for any woman to be able to attend Passages. No application is required other than the official Passages registration form, which can be requested by calling (301)299-2454 or download from http://members.aol.com/passages98. Completed registrations should be mailed to: GLSEN/DC Scholarship Fund, attn: Passages Scholarship, PO Box 363, Cabin John, Maryland 20818. First come, first served.

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Speakers Bureau

The fabulous GLSEN/DC Speakers Bureau is in a process of reorganization. An organizational meeting was held at the Sumner School on Tuesday, Feb 10, to discuss the project's mission, future, and leadership. If you are interested in becoming a trained GLSEN/DC speaker, or if you are interested in asking GLSEN/DC to speak at your organization or institution, contact GLSEN/DC at (202)293-3358.

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Talking About Gay Issues In School -- One PTA's Experience
Tim Hannapel

A fight last month during the Washington Wizards practice session between players Tracy Murray and Rod Strickland resulted in minor injuries and fines of $25,000 for each player. The cause? According to press accounts, the fight broke out after Murray tauntingly accused Strickland of being Gay. When I heard the story, I wondered where NBA stars got the idea it was okay to use such language on the court. Then I wondered if they learned about anti-Gay name calling in that nearly-universal educational forum for many of our most memorable lessons -- the playground at elementary school.

As a Gay parent of fourth and sixth grade daughters, and co-president of my younger daughter's PTA, the story resonated with me because I'd been thinking a lot about anti-Gay name calling at school. During the last two years, our PTA has begun pioneering work in addressing Gay issues in elementary school. I'll explain how that came about, and how sponsoring a PTA forum on the topic last month led a leading Montgomery County newspaper to declare the journalistic equivalent of war on our PTA in its editorial pages. Far from dividing people, however, that controversy ultimately galvanized my suburban neighborhood in favor of stong principles of respect for all. Moreover, it confirmed that it is crucial for parents and schools to educate kids about anti-Gay discrimination.

But first, why did a mainstream PTA at a Montgomery County public elementary school take on this seemingly controversial topic? Consider this recent scene on our Takoma Park elementary school playground, as reported by a third grader: a group of third grade girls teasing another member of their Brownie group, "Jennifer," for being a Lesbian. Later on the same playground, the children tease each other by singing "Why Are You Gay?" to the (ironically) of the Village People's famous hit song "YMCA." My own children, as well as the children of many other parents I've talked to, have reported other, similar incidents of anti-Gay name calling on the bus, in the lunch room, and in the hallways: "faggot," "homo," "lezbo," and the word "gay" itself, used in a taunting way.

It was concern over this kind of Gay-related name calling that led other parents at my daughter's school to become concerned. The catalyst for transforming these concerns into action was the film "It's Elementary - Talking About Gay Issues in School," documentary produced by Oscar-winner Debra Chasnoff, and co-produced by Helen Cohen. With remarkable in-class footage, the film shows how several school systems around the country deal with anti-Gay discrimination at the elementary and middle school level. The film has won numerous awards around the country. It has also become a lightning rod for conservative social activists.

When I talked about the film to other PTA activists at my daughter's school, I find that they, too, were concerned about the prevalence of anti-Gay name calling. The PTA president agreed to show the film at a PTA meeting last year. Although the school's principal was initially lukewarm to the idea, and declined a suggestion to schedule a screening just for teachers, he did approve a flyer announcing the film to be sent home in students' backpacks.

After the film, several parents questioned what the Montgomery County school system was doing to combat anti-Gay name calling and discrimination. At the next PTA meeting, a school system human relations officer was invited to address parents' concerns. Upon hearing his report that in the year since a controversial Board of Education vote added sexual orientation to the list of prohibited categories of discrimination that the system had done litle to implement that change, parents voted to form a PTA committee to study the issue, and to see what could be done on a more informal, local level.

In the months since the formation of that committee -- named the Tolerance Advocacy Committee -- a series of unprecedented events have occurred at our elementary school. First, the school's principal, far from being confronted with irate parents demanding that no discussion of Gay issues occur in school, found himself with a dozen PTA activists, and a standing committee of the PTA, seeking more affirmative steps to combat anti-Gay name calling.

As a first step, the principal recently conducted two training sessions for teachers and staff to learn more about school system policies on sexual orientation discrimination, and how to better address anti-Gay (and other types of bias-based) name calling. Insofar as I am aware, this is the first time such mandatory teacher training has occurred in any public school in the State of Maryland.

Second, the PTA hosted a public forum last month to discuss ways to promote tolerance of Gay and Lesbian people in schools. At the forum, a shortened version of "It's Elementary" was shown, followed by a discussion panel of prominent local residents, and a question and answer session. The ripple effect from that one evening has been remarkable in scope.

The forum, and the PTA's decision not to include an anti-Gay speaker in the discussion panel, sparked the ire of a leading local newspaper, the Montgomery Journal. In the three weeks before the forum, the Journal's editors declared the journalistic equivalent of war on the PTA, publishing four full editorial columns denouncing the forum and the composition of the panel. The editor labeled the PTA's decision not to invite an anti-Gay speaker as "represent[ing] a self-serving arrogance that is unsuited to the process of reaching out to differing points of view." The PTA was also criticized for failing to include a panelist who would "provide an exegesis of why the world's great religions are uniformly opposed to homosexuality."

The hyperbolic rhetoric from the Journal produced an outcry, but perhaps not the kind envisioned by the Journal. The community united behind the PTA and the forum, resulting in the sending of a strong message of tolerance and respect for Gay and Lesbian people. Nor did the school system step in to halt the forum, as the Journal had urged; instead, school officials actually gave more cooperation than the previous year in approving a publicity flyer to be sent home in students' backpacks.

And what about the forum itself? Although I feared the controversy generated by the Journal would cause disruption, the forum instead proved to be a true opportunity for learning and community dialogue. More than 125 people attended, and most of those I spoke with afterward, even those opposed to talking about Gay issues with children, agreed the forum had been worthwhile.

The other key result of the film and forum was that it dispelled the common fear of many that talking about Gay and Lesbian people necessarily means talking about sex. One audience member wrote afterwards to the editor of another local paper: "This film is not about religion; this film is not about sex education. This film is about human relationships."

From the PTA's involvement in this potentially divisive issue, several truths have emerged. First, a climate that allows anti-Gay name calling causes harm to all of our kids -- Gay and straight. But it's not enough just to tell kids to stop anti-Gay name calling. We do need to educate. Parents have a primary role in such education, but schools play an important role, too, for school and school-related activities are where so much of the name calling happens. It is in school that the seeds of prejudice are sown and can take root. Name calling will only stop when adults are willing to step in to give accurate information to children about the lives of Gay and Lesbian people, and their contributions to society. Parents and schools need help, however, in steering through societal controversy about Gay issues before serious education can occur.

Community conversations like those taking place in my neighborhood -- which provide a safe haven to calmly and rationally counteract the hysterical rhetoric of conservative social activists -- play an important role in building consensus for parents and teachers to take a more active role in putting a stop to anti-Gay discrimination. I am very proud of our PTA for taking a courageous leadership role in sparking this dialogue.

Tim Hannapel is the Co-President of the PTA at Piney Branch Elementary School, in Takoma Park, Maryland. The views expressed in this article are his own.
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Treasurer's Report
Tim Doyle, Treasurer/Secretary

GLSEN/DC's Quarterly Report was sent to National at the end of December. During our last quarter, GLSEN/DC welcomed 26 new members and re-membered 6 current members! At the beginning of December, a crew of dedicated GLSEN/DC members from Saint Stephen's and Saint Agnes School in Alexandria, Virginia, put together a mailing to 575 folks who, while on the GLSEN/DC mailing list, re not currently GLSEN/DC members. By the by, hugs and kisses to the St Stephen's and St Agnes gang for their work. (GO SAINTS!) If you are reading this newsletter and are still not a member of GLSEN/DC, please join TODAY! The GLSEN/DC bank account has some upcoming expenses (a GLSEN/DC website; Pride Day Festivals for Montgomery County, DC, and Youth Pride; July Leadership Training Institute in Atlanta) and we need your continued financial support!
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Membership Update
Ellen Fye

Just a reminder that your membership in GLSEN/DC is good for one year and will ensure that you continue to receive this newsletter as well as information from the GLSEN National office. If you think that it's been a year since you've paid your membership dues, it probably has been! If you haven't found a volunteer niche with us and would like to have one, here is your opportunity. Use this form to "re-up" and volunteer.

Press HERE to use our online membership form.
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Must Reads:
Books for your Personal and Professional Growth

Selected from "Resources for School Libraries," a bibliography compiled by Jill Karpf. In addition to the publishers, most of these books are also available at Lambda Rising bookstore in Washington, DC (202)462-6969 and on AOL, or can be ordered from your local bookstore.

Brimner, Larry. Being Different: Lambda Youths Speak Out (Watts, 1995).

Bass, Ellen and Kate Kaufman. Free Your Mind: The Book for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youth (Harper, 1996).

Due, Linnea. Joining the Tribe: Growing Up Gay and Lesbian in the '90s (Anchor Doubleday, 1995).

Heron, Ann, ed. Two Teenagers in Twenty (Alyson Publishing Inc, 1994).

Pollack, Rachel and Cheryl Schwartz The Journey Out: A Guide for and about Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Teens (Viking Penguin, 1995).

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Kidstuff:
Gay and Lesbian Characters and Themes in Children's Books

Selected from an annotated bibliography compiled by Wendy E Betts, copyright 1995. (This bibliography may be freely copied for personal non-profit use as long as this copyright notice is retained. Any other use is prohibited without permission.)

Ford, Michael Thomas. 100 Questions and Answers About AIDS (New Discovery Books, 1992; Beech Tree, 1994; ISBN 0-688-12697-9; pb). A useful handbook of AIDS information; powerful and non-judgmental. The statistics have been updated for the paperback edition. Ages 12 and up.

Nelson, Theresa. Earthshine (Orchard, 1994; ISBN 0-531-06867-6). Twelve-year-old Slim poignantly narrates the story of her life with her father Mack and his lover Larry during the last few months before Larry's death. Sensitivity written and accessible. Ages 10 and up.

Kerr, M E. Deliver Us From Evie (Harper Collins, 1994; ISBN 0-06-024475-5). Although it won much critical acclaim, this run-of-the-mill novel is really only notable for its great title and the character Evie, the narrator's sister, an unashamedly butch Lesbian. Unfortunately, Evie's story is seconday to her brother Parr's, in yet another Kerr novel about a boy getting shafted by his one true love. Evie may actually be the first positive female character Kerr has created. Ages 12 and up.

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GLSEN/DC Datebook

February 28, 1998, Saturday: Youth Pride Drag Show Benefit at Badlands. Contact Christopher Dyer at (202)588-8008 or at: youthpride@innovisionmm.com.

March 2, 1998, Monday: GLSEN/DC Steering Committee: All are welcome! Contact GLSEN/DC at (202)293-3358.

March 14, 1998, Saturday: Passages 11, all-day conference for the Lesbian community. Contact (301)229-2454.

March 19, 1998, Thursday: GLSEN/DC Chapter Meeting, auditorium, Maret School. Topic: Gay-Straight Alliances. Contact GLSEN/DC at (202)293-3358.

March 21, 1998, Saturday: Rainbow Families Event at River Road Unitarian Church located at 6301 River Road, Bethesda, Maryland. Contact Tim Fisher at (301)907-2647 or (301)907-2649.

April 6, 1998, Monday: GLSEN/DC Steering Committee: All are welcome! Contact GLSEN/DC at (202)293-3358.

April 18, 1998, Saturday: Youth Pride Day, Dupont Circle. Contract Christopher Dyer at (202)588-8008 or at: youthpride@innovisionmm.com.

May 4, 1998, Monday: GLSEN/DC Steering Committee: All are welcome! Contact GLSEN/DC at (202)293-3358.

May 21, 1998, Thursday: GLSEN/DC Chapter Meeting, auditorium, Maret School. Topic: The needs and responsibilties of school administrators on issues of sexual orientation. Contact GLSEN/DC at (202)293-3358.

May 28-30, 1998: Virginia Women's Music Festival.

June 1, 1998, Monday: GLSEN/DC Steering Committee: All are welcome! Contact GLSEN/DC at (202)293-3358.

June 10-14, 1998: National Women's Studies Association Annual Conference. Women's Rights National Historic Park, Seneca Falls, New York 13148. Call (315)598-0007 or contact at: vivien_rose@nrs.gov.

June 12-13, 1998. Women's Progress. Institute for Women's Policy Research, 1400 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Call (202)785-5100 or contact at: iwpr@www.iwpr.org.

July 11-18, 1998: GSLEN National Leadership Training Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.

August: GLPCI Family Week in Provincetown.

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Tidbits

New Video Project Explores Family Diversity: Become part of the exciting video project, "My Family is Special." About Us Women's Education Media, an Academy-Award winning non-profit production company is seeking diverse families to be part of their educational video "My Family is Special." This film will introduce young children to a variety of family structures and provide positive images and vocabulary that will help them better understand and appreciate our diverse communities. The goal is for teachers to use this video in classrooms in conjunction with regular lessons about families.

About Us Women's Education Media is looking to film short profiles of families with articulate and out-going children of all races between the ages of 7 and 10 years old who fit one of more of the following categories:

* Children of divorced parents
* Adopted children
* Children with single parents
* Children of Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual parents
* Children who are raised by a family member other than their mother or father
Please contact: Ariella Ben-Dov at (415)641-4616 or email Ariella at: wemajbd@aol.com if you are interested in learning more about this new and unique video.

The Gay and Lesbian National Hotline is a non-profit, all volunteer organization providing free and totally anonymous information, referrals, and peer-counseling to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered community. By dialing (888)THE-GLNH, callers are able to speak directly with a trained volunteer and are then put in touch with a local referral anywhere in the country. You can also reach GLNH at www.glnh.org or by email them at at: glnh@glnh.com.

Links Between Homophobia and Sexism: GLSEN/DC is researching the links between homophobia and sexism. Please send your suggestions for resources to Martha Pritchard, Co-Chair, GLSEN/DC, PO Box 363, Cabin John, Maryland 20818 or via email: GLSENMarth@aol.com.

GLSEN Call for Presentations Proposals: GLSEN conferences provide those working to create more inclusive climates on issues of sexual orientation in K-12 schools with concrete tools they can use in their work. The Second Annual GLSEN National Conference will be held at the Oakland Mariott City Center in Oakland, California, from October 31 to November 2, 1998. Interested individuals and organizations are invited to submit proposals for workshop sessions. The deadline is April 15, 1998. Contact GLSEN National for a "proposal submissions form" at GLSEN, 121 West 27th Street, Suite 804, New York, New York, 10001, by Fax at (212)727-0254 or via email: at: glsen@glsen.org.

GLSEN/DC, the Metropolitan Washington, DC, Chapter of the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network currently has almost 200 members and a mailing list of nearly 800. We serve the Metropolitan Area of the District of Columbia, including parts of Maryland, and Northern Virginia. GLSEN/DC offers a Speakers Bureau, educational presentations, trainings, this quarterly newsletter, an email alert list, and peer networking among other services and programs. GLSEN strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected, regardless of sexual orientation. We welcome as members any and all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or occupation, who share this philosophy.



Copyright © 1998, GLSEN/DC Inc.

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