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| GLAAD Looks at Mixed Reportage About Pride '98 |
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By Don Romesburg
In 1998, mainstream media coverage of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pride was reasonably even-handed, but lacked depth and missed a significant trend about the inclusion of families and workplace issues. In general, media outlets attempted to present the diversity represented in Pride events, and to let participants tell in their own words what the day meant to them. For the most part, however, the media failed to include features which focused on the rich and engaging nature of the event.
For the first time, festivals in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta included "family tents" where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents could bring their children. Lissa Dulany, Atlanta festival media coordinator, told the Atlanta Journal Constitution, "We have had a lot of interest in [Pride] because we are getting a lot more children in our community." One woman, identified in the June 29 St. Louis Post-Dispatch as a young lesbian named Blue, said "It's a family thing." In addition, many Pride participants are bringing along co-workers. In Chicago, Russell White told the Sun-Times he was marching with co-workers because "we want to let everyone know that Sears is gay-friendly." The Portland Oregonian reported June 22 that parade commentator Susan Leo joked as a contingent from Portland General Electric marched by, "Yes, it is shocking, folks: Even PGE is here." Still, many newspaper and television outlets chose to focus on stereotypes that have come to signify Pride to many mainstream media: black leather, drag queens, motorcycle-riding lesbians, and exotically dressed and/or minimally-clad young men. Certainly, these are accurate images so long as they are placed within the broader context of the rich diversity of our community. But when the media's representations of Pride are solely or almost entirely the more flamboyant aspects of our community, it paints an inaccurate picture. This narrowly defined portrait, shown year after year during the month of June, comes to be understood by some as universally representative of the community as a whole. Ultimately, this denies our diversity and fosters stereotypes. Following are some examples of Pride coverage along with contact information.
Atlanta: Although WSB-TV's coverage was broad and inclusive, WXIA-TV's report included a long, panning shot of a scantily-clad youth mugging for the camera. WGNX-TV reportedly had no coverage; WAGA-TV included several shots of drag acts.
… Ray Carter, News Director, WSB-TV, Ch. 2, 1601 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30309-2641, fax: 404.897.2202, e-mail: aatl038@accessatlanta.com;
New York City:
… Bill Keller, Managing Editor, New York Times, 229 W. 43rd St., NY, NY 10036-3959, fax: 212.556.3690, e-mail: letters@nytimes.com (include phone number when sending e-mails);
San Francisco: Coverage in both dailies, the Chronicle and Examiner, went beyond event reportage to discuss concerns about parade organization and controversy about whether the professionally-produced event was becoming too commercial. The June 28 Examiner also included a color photo and extended caption on the June 27 Dyke March. The front-page photo in the June 29 Chronicle showed a rainbow-haired woman and her tiara-bedecked friend who, the caption said, "rode with the Dykes on Bikes."
… Jerry Roberts, Managing Editor, San Francisco Chronicle, 901 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94103-2988, fax: 415.543.7708, e-mail: chronletters@sfgate.com;
Kansas City:
… Jeanne Meyer, Managing Editor, Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108-1458, fax: 816.234.4940, e-mail: letters@kcstar.com;
Chicago: "Gay Pride Goes Mainstream," headlined the June 29 Chicago Sun-Times report on the increased number of large corporations participating in that city's parade. The Chicago Tribune featured before and after parade coverage. MSNBC announced that Chicago Neighborhood Tours would sponsor the first tour highlighting contributions lesbians and gays have made to Chicago history.
… Jocelyn Winnecke, Metro Editor, Chicago Sun-Times, 401 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL 60611-5642, fax: 312.321.3084;
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Denver: By the Rocky Mountain News' own estimate, from 60,000 to 65,000 attended Denver's Pride, but apparently that merited only a nine-paragraph report on June 29, which included just one direct quote. … Jack McElroy, Managing Editor, Rocky Mountain News, 400 West Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80204-2694, fax: 303.892.2568, e-mail: metro@denver-rmn.com
St. Louis: A brief-but-fair June 29 report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch focused on Pride program events concerned with that city's new domestic partner registry. … Richard K. Weil, Managing Editor, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 900 N. Tucker Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63101-1099, fax: 314.340.3050, e-mail: rweil@pd.stlnet.com
Ft. Lauderdale:
… Ellen Soeteber, Sun-Sentinel, 200 East Las Olas Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301-2293, fax: 954.356.4559, e-mail via WWW: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/yrthots.htm
Rhode Island: In a well-written June 21 feature, the Providence Journal-Bulletin lead its Pride coverage with an effective anecdote about what just being able to hold her partner's hand in public meant to marcher Rita Pantea, a 53-year-old mother of two. … Tom Heslin, Managing Editor, The Providence Journal Bulletin, 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902-0050, e-mail: letters@projo.com
Oklahoma: Twenty shouting anti-gay demonstrators failed to disrupt Tulsa's Pride parade and the minister leading the charge expressed disappointment that no other Tulsa pastors had joined him. That did not stop the Tulsa World from devoting a substantial portion of its June 21 Pride coverage to the tiny, radical protest. … Susan Ellerbach, Managing Editor, Tulsa World, 318 South Main Mall, Tulsa, OK 74103-3674, fax: 918.581.8353 (all letters must be signed, and include address and phone)
Connecticut:
… Clifford L. Teutsch, Managing Editor, The Hartford Courant, 285 Broad St., Hartford, CT 06115-2510, fax: 860.520.6941, e-mail: letters@courant.com
Vermont: By opening its June 21 report with an anecdote about a once-troubled, now-proud-and-out gay youth, the Burlington Free Press sent an important message to its readers that Pride is a critical means of support and affirmation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. … Candace Page, Assistant Managing Editor, Burlington Free Press, 191 College St., Burlington, VT 05401, fax: 802.660.1802, e-mail: edgenet@aol.com
West Virginia: The June 22 Charleston Gazette report opened with a vignette of a flamboyant entertainer "dressed to the nines in evening gown and makeup," riding in a convertible. Not until the tenth paragraph did the report mention that Gov. Cecil Underwood had snubbed the event. … Rosalie Earle, Managing Editor, Charleston Gazette, 1001 Virginia St. East, Charleston, WV 25301-2895, fax: 304.348.1233, e-mail: gazette@wvgazette.com
Report defamation in the media by calling GLAAD's Toll-Free AlertLine!
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There were a few newspapers which offered sophisticated and perceptive articles on issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Most of the nation's media missed a significant national story in failing to report how Pride has evolved into a celebration inclusive of biological and chosen families as well as large-scale corporate support. In doing so, it retained its rich diversity while also going mainstream.
© 1997-98 BEI