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Expanding
the Sense of Humanity in Us All:
Celebrating Lesbian Artists
Ellen DeGeneres is selling American Express
cards. The L Word is gearing up for a third hugely successful season on Showtime. We're seeing out lesbians on other hit television shows, such as ER,
Las Vegas, and The O.C. And yet, hate crimes against
lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) people are on the rise, gay marriage sparks controversy,
and many states are passing anti-gay legislation.
What's it like to
be a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender artist in these schizophrenic times? For our June newsletter we asked three lesbian
artists on the WomenArts Network - painter Lenore Chinn from San
Francisco, playwright Sharon Bridgforth from Austin, Texas, and
novelist Susan Stinson from Northampton, Massachusetts. Each artist
responded in ways that were generous and inclusive. In their online interviews, they discuss
the support networks that sustain them in their own communities, as well as their efforts to reach out to larger audiences. As Susan
Stinson says, "I write for everyone, for
the expanding sense of humanity in all of us."
Click
on the artists' pictures to read their interviews, or visit:
www.WomenArts.org/news/June2005Interviews.htm
Learn About Other Fabulous LGBT Artists
June is celebrated as Gay Pride Month because it marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion. On June 28, 1969 the police did a routine raid on a gay bar in New York called the Stonewall Inn. They ordered the customers to leave, but this time the crowd refused, and several days of riots followed. This brave act of resistance to anti-gay laws marked a major turning point in the gay rights movement and continues to inspire people all over the world.
To learn more about LGBT history, you can browse www.glbtq.com, the Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, & Queer Culture. Brief essays give readers the history of everything from lesbians in the Blues to pre-Stonewall lesbian photographers.
Also, you can find many lesbian artists on the WomenArts Network by typing the word "lesbian" into any WomenArts Network Search Box. We have compiled an annotated list of some of these artists for you, as well as some other online resources.
To see our list, go to:
www.WomenArts.org/news/OtherFabulousLGBTArtists.htm
Keep Up on LGBT Representation in the
Media and Take Action!
A new study shows that watching positive representations
of gays and lesbians on TV really does change attitudes. Read
about the study at: www.glaad.org/eye/stories.php
or read the study itself at: www.comm.umn.edu/department/pch.
Two great sites make keeping track of lesbian-themed
media easy and fun. Check out:
Gay
& Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD):
Dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive
representation of people and events in the media as a means of
eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity
and sexual orientation. Includes TV GAYED: GLAAD’s
Weekly Guide to What’s LGBT on TV. GLAAD also organizes
campaigns to pressure media companies to improve the representation
of LGBT people in the media. Take action through their web site
or join their Monitor & Mobilize Team.
www.glaad.org
AfterEllen.com:
Reviews and Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual Women in Entertainment
and the Media. Compulsively readable site that includes a illustrated
Timeline of TV Lesbian Kisses and lesbian-themed storylines in
U.S. TV shows. (Not affiliated with Ellen DeGeneres.) www.afterellen.com
This
Month’s Raffle
You can win a copy of Kate Clinton's new book, What the L? or Susan Stinson's award-winning novel, Venus of Chalk - chosen as one of the top 10 lesbian books of 2004 by The Publishing Triangle. Just write to info@WomenArts.org and tell
us which book you are interested in winning.
If
you have an item you'd like us to raffle, please let us know. If your
item is picked, we'll provide a link to your WomenArts
Network profile or website in the issue that features your donated
item. Thanks!
Spread the Word
Many people do not realize that there are so many women artists who are creating such inspiring work. Please forward this email to your friends
and family or send them the link to the online version of this newsletter:
www.WomenArts.org/news/June2005News.htm
To sign up for any of our free newsletters, please visit:
www.WomenArts.org/share/GenericNewsSignUp.htm
Please send your comments about this newsletter to info@WomenArts.org. We love to hear from you.
Support The Fund for Women
Artists
Click on the Donate
Now button below to support these newsletters and
the other free services of The Fund for Women Artists.
You can also mail us a check at:
The Fund
for Women Artists
P.O. Box 60637
Florence, MA 01062
Email:
info@WomenArts.org
Phone: (413) 585-5968
About The Fund for Women Artists
The Fund for Women Artists is a
non-profit organization dedicated to helping women artists get
the resources they need to do their creative work. There is an
overview of our goals and services in the Share
the Vision section of our website at www.WomenArts.org.
The Fund for Women Artists is a
501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Federal Employer I.D. #04-3257661.
All contributions are tax deductible to the full extent of the
law.
This
newsletter is made possible by generous grants from the Valentine
Foundation, the CDQ Charitable Trust, the Women's Funding
Network Venture Fund, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
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