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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, SEPTEMBER 28, 1984
In the Los Angeles area, there are a number of instances of single women,
whether lesbian or "straight," who have chosen to become single parents by
means of artificial insemination.
Speaking of Los Angeles, it is now believed that it is taking over the "gay
capital" role from San Francisco. Better climate and, especially, greater
access to the entertainment industry--a growing haven for homosexuals--are
given as chief reasons.
And, true to form, Hollywood recently hosted a
unique awards ceremony, as reported in the article "Portrayals of Gays
Honored" in the September 19 LOS ANGELES TIMES:
"We can show parents that their gay children are not destined to
lead lonely and dreary lives••.• We can provide positive� and
lesbian role models for young people, regardless of sexual orien
tation."
With that, Chris Uszler, chairperson of the Alliance for Gay and
Lesbian Artists, opened the alliance's fourth annual AGLA awards
presentation, which recognizes "responsible portrayals of �
and lesbians in the entertainment media." Winners included the
TV series "Hill Street Blues," "St. Elsewhere" and
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Hotel
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and
the movie SILKWOOD and one of its stars, Cher.
The ceremony,
held...at the Huntington Hartford Theatre before a capacity crowd
of more than 1000, featured awards presented by Alan Bates, Sammy
Davis Jr., Richard Thomas, Ed Marinaro and others. Julie Harris
delivered a special award to the late writer Truman Capote....
[Capote, incidentally, reportedly said on one occasion: "I am a
drug addict: I am an alcoholic: I am a homosexual: and I am a
genius."]
NBC's "St. Elsewhere" was recognized for "Aids and Comfort," an
episode that focused on a patient--who is also a city councilman
--dying of AIDS.•.• Cher, who played a lesbian in SILKWOOD, won
an award, as did the film•••• "Human Sexuality," a Cable Health
Network production, received an award for its series on bisexua
lity, lesbianism and sexual identity. "Livewire," a children's
show on Nickelodeon, another cable network, was honored for its
presentation of children asking experts questions on sexua
lity•••.
Jerry Wheeler, who co-produced this year's ceremony, said that
"those people who have created a program with honest depictions
of gays in a positive manner deserve to be recognized. We (AGLA)
prefer to be seen as a celebrator, not a watchdog." In addition
to staging the awards, the alliance is active in offering sugges
tions to the producers of shows, plays and movies in which gay
characters are depicted.•••
"Our organization is growing in size and influence," Uszler said,
"and now people are returning our phone calls. But.£!:!! biggest
progress has been in television. We're now seeing the 'happens
to be gay"T"""characters, when before it was the 'I didn't know he
was gay' type of character. Gayness is no longer an oddity.
They're jus � another person. And that is a big change in the last
four years.