January 2007 Newsletter

In this issue:

Breaking New: NJ Schools Stand Strong Behind That’s a Family!

This week, the Evesham Township School District in New Jersey stood firmly by its decision to show our family diversity film That’s a Family! as part of the elementary school health curriculum, in spite of attempts by a few parents to block its use. Earlier this week a parent complained that his daughter was shown the video which included children being raised in gay- and lesbian-headed households alongside those with divorced, mixed race, adoptive, guardianship and single parent families. Read the statement issued by the Evesham Township School District about why they are using That’s a Family! in their schools.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Support the Evesham Township School District and the New Jersey Department of Education (click the "Ask the DOE" link in the top right navigation bar) for their commitment to diversity education that makes all students feel welcome, safe and respected by sending an email to them.

Hear Debra Chasnoff's interview on Philadelphia AM talk radio!
Read about the controversy in the Philadelphia Inquirer



Sneak Peek at Straightlaced, the new Respect For All Project Film Now in Production

Last fall, our camera crews visited with high school students who share their experiences about gender roles and homophobia for our new Respect For All Project film Straightlaced. Here are just a few of the students and their stories featured in the film, which is slated for release in late 2007:
  • A straight, Brazilian-American male high school student confidently goes for his monthly manicure, in spite of the anti-gay taunting he endures.
  • A self-described bisexual, African-American cheerleader grapples with her team’s homophobia when she tells them about her sexuality.
  • A high school senior who is a well-liked Eagle Scout and member of the track team shares his emotional pain about being gay in a small town where he is forced to lead a double life.

Make a donation to help underwrite production and outreach for this important and groundbreaking project!

San Francisco Chronicle highlights Straightlaced in Front-page Feature About Pressures on Girls

Our executive director Debra Chasnoff was interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle regarding a study released by Girls, Inc. about the pressures faced by young girls on topics ranging from body image to academic success. Commenting on our experiences filming high school girls for our new film Straightlaced about gender roles, Chasnoff said ”As someone who has been an active feminist since I was in high school, I would have thought things would be easier for girls by now. But I feel like we could have been doing these interviews in the 1960 or 1970s.”

Read the full article here

First Film Choosing Children - Now A Must-See For the Cheney family!

In response to the announcement that Mary Cheney, daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney, is pregnant, Debra Chasnoff wrote an op-ed about the impact of Women’s Educational Media’s first film Choosing Children. In 1984 Choosing Children boldy envisioned a world in which lesbians could also choose to become parents, a legacy whose impact the Cheney’s are now experiencing.

The op-ed ran in various newspapers and online publications including The American Chronicle, The Huffington Post and The Washington Blade.
Read the op-ed.

Women’s Educational Media/Respect For All Project Donors Are Partying!

Last fall, WEM donors Barbara Epp Dessart and her husband Peter hosted a screening of Women’s Educational Media films at their home in Alameda, CA in support of our work to create safer schools and communities. We shared a sneak peek of early footage from Straightlaced, currently in production.  Barbara and Peter are helping to underwrite a new RFAP initiative in Barbara’s home state of Nebraska to bring That’s a Family! and Let’s Get Real to the state’s schools.

“As a new mom, when I support the Respect For All Project, I am helping ensure that my daughter will have the tools she needs to learn to respect people unconditionally,” Barbara said.

If you are interested in hosting a fundraising house party anywhere in the country, please send an e-mail message to Adore Davidson, development associate or call 1-800-405-3322.

Ally Action Gives Us Their First Honorary Ally Award

We were proud to accept the 2006 Honorary Ally Award this past fall from Ally Action, formerly GLSEN of the East Bay/San Francisco, a significant new recognition given to organizations or individuals whose work promotes equality for LGBTQ people.

"We were thrilled to recognize the unique and critically important contributions of Debra Chasnoff and the Respect For All Project with this award," said Julie Lienert, executive director of Ally Action. "Through their groundbreaking and instructive films, Chasnoff and the Respect For All Project are helping to make schools more inclusive, safer places for all students. For that, they deserve the respect and support of all those who value equality."

RFAP National Coalition Spreads True Family Values and an Anti-bias Approach to Bullying in Florida and Indiana

Tampa, Florida
Given that Florida is the only state that explicitly bans gays and lesbians from adopting children, our RFAP National Coalition event in Tampa last October was particularly important. In spite of the law, there are, of course, many children in Florida with same-sex parents. A cadre of local educators and youth service professionals representing more than 60 area organizations attended our professional development workshop centered on our family diversity film That's a Family!. The films and training underscored the fact that all children, including those from divorced, adoptive, mixed race, single parent, guardian and same-sex families, need to be recognized and supported in order to succeed in school.

“At the Children’s Museum of Tampa, we understand that having a safe and inclusive learning environment is critically important for all our young people and that’s why we were so proud to host the Respect For All Project’s prejudice-prevention workshops,” said Becky Clayton, general manager of Kid City: The Children’s Museum of Tampa. “We know the children of Florida will be best served when we can provide them with safe, bias- and harassment-free schools, communities and places to play.”

South Bend, Indiana
At the conclusion of our Let's Get Real screening and professional development workshop in South Bend last November, over 75% of the workshop participants decided  to take the film and curriculum back to their local school or community group. Many also said that they now felt more empowered to address name-calling and bullying than they did before attending the workshop.

“These trainings are vitally important for our local educators and youth service providers,” said Jeanne Rogers, Community Relations Coordinator for the HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum in South Bend. “It is our hope that all Hoosier children will be able to grow up and learn in harassment-free schools and communities. Offering these types of trainings is one way HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum can help make that happen.”

RFAP National Coalition events bring our documentary films and anti-bias education workshops to professionals throughout the United States. Our national partners include:

See a list of upcoming Coalition events for 2007

The Respect For All Project is a nonprofit program of Women's Educational Media and is supported by the generous contributions of many individuals, corporations and foundations.

If you share our vision that all children and families should be safe and respected in their schools and communities, please consider making a donation today.



GroundSpark
2180 Bryant St., Suite 203
San Francisco, CA 94110
1-800-405-3322
info@respectforall.org
www.respectforall.org



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