By BetteAndTinaForever

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While Cyndi Lauper was posing for pictures and talking to other reporters, I caught up with her sister, Elen.

B&TF: Hello, I’m working at l-word.com and Jennifer Beals, who’s on the show, is one of the presenters, and you are getting honored for your work as an activist. What did you think about when you found out that you are getting honored?

Elen Lauper: Yeah, I’m…honored (laughing). I’m a little humbled because I think that my role here is to publicly give a face for what Judy Shepard is doing--to give a face to that organization where straight people and gay people are basically working together to say, “we are people.” Where together we show the world that the gay people not pariahs--we are not monsters--we are citizens of the world; we’re citizens of countries and we just want to be treated like human beings. And, so if I can do anything to help, I’m here.

B&TF: Matthew Shepard Act was passed by the legislation, do you think it’s going to be effective on the hate crime?

EL: I think that enforcement is a big part of having laws, I think that having a law passed in this climate, I think is phenomenal. Again, though, it really is about enforcement and it’s also about everyone standing up to say, “You know what? This makes sense, there’s nothing wrong with this law, this needs to be enacted.” If people do that then everybody will win, it’s not just right for one part of population.

B&TF: You are openly gay…how long have you been out?

EL: I’ve been out since I was 23 years old in 1974.

B&TF: What’s the difference you can see in how it was 25 years ago and now?

EL: I think that there are more organizations like GLASS and Matthew Shepard Foundation, I think that there are people who are not afraid to show that they care. The fact that in the United States of America there are homeless gay people, homeless street kids…it’s a scary thing and the fact that there are organizations that are out there that are willing to help, I think that there’s a big difference. I think in some ways things are a little easier because of that, in other ways we still have violence, we still have parts of the world where it’s dangerous to be openly gay. In the United States…if you are trying to emigrate into the United States and you are openly out, you know, there are still problems, so yes, there are difference but on the other hand, no, there aren’t.

B&TF: Well, now The L Word question, since I’m working for l-word.com, do you watch the show? And if you watch, who is your favorite character?

EL: Well, I would have to say Jennifer Beals’ character and also Shane…Bette and Shane.

B&TF: A lot of people who watch the show, also have their favorite couple…

EL: I kinda like Dana and the radio host, Alice.

B&TF: Well, Dana’s dead now…

EL (upset): I know, I know…

B&TF: and Alice is with Tasha now, who has interesting military storyline. What do you think about gay and lesbians in the military?

EL: I think regardless of what I think of foreign policy, I think that our military is very brave and very dedicated to do the things they do, even if they don’t get full citizenship rights…in terms of gays in military, they don’t have full citizenship rights, because they can’t be open gay in the military because than they lose their benefits, they lose their commissions, so I have a great deal of respect for them.

B&TF: Do you think that “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy will ever be eliminated?

EL: I think that a lot of progressive changes would have to happen for that to happen, I think the country needs to just really wake up on the number of levels. If it does then that policy will pass.

B&TF: Well, thank you and congratulations on your nomination and I guess I’ll see at the show.

EL: Okay, thank you.

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