BREAKING NEWS: Dobson Resigns From Focus
February 27, 2009 by Ann @ GLAAD
Breaking news from the Associated Press:
Conservative evangelical leader James Dobson has resigned as chairman of Focus on the Family, but will continue to play a prominent role at the organization he founded more than three decades ago, The Associated Press has learned.
The article goes on to note:
Dobson, 72, will continue to host Focus on the Family’s flagship radio program, write a monthly newsletter and speak out on moral issues, Daly said.
GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano said, “For more than 20 years, James Dobson has used his expansive, well-funded media platform to promote defamatory and false information about the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,” said Neil G. Giuliano, President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).
“As Dobson resigns from his role as chairman, it is important to remember his history of false and defamatory claims about our community. GLAAD urges the media to not allow Dobson to turn today’s news into yet another media platform for him to advance his intolerant divisive attacks on gay and lesbian Americans and their families.”
Focus on the Family is a right wing Christian organization based in Colorado Springs, Colo., with a 138 million budget. The organization contributed half a million dollars to the Yes on 8 campaign which took away the right to marry from gay couples in California.
What to Watch: This Weekend
February 27, 2009 by Sarah
Happy Friday, everyone! Start the weekend off right with an hour of Oprah, followed by a Rosie O’Donnell Lifetime Original Movie on Saturday, finishing with the penultimate episode of The L Word on Sunday. Pretty nice little weekend, huh?
FRIDAY
> 3:00 PM Oprah, syndicated (1 hr) NEW
Academy Award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (Milk) is a guest! Times vary; Check listings for airtimes.
> 8:00 PM The Amazing Race 14, Travel Channel (1 hr) REPEAT
For those who missed The Amazing Race on Sunday because of the Oscars, the Travel Channel is re-airing episodes each Friday. Cheer on Mel and Mike White!
> 9:00 PM Friday Night Lights, NBC (1 hr) NEW
Landry is crushing hard on his new bandmate, Devin. Unfortunately, let’s just say that Landry doesn’t have what she’s looking for.
> 10:00 PM Real Time with Bill Maher, HBO (1 hr) NEW
This week, Alan Cumming is a scheduled guest.
SATURDAY
> 9:00 PM America, Lifetime (2 hrs) NEW
Though this Lifetime Original Movie about foster care has no gay content per se, the wonderful Rosie O’Donnell stars in this emotional film.
> 9:00 PM Color Splash, HGTV (30 min) NEW
Gay interior designer David Bromstad reworks living spaces. Tonight he overhauls a home office.
> 11:30 PM Saturday Night Live, NBC (1 hr, 30 min) REPEAT
If you missed it the first time around, this SNL, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris is a must-see. Gay jokes abound!
SUNDAY
> 8:00 PM The Amazing Race 14, CBS (1 hr) NEW
Nine teams are still competing to win the ultimate prize. One team is made up of gay activist Mel White and his bi son Mike White.
> 8:00 PM Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, ABC (1 hr) NEW
A Texas family lost their home in a flood, so the team, including gay designer Eduardo Xol, goes to rebuild their house in seven days.
> 9:00 PM Big Love, HBO (1 hr) NEW
Everyone has something to hide. Alby is married to several women and yet cruises for sex in men’s bathrooms, while Heather pines away for her best friend Sarah.
> 9:00 PM The L Word, Showtime (1 hr) NEW
We knew it was only a matter of time until Alice and Tasha’s “third wheel crush” on Jamie would take a turn, especially since Jamie’s started taking her clothes off in front of both women at regular intervals.
> 10:00 PM Brothers & Sisters, ABC (2 hrs) NEW
Get your hankies ready, because this two-hour movie event promises extreme joy and sorrow, when an unexpected death takes place as Kitty and Robert welcome the birth of their child.
> 10:00 PM The United States of Tara, Showtime (30 min) NEW
In this new comedy about a woman with multiple personalities, Marshall is her sweet, sensitive son who has a crush on a cute boy from class.
Is the Deseret News Planning to Stifle Fair, Accurate and Inclusive Coverage?
February 26, 2009 by Adam @ GLAAD
On February 24, 2009 about a dozen reporters at the Deseret News pulled their bylines in an organized protest over the demotion of two editors at the paper.
Some of the employees that protested at the Deseret News allege that Editor in Chief Joe Cannon has been systematically editing news content to either ignore or sugar-coat stories critical of the Mormon Church. The editors in question were demoted after resisting the changes in news content at the paper. Cannon contends that the changes are necessary for the paper’s financial security.
Though the Deseret News is owned by the Mormon Church, it has historically – until Cannon’s leadership – sought to be perceived as a credible mainstream media publication, dedicated to fair coverage of news stories. Though the paper’s editorial positions have always been closely aligned with those of the Mormon Church, the news coverage has been generally consistent with impartial, non-partisan mainstream journalistic standards.
The reporters who protested this week allege that Cannon has decided to turn Utah’s second largest daily paper in to a “niche” paper – catering specifically to Mormon readers. The reporters say that they believe that under his direction, stories have been edited to present news through the filter of Mormon religious beliefs. In some cases, the protesters suggest stories were completely pulled because they did not strictly adhere to Mormon religious teachings and political views.
The Deseret News presents itself to major business interests as a mainstream newspaper when seeking advertising dollars. Whether advertisers will choose to continue to pay for advertising in a publication that appears to be moving from mainstream news outlet to a religious publication remains to be seen. .
The reporters who pulled their by-lines aren’t happy with the decisions being made by Cannon, which they allege are stifling fair coverage of certain topics. According to Government and Politics Editor Josh Loftin, who led Tuesday’s by-line protest, “In doing so, he [Cannon] has made the decision that saving the newspaper means sacrificing the news value of the newspaper.” Loftin continued, “We were carving out a niche as the best newspaper in the city and that is being undone to be the best Mormon paper in the city.”
In a move that could lead to the stifling of fair, accurate and inclusive coverage of LGBT and other issues, the Deseret News runs the risk of abandoning basic journalistic standards necessary to remain recognizable as a credible media source.
XBox Live, Homophobia, and Online Gaming Policy
February 26, 2009 by Justin Cole, GLAAD's Director of Digital Media
A post over at The Consumerist has generated a great deal of buzz in the blogosphere today.
From yesterday’s post:
Teresa says that she was harassed by other players and later suspended from XBOX Live because she identified herself as a lesbian in her profile. When she appealed to Microsoft, she says they told her that other gamers found her sexual orientation “offensive.”
The Consumerist also posted Teresa’s letter to them in which she describes the incident. They followed it with:
We’ve heard of gamers being suspended for identifying themselves as gay in their GamerTag, and even one case of a guy whose name was actually “Richard Gaywood” but his tag was suspended anyway because apparently the word “gay” is so offensive that it doesn’t matter if its actually your name.
As far as we know, Microsoft is unwilling to reconsider this position.
The Seattle, WA, based The Stranger had this to say about the situation:
“The story doesn’t entirely add up-mostly because The Consumerist prefers to hit copy+paste than do any research or fact-checking (no user name? no request from Microsoft for a response? hello libel?), but also because the way Xbox Live works, this user wouldn’t have necessarily broadcast her sexual preference as described. But a user can find him/herself temporarily banned if a boatload of people send complaints through Xbox Live’s reporting system…”
The Stranger also noted that Stephen Toulouse, who handles policy and enforcement for XBox Live, updated his twitter feed with this message:
re: the consumerist story. Expression of any sexual orientation (straight or gay or otherswise) is not allowed in gamertags. However we’ve heard from the user base they want that capability, so I am examining how we can provide it in a way that wont get misused. I can’t say any more at the moment, except to say I’m working right now in finding a way to safely express relationship preference.
Since the beginning of this year, GLAAD has been in active conversations with Microsoft, specifically with Stephen Tolouse, about XBox Live and how their policies affect LGBT people. The conversations actually began as a result of work GLAAD did around the launch of Sony’s beta for it’s new online virtual world, Playstation Home.
At the end of 2008, when Sony launched the beta for Playstation Home, we fielded concerns from GLAAD supporters that the system was not LGBT friendly. It was being reported to us that when people used the chat feature and would type in certain words like “gay” or “lesbian”, they would come up as asterisks like “***” or “*******.” Typing and sending “I am gay” would actually send “I am ***.” Also, people found they were banned from using a similar set of words to name “clubs” in the virtual world.
We reached out to Sony and after a series of productive conversations over a few days, changes were made to the system that removed some of these restrictions. Unfortunately, some still remain. And GLAAD remains dedicated to working with Sony to address them.
Back to Microsoft – While researching the Sony issue, we came across many different articles and blog posts from May of 2008 talking about Microsoft and the banning of users and the many restrictions that were affecting LGBT gamers. Wanting to see if any progress had been made since May, we reached out to Microsoft and got an almost instant reply from Stephen Toulouse.
After talking with both Sony and Microsoft, GLAAD began to notice a common thread in both of the gaming giant’s policies – they were both put in place to fight and/or prevent defamation. It sounds counterintuitive to some, and to even us at first, but upon further review and discussion, the issue at hand became clearer.
The online world provides unprecedented anonymity for people. They can, and do, say what they want. Unfortunately, in online gaming that has often translated to homophobic, racist, and misogynistic attacks.
Look at some of these staggering numbers from a survey done in 2007:
88% of respondents said they had heard the phrase “that’s so gay” while 84% said they had heard ‘gay’ used in a derogatory fashion. Over 50% said they felt that games portray gay people in a stereotypical way, while 42% believe gays are under-represented in games. 15% said the industry creates a culture where gay employees “feel like they must stay in the closet”. 52% believed that the gaming community is hostile to gay and lesbian gamers. Only 9% said they “never” encounter anti-gay sentiments from online gamers.
Sony, Microsoft, and many others have been trying to address this by putting policies in place to prevent subscribers from using the online shield of anonymity to harass, verbally assault, and generally defame others. Are they the best policies? No. Are they working to improve them?
In the case of Stephen and Microsoft – they have been nothing but open, welcoming, and willing to discuss ideas for positive and inclusive changes during these conversations. Microsoft has invited GLAAD out to its headquarters in Redmond, WA, for multi-day meetings with developers, executives, and policy enforcers in the upcoming weeks.
As for the rampant homophobia in the online gaming community, GLAAD is also working to address that. In addition to meeting with gaming companies, we’re planning to host a panel discussion early this summer in Silicon Valley. We’ll be discussing the issue and getting feedback from both the LGBT and gaming community about how to fight the defamation and educate users about the impact of their words and actions.
We’re truly in a new era. And with new technologies, come new challenges. LGBT people have fought hard for years to come out of real-world closets – we’re not willing to accept virtual ones.
As GLAAD makes progress, we will be engaging the community in a vibrant discussion and work together to find the best solutions to make online gaming safe and enjoying for us all.
Milk Acceptance Speeches Censored by News Corp Subsidiary
February 26, 2009 by Andy Marra, Senior Media Strategist @ GLAAD
Film buffs from around the world are still buzzing about this year’s Oscar winners. GLAAD was thrilled about Milk being nominated in eight categories and receiving the Oscar for BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY for screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, and PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE, to Sean Penn for his role as the openly gay leader Harvey Milk.
Both of their acceptance speeches that night received rousing cheers and applause from within the Kodak Theater. But millions of TV viewers missed out on their full speeches because they were censored.
Who is responsible? News Corp.
It’s the same media company under fire from many organizations for its defamatory political cartoon in The New York Post.
Specifically, STAR is an Asian TV satellite company and a News Corp subsidiary. The TV service reaches more than 300 million viewers in 53 countries. STAR aired the full broadcast live, but later in the evening showed an edited version of the recorded telecast. Evening viewers tuning into the recorded awards show found the company had edited out the words “gay” and “lesbian” every time they were said on-stage by the screenwriter or actor.
The Associated Press reported the following reason for why “gay” and “lesbian” were cut out of the telecast:
Jannie Poon, STAR’s Hong Kong-based spokeswoman, stressed that the company had no intention of upsetting any viewers, but said it has ”a responsibility to take the sensitivities and guidelines of all our markets into consideration.”
Poon said she was not immediately aware that the speeches had been censored, but noted that STAR’s preliminary ratings for the Oscar broadcasts indicated ”record-breaking” audiences, especially in India and Taiwan.
I don’t think anyone is surprised by the record-breaking audiences. Millions of viewers from around the world tuned in to celebrate some of the best films of our time including gay cinema. Moviegoers were touched by Milk and its historic story about gay and lesbian inequality.
How is STAR being responsible for editing out the words “gay” and “lesbian” when some of its viewers happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender?
In the same AP story, it reported that some people have spoken out on the censorship by STAR. :
”As a gay man, I am truly offended,” Pang Khee Teik, a prominent Malaysian arts commentator, wrote in a letter sent out to several media organizations. ”Stop censoring the words that describe who I am.”
Pang said the move ‘’sent a message … that gays and lesbians are still shameful things to be censored from the public’s ears.”
For those interested in expressing their concerns to STAR, you can contact them here:
Jannie Poon
Phone: 852-2621-8728
Fax: 852-2621-8620
E-Mail: janniep@startv.com
Uncensored Dustin Lance Black acceptance speech:
Uncensored Sean Penn acceptance speech:
Did you see
TiVo Alert: DLB on Friday’s Oprah
February 26, 2009 by Damon
Before you leave for work on Friday, make sure to set your DVR to capture Oprah, with special guest Dustin Lance Black, fresh off his Oscar win for Milk.
It’s not often that Oprah interviews screenwriters, but Lance’s emotional and moving speech on Sunday has garnered him international attention, bringing the discussion of LGBT rights and religion to the forefront.
If you haven’t seen it yet (and, really, who hasn’t at this point), check out Lance’s motivational words here:
And here is Oscars.com exclusive “Thank You Cam” with Dustin Lance Black:
A Kiss Is Just A Kiss, Mr. Hannity…
February 26, 2009 by GLAAD Blog
The other night, Fox’s Sean Hannity had this to say about the Oscars:
“…they keep showing the scenes of men kissing. And I’m thinking do we have to expose our children to more and more sex, more and more violence, you know, more and more controversy?”
He continued:
“Listen, I’m just more sensitive. If it’s going to be a family event, you know, and you want to — you can’t watch a lot of programs now because of the adult content. We’re robbing these kids, Alicia, of their childhood. We’re over-sexualizing them at younger and younger ages.”
Though there were 14 straight kisses and just 3 gay kisses (all the same couple and all scenes from Milk, btw) aired during the Oscars, even kids know that a kiss is just a kiss.
Isn’t it time Sean Hannity figured that out too?
Full Transcript Below:
HANNITY: We continue now with our “Great American Panel.”
All right. The single most dull and boring and the self-righteous pat each other on the back, you know, actors and actresses. Here’s Sean Penn last night, the really big genius that he is. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN PENN, ACTOR: For those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, and I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren’s eyes if they continue that way of support. We’ve got to have equal rights for everyone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIETL: All I can say is I wore my pink tie tonight in support of Mr. Penn. I don’t think so. This is not a political event. He’s a great actor. He’s got the Academy Award twice. But he’s sucking face with pineapple face and with Fidel. What reasons? You can’t be gay…
HANNITY: He’s talking about Hugo Chavez.
DIETL: Yes, you can’t be gay and live in Venezuela. You can’t be gay and live in Cuba. They have no human rights there, so Mr. Penn, why don’t you go over and tell them to give some human rights to people over there?
HANNITY: That’s a great point. Why doesn’t he do that?
MENENDEZ: He lives in America, he’s an American…
DIETL: He hates America. He hates America.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: He hangs out with dictators. That’s Bo’s point.
MENENDEZ: That’s not what we’re talking about, though. We’re talking about the fact that, as I was driving in there who were — who were people flashing these messages of hate and…
HANNITY: Hang on one second. Hang on one second. Bo’s point is just the opposite. He’s hanging out with dictators where, if you’re gay, you’re going to be persecuted. And so he’s hypocritical.
DIETL: Right. Why are you sucking face with them for?
MENENDEZ: Right. To be honest, I do not know that that is what he’s doing, but in spite of that, I think the speech he made was eloquent and it was to the point.
HANNITY: All right, let me ask you.
EHRLICH: It’s all about politics, Sean. You know that. It’s all about politics.
MENENDEZ: It was a political film.
DIETL: Not too many votes, people who were viewing this.
EHRLICH: Sean’s point is, it’s just wildly inconsistent. He’s not consistent.
HANNITY: And let me ask — my wife said to me, and I wasn’t watching, because I was busy prepping for this show. But she said, you know, they keep showing the scenes of men kissing. And I’m thinking do we have to expose our children to more and more sex, more and more violence, you know, more and more controversy? Does that bother you at all?
EHRLICH: My kid’s asleep, but the point is, of course, it’s an agenda, and they don’t care. Look, these are adult subjects, but they’re not for my 9-year-old. This is not a discussion I need to have with my 9- year-old.
MENENDEZ: Do you get upset when you see heterosexual couples doing the same thing on TV?
DIETL: No, I don’t get upset when I see two people in love and kissing each other, but I get upset when a guy is sticking his tongue in another guy’s mouth. Maybe he wants that, but don’t bring that to my children at that age to show it’s an acceptable thing in daylight.
EHRLICH: And I agree. If it’s homosexual or heterosexual, I don’t want my 9-year-old…
DIETL: I’m not against lesbianics [SIC]. I’m not against gays.
HANNITY: What was that?
DIETL: Lesbianics [SIC]. I’m not against them, Sean. Whatever you want to suck on, that’s fine. But my point is — my point is, Sean, but don’t bring it in front of my children while they’re…
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Listen, I’m just more sensitive. If it’s going to be a family event, you know, and you want to — you can’t watch a lot of programs now because of the adult content. We’re robbing these kids, Alicia, of their childhood. We’re over-sexualizing them at younger and younger ages. We’re teaching them how to put condoms on cucumbers and on bananas. And you know what? Why don’t we leave the kids alone a little bit? Have some consideration for them?
MENENDEZ: I have even bigger problems with the amount of violence we show on television.
(CROSSTALK)
HANNITY: Sex and violence.
MENENDEZ: If we’re talking about hypocrisy, then let’s talk about a different standard…
DIETL: Look at the movie that Woody Allen made. This one about Barcelona. He had two gals that went there. One was engaged to be married. The next thing, this guy Javay (ph) — he was up for the Academy Award. Javier. Javier. He’s there, he’s — taking this one, this one, that one. And this is the realm of people’s mind.
This woman was happily engaged. She made some — groping (ph) with him. Then all of the sudden the one that won the Academy Award, she’s in it. She’s jumping in. I mean, this is what Hollywood’s all about, showing people, don’t be true to your loved one. Bounce around.
And you want to know something? Kids get affected by this…
HANNITY: They do.
DIETL: … when they think no one can be sincere.
EHRLICH: And there’s a difference between cartoon violence, like it didn’t impact anybody, and real violence. I don’t want my 9-year-old seeing real adult violence either, and that’s the parents’ job. I’m just tired of Hollywood, their agenda. Unfortunately, the agenda are not fair (ph) today.
HANNITY: I don’t want lectures from Penn or Baldwin or any of these guys.
DIETL: He’s an actor. He’s a great actor.
MENENDEZ: It’s his moment. Let him have his moment.
HANNITY: He’s not that great of an actor. Denzel Washington is a great actor.
DIETL: He’s a friend of mine. I love him. He’s great.
HANNITY: Morgan Freeman is a great actor.
DIETL: He was with me on the — at the table for New Year’s Eve.
HANNITY: All right. We’ve got to run. Good to see you all. Thank you.
DIETL: Good man.
HANNITY: And coming up Obama says that he’s aiming to cut the deficit in half. Well, I guess that means that the tax cuts he promised for 95 percent of Americans are being left on the campaign trail, along with some of his other promises. Dick Morris next. He’ll break it all down, straight ahead.
What to Watch: Thursday
February 26, 2009 by Sarah
Yeah, Grey’s is a repeat, but don’t despair: we’ve got new Ugly Betty, Survivor and Hell’s Kitchen! Stay home and watch your favorite gay and lesbian TV personalities!
Can Spencer Survive?
> 8:00 PM Ugly Betty, ABC (1 hr) NEW
Betty and Marc get a look at Mode’s financial history. Something tells us it ain’t gonna be pretty.
> 8:00 PM Survivor: Tocantins, CBS (1 hr) NEW
Among those vying to be Sole Survivor is gay college student, Spencer Duhm.
> 9:00 PM Grey’s Anatomy, ABC (1 hr) REPEAT
In this repeat from November, we meet Erica’s replacement, an expert surgeon with Aspergers Syndrome. It may look like Callie’s the only one missing her ex girlfriend, but trust us: we miss her too. Still!
> 9:00 PM Hell’s Kitchen, Fox (1 hr) NEW
13 chefs remain to obtain the “head chef” position at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. One of the contestants is a lesbian from Las Vegas named LA.
NBC Adds a Gay Character (or Two) to Its Lineup
February 25, 2009 by Sarah
The new NBC drama Kings premieres March 15, and according to gay pop culture blog Queerty, the series will feature at least one, if not two, gay characters.
Sebastian Stan
According to NBC:
Kings is an inspiring exploration of the timeless David vs. Goliath struggle. The show is set in a modern metropolis under siege, where the fighting has gone on for too long and cost far too many lives. When David Shepherd, a brave young soldier, rescues the king’s son from enemy territory, he sets events in motion that will finally bring peace. Suddenly, David is thrust into the limelight, earning the affections of women – including the king’s daughter. When he’s promoted to Captain, he becomes the reluctant poster boy for hope. But for David, the line between his allies and enemies will blur as the power players in the kingdom go to great lengths to see him fall.
And now in Queerty’s words:
King Silas Benjamin (played by Ian McShane) showers all of his attention on handsome hero soldier David Shepherd (actor Chris Egan), who saved the life of his son, Prince Jack Benjamin (played by Sebastian Stan), in war. But Prince Jack is gay! Which means the king would rather leave his throne to his son’s savior, who is macho and straight and, unlike Prince Jack, does not have a gay boyfriend!
Will Kings rise to power, or be knocked off its throne? Tune in Sunday, March 15!
Delonas Controversy Is A Symptom Of A Larger Problem At The Post
February 25, 2009 by Justin Cole, GLAAD's Director of Digital Media
Last week, the controversy surrounding a cartoon by Sean Delonas, the New York Post editorial cartoonist, vaulted the New York City-based tabloid into the national spotlight. As we’ve written about here and here, the cartoon from Wednesday, February 18, depicted police officers having shot and killed a chimpanzee and made an implied reference to President Obama, saying, “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.”
Soon after the edition of the Post with Delonas’ racist cartoon hit newsstands, a chorus of voices began questioning and condemning both Sean Delonas and the leadership at the New York Post, focusing on Col Allan, the Post’s editor-in-chief.
The Reverend Al Sharpton and his National Action Network, the NAACP, ColorOfChange.org, New York Governor David Patterson, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and many other local and state officials were some of the first voices in a loud and growing outcry over the Post’s ugly defamation.
GLAAD was also one of the voices joining in this chorus. We put together a slideshow of Delonas’ defamatory and anti-LGBT cartoons and issued a national Call to Action, asking supporters to contact the Post and its parent company, News Corp. As part of our mission and ongoing work, we felt it was important that continuing conversations about Delonas’ latest offense be put in the context of his long history of defamatory attacks, including those against LGBT people
It is also critical to note, however, that Delonas’ work is just a symptom of a larger problem at the New York Post. After all, activists formed GLAAD in 1985 as a direct result of the Post’s deplorable and defamatory coverage of the AIDS epidemic during the 1980’s.
Through the years, the Post has continued to engage in exploitative tabloid sensationalism of LGBT issues. Just since 2000, when Col Allan began his tenure as editor in chief, if you picked up a New York Post you could find headlines such as, “Tranny Heaven,” “Free to be He-She,” “Attack of the Killer Lesbians,” and many more (see the slideshow with more headlines below). In response, GLAAD issued numerous Calls to Action and the Post has made the “Worst” list on our “Best and Worst of National News” multiple times.
We’ve repeatedly had our supporters – our community and our allies – rise up and call for a change in the way the Post covers LGBT issues. Unfortunately, a majority of the time the calls and the letters and the protests have fallen on deaf ears.
Yesterday, news came that Rupert Murdoch, Chairman of the New York Post, had decided to publish a statement on the recent controversial Sean Delonas cartoon:
“As the Chairman of the New York Post, I am ultimately responsible for what is printed in its pages. The buck stops with me.
Last week, we made a mistake. We ran a cartoon that offended many people. Today I want to personally apologize to any reader who felt offended, and even insulted.
Over the past couple of days, I have spoken to a number of people and I now better understand the hurt this cartoon has caused. At the same time, I have had conversations with Post editors about the situation and I can assure you – without a doubt – that the only intent of that cartoon was to mock a badly written piece of legislation. It was not meant to be racist, but unfortunately, it was interpreted by many as such.
We all hold the readers of the New York Post in high regard and I promise you that we will seek to be more attuned to the sensitivities of our community.”
But looking through the catalog of anti-LGBT Sean Delonas cartoons and reflecting on the Post’s long history of hurtful and defamatory coverage, it is clear that real, substantive change needs to be made at the New York Post, and that change needs to come from the top.
Therefore, we at GLAAD are calling on Rupert Murdoch to take real and appropriate measures to stop the defamation at the New York Post.
Rupert Murdoch
Chairman and Chief Executive
News Corporation
1211 Avenue of Americas
8th Floor
NY, NY 10036
Phone: 212-852-7000 (Ask for Mr. Murdoch’s office)
E-Mail: rmurdoch@newscorp.com
You can also CC the News Corp Press Contacts on your email:
Teri Everett, Senior Vice President
Corporate Affairs & Communications
Phone: 212-852-7070
E-Mail: teverett@newscorp.com
Jack Horner, Director
Corporate Affairs & Communications
Phone: 212-852-7952
E-Mail: jhorner@newscorp.com
Why Rupert Murdoch? Well, in Murdoch’s own words, “The buck stops with me.” As Chairman of the Post and owner of News Corp, which own the Post along with Fox News and The Wall Street Journal, the responsibility ultimately lies at his feet.
And after all, it’s clear that his editor in chief, Col Allan, won’t be a credible agent of change here.
Look through some of the Post’s coverage below and stand with GLAAD and its allies by calling on Rupert Murdoch to take real and appropriate measures to stop the New York Post from continuing its hurtful, inaccurate, and defamatory depictions and portrayals.
You can click here to view the individual images.
Sample of New York Post Stories:
- December 2008 – ‘60s By Cher
- December 2008 – Woman to Claim ‘Tranny Defense’ in Murder Trial
- September 2008 – Ye-She-Va
- March 2008 – Tranny Heaven
- February 2008 – Axis of She-Vil
- January 2008 – EVIL LESBIAN MOM LEFT TODDLER TO DIE SLOW DEATH: DA
- December 2007 – Lesbian ‘Killer’s’ Bitter Truth
- November 2007 – Lesbian ‘Killer’s’ Mental Woe
- April 2007 – Attack of the Killer Lesbians
- February 2007 – Free to Be He-She
- March 2005 – HE-SHE FUMES OVER DOOR DISS
- May 2001 – SCHOOL KILLS MOTHER’S DAY
Sean Delonas Cartoons:
- Click here for a slideshow of defamatory and anti-LGBT cartoons.
GLAAD Actions:
- December 2008 – New York Post Continues to Denigrate the Transgender Community
- June 2008 – New York Post Cartoon Takes an Immature Swing at Gay Couples
- June 2008 – Call To Action: New York Post Publishes Juvenile Cartoon Swipe at Gay Couples
- February 2008 – New York Post Prints Two Dehumanizing Headlines About LGBT People
- January 2008 – NY POST ARTICLE FEATURES GRATUITOUS AND SENSATIONAL HEADLINE
- November 2007 – The New York Post Continues to Defame the Transgender Community
- October 2007 – GLAAD Condemns Dehumanizing New York Post Column
- July 2007 – NY POST PUBLISHES YET ANOTHER GRATUITOUS VULGAR ANTI-GAY CARTOON
- June 2001 – New York Post’s Homophobia, AIDS-phobia Continue
- May 2001 – Homophobia and the New York Post
What to Watch: Wednesday
February 25, 2009 by Sarah
The drama continues on The Real World: Brooklyn, airing tonight on MTV at 10 PM. Watch for the three LGBT cast members: JD is gay, Sarah is bi and Katelynn is transgender. Tune in to watch history unfold!
Penelope Cruz Se Gana Premio Con Papel de Artista Bisexual
February 24, 2009 by Monica Trasandes, GLAAD's Director of Spanish Language Media
Penelope Cruz ganó un premio Oscar en Hollywood febrero 22 por su actuación en la película “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” donde Penelope sobresale en el papel de una pintora talentosa, apasionada, un poco loca y … bisexual. La película tambien fue nominada por un premio GLAAD (para mas sobre los premios GLAAD visite glaad.org).
Felicitaciones Penelope!
Penelope Cruz Takes Home an Oscar for her Role as a Bisexual Artist
Penelope Cruz won an Oscar at the Feb. 22 ceremony in Hollywood for her role as the talented, passionate a little crazy and … bisexual painter in the film “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” The film was also nominated for a GLAAD media Award (for more on the GLAAD Media Awards, please visit glaad.org).
Congratulations Penelope!
NAACP Supports Repeal of Prop 8
February 24, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
As many blogs have noted, over the weekend the NAACP published a statement voicing support for the repeal of California’s Proposition 8. The NAACP’s statement, send out as a press release, was posted in full at Pam’s House Blend:
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People today announced support of measures before the California legislature challenging Proposition 8, which altered the California Constitution to deny same-sex couples the freedom to marry and equal protection under the law.
In a letter to legislative leaders, NAACP national board chair Julian Bond and President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous urged passage of House Resolution 5 and Senate Resolution 7 to put the legislature on record calling for invalidation of Prop. 8 as an improper and dangerous alteration of the California Constitution.
“The NAACP’s mission is to help create a society where all Americans have equal protection and opportunity under the law,” said President Jealous. “Our Mission Statement calls for the ‘equality of rights of all persons.’ Prop. 8 strips same-sex couples of a fundamental freedom, as defined by the California State Supreme Court. In so doing, it poses a serious threat to all Americans. Prop. 8 is a discriminatory, unprecedented change to the California Constitution that, if allowed to stand, would undermine the very purpose of a constitution and courts – assuring equal protection and opportunity for all and safeguarding minorities from the tyranny of the majority.”
SR 7, sponsored by Equality California (EQCA), will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 24th and will proceed to the full Senate for a vote shortly thereafter. Its companion bill, HR 5, also sponsored by EQCA, passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee on Feb. 17th and is eligible for a vote before the full Assembly as early as today.
The California State Conference of the NAACP filed briefs with the California Supreme Court in the legal challenge against Prop. 8, arguing that the measure drastically alters the equal protection guarantee in California’s Constitution and that the rights of a minority cannot be eliminated by a simple majority vote. Several other civil rights organizations, faith leaders, unions and leading corporations also filed briefs urging the invalidation of Prop. 8.
“The NAACP has long opposed any proposal that would alter the federal or state constitutions for the purpose of excluding any groups or individuals from guarantees of equal protection,” said Chairman Bond. “We urge the legislature to declare that Proposition 8 did not follow the proper protective process and should be overturned as an invalid alteration that vitiated crucial constitutional safeguards and fundamental American values, threatening civil rights and all vulnerable minorities.”
The National Black Justice Coalition (NJBC) spoke to The Advocate about the NAACP’s support:
Alexander Robinson, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, an LGBT rights organization that encouraged this NAACP support, said that the NAACP letter represented forward movement for the 100-year old organization. “It’s consistent in that they have always opposed constitutional bans,” he observed, “but I think that weighing in so clearly on an action that would have the effect of reinstituting marriage given that they still have not taken a position on gay marriage is a significant step forward.”
GLAAD applauds the NAACP, which has been working closely with both the NBJC and Freedom to Marry around this and other LGBT issues. We encourage mainstream media to cover this angle of the Prop 8 story, especially in light of reports that misrepresented and distorted support of Prop 8 by black voters.
Presbyterians and Lutherans Opening Up To Gay Clergy In Partnered Relationships
February 24, 2009 by Ann @ GLAAD
Presbyterians and Lutherans are experiencing a sea change in attitudes about LGBT people and media is following it closely. Both denominations have been slowly opening the doors to gay people after decades of advocacy. LGBT groups are more engaged than ever in using media to win hearts and minds.
The Presbyterian activists circulated a press release through Religion News Service when early results suggested a positive trend—and Lutherans convened a teleconference call with journalists which garnered international coverage by The Associated Press and Reuters wire services.
On Thursday, February 19, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) released a draft statement on Human Sexuality that recommends recognition of gay pastors in committed relationships.
Lutheran gay and lesbian activists affirm the move but deeply disagree with the lack of support for marriage or even civil unions. The statement now goes through one more review before it goes to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly next August for a final vote.
At the last Churchwide Assembly, in 2007, 82 ministers came out and the denomination recommended that bishops “refrain” from disciplinary action.
The Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) is in the middle of 173 regional “presbyteries” voting on a constitutional amendment. Surprisingly and significantly, 15 conservative presbyteries such as North Carolina, Alabama, rural Illinois, southwest Texas, Arkansas and others voted in favor of the amendment to remove the requirement of “chastity” for openly gay clergy—a defacto ban. It could go down to the wire.
For an ongoing tally of the votes, go to Presbyweb.
Korean Court Convicts Man for Raping Transgender Woman
February 24, 2009 by Andy Marra, Senior Media Strategist @ GLAAD
In a landmark ruling, a Korean Court found a 28-year-old man guilty for robbing and raping a transgender woman last August. The 58-year-old woman found the man breaking into her home. He stole 100,000 won ($70USD) and then proceeded to rape her.
Busan District Court
The Busan District Court convicted the man and sentenced him to three years in prison, but suspended his sentence for four years. The court also ordered him to complete 120 hours of community service.
Prosecutors originally tried to secure a five-year sentence.
Yonhap, the state news agency produced two stories (text and audio) on the legal milestone. Other media outlets like the The Korea Herald and The Chosun Ilbo have also generated coverage on the sexual assault case.
The verdict signals another milestone for transgender Koreans. In 2006, the South Korean Supreme Court ruled in favor of a transgender woman’s request to amend her gender on official documents. The South Korean military reformulated its medical examination procedures, making transgender people eligible to serve.
Ha Ri-su and Micky Chung
Ha Ri-su, the famous transgender Korean singer and actress, was then able to apply for amended identification that reflected her gender.
She was also able to legally marry her partner, Micky Chung. The couple plans on adopting children in the future.
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea has played a leading role for ensuring transgender people among other minority groups are protected and upheld in law and policy.
In 2006, GLAAD met with a delegation from the top human rights group. We spent time with the delegation to provide resources and guidance for their national LGBT efforts.
Korea’s continued progress for protecting all of its citizesn regardless of their gender identity is absolutely worth its weight in media coverage. Hopefully, these stories will propel similar advances in the region and around the world.
Members of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea
