NBC Today Show’s Meredith Vieira Apologizes for Post Oscar Comments
March 10, 2010 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
NBC “Today Show” co-host, Meredith Vieira made comments during Monday’s post Academy Awards coverage that generated a substantial number of complaints. During a celebratory interview with the cast of the multi-award winning movie, The Hurt Locker, Vieira jokingly made reference to a past hug between actors Anthony Mackie and Jeremy Renner at the time the film was nominated.
VIEIRA: “You hugged him pretty tight, I must say, in the moment. There was a lot of man lovin’ goin’ on last night. Do I have reason to be worried?”
Anthony Mackie then offered a heartfelt response, completely disarming the idea that there may be a problem with two men embracing.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Vieira has a long track record of supporting our community so the remarks did come as a surprise. GLAAD also heard from multiple constituents who were offended by what she said. That’s when we got on the phone with Vieira to voice concerns and ask her to address the issue. We had a very productive conversation and in the end we walked away knowing her heart is in the right place and she had no intention of causing harm for LGBT people.
She even sent along a statement of explanation and an apology which she asked GLAAD to distribute:
“During an interview with the cast of the hurt locker on Monday, I turned to actor Anthony Mackie and made a joke about “man hugging” in reference to a hug he and fellow actor Jeremy Renner had shared a few weeks earlier on our air. It was meant to be lighthearted, but some were offended by what they believed to be a homophobic comment. That was never my intent, but that doesn’t matter. Words are extremely powerful and should never be chosen lightly, even in a lighthearted moment. I apologize to any and all that I offended. My support of the gay and lesbian community is longstanding and well documented. It has not and will never waver.”
GLAAD thanks Meredith Vieira for listening to concerns, addressing this issue sincerely and for using this moment to educate the public on how words can hurt. We continue to value her as an ally and a friend.
Related Posts:CBS Needs to Improve on Inclusion of LGBT People
January 31, 2010 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
On Friday GLAAD called on CBS to address an apparent bias in its Super Bowl advertising decisions after CBS declined to air a commercial with gay content during the Super Bowl because the “creative is not within the Network’s Broadcast Standards for Super bowl Sunday.”
“CBS has a problem when they do something like this at the same time as they allow an anti-gay group like Focus on the Family to place ads during the Super Bowl,” said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios. “This network should come clean to the public about what’s going on because this seems to be a homophobic double standard.”
Earlier in the week, GLAAD released a Call to Action for community members and allies to speak out when CBS allowed the anti-gay group Focus on the Family to advertise during the Super Bowl after having unfairly denied that ability to the LGBT-inclusive United Church of Christ in previous years.
Adam Lambert Performing at the American Music Awards in 2009
This latest controversy is not the first time that CBS has been called out for failing to be LGBT inclusive. In November 2009, GLAAD released a statement calling out another double standard when CBS The Early Show blurred Adam Lambert’s same-sex kiss in a news segment showing his appearance at the American Music Awards.
“I would have hoped CBS would provide the same treatment for images of gay and lesbian people and not create an unfair double standard that treats our community differently,” said GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios at the time. “CBS regularly shows kisses throughout every daypart. The kiss was not blurred on ABC nor in news coverage on other networks. While we continue to applaud The Early Show for featuring Adam Lambert today, we have reached out to the show’s producers to express our concerns about their decision and offer ways they can make their coverage of gay and transgender people more fair.”
CBS The Early Show last year also came under fire from GLAAD and Media Matters for America after they hosted anti-gay commentator Ann Coulter and gave her a platform to promote her latest book.
CBS’ fictional programming is equally as controversial when it comes to LGBT inclusion. In GLAAD’s Network Responsibility Index, an annual report that maps the quantity, quality and diversity of images of LGBT people on television, CBS received a “failing” rating last year. CBS was the only broadcast network to post a significant decline, having received an Adequate rating the previous year.
CBS saw the greatest decline among the broadcast networks, dropping to last place among broadcast networks with 60 hours (5%) of LGBT-inclusive content, out of 1,148 total hours of primetime programming. As in the past, the bulk of CBS’ LGBT impressions (72%) came from its alternative and reality programming.
CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler acknowledged her network’s deficit in LGBT representation and pledged to work toward greater inclusion. However, CBS continues to disappoint with zero LGBT series regular characters and only one recurring LGBT character this season.
But CBS does know how to include LGBT people in news and entertainment programming in a fair and accurate way. The New Adventures of Old Christine featured the wedding between Christine and her best friend Barb in 2008 and raised important awareness about the legal and social problems that LGBT couples face. This storyline resulted in the show receiving the GLAAD Media Award last year for Outstanding Individual Episode – in a Series without a Regular LGBT Character. Also, CBS The Early Show featured an interview with transgender Methodist minister David Weekly and his wife in 2009, providing viewers an important window into the lives of transgender people of faith. The segment is nominated for a GLAAD Media Award.
But CBS’ recent decisions regarding advertisements for the Super Bowl clearly demonstrate that the network needs to have a candid conversation with the LGBT community about what is going on and do more to include stories and images of our lives. GLAAD will be requesting meetings with executives at CBS to address the apparent double standards and advocate for greater LGBT inclusion.
Taco Bell Addresses Reports That Transphobic Radio Ads Are Still Airing
January 25, 2010 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
On January 13 GLAAD reached out to Taco Bell Corporation after receiving numerous complaints about a transphobic radio commercial that was airing across the country. BorderHouse blog published the most complete description of its content on January 7th:
“Some male tells a female (presumably his wife or girlfriend) that it’s a surprise that there is nacho cheese in a layer of the Taco Bell burrito. The woman responds with “Well, I have a surprise for you. I was born male, my name was Claudio” and her voice is lowered several octaves. After which, the male says ‘Ew.’”
GLAAD contacted Taco Bell’s Media Relations staff about the collective outcry over the use of someone’s transgender identity as the punch line of a joke and Taco Bell spokesman Rob Poetsch swiftly issued this statement:
“We sincerely apologize as the ad was not meant to offend anyone and as soon as it was brought to our attention, we immediately stopped airing it.”
Unfortunately GLAAD has received several reports that the problematic ad is still running in places like Indianapolis, Indiana, Cincinnati, Ohio and Hampton Roads, Virginia. The Advocate Magazine also reported hearing a similar commercial on Sunday morning in Los Angeles on KIIS-FM during Ryan Seacrest’s weekly American Top 40 countdown. According to the Advocate, “In this ad, after a fight between the man and the woman, the woman says, “Well then I don’t feel so guilty telling you… [I wasn't born] Martha.” The woman’s voice then changes to a man’s voice, which says, “I’m Marvin.”
We reached out to Taco Bell to ask that the company rectify this situation immediately and explain why the problematic commercials are still reportedly running in several markets. Taco Bell issued this response:
“We are very concerned to have learned that over the weekend some stations were airing a radio ad that we instructed them to remove on January 14. In the process of replacing the ad, we discovered that some stations inadvertently ran the original commercial. We sincerely apologize that this ad ran again and offended people. We’re in the process of contacting all of our radio partners to ensure that the original ad never airs again. We appreciate that GLAAD brought this to our attention so that we could take immediate action.”
We appreciate Taco Bell issuing this apology but urge our members to hold the company accountable for fair advertising standards moving forward. If you hear anti-LGBT radio commercials in your local area please contact GLAAD immediately at nationalnews@glaad.org and tell us what time the commercial aired, on what station, and in what city. Taco Bell must live up to its word, pull all of the spots immediately, and cease defaming LGBT people in all future advertisements. GLAAD and the community will be listening.
Related Posts:USA Today’s Craig Wilson Is A Shining Example of Acceptance Through Visibility
December 3, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
USA Today columnist Craig Wilson, who writes the paper’s Wednesday Final Word spotlight, always communicates with class and elegance. His decades-long career, spent sharing slice of life stories, has brought immense joy to his countless readers throughout the country. From time to time Wilson also includes anecdotes about his longtime life partner, Jack. He weaves those stories into his writing with a wit and wisdom that resonates with people from a variety of backgrounds, and his openness and honesty has even earned him past GLAAD Awards nominations.
This week Wilson took the opportunity to write about celebrating 25 years with Jack. The Column, “It started with a chance encounter and leftovers,” chronicled how the couple met and why their relationship works, while pondering how certain couples are destined to stay together for a lifetime and others are not.
He also touched on the importance of supportive family members and his aspirations for staying with Jack for life.
Wilson’s column prompted a wave of heartfelt letters that he shared with GLAAD. Here’s a sampling of some of the responses:
——————————-
At first I appreciated your articles and your wittiness and looked forward to Wednesday’s paper under my hotel door. Then I read about Jack. At first I was mildly offended that you were putting your lifestyle in my face. I continued to read and continued to be “connected” to you, Jack and your mom.
In today’s column (December 2) I read about your 25th anniversary with Jack. I’ve come full circle and I believe I’m more tolerant of others in small part because of you and your columns.
Keep writing and I hope (as you say in your column) you can give Jack another 25 years.
——————————-
Please understand that some young gay or lesbian will read your article and know that they can have the American dream. They can fall in love with someone, regardless of gender, and have a life together. Your article gives these young people hope. Your article shows them that they ARE normal and can have everything they want out of life.
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Our son is gay – lives and works in NYC and shares an apartment with his partner. My wife and I can’t possibly understand what it is like to be gay in America but thankfully, there seems to be far more understanding in America today than in the 1960’s. Our son and his partner will join my wife and I, and our daughter for Christmas this year as we as a family have done since our marriage in 1970. I enjoyed this column in that you talked a bit about your history and how it all looks from your perspective. While our family accepts the fact our son is gay, and love him without question, his partner does not quite enjoy the same luxury. He has essentially been disowned by his family so he has been with us every Christmas and we consider him our own in every way he deserves. I won’t hazard a guess as to just when, in this nation’s history, gay marriage, rights, and equality with heterosexual individuals will stand on the same level and the same balance; maybe not in our lifetime. I thank you for today’s column.
——————————-
My partner called me last night (we work 84 miles apart and so sometimes she stays overnight near her workplace). The gay marriage bill had just been defeated in New York, but instead of venting over that, she said to me — “did you read Craig’s column today?”
I hadn’t (having taught graduate classes til 10PM and it was only then 11)…she said, ”be sure to read it!”….
As a journalist, I imagine you like to know when your story resonates with others – well — your column was SOOO “right on”. My partner and I have been together 31 years… met during a chance encounter….and have had our ups and downs, too. We are as different as night and day…but complement each other in all the important ways. We’ve had our differences, and our hard times….but we’re in it for the long haul.…
My best to you and Jack….and know that, probably all over the US last night and this morning, couples read your piece, and applaud the fact that you celebrated the longlasting love of gay and lesbian couples…whether we can be “married” or not!!!
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Hi, Craig, I’m one of your many friends on Facebook, and also a long time reader of your column. I just wanted to say I’m happy that you and Jack have been together for 25 years. I’ve been married to my husband for almost 21 years. It’ll be 21 years next February. I guess we’re doing something right. Our parents on both sides are just like yours, their marriage ended only when one partner died. (Both of us have lost our dads.)
I first found out about Jack probably about six or seven years ago when you mentioned him in one of your columns. I paused for a few seconds, thought about it, and decided that your private life was just that, private, and that I liked your column too much to care. I’ve been right all this time, I still really like your column. Usually I find USA Today in rental cars (I work for a rental car company) and when I find a Wednesday paper, your column is the first thing I look for. I still find it funny that even though you are from a different part of the country and about 16 years older than me, that we still agree on a lot of stuff. I read your column and find myself nodding in agreement or laughing out loud. And if I can’t find a Wednesday paper, I just read your column online.
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I have read every one of your columns and have enjoyed your writing long before I realized we had something in common. My husband and I are now in our 29th year together. We enjoy your sharing and we appreciate the open support of USA Today who appears to be committed to the concept of a global community. You deliver normalcy which is something we do not always experience, particularly in view of our locale. The likelihood of equality in Georgia is highly unlikely, but articles about life that just happen to be written by a gay author give us hope that someday everyone can be seen as an equal. Your wit and charm are a joy. Thank you for sharing your life with us and for making a difference by just being yourself.
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I just read your article about you and your partner in the USA Today. It was refreshing to read about a gay relationship that has lasted through the years. I’m 26 years old and in love and hoping that we can make it too. He and I are both opposites as well but somehow we click in the face of all adversity. We both live in Oklahoma which isn’t always the most the most accepting of gay people. Thanks again for sharing this story. It was wonderful.
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These varied responses to Wilson’s column about his 25 years with Jack, vividly illustrate how getting to know someone, whether a friend, a co-worker, or even a trusted columnist, can make a difference in how you feel about people who happen to be gay. Wilson and his partner Jack have the same hopes, aspirations and experiences as everyone, and Wilson’s columns provide a meaningful bridge to the common ground we all share as human beings. Bravo Craig Wilson– for your beautiful words that inspire courage, open hearts and change the world. And congratulations on 25 glorious years with Jack! We here at GLAAD are cheering you on all the way!
Related Posts:
Topeka, Kansas Constituents Report Anti-Gay Infomercial Airing in Their Market
June 23, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
Yesterday, we told you about the American Family Association’s anti-gay infomercial, Speechless: Silencing the Christians resurfacing on three television stations, one in North Carolina and two in California.
Today we are hearing from from constituents in Tokepa, Kansas that the same paid program aired on KSNT-TV in Topeka Kansas on Sunday, June 21. Thank you to Topeka based LGBT advocate Diane Silver for first alerting us about it and posting information on her blog, In This Moment.
We encourage Topeka residents to reach out to KSNT-TV using the contact info below. Help them understand why you are deeply concerned that they could be providing a platform for an out-of-state anti-gay group to create a climate of fear and hostility in your community.
As always, please use a respectful, approachable tone and appropriate language when voicing your concerns about this program.
KSNT-TV – Topeka, KS
Lisa Hickey, Program Director
(785) 582-5100
lhickey@ksnt.com
Jean Turnbough, General Manager
(785) 582-3240
jturnbough@ksnt.com
Related Posts:Cathy Gragg, Local Sales Manager
(785) 582-5100
cgragg@ksnt.com
Anti-Gay Infomercial Resurfaces in North Carolina and California
June 22, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
Back in February, we blogged about partnering with LGBT community members and leaders in several local markets who were responding to an anti-gay infomercial titled Speechless: Silencing the Christians, which was produced by the American Family Association. Local expressions of concern led stations in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Columbus, Ohio to either decline to air the infomercial or postpone airing it indefinitely.
Just this week GLAAD has received three more reports of constituents spotting the anti-gay paid program on their local affiliates. One person saw it in West Hollywood, California on Independent Cable Channel, KDOC on Sunday, June 21, where it aired from 7 to 8 p.m. Another GLAAD constituent alerted us that the infomercial aired on WJZY the CW Channel 46 in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday, June 20 from 9 to 10 p.m. And we heard from other GLAAD constituents that the program aired on KMPH Fox 26 in Fresno, California on Sunday, June 21 (Special thank you to these twitter users for the heads up on Fresno: Gayrainarmy, k8cch14 and jace78).
We appreciate our members alerting us to this information and urge local constituents to take their cue from other local folks who saw this program in the past and spoke out about the fear-mongering rhetoric contained in the hour-long piece. GLAAD’s Senior Director of Media Programs Rashad Robinson had this to say in his Huffington Post opinion piece about this issue last February:
The infomercial was created and financed by the anti-gay American Family Association and features interviews with anti-gay activists who make a series of predictable, breathless, fear-mongering claims about LGBT people and equality.
As you would expect, the video is propaganda, pure and simple — manufactured to perpetuate a climate of hostility toward our community and to create a culture where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are less safe, less secure, and where our families are put in harm’s way.
Robinson also went on to advise local activists how to respond if this program comes to a market near them:
And it’s critical that local community members across the country be vigilant should the AFA try to place this propaganda in their local markets, and be ready to effectively explain why the public’s airwaves should not be used to sow seeds of fear, hostility and malice in the communities they serve.
While it is sad that anti-gay activists want to continue to perpetuate fears about our community, at the end of the day, it’s all they have left. Every day, more and more Americans are getting to know and understand LGBT people and our families. For those whose opinions of our lives are becoming more favorable, the single greatest contributing factor is knowing someone who is gay or lesbian. And as more Americans see and know us as we are, our opponents’ myths, attacks and defamatory stereotypes will continue to fall on ever-growing numbers of deaf ears.
We hope that people who live in the markets served by the three stations that are reportedly now airing this anti-gay infomercial will reach out to the stations using the contact info below. Help them understand why you are deeply concerned that they could be providing a platform for an out-of-state anti-gay group to create a climate of fear and hostility in your community.
As always, please use a respectful, approachable tone and appropriate language when voicing your concerns about this program.
KDOC-TV- Santa Ana, California
Janice Mansfield, Program Director
(949) 442-9800
jmansfield@kdoc.tv
John Manzi, General Manager
(949) 442-9800
jmanzi@kdoc.com
WJZY-TV (The CW)- Charlotte, North Carolina
Joe Heaton, Programming Manager
(704) 944-3340
jheaton@wjzy.com
Will Davis
Vice President and General Manager
(704) 944-3305
KMPH FOX 26-TV – Fresno, California
Debbie Sweeney
Program Director
T. (559) 453-8850
dsweeney@kmph.com
Jack Peck
Vice President & General Manager
T. (559) 453-8850
viewercomments@kmph.com
Related Posts:J.R. Jackson
General Sales Manager
(559) 453-8850
jrjackson@kmph.com
Sacramento Based Radio Hosts Defame, Advocate Violence Against Transgender Children
June 1, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
GLAAD is currently working with the Trans Youth Family Allies to respond to a highly defamatory radio broadcast on KRXQ-FM in Sacramento, California on May 28.
In a long tirade on the Rob, Arnie & Dawn in the Morning radio show, heard in Sacramento, California on KRXQ 98.5FM, hosts Rob Williams and Arnie States verbally attacked transgender children when discussing a recent story about a transgender child and her parents’ decision to support her transition in Omaha, NE.
Hosts of the show Rob Arnie & Dawn
The two hosts spent more than 30 minutes making highly derogatory comments about transgender children and promoting child abuse as a so-called “cure” for their gender identity.
GLAAD has reached out to KRXQ management to communicate our serious concerns and demand an apology. We are waiting for their reply.
We’ll have much more information on the incident tomorrow, so please check back for updates. In the meantime if you’d like to voice your concerns please reach out to these contacts:
John Geary
Vice President & General Manager
KRXQ-FM
(916) 339-4209
jgeary@entercom.com
Arnie States
On Air Personality
KRXQ-FM
(916) 334-7777
rad@robarnieanddawn.com
Rob Williams
On Air Personality
KRXQ-FM
(916) 334-7777
rwilliams@entercom.com
When contacting KRXQ , please ensure that your emails and phone calls are civil and respectful and do not engage in the kind of name-calling or abusive behavior that we are expressing our concerns about.
LA Screening: “For My Wife” Friday, May 29
May 26, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
If you’re in Los Angeles on Friday, May 29th, you should definitely consider checking out the documentary, “For My Wife,” featuring the compelling story of Charlene Strong and her fight for marriage equality.
Charlene Strong with late partner Kate Flemming
Strong lost her partner Kate Flemming after a tragic flooding incident in Seattle in late 2006, and was nearly barred from seeing Flemming in her last moments of life. Strong’s heart wrenching testimony about the hospital ordeal helped prompt Washington State to pass domestic partnership protections for same-sex couples.
You can read more about Charlene’s story here.
And here are the details on Friday’s Los Angeles screening:
The HRC, Women On A Roll, and the Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce are proud to join the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center to present . . .an award-winning documentary film for my wife… a Love Story on Marriage Equality
For My Wife
Friday, May 29th
The Village at Ed Gould Plaza
1125 N. McCadden Place, Los Angeles 90038
6:30pm Cocktail Reception – with Guest Mixologist Whitney
8:00pm Screening for my wife…
9:30-10pm Q&A with filmmakers
Tickets are $20.00 – BUY TICKETS
($25.00 at the door – while seats last)
Includes screening & cocktail reception
Benefitting organizations in support of Equal Rights
For more information on the film visit the For My Wife website.
GLAAD has worked with Charlene Strong consistently for nearly two years to bring attention to her story and the stories of countless others who have faced hospital visitation issues and other difficult circumstances brought on by a lack of marriage protections. We applaud her efforts and will continue working with her as she continues her journey towards equality for all same-sex couples.
GLAAD Set To Participate In May 30th Panel, “Putting the ‘B’ in LGBT”
May 20, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center of New York City is joining forces with the Bi Writers Association for a May 30th Summit, “Putting the “B” in LGBT. The Saturday event runs from 11 AM to 6:30 PM.
The half day gathering brings highly accomplished bi advocates, activists and key media professionals together with concerned community members to discuss how all parties can promote fair and inclusive portrayals of bi people and issues
You can read more about the summit here. And here is an excerpt:
“Many people aren’t quite sure how the ‘B’ fits into LGBT,” says Bruce Anderson, Interim Executive Director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center “as a result, mention of bisexual people often goes missing from discussion of LGBT rights issues like marriage equality, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and ENDA in press releases, media coverage and political speeches.”
“We want to marry our same-sex partners, want to stop getting kicked out of the military, need non-discrimination protection at work and hate crimes laws on the street… these issues are very important to the bi community,” says Sheela Lambert, Founder of the Bi Writers Association. “Accuracy of reporting on LGBT issues is compromised when bisexual people are left out of the equation,” Lambert points out.
I’ll be speaking on a panel from 5 to 6:30. It is the closing plenary discussion “Putting the “B” in LGBT: How can we do a better job?”
In my four years as GLAAD’s National News Director I’ve worked closely with bi activists across the country to respond to media reports that seek to sensationalize bi issues or deem bi people invisible. The May 30th panel will focus on educating journalists about how to cover bi issues in the most fair and responsible way.
For more information on the panel contact:
Sheela Lambert
917-583-1797
info@biwriters.org
www.biwriters.org
GLAAD Media Resource: Sexual Orientation and Hate Crime Legislation
May 8, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
A few opponents of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 — known as the Matthew Shepard Act in the U.S. Senate — have been making inaccurate claims about the scope of the protections enumerated in the legislation.
The legislation expands existing federal hate crimes law (which currently covers actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, national origin and religion) to include violent crimes based on the victim’s sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and/or disability.
Opponents of this legislation have begun claiming that sexual orientation also includes items that are classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as “paraphilias.” This is false; the two are not synonymous, and paraphilias are not covered by this legislation.
This false claim, promulgated largely on far-right Web sites, is the latest in a long history of attempts by anti-gay activists to advance a myth that being gay is a psychiatric disorder and that gay people are a danger to society.
GLAAD strongly urges media to avoid allowing their outlets to be used to disseminate this false claim.
For additional information on the DSM, contact:
Dr. Jack Drescher, M.D.
Consultant, Committee on Public Affairs
Past Chair, Committee on GLB Issues
American Psychiatric Association
(212) 645-2232
WJLA Host Threatens LGBT Blogger Michael Rogers With Violence
May 8, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
On May 6, Washington D.C. based WJLA-TV host Doug McKelway made an on-air threat of violence against LGBT Blogger Michael Rogers of PageOneQ. The incident happened during a segment on the program, Let’s Talk Live.
During a heated interview McKelway said he’d like to give Rogers “a punch across the face.”
In a follow up segment on May 7, McKelway adamantly refused to apologize for his dangerous remarks.
You can also view both videos here.
You can also read more on the incident here and here.
Take Action
Write to WJLA and voice your concerns about McKelway’s threat of violence toward Michael Rogers and his refusal to issue an apology. Demand that WJLA hold the host accountable for using his platform to promote violence.
Alex Likowski, News Director
WJLA-TV
(703) 236-9368
alex@news8.net
Doug McKelway, Anchor
WJLA-TV
(703) 236-9368
dmckelway@wjla.com
CarMax Agrees to Pull Problematic Advertisement Following GLAAD Outreach
April 30, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
GLAAD constituents alerted us this week to a problematic advertisement by CarMax, a Richmond, Virginia based used car company with 100 stores across the country. After reviewing the ad we immediately reached out to the company.
The ad, titled, “Smart: Pick-up Artist” depicts a man in a coffee shop trying to get the attention of a person he believes to be a female customer with long hair. He stands behind the person and says:
“Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?”
But when the person with long hair turns around and appears to be male, the man making the advance reacts with shock. The picture freezes on the both men’s reaction and the words “not smart,” appear on the screen. The announcer says:
That is not smart. What is smart is shopping at CarMax. With thousands of cars priced at 12-thousand or less the right one for you is ready today.
Then a CarMax employee says to the customer who had made the earlier advance and is now looking at a car on a lot full of cars:
“So is she the one?”
He responds:
“I love her.”
Announcer then concludes with:
“Now more than ever the smart choice is CarMax, the way car buying should be.”
GLAAD called public relations representatives at CarMax and asked that the ad be removed from their website and pulled from the local markets where it is airing. We explained that it gave the impression that a man hitting on a man or being gay is not ok or “not smart,” as the ad said. It also played on troubling gender stereotypes about being “fooled” and then “shocked” after realizing someone is not the “right” sex.
CarMax representatives listened to our concerns and agreed to pull the ad from the website and remove it from further airings in local markets. They also discussed potentially collaborating with GLAAD on future ad campaigns to ensure they are in line with fair, accurate and inclusive standards.
This is the link to the removed ad but you can view other ads that were part of the same campaign.
You can view the CarMax diversity policy here.
It states:
Our commitment to diversity
We are committed to welcoming, respecting, and celebrating the unique attributes of our Associates, customers, and communities.
We recognize the value that diversity contributes to our organization and the competitive advantage we can maintain by having a broad range of talents, perspectives, and ideas with a commitment to continuously improving our business.
GLAAD appreciates that CarMax listened to our concerns and realized that the “pick-up artist” ad was not in line with its own diversity policy. We applaud the company for pulling the offensive content and look forward to keeping an an open dialogue.
CarMax sent us a note this morning confirming the ad would be pulled and indicating their willingness to communicate with us in the future:
CarMax appreciates the open dialogue with GLAAD.
We want to continue this dialogue and build upon that relationship.
Lesbian Mom Gets Deportation Reprieve
April 23, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
Shirley Tan (R) with her family and Sen. Barbara Boxer. Courtesy of The Examiner.com.
Great news to report about a lesbian mother of two we told you about several weeks ago who was in danger of being deported to the Philippines and separated from her family.
Shirley Tan of Pacifica, California was set to be taken from her partner of 23 years, Jaylynn Mercado, and their 12-year old twin boys after her immigration status came into question in January.
Tan would have potentially faced violence upon a return trip to the Philippines. Two of her family members were murdered several years ago by a relative over an inheritance, and she was nearly murdered at that time.
U.S. immigration law prevents gay, lesbian and bi people from sponsoring a same-sex partner for permanent residency, so Tan’s partner Jaylynn, who is a U.S. citizen, cannot sponsor her.
However, on the evening of Wednesday, April 22, Tan got good news of her deportation reprieve. Senator Diane Feinstein of California introduced a private bill in Congress that will buy Tan nearly two more years in the United States. One of Tan’s advocates, Melanie Nathan, broke the news on her blog.
Here’s an excerpt from Nathan’s post:
When I spoke to Jay today she was crying with joy and said the whole family including the boys were absolutely overwhelmed with emotion. The news was conveyed to her directly by Senator Feinstein’s office. It has been a long and arduous process and so a very special thank you goes to Attorney Phyllis Beech, San Francisco and Fresno. I will write more later – but now I have to call and tell everyone the good news.
The gay blog Lezgetreal also reported on the story, as did Queerty.
Nathan’s blog post went on to say:
This is unbelievably miraculous and indeed an extraordinary measure on behalf of the family. This also gives all our wonderful activists, LGBT organizations, and community supporters an opportunity to hit the streets, the phones, the faxes, the e-mails, the blogs etc. and to fight like crazy for the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) – in truth the only real long term option for Shirley and the 40,000 other couples/families in this dire situation.
The Uniting American Families Act, which was reintroduced in Congress earlier this year, would allow a gay, lesbian or bi person to sponsor a partner for permanent U.S. residency.
GLAAD continues to partner with the organization Immigration Equality to shine a light on the estimated 37,000 couples in this country that face choosing between their country and the person they love.
Media played a big role in highlighting the case of Shirley Tan. GLAAD helped pitch several stories and will keep up those efforts moving forward.
We featured two excellent pieces in the March edition of Best & Worst of National News, a Washington Post editorial pushing for the passage of the UAFA and a San Jose Mercury News piece that humanized this issue through Shirley Tan’s story. People magazine also did a great feature story on this case.
Look for more media attention on this vitally important issue in the months ahead.
Esquire Magazine Issues Apology After Publishing Anti-Gay Slur
April 13, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
The May edition of Esquire magazine, currently on newsstands, uses the anti-gay slur “fa**ot” in a section about how to “Curse Well” as part of its overall “How to be a Man” issue. Last Friday GLAAD contacted Editor-in-Chief David Granger with major concerns about the magazine using this defamatory term. We also sent a link with guidelines on defamatory terminology and information from GLSEN’s website about the tragic story of 11-year-old Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, of Massachusetts, who hung himself last Monday after enduring intense bullying at school including name calling and use of the anti-gay f-word. Esquire had used the slur to describe how to talk to “your neighbor’s nosy nine-year old boy.”
Cover from May 2009 issue of Esquire.
We strongly encouraged Esquire to apologize in its next edition and were pleased to hear back from Granger today:
Dear Ms. Creager:
I appreciate your concerns and I have spent a long weekend thinking about how to address them. Right now, we are putting an apology on the home page of our website and we have recalled a page from the June issue, which had closed, so that we can add a box including that apology to the first editorial page of the issue.
I and my staff have been responding to each of the e-mailed notes of concern and protest and in those responses we have expressed our regret. This was an uncharacteristic lapse of taste and sensitivity and I am very sorry it occurred. The last thing I want to do is cause any reader or any citizen undue pain. In general, we attempt a generosity of spirit that tries to include people rather than alienate them.
Again, thank you for your notes and for the links that expand on the reasons for your concern. I have read them and will share them with my staff.
Sincerely,
David Granger
Editor in Chief
Esquire
You can find the online apology here. And look for it in June print edition, due on newsstands in early May. It reads:
A Note to Our Readers
An apology regarding the “Curse Well” article in Esquire’s May issue
In the “How to Curse” section of our May 2009 feature, “How to Skin a Moose,” we presented a parody of extreme profanity and its users, contrasting exaggerated examples of offensive language with ordinary situations. The target of the parody was profanity itself and not the various people who might be its object, including gay people. But we used a particularly offensive phrase we shouldn’t have. It certainly was not our intent to cause pain. Judging from the reaction, we did. For that we are sincerely sorry.
You can also read recent blog posts about the issue here and here.
GLAAD thanked Granger for addressing this issue swiftly and appropriately and invited Esquire to call on GLAAD for future resources. The anti-gay f-word is often the last word young people hear before they are thrown down on a playground or before they endure other forms of violence. GLAAD will continue holding media outlets accountable when they use this dehumanizing term.
Media Spotlight Lesbian Mom’s Fight To Stay in America
April 6, 2009 by Cindi Creager, GLAAD's Director of National News
GLAAD is partnering with Immigration Equality on its media efforts to help keep a binational family in Pacifica, California from being separated from her partner of 23 years and their two children. Shirley Tan is on the brink of deportation to the Philippines after a lawyer failed to tell her she had been denied asylum several years ago.
Deportation would take her away from her partner of 23 years, Jaylynn Mercado, and their 12-year-old twin sons, all of whom are U.S. citizens. A return to the Philippines could also put Tan in harms way, as she fled her country decades ago after a relative tried to murder her. U.S. Immigration law currently bars gay and lesbian people from sponsoring a partner for permanent residency.
Tan was arrested in January and almost deported on April 3. GLAAD stepped in with emergency media training for the couple, and helped Immigration Equality craft a national press release. California media covered Tan’s case extensively in the last several days.
Reporter Mike Swift of the San Jose Mercury News broke the story with a comprehensive report, while The San Francisco Chronicle editorialized sympathetically towards the family. And several local TV news reports – including a feature on KTVU – have given the family a platform to tell their compelling story.
After the first wave of media coverage and the intervention of U.S Representative Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, Tan’s deportation has been delayed until April 22, giving her a very short amount of time to continue pleading her case through legal and legislative channels. Representative Speier also co-sponsored the Uniting American Families act, or UAFA, a bill now pending in Congress that would allow gay and lesbian American citizens to sponsor their partners for permanent residency.
In the weeks leading up to Tan’s new deportation date GLAAD will continue working to secure additional media attention, particularly on national news outlets like CNN and network morning programs like NBC’s Today Show and ABC’s Good Morning America.
Around 37,000 binational couples in the U.S. face similar heart-wrenching circumstances, so it’s especially vital that Americans see the real impact that discriminatory U.S. immigration law has on loving families like Shirley, Jaylynn and their sons.
