Journalist Christopher Hitchens Defames Comedian Wanda Sykes
May 13, 2009 by Rashad Robinson, GLAAD's Senior Director of Media Programs
Reports have surfaced that author and journalist Christopher Hitchens used a defamatory slur about openly lesbian comedian Wanda Sykes after her performance at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner in Washington, DC this past weekend.
New York Magazine’s Daily Intel blog broke the story in a post titled “The Unseen Moments of the WHCA Dinner.” The report gives a behind the scenes account of how various attendees behaved at the event, and in some cases, what they said. Here’s how Daily Intel described the Hitchens incident:
By the end of the night, Christopher Hitchens was of course the last man (barely) standing, and he had some choice words for the evening’s headlining comedian, Wanda Sykes. “The President should be squirming in his seat. Not smiling,” he said. “The Black D**e got it wrong. No one told her the rules.”
In criticizing Sykes’ performance, Hitchens denigrates her by going after her race and her sexual orientation as a way of putting her in her place. After last year’s performance at the National Press Club, nobody criticized Stephen Colbert by calling him a “straight white male.” But Hitchens felt comfortable referring to Sykes as a “black d**e” as a way of dismissing her based on her identity, and took it even further by implying that is the reason she doesn’t know “the rules.”
In a country where people can be fired from their jobs for being gay, and where black women are paid 69 cents on the dollar compared to white men, it’s all too common that people are judged based on who they are, not for their job performance. It’s despicable that Hitchens seems to engage in a similar approach – denigrating who she is as a way of attacking her performance.
We urge media outlets who are booking Hitchens to take into account the kind of rhetoric that he’s so comfortable using so casually.
New York Post’s Sean Delonas Draws Ire for New Cartoon
February 18, 2009 by Rashad Robinson, GLAAD's Senior Director of Media Programs
The headline on the Huffington Post says it all: “NY POST RUNS CARTOON ASSOCIATING OBAMA’S STIMULUS WITH CRAZED CHIMP.” The cartoon by Sean Delonas – who has been the subject of GLAAD Action Alerts and has made the “Worst” on the “Best and Worst” list on several occasions (even making the year-end “Worst Defamation of 2008” list) – has raised ire from readers and community leaders alike.
As Sam Stein notes in the Huffington Post:
“At its most benign, the cartoon suggests that the stimulus bill was so bad, monkeys may as well have written it. Others believe it compares the president to a rabid chimp. Either way, the incorporation of violence and (on a darker level) race into politics is bound to be controversial. Perhaps that’s what Delonas wanted.”
Since then, The New York Times CityRoom blog has picked up concerns expressed by both New York Governor David A. Patterson and the Rev. Al Sharpton, while also addressing GLAAD’s response to previous Delonas cartoons. The Post also released a statement defending the cartoon.
The cartoon – and the response to it – raises serious questions about how the Post chooses to editorialize about important issues facing Americans today. They’re certainly not afraid of controversy, but the degree to which Delonas has repeatedly made these kind of ugly, offensive – and unfunny – jabs at different communities begs the question of why the Post continues to provide him with such a large media platform.
Working With Hot 97 on Anti-Gay Dancehall Lyrics
January 2, 2009 by Rashad Robinson, GLAAD's Senior Director of Media Programs
While traveling over the holidays, I was listening to New York hip-hop station Hot 97 and happened to hear some lyrics that were disappointingly familiar – lyrics from T.O.K.’s “Chi Chi Man,” a song that celebrates tying up and burning gay men.
I contacted the station’s owners, Emmis Communications, to voice my concerns. Their response was quick.
Here’s part of it:
As per our conversation yesterday this is a follow up letter to address your concerns regarding the verse played during a reggae set on HOT 97 on Sunday, December 28th. The actual song in question was not played but unfortunately a verse with negative sentiments in Jamaican was in the mix. While we work hard not to censor artist expression except in alignment with FCC regulations we also have no tolerance for malicious intent directed toward any group of people and respect race, breligion and sexual orientation. This song and verse is not something played in our regular rotation and unfortunately was not caught by the DJ who played the verse as part of a mix.
Neither Emmis nor HOT 97 condone these lyrics and have sent a memo to the entire on air staff to never play a song or mix with any anti gay and/or lesbian sentiment. We take great pride in our appreciation of diversity and have both fans and employees that are gay and lesbian and would never seek to offend either. HOT 97 is actively engaged in community outreach for all kinds of causes and our sales people fight daily on behalf of the ethnic consumers in our market place. Therefore, we understand the damage a lack of education and ignorance can cause and would never endorse such views of any community.
I thank you for your valid concern which I share with you. Please accept my sincere apologies on behalf of HOT 97 and Emmis Communications.
While stations may have policies against playing anti-gay lyrics or content, those policies don’t always play out, so it’s important that in this case that the station took the proper steps to respond. It was also a reminder of how important it is that the LGBT community continues to be vigilant and that we make our voices heard when we encounter this kind of violent, anti-gay defamation in the media.
If you come across anti-LGBT defamation in the media, you can let us know by filling out an incident report on our website. Make sure to give us as much information as you can about the incident, including the date and time and any supporting links. We’ll investigate the situation and do our best to take the appropriate actions necessary and fight the defamation.
AFA Shows Their Holiday Spirit with Attack on Ad with Lesbian Moms
December 23, 2008 by Rashad Robinson, GLAAD's Senior Director of Media Programs
New Swanson broth ad depicting Café Forant owners Carolyn and Lea with their son, Eli.
The ad couldn’t be cozier. It’s called “Home for the Holidays,” and in addition to a recipe for Butternut Squash Bisque, it depicts a family in their kitchen – and the parents just happen to be the owners of the kid-friendly Café Forant in New York City. The ad touts Swanson broth as a key element in the dishes for the family’s annual Feast of the Seven Fishes Christmas Eve celebration.
It’s one of a series of ads produced by Swanson featuring professional chefs’ favorite holiday recipes. But according to the anti-gay American Family Association, the ads require an immediate response from constituents in the form of emails and phone calls to Campbell Soup Company, which owns Swanson.
Why? First, the ads ran alongside those of many other companies in The Advocate, the national LGBT news magazine. Second, because the parents happen to be a lesbian couple – Carolyn and Lea – with their son, Eli.
The AFA posted an alert saying: “Campbell Soup Company has openly begun helping homosexual activists push their agenda. Not only did the ads cost Campbell’s a chunk of money, but they also sent a message that homosexual parents constitute a family and are worthy of support. They also gave their approval to the entire homosexual agenda.”
It says a lot about the AFA that they show their spirit by attacking loving families – the kind of families who pitch in and cook meals for their neighbors when their son is diagnosed with cancer – during the holidays.
Thankfully, according to Ad Age,
Campbell made no apologies for the series of ads, which it said is its first in any LGBT publication, and instead took a decisive stance on the criticism. “Our position on this is pretty straightforward,” said company rep Anthony Sanzio. “Inclusion and diversity play an important role in our business, and that fact is reflected in our marketing plan. For more than a century, people from all walks for life have enjoyed Campbell’s products, and we will continue to try to communicate in ways that are meaningful and relevant to them.”
He added: “Our plans for the Swanson brand include additional placements in The Advocate.”
It’s commendable that Campbell Soup Company has taken this important step to be inclusive of all families in their advertising. But, unfortunately, they will be hearing from the AFA and their supporters, who want to make our families and our lives invisible. It’s vital that you contact Campbell’s and thank them for fairly and accurately depicting our lives – and for not giving in to the demands of anti-gay organizations.
Since the AFA has asked their supporters to contact Campbell Soup President Douglas Conant and follow up with a phone call to the Campbell Soup Company and Swanson, we are asking you to do the same, and include Director of Corporate Communications Anthony Sanzio (who is quoted above in the Ad Age interview) in your thank-you. Let them know you appreciate their strong support for LGBT families.
Douglas Conant, President
douglas_r_conant@campbellsoup.com
Anthony Sanzio, Dir. of Corporate Communications
anthony_sanzio@campbellsoup.com
Campbell Soup Company
1-800-257-8443
Swanson
1-800-442-7684
The Becket Fund & Character Assassination By Innuendo
December 15, 2008 by Rashad Robinson, GLAAD's Senior Director of Media Programs
Last week, GLAAD issued an action alert about a full page ad in The New York Times paid for by The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, an ad which made a series of deliberately misleading claims about the national response to the passage of Prop 8. Later that week, Seamus Hasson, founder and CEO of The Becket Fund, drew comparisons between LGBT advocates and al-Qaida during a radio interview. After GLAAD and HRC issued responses about their outrageous claims, The Becket Fund struck back, criticizing GLAAD and HRC for having challenged their claims.
Let’s be clear. What The Becket Fund is doing is character assassination by innuendo with a wanton disregard for the facts. They would evidently prefer, in the face of laws that strip essential legal protections from hardworking Americans and loving committed couples, that we roll over and meekly accept it. And when we raise our voices and speak against these injustices, they attack us and call us “nearly mobs, seeking not to persuade but to intimidate.”
In the aftermath of Prop 8, there was an unprecedented response by LGBT people and straight allies across the country. We spoke out. We took our message to city halls and rallied together in Los Angeles, San Diego, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Wichita, Portland, Orlando, Nashville, Seattle, Little Rock, Baltimore, New York City, and in cities all over the country. Were there insolated incidents of fringe individuals engaging in acts of vandalism? Yes – and media reported on them, and movement leaders condemned them. But the hundreds of thousands of community members and allies who rallied as part of our movement’s protests against Prop 8 were peaceful and respectful.
So it’s obvious that The Becket Fund is making inaccurate and misleading claims here. Inaccuracies aren’t just statements of “the world is flat” or “the stars revolve around the earth” variety. They can be dressed up with slippery insinuations about “mobs,” “violence,” “religious wars,” “intimidation,” and “numbing the public conscience,” all the way to manifestly defamatory comparisons of gay Americans to al-Qaida.
Inaccuracy is probably too mild a word for The Becket Fund’s brand of ugly, intellectually dishonest misrepresentations. The Becket Fund doesn’t have a legitimate case, so their only option is to stir up irrational fear and mistrust through innuendo and mischaracterization. It speaks volumes about their character.
Cross posted at The Bilerico Project.
The Matthew Shepard Murder, 10 Years Later
October 10, 2008 by Rashad Robinson, GLAAD's Senior Director of Media Programs
It’s a story that’s still hard to tell. Shortly after midnight on Oct. 7, 1998, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old University of Wyoming student, was tied to a split-rail fence, savagely beaten and left to die in the cold of night. He was found almost 18 hours later by a cyclist, who initially mistook him for a scarecrow. He died six days later.
I remember first hearing the news reports back when I was still closeted, and thinking about how horrible it was, and also realizing–as so many other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans did–that the same thing could happen to me.
Matt’s murder sent the message to LGBT Americans that we won’t be tolerated, leaving people all over the country feeling vulnerable, unsafe and afraid.
But something else happened too. I also remember the news stories that came out, and how powerful they were because they talked about his family and showed a community rallying together. And it wasn’t just a few articles in the local papers and a passing mention in The New York Times. Matt’s story, Matt’s murder, Matt’s family, Matt’s community – they were in the national spotlight, making hate crimes against LGBT people real for the first time to many Americans.
It’s horrible that it took such tragic circumstances to have such an unprecedented conversation in the media about the LGBT community. And it’s even more disheartening that, in the 10 years since Matt’s murder, we’ve continued to see far too many brutal hate crimes against LGBT people. None of these violent crimes have garnered the same type of comprehensive, multilayered coverage that could – and should – have kept our nation’s attention focused on this pervasive problem.
And it’s a serious problem. According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), reported incidents of anti-LGBT violence increased by 24 percent from 2006 to 2007. Many states still don’t have inclusive hate crimes laws on the books, and LGBT people still aren’t included in existing federal hate crimes law.
In the meantime, many LGBT people have been harassed, bullied or killed. Gwen Araujo, Sakia Gunn, FC Martinez, Pfc. Barry Winchell, Rita Hester, Scotty Joe Weaver, Eddie Garzon, Billy Jack Gaither, Angie Zapata, Sanesha Stewart and Lawrence King are just a few of them. In some cases, media outlets picked up the stories at the urging of the families or the local LGBT community, but too few of them had a substantial impact on the national conversation.
Of these stories, one in particular stands out for me, and feels especially resonant right now. My 30th birthday is coming up, and two years ago at around this time, Michael Sandy was killed right before he turned 30, targeted for being young, black and gay. In my role at GLAAD, I worked with a coalition of groups to bring visibility to Michael’s death, but it hit close to home and reminded me of why it’s so important to work for cultural change.
Oftentimes we forget that many people are simply trying to find ways to live their everyday lives and at the same time be safe in their communities. We still have a long way to go before we’ve passed all of the necessary and important laws to include LGBT people in existing hate crimes protections, and many Americans don’t realize that it’s still a serious problem in communities all over the country.
Since Matt’s death, though more people have been attacked or killed, media outlets have not responded with the kind of multilayered coverage – political, legal, cultural and personal – that makes these issues real, urgent and immediate. This week, I’ll be celebrating a milestone birthday, something Matt and Michael won’t get to do. And that’s why it’s so vital that our communities stand together against hate violence, and that both LGBT people and our allies call the community and the media to action.
Crossposted at The Huffington Post.
Starting the Conversation
October 6, 2008 by Rashad Robinson, GLAAD's Senior Director of Media Programs
Last week was a big week for the news media — the economic crisis, the approaching Presidential debates and a contentious election all grabbed headlines. One particular story, though, brought up some interesting questions about Americans’ feelings about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in some unexpected ways.
It was the news that pop singer, Broadway actor and former American Idol contestant Clay Aiken opened up about being gay, which invoked a strong response from his very devoted fan base.
While I can’t say that I follow Clay’s music career, reading about some of the reactions on blogs and in mainstream outlets got me thinking about how some of those fan reactions resembled the kinds of conversations that can change hearts and minds about gay and transgender people.
Media outlets picked up the discussions on the Clay Aiken message boards, which included a lot of posts like this one:
“I knew in my heart for awhile that he was– …but my head was having nothing to do with it. I knew it might come eventually, but again my brain denyed it . I’m sure its a shock to all of us, weather we believe it or not .”
My immediate reaction was that it sounded just like my parents, and many parents like mine — they knew, but weren’t quite ready to admit it. For others, however, the reaction was shock:
“Please tell me I’m not the only one who is shocked beyond belief! I feel numb I’m so upset. This can’t be real!! How can you guys say this won’t change anything? This changes EVERYTHING. I don’t even know what to think right now.”
It was clear that for many of his most ardent fans, they needed to make sense of how they felt and come to terms with having to think differently about him. That’s not an uncommon reaction for people who have a friend or family member come out, and it’s a reaction that hopefully leads to conversations that result in understanding and respect.
In many cases that doesn’t happen right away. That’s why it’s important for gay and transgender people — and our allies — to talk about our stories and our lives. Many of the people that posted to the message boards spoke about their gay friends or family members, and how important those people were to them. Those types of messages seemed to allow people to speak openly and correct their own misconceptions and doubts.
Clay joins a group of openly LGBT celebrities who have moved these types of conversation forward in big and small ways — just as Ellen and Portia did last month when the images of their marriage appeared on her show and in the pages of People magazine. And decisions by other celebrities to live openly have helped create new opportunities for media visibility.
When you add that to the growing list of LGBT characters on the primetime networks, we can really see the progress that has been made in recent years to ensure that LGBT people have visibility in mainstream media, a visibility that we celebrate at the GLAAD Media Awards every year.
While we can document tremendous progress, we still have a lot of work to do. Many gay and lesbian couples — which include a lot of parents like Clay — across the country are still prohibited from making commitments that would allow them to take care of and be responsible for one another and their children. And many people live daily with the fear of being fired from their jobs because they’re gay or transgender, while many don’t even feel safe and secure in their own communities.
And though stories like Clay’s and like Ellen’s create opportunities to talk about our community and bring visibility to these issues, we all have a responsibility to talk about these issues in our homes, our workplaces and our communities. The visibility of LGBT celebrities, and the inclusion of LGBT stories in mainstream media outlets, can help to make those discussions easier to start — but it is the everyday conversations and personal stories that can have the biggest impact.
And you can start that conversation now. To find out more about how you can share your story, check out glaadBLOG.
This entry is cross posted at The Huffington Post.
Announcing Equality and the Celebration of Our Stories
August 22, 2008 by Rashad Robinson, GLAAD's Senior Director of Media Programs
Cross posted at The Huffington Post.
Back in June, at the height of the wedding season, I took part in two very important family events. First, I sat with my parents as they celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. With love and joy, they recounted the now well-told story about how they met, and also doled out some relationship advice — my dad’s general rule sounds a lot like something you’d hear on a classic sitcom: “Son, your mother is always right.” Then the following week, I stood next to my brother as the best man at his wedding–proud and emotional as he married his girlfriend of two years.
As my family has done on numerous occasions – from Dean’s List announcements to awards at art competitions — both milestones were announced in the Riverhead News Review, my hometown newspaper. Like many proud parents, my mother takes this very seriously, and makes sure the announcement gets in on time – and everyone knows not to protest.
Six years ago yesterday, The New York Times opened the pages of its Weddings/Celebrations section to gay and lesbian couples after meetings with GLAAD leadership. At the time, GLAAD was able to report that 68 additional daily newspapers around the nation also accepted and printed wedding announcements for same-sex couples.
This week, we were very excited to release a brand new list of inclusive papers as part of our Announcing Equality campaign. The change has been dramatic – now there are 1,049 daily newspapers that will accept announcements from same-sex couples, and for the first time, in nine states (Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont ) and the District of Columbia, every daily newspaper will accept and print announcements for gay and lesbian couples.
Every day in my work at GLAAD, we hear stories from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and their families, friends and allies – stories of happy celebrations, but also of tremendous challenges and roadblocks. We see firsthand how those stories play an important role in changing hearts and minds. It’s amazing to see the level of progress in such a short time, and the numbers really speak to an opportunity that the LGBT community and our allies have: to share our stories with the communities where we live, work and contribute.
You see, when weddings and celebrations pages in our local newspapers become inclusive by including the milestones of LGBT Americans alongside their straight families, friends and neighbors, it breaks down barriers. It invests people in our joy and the stories of our celebrations. And it reminds us of common ground we share.
And the opportunities are everywhere – local newspapers, college and alumni newsletters, church and union bulletins. As we work to ensure that laws treat LGBT people fairly, we know that when our stories appear next to those of our friends and family – my future anniversary right next to my brother’s, right in the pages of the local paper – shows real cultural change.
There is still work for all of us to do – less than one-third of the papers with inclusive policies have actually printed an announcement from a same-sex couple. Why? Because they’ve never received one. It just underscores how vital it is that we take the opportunities to share our stories to make our voices heard and our lives visible in our communities. Standing next to my brother, I thought about how proud I was of him, how happy I was that he found someone with whom to share the love and security that marriage provides, and the commitment and responsibility it requires. And I know that he will feel the same way when he stands next to me.
I don’t doubt that my mom is already thinking about what my future wedding announcement will look like, just as she is looking ahead to the day when the laws of our state and our nation finally catch up to the reality of gay and lesbian couples and their commitments. But one thing’s for sure: newspapers in communities across the country are already there. They have provided each of us – LGBT and straight ally, family member and friend alike – with a way to advance the kind of cultural understanding and acceptance that paves the road to that change. We simply need to take the opportunity and announce our equality.
And for me, thanks to my mother, I learned long before my time at GLAAD that there is no arguing with the important of celebrating ones milestones.
For more resources visit: http://www.glaad.org/AnnouncingEquality You can also find out if your local daily runs inclusive announcements and find information on how to submit announcements, plus downloads for MySpace and Facebook pages and other easy, everyday ways that you can talk about your life in local media outlets and online.
