Report From the Ground: Iowa
April 22, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
Last week, I got back to GLAAD’s NYC office from a week and a half trip to Iowa. I traveled to Des Moines to assist One Iowa with their media and communications work.
As a member of GLAAD’s Media Field Strategy team, working on the ground with the great staffs of One Iowa and Lambda Legal was an amazing experience! The mood on the night I got in was hopeful–the next morning by 8:30 a.m. we expected to hear the Iowa Supreme Court’s historic decision about marriage equality.
When we all heard the good news, a unanimous win for marriage equality, we celebrated! But only for a minute, because we soon realized there was much work to do.
Lambda Legal's Camilla Taylor, architect of the marriage case, at the press conference. (Image credit: Lambda Legal)
One Iowa’s Communications Director, Justin Uebelhor, and I raced to put the final touches on the speech prepared for the organization’s ED, Carolyn Jenison. (Jenison is a GLAAD-trained spokesperson.)
The Des Moines Register has extensively covered the marriage case, including the Lambda Legal press conference:
Iowa will “set the standard for fairness and equality in the Midwest,” said Carolyn Jenison.
You can see much more of the coverage here at glaadBLOG.
After the press conference, we set out to work on media relations for the ten celebratory rallies One Iowa’s organizers had planned across the state.
That weekend, and the following week, was full of successful and challenging work. Though we had a lot to celebrate–the court’s unanimous ruling, the great rallies in small and large cities, and the large number of newspaper editorial boards that came out in favor of the decision–one of our top priorities was to educate Iowans.
Despite all these victories, anti-gay extremists have been, and unfortunately still are, working harder than ever to take away the freedom to marry in Iowa.
Actress Alicia Silverstone gets laughs in the latest spoof of the anti-gay extremist paid TV commercial.
You’ve probably seen the out-of-touch, nonsensical, paid TV advertisement that these anti-gay extremists produced. You’ve probably also seen the hilarious parody videos. Here’s the latest.
I’m going off to Des Moines again this weekend to prepare for April 27, the first day same-sex couples will be able to obtain marriage licenses.
GLAAD’s Media Field Strategy team does this type of local work every day. See team member Adam Bass’ coverage from his work in Colorado for the Zapata trial.
Stay tuned for updates from my second ‘09 Iowa trip and all the exciting marriage day updates!
New TV Ad for Marriage in Iowa
April 22, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
This morning, One Iowa released a new TV ad in support of marriage for all Iowa families.
From One Iowa:
Today, One Iowa launched this ad to start a conversation with Iowans about the Supreme Court decision that brought marriage equality to the heartland. We can’t take this victory for granted. Right now our opponents are working hard to reverse the decision. They are well-funded and well-organized. We need your help NOW to keep this positive ad on the air and protect marriage in the heartland. Whether its $5 or $500, your contribution is vital to protect this victory!
Camilla Taylor, Lambda Legal attorney and lead architect of the Varnum v Brien case, said in One Iowa’s press release:
“This ad beautifully illustrates how the Iowa Constitution’s guarantee of equality for same-sex couples and their families is consistent with Iowa’s long tradition of independence and fair treatment for all families.”
GLAAD Educates Future Journalists about LGBT Issues
March 27, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
Last week I attended the College Media Advisers Convention in NYC to meet with student journalists from across the country. In my work as a Media Field Strategist for GLAAD, I work with journalists every day to educate them on fair, accurate, and inclusive LGBT media coverage.
GLAAD’s Young Adult Media Program works with college journalists and educates using our College Mdia Reference Guide. I presented a workshop about reporting on LGBT issues, and found that the students had great questions.
The room was full of editors-in-chief, arts and entertainment editors, copy editors, and general assignment reporters. Student journalists wanted to know which pronouns to use for 
transgender and genderqueer students, why “alternative lifestyle” isn’t the best term, and how to ensure their coverage is well-done.
Though many of the students had either written or edited a story on LGBT folks for their campus newspapers, one had a particularly troubling story–the newspaper’s adviser, a private college faculty member, had taken the newspapers’ Associated Press Stylebook (which is considered to many, the “Bible of Journalists”) and ripped out the pages that explained the terms “gay” and “transgender.”
Though it was fantastic to hear an editor-in-chief engage us on his challenges and successes while editing a story on a genderqueer student, there fact that even one student newspaper was without the tools to fairly and accurately report on LGBT students is disheartening!
After many of the almost two dozen student journalists in the workshop gave their support for the student, I ensured she had a copy of our Media Reference Guide to take back to her campus. It includes excerpts from the AP Stylebook’s pages on gay and transgender issues, so now her newsroom will have the right tools!
The students in the workshop were from private and public universities, all the way from Maine to Hawaii. Each student publication that was represented at the conference (more than 200) was given a copy of GLAAD’s College Media Reference Guide. Engaging future professional journalists will help ensure their future coverage of our community is fair, accurate, and inclusive!
One Step Closer to Marriage in New Hampshire!
March 27, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
AP photo of folks leaving the NH State house today.
This just in–the New Hampshire House has approved a marriage equality bill! The bill’s next stop is the Senate.
If passed, New Hampshire would be the third state to allow marriage for gay and lesbian couples. The state currently allows civil unions for same-sex couples, which has provided all the statewide benefits of marriage for the past two years.
Massachusetts and Connecticut currently have marriage equality laws on the books. Though the Vermont Senate approved a marriage equality bill this week, the state’s Gov. Jim Douglas has announced he would veto it.
The Rev. V. Gene Robinson (who will be honored with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at our LA Media Awards!) testified in support of marriage and told the AP:
“I am delighted, because it’s clear to me that New Hampshire values one class of citizenship and not two.”
Local Activists Respond to Anti-Gay Assault in Cincinnati
March 20, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
Cincinnati's LGBT community rallied to protest the hate crime yesterday. (Photo by Barry Floore)
Learning about the amazing LGBT media advocacy work local activists in Cincinnati, Ohio, have been accomplishing this week made me prouder than ever of my home town!
Cincinnati is known for its history being one of the least LGBT-friendly large cities in Ohio. And as local community members will tell you, the local media’s LGBT coverage isn’t perfect.
That point was driven home again after I heard that two students at the University of Cincinnati-where my younger brother will attend school next year-were victims of an anti-gay assault.
Local activists wrote at the Bilerico Project, about their work uncovering news of the assault:
Sadly, our information about the attack and the condition of the victims is limited because both the UC Police Department and the local mainstream media have seemed reluctant to inform the public about this crime…
Jamie Royce of the blog Stuff Queer People Need to Know and Donald Caster of Cincinnati Blog have searched court records…
Both the UCPD and the local mainstream media have seemed reluctant to inform the public about this crime until they were virtually forced to action.
Though information about the attack was not disseminated until 12 days after the crime occurred, local community members did not let that hinder their activism. Cincinnati activists got to work quickly, organizing a protest against anti-gay attacks, and securing media coverage at local and national blogs, the local ABC affiliate, and the city’s largest paper, the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Utilizing Facebook, Twitter, and good old-fashioned e-mail, local activists created momentum for their protest rally yesterday in just one day, garnering 250 participants along with print, online, and broadcast media coverage. Check out local blogger Barry Floore’s photos from the rally: http://tinyurl.com/c9q8dm
Over 250 folks attended the rally. (Photo by Barry Floore)
GLAAD’s Media Field Strategy team works with local individuals and organizations across the country every day to provide media relations assistance. We have reached out to folks in Cincinnati to offer support, and to congratulate them on the amazing work.
As we learned in the poll GLAAD comissioned from Harris Interactive at the end of last year, seeing stories of real LGBT people in their communities in the news is one of the leading factors Americans cite in why their perceptions of LGBT folks have gotten more favorable.
If you’re working on a local LGBT issue, don’t hesitate to reach out to GLAAD for support! Media Field Strategy contacts: Eastern U.S.: mediastrategyec@glaad.org Western U.S.: mediastrategywc@glaad.org
NPR Prop 8 Segment Stirs Community Response
March 6, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
This morning, LGBT blogs were buzzing with word about a story that aired on NPR’s Morning Edition yesterday “Backers Of Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Face Backlash.” The segment explores how major “Yes on 8″ donors have been affected since their donations have become public.
Dan Savage , the Advocate, Queerty and others took further looks at the piece, bringing up good questions. Why were no gay folks quoted in the piece? Why was NPR, which is typically a fair, accurate, and inclusive media outlet, running a story focusing solely on ”Yes on 8″ donors and their concerns?
The piece was one-sided it its portrayal of the Proposition 8 campaign, perhaps even sympathetic toward donors to the anti-gay “Yes on 8″ campaign who are experiencing adverse effects of their donations.
Speaking with a business owner in Sacramento, whose $20,000 donation to the campaign is now public knowledge, reporter Karen Grisby Bates tells listeners:
…retaliation was swift. “We soon started getting very nasty e-mails and letters and phone calls by the hundreds,” he says.
In response, Savage writes:
Gee, maybe a gay person should’ve been asked to respond…
Bates speaks to no gay leaders. She doesn’t quote anyone about the role that boycotts have played in other civil rights struggles
After hearing these and other concerns from constituents, we reached reached out to reporter Karen Grisby Bates this morning to address the piece Karen told us she had received over 300 e-mails from concerned LGBT folks and allies since the story was broadcast. She said that she was very open to folks’ opinions and thoughts about her work, and also wanted to make sure people saw it in context.
After speaking with Karen, we learned about that context: her story was half of a two-part segment on Proposition 8. Yesterday on “Morning Edition,” NPR took a look at two sides of Prop 8. The first story “SF Mayor Takes Gay Marriage Fight To Court,” focused on Gavin Newsom and gave voice to the support of marriage equality.
The two stories appear back-to-back on the full Morning Show listing, as they appeared live on the broadcast yesterday.
The piece was followed with “now a look at the other side of Prop 8…” and the “Backers Of Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Face Backlash” story.
Though it is good to see that NPR did in fact delve into both sides of the issue, it is unfortunate that anyone navigating NPR.org may not have seen that. By not labeling the stories as “Part 1″ and “Part 2,” NPR left the stories to stand on their own, and in turn people saw the stories on their own.
What do you think? Does the fact that the piece was actually a part of a larger segment change the way you feel about it?
GLAAD Supports Local Activists’ Successful Efforts to Prevent Anti-Gay TV Program from Airing
February 11, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
On Monday morning, we heard concerns from community members about the anti-gay infomercial Speechless: Silencing the Christians, created and distributed by the anti-gay organization the American Family Association. When we found out the program was scheduled to air in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Columbus, Ohio, we reached out to partner organizations on the ground to find out more information and support local efforts.
After viewing the infomercial, the intent was clear - it was designed to perpetuate a climate of hostility toward our community and to create a culture where we are less safe, less secure, and where our families are put in harm’s way.
Since Monday, we have been working with local community members in Grand Rapids, offering them assistance as they led efforts to mobilize community members to express their concerns to the station management at WOOD-TV (NBC), where it was set to air.
The organizing was led by Colette Beighley, who serves as assistant director of the LGBT resource center at Grand Valley State University and a GLAAD-trained spokesperson. Colette is also serving as the community’s lead spokesperson on the issue, and she continues to work with GLAAD on media monitoring and interview prep this week.
Thanks to the efforts of community members on the ground, WOOD-TV first postponed the airing. The station then said it offered the American Family Association another timeslot. General Manager Diane Kniowski said: “We made a gesture of the 2-3 p.m. Saturday time period. It’s been 24 hours and we had no response. Our station is being bombarded with calls and messages, and we find ourselves in the middle of someone else’s fight. Ours was a fair offer and we are removing ourselves from this matter.”
WSYX-TV (ABC) in Columbus, Ohio, has also decided to postpone airing the anti-gay informercial after hearing concerns from community members, and will issue a decision later after the general manager has had an opportunity to review. A new air date has not been set.
The anti-gay infomercial aired in Traverse City, Michigan (WPBN – NBC); Toledo, Ohio (WUPW – Fox); and Charlotte, North Carolina (WJZY – The CW) on Saturday, Feb. 7, with very little fanfare, and the information aired with no traction. Yesterday afternoon Equality Toledo issued an action alert urging community members to engage in dialogue with WUPW about their decision to air this anti-gay programming.
Sean Kennedy’s Killer Denied Early Parole
February 11, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
Coverage of Tuesday's vigil, including Elke Kennedy (right).
As we reported at glaadBLOG last month, the man who killed 20-year-old Sean Kennedy because he was gay was up for early parole after serving only 8 months.
After getting word of this, Sean’s mother Elke Kennedy called on the community for help through the foundation she started in her son’s name, Sean’s Last Wish.
Tuesday night, Sean’s Last Wish held a vigil in Sean’s memory at the South Carolina State House. The vigil was a call to local authorities to keep Sean’s killer behind bars, and to recognize hate crimes. Elke told WIS-TV news that the state needs a hate crimes law: “[Sean] always said, ‘when I get older, I’m gonna change this, make sure people are treated equally.”
Local South Carolina media reports today that Sean’s Killer, Stephen Moller, was denied early parole. South Carolina is one of only five states that does not have hate crime legislation on the books.
Click here to see local news coverage of Tuesday’s vigil.
One Year Later: Vigils in Lawrence King’s Memory Held Next Week
February 6, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
Feb. 12, 2008 a junior high school student shot his 15-year-old classmate, Lawrence King, in the head because Lawrence had a crush on him. This year, local LGBT communities across the country are remember
ing Lawrence’s life the week of Feb. 9.
Advocates in Ventura, California, where Lawrence lived and was murdered, are holding a vigil Feb. 12. Local community members, including faith leaders and the city’s Youth Empowerment Program, are sponsoring the event. The community was among dozens that held vigils last year.
Community members in Oklahoma are also holding a vigil next thursday in Okemah City Park. A local LGBT theatre in Minnesota is dedicating a Feb. 11 show, “Be Our Valentine,” to Lawrence’s memory.
For the most complete, up-to-date listing of events in Lawrence King’s memory, or to register your community’s local event, please check www.rememberinglawrence.org, a project of GLSEN.
GLAAD urges the media to report fairly on the intersection of anti-LGBT bullying and violence when covering the life and tragic death of Lawrence King.
Media Coverage of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Improves as Repeal Moves Toward Reality
February 5, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
The Boston Globe’s recent coverage of Obama’s pledge to overturn “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” is one of many news stories out this year that fairly tackles the issue. The Globe piece delves into Obama’s announcement that more studies need to be done, and more Congressional support is needed, before the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Though the Globe piece’s terminology was not quite perfect (use of “gays” rather than “gay men and women” or “gay people”), overall the reporter did a great job keeping the piece fair, accurate, and inclusive of LGBT voices and perspectives. It presented multiple sides to the issue. It quoted expert repeal advocates like the Servicemembers Legal Defense Fund (SLDN) and the Palm Center at UC-Santa Barbara.
The day after the story’s publication, SLDN’s executive director, Aubrey Sarvis, opined in the Huffington Post that there is no need for another study on the military ban:
We do not need another report to tell us what we already know and what earlier reports have long since concluded: the sexual orientation of a service member is irrelevant. What is relevant is how well he or she does the job.
The importance of LGBT advocates not only participating in mainstream media news pieces, but also writing opinion pieces like Sarvis’ HuffPo column, enriches the ongoing conversation around the military ban. The advent of the blogosphere and LGBT military activism has helped shape the past 15+ years of coverage.
Back when the military ban first went into effect, the way the media reported on it was less than fair. In 19
96, the New York Times was still referring to gay men and lesbians as “homosexuals” in their military ban coverage. SLDN was regularly quoted, but by today’s standards the LGBT terminology missed the mark. By this year, the Air Force Times published a very well-done piece exploring the discrimination transgender veterans face, marking a heightened LGBT visibility in military press.
But not all media coverage of LGBT service members has been transformed into fair and accurate in 2009. Last month, GLAAD launched an Action Alert against “Gunny” Bob Newman, host of The Gunny Bob Show on Colorado’s KOA-AM Radio:
Newman used his Clear Channel-owned media platform to make false and defamatory comments about gay service members. Newman suggested that lifting “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the ban on allowing qualified gay military personnel to serve openly in the armed forces, would lead to greater HIV risk.
Despite setbacks like KOA-AM, the media coverage of LGBT military personnel is on the whole improving. As President Obama’s administration continues to make decisions around “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” media coverage will hopefully continue to portray the issues fairly and give voice to our community.
Indiana’s WTHR-TV Changes Story GLAAD Named “Worst”
January 26, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
Thanks to a “worst” mention in GLAAD’s latest “Best & Worst of National News,” and coverage of the mention at the Bilerico Project, a problematic news story has been changed on the website of WTHR, a local NBC affiliate.
Michael Hunt and Taysia Elzy
Near the end of December, 2008, a transgender woman, Taysia Elzy, and her partner, Michael Hunt, were found murdered in their Indianapolis home. Local news media began to identify the Elzy by her male name. They also used male pronouns. GLAAD and local advocates, including Bil Browning of The Bilerico Project, reached out to reporters to talk with them about how to report on transgender people in a fair and accurate way.
The Indianapolis Star took the most proactive approach in their coverage. Both The Bilerico Project and GLAAD were able to speak with one of their news reporters, Francesca Jarosz, who made sure to use appropriate terminology when referring to Elzy.
Local station WTHR-TV was another story. Their news reporter Steve Jefferson referred to Elzy as a man in his news story, and was unwilling to use terminology resources provided by GLAAD, which included GLAAD’s Media Reference Guide, which lists the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook’s section on transgender issues:
Transgender: Use the pronoun preferred by the individuals who have acquired the physical characteristics of the opposite sex or present themselves in a way that does not correspond with their sex at birth.
If that preference is not expressed, use the pronoun consistent with the way the individuals live publicly.
After receiving an e-mail back from Jefferson, it was clear he was not interested in changing his story to 
adhere to AP guidelines. (He said he did not use female pronouns because he said the transgender victim “was NOT post-op.” )
Thanks to all of those who took action after seeing our “Best & Worst” on glaad.org, Bilerico, and many other blogs. Check out the change it’s making on the media landscape in Indiana via Bilerico’s Update:
UPDATE: I spoke with Carolyn Williams, the News Director for WTHR. The offensive article has been edited to conform with the AP Style Guide. Ms. Williams will also be speaking with her Station Manager about coordinating a diversity training session on LGBT issues with all area television stations.
Ms. Williams was very kind and understanding. E-mailing Ms. Williams with kudos for her prompt response and leadership would be more appropriate at this point!
For those interested in thanking Williams: CWilliams@WTHR.com
It’s exciting to see media professionals take the time out to ensure that stories about transgender people are fair and accurate! In a time when GLAAD still has enough “worst” stories to publish a “Best & Worst of National News” every month, it’s a big step to see a major news station make a change like this.
The next time you see a problematic story about the LGBT community, reach out! Let us know here at GLAAD by filling out a quick Incident Report on glaad.org and write to the media professionals involved letting them know how you feel! And if you see a great story, let us know, and thank the reporter as well!
Sean Kennedy’s Killer May Get Early Parole
January 6, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
On May 16, 2007, Elke Kennedy got a call that’s every mother’s worst nightmare: her son was in critical condition at the hospital.
Elke and her Greenville, South Carolina community soon came to realize that her openly gay son, Sean, was brutally and fatally beaten in what would be considered a hate crime in 31 states and the District of Columbia, but not in South Carolina.
Now, less than two years after his tragic death, Elke was made aware that he son’s killer, Stephen Andrew Moller, may be getting early parole this February.
Sean Kennedy
Through the foundation she started in her son’s name, Sean’s Last Wish, Elke is calling on the community for help:
The parole board is currently conducting an investigation to decide whether to allow him to have a parole hearing, so it is critical that they hear from you that Stephen Andrew Moller violently murdered Sean Kennedy and should serve the remainder of his sentence!
GLAAD's Cindi Creager, Director of National News, with Elke Kennedy
This fall, glaadBLOG caught up with Elke as part of GLAAD’s “Share Your Story” series. Elke has spent the time since her son’s tragic death as a community advocate, working toward LGBT-inclusive hate crimes legislation.
Elke has also contributed a chapter, “What I know now about losing a son” for Crisis, a book edited by Mitchell Gold. (Last year, GLAAD partnered with Gold to urge people to share their stories with friends and family during the holiday season.)
Elke has done just that–shared her story with friends, family, and the nation. She’s worked with GLAAD to help share her story with local and national media. As Elke said:
Each story I hear, each person I talk to assures me that I am doing what I need to be doing.
Elke’s story of dedicating her life to working for change for LGBT people, in her son’s memory, is an inspiration. GLAAD invited Elke to attend the 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in both New York and Los Angeles as an honored guest. In his speech to attendees GLAAD President, Neil Giuliano, made special mention of Sean Kennedy’s story and of Elke Kennedy’s work supporting LGBT people.
free video player & video platform - interactive video, online video solution: video player, video editor - kaltura
wordpress video - wordpress plugin for integrated video on video blogs, and video tools
To take part in Elke’s letter writing campaign, please click here.
Share Your Stories From the Holiday Table
January 6, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
Last year, GLAAD partnered with Mitchell Gold, editor of the anthology Crisis, to urge folks to share their stories with friends and family during the holiday season.
That’s exactly what my family did this year. Our big annual holiday dinner included the usual grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, along with three of us openly gay grandchildren.
CRISIS examines the overwhelming effects of prejudice and discrimination on the lives of gay youth.
In preparation for our big meal, my mom added one task to her list of things to do – to call everyone coming over for dinner and let them know we were having two special guests: my brother and my cousin’s partners. To my mom’s surprise, everyone was just fine with the inclusion of our gay family members. I wasn’t too surprised, though. I work for GLAAD, and every day I get to see examples demonstrating that our work is making a difference in eliminating homophobia.
As part of being GLAAD’s Central Region Media Field Strategist, I work to ensure media coverage of our community in the region (which includes my family’s home base, Ohio) is fair, accurate, and inclusive. Going into the holiday season, I knew that my extended family has been seeing more and more images of gay and transgender people in the media regularly, and that these positive portrayals are inevitably playing a role in changing their hearts and minds.
My grandma’s reaction to the news that two new members of the family would be joining our holiday meal was amazing. I know how important the media advocacy work we do here at GLAAD is, but it hit home for me as I watched my grandmother simply smile and say, “That’s great. You know this guy on one of my soaps, he’s gay. I love all my grandchildren, this doesn’t change anything.”
The actors who play Luke and Noah on As the World Turns received a GLAAD Media Award this year.
Towards the end of 2008, GLAAD commissioned a poll from Harris Interactive, the results of which told us that if someone knows a gay person, they are more likely to favor legal protections for our community. In fact, 19% of survey respondents reported that their feelings toward gay and lesbian people have become more favorable over the past five years. The number one factor for this change of heart was knowing someone who is gay or lesbian.
I firmly believe that the fact that my brother, my cousin, and I have all come out to our family, coupled with the fact that my family regularly sees fair and accurate media coverage of our community has made all the difference.
Not only have we built up a great group of allies in our extended family, but we’ve paved the way for any future family members who may be gay. They will be comforted to know that Grandma loves Luke and Noah on As the World Turns, and that openly gay folks are welcomed to our family’s holiday meal table every year.
Please feel free to share your story from the holidays in the comments section below.
Transgender Woman and Boyfriend Murdered
January 2, 2009 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
This week we learned another LGBT couple was murdered in their home in Indianapolis, Ind. Taysia Elzy, 34, a transgender woman, and her boyfriend, 22-year-old Mike Hunt were found murdered in their home last week.
Milton Lindgren, 70, and Eric Hendricks, 73, a gay couple, were murdered in their Indianapolis home this October. 
Last week’s tragic double-homicide are being covered extensively over at the Bilerico Project:
“If the double slaying is a hate crime, nothing will be done about it. Indiana doesn’t have a hate crimes law; instead we have a ‘hate crimes reporting’ law, but there is no recourse if police departments don’t report to the state. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department stopped documenting hate crimes years ago.”
While some local news stories seem to try to avoid using pronouns for both Elzy and Hunt, other news outlets relied on police descriptions of the couple as being two men leading “alternative lifestyles,” an unfair, inaccurate description. (See GLAAD’s Media Reference Guide for further explanation.)
Blogs and online message boards are filling in the pieces of Elzy’s gender identity, and mainstream outlets are following suit. Reporter Francesca Jarosz over at the Indianapolis Star has done a great job in her coverage of the crime.
Police arrested Christopher L. Conwell, 20, in conjunction with the murders Wednesday. It’s been confirmed that the couple died of gunshot wounds and that Conwell was an acquaintence.
Many Wins for the LGBT Community Since Election
December 19, 2008 by Sarah K @ GLAAD
While much of the media is still concentrating on the passage of anti-gay legislation back in November, many gains for LGBT equality are being made across the nation.
- Just yesterday, our community and elected officials made these changes!
- Columbus, Ohio, and Binghamton, NY’s, city councils both, extended their nondiscrimination laws to include discrimination based on gender identity and expression.
- Sioux City, Iowa’s, city council decided to delay action on a proposal that would publicly oppo
se marriage equality. - A federal judge denied Birmingham, Alabama’s, request that the court dismiss an anti-gay discrimination lawsuit.
- Ankeny, Iowa’s, school board denied a request to bar children from reading the children’s book And Tango Makes Three, which features two male penguins who raise a chick together.
- New York’s governor mandated that gay parents be allowed to appear on birth certificates.
- And since the election:
- Nov. 12: Same-sex couples legally wed in Connecticut for the first time.
- Nov. 14: Michigan’s House voted to extend hate crimes protections to the LGBT community.
- Nov. 18: Vermont Sen. John Campbell introduced a marriage equality bill.
- Nov. 25: a Florida judge declared the state’s anti-gay adoption law unconstitutional.
- Dec. 1: Indiana’s leaders said a ban on marriage equalityis unlikely in ‘09.
- Dec. 5: Alaska’s Senator-elect told the New York Times he supported partner benefits for gay couples.
- Dec. 8: Cleveland, Ohio, enacted a domestic partner registry and the Virginia Supreme Court granted child-visitation rights to lesbian parent
- Dec. 9: Iowa’s Supreme Court began hearings on marriage equality case Varnum v. Brian.
- Dec. 10: the New Jersey Civil Union Review Commission released a report that explains the state’s civil union law is not adequate, and that the legislature must take action to ensure marriage equality.
With the discouraging losses on Nov. 4, it’s important to point out all of our steps forward and to know that for the most part these issues have been covered by the media in a fair, accurate, and inclusive way. Fair media visibility of our community on the local level-everywhere from Florida to Alaska to Iowa-makes a big change in the way our neighbors perceive us.
In addition to the media coverage in your community, sharing your story with your community helps change hearts and minds too! Check out GLAAD’s Announcing Equality toolkit to learn all of the ways to share your story locally: http://www.glaad.org/AnnouncingEquality/
