Lutherans Pass Policy Statement on Human Sexuality by Supermajority
August 20, 2009
A tornado touched down on the street outside the convention hall where Lutherans were debating whether you could be a biblical Christian and support LGBT couples and their families. Conservative bloggers saw the storm as a dire sign but they ignored the sun breaking through just as the assembly voted for the new Social Policy on Human Sexuality by precisely the 2/3 vote required . As 66.67 to 33.33 percent vote results were posted on the screen, voters and visitors gasped and then burst into applause.
The national meeting for the entire Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) is held every two years—this year in Minneapolis, Minn., August 17-23. The new policy, which creates a theological framework allowing for disagreements within the ELCA over sexuality and scripture, replaces a previous statement that was 15 years old.
Lutherans Concerned, an LGBT affirming Lutheran group, sent a press release to 1800 religion writers and associates through the Religion News Service the week before the assembly, resulting in wide media coverage. Key votes throughout the week and GLAAD’s assistance with media strategies and pitching enhanced that effort. Private interviews with GLAAD trained spokespeople were set with the New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Washington Post, Los Angles Times, and others. Related votes will happen on Thursday and Friday.
On Tuesday a devotional booklet, “One Table, Many Blessings,” was released with the names of 95 out LGBT ministers. On Wednesday, a PBS Religion & Ethics reporter interviewed five key LGBT faith leader (airing August 24). Immediately after the vote on the Social Policy on Human Sexuality, PBS filmed the procession of the LGBT coalition’s worship service attended by about 2,000 people. The videographer quipped, “This will be our stock footage of Lutherans worshipping for years to come!”
The ELCA is the second largest mainline Protestant church in the U.S. with 4.6 million members and now joins the Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ as mainline denominations that have moved toward full inclusion in recent years. An increasing number clergy, laity and family members are going on record for equality.
Related Posts:The Latest on Rockstar Energy Drink
June 30, 2009
Craving an energy drink? Some LGBT family members, friends or colleagues may have told you before to steer clear of Rockstar energy drink due to the beverage company’s alleged connection with fringe anti-gay radio host Michael Savage.
Not familiar with what we’re talking about? Below is a brief recap about the chain of events that sparked this controversy.
- On April 23, The Bilerico Project Guest Blogger Michael Jones posted a story here about the connection between Rockstar energy drink and Michael Savage. The controversial shock jock is known for his offensive diatribes that has previously put him in hot water with LGBT and immigrant community leaders.
- A week later, attorneys for the beverage company threatened Bilerico with legal action for “factual inaccuracies.” You can read about that here.
- Other websites and blogs were contacted by the Rockstar legal team and threatened for similar reasons including thetruthaboutrockstarenergydrink.com, GaySocialites.com, wiqqaable.com, AlterNet and gaywired.com.
- Bloggers continued to follow the story including Daily Kos and The Consumerist.
- The Rockstar attorneys also contacted Facebook over a few groups criticizing the beverage company, which were subsequently shut down for reasons similar to those listed above. Individual Facebook accounts were also deleted. You can read about that here.
In addition to the threats of impending legal action, a website called truthaboutrockstar.com was set up to counter the claims made about the beverage company and its connection to Michael Savage. It looks very similar to the one created by thetruthaboutrockstarenergydrink.com.
Bilerico Founder & Editor-in-Chief Bil Browning
But now, according to Bilerico, the makers of Rockstar want to extend an olive branch to the LGBT community.
On June 28, Bill Browning of Bilerico wrote:
I can easily say that the company is remorseful for their stupid lawyer’s threatening tactics and wants to make good with the LGBT community.
Look for an announcement next week hopefully.
Please stay tuned for more details. GLAAD will continue to monitor this story and post more information as it becomes available.
Have an update to share with GLAAD? Send me a tweet at @Andy_Marra
Related Posts:GLAAD Issues Statement on Perez Hilton’s Use of Anti-Gay Slur
June 22, 2009
Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton posted a video today in which he made the following remarks about a confrontation with will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas and members of the band’s entourage:
And that is when I made the split-second decision – that I was gonna say what I thought was the worst possible thing that thug [will.i.am] would ever want to hear. As I was standing my ground – without being violent or physical which I would never do – I told him – and you know what? I don’t need to respect you and you’re a f**. You’re gay and stop being such a f***ot.
GLAAD issued a statement today in response to Hilton’s video. 
From Rashad Robinson, Senior Director of Media Programs at GLAAD, via the statement:
These are vulgar anti-gay slurs that feed a climate of hatred and intolerance toward our community. For someone in our own community to use it to attack another person by saying that it is, quote, ‘The worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear,’ is incredibly dangerous. It legitimizes use of a slur that is often linked to violence against our community. And it sends a message that it is OK to attempt to dehumanize people by exploiting anti-gay attitudes.
We have reached out to Hilton and asked him to apologize for promoting this anti-gay slur, and we would ask media outlets to avoid repetition of the slur in their coverage of this story.
Robinson goes on further to say:
While not all the facts in this case are known, the violence that appears to have been committed against Perez Hilton is unacceptable and ought to be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
The full statement can be found here.
Related Posts:Desde Cuba: Nuestro Primer Informe Desde La Habana
June 18, 2009
Iniciamos una colaboración con la oficina estadounidense “Interest Action” en Cuba. El departamento de asuntos civiles nos puso en contacto con la Fundación LGBT Reinaldo Arenas en Memoria para asesorar sus campañas de visibilidad en los medios. Una de nuestras metas con esta colaboración es impartir noticias directamente de la comunidad LGBT en Cuba.
Aquí esta nuestro primer informe escrito por nuestro colega Aliomar Janjaque Chivaz:
LGBT Cuba Noticias Hoy. La Habana, 17 de Junio – Bloguero gay quedo preso este sábado cuando la Policía Nacional ejecuto un arresto tumultuario en los bajos del Capitolio contra la comunidad gay.
30 personas fueron arrestadas cuando la policía de la estacion de Dragones, detuvo en el Capitolio y en la calle Monte y Cienfuegos un camión marca Hunday, y comenzó recoger a los muchachos por ser gay dijo el bloguero.
“Yo fui detenido a las diez de la mañana del sábado y me pusieron en libertad a las dos de la mañana del domingo. Cuando pedí razones por la detención no respondieron palabra alguna. La grosería y la discriminación estaba en el silencio la humillación y lo inhumano de ser arrestado sin razón alguna, solo por ser gay y pretender conversar con tus colegas en un espacio publico”, concluyo Amauri Dovodelavilla Torriente, bloguero enfocado en la lucha contra el VIH SIDA en la Habana.
La Habana, Cuba. Foto de Aliomar Janjaque Chivaz
GLAAD’s Spanish Language Media Program has begun a collaboration with the office Interest Action in Cuba. The department of Civil Matters connected GLAAD with the Fundación LGBT Reinaldo Arenas en Memoria (Reinaldo Arenas In Memoriam LGBT Foundation) to assist with their communications strategies.
One of our goals with this collaboration is to give visibility to news coming directly from the LGBT community in Cuba. These are news items in their own words that would have little, if any, exposure in the island or in the US.
Here’s our first report written by our colleague, Aliomar Janjaque Chivaz:
LGBT Cuba News Today. Havana, June 17 – A gay blogger was arrested on Saturday when the national police executed a series of unjustified arrests, near the Capitol, against the gay community.
The blogger stated that 30 people were arrested just for being gay after the police stopped a car on Monte and Cienfuegos streets.
Related Posts:“I was detained at 10am on Saturday and they let me go at 2am Sunday. When I asked for the reason of my arrest, I received no response. The insult, inhumanity and discrimination lies in the act of being arrested for no reason whatsoever except for being gay and to assemble with your friends in a public place, “said blogger Amauri Dovodelavilla Torriente.
A Personal Promise From President Obama On “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
May 7, 2009
Last night, I received a phone call filled with exciting news from a close friend to GLAAD, Second Lieutenant Sandy Tsao. Sandy is a Chinese American woman and army officer based out of St. Louis, Missouri. Sandy originally reached out to me last January as a result of her brave decision to come out as gay.
At the same time, Sandy also sent a heartfelt letter to President Obama urging him to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT).
Second Lieutenant Sandy Tsao
An excerpt from her original letter in January reads:
Today is Chinese New Year day. I hope it will bring good fortune to you and your newly elected office. Today is also the day I inform my chain of command of who I am. One of the seven army values is integrity. It means choosing to do the right thing no matter what the consequences may be. As a Christian, this also means living an honest life.
In closing, she wrote:
We have the best military in the world and I would like to continue to be part of it. My mother can tell you it is my dream to serve our country. I have fought and overcome many barriers to arrive at the point I am at today. This is the only battle I fear I may lose. Even if it is too late for me, I do hope, Mr. President, that you will help us to win the war against prejudice so that future generations will continue to work together and fight for our freedoms regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.
Obama's Letter (click to view larger image)
This past Tuesday, May 5, Sandy received a package from the White House. As Sandy unwrapped the thick envelope and looked inside, she tearfully fell to her knees. Protected between two pieces of cardboard, the parcel contained a handwritten note from President Obama.
The President, responding to Sandy’s letter, wrote:
Sandy – Thanks for the wonderful and thoughtful letter. It is because of outstanding Americans like you that I committed to changing our current policy. Although it will take some time to complete (partly because it needs Congressional action) I intend to fulfill my commitment. — Barack Obama.
Sandy and I have spent the past few months sharing her story in the media so others know about the unfortunate reality facing gay, lesbian and bisexual citizens in the armed forces. We began sharing her story with Asian Pacific Islander media, mainly because of their growing interest for more LGBT stories. We had also shared her story with mainstream media outlets, but received no response.
I initially pitched her story to Audrey, a magazine reaching more than 10,000 Asian American women across the country.
Click here for the full story by Sandy
Audrey’s Editor-in-Chief, Anne Kim, readily agreed to pick up Sandy’s personal account about coming out in the military. Her editorial can be found in the April/May issue that is currently on newsstands (or by clicking on the image to the left).
I also reached out to my contact at The World Journal, a Chinese language daily newspaper reaching nearly 350,000 readers. The reporter immediately interviewed Sandy and subsequently wrote a feature piece on DADT and its impact on openly gay, lesbian and bisexual service members.
Sandy’s last day in the army is May 19. She is being forced to leave the military, another service member discharged under the DADT policy.
Right now, she is preparing to rejoin everyday life as a civilian. But even though Sandy is sad to leave her dream job, she hopes her story will contribute to repealing the military ban. Sandy is even more encouraged by President Obama’s personal promise to allow others like her to serve openly in the military with pride and dignity.
The White House Web site
The debate over Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is still alive in the media landscape. Bloggers like Joe. My. God recently found the White House Web site had revised its language on President Obama’s commitment to lift the ban for openly gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans from serving in the military.
While the story of revised White House Web site language may fall out of the news cycle, we can be sure that DADT will continue to capture the media spotlight. The advocacy, reports and media coverage surrounding the ban have only expanded the public debate, scrutinizing the reasons and rationale for delaying the day when openly lesbian, gay and bisexual people can serve in the military.
The President’s personal reply extends beyond Sandy and her story. It’s a powerful message to the American people that one day everyone will be able to serve their country free from the fear of being discharged simply because of their sexual orientation. However, as the President’s note alludes to, the timeline to fulfill that commitment remains unknown.
My work with Sandy is one example from many that highlights the very reason why we need GLAAD’s Asian Pacific Islander Media Program. Whether we are providing a media training for LGBT community leaders from Mainland China to pitching a Seoul-based newspaper a hate crimes story, my work aims to harness the power of media with cultural competency. GLAAD’s commitment to the Asian Pacific Islander community and other communities of color is united by a simple belief that we must bring all of our experiences to the table when engaging in meaningful debate for fairness and equality.
Below, you can watch a clip from The Rachel Maddow Show which followed the story of the White House Website revising its DADT language:
And here is a collection of media coverage related to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell:
Related Blog Coverage
Joe. My. God:
- White house fixes DADT Language on website, “repeal” replaces “change”
- White house restores LGBT rights promises on website (but changes DADT wording from “repeal” to “change”
- White house shrinks LGBT rights commitments list on official site
The Bilerico Project:
- Disrespecting the troops, one thousand officers at a time
- Obama hits pause on the repeal DADT button
- Robert Gates wants to “push” DADT repeal “down the road a little bit”
