Challenging a Colorado Catholic School’s Decision to Oust Students with Two Moms
March 19, 2010
Two children were recently kicked out of a Catholic school in Boulder, Colo., because of having lesbian mothers. GLAAD issued a statement urging national media to spotlight this story and report on how such harsh decisions hurt families and damage communities.
Following GLAAD’s pitch, CNN, Fox News Channel’s, “The O’Reilly Factor,” and a host of other national outlets covered the story. And, on the heels of that coverage, DignityUSA New Ways Ministry, Call to Action and Fortunate Families placed a full page ad in the Sunday, March 14 editions of the Denver Post and the Boulder Daily Camera. The ad highlighted the lifetime of harm that such a rejection represents.
Their voices were joined by local community members including some straight mothers from the Sacred Heart of Jesus School, who spoke out on the HLN’s, the Joy Behar Show and in the Boulder Daily Camera to challenge the church’s double standards of not questioning mothers who use birth control, nor requiring parents to be Catholic straight parents
The children of the couple had been attending the school for three years so it was even more shocking for the mothers to suddenly have their children targeted for rejection. The mothers remained unnamed during the controversy to protect their children from publicity but issued a statement on March 15 to say they had not given up on being Catholic, despite this rejection.
The Denver Post quoted the mothers: “When we were allowed to have our children baptized, we made a promise to raise our children in the Catholic faith,” they said. “We now feel like our attempts at fulfilling this promise are being undermined by the church itself.” Part of their comments touched on the challenges same-sex couples face in dealing with taxes, border crossings, and various legal protections, but they said they never expected to face such double standards in their own faith community.
As media keep a focus on the Boulder story both locally and nationally, GLAAD will continue helping faith groups and local advocates on the ground in Colorado as they offer their unique community perspective to the dialogue.
Related Posts:Video of Will Phillips’ Acceptance Speech at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards – New York
March 15, 2010
Eleven-year-old Will Phillips accepts the award for Outstanding TV Journalism Segment at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York on March 13, 2010. Phillips appeared in the award winning CNN American Morning news segment “Why Will Won’t Pledge Allegiance.”
You can also watch the video on YouTube.
View a complete list of award recipients and photos from the event.
Honorees, award recipients and event photos can also be seen on an earlier post: Cynthia Nixon and Joy Behar Honored at the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York
To learn more about the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards, visit www.glaad.org/mediaawards.
Related Posts:CNN Special Chronicles the Transition of Susan Stanton
March 15, 2010
In “Her Name was Steven,” Susan Stanton speaks about the challenges facing the transgender community and about her own journey from Steven to Susan.
In 2007, Largo, Florida, City Manager Steven Stanton came out as transgender. Steven was quickly terminated from Largo’s City Manager position, but courageously continued the transition process.
Now, Susan Stanton has resumed her role in Floridian politics and works as City Manager in Lake Worth, FL. Stanton says that although her title is the same, she is treated differently as a woman:
“You don’t realize how difficult it is to lead people as a woman because you don’t get the deference as a woman.
“As a guy, when I’m talking, people would stop. But now, sometimes I find myself saying, ‘Excuse me, stop interrupting me.’”
The CNN profile also revealed the isolation that Stanton faced simply by being who she was. Like many transgender people, Stanton says she contemplated suicide and battled depression.
According to the network, “CNN followed Stanton’s life for more than two years [and] the resulting portrait is sensitively told in Stanton’s own voice, with arresting candidness and honesty.”
GLAAD is encouraged to see CNN devote a significant amount of coverage to transgender people. Transgender people are our neighbors, coworkers, and friends. They contribute greatly to the rich tapestry of the world and they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Programs like CNN’s “Her Name was Steven” are the right step in moving the conversation forward about transgender people.
For more information on “Her Name was Steven,” visit CNN Presents’ website here.
Related Posts:GLAAD Network Responsibility Index Covered by The Tonight Show; SyFy Promises Change
July 30, 2009
GLAAD’s third annual Network Responsibility Index, which analyzes the quantity, quality and diversity of LGBT images on television, spread across the internet, radio and television following its release early Monday morning.
The Associated Press broke the story at 12:01am on July 27 and was promptly picked up numerous outlets, including popular blogs such as Towleroad, Socialite Life and AfterEllen. The story was also carried by major news outlets, including The Huffington Post, ABC News, USA Today, and Entertainment Weekly.
In print, The Hollywood Reporter ran a front page story on the Network Responsibility Index. The print editions of The New York Times and The New York Daily News also picked up the story.
GLAAD’s Senior Director of Media Programs, Rashad Robinson, was interviewed about the report by CBS Radio and KFWB in Los Angeles. On TV, CNN’s Showbiz Tonight and American Morning reported on GLAAD’s findings, but perhaps the most memorable (and hilarious) reference to the Network Responsibility Index came courtesy of Conan O’Brien on The Tonight Show:
TV Guide‘s Matt Mitovich also did an excellent job of covering GLAAD’s report. After his initial story, Mitovich reached out to the networks that received Failing grades in the Network Responsibility Index. Although most declined comment, SyFy’s executive vice president of original content, Mark Stern, touted several gay characters on upcoming series.
Ming-Na as Camille Wray in Stargate: Universe
From TVGuide.com:
“On Stargate Universe, one of the main female characters, we discover, is a lesbian and has a wife at home. It’s a pretty important facet of who that character is,” he says. ER alum Ming-Na plays intergalactic diplomat Camille Wray, while 24’s Reiko Aylesworth recurs as her wife.
Similarly the Galactica prequel spin-off Caprica has at least two main characters depicted as being in gay relationships. “[One] is a ‘goodfella’-type, and we discover in a nonchalant way that he is gay, with a husband,” Stern says. “It was very interesting to me to take what is traditionally a very heterosexual role in an organization that we think of as being extremely homophobic, and put a gay character in that world in a very normalized way.”
We commend SyFy for working to ensure the LGBT community is fairly represented in their original programming and hope that the other networks will take our recommendations to heart as well.
Related Posts:NY Senator May Propose Moratorium on DADT
July 14, 2009
Online news aggregator The Daily Beast reports that Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) may amend a Defense reauthorization bill to include an 18-month moratorium on the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy. The bill may be taken up by the Senate as early as Tuesday.
When CNN’s Anderson Cooper asked President Obama on Monday about the 1993 law that bars LGBT people from serving openly in the armed forces, President Obama replied with a firm “I want to see this law changed.”
That statement drew tough criticism from LGBT advocates, like John Aravosis, author of AMERICAblog, who cried foul on the President’s word choice of “change” rather than “repeal.” Aravosis accuses the President of subtly recanting his campaign promise to fully repeal DADT, and instead believes that the Obama administration will fall short of a full repeal and simply edit the existing law.
In any case, the President has often expressed his opposition to the policy, but rarely has he given any indication as to when it is likely to be overturned. When Anderson Cooper asked the President about a timeframe for “the change,” the President insisted:
I’d like to see it done sooner rather than later and we’ve begun a process to not only work it through congress but also to make sure that the Pentagon has thought through all the ramifications of how this would be most effective.
The Obama administration has faced scrutiny recently from LGBT leaders who criticize the President’s hesitation in fulfilling his campaign promises to the community. ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ has become an especially contentious subject after the University of California at Santa Barbara’s ‘Palm Center’ pointed out that the President has proper authority under the law to suspend DADT during a time of war. President Obama, however, has stressed that he only supports repealing the policy through congressional legislation.
Sen. Gillibrand’s amendment, if passed, could expedite an end to the policy in a fashion that suits the president’s wishes while simultaneously granting congress time to consider more permanent revisions.
Meanwhile The Advocate reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will support the amendment and even believes Sen. Gillibrand’s proposal could be improved. “I would make it permanent,” Sen. Reid commented. The Advocate also purports that “several other senators” are deliberating the opportunity to present the amendment in the Senate.
GLAAD will continue to monitor the media’s coverage of the White House’s stance on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’.
Related Posts:UPDATE: Military Board Recommends Dismissal of Lt. Dan Choi
July 1, 2009
On Tuesday, a military administrative board recommended that Lt. Dan Choi – Iraq war veteran, Arabic linguist, and member of the LGBT service member’s organization Knights Out – be discharged from the National Guard under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. The panel of military administrators heard Choi’s testimony and, after four hours of deliberation, submitted their recommendation.
Lt. Choi became one of the leading advocates for the repeal of DADT after coming out in March in the Army Times newspaper and on The Rachel Maddow Show.
In a statement to MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, Lt. Choi responded to the decision saying, “I’m disappointed but I need to send a message to my soldiers that if you get knocked down, get yourself back up and keep fighting. What kind of officer or leader would I be if I gave up?”
Lt. Choi’s case now goes to the First Army commander and the chief of the National Guard Bureau for review. If discharged, Lt. Choi will become the 266th service member to be dismissed under DADT since President Obama took office in January 2009.
News of Lt. Choi’s dismissal comes after a slew of media coverage of DADT in the past week:
Defense Secretary Robert Gates issued a statement indicating that he wants to make the implementation of DADT “more humane” until Congress can address its possible repeal. Secretary Gates stated he has lawyers studying ways the law might be “selectively enforced.”
The White House also issued this response to a question regarding the timetable for the repeal of the policy:
Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach appeared on Tuesday’s CNN Newsroom to discuss his own pending dismissal. The 19-year veteran spoke with President Obama at this week’s White House reception celebrating the 40th anniversary of Stonewall. Although the Lt. Col. was hopeful for President Obama’s movement on DADT, he did not appear as hopeful for his own pending case:
“I think that I may end up being discharged at the end of the day, but if the law’s repealed, then that’s—that’s for the greater good. I hope that, if it is repealed, then maybe I can come right back in the military and finish out my career.”
On Monday’s Hardball with Chris Matthews, Chuck Todd interviewed openly gay Rep. Jared Polis of Colo. During the interview, Rep. Polis voiced his support for the repeal of DADT saying:
“Really, the only area where I have seen any disagreement over this is under the Capital dome. I think we need to make a lot of progress on that. The American people and the military are more than ready.”
Keith Olbermann brought on writer and LGBT advocate Dan Savage on Countdown to discuss President Obama’s addressing of DADT during the White House reception in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
Savage brought up the interesting comparison between Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s suspension of the “widower’s penalty” – a policy which requires the deportation of non-citizen widowers of U.S. citizens – to the reluctance of the Obama administration to halt DADT dismissals. Savage sarcastically joked, “[Napolitano] seems to have authorities and powers that the President, her boss, Commander-in-Chief does not.”
We’ll keep you updated as Lt. Choi’s case progresses.
Related Posts:CNN Reporter’s Misleading Statement about Matthew Shepard Act Debunked
June 26, 2009
Today, Media Matters for America debunked CNN’s Deborah Feyerick’s misleading allegation that the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act would have any impact on an individual’s right to freedom of speech.
Feyerick reported on the June 25 edition of The Situation Room that the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R.1913) “could be used to criminalize conservative speech on abortion or homosexuality.”
As noted by Media Matters, Feyerick did not point out that the bill specifically stipulates in Section 10 that:
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit any constitutionality protected speech, expressive conduct or activities (regardless of whether compelled by, or central to, a system of religious beliefs)…
[and] Nothing in this Act shall be construed to allow prosecution based solely upon an individual’s expression of racial, religious, political, or other beliefs or solely pon an individual’s membership in a group advocating or espousing such beliefs.
Feyerick also neglected to report that Attorney General Eric Holder, in a prepared statement, explicitly clarified to the Senate Judiciary Committee in a June 25 hearing that the bill:
…could be used only to investigate or prosecute discriminatory acts of violence causing bodily injury (or attempts to commit such violent acts) and thus could never be used to investigate or prosecute mere association or expressions of beliefs, no matter how offensive those beliefs might be….
Nor did Feyerick make clear that Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) also stressed to the Senate that the bill “does not target pure speech, however offensive or disagreeable.”
Feyerick’s mischaracterization of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act promotes the misleading scare tactics of anti-gay activists that are designed to perpetuate fears and misconceptions about federal hate crimes laws aimed to protect individuals against anti-LGBT violence.
Given CNN’s strong track record of fair and accurate coverage of LGBT issues, it is disappointing to see Feyerick mislead viewers with claims that have been explicitly and repeatedly identified by lawmakers as inaccurate.
Related Posts:Russell Simmons Reiterates Support for Marriage Equality on CNN
June 10, 2009
Back in April, hip hop and fashion mogul Russell Simmons came out in support of marriage equality in a letter to New York Gov. David Paterson.
Last night Simmons reiterated his support for the LGBT community on CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.
You can check out the clip below:
Meghan McCain Urges NY’s GOP to Support Marriage for Same-Sex Couples
May 22, 2009
Meghan McCain, the daughter of former Republican Presidential candidate Senator John McCain of Arizona, pressed New York legislators to extend marriage protections to same-sex couples in an opinion piece appearing in Friday’s New York Daily News.
McCain specifically called on the state’s Republican senators to offer their support and make the difference to pass the marriage bill.
McCain made heartfelt arguments to back her stance putting a human face on the issue:
No matter how politically charged the discussions about marriage equality may get, the question is really a simple one: Do the rights and privileges we offer citizens include everyone in our country, or only some of us?
I believe that allowing gays and lesbians the freedom to marry is an idea whose time has come. Though my opinion is no doubt influenced by my family’s public role in political life, I still approach this from personal experience, as I think most people do. For me, this is about treating all of my friends, and all of our brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren the same as I want to be treated. Equality under the law and personal freedoms are what make America the greatest country in the world, and they are core values that I hold as a Republican.
Meghan McCain and her father Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)
Along with her strong pro-marriage stance McCain also leaves no ambiguity about her steadfast political allegiance to the Republican Party noting that:
People may always have a difference of opinion . . . but championing a position that wants to treat people unequally isn’t just un-Republican. At its fundamental core, it’s un-American.
McCain, 24, has been blazing the media circuit as of late, challenging the Republican Party to reconsider its stance on such issues as abstinence and marriage for gay couples. On Monday night, McCain was the featured guest on Comedy Central’s, The Colbert Report where she told host Stephen Colbert:
I do believe the Republican Party can be a safe place for the gay community. . . If you go to the basic beliefs of the Republican party of keeping government out of your life, why can’t that include marriage?
And what does Senator McCain think of his daughter’s perspective? In April Senator McCain had this to say to CNN about his daughter’s political opinions:
I love and respect my daughter, and I appreciate the fact that she brings fresh views and ideas and we need that in our party.
You can read Meghan McCain’s blog here.
Media Keeping Up With Prop 8 Protests
November 18, 2008
During this extremely active time in the LGBT community, people have been voicing their opinions in record numbers across the country about the anti-gay ballot measures that passed in California, Florida, Arizona and Arkansas and the media is taking note.
This past weekend brought a great amount of coverage, as protests occurred across the country. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, protests were organized in all 50 states on Saturday, as well as cities in Canada, England and Australia.
From Friday through Sunday, CNN alone presented at least nine segments discussing the post-Proposition 8 environment.
On Friday, November 14th, guest-host Joy Behar interviewed high-profile guests during a broadcast of Larry King Live dedicated to the aftermath of the passage of Prop 8. In addition to live broadcasts of Prop 8 protests, Behar interviewed Cynthia Nixon, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Dan Savage and anti-gay pastors Reverend Jim Garlow and Bishop Harry Jackson.
On Saturday, November 15th, CNN covered the Prop 8 related protests and issues surrounding the protests throughout the day, with multiple segments on CNN Newsroom and a segment on CNN Saturday Morning.
We have been monitoring the coverage very closely and released a set of guidelines last week to assist news leaders in reporting fairly and accurately on the flux of protests being organized. The overall coverage surrounding the Prop 8 related protests this past weekend was predominantly fair and GLAAD will continue to assist the media to assure that it stays that way.
On CNN – Hilary Rosen Discusses Proposition 8 in California
October 29, 2008
Today on CNN’s The Situation Room, host Wolf Blitzer discussed California’s Proposition 8 with contributors Hilary Rosen and Alex Castellanos.
The discussion revolved around whether they think the proposed amendment to ban marriage for gay couples would pass or fail in this election’s political climate.
You can watch the segment below:
Sir Charles Reiterates Support for Marriage Equality
October 28, 2008
Former NBA All-Star and MVP Charles Barkley once again publicly stated his support of marriage for gay and lesbian people.
In an interview yesterday with CNN’s Campbell Brown, Barkley spoke on a wide variety of issues including racism, education and religion. When Brown questioned Barkley about his previous statements coming out against GOP Christian evangelicals, Barkley stated:
“What I meant by that and I still stick by it — my idea of religion is we are supposed to encourage people to love other people. I am a big pro-choice guy. I am a big gay marriage guy and they are so divisive and that is not my idea of religion. My idea of religion is we are supposed to bring people together.”
Barkley is one of the few professional athletes to openly support the LGBT community in the media. He has spoken out several times in different high-profile media outlets over the past couple of years.
In a February 2008 interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Barkley stated his support of marriage for gay and lesbian couples. In August 2006, Barkley appeared on CMI: The Chris Myers Interview on Fox Sports Net and stated, “I think if they want to get married, God bless them.”
Charles Barkley is known for his honest and open interviews in a world where it’s extremely rare to find professional athletes willing to speak about polarizing issues such as marriage equality and racism. When you watch, it’s clear he’s not being coached and given talking points by his agent.
Charles Barkley is his own person and the LGBT community benefits from his overwhelming support. People like Barkley blaze the path for other athletes to speak openly in support of LGBT people.
Below is a portion of the interview with Campbell Brown:
