New Report Shows Significant Progress for LGBT Americans Since 2000
December 16, 2009
As the decade draws to a close, a new report shows the past 10 years have been a period of dramatic gains in equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in America. Two-thirds of the 36 statistical indicators compiled in A Decade of Progress on LGBT Rights showed significant advances, including sharp increases in the number of LGBT Americans protected by nondiscrimination and family recognition legislation at the state level. Just over a quarter of the indicators were negative, and two showed mixed results. The report is a joint project of the LGBT Movement Advancement Project and the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr., Fund.
Full text of the report is available here.
Among the report’s key measures of progress:
- Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation: The number of states outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation increased 83 percent, from 12 to 22, between 2000 and 2009. The percentage of the U.S. population living in states banning discrimination based on sexual orientation soared from 24.5 percent to 44.1 percent, an 80 percent increase. In other words, today 134 million Americans are now living in states where discrimination based on sexual orientation has been outlawed, an increase of 65 million over the decade. (When local nondiscrimination laws passed by cities without statewide protections are included, the figure is over 50 percent of the U.S. population.) Fortune 500 companies that protect workers based on sexual orientation grew from 51 percent to 88 percent.
- Discrimination Based on Gender Identity: There was an even more remarkable increase in states outlawing discrimination based on gender identity and expression, which rose from just 1state in the year 2000 to 14 states representing nearly 30 percent of the population in 2009. The percentage of Fortune 500 companies that protect workers based on gender identity jumped even more, from just 0.6 percent to 35 percent.
- Public Opinion: The percentage of the public supporting the right of openly gay and lesbian people to serve in the military grew from 62 percent to 75 percent. Support for marriage equality has grown from 35 percent in 2000 to 39 percent today; there has been an even larger increase in support for relationship recognition that involves many of the rights of marriage, from 45 to 57 percent.
- Safer Schools: In 2000, only one state had a safe school law that specifically cited sexual orientation and gender identity/expression for protection; by 2009 that rose to 13states. The number of Gay-Straight Alliance Clubs in high schools grew from 700 to 4,700, a nearly six-fold increase.
The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund is a private family foundation created in 1953 which has awarded more than $364 million in grants to support fundamental rights and opportunities for all people. It has invested nearly $42 million in promoting equal rights and opportunities for gays and lesbians since 2002.
Related Posts:UPDATE: Orlando McDonald’s Fires Manager Who Denied Transgender Teenager Employment
December 14, 2009
An Orlando, Fla. McDonald’s has fired a manager after he refused to hire Zikkeria Bellamy, a 17-year-old transgender applicant.
According to the CBS 6, the McDonald’s issued a statement saying: “Sand Lake Road McDonald’s has a strict policy prohibiting any form of discrimination or harassment in hiring, termination, or any other aspect of employment in the organization. The restaurant requires all employees to comply with local, state and federal employment laws.”
According to Bellamy, after the manager discovered she was a transgender person, he left a voicemail message saying: “You will not get hired.” “We do not hire fa**ots.” He also declined to interview her, according to a press release from the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, the organization representing Bellamy.
In its statement, McDonald’s further condemned the manager’s actions saying: “The behavior of the individual in question is not reflective of the employment policies in the organization. Further, this individual acted outside the scope of his authority and was not responsible for hiring. The individual in question is no longer employed by the restaurant.”
While this is step in the right direction, Bellamy’s attorney, Michael Silverman noted that it’s only a first step.
“We’re asking [the Florida Commission on Human Relations] to take the complaint and make sure that McDonald’s takes appropriate steps to make sure that this doesn’t happen again,” Silverman said.
He is also urging McDonald’s to include gender identity protections in its corporate employment policy and urging Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), now pending in Congress that would protect LGBT people from being fired for who they are.
GLAAD will continue to urge media attention for Zikerria Bellamy’s story.
Related Posts:Orlando McDonald’s Denies Transgender Teenager Employment: Manager Leaves Threatening Voice Message with Slur
December 7, 2009
When Zikerria Bellamy applied to work at an Orlando, Fla. McDonald’s, she was hoping to earn some extra cash to help support herself. But for the 17-year-old transgender woman, that never became a reality.
After a manager discovered that Bellamy was a transgender person, he left a voicemail message saying: “You will not get hired.” “We do not hire fa**ots.” He also declined to interview her, according to a press release from the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, the organization representing Bellamy.
Bellamy was stunned.
“When I first got it, I told my mom ‘this is not right, something has to be done about this’,” Bellamy told CBS 6 Orlando. “I just wanted to earn to some money and was willing to work hard at this job. In the current economy, jobs are really hard to find. I never expected to be judged on who I am, instead of being judged on whether I can do the job,” said Bellamy.
Employment discrimination remains a major problem for many LGBT people in the United States. And with no federal protections barring employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, an “average work day” for many LGBT people can be very difficult.
“Americans should have the chance to earn a living and provide for their families without being refused a job or fired for reasons that have nothing to do with their ability to do the job,” Michael Silverman, executive director of the TLDEF, who is representing Bellamy, said in a press release.
“Zikerria should not have been denied a job just because she is transgender. Like everyone else, she deserved to be judged on her ability to do the job and not on who she is,” he continued.
While the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)—a federal law that would prohibit employee discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity—continues to wend through Congress, it remains legal in 29 states to fire people based on sexual orientation. It is legal in 38 states to fire people based on gender identity remains legal.
GLAAD along with 19 other national organizations have called on Congress to immediately pass the legislation but there has been little to no traction on the issue.
And while the TLDEF has filed an employment discrimination complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations on behalf of Bellamy, Florida remains one of the many states that does not protect its transgender employees and residents.
GLAAD helped shape TLDEF’s press release and media prepped Bellamy extensively before her appearance on the local newscast. We also continue to pitch her story widely and anticipate future coverage in the Associated Press and on CBS The Early Show.
Related Posts:Federal Court Dismisses Langbehn’s Lawsuit over Hospital Visitation Rights
September 30, 2009
On Tuesday, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida dismissed Lambda Legal’s lawsuit on behalf of Janice Langbehn, Lisa Pond’s partner of 17 years who was kept from her bedside during her final hours of life in the Jackson Memorial Hospital in 2007. 
Agreeing with the Public Health Trust of Miami Dade County’s motion to dismiss, the court ruled that “the hospital has neither an obligation to allow their patients’ visitors nor any obligation whatsoever to provide their patients’ families, healthcare surrogates, or visitors with access to patients in their trauma unit.”
Lisa Pond suffered a fatal brain aneurysm at age 39 just before she, Janice, and their three children were to depart on a Caribbean cruise for gay families on February 18, 2007. She was rushed off the ship to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where officials refused to let Langbehn or their children see Pond for eight hours until a priest came to deliver her last rites, by which time Pond had already slipped into a coma.
One of the most shocking components of Langbehn’s experience, as laudably reported by the New York Times last May, was her reception by Jackson Memorial social worker Garnett Frederick, who informed her that she was in an “antigay city and state,” and that despite producing the necessary legal papers, they would not recognize her power of attorney authority. Frederick denies making the comment. The court dismissed the case without deciding whether Langbehn had been discriminated against.
Jackson continues to deny that LGBT patients and families are treated differently at their facility. The Miami Herald quoted Jackson Memorial spokeswoman Jennifer Piedra saying in their news release, “We have always believed and known that the staff at Jackson treats everyone equally, and that their main concern is the well-being of the patients in their care.”
In Lambda Legal’s press release the day of the decision, lead counsel Staff Attorney Beth Littrell [said], “The court’s decision paints a tragically stark picture of how vulnerable same-sex couples and their families really are during times of crisis.”
Langbehn’s latest posts to her family blog reveal a deep sense of despair in the wake of the court’s decision:
“I wanted to win so that you – gay or straight – could be with your loved one as well as bring in your children to hold your loved one’s hand while they could sense you – so that you could begin the grieving process – but all was for not. I am sorry.”
GLAAD has worked with the Langbehn family from the beginning of their ordeal, helping with media strategy and media trainings. They are in our hearts at the difficult time and we will continue spotlighting their story and the stories of countless others who are denied basic protections like hospital visitation.
The court has given Lambda and the Langbehn-Pond family until October 16th to review the ruling and consider all legal options. We will continue to keep you updated about the progress of her fight to ensure equal treatment of all families.
Related Posts:Binational & Bisexual Discrimination
September 23, 2009
Renata Moreira
As part of GLAAD’s ongoing series of posts dedicated to Celebrate Bisexuality Day, we invited bisexual people to share their stories and talk about what today means to them.
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By Renata Moreira
I have come across endless stories of im/migration since transplanting myself here from Brazil over 12 years ago. Many of our stories reflect the search for better economic opportunities, the escape from persecution, access to quality education, healthcare, and so on. My story echoes such narratives, but with a delicious twist: I moved here for love, migrated by choice, and stayed with pride.
Karla, my girlfriend at the time, picked me up at the Detroit International Airport during a freezing January morning in 1997. I had been granted an F-1 visa (student visa) and was ready to start a new life with my partner. It was all bliss for a few years, but as we grew apart I realized I had found a new love: my American compatriots. My romantic relationship was soon over, but I chose to continue building a solid relationship with my new American families and transferred to a college in NYC.
A few years later, I met Brad – a good ol’ Jersey boy who became my dear hubby and green card sponsor. I obtained my permanent residency in 2002 after filling out piles of paperwork with the INS (now Homeland Security). Our commitment and friendship was an incredible experience, but our marriage did not turn out how we expected (him a musician, me a political scientist), so we got an amicable separation in 2005.
A year later, I fell in love with an incredible Brazilian woman during a trip to visit my family only to experience the biggest heartbreak of all: I was not allowed to sponsor her into this country as my ex-husband had done for me. We applied for student visas, working visas, research visas, you name it. The United States wouldn’t even allow her to visit me! We considered immigrating to Canada, where we hoped we would be able to reunite, but I could not secure residency there due to my status here. What a limbo! After two years of pain, expenses, and separation I chose not to move back to Brazil and our long distance relationship was officially over.
But the story doesn’t end there – Being bisexual, and perfectly capable of falling in love with someone from any gender/sex, puts me in a position of being singled out for scrutiny over and over again. Some immigration officers now claim that my previous marriage was false and done only for green card purposes and so I continuously experience bi-phobia and live fear that my citizenship application may be denied due to my sexual orientation. It is sad that this country that I learned to love and call my home continues to reinforce discriminatory immigration laws that destroy families and diminish our pride of becoming “Americans.”
Renata Moreira, a Brazilian American educator, activist, and performer, has worked to promote full equality for LGBT families and to end violence against women and children for over a decade. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and is pursuing interdisciplinary graduate studies in Sociology and Gender at the Graduate Center of CUNY. For more information and speaking engagements contact renatamoreira2010@gmail.com.
Related Posts:Transgender Mayoral Candidate to Sue Twitter over Defamatory Fake Account
August 27, 2009
A transgender woman currently running for Mayor in Nampa, Idaho is planning to sue the social networking site Twitter for allowing a false account posted in her name to remain accessible for weeks after requesting that they take it down.
Melissa Sue Robinson, who entered the mayoral race in June, told KTRV she was shocked to find a link under her name to a Twitter account titled “WomanWithAPenis.” This same account was also reported to have sent lewd tweets to a Michigan reporter. Robinson recounted:
I checked Google and I saw something very lewd, very malicious, just downright nasty with my name on it… I e-mailed Twitter and called them and did the same thing with Google and asked them to remove it and that was [a] month ago and they haven’t removed it.
As of Wednesday, Aug 26th however, the false account had been removed in the aftermath of the incident’s national publicity.
Citing KTRV’s primary coverage (which improperly hyphenates the term transgender), The Advocate.com reported that Robinson plans to file suit for defamation of character and violation of privacy. Digital Media Wire explained that Robinson hopes the court will order Twitter to identify the offending account holder so that she can launch a personal suit against him/her.
The Advocate reported, “A self-described progressive, her [campaign platform] plans include the passage of an LGBT rights ordinance, transportation improvements, and the development of the downtown area.”
It is unfortunate that for the time being her energy will have to be diverted from promoting these priorities. Robinson reflected to KTRV, “If you’re just a transgender person living your life out, you’re working hard doing things to help society, people shouldn’t be malicious against you.”
This is not the first time Robinson has encountered difficulties during a political campaign. As a 2003 candidate for Mayor in Lansing, Michigan, Robinson battled a Michigan law that compelled her to include her given name alongside her preferred name on the ballot. ClickOnDetroit.com chronicled her 2003 debate with the City over the law, which discriminated against transgender candidates.
Robinson has also petitioned the City of Lansing to adopt a transgender-inclusive anti-discrimination ordinance and lobbied the State of Michigan to extend existing anti-discrimination laws to cover transgender individuals. Coincidentally, The Associated Press reported Wednesday on a bill before Michigan’s House Judiciary Committee, which would do just that. However, The AP added that “similar legislation introduced in Michigan in recent years has not advanced.”
GLAAD will continue to keep you updated of media surrounding Robinson’s case.
Related Posts:Media Takes Note of Latest Statewide LGBT Developments
August 21, 2009
Every week at state and local levels, there are numerous developments taking place about the many key issues that deeply affect our community—domestic partnerships, marriage, hate crimes, employment discrimination and DOMA to name a few. The media is paying attention. Here is a brief summary:
Maine:
Gearing up for Vote on Marriage for Gay and Lesbian Couples
Last year, Maine legislators passed LD 1020—a law allowing marriage for gay and lesbian couples—but LS 1020 only stands if Maine residents vote to uphold it this November.
So the clock is ticking.
The Advocate wrote that in Maine, both sides, marriage and anti-marriage advocates are working aggressively:
Opponents of Maine’s same-sex marriage law have the upper hand financially thus far, raising more than $343,000 compared to [Equality Maine-based] No on 1’s $143,000, according to mid-July filings with the State Ethics Commission.
Marriage equality proponents had a total of 501 donors, according to a campaign spokesman, with the largest donation of $50,000 coming from Maine resident Diane Sammer, $25,000 from the Human Rights Campaign, $10,000 from the American Civil Liberties Union, and $10,000 from another state resident Jane Begert. An HRC spokesperson said the organization plans to chip in an additional $100,000 over the next couple months.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Maine-based advocates of same-sex marriage are not in this alone–people in California are lending a helping hand:
Equality California, one of this state’s largest gay rights groups, sent out a fundraising appeal urging supporters to send their donations to Maine.
The appeal noted that opponents of gay marriage, including many who were active in California’s $80-million battle over Proposition 8, have raised more than twice as much money.
View “Together”, the Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, Equality Maine Foundation and the Maine Civil Liberties Union Foundation’s new ad for upholding LD 1020.
Ohio:
Same-Sex and Unwed Partners of Employees to Receive Benefits
On August 18, Franklin County commissioners and employees voted unanimously to offer benefits to unmarried and same-sex partners of county employees.
The Columbus Dispatch reported on Wednesday that all county offices and independent agencies including Franklin County Children Services, the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission and Metro Parks are to adopt this new policy.
This new policy, which goes into effect January 1st, 2010, could benefit roughly 60 domestic partners and 21 dependants in the area.
Tennessee:
Metro Council Votes to Ban Workplace Discrimination against LGBT Workers
In a 23-16 vote, the Metropolitan Council— the legislative body of Nashville and Davidson County —voted on member Meghan Barry’s proposal to ensure that all gay and lesbian workers were protected from discrimination in the workplace. According to the Nashville Scene, the majority of those who opposed the bill expressed that they wanted a bill that would protect all employees better based on “non-merit” factors.
This vote comes six years after a similar 2003 vote that refused to ban this type of discrimination.
Texas:
El Paso Officials Will Make Public Accouchement on Domestic Partner Benefits Next Week
This July, council members in El Paso voted to include benefits for partners of gay and unmarried employees. Kiva.com reported that on August 18, at a city council meeting, both those who support and oppose this new policy spoke out in the allotted public comment portion of the meeting. What exactly was said is unknown to the public, because council members are not allowed to divulge what community members say if it is not the agenda of the meeting.
Next Tuesday, council members will officially make a statement about this new measure to the public. Mayor John Cook stated that he will have a special meeting about this as well.
Ft. Worth Police Revising Policies After Raiding Local Gay Bar
Almost two months after the Rainbow Lounge raid, which resulted in six arrests and one hospitalization, Fort Worth police announced on Tuesday that they are revising some of their policies, reports the El Paso Times:
Chief Jeff Halstead told the City Council that problems happened at the Rainbow Lounge in the early morning hours of June 28 because the department’s bar inspection policy lacked specific guidelines, which he said was why no policies were violated.
He said a revised policy should be in place by Sept. 1 with rules for a three tiered-system: bar checks, inspections and investigations.
A final report should be finished in late September or October, Halstead said. It will include the department’s findings on whether allegations against some officers—including excessive force and unprofessional conduct—are justified and any recommended disciplinary actions
The June raid sparked accusations that police were targeting gay bars in the area. After public protests and marches, the city’s police chief announced the appointment of an interim liaison to the city’s LGBT residents and issued a public apology for the incident.
Washington State:
Referendum 71 Aims to Dismantle Domestic Partnerships Laws
Over the past few years, Washington’s state legislature has passed progressively more inclusive versions of a domestic partnership law. In 2009, the legislature passed Senate Bill 5688, a bill that would make domestic partnerships equivalent to marriage in the state, with the exception of the title of the agreement. Governor Chris Gregoire (D-WA) dubbed the bill, “everything but marriage,” and anti-gay forces have continued repeating the phrase. After contentious fights among leading conservatives in the state on whether it was a good strategy to force a referendum on the bill, a fraction of the anti-gay activists began gathering signatures for Referendum 71 (R-71)—an appeal that could overturn existing law if it wins majority vote this November.
On July 25th, Protect Marriage Washington turned in 137,689 signatures from registered Washington State voters supporting R-71–only 120,577 valid signatures were required. The Secretary State’s Office is still verifying all of the signatures on R-71 and will most likely make an announcement later this month.
The Seattle Times reported that the Protect Marriage Washington asked the Public Disclosure Commission on Thursday to hold an emergency hearing—they claim that they have received threats of violence.
GLAAD will be on the ground in Washington working with local LGBT organizations and media in reporting on this matter.
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GLAAD will continue keeping up with the latest developments on legislative LGBT issues around the country.
Related Posts:Utah Transgender Woman Takes Action Against Workplace Discrimination After Losing Job
August 20, 2009
According to The Salt Lake Tribune, a transgender woman in Utah held a community forum last night about workplace discrimination after she was fired because of her gender identity.
Candice Metzler worked for a small home-inspection enterprise in Salt Lake City and when she transitioned to her true self her boss was initially supportive. Three months later, however, she was fired after clients started cutting ties with the company.
Metzler then struggled to find another job, applying to positions in the construction industry, and repeatedly being turned down. She eventually lost her home and lived on the streets for nearly a year, until she finally got a job as a receptionist.
Utah laws do not protect LGBT people from workplace discrimination and Metzler is not alone in her experience.
In 2007 a transgender bus driver was fired from the Utah Transit Authority because she asked to use the women’s restroom.
A gay man was fired from a Utah credit-union job earlier this year after he asked whether or not his employer offered benefits for domestic partners.
Legislators in Utah as well as the U.S. Congress have been working to pass anti-discrimination laws. A measure which would have protected LGBT people from discrimination in employment and housing was dismissed from the Utah legislature, but is expected to return in 2010. A similar bill is set to be presented to the Salt Lake City Council in September by Mayor Ralph Becker.
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was recently introduced in the U.S. Senate, The Advocate reports. ENDA would provide federal protections against discrimination in the workplace based on race, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. A version of the bill that excluded protections for transgender people made its way through the House but failed to make it through the Senate in 2008.
If legislation like this had been in place, Meltzer’s home inspection job would have been protected. Her Wednesday forum at the Salt Lake Public Library attracted speakers from the Human Rights Campaign, Equality Utah, Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission, as well as State Representative Christine Johnson (D- Salt Lake) and Troy Justeen, a former Department of Justice civil rights official.
An organization called TJobBank has provided a job list made up of employers who are inclusive of transgender people. Until federal non-discrimination legislation is passed, this is one of the best tools for transgender people looking for an accepting job environment.
Meltzer has since returned to school, and plans to get her master’s degree in social work. She eventually wants to work with homeless LGBT youth.
GLAAD applauds Candice Metzler’s courage for taking action on an important issue effecting transgender people across the country. We will continue to watch this issue and bring you coverage on any developments.
Related Posts:BREAKING NEWS: Senators Introduce Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)
August 5, 2009
Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) joined Sens. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) to introduce an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act today that would prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
President Obama has already declared his full support for the bill.
Only twelve states and the District of Columbia currently prohibit workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, while eight other states have laws that only protect a person from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Sen. Kennedy – a longtime champion of LGBT rights – could not be present on Capitol Hill for the momentous occasion due to medial constraints, but celebrated the bill’s introduction in a statement released by the Human Rights Campaign:
The promise of America will never be fulfilled as long as justice is denied to even one among us. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) brings us closer to fulfilling that promise for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender citizens. I’m proud to join Senators Merkley and Collins in introducing this important legislation.
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, an LGBT organization devoted to assuring safe and equitable workplaces for LGBT people, also applauded today’s legislation:
Out & Equal has worked tirelessly for more than a decade to assure that the nation’s leading corporations provide policies and protections for its LGBT employees in the absence of federal protections. The federal government is now poised to do what major corporations have been doing for years — protecting employees from discrimination.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, which dedicates itself to building local LGBT activism in rural enclaves, small towns and cities nationwide, was the first national organization to advocate for federal nondiscrimination protections when it worked with then-U.S. Reps. Bella Abzug and Ed Koch to introduce a sweeping bill in 1974.
Rea Carey, Executive Director of the Task Force, declared ENDA an historic win for the LGBT community and its allies:
For decades, a majority has supported protecting their friends, family and neighbors from [anti-LGBT] discrimination. They know it’s wrong to deprive lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of the ability to earn a livelihood and provide for their families simply because of who they are. We are on the cusp of seeing those dark days come to an end, and today’s introduction marks an important step in that direction.
According to Washington Blade the bill marks the first piece of transgender-inclusive legislation ever considered by the U.S. Senate, making it especially significant for the transgender community. Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), reflected on ENDA’s tremendous impact on transgender people in a statement released today:
Hardworking transgender people deserve the right to go to work without the fear of being arbitrarily fired. We want to apply for a job and be confident that we’ll be evaluated based on our qualifications. Our work should be judged on our skills and our expertise, the same as everyone else. ENDA is simply about basic equality in the workplace and freedom from discrimination.
A similar bill was introduced in the House last June by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and currently has 152 co-sponsors.
GLAAD will continue to monitor the media’s coverage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
Related Posts:Pat Robertson Tells A Mother That Her Gay Son Is “On Their Way To Hell”
June 16, 2009
In a June 9 interview on the Christian TV program The 700 Club, Pat Robertson used his platform as a televangelist to promote a hurtful and disproven myth that being gay is caused by sexual abuse.
In responding to a question from a Christian mother of a gay son, Robertson stated that people are not born gay:
TERRY MEEUWSEN (co-host): This is Theresa. This is difficult. She says, “How should we, as parents of a homosexual son, handle the ongoing challenges facing us, such as staying true to our faith and following the commandment to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’? This is very difficult for us.”
ROBERTSON: Well, first of all, he’s not your neighbor. He’s your son; that’s a different thing. You owe him, you know, advice and counsel and guidance. You’re his parent. First of all, you didn’t say how old he is. Secondly, I am not at all persuaded that so-called homosexuals are homosexuals because of biological problems. There may be a very few, but there are so many that have been made homosexuals because of a coach or a guidance counselor or some other male figure who has abused them and they think there’s something wrong with their sexuality. So you need to get deep into why he is what he is, instead of just saying, “Well, he’s a homosexual so how do I handle him, and how do I be Christian?” Well, I think you ought to tell him, “Listen, son, you know, here’s what the Bible says about this, and it’s called an abomination before God, so I’ve got to tell you the truth because I love you.” That’s what I think. All right, what else?
Robertson, host of The 700 Club, went on to tell the woman that she needs to “rescue” her son from going to hell.
These types of remarks, in addition to perpetuating misconceptions and fears, only divide LGBT people from their families and faith traditions, sending a harmful message that can affect the happiness, well being and safety of young LGBT people.
While Robertson has a long history of anti-gay statements, it is important to note that his outlandish opinions of the LGBT community are not shared or reiterated by all in the faith world. Jeff Lutes, Executive Director of Soulforce, released the following statement in response to Robertson’s remarks:
As a therapist, it is hard for me to believe that there are still so many who refuse to even consider the growing body of social science research on this subject. Robertson ought to be deeply ashamed of himself for giving the mother who wrote him, and his television viewers, such misguided, erroneous, and dangerous advice. I hope this young man’s parents will ignore Robertson and seek more reputable information – his very life just might depend on it.
EqualityVA also released a statement:
For years, Robertson has been toting the same tired message that being GLBT is a dysfunction, likely caused by something traumatic in a GLBT person’s life. The overwhelming truth, supported time and again, is that most GLBT people have normal childhoods and are living healthy lives. Abuse is no more or less prevalent in the GLBT community than it is in the straight community. At the end of the day, the most prevalent trauma that GLBT people endure in life is the social discrimination they receive at the hands of misinformed people like Robertson.
A growing number of faith leaders have been rallying behind the LGBT community especially in support of anti-discrimination and marriage equality laws. Massachusetts ministers even released a video through The Empire State Pride Agenda to debunk all the myths surrounding marriage equality legislation. Recent polls have also shown that there is increasing support for equality of LGBT among people of faith.
To find out more on all the great work that faith leaders are doing in support of LGBT people, visit GLAAD’s Religion, Faith and Values page.
Related Posts:Gainesville, FL Voters Turn Down Discriminatory Measure
March 25, 2009
Supporters celebrate defeat of anti-discriminatory measure.
On Tuesday, March 24, 58% of voters turned down a measure that would have taken away Gainesville government’s anti-discrimination protections for LGBT residents. The challenge began in 2008 when Gainesville’s anti-discrimination ordinance was revised to be inclusive of transgender people.
The revision provides protection from job and housing discrimination as well as allows them to utilize the public restroom of their choice.
High turn out impacts vote.
The same proposed measure would have prohibited Gainesville government from enforcing anti-discrimination laws that protect other groups not specified by the Florida Civil Act, which recognizes race, color, creed, religion, gender, national origin, age, handicap, marital and familial status.
The Associated Press’ article on Gainesville’s anti-discrimination laws kept provides a fair and accurate report of the events.
Transgender Day of Remembrance’s International Scope
November 21, 2008
Our focus on the Transgender Day of Remembrance has been mostly national in nature. However, the day commemorates lives lost internationally, which this year reach tragically reach as high as 30 known transgender people lost to violence.
Recent reports from the United Kingdom are highlighting the ways in which transgender people are being remembered. Along with vigils and marches, some transgender advocates are taking the day to link the high numbers to a lack of non-discrimination laws. Among them are unions, such as the Trades Union Congress (TUC) that campaigns for “a fair deal at work and for social justice at home and abroad.”
In an article from Gay News UK, the TUC called for an end to discrimination against transgender people in the workplace. In a press release from today, the TUC stated that the murder rates of 2008 directly correspond to a lack of education and protections.
“The murderous attacks on trans people worldwide – and the assaults we know take place in Britain – show that this community faces prejudice and bigotry,” said TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said last night.
“If Britain is to be a truly equal and inclusive society we need to understand the issues facing trans people, and develop practical steps to end discrimination in workplaces, and in society at large.”
Clergy Remain Powerful Media Voices in Move Toward Equality
October 15, 2008
Despite recent news coverage of faith groups raising nearly $7 million to back anti-gay legislation in Arizona and Catholic priests in Michigan who oppose an anti-discrimination bill that would protect gay people, this is still one of those heartening weeks in media coverage related to the LGBT faith community.
Rev. Janet Edwards (Photo Credit: More Light Presbyterians)
For all the bad news, the positive contributions of our faith leaders remain front and center and it is great to see that the media continues to serve up fine examples of many of our leaders working toward – not against – equality.
The Rev. Geoffrey Farrow of Fresno, a Catholic priest announced he was gay and spoke out against California’s Proposition 8, in a television interview because he could not “become an accomplice to a moral evil.” Another headline announced a hair-splitting acquittal of Presbyterian pastor, Rev. Janet Edwards, and that she will continue to perform weddings for same-sex couples even though it is against church policy.
A Washington Blade op-ed by former PFLAG Vice President Robert Bernstein put everything into perspective. He noted that it is clergy who often serve as catalysts for social change and they will be instrumental in the work toward equality.
So, despite those times when the media fixates on divisive rhetoric within the faith community – there are many faith leaders committed to equality, who are tremendous sources of inspiration and courage for our community.
Media Balances Portrayals of Faith-Based Acceptance, Discrimination
September 30, 2008
As I mentioned previously, GLAAD’s Religion, Faith & Values team is now producing a weekly “Faith News Summary.” The summary aims to bring readers a snapshot of recent stories impacting LGBT people of faith.
As we monitor the media and come across these stories, we continue to find that the national and regional press are publishing a wide range of coverage that delves into both the ongoing discrimination and growing acceptance happening in churches across the United States.
Last week, for instance, in newspapers across the nation, thousands of people read stories about families with gay parents being denied admittance to churches, churches being rejected by their denominations (such as the Southern Baptist Convention), but also about churches seeking formal recognition to prove their openness to gay members.
We are encouraged by the media’s openness to show both the tremendous progress LGBT people of faith have made while also highlighting the challenges we still have yet to overcome.
The complexity and diversity of stories about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in faith communities will hopefully continue to garner coverage in regional and national publications. GLAAD will continue to advocate for fair, accurate and inclusive stories that portray the complexity of spirituality in the LGBT community as churches continue working toward inclusion.
Top Stories Today – 09.05.2008
September 5, 2008
National News:
Regional News:
- Deseret News (UT) – Salt Lake Police Seeking Gay Man’s Attacker
- The Independent Florida Alligator (FL) – Residents Protest Possible Amendment to Anti–Discrimination Policy
- East Valley Tribune (AZ) – Arizona’s Catholic Bishops Urge Voters to Ban Gay Marriage
- NBC30.com (CT) – Transgender Singer Files Complaint Over Karaoke Snub
- The Star-Ledger (NJ) – Matos to Press McGreevey Fraud Claim
International News:
- Agence France-Presse (France) – France to Call for EU, UN Action on Women’s and Gay Rights
- BBC News (United Kingdom) – Gay Rugby Team Plays with Pride
- East London Adviser (United Kingdom) – Gay Fears Rise After Street Gang’s Murderous Attack
From the Blogs:
- Queerty – AZ Catholic Leaders Push Against Gay Nups
- Towleroad – McCain Aide Steve Schmidt Meets with LCR, Talks of Lesbian Sister (With Video)
- Gay News Blog – AB, Bryan Cave, Thompson Coburn among most gay-friendly companies
- Pam’s House Blend - James Hartline on Michelle Obama’s speech at DNC before LGBT delegates
- Towleroad – Hollywood Greets Michelle Obama at ‘LGBT Reception’ Fundraiser
- The Bilerico Project – Top Ten Problems with the Gender Identity Disorder Diagnosis
- Towleroad – Salt Lake Police Send Alert Out on Gay Basher One Month Later
- PageOneQ – Church’s ‘loving warning’ to gay teens: ‘I kissed a girl…then I went to hell’
- Wired – What the Buck? Creator Inks Deal With HB
