GLAAD Urges Media to Cover LGBT Human Rights as Part of International Human Rights Day
December 10, 2009
As part of the International Human Rights Day on December 10, 2009, GLAAD urges Media to cover human rights injustices against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons in the United States and throughout the world.
In Uganda, fundamental rights to life and liberty for gay people are at risk as a proposed bill would reportedly apply the death penalty to gay people and imprison those who do not turn in gay people for prosecution. Several countries besides Uganda have the death penalty in place for gay people and dozens of countries have harsh laws against people who are gay and media should also cover these laws as well.
GLAAD stands by all those who speak out for human and civil rights.
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Become a GLAAD Facebook Fan: Win a Chance to Speak with GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios
November 24, 2009
Become a fan of GLAAD’s Official Facebook page at http://www.glaad.org/facebook by Friday December 4th and you could be selected to win a thirty minute phone call with GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios.
This is your chance to have a one-on-one conversation with the leader of the third largest LGBT organization in the U.S. Engage with Jarrett about where the movement is headed and share your thoughts about the role GLAAD should play.
Sea Change in the Churches
September 24, 2009
Back in June, we published a round up of LGBT issues on the docket for a cluster of denominations. The result was a sea change in the churches. Here are the exciting results:
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USA
The Presbyterian Church USA led the way this summer as it voted on a constitutional amendment on ordination equality. Ratification by the required half of the 173 regional presbyteries was not expected so LGBT faith leaders worked with GLAAD to keep the focus on “growing support.” Early in the voting, regions like North Carolina, Alabama, Texas and Arkansas voted for equality. GLAAD helped LGBT Presbyterians blast an early media release through Religion News Service which laid emphasized messages of “growing support” and “churches are changing” to shape coverage of all LGBT church stories. When the vote was final, four LGBT Presbyterian groups worked with GLAAD on a media release. The Associated Press carried the “change” message nationwide.
MENNONITE CHURCH
Young LGBT and allied Mennonites made national news for the first time ever as they protested anti-LGBT policies and practices in the Mennonite Church. GLAAD helped young and old alike to get their voices into media. Wearing pink and prepped with talking points, young people expertly used the media to tell the Mennonite Church USA Assembly, June 30 – July 5, in Columbus, Ohio, that youth are leaving the church because of discrimination against LGBT church members. Hundreds of Mennonite pastors signed an open letter calling Mennonites to heal the harm done to LGBT people.
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
In July, bishops and elected deputies gathered for the Episcopal Church’s triennial General Convention in Anaheim, California, where they bravely moved forward, despite high-profile opposition, to approve a resolution to officially allow ordination of gay and lesbian priests. They affirmed that God could call anyone to ordination, including people in same-sex marriages or partnerships. Shortly after the ban was lifted, two Episcopal dioceses announced the nomination of openly gay and lesbian priests for bishop. The Convention also recognized transgender rights and inclusion, and delegated the task of proposing blessing rites for same sex-couples.
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
The watershed event of the summer was when the mother church of Protestantism, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, voted for inclusion at their biennial Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis on August 17-23. After decades of struggle, the body was ready to vote on an inclusive Social Statement on Human Sexuality as well as ministry policies that allow clergy to be in committed same-sex partnerships. After defeating an attempt to change the voting rules, the body took on the Social Statement on Human Sexuality. For passage it required 2/3 of the 1000 plus voting delegates to support it. When the electronic vote was projected, people gasped. The vote was precisely 66.67%. Expert long-term strategies by the LGBT Lutheran coalition combined with GLAAD’s spokesperson training and media pitching helped bring about these mounmental changes. When the third and final vote was taken on LGBT concerns, the ELCA put the icing on the cake by dropping the celibacy requirement for gay clergy and allowing clergy to be in same-sex unions. Change happened!
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
The United Church of Christ, the first mainline denomination to support full equality for LGBT people, held its General Synod in June. At the weeklong event, UCC representatives approved a resolution to support diversity education in public schools and to encourage other denominations to build ecumenical support for basic respect for all people, including LGBT individuals and families.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
The Unitarian Universalist United Nations office, which now has a staff person designated for sexual orientation and gender identity work, initiated an action of immediate witness against the ongoing violence targeting gay men and lesbians in Iraq. With hundreds of victims in recent years, the church is raising awareness and actively encourages advocacy on the issue.
Mormon LGBT Group Challenges LDS on Anti-Gay Practices
September 22, 2009
Affirmation Gay and Lesbian Mormons celebrated 30 years of support and advocacy on September 18-20. More than 200 members from across the country convened in Salt Lake City, Utah, to explore next steps toward equality in the Mormon Church and society.
GLAAD staff was on hand to provide media assistance for a press conference where Affirmation launched its “Keep Them and Love Them” website. The site provides accurate information in accessible language to prevent family and church rejection when a loved one comes out. People who are coming out, their families and church leaders need accurate information to reduce homelessness, despair and suicide.
Robert Moore/Photo Courtesy of Salt Lake Tribune
Affirmation’s director of youth work, Robert Moore, shared his story of being a seventh generation Mormon who was thrown out of his family’s home as a teen when they discovered he was gay. He was homeless for many months but worked to support himself. Today, he says, “We cannot keep treating our young people like trash.”
GLAAD staff helped Affirmation with media releases and prepared them for follow-up television interviews. With coverage by the Salt Lake City Tribune, the Deseret News and local Fox TV, hundreds of thousands of Utah residents know that gay Mormons are shining a light on the harm caused by misinformation and discrimination.
The high profile role of Mormons in the Proposition 8 campaign in California mobilized an increasing number of pro-LGBT Mormons and ramped up additional political actions to urge Utah government officials and Mormon leaders to support pro-LGBT legislation and families with gay members. While up-front funding of anti-equality work has diminished, leaders in Iowa recently pointed toward the well-known anti-equality group, National Organization for Marriage, as a conduit for Mormon monies.
Affirmation’s media engagement paves the way for two separate early October meetings with Utah Governor Gary Herbert. One is with the Foundation for Reconciliation and the other is with leaders of Equality Utah. Both meetings were precipitated by earlier media work by the Foundation for Reconciliation as assisted by GLAAD in response to Utah’s Governor comparing legal protections for LGBT people to legal protections for “blue-eyed blonds.”
Related Posts:Glennda Testone Named Executive Director of the New York City LGBT Center, First Woman to Fill The Post
September 16, 2009
On Tuesday the New York City LGBT Community Center announced its unanimous decision to bring Glennda Testone on as their new Executive Director.
In a statement released by The Center, the leaders of the hiring search said:
We found a dynamic leader who we believe will be at the forefront of the next generation of advocacy and services for the LGBT community. Glennda inspired all of us and we cannot wait to begin the next chapter of the Center’s history under her leadership.
Throughout her career, Testone has been a leader in the field of social justice for women and LGBT people. In an interview with EDGE, Testone said “she hopes to bring her experience as both a feminist and an LGBT activist into her new role.”
Testone said of her new appointment:
At a time when the opportunities and challenges faced by our community are limitless, the Center is a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of LGBT people. I am honored and excited to lead the Center in providing the kind of thriving, nurturing community that we all want to come home to. It is an ambitious goal, but my commitment to serving the LGBT community, the passion of the people involved and the possibilities for this institution are also limitless.
Testone previously served as the Vice President for the Women’s Media Center for three years after leading the Program Division at GLAAD as our Senior Director of Media Programs for six years. Testone pioneered several changes in LGBT media activism, most notably leading the team that persuaded The New York Times to change its longstanding policy and include same sex couples on its wedding pages beginning in 2003.
The Center, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008, has grown to become the largest LGBT multi-service organization on the East Coast and second largest LGBT community center in the world. The Center’s board president Bruce Anderson, who served as interim executive director for the past eight months reflected:
As a board president and an interim executive director, I have seen the work of the Center firsthand. And I have seen the staff in action. It has been a privilege and has also offered me a unique perspective on the kind of leader the Center will need to propel its work forward,” says Anderson. “This organization needs and deserves a leader with a contemporary perspective, an inspirational vision and the management expertise necessary to bring that vision to life. We have found that in Glennda.
“The concept of working with an organization that leads people to better lives: I can’t think of anything more important,” Testone concluded in her interview with EDGE.
We at GLAAD send our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to you at your new post, Glennda! Thank you for your past and future service to the LGBT community!
Related Posts:Brokeback Mountain Shirts on Display at Gene Autry Museum
August 20, 2009
GLAAD was present last week at the Autry National Center as the historical cultural institution held a ceremony to induct “the shirts” from Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain into the Center’s collection of movie memorabilia that symbolize the American West. The shirts will be on display in the Gene Autry Imagination Gallery at the Center.
Gregory Hinton addresses the crowd with the iconic shirts in the background.
The intertwined shirts, worn by Jake Gyllenhaal’s character Jack and Heath Ledger’s Ennis, were an unforgettable part of the film. At the film’s heartbreaking end, Ennis embraces them as a symbol of loss and he and Jack’s lasting love for each other. In a speech at the induction ceremony, Tom Gregory, a noted film memorabilia collector who acquired the Brokeback Mountain shirts in a charity auction and generously loaned them to the Autry National Center, called the shirts, “our generation’s Ruby slippers” a reference to Dorothy’s fabled shoes in The Wizard of Oz. Brokeback Mountain was a cultural phenomenon when it was released in 2005, winning Outstanding Film-Wide Release at the 2006 GLAAD Media Awards and the 2006 Academy Award for Directing, Original Music and Original Screenplay.
In a news release issued from the Autry National Center, the Center noted, “The iconic shirts are at the center of the Contemporary Westerns case in order to highlight Brokeback Mountain’s significance in keeping the Western genre alive and thriving in the new millennium, and also to spotlight the LGBT community’s struggle for safety and inclusion in the rural, Western communities from where many originate yet often feel forced to abandon.”
The shirts will be featured alongside Western film memorabilia from films that define the genre, like Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven, director John Ford and John Wayne’s Stagecoach, Young Guns and Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles. Jeffrey Richardson, the Center’s Assistant Curator of Film and Popular Culture remarked that for younger audiences, Brokeback Mountain is the first Western they have ever seen. This means that for those audiences, the presence of LGBT characters and the Western are indelibly linked, imbedding our stories into the fabric of the culture of the American West.
Heath Ledger as Ennis in Brokeback Mountain
The Autry National Center is visited by thousands and hosts student groups from around the country. It is named for Gene Autry, the writer of legendary songs “Back in the Saddle Again” and “Here Comes Santa Claus” who was dubbed the “singing cowboy” in the 1930s and appeared in over 93 films and recorded over 650 songs before his death in 1998. Jackie Autry, his widow and Chairman of the Autry Center, was on hand to celebrate the occasion. Also present were members of the International Gay Rodeo Association, comprised of regions from around the world, who promote the LGBT country western lifestyle.
Last week’s induction ceremony was the brainchild of author and filmmaker, Gregory Hinton. It was Hinton who tracked down Tom Gregory in January, 2009 to inquire about the shirts. With Hinton’s persistence and dedication, he persuaded both Gregory and the Center’s Staff to bring the shirts to the Center for display.
In the wake of enthusiasm about the event, the Center along with Hinton, are planning upcoming panels on media images of gays in the West. Throughout the rest of the year, GLAAD will provide programming support for future panels designed to raise the profile of gays in the historic West and contemporary Western culture and ask provoking questions like one Hinton posed at the ceremony, “Where are the Ennis and Jacks of today?”
Related Posts: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:Summer GLAAD Events – Have Fun & Support Our Work With NYC Housewives, PTown “beachBums” and Top Chefs!
August 7, 2009
Worried that your fun-filled summer is coming to an end? – Think again!
Close your summer in style at one of GLAAD’s upcoming events to celebrate and benefit GLAAD’s work!
August 18, 2009
Planning to relax poolside in Provincetown during Carnival Week? Join GLAAD at the 4th Annual Provincetown “beachBums” event! Held on August 18, 2009 at The Crown & Anchor, GLAAD will treat you to a live aussieBum fashion show, entertainment from the legendary – and hilarious – Miss Richfield 1981, and GLAAD’s exclusive “SPF” (Stars Promoting Fairness) Celebrity Swimwear Auction where you can bid on swimwear signed by some of Hollywood’s biggest names including Elton John to benefit GLAAD’s culture changing work!
Presented by Absolut, the Crown & Anchor, aussieBum
Los Angeles Event: GLAAD Hancock Park – Top Chef Invasion
If you are a food fanatic, then GLAAD Hancock Park is the event for you! GLAAD invites you to join us on August 23, 2009 at the home of Tim Corrigan to enjoy a chef challenge from special guests and openly gay chefs Jamie Lauren and Richard Sweeney, stars of Bravo Television’s Top Chef. In celebration of GLAAD’s work, GLAAD will provide live entertainment from the Dangerous Muse, DJ Joe Gauthreaux, and Bailey featuring BOOM KITTY. In addition, Los Angeles area restaurants will be promoting their food specialties, and guests can participate in a food centric silent auction.
Presented by American Airlines, Barefoot Wine, Bravo Television, and Skyy Vodka
New York City Event: GLAAD Manhattan
Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to meet our celebrity guests including Jill Zarin & Countess LuAnn de Lesseps (the Real Housewives of New York City), Jane Krakowski (30 Rock), Michael Urie (Ugly Betty), Model Ronnie Kroell, and Comedian Lisa Lampanelli!
Join us for GLAAD Manhattan’s Venice Beach themed event held on August 25, 2009, at 230 Fifth 20th Floor Roof Top Garden. Invite friends and family to enjoy a special Andrew Christian swimsuit show in addition to face painting, caricature artists, psychics, balloon artists, and a gorgeous view.
Presented by Bacardi, Delta; Event Partners: Barefoot Wine and Prudential
Get to Know GLAAD: GLAAD’s Fellowship Program
August 4, 2009
Since 2000, GLAAD’s Fellowship Program has successfully allowed young, driven graduate students and recent post graduate students the ability to help pave the way for the LGBT community’s future as well as make significant strides in the present. The Fellowship Program was created to develop and grow new leadership in the movement for LGBT equality and provide a unique opportunity to build experience in media activism.
Seth Adam, National News Fellow
Working nearly full time in either the New York or Los Angeles offices, fellows are mentored and supervised directly by GLAAD staff members in our Programs and Communications departments. Fellows in the GLAAD Program gain the work experience and professional growth necessary to made headway in an increasingly competitive job market.
“GLAAD’s fellowship program is by far the most rewarding and constructive work opportunity I’ve ever experienced and will certainly lead to great prospects for my career’s future”, Seth Adam, 2009 National News Fellow.
GLAAD is committed and focused on continuing its Fellowship Programs worth and value. This year, GLAAD received significant corporate sponsorships from the University of Phoenix and AT&T. These generous donations allow GLAAD to fund its 2009 Fellows and continue the work of changing hearts and minds. With the support of the University of Phoenix, AT&T and others, GLAAD’s Fellows will make lasting contributions to GLAAD’s current work as well as turn their experience into positive change as they become leaders in our society.
“Having the opportunity to work in one of the largest and most visible LGBT non-profits at such an important time has opened my eyes to new challenges and opportunities for our community and our nation. Every day I have the chance to contribute to some piece of GLAAD’s work and the LGBT community while developing my professional skills and setting new goals for myself.”
–Erica Lindsten, 2009 Senior Vice President Fellow
GLAAD fellows are undoubtedly a huge asset and tremendous value to the work done at GLAAD. To highlight their impact, we will be spotlighting a fellow each blog entry, emphasizing the work and collaboration each has been involved in. Stay tuned….
And if interested in GLAAD’s Fellowship Program, please visit www.glaad.org/fellowships.
Related Posts:GLAAD Releases Third Annual Network Responsibility Index
July 27, 2009
Today, GLAAD released its third annual Network Responsibility Index, a report that maps the quantity, quality and diversity of images of LGBT people on television. HBO ranked highest among all networks, while ABC led broadcast networks for the third year in a row.
"True Blood's" Lafayette helped make HBO the leader in LGBT representation among all networks evaluated
GLAAD reviewed all primetime programming — 4,901 hours — for inclusion of LGBT characters or issues on the five major networks (ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox and NBC) from June 1, 2008 to May 31, 2009. GLAAD also examined all original primetime programming — 1,212.5 hours — on 10 highly-rated cable networks (A&E, FX, HBO, Lifetime, MTV, Showtime, Sci Fi, TBS, TNT, and USA). Each hour was reviewed for on-screen LGBT representations. Based on the quantity, overall quality and diversity of these representations, a grade was assigned by GLAAD’s Entertainment Media Program to each network: Excellent, Good, Adequate, or Failing.
The full, detailed report can be downloaded here: http://www.glaad.org/nri2009
HBO received a Good rating and scored the highest rating of the 15 networks evaluated with LGBT characters on shows including True Blood, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and Entourage that reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of the LGBT community. Of HBO’s 14 original series, 10 included LGBT content and 42 percent of the network’s total programming hours included LGBT representation. However, representation of the lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities was minimal.
"Grey's Anatomy's" Callie and Arizona helped keep ABC tops among broadcast networks
ABC and The CW ranked first and second among the five broadcast networks, just as they have every year since GLAAD began tracking for the Network Responsibility Index. However, the rankings among the remaining broadcast network shifted with CBS dropping to last place and Fox rising to third.
The 14th Annual GLAAD Where We Are On TV report on diversity will be issued in September. This analysis will examine LGBT inclusion as well as the gender and race/ethnicity of all scripted characters scheduled to appear during the upcoming season. With brand-new LGBT-inclusive shows such as Glee and Modern Family, we are optimistic that the 2009-2010 television season could see some marked improvement among the major networks. Continue checking glaad.org and glaadblog.org for the latest on the Network Responsibility Index and Where We Are on TV, as well as further news on the coming TV season.
Related Posts:The Episcopal Church Says “YES” to Ordination for Gays
July 16, 2009
On July 14, LGBT leaders in The Episcopal Church proclaimed, ”Amen,” as the decades of struggle of ordination for gay people came to an end. The House of Delegates and the House of Bishops voted to allow ordination of gay and lesbian priests and bishops. All affirmed that God could call to ordination anyone, including people living in a same-sex marriage or partnership.
The Episcopal Church House of Bishops supported inclusion by a 99-45 vote, with two abstentions and it was overwhelmingly ratified by the House of Delegates comprised of laity and priests. The new resolution officially ends a 2006 moratorium on ordaining openly gay bishops. The moratorium was initially meant to halt any further division within the church after the ordination of Gene Robinson but unity was not maintained and no efforts for unity were offered by conservatives.
Earlier this year conservatives, now identifying themselves as the Anglican Church of America and claiming 100,000 followers, abandoned The Episcopal Church while unsuccessfully laying claim to buildings belonging to The Episcopal Church. The group’s leader, Robert Duncan, said that women and gay people are not “capable” of holding the 
office of bishop. The breakaway group is not recognized by the greater Anglican Communion.
One time LGBT supporter, Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, did not support lifting the moratorium, but delegates voted yes on all inclusive resolutions so far. One delegate from Western Massachusetts told the Associated Press that it was the right thing to do, “I personally believe we had to do this. It’s the way we see the Gospel.” Archbishop Williams met with gay and lesbian deputies while at the convention but expressed regret over the decision.
The bishops will vote on resolutions related to blessing same-sex unions, transgender equality and adaptation of theological resources and liturgies to be more inclusive of gay and lesbian couples.
Related Posts:GLAAD Attends National Summit on “Putting the “B” in LGBT”
June 29, 2009
Last month, the Bi Writers Association, with support from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center of New York City, organized “Putting the “B” in the LGBT”, a national summit whose aim was to “give people the tools to understand and include the bi community more fully,” said bi activist Sheela Lambert, who was also the driving force and primary organizer behind the summit.
The Bi Summit, as it was dubbed, was co-sponsored by The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), the New York Times Company GLBT & Allies Affinity Group and Renna Communications.
The summit began with an incredibly stirring welcome address by Robert A. Woodworth, Director of Meeting and Conference Services and Capital Projects at the LGBT Center. During the course of his address, Woodworth recalled the time and efforts it has taken to make our communities as inclusive as they are now:
“After years of organizing and prodding by some people in this room – Sheela can tell you stories – the Center changed its name in 2001 to include the words “Bisexual” and “Transgender”. Words used publicly – like “gay” in the early 70s and “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender” today – have the power to spark awareness as they are absorbed into the culture. But awareness is not true understanding. That comes with connection and dialogue. That’s why we need a Center where we all bump into each other day in and day out, and why we need this summit.”
Click here to read his entire address.
Summit attendants were also welcomed by Frank O’Connell of the Steering Committee of the New York Times Company GLBT & Allies Affinity Group and Hawk Stone, Board Member of NGLTF, who appeared on behalf of Dr. Jaime Grant, Director of the Policy Institute at NGLTF, who was unable to attend. During the course of the summit, O’Connell also mentioned he was the only openly bisexual person in the Affinity Group, though many others had come out to him in private. Click here to read his welcome speech.
Bisexual and marriage equality activist Robyn Ochs, who was recently honored by NGLTF for her tireless lifetime commitment to the LGBT movement, was the keynote speaker. She spoke of the problematic nature of bi invisibility as people only “see” bisexuals when we are simultaneously partnered with members of both sexes, which is not the reality lived by most of our community.
As a marriage equality activist who is married to a woman, Ochs knows first hand the ways in which media outlets and others have tried to make her bisexuality invisible. She situated part of the blame with the messaging of LGBT organizations and their own biphobia.
Bisexual and Marriage Equality activist Robyn Ochs gives the keynote address.
“We oversimplify our messaging so people will ‘get it’ but then they don’t ‘get it’ because we’ve given them an over-simplistic message…The ick factor with with regard to bisexuality is both about a resistance to sex and a resistance to complexity.”
Following the keynote address, was a series of panels, including Bisexuality: Exploding the Myths*, Bi Community Panel: Telling Our Stories and Crafting the Message: How to Put the “B” in LGBT. The Summit ended with a closing plenary discussion: Putting the B in LGBT: How Can We Do a Better Job?.
Many and varied issues were touched upon emanating from both within and outside of the LGBT community. In Exploding the Myths, Peter Ruggiero of the Bi Writers Association, spoke movingly of the despair that came from the lack of images of bisexual men.
“Hearing bi men don’t exist had detrimental effects on me – I literally though of doing myself in.”
Other speakers called for more representation on a national and political level. Author and activist Ron Suresha noted:
“We have a lack of representation on a national level. They don’t have anyone addressing bisexual issues full time. I think that’s a problem.”
Educator and activist Renata Moreira spoke movingly about her inability to secure a visa for the woman she loves and the fact that the mere request for her partner’s visa has put her own citizenship in jeopardy. Moreira, who has a green card and was applying for her citizenship, was previously married to a man.
“Now they are now reevaluating my paperwork because they think my previous marriage might be fake.”
This suspicion has caused much stress and pain for Moreira, as well as her ex-husband and family, with whom she is still close, as they are all being subjected to an investigation as to the validity of Moreira’s previous marriage.
Moreira’s story illustrates what happens as bisexuality is made invisible on a national and international level. As LGBT organizations continue to do more work around the effects of current immigration law and same-sex couples, this is something we must keep in mind.
Joshua Lynsen, News Editor for the Washington Blade, followed up the panel on Telling Our Stories with a lesson on messaging for news outlets who want to be inclusive of bisexuality. You can read his article which covers all the main points of his talk here.
The closing plenary was a roundtable discussion that featured LGBT activists, media professionals, politicians as well as bi community activists. GLAAD’s Director of National News, Cindi Creager, also took part and addressed the issue of how LGBT organizations could work to keep their messaging consistent with a bi inclusive perspective. It was a rousing discussion with many diverse perspectives and as Ann Northrop, cohost of Gay USA, noted, as someone with 39 years of experience in journalism,
“People do not like complexity. The human race runs screaming from the room not to deal with this.”
Northrop’s suggestions for how to move forward?
“I want to encourage you to encourage the conversation. Talk more. Think more. Have conversations with everybody.”
The first National Summit on “Putting the “B” in LGBT” is a promising beginning to an inclusive and complex conversation.
*Segments of Bisexuality: Exploding the Myths can also be heard on Out FM WBAI New York. It begins about halfway through the segment. Tune in to 99.5 FM New York City on Mondays at 11 am for additional coverage of the summit or visit the station’s archives.
Related Posts:GLAAD Works With Media on Coverage of “Exorcism” of Gay Youth
June 26, 2009
When a video was posted by Manifested Glory Ministries in Bridgeport, Connecticut that featured an apparent exorcism (described as “casting out evil spirits” by the church’s leaders), the YouTube clip was immediately picked up on numerous Web Sites. The video has since been taken down by the group, but LGBT blogs and news sites including Queerty and The Advocate still have it posted.
The video shows a 16-year-old boy flailing on the floor while surrounded by several church elders who call out for the “homosexual demon” to exit the boy’s body-and of him vomiting during the process.
Not long after GLAAD was alerted to the video, The Associated Press contacted GLAAD for a comment. We pitched GLAAD-trained spokesperson, the Rev. Roland Stringfellow, to the AP reporter. GLAAD works to elevate inclusive faith voices who can speak to the damage caused by these harmful practices, and Rev. Stringfellow is a person with firsthand knowledge of how these practices can have lasting harm on LGBT people of faith and on faith communities.
Rev. Roland Stringfellow
Rev. Stringfellow, an African American minister based in Oakland, California, talked to the AP about his own experiences of being subjected to “casting out of demons” in the 1990s when he was at a Baptist church and struggling with his own identity as a young gay man. He said he was put in front of the church as members shouted “demon of homosexuality come out of him” and said, “it caused nothing but shame and embarrassment.”
GLAAD asks that the media focus on the harm done by such practices, particularly for LGBT youth. When LGBT people are labeled as harboring “evil spirits” or “demons,” families and faith communities can be torn apart and such labels can lead to harassment and even violence. Media have an opportunity to highlight stories like that of Rev. Stringfellow and others who know firsthand the damaging consequences on that such actions can have on LGBT people and faith communities.
Related Posts:Celebrate PRIDE with GLAAD All Across the US
June 12, 2009
This year GLAAD is bringing PRIDE celebrations to members across the country with special editions of our networking series, Thank GLAAD It’s Friday, presented by ABSOLUT!
“Thank GLAAD It’s Friday: PRIDE edition” events kick off tonight in Los Angeles at ELEVEN Nightclub from 6-8PM. Comedian Alec Mapa, actor Reichen Lehmkuhl, Glenn Douglas Packard of Brooke Knows Best, author/activist Ben Patrick Douglas, reality TV star and celebrity stylist Tabatha Coffee, Big Brother star Marcellas Reynolds and GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano are scheduled to appear.
PRIDE events include a chance to hear about GLAAD’s work in your local community, special PRIDE gifts from ABSOLUT, great raffle prizes and two hours of complimentary cocktails.
Additional PRIDE events are scheduled for:
- Chicago on June 19 at minibar. RSVP here and join the Facebook event page
- New York City on June 19 at Vlada Lounge. RSVP here and join the Facebook event page.
- San Francisco on June 19 at Truck. RSVP here and join the Facebook event page.
- Washington, D.C. on June 26 at EFN Lounge. RSVP here and join the Facebook event page
Celebrate PRIDE with GLAAD and be sure to read about our Programs work this month including the PRIDE resource kit we released for journalists. GLAAD encourages journalists to use Pride events as an opportunity to discuss the history of LGBT advocacy, show the diversity of the LGBT community, and examine recent gains and setbacks made by the community.
Related Posts:Chaz Bono Comes Out as Transgender
June 11, 2009
Chaz Bono (formerly Chastity Bono), the child of singers Sonny and Cher and former Director of Entertainment Media at GLAAD, announced today that he has made the decision to transition from female to male.
Chaz Bono
TMZ broke the news earlier today with a statement released through publicist Howard Bragman:
“He is proud of his decision and grateful for the support and respect that has already been shown by his loved ones. It is Chaz’s hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue, just as his ‘coming out’ did nearly 20 years ago.
We ask that the media respect Chaz’s privacy during this long process as he will not be doing any interviews at this time.”
Following the news, GLAAD President Neil Giuliano released this statement:
“Chaz Bono’s decision to live his life authentically represents an important step forward, both for him personally and for all who are committed to advancing discussions about fairness and equality for transgender people,” said Neil G. Giuliano, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). “Coming out as transgender is an extremely personal decision and one that is never made lightly. We look forward to hearing Chaz’s story in his own words in the future.”
“GLAAD encourages media outlets to cover this story accurately, and to avoid speculation about the details of Chaz’s story before he is ready to share them.”
