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.
Chicago’s Proposed School Would Keep LGBT and Ally Students Safe
September 23, 2008
The below post is by Sarah Kennedy, the Central Region’s Media Field Strategist here at GLAAD.
My brother is not gay. He is, however, an ally. He grew up with two openly gay siblings, and at his Midwestern high school he stands up for kids who get bullied because they are gay or people think they’re gay. In fact, he’s just about the only one there who does.
An ally supports Harvey Milk H.S. students
This past Thursday, Chicago Public Schools held a community forum at Chicago’s Center on Halstead to give community members the opportunity to discuss the proposed school. The Chi Town Daily News reported that the plans were well received and that during a “lengthy question and answer session, most audience members voiced support for the project.”
Reading through the media coverage of the proposed school, I thought of how amazing it would have been for me growing up in the Midwest if I had the option to go to a high school where I felt comfortable – and safe – being myself. As a former closeted high schooler, and as somebody who now worries about the safety of the students my brother tells me about, I’m excited Chicago is starting to take these steps.
I remember hearing about the Harvey Milk High School when it opened five years ago in New York City, and the way the media latched on to the story. The school was designed around the needs of at-risk LGBT students, yet the news stories weren’t about students‘ safety or anti-gay bullying. Instead, the focus was on the sensationalistic aspects.
People all over the country questioned the idea of Harvey Milk High School, rather than discussing how truly difficult it can be for an LGBT student to simply walk down the hallway. Sure, my younger brother would stick up for you, but he’s the rare exception, and with teachers who aren’t equipped to intervene it can lead to disastrous situations.
Students who are the victim of bullying, harassment and violence because of their orientation and how they express themselves, like Lawrence King, are not always in an educational environment where faculty and staff have the capacity to ensure their safety and well-being.
Beyond feeling safe from bullying and harassment, there is the basic need to feel okay about yourself at school. I wasn’t out in high school, not because I was afraid of physical harassment, but I wasn’t in an environment where I believed I could have led a sort-of-normal life at school, free from being ostracized.
I’m hopeful that conversation around this school will contribute to a larger national conversation about school safety for LGBT kids. The best option is always to have students feel comfortable and safe at any school. Until that becomes a reality, schools that focus on the safety of LGBT students may just be our best bet.
