Religion, Faith & Values Staff Speaks About Faith Leaders on In The Life Episode
January 13, 2010
The first 2010 episode of In The Life, scheduled to air in New York City on PBS Channel 13 on Sunday, January 17th, will document historic changes in the faith world. 
Daniel Karslake (For the Bible Tells Me So) interviews Emily Eastwood of Lutherans Concerned and Baptist Dr. Welton Gaddy. GLAAD Director of Religion, Faith and Values Ann Craig along with MSNBC commentator Rachel Maddow provided perspectives on these two important faith leaders for the episode.
GLAAD’s invitation to the In the Life episode stemmed from media work with Lutheran LGBT leaders as they pushed for the historic vote for full inclusion of LGBT partnered and married gay and lesbian ministers as well as GLAAD’s promotion of Dr. Welton Gaddy’s “white paper” that made marriage equality a priority for The Interfaith Alliance. Dr. Gaddy is a Southern Baptist who follows the Baptist tradition of freedom of religion.
GLAAD will continue to work with these two organizations to bring their message of acceptance and their historic moves towards inclusion from their religions to all Americans. These groups, and In the Life, are changing the media conversation from “Gays vs. God” to “Gay people are part of the changing face of religion.”
Related Posts:UPDATE: Uganda Reportedly Drops Death Penalty, Life Imprisonment from Anti-Gay Legislation
December 11, 2009
Uganda’s minister of ethics and integrity James Nsaba Buturo announced on Wednesday that proposed anti-gay legislation in the country will no longer call for the execution or life-imprisonment of gay men.
To read about Uganda’s anti-gay bill, click here.
Buturo told Bloomberg that the legislation will instead prescribe a more “refined set of punishments,” though what exactly that entails is unclear. Buturo also alluded to so-called ‘reparative therapy’ which the government will promote to “attract errant people to acceptable sexual orientation.”
However, The American Psychological Association denounced the “treatment” of homosexuality in a 2009 report and noted that the APA “concludes that there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation” and that “distress and depression were exacerbated” in some individuals who undergo so-called ‘reparative therapy’. Numerous other medical, psychiatric, and psychological organizations have also condemned the practice.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow recently lambasted author and so-called ‘ex-gay’ advocate Richard Cohen on her program The Rachel Maddow Show after it came to light that Cohen’s book Coming Out Straight has been used to justify Uganda’s anti-gay legislative efforts:
Your teaching and your activism have been used for a political purpose which is to promote this bill… You have told them, particularly in your book, Coming Out Straight, which I understood you donated multiple copies of to this organization that’s promoting this bill. You’re telling them exactly what they need to hear in order to justify the ‘kill the gays’ bill.
The American Evangelical Christian minister Rick Warren had also been sharply criticized recently for his reported link to anti-gay Ugandan legislators. Warren had remained silent on the issue, but finally released a video statement on Thursday in which he addresses Ugandan pastors and states that he “completely oppose[s] and vigorously condemn[s] the bill.” Warren goes on to say the “terrible bill” is “unjust, it’s extreme, and it’s un-Christian.”
But The Huffington Post published an article on Friday that exposed the efforts by some conservative Christian leaders, including Warren, to advance anti-LGBT sentiments throughout Africa and specifically in “more authoritarian countries,” like Uganda:
[Rick] Warren is especially influential on the continent, enjoying close ties to African religious and political leaders. They quote him to justify discrimination against LGBT people, and to support their challenge to U.S. mainline Protestants liberalizing their policies around gay ordination. “Homosexuality is not a natural way of life and thus not a human right,” Warren said during a March-April 2008 visit with African religious and political leaders in Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya. That quote has reverberated ever since.
It is important to note, however, that other faith leaders have taken a strong stand against the Ugandan legislation. For example, hundreds of faith leaders signed onto a letter from the Unitarian Universalist United Nations office that urged Uganda Minister of Ethics and Integrity Buturo to oppose the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009 and end discrimination directed toward LGBT people. Also, the group Faith In Public Life organized prominent Catholic and Protestant leaders to sign a statement that condemned the vicious legislation in Uganda:
Our Christian faith recognizes violence, harassment and unjust treatment of any human being as a betrayal of Jesus’ commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves. As followers of the teachings of Christ, we must express profound dismay at a bill currently before the Parliament in Uganda…
Regardless of the diverse theological views of our religious traditions regarding the morality of homosexuality, in our churches, communities and families, we seek to embrace our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters as God’s children worthy of respect and love. Yet we are painfully aware that in our country gays and lesbians still face hostility and violence. We recognize that such treatment degrades the human family, threatens the common good and defies the teachings of our Lord — wherever it occurs.
GLAAD continues to urge mainstream media to shine a light on the horrific anti-gay legislation that is currently pending in Uganda and expose the potentially lethal injustices that gay and lesbian Ugandans could face simply by being who they are.
Updates will be provided on GLAADblog.org as they become available.
Related Posts:Second Lieutenant Sandy Tsao’s Story Covered By MSNBC, Online Media
May 8, 2009
As a result of yesterday’s blog post featuring Second Lieutenant Sandy Tsao and her handwritten letter from President Obama, media outlets and interested online users alike have taken notice and have begun including Sandy’s story in the public debate over the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military ban.
Thousands of people came here to read about Sandy’s story, and online outlets like The Huffington Post featured links back to the post or included information about Sandy when discussing other cases of DADT.
We had also pitched the breaking news about President Obama’s handwritten letter over to MSNBC producers at The Rachel Maddow Show. Producers immediately took interest and Rachel Maddow shared Sandy’s incredible news as the lead story.
You can watch the piece below:
Rachel Maddow followed Sandy’s story with that of First Lieutenant Dan Choi, who was discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell for coming out as gay on an earlier show. Choi is also the founder of Knights Out, an organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) US military academy alumni and their supporters.
Here is video from his previous appearance on The Rachel Maddow Show:
Please continue to check back as we continue to ensure fair, accurate and inclusive coverage on this issue. I will be working closely with Sandy, Dan and others in the immediate future to share their stories and show the public the emotional toll Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has played on these soldiers’ lives.
What to Watch: Monday
March 16, 2009
Gossip Girl finally returns tonight, as well as a two-hour Dancing with the Stars, a RuPaul’s Drag Race clip show, and a Rachel Maddow appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman! Looks like you’re staying in tonight.
> 8:00 PM Dancing with the Stars, ABC (2 hrs) NEW
Another round of dancing, another round of cuts. Gay judge Bruno Tonioli evaluates the couples with a rapier-like wit.
> 8:00 PM Gossip Girl, The CW (1 hr) NEW
Finally, Gossip Girl returns after a month-long hiatus, though bad news for Eric fans: It seems the plot may revolve around the seniors putting on a play, which means young Eric will most likely be left out.
> 10:00 PM RuPaul’s Drag Race, Logo (1 hr) NEW
RuPaul looks back at the highs and lows of the season, featuring never-before-seen footage of the final nine contestants as well as some video of tragic wannabes that never made the cut.
> 11:35 PM The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS (1 hr) NEW
The incomparable Rachel Maddow joins Dave tonight.
What to Watch: Tuesday
March 3, 2009
You’re in for a treat tonight, because the season finale of Nip/Tuck airs, as well as an extra-gay episode of The Real Housewives of New York City, and Rachel Maddow guests on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno!
> 10:00 PM Nip/Tuck, FX (1 hr) SEASON FINALE
It’s the season finale and it looks like lesbian Liz and womanizing Christian are still going through with their nuptials. Of course, we question Liz’s sanity entirely, as she just got a breast reduction to fit into her mother’s wedding dress.
> 10:00 PM Chopped, Food Network (1 hr) NEW
Ted Allen hosts this food competition show in which cheftestants compete to make extraordinary three-course meals out of everyday ingredients. This week, they’re working with coconut, calamari and… Doughnuts? Yikes.
> 11:00 PM The Real Housewives of New York City, Bravo (1 hr) NEW
The rich b*tches hit up a gay pride party in the Hamptons, where they are delighted to learn that the attendees adore them.
> 11:35 PM The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC (1 hr) NEW
MSNBC anchorwoman Rachel Maddow is a guest of Jay’s tonight. Will he ask her to give him her “gayest look?”
Top Stories Today – 10.20.2008
October 20, 2008
National News:
- Associated Press – Mormon Group Protests Church’s Gay Marriage Stance
- Los Angeles Times – Prop. 8 Battle Rages Over Whether Gay Marriage Would Be Taught in Schools
- Los Angeles Times – EDITORIAL: Chicago’s ‘Gay Friendly’ High School Idea
- Reuters – Ellen Buys $100,000 TV Time to Support Gay Marriage
Regional News:
- The San Jose Mercury News (CA) – Questions Raised Over Yes on Prop. 8 Ads
- South Florida Sun Sentinel (FL) – Gay-Marriage Ban Lacks Support Needed to Pass
- The Baltimore Sun (MD) – Two Methodist Women Get ‘Extraordinary Ordination’
- Los Angeles Times (CA) – Prayer In the Service of Politics
- Los Angeles Times (CA) – A Whirlwind of Gay Weddings
- Minneapolis Star Tribune (MN) – COLUMN: Bar Association Panel Paving Way for Gay Marriage
- Associated Press (NY) – Man Gets Life in Prison for Beating Death
- Connecticut Post (CT) – Same-sex Spouses Face Legal Hurdles
- Deseret News (UT) – Magna Man Charged with Assaulting Gay Man
- Sacramento Bee (CA) – ARC Student Leaders Targeted for Recall Over Prop. 8 Support
- The Boston Globe (MA) – OP-ED: Standing Up for Your Gay Friend
- Associated Press (NY) – Advocates Address Challenges of Gay Seniors
- Fort Myers News-Press (FL) – Gay Marriage Opponents Begin Advertising Campaign in Florida
- Southwest Times Record (AR) – Residents Line Both Sides Of Issue
- The Arizona Republic (AZ) – EDITORIAL: Marriage Amendment
- The Philadelphia Inquirer (PA) – Teens in Transition
International News:
- The Vancouver Sun (Canada) – Gay Couple Files Human-Rights Complaint Against School Board
- The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) – Prenuptial Rights for Same-Sex, Unmarried
- BBC News (United Kingdom) – Killer Chef Cooked Dead Boyfriend
From the Blogs:
- Queerty – Lawrence Lawyer: Obama Best For Supremes, Gays
- The Huffington Post – Manners: How Do I Help Fight Prop 8 and Keep Same-Sex Marriage Legal in California?
- The Huffington Post – What Will Powell’s Endorsement Mean for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and Military Families?
- L.A. Now (Los Angeles Times) – Backing Prop. 8 in Enemy Territory
- LJWorld Reader Blogs (Lawrence-Journal News) – Same-Sex Marriage: How Will it Affect Our Society?
- San Francisco Sentinel.com – Biden Opposes Calif. Proposition 8 Same-Sex Marriage Ban
- Capitol Alert (The Sacramento Bee) – Ellen DeGeneres Makes No On 8 Ad – And Pays For It To Air
- DailyKos - Equality for All: There’s still Hell to Pay
- 365Gay.com – Neff: Stop putting gay rights to a vote
- Good As You – Video: Next Prop 8 ad = Children’s book fear-mongering
- Towleroad – A Visit with Rachel Maddow
- Good As You – Feminine wiles: 8 out lesbloggers work to out 8
- Joe.My.God – Sarah Palin Comes Out For The Federal Marriage Amendment
- Andrew Sullivan – Bungling The Marriage Fight In California?
- The Bilerico Project – My Brief Journalistic Dilemma Over Prop 8
- The Bilerico Project Florida – Fla Poll shows Amendment 2 more likely to lose
- The Gist – Ellen Turns Up the Heat on Prop 8
- The Bilerico Project Florida – Suze Orman Says No To Florida’s Amendment 2
- Box Turtle Bulletin – Hollywood Party to Fight Prop 8
- Gay News Blog – Help NO ON 8! Earn a $1 million match this weekend
Rachel Maddow Show Premieres on MSNBC, Tim Graham Throws Insulting Jab
September 12, 2008
“The Rachel Maddow Show” premiered on MSNBC this past Monday, marking a watershed moment for the cable news network – Maddow is the first ever openly openly gay woman to host her own primetime news program. The show promises to offer its viewers “a smart look at politics, pop culture and all the day’s top stories.”
Rachel Maddow
However, Tim Graham of the anti-gay Media Research Center made an insulting jab at Maddow while being interviewed on the September 9 edition of Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends. Speaking about the “damage done” to MSNBC by having Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews host the channel’s election coverage, Graham said:
“Not only is the damage already done, the damage continues. I mean, not only are they keeping these people on for an hour a night, they’re adding this lesbian Air America radio host, Rachel Maddow, on every night. So, I mean, they’re really entrenching and solidifying a left-wing agenda on this network, not just, you know, pulling something back.”
Fox News Radio host John Gibson also mocked Maddow earlier this year. Gibson played an audio clip of Maddow discussing politics on MSNBC and instead of debating or refuting her points, he aired a clip of someone saying, “Oh, lesbians! Yummy!” Gibson’s behavior earned him a spot on GLAAD’s “Best & Worst of National News” in May.
As media coversations about Maddow and her show continue, we will be keeping a close eye on these and other talk show hosts and commentators.
What to Watch: Monday
September 8, 2008
Lots of great TV on tonight, including a fantastic short documentary on HBO2 entitled La Corona (The Crown), an all-new Gossip Girl and the debut of The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Get your news on with the first out lesbian to host her own primetime news show!
> 7:00 PM La Corona (The Crown), HBO2 (1 hr) NEW
2007 Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary Short, this original film goes behind the walls of a Colombian prison, where women are preparing for one of the most fiercely competitive contests in Bogotá: a beauty pageant. One of the contestants, Angela, has a girlfriend while she is in jail, but does not consider herself to be lesbian or bisexual. Also airs Wednesday, September 10 at 7 PM.
> 8:00 PM Gossip Girl, The CW (1 hr) NEW
Blair’s dating royalty, Serena and Dan are secretly back together, Chuck is scheming and Eric is helping Jenny plot her next move into the world of the very rich. Just another day on the Upper East Side. XOXO!
Rachel Maddow
> 9:00 PM The Rachel Maddow Show, MSNBC (1 hr) SEASON PREMIERE
Rachel Maddow, the first out lesbian to host a primetime news show, kicks off her new series with an in-depth examination of the Presidential race.
> 9:00 PM I Want to Work for Diddy, VH1 (1 hr) NEW
Transgender actress Laverne Cox is still going strong in her quest to become Sean Comb’s assistant. This week, the remaining contestants must sell Diddy’s fragrance, Unforgivable, in Manhattan Sephora Stores, and from the previews, Laverne isn’t treated very nicely by the New York elite.
> 10:00 PM Weeds, Showtime (30 min) NEW
Lesbian adolescent Isabelle sure is getting a kick out of her mom resisting rehab for her newly acquired cocaine addiction. And on a side note, how will gay drug dealer Sanjay work his new territory with a baby always strapped to his chest?
> 10:00 PM Raising the Bar, TNT (1 hr) NEW
In this legal drama, Charlie is having an affair with Judge Trudy Kessler, but rumor has it, he’s only doing it to cover the fact that he’s gay.
Rachel Maddow Profiled by the Washington Post
August 27, 2008
The Washington Post ran a profile of openly gay political commentator Rachel Maddow, who will begin hosting her own show on MSNBC on September 8. The article discusses her rise through the ranks of political journalism, beginning with a stint on morning radio, her show on Air America Radio and her increasingly frequent appearances on both MSNBC and CNN in recent years. Maddow speaks about her own awakening around LGBT issues, and the article discusses her status as a pioneer – she will be the first openly gay woman to host her own show on a mainstream cable news network: “Earlier, Maddow laughed when asked if she once thought it unlikely that a lesbian would host a prime-time cable news show. ‘It’s out of my hands,’ she said. ‘I can’t be less gay.’ But she does acknowledge the virtues of being a pioneer: ‘Being the first blank is always important.’”
