Ex-Gay Ministry Admits Sexual Abuse; Grateful At Not Being Found Out
Lt. Daniel Choi Arrested In DADT Protest At White House
Another Baptist church not anti-gay enough for Texas
Dutch military disagrees with Sheehan's revision of the Srebrenica massacre
Sheehan blames Bosnian massacre on gay Dutch soldiers
Kathy Griffin Calls for DADT Repeal in D.C.
Ugandan LGBT Activist To Tour Eastern US
Blogswarm: Call Nancy Pelosi, Demand ENDA's Passage
Featured Reports
Slouching Towards Kampala: Uganda’s Deadly Embrace of Hate
When we first reported on three American anti-gay activists traveling to Kampala for a three-day conference, we had no idea that it would be the first report of a long string of events leading to a proposal to institute the death penalty for LGBT people. But that is exactly what happened. In this report, we review our collection of more than two hundred posts to tell the story of one nation’s embrace of hatred toward gay people. This report will be updated continuously as events continue to unfold. Check here for the latest updates.
David Benkof: Behind the Mask
At first glance, David Benkof appears to be a young gay man who believes that same-sex marriage will damage the institution of marriage, that there are better options for gay couples than marriage, that the community should join him in prioritizing other more pressing issues, and that the marriage discussion is harming the efforts of gay couples in red states to get recognition for their unions. He also claims that he’s a gay columnist, that he speaks for an influential collection of gay thinkers, and that he is part of the gay and lesbian community and that he shares our goals and dreams. But none of that is true.
“Repeat After Me”: The Reparative Therapy Echo Chamber
The April 2008 edition of the pay-to-publish vanity journal Psychological Reports featured a new report from NARTH. Written by NARTH president A. Dean Byrd, past president Joseph Nicolosi, and Richard W. Potts, the report carries the unwieldy but self-descriptive title, “Clients perceptions of how reorientation therapy and self-help can promote changes in sexual orientation.” While the title describes what the authors meant to show — how clients describe the benefits of reparative therapy — the report itself actually illustrates something very different: the ex-gay movement’s remarkable ability to instill an almost robot-like parroting of ex-gay rhetoric among their clients.
Testing the Premise: Is MRSA The New Gay Plague?
The Toronto Star said that a new study “discover[ed] a new strain” of a super-bug “hitting gay men.” Headlines in Britain screamed, “Flesh-eating bug strikes San Francisco’s gay community,” and anti-gay extremists across America spread the alarm that gays were introducing another plague into “the general population.” But there was a small problem with all of this: None of it is true!
Paul Cameron’s World
In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote that “[Paul] Cameron’s ‘science’ echoes Nazi Germany.” What the SPLC didn”t know was Cameron doesn’t just “echo” Nazi Germany. He quoted extensively from one of the Final Solution’s architects. This puts his fascination with quarantines, mandatory tattoos, and extermination being a “plausible idea” in a whole new and deeply disturbing light.
From the Inside: Focus on the Family’s “Love Won Out”
On February 10, I attended an all-day “Love Won Out” ex-gay conference in Phoenix, put on by Focus on the Family and Exodus International. In this series of reports, I talk about what I learned there: the people who go to these conferences, the things that they hear, and what this all means for them, their families and for the rest of us.
Prologue: Why I Went To “Love Won Out”
Part 1: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Part 2: Parents Struggle With “No Exceptions”
Part 3: A Whole New Dialect
Part 4: It Depends On How The Meaning of the Word "Change" Changes
Part 5: A Candid Explanation For "Change"
The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing The Myths
At last, the truth can now be told.
Using the same research methods employed by most anti-gay political pressure groups, we examine the statistics and the case studies that dispel many of the myths about heterosexuality. Download your copy today!
And don't miss our companion report, How To Write An Anti-Gay Tract In Fifteen Easy Steps.
Testing The Premise: Are Gays A Threat To Our Children?
Anti-gay activists often charge that gay men and women pose a threat to children. In this report, we explore the supposed connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, the conclusions reached by the most knowledgeable professionals in the field, and how anti-gay activists continue to ignore their findings. This has tremendous consequences, not just for gay men and women, but more importantly for the safety of all our children.
Straight From The Source: What the “Dutch Study” Really Says About Gay Couples
Anti-gay activists often cite the “Dutch Study” to claim that gay unions last only about 1½ years and that the these men have an average of eight additional partners per year outside of their steady relationship. In this report, we will take you step by step into the study to see whether the claims are true.
The FRC’s Briefs Are Showing
Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council submitted an Amicus Brief to the Maryland Court of Appeals as that court prepared to consider the issue of gay marriage. We examine just one small section of that brief to reveal the junk science and fraudulent claims of the Family “Research” Council.
Review: The Gay Report
When Karla Jay and Allan Young published The Gay Report in 1979, it quickly a favorite source of statistics for many anti-gay extremists. But before you accepts these statistic at face value, you should examine the inner workings of this survey very carefully. What you learn might surprise you.
Daniel Fetty Doesn’t Count
The FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics aren’t as complete as they ought to be, and their report for 2004 was no exception. In fact, their most recent report has quite a few glaring holes. Holes big enough for Daniel Fetty to fall through.
News, analysis and fact-checking of anti-gay rhetoric
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Erica B.
February 19th, 2008 | LINK
Maybe instead of outright lying, they’re including in this “increase” member agencies which both opened and folded in that five-year period. The percentage is ones that are still open, the “more than 200″ includes now-defunct ones?
I think it’s more likely they’re just incapable of doing math, though. No reason to help them grasp at straws.
Tim Smith
February 19th, 2008 | LINK
I find it interesting that there doesn’t seem to be a feedback link on the website presenting the above article. Is someone afraid of a little open and honest debate and critisism? Typical right wing propoganda….they love to dish it out…but refuse to listen to anyone with an opposing view!
Justin E.
February 19th, 2008 | LINK
While I sincerely appreciate bringing this information to our attention I wonder what it has to do with home schooled people. As a gay, home-schooled, college graduate it seems slightly offensive to me to imply that home schooled people can not do math. I am guessing no ill will was meant by it and it was only a joke but I don’t think it was appropriate.
Emily K
February 19th, 2008 | LINK
I think the point was that oftentimes families that home school will think themselves better than those who go to public school, for example. He was being ironic.
Michael
February 19th, 2008 | LINK
Yeah, that tripped me up, too (I was a home-schooled kid, as well). I think we’re supposed to read it as, “if I were home-schooled I might be an authority on math,” rather than, “if I were home-schooled I would believe that 150 is more than 200.”
Jarred
February 19th, 2008 | LINK
Justin and Michael,
Bear in mind that most of us are most familiar with ultra-conservative proponents of homeschooling who promote homeschooling for the sake of “protecting their children” from whatever evils they believe have infested the public school system. As a rule, that particular segment of homeschoolers often seem quite unconcerned about the quality of the education offered through their brand of homeschooling.
It’s easy to forget — or even be unaware of — the fact that some people actually choose homeschooling over public or private school because they believe it provides them with the a superior education. Indeed, until I talked to my own sister on the topic, I was unaware of the kind of quality education proper homeschooling can provide.
Timothy Kincaid
February 19th, 2008 | LINK
OK, guys, it’s looks like I need to clarify.
I was actually being snarky.
In California the anti-gay activists are pushing to have Christians take their children out of public schools and, if they can’t afford private schools they should home-school them. As part of the argument, they tell you that you don’t have to be smarter than a chipmunk to teach your children algebra or the importance of the Magna Carta, the programs are so simple that any idiot could do it.
I am aware that homeschooling can provide a very high quality education. But that isn’t what these folks are shooting for – they prefer an education that is unencumbered with inconvenient facts or scientific theories. They prefer the kind that does not challenge treasured assumptions about the foundation of our nation and that limits knowledge to that which confirms a religious and political agenda.
How do I know?
Well, although I was not homeschooled, I did attend two private schools as well as public school.
One private school was interested in education and was very grounded and thorough. Yes they taught Bible, but they also taught latin and greek and emphasized scholarship. You attended that school if you wanted a strong education.
The other followed an “at your own pace” system of self-teaching booklets called ACE – Accelerated Christian Education. The “monitors” (teachers) had no eductation higher than High School and the level of “education” was a complete joke. You attended that school if you were a complete dunce or if you wanted to be protected from evil secular influences. Fortunately, my parents listened when I said I was ready for a real education at our very decent public school.
I don’t question that many home-schoolers are like my first private school: a rigorous, broad based, thoughtful and individualized strong education. I’m sure that those who comment here fall into this category.
But too too many are falling victim to the type of homeschooling that is interested in producing “good Christians” at the risk of producing strong minds.
Doubt me? Well this is what the Campaign for Children and Families says:
Or more realistically, let the phobes do your thinking for you.
werdna
February 20th, 2008 | LINK
I dunno, I have to go with the critics here. The bitchy dig at xtian home-schoolers seems a little beneath the usual standard for BTB. If you want to do snark, try sadlyno.com. Your explanation is more nuanced, but it’s a bit like excusing a homophobic joke by saying “I wasn’t talking about all gay people, just the flaming/nelly/stupid ones.”
But what do I know? When I first scanned the headline I read “Exodus’ little Meth Problem.” Not that I would’ve been surprised by such a headline…
Timothy Kincaid
February 20th, 2008 | LINK
I am aways amazed at the diversity of our readership. I am now convinced that if I wrote about left-handed, red-headed, Amish accountants from Pasadena, someone who fit just that description would comment.
I’m glad for all our readers, homeschooled, private schooled, public schooled, or raised by wolves. Thanks for setting me straight, guys.
Justin E.
February 20th, 2008 | LINK
Timothy, thank you for your responses. I really appreciate it. I wanted to let you know, I e-mailed Citizen link and recieved a response today from them that basically said, “Thanks for giving us the heads-up. We have fixed the math problem.” So I checked out their website and they changed it from 59% to 71%. I’m only sad to see that it wasn’t an error in the total number of additions…
Thanks again for your contributions to this site and response!
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