The Daily Agenda for Friday, May 24
Boy Scouts of America Votes To Allow Gay Members, Retains Ban On Gay Leaders
Nevada House votes to reverse marriage ban
The Daily Agenda for Thursday, May 23
It's Not the Principle, It's the Prejudice
Congratulations Mitch!
Gay Couples Excluded from Immigration Bill Markup
How To Spot A Swivel-Eyed Loon
Featured Reports
What Are Little Boys Made Of?
In this original BTB Investigation, we unveil the tragic story of Kirk Murphy, a four-year-old boy who was treated for “cross-gender disturbance” in 1970 by a young grad student by the name of George Rekers. This story is a stark reminder that there are severe and damaging consequences when therapists try to ensure that boys will be boys.
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 500 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
Posts 
Posts via daily email:
The US Constitution’s Freedom of Religion Clause protects churches from having to conduct sacraments that are contrary to their beliefs. So no minister need fear that he or his church will be forced against his will to conduct a marriage ceremony between a same-sex couple.
John
May 21st, 2009 | LINK
It is interesting that so many know so little about their own rights, especially for a group that are educated and literate enough to be ministers.
I don’t have a problem with laws that clearly state that churches don’t have to perform any marriage that the church opposes, but the very long exemption language offered by Gov Lynch of Maine gave me pause. Leading gay legal groups should get together on come up with language that does the job of exempting churches from having to perform marriages without opening new cans of worms by possibly legalizing other forms of anti- gay discrimation.
Patrick
May 21st, 2009 | LINK
If Christians deny civil rights to others because they perceive they won’t be allowed to discriminate against the others, then the Christians have already lost. What they teach and practice is not what Jesus taught or practiced.
Emily K
May 21st, 2009 | LINK
I’m not a huge fan of enabling ignorance among the ignorant. But if this is what is needed, fine. It’s like people who double-click on hyperlinks – one click is really all you need but they feel like nothing will launch unless the second click is added.
David Brian Holt
May 21st, 2009 | LINK
You’re being very kind to think that mainline clergy have much influence in the country anymore. They are seen as “apostates” by many evangelicals. It was encouraging to read, however, that over 60% of UCC clergy are in favor of full marriage rights. That number was probably much lower a few years ago but has been moved higher due to noble action by their national denomination.
Timothy Kincaid
May 21st, 2009 | LINK
David,
I think perhaps they weild more influence than you are alling. Mainline parishoners make up 24% of American voters.
And the word of a minister can give a sense of “permission” to a non-religious American who still considers themself to be generically “Christian”.
As long as “non-active Christains” are not hearing a uniform anti-gay message, then they can more easily do what is right without subconciously feeling they are going against God.
Jeff
May 21st, 2009 | LINK
Religion will end the world…just wait.
Priya Lynn
May 21st, 2009 | LINK
John said “Leading gay legal groups should get together on come up with language that does the job of exempting churches from having to perform marriages without opening new cans of worms by possibly legalizing other forms of anti- gay discrimation.”.
I agree John. I certainly don’t trust those laymen gays who assure us the overly broad language allowing for religious discrimination only gives churches the rights that they already had under the U.S. constitution to refuse to perform marriages they don’t agree with.
Jason D
May 21st, 2009 | LINK
Jeff, every end is a beginning.
el polacko
May 21st, 2009 | LINK
the idea that civil rights legislation should contain an asterisked allowance for discrimination by some groups is disgustingly wrong. why this exemption for “religion” when many religions have no issue with equal marriage rights ?
we are talking about registering relationships with the STATE, just as heteros have to do.. what happens in other ceremonies has nothing to do with it.
staci
May 22nd, 2009 | LINK
I support re-assuring clergy that they will not lose their rights in order to grant us ours. Put it in legislation if need be.
Josh
May 25th, 2009 | LINK
I think these religious reassurances are more to prevent potential scenarios such as if a gay couple presented themselves to their Catholic priest for marriage, even though the Church does not permit same-gender sexual expression. If said gay couple were to try to make a legal issue of it, this would force the state to try to legislate in matters of doctrine and faith, which is most definitely NOT the purpose of the government or courts, at least in the USA. I’m all for full civil marriage equality, but for a gay marriage to be recognized by a faith group, that’s for the faith group to determine, not the state. If I found a man I wanted to marry, I’d love for a full Nuptial Mass, but I’d have to settle for a civil ceremony. For change to occur in my church, it would have to occur within my church’s processes.
Leave A Comment