It's Not the Principle, It's the Prejudice
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Gay Couples Excluded from Immigration Bill Markup
How To Spot A Swivel-Eyed Loon
The Daily Agenda for Wednesday, May 22
House of Commons officially passes marriage equality
British Commons Approves Marriage Equality Bill
Email address of Attorney General prosecuting 18 year old Florida lesbian
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
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Tina
February 1st, 2010 | LINK
Tim,
Any chance this could be talked about on your next podcast?
I’d love to hear the 3 of you talk about how this is may or may not color your views about how we make progress.
John
February 1st, 2010 | LINK
I think that the Log Cabin Republican lawsuit did put pressure on the Administration, and I would agree that “encouragement” from the pro-administration gay groups has had virtually no effect.
However, Obama is worried far more about all the gay voters who supported him (mostly Democratic or Independent) who are becoming more and more frustrated with him and his administration. Even the mainstream press talk about how alienated this “key Democratic” group is with this administration. He knows that he has to do something, and probably calculated that this was more possible than ENDA or overturning DOMA.
He now knows that he is going to need something in 2012 when asking for gay votes. He is going to face losses in Congress in 2010, so this is his last opportunity to do anything to save
the gay vote.
Most Presidential elections have been very close. He can’t afford to have angry gay voters refusing to vote for him, even if they don’t vote for the Republican.
Oh, and his administration’s previous response to the suit against the DOMA (not put forward by Republicans) was an absolute disaster for this administration’s relationship with gay voters.
Pender
February 1st, 2010 | LINK
This is EXACTLY why the log cabin republicans are an essential part of our coalition. It’s a shame this is such a controversial idea for so many gays.
Joey
February 1st, 2010 | LINK
Comments made on this site frequently make me embarrassed to be gay. I’ve spent my whole life trying to convince the public that they have nothing to fear from the neighborhood gay. I don’t want to indoctrinate their children, I don’t care what their creed teaches them about my sex life, I respect freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the democratic process. In other words, I am not some kind of aggressive, caterwauling, in-your-face queer activist.
For a long time, I thought that the hesitation of some straight people to fully accept the gays in their midst was borne of complete misinformation, a false picture of what gays are. Now that I’ve read a little more, I find myself wondering if I am the exception, not the rule. Are all gays really so pushy? Well, NO…I know that. But it’s hard to escape the conclusion that there are a lot of gay crusaders out there who don’t respect the rights of others.
I consider myself a liberal in the classical sense. I think gays would be better served if more of us adopted that pose.
Zach
February 1st, 2010 | LINK
Your post has a severe case of the vague, Joey. Who’s been pushy? In what respect? How, specifically, would you recommend we formulate our commentary instead?
Priya Lynn
February 1st, 2010 | LINK
Yes, I’m curious to Joey – what rights of others do you think gays aren’t respecting?
stealthfighter
February 1st, 2010 | LINK
Obama didn’t seem to afraid of defending DOMA, with the most offensive and bigoted language they could find. I doubt a fear of defending DADT in court is a primary driving force behind the announcement. I also doubt that any real policy change is going to happen this year. Obama’s words are just that: words. Now that the brass are coming out against the policy he has the cover he needs to walk it back: “the generals on the ground advise caution, and I trust their judgment.”
AdrianT
February 1st, 2010 | LINK
So, the administration doesn’t give a damn really. For your next podcast, I think you should get someone from the administration on to explain themselves.
Burr
February 1st, 2010 | LINK
Where’s the link to the article?
Joey is coming across as a bit of a concern troll..
Priya Lynn
February 1st, 2010 | LINK
Yes, no response from Joey, I think he was full of it.
Timothy (TRiG)
February 2nd, 2010 | LINK
Concern troll? I thought that term was used only on Pharyngula. It’s a good one, though.
(Incidentally, I met PZ Myers last night.)
TRiG.
Ron
February 2nd, 2010 | LINK
The article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/us/politics/01military.html
Richard Rush
February 2nd, 2010 | LINK
Speaking of DADT: Given that apparently 10,000 gays have been discharged under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, I’m wondering what the number might have been over the same period if we still had Do Ask Do Tell. Would the number discharged likely have been much different? Does anyone know the rate of discharge under the old policy?
Seth
February 2nd, 2010 | LINK
With respect, I think your premise is mistaken.
The litigation pressure is likely coming from Witte and the post-Witte cases percolating in the district court in the Ninth Circuit. Witte was brought (and is currently being litigated) by the ACLU, not Log Cabin.
werdna
February 2nd, 2010 | LINK
The case Seth is referring to is Witt v. US Dept. of the Air Force and it’s scheduled for a hearing in Washington state in September of this year: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/409816_witt02.html
And indeed, the existence of this suit, in addition to the LCR suit, is probably why the Times used the plural “cases”.
George Bingham
February 2nd, 2010 | LINK
Joey, I don’t think gays are being “pushy”, I think (some) gays are being ANGRY! Maybe it’s just because I’m getting older, as it certainly bothers me more now than it did when I was young. I think that a lot of the gay & lesbian kids I see growing up today having an easier time (in general) coming out to friends and family is a good and encouraging thing, but I also see so many very damaging instances of hate – of violence (that I personally experienced for the first time in my 40′s)- of religious persecution – Yes, I mean “persecution” because that’s what it is! I’m tired of it and I want it to stop! I want to see a generation grow up in a society where it truly is not an issue anymore – and I’m running out of time to achieve that! So, I personally will “push” all I can for marriage rights, military service rights, against prejudice and religious persecution! If you think I’m going overboard, ask yourself how you feel about it when you’re approaching 50!
Timothy Kincaid
February 2nd, 2010 | LINK
The Obama Administration was greatly embarrassed in the Smelt case. But that case was remitted back to refiling. Other than Log Cabin and Witt, I’m not sure that there are any others that are active but would certainly welcome any updated info.
werdna
February 3rd, 2010 | LINK
Speaking of updated info, isn’t this sentence from your post in need of a correction: “Although the Times does not note it, the only lawsuit against DADT which is currently advancing is Log Cabin Republicans v. United States of America”?
Timothy Kincaid
February 3rd, 2010 | LINK
werda,
I’ve revised the commentary. I hesitate to equate individual cases with organizational cases. Although I’m not an attorney, I believe that the results of such cases are not the same.
While a case on an individual can be narrowly decided and diverted to merits other than those central to DADT, organizational cases tend to address all servicepeople (sorry if that is a bit of a simplistic description).
You are right that the Obama administration does not want to publicly defend DADT in either type of case. Indeed, both cases would embarrass the President.
However, I suspect that they fear the PR from Log Cabin more than they do from the low-profile Witt (who seems not to want to try this in the court of public opinion).
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