Last Minute Bid to Sink Marriage Bill Fails in British Commons
Will Illinois Be #13?
The Daily Agenda for Monday, May 20
Gay Man Shot To Death In NYC Hate Crime
The Daily Agenda for Sunday, May 19
French President Hollande Signs Marriage Bill
The Daily Agenda for Saturday, May 18
Fox News Ignores Marriage Equality Wins
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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When I first saw the pictures of Lauren Ashley, Miss Beverly Hills, I thought, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” I’ve seen many a girl from Beverly Hills and, well, let’s just say that her look, her style, and her (ahem) body image are not really what Beverly Hills might consider to be appropriate for a beauty queen. Just saying.
Ray
February 24th, 2010 | LINK
I love a happy ending.
Harriet M.
February 24th, 2010 | LINK
I think your comment about “we don’t have any trailer parks within city limits” is obnoxious and unfortunate. I guess “classist” might describe comments that insult the poor and their clothing, on which they obviously don’t have much money to spend. I hope to see nicer writing on your site in the future.
Mike Tidmus
February 24th, 2010 | LINK
As a proud resident of San Diego, I feel compelled to point out that Carrie Prejean was Miss La Jolla and she’s from Vista, which is north of the City of San Diego.
John
February 24th, 2010 | LINK
Maybe she can run as Miss not-Beverly Hills.
Up til now, I had no idea how much Miss Suzanne Sugarbaker had to put up with competing in all those beauty pagents. Gives me a whole new level of respect for her.
AJD
February 24th, 2010 | LINK
I’m sure she could still run for the Miss Butterface USA title… But I think “butterface” is being a little too nice.
Lucrece
February 24th, 2010 | LINK
Can you lay off the snipes at her appearance as a way to denigrate a woman? Thanks.
This isn’t just referring to the post, but the commenters as well.
She’s an insipid idiot, and I’d rather evaluate her on her intellectual incompetence rather than something as completely irrelevant as looks.
johnathan
February 24th, 2010 | LINK
Harriet: Granted, the writing style can be classified as “classist.” With that in mind, how many beauty pagent contestants do you know who have their picture taken while wearing the clothing and with the hairstyle/makeup of said Lauren Ashley? Generally, the stylings beauty contestants are representative of a class of persons — for better or worse — not presented by Ms. Ashley’s stylings (as indicated in her released photograph). Perhaps she normally dresses differently, but the current photograph does not present — in my opinion only — such an image.
David
February 24th, 2010 | LINK
The whole thing seems more like an Onion parody than reality, and yet, sadly, apparently Ms. Ashley isn’t joking.
Burr
February 24th, 2010 | LINK
Lying for Jesus. Endorsed by beauty queens (and empty heads) everywhere!
John
February 24th, 2010 | LINK
Just as the overwhelming majority of the commenters in the post, I did not comment on Miss faux-Beverly Hills’ looks or style. As a gay man, I honestly couldn’t care less.
However, beauty contests are primarily about looks, style and whatever few points you could score from your particular talent and how you answer one or two very short questions. So, someone entering said beauty contests should expect to be judged at some point on their looks and their style. In fact, they are literally inviting such judgements. Just saying…
werdna
February 25th, 2010 | LINK
+1 to Harriet M. and Lucrece and others for pointing out the crass and unnecessary elements in this post and some of the comments.
That aside, is there any reason to believe that Lauren Ashley is for real in any regard? I mean, is this a prank on Fox News (the original source of the interview)? A parody of hypocritical, judgmental beauty queens? My first question on hearing this update was, “which art school does she go to?”
CB
February 25th, 2010 | LINK
I doubt they can do it, but if they could, it would be funny if the city charged her with misrepresenting the city and slander. In turn, FOX News should be taken to task for another news blunder! Weren’t they all over CBS and Dan Rather when they did a report on GW Bush and his military credentials? While CBS defamed one individual with their report, FOX News did/does it to the LGBT community on a regular basis, and this is just another instance.
werdna
February 25th, 2010 | LINK
Re: Miss Ashley’s claim to be “Miss Beverly Hills USA”, TMZ writes :
Ben Mathis
February 25th, 2010 | LINK
What do her looks have to do with her opinion? Her opinion is disgusting because of it’s contents, be she beautiful or ugly. I’d love to see less patriarchy on my gay blog, but maybe that’s too much to ask.
Emily K
February 25th, 2010 | LINK
Tim, I’d expect such catty remarks about this girl’s appearance from perez hilton, but not you – not from an author representing BTB.
TJMcFisty
February 25th, 2010 | LINK
In defense of Tim, it’s not mean if it’s true. She is wearing that bad outfit and poorly posing for a promo picture repping Beverly Hills for a beauty pageant. Her looks and her comments are totally fair game.
This is what happens when you put yourself out there in the spotlight, and Tim should be allowed to be as catty as he damn well wants to be. Gay man. Gay blog. It happens.
Timothy Kincaid
February 25th, 2010 | LINK
Now, now, folks.
Ms. Ashley wasn’t calling herself Miss Redding or Miss Campbell. She chose to associate with Beverly Hills. And let’s not pretend that Beverly Hills doesn’t have a reputation: rich, skinny, flawless makeup, and designer clothes.
She decided that it was on this image that she wanted to be judged. I merely accomodated.
:)
William
February 25th, 2010 | LINK
Jeans, or trousers of any kind, are properly a male garment.
According to Deuteronomy 22:5, a woman wearing men’s clothes is an abomination to the Lord.
Nevada Blue
February 25th, 2010 | LINK
I generally hate derogatory comments on appearances (if you don’t have to f*ck them, who cares). But I make exception for beauty contestants. I’m just doing what they ask their audience to do.
I think beauty contests are rot, but the people in them take them very seriously, and they judge on beauty, grace and poise. I bet if you asked anyone in the industry they’d tell you that class plays a big factor. All looks aside, there is no way that woman is going to win anything now. She displayed an incredible lack of class. Not just her tacky clothes, not just the stupid sh!t that fell from her mouth, not just because this came out in an interview with Pop Tart (talk about class), but also her willingness to misrepresent herself (whether or not abiding by the rules of the contest). And I bet there will be a change of rules for the contest very soon, though a spokesman said no changes planned.
Were some of Tim’s remarks classist. Yes they were, in my opinion. But to assume its classist in a sense of wealth, I just don’t buy at all. I usually assume there is money behind any contestant because its needed to win these days. But even if I’m wrong, I can assure you that poor women (and I am one) would not take kindly to being put in the same class as Ashley Lauren.
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