The Daily Agenda for Saturday, May 25
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
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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Tommy
July 27th, 2010 | LINK
Someone needs to answer for the fact that $4,500,000 of taxpayers’ money was just flushed down the toilet.
Bearchewtoy75
July 27th, 2010 | LINK
Can ANYONE explain to me how an online survey costs 4.5 million?!
Elliot
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
I like to imagine that some crafty internet programmer just got 4.5 million dollars richer.
Craig Wagner
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
A request for clarification:
“A total of 200,000 active servicemembers and another 200,000 in the Reserve and National Guard…”
“The Department of Defense is encouraging the officers to go ahead and take 30 minutes and answer the survey”
I was under the impression that the survey was being sent to “servicemembers,” not “officers.” There are significant differences between these two populations — especially concerning some of the questions asked in the survey. I believe it’s important to know who is being surveyed.
Fred
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
What bothers me about the lack of response
to the survey is that those that have provided a reply are probably the extremists. In all likelihood, extremely
against.
This is going to provide ammunition to the people that don’t want DADT to be over-turned. They will ignore the 90% who appear to not care about a change,
or don’t consider it to be an issue.
For example, if all 10% are against, then it will be stated that 100% of the service-persons are against over-turning DADT.
I don’t think a survey should have even been considered. If word came down from the top that it was over-turned, then service persons would adjust. The
military is not a democracy. You follow orders. You don’t get to pick and choose.
The people at the top need to be decisive. The troops will do as told.
TampaZeke
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
To the contrary, I think they will be forced to report that 90% didn’t care either way and the 10% that did care, one way or the other, broke down thus…
This should be considered the absolute WORST case scenario for the pro DADT people.
The real numbers will look more like this:
92% Don’t care either way
5% support keeping DADT
3% support abolishing DADT
There’s NO WAY to use those numbers to support keeping DADT in light of the stated positions of the President and the Secretary of Defense. It also takes away the argument of those who claim that their support of DADT is based on the high level of support for in amongst the troops on the ground.
MAJOR FAIL for the anti-gays!
TampaZeke
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
And don’t forget, the SLDN advised gay servicemembers (I think unwisely) NOT to participate in the survey.
Timothy Kincaid
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
Thanks, Craig. That was a typo on my part.
Priya Lynn
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
Fred said “For example, if all 10% are against, then it will be stated that 100% of the service-persons are against over-turning DADT.”
TampaZeke said “To the contrary, I think they will be forced to report that 90% didn’t care either way and the 10% that did care, one way or the other, broke down thus…
92% Don’t care either way
5% support keeping DADT
3% support abolishing DADT”.
I think Fred is right, if most of the 10% responding are against repeal the anti-gay activists at least will claim the majority of service members are against repeal.
customartist
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
Is the actual survey out there somewhere?
Is answering the survey OPTIONAL?
What is the NAME of the survey company?
Was the Contract to condct the survey put out for bids? If not, Why not? How do we know if those entrusted with conducting surveys are impartial?
I’ll gladly conduct an online survey for the government for $4,500,000 – just in case a government official is reading…
Jim in MA
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
“And don’t forget, the SLDN advised gay servicemembers (I think unwisely) NOT to participate in the survey.”
Well, if 92% aren’t taking the survey, maybe they’re not participating because they’re gay.
Just sayin
John in the Bay Area
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
Gay servicemembers are given no protections from discharge for filling out the survey. Honest answers from servicemembers could cost them their careers. At this time, with Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in effect, the only responsible thing to tell gay servicemembers who do not want to end their military careers is to not fill out the survey.
Despite Pentagon officials trying to encourage gay servicemembers to fill out the survey, these same officials acknowledge that there are no protections for those who do. SDLN is correct in their advice.
Duncan
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
This is how DADT will end; crushed under an unstoppable juggernaught of apathy.
Craig
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
Timothy,
You’re welcome, but (and this may sound picky to some) it’s still not right. Soldiers are only in the *Army*. The survey (from everything I’ve seen) is being sent to servicemembers from all services.
Timothy Kincaid
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
OK, Craig. Sorry about that.
I used the layperson’s all inclusive “soldiers”. But I think folks know what I meant.
cd
July 28th, 2010 | LINK
I think seasoned military people get this 30 page ‘survey’ and, knowing military corporate practices and skullduggery, realize very little good will come from filling it out.
I agree with Tim’s interpretation that the 90% are saying “get rid of DADT and order me to comply and I’m fine with it. Don’t make me fill out 30 pages about my subjective particular opinions as if they mattered to my fulfilling my duties- they don’t- or the military is a democracy- it isn’t. And it shouldn’t be.”
A survey of this kind is to a large extent a Kook Identifier. It might even be that the 400,000 copies sent out are a red herring and only those received from people of rank X and higher get read at all. And then largely to put the potential troublemakers on an internal watchlist. Gay people should avoid filling it out for obvious reasons as well.
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