August 24th, 2010
The New York Times released a graph in which they claim that 17 states have support for marriage equality at 50% or higher. I think that’s a pipe dream; the polls I’ve seen simply don’t support it.
But, nonetheless, there is value to be found in looking at the progress made in the past decade and a half. And even if their numbers are off by 5 to 10 percent, there are still a sizable number of states that either support equality or soon will.
Latest Posts
Featured Reports
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.
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.
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.
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"
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Titus
August 24th, 2010
It is important to recognize:
(1) There have been several polls conducted in recent months surveying American support for marriage equality. Many of these polls have reported results significantly worse than those used in the New York Times article.
(2) During a marriage referendum, voters’ support for same-sex marriage has regularly lagged behind the polls. See: Maine, California.
(3) The poll was a *national* poll only. The researchers simply extrapolated the results of this poll onto each state. This is not a very scientific approach to polling.
Christopherâ„¢
August 24th, 2010
I like the little sperms.
daftpunkydavid
August 25th, 2010
hey timothy and titus,
while i appreciate your temperate comments, i was wondering if you could point toward studies that support them. i, too, preferring erring on the side of caution, instead of being deluded into thinking the situation is better than it actually is, so i’d appreciate a link or something for corroboration. thanks.
Désirée
August 25th, 2010
I do agree that the conclusion of the pollsters is overly optimistic however, what this does show is that the chances of a Constitutional amendment passing are less-than-slim to none.
TampaZeke
August 25th, 2010
Regardless of the accuracy of the polls I don’t think ANY poll has shown a decline in, or even a leveling off of, support for marriage equality.
Every poll I’ve seen, even the worst case ones, show marked increase in support for marriage equality in EVERY state and region of the country.
We may quibble over degree of support but we can’t deny the direction.
TampaZeke
August 25th, 2010
I agree with the previous comment.
This spells doom for a Federal Marriage Amendment. First, it would take a miracle to get one through the necessary majorities of Congress, and even if it did it would take a considerable period of time to get it to the states. By that time, at the rate that opinions are changing, it would be almost impossible to get the required number of states to ratify it. Especially considering there are people who don’t support marriage equality but would never support a Federal Constitutional Amendment to make it illegal.
Timothy Kincaid
August 25th, 2010
DPdavid,
Because it involves 50 states, it would be too cumbersome to link. But if you click the Samples Surveys and Polls tab, that will quickly connect you to coverage of recent polls.
Leave A Comment