News, analysis and fact-checking of anti-gay rhetoric
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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
Gay Man's Murder Sparks Massive Rally
The Daily Agenda for Tuesday, May 21
Connecticut Scouts simply announce that they are accepting gay scout leaders
Church of Scotland allows ministers in relationship
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
The Washington Blade has looked at some newly announced cosponsors and supporters for the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal DOMA. Based on that headcount, RMA has at least ten votes in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is enough to advance the bill to the Senate floor. Advocates are still trying to build support for the bill in the Senate before they press the committee to hold hearings.
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Ryan
April 26th, 2011 | LINK
Every Democrat who supports this should first be asked why this wasn’t voted on a year ago, when it actually had a small chance of passing. This irritates me so much that the Dems deliberately waited like this. They’re supposedly doing an ENDA vote soon, too. Which also has zero chance of passing the House. And everyone knows it, which is the most insulting part.
Lucrece
April 26th, 2011 | LINK
@Ryan, for the sake of show. To round up the JoeMyGod drooler base.
enough already
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
Lucrece,
“Drooler base?”
As opposed to exactly what – and whom?
Your comment is deeply offensive.
To put it mildly.
Shannon
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
enough already
I take lucere’s comment to refer to the base of people who copy and paste their pastor/preacher/etc.’s values as their moral system and never stop to think for themselves.
I could be wrong as to what he meant, but if not I don’t find it offensive at all.
enough already
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
uh, Shannon – are we referring to the same JMG?
Because, if we are, then there are two extremely well known (defining, actually) aspects of that blog which you have somehow managed to overlook:
1) The posters are not constrained by the demands of this blog that we maintain that Christians are, as a group predominately nice people. Most posters make me look like I really do like and trust Christians.
2) The posters are very far away from the double-plus separatist, politically correct, ‘gay-men are the bane of our LGBTQQAT&XYZ community’ mindset of so many here as one can get.
No, I think it was a pretty clearly aimed kick the JMG fans.
Jaft
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
enough already – “The posters are very far away from the double-plus separatist, politically correct, ‘gay-men are the bane of our LGBTQQAT&XYZ community’ mindset”
I’d like to give you a proper response which would probably devolve into lengthy discussion which would undoubtedly rehash and recover much of what has been discussed on this site many times before with many others.
So – and I apoplogize when I say this – I will only leave you with this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_F3iev3Nlc
Ryan
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
JMG commenters are as nasty and bigoted as anything you’d find on NOM or Free Republic–just in the opposite direction. I find some of the posts to be entertaining and informative, but the comments tend to make me sad. They’re ammo for our enemies, too.
enough already
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
Well, Jaft, Shannon and Ryan,
That’s one of the realities of life in 2011 – our enemies read what we write, we publish and distribute the physical violence they commit against us.
Just for the record – not that it will do much good – I firmly support full human status and all civil rights for every gay, lesbian, bisexual, transexual, intersexual, queer gendered, questioning and etc.
That said, although I spend a lot of time in America, I’m not an American and, like so very many Europeans – I find the political correctness and double plus “gay men are the oppressor” mentality just too-too wearying.
Yes, JMG can slip into nasty threads at times. Boxturtle, on the other hand, can take, upon occasion, take the humorless PC police routine so far that any good will between our various communities is destroyed.
And example of which – many of us realize that LGBT was about as far into the alphabet soup as the normal media and normal world was willing to go. The absurd demand that we MUST reflect every single variation of humanity or we are not being inclusive led to absurd constructions. How many letters are there now? Eight? Or is it nine.
It’s not productive.
Fine – so I tried “queer community” a really inclusive term. That one led to food fights with some of the most unpleasant philosophy majors I’ve had in decades. So that’s out.
You’re fighting the wrong guy, here. I’ve been fighting for our rights on the street since the mid-1970′s. Try setting aside the ethnocentric mentality for a change.
I’m not the enemy, but the way you approach me is definitely one of the reasons our true enemies are winning in the US. They work together. We don’t.
Once we have our full human status and all civil rights, everybody can merrily go back to their left-handed-gay-20cm+-blue-haired-married….whatever world. Until then, I’m not the enemy. Nor are many others who don’t do US political correctness.
Reed Boyer
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
Ryan – we COULD first ask every Democrat about what s/he did or didn’t do last year, but would that be the most productive use of time and resources?
It is now 2011 – and these items should be pressed this year, DESPITE there being “zero chance of passing the House,” because it puts them into play for 2012, when it appears that the Republicans will have shot themselves in the foot with the greater American public once more and the election is likely to return a Democratic majority in both chambers.
THEN, absolutely, hold Democratic feet to the fire.
“Timing,” in politics, is as important as “location” in real estate. And it’s the element that forces me to fake having patience that I don’t actually have.
Enough Already – thanks for providing the context. I’m always interested in the European perspective when it enlightens – as in the recent UK “civil unions are not civil marriages” dialogues. We’d been hearing about “getting married in the UK” for a few years now, and never realized that the UK did not, in fact, have full mariage equality. It’s been useful and instructive, as has been the experience of 20+ nations with regard to full inclusion in military service.
Ryan
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
enough already–
I don’t think I really understand your argument. You seem to be setting up an “either/or” scenario over two very different topics. I think it’s quite possible to decry the anti-Christian bigotry demonstrated frequently on JMG *and* also find the “Alphabet Soup PC” uber-queer stuff to be silly and unnecessary. I’m not even sure why they’re being compared by you or presented as opposites. In fact, usually the anti-Christian bigots tend to be the Alphabet Soup types as well.
Jaft
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
enough – I’m not familiar with this gay-men-oppressor scenario, and I’ve been American and Queer as far back as I can remember.
I might also add that just because gay (or bi, for that matter – I hold myself accountable here too) men and women are at a position of such acceptance, we shouldn’t opt to vote on other’s sexualities just like ours were voted on.
If LGBTQIAA is too long an acronym, use Queer. Or if that isn’t suitable from a PR standpoint (an argument I know all too well), use gay as a short hand. But *dismissing* the letters with phrases such as “Alphabet Soup” or “unnecessary” vetoes and dismisses those identities represented – a position we should ALL be too familiar with.
We MUST reflect every variation of sexuality (granted, I might disagree with how grand that variety is) because it was that same argument that was levied against us at first. “What’s wrong with no gay people in the media? You *exist*, don’t you?” Silence=DEATH. Silence=Consent. The second we cease to talk about someone, they disappear because the majority doesn’t care to represent them anyway. This basic fact is the very backbone of our history.
You’re not going to agree with everyone. I’m not making every argument here. I just disagree with dismissing LGBTQIAA. Those are identities – those are people. We cannot forget that.
And I’m not fighting. Just trying to reach you. At minimum, to understand why I take the stance I do.
And our enemies (and our misguided, otherwise well-meaning opposers) aren’t winning. In 1969 I would have been arrested for having a boyfriend (further, I probably wouldn’t even have a boyfriend because the only representations of homosexuality would only have been understood through a lens of sex – and not even in any way sex positive; in fact, I’d probably still think I was straight).
We’re winning. All it is is a matter of time.
Ben in Atlanta
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
When it all gets to be too much I recommend going back and listening to Laurie Anderson’s “Language is a Virus”.
Priya Lynn
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
Well said, Jaft.
enough already
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
Jaft,
I guess I can say I support full human status and full civil rights for all of us until the cows come home and it will somehow never, not quite be enough.
Timothy Kincaid
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
enough already
This is false. Unlike JMG, we don’t allow you to vent your hatred against Christians (or anyone else) here, but we don’t require you to present Christians (or anyone else) as nice people.
Shofixti
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
Well EA,
Since you brought it up – have you read or accepted or understood my support for civil rights? Can we put aside that bone of contention now?
Also – I customised this track for you:
http://gobarbra.com/hit/new-3f9f973d6160c5b847d86eba5f4b63f8
Amicus
April 27th, 2011 | LINK
awesome news, if they can get the votes and hearings!
Rob in San Diego
April 28th, 2011 | LINK
If you all want to read some hateful messages, then just read the blog posts for “yahoo news” articles on gays, nothing but hateful speech from christians left and right. And don’t try and tell me that christians aren’t the only ones writing on there.
Paul J. Stein
April 28th, 2011 | LINK
If any representative who has 1)had an affair while married or with a married person, 2)been divorced, 3) had multiple marriages abstains from voting on ANY DOMA or replacement legislation or any gay/lesbian rights bills we would have a much better chance at passage.
Timothy (TRiG)
April 29th, 2011 | LINK
There needs to be different spaces. Different people address issues in different ways. And the same person can be in different moods at different times. Many people read and comment on both Slacktivist and Pharyngula. Many people read and comment on both BTB and JMG. That’s fine.
Personally I prefer Greta Christina for both gay writing and religious discussion, but she’s not a great news service.
I could say something about this blog’s attitudes to atheism, but I suspect it would result in a massive derail (if that hasn’t happened already).
TRiG.
Timothy Kincaid
April 29th, 2011 | LINK
Yes, TRiG…. I read JMG religiously ;) and even occasionally comment
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