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
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
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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Pender
May 18th, 2011 | LINK
This whole Rhode Island situation is an unconscionable mess, far out of alignment with public opinion in the state. I’ll be watching for Equality Rhode Island’s endorsements in the upcoming election cycle, wallet in hand.
TampaZeke
May 18th, 2011 | LINK
This is the incremental approach that you were willing to accept.
When the opposition sees that you’re willing to settle for less that equal they will ALWAYS see just how much less you’re willing to settle for.
Now that anti-gay marriage people see that gays are willing to settle for civil unions they’re regrouping to oppose civil unions.
In the end we should have stuck to our guns and demanded marriage and settled for nothing less.
I used to believe in the incremental approach when it was the only viable option, but it’s a new day and we need to stop settling for what we were willing to settle for 10 years ago. It’s time to raise the bar.
Timothy Kincaid
May 18th, 2011 | LINK
I think it is a frustrating reality that – for this year, at least – same sex couples will have second class recognition. Which is still better than none, I guess.
If I genuinely believed that turning down civil unions in Rhode Island would result in marriage within a year, I would oppose the bill… but I don’t have confidence in those who promise such legislation. After all, they promised it this year and it ain’t happening.
The thing that drives me stark raving mad is that gay politicians very seldom see themselves as representing our community. They usually were elected through other means and their orientation was “not an issue” in their campaign. Quite often they come out after they are elected.
A Hispanic candidate generally was elected by a Hispanic community to represent their interests. So too is a black or Asian representative.
But we don’t have any politicians elected specifically for us.
So Fox, while he is a gay man and does want marriage equality, does not see our community as his HIGHEST interest. He’s “not a single issue politician” and as such will make compromises to advance other parts of his agenda.
What our community really needs are politicians who will spend all of their political capital on us. Politicians for whom we are not only the highest priority, but the ONLY priority.
enough already
May 18th, 2011 | LINK
I am going to tread very lightly here.
First, because my marriage in Europe is 100% legal and valid and genuine, regardless of whether the Christians like it or not.
Second, because there are excellent arguments on both sides of this issue.
That said, if I had seen that we didn’t have a chance (that rip-roaring baitch in the House is supposedly a Democrat?) I wouldn’t have tried it.
Now, however, that we have tried, to step back is to give our enemies an advantage which they must not be given.
No, we have to now pull together – that infamous working together I keep advocating and for which I keep getting criticized, I mean, after all, it’s only what worked for us in The Netherlands, Germany, Canada, etc. so what would I know? – and stand together, despite our better wishes and second thoughts.
Make them give us 3/5 human status. Take names of those who vote against us.
Then work together to end their reign of terror.
These are politicians. That means they are power and money hungry, greedy, immoral people who have, somewhere left slime trails. Find them. Exploit them. It worked in NY – it will work in Rhode Island.
Advance Democratic politicians who support us and get rid of the ones (legally, darlings) like Ms. See-You-Next-Tueday in the house.
We shouldn’t have played this game and we wouldn’t have started it had we worked together. Now that we’re in it, we have to play to win.
Jarred
May 18th, 2011 | LINK
If I genuinely believed that turning down civil unions in Rhode Island would result in marriage within a year, I would oppose the bill… but I don’t have confidence in those who promise such legislation. After all, they promised it this year and it ain’t happening.
While I agree with your sentiments here, I will note that I’m more concerned of how long it may take to get from civil unions (assuming they pass) to actual marriage equality. By accepting civil unions, I fear we may be giving people a great excuse to sit on their laurels and think they’ve done “good enough.” How many years will the topic of actual marriage equality be met with, “We gave you civil unions, why isn’t that good enough?” And remember, we’ve already answered that question, so in a sense, we are admitting that we’re willing to settle for “second best,” even if we only intend it to be a temporary thing.
And let’s face it, think of the number of “temporary solutions” that seem to never get replaced with permanent ones in our society.
TN
May 18th, 2011 | LINK
What about domestic and civil partnerships? And what about a French solidarity pact?
Tina Wood
May 18th, 2011 | LINK
FYI: I did research on the language of civil unions and domestic partnership laws in other states. Without exception, they all have reciprocity clauses which include the “substantially similar” language or its equivalent, thus meaning that married same-sex couples from other states have legal protection when they travel to those states. If Rhode Island passes this legislation with this amended language, it will have the weakest civil unions law in the entire country. And if I were part of a legally married same-sex couple from another state (including the two states surrounding Rhode Island!), I would avoid Rhode Island like the plague. Nice job, legislators–way to help our tourism industry!
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