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For Our Opponents: Talking to Your Kids About Same-Sex Marriage
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The Daily Agenda for Sunday, June 16
The Daily Agenda for Saturday, June 15
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South Africa Teen’s Death Shows It’s Time to Ban Ex-gay Therapy Everywhere
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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Rick Perry opposed the statement today by the President. As he was rather specific, we must assume that he means what he says. In case you didn’t do a point by point comparison, here is what Rick Perry supports:
JohnAGJ
December 6th, 2011 | LINK
The one GOP debate I bothered to watch was a social con lovefest at Thanksgiving time. Remember this?
http://www.dallasvoice.com/watch-gov-rick-perry-mislead-iowa-voters-gay-adoption-texas-1094976.html
That was very revealing about the man IMO.
Matt
December 7th, 2011 | LINK
As Mr. Burroway noted on this blog, “The memo does not specify specific actions that individual agencies are to take in pursuing the goals, nor does it specify specific sanction, remedies, or diplomatic initiatives to be undertaken to protect the human rights of LGBT people internationally.”
Instead it sets up a “standing group” to “direct a coordinated response.”*
1. Obama underling issues a completely toothless memo directing bureaucrats to pay lip service to an issue.
2. Republicans currently campaigning take the bait and respond to the sensitive issue.
3. “Clear contrast” highlighted. People who produce media content write about this contrast.
4. Nothing in the world changes; certainly not anything related to how the U.S. actually does go about disbursing foreign aid.
But that was never the point. The point was generate some theater and get some written content produced.
It is not only a not a revelation that people like Rick Perry would respond in this way; it’s not even interesting.
What would be interesting is to contrast this statement of Obama’s with the actual practices of the state department and the rest of the federal gov’t, which currently awards plenty of foreign aid to countries that have no protections for gay people whatsoever. Do you think the calculus will change after this memo? I don’t. Do you have an argument that it will? How?
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*Have you read G. K. Chesterton’s essay on Charles Dickens’ Nicholas Nickleby, in which he talks about the modern bureaucratic method?
“The modern intellect is positively prostrated and flattened by this rapid and romantic way of righting wrongs. If a modern philanthropist came to Dotheboys Hall I fear he would not employ the simple, sacred, and truly Christian solution of beating Mr. Squeers with a stick. I fancy he would petition the Government to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into Mr. Squeers. I think he would every now and then write letters to newspapers reminding people that, in spite of all appearances to the contrary, there was a Royal Commission to inquire into Mr. Squeers. I agree that he might even go the length of calling a crowded meeting in St. James’s Hall on the subject of the best policy with regard to Mr. Squeers. At this meeting some very heated and daring speakers might even go the length of alluding sternly to Mr. Squeers. Occasionally even hoarse voices from the back of the hall might ask (in vain) what was going to be done with Mr. Squeers. The Royal Commission would report about three years afterwards and would say that many things had happened which were certainly most regrettable; that Mr. Squeers was the victim of a bad system; that Mrs. Squeers was also the victim of a bad system; but that the man who sold Squeers his cane had really acted with great indiscretion and ought to be spoken to kindly. Something like this would be what, after four years, the Royal Commission would have said; but it would not matter in the least what the Royal Commission had said, for by that time the philanthropists would be off on a new tack and the world would have forgotten all about Dotheboys Hall and everything connected with it. By that time the philanthropists would be petitioning Parliament for another Royal Commission; perhaps a Royal Commission to inquire into whether Mr. Mantalini was extravagant with his wife’s money; perhaps a commission to inquire into whether Mr. Vincent Crummles kept the Infant Phenomenon short by means of gin.”
Priya Lynn
December 7th, 2011 | LINK
Michigan Matt, you’re really a piece of work. On one hand you’ve got an administration that loudly declares is support for human rights and directs all agencies to “promote and protect the human rights of LGBT persons.” even though it may not specify exactly how to do that. On the other hand you’ve got GOP contenders who say opposing the imprisonment and execution of gay people is an attack on them and religious people and you in your insanity try to tell LGBTs they should support the ones opposing human rights rather than the one’s supporting them. You have some kind of profound mental blockage and you need to go off in a room by yourself and seriously examine what is wrong with your mind.
SharonB
December 7th, 2011 | LINK
If you think a Perry administration would be more benigh than a Bachmann administration, then you are seriously lacking an educated imagination. I would take a Danton over a Robespierre!
Ben In Oakland
December 7th, 2011 | LINK
Matt, the funny thing is, I think you are more or less right in what you have to say, but your interpretation is way off.
Here i have to agree with priya. This is a policy statement. It’s the first (albeit tentative) approach to deal with this in this country, but a powerful one that we are starting to see in other civilized ocuntries.
You’re right that it’s not surprising the perry would respond. It’s the sort of thing he would do– and did. But I think there is a lot of value in this if you’re the democrat party and trying to appeal to the sensible middle– assuming your a democrat party that will use the ammunition handed to you to do the job you were elected to do.
How about this for a Dem ad: The republican party is obsessed with homosexuality. They would rather talk about that than the failures of the previous republican administration and the current republican dominance that have led us to our current national situation and the fialure to do anything about the crises that confront us.
I agree. Unlikely. but this is what they COULD do if they had more than one pair of balls not attached to Barney Frank.
If only our side in the marriage wars would point out what assholes the other side frequently are. I’ve said over and over again that our failure to talk about bigotry is one of the reasons our campaigns fail.
We don’t have to call anyone a bigot. we do have to start talking about bigotry.
Timothy Kincaid
December 7th, 2011 | LINK
Matt,
You do make a very good (though perhaps overly cynical) point. For many, if not most, a statement is all that is needed and reality need not follow.
However, here at BTB, we are pretty good at tracking promises v. actions. Not perfect, but better than most. (For example, we have our ongoing Obama promises scorecard.)
But I think that you err when you dismiss statements as having no value or assume that they change nothing.
It may be true that the feds continue to fund countries with no protections for gay people. But, and this is actually an important but, the issue is raised. Those who receive the funds, those who work in the allocation process, those who monitor governmental spending, the news media, and you and I all heard it.
This will impact the decisions of some countries. This will cause some within the state department to be empowered to talk to their foreign counterparts. This will cause some in the state department to talk to their superiors.
A policy – even a policy unobserved – changes the dynamic.
So while this is not the same as a mandate tying all foreign funding to specific human right criteria, it is vastly better than no statement at all.
Jan
December 7th, 2011 | LINK
He hates so much because he is known as Rick “Fairy” in some Texas circles. Just give it time.
Timothy Kincaid
December 7th, 2011 | LINK
SharonB
I view Bachmann as less of a threat than Perry.
Bachmann is an idealist first and part of her central identity is her belief that she is a Christian and hence a good person.
She views us through the lens of culture war and thus would oppose our right out of hand. However, though it would be a difficult process, it is conceivable that Bachmann could be approach on a humanitarian level and that she would be sympathetic to certain real life situations. She actually cares that she “loves everyone doesn’t hate anyone”.
(Conservative evangelical Christians – like everyone else – use labels to assign attributes. Because they identify as Christians and because the Bible states that a characteristic of Christians is that they are know for their love of everyone, ergo they love everyone. By definition. But if you can get them to actually look at their policies and behaviors objectively (which is a task), and to question themselves whether this specific policy is loving, you have inroads to change. I think we have all seen this happen.)
Rick Perry doesn’t care. He is first a pragmatist and politician. His faith is secondary and serves his personal power, not the other way around. If you were to convince him that his policies were hateful, it would have little impact on him at all.
Timothy Kincaid
December 7th, 2011 | LINK
Ben
Speaking solely of the religious sphere, our guys are the nice guys. While the a-holes will go for the jugular and sneer at and demean those who dare to vary from their “straight and narrow”, our guys will bend over backwards to accommodate everyone and respect everyone’s spiritual journey. Thus, they are really hesitant to turn to their brother in Christ, the pastor of the First Church of Jesus Hates You and say, “hey, buddy, your spiritual path leads right to hell you hateful son of a bitch.”
It may change. And, indeed, it is changing. Some are beginning to stand up and use their faith as a measure of what is right and wrong and to condemn the bigotry. I had to laugh at the UCC minister’s response to the latest blowhard who claimed that gays were responsible for 50% of murders: “To couch in Christian terms these so-called statistics, I’ll call them what they are. They are lies.”
As more ministers are measuring ‘demean another’s faith’ against ‘let the oppressed suffer’ they are beginning to step out in faith and follow the Judeo-Christian* mandate: “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”
* – most “Judeo-Christian” crap is conservative Christianity seeking to give itself a multicultural sheen. But this is a passage of scripture important to both Jews and Christians.
Ben In Oakland
December 7th, 2011 | LINK
I agree. I was referring both to the religious and the non-religious.
Mark F.
December 7th, 2011 | LINK
And Perry seems to be falling into fourth place behind Ron Paul. I predict he will withdraw after New Hampshire.
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