French President Hollande Signs Marriage Bill
The Daily Agenda for Saturday, May 18
Fox News Ignores Marriage Equality Wins
The Era of Civil Unions Is Coming To An End
Orthodox Priests Lead Violent Attack On LGBT Rights Rally in Tbilisi, Georgia
France's Marriage Equality Bill Clears Final Hurdle
The Daily Agenda for Friday, May 17
Marriage Equality Made This Maryland Legislator Drive Drunk
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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Lost Choi
December 26th, 2011 | LINK
Unfortunately, with Republicans controlling both the State House & Senate in New Hampshire, only those 28% of NH Voters (i.e. the Republican ones) really matter to the Republican legislators. The only impediment to the state legislature erasing gay marriage is the Democrat governor’s veto, which the legislature *may* have enough votes to override. That’s why NOM is happy — that 28% is what matters most in this legislative battle.
Theo
December 26th, 2011 | LINK
Actually, Tisinai’s post doesn’t fully capture how bogus this poll is. First, the 61% response comes not from NH Republicans, but NH Republicans who are likely primary voters. That means that activist Republicans, who are overwhelmingly conservative, are overrepresented in these results.
Second, the poll does NOT ask whether the respondents support repeal of same-sex marriage. Instead, it asks whether the respondents support marriage as between one man and one woman, while allowing same-sex couples to enter into civil unions. The pollster never lets the respondent know what the law is or that there is a proposed restrictive change under consideration. Ask whether respondents support eliminating SSM as it currently exists and I suspect that support for repeal would clock in at 50%, even in this very conservative sampling.
David W. Shelton
December 27th, 2011 | LINK
I wish I could say that I’m surprised by this bit of clear deception by the folks at NOM. They’ve been moving more and more into weird-whacko land, and sadly, deeper into “hate group” territory because of their very loose relationship with the truth.
Many thanks to you guys at BTB for staying on top of these guys.
Stefan
December 27th, 2011 | LINK
Lost Choi,
What’s very important though is that moderates/independants, a VERY key and influential voting bloc in New Hampshire, oppose repeal by a 3:1 margin. In addition, there are still 26 Republican representatives left who votes against repeal in 2010, and MANY of the new ones elected in 2010 have voiced opposition to repeal. There’s no way in hell they will be able to override the veto.
Timothy Kincaid
December 27th, 2011 | LINK
One more consideration – the Speaker of the House is in his 20′s. That is relevant for two reasons.
First, he’s grown up with gay being normal. So while homosexuality may be “a sin”, like premarital sex and divorce, it isn’t a horrible icky perversion.
Second, he undoubtedly can predict where the votes will be in 10 years and if he wants to continue a career in politics there is no way he wants to go on record as being an enemy of equality. He can be “opposed” and have room for “evolution” on the issue. But if he’s a firebrand then his career will end at the same time as the 80 year old legislator’s (ie very very soon).
LostChoi
December 27th, 2011 | LINK
Timothy,
Isn’t the Speaker of the NH House of Representatives William L. O’Brien, who is 60 years old?
Regardless, I worry you’re confusing the Speaker’s personal attitudes with his political motivations. For all we know, he could well support gay rights in private, and he could well know that in the long run gay marriage and gay marriage support is a near certainty. But politically, he knows that his career in the near term depends on supporting his base. His base is the Republicans, a party strongly influenced by the gay-marriage-hating right wing. I’d expect that in the end he will let this come to a vote, saying something mealy-mouthed like, “This is an important issue that deserves an up or down vote.” He gains little but will suffer a lot come next election if he blocks a vote. And with the overwhelming Republican majority in both the House and Senate, I’d be surprised if it didn’t pass. The big question is if they have the votes to override the Governor’s veto.
Timothy Kincaid
December 27th, 2011 | LINK
LostChoi,
Yes indeed. I meant New Hampshire House Majority Leader JD Bettencourt.
However, I don’t think we are necessarily in disagreement. I do think the bill will come up for a vote and will pass. And be vetoed. And at that time, I think that the leadership will say, “well we have more important things to do such as…” or “we must be respectful of the Governor…” or some such thing and that will be that.
Another alternate scenario (one which I think is even more likely) is that the vote occurs on the last day possible and there “simply isn’t time” to hold the legislature over for a veto override.
These are, of course, guesses.
Stefan
December 29th, 2011 | LINK
Lost Choi,
Maybe not. Like I said, moderate/independent voters (a key voting block in New Hampshire) oppose repeal by a 3:1 margin. BTW Bettencourt voted against repeal back in 2010.
I think most all of the Republicans in the legislature know that this won’t pass, and is just symbolic.
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