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
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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Jim Burroway
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
Exclusion wins!
And is costing a hell of a lot of money.
tim
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
Or could it really be that Hagels stance on the Iraq war and other blunders of the previous administration contradict the LCRs stance on those issues?
Like the HRC – the LCR should just shut down and go away.
Timothy Kincaid
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
Oh how very difficult it is to forgive Log Cabin for being right on this issue.
Rob in San Diego
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
Hey LCR, your going to go broke with that stance because EVERY REPUBLICAN HAS HELD THOSE STATEMENTS! Will you be opposing EVERY REPUBLICAN who runs for office? Or are you just using this as an excuse because of the powerful jewish lobby and gay jewish republicans?
Ben In Oakland
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
“At Chuck Hagel’s request, we looked into the ‘totality’ of his public record on gay rights, and it did nothing to assuage our concerns that his anti-gay record makes him the wrong choice to oversee the ongoing integration of gays and lesbians in the military.”
And yet, LCR endorsed Mittens and were satisfied with the republican, most-anti-gay platform ever.
tristram
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
@ Timothy – LCR is not ‘right’ on this issue; they are FAR RIGHT – on the same page as the other vociferous Hagel opponents like John Hagee, James Dobson and Bryan Fischer. For some reason they have chosen to carry water for the neocon/endtimes-Christianist/Greater Israel/bomb-Iran/protect-the-Pentagon’s-budget coalition. The Hagel ‘anti-gay’ matters they raised were from 8 to 17 years old. This from an organization that supported Mitt Romney for president two months ago.
The LCR is irrelevant except that it gives the right a little window dressing – the gay equivalent to Herman Cain. Neither the LCR nor you has addressed the issues/inconsistencies that Burroway raised in his post about LCR’s endorsement of Romney to be Commander in Chief [yes, the same Romney who signed the NOM pledge, supports the FMA, continues to believe that implementation of DADT repeal is part of Obama's 'war on religion,' and just could not remember 'that particular incident' where he took a pair of scissors to a gay classmate's hair (but of course, regretted the 'prank' if there was one and if it offended anyone)]. That would be a good place for both you and LCR to start if you want to have any credibility whatsoever ‘on this issue.’
TampaZeke
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
Too bad LCR has absolutely ZERO credibility on this issue. The fully and heartily endorse an anti-gay politician one day and then get outraged, buy full page ads against and denounce another, who has the EXACT same record and positions as the first, the very next day. This just makes it clear that LCR is an opportunistic organization that is primarily driven by something other than promoting and defending gay rights.
Lucrece
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
LCR endorsed Romney/Ryan. They lost any future moral high ground at that moment.
They DO NOT get to make a scandal of this.Other gay orgs can, because many actually do server as gay orgs and not as partisan orgs in gay org disguise.
Ryan
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
The Republicans are concern-trolling, with a major assist from the Log Cabin-ites. I’m ashamed to say I fell for it. They endorsed Romney, for christsake. Not only was Romney against DADT, but he pledged to push for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. The Hagel thing isn’t about the gays, it’s about Israel, and Republicans are attempting to play Dems for fools, suddenly pretending to give a good goddamn gay rights. It’s pathetic and transparent. It’s enough to make me support Hagel, despite the fact that he’s anti-gay.
Ryan
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
Oh, and today Chris Barron tweeted “this Hagel is “anti-gay” smear campaign is disgraceful and a damn lie”. Obviously,since he’s not part of the organization anymore, he didn’t get the payoff.
Hyhybt
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
I don’t know… on the one hand, I don’t trust his apology, and, were it up to me, wouldn’t put someone who seems to be anti-gay (and other things besides) in a position of power given other viable options.
On the other hand, that’s a *relatively* small part of his potential job, for which, so far as I know, he’s otherwise qualified for, and he can’t go too far out of line considering where his would-be boss stands.
MattNYC
January 7th, 2013 | LINK
I feel that his apology is as sincere as any politician can make. He’s done running for office and has nothing to defend–that doesn’t justify his stances when he actually held power, but it does make me believe him more now.
He’s a soldier’s soldier and I believe he’ll defend equality in the military the same way that every other part of the Pentagon has.
I agree that LCR has once again found themselves willingly used as tools as long as it gets them attention, press and money (I’d be willing to bet that they received large “anonymous” donations from some “end-timers” who are using them to help defeat a guy who won’t kiss Bibi’s feet.
As a secular, peace-loving Jew–like the vast majority of the actual Israeli population–the fact that he annoys AIPAC and Bibi (and the Chicken-Hawk Neo-cons) makes me like him FAR more than his Senatorial anti-gay stances ever made me detest him.
This country would be much better off without the enormously damaging influence that AIPAC and CUFI wield over our foreign policy. In the latter’s case, it truly shames me that there are Jews and supporters of Israel who would align themselves to religious fanatics who need all Jews to return to Israel so that they can die in the Apocalypse that they all hope comes soon. Rah, rah, Israel! With friends like that…
So, LCR–in its desperate need to be accepted and tolerated (like a beaten spouse)–plays the tool. How proud they must all feel. What a cash cow for shrinks everywhere.
Mark F.
January 8th, 2013 | LINK
Whatever’s Hagel’s real views are, he has to stay in line with Obama’s views to keep his job. I’m really not concerned with this issue.
Hagel is really being opposed because he is considered to be too dovish. Tim, I’m surprised you can’t see this.
Timothy Kincaid
January 8th, 2013 | LINK
Mark,
Your comment illustrates a fascinating political phenomenon. There is much argument and discussion about “why Hagel is being opposed”. And more than a few have expressed their own position based solely on who is opposing him.
And that does have value. One’s opponents do tell a great deal about one’s positions or potential. (Though I do find the rather antisemetic undertone of some comments to be troubling).
However, my focus is not on why someone else opposes Hagel but on why I oppose him.
I am more supportive of Israel than Hagel (though less hawkish than his detractors), but that’s not really of much interest to our readers. I doubt that anyone visits so as to get my views on military strategy or whether I support a two state policy. Those are not my reasons here.
Log Cabin and/or their supporters may be pro-Israel. But their argument in their latest ad is entirely about Hagel’s decisions, actions, and words directed towards gay Americans. Their ad happens to mirror my own previously stated concerns.
I find it absurd and laughable that those who either want to support the administration or want to hate Log Cabin refuse to address what LCR says and instead want to assign them motivations and, based on those imagined motivations, deride their character.
Whether LCR endorsed or picketed Mitt Romney, whether Hagel is supported or opposed by right-wing nutcases, whether or not Barney Frank likes or hates his party registration, it still remains that Hagel has a long uninterrupted anti-gay history which is not, for me, wished away by one “please confirm me” statement.
Priya Lynn
January 8th, 2013 | LINK
The issue is not why Hagel is being opposed, its the hypocrisy of the Log Cabin Republicans in opposing him after they endorsed Romney/Ryan.
Robert
January 8th, 2013 | LINK
yet Kincaide endorses all the politicos from the far right that tried to get dixcrimination placed into the Constitution (MEHLMAN, et. al). Sure Timothy, we believe you. Really. Truly, we do. What a load of hooey. Slapping down those who come around is no way to move forward, it’s a way of keeping us and others down. Did you throw your support to Dick Cheney just because he came out for gay rights? I bet you did. If not, I’m sure you wanted to.
Timothy Kincaid
January 8th, 2013 | LINK
Robert,
guess what? You don’t get to just make up total lies about me.
So until you either (a) find an example of me endorsing Mehlman and all the politicos from the far right that tried to get discrimination placed into the Constitution, or (b) apologize – your choice – I’ll be moderating your comments.
Molly Nolan
January 12th, 2013 | LINK
Mittens who has spewed plenty of more politely worded anti gay rhetoric, much of it recently, who in the position of President could have enacted anti gay policies, OK with LCR. Hagel, said anti gay things some time ago, but more importantly on the LGBTI issues, has to uphold policies of President Obama, not OK. If LCR opposed Hagel for other positions than anti gay statements, it would play as less hypocritical.
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