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
Last Minute Bid to Sink Marriage Bill Fails in British Commons
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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Tybalt
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
Quite heartening…
Ben in Oakland
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
Wouldn’t that be a hoot.
MattNYC
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
I believe that Darth Cheney may have made a few calls…
MattNYC
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
Wouldn’t it be sweetly ironic if Marriage Equality pushed the GOP back towards relevancy? I suppose it’s less distasteful to them than Immigration Reform and some of “The Gays” at least vote for Republicans already…
Patrick
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
Not a surprise at all to anyone who’s been paying attention. The news has been out there for months. Wyoming just happens to be low on media radar.
I’m not sure about marriage, but it’s clear there’s some support for it. Civil unions could very well be in the bag for this session, but nothing’s clear until we have Gov. Mead’s signature.
Gov. Mead has repeatedly signalled support for civil unions.
Wyoming and New Mexico are the only states West of the Mississippi (I’m not counting MN) that have avoided passing some horrid homophobic constitutional amendment. Hopes for such legislation this session seem dim or non-existent. Wyoming activists have been working for two full years to ensure the demise of such proposals (full legislative sessions are held only every two years).
We fully intend to move toward full equality as quickly as possible.
If readers feel any connection to Wyoming, or wish to offer their support, they can start by following this Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wedemandequalityandrespect/?fref=ts
Patrick
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
And by the way, Rep. Gingery and other Republicans were very helpful in the 2011 session. Their votes helped to sink the homophobic and anti-choice legislation that was put forward. The deciding votes against those bills were cast by Republicans.
We expect Republican sponsors or co-sponsors for all bills this session.
Look forward to an ENDA bill too, which may be more of a fight.
jpeckjr
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
Wyoming was the first state to grant women the right to vote, actually in 1869 when still a territory, carried into statehood in 1890. Ideologically, Wyoming leans libertarian in many ways. So I’m not terribly surprised. Plus, I know some advocates have been working diligently and consistently for a number of years, to prevent prohibiting same-sex marriage. Those efforts are obviously paying off.
Would be something to have your wedding at Old Faithful, wouldn’t it?
Timothy Kincaid
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
Patrick, I admit that Wyoming has slipped from my radar. If you know of / hear of something we should present or discuss, please email me and let us know. Thanks.
cowboy
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
Patrick,
Is there any other way to get the information other than via Facebook?
Also, The liberal atmosphere in Jackson can become somewhat diluted because of the distance from Cheyenne.
jpecdkjr,
Neat idea. The new visitor’s center at Old Faithful does resemble a church and the windows framing Old Faithful would be a perfect backdrop.
It would be great to have the “I DOs” timed at precisely the moment the geyser erupts.
Robert
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
There is ONE word in this sentence that makes everything make sense.
“Laramie Democratic Rep. Cathy Connolly filed legislation late Monday afternoon that would create a path for gay couples to form civil unions or get married.”
That word is LARAMIE and one should recall that is where Matthew Shepard was tortured and left to die. That area has seen a boon in support for our rights since that incident happened. It spawned the entire Angel Brigade against Westboro Baptist Church, which was a turning point in our history. I am not surprised that the areas leaders are involved with this law.
If it passes, along with Illinois, it would sem we are surely moving in the right direction.
HG
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
Bad idea. The union of the opposite sex is different in many, many ways from the union of the same sex. There is nothing unfair or illegally discriminatory about marriage. Marriage simply recognizes the union of a man and a woman and respects the differences that set this union apart from same-sex unions.
Patrick
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
@cowboy – it’s true that Teton county is a little more moderate than other counties, but Albany and Laramie counties (where Laramie and Cheyenne are located, respectively) are the seats for the majority of Democrats and Republicans who are sponsoring the 3 bills we will see this January. And a Fremont county Republican helped us sink the homophobic legislative proposals in 2011.
Teton also has the problem of the Star Valley, which is predominantly mormon and sent a local radio host (and BYU grad) to the Legislature.
The ultra-far-right counties are Natrona, Converse, Lincoln and Hot Springs (where a wacko pastor named Watt was elected last fall). We expect that legislators from these counties will waste their time/votes on idiotic bills that no one supports (like the aircraft carrier they wanted to buy in the 2012 budget session because they were worried about Obamageddon).
Most of the extreme right wingers are new and inexperienced. We will do our best to take advantage of that!
Patrick
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
@cowboy – the FB page is a great place to start, as is Equality Wyoming, which as an email list. Like most political organizations in Wyoming, the best ways for finding out what’s going on are personal. That’s why I gave the FB page – it’s a really good start.
John
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
Civil unions is not the way to go. We have tried it here in Rhode Island because our state legislature figured it was the best they could get passed, without even trying for equality on marriage. Very few couples have gone for it. Today it is expected that an equal marriage bill will be introduced that our Independent (former Republican) governor says he would sign.
Also, people forget that in this country marriage is a civil issue and not a religious one.
Snowman
January 15th, 2013 | LINK
@ Patrick: What the hell were they thinking? An aircraft carrier is pretty much useless without access to the ocean. I had to actually google that, because I found it so unbelieveable.
Hyhybt
January 16th, 2013 | LINK
“It would be great to have the “I DOs” timed at precisely the moment the geyser erupts.”—Seems like timing it for the kiss at the end would be better… but perhaps *too* precise.
Gay marriage in Wyoming? Aircraft carriers in landlocked states? I’m going back to bed and will try the computer again after lunch to see if it’s making any more sense!
Patrick
January 16th, 2013 | LINK
@snowman – the aircraft carrier was just hillbilly bait – an amendment maliciously attached to the bill by an ally who wanted to kill it. Since the sponsors were dumb enough to go for it, they get to be remembered as the idiots who wanted an aircraft carrier.
“Unbelievable” is a good word for Wyoming’s Legislature. Fortunately, things seem to be on a slightly better footing this year. No aircraft carrier studies, no anti-gay bills (yet!) and only one anti-choice bill that will almost surely fail. Finally and thankfully, the proposal to allow the sale of silencers in the state (for hunting, wink wink) failed in committee.
It’s not over yet, but things are definitely better this year.
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