May 02, 2012 9:36 am ET
“Too Far”: Experts, Conservatives Condemn North Carolina’s Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment
Early voting has already begun for North Carolina’s Amendment One, a constitutional amendment which would prohibit state recognition of any domestic legal union other than a marriage between a man and a woman. Legal, medical, and business experts from across the political spectrum have condemned the language of the amendment for being too broad, potentially endangering a wide range of important domestic legal agreements. Even a number of conservative activists and Republican politicians have voiced their opposition to Amendment One, calling it “unnecessary” and “unwise.”
April 13, 2012 9:16 am ET
Meet Mike Heath, Co-Founder Of Maine’s Anti-LGBT “NO Special Rights PAC”
Last month, longtime anti-gay activists Paul Madore and Mike Heath formed “NO Special Rights PAC,” a PAC aimed at defeating an upcoming referendum to legalize same-sex marriage in Maine. Heath’s extreme brand of anti-LGBT commentary, however, has alienated him from tamer anti-equality organizations. He has a history of making inflammatory claims about the LGBT community, even exploiting the accidental death of a gay man in an attempt to depict LGBT people as murderous and deviant.
March 28, 2012 5:25 pm ET
NOM Shrugs Off, Mocks Widespread Condemnation Of Race-Baiting Documents
On Monday, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released several internal documents it obtained from the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), exposing the organization for intentionally making race-baiting a component of its anti-equality strategy. Although the documents have been condemned by a number of civil rights organizations, NOM spokespersons have thus far refused to apologize for their attempts to “drive a wedge between gays and blacks.
March 26, 2012 3:29 pm ET
Anti-Gay Commentators Distort GLAAD’s Commentator Accountability Project
Earlier this month, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation launched its Commentator Accountability Project (CAP), an effort geared towards providing news outlets with background information about the anti-LGBT activists they rely on for commentary. Although GLAAD’s CAP brings to light quotes made by anti-LGBT commentators, the project has been widely criticized by right-wing activists, who have accused GLAAD of trying to censor and silence opposing viewpoints.
March 09, 2012 4:54 pm ET
"Over-Sexed Co-Ed": Anti-Gay Groups Target Sandra Fluke
Rush Limbaugh has been the target of widespread condemnation in the wake of his misogynistic attacks on Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke, but he’s receiving support from a coalition of anti-LGBT groups. Spokespersons from groups like the American Family Association, Family Research Council, Liberty Counsel and the National Organization for Marriage have come to Rush’s defense while continuing to demonize Fluke as an immoral and promiscuous “sexual anarchist.”
March 07, 2012 1:11 pm ET
Meet Stephen Pidgeon, Sponsor Of Washington’s Anti-Gay Marriage Initiative
It’s been less than a month since Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) signed her state’s marriage equality bill, but a number of anti-gay efforts to repeal the law are already underway. One such effort – Initiative 1192 – was filed in January by attorney Stephen Pidgeon (R), who is also a candidate for State Attorney General. Long before becoming the spokesman for Initiative 1192, Pidgeon made a name for himself peddling extreme right-wing conspiracy theories, ranging from “birther” theories about President Obama's eligibility for office to accusations that Obama is the anti-Christ.
March 02, 2012 2:16 pm ET
Focus On The Family’s Minnery Peddles Distortions About Colorado's Civil Union Bill
Democratic Colorado lawmakers -- led by Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) -- are pushing for a state law that would legalize civil unions, providing partnered gays and lesbians with rights similar to those provided to married heterosexual couples. On February 29, Focus on the Family’s Citizenlink executive director Tom Minnery wrote an online column for the Denver Post condemning the proposed law by peddling a number of distortions about the “impact” of same-sex civil unions.
February 22, 2012 11:21 am ET
Fox News Underreports Advancements For LGBT Equality
Fox News has consistently underreported stories about major victories attained by the LGBT community, including the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT), the beginning of same-sex weddings in New York, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s decision to declare California’s gay marriage ban unconstitutional.
January 10, 2012 12:00 pm ET
Gingrich Denies Facts About Same-Sex Adoption In Massachusetts, D.C.
During an appearance on the January 10, 2012, edition of CNN’s Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien, GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich attempted to advance his claim that the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. had forced Catholic Charities and other religious institutions to put an end to their adoption services. O’Brien attempted to correct Gingrich by pointing out that, in both cases, Catholic Charities were simply being asked to abide by non-discrimination laws in order to receive public funding. Gingrich rejected O’Brien’s explanation, but her analysis was exactly correct.
December 19, 2011 9:47 am ET
Dr. Keith Ablow: Misinformer Of The Year On LGBT Issues
In 2011 Fox News’ Dr. Keith Ablow brought a toxic mix of homophobia and pseudoscientific anti-LGBT talking points to new lows. The “Fox News Medical A-Team” member has been a prolific source of anti-LGBT misinformation, disguising his animosity toward gay, lesbian and transgender people as expert commentary on human sexuality. His bigoted rants against J. Crew, Dancing with the Stars, and the Girl Scouts have earned widespread criticism and mockery, eventually causing him to resign from the American Psychiatric Association. For his consistent promotion of known falsehoods and shirking of established medical opinions on LGBT issues, Ablow has earned the title of LGBT Misinformer of the Year.
December 12, 2011 9:26 am ET
News Networks Regularly Promote Anti-Gay Family Research Council On Air
In November of 2010, the Southern Poverty Law Center listed the Family Research Council as an anti-gay hate group due to its “propagation of known falsehoods” about the LGBT community. Since being listed, however, FRC spokespersons have been invited 52 times to discuss issues ranging from the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” to the 2012 presidential campaign. Despite FRC’s long history of producing anti-gay propaganda, every major news network has invited the group on national television while failing to acknowledge its hate group designation.
December 05, 2011 6:10 pm ET
Right-Wing Media Celebrate Barney Frank’s Retirement By Reviving Prostitution Smear
Following Rep. Barney Frank’s announcement that he wouldn’t be seeking a 17th term in office, most major news outlets praised openly gay Frank for his career advocating for LGBT equality and supporting financial reform. However, right-wing media outlets used the opportunity to revive discredited allegations of Frank’s involvement in a prostitution ring in the 1980s.
November 17, 2011 2:54 pm ET
Anti-Gay Activists Turn Penn State Scandal Into Horror Story About Homosexuality
Anti-gay activists have been jumping at the opportunity to turn the Penn State child molestation scandal into an excuse to attack gays and lesbians. Leaders of groups like the American Family Association and Americans For Truth About Homosexuality have cited the story as evidence that gay men are more likely to engage in pedophilia, while others have lamented the scandal as an inevitable outcome of society’s “anything goes” attitude towards sexuality, including homosexuality.
November 01, 2011 8:19 am ET
Chick-Fil-A Donated Nearly $2 Million To Anti-Gay Groups In 2009
Earlier this year, Chick-fil-A became embroiled in a controversy surrounding its donations to anti-gay groups. Though Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy denied having an “agenda against anyone,” an Equality Matters investigation discovered that Chick-fil-A donated more than $1 million to anti-gay causes between 2003 and 2008. Now, new IRS 990 forms reveal that the company donated nearly two million dollars to anti-gay groups in 2009 alone, the most recent year for which public records are available.
October 31, 2011 9:25 am ET
Fox News Downplays LGBT Teen Suicide, Bullying
While Fox News consistently rails against efforts to reduce anti-LGBT bullying, the network is virtually silent when it comes to actually reporting on cases of bullying-related suicide. According to an Equality Matters analysis, Fox largely underreported the recent suicide of a bullied gay teen in New York. While CNN and MSNBC have made efforts to combat and cover the growing problem of anti-LGBT bullying, Fox has instead chosen to promote stories that reinforce right-wing talking points.
October 19, 2011 1:35 pm ET
Fox News, Keith Ablow Misinform About Transgender Child
Weeks after Fox News’ Dr. Keith Ablow was rebuked by the psychiatric community for his comments about Chaz Bono, a cast member on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, Fox invited the “Medical A-Team” contributor back on air to criticize a same-sex couple’s decision to put their transgender daughter, Tammy, on hormone blockers. During the segment, co-host Martha MacCallum and Ablow repeatedly refused to identify Tammy by her chosen gender and misinformed about the facts surrounding her case.
September 12, 2011 2:49 pm ET
NOM Mailer Warns Of Marriage Equality’s “Legal Consequences” In NY-9 Special Election
New York State Assemblyman and marriage equality supporter David Weprin is currently campaigning to replace former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The National Organization for Marriage (NOM), which has pledged $75,000 to defeat Weprin, recently released a series of mailers in New York attacking him for voting in favor of the state’s marriage equality law. One mailer warns of the “legal consequences” of same-sex marriage, rehashing a number of known falsehoods about states that have moved to recognize gay and lesbian relationships.
September 02, 2011 4:03 pm ET
Santorum Flip-Flops On States Criminalizing Homosexuality
During his appearance on the August 31 edition of CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum argued that while he opposed Lawrence v. Texas – the 2003 Supreme Court decision which invalidated state laws criminalizing homosexuality – he didn’t believe states should be involved in regulating homosexuality. His claim, however, contradicts statements he made during an interview with the Associated Press just months before Lawrence was decided.
August 18, 2011 3:24 pm ET
Would Herman Cain Have Impeached Reagan, Both Bushes, And Clinton?
On a conference call with several bloggers Tuesday night, GOP presidential candidate and former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain said it would be “a great thing” to impeach President Obama for refusing to defend the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court. According to Cain, Obama’s decision not to “uphold the laws of this nation” amounted to “an impeachable offense.” Following his logic, Cain would have also thought it was “a great thing” to impeach former Presidents Reagan, H.W. Bush, Clinton, and W. Bush, who all chose not to defend laws they viewed as unconstitutional.
July 29, 2011 6:30 pm ET
Not So Fast: Tony Perkins Actually Does Think Same-Sex Attraction Is A Choice
PolitFact recently rated as “false” former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s (R) claim that the science is in “dispute” as to whether being gay is a choice. In response, Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins came to Pawlenty’s defense, explaining that while “same-sex attraction” may not be a choice, homosexual behavior is. Some have acclaimed his explanation as a new and positive development in Perkins’ typically radical and hostile views on homosexuality. As much as we’d love to believe that Perkins’ opinion of gay and lesbian people is evolving, it just isn’t true. Not only is Perkins’ distinction between same-sex attraction and same-sex behavior nothing new, it’s also completely disingenuous.
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