Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters

Monday, February 15, 2010

Hypocrisy of the day - Gary Glenn (again)

Gary Glenn of the American Family Association of Michigan got a little press from the right-wing One News Now today:

A pro-family advocate in Michigan says he's honored to be on the front lines in fighting for First Amendment rights to speak out against homosexuality.

Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan, is concerned that the "Hate Crimes Act" signed into law last year will be used to prosecute those who speak in favor of traditional biblical morality. He cites a personal example.

"Several years ago Cardinal Adam Maida of Detroit and I were personally accused by the National Gay &Lesbian Task Force in a news release of being responsible for inciting the alleged beating death of a 72-year-old homosexual man in Detroit, merely because we had actively supported Michigan's Marriage Protection Amendment reaffirming marriage as only between a man and a woman," he remarks.

Glenn says aside from the fact that officials found that there was no assault and the man died of natural causes, it illustrates the point that preachers of biblical truth are being targeted. He encourages boldness.

"Don't be intimidated," he counsels. "Continue to speak biblical truth; continue to tell people that marriage is and always has been between one man and one woman -- that's what's best for society, best for children. And stand up against these continuing restrictions on the exercise of free speech."

Glenn is speaking of the case of 72-year-old Andrew Anthos, who died mysteriously in 2007. Anthos, shortly before his death, had told family members that he was attacked because of his sexual orientation. However, the police and medical examiners concluded that his death was the result of a fall and there was no evidence that he was attacked.

But Glenn plays a little loose with the facts regarding the Gay and Lesbian Task Force letter. This is what it said:

"For years, Michigan has been subjected to the homophobic rants of Gary Glenn of the American Family Association of Michigan, while so many otherwise good and decent people have been silent. Just two years ago, the state endured an ugly campaign, led by Cardinal Adam Maida, to 'protect marriage' by writing anti-gay discrimination into its constitution. Based on that amendment, a three-judge panel of Michigan's court of appeals voted last month to terminate medical insurance coverage for families of LGBT government workers throughout the state.

So while the letter did somewhat link him to Anthos's death (which was probably unfair), Glenn really has no right to plead total innocence here. He wasn't "merely standing up for marriage." The letter speaks to his long history of vilifying the lgbt community.

Like in 2006 when he spoke against gay/straight alliances in public schools because according to him, they "promote risky behavior,"

Or when he opposed anti-discrimination policies on the assumption that they would make bathrooms co-ed,

Or when he opposed anti-bullying legislation because according to him, it "promoted the homosexual agenda."

Or that ridiculous lawsuit he has help to launch against hate crimes legislation, legislation which does nothing to punish anyone for speech unless that speech is advocating violence,

Or last week when he declared that there should criminal sanctions against "homosexual behavior." The discussion that he had with me afterwards in which he tried to justify his words only spoke to his desire to further stigmatize the lgbt community even to the point of using information designed to help us as a weapon against us.

And that's the huge hypocrisy of folks like Glenn. They claim that they are being attacked for merely standing up for "Christian values." It's a good lie they tell as long as no one is made aware of low they stoop to defend their idea of morality.

UPDATE - Check out One News Now's "poll" on hate crimes legislation and the "variety" of questions it offers:

What kind of impact do you believe the Hate Crimes Act will have on freedom of expression for Christians? (related article)

Christians will be prosecuted

Christians will be intimidated

Christians will do what they are told

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Paul Cameron claims gays will rape willy-nilly if allowed to serve openly in the military

There are times when I loathe having to cover the religious right's attacks on lgbt America.

And this moment is at least 12 of those times.

Believe it or not, discredited researcher Paul Cameron (and head of the anti-gay hate group the Family Research Institute) has come out with a new study which (like so much of his earlier inaccurate work) denigrates the lgbt community. He talks about it here on Midweek Politics Radio.

No I don't have a transcript but I am sure one will be forthcoming.

To make a long story short, Cameron claims that the data he "compiled" shows that gays are four to seven more times likely to rape their fellow servicemen.He even says that some perpetrators of heterosexual sex assaults can be termed as gay because apparently some gay men "like women too." (that piece starts at 1:30).

Among other things in the interview, Cameron also addresses (i.e. dances around) his dismissal from the American Psychological Association. Too bad he didn't discuss his censures and rebukes from the American Sociological Association, Nebraska Psychological Association, and Canadian Psychological Association. Or the complaints about his work from others such as A. Nicholas Groth. Or the story he made up about a gay man castrating a child in 1982.

My guess is that other than a few crackpot bloggers, no one on the right will overtly agree with Cameron's assessment or cite the newest monstrosity he calls a study. But we've already heard covert twinges of Cameron's lies, i.e. the talking point that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly will "sexualize" the military.

And after the anti-gay conference going on at Liberty University today, I am sure we will hear more sly references to Cameron's discredited work.

The irony is that when the issue of gays in the military was discussed after Bill Clinton's election, the opposition paraded Cameron's lies front and center. Now very few people will touch him, at least not openly.

It's progress for sure, but still can't someone put this man's lies to final rest before any more guillible people believe them?

Hat tip to People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch

Related posts:

Homophobic 'researcher' Paul Cameron in all of his repulsive glory

More homophobic lies from the Paul Cameron Poland tour

Why we should care about Paul Cameron

Friday, February 12, 2010

Know Your LGBT History - 3 Strikes

It's snowing in South Carolina and it's like when the USC football team makes it to a bowl game - it happens so rarely that when it does, folks down here tend to freak out.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

And I will apologize again for today's segment of Know Your LGBT History. I know that I should be positive seeing that it's Black History Month and I was last week with Paris Is Burning.

But it's equally important to show the flipside in terms of the media images that lgbts of color have to deal with.

3 Strikes is a bad movie. And not in a Plan 9 From Outer Space good way. It's an insult all around to everyone involved. It tells the story of a young man who has just been released from prison for the second time. This means, according to the 3 strikes law, if he is arrested for another crime, he will be going to jail for a looong time. And as luck would have it, the young man who picks him up from prison gets caught in the middle of a police shootout.

Which means . . . never mind. This movie doesn't deserve an explanation. It insults everyone involved, especially the lgbt community in this scene which is supposed to be funny but reveals the mindset of the movie's writer about gay men. Apparently he felt that we are so sex crazed, we will rape someone in the hospital wearing a bloody diaper.

And it gets better. For a long time, Black Entertainment Television would show this movie. And that was funny because it was filled with so much profanity that the network would have to blot out the dialogue from a lot of scenes. If you hadn't watched this movie on video or at the movies, you wouldn't know what was going on.

The hateful hospital scene is seen here via a bad copy (sorry but I just don't have the stomach to put a good copy of this scene on my blog):

Black History Month Jewels and other Friday midday news briefs

The NBJC celebrates Black History Month -- and names present-day jewels of the week - And I am proud to say that my very good online buddy Pam Spaulding has been chosen as a "jewel of the week." Congratulations, Pam. The honor is WELL DESERVED!

R.I. officials elect 1st openly gay speaker - Kick ass! Another honor for Black History Month because he is an lgbt of color.

Why I Loathe The Term ‘Same-Sex Attraction’ (SSA) - You and me both, Wayne!

Right-Wing Accuracy In Media: Abandoning freedom of speech and the press are a “natural reaction” to pro-gay “propagandizing” - Hateful group continues to support Ugandan anti-gay bill. Paging the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Gillibrand Lays Out Strategy For DADT Repeal – Moratorium Or Repeal, Tucked Into Defense Bill - However we can get it done, get it done!

Gays serving openly in the military = reinstating the draft

According to the American Family Association's One News Now, if gays are allowed in the military, the draft will have to be reinstated because it will be difficult to get new recruits:

A national defense analyst and Pentagon advisor says if those pushing for repeal of the 1993 law banning homosexuals from military service are successful, it will be difficult to maintain an all-volunteer force.

. . . Lt. Col. Bob Maginnis (USA-Ret.) was part of the military working group that helped craft the 1993 law known as Section 654, Title 10, which strictly prohibits homosexuals from serving in the military. He believes lifting the ban would alienate those people most likely to volunteer for the military.

"If you begin to erode the base -- primarily conservative, many are religious, and of course they're very patriotic... -- if you begin to erode that, guess what? You have no alternative if you want to fill the ranks than to draft," Maginnis decides.

He is convinced that President Obama could care less about how unpopular such a move would be. "The politicians don't want to vote for that, so that's really...the crux of what these people are about to do," the defense analyst explains. "Obama could care less about the military. He's paying back a political payola to the homosexual community."

And to prove this assertion, Maginnis offers . . . nothing. No studies, no proof, not even a magic show. Just his opinion. And his opinion pretty much makes up the article.

World Net Daily using Kevin Jennings to attack student anti-discrimination bill

We haven't heard anything from the right about Obama appointee Kevin Jennings since their pathetic attempts to get him removed last year.

But according to Media Matters, World Net Daily is making up for that silence:

A homosexual congressman from Colorado has proposed a law critics say would give controversial federal school safety czar Kevin Jennings - a longtime homosexual-rights advocate - almost unlimited authority to mandate indoctrination in public schools at taxpayer expense.

"It doesn't get much more fascist than this! It's a sexual revolutionary's dream," wrote Linda Harvey of Mission America.

Under the legislation by Democrat Rep. Jared Polis, Jennings "can create pro-homosexual programs and policies to their hearts' delight," Harvey wrote.

Jennings founded the "Gay, Lesbian Straight Education Network" and now heads the office of "Safe and Drug Free Schools" at the Department of Education.

Polis' proposal would provide special protections for students who claim they are discriminated against because of their "perceived sexual orientation." The bill would call down the wrath of the federal government on offenders by classifying "actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity" alongside race, color, sex, disability or national origin as factors on which protections are based.

The irony of Harvey's statement accusing Jennings of having a hand in this bill is that she later contradicts herself in the same article:

"While I have no hard evidence, it's got Kevin Jennings' fingerprints all over it," Harvey said. "His safe and drug free schools plan can take full advantage by creating new rules schools would have to follow."

America is such a great country in our freedoms but Harvey being quoted about this bill is proof of the fact that freedom of speech must come with a little discernment. Not everyone who voices an opinion about an issue has the facts.

Or in this case, will let the facts stand in the way of a good lie.

Remember, Harvey has no expertise in anything but rumor mongering. She is a former ad executive who "found the Lord." She also believes that anyone who supports lgbt rights in any form shouldn't be around children because they will cause those children to be molested. In other words, Harvey is clueless. She doesn't what the hell she is talking about.

Media Matters gives accurate clarifications about the bill:

Jennings not referenced in bill. The bill at issue, the Student Nondiscrimination Act of 2010, does not specifically reference Jennings, his position, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools, or his office, the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.

Bill does not "mandate indoctrination." The bill does not "mandate indoctrination" in public schools, but rather bans discrimination based on "actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity" in public schools, and defines "harassment" on those bases as discrimination

Bill does not grant anyone "almost unlimited authority." The bill directs federal departments that provide funding to public schools to promulgate rules allowing for the termination of that funding if that school fails to take action to prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Those rules are subject to approval by the president.

Bill is has a Republican co-sponsor. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) is listed as an original co-sponsor of the bill.

However, we know how the oppositions works - pour on innuendo and outrage and while omitting the facts. I'm pretty sure we will hear more lies about this bill.

My guess is that we can expect another series of phony exposes from Big Government and more ugly attacks on Jennings and Polis from right-wing sites and blogs.

And who could potentially suffer from this? Lgbt students. Again they will done the most harm by those (i.e. Linda Harvey, World Net Daily) who claim to have their best interest at heart.

Editor's note - the Media Matters piece has more information on Harvey's anti-gay history. Read it with a strong stomach.

Religious right distortion explosion!

There seems to be an explosion of religious right inaccuracies taking place today. You think they are geting desperate?

No, the SF study did NOT illustrate that half of gay marriages are “open” - A classic example of how the religious right distorts a news article to make the case against the lgbt community.

The far right's mono-game: Deny gays of monogamy, enshrine them as a monolith - Another view of how the religious right distorted the news article on lgbt monogamy.

Religious groups want gay judge removed from Prop-8 trial - They know they are probably going to lose this case so they jump on what seems to be a weakness. However they don't offer any proof of wrongdoing by the judge. They simply say that because he is gay, he can't be impartial. However, the judge's past rulings prove them wrong.

'Sleight of hand' measure favors homosexuals - It's a One News Now article but we all need a little fiber in our diets. Plus many commentators are skewering Matt Barber. Barber being called out on his lies is ALWAYS a nice thing to watch.

Does Matt Barber Speak For Liberty Counsel? - And speaking of Barber, is there some friction between him and the Liberty Counsel over statements he makes?

S.F. school board OKs new gay support program - how about a bit of good news to counter all of the nonsense.

Masturbation, Gary Glenn, and other Thursday musings

For those interested, Gary Glenn's silly war on this blog continues.

You will remember that earlier this week, Glenn (of the American Family Association of Michigan) voiced the opinion that "homosexual behavior" should be criminalized. When I wrote a post criticizing this opinion, he wrote back spouting nonsense and studies taken out of context, which I refuted.

Now one would think that it's over but think again because Glenn keeps coming back spouting the SAME distortions (you read that right) on the comments page of that post. Apparently instead of winning the argument on the basis of facts, he is trying to tire me out.

It's highly entertaining. But for those who want something more entertaining, enjoy this very short clip from Michelle Turner, a woman who started Citizens for Responsible Curriculum. CRC was a group which started a huge controversy in Montgomery County in Maryland in 2004 when it objected to sex education classes.

From the webpage of the group Teachthefacts.org (which was founded to combat this group):

The most intense criticisms were about the sexual orientation part, with the arguments consisting mainly of a laundry-list of complaints about the stereotype of the gay man. One court document argued that if the schools taught about various orientations students will become gay, catch AIDS, and come back to sue the school district. Costing the taxpayers millions, see? That's why we shouldn't teach the facts. The two groups that filed lawsuits, over and over again, were the Citizens for a Responsible Whatever and PFOX. PFOX is not a friend of the school district, and PFOX is not a friend of any gay person. PFOX's premise is that being gay is bad, and their recommendation is that gay people should just quit it and turn straight.

It was a hard fight, and in the end our side won a decent curriculum but the other side intimidated the school district and kept important information out under the threat of more lawsuits. Some school board members made firm statements about the new curriculum, and in the end all of them except one predictable member voted in favor of it.

But Turner and CRC from time to time still persists, like this clip from the Daily Show demonstrates.
Turner doesn't particularly care for letting folks know that masturbation is pleasurable:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Moment of Zen - Sex Ed for Kids

www.thedailyshow.com

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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Black History Month lgbts of color - Nell Carter

After the situation with Gary Glenn regarding "criminalizing the homosexual lifestyle," (I think I whipped his behind), I feel like showcasing something positive, so it's time for another Black History Month LGBT Hero:

Nell Carter:

From the Encyclopedia of Alabama:

Birmingham native Nell Carter (1948-2003) first came to public attention as a Broadway performer, but she achieved her most lasting fame as the star of the television series Gimme A Break! The diminutive but commanding Carter overcame a difficult and traumatic childhood to achieve a successful career as a singer and dancer in several theater productions in New York during the 1970s, including her most acclaimed show, Ain't Misbehavin'. She then reinvented herself as a television star, taking on the role of the brash housekeeper on Gimme A Break! Plagued by health problems and a turbulent private life, Carter died at the age of 54 while preparing for a new theatrical role.

Nell Carter was born Nell Ruth Hardy in Birmingham on September 13, 1948, to Horace and Edna Mae Humphrey Hardy. She was one of nine children. Nell displayed an early love for music and began singing in her local church choir. She soon progressed to appearing on a local radio show and performed with gospel groups as well. Early misfortunes would set the tone for Hardy's later life. Her father was electrocuted after stepping on a power line when she was a child, and at age 15, she was sexually assaulted at gunpoint and bore a child, who she named Tracey, as a result of the rape.

After graduating from Birmingham's Parker High School, Hardy continued to perform locally but soon moved to New York City to pursue better opportunities. It was around this time that she changed her last name to Carter. She performed in a variety of venues, including cabarets and nightclubs in the evenings, and from 1970 to 1972 also studied at the School of Drama established by basketball player turned actor Bill Russell. Also during this time, Carter earned a small part on the soap opera Ryan's Hope. After appearing in several Broadway productions, Carter traveled to London, England, for more theatrical training.

Lgbt youth facing problems in San Diego and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Golden gays get some more - Shhhh! Don't tell Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council. Elderly lgbts aren't supposed to exist.
Oak Park Library's pioneering effort gets national nod - The library received an award for its section on the transgendered community. Congratulations!

Sex trafficking plagues San Diego's LGBT youth - Our lgbt youth faces another problem that folks like Glenn will no doubt blame us all for.

Did the Anglican Church of Uganda Endorse Criminalization With Death Penalty? - You be the judge.

AFA's Gary Glenn makes desperate attempt to justify his call to 'criminalize homosexal behavior'

Yesterday, I wrote a post about how the American Family Association of Michigan's Gary Glenn publicly said he thinks that "homosexual behavior" should be criminalized.

Naturally what I wrote totally disagreed with his premise. Glenn didn't exactly like what I wrote so he wrote me back.

What ensued is a back and forth, which I think demonstrates just how folks like Glenn will attempt to manipulate facts and figures for their own purposes.

A summary is the following: Glenn lists reasons why "homosexual behavior" should be outlawed, but his reasonings are either studies taken out of context or work which specifically places the blame on homophobia for the health issues in gay men (of course Glenn omits the lesbian community). When this is pointed out to him, Glenn refuses to retreat but engages in what seems to be a version of "Pickett's charge." And like the original Pickett's charge, his desperate push is destroyed. His comments are in rude and mine are in blue.

Glenn:

Hi Al,

Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm happy to directly address precisely what I mean when I said that homosexual behavior is proven to be a threat to public health and safety.

I was referring to the dramatically increased incidence of mental illness, substance abuse, eating disorders, STDs, life-threatening diseases such as AIDS, cancer, and hepatitis, and premature death by up to 20 years among individuals who engage in homosexual behavior.

My sources for the references above would be the Journal of the American Medical Association, Oxford University's International Journal of Epidemiology, the Centers for Disease Control, the Lesbian and Gay Medical Association, the (homosexual) Canadian Rainbow Health Coalition, the Canadiam Medical Association Journal, etc., etc. -- none of whose researchers, far as I know, are named Cameron.

I was also referring to "Life in the Bushes," the propensity of an apparently sizeable segment of individuals who engage in homosexual behavior to engage in multiple on-the-spot anonymous sexual encounters in city parks, highway rest stops, public rest rooms, "gay" bookstores, etc. -- a practice advertised and promoted any any number of "gay" websites.

For example, as the Royal Oak (Mi.) Daily Tribune reported March 23, 2000, regarding a police raid on one such location:

"(Hazel Park City Manager Joseph) Young also said the Oakland County Health Department had been called to check the business after suspected 'bodily fluids' had been found there. 'Essentially it revolves around conditions existing in the building that we feel make it unsafe,' said (Hazel Park Police Chief David) Niedermeier."

Or as the Detroit Free Press reported March 24, 2000:

"Investigators said gay sexual activity was common at seven of the adult bookstores raided Wednesday. The seven bookstores had so-called buddy booths, which let patrons masturbate while watching one another, said Ypsilanti Police Det. Sgt. Craig Annas. Some of the booths had portals that allowed sexual activities to take place between partners in different booths, Annas said. 'The result is that male semen gets all around these rooms,' endangering the public through possible exposure to infected bodily fluids, he said. ...But Jeff Montgomery, executive director of Detroit-based Triangle Foundation, a gay-and-lesbian-rights group, defended the bookstores and said the raids were politically motivated harassment of gays."

Or as openly lesbian Detroit News columnist Deb Price commented regarding such public health-threatening activity in her weekly homosexual advocacy column:

"The Los Angeles County Health Services found half of HIV-positive men were having sex in public places without telling their sex partners of their status and often not using condoms."

That's what I was referring to, Al, when I said homosexual behavior and the homosexual lifestyle are a "proven threat to public health and safety."

No weaseling or Camorenesque talking points required.

Me:

Actually Mr. Glenn, while you didn't refer to Cameron per se, you did use his distortive (sp) techniques. For example:

You mentioned the so-called short life span of gay men. Now if I am not incorrect, you got that citation from the Oxford University's International Journal of Epidemiology. And you are referring to a 1997 study done by Canadian researchers. What you omitted was the fact that in 2001, those same researchers went on record complaining about how their work was being distorted by people like yourself .

Now in your other examples, you mentioned incidents having to do with such things as substance abuse, eating disorders, STDs, and mental illness. HOWEVER, you make a inaccurate implication that these things are indicative of the lgbt orientation.

Another voice for the 'criminalize homosexual acts' hot mess

As noted in a post earlier today, Gary Glenn of the American Family Association of Michigan became another voice (after that of American Family Association's Bryan Fischer and Family Research Council's Peter Sprigg) for "criminalizing homosexual acts:"

“The short answer to your question is yes, we believe that states should be free to regulate and prohibit behavior that’s a violation of community standards and a proven threat to public health and safety — including, as most of the United States did throughout its history, homosexual behavior.”

I'm a little disappointed that Glenn wasn't pressed by the Michigan Messenger about how being gay is a "proven threat to public health and safety." We all know that statement as a Paul Cameron talking point and it would have been interesting to see Glenn weasel his way out of explaining the Cameronesque connection to his statement.

People for the American Way makes it a point to inform everyone of the following hypocrisy in Glenn's stance:

It should also be pointed out that Glenn is among the plantiffs in the Thomas More Law Center's lawsuit challenging the Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 on the grounds that protection for gays is part of an effort to "criminalize the Bible and use the threat of federal prosecutions and long jail sentences to silence Christians from expressing their Biblically-based religious belief that homosexual conduct is a sin."

So Glenn, while pursuing a claiming a phony case of persecution is pushing for actual persecution.

His statement makes me more anxious about the upcoming conference on "homosexuality" next week at Liberty University. I don't think we've heard the last of this entire "let's criminalize homosexual acts" nonsense.

Maybe I'm being overly paranoid but if Colorado in 1992 and the Proposition 8 vote in 2008 taught me anything, it's never take any religious right attempt as lightweight and nonsensical.

Another call for criminal sanctions against the gay community and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Jon Stewart tells it like it is about Palin and the "tea party" folks

And in other news . . .

Family group says it wants homosexuality criminalized - This is getting more and more insane.

Regina Griggs lies. Like a liar. Sadly. And Often. Here's just a smattering of proof... - Regina Griggs of PFOX caught lying . . . again.

Daniel Alter to be first openly gay man ever to be nominated for federal bench - Someone call the Exorcist because religious right heads are going to spin.

AFA's Fischer cites hate group as reason for criminal sanctions against gays

A week after called for the "criminalization of homosexual behavior," the American Family Association's Bryan Fischer has continuously attempted to justify his comments.

But he should have quit while he was ahead because yesterday, he finally hit the nadir of nuttiness with the following:

As the Family Research Institute reports, historian Paul Johnson has written that decriminalizing homosexuality, which was done beginning in the 1960s for ill-conceived reasons of supposed compassion, has left us now today with a "monster in our midst" - a powerful, vicious, and punitive homosexual cabal that is determined to overthrow completely what remains of Judeo-Christian standards of sexual morality in the West.

As he points out, the process took place in three stages. First, homosexual behavior was decriminalized, while still being regarded as a "great moral evil." But decriminalization enabled homosexual activists to openly organize, until they pressed for and received declarations that not only was homosexual conduct not an evil, but was in fact the moral equivalent of heterosexuality.

Then once this milestone was achieved, homosexual activists pressed beyond equality to privilege, where now today homosexual behavior has been given special protections in public life, protections which come at the expense of religious liberty, freedom of conscience, freedom of speech and freedom of association and lead to the punishment, intimidation and harassment of any who oppose their agenda.

I'm totally unfamiliar with Paul Johnson but I am very familiar with the Family Research Institute. We all should be.

It is deemed an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center mostly because its founder, Paul Cameron, has spent a considerable amount of time over the years creating junk science and outright lies to demonize the lgbt community:

"Right now, here in Lincoln, there is a 4-year-old boy who has had his genitals almost severed from his body at Gateway in the rest room with a homosexual act… It’s really awkward. I could see where Gateway would want to suppress this. I could see where the parents would want to suppress it. It could be just a rumor. But enough things have happened recently so that such a thing doesn’t have to be invented.” - Paul Cameron told this story to a group in 1982 in Lincoln, Nebraska in an attempt to kill a gay rights ordinance. The police discovered the story to be false but the ordinance was defeated.

“(Cameron) misrepresents my findings and distorts them to advance his homophobic views. I make a very clear distinction in my writing between pedophilia and homosexuality, noting that adult males who sexually victimize young boys are either pedophilic or heterosexual, and that in my research I have not found homosexual men turning away from adult partners to children . . . I consider this totally unprofessional behavior on the part of Dr. Cameron and I want to bring this to your attention. He disgraces his profession.” - Dr. A. Nicholas Groth in 1984 after discovering that Cameron distorted his work.

"Paul Cameron (Nebraska) was dropped from membership for a violation of the Preamble to the Ethical Principles of Psychologists - American Psychological Association, 1983

The science and profession of psychology in Nebraska as represented by the Nebraska Psychological Association, formally dissociates itself from the representations and interpretations of scientific literature offered by Dr. Paul Cameron in his writings and public statements on sexuality. Further, the Nebraska Psychological Association would like it known that Dr. Cameron is not a member of the Association. Dr. Cameron was recently dropped from membership in the American Psychological Association for a violation of the Preamble to the Ethical Principles of Psychologists - Nebraska Psychological Association, 1984

Dr. Paul Cameron has consistently misinterpreted and misrepresented sociological research on sexuality, homosexuality, and lesbianism" - American Sociological Association, 1985

The Canadian Psychological Association takes the position that Dr. Paul Cameron has consistently misinterpreted and misrepresented research on sexuality, homosexuality, and lesbianism and thus, it formally disassociates itself from the representation and interpretations of scientific literature in his writings and public statements on sexuality. - Canadian Psychological Association, 1996

If Fischer thought citing anything from this discredited hate group would give him credibility in his attacks on the lgbt community, then he is sadly mistaken.

However if he was gearing to demonstrate just how morally empty he and the American Family Association are, then he wins the blue ribbon.

Related posts:

Homophobic 'researcher' Paul Cameron in all of his repulsive glory

More homophobic lies from the Paul Cameron Poland tour

Why we should care about Paul Cameron

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch

Monday, February 08, 2010

Don't forget about us during Black History Month

With Oscar season and Black History Month rolling around at the same time, it's gratifying to see Lee Daniels get recognition for being the first black gay man nominated in the category of Best Director.

However, some media reports got it wrong when they claimed that he is the first gay black man to receive an Oscar nomination. The late actor Paul Winfield receives that honor because of his 1972 Oscar nomination for Best Actor for Sounder.

This error is especially poignant to me because it illustrates just how difficult it is for members of the black gay community to receive any type of recognition for what we have contributed to society.

Usually we are ignored during Black History Month. Or worse yet, our achievements are noted but our orientation is stepped over as if its dog dirt on a freshly manicured lawn.

This could happen for a number of reasons but I like to place a degree of blame on this ridiculous war that the black and gay communities find themselves manipulated into regarding who suffered the most. Regardless of the points made by either group, the one who receives the largest casualties in this battle for position is the gay community of color.

The richness of our lives and our contributions to America are diminished because we are seen as commodities in this tug of war.

Meanwhile, young black gays and lesbians are exploited and taught to hate themselves by either self-hating ministers or other black leaders with an agenda.

But despite this, I take a degree of solace in something.

No matter how the spotlight of attention from the larger gay community eludes us, no matter how many black minister lackeys the (predominantly white) leadership of the religious right can dredge up to deny the connection between the gay and black communities, no matter how many times our lives are seemingly diminished or ignored by well-meaning gay and black leaders, certain facts about who we are don't change.

We are:

Barbara Jordan, who taught Americans a new love and respect for the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution during the Nixon impeachment trials,

Lorraine Hansberry, who explored how racism can destroy the souls of black men and women through her monumental play, A Raisin in the Sun,

Bayard Rustin, who shook up the world by successfully planning and executing the 1963 March on Washington,

and Lee Daniels and Paul Winfield, who reached and continues to reach the top of their profession through skill and poise.

These five are only a small number of the thousands of same gender loving people of color who taught Americans to dance, sing, dress, and love each other and themselves a little more.

I refuse to accept any notion that the black gay community is simply a commodity in a useless war of position. Nor should any part of our identities be sacrificed for the sake of expediency.

So as we go through Black History Month 2010, I implore everyone to not forget about the black gay community.

Because we simply won't let you.

Religious right trying to divide black, gay communities (again) and other Monday midday news briefs

Hate Crimes Protection for Gays Is "Demeaning [to] the Black Community" - The old game of "divide and conquer." The religious right could care less about the lgbt or black communities.

Weird how far-right turns all of prez's LGBT picks into 'bigots'. Funny how that works, huh? - Anatomy of a religious right distortion.

Potomac students get fliers saying therapy turns gays straight - Don't be so quick to dance for joy, PFOX. This is a victory for lgbt clubs and organizations also. If you can distribute your lying fliers, then lgbt friendly ones can distribute THEIR truthful ones.

Military Times poll shows sharp decline in support for DADT - Slowly but surely, DADT is going out the door.

Harold Ford Jr. Rejects the ‘Ex-Gay’ Myth in Maureen Dowd Column - We ain't falling for your pro-lgbt semblance, Mr. Ford. But it's nice to hear you kowtow.

Gay African-American becomes first to garner Oscar nomination - Article gets it wrong. Paul Winfield, who received a nomination in 1972 for Best Actor (Sounder) was the first. But it's good that Daniels is getting attention.

In honor of 200,000, a reason to oppose interracial dating

Yesterday, Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters celebrated its 200,000th hit. Not bad for a part-time blog, huh. In celebration of this, I want to republish one of my most popular posts. It is especially poignant today when one takes into account the increasingly amount of venom recently against the lgbt community from the religious right:

I've been having a very interesting email exchange with Peter LaBarbera regarding his stigmatization of the lgbt community.

For LaBarbera, every lie he tells is justifiable because of his belief that gay men have "health risks" greater than that of heterosexuals. In fact, it's something he likes to highlight every chance he gets:

“Barack Obama’s homosexual agenda is beginning to take shape – but he has no election mandate to impose GLSEN’s radical vision of celebrating homosexuality, bisexuality and gender confusion (transsexuality) in U.S. schools,” LaBarbera said. “Anti-religious bigots should not be setting policy for schools — and promoting dangerous sex and gender identities to youth is the antithesis of ‘safety.’ (Men who have sex with other men (MSM) suffer from much higher rates of sexual diseases – including anal cancer, HIV, syphilis, and gonorrhea — than non-MSMs.)

Also:

LaBarbera also argues that many liberal school districts teach false facts about AIDS. He says they imply that everyone is at equal risk for contracting the disease -- even though in 2005 71 percent of U.S. male AIDS cases involved homosexuals. He contends that many American young people are not being informed about other health risks associated with homosexuality either -- such as increased infections of the Hepatitis B or C virus and the herpes virus. "We have all this evidence out there that homosexual behavior is dangerous," the activist point out, "and yet our politically correct elites are promoting gay identity" to teens and children.

And he is not the only one to assert this "gays are dangerous because of their behavior" claim:

If there was ever a clarion call for our entire society to say with one united voice that homosexual behavior is a danger to health and should be discouraged at all costs, this is it. We've found one voice as a society with regard to drug use and drunk driving; it's time we find it with regard to homosexual behavior. - Bryan Fischer

In fact, multiple studies have established that homosexual conduct, especially among males, is considerably more hazardous to one’s health than a lifetime of chain smoking. - Matt Barber

The "homosexuality is a health risk" factoid is a popular talking point in religious right circles. It stems from manipulating legitimate medical information regarding disease and the lgbt community. Rather than go into detail about just how this information is manipulated, I'm going to take another route.

I found this video on youtube. I dare anyone to tell me the difference between it and the nonsense about the supposed "health risks of homosexuality" factoid pushed by the religious right:

Sunday, February 07, 2010

Fox News' DADT coverage gets nailed by Saturday Night Live

Sometimes a lot of truth comes out through comedy.

Black History Month lgbts of color - Sylvester

One who needs no introduction. From www.gmad.org, Sylvester:

Imagine him. Spry brown-skinned little gay boy. Voice and spirit of equal and magnanimous proportions.

Standing, with the assistance of an apple box, tall and proud before the congregation of Palm Lane Church of God and Christ and wailing Aretha Franklin's "Never Grow Old" just like the Queen herself. Tearing up the church and causing the Holy Ghost to break out all over the Tabernacle. It was only a foretelling sign of things to come.

He was a force of nature even then, barely six and singing like he held some secret that world knew nothing of, just yet. Somehow, he was a rare breed of young manchild, nubile Black being, who was born perfectly comfortable in his skin. He knew who he was and operated as though it was the world's mission to catch up and catch on to his fabulousness.

He was Sylvester.

James was his last name, but Diva was a title he wore as readily and easily as the opulent attire (never drag) that he adorned. But Sylvester James-performance artist, recording star, Disco icon, advocate, activist, soul singer-was more than just a Tall Man In Drag. Sylvester was a revolution! Before RuPaul took over the radio and television airwaves, there was Sylvester. Before Harvey brought his fabulous brand of Fier(stein) to Broadway, there was Sylvester. Even before the real benefits of music videos (though he did have a few) and national Black Gay Prides, he made an impact that is still felt almost two decades after his untimely death.

Born September 6, 1947, he was a strong-willed Virgo, who had an opinion about everything and wasn't afraid or ashamed to share it. Sylvester knew at an early age that there was a creative force within that had to come out. After the church couldn't contain his fiery behavior and his parents could not tolerate his wild ways, he ran away from the "quiet streets" of his Los Angeles suburbs and found himself, literally and figuratively, in San Francisco.

He started as many would have expected, performing drag, as "Ruby Blue," in clubs where he was an innovator, singing live and evoking Bille Holliday and the blues icons his grandmother had poured into his musical ear. He would still sing in church and felt completely comfortable doing both, unlike Marvin Gaye, Prince and other artists who struggled with the polarity of their Spirituality and their Musicality. Sylvester was alright with God and truly believed that God was alright with him. He felt like he could express himself any way he pleased and he was pleased when The Cockettes, a performance arts group that dabbled in drag and drugs, made him a part of their act and later got him to teach them to sing, instead of just pantomiming to other people's songs. He made them believe that they could do more.

That unwavering belief and talent would take Sylvester and the troop from sold-out shows to New York and back. But he couldn't stay there long. He wanted and needed much more. But he didn't really find his voice, his authentic voice, until he started to record. After a few failed attempts at recording, he found his niche, when in 1975, he went against the grain again and instead of trying to find thin, cute singers for the audience's eye, he enlisted Two Tons of Fun and gave the people something for their ears! Martha Wash and Izora Armstead were two women, who though not traditional beauties, were the kind of performers that the Gay-infused Disco era adored. They could wail and didn't mind doing it.

Isn't it a shame when the kidnappers of children get no respect?

Poor Lisa Miller.

What is this world coming to when a woman who breaks the law and kidnaps her child to keep her away from the other parent (who has never done anything to harm the child) can't get a fair shake from the media?

At least that's what our "friend" Peter LaBarbera and Lifesite News thinks about the Janet Jenkins/Lisa Miller custody case:

Janet Jenkins, a practicing lesbian who was once in a “civil union” with ex-lesbian Lisa Miller, is conducting a media campaign to locate Miller’s seven-year-old daughter in an attempt to gain custody of the child.

Miller’s daughter, Isabella, was conceived via artificial insemination during the pair’s relationship, and has no biological relationship with Jenkins. Miller disappeared with Isabella in December, apparently in an effort to prevent a Vermont judge from transferring custody of her child to Jenkins.

But Jenkins is doing numerous interviews with mainstream media outlets, ostensibly in an effort to locate Isabella (described by Jenkins in one interview as “my child”), which are uncritically repeating her charges against Miller, while failing to mention Miller’s charges against Jenkins – -including that her relationship with Jenkins was abusive.

This ridiculous post recounts an interview that Miller gave to Lifesite News accusing Jenkins of abusive behavior. Of course the post omits the fact that the allegations were investigated by Virginia's Child Protective Services and deemed as "unfounded."

But the main sticking point here is that both LaBarbera and Lifesite News is trying to garner sympathy for Miller. To them, she is the "victim of a media campaign out to demonize her."

But hasn't Miller demonized herself in the eyes of the public by kidnapping Isabella?

I'm sure the media would love to get her side of the story but seeing that she has gone into hiding instead of following the law, speaking to her would be difficult, wouldn't it?

Related posts:

FRC's Peter Sprigg voices support for kidnapping of child in custody case

Liberty Counsel attacking lgbt parenting again but won't comment on Jenkins/Miller case

Washington Post columnist: Lisa Miller needs to come out of hiding and face her chaos

Janet Jenkins pleads for help in finding her daughter

Black History Month lgbts of color - Paul Winfield

Congratulations to Mary O'Grady, who guessed the identity of today's LGBT Black History Month hero and the first gay black man to receive an Oscar nomination - Paul Winfield.

From www.glbtq.com:

The theater always had a special place in the heart of actor Paul Winfield, but his career included numerous film and television roles. He was nominated for several acting awards and won an Emmy in 1995.

Paul Edward Winfield was born in Los Angeles on May 22, 1941 to Lois Beatrice Edwards, a garment-industry worker and union organizer. When Winfield was eight, his mother married Clarence Winfield, a construction worker.

One of Winfield's vivid memories from those years was seeing Mark Robson's 1949 film Home of the Brave, in which African-American actor James Edwards played a leading part rather than the role of servant to which actors of color were typically confined.

When the family returned to Los Angeles, Winfield attended Manual Arts High School, where he excelled in both music and acting. He was named best actor in the Speech and Drama Teachers Association Drama Festival for three consecutive years.

Because of these achievements he was offered a scholarship to Yale but, apprehensive about fitting in there, chose to accept a two-year scholarship at the University of Portland. He subsequently attended other colleges on the West Coast, including UCLA, which he left in 1964 six credits short of a degree when professional opportunities beckoned.

In addition to appearing on stage he served as artist in residence at Stanford University during the 1964-1965 academic year.

Winfield became a contract player for Columbia Pictures in 1966. Initially he continued his stage work and played minor parts on television, but in 1969 Sidney Poitier chose him for a role in Robert Alan Arthur's film The Lost Man.

Winfield also became familiar to viewers of the small screen with a regular role as Diahann Carroll's boyfriend on the situation comedy Julia (1968-1970), a groundbreaking series that many consider to have been influential in increasing opportunities for African-American actors on television.

Winfield turned in a memorable performance in Martin Ritt's 1972 film Sounder, which earned him a nomination for an Academy Award as best actor.

Know Your LGBT History - Paris Is Burning

In celebration of Black History Month, I wanted to focus on a positive movie featuring lgbts of color.

Unfortunately there aren't many out there but one which should be on the top of everyone's list is Paris Is Burning.

Paris Is Burning (1990) is a documentary which centers on the ball scene in New York City during the late 1980s. It tells the story of how various young African-American gays and transgenders unite themselves in "houses" and compete for trophies during that they call "balls." Balls are competitions in which they showcase their style, fashion, and dance movies.

The documentary gives a window into the world of people seemingly deserted by both the black and gay communities. It shows how they love and support each other, giving each other what both the gay and black communities are failing to deliver - appreciation and empowerment.

I love this movie and the personalities in it from Pepper LaBeija to Angela Xtravaganza to Dorian Corey; especially Dorian Corey.

And there is an interesting story regarding Corey. When she died, folks went through her apartment looking for old costumes and the like and found a mummified body with a note which said:

"This poor soul broke into my apartment and I was forced to shoot him."

As morbid as this story is, it emphasizes what I liked about the gays and transgenders in Paris Is Burning. Faced with a double negative of criticism from black community and unintentional omission from the gay community, they learned to take care of themselves and do it well.

The following is a clip from Paris Is Burning:

Florida 'pro-family' group offers 'apology' for picture and other Friday midday news briefs

Stemberger: Wrong pics of gay couple was ‘mistake’ - Organization responsible for posting a rude picture of lesbian couple (see earlier post) issues an "apology." Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel sees it for the distortion that it is. This column is almost better than the first one.

Iowa Republicans Want To Exclude LGBTQ Students From Safe Schools Law - South Carolina, meet your twin.

Bronze Star recipient Benjamin Ford, accused in West Side gay bashing, is stripped of rank - A gay basher gets what he deserves.

RedState's Erickson brings conservatives' witch hunt to HRC's Knox - HRC's Harry Knox being jumped for his comments about the Pope.

Religious right group push phony photo to make the case against gay adoption

The picture above symbolize how religious right groups demonize the lgbt community. According to the Orlando Sentinel's Scott Mawell:

On the left is the picture that the Florida Family Policy Council of Orlando, used to illustrate the gay couple that was awarded custody of a relative. It appeared under the headline: "FL judge violates law, places child in homosexual adoption" (on the right) is the actual couple.

Maxwell writes an excellent piece on the recent situation involving a lesbian couple being awarded custody of one-year-old boy.

I wrote about the situation, focusing on how the right-wing Florida group the Liberty Counsel was attacking the ruling. But Maxwell includes some important details about the case which even I wasn't aware of:

Florida is the last state in the U.S. with an outright ban on gay adoption. And three court rulings in recent months suggest the archaic law may be on its last legs.

The rationale for preventing balanced, loving parents from adopting children — when the state has a backlog of needy children, no less — is hard to justify in concept.

And when you actually look at the specifics of human lives involved in real cases — the way Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Maria Sampedro-Iglesia did last month — it's darn near impossible.

In considering the case, Judge Sampedro-Iglesia heard from family members, a child psychologist, the boy's preschool administrator, a social worker and the state-appointed Guardian ad Litem.

All of them, the judge wrote in her order, "testified in support of the adoption as being in the best interest of the child."

The state did not offer a single witness to rebut that claim.

"The only testimony elicited today," the judge said at the end of the hearing, "was that [the 1-year-old] is loved by these parents more than they even thought that someone could be loved."

So the judge ruled that he could stay with the two women — one of whom is related to the boy. (Child-welfare workers had taken him shortly after he was born. Alenier and Leon stepped up, offering to raise him — much to the delight of their extended family.)

I could say a lot about what the Florida Family Policy Council tried to do but Maxwell says it much better than I ever could:

These are the dirty tactics of Christianity's far-right warriors.

Not the majority of mainstream Christians, mind you. Not those who are focused on caring for their own families and practicing their own faith — but those who are obsessed with homosexuality.

These extremists wage their campaigns of intolerance based on deception and misrepresentation.

And they have the gall to do it in God's name.

On some twisted level, you can see why they have been reduced to misleading histrionics.

Because they are losing the fight.

Amen, Maxwell.