Date: Wed, 15 Jul 1998 18:22:44 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: NATIONAL LESBIAN AND GAY MEDIA ADVOCACY GROUP DENOUNCES "RECRUIT AND CURE" ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jennifer H. Einhorn, Director of Communications phone: (212) 807-1700 x14 e-mail: einhorn@glaad.org pager: (888) 656-9045 NATIONAL LESBIAN AND GAY MEDIA ADVOCACY GROUP DENOUNCES "RECRUIT AND CURE" ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN "Images of meteors, terrorist bombings, kleptomaniacs and now, these misleading ads, will serve to galvanize fair-minded Americans to stand firm in the face of such brazen intolerance against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community." -Jennifer H. Einhorn, GLAAD Director of Communications NEW YORK, NY, WEDNESDAY, 15 JULY, 1998--Prompted by the publication of three full-page advertisements sponsored by a coalition of conservative organizations over the course of the last three days, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is urging all public figures--elected officials, clergy and celebrities alike--to reevaluate the tenor and direction of their remarks. The advertisements, which appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and USA Today, come at a time when well-funded religious political extremists have been lobbying Capitol Hill in an attempt to deny millions of Americans basic human rights. GLAAD contends that the content of these ads is erroneous and disingenuous. As such, they are potentially harmful to a society which treasures personal freedom and aspires to embrace its diversity. Please visit GLAAD Online, located at http://www.glaad.org , after 9:00am EST tomorrow morning to access our compendium of statements on this issue, featuring quotes from leading religious, psychological, medical and civil rights authorities. Jennifer H. Einhorn, GLAAD's Director of Communications issued the following statement: "These advertisements claim that lesbians and gay men are not--and cannot--be people of faith. This fallacy does a shameful disservice to the thousands of lesbians and gay men who are central to their places of worship. "Diseases require cures--love does not. Each ad relentlessly focuses on the urgency of 'curing' lesbians and gay men, thereby likening sexual orientation to an illness. In 1973, the American Psychological Association (APA) removed homosexuality from its list of identified mental disorders. In 1997, the APA reinforced that finding by issuing a resolution warning about the dangers of so-called 'reparative' or 'conversion' therapy. The entire foundation of these advertisements is one of complete disregard for sound medical and psychological science. "It is significant that the ad features Green Bay Packer Reggie White in his football uniform and not his ministerial attire. His image as sports hero provides him with direct and unique access to young people--a responsibility which must not be abused. We remind Mr. Lott, Mr. Robertson, Mr. White and those so very determined to 'convert' their fellow citizens, that fair-minded Americans recognize slick but ultimately transparent rhetoric. Finally, we hope that all individuals will recognize that religious teachings and tenets of civil rights share many common threads: celebration of family, appreciation for work that is meaningful, and most importantly, a spirit grounded in integrity." GLAAD is the nation's lesbian and gay media advocacy organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in all media as a means of combating homophobia and all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. -30- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org TO REPORT DEFAMATION IN THE MEDIA - Call GLAAD's Alertline at 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or go to the GLAAD Web Site at www.glaad.org and report through our Alertline Online. TO JOIN GLAAD AND RECEIVE GLAAD's DISPATCH AND QUARTERLY IMAGES MAGAZINE, call 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or join on the Web today at www.glaad.org/glaad/join/join-about.html TO SUBSCRIBE TO GLAAD-Net, GLAAD's electronic mailing list, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Subscribe GLAAD-Net" TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Unsubscribe GLAAD-Net" GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.