Date: Thu, 13 May 1999 16:25:36 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: Special Online GLAADAlert: EX-GAY ADS COMING SOON TO A TV STATION NEAR YOU GLAADAlert May 13, 1999 The GLAADAlert is the bi-weekly activation tool of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Contact Ben Stilp GLAAD Interim Director of Communications (212) 807-1700 x14 stilp@glaad.org http://www.glaad.org EX-GAY ADS COMING SOON TO A TV STATION NEAR YOU Index to Topics: *Background *Lesbian & Gay Working Group Meets with WDCA TV *Analysis of Ads and Their Contradictory Messages *Lesbian and Gay Working Group Offers Community Support *Suggested Action Plan For Community Response *Talking Points *Mental Health Community Condemns 'Reparative Therapies' *Not Only Is Conversion Therapy Psychological Terrorism, But It Is Unsuccess= ful *Compendium Background On Saturday May 7, the Center for Reclaiming America (CRA) and a coalition of 17 right-wing extremist groups including the Christian Coalition and the =46amily Research Council, resurrected their controversial 'ex-gay' conversion ads on television after a seven month hiatus. The 60-second spot, which is currently airing on WDCA TV (Washington, DC, UPN affiliate) depicts a son thanking his mother for telling him the "truth about homosexuality," that change was possible through the help of an 'ex-gay' ministry. His mother states "It's too late, Michael has AIDS." Although reports cannot be confirmed, the ads are likely to run through the week. Other local TV stations including the NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox affiliates rejected the TV ad. Reports indicate that the CRA and its cohorts plan to broaden their TV campaign to markets/cities yet undisclosed and will include a TV ad entitled "FAMILY," featuring couples who claim to have been "freed from the homosexual lifestyle." "We've been working behind the scenes to educate the media about the message behind these ads," says GLAAD executive director Joan Garry. "We really hope they reject them, because they are damaging, scientifically bankrupt and not about love or hope at all." Furthermore, she adds, GLAAD is lobbying WDCA to discontinue the current ad. "We hope the ad buyers will see it for what it is." Lesbian and gay community response at the local level will be a critical tool for combating this hate-filled, deceptive campaign. The following GLAAD Alert contains practical guidance and referrals to resources to help mobilize and support our communities in this vital effort. Meeting with WDCA TV A diverse group of leaders met with WDCA TV station management today, May 13, 1999. Cathy Renna, GLAAD's Director of Community Relations, was accompanied by Stephen Baimes of Equal Partners in Faith; Kirsten Kingdon of Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); Clinton Anderson, Director of the Lesbian and Gay Concerns for the American Psychological Association; and Chris Halstead, clinical psychologist for Whitman Walker, one of the largest AIDS/HIV clinics in the nation. WDCA station management included John Long, General Manager of WDCA; Lisa Weir, WDCA Director of Public Affairs; and Michael Schroeder, Program Manager at WDCA. Cathy said, "We were disheartened that WDCA refused to yank this dangerous ad which misleads viewers by purporting to 'cure' lesbian and gay people. We were encouraged, however, by WDCA's willingness to meet with our community. We hope this conversation gives them pause to consider when they are next presented with scurrilous advertising." "This was a simple case of sensitivity training 101. What we found effective in this meeting and what I suggest other groups consider if these horrendous ads appear in their community is to assemble a group of people who can represent the diverse perspectives of this complicated issue such as gay people of faith and professionals who can articulate the history of and research condemning so-called reparative therapy touted by these ads," said Renna. The entire ad campaign has been the brainchild of Janet Folger of the Center for Reclaiming America (CRA) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Last summer, the CRA, along with other groups such as the American Family Association and Truth in Family, sponsored a print ad campaign in national newspapers, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, and USA Today, which was estimated to cost more than $500,000. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest national lesbian and gay political organization, estimates the CRA and its affiliates have developed a war chest of more than $4 million for this current phase of their TV campaign. Analysis of Ads And Their Contradictory Messages Among the approximately half dozen print ads that the CRA produced last summer, perhaps the most ominous was headlined, "From Innocence to AIDS, One Mother's Plea to the Parents of Homosexuals." The accompanying graphic was indelible--a little boy blowing out candles atop his birthday cake. =46lash forward to Mother's Day 1999. This television ad, entitled, "MOM," begins where the print ad leaves off--three year-old Michael Johnston at his birthday party. With a voiceover from his mother, we see a stream of photographic stills showing Johnston mature into adulthood. Cut to the family room. Mother and son clasp hands as she describes her son's substance abuse and homosexuality as a "bad choice." The camera turns to Michael who claims to have "walked away from homosexuality through the power of Christ." Unfortunately, his mother states, "It's too late, Michael has AIDS." The ad's rhetoric might be well-crafted, but it is transparent: (1) Homosexuality is equated with AIDS. (2) Substance abuse and homosexuality are linked. (3) All gay and lesbian people are mentally and emotionally unwell. Short work from an ad campaign grounded in "Love" and "Truth." Here's what the campaign is about: It's about right wing exploitation of gay men and lesbians for political expediency. Scrutiny of direct mail issued by these religious extremist groups reveal fundraising letters that were crafted to undermine support for pending anti-discrimination laws and threaten to ostracize and compromise lesbian and gay youth. The CRA's members have also revealed the true intentions of the campaign by their own words. Last January 28, the Family Research Council's Janet Parshall said, on her weekly radio commentary, Washington Watch, "The real truth is homosexuals can change. We must work against public policy that keeps people trapped in a lifestyle from which they can escape." Bob Carter was asked by a Washington Post reporter why Washington D.C. was chosen to debut the ads. His reply was published May 11 in the Washington Post "That's where the policy makers are." Lesbian and Gay Working Group Offers Community Support A working group of more than a dozen lesbian, gay, bisexual and faith-based organizations have been meeting regularly for several weeks to share information and develop a strategy to counter the anti-gay TV campaign. Members of the working group agreed that the initial strategy to respond to the ex-gay ads was to minimize earned media for the extremist religious political groups (i.e., avoid drawing undue media attention to the ads so that their message could not be spread unnecessarily). The objective in this strategy is to keep the issue as isolated as possible by keeping the coverage as local as possible. =46ollowing the launch of the broadcast ads in the DC market, the "behind th= e scenes" strategy began with alerting local lesbian and gay community groups whose voices would be critical in the ensuing public debate as well as mobilizing community response. In addition, organizations with key media industry contacts, such as GLAAD, arranged meetings with senior media managers and ad buyers. Organizations participating in the working group have also developed background resources on the political and fundraising goals of the religious right and media guides to help devise local media campaigns to counter the ads. On May 7, 1999, the working group was alerted that the 'ex-gay' ads would be aired in DC starting May 8. A compendium of statements condemning the ex-gay ads by working group participants was issued to lesbian and gay community media outlets ("TALKING POINTS" section in this Alert). Referral resources for more information on this issue, media guide, and background research on the radical religious extremist groups political and fundraising goals: The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation , www.glaad.org Human Rights Campaign, www.hrcusa.org People for the American Way , www.pfaw.org Gay and Lesbian Straight Education Network, www.glsen.org National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, www.ngltf.org Equal Partners in Faith, www.us.net/epf/HOMEXGAY.HTM Suggested Action Plan for Community Response The following outline provides a suggested action plan in response to the ex-gay ads if/ when they appear in your community. oIf you live in the Washington, D.C. area, please contact WDCA TV. The VP-General Manager is John Long. Phone: 301.986-WDCA Fax:301.654.3517 E-mail for general comments is: upn20wdca@paramount.com The station's web site is: www.paramountstations.com/wdca When you see the advertisement(s): oNote time, date, and TV station on which the offending ad appeared. oNote other ad sponsors concurrently advertising on the TV station. oReport the above information by alerting GLAAD: --Telephone 1-800-gay-media (national toll free hotline) --E-mail glaad@glaad.org oAlert your local community groups/ leaders oContact the TV station where the ad appeared: oAsk to speak to the Station Manager, who is usually in charge of accepting and buying ads. (GLAAD may be able to collect and disseminate this information after we have been notified of ad's appearance.) Introduce yourself as a concerned viewer registering your complaint about the offending ad. In your complaint, feel free to draw from the TALKING POINTS outlined herein. Talking Points The working group agreed the one of the strongest arguments against the so-called 'ex-gay' TV campaign is to highlight the contradiction between the "Truth in Love" message and the over-arching political and fundraising goals of these religious extremist groups. The following talking points are offered as a reference to use (verbatim, if you wish) when reaching out to local TV stations urging them to reject these harmful, hate-filled ads. Preceding the compendium are talking points that descredit reparative therapies and the 'ex-gay' movement as a whole: Mental Health Community Condemns 'Reparative Therapies' The claims of the anti-gay ads contradict the latest scientific knowledge about sexual orientation. The psychological, medical and psychiatric establishments agree that sexual orientation cannot be changed, and that so-called "reparative therapy" aimed at altering gay people's orientations does not work, and may, in fact, be harmful. oThe American Psychiatric Association's Board of Trustees released a statement in December 1998: "The potential risks of 'reparative therapy' are great, including depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior, since therapist alignment with societal prejudices against homosexuality may reinforce self-hatred already experienced by the patient=8A the APA opposes any psychiatric treatment, such as 'reparative' or 'conversion' therapy which is based on the assumption that homosexuality per se is a mental disorder or based on a prior assumption that the patient should change his/her sexual orientation." (The American Psychiatric Association de-listed homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1973.) oThe American Psychological Association overwhelmingly passed a resolution in August 1997, which asserted that there is no sound evidence on the efficacy of "reparative therapy," which seeks to "cure" homosexuals. "For nearly three decades, it has been known that homosexuality is not a mental illness. Medical and mental health professionals also now know that sexual orientation is not a choice and cannot be altered. Groups who try to change the sexual orientation of people through so-called "conversion therapy" are misguided and run the risk of causing a great deal of psychological harm to those who say they are trying to help," said American Psychological Assocation Executive Director Dr. Raymond Fowler. oThe American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that pediatricians should not refer patients for psychotherapy to change sexual orientation. An earlier print ad which appeared in the Washington Post carried the text "[I]f you were trapped in some self-destructive behavior, wouldn't you want someone to care?"] This presumes that all gay people are mentally and psychologically unwell/impaired, ignoring the happy, well-adjusted, successful lesbians and gay men across the nation. Not Only Is Conversion Therapy Psychological Terrorism, It Is Unsuccessful While Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth, has falsely asserted that "the testimonials of formerly homosexual men and ex-lesbians are the Achilles' heel of the homosexual movement," the clearest evidence that these programs are not effective are the testimonials of people who once participated in them--and the fact that so many of the most prominent ex-gay leaders returned to their former gay lives. oJeffry G. Ford, M.A., is a licensed Psychotherapist and an Ex-Ex-Gay. Ford was the director of Outpost, an 'ex-gay ministry' based in Minnesota. "In a society that denies basic human rights and allows the heterosexual majority power to determine our validity, it is understandable that people would want to escape that kind of persecution. It saddens me deeply to watch as people deny their true nature and strive to find love and acceptance by conforming to the conditions and demands of those who hate and fear that very part of them that is the core of their being." "In the five years I was directly involved with the change movement, I do not believe that I saw one genuine change or shift in sexual orientation." In sum, therapy and 'ex-gay ministries' that purport to change gay people to straight are well outside clinical research and thinking in the psychotherapeutic world. MEDIA STATEMENT =46OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE COMMUNITY LEADERS RESPOND TO ANNOUNCEMENT OF 'EX-GAY' TELEVISION AD CAMPAIGN LAUNCH NEW YORK, NY, FRIDAY, MAY 7, 1999 - The Center for Reclaiming America and 17 other religious political extremist groups announced today that they would be launching a series of television advertisements touting so-called 'conversion' of lesbians and gay men to heterosexuality. The same coalition released a $500,000 print ad campaign, calling it "Truth in Love," in July of 1998, and followed it with an unsuccessful broadcast launch on October 8, 1998, the day after 21-year-old Matthew Shepard was found beaten and tied to a fence in Wyoming. The initial television ad is slated to air on Mother's Day in the Washington, DC market, on WDCA, a UPN affiliate, having been rejected by the major network affiliates within the same market. In response to the announcement, representatives from leading lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and progressive organizations issued the following statements: "In truth, love knows no gender. We know that sexuality is complex and changing, as evidenced by people coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual or straight at all ages. In truth, those who claim to be happily 'converted' could merely be shifting along the natural and healthy continuum of sexuality, meaning that no 'conversion' has taken place at all. And what of the others? What of those who experience conversion therapy as psychological terrorism? Those whose natural and healthy and blessed sexual orientation does not include other gender attraction? If we are truly to operate from love, then honoring and seeing the blessing in all honest, loving relationships is clearly the only path." Debra Kolodny, Policy Initiative Leader BiNet USA The Mission of BiNet USA is to collect and distribute information regarding Bisexuality; to facilitate the development of Bisexual community and visibility; to work for the equal rights and liberation of Bisexuals and all oppressed peoples; and to eradicate all forms of oppression inside and outside the Bisexual community "It is unconscionable that once again 'Christian Right' leaders are championing, in the name of a loving God, the idea that millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons should be denied their identity and humanity. How is that 'hopeful'? How is that 'healing'? How is that 'Christian'? This is a kinder, gentler homophobia that is no less divisive and destructive than its overt counterpart. What we should be promoting are genuine compassion and understanding. We should affirm - in what is clearly an American tradition - that it is okay to be different and that differences in the human condition are a cause for celebration, not condemnation." Rev. Steven Baines, Project Coordinator Equal Partners in Faith Equal Partners in Faith is a multi-racial, multi-faith national network of religious leaders and people of faith committed to equality and diversity. Our diverse faith traditions and shared religious values lead us to affirm and defend the equality of all people, regardless of religion, race, gender or sexual orientation. As people of faith, we actively oppose the manipulation of religion to promote exclusion and inequality. "The message that these groups are sending is meanspirited, it's deceptive, and it has an extremely damaging effect. At GLAAD, we know that media images shape hearts and minds, and these are, in essence, just the kinds of messages that promote prejudice and hate. The major network affiliates seem to have recognized that fact in their rejection of these ads. This is the third time these groups are launching their ads, and for the third time, their true colors will shine through." Joan M. Garry, Executive Director the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) 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. "As the Center for Reclaiming America's Janet Folger said last year, the goal of this campaign is to undermine the idea that 'gays =8A need protectio= n and anti-discrimination laws.' This tactic is bad enough when you consider its hypocrisy. It's even worse when you consider the devastating impact it may have on some of the most vulnerable members of our community - lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. In light of the pressure these young people face at school, from their families, and in their communities, the last thing they need is a politically manipulative message of false hope - one that a majority of leading mental health organizations say is damaging." Kevin Jennings, Executive Director the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network is the largest national organization working to end anti-gay bias in America's schools. Established nationally in 1994, GLSEN now has over 85 chapters across the country. "This whole campaign is about the demonization of our communities. What they're saying is that same gender relationships are of less value than heterosexual relationships, and that's contradictory to the core message of Christianity." Kevin McGruder, Executive Director Gay Men of African Descent "These ads are clearly designed to diminish gay and lesbian Americans. While most people in this nation are still trying to make sense of the tragic killings of Mathew Shepard, Billy Jack Gaither and James Byrd Jr., this right wing coalition has stepped-up its now more subtle assault on gays and lesbians. The objective of these ads is twofold. First, to cleverly design an anti-gay political message that denies gay and lesbian people their equal rights. Secondly, to foster a toxic atmosphere of intolerance in which basic science is ignored. All respected mental health and medical organizations reject "ex-gay" ministries and reparative therapy. The false sense of hope contained in these ads is reckless and divisive. Our response: We will continue to work for passage of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act." Elizabeth Birch, Executive Director Human Rights Campaign (HRC) The Human Rights Campaign, the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, envisions an America where lesbian and gay people are ensured of their basic equal rights - and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community. "The so-called 'Truth In Love' advertising campaign launched by the anti-gay Center for Reclaiming America is more about discrimination than truth. This campaign is not about love, it's about lies. Studies by the American Psychiatric Association have shown that the attitudes perpetuated by these ads can lower the self esteem of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender teenagers. With teenage suicide rates high, the Radical Right is delivering a poison pill to American families on Mother's Day that will fuel hatred, discrimination and fear." Richard Burns, Executive Director Lesbian and Gay Community Center of NYC The New York Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center provides a home for the birth, nurture and celebration of our organizations, institutions and culture; cares for our individuals and groups in need; educates the public and our community; and empowers our individuals and groups to achieve their fullest potential. "When the Religious Right's message of hatred and its craving for political power are cloaked in the seemingly gentle words of compassion and caring, they stop being open expressions of opinion and become the lowest forms of deceit. The Center for Reclaiming America and its allies are appealing to the compassion of America's people to carry out their campaign against equal rights. Theirs is not a call to compassion and caring; it is an attempt to delude all within reach of their message into resorting to febigotry, intolerance and double-standards. Do not let the Center for Reclaiming America turn the words 'healing' and 'compassion' into terms that are used against the diversity of humankind and its expressions of love, much in the way they have turned 'family' into their rallying cry to hatred. We are witnessing underhandedness and deceit at its worst." Martin Ornelas-Quintero, Executive Director National Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Organization (LLEGO= ) LLEGO is a non profit organization dedicated to the strength and well-being of the Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community at a local, national and international level through cultural, political and community development resources. "This multi-million dollar campaign is dedicated to demeaning gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. It is a mean-spirited affront to our basic traditions of democracy. By asserting that the 'ex-gay' movement is borne out of love and compassion, they seek to shroud their homophobia in the highest principles of Christian belief. But America knows better. The 'ex-gay' movement - and this ad campaign about it - is simply one more weapon in the conservative arsenal of those who want to wage war against the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. It has neither the constitutional authority nor the anecdotal evidence to justify its relentless campaign to 'convert' us to heterosexuality. Above all, it is bankrupt of the very virtues it espouses - love and compassion." Kerry Lobel, Executive Director National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) NGLTF has worked to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people at the local, state and national level since its inception in 1973. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society. "It's plain and simple - our gay, lesbian and bisexual loved ones do not need to be 'cured.' We can understand that parents might want their children to conform to society's expectations. At times, many PFLAG parents have felt the same way, but we've learned that this desire to change our children comes in response to the negative stereotypes of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people in our communities. Rather than try to change our children, we have chosen to change our attitudes. We are here today - on the eve of Mother's Day - to say we resent these groups' efforts to use our children to further their political agenda. The real truth is that acceptance and love are the backbone of my family and yours. Let's reject unfair stereotyping. Let's celebrate the unconditional love that is the hallmark of motherhood." Kirsten Kingdon, Executive Director Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. "If this campaign is about truth or love, then George Orwell must be its honorary chairman. No matter how much the Religious Right tries to dress it up, bigotry is still bigotry. Their newfound rhetoric of 'love' is nothing more than a new label wrapped around the same old poison." Carole Shields, President People For the American Way Foundation People For the American Way organizes and mobilizes Americans to fight for fairness, justice, civil rights and the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. PFAW lobbies for progressive legislation and helps to build communities of activists. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Loren R. Javier Interactive Media Director GLAAD Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation javier@glaad.org phone: 925.831.1092 The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation of individuals and events in the media as a means of combating homophobia and 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.