GLAAD Announces New President

Several months after the departure of Herndon Graddick, GLAAD has a new president. Via press release:

GLAAD's National Board of Directors is proud to announce that Sarah Kate Ellis has been elected as GLAAD's new CEO and president. As a respected media executive and outspoken advocate for LGBT equality, Sarah Kate is uniquely qualified to lead GLAAD, the nation's leading LGBT media advocacy organization. Steve Warren, National Co-Chair of GLAAD's Board said: "GLAAD's unparalleled history in shifting American beliefs on LGBT families paved the way for our recent legal victories and will be instrumental in inspiring more and more Americans to stand with LGBT people and our families. We are excited to welcome Sarah Kate at a time when our community needs more of GLAAD's work in the media to share the stories that create real change." Sarah Kate spoke to her vision for GLAAD's advocacy work: “While our community has made great strides in recent years, our movement has an important and critical journey ahead. Together with our dedicated staff, I will push for a culture where everyone in the LGBT community not only has legal equality, but is fully welcomed and respected by our neighbors. I look forward to leading GLAAD and creating a world where LGBT people and our families have the freedom to joyously-- and openly-- live a life they love."

GLAAD's Worst Anti-Gay Voices Of 2008

I don't know yet if this list is in reaction to the list issued by the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission. Links go to more detailed GLAAD pages on each item. Note that some names have multiple links. In alphabetical order, here are the biggest haters according to GLAAD.

Bill O'Reilly (Host, The O'Reilly Factor, FOX News Channel)

Bill O'Reilly, who frequently appears on GLAAD's monthly "Best and Worst of National News," led a one-sided and inaccurate discussion of marriage equality on May 15 with Fox News Channel's Megyn Kelly, who compared marriage for same-sex couples with polygamy and incest. Earlier this year, O'Reilly said Americans don't want to see "homosexual behavior legitimized" in reference to Whoopi Goldberg briefly kissing Katy Perry on The View on July 31, and he criticized Heinz for a TV commercial that included a kiss between two men on June 20. Most recently on December 10, he referred to the staff of the Los Angeles Times as "pinheads" for endorsing the Day Without a Gay protest against Proposition 8.

California's Yes on Proposition 8 Campaign

The Yes on Proposition 8 campaign filled the airwaves with deliberately misleading commercials about Proposition 8, which eliminated the right to marry for loving and committed same-sex couples in California. The ads relied on scare tactics and spread inflammatory lies, including that the defeat of Proposition 8 would mean changes in schools and churches. These ads used misinformation to shape public opinion and helped sway voters to pass the discriminatory ban, in spite of various legal experts and mainstream media outlets uniformly denouncing the dishonest approach.

Greg Gutfeld (Host, Red Eye, FOX News Channel)

FOX News Channel's late-night show Red Eye continued to feature sophomoric jabs at LGBT people. On May 20, host Greg Gutfeld and his guests grossly misrepresented serious medical concerns faced by transgender youth and laughed as one of his guests referred to transition as "turning a hole into a pole." Then Gutfeld criticized Ellen DeGeneres for announcing her upcoming wedding, saying Ellen should "shut the hell up about it." In his September 17 blog, Gutfeld ranted about diplomats saying, "These bloated bureaucrats would learn more in two days ducking for cover in Liberia, than two weeks trying to pick up transvestite hookers in Times Square."

James Dobson (Founder, Focus on the Family)

A national media platform gave airtime to an anti-gay activist when James Dobson, founder of anti-gay organization Focus on the Family, appeared on an episode of CNN Headline News and made false claims about Proposition 8, including that if the proposition failed, there would be a "spate of lawsuit against churches" and "all textbooks would have to be republished" and "everything in schools will change." The Museum of Broadcast Communications chose to honor Dobson by inducting Focus on the Family into the Radio Hall of Fame, despite his history of anti-gay rhetoric and lies. GLAAD produced a viral video to raise awareness of Dobson's attacks on the LGBT community and released a Call to Action against the Museum for honoring Dobson's lies and distortions aimed to hurt and marginalize LGBT people.

Jim Quinn (Host, The War Room With Quinn & Rose, Clear Channel)

During the November 6 broadcast of the nationally syndicated radio program The War Room with Quinn & Rose, co-host Jim Quinn made highly offensive and ignorant statements including "[G]ay marriage doesn't produce anything that the state has an interest in. Gay sex produces AIDS, which the state doesn't have – or should have an interest in. They should charge homosexuals more for their health insurance than they charge the rest of us." Despite numerous complaints from GLAAD's Call to Action, Clear Channel refused to issue an apology and has not disciplined Quinn for his disgusting and unacceptable remarks.

John Gibson (Host, The John Gibson Show, FOX News Radio)

Fox News Radio Host John Gibson was responsible for making made several tasteless, juvenile anti-gay jokes on his program. GLAAD first issued a Call to Action after he mocked the passing of actor Heath Ledger by making anti-gay jokes about his role in Brokeback Mountain on Fox News Radio's The John Gibson Show. As a result of the response by GLAAD's members, Gibson apologized for these remarks, but continued using anti-gay jokes on May 2. During a clip of MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, who is openly gay, Gibson cut to an audio clip of someone saying, "Oh, lesbians! Yummy!"

Laura Ingraham (Host, The Laura Ingraham Show)

Transgender people were repeatedly used as punching bags by Fox News Channel and guest Laura Ingraham, even as violence and harassment against transgender people continued with disturbing frequency throughout 2008. While guest hosting Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor on February 8, Ingraham interrupted a guest by saying that a transgender conference was "killing the culture." Earlier this year on The O'Reilly Factor, she questioned how parents of a transgender youth "aren't embarrassed" by their child, and most recently, on December 11, she alluded that being gay is a "bad choice" when discussing a Newsweek feature on marriage for same-sex couples.

New York Post

In 2008, the New York Post continued its long history of sensationalistic treatment of LGBT people and issues with two highly problematic headlines. On January 25, the tabloid printed the headline "Evil Lesbian Mom Left Toddler to Die Slow Death: DA," despite the fact that such a gratuitous description would not have been used were the subject straight. Additionally, on February 7, the Post dehumanized the transgender community by publishing the egregious headline "Axis of She-Vil" and sub-headline, "Death to Gays But Free Ops For Irani Trannies."

Pastor Rick Warren

Rick Warren has a history of using the media as a platform to spread divisive anti-gay rhetoric. Warren spread inaccuracies about Proposition 8, saying that it would "prevent him from getting up on the pulpit and speaking out against same-sex marriage" on Dateline. He also participated in a video interview with The Wall Street Journal on December 18 where he said that marriage for gay and lesbian couples was the equivalent of "having a brother and sister be together," "an older guy marrying a child" and "one guy having multiple wives." After President-elect Obama chose Warren to lead the invocation at the Presidential inauguration, GLAAD distributed instances of Warren's anti-gay defamation on glaadBLOG as a resource for journalists and bloggers.

Representative Sally Kern (R-OK)

Oklahoma Representative Sally Kern made headlines in March after telling a group of supporters that "the homosexual agenda is destroying our nation" in a gathering of Republicans outside the Capitol. She went on to say that the gay community is "the death knell in this country" and "the biggest threat that our nation has, even more so than terrorism." GLAAD provided media training and media outreach support to local Oklahoma groups to ensure that LGBT advocates were included in local media coverage and balanced the harmful effects of such hateful remarks from an elected official.

Sean Delonas (Cartoonist, New York Post)

The New York Post and cartoonist Sean Delonas, who has been the subject of three GLAAD Calls to Action, continued juvenile treatments of LGBT issues in an editorial cartoon that ran after openly gay actor George Takei announced his upcoming marriage to his partner in California. Delonas drew crew members from Star Trek, which Takei appeared on as Sulu, looking on in disbelief as Takei exchanged nuptials with a man. One character was drawn saying "Totally Illogical, Captain." GLAAD placed a Call to Action to demand that the New York Post stop printing such immature items on their editorial pages.

GLAAD Names New President

Ten months after the resignation of former GLAAD president Jarrett Barrios, his replacement has been named. Via press release:

The National Board of Directors of GLAAD announced that they have named Herndon Graddick as GLAAD's new President. Herndon is currently serving as the organization's Vice President of Programs and Communications. Sheri Fults, National Co-Chair of the Board of Directors, said: "Herndon is already a well-respected leader within the LGBT movement, and we believe will be a visionary and strategic leader for GLAAD's culture-changing work." Herndon said: "Right now GLAAD and our partners in the LGBT movement are making a significant difference at a time when a difference needs to be made. I look forward to working with our dedicated staff to create a culture where there is a welcoming and respected space for LGBT Americans. GLAAD's work with the media to inspire Americans to speak out against anti-LGBT actions and support equality is needed today more than ever."

Two recent projects credited to Graddick are the Stand Up For Ellen project and GLAAD's Commentator Accountability Project. Observers pointed to both campaigns as heralding a more aggressive GLAAD.

GLAAD Excuses ABC Over Adam Lambert

After talking to them about a possible anti-gay double standard, GLAAD has issued a statement excusing ABC for canceling several scheduled appearances by Adam Lambert after his performance on the American Music Awards.

After these discussions ABC issued the following statement to GLAAD: "Given the live nature of the American Music Awards, Adam Lambert’s performance, which differed greatly from his rehearsal, caught many, including the network, off guard. This is not a question of Lambert’s sexual orientation. As is evidenced by GLAAD’s media report card, ABC is at the forefront of positive gay and lesbian portrayal on television. We welcome openly gay performers and look forward to continuing our great work within the LGBT community."

“It would appear that the kiss between Adam Lambert and his keyboardist did not factor into ABC’s decision,” said Jarrett Barrios, President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). “ABC has a history of positive gay and transgender inclusion that includes featuring kisses between gay and lesbian couples on-air.” “We applaud the visibility of openly gay performers and congratulate Adam Lambert for sharing his story on the Ellen DeGeneres Show this week as well as his upcoming appearance on The Jay Leno Show,” Barrios said.

GLAAD's statement immediately caused a furor on social networking sites, after which they issued this update.

Since his American Music Awards performance occurred GLAAD has consistently advocated that Adam Lambert and openly gay artists not be held to a double standard. As we have expressed publicly, it is disappointing that ABC will not give Lambert a chance to perform at this time. GLAAD’s discussions with ABC focused on confirming that his sexual orientation was not a factor in their decisions. ABC confirmed this is not about a same-sex kiss or his sexual orientation but about being “caught off guard.” GLAAD asked ABC and calls on them for clarification on “caught off guard” so that the community knows why Lambert is being denied the opportunity to perform on the network.

GLAAD Pissed At Gay Adoption Show

Last night FX aired the first episode of the third season of Morgan Spurlock's dickwad switcheroo series, 30 Days. For those unfamiliar with the show, for most episodes the premise is to take somebody who espouses hate for a particular group of society and immerse them among the people they most detest, ostensibly to show how once the seemingly strange becomes familiar, the hate fades away.

GLAAD gave the series an award in 2006 for the episode in which a homophobic military man is put to work in a Castro gay bar. But GLAAD was singing a different tune about the series on Monday when it issued a "Call To Action" about last night's episode.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today urged community members to contact FX Networks to express their concerns about a defamatory claim by an anti-gay activist that will appear, unchallenged, in the June 24 episode of 30 Days.

30 Days, FX Networks’ original series produced by Morgan Spurlock, "examines social issues in America by immersing individuals in a life that requires them to see the world through another’s eyes,’" according to the show’s Web site. In 2006, the series won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Reality Program for the "Gay/Straight" episode.

During the June 24 episode, entitled "Same Sex Parenting," Kati, a woman who opposes gay and lesbian parents and their families, lives for 30 days with gay parents Dennis and Thomas and their four adopted sons. The episode includes the personal stories of kids raised by lesbian and gay parents.

Regrettably, the episode also features a defamatory statement by Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council, an anti-gay activist organization, who claims: "Homosexuality is associated with higher rates of sexual promiscuity, sexually transmitted diseases, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, and child sexual abuse, and those are all reasons for us to be concerned about placing children into that kind of setting." While there is no credible scientific research that backs Sprigg’s claim - and much that disputes it - the episode presents his assertion as if it were fact and offers no credible social science experts or child health authorities to challenge Sprigg’s assertion. Indeed, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, the Child Welfare League of America, and many other child health and social services authorities who support parenting by qualified lesbian and gay parents dispute Sprigg’s claim.

After reviewing a screener supplied by FX Networks, GLAAD and the Family Equality Council, a national non-profit working to ensure equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families, contacted FX Networks last week, requesting that the inaccurate claim be removed from the episode or that a credible social science expert or child health authority be brought in to provide an on-air correction. FX Networks, however, refused to remove the defamatory content or, at minimum, address it during the course of the episode.

I recorded the show last night and here's the bit that got GLAAD so torqued.

Take action with FX Networks if you agree with GLAAD:

Nick Grad
Executive Vice President of Original Programming
(310) 369-0949
ngrad@fxnetworks.com

Eric Shrier
Executive
eric.shrier@fxnetwork.com

Scott Seomin
Vice President of Public Relations
(310) 369-0938
scott.seomin@fxnetwork.com

GLAAD Responds To Signorile

GLAAD writes us this morning directing us to a response to Michelangelo Signorile's Advocate column criticizing their fundraising methods and other tactics, which I excerpted here yesterday. GLAAD executive director Jarrett Barrios, from a lengthy reaction also posted on the Advocate's site:

It seems like Signorile, and many who criticize GLAAD’s work, do so because we don’t always see eye to eye. Because we don’t respond to the things they want us to respond to in exactly the way they want us to respond — or, sometimes, because we do respond to certain things and they think we shouldn't (and it's worth noting that these voices of criticism can and often do end up disagreeing with each other about what they think GLAAD ought to be doing). That's to be expected in a community of diverse voices and perspectives, and such feedback, from Signorile and many others, is valuable as we shape and continually evaluate our work. [snip] Signorile and others also fail to understand that the role of the GLAAD Media Awards is to help fund this work in addition to recognizing news coverage and entertainment media that are doing an exceptional job at bringing LGBT stories into the living rooms of America — while also setting a fairness benchmark for the media industry. GLAAD is an organization that survives because people know and understand the enormous task we undertake. We appreciate that support and will continue to boldly face our challenges.

Read the entire essay, Barrios responds to several specific incidents which have garnered GLAAD recent criticism.

GLAAD Announces New President

Today GLAAD announced that they have selected a replacement for outgoing president Neal Giuliano.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and GLAAD’s National Board of Directors today announced that Jarrett T. Barrios, a former State Senator from Massachusetts who now heads a leading health care foundation, will serve as GLAAD’s new President. GLAAD works to achieve full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans through media advocacy and anti-LGBT defamation work. “We’re making progress toward equality, but we’ll only achieve full equality if we change hearts and minds – and that’s what GLAAD is all about,” said Barrios. “We’re working for the day when every one of us is accepted, respected and valued for the contributions we make to this country. It’s an ambitious goal, but I know we can do it. I believe in our community, and I believe in our country.”

At 40 years of age, Barrios will become the youngest leader of GLAAD and, as a Cuban-American, he will be the first head of a national LGBT organization fluent in English and Spanish. He was the first openly gay person and the first Latino elected to the Massachusetts State Senate, where he represented a largely white, Catholic, working-class district. He is an accomplished fundraiser and manager who broke fundraising records in his election campaigns and managed a multi-million dollar budget at the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts. He is married to Doug Hattaway, his partner of 16 years, and they are raising two teenage sons.

GLAAD: HBO Leads Networks In LGBT Portrayals, NBC & CBS Last

GLAAD has issued its third annual survey of the top 15 television networks and found that HBO leads the pack in the portrayals of LGBT characters.

In GLAAD's third annual Network Responsibility Index, which evaluated the five major networks and 10 cable outlets, HBO — the home to True Blood, Entourage and No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency — scored the highest rating and a grade of "Good," with 42 percent of its programming featuring LGBT content. Showtime placed second. "This year programming was not only inclusive of LGBT people, but networks like HBO are beginning to reflect the broad diversity within our community," Rashad Robinson, GLAAD's senior director of media programs, said in a statement. In all, GLAAD evaluated 4,901 hours of prime-time broadcast programming and 1,213 hours from cable, from June 2008 through May 2009.

Also ranking "Good" was ABC, the best-performing of the Big 5. With such shows as Brothers & Sisters and Grey's Anatomy, ABC boasted LGBT content in 24 percent of its fare. The CW followed with 20 percent. Among the networks graded "Adequate," Fox (11 percent) rose from its year-ago last-place finish, though GLAAD said that some of its LGBT-inclusive hours included "problematic content." Namely, a pair of Family Guy episodes — "Family Gay" and "Sit Down, Shut Up" — "included an excess of offensive gay images," said Robinson. Also, "So You Think You Can Dance" was the subject of a GLAAD Call to Action when judge Nigel Lythgoe made comments about two male dancing partners that were deemed by the organization to be homophobic. Lythgoe later apologized. "Failing" grades went to NBC (8 percent), CBS (5 percent) and cable's A&E, Syfy and TBS. CBS' annual ranking dropped from third among broadcast networks to last.

You can download a PDF of GLAAD's full report here.

Fischer: GLAAD Hates 1st Amendment

Last week American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer appeared on a Houston Fox affiliate to declare that viewing Glee will turn kids gay and eventually give them AIDS. That prompted GLAAD to launch a campaign calling on the Fox station to apologize for hosting the hate group spokesman. But no dice.

Bryan Fischer is an extremist with no qualifications to offer the discussion apart from his bigotry. This a man whose disdain for diversity is evident in his track record of making statements such as calling Muslim student associations "parasites" and a "toxic cancer." FOX Houston gave Fischer a platform in the nation's fourth largest city, and one of its top ten media markets, to broadcast his anti-gay rhetoric. And rather than challenge him, the host, Damali Keith, contributed her own uninformed and anti-gay commentary. After receiving complaints about this FOX Houston program, GLAAD contacted the station to demand that they issue an apology. Broadcasting anti-gay speech is dangerously irresponsible, and the station must be accountable. In conversations with GLAAD, a representative of the station implied that an apology was in order and should be expected. However, no apology has been issued, and in an abrupt reversal, representatives of the station now maintain that they stand behind this content.

Yesterday Fischer responded to the furor.

GLAAD, which stands for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, has taken umbrage with me for saying on Fox that homosexual behavior "is conduct that bears enormous psychological and physical risk to those that engage in it" and "is just as risky and just as dangerous as injection drug use." GLAAD put almost immediate pressure on the Fox affiliate to apologize for giving me any air time at all, being the fans they are of the First Amendment and all, and according to GLAAD, Fox at first said they would. But subsequently, the Fox station has had an apparent change of heart and has yet to issue the promised apology. Perhaps it’s because Fox did some research and found out I was telling the truth.

Fischer headlined his post, "GLAAD Hates The First Amendment."

Porno Pete LaBarbera Rides The Waambulance About My GLAAD Award

In an article being distributed today by Christian Newswire, SPLC-certified hate activist Porno Pete LaBarbera attacks GLAAD for my recent award. According to LaBarbera, GLAAD is hypocritical for going after Kobe Bryant while not minding my criticisms of the Christianist anti-gay hate industry.

"Apparently GLAAD's leaders despise critics of homosexuality so much that they fail to see the irony of an 'anti-defamation' group rewarding an abject hater like Joe Jervis who -- rather than engage in civil discourse about ideas -- uses gutter code words like 'Jeebus' to malign opponents." LaBarbera said. "GLAAD's hypocrisy is right up there with homosexual activists lobbying against the hiring of African American Crystal Dixon -- in the name of LGBT 'civil rights, diversity and nondiscrimination.' "Through its Media Award, GLAAD joins itself at the hip with Jervis' brand of malicious, demeaning, anti-religious bigotry," LaBarbera said. "This is the flip side of GLAAD's ongoing campaign to shut down the voices of pro-family Christians -- e.g., ex-"gay" Americans like Richard Cohen -- from being heard in the media. "Americans must learn the truth about GLAAD's absurdly two-faced 'anti-defamation' charade," he said. "This same media-coddled organization that tenaciously pursues anyone who 'defames' homosexuals -- or dares to challenge homosexual activist assumptions -- honors hate-filled extremists like Jervis who cruelly vilify pro-family conservatives, to the point of ridiculing Jesus Christ Himself and 're-naming' a Catholic ex-Senator as the vile by-product of homosexual sodomy."

Of course, it's fucking hilarious that Porno Pete, who routinely calls us "perverts" and "deviants" is acting all butthurt over words like "Frothy Mix" and "Jeebus." And contrary to his press release, the latter is not an "atheist term," but actually comes from The Simpsons.

GLAAD Vs. CNN

GLAAD has issued a call to action over yesterday's CNN segment asking "Does homosexuality need a cure" which featured the famously insane "ex-gay therapist" Richard Cohen.

We have spoken extensively to key producers and publicity representatives at the network this afternoon and they indicate that they understand the seriousness of our complaints. They are scheduling a meeting with GLAAD and key bookers at CNN so that this type of mishap can be avoided moving forward. In the meantime we’ll be keeping a close eye on future reporting and calling on our members to speak out about faulty reports. Please contact CNN Newsroom and voice your concerns about the platform extended to the discredited Richard Cohen and CNN’s failure to consult credible scientific authorities before proceeding with this report.

GLAAD invites you to complain directly to CNN yourselves via their feedback form.

UPDATE: GLAAD reports that they had been invited by CNN to refute yesterday's segment in a broadcast scheduled to air this morning, but CNN canceled at the last minute today.

After extensive conversations with CNN producers and publicity representatives yesterday afternoon and following our blog and twitter action, CNN called GLAAD in the evening, telling us they had received numerous complaints about the segment and inviting us to appear on this morning’s broadcast with Kyra Phillips to discuss our concerns. GLAAD then scheduled a representative to go on CNN but received a phone call from the network at 7 A.M. today telling us they had decided to cancel the segment. They also issued this statement: "By bringing this story to the fore, we engage various advocates from all sides. This story does not end here and CNN will continue to explore other views and positions." Just like the segment itself, CNN’s statement misses the mark and provides no explanation for its actions. GLAAD urges you to help us hold the network accountable.

GLAAD Unveils Media Awards Nominees

Via press release:

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. The GLAAD Media Awards also fund GLAAD's work to amplify stories from the LGBT community and issues that build support for equality.

Among the nominees: Amazon Instant Video's smash hit Transparent; ABC's How to Get Away with Murder; HBO's Game of Thrones, Looking, and The Normal Heart; Academy Award nominee The Imitation Game and Golden Globe nominee Pride; Love is Strange, starring John Lithgow and Alfred Molina; Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word and True Trans with Laura Jane Grace, both documentaries about transgender people; Nickelodeon and The Disney Channel for Nick News with Linda Ellerbee and Good Luck Charlie respectively; To Russia with Love, Oprah Prime, and Outsports.com for interviews with out athletes; MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry; and Sam Smith for his critically acclaimed album In the Lonely Hour.

This year, GLAAD expanded the Outstanding Comedy Series and Drama Series categories from five nominees to a maximum of 10 nominees each. In 2005, GLAAD considered for nomination eight comedy series and 17 drama series with regular LGBT characters. This year, the pool of shows with regular LGBT characters considered for nomination included 52 comedy series and 83 drama series. With over 100 shows including LGBT characters as part of the cast, the number of shows worthy of nomination has also increased. Expanding the number of nominees in these two categories allows GLAAD to recognize more of these outstanding series.

The full list pf nominees is here.

GLAAD: ABC, FX Best For Queers

For the second year running, GLAAD has named ABC as the major television network which has best presented the lives of LGBT people. Among cable channels surveyed, FX was named as best.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today released its second annual GLAAD Network Responsibility Index, a report that maps the quantity, quality and diversity of images of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people on television. Once again, primetime programming on the five broadcast networks was evaluated and, for the first time, original primetime programming on 10 of the highest-rated cable networks was examined as well.

ABC, with shows like Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty, again received the highest ranking of the five broadcast networks; NBC and Fox remained the two lowest-scoring networks, with their LGBT-inclusive hours dropping slightly from the previous season. Among the sampling of cable networks evaluated, FX featured the largest number of LGBT-inclusive hours of original programming, while TNT offered the fewest.

"Time and again we see that what people watch on TV shapes how they view and treat the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people around them," says GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "ABC and FX are leading the way when it comes to telling our stories, showing other networks that including images of our community can go hand in hand with critical and commercial success. This year's GLAAD Network Responsibility Index offers an in-depth examination of where networks excelled and how they can improve, particularly in conveying the diversity of our lives."

The GLAAD Network Responsibility Index is scoring system used to review over 6000 hours of programming. "Each hour was reviewed for any on-screen major or minor LGBT representations. Based on the quantity, overall quality and diversity of these representations, a grade was assigned to each network: Excellent, Good, Adequate, or Failing."

Texas NBC Station Apologizes For Homophobic Viewer Call-In Segment

Calling it "poorly worded at best and inappropriate altogether at worst," the general manager of the Texas NBC affiliate that broadcast yesterday's "Will homosexuals bring about America's destruction?" segment has issued an apology. The story became national news after being posted here on JMG thanks to a tip from a reader in Texas. CORRECTION: The below apology is from the manager of the radio station whose program was simulcast on the television station referenced further down in this post.

There are many issues surrounding homosexuality that are fair game for discussion in the media and in opinion journalism. The proper role, if any, for openly gay individuals in the military, the legitimacy of same-sex marriages and the public behavior by some individuals at gay and lesbian events held outdoors in public view are among topics about which reasonable people may disagree. These and other topics surrounding homosexuality are topics that talk radio hosts and opinion journalists may legitimately pose to their respective audiences.

With that said, the way our Talkback question was posed might be seen as asking, “Do homosexuals, by their very existence, threaten to bring down America?” We believe that such a question, posed in such a manner, is likely to generate more heat than light. I understand how those who either heard, or heard about, KTBB’s Talkback question on Wednesday might have been offended. For the offense that was taken, we sincerely apologize.

GLAAD has gotten involved and convinced the station to remove the offending clip from their site. (My mirror of the clip remains on YouTube.) Additionally GLAAD is working to have Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns appear on the station to talk about homophobia in the media. GLAAD reports that the above-mentioned station manager will go on-air to denounce the piece.

General Manager Dave Tillery has also responded to our request that he appear on-camera to speak on behalf of the station. Dave realizes how important it is that the station acknowledge in front of their viewers what they’ve acknowledged to GLAAD over the phone – that a segment like Wednesday’s has no place on the airwaves of a reputable news organization. Furthermore, Dave plans to acknowledge the potential harm that could be caused by Wednesday’s report and will commit, on behalf of the station, to being more careful in the future. Lastly, KETK is rethinking how they will repackage KTBB Talkback content for future newscasts. KETK General Manager Dave Tillery shared with GLAAD that he will be meeting tomorrow with Paul Gleiser, KTBB’s owner/general manager.

This story isn't over yet, but we've seen quick movement in the right direction thanks to GLAAD and to the readership of this blog who deluged the right parties with complaints.

Layoffs At GLAAD

Citing reduced donations due to the poor economy and the Prop 8 battle, GLAAD has announced staff reductions across all departments.

GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano said that he has not seen actual numbers of positions eliminated, but that "the reduction in force touched all departments." "We looked at the work we're doing and the mission we have and we had to make a strategic plan to make reductions," he said. "Fundraising has slowed dramatically and the non-profit sector is not immune to what's going on, and sometimes we're impacted more."

Giuliano said the election impacted donations to GLAAD. "People were donating to the candidates and also gave a historic amount to fight anti-gay ballot measures," he said. He said the reduction in donations coupled with the financial crisis meant that GLAAD had to make job cuts in order to stay within budget and prepare for 2009. The way I look at it is that it is the responsible thing to do to protect the long-term health of the organization, and be good stewards of the revenue that donors have provided," Giuliano said.

(Via - Washington Blade)

UPDATE: GLAAD public relations director Richard Ferraro writes to clarify the above story:
"The Washington Blade incorrectly reported that Neil Giuliano 'has not seen actual numbers' of positions eliminated. In fact, he was a part of the decision-making process around cost-containment as a member of the Senior Management team. Recommendations were made by this team and decisions made by Neil."

TORONTO: Blue Jays Order Three Day Suspension For "Maricon" Player

GLAAD reports:

Today, the Toronto Blue Jays announced that shortstop Yunel Escobar will work with GLAAD and the You Can Play project, after he was seen with an anti-gay slur written in Spanish on his eye-black over the weekend. The team also announced that Escobar will serve a three-day suspension. GLAAD has been in conversations throughout the day with the team and with Major League Baseball (MLB) about the incident. In announcing Escobar's suspension and intent to work with GLAAD and You Can Play, the team today stated "The Blue Jays want to reaffirm that discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. The club looks forward to supporting the efforts of You Can Play and GLAAD to help promote education for players and fans alike and to help keep language like this out of the game and society."

RELATED: The Toronto Blue Jays are owned by Rogers Communication, the same company that last year fired Sportsnet host Damian Goddard, who then told the world that he was let go because of "a single tweet supporting one-man one-woman marriage." Rogers dismissed that claim as ridiculous, but has refused to discuss the real reason for the firing because "we do not discuss personnel issues with the press." Goddard, who is Catholic, has since become a martyr to and spokesman for Vatican front group NOM and has a case pending before the Canadian Human Rights Commission. He just posted the below tweet. UPDATE: Escobar may have been forcing into working with GLAAD, but he's clearly not quite apologizing. My pal Andres Duque just translated a press conference response.

Kylie Minogue To Perform At GLAAD Awards, George Takei To Be Honored

Kylie Minogue will perform at the GLAAD Media Awards in New York City on May 3rd.  The main honoree that night will be George Takei.

Takei will receive GLAAD's Vito Russo Award, which is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality. Previous Vito Russo honorees include Anderson Cooper, Ricky Martin, Rosie O'Donnell, Alan Cumming, Cynthia Nixon, Nathan Lane, Cherry Jones, Elton John, k.d. lang, and Tom Ford. Over his career, the actor, advocate, social media star and author has remained one of the most outspoken LGBT voices in Hollywood. Since coming out in 2005, he has spoken out on issues including marriage equality, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), so-called "ex-gay therapy" and more. He has worked closely with GLAAD to bring equality to the Boy Scouts and supported GLAAD's Spirit Day campaign to show support for LGBT youth and end anti-LGBT bullying. To Be Takei, a documentary about Takei's life and career, premiered at Sundance in January and is scheduled for a theatrical release this summer.

GLAAD has launched a contest in which the winner will be flown to New York City and seated with Takei at the event.

Tribeca Film Festival Vs. GLAAD, Pt. 2

The Tribeca Film Festival has issued a response to GLAAD's call for the removal of Ticked Off Trannies With Knives from their schedule.

“The filmmakers provided a copy of this film to GLAAD in February, and for weeks the organization had been supportive to the filmmakers. In fact, GLAAD representatives advised the film’s producer, director and cast on how to describe the film to its core constituency. Tribeca is proud of its ongoing commitment to bring diverse voices and stories to its audiences, and looks forward to the film’s premiere at our Festival next month.”

Film review site Movieline piles on.

When, exactly, did GLAAD start delineating between what is acceptable or not acceptable humor within the whole Queer spectrum for whom they advocate? According to their logic, drag as a subject is an OK area for broad satire, because it’s “performing,” but transexualism is not. Well, what if the transexual in question also happens to be a raunchy drag performer, like Dirty Sexy Money star Candis Cayne? Doesn’t the voice of the filmmaker count for something? Are transexuals incapable of laughing at themselves? If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you gonna love someone else? Can I get an amen up in here?! (And don’t f*ck it up.) And even more importantly — isn’t this, like, censorship? Take a cold shower and count downwards from ten, GLAAD. You don’t want to walk down this dark alley. There’s far worse things lurking in it than a couple punnily-named trannies with switchblades.

GLAAD: Tucker Carlson And MSNBC Must Apologize

GLAAD has issued a statement demanding that Tucker Carlson and MSNBC apologize for "remarks made Tuesday night that appear to condone violent assault." As several JMG readers noted in the post below this one, today Carlson issued this statement, written in response to GLAAD's complaint:

Let me be clear about an incident I referred to on MSNBC last night: In the mid-1980s, while I was a high school student, a man physically grabbed me in a men's room in Washington, DC. I yelled, pulled away from him and ran out of the room. Twenty-five minutes later, a friend of mine and I returned to the men's room. The man was still there, presumably waiting to do to someone else what he had done to me. My friend and I seized the man and held him until a security guard arrived.

Several bloggers have characterized this is a sort of gay bashing. That's absurd, and an insult to anybody who has fought back against an unsolicited sexual attack. I wasn't angry with the man because he was gay. I was angry because he
assaulted me.

GLAAD's response:

The statement is not only a failed attempt to justify Carlson's advocacy of violence, but also changes key details of the previous night's on-air story. First, Carlson does not repeat his assertion that he "hit him against the stall with his head," instead changing his story to say that he "seized the man and held him down until a security guard arrived." The security guard element is also newly invented. In his on-air statement, Carlson said that "the cops came and arrested him."

"Carlson's story was difficult to watch on two levels," said GLAAD Senior Director of Media Programs Rashad Robinson. "To see someone brag on national television of returning, with an accomplice, to the scene of an unwanted advance to violently attack the person who made it is incredibly disturbing. But it was also hard to watch because of the sheer absurdity of most of what Carlson was saying."

"Whether Abrams and Scarborough were laughing with Carlson or laughing at him, the fact remains that MSNBC and NBC News have some explaining to do about their standards and practices," Robinson said. "They need to explain whether bragging about physically assaulting a man in response to an unwanted advance is appropriate on-air behavior for one of their employees, and whether laughter by two others is an appropriate on-air response."

GLAAD suggests writing or calling NBC News and MSNBC to demand Carlson's apology and ask if his comments are reflective of network standards and practices.

Allison Gollust
Senior Vice President of Communications, NBC News
allison.gollust@nbcuni.com
212.664.3220

Jeremy Gaines
Vice President of Communications, MSNBC
jeremy.gaines@msnbc.com
201.583.5000

Leslie Schwartz
Director of Media Relations, MSNBC
leslie.schwartz@msnbc.com
201.583.5000

Tucker Carlson
Host, "Tucker"
tucker.carlson@msnbc.com
201.583.5000

GLAAD Takes Over Commercial Closet, Fires Its Founder

In early 2008, GLAAD and the Commercial Closet, the fairness-to-gays advertising advocacy group founded by Michael Wilke, decided to merge. Milke says he thought he was going to continue to a position running the Commercial Closet for GLAAD, but only found this week out via press release that he'd been terminated.

Negotiations for a January 2009 merger had been all but finalized, and in June, Wilke and his editorial director had moved into GLAAD’s New York offices. On Monday, days after learning from his board of directors that the merger had gone through two months ahead of schedule, Wilke says he found out from an article on Advertising Age’s website that he would no longer be with the organization he saw blossom into a full-time venture almost eight years ago. “There wasn’t supposed to be a shutdown,” Wilke told Advocate.com. “That was never planned. I know the board was very concerned about being in the black at the end of the year, so their solution was to cancel our big fund-raiser and to let me go.”

Stephanie Blackwood, who sits on CCA’s board as the vice president and previously served as the associate publisher of The Advocate in the mid 1990s, says the Ad Age article couldn't possibly have been the first Wilke learned of his termination. She says he was let go at a board meeting held on the fourth of November. Wilke had just returned from a 10-day trip to Russia -- a trip Blackwood says she and the rest of the board had to hear about through second party sources. Wilke left for Russia on October 24. While he was gone, Wilke says the board made the decision to dissolve CCA.

Blackwood says the board called an emergency meeting the day Wilke was due to leave the country to discuss financial problems and possible solutions. Wilke didn’t attend. Blackwood says that in Wilke's absence, the board had to move forward with further discussions, but agreed to meet with Wilke upon his return. By the time he got back, Blackwood says the board had already been forced to take "drastic action."

Advocate has a lengthy story about the situation. According to GLAAD, Milke was resisting sharing the financials of Commercial Closet prior to the merger. I attended a Commercial Closet event a couple of years ago, story and photos here. It will be interesting to see how GLAAD moves forward with Wilke's important work.