GLAAD's "The Best and Worst of National News"
January 2008

1) The New York Times Highlights Gay Teenagers Finding Acceptance and Community

Journalists often report on the lives of gay teenagers by talking with education experts. In a refreshing change of pace, New York Times parenting columnist Michael Winerip let gay teenagers and their supportive parents speak for themselves in his Dec. 16 article "For Gay Teenagers, Hope in Numbers." Winerip's column sensitively shared the stories of several teenagers and parents who found overwhelming support and community at the PrideWorks Conference--a convention of gay-straight alliance clubs from schools in the Hudson Valley area outside of New York City. "When I first walked in, I felt like crying," said openly gay 14-year-old Brian Lindley. "So many people were meeting so many people for the first time." Winerip's moving article not only spotlighted the importance of gay-straight alliance clubs in public schools but also educated readers about the increasing availability of vital support groups for gay teenagers and their allies.

READ STORY:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/16Rparenting.html

TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD encourages you to contact Michael Winerip and The New York Times to thank them for highlighting the stories of gay teenagers and their parents.

CONTACT: parenting@nytimes.com

2) The New York Times Shares Powerful Stories of Gay Muslim Immigrants in Berlin

In 2007, several leading newspapers provided a great service by educating readers about the oft-overlooked struggles of gay Muslims to live their lives openly and proudly. The New York Times continued this important trend with an excellent story by Nicholas Kulish about the creation of an accepting community for LGBT Muslim immigrants in Berlin. In the Jan. 1 article "Gay Muslims Pack a Dance Floor of Their Own," Kulish reported about Gayhane, a monthly club night that provides LGBT Muslims living in Germany with the opportunity to embrace not only their LGBT identities but also their immigrant cultures. Kulish's article provided compelling portraits of several attendees of Gayhane--which means "home" in Turkish--and revealed the sad reality that the monthly event allows many LGBT Muslims the only chance to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity without fearing discrimination or violence from their families and neighbors.

READ STORY:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/01/world/europe/01berlin.html?ref=world

TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD encourages you to contact Nicholas Kulish and The New York Times to commend them for highlighting the lives of gay Muslim immigrants in Berlin.

CONTACT: letters@nytimes.com

3) The Denver Post Draws Attention to Immigration Inequalities for Gay and Lesbian Families

Last month, GLAAD commended reporter Lisa Kennedy for richly covering the lives of LGBT elders for The Denver Post's excellent “Gay in America” series. On Dec. 31, The Denver Post's series yet again featured an exceptionally instructive and remarkably reported article by Kennedy. In "Immigration law divides gay couples," Kennedy explored how immigration law threatens gay and lesbian families by denying gay Americans the opportunity to sponsor their foreign-born partners for permanent residence. While providing a thorough background on immigration law, Kennedy also shared the stories of gay and lesbian partners forced by this legal discrimination to make the grueling choice between living far apart from the person they love or uprooting their lives and moving to a country with inclusive immigration laws. Reporting from Mexico, Scotland, and England, Kennedy profiled three couples who have faced this choice. Additionally, Kennedy discussed the possibility of legislation that would provide gay and lesbian couples an equal chance at keeping their families together in the United States. "As an American who has been concerned about equality and justice, I'd like the right to live there," said Gordon Stewart, who moved to London from New York to be united with his partner.

READ STORY:
http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_7833870?source=commented-news

TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD encourages you to contact Lisa Kennedy and The Denver Post to thank them for again providing an exceptionally rich article about the lives of gay Americans.

CONTACT: lkennedy@denverpost.com

4) Newsweek Spotlights the Struggle for Hospital Visitation Rights for Gay and Lesbian Partners

Along with The Denver Post, Newsweek powerfully explored the devastating ways that inequalities in the law impact the lives of LGBT Americans. Newsweek.com reporter J. Michael Kennedy focused the Dec. 21 article "Altered Lives" on the work of Seattle resident Charlene Strong to ensure that LGBT people will not face the tragic inequality that she experienced. Kennedy's piece recounted how Strong was prevented by Washington state law in Dec. 2006 from being in the emergency room with her dying partner, Kate Fleming, without the consent of Fleming's family. After Fleming passed away, Strong shared her wrenching story with state lawmakers, playing a crucial role in the passage of a landmark domestic partnership bill. That bill, now signed into law, in part provides equal hospital visitation rights for Washington State’s gay and lesbian families. By spotlighting Strong's unforgettable story and chronicling her continuing mission for equality, Kennedy provided Newsweek's readers with a valuable education about the rights still denied to thousands of gay and lesbian families in emergency medical situations due to the unequal laws of many states.

READ STORY:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/81305

TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD encourages you to contact J. Michael Kennedy and Newsweek to thank them for spotlighting Charlene Strong's work to achieve equal hospital visitation rights for LGBT Americans.

CONTACT: letters@newsweek.com

THE WORST

1) The Wall Street Journal Offers Poorly Reported Opinion Piece on Transgender Equality

On Dec. 28, The Wall Street Journal's Opinion Journal featured a piece titled "Crossing Over" that questioned the strides transgender people have made against discrimination. Since author Naomi Schaeffer Riley enjoys an influential media platform to express her opinions, she should have taken the time to actually speak with transgender Americans and find out how anti-discrimination laws affect their ability to live with dignity and freedom. Instead, Riley challenged the transgender equality movement while completely overlooking the actual perspectives and experiences of transgender people. Riley simply pulled material--including the offensive quote "What will prevent the 250-pound linebacker from deciding he wants to share the locker room with the cheerleaders?"-- from previous news stories, failing to conduct any original interviews or in-depth research. As a result, her piece contained unacceptable factual errors, such as her incorrect identification of transgender activist Pauline Park as male. It is irresponsible that Riley did not make any effort to accurately report on and understand the lives of transgender people before penning an opinion criticizing their struggle for equal rights.

READ STORY:
http://opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110011050

TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD encourages you to contact Naomi Schaefer Riley and The Wall Street Journal and ask them to reach out to the transgender community before publishing articles judging their strides against discrimination.

CONTACT: feedback@wsj.com