Snapshots of Our Work

Snapshots of Our Work provides you with weekly updates on the work of GLAAD in its different programmatic areas.

Week of July 20, 2009

GLAAD Helps Spotlight Guilty Verdict in Trial Involving Killing of Lateisha Green

7/20/2009

Late last week a jury handed down a verdict in the trial involving the killing of Lateisha (Teish) Green, the 22-year-old African American transgender woman, who was shot and killed on November 14, 2008 in Syracuse, N.Y. The jury found 20-year old Dwight Delee guilty of manslaughter in the first degree as a hate crime. The verdict is the first hate crime conviction for the death of a transgender person in New York. Dwight Delee was found guilty of manslaughter in the first degree as a hate-crime based on his perception of Lateisha Green’s sexual orientation.

GLAAD Senior Media Field Strategist Andy Marra was on the ground throughout the trial in Syracuse, N.Y. working closely with Lateisha Green’s family, numerous media outlets and alongside our sister organizations the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund and the Empire State Pride Agenda. Marra worked to ensure that all media coverage of this case was fair, accurate and inclusive. GLAAD also released a statement and provided resources for numerous stories about the verdict and helped Lateisha Green’s family craft a response statement. We also featured the story on GLAADBlog and will continue urging media to shine a spotlight on violence against LGBT people and the need for inclusive hate crimes legislation.

RELATED LINKS:
“GLAAD Statement on Guilty Verdict in the Killing of Lateisha Green”
GLAAD.org— July 17, 2009
http://www.glaad.org/Page.aspx?pid=829

“BREAKING NEWS: Jury Finds Dwight DeLee Guilty of Manslaughter in the First Degree as a Hate Crime in Lateisha Green Case”
GLAADBlog— July 17, 2009
http://glaadblog.org/2009/07/17/breaking-news-jury-finds-dwight-delee-guilty-of-manslaughter-in-the-first-degree-as-a-hate-crime-in-lateisha-green-case/

MEDIA COVERAGE:
“Guilty of Manslaughter”
WSYR – ABC9: Syracuse – July 17, 2009
http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?
videoid=270166@wixt.dayport.com&navCatId=5

“DeLee Guilty of Hate Crime”
WSTM – NBC3: Syracuse – July 17, 2009
http://www.cnycentral.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=326000

“NY Man Guilty of Hate Crime in Transgender Slaying”
The Associated Press – July 17, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM
5jytMsmSEv8Z2IFcV40Oo3mKLhdjQD99GA31G0

“Conviction in Shooting Death of Transgender Woman”

The Los Angeles Times – July 18, 2009
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-
transgender18-2009jul18,0,2233040.story

“DeLee Found Guilty in Trans Killing”
Advocate.com – July 17, 2009
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid99146.asp

STAFF CONTACTS:
Andy Marra, Senior Media Strategist, (646) 871-8026, marra@glaad.org
Cindi Creager, Director of National News, (646) 871-8019, creager@glaad.org

GLAAD Condemns Inflammatory News Coverage on KBAK-TV

7/20/2009

After community members in Bakersfield, CA filed incident reports about a story airing on CBS affiliate KBAK-TV about men having sex with men in public parks that legitimized dangerous stereotypes about the gay community, GLAAD contacted the station. GLAAD shared concerns that the script perpetuated harmful stereotypes and created a climate of paranoia by painting gay men as a threat to public safety. The story also reinforced stereotypes that can lead to anti-gay discrimination and used unacceptable terminology - which violated Associated Press style guidelines – to describe the gay community.

GLAAD urged California members to write or call contacts at the station to express concerns about the story and ask them to work with GLAAD to ensure that future news coverage that affects our community adheres to basic standards of fairness.

RELATED LINK:
GLAAD Call to Action - July 14, 2009
http://www.glaad.org/Page.aspx?pid=825.

STAFF CONTACT:
Dannie Tillman, Director of Field and Community Media, (323) 634-2012, tillman@glaad.org

GLAAD Prepares West Virginia Family to Tell Their Story

7/20/2009

15-year-old Nick Donat was at his annual 4H Summer Camp when several fellow teenaged campers cornered him, and for an hour and a half harassed him for being gay. Nick called his mother, Valera, for help. Disappointed with the response of camp counselors and other officials, Valera reached out to GLAAD for help in telling her son’s story. GLAAD helped Valera and Nick with interview preparation, and provided reporters with the GLAAD Media Reference Guide in advance of an interview that appeared on Friday, July 17th on West Virginia’s WSAZ. The West Virginia hate crime statute does not include sexual orientation as a protected class.

MEDIA COVERAGE:
“Mother: Gay Son Suffered Brutal Harassment at Camp”
WSAZ – July 17, 2009
http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/51064322.html#

STAFF CONTACT:
Adam Bass, Senior Media Strategist, (323) 634-2018, bass@glaad.org

GLAAD Assists with Media in Episcopal Church Equality Stories

7/20/2009

The Episcopal Church began a new chapter of equality on July 15 as its delegates and bishops voted overwhelmingly to open the door to ordination for LGBT people.

GLAAD staff worked with The Episcopal Church’s LGBT Integrity group leading up to the convention to provide up-to-date information to religion journalists. Rev. Susan Russell, president of Integrity USA and a GLAAD trained media spokesperson, discussed the momentous decision and LGBT inclusive faith with several media outlets. Additionally, The Desert Sun quoted the Reverend Kevin Johnson, GLAAD trained spokesperson and president of the national LGBT Methodist group, Church Within a Church, who spoke to the dramatic shift in the Episcopal Church and to the continuing need to heal the wounds of exclusion.

GLAAD staff also highlighted Integrity’s expansive on-line new-media work through glaadblog.org and Twitter.com/glaad.

RELATED LINKS:
“The Episcopal Church Says “YES” to Ordination for Gays”
glaadBLOG - July 18, 2009
http://glaadblog.org/category/religion-faith-values/

MEDIA COVERAGE:
“Episcopals Opening Fold to Gay Clergy”
The Desert Sun – July 17, 2009
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20090717/NEW
S01/907170309/1006/news01

“Episcopal Church moves to accept more gays and lesbians”
CNN.com – July 18, 2009
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/14/episcopal.gays/

“Will Episcopal Church move draw in or drive out believers?”
USA Today – July 18, 2009
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/religion/post/
2009/07/68494351/1

STAFF CONTACT:
Ann Craig, Director of Religion, Faith & Values, (646) 871-8020, craig@glaad.org

GLAAD Pitches Story of Gay Couple in Utah Story to Mainstream Media

7/20/2009

When 25-year-old Derek Jones blogged about harassment he faced along with his boyfriend Matt Aune for kissing on the Mormon Church-owned Main Street Plaza in Salt Lake City, GLAAD reached out to the couple. In addition to supporting the couple in telling their story, GLAAD pitched the blog posting as a potential story to both The Salt Lake Tribune and the Associated Press. Local leaders in Salt Lake City have staged two “kiss-in” demonstrations to support the couple since the incident. The events have gained widespread media attention after those initial reports.

MEDIA COVERAGE:
“Trespassing case? Gay couple detained after kiss near LDS temple”
The Salt Lake Tribune – July 11, 2009
http://www.sltrib.com/justice/ci_12811907

RELATED LINK:
“Gay Couple Detained for Kissing”
glaadBLOG - July 15, 2009
http://glaadblog.org/2009/07/15/gay-couple-detained-for-kissing/

STAFF CONTACT:
Adam Bass, Senior Media Strategist, (323) 634-2018, bass@glaad.org

ResourcesHome Publications Resource Kits Announcing Equality Best & Worst of National News Talking About Series Unmasking "Ex-Gay" Activists Stories to Watch Snapshots of Our Work Multimedia Clips
Attend & Support GLAAD Thank GLAAD It's Friday - Seattle GLAAD Manhattan Thank GLAAD It's Friday - Chicago GLAAD Provincetown GLAAD Media Awards in Advertising PublicationsMedia Reference Guide, 8th Edition Network Responsibility IndexResourcesAnnouncing Equality Be an Ally & a Friend Pride Guide 2010 Talking About Series