Anti-gay Bias on Fox News Live Poll on DADT

Conservative media giant Fox News has released a new biased and anti-gay poll on their website regarding Don't Ask Don't Tell. During the legislative debate on repeal of the military's ban on openly gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers there were a number of ridiculous arguments about how lifting the ban will risk national security. Fox News reinforces those absurd notions in their latest "non-scientific" poll.

Fox News asks its website visitors:

"Will Ending 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Affect America's Ability to Defend Itself?"

1. No -- Being gay is about someone's sexual preference, not their patriotism, acceptance of duty and their love of country.

2. Undecided -- We're in a war in Afghanistan, and I'm not sure that this is the right time to undo something that will affect our men and women in combat.

3. Yes -- At the core of an effective military is trust, and allowing a lifestyle that might cause some members of our military to feel uncomfortable cuts to the heart of that trust.

4. Other (post a comment)

Each option is negative towards the LGBT community. Either gay, lesbian and bisexual identity is a preference, it affects troop morale, or it is a lifestyle that makes others uncomfortable.

Feel free to leave the "fair and balanced" news network your opinion...

yourcomments@foxnews.com
Phone Fox News: 1-888-369-4762

Fox News Uses "Attack of the Lesbian Prison Gangs" Scare Tactic Again!

The conservative news giant Fox News is now warning that Lindsay Lohan will face "vicious lesbian gangs" when she goes to jail. This news story titled 'Lesbian Prison Gangs Waiting to Get Hands on Lindsay Lohan, Report Says' first broke in The Sun, and as appalling as it is, atleast The Sun is a tabloid newspaper. Fox News claims to be a legitimate news organization and bills itself "fair and balanced" in their reporting. Also it should be noted that this is not the first time Fox has used the "lesbian gangs" scare tactic which made headlines nationwide until it was debunked.

In the article one inmate is quoted as saying:

"The gay inmates wear their shirts inside out to let others know they are available. So if Lindsay doesn't want someone to grab her ass she'd better keep her shirt on straight. Women grab each other like animals when the guards aren't looking. It's disgusting." (Fox News).

There are several problems with this story.

1. How can a reporter run a story based on one account? How do we know that this person is accurate or telling the truth?
2. Unlike the title which suggests that these gangs wish to rape Lohan, the quote by the inmate suggests that the lesbians will only approach one another if they signal they are interested by reversing their shirts.
3. This article assumes Lindsay would not be interested in other inmates sexually. Lindsay is bisexual and could theoretically desire another female inmate for sex.
4. Lindsay Lohan will be in solitary confinement for her protection and is unlikely to encounter other inmates.

This is just sensational news and scare tactics being used by Fox News to draw misunderstanding and hatred toward the lesbian and broader LGBT community.

yourcomments@foxnews.com
Phone Fox News: 1-888-369-4762

O'Reilly Compares Transgender People to Ewoks

In the legal segment Tuesday evening on Fox New's O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly questions legal analysts Lis Wiehl and Kimberly Guilfoyle on the American Eagle decision to reverse its anti-trans policy.

In the short segment O'Reilly voiced his outrage over the fact that American Eagle caved and now allows "men to dress like women" and "women to dress like men" and to add insult to injury says that "men can now dress like Dolly Parton and be protected." Ms. Wiehl the voice of reason spoke about how gender identity is a protected class in New York state and that the clothing retailer made the right choice.

O'Reilly decided to go even further and raise the ridiculous question over whether "people should be allowed to dress like ewoks?". Wiehl attempted to respond to the insane assertion explaining how gender identity is different, but was cut off by the bullying and overpowering Mr. O'Reilly.



Complaints can be sent to oreilly@foxnews.com.

Family Guy's Transphobic Mother's Day Episode

Family Guy an animated television series on Fox aired an extremely transphobic episode on Mother's Day. The episode called "Quagmire's Dad" was about a big life change for his father, a recognized Navy war hero veteran. The episode is filled with homophobic and transphobic language and judgment.

It starts off with the father coming to town and Quagmire's friends commenting on how "gay" the father seemed, because he exhibited gay stereotypes including an (effeminate voice, desire to entertain, drinks Cosmo's, etc). When Quagmire confronts his dad he admits he admits he is not gay but really a woman trapped inside a man's body.

Quagmire asks for support from the Griffin's, the wife Lois offers that her husband Peter will go to the hospital for the sex change operation. Lois and Peter remark that the whole thing seems "pretty gay" but that it is "obviously weird" and Lois finishes off by telling the two men that they should "enjoy the circus" referring to the hospital visitation.

In the waiting room there is the talk of "he/she" and the "penis being chopped off" an obvious disregard of using correct pronouns and propagation of the myth that transwomen remove their penis.

When Quagmire's father transitions she takes on the name Ida and is invited over to the Griffin's for dinner. She brings a pie but Lois immediately tells her daughter to throw it away. This plays on the irrational fears of interacting with trans people. Over dinner Peter asks the inappropriate question "do you miss your penis?" and asks about the legitimacy of her "knockers".

When Ida meets the Griffin's dog, they develop a relationship. The dog (Brian) is thrilled at meeting a new and wonderful woman but gets disgusted and vomits when he finds out she is transgender.

Real issues came up during the episode which explored issues such as orientation & gender identity, coming out, surgery, and family and societal acceptance of transition. Unfortunately the show misrepresented facts about the transgender experience and instead exploited trans people for a few laughs.

Fox accepts feedback on their shows, please tell them transphobic material does not belong on the air and that they should pull the show.
askfox@fox.com

Fox News Contributor Margaret Hoover Joins the Fight for Marriage Equality

Fox News contributor and lifelong Republican Margaret Hoover has joined a growing list of fellow conservatives who publicly support same-sex marriage. In a blog posting on her site called "Joining the Fight for Marriage Equality" she explains her reason for joining the American Foundation for Equal Rights advisory board.

On a separate Fox News website posting called "Why I’m Joining the Fight for Marriage Equality" she praises conservative icon Ted Olson for taking conservatives in a new direction and urges the party to reconsider their current ideology.

"Republicans were historically the party ever-expanding freedom to disenfranchised minorities, from newly liberated slaves to giving women the right to vote. Susan B. Anthony was a Republican. By supporting the AFER trial we have an opportunity to establish our historic credibility on civil rights issues once again. But we should support marriage equality because it is the right thing to do" (Fox News)

This is another big figure in conservative politics joining the LGBT civil rights movement and she should be applauded and encouraged.

Margaret Hoover can be contacted at margaret@margarethoover.com

Bill O'Reilly Furious Over 'That Gay Guy' Adam Lambert Being on 'Fascinating List'

Fox News political commentator and host of the O'Reilly Factor is furious over the fact that Barbara Walters has chosen American Idol runner up Adam Lambert among her top most fascinating people of the year list. O'Reilly previously made headlines by Dividing American Idol's "Gay" and "Christian" Vote.

In the segment below, O'Reilly takes issue with several of Walter's choice of fascinating people, this list is subjective and he has every right to critique her. The problem arises over the fact that he refers to Lambert as "that gay guy" without giving any credence to his vocal abilities and insisting that he is capitalizing and misbehaving simply because he is gay, and that non-gay people would not engage in those behaviors.



Tell Bill O'Reilly to stop his "culture war" against LGBT Americans:
oreilly@foxnews.com

The Cleveland Show Features Transphobic Episode

The Cleveland Show an animated series spin off of the Family Guy which appears on Fox has created a disgustingly transphobic episode.

The character Auntie Mama a beloved but "outrageous" woman who is overtly sexual and has poor manners is discovered by Cleveland to have a penis. Cleveland immediately declares her a man and feels sick to his stomach over his discovery. Cleveland's father hits on Auntie Mama and has sex with her and Cleveland debates how to tell his dad that "Auntie Mama is really a man" There were many jokes over her gender identity, and her genitalia. Cleveland confronts Auntie Mama and her voice suddenly deepens and she says she pretends to be a woman so that his wife whose mother died can have a feminine influence in her life. Ultimately, both Cleveland and his dad vomit several times to show their overt disgust with finding out that Auntie Mama is trans.

The entire episode can be seen below:



This show is problematic on multiple levels, for one it questions the characters gender identity, it makes fun of gender, and it reinforces the misconception that transgender people are purposefully deceptive.

Contact Fox to let them know your thoughts:
askfox@fox.com

The Cleveland Show on Twitter.

H/T to Bilerico Project.

Fox News Takes Side Against Gay & Trans Inclusive Sex Ed

In a segment called the Fox News 'Medical A Team' hosted by Trace Gallagher the discussion topic centered around a new magazine for teens called Sex Etc. The controversy was around the fact that the sex education magazine was allowed to stay on the shelves of an Iowa library even after 100 parents signed a petition against it.

The panel like most on Fox News, took a completely one sided opinion, that being that sex education has no place, and that it should be simply up to parents. Furthermore the panel takes issue with the queer content.

Dr. David Samadi (Fox News Medical Contributor) says "I'm not sure what kind of transgender information is out there but it is a little bit upsetting"

Followed by a comment from Dr. Cynara Cooner (Fox News Medical Contributor) who asserts that "not every parent wants their child to understand transgender, lesbian and gay issues"

The segment is ended with Dr. Manny Alvarez (Fox News Senior Medical Contributor) who admits that "STD rates are astronomical among teens, but that this type of magazine isn't good"

Tell Fox News that "fair & balanced" means actually representing both sides of a debate, tell them to cover pro-sex education and pro-LGBT doctors and educators.

yourcomments@foxnews.com
Phone Fox News: 1-888-369-4762

So You Think You Can Dance Features Same-Sex Dancers

Fox’s So you Think You Can Dance has featured a same-sex dancing couple Jacob Jason and Willem De Vries on their show. This is a clear turn from the earlier controversy where judge Nigel Lythgoe unfairly criticized same-sex dancing. This show introduced the audience into the world of same-sex ballroom dancing, and showed the raw emotion of the dance partners.



Contact Fox's So You Think You Can Dance to thank them for this segment:

Jason Clark
Vice President, Fox Publicity
Jason.clark@fox.com

Lindsay Luttrell
So You Think You can Dance
(323) 575-6100

Let Tucker Carlson Know Our Families are Not "Controversial"

Tucker Carlson in an interview on Fox & Friends discussing efforts to prevent bullying among youth through age appropriate discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity is calling books, and films about gay families a "controversial subject" and an effort to "push political propaganda." He goes on to say that there is no evidence of violence based on sexual orientation in those early grades.

We know all too well after the murder of twelve year old Lawrence King and others that hatred starts at a young age and anti-gay rhetoric is heavily prevalent among our nations youth.



Taking one day out of a year, or one segment of a lesson to teach about respect, and diversity is not "wasting time" for our kids. Would Tucker also say the same about other identities that are or were deemed "controversial" at some point?

Reading about gay penguins, Heather having two mommies, or watching It's Elementary is far from controversial, it is those who are against this that are , in the words of Mr. Carlson pushing "value judgments and political propaganda."

How ironic that Fox News brings on someone who himself is the perpetrator of anti-gay violence in the past to discuss anti-bullying methods.

Fox & Friends can be contacted via email at friends@foxnews.com

Intersex Bashing on Fox Network

House is a popular medical drama that can be seen on the Fox Network. The program recently featured a storyline about an intersex child. The terms "shemale" and "freak of nature" were used to make reference to the child. The House character is usually seen as offensive and other characters are disapproving, and while the shows effort to discuss intersex issues is important, this sort of language is unacceptable as it perpetrates misunderstanding and violence against intersex and gender variant people.

Demand that Fox stop bashing sexual and gender minorities, and to provide more positive and accurate depictions of intersex people.
askfox@foxinc.com