Amazon has removed books by a ‘gay cure’ conversion therapy author.
Joseph Nicolosi penned a book that spread the dangerous and harmful practice of attempting to ‘cure’ a person’s sexual or gender identity.
He was the co-founder of the National Association of Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) and a prominent leader in the ex-gay movement.
His book, A Parent’s Guide To Preventing Homosexuality, is one of the most well known ‘conversion therapy’ books.
But now, it has been removed from the UK and US versions of Amazon.
Rojo Alan, from Peterborough, wrote to Amazon several times to get the book removed from listings.
He previously went through conversion therapy himself as a young child.
Failing to get the right response, he engaged with others to leave negative reviews on the website. Quickly, the rating fell from four stars to two stars.
‘I looked into the “rules of publishing” on Amazon, to see what sort of things they allow and don’t allow,’ he said.
‘Once I wrapped my head around that I started to look into the laws of conversion therapy. The legal side of things.
‘Once I gathered everything I went back to Amazon and I threw all the information I had at them in several conversations. Yet I was given the same “we will refer this to the relevant team”. Again it felt hopeless and I wasn’t too sure what else I could do.’
But, sure enough, Amazon removed all of the English language books by Nicolosi. It took Alan three months from the first email to removing the books.
‘Huge step’
‘These books were “how to” books,’ Alan told Gay Star News, also describing it as a ‘huge step in the right direction’.
‘These were books that were lying to parents on how they could cure their children from being gay or trans. It’s lying because it’s actually just a form of abuse.
‘The books went into ways in which you can mentally and physically abuse your child.
‘If this helps anyone from being harmed, that would be a good reason to do it.’
He was previously quoted in a documentary: ‘Everyone is heterosexual.’
‘The idea that some people are naturally homosexual, or naturally gay, is just a social construct.’
He also said: ‘So when you have individuals with same-sex attraction, we it as something went wrong developmentally and we try to resolve the issue and put them back on the path toward their natural heterosexuality.’
The World Psychiatric Association has condemned so-called ‘gay cure’ conversion therapy.
The group said they consider sexual orientation to be ‘innate’. They also said it is determined by ‘biological, psychological, developmental and social factors’.
‘WPA believes strongly in evidence-based treatment,’ they also said.
‘There is no sound scientific evidence that innate sexual orientation can be changed.
‘Furthermore, so-called treatments of homosexuality can create a setting in which prejudice and discrimination flourish, and they can be potentially harmful … The provision of any intervention purporting to “treat” something that is not a disorder is wholly unethical.’
As the U.S. — and many other parts of the world — celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall uprising, rainbow flags and LGBTQ-inclusive ad campaigns appear to be omnipresent, especially in big cities. The ubiquity of these Pride campaigns make it easy to forget that this was not always the case. While many point to corporate America’s embrace of LGBTQ inclusivity as a major sign of progress, others believe corporations are coopting the movement.
Advertisements geared toward gay and lesbian consumers began to appear in earnest in the 1970s, inspired in part by the energy of the Stonewall uprising, which is widely considered the spark that fueled the modern LGBTQ movement.
So-called “sin” products, like alcohol and tobacco, were the first marketed to gays. These companies had little or nothing to lose from a potential boycott by the religious right, according to Katherine Sender, a communications professor at Cornell University and author of “Business, Not Politics: The Making of the Gay Market.”
“Now, getting a gay boycott is a much worse thing than getting a boycott from the religious right.”
PROFESSOR KATHERINE SENDER
Absolut vodka was the first brand to build itself with an eye toward the gay market, featuring full-page ads in gay outlets, such as The Advocate. Other alcohol brands like Boodles Gin ran ads in gay publications, but most ad revenue came from local gay bars and businesses.
However, with the exception of Absolut, much of the advertising aimed explicitly at gays came to a halt in the 1980s because of the HIV/AIDS crisis and the stigma surrounding the disease.
Things changed in the 1990s. Marketing surveys, namely the 1988 Simmons Market and the 1990 Overlooked Opinions survey, presented an image of gays and lesbians as an affluent, untapped market. Marketers estimated the total annual income of the gay community at over $500 billion. The surveys, however, were not representative and helped to start what researchers have since described as the “myth of gay affluence.”
In 1994, Ikea launched the first television ad to feature a gay couple. In the commercial, the two men tease each other about their taste in furniture.
“I remember it extremely well, because it was radical,” said Bob Witeck, president of Witeck Communications, a firm specializing in LGBTQ marketing. The couple “behaved in every sense like a married couple, and it was radical because it was normal and natural,” he said.
Not everyone loved the ad. In fact, the backlash was swift and strong. The American Family Association staged a boycott, and an Ikea store in New York received a bomb threat.
That same year, AT&T launched a direct-marketing mail campaign, making them the first US phone company to openly target lesbian and gay customers (MCI ran an earlier campaign, but used suggestive statements and imagery rather than a direct appeal).
“They got a big pushback from the religious right,” Sender said.
Companies remained more focused on gay men, though a notable exception was Subaru. In the late ‘90s, Subaru undertook a very successful lesbian-focused marketing campaign after research revealed its sturdy, practical cars appealed to this demographic. “It’s not a choice, it’s the way we’re built,” a 2000 print ad boasted.
This new interest in the “pink dollar” coincided with a massive increase in gay and lesbian visibility in the media. Ellen came out on TV in 1997, which Sender called “a massive deal.” Shows like “The L Word,” “Queer as Folk” and “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” ushered images and information about gays and lesbians into homes across the country.
Despite the increased visibility and a number of successful ad campaigns, even into the early 2000s mainstream companies still risked a backlash for gay and lesbian inclusivity, according to Sender. Many companies were still afraid to be labeled as selling a “gay product.” Representation of transgender people was almost always negative, relying on transphobic tropes of deceit or mistaken identity, according to Sender’s research.
FROM THE GAY MARKET TO THE LGBTQ MARKET
Rich Ferraro, chief communications officer at GLAAD, a national LGBTQ media advocacy organization, has been consulting on LGBTQ images in advertising since 2008. He sees a very different media landscape today.
“The backlash that once occurred if a brand had LGBTQ marketing campaigns is no longer,” Ferraro wrote in an email. “For instance, fringe organizations like Family Research Council, National Organization for Marriage and One Million Moms would start petitions (which never really reached large numbers), but now they do not.”
Chloe Pultar, right, slides down the Tinder Pride Slide in support of Equality Act kicking off WorldPride at Flatiron Plaza on June 24, 2019 in New York City.Michael Loccisano / Getty Images
Sender agreed, saying, “Now, getting a gay boycott is a much worse thing than getting a boycott from the religious right.”
More and more companies are engaging in LGBTQ-inclusive advertising, Ferraro said. “Categories have exploded — spirits and travel were typically leaders in LGBTQ-inclusive campaigns, but now it’s retail, cars, banking and financial services, food and beverages, youth-oriented brands,” he explained.
Witeck said “there is probably no more efficient way to say we are a contemporary brand” than to make your ad campaigns LGBTQ-inclusive.
For legacy brands, like Coca Cola, they must always be refreshed and made relevant, Witeck added. “LGBTQ marketing is an effective way to say, ‘We get it. We look and talk and act like we are in the 21st century.’”
However, Sender said that LGBTQ consumers are not only looking for inclusion in campaigns, but are holding companies accountable in their employment and production practices.
“Now, people are asking more questions, particularly around transgender polices and health care,” she said.
“What constitutes the responsibility of the advertising companies is expanding in ways that are really quite powerful,” Sender added, noting that consumers are asking questions like, “Are they buying products or services or in countries that have extremely bad policies and legal enforcement around LGBTQ people?”
Because of their resources, companies are also in a position to exert powerful political influence if they want to. Witeck mentioned the corporate boycotts of North Carolina after the passage of HB2 (the so-called “bathroom bill) that helped to precipitate its repeal and major companies’ outspoken support for transgender equality.
While historically there has been much less representation of transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals, this year examples of such campaigns abound: Raquel Willis for Express on a Times Square billboard, Gillette’s commercial featuring a young trans man and his dad, and Uber running a campaign featuring trans, genderqueer and bisexual pride flags.
“Traditionally, one or two campaigns are inclusive of transgender people, now it is a norm,” Ferraro said.
GAY INC.
Kristin Comeforo, associate professor of communications at Hartford College, worries that advertisers often take a “check-the-box approach” to the inclusion of gender and racial diversity, rather than a genuine engagement with intersectional experiences.
She also worries that corporate sponsorship can silence the voices of LGBTQ people who face intersectional marginalization.
Sender agreed, noting that “the 50th anniversary of Stonewall is such a big deal everyone wants a piece of that.” As a result, she added, Pride marches have become “a party for everybody.”
“What gets left behind are the very real struggles of LGBTQ people in this country — trans people in particular and people of color facing multiple layers of discrimination,” she added. “This ‘party’ suggests that being gay is just an excuse to have a lovely time, but there is still a long way to go.”
Mastercard has announced that it will allow trans and non-binary people to use their chosen names on plastic payment cards.
The True Name card will apply to credit, debit and prepaid cards used by trans and non-binary people.
The move is part of the bank’s initiative to support LGBTI rights. It aims to combat issues trans and non-binary individuals have experienced while using payment cards.
Many have spoken about feelings of fear and anxiety when they hand over payment cards which carry their birth or dead names.
Mastercard is not the first to implement changes designed to help trans or non-binary people.
In recent years, a number of businesses in the US have begun making changes to support, or accommodate for, the trans community.
‘The name on their credit, debit or prepaid card does not reflect their true identity’
Mastercard announced the True Name card at the New York City Commission on Human Rights on Monday (17 June).
‘We are working with partners to create a product, as well as a sensitive and private process free of personal questions, that will allow for true names, not deadnames, to appear on cards without the requirement of a legal name change,’ the statement says.
‘This will ease a major pain point for the transgender and non-binary community.
‘For many in the LGBTQIA+ community, the name on their credit, debit or prepaid card does not reflect their true identity.’ the statement adds.
‘As a result, for the transgender and non-binary communities in particular, the card in their pocket can serve as a source of sensitivity, misrepresenting their true identity when shopping and going about daily life.’
The move’s announcement was accompanied by a video. The video shows trans and non-binary people discussing the difficulties they experienced while using credit cards with their birth names.
People in the video describe having ‘moments of anxiety and moments of panic’ when handing over their payment cards.
‘It puts me in a place where I feel like I’m in danger,’ one of the participants says.
At the end of the video, the participants are given payment cards which have their chosen names.
Businesses making changes
Numerous businesses have begun making changes or expressing support for the trans community.
Last November, over 50 of the biggest businesses in the US signed a pledge to stand in solidarity with the trans community.
This follows a number of anti-trans policies which have been implemented or proposed under US President Donald Trump.
Since Trump took office in January 2017, his administration has made various moves to roll-back the rights of trans people.
This includes a ban on trans individuals serving in the US military. There have also been moves to curtail the rights of trans students and trans prisoners.
In an about-face, YouTube announced it would start removing channels promoting extreme views. This included reversing a decision about right-wing commentator Steven Crowder.
The video platform has recently received a slew of criticism for its handling of the Crowder situation.
It all began when YouTube announced an investigation into Crowder after journalist Carlos Maza claimed Crowder was targeting him with racist and homophobic harassment.
A few days later, YouTube said Crowder’s videos did not violate its harassment policies.
All of that changed on Wednesday (5 June) with a new policy change from the company.
YouTube bans extremism
The company said in a blog post it would be banning video ‘alleging that a group is superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion based on qualities like age, gender, race, caste, religion, sexual orientation or veteran status’.
‘This would include, for example, videos that promote or glorify Nazi ideology, which is inherently discriminatory,’ the post continued.
‘Finally, we will remove content denying that well-documented violent events, like the Holocaust or the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, took place.’
While they did not name any specific channels, numerous right-wing people reportedly began complaining their videos had been deleted, according to the New York Times.
Crowder was one of the casualties of this policy change.
YouTube updated its Twitter thread about Crowder, writing its management decided to suspend the channel’s monetization.
‘We came to this decision because a pattern of egregious actions has harmed the broader community and is against our YouTube Partner Program policies,’ the company wrote.
Google employees unhappy
YouTube is a subsidiary of Google, and employees of the parent company are reportedly pushing back against YouTube’s whisplashing decisions.
‘Not everyone will agree with the calls we make — some will say we haven’t done enough; others will say we’ve gone too far,’ YouTube said in an expanded statementon Crowder.
‘In the subsequent days, we saw the widespread harm to the YouTube community resulting from the ongoing pattern of egregious behavior, took a deeper look, and made the decision to suspend monetization,’ it said.
‘In order to be considered for reinstatement, all relevant issues with the channel need to be addressed, including any videos that violate our policies, as well as things like offensive merchandise.’
Despite the reversal, Google employees are starting to use the hashtag #NoPrideInYT on Twitter.
Sources told BuzzFeed News a petition began circulating within Google ‘demanding that management remove pride branding from its public social media accounts’. Employees reportedly find the Pride branding — things like rainbow logos — hypocritical in the face of YouTube’s handling of Crowder.
Escalating the fight over Chick-fil-A’s religious rights, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued San Antonio on Monday as part of his investigation into the city’s decision to reject the chicken chain as an airport vendor.
The lawsuit, filed in state district court in Travis County, seeks a court order requiring San Antonio to turn over emails and other internal communications in which council members and city employees discussed the Chick-fil-A contract with each other and outsiders.
On Monday, Paxton repeated allegations that San Antonio politicians had engaged in religious discrimination, adding that Chick-fil-A’s leaders are “well-known for their personal belief in the Christian faith and traditional understanding of marriage.”
Last month both chambers of the Texas legislature passed the so-called “Save Chick-Fil-A” bill which would ban local governments from taking “any adverse action” against businesses based on their support for a religious group. Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign the bill. Also last month the Trump administration’s FAA opened its own probe.
YouTube have insisted that a right-wing influencer who targeted a journalist for years with homophobia did not violate the website’s hate speech policies.
Carlos Maza, a videographer for US news site Vox, publicly complained about the persistent abuse from a right-wing YouTuber, Steven Crowder.
The Twitter thread went viral, prompting the Google-owned platform to review Maza’s claims. However, the company concluded that Crowder’s comments did not violate guidelines.
What happened?
In a winding Twitter thread posted last week (31 May), Maza sketched out a situation that has spanned years involving homophobic and racist epithets thrown in videos.
This included when the host attacked Maza as a ‘gay Mexican,’ ‘lispy queer,’ and a ‘token Vox gay atheist sprite.’
‘Since I started working at Vox,’ Maza wrote, ‘Steven Crowder has been making video after video “debunking” Strikethrough.
‘Every single video has included repeated, overt attacks on my sexual orientation and ethnicity.
‘I’ve been called an anchor baby, a lispy queer, a Mexican, etc. These videos get millions of views on YouTube.
‘Every time one gets posted, I wake up to a wall of homophobic/racist abuse on Instagram and Twitter.’
Moreover, Mazos compiled an extensive report cataloguing Crowder’s actions, including a compilation video, and the times he had red flagged it to YouTube. Crowder, who has over three million subscribers, is also behind the ‘socialism for fags’ t-shirts.
‘Videos […] posted don’t violate our policies’
The pressure piled online, spurring YouTube to issue a public statement on Twitter.
YouTube said: ‘Thanks again for taking the time to share all of this information with us. We take allegations of harassment very seriously–we know this is important and impacts a lot of people.
‘Our teams spent the last few days conducting an in-depth review of the videos flagged to us, and while we found language that was clearly hurtful, the videos as posted don’t violate our policies.’
However, YouTube’s harassment an cyberbullying policy explicitly bars ‘content that makes hurtful and negative comments/videos about another person.’
In addition, the twitter account added: ‘As an open platform, it’s crucial for us to allow everyone–from creators to journalists to late-night TV hosts–to express their opinions w/in the scope of our policies.
‘Opinions can be deeply offensive, but if they don’t violate our policies, they’ll remain on our site.’
Harassment is ‘never ok’
Furthermore, a Google spokesperson gave Gay Star News background behind the investigation.
They explained that, in the videos flagged by Maza, ‘Crowder has not instructed his viewers to harass Maza on YouTube or any other platform and the main point of these videos was not to harass or threaten, but rather to respond to the opinion.’
But while the company did not directly comment on Crowder or his followers’ activity, they did express that ‘certain behavior,’ such as ‘doxxing’ and ‘encouraging viewers to harass,’ is ‘never ok.’
Carlos Maza slams YouTube
Following the investigation, Mazos hit out at the site.
He said: ‘I don’t know what to say. YouTube has decided not to punish Crowder, after he spent two years harassing me for being gay and Latino.
‘To be crystal clear: YouTube has decided that targeted racist and homophobic harassment does not violate its policies against hate speech or harassment.
‘That’s an absolutely bats**t policy that gives bigots free license.’
Moreover, Maza called out at the platform for sporting a rainbow-striped logo to celebrate Pride month.
Bud Light has released a limited-edition rainbow coloured aluminium bottle to raise funds for GLAAD to celebrate World Pride.
The bottles will be available in bars across the United States during the month of June, and Bud Light will donate $1 to GLAAD for each case sold up to $150,000.
Bud Light debuted the bottles at the GLAAD Media Awards, which took place last weekend in New York City. The campaign marks the latest in a 20 year partnership between Bud Light and GLAAD.
Bud Light is ‘for everyone to enjoy’
Andy Goeler, vice president of marketing for Bud Light, said the company has been supporting the LGBT+ community since the 1980s.
“The way we see it, our beer is for everyone to enjoy, so we are looking forward to seeing Pride bottles at bars throughout the month of June and beyond,” he said.
“With the release of these new bottles, we hope to create something that everyone can feel proud to hold during Pride month that also makes a positive impact for GLAAD’s initiatives and the LGBTQ+ community overall.”
“The way we see it, our beer is for everyone to enjoy, so we are looking forward to seeing Pride bottles at bars throughout the month of June and beyond.”
– Vice president of marketing for Bud Light, Andy Goeler
Meanwhile, Zeke Stokes, chief programs officer for GLAAD, welcomed the initiative.
‘Bud Light stood with the community at a time when many brands did not’
“For twenty consecutive years, Bud Light has partnered with GLAAD in its mission to accelerate acceptance of LGBTQ people.
“Bud Light stood with the community at a time when many brands did not, and their continued outspoken support sets the bar for other global brands.”
The bottles will make an appearance at The Governors Ball Music Festival in New York City.
Limited edition bottle released to raise funds for GLAAD and to mark World Pride
This is not the first time the beer brand has come out in support of the LGBT+ community. In 2013, the company supported the introduction of same-sex marriage in the US.
In 2016, the company released an advert which featured Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen which celebrated same-sex marriage.
A number of brands have appealed to the LGBT+ community with pride themed goods
A number of brands have tapped into Pride in recent years. Last month, beer company DC Brau announced that they will be releasing a limited edition can that honours Marsha P. Johnson for Washington DC Pride.
Johnson was an Arican-American transgender woman and drag performer who played a key role in the 1969 Stonewall Riots.
Meanwhile, Converse last month announced the release of its Pride collection for 2019. The soles of the shoes feature the rainbow colours, and the shoe also features the transgender flag colours.
According to a new survey of LGBTI attitudes in the US workplace, nearly half of all LGBTI employees fear being out will hurt their careers.
Glassdoor, a website specializing in workplace reviews, published the survey on Thursday (30 May).
The Harris Poll conducted the survey from 26 April – 6 May on behalf of Glassdoor, speaking to 6,104 US adults. A total of 515 identified themselves as LGBTI and employed in the survey.
Ultimately, respondents reported witnessing anti-LGBTI attitudes in the workplace, which affects their own anxieties about being out.
Bad attitudes lead to bad workplaces for LGBTI employees
Attitudes are different between LGBTI and non-LGBTI employees, which affect perceptions and feelings.
Over half (53%) of all LGBTI respondents said they’ve experienced or heard anti-LGBTI comments, while only 30% of non-LGBTI respondents reported the same.
Jesus Suarez, Glassdoor’s LGBTQ and Ally Employee Group Leader, stated: ‘Any employer that chooses to ignore implementing supportive working environments and policies risk missing out on hiring quality talent.’
Similarly, 70% of LGBTI employees said they would not apply to a company that doesn’t support its LGBTI staff. 46% of all employed adults (both LGBTI and non-LGBTI) said the same.
These environments — hearing negative comments and stress about company policies — affect LGBTI workers.
Nearly half (47%) said they believe being out would hurt their careers. The makeup of LGBTI employees who are out and not are close — 57% say they feel ‘fully’ out, while 43% said they are not.
What can be done
Naturally, LGBTI employees are more likely (68%) than non-LGBTI employees (48%) to believe their companies can do better. There is evidence to suggest this is true.
‘Still today, 26 states do not protect LGBTQ employees at work,’ said Suarez.
‘Many employers have an opportunity to build or strengthen the foundation for an inclusive culture that encourages employees to bring their full selves to work.’
This reality further highlights the importance of things like the Equality Act, which, if passed, would provide federal protections for people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity in numerous locations, including the workplace.
Clothing giant Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) has expanded its relationship with a leading LGBTI youth organization.
For the next year A&F will broaden its relationship with The Trevor Project. It is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTI young people.
This year’s partnership will expand the relationship since A&F began supporting the Trevor Project in 2010.
The expanded partnership will include participation at events such as the Pride Parade in NYC, proceeds up to $100,000 of sales from select A&F collections, and a customer round-up campaign in all U.S. stores and online.
‘Abercrombie & Fitch is honored to grow our partnership with The Trevor Project, as it works to meet the needs of LGBTQ youth with its vital crisis intervention and suicide prevention services,’ said Kristin Scott, president, Global Brands at Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
‘Trevor’s work touches many of our customers’ lives daily, and we are optimistic that by expanding our partnership, we can help increase the reach and impact of Trevor’s important work.’
Since the launch of the partnership A&F has raised more than $600,000. Last year, donations went to training digital crisis counselors. This allowed the Trevor Project more reach more than 1.5 million LGBTI youth.
The 2019 expanded partnership comes as the LGBTI community prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.
‘We are grateful for Abercrombie & Fitch’s dedication to The Trevor Project’s mission to end suicide among LGBTQ youth,’ said Amit Paley, CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project.
‘Abercrombie & Fitch understands the need to help LGBTQ youth in crisis is year-round. We look forward to working together to engage the brand and its loyal customers in support of our life-saving mission.’
In the report, the orgainsation noted that companies’ will experience increased profits and productivity states where LGBTI-inclusivity is supported.
It adds that states where LGBTI communities are marginalized can suffer economically as a result.
The survey measured all 50 states on factors such as economic, legislative, culture and wellbeing. They also measured the states on hate crime protection, work safety, and the attitudes of political leaders.
‘Societal marginalization of LGBT+ people has real and serious economic costs’
After Massachusetts, California came in at second place. They were followed by Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Oregon, with Hawai and New York tied at seventh place.
The bottom states were Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Dakota, South Carolina, and Mississippi.
‘Societal marginalization of LGBT+ people – which can often be subtle and hard to measure – has real and serious economic costs,’ Out Leadership said in their report.
‘Major legislative efforts to extend further legal discrimination, such the Religious Freedom Restoration (RFRA) law Mike Pence signed in Indiana in 2016, and North Carolina’s passage of the HB2 “Bathroom Bill,” damaged those states’ reputations for being business-friendly and harmed tourism, resulting in significant economic losses.
‘But discrimination doesn’t need to be headline news to be harmful, or to create real economic hardship for LGBT+ people.’
In contrast, the reverse was found in LGBTI-friendly states.
‘Research demonstrates that companies where LGBT+ people are supported enjoy increased profitability and stock prices as well as increased employee productivity,’ the report added.
‘Our index suggests that a similar relationship exists on a state policy level, and that states that aim to make LGBT+ people more welcome and included legally and culturally will experience significant rewards for doing so, particularly in terms of residents’ well-being and productivity.’
Massachusetts, the top-ranked state
Massachusetts has made numerous headlines regarding the state’s LGBTI inclusivity.
