TODAY'S SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, AUG. 23
Breakfast
9:30AM-10:45AM
Breakout Sessions
9:30AM-10:45AM
Breakout Sessions
11:00AM-12:15AM
Lunch Plenary
12:30PM-2:00PM
Breakout Sessions
2:15PM-3:30PM
Closing Session
3:45PM-5:15PM
Authors' Café
3:45PM-5:45PM
Not-So-Silent Auction
6:45PM-8:45PM
View the full schedule here
TODAY'S WEATHER
WHAT IS NLGJA?
Find out more about NLGJA at the official website.
SPONSORS
Thanks to the sponsors of this year's student projects:
MENTORS
A big thanks to our mentors:Brett Zongker
The Associated Press
Caroline K. Hauser
The Washington Post
Mark S. Luckie
Entertainment Weekly
Larry M. Shaw
ABC
Dennis M. Powell
ABC
Doug Mitchell
NPR
LATEST NEWS
Ex-gay movement: 'misinformation' and 'money making'
by David Reinbold
Do people have absolute control over their sexual orientations? Is reparative therapy OK? Can a person "switch" themselves from gay to straight through the power of prayer?
Friday's panel at "Pray Away the Gay" aims to provide insight and answer questions. The 9:30 a.m. panel will feature: Wayne Besen, founder of Truth Wins Out; Jack Drescher, psychiatrist/psychoanalyst and David Foucher, CEO/publisher, EDGE. Eric Hegedus, page designer for the New York Post, will serve as moderator for the panel.
"It'll be an interesting panel because this issue mixes journalism, religion, sex, politics – all the stuff you're not supposed to talk about at the dinner table," Besen said. "This panel promises all of that and more."
According to Besen, the ex-gay movement has been around for as long as prejudice and discrimination.
"Wherever you face social repercussions, people will try to fit in for love and acceptance," he said.
Besen and Drescher believe the modern ex-gay movement originated around the latter part of the '90s, finding a comfortable home as a media campaign in the hands of the right wing and hyper religious. Besen said that campaigns were launched as a way to help the Right spark a conversation and make its cause look more compassionate while still discriminating.
"It's a media movement," Drescher said. "It's all about misinformation and publicizing high profile cases."
High profile cases like ex-gay activists Michael Glatze, former editor of Young Gay America magazine, and Charlene Cothran, publisher of Venus Magazine, are making their way to the forefront of the Web.
Venus Magazine, once aimed at the black gay and lesbian community, now boasts on its mission page, "We believe that homosexuality is outside of the will of God."
"If you talk to someone like Michael Glatze for more than 10 minutes, you just suspect that there's something terribly wrong," Besen said. "The ex-gay movement is exploiting these particular opportunities and I think it's very sad and tragic."
It's receiving so much publicity, that it's turning being an ex-gay into a money-making career.
"It's a multi-million dollar industry," Drescher said. "Ex-gays go to conferences, appear in advertisements and make appearances at demonstrations for pay."
But, are people really achieving what they claim?
Arguments surrounding the ex-gay movement criticize it for falsifying the gay experience, deeming it unnatural and making lofty proclamations of change. The number one argument on the pro ex-gay side: Here's a person who changed themselves through prayer and so can you.
"It's marketed in the fake healing way," Drescher said. "It's the patient's faith that is supposed to be the mystic ingredient; if the patient doesn't change, the patient gets blamed."
Drescher said that it's not a difficult task for those reaching out to faith-based healing to change and act straight; every gay person knows how to act straight before they come out, so it's not hard for them to pretend to be straight now.
"Therapies like this teach self loathing and make the patient learn to hate homosexuality," Drescher said. "The majorities of people don't change but end up worse than before they started."
These findings aren't just being noticed by those explicitly affected by the ex-gay ministries.
When asked his thoughts on the ex-gay movement, convention attendee Troy Diggs, a news producer from Kansas City, Mo., paused for a minute before answering.
"The best way to describe what I've read is: harmful," Diggs said. "It seems like most people who come out are repressed or experiencing more psychological trauma. I just don't think it's effective."
The therapy movement doesn't limit itself to adults, either. Reparative ministries are beginning to target children now, too.
"These ministries target youth as young as 3 years old, calling them 'pre-homosexual youth,'" Besen said. "It does an enormous amount of damage to tell young people that there's something broken that needs to be fixed. This is nothing short of child abuse."
Even touchier than reparative therapy for children is the amount of misinformation thrown around in the media. Besen and his fellow panelists hope to enlighten attendees, especially those who cover subjects surrounding these issues.
"This is an issue where the coverage is really hit or miss," Besen said. "This seems like a fantastic opportunity to impart my knowledge on both horrendous and fantastic coverage and everything in between."
Do people have absolute control over their sexual orientations? Is reparative therapy OK? Can a person "switch" themselves from gay to straight through the power of prayer?
Friday's panel at "Pray Away the Gay" aims to provide insight and answer questions. The 9:30 a.m. panel will feature: Wayne Besen, founder of Truth Wins Out; Jack Drescher, psychiatrist/psychoanalyst and David Foucher, CEO/publisher, EDGE. Eric Hegedus, page designer for the New York Post, will serve as moderator for the panel.
"It'll be an interesting panel because this issue mixes journalism, religion, sex, politics – all the stuff you're not supposed to talk about at the dinner table," Besen said. "This panel promises all of that and more."
According to Besen, the ex-gay movement has been around for as long as prejudice and discrimination.
"Wherever you face social repercussions, people will try to fit in for love and acceptance," he said.
Besen and Drescher believe the modern ex-gay movement originated around the latter part of the '90s, finding a comfortable home as a media campaign in the hands of the right wing and hyper religious. Besen said that campaigns were launched as a way to help the Right spark a conversation and make its cause look more compassionate while still discriminating.
"It's a media movement," Drescher said. "It's all about misinformation and publicizing high profile cases."
High profile cases like ex-gay activists Michael Glatze, former editor of Young Gay America magazine, and Charlene Cothran, publisher of Venus Magazine, are making their way to the forefront of the Web.
Venus Magazine, once aimed at the black gay and lesbian community, now boasts on its mission page, "We believe that homosexuality is outside of the will of God."
"If you talk to someone like Michael Glatze for more than 10 minutes, you just suspect that there's something terribly wrong," Besen said. "The ex-gay movement is exploiting these particular opportunities and I think it's very sad and tragic."
It's receiving so much publicity, that it's turning being an ex-gay into a money-making career.
"It's a multi-million dollar industry," Drescher said. "Ex-gays go to conferences, appear in advertisements and make appearances at demonstrations for pay."
But, are people really achieving what they claim?
Arguments surrounding the ex-gay movement criticize it for falsifying the gay experience, deeming it unnatural and making lofty proclamations of change. The number one argument on the pro ex-gay side: Here's a person who changed themselves through prayer and so can you.
"It's marketed in the fake healing way," Drescher said. "It's the patient's faith that is supposed to be the mystic ingredient; if the patient doesn't change, the patient gets blamed."
Drescher said that it's not a difficult task for those reaching out to faith-based healing to change and act straight; every gay person knows how to act straight before they come out, so it's not hard for them to pretend to be straight now.
"Therapies like this teach self loathing and make the patient learn to hate homosexuality," Drescher said. "The majorities of people don't change but end up worse than before they started."
These findings aren't just being noticed by those explicitly affected by the ex-gay ministries.
When asked his thoughts on the ex-gay movement, convention attendee Troy Diggs, a news producer from Kansas City, Mo., paused for a minute before answering.
"The best way to describe what I've read is: harmful," Diggs said. "It seems like most people who come out are repressed or experiencing more psychological trauma. I just don't think it's effective."
The therapy movement doesn't limit itself to adults, either. Reparative ministries are beginning to target children now, too.
"These ministries target youth as young as 3 years old, calling them 'pre-homosexual youth,'" Besen said. "It does an enormous amount of damage to tell young people that there's something broken that needs to be fixed. This is nothing short of child abuse."
Even touchier than reparative therapy for children is the amount of misinformation thrown around in the media. Besen and his fellow panelists hope to enlighten attendees, especially those who cover subjects surrounding these issues.
"This is an issue where the coverage is really hit or miss," Besen said. "This seems like a fantastic opportunity to impart my knowledge on both horrendous and fantastic coverage and everything in between."
Economy weighs heavy on election season
Jenna Oskowitz
With election season in full swing, voters are feeling the effects of what many see as a U.S. economy in decline. They worry about issues like the mortgage crisis, the cost of oil and unemployment. Voters also appear to be uncertain of what presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama are offering as solutions.
One challenge for reporters has been how to effectively marry coverage of the economy with stories about the upcoming presidential election.
Attendees of the 2008 NLGJA convention will have an opportunity to hear the thoughts of four experts who will discuss how economic issues could potentially impact voter decisions in the election.
Friday, Marilyn Geewax, national economics correspondent for Cox Newspapers, will moderate a panel called "Money Matters," about how the economy is joining the war in the front seat to drive the election.
The panel discussion will include presentations by Juliana Menasce Horowitz, research associate for the Pew Research Center; Missy Frederick, staff reporter at the Washington Business Journal; and M.V. Lee Badgett, an economist and research director at the Williams Institute at UCLA.
"People have a gloomy outlook concerning the current economy," Horowitz said.
Horowitz said that 90 percent of the American people feel they are in fair to poor shape while only 10 percent feel they are in good shape when it comes to dealing with money.
"In the 2004 election cycle, the economy was one of the main voter concerns but not nearly as high as it is now," Horowitz said.
In fact, last November only 15 percent of Americans considered the economy to be their most important issue in the upcoming election, according to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center. That number has since risen to 44 percent, Horowitz said.
There is definite validity behind concerns that the national economy is in decline, panelist Missy Frederick of the Washington Business Journal.
However, she notes that here in Washington, D.C., the area is more economically sound than the rest of the country. She says this could be attributed to the district's role as the nation's capital.
Frederick plans to address how small businesses such as restaurants, retail and entrepreneurs are dealing with the symptoms posed by the economic downturn.
"The economy has always been a sleeper issue but now it is more obvious," Frederick said. "Reporters can benefit from hearing the perspective of the panelists."
Clearly, voters are hungry for more insightful nuts and bolts coverage of how the presidential candidates will address their economic concerns.
Eight percent of the news hole is filled with stories about the economy, according to a study conducted by Pew Research Center. By contrast, 37 percent is filled by coverage of the campaign.
But Geewax disagrees with Pew's findings.
"Despite Pew's findings, reporting on the election still includes economy-based issues," she said. "People's actual lives matter more than the reporting we are doing."
Geewax said if you are in money trouble, you know it before the media report on it. She lays the blame on the candidates for not offering clear solutions to the troubled economic state.
"Both candidates are doing a terrible job, we don't know what either truly stands for," Geewax said.
As part of Friday's panel discussion, Geewax plans to talk about why she thinks there should be more coverage of business in newspapers.
"Most times business stories are shrunk and stuck in the metro section or behind the sports pages," she said. "There has been a decline in business reporting and it is not only unfortunate, it is a mistake."
Money Matters, 3:45 to 5 p.m. Military Room on the Concourse level. Panel sponsored by Bloomberg News.
With election season in full swing, voters are feeling the effects of what many see as a U.S. economy in decline. They worry about issues like the mortgage crisis, the cost of oil and unemployment. Voters also appear to be uncertain of what presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama are offering as solutions.
One challenge for reporters has been how to effectively marry coverage of the economy with stories about the upcoming presidential election.
Attendees of the 2008 NLGJA convention will have an opportunity to hear the thoughts of four experts who will discuss how economic issues could potentially impact voter decisions in the election.
Friday, Marilyn Geewax, national economics correspondent for Cox Newspapers, will moderate a panel called "Money Matters," about how the economy is joining the war in the front seat to drive the election.
The panel discussion will include presentations by Juliana Menasce Horowitz, research associate for the Pew Research Center; Missy Frederick, staff reporter at the Washington Business Journal; and M.V. Lee Badgett, an economist and research director at the Williams Institute at UCLA.
"People have a gloomy outlook concerning the current economy," Horowitz said.
Horowitz said that 90 percent of the American people feel they are in fair to poor shape while only 10 percent feel they are in good shape when it comes to dealing with money.
"In the 2004 election cycle, the economy was one of the main voter concerns but not nearly as high as it is now," Horowitz said.
In fact, last November only 15 percent of Americans considered the economy to be their most important issue in the upcoming election, according to a recent poll by the Pew Research Center. That number has since risen to 44 percent, Horowitz said.
There is definite validity behind concerns that the national economy is in decline, panelist Missy Frederick of the Washington Business Journal.
However, she notes that here in Washington, D.C., the area is more economically sound than the rest of the country. She says this could be attributed to the district's role as the nation's capital.
Frederick plans to address how small businesses such as restaurants, retail and entrepreneurs are dealing with the symptoms posed by the economic downturn.
"The economy has always been a sleeper issue but now it is more obvious," Frederick said. "Reporters can benefit from hearing the perspective of the panelists."
Clearly, voters are hungry for more insightful nuts and bolts coverage of how the presidential candidates will address their economic concerns.
Eight percent of the news hole is filled with stories about the economy, according to a study conducted by Pew Research Center. By contrast, 37 percent is filled by coverage of the campaign.
But Geewax disagrees with Pew's findings.
"Despite Pew's findings, reporting on the election still includes economy-based issues," she said. "People's actual lives matter more than the reporting we are doing."
Geewax said if you are in money trouble, you know it before the media report on it. She lays the blame on the candidates for not offering clear solutions to the troubled economic state.
"Both candidates are doing a terrible job, we don't know what either truly stands for," Geewax said.
As part of Friday's panel discussion, Geewax plans to talk about why she thinks there should be more coverage of business in newspapers.
"Most times business stories are shrunk and stuck in the metro section or behind the sports pages," she said. "There has been a decline in business reporting and it is not only unfortunate, it is a mistake."
Money Matters, 3:45 to 5 p.m. Military Room on the Concourse level. Panel sponsored by Bloomberg News.
Former Senate candidate shares campaign experiences
by Oscar Raymundo
Washington can be a mean city, said Jim Neal, the former Democratic senate candidate from North Carolina, during Thursday's "Congressional Confidential," a plenary at NLGJA's 2008 LGBT Media Summit.
Neal, an openly gay politician, told moderator Stephen Macias of here! Networks that he never considered his sexual orientation a roadblock. However, the media and the political establishment in Washington had some concerns.
"There were some constituencies in D.C. that had doubts that a gay person could win in North Carolina," said Neal, who in May lost after a grueling grass-roots campaign for a U.S. Senate seat.
The biggest barrier that stood between Neal and the Senate was money.
"I don't think our Founding Fathers intended for money to have such a pervasive and corrosive influence in our democracy," he said.
He spent $125,000 of his own money backing his $400,000 campaign and refused to take any money from political action committees. He traveled to 80 out of 100 counties in North Carolina, giving speeches on several platforms.
That wasn't enough; his campaign ran out of money about the same time that his opponent, Kay Hagan, began television commercials. Neal does not regret embarking on his senatorial campaign, but he does lament that it came down to money.
Charlotte, N.C., QNotes reporter Matt Comer reinforced Neal's perception that his lack of funding was a primary setback.
"Running a small campaign, you have to travel, and people appreciate that," Comer said.
"But lots of voters go in and mark the name that's more familiar. Hagan had the name recognition." Hagan is a state representative in North Carolina; she is competing against Sen. Elizabeth Dole in November.
When Macias asked if Neal thought a gay couple could ever make it to the White House within our lifetime, Neal didn't hesitate to respond, "Absolutely."
"Our country's been all about exceeding expectations," he said. "We've never been ready for anything until someone does it. You live in the D.C. bubble and drink the Kool-Aid, but it is possible."
Neal is ambivalent about running again. The campaign is currently $130,000 in debt, and he is living off credit cards, but he doesn't dismiss the possibility of one day returning to the campaign trail to try to make his way back to Washington.
"It was hard, and it hit me," he said. "The campaign was not about me. I don't have an ego. I didn't want to go to Washington and climb up the food chain. I knew I could make a difference and had trouble deciding whether I would be more effective with or without the political establishment."
Neal foresees a solution to his money problem.
"I think that the Internet, with small donors from all over the country, is going to lead the way to campaign finance reform," Neal said.
Washington can be a mean city, said Jim Neal, the former Democratic senate candidate from North Carolina, during Thursday's "Congressional Confidential," a plenary at NLGJA's 2008 LGBT Media Summit.
Neal, an openly gay politician, told moderator Stephen Macias of here! Networks that he never considered his sexual orientation a roadblock. However, the media and the political establishment in Washington had some concerns.
"There were some constituencies in D.C. that had doubts that a gay person could win in North Carolina," said Neal, who in May lost after a grueling grass-roots campaign for a U.S. Senate seat.
The biggest barrier that stood between Neal and the Senate was money.
"I don't think our Founding Fathers intended for money to have such a pervasive and corrosive influence in our democracy," he said.
He spent $125,000 of his own money backing his $400,000 campaign and refused to take any money from political action committees. He traveled to 80 out of 100 counties in North Carolina, giving speeches on several platforms.
That wasn't enough; his campaign ran out of money about the same time that his opponent, Kay Hagan, began television commercials. Neal does not regret embarking on his senatorial campaign, but he does lament that it came down to money.
Charlotte, N.C., QNotes reporter Matt Comer reinforced Neal's perception that his lack of funding was a primary setback.
"Running a small campaign, you have to travel, and people appreciate that," Comer said.
"But lots of voters go in and mark the name that's more familiar. Hagan had the name recognition." Hagan is a state representative in North Carolina; she is competing against Sen. Elizabeth Dole in November.
When Macias asked if Neal thought a gay couple could ever make it to the White House within our lifetime, Neal didn't hesitate to respond, "Absolutely."
"Our country's been all about exceeding expectations," he said. "We've never been ready for anything until someone does it. You live in the D.C. bubble and drink the Kool-Aid, but it is possible."
Neal is ambivalent about running again. The campaign is currently $130,000 in debt, and he is living off credit cards, but he doesn't dismiss the possibility of one day returning to the campaign trail to try to make his way back to Washington.
"It was hard, and it hit me," he said. "The campaign was not about me. I don't have an ego. I didn't want to go to Washington and climb up the food chain. I knew I could make a difference and had trouble deciding whether I would be more effective with or without the political establishment."
Neal foresees a solution to his money problem.
"I think that the Internet, with small donors from all over the country, is going to lead the way to campaign finance reform," Neal said.
Take a spin — and help students
by Jenna Oskowitz
When you get tired from sitting in panels all day or sitting in conference room chairs, the NLGJA Student Project has a great solution for you!
Stop by the GM/Cadillac table in the Expo Center, and ask to take a test drive. General Motors will allow you and as many of your friends as you want to test drive a Escalade hybrid or a Cadillac CS around Dupont Circle. A GM employee will navigate and show you all of the popular LGBT tourist spots. For every convention-goer who test drives a car, GM will donate $25 to the Student Project.
"General Motors has a LGBT outreach strategy," said GM public relations manager Travis Parman. He said that the gay community tends to appreciate more luxurious and tech-savvy vehicles. In GM's experience it found that Cadillac, Saab and Saturn seem to fit our community's needs.
GM, which participating in the NLGJA 2007 convention, came back for another year. But this year it decided to add a twist. "NLGJA is important to us," Parman said. "So we figured what better way to get people to experience our vehicles while helping NLGJA at the same time."
Parman gave two students a tour around town while letting one drive the vehicle. On the tour he pointed out Lambda Rising, the HRC headquarters, the White House and the Washington Monument.
"So far we have had a good amount of test drivers," he said. "We are hoping to get at least 100."
When you get tired from sitting in panels all day or sitting in conference room chairs, the NLGJA Student Project has a great solution for you!
Stop by the GM/Cadillac table in the Expo Center, and ask to take a test drive. General Motors will allow you and as many of your friends as you want to test drive a Escalade hybrid or a Cadillac CS around Dupont Circle. A GM employee will navigate and show you all of the popular LGBT tourist spots. For every convention-goer who test drives a car, GM will donate $25 to the Student Project.
"General Motors has a LGBT outreach strategy," said GM public relations manager Travis Parman. He said that the gay community tends to appreciate more luxurious and tech-savvy vehicles. In GM's experience it found that Cadillac, Saab and Saturn seem to fit our community's needs.
GM, which participating in the NLGJA 2007 convention, came back for another year. But this year it decided to add a twist. "NLGJA is important to us," Parman said. "So we figured what better way to get people to experience our vehicles while helping NLGJA at the same time."
Parman gave two students a tour around town while letting one drive the vehicle. On the tour he pointed out Lambda Rising, the HRC headquarters, the White House and the Washington Monument.
"So far we have had a good amount of test drivers," he said. "We are hoping to get at least 100."
Diversifying LGBT news means more than reporting the 'exotic'
by Frank Lin
A Southern Voice article about a black, intersex police officer in Atlanta and a Washington Blade story about "party bisexuals" were among the controversial pieces journalists cited during "Diversifying LGBT Newsrooms," one of two breakout sessions that kicked off NLGJA's fifth annual LGBT Media Summit.
"I think there's a perception among some journalists that anything LGBT-related has to be 'exotic,'" said panelist Matthew Leung, a student at Vassar. "Treat LGBT stories like any other story. It shouldn't be about trying to fill a quota."
The paint-by-numbers approach to inserting diversity into news stories extends into LGBT publications as well.
In 2006, Joshua Lynsen wrote "'Party bisexual' phenom draws mixed reviews" for the Washington Blade, an article about men and women who acted out "bisexual urges while under the influence of alcohol or drugs."
"It was intended to help increase coverage about the bisexual community,'" Lynsen said. "The response I got was, 'Well, great! This is the one bisexual story we're going to see in the Blade all year, and it's about party bisexuals. Thanks!' "
Lynsen has since contributed several stories for the Blade about bisexuals, including an article that explored the unique challenges of coming out as bisexual.
"I challenge everyone in this room to pitch one story this year about a transsexual issue. Pitch one story this year about a bisexual issue," Lynsen told the audience in his concluding remarks. "If you're thinking to yourself, 'But I really don't know enough about those two topics,' well, your job is to get out there and learn something."
Readers also want to be challenged, said Laura Brown, an editor for Southern Voice, an LGBT newspaper based in Atlanta.
"A lot of people think that audiences just want to read stories about people like themselves," Brown said. "But, really, audiences like to be challenged. They learn the most from reading about people completely different from themselves."
One of Southern Voice's most popular and provocative pieces this year was "Bold Stand," which told the story of Darlene Harris, a black, lesbian police officer who learned at 35 that she was chromosomally intersex.
"It was a story of personal courage, and it gave us an opportunity to talk about these issues that we hadn't really covered before," Brown said. "Would there be an appeal to the guy who's coming out of a bar at night and who picks up our newspaper? Absolutely, because it was such a compelling human story."
Diversity is achieved when journalists fulfill their obligations to step out of their comfort zones and explore topics that challenge, not reinforce, their preconceived notions, according to panelist Mashaun D. Simon, a freelance writer. Leung, the youngest journalist on the panel, agreed.
"There's a lot of pressure in the mainstream gay community to conform to a certain image," said Leung, recipient of this year's Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship. "Most people don't know I'm gay, and because I don't fit into that mainstream image, it can be an obstacle. Working through these challenges is part of what it means to advance as a journalist."
A Southern Voice article about a black, intersex police officer in Atlanta and a Washington Blade story about "party bisexuals" were among the controversial pieces journalists cited during "Diversifying LGBT Newsrooms," one of two breakout sessions that kicked off NLGJA's fifth annual LGBT Media Summit.
"I think there's a perception among some journalists that anything LGBT-related has to be 'exotic,'" said panelist Matthew Leung, a student at Vassar. "Treat LGBT stories like any other story. It shouldn't be about trying to fill a quota."
The paint-by-numbers approach to inserting diversity into news stories extends into LGBT publications as well.
In 2006, Joshua Lynsen wrote "'Party bisexual' phenom draws mixed reviews" for the Washington Blade, an article about men and women who acted out "bisexual urges while under the influence of alcohol or drugs."
"It was intended to help increase coverage about the bisexual community,'" Lynsen said. "The response I got was, 'Well, great! This is the one bisexual story we're going to see in the Blade all year, and it's about party bisexuals. Thanks!' "
Lynsen has since contributed several stories for the Blade about bisexuals, including an article that explored the unique challenges of coming out as bisexual.
"I challenge everyone in this room to pitch one story this year about a transsexual issue. Pitch one story this year about a bisexual issue," Lynsen told the audience in his concluding remarks. "If you're thinking to yourself, 'But I really don't know enough about those two topics,' well, your job is to get out there and learn something."
Readers also want to be challenged, said Laura Brown, an editor for Southern Voice, an LGBT newspaper based in Atlanta.
"A lot of people think that audiences just want to read stories about people like themselves," Brown said. "But, really, audiences like to be challenged. They learn the most from reading about people completely different from themselves."
One of Southern Voice's most popular and provocative pieces this year was "Bold Stand," which told the story of Darlene Harris, a black, lesbian police officer who learned at 35 that she was chromosomally intersex.
"It was a story of personal courage, and it gave us an opportunity to talk about these issues that we hadn't really covered before," Brown said. "Would there be an appeal to the guy who's coming out of a bar at night and who picks up our newspaper? Absolutely, because it was such a compelling human story."
Diversity is achieved when journalists fulfill their obligations to step out of their comfort zones and explore topics that challenge, not reinforce, their preconceived notions, according to panelist Mashaun D. Simon, a freelance writer. Leung, the youngest journalist on the panel, agreed.
"There's a lot of pressure in the mainstream gay community to conform to a certain image," said Leung, recipient of this year's Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship. "Most people don't know I'm gay, and because I don't fit into that mainstream image, it can be an obstacle. Working through these challenges is part of what it means to advance as a journalist."
Washington's matters trump LA's clamors
by Jared Grigsby
Madonna and A-Rod. Brad and Angelina's twins. Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson.
While these names dominate most magazine covers, is the gay community obsessed with entertainment news, ignoring the hard hitting stories that affect society?
Monday's lunch plenary at NLGJA's annual convention, "The March on News Coverage," addressed the question of entertainment news in gay media with a panel of three individuals: Ross von Metzke, editor-in-chief of GayWired Media; John Barrett, editor-in-chief of The Advocate and John Wright, the news editor of the Dallas Voice. These men answered questions from discussion leader Michael Lavers and over 100 people over lunch.
During this time of presidential campaigns and the upcoming Democratic National Convention, hard news abounds. Entertainment news has its place but where?
"It's a simple formula, 50-50," Wright said. "Fifty percent to lifestyles, 50 percent to news."
This seems like an easy way to bring people what they want in terms of entertainment and hard news coverage, but those leading a publication may lean one way and eventually cause a publication to cover more of one than the other.
Barrett said that previous editors-in-chief of The Advocate were entertainment guys, so the past four years covered more entertainment.
"What it boils down to, it was straight man plays gay," Barrett said. "We have to examine now who we are and what news is important to us."
So, what is important to the gay community?
All three panelists believed that the gay media is more interested in hard news items and not focused as much on entertainment as perceived.
"We get requests to cover local news events and we try to make sense of the national – entertainment is the balance for the reader," von Metzke said.
Today's hard news, though, has an entertaining quality. From the Larry Craig foot-tapping incident to Jon Edwards' affair, the nation keeps an eye on the media for that next piece to unfold, the next chapter to the story. What would have been tabloid stories in the past are now hard news.
"People are looking at the National Enquirer going, 'They got it right? What the hell?'" von Metzke said.
The LBGT community is more diverse than we're given credit for, Wright said, and von Metzke agreed that publishers should not fall into the assumption that people want only one thing.
"Know what your readership wants, and be smart with entertainment as you are with news," Barrett said.
The LGBT community has more at stake with day-to-day news, looking for advancements with its causes. While entertainment news is everywhere and readily accessible, those on the panel feel that even though entertainment news is present in gay media, it is not overwhelming the hard news desired by its readership.
Madonna and A-Rod. Brad and Angelina's twins. Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson.
While these names dominate most magazine covers, is the gay community obsessed with entertainment news, ignoring the hard hitting stories that affect society?
Monday's lunch plenary at NLGJA's annual convention, "The March on News Coverage," addressed the question of entertainment news in gay media with a panel of three individuals: Ross von Metzke, editor-in-chief of GayWired Media; John Barrett, editor-in-chief of The Advocate and John Wright, the news editor of the Dallas Voice. These men answered questions from discussion leader Michael Lavers and over 100 people over lunch.
During this time of presidential campaigns and the upcoming Democratic National Convention, hard news abounds. Entertainment news has its place but where?
"It's a simple formula, 50-50," Wright said. "Fifty percent to lifestyles, 50 percent to news."
This seems like an easy way to bring people what they want in terms of entertainment and hard news coverage, but those leading a publication may lean one way and eventually cause a publication to cover more of one than the other.
Barrett said that previous editors-in-chief of The Advocate were entertainment guys, so the past four years covered more entertainment.
"What it boils down to, it was straight man plays gay," Barrett said. "We have to examine now who we are and what news is important to us."
So, what is important to the gay community?
All three panelists believed that the gay media is more interested in hard news items and not focused as much on entertainment as perceived.
"We get requests to cover local news events and we try to make sense of the national – entertainment is the balance for the reader," von Metzke said.
Today's hard news, though, has an entertaining quality. From the Larry Craig foot-tapping incident to Jon Edwards' affair, the nation keeps an eye on the media for that next piece to unfold, the next chapter to the story. What would have been tabloid stories in the past are now hard news.
"People are looking at the National Enquirer going, 'They got it right? What the hell?'" von Metzke said.
The LBGT community is more diverse than we're given credit for, Wright said, and von Metzke agreed that publishers should not fall into the assumption that people want only one thing.
"Know what your readership wants, and be smart with entertainment as you are with news," Barrett said.
The LGBT community has more at stake with day-to-day news, looking for advancements with its causes. While entertainment news is everywhere and readily accessible, those on the panel feel that even though entertainment news is present in gay media, it is not overwhelming the hard news desired by its readership.
Lack of willing women leaves board mostly male
by Kandice Day
What do women want? If the NLGJA Board could answer that question, perhaps women would retain leadership positions and grow in numbers.
"It doesn't go unnoticed," said Ina Fried, NLGJA national vice president for print and new media.
Fried also realizes that without women on the board, there will be fewer willing to move into executive positions.
"There is great diversity between the men that are running this year," Fried said.
Fried is one of the two women exiting the board this year, leaving four women and 15 men.
"I think there is a lack of lesbian leadership in general," said Libby Post, a returning board member. Her take on the lack of women on the board is that "not everybody likes to raise money."
Board membership not only requires attending two meetings a year, it also requires putting in time and energy to raise money and keep members involved. Post, a board member who enjoys raising money, has been a board member since 2007 and is anxious to see more women in leadership.
Julia O'Malley of the Anchorage Daily News is a board member who feels that there are holes within the NLGJA. Perhaps the board just "isn't offering what women want," she said.
While this topic is frequently discussed at board meetings, a solution has yet to be found.
"There's a lot of potential out there," Post said, adding that creating a welcoming environment for additional lesbian leaders could be a step in the right direction.
While a solution has yet to be found, NLGJA encouraged many members to consider running for the board. According to Phillip Pina, board election chairman, nomination letters were sent out to every NLGJA member.
"Women continue to hold key positions within the organization and will always be encouraged to seek those roles. I'm hoping this year's ballot is an anomaly," Pina said.
Leadership elections for 2008 close Friday at 5 p.m. and include nine male candidates to fill seven empty seats. Voting during the convention will take place online only, and new board membership will be announced Sunday.
What do women want? If the NLGJA Board could answer that question, perhaps women would retain leadership positions and grow in numbers.
"It doesn't go unnoticed," said Ina Fried, NLGJA national vice president for print and new media.
Fried also realizes that without women on the board, there will be fewer willing to move into executive positions.
"There is great diversity between the men that are running this year," Fried said.
Fried is one of the two women exiting the board this year, leaving four women and 15 men.
"I think there is a lack of lesbian leadership in general," said Libby Post, a returning board member. Her take on the lack of women on the board is that "not everybody likes to raise money."
Board membership not only requires attending two meetings a year, it also requires putting in time and energy to raise money and keep members involved. Post, a board member who enjoys raising money, has been a board member since 2007 and is anxious to see more women in leadership.
Julia O'Malley of the Anchorage Daily News is a board member who feels that there are holes within the NLGJA. Perhaps the board just "isn't offering what women want," she said.
While this topic is frequently discussed at board meetings, a solution has yet to be found.
"There's a lot of potential out there," Post said, adding that creating a welcoming environment for additional lesbian leaders could be a step in the right direction.
While a solution has yet to be found, NLGJA encouraged many members to consider running for the board. According to Phillip Pina, board election chairman, nomination letters were sent out to every NLGJA member.
"Women continue to hold key positions within the organization and will always be encouraged to seek those roles. I'm hoping this year's ballot is an anomaly," Pina said.
TO VOTE
Leadership elections for 2008 close Friday at 5 p.m. and include nine male candidates to fill seven empty seats. Voting during the convention will take place online only, and new board membership will be announced Sunday.
LGBT community 'shouldn't settle for crumbs'
by Oscar Raymundo
Several of NLGJA's 2008 convention attendees describe their perfect presidential candidate in two words: Hillary Clinton.
Unfortunately for them, Clinton is out of the race, and some attendees have expressed trouble diverting their support to either Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. John McCain.
Neither presidential candidate supports same-sex marriage, but Obama favors civil unions and a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
In terms of LGBT issues, the Obama campaign might not be trailblazing, but Jim Neal, a former Democratic candidate for Senate from North Carolina, his high expectations for the next president. Neal spoke during NLGJA's "Congressional Confidential" session on Thursday.
"We shouldn't settle for crumbs," Neal said. "We need to be seated at the table being served milk and cookies on their dime."
According to Neal, although about 20 percent of fundraising for the Democratic Party comes from the LGBT community, it has no accountability. "The Evangelical community, the African American community, the Jewish community, they do a very good job of stating what they want from a candidate," Neal said. "But with the LGBT community, there is a carrot, but no stick."
The plight for LGBT rights is the civil rights movement du jour, it is very much do ask and do tell. Acronyms like ENDA and DOMA appear frequently in mainstream headlines, and a new poll suggests that New Jersey residents support same-sex marriage. This week the Coquille reservation in Oregon federally recognized a same-sex couple.
"But, we have a long way to go; it's a battleground," Neal said. "And, it's not going to move forward on its own. We have to push it."
Proposition 8 in California, if passed in November, would eliminate the right for same-sex marriage in the state.
"We need to go out and vote as if we're going to lose," Neal said.
Although Neal admits that the Obama campaign's approach to LGBT rights is not as comprehensive as it could be, he still endorses the Democratic presumptive nominee.
According to a new Harris Poll, Neal is not the only one. An overwhelming 68 percent of LGBT registered voters are leaning towards Obama, 10 percent are voting for McCain and 15 percent of voters are still undecided.
More than LGBT issues
Equal rights are an issue in the LGBT community, but with oil prices rising, an ongoing war in Iraq and a downturn in the economy, LGBT voters have other issues that concern them. For some voters, these issues often take priority over the LGBT civil rights movement.
"Stakes are so high with the corruption of the justice department, do we want a president that's going to start World War III?" said David Fiderer, a corporate banker from New York City. "The thought of ... a third Bush term is too frightening to imagine."
Fiderer said that maintaining the integrity of the constitutional system was the driving force behind him voting Democrat, not necessarily the party platform's stance on LGBT issues. But, he does admit that equality plays a greater role in the Democratic Party.
"Republicans still use gays as a foil to incite the base," he said. "Maybe not openly, but through proxies."
However, Scott Tucker, the director of communications for Log Cabin Republicans, makes it clear that McCain is not running a polarizing campaign.
"The Republican Party understands that gay and lesbian voters care about the same issues that the rest of middle, mainstream America cares about: energy policy, taxes, national defense," he said.
The issues surrounding this election are affecting the LGBT community in the same way they are affecting the rest of the country — at least that's what Jared Polis, the first openly gay candidate for Congress from Colorado, figured out while campaigning during the Democratic primary.
"I went door to door, I spoke and spoke to many gay and lesbian voters, and the issues they cared about — protecting the environment, coming up with an alternative energy policy, ending the war — were very similar," Polis said. "LGBT issues were not the first [things] that came out of their [mouths] as definitive issues that dictated who they voted for. They were on the same page with mainstream America."
Several of NLGJA's 2008 convention attendees describe their perfect presidential candidate in two words: Hillary Clinton.
Unfortunately for them, Clinton is out of the race, and some attendees have expressed trouble diverting their support to either Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. John McCain.
Neither presidential candidate supports same-sex marriage, but Obama favors civil unions and a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
In terms of LGBT issues, the Obama campaign might not be trailblazing, but Jim Neal, a former Democratic candidate for Senate from North Carolina, his high expectations for the next president. Neal spoke during NLGJA's "Congressional Confidential" session on Thursday.
"We shouldn't settle for crumbs," Neal said. "We need to be seated at the table being served milk and cookies on their dime."
According to Neal, although about 20 percent of fundraising for the Democratic Party comes from the LGBT community, it has no accountability. "The Evangelical community, the African American community, the Jewish community, they do a very good job of stating what they want from a candidate," Neal said. "But with the LGBT community, there is a carrot, but no stick."
The plight for LGBT rights is the civil rights movement du jour, it is very much do ask and do tell. Acronyms like ENDA and DOMA appear frequently in mainstream headlines, and a new poll suggests that New Jersey residents support same-sex marriage. This week the Coquille reservation in Oregon federally recognized a same-sex couple.
"But, we have a long way to go; it's a battleground," Neal said. "And, it's not going to move forward on its own. We have to push it."
Proposition 8 in California, if passed in November, would eliminate the right for same-sex marriage in the state.
"We need to go out and vote as if we're going to lose," Neal said.
Although Neal admits that the Obama campaign's approach to LGBT rights is not as comprehensive as it could be, he still endorses the Democratic presumptive nominee.
According to a new Harris Poll, Neal is not the only one. An overwhelming 68 percent of LGBT registered voters are leaning towards Obama, 10 percent are voting for McCain and 15 percent of voters are still undecided.
More than LGBT issues
Equal rights are an issue in the LGBT community, but with oil prices rising, an ongoing war in Iraq and a downturn in the economy, LGBT voters have other issues that concern them. For some voters, these issues often take priority over the LGBT civil rights movement.
"Stakes are so high with the corruption of the justice department, do we want a president that's going to start World War III?" said David Fiderer, a corporate banker from New York City. "The thought of ... a third Bush term is too frightening to imagine."
Fiderer said that maintaining the integrity of the constitutional system was the driving force behind him voting Democrat, not necessarily the party platform's stance on LGBT issues. But, he does admit that equality plays a greater role in the Democratic Party.
"Republicans still use gays as a foil to incite the base," he said. "Maybe not openly, but through proxies."
However, Scott Tucker, the director of communications for Log Cabin Republicans, makes it clear that McCain is not running a polarizing campaign.
"The Republican Party understands that gay and lesbian voters care about the same issues that the rest of middle, mainstream America cares about: energy policy, taxes, national defense," he said.
The issues surrounding this election are affecting the LGBT community in the same way they are affecting the rest of the country — at least that's what Jared Polis, the first openly gay candidate for Congress from Colorado, figured out while campaigning during the Democratic primary.
"I went door to door, I spoke and spoke to many gay and lesbian voters, and the issues they cared about — protecting the environment, coming up with an alternative energy policy, ending the war — were very similar," Polis said. "LGBT issues were not the first [things] that came out of their [mouths] as definitive issues that dictated who they voted for. They were on the same page with mainstream America."
Foreign panel ponders LGBT coverage
by Laniaya Hoofatt
Panelists at a Thursday session on foreign correspondents highlighted how the press can cover LGBT people in other countries on a limited budget.
In the past, articles published in U.S. newspapers have been used as evidence to convict individuals from countries where homosexual acts are illegal.
"Journalists should cover them with sensitivity because gender and sexuality plays out differently in other countries," said Marc Bromley, founder of LGBT Foreign Policy, an international gay rights advocacy group.
Bromley said the media can jump the gun on using labels such as "gay" in countries that don't necessarily use U.S. terminology. "We tend to force our labels on people in other countries," he said.
In many cases, LGBT media can do a better job covering these issues because they are more sensitive than much of the mainstream media can be, panelists said. For one thing, being gay themselves can give these journalists more access and insight into their subjects' lives.
Nevertheless, "right now gay media funds can not compare to mainstream media," said freelance writer and photographer Michael Luongo.
In the past, acts of violence against gays in foreign countries would go unnoticed, panelists said.
For example, four men living in a home in Jamaica were surrounded by a mob of angry community members because they did not want gays in their neighborhood. The police were called, but it took them hours to respond to the violence that was taking place. When they finally did respond, officers joked around with the protesters but did not make any arrests.
Violence such as this rarely gets the coverage that it should in mainstream media, panelists said. But because of media consolidation, the gay press is increasingly dependent on their corporate parents.
"If it wasn't for mainstream work, gay work could never be done," Luongo said.
Lack of accurate information has also made it more difficult to report on LGBT people in other countries.
The U.S. State Department requires all embassies to report on violations of human rights. Those reports did not cover acts of violence against gays in foreign countries.
Gay activist groups have successfully put pressure on the U.S. government to change this. Now reports include stories about individuals who are being persecuted.
Panelists at a Thursday session on foreign correspondents highlighted how the press can cover LGBT people in other countries on a limited budget.
In the past, articles published in U.S. newspapers have been used as evidence to convict individuals from countries where homosexual acts are illegal.
"Journalists should cover them with sensitivity because gender and sexuality plays out differently in other countries," said Marc Bromley, founder of LGBT Foreign Policy, an international gay rights advocacy group.
Bromley said the media can jump the gun on using labels such as "gay" in countries that don't necessarily use U.S. terminology. "We tend to force our labels on people in other countries," he said.
In many cases, LGBT media can do a better job covering these issues because they are more sensitive than much of the mainstream media can be, panelists said. For one thing, being gay themselves can give these journalists more access and insight into their subjects' lives.
Nevertheless, "right now gay media funds can not compare to mainstream media," said freelance writer and photographer Michael Luongo.
In the past, acts of violence against gays in foreign countries would go unnoticed, panelists said.
For example, four men living in a home in Jamaica were surrounded by a mob of angry community members because they did not want gays in their neighborhood. The police were called, but it took them hours to respond to the violence that was taking place. When they finally did respond, officers joked around with the protesters but did not make any arrests.
Violence such as this rarely gets the coverage that it should in mainstream media, panelists said. But because of media consolidation, the gay press is increasingly dependent on their corporate parents.
"If it wasn't for mainstream work, gay work could never be done," Luongo said.
Lack of accurate information has also made it more difficult to report on LGBT people in other countries.
The U.S. State Department requires all embassies to report on violations of human rights. Those reports did not cover acts of violence against gays in foreign countries.
Gay activist groups have successfully put pressure on the U.S. government to change this. Now reports include stories about individuals who are being persecuted.
Welcome to the Gayborhood
Multimedia design by Lauren Wright
Here are some gay friendly places to visit during your stay in D.C. You can find many things from food and drinks to books.
Here are some gay friendly places to visit during your stay in D.C. You can find many things from food and drinks to books.
INTERACTIVE: Stand right, walk left
Photos and reporting by Katie Williams and Molly Ann Kearns
The Washington DC metro system offers an easy form of transportation for those attending the 2008 NLGJA National Convention and Media Summit.
The Washington DC metro system offers an easy form of transportation for those attending the 2008 NLGJA National Convention and Media Summit.
Ongoing fiscal pressure weighs on Executive board
Frank Lin
NLGJA's executive board convened Wednesday to discuss a host of issues confronting the organization, including stagnating membership numbers and the uncertain state of the organization's finances.
"As everyone here already knows, we're facing some tremendous challenges," said David Barre, the NLGJA's executive director, as he began his remarks to the board.
According to budget figures, NLGJA's expenses may again exceed revenues for the third year in a row.
The organization's leadership generally attributed its challenges to the broader problems facing the current state of journalism, with one board member observing: "Our industry is a disaster right now."
"The declining membership numbers are a reflection of broader industry trends," said Barre. "We may end up with a smaller membership and just stay there. We may have to become a different organization."
Information published by the Foundation Center, a public database of nonprofit organizations' sources of funding, revealed NLGJA's assets have steadily declined since 2005. During the meeting, Barre admitted the revenue generated by sponsorship and advertising fees for the convention are off-target and not expected to cover expenses.
"One of our priorities this year is diversifying our funding bases," Barre said. He cited as an example the new distribution service OutNewsWire, which is dedicated to delivering news about the LGBT community.
Whether NLGJA's budget balances at the end of the year depends heavily upon the success of the convention. This year, NLGJA has asked participants to supply some of their own audiovisual equipment wherever possible to help control costs.
NLGJA also has reduced the size of its full-time staff in Washington from five to three.
The convention, which is expected to draw up to 450 participants, consumes approximately half of NGLJA's annual expenditures, while money raised from corporate sponsors and convention exhibits account for roughly the same percentage of NLGJA's annual income.
"Some of our major sponsors don't even exist anymore," said David Steinberg, the treasurer of the executive board, who cited Knight Ridder as an example of a major corporate sponsor that fell victim to the recent industry downturn.
Barre's strategy for stabilizing the organization includes increasing the membership retention rate, which he said was especially low for new members. During the meeting, a board member suggested offering trial memberships to introduce lapsing members to some of the new career tools offered by NGLJA, including Career Watch, a successful monthly newsletter launched last year.
"We want to make sure that we're offering things of value on a regular basis," Barre said. "It's a message we need to send out to old members and new members alike. We all need to stay together."
NLGJA's executive board convened Wednesday to discuss a host of issues confronting the organization, including stagnating membership numbers and the uncertain state of the organization's finances.
"As everyone here already knows, we're facing some tremendous challenges," said David Barre, the NLGJA's executive director, as he began his remarks to the board.
According to budget figures, NLGJA's expenses may again exceed revenues for the third year in a row.
The organization's leadership generally attributed its challenges to the broader problems facing the current state of journalism, with one board member observing: "Our industry is a disaster right now."
"The declining membership numbers are a reflection of broader industry trends," said Barre. "We may end up with a smaller membership and just stay there. We may have to become a different organization."
Information published by the Foundation Center, a public database of nonprofit organizations' sources of funding, revealed NLGJA's assets have steadily declined since 2005. During the meeting, Barre admitted the revenue generated by sponsorship and advertising fees for the convention are off-target and not expected to cover expenses.
"One of our priorities this year is diversifying our funding bases," Barre said. He cited as an example the new distribution service OutNewsWire, which is dedicated to delivering news about the LGBT community.
Whether NLGJA's budget balances at the end of the year depends heavily upon the success of the convention. This year, NLGJA has asked participants to supply some of their own audiovisual equipment wherever possible to help control costs.
NLGJA also has reduced the size of its full-time staff in Washington from five to three.
The convention, which is expected to draw up to 450 participants, consumes approximately half of NGLJA's annual expenditures, while money raised from corporate sponsors and convention exhibits account for roughly the same percentage of NLGJA's annual income.
"Some of our major sponsors don't even exist anymore," said David Steinberg, the treasurer of the executive board, who cited Knight Ridder as an example of a major corporate sponsor that fell victim to the recent industry downturn.
Barre's strategy for stabilizing the organization includes increasing the membership retention rate, which he said was especially low for new members. During the meeting, a board member suggested offering trial memberships to introduce lapsing members to some of the new career tools offered by NGLJA, including Career Watch, a successful monthly newsletter launched last year.
"We want to make sure that we're offering things of value on a regular basis," Barre said. "It's a message we need to send out to old members and new members alike. We all need to stay together."
LGBT votes carry clout, politicians take notice
by Oscar Raymundo
As the 2008 presidential election approaches, the LGBT community is growing into a more influential and appealing constituency for both candidates.
Although the Democratic Party and the Republican Party might not be on the same page when it comes to the issues, for the first time they are taking steps—at their own pace—to attract the gay vote.
"There is a big change from previous campaigns," said executive director of Stonewall Democrats Jon Hoadley. "The emphasis on organizing and mobilizing the LGBT community is the most comprehensive it has ever been."
The Obama campaign has placed diversity at its cornerstone, so it's not surprising to see a more visible inclusion of the LGBT community, especially in its commitment to hire openly gay staff members to work on the campaign like the new director of communications for Illinois, Justin DeJong.
In August, the Obama campaign extended its LGBT Leadership Team. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the only Congresswoman to run and win as an openly gay candidate, will be co-chairing the new National LGBT Steering and Policy Committee, responsible for educating voters on the differences between Obama and McCain in regards to LGBT issues.
The expansion also includes the grassroots effort Obama Pride.
"The LGBT community is growing from a closed-door fundraising group to a full-body constituency," Hoadley says. "Members of the LGBT community are being used to deliver the message to a wider audience."
Michelle Obama has also been cited as a link between the LGBT community and the Obama campaign. She has attended various fundraisers and has managed to establish a close rapport with the community.
But it is rather easy for the Democratic Party to cater to gay and lesbian voters and use them as examples of the campaign's commitment to diversity. After all, four out of five LGBT voters vote democrat, making it vital for campaigns to not take its base for granted.
"The platform is not perfect, but for the first time we are calling for an end of all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identification in the workplace," Hoadley says. "We are calling to revoke ‘Don't ask; don't tell.' Where are those words in the Republican platform?"
And even though those words will never come out of McCain's mouth, at least he is not doing what President Bush did back in 2004. Mostly as a result of Karl Rove's tactics, gay marriage was introduced as a campaign issue to polarize the country and garner votes. It was divisive and it worked, according to Scott Tucker, director of communications for Log Cabin Republicans.
"McCain does not have a perfect record when it comes to gay and lesbian issues," said Tucker. "But what he is not doing is that he is not going on the campaign trail and using his personal views as wedge issues to try to win the election."
And although progress in the GOP may not be happening overnight, Tucker acknowledges that the wheels are turning and cites a recent victory.
Earlier this month, the Republican majority in the New York state senate introduced the Safe Schools for All Students Act, protecting kids from being bullied in public schools because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
"It was a big deal to include transgender students in that bill," Tucker said, "And we did it."
Another challenge facing McCain and the Republicans this November is the potential backlash from their conservative base not wanting the GOP to venture too deep into equal rights for LGBT.
"We are obviously not going to convince every member of the party," Tucker said. "But equality will never be reached unless we convince a large number of Republican voters that these issues are important."
At least both parties agree on the power of the gay vote, especially after a deadlocked primary contest, where there was record-breaking voter turnout.
"When it comes to issues that affect the LGBT community, America gets it, especially when it comes to equality and discrimination," Hoadley said. "More than ever, this is our election. We need to make our values known and play a role in furthering equality in this country."
Read tomorrow to figure out what LGBT voters look for in a presidential candidate.
As the 2008 presidential election approaches, the LGBT community is growing into a more influential and appealing constituency for both candidates.
Although the Democratic Party and the Republican Party might not be on the same page when it comes to the issues, for the first time they are taking steps—at their own pace—to attract the gay vote.
"There is a big change from previous campaigns," said executive director of Stonewall Democrats Jon Hoadley. "The emphasis on organizing and mobilizing the LGBT community is the most comprehensive it has ever been."
The Obama campaign has placed diversity at its cornerstone, so it's not surprising to see a more visible inclusion of the LGBT community, especially in its commitment to hire openly gay staff members to work on the campaign like the new director of communications for Illinois, Justin DeJong.
In August, the Obama campaign extended its LGBT Leadership Team. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the only Congresswoman to run and win as an openly gay candidate, will be co-chairing the new National LGBT Steering and Policy Committee, responsible for educating voters on the differences between Obama and McCain in regards to LGBT issues.
The expansion also includes the grassroots effort Obama Pride.
"The LGBT community is growing from a closed-door fundraising group to a full-body constituency," Hoadley says. "Members of the LGBT community are being used to deliver the message to a wider audience."
Michelle Obama has also been cited as a link between the LGBT community and the Obama campaign. She has attended various fundraisers and has managed to establish a close rapport with the community.
But it is rather easy for the Democratic Party to cater to gay and lesbian voters and use them as examples of the campaign's commitment to diversity. After all, four out of five LGBT voters vote democrat, making it vital for campaigns to not take its base for granted.
"The platform is not perfect, but for the first time we are calling for an end of all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identification in the workplace," Hoadley says. "We are calling to revoke ‘Don't ask; don't tell.' Where are those words in the Republican platform?"
And even though those words will never come out of McCain's mouth, at least he is not doing what President Bush did back in 2004. Mostly as a result of Karl Rove's tactics, gay marriage was introduced as a campaign issue to polarize the country and garner votes. It was divisive and it worked, according to Scott Tucker, director of communications for Log Cabin Republicans.
"McCain does not have a perfect record when it comes to gay and lesbian issues," said Tucker. "But what he is not doing is that he is not going on the campaign trail and using his personal views as wedge issues to try to win the election."
And although progress in the GOP may not be happening overnight, Tucker acknowledges that the wheels are turning and cites a recent victory.
Earlier this month, the Republican majority in the New York state senate introduced the Safe Schools for All Students Act, protecting kids from being bullied in public schools because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
"It was a big deal to include transgender students in that bill," Tucker said, "And we did it."
Another challenge facing McCain and the Republicans this November is the potential backlash from their conservative base not wanting the GOP to venture too deep into equal rights for LGBT.
"We are obviously not going to convince every member of the party," Tucker said. "But equality will never be reached unless we convince a large number of Republican voters that these issues are important."
At least both parties agree on the power of the gay vote, especially after a deadlocked primary contest, where there was record-breaking voter turnout.
"When it comes to issues that affect the LGBT community, America gets it, especially when it comes to equality and discrimination," Hoadley said. "More than ever, this is our election. We need to make our values known and play a role in furthering equality in this country."
Read tomorrow to figure out what LGBT voters look for in a presidential candidate.
Gay history's impact on a city of contrasts
by Jenna Oskowitz
Mind-boggling.
This was the only word that Dr. Franklin E. Kameny could use to describe the progression of gay history here in Washington D.C.
Known as one of the most significant figures in the American gay rights movement, Kameny was discharged from his civil service job as an astronomer for the United States Army Map Service in 1957.
After finding himself unfairly unemployed, Kameny decided he needed to stand up for himself to the leaders who sent him into what felt like an exile. In 1961, he petitioned the government about the biased treatment he received and the fact that this should not be allowed to happen.
After his appeal was thrown out, he decided to start a grass roots activist group to help make their voices heard. He and Jack Nichols began the Mattachine Society of Washington D.C., which believed in a method of direct contact to fight discrimination. Their main focus was to end sexual discrimination for men and women who worked civil service jobs.
"We initiated the first ever picketing for gay rights at the White House," Kameny said. "Shortly after, I received a phone call from a high ranking civil service official who told me that the government decided to change the policy to suit me."
In 1975, the Civil Service Commission finally amended its anti-gay policy. Among his other efforts to equalize the gay community with the rest of society, Kameny coined the term "gay is good" in 1968. He also took part in panels that were held by the American Psychiatric Association in which he urged them to remove homosexuality from the list of psychiatric illnesses.
He succeeded at that as well in 1973. Before his two triumphs, he was the first openly gay civilian to run for congress in 1971.
"Anyone who lives in Washington, D.C. realizes that there are two separate Washington, D.C.'s," Kameny said. "There is the federal capitol and then there is the local municipal government."
He can easily differentiate the two.
"When I first moved here in 1956, there was no local government so everything was run by the Congress," he said. "In 1975, we finally got our local municipality."
And it is this local municipality that Kameny and other gay members of the community have had faith in for the past 16 years. In 1992, domestic partnerships were legalized in D.C.; it is the local government who has protected them ever since.
"We have worked strategically to have the same freedoms that heterosexual marriages have so we are okay with domestic partnerships," said Kameny. "If we were to ever ask for gay marriage to be legalized, the Congress would give us a huge backlash."
Working quietly with the local government, the gay community has thrived in the city, he said. After the 2008 Presidential election, they plan to negotiate same-sex marriage with the ‘hopeful' future Democratic President and other congressional leaders.
"Once we feel safe, City Council will give us gay marriage," Kameny said.
While Kameny has felt the positive effects of his accomplishments in D.C. over the past five decades, others who are younger see a different gay culture.
Craig Seymour, a native born D.C. author, has seen the underground side of the community and has watched it dissemble.
While attending graduate school at the University of Maryland for American Studies, Seymour decided to take up an interesting assignment; he chose to study the ins and outs of gay strip clubs in the metropolitan area.
"My first gay club experience happened to be a strip club," Seymour said. "And there, for the first time in my life, I felt the feeling of freedom."
Being able to express his innermost desires in an atmosphere which endorsed it, he felt welcome.
"I could express myself without fear of getting my ass kicked," he laughed.
During his investigation of the clubs, he found himself talking to one of the dancers about their motivations. After a few minutes of prying, the dancer asked why he wasn't dancing himself since he was so interested. That one question showed Seymour his calling.
Seymour's memoir, "All I Could Bare: My Life in the Strip Clubs of Gay Washington, D.C.," he explains his personal story against the backdrop of gay culture nationwide.
"What I experienced was an odyssey, a personal transformation," Seymour said. "It was ironic because all of this wild stuff was happening a stone's throw away from our nation's capitol."
Strangely enough, Seymour's unexpected dive into the realm of becoming a stripper fueled his courage to become a journalist.
"For the first time, I stepped outside of my comfort zone, which allowed me to feel I could face other fears," he said.
For Seymour, one of his fears was becoming a journalist. Yet, after his quick success at the art, he became fully engulfed.
Seymour now teaches as an associate professor of Journalism in Northern Illinois and has worked for The Washington Post, Spin Magazine, Vibe Magazine and Entertainment Weekly.
Seymour will also be speaking on the memoir panel at the NLGJA Convention on Saturday and a book signing at Lambda Rising Sunday morning.
As a D.C. native, Seymour has seen the crumble of the gay community.
"Sex has been erased from Washington, D.C.," he said. "Once they closed the strip clubs to build the baseball stadium, the city lost a lot."
Seymour is concerned about the opportunity for the gay community to have a welcoming place.
"It's almost like society wants to erase a certain kind of person," Seymour said. "More tolerance is needed and there should be a place for sexually oriented clubs to exist."
Though there may not be as many sexually oriented clubs for the gay community in the city, there is still plenty of night life and places to go.
Du Pont Circle is commonly known as the "gayborhood."
"This is the place to be," said Marcus Horne, manager of Lambda Rising.
Horne loves the atmosphere in the circle and Lambda Rising has just enough spirit to show its true colors.
"If someone came in and recorded everything that went on here, we would have a prime time hit," Horne said. "Our bookstore is a staple in this community, one that people expect to see when they come here."
From tourists to regulars, the walls of Lambda Rising have seen quite a lot.
"One minute someone is asking about lubricants and the next they are asking how to clone their penis," Horne said.
Whether it is bookstores, novelty shops or bars, Du Pont Circle has it all.
A few of the regular hotspots include the Duplex Diner which has a popular gay happy hour, Larry's located on 18th St., Jack's on 17th St. and JR's DC Bar and Grill which hosts a high heel marathon every year.
Convention has many opportunities for attendees
by Kandice Day
One thing that is on every journalist's mind these days: survival.
This year's NLGJA national convention will attempt to ease pink-slip paranoia by adding many professional development sessions including extensive online training.
"We want to help members get into newsrooms and stay in newsrooms," deputy executive director Thomas Cashman Avila said.
While the topic on everyone's minds may be surviving an economic disaster in which journalists seem in limbo, it is NLGJA's hope that, at least for this week, a dissolved passion for the work will reignite.
True to its word, NLGJA Goes to Washington is offering five sessions ranging from blogging to managing Web videos, as opposed to the 2007 convention which showcased only two sessions educating NLGJA members on new technology.
The 2008 convention presents three survival sessions to help journalists prepare for the future.
NLGJA's executive director David Barre said conventions on the East Coast usually draw a larger crowd than the West. It is NLGJA's commitment to staying on top of an ever-changing field that will hopefully raise registration numbers, he said.
The online skills training, a "mini retreat" as Avila nicknames it, begins with a session on Friday and ends with a "Beyond the Basics" session late Saturday. It's a way to not only improve rusty techniques, but learn some new ones.
Being on the cutting edge of news also means sticking to what works and those staples are easy to find at the convention. Some prefer politics, some prefer entertainment, but no matter the preference, workshops are expected to be filled.
This year Elliot Spitzer, Jim McGreevy and Larry Craig will be discussed in "Strange Bedfellows." Opening day will also feature many politically themed sessions, introducing members to the flavor of Washington with a bit of NLGJA flare.
"The March on News Coverage" will take members on a journey to a time of hard news and away from entertainment.
The lunch plenary on Friday, which will feature guest speaker Cambridge, Mass. Mayor E. Denise Simmons, is an opportunity to be introduced to openly gay women in politics. Simmons is the first mayor in the country to be open about her sexuality and will share her experiences and viewpoints on the infamous glass ceiling.
Saturday features the Author's Café, which allows for a "new perspective into the work" that members do every day, Avila said. Due to the popularity of past Author's Cafés NLGJA decided to add more time to the schedule.
"Use these two hours wisely," he said. "They are a nice break from sessions without actually leaving the convention."
Some may assume every journalist secretly, or not so secretly, dreams of writing the great American novel. Regardless of anyone's opinion, publishing sessions are included in every NLGJA convention. This year's "Writing (& Selling) The Personal Memoir" will give members a chance to take the first step in reaching that dream.
Organizers say the convention schedule was designed to redirect the helplessness many journalists are experiencing in an uncertain job market.
"We want to remind people why they went into this business; why they drive into the office everyday," Avila said.
One thing that is on every journalist's mind these days: survival.
This year's NLGJA national convention will attempt to ease pink-slip paranoia by adding many professional development sessions including extensive online training.
"We want to help members get into newsrooms and stay in newsrooms," deputy executive director Thomas Cashman Avila said.
While the topic on everyone's minds may be surviving an economic disaster in which journalists seem in limbo, it is NLGJA's hope that, at least for this week, a dissolved passion for the work will reignite.
True to its word, NLGJA Goes to Washington is offering five sessions ranging from blogging to managing Web videos, as opposed to the 2007 convention which showcased only two sessions educating NLGJA members on new technology.
The 2008 convention presents three survival sessions to help journalists prepare for the future.
NLGJA's executive director David Barre said conventions on the East Coast usually draw a larger crowd than the West. It is NLGJA's commitment to staying on top of an ever-changing field that will hopefully raise registration numbers, he said.
The online skills training, a "mini retreat" as Avila nicknames it, begins with a session on Friday and ends with a "Beyond the Basics" session late Saturday. It's a way to not only improve rusty techniques, but learn some new ones.
Being on the cutting edge of news also means sticking to what works and those staples are easy to find at the convention. Some prefer politics, some prefer entertainment, but no matter the preference, workshops are expected to be filled.
This year Elliot Spitzer, Jim McGreevy and Larry Craig will be discussed in "Strange Bedfellows." Opening day will also feature many politically themed sessions, introducing members to the flavor of Washington with a bit of NLGJA flare.
"The March on News Coverage" will take members on a journey to a time of hard news and away from entertainment.
The lunch plenary on Friday, which will feature guest speaker Cambridge, Mass. Mayor E. Denise Simmons, is an opportunity to be introduced to openly gay women in politics. Simmons is the first mayor in the country to be open about her sexuality and will share her experiences and viewpoints on the infamous glass ceiling.
Saturday features the Author's Café, which allows for a "new perspective into the work" that members do every day, Avila said. Due to the popularity of past Author's Cafés NLGJA decided to add more time to the schedule.
"Use these two hours wisely," he said. "They are a nice break from sessions without actually leaving the convention."
Some may assume every journalist secretly, or not so secretly, dreams of writing the great American novel. Regardless of anyone's opinion, publishing sessions are included in every NLGJA convention. This year's "Writing (& Selling) The Personal Memoir" will give members a chance to take the first step in reaching that dream.
Organizers say the convention schedule was designed to redirect the helplessness many journalists are experiencing in an uncertain job market.
"We want to remind people why they went into this business; why they drive into the office everyday," Avila said.
Convention reflects changes in industry
by Laura Simmons
It felt like any other Tuesday when Zamná Ávila walked into his office last March.
It wasn't.
Ávila entered the building in Long Beach, Calif., as the editor of Clout magazine, a product of the Long Beach Press-Telegram, but left unemployed.
"I understood it as a business decision," he said. "It's sad how many people are getting laid off left and right. What do you do other than network and try to see if somebody knows of somebody?"
Ávila, who's attending the 2008 NLGJA convention, is one of many journalists across the country being affected by layoffs, buyouts and down-sizing.
Deputy executive director NLGJA Thomas Cashman Avila said the convention had no choice but to deal with the industry changes. Branching out of traditional media is one way many people are coping with the challenging job market, he said, and the convention needed to reflect that.
In particular, sessions in the program labeled "New Media" will offer workshops ranging from blogging to Web video. Sessions labeled "Survival Skills" will focus on how to transition into a new career.
"Obviously our goal is not to convince everyone at the convention that they need to move out of the newsroom, but we think it's important to be able to show people that there are options on the table that let you continue to use the skills you developed towards making some kind of change," Avila said. "People are actually going to be able to leave the convention and be able to put these skills into practice."
NLGJA executive director David Barre called the emphasis on dealing with or avoiding layoffs a "natural transition" for this year's convention.
"It's our responsibility to help our members in their careers, and right now it's pretty challenging for folks," he said.
Avila said another new addition will be a financial planning session called "About the Benjamins" to help members prepare for any career changes.
"How do I start preparing now if I know my company is going to cut 50 newsroom jobs in the next month?" he said. "How do I start getting ready or what should I have been doing three months ago to get ready?"
The Tribune Company, which owns multiple newspapers including the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times, is one of many that have cut jobs.
"I think that the newspaper industry right now is very challenged," Gary Weitman, senior vice president of corporate relations for the Tribune Company, said. "We are going to be printing fewer pages and with fewer pages we need fewer people."
The more you can do as a journalist, the more competitive you'll make yourself, the more attractive you'll make yourself as a potential hire," he said.
With that, for those on the job hunt, Barre said there are actually more recruiters at this year's job fair, 44, compared to 38 last year. The Tribune Company is not on the list.
Barre couldn't explain the increased interest but guessed it might have something to with newsrooms wanting to diversify their staffs.
Zamná Ávila is not sure he'll be able to stay in journalism, but said he's planning on attending the job fair.
"The situation in the industry, with so many people laid off, with much better reporters out there - I'll do whatever I need to, to make a living, but I'll continue to write," he said.
"That's my plan for now."
It felt like any other Tuesday when Zamná Ávila walked into his office last March.
It wasn't.
Ávila entered the building in Long Beach, Calif., as the editor of Clout magazine, a product of the Long Beach Press-Telegram, but left unemployed.
"I understood it as a business decision," he said. "It's sad how many people are getting laid off left and right. What do you do other than network and try to see if somebody knows of somebody?"
Ávila, who's attending the 2008 NLGJA convention, is one of many journalists across the country being affected by layoffs, buyouts and down-sizing.
Deputy executive director NLGJA Thomas Cashman Avila said the convention had no choice but to deal with the industry changes. Branching out of traditional media is one way many people are coping with the challenging job market, he said, and the convention needed to reflect that.
In particular, sessions in the program labeled "New Media" will offer workshops ranging from blogging to Web video. Sessions labeled "Survival Skills" will focus on how to transition into a new career.
"Obviously our goal is not to convince everyone at the convention that they need to move out of the newsroom, but we think it's important to be able to show people that there are options on the table that let you continue to use the skills you developed towards making some kind of change," Avila said. "People are actually going to be able to leave the convention and be able to put these skills into practice."
NLGJA executive director David Barre called the emphasis on dealing with or avoiding layoffs a "natural transition" for this year's convention.
"It's our responsibility to help our members in their careers, and right now it's pretty challenging for folks," he said.
Avila said another new addition will be a financial planning session called "About the Benjamins" to help members prepare for any career changes.
"How do I start preparing now if I know my company is going to cut 50 newsroom jobs in the next month?" he said. "How do I start getting ready or what should I have been doing three months ago to get ready?"
The Tribune Company, which owns multiple newspapers including the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times, is one of many that have cut jobs.
"I think that the newspaper industry right now is very challenged," Gary Weitman, senior vice president of corporate relations for the Tribune Company, said. "We are going to be printing fewer pages and with fewer pages we need fewer people."
The more you can do as a journalist, the more competitive you'll make yourself, the more attractive you'll make yourself as a potential hire," he said.
With that, for those on the job hunt, Barre said there are actually more recruiters at this year's job fair, 44, compared to 38 last year. The Tribune Company is not on the list.
Barre couldn't explain the increased interest but guessed it might have something to with newsrooms wanting to diversify their staffs.
Zamná Ávila is not sure he'll be able to stay in journalism, but said he's planning on attending the job fair.
"The situation in the industry, with so many people laid off, with much better reporters out there - I'll do whatever I need to, to make a living, but I'll continue to write," he said.
"That's my plan for now."
SNEAK PEEK: Liberty and justice for all?
Keith Quinones uncovers gay foreign service officers who aren't receiving the same benefits as their straight counterparts later this week.
Attendees expect success at 5th annual media summit
by David Reinbold
The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association's Media Summit is celebrating its fifth year, jump starting the 2008 National Convention: NLGJA Goes to Washington.
The summit, which began at the 2004 New York convention, provides a unique opportunity for the gay press to share ideas and network while providing a touch of local flare.
"I think it's an excellent, and really one of the only, opportunities for those working in the gay press to gather," editor of Southern Voice Laura Brown said. "We get together, we can brain storm, share strategies and put faces to the names that we read in each other's publications."
This year the media summit includes a live broadcast with Michelangelo Signorile, host of his own show on Sirius Satellite Radio. The summit also has several smaller breakout sessions centralized around various topics.
A large emphasis will be on election coverage and progression the gay press has made in Washington.
"There are signs that our community is being taken more seriously," editor of Washington Blade Kevin Naff said. "Our media outlets are doing better jobs at landing those big interviews."
Four years ago, smaller gay press didn't get interviews with presidential candidates. Today, they are getting those interviews and more, Naff said.
"I'm looking forward to the discussion on the White House and covering Washington," he said. "I'm also excited about looking at this question of having the gay media overly obsessed with celebrities."
In its short life, the media summit has proven to be a crowd pleaser, always drawing a large crowd.
"Last year we had more than 250 people attend," NLGJA deputy executive director Thomas Cashman Avila said. "It was a genuine statement on what people wanted to see and what they wanted to know."
The past year's media summit was the largest, Avila said.
Chicago Chapter President Rick Stuckey, who attended the 2007 convention, said he is looking forward to the media summit again this year.
"I think this is great because it brings mainstream and LGBT media together," Stuckey said.
Some may consider Washington a perfect fit for this year's convention, with the backdrop of political spotlight and issues like the economy that are having an impact on virtually every person.
"If everyone is feeling the pinch from the recession, it's important that they attend," Naff said. "People can exchange and learn best practices to help them save money on the job."
Brown said that prior to the existence of the media summit, the topics at the NLGJA conventions were a difficult fit for journalists working in the gay press; archaic topics like coming out in the newsroom were on display.
"Some of the topics were interesting and pertinent," she said. "But the summit has been wonderful because it gives us a chance to talk about focus issues."
Avila said that the idea behind the summit was the challenges LGBT people face in the media are different than what others might face.
"We want to acknowledge that," he said. "So now we can devote an entire day to say [that] what the LGBT media does is significant."
The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association's Media Summit is celebrating its fifth year, jump starting the 2008 National Convention: NLGJA Goes to Washington.
The summit, which began at the 2004 New York convention, provides a unique opportunity for the gay press to share ideas and network while providing a touch of local flare.
"I think it's an excellent, and really one of the only, opportunities for those working in the gay press to gather," editor of Southern Voice Laura Brown said. "We get together, we can brain storm, share strategies and put faces to the names that we read in each other's publications."
This year the media summit includes a live broadcast with Michelangelo Signorile, host of his own show on Sirius Satellite Radio. The summit also has several smaller breakout sessions centralized around various topics.
A large emphasis will be on election coverage and progression the gay press has made in Washington.
"There are signs that our community is being taken more seriously," editor of Washington Blade Kevin Naff said. "Our media outlets are doing better jobs at landing those big interviews."
Four years ago, smaller gay press didn't get interviews with presidential candidates. Today, they are getting those interviews and more, Naff said.
"I'm looking forward to the discussion on the White House and covering Washington," he said. "I'm also excited about looking at this question of having the gay media overly obsessed with celebrities."
In its short life, the media summit has proven to be a crowd pleaser, always drawing a large crowd.
"Last year we had more than 250 people attend," NLGJA deputy executive director Thomas Cashman Avila said. "It was a genuine statement on what people wanted to see and what they wanted to know."
The past year's media summit was the largest, Avila said.
Chicago Chapter President Rick Stuckey, who attended the 2007 convention, said he is looking forward to the media summit again this year.
"I think this is great because it brings mainstream and LGBT media together," Stuckey said.
Some may consider Washington a perfect fit for this year's convention, with the backdrop of political spotlight and issues like the economy that are having an impact on virtually every person.
"If everyone is feeling the pinch from the recession, it's important that they attend," Naff said. "People can exchange and learn best practices to help them save money on the job."
Brown said that prior to the existence of the media summit, the topics at the NLGJA conventions were a difficult fit for journalists working in the gay press; archaic topics like coming out in the newsroom were on display.
"Some of the topics were interesting and pertinent," she said. "But the summit has been wonderful because it gives us a chance to talk about focus issues."
Avila said that the idea behind the summit was the challenges LGBT people face in the media are different than what others might face.
"We want to acknowledge that," he said. "So now we can devote an entire day to say [that] what the LGBT media does is significant."
Retention of NLGJA members a main focus
by Jared Grigsby
Membership in the NLGJA continues to fall.
In August 2007, the NLGJA contained 1,247 members, but as of August 14, 2008, that number dipped to 1,073. This continual decline in members made NLGJA executive director David Barre focus efforts on the retention of organization members and not as much on recruiting new members.
"We need to focus on member retention, not growth. New growth is steady," Barre said. "[Our] retention is abysmal for a professional organization, about 60 percent."
The NLGJA's updated strategic plan, which spans from 2008 through 2010, looks to increase member retention rates by 10 percent. No specific plan for improving membership recruitment and retention are in place for either 2009 or 2010.
Instead, the plan calls for the development of new goals based on the previous year's performance. This plan is an improvement from what was in place before. Barre said that the previous strategic plan was weak in that goals were arbitrary.
"It said here's what we're doing, now let's do it better, without changing things," Barre said.
In an effort to enhance membership, the NLGJA started offering more programs and resources for its members. Current programs include distance learning options and career watch, a monthly e-newsletter with flash alerts about jobs and programs of interest, podcasts and professional development distance workshops.
Despite these additions to the current membership benefits, Barre admits that the NLGJA needs to increase its visibility.
"We try to get our name out there with the rapid response task force of professionals who correct incorrect information in the media," Barre said. "We are trying to get involved with things that show who we are."
The NLGJA continues striving for diversity in its membership. Current membership information shows that of those who answered the gender question on membership forms, 792 members are male and 276 are female.
It is difficult for the NLGJA to track journalists of color, as some people prefer not to identify themselves by race on their membership forms. But, of current members, 157 identify as journalists of color, which is down 33 people from 2007; 814 identify as Caucasian and 102 did not answer the question.
NJGJA deputy executive director Thomas Cashman Avila indicated that efforts to retain journalists of color are currently in place through the use of arts criticism and increased training.
"There's a focus on skills training and professional development to get people into the newsroom and stay in the newsroom; the cutbacks are affecting the journalists of color more," Avila said.
The NLGJA strives to increase its gender diversity too, though no women are running for any of the elected National Board positions. Recruitment committee member David Steinberg said that despite the encouragement of women to run for these positions, none added their names to the ballot.
"Several [women] who had been approached who had indicated an interest [in serving] had varying reasons for not running," Steinberg said. "A common theme is that as budgets are cut, people are asked to do more and there isn't time to devote to NLGJA."
NLGJA is looking to the future with a need to retain members who are currently active while increasing its visibility. If the number of individuals in the NLGJA continues to decline, the organization's future will be questionable.
Membership in the NLGJA continues to fall.
In August 2007, the NLGJA contained 1,247 members, but as of August 14, 2008, that number dipped to 1,073. This continual decline in members made NLGJA executive director David Barre focus efforts on the retention of organization members and not as much on recruiting new members.
"We need to focus on member retention, not growth. New growth is steady," Barre said. "[Our] retention is abysmal for a professional organization, about 60 percent."
The NLGJA's updated strategic plan, which spans from 2008 through 2010, looks to increase member retention rates by 10 percent. No specific plan for improving membership recruitment and retention are in place for either 2009 or 2010.
Instead, the plan calls for the development of new goals based on the previous year's performance. This plan is an improvement from what was in place before. Barre said that the previous strategic plan was weak in that goals were arbitrary.
"It said here's what we're doing, now let's do it better, without changing things," Barre said.
In an effort to enhance membership, the NLGJA started offering more programs and resources for its members. Current programs include distance learning options and career watch, a monthly e-newsletter with flash alerts about jobs and programs of interest, podcasts and professional development distance workshops.
Despite these additions to the current membership benefits, Barre admits that the NLGJA needs to increase its visibility.
"We try to get our name out there with the rapid response task force of professionals who correct incorrect information in the media," Barre said. "We are trying to get involved with things that show who we are."
The NLGJA continues striving for diversity in its membership. Current membership information shows that of those who answered the gender question on membership forms, 792 members are male and 276 are female.
It is difficult for the NLGJA to track journalists of color, as some people prefer not to identify themselves by race on their membership forms. But, of current members, 157 identify as journalists of color, which is down 33 people from 2007; 814 identify as Caucasian and 102 did not answer the question.
NJGJA deputy executive director Thomas Cashman Avila indicated that efforts to retain journalists of color are currently in place through the use of arts criticism and increased training.
"There's a focus on skills training and professional development to get people into the newsroom and stay in the newsroom; the cutbacks are affecting the journalists of color more," Avila said.
The NLGJA strives to increase its gender diversity too, though no women are running for any of the elected National Board positions. Recruitment committee member David Steinberg said that despite the encouragement of women to run for these positions, none added their names to the ballot.
"Several [women] who had been approached who had indicated an interest [in serving] had varying reasons for not running," Steinberg said. "A common theme is that as budgets are cut, people are asked to do more and there isn't time to devote to NLGJA."
NLGJA is looking to the future with a need to retain members who are currently active while increasing its visibility. If the number of individuals in the NLGJA continues to decline, the organization's future will be questionable.
Newseum museum gives the scoop on journalism history
by Jared Grigsby
Washington's newest museum, the Newseum, answers the question "What is news?" by examining and displaying journalism of the past and present.
The Newseum opened April 11, 2008, on the last remaining open site on Pennsylvania Avenue, across from the West Wing of the National Gallery of Art and between the U.S. Capitol and the White House. With six levels of exhibitions, from early news to a gallery of Sept. 11, 2001, front pages to an ethics center, the Newseum provides 14 galleries and 15 theaters to engage its visitors.
According to a Newseum visitor representative, the Newseum receives 550 newspapers every day, so it's possible to find a favorite publication.
Some Newseum exhibits, like the Pulitzer Prize Winning Photographs Gallery, may be too intense for some children and visitors. Despite the gasps escaping from the mouths of those slowly walking past the exhibit's walls of photographs, visitors are able to connect with the photographers' subjects and share common emotions. Heidi Atlas, a Newseum visitor from Chicago, Ill., wondered about the photographers.
"What must have been going through these photographers' minds as they were standing there, taking these pictures as these events were happening?" Atlas said.
The 9/11 gallery on the fourth floor of the Newseum stops visitors in their tracks, as a wall of front page headlines from newspapers from around the U.S. and the world repeats a lot of the same images but with distinctly different headlines.
"I think the biggest contrasting ones are the San Francisco Examiner and the Wall Street Journal," Mandi Rice, a NLGJA Student Project member from Earlham College, said. "The Examiner wrote 'Bastards,' which I can't justify journalistically, while the Journal, in its stodginess, didn't even run a photo."
The quote, "Journalism is the first draft of history," by Philip Graham, a former co-owner of The Washington Post, is engraved on a wall in the News History exhibit on the fifth floor. Publications from all periods of time are encased and presented. Frank Lin, another NLGJA Student Project member from the University of Chicago, received chills from seeing Graham's quote come to life.
"The idea that journalism is the first draft of news, walking past these [news articles of the past], people don't know how integral journalists are," Lin said. "Journalists are living it and able to grasp the magnitude of an event so quick after it's happened."
A steady flow of visitors continues to keep the Newseum staff busy since its opening. According to Newseum visitor representatives there are a lot of groups, schools and other organizations visiting the museum. The Newseum is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission for adults 13 to 64 is $20, seniors 65 and older are $18, youth ages 7 to 12 is $13 and children 6 and younger are free.
Slideshow photos by Jared Grigsby
Washington's newest museum, the Newseum, answers the question "What is news?" by examining and displaying journalism of the past and present.
The Newseum opened April 11, 2008, on the last remaining open site on Pennsylvania Avenue, across from the West Wing of the National Gallery of Art and between the U.S. Capitol and the White House. With six levels of exhibitions, from early news to a gallery of Sept. 11, 2001, front pages to an ethics center, the Newseum provides 14 galleries and 15 theaters to engage its visitors.
According to a Newseum visitor representative, the Newseum receives 550 newspapers every day, so it's possible to find a favorite publication.
Some Newseum exhibits, like the Pulitzer Prize Winning Photographs Gallery, may be too intense for some children and visitors. Despite the gasps escaping from the mouths of those slowly walking past the exhibit's walls of photographs, visitors are able to connect with the photographers' subjects and share common emotions. Heidi Atlas, a Newseum visitor from Chicago, Ill., wondered about the photographers.
"What must have been going through these photographers' minds as they were standing there, taking these pictures as these events were happening?" Atlas said.
The 9/11 gallery on the fourth floor of the Newseum stops visitors in their tracks, as a wall of front page headlines from newspapers from around the U.S. and the world repeats a lot of the same images but with distinctly different headlines.
"I think the biggest contrasting ones are the San Francisco Examiner and the Wall Street Journal," Mandi Rice, a NLGJA Student Project member from Earlham College, said. "The Examiner wrote 'Bastards,' which I can't justify journalistically, while the Journal, in its stodginess, didn't even run a photo."
The quote, "Journalism is the first draft of history," by Philip Graham, a former co-owner of The Washington Post, is engraved on a wall in the News History exhibit on the fifth floor. Publications from all periods of time are encased and presented. Frank Lin, another NLGJA Student Project member from the University of Chicago, received chills from seeing Graham's quote come to life.
"The idea that journalism is the first draft of news, walking past these [news articles of the past], people don't know how integral journalists are," Lin said. "Journalists are living it and able to grasp the magnitude of an event so quick after it's happened."
A steady flow of visitors continues to keep the Newseum staff busy since its opening. According to Newseum visitor representatives there are a lot of groups, schools and other organizations visiting the museum. The Newseum is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission for adults 13 to 64 is $20, seniors 65 and older are $18, youth ages 7 to 12 is $13 and children 6 and younger are free.
Slideshow photos by Jared Grigsby
"The Michelangelo Signorile Show" at the 2008 NLGJA convention
by Laniaya Hoofatt
Why did Barack Obama interview with The Advocate? How does John McCain skate around the queer media? You can find these answers and more at the live broadcast of "The Michelangelo Signorile Show" at this year's NLGJA convention.
The talk show on Sirius OutQ will have guests discussing the issues and controversies in the current presidential election. The show will be broadcast live in the Thoroughbred room on the Concourse level from 2 to 4 p.m.
Sirius OutQ describes the show as "hard hitting" analysis and commentary with a comedic edge. Every week day afternoon, Signorile brings the latest news in today's society from a queer perspective.
Signorile will be joined by Pam Spaulding, blogger with Pam's House Blend; Lisa Keen, freelance writer; Kevin Naff, editor with the Washington Blade and Kerry Eleveld, news editor of The Advocate. Signorile and his guests will discuss the limited access the queer media has had with the candidates and the noticeable differences between the primaries and the general election.
This will not be another run of the mill election discussion. This live broadcast will discuss major points of both candidates' campaigns. Obama's Donnie McClurkin issue is just one of the many hot topics that will be analyzed through a queer perspective. McClurkin, a gospel singer, is a self professed ex-gay who has preformed at an event held by Obama that has some gays calling foul.
McCain will not be let off so easily. His stance on the queer community, marriage and adoption are up for grabs between Signorile and his guest.
Signorile is best known for his AIDS activism in the late 80's and his highly publicized outing of many mainstream media figures. He has also had four books published, including Outing Yourself and Queer in America.
Clip of "The Michelangelo Signorile Show"
Why did Barack Obama interview with The Advocate? How does John McCain skate around the queer media? You can find these answers and more at the live broadcast of "The Michelangelo Signorile Show" at this year's NLGJA convention.
The talk show on Sirius OutQ will have guests discussing the issues and controversies in the current presidential election. The show will be broadcast live in the Thoroughbred room on the Concourse level from 2 to 4 p.m.
Sirius OutQ describes the show as "hard hitting" analysis and commentary with a comedic edge. Every week day afternoon, Signorile brings the latest news in today's society from a queer perspective.
Signorile will be joined by Pam Spaulding, blogger with Pam's House Blend; Lisa Keen, freelance writer; Kevin Naff, editor with the Washington Blade and Kerry Eleveld, news editor of The Advocate. Signorile and his guests will discuss the limited access the queer media has had with the candidates and the noticeable differences between the primaries and the general election.
This will not be another run of the mill election discussion. This live broadcast will discuss major points of both candidates' campaigns. Obama's Donnie McClurkin issue is just one of the many hot topics that will be analyzed through a queer perspective. McClurkin, a gospel singer, is a self professed ex-gay who has preformed at an event held by Obama that has some gays calling foul.
McCain will not be let off so easily. His stance on the queer community, marriage and adoption are up for grabs between Signorile and his guest.
Signorile is best known for his AIDS activism in the late 80's and his highly publicized outing of many mainstream media figures. He has also had four books published, including Outing Yourself and Queer in America.
Clip of "The Michelangelo Signorile Show"
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