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This page includes ongoing updates about Renna Communications and our activities. You’ll find editorials and other examples of our personal work.
Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists to Honor Media Expert and LGBT Activist Cathy Renna with 2012 Barbara Gittings Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nathan Tabak, 347-633-5221, nathan@rennacommunications.com
PHILADELPHIA – April 27, 2012 – The Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists will present its 2012 Barbara Gittings Award to Cathy Renna, Managing Partner of Renna Communications, at their annual awards ceremony, to be held Monday, May 7, 2012 at 7:00 PM at the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia. This prestigious honor recognizes a woman who demonstrates exceptional leadership and advocacy for lesbian issues.
Renna is nationally recognized as a media relations expert and as a leader within the LGBT community. As a major force behind the success and growth of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), where she worked for 14 years, Cathy served as a primary spokesperson for GLAAD, as well as its first National News Media Director.
Read more...posted: 1 May 12
Cathy Renna on Morning Jolt
Listen to our Managing Partner Cathy Renna on the January 3, 2012 edition of Sirius OutQ’s Morning Jolt with Larry Flick.
Read more...
posted: 1 January 12
Parents urged to support, safeguard children as they explore gender
Phil Gast | CNN.com | October 30, 2011
(CNN) — At first, Felisha Archuleta thought her young son’s affinity for wearing dresses, primping his hair and playing with Barbies and Bratz dolls indicated he was going through a stage.
But Bobby Montoya’s interest in “girl stuff” has not been short-lived: He’s grown his hair out and has dressed as a girl when he can for much of his 7 years. Bobby’s been “outspoken” about his gender identity, said Archuleta.
The Denver, Colorado, family’s recent attempt to sign up Bobby with Girl Scouts, however, left him in tears, his mother said.
A leader said he could not join because of his “boy parts,” Archuleta told CNN affiliate 9News.
posted: 30 October 11
Cathy Renna and Teresa Nolan
Listen to our Managing Partner Cathy Renna and Green Chimneys’ Teresa Nolan discuss homeless LGBT youth and the diversity of the LGBT community on the October 25 edition of Sirius OutQ’s Morning Jolt with Larry Flick.
posted: 25 October 11
Ally Sheedy and Carl Siciliano
Actress Ally Sheedy and Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center, discuss homeless youth on the October 24 broadcast of Sirius OutQ’s Morning Jolt with Larry Flick.
posted: 25 October 11
Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The State of LGBT Visibility in the Media
Cathy Renna | Huffington Post | October 14, 2011
I approach every October with a sense of pride and dread. For all of the history and progress we celebrate — and there is a lot to celebrate, especially in the past few years — there is always sadness in my heart, because October always takes me back, whether I like it or not, to the time I spent in Laramie, Wyo. following the beating of Matthew Shepard in 1998. And while Oct. 11 is National Coming Out Day, it was that day in 1998 that I spent in vigil and solidarity with Matt’s friends, fellow students and activists on the campus of the University of Wyoming, only to be woken up in the middle of night on Oct. 12 to be told we lost Matt. And every year I take that experience and reflect on it as a marker for how much progress we have truly made.
posted: 14 October 11
An Exclusive Club You Don't Want an Invitation To
Terrence Meck | The Huffington Post | June 17, 2011
July 4th will mark the third anniversary of the death of my husband, Rand Skolnick, from pancreatic cancer. A perfectly healthy man at 49, he was diagnosed on March 4th of 2008 and died four months later shortly after his 50th birthday.
Since his death I have carried on his legacy through The Palette Fund, a foundation honoring Rand’s life that has granted more than $2 million to programs in the areas of Nutrition & Wellness, Patient Navigation and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender human rights. Nothing I have done prepared me for Pancreatic Cancer Advocacy Day in our nation’s capital.
posted: 17 June 11
Cathy Renna on ‘Two Spirits’ on PBS
Same Sex Sunday | June 13, 2011
We chatted with Cathy Renna about the season finale of PBS’ ‘Independent Lens’ Tuesday which will feature the documentary “Two Spirits,” about the murder of Navajo trans teen Fred Martinez in Cortez Colorado a decade ago.
America Ferrera from ‘Ugly Betty’ will host this special, discussing the life and death of Martinez, as well as the notion of ‘two spirit’ in Native American culture. Cathy Renna, who worked on the investigation of the murder with GLAAD at the time, is working with the documentary team in educating America on this special story and this special subject.
posted: 13 June 11
Gay couples seek green cards despite likely denial
Amy Taxin | Associated Press | June 5, 2011
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. — Faced with losing the life they’ve built together in the dusty California desert town of Cathedral City, Doug Gentry and Alex Benshimol are making a last-ditch effort to stave off the looming threat of deportation.
To a large degree, the couple is stuck. While the American information technology consultant and Venezuelan pet groomer wed at a romantic Connecticut ceremony last year, the federal government won’t recognize the marriage between the two men — and as a result, won’t approve their application for a green card.
posted: 6 June 11
Obama Administration Seeks To Address Homeless Crisis Among Gay Teens
Jason Cherkis | Huffington Post | June 1, 2011
WASHINGTON — Jonathan had spent nearly a decade in Louisiana’s child welfare system. The safest places, the gay teen discovered, were the moldy homes he squatted in after Hurricane Katrina.
Roofs sagged, floors caved in, mold veined walls and there were always rats. “It was very uncomfortable,” said Jonathan. “Old, dark, lots of insects, rodents. … It was times I cried.” Often, he lit fires to keep the rats away.
He was 18 years old, and had just aged out of foster care essentially homeless. But those boarded-up dwellings were peaceful refuges compared to the facilities he experienced as a state ward.
Jonathan had logged time in group homes, foster homes, shelters, a secure detention center and even a military boot-camp-style school. It didn’t matter where he ended up. He said he always felt the sting of homophobia.
posted: 1 June 11
Chaplains: Troops may fear sharing beliefs on gays
Julie Watson | Associated Press | May 24, 2011
SAN DIEGO—Military chaplains are concerned troops could be punished for expressing objections to homosexuality once the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy is lifted.
Leaders of 21 religious groups that provide chaplains to the U.S. military on Monday sent a letter to the chiefs of chaplains of the Navy, Army, and Air Force. They want Congress or the Pentagon to guarantee troops won’t be punished if they openly discuss their objections to homosexuality.
posted: 24 May 11
Same Sex Sunday: Terrence Meck on LGBT grants, Eric Ross’ book for kids, teen activist Caleb Laieski
Joe Mirabella | Same Sex Sunday | May 22, 2011
In this special interview-only episode, Phil Reese, Joe Mirabella, and D. Gregory Smith interviewed some outstanding leaders in the gay community.
Joe Mirabella interviewed Terrence Meck, the Executive Director of Palette Fund, an outstanding organizing that grants hundreds of thousands of dollars to deserving LGBT organizations.
Learn what the Palette Fund looks for in non-profits and what inspired Terrence to found the organization.
posted: 23 May 11
Before ‘it gets better:’ Study links bullying to long term negative mental health
Dana Rudolph | LGBTQ Nation | May 16, 2011
A popular anti-bullying campaign has been telling bullied teens “it gets better” — but the effects of past bullying often linger, according to new research.
The study, released Monday (May 16) in the May 2011 issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of School Health, reports that anti-LGBT bullying at school “is strongly linked” to negative mental health for its victims.
Among those risks are an increased frequency of suicide attempts and increased risk for engaging in behaviors that can lead to infection with STDs and HIV. The increased risks exist not only while the victim is in adolescence, but also in young adulthood.
posted: 16 May 11
Marriage Worth $391 Million to New York
Julie Bolcer | Advocate.com | May 11, 2011
A new report shows that marriage equality could generate nearly $400 million over the next three years in New York, where campaigns for and against the proposal have kicked into high gear this week.
The New York state senate Independent Democratic Conference released a report Tuesday showing that marriage equality would generate at least $391 million for the state in business, tax revenue, and savings within three years of becoming law.
The four members of the breakaway Democratic conference, who all support marriage equality, released the report, “For Love or Money?: The Economic Impact of Marriage Equality in New York,” at an afternoon press conference in Albany. They were joined by constituents and advocates including out state assembly member Matt Titone and Ross Levi, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, a member of the New Yorkers United for Marriage Equality coalition.
posted: 12 May 11
Transgender bias in workplace costs millions, study says
Katie Johnston Chase | The Boston Globe | May 11, 2011
Employment discrimination against transgender Massachusetts residents is costing the state millions of dollars each year in increased payouts for public health insurance benefits and other costs, according to a report being released today.
The study, by the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy, a think tank at the University of California Los Angeles, found that more than three-quarters of 283 transgender Massachusetts residents surveyed have experienced some form of employment discrimination, including losing a job, being denied a promotion, or not being hired at all. As a result, the state is paying out nearly $3 million for public health insurance coverage to transgender residents who have lost their jobs due to bias, according to the study.
posted: 11 May 11
Tiger of the Week: Terrence Meck '00
Brett Tomlinson | Princeton Alumni Weekly: Weekly Blog | May 11, 2011
Three years after his partner died of pancreatic cancer, nonprofit executive Terrence Meck ’00 is turning a deep personal loss into a significant public gain. Meck is the president and executive director of the Palette Fund, which honors the late Rand Harlan Skolnick, and this week, the group announced its second series of grants, totaling approximately $800,000, which will be distributed in 2011.
posted: 11 May 11
LGBT Homeless Youth Advocates Complain About Being Left Behind
Michael K. Lavers | EDGE | May 4, 2011
Have LGBT organizations done enough for homeless youth?
Carl Siciliano, executive director of the Ali Forney Center; New York City Councilmember Lew Fidler; Nico Sifra Quintana of the Center for American Progress; journalist Kai Wright and University of Pennsylvania law professor Tobias Barrington Wolff discussed this question at the LGBT Community Center in lower Manhattan on Tuesday, May 3.
Moderator Cathy Renna stressed the confab was not about pitting “people and issues against each other” as its title—Sleeping in the streets or walking down the aisle? Prioritizing LGBT youth in our struggle for equality—may suggest. A marriage equality forum coincidentally took place at the same time on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, but Marriage Equality New York and the Empire State Pride Agenda both sent representatives to the Center.
posted: 4 May 11
Homeless LGBT Youth Advocate: Movement Needs to Do More to Protect Kids
Carl Siciliano | EDGE | April 28, 2011
Why is the LGBT movement still failing to protect youth?
A bargain has been struck between LGBT adults and the broader movement for our equality. The “movement” urges each of us to come out of the closet and live our lives openly; an act that can make a difference for ourselves and others, as we all know. But knowing that living openly can be dangerous; the movement works to protect us, seeking to diminish and eliminate discrimination and hostility against us. And while we still have a long way to go to live free and equal lives, it is thrilling to see the tremendous progress that has been made in just a few decades.
But this bargain is not working for many young LGBT people who are coming out in ever greater numbers as the culture around them becomes more aware and seems more accepting.
Nearly all the organized efforts to protect LGBT individuals on the part of our most powerful LGBT organizations benefit adults, not youth and families. The amount of resources and focus directed at protecting teens is small, despite mounting evidence that teens are shouldering an ever-increasing burden of the violence and hostility aimed at the LGBT community.
posted: 28 April 11
Injustice at Every Turn (video)
In the Life | April 19, 2011
Every day, transgender and gender non-conforming people are marginalized because of their gender identity and expression. In The Life Media features the personal stories of Ja’briel and Michelle, two trans women whose experiences highlight the findings of the first comprehensive transgender discrimination study completed by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force.
posted: 19 April 11
Gay people count, so why not count them correctly?
Gary Gates | Washington Post | April 8, 2011
Back in the 1960s, pioneering gay activists found an obscure passage from a 1948 book written by prominent sex researcher Alfred Kinsey that read, “10 percent of the males are more or less exclusively homosexual . . . for at least three years between the ages of 16 and 55.” They used that quote to claim that 10 percent of the population was gay, even though Kinsey’s study was not designed to make a population-based estimate.
The motivation behind using the 10 percent figure was less about science and more about politics. In those days, gay activists needed to prove the very existence of a gay community. One in 10 was big enough to “matter.” It certainly mattered to me when, as a young, closeted gay man, I would look around a classroom with 50 people in it and think, “Wow, there are four other people here just like me.”
posted: 9 April 11
Top 10 Things About LGBT Americans We Wouldn't Know Without the Williams Institute
The Williams Institute | Advocate.com | April 8, 2011
As The Williams Institute celebrates a decade of gathering data to inform the nation about the LGBT population, the organization shares 10 facts that were uncovered about gay people, from our diversity to our impact on the federal deficit:
posted: 8 April 11
9 million Americans estimated to be gay or bisexual, but solid figures elusive
Carol Morello | Washington Post | April 7, 2011
In an attempt to encourage more research into the health and well-being of gay people, a California demographer has estimated that more than 9 million Americans are gay, lesbian or bisexual, a number equivalent to the population of New Jersey.
Gary Gates, who studies the demographics of the gay community for the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, said in a report released Thursday that about 3.5 percent of Americans identify themselves in surveys as being gay, lesbian or bisexual.
But those who said they have had same-sex encounters are almost evenly divided between gay people and bisexuals, leaving just 1.7 percent who say they are gay or lesbian. The percentage more than doubles, however, if it includes people who say they have engaged in same-sex sexual behavior at some point.
posted: 7 April 11
'Brookings' Of Gay Rights Movement Marks 10 Years As Brains Behind Marriage, DADT Policy Shifts
Andrea Stone | Huffington Post | April 6, 2011
WASHINGTON — The Census Bureau used its research and sought its help when the Obama administration decided to publicly report same-sex spouses for the first time in the 2010 population count.
The Congressional Budget Office cited its work when it gauged how recognizing gay marriages would impact federal benefits and taxes.
And when a federal judge struck down Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage in California, he based his ruling on expert demographic and economic testimony from its research director and cited its findings more than 30 times in the decision now on its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
posted: 7 April 11
Institutes of Medicine Releases LGBT Health Report
Chris Geidner | Metro Weekly: Poliglot | March 31, 2011
Today, a report on LGBT health called “groundbreaking” has been released by the Institutes of Medicine, “The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding,” concluding:
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals have unique health experiences and needs, but as a nation, we do not know exactly what these experiences and needs are. To advance understanding of the health needs of all LGBT individuals, researchers need more data about the demographics of these populations, improved methods for collecting and analyzing data, and an increased participation of sexual and gender minorities in research. Building a more solid evidence base for LGBT health concerns will not only benefit LGBT individuals, but also add to the repository of health information we have that pertains to all people.
…
Read the LGBT Health Brief produced by IOM on the report: LGBTHealthBrief.pdf
posted: 31 March 11
Report: Doctors need more data on LGBT community for better care
BOSTON (Reuters) – Gaping holes exist in data on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and more research into their lifestyles is needed for medical authorities to better serve them, a report released on Thursday shows.
The report, authored by the Institute of Medicine and commissioned by the National Institutes of Health, found a staggering lack of research on LGBT individuals.
It lays the groundwork to close that information gap, suggesting more research into social influences, barriers to equitable health care and the differing needs of various generations of LGBT people.
“This is a sea change in establishing the scientific importance of research in LGBT health,” said Dr. Caitlin Ryan, director of the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University and a contributor to the report.
…
Judith Bradford, director of the center for population research in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health at The Fenway Institute, credited the report with shining a spotlight on the fact that the LGBT community has different healthcare needs.
For example, older LGBT individuals are less likely to have children than their heterosexual counterparts, and less likely to receive care from adult children, said Bradford.
posted: 31 March 11
New research counts the cost of rejecting, benefits of accepting LGBT youth
Pam Mellskog | Longmont Times-Call | March 22, 2011
LONGMONT — Karen Delmonico never saw her daughter’s sexual orientation admission coming.
But when Maria Delmonico asked her for a ride to a “queer” support group meeting in town, it abruptly opened the conversation.
“When I had this wonderful baby, I thought she was going to grow up, go to college, get married and have 2.5 kids,” said Karen Delmonico, 48.
Her daughter’s disclosure forced her to reconsider the future and figure out how best to respond.
Caitlan Ryan says how parents respond to such disclosures is critical to the well-being of the child.
Ryan, a San Francisco State University researcher and director of the Family Acceptance Project, will lead a free training in Longmont on April 4 to explain how much rejecting or accepting behaviors affect the mental and physical health of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths.
posted: 22 March 11
Promoting Healthy Eating
Melanie Grayce West | The Wall Street Journal | March 18, 2011
With a $25,000 grant to the nonprofit Wellness in the Schools, the Palette Fund is helping to support healthy eating programs in New York City schools.
The Palette Fund honors the late Rand Harlan Skolnick who served as the president and CEO of his family’s business, Solgar Vitamin and Herb Co. This is the second year the fund has awarded grants to support nutrition, wellness, and programs for cancer patients and for gay youth. This year’s grants total more than $800,000 and were awarded to 19 organizations, including God’s Love We Deliver, the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care and Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
posted: 18 March 11
Can It Get Better Now?
Kelly Huegel | The Advocate | March 10, 2011
When does it get better? How about now?
Don’t get me wrong — I am a fan of the It Gets Better Project. I think any attempt to get positive, supportive messages to GLBTQ youth is worthwhile, and Dan Savage and Terry Miller are to be commended for their intention and efforts. As we know, it went super-viral, and people from politicians to celebrities to everyday folks have posted videos. The message surely resonates among those of us who weathered ignorance, hatred, and feelings of helplessness during our younger days. Wouldn’t it have been easier if we’d have known that it gets better someday? The problem is that for many GLBTQ teens, “someday” is a concept that does them little good.
posted: 11 March 11
Happy First Anniversary Washington, DC
Cathy Renna | The Bilerico Project | March 4, 2011
A year ago today, the District of Columbia became the first jurisdiction south of the Mason-Dixon line to legally marry same-sex couples.
As I write “Happy First Anniversary” emails to the three couples I had the honor and pleasure of working with and seeing marry that day, it strikes me how far we have managed to come and of course how much further we need to go as a community on this issue and many others. And of course, for them is it only the first anniversary of being legally married, as they were couples long before standing in front of over a hundred people (and dozens of cameras) a year ago today.
Let’s take a moment to celebrate these three couples and all the other who came after them. I know there are several images burned into my memory that will always warm my heart and give me hope and energy to do all of the work we need to do until the LGBTQ community has full equality.
posted: 3 March 11
Gay leader, conservative leader debate Bible
Michael Foust | Baptist Press | March 2, 2011
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Radically different views on Scripture and homosexuality emerged March 1 when a leading conservative Christian and the executive director of a top homosexual group took part in a cordial debate on Christianity and homosexuality at the National Religious Broadcasters convention.
Joe Dallas, a former homosexual and founder and director of Genesis Counseling in Tustin, Calif., and Cindi Love, executive director of Soulforce — a religious homosexual group — agreed on few significant issues during the 90-minute debate but did say such events were beneficial for both sides of the divide. Christian radio talk show host Janet Parshall served as the moderator.
Love said she does not believe the Bible addresses homosexuality as “we know it today.” Dallas disagreed, saying Scripture addresses homosexuality from a “universally informed position.”
posted: 3 March 11
Highlights from "Injustice at Every Turn" press conference
Highlights from the press conference for “Injustice at Every Turn,” a comprehensive new report revealing the depth of discrimination against transgender and gender non-conforming people. Learn more at endtransdiscrimination.org.
Read more...posted: 9 February 11
Still No Freedom Rainbow for Transgender People of Color
Mandy Carter | Colorlines | February 7, 2011
It was the morning of Aug. 7, 1995, and Tyra Hunter, a popular African-American hairdresser, was on her way to work in Washington, D.C. Suddenly, the car she was in was broadsided. In this situation, one would expect that Hunter would have promptly been taken to a hospital, where she would have received whatever medical care she needed. But tragically, and outrageously, that is not what happened.
When emergency personnel arrived on the scene, they helped the barely-conscious Hunter out of the car and began treating her, but only until one of them realized she was transgender after cutting open her clothing. At that point, they backed away from her, began laughing at her and taunting her with anti-transgender slurs. They stopped treating her in a life-threatening situation. In what world does someone sworn to help others in emergency situations stop treating them to attack them?
posted: 8 February 11
Expert: Family holds key to gay child's health, well-being
Jeff Weber | Courier News/Home News Tribune | January 25, 2011
With as much as 7 percent of the U.S. population being either lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), according to the Family Acceptance Project of San Francisco State University, there is a lot of room for misinterpretation, frustration and persecution.
Most such behavior begins with families and how they treat their LGBT children, many of whom first become aware of being sexually attracted to the same sex at around age 10, according to Dr. Caitlin Ryan, the lead researcher of the Family Acceptance Project.
posted: 25 January 11
N.J. mandates anti-bullying school policies
Samantha Henry and Geoff Mulvihill | Associated Press | January 7, 2011
SOMERSET, N.J. – Gov. Christie has signed an anti-bullying bill that advocates say is the toughest of its kind in the nation, giving a sense of progress to the people attending a conference dedicated to preventing suicide by gay young people.
The “anti-bullying bill of rights” had been in the works for several months, but it picked up steam in the Legislature after Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old Rutgers University student, committed suicide in September. Clementi’s roommate and a third Rutgers student were charged with using a webcam to spy on Clementi during a dorm-room liaison with a man days before the suicide.
[i]The conference on LGBT youth suicide referenced in this article featured Caitlin Ryan of the Family Acceptance Project.[/i]
posted: 12 January 11
Guidance for LDS families with LGBT children
Robert A. Rees and William S. Bradshaw | The Salt Lake Tribune | December 11, 2010
Read more...posted: 11 December 10
The Protective Effect of Family Acceptance for Gay Teens
Alice Park | Time.com | December 6, 2010
While the acceptance of gay, lesbian and bisexual teens continues to grow — albeit gradually — study after study consistently shows that many of these adolescents still experience considerable rejection from the very source they crave acceptance most: their families.
Now a study reveals for the first time the impact that a supportive family can have on the physical and mental health of gay, lesbian and bisexual children. Researchers led by Caitlin Ryan, director of the Family Acceptance Project, a research, education and policy initiative designed to better understand the role that sexual orientation has on family dynamics, found that teens from families who supported their sexual orientation were less likely to abuse drugs, experience depression or attempt suicide than those in less accepting families. The teens in the more supportive environments also self-reported higher levels of self-esteem and self-worth.
posted: 6 December 10
Speaking Up and Out
Sheryl Kay | Curve Magazine | November-December 2010
This piece, on women who “give a voice to the voiceless,” features Renna Communications founder and Managing Partner Cathy Renna. It can be viewed by clicking through and downloading from the link to the right.
posted: 17 November 10
Gay Veteran, 81, Awaits Repeal of 'Don't Ask' Policy
Andrea Stone | AOL News | November 10, 2010
(Nov. 10) — Garrison Phillips hasn’t worn the uniform of the United States Army since he returned from Korea more than half a century ago. He calls his time in the military “a very prideful period of my life, and I can’t imagine not having gone to do it.”
To show his pride, Phillips has marched for years in New York’s Veterans Day parade. He also is a regular at another annual event: New York City’s gay pride parade.
Now, at 81, the former actor is watching from the sidelines as gay rights advocates fight legislative and legal battles to repeal the Pentagon’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that bars gays from serving openly.
Garrison Phillips is a constituent of SAGE, the nation’s leading organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender elders.
Read more...posted: 10 November 10
Destroying Lives Around the World
Rev. Dr. Cindi Love | Advocate.com | November 7, 2010
Rev. Dr. Cindi Love works with groups like Soulforce to show people around the world that the message homosexuality can be “repaired” doesn’t just ruin lives – it ends them.
Most of us are familiar with “ex-gay” or “reparative therapy” groups, like National Organization for Research and Therapy of Homosexuals (NARTH), Love Wins Out, Exodus International, and Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality (Jonah), which peddle a very dangerous message to people of faith struggling with their sexuality: homosexuality is an unnatural defect that is not part of God’s plan and that it can be removed over time by attending the group’s events. Of course, it happens to cost a substantial fee.
posted: 7 November 10
SOULFORCE WELCOMES ATTENDEES TO SYMPOSIUM IN PHILADELPHIA
Brian Gerald Murphy, Jay Bakker, and Cindi Love invite you to participate with the Soulforce Symposium: Philadelphia 2010 in person or online.
November 6 Downtown Courtyard Marriott
http://www.soulforce.org
posted: 6 November 10
Inside E Street 1019: Gay and Gray
Inside E Street | AARP.org | July 2, 2010
Same-sex marriage: love is not the only benefit
In recent years, the debate over same-sex marriage has grown into a nationwide controversy, reverberating in state houses, the halls of Congress, at the White House, and recently in the federal courts. Advocates say gay marriage will help older gay couples age with greater financial security. But for others, the question of gay marriage is not about money.
Michael Adams, President of SAGE (Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual and Transgender Elders) offers his views on the issue. SAGE has been a “safety net” and fighting for the needs of LGBT elders for over 30 years.
posted: 3 November 10
National LGBT group stages anti-'ex-gay' weekend
Jen Colletta | Philadelphia Gay News | October 21, 2010
LGBT researchers, community leaders and activists will join in Philadelphia next month for a conference to address the damaging effects of so-called “ex-gay” therapy.
“Soulforce Symposium: The Truth about Faith, Science, Love and Reparative Therapy” will run from Nov. 5-7 at the Historic Downtown Courtyard by Marriott, 21 N. Juniper St.
Soulforce, which works to end religious and political oppression of LGBT individuals, is holding the event the same weekend that the National Association for Research and Therapy for Homosexuals is hosting its annual conference, this year headquartered at the Renaissance Philadelphia Hotel. NARTH seeks to popularize the idea that gays can be “cured,” and Soulforce executive director Dr. Cyndi Love said her organization’s program seeks in part to examine the root cause of such bodies of thought.
posted: 22 October 10
The Business of Equality
Selisse Berry | Huffington Post | October 5, 2010
For some time now, corporate America has been making steady progress in treating gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in a fair and equitable way in the workplace. Courts continue to rule on the side of equality on issues ranging from marriage to military service. Enacting legislation that supports workplace fairness is viewed favorably by a majority of Americans, so one would think politicians would be on a parallel track. But as we have seen in the past year, that is definitely not the case.
So why is it that the road to passing the Federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would protect LGBT people in the workplace, has been anything but straightforward?
posted: 6 October 10
Gay Vets Who Want To Return To the Military
Eve Conant | Newsweek | September 27, 2010
Do Ask, Do Tell
Many gay veterans aim to reenlist if the controversial policy is repealed. Will they be allowed to?
Joseph Rocha had always wanted to be in the military. He enlisted in the Navy on his 18th birthday, trained to become a handler working with explosive-sniffing dogs, and found himself part of a small, specialized unit in Bahrain. Banned by law from discussing his sexual orientation, he had a hard time explaining to his peers why he didn’t party with them, or even join their bawdy conversations. He became an outcast. Fellow sailors ridiculed him for being gay. At one point they locked him in a dog kennel. Another time they forced him to eat dog food. In 2007 he was discharged after signing a document admitting his homosexuality. But if “don’t ask, don’t tell” is repealed—as many expect will happen in the coming year says he wants to serve again. “You never lose that sense of duty and service and love for country,” says the second-generation Mexican-American from Sacramento, Calif., who will graduate from the University of San Diego this spring. “It’s a unique and beautiful thing most of us feel we were robbed of and would take the first chance to have it back.”
posted: 27 September 10
Five myths about 'don't ask, don't tell'
Aaron Belkin | Washington Post | September 18, 2010
It’s been 17 years since Congress enacted the law known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT), and the Senate will finally vote on its repeal this week. Public figures from Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to Lady Gaga have said it’s time for the policy to go. A federal judge in California weighed in this month as well, finding that the law undermines unit cohesion, wastes money and leads to a loss of critical military talent. It is also patently unfair and, according to the court, unconstitutional. On the long path to regulations that treat all troops equally, a number of myths have cropped up surrounding the law.
posted: 18 September 10
Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Don't Pretend Tuesday's Vote Isn't About Discrimination
Christopher Neff | Huffington Post | September 17, 2010
Voting for discrimination is often designed to look like something else. It is a ‘please respect the process’ vote, or a ‘we need more information’ vote. This is a good strategy; it works because it is very difficult to challenge positions that seem reasonable. Not everyone who votes for or against something is prejudiced. Surely there is no reason to rush; more information is good. In many ways it is the “politics as usual” that has so often turned the public off from engaging in the democratic process.
It is not lightly, therefore, that I say unequivocally that the Senate’s scheduled vote at 2:15pm next Tuesday, September 21, is not a vote on cloture. This is not a vote on proceeding to debate the FY2011 Defense Authorization bill. It is a vote to continue legal discrimination, which bans gay men and lesbians from serving openly and honestly in the military. This vote tests whether it will continue to be the policy of the United States to fire good troops solely on the basis of their sexual orientation.
posted: 17 September 10
Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Don't Pretend Tuesday's Vote Isn't About Discrimination
Christopher Neff | Huffington Post | September 17, 2010
Voting for discrimination is often designed to look like something else. It is a ‘please respect the process’ vote, or a ‘we need more information’ vote. This is a good strategy; it works because it is very difficult to challenge positions that seem reasonable. Not everyone who votes for or against something is prejudiced. Surely there is no reason to rush; more information is good. In many ways it is the “politics as usual” that has so often turned the public off from engaging in the democratic process.
It is not lightly, therefore, that I say unequivocally that the Senate’s scheduled vote at 2:15pm next Tuesday, September 21, is not a vote on cloture. This is not a vote on proceeding to debate the FY2011 Defense Authorization bill. It is a vote to continue legal discrimination, which bans gay men and lesbians from serving openly and honestly in the military. This vote tests whether it will continue to be the policy of the United States to fire good troops solely on the basis of their sexual orientation.
posted: 17 September 10
Looking After Gay Teens
Advocate.com | August 29, 2010
A new documentary looks at one family’s efforts to embrace their gay son and ensure he wouldn’t fall prey to depression or suicide.
Read more...posted: 30 August 10
What Dr. Laura Taught Me
Cathy Renna| Advocate.com | August 19, 2010
This week, the notorious “Dr.” Laura said she is leaving her radio show after once again shooting her mouth off. But this time it was by using the “n” word and prompting a coalition of groups including Unity: Journalists of Color, the Women’s Media Center, and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to get her to apologize and retire from radio. For me, it was déjà vu all over again.
Read more...posted: 19 August 10
#SSS: Rep. Jim McDermott, David Fleischer's Prop 8 Study, Prop 8 Ruling
Joe Mirabella | Same-Sex Sunday | August 8, 2010
This podcast features an interview with David Fleischer of the LGBT Mentoring Project, and also features Cathy Renna, managing partner of Renna Communications, as a panelist.
On this week’s Same Sex Sunday, I start off the episode with an interview of Congressmen Jim McDermott). We discuss the holdup of the Employment Non Discrimination Act (ENDA) in the House, Citizens United, how to end the war in Afghanistan and much more.
posted: 8 August 10
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FAMILY ACCEPTANCE PROJECT’S FAMILY EDUCATION MATERIALS DESIGNATED 1st “BEST PRACTICE” RESOURCES FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION FOR GAY & TRANSGENDER YOUTH BY NATIONAL REGISTRY
CONTACT: Cathy Renna, cathy@rennacommunications.com, 917-757-6123
SAN FRANCISCO – May 9, 2012 – With media reports of suicide among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth becoming increasingly common, communities are grappling with the urgent need to identify interventions to prevent suicide and suicidal behavior among LGBT youth. However, until today, no “Best Practices” have been identified or designated to help reduce vulnerability and risk among LGBT children, youth or adults.
Although recent media attention has focused primarily on the impact of bullying on self-harm behavior. suicide is typically the result of many interacting factors including depression, substance use and despair, in addition to environmental stressors. These complex interactions underscore the need for comprehensive suicide prevention strategies and interventions to change the environment at the systems level. For LGBT youth, family systems are especially important.
MATERIALES EDUCACIONALES DESAROLLADOS POR EL PROYECTO DE ACEPTACIÓN FAMILIAR, PARA PREVENIR EL SUICIDIO DE JÓVENES GAYS Y TRANGENEROS, HAN SIDO DESIGNADOS COMO LA PRIMERA “MEJOR PRÁCTICA” POR EL REGISTRO NACIONAL
CONTACTO: Cathy Renna, cathy@rennacommunications.com , 917-757-6123
MATERIALES EDUCACIONALES DESAROLLADOS POR EL PROYECTO DE ACEPTACIÓN FAMILIAR, PARA PREVENIR EL SUICIDIO DE JÓVENES GAYS Y TRANGENEROS, HAN SIDO DESIGNADOS COMO LA PRIMERA “MEJOR PRÁCTICA” POR EL REGISTRO NACIONAL
SAN FRANCISCO – 9 de mayo de 2012 – Informes en los medios de comunicación sobre suicidio entre personas que se identifican como lesbiana, gay, bisexual o transgénero (LGBT) son cada vez más común, comunidades enfrentan una urgente necesidad de identificar intervenciones para evitar el suicidio y los comportamientos suicidas entre los jóvenes LGBT. Sin embargo, hasta ahora, no se han identificado o designado “Mejores Prácticas” para ayudar a reducir la vulnerabilidad y el riesgo entre los niños, jóvenes o adultos LGBT.
Aunque la atención reciente de los medios de comunicación se ha concentrado principalmente en el impacto que la intimidación tiene en conductas auto-destructivas, el suicidio es generalmente el resultado de muchos factores que interactúan, incluyendo el uso de sustancias, depresión y la desesperación, además de factores de estrés ambiental. Estas interacciones complejas enfatizan la necesidad de estrategias integrales para la prevención del suicidio e intervenciones para cambiar este ambiente a niveles estructurales. Para los jóvenes LGBT, los sistemas relacionados a familias son especialmente importantes.
ACCLAIMED HIP-HOP ARTIST Y-LOVE COMES OUT, SPEAKS OUT ON BEING AN OPENLY GAY HASIDIC JEW
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Cathy Renna, 917-757-6123, cathy@rennacommunications.com
ACCLAIMED HIP-HOP ARTIST Y-LOVE COMES OUT,
SPEAKS OUT ON BEING OPENLY GAY, HASIDIC JEW
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW AT: http://www.out.com/entertainment/music/2012/05/15/y-love-yitz-jordan-hip-hop-jewish-gay
NEW SINGLE, VIDEO “FOCUS ON THE FLAIR” AVAILABLE AT: http://bit.ly/KYSACO
HI RES PRESS PHOTOS AT: http://shemspeed.com/ylovepresskit/photos.html
FULL PRESS KIT AT: http://wearebancs.com/ylovepresskit/index.html
NEW YORK, NY – May 15, 2012 – Crossover hip-hop artist Yitz “Y-Love” Jordan is speaking out for the first time about his life as a gay man of color, while straddling the worlds of hip-hop and Hasidic Judaism – two communities not known for supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. On May 15th his latest release, “Focus on the Flair,” will bring a new, authentic voice to the hip-hop world and the LGBT community.
Said Jordan, explaining his decision to publicly identify as a gay man for the first time: “I want mine to be the last generation of LGBT Americans that remembers what a closet is. I want kids in 20 years to sit annoyed through LGBT history class to learn about that long ago time ‘when gay people used to have to lie,’ much like segregation is a far-off time to many of today’s middle-class black youth.”
IN THE LIFE MEDIA DEBUTS My Two Moms with Zach Wahls
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Eleanor Moonier
212-255-6012 ×321
emoonier@itlmedia.org
New York, May 13, 2012 – In The Life Media celebrates Mother’s Day with “My Two Moms,” a web short video featuring Zack Wahls, the son of lesbian moms whose passionate speech to the Iowa House of Representatives in support of marriage equality went viral on YouTube, capturing the attention of the country.
Wahls joins In The Life Media to discuss his experience as a child of two moms, how he’s adjusting to life in the spotlight, and his new book, “My Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength and What Makes a Family.”
“My hope for the book is to show people that this is just a portrait of another American family,” says Wahls, “that is just as valid as any other American family.”
WATCH My Two Moms with Zach Wahls here:
http://www.itlmedia.org/clips/entry/zach-wahls-my-two-moms
NEW BOOK “ABOVE ALL THINGS” TELLS POWERFUL STORY OF EVANGELICAL MOTHER’S JOURNEY TO JOYFUL ACCEPTANCE OF HER LESBIAN DAUGHTER
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: For inquiries about Above All Things or to arrange an interview with author Shari Johnson, contact Cathy Renna at 917-757-6123 or cathy@rennacommunications.com.
Now available for pre-order at:
http://www.amazon.com/Above-All-Things-Shari-Johnson/dp/0985024801/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335869641&sr=8-1
Odessa, TX. May 2, 2012 – Shari Johnson’s new book Above All Things: The Journey of an Evangelical Christian Mother and Her Gay Daughter, about Johnson’s crisis of faith after her daughter, Cholene, came out as a lesbian and her struggle to accept it, will be released on May 21, 2012, published by Changing Lives Press. In its call for compassion and love, Above All Things aims to help family members and friends of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people to understand the difficulties that their loved ones face, as well as to help LGBT individuals cope with the challenges of coming out.
