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There was an uproar online after CNN decided to revisit “ex-gay” therapy on a segment hosted by Kyra Phillips. It featured the discredited therapist Richard Cohen. What's even more unbelievable is that the network's defense was that it wanted to “engage various advocates from all sides,” a ludicrous claim because the news network has already covered this ground, back in 2006 (again with Cohen, right) and by Phillips herself once more in 2007! GLAAD:
CALL TO ACTION: Call on CNN to Apologize For Its Segment Featuring So-Called “Ex-Gay” Activist Richard Cohen and Stop Promoting Unqualified Spokespeople
CONTACT:
Cindi Creager
Director of National News
creager@glaad.org
Rich Ferraro
Director of Public Relations
ferraro@glaad.orgApril 7, 2010
On Tuesday April 6 GLAAD contacted CNN with strong concerns following a highly problematic morning segment aired on CNN Newsroom.
In an attempt to discuss efforts to repeal an outdated law in California requiring the State Department of Mental Health to conduct research into the “causes” and “cures” of being gay, CNN’s took the irresponsible step of allowing the unlicensed, widely discredited, so-called “ex-gay” activist Richard Cohen onto the network’s airwaves to promote the idea that gay people can be turned straight. CNN Host Kyra Phillips paired Cohen with California Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal to discuss the matter. Lowenthal is working to repeal the archaic California Law. Phillips began the conversation by asking this highly offensive question: “Homosexuality, Is it a problem in need of a cure?”
While the segment tried to give the appearance of “balance,” the airtime afforded the disreputable Cohen to tout “healing” gay people, coupled with a lack of information about the harms caused by such practices is unacceptable. As GLAAD has noted in our publication, Unmasking So-Called Ex-Gay Activists, “The nation’s leading medical and mental health authorities have uniformly dismissed the idea that being gay is something to be ‘treated.’”
But even with this information widely available to media professionals, CNN’s Phillips failed to bring this to light while questioning Cohen. CNN’s graphics even described Cohen as a “Psychotherapist, educator and expert in the field of sexual reorientation.” Phillips and CNN also failed to note that Cohen was permanently expelled in 2002 from the American Counseling Association, for multiple violations of the ethical code.
After extensive conversations with CNN producers and publicity representatives yesterday afternoon and following our blog and twitter action, CNN called GLAAD in the evening, telling us they had received numerous complaints about the segment and inviting us to appear on this morning’s broadcast with Kyra Phillips to discuss our concerns. GLAAD then scheduled a representative to go on CNN but received a phone call from the network at 7 A.M. today telling us they had decided to cancel the segment. They also issued this statement:
“By bringing this story to the fore, we engage various advocates from
Just like the segment itself, CNN’s statement misses the mark and provides no explanation for its actions. GLAAD urges you to help us hold the network accountable.
Take Action Now:
Please contact CNN and voice your concerns about the platform extended to Richard Cohen and CNN’s failure to consult credible scientific authorities before proceeding with this coverage. Call on CNN to directly and publicly address these issues with its viewers and ensure that such a serious lapse in CNN's standards will not occur again.
Contacts:
Kyra Phillips
Anchor, CNN Newsroom
Kyra.Phillips@turner.com
(404) 827-1500Karen Zuker
Producer, CNN Newsroom
Karen.Zuker@turner.com
(404) 827-1500Bridget Leininger
CNN Publicity
Bridget.Leininger@turner.com
(404) 827-1500Send an email to CNN here:
http://www.change.org/glaad/petitions/view/call_on_cnn_to_apologize_for_its_segment_featuring_so-called_ex-gay_activist_richard_cohen
Related:
* CNNFAIL: 'Cure for Homosexuality' segment defended as 'engaging various advocates from all sides'
21 Comments
Israel Luna’s take on the segment“You mean you don’t think that was empowering to homosexuals? Does no one have a sense of humor anymore?”
Don’t get me wrong; I’m in favor of this action against CNN.
Of course, what I am wondering is how many people who defended Israel Luna’s disparagement of trans existence will be protesting against CNN for this ‘report.’
Sheeesh…this is news. Luna’s work (whatever its’ merits and demerits) is fiction.
Quack CohenCohen is a narcisstic attention grabber. I am surprised that this is the first time GLAAD has caught this phoney. It was about 2 months or so ago that he was aired on Rachel Maddow with his propaganda. Rachel did a excellent job of debunking and discrediting him. She literally tore him a new @$$ hole. That is probably why he has gone to CNN because he was beat up bad on MSNBC.
Kudos KatI have to agree with you on this one. Many times or should I say most of the time the Trans Community is left to stand by itself and defend ourselves, but we are always there to support the overall Community’s fight. Go figure.
SAAD to the rescue again.
NOT!
Why do people contribute money to help pay for their offices? They could issue these ballless “action alerts” working from home.
I knew Vito Russo, one of GLAAD’s founders, and he would throw up in his mouth at the thought of how SAAD GLAAD has become.
Bring back “zaps” of such media….and the Obama Nostra….or stock up for 40 more years of wandering in the desert of second class citizenship.
E.g.:
Your commentis what we call trans-jacking.
And when it isn’t used sparingly, people will start to simply ignore it.
Define “we”
Thank you for proving my pointby implicitly conceding that the CNN thing is actually “news.”
Cohen’s BS is as much “fiction” as is the BS in the Luna thing – but, despite differing venues, the legimization principle is the same. Dismissing the very real possibility that Luna’s thing will be equated to something like TransAmerica is the same as blowing off the realith that Cohen will be equated by some CNN viewers to real science.
But Luna’s movie is “fiction”and it’s not masquerading as being anything but…it’s NOT being advertised as a documentary (taking out the Zapata/Mercado element of the trailer).
I would never go to Luna’s movie (or any movie other than a documentary) thinking that it’s giving me the real truth.
Cohen’s is “fiction” or, to be more precise, a bigoted point of view based on junk science being legitimized by CNN.
Meanwhile……back on topic.
The people who founded GLAAD were activists.The people who run it now and recently are politicians.
Therein lies the problem.
Even Worse……they’re a business-oriented entity…living off past glory.
We=Those of us who already support trans equality but get tired of myopic activists like you constantly trying to change every subject back to trans equality
But by all means, mock me and keep alienating supporters. Your momentary feeling of release is what matters most. Maybe unrelenting obnoxiousness will produce equality, but I doubt it.
Your myopia is my salient call to see hypocrisy where it exists
This sounds more like it was written by the originator of the term ‘trans-jacking’ than by someone who ‘support[s] trans equality.’ Control of the dialogue is control of the dialogue is control of the dialogue……..
My point is: Both are garbage that people will believe are true (to varying degrees)
Clean?
For better or worse, this is what I wrote yesterdayFrom: Joann Prinzivalli
Sent: Wed 4/07/10 5:29 PM
To: kyra.phillips@turner.com; karen.zuker@turner.com; bridget.leininger@turner.com
Cc: creager@glaad.org; ferraro@glaad.org
CNN’s decision to utilize discredited “ex-gay” advocate Richard Cohen to “provide balance” on a serious news story involving attempts to repeal an archaic California law was seriously flawed. However, if CNN intends to give credence to lunatic fringe ideas as a means to providing a little unbalance to “balanced” news coverage, I have some suggestions:
* Any time CNN covers a space shuttle mission, it should provide “alternative viewpoint coverage” showcasing a spokesperson from the Flat Earth Society. This is exactly as “balanced” as using Mr. Cohen.
* Since the current space shuttle mission has three female astronauts, (with a 4th already up there) it should be necessary to provide “balanced” input from those organizations that believe that women should be relegated to the home.
* When covering the pedophile scandal in the Catholic Church, provide “balance” by bringing in someone from NAMBLA.
* If you’re covering something having to do with science, whether it’s evolution or cosmology, give some balance by providing commentary from young earth creationists. (The way it is, when the creationists are in the news, you don’t provide anywhere enough balance from real scientists – but don’t let that stop you.)
* When covering news about equal rights and justice, particularly marriage rights, make sure you give air time to people like Maggie Gallagher to provide some “balance.”
*when covering immigration reform, give more than equal time to America Firsters. (You do this already, right?)
* When covering President Obama, give “equal time” to teabaggers and birthers with wild-eyed ideas. (Wait a minute, you do that already.)
* When covering a disaster anywhere in the world, give Pat Robertson or some other Christianist like him “equal time” to share his views as to how it’s God’s Wrath for tolerating gay people. And make sure Pat looks good in his clip.
If CNN wants to imitate FOX News to “get ratings” by giving credence to looney-toons like Cohen, why not go whole hog and throw away any conceivable shred of respectability the organization has left? There is nothing fair or balanced about FOX’s approach. CNN should be America’s BBC-like news organization – continue to be respected for providing real news in as unbiased a fashion as possible, rather than the entertainment for the masses one finds on Fox Newschannel.
Ratings are not a substitute for credibility. FOX gets ratings but has zero credibility. Why? Did you ever wonder why political talk radio is something like 97% right wing and something like 3% “liberal?” It is more entertaining to the hoi polloi, the lowest common denominator.
When you try to provide “balance,” you have to work harder to make sure it’s real, rather than doing the easy thing by giving the microphone to the most outlandish buffoon you can find. You should really focus hard on what you are doing – just because someone has a different opinion does not make their opinion a worthwhile one to share uncritically. Push them hard, and make them squirm, or maybe ask Anderson Cooper how it’s done.
Seriously, if you are going to put people like Richard Cohen on the air, at least let someone on your staff do their homework so that they are not just given kid glove treatment. If you want an example of someone who knows how to do their research, take a look at Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. Then find someone who can do their job as well as she does.
Maybe I should just shut up and expect mediocrity as CNN moves to boost ratings by sacrificing quality – it’s the American way of doing things, after all.
Sincerely,
Joann Prinzivalli
My Letter to Kyra and forwarded to Anderson CooperDate: April 7, 2010 8:37:04 PM EDT
To: Kyra.Phillips@turner.com
Cc: Karen.Zuker@turner.com, Bridget.Leininger@turner.com
Subject: Your piece “Can Homosexuality Be Cured”
Dear Ms. Phillips,
The question posed in the title of your piece is inane at best and violent at worst. Your coverage of this subject was lopsided, misinformed, and possibly the worst piece of alleged journalism I have ever had the misfortune to witness.
I want you to know that your supposed “expert”, Mr. Richard Cohen, was thoroughly ousted from any professional medical society. Your unbalanced journalism has ruined CNNs credibility. I will forever bad mouth your company for its horrendous, unscientific, religious violence done to the LGBT community in the name of profit.
Jeremy Hooper has done the legwork in exposing the “American College of Pediatricians” as a group of like-minded fringe anti-scientific, non-credentialed wingnuts attempting to pose as experts by using such a professional sounding name.
Also, there’s a plug for NARTH, the group which lies and claims to be secular, while being wholly staffed by extremist gay-obsessed conservative Christians. The dishonesty of these people is incredulous.
This piece of shite needs to be relegated to the dustbin of hypocrisy and religious pandering. HAVE YOU NO SHAME, NO MORALS, AND NO ETHICS whatever?
Maybe there are shower scenes?
Arches EyebrowReally?
“Trans-jacking”? Seriously?
Well then, let me point out, in all reasonable fairness, that the defense of the Luna project is “gay-jacking”.
Neither of which is true.
THe point being that in both cases, each show does social harm to the targeted groups and the title’s alone give cause and reason to look askance at the effort.
However, so I won’t be accused of “trans-jacking” and have a cute little card dropped on me, I’ll let you have your moment of oppressive thinking without venting the general anger I’m feeling right now on you, as I kinda sorta want to stick around so that I can comment on stuff that I don’t always write.