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NPR: Stop Parroting "Ex-Gay" Propaganda
  1. Signatures
    5,679 out of 7,500
    Petitioning
    1. Ombudsman, National Public Radio (+ 3 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Ombudsman, National Public Radio (Edward Schumacher-Matos)
      • Reporter, National Public Radio (Alix Spiegel)
      • Senior Editor, National Public Radio (Anne Gudenkauf)
      • Acting Vice President for News, National Public Radio (Margaret Low Smith)
  2. Created By
    Truth Wins Out
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

On Monday, August 1, National Public Radio’s Morning Edition aired a report from Alix Spiegel entitled “Can Therapy Help Change Sexual Orientation?” Instead of accurately representing “ex-gay therapy” as ineffective, dangerous, and condemned by every mainstream professional medical and mental health organization, NPR opted to misrepresent the facts, falsely framing the story as a debate between two equally legitimate sides that “has been raging in psychological circles for more than a decade.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. A 2009 press release from the American Psychological Association announcing the results of an exhaustive study on the efficacy of “ex-gay” therapy says it all: “Insufficient evidence [exists] that sexual orientation change efforts work… Practitioners should avoid telling clients that they can change from gay to straight.” In a recent ABC News interview discussing “ex-gay” therapy, renowned author and psychiatrist Jack Drescher put the discredited practice in its proper perspective: “This is so far outside the mainstream it's practically on Mars.”

Truth Wins Out, GLAAD, and other organizations called on NPR to correct and apologize for parroting “ex-gay” propaganda. Instead, NPR Ombudsman Edward Schumacher-Matos released a tepid, long-winded blog post in which he demonstrated a much greater interest in defending his reporter than correcting her errors.

The Ombudsman’s response is disappointing and woefully inadequate. We expect better from a top-notch, well-respected news organization like National Public Radio. Join Truth Wins Out in calling on NPR to meet with TWO and survivors of “ex-gay” programs so they can be fully informed about the dangers of the “ex-gay” myth.

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Please meet with "ex-gay" survivors

Mr. Schumacher-Matos, Ms. Spiegel, Ms. Gudenkauf, and Ms. Low Smith:

I am writing today to express my disappointment at NPR’s dangerously inaccurate August 1 Morning Edition report about so-called “reparative therapy,” and to ask you to meet with Truth Wins Out and survivors of “ex-gay” programs.

Instead of accurately representing “ex-gay therapy” as ineffective, dangerous, and condemned by every mainstream professional medical and mental health organization, the NPR report falsely framed the story as a debate between two equally legitimate sides that “has been raging in psychological circles for more than a decade.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. A 2009 press release from the American Psychological Association announcing the results of an exhaustive study on the efficacy of “ex-gay” therapy says it all: “Insufficient evidence [exists] that sexual orientation change efforts work… Practitioners should avoid telling clients that they can change from gay to straight.” In a recent ABC News interview discussing “ex-gay” therapy, renowned author and psychiatrist Jack Drescher put the discredited practice in its proper perspective: “This is so far outside the mainstream it's practically on Mars.”

In this case, National Public Radio parroted “ex-gay” propaganda at the expense of the facts. We expect better from such an esteemed news organization.

Ombudsman Edward Schumacher-Matos’ response to the uproar caused by this story was tepid, disappointing, and woefully inadequate. Instead of running for cover, I urge NPR representatives to meet with Truth Wins Out, the organization that fights against the “ex-gay” myth, and with survivors of “reparative therapy” programs in order to become more fully informed about the dangers of the “ex-gay” industry.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

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