GLAA seeks answers from Fenty's office on Griggs honor

I have sent the following message to Mayor Fenty's communications director, Mafara Hobson:

From: equal@glaa.org
To: Mafara.Hobson@dc.gov
Subject: Mayor Fenty honored notorious "ex-gay" group
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:19:35 -0400
CC: Christopher.Dyer@dc.gov

Dear Ms. Hobson:

Please follow this link for the relevant blog entry on the GLAA Forum blog:

http://tinyurl.com/3xuobtv

I posted the item this afternoon after seeing a story in the publication Edge Boston that Mayor Fenty had issued a Certificate of Appreciation to Regina Griggs for her work as executive director of the group Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays, also known as PFOX.

PFOX is notorious as a purveyor of junk science which constitutes an ongoing slander against gay people. GLAA in the past has defended PFOX's First Amendment right to express its noxious views, but PFOX certainly does not deserve any honor or recognition from our Mayor.

GLAA's 2006 mayoral candidate questionnaire included a pertinent question. Here is our relevant question and candidate Fenty's answer:

GLAA: "Will you refuse to issue proclamations and otherwise decline to honor individuals or organizations that promote any sort of bigotry?"

Adrian Fenty: "Yes. I will not issue proclamations or honor individuals or organizations that promote bigotry or discrimination. We must move forward as one society and we can’t do that unless we finally stand up and say in every way and at every opportunity that discrimination and bigotry is unacceptable in all its forms."

We note that the honor for Ms. Griggs is not the first time this promise was not kept; a similar lapse occurred in 2007, as we discussed at the time with Christopher Dyer, director of the Mayor's Office of GLBT Affairs. At best this reflects carelessness of a sort that we were previously assured would be corrected.

On behalf of GLAA, I therefore request:

1. an explanation for how this most undeserved honor for Ms. Griggs happened;
2. a clear statement from Mayor Fenty rejecting the "ex-gay" fraud; and
3. a description of the steps that will be taken, both to counter the false impression of the Mayor's beliefs that PFOX has distributed to the press, and to prevent such a lapse from recurring.

Thank you for your prompt attention. I note that just last week, at GLAA's 39th anniversary reception, I noted the fine remarks that the Mayor made last December 18 in signing the marriage equality bill. Given the Mayor's record of support for gay families, it is painful to see him honor someone with the pernicious record of a Regina Griggs.

Sincerely,

Rick Rosendall
Vice President for Political Affairs
Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, D.C.
www.glaa.org
www.glaaforum.org (blog)

(Note: I have corrected a few grammatical errors in the above text.)

Comments

[Jack Jacobson]

Thanks for posting this, Rick. Symbolism matters.