| Formation | December 23, 2010 |
|---|---|
| Key people | Richard Socarides, Kerry Eleveld |
| Website | EqualityMatters.org |
Equality Matters is a media and communications initiative in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality in the United States. The organization is associated with Media Matters for America, a liberal media watchdog group. Former senior advisor to President Bill Clinton on gay civil rights issues Richard Socarides has been the president of Equality Matters since its founding, and Kerry Eleveld, journalist for The Advocate, will serve as editor beginning in 2011.[1]
History edit
The organization was founded, as stated by the New York Times, as a "Communications war room for gay equality." [2] It was launched on December 23, 2010, as an offshoot of the organization Media Matters for America. While Media Matters focuses broadly on "monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media," [3] Equality Matters looks solely at LGBT issues in the media.
Organization edit
Equality Matters is an internet-based organization. Their official website, EqualityMatters.org, features comprehensive coverage of LGBT issues in the media, updated on a weekly basis. The website features a blog, a fact checking section, videos, and "Top Picks of the Week," which the organization states is "Our picks for the most interesting, outrageous, or thought provoking stories of the week." [4]
Association with Media Matters for America edit
According to David Brock, founder of Media Matters for America, "Equality Matters will build on the work done by [Media Matters and Media Matters Action Network]. Through strategic communication, research, training and media monitoring, Equality Matters will strengthen efforts for full LGBT rights and correct anti-gay misinformation. Its goal is to enhance advocacy and activism across all platforms and to leverage expertise in support of others who are working to make full equality a national imperative."[5]
Goals edit
According to Media Matters founder David Brock, Equality Matters should "expose right-wing bigotry and homophobia wherever we find it" and "stiffen the spines of progressives." [6] David Mixner, gay author and activist, has said of the group that "while a range of groups are working to advance gay rights, the movement has lacked a national rapid-response war room of the sort that can push back against homophobic messages in the media and the political arena and keep the pressure on elected officials." [7]
Public Reception edit
In the months following its December 2010 launch, Equality Matters faced some criticism about the way the organization was being run. Peter Rosenstein of the Washington Blade stated that he believed "Over the past couple of months it appears that Equality Matters may have been launched too soon and before its organizers had a real strategy and mission for what they would do." [8]
See Also edit
References edit
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/us/politics/20marriage.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/us/politics/20marriage.html
- ^ http://mediamatters.org/p/about_us/
- ^ http://equalitymatters.org/blog/201110140018
- ^ http://equalitymatters.org/press/releases/201012200009
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/us/politics/20marriage.html
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/us/politics/20marriage.html
- ^ http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/03/04/equality-matters-looking-for-a-purpose/
External links edit
Category:Media analysis websites
Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States
Category:Progressivism in the United States
Category:Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.