The Hidden Heroes
News Coverage of Gays and Lesbians in the Aftermath of September 11, 2001 

I was going to write a feature about this, but thankfully Robert Dodge, President of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association read my mind, and decided to save me some time.  The NLGJA issued this letter to and for all journalists covering September 11th and its aftermath:

Dear Fellow Journalist: 

Since the September 11 attacks, many of us have been touched by countless accounts of heroism. Americans learned about how ordinary people became extraordinary in a moment. We know about these people because journalists in print, online and broadcast have told their stories. We know much about their lives, families and friends and what made them special because those details were revealed in newspapers, magazines and on the air. 

At least we know much more about the heterosexual heroes and victims. 

But many Americans may be deprived knowing about the gay heroes. That is because some news organizations have selectively chosen to obscure or ignore the sexual orientation of some of those who also lost their lives. 

Consider the story of Franciscan priest Father Mychal Judge, the chaplain of the New York Fire Department who was killed while administering the last rites to injured rescue workers at the World Trade Center. Although Father Judge was openly gay and often worked in the gay community, this fact went unreported in many stories generated by the mainstream press. 

Mark Bingham of San Francisco was among the heroes on United Airlines flight 93 who tried to overpower hijackers and prevented the Boeing 757 from hitting targets in Washington, D.C. Bingham was also openly gay. He was planning to play on his gay rugby team in next year's Gay GD.C., with his partner of 14 years. 

Some journalists may embrace outdated ideas about identifying openly gay and lesbian people bu this  works completely against news objectivity. Withholding relevant details about these lives, their partners and families is unfair and hurtful to the people they loved. In our mission as journalists, it also denies readers and viewers information about the true identity of those who are in the news. It is the same as withholding information about the spouse, children and other features about the heterosexual heroes. 

What about legitimate concerns about "outing" someone, or disclosing the sexual orientation of someone who preferred privacy? We suggest more and better reporting. 

Instead of asking whether the victim was married, it might be better to ask if he or she had a partner. This basic question may open the door to find out more about the subject of your story -- including the chance that they were heterosexual and had a significant, romantic relationship outside of traditional marriage. 

Denying and obscuring the existence of gay and lesbian people is a form of discrimination. Withholding the sexual orientation of these individuals, especially when inconsistent in equal coverage about heterosexuals, will leave readers and viewers with only the negative stereotypes of gays and lesbians. News organizations that do so may find themselves having taken a biased editorial position that affirms those stereotypes. 

I invite you to call on NLGJA as a resource; you may reach me at 202-661-8414 or Pamela Strother, NLGJA's executive director, at 202-588-9888 ext. 11. NLGJA website: http://www.nlgja.org

WHAT YOU CAN DO: 

Watch and read your local coverage --- and if it appears that they are providing inconsistent coverage, let them know that they're wrong to do so, and use the information above to help them understand why they are wrong to do so.

In Pride,
Deborah

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