GLAAD

Today, GLAAD released the latest in the Southern Stories media resource guides, “Southern Stories: A Guide for Reporting on LGBT people in Texas.” The guidebook will serve as a resource for journalists and media outlets reporting on the LGBT community and surrounding issues in the state of Texas.

The guidebook was created following GLAAD’s Accelerating Acceptance report which showed that 61 percent of American southerners show discomfort toward the LGBT community.

The resource release today provides journalists and media outlets with both triumphant and tragic story leads, a glossary of terms and definitions frequently used in reporting, offensive terms to avoid, and common pitfalls. It also includes a timeline outlining the history of LGBT issues in Texas. 

 “The LGBT community in Texas is making sure and steady progress, but the work to achieve full equality and acceptance if far from done. The defeat of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance is clear evidence of that,” said Ross Murray, GLAAD Director of Programs, U.S. South. “This media guide will help journalists fairly and accurately report on LGBT stories to combat the misinformation and fearmongering that we’ve seen in the past year.”

The guide is a part of GLAAD’s Southern Stories initiative, which aims to amplify the voices of and build acceptance for LGBT people and allies in southern states. This is done by telling the stories of LGBT people from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, the guide strives to debunk the myths surrounding various pieces of anti-LGBT legislation and emphasizes the effects nondiscrimination ordinances have had in the lives of LGBT southerners.

The guide was developed in collaboration with Equality Texas, HoustonLGBTHistory.org and LULAC Council 4871. GLAAD will continue to work with the media to ensure positive portrayal of the LGBT community in Texas in an effort to build understanding and accelerate acceptance.

This week, GLAAD is traveling in Texas as a part of the second annual Southern Stories Summer Tour. As a part of the tour, GLAAD will show a short preview of its upcoming mini-documentary on LGBT people in Texas, “GLAAD Presents: State of Change — Texas” at the Montrose Center in Houston, the Youth Pride Home in Edinburg and the AquÍ Estamos Conference in McAllen. Visit the links provided to learn more about and RSVP to the events.

Earlier this summer, GLAAD also visited Florida, Alabama and Mississippi to meet with LGBT advocates and work to accelerate acceptance in their communities. To learn more about the Southern Stories initiative and Summer Tours, click here.