New York Times Promotes Bisexual Stereotypes in "Straight, Gay or Lying?" - GLAAD

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New York Times Promotes Bisexual Stereotypes in "Straight, Gay or Lying?"
take action > write now! > New York Times Promotes Bisexual Stereotypes in "Straight, Gay or Lying?"

July 07, 2005

Contact: Cindi Creager, Director of National News
Phone: 646-871-8019 Email: creager@glaad.org

On July 5, "The New York Times" published an article by Benedict Carey titled "Straight, Gay or Lying? Bisexuality Revisited." The article examined the findings of a forthcoming study that the "Times" says “lends support to those who have long been skeptical that bisexuality is a distinct and stable sexual orientation.”

The claims put forward in the article, combined with the derogatory headline, are raising questions not only about the "Times'" reporting on this study, but also about the study itself. Particularly troubling are the dubious claims made by the senior author of the study, J. Michael Bailey, that "there is no hint" that bisexual orientation exists among men. Bailey's 2003 book on transsexuals also drew widespread criticism and was followed by complaints of research misconduct against Bailey by several of the book's subjects.

Unfortunately, the "Times'" report on the new study veers toward hasty generalization, including a second paragraph that reads, "But a new study casts doubt on whether true bisexuality exists, at least in men." It isn't until eight paragraphs later that readers encounter the first warning against drawing hasty conclusions based on the Bailey study's small sample.

But it's the article's headline -- "Straight, Gay or Lying? Bisexuality Revisited" -- that has generated the most concern and anger among bisexual community leaders and members. This sensationalistic, derogatory headline (not written by the article's author) impugns the honesty and integrity of bisexual people everywhere, accusing them of lying and deceiving others about their sexual orientation.

GLAAD contacted the "Times" about these concerns and asked that the online version of the headline be changed so it no longer insinuates that self-identified bisexuals are lying about their sexual orientation. The "Times" declined and defended the headline, saying that the phrase "gay, straight or lying" is "a commonly used phrase among many gay people."

In the past, the "Times" has been careful to not overstate the implications of new research. And while Carey's article does acknowledge that more research is needed in the area of sexual orientation, the sensational elements of his story, the derogatory implications of the headline, and its embrace of anti-bisexual sentiment do not reflect the usual journalistic standards of "The New York Times."

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Please send a letter to the editor of "The New York Times" expressing your opinion about the paper's "Straight, Gay or Lying? Bisexuality Revisited" article and headline. The story's author has indicated to GLAAD that the paper is planning to run letters to the editor on this story early next week.

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To read "Straight, Gay or Lying? Bisexuality Revisited," visit: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/05/health/05sex.html.

Straight, Gay or Lying? Bisexuality Revisited - NY Times