Truth Wins Out has harshly criticized a sham study on gay parents by University of Texas researcher Mark Regnerus. We also launched a petition that has gathered more than 3,600 signatures urging University of Texas to investigate Regnerus for academic fraud, since his rhetoric surrounding his study results do not match his data — and his funding came from virulently right wing sources. However, the individual really driving the campaign against this quack study is Scott Rose, who is writing for the New Civil Rights Movement. Here is how he describes the study:
Mark Regnerus of the University of Texas, Austin carried out a methodologically-challenged gay parenting study so blatantly in line with the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage‘s goals of smearing gay people for political purposes, that many have considered Regnerus’s work far closer to election year political propaganda than to science. Indeed, Regnerus received a $35,000 “planning grant” from the Witherspoon Institute, where NOM’s Robert George is a Senior Fellow. The appearance is that if George-Witherspoon had not approved the disingenuous, anti-gay study design, Regnerus would not have received any further funding from them. Regnerus has admitted that had he sought funding for a gay parenting study from the National Institutes of Health, their study protocol would have worked in the long-term best interest of science.
Rose reports that “Regnerus’s activity is now the subject of a Scientific Misconduct inquiry at the University of Texas, Austin.” He also had released a key letter by “scores of Ph.D.s and M.D.s and professionals in sociology, psychiatry and other relevant fields” who have an issue with the study. Read the full letter here.
Hats off to Rose for doing incredible work on behalf of the LGBT community.
Update: Regnerus Study Referred To Committee On Publication Ethics
Yahooooooooooooooo!!!
Thank you scott and wayne. This will hopefully put a real crimp in the airline for people who wish to use and misuse science for political purposes.
Maggie, of course, is whining that Regnerus is being “attacked”. Apparently it’s mean to call out bad science for what it is.
It should now be clear that Christian Fundamentalists have nothing else in mind other than the complete demonization, destruction and eventual genocide of gay people. They are not “anti-gay” they are “NO GAYS!” Either we all wake up and take all these people to court for promoting genocide publicly, against the known laws of this nation, or we shall all be in trouble. Let us stop defending ourselves and go on the attack. Lies, slander, libel — it’s an endless stream of nonsense from these people who avoid responsibility by citing their beliefs. And we gays are afraid to say that they have no right to force their belief system upon us. Let’s get some cajones already.
Scott, Wayne and the others at TWO: The only way to keep our anti-gay adversaries on the run is to publicly expose and embarrass them, which you folks are doing just superbly. The letter by Scott is a real winner.
Thank you all so much.
When this research was first rolled out BoxTurtle covered it a lot. I know because I was on this from the first day, many thanks Jim Burraway. Since then it seems like the interest on the gay side has kind of wanned while on the haters side it is getting repeated and repeated and THEY are nto letting this die, on the haters side this mis stated research is growing exponentially every day.
In fact Wayn et al remember that video of the ex Navy Chaplin you jsut showed us a few days ago? At the end of the video he directly talks about how the exorcisms are justified because of the Regnerus Texas “research”.
We can’t let this be like Spitzer where we are fighting this for 10 years, and then finally it is recanted, but nobody but us listens. We all should have learned something from Spitzer.
I have been following this right along and as far as I can tell, Scott Rose is the only one who is still investigating and following through exposing the dirty deed and falsehoods.
I think all the gay bloggers should be pointing to Scott’s ongoing work over at the New Civil Rights Movement. After all each blog only has so many readers, it is when it is re-tweeted and re-posted throughout the gay bloggesphere on many blogs that an awakening and consensus can be built. So Wayne thank you for posting this on TWO, don’t let this be another Spitzer where it takes root. Everybody we all have to stay on top of this and take action. Send out e-mails make phone calls. Like maybe call or write to the President of the University of Texas Austin about the Ethics investigation Scott started. One voice is good, many voices are better. Wayne you could contact the University also, let them know TWO is watching.
Ben in Oakland I wanted to communicate with you off line because you bring a skill set to the table the rest of us don’t have. My e-mail address is my forum name and then Google Mail.
Here is a good link to all the Scott Rose Stories
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/category/scott-rose-2
For those of you who did not as of yet read these 2 research papers they can be found here, just scroll down to July. YOu want to read the Regnerus, Loren Marks, Eggebeen, Osborn, and Amato articles. Regnerus and Loren Marks are the papers the commentors are Amato, Eggebeen and Osborn.
http://www.journals.elsevier.com/social-science-research/recent-articles/
I am working with Scott to ensure that those high in government are aware of this fake study and that it is denounced.
Michael B MEGA thanks!!!
But that does not absolve all the other TWO readers to get off of pro gay websites and instead do something. It is GREAT Fantastic that YOU are doing something but we need MANY. Everybody stop what you are doing file an official complaint with the University of Texas Austin. See the Scott Rose articles for more information. Big whoop 2 people are complaining we need thousands. Call, write and e-mail today.
[...] writes (birthday boy!) Wayne Besen, founder of Truth Wins Out, in a very welcome post, “Regnerus Sham Study Under Intense Scrutiny After Scott Rose and Scientists Challenge Bogus Results.” Yes, that’s our Scott Rose, the excellent New Civil Rights Movement writer who [...]
Why aren’t the 200 Ph.d’s complaining to University of Texas about the flawed conclusions and comparisons in the Regenerus Study? It’s not just the publication in the journal of social science research, or standards of peer review that is of issue. Regenerus appears free to do another study with their blessing. Scott would add more credibility to his complaint if the academic community submitted a complaint. Otherwise, to me it looks like just another unhappy activist that may get nothing more than a yawn from the University of Texas. We shall see.
[...] There was petition asking the Social Science Research editor to explain how this paper went through the review process. As an [...]