Also, Truth Wins Out sadly said goodbye to actor and board member Glenn Shadix, who passed away this week.
As for music this week, I think it was about two weekends ago when I literally, out of nowhere, listened to Nina Simone, and nothing but Nina Simone, for about forty-eight hours. I needed it. I still remember being a freshman in high school, when a friend handed me a Nina Simone CD, the debut from Portishead, and Fugees’ The Score, and simply said, “these are things you need in your life.” She was correct. The first song I ever heard was “I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl,” which remains one of my very favorites. A close second is “Love Me Or Leave Me.” So we’ll listen to those, then hit shuffle on the iTunes machine, and see where we end up.
1. Tori Amos – “Beauty Queen/Horses”
2. Prana – “The Dream”
3. Phoebe Killdeer & The Short Straws – “Let Me”
4. jj – “My Love”
5. Das Racist – “One Dollar Can” [this is actually an ode to Arizona Iced Tea, no lie]
6. Toad the Wet Sprocket – “All I Want”
7. Primary 1 – “Clicks Like That”
8. Tricky – “My Evil Is Strong”
9. Beck – “Readymade”
10. Xiu Xiu – “Dear God, I Hate Myself”
You can, by the way, download the Das Racist mixtape completely legally and for free here, and let me assure you that if you like really freaking smart Hip-Hop type things, you will enjoy.
Shadix Appeared In TWO Video Condemning Ex-Gay Therapy
NEW YORK – Truth Wins Out Advisory Board member Glenn Shadix, 58, died this morning from a fall in his Birmingham, Alabama condo. Shadix was best known for his role as Otho in Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice” and appeared in more than 70 films and TV shows.
Shadix appeared in two more movies for the writer-director Burton, doing the voice of the mayor in “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in 1993 and playing the orangutan Senator Nado in Burton’s 2001 remake of “Planet of the Apes”.
“Glenn is a hero of mine and one of the kindest people I’ve ever met,” said Truth Wins Out’s founder and Executive Director Wayne Besen. “He had a huge heart and was committed to stopping the harm caused by ex-gay programs. It deeply saddens me that he is gone, but there is no doubt that he left the world a better place.”
Recently, Shadix became involved in LGBT advocacy, discussing in a Truth Wins Out video that he was a survivor of “ex-gay” shock therapy, which aims to turn LGBT people heterosexual. Such therapy is outdated and rejected by every mainstream medical and mental health association, including the American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association and The American Psychological Association. In Jan. 2010, he joined the advisory board of Truth Wins Out and planned to speak out publicly against “ex-gay” therapy.
“He was having mobility problems, and he was in a wheelchair,” Susan Gagne, Shadix’s sister, said. “It looks like he fell and hit his head in the kitchen, and that’s the cause of death.”
Glenn Shadix (on left) is an actor made famous by roles in movies such as Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas and the 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes. His television work includes the HBO drama Carniv?†le, and the NBC television comedy Seinfeld, in which he played Jerry’s landlord.
What many people do not know, however, is that Shadix had undergone shock therapy as a teenager in Alabama, in an attempt to turn from gay-to-straight. The “cure” did not work and today Shadix lives as a proud openly gay man. Having lived in New York City and Hollywood, he recently returned to Alabama. Truth Wins Out applauds Shadix for his willingness to share his experience and help other people avoid the pain and suffering of the ex-gay industry.
On Nov. 7th, Focus on the Family brought its absurd “ex-gay” roadshow Love Won Out to Birmingham Alabama. This is a conference that tries to help people “pray away the gay”. (Cue uproarious laughter)
Truth Wins Out joined several local groups in protest. More than 50 people greeted conference attendees as they entered the church parking lot. Movie star Glenn Shadix, who had once undergone shock therapy in a failed effort to become straight commented on Joe Openshaw’s blog about what he saw at the demonstration:
“An image that will always stay with me is that of a young teenager being driven by what seemed to be his parents, into The Metropolitan Church of God,” said Shadix. “He slowly raised his hand and, hidden from those in the front seat of the car, waved at us as he was driven into the all day seminar. His sad face haunts me. I have been there. My prayers are with him.”
Truth Wins Out joined The Alliance for GLBT Equality at UAB, Covenant Community Church, Equality Alabama Birmingham, Central Alabama Pride and PFLAG.
Special thanks to Bob Palmatier, Joe Openshaw and Rev. J.R. Finney (and many others) for a powerful action against the intolerance and bigotry of Focus on the Family.
Today was Focus on the Family’s final Love Won Out road show, which took place in Birmingham, Alabama. Truth Wins Out’s Executive Director Wayne Besen joined more than 75 people to protest the misinformation being spread at the mega-church where the “ex-gay” extravaganza took place.
If you like the fact that Truth Wins Out is fighting back against such lies, please consider a tax-deductible contribution today. Only with your help can we continue our efforts exposing lies and anti-gay distortions.
Today’s protest included members from: The Alliance for GLBT Equality at UAB, Equality Alabama Birmingham, Central Alabama Pride, Covenant Community Church and PFLAG. Several media outlets covered the presentation. Movie star Glenn Shadix, an Alabama native was on-hand. On Thursday, he shared his story of undergoing shock therapy in his youth to unsuccessfully become heterosexual.
We will provide video of the protest later. In the meantime, here are a few pictures.
