This diary is cross-posted to my blog, where you'll find links to the foundations that are decreasing their grants to GLAAD, along with links to the info regarding the straight woman who is a current board co-chair.
There's such trouble at GLAAD that a former co-chair spilled some beans with me recently, about what is wrong with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's board. Her name is Laurie Perper and I was enthralled with all she had to say, as a real insider, starting with why she believes it would be best for the gays if GLAAD came to an end.
We had a great phone chat two weeks ago, and she spilled quite a few more beans on top of her caustic remarks on her Facebook page.
Before we get to Perper's thoughts, lemme share some fiscal news. Two of GLAAD's biggest donor foundations peaked with their giving years ago. From the gay Arcus Foundation in 2007 GLAAD received $500,000, zero in 2008, for 2009 the amount was $155,000, and so far in 2010 no new money from the foundation.
The progressive Haas Jr Fund, shelled out $300,000 in 2006 to GLAAD, zero in 2007, another $150,000 in 2008, and $100,000 in 2009. Downward trending there, wouldn't you say?
Now, let's look at those FB comments. All caps made by Perper:
Laurie Perper Co-Chairs claim they spoke to departing board members.."it's not about the agency"...not what the rest of us hear! Remaining board members proclaim they are "very" busy. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!!
Dawn Meifert More than 500K in fund-raising has left with board members departure.
September 1 at 9:29am ·
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Laurie Perper GLAAD: Top 3 Finance Committee board members resign? Current Board doesn't like talking $$, doesn't like accountability?
August 31 at 2:26pm
Laurie Perper GLAAD: 2 more board members resign..well 1 to come this week...THE BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMMINENT DEMISE OF THIS AGENCY...what will they say?
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Laurie Perper Does the Board even remember the mission? Do they know how to raise money???? Anyone left who makes their give/get?
August 29 at 8:24pm ·
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Dawn Meifert OK, am I losing my mind or did the 12th board member just resign? This makes 11 or12 people in less than 12 months, not counting senior staff that have already left the building.
Seriously, where/when does all of this end?
August 31 at 2:01pm ·
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Laurie Perper By my count, 9 board members have left since the arrival of Jarrett Barrios, 5 senior team leaders out of 8 have left and the reserve fund is down by 2/3rds. Many other board members have agreed to stay thru Oct. for appearances. This is the better GLAAD that board member Tony Varona speaks of.
During our chat Laurie mentioned that one of the current board co-chairs isn't even a lesbian. She said a number of folks had concerns over a straight person assuming a high leadership position. Not sure if she heard my jaw drop to the floor over this news.
I looked at GLAAD's June release heralding their latest co-chairs, and paid close attention to what was omitted to the short bio on the female co-chair:
Roxanne Jones of Brooklyn, NY, a Vice President for ESPN Publishing was one of the founding editors of ESPN The Magazine [... blah blah blah ...] This year, Jones was named the 2010 Woman of the Year by Women in Sports and Events. Jones attended Penn State University and has an Executive MBA from UCLA.
The bio is cribbed from Jones' profile at the National Association of Black Journalists, where this info, which is missing from GLAAD's announcement, is shared:
Roxanne lives in beautiful Brooklyn, N.Y., with her husband Dave-a journalist, and son Malcolm-a Knicks fan.
On the one hand, I think a gay advocacy org whose mission is to increase gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender visibility should fill every leadership position with the wide diversity of us, as part of fulfilling its duties to the community.
But on the other hand, the sexual orientation or gender identity of any GLAAD executive, staffer or board member doesn't really matter all that much, when bigger issues like GLAAD serving no genuine necessary purpose and operating a racket of gala award dinners that doesn't benefit ordinary gays, loom larger.
There's also the matter of no democratic, (democratic with a small d, NOT the political party so may gays are fond of), engagement with the gay community on a regular basis from GLAAD. This org long ago outlived its usefulness and the sooner we dismantle it, the better off we gays will be. GLAAD is a leech upon us. Even their former co-chair says they should retire the group.