Over the Rainbow: - Wrestling With Angels
Over the Rainbow: - Wrestling With Angels
Over the Rainbow: - Wrestling With Angels
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Child Molestation Episode (Montgomery, 1989:pgs 81-83)<br />
A story line that was totally unacceptable to <strong>the</strong> activists was an episode that linked<br />
homosexuality to child molestation, a relationship that gay activists wanted to eliminate in <strong>the</strong><br />
media. When Ron Gold lost his temper with ABC executives, communication broke down. The<br />
Gay Activist Alliance experienced internal disagreements. Ron Gold and some o<strong>the</strong>r members<br />
split from <strong>the</strong> group to form <strong>the</strong> National Gay Task Force (NGTF), which developed as an<br />
umbrella organization for gay rights groups around <strong>the</strong> country. NGTF turned <strong>the</strong> concern over<br />
<strong>the</strong> episode related to child molestation to a pioneer gay media activist in Boston, Loretta<br />
Lotman. Lotman launched a national campaign by <strong>the</strong> gay and lesbian community against <strong>the</strong><br />
Welby show, galvanizing <strong>the</strong> gay community.<br />
Although unsuccessful at keeping <strong>the</strong> program off <strong>the</strong> air, it was a show of power that<br />
served as basic training for gay activist leaders. In <strong>the</strong>ir campaign against Marcus Welby,<br />
grassroots groups applied pressure on local ABC affiliates. Threats were included as strategies<br />
for success. Gay groups had <strong>the</strong> advantage of advance knowledge of <strong>the</strong> upcoming episode.<br />
Lotman called <strong>the</strong> Boston ABC affiliate, WCVB. She warned <strong>the</strong> management that “if<br />
something were not done about <strong>the</strong> program, <strong>the</strong> station would be ‘hit with a protest <strong>the</strong> likes<br />
of which you’ve never seen before’”. Advertisers were also pressured. When agents were able<br />
to provide information about <strong>the</strong> companies that had bought advertising for <strong>the</strong> episode,<br />
protest letters were sent to advertisers. The names of <strong>the</strong> sponsors were published in <strong>the</strong> gay<br />
press, which was carrying stories about <strong>the</strong> Welby campaign.<br />
The mainstream press was used to publicize <strong>the</strong>ir campaign and ga<strong>the</strong>r support from<br />
outside <strong>the</strong> gay community. A year earlier gay activists had successfully struggled with <strong>the</strong><br />
American Psychiatric Association (APA) to have homosexuality removed from <strong>the</strong> list of mental<br />
illnesses. NGTF pressured <strong>the</strong> APA to publicly condemn <strong>the</strong> offensive Marcus Welby episode.<br />
They also succeeded in having <strong>the</strong> National Education Association release a report objecting to<br />
<strong>the</strong> show’s negative portrayals of homosexuals as stereotypes.<br />
In response to this aggressive campaign, ABC issued a statement defending <strong>the</strong> episode<br />
and asserting that a psychiatrist had been consulted. However, <strong>the</strong> producers made changes to<br />
minimize offenses. Some scenes were reshot, references to homosexuality were deleted, and<br />
<strong>the</strong> term ‘pedophile’ became <strong>the</strong> new label for <strong>the</strong> sex offender. In spite of <strong>the</strong> changes,<br />
seven companies withdrew <strong>the</strong>ir ads, leaving only one minute of air time sold. Five affiliates<br />
withdrew <strong>the</strong> program from <strong>the</strong> air. The management at WPVI-TV, Philadelphia, explained<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir reason for refusing to air <strong>the</strong> episode, saying “<strong>the</strong> author’s original premise is a false<br />
stereotype of homosexuals as persons who pursue and sexually assault young boys.”<br />
<strong>Over</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Rainbow</strong>: The Gay Battle for Social Reorganization of America. 2010<br />
Dr. M. L. Coppock<br />
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