Last month we asked you to help figure out which gay non-profits were the best out there. And now, after tallying all your reviews, superlatives, and yes, even some complaints, we’ve got the results.
Queerty teamed with GreatNonprofits and GuideStar for the 2009 Pride Choice Awards, giving average folks the choice to place a badge of honor on their favorite do-gooding groups. So who lead the pack? According to over 700 user reviews …
The Trevor Project — “the leading organization focusing on crisis and suicide prevention among LGBTQ youth” — takes the top prize for non-profits with annual budgets over $1 million; L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center receives an honorable mention.
For orgs with budgets between $250,000 and $1 million, it’s Keshet, which “offers social and cultural events, support, education and resources to ensure that GLBT Jews are fully welcomed in the Jewish Community in Boston and across the USA.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
And for the groups with budgets under $250,000, more users chose the Gay Christian Network, which “helps individuals reconcile their faith and sexuality.”
Congrats to the winners!
But what do we find most notable from the results?
The big Gay Inc. organizations — like the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and GLAAD — didn’t receive anywhere close to the number of positive accolades bestowed upon smaller organizations. Rather, local groups focused on education and advocacy, as well as religious groups, scored the most glowing reviews. (Only one person felt inclined to bother reviewing HRC. Nobody talked about GLAAD.) It might have something to do with the project’s methodology … or maybe these organizations just don’t have the type of support in the community they think.
Anjune
This shouldn’t be a popularity contest.
Cam
@Anjune:
You are saying people voted for the Trevor Project because they want to sit next to it at lunch time in the Cafeteria?
David Levy
It’s a little weird to display the logos of Trevor Project and GCN but not the Keshet logo as part of the article.
Alex
@David Levy: Hi David!
Qjersey
on the local and smaller level it is easier to see results.
HRC has turned into just another DC lobby organization concerned with the access to the halls of power.
The NGLTF is a complete left wing/PC organzation; if you don’t drink the koolaid, you are not welcome. The one time I attended Creating Change, the crowd hissed at people for using the “wrong terminology” although no offense was intended.
GLAAD just likes to have nice award shows with celebrities.
Anthony in Nashville
I think people like to see their donations in action, which is why groups that are smaller, local, or have a specalized focus may appear to have more support than the likes of HRC.
People look to the national groups as a kind of older sibling or parent, someone there to provide support or leadership when the chips are down, but not someone you always want to pay attention to.
M Shane
Not hard:
The Trevor Project actually has an agenda which addresses a real and imediate concern of all gay people.
GCN: The same Assimilationists who most want to be married like Mom and Dad are to homophobisc to accept their homsexuality without the respectability of the blessing of Jesus and his flock of mallards. I disapprove of that entirely.
HRC only wants money ; they ask for that every week, but never ask for opinions or do any creative thinking about a gay agenda. Solomnese shouldn’t get bus fare for what he does.
I would direct a similar to NGLTF and Glaad: They should be able to come up, even if they weren’t paid at all with some kind of constructive truly Gay issues. When they gat a creative staff on board I might help.
M Shane
If anyone had a nits worth of brains they would keep their religious war out of government and try to bargain with government over something which was secular.
Christianity will be the doom of this country as soon as Aryanism stupified the Germans and led them over a cliff.
That applies to everyone but the Trevor Project.
galefan2004
This isn’t exactly shocking. Smaller organizations rely much more upon community involvement and that means the people that are working with them are much more likely to talk them up than those that work with larger organizations and don’t feel as involved.
Rob
How did Lambda Legal fare?
Marius
It’s too bad that GLAD in Boston didn’t earn a mention. They do fine work.
Mark Snyder
Here’s a shout out to the Boston Alliance of LGBT Youth. The first ever youth led LGBT organization, that has support referrals and leadership programming. And also hosts the world’s original and largest LGBT youth prom!
Marius
@Mark Snyder: Were they BAGLY at one time – met at the church on Bowdoin Steet?
TimNCGuy
@M Shane: Civil marriage equality really has nothing to do with the blessing of Jesus. Confusing the two is the same mistake the anti-gay bigots make. And although many gays do want a religious belssing component to their marriage, many do not, just as many straight married couples never have any religious blessing component to their civil marriage.
galefan2004
@TimNCGuy: I think you misunderstand him. He says that the GCN thinks that god needs to be in the mix and then turns around and condemns Obama for saying such things. He simply doesn’t think that christianity should have anything to do with gay and lesbian, and I for one support him in that. How can you cling so virulently and stupidly to the belief system when 95% of the people that cling to that same belief system believe that gay people deserve to burn in hell. For the sake of the community and yourselves, tell christianity to go fuck its self not that you want to be a part of it.
jay
But, again, there are people of faith who ARE gay, and that does not mean that they hate themselves, cannot accept themselves, nor does it mean assimilation. It means they have a connection to their own diety. That’s it…their own personal salvation. And it is personal. For Pete’s sake, some gay men DO want to live that quiet life of khaki pants and chambray shirts, soccer practice, church socials and community, and yet they still are very much a part of the gay community, fighting for the right to have the same rights as anyone else. Why do they have to be dogged out because some feel it’s selling out? There are a myriad of locations on the spectrum of identity, just like the straights. Some like leather, some like partying and dolling up, some have a more effeminate demeanor, some are more athletically inclined, some have absolutely no taste in clothes or style, some have amazing ability, some believe in their diety, some have none, some want kids and a picket fence, some do not…i.e., just like any other human being. Doesn’t make them a sellout. As to the comment that religous/faith adherents hate gays to the tune of 95%..puhleeze. Don’t mistake fundies and nutcases for all Christians or other belief systems. To demean a fellow gay because they have found their peace with their faith is insulting. It can be done and without committing heresy towards either community. I will say that it shows all the more reason for religion (not faith, as that’s two distinctly different things)to be ABSOLUTELY seperate from governmental decisions. Marriage equality isn’t about religion but about commitment and equal rights under the law with that commitment. Not all marriage proponents wish the “faith” marriage, but they are entitled to the legal aspects; each church will decide on it’s own if it sanctions the marriage. Hell, they already do that…a Catholic can’t marry a non-catholic unless they convert, (at least around here), a Catholic priest doesn’t have to marry a Lutheran, and vice versa, and that can go on and on with examples. They need to keep the religion out of it.
Enough, I guess….
jay
“each church will decide on it’s own if it sanctions the marriage. ”
What that should say is if a church is willing to do the marrying within their own church/religion, NOT whether they can sanction a legally obtained marriage. That is why it needs to be done by law, seperately from the decisions of a church. Sure, those that wish a marriage within their faith may have issues with that particular aspect, as the individual religions will determine their willingness to do marriages, but that, again, is an individual thing, and will no doubt require much additional education in the varying denominations. More’s the pity, really, but that is pretty much a given.
Fitz
I think that next time, to make this more meaningful, it might be better to pick areas of work. So someone working with LGBT legal issues, someone working on HIV health care, Addiction treatment, someone working on LGBT youth programs, etc.
galefan2004
@jay: Define faith. Faith is the lack of practical thinking and all things rational. In order to have faith in this day and age you have to believe that everything science says is wrong, and that only religion is right. You don’t need a sky daddy to explain how the universe works in 2009. You have science to explain that. Anyone that actually thinks and asks questions quickly removes the ability to have faith. That is why religion is such an affective means of controlling the masses, it tells you that every time you ask a question that doesn’t have an answer that you are going against your own faith.
No one is saying that gays can’t live whatever life they chose to live. However, you are kidding yourself when you cling to your religion. The churches that are “gay friendly” do not make up for the churches that are gay bashing, and calling yourself christian when you see the evils that christianity has done to your community, in this country and in the world is unacceptable. The christian church has done more evil and harmed more people in this world than Hitler ever dreamed to, but I don’t see you standing up for the right to consider yourself a Nazi.
I’m demeaning fellow gays that chose to be idiots and check their brains at the door. I can’t stand people that operate on blind faith. If you can ask reasonable questions then you need to ask yourself how you can be part of something created by man to further a straight man’s agenda. The bible (you know that thing the bigoted asshole christian fucks are supposed to take without asking as a single question) still has homosexuality listed as a cause of death. You can’t argue that, and if you are christian and gay you just have to accept it. I REFUSE to allow anyone to tell me the love I feel for my partner is wrong. If you think its ok that they tell you that your feelings are wrong then you are part of the problem not part of the solution.
SM
Who is Queerty to say anything about HRC. The write a blog for pure profit and to create drama -not to win equality.
LindaMarie
HRC.org… Slapped the Transsexual community right in the Face!
And left Us.. standing out in the cold ! when it came to
Equality Rights ! And they have the Audacity ! to ask Us for MONEY to support them ? !!!!
galefan2004
@LindaMarie: While I do NOT agree with what they did, I understand why they did it. The information they were gathering showed that ENDA would pass if it did not include transexuals but wouldn’t pass if it did. That is still very much the climate today. I’m not saying that is right or fair, but the majority of those in favor of ENDA in the government simply don’t want to think about forcing people to hire transexuals. However, they shouldn’t have stopped fighting for transexual rights simply because of some polling data, and they sure the hell shouldn’t have asked you for money after doing so.
LindaMarie
@galefan2004:
The Transsexual community isn’t even looked upon favorably by the gay community either ! We, pretty much stand alone !
David Hauslaib
@SM: You have figured out the business model of this website!
Paul Harris
I have to be honest and say that my attitude about the HRC was changed forever when they came out in support of Senator Alphonse D’Amato, the Republican senator of NY, when he was up against a Democrat, Chuck Schumer. D’Amato’s record in the Senate had not been bad. On the percentage basis that HRC used to score both congressmen and senators though Schumer’s record had certainly been as good if not better. D’Amato’s record on a ‘woman’s right to choose’ though was lamentable.. The moment HRC came out in favor of D’Amato they never got another penny from me. (I suspect I am not the only person who was living in NY state at that time who felt similarly angry.)
Since then I have supported Lambda Legal and the Task Force when it has come to national organizations. My reasoning is as follows:
I like to ‘invest’ in organizations that win! If a Martian were to look dispassionately upon the progress of GLBT rights in the US he/she/it would come to the conclusion that most progress affecting the largest number of people has EITHER been achieved in the courts or at grass roots on a city by city, county by county basis.
The Lawrence versus Texas decision was the work of Lambda Legal, make no mistake bout it. Yes, there were ‘amicus briefs’ from other organizations, historians and others, but the reality is that Lambda Legal picked up this case in Texas and with its two brave litigants took it all the way to the Supreme Court. The decision made there TOTALLY changed the landscape for gay rights in this country almost overnight. Gay sex WAS legal!!! PERIOD.
There have been other important cases that Lambda has fought and won. The Cusick case against Cirque du Soleil has changed the legal status of HIV+ people, or at least cleared it up so that any employer discriminating against someone on the basis of their HIV status had better have some VERY compelling reasons for doing so.
If I have a criticism of Lambda it is that they are not very good at blowing their own trumpet. They do not have the marketing ‘nouse’ of HRC and their clever, eye-catching logo, they did not really exploit their success with Lawrence versus Texas and double their membership overnight as they should have done as grateful gay men all over the country should have ponied up the paltry annual subscription simply to acknowledge the fact that Lambda had removed the ‘criminal’ status from their very lives…
LindaMarie
Granted Lambda Legal has a good track record in my point of view.
But I as a Transsexual Woman, I don’t like being deceived and lied too and then asked to pay money and give support to an Organization that has turned there backs on you and slapped you while they did it ! As if they were saying : “Maybe next time girls,we have more important things to do right now !” “And your not one of them !”
LindaMarie
@galefan2004:
Well…… They Did !
Lurp
@David Hauslaib:
At least you’re honest.
Phil
HA! Like anyone who reads this site on the regular would vote for those organizations!!! Anyone who supports them stopped reading this site LONG ago because its so BIASED against almost EVERY organization. If Trevor Project got a little more money, publicity and influence, you can bet that the editors of this site would be BASHING Trevor project as hard as they hit the others.
Those left reading this site are the ones who LOVE LOVE LOVE to have their opinions validated all the time! Why step out of our comfort zone!
Sorry, Queerty and Queerty readers–I do love a lot of the content on this site, but its also ground zero for gay-on-gay internet hate! The good side is, they hate on the haters better than ANYONE else, and when Queerty is getting up in NOM’s face, its fantastic… but the hate is JUST as hard for other gays working hard for us who don’t have the carbon copy strategy and pre-approved agenda. Disagreements in policy become lashing out brawls of arguments, and the likeminded readers gleefully join in in the bashing!
I’m a member of HRC. I’m also a critic. I don’t like everything they do, and they’ve dropped the ball on some important shit. That said, I’ve been there, I’ve met them, and they’re human beings, young gay men and women who believe in the cause, who are working hard–very hard–for very little pay to try to make a difference. They’re bright eyed, they’re idealistic–they’re not a bunch of fat old dudes sitting around in leather chairs getting hand-fed grapes by nubile young servants (which, ironically, is the fantasy of the Queerty editors, judging by their prominent posting of such young men… hmmm) who conspire about how they can dupe the gays next. Sorry to wreck your fantasy.
I appreciate what this site does well–call attention to those enemies that would rather see us die in the gas chambers than succeed in equality. That and show us really hot guys. However, I think its laughable that this site thinks they can run an unbiased poll about what the best LGBT charities are, with all of the “Gay inc.” wailing and moaning they do.
Gay on gay hate sucks. It sucks when Perez does it, it sucks when John Aravosis does it, and it sucks when you do it. Sorry dudes. It just does. Maybe calling y’all out is my own gay-on-gay hate. Oh well. Someone needs to hold up a mirror, though.
Phil
Interested to see how much hate mail I generate THIS time!