*splutter*

[winterbadger]

This is just... stupid.

At issue is a conference on suicide prevention to be held Feb. 28 in Portland, Ore., and organized by the Suicide Prevention Resource Center of Newton, Mass., a SAMHSA contractor. On the program is a talk that, until recently, was titled "Suicide Prevention Among Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Individuals."

Everyone seems to agree the topic is important. Studies have found that the suicide risk among people in these groups is two to three times higher than the average risk.

So it came as a surprise to Ron Bloodworth -- a former coordinator of youth suicide prevention for Oregon and one of three specialists leading the session -- when word came down from SAMHSA project manager Brenda Bruun that they should omit the four words that described, precisely, what the session was about.

...

An HHS official ... said there is not a department-wide policy against using terms relating to sexual identity or orientation at federally funded venues.

added for clarification:

"It is incredible, the venom from these people," said Mark Weber, a spokesman for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that is funding the conference and told presenters they should remove the words from the title of a talk.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27202-2005Feb15.html

I suppose that they would see no reason not to omit "African Americans" in the title of a conference on "Combating Hypertension Among African Americans"?

It's going to be a long four years...

Comments

[robbysmom.livejournal.com]

when blue states run from the truth, too, it could be longer than 4 years. . .

[winterbadger]

I'm not sure I understand your comment, Lee. It's the federal agency that's mandating the change.

[robbysmom.livejournal.com]

got it. This way, when Congress reviews funding, they won't notice people are doig their jobs. . .

[bright-serpent.livejournal.com]

Well, there's an obvious reason for that. We don't want "those durn gays" thinking we actually acknowledge that they're anything more than a dang bunch of perverts. If we're not allowed t'call it "Suicide Prevention Among Those Hellbound Ones Giving in to Unholy Lusts," we're sure as shootin' not gonna' acknowledge it neutrally.

[selki.livejournal.com]

Oh, I really wish the organizers would re-title the session according to your suggestion. Just to bait the censors.

[grail76.livejournal.com]

Gonna be a long 4 years...

[blackperson.livejournal.com]

I think it's great. Just think, when all those suicidal homophobes walk in and see what they've gotten themselves into...

Man, I'm kinda snarky today. I guess that's mean and I shouldn't finish that sentence.

[flewellyn.livejournal.com]

Wow. You know, I'm beyond even shock and dismay at the rank stupidity of this administration.

It's gotten to the point where I just glumly nod, and say "Not surprised, somehow."