GLAAD Demands O'Reilly Cut the Spin in Gay Gang Report

Calling on the Fox News program The O'Reilly Factor to live up to its "No Spin Zone" motto, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) demanded that the program either factually substantiate or apologize for what GLAAD called "sensational, irresponsible" reportage on a story about so-called "lesbian gangs."

On the June 21 edition of Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor, Fox News Crime Analyst Rod Wheeler detailed what he called a "national epidemic" of so-called "lesbian gangs" that prey on young girls.

GLAAD , in a press release, said that Wheeler used exaggerated, sensational language in claiming that there are more than 150 such gangs in the Washington, D.C., area alone.

GLAAD's press release says that the group contacted the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department to research the statistics Wheeler cited, but found that the information he reported is highly suspect.

Accordng to GLAAD, Sgt. Brett Parson, a member and the former commander of the D.C. Metro Police Department's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit, said the numbers are grossly exaggerated.

Parson is quoted along with GLAAD in a Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Report article titled The Oh-Really Factor, which debunks the June 21 report, pointing out its numerous flaws and highlighting its sensationalistic tone.

"We have 150 to 175 total gangs in the D.C. area, and out of those only nine where the predominance of members are female," Parson said. "You simply can't make the jump that they are lesbians. I think it is fair to talk about violence and female gangs. But to sensationalize or marginalize a community by making a statement like that seems irresponsible."

Gaithersburg, Md., Detective Patrick Word, President of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Gang Investigators Network (an intelligence-sharing organization of 400 criminal justice professionals in Maryland; Washington, D.C.; and Virginia) told the Intelligence Report, "there is no evidence whatsoever of a lesbian gang epidemic in this region... our membership reports only one lesbian gang."

In the press release, GLAAD calls on The O'Reilly Factor, which touts itself as the "No Spin Zone," and Fox News Crime Analyst Rod Wheeler to provide background information and evidence to support what GLAAD calls "wild claims made in the 'Lesbian Gang Epidemic' segment."

GLAAD also urges The O'Reilly Factor host Bill O'Reilly and Wheeler to correct the information in a follow-up report and to issue a formal apology to the lesbian community.

"The O'Reilly Factor segment essentially reported a national epidemic of lesbian gangs preying on young girls without offering one solid statistic or credible source," said Rashad Robinson, GLAAD's Senior Director of Media Programs.

Continued Robinson, "This type of inaccurate tabloid journalism perpetuates dangerous stereotypes about lesbians and feeds a climate of homophobia, anti-gay discrimination and violence. That's the real national epidemic, but not one you're likely to see reported with such zeal by Bill O'Reilly."

The GLAAD press release encourages GLAAD's membership and others to contact John Moody, SVP news editorial at Fox News Channel, Amy Sohnen, executive producer for The O'Reilly Factor, and Rod Wheeler, Fox News Channel crime analyst, and ask them to provide facts and statistics to substantiate the assertions made in the "Lesbian Gang Epidemic" report.

Urged GLAAD's press announcement, "Demand an on-air apology for the sensationalistic report."