WASHINGTON, DC — April 17, 2005 — The Family Pride Coalition, the only national non-profit organization dedicated to securing equality for LGBT parents and their families, has unveiled its new 60-second public service announcement (PSA). The spot was designed to inform the general public of the controversy surrounding the recent threat by U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings to withhold funding for popular PBS children’s show, “Postcards from Buster,” because one episode featured children with lesbian parents.
Featured in Family Pride’s “Buster” PSA are actor B. D. Wong (“Law and Order: SVU”), U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, as well as Karen Pike and Gillian Pieper, the couple at the center of this heated battle.
Each individual contributed meaningful dialogue as to why Secretary Spellings’ actions are so damaging. “Sadly, there are people who have a political agenda who oppose fair treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, and even more sadly, they take it out on their children,” said Congressman Frank.
“Secretary Spellings’ actions attacked the integrity and legitimacy of all different kinds of families,” said Wong, a gay father.
The Family Pride Coalition will make the “Buster” PSA available for both broadcast and internet outlets. The PSA is also available online to view at www.familypride.org.
In addition to producing the “Buster” PSA, the Family Pride Coalition has shown its support of the inclusive “Postcards from Buster” by broadcasting online the banned episode, entitled “Sugartime.” On March 10 of this year, FPC also led a “Virtual Rally on Washington” dedicated to defending family diversity around the country. The Family Pride Coalition also initiated an aggressive advocacy campaign designed to educate and inform the public about same-sex parenting. Featuring the slogan “Love & Hate are four-letter words. Which do you want your child saying?” Family Pride launched a wide-reaching campaign designed to make people aware of what exactly is at stake in this debate.
More information about the Family Pride Coalition can be found on their website at www.familypride.org.
The Family Pride Coalition is the only national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to securing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender parents and their families.