Americans for Truth about Homosexuality

Americans for Truth
about Homosexuality
Founded1996
FounderPeter LaBarbera
54-1829289 (EIN)
Focus"To expose the homosexual activist agenda"
Location
Revenue$110,000 (2009)[1]
Websiteamericansfortruth.com

Americans for Truth about Homosexuality (AFTAH) is an organization which describes its mission as "exposing the homosexual activist agenda".[2] AFTAH rejects the idea that sexual orientation is innate and believes that people can "leave the homosexual lifestyle".[3] AFTAH contends that there is a fundamental conflict between gay rights and religious freedom.[4] The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) designated it as an anti-LGBT hate group.[5][6]

History

AFTAH was formed as a part-time enterprise in 1996 to oppose the "radical homosexual agenda." It was reorganized in 2006 by Peter LaBarbera.[3] It was a 501(c)(3) United States tax-exempt organization until stripped of that designation in 2010, following years of failing to file the appropriate paperwork.[7] AFTAH's tax exempt status was reinstated in 2012[8] but again revoked in 2015.[9]

AFTAH is notable for using discredited work of Paul Cameron of the Family Research Institute which claims that gays and lesbians live vastly shorter lives than heterosexuals.[10]

Activism

In 1997, LaBarbera, then an editor for the Family Research Council, criticized US President Bill Clinton for supporting the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) stating: "He's out there using his presidential power to boost the gay lobby. I think there is an increasing acceptance [of homosexuality], but the majority of Americans are put off by the kind of homosexual advocacy they are seeing."[11]

In 2009, AFTAH filed a lawsuit in US federal court against a Naperville, Illinois, Holiday Inn Select, because of the cancellation of a banquet the AFTAH planned to hold October 6, 2007, at the hotel. The hotel cancelled the AFTAH event after learning that it would likely draw protests from the Chicago-based Gay Liberation Network.[12] That same year, LaBarbera, while speaking at the Reclaiming Oklahoma for Christ Conference, called for a government study of the dangers of homosexual sex.[13]

Criticism

In 2010, AFTAH was designated as an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for spreading "hateful propaganda", and claiming that homosexuality can be "cured".[5][6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "IRS Form 990 federal tax return" (PDF). GuideStar. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  2. ^ "About Americans for Truth and Founder Peter LaBarbera". Americans for Truth. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "About Americans for Truth and Founder Peter LaBarbera". AFTAH. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  4. ^ "First civil unions". Daily Herald. Arlington Heights, IL. June 3, 2011. Archived from the original on July 20, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Dininny, Shannon (January 16, 2012). "Civil-rights history gets boost; Whitman College students to teach subject this week". The Seattle Times. Seattle, WA.
  6. ^ a b Cruz, Hector (August 26, 2010). "Naperville anti-gay group slams Elisabeth Hasselbeck for recent pro-gay marriage remarks". Chicago Examiner. Chicago, IL. Earlier this year, AFTAH was labeled as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for spreading hateful proganda, and claiming that homosexuality can be cured.
  7. ^ Harmon, Andrew. "IRS Revokes Antigay Group's Tax Exempt Status". The Advocate. Archived from the original on 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  8. ^ LaBarbera, Peter. "IRS Reinstates Americans For Truth About Homosexuality as 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organization". Americans For Truth About Homosexuality. Archived from the original on December 23, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  9. ^ "Americans for Truth About". IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  10. ^ Schlatter, Evelyn (November 4, 2010). "18 anti-gay groups and their propaganda". Intelligence Report. Southern Poverty Law Center.
  11. ^ Thurman, Skip (November 7, 1997). "Clinton to Openly Advocate Gay Rights". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  12. ^ Cichon, Kathy (August 31, 2009). "Christian group sues Naperville hotel". The Herald News. Joliet, IL. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  13. ^ Witkowski, D'Anne (July 30, 2009). "Creep of the Week: Peter LaBarbera". Between the Lines. Archived from the original on March 25, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2012.