Family Research Institute

History

Founding

FRI (known then as ISIS) was founded in 1982 in Lincoln, Nebraska, by psychologist Paul Cameron. In 1980, a local organization, the Lincoln Legion of Lesbians, had asked the Lincoln city government to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation. Cameron was vehemently opposed to legal protections for gay people, and presented his opposition as grounded in his psychological research. The opposition organization he formed was successful not only in defeating the proposed law, but in quickly becoming a major part of the nationwide anti-LGBT movement.

AIDS epidemic

Sociologist Sara Diamond of UC Berkeley states that the AIDS epidemic gave FRI a chance to oppose gay rights using "fear-mongering pseudoscience" before accurate scientific understanding of AIDS could be communicated to the public. Among other proposals, FRI advocated limiting AIDS by imprisoning "sexually active homosexuals" in concentration camps.

The organization's name was changed to the current one in 1987. It moved to Colorado Springs in 1992.

Reactions

In 1984, the Nebraska Psychological Association adopted a resolution stating that it "formally disassociates itself from the representations and interpretations of scientific literature offered by Dr. Paul Cameron in his writings and public statements on sexuality."

In 1986, the American Sociological Association (ASA) passed a resolution condemning Cameron for "consistent misrepresentation of sociological research" based on a report from the ASA's Committee on the Status of Homosexuals in Sociology, which summarized Cameron's inflammatory statements and commented, "It does not take great analytical abilities to suspect from even a cursory review of Cameron's writings that his claims have almost nothing to do with social science and that social science is used only to cover over another agenda. Very little of his work could find support from even a bad misreading of genuine social science investigation on the subject and some sociologists, such as Alan Bell, have been 'appalled' at the abuse of their work." In 1996, the board of directors of the Canadian Psychological Association approved a position statement disassociating the organization from Cameron's work on sexuality, stating that he had "consistently misinterpreted and misrepresented research on sexuality, homosexuality, and lesbianism".

Herek and others have also said that the FRI's research has been published in Psychological Reports. The Boston Globe says that the small journal charges authors to publish their studies, and that it has a non-standard peer-reviewing policy. Herek says that it has a "low rejection rate" and that Cameron's research "would have been rejected by more prestigious scientific journals"

Decline

The Christian right began to distance itself from FRI and Cameron in the mid-1990s. His acrimonious attacks on gays and lesbians were backfiring, according to journalist Wayne Besen; his attacks were responsible for a growing impression that Christianity was intolerant, and his claims appeared further removed from the truth as public understanding of AIDS grew. Focus on the Family denounced FRI, and moved on to associate itself with other pseudoscientific claims, such as conversion therapy, instead. However, FRI's claims are still cited in politics as of 2020.

Hate group designation

The Southern Poverty Law Center has listed FRI as an anti-gay hate group because of Cameron's discredited research

According to political scientist Barry J. Balleck, FRI continues to publish "pseudoscientific studies" as of 2019 that, Balleck says, "remain central to anti-LGBT groups on the extreme right of the political spectrum." Organizations that cite FRI's pseudoscientific research include the American Family Association, Coral Ridge Ministries, Concerned Women for America, Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, the Family Research Council. The Illinois Family Institute has also cited FRI's research, but no longer does.

References

References

1. "Nonprofit Report for Family Research Institute". GuideStar.
2. [http://www.familyresearchinst.org/index.html Official website] {{webarchive. link. (2009-02-17 , Retrieved 20-June–2008)
3. Southern Poverty Law Center. (2007). "Active U.S. Hate Groups in 2006: Colorado".
4. Waddington, Lynda. (23 November 2010). "Groups that helped oust Iowa judges earn 'hate group' designation". Iowa Independent.
5. "Paul Cameron".
6. Boston, Rob. (July–August 2005). "Religious right roundup: Texas governor holds bill signing at Fort Worth church school in bid to corral evangelical voters.". [[Americans United for Separation of Church and State]].
7. Rostow, Ann. (January 31, 2006). "Our enemies list: Richard Nixon may have given enemies lists a bad name, but it's good to know about who is trying to fight equality at all costs. Here are some who plan to derail LGBT America in 2006.". [[The Advocate (LGBT magazine).
8. . (August 6, 1980). ["Rights law sex clause sought"](https://www.newspapers.com/image/312472384/). *Lincoln Journal Star*.
9. Cameron, Paul. (January 2, 1982). "Majority rights will suffer". The Lincoln Star.
10. Williams, David. (1994). "About Paul Cameron". Williams-Nichols Institute.
11. Diamond, Sara. (February 15, 2000). "Not by Politics Alone: The Enduring Influence of the Christian Right". Guilford Publications.
12. Michael Kranish. (July 31, 2005). "Beliefs drive research agenda of new think tanks". Boston Globe.
13. American Sociological Association. (February 1987). "Official Reports and Proceedings". Footnotes.
14. Committee on the Status of Homosexuals in Sociology. (January 1987). "The Cameron Case". Footnotes.
15. Canadian Psychological Association. "Policy Statements".
16. Gregory M. Herek: [http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/facts_cameron_journals.html Publication Outlets Used By The Cameron Group] {{Webarchive. link. (June 23, 2012)
17. Besen, Wayne. (July 26, 2012). "Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth". Taylor & Francis.
18. Connelly, Joel. (February 28, 2020). "Bill requiring sex education in all public schools clears key House panel". KOMO News.
19. Simmons, Deborah. (December 17, 2010). "It's season for left's intolerance". Washington Times.
20. "Anti-LGBT Propagandist Published Again in Academic Journal". Southern Poverty Law Center.
21. Balleck, Barry J.. (July 8, 2019). "Hate Groups and Extremist Organizations in America: An Encyclopedia". ABC-CLIO.
22. Schlatter, Evelyn. (2010). "18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their Propaganda". Southern Poverty Law Center.
23. "Family Research Council". Southern Poverty Law Center.