GLSEN Outraged by MSNBC Host Tucker Carlson's Comments About Assaulting Gay Man

GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is outraged and horrified by MSNBC host Tucker Carlson’s revelation Tuesday night insinuating that as a high school student he once assaulted a man for a perceived sexual advance. GLSEN is calling on Carlson to issue an apology and disavow violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people as reprehensible and unacceptable.

“Tucker Carlson’s casual acknowledgment perpetrating such a violent act is shocking and sends a dangerous message to youth that physical assault based on actual or perceived sexual orientation is acceptable,” said GLSEN Deputy Executive Director Eliza Byard. “Countless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth are bullied, harassed and assaulted at school every day. MSNBC and Carlson need to make it clear that violence in this case was an unacceptable reaction.”

More than a third of LGBT students (37.8%) reported being physically harassed (being pushed, shoved, etc.) at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation in GLSEN’s 2005 National School Climate Survey. Additionally, 17.6% of LGBT students reported being physically assaulted (punched, kicked or injured with a weapon) in school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.

To watch the clip of Carlson’s comments or learn more about the incident and others like it, visit Media Matters for America at www.mediamatters.org.

About GLSEN GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. Established nationally in 1995, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. For more information on GLSEN’s educational resources, public policy agenda, student organizing programs or development initiatives, visit www.glsen.org.