“AM/FM Activism”

Abstract

SUMMARY As a cultural approach to LGBT activism, media advocacy, such as that modeled by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), has grown in importance in the last decade. Drawing on the tactics used to educate the media about national anti-gay defamation issues, GLAAD has recently launched “AM/FM Activism,” an online resource that provides local activists with the tools necessary for responding to defamation in their own communities. Based on participant observation, in-depth interviews, and archival research, this article explores the implications of “AM/FM Activism” as a new form of media advocacy that bridges the gap between national and local activists.