Earlier this week Geeks OUT, an LGBT organization that rallies, empowers and promotes the queer geek community, started a campaign asking audiences to skip Ender's Game, an upcoming film based on anti-gay author and National Organization for Marriage board member Orson Scott Card's popular sci-fi novel of the same name. Card replied with a factually inaccurate and insulting statement that asked for so-called "tolerance". The statement did not incorporate Card's long history of anti-LGBT activism nor apologize for his anti-LGBT rhetoric.
Lionsgate, the studio behind the film, has now released their own statement regarding Card, NOM and the upcoming film:
"As proud longtime supporters of the LGBT community, champions of films ranging from Gods and Monsters to The Perks of Being a Wallflower and a company that is proud to have recognized same-sex unions and domestic partnerships within its employee benefits policies for many years, we obviously do not agree with the personal views of Orson Scott Card and those of the National Organization for Marriage. However, they are completely irrelevant to a discussion of Ender’s Game. The simple fact is that neither the underlying book nor the film itself reflect these views in any way, shape or form. On the contrary, the film not only transports viewers to an entertaining and action-filled world, but it does so with positive and inspiring characters who ultimately deliver an ennobling and life-affirming message. Lionsgate will continue its longstanding commitment to the LGBT community by exploring new ways we can support LGBT causes and, as part of this ongoing process, will host a benefit premiere for Ender’s Game."
GLAAD reviewed an earlier copy of the script and, to our knowledge, there is no anti-gay content in the film.
GLAAD's Vice President of Communications Rich Ferraro replied to Lionsgate's statement:
"Lionsgate is right to repudiate Orson Scott Card and the National Organization for Marriage's divisive and anti-LGBT tactics that make NOM a toxic organization, with which no fair-minded company or individual would align. At a time when well-funded activist organizations like NOM inflict harm on countless American families, corporate America and the entertainment industry are increasingly supporting efforts lead by the LGBT community to work against their anti-LGBT agenda."
Earlier this week GLAAD published a profile of Orson Scott Card as part of the Commentator Accountability Project, a resource for media which documents statements by anti-LGBT activists. Card has made calls to overthrow the government should LGBT people be granted full marriage equality as well as dangerous suggestions that being gay is a result of molestation.
Geeks OUT's petition asking audiences to Skip Ender's Game which has received national media coverage reads in part: "The queer geek community will not subsidize his fear-mongering and religious bullying."
Scott Card responded to the campaign in a statement released through Entertainment Weekly:
"Ender’s Game is set more than a century in the future and has nothing to do with political issues that did not exist when the book was written in 1984. With the recent Supreme Court ruling, the gay marriage issue becomes moot. The Full Faith and Credit clause of the Constitution will, sooner or later, give legal force in every state to any marriage contract recognized by any other state. Now it will be interesting to see whether the victorious proponents of gay marriage will show tolerance toward those who disagreed with them when the issue was still in dispute."
View Scott Card's GLAAD CAP page here, documenting his history of anti-LGBT rhetoric, which includes calls to overthrow the government should LGBT people be granted full marriage equality and wildly dangerous suggestions that being gay is a result of molestation
Earlier this year Scott Card was hired by DC Comics to write a digital release issue of their "Adventures of Superman" comic. Artist Chris Sprouse left the project when Scott Card's anti-LGBT views were publicized.