Family Research Institute
Family Research Institute Logo
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| Founded | 1982 |
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| Founder | Paul Cameron |
| 47-0649778 (EIN) | |
| Location | |
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Key people
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Paul Cameron, Chairman Kirk Cameron, Vice Chairman |
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Revenue
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$70,629 (2010)[1] |
| Website | familyresearchinst |
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Formerly called
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Institute for the Scientific Investigation of Sexuality |
The Family Research Institute (FRI), originally known as the Institute for the Scientific Investigation of Sexuality (ISIS), is an American non-profit organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado which states that it has "...one overriding mission: to generate empirical research on issues that threaten the traditional family, particularly homosexuality, AIDS, sexual social policy, and drug abuse".[2] The FRI is part of a movement of organizations, often faith-based (sometimes called the Christian right), which seek to influence the political debate in the United States. They seek "...to restore a world where marriage is upheld and honored, where children are nurtured and protected, and where homosexuality is not taught and accepted, but instead is discouraged and rejected at every level."[2] The Boston Globe reported that the FRI's 2005 budget was less than $200,000.[3]
The FRI is run by Paul Cameron, who earned a doctorate in psychology at the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1966. Cameron founded the Institute for the Scientific Investigation of Sexuality in 1982, and this institute later became the FRI.[3]
The Family Research Institute is designated an anti-gay hate group[4] by the Southern Poverty Law Center[5][6] because of Cameron's discredited research and claims about LGBT people.[7][8][9][10]
History
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."[3]
In 1986 the American Sociological Association (ASA) passed a resolution condemning Cameron for "consistent misrepresentation of sociological research"[11] 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."[12] 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".[13]
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"[14]
Hate group designation
The Southern Poverty Law Center has listed FRI as an anti-gay hate group[4] because of Cameron's discredited research[7][8] and claims about LGBT people. According to the SPLC, Cameron's "continued demonization of LGBT people and the shoddy and suspect research methods he uses to advance his claims have earned his Family Research Institute (FRI) a place on the SPLC's anti-LGBT hate group list."[9]
Other organizations cite FRI's research including 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.[10][15]
See also
References
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- ↑ Gregory M. Herek: Publication Outlets Used By The Cameron Group
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