Traditional Values Coalition: History and Influence
The Traditional Values Coalition (TVC) was a prominent anti-LGBT advocacy organization that exerted significant influence on American social and political landscapes from the 1980s through the early 2000s. Founded by evangelical preacher Lou Sheldon, the organization sought to promote traditional religious views and oppose the expansion of LGBT rights through lobbying, grassroots organizing, and media campaigns.
Key Facts
- Founder: Lou Sheldon, former California executive director of the 1977 Save Our Children campaign.
- Peak Influence: The 1990s and early 2000s, including eight meetings between Lou Sheldon, his daughter Andrea Lafferty, and President George W. Bush.
- Key Media: Produced the widely distributed 1993 video Gay Rights/Special Rights.
- Reach: Claimed to represent over 43,000 Christian churches across the United States.
- Current Status: Largely defunct; the SPLC reported its website and phone lines were inactive by 2017-2018.
Organizational Evolution and Leadership
Lou Sheldon established the organization in the 1980s to continue his advocacy against LGBT rights. The group underwent several name changes, starting as the American Liberties Institute, then the California Coalition for Traditional Values, before finally becoming the Traditional Values Coalition.
Initially focused on local issues, the TVC organized parents in 1984 to oppose Project 10, a stay-in-school program for LGBT youth in the Los Angeles School District. While the battle with the LA School District continued into the 1990s, the TVC expanded its reach, establishing a headquarters in Washington, D.C., to facilitate federal lobbying.
Leadership eventually transitioned to Lou's daughter, Andrea Lafferty. She worked closely with her father from the late 1980s, becoming executive director in 2000 and president in 2011. Her role was particularly influential during the George W. Bush administration from 2001 to 2008.
Regional Operations and Strategies
The TVC operated through a network of offices and regional branches to maintain a presence in various states.
California and Washington, D.C.
The organization maintained its founding office in Anaheim, California, while the Washington, D.C. office, managed by Andrea Lafferty, served as the primary hub for government lobbying.
Colorado and Nebraska
In Colorado, Barbara Sheldon served as the branch chairwoman. She opposed protections for students against homophobic bullying, arguing that LGBT acceptance created doubt regarding religious prohibitions of homosexuality.
In Nebraska, director Cyndi Lamm led the branch. Lamm had relocated from California in 1988 following the TVC's unsuccessful efforts to oppose LGBT rights in Los Angeles schools, believing that providing children with information about homosexuality could lead them to become gay.
The Role of Media: "Gay Rights/Special Rights"
In 1993, the TVC produced a video titled Gay Rights/Special Rights: Inside the Homosexual Agenda. This video became a central tool for the anti-gay rights movement in the 1990s, featuring anti-gay statements from William J. Bennett and Senator Trent Lott.
The production attempted to portray the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation as "perverted." By contrasting this event unfavorably with the Civil Rights era March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the TVC sought to create a divide between the LGBT and Black communities. The video was distributed extensively to American churches, with a specific focus on African-American congregations.
Media scholars Linda Kintz and Julia Lesage have described the video as a "titillating peepshow that conceals a battering ram" against gay rights, viewing it as a successor to the 1992 video The Gay Agenda.
Decline and Legal Disputes
By the mid-2010s, the TVC struggled to remain relevant. In March 2018, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) noted that the organization had become a "ghost of its former self," reporting that its website had disappeared and its phone lines were disconnected.
The organization's end was marked by internal conflict. Before his death in 2020, Lou Sheldon sued the organization he founded. He alleged that the TVC was no longer a legitimate lobby organization and was instead being used for fraudulent fundraising to benefit Andrea Lafferty and her husband.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Founder | Lou Sheldon |
| Key Figures | Andrea Lafferty, Barbara Sheldon, Cyndi Lamm |
| Primary Goal | Anti-LGBT advocacy and lobbying |
| Major Publication | Gay Rights/Special Rights (1993) |
| Political Access | Multiple meetings with President George W. Bush |
| Status | Defunct/Inactive (as of late 2010s) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded the Traditional Values Coalition?
The organization was founded by evangelical preacher Lou Sheldon, who had previously served as the California executive director for Anita Bryant's 1977 Save Our Children campaign.
What was Project 10?
Project 10 was a stay-in-school program for LGBT youth in the Los Angeles School District, which the TVC and its supporters actively opposed starting in 1984.
How did the TVC influence the federal government?
The TVC exerted influence through a Washington, D.C. office and high-level political access, including eight meetings between Lou Sheldon, Andrea Lafferty, and President George W. Bush.
What was the purpose of the video "Gay Rights/Special Rights"?
The 1993 video was designed to oppose gay rights by depicting the 1993 March on Washington as "perverted" and attempting to drive a wedge between the LGBT community and the Black community.
Why did Lou Sheldon sue his own organization?
Before his death in 2020, Sheldon claimed that the TVC had ceased to function as a legitimate lobby organization and was instead conducting fraudulent fundraising for the benefit of Andrea Lafferty and her husband.