GLAAD’s Sarah Kate Ellis Says Mainstream Media Is ‘Pushing Dangerous Narratives’ Following NYT Salary Exposé

A day after The New York Times published an exposé on GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis’ allegedly lavish pattern of spending, the nonprofit is continuing to back the executive over the “grossly misleading article.”

“GLAAD’s mission of accelerating acceptance for the LGBTQ community has never been more important. The Board and I stand firmly behind Sarah Kate Ellis, with respect and appreciation for how she and her team are leading the movement at a time when our community is under attack,” board chair Liz Jenkins said in a statement to TheWrap Friday. “We have full confidence that they’re doing so with integrity, and that they share the Board’s commitment to irrefutably strong governance and business practices.”

Ellis added in a separate statement, “I take my role as GLAAD’s financial steward incredibly seriously, and we’ll continue updating our procedures to keep pace with the organization’s rapid growth. Our work has never been more urgent, because the LGBTQ community is under increasing attack. Politicians, extremists and even mainstream media outlets are undermining our efforts for equality and pushing dangerous narratives about our community. We won’t stop fighting for acceptance and working as hard as we can, every day, to stand up for our community.”  

The Times’ Thursday exposé accused Ellis of using organization funds to pay for a Swiss Alps chalet costing nearly half a million dollars for a week’s stay, as well as multiple Provincetown rentals, private car services, family plane tickets, top hotels in California and even a home office makeover — all of which supposedly go against company guidelines. They even alleged that a chandelier in question may violate IRS rules for nonprofit taxing.

GLAAD justified the various spending as either business practices that predated Ellis joining the org in 2014, or business necessities for fundraising efforts linked to the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos in 2018 and the Cannes Lions festival in 2023. The home renovation was also deemed necessary as Ellis took 80 national, on-camera interviews during the COVID pandemic.

The org further stated funding for the above lodging came straight from the Ariadne Getty Foundation. “We’re proud to continue investing in the vital work of GLAAD at Davos, where their presence has made an enormous impact,” Ariadne Getty said. “Putting LGBTQ issues on the global agenda and being visible on a world stage is the type of work that pushes our movement forward and it’s exactly what GLAAD should be doing.” 

Additionally, Ellis’ reported salary and bonuses would put her on par with those of leaders at the Red Cross, Planned Parenthood, Feeding America and the ACLU, despite GLAAD only having 60 employees. Per GLAAD, an outside legal counsel recommended the org update its spending procedures to match other nonprofits after a former staff member raised concerns.

The LGBTQ organization also noted that the Times’ suggestion that Ellis makes over $1 million a year is not possible, as that would require her to raise $60 million yearly on top of their $20-$30 million annual operating budget.

“It is disappointing but not surprising, especially at a time when LGBTQ violence and anti-LGBTQ legislation are growing, that the Times committed significant resources to spin a negative story about GLAAD by reporter Emily Steel, who last year signed a letter that criticized concerns from GLAAD and other LGBTQ leaders about coverage of transgender people in The New York Times,” a spokesperson told TheWrap in another statement. “The tabloid-esque article excludes much of our critical advocacy work and grossly mischaracterizes the organization, which consistently garners top marks from charity rating organizations. The Times should spend more time and resources bringing its coverage of transgender people up to par.”

“The Times has refused to implement the reforms suggested in the open letters, and GLAAD has continued its campaign to advocate for unbiased and accurate reporting about trans people in the Times. This has included sending a billboard truck to park outside on the Times’ offices eight times, posting more than one dozen posts critical of the Times’ coverage across GLAAD social media accounts and website,” their statement concluded. “On March 26, 2024, GLAAD and non-profit Media Matters for America published an analysis of Times coverage demonstrating that the newspaper does not include perspectives from trans people in a majority of its publications about transgender healthcare and anti-trans legislation. Over the last 15+ months, The Times has not engaged on the campaign’s main ask: to sit down with transgender leaders.”

Founded in 1985, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has become the world’s largest media watchdog for the LGBTQ+ community.

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