GLAAD, The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation laid off nearly a quarter of its employee’s on Friday blindsiding workers who claim they did not see the cuts coming.

GLAAD cut 11 people from its staff of 45 with Interim president Mike Thompson attributing some of the cuts in part to the problems GLAAD faced last year, when former president Jarret Barrios resigned amid controversy about whether GLAAD improperly backed a proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile.

In a statement to The Advocate Thompson wrote:

“It’s no secret that GLAAD experienced some real challenges in 2011.  While the changes that took place subsequent to last summer’s tumult were in many ways healthy for the organization, the reality is that the experience had financial impacts for the organization. Our restructuring is reflective of that.”

But the restructuring seems to have little impact on no impact on GLAAD’s extra curricular events. 

Despite the financial hardships that’s causing GLAAD to lay off staff  GLAAD will still be spending a ton of money to host panels. cocktail parties, receptions and a cineGLAAD Lounge at this years Sundance Film Festival.  Is this what Thompson calls “restructuring”?  Or does Thompson and GLAAD think its funds are better used by rubbing elbows with celebrities in Utah, hosting gay filmaker parties and preaching to the choir instead of retaining its own staff and doing what the organizations mission statement says of  “holding the media accountable for the words and images they present”?

How many employees could GLAAD have retained with the money that it will  spend at the Sundance Film Festival?

Restructuring is one thing.  Priorities is another.  Perhaps if GLAAD finally would get its priorities straight and actually do the job it’s mission statement says and stops wasting money then perhaps more people in the LGBT Community would be more willing to donate to it.