Know Your LGBT History - The end of DADT

In honor of our fighting men and women (especially our gay troops), I present to you the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell on December 2010:

Past Know Your LGBT History posts:

'NOM hosting speaker who claimed gays 'are worthy of death'' and other Friday midday news briefs

'Why Is NOM Still Hosting A Speaker Who Claims Gay People Are “Worthy Of Death?” - Even if he meant it in terms of a Biblical theology, even implying that gays are worthy of death is just wrong. 

Ten Right Wingers Freak Out Over Boy Scouts Policy Change - They seem to always freak out over something or another.

LGBT Job Discrimination Bill Won’t See Action Until July, Senator Says - Not a problem. It gives us more time to prepare because you know the religious right will push the "bathroom bill" talking point.  

Fox News Devotes Zero Seconds To Covering Brutal Anti-Gay Hate Crime - That's Fox News for you. They push all sorts of anti-gay nonsense but won't touch this.

Boy Scout decision elicits extreme emotion from both sides of the debate

Reactions to the decision by the Boy Scouts to lift the ban on gay youth but uphold it when it comes to Scout leaders is getting plenty of reaction. First from the Associated Press comes this emotional video:



Meanwhile, the rabid wolves at the conservative Free Republic aren't exactly in a celebratory mood. The following are just a few of the comments:

They can go to hell. But they want to take the kids with them.

The end of scouting. When will the sodomy merit badge be coming?

Great, the scouts are now the Village People. :(

The homo-nazi’s have won. But they will really celebrate all the more as chapter after chapter close up and the entire organization implodes.

Unbelievable..let the molestation begin..if I had a young boy I sure as hell would never put him in Scouts..mind as well put a target on his back and say “Molest me”

and what happens after there are endless reports of gay boy scouts hitting on other scouts? Sexual assault? The number of parents suing the BSA will be through the roof. No child should be subject to this type of filth.

 

Bryan Fischer is not happy with the Boy Scouts

Bryan Fischer

Of course not everyone is happy that the Boy Scouts removed the ban on gay youth. The following tweet is from Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association

 Bryan Fischer ‏@BryanJFischer 14m

BSA now stands for Boy Sodomizers of America, because that's what will happen. Mark my words.

Picking on children. What would Jesus do indeed?

Boy Scouts end ban on gay Scouts but . . .

From the Human Rights Campaign:

In a historic move, 1,400 leaders from the nation’s local Boy Scouts of America Councils gave the green light to equality for gay Scouts, voting to end the organization’s long standing ban on gay youth.  Unfortunately the new policy does not go far enough, leaving adult Eagle Scouts, scout leaders, and parents behind.  The resolution passed today reads in part, “no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.” 

"Today is a historic day for Boy Scouts across the country who want to be a part of this great American institution," said HRC President Chad Griffin.  "But the new policy doesn’t go far enough.  Parents and adults of good moral character, regardless of sexual orientation, should be able to volunteer their time to mentor the next generation of Americans."

"The Boy Scouts of America can do better," said Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout and Executive Director of Scouts for Equality.  "We welcome the news that the ban on gay Scouts is history, but our work isn’t over until we honor the Scout Law by making this American institution open and affirming to all."
 
Unanswered in the new policy is the issue of employment discrimination by BSA.  Currently, the BSA job application for "professional commission" explicitly says gays need not apply. The application, which comes from the BSA’s national office and appears to be in use across the country, reads:  "The Boy Scouts of America will not employ atheists, agnostics, known or avowed homosexuals." The full application can be viewed here.

Still work to do. But for now, let's celebrate this step forward.

Tony Perkins denounces hateful anti-gay rhetoric except his own

In a long-winded monologue on his show, Washington Watch, yesterday, Family Research Council said that he only “speaks from love” about gay people and that he “completely denounce[s] hateful rhetoric, calling people names and demonizing them.”

As Right-Wing Watch pointed out after that clip - and I am about to point out, Perkins is lying through his teeth. This is the same guy who claimed that gays are the "pawns of the devil:"

 

Then there are these lovely moments, courtesy of GLAAD, when Perkins:

-- Claimed: "Even if society embraced homosxuality, there would never be that sense of self-fulfillment because it's outside of how God created man and woman, and that's the bottom line.  They can't erase that."

-- Told "funny" story about his church converting "big women" into "ex-gays"

-- Claimed Uganda bill (with death penalty attached) simply "upholds moral conduct"

-- Compared the "unfortunate experience" and "lifestyle choice" of homosexuality to that of drug abuse

-- Claimed court-tested marriage equality will lead to a "revolution" in America

If Perkins keeps telling these blatant lies, he is going to have to get lightning insurance.

'Family Research Council pushes full-page ad against gay Scouts' and other Thursday midday news briefs

New ad: One of America's most hostile anti-gay groups asks BSA Delegates to make horrible mistake - Today is the day in which the Boy Scouts vote whether or not to allow gay scouts. And naturally the Family Research Council is all up in the situation with this full-page ad.

Boy Scouts president: Let in gay boys - Meanwhile, the president of the Boy Scouts has a different opinion of the situation.  

Why Do We Defend Discrimination? - An excellent point by my friend John Becker. In the case of racism and anti-Semitism, we don't defend bigotry. But in the case of lgbt equality, a lot of times, we do. Even lgbt folks.  

Oklahoma Congressman: The Left Is ‘Intolerant’ For Wanting Gay Boy Scouts - To me, this brief isn't solely about the Boy Scouts. It just amazes me that folks accuses lgbt of being "intolerant" because we simply want basic dignity and respect as human beings. To some folks, "tolerance" means being a doormat. Sorry, but I was never raised to be a doormat.

 Like Letting Serial Killers Teach Preschool: The Top 5 Religious Right Claims on the Consequences of Lifting the Gay Scouts Ban - Get ready for the crazy!

Marriage equality 'is awful' is a not a good answer

From Right Wing Watch:

KSFY in Sioux Falls took on the debate about legalizing same-sex marriage in South Dakota yesterday by airing a report on how Iowans are faring under that state’s four-year-old marriage equality law. The station, in an attempt to hear both sides of the issue, interviewed an Iowa married couple, John Sellers and Tom Helten, and the state’s leading anti-gay activist, Bob Vander Plaats, who is trying to get the law overturned.

Sellers and Helten explain why they support marriage equality. Plaats explains why he doesn't. It's not even a long debate, but it answers a multitude of questions, specifically the one asking can those who oppose marriage equality list any reason that's not religious-based.

The Family Research Council's sad attempt to attach gay equality to the DOJ leak story

Tony Perkins of FRC

This is just pathetic. Apparently the Family Research Council is attempting to attach gay equality to the Department of Justice leak story:

When the Justice Department is done violating journalists' First Amendment rights, it looks like they'll move on to employees'. In a chilling memo to DOJ staff, the Obama administration is warning managers that they'd better start embracing homosexuality--or else. The email, which a Justice employee leaked to Liberty Counsel, is a scary reminder of how far this administration will go to crush free speech and expression in America.

In advance of June, the DOJ is priming its staff for a four-week in-your-face "gay pride" celebration that demands, not only the participation of--but affirmation by-- all staff. Based on this new directive, "LGBT Inclusion at Work: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Managers," it's no longer acceptable to be quiet or even neutral on homosexuality. In a not-so-veiled threat, the administration tells staff that when it comes to homosexuality and cross-dressing, "Silence will be interpreted as disapproval."
That's absolutely outrageous. Even criminals have the right to remain silent! President Obama's so-called Department of Justice is actually telling workers that there's no place in the government for people with unspoken objections to homosexuality. In fact, writes NRO's Ian Tuttle, "there is no longer a place even for private, unexpressed disapproval..."

Forget tolerance. The DOJ wants--and expects--vocal support for sexual deviance. Nowhere is that more evident than in this latest list of "DO"s and "DON'T"s, which includes some eye-opening advice for staff leaders. "DO assume that LGBT employees and their allies are listening to what you're saying" (sound ominous?) "and will read what you're writing (whether in a casual email or in a formal document)." "DO attend LGBT events sponsored by DOJ Pride" and decorate your office accordingly. "DO display a symbol in your office (DOJ Pride sticker)." "DO use a transgender person's chosen name and the pronoun that is consistent with the person's self-identified gender." "DO use inclusive words like 'partner,' 'significant other,' or 'spouse' rather than gender-specific terms."

It's hilarious how FRC claims that the brochure in question was "leaked." Makes the entire situation sounds ominous doesn't it? Don't be fooled by FRC's shuck-and-jive.  There are certain facts about the brochure that FRC omitted. According to Ed Brayton of Free Thought Blogs:

First of all, this is a pamphlet of “practical tips to help managers create a truly inclusive workplace climate.” It’s not a set of commandments delivered from Mt. Sinai. It wasn’t even sent out by DOJ officials, it was sent out by DOJ Pride, the Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Employees of the U.S. Department of Justice and Their Allies.

In his post, Brayton was calling attention to the fact that another religious right spokesperson, Matt Barber of the Liberty Counsel, was distorting the brochure. Brayton especially called attention to the fact that Barber was cherry-picking portions of the pamphlet to make it seem more ominous.

Apparently FRC is doing the same thing.  No matter how FRC attempts to make the brochure (this one) sound like a dangerously forced directive on behalf of the DOJ, it's really not.  The brochure informs DOJ employees of the simple fact that some of their fellow employees are lgbt and gives tips as to how to behave towards them.

And really, what's wrong with that?

I think FRC's last statement on the matter gives a key to the entire matter:

As FRC has said for years, this debate has never been about tolerance. It's about forced acceptance. President Obama admitted as much when he praised the NBA's Jason Collins. Read what he said when Collins announced he was gay: "The LGBT community deserves full equality, not just partial equality. Not just tolerance."

On that score, I would say that FRC is partly right. Lgbt equality has never been about tolerance.  You tolerate your pets having accidents on the carpet. You tolerate traffic jams. You even tolerate the slow cashier who makes you wait in a grocery store. But no one has the right to think that they are so superior that they should tolerate a fellow human being merely attempting to live his or her life.

Nor is lgbt equality about forced acceptance. To a degree, it's never been about acceptance but respect of a fellow human being. And with that respect comes the knowledge that your sexual orientation - gay, straight, or bisexual - does not put you on a pedestal where you have the patent to concepts like "family," "morality," or "love."

FRC seems to think that those who believe as it does do in fact have a patent to those concepts. That's all well and good if the organization wants to follow that delusion. However, FRC doesn't have the right and will never have the right to force the lgbt or our allies to live under that same delusion.

Happy Harvey Milk Day!

It's Harvey Milk Day across the nation as we honor the life and contributions of civil rights and human rights leader Harvey Milk. I understand that some folks are not happy and are raising a little fuss. But you know what? Who cares what they think? Enjoy the following videos:

 From the youtube:

On Harvey Milk Day 2012 (May 22), the SF Gay Men's Chorus traveled to the California State Capitol in Sacramento to announce the launch of "Harvey Milk 2013: Living The Legacy", a year-long tribute that culminates in a world premiere, multi-media concert and exhibition event presented by the chorus in June 2013.

This full-length musical interpretation of Harvey's legacy, being hailed as the first of its kind, will include the winners of a call for artistic submissions from the general public, as well as a commissioned work by Broadway composer Andrew Lippa (The Addams Family Musical). Joining the chorus on the steps of the Capitol building were California State Senator Mark Leno and California State Assembly member Tom Ammiano, two of the three authors behind the bill to legislate Harvey Milk Day into California law in 2009, along with teachers from schools in Sacramento, CA who received a gift from the chorus - the score of an anthem commissioned for Harvey Milk 2013 called "Give 'Em Hope", which was performed by the chorus at the event. 

This second video is also from last year in which the SF Gay Men's Chorus performed 'Give 'Em Hope' at its June concert and during SF Pride:

'VA Lt. Gov nominee - 'Adam & Steve will lead to Adam and a bull' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

E.W. Jackson Warns Same-Sex Marriage Leads to Bestiality: 'Adam and Steve' Becomes 'Adam and a Bull' - Virginia Republicans, THIS is the guy you nominated to run for Lt. Governor. Say it with me now - LORD HAMMERCY! 

In other news: 

 Liberty Counsel & Liberty Univ. personality proud of his extreme rhetoric; I applaud him for owning it! - Dear Matt Barber, please look up the fable of the Mischievious Dog.  

Senate Democrats drop-kick binational gay couples - This doesn't look good for us right now but remember that those with power never give it up without a fight. So don't stop fighting.

  Conservatives Reticent To Condemn Anti-Gay Hate Crime - Some conservatives were noble (and late) to condemn the recent anti-gay violence in New York. Others were their usual hateful selves.  

Campus Crusade For Christ ‘Pamoja 3′ Conference Incites Hatred Against LGBT Community In Africa - Not a good thing at all

Family Research Council blames gay community for military sexual assaults

Leave it to the Family Research Council to exploit the serious problem of military sexual assaults to attack the lgbt community:

 President Obama is finally admitting that sexual assault is a serious problem in the military--but what he hasn't conceded is that his policy on homosexuality helped create it. According to a new Pentagon survey, most of the victims were not female (12,000 incidents), but male (14,000)--highlighting a growing trend of same-sex assault in our ranks. Although the Defense Department says it "recognizes the challenges male survivors face," one of the biggest problems is their silence in reporting it. The Washington Times, one of the first to highlight the discrepancy, explains that the Pentagon's attention is largely focused on the females experiencing abuse "overlooking the far greater numbers of men, who, according to the survey, are being v ictimized but not reporting it."

How could this happen? Well, for starters, the Obama administration ordered military leaders to embrace homosexuality--completely dismissing the concerns that it could be a problem to have people attracted to the same sex, living in close quarters. What's more, explains Marine Capt. Lindsay Rodman, the statistics aren't reliable and may be hiding thousands more cases of service-based abuse. "The truth is," she writes in the Wall Street Journal, "that the 26,000 figure [of victims] is such bad math--derived from an unscientific sample set and extrapolated military-wide--that no conclusions can be drawn from it." Except one, perhaps, which is that groups like FRC were right to be concerned about the overturning of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." 

FRC is saying that since gays are now allowed to openly serve, they are responsible for allegedly high number of male-on-male sexual assaults.  This is a false correlation. FRC - and others including World Net Daily - are automatically attributing this number to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell in spite of the fact that there is no evidence to justify such a correlation.

Of course the facts have never mattered to FRC. Once the group has an angle, it generally exploits that angle to the fullest.

In other words, we shouldn't be surprised if we continue to hear the inaccurate correlation between military sexual assaults and the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Matt Barber is talking about 'gay sex' and Satan again

Matt Barber

Sometimes you have to wonder how sad these religious right spokespeople truly are. Matt Barber of the Liberty Counsel is a perfect example. Not only does he seem to have a fascination with "attacking gay sex," but he seems to love linking the lgbt community with Satan. One has to wonder does this man really think he is spreading truth by saying the statements below. 

'Video denigrates same-sex households' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

We hear so much from the opposition that they are being attacking for supposedly simply believing that marriage should be confined to one man and one woman and that the raising of children should be confined to that sole dynamic. It's difficult for us to demonstrate how many times those expressing that belief cross the line into the realm of attacking our families. Ironically enough, this video does it for us. Now there is nothing wrong with writing a book which talks about a mother/father dynamic when it comes to marriage and the raising of children. Where I seriously draw the line is when the author feels the need to disrespect - however slightly - same-sex families. These folks need to recognize that while they have every right to express their opinion when it comes to marriage and the raising of children, if their expressed opinion attacks or disrespects same-sex households in any way, they shouldn't expect us to be silent. We love our families and our children, too.

Hat tip to Jeremy Hooper.

In other news:

Posters In Washington State Capitol Claim Gun Laws Are Just Like Anti-Gay Discrimination - Broooother!

Gay Boy Scouts Employee: I Can’t Live A Lie Any Longer - Things are getting very interesting in Boy Scout land.

Markell Fears Minnesota Cities May Be Destroyed Over Gay Marriage - They just can't help with the end-of-the-world imagery.

Lesbian Parents Say Texas Judge's 'Morality Clause' Ruling Will Force Them Apart - This is NOT right and I doubt that it's even legal.

This is how you 'debunk' homosexuality?

This is debunking homosexuality? You're kidding, right? Hearing folks like this guy really makes me sad for the American educational system, although except for the omission of junk science, his rambling is exactly the type of argument we hear from the religious right.

Saturday Night Live humiliates 'ex-gay' movement

I bet the 'ex-gay' movement will be silent over what Saturday Night Live did to it last weekend night. After all, what can they say?

'Backlash against lgbt equality becoming violent' and other Monday midday news briefs

Equality's Brutal Backlash: The Murder of Mark Carson and the Rise in Violence Against Gays - I knew there would be a backlash to all of the recent lgbt success, but I always thought that it would be weariness from the American electorate. This violence is NOT cool.

 Gay Texan cut off from partner of 34 years who has Alzheimer’s after sister-in-law obtained guardianship - This awful story needs to be repeated. 

What’s Next For Kaitlyn Hunt, The Teen Charged With A Felony For Same-Sex Relationship With Classmate - THIS is a @!#% travesty! 

MassResistance: NOM a 'no-show' in Illinois - Usually when religious right groups are feuding with each other, I'm all for it. But today, it's all "meeeeh"  

'Coach' Dave Calls on Obama to 'Admit He's the First Openly Gay President' - Lawd, why! What's wrong with him (Coach Dave), Lawd!

Virginia Republicans choose anti-gay pastor as Lt. Governor nominee

The Republican Party just chose THIS GUY to be their nominee for Lt. Governor:



Jackson made a brief, very ridiculous mention against the lgbt community in the above video. In interviews, he has made more negative comments about us:

Their minds are perverted, they’re frankly very sick people psychologically, mentally and emotionally and they see everything through the lens of homosexuality. When they talk about love they’re not talking about love, they’re talking about homosexual sex. So they can’t see clearly. Jesus said ‘when the eye is dark the body is full of darkness.’ Let me come back to this whole issue of their using the black community because here again some of the most vicious attacks ever leveled against any black conservative or black Christian for that matter has come out of the homosexual community.  

As I understand it, Virginia Democrats have yet to name their lt. governor nominee. Probably because so many of them fainted with delirious glee over who the Republicans chose to put up against their prospective nominee.

Know Your LGBT History - Lesbian and gay clubs of the 1950s

Why am I posting this video? Because it reminds me of why I don't go to gay clubs now. Too loud, too noisy, and hard to connect with people. And I would kill for at least one song to be slow so that I can dance cheek-to-cheek with someone. Sometimes it's good to crave intimacy with no sexual contact. It seems that the clubs back then were much superior to the ones now.

Past Know Your LGBT History posts:

'Uma Thurman as Anita Bryant? This I gotta see' and other Friday midday news briefs

Uma Thurman As Anita Bryant: 'Kill Bill' Star Cast As Anti-Gay Activist - Kinda frivolous I know, but come on. This I simply HAVE to see. 

George Takei Responds To "Traditional" Marriage Fans - George Takei comes out of the closet and then he just gets all zany. LOL  

The Losing Arguments Of Anti-LGBT ‘Alliance Defending Freedom’ - This is so hilarious!

 Washington Florist Countersues For Religious Right To Discriminate - I reiterate that if you allow discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, where does it stop?

  Barton: Partner Abuse 'Ten Times Higher' in Same-Sex Relationships - Of course David Barton is talking out of his tuckus and Right Wing Watch proves it.

Anti-gay ad in Belize invokes Jesus

Lgbts and their allies in Belize are attempting to get rid of the antiquated sodomy laws. The following commercial is by those who don't want that to happen.

The irony is the inference of Jesus in the ad, seeing that He never said a word about homosexuality.

'Fox News giving cold shoulder to marriage equality victories' and other Thursday midday news briefs

Fox Ignores Marriage Equality Victories While Peddling Anti-Equality Horror Stories - Knowing Fox News, I wonder if this is necessarily a bad thing. 

 Texas House Passes Higher Education ‘License To Discriminate’ - This here is some repugnant bull@!*#  

Maggie Gallagher Admits There Was No Leak Of NOM’s Tax Return - NOM want to attach itself to the IRS scandal by claiming the agency leaked its tax returns. HOWEVER, Maggie Gallagher may have accidentally put a kibosh on that.  

How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America - Folks I know you are probably tired of me promoting this booklet but this is important. Thanks to a very nice article in Queerty, it is less than 1,000 reads away from 20,000 reads (it is already the NUMBER ONE political book on Sribd.) Thank you for all you have done promoting and getting it out to people. And as I work to develop a hard copy of it, please send this out to folks who haven't read it yet, folks who may need this information (especially our lgbt youth), and feel free to download it. I get NO compensation from this except the satisfaction that I am doing something positive for the community. And that means more to me than all of the money or acclaim in the world.

Scenes from when Minnesota made marriage equality legal

 

The picture is from the day the Minnesota Senate voted to pass the marriage equality bill. It is one of many taken by Cadence and Eli Photography.

In fact, Cadence and Eli Photography took many pictures of that day and compiled them into a huge photo album. 

I enjoyed viewing the photo album and I know you will, too.