'Kansas governor-elect does NOT support anti-LGBTQ adoption law' & other Wed midday news briefs

KS governor-elect Laura Kelly

Kansas governor-elect hopes to thwart adoption law seen as anti-gay - The situation in Kansas is why A. elections always matters and B. there isn't a %!@  thing wrong with the LGBTQ community supporting someone who will protect our rights and safety. Due to the Blue Wave last Tuesday, we have gone from a Kansas governor who sees nothing wrong with a law which will allow anti-LGBTQ entities to receive gay tax dollars to a new governor who is saying "oh hell no!"


Professor sues over rebuke for calling female transgender student 'sir' - I've posted a news brief about this incident before but I want to throw a positive shout out to NBC for including something very important in its article:

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed the lawsuit on Meriwether’s behalf. The Arizona-based conservative Christian law firm has a decadeslong track record of litigating against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, and it has been labeled an anti-LGBTQ “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center . . .

This passage means millions of readers will be able to link to SPLC's work on ADF.

The GOP strategy to make the midterm elections about bigotry pretty much failed - hehehehehe!

Some Of The First Migrants From Caravan To Reach U.S. Border Are LGBTQ Asylum Seekers - Sad story of how LGBTQ migrants aren't treated right by their own people.

'Boy Erased' has anti-LGBTQ right running scared because it exposes the lie of 'ex-gay' therapy

It's almost Oscar season, which means Hollywood will be coming out with big prestige pictures all vying for the golden statuette. One movie, out in limited release, is already causing a buzz.

 From Wikipedia:

Boy Erased is a 2018 American biographical drama film based on Garrard Conley's 2016 memoir of the same name. It is written for the screen and directed by Joel Edgerton, who also produces with Kerry Kohansky Roberts and Steve Golin. The film stars Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Edgerton, and follows the son of Baptist parents who is forced to take part in a gay conversion therapy program.  

My guess is Boy Erased will not only be a hit, but will also shine another a much needed light on the dangerous fraud known as "ex-gay" therapy. And apparently I'm not the only person who feels that way. Peter Sprigg from the anti-LGBTQ hate group the Family Research Council wrote a post on the group's webpage which (suprise, surprise) pans the movie. In a humorously long-winded piece Sprigg takes it upon himself to analyze the movie, calling out what he claims are "Hollywood" errors and fabrications.

You can read it here if you want, but the most important thing which I took away from Sprigg is the hilarity of him attacking someone else's personal story because he doesn't agree with the outcome. Sprigg's attack on the Boy Erased is less about clearing the air and more about his preemptive fear of how the movie refutes the deceptive message he and his group tries to put out about the LGBTQ community and attempts to change one's sexual orientation.

'Anti-LGBTQ folks swept out of Congress via Blue Wave, the 'Crying Nazi' returns' & other Tues midday news briefs

'Crying Nazi' Christopher Cantwell is back with fake bravado and a horrible video game. See news brief five.

The Blue Wave Swept Many Of The GOP’s Anti-Gay Bigots Out To Sea - This cannot be emphasized enough. Dana Rohrabacher, Jason Lewis, Steve Knight, Karen Handel, Dave Brat, Pete Sessions, and so many others who used their Congressional power to undermine LGBTQ equality and safety are gone. Voted out. This was a sea change in LGBTQ history and should be remembered as such.

The religious right wants you to think it blunted the blue wave - Who's going to tell them the truth?

Anti-LGBTQ Pastor Heads to Congress with Help from Karen Pence, Christian Nationalist David Lane, Trump ‘Prophet’ Lance Wallnau - Unfortunately, the anti-LGBTQ industry did get one new Congressional leader.

What This Dad Of 4 Wants You To Know About The Foster System - We need to talk more as well as raise more awareness about LGBTQ parenting. The opposition will lie by calling it a "social experiment." That dehumanizing language is far from the truth. 

 You ‘win’ a horrific new video game by shooting LGBTQ people in a nightclub - What kind of mess is this? Guess who came up with this abomination? The "Crying Nazi," Christopher Cantwell Remember that chickenshyte bastard? He can dream up junk like this, but when it comes to facing the consequences of his actions, he cries like a bunch of babies who want their bottles. 

Tanzania: Officials order physical exams of 10 men arrested at gay wedding in Zanzibar - Ugh! The struggle is real. And it is universal.

'Over 100 LGBTQ candidates claimed victory in midterm elections' & other Fri midday news briefs

The LGBTQ community voting in 2016

The LGBTQ community voting in 2018

Still looking over the positive repercussions of Tuesday's midterms for the LGBTQ community. There are just so many. It is astounding. This what happens when you get out, run for office, and vote en masse. It may not have been a quick victory but that makes it tastier.

Over 100 LGBTQ candidates claim victory in midterm elections - The final count (for now) is that over 100 LGBTQ candidates won.This article came out on Nov. 7 so things may have changed but not for the worst.

Record LGBT support for Democrats in midterms, NBC News Exit Poll shows - And we love our Democratic party.

In seven years, Zach Wahls went from an activist to the Iowa state Senate - Even the children in LGBTQ families kicked ass on election night. I know this young man and he is going far.

A Florida Town is Now Completely Run by LGBTQ Folks - Don't let the religious right know but Wilton Manors, FL is now completely run by us.

A Rainbow Wave in Texas? 14 of 35 LGBTQ Candidates Win - Forty percent of LGBTQs who ran for public office in Texas won their races.

But let's not waste too much time celebrating. A good friend of mine, Michelangelo Signorile once said after the marriage equality fights that "it's not over" and he was right. Whenever we win, those who oppose our equality and safety always spring back with something meaner and deadlier like the news brief below proves. We have to always be ready and every victory should be a way to gain more victories because junk like this is going to be with us for a while:

A professor was told stop denigrating a student. Now he’s suing because God told him to do it.

Blue wave sweeps vicious North Carolina homophobe out of office

Bill James.

To the rest of the country, former Mecklenburg County Commissioner Bill James is unknown. But to the LGBTQ community in North Carolina, he has been a headache for a long time. According to the LGBTQ newspaper QNotes:

When, in 2009, County Commissioners voted 6-3 to approve same-sex partner benefits for county employees, Commissioner Vilma Leake delivered personal remarks as to why she supported the measure, bringing up her gay son who died from complications of AIDS. James leaned over to her and, over a hot mic, asked, “Your son was a homo, really?” Leake answered back, “Don’t make me hurt you. Don’t do that to me. Don’t talk to me about my son.” James later refused to apologize, comparing homosexuality to alcoholism, and calling Leake a “religious hypocrite.” James’ comments against Leake’s son resulted in then Chair of the Mecklenburg County Commission, and current mayor, Jennifer Roberts, publicly condemning his comments, although without directly naming him.

 When Jennifer Roberts, then County Commissioner Chair, made a request to send a letter thanking some members of the Charlotte area congressional delegation for their “yes” votes on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) repeal, James sent off one of his famous emails, this time saying, “Homosexuals are sexual predators.” He went on, stating, “The US Government would not allow Hetero men and women to share showers and other personal facilities yet the leading homosexual in Congress (Barney Frank) thinks it is OK for homosexuals to do so allowing enlisted men and women to fall prey to higher ranking or more powerful homosexuals who ogle them (or worse).”

(James) is more gay sex obsessed than most gay people – although one study suggests that homophobes may be tormented closet cases, which is interesting, isn’t it?
The best example of James’ gay sex obsession can be found in this 2005 email. Notice that he mistakes felching – the act of sucking one’s own semen out of someone’s anus [note that this is an act that could be committed by a male-female couple just as easily, making it not exclusively a homosexual act…although I imagine it is not terribly popular in either the gay or straight communities] – with gerbiling – the most likely completely urban myth act of sticking a gerbil up one’s own anus. He also apparently thinks this is something that the gay community is into, in spite of the fact that it is not actually something the gay community is into.

There is a reason why I called him "former." On Tuesday, after 11 terms in office,  James was finally defeated. He was one of three Republicans who lost their seats in the area due to the "blue wave."

Or as QNotes puts it:

At long, long, long, long last — Bill James has gotten the boot!  . . . So, Bill, I guess that 11 terms was enough for the Queen City and the county. Frankly, one was more than enough for me. Now, our crown can shed its brilliance and polish and truly become a “world class city,” complete with a group of folks who do not let bigotry and bias become the rule of law. We are so much better off for it

'Gays for Trump' founder lost his NC election in landslide' & other Thur midday news briefs

Not a popular sentiment during the midterm vote on Tuesday.

The founder of ‘Gays for Trump’ got trounced in his North Carolina election - It's wrong to gloat so consider what I'm doing as pointing out the obvious. It was like one of those superbowls in which a team loses 56 to 10. 

Don’t Let Your Expectations Fool You, The Midterms Were A Huge Defeat For Trump - Preach, Mr. Signorile. 

With Democrats winning the House, LGBT advocates have great expectations - You had better believe it, jack!  

New Acting AG Defended Man’s Right to Call LGBTQ People the ‘Gaystapo’ and ‘The Enemy’ as ‘Religious Beliefs’ - Ugh!  

Caitlyn Jenner Donates $85,000 To LGBT Charities - Keep working at it. You got a long way to go, girlfriend.

Anti-LGBTQ activist claims (without proof) that the Democrats cheated to win the House in midterms

And how fun would it be to reminisce over last night's midterm victories without a zany right-winger making a fool of himself in anger over losing. In this case, it's anti-LGBTQ activist Dave Daubenmire. Daubenmire, who once said masturbation is actually gay sex, totally unconvinced that the Democrats won control of the House last night without cheating. Of course he offers up no proof but who needs proof when you are a right-wing conservative Christian?

News brief special - 2018 midterm Blue Wave fueled heavily with a shot from the rainbow: LGBTQ community garners huge victories

The Blue Wave took place last night with a huge shot of the rainbow

Don't let some members of the media push the false narrative. A blue wave took place last night and not only swept Democrats into having control of the House of Representatives, but certain wins conducive to their future successes took place. This is not to say that heartbreaking losses weren't suffered and voter suppression didn't do its work (particularly in Georgia). But the under written story of Tuesday night has to be the mega success of LGBTQ candidates and positions. It used to be that being an LGBTQ was a nonstarter to seeking public office. In this particular midterms, it wasn't. The news briefs below is list of our immense victories from last night. Let's not be too quick to celebrate yet. If I'm seeing this, then I am sure that the anti-LGBT industry is also seeing this. And we all know they don't back down from their homophobia. They tend to double down.

Celebrate LGBTQ Victories in the Midterms!:

A Pro-Equality Majority in the House of Representatives!

Democratic control of the U.S. House brings:

• a pro-LGBTQ-equality majority to one arm of Congress, and the incoming House leadership has promised to make the Equality Act a priority
• the potential for meaningful oversight of the Trump Administration’s anti-LGBTQ agenda
• the potential to advance the Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Record Wins for LGBTQ Candidates, including LGBTQ Parents! 

Just a few examples:

• Sharice Davids becomes first LGBTQ person and Native American to represent Kansas in Congress
• Jared Polis from Colorado becomes the first gay man – and gay dad – to be elected governor in the U.S.
• Chris Pappas becomes New Hampshire’s first openly gay member of Congress
• Angie Craig defeats anti-LGBTQ congressman to become first openly LGBTQ person – and lesbian mom – elected to Congress from Minnesota

… and across the country, many state legislatures added their first, or additional, out LGBTQ representatives to their rosters.

LGBTQ parents can let our kids know that families like ours were heard, respected, and elected last night.

Outspoken Generation Co-Chair Zach Wahls Becomes First Person with Openly LGBTQ Parents Elected to State Government!

Many of you will remember the viral video of Zach defending his moms against an attempt to invalidate same-sex civil unions in back in 2011. Continuing his record of leadership, Zach is now Senator-elect for Iowa’s Senate District 37.

Voters in Massachusetts Overwhelmingly Rejected Repeal of Transgender Protections

In doing so, Massachusetts became the first state in US history to successfully defend transgender rights by popular vote!

Democrats Regain Control of the New York State Senate

… raising the prospect of finally overturning the state’s draconian law prohibiting gestational surrogacy.

 LGBTQ Candidates Record Historic Midterm Wins In Rainbow Wave - More on the victories

 In addition:

Vote Blue on Tue for equality, fairness and to send a message to Trump evangelicals

The LGBTQ community will be voting for equality, fairness, & to send a message to these Trump evangelicals.

Those of us who will be voting blue will be voting for honesty and the integrity of our country. We will be voting to send a message that our leaders need to do better and not cower under the nonsense that Trump spews. We will be voting to say that Trumpism is vile poison.

 And we won't forget the enablers of Trumpism, i.e. the right-wing evangelicals. The so-called Christian and moral leaders (James Dobson, Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council, Franklin Graham, the Alliance Defending Freedom, Robert Jeffress, etc. etc.) who traded the religious integrity they were supposed to uphold for power and White House access. Those leaders who weaponized the Bible and twisted it with  ease to make excuses for Trump or give him "mulligans" for his un-Christian behavior.

The LGBTQ community know these Trump evangelicals much more than we would like to.

In the 50s and 60s, they said we were perverts who ought to be jailed.  

In the 70s, they said we recruit children.

 In the 80s, they said we were diseased freaks who run around catching AIDS. 

 In the 90s, they said we wanted "special rights." 

 In the 2000s, they said we wanted to redefine marriage. 

 Now they claim we are trying to put Christians out of business and jail them.

And in the two years in which Trump has been in the White House, he has given them the power to make policy and has basically done their bidding to make our lives hell. From attempting to steal LGBTQ tax dollars and award them to entities which would still be allowed to discriminate against us to attempting to ban transgender men and women from serving in the military to attempting to erase the trans identity to attempting to erase all of us from the Census, Trump and his allies have done the LGBTQ community dirty. But on Tuesday, we can begin to collect the dues and pay back the attacks. We've always had power to stop them and tomorrow, we need to begin exercising that power by voting.

'Six LGBTQ candidates to watch on election night' & other Mon midday news briefs

Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Here are the 6 LGBTQ candidates to watch on election night - Get your ass out there and VOTE. I think it could good night. BUT it depends on all of us who care about fairness, equality, and making America fulfill its promises and potential. 

Transphobic Parent Activists Target Journalists With Misinformation About Pediatricians - Simply a damn mess.

  U.S. State Department Urges Gay People in Danger in Tanzania to Take Cover on Social Media Immediately - Siiigh! ‘

Duck Dynasty’ Patriarch’s GOTV Message: Democrats Are Evil and Depraved God-Haters - The who? The what?

To the fool who wants to "save" my soul from homosexuality . . . do not come for me

Every now and then, I get interesting messages from people trying to "save" my soul from the supposed sin of homosexuality. I got this one today:

Homosexuality SHOULD be AVOIDED and not celebrated. Straight people(Christians especially) do not 'celebrate' homosexuality. We serve a God who shuns gay lifestyle as an abomination. We don't stand for gay lifestyle. We stand for Godly lifestyle. We have every right not to take part in applauding homosexuality. Jesus loves you. He died for you to SET YOU FREE from your sins, not so you could PERISH celebrating the wrong things. Gays certainly don't celebrate Christianity and heterosexuality. So why should we celebrate men destroying themselves with AIDS? How is that a GOOD thing? 

My answer:

Dear Person Who Makes A Lot of Assumptions,

If I ever need to find out what God thinks of homosexuality, I will go to the source and ask Him. As it is, I already know the answer. The God I know doesn't shun his LGBTQ children. He made us exactly as we are. To paraphrase a Biblical quote:

  We are the Lord's doing and marvelous we are in His eyes.

I know this personally because it is my faith in God which allowed me to accept myself exactly as I am. Perhaps you should educate yourself before you draw LGBTQs and Christians into two opposite camps. Some of us are Christian, some of us are Jewish, some of us are Muslim, while some of us embrace no religion at all. I don't need some irrelevant nobody to tell me that Jesus loves me. I know that already. As God made me to be gay, Jesus loves me as gay.

What you claim to stand or not stand for is none of my concern. No one is forcing you to celebrate anything you don't want to. But I am telling you that we are as much a part of this world as you and you need to lose that self-righteous tone which led you to invade my blog and start pronouncing judgements on me without the courtesy of getting to know me.  If you don't like it, that is your problem. You have no right to demand that the LGBTQ community live our lives embracing your sad sense of entitlement. You have no right to demand that we edit our lives to suit your ignorance and lurid imagination of what you think we do in the bedroom.

You are a sad, ignorant bigot. Your hiding behind religious beliefs doesn't make you a hero. It doesn't make you noble. It reveals simply how much of a coward you are.