What The Ricki Lake Show did for the LGBTQ community

The Ricki Lake Show was a popular talk show in the 90s. It was fresh and vibrant, but also dealt with serious issues. Issues involving the LGBTQ community were popular when featured on the show. However, unlike other talk shows like Donahue and Oprah, The Ricki Lake Show was less stodgy in the way it amplified the community. Instead of longwinded discussions with experts and activists, Lake's show featured ordinary people who talked about contemporary day-to-day or contemporary cultural issues instead of political ones.

Some folks may accuse the show of exploiting and stereotyping LGBTQ people. In all honesty, I can see that. BUT it was more relatable to me and a lot of other younger folks whether they were LGBTQ or heterosexual. And it was wonderful to watch us being presented in a way which did not feel like an Inquisition.

Below are just a few clips:

    

'Televangelist Kenneth Copeland: Homosexual lesbian spirits must be defeated in the election' & other Mon/Tue news briefs

Kenneth Copeland

Kenneth Copeland: Homosexual Lesbian Spirits Must be Defeated in Election​ - Far right hypocritical pastor Kenneth Copeland threatening us with a good time. Homosexual lesbian spirits taking over sounds like another very good reason to vote FOR Kamala Harris to me. 

 For those asking who Kenneth Copeland is, it's this jackass: 

 Copeland, the founder of Eagle Mountain International Church, is the wealthiest pastor in the US with an estimated net worth of $760 million. He lives in a tax free 18,000 square foot mansion. He has a fleet of private jets. He heads a huge congregation and had his sermons and services broadcast on Victory Channel and other religious channels for years. Whenever it is time to add to his fleet of aircraft, he explains to his congregation that it was God's will for them to private the money for it. 

 More about that here:

Wealthy televangelist explains his fleet of private jets: 'It's a biblical thing' 

In other news:

Queer bar devastated by Hurricane Helene raises more than $191,000 to rebuild - Good for them! 

Fox News guest: Trans athletes are not “a pivotal issue” in 2024 - Conservatives are bending over backwards in their attempt to make it one. 

North Haven Pride calls for support of LGBTQ community after officials say substitute was fired - A ridiculous action against a substitute teacher fires up LGBTQ folks.

'Trump, Republicans making $60 million transphobic gambit to distract from the economic issues during election' & other Wed/Thur news briefs

We all knew it was a lie when Trump pretended to support the LGBTQ community in 2016.

Republicans are betting on transphobia to win the 2024 election for Donald Trump​ - Since Trump has no issues to run on, Republicans are spending more than $60 million on spreading lies about transgender Americans for this election. Apparently scaring folks about trans people are 'kitchen table issues' now instead of the economy, healthcare, and immigration. 

The GOP is spending millions on transphobic ads. Polls suggest it may backfire.- More on this issue. I hope it does backfire. 

Melania Trump's Fundraiser With Gay Organization: Everything We Know - Log Cabin Republicans? Of course. Talk about your ironies. These fools think Trump won't treat them the same way he's treating the trans community. In some states, he already is. 

Nico Lang’s American Teenager humanizes the children who bear the brunt of anti-trans legislation. - Shout out to my friend, Nico Lang. Buy his book. I've got a copy and it is excellent.

''In Living Color' star Tommy Davidson admits he's had to 'adjust' while supporting his trans son' & other Mon/Tue news briefs

 

‘In Living Color’ star Tommy Davidson admits he’s had to “adjust” while supporting his trans son - Good for Mr. Davidson. I know that in our jaded world, the idea that people don't really care about an issue until they are personally affected is frowned upon, but it's also realistic. Like it or not, we are not angels or saints. We generally don't pay attention to things like we should until they cross our front door. And why is this? Because there is so much going on in life as it is. So when an issue does make someone sit up and pay attention, how about acting less holier than though and instead be happy when that person is reacting in a good way.

Credibility of state’s expert witnesses questioned in Missouri transgender health care trial​ - It's about time, too.

This Supreme Court case could change gender-affirming care in the U.S. forever - Keep your fingers crossed and don't be so quick to be negative. 

Fact Check: Hurricane Disaster Leads to Misleading LGBTQ Social Media Posts - Of course will all of the lies going around about Hurricane Helene, you just know we would be yanked in it.

MAGA senate candidate says drag queens and people who support drag queens aren't tough enough to serve in the military

 

The clip above proves yet again how bigotry makes one absolutely stupid.

From The Huffington Post: 

Hung Cao, the Republican Senate nominee in Virginia, disparaged drag queens and people who are tolerant of them by implying Wednesday that they are not tough enough to serve in the military. 

 Cao made the remarks in a televised debate against Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine when one of the moderators asked him about his previous comments tying what he called the White House's "growing obsession" with diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, to military recruitment issues. Cao, a Navy veteran, was asked to explain how he believes DEI could affect military recruitment. 

 "When you’re using a, you know, drag queen to recruit for the Navy, that’s not the people we want," Cao said after he was pressed about the issue following his initial response. "What we need is alpha males and alpha females who are going to rip out their own guts, eat them and ask for seconds. Those are young men and women that are going to win wars." 

Cao is not only bigoted, but it's obvious that he's never been to a drag competition. A drag competition is the real definition of "going to war."

The fact that Donald Trump supports him should surprise no one. That being the case, it should also surprise no one that his performance at the debate in general was panned as "crashing and burning."

'Trump sounds bored with repeating his lie that schools are performing sex-change surgeries on children' & other Tue/Wed news briefs

Trump is sounding bored with his own lie that schools are performing sex-change surgeries on children

Editor's note - I know I haven't been blogging like I'm supposed to, particularly seeing that the presidential election is coming up. I ask that you bear with me and continue to support me like you've done these past 18 years. It's nothing big or momentous which has gripped me. It's me getting older and going through some changes. I'm a long way from 35 when I began this blog and I still got a lot to accomplish for the LGBTQ community. It's simply taking a bit longer to get me revved up.

Trump in Milwaukee suggests public school teachers are conducting sex change surgeries on students without parental consent pic.twitter.com/tN7YIBLt0b

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 1, 2024

It's bad enough that Trump is repeating this ridiculous lie, but based upon his sleepy delivery, he acts as if he's tired of repeating it as much as we are tired of hearing it. 

In other news:

LGBTQ+ History Month is celebrated around the world. It all started with one man & a dream. - Happy LGBTQ History Month! 

Denver parent's request to put 'straight pride' flags in classrooms denied - Aww darn. Poor baby. 

Study establishes first causal link between anti-trans laws and suicide attempts - Study merely proves what we've all known about these awful laws and the effects they have on the trans community. 

GLAAD 20 Under 20 2024: Meet the Changemakers Who Prove LGBTQ Youth are Thriving - Wonderful article which shows that our youth are fighting for what's theirs.

Wisconsin voter and mother speaks poignantly about why she's more concerned about guns than drag queens

This right here made my day. Danielle, a Wisconsin voter speaks plainly about children, drag queens, the right-wing media, and what she fears most as a mother when it comes to her kids. No talking points, no rhetorical tricks. She broke it down and went viral. Trust me when I say this is good.

This is a remarkable comment from a mom in the Milwaukee area. pic.twitter.com/FyjVkSreWx

— Dan Shafer (@DanRShafer) September 26, 2024