Know Your LGBT History - Billy Tipton

Billy Tipton (December 29, 1914 – January 21, 1989) was a bandleader and a jazz pianist who, when he died, was discovered to have been a female assigned at birth.

He led a fascinating life and deserves to have a movie made about him:




Past Know Your LGBT History posts:

'Catholic Church promises to stop Maryland marriage equality bill' and other Friday midday news briefs

MARYLAND: Catholic Church Vows To Overturn Same-Sex Marriage Bill - Let's see. That's Minnesota and Maryland. If the Catholic Church is going to interject itself in a secular issue, it should be taxed. The fact of the matter is that the bill does not affect the church at all. And don't give me that junk about Catholic Charities. It's a taxpayers issue. If they get taxpayer's monies, they shouldn't be allowed to discriminate. And while we are talking, someone needs to investigate just how deeply invested is the Catholic Church in the activities of NOM.

FRC Furious with Cheney for Supporting Marriage Equality - Is it just me or is the Family Research Council showing its collective ass today? It's RARE that I agree with Dick Cheney on anything but I am in his corner on this one.

Maryland Republican Lawmaker Describes Himself as a 'Changed Person' on Marriage After Meeting Gay Couples - This is a perfect reason why the religious right doesn't want to talk about same-sex families. When people get to know us for who we are, it's harder for their lies to compete.

You're Not Furious, And It's Killing Us - A MUST-READ post on the importance of taking down religious right lies about the lgbtq community as soon as they come up.

Gov. McDonnell Says Marriage Equality Should Be Left To The States, But Claims Gays Make Inferior Parents - Another person spouting his "personally held religious beliefs" from his tuckus.

Family Research Council attacks judge who ruled against DOMA

 Thanks to the Family Research Council, it is one of those two post mornings. After reading this and getting angry, pan down to Family Research Council doesn't think same-sex families are worthy of federal benefits

Those who have noticed religious right silence regarding the recent court decision declaring the Defense of Marriage Act  (DOMA) unconstitutional are not imagining the silence.

Religious right groups have been uncharacteristically silent about the decision. The Family Research Council has, to my knowledge, been the only group who made a comment about the decision. And of course, the group is attacking the judge:

Yesterday, a San Francisco judge struck down the part of DOMA that stops the government from offering benefits to same-sex spouses. 

You got that? FRC didn't call  U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey White an "activist judge." Instead, they called him a "San Francisco judge."

The term is an ugly dog whistle to its supporters which plays up to the stereotype that San Francisco is the alleged "gay capital" of the United States. By labeling White as a "San Francisco judge," FRC is implying that either White himself is gay or that he has been "corrupted by the city."

Family Research Council doesn't think same-sex families are worthy of federal benefits

In spite of all their talk about love and Christian values, religious right groups don't like the lgbtq community. They don't think of us as normal nor deserving of support for our families.

You want proof of this accusation? Check out how the Family Research Council is complaining about a recent decision of the Obama Administration:

Homosexuals may not want the government to interfere with their sex lives, but they have no problem asking taxpayers to subsidize them. Under this administration, the President's plan for getting the economy back on track is spending millions on benefits that violate federal marriage law. According to John Berry, the first openly gay director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), his office is close to finalizing a long list of perks for the same-sex partners of federal workers. Under the regulations, significant others would qualify for child care subsidies, insurance and retirement benefits, evacuation pay for overseas work, survivor annuities, eligibility for non-competitive federal jobs, and the employee assistance program. Although couples don't have to be in a legal union to qualify, OPM refuses to give straight workers the same benefits. Only gays and lesbians are eligible for these incentives, making it one of the more discriminatory policies in the federal workforce. 

The following is just a few of these so-called "perks:"

Allowing an employee to obtain child-care subsidies for the children of a same-sex domestic partner.

Providing evacuation pay to cover an employee’s same-sex partner from an overseas location in the event of an emergency.

Treating domestic partners like spouses for purposes of choosing an insurable interest option at retirement. This could provide a survivor annuity for a same-sex partner.

Making same-sex domestic partners of federal employees eligible for noncompetitive federal jobs when a staffer returns from an overseas assignment.

Clarifying that the domestic partner of an employee may take advantage of an agency’s employee assistance program. The basic program services, according to OPM, include free, short-term counseling and referral for various issues affecting employees, such as substance abuse, stress, grief, family problems and psychological disorders.

So to the Family Research Council, providing these things, which are important to same-sex couples and our children, is somehow "subsidizing gay sex."

The implication of that is astounding as well as insulting.  But FRC's complaint does reveal the organization's duplicity, particularly this part:

OPM refuses to give straight workers the same benefits. Only gays and lesbians are eligible for these incentives . . .

Well if that's a problem, then I have an idea. Allow same-sex couples to get legally married like straight couples can.

But of course FRC wouldn't want to advise that.