While Trump demonizes immigrants for midterm elections, the religious right demonizes transgender community

With good reason, a lot of folks are up in arms about Trump's attempt to demonize immigrants and asylum seekers to get his base out for next Tuesday's election, Unfortunately, folks are missing how anti-LGBTQ groups are doing the same thing to the transgender community in order to undo non-discrimination protections in Massachusetts. A vote about this will also be on the ballot next Tuesday. Look at this commercial they are running.

Of course this is a damn lie which has two goals - reduce the argument of trans-inclusive nondiscrimination laws to a single argument about bathrooms and then to scare the voters. According to a wonderful article in IntoMore:

 In seeking to strike down the two-year-old law, the Massachusetts campaign is hewing extremely to the tactics waged by anti-LGBTQ activists in Houston three years ago. The Campaign for Houston successfully lobbied to overturn the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), which was voted down by a 61-to-39 margin in November 2015. Commercials claimed trans-inclusive protections could allow “registered sex offenders” to abuse innocent people in public restrooms simply by “claiming to be a woman that day.”

 IntoMore also pointed out how both ads are deceptive:

Each segment relies on what is a widely debunked myth to stir up anti-trans sentiment. A recent study conducted by UCLA’s The Williams Institute showed the passage of local nondiscrimination ordinances in the Bay State had not led to an increase of attacks on women and children in public bathrooms — a crime which remains illegal even with trans-inclusive protections in place. 

But deceptive ads and claims geared to motivate fear is the standard modus operandi of the anti-LGBTQ industry. It worked for a while regarding non-discrimination ordinances in general and against marriage equality.

Next Tuesday, we will learn just how successful it will or won't be against the transgender community.

'Hate groups attempting to undo trans-inclusive nondiscrimination protections in Massachusetts' & other Wed midday news briefs

Conservative gay & fake journalist Jim Hoft may have finally gotten into a mess he can't get out of. See second news brief.

These national anti-LGBTQ groups are working to make anti-trans discrimination legal in Massachusetts - "National anti-LGBTQ groups are aligned with and have worked alongside a campaign in Massachusetts that would repeal the state’s trans-inclusive nondiscrimination protections, which protect transgender people from discrimination in housing and the workplace and give them equal access to public facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity. The anti-trans Keep MA Safe campaign was started by Massachusetts Family Institute, a state anti-LGBTQ group with direct ties to major national groups Family Policy Alliance, Alliance Defending Freedom, and Family Research Council." Sigh. Just with like marriage equality, anti-LGBTQ hate groups and their cohorts are spurring a statewide vote and using horror stories, bad science, and lies to win. If they win in Massachusetts, here we go with another round.

Rightwing fake news site run by a gay man implicated in conspiracy to derail Mueller investigation - I once met Jim Hoft. He is an awful person and deserves what backlash he may receive.  

What it means to the LGBTQ community to have bisexual people in Congress - As far as I'm concerned, it means more LGBTQs in Congress. And that's a good thing.  

LGBTQ Voters and Midterms: What’s at Stake? - An enormous amount of consequences. Get off your shoulders and vote.