I am overjoyed with the anger & controversy about the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade kiss

A simple kiss during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is worth a million.

By now, we have all heard about the same-sex kiss during the recent Macy's  Thanksgiving Day Parade. Unfortunately, I missed it. Equally as unfortunate, I did not miss the negative reaction some people had because of the kiss.

Or maybe it wasn't as unfortunate as I am implying.

 I hope I don't come across as gloating, but I get a wonderful charge when people get all up in arms about such things as us gay folks daring to kiss in public.  There is nothing wrong with us kissing or holding hands in public. And the discussions about it always reveal to some how homophobic they actually are.

You know the type I'm talking about - those folks who claim that they don't have a problem with the LGBTQ community, but seem to think that we shouldn't kiss in public, hold hands in public, raise children, or do anything to wreck their mindset that we are not normal human beings or that the normal processes of life such as dating, marrying, having a family, etc doesn't apply to us, Apparently in exchange for their "tolerance," we are supposed to stand perfectly still in a corner and simply be a prop to demonstrate how "open minded" they are for supposedly accepting us. . .  with extenuating conditions of course.  These supposed allies learn the needed lesson that we are not commodities nor are we props. And, to paraphrase gay writer Harvey Firestein, we shouldn't have to edit parts of our lives that don't appeal to them. If they are going to be allies, it's either all the way or forget it.

Bursting that bubble of imagined superiority is always fun. Still, there is nothing like the hysterical reactions of those who, while claiming to oppose us because they "love" us, proceed to call us everything but the proverbial "child of God." One can always count on them to drop conspiracy theories of gay subterfuge and invasion. Take "former advertising executive who found Jesus and determined to uncover the Gay Mafia Syndicate" Linda Harvey for example:

Linda Harvey

How many times have you heard activists scoff, denying there’s a “gay agenda”?

 . . .  This agenda is like an airborne infection that’s suddenly everywhere. From “LGBT” affirming church youth groups, to “gay”-affirming anti-bullying school lessons, to rainbow “pride” apparel sold at Target and Walmart during the spring and summer, to the obligatory pro-homosexual article in the daily newspaper, to disturbed transvestites reading to preschoolers in libraries. It seems to be critically important to stick it to our children, all in the name of phony “tolerance” and “acceptance,” embracing sins leading to personal disaster, societal destruction and spiritual death.

 . . .   I am grieved for America and all the lost people, especially the young. I mourn the simple sweetness of mom/dad families and uncomplicated friendships, of holidays that cultivated wholesome childhood unmarred by the shadow of hateful, sexual fascism. Despite the victory that is in Jesus Christ and our ultimate destiny, before that glorious appearing, the night is coming. 

Harvey is on to us. Thank God she doesn't know about our plan to block out the sun unless the birthdays of Cher, Beyonce, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Judy Garland are made national holidays. I would mention the required viewing of RuPaul's Drag Race in our nation's elementary schools, but the committee is still working on that and will have the final plans ready by the next meeting of the Gay Mafia.

On one hand, these conspiracies are hilarious. But on the other, they make me sad because I'm always wishing the LGBTQ community was as organized, disciplined, and ruthless as folks like Harvey make us out to be.

Still, the kiss during Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade was a wonderful thing. A lot of us can remember a time when even a notion of a televised same-sex kiss would have caused serious problems. There would be fines, endless words of condemnations from people equally homophobic as Harvey but with more power to cause havoc for the LGBTQ community. The backlash would have been immense.

 Instead there are the delightful grumblings of a group of folks, Harvey included, who are slowly but surely losing power. Meanwhile the rest of us have gone on with our lives, punctuated by short bursts of glee and happiness at the latest much needed dose of visibility. And the latest much needed reminder that every fear, lie, and horror about the LGBTQ community are simply sad illusions.

Take it in, y'all. It's what winning feels like.

'Anti-LGBTQ industry creating horror stories of gay intolerance, recruitment via omission and lies' & other Monday midday news briefs

Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel doesn't mind lying to create a false image of LGBTQ recruitment.

Fox News marks Transgender Day of Remembrance by airing two anti-trans segments - At the University of California, a student senator is horribly vilified for abstaining from a vote on a resolution of support for LGBTQ students. In Florida, a gym teacher is attacked for, as some right-wing publications put it, "refusing to watch a girl shower in the boys' locker room. These events are horrifying, terrible, and TOTALLY UNTRUE. A little omission here, a basic downright lie there, add a dash of Fox News "journalism" courtesy of  Shannon Bream and Laura Ingraham. An anti-LGBTQ hate group representative (Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel) accompanying both the student and the gym teacher during the interviews. Let all of the anti-LGBTQ and right-wing propaganda sources spread the story under the guise of real journalism. Let simmer. And you have the makings of an old, but effective tactic of anti-LGBTQ industry - the creation of a horror story about the LGBTQ community attacking Christians and "recruiting" children.

Taiwan’s referendums on LGBTQ rights have disappointing results - Booooo! Not a good situation in Taiwan. 

Twitter took a huge step to protect trans people from harassment on the platform - Some people may disagree (the TERFs and their allies have been going into orbit all weekend), but I don't. 

Evangelist Franklin Graham desperately insists Trump is a defender of the faith — despite his ‘sordid life’ - It's not only the fact that Graham will wantonly defend Trump in spite of his many offenses, it is also how Graham constantly rails against the LGBTQ community. Since when is an inept liar who imprisons brown children in cages and tear gasses families is considered morally devout while the LGBTQ community are the evil ones?