Tuesday, March 31, 2020

'Anti-LGBTQ hate group will defend pastor arrested for defying coronavirus measures' & other Wed midday news briefs


Anti-LGBTQ hate group will defend megachurch pastor arrested for defying coronavirus measures - Why of course it will. 



 Coronavirus Hospital In Central Park Sparks Backlash Over Anti-LGBTQ Ties - Franklin Graham has claimed that gays "recruit" children. We want assurances that his group and volunteers won't be jerks to potential LGBTQ patients. It's not an unreasonable request.


Parents of transgender youth give advice for new parents starting the journey



In spite of what we have to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, our fight for equality still goes on. March 31 is The Trans Day of Visibility. And though this should be done more often, today is a wonderful time to spotlight the faces and voices of the trans community and their loved ones. I think that if the media would take the time to do this more often instead of spotlighting phony experts from anti-trans groups, this issue would be simpler:

These parents are part of HRC Foundation’s Parents for Transgender Equality National Council. The council is a coalition of some of the the nation's leading parent-advocates working for equality and fairness for transgender people, with the intention of connecting, mobilizing and amplifying many of the most powerful voices of love, inclusion and support for transgender equality.

Monday, March 30, 2020

Evangelicals undermining fight against coronvarius via similar tactics used against LGBTQ people

Anti-LGBTQ evangelical Todd Starnes is now undermining the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

LGBTQ people have told folks.

Hell, even I've told folks how conservative evangelicals either go overboard or use their religious beliefs as a way to absolve from following rules. Usually though, their actions have to do with cases of LGBTQ rights, so they tend to get away with successfully pulling the "it's a deeply held personal belief of my faith" card. But recent incidents involving the coronavirus pandemic should give pause to anyone wanting to believe that narrative. Utilizing tactics which they've worked against LGBTQ people, certain anti-LGBTQ figures are undermining the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The hashtag #FilmYourHospital trended on Twitter Sunday, encouraging people to travel to ​nearby hospitals and record video of the exterior to supposedly show that media coverage of chaotic and overcrowded hospitals ​is untrue. 
 It appears that right-wing radio host Todd Starnes may have inspired the trend, although Starnes has not used the specific hashtag in any post. Starnes uploaded a video Saturday afternoon that he filmed wandering around outside of the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City. Starnes is heard off-camera telling viewers that he wanted to expose the “war zone” that an emergency room doctor at Brooklyn’s Brookdale Hospital described to CNN last week.

For those not familiar with him, Starnes is a homophobic conservative talking head who, when he is not targeting LGBTQ people, freely makes up stories of anti-Christian persecution. At this particular time, he is attempting to blunt the fact that the coronavirus is causing chaos in New York by creating a ridiculous narrative. Not only is the narrative a sick lie but, as People for the American Way points out, Starnes's "investigation" is being copied by other right-wing activists dumbasses. This could serve to create more disbelief in the seriousness of this pandemic, thereby causing more people to foolishly expose themselves to danger.

And Starnes isn't the only anti-LGBTQ figure interfering in the fight against the pandemic:

A group of pastors and an outspoken conservative activist filed a petition with the Texas Supreme Court on Monday arguing that Harris County’s stay-at-home order, which closed churches and limited worship services to video or teleconference calls, violates the First Amendment, according to a Houston Chronicle report. 
 The petition was filed by Steven Hotze, a Republican activist known for his backing of anti-LGBT causes, and pastors Juan Bustamante, George Garcia and David Valdez, according to the Chronicle. The group also argues that Judge Lina Hidalgo’s order violates the Second Amendment by not listing gun shops among “essential” businesses. The March 24 order requires residents to stay home and closed most businesses except those deemed essential, such as grocery stores and hospitals. On Friday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said gun stores are essential business and should be allowed to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When it comes to homophobic rhetoric, Starnes - as vile as he is - doesn't even begin to match the level of venom spewed by Hotze. According to Media Matters:

Steven Hotze said that “‘Satanic cults’ were driving the ‘homosexual movement,’” compared LGBTQ people to “Nazis,” and said Houston residents should "drive them out of our city.”

Hotze claimed that a “key point of the homosexual agenda” is “overturning the laws prohibiting pedophilia.”

Hotze prayed that lawmakers who “support, promote and practice sodomy and other perverted, sexually deviant lifestyles” would “receive just retribution from God for their evil actions.” 
 Hotze said LGBTQ equality gives gay people “a free hand to come and have relations with a minor, molest a child.”

And now, Hotze is claiming that a "stay at home" order is violating his religious beliefs, much like others like him have claimed the same about LGBTQ rights in the past.

 In this particular case, however, we aren't talking about a gay vs. Christian false narrative. Now, it's a matter of people's lives being at stake. And that is not a euphemism as these two examples from The Christian Post points out:

1. At least three separate pastors have died in recent days after testing positive for the new coronavirus, including two who raised concern that the virus was being used as a tool of the devil to manipulate the masses or silence Christians. One thought God would use His infection to spread the Gospel or give him “a little rest.”

2. Several members of an Illinois Pentecostal church are either at the hospital or in home quarantine after at least 43 congregants fell ill following a revival service two Sundays ago, and at least 10 of them have tested positive for the new coronavirus.

I hate to say "I told you so" to those who have bought conservative evangelical narratives in the past when it came to LGBTQ rights but . . .well you know.

Sunday, March 29, 2020

'Gay congressional candidate faces new challenge after COVID-19 diagnosis' & other Mon midday news briefs


Gay candidate’s congressional campaign faces new challenge after COVID-19 diagnosis - Interesting article about Congressional candidate attempting to campaign from quarantine.

COVID-19 Severely Tests LGBTQ Organizations, But Work Continues - Damn right it does.

LGBTQ people urged to ‘get counted’ in Census - Don't forget the Census!

17 Grindr Messages That, Yes, People Actually Sent - This is so wicked, but what the hell. Wicked is good right now.

Top 10 LGBTQ Superhero Couples



For LGBTQ people who enjoy comic books - like me - here is a video which should interest you. It's also a great thing to watch as we ease into Monday while practicing social distancing because of the you-know-what.

Number one on the list doesn't surprise me. But number two - Wolverine and Hercules - does and not because of who it is. Marvel included a huge loophole which made this possible. The surprising part was the fact that Wolverine and Hercules were "undercover lovers" because Hercules's father, Zeus, forbade gods and mortals from having relationships. Obviously a certain comic book storyline creator hasn't kept up on Greek mythology. Zeus literally tried to screw everything that moved. I'm just saying.

Thursday, March 26, 2020

'Coming out as bisexual to your doctor' & other Fri midday news briefs


Out as Bisexual to Your Doctor - A lot of times, we forget about the needs of our bisexual brothers and sisters.

Teen with lesbian moms forced to listen to anti-LGBTQ “sermons” before school basketball practice - This right here is a hot mess. I hope they sue and win. 

Village People’s ‘Y.M.C.A.’ inducted by Library of Congress, as group debuts new coronavirus-inspired video - True story - I didn't know about the gay aspect of the Village People until 1985.

City of Covington bans conversion therapy for LGBTQ youths - Sweet! Nothing wrong with cities getting in on the act.

EXCLUSIVE- Gay Mafia categorically denies unleashing the coronavirus

Editor's note - It is very rare that this blog has an exclusive, so naturally I am honored that it was chosen for this endeavor. I have been asked by The Gay Mafia to convey the following with regards to allegations made about the LGBTQ community and the coronavirus. You can tell that is is an official Gay Mafia press release based upon the gorgeous letterhead, which no doubt took someone a great deal of personal time to create:




Dear Friends,

It has come to our attention that certain allegations have been made against LGBTQ people. We would like to state that these allegations are categorically false. LGBTQ people did not plan nor are responsible for the Coronavirus.

Furthermore, we possess notes of our last 20 meetings which will disprove these allegations. These notes clearly prove that with all of the work we put into rigging the Oscars for Renee Zellweger, upgrading our recruitment program via Drag Queen Story Hour, and developing the pheromones which led Pete Buttigieg to grow a beard, we simply lacked the time and manpower to unleash a virus on the world.

 Any further questions can be given to our secretary, St Paul Charles.

 Yours in Queerness,

 Gay Mafia, esq.

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

'Trump's Justice Department supports blocking trans athletes from women's sports' & other Thur midday news briefs

Trump attacks LGBTQ equality again.

Justice Department Supports Blocking Transgender Athletes From Women’s Sports - Trump is screwing LGBTQ people over again. 

Trump’s Bible study teacher says coronavirus was caused by gays & environmentalists - Seriously and all jokes aside, simply fuck him. 

Abercrombie & Fitch fires gay model after racist comments unearthed - It happens. One can be gay AND racist. Even though I don't feel comfortable with the entire incident.

28 Oldest Gay Celebs (and Why We Still Love Them) - This came out last month, but why not feature it. It's a wonderful refutation of all of the propaganda claiming that gay men don't live long.

Ms. Dorian Corey has some words of wisdom for these uncertain times



In these uncertain times, particularly with the Orange dumbass in the White House and the coronavirus running rampant, it can be difficult for all of us to be optimistic or at least hold our heads up. I know it can be really difficult for LGBTQ people. We shouldn't get so despondent that we forget the words of wisdom from those who paved our roads.

One such person was Dorian Corey, a transgender woman, drag performer, and fashion designer who was featured in the legendary documentary Paris Is Burning. Featured in the video above are a few truths she spoke in the documentary. Her last words in this video always lift my spirits:

 “Everybody wants to make an impression, some mark upon the world. Then you think you’ve made a mark on the world if you just get through it, and a few people remember your name. Then you’ve left a mark.” 

 Unfortunately, she is no longer with us, having passed away in 1993. But her legacy was so huge that a musical was based upon her life. And an incident after her death was the basis for a plotline in the television series Pose. It had to do with a mummufied body found in her home. But you can read all about that here.

For now, just enjoy her words of wisdom.

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

'LGBTQ dance party goes digital amid coronavirus pandemic' & other Wed midday news briefs

Legendary playwright Terrence McNally dies due to coronavirus. See article in group below.

LGBTQ dance party goes digital amid coronavirus pandemic - There you go! No stopping the party!

Anti-LGBTQ Hate Groups Are Surging in the U.S.- An article published Thursday, but still very necessary. And why are these groups surging? Trump.

Terrence McNally, Award-Winning Playwright, Dies From Complications Due To Coronavirus - We lost a really good one, y'all. 

PrEP may be tested against coronavirus if HIV meds shown to work - This sounds interesting.

Anti-LGBTQ activist Bryan Fischer thinks the coronavirus will 'protect' children from drag queens

Bryan Fischer is living proof that homophobia makes one stupid.

Not only is Bryan Fischer a ratchet homopobe, he is also stupid:

According to LGBTQNation:

Anti-LGBTQ activist Bryan Fischer said that there’s a silver lining to the coronavirus pandemic: kids are staying home from school, where they’re safe from drag queen story hours and the “sexual deviancy, gender confusion” found at public schools. 
Fischer has devoted the better part of his life to fighting what he calls “homofascists.” He’s the former Director of Issues Analysis for the American Family Association (AFA) – an SPLC designated hate group largely because of work he did for them – and he currently hosts a radio show on American Family Radio, a network over over 180 radio stations.

Monday, March 23, 2020

'The Right's New Target: LGBTQ Children' & other Tue midday news briefs


The Right’s New Target: LGBTQ Children - We have to let it be known as well as do something about it.

Trump-endorsed news outlet says it’s God’s “judgment” that a gay activist died from coronavirus - Disgusting and sleazy as hell.

16 great LGBTQ movies to stream during self-isolation - Yep! Cause we need to keep our spirits up.

Miley Cyrus quit church because gay friends 'weren't being accepted' - Good for her for being supportive/

Family Research Council attempting to whitewash Trump's lack of leadership during coronavirus pandemic


With what we know about how Trump has been bungling the response to the coronavirus pandemic, I don't necessarily think it's a good thing to portray him as some type of unfairly overburdened leader. But that's what the Family Research Council and its president, Tony Perkins, are attempting to do:

There's hardly a busier, more burdened man in America right now than President Trump. And yet on Friday, when he heard that Vice President Mike Pence was about to jump on an FRC conference call with 700 pastors, he asked if he could join. Hearing his voice was a surprise, even to me -- but hearing his earnest desire to stand with the faith leaders of America in crisis certainly wasn't. 
"When I told the president I was going to be speaking to all of you," Mike explained, "[he was] in the midst of an extraordinarily busy day. [But] he looked at me and said, 'I have to find time. I need to find time.'" To the president, he went on, "the prayers of the people on this call mean [everything] to him..." So despite everything facing America, the two most important leaders of this nation stopped everything to pray with the people on the ground, who are ministering to their communities. 
It's a "wild world," the president started. The virus, he said, "came upon us so suddenly. And we were doing better than we've ever done before as a country in terms of the economy -- and then, all of the sudden, we got hit with this. So we had to close it down," he said wistfully. "We're actually paying a big price to close it down. Never happened before." But, President Trump insisted, "I think we're going to come back stronger than ever before."

I apologize to those who will accuse me of being petty, but I don't intend to change. It's not right to use prayer requests as an attempt to absolve Trump from the mess he helped make, including not challenging his inaccurate statement that the coronavirus came suddenly.

In fact, its downright sleazy.

Pray for our nation if you want. And by all means pray for Trump if you feel the need. But don't even attempt to write off, push away, or ignore the many ways he mismanaged this disaster. Don't even attempt to pretend that Trump had this situation under control from the beginning when he kept shifting positions from claiming that his administration had this problem under control, to claiming that it was a Democratic hoax, to finally acknowledging the seriousness of the situation.

And don't even pretend that he didn't attempt to absolve himself from the responsibility which came with him being elected - and I swear I will never EVER know why - as the commander-in-chief of this nation.

We aren't stupid In spite of the purveyors of propaganda working overtime, the majority of Americans aren't going to buy this attempt to transform Trump from Mr. Magoo to Abraham Lincoln.

 If Trump wants prayer, maybe he should publicly acknowledge his lack of leadership thus far. If he can't do that - and we all know he can't -  then at least FRC shouldn't aid and abet any attempt to make him look like a credible leader.

Because that's the one thing he hasn't been throughout this mess.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

'Drag My Dad' allows families to connect, bond, and accept each other







 I ran across these videos on youtube and they really put me in a good mood. I hope they do the same for you. In these troubled times, we all - LGBTQ people especially -  need something to make us smile and to remind us that there are positive aspects and values in the cultures we embrace.

We all know about Drag Queen Story Hour and what it does for our children and families in spite of the ignorant backlash it has faced. But did you know that drag can also be used to help fathers and mothers reconnect with, accept, and bond with their LGBTQ children?

It all happens via Drag My Dad, an MTV show streamed on Facebook, where fathers, mothers, and/or their children are made up as drag queens. It sounds simple, but the stories as to why these families are participating is where the complexities lie. If the above episodes doesn't pull your heartstrings, you need to check your pulse.

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Family Research Council gives Trump tone deaf praise for his handling of coronavirus outbreak

Fox News and Donald Trump are rightfully blamed for their actions during this coronavirus outbreak as these two videos show:





But there is a third party which deserves at least some blame for where we are now - conservative evangelical groups. During this crisis, a lot of them -  folks and groups who have defended Trump in spite of every lie, insult, and episode of bad behavior or awful leadership - having been laying low.

Conservative evangelical claims coronavirus is God's punishment for marriage equality and abortion



In spite of his stunning incompetence in dealing with coronavirus outbreak, Trump hasn't lost the support of the most loyal members of his base - white conservative evangelicals. 

According to The Huffington Post:

About 7 in 10 white evangelical Christians approve of the way Trump is handling issues related to the coronavirus outbreak, including 52% who strongly approve of his performance, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov poll conducted over the weekend. In contrast, only 45% of all American adults surveyed said they strongly or somewhat approve of how Trump is handling the outbreak. Seventy percent of white evangelicals also approve of the way the U.S. government is managing the outbreak. Only 47% of all respondents surveyed said the same. The data suggests that the president’s most loyal religious supporters are standing by their man despite reports of infighting and indecision at the White House as the pandemic unfolded.

It's all about rationalization with these people. They can always point the finger at someone else, such as the media. Or, like this guy in the above video, can blame abortion and marriage equality.

From Right Wing Watch:

When right-wing pastor Perry Stone held a prayer service at his church in Cleveland, Tennessee, earlier this week, he declared that the current COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in America is a “reckoning” brought on by the nation’s rejection of God and its embrace of reproductive rights and marriage equality.

Why is there a reckoning?” he asked. “Because we have by law forced God out of our country and basically told him, ‘In public places, you’re not welcome.’ You’re not welcomed in our schools, so our schools are now shut down. No prayer in public school, no Bible reading in public school. Now they’re telling kids to stay home for who knows how long, so our schools are shut down.” 
 “Then we have said to God, ‘The infants that you put in our wombs, we don’t respect them, we don’t want them, we will get them out of our bellies through abortion,'” Stone continued. “If you watch the women who are pro-choice, the majority of them have a spirit about them where there is no love.” 
“The Bible talks about going after ‘strange flesh,'” Stone added, as he recounted the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah. “There is a reckoning because the courts of the land passed a law to take an infant’s life, that it was OK, and for marriage as we have known it to be changed into something we have never known. Both of their laws, biblically in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, are what God calls an abomination. And the Bible teaches us that God is long-suffering, he is not willing that any perish, he wants everyone to come to repentance, but there will be a time when the Lord says, ‘Enough is enough.'” "

Yesterday it was hate group the Family Research Council speaking against a coronavirus relief bill because of the possibility that it could help same-sex couples. Today is this fool with the tired nonsense which we have heard before about God punishing the world for abortion and marriage equality.

It's a rather cold comfort to know that regardless of how dire any situation can get, we can always count on certain people to be the self-righteous, homophobic braying jackasses we always knew they were.


Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Coronavirus outbreak relief takes backseat to the Family Research Council's 'gay baiting'


Tony Perkins (bottom) and his group are exploiting the coronavirus to again attack LGBTQ people.

One would think that during this coronavirus pandemic, certain groups would cease their usual gay baiting. Yes, one would think and hope. But if one did so, he or she would be living in a fool's paradise. Particularly when it comes to Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council:

"We're going big." Those were the president's words heading into a Senate debate over the latest coronavirus response. In Congress, where the bills are changing faster than the infection map, the White House is racing to strike the right balance between protecting America's economy -- and helping yours. Unfortunately, fiscal matters aren't the only concern as liberals echo what Rahm Emanuel, the former chief of staff for Barack Obama, said, "You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before. 
Seizing the opportunity is exactly what Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and company tried to do by turning the virus package into a radical grab bag of abortion funding and LGBT messaging. Being in the minority Republicans had their work cut out for them. Thankfully, the White House was with them -- every step of the way. First, House Democrats tried an end-run around the Hyde amendment, the ban on taxpayer-funded abortion. "We got that back," a relieved Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) said. But it wasn't too long before liberals turned their fire on something else: the family. 
In what would have been the first time in federal law -- ever -- Democrats tried to equate "domestic partnerships" with marriage by adding benefits for anyone in "a committed relationship." Of course, as Congressman Biggs pointed out Friday, "the problem with that is that it's really hard to define a committed relationship... so they've tried to put in, in my opinion, kind of a [vague] definition. But that leaves it wide open -- and then, they [can] expand on that. So two provisions that have nothing to do with the coronavirus are basically thrown into this thing. And that's just par for the course for the for the activist Left." 
FRC worked through the weekend reading the evolving language looking for problems just like this. Understanding that in emergency situation, Emanuel's declaration is standard operating procedure for the Left. They're counting on the fact that with such a tight turnaround time, most members won't have the chance to give the language a detailed read. Fortunately, our team is reading the small print and warned the White House that liberals were using this bill to water down marriage. The president's staff took those concerns seriously, telling leaders at the negotiating table that the language had to go. It did. The section was fixed and sent on.

First of all, when it comes to abortion, FRC's entire narrative is a lie.

Anti-LGBTQ Congressman voted against coronavirus testing bill because it 'redefined family' & other Wed midday news briefs

Congressman Andy Biggs
Anti-gay Republican voted against coronavirus testing bill because it “redefined family” - Aw man, this is insane.

Idaho lawmakers ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports - In the middle of a coronavirus pandemic, Idaho legislators take time out to pass a ridiculous and unnecessary bill. Bigotry never sleeps.

Anti-LGBTQ media laid the groundwork for Idaho to legislate against trans athletes - I reiterate.

Rush Limbaugh Stand-In: S.F. In Coronavirus Lockdown Because It’s ‘A Big Gay Town’ - Sick, vile person.

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Evolution of LGBTQ equality - from hidden behind the plants to in front of the wedding chapels



While we all, in various ways, wait out the coronavirus outbreak and the Democratic primaries, let's take a short look back in our past. I ran across this short clip of CBS Evening News from June 25, 2016 - the day marriage equality became legal. It's a look back 50 years in the past when CBS News first looked at LGBTQ equality. Back then, it was simply known as gay rights and things were completely different. More closets and more fear.

Granted, the closets and fear still exist, but not as much. In their places are pride and the stubborness which comes from knowing that we are human beings with value and the determination to not be treated less than that. This is not to say that marriage equality is the end of our struggle for rights. It's simply a reminder of where we as a community once were and where we are now. It's also a reminder that where we will be in the future is totally up to us and not those who stand against us.

'A running list of the latest coronavirus hoaxes' & other Tue midday news briefs

Monday, March 16, 2020

Karma comes for the marriage of anti-LGBTQ crusader 'Activist Mommy'

'Activist Mommy' Elizabeth Johnston has built up an enormous social media profile attacking the LGBTQ community, our families, and our marriages. She's just announced that she will be seeking a divorce.

Anti-LGBTQ activist Elizabeth Johnston is known as "Activist Mommy." Of course that's a nice way of saying that the mother of 10  is a female version of 'Porno' Pete LaBarbera and just as unhinged.

According to LGBTQNation:

Johnston regularly rants about “far left, pro-LGBTQ education” on her social media platforms and once spoke at a barely-attended ex-gay march on Washington. She has spouted her anti-LGBTQ views on the radio show of the certified hate group, the Family Research Council, and uses her Facebook wall to oppose everything from drag queen story times at local libraries and giving life-saving hormone blockers to transgender kids to queer actor Billy Porter and trans dancer Riley Knox performing in public.  
 She opposes public school sexual education as a form of gay “indoctrination” because it supposedly teaches kids how to have anal sex, pushing a deadly, centuries-old stereotype of gay people as pedophiles. Her crusade against anal sex compelled her to burn a physical copy of Teen Vogue magazine after its website published a sexual health article — the article never appeared in a print magazine. She called for a boycott of Vicks VapoRub over their commercial in support of transgender rights, referring to the woman in the ad as “a square-jawed, plain-as-day man.” She also pressured a local library to cancel its LGBTQ prom, telling her social media followers “perversion is taking place in a taxpayer-funded library!”

A friendlier description of Johnston says the following:

News headlines point to a world that has gone stark-raving mad. Right is wrong, and wrong is right. Religious liberty is under attack. Gender identity and fluidity is not only accepted but encouraged. Same-sex marriage is embraced by many churches. Deviant sexual practices are taught in schools. Feminists march for freedom—except when it relates to the 60 million babies aborted since Roe v. Wade. “No more!” cries Elizabeth Johnston aka the Activist Mommy, social media sensation with over 70 million video views. Johnston courageously defends the timeless truths of God’s Word and inspires and encourages other Christians to unite in winning this war for our children, our morals, our freedom, and our culture.

It is true that Johnston has a huge social media following, which she uses to castigate the LGBTQ community for what she calls "raping the mind of children."  But as we've learned so many times, a huge social following means nothing when karma decides to call you out. And Johnston was long due for a visit, which she just received.

Sunday, March 15, 2020

'Will LGBTQ pride festivals still happen amid coronavirus concerns?' & other Mon midday news briefs


Amid Coronavirus Concerns, Will LGBTQ Pride Fests Still Happen In 2020? - Let us hope that they will.

LGBTQ Students Kicked Out of Iowa Capitol Over Restroom Use - No doubt we will be hearing more about this. 

Texas Democrats are trying to draw LGBT Republicans snubbed by state GOP leaders - Yeah I would like to see that!(sarcasm)

Inventor of the world wide web: the internet isn’t working for LGBTQ women - We need to have a conversation about this. But I am concerned that someone may attempt to exploit it in order to denigrate trans women.

Gay black comedian Sampson McCormick puts 'Good Times' Jimmie Walker on blast for homophobia



In a recent clip from FOX Soul’s The Tammy Mac Show, wonderfully talented black gay comedian Sampson McCormick dishes about his over 20 years on the stand-up circuit. Of course he especially spills some tea about famous comedians. One who he considers a friend is Oscar-winner Monique. He credits her for hiring him when no one else would and financially helping him out.   Sampson does not hold his tongue when talking the other comedian, Jimmie Walker from 'Good Times.'  Sampson calls him "the most disgusting person who he was ever work with." Apparently it stems from an incident in which Sampson claims that Walker refused to work with him and then proceeded to slam his sexual orientation and make ugly jokes about AIDS and Ellen DeGeneres while onstage.

By the way, I mentioned before how talented Sampson is. Check out this snippet below:



Thursday, March 12, 2020

'LGBTQ people may have higher risk of coronavirus' & other Fri midday news briefs


LGBTQ people have a higher risk of coronavirus - If the anti-LGBTQ industry tries to use this against us, they can go to hell. We all need to sound the alarm on this one.

40 Major Businesses Oppose State-Based Legislation Targeting Trans Youth, LGBTQ Community - Good for them to stand by us. 

GLAAD nixes NYC media awards amid coronavirus concerns - Well sh!t! They will still be announcing the awards, however. 

Roy Moore Group Asks Supreme Court to Overturn Marriage Equality Ruling - Yeah. Whatever.

Throwback Thursday- The Ricki Lake Show circa 1994: 'I Hate That My Brother And Sister is Gay'



The Ricki Lake Show was credited as one of the talk show to bring LGBTQ issues into contemporary times in a way which featured us talking about ourselves instead of experts and the like talking about us. This episode is from 1994 and it's titled "I Hate That My Brother and Sister is Gay."

It's over 40 minutes so feel free to skim through. As you do, you will be astounded at how much ignorance and heterosexual privilege existed back then and how some of it hasn't changed. An extra highlight at 17:24 features former anti-LGBTQ talking head Andrea Sheldon debating with a now legendary figure in our community (and I'm proud to say a friend, idol, and mentor of mine) Michelangelo Signorile.  Needless to say the LGBTQ people in this episode hold their own and command respect. Signorile specifically was a firebrand who didn't take any sh!t back then.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

'Trans woman wins $50K after she was told she couldn't live 'around children'' & other Thur midday news briefs

Twitter battle explodes when black Trump supporter attempts to downplay her claim that gays are violent pedophiles

Trump supporter Angela Stanton-King  (seen here with Trump) tried to downplay a homophobic tweet accusing gay men of being violent pedophiles. Nice try, girlfriend.

Earlier this week, I wrote about Angela Stanton-King, a  black Trump supporter and the god daughter of "prominent" black Trump supporter Alveda King. I, and several others, called her out for posting this lying tweet implying that gay men are violent pedophiles:



It's not surprising that when faced with the public backlash for this, Stanton-King attempted to play the victim:

Stanton-King added that she’s “not against LGBTQ rights like same-sex marriage,” because she has a 19-year-old son who identifies as gay and a gay aunt who raised her. She believes, however, that there is a need for legislation that ensures “children are not tied to the LGBTQ community.”

That led me to go to her Twitter feed and read comments she made about the controversy. This one started a war between her and I:


Tuesday, March 10, 2020

'APA supports trans restroom access and LGBTQ gay parents' & other Wed midday news briefs

Christian writer issues blistering rebuke to evangelicals who support Trump while ignoring his 'immorality'

Evangelicals have replaced attempting to be 'Christ-like'  for the power that Donald Trump gives them. Christian writer John Fea says because of this, they have lost all moral authority.

Christian writer John Fea just posted a basic rebuke to evangelicals who have supported Trump in spite of his many faults, hypocritical attitude and general incompetence. I doubt folks like Robert Jeffress, Jerry Falwell, Jr, or Paula White will listen. But those of us who've been collecting the "receipts" on how these folks have gotten carried away with power are definitely listening. And taking more notes. 

Part of what Fea wrote reads as follow::

I recently had a long conversation with a Trump supporter and fellow evangelical. We had a lot of differences, but we also found some common ground. We agreed that evangelical leaders who support Donald Trump have failed to rebuke the president’s immorality.  . . .  
When Trump engages in these activities, many of his most ardent evangelical followers —Franklin Graham, Robert Jeffress, Paula White, Eric Metaxas, Jerry Falwell Jr., James Dobson, and Ralph Reed, to name a few — look the other way. They are unable to speak truth to power because Donald Trump and his Republican Party hold them captive. I recently challenged the bipartisan readers of my blog, The Way of Improvement Leads Home, to find five examples of a pro-Trump evangelical leader making a strong public condemnation of the president’s tweets, speeches, behavior, or policies. So far, I have not received any responses. 
 . . . The United States is not a Christian nation. Nor was it founded as such. The Founding Fathers argued over politics and policy just like we do, but they were united in the belief that republics fail without virtue. They believed people must always exercise what they called “political jealousy.” A jealous citizen kept a principled watch on government leaders to guard against vice and corruption. Political jealousy served as a unifying force, a common ideology of resistance to tyranny grounded in a shared morality. By keeping our heads in the sand as Trump proves he is incapable of living according to the most basic standards of decency, evangelicals neglect to do their part in sustaining our republic. 
We have failed to be good citizens. We have become complicit in the president’s nativism, racism, xenophobia, narcissism, and fearmongering. Sadly, Trump-supporting evangelicals have now lost much of their moral authority to speak out on matters related to government corruption, pornography, sex and violence in movies and television shows, racial reconciliation, school bullying, and the decline in civil discourse. 
 . . . The political problems in our community run deeper than just our failure to speak with a prophetic voice. Donald Trump will be gone one day. But the political playbook that evangelicals follow will not go away unless we decide to burn it and start over. There is a very good chance that this playbook will lead evangelicals into the arms of another immoral tyrant who promises conservative Supreme Court justices and offers platitudes about religious liberty. 
We need a new political playbook. We need to replace our lust for political power with heavy doses of humility. We must forge a new kind of politics defined, at its very core, by human dignity. It is imperative that we teach our children and grandchildren a way of engaging the world that offers it a glimpse of a coming kingdom defined by love, justice, mercy, and compassion. We need to offer hope, not fear.

Monday, March 09, 2020

'Trump trying to take away LGBTQ worker protections at the National Labor Relations Board' & other Tue midday news briefs


Trump is trying to rescind LGBTQ worker protections at the National Labor Relations Board - In his three years in office, Trump has declared war on the LGBTQ community and hasn't been asked about it once by the media. It's up to us to make him answer for it. It has always been up to us.

Coming out as gay doesn't absolve you of your anti-LGBTQ+ history - This means YOU, Aaron Schock.

Why Trump-Friendly Christian Leaders Are Feeling Totally Fine About the Coronavirus - Easy to guess how they will pervert it all. 

Israeli Orthodox Leader Blames Virus On Pride Parades - Well gee what took him so long?

Black Trump supporter begins Congressional run by accusing gay men of being violent pedophiles

Alveda King's (left) goddaughter Angela Stanton King (right) has copied her homophobia and embarrassing "tomming" for Donald Trump.

Civil rights icon and Congressman John Lewis has a challenger for his seat in the upcoming election. Angela Stanton-King is a Trump supporter and the god daughter of a "prominent" black Trump supporter, Alveda King. And she has something in common with both Trump and King.

Like King, she practically oozes homophobia, as evidenced by the tweet she recently sent implying that LGBTQ people are violent pedophiles:



It's bad enough that she sent this. The  fascinating part is that it's a much more graphic version of this:


Sunday, March 08, 2020

'Tips that LGBTQ people can use to deal with coronavirus outbreak' & other Mon midday news briefs

NBA star Dwyane Wade's trans daughter Zaya walks her first red carpet

 From Out magazine:

Over the last few months, we've all been re-introduced to the teenaged child of Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union-Wade. Through a series of interviews, Dwyane revealed that the 12-year-old had revealed to the family her true gender identity, and would be referred to as Zaya moving forward. And now, the incredibly insightful pre-teen is storming the red carpets.

"Everyone allow her to re-introduce herself her name is Zaya Wade!" Dwyane wrote to Instagram on Sunday. "Last night was Zaya’s first red carpet and we couldn’t have been prouder of how she handled the questions that were asked of her. She has emerged as one of the young faces and voices for the LGBTQ+ community."  
 On Saturday, Zaya, Gabrielle, and Dwyane headed to the Better Brothers of Los Angeles Truth Awards. That event, according to Dwyane, was "created to recognize and highlight the accomplishments of the Black LGBTQ+ community and its allies." The family was on hand in order to honor stylist Jason Bolden and interior designer Adair Curtis, husbands and stars of Netflix's Styling Hollywood, who were receiving the event's Business Leadership Award. 
 . . .  "It was important for Zaya to be a part of such a beautiful night and reminding her of all the love and support she has," Gabrielle wrote in an Instagram caption about the evening. "We were moved to tears so many times throughout the night. So much gratitude."

When it comes to the Dwyane Wade and his family, everyone has something to say. It is no doubt difficult for children of celebrities (i.e. singers, movie stars, sports stars) to live their lives in the public eye. I'm sure that it becomes more difficult when that child comes out as LGBTQ. But whether parents are celebrities or not, one thing is universal. Understanding and supportive families are always the first line of defense against harm to LGBTQ children.

Thursday, March 05, 2020

'Biden releases his LGBTQ policy plan' & other Fri midday news briefs

Joe Biden releases LGBTQ policy plan

Joe Biden releases his LGBTQ policy plan just in time to steal support from Bernie - Some say "steal.' I say because he is the present front runner in the race, he needs to do this. And folks need to read what it says BEFORE lodging any criticism. This is not a pro-Biden comment, just a request that people dispense with the bitchiness. This is serious and after SCOTUS rules in several LGBTQ cases, I have a feeling that things are going to get downright "real."

LGBTQ voters turned out in record numbers on Super Tuesday - And it's just the beginning. TRUST me. 

Former Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock Comes Out As Gay - Just in case folks are living in caves with their fingers in their ears. And if you've heard, you also know he is getting dragged and rightfully so. Schock wasn't necessarily an ally to his brothers and sisters. 

This brutal documentary exposes Chechnya’s queer genocide - Trigger alert - this ain't nice.

Alabama Senate passes bill making it a crime for doctors to correctly treat trans youth


The way these bills attacking trans children are circulating around the country, one would think there is a plot to make it a 2020 election issue. That remains to be seen, but Alabama just did something really harmful to our kids:

The Alabama Senate today passed a bill that would make it a crime for doctors to prescribe opposite sex hormones or drugs that block puberty from people under age 19 who identify as transgender. The bill by Sen. Shay Shelnutt, R-Trussville, was approved by a committee last week after a public hearing that included testimony from doctors and people with first-hand experiences who took positions both for and against the bill.

Shelnutt said today most children with gender dysphoria eventually adjust and that giving them medications that could have permanent effects amounts to child abuse. Shelnutt’s bill is called the Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act. The Senate passed the bill today by a vote of 22-3. It moves to the House of Representatives. “I just don’t think and others don’t think that kids should be given experimental drugs or surgeries that could have irreversible consequences for the rest of their life,” Shelnutt said. “Kids are not fully developed until later in life. I think we can all agree that kids aren’t capable of making certain decisions until certain ages. And so, we want to just stop these procedures from happening in Alabama.”

Wednesday, March 04, 2020

'LGBTQ candidates chalk up big Super Tuesday wins, religious right candidates don't' & other Thur midday news briefs

Rita Moreno singing 'Everything's Coming Up Roses' cause the devil has been busy the day after Super Tuesday

Tonight will be a night of no politics on my blog simply because I am bit of a foul mood. No details, but I will say this - certain people have been attacking other people of a certain ethnic identity because these folks rejected their candidate. Definitely the "devil has been busy" the day after Super Tuesday (lighten up. it's just an expression.)

So I am going to do the most stereotypical gay thing in the world to calm the waters - or at least my soul. And that is post a video of a gay-friendly diva singing a show tune.

But this is rather different. From the 1976 motion picture version of the 1975 Broadway play The Ritz (about a man hiding in a gay bathhouse from his Mafia brother-in-law ), here is Rita Moreno singing 'Everything's Coming Up Roses.' Moreno won a Tony for her performance, which was well-deserved because only someone with a lot of  talent can pretend to be such a bad singer.

Tuesday, March 03, 2020

'Randy Rainbow reminds us what's important about the 2020 election' & other Wed midday news briefs



Some may disagree but it's worth remembering just in case the candidate you support does not get the nomination. The election is about the overturning of Trumpism.

Putin Calls For Russian Constitution To Define Marriage As Heterosexual - and you just know jerks over here will be getting ideas.

How a data-backed Christian nationalist machine helped Trump to power - I told folks to pay attention to the religious right.

'Daily Wire' cowards call for violence against drag queens from the safety of their podcast 'studios'

The right continues to be scared of Drag Queen Story Hour

Drag Queen Story Hour is a national event, in which drag queen performers read children's books to youngsters. The point is to foster tolerance and encourage literacy. It is very popular among the children and their parents, many of whom participate in the event with their kids.

Unfortunately, Drag Queen Story Hour also attracts anti-LGBTQ and conservative figures looking to find something new to scare people about our community.

From Media Matters:

 The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh and Michael Knowles called for drastic measures to prevent drag queens from being around children, with Walsh explicitly calling for violence against them by saying “real men” should kick a drag queen “out on his ass” and call the police. Walsh also said that the adults in a room in which a drag queen danced in front of a child “should be going to prison,” and Knowles called on “the arm of the state to stop this.” 
 . . . On the March 2 edition of his podcast The Matt Walsh Show, Walsh claimed a video of a drag queen dancing in front of a child at a drag brunch illustrates “the collapse of Western society.” He called for violence against performers, saying that “real men” would be “grabbing that drag queen by the collar, if he has a collar, and dragging him out of the room, and kicking him out on his ass, out of the room, and then calling the police.” Walsh said that he believes that “all of the adults in that room, in that video, should be going to prison” and that the video should end with police officers storming the event.

. . . Also on March 2, Knowles covered the same video of the drag queen on his podcast, The Michael Knowles Show. He similarly called for state action against drag queens, saying, “We should use the arm of the state to stop this ... radical sexual grooming that’s going on for young people.” He also asked for the country to introduce laws to prevent drag queens from being around children, saying, “We have always had laws against this kind of stuff in America.”

 Again, there is nothing sexual going on when it comes to Drag Queen Story Hour.  It is a perfectly innocent event enjoyed by children and their parents.