Homophobia lurks in Doctor Demon Semen's 'America's Frontline Doctors' group

America's Frontline Doctors , the group featuring Stella 'Doctor Demon Semen' Immanuel (center in the photo) has a love of  homophobia to go along with its taste for fraudulent information.

People are still talking about the press conference Monday featuring a group of physicians and the right-wing network which helped them push a load of false information to the American public.

Because of the outrageous background of a member,  Stella "Doctor Demon Semen" Immanuel, took up a large part of the attention, certain facts about the group, which calls itself  "America's Frontline Doctors," haven't been focused on as much as they should've.

For example, the group reeks of homophobia.

Immanuel herself is a veritable sepia Anita Bryant when it comes to the LGBTQ community.


According to Media Matters:

Immanuel has a history of anti-LGBTQ remarks, including claiming that homosexuality is the “agenda of the Devil” and is “perverted, vile behavior that is being taught to our children.”

Media Matters references journalist Will Sommer of The Daily Beast for the following:

“Immanuel has also used her pulpit to preach hatred of LGBT people. Shortly before before the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage, Immanuel warned her flock that gay marriage meant that ‘very soon people are going to be seeking to marry children’ and accused gay Americans of practicing ‘homosexual terrorism.’ In the same sermon, she praised a father’s decision to not love his transgender son after a gender transition.” . . .In her 2012 book Jesus Help The Church Has Been Caged, Immanuel told readers, “We are now teaching tolerance to something as vile as homosexuality – even to our grade-school children. This demon has been released to infect our generation.”

Lastly, Media Matters also points out that Immanuel, who is also a pastor,  is the head of an organization called Fire Power Ministries. This organization is extremely homophobic even to the point of having  a "deliverance prayer against homosexuality and sexual perversion" on its web page

Immanuel apparently isn't the only one in the group to have anti-LGBTQ beliefs.

The site Gizmodo put a spotlight on Immanuel as well as the other physicians involved in America's Frontline Doctors.  The "credentials" and biases of the members are as bad as you would think.

One in particular is Robert Hamilton, a pediatrician from Santa Monica, CA. According to Gizmodo, he wrote the following letter to the Los Angeles Times in 1993:

The schizophrenia in the gay movement was clearly demonstrated by this article. Homosexuals want to come out of the closet, but yet they seem to strangely not want people to really see what they do in the closet. Homosexuals stage gay pride parades in major cities to demonstrate and celebrate their lifestyle, yet they cringe at any serious evaluation of these events. The fact remains most Americans are completely unaware of the essence of the homosexual world. When they see homosexual behavior in the raw, most are repulsed.  

ROBERT C. HAMILTON MD  

Santa Monica

That would explain why groups like the Family Research Council and the American Family Association are so eager to support Immanuel and the rest of this group. They all seem to share a love of conspiracy theories and a spooky fascination for LGBTQ sex.


Related post - The website SNOPES has a very thorough article on America's Frontline Doctors and the organizations behind it.

'LGBTQ Pride flag burning not a hate crime in SD' & other Thur midday news briefs

LGBTQ Pride flag burning not a hate crime in SD - Well that sucks. 

These Are the Trans People Lost to Violence in 2020 - We have to do better to protect our own.

Horrific Sexual Abuse of Gay and Bi Men, Trans Women Reported in Syria- The struggle is real, y'all.

Dems vow to protect trans health, push Equality Act in 2020 platform - More reasons to vote for Democratic come November.

Conservative evangelical groups line up behind Trump to defend 'Doctor Demon Semen'

Donald Trump defends this woman, so conservative evangelical groups are also defending her.

Eager to play the central role in what's becoming a political version of the German legend of Faust (a philosopher who sells his soul to the devil), conservative evangelicals groups have given a bit more of their soul to Donald Trump in return for political power.  In all honesty, these groups never had that much of a soul, if any to begin with, but I think they've given so much of what they do have to Trump that they're down to soul "stamps." This latest spiritual capitulation involve an incident on Monday. I think you know what I'm talking about, but I will give a short recap:

The far right publication Breitbart streamed a press conference involving individuals claiming to be medical professionals who proceeded to push insane conspiracies about COVID-19 cures.

According to NBC News:

A dozen doctors delivered speeches in front of the U.S. Capitol on Monday to a small crowd, claiming without evidence that the coronavirus could be cured and that widely accepted efforts to slow its spread were unnecessary and dangerous. It was the latest video to go viral from apparent experts, quietly backed by dark money political organizations, evangelizing treatments for or opinions about the coronavirus that most doctors, public health officials and epidemiologists have roundly decried as dangerous misinformation. 

 . . . Dressed in white coats with "America's Frontline Doctors" stitched on the chest, the stars of the Facebook video claimed that business and school closings, social distancing and even masks were not needed, because hydroxychloroquine, a drug commonly used to treat malaria, could both prevent and cure the coronavirus. In fact, the FDA has warned against using hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, citing serious health effects and the conclusions from randomized clinical trials that have shown little benefit from the treatment. "We don't need masks. There is a cure!" said Dr. Stella Immanuel, a licensed pediatrician from Houston.  

In one of the event's most fiery speeches, Immanuel, who claims to have effectively treated 350 COVID-19 patients with hydroxychloroquine out of her medical clinic, but declined to provide data, referred to doctors who declined to treat patients with hydroxychloroquine as "good Nazis" and "fake doctors," and called published research "fake science."

'LGBTQ people clean up at Emmy nominations except for two huge snubs' & other Wed midday news briefs

Pose’s Groundbreaking Trans Cast Members Snubbed by Emmys for Second Year - Billy Porter - last year's Emmy winner - received another nomination but other members of the cast did not. AND the series didn't get the nomination for 'Best Dramatic Series.'

LGBTQ Shows and Characters Pick Up Emmy Nominations - Other than that rather HUGE omission, the LGBTQ community didn't do bad with Emmy nominations.

Local media keep misidentifying trans murder victims, and the police are often to blame - Yes they are. 

Coronavirus kills hospital ICU chief who 'selflessly' cared for patients during pandemic - Hoax, my foot. One of our own just sacrificed his life caring for folks with COVID-19.

The Family Research Council sets aside time to scare people about gays, sex, and children

Aside from attempting to run defense for Donald Trump (via attacking Black Lives Matters and defending his pushing federal agents on cities who clearly didn't asking for them), the Family Research Council devoted a little time to what it's known for:

Scaring people about gays, children, and sex (click on picture to make it larger):

I will wager that FRC is attacking how schools are acknowledging the existence of same-sex parents and gay families raising children. It's not enough that the hate group refuses to acknowledge this fact. Via fear tactics and inferences made to dehumanize same-sex families and parents into objects of sexual behavior, the group seeks to force the rest of us to play it's ugly game of erasure.

Attacks on our lives and families, though less successful than it would have been a few years ago, are still nonetheless vile. And should always be remembered and brought up every time FRC plays the martyr while pushing its false idea of "religious liberty."

'Study says puberty blockers lower suicide risk for trans people' & other Tue midday news briefs

Puberty blockers linked to lower suicide risk for transgender people - Horror stories about puberty blockers shot all to pieces:

Transgender individuals who received puberty blockers during adolescence have a lower risk of suicidal thoughts as adults than those who wanted the medication but could not access them, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Pediatrics. “These results align with past literature, suggesting that pubertal suppression for transgender adolescents who want this treatment is associated with favorable mental health outcomes,” the study states. The finding suggests that a major — and politically controversial — aspect of transgender health care for minors could help reduce the trans community’s disproportionate risk of suicide.

Here’s why ageism takes an especially heavy toll on LGBTQ seniors - A conversation the community needs to have. 

Nigerian man opens 1st NYC shelter for asylum seekers - Way to take the lead in solving a problem!

23 Anti-LGBTQ Moments From TV Shows That I Genuinely Can't Believe Got Aired - This list is very fascinating. It reminds of when I used to spotlight anti-LGBTQ moments from past television shows and movies. It also calls out some stuff I never considered when watching some of the episodes listed.

John Lewis was one of the truest allies LGBTQ people ever had

John Lewis was not only one of the greatest Americans who ever lived, he was one of the truest allies ever LGBTQ people had. While he lies in state, I wanted to post a video of him speaking on behalf of our rights. And I didn't just find one. I found many videos encompassing many years of this man standing up for us - especially on the floors of Congress, encouraging us to speak for ourselves, and always reminding us that we are worthy of dignity.

Let's never forget him nor his words of encouragement and power.

'Family of gay officer who died of COVID-19 denied insurance benefits' & other Mon midday news briefs

Family of gay officer who died of COVID-19 denied insurance benefits - Even though the reason right now doesn't sound like homophobia, it's still some shady stuff that insurance agencies are stereotyped to do to keep from paying out claims.

Washington state may elect a progressive bisexual woman to Congress in November - That would be nice. More of us in Congress is always a good idea.

Incidents prompt outrage among rural central Pa’s LGBTQ community, advocates - We have a problem in Penn. 

Anti-LGBTQ+ Professor Found Dead at North Carolina Home - AWFUL man. I won't celebrate his death but he was an awful man.

In remembrance of the 150,000 Americans killed by Trump's incompetence

By the time you read this, 150,000 Americans will have already died from the COVID-19 pandemic. As the video above from last week shows, it didn't have to be this way.

The coronavirus pandemic should be the single most important issue of the 2020 election. Not only because there is no end in sight right now, but because it also underscores the failure of the Trump presidency. For three years, he was coasting on the successes of the Obama administration, bragging about the low unemployment rate, particularly in the black community, when it actually began under Obama. He bragged about the good economy, even though that also began under Obama. He even took credit for stuff which was passed under Obama.

And the mental drug pushers on Fox News, evangelical power hungry fools like Franklin Graham, and low-budget wannabe entrepreneurs wishing to copy his skill in making a fast buck mixed all of his lies together to create buckets of propaganda which Trump sprinkled to his supporters in rally after rally like a farmer feeds garbage to a hogs. In return, they gave him what he craved the most - undying adulation and respect which he used to feed his ego, making himself feel like a success. In reality, he was a low-budget wannabe dictator,  not even on the level of Hitler, but of Mussolini. The only thing missing which separated him from Il Duce was the macho physical posturing

Then came the coronavirus, which exposed it all. Being president is more than soaking in adulation and relying on entities with ulterior motives to place you on a pedestal. Sooner or later, you are going to have to do the work. And the work you do separates the people who were supposed to be in the Oval Office from the poseurs.

 I am probably preaching to the choir, but sometimes if you stop preaching, the choir forgets the words to the song it should be singing. And some of the words to this song was written by former First Lady Michelle Obama:

 "Being president doesn't change who you are, it reveals who you are."

We no longer have to guess who Trump is because we now have 150,000 answers. The question is do we really need to know more?

'LGBTQ groups team up to condemn mocking of trans physician' & other Fri midday news briefs

LGBTQ groups slap Bloomsburg Fair with "demand letter" over controversial Facebook post - As they should. It was an ugly attack on a trans physician who is helping with the COVID-19 response.

Pro boxer James Hawley dropped by management company after anti-LGBTQ video goes viral - You got canceled. Deal with it. 

Transgender man files discrimination suit after Maryland hospital cancels hysterectomy - Go for it! Handle yo' business! 

Donald Trump is trying to distract us from his deplorable coronavirus response - And that ain't gonna happen.

Podcaster Joe Rogan & right-wing author team up to equate trans people with a cult and 'demonic possession'

Joe Rogan should invite people with expertise on trans issues to his podcast.

In case you haven't been noticing, the anti-LGBTQ industry has new scapegoat. Spooking people about LGBTQ folks in general and rights such as marriage equality are still popular, but doesn't get as many hot and bothered reactions as spinning lies about the trans community.. And because of this, many on the right are seeking to add their voices to the cacophony of misinformation in hopes of notoriety and big bucks.

Media Matters spotlit once such example.

In an episode of his show uploaded to YouTube, podcast host Joe Rogan and his guest, Wall Street Journal writer Abigail Shrier, spent nearly two hours spreading misinformation about trans youth, including claiming that being transgender is a contagion comparable to having anorexia, “demonic possession,” and joining a cult. YouTube has policies banning content that claims groups of people are “mentally inferior, deficient, or diseased” and has taken down content similar to the interview in the past. 

Rogan is one of the most influential podcast hosts in the world. He recently signed an exclusive licensing agreement worth more than $100 million with Spotify, where his show The Joe Rogan Experience will begin streaming on September 1. In a press release, Spotify said the show “has long been the most-searched-for podcast on Spotify and is the leading show on practically every other podcasting platform.” It continued, “Bringing the JRE to Spotify will mean that the platform’s more than 286 million active users will have access to one of culture’s leading voices.”

During the July 16 interview, which has been viewed over 1.8 million times on YouTube at the time of publication, Shrier promoted her new anti-trans book Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughter and, alongside Rogan, encouraged parents to reject the identities of their trans kids. Rogan has previously used his podcast to oppose gender-affirming health care and to lead a crusade against trans mixed martial arts fighter Fallon Fox, including calling her a “fucking man.”

 Joe Rogan is a former actor whose podcast obviously exploits the talk radio technique - talk shit because you don't know shit. Just make your voice loud and ultra macho sounding and people think you're some type of expert. Abigail Shirer sounds like the latest dime-a-dozen predatory parasitic right-wing "writer" feeding off of an LGBTQ issue and counting on the extensive conservative network to buoy her on podcasts, talks shows, and other speaking engagements while buying bulk copies of her book to shoot her name up best seller lists.

'Awful joke about shooting gay men for holding hands rocks sheriff's race in Michigan' & other Thur midday news briefs

‘Where is my fricken gun?’: Homophobic texts rock Alpena County sheriff’s race - Not funny you jerk.

Transgender man named Michigan Teacher of the Year - I love it! Positive visibility for the community, particularly our transgender kids.

Police chief to retire over alleged remarks about gay deputy's COVID death - Bye!

North Dakota GOP approves anti-LGBT rhetoric in policy statements - WOW! This was crude.

Family Research Council eagerly supports Trump's 'surge' of federal agents to Chicago

By now, you have heard of Trump's latest attempt to divert attention away from how he screwed up the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and catch up to Democratic challenger Joe Biden in the polls.

Just in case you haven't -

President Trump is sending federal troops across the nation — but says it won't be another Portland-style siege. 

As federal agents arrested protesters in Portland, Oregon's streets, some for seemingly no reason, Trump warned he might send more agents to other cities if their protests against racism and police brutality continued. And on Wednesday, that threat became reality, with Trump announcing he was deploying "hundreds" of federal agents to Chicago and "other cities," including Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

"Murderers and violent criminals are breaking a wide range of federal laws," Trump said on Wednesday to justify his deployment of FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, DEA and ATF agents to Chicago. But Operation Legend won't be a "Portland-style deployment," Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday, citing what the Trump administration told her. These forces will apparently bolster current law enforcement efforts, not patrol the streets like they have been in Portland, Lightfoot said.

Justifiably, Trump's plan is being blasted because many rightfully see it for authoritarian hot mess which it is. Trump can't come up with a decent pandemic response, but we're supposed to believe that his sending federals agents to Chicago won't be a disaster?

One group supports him, though. Guess who?

In a tone of nonsensical hysteria it generally reserves for LGBTQ people, anti-LGBTQ hate group the Family Research Council organized and ran an ad in the Washington Times supporting Trump's latest nonsense.

I hope no one reading this is fooled. This has nothing to do with rioting or supposed lawlessness in American cities. It's about an incompetent bozo creating one disaster to take attention away from his first disaster. But no matter what incompetent junk Trump does, he can always count on support from the Family Research Council because the group cares more about the access he gives it than being a voice of morality.

If Trump were to urinate on himself in the middle of a press conference, the Family Research Council would credit him for watering the grass. 

'Four myths about trans athletes, debunked' & other Wed midday news briefs

Four Myths About Trans Athletes, Debunked - And it's about time, too. Please read and share this information. There is a LOT of ignorance out there when it comes to trans athletes and the trans community in general.

Dem AGs sue Trump admin. to stop reversal of transgender health protections - A coalition of 23 states. Good for them.

COVID-19 is quietly ravaging the LGBTQ community - Take it from me. This piece don't lie.

Finally! The United States condemns queer purges in Chechnya - It certainly took you long enough.

'Trumpfeld' - all interviews with Trump should include a laugh track

By all counts, Trump's interview with Fox News journalist Chris Wallace was yet another disaster for the Orange Menace. However the Lincoln Project added a little something extra which accentuates the point - a laugh track. Check out 'Trumpfeld.' It would be funnier if it wasn't reality.

'Hockey commentator claims NBC firing was anti-straight discrimination' & other Tue midday news briefs

Hockey commentator claims NBC firing was anti-straight discrimination - Oh please. He made a vulgar comment and paid for it. 

The right is dominating Facebook engagement on content about trans issues - This is not good. People seem to like arguing more than educating.

Trump’s ‘Unalienable Rights’ commission brands LGBTQ equality a ‘divisive social and political controversy’ - Slowly moving from supporting LGBTQ rights and safety on a worldwide scale. 

18 Hilarious Gay Tweets From This Week - We all need this.

Homophobic black conservative comes for John Lewis. Not today, fool!

While the late civil rights movement legend and Congressman John Lewis (first picture) is honored for his service, Jesse Lee Peterson (bottom picture) took it upon himself to attack Lewis and his legacy. Not today, fool!!

Civil Rights legend and long-term Congressman John Lewis passed away last weekend at the age of 80. Tributes from all over poured in to honor this wonderful man who spent a good portion of his life fighting for justice and equality for all people, including the LGBTQ community. And unfortunately, with the good comes the bad, courtesy of right-wing radio host and all-around bozo, Jesse Lee Peterson. Peterson, a black conservative who is the head of a phony organization, makes a name for himself by being saying things about black people which white racists love to hear.

He's a regular Candace Owens with very little charm. And Candace Owens has no charm to begin with.

From Right-Wing Watch:

“I can think of many words to call ex-Congressman John Lewis,” Peterson said. “Hero would not be one. Well, maybe he is a hero, because she [Oprah] is a daughter of Satan and he is a son of Satan, so maybe in that world, he’s a hero in that he pushed evil.” 

“Congressman John Lewis—he dead—was a race hustler, a loser,” Peterson continued. “John Lewis was not a hero. He was a zero, not a hero. … We knew he was a race hustler. He divided the races, he did not unite them, and just because he marched in a rally down in Alabama or Georgia or wherever he was, that doesn’t make him a hero. John Lewis did not do anything to earn becoming a [member of] Congress for so long. He didn’t make things better. He made them worse.” 

“John Lewis did not apologize for dividing the races, for calling America a racist society,” Peterson added. “He was a phony. He was a race hustler. I don’t know where he went when he died, but I do know according to all reports, he dead. But he was not a good man. I don’t know what he said to God before he died, but I know he did not apologize to this country for dividing and lying and doing what he did to America. He used black people for his own personal gain. John Lewis was an evil man.”

Oh really? Let's compare Lewis and Peterson.

'Sec of State Pompeo says U.S. should limit which human rights it defends' & other Mon midday news briefs

Sec of State Pompeo

Pompeo says U.S. should limit which human rights it defends - I am not liking this direction at all.

LGBTQ rights supporters remember civil rights icon John Lewis - A good man and a strong ally of LGBTQ people took his final rest last weekend. 

John Lewis Was A Vocal Champion Of LGBTQ Rights During A Time When It Had Little Public Support - More about Congressman Lewis.

New military ban on Confederate flags also bans LGBTQ Pride flags - "Well thanks for the sour persimmons, cousin." 

LGBTQ-Inclusive Movies Rise As Racial Diversity Plummets, GLAAD Report Finds - Folks like me can't have "one or the other." We have to have both - LGBTQ-inclusive movies and racial diversity.

Equality Forum announces list of honored icons for upcoming LGBT History Month

October is LGBT History Month and the Equality Forum isn't going to let a pandemic keep it from its annual event of devoting each day of the month to honor an icon of our community. The video above announces the honorees of 2020. The list contains quite a few newly crowned icons and some which will lead you to say "what took them so long to be honored."

And, on the risk of sounding egotistical, I hope that one day in the future, I am included in this list. Of course any actions I do for the cause of LGBTQ equality and safety isn't for honor or glory. However, it would be a personal victory for myself in terms of who I am, how far I have come as a gay black man, and the folks who sacrificed to get me here.

'The White House claimed that Trump is pro-LGBTQ. The 'receipts' say different' & other Fri midday news briefs

The White House claimed Trump is pro-LGBTQ. His policies show he isn’t. - Nope, nope, nope. You are NOT gaslighting LGBTQ people!

LGBTQ political representation jumped 21 percent in past year, data shows - Good. It's time more of us ran for public office. People can't victimize us by the political progress if we are inside legislatures instead of outside. 

Facebook said it will ban content promoting conversion therapy. It should start by removing these pages. - Get to work, Facebook.

Hallmark promises to make the yuletide extra gay this year - I'm already enjoying the thoughts of a possible right-wing freakout.

#NotMyChild ad says Trump willing to sacrifice America's children for his re-election

I thought the Lincoln Project ads were brutal to Trump. This one from Don Winslow Films pretty much tops them all. And it's facts. It also pertains to the LGBTQ community. We are also raising children and they, just like the rest of America's children, are being used as props for Trump's re-election desires via his demand that school reopen in spite of the country still being crippled by COVID-19.

'15 Cartoon Shows with Awesome LGBTQ+ Characters' & other Thur midday news briefs

PBS animated series 'Arthur' is one of 15 cartoons with a decent LGBTQ character

15 Cartoon Shows with Awesome LGBTQ+ Characters - Not bad. Not bad at all. It's a simple reflection of reality.

We Asked 3 Bisexual Men to Weigh In on Their Lack of Representation in Netflix Shows - We've got a long way to go, but we've already traveled many miles.

Transgender women win elections for the first time in West Virginia & Louisiana - And the transgender community continues to win in elections. 

Russia Begins Targeting LGBTQ+ People, Per Putin's Orders - What Putin is doing in Russia is what the religious right wants to do in America. Count on it.

The Top Best LGBTQ+ Teen TV Couples

This particular post is yet another seemingly frivolous and fun one, but it also carries a message of defiance.

 To the religious right and the anti-LGBTQ industry in general, the thing which sparks anger - other than us winning court cases and living our lives in the splendor of normalcy - is anything which spotlights the existence of LGBTQ youth.

Nothing bums out so-called traditional groups more than the inability to claim that we are freaks and that our existence harms children. And the visibility of  LGBTQ youth really depresses them. They don't like being reminded that  LGBTQ youth get together, form friendships, and even (gasp and shudder) date each other.

With that in mind consider the above post, The 10 Best LGBTQ+ TV Teen Couples, to be a big middle finger to those who would want our children to be gripped with so much fear that they can't go through the normal passages of adolescence, including falling in love and dating.  Granted, the lives of our LGBTQ kids aren't as dramatic as what's on the small screen, but the general point remains that hiding in fear is becoming passe. We're not completely there yet, but we are moving at a good pace. More importantly,  consider it to be a message to LGBTQ youth. There is nothing wrong with who you are and what you're feeling. There is nothing wrong with being open about enjoying the thrills and pangs of your first relationships.

 And most importantly, we've got your back.

'Did homophobic activist lose his job because of his 'tour?' & other Wed midday news briefs

Mike Heath

Christian who tried to launch a “Fa***ts Are Maggots” tour lost his job delivering FedEx packages - If this is the case, I DARE anyone to defend this one as a "victim" of cancellation.

Nonprofit hopes to build 20 'tiny homes' for Black transgender women - This is a wonderful idea.

Family Research Council homophobic pamphlet works better as lining for your birdcage - My post from last night. I really want people to read it. 

Nearly 1 in 3 LGBTQ people live in the South. Here's how LGBTQ activists of color are transforming the area.- Yes we are! 

Fauci: No clear evidence HIV heightens coronavirus risk - Thank you. We need information like this to be made public.

Family Research Council homophobic pamphlet works better as lining for your birdcage

Cathy Ruse just published a silly pamphlet.

The Family Research Council is shocked! I repeat, shocked about the following:

The LGBTQ movement demands that homosexual relationships be presented to children as good, healthy, and equal in every way to heterosexuality within man-woman marriage. Many sex-ed developers and providers are all too happy to comply. 

 Parents in Illinois were alarmed when they learned that their preschool children were being instructed: “If you have two mommies, they can be called LESBIANS. 

 In Austin, Texas, schools introduce sexual orientation and gender identity concepts to third graders and have sixth and seventh graders play a sexuality matching game with terms like “bisexual,” “gay,” “lesbian,” and “homophobia.” 

 . . .California law instructs public school teachers to emphasize homosexual relationships: “Teachers should… actively use examples of same-sex couples in class discussions.”

This hysterical junk is only a small portion of FRC's newest pamphlet -Sex Education in Public Schools: Sexualization of Children and LGBT Indoctrination and it's a doozy.

A hot mess.

What you should know about FRC's pamphlets, "research papers,"etc is that none of them contain any legitimate information. In the past, the group used to rely on junk science and legitimate science its employees rigorously cherry-picked to denigrate LGBTQ people.The group generally reduced us to being called a "dangerous lifestyle."

Things have changed tremendously. Thanks to the efforts of bloggers like yours truly and groups like SPLC who took the time to call out those lies, FRC relies less on distorted science and more on anecdotal horror stories from legitimate news sites and biased homophobic right-wing propaganda news sites all sewn together with alarming phraseology. The goal is to create the same connotation as past reliance on bad science did - that LGBTQ people are not normal and are dangerous to America, particularly children.

The passages I cited at the beginning of this post speak to that effect. Same-sex marriage is legal in America. Same-sex couples, as well as single LGBTQ people, are raising children in a large number. They have been doing this for many years and are doing it very well. The existence of LGBTQ children is a simple fact. And as these LGBTQ children are coming out earlier and earlier, more education and information is needed for the sake of their physical and mental well-being.

But to hear FRC talk, these situations are not facts, but aberrations. And the results of a so-called plot to take over America and supposedly "recruit" children.  It's less about equipping people with information and more about exploiting ignorance to create fear. That fear creates more ignorance which creates more fear and so on and so on.

'Gay couple successfully fights off muggers' & other Tue midday news briefs

Muggers thought a gay couple would be an easy target. They picked the wrong men to try to rob.- I'm posting this to show that some situations like this can have happy endings. But please be careful if you are caught up in mess like this. Don't try to be a hero.

WH press secretary dodges on trans military ban, insists Trump is pro-LGBTQ - A certain somebody was obviously high during her press conference. 

Poland exit polls mean victory for homophobic Andrzej Duda — and misery for LGBTQ people - Ya'll, the struggle is real and it is universal. 

Everyone Agrees: Velma Is Gay - Too easy. It should have been Daphne.

Family Research Council throwing hissy fit over Facebook, Instagram banning promotion of fraudulent therapy

In spite of much criticism they receive with regards to the posting of inaccurate information, Facebook and Instagram may actually be taking a step in the right direction when it comes to LGBTQ people.

From CNN on Friday:

Instagram and Facebook will ban any content that promotes conversion therapy, the social media platforms told CNN on Friday, after activists called on it to block providers from advertising their services online. 

Facebook said it would expand its existing policies on hate speech worldwide to include posts that advertise or promote the practice, in a move that applies to both platforms.
Conversion therapy, a pseudo-scientific process that professes to change a person's sexuality, is widely discredited and condemned as harmful by major medical associations. But it is legal across most of the world, including in the United States and the United Kingdom. The decisions follow appeals from users to remove an Instagram account used by Core Issues Trust, a UK-based promoter of conversion therapy.

And of course, anti-LGBTQ hate group the Family Research Council is all upset over this news,

While the rest of Big Tech openly uses its power to censor, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has stood out. Unlike his peers, he's had the refreshing sanity to reinforce free speech -- a position that hasn't exactly endeared him to the intolerant Left. Now, months into his First Amendment experiment, one of the lone holdouts on open debate is considering a policy that would silence the voices keeping some users alive. 

Everyone is entitled to information, Facebook has argued. Except, maybe, people struggling with their sexuality. According to European sources, Zuckerberg's platform, along with its subsidiary Instagram, may be trying to keep those hurting users from getting the information they're looking for. On the table, CNN says, is a proposal to block positive reviews or testimonials about sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE), including counselors who specialize in the field. One British group, Core Issues Trust, has already been affected -- at least temporarily -- and executives warn that U.S. advocates may be next. 

Other platforms have been more proactive. "A Twitter spokesman said their platform already enforces against content that promotes conversion therapy under their 'no harm' rule," which is ironic, FRC's Peter Sprigg points out, since the whole point of SOCE is to help people from being harmed by their lifestyle choices. 

Like others beholden to the far-Left, social media moguls don't want to admit that change is possible because it undermines the whole linchpin of their LGBT activist friends: that being gay or transgender isn't a choice. So, they ratchet up their misinformation machines, insisting that all counseling is torture. But, as survivors like Walt Heyer would tell you, the real torture is telling people who want help they can't have it.

First of all, Walter Heyer is a fraud.

'Black Trans Lives Matter: The LGBTQ fight comes to Hollywood' & other Mon midday news briefs

Black Trans Lives Matter: The LGBTQ fight comes to Hollywood - About time.

Virtual GLAAD Awards to Feature Dolly Parton, Lil Nas X, Dwyane Wade - Way to go GLAAD!!

Members of Congress call upon White House to implement Bostock ruling - Good luck with THAT one. Still, the law is on our side. 

Janelle Monáe Wants to Play X-Men's Storm - THAT would be wild!

Ralph Reed explains why conservative evangelicals don't care about Trump's COVID-19 incompetence

Via a tweet, conservative evangelical leader Ralph Reed tells why the religious right will continue to support Trump no matter what he does.

Let's be honest.

Conservative evangelical and the religious right leaders don't care about Trump's botched response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nor do they care about how he continues muck up efforts to contain the pandemic.  They don't care about the over three million people infected nor do they care about the over 133,000 who have died. And they certainly don't care about Trump attempting to force schools to reopen.

 Just like they haven't cared about anything else Trump has done over the past three years (lying, bullying, kissing up to Putin, etc etc) which are supposed to be against  their constantly and exhaustingly trumpeted Christian morals and values.

The reason is so simple that people tend to take it for granted. But I will let conservative evangelical leader Ralph Reed (funny how hardly anyone talks about his role in the Jack Abramoff scandal of 2006) tell you all you need to know via a recent tweet he sent.

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro reportedly said 'wearing masks is a fa**ot thing.' He tested positive for COVID within days.

Jair Bolsonaro

Far be it from me to gloat, but a certain homophobic foreign president's recent misfortunes is giving off a delightful feeling of schadenfreude  .

 From LGBTQNation:

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, nicknamed “The Trump of the Tropics,” has replicated his political idol’s response to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic with similarly disastrous results. Bolsonaro reportedly told staff and visitors to his office that “wearing masks is a f**got thing,” according to journalist Mônica Bergamo. Within days, he tested positive for COVID-19.

Other news sources have said that Bolsonaro actually said "fairies." According to The Advocate:

Bolsonaro, who has been as resistant to masks as Donald Trump is, made the comment to staffers earlier in the crisis, Folha de São Paulo columnist Monica Bergamo reports. Her story is in Portuguese, and the full version is available only to subscribers, but The Guardian reports that Bolsonaro taunted aides who were wearing masks by saying the protective gear was “‘coisa de viado’ (a homophobic slur that roughly translates as ‘for fairies’).” Some Twitter users have translated it as “for fags” or “a faggot thing.”

It really doesn't matter to me because either way, Bolsonaro slurred the LGBTQ community. And the main thing is the irony of the situation, seeing that he has a long history of making homophobic statements. According to Wikipedia (and taken from other sources), here are just a few:

In a June 2011 interview with Playboy, Bolsonaro said that "I would be incapable of loving a gay son", and added that he would prefer any gay son of his "to die in an accident".  In the same interview, Bolsonaro said that if a gay couple moved in next door to him, it would lower the market value of his house. 

In a July 2011 interview with the magazine Época, Bolsonaro said that he would "fight to prevent the distribution of the 'gay kit'" [a set of guidelines proposed by UNESCO to promote the rights of the LGBT community in primary schools] because "their intention is to promote homosexuality, which is an affront to the family structure, and if that makes me prejudiced, then I'm prejudiced and very proud of it". 

In the 2013 BBC documentary Out There, by British actor Stephen Fry, Bolsonaro said that "no father is ever proud of having a gay son," and that "we Brazilians do not like homosexuals." 

In a 2011 interview with Jornal de Notícias, Bolsonaro linked homosexuality to pedophilia, claiming that "many of the children who are adopted by gay couples will be abused by these couples". He further argued that Brazil does not need legislation specifically targeting homophobia, because "most homosexuals are murdered by their respective pimps at hours when good citizens are already asleep". 

In a May 2002 interview with the Folha de S.Paulo, Bolsonaro told the newspaper, "If I see two men kissing in the street, I will beat them." He then publicly defended beating gay children by saying: "If your child starts to become like that, a little gay, you take a whip and you change their behavior."

He's a real charmer, isn't he? And wouldn't you know it, he's knee deep in a corruption scandal. I guess Bolsonaro is more like Trump than he would care to admit.

'GOP congressional candidate bragged about pulling her daughter out of college for supporting LGBTQ rights' & other Thur midday news briefs

Michelle Steel

Republican candidate brags about pulling her daughter out of college for supporting LGBTQ rights - Well she sounds "charming."

Bi Actress Javicia Leslie Cast as the First Black Batwoman - This sounds very interesting. Suddenly I'm interested in the television show.

Faltering AIDS battle risks 10-year setback from COVID-19, U.N. warns - Siiigh! 

The Latest Supreme Court Ruling In Favor Of Religious Employers Has LGBTQ Advocates Worried - I personally don't know, but we will see.

Documentary underscores the innocent simplicity of why children enjoy 'Drag Queen Story Hour'

When this pandemic will be over, we will return to our usual battles, especially the one involving Drag Queen Story Hour. With that in mind, this short documentary above (no doubt filmed before this COVID-19 mess) is easily the best thing I've seen with regards to Drag Queen Story Hour.

From Film Threat:

The short film, Tall Tales with True Queens, begs to be a feature-length film. The subject matter has all of the ear markings of a compelling and politically-charged documentary. On one side are the progressives with an eye toward educating kids about diversity. On the other, are right-wing conservatives who vehemently oppose any rupture of the status quo, gender fluidity, and constitutional rights. All peppered with the oversized fabulousness of drag queens! This quick ten-minute film left me wanting more.

While it is politically charged, at the heart of Tall Tales with True Queens are the children who get to talk about Drag Queen Story Hour. To me, that makes all the difference.

'Trump agencies move to limit LGBTQ rights as courts expand them' & other Wed midday news briefs

Trump Agencies Move to Limit LGBT Rights as Courts Expand Them - We are coming for what is ours. We won them fair and square. 

Anti-LGBTQ+ Alabama Mayor Resigns After Denouncing Black Lives Matter - Adios, jerk!

Germany to Compensate Gay Troops for Decades of Discrimination - Good for Germany!

Experimental Drug Treatment May Have Rid Man Of HIV, Doctors Say - Too early to speculate but things don't look bad.

FRC's Tony Perkins gives distorted praise for Trump's Fourth of July speech

In many people's eyes, Trump's Fourth of July speech in front of Mount Rushmore was a colossal flop. Instead of bringing Americans together by reminding us of our collective stake in this country, Trump chose to play culture war "whack-a-mole." However, don't tell that to religious right hate group the Family Research Council nor its president, Tony Perkins. To hear them talk, Trump's speech was a wonderful revelation (which of course would reduce the requirements for wonderful revelations):

Given by any other man, it would have been considered one of the greatest speeches of our time. A triumph of American exceptionalism. But it was not any other man standing under the granite faces of Mount Rushmore on the night before July 4th. It was Donald Trump. . . . 

What happened Friday night, under the red, white, and blue bunting of a Fourth of July weekend, was defining -- not just for this president, but for a hurting country. The scars of 2020 already run deep, with the last several weeks splitting wider old wounds. For most of us, it's a time of uncertainty we've never experienced, a fear for our nation that's never felt more real. It was with that backdrop that President Trump flew to South Dakota and spoke from the heart.

He reminded us about the miraculous story of America, about the men and women of every race who bled and fought to make us the brightest light the world had ever seen. "No nation," he said, "has done more to advance the human condition than the United States of America, and no people have done more to promote human progress than the citizens of our great nation." 

 . . . Passionate at times, eloquent at others, it was the speech of a man who realized it wasn't just his presidency at stake -- but his country. And yet, the same hypocritical voices who demand the very leadership President Trump displayed eviscerated him for it afterward. "Dark," "divisive," "traitorous," and "combative," the media's reaction was full of this ridiculous insistence that patriotism isn't just partisan -- it's racist. 

Trump did no such thing.

It's obvious that whoever wrote this hot mess for Perkins must have taken some wonderful narcotics while watching Trump's speech. And then doubled down on the same narcotics while writing the summary of Trump's speech

'Discrimination hinders LGBTQ people's ability to save for retirement' & other Tue midday news briefs

Retirement expert: LGBTQ Americans' ‘savings are simply smaller’ due to discrimination - Yep. So true. 

Antigay Virginia Photographer Sues for Right to Discriminate - Another one of those pre-emptive attacks against our equality. He just put up the website and no one has sued him for anything. And he filed suit the day after the law came into effect. How convenient.

Out softball star Aleshia Ocasio speaks on challenges of being Black and LGBT in softball - Good article.

17 Of The Funniest Gay Tweets From This Week - Lawd, we need more of this on a weekly basis.

Lincoln Project - Donald Trump is the most deadly, job-killing president in American history

Some people have finally noticed that from time to time, I've posted videos from the Republican anti-Trump group the Lincoln Project. My intent is twofold. Number one - these are some awesome ads and they underscore why we need to kick Trump to the curb in November. And most importantly, they get right to the point. I sometimes think that a problem with some of the LGBTQ leadership is that they are afraid to jump out on instinct. We get bogged down with angst, overanalyzation, and concern trolling. There are times to assess a situation via focus groups and the link. But then there are times to go straight for the jugular.  And when it comes to the anti-LGBTQ industry, we sometimes worry too much about how to craft our message rather than sending the message.

The Lincoln Project obviously doesn't. Let's take the hint.

'Putin mocks US Embassy for flying rainbow flag' & other Mon midday news briefs

Putin

Putin mocks U.S. Embassy for flying rainbow flag - Really? It's a shame we don't have a president who stands up to Putin. 

Republican Who Came Out as Gay in Utah Ousted in Primary - Somebody learned a nasty but needed lesson.

Three Trans Americans Killed in Past Week, One in Hospital Post-Attack - I don't like posting stuff like this but we have to stop putting our heads in the sand. 

These Are All the Celebs Who Came Out During Pride Month 2020 - Good for them!

Comedian Sampson's hilarious stand-ups about being black and gay in the barbershop and in church

Worst Fourth of July holiday weekend EVER.

But to get over it and fortify myself - and hopefully a lot of y'all - for this upcoming week, I'm posting two clips of one my favorite comedians, Sampson. In these clips, he talks about how gay black men have to deal with two issues not talked about that much in the mainstream LGBTQ community - how the forced hypermasculinity of black men in general damages our psyches (NSFW) and the hypocrisies of the black church when it comes to black gay men.

It sounds boringly intellectual when I say it, but Sampson nails both issues with doses of hilarity which makes him an underrated talent.

'Coronavirus spread in mega church choir before VP Pence visit' & other Thur midday news briefs

The Coronavirus Spread In A Dallas Megachurch’s Choir And Orchestra. Then It Hosted Mike Pence. - Ooops. Keep your eye on this one. 

Harris, Murray urge DOJ to drop anti-trans memo after Supreme Court ruling - No chance, as the next article demonstrates.

Trump administration wants to end another Obama-era protection for transgender people - This right here is some evil shit. Now they are going after homeless trans people.

Detroit man sentenced to life in prison for killing two gay men and a transgender woman- With NO chance of parole. I don't feel the least bit sorry for this fool. Justice is served. He's only 19 so he is going to have a long time to regret what he did.

Starting today, Illinois law requires LGBTQ history curriculum to be taught in schools - Wonderful. Now let's work on being able to get back to school, first.

Family Research Council intern thinks LGBTQ people need her fake love

One thing I despise about the anti-LGBTQ industry and the religious right is the slick way they hide their lies and dishonesty behind morality. An example of what I'm talking about was a July 1 piece published by Family Research Council intern Laura Lee Caum.

In her piece, How Do We Authentically Love Our LGBT-Identifying Neighbors?, Ms. Caum took at same patronizing "love the sinner but hate the sin" tone which LGBTQ people have become used to from those on her side of the spectrum. It reads in part:

The most compelling example of combining love and justice is found in John 8. For those unfamiliar with this story, this passage tells the story of a woman caught in the act of adultery. The religious leaders of the day bring her before Jesus and proudly proclaim, “Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.” Those who preach a fire and brimstone message would applaud this dedication to the law. The religious leaders then ask Jesus his opinion on what should be done with the woman. Obeying the Proverb to be slow to answer, Jesus eventually replies, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” If the story ended here, spiritual leaders who preach a “love everyone” message would be ecstatic.  

But the story doesn’t end here. As the religious leaders slowly walk away, Jesus asks her if there is anyone left to condemn her. No one is left. In a brilliant moment of combining the truth of God and the grace he offers, Jesus says, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” That is the approach spiritual leaders should take. God is both just and merciful, and both must be preached. A sermon that follows this guideline condemns homosexuality for what it is, which is a distortion of the good gift of sexuality. This same sermon, however, should encourage a peaceful and loving attitude towards those in the LGBT movement.  

 To Christians who are tempted to sacrifice morality on the altar of supporting the LGBT movement, take a moment and reevaluate what love actually is. Though our culture has tried to combine the two, love and lust are radically different. One is selfless and live-giving while the other is selfish and destructive. Truly loving someone means instructing them in the way of truth. Jesus prevented the woman in John 8 from being stoned, but also instructed her to leave her life of sin. That is love. Love is not changing your social media profile picture to a rainbow flag, or marching during “Pride Month.” Examine the love that Jesus expressed, and do the same.  

 Pride Month forces Christians to examine themselves. Are we actually preaching the gospel, which combines truth and love? Ask yourself: Am I reaching out to those who struggle with homosexuality and loving them as Jesus does? How will I advocate for legislation that defends natural marriage and the family? We must answer these questions. We must act. Love requires that of us. Christians have no excuse to passively sit back and say, “Who am I to judge?”

Oh that's just sunshine and peaches. I've got a few ideas of my own that I would like to suggest. They are simple, but I think more to the point.

 How about not labeling us as pawns of the devil like Family Research Council president Tony Perkins did here:



Or not expressing a desire to kick us out of the United States, like FRC spokesman Peter Sprigg did here



Or not implying that we want to treat Christians like the Nazis treated Jewish people during the Holocaust, like Perkins did here.

Or not comparing us to drug addicts,

Or not pushing up a false link between homosexuality again, again and again.

And how about not constantly distorting research, cherry-picking science and even outright lying to denigrate LGBTQ people as unhealthy and dangerous.

Basically stop trying to make our lives hell. The vast majority of us aren't struggling with our sexual orientation or gender identity. But we do struggle with the effects of the lies told on us by those will then claim that they are speaking in love.

We neither want nor need that type of love. 

And one more thing, particularly to Ms Caum. Instead of focusing so much on what the Bible supposedly says about homosexuality, focus on what it says about lying and bearing false witness.

Then get back to us.