Homophobic bigotry has no expiration date . . . but neither does truth

The biggest mistake people make when they see wanton bigotry is to say "I can't believe someone believes that in this day and age."  Bigotry never has an expiration date as seen by the tweet below:

Blue’s Clues segment of a drag queen hosting a pride parade for gay, trans, and non-binary animals.

Once you realize the Pride Movement is predicated on grooming your kids, you’ll recognize pretty much all children’s content and children’s entertainers are all perverted pedos. pic.twitter.com/HD9VbEkNT8

— 🌴 Josh Lekach 🌴 (@JoshLekach) May 29, 2021

And just in case this chyle decides to block me or show a smidgen of good taste by deleting the tweet, here a picture of it:

 Even decades after arch bigot Anita Bryant claimed that gays go after the young to supposedly "refreshen our ranks,"  some people still think that the LGBTQ community is conducting a thoroughly well-organized plot which involves "recruiting" and "grooming" children (as if we are actually that coordinated and disciplined .. . that was sarcasm.)

It's rather sad if you ask me. All this poor fool has accomplished with his tweet - aside from applause from the choir of usual homophobes - is full scale mockery. Bigotry has no expiration date, but neither does truth. And truth always wins out, even if it takes it time getting to where it needs to be. The trick is to take that truth and ride it roughshod over the lies. Without apology or pity.

Editor's note - check out the wonderful Blues Clues video which sparked the nonsensical tweet

40 brands that are giving back for Pride Month 2021' & other Fri midday news briefs

40 brands that are giving back for Pride Month 2021 - Something positive about brands and companies all in for Pride for a change.

Texas Lt Gov calls for special legislative session to ban trans teens from playing school sports - Dan Patrick has always been an evil bastard to the LGBTQ community. 

A Passionate Plea for — and Against — Police at Pride - In South Carolina, police departments with good relationships with our community participate in Pride. It all depends on the relationship is in each area. But I am totally agaist unilaterally keeping the police from participating in Pride in general. And I don't care if they do or don't wear their uniforms. 

Texas firm petitions court for “religious exemption” to fire LGBTQ people - Apparently some folks in Texas is attempting to win the homophobe of the year award.

'Keeps me up at night': Doctors who care for transgender minors brace for bans - Mean-spirited junk but we are going to win this one. 

60 Minutes segment on trans health care becomes ammo for right-wing media attacks - 60 Minutes made a big mistake here.

Video: Top 10 Things Pose Got Factually Right and Wrong

 

 Pose, the very popular television show, looks at the New York African-American and Latino LGBTQ ball community during the 1980s and 90s. For those interested the television show's background, here is a video which looks at 10 things Pose has gotten factually wrong and right about this time in LGBTQ history.

'Neo-Nazi arrested after reign of terror against gay couple, trans support center' & other Thur midday news briefs

Neo-Nazi arrested after terrorizing gay couple & vandalizing trans support center for months - A menace is off the streets, but for how long?

Hunter Schafer’s pastor dad says Jesus inspires his fight for trans rights in powerful essay - A needed story we don't often hear. 

Nashville prosecutor says he won’t enforce anti-trans law requiring bathroom signs - Oh? 

The Full Scale of Anti-Trans, Anti-LGBTQ Bills in State Houses Will Shock You - Brutal fight thus far and it will get uglier. Bring it on.

Latest attack on positive LGBTQ visibility makes the religious right look pitiful and desperate

In case you haven't heard (but I'm pretty sure you have,) Kellogg's announced that in celebration of the upcoming Pride month, it will be coming out with a special type of cereal:

“Together with Pride” is coming to stores in May and will have rainbow-colored cereal hearts in the colors of the rainbow flag. And they’ll be covered in edible glitter. Related: Converse drops Pride sneaker line for 2019 & this time it includes trans flag shoes The mascots of various Kellogg’s cereal brands – like Tony the Tiger and Toucan Sam – appear on the box because they’re “Together with Pride.”

Also in celebration of the month, LEGO will be coming out with an Pride-theme set:

The set, which hits the Lego online store June 1, includes 11 monochrome figures, each with its own hairstyle and rainbow color, according to a Wednesday statement. The colors in the set are inspired by the rainbow flag, according to the statement. The set also includes black and brown colors "to represent the broad diversity of everyone within the LGBTQIA+ community," as well as pale blue, white and pink representing the transgender community, and a purple drag queen figure, according to a description of the set from designer Matthew Ashton.

With those announcements comes the religious right freak out from various groups and personalities such as:

'Marjorie Taylor Greene tries to hide her anti-Semitism behind a dose of transphobia' and other Wed midday news briefs

 

Hurry up and self-destruct, Marjorie Taylor Greene. And I got a list of Republicans you can take with you when you do.

Marjorie Taylor Greene defends anti-semitic comments by lashing out at “gender destruction” - What an absolutely trashy person. Giving certain people oxygen is a good thing to a degree. It shows how quickly their ignorance withers and dies in the light and clean air. 

Equality Act, contorted as a danger by anti-LGBTQ forces, is all but dead - The sad possibility is there.

What Pride celebrations are, what they should always be about, and what they should never allow themselves to become - My post from last night. Putting it in the news briefs because I feel strongly about it. 

Classmates rally behind trans student as school plans to deadname him at graduation - Good for him and his classmates. 

What Pride celebrations are, what they should always be about, and what they should never allow themselves to become

Attendees of the 2014 SC Pride celebration enjoy the festivities.

In the LGBTQ community, there has been a huge discussion/debate about our Pride celebrations. Some folks think they have become stale and should be more controversial and in-your-face, so to speak. They feel that things are too corporate and too "family-friendly."

To me, Pride has nothing to do with being controversial simply for the sake of controversy. We don't need to worry about that because in spite of all we have achieved, the idea of same-gender loving people, transgender people, and folks who generally don't fit the paradigm of traditional roles in gender and sexual orientation ( non-binary folks, asexual folks, and pansexual folks) being open and unashamed about who they are is still a controversial concept to many.

In terms of corporate sponsorship of Pride, I see both the good and bad in the idea. But the one issue I simply cannot see both sides of is the complaint that maybe Pride is too "family-friendly." What's wrong with being family-friendly?  I understand that some people have a concept of being LGBTQ which puts them as some sort of a rebel against what they call a "heteronormative idea" of society. They frown on the idea of LGBTQ people having what they assume are traditional roles - i.e. a married life with a stereotypical white-picket fence and children with the only thing being different from the man/wife dynamic is that ours doesn't involve a man and a woman. And then don't even get me started with the "gay means sexual rebellion" folks. I will leave that alone for now and tell you what I know. 

Prides are different all over the country. Our individual Prides should reflect our individual communities, not one idea of a homogenized LGBTQ community and certainly not some false "in-your-face just to be in-your-face" idea. 

Down here in South Carolina, our Pride is family-friendly because we have a good number of LGBTQ people - couples and single parents -raising children. We are less in-your-face controversial and more of fellowshipping, educating, and meeting new friends. We love our swag which does from corporate booths and the petting zoos, bookmobiles, bouncy castles, and free prizes which come with our family-friendly, child-friendly ambience.

'Companies need to swap tokenism for authenticity if they want to celebrate Pride' & other Tue midday news briefs

 

Companies need to swap tokenism for authenticity if they want to celebrate Pride with us - Preach!! 

60 Minutes Story Focuses on Transition Regret, Gets Slammed - 60 Minutes should have done better and devoted more time to make the story right. 

Tennessee moves to the forefront with anti-transgender laws - State officials are simply thinking out of the air of new negative bills to make into laws. 

 Steven Crowder co-host says CNN's Don Lemon dresses like a “pedophile” - Accusing an openly gay man of "dressing like a pedophile." No dog whistle there. Particularly an absolutely stupid one.

Religious right meltdown/conspiracy theories about LGBTQ-themed LEGOs make for enjoyable reading

The anti-LGBTQ industry is having a hissyfit . . . over LEGOs?

Earlier, I was cynical about the upcoming LGBTQ-themed LEGO blocks, but I am now on the bandwagon for them because of how hysterical they are making members of the anti-LGBTQ industry. The American Family Association's false news source, One News Now, featured an article about them and I found it extremely amusing.

Here is a snippet:

With the pro-LGBTQ toy being recommended for ages 18+, many critics are concerned about the actual contents inside the new product’s box and its appropriateness for youth, but the designer of the Lego set, Matthew Ashton, insists it is for all. "[I] wanted to create a simple little set with a powerful message of love, inclusivity and acceptance… so here it is! #lego love to you all!" tweeted Ashton, who is also a Lego vice president of design. He made special mention one particular Lego figure. “[I designed the purple figure to be] a clear nod to all the fabulous drag queens out there," he said, according to WND. 

 As seen by the above excerpt, the article itself is rather tame. The fun stuff comes in when One News Now features a sidebar of two "concerned activists" simply having fits about these LEGOs: 

 "Like no other time in American history, parents have to be alert to what is going on around their children. This culture is at war with God, and the spiritual and moral rebellion has even infected toys. Christian parents had better prepare themselves to properly disciple their kids if they have not already done so, because thousands of precious souls are at stake."  - Ed Vitagliano, executive vice president American Family Association 

 "It's apparent that even toy manufacturers are attempting to indoctrinate children by exposing them to the LGBTQ lifestyle. Why can't LEGO let kids be kids instead of glamorizing a sinful lifestyle? "LEGO is confusing our innocent children by attempting to normalize this lifestyle choice, which is not only irresponsible but also dangerous to the well-being of our children. Toy manufacturers need to remain neutral and should avoid aiming to please a small percentage of customers while pushing away conservative customers." - Monica Cole, director OneMillionMoms.com

Oh the drama! When do they target Bugs Bunny for all of the times he appeared in drag?

'Two school employees busted for unfairly punishing lesbian student (and lying about it)' & other Mon midday news briefs

Two employees punished for banning student from the school bus for saying “I’m a lesbian” - BUSTED! And how you lied is on tape. 

Ted Cruz Uses Antigay Slur While Slamming LGBTQ-Inclusive Army Ad - Ted Cruz is also the same fool who let Trump disrespect his wife without doing anything about it. We KNOW that rascal. 

Pride 2021: Big cities ‘playing the safe card’ with small gatherings, virtual events - Pride is coming back. 

Federal agencies take aim at Trump's LGBTQ policies - Get rid of every anti-LGBTQ policy. Sweep them all out. 

Fox host invokes Rev. Martin Luther King during belligerent denunciation of LEGO and their new set celebrating diversity - It's just a set of LEGOs, you moron.

'Pride Month Song' sketch by SNL is wicked and hilarious, but never insulting to LGBTQ people

 Here is a frivolous Sunday post to ease us into the week before Memorial Day weekend. It could be a good week for LGBTQ people or not. Regardless, I hope this post puts a smile on your face and laughter in your heart as we do what we always need to do to take care of business. 

On Saturday night, SNL ran what I think was a groundbreaking sketch about the return of gay pride celebrations after last year's halt because of COVID. I found the sketch to be funny, so much so that I was still laughing minutes after it was over. Historically, it was also wonderful on two points. 

A sketch poking fun at an LGBTQ subject featuring three out cast members (Kate McKinnon, Punkie Johnson, and Bowen Yang) and the musical guest performer of the week who is also out (Lil Nas X) is something I never thought I would ever see. It's certainly a long way from Eddie Murphy's portrayal of  Richard Simmons in the 80s. Delightful, too. Most importantly, the sketch was funny without  portraying LGBTQ people as jokes. It's a big reason why diversity is so important. No offense, but I doubt this sketch could have been as astute if it were written solely by heterosexuals.

'A look at Tenn's anti-LGBTQ legislation provides a window into a world of bigotry' & other Fri midday news briefs

Tennessee’s anti-LGBTQ bills supported by national conservative groups - We need MORE articles like this. If any other group of Americans were this openly targeted, it wouldn't be tolerated. There would be articles and news videos about it all over the place. 

Tennessee Governor Approves Transgender Youth Treatment Ban - Speaking of which. 

SC State Senator takes aim at Columbia's conversion therapy ban, LGBTQ community reacts - Even though certain members of our community will not acknowledge down in the deep South, South Carolina's LGBTQ community do not take any slack. Nor are we the ones to come for.

Drag queen teaches kids how to ‘feel fabulous inside our own bodies’ on national TV - Anyone thinking that anything is wrong with this can go sit on a nail. 

SGT. BILL HUMMEL: LGBTQ officers need to be part of PrideFest and Black Lives Matter - Amen. Not every LGBTQ community in the country has a bad relationship with their police departments. Some of us have good relationships. We all need to handle our business in our own ways, but no one has the right to generalize and define issues for the entire LGBTQ community. And that goes for members of the LGBTQ community.

Video: GOP demanding that we believe them instead of our own eyes about the January 6th Insurrection

 

Not necessarily an LGBTQ issue per se . . . or maybe it is. Isn't it ironic that the party which works to undermine LGBTQ rights and safety supposedly in the name of values and God is the same party attempting to gaslight people that the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol didn't happen?

Related post - GOP Lies Fueled The Capitol Riot. Of Course They Don’t Want A Panel To Expose That. 

'Removal of LGBTQ pride flags from classrooms causes huge controversy' & other Thur midday news briefs

 

LGBT pride flags removed from three PHHS classrooms - People are losing their minds.

Creating Gender-Affirming Spaces Literally Saves LGBTQ Kids’ Lives - This is why it's important for those flags to not be removed. 

Amid slew of anti-trans legislation, 42 percent of LGBTQ+ youth considered suicide in the last year: survey - The result of all of those lies by the religious right, Abigail Shrier, and the rest. 

Federal lawsuit filed over Washington State conversion therapy ban - One guess who is pushing up this nonsensical lawsuit. Bring it on.

Evangelical Tony Perkins whines about 'biblical worldviews' while hoping we forget how he spent four years kissing up to an orange devil

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council (left) whines 'biblical worldviews' while hoping American forgets how he and his group spent four year kissing up to an orange devil.

Say what you will about the Family Research Council (I have and I will continue to do so), you have to be amazed as to how obliviously brazen they and their president, Tony Perkins are. I received a fundraising email from the group today. I will spare you the entire spiel and go straight to the most amusing part:

A recent post-election survey by renown Christian pollster, Dr. George Barna, revealed troubling numbers. His polling found that the majority of those who voted for President Joe Biden were less likely to have a biblical worldview. And 75 percent of the president's base thinks there is no absolute moral truth. Barna responded to the findings, saying, "The more the United States puts distance between itself and its moral and spiritual moorings, the less likely we are to have an effective, vibrant government and a healthy and vibrant way of life."

 . . . Just when Christian parents think their children might be safe from aggressive ideological indoctrination, they find it creeping into purportedly Bible-believing colleges. So how do we advance a biblical vision for human flourishing in a culture that appears to be on a downward spiral from its Christian heritage? We start with the Word of God! We can't stand for biblical truth if we don't know what it is. It's critical to understand what the Bible says and how to stand upon it.

Well this is lovely of FRC. A return to its usual scare tactics and lies about how America is becoming a dangerous place for Christians where "the left" are constantly indoctrinating children and plotting to replace God . . . or something like that. I'm not even going to ask what is the definition of a "biblical worldview" because it don't matter. Soon, supporters of FRC and right-wing evangelicals will be repeating the phrase until it's drilled into our heads.

What interests me is where were all these mentions of God and ecclesiastical references for four years when FRC had probably the most power it has ever had under former president Donald Trump. Or have I answer my own question?

You do remember Donald Trump, don't you? He is the lying, sniveling, worthless shithead who wreaked havoc on America for four years, not to mention caused the deaths of over 500,000 Americans via his incompetence in preparing to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

He's also the same guy which FRC gave a "mulligan" - free pass - for past his bad behavior because, according to Perkins, evangelicals supposedly got kicked around by the Obama Administration and wanted a fighter who would "punch the bully." And apparently that "mulligan" carried over to Trump's present and future bad behavior while he sat in the Oval Office.

Now I'm confused. I thought Perkins and company were Christians, which would mean they already had their side covered by God and Jesus. Why would they have to rely on a lying, sniveling, worthless shithead if they had God on their side?

Forget it, Perkins. All of this concern about "biblical values" mean nothing to those of us who saw you liplocking with an orange devil for four years. We can still smell the sulfur on your breath.

'TikTok's recommendation algorithms promoting homophobia and transphobic violence' & other Wed midday news briefs

 

TikTok’s recommendation algorithm is promoting homophobia and anti-trans violence - And just like that, we've got a new problem.

U.S. Expands Birthright Citizenship Of Babies Born Abroad To Same-Sex Couples - More proof of how voting matters.

Alabama bill to force teachers to out trans youth & ban health care access fails - Just in case you didn't hear. 

Salt Lake City rally aims to bolster LGBTQ support in schools - Nice!

11 Gay Actors in the Old Hollywood (if you didn't know who they were, now you do)

 

 

 From the video's description box: 

 Male movie stars who were hunks in Old Hollywood represented machismo and the classic expectation that they could always save the damsel in distress before a movie ends. Well, they are able to do this in movies because the script calls for it, but underneath all these bulging muscles and clean cut good looks, is a sexual orientation dilemma that have spooked a lot of these male celebrities. It's either they accepted who they were or suffered by repressing their identities until the end. Get to know who some of them are. 

Nothing here in this video shocks me because I've read about these actors countless times. Consider it as a historical lesson in what some gay men had to do to succeed in Hollywood back in the day. Then compare it to the ways we act and the corners we sometimes cut to succeed in general even now.

'SC state senator wants to stop city of Columbia from banning 'ex-gay therapy'' & other Tue midday news briefs

State senator asks AG Alan Wilson to intervene, block Columbia conversion therapy ban - Uh uh! No way. You will have a good fight on your hands.

Caitlyn Jenner gleefully shares ugly transphobic insult about a trans Biden appointee - This woman no longer makes me angry. She intensely saddens me. 

New Lavender Book app will map safe spaces for Black queer people - This is a really good idea.

Changing the Game Tells Heartfelt Stories of Trans Teen Athletes - There needs to be more projects like this.

You cannot fool us, Franklin Graham. We saw you sell out your 'faith' to Donald Trump

Spare us any of your criticism of Donald Trump, Franklin Graham. They are too little and much too late.

Now that Donald Trump is no longer president (Thank God!) certain people are trying to recast their fawning praise of him when he was polluting the Oval Office.  Certain people like Franklin Graham. 

According to the Huffington Post: 

Evangelical leader Franklin Graham, who has been one of Donald Trump’s biggest supporters among the religious right, hit the former president with a reality check over his 2024 election chances. “I think for him, everything will depend on his health at that time. If he still has energy and strength like he does. I don’t,” 

Graham told Axios, adding: “You know the guy does not eat well, you know, and it’s amazing the energy that he has.” Graham added that Trump seems to have lost 15 pounds. “So he might be in good health and in good shape,” he said. “I don’t know.” 

 And Graham apparently said more than that. Now he is being critical of Trump's demagogue-like behavior of smearing the press. In the same interview with Axios, according to The Wrap:

Rev. Franklin Graham admitted in a new interview that his pal, former President Donald Trump, shouldn’t have gone after the press the way he did. 

 “I would never have said that. I think it’s hurt him. I think it built a wall. I think it created animosity when it shouldn’t have. Just because somebody disagrees with you doesn’t mean they’re your enemy,” Graham said in a sit-down with Axios. 

 Mike Allen pressed the reverend, who has been a longtime supporter of Trump’s, on whether the one-term president’s attacks on the press were a mistake. “No question about it,” said Graham, the son of Christianity Today founder Billy Graham.

Oh Franklin, you two-faced, hypocritical bastard. 

I wish the interviewer would have pressed Graham on why he didn't take a public stand against Trump even though we probably already know the answer.  It's the same reason why Graham either defended Trump or remained silent during his Covid pandemic botching, his numerous lies, the teargassing of the protestors during his Bible-holding photo op, the storming of the Capital on Jan 6, his constant lies of a rigged election, etc, etc etc.

'College investigating after students try to break into LGBTQ home which used to be a frat house' & other Mon midday news briefs

 

A College Is Investigating After Students Allegedly Tried To Break Into An LGBTQ Home That Used To Be A Frat House - Oh my goodness! 

America Needs a Sane and Functioning Republican Party - I'll agree with this.

Biden names civil rights veteran to U.S. Education Dept. - We need more picks like this. 

NYC Pride parade bans police; Gay officers ‘disheartened’ - I have been arguing with folks all weekend about this. This is NOT a good idea. But it is this organization's right. However, I am totally against any denigrating generalization of any law enforcement officer in general. You can kiss my ass with that ACAB crap. 

Many countries still reject, torture and kill LGBT people - Depressing but true. The struggle is real and it is worldwide.

Student tries to play the 'religious persecution' card after getting kicked out of sorority for making fun of HHS trans official

A Louisiana student was kicked of out her sorority for making fun of Dr. Rachel Levine and is now attempting to play the 'religious persecution' card. Not today, girlfriend.

A Louisiana student recently got kicked out of her sorority for publicly making of  Dr. Rachel Levine, a transgender physician who Biden picked as assistant secretary for Health and Human Services. What the student is now doing to protest her dismissal should be considered infuriating.

From Pink News:

Emily Hines was dismissed from the Delta Tau chapter of Alpha Phi for a post which saw her dancing in front of a picture of Dr Levine. In the video, which has since been deleted, Hines pointed at Dr Levine’s face as she lip-synched the Bee Gees lyrics: “More than a woman, more than a woman to me."

There shouldn't be any argument that what Hines did was ignorant and she deserved the repercussions which stemmed from her actions. However, she is making a claim that she is being discriminated against because of her religious beliefs:

Hines was summoned judiciary board hearing where she was told her video was widely viewed as offensive. “They asked if I was remorseful at all, and I said I regret wearing the [Alpha Phi] sweatshirt but was not going to apologise for my beliefs,” she told Breitbart. 

 Shortly after, Hines received an email notifying her that she’d been terminated from the sorority. She was outraged by the decision which she blamed on “hypocrisy and one-sidedness”. “The way this situation unfolded has been absolutely ridiculous. My religious beliefs have been pushed under the rug because the social construct of gender has become such a big issue,” Hines told Young America’s Foundation.

As you can see via the links from Pink News, Hines talked to two conservative publications (Breitbart and Young America's Foundation) which both underplayed what she had done by implying that her actions were mere criticism.

Hines herself continued to figuratively clutch the cross:

“My faith teaches me that God made male and female in his image, and that one cannot become the other."

Her personal beliefs are besides the point. It is the manner which she expressed them which made her situation a problem. Her sorority deemed her "joke" - not beliefs - were demeaning and against its written rules.  To make it worse, she dragged her sorority into the mess by wearing her letters while doing her tacky act.

To me, it's rather disingenuous for her to even imply that there should be some religious defense for what she did. That's like a racist claiming that saying the 'n-word" should be considered religious.  Hines needs to take responsibility for her actions and not use her religion as an excuse for them. It definitely makes one see how little she regards her faith if she sees it as a excuse to ignore common decency and then not get punished for it.

But if girlfriend wants to become a "martyr," by all means please try. I personally hope that religious right groups do attempt to defend her. That would make it easier for us to prove how bogus their cries of "Christian persecution" and "religious freedom" are.

'Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto to play gay dads on Proud Family reboot' & other Fri midday news briefs

 

Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto to play gay dads on Proud Family reboot - I'm sold. And the possibility of the religious right getting angry about this is gravy.

Out lawmaker & marriage activist Mark Levine is running for Virginia Lieutenant Governor - More of this! Please! 

The LGBTQ community and African-Americans have one similarity - the same conservative groups undermining their rights - My post from last night. Both groups should fight the real enemy. 

Caitlyn Jenner Says She Didn’t Vote In 2020; Voting Records Say Otherwise - Caitlyn, girlfriend. Just sit down.

The LGBTQ community and African-Americans have one similarity - the same conservative groups undermining their rights

The next time that tiresome debate/argument about comparisons between the African-American and LGBTQ civil rights movements take place, I want folks to consider something:

From Taegan Goddard's Political Wire today:

In a leaked video of a private meeting with big-money donors, the head of a top conservative group “boasted that her outfit had crafted the new voter suppression law in Georgia and was doing the same with similar bills for Republican state legislators across the country,” Mother Jones reports. Said Jessica Anderson of Heritage Action: “In some cases, we actually draft them for them or we have a sentinel on our behalf give them the model legislation so it has that grassroots, from-the-bottom-up type of vibe.” She added: “Honestly, nobody even noticed. My team looked at each other and we’re like, ‘It can’t be that easy.'” 

According to the Mother Jones article in question:

The Georgia law had “eight key provisions that Heritage recommended,” Jessica Anderson, the executive director of Heritage Action for America, a sister organization of the Heritage Foundation, told the foundation’s donors at an April 22 gathering in Tucson, in a recording obtained by the watchdog group Documented and shared with Mother Jones. 

Those included policies severely restricting mail ballot drop boxes, preventing election officials from sending absentee ballot request forms to voters, making it easier for partisan workers to monitor the polls, preventing the collection of mail ballots, and restricting the ability of counties to accept donations from nonprofit groups seeking to aid in election administration. All of these recommendations came straight from Heritage’s list of “best practices” drafted in February. With Heritage’s help, Anderson said, Georgia became “the example for the rest of the country.”

These new voter restriction laws are the result of former president Donald Trump's whining that he was cheated out of a second term last year.

'Caitlyn Jenner's CA governor bid is crashing, according to poll' & other Thur midday news briefs

 

Caitlyn Jenner

Caitlyn Jenner's California Governor Bid Is Crashing, According to Poll - It's nice to know that all isn't totally awful in America. 

Procter & Gamble Partners With GLAAD To Advance LGBTQ Acceptance Through Advertising - Whatever helps.

Judge blocks requirement for ‘gay sex’ offender registration - Good. You shouldn't be thought of as a sex offender simply for having gay sex.

Va. GOP governor nominee opposes transgender-inclusive youth sports - Republican? Of course.

Family Research Council: Cancel culture is evil (but please forget when we tried to cancel Star Wars, the Girl Scouts, Apple Computers . . .)

Editor's note - apparently Roger Severino is not happy about my post from yesterday. He blocked me on Twitter. Like I actually care. I am only writing about it to boast and to point out that his action proves my point.

Recently, the Family Research Council published a post about 'cancel culture.' In part, this is what it says:

Over the past few years, the language of “cancel culture” has become ubiquitous in our society. Social media platforms are cluttered with hashtags and campaigns urging us to “cancel” someone or declare that they are “over.” Whether the context is politics, sports, entertainment, or business, no one seems safe from the reach of the so-called cancel culture movement. However, many people are increasingly becoming wary of it. When asked about cancel culture in a recent interview, comedian Dave Chappelle quipped, “I hope we all survive it.” Chappelle’s passing comment points to a growing awareness that a movement that might have begun with good intentions has taken on a life of its own, resulting in a variety of unintended consequences. What is cancel culture? How should Christians think about the notion of “canceling” people, institutions, or ideas?

First of all, "cancel culture" is nothing new. It's merely a cute new way to describe an old practice. In my day, 'cancel culture' was known, at the least, as basic criticism and, at the most, as boycotting. 

And that makes FRC's blog post ironic and highly hypocritical, seeing that organization has made a name for itself by attempting to cancel various businesses and entities which it felt was too LGBTQ supportive.

Let's make a list, shall we. Over the years, the Family Research Council attempted to cancel

Apple Computers when its CEO, Tim Cook, came out of the closet. 

Chick-Fil-A when it was discovered that the restaurant's owners donated money to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

A Star Wars video game for including gay characters.

The Girl Scouts and girl scout cookies for supporting the LGBTQ community. FRC even pushed a prayer alert against the group.

And last but not least, the LGBTQ community in general. FRC have been attempting to cancel us from day one.

'When 'Christians' won't stop lying about transgender healthcare' & other Wed midday news briefs

 

Fetish-Induced Anti-Trans Fear Mongering - The Slowly Boiled Frog is one of my favorite blogs because of stuff like this: 

 The American Principles Project (APP) is one of the numerous extremist Catholic organizations founded by Robert P. George and Luis Tellez. (The professor and the Opus Deist). APP isn’t very principled when it comes to telling the truth. First of all, LGBTQ people are routinely denied basic medical care (see below). Secondly, sexuality — including sexuality that Schilling disapproves of — is not an ideology. Thirdly, there is no such thing as a “sex-change procedure.” Moreover, hospitals do not perform procedures. People perform procedures and hospitals, including Catholic hospitals, have complete autonomy in the extension of privileges. 

 Simple truth. You can't beat it. 

Post-Trump Fox News is a hotbed of anti-LGBTQ extremism - I once asked a question about Fox News as it slowly gained power. What could we do if this network gained a lot of power and viewers and then decided to take a very homophobic and badly slanted view of LGBTQ equality? That moment is now.

U.K. to ban LGBTQ conversion therapy and provide more support - Snap! Go U.K.! It's your birthday! Go U.K.! It's your birthday!

LGBTQ+ Parenting Pioneers Share Tips for Queer Families in Live Event - And we need more of this.

LGBTQ Americans proven right about Roger Severino. We told you he was a dishonest snake.

Former Trump appointee Roger Severino is no longer hiding his distaste and bigotry of the transgender community.

When it comes to former Trump appointee Roger Severino, I think I can speak for the LGBTQ community when I say:

We told you that SOB was a snake.

First, a little background. In 2017 when former president Donald Trump appointed Roger Severino as director of the Office of Civil Rights at Health and Human Services, many LGBTQ Americans and our allies loudly voiced our fear and disapproval. As an employee of several far right groups, Severino worked to undermine LGBTQ rights and safety on several fronts from the fight for marriage equality to the fight against the fraudulent practice of 'ex-gay therapy.'

In his new position in the Trump Administration, Severino proved our fears to be accurate as he instituted rule after rule designed to either erase LGBTQ rights in healthcare or allow healthcare workers - from doctors and nurses to ambulance drivers - to not treat us by citing their "religious freedom." Specifically, Severino was responsible for an attempt to create a rule which would roll back protections for the trans community against discrimination through Obamacare, and  a "conscience rule" which said any healthcare worker could deny services to LGBTQ people based on "moral or religious" reasons. In November 2019, three different federal courts struck down the rule and one court found that HHS exaggerated a justification for the rule. Severino was pointed out in an NPR article to have contributed to that exaggeration. 

And while doing all of this, Severino gave out lip service claiming that "discrimination has no place in healthcare" or gaslighting people into believing that the changes were to protect people's religious beliefs

But now that Trump is gone and Biden is president, Severino no longer has to "fake it," so to speak. Since losing his job at HHS, he has joined another far right think tank (Ethics and Public Policy Center) devoted to undermining LGBTQ rights and health. In doing so, Severino has embraced a nastier tone. One can see that by the tweets and retweets he sends out smearing transgender Americans.

Even though LGBTQ people knew just how dishonest he was, now it should be clear.  Severino worked specifically and deliberately to undermine and destroy LGBTQ rights when it came to healthcare. It had nothing to do with religious liberty. It was all about basic prejudice, bigotry, and an incorrect but steadfast belief that LGBTQ people, transgender Americans in particular, aren't deserving of simple and basic healthcare. 

The important thing here is not the discovery that Severino was exactly what we said he was, but finding out just who asked Trump to appoint him in the first place.

'Tucker Carlson continues to spread lies about medical care for trans youth' & other Tue midday news briefs

Tucker Carlson

Defending extreme bills, Tucker Carlson once again lies about medical care for trans youth - The overrated mediocre trust-fund baby lies about vaccines. Why should we feel left out.

More anti-LGBTQ laws have been passed in the last year than any other time in American history - We seem to be the eternal wedge issue.

Evangelical Lutheran Church Elects First Transgender Bishop - Niiice! 

‘The love of homosexuals is something good’: German Catholics to bless gay unions, defying Vatican ban - This is going to get interesting.

U.S. Will Protect Gay And Transgender People Against Discrimination In Health Care - Just in case you didn't hear.

ACLU video nails how homophobic rhetoric about children is transformed into transphobic rhetoric

From Anita Bryant's 1977 campaign to 'save  children from homosexuality' (top picture)  to today's legislative attack on transgender youth under the guise of 'saving girl's and women's sports' (bottom picture), the religious right and their allies have always hid their bigoted undermining of LGBTQ rights by falsely claiming to be "protecting" the most vulnerable.

This right here below is a 48 second history lesson which folks like myself have been trying to communicate to the public for the longest. The recent legislative attack on transgender Americans under the guise of "protecting women and children" is nothing more than a continuation of the lies the religious right and their allies used to claim that children needed to be "protected from homosexuality in the 1970s. It also illustrates that our community cannot rely on the media (and especially podcasting frauds like Joe Rogan) to do the right thing in telling the story. It's up to us and our allies to forcefully educate people on this. 

Today’s attacks on trans youth are the latest in a long line of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric focused on kids. pic.twitter.com/ngZAjsSNZi

— ACLU (@ACLU) May 10, 2021

Hat tip to the ACLU.

'Happy Mother's Day to more than 50 favorite LGBTQ+ Moms' & other Mon midday news briefs

 

Happy Mother's Day to More Than 50 of Our Favorite LGBTQ+ Moms - I love this! 

Social Media Hate Speech, Harassment 'Significant Problem' For LGBTQ Users: Report - Yep! 

Dear Adults: If You’re Not Fighting For Trans Kids’ Rights, Please Start - Amen!! 

Prospects dim for passage of LGBTQ rights bill in Senate - Gotta face reality. Regroup. And replan.

Politico - War on transgender youth becoming more of a headache than successful wedge issue for Republicans

Do not celebrate yet but according to Politico, the Republican Party was trying to create a perfectly successful wedge issue with its attack on transgender athletes. What they got is a little success but an enormous amount of public internal division:

Republicans saw a ready-made wedge issue to rally the GOP’s base when, soon after Joe Biden took office, he moved to expand protections for transgender people, including in school sports. The president and his Democratic allies, conservatives said, were ruining women’s athletics, and Republican lawmakers across the country advanced a raft of bills designed to keep transgender women and girls from playing on female teams. Yet what once promised to be a galvanizing force for the Republican Party ahead of the midterm elections and 2024 has instead devolved into a source of division within the GOP, hobbling one potential presidential contender — Kristi Noem — and pitting other Republican governors against lawmakers of their own party.

 . . . Far from a unifying new fixture in the GOP’s culture wars, the question of how to treat transgender student athletes is instead inflaming rifts within the party — and quickly becoming a litmus test for Republicans who aspire to higher office. “For those who dream about a 2024 future, starting with Kristi Noem,” said Bill McCoshen, a Wisconsin-based Republican strategist, “you don’t want to be in a position to be against your own party, which all of those governors have done so far.”

The entire article deserves a read and a share. Whatever the case may be, it looks like the GOP are relying on the same tactics of distortion which worked to galvanize its base against marriage equality during the 2004 election. But our side seems to have learned lessons from that fight. And we took those lessons to heart in terms of the messages we are sending, the stories we are telling, and the Americans (transgender youth, their families, and medical professionals) stepping up to tell those stories.

South Carolina trans community & allies speak out against bill during legislative committee meeting

On Thursday morning, South Carolina state Senators held a committee meeting to discuss a bill which would ban trans girls from playing in high school and middle school sports. A bill similar to this had already been killed five times - two being in the state House of Representatives.

But lawmakers did not take a vote because there were so many people signed up to speak about the bill. According to The State:

A panel of senators on the Education Committee heard about two hours of testimony on the bill Thursday before deciding to come back in the summer to take up the issue again. Lawmakers did not take a vote on the bill, sponsored by Sen. Richard Cash, R-Anderson.

 I should mention the proponents of the bill and what they said, but why bother. You know who they are - legislators supporting the bill and a person from the local "traditional values for moral integrity blah blah blah" group who repeat the same lying talking points about the so-called unfairness to cis female athletes (without any proof, mind you.)

The real story are those who came out against the bill. These folks did not come to play Here are just a few of those who spoke:

'Country duo graciously responds to Republican who blocked honor for gay singer' & other Thur midday news briefs

Brothers Osborne

Country Duo Graciously Responds To Republican Who Blocked Honor For Gay Singer - I support how they are handling this.

Florida Republican gets slammed by her own daughter: Kids' lives are at stake - Oop! 

‘Queer Love in Color’: Photo book celebrates diverse LGBTQ relationships - Sweet!

State Department expresses concern over anti-LGBTQ bill in Uganda - Uganda is messing with again, y'all.

Transphobic author Abigail Shrier reveals her true face with tweet about serial killer

Abigail Shrier

I've written about Abigail Shrier several times. She is the author of Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters, a book which makes negative and false claims about transgender people, particularly transgender youth.

As you can guess, the book is highly controversial, with Shrier basking in all of the infamy and attention. She has also skillfully exploited recent controversies to make it seem that she is a victim of censorship. To hear her and her supporters tell it, transgender activists and others on the "left" are attempting to "cancel" her and ban her book simply because she supposedly dares to have an opinion opposite from theirs. Or because she is simply "asking questions."

The following tweet she recently sent defending her book speaks to that claim

What's so funny about this tweet is that it belies a paper trail of Shrier going on podcasts and television advancing the narrative she claims that she isn't advancing:

Joe Rogan and guest Abigail Shrier equate being trans to having anorexia, joining a cult, and “demonic possession” 

 Fox’s Tucker Carlson and guest Abigail Shrier spread medical misinformation about trans youth

Supportive parents of transgender children obviously don't count as 'real parents' to the Family Research Council

In its attacks on the transgender community, the Family Research Council is getting sloppy And by sloppy, I mean telling easily refuted lies and boldly showcasing its own hypocrisy.

First, let's talk about the lie. In blog posts on its site, FRC spins conspiracy theories about transgender people.  This particular post, To Counter The Transgender Lie, We Must Speak Truth, is a yawner much akin to what the group used to say about gays. But to me, one part stood out:

A 2011 U.S. study found that 41 percent of transgender participants reported attempting suicide in comparison to 1.6 percent of the general population. Is this because people aren’t accepting of them or because they have mental health problems the rest of the population does not? The Centre for Suicide Prevention says on its website that transgender people experience mental illness at a much higher rate than the general population. While 6.7 percent of the U.S. general population suffers from depression and 18 percent grapple with some form of anxiety, nearly half of all people who identify as transgender experience one or both of these issues. Telling these people that they should try to change every single part of their physical bodies in order to feel better is abhorrent. Their problem is not in the body, it’s in the mind.

FRC is implying that trans people have a high rate of suicide and mental illness not because of non-acceptance, but because supposedly trans people have mental health problems in general. There is just one problem with FRC's inference. Or in this case, three.  All three of the links FRC supplies specifically say that problems regarding suicide and mental illness when it comes to trans people is because of the non-acceptance of society.

The first link is the results of a survey by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

The second link is a fact sheet about transgender people and suicide from the Centre of Suicide Prevention

And the final link is a December 6, 2016 article from Psychology Today entitled Why Transgender People Experience More Mental Health Issues.

In other words, FRC cherry-picked information from these sources to make a negative point about trans people while omitting that the sources in general refutes the negative point the group is attempting to make. Now that's just sloppy. 

But if you think that's brazen of FRC, then check out the following tweet the group sent out today:

Keep in mind that the Family Research  Council has given full support to state legislation across the country which would ban trans kids from receiving suitable and affirming healthcare even though said legislation has been opposed by a myriad of medical professionals and  . . . wait for it . . . parents. 

Texas is even considering a bill which would label parents who support gender affirming care for their children as "child abusers." They would jailed and their children could be taken from them. No doubt false horror stories about affirming care for trans children (including a lie by FRC that affirming care included chemical castration) led the state to consider such a travesty of a bill.

Maybe the Family Research Council doesn't think that parents who support their trans children qualify as "real parents."