Teacher facing ridiculous backlash, investigation for joke about her class pledging allegiance to Pride flag

Earlier this week, I posted a news brief about a ridiculous controversy regarding a teacher who joked about students pledging allegiance to the Pride flag. Since that time, unfortunately, the controversy has gotten worse:

From The Advocate:

A Southern California teacher is facing backlash online and removal from her classroom after posting a video on TikTok in which she appears to joke about suggesting that her students pledge allegiance to the Pride flag.

 (Kristen) Pitzen tells her story in the video, laughing throughout. 

 “During third period, we have announcements and they do the Pledge of Allegiance. I always tell my class, stand if you feel like it, don’t stand if you feel like it, say the words if you want, you don’t have to say the words So, my class decided to stand but not say the words. Totally fine,” she said. Pitzen then explained that there actually isn’t an American flag in the classroom because she took it down during the pandemic since it made her “uncomfortable.” When a student commented to Pitzen that it was weird they were pledging allegiance without an actual flag, she jokingly suggested they pledge to the flag they did have in the classroom.

As The Advocate pointed in the article, THAT was the story. No student pledged allegiance to the Pride flag.  Pitzen merely made a joke. But because of some right-wing post on Twitter, she got attacked

This post below:

Teacher mocks the American Flag and suggests to students they can say the Pledge of Allegiance to the pride flag: pic.twitter.com/1QTS5xjPln

— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) August 27, 2021

According to Out magazine:

Conservative backlash was quick and fierce, with even out, former director of national intelligence Richard Grenell posting his disgust to Twitter. After questioning why parents would let their children be taught by "someone they don’t know," he went on to write he’d like to "talk to people who think this is good." . . . Another person posted to Facebook, saying that Pitzen "is an absolute disgrace to teachers" and warned the teacher to keep her own "views and political stances out of the classroom." 

Pitzen has now been removed as a teacher while the district is investigating the situation. Also, The Advocate said, she has deleted all of her social media accounts.

The irony is that at pretty much the same time, the Supreme Court of Virginia upheld a ruling by a lower court which reinstated a high school gym teacher after he was suspended for saying that he would not refer to trans students by their preferred pronouns. The lower court found that the school violated his free speech rights. 

This is probably the single most inane controversy happening thus yet in 2021  An idiotic conservative twitter posts a video making accusations and assertions which no one in their right mind would take seriously except for a bunch of homophobic kooks and the occasional Log Cabin Republican kiss ass. Because of that, what looks an affirming teacher has to deal with possible removal from her professional while dodging vulgarities uttered by fools who have nothing better to do in order to deal with their possible inner turmoil of sexual orientation  

If only certain people used their common sense and intellect with as much fervor as they pretend to be patriotic Americans. 

''Straight Pride' rally ends in bear spray and fistfights' & other Tue midday news briefs

“Straight Pride” rally ends in bear spray & fistfights - Good Lord! Seems to me that we need more LGBTQ prides and less straight prides. The worst that could happen at an LGBTQ pride is some bad dancing by drunk gay guys.

'American Idol' alum David Archuleta says God told him to come out publicly - I think he may be right about this.

Robyn Lambird becomes first out trans athlete to earn a medal in Paralympics history - Congratulations Robyn! 

Medical Schools Lack Proper Data to Address LGBTQ Health Disparities - It's way past time that this gets addressed.

Carrie Prejean is back and she's trying to 'save' America from mask mandates just like she 'saved' it from gay marriage

Carrie Prejean

Guess who is back?

Woman wearing a “MAMA” tshirt at the Encinitas school board meeting says her “cubs” will refuse to wear masks this week. “We’re done asking you for permission. The pandemic is over. We are declaring our freedom.”Then she says she and her friends are running for school board. pic.twitter.com/Q5yoLqvLwP

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 30, 2021

That's Carrie Prejean (now Carrie Prejean Boller) as one of the annoying wannabe activists undermining the country's fight against the COVID pandemic:

 Prejean . . . took the spotlight once again, this time as an anti-mask extremist who declared her intention to run for school board after she attacked Encinitas school board officials, while declaring the pandemic is now "over." (The pandemic is nowhere near over.) 

 "My name is Carrie Boller, you see my shirt it says 'mama,' and I'm a mama bear and I know there's a lot of mama bears here tonight," she declared, seeming to echo Sarah Palin. "No one's gonna mess with our cubs. I'm a resident of Encinitas, born and raised San Diegan, and tonight I'm simply here to tell you to unmask our children, we're done begging."

 "In fact, we're done asking for permission. We are going to be unmasking our children today. The pandemic is over, the parents are done. We're done asking you, public servants, for permission. We are done, you can all wear your masks in fact you can wear two masks and three masks, you can wear gloves you can have plexiglass. You can do whatever you need to do to keep you safe, but we the parents believe we have a choice for our children, and I don't know who you think you are, that you think that you have more of a say than us the parents and our doctors. I don't know who any of you think you are. I really don't. It ends today, we are declaring our freedom, tonight. We do not consent to the lies, fear-mongering, and abuse – you all know it's abuse," she claimed, apparently referring to mask mandates.

I see Carrie is as loudmouth and clueless as she was in 2009 when she came on the scene. For the benefit of those who are not aware, Ms. Boller is a former Miss California who got into a huge controversy over marriage equality during the Miss America Pageant. One of the judges, celebrity gossip Perez Hilton, asked her about the subject and she proceeded to speak against it.

That should have been the entire situation, but no. Hilton proceeded to later attack her online for her answer. This faux pas allowed the religious right to portray Miss Carrie as an innocent Christian who was being attacked by "radical homosexuals" for "merely speaking about her faith." True story - they even painted her as a modern day Queen Esther after the Biblical Jewish queen who saved her people from genocide.

But then came part two of Ms. Carrie's 15 minutes of fame. As quickly as she rose as the newest religious right star, she plummeted back to Earth. Hard. If one wanted to pinpoint why she lost purity points, there were so many issues which comes to mind. It could have been those half naked pictures of her, her breast implants, the sex tape, and her wannabe-diva behavior. Needless to say, the religious right disowned her as quickly as they anointed her. 

So now here she is over 10 years later hoping to grab some fame by trying to echo tired Sarah Palin lines. It's actually "mama grizzlies," Miss Carrie.  If you're going to struggle for relevancy, your verbal plagiarizing should at the very least be accurate.

'Conservatives freak out over video of teacher joking about kids pledging allegiance to Pride flag' & other Mon midday news briefs

Conservatives freak out over video of teacher suggesting kids pledge allegiance to Pride flag - With them scaring people about vaccines and critical race theory, it would seem that the pickings regarding us are getting mighty slim. 

BYU will investigate after man defaces chalk art in support of LGBTQ students and yells slur - Stupid people. Everywhere. 

These Are the Nation's Most LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges, Universities - Write these down.

‘Anti-LGBT ideology zones’ are being enacted in Polish towns - Oh come on, Poland!!!

Video - How to completely OWN one of those 'ex-gay' groups

When you think of all of the mess LGBTQ people have had to deal with from those false and annoying 'ex-gay' groups over the decades, it's a wonder if the above scene from the television series Shameless ever took place in real life. Let's face it though, verbally owning the leader of an ex-gay group in a battle of religious verses, pulling a "you're out of shape. I'll kick your ass" speech on a supporter of the group, and then publicly leading a procession of LGBTQ people (however small) out of the group has probably been a dream for many of us.

Something to watch when you want to feel like a badass queen. Not me though. I'm the Super Queen.

'32 fall shows, movies for LGBTQ views including Madonna' & other Fri midday news briefs

32 Fall Shows, Movies for LGBTQ+ Viewers: Madonna, Murder, Matt Bomer - Fall sounds like fun. 

Half of Americans say they’d avoid an HIV-positive doctor - Still more education to do out there. 

Indian-American gay couples find new forms of union amid stigma - There is not one LGBTQ community. We are mult-national and multi-cultural. 

Harris meets with LGBTQ activists in Vietnam - VP Harris gets a lot of unfair comments thrown at her. I think she is a good ally.

Lil Nas X, Noted Power Bottom, Announces Album Release, Teases Song - Uh oh. Batten down the hatches. That young man has turned the rap world upside down and I am so here for it.

VA school board agrees to pay trans former student Gavin Grimm $1.3 million in legal fees after battle over bathroom policy

Gavin Grimm

Gavin Grimm, the transgender young man who won his battle against a Virginia school board over its bathroom policy, just received another bit of good news.

From Buzzfeed:

A Virginia school board has agreed to pay more than $1.3 million to Gavin Grimm, a transgender former student who sued the district over its bathroom policy, sending the case all the way to the Supreme Court. The Gloucester County School Board said on Thursday that it would pay the entire amount in legal fees that Grimm and his lawyers had petitioned for after a years long battle that brought national attention to the rights of students to use the facility that corresponds with their gender identity. 

 The former student and his legal team argued in their petition that the case's "arduous journey" involved constant confrontation with the school board, which argued its policy protected students' privacy and wasn't sex-based discrimination because it was applied equally to all students. But Grimm's case went on to be the first time a federal court held that Title IX protects transgender students' right to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity, an unprecedented decision that affected similar cases nationally. Thursday's agreement means that no further proceedings remain in the case, concluding over a decade of legal battles between the former student and the school board.

For more on this lengthy case, including how Grimm eventually won, check out the article. It provides a good extensive background and past articles chronicling the entire situation.

'Virginia schools defy state mandate for trans-inclusive policies' & other Thur midday news briefs

Virginia Schools Defy State Mandate for Trans-Inclusive Policies - Fear and lies are leading to these problems. No these policies will not lead to things like 'gang-rapes.' I mean come on folks.

Cop arrested for Capitol riot demands conservatives “rise up” against “the homosexual lifestyle” - Oh sure. Pick on us again.

Lil Nas X just expertly trolled his haters…yet again - Well he is the best. 

Media watchdog Ofcom slammed for cutting ties with Stonewall over ‘risk of perceived bias’ - Proof that the TERFs have overrun England.

Video - Gay Marriage and Parenting on 'Oprah' (1989)

 

So on Wednesday during an impasse of what to blog about, I found this footage of an Oprah Winfrey Show from 1989. It talks about gay marriage and parenting; two subjects that a lot of us take for granted now. Folks need to watch this video and marvel over a time in which certain realities were regarded as unreachable and certain ugly opinions (including a particularly mean one expressed at 19:34) were verbally commonplace instead of covert and hidden under a veneer of victimhood.

This clip, featuring then couple former Mr. Universe Bob Paris and partner Rod Jackson, attorney Gloria Allred (an ally though she does take up a lot of talking time), and conservative pundit Mona Charen is an eye-opener. We have certainly come a long way.

'School district may ban Pride flags because of one parent' & other Wed midday news briefs

School district may ban Pride flags after parent spots one inside a classroom & freaks out - One parent.

Judge strikes a blow in LGBTQ discrimination case against Yeshiva University - This is getting interesting. 

Brothers Osborne's TJ on Creating Safe Space for LGBTQ Fans: 'That's Worth More Than Anything' - I'd like to see more LGBTQ celebrities follow suit. 

Nicaragua seeks to shut down country’s oldest LGBTQ rights group - Y'all know what I've said about the struggle.

Conservative gripe industry blaming LGBTQ people, 'woke ideology' for Taliban takeover of Afghanistan

 As we watch the situation in Afghanistan, an old but reliably annoying reality is playing itself out.

From Media Matters:

Right-wing figures are attacking “woke ideology” in the U.S. military and using anti-LGBTQ rhetoric in their tirades against the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, including spreading the false claim that the U.S. embassy in Kabul flew a LGBTQ pride flag on its rooftop ahead of the Taliban's takeover.

 . . . Right-wing media’s narrative of a culture war claims that American values are threatened by the rise of critical race theory (CRT), identity politics, and the LGBTQ rights movement. In the past year, right-wing actors have turned CRT into a cultural war by attacking school boards, corporations, and even the military in an effort to gin up their conservative base ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. After recently spending weeks attacking the military and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chief Gen. Mark Milley for their alleged “wokeness,” right-wing media are now roping anti-LGBTQ rhetoric into their coverage of the Afghanistan war:

Unfortunately, as the Media Matters article points out, the examples above are just a few of the right-wing feeding frenzy. Of course none of these folks making the accusations provide even the smallest iota of proof as to their attacks on the LGBTQ community and 'woke' ideology.' Why should they?

The people who follow their tripe aren't looking for proof nor are they looking for reasonable arguments. They only want validation of their prejudices, fears, and false sense of entitlement and superiority.

'Trump-backed candidate went ballistic over parody book in library's Pride Month display' & other Tue midday news briefs

Trump-backed GOP candidate melted down over Pence rabbit parody in library's Pride Month display: report -What a snowflake. 

Antigay evangelical admits he’s “addicted” to suing for “religious freedom” - You wanna run that by me again? 

2 newlywed women found shot to death at their Utah campsite - Siiiigh! 

How LGBTQ+ Excellence Helped Shape Broadway - You better believe it! 

Afghanistan’s Gay Men Fear Death as Taliban Judge OKs Stonings - Keeping our eyes and hearts on the folks in Afghanistan.

Rapper who bragged about hiring prostitute to service underaged son thinks Lil Nas X is a negative influence on children

Rapper Boosie Badazz has a hypocritical opinion about negative influences on children.

When it comes to LGBTQ people and our supposed negative effect on children, so many hypocrites come out of the woodwork spewing all sorts of false claims of concern. More often than not, they need to check themselves. Because the internet never forgets and frankly neither do I.

Case in point is the controversy which recently erupted between openly gay rapper Lil Nas X and another rapper by the name of DaBaby.  A few months ago, DaBaby  got into serious trouble because of a homophobic rant he made against Lil Nas. He was condemned for it by many celebrities and was also dropped as a performer by many festivals and events.

But he has his defenders, such as another rapper by the name of Boosie Badazz. Boosie, who once claimed that a "forceful media campaign" was turning people gay, has been defending DaBaby since the beginning of the situation. However his defense hasn't exactly been helping matters because his comments came off as homophobic as DaBaby's.

Nevertheless, on Monday he had an interview on the radio show The Breakfast Club, where he sparred with the show's host Charlemagne tha God  and several others about his comments.:

“I just be feeling like sometimes I gotta speak up because, as far as straight people in the world, you don’t have any opinion,” he said, arguing that straight people have less of a voice than those in the LGBTQ+ community. Boosie went on to say that straight men cannot admit to liking women without it sounding “vulgar,” adding, “You can’t brag on really smashing or your sexuality anymore.”

Boosie got push back by Charlemagne and the other hosts who called out how some areas of rap music embrace violence, drugs, and vulgarity against women. Charlemagne also pointed out past rants Boosie made against Lil Nas X:

Charlamagne was addressing the multiple homophobic comments Boosie made earlier this summer. In the first rant, Boosie hit at Nas X for saying that he wanted to dance naked for charity, calling it “disrespect in front of boys who tryna be straight.”  

“If I’m at an awards [show] and he go up there naked, I’ma drag his ass offstage and beat his ass,” he added. “You let a n**** dance naked in front your children, you a motherfuckin’ crazy motherfucker—or you like dick too.” “It’s sad how y’all tryna force this gay stuff on the world,” 

Boosie said a week later. “It’s sad how y’all tryna ban artists. Y’all sad, bro, it’s sad, bro. In 10 years, it ain’t gonna be normal for a kid to be straight. It’s sad, bro. Y’all tryna force it on these kids, bro. Pushing it on the artists, pushing it on all the biggest artists. You know why? Cause’ the kids love those artists. You attacking these kids.”

Boosie attempted to defend those comments by playing the  "I'm only thinking about the children" card:

During Monday’s episode, Boosie attempted to defend his comments, saying that he was disturbed that children would see Nas X dance naked on TV. “I really get offended when it was like, he was saying he would go up there and perform naked in front all this shit, all the people,” Boosie said. “And I was like, ‘Damn.’ All these straight people in the world. All these millions of kids gon’ watch this and no straight rapper ain’t gon’ say, ‘Nah, n****. You ain’t…N****, we don’t want you on that TV. Nobodies not gon’…'” 

When Boosie was challenged about that particular comment, he claimed that parents attempting to raise "strong black men" would be against Lil Nas X.

Charlemagne da God and the other hosts continued to call Boosie out, but I am not aware if they brought a certain hypocrisy with his statements in relation to an incident last year involving his son and nephew. 

In May of last year, Boosie got into trouble because he bragged during an Instagram session of hiring a prostitute to services his son and nephew when they were 12 and 13. Supposedly, this is what he said at the time (you can see the video of him admitting it here):

“I’m training these boys right,” Badazz said. “Ask any of my nephews, ask any of them, ask my son. Yeah, when they was 12, 13, they got head. Yeah, that’s how it’s supposed to be. Hell yeah, I got my f*cking son d*ck sucked.”

So according to Boosie, seeing Lil Nas X possibly dancing naked would damage the psyches of young black males, but hiring prostitutes for them when they are underaged would have the opposite effect.

Yeah. Okay.

Ultimately, this situation is not about Lil Nas X possibly dancing naked any more than its about supposedly protecting the strength of black males. It sounds to me like Boosie is attempting to project some toxic masculinity as sort of a panacea for black males. It's that sort of bullshit thinking which has gone so far to damage black men - particularly gay black men like myself - for as long as I can remember. This idea that to be "men," we have to take up some visage of a 'Stepford Mandingo' if you will - not heart, no soul, no emotions. Only a cheap idea of uber-masculinity which demands that we be  constantly hard in spirit and apparently in the bedroom. And God forbid anything challenges that image, particularly gay black men.  

Far be it from me to tell Boosie Badazz how to raise his children. That's not my right. But I will tell him to raise his children and only his children because no one needs his opinions on how to raise strong black men.

'Conservatives turning school boards into battle ground for culture wars' & other Mon midday news briefs

Conservatives are turning school boards into a battleground for culture wars -That noise you just heard are LGBTQ folks shouting "NO SH!T!" 

Teacher Accused of Saying Gay People 'Unwanted,' Girls 'Cry Rape' - She sounds like a nice person.

Tokyo Paralympic Games welcomes record number of LGBTQ athletes - Sweet! 

LGBTQ Afghans can't receive money raised for them through GoFundMe 'due to Taliban control' - The coverage of us getting out of Afghanistan as been jingoistically shitty as it was when we got in 20 years ago. But this is one saving grace.

Video: A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2 - The GAY moments

 

I know what you're thinking. This has absolutely no educational content whatsoever. It's crude eye-candy. So what? It's widely known that in the LGBTQ community of my generation that the 1985 movie A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge was subversively gay on so many levels. But rather than go on about it again, let's just bring out the receipts. The video above is NSFW. 

And in the face of so much chaotic mess facing us these days - mess brought about by the deliberate greed, selfishness, and downright lack of human decency of some people - there's nothing wrong with taking less than four minutes to ponder a comical bit of trivia.

'Biden administration officials tell trans youth their rights at school and their lives matter' & other Fri midday news briefs

Biden administration officials tell trans youth “Your rights at school matter. You matter.” - Damn right. This message is needed. 

Federal Government Commits Hundreds of Millions for HIV Cure - Wonderful! 

Report: Brothers returned to Chechnya have been tortured - Our struggle is real, y'all. 

Montgomery mayor threatens to send businesses elsewhere as council rejects discrimination ban - Do what you gotta do to get the message through

The Family Research Council wants you to forget that the Taliban may persecute trans women

In spite of whether or not you agree with President Biden's decision to pull troops out of Afghanistan, I think there is unity in the thought that having the Taliban take over that region may not be a good thing for the folks there. In adherence of their religion, the Taliban could possibly be cracking down on the rights of various people, including women and the LGBTQ community.

But leave it to hate group the Family Research Council to make a bad situation worse:

Who is Allie Beth Stuckey, you may ask? One of those annoying conservative pundits/commentators/what-have-you who is seen as "feisty" because she trades decent debate and intelligent ideas with being rude and hateful. If you've seen one, you've seen them all -   tight dresses, big hair, big smiles, and annoyingly large high-heels packaged around a nasty attitude and ready play the victim - by accusing you of being sexist - if you called out any of the errors in their arguments.

She's irrelevant here except to call out FRC's hypocrisy. While the group points out how cis women and girls could face a major reduction of rights  and persecution in Afghanistan due to the Taliban taking over, it implies that whatever persecution transgender women would be victim of under Taliban rule doesn't matter.

 And transgender women - all LGBTQ people in fact - could face persecution under Taliban rule.

Seems to me there should be a general concern of any group of individuals who risk being persecuted instead of playing one group over the other. But then again, from their actions in America, FRC never really had a problem with anti-LGBTQ persecution in the first place.

 

'New TV series reboot of horror movie 'Child's Play' being called 'scary gay'' & other Thur midday news briefs

 

The Upcoming ‘Chucky’ Reboot Is So Gay It’s Scary - You wanna run that by me again?

Rachel Levine on facing transphobia: “I am really able to channel that emotion into my work” - Good for you, Ms. Levine. I am the same way.

Antigay activist banned from Canada is absolutely losing it over how gay Netflix has become - 'Porno' Pete LaBarbera still around. Like a cockroach he never really goes away. 

Nearly half of trans people have been mistreated by medical providers, report finds - Simply awful. 

Uganda president declines to sign queerphobic bill - Loophole! Although I don't know if it's good or bad for LGBTQ people.

Would gay people please stop trying to dictate how to be gay to other gay people?

HBHM blogmaster Alvin McEwen channeling Nina Simone realness.

So yesterday, I had to deal with bigoted folks who had a problem with Pete and Chasten Buttigieg becoming parents because they are gay. Today, I had to deal with LGBTQ folks who had a problem with Pete and Chasten Buttigieg being parents because they think the idea of gays getting married and raising children is too 'heteronormative.' I say I'm gonna need a guide book if this madness keeps up. 

Apparently to some in the community, LGBTQ folks wanting families are trying to copy heterosexual lives. Those complaining are the same type whining that LGBTQ people are becoming too "mainstream" and are losing our 'sense of danger' and adventure. What kind of nonsense is that? If you ask me, I think some members of our community have romanticized certain behaviors and actions which we had to undertake in the past because the homophobia in society made it so difficult for us to have decent relationships. 

 I am not a self-hating gay guy but it makes me bristle when I hear people whining about we are too "mainstream" or respectable, as if someone gave them the right to dictate how LGBTQ people are supposed to be. I always want to know who gave them the right to determine or mandate these things? Who are these folks to interject themselves into the individual lives of LGBTQ people and start tossing out rules of conduct. The fact of the matter is that some of us do want the life with the one partner, the white picket fence and maybe the 2.5 kids. And some of us don't. There is nothing wrong with either desire so what's with some folks wanting trying to make it all a competition? What's with all of the shaming?

I hated it when homophobes wanted to limit me based upon their ignorant definitions of who I am. I equally despise being told by members of my own community that my life and desires as a gay man  are artificial because they don't measure up to some legendary stature of homosexual 'coolness' which they conjured up in their minds. And I really despise it when someone throws academic or esoteric language at me; language which they obviously got from a confab of out-of-touch progressives who think they are going to change the world for the better while embracing the same tools of oppression used by anti-LGBTQ bigots.

This is what I know - I have never regarded being gay as daring or adventurous. I do not see myself as a 'sexual outlaw' or engaging in 'respectable politics.' My desires are not a representation of a self-hating homosexuality. I am a Southern gay black male. As such, my life has value in and out of the community.  My desire for perhaps a simple date and maybe a slow dance to a nice 50s tune isn't any indication of how I supposedly want to mimic heterosexuals. Nor is any other desire I may have for a family and children.  They come from me wanting to define my life by my own terms. I will not bow and scrape to anyone else's orthodoxy of the LGBTQ community no matter if it's one created by the religious right  or another being forced upon me by self-entitled LGBTQs with an inflated sense of their own ideas.

I have no time for folks with their noses so high up on the air that they can't even smell their breathe, no matter which side of the spectrum they come from.

And neither should anyone else in the community.

'Anti-vaxx, anti-LGBTQ Catholic cardinal now on ventilator with COVID-19' & other Wed midday news briefs

Viciously anti-LGBTQ Catholic cardinal now on ventilator with COVID-19 - A not necessarily all-together person. That's all I'm gonna say. 

Oregon School Board Passes Motion to Ban Pride Flags, BLM Signs - Come on folks. This is some straight-up nonsense. 

WNBA star Breanna Stewart and wife welcome first child - Wonderful! It's not just the Buttigiegs welcoming bundles of joy.

LGBTQ freedoms — all of our freedoms — depend on restoring voting rights - Amen!

Countries urged to offer refuge to LGBTQ Afghans - And QUICK!!

Far right conservatives go apoplectic over news that Pete and Chasten Buttigieg are going to become parents

Peter and Chasten Buttigieg are going to be parents and the far right simply cannot handle the news.

By now, unless you've been living in a cave with a huge rock as the door, you know that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, are going to be parents.

For some time, Chasten and I have wanted to grow our family. We’re overjoyed to share that we’ve become parents! The process isn’t done yet and we’re thankful for the love, support, and respect for our privacy that has been offered to us. We can’t wait to share more soon.

— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) August 17, 2021

The news was met with many expressions of joy and kind words for the lucky couple. But not in every area of the country and every area online.  On the far right site Free Republic (as in further to the right of Vlad Tepes, Elizabeth Bathory, Ivan the Terrible, and Delphine LaLaurie) conservatives were furious. To say that their comments were just downright ugly is an understatement:

Paedophiles gonna be paedophiles. 

excuse my while I puke... 

Can you imagine explaining to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, George Patton and Davy Crockett that two butt diddling sickos can get married and have a kid... oh yeah... and be in the president’s cabinet. What a sick country!

 Is it coming out of one of their anuses? Rhetorical question, because these men are not "having" anything. They're BUYING a baby to satisfy their own needfulness, and forcing it to grow up in a highly disordered household.

There is a famous, impossible to prove story that George Washington was in despair over the dwindling chances of victory and many urged him to decide on terms of surrender, and that he went into a reverie and envisioned an impossibly modern future USA with tall buildings, and states and population centers stretching all the way to the Pacific Ocean. He went back to address his officers and told them he would not surrender and they must find ways to strike back. The story might have a sad new ending as he saw 2021 with Buttigieg and his “husband”, sex changes pushed onto children, CRT classes, BLM, bags of shoplifted goods carried out of stores without anyone stopping the criminals, carjackings, teen thugs pouncing on innocent people every day and America descending into socialism.

If you really cared about privacy, then why would you announce to the world on Twitter that you’re doing this, or that you’ll be announcing more later? What a convenient time for a member of the Biden administration to announce that they’re going to have a baby. Wag the dog. Diversion diversion. 

Like hell they are going to be parents. They are two homosexuals who are taking advantage of a morally bankrupt system to procure a child legally. My heart goes out to the poor, innocent baby, and millstone and a lake for the ones who paved the way for this to happen. 

Sick f’n turkeys. They should be turned over to the Taliban. (sic)

Poor kid. I wish “it” luck. 

Remember when a child being raised by two perverted homosexuals would be disqualified as parents for adoption? I miss those days.

There were a lot of comments I excluded, particularly those about the expected child, as well as illustrations (illustrations which are better left not even talked about in detail). But as disgusting as it is, isn't it nice? 

Like the last comment had fond reminiscences about, there was a time in which gay couples couldn't adopt children. Those who opposed us back then conjured up fake reasons to make their side look genuinely concerned about children,  but their reasons actually encompassed bigotry and hate. As time went on, their claims were exposed as false  and the only thing left for them is what you read above - a bunch of crude comments uttered by sad, pathetic individuals because their hatred won't allow them to comprehend past the prejudices which straightjacket their minds and prevent them from acknowledging a wonderful event.

If they want to miss out on this blessing, then who cares what they think. In the end, haters can only hate. That's their entire reason for existing. So let them hate. Flash lights on their hate. Let the world see them for what they are.  Exposing and acknowledging hate doesn't allow it to grow. It only reveals how small it is.

'Tori Cooper is first black trans women appointed to presidential HIV council' & other Tue midday news briefs

Tori Cooper

Fearless advocate Tori Cooper is first Black trans woman appointed to presidential HIV council - Not bad at all.

The Dire Plight of LGBTQ+ Afghan Refugees - Many may support our withdrawal from Afghanistan, but it present some SERIOUS problems.

Blame game: 10 absolutely absurd excuses people have used for acting like bigots - The excuses are always so entertaining. 

Illinois expands legislation to protect LGBTQ service members - Way to go, Illinois.

Out Olympian brutally attacked on the street, sent to the hospital for surgery, in likely random attack - Good Lord! Trigger warning - some of the pics are from the aftermath of the violence. 

Marriage equality victory can be dangerous if the LGBTQ community forgets what we had to defeat for it

There was an article in Monday's Politico which claimed that the GOP is giving up on the fight against marriage equality, disappointing their religious right allies. I don't buy the premise for a minute, but we would all be blind to not notice that there has been somewhat of a cultural shift. Marriage equality is a reality whereas years before, many of us never saw it as a genuine possibility.

It's a good shift, but also one which contains the danger of future generations being jaded about the overall struggle for LGBTQ rights in general. Marriage equality is a wonderful victory, but overall, it is merely a pitstop. We still have not attained full equality as a community and we are saddled with the same enemies who made the above video. Just because they failed in one attempt to undermine our rights doesn't mean they won't stop trying. As you look at the above video and either reminisce about the lies we had to fight against or gape at what you're probably seeing for the first time, remember that  our struggle for equality isn't over yet. Not by a long shot. 

'Court rules Hobby Lobby discriminated against trans woman employee for nearly a decade' & other Mon midday news briefs

Court rules Hobby Lobby has discriminated against trans woman employee for nearly a decade - Score one for the good guys and girls.

Most LGBTQ adults in America have gotten or will get vaccinated against COVID-19 - Ninety-two percent in a recent survey have gotten or will get vaccinated. Okay folks, get hopping. 

Oregon School District Votes To Ban Clothing, Flags Supporting Pride And Black Lives Matter - This after conservatives funded with outside monies won seats on the school board. They always target school boards because no one seems to catch on. 

Remember Your First Queer Crush? - Lance Kerwin, Jackie Earle Haley, Ike Eisenmann, Stephen Geoffreys . . . 

James Hormel, first openly gay U.S. ambassador, dies at 88 - I remember how THAT situation regarding his appointment was a fireblast.

Video: Richard Hunt - The Gay Man Behind the Muppets

 

Last week, I posted about a ridiculous claim by conservatives that the LGBTQ community was using the Muppets to "entice" children to become transgender. Right now, I want to focus on the fact that there is an actual historical link between the LGBTQ community and not only the Muppets but also Sesame Street. 

From the above video, courtesy of  LGBTQ historian  Matt Baume:

For over sixty years The Muppets have been entertaining kids and adults alike. You probably know their creator, Jim Henson, who brought everyone together, and you might be familiar with Frank Oz, Jim’s close collaborator. But there’s another Muppet performer you might NOT know — part of the core group who was there from almost the very beginning, and in the 1970s became one of the most famous gay men in the world… who nobody recognized.

'YouTube is providing a platform for transphobic lies, hate' & other Fri midday news

 

YouTube Offers Platform to Anti-Trans Hate, Says New Report - YouTube provides good educational videos about LGBTQ people. But then there is the other stuff like this.

YouTube fails to protect trans people from misgendering or deadnaming - More on this situation from the direct source. 

Virginia school board passes LGBTQ inclusivity policy that sparked protest, resignation - It got ugly, as it always does, but in the end this policy will benefit all of the children in the district. 

Conservatives are obsessed with White House COVID vaccine video starring Jen Psaki & a gay comedian - Outrage is the conservatives' business model. 

LGBTQ Adults Are Facing Hunger At Almost Twice The Rate As Others, New Data Shows - A new issue we need to combat.

Lighten up you conservative idiots. The Muppets are not 'recruiting' children to become transgender.

In between their hysterical fits about "critical race theory" and coronavirus vaccines, it looks like the religious right (and conservatives in general) have found time to yet again falsely accuse LGBTQ people of 'recruiting' children. Apparently we are attempting to get children to 'transition' their gender by exploiting a character in the Muppets:

Catholic League president Bill Donohue stands in disbelief about the latest LGBTQ activism targeting children, which saw the popular Muppet, Gonzo, change into a female – and try to get other Muppets to "transition," too.

 "Why would Disney – the alleged family-friendly entertainment giant – want to encourage kids to reject their sex, and why aren't the media covering this story?" Donohue pondered in a Catholic League press release last week. 

 As left-wing corporate activism – through companies from Facebook to Coca-Cola – continues to use its influence to move the country into what critics call a form of Marxism, children are not being left out of the new vision for America … a vision being brought about through racial division, anti-Americanism, the culture of death, climate change and LGBTQ+ propaganda.

Donohue argues that Gonzo's transition signifies a lot more than playing dress-up or make-believe. "The Muppet character, Gonzo, has 'transitioned' to a girl, Gonzorella – that is why he is wearing a dress to the 'royal ball,'" the Catholic leader recounted. "He does more than wear a dress – he instructs Miss Piggy and Summer that 'doing things a little different can be fun.'"

Donohue is just one of many conservatives having a hissy fit. Conservative dust kicker Candace Owens also whined about the situation:

“I can’t believe I’m tweeting this but.. they are pushing the trans agenda on children via muppet babies. This is sick and PERVERTED. Everyone should be disturbed by predatory cartoons meant to usher children into gender dysphoria. Bring back manly muppets, anyone?” she tweeted.

Meanwhile, conservative 'news' sources such as Fox News and NewsMax also sounded phony alarms. So is their freak out legitimate?  Does that question even need to be asked? 

According to Romper:

In an episode of Disney Junior’s Muppet Babies called “Gonzo-rella,” the sweet blue muppet wants to wear a dress to the ball along with Miss Piggy and Summer. And his “fairy rat father” makes his wish come true.The entire muppet baby gang is preparing to go to a royal ball in an episode of the CGI show when Gonzo sees the “royal handbook” and finds a dress he just loves. “I’d love to wear a dress like that to your royal ball,” he tells Miss Piggy, Summer, and Rizzo the Rat. 

Unfortunately he’s told by Summer and Miss Piggy that the girls wear dresses and the boys go as knights, according to the royal handbook. He looks crushed. Rizzo notices how sad he is and then shares the good news that he is a “fairy rat father” who can make his dream of wearing a “splenderific” dress come true, complete with glass sneakers, a mask, and an egg transformed into a “hard-boiled convertible” to drive him to the ball. 

Much like the original Cinderella, Gonzo only has until midnight to be “Princess Gonzo-rella,” and has the time of his life with his friends. Who, spoiler alert, accept his desire to wear a dress when he eventually confesses that he was the mysterious Princess Gonzo-rella.

So just because Gonzo is a male character who wants to wear a dress and the episode got positive comments for teaching children about accepting simple differences in themselves and their peers, conservatives are spinning it as some evil plot to endanger children. That's always the narrative with these bloodsuckers. Their fear mongering is stale and blase but always seem to strike a cord because it exploits fear of the unknown along with the fear that children will be harmed.

And it's ridiculous on so many levels. The episode has nothing to do with "enticing" children to 'become transgender.'  The idea that anyone, especially children, can be "enticed" to 'become transgender' is just plain ridiculous. It is an insulting and ugly simplification of  the complexity of transgender lives. The idea is so devoid of good sense that it doesn't deserve to be directly addressed except to say that anyone believing it should slap themselves. Hard. I'm talking Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford in the letterbox edition of Mommy Dearest with a free wire hanger included in the DVD box set hard.

Secondly, the character of Gonzo has always been pegged as an odd muppet who has been dressing in drag since 1975 (as one person pointed out in a retweet to Owens). He has also dressed in drag on several episodes of the 80s animated show Muppet Babies. And not only him, but also several other characters.

Lastly (what the hell are 'manly muppets,' Candace Owens? Okay that's not the last point, but it's a damn good question) . . . lastly, what is the problem here other than the desire of some people to make their coins by scapegoating and denigrating other folks. Seems to me that the danger to children in this situation is the conjuring up of false phantoms by people and entities who obviously lack the will or desire to make an honest living. They see big bucks in elevating innocuous situations into Godzilla-type moral panics which, other than getting everyone worked up over nothing, gives them more online hits, more interviews on various media shows, and more attention.

It seems to me that the real danger in this situation to children - and to adults - is the message that respecting and accepting simple differences in people is a message which can be weaponized for fear and filthy lucre.

'Conscience clause increases could increase mental healthcare barriers to LGBTQ kids' & other Thur midday news briefs

Conscience clause increases barriers to mental health care for LGBTQ youth, advocates say - This fake concern about religious liberty could harm our kids. 

Ariel Nicholson is U.S. Vogue's first transgender cover model - Congratulations, Ariel! 

Joe Biden tells press what infrastructure deal taught him about LGBTQ rights - Oh? How so . . 

Gay Asian man & his parents beaten near Kamala Harris’s home in DC by man yelling slurs - I HATE posting stories like this, but they are good reminders for us to be careful. Some people are still tripping.

Flashback video - Transgender student defends his rights during hostile school board meeting

 

With the coordinated attack against our trans kids by conservatives still prevalent, this video clip is incredibly pertinent. In 2015, trans teenage Gavin Grimm sued his school board in Virginia for the the right to use the boys bathroom. It was a long and arduous fight which he finally won in June of this year when the Supreme Court allowed a lower court victory he attained to stand.

It wasn't an easy victory. You can see in this video how in the past, Grimm had to speak at a school board meeting attended by some very adversarial people. Some of the things he says are very poignant, particularly when it comes to the behavior of adults as opposed to children when talking about trans kids in general. We would all do well to listen and remember.

'Anti-LGBTQ, anti-vax school board official has 'meltdown' while resisting arrest' & other Wed midday news briefs

Psychotic school board official has homophobic meltdown while resisting arrest and OMG you guys - Girlfriend obviously lost her damn mind.

Heroic mom grabs phone from man following her trans son to the bathroom to take pictures of him - He's lucky she only took his phone. 

Robin comes out as bisexual in the latest Batman anthology from DC comics - This is Tim Drake, the third Robin in the Batman mythology. 

 And while we are on the subject of LGBTQ comic book characters, here is 15 more from a 2017 article - 15 Influential LGBT Comic Book Superheroes 

Hundreds of US Catholic leaders endorse LGBTQ protections - This is a huge development.

Conservative pundits, politicians make fools of themselves as their attack on 'woke' Olympic athletes backfire

📽 NEW VIDEO

The un-American right wing traitors who rooted against the Team USA in the Olympics are the real LOSERS! RT to congratulate Team USA for taking home the most medals in the world!#WokeIsWinning pic.twitter.com/MLoeSgMpKq

— Occupy Democrats (@OccupyDemocrats) August 10, 2021

Just like they made "liberal" into a dirty word, conservatives are trying to do the same with the word "woke."  We've heard a lot about that word lately. It means being alert of and speaking out against racism, homophobia, misogyny, xenophobia and other societal prejudices.

To hear conservatives tell it though, "woke" is a word which denotes hypocrisy and weakness. And they will attack anyone or any entity which they think shows an inkling it. It's how they connect with their resentful audience.

This includes Olympic athletes. Various conservatives on Fox News and other places went after our Olympic athletes because many of them were "woke" or outspoken against various societal prejudices. Right-wing pundits, personalities, and politicians actually rooted against America in the Olympics and cheered loudly when our athletes lost games or failed to win medals.

There was just one problem with that, as the video above shows.  America didn't exactly do so bad in the Olympics. In fact, America did well, winning the most gold medals and overall medals in the games. It only goes to demonstrate the depths some conservatives stoop in order to exploit resentment and jealousies of their audience. Nothing is genuine with them. It's all so fraudulent and pathetically artificial.

'Family of gay teacher caught in predator 'sting' sues saying cops hid evidence proving his innocence' & other Tue midday news briefs

Family of gay teacher caught in predator “sting” sues saying cops hid evidence proving his innocence - These stings are nasty and at times they tend to entrap people. This sounds like something really ugly. 

Smith College Alums Rally Funds for Gay Student Cut Off By Parents - Good looking out to the folks coming together to help this young lady. 

Senators urge Biden administration to protect LGBTQ asylum-seekers - Do the right thing, President Biden. 

NJ conversion therapy “experts” lose big in court to tune of $3.5 million - Give it up, turn it loose. Get up off the money. 

Snickers apologizes for wildly homophobic commercial - Uh uh, Snickers. You wasn't right for this.

To the religious right from the Gay Mafia - How dare you dump us over the COVID pandemic!

Dear Religious Right Groups (i.e. the Family Research Council, the Liberty Counsel, the American Family Association, et al),

As the official spokesman for the Gay Mafia, allow me to put on record that I am shocked, appalled, and hurt over how you have abandoned the LGBTQ community. Apparently our 40+ years together mean nothing to you. 

Remember the good times we had?  Our bizarre, yet very fruitful-for-you relationship? Remember how you used to accuse us of recruiting children, stuffing gerbils up our butts, and having lots and lots and lots of sex? Remember when you exploited the stereotypes about our lesbian sisters to make it seem that they liked beating each other up? And how you used religion to cover up your lies and basic prejudices? Weren't those times good enough for you? Didn't you scare enough people and make a lot of money via fundraising?

How dare you dump us for the COVID pandemic!

Don't lie. We  read what you have been saying about vaccines and masks and lockdowns. Our cousin's sister's baby daddy's niece told us everything. We heard all of the stuff you claimed about how President Biden and the Democrats are going to use pandemic to take away freedoms, especially from Christians. And about how they are going after the children in schools.

You modeled that argument strictly for us! How dare you use it on some slutty pandemic! That bitch!

Aren't we owed something? We gave you the best years of our lives. We made it easy for you to attain power by scaring people with lies about our health and habits. And just because some young and mysterious pandemic shakes its little tail in front of you, you gonna kick us to the curve?

Whatever happened to commitment? Whatever happened to stability? Were we the problem? Did we win too many cultural battles against you?  Are you angry at us because we knocked the sodomy laws, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and won the right to marry and adopt? Are you still upset because those little victories you won, just as the Masterpiece case, turned out to be loses for you in the long run? Are you hurt because all of that stuff you continue to claim about the transgender community isn't sticking as much as you thought it would? Granted, your relationship with transgender Americans isn't over yet and you still tripping. But you won't be winning. We told you what would happen if you kept using the same tired and easy to refute lies. 

Well whatever. You and your hefa  COVID  can go your own way if you want. See if  talking about vaccines and masks can give you what we gave you when you talked about us having sex and putting Christians in jail. I'll give you six months before COVID dumps you.

When that happens, don't come back to us. We want a divorce and palimony. That's right. We want half. You will be getting the papers tomorrow. And don't even think about coming back. We've changed the locks.

And one more thing. You better tell COVID-19 that we better not catch its ass in the street.

With warm regards,

The Gay Mafia

P.S. - You nasty bastards!!

Editor's note - just in case you haven't figured it out yet, this letter should be taken strictly tongue-in-cheek while noting just how religious groups exploit the popular fears to amass money and power. These days, it's difficult for people to note satire.

''Team LGBTQ' earns 32 medals at Tokyo Olympics' & other Mon midday news briefs

'Team LGBTQ' earns 32 medals at Tokyo Olympics - I may be wrong but this was the most high-profile Olympic games for the LGBTQ community and I hope a sign of things to come. 

Texas governor once again orders GOP legislators to try banning trans youth from sports - Here we go again.

DaBaby Deletes Instagram Apology To LGBTQ Community Days After Posting - I cringe to think what may come next.

Congressional candidate’s campaign ad shows him being kicked out of the navy for being gay - Caught MY attention. 

Tucker Carlson praises anti-LGBTQ Hungary prime minister - Because Tucker Carlson is a mediocre trust fund baby.

Right-wing media attacked LGBTQ athletes during Tokyo Olympics

Olympic silver medalist Raven Saunders was one of the LGBTQ athletes targeted by the right-wing media.

 Along with the success of American athletes during the 2021 Olympic games came the success and high-profile visibility of various LGBTQ athletes. And unfortunately with that success came the ugly words and tweets of many in the right-wing media. 

According to Media Matters

Right-wing media are attacking LGBTQ Olympians competing at the 2020 Tokyo Games, including by misgendering, deadnaming, and calling individual athletes a “fascist woketard,” “pudgy, out of shape,” and “an anti-American piece of trash.” 

Media Matters also said the right-wing media especially targeted several specific athletes:

According to Outsports, there are at least 182 openly LGBTQ athletes at this year’s Olympics, “more than triple the number who participated at the 2016 Rio Games.” Several of these athletes have been subjected to right-wing media harassment, including New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, U.S. women’s soccer team player Megan Rapinoe, Canadian soccer player Quinn, and American track and field athlete Raven Saunders.

I will spotlight two of  the four athletes who were the focus of the Media Matters article and give just a few examples of the ugly things said about them.

Raven Saunders:

Shot-putter Raven Saunders, who won a silver medal at the 2020 Olympics, made waves for her split-dyed hair, incredible performance, and gesture on the podium to represent “all people who are oppressed.” The gesture was being probed “as a potential breach of rules banning protests on medal podiums” but was suspended when her mother Clarissa Saunders died. Saunders tweeted, “My mama was a great woman and will forever live through me.” Right-wing pundits attacked Saunders during her time at the games, zeroing in on her protest and saying it “wrecks the games

.”Fox News’ Tomi Lahren attacked Saunders and other Olympians who protested at the games, saying their protests are a “attention-seeking display” and “crybaby, whiny, bratty stunts.” 

White nationalist sympathizer Michelle Malkin asserted that Saunders is “a sorry example of Olympic competition. You've got one job: win. If you can't cut it, find a different calling, and share your troubles with a therapist, not the world.” 

 Breitbart’s John Nolte called Saunders a “moron” and asserted, “​​These woketards are such woketards; they’re just making shit up now. At least she won a Silver.”

'Homophobic drama with rapper DaBaby yields educational opportunities' & other Fri midday news briefs

DaBaby

The recent homophobic controversy with rapper DaBaby may actually have positive repercussions:

National LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS organizations call for educational meeting with DaBaby in open letter 

Megan Thee Stallion Says 'It Is About Time' that Rap Tackle LGBTQ Hate: 'It Is Really Crucial' 

In other news:

LGBTQ family featured in ad for grocery store flees Russia after death threats - Talk about your ugly hot messes.

Coalition of Orthodox Jewish rabbis publicly flaunt their hypocrisy in opposing Biden's pick for religious freedom coalition - My post from last night. It's important to me because I am so tired of those on the right attempting to define religious freedom for the rest of us.

Milwaukee Marks 60th Anniversary of Pre-Stonewall Bar Uprising - Know your history. All of it.