From 'recruiting' to 'grooming' - how the right has continues to smear LGBTQ people as child predators

The old has become new again. And in this case, that is unfortunate for LGBTQ people.

Media Matters breaks down how the right is reframing the old lie that LGBTQ people are trying to 'recruit' children. Only now, they say we are 'grooming' children.  The entire piece deserves a read but below is an excerpt.

It has been 45 years since voters in Dade County, Florida, voted to strip nondiscrimination protections from LGBTQ people after a campaign by singer Anita Bryant called “Save our Children,” yet the myth that LGBTQ people put children in danger has pervaded since then, with a frightening recent escalation. Right-wing media are intensifying a years-long push to falsely accuse LGBTQ people – along with major corporations like Disney that oppose Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” bill – of “grooming” children to be gay or trans, or promoting sexual activity. 

While accusations that the public existence of LGBTQ people somehow poses a sexual threat to minors have a long and ugly history, the recent wave of attacks reached a fever pitch with the passage of HB 1557, the “Don’t Say Gay” or trans bill in Florida. The bill bans discussion of sexuality or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, though its vague wording could be used to prevent such discussions at any grade level. DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw tweeted on March 4 that “the bill that liberals inaccurately call ‘Don’t Say Gay’ would be more accurately described as an Anti-Grooming Bill,” going on to accuse opponents of grooming 4- to 8-year-olds: 

 . . . right-wing media promptly took Pushaw’s messaging advice. The next day, a headline in The Post Millennial proclaimed that “Florida's anti-groomer law protects kids and parents from activist educators.” On March 9, the chyron on Fox News’ The Ingraham Hour falsely stated that “Liberals are sexually grooming elementary students.”

 . . .And after a leaked video surfaced in which a Disney executive talked about having more LGBTQ storylines in the company’s material, right-wing media figures on Fox and elsewhere all jumped on the argument that this represented the grooming of children for sexual activity; Carlson even claimed that Disney was acting like a “sex offender.”  

  . . .The language these media figures and outlets are using to attack LGBTQ people and conflate them with dangerous pedophiles matches the rhetoric used nearly five decades ago in Bryant’s Save Our Children campaign, a six-month tour of hate that led voters in Dade County to repeal one of the first ordinances in the country that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation. Bryant claimed, falsely, that gays and lesbians were “trying to recruit our children into homosexuality.” As Zack Ford wrote in Xtra, “The nefarious tropes of the 1970s and ’80s never actually went away.” .

'Fox News smears Disney for its opposition to 'Don't Say Gay' bill' & other Thur midday news briefs

Fox News picks up video from CRT alarmist to claim Disney is sexualizing children​ - Yep. It's been a war on Disney led by Fox News ever since the company announced it would work to repeat Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill. 

Cases in point:

Fox News contributor: Disney wants to “sexualize our children” 

Fox contributor defends Florida's “Don't Say Gay” bill, blames “the left” for “sexualizing children” 

One sided pablum by a bunch of propaganda slop artists 

In other news:

Arizona governor signs bills limiting transgender rights, abortion - This madness continues.

Buttigieg Slams Rep. Greene's Taunt to 'Stay Out of Girls' Bathrooms' - Speaking of madness

Child sex abuse scandal in TX foster care system should undercut Abbott's attack on trans kids and their families

 

TX Governor Greg Abbott attacks trans kids and their families while there are sex scandals in the state's troubled foster care system.

There is a huge foster care scandal happening right now in Texas. It's significant on its own, but reaches a higher level of concern when one takes into account the recent attacks the state is inflicting upon the LGBTQ community, particularly trans kids and their affirming parents. Tx Governor Greg Abbott is attempting to remove trans kids from the households of affirming parents by falsely declaring trans healthcare as child abuse. But based upon what's been going on, the actual abuse is happening in Texas foster care facilities.

From the Austin-American Statesman:

A federal judge, expressing disappointment with Texas law enforcement, is now seeking a federal investigation into allegations of child pornography at a Bastrop County foster care facility for victims of sex trafficking. During a virtual court hearing Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Janis Jack raised concerns about the allegations, which involve staff at the Refuge Ranch residential facility for minors. Court monitors, who are tasked with overseeing the improvements in the Texas foster care system, this week said they found holes in the investigation undertaken by Texas Rangers into the allegations.

 Earlier this month, the Department of Family and Protective Services had alerted the court monitors of an urgent situation concerning the safety of children at the Refuge. The department reported that it had received several reports since Jan. 24 to the statewide intake hotline alleging sexual and physical abuse; sexual exploitation; neglectful supervision; and medical neglect at the facility.

According to a March 21 article in Courthouse News Service, the alleged incident involved an employee who gave two of the girls a cellphone to take nude pictures of themselves. The pictures were then sold for drugs (Percocet and Xanax). The article also said:

The Refuge promptly notified the sheriff’s office about the photograph seller and its investigation is ongoing. But after the shelter’s problems were publicized in a March 10 filing and hearing in the class action, sparking widespread media coverage, Governor Greg Abbott ordered an immediate probe by the Texas Rangers.

The Austin-American Statesman said the following about the investigation:

On March 10, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas Rangers from the Department of Public Safety to investigate the trafficking allegations at the Refuge. The facility has been temporarily closed. Less than a week later, the Texas Rangers’ investigation said that initial allegations of sex trafficking were inaccurate, but that allegations of nude photography of teenage girls were still under investigation. In a letter to Abbott, DPS Director Steven McCraw wrote that Texas Rangers found "there was no evidence that any of the residents at the Refuge shelter have ever been sexually abused or trafficked while at the shelter." 

 But, according to a March 28 edition of The Texas Tribune: 

 Court-appointed watchdogs of Texas’ troubled foster care system found "ample evidence" that former sex trafficking victims were abused at a foster care facility, contradicting the Texas Rangers’ findings earlier this month. After reviewing thousands of documents and recordings, the monitors said in a court filing Monday there is evidence to substantiate allegations of child sex abuse, exploitation, neglectful supervision and physical abuse at The Refuge Ranch in Bastrop. 

The monitors also called a letter from Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw to Gov. Greg Abbott, which said there was no evidence kids at the shelter were sexually abused or trafficked, “was, at best, premature.”

Apparently, this incident (and the reasons why court-appointed watchdogs were put in place to monitor Texas's foster care system in the first place) is merely the latest in an 11-year class action lawsuit against the state of Texas involving foster care. Apparently the state is being sued for providing inadequate care for the kids in its foster care system. In January, U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack blasted the state for not even having a system to keep track of children in foster care:

From MSN:

More than a decade into an ongoing lawsuit surrounding the state's troubled foster care system, U.S. District Judge Janis Jack was angry when she asked the state if they have a system to keep track of where foster children are and the head of the agency said they don't. When Jack asked Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner Jaime Masters for an update on the system, Masters said IT is still working on it. 

 "Oh, for God's sake. I just don't understand this incompetence ... You don't know where the children are," Jack said. "Now we know today, 11 years into this lawsuit, that no one knows where these children are placed. I'm just - I'm speechless. You are the parent. I don't want to hear that IT is still working on it." 

 Several minutes later, Masters received an update that IT would go live with the system in July. "Sorry I acted so angry," Jack said. "It's actually because I am angry."

According to Fox 4 KDFW, during that same hearing:

Three experts were hired by the state in response to a federal lawsuit. They explained in a Tuesday hearing that the state needs to avoid placing children in group homes and needs to stop sending children without placements out of the state. U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack made it clear she is not happy with how the state is handling children without family placements. "Texas, in spite of 11 years of litigation, was not prepared for closing all these unsafe GROs and thrust all these children into hotels motels and offices," she said.

Seems to me that taking Abbott's side when it comes to trans kids and their families is the equivalent of kicking Little Red Riding Hood  out of grandma's house and into the jaws of the hungry wolf.

'Neb lawmaker apologizes after spreading debunked rumor about students self-identifying as cats' & other Wed midday news briefs

Nebraska lawmaker apologizes after perpetuating debunked rumor that schools are supplying litter boxes for students who self-identify as cats - You look like a fool and are getting what you deserve for acting like one.

DeSantis rails against Disney for condemning the “Don’t Say Gay” law​ - He thinks that's going to get him closer to the White House. 

17 LGBTQ+ Celebrities Who Walked the 2022 Oscars Red Carpet - What slap? I don't remember any slap. 

Despite ‘relentless attacks,’ optimism for future of LGBTQ movement - That's right. We don't slip. We don't fall. We don't back down.

Franklin Graham gives DeSantis 'Putin-like' praise for signing 'Don't Say Gay' bill

No matter how Florida Gov Ron DeSantis and his supporters attempt to spin the 'Don't Say Gay' bill as something to protect children, reality smacks them in the face.

And on Tuesday, that reality came in the form - of all people - Franklin Graham:

 Graham's comments should surprise no one. He is a bigoted homophobe who would praise anyone for any undermining of LGBTQ lives, no matter how big or small. Graham would even compliment Russian president, Vladimir Putin for anti-LGBTQ persecution. 

In fact, he has. 

In 2014, Graham praised Putin for signing a somewhat harsher law in Russia. The bill, passed in 2013, criminalized all positive LGBTQ speech and advocacy:

“In my opinion, Putin is right on these issues,” Graham writes. “Obviously, he may be wrong about many things, but he has taken a stand to protect his nation’s children from the damaging effects of any gay and lesbian agenda.” “Our president and his attorney general have turned their backs on God and His standards, and many in the Congress are following the administration’s lead. This is shameful.” With the caveat that “I am not endorsing President Putin,” Graham nonetheless praised Russia’s get-tough approach toward gay rights. “Isn’t it sad, though, that America’s own morality has fallen so far that on this issue — protecting children from any homosexual agenda or propaganda — Russia’s standard is higher than our own?”

In 2015, Graham went further in his defense of Putin and his attack on LGBTQ people:

I have met the president on several occasions. He’s a very nice person. But he supports and promotes policies that contradict the teachings of God. As a Christian I believe that abortion is murder, he supports it. Homosexuality and same-sex marriage — those are sins against God, and the president is promoting them. I’m not against homosexuals as people. But God commanded that marriage should be between a man and a woman. And I very much appreciate that President Putin is protecting Russian young people against homosexual propaganda. If only to give them the opportunity to grow up and make a decision for themselves. Again, homosexuals cannot have children, they can take other people’s children. I believe that President Obama (and I’ll repeat, he’s a very nice person) is leading America down the wrong road. He’s taking a stand against God.

Great company you're in, DeSantis. 

A bloodthirsty dictator  who signed a law which criminalized all pro-LGBTQ speech and a religious hypocrite who praised him for it

'President Biden blasts DeSantis for signing 'don't say gay' bill' & other Tue midday news briefs

President Biden

Biden, Florida officials and Disney blast DeSantis’ signing of ‘don’t say gay’ bill - Thank you President Biden for being a real president. 

Disney Vows to Help Repeal Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' Legislation - Get to work, Disney. 

The 7 queerest moments from an unforgettable Oscars ceremony - The slap aside, it was a very good night. 

Utah Students Organize Queer Prom After State Passes Anti-Trans Bill - Good for them!

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs 'Don't Say Gay' bill during creepy photo op enlisting children as props

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis hands out pens to children after signing the state's 'Don't Say Gay' bill into law.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed his state's 'Don't Say Gay' into law during an absolutely creepy photo-op as seen above. Throughout this entire drama, DeSantis has been attempting to portray himself as a protector of children. But signing a bill which sends a message to children that their families are somehow inferior isn't exactly a message that a protector of children would send. And then exploiting kids as figurative co-signers of that message is downright shameful. 

DeSantis is exploiting same delusionary mindset that Donald Trump has about the 2020 election, i.e. that he is on the side of good fighting evil and corruption.  The fantasy would be amusing except for the reality it obscures. The 'Don't Say Gay' bill is a fraud. It attacks a 'problem' which doesn't exists. It exploits a fear which shouldn't exist. It scapegoats an innocent group of people, which includes children. And its benefits are also nonexistent.

The only thing which exists right now is the fact that DeSantis eagerly exploited children in his attack on LGBTQ kids and families. The bill was unnecessary. The photo op was simply evil.

And the most tragic thing is that it's all performance. DeSantis is a very calculating politician. He knows that his bill is red meat to feed the GOP base and get him closer to the White House. In the long run DeSantis doesn't care about protecting children; not LGBTQ kids and certainly not the kids he enlisted in his photo op.

Ron DeSantis only cares about Ron DeSantis and he has no problem building a road to the White House paved with the the bodies, wrecked self-esteem, and spiritual ruination of LGBTQ people. But now, he has invited children to help him pave that road.

Americans should be more concerned with what DeSantis is teaching our kids. He seems to be the one doing the indoctrination.

UPDATE - and what's more, the signing was rushed. So much for fanfare. Cowardice seems to be the order of the day for DeSantis.

'DeSantis expected to sign 'Don't Say Gay' bill at charter school which has two anti-LGBTQ clubs' & other Mon midday news briefs

DeSantis expected to sign ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill at Florida taxpayer-funded charter school that has two anti-LGBTQ clubs - We now return you to your regularly scheduled bigotry.

Billboards saying “GAY” are up in Florida in protest of the Don’t Say Gay bill​ - Keep the fight up. DeSantis is a coward and hasn't signed the bill as of yet. 

A Gay Florida Educator on the Terror of What's to Come - And keep up educating people about it.

13 LGBTQ art shows worth traveling for this spring - This is hot!

Congresswoman mixes up her homophobia with transphobia, demands that Pete Buttigieg and his husband stay out of female restrooms

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene isn't too bright from the get-go. But it's rather embarrassing for her to mix up her homophobia with her transphobia.

Marjorie Taylor Greene goes on a strange rant about Pete Buttigieg and says he “can stay out of our girls bathroom” pic.twitter.com/mflOliqc5R

— Acyn (@Acyn) March 26, 2022

From Business Insider:

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his husband should stay out of girls' bathrooms while speaking at Donald Trump's rally in Commerce, Georgia, on Saturday. "You know what? Pete Buttigieg can take his electric vehicles and his bicycles, and he and his husband can stay out of our girl's bathrooms," Greene said at the rally. Greene seemed to be referencing ongoing debates about what bathrooms transgender people should use– but Pete Buttigieg and his husband Chasten are gay, not transgender.

 

It's both funny and exhausting. Funny because of obvious reasons. Exhausting because someone actually elected this woman to Congress, thereby elevating her power and voice. Every time you're tempted to laugh at her comment, pay attention to the folks in the clip cheering her on. They don't care what she said or how idiotic she sounds. As long as it reinforces their hatred.

TX attorney general Ken Paxton targeting LGBTQ people and 'Pride Week' to distract from brutal primary, legal troubles

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton

Texas attorney general Ken Paxton seems to have a vendetta against the state's LGBTQ community. Weeks after issuing an opinion based upon distorted information which justified investigating affirming parents of trans kids for child abuse, he is at it again.

From The Hill:

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) said in a letter to the Austin Independent School District (AISD) this week that its Pride Week was "breaking state law." Paxton wrote Tuesday that by hosting pride week, the district "has, at best undertaken a week-long instructional effort in human sexuality without parental consent. Or, worse [the] district is cynically pushing a week-long indoctrination of [students] that not only fails to obtain parental consent, but subtly cuts parents out of the loop." The Texas AG also wrote that the Austin ISD's curriculum and lesson plans "deal head-on with sexual orientation and gender identity—topics that unmistakably constitute 'human sexuality instruction' governed by state law."

According to LGBTQNation:

Paxton didn’t send the letter privately – he posted screenshots of it to Twitter with the message, “Liberal school districts are aggressively pushing LGBTQ+ views on Texas Kids! All behind parents’ backs! This is immoral and illegal.” He then referred to LGBTQ people as “sexual propagandists and predators” and demanded they be held “accountable.”

But The Hill said he is getting pushback:

District’s superintendent Stephanie Elizalde responded to Paxton in a tweet, writing: “I want all our LGBTQIA+ students to know that we are proud of them and that we will protect them against political attacks.” District spokesman Jason Stanford told The Washington Post: “We’re going to react to this by doubling down on making sure our kids feel safe and celebrating Pride."

There are a multitude of reasons why Paxton has chosen to target the LGBTQ community and none of them are good. But the simplest reason is obvious. He's afraid of losing his job on two fronts.

Paxton is in a hotly contested run-off primary with 'further to the right than Atilla The Hun'  Congressional representative Louis Gohmert.  Paxton is also facing a corruption probe for bribery charges and allegations that he misused his power. And to top it all off, he also faces possible disbarment over alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election on behalf of Donald Trump.

In his targeting of LGBTQ Texans, Paxton seems to be less concerned about protecting kids and more about protecting himself.

'Commentary - It's Not Just Florida. The GOP is pushing 'don't say gay' bills in 15 states' & other Thur midday news briefs

It’s not just Florida. The GOP is pushing “Don’t Say Gay” bills in 15 states now. - Oh it's on now. As much as part of me hates this mess, I like a good fight. "We didn't ask for this war, but it's on!" 

North Texas superintendent orders books removed from schools, targeting titles about transgender people​ - Constitutional concerns are being raised. 

Groups opposed to gay rights rake in millions as states debate anti-LGBTQ bills - Money doesn't take the place of truth. Your lies may get you over for a while, but truth always wins.

Joe Biden helps LGBTQ Ukrainian refugees with fast-tracked US resettlement - Trump would not have done that. 

Utah governor cites suicide rates for transgender youth in vetoing sports ban bill: ‘I want them to live’ - Facts.

Gay conservative Dave Rubin cancelled by his allies on the right after announcing that he and his husband are having kids

Prominent gay conservative Dave Rubin recently announced that he and his partner are going to become fathers. His colleagues on the right have been vocal with their disdain.

I don't like the 'I told you so' narrative about this but just because I don't like it doesn't mean it isn't important.

Dave Rubin is a prominent gay conservative. Forbes describes his clout as such:

Rubin has been cultivating an intolerant audience for several years, with his talk show The Rubin Report functioning as a cushy platform for hate-mongers like Stefan Molyneux and Milo Yiannopoulos, a safe space where all the questions are softballs. According to Rubin, his show is "a hub for misunderstood or canceled people or to-be-canceled people to express themselves honestly." Rubin has previously compared progressivism to a “mental disorder,” and through his talk show, attempts to push the idea that leftists and liberals are the real bigots, and that conservatives are more accepting of dissent. However, Rubin has struggled to prove this notion, hindered by his own audience’s refusal to accept his sexuality.

Rubin, a gay man in a socially conservative space, has never been been fully accepted by a vocal segment of his audience, or even his peers and supposed “friends.” This is underlined by an infamous conversation Rubin shared with fellow culture warrior Ben Shapiro, in which Shapiro flatly refuses an invite to Rubin’s anniversary party, citing Rubin’s sexuality as the reason he wouldn’t attend. Rubin passively accepts Shapiro’s intolerance as a reasonable reaction, calling his response ”interesting.”

"Passively accepting intolerance" shown towards him by his conservative colleagues seemed to have been a price Rubin willingly paid for the prominence and bank account which comes with being a "gay conservative." But as of recently, things have changed considerably. You see, Rubin and his partner announced that they are going to become parents. And many of his conservative colleagues have been, shall we say, not eager to congratulate him. On the contrary, some folks have been downright nasty towards him:

Edward Szall and Gillyan Christensen say that Dave Rubin and his husband adopting children "is the most evil thing that you could ever do" and call them "the spiritual version of neo-Nazis" for doing so. The only solution, obviously, is "to ban all gay people." pic.twitter.com/es8y8HgYP4

— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) March 23, 2022

'Former gay' Milo Yiannopoulos, whose nonsense Rubin amplified, had this to say:

The American Spectator has this to say:
 

While people cheer the happy baby news, each step of the baby-making, having, and parenting process uses, abuses, and negates women. More than that, it denies the humanity and needs of the child. Less than a baby to nurture, the child is a commodity. The child is a product. The consumer is an adult who cannot obtain progeny by natural means and so must buy one by artificial means.

And then we get the word from Jenna Ellis about sin. This is the SAME Jenna Ellis who consistently lied about voter fraud to get the 2022 election overturned. I guess she is so busy talking about the 'sin' of homosexuality' that the sin of lying totally escaped her:

And I won't even MENTION the comments on the far right conservative site Free Republic. They range from simply ugly to downright bloodthirsty.

I do NOT care for Dave Rubin for obvious reasons. But I support his right to have a family. I support the right of all LGBTQ people to create and have families. 

BUT I also have a message to Mr. Rubin

Attack us, malign us, or disrespect us 'on the left' all you want, just so long as you remember who was talking shit about you, your husband and your kids. That would be your friends on the right. 

The verbal blowback you are receiving is only a smidgen of what us less prominent LGBTQ folks have gotten from your allies. It's something you helped to happen.

How does it feel to realize that you too are on their menu?

Big hat tip to Forbes magazine.

'Ketanji Brown Jackson schools GOP senator who ranted about marriage equality' & other Wed midday news briefs

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

Ketanji Brown Jackson schooled GOP senator who ranted about gay marriage​ - Only took her nine words to do it.

More Than One-Third of Trans Kids Are At Risk Of Losing Gender-Affirming Care - This is terrible. There is a reason why the right wants us distracted by lies regarding trans athletes. So folks can ignore this. 

Fox News hosts launch dehumanizing anti-trans attacks against Adm. Rachel Levine and UPenn swimmer Lia Thomas - Trash is trash. 

Disney employees stage walkouts to protest company response to Florida bill - That's right Disney. We haven't forgotten about yo' ass. 

Raven-Symoné and Cast of Raven's Home Walk Off Set Over Florida's 'Ridiculous' 'Don't Say Gay' Bill - Good for them!

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis goes beyond petty in using his office to personally bully trans athlete Lia Thomas

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis is using his office to personally bully trans athlete Lia Thomas.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is so eager to emulate Donald Trump as a presidential candidate that he's already making the mistakes which cost Trump the White House.

He's being belligerently petty.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an official proclamation Tuesday declaring a Florida resident the “rightful winner” of an NCAA women’s swimming championship race over transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. Thomas — the University of Pennsylvania swimmer whose record-breaking season has sparked national debate over whether trans women should compete on female sports teams — became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA championship last week, placing first in the 500-yard freestyle race at the Division I finals in Atlanta on Thursday. DeSantis said he would "reject these lies and recognize" University of Virginia swimmer and Florida resident Emma Weyant, who came in second place, as the winner. 

The false narrative of trans female athletes having an unfair advantage over cisgender female athletes (strange how trans males athletes are made conveniently absent from this discussion) has been a somewhat successful wedge issue for conservatives and others on the far right. Just as in the issue of marriage equality, they have zoomed in on and amplified false assumptions about a complicated issue which takes more explaining than a sound byte.

And just like the issue of marriage equality, accuracy will eventually rule the day. Meanwhile, folks like DeSantis are embarrassingly eager to squeeze out whatever political capital they can, even if they target innocent people.

In other words, Governor Ron DeSantis is personally bullying Lia Thomas. There is should be no sugarcoating, no deceptions, and no lies about what this man is doing right now, DeSantis is exposing Ms. Thomas to ridicule and death threats and she doesn't have the same capital or political power to fight him as he punches down at her while making speeches, appearing on Fox News, and being interviewed at various other media outlets - all of which are sure to come from his latest stunt.

Technically, DeSantis is not leading a charge of hateful students to follow her in the restroom. He's not leading a gang of transphobic fools chasing her down the street while pelting her with rocks and abuse. No, what DeSantis is doing is simultaneously equally disgusting and even worse. He's crafting excuses for those who would want to do those awful things to Thomas. In his capacity as an authority figure and a political leader, he is sending a message that to treat Ms. Thomas as less than human is perfectly okay - something that a true Christian would do, even. 

People are supposed to look to him for some sort of guidance, but he would rather pass out the torches while directing the mob.

And keep in mind that DeSantis's attack on Thomas  comes on the heels of  his enthusiastic support of the 'Don't Say Gay' bill passed by the Florida legislature. DeSantis should take a step back and consider his political future. It's one thing to push an issue, even distort it, for political points. But it's quite another to eagerly target any one person or a group of people and use your political power to make life hell for them. Granted, DeSantis is probably doing it to fire up his base, a tactic that Trump perfected  while in office. But he should be aware of the other side of the coin with that technique.

Trump may have fired up his base during his years in the White House with his petty attacks and targeting, but he also fired up an opposition who came out on election day simply to vote against him. There is some truth to the belief that Biden partly won in 2020 because more people absolutely despised Trump than liked him.

In the long run, people don't like presidential candidates  or any politician who take perverse pleasure in dividing and targeting people. And DeSantis is getting way past that point.

'True story - Dog dumped at NC animal shelter because owners said he was gay' & other Tue midday news briefs

 

Dog Is Dumped At North Carolina Shelter Because Owners Said It Might Be Gay​ - OMG! I hope this turns out to be a fraud, but I doubt that it is. The above video confirms it.

I'm An LGBTQ+ Doctor. Here's What You Might Not Know About Texas' New Anti-Trans Law. - Cause we shouldn't stop talking about this travesty. Ever.

Biden Officials Meet With Florida LGBTQ+ Youth to Assure Support - Thank you. 

Barrington High parent: LGBTQ students targeted in TikTok-inspired attack - What all of this evil against LGBTQ people is leading to.

Other states trying to ignore Florida 'Don't Say Gay' backlash as they work to muzzle LGBTQ people. They will not be successful.

We knew this would happen. From The USA Today:

 Florida's "Parental Rights in Education" bill, which would restrict classroom discussions about LGBTQ people, is just the tip of the iceberg for similar legislation across the country, data shows. Florida's bill has inspired national backlash, but it contains language similar to many other bills – branded "Don't Say Gay" legislation by critics. Those proposed laws are currently in various stages of moving through state legislatures. The barrage of legislation represents a widespread attack against LGBTQ people and their allies, according to policy experts. Young people, who identify as LGBTQ at higher rates than older generations of Americans, stand to be harmed the most by the bills, experts said.

One bill in Louisiana is downright scary because the person behind it is up front about what she wants to accomplish. The bill not only seeks to shut down any discussion of LGBTQ issues from elementary school to the 8th grade. It would criminalize teachers for even mentioning sexual orientation and gender identity:

A bill that would bar discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in K-12 schools has been filed in the Louisiana Legislature. It follows similar efforts in Florida and more than a dozen other states referred to as “Don’t Say Gay” proposals. Filed by Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton, House Bill 837 would make it illegal for schools to incorporate “classroom instruction or discussion relative to sexual orientation or gender identity” in kindergarten through eight-grade classes and for teachers and other school employees to discuss “personal sexual orientation or gender identity” with students in grades K-12th grade.

Horton inanely insists that her bill isn't a 'Don't Say Gay' bill despite what it does. She also said her bill is to 'protect children.'  

Again with the claims about wanting to 'protect' the children. It's an old but successful card. It's the close cousin to the 'protect marriage' and 'protect religious liberty' card. And LGBTQ Americans know it well. Every time the religious right get on a jag about 'protecting' something, we are the ones who end up needing bodyguards.

The USA Today article continues:

Eighteen other states have seen the introduction of bills similar to Florida's this year alone, according to MAP and the Equality Federation, which released a report Wednesday documenting hostile school and curriculum bills. Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma already have similar policies on the books from the 1990s. 

 Many of this year's pieces of legislation are called "parental rights" bills, but critics said the name distracts from stipulations that would harms kids for whom school is the only place they feel comfortable talking about LGBTQ issues. Among those bills are ones requiring parents to "opt-in" for students to learn about certain topics, giving families power to make decisions about learning that are typically made by certified educators and counselors, Goldberg and MAP policy researcher Logan Casey said. 

 “We end up in a situation where you have politicians who are not educators making decisions about what happens in the classroom, and it really does tie the hands of local school boards as well as state school boards to make those decisions in an informed and public way," Goldberg said.

So what do we do about it? Well sitting on our asses and twiddling our thumbs in abject fear won't get us anywhere. Truth be told, no matter how dire things look, we aren't defeated. Not by a long shot. They can try to shut us out, but they can't ever shut us down.

And that's the key. No matter how many bills they try to pass, the haters can't shut us down. They can make things incredibly difficult for us, but they can't shut us down because quite simply, they can't shut us up. They can't shut up our creative, our determination, and especially our dogged determination to have the last word each and every time one of them crawl out of their fraudulent ecclesiastical and fake ivory towers to come after us.

They want no one 'say gay?' We will have America saying it so much than even the haters will say it in their sleep. They want to erase our kids and families from the schools and libraries? Then we will go everywhere INCLUDING those schools and libraries. Every action they take to shut us down is an opportunity for us to raise the noise and conscious levels as to who were are. 

It's not like we haven't done it before. Hate may be their brand, but overcoming their hate is our brand.

You see the oppositions acts under the illusion that a few bills and laws can eradicate us. That's their belief, but it ain't reality.  And everything they do to force that belief on us is an opportunity for us remind them of what reality actually says.

'Nearly 240 anti-LGBTQ bill filed in 2022 so far, most of them targeting trans people' & other Mon midday news briefs

Nearly 240 anti-LGBTQ bills filed in 2022 so far, most of them targeting trans people - This is simply evil. You cannot tell me that these bills are necessary. LGBTQ people are the only Americans specifically targeted by name. Folks don't even try to hide it. There is something really wrong here. 

These billboards are going up across America to show love to transgender people​ - It's a step but those of us who aren't trans should do more. What we can. 

Watch First Video Footage of Brittney Griner Since Russia Detention - We have to keep this sista in our prayers, hearts, and minds. 

Iszac Henig 5th, Lia Thomas 8th in 100-free final, two trans All-Americans in women’s swimming - Two trans athletes went in and did their best in spite of all of the media attention, both good and bad. At the end of the day, their commitment wins it all.

Carl Nassib released by Las Vegas Raiders - Turns out it was a financial decision. At the end of the day, money talks. Always. 

Attacks on transgender kids and their families prove that Republicans don't give a d@mn about 'parental rights'

This excerpted piece below was published five days ago in The Los Angeles Times, but it underscores a fact which needs consistent highlight in the war against trans Americans. In the mouths of the Republican party and their religious right cohorts, the phrase 'parental rights' is nothing more than a prop; a weapon used to wreak havoc for the sake of political power and to remind certain people how they are hated. It's the same manner the Republican party and their religious right cohorts exploit religion.

It's sad how certain people who are always going on about values, morality, and safety can easily convert these very same concepts into weapons of destruction. Almost as if it's a sociopathic tendency.

It's despicable that politicians would threaten medical care that has been vetted and peer-reviewed by mainstream medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, and pretend they are acting to protect the health of young people. They ignore current medical and psychological thinking and are making families and transgender teens feel singled out for hatred. 

These measures might well be struck down in court, but in the meantime, they make it hard for transgender youth to receive or continue receiving the medical care they need. According to a 2017 report by the Williams Institute at UCLA, less than 1% of teenagers identify as transgender and many of those don't get medical treatment related to their sexual identity.

 Such moves by Republican politicians are also hypocritical. When it comes to masks and COVID-19 vaccine mandates for kids, those politicians say those are matters for families to decide. But they seem fine with stripping parents of their right to help their children with a complicated medical decision that, unlike COVID-19, has no effect on the health or safety of others.

 . . . Deciding whether to seek gender-affirming care for teens should be done in consultation with doctors and and psychologists, who require certain criteria to be met before they will provide treatments for transitioning kids. The last thing parents need is politicians telling them that supporting their children is wrong or threatening to take their kids away.

 . . .Singling out a vulnerable group — and attempting to restrict its members' movements out of state, as Idaho would, or encouraging McCarthy-era spying and tattling on neighbors, as Texas’s governor wants — is a contemptible way to score points with voters. Even if all of these efforts eventually lose in court, it could still take years to resolve and still do untold damage to today’s transgender teenagers and their families. 

 

'Bigots move from 'recruit' to 'groomer' card against LGBTQ community' & other Fri midday news briefs

The anti-LGBTQ industry used to accuse us of 'recruiting' children. Now the word is 'grooming.'

“Grooming” Is Republicans’ Cruel New Buzzword for Targeting Trans Kids

‘Grooming’ narratives return to the forefront of anti-LGBTQ2S+ campaigns 

Unoriginal but effective. We always fight these lies and beat them. 

Hate group ADF to review Hanover Virginia School Board education policy - The Alliance Defending Freedom has defended sterilizing trans people and putting people in jail simply for being LGBTQ. Oh this was smart (sarcasm) 

Related posts - Information on the Alliance Defending Freedom from SPLC and Media Matters for America: 

ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM - SPLC report. 

The extremism of anti-LGBTQ powerhouse Alliance Defending Freedom - Media Matters report.

Anti-LGBTQ industry relying on fake expert to amplify medical anti-transgender lies

The anti-LGBTQ industry is relying on 'professionals' such as Michelle Cretella to give out false information about trans people.

Like I've shown many times, when it comes to gay men, the anti-LGBTQ industry generally amplifies false experts in their attacks. A recent article in the American Family Association's American Family News shows how this tactic is being used against the transgender community.

The article Christian doc: Biden's 'mimicking' of lies endangering kids cites a physician by the name of Michelle to criticize President Biden's support of transgender Americans:

Biden, a long-time supporter of transgenderism, went so far as to mention it in his State of the Union message on March 1. Specifically, he used the occasion to promote the Equality Act, which has lost support even among Republicans who had backed it. 

 . . . Dr. Michelle Cretella of Advocates Protecting Youth tells AFN that she's convinced the president was simply mimicking what others are saying. "He's just parroting the lies of many public institutions that really are placing children at grave physical risk. No child is born in the wrong body," she argues. Cretella says the president proclaimed his support despite the growing evidence that transgender treatments are dangerous, irreversible, and divisive. 

"When someone like President Biden stands up there and actually gives credence to the lie that children could be trapped in the wrong body, that's psychological abuse," she states. In a recent interview, Cretella – a past president of the American College of Pediatricians – made the same charge against educators. School staff who encourage a transgender self-identification, she said, are "guilty of psychological abuse" for putting children at risk for embarking on a medical path that includes such long-term consequences as permanent sterility, depression, impaired memory, strokes, and heart attacks.

There are two things you should know about Cretella. 

First of all, the group she led as past president, the American College of Pediatricians,  has been called a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center:

The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) is a fringe anti-LGBTQ hate group that masquerades as the premier U.S. association of pediatricians to push anti-LGBTQ junk science, primarily via far-right conservative media and filing amicus briefs in cases related to gay adoption and marriage equality.​ ACPeds opposes adoption by LGBTQ couples, links homosexuality to pedophilia, endorses so-called reparative or sexual orientation conversion therapy for homosexual youth, believes transgender people have a mental illness and has called transgender health care for youth child abuse.

In 2017, Cretella herself was called out by the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) for a piece she wrote criticizing trans health care. SAHM said that the argument she made was based on medical omissions, circumstantial facts, hateful interpretation and peripheral context: 

Earlier this month, the Adolescent Health News Roundup, compiled by Multiview and distributed by SAHM, included the article “I’m a Pediatrician. How Transgender Ideology Has Infiltrated My Field and Produced Large-Scale Child Abuse”. While SAHM welcomes opposing views and tries to include other perspectives in its weekly digest of news culled from around the internet, SAHM does not condone misinformation and hurtful, ideological opinion, not rooted in science or evidence-based medicine. 

The above-referenced article does not meet these standards and was included as “news” in error. It not only promotes a biased agenda, but does so with outright disregard for the facts. We sincerely apologize for including this alongside legitimate news stories and are currently revising our procedures to ensure this does not happen again.

SAHM refuted all of the points Cretella made in her piece and showed how she may have deliberately played loose with the facts. It also ended its piece with words Cretella and the entire anti-LGBTQ industry should take to heart:

One cannot claim to be an unbiased medical professional writing for the greater good when one’s entire article is predicated upon gender dysphoria as a choice. It is time to listen to our young people and help them be who they are.

(Editor's note -  SAHM's refutation deserves a read and a save for more than one reason. I have no doubt that Cretella's distortions have been copied by other transphobic groups and personalities. One thing about the anti-LGBTQ industry which I know for certain is their constant repeating of  the same lies and cherry-picked points.)

'Hate group leader Tony Perkins links LGBTQ people with 'rebellion against God' and 'demonic spirits' (again)' & other Thur midday news briefs

 

Tony Perkins Says ‘LGBT Is the Zenith of Man’s Rebellion Against God’ - We can always count on Tony Perkins for good old fashioned homophobia. 

Speaking of which, how can we forget when Perkins called us pawns of the devil in 2011:

 

In other news

For Too Many Straight, Cisgender Parents, Queer Is Their Worst Fear - This is true. They are scared of us. 

Disney workers stage daily walkouts to protest ‘Don’t Say Gay’ and demand protections for LGBT+ staff - Disney, you are in a doghouse. 

 How you can help LGBTQ Ukrainians right now - Amen.

After attempting to erase LGBTQ mentions in schools and trying to jail affirming parents of trans kids, what is next for the anti-LGBTQ industry?

I'm wondering whether or not people will be smart enough to connect the transphobic drama in Texas, the 'Don't Say Gay' bill debacle in Florida and the several other instances of LGBGTQ Americans being targeted and undermined via the governmental and legislative process this year.

On the risk of sounding like a paranoid conspiracy theorist, I refuse to believe that these things sprang up spontaneously. These legislative and governmental processes are too meticulously crafted. Certain groups and persons took the utmost care in creating these bills with the goal of undermining LGBTQ rights.  It's certainly something to think about, as is their possible next step. Whoever they may be, my guess is that these folks won't stop with trying to erase mentions of LGBTQ people in elementary schools or trying to take trans kids away from their affirming parents. 

Perhaps this, maybe:

For the luckily uninitiated, this is Terry Schilling, head of a group called the Americans Principles Project. And as so many of us know, when any right-wing group comes on the scene with a name bragging about how pro-American or pro-morality it is,  LGBTQ folks just gained another enemy.

Terry and his group have been busy, if he is to be believed. Recently, he was bragging about how his group was instrumental in getting Abbott to issue his transphobic directive. In fact, Schilling claimed that his group spent $750,000 on the effort

“We put together a $750,000 grassroots advocacy campaign with the War Room support, and we put pressure on him right before the election,” Schilling said. “It wasn’t a coincidence that he did this. And Abbott basically instructed all of his state agencies to treat this as child abuse, and it’s now criminal to do this.” 

 Abbott, a champion of the conservative movement, has been accused of not being right wing enough by the Republican Party’s extreme fringes. Such attacks escalated ahead of Tuesday’s Republican gubernatorial primary, which Abbott easily won. In Schilling’s telling, Abbott has been insufficiently harsh on the LGBTQ community.

 Under Schilling’s leadership, APP—a religious-right organization that has made discriminating against trans kids its main endeavor—launched a Texas state chapter last year and targeted Abbott and other Republicans for not going far enough with the anti-trans legislation they passed. In February, APP released two ads attacking Abbott for failing to “protect our children.”

So if Schilling is to be believed, Texas families with trans children have literally been fearing knocks on their doors because of him. But it's not just about trans people. According to Media Matters, Schilling made the following remark about gay men

“Am I really a snowflake for not wanting to explain butt sex to my kids?”

I suspect that Schilling and his group will be appearing on a future SPLC listing of anti-LGBTQ hate groups. But for now,  I would pay at least a little attention to his attack on LGBTQ people who realize after they have entered heterosexual marriages that they need to be honest with themselves and their families.

Don't be surprised if what he wrote ends up in a less hysterical form on some state legislative bill.

'Trans Texans sick being called 'child abusers' take their fight to the governor's mansion' & other Wed midday news briefs

Trans Texans sick of being called “child abusers” take their fight to the governor’s mansion - Keep it up, y'all! Don't stop standing up for yourselves!

Disney Dissent Looks To Grow Over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ As LGBTQ+ Staff Plan Walkouts Starting Today​ - Karma continues for Disney. It needs to do the right thing. 

Alabama Is Steps Away From Making Gender-Affirming Care a Felony - These folks may have meant all of this as a mid-term election strategy but it is spiraling out of their control. It's going to blow up in their faces It doesn't mean we should just sit in anticipation that it happens. We need to do all we can to make it happen. And that means getting the word out about what these insane bills will actually do. 

Mark Rylance reveals how a crappy homophobic action flick almost made him quit movies for good - Those types of movies are never a good idea. Sounds like a movie made in the 80s with John Hurt and Ryan O'Neal called 'Partners.' It too was a disaster.

Sen. Marco Rubio is the latest under harsh spotlight because of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill debacle

After using the shooting tragedy at the Pulse nightclub to portray himself as an LGBTQ ally, Florida Senator Marco Rubio is using the 'Don't Say Gay' bill to abandon that position.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio seems to the latest figure revealed to be nakedly dishonest because the state's 'Don't Say Gay' bill debacle.  We've already seen how the Florida GOP legislators - Governor DeSantis included - have lied and deceived to get the bill passed. And we've seen how the Disney Corporation unsuccessfully tried to avoid taking a stand against the bill even though it passes itself off as an LGBTQ-friendly corporation.

According to The American Independent, we are seeing why Sen. Rubio's support of the bill is equally problematic:

In 2016, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) advised his fellow Christian conservatives to show tolerance toward LGBTQ people. Six years later, Rubio has made an about-face and is supporting Florida's attacks on LGBTQ rights. In the aftermath of the 2016 mass shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that left 49 people dead, Rubio won reelection in part by claiming to be an ally for the LGBTQ community. But as he seeks a third Senate term in 2022, Rubio is no longer pretending to support the rights of LGBTQ Floridians.

. . . On Monday, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy warned that the Florida bill "sends a signal to LGBTQ+ youth that they are not fully accepted." In response, Rubio tweeted on Tuesday that Murthy "argues that schools should be having discussions with children from 5 to 8 years old about sexual orientation & gender identity." Just 14 minutes later, Rubio posted a Bible quote from the Book of Isaiah about Sodom and Gomorrah — two ancient cities that LGBTQ rights opponents often cite to condemn same-sex relationships: "Hear the word of the LORD, princes of Sodom! Listen to the instruction of our God, people of Gomorrah!"

According to the American Independent article (which should get a full reading), Rubio's support or disapproval of LGBTQ issues seems to be like a tennis ball during a furious Wimbledon championship match. He's either all about 'tolerance'  or Biblical condemnation all depending on the political winds.

'Here is an LGBTQ connection to all 68 teams in the NCAA men's basketball tournament' & other Tue midday news briefs

Here is an LGBTQ connection to all 68 teams in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament - Every one. 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis levels scathing attack against Disney - The bill has passed the Florida legislature, Ronnie. Why don't you sign it instead of whining about 'wokeness.' 

GOP Attacks on Trans Girls Were Never Just About Sports​ - No it wasn't and it bears repeating. 

Hilarious, Inclusive Sitcom Abbott Elementary Renewed For Season Two - This show is hilarious and deserves more attention.

Randy Rainbow hilariously calls out Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene in brutal 'Little Shop of Horrors' song spoof

Say what you will about Randy Rainbow, his brutally acerbic talent for wrecking the most deserved via song parodies helped get us through the Trump years. And he hasn't run out of ways to express his dry candor as the above video proves. Via a spoof of the song 'Dentist' from Little Shop of Horrors, Randy calls out should-have-never-been-elected Congresswomen Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. I wish our so-called mainstream media had the gumption to check those two like Randy does.

'Poll - Majority of Americans Do Not Support Laws Banning LGBTQ Lessons in Class' & other Mon midday news briefs

Majority of Americans Against Laws That Ban LGBTQ Lessons in Class: Poll - This NEEDS to be trumpeted everywhere. 

Ad campaign celebrates trans athletes and the joy of youth sports​ - Yes! Give our kids a voice. 

Texas Sues Biden Administration Over Gender-Affirming Care Guidance - Go ahead and step deeper into that hole.

7 Gay, Bi, Lesbian, & Queer Movies Coming Out This Spring​ - Boom, baby!!

Gay cowboys, queer heroes & more: celebrate 20 years of incredible queer films - Just in case you need viewing material.

Sunday musings - 'Don't Say Gay' bill supporters continue to lie, Mr Humphries from 'Are You Being Served' is the funniest sit-com gay character ever

As we ease into this week, I'm taking sort of a bad news, good news point of view.

The bad news is that supporters of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill are heavily pushing the lie that those who oppose it favor teaching lessons of sexual behavior to K-3 children. People such as Bill Maher and Franklin Graham are either ignorantly or deliberately trying to push that narrative. And they are getting help from anonymous fools on Twitter.

Like so:

Thankfully, as expressed by my retweet, a lot of folks are pushing back with corrections. Very few are buying the lie.

So what's the good news?

Very simply, there is nothing wrong with taking a step back from all of the madness and finding a way to laugh.  I did that last weekend by watching episodes of what I think is one of the funniest situation comedies of all time,  'Are You Being Served?'

It's a comedy from England which looks the day to day happenings of a department store and its employees.  What makes it so funny? Check out below:

All of the characters are hilarious, but Mr. Humphries is an especially wonderful character. Him being gay was never confirmed, but always hinted at in various comedic instances. Some folks may find him to be a stereotype,  but I disagree. He was hilarious and unashamed about who he was. Some folks may think that Jack McFarlane from 'Will and Grace' was the funniest gay character on television, but I think that honor goes to Mr. Humphries:

Supporters of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill can't even get their lies straight

The fact that Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill was going to become law was a given from the start because Republicans outnumber Democrats in both legislative houses. But opponents of the bill consistently - and accurately - pushed that fact that the bill unfairly targets LGBTQ people. 

The supporters of the bill tried to push two opposite messages and that didn't work out for them. There were some who claimed that the bill doesn't target LGBTQ people, such as hate group The Family Research Council:

But they have been severely undercut by other supporters of the bill who say that it does target LGBTQ Floridians. Supporters such as Fox News host Laura Ingraham who dog whistled about the 'gays want to recruit' children trope :

And the drafter of the bill, Florida legisaltor Dennis Baxley, who admitted that the bill was created because of how  'concerned' he was about kids coming out:

After hours of denying his bill singled out gays, Senator @dennisbaxley admitted the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill was drafted because he was personally concerned so many kids today identify as gay and see themselves as “celebrities.” @CBSMiami pic.twitter.com/VI9cGiBNiN

— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) March 8, 2022

So while the bill will most likely become law, its opponents won a huge moral victory. The goal of the bill was to shut down LGBTQ voices. On that score, it's already failed.