From the archives: Hate group makes fool of itself with latest attack on Drag Queen Story Hour

Editor's note - For this post, I am going way back in the archives to show how ridiculous some anti-LGBTQ groups are when they attempt to push the "drag queens are grooming children" narrative.

In 2019, a Massachusetts hate group, Mass Resistance, raised a fuss about a Drag Queen Story Hour event and central to their message was the claim that the book being read was perverted. That was far from the truth, and it was my distinct pleasure to show how the hate group made a complete fool of itself with this lie.

From July 29, 2019:

No matter how they try, anti-LGBTQ groups and personalities can't seem to get a moral panic started over the popular event Drag Queen Story Hour. But that doesn't mean they don't try. Almost on a daily basis via various conservative sites, I read articles with lurid inferences about what drag queens are doing to children during this event. Usually, these lurid inferences translate to innocent situations exaggerated by homophobic need to exploit the "LGBTQs recruit children" lie

A perfect example is the hate group Mass Resistance's rendition of a recent Drag Queen Story Hour in Dallas. It was a perfectly harmless event, so the group had to be creative with details:

The “Drag Queen” disruptions in public libraries across the country are becoming more frightening and weird. But parents and citizens are fighting back! A bizarre pair of “Drag Queens” led a disturbing “Drag Queen Story Hour” event at the Grauwyler Park Public Library in Dallas, TX on July 13. A few of our people were inside documenting it, but a much larger group, organized by our new Dallas chapter of MassResistance, held a rousing protest outside.

Don't be fooled by the prose or the pictures on the webpage. Mass Resistance has a reputation going overboard on self-aggrandizement.

And speaking of exaggeration, the hate group bent over backwards to weave the notion that the drag queens were doing something nefarious to the children instead of simply reading to them.

 This event pushed the envelope even beyond the usual perversion. A particularly creepy part was when one of the Drag Queens read “What color is your underwear” to the young kids. It’s a shabby looking children’s book that is not specifically LGBT-themed but has a troubling focus – given what we know about “Drag Queens.” In the book, various animals show the others their underwear. At the end the elephant says, “I’m not wearing any underwear.” Is this a subliminal encouragement for the young children? At one point the “Drag Queen” reader blurted out, “Oh, don’t moon me!”

 

 As you can see via the video above (which the group has on its site) Mass Resistance even admits that this is a children's book which isn't LGBTQ-themed. This is the book in question:

And ad for the book on Scholastic says the following:

This hilarious lift-the-flap features animals and their underwear! Kids will roar with laughter as they lift each flap and reveal cherry red boxers on a horse, furry yellow undies on a crocodile, wooly green bloomers on a sheep, and more! We save the best for last, though — on the final spread, an elephant is hiding behind a large leaf... for good reason. He forgot to put on any underwear! This is a fun way to teach colors... and the importance of wearing your drawers!

So basically, it comes down to the fact that Mass Resistance is angry at drag queens for  (wait for it) reading a children's book to children, which is the purpose of Drag Queen Story Hour.  I guess we should be relieved that none of the drag queens read Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. 

'Lawsuit alleges WI school board teamed up with Moms for Liberty activists to wreck gay principal's' career' & other Mon/Tue news briefs

Editor's note - some folks have commented on my two-day posting weeks. They weren't bad comments, but simply questions of concern. I am alright but I am moving a bit slower, emotionally. Please bear with me and enjoy these posts - even if some of them are news briefs (gotta do that aggregation thing) - because I'm still here and still raising hell as the 20th anniversary of this blog comes up next month.

Now, on to the news . . .

Wisconsin educator Jeff Peterson is suing his former school district, alleging that several board members worked anti-LGBTQ activists, including a Moms for Liberty official, to push false allegations of pedophilia against him in an attempt to destroy his career.

School board conspired with Moms for Liberty activists to destroy gay principal’s career, lawsuit says: 

 A Wisconsin educator is suing his former school district for discrimination, alleging that several members of the district’s board worked with anti-LGBTQ+ activists to fabricate a pretext to fire him because he is gay, going so far as to allegedly write an “anonymous” letter falsely accusing him of “inappropriate conduct” with children and distributing flyers blaming him for bringing “liberal extremists” to the community. 

 According to Jeffrey Peterson’s lawsuit, the campaign against him included spreading false allegations of “grooming,” cooked up by board members affiliated with anti-LGBTQ+ groups Moms for Liberty, the Natural Family Foundation, and the Convention of States.

Gay principal says school board made up fake pedophilia allegations to fire him - An LGBTQNation gives more details about the lawsuit, including allegations that school board officials gave a local anti-LGBTQ activist access to school employee records and that the activist used these records to coordinate with a Moms for Liberty vice chair and another school member to push a false allegation that Peterson was being investigated for inappropriate contact with children.

Trans CIA analyst explains how Laura Loomer got her fired from her job briefing Trump officials - Lara Loomer is trash. Full stop.

MAGA’s newest gay-hating Congress hopeful is *checks notes* a former male underwear model who partied in WeHo? - Another fake seduced by the money.

New emergency shelter aims to give Houston's LGBTQ+ youth a place to stay - We need more places like this one.

How LGBTQ+ Higher Ed Leaders Are Navigating the Political Moment - Good luck because you KNOW that it's not an easy thing to do.

'Police called on trans men using women's restroom as required by law' & other Wed/Thur news briefs

Trans men in Kansas simultaneously point out the quandary trans people have to deal with when using public restrooms and the idiocy of laws policing their usage of public restrooms.

Police Called on Trans Men Using Women's Restroom As Required By Kansas Law​ - Transgender men in Kansas simultaneously point out the quandary trans people have to deal with when using public restrooms and the idiocy of laws policing their usage of public restrooms. 

LGBTQ+ Democrats win big in Tuesday primaries while Angie Craig loses Senate bid - This is wonderful for LGBTQ people. Keep it going. 

Trump’s new Medicaid rule strips care from low-income families of transgender youth - The dumbass in the White House is flailing in the polls so he thinks beating up on trans people some more will lift him up. You'd better BELIEVE there will be a lawsuit about this. 

Why rumors about Lindsey Graham's sexuality followed him for decades - No comment.

I’m a gay high school soccer coach in rural America. I was afraid to be visible. Not anymore. - Good for him! 

Virginia congressman's meeting with transgender Democrats erupts into profanity. Then he walked out - My brother, you need to do better.

'Lauren Boebert calls LGBTQ+ people 'groomers.' Her son was just arrested for child sex abuse' & other Mon/Tue news briefs

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert

Lauren Boebert calls LGBTQ+ people “groomers.” Her son was just arrested for child sex abuse.​ - This isn't about "rubbing salt in wounds. "It's about accountability. Boebert won't do any soul-searching after this, so it's up to us to point out the hypocrisy of it all. 

Two ex-NBA players turn transgender identity into a stunt. The WNBA is responding - Bear in mind that there are no trans players in the WNBA. But ever since this nonsense started, I have seen some folks attack Britney Griner and accuse her of being a trans women - she isn't - as well as bash the WNBA in general. This is what some folks have been pointing out - the attack on trans women is now being weaponized against ALL women, cis and trans. When the right can't find witches to "burn," they create them. 

The Heritage Foundation Only Wanted to Protect Women’s Sports When It Was About Trans Athletes - "About a week after its allies won a Supreme Court ruling allowing states to ban transgender girls from girls’ school athletics, a leading conservative group that has campaigned for seven years to “protect women’s sports” is singing a very different tune. On July 8, the Heritage Foundation—the right-wing think tank widely known for sponsoring Project 2025—published a report calling for the rollback of the very landmark federal protections for women’s sports that have driven their explosion in popularity over the last five decades." 

Breaking down that anti-trans SCOTUS decision - Fascinating way to look at a dumb SCOTUS decision.

Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2026 - From the ACLU, a reminder to stay politically engaged. It certainly beats cowering in a corner.

Pioneering artistic swimmer says he’ll use gay slurs as ‘strength’ on road to Olympics - A GOOD motivator and a healthy attitude.

'LGBTQ candidates excel and win in Tuesday's primaries' & other Wed/Thur news briefs

“Ready for change”: LGBTQ+ & progressive candidates dominated Tuesday’s primaries​ - I am very cautious and pragmatic about this sort of thing. LGBTQ candidates did rather well, including:

 Joanna Whaley, a trans clinical chaplain who works in emergency rooms, intensive care units, and hospice, fended off two Democratic challengers in the state legislative primary in a blue district south of Detroit. She’ll likely be Michigan’s first-ever transgender state representative after a face-off against Republican Ron Kokinda in the November 3 general election.

Running for public office and winning provides much needed visibility and voices for our community. More of us should run for public office. 

Donald Trump’s 10 most humiliating presidential moments — among many - A stark reminder of why more LGBTQ people should run for public office. To combat jackasses like this fool and his attacks on our community. 

What’s missing from the renewed debate over trans athletes? The voices of trans people. - Generally speaking, in the debate about trans equality, the voices of trans people have been omitted and I think it's deliberate. Pundits and loudmouth idiots like Bill Maher and Joe Rogan rage against trans people but won't even invited them in the conversation. UNLESS it's a trans person willing to attack his or her own community. 

Buttigieg indicates he may run for president in 2028 - It would be nice but I don't think America is ready for a gay president. Of course, I have been wrong before. 

In Retrospect, Sophie Cunningham is Actually Okay with Shutting Up and Dribbling: ‘I Want to Get Back to Basketball’ - WNBA player becomes a hero to the right by attacking trans athletes, even though there are none in the WNBA and now wonders why she can't simply get back to playing basketball without talking about the culture war nonsense SHE helped to push.

'WA state ballot initiative could require genital exams for girls to play sports' & other Mon/Tue news briefs

Kindergarten girls targeted for invasive exams by new GOP-led ballot measure​ - Are we moving into the phase where anti-trans legislation could harm all girls in general. It was bound to happen. 

More details about this situation from a June article in OPB - Ballot initiative could require genital exams for Washington secondary students to play sports 

In other news: 

Hegseth forces national scouting event to end its spaces for gay youth, women, & scouts of color - Pete Hegseth is a pig. 

Michigan won't enforce its ban on conversion talk therapy for minors - All together now . . . booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! 

Michigan finds hair salon owner violated the law by directing trans people to pet groomers - This is an interesting case which we may see more of in the future.

MAGA Guys Are Going to Men-Only Gyms to Avoid “Distraction.” Welcome Back, Ancient Greece - No comment. It's just too damn easy.

Don't blame Fauci for the COVID pandemic. Blame Donald Trump. Here are the receipts.

In March 2020, Trump told reporter Bob Woodward that he was deliberately downplayed the dangers of COVID.

Earlier today, Senate Republicans held a hearing in which they attempted yet again to scapegoat Anthony Fauci for the COVID pandemic of 2020.

From The Huffington Post:

Fauci, the infectious disease scientist who helped lead the nation’s COVID-19 pandemic response, has become a target of many Republicans’ criticism over his handling of the pandemic, from mask and vaccine mandates to his early public statements on the virus’s origins.

The hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, however, is part of Paul’s yearslong accusations that Fauci lied about the pandemic, a claim Fauci has persistently denied and called “preposterous.” At the beginning of the hearing, Fauci declined to answer the litany of questions from Paul, who has repeatedly called for him to be criminally prosecuted, and other Republicans so far have expressed skepticism toward public health experts and sweeping government pandemic responses. Democrats, including ranking member Gary Peters (D-Mich.), sought to defend Fauci and cast the hearing as a politicized inquiry.

Nothing will come of this hearing - just like the others - except for further vilification of Fauci and continued attacks on his reputation. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people, particularly on social media, who have attacked Fauci by comparing him to Nazi physician Josef Mengele or blaming him for the deaths caused by COVID. Others claim that COVID was a hoax perpetrated by Fauci.

All of these idiots, including Senate Republicans, have one thing in common. They are pointing the finger at Fauci to take attention away from the one most responsible for the pandemic.

Donald Trump. 

These videos below are a reminder of just how Trump's incompetence got us to the point where hundreds of thousands died and we ended up having to be locked down in our homes with our country virtually shut down. Trump didn't provide leadership during the pandemic. He fostered confusion.

The first video is when Trump admitted to reporter Bob Woodward that he downplayed the severity of COVID.

Then there were times he gave conflicting statements about the pandemic.

   

Here is a better timeline of Trump's perception of the virus vs. reality. As the numbers climbed, Trump meandered.

   

Lastly here is a full timeline of Trump lost control of the pandemic via motion picture comic. If you ask me though, he never had control of the pandemic to begin with.

 

'Michigan opens probe into false charges against Pete Buttigieg' & other Mon/Tue news briefs

Pete Buttigieg (left) and his husband Chasten (right) holding their son and daughter.

Michigan opens probe into false allegation against Pete Buttigieg - Last month, some anonymous person made an allegation that Pete Buttigieg was a danger to his kids. The children were temporarily taken from him and his husband while the charges were being investigated. The charges turned out to be false coming from an unstable person and now folks want to get to the bottom of it.

Inside the bizarre allegation & “reckless” investigation that brought CPS to Pete Buttigieg’s door - Queerty provides a lot of detailed information on the situation.  Basic incompetence on the part of officials investigating the charges.

United Nations rejects U.S. effort to erase trans women: “It stops here” - The United States were the bad guys here. Spooky.

Trump admin threatens school district after religious parents sue over trans-inclusive policies - Yep. The United States is are the bad guys here. 

Trump’s education secretary claims schools are secretly transitioning children. They aren’t - Well duh. 

These Christian fitness bros are opening a chain of all-male “lust-free” gyms to deal with their weird infidelity issues - Who's going to tell them? Not me. 

Winsome Earle-Sears launches campaign against Va. marriage equality amendment - You lost the governor's race in Virginia. Just go away.

Chart proves it. 'The Odyssey' haters are obsessive and probably need 'to get laid'

 You're going to get a kick out of this.

As The Odyssey continues to be a box office hit, its haters continue to rage against it.  They seem to be determined to nitpick about everything, except for the underwear worn by the actors.

Give them some time on that particular subject, though. I'm sure it's on their list.

From Twitter (or X) comes the below chart one of them created which proves my point. Supposedly it illustrates 'everything wrong with The Odyssey.' Click on the picture to get a better view of it.

There is "nitpicking" and then there's "obsessive."

It's just a movie, folks. Pardon my vulgarity, but some folks obviously need to get laid. Desperately.

''Go Woke. Go Broke' racist, transphobic campaign fails to stop 'The Odyssey'' & other Mon/Tues news briefs

Go Woke, Go Broke? The Odyssey Sails to Massive Opening Weekend Despite Racist, Transphobic Backlash - A few years ago, a Bud Light boycott gave certain people a huge ego. Their failed attempt to wreck the Odyssey's box office just reminded them how little they matter. 

BUT here is the problem. They won't shut up about it. We can expect to hear takes like below probably for months and again around Academy Awards time. It takes a special kind of ego to say something like "I haven't seen the Odyssey yet but let me tell you all of the things wrong with it."

In other news:

Hunter Biden calls out 'closeted gay mafia' of D.C. Republicans - Suddenly, things just got interesting.

J.K. Rowling dragged for posting upskirt photo of trans woman for 'refusing to debate' - All of the money in the world won't keep JK Rowling from self-destructing in her transphobia and I am here for it. On the sidelines waving and cheering. 

Trump candidate rages against marriage equality while calling LGBTQ+ people an “existential threat” - Weirdo. 

FIFA ignored gay fans. They made this World Cup unforgettable anyway.- Cause that's what we do. You can't ignore gay folks in general nor wipe us out.

'Trump Administration abandons attempt to ban hospitals from providing trans care. Decides to endanger LGBTQ foster kids' & other Wed/Thur news briefs

Trump backs off attempt to nationally ban hospitals from providing trans care​ - A victory which means a lot of things. To my cynical side, it means that the Trump Administration doesn't see any leverage from their attempts after constant court losses. 

Trump administration caves to public pressure after avalanche of opposition to anti-trans hospital rule - But a firestorm of opposition didn't hurt, including over 30,000 public comments submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Regardless of anything, don't ever let anyone make you believe that not being silent doesn't change things. Folks came together big time on this one. 

Trump ends Biden-era rule supporting LGBTQ+ foster kids: “Puts children at risk… plain & simple” - However, as one battles nears to a close, another one strikes up. These hypocrites are always talking about "protecting children" except for when it comes to LGBTQ children. 

The SF Giants had 48 hours to fix Pride Night. They chose not to. - Disappointing behavior from the SF Giants coming from its Pride Night debacle. 

Parents sue Anne Arundel schools, allege officials hid child’s gender transition - Another bit of nonsense from the right. 

LGB people often leave trans folks behind in times of struggle. Let’s not let this happen again. - Amen!

'VA gay teacher, LGBTQ ally parent win $1 million in lawsuits after false 'groomer' accusations' & other Mon/Tue news briefs

Gay teacher, LGBTQ-supportive parent win $1 million in Fairfax County defamation lawsuits​ - Too bad this didn't involve Libs of TikTok, but it's still sweet. This is what folks need to start doing to folks accusing them of sex crimes against kids. TAKE their money!

Maine Supreme Court affirms decision to keep transgender sports initiative off ballot - Boom! Another victory in Maine and just in time for the upcoming election because there is already enough drama as it is. 

Inside the uneasy world of transgender conservatives - Having read the article, I hate to - but have to - inform you all that the transgender conservatives interviewed here are just as oblivious, selfish, and clueless as they would be stereotyped to be by folks who didn't read the article. So sad. 

Lindsey Graham’s death unleashes a wave of brutal internet jokes - Suspected closeted U.S. Congressman Lindsey Graham died over the weekend. I never wrote that much about him because he never openly targeted the LGBTQ. He wouldn't dare. Naturally, folks came from all around not to mourn Graham but bury him.

Lindsey Graham’s history of opposing LGBTQ+ rights as he dies aged 71 - AND on that note . . . 

Riley Gaines compared Kamala Harris WNBA speech to Kash Patel’s Olympic partying. It didn’t go well. - No, it did not. I even got into the reading with MY two cents (not featured in the article).

'Video - Gay Trump supporter realizes he doesn't know what he's talking about' & other Wed/Thur news briefs

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WATCH: Gay Tr*mp supporter realizes he doesn’t know WTF he’s talking about in real time - Slowly but surely, these folks will have to remove their heads from their asses. By the way, that gay Trump supporter is Brandon Straka, former hairstylist and actor who discovered that he could get a lot more attention and money grifting as a gay conservative "activist even to the point of participating in the January 6 insurrection.

Texas Tech sued for erasing LGBTQ+ people and Black history from university classrooms - And they will continue if we don't stay vigilant.

Federal judge shuts down Trump admin’s attempt to get its hands on trans kids’ medical records - Some good news.

33 faith leaders unite for ‘Dear Giants’ letter correcting 3 ‘Christian’ pitchers - THANK YOU!

GOP US House Candidate: People Choose To Be LGBTQ, “You Don’t See Male Giraffes Mating With Male Giraffes” - Lawd hammercy!

'Pentagon giving away record amount of erection pills while banning gender-affirming care' & other Mon/Tue news briefs

The Pentagon is doling out erection pills in record numbers while banning gender-affirming care​ - Hypocrisy to the highest levels, but such is the Trump Administration. 

GOP governor signs bill forcing trans inmates to detransition - This is cruel and unusual punishment. It's like there is no care at all for these prisoners. And then they are trying to take them off "cold turkey" which will have devastating effects to their mental health. 

Trump officials were so extreme in transgender health case that a Texas judge hit pause - Some folks may not agree but we need to pay attention and put a focus on the attacks against gender-affirming care. The attacks in itself are terrible, but you know that somehow these folks will be moving to undermine healthcare for the rest of the LGBTQ community (They have already started with the religious liberty for medical professionals bullshit.) 

Trump’s celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday was both a dud and a carnival of greed - Another dud from President Dumbass. But Americans are gluttons for punishment and humiliation.

Delaware approves amendment protecting same-sex marriage - Good for Delaware! Measure must pass second vote in next year’s session.

GLAAD report finds AI chatbots giving biased, harmful advice to LGBTQ users - Pay attention, folks.

above photo courtesy of The Advocate.

Online conservatives declare war on SCOTUS judge and her adopted children in aftermath of birthright citizenship ruling

And we are again at the time of year which finds the LGBTQ community tired, weary, battered and bruised but still standing. It is the end of yet another Pride month combined with the end of another Supreme Court term.

The Pride Month celebrations are wonderful as always. It's the SCOTUS term which is a problem. Maybe it's just me but it seems that in recent years, the Supreme Court has always managed to put a case on its docket which ends up with us losing. And it generally happens around the end of Pride month like a sort of "gift" they bequeath to our community. This year's "present" has to do with another loss for trans athletes.  I won't even bother to go over it, so feel free to read it here.

The irony of my above monologue is that I am going veer into another case. It's the biggest case on SCOTUS's docket this year and it turned out to be a huge loss for the Trump Administration.

From People Magazine:

The Supreme Court delivered an enormous blow to President Donald Trump's anti-immigrant agenda on Tuesday, June 30, ruling to uphold the longstanding definition of birthright citizenship. The landmark Trump v. Barbara case was among the largest tests of Trump's executive power and his aggressive immigration reform, putting into question a constitutional provision long accepted as a bedrock principle by courts, lawmakers and presidents.  

Barring few exceptions, every child born on U.S. soil for more than a century was automatically granted U.S. citizenship, allowing them access to Social Security numbers, passports and other benefits of being a citizen of the country. 

 In its final decision of the court term, SCOTUS sided 6-3 against Trump's attempt to change that practice. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the opinion of the court, earning the support of Trump-appointed Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh, as well as all three liberal justices: Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, who have consistently sided with Trump in their rulings, dissented. 

Conservatives across the nation, especially on social media, are having an orgy of angry hysteria; from predictions about a new civil war to handwringing about "anchor babies" and "stolen elections.

But probably much of their venom has been direct towards Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Vulgar comments on Twitter (X) claim that she was either too emotional about the issue or compromised because she is the adoptive mother of two children from Haiti.

To conservatives blindly lashing out at anything after this loss, Barrett's adoption of two Haitian children has become the touchstone of their rage.  The fact that she was appointed by Trump and ruled in his favor on numerous occasions (as well as being one of the votes which overturned Roe v Wade) is irrelevant to the conservatives engaging in the "what have you done for us lately/fuck them kids" two-step dance against Barrett.

'Shooting the devil' skit at Kentucky church reminds me of how people got hysterical about drag queens reading to children

A disturbing video featuring a skit in a Kentucky church involving church staff "shooting the devil" has gone viral.

From The Lexington-Herald Leader:

A Lexington church is being criticized after a video went viral depicting church staff shooting the devil in front of several children during the church's vacation Bible school program. The video shows a room full of young children and adults at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church. Soldiers armed with air-soft rifles march down the center aisle while a character representing the devil is laying on the steps to the church's altar as the children chant "take him out, blow him up." 

 The soldiers eventually "open fire" on the devil for several seconds. After seemingly shooting and killing the devil, the soldiers drag the devil outside the room through a side door. Pastor Dewayne Walker then starts counting up and at the eight-second mark, an explosion can be heard followed by loud cheers from the children.

 On Monday, Walker posted a video on the church's Facebook page and apologized to anyone who might have been offended by the video, but said what's being shared online contains a lot of misinformation. 

 . . . Walker said the church has been putting on vacation Bible school for 32 years, and every year they feature a skit highlighting the difference between evil and good. In the last several years, the skit has included "commandos for Christ," using "the gospel gun." Walker said the skit was included in a message intended to teach kids to hate sin and hate the devil.

You can see the video here:

Have ya'll seen this yet?
Mt Olivet Baptist Church of Lexington, KY Vacation Bible School. These are going to be my children's classmates. 😒 "Take him out, blow him up." Violence is ok when it's in church. 🤷🏾‍♀️ #LexingtonKY #Kentucky #ICE pic.twitter.com/iFkPzlDeUz

— Fae Moor (@missjazziefae) June 29, 2026

By "misinformation," Walker is talking about how some on social media claimed that the church was targeting immigrants instead of the devil.  Personally, I don't think the church took it far enough. Why not have the children gang up on the devil and beat his ass?

I also think the entire thing is ironic in light of the hysteria a while back regarding drag queens reading to children. Perfectly innocent events of drag queens reading to children in public settings - with parental supervision - got deliberately spun out of proportion by bigots and enterprising wannabe social media influencers as examples of the LGBTQ community supposedly "grooming" children. What drag queens were supposedly grooming children to be was left up to lurid individual interpretation because some believed the old but reliable lie that drag queens were grooming kids for sex. Others believed that drag queens were grooming the kids to become transgender.

I know that none of it makes sense, but as I have said on numerous occasions, it doesn't have to. Maybe there would have been less opposition if the drag queens had pistol whipped each other in between readings.

Flashback - That time when an anti-LGBTQ pastor claimed that gay men have sex with gerbils and cell phones

(Editor's note - This flashback post piggybacks on my last two posts (which I hope you have read and shared) about how negative images and narratives play a huge role in dehumanizing LGBTQ people. The following is from January 15, 2012. It was during a North Carolina referendum on marriage equality, which we lost.  The amendment was later struck down in federal court in 2014, a year before SCOTUS legalized marriage equality. But enough background. The gist of this post had to do with one of the pastors who conducted outreach for the amendment. From what I understand, he is still a pastor (oop! I mean "Bishop") located in the North Carolina area)

From January 15, 2012

If the National Organization for Marriage and Vote for Marriage NC - the organization it helped to create to push for an anti-marriage equality referendum in the state - truly want to have a meaningful and dignified discussion on the amendment as they have claimed, then someone from either group needs to muzzle Raleigh pastor Patrick Wooden.

Wooden will be doing outreach in the African-American community for the amendment.

Last week, he claimed that gay men have so much sex that they require surgery and diapers.

Today he just topped it in the second part of an interview with anti-gay activist aptly named "Porno" Pete LaBarbera:

 

Wooden: I do not back off or back down from my statements at all. I was giving anecdotal examples that I am personally aware of that have happened as a result of men who have given themselves over to this lifestyle. One man passed away, a friend of mine shared this information with me, that where what used to be his anus had become a gaping hole and he literally died in diapers, he literally lost control of himself. There are examples of men who have stretched their anuses, their sphincter muscles so that they could fit objects into themselves that once the sphincter muscle is stretched too much it will not contract. Because the truth is, despite the anger of the homosexual community, the anus is not a vagina. A vagina, a woman can give birth, God so designed it, the hips release can give birth to babies and things return back to normal. The anus doesn’t work that way; this is one of the reasons why many male homosexuals place larger and larger objects in their rectums.

. . . I know of a case where in a hospital a homosexual male had a cellphone lodged in his anus and as they were operating on him the phone went off, the phone started ringing! There’ve been instances where men have put bats, baseball bats, in their rectums!

. . . Even the homosexual lobby knows, those who are pro-homosexual, they know that they cannot win the argument describing what it is that these people actually do to each other, the objects, the animals in certain cases, the little gerbils; thank God I’m a human being! Because if you talk about what it is that these people actually do, they can’t win the argument.

One has to wonder three things. First, was Wooden on any medication which he may have abused before that interview? Secondly how the heck does one put a cell phone up one's behind and thirdly, does it ring if lodged up there?

Wooden is obviously lying and not just about the cell phone. The "gays have dangerous sex" lie is as old as the hills. Take a gander at this 1985 comic (endorsed by anti-gay group Concerned Women for America) called Deathstyle:

It's almost comical until you realize that Wooden will most likely be repeating that mess to get African-Americans to vote for the amendment.

And of course neither NOM nor  Vote for Marriage NC will comment on Wooden's words, even though they will be in full use of his services. And their silence will emphasize the fact yet again that those who seek to stop marriage equality are willing to do it by any mean necessary even while they whine about being "unfairly" labeled as bigots.

Of course the grand irony of the entire thing is that Wooden was one of the pastors who took part LaBarbera's  recent silly protest against Southern Poverty Law Center. SPLC claims that certain anti-gay groups - including LaBarbera's -  are actually hate groups because they spread hurtful propaganda about the gay community.

I would say conducting an interview with a pastor who claims that gay men wear diapers because they molest brooms, gerbils, and cell phones makes LaBarbera into a first class hypocrite.

Don't you?

Editor's note - On his webpage, LaBarbera prefaces the interview with the following:

LaBarbera references a Wikipedia entry on “fecal incontinence” that cites this 1993 study on the ill effects of anal sex. They talk about the SPLC’s racist-tinged release on the AFTAH protest. And when Wooden brings up the heinous “gay” sex practice of “fisting,” LaBarbera recalls the 2000 Massachusetts “Fistgate” scandal at a conference sponsored by the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network – in which homosexual youth were given verbal “how-to” instructions by adults on “fisting” (hand-arm-rectal “sex”). LaBarbera notes that GLSEN never issued a sincere, strong apology for the incident — and the media double standard that excuses and ignores scandals on the Left.

Of course LaBarbera never lets anyone know that the study in question was a convenience sample study which looked at gay AND heterosexual men. He also doesn't give the entire story of the phony Fistgate controversy. For that, read 'Fistgate' and President Obama - religious right pushes a pitiful attempt of guilt by association

(Editor's note - I failed to note in the original post that Wooden's claim regarding gerbils is a debunked lie used by a discredited researcher named Paul Cameron.)

'From pathetic sex maniacs to a syndicate plotting to create 'transgender sleeper agents' - The fertile idiocy of attacks against LGBTQ people

I wish we would have more conversations about the ugly tropes and narratives used to denigrate us. Last week when that awful UFC fighter called Michelle Obama a man, Black pundits, scholars, and even regular voices on social media were quick to point out the racist history of this accusation as it pertains to Black woman. And they did so loudly, creating a much-needed conversation. 

That's not the case with the LGBTQ community unfortunately. We either try to ignore or play defense when confronted with outright lies and vulgar images designed to dehumanize us and make discrimination and violence against us more acceptable.  We seem to be so jaded that we accept the name-calling instead of forcefully calling them out for the idiocy they embody. We shrink from demanding a conversation as to how these things invoke prejudices - both open and hidden - about our community when it comes to subject like sexual intercourse or interactions with children.

With that in mind, this is how those who opposed our equality in the 1980s exploited the AIDS epidemic to portray us as sad people constantly seeking sex (Editor's note - this is from an actual comic book attacking LGBTQ people. It was called Deathstyle and was endorsed by William Dannemeyer, who was at the time a member of Congress from California. Click on the picture to see it in full size.)

Over 30 years later, the victimization hasn't changed all that much but it has gotten more intricate.  Thanks to social media, images like the ones below are like flaming balls of cow sh!t constantly dropping from the sky.

One could say, however, that the bigots have a higher regard for us. In the past, we were portrayed as the pathetic victims of our alleged sexual desires. Now we are an evil syndicate whose wants (marriage, safety for trans kids in schools) are actually part of a larger, more nefarious goal of transforming America's children transgender by the clever use of mind control instituted by drag queens (or adult transgender men and women because the morons posting this junk don't know the difference) and schoolteachers. Supposedly this is the end of a slippery slope process which began with us being allowed to legally marry.

Or, if you want to go further down the rabbit hole, the endgame would not be "creating transgender children."  The next step, according to the below tweet is becoming surrogate parents in a higher number and finally what looks like unleashing trans sleeper agents to kill Christians.

Yeah right. As if the LGBTQ community could get that organized.  And I know what you're thinking. This is ridiculous. None of it makes sense.

Of course not. It's not supposed to make sense. It's supposed to scare and in this culture of "vibes over facts," it's like planting seeds in fertile ground.  And our silence and nonchalant jaded attitudes are helping to let it grow.  

These claims are ridiculous and the folks spewing them are idiots. But with no one around to point this out with any degree of fervor, they tend to root and pollute the public debate about LGBTQ people.

And they even grow into something worse such as a bunch of anti-LGBTQ laws or an anti-LGBTQ Supreme Court decision.

It's something to think about.