Saturday, February 09, 2013
Friday, February 08, 2013
Know Your LGBT History - Jeanne Manford and PFLAG
In celebration of the news that the late Jeanne Manford, founder of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) has been selected to receive the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, I present the story of PFLAG in her own words with an assist from Rachel Maddow and President Obama. I have never seen this video until now.
What a woman!
Past Know Your LGBT History posts:
'Meet the British Maggie Gallagher' and other Friday midday news briefs
Remember that episode of Sanford and Son where the lead character Fred Sanford met a white version of his nemesis, his sister-in-law Esther? In that spirit, I present to you the British version of Maggie Gallagher.
In this debate, she is commenting negatively on the decision by the British government to pursue the passage of marriage equality. For those who don't want to watch the entire thing, just take a glimpse at the first part and notice how the moderator makes her backtrack from her "marriage has existed the same way from the beginning of time" talking point.
However for those who are a student of such things, pay attention to what she says during the debate and notice how "oddly" her talking points mirror the ones used by Gallagher, NOM, and others attempting to hinder marriage equality in America, including the "homosexuals have no right to redefine the definition of marriage for all of us" lie.
If you don't think these folks are collaborating, then you are in a deep coma.
In other news:
Maryland Middle School Promotes Ex-Gay Therapy To Students - Unbelievable. Don't show this trash to our children! UPDATE - The video has been pulled!
TWO Report: Gerard van den Aardweg, NARTH’s Nastiest Reparative Therapist - Wayne Besen dismantles another phony researcher from that discredited group that religious right organizations rely on so much.
Former Teammate Implies That Darnell Dockett Is Gay, Enrages Darnell Dockett - Wooooweee! Dude! There are worse things than being called gay. A serial killer. A cannibal. A fan of Rush Limbaugh and Fox News.
Zach Wahls - the religious right's worst nightmare
If you don't know who Zach Wahls is, you had better learn.
He is a young man raised in a lesbian household, intelligent, articulate,and not shy about defending his family or gay equality. Wahls, an Eagle Scout, has also been on the front lines for the lgbt community in the recent Boy Scout ado. In short, he is the religious right's worst nightmare. And nothing says that more than two interviews this week in which he went head-to-head with Dr. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention.
The first interview is when the Boy Scouts were deciding whether or not to change its "no gays allowed" policy. To say Zach did rather well would be an understatement:
This second interview was done after the Boy Scouts decided to postpone its decision. Zach mops up the floor with Land. But for those who think that the second video is too long, allow me to clue you to a juicy part. At 6:40, Zach decides to ask Land a question about the talking point he keeps repeating concerning the Boy Scouts' "core values." It got a bit vicious after that and Zach did not back down :
He is a young man raised in a lesbian household, intelligent, articulate,and not shy about defending his family or gay equality. Wahls, an Eagle Scout, has also been on the front lines for the lgbt community in the recent Boy Scout ado. In short, he is the religious right's worst nightmare. And nothing says that more than two interviews this week in which he went head-to-head with Dr. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention.
The first interview is when the Boy Scouts were deciding whether or not to change its "no gays allowed" policy. To say Zach did rather well would be an understatement:
This second interview was done after the Boy Scouts decided to postpone its decision. Zach mops up the floor with Land. But for those who think that the second video is too long, allow me to clue you to a juicy part. At 6:40, Zach decides to ask Land a question about the talking point he keeps repeating concerning the Boy Scouts' "core values." It got a bit vicious after that and Zach did not back down :
Thursday, February 07, 2013
Religious right reveals bigoted hand in Boy Scouts situation
My buddy Zack Ford at Think Progress just wrote an incredibly good piece which I think needs more attention.
In How The ‘Scouts’ Safety’ Argument Reveals Conservatives’ Complete Anti-Gay Agenda, Ford says that how the religious right and some conservatives addressed the situation about the Boy Scouts reveals the depths of their bigotry against the lgbt community.
I especially like this part:
In How The ‘Scouts’ Safety’ Argument Reveals Conservatives’ Complete Anti-Gay Agenda, Ford says that how the religious right and some conservatives addressed the situation about the Boy Scouts reveals the depths of their bigotry against the lgbt community.
I especially like this part:
Though BSA refused to share any of the details of the two-year review that resulted in keeping the policy, plenty of conservatives voices have attempted to make the case on behalf of the organization, including Mike Huckabee, Bill O’Reilly, Rick Perry, the Family Research Council, the Liberty Counsel, the American Family Association, the National Organization for Marriage, and the Southern Baptist Convention, to name a few. While some have made weak appeals to “traditional values,” the overwhelming argument against changing the policy has been a claim that Scouts will be more vulnerable to abuse if gays are allowed to participate in the organization, an argument that doesn’t even address the question of gay Scouts. Here is a sampling of the underlying assumptions about gay people that inform this point of view:
The LGBT community is viewed entirely as adult gay men.
The only aspect of a person that defines a gay identity is participation in same-sex sexual behavior.
Nothing is apparently more important to gay men than having as much sex as possible and talking about it at all times.
For gay men, there is no difference between being attracted to other adult gay men and being attracted to underage boys.
Gay men are so obsessed with having sex that consent means nothing to them.
Even though the men most commonly found abusing boys identify as heterosexual, the fact that their victims were boys means that they must be secretly gay, as opposed to just being pedophiles.
It’s impossible for a child to learn that gay people even exist without becoming “sexualized” and somehow put at risk.
So long as homosexuality is prohibited, all Boy Scouts will remain totally chaste and never think, learn about, or talk about the existence of sex.
'FRC continues the gay = pedophilie lie' and other Thursday midday news briefs
STUDY: Coming Out Is Good For Gays’ Mental Health - Well duh.
CNN Devotes Three Segments In Three Days To Debating The “Gays Are Pedophiles” Myth - While I enjoyed watching the folks at CNN refute the religious right, this article brings up a good point.
Thanks for the shout out, Ms Roback Morse! - Doggone it, Jeremy Hooper! You always get the good shout outs. LOL
16 Must-See Black LGBT Films - Sweet!
Lake County School Board May Slash All Student Clubs To Blockade Gay-Straight Alliance - Not so sweet.
Perkins: 'Ironic' That Critics of Pedophilia in Catholic Church Want Boy Scouts to Lift Gay Ban - Finally, there are some folks who feel that my post yesterday (Family Research Council is to blame for near massacre at its headquarters) went over the line. I said that by the vindictively demonizing language that it uses against lgbts and the lies it tells about us, FRC created a wheel of hatred which turned on the group. And I stand by it. I did not absolve the young man who attempted the violence of his culpability but I be damned if FRC will exploit his hatred as an excuse to pander its hatred. Let this news brief be proof of my statement.
CNN Devotes Three Segments In Three Days To Debating The “Gays Are Pedophiles” Myth - While I enjoyed watching the folks at CNN refute the religious right, this article brings up a good point.
Thanks for the shout out, Ms Roback Morse! - Doggone it, Jeremy Hooper! You always get the good shout outs. LOL
16 Must-See Black LGBT Films - Sweet!
Lake County School Board May Slash All Student Clubs To Blockade Gay-Straight Alliance - Not so sweet.
Perkins: 'Ironic' That Critics of Pedophilia in Catholic Church Want Boy Scouts to Lift Gay Ban - Finally, there are some folks who feel that my post yesterday (Family Research Council is to blame for near massacre at its headquarters) went over the line. I said that by the vindictively demonizing language that it uses against lgbts and the lies it tells about us, FRC created a wheel of hatred which turned on the group. And I stand by it. I did not absolve the young man who attempted the violence of his culpability but I be damned if FRC will exploit his hatred as an excuse to pander its hatred. Let this news brief be proof of my statement.
The anti-gay hate group and Congress
Some in the lgbt community have publicly asked why should we be concerned about the doings of the Family Research Council. Apparently some of us figure that if we close our eyes and put our fingers in our ears, FRC will do us no actual harm as a community.
Think again, especially after you read this from the organization's webpage:
This ridiculous award underscores the simple fact that in spite of all of the highly specious things FRC has done to undermine gay equality, it has a degree of credibility to some members of Congress.
And it is Congress which passes laws (well duh). That's why it is so important for us to continue to publicly debate and denounce FRC, as well as show all of the reasons why the organization is a hate group.
And on that last point, FRC always makes it easy for us.
Related post - 16 reasons why the Family Research Council is a hate group
Think again, especially after you read this from the organization's webpage:
Congress may not always act responsibly, but there are plenty of members who do! Today, we honored the House and Senate leaders who stood on principle and notched a perfect 100% on FRC Action's annual scorecard. Almost 30 of the 93 congressional "True Blue" winners dropped by the Capitol Hill Club for our special reception, and it was encouraging to see the camaraderie in the room among the leaders who take the slings and arrows for the rest of us as they stand for family values.
As part of this year's event, we also welcomed new members of Congress, who will be valuable reinforcements for the pro-family cause. This year, FRC Action scored votes on everything from repealing ObamaCare and protecting DOMA to the President's court nominees and safeguarding conscience rights. I appreciate the members who took time out of their busy schedules to join us--as well as the FRC and FRC Action staff, Tom McClusky, Connie Mackey, Sherry Crater, Mike Mears, and Tim Potter, for your tireless efforts for our values. Congratulations to the 112th Congress's class of True Blue winners! Thank you for all you accomplished in the name of faith, family, and freedom.
This ridiculous award underscores the simple fact that in spite of all of the highly specious things FRC has done to undermine gay equality, it has a degree of credibility to some members of Congress.
And it is Congress which passes laws (well duh). That's why it is so important for us to continue to publicly debate and denounce FRC, as well as show all of the reasons why the organization is a hate group.
And on that last point, FRC always makes it easy for us.
Related post - 16 reasons why the Family Research Council is a hate group
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