Analyzing and refuting the inaccuracies lodged against the lgbt community by religious conservative organizations. Lies in the name of God are still lies.
The following graphic below gives a clue to the exciting project I'm working on. It's not the final draft. But it is a graphic you can copy, paste, and use in an argument. In fact, I really wish this was an argument which we pressed in talking about our marriage equality win, particularly when the opposition goes on its tangent about "activist judges legislating from the bench." Stay tuned because when I'm done, this graphic will merely be a small part of a larger undertaking:
" The resolution passed 27-13, with seven nations abstaining. America joined just 12 other countries – among them Burundi, China, Egypt, India, Iraq, Japan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia – in voting against the United Nations Human Rights Council's resolution."
And I'm confused. Doesn't Trump want to ban immigrants from coming into the US from many of those countries? Supposedly some of it had to do with "concerns about anti-LGBTQ oppression."
Mississippi’s HB 1523 Is The Most Sweeping Anti-LGBT Law In The U.S. And It Takes Effect Friday - Probably the most far reaching "religious liberty" anti-LGBTQ bill is about to become law in Mississippi on Friday. The law allows doctors, lawyers, and teachers to use the "religious liberty" excuse to discriminate. The irony is that the courts see nothing wrong with it because it has not been determined YET how much harm could this law do to LGBTQs. In other words, the law being implemented is what the religious right wants. But it's implementation will probably eventually doom it. See graphic above. LGBT students in Tennessee could lose anti-bullying protection - Meanwhile, in Tennessee.
Tomorrow, I intend to get back to the work of this blog - going after and calling out the anti-LGBTQ industry. Today is a special circumstance. I felt that not only my LGBTQ brothers and sisters but all of my brothers and sisters needed something light and downright silly to combat the tragedy of Las Vegas. Those who feel drained by man's inhumanity to each other, please don't feel alone. I've felt drained all day and even found myself acting out in a manner and place I would have never dreamed I would.
So I want to continue my look at comedy, this time regarding marriage equality. First, allow me to give a little background. Back in the day, there was something called an "answer song." Wikipedia defines it as "a song (usually a recorded track) made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. It is also known as an answer record. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s through 1950s. Answer songs were also extremely popular in country music in the 1950s and 1960s, most often as female responses to an original hit by a male artist."
In the 1980s, it was best defined by the infamous, yet unheard of by the mainstream population, "Roxanne Wars.," hip-hop feud which allegedly saw 30 to 100 answer records made. (See, you just learned some history.)
With today's technology, we have things called "answer videos," which are pretty much the same thing as "answer songs." The following video "Gay Guys Will Marry Your Girlfriend" was made during the marriage equality fight. It was witty and hilarious. But little did we know that a few folks had something to say about it:
First the video:
Then heterosexual men called our bluff:
Then our sisters, the lesbian population, came to our defense:
Now with all of this talking, you just KNOW that the heterosexual sisters had got something to say. And they were NOT happy:
And now the heterosexual men are in a doghouse. And who do they reach out to to get them out of trouble? Who else but us gay men. And as a show of good faith, we reveal certain powers that we've always had:
At this point, I want to say that all of this is strictly tongue-in-cheek. I don't mean any disrespect. In fact, I'm merely sitting in a corner drinking from a huge pot of tea with the tiniest immersion of vodka. You will remember that in my last post, I said I was imitating Joan Crawford. I even sneaked a tiny pill in. At this stage, I'm also appropriating a little Judy Garland.
I suppose I just can't hop into bed and wish that this day was over. Or better yet, grow translucent wings, gain a magic wand, and the power to keep the events of the Las Vegas shooting from happening.
I can't preach or talk about anything in my usual critical stance, folks. Nor do I feel like putting out news briefs. God, I feel so very bad over the entire thing. It's a kind of sadness that takes away all of your purpose and makes you ask why. Nothing else. Just why.
But I find that when things like this happen, it helps to let the feeling wash over you. Don't try to keep them inside. And do something light. This morning I think I listened to Fleetwood Mac's 'Dreams' about five or six times (so I have a thing with Stevie Nicks. Sue me.)
Also, at the very least, if I can't provide words, at least I can provide a bit of solace in my own way. This is my blog but consider it backstage at the Oscars in the past and me as Joan Crawford bringing my bar with all of the fixings (research the damn thing. I can't explain everything to y'all). But instead of alcohol, I bring some comedy clips. Enjoy them. Get offended. Laugh your ass off. Just do anything to bring out your emotions. Everyone is welcomed:
Editor's note - All of my prayers go out to the victims of the recent shooting in Las Vegas. And I implore everyone not to jump to any conclusion. Let's get the facts.
October is LGBT History Month, so here are the Equality Forum's list of LGBT Heroes (which one day will include me). Some you may agree with. Others may upset you. Others you may not have even known about:
People for the American Way posts a blistering ad on Trump's anti-LGBTQ judicial nominee Jeff Mateer. I cannot emphasize how important this fight is and what it's an opening salvo to. A man who says that transgender children are a part of 'Satan's plan' has NO BUSINESS on our courts. And Mateer may be the beginning. The goal seems to be eliminating one of the last places we have thrashed religious right lies and hate - the courts. After all, how can there be fairness for the LGBTQ community in the courts if the judges think that any of us are a part of "Satan's plan?"
Jeff Mateer, one of Trump's nominees for the federal bench, is going to have a particularly rough hearing because of his extreme anti-LGBTQ comments. One of those comments continue to haunt him,
Many of President Trump’s judicial nominees have taken controversial positions in the past, but Jeff Mateer has expressed particularly toxic views on LGBTQ equality. In a 2015 speech — video of which has recently been deleted — he said that transgender children are evidence that “Satan’s plan is working and the destruction that’s going on.” The parents of those transgender children are responding.
In a joint letter organized by the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), 278 parents of transgender children from 36 states are asking Mateer to apologize or withdraw his nomination to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas:
As parents, we are deeply disturbed by your remarks stating that children like ours are evidence of “how Satan’s plan is working.” It is hard to imagine a crueler thing to say about a child. It is obvious from your remarks in 2015 that you did not know the child whose very existence you mocked. Have you ever met a transgender child like ours? If you met our families, you would know that while children like ours can face a lot of misunderstanding, there is nothing wrong with who they are.
We believe our children are miracles, like every child — not a part of “Satan’s plan.” As every reputable medical and pediatric association agrees, there is nothing wrong with being transgender, and children like ours can grow and thrive if they are loved and supported, just like their peers. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “transgender children fare much better when they feel supported by their family, school and larger community. Shaming children based on their gender identity or expression is harmful to their social-emotional health and may have lifelong consequences.”
For the rest of the article, go to Think Progress. I sincerely hope that Mateer apologizes for such a cruel and thoughtless comment. Either way, I think it's a good thing to keep him in the hot seat. He really had no business being nominated in the first place.
Presently, neither the Trump Administration nor members of the religious right have commented about Mateer.
