Melbourne police shut down false story of sexual assault by trans student in school bathroom

 

I envision the DeSantis Administration getting angry that this incident was exposed as false before they could exploit it as yet another reason to undermine the state's LGBTQ community. Knowing them however, it wouldn't be a surprise if they used it anyway. 

From Florida Today via Yahoo News:

After a nearly three-week long investigation, Melbourne Police said in a report finalized on Friday that allegations of a transgender student assaulting a girl in the bathroom at Johnson Middle School were unfounded. Over the course of the investigation, police spoke to administrators at Johnson Middle School, the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, and the Department of Children and Families, all of whom said no reports regarding a sexual assaults at the school had been made. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, and the parents that police spoke with were unable to give specific information, saying that they had heard the story of the alleged assault from multiple sources, including other parents and an unnamed teacher who did not work at Johnson Middle School. 

 Brevard Public Schools vehemently denied that any incident occurred at the middle school after Fine publicly called for Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz to investigate a potential sexual assault at Johnson Middle School on Aug. 11. Fine did not have firsthand knowledge of any assault, but said parents had reached out to his office. He blamed BPS' practice of allowing transgender students to use bathrooms of the gender that they identify with for making such an incident possible. 

 . . . Police traced the story of the Johnson Middle School assault to a conversation between retired BPS teacher Karen Parrish and a teacher who did not work at Johnson, then closed the case as unfounded when Parrish did not provide the name of the current teacher and no witnesses came forward.

 

 If the story had turned out to be true, we would be hearing about it all over social media and in the cable news media. But since it turns out to not be true, the vultures who exploit stuff like this are slinking away, hoping that it will be forgotten.

Video - Me and Lucile Bluth for Labor Day

It's the start of the Labor Day weekend holiday, so I am not posting anything serious (although with my luck, I bet something good is going to happen and I will probably miss out).

Barring anything interesting happening, this will be my last post until Monday evening. Those who keep up with this blog will agree with me that I need a break. It's been a turbulent year highlighted by the death of my mother a month ago. In tribute to her and the gift of laughter, I am posting video of quotes from probably one of the worst, but funniest, mothers of all time - Lucille Bluth from  Arrested Development. Lucille is the EXACT opposite of what my mother was.  These clips recently made me laugh at moments when I needed something to lift me up. I hope they have that effect on you, also.

'25 LGBTQ+ Coming-of-Age Films' & other Thur midday news briefs

'Moonlight' is the only LGBTQ+ Coming-of-Age movie to win the Oscar for 'Best Picture'

25 LGBTQ+ Coming-of-Age Films​ - One even won an Oscar for 'Best Picture.' 

First monkeypox-related death reported in US - We got a situation. 

Carl Nassib met the media and most of the questions were about football, not being gay. Hooray for that. - Thank you!! 

U.S. sees progress on LGBTQ rights but equality is lacking, U.N. expert says - THIS is depressing.

As anti-LGBTQ legislation proliferates, some Iowans depart - As well as this.

Report - TX governor's order to investigate the parents of transgender kids could put state agency 'on brink of collapse'

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's order to investigate the parents of trans kids is wrecking the state's child protection agency.

From the Dallas Morning News:

Continuing to investigate the parents of transgender youth could put Texas’ child protection agency over the brink of collapse, a group of its staffers said in a new court filing. In an Aug. 25 brief filed with the Austin appeals court, 16 current and former employees at the Department of Family and Protective Services said there has been an exodus from the agency that could hamper its ability to perform basic and necessary functions. They urged the court to keep the abuse investigations on hold while the policy continues to be litigated.

“As career DFPS employees,” they wrote to “respectfully advise the Court that DFPS is on the brink of collapse, and that the politically motivated decision to compel DFPS employees like themselves to investigate nonabusive loving and supportive families who merely rely in good faith on their doctor’s advice would put DFPS over that brink.” 

 They noted that age appropriate and individualized gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, are supported by the state and nation’s largest medical organizations. These treatments are meant to help treat gender dysphoria, the feeling of discomfort or distress that can occur for those who identify as a gender different from the gender or sex assigned at birth.

 “The great mass of DFPS employees did not choose the child welfare profession to break up loving families who, with no ill motive, malice, or negligence toward their child, are simply following medical advice and administering medicine under a doctor’s supervision,” they added. 

 The staff warnings underscores the chaos that the controversial policy change has created. It was filed less than two weeks after The Dallas Morning News first wrote that internal documents revealed confusion and secrecy marked the decision’s rollout in February. More than 2,000 employees have left the agency this year, The Houston Chronicle reported this month.

Abbott's order to investigate the parents of trans kids was considered a touchstone in this so-called culture war about trans issues. Now that it all seems to be falling apart for him, where is all of the attention? This article is infuriating on so many levels, but one of the main issues why is that very few people in the media seem to be paying attention.

It says lot about they think about LGBTQ people and our issues.

'VA school board adopts anti-LGBTQ hate group's policy for trans students' & other Wed midday news briefs

Virginia school board votes 5-2 to adopt hate group ADF’s policy​ - The Alliance Defending Freedom again. They got their hateful hands in everything.

California may act as U.S. refuge for transgender youth​ - It's terrible that we have to even talk about refuges for our kids, but still I support the idea. 

Yeshiva University petitions Supreme Court in bid to prohibit official LGBTQ club - If you get tax dollars, then forget it. Although I think our SCOTUS may be more inclined to disagree seeing that it is religiously biased. 

How Tobacco Companies Harm the LGBTQ+ Community - Needs to be told. 

Virginia Court Blocks Republican Attempt To Criminalize LGBTQ Books - Nice try but you failed.

LGBTQ teachers open up as their schools -- and identities -- become next front in the culture war - It's on. Stay strong.

Libs of TikTok still threatening to lie about children's hospitals even after Twitter suspension

Some folks are determined to figuratively walk into a volcano.

From Media Matters:

Libs of TikTok’s Chaya Raichik pledged to redouble her attacks on hospitals providing trans people with health care, she wrote in a rant on her Substack in which she called gender-affirming care “mutilating the body.” Raichik’s recent efforts against Boston Children’s Hospital, Children’s National Hospital in D.C., and others have led to violent threats against health care providers and at least one request for help from law enforcement. Libs of TikTok has fallen silent on Twitter for the first time in weeks as a result of a suspension for violation of the platform’s rules against hateful conduct. 

 The Washington Post’s Taylor Lorenz reported on Sunday that Libs of Tik Tok had earned a seven-day suspension. A Twitter spokesperson confirmed the suspension in a statement to Media Matters, saying that “we took enforcement action against the account … for violating our hateful conduct policy. The account was placed in read-only mode for seven days.” 

 Libs of TikTok has reportedly been suspended multiple times on multiple platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Raichik’s last Twitter suspension came for accusing LGBTQ people of “grooming” children, which Twitter confirmed violates its policies against hateful conduct after pressure from Media Matters and others. 

 . . . The suspension comes after Libs of TikTok targeted Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., leading to online suggestions about bombing the hospital and putting its employees in a woodchipper. The account has targeted multiple other hospitals providing gender-affirming care, resulting in threats to patients and providers and forcing at least one hospital to request support from law enforcement. 

 . . . In a screed posted to her Substack after the suspension, Raichik alleged a diabolic plot by medical providers, writing that “a false belief in the mind is not treated by mutilating the body. Any doctor performing these surgeries should have their license revoked. They belong in prison.”

Again, let me remind people that Raichik is LYING when she claims that children's hospitals are mutilating trans children. She has been exposed several times for deliberately taking footage and clips out of context. 

If Libs of TikTok and Raichik want a degree from the University of FAFO (F@k Around and Find Out), I sincerely HOPE that Twitter stands ready to make them summa cum laude.

'MI GOP nominates Satan-obsessed homophobe for Secretary of State' & other Tue midday news briefs

Kristina  Karamo 

MI GOP nominates Satan-obsessed homophobe for Secretary of State​ - Oh mercy! Why?! 

Now rightwing Christians don’t want girls to play sports at all - Should this surprise anyone? 

Billy Eichner calls out “homophobe” Clarence Thomas in fiery, full-volume VMAs speech - Well, did he lie? 

What LGBTQ+ Families Should Know For Back-to-School Time - Write it down.