'Disney announces first official LGBTQ character in an animated feature' & other Mon midday news briefs

Disney's first LGBTQ character in an animated feature will be the cyclops on the right.

Disney announces first official LGBTQ character in an animated feature - The religious right is going to go ballistic. Ain't it lovely?

Transgender athletes seek to become defendants in lawsuit - I hate this issue regarding transgender athletes because while everyone wants to give opinions, very few want to learn any facts beforehand. It's just what the anti-LGBTQ industry wished would happen.

Federal Appeals Courts Agree: Trans People Belong in Schools - You can't win without fighting.

HuffPost Her Stories: This Truck Driver Transformed Her Town’s LGBTQ Biases - One person can always make a difference.

Buttigieg's presidential run has a positive effect on LGBTQ children

The LGBTQ community shouldn't forget the positive effect Buttigieg's presidential run could have on our children.

In 2008 while America celebrated the historical fact of a black man winning the office of president, the LGBTQ community was sadly reminded that the road to equality can still be rocky as the largest state in the nation, California, voted against marriage equality. It was an upset brought about mostly by how opponents of marriage equality scared voters with lies concerning what it could to children. That's why a recent event which happened with openly gay presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg should be seen as monumental in itself.

From Instinct:

While Buttigieg was campaigning in Colorado this Saturday, the presidential candidate was approached by a nine-year-old boy, according to Bloomberg News. The young Buttigieg supporter, named Zachary Ro, then asked Pete an adorable and meaningful question. 

“Would you help me tell the world I’m gay too,” the boy wrote in a pre-submitted question to Buttigieg. “I want to be brave like you." 

Buttigieg, who is openly gay and married to junior high school teacher Chasten Buttigieg, shared that he was already impressed with the Ro’s courage. Buttigieg didn’t come out as gay until he’d reached his 30s in 2015. At the time, he was serving his first term as mayor of South Bend, Indiana. The mayor then got engaged to Chasten in 2017. 

“Well, I don’t think you need a lot of advice from me,” Buttigieg told Zachary. “You seem pretty strong to me. It took me a long time to figure out how to tell even my best friend that I was gay.”

To me, this is no different than little black boys and girls meeting President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. Scratch that. It is different probably because of one thing.  I doubt that many African-American adults, while noting the moment, took up precious time detailing what they disliked about the Obamas or how they aren't working for black people.

'Residents of Minnesota town threaten lawsuit over school LGBTQ pride flag' & other Fri midday news briefs

Marshall residents threaten to sue over school's LGBTQ pride flag - Oh come on! It's just a flag! In reality, the article underscores what we have to deal with when it comes to people's fears and how the anti-LGBTQ industry exploits these fears.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Makes History By Attending LGBTQ Rally At Capitol - THIS is big.

Students thought their Mormon university was OK with gay people for a second. Oops. - Don't give up. Keep pushing and you will change the world for the better. 

Indonesian bill calls for LGBTI people to report for “rehabilitation” - Oh good grief!

Trump wants to give religious conservative groups the ability to steal tax dollars while not being truthful to taxpayers

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council (left) and Donald Trump (middle) think religious liberty means receiving federal funds while discriminating against taxpayers and then not showing common courtesy to those they are taking the money from.

If you want yet another example of how religious right groups distort and weaponize religion as a tool for discrimination, look no further than yet another Trump Administration proposal geared to reward conservative evangelicals for their support at the expense of other Americans.

But allow me to take a different approach. First, I am going to post what the Family Research Council's president Tony Perkins says about it:

Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) must really miss the days of Barack Obama, when faith-based groups were treated like second-class citizens when it came to government programs. Every time a member of the president's team rolls back a rule and levels the playing field, the northwest Democrats kick and scream. For people who talk about equality so much, Senate liberals sure don't understand it.

Nothing really sums up the Left better than the first line of their protest letter to Secretary Alex Azar. "We write to strongly oppose the Department of Health and Human Services' proposed rule, 'Ensuring Equal Treatment of Faith-Based Organizations." In other words, what they support is the unequal treatment of faith-based organizations -- something the last administration had become quite good at. The pair of senators tries to argue that Trump's policy reinstating religious freedom is actually a secret attack on it -- a suggestion that would be funny if it weren't so outrageous. 

"The proposed rule -- developed under the guise of religious liberty -- is actually... yet another step taken by President Trump to greenlight federally-funded discrimination," their letter claims. No one is quite sure how, since the whole point of the regulation is to make sure every organization -- religious or not -- is treated the same. What Obama's team liked to do was burden religious groups with special reporting or referral requirements, creating ridiculous hoops that no secular organization had to jump through. Of course, the idea was to persuade faith-based groups it was too much trouble -- or worse, too steep a compromise, to comply. 

The new rule, just posted last month, guarantees that every qualified government organization has a seat at the table -- no matter what they believe. It appears by the words of Murray and Wyden not everyone believes in that kind of neutrality. They want religious groups to be disqualified from any government interaction before it starts! "We demand the Department put the American people first and withdraw the proposed rule," they write. But putting the American people first means engaging all of the diverse options for health care, education, adoption, and disaster relief. If the Trump administration listened to those on the Left, it would be jeopardizing billions of dollars in social services.

It's interesting how Perkins is deliberately vague about this rule. I doubt this is accidental.

'Parents suing school district over policy protecting trans children' & other Thur midday news briefs

Christian parents sue their school district to force it to out trans kids - I do not support this at all. There is no telling how much danger the child could be exposed to because some parents could get violent. That's just reality.

Criticized for being too gay and not gay enough, Buttigieg has unique burden -It's a mess and it's really not his fault.

U.S. medical schools boost LGBTQ students, doctor training - Excellent idea. 

States across U.S. still cling to outdated gay marriage bans - They are trying so hard to be "extra."

Gay Trump ally set to be rewarded for 'kissing up beyond the call of duty'

Richard Grenell

You know, it's rather cute how so many of us in the LGBTQ community are going back and forth with regards to Pete Buttigieg, with some of us determined to wreck him for being a supposed Republican in "sheep's clothing." However, our intense discussions about Buttigieg simply underscores how yet again we ignore those in our "family" who truly deserve our venom.

From Raw Story:

On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that President Donald Trump intends to tap Richard Grenell as acting Director of National Intelligence. Grenell, who currently serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Germany and would be the first openly gay man to serve in Trump’s cabinet, is a hard-right partisan and a loyalist to the president — a sharp contrast from Dan Coats, who was ousted from ODNI last year over disagreements with Trump.

In his current role, he caused an uproar in Germany after he threatened to use his office to help far-right political parties win elections in Europe — a flagrant departure from the apolitical conduct U.S. ambassadors are generally expected to follow abroad.

Aside from that, Grenell has been seen by many as an awful diplomat, even to the point of German officials suggesting that he be expelled after he expressed support for right-wing groups. News of his possible appointment have already garnered shock and disappointment. Grenell is seen as an extreme Trump loyalist, even to the point of accusing presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg of lying when Buttigieg called out VP Mike Pence's many instance of homophobia.

Grenell has also led the Trump Administration's announced endeavor of  decriminalizing homosexuality on a worldwide scale. I say "announced" because as far as it is known, nothing has been accomplished.  As a matter of fact, the day after the plan was announced, Trump seemed not to know anything about it.

But regardless of all of this, I'm sure Grenell is patting himself on the back due to his success. And  counting on the rest of us to focus more on our tug of war regarding Buttigieg while he climbs the ladder of butt-kissing success. Rung by rung.

'Virginia moves closer to banning 'ex-gay therapy' for minors' & other Wed midday news briefs

Virginia moves towards banning LGBTQ ‘conversion therapy’ in minors - Good for Virginia!! 

Mike Bloomberg Once Again Called Transgender People “It” And “Some Guy Wearing A Dress” - Bloomberg, you got some heavy explaining to do.

Iowa Republican Wants Records of People’s Sexuality - If I'm not getting a man out of it, no way.

Rush Limbaugh says Donald Trump told him not to apologize for offensive Pete Buttigieg comments - What a load of crap.

Stop lying, Family Research Council. Gays had nothing to do with the Boy Scouts declaring bankruptcy.

The Boy Scouts of America have declared bankruptcy and the Family Research Council wants to blame gays for it.

On Tuesday morning, when I read that the Boy Scouts had declared bankruptcy, I knew it would be a short matter of time before a religious right group would attempt to blame gays. I should have placed a bet on it, including the name of the group who would probably be first with the nonsense - The Family Research Council:

It's one of the saddest, most predictable "I-told-you-so" moments of our generation. The Boy Scouts, where future moon walkers and presidents learned the virtues and value of leadership, has finally collapsed. Turns out, the decade of compromise hasn't been kind to the Scouts, who turned in their moral compass seven years ago to chase the approval of critics it could never win. Now, deep into the BSA's self-imposed identity crisis, the group is filing for bankruptcy -- an unhappy ending we all warned was coming. 

For those who knew the Scouts through their proud and honorable days, the demise has been slow and painful. But this is what comes of throwing up your hands on a century of conviction: irrelevance and, ultimately, insolvency. For 103 of its 110 years, the Boy Scouts were a pillar of principle -- not that it was easy. As most of us know, the fight to live out your beliefs in this world can be an exhausting one. The Scouts spent years in court just for the freedom to stick to their moral code. They won -- but to the organization's dismay -- the battle didn't end. Waves of LGBT activists kept coming. The pressure built and built until finally, in 2013, under the leadership of Rex Tillerson, headquarters gave into the lie that compromise would be their salvation. Seven years later, the irony is: there's nothing left to save. 

More than a half-decade into this radical experiment, the group that counted Martin Luther King, Jr., George W. Bush, and Buzz Aldrin as members is barely recognizable. A handful of local councils have managed to squeak by on solid reputations, but after the organization opened its arms to kids and leaders who identify as gay or transgender, membership became anemic. Then in a failed effort to fill the ranks they began recruiting girls, which not only angered its base -- but pitted the organization in a legal war with Girl Scouts USA. Now, a program that used to be America's finest, is knee-deep in Chapter 11. 

If you're wondering where raising a white flag on core values leads, this is it. The Scouts are a case study in moral compromise -- the story of anyone who exchanges the truth for cowardly conformism. Leaders at the BSA dropped their moral mandate to accommodate what they don't believe. In the current climate, that's called "inclusion." To everyone else, it's considered betrayal.

Like so many other times when FRC and its president Tony Perkins choose to make comments about social issues - particularly regarding the LGBTQ community - they are telling a pack of lies.

 Or in this case, one huge lie.

The Boy Scouts are not declaring bankruptcy because of any "attempt to compromise its values." Nor is the organization declaring bankruptcy because of the 2013 decision to allow gays to openly join or allowing girls to join.

The Boy Scouts declared bankruptcy because of a multitude of lawsuits regarding child sex abuse allegations which go back decades to the 1940s and maybe even before then. And of course, none of this has anything to do with women or the LGBTQ community.

'NJ lawmaker still throwing tantrum over LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum' & other Tue midday news briefs

Some people want to pretend that the LGBTQ community made no historical contributions.

N.J. should pay for kids to switch schools over ‘harmful’ curriculum, lawmaker says - Get over yourself my friend. The curriculum is not harmful.

Buttigieg Responds To Limbaugh’s Homophobic Remarks: ‘I’m Proud Of My Marriage’ - Good for Buttigieg for taking the high road against Limbaugh. 

Conservative proposes adding sexual orientation to marriage licenses & punishing liars - Some lawmakers seem to think that it's their job to think of new ways to screw with the LGBTQ community. 

Trump health official defends relying on faith groups to fight HIV/AIDS - Definitely depends on the faith groups.

NBC article spotlights unfairness of Tenn anti-LGBTQ adoption law

An recent NBC article looked at Tennessee's recently passed bill which would allow private adoption and foster care agencies to receive taxpayer dollars while discriminating against the LBTQ community.

It's probably the most thorough look at the law and efforts to pass laws like it in other states. One thing it does is call out misconceptions about how such bills created to ensure that children are placed into good homes:

LGBTQ advocates argue that adoption laws like the one Tennessee just passed are part of a larger conservative movement to roll back hard-won protections for the community. Those who champion such laws say they protect the first amendment rights of faith-based organizations and individuals, and prevent them from being forced to shut their doors rather than violate their beliefs. 

In fact, Catholic Charities USA, which operates foster and adoption agencies across the United States, ceased adoption services in San Francisco, Washington, Boston and Buffalo, New York, rather than abide by their state and local antidiscrimination laws, and in 2011, it lost a contract with Illinois over the organization’s policy of refusing to place kids with same-sex couples.

. . .While some organizations, like Catholic Charities, have stopped foster and adoption services rather than comply with state and local antidiscrimination laws, other agencies have taken over services in those places. An amicus brief filed by 17 states and the District of Columbia in support of prohibiting discrimination in the foster care system cited data that found Boston and D.C. saw no decrease in adoption and foster placements as a result of Catholic Charities ending its services in those cities.

Video: There is NO 'gay agenda' to destroy the black family. So stop saying that nonsense!

 I keep hearing the tired complaint by some progressives and liberals about a fear of the LGBTQ community being "whitewashed," or "assimilated" into society. Personally, I think it's a load of bullshit, but I have an idea for those complaining. Why not elevate diverse LGBTQ voices into the mainstream.Such as the voices in the above video.  These are nine gay men of color shattering the myths that being gay is somehow in conflict to being black and that there is a so-called agenda by gays to destroy the black family. This should be required viewing for many LGBTQs who aren't people of color. And on that same note, it should be required viewing for many African-Americans who aren't LGBTQ. Rarely do we get our turn to speak when it comes to black issues. Our voices are either ignored or deliberately stifled by other black folks.

'Facing reelection, Trump expands his anti-LGBTQ agenda' & other Thur midday news briefs

Facing Reelection, Trump Expands His Anti-LGBTQ Agenda -  Gee, if only some of us could act against this with as much fervor as we act against one of our own for "not being the right type." Just saying.

Unprecedented progress, incredible backlash for LGBTQ equality over last decade: report - Yep. No struggle, no progress. 

Canada's first dedicated LGBTQ gym to close after being targeted by far-right group - well this sucks! 

Lesbian files discrimination complaint against DC Burger King - Another reason why we must be protected by anti-discrimination laws at our places of employment.

Hate group leader Tony Perkins distorts Billy Porter's words to condemn his appearance on Sesame Street

Billy Porter wearing 'the dress.'

The news that openly gay actor Billy Porter will be making an appearance on Sesame Street has inflamed a few members of the religious right. The fact that the Emmy, Grammy, and Tony-award winning star will also be wearing the gown he stopped traffic with at last year's Oscar telecast provides an added bitter taste in their mouths.

So naturally, hate group the Family Research Council and its president Tony Perkins has weighed in with a sad attempt to both demonize the transgender community and distort Porter's words about the situation:

 In the transgender debate, even Bert and Ernie are puppets for the Left! Incredibly, "Sesame Street," the once-beloved kids' show, is making the best case for defunding PBS yet: inviting drag queen Billy Porter on to teach kids the virtues of gender confusion.
Wearing a "tuxedo dress," Porter, the star of Kinky Boots, has already been tweeting about the appearance. 

"I was tickled to meet Elmo and the gang," he posted. Parents, on the other hand, aren't nearly so thrilled. More than 55,000 have signed a LifeSite petition calling on the network to drop the episode. "By contributing to this social contagion, ‘Sesame Street' is forcing children to deal with adult concepts and notions about sexuality which are beyond their level of maturity, and which can leave psychological scars. Many jurisdictions define this kind of behavior as abuse... We are demanding the producers of 'Sesame Street' stop this attack on children and their innocence." 

When word of the backlash made its way to Porter, he hit back at parents. "Stay out of my bedroom, and you'll be fine. That is none of your business." Leave the bedroom out of our children's shows, and it won't be our business. That's what moms and dads object to. It wasn't that long ago that LGBT activists were trying to get the government out of their private lives. Now they want to throw their private lives into our faces, our children's faces, and every classroom in between. Personally, I don't want to know what Billy Porter -- or anyone else -- does in private. I do, however, care if it's flaunted in front of my kids. 

Like most activists, Porter could care less. "I'm a part of the first generation of gay men, ever, who gets to be out loud and proud in the world," he said. "My generation is the first. B**ches are scared. And they should be." 

For PBS, though, this is all par for its liberal course. Taxpayers have fought for years to stop the government's broadcasting arm from sexualizing kids on everything from the Muppets to "Sesame Street." When Donald Trump became president, one of the first things his budget proposed slashing was the $445 million for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. His latest version, just released this week, tries again. 

Liberals always plead with Republicans to lay off Burt and Ernie, but what they really mean is -- don't stop funding the Left's free microphone! For years, NPR and PBS have taken advantage of the airwaves to spout their radical agenda. And in the end, taxpayers are the ones who've been played. But now that PBS has shown that it can't be trusted, it's time for Big Bird's liberal friends to feather their own nest!

It's so pathetic how Perkins and FRC attempts to connect this non-controversy with their fake outrage du jour - the transgender community.  It's equally pathetic how he distorts Porter's response to the so-called outrage in an attempt to appeal to the tired homophobic tropes about us  "sexualizing children" and "throwing out private lives in people's faces."

This is the part of Porter's response which Perkins omitted:

“If you don’t like it, don’t watch it,” adding that he thinks it’s odd that people would even make the mental leap from his dress to “perverted demon sex.” 

“Like, what about me singing with a penguin [on the show] has anything to do with what I’m doing in my bedroom?” the “Pose” star posed to us at L’Avenue at Saks, where he was hosting a party for the restaurant’s first anniversary. 

“The really interesting thing for me is that that’s what it’s all about when it comes to LGBTQ people — the first thing everyone wants to talk about is how we having sex.”
He added, “Stay out of my bedroom and you will be fine — that is none of your business.”

Plainly speaking, Perkins and his supporters can dredge up illicit sexual fantasies in their minds about the LGBTQ community any time they want. But they don't have the right to make us conform to their false ideas of who we are.

And they don't have the right to erase our rights, safety, families, humanity or dignity.

'More high schoolers coming out, but more acceptance is needed' & other Wed midday news briefs

More high school students than ever are coming out, but their despair remains acute - As more children are coming out, they are being met with the reality of a homophobic world. That's one of the main reasons why we cannot sit back and despair when things happens to our community. Those children are watching us and when they see us raising hell over homophobia and refuse to be disrespected, they get empowered. Remember that whenever you feel complacent. It's not just about you.

Missouri Officer Told To ‘Tone Down Gayness’ Settles Suit For $10.25 Million - Y'all meet my new husband. . . lol 

Virginia Democrats walk out as GOP-invited pastor denigrates gay people on House floor - Virginia Republicans are still bitter over their election loss, so they invited this bozo to do a prayer on the House floor.

12 New Jersey schools roll out LGBTQ curriculum pilot program - Good for them!

NBA star Dwyane Wade talks candidly about accepting and empowering his trans child

It bothers me tremendously when people generalize about the African-American community when it comes homophobia and such. Forget the lazy idea expressed by some folks that black people are more homophobic than other groups because it's simply not true. That's not to say that homophobia doesn't exist in the black community. There is nuances and intricacies. But one thing is clear -  family is always important.

From Out:

With everything else going on in the world, it feels nothing short of amazing to watch Dwyane Wade, noted NBA star, talk about how he and his wife Gabrielle Union are not only supporting but also empowering their teenaged child Zaya. 

“First of all me and my wife, Gabrielle Union, we are proud parents of a child in the LGBTQ+ community and we’re proud allies as well,” Wade said in a new interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The spot was to promote a new ESPN documentary based on the basketball player, called D Wade: Life Unexpected. “We take our roles and responsibilities as parents very seriously. So, when our child comes home with a question, when our child comes home with an issue, when our child comes home with anything, it’s our job as parents to listen to that to give them the best information that we can, the best feedback that we can, and that doesn’t change now that sexuality [and gender] is involved.” 

In December, Wade did an interview where he referred to the 12-year-old with she/her pronouns. Now, Wade has revealed that one day the child came home and sat Wade and Union down and asked not only to be referred to with those pronouns, but to also be called Zaya, as she comes into her identity.

With all of the lies propagated against trans children by the anti-LGBTQ industry, it's awesome to see a public figure telling his family's personal experience and steamrolling over all of the fear tactics and distortions.

'Trump Administration sending gay refugees into dangerous environment' & other Tue midday news briefs

Trump now exposing gay refugees to danger by sending them to homophobic environments.

A gay refugee is suing the Trump administration for sending him to Guatemala - I hope he wins. It's completely insane what the Trump Administration is doing to refugees in general. It is especially harming LGBTQ refugees.

Two Gay Immigrants Left Everything For Safety In The US. Instead, They Were Sent To Guatemala. - More detail about this awful situation. 

Janelle Monáe Is 'Proud' to Open Oscars as a 'Black Queer Artist' - Janelle Monae and Billy Porter singing at the Oscars. What more do you need? 

Medina split over LGBTQ protections - Meanwhile, our struggle goes on around the nation.

South Dakota anti-trans health bill is dead

Wonderful news out of South Dakota. From NBC News:

The South Dakota Legislature on Monday effectively killed House Bill 1057, which sought to block physicians in the state from providing puberty blockers and gender confirmation surgery to transgender children under 16. 

By a 5-2 vote, the state Senate Health and Human Services Committee sent the bill “to the 41st day,” which means a bill has been effectively killed because the state’s part-time Legislature has only 40 working days. 

"It's gone," Quinncy Parke, 17, who is transgender and testified against the bill, told The Associated Press. “I don’t have to worry about it until next year.” The ACLU of South Dakota, which had led the fight against the bill, cheered its apparent demise. 

“Though supporters claimed House Bill 1057 was aimed at protecting vulnerable youth, it was clearly fueled by a fear and misunderstanding of transgender South Dakotans,” said Libby Skarin, policy director for the group. “It’s time we stop these attacks and the very real harm they cause to transgender youth across our state. Let this be a signal to the South Dakota Legislature that discrimination against a marginalized group is a distraction from the needs of the state and hurts us all.”

What killed it?

'Billy Porter 'reads' Trump, brings hope during the LGBTQ State of the Union address' & other Mon midday news briefs

Billy Porter reads Trump, but also gives us hope, in LGBTQ State of the Union address - This happened last week and I missed it. However, it is a must view. The "mainstream" media has pretty much ignored Trump's war on our rights and safety, so it's up to us to bring it public and take our stand. Billy pushes us a step in the right direction.

Kevin Hart Reflects On Oscars Hosting Gig Controversy: ‘I Did F**k Up’ - No kidding! Our lives are not jokes, Kevin.Nor is the safety of LGBTQ children.

U.S. corporate giants condemn anti-LGBT laws as economic 'risk' - That's right. You had BETTER believe it.

Md. House committee holds hearing on name change bill - State by state, our fight for equality rages on.

We're Queer, We're Here! We're Black! That's a Fact!

I've posted these two videos several times in the past and I am going to keep posting them to remind folks of the diversity of the LGBTQ community in the past and present. There is so much of our history omitted because the image of LGBTQ seems to always be the same. In reality, we come in all cultures, ethnicities, all regions, all ages, all political persuasions, etc. It is fitting that we remember this during Black History Month. It would be more fitting and appropriate to not wait until Black History Month to keep it in mind.

All of the folks in these videos have been verified, except for George Washington Carver. His life has been a mystery.

'Fox News: Rush Limbaugh getting Medal of Freedom is same as when Ellen Degeneres received it' & other Fri midday news briefs

Ellen Degeneres

Fox News Contributor: Trump Giving Rush Limbaugh Medal Of Freedom Is Same as Obama Giving It to Ellen Degeneres - Laaawd! If that's the story you idiots wanna tell .. .

Laura Ingraham lies that affirming trans students is “child abuse,” will lead to lower age of consent - I weep when I think of the people who have their own shows to spew lies and propaganda.

Pinelands Regional parents get first look at new LGBTQ lessons their kids will learn - This is the proper route. Let parents see the lessons and become informed. That would cut down on how the anti-LGBTQ industry attempts to inspire fear. 

Christian couple rejected as foster parents because they’d send a gay kid to conversion therapy - I'm sorry but this is necessary. The couple later said that they are willing to foster heterosexual children, but you see, that's not good enough. What about the LGBTQ children who are afraid to come out. What would they do if a child they fostered came out? Would they send the child to that awful therapy?