Virginia Democrats repeat victory from last year. Eleven anti-trans bills defeated in legislative session.

Just like the Kansas City Chiefs repeated as Super Bowl champions on Sunday (you know I had to throw in a Super Bowl reference taking into account the right-wing hysteria around Taylor Swift), Virginia Democrats repeated a feat they accomplished last year.

They killed all of the anti-trans bills proposed during a legislative session. Although to be fair, Virginia legislators accomplished their feat by Friday, while the Chiefs had their victory two days later.

 From The Los Angeles Blade:

Virginia lawmakers have killed all of the anti-transgender bills that had been introduced during this year’s legislative session. The Senate Education and Health Committee on Thursday in a 9-6 vote tabled Senate Bill 37, which Equality Virginia said would have forcibly outed transgender students. 

A Virginia House of Delegates subcommittee on Tuesday killed an identical measure, House Bill 670. The Senate Education and Health Committee also on Thursday in a 9-6 vote killed Senate Bill 68, which would have banned trans students from school sports teams that correspond to their gender identity. The same committee on Thursday tabled an identical measure, Senate Bill 723. House subcommittees on Tuesday killed two bills — House Bill 1120 and House Bill 1229. 

 Lawmakers killed or tabled an anti-trans “Women’s Bill of Rights” that had been proposed in both General Assembly chambers. The Senate Education and Health Committee on Thursday by a 9-6 vote margin killed Senate Bill 671, which would have banned transition-related health care for minors in Virginia.

Last year, they killed 12 bills. This year it was 11.  Virginia Democrats holding majorities in the state Senate and the House (which they won during last year's election) was the reason they were able to kill the anti-trans bill during this year's session.

I am especially sharing this for two reasons - 1. Never completely give in to sadness. There is good in the world and people fighting tooth and nail for your rights. 2. VOTING MATTERS. The victory in Virginia took place because people voted the right folks in office. NEVER believe that your vote doesn't matter, regardless of what someone attempts to make you believe. Your vote matters just like YOU matter. It is your voice.

image taken from The Advocate.

Tennessee city learns $500,000 lesson after unsuccessful attempt to ban drag shows

 

In June 2023, I made the following comments about the right-wing push to ban drag shows:

We have now entered the phase in which those who spread and entertained the lie that drag queens are 'grooming' kids are going to have to defend their mess in a court of law. And under oath. They've f@cked around for a long while. Now it's time for them to find out. 

 A recent lawsuit settlement just proved my point. 

From The Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: 

 The Murfreesboro government has agreed to pay $500,000 and repeal an ordinance discriminatory to LGBTQ+ people to settle a lawsuit with BoroPride, the ACLU announced Wednesday. The American Civil Liberties Union provided legal representation with BoroPride annual festival organizers with the Tennessee Equality Project led by Chris Sanders, according to an ACLU press release.

 . . . The issue started October 2022 when Murfreesboro City Manager Craig Tindall sent a letter to BoroPride organizers telling them the city would deny future permits and accused the 2022 LGBTQ+ festival and drag show of exposing “children to a harmful prurient interest.”

 BoroPride attracted more than 7,000 people to the 2022 festival held at Cannonsburgh Village, a Murfreesboro historic parks and recreation property off U.S. Highway 41 and across the street from nearby City Hall in the downtown area. Festival organizers relocated the 2023 BoroPride to Tennessee Miller Coliseum in north Murfreesboro. The coliseum property is owned by Middle Tennessee State University.

 In addition, according to The Murfreesboro Daily News Journal, the city council also passed a "community decency standards ordinance." That ordinance was repealed in December due to the lawsuit. 

 Also:

 . . . The $500,000 settlement compensates for harm caused and reimburse attorneys’ fees . . . and accept and process any future event permit applications from BoroPride organizers, according to the press release. The Murfreesboro city manager is prohibited under the terms from reviewing any future permit requests from the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP), the press release said.

 "The parties filed suit in federal court after Tindall and Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland engaged in a yearlong, concerted anti-LGBTQ+ campaign to chill TEP and Murfreesboro residents’ protected speech and expression," the press release said.

Editor's note - I am reposting this list of the times in which drag queens and drag shows have been deliberately mischaracterized as x-rated by those on the right. A paper trail exists for those willing to seek it out:

Far right activists don't know the difference between a circus act and a drag show

Undercover investigators say no lewd acts were performed at drag show targeted by DeSantis

Taken out-of-context video fuels ugly lie about drag queens 'grooming' children

Drag performer sues far-right blogger alleging defamation over edited video 

BUSTED! Far right caught spreading false story that a drag queen exposed self to children 

Candace Owens can't even tell a good lie. Far right personality busted using fake photo of 'drag queen' 

Babylon Bee editor Seth Dillon caught spreading false story about a child tipping a half naked drag queen 

Silly conservative 'activist' doesn't know the difference between drag queens, drag kings, and strippers

'Libs of Tik Tok's Chaya Raichik has meltdown when called out again by NBC News' & other Wed/Thur news briefs

 

Libs of Tik Tok's Chaya Raichik being interviewed by Tucker Carlson (left) and attending the Jan 6th insurrection (right).

Editor's note - You ever had one of those days when you are ill AND there is a lot of stuff going on; so much so that you have to put out news briefs instead of focusing on one issue? Apparently, that's MY day today:

After Libs of TikTok posted, at least 21 bomb threats followed - More of the same from Libs of TikTok's Chaya Raichik. And she is reacting to the article with the self-pitying, hysterical junk we've come to expect from her. 

Oklahoma library book ban committee member absolutely spiraling after NBC news confirms at least 21 bomb threats followed her posts targeting teachers, librarians, and queer people. pic.twitter.com/6YnWl1gqxn

— Ari Drennen (@AriDrennen) February 7, 2024

Chaya Raichik is probably the saddest, most pathetic bigot I've ever come across in the 17 years I've had this blog. She's a hyperactive version of a repressed old maid in that she anoints herself as a guardian of morality, so she doesn't to face the fact that no one wants or desires her. By pointing an accusing finger at LGBTQ people, Chaya refuses to take responsibility for what makes her a repellent person. If she did, she would realize that her attitude is the problem. She exudes vitriol and hatred from every pore like body odor. Or maybe Chaya is fully aware of this fact and that makes her all the more sadly repulsive. Just like a snake can't ever change from being a snake, a hateful pig can't stop wallowing in the mud. 

 In other news:

Indiana launched an anti-LGBTQ+ tip line. Mayhem & memes started right away. - Darn. I missed out on taking part in the fun. 

Transgender bathroom bills are back. Does the nation care? - I personally think it's because the conservative make-up of the Supreme Court has made certain people bolder. 

Speaker Mike Johnson's long history with anti-LGBTQ+ Family Research Council extremist exposed (exclusive) - Haters generally stick together.

Survey: 90,000 trans people overwhelmingly say life improves after transition - Folks need to pay attention to what trans people are saying instead of trying to legislate their lives out of existence. 

Missouri Republican candidate torches LGBTQ-inclusive books in viral video - Some people simply make social media a drag.

Transphobia costs - South Dakota settles lawsuit with transgender advocacy group for $300,000 and a public apology

South Dakota and its governor Kristi Noem recently learned a very expensive and hopefully humiliating lesson about transphobic animus. A lesson which cost the state $300,000 and a public apology.

From The South Dakota Searchlight:

The state of South Dakota has issued an apology letter and a $300,000 payment to a transgender advocacy group for the abrupt cancellation of a Department of Health contract in 2022. Those are the terms of a settlement agreement inked Thursday in a federal discrimination lawsuit filed by The Transformation Project shortly after the cancellation. The group had a contract with the state, paid for with federal funds, to provide community health worker services to the LGBTQ+ community from its Sioux Falls headquarters. The cancellation came on Dec. 16, 2022, shortly after a conservative news outlet contacted Gov. Kristi Noem to ask why the state had signed the $136,000 contract.

And here is the clincher. 

The Transformation Project’s lawsuit cited Noem’s public comments on transgender people and her response to the conservative news outlet, made through spokesperson Ian Fury, as proof that the decision was discriminatory in nature. 

“The contract was signed without Gov. Noem’s prior knowledge or approval,” Fury told the outlet. 

 The state offered a series of alleged failures on the part of The Transformation Project as reasons for the cancellation, but the lawsuit argued that those reasons were meant to put “a thin gloss” of legitimacy on a discriminatory action. 

 The Searchlight said the settlement is over double the amount of the contract and also covers attorney fees. In addition: 

The community health worker hired through the contract, Jack Fonder, was also named as a plaintiff in The Transformation Project’s lawsuit. 

 As part of the settlement, the current Department of Health secretary wrote an apology letter to Fonder and the project’s director, Susan Williams. “On behalf of the State of South Dakota, I apologize that the Transformation Project’s contract was terminated and for treating the Transformation Project differently than other organizations awarded Community Health Worker contracts,” Secretary Melissa Magstadt wrote in the Jan. 17 letter. 

 She went on to “emphasize that all South Dakotans are entitled to equal treatment under the law — regardless of their race, color, national origin, religion, disability, age, or sex.”

Noem is just one of the many Republican governors attempting to undermine the health and safety of the transgender community. Last year, she signed a bill into law which banned gender-affirming care for trans youth. 

Moms for Liberty now facing significant pushback against its agenda from other parents

This post is by no means an encouragement for pre-celebration, but yes Moms for Liberty is having significant problems right now. And it all comes down to the fact that more and more people are getting tired of the group's bullshit:

In Florida, where the right-wing Moms for Liberty group was born in response to Covid-19 school closures and mask mandates, the first Brevard County School Board meeting of the new year considered whether two bestselling novels – “The Kite Runner” and “Slaughterhouse-Five” – should be banned from schools. A lone Moms for Liberty supporter sat by herself at the January 23 meeting, where opponents of the book ban outnumbered her. 

 Nearly 20 speakers voiced opposition to removing the novels from school libraries. One compared the book-banning effort to Nazi Germany. Another accused Moms for Liberty of waging war on teachers. No one spoke in favor of the ban. About three hours into the meeting, the board voted quickly to keep the two books on the shelves of high schools.

 “Why are we banning books?” asked Mindy McKenzie, a mom and nurse who is a member of Stop Moms for Liberty, which was formed to counter what it calls a far-right extremist group “pushing for book banning and destroying public education.” “Why are we letting Moms for Liberty infiltrate our school system?” 

 Moms for Liberty, founded in 2021, expanded its mission to include efforts to ban certain books from schools, outlaw the teaching and discussion of gender and sexuality by teachers and halt the teaching of critical race theory. Now the group is at a crossroads.

 “One of their major challenges is the fact that most Americans are actually pretty positive about their own children’s schools,” Jack Schneider, a professor of education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said via email. “Although their message may have appeal in the abstract, at least to conservative voters, families aren’t clamoring for disruption in their own children’s schools.” 

 After effectively channeling conservative anger over cultural issues into action on the ground, from supporting candidates in school board races to spearheading campaigns against teachers, administrators and other political foes, Moms for Liberty’s burgeoning influence in Republican national politics may be faltering, observers say.

 . . . Jennifer Jenkins, who defeated (Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina) Descovich to win her seat on the Brevard County School Board in 2020, said the influence of Moms for Liberty is fading as more parents begin to question the group’s positions. 

 “I think that things have gone too far and people are finally standing up to say, you know, ‘This is my choice. These are my kids as well too. You don’t get to make these decisions for us,’” Jenkins said. “People are seeing, you know, news cycle after news cycle, the hypocrisy of the things that they advocate for and they say they stand,” she said.

Appeals court won't remove injunction against Idaho ban on gender-affirming care

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has given a major victory to trans kids in Idaho. 

From The Idaho Statesman

A federal appeals court has allowed gender-affirming health care for transgender children to continue while a lawsuit against Idaho’s ban on hormone treatments makes its way through court. Two transgender minors and their parents sued the state less than two months after Gov. Brad Little signed House Bill 71 into law, making it a felony for medical providers to prescribe treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy to children. 

The parents argued that the law was unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill issued a preliminary injunction against the law in December, days before the state’s ban was scheduled to go into effect. Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador appealed the case to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals this month and asked the appeals court to stop Winmill’s preliminary injunction. Three appeals court judges denied that request Tuesday.

 “This ruling should be celebrated by everyone who decries discrimination,” Paul Carlos Southwick, the ACLU of Idaho’s legal director, said in an emailed statement. The organization represents the transgender minors, along with other attorneys. “We celebrate alongside transgender youth and their families throughout Idaho who will continue to have access to the health care they need and deserve.” 

In terms of anti-trans measures, this would make Idaho 0-2 thus far. Last year, the same court refused to let the state enforce a ban on trans female athletes. 

Editor's note - A list of 30+ medical organizations who support gender-affirming care for trans youth and adults.

Utah situation shows how ban on trans athletes can be weaponized against other cis athletes

Editor's note - my apologies for not having the full article about the subject of this post. It is behind a paywall. However, the tweet included is the accurate summation of the situation.

A while back, transgender activists predicted that laws banning trans athletes from competing would backfire against cis athletes. A recent incident in Utah has proven them right.

A dad confronted two principals at a girls basketball game last week, insisting the shouldn't let an opposing player play because she was trans. But she wasn't.

Advocates say this is what to expect in a climate that emboldens people to target others.https://t.co/R1MdgTj68V

— Robert Gehrke (@RobertGehrke) January 27, 2024

And apparently a similar event took place in 2022. And in Utah. According to an August 19, 2022 article in The Independent: 

 Parents of girls who finished second and third in a Utah scholastic sporting event filed a complaint with the Utah High School Activities Association claiming that the first place finisher is transgender. She’s not. David Spatafore of the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA), the body responsible for enforcing the state’s new ban on transgender participation in school sports, told the Deseret News that he had no choice but to investigate the first place finisher’s gender after parents filed the complaint. He found that not only is the girl in question cisgender, but that his office has received other complaints about the girl including one that she stating that she “doesn’t look feminine enough.” 

 It gets worse. According to an article published on that same day by MetroWeekly, UHSAA made the school investigate the young girl's record all the way back to kindergarten.

Basically, these laws which supporters claim are created to protect cis female athletes can be used - weaponized is a much better word - by fellow cis athletes and parents disgruntled at losses during athletic competitions. They can also be used to target and denigrate cis athletes who don't conform to supposed standards of femininity.

So much for fairness.

Released audio reveals desire by legislators to completely ban trans healthcare

I don't know where the LGBTQ community would be without talented journalist (and GLAAD Award nominee) Erin Reed. Reed. Her work (you can and should be support here) revealed a scoop which doesn't seem to be registering as it should with the mainstream media.

Audio from a small Twitter Space featuring legislators from Ohio and Michigan was automatically posted publicly, wherein Republican legislators revealed the "endgame" of anti-trans legislation was to ban trans care "for everyone." The Space, which ejected uninvited guests, included several Michigan senators and representatives, as well as Representative Gary Click from Ohio, who sponsored the state's recent controversial gender-affirming care ban. Throughout the Space, the legislators seem to freely discuss their plans and strategies for targeting transgender care. Towards the end of the Space, the conversation shifts to a plan for the "endgame," where Republican legislators and anti-trans activist Prisha Mosley discuss various plans aimed at "banning this for everyone," referring to gender-affirming care. 

 The Space, hosted by Representative Brad Paquette of Michigan, was a free-form discussion over potential inroads in Michigan, as well as ongoing strategy for anti-trans laws in Ohio. Representative Gary Click was a prominent participant. Others included Michigan Representatives Josh Schriver and Tom Kunse, as well as Senators Lana Theis and Jonathan Lindsey. 

 . . .Never before have elected representatives spelled out the strategy of banning care for transgender adults so clearly. Representative Gary Click has ties to the Heritage Foundation and the Center for Christian Virtue, both of which are well known for playing a role in the development and authorship of anti-trans legislation. These freshly released recordings provide an important look into the endgame of anti-trans legislation: the elimination of transgender people from public life entirely through the banning of care at any age. 

 This shouldn't come as a surprise. Trans activists like Reed have repeatedly said that the false narrative spun against gender-affirming healthcare for trans kids masked a plan to ultimately target healthcare for all trans people. Keep in mind that these folks probably wouldn't stop with just the trans community if their desire came to fruition. My guess is that they have equally nasty desires for the rest of us in the LGBTQ community.

SC Senate Tim Scott debases himself in front of Donald Trump. Folks on social media have 'words' with him

An incident coming out of the recent New Hampshire Republican primary deserving more discussion is SC Senate Tim Scott debasing himself in front of Donald Trump.

From the Huffington Post:

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) left critics cringing on Tuesday with a stunning display of sycophancy to former President Donald Trump. The senator, who dropped out of the GOP presidential race in November, was one of two former candidates onstage with Trump in Nashua to celebrate his victory over Nikki Haley in the New Hampshire primary.In 2012, when she was governor of South Carolina, Haley appointed Scott, then a member of the House of Representatives, to his Senate seat to replace retiring Sen. Jim DeMint. 

 “Did you ever think that she actually appointed you, Tim?” Trump said of Haley during his speech. “And you’re the senator of her state. And [you] endorsed me.” “You must really hate her,” he added. Scott, who had been standing behind Trump, approached the mic and said: “I just love you.” “That’s why he’s a great politician!” Trump said.

Trump: You’re the Senator of his state. She endorsed me. You must really hate her

Scott to Trump: I just love you pic.twitter.com/fwo60526nK

— Acyn (@Acyn) January 24, 2024

Cringe is too polite of a word as far as I'm concerned. I'd call it one of the greatest acts of self-humiliation I have ever seen. Scott did everything on that stage BUT offer to shine Trump's shoes while calling him "Massa."

Reports are that Scott is one of the candidates being considered as Trump's VP pick, so that would explain his sudden attack of gleeful public affection. It would also explain his recent (staged?) engagement to his girlfriend Mindy Noce (whom he revealed last year) as a way of curbing longstanding rumors that he's an in-the-closet gay man. 

Whatever the case may be, it was embarrassing to see Scott debase himself in such a manner.  More than that, in light of Trump's racist and bigoted history, his behavior was a slap in the face to every African American who fought, suffered, and died so that he could become a United States senator in the first place.

 But let me put it another way:

 I am not the only person on Twitter who felt this way. Scott has been continuously criticized throughout the day. And others weren't as "polite" as me:

My guess is that should what Scott did become a big issue, he's going play the victim during a nice and cozy Fox News "interview" with Sean Hannity. Or I think in this case, Harris Faulkner would conduct the interview. After all, you know what they say about 'birds of a feather."

Libs of TikTok creator Chaya Raichik named to Oklahoma school library board

Keep digging your hole, Chaya Raichik. The LGBTQ community can wait. We have patience.

The most bitter woman in America, arch-homophobe Chaya Raichik is infamous for peddling false accusations of grooming and child abuse against libraries, hospitals, and LGBTQ teachers. These accusations have allegedly led to bomb threats in several cities, including Oklahoma.

And that last part is very important for this blog post. 

According to NBC Out:

A far-right influencer who was accused of instigating bomb threats last year against a school library in Tulsa has been named an adviser to a state library committee, the head of the Oklahoma State Department of Education announced Tuesday. Chaya Raichik, who runs the incendiary Libs of TikTok social media accounts and is not an Oklahoma resident, was appointed to the state education department’s Library Media Advisory Committee. 

 “Chaya is on the front lines showing the world exactly what the radical left is all about — lowering standards, porn in schools, and pushing woke indoctrination on our kids,” State Superintendent Ryan Walters said in a statement. “Because of her work, families across the country know just what is going on in schools around the country.”

 Raichik’s Libs of TikTok accounts have more than 3 million combined followers on X and Instagram. Its content — which is often laced with bigoted rhetoric — generally singles out LGBTQ people, drag queens and their employers, and criticizes them for promoting diversity, inclusion and equity efforts. In addition to last year’s scare in Tulsa, posts by the account have preceded several bomb threats to schools, libraries and hospitals across the country in recent years. 

 Walters, who appointed Raichik for whatever reason (most likely publicity) is also infamous his far-right spin regarding the LGBTQ community.

 According to LGBTQ Nation: 

 Oklahoma’s superintendent of public schools Ryan Walters (R) has suggested that the Bible be taught in history classes. Walters has previously pushed the transphobic lie about schools providing litterboxes to students who identify as cats. He also recently referred to teachers’ unions as “terrorist organizations” and illegally tried to make rules banning LGBTQ+ books and transgender bathroom access in schools. 

 In a recent video, Walters said, “Oklahomans, we have a clear choice in front of us. When it comes to our schools, do we want the radical ideology in our classroom that pushes gender theory, that pushes graphic pornography in order to perform a social experiment on our kids?” 

 . . . “Real Americans know that we’ve got to support our kids by giving them a great understanding of our history,” Walters added. “Radical leftists and Biden administration, they would prefer to sexualize our kids.” 

On one hand, this is an absolutely stupid thing for Walters to do, even if it is par for the course for him. On the other hand, I'm interested in how far this will go before it blows up in his and Raichik's face. 

 And it will blow up.

Related posts:

Chaya Raichik, why are you so 'stank?' 

Libs of TikTok's Chaya Raichik says that George Floyd's murderer is a 'political prisoner.'

Chaya Raichik, Libs of TikTok upset that Fruit Loops are encouraging children to read 

Chaya Raichik's goons are mad at me. Music to my ears and beauty to my eyes. 

Chaya Raichik is making a sociopathic fool of herself

'Ohio on the verge of becoming 2nd state to restrict gender-affirming care for trans adults' & other Tue midday news briefs

Ohio is on the verge of becoming the 2nd state to restrict gender-affirming care for adults - Madness. Simple hateful madness. 

Florida GOP proposes sex affidavits and ‘grooming’ bans in slate of anti-LGBTQ bills - Florida simply can't take a hint.

Wyoming school principal axes antibullying play over gay character​ - You gotta be kidding me.

NYC Marathon refuses to give “devastated” first nonbinary winner their prize money - This is wrong. 

NFL to honor LGBTQ inclusion at Super Bowl for 5th year, and homophobes now just aware - Batten down the hatches. The haters are hating again.

Video - Goodbye Ron DeSantis (and good riddance)

 As you know, Ron DeSantis withdrew from the 2024 GOP presidential primary. What a shame. All of the stuff he did against LGBTQ people and African Americans in an attempt to ride an anti-woke wave to the White House blew up in his face.   All of his false bravado and mess about "killing woke" simply couldn't cover up how much of a bad candidate he was. It only made his many deficiencies stand out.

This is not to take away the fact that we are still going to be fighting for our political and personal lives in this upcoming election, but let's take a moment to watch this video of DeSantis during the third GOP primary election a month ago. Brought to you by the Lincoln Project, it showcases all of the "qualities" which DeSantis oozed; "qualities" which rightfully cost him the GOP nomination.

Joy Reid spotlights the hypocrisy of Moms for Liberty during contentious interview with founder Tiffany Justice

 

There is a reluctance by some members of the community to see conservative and right-wing personalities being interviewed by members of the media. This is a very credible fear due to pundits being either too accommodating or not having done enough preparation or research on the interviewee. Whether done individually or collectively, all of these factors have resulted in interviewers which right-wing personalities have been able to amplify their false points without the courtesy of a correction. 

 A recent discussion between Moms for Liberty head Tiffany Justice and MSNBC pundit Joy Reid was not one of those interviews.  Reid came prepared and determined to keep the interview getting highjacked. It was a breath of fresh air to watch Reid ask Justice probing questions about why the Moms For Liberty pushes viewpoint censorship under the guise of banning sexually explicit books. Reid named several banned books - such as ones about the Civil Rights Movement and the Holocaust - and asks why are they considered banned. Justice evades the question. 

 It is a contentious interview and several times, Justice throws out sexually graphic words and phrases taken from books which were banned. Reid uses that to point out that Justice is taking things out of context deliberately to shock and scare people while at the same time not knowing anything about the books she's condemning. 

The interviews itself is 12 minutes long. The remaining six minutes is Reid analyzing the interview with two other MSNBC pundits. And that is as enjoyable as the interview itself.

'Anti-trans bill passes SC house. Heads to the state Senate' & other Fri midday news briefs

Lawmakers in South Carolina approve ban on gender-affirming care for trans minors - What's even more galling about the bill passing was the process. It was insultingly formulaic. Over 40 parents, medical professionals, young adults, and children showed up to speak against the bill. The vast majority - if not all of them - were South Carolinians. The only person testifying in favor of it was a lawyer with the Alliance Defending Freedom who didn't even bother to show up. He testified on video. The bill now goes to the Senate.

Related post - South Carolina legislators ignore parents, trans kids, and medical professionals to pass anti-trans bill out of committee

The Pride flag is back after a small town reverses its controversial ban - A win!! 

Trans candidate facing disqualification now cleared to run despite omitting deadname - More good news!

Libs of TikTok leads vitriolic backlash against RuPaul’s latest Emmy win - Meanwhile, RuPaul is polishing his 14 Emmys and cashing his checks while asking "who is this white girl?"

Trouble in MAGA paradise? FRC's Tony Perkins not happy with 'God made Trump' video

Family Research Council president Tony Perkins (top photo) is not happy with a video made by Trump enthusiast Brenden Dilley which implied that Trump was chosen by God to lead America. 

I guess there is a line Trump can cross when it comes to some conservative evangelicals. In the clip below courtesy of People for the American Way, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins criticized Trump's decision to share a recent video which implied that he was chosen by God.

Tony doesn't like it. 

Tony Perkins and David Closson of the religious-right Family Research Council fault Trump for embracing the "So God Made Trump" video: "I think this video is inappropriate ... I don't like it." https://t.co/8y0Bi3rIDR pic.twitter.com/oltGHHGI3k

— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) January 18, 2024

What will happen next? Probably nothing. Both parties will ignore it and life will go on as usual, thereby signifying yet again how conservative evangelicals are willing to sacrifice their supposed integrity for a taste of power. But on the off chance that Trump does talk about the video, my guess is that he will offer excuses such as saying his campaign didn't make it (even though he shared it). 

Now should that happen, I bet the makers of the video won't be happy.

 According to Deseret News: 

The video was created by Dilley Meme Team, a group of online content creators independent from the Trump campaign, though they work in close contact with it. The group — which calls itself Trump’s Online War Machine — has faced controversy for its vulgar and sexist content.

Dilley Meme Team is the brainchild of Brenden Dilley and he is an "interesting character."

 According to the People for the American Way: 

 Last month, the New York Times profiled what it called the “troll army” that is attacking former President Trump’s enemies on social media as part of the campaign to get him elected to the White House in 2024. The leading figure behind this “army” is MAGA broadcaster and “life coach” Brenden Dilley, whose cultish devotion to Trump has gained him direct access not only to the Trump campaign, but to the candidate himself  . . .

. . . Right Wing Watch has been covering Dilley since 2018 and given that he has now established such close ties with Trump’s campaign, it is even more important to expose how overtly racist, unapologetically misogynistic, and gleefully amoral he is. The most important thing to know about Dilley is that he doesn’t “give a fuck about being factual” and will “make shit up” if doing so furthers Trump’s political agenda. Dilley openly admitted it in 2020:

 “I don’t give a fuck,” he continued. “My objective is to destroy Democrats, OK? To destroy liberals, liberalism as an idea, Democrats, and anything that opposes President Trump. That’s my goal. I’ve never made any bones about that.”

“You don’t have to fact check me because I don’t give a fuck,” Dilley added. “I fucking make up shit sometimes, from time to time. I don’t care. I don’t care. Democrats know it. Republicans know it. I don’t mind admitting it. I don’t give a shit … When I get a chance to shit on the left, I don’t mind making shit up. No, not at all.” 

As you can see in the above tweet, Dilley is already overjoyed that Trump shared his video.  Trump loves to lavish devotion. He calls it "loyalty." But what will happen if Dilley's excesses offend the senses of the evangelicals Trump needs to win the election. 

Good news day! Book ban blocked in TX, trans healthcare ban blocked in Idaho, & I receive my 7th GLAAD Media Award nomination.

Me in 2017 with friends celebrating my GLAAD Media award win.

There is so much good news to share right now, so I am going to make this a three-item post. First let's talk about two very important and wonderful recent happenings:

From The Hill:

A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that a Texas law banning “sexually explicit” books from public schools likely violates the Constitution, partially upholding a preliminary injunction issued by a lower court. The three-judge appeals panel issued a unanimous ruling that the plaintiffs — two Texas bookstores; three national trade associations representing booksellers, publishers and authors; and a legal defense fund — would likely succeed on their claims that Texas’s law violates their First Amendment right to free speech.  The Restricting Explicit and Adult-Designated Educational Resources Act (READER) requires vendors who want to do business with Texas public schools to give sexual-content ratings for all library material and flag any “sexually explicit” or “sexually relevant” material.

 . . .Texas has said the law aims to protect children and has pushed back on claims of free speech by the booksellers. The state also claimed there would be no irreparable harm, in arguing against the injunction. The court rejected those arguments, however, upholding the district court’s conclusion that the government-speech doctrine does not apply and that “the ratings are the vendor’s speech, not the government’s,” and therefore the law mandating the ratings violates freedom of speech. The court also argued that “compliance costs alone” could cause irreparable harm to the plaintiffs. And while the risk of irreparable injury must be weighed against the public interest, “neither [the State] nor the public has any interest in enforcing a regulation that violates federal law.”

In Idaho, the block on the ban against gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth remains blocked. According to KTV-TV Boise: 

 A federal judge will continue to enforce a block on Idaho’s law that bans transgender health care for minors. U.S. District Judge Lynn Winmill had put a temporary injunction on the ban on Dec. 26, meaning it hasn't yet gone into full effect while it's being challenged in court. Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador has appealed the decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

 . . . In his decision, Winmill wrote that the attorney general didn’t provide new evidence to persuade him that the state would likely prevail in its appeal. Labrador had argued in his motion that the judge had failed to consider the “conflicting evidence regarding the risks and benefits associated with gender-affirming care.” He said that the experts brought in by the plaintiffs currently provide gender-affirming care, and thus had a “direct financial stake in ensuring the continued availability of ‘gender-affirming care.’” 

 Winmill cited his earlier decision in which he acknowledged the conflicting evidence but found that “the risks associated with the treatments used in gender-affirming medical care are similar to risks associated with other types of healthcare families may seek for minors.” The judge also noted that the doctors who were brought in as experts don’t provide care in Idaho would thus not be affected by HB 71, so they don’t likely have a financial stake in the case. 

 Last but not least, nominations for the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards came out Wednesday morning and this little ole blog of mine received a nomination in the category of 'Outstanding Blog.' It is my third consecutive nomination and my seventh nomination overall. As seen by the photo above, I was blessed to have won the award in 2017.

 I can't begin to tell you how much this means to me. This blog, my 17-year-old baby, sprang out of the anger, misery, and pain I felt while attempting to come out during my college years. And especially the rage I felt at the forces who peddled and continue to peddle lies designed to undermine LGBTQ lives, health, and safety. Receiving a GLAAD Award nomination means credibility and love from the LGBTQ community - a community I love in return and will continue to fight for in my own way day after day. I'm honored and grateful for the ability to fight and to help create a more positive future for the LGBTQ community, and especially our children. 

If you are interested in the various topics regarding religious right lies I've covered throughout out the years, check out The Best of Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters listings on the right. Or feel free to use the search engine above to see if I covered any LGBTQ topic which interests you.

'Trans students win as SCOTUS leaves bathroom victory in place' & other Wed midday news briefs

Trans students win as Supreme Court leaves school bathroom victory in place​ - Yeah but knowing THIS Supreme Court . . . eh let's celebrate anyway. 

More than 275 bills targeting LGBTQ rights flood state legislatures - But briefly because there is a lot of work to do. 

Family sues school district over law that bans trans volleyball player from girls’ sports - Good for them. I hope the family wins. 

Meet the Florida drag queen advocating for safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth - More of us need to be advocates for our kids.

The Christian Post claims religious right groups never demonized the LGBTQ community. The many 'receipts' tell a different story.

A conservative evangelical publication, The Christian Post, is angry that the Biden Administration is working with the Southern Poverty Law Center. Conservative evangelicals (publications, groups, and personalities) have had a beef with SPLC ever since the group began labeling certain religious right organizations (such as the Family Research Council and the Alliance Defending Freedom) as hate groups because of their constant verbal and legislative attacks on the LGBTQ community.

While defending these groups, Christian Post "reporter" Tyler O'Neil, in the piece Anti-Christian bias in the Biden White House, made this unbelievable statement.

The SPLC publishes a “hate map” that plots conservative Christian organizations like the Family Research Council and Alliance Defending Freedom alongside chapters of the Ku Klux Klan. The SPLC brands these groups “anti-LGBTQ hate groups,” claiming that they demonize people who identify as LGBTQ. Contrary to the SPLC’s claims, neither FRC nor ADF demonize people for their sexual orientation or gender identity. They do, however, advocate for religious freedom and the biblical view of sexuality and the family.

O'Neil is lying. We know this because SPLC, GLAAD, and others have documented the many times FRC and ADF have demonized the LGBTQ community. 

The Family Research Council

From SPLC 

"For years, LGBT activists wanted to keep the goal of luring children into sexual confusion under wraps. Now that they’ve hoodwinked a lot of the country on their agenda, these extremists no longer have to hide. In fact, they are increasingly bold–even boastful–about their real intentions of recruiting kids.” – Tony Perkins, “‘I Have a Girl Brain but a Boy Body’: Virginia Kindergartners Are Read Transgender Story,” posted at The Daily Signal, March 6, 2019 

Editor's note - Tony Perkins is the president of the Family Research Council.

 “Homosexual activists vehemently reject the evidence which suggests that homosexual men … are … relative to their numbers, more likely to engage in such actions [childhood sexual abuse] than are heterosexual men.” – Peter Sprigg, senior fellow for policy studies at FRC, on why the Boy Scouts should not allow LGBTQ scouts or leaders, FRC blog, Feb. 1, 2013 

 From GLAAD

  (FRC) baselessly claimed, in a document written by Robert Knight and Robert York titled “Homosexual Behavior and Pedophilia,” that “one of the primary goals of the homosexual rights movement is to abolish all age of consent laws and to eventually recognize pedophiles as the ‘prophets’ of a new sexual order.” The document also claimed that the “homosexual rights movement has tried to distance itself from pedophilia, but only for public relations purposes.” SPLC notes that the booklet has since disappeared from FRC’s website, but the organization has not withdrawn the claims it made. Former reality television star Josh Duggar, who directed FRC’s lobbying arm FRC Action, was sentenced to 12 years in prison in May 2022 after being convicted of child pornography possession that a Homeland Security investigator described as among the most abusive and horrific he had ever seen. Duggar was also charged with child molestation for abusing five underage girls, including four of his sisters. 

Also

(Tony Perkins also) claimed gay parents “provide distorted values to innocent adopted kids.” 

 

 And below is a video of Tony Perkins claiming that gays are the "pawns of the enemy" (i.e. Satan)

 

The Alliance Defending Freedom 

 According to O'Neill: 

 The SPLC claims that ADF has supported criminalizing LGBTQ identity, a claim ADF has repeatedly denied.

 But SPLC has the 'receipts,' so to speak. 

 ADF also has worked to keep LGBTQ sex criminalized. In 2003, the group filed an amicus brief in the landmark Lawrence v. Texas case, in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that various laws prohibiting private sexual acts between LGBTQ adults were unconstitutional. In the brief, page after page describes, in graphic detail, vaginal, oral and anal intercourse and various infections that may result from the latter. ADF argued that the Texas ban was in the interest of public health, because gay men and lesbians, the brief contended, engage in “risky” sexual behaviors that increase the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. “The issue under rational-basis review is not whether Texas should be concerned about opposite-sex sodomy,” it argued, “but whether it is reasonable to believe that same-sex sodomy is a distinct public health problem. It clearly is.” 

 In 2003,(former ADF President Michael) Farris, before joining ADF, also co-wrote a 2003 amicus brief with ADF attorneys Jordan Lorence and Joshua Carden in support of Texas’ criminalization of LGBTQ sex in Lawrence v. Texas. Farris listed his affiliation in the brief as the Center for the Original Intent of the Constitution, which was formed in 1998 by the HSLDA and then was moved under the auspices of Patrick Henry College. The brief argued that states should have the right to police and criminalize sexual behavior, stating: “Defining the criminality of certain forms of sexual conduct, such as same-sex sodomy, is a policy issue that has historically and properly been left to the state legislatures.”

 In addition, SPLC also has documented statements from ADF members which also contradict O'Neil's claim.

 “When given the same choice the Supreme Court of the United States had in Lawrence vs. Texas, the Indian Court did the right thing. India chose to protect society at large rather than give in to a vocal minority of homosexual advocates. … America needs to take note that a country of 1.2 billion people has rejected the road towards same-sex marriage, and understood that these kinds of bad decisions in the long run will harm society.” – Benjamin Bull, former executive director of ADF Global, on the recriminalization of consensual sex between adults of the same sex in India, 2013

In fact, according to SPLC, the ADF has worked internationally for laws to imprison LGBTQ people based upon their sexual orientation.

 ADF, which has argued that removing anti-LGBTQ laws from criminal codes will pave the way to marriage equality, has worked to keep those laws on the books, but mostly overseas since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down anti-sodomy laws in this country. The group has advised anti-LGBTQ organizations in countries like Belize that are trying to keep the law that criminalized LGBTQ sex on the books. That law was declared unconstitutional by the Belize Supreme Court in 2016. 

 . . .  Other ADF attorneys have publicly advocated retaining anti-sodomy laws. Jeffrey Ventrella and Piero Tozzi, two senior counsels for ADF at the time, spoke at a 2012 conference in Jamaica, with Tozzi defending the laws as a “bulwark” against an unspecified “agenda.” 

 And speaking of the demonization of LGBTQ people, SPLC has ADF statements to that effect: 

 “We mention the new promotion of pedophilia in the context of talking about the influence of homosexual behavior on college campuses, because, despite all objections to the contrary, the two are often intrinsically linked.” – Alan Sears and Craig Osten, The Homosexual Agenda: Exposing the Principal Threat to Religious Freedom Today, 2003

 According to GLAAD, the ADF committed the following deceptive acts against the LGBTQ community.

 Made false claims in filings against transgender students looking to participate in sports. A softball player testified in front of Arizona lawmakers in support of a ban on transgender athletes, but did not disclose she was the daughter of ADF’s general counsel, and her testimony included the false claim that her team lost a tournament to team with a transgender player. The player was not transgender; she had short hair. 

 For nearly a decade colluded with the American College of Pediatricians (ACP) to shore up anti-transgender policy efforts and legal arguments with junk science. The ACP uses anti-LGBTQ junk science to back up many of its discriminatory talking points and to provide medical justification for interpreting Title IX to exclude gender-identity protections. Because the ADF lacked scientific evidence to back up its claims that nondiscrimination protections put children at risk, the organization ordered custom white papers from ACP. The coordination also extended to ADF drafting legislation for many states to ban transgender healthcare; ACP members were recruited to testify in support of those bans in GA, AL, KY and OH. Despite testifying before state legislatures in support of the bills, ACP’s “experts” have been discredited as not qualified to be experts in court, including Dr. Quentin van Meter and Dr. Paul Hruz. 

 Apparently Christian evangelicals like O'Neil and others who read The Christian Post probably support Donald Trump because they have more in common with him than they would like to admit.

For one thing, they all lie like hell.

Trump shares a video declaring that God 'chose' him. Some pastors disturbed by it.

Trump shared a video which claimed that he was chosen by God. Some evangelicals voiced concern about it.

I wish this 'God Made Trump' video was a parody, but it's not. Trump shared it and now some evangelicals are very disturbed by it. 

For those who don't have the temperament to look at the video and stomach it's many lies:

The video describes Trump's supposed strengths, including his "arms strong enough to rustle the Deep State and yet gentle enough to deliver his own grandchild." It's not clear which of his grandchildren Trump is meant to have delivered. The video also describes Trump as a workaholic who worked all hours of the night while president. His work ethic was a source of debate during his time in office, particularly after his private schedules were leaked, showing that half of his scheduled time was unstructured. The video also claimed that Trump attended church services every Sunday despite no evidence of this.

I don't know why evangelicals are disturbed by it. They eagerly supported a bigoted demagogue with a huge ego and no sense of self-awareness or shame. What did they expect to happen? And if he is officially deemed as the front-runner, they'll still support him. Hell, some of them already do.

God made Trump...because he ran out of locusts. https://t.co/Tc2AJ2cDlo

— Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) January 14, 2024

South Carolina legislators ignore parents, trans kids, and medical professionals to pass anti-trans bill out of committee

 

 An anti-trans bill in South Carolina sailed through a house committee in spite of the fact that over 40 South Carolinians (parents, children, and medical professionals) present at the hearing spoke against it and only one person, an out-of-state lawyer affiliated with an anti-LGBTQ group appearing on video, spoke in favor of it.

From The Associated Press: 

 Pleas from transgender children’s pediatricians and parents to keep allowing such kids to receive hormone therapies failed to stop Republican lawmakers from advancing a ban on those treatments to the South Carolina House floor on Wednesday. The GOP-led Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee voted to advance the bill within the first two days of the 2024 legislative session. 

At least 22 states have enacted similar restrictions amid recent Republican-led crackdowns on transgender medical care, bathroom usage and sports participation. The expediency underscores South Carolina House Republicans' prioritization of the conservative issue at the outset of an election year that will pit incumbents against primary challengers from the right. 

The bill would bar health professionals from performing gender transition surgery, prescribing puberty-blocking drugs and overseeing hormone therapy for anyone under 18 years old. It also prevents Medicaid from covering such care for anyone under the age of 26.

The committee hearing was held on Tuesday and demonstrated just how much coordinated nonsense the process was. For one thing, out of 50 speaking people testifying about the bill, 49 spoke against it. And they came with "receipts." 

According to journalist Erin Reed:

 Phillip Ford, who spoke in opposition to the bill, was representing multiple groups. He stated in his speech that the mere hearing of anti-trans bills would result in a negative mental health impact to 94% of queer youth in the state, and 42% of queer youth considering suicide, citing a Trevor project study. “I was one of those youths,” he said, “several years ago when they passed the amendment banning marriage equality.” 

 After Ford pointed out that that studies show that transgender care is medically necessary and lifesaving, he was questioned by Republican Representative Heath Sessions, who asked incredulously, “Can we ask when we have speakers citing studies, can we get that turned into the committee?” He responded, “I’ve got them all right here,” pulling out a comically large binder of studies with a smirk. 

Below are some of the others who spoke against the bill. The moment with Ford shows that SC Republicans are willing to ignore accurate medical information in pursuit of their transphobic agenda.

And the fact that they chose to pass the bill out of committee in spite of parents, medical professionals and trans kids imploring them not to proves that they don't give a damn about parental rights or protecting kids; except for when they can weaponize the concepts.

Now speaking is Jessika Spearman, mother of 4 (including one child who is trans), mental health professional, and wife of a combat veteran. "My child is alive and thriving because he receives this necessary care. Please vote no on #H4624." pic.twitter.com/OQHhvtmzQ6

— SC United for Justice & Equality (@SCUnited_LGBTQ) January 9, 2024

Speaking now is Emily Foster, who is the sister of a transgender boy who grew up in #SouthCarolina. She shared that when her brother Knox finally got the trans-related care he needed, he was so much more joyful, kinder, and comfortable with himself. #SupportTransYouthSC #H4624 pic.twitter.com/R3JbktRQxX

— SC United for Justice & Equality (@SCUnited_LGBTQ) January 9, 2024

"We have glaring problems for kids in South Carolina. Why are we spending the first day of the legislative session going after a couple of thousand kids and their medically necessary care?" asks Dr. Michael O'Brien @DrOBrienMD. #SupportTransYouthSC #H4624 pic.twitter.com/9uNzjFfU4Y

— SC United for Justice & Equality (@SCUnited_LGBTQ) January 9, 2024

Thank you, Lynn Teague of @LWV, for taking the time today to testify against #H4624. This bill is a shameful example of government overreach in #SouthCarolina for the sole purpose of harming transgender youth. pic.twitter.com/TUZm2MVHbQ

— SC United for Justice & Equality (@SCUnited_LGBTQ) January 9, 2024

Veteran, father of 4, and husband Eric Childs speaks out against #H4624: "I want each of you in favor of this bill to examine your credentials and think about it you have any experience treating patients like these. If the answer is no, you should vote no." #SupportTransYouthSC pic.twitter.com/u8lACehgl6

— SC United for Justice & Equality (@SCUnited_LGBTQ) January 9, 2024

"I'm here today because my granddaughter is transgender, and there is nothing in this bill that is good for her or for the other youth in our state. When you take away the one positive option that these kids have in our state, you leave them with some awful options." #H4624 pic.twitter.com/fhC9nkUx6S

— SC United for Justice & Equality (@SCUnited_LGBTQ) January 9, 2024

Speaking now is David Bell and his wife Rebecca, who share their story of supporting their transgender child – a story of joy and progress, and a story of how challenging it has already been to navigate anti-trans hostility & how #H4624 would make it worse. #SupportTransYouthSC pic.twitter.com/XDpojep3HC

— SC United for Justice & Equality (@SCUnited_LGBTQ) January 9, 2024

In spite of all of witnesses - parents, kids and medical professionals and all residents of South Carolina - the committee chose to take the word of this one witness from the Alliance Defending Freedom who isn't a resident of SC and didn't even bother to show up in person:

Surprise! The first (and so far only) person to testify in favor of #H4624 is a representative from @AllianceDefends, a far-right, extreme organization certified as a hate group by @splcenter. They tour the country pushing these bans against the will of actual South Carolinians. pic.twitter.com/cnifgkkO88

— SC United for Justice & Equality (@SCUnited_LGBTQ) January 9, 2024

According to WLTX News 19:

If the bill passes in the House, it will move to the Senate, which may be less eager to advance the issue. The bill is sponsored by House Majority Leader Davey Hiott and House Speaker Murrell Smith, joined by 27 other GOP co-sponsors. This collective sponsorship sends a clear signal that the legislation is a top priority for House Republicans.