NC school board rethinking pepper spray issue, member apologizes for HB2 comment

No pepper spray for NC students

It's wonderful what a little attention will do to change the minds of the ignorant.

From Buzzfeed:

A school board in North Carolina, which voted to adopt a policy allowing pepper sprays in high schools, is now “rethinking” its decision after feedback from the community, a board member told BuzzFeed News Wednesday.The Rowan-Salisbury Board voted Monday to amend its policy prohibiting high school students from carrying pepper sprays on campus, the Salisbury Post first reported. However, Chuck Hughes, a board member who voted in favor of the policy, told BuzzFeed News he will personally vote against it in the next session on May 23, after he realized that the “cons far outweighed the pros.” He also said that “many board members” he had talked to “will think this over again.” 

Hughes also apologized for linking this issue to the controversial HB2 and the transgender community:

During Monday’s session, Hughes was reported to come out in favor of allowing sprays citing HB2 concerns. According to the Salisbury Post, he said, “Depending on how the courts rule on the bathroom issues, it may be a pretty valuable tool to have on the female students if they go to the bathroom, not knowing who may come in.”Hughes backtracked Wednesday, telling BuzzFeed News that his comments were “inappropriate” and that they had nothing do with the LGBT community.

“I was not thinking about the LGBT issue,” Hughes said. “Perverts and pedophiles taking advantage of this law in bathrooms was my major concern.” 

Have it your way, as long as you apologized. Score one for the side of decency and common sense. Now if Gov. McCrory would get his head out of his tookis, we can really have a victory.

'NC school board member suggests pepper spray to harm transgender kids in bathrooms' & other Wed. midday news briefs

Such is the way of hysteria.

N.C. School Board Member Encourages Students to Pepper Spray Trans Classmates - No fudging about it. He said this regarding the nonsense about fearing transgender folks using the bathrooms. 

 Anti-transgender law cited in allowing NC high schoolers to carry Mace, pepper spray on campus - More info about the situation.

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/news/local/article76923962.html#storylink=cpy

Lynch garners praise for defending transgender Americans - As well she should. Her speech was truly historic.

 Alabama drag queen is suspended chief justice’s worst nightmare - Girlfriend is giving Roy Moore all sorts of HELL. Damn, I am so jealous!!!

 A Timeline of (Nearly) Every LGBT Couple in TV History - Fascinating. Did they leave any out? 

 Gov. McCrory's HB2 Will Cost North Carolina $5 Billion a Year, New Study Finds - Siiigh! Some people have to learn fairness the HARD WAY.  

Major Counseling Organization Protests Tennessee’s Anti-LGBT Counseling Law - Meanwhile . . .

Pat Robertson - proof that the world is slowly leaving homophobes behind

I'm only posting this sad tirade by Pat Robertson as a reminder. Remember when statements like his were the norm? Granted, the lgbt community has a long way to go, but just watching this withered old man spout this nonsense in a croaky voice reminds me just how far we have come. We may not be where we want to be, but thank God we aren't where we once were:



Transcript:

 The truth is, from what we understand in history, there hasn’t been one nation in the history of the world that has openly embraced homosexual lifestyle and begun to practice the homosexual lifestyle that has endured. Every one of them has gone down. Every single one of them. Once rampant homosexuality takes place, then people don’t take care of their children, they aren’t concerned about the next generation, they’re concerned about physical pleasure and the activities surrounding this lifestyle, they aren’t planning for the future and the country goes to pot. Right now it it’s kind of in the balance, it’s kind of interesting, but the fact that the European Union and the U.S. is trying to impose this lifestyle on a little country like Georgia that wants to stay orthodox is incredible. You look at the Book of Revelation and it says, ‘Mystery Mother of Harlots, you have made the world drunk with the wine of your fornication.’ And you say, who is that ‘mystery woman?’ Well, more and more, this great nation of ours, the U.S. of A, is becoming — to take on that role. I don’t know if we intend to but that’s what’s happening. We’re making the nations drunk with the wine of our fornication and God brings judgment on a country that does that.

'Lawsuit against HB2 looks good thus far' & other Tue. midday news briefs

Jake Tapper And Legal Expert Debunk The Anti-LGBT “Bathroom Predator” Myth - Keep your fingers crossed but the Justice Department's lawsuit against NC thus far looks good.  

North Carolina Governor’s Bathroom Obsession Has Been Years In The Making - So McCrory has been a nasty homophobe from day one. Not surprising. 

North Carolina Newspapers Call Out Gov. McCrory For Defending Anti-LGBT “Bathroom Bill” - Sock it to him!!

 More Than 100 United Methodist Clergy Come Out As LGBT - Would be lovely if that had been a bunch of black Baptist ministers. Oh well, I can dream . . . 

12 LGBT Activists Say What Stonewall Means To Them - Wonderful article!

#BoycottTarget hashtag is a place of complete transphobic lunacy

As much as I hate to jump in the middle of wonderful mood given by Attorney General Loretta Lynch's wonderful speech detailing the lawsuit against NC, I should remind folks who we are fighting.

If the Justice Department has any problem proving animus regarding NC's anti-lgbt HB2, I would recommend they go over to twitter and check out the #BoycottTarget hastag.

This hashtag, started by the anti-lgbt hate group American Family Association in response to Target's trans-inclusive policy (and the petition which is a part of the campaign) have been pretty successful. However, it only demonstrates how many ignorant and hateful folks there are in the twitterverse with too much time on their hands.

AFA will have you believe that it and its supporters of the #BoycottTarget movement are decent, Christian folk who are merely concerned with the safety of women and children. They will have you to believe that there is neither hate nor malice in their hearts.

Some of these folks have a warped idea of decency. I grabbed just a few of the many tweet to demonstrate what I mean. Before you read any of these, I should caution that you are entering rough territory. I specifically took pics of these tweets just in case the parties involved chose to block me in the future. Also, I took the liberty to blot out the names of some of these folks. The point of this post is not to encourage anyone to contact these folks, but to demonstrate just how sadly gullible they are and how vile the American Family Association is for deliberately "rattling their cages" with lies about the transgender community.

First, let's start with the American Family Association:

 

The next series are various attacks on lgbts, President Obama, Attorney General Lynch, and even the First Lady. It's not pretty:

US Attorney General Lynch affirms dignity of transgender community, announces lawsuit against NC over anti-lgbt law

I'm in agreement with many of my lgbt brothers and sisters right now. There are no words good enough to express what we have just heard from US Attorney General Loretta Lynch. She just announced that the Justice Department will be suing North Carolina over its anti-lgbt law.

But her speech announcing the lawsuit will be remembered as one of the greatest, most legendary speeches in not only lgbt history but United States history. I highlighted a part I felt was the most pivotal (when she spoke to the transgender community.):

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch

Good afternoon and thank you all for being here.  Today, I’m joined by [Vanita] Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice.  We are here to announce a significant law enforcement action regarding North Carolina’s Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, also known as House Bill 2.

The North Carolina General Assembly passed House Bill 2 in special session on March 23 of this year.  The bill sought to strike down an anti-discrimination provision in a recently-passed Charlotte, North Carolina, ordinance, as well as to require transgender people in public agencies to use the bathrooms consistent with their sex as noted at birth, rather than the bathrooms that fit their gender identity.  The bill was signed into law that same day.  In so doing, the legislature and the governor placed North Carolina in direct opposition to federal laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex and gender identity.  More to the point, they created state-sponsored discrimination against transgender individuals, who simply seek to engage in the most private of functions in a place of safety and security – a right taken for granted by most of us.  

Last week, our Civil Rights Division notified state officials that House Bill 2 violates federal civil rights laws.  We asked that they certify by the end of the day today that they would not comply with or implement House Bill 2’s restriction on restroom access.  An extension was requested by North Carolina and was under active consideration.  But instead of replying to our offer or providing a certification, this morning, the state of North Carolina and its governor chose to respond by suing the Department of Justice.  As a result of their decisions, we are now moving forward. 

'NC sues Justice Dept, ACLU & gay couple sues Mississippi' & other Mon. midday news briefs

North Carolina Sues Justice Dept. Over Challenge To Bathroom Law - With all of the "crotch-grabbing" machismo and bluster that GOP official threw at the Justice Department, I'm not surprised over this next step. If McCrory and company wants to do this the hard way, then I'm all for it. They gonna learn. 

Gay couple files lawsuit against Miss. religious freedom law - Meanwhile, WE can do some suing of our own.  

Now Trump Is Just Openly Attacking The Religious Right - This does NOT mean that I am defending the religious right. I'm merely drawing attention to a stupid man who has no control and will lash out like a baby. But he is the presumptive GOP nominee.

Here We Go Again: Roy Moore Suspended For Defying Gay Marriage Rulings - And if he loses his gig - like the last time - the voters will probably put him back in again so he can act like a fool again. Then the process will repeat itself. Works for me. I love merry-go-rounds until folks pushing the buttons get tired. 

 Mat Staver: Transgender Nondiscrimination Laws Are 'Being Financed By Those Who Are Actively Promoting Pedophilia' - Oh please, please, please let this turkey and his silly organization be the ones defending HB2 in court!!

NC Gov McCrory continues to bury himself & HB2 deeper in the hole

Is it just me or does it seem also to you that the more NC Gov. Pat McCrory continues to defend the anti-lgbt HB2 law, the deeper he digs himself into the hole. He was on Fox News today and Chris Wallace practically plastered him on the discrepancies of the law This has been happening in the wake of a Department of Justice letter telling McCrory that HB2 was illegal by federal law. Thank to the Human Rights Campaign, we see just how bad McCrory's lies were in the interview.

'Real Time with Bill Maher' destroys 'bathroom predator' lie

So many wonderful morsels from Real Time With Bill Maher talking about the "bathroom predator" myth. For my money, it's when Dan Savage made the connection between anti-transgender lies now and the "gay men want to molest children" lie repeated numerous times by foes against lgbt equality. 

It's historical perspective which I have been screaming for people to talk about.

'Tacky lawsuit attempts to attack transgender child' & other Fri. midday news briefs

Transgender children should have the same rights as all children.

Lawsuit Claims A Transgender Girl Is Ruining Her Classmates’ Lives By Peeing - Oh good grief. Read Zack Ford's article on ThinkProgress. This lawsuit is nothing more than an attempt to shift the narrative. Apparently us talking about the entire transgender community, especially the children is causing the other side to panic. So they are throwing all sorts of junk at the wall to make it seem that treating transgender children fairly will endanger other children. Expect Breibart, The Daily Signal, and the rest to conveniently give this mess one-sided play.

Here's What Some Black LGBTQ People Are Doing to Survive in the Age of HIV - With the grace and dignity of a people who are unfortunately sometimes ignored.  

A Comprehensive Guide To The Debunked “Bathroom Predator” Myth - Again and again and again. Until we get folks to know these facts by heart.  

What Is The “Vito Russo Test” And Why Does It Matter To LGBT Film? - Vito Russo was a legend and my inspiration for the "Know Your LGBT History" series of posts on this blog.  

Franklin Graham: Proposed Stonewall Monument Will Be 'A Monument To Sin' - This what I wrote on Graham's facebook page: 

"Sorry Frankie and folks, but neither this country NOR our national monuments have to go you all for approval. You run nothing, you control nothing. No one is asking you to attend or visit the Stonewall monument. Know your place and stay in your lane."

'Meet My Child' - Parents of transgender children speak out: Trans United Fund

Not just Ted Cruz, but all of those in general who disrespect transgender people, meet and listen to the mothers of the children you are harming with your rhetoric:

Video courtesy of the Trans United Fund.

The 'Bathroom Police' will separate the who hahs from the ding dongs

For all of you people worried about transgender friendly policies causing predators to invade women's bathrooms, never you fear because here comes the Bathroom Police:

Bathroom Cop from Funny Or Die

'SC successfully stopping anti-lgbt bills' & other Thur. midday news briefs

Bathroom Bill: Is SC more progressive? - Because South Carolina is not one of those states which bogart all of the attention when it comes to positive lgbt news, here is something you wouldn't know if some folks weren't determined to let you know:

 Jeff Ayers, executive director of South Carolina Equality Coalition, which advocates lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender rights issues, said at the start of the year there were 11 anti-LGBT bills filed in the South Carolina Legislature. With a month left in the legislative session, he said, only one of those bills made it to full committee and none have advanced to the floor. “South Carolina will be one of the only states in the deep South that has stopped all the LGBT bills at the committee level, where other states have advanced them to the other chamber and voted on them,” he said.  

Top North Carolina Republicans Are Going Ballistic Over Justice Dept. Announcement HB2 Is Illegal - Meanwhile, the federal government just told North Carolina that it's anti-lgbt HB2 is illegal. And of course those who passed it are angry.

  North Carolina Republicans Unfazed By Feds’ Warning That HB2 Discriminates - And they are determined to do things the hard way. Works for me. Sock it to them. And bring that Liberty Counsel with you.  

How Donald Trump Is Already Surrounding Himself With Fervent Homophobes - Would there have been any doubt?  

Anti-Gay Religious Right Activist Seeks Seat On The Mississippi Supreme Court - Wouldn't THAT be lovely?

Boycott Target campaign is the real danger to women & children - a video demonstration

Dear American Family Association, transgender men and women have harmed no one at Target. Allowing them to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with has not caused "predators" to invade restrooms .

But YOUR so-called boycott has caused crazy incidents like this to happen:



So, just who IS the real danger to women and children? Target? Transgender men and women?

 Or maybe it's you, American Family Association.

'Boycott Target' campaign slowly backfiring on anti-lgbt right' & other Wed. midday news briefs

Anti-lgbt Target boycott is backfiring.

The Ironic Ways The Target Boycott Is Backfiring For Conservatives - Accidentally "liking" a tweet and a post refuting nonsense about the "bathroom predator" myth isn't the only way boycotting Target is backfiring against the American Family Association. It's bringing all of the street preaching loons out of the woodwork, amongst other things. Allegedly having over one million signatures on a petition means nothing if public perception paints you as a bunch of dangerous loons. 

White House To Create First Monument To Gay Rights - Of course it's going to be Stonewall. Sweet! 

The Real Reason the Religious Right Opposes Trans Equality. (It Isn’t Bathroom Predators.) - Fascinating article.

 Ted Cruz’s Transphobic Campaign Failed Miserably In Indiana - Good news? Ted Cruz will NOT be president. Really bad news? Donald Trump is STILL around. It's like one monster destroying another in a contest for the right to devour you.

  'God Help Us': Religious Right Leaders Mourn Ted Cruz's Defeat - They are SUCH drama queens.

'Boycott Target' anti-lgbt hate group AFA has to backtrack from 'testing' and 'tweeting'

The American Family Association, the anti-lgbt hate group leading the bigoted boycott against Target because of the store's transgender inclusive policy, found itself in to pickles today.

First, the group had to disavow comments made by an spokesperson. During an appearance on a radio show Monday, AFA director of governmental affairs Sandy Rios said that the organization was testing Target's policy by sending men into the ladies room:

“I think there’s no question that when you say that there are no barriers in the bathroom,” Rios said, “and that if men or women feel like they are men or women, the opposition of however they are equipped, and you have no restrictions, the net effect will be that people will not be stopped. We’ve already had people testing this, going into Targets and men trying to go into bathrooms. There is absolutely no barrier.” 

Because of her comments, AFA has been the subject of numerous mocking articles, emails, and tweets. Today, the group backtracked from Rios's comment:

In addition, the organization  busied itself "liking" tweets from individuals supporting its boycott. But to me, one tweet stood out:

 As you can see, it was MY tweet and as you all can probably guess, it wasn't favorable to the AFA's boycott. At all. Not even a little bit.

Rather, it was a tweet which led to a post on this blog in which I demonstrated how the "bathroom predator": talking point stemmed from an earlier failed anti-lgbt talking point, children being "trapped in classrooms with transgender and drag queen school teachers."

I think AFA figured that out quickly because the organization quickly "unliked" my tweet within minutes of favoriting it.

Who knows, maybe the person in charge of  AFA's twitter account read the post after liking it.

Or maybe I got a feared reputation. Wouldn't that be fun if it were true. A so-called Christian organization of national reputation who can supposedly corral over one million signatures is scared of a single African-American gay blogger from the South.

It HAS to be my stunning imitation of Nina Simone which scares them? Right?

'US Attorney General says transgender rights is about fairness' & other Tue. midday news briefs

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch

Mississippi’s Gay Adoption Ban Dead After State Fails To Appeal Ruling - Wonderful. Now if we could kill that awful anti-lgbt "religious liberty" law . . . 

The New York Times’ Bizarre Attempt to Portray Donald Trump as ‘More Accepting on Gay Issues’- Ugh. Just UGH!  

US Attorney General: Transgender rights are about fundamental fairness - Damn right!  

From classrooms to bathrooms - How anti-lgbt groups pivoted transphobic propaganda - This morning's post on how anti-lgbt groups pivoted from a failed anti-transgender talking point about "transgender and drag queen school teachers" to the semi-successful one about "bathroom predators."  

Ted Cruz Hopes To Save Presidential Campaign With Attacks On LGBT People - It's not like it hasn't been tried before. And successfully. 

 This Texas Town Just Defeated a Proposed Anti-Trans 'Bathroom Bill' Because Nearly No One Wanted It - Sweeet!

From classrooms to bathrooms - How anti-lgbt groups pivoted transphobic propaganda

The country is heavily into this nonsense about "bathroom bills" and the false notions that allowing transgender men and women to use restrooms in accordance to their gender identities will expose women and girls to danger from predators "pretending to be women" or simply walking in restrooms "claiming that they feel like women."

Of course a lot of us know that it's a bunch of bull, i.e. the latest moral panic created to exploit fear and religious beliefs about lgbts. But here is what you don't know. The bathroom predator talking point came from another anti-lgbt talking point.

When anti-lgbt groups were hot against ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act), a main point was that it would create situations in which children were "held captive" in classrooms with transgender and "drag queen" teachers.

I kid you not, as the following graphics demonstrate:

However, none of these graphics and the lies told about transgender teachers were resonating with folks. Also, the huge fight about ENDA never took place.It was replaced by the battle over marriage equality.

But it wasn't that difficult for anti-lgbt groups to pivot an ugly spin about transgender teachers to that about "transgender predators in restrooms."

From this:

To this:

To finally:

It's all a bunch of cynical lies disguised as issues of genuine concern. And it always involve the semantic idea that lgbts will harm the most vulnerable, especially children. However, this mess is also very successful and will continue to be such until we continue to call it out for the ugly propaganda that it is.

Trangender student still wins after Horry County stalemate . . . at least for now

People start singing Jesus Loves Me over woman speaking out supporting transgender students pic.twitter.com/OtvtzLqncP

— Amy Lipman (@AmyL411) May 2, 2016

On the heels of a huge victory in keeping anti-transgender legislation from becoming law, the South Carolina lgbt community found itself in another battle in what can be called in less friendly territory. And though the battle seems to have ended in a stalemate as of now, it exposed the absolute insane fears that the religious right have been able to exploit with regards to transgender men and women and bathrooms.

From News 2:

 Horry County Schools held a meeting Monday morning before a capacity crowd to discuss Title IX and the transgender bathroom issue.The School Board called the meeting to decide if they should continue to comply with a federal court ruling in favor of a Virginia transgender student who wished to use the bathroom of the gender he identified with.The board voted on a resolution to follow the law under the recent 4th Circuit Court ruling on Title IX and will explore all possible legal avenues on the issue — including filing an amicus brief in support of the Virginia school district. The School Board also said non-transgender students will be allowed to use private bathrooms in the nurse’s office of they fee uncomfortable with transgender people in the bathroom.

An April 28th edition of CNN online gives background on the situation:

A South Carolina school district is updating its policy to allow transgender students to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity. The news comes one week after a transgender student threatened legal action against Horry County Schools for suspending him for using the "wrong" bathroom. The student, who wished to not be identified for fear of outing himself, said a teacher followed him to the bathroom this year. He used the boys' restroom despite recent orders from the school to use the girls' facilities or the nurse's bathroom, and he was suspended for one day.

 According to the boy's mother, he had been using the boy's restroom since 8th grade without incident. For now, it is not known how the situation got so controversial. What is known is that once the school district decided to allow transgender students to use restrooms in accordance to their gender identities, some Horry residents got angry. Some started a petition and over 1,000 of them showed up at a prayer rally on Sunday.  All of them were pushing the notion that predators would use the new law to harm their children, even though experts have debunked this myth.

And others pull their children out of school. According to News Channel 15:

After that news broke, Jessica Hendrick pulled her daughter out of an Horry County middle school.She's concerned that a boy could be in the stall next to her daughter. "I want to know for my child that the first time that she has an experience of seeing private body parts of the opposite sex that I've done everything I can do as a parent to ensure that it was done on her own terms," said Hendrick. "Not because she was at school in the 7th grade in a bathroom and a boy came in."

While the district board was deliberating, people from opposite sides of the issue tried to debate. As you can see by the above picture from twitter, it didn't exactly go well. Singing "Jesus Loves Me" to drown out someone defending children is the very definition of irony.

For now, while the school district seeks to appeal Title XI, it will continue to allow transgender students to use the bathroom in accordance to their gender identity.

Of course I don't understand how some folks pivoted from a  transgender boy using the bathroom for years without problems to the idea that allowing him to continue to do so would cause situations in which transgender girls would "expose" themselves to other girls.

But I guess it doesn't have to make sense. Irrationality and fear never has to make sense.

'Ad denounces HB2, Target boycott run by anti-lgbt hate group' & other Mon. midday news briefs

Wonderful ad running in North Carolina via Freedom for All Americans: 

In this new ad, Zeke Christopoulos – a transgender man who lives in Asheville, North Carolina – and two of his colleagues discuss their concerns about the discriminatory House Bill 2, which knocked down existing non-discrimination protections for LGBT people and banned transgender people from using public restrooms. Watch the video – and then take action to stand with LGBT North Carolinians, including Zeke! By sharing the stories of transgender North Carolinians impacted by HB2, we can build momentum for repeal and prevent other states from passing such egregious anti-LGBT laws. 

Meanwhile: 

Anti-LGBT Activists 'Testing' Target By Sending Men Into Women's Rooms - I wouldn't put it past them and I think it may backfire, but something in this item caught my eye: 

The program’s host, Stephen Bannon, contended that rather than being inclusive, Target is “trying to exclude people who are decent, hard-working people who don’t want their four-year-old daughter to have to go into a bathroom with a guy with a beard in a dress." 

That phrase underlines why we need demand that the media - particularly Fox News - give equal time to transgender folk when discussing this issue. The phrase "men in dresses" and the semantics of "predatory men with beards and dresses" have permeated this conversation. Language is very important in a debate like this and the opposition has been pretty much allowed to paint transgender women in some of the ugliest terms.  

Sorry Newt, but the American Family Association IS a hate group - Speaking of the boycott against Target, here is a 2011 post about the organization leading the boycott. I am disappointed in myself and others who have not emphasized that the group leading the boycott, the American Family Association is an anti-lgbt hate group and home to Bryan Fischer, the man who thinks that gays created the Nazi Party. AFA itself has claimed that gays recruit children when we aren't smearing feces on ourselves. 

 Anti-LGBT Groups Unite To Prevent UN Recognition Of Same-Sex Families - And the attack on the transgender community is merely one ugly facet of these groups. We have to recognize all of these groups because they want to push us and our families in the closet and then lock and bolt the door.

'Fox News running anti-transgender con, anti-Target petition number misleading,' & other Friday midday news briefs

Fox News personality Megyn Kelly.

Megyn Kelly grills Pat McCrory over anti-trans North Carolina law: ‘What is the fear?’ - So Fox News personality Megyn Kelly got NC Gov. McCrory on the hot seat about his bogus law, HB2. Good for her. I'm not impressed and I will tell you why in the summation of the next news brief.

 Seth Meyers Slams Fox News For Pushing Anti-LGBT "Bathroom Predator" Myth
- Because, as Seth Myers helps illustrate, for one Megyn Kelly deciding to act like a journalist, there are a myriad of others on Fox News who deliberately push lies. The only person who comes out looking good in the above interview is Megyn Kelly but you ever notice (and if I am wrong, please correct me), Fox News personalities will interview anti-lgbt pastors and pundits like Keith Ablow in one-sided messes, but has YET to have a credible medical professional or even a member of the transgender community on its network. At the very least, since the subject is about the transgender community, one would think that Fox News could have a representative of a transgender organization  once or as many times as it pushes those who are opposed to the transgender community. Don't be fooled by the crumbs of a ridiculous interview created to distract us from how Fox News is running game against us all.

Booker, Murray introduce legislation against ‘ex-gay’ therapy - Oh hell yes!!  

Anti-Gay Counseling Student Sues University Over His Refusal To Follow Professional Ethics - If your religious beliefs interferes with your course of work, maybe you shouldn't be in that course. Standards, which could be the difference between life and death for clients and patients, should not be changed to suit you.  

Media Outlets Are Reporting 1 Million People Are Boycotting Target. Here’s The Truth. - You mean the anti-gay hate group the American Family Association could be misleading people about its anti-Target petition. Well shut my mouth! 

 Bryan Fischer Is Outraged That Target Allowed A Man Into A 'Family Dressing Room' Area - Cause apparently men have nothing to do with families. Yeah, Bryan Fischer is stupid as he sounds.

SC 'bathroom bill' sponsor willing to drag dead bill into budget debate

SC Sen. Lee Bright

South Carolina's anti-transgender "bathroom bill" has died in committee this year but its sponsor, State Sen. Lee Bright, can't seem to take the loss with dignity.

From the Charlotte Observer:

With his bill certain to fail, Bright was planning another way to advance his agenda Wednesday.

When the state budget comes up for debate next week, Bright said he will try to add a proposal to ban state aid to local governments that pass laws requiring businesses to allow transgender people to use the bathrooms of their choice. Local governments that require that are telling businesses “how to run their restrooms,” he said.

Bright said he has high hopes that his no-aid proposal will pass. “We’d rather have the full bill, but we’ll take what we can get.”

From the debate and the parties who stood against his bill, including several businesses, one can only assume that Bright has to be in another universe of thought. And it gets even better (or worse):

 Bright said Wednesday he would reintroduce his original transgender bathroom bill next year if he wins re-election. Three Republicans are challenging Bright in the June GOP primary.
“We’re not going to sacrifice the privacy and safety of 99.7 percent of the population because 0.3 percent is confused about their gender identity.”

That statement is also another flight of fancy from Bright.  US Attorney Bill Nettles told the General Committee during testimony that there has been no cases of women being attacked because of men sneaking in bathrooms dressed as women.  Clearly, Sen. Bright needs to accept the fact that he lost this round.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article74382392.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article74382392.html#storylink=cpyBright said Wednesday he would reintroduce his original transgender bathroom bill next year if he wins re-election. Three Republicans are challenging Bright in the June GOP primary.
“We’re not going to sacrifice the privacy and safety of 99.7 percent of the population because 0.3 percent is confused about their gender identity.”

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article74382392.html#storylink=cpy

SC anti-transgender 'bathroom bill' officially DEAD for this year

A huge coalition brought down Sen. Bright's anti-lgbt bill

And it's officially over.

Jeff Ayers, SC Equality Executive Director, just sent out the following release:

Today was a historic day in South Carolina as Sen. Lee Bright's discriminatory, unnecessary and economically ill-advised "bathroom bill," S.1203, was officially stopped for the year.

Today was the final legislative day before "crossover" in the SC Senate - where a bill needs to make it out of one body in order to be considered by the other body. Because the Senate adjourned for the day without taking up the bill at all, S.1203 is officially dead.

The 'Liberal Redneck' takes on the anti-lgbt Target boycotters and trounces them

I don't know who this Liberal Redneck is, but he makes so much sense that I simply have to feature him. In this NFSW video, he takes on folks boycotting Target for its inclusive bathroom policy:

'Colbert skewers 'bathroom bill' supporters as 'weirdos'" & other Wed. midday news briefs

Stephen Colbert Blasts GOP Over Anti-Transgender Bathroom Laws: "You're the Weirdos" - Stephen Colbert "says what we are thinking." Hey, maybe we should elect HIM president. I mean that's how Trump began with the gig. 

North Carolina Republicans Looking to Put HB2 on November Ballot as Constitutional Amendment (Video) - Even my overly cautious nature recognizes just how STUPID this would be for the supporters of this bill. All of the horror stories in the world about "bathroom predators" wouldn't save them. You get folks psyched up on a huge level against a law and THEN allow them to vote. Good luck.  

Alabama City Passes Transgender Bathroom Ordinance - You ever notice how no one ever says how they will enforce this junk? 

 Bill Allowing Therapists to Refuse Service to LGBT People Becomes Law if Governor Doesn't Veto Today - And the battle never ends . . . 

Major News Outlets Fail To Identify The Hate Group Boycotting Target - The main problem in all of this is when the media will not do their job. I guess it's up to us.

SC anti-transgender 'bathroom bill' FAILS to get out of committee, is likely dead

South Carolina's "bathroom bill" is dead at least for now.

The lgbt community of South Carolina and its allies just scored a HUGE victory. A bill which would have forced transgender men and women to use bathrooms and restrooms in accordance to the gender on their birth certificates failed to even get out of committee:

According to the GreenvilleOnline News:

Three GOP senators on the Senate General Committee say they oppose the transgender bathroom bill and a fourth said he is torn, a number which likely means the bill is dead for the year.

Sen. Greg Gregory of Lancaster, Sen. Ray Cleary of Murrell’s Inlet and Sen. Paul Campbell of Goose Creek told The Greenville News Tuesday they are opposed to the bill.

Sen. Lee Bright, the bill’s sponsor, said he needs nine of the 10 GOP members of the 17-member committee to approve it in order for it to advance to the floor. Democrats oppose the bill. If three GOP members oppose it and a fourth is on the fence, the bill cannot come out of committee.

“I don’t think the bill is going anywhere,” Sen. Joel Lourie, a Columbia Democrat and one of the bill’s main opponents, told The News. “I can tell you it’s dead.”

Ever since Bright proposed the bill, which mimics several which have been and are now being discussed across the nation, its passage didn't look to be a sure thing. People on both sides of  the political spectrum voiced opposition to it. Gov. Nikki Haley said that the bill was not needed. Some people were wary of passing the bill because of the severe backlash which North Carolina is now facing over a similar bill it passed, which not only targeted the transgender community, but also prohibited NC cities and towns from passing pro-lgbt non-discrimination ordinances.

Even conservatives & Republicans don't like the anti-lgbt HB2

This video comes from the DNC Rapid Response and features various prominent conservatives and Republicans dropping truth that HB2 is a fraud and a needless bill:



Take note my lgbt brothers and sisters, this is how you win a war. Protesting is a wonderful facet, but it's not the only one. You also have to outmaneuver your opponent.

'NC state senator implores HB2 supporters to 'Keep Our State Straight!'' & other Tue midday news briefs

Buck Newton

NC GOP AG Candidate Tells HB2 Fans: 'Keep Our State Straight!' (VIDEO) - And he, state Sen. Buck Newton, said this at a rally supporting that awful anti-lgbt law, HB2. After spilling all of the lies about "predators in the women's restrooms, he let this Freudian slip come out. It astounds me how folks still think that this issue is about safety rather than anti-lgbt animus and payback because we earned the right to marry. 

Ted Cruz Doesn’t Want Any Transgender People In Any Bathroom Anywhere - A history of the escalating anti-transgender rhetoric coming from Ted Cruz, complete with the semantic garbage of transgender folks "imposing their views" on people. Who knew simply needing to use the bathroom was imposing a view.  

Ted Cruz’s claim that Obama is forcing schools to ‘let teenage boys shower with teenage girls’ - The Washington Post says this about Cruz's attack on transgender children - "This is a classic case of a politician using rhetoric to obfuscate and simplify a complex issue" 

 The Newest Opponents Of North Carolina’s Anti-Transgender Law: Faith Groups - Meanwhile, actual faith groups are standing against HB2. You know, these are the folks who would be interviewed in the media if said media didn't allow the religious right and people like Tony Perkins, Todd Starnes, etc bogart every conversation.  

HB2 'Deeply Unpopular' – New Poll Finds Majority Say Anti-LGBT Law Hurting North Carolina - It's going to be sooooo lovely to see how the religious right, particularly the Family Research Council, stoop in an attempt to refute this poll.

Hundreds protest North Carolina's anti-lgbt HB2

The video speaks for itself.

Related post - N.C. Gov. Can’t Even Enforce Anti-Trans ‘Bathroom Law’ In His Own Building

'Anti-gay hate group leader implies violence against transgender women' & other Mon. midday news briefs

Anita Staver, like her husband, is a piece of bad work.

Liberty Counsel President Anita Staver: I’m Taking My Glock .45 To Target To Protect Against Trans People - You know, some people just bring hand sanitizer or air freshener. I'm really not surprised. The Liberty Counsel is one of the main pushers of the false idea of the "transgender bathroom predator" She is merely taking it up a notch. 

Democratic Lawmakers in North Carolina File Bill to Repeal HB 2 – VIDEOS - Keep your fingers crossed. We can only hope NC does the right thing.

 Comparing Ted Cruz to Strom Thurmond - a video exercise - My post from this morning. History's connection between transphobia and racism. 

 Social Conservatives Think This Story Justifies Anti-Trans Bathroom Laws. They Are Very Confused. - Not just a false story, but a perfect example how a new enemy of the lgbt community are right-wing publications automatically given legitimacy as credible publications, legitimacy which doesn't go away no matter how many times they are discovered to be inaccurate. 

 The Push To Deny LGBT Americans Their Basic Rights, Explained - Pay attention . . . 

 Bryan Fischer: Anti-LGBT Officials Are American Heroes, Like Harriet Tubman - Your daily taste of comedy. 

photo courtesy of JoeMyGod.

Comparing Ted Cruz to Strom Thurmond - a video exercise

Isn't it uncanny how Sen. Ted Cruz demeaning the transgender community:

WATCH: @tedcruz: "If Donald Trump dresses up as Hillary Clinton, he still can't go to the girl's bathroom."https://t.co/RYB8iZlVDN

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) April 24, 2016

Sounds nauseatingly similar to the late Sen. Strom Thurmond attacking African-Americans while defending segregation:



The point here is not to compare the African-American civil rights movement with the lgbt movement for equality.

 Rather, the point here is to remind folks how it is so easy to appeal to people's fears, hate, and prejudices. Just find a scapegoat and have it.

The formula never changes because, unfortunately, it is so successful.

'Ted Cruz reinvents the depths of sleaze with new anti-trans ad' & other Fri. midday news briefs

WATCH: Ted Cruz Releases New Transphobic Ad Calling Trump The 'PC Police' - I'm going to make this as simple as I can - And with his latest ad which severely demonizes the transgender community, Ted Cruz continues to demonstrates himself to be manipulative, blood-sucking demagogue who doesn't care what lie he tells or who he hurts in pursuit of his goals. Frankly, the nation would be in more danger with him in the White House than a little girl would be in a public restroom with transgender woman.

A little reminder about Cruz's lie:

15 Experts Debunk Right-Wing Transgender Bathroom Myth

National Expert: Anti-LGBT "Bathroom Predator" Fears Are "Very Misinformed"

Watch A Transgender Activist Debunk The "Bathroom Predator" Myth On CNN

BTW, have you noticed how Ted Cruz was practically itching to drag the transgender community in his race for president. Remember this from November of last year: Ted Cruz Describes Alleged Planned Parenthood Shooter As ‘Transgendered Leftist Activist’

 It Takes A Village To Bully A Transgender Kindergartner - But THIS is what all of that scapegoating leads to.

These Two Moms Share Their Secret To A House Full Of Kids, Love And Happiness - For something more positive . . .

Curt Schilling's firing exposes right-wing & evangelical Christian hypocrisy

I once said that I would not put the following pic on my blog. I apologize for breaking that vow but a point needs to be made.

The above disgusting pic, along with a vicious anti-transgender rant is the main reason why ESPN fired sportscaster Curt Schilling. As you can see, it's an ugly, paranoid, and very inaccurate take in support of these various "bathroom bills" some state legislators have been attempting to pass.

Of course the figure above is not reflective of a transgender woman. It is the manifestation of anti-transgender hysteria of what a transgender woman would be. It is no more real than the characterizations of African-Americans or Jewish people seen below:

But you can't tell that to conservatives and members of the evangelical right, such as Ted Cruz, Todd Starnes, Sean Hannity, etc. To them, the victim of the entire incident is not the transgender community, who have to deal with yet another person putting their mental and physical health in danger and accusing them of being predators.

Trump opposes HB2, Cruz channels Anita Bryant & other Thur. midday news briefs

Cruz goes into Anita Bryant mode.

Donald Trump criticizes NC leaders over HB2 - I still don't trust him. 

Ted Cruz Bravely Speaks Out Against "Putting Little Girls Alone in a Bathroom With Grown Men" - Meanwhile, Cruz shows his true colors with the deliberate shift to the lie of transgender folk harming children. 

Religious homophobia by the decades - a visual exercise - Now would be a perfect time to spotlight this older post of mine. It gives a visual breakdown of what Cruz is doing.

 National Expert: Anti-LGBT "Bathroom Predator" Fears Are "Very Misinformed" - Well duuuuh. But it's still good to repeatedly hear.

  Right-Wing Media Rush To Defend Curt Schilling And Attack ESPN Following Firing For Anti-Trans Facebook Post - The right wing "media" - the same folks who would probably defend lynching postcards (yeah, I said it).

Calls to the Trans Crisis Hotline Have Nearly Doubled Since North Carolina Passed HB2 - A result of HB2? What do you think. 

NC Lt. Gov. Complains Of 'Amazing Smear Campaign...Based On A Bunch Of Lies' - Keep digging that hole.

SC businesses speak out against anti-transgender bill, sponsor still trying to force it through legislature

So many folks don't want Bright's bill to become law, but he doesn't care.

You can now officially mark various South Carolina businesses in the column with Gov. Haley, the lgbt community, Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, the mayors from Greenwood, Florence, and Columbia, and US attorney Bill Nettles,  and various others opposing State Sen. Lee Bright's anti-transgender "bathroom bill."

According to the Wednesday edition of  The State newspaper:

A dozen S.C. business groups sent a letter Tuesday to the General Assembly asking legislators to halt consideration of a controversial Senate bill that would ban transgender men and women from using the bathrooms of their choice.

“The Palmetto State has built a reputation as a welcoming place for world-class companies to call home. People are taking notice of South Carolina for all the right reasons,” said the letter signed by “The South Carolina Business Community.” If the bill moves forward, “make no mistake that it will have direct impact on South Carolina jobs and job prospects.”

North Carolina has been hit with boycotts by businesses and musical acts since passing a similar law last month.

 The groups signing Tuesday’s letter included statewide organizations — the S.C. Chamber of Commerce, S.C. Manufacturers Alliance, S.C. Economic Developers Association and S.C. Hospital Association — as well as chambers of commerce in Charleston, Clemson, Columbia, Greenville, Greenwood, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Spartanburg.

Unfortunately, Sen. Bright, the bill's sponsor, seems to be deliberately oblivious to this letter as he was to the emotional testimony (particularly from transgender youth) against the bill  in committee last week or Gov. Haley's disapproval of the bill.

'SC legislator attempting to sneak anti-transgender bill out of committee' & other Wed. midday news briefs

SC Sen. Lee Bright is trying to salvage his transphobic bill

From SC Equality comes the news that SC Senator Lee Bright is attempting to sneak his unpopular anti-transgender bill through via secret vote:

Now, according to The Greenville News, Senator Bright is going to attempt to "poll" the bill out of Committee by having the Chairman issue a secret poll vote that is not done in public. That the Committee would hold two days of public testimony, inflaming thousands across our state, moving people to tears and shocking our nation and then not even vote on the bill publicly is nothing short of unconscionable.

Seems to me that if the bill is "needed" as Bright has claimed, he wouldn't be attempting to provide cover for legislators to secretly vote for it.  What can South Carolinians and others concerned do about it? Go here and SC Equality will direct you to what you need to do.

In other news:

As a trans man in North Carolina, I always felt safe. Until this new law passed. - This stunning piece by a North Carolina transgender man on how HB2 will alter his life is stirring.

Federal Court Tells Lawmakers To Shut Up And Deal With Trans People In Bathrooms - Just in case you didn't hear, the courts have come again to push sanity in the argument of lgbt equality by standing by a trans student.

Despite Marriage Victory, Fear of Backlash Looms Large for LGBTQ Americans - Well duh. Progress scares some folks. Every movement for equality has had to endure a backlash.  And all of this "bathroom bill/religious liberty" madness is a direct result of our marriage equality victory. The main thing is to not sit there and let it happen. Fight, dammit!

AFA's Rob Chambers Blames Criticism of Anti-LGBT Laws On Satan - Aw hell, isn't that their excuse for everything?

Desperate conservatives embrace ridiculous anti-transgender video

I told myself I wouldn't post on this, but it has to be seen to be believed.

This guy on youtube, who is supposed to be popular but I've never heard of him, named Joey Salads created a video experiment which he claims demonstrates that transgender women using the ladies restroom is not a good idea because women are uncomfortable around them.

From what I understand, some conservatives are giving him many props for the above video. When I look at it, I have to ask why.

I don't think it's real. I apologize to those whom this may offend but it has to been seen. It's the most ridiculous video I have seen in a long time (even more than the suburban white mother putting out an anti-transgender rap video) and most of all, it emphasizes the ignorance and fear people have about the transgender community.

There are not enough words in the dictionary to describe how absolutely insane this video is and the mindset of anyone who believes it to be accurate.