Anti-lgbt hate group leader - Vote for Trump or Clinton will destroy America

Mat Staver

Mat Staver, head of the anti-lgbt hate group the Liberty Counsel, has a dire warning for "Christians."

Either they vote for Trump or Hillary Clinton is going to destroy America. This, of course, leaves me jealous and confused. I thought lgbts were going to destroy America.

'Video shows first Pride Flag launched into outer space' & other Wed. midday news briefs

Stunning Video Shows First Pride Flag Launched Into Outer Space - Sweet!: 



In other news: 

 Alabama Court Concludes Hearing on Roy Moore as Commission Charges Chief Justice 'Learned Nothing' - It doesn't look good for anti-lgbt Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore. This is good for us, but if he is removed, will he attempt to exploit the situation to run for governor? His fate will be known in 10 days.

ID laws may ‘disenfranchise’ 34,000 trans voters - A population of voters not generally thought of in the controversy involving those dreaded ID laws. But a population who can be harmed tremendously. 

 Haiti LGBT festival cancelled due to threats - So sad. Still more work to do

Transgender and homeless? The religious right doesn't care about you

The American Family Association's fake news site One News Now is kicking at the transgender community yet again. But this time, they have chosen a particularly vulnerable segment:

Christian-based homeless ministries are expressing concern over the latest mandate from the Obama administration that allows men to be housed with women.

Housing and Urban Development has finalized and issued a rule that homeless shelters that receive federal funds must allow transgender men to be housed with women in homeless shelters on an equal basis. Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America tells OneNewsNow that her friends in Christian homeless ministries are concerned about the obvious issues of privacy and safety, but there's more. 

“Shelters need the freedom to make decisions independently on a case-by-case basis,” she explains. “And any time the federal government takes that ability away from them, they create hazards for everyone involved. At bottom, these are Christian ministries that must stay true to their core values.”

First of all, in spite of the claim that Christian-based homeless ministries are up in arms about this new rule, the article interviews not even one representative from these ministries.  The article is nothing more than an interview with Nance.

In addition, there is no genuine information in this so-called article about homelessness in the transgender community. So allow me to provide some.

According to the National Center for Transgender Equality:

One in five transgender people in the United States has been discriminated when seeking a home, and more than one in ten have been evicted from their homes, because of their gender identity. Homelessness is also a critical issue for transgender people; one in five transgender individuals have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives.

 . . . Family rejection and discrimination and violence have contributed to a large number of transgender and other LGBQ-identified youth who are homeless in the United States – an estimated 20-40% of the more than 1.6 million homeless youth. Unfortunately, social service and homeless shelters that work with this population often fail to culturally and appropriately serve transgender homeless people, including denying them shelter based on their gender identity; inappropriately housing them in a gendered space they do not identify with; and failing to address co-occurring issues facing transgender homeless adults and youth. 

It would seem to me that a core value of a Christian homeless ministry would be taking care of the homeless, no matter who they may be. And I am betting that this is the case. It's just too bad that One News Now and Nance  are too busy exploiting the false "transgender predatory" meme to genuinely talk about the issue.

''Modern Family' casting TV's first transgender child actor' & other Tue midday news briefs

'Modern Family' makes history in a good way.

‘Modern Family’ Makes History By Casting TV’s First Transgender Child Actor - This is wonderful because it sends a positive message to our transgender kids. The importance of seeing someone like yourself on television and portrayed in a positive manner does so much good to your self-esteem. I know this from experience.

Donald Trump pledges to sign anti-LGBTQ ‘First Amendment Defense Act’ - Before his abominable debate performance, Trump was plotting to backdoor lgbts. Some friend!

New lawsuit targets Colorado’s LGBT nondiscrimination protections - You cannot ignore these anti-lgbt groups and figures in hopes that they go away. They aren't going away. They get paid too much money for causing havoc.

 We Asked People Why They’re Proud To Be Bisexual And The Responses Are Perfect - Wonderful!

'When Hillary slaughtered Donald' - last night's presidential debate

Whoever wins the upcoming election will have a huge voice in deciding the direction in which lgbt equality will go in this country for the next four years.  Therefore, it is imperative that our community make the correct decision in terms of who we will be voting for.

And let's be real. Clinton slaughtered Trump at  last night's debate. This fact needs to be seen and repeated continuously so that folks know what's at stake and who is the best choice for the Oval Office.

With that in mind, I am posting last night's debate just in case you missed it. Don't worry about watching it all if you are unable to. Start at any point and you still won't miss Trump's total decimation. Clinton figuratively punched at will:

'Letting our transgender kids tell their own stories' & other Mon. midday news briefs

For transgender students, acceptance goes beyond a bathroom stall - This is how we win the "bathroom bill" issue. Let our transgender children tell their stories.

 Multi-trillion dollar investors tell North Carolina: ditch ‘hate-filled’ HB2 - McCrory is one stubborn governor. We will see if it helps him come election day.

 Pope Francis Supports Protests Against Same-Sex Marriage in Mexico - Enough of the is the Pope supportive or not supportive of lgbts. We might as well write him off now.

Why Is Nightlife So Important To The Queer Black And Latino Communities? - Wonderful article!

Reminder - Trump is no friend to the lgbt community

A reminder from my friend Matt Baume:

'Out magazine backlash continues over editorial choices' & other Fri. midday news briefs

The Out magazine puff piece of alt-right Milo Yiannopoulos created a backlash.

Journalists Reprimand Out Magazine for Its Journalism - And the controversy grows. WONDERFUL! 

 Three myths about bisexual people debunked to mark Bi Visibility Day - We don't talk about our bisexual brothers and sisters as much as we should.

 Gay teen sues his Catholic school for depriving him of his senior year - Good luck to him, although I'm not sure about the issue about private religious schools unless they are getting tax dollars.

 
Trans Teen Gives Tear-Jerking Speech After Student’s Ridiculous Complaint - We must never forget that the issue of lgbt equality is important not just for ourselves but for our lgbt kids. What we do helps the next generation.  

Trump Gives Another Gift To Far Right With New Supreme Court List - This involves the lgbt community and it's scary.

Donald Trump's 'Legion of Homophobia' revisited

In light of the news that GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has selected the extremely homophobic Rick Santorum to be one of his advisors, I want to repost this list of Trump's other "advisors."  They are to be his "Evangelical Advisory Board," but I call them the "Legion of Homophobia." You can see why:

Trump seems to be calling out almost every "big-name" anti-lgbt activist to help him create policy, should he become president. That should alarm every lgbt in America.

'LGBT magazine under fire for 'puff piece' on alt-right figure' & other Thur. midday news briefs

Milo Yiannopoulus

LGBT media condemns Out Magazine for Milo Yiannopoulos puff piece - Picture a young man working for a venomously anti-lgbt publication. He delights in being a so-called provocateur, i.e. making transphobic comments, Islamophobic comments instigating troll attacks, sometimes racial, against celebrities, and being an all-around vicious proud "alt-right" member. One more thing. He is openly gay. It still doesn't take away from the fact that this young man (Milo Yiannopoulos) is a waste of space. But him being gay caused Out magazine to give him a "superficial puff piece" in its magazine. Naturally a lot of folks are angry. And with good reason.(Full disclosure note - I signed the open letter condemning Out for running the puff piece. My decision was for a number of reasons. It's gay men like Milo who once called me a "tar baby.")

Milo Yiannopolous - More information on this young man courtesy of Media Matters.  

NC Guv Lurched To The Right And Now It's Costing Him - How HB2 is biting NC Gov. Pat McCrory in the ass.  

Fired GWU coach accused of
 trying to out athletic director - Oh this is interesting . . .

Here’s How You Can Explain What ‘Queer’ Means To Kids - It's easier than you think. Heck, I'm surprised some kids won't sit their parents down and explain it. This mess from the religious right about the supposed corrupted innocence of children is a crock.

The deliberate ignorance of anti-lgbt activists

According to the above graphics from a defunct Facebook page, the argument over lgbt equality is relatively simple. One one side is a clean cut young man innocently stating his beliefs against the lgbt community and on the other is an angry person calling him names because of it.

The graphic omits a bunch of details. It omits the reliance on denigrating lies against the lgbt community, such as the comparison of gay men to pedophiles. It also omits the reliance on cherry-picked and junk science often used by folks like the young man on the left to make an argument against lgbt equality.

And it also omits the constant attempt to pass laws designed to make us second class citizens. These laws range from allowing businesses to discriminate against us on a religious basis to policing bathroom usage of our transgender brothers and sisters.

Taking all of that into account, how could anyone not agree with the anger of the guy on the right rather than fall for the subterfuge of the guy on the left.

And now for something completely campy and non-political . . .

Because there are times when even yours truly gets tired of the struggle. And with the election this year, we ALL need a break.

So, instead of a serious post, I present some of the best videos from one of my favorite shows growing up, The Electric Company. And for those asking about certain people - yes, that is Rita Moreno, Morgan Freeman, Denise Nickerson (Violet Buearegarde from the original Willie Wonka movie), and Todd Graff:

'DC Log Cabin Republicans discussing Trump endorsement' & other Wed. midday news briefs

D.C. Log Cabin weighs Trump endorsement - Oh I can't wait for this one (if it's what I think it will be, I think I would rather wait.)

 Scott Lively Hopes To See Passage Of Russian-Style Anti-Gay Laws In America Under President Trump - Scott Lively is low-level trash, but don't discount this notion. I've been tracking the anti-lgbt right for 10 years and the one big rule I follow is that nothing is for sure. What you make perceive as impossibilities become possibilities just enough to cause problems. 

 Pat McCrory’s shifty gambit: N.C. governor tries to blame pro-gay laws for NCAA boycott - Oh look. We're being blamed for yet another thing. It's not going to work.

North Carolina court rejects anti-gay magistrates case - Do the job or quit the job. It's simple.  

When The Alt-Right Attacks - Ah yes. Cowards target what they think is your vulnerabilities. It doesn't matter who you are (in this case though, we are talking about a same-sex family)

Campaign wants transgender community to 'ask them first' before using restroom

What's worse than religious right groups lying about the lgbt community? It's when they get patronizing:

Minnesotans are the face of a new campaign by a national network of anti-LGBTQ organizations. The campaign, #askmefirst, features Christians imploring schools, businesses, and “transgender activists” to ask them for permission before allowing transgender people to use the bathroom.

A video released with the campaign’s launch last week features Emily and Jamie. The video doesn’t say where the duo are from. Their story is about a school that didn’t “ask them first” before making steps to be inclusive of transgender and gender nonconforming youth. The two parents formerly had children at Nova Classical Academy in St. Paul and were outspoken critics of what they call “gender confusion.” Both appeared at a press conference earlier this year with Republican Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen and spoke in support of barring transgender people from using the bathroom.

 In the video released last week, they spoke of a “gender confused student.” Emily said, “This is a battle for our children’s innocence… It’s a battle that I think is worth fighting and I will continue it for other people’s children.”

The Ask Me First campaign was developed by the Family Policy Alliance — formerly called Citizenlink — which provides a network of financial and political assistance for Family Policy Councils throughout the United States including the Minnesota Family Council. 

No, their children's "innocence" is not threatened by transgender boys and girls using bathrooms.  That is a lie which has been refuted continuously. And unfortunately refutations mean nothing to these groups and their supporters because they repeat the lie, as if they believe that constant repetition is the same as truth.

And what's worse is how these ladies claim to be fighting for children. That is the crux when it comes to the absolute moral obscenity of this campaign.

What about transgender children? Don't they have rights? Who is fighting for them? Or do these women, in spite of their perky smiles, June Cleaver personas, and precise talking points, even care about transgender children?

Or could it be that they and the organization behind this monstrosity of a video simply don't care about our transgender kids?

Gay soldiers wearing diapers & other predictions that didn't happen after DADT was repealed

To celebrate the fifth year anniversary of the official ending of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' Right Wing Watch took a look at the top five failed predictions the anti-lgbt right made about what would happen should DADT be repealed.

You can go here to read them all but I'm just going spotlight one because it's a doozy:

 Just two years ago, Gordon Klingenschmitt, a former Navy chaplain who is now a Colorado Republican state lawmaker, approvingly read a quote from Chaplain John R. Kauffman, who said that gay service members will be “taking breaks on the combat field to change diapers all because their treacherous sin causes them to lose control of their bowels.”

Yeah, I don't think that is happening anywhere . . .

'DADT repeal five years later - still work to do' & other Tue. midday news briefs

We still have work to do five years after Congress repealed DADT.

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Is Still Destroying Lives - Five years after repeal of DADT, there is still so much work to do.

 Photographer Who Took Iconic Image of 12 Year Old Stopping Anti-Gay Protestors Gets Death Threats - Just sad. 

Mom of Transgender Son Receives Some Hate Mail, But Mostly Support - Absolutely brave family. 

 Sen. Nelson becomes latest to co-sponsor Equality Act - Merrily it rolls along. 

 Pat McCrory’s Utterly Absurd Excuse For Not Repealing HB2 - Keep trying, Pat. You amuse us.

A gay Latino attends a press conference of racist Trump supporters while filming it . . .

Stop me if you hear this joke.

A Latino gay guy goes to an right-wing racist press conference of Trump supporters while filming it. . .

Carlos Maza of Media Matters does what I could never do:

On September 9, three of the country’s most notorious white nationalists held a press conference in Washington, D.C., titled “What Is The Alt-Right?” The event, organized by the white nationalist “think tank” the National Policy Institute (NPI), came in response to growing media interest in the “alt-right” movement. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has helped mainstream the racist movement, including by hiring Breitbart News executive chairman Stephen Bannon as his campaign CEO. As the Southern Poverty Law Center has noted, under Bannon’s leadership, Breitbart has “has been openly promoting the core issues of the Alt-Right, introducing these racist ideas to its readership.”

'LGBTs dominate the Emmy Awards' & other Monday midday news briefs

Lgbts dominated the Emmys

68th Primetime Emmys: Laverne Cox, Jill Soloway, Jeffrey Tambor share support for trans community from stage - From Louie Anderson to Sarah Paulson. From RuPaul to Kate McKinnon. From the show Transparent to Orphan Black. Lgbt performers and lgbt-oriented shows dominated the Emmy Awards. 

Texas ‘Ex-Gay’ Therapy Billboards to Come Down Following Pressure From Locals: VIDEO - Good.

 This Gay Man Is Fighting For LGBT Rights In The South And Beyond - Just in case you didn't see it, an interview in The Huffington Post with yours truly.

  This Dad “Hacked His Wife’s Facebook” To Respond To An Anti-Gay Politician - Now THIS is what you call "reading."  

Pat McCrory’s Staff Plants Softball Questions For Governor At Event - McCrory has problems . .

Franklin Graham still trolling for HB2, spreading transphobic lies

NC Gov. Pat McCrory is in the middle of a firestorm over HB2. Businesses are boycotting the state and they are now joined by the NBA, NCAA, and the ACC. Of course this is getting many folks in the state, including legislators who voted for HB2 talking about a repeal.

McCrory seems to be remaining firm in support of that ridiculous law. And backing him up is the Rev. Franklin Graham via twitter and Facebook, where he continues to push inaccuracies about HB2 and the transgender community:

The momentum of public opinion seems to no longer embrace these lies. McCrory would do himself a favor if he stopped listening to this lessening minority of fear. But apparently he wants to do things the hard way.

Same-sex families gain a major victory in Wisconsin

While everyone ruminates over the election, let's not forget that the fight for full lgbt equality goes on. And on that front, same-sex couples and their children just won a major victory in Wisconsin:

A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that Wisconsin officials discriminated against a married lesbian couple by refusing to list the name of the non-biological mother on their child’s birth certificate.

The couple, Chelsea Torres and Jessamy Torres, had married in New York in 2013 and conceived through artificial insemination in 2014 ― the same year same-sex marriage became legal in Wisconsin.

But when their son was born in 2015, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services denied them a birth certificate listing both of their names ― as the birth mother, only Chelsea was listed in the document.

U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb said on Wednesday that this practice ― which Wisconsin enforced by law against same-sex couples but not different-sex couples ― is unconstitutional, and ordered the state to read its artificial insemination rules in “gender-neutral terms.”

Full story in The Huffington Post

'NCAA & ACC boycott getting ugly for NC GOP' & other Thur. afternoon news briefs

Editor's note - If I said it once, I will say it again. I'm going to have to buy a tablet. Today the computers in the public library were offline so that meant no midday news brief. In all honest, this hasn't been a good week in general. Yesterday, I was sick as a dog so I couldn't post but one item. And tomorrow may continue the light posting as I prepare for my blog's 10th anniversary party to be held Saturday.

Just bear with me, folks. You have stood with me for 10 years (and I haven't thanked you all enough for that) so I hope that you can stand with me through this week.

Anyway, enjoy the following news items:

After NCAA, ACC Pull-Out Of North Carolina, Editorials Slam Gov. McCrory For Continued Support Of HB 2 - The fallout from the NCAA and ACC boycotts of NC because of HB2 continues as Gov. McCrory is getting a figurative chunk taken out of him. He deserves it and more. 

NC Republican who voted for ‘bathroom bill’ panics as poll numbers plunge - Enjoy it. You certainly earned it.  

Second GOP NC senator calls for action on HB2 - Two GOP state senators want action on HB2, possibly an appeal. Oh yeah. They are running scared.  

Gay Dads Won't Be Covered by Trump's Maternity Leave Plan - AND she "copped an attitude" when asked about it. She is so saddity.  

Fox’s Sean Hannity Pretends He Doesn’t Care “What Anybody Does In Their Bedroom,” Forgetting His Own Years Of Anti-LGBT Extremism - Hannity once implied that gay men eat each other's feces. As if us lgbts couldn't stand him enough.

NC feeling the heat of boycotts because of HB2

With both the NCAA and ACC boycotting the state because of that awful HB2 law, North Carolina legislators have the eyes of many on them. The question is what will they do? It seems that Gov. McCrory is starting to lose his bravado:

'NC Gov McCrory trying to dodge fallout from NCAA boycott' & other Wed, midday news briefs

The Latest: Gov. McCrory: NCAA disrespected North Carolina - NC Gov. McCroy joins in the hissyfit over losing NCAA championship games because of HB2.

Ed Hardin: A slap in the face from the NCAA, and McCrory's to blame - But try as he might, he cannot escape the blame from it.  

Transgender Man Sues Gov. Mike Pence Over Indiana Immigration Law - How's this for an odd development?  

ACLU asks Supreme Court not to hear Gavin Grimm case - Good development or bad?

A homophobic white guy says Clinton won't get that many minority voters.

For the definition of scraping the bottom of the barrel to launch a silly attack on Hillary Clinton, I give you religious right spokesperson, the first president of the anti-lgbt hate group the Family Research Council, and the man who helped undermine efforts to combat the AIDS crisis in the 80, Gary Bauer.

The American Family Association's fake new source, One News Now cited Bauer as an authority on the idea that Clinton would not get that many minority voters in the upcoming election.:

A veteran conservative activist doubts that Hillary Clinton will benefit from similar voter turnout among minorities that Barack Obama enjoyed. 

Some observers consider if very unlikely, says Gary Bauer, that a "70-year-old white person with ethics problems" will inspire minority turnout like Obama did.

"So on that basis," he concludes, "the turnout on election day in November is likely to include fewer Democrats."

And (surprise, surprise), One News Now conveniently didn't include a picture of Bauer. But I will:

Gary Bauer thinks he knows minority voters

 

Don't he look like a "down brotha?"  Of course Bauer didn't cite any statistics because polls say that Clinton has maintained a strong lead amongst minority voters. And of course Bauer didn't talk about Trumps's association with the racist alt-right and white supremacists such as David Duke, or his really embarrassing effort to reach black voters.

I guess Bauer's ability to predict the minds of minority voters is just  as good as as his Christian integrity.

Related post: 

Gary Bauer - the anti-gay talking head who undermined the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Reagan Administration

'NC GOP throws tantrum over loss of NCAA championship games' & other Tue. midday news briefs

NC is learning the hard way the price of pushing discrimination.

North Carolina GOP's statement on the NCAA is blistering -- and doesn't make any sense - Of course it doesn't make any sense. Tantrums usually don't. But that's what they get for that awful HB2.

NCAA to move 7 championships from North Carolina due to HB2 law - Just in case you are not aware, this is the reason for the above article. 

 Family Research Council: Vote For Trump & GOP To Put 'Religious Freedom' Above 'Sexual Unrestraint'- Why don't FRC start a "Hate Groups for Trump" coalition.

  Ros-Lehtinen becomes latest GOP co-sponsor of Equality Act- And it rolls on . . .  

South Africa bars American pastor over anti-LGBT hate speech - I'd invite this joker to stay in South Africa, but why punish that country?  

An ‘Unflinching’ Series About Homeless Queer Youth Is In The Works - This is VERY necessary.

Gays remember the last time Mike Pence would not answer a simple question . . .

Trying to build some anti-Hillary Clinton momentum on a comment she made last weekend has probably backfired (at least I hope it does) on the Trump/Pence campaign.

Last weekend during a fundraiser, Clinton said half of Trump's supporters could be put in a "basket of deplorables". She was commenting on various racist, sexist, xenophobic, and all-around nasty comments these folks have made during Trump's campaign rallies.  Even though she had a point, the Trump campaign and various conservatives have been attempting to manufacture a "pivotal campaign" moment from it.

Because of the "magic" of the internet, they have been unsuccessful. Folks have been posting and referring to old videos and articles which proved Clinton's point. However, Trump and company have continued to milk her statement.

They really should have stopped. Today, Mike Pence, Trump's running mate, was interviewed by Wolf Blitzer on CNN and that led to this exchange in which Pence refused to denounce white supremacist and former Klan leader David Duke as "deplorable":

BLITZER: But [Clinton] said, there are supporters, and you know this, there are some supporters of Donald Trump and Mike Pence, who, David Duke, for example, some other white nationalist, who would fit into that category of deplorables. Right?"

PENCE: "As I’ve told you the last time I was on, I'm not sure why the media keeps dropping David Duke's name. Donald Trump has denounced David Duke repeatedly. We don't want his support and we don't want the support of people who think like him."

BLITZER: "You called him a deplorable. You would call him a deplorable?"

PENCE: "No, I'm not in the name-calling business, Wolf, you know me better than that."

The media keeps bringing up Duke because Duke has aligned himself with Trump, including saying that he and Trump share the same voters. Duke also endorsed Trump, who at first, would not disavow the endorsement.

Pence's reluctance to denounce Duke as "deplorable" reminds me of the time last year when he was asked eight times about the anti-lgbt "religious liberty" law he signed as governor of Indiana. Eight times he refused to say whether or not the law could be used to discriminate against lgbts:



And they like to claim that Clinton won't answer a simple question?

'Hate group hoping Trump will roll back lgbt & reproductive rights' & other Mon. midday news briefs

The Family Research has a 'wish list' for Trump if he wins.

FRC's Agenda For President Trump's First 100 Days: Roll Back LGBT & Reproductive Rights - If you don't think this election is a big deal for the lgbt community, think again. Unfortunately almost every election is a big deal for us. Either deal with it or go home and hide under the covers.

New lawsuit demonizes transgender girl for acting like a girl - This is repulsive. The way the anti-lgbt is specifically targeting transgender kids is unlike anything I have seen. And I have seen a LOT.  

My Search For A Lesbian Donald Trump Supporter - Finding an lgbt Donald Trump supporter in general has to be . . . interesting.  

NC Gov. McCrory: Business Lobby Group Helped Shape LGBT Law - McCrory still in the pit of mud over HB2. 

RuPaul Wins His First Emmy! - Batten down the hatches. RuPaul has an Emmy.

Gary Bauer got away with helping to further the AIDS crisis

Religious right talking head Gary Bauer is the classic case of what happens when the lgbt community doesn't raise sufficient hell about those who have harmed us.

In the 80s, Bauer worked in the Reagan Administration.  He also undermined efforts to educate Reagan on the AIDS crisis and efforts to get the president to address it publicly. He was instrumental in undermining Surgeon General C. Everett Koop as the crisis swept through the nation. According to Koop, Bauer felt that AIDS was God's punishment.

So was Bauer ever made to address these issues. No. Not when he was the first president of anti-lgbt hate group the Family Research Council. Not when he ran for president in 2000. And of course not when he gave the following speech last weekend at FRC's nonsensical Values Voter Summit:

I hate to say it but Bauer will probably never have to answer for his efforts in furthering the AIDS crisis.

Related post:  

Gary Bauer - the anti-gay talking head who undermined the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Reagan Administration

'Meet the First Openly Gay Miss America Contestant in History' & other Fri. midday news briefs

Erin O’Flaherty

Meet The First Openly Gay Miss America Contestant in History - If she wins, that would be so awesome. She is Miss Missouri but she is originally from SOUTH CAROLINA!!!!

 A Gay Republican, The Child Abuse He Sanctioned, And The Homophobia Used To Defend Him - An uuuugly situation with the Log Cabin Republicans smack dab in the middle.

 Donald Trump And The So-Called 'Values Voters' - And the bigots and homophobes merrily move along together . . .  

DOJ report spurs police LGBT Advisory Council - There need to be more councils like that, hopefully not after incidents like this one spurring their creation.

Trump cozying up to anti-lgbt hate groups, personalities this weekend

Today is the beginning of the 2016 "Values Voter Summit" put on by the anti-lgbt hate group the Family Research Council. Keeping my description of FRC in mind, it doesn't take a palm reader to guess who attendees and speakers at this weekend monstrosity will be attacking.

This year will be extra nauseating because GOP presidential candidate and self-described "friend to the gay community" Donald Trump will be one of the speakers. With various members of the media seemingly more concerned with Hillary Clinton's "emails" and "optics," it's up to folks like yours truly to highlight the coming visual disaster of Trump's visit.

I've already written a post about the vile homophobia of folks and groups who will be present at this summit. Now let's focus a little more on the group sponsoring it, the Family Research Council. There are very good reasons why FRC has been called a hate group.



Related posts:

Trump a featured speaker at upcoming summit of extreme anti-lgbt groups

16 reasons why the Family Research Council is a hate group

'Lesbian couple in the middle of bakery controversy speak out' & other Thur midday news briefs

The Women Who Challenged Sweet Cakes on the Cost of Their Battle - This battle was not about cakes any more than Rosa Parks refused to stand up simply because she was tired. And it's a shame how this situation was distorted: 

 "We’re not political people, never wanted this attention, and only filed a claim with Oregon's Bureau of Labor and Industries after six months of relentless media attention and harassment. Meanwhile, the Kleins quickly became media darlings of the right wing. Conservative groups flew them out to appear at events, Ted Cruz featured them in a campaign video, and their fundraising page raised over $600,000. In contrast, we became the target of hateful, violent threats and a daily onslaught of negative calls and emails from around the world. Over the past three years, we have received several thousand Facebook messages calling us fat, evil, and dumb — some with threats so violent that we have sincerely feared for our lives, moved houses, and lived in hiding in hopes of protecting our family. "

 
Transgender Students and Parents Say the State Is Putting Children in Danger - Another case in which the anti-lgbt industry and their supporters grab the mantle of concern while those whom we should be concerned about are being put in danger.  

Billboards cause controversy in Waco's LGBT community - 'Ex-gay' billboards. And check out the semantic game of evasion played by the organization behind it. They claim to have no problem with gay folks except for the fact that they think we shouldn't exist.  

10 Quick Lesbian Coming Out Stories That Will Make You Smile - This is a wonderful way to wrap up today's news briefs.

Sia honors victims of Orlando Massacre in wonderful video

Recording artist Sia honors the victims of the Orlando Massacre with this powerful video to her song, 'The Greatest.' 

The clip starts on a black screen with the words #WEAREYOURCHILDREN printed across. Then, we see a crying Ziegler wiping paint under her eyes, as if crying rainbow tears, or perhaps applying warpaint for battle. A large group of kids lies on the ground below her, motionless, and she begins screaming (though we don’t hear her), urging the kids to get up.

Once the music starts, the group begins moving in unison, with Maddie leading the charge. Attitude reports that the children represent the victims killed in the deadliest mass shooting in America’s history ― “49 dancers for 49 lives lost,” as the magazine put it. With lyrics like, “Don’t give up, I won’t give up / Don’t give up, no no no” and “Running out of breath but I / oh I I got stamina,” it’s hard not to draw those parallels.

The kids dance through an old house, eventually coming together as one group. They jump up and down, moving together as a single entity (much like individuals would at a club as music blares through the speakers) before collapsing to the ground, leaving behind the haunting visual of bodies on the floor.

How low will NC Gov. Pat McCrory sink to get a second term?

Behind in the polls, NC Gov Pat McCrory is relying on the old religious right tactic of fear to get folks to vote for him.

Never mind that the ad targets transgender children by implying that they are predators in defense of that awful HB2 law he passed, i.e. the same law which is probably the reason why he has a strong chance of being a one-term governor.

First his re-election campaign exploits a victim of child molestation to attack the transgender community  and now this. With at least two more months left, I'm scared to think how low can McCrory sink:




Hat tip to The New Civil Rights Movement.

Trump a featured speaker at upcoming summit of extreme anti-lgbt groups

Trump to put on the mantle of morality this weekend?

Those who continue to claim that Trump is a friend to the lgbt community deserves a swift kick.  Trump will be a featured speaker at the Family Research Council's "Values Voter Summit," which will be held this weekend.

The organization hosting the program, anti-lgbt hate group the Family Research Council, bragged earlier last month about attaining Trump as a speaker:

 The organizations gathering together for this mess have always claimed that they have been unfairly attacked for their "personal Christian beliefs" rather than the untrue and ugly claims they have made about the lgbt community. According to Right Wing Watch, this is a lie:

It's always about fear with the anti-lgbt right

In the 10 years I have been blogging, the religious right have decreased its reliance on junk and cherry-picked science to denigrate the lgbt community, but the central exploitation of fear still remains.

Case in point - a bill in Pennsylvania, which has a good chance of passing, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the already existing state nondiscrimination ordinance law. It sounds simple, but the American Family Association fake new site, One News Now, is spinning the bill into a spooky "bathroom bondoogle" attack against the transgender community. It also is claiming that the law has negative consequence for churches, even while admitting that the law has a religious exemption

It even has a poll question, which further exploits this notion:

Junk science or no junk science, with the religious right, it's always about fear.

'That time Mike Pence spread lies about 'gay sex' . . .' & other Tue. midday news briefs

Mike Pence and gay sex . . .

Journal by Pence-helmed foundation described gay sex in graphic detail - See, children. If you spread lies about gay sex, there are no repercussions. You too can go on to be elected to Congress, serve as governor, and be a vice presidential candidate. THAT is the main reason why more needs to be done to not only refute anti-lgbt propaganda but also hold those who spread it in the present and past accountable.  

You Must Read This Amazingly Graphic Gay Sex Article Mike Pence’s Journal Once Published - More about the article.

Hobby Lobby Redux: Transgender Discrimination in Michigan - Here we go again.  

The 'Black, Queer, Feminist' Legal Trailblazer You've Never Heard Of - It's sad to think about all of the folks lgbt history tends to leave out. We can't all be flashy entertainers.  

Phyllis Schlafly, One of History's Worst Homophobes, Dies at 92 - Let's forget this woman's true legacy. 

 Jehovah’s Witnesses new tactic in spreading ‘anti gay’ message - In London but still a drag.

Wacky reactions to SCOTUS marriage equality ruling revisited (in honor of Phyllis)

Anti-lgbt and all-around conservative hagstorm Phyllis Schlafly passed away yesterday at 92. I won't crack any jokes about her age, her life, or the fact that even though she had a gay son, she bent over backwards to be nasty to us. I will just revisit the wackiest reactions to last year's SCOTUS ruling for marriage equality just as a way of demonstrating how yet again the lgbt community has survived and thrived whilst another enemy of our equality is gone:

And then there is my personal favorite:

Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters celebrates 10th year

Happy 10th year anniversary to this blog!!

Tuesday, September 6 will mark the 10th anniversary of this blog. It's come a long way since being than an idea I had to pump up knowledge of a book I was self-publishing. 

For the record, the book was somewhat of a disaster, but this blog has existed on its own to break barriers, get a bit of acclaim and a few awards, as well as put a great spotlight on a issue we've long needed to discuss - how the religious right and morality groups use junk science, cherry-picked science, and outright lies to create a pattern of deceit against the lgbt community. This pattern is then used to manufacture reasons to deny us equality under the law. 

I like to think that I've done well to expose these lies and the entities who tell them. I also like to think that I've made history in my own little way as one of the many tireless lgbt activists and independent news figures. We've all  come a long way from 2006 and have gotten so many victories because of our efforts.

 I've certainly learned a lot about my community and myself. And it will be something I hope to continue  the next 10 years.  

The following is the first post I published here and reading it always pleases me. It reminds me of where this blog is now in comparison to where it began. It also reminds me that anyone willing to work and sacrifice for the better of his or her community will always succeed in their goals.

 There are a bunch of organizations in this country who thrive on ignorance, fear, and a sense of entitlement.

They refer to themselves as "pro family" and even members of the gay community regard them as the religious right


With all due respect, I don't see them as that. They are an anti-gay industry who seeks to gain political power by building on the religious beliefs and ignorance of people of faith. And they have been pretty successful.

Central to this success are their so-called studies on the gay community. In order to prove that gays and lesbians should not have any protection of laws, they have created a written and oral pattern of deception that is not only blatant in its attempts but shameful in its audacity. In their zeal to prove the worst about the gay community, the anti-gay industry runs roughshod over science and truth. They have created a houses of pseudo-scientific studies based on distortions, lies, headless monsters, and legitimate studies taken out of context , which are then pushed by fake experts, Ph.D.s, conservative columnists and bloggers, and ignorant people of faith all willing to sacrifice their integrity on the altar of an alleged higher calling.

We know the claims these studies make:

gays have a short life span
gays molest children at a higher level than heterosexuals
lesbians abuse their partners at a high level
gays are more violent and are prone to crimes
gays are promiscuous and cannot handle the concept of marriage.

For two years, I have studied the methodologies of so-called "pro family" groups (i.e. Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America, the Traditional Values Coalition, etc) and am glad to say that their claims are rooted in lies, outright deceptions, and legitimate studies with portions cherry picked out.

In 2007, I will publish my book, Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters, detailing just what how the anti-gay industry propagandizes about the gay community. Through this blog, I will publish some of my findings and update everyone as to the progress of my book. I will update this blog on a weekly basis.

Now I must emphasis that I am not attacking anyone's religion. I respect a Christian's right to believe that homosexuality is an abomination. I also respect the right of the Boys Scouts of America to prohibit gays from serving as members. Of course I also believe that if the organization had any integrity at all, it should refuse any form of public monies because some of this money is derived from gay sources via taxes. And isn't accepting money from those who you feel will not conform to your moral code just as bad as allowing them in your group.

But I digress.

What I am saying through my book and my blog is that distortions and lies in the name of God are still distortions and lies. And anyone who knowingly uses them and can still refer to themselves as a person of faith needs to examine themselves. 

Editor's note - I will be celebrating my blog's 10th anniversary with a September 17th party. Pictures will be posted.

New anti-lgbt 'study' latest in religious right habit of cherry-picking science

The anti-gay right has terrible habit of cherry-picking science

Recently, I've written several posts about a supposed new study which disputes the idea that people are born gay or transgender. The supposed study, published by Drs. Lawrence Mayer and Paul McHugh, has been pushed by members of the anti-lgbt industry as a supposed breakthrough and a new development with regards to the lgbt orientation.

However,  others were quick to point out how its credibility is damaged by the motivations its publishers and authors. Last month, The Daily Beast published an article detailing the extensive anti-lgbt bias of one of the authors, McHugh.

On Monday, Dean Hamer, Ph.D. and scientist emeritus at the National Institutes of Health, blasted the report in an issue of The Advocate:

The article claims to be “a careful summary and an up-to-date explanation of research — from the biological, psychological, and social sciences — related to sexual orientation and gender identity.” It claims to show sexual orienation is chosen and not fixed, and that gay people are not "born gay." In truth, it is a selective and outdated collection of references and arguments aimed at confusing rather than clarifying our understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity.

 . . . The authors' review of the role of genes in sexual orientation, the area of my own research, is revealing of their methodology. Of the six studies using proper probability sampling methods that have been published in the peer-reviewed literature in the past 16 years, they include only one — and it just so happens to be the one with the lowest estimate of genetic influence of the entire set.

They then discuss, at great length, an obscure study of 7th- to 12th-graders, published in a sociology journal, that doesn't even measure sexual orientation, instead relying on a single question about “romantic attraction.” It's an odd choice of articles to review given Mayer and McHugh's emphasis on proper trait measurement; perhaps they were driven by the fact that it failed to find any heritability, thus supporting their claim that nobody is “born gay.” A very different conclusion was reached by a careful meta-analysis of all the available twin data, recently published in a large review that Mayer and McHugh fail to even mention.

Hamer's accusations isn't the first time that various members of anti-lgbt and conservative groups have been called out for scientific cherry-picking when making their case against lgbt equality.  Over the years, I've catalogued a few incidents:

In 2012, Seton Hall professor Dr. Theodora Sirota complained that Rick Fitzgibbons of  the NARTH (the National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality) misused her work to make the case that children in same sex households are not raised better than children "in stable homes with a mother and a father."

In 2011, Tom Minnery, a spokesman from Focus on the Family, was dressed down by Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) during a Congressional hearing for deliberately misrepresenting a study. Minnery initially used the study to claim, as Fitzgibbons did in his misrepresentation, that same-sex households are inferior to two parent mother/father households.

In 2010, John Horgan, a science journalist and Director of the Center for Science Writings at the Stevens Institute of Technology, also cried foul about how his work was being distorted.

Other incidents:

Black pastor interviewing Trump involved in controversial video

In his sloppy pursuit of the White House, GOP candidate Donald Trump is getting so many groups angry at him.

You can now add black Republicans to the list. According to Buzzfeed, Trump actually has them enraged regarding an interview he will be having with a black pastor. Initially this was spun as Trump coming to a predominantly black church in a bid to reach African-American voters. But then, it turned into a simple interview. Now, it has become something absolutely comical:

On Saturday, Donald Trump will sit down for an interview with Wayne T. Jackson, a pastor in Michigan as part of his tentative black outreach efforts — and black Republicans are fuming.

For one thing, they say, Jackson isn’t conservative and doesn’t support Trump. But Jackson also presided over a ordination ritual some time ago that became a source of viral controversy.

The video published in 2013 shows Jackson mounting two male bishops on the ground as part of an “consecration” ceremony; the video drew scrutiny, with some criticizing it as sexual, and others saying it wasn’t sexual, but had no place in the church.

That would be this video below:

In the ceremony, Jackson tells the men, “You got to be buried… you got to die.” With the contemporary gospel song “I Give Myself Away” playing in the background, the men first laid face down on the ground. In the video depicting the ritual, Jackson circles them a number of times, appearing to grab their ankles. When the two men were covered, face down, in white sheets, Jackson then covered them in another red sheet, and promptly laid on top of each of them, one at a time, to the audience’s approval. After being helped up, Jackson removed the sheets.

Jackson defended the act to Fox 2 Detroit as nonsexual, saying the bishops were being consecrated under his authority. “For somebody to take that and try to use that, you know, in a perverted way, we pray for them. We walk in love,” he said in an interview with Fox 2 Detroit. He lambasted detractors, saying, “if you’re ignorant about something, you need to shut up.”

The black Republicans quoted in the Buzzfeed article saying that Trump choosing to be interviewed by Jackson, in light of the fact that the pastor does not support Trump and the controversial video, shows that the GOP candidate is not taking them seriously.

If they feel that way about Trump, they need to take a number and get in line.

'Woman using law Mike Pence pushed as a defense against child abuse charge' & other Thur. midday news briefs

Woman arrested for child abuse citing Pence's religious freedom law as a defense.

Woman charged with child abuse uses Indiana Religious Freedom Law as defense - Another case of an anti-lgbt law having consequences far beyond what some folks think. And no, this woman was not simply "disciplining" her child. She put 37 bruises on the body of this seven-year-old using a coat hanger and then cited the Bible. Bang up job pushing that law, Mike Pence! 

New children’s song explains bathrooms and bigots in best possible way - I LOVE it!! 

 Texas Attorney General Jumps Into Lawsuits Over North Carolina’s Anti-Transgender Law - Apparently someone needs to send a copy of the above song to THIS guy.

 Trump’s Sales Pitch To LGBT Community: Islamophobia And T-Shirts - Please! We want more than a t-shirt, jerk! 

 Clinton pushed LGBT rights, despite foundation’s anti-gay donors - And she got criticized for it, no doubt. That's all they do.

This is transgender

NC Gov. Pat McCrory and Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick like to play dumb with regards their verbal and legislative attacks on the transgender community. Both have gone on record claiming that there is no clear definition of a transgender person. They should educate themselves by watching this short video created by the Human Rights Campaign:

'Matt Bomer to play transgender woman and people aren't happy' & other Wed. midday news briefs

Matt Bomer

Again with the transface, Hollywood? Matt Bomer booed for ‘playing’ trans - Though this seems like a negative controversy, it's actually a good thing. As groups of people become more visible, they are quick to demand their due and respect. I'm all for it. And the concerns are valid.  

A New Sense of Pride: Feeling the Heat: New Name Declares SC Pride’s Importance to Columbia - South Carolina is having its 27th's Pride Celebration. What should I wear?  

Groups encourage more gay couples to adopt children, be foster parents - I love this. Same-sex households are wonderful places to raise children. 

Tony Perkins: Obama's Attacks On Religious Liberty 'Just As Dangerous' As Terrorism - Blah blah blah, hyperbole, religious liberty, Obama is evil, Christians good, all "homosexuals" are evil, send money, blah blah blah.