'HUD secretary Ben Carson removes anti-discrimination language from agency's mission statement' & other Wed midday news briefs

Ben Carson disgraces himself.

Ben Carson Removes Anti-Discrimination Language From HUD Mission Statement - In the middle of attempting to bilk taxpayers of $31,000 to pay for office furniture and allegedly conducting a witch hunt against the person who told, HUD head Ben Carson makes a subtle and unnecessary strike against the LGBTQ community. NO ONE in my house plans to ever recognize this man during Black History Month ever again.

This converted London Bus is giving homeless LGBT people a place to sleep at night - This like this remind us that there is always good in the world. 

Australia Reveals First Gay Marriage Ended In Heartbreak - No they did not break up. And the story illustrates how important marriage equality is to our community.

‘We’ve seen an incredible sea change’: Trans author Sarah McBride reflects on progress of equality - And if we want to KEEP that sea change, we can't sit on our asses thinking that the battle is over. It's just getting interesting. 

Anti-trans activists plan ‘mass resignation’ from Labour over trans-inclusive policy - Case in point.

Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran is retiring. Here’s why we won’t miss him. - We done outlasted another one, y'all.

Randy Rainbow torches the NRA and Dana Loesch through song

Randy Rainbow is a wonderful and constant reminder that you can fight the evil in America without allowing it to feed on you or succumbing to the depression it could invoke in you. And the way he absolutely torches the NRA and its spokesperson Dana Loesch in this video should be taught as a lesson in the accurate precision of wit.

'Hate groups working diligently under cloud of Trump chaos to undermine LGBTQ equality & safety' & other Tue midday news briefs

Emboldened By Trump, Georgia GOP Pushes Anti-LGBTQ Adoption Bill - This piece by Michelangelo Signorile isn't just about the adoption bill:

This anti-LGBTQ adoption bill is part of a wide-reaching plan by religious conservatives ― backed by President Donald Trump and his administration ― to turn same-sex marriage into second-class marriage with a longer-term goal of overturning federal marriage rights for gays and lesbians entirely. 

How are religious conservatives turning same-sex marriage into second-class marriage? By getting courts to rule that wedding-related businesses can turn away gay couples based on the business owners’ religious beliefs, by allowing governments to refuse to give the same benefits to spouses within same-sex marriages as they do to those within opposite-sex marriages, and by allowing adoption agencies to say no to LGBTQ parents. 

I’ve written before about their strategic plans. They date back to at least 2014 ― before the 2015 Obergefell marriage equality ruling ― when anti-LGBQ conservatives mapped out what they would do if they lost at the high court (which they did). I sat in on a panel at the Family Research Council’s 2014 Values Voter Summit, during which Frank Schubert (the mastermind behind California’s infamous Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in 2008), the National Organization for Marriage’s Brian Brown and others articulated a two-pronged strategy. This strategy, they said, would mirror their highly successful attacks on abortion rights and Roe v. Wade over the years. They would incrementally chip away at marriage rights for queer people in the short-term through the creation of new laws while, in the long-term, working to overturn any high court ruling that granted federal rights ― the goal being to send the issues back to individual states to decide.

Hate group shields hate group - Family Research Council defends Alliance Defending Freedom's war on gay adoption - That's my post from last night is important. Undermining gay adoption is only ONE part of a long-term strategy to cut down LGBTQ equality by ADF. In the midst of the distraction caused by Trump's chaos, this group is working steadily and diligently. Pay attention, LGBTQ community and get the word out. 

Evangelical leader shreds ‘corruption’ of Trump-backing Christians who ‘used to’ care about morals - That's why voices like this need to more very vocal. 

Gay Republican runs for U.S. Senate in Delaware - But he is tiptoeing. Although having him in Congress would be strategically advantageous for the community.

U.K. Celebrates LGBT Fostering and Adoption Week - How ironic that the UK is celebrating LGBTG fostering and adoption while groups in America are working to undermine both.

Hate group shields hate group - Family Research Council defends Alliance Defending Freedom's war on gay adoption

Media Matters has the goods on the Alliance Defending Freedom's plan to undermine gay adoption. But the Family Research Council doesn't want anyone to know about it.

Last week, the organization Media Matters ran a feature article looking at how anti-LGBTQ hate group the Alliance Defending Freedom is working to pass laws in several states to make it more difficult for gays to adopt children, including how it is pushing anti-gay adoption laws in five states.

Apparently the article did its work in raising eyebrows because another anti-LGBTQ hate group, the Family Research Council, attempted today to defend ADF:

At Media Matters, why don't kids matter? The Soros-funded group seems to be going out of its way to shame the organizations whose only concern is exactly that. Their latest target? Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). 

Like most conservatives, ADF has been doing everything it can to defend the freedom of adoption agencies to place children in the best possible home -- a freedom, unfortunately, that's been complicated by the recent efforts of the anti-faith and LGBT lobbies. Media Matters is not normally a direct player in this debate. After all, its mission is keeping watch on the media – not wading in to specific social issue culture battles, or at least that is what they've claimed.

'LGBTQ stories win big at last night's Oscars' & other Mon midday news briefs

LGBT representation strong at 90th annual Academy Awards - At last night's Oscar ceremony, the LGBTQ community won big. As a gay black man, I always think that when members of my community win awards for the stories they tell, that's a spotlight which wouldn't have ordinarily been there for us. So yes, it's a big deal.

The Best LGBTQ Oscar Moments Of 2018 - Sweet! 

The 10 gayest moments in the history of the Oscars - Come on, y'all. It's Monday.

Jordan Peele Becomes the First Black Winner of the Best Original Screenplay Oscar - And while Peele isn't LGBTQ, he is an ally. Also, I would be remiss if I omitted his win.

Robert Oscar Lopez: ‘I Don’t See Anything Honorable’ About Being A Gay Conservative - For once, I agree with this awful man.

Pelosi, HRC on opposite sides over re-election of anti-LGBT Democrat - Well, THIS is interesting.

This reality TV star was put through conversion therapy when he was 10 - Why conversion therapy needs to be banned, especially when it comes to children.

Quit your whining, Mike Huckabee. You got what you deserved.

Mike Huckabee

I'm still stuck on this situation with Mike Huckabee being forced to resign from the Country Music Association Foundation due to a backlash about his past - and numerous - homophobic statements. It's partly because how those who support him (various religious right groups and personalities) are attempting to portray him as the victim. I've read so many nonsensical statements from various groups and persons about how the gay community is supposed intolerant of those who do not share our views. I've seen supposed Christians deliberately obfuscate the issue into one about Huckabee's objections to marriage equality when in fact the backlash is about the many times he has attacked the LGBTQ community, our families, and our children on a number of issues.

And what galls me mostly is how Huckabee refuses to take responsibility. In his resignation letter, he said in part:

If the industry doesn’t want people of faith or who hold conservative and traditional political views to buy tickets and music, they should be forthcoming and say it. Surely neither the artists or the business people of the industry want that. 

Until recently, the arts was the one place America could set aside political, geographical, racial, religious, and economic barriers and come together. If the arts community becomes part of the polarization instead of bridging communities and people over the power of civil norms as reflected in the arts, then we as a civilization may not be long for this earth. 

All of us have deep passions about our beliefs. I do about mine. But I hate no one. I wish upon NO ONE the loss of life or livelihood because that person sees things differently than me.

I hope that the music and entertainment industry will become more tolerant and inclusive and recognize that a true love for kids having access to the arts is more important than a dislike for someone or a group of people because of who they are or what they believe.

Please bear in mind that Huckabee is the same individual who:

called gay adoption "experimentation" in 2010. In that same interview, he also compared marriage equality to incest and pedophilia.

on numerous occasions falsely conflated homosexuality with pedophilia, most recently in 2012 claiming gays must be kept out of the Boy Scouts to protect boys from molestation.

in 2015 participated in an absolutely dreadful documentary which brought up refuted claims and junk science about the LGBTQ community, including claiming that we  want to "criminalize Christianity." 

In that same year, Huckabee again pulled the "gays want to criminalize Christianity" card as a reason to support the fraudulent practice of "reparative therapy," or attempting to "cure" someone of being homosexual.

I don't want to mince words here. Mike Huckabee is a lying sack of garbage who seems to think that he is privileged to say anything he feels about the LGBTQ community without any expectations of us raising an objection.  He minimizes the severity of his slurs and then plays the victim when the targets of his words refuse to play his game.

He is indicative of the ignorance some people have in thinking that LGBTQs are supposed to so grateful about society's so-called tolerance of us that we raise no objections when our lives, our children, and our families are besmirched and disrespected.   It's not enough for people like Huckabee to insult us. According to them, we are supposed to accept the insults and the second-class status prescribed to us by those harsh words and ugly inaccuracies about our lives. If we don't accept those things, then we are intolerant hypocrites.

No.

We are human beings. And that means we are intolerant of certain things, such as disrespect, lies, attacks, and especially people who attempt to reshape who we are based upon their ignorance and religious beliefs.

 It's not a matter of "tolerance" or "intolerance."

It's a matter of  self-respect.

'Mike Huckabee learns a well-deserved lesson about his homophobia - LGBTQs never forget or forgive' & other Fri midday news briefs

Mike Huckabee

Aside from the general items, today's news briefs is a special dedication to Mike Huckabee and his supporters. Yesterday, Huckabee was forced to resign from Country Music Association Board less than a day after he was appointed. It had to do with all of the homophobic junk he has done and said over the years. Like they always do, Huckabee and his supporters are whining how the LGBTQ community is being intolerant towards religious beliefs with which we do not agree with. Sorry, Mikey. but it's not about religious beliefs and even if it were, that doesn't excuse your words or actions. You have attacked us and our families too many times over the years for us to simply let it go by without voicing anger. It's inconceivable to me that people actually expect the LGBTQ community to accept attacks and ill-treatment without saying a word. Consider the following link  from 2011 as the "receipt:"
  

Huckabee Uses Role At Fox News To Launch Anti-Gay Attacks: 

Huckabee Made Virulent Anti-Gay Comments As A Public Official As A Public Official, Huckabee Called Homosexuality An "Aberration" And Condemned The Government For Supporting It Along With Pedophilia, Sadomasochism, And Necrophilia. In a 2007 appearance on Meet the Press, Tim Russert asked Huckabee about his assertion in a 1998 book claiming "it is now difficult to keep track of the vast array of publicly endorsed and institutionally supported aberrations -- from homosexuality and pedophilia to sadomasochism and necrophilia." Huckabee responded that "all of these are deviations from what has been considered the traditional concept of sexual behavior." Russert also asked Huckabee about his assertion in 1992 that "I feel homosexuality is an aberrant, unnatural and sinful lifestyle." Huckabee responded that "all of us are sinners." [Towelroad.com, 1/2/08]

In other news:

Alliance Defending Freedom is working to keep LGBTQ people from adopting children - Meanwhile, the LGBTQ community has to deal with this hate group pretending to stand for values when it is actually attempting to wreck our equality.  Organizations with mindsets like Mike Huckabee, thinking they can say and do any negative thing they want to the LGBTQ community while justifying it with religion.

There’s Nothing ‘Pro-Life’ About Georgia’s Anti-Gay Adoption Bill - And I bet serious money that the Alliance Defending Freedom is behind this Georgia bill. 

We’re Suing Two Federal Agencies To Release Information On Secret LGBTQ Policy - People for the American Way is suing two agencies under the Trump Administration to gain information on their changes in federal policy towards the LGBTQ community.

OMG! If gays get married, they are going to have butt secs!!

Now that marriage equality is legal (and let's hope it stays that way), we should take a look back at the struggle to attain the right. Most specifically, let's look at how some folks chose to voice opposition to marriage equality.

In 2013, the Minnesota legislature was considering the approval of marriage equality. The state House Civil Law Committee was taking testimony from witnesses. In walked a self-described concerned father and husband Mike Frey to speak against the proposal. His testimony - not about marriage equality, but anal sex - was . .  well you just have to watch it. And then watch how the Huff Post Live just took it apart:

'Anti-LGBTQ group rages against clinic treating transgender children' & other Thur midday news briefs

Group: Cincinnati Children's Hospital transgender clinic should 'stop experimenting on our children' - Don't be fooled by this bad headline. It's a bunch of junk about a recent case I've spotlighted on this blog. A Ohio judge recently gave custody of a 17-year-old transgender boy to his grandparents so that he could continue his hormone therapy. His parents wanted to retain custody even though doing so would put the child in danger. The religious right have tried to distort the story by claiming that gays are taking children away from their parents. However, since they can't obscure the fact that the child's grandparents asked for custody in support of the child's hormone therapy, they are now going after the clinic treating the child. Even though everything the clinic is doing is backed by science and by-the-book, the local anti-LGBTQ group and enterprising political office seekers are exploiting the situation to its hilt.

Judge paves way for transgender teen to get hormone therapy at Cincinnati Children's Hospital - The story fueling the nonsensical attack on those who help our trans kids.

Over 50% Of LGBTQ Youths Struggle With Eating Disorders, Survey Finds - More work to be done . . .

  WA House of Representatives Passes Bill to Protect LGBTQ Youth from Dangerous “Conversion Therapy” - And this is one step in the right direction.

  Report: Media Largely Ignored Unprecedented Anti-LGBTQ Violence of 2017 - Ugh! This is NOT good!

LGBTQ characters in Comic Books

It's not all 'activism' on my blog. There are days when I feel extremely frivolous. This is one of those days:

If you doubt the veracity of some of these folks, feel free to google them. Although I really didn't need to regarding Catwoman and Harley Quinn. I knew they both got busy with Poison Ivy.

'When 'religious liberty' is used to humiliate the LGBTQ community' & other Wed midday news briefs

When Religion Becomes an Excuse to Discriminate - I continue to be alarmed by folks who think that gays can simply "go somewhere else" if denied service for any reason, including religion. Aside from the fact that if you make excuses to "go somewhere else" soon there will be no where else to go, there is such a thing as simple dignity and respect as the video above proves. The LGBTQ community has every right to demand these things. Being subjected to humiliation and trauma need not be the price we have to pay. We are human beings and our lives have value. We have every right to demand to be treated as such. Period.

Kim Davis Writes About ‘Fist-Pounding Homosexuals’ In New Book - And taking a public and aggressive stand against people like Kim Davis is a part of it all. Instead of being nonchalant and blase, don't forget what her controversy is all about. She makes us look like mean-spirited outsiders, but that's a lie. Gay tax dollars pays her salary and we have every right to yell, scream, and pound our fists at her and anyone who thinks they have a right to our tax dollars without respecting us.

Olympian Gus Kenworthy shared some of his worst hate mail and made a powerful point. - Oh God, this is AWFUL. 

Rapper Le1f shares disgustingly racist Grindr screenshots - But here is terror of the same type in our OWN community. When LGBTQs of color talk about the problems we face with the "I don't date black people. It's just my preference" crowd, we generally get called out. Here is what we LGBTQs of color have been talking about.

Family Research Council exploits religion, homophobia to side with the NRA against Delta Airlines

The Family Research Council is exploiting religion & LGBTQ community to attack Delta Airlines.

Yesterday, I wrote about how the American Family Association is pushing an inane solution to the problem of gun violence in schools. Today, I am sad to report, the Family Research Council has sunk even lower. The hate group is attacking an organization attempting to lessen the violence and has involved the LGBTQ community in its attack.

Delta Airlines is in the middle of a huge controversy because recently it announced that it was ending a discount program for National Rifle Association (NRA) members. This action was done because of the recent Florida school shooting and activism by the survivors of that tragedy pushing for gun control laws. The NRA has vehemently opposes this, therefore it and its supporters have been pushing back rather aggressively.  Due to this, Delta and other companies have announced that they are breaking ties with the NRA.

But Delta seems to be getting a large part of the backlash for this announcement, particularly in Georgia. The Lt. Governor of that state, Casey Cagle, threatened to kill legislation giving Delta tax breaks unless it reinstate ties with the NRA.

While there is a serious back-and-forth going on about the legality and ethics of this threat, the Family Research Council has stepped in to attack Delta, making it seem as if the company is bullying Georgia and the NRA by throwing in a little homophobia and "religious liberty."

'Georgia faces danger of Hollywood boycott if anti-gay adoption bill becomes law' & other Tue midday news briefs

Hollywood Stars, Producers Call For Georgia Boycott If Anti-LGBTQ Law Passes - I like the idea of Hollywood boycotting Georgia if this awful bill becomes law. But I wish the media would focus on others who are also calling for a boycott because the religious right will definitely push the "Hollywood weirdos vs. normal folks" angle. This would take away from the real point of the matter which is saying that adoption agencies who use LGBTQ tax dollars shouldn't have the right to discriminate against LGBTQs for any reason. And that there is nothing wrong with a child growing up in a same-sex household.

Why LGBT rights groups are worried about Georgia's Keep Faith in Adoption and Foster Care Act - More about the awful bill in the above news briefs, plus this little point not mentioned in the article - regardless or not this bill is successful, one has to wonder if it's the start of a religious right tactic of keeping our community from fostering and adopting. If this is so, let's call it for what it is. Our opponents would claim that these bills are for the children, but we know that's a lie. It's all about discrimination. The facts are on our side and if this becomes a huge fight, we need to get the narrative on our side, too. 

In a first, openly transgender recruit signs contract for U.S. military - Another reminder that Trump's attempted trans ban is bupkiss. If transgender men and women want to serve in the military, let them.

Hawaii court rules ‘Christian B&B’ can’t use religion as a weapon against gay couples - Another wonderful ruling by the courts. 

What are the challenges for getting gay men at risk of HIV to take PrEP? - One problem is fear of "slut shaming." "Slut shaming" is an awful thing to do because there is nothing wrong with a healthy sexual appetite. Hell, my problem is that I don't get any. 

American Family Association thinks posting one of the '10 Commandments' in schools will reduce gun violence

The American Family Association wants schools to post one of the '10 Commandments' to reduce gun violence.

While the country has been reeling from the latest school shooting (this time, two weeks ago in Florida) and the survivors of the shooting have been leading the charge to demand action about gun control,  the supposed Christian group, the  American Family Association, has been taking a different road in the debate.

When one takes a gander at the articles and columns from its supposed news source, One News Now, about the shooting and the aftermath, it's easy to see whose side AFA is on:

NRA boycott backfiring on dozens of companies

Why school shootings: Not enough God, not enough guns

Cruz blasts Hollywood's gun control hypocrisy

Lott: Let's have fair debate on guns, our laws


Aside from these items, AFA has just sent a fundraising email suggesting an idea to combat the problem of gun violence in our schools. According to the subject of the email, the group claims that "The liberals are gonna hate this great idea!"  ;

American Family Association is asking every school in the country to put this statement on their school marquee or school sign for one week: "You shall not murder." 

While the country is discussing gun control laws, we think our young people should also be reminded that innocent human life is precious. Murder is against the law in every state, and these four words also emphasize that it's morally wrong. 

Schools regularly use words to encourage and discourage behavior. We tell students, "Say no to bullying," "Don’t text and drive," and "Say no to drugs." In light of the increasing violence in our schools, let's send the clear message, "You shall not murder." 

This is the sixth of the Ten Commandments. 

TAKE ACTION 

Add your name to our Open Letter to America's Schools. 

Contact your local school administrators and ask them to post "You shall not murder" on the school marque for one week. 

Share this alert via Twitter and Facebook. Be sure to use Twitter hashtag #Number6. 

Tweet a picture of your school sign using Twitter hashtag #Number6. 

Pray for the families of victims of school violence. 

If our mission resonates with you, please consider supporting our work financially with a tax-deductible donation. The easiest way to do that is through online giving. It is easy to use, and most of all, it is secure.

It's no secret to anyone who knows me or follows this blog that I very much despise the American Family Association for its long history of pushing homophobic propaganda under the guise of being a religious organization.

But I feel safe in assuming that no one will accuse me of bias when I say I hope the AFA is accurate in saying that liberals will hate the idea. In fact, I would venture to say that I hope people with good sense in general hates the idea.

Because it's not a great idea. It's a stupid, shallow, inane idea.

And it is not an adequate substitute for a much-needed debate on gun control as well as violence in our schools? It's ignorantly lazy, totally devoid of any understanding of nuance. It reminds me of a book report given by a lazy child who tries to stretch it to a required word count.

It's not what we need. At all.  And its suggestion underlines just how useless right-wing evangelical groups like the AFA are in situations such as these.

Family Research Council couldn't find any LGBTQ villains, so the hate group created some

The Family Research Council just made an attack against the South Carolina LGBTQ community and I'm not going to play "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farms with the hate group.

From the Family Research Council's Washington Update:

First, the LGBT lobby tried to take away custody from parents. Now, it wants to stop people from becoming parents altogether! That's the goal in South Carolina, where some extremists are trying to shut down a religious adoption service for trying to place kids in Christian homes. 

"For 29 years," attorney Betsy Tanner wrote, "Miracle Hill has gladly served all foster children of any race, national origin, religious beliefs, sex, disability, or political belief. And for 29 years, Miracle Hill has recruited foster families who share its nondenominational Christian religious belief. Miracle Hill has always been clear regarding its religious identity and conviction that all staff -- paid and unpaid -- are followers of Jesus Christ." 

That was never a problem, until last year, when the state's Department of Social Services insisted the organization doesn't have the right to make religious beliefs a requirement of foster parents. That was devastating news to the leaders at Miracle Hill, who had probably watched this controversy play out with other Christian agencies in places like D.C., Illinois, and Massachusetts – and knew the ending wasn't a happy one. Faced with the choice of closing their doors or violating their convictions, Catholic Charities chose the former. 

Fortunately for Miracle Hill, they have an advocate in South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, who's promised to fight for a waiver with federal officials. "The licensing and participation of faith-based entities in the state foster care system is a constitutionally-protected practice," he argued. "It is important that religious organizations not be required to sacrifice the tenets of their faith in order to serve the children of South Carolina." 

For now, Miracle Hill will hold its breath and wait. But they certainly appreciate the governor's support for religious freedom. "I think he'll get a clarification from Washington that our practice is not illegal," CEO Reid Lehman explained. "And then we just ask that the state recognize that as well." Thanks to the Trump administration, there's already a year's worth of precedent defending organizations like Lehman. Maybe eventually, the other side will get the message: fighting the First Amendment is a losing battle!

FRC is telling a two lies with its first paragraph:

First, the LGBT lobby tried to take away custody from parents. 

FRC is, with the help of a link from right-wing fake news source The Federalist, distorting a situation in Ohio in which the grandparents of a transgender boy was awarded custody because his parents did not want him taking hormone therapy. The grandparents supported the child's change of gender, as did the child's medical team.   There was no implied invisible gay lobby attempting to snatch children from parents.  There were only grandparents concerned for the health of their grandchild because his parents's actions were triggering suicidal thoughts in him. And a medical team which wanted the child to receive the therapy as soon as possible so as to decrease his suicidal risks.

Now for the BIG lie:

Now, ("the LGBT lobby'') wants to stop people from becoming parents altogether! That's the goal in South Carolina, where some extremists are trying to shut down a religious adoption service for trying to place kids in Christian homes.

Here is the problem. The article FRC linked and referred to in order to get its information (from The Greenville News) said NOTHING about this being a case of religious liberty vs. the LGBTQ community. In fact, there is nothing in the article about the LGBTQ community.

According to the article, this is the controversy:

In an op-ed delivered to The Greenville News, Betsy Tanner, an Upstate foster parent and adoption attorney, wrote that Miracle Hill has become one of the largest private foster-care providers in the state, supporting families in eight counties.

Currently, she wrote, 161 children receive care in those foster families. Last year 31 of those children achieved permanency when adopted by the families caring for them.

"For 29 years, Miracle Hill has gladly served all foster children of any race, national origin, religious beliefs, sex, disability, or political belief," Tanner wrote. "And for 29 years, Miracle Hill has recruited foster families who share its nondenominational Christian religious beliefs. Miracle Hill has always been clear regarding its religious identity and conviction that all staff — paid and unpaid — are followers of Jesus Christ."
But in 2017, Tanner wrote, the state Department of Social Services began interpreting federal and state regulations to say that Miracle Hill does not have the freedom to require foster families share its religious beliefs.

"Based on this new interpretation, SCDSS has given Miracle Hill 30 days to either abandon its religious convictions or shut down its ministry as a foster child placing agency," Tanner wrote.

And there is NOTHING mentioned about the LGBTQ community in Tanner's op-ed. either .

In other words, neither the South Carolina LGBTQ community nor the LGBTQ community in general have anything to do with the Miracle Hills situation. It's simply a case of a state agency battling an agency which only recruits foster parents sharing its religious beliefs.

It's plain to see that FRC manufactured LGBTQ boogeymen out of thin air for this situation. After all, their supporters need someone to attack and we are always their best targets.

'Mattis to support keeping transgender troops in the military' & other Fri midday news briefs

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis 

Mattis Likely To Support Transgender Military Service - DAMN RIGHT! Sweet! 

Slew of state and local bills are targeting LGBTQ people - We are the straw which stirs the drink. Bring. It. On. 

White Evangelicals, This is Why People Are Through With You - This was posted last month but it speaks a basic truth which should be constantly repeated.

Republicans are trying to pass a bill that would stop same-sex couples adopting in Georgia - Apparently we aren't done as of yet in Georgia.

Black Panther and the Promise of a Queer-Affirming Africa - You really didn't think us African-American queer folks would be left out of the excitement over Black Panther, did you?

Family Research Council blames immorality for shootings, doesn't say a word about those 'mulligans,' though

FRC's Tony Perkins

Family Research Council president Tony Perkins claims to know  what is to blame for the tragic school shooting last week in Florida:

Torn apart by grief and rage, Americans are frantic to know why our nation is unraveling in one act of violence after another. "We're done with thoughts and prayers!" an angry man shouted at a Colorado townhall, when Rep. Mike Coffman (R) asked for a moment of silence for Parkland. But isn't that the problem? Too many schools and colleges are done with prayer. They've been so busy kicking God out (and his standards) that they haven't noticed what's coming in. Every moral vacuum is filled with something. And maybe it's time we stepped back as a nation and take a long hard look at what those things are and how they're impacting our culture. Violence, relativism, promiscuity, and suicide didn't get their start when God was expelled from school. But they've certainly been given a culture in which to thrive now that we've removed the Judeo-Christian foundation that anchored the country.

Donald Trump's opponents are scratching their heads over these shootings, saying, "We've got to control the instruments of the violence." No, what we have to do is impact the hearts and minds of children and let them know their lives have meaning. "It had to have broken Billy Graham's heart," Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) told me on radio yesterday, "to see our nation get to the point where we refuse to teach morality, we refuse to teach right or wrong. The two-parent home has come under attack and been destroyed. And really, I've given this a lot of thought. When you get rid of teaching morality, when you destroy the foundational home that's been the foundation for every civilization, then if you want to stay safe, you're gonna have to give up all of your constitutional rights -- at least most of them."

Since Perkins is going all "Carrie Nation" on morality, I wonder how he feels about supposed Christian groups giving a corrupt and incompetent political leader a free pass on his bad behavior simply because he is giving them more power and influence?

Donald Trump is still the answer to many conservative evangelical leaders’ prayers. Or at least to their continuing grievances. They embrace Trump the policymaker, despite being uneasy about Trump as a man, says Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, a prominent evangelical activist group.  

 Perkins knows about Stormy Daniels, the porn actress who claimed, in a 2011 interview, that in 2006 she had sex with Trump four months after his wife, Melania, gave birth to their son, Barron. He knows of the reports that Daniels (real name: Stephanie Clifford) was paid off to keep the affair quiet in the waning weeks of the 2016 election. He knows about the cursing, the lewdness and the litany of questionable behavior over the past year of Trump’s life or the 70 that came before it.  

 “We kind of gave him—‘All right, you get a mulligan. You get a do-over here,’” Perkins told me in an interview for the latest episode of POLITICO’s Off Message podcast.

Never mind.

But please remember that Perkins is totally aware of the hypocrisy behind his positions here. And he simply doesn't care.  Whatever the solution may be to the problem in America with guns, shooting, and anger, it's one which we will not reach if we allow people like Perkins and groups like the Family Research Council to be the arbiters of our moral principles. They seem to think one can turn morality on and off as if it were a light bulb.

''Defiantly different' 10-yr old reminds us not to forget about our LGBTQ children' & other Thur midday news briefs

Meet The ‘Defiantly Different’ 10-Year-Old Set To Steal The Show At NYC Pride - Some folks - even some on our side of the spectrum - will probably disagree, but I'm not changing my mind. Children are coming out at younger ages and androgynous children exist. We need to accept this and deal with it in a way in which they are embraced and supported. Period.

No recommendation from Mattis yet on trans military service - Come on, Mattis. Get off your butt.

Outspoken Parkland Survivor Emma González is President of School’s Gay-Straight Alliance - Let's not forget that LGBTQ children were also affected by that awful Florida tragedy.

Before Moonlight: 10 films that celebrate the African American LGBT experience - Sweet!

"Queer Eye" Is The Most Empowering And Positive Show On TV Right Now - I didn't particularly care for the earlier version, but this one looks like a real winner.

Black History is LGBTQ History & LGBTQ History is Black History

When some naysayers ask me why do I demand respect for famous LGBTQs of color during Black History Month, my answer is simple:

"I'm like Glenn Close in 'Fatal Attraction.' I will NOT be ignored."

The following videos are simple reminders that the LGBTQ and the African-American communities are more intertwined than folks like to admit.

And another video because transgender African-Americans don't really get their due. I love this video because it includes some contemporary people, including some very good friends of mine (yes, I'm name-droppping):

'New junk science narrative attacks transgender children' & other Wed midday news briefs

'Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria' Is Biased Junk Science - Some things never change, unfortunately. They used to go all out in their usage of junk science to smear gay men as unhealthy pedophiles. Now the same crowd is attacking the transgender community (particularly transgender children) using the same tactics. Sorry folks. We are hip and this mess ain't gonna play.

These Transgender Children Say They’re Thriving. They Want to Help Others Do the Same. - Instead of a junk science study, check this out. It's not by accident that the anti-LGBTQ industry tries to drown out the voices of our community, particularly our kids. 

Starkville denies request for LGBT pride parade - Yes, unfortunately this is in America. Some folks have forgotten that this IS America apparently. 

  ‘Queer Eye’ Emotionally Reflects On The Unique Challenges Black Gay Men Face - People often forget the challenges of us who have "multiple marginalized" identities. Apparently we are born playing baseball and folks seem to think we already have two strikes against us. 

Time to 'shine a light' and ban conversion therapies - experts - Damn right! 'Ex-gay' therapy is fraudulent and dangerous. It should be totally banned.

Why do anti-LGBTQ activists talk so much about gay sex?

From Right-Wing Watch comes a video which demonstrates a basic truth with the religious right  In it, anti-LGBTQ activist Gordon Klingenschmitt tries to justify business discriminate against the LGBTQ community. That's how he started. Watch how quickly he moves to talking about an orgy.

If your stomach can handle it, take a gander at videos or literature coming from people like Klingenschmitt. The speed in which they move to speculating about gay sex is mind-boggling. And annoying. Debates about LGBTQ equality should be way more intelligent than breaking it down to fevered sexual images. But that's pretty much the only thing that many of these folks have.

SC Republicans launch ridiculous, idiotic, laughably bad plan to undermine marriage equality' & other Tue midday news briefs

South Carolina Republicans want ‘parody marriages’ to circumvent marriage equality - No! No! No! Exhibit A on why it is so difficult for LGBTQ activists, bloggers, etc who operate in SC to be taken seriously. We are on the cutting edge but still have to deal with these folks. What part of "The Supreme Court already settled the issue of marriage equality. You lost. Get over it." don't they understand?

Lambda Legal Sues HHS after Lesbian Couple Blocked from Serving as Foster Parents - And here we go. A taxpayer funded program turns away this couple. Good luck to them because our community pays taxes too and we can provide good homes for children. We shouldn't have to deal with such blatant disrespect. 

Daniela Vega set to make history as the first openly trans person to present an Oscar - Not bad. Let's also work on nominations and winning. 

Gay comedian goes on rant about body shaming in the gay community - Preach!!!!! 

Religious freedom laws are ‘harming LGBT people,’ says Human Rights Watch - Folks in the media never seem to get to the gist of this problem - 'Religious freedom laws" are never about "religious freedom." They are simply the new tactic to undermine the LGBTQ community.

Trump Administration creating havoc for LGBTQ-friendly policies at health agency

Trump claimed that he would fight for the LGBTQ community, but that turns out not to be true.

Politico has just published a very detailed article which should be shared and remembered.In spite of Trump saying that if elected, he would fight for the LGBTQ community, his Administration has been steadily and meticulously dismantling policies at the nation's health department which would benefit us, our family, and our children. And this dismantling is negatively affecting LGBTQs who work there.

Instead of saying "well we already know this," the LGBTQ community should ask just who is leading Trump in this direction and when we find out who it is, we should direct all attention and vehemence to those individuals and groups. But let's not leave Trump out because you know we shouldn't forget about him either:

. . .upon taking office last year, the Trump administration swiftly froze a series of LGBT-friendly rules, including proposed new regulations to further ban discrimination in Medicare and Medicaid. A regulation that would have allowed transgender HHS staff more protections when using the department's bathrooms and other facilities also was ignored. 

"It was signed and technically finished on Jan. 19, 2017, but not posted online," said one staffer. "And the new administration considered it unpublished and pulled it back." 

The Trump administration also reinterpreted the ACA's Section 1557 anti-discrimination mandate, with the White House declining to fight a court battle to enforce it and signaling that it would roll back the rule. The health agency's new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division, which POLITICO first reported last month, is expected to offer greater protections for health care workers who do not wish to treat LGBT patients.

The article also points out how the Trump Administration has appointed appointed anti-LGBTQ activists in key positions and this has caused serious problems with gay employees at HHS:

Career staff say that, regardless of what agency leaders believe or maintain now, their past comments on LGBT priorities have been widely passed around the 80,000-person department. "I photocopied them and left them in the cafeteria," said one staffer. "It's important for people to know these are the leaders they work for." 

It's also fostered a climate where six staffers who are LGBT described removing their wedding rings before coming to work in the morning, taking down photos of their partners and families or ultimately finding new jobs further away from certain political appointees. They did not want to be identified; two said they feared being reassigned for being gay.

Family Research Council more 'shocked' than truthful about case of trans child

The following is a classic case in how anti-LGBTQ hate group the Family Research Council relies on distortions and omissions to denigrate our community, even in situations in which the health of our kids are involved.

From FRC president Tony Perkins recent edition of its Washington Update:

This week, a shocking story hit the national news about an Ohio teenager who was removed from her parents' home by authorities. Why? Because they didn't support their daughter's decision to identify as a boy and declined to authorize hormone therapy to facilitate her gender "transition." Today, the story broke that Juvenile Court Judge Sylvia Hendon has permanently removed the child from her parents' custody (despite the fact that the child is already 17 and would be able to make medical decisions for herself in less than a year).

What's especially alarming is that a lawyer representing the child -- as well as Donald Clancy of the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office -- cited the parents' religious beliefs as an argument for robbing them of their rights! The mom and dad are being criticized for seeking out a Christian therapist for their daughter and for daring to send her to Catholic school. Even so, the parents were clear that their stance on the gender transition wasn't motivated on faith alone. After all, they pointed out, they'd had lengthy consultations with medical professions and did hours of research on their own. Only then did they come to the conclusion that "this is not in their child's best interest." (The American College of Pediatricians -- not to be confused with the more "politically correct" American Academy of Pediatrics -- agrees.)

For years, LGBT activists have scoffed at warnings from FRC and others that the radical LGBT movement poses a threat to personal and religious freedom. In the past, the Left directed most of its attacks on religious expression in the public square, doing everything it could to restrict faith to the four walls of your house or church. Now, even that tolerance is tumbling down.

Here are some very important pieces of information that FRC omitted from the story:

1. The grandparents of the child are suing his parents for custody because they support his gender identity. So implying that "gay activists" and "the Left" are attempting to steal this child is simply false.

2. The situation had been called one of "life or death"

Medical experts testified that the father's ongoing refusal to call the child by his chosen name and the parents' rejection of the teen's gender identity have triggered suicidal feelings. The teen was hospitalized in 2016. He has been diagnosed with depression, an anxiety disorder and gender dysphoria, according to court records. Gender dysphoria is a psychiatric diagnosis the American Psychiatric Association defines as "a conflict between a person's physical or assigned gender and the gender with which he/she/they identify." 

 . . .The teen's court-appointed guardian believes that the grandparents, not the parents, should have custody and says they are best suited to help the child. The medical team from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, where the child had been in treatment, testified that the teen is improving mentally and emotionally through therapy and because his grandparents have created a supportive environment. However, they believe the teen should start treatment as soon as possible to decrease his suicide risk.

Last but not least, the organization cited by FRC, The American College of Pediatricians, is an illegitimate medical group. It, like FRC, is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center because it spreads homophobic propaganda under a scientific veneer.

The facts here are very clear. This is a case of  transgender child's health and safety being jeopardized by his parents. And we know this because experts in the matter - health officials - say so.

In contrast, FRC is interjecting itself into the case with absolutely no expertise in the matter and touting statements from a phony medical group who doesn't have the credibility to prescribe cough medicine, to say nothing about commenting on this particular situation at hand.

FRC should butt out and leave the case to the people who know what they are doing and actually care about this child and his family.

'Trump's court pick once called marriage equality 'an assault against nature'' & other Friday midday news briefs

Trump just did the LGBTQ community dirty yet again.

Oh Look, Another One Of Trump’s Court Picks Is Really Anti-Gay - Let's be honest. Franklin Graham, the Family Research Council, and that bunch could care less about Trump's so-called moral behavior. They only say that crap when it comes folks who they can't use. As long as Trump gives them things like anti-LGBTQ court picks, they will turn a blind eye and deaf ear to his many faults.

Daily Mail columnist Richard Littlejohn attacks Tom Daley, gay parents: ‘Pass the sick bag’ - Who is this nasty SOB?

Hate group Family Research Council awards Congresswoman who waged war against transgender troops - My post from last night. 

'I can't tone it down': Olympic skater Adam Rippon speaks out for young LGBT Americans - When some heterosexuals tell LGBTQs to "tone it down," they usually mean "stop breathing. stop existing."

South Dakota shelves novel bill targeting transgender kids - Good.

Hate group Family Research Council awards Congresswoman who waged war against transgender troops

FRC president Tony Perkins (right) and Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (left).

The anti-LGBTQ hate group Family Research Council would have you to believe that the above picture is one which celebrates honorable actions from Congressional leaders. FRC president Tony Perkins (right) is posing with Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) while he is presenting her with what is called a "True Blue" Award.

According to Perkins:

Despite some disappointments along the way, there's plenty to be happy about with the 115th Congress. Republicans, who had the benefit of working with a president with one of the most conservative agendas in history, had plenty to show for Donald Trump's first year -- especially on the issues that matter most. For almost two decades, FRC Action has honored the men and women in the House and Senate who've stood strongest on faith, family, and freedom. This year, in a testament to the White House's productivity on values issues, we're proud to announce that this year's "True Blue" award went to a record-high 245 Members of Congress, who all scored a perfect 100 percent on our scorecard.

 . . .This year, FRC Action scored votes on: 

 No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion
 Disapproval of Obama's Title X Rule
Obamacare Repeal and Replace
Confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court
Defense Department Transgender Sexual Reassignment
Funding D.C. Budget Autonomy
D.C. Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment
Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act
Independent Payment Advisory (Rationing) Board Repeal
Confirmation of Amy Barrett to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
Tax Cuts & Jobs Act

My guess is when it comes to Hartlzer, FRC made sure she got an award for going above and beyond the call of duty when it came to getting their agenda passed in Congress. You see, Hartzler took a lead role in defending Trump's failed attempt to ban transgender men and women from serving in the military.

It was she who reportedly pressured Trump for weeks to make his abominable decision to ban transgender troops.

It was she who last year pushed for a controversial amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act which would have banned the Pentagon from funding gender reassignment surgeries for service members. The amendment failed when 24 Republicans joined the Democrats to vote against it.

Finally, it was Hartzler who pushed inaccurate statistics to falsely claim that it was too costly for transgender men and women to serve in the military.

Hartzler deserves some type of award for her actions, for sure. But I don't think the award should have anything to do with "faith," "family," and especially not "freedom" when one takes into account how she treated those who fought for her freedom.

'Transphobic propaganda being pushed as a pro-trans resource' & other Thur midday news brief

This piece of transphobic trashy propaganda is being passed along as a pro-transgender resource. Watch out for it.

‘Extremely damaging’ school pamphlet on transgender children slammed by LGBT groups - Probably coming to America or already here - a pamphlet which looks like a pro-transgender resource of information, but actually a well-paid-for piece of transphobic propaganda. YET another tactic used against gays in the past retooled to attack the transgender community. Watch out for it.

Colorado Republicans vote to strip funding from civil rights body for enforcing LGBT rights - Members of the Colorado GOP strip the funding from the Colorado Civil Rights Commission because it had the "nerve" to decide that LGBTQ rights shouldn't be diminished because of the "religious liberty" excuse. It's all about who you put in office, people.

Donald Trump’s new budget will see over $1 billion slashed from HIV/AIDS programs - This here is some nasty bullshyte on the part of Trump.

How much anal sex are gay men really having (and what position do they prefer)? - Some folks may think this is a frivolous article but it's not when you consider that central hallmark of religious right propaganda against the LGBTQ community is about gay men and anal sex, i.e. falsely labeling anal sex as "gay behavior." 

Lena Waithe’s Comedy, Centered On A Queer Black Woman, Is Coming To TBS - Yes! A thousand times YES! 

Peter LaBarbera Is Not Happy With Adam Rippon Coverage: ‘The Media Are Obsessed With Homosexuality’ - To 'Porn' Pete LaBarbera, the only good gay is a self-hating, suicidal, oversexed, disease ridden one. Get over yourself, Petey dear.

Right-wing evangelicals interrupt defense of Mike Pence's faith to attack Obama's faith

Right-wing evangelicals seem to have lies about Obama programmed in their heads.

The right-wing evangelicals of America are having another "everyone hates us because we love Jesus" pity party today. This one has to do with comments The View's Joy Behar made about Mike Pence's so-called Christian faith.

I'm not even going to try to explain this mess. I will just say that folks on that side of the political spectrum again figuratively drowned themselves with magnums of salty tears squeezed from pools of self-pity. It's another way in which they  stroke their own egos by pretending to be God's chosen people in so-called sinful, demonic, homosexual ridden world. And of course they hoisted the guest of honor in their pity part, Mike Pence, on a throne of thorns, proclaiming him as the martyr of hostility to the "Christian" community, either ignorant of indifferent to the fact that if there were truly any growing hostility it would be in reaction to them thinking that they (right-wing, evangelical, predominantly white) are the only "true Christians" in America.

Case in point is an article via the American Family Association's fake news source, One News Now, chronicling the situation between Behar and Pence. Those who are familiar with One News Now  already know that the article will be ridiculously one-sided. It's the comments which are golden. A certain individual (yours truly) made the strategic point to remind folks that it wasn't long ago that some of them attacked Obama's faith:

Your criticism of Behar may be warranted but I think there is an intentional decision to give this non-issue more attention than it deserves. Also, I can remember when a lot of folks upset over this didn't give Obama his respect when he spoke of his Christian faith.


Who knew that right-wing evangelical Christians could sprout fangs so quickly?

'Anti-LGBTQ hate groups feud with each other over CPAC attendance' & other Wed midday news briefs

Imagine the group which published this monstrosity of lies being deemed too homophobic to attend a conservative conference.

Anti-LGBTQ Group MassResistance Says It’s Been Banned From CPAC - This is rich. Vile anti-LGBTQ hate group Mass Resistance says it has been banned from having a table at the yearly conservative gathering CPAC because it has been deemed too homophobic. It gets better. Mass Resistance claims that it was backstabbed by other groups, including another anti-LGBT hate group the Family Research Council. Meanwhile, 'Porno' Pete LaBarbera who leads another anti-LGBTQ hate group - Americans for Truth About Homosexuality - is adding his less than two cents into this argument by taking Mass Resistance's side. I don't know about you, but to me the idea of triple spontaneous combustion would be rather nice right now.

Related - Here is some information as to why the Southern Poverty Law Center considers Mass Resistance, the Family Research Council, and Americans for Truth about Homosexuality  to be 'hate groups.'

3 years after diagnosis, this transgender inmate will finally receive the medical care she deserves - Sorry if anyone disagrees but transgender inmates should have their medical care. It is a health issue.

Donald Trump Jr. Attacks Olympian Adam Rippon On Twitter - Sit your ass down, Jr.

Young queer Africans take a stand - Good for them! 

How anti-gay researcher Mark Regnerus is duping liberal media on ‘Cheap Sex’ - Look who's back. Ugh!

Randy Rainbow again comes for Donald Trump with brutal song parody of latest scandal

Randy Rainbow leads me to realize that some stereotypes about gay men aren't all that bad. Like for instance the absolute brutal way we can verbally put certain people in their place.

Certain people like Donald Trump in view of yet another scandal in his Administration, this one involving two aides who were recently dismissed after accusations of spousal abuse were lodged against them.

'Court to decide custody battle between parents, grandparents of trans child' & other Tue midday news briefs

Parents want custody to stop transgender teen having hormone treatment - An Ohio court will rule on this case and I hope it rules for the grandparents who supports this child's gender identity. From  the witnesses and sources  - including the teen's court appointed guardian AND a hospital medical team - the hormone treatment is the best thing in this case. 

Trans School Principal Goes Public - It's easy to forget the lives of transgender people when there is more of a focus on treating them as an invading horde. Stories like this are hated by the religious right.

Bisexual ice skater Ireen Wüst has become the most decorated LGBTQ Olympian of all time - Alright, girlfriend! 

Malaysian Newspaper Slammed For ‘How To Spot A Gay’ List - Hmmmmm.

NOM Claims It Played ‘A Significant Behind-The-Scenes Role’ In Bermuda’s Marriage Equality Repeal - Odious if not true. A bit scary if true.