Did Trump shut down HIV cure study to appease religious right stance on fetal tissue?

Trump has done the LGBTQ community dirty again.

Editor's note - my apology for no news briefs today. Had to take care of some internal blogging issues.

According to LGBTQNation:

Scientists are speaking out against a directive by the Trump administration that has shut down research into a cure for HIV. 

A scientist who was supposed to supply mice that have been modified with human fetal tissue for an HIV study emailed researchers that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “has directed me to discontinue procuring fetal tissue.” 

“This effectively stops all of our research to discover a cure for HIV,” he wrote.
A “pause” on research that uses aborted fetal tissue, something Christian conservatives strongly oppose, was announced by the Trump administration this past September. The move will affect numerous biomedical research programs. 

Congressional Republicans have tried to ban all fetal tissue research for years to appease the religious right. 85 Republican House members wrote a letter to the head of the FDA asking for a ban on fetal tissue research shortly before the “pause” was announced.

The entire article should be read and remembered. When the walls do finally coming crashing in on Trump's time in the White House, we really need to make sure that the religious right is somewhere very close in the vicinity.

Celebrities who came out in 2018

With all due respect, I have no patience with those who whine about what's with making a big deal when a celebrity comes out of the closet. I'm too busy thinking of the wasted time I had being fearful of coming out, the relationships I missed, or the dances, semi-formals, and dates I could have had if I had been a bit more courageous.

 I say "hush and let those of us who know what it's all about enjoy it." Granted the list above probably isn't as thorough as it should be, but it's a start of something me and mine wish for - a time when we won't be needing videos like this because coming out will be no big deal. Because there will be no risk.

'Kevin Hart controversy perfect time for debate about homophobia in black community' & other Fri midday news briefs

Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart Says He’s Stepped Down From Oscar Hosting Gig Amid Controversy Over Old Tweets - It's the BIG controversy and folks are divided. However, I have something to say a bit different but equally important:

I don't feel comfortable with old tweets and the like being dug up to smear someone or throw dirt on their success. It strikes me as petty and ugly. But I am more disappointed how folks - particularly the black community - are not taking advantage of this situation to discuss homophobia in the black community. I refuse to believe that the black community is more homophobic than other communities, but there are aspects of bigotry within which get ignored.  There is the threat of physical violence, which is present in every community. But indigenous to the black community are covert nuances.  If the situation encompassed white people, everyone's mindset would be about LGBTQs  Hart made those jokes about, particularly the part about him not wanting a gay child. But since it involves black folks, no one seems to notice or care to talk about the specific damage Kevin Hart and those defending him are doing to black gay youth.

From the words and tweets of some folks in the black community defending Kevin Hart, not only are black gay youth being told that wishes against their existence are mere jokes but also defending those making these statements is necessary. And one of the reasons is the problem of racism. Any dig against Hart is a dig against a successful black man from the larger oppressive system, even if the dig began because the black man downed his own people. This is simply because some in the black community refuse to see LGBTQs of color as a vital part of the community in general, except for in ways they define us. And this definition entails an erasure or minimization of our LGBTQ identities.

Some black brothers and sisters are our best friends and claim to have "no problem" with us, until we challenge their notions and beliefs about gender roles and sexuality in the black community. They especially get angry when we demand the respect we are due as LGBTQs of color instead of "black people who just happen to be gay or whatever."

Sister: Step-dad killed 'gay' boy, 10, by dropping him on his head 10 times - Another aspect is this. Some parents are in fact very determined not to have gay children. 

Virginia school fires teacher for not respecting a transgender student - unfortunately this isn't the last we will probably here of this from the religious right. but unlike other situations, the LGBTQ community is on top of this so we will be able to meet whatever distortions groups like the Family Research Council will spin about it. And of course they have already started.  

Janelle Monáe’s Powerful Response To Grammys Nomination For Album Of The Year - Let's end these news briefs on a happy note. My sister, my sister! Congratulations my sister!

'Trump's Favorite Things' - Randy Rainbow brutally satirizes Trump again

For all the garbage from Trump and his supporters say about him being a "counter puncher," I've noticed that one person he doesn't dare mix with is Randy Rainbow. And Randy Rainbow has been wrecking him with brilliant satirical songs ever since he came into office. Such as this newest one.

Of course this probably means that Trump isn't as dumb as he is letting on. If he took on Randy Rainbow in a war of words, he would probably end up figuratively flat on his back as soon as it began.

'Anti-LGBTQ industry angry over re-evaluation of flawed anti-trans study' & other Thur midday news briefs

Anti-LGBTQ media and groups have been crying "censorship" as flawed research on trans teens is re-evaluated - Someone came out with a flawed anti-transgender study on teens. A lot of us broke down the flaws (it relied on studies from anti-trans websites), causing the study to be re-evaluated AND members of the anti-LGBTQ industry are whining about "censorship." Awww poor babies. You mad? Stay mad! 

Indiana school banned Gay-Straight Alliance from saying ‘gay’ and ‘LGBT’ - How about "superior awesome folks?" Seriously though thank you ACLU for filing this lawsuit and standing up for our LGBTQ kids.

 'Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters' chosen for inclusion in The Advocate 'Best of 2018' - The post from this morning which I am spotlighting again because it's SUCH wonderful news for this blog. However I will not shy from doing the work which makes this blog a success. No celebration free day today (although I will be listening to Beyonce's 'Formation' from time to time).  

A man who helped kidnap a lesbian’s daughter blames it all on Obama - AND he is going to jail. I haven't forgotten about this tragedy of a case. And the mother still hasn't been reunited with her daughter.

'Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters' chosen for inclusion in The Advocate 'Best of 2018'

When I began this blog in 2006, I simply wanted to call attention to how the anti-LGBTQ industry was harming the LGBTQ community with their usage of lies, junk science, and cherry-picked science.

I never thought that it would receive a great amount of success and attention both nationally and internationally. I never thought that it would even reach one million hits, to say nothing of over six million. I never thought it would receive a GLAAD Media Award out of three nominations.

And I certainly never expected this honor:

Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters was chosen for inclusion

 in 'Best of 2018' issue of The Advocate.

I feel blessed whenever all of the hard work put into this blog is recognized. I feel equally blessed because of all of the support I've received over the years from all of you. For that, I say THANK YOU.

This blog is a work created out of anger, frustration, righteous indignation, and lots of tears. Its origins are from many locales, including my childhood, the loneliness of my dorm room and fraternity house at Winthrop University, and especially the Harriet Hancock Community Center here in Columbia, SC

But the work continues. It always does.

 It's my hope that every honor and accolade gives this blog and its focus much needed attention. There is a war going on against LGBTQ equality and it has been for several decades now. Via a facade of religion, evangelical right-wing organizations and personalities have pitted the LGBTQ community and heterosexual people of all faiths against one another by exploiting the Bible, egos, stereotypes, fears, and prejudices.

While claiming to be the preservers of faith, groups like the Family Research Council, the Alliance Defending Freedom, the Heritage Foundation, the American Family Association, etc have freely pushed propaganda making it seem that the LGBTQ community is evil and unhealthy, that we aren't deserving of equality, that we constantly plot to destroy religion, and recruit children.

And it is a lie which needs to be addressed, called out, and picked apart for the nonsense that it is. That's what this blog has done for over 12 years. And that is what this blog will continue to do.

To the right are several of my best posts (The Best of Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters Parts1 and 2) over the years detailing and refuting anti-LGBTQ propaganda. They are a cornucopia of information about anti-LGBTQ hate groups, religious right organizations, and their homophobic propaganda.

In addition, check out 'How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America.'  It's a free online booklet I published in 2013.


The 'Best of 2018' issue of The Advocate should be out already.  Buy a copy and check out The Advocate online.

Trump Administration refuses to release any information, records about 'religious liberty' task force

The Trump Administration has so many controversies and scandals that it's difficult to keep a count of them all. But the LGBTQ community should recognize the following controversy as one which could reap benefits if we make enough noise about it.

From MetroWeekly:

The Trump administration has refused to release information or records related to its “Religious Liberty Task Force” in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by BuzzFeed News.

The task force, announced in August, was created by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to address religious liberty issues, who argued there was a “dangerous movement” threatening people of faith in this country.

Members of the task force, or advisors to it, are believed to include figures or prominent organizations from within the religious right, including several that oppose LGBTQ rights.

 . . .  Since the announcement of the task force, BuzzFeed and other news outlets have sought information on which groups will be included in the task force or consulted as it attempts to craft certain policies or legislations. But the Trump administration has refused to identify those groups that are serving in an advisory role.

 . . .  And the task force’s actions are under particular scrutiny since the resignation of Sessions, who served as its chair, and the appointment of interim Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, who has his own history of anti-LGBTQ statements and activism.

The LGBTQ community is not naive. We know that this bogus task force is merely another way for Trump to stay on the good side of the Family Research Council, the Alliance Defending Freedom, and other anti-LGBTQ religious conservatives and personalities.  And particularly in light of the news that former ADF spokesperson Kerri Kupec will now serve as spokesperson at the Justice Department, the Trump Administration's attempt to keep secret any information about the task force is a question we should be loudly demanding an answer about.

'Holidays can be painful for LGBTQ kids' & other Wed midday news briefs

The holidays can be painful for LGBTQ children and teens - An unfortunate facet of homophobia. While the religious right spooks, fundraises, and scares about some 'War on Christmas' mess, their actions and instigations have helped to create a season of sadness for our LGBTQ kids. 

D.C. may soon have America’s toughest conversion therapy ban - Sweet! 

Why the Religious Right Hates Target - Cause Target is too inclusive and nothing raises funds better than some lie about women and children being threatened.

Queer Catholics Condemn Pope’s Claim That Being Gay Has Become ‘Fashionable’ - Give him hell, y'all!  

PETA criticized for comparing ‘anti-animal language’ to homophobia, racism - Come on, PETA. This here is some bullshyte.

How much were anti-LGBTQ religious evangelicals up Trump's tookis? This much.

Trump as president will be seen by history as an incompetent disaster. You cannot sugarcoat this fact. And whether America's greatest nightmare will be ended by the Russian investigation, plain resignation, loss in re-election or after serving two terms (God help us), I have a hard time believing that nothing Trump does in the future will redeem him.

With that in mind, I have a serious concern because I know that regardless of how it all ends, our community will not take advantage of the perfect opportunity engage in righteous pettiness against those anti-LGBTQ evangelicals.. And that would be a serious shame because whatever path of embarrassment and ruination Trump goes down, they deserve to follow. These right-wing conservative evangelicals supported him as if he were the Second Coming.

And by supporting him, I mean showering him with syrupy pandering praise for every move they benefited from. In addition, and most importantly, they made excuses for him for just about every lie he told, ugly slurs he uttered, or downright cruel or boneheaded decisions he engaged in - and there were a lot. And when they couldn't make excuses for him, they did the "exit stage left" disappearance, i.e. kept a  very low profile so they wouldn't be noticed and asked about his behavior. It was all for the access and power he gave them

So from time to time, I am going to take it upon myself to post reminders of  right-wing conservative evangelicals abandoning the status they like to anoint themselves as religious voices of conscience and opting to dig far up Trump's tookis.

Like so:

'Powerful testimonials tell of being forced to go through 'ex-gay' therapy' & other Tue midday news briefs

Can't Be Converted: Child Abuse in Utah - The Advocate magazine is running a series of testimonials from folks who were forced to go through "ex-gay" or "conversion therapy" in states where it remains legal to be forced on minors. The series, "Can't Be Converted" is powerful stuff. The one spotlit today is from a young lady who was forced to undergo this fraudulent therapy at age 15 when her parents discovered she had a girlfriend. 

Ryan Murphy has a multi-million dollar plan to vote out anti-LGBTQ politicians - I'm all for this but don't be telling everybody. Have some "super villain realness." You think Lex Luthor brags about his plans? 

This woman is suing a Florida prison for thinking she was transgender instead of menopausal - This incident makes me doubly sick. The fact that it happened to her at all is awful enough. But the fact that if she  were transgender, a lot of folks crying foul about the abuse she suffered probably would not care.

Gay cadet discharged after diagnosis fights military HIV ban - Good for him! 

A college football coach of the year recruited openly gay player while others got cold feet - Wow! Not bad at all. A winning player is a winning player.

Judge to Trump Administration's request to lift ruling blocking trans ban - Nope. Sorry. It's not going to happen

Trump Administration can't catch a break in attempt to block trans men & women from military service

When it comes to his ridiculous attempt to ban transgender men and women from serving in the military, Donald Trump keeps striking out. His latest swing-and-a-miss took place Friday.

From The Advocate:

A federal judge Friday refused to reverse or limit her ruling blocking enforcement of Donald Trump’s ban on military service by transgender people.

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said the Trump administration, which asked for her injunction against the ban to be lifted, had not proved the government would suffer irreparable harm if the injunction stayed in place, The Hill reports.

Kollar-Kotelly had issued the injunction in October 2017, blocking the ban while a lawsuit against it was heard. Three other federal judges have issued injunctions in the other suits filed against the ban.

“The government had asked for a stay pending any potential, future proceedings in the Supreme Court,” The Hill reports. The administration has asked the high court to hear its appeal of judges’ orders blocking the ban, even before federal appellate courts had weighed in.

“Without supporting evidence, defendants’ bare assertion that the Court’s injunction poses a threat to military readiness is insufficient to overcome the public interest in ensuring that the government does not engage in unconstitutional and discriminatory conduct,” Kollar-Kotelly wrote.

'George H.W. Bush wasn't much of a hero to the LGBTQ community during his presidency' & other Mon midday news briefs

George H.W. Bush wasn't much a hero to the LGBTQ community during his presidency.

George H. W. Bush blew GOP’s last chance to abandon anti-LGBTQ extremism - President George H.W. Bush died last weekend and while I said be nice, I didn't say lie about his history in regards to LGBTQ equality. You can be nice and truthful at the same time. He was a good man to many people and his family loved him. But he wasn't as much of a hero as he COULD have been to the LGBTQ community.  

The Media Is Erasing George H.W. Bush’s Catastrophic Harm To LGBTQ People - Michelangelo Signorile breaks it down. 

 The HIV Epidemic Won’t End Until We Address Health Disparities In Communities Of Color - Point blank, amen.

 Anti-LGBTQ pediatrician was called out in 2017 for error-filled post on transgender community - Post from last night. The targets of the anti-LGBTQ industry may change, but the tactics and lies don't. Neither do the condemnations when they are caught lying.
 

Lesbian couple made to quit jobs for being ‘too gay’ - So much mess the LGBTQ community continues to fight against. 
 

 Pope Francis says gay life has become ‘fashionable’ and is hurting the Catholic Church - Really? Don't blame us for fallacies in the Catholic church.

Anti-LGBTQ pediatrician was called out in 2017 for error-filled post on transgender community

Dr. Michell Cretella was called out in 2017 for an error-filled attack on the transgender community

Just in case folks haven't noticed, there has been certain shift of attacks from the anti-LGBTQ industry. Seeing that they lost the marriage equality, they have taken on two new directions. One is to portray themselves as defenders of "religious liberty."

The other is to make the transgender community the scapegoat of their attacks. Just about every argument the anti-LGBTQ industry have used to demonize gay men as harmful to children and unhealthy have been slightly altered to focus on the trans community.

But with the shift comes the same thing which plagued them when they were making gay men scapegoats - they distort scientific information and get called out on it. The following incident from July 2017 (I apologize extremely for the lateness of me documenting the situation) proves my point. It involves Dr. Michelle Cretella. Cretella is the president of the American College of Pediatricians, an organization recently deemed a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for how it attempts to legitimatize anti-LGBTQ lies under the veneer of science.

Cretella attacked the transgender community in a piece entitled “I’m a Pediatrician. How Transgender Ideology Has Infiltrated My Field and Produced Large-Scale Child Abuse”. But she was quickly called out by the The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine  (SAHM).

'Video catches school officials harassing trans student while she was using the restroom' & other Fri midday news briefs

This is result of anti-trans hysteria promoted by groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom - Minnesota school staff breaking open a bathroom stall door simply because a trans student  is occupying it.

Trans student films being harassed while in school bathroom stall - I had to calm myself down so I can write this without swearing. I will say this - at press time, this is the situation (the facts may or may not change) in the same time period the anti-LGBTQ hate group the Alliance Defending Freedom is publishing bullshyte op-eds in the USA Today pushing false assertions about transgender students using school restrooms (claiming that they violate privacy of other students), we got a real incident in Minnesota about an underage transgender girl being humiliated simply because she was using the restroom at school. The stall door was shut and locked. But they jimmied it open. I am willing to bet you that all of this hysteria over trans students using public school restrooms was NOT started because they were using restrooms, but because groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Family Research Council spooked people with their lies about "transgender predators."

School officials caught on video busting into bathroom stall with trans girl inside - LGBTQNation covers the situation WITH the tweet.

 Fox News continues to provide a safe space for extreme anti-LGBTQ group ADF - on the risk of sounding hysterical, ADF knows exactly that situations like the above can happen because of them. It's additional chaos which their nonsense causes. And according to Media Matters, this is how they do it. Go on Fox News, which is a safe space for them, and humanize their bigotry, i.e. present fake victims of the supposed LGBTQ agenda. The op-ed I mentioned in the first post was supposedly written by one of their clients. And in this post, the Fox News interview is with a representative of ADF and their latest clients - two owners of a calligraphy studio in Arizona.  The owners are claiming that non-discrimination laws themselves are wrong because these laws would violate their "religious liberty." Media Matters puts it like this:

ADF’s case is a “pre-enforcement” challenge, a common ADF legal tactic in which people sue over a law that has not yet been enforced against them. This case is one of at least half a dozen license-to-discriminate cases that ADF and its allies are pushing through the courts.

Anthony Kennedy says he ‘struggled’ with marriage equality ruling - I bet he did. 

Arizona’s new state House Speaker doesn’t believe LGBTQ people are equal under the law - Oh he doesn't? He will learn.

There is NO justifiable reason to keep LGBTQ people from adopting children

My dream for the LGBTQ community is simple - that we have the right to live our lives by our rights of self-determination instead of having other people - based on their ignorance and/or religious beliefs - decide what we can or cannot do.

And that includes the dream of raising a family if we so desire. A wonderful post by Ellen Kahn of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation accentuates this:

In the last year, Oklahoma and Kansas have enshrined anti-LGBT+ adoption measures into law, allowing child welfare organisations to turn away qualified parents, including same-sex and transgender couples, interfaith couples, and single parents. And politicians in the U.S. Congress last session unconscionably tried to pass a similar amendment that would allow this kind of “licence to discriminate” nationwide.

Meanwhile, experts across the country resoundingly agree – children in care need a larger pool of qualified prospective parents – not a smaller one.

We know that 2 million LGBT+ people are interested in becoming parents. We also know that children need families – and also succeed in families. It is ridiculous and inhumane to put up blatantly discriminatory hurdles for qualified adopters and to put prejudice over the wellbeing of the children we are all trying so hard to serve.

As a lesbian mother, I know that my ability to be a loving, supportive parent is not at all compromised by my identity. And as a social worker, who has counselled so many LGBT+ families through this process, I’ve seen the amazing, transformational results for both the children and parents. We bring wisdom, commitment, and compassion to our role as parents – we are good at this.

The entire post deserves a read and share. It's that good.

'FL school psychologist under fire for helping transgender kids' & other Thur midday news briefs

Pasco schools psychologist comes under fire in transgender flap - Anti-LGBTQ groups stand up for folks who won't do their jobs when it comes to the LGBTQ community because of the supposed grounds of "religious liberty." It's not surprising, but still ugly, how they are attacking a school psychologist in Florida  for going beyond the call of duty of her job in attempting to help transgender students. She doesn't deserve this attack

Faith Groups Call For Whitaker’s Resignation Over Apparent Preference For Christian Judges - Muslim, Christian, Jewish and secular groups issued a joint letter opposing acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker. 

How a small community in Texas came together to help local trans women - Wonderful story about community. 

New web series spotlights activism of queer youth of color - About time. 

40 Years After The Assassination Of Harvey Milk, LGBTQ Candidates Find Success - Yep!

How 'Murphy Brown' helped break gay stereotypes over 25 years ago

I haven't done a "let's take our minds off of the struggle for a little while" post in a long time. So, enjoy this bit of LGBTQ television history, courtesy of the Huffington Post and my friend, Matt Baume.



From The Huffington Post:

When “Murphy Brown” premiered in 1988, the CBS series broke new ground in its portrayal of women in the workforce. The show gently pushed the envelope with regard to gay characters, too, according to Seattle-based writer Matt Baume.

In the latest installment of his “Culture Cruise” video series, Baume breaks down a 1992 episode of “Murphy Brown” titled “Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are.” In it, the character of Miles Silverberg (played by Grant Shaud) recalls a dream he had about touring the Washington Monument with a new colleague, Rick (Brian McNamara). After co-workers point out that Rick is gay, Miles begins to contemplate the dream’s arguably homoerotic undertone and, in turn, question his own sexuality.

'Homophobic conspiracy theorist caught up in Mueller investigation' & other Wed midday news briefs

Jerome Corsi, who falsely claimed that Obama is gay and promiscuous, has been caught up in Mueller's investigation of Trump.

Robert Mueller’s latest target is a nutty anti-LGBTQ conspiracy theorist - Ain't it amazing how folks making their money partly by denigrating the LGBTQ community is caught up in the Trump/Russia investigation. Thanks to LGBTQnation, we can remember just how homophobic Jerome Corsi is. Particularly when a conspiracy of his is that Obama is actually gay and was "popular" around Chicago bathhouses. Then there was the time when Corsi, while attacking marriage equality at a tea party rally, said that sex is not supposed to be fun. None of THOSE jokes, please . . . (oh who am I kidding?)

Some Libraries Are Facing Backlash Against LGBT Programs — And Holding Their Ground - Damn right! The backlash is only a sign that you are doing something right. It's what you when in the backlash that determines loss or victory.

Administration Officials ‘Deputized’ by Dominionists at Election-Themed Prayer Event - Oh no you don't!!

‘Boy Erased’ Author Garrard Conley: ‘I’m Saying The Stuff No One Wants To Say’ - And it NEEDS to be said. 'Ex-gay' therapy is a huge fraud. 

No, No, No: European Court Rules Russia Can’t Ban LGBTQ Events - Well alright!

Anti-LGBTQ news report accidentally gives positive view of 'Drag Queen Story Hour'

The video above is a shocker, but not for the reasons you think.

First, a little background. Drag Queen Story Hour is an innocent event held in libraries across the nation in which fully dressed drag queens read stories to children. One would think that such an event would be ripe for exploitation by the religious right/anti-LGBTQ industry.

But it isn't. Believe it or not, anti-LGBTQ organizations, fake news sites, and personalities have been steadily attacking the event in order to galvanize their supporters with yet another conspiracy theory about the so-called promotion of homosexuality to children. And it's been a failure.  The main reason behind this is the simple fact that Drag Queen Story Hour is a popular event with the children and their parents. In fact, the parents have to give approval for their children to attend. A lot of parents do such and attend the events themselves with their children.

'LGBTQ equality could face bumpier road at the Supreme Court' & other Tue midday news briefs

Supreme Court poised to drastically reverse LGBTQ equality - There are six cases in front of SCOTUS. The court has yet to hear any of them but even one loss could devastate the LGBTQ community. Could be. Maybe or maybe not. I was reluctant to post this because some in our community have a tendency of shrieking and pulling their hair out at the slightest bit of opposition or setback while others wag the finger at those of us who feel that we need to be poised to fight. "Don't tone-police," they say. Screw that. This negative future of the LGBTQ community at SCOTUS is a spooky possibility and we need to be ready for it with our fists up and our determination unwavering. SCOTUS is simply one avenue, win or lose. Above all, remember one things - the LGBTQ community always know how to ultimately win the hard way. 

A trans asylum seeker was beaten & died of severe dehydration in ICE custody - The nonsense Trump is inflicting on migrants is claiming lives, including those in the LGBTQ community.

LGBTQ Advocates File Wrongful Death Suit On Behalf of ICE Detainee Roxsana Hernandez - And something IS being done about it. 

Trump just did 2 major things to set back trans rights nationwide - And Trump is also causing problems for the transgender community in America. 

Today, I am a proud son of Harvey Milk and his message of hope for the LGBTQ community - 40 years ago, we lost an LGBTQ hero to an assassin's bullet. But not his heart nor his spirit.

I am overjoyed with the anger & controversy about the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade kiss

A simple kiss during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is worth a million.

By now, we have all heard about the same-sex kiss during the recent Macy's  Thanksgiving Day Parade. Unfortunately, I missed it. Equally as unfortunate, I did not miss the negative reaction some people had because of the kiss.

Or maybe it wasn't as unfortunate as I am implying.

 I hope I don't come across as gloating, but I get a wonderful charge when people get all up in arms about such things as us gay folks daring to kiss in public.  There is nothing wrong with us kissing or holding hands in public. And the discussions about it always reveal to some how homophobic they actually are.

You know the type I'm talking about - those folks who claim that they don't have a problem with the LGBTQ community, but seem to think that we shouldn't kiss in public, hold hands in public, raise children, or do anything to wreck their mindset that we are not normal human beings or that the normal processes of life such as dating, marrying, having a family, etc doesn't apply to us, Apparently in exchange for their "tolerance," we are supposed to stand perfectly still in a corner and simply be a prop to demonstrate how "open minded" they are for supposedly accepting us. . .  with extenuating conditions of course.  These supposed allies learn the needed lesson that we are not commodities nor are we props. And, to paraphrase gay writer Harvey Firestein, we shouldn't have to edit parts of our lives that don't appeal to them. If they are going to be allies, it's either all the way or forget it.

Bursting that bubble of imagined superiority is always fun. Still, there is nothing like the hysterical reactions of those who, while claiming to oppose us because they "love" us, proceed to call us everything but the proverbial "child of God." One can always count on them to drop conspiracy theories of gay subterfuge and invasion. Take "former advertising executive who found Jesus and determined to uncover the Gay Mafia Syndicate" Linda Harvey for example:

Linda Harvey

How many times have you heard activists scoff, denying there’s a “gay agenda”?

 . . .  This agenda is like an airborne infection that’s suddenly everywhere. From “LGBT” affirming church youth groups, to “gay”-affirming anti-bullying school lessons, to rainbow “pride” apparel sold at Target and Walmart during the spring and summer, to the obligatory pro-homosexual article in the daily newspaper, to disturbed transvestites reading to preschoolers in libraries. It seems to be critically important to stick it to our children, all in the name of phony “tolerance” and “acceptance,” embracing sins leading to personal disaster, societal destruction and spiritual death.

 . . .   I am grieved for America and all the lost people, especially the young. I mourn the simple sweetness of mom/dad families and uncomplicated friendships, of holidays that cultivated wholesome childhood unmarred by the shadow of hateful, sexual fascism. Despite the victory that is in Jesus Christ and our ultimate destiny, before that glorious appearing, the night is coming. 

Harvey is on to us. Thank God she doesn't know about our plan to block out the sun unless the birthdays of Cher, Beyonce, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Judy Garland are made national holidays. I would mention the required viewing of RuPaul's Drag Race in our nation's elementary schools, but the committee is still working on that and will have the final plans ready by the next meeting of the Gay Mafia.

On one hand, these conspiracies are hilarious. But on the other, they make me sad because I'm always wishing the LGBTQ community was as organized, disciplined, and ruthless as folks like Harvey make us out to be.

Still, the kiss during Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade was a wonderful thing. A lot of us can remember a time when even a notion of a televised same-sex kiss would have caused serious problems. There would be fines, endless words of condemnations from people equally homophobic as Harvey but with more power to cause havoc for the LGBTQ community. The backlash would have been immense.

 Instead there are the delightful grumblings of a group of folks, Harvey included, who are slowly but surely losing power. Meanwhile the rest of us have gone on with our lives, punctuated by short bursts of glee and happiness at the latest much needed dose of visibility. And the latest much needed reminder that every fear, lie, and horror about the LGBTQ community are simply sad illusions.

Take it in, y'all. It's what winning feels like.

'Anti-LGBTQ industry creating horror stories of gay intolerance, recruitment via omission and lies' & other Monday midday news briefs

Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel doesn't mind lying to create a false image of LGBTQ recruitment.

Fox News marks Transgender Day of Remembrance by airing two anti-trans segments - At the University of California, a student senator is horribly vilified for abstaining from a vote on a resolution of support for LGBTQ students. In Florida, a gym teacher is attacked for, as some right-wing publications put it, "refusing to watch a girl shower in the boys' locker room. These events are horrifying, terrible, and TOTALLY UNTRUE. A little omission here, a basic downright lie there, add a dash of Fox News "journalism" courtesy of  Shannon Bream and Laura Ingraham. An anti-LGBTQ hate group representative (Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel) accompanying both the student and the gym teacher during the interviews. Let all of the anti-LGBTQ and right-wing propaganda sources spread the story under the guise of real journalism. Let simmer. And you have the makings of an old, but effective tactic of anti-LGBTQ industry - the creation of a horror story about the LGBTQ community attacking Christians and "recruiting" children.

Taiwan’s referendums on LGBTQ rights have disappointing results - Booooo! Not a good situation in Taiwan. 

Twitter took a huge step to protect trans people from harassment on the platform - Some people may disagree (the TERFs and their allies have been going into orbit all weekend), but I don't. 

Evangelist Franklin Graham desperately insists Trump is a defender of the faith — despite his ‘sordid life’ - It's not only the fact that Graham will wantonly defend Trump in spite of his many offenses, it is also how Graham constantly rails against the LGBTQ community. Since when is an inept liar who imprisons brown children in cages and tear gasses families is considered morally devout while the LGBTQ community are the evil ones?

Report: Anti-LGBTQ 'religious exemption' laws worsening the process of foster care, adoption

The Family Research Council, the Alliance Defending Freedom the Heritage Foundation, and other anti-LGBTQ groups (and their supporters) have been heavily promoting the idea of "religious exemptions" laws with regards to adoption and foster care agencies. That would mean that these agencies would be able to discriminate against LGBTQs wanting to participate in foster care and adoption while still being able to receive tax dollars.

The idea is wrong and insulting to the LGBTQ community. Our hard earned tax dollars shouldn't be made available to entities which would discriminate against us. And now, according to a new report, there is another reason to oppose these laws. They actually make it more difficult for children in foster care and wanting to be adopted to find homes

From MSNBC:

Religious exemption laws allowing child placement agencies to deny LGBTQ prospective parents from fostering or adopting are exacerbating the current “child welfare crisis,” according to a new report from the liberal Center for American Progress (CAP), Voice for Adoption and the North American Council on Adoptable Children.

 . . . In 2017, there were about 443,000 children in foster care across the U.S., according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Each year, some 50,000 children are adopted through the U.S. child welfare system, but about 20,000 others “age out” before being placed with an adoptive family, according to HHS.  

In addition to helping place more children in permanent homes, the CAP report claims taxpayers could save hundreds of millions of dollars by removing barriers blocking LGBTQ people from becoming adoptive parents.

 . . . The report warns that turning qualified prospective parents away will add unnecessary stress to “an already stressed system,” and it notes LGBTQ people represent a an “important subgroup of potential parents.”

“Same-sex couples raising children are seven times more likely to be raising a foster child and seven times more likely to be raising an adopted child than their different-sex counterparts,” the report states, citing data from the UCLA’s Williams Institute. “They are also more likely to adopt older children and children with special needs, who are statistically less likely to be adopted.”

The report also looked at  two states which have these "religious exemptions" and found that the number of homes which could foster and adopt children were tremendously reduced:

The CAP report undertakes case studies of Michigan and Texas, two large states that have adopted relatively broad religious exemption laws. (Policy analyst at the Center for American Progress and one of the report’s author  Frank J.) Bewkes described the situation in these states as “pretty bleak,” and the report describes an acute placement crisis in each of them.

“Nationwide, 28 percent of youth had been in foster care for two or more years in fiscal year 2016,” according to the CAP report, which cited HHS data. “In that same period, 38 percent of Texas youth and 52 percent of Michigan youth had been in care for two or more years.”

 

In Texas, which has had a religious exemption law for child placement agencies since 2017, the number of foster and adoptive homes working with licensed child placement agencies has decreased nearly 40 percent from 2012 to 2017, according to data from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

And in Michigan, which has had a religious exemption law for child placement agencies since 2015, the number of licensed foster homes dropped by more than 20 percent from 2012 to 2017, according to data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

The report and article are both good sources of information for the next time FRC and ADF claim that they are pushing for these exemptions because of the children. It's clear that they aren't thinking of the children at all.. 

God forbid anything distracts them from their mission of undermining LGBTQ equality and safety.

'Anti-LGBTQ activist: Ugly women become lesbians because no man would ever love them' & other Wed midday news briefs

Dave Daubenmire: Ugly Women Become Lesbians Because No Man Would Ever Love Them - We fight everyday against the homophobia Daubenmire demonstrates here in different forms. The difference between him and groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Family Research Council is that Daubenmire doesn't play games to hide his hatred. Nor does he conjure up legislation and false arguments to justify it. At the end of the day, it is all the same. Remember that.

Chuck Grassley: USDA should not have pressured 4-H to rescind LGBT policy - I'm as shocked as you are. I guess after those nasty judges Grassley has been pushing on us, he figures let us have this one.

Family Research Council doesn't like LGBTQ community, but wants LGBTQ tax dollars - Reposting last night's piece. With the new SCOTUS coming in, anti-LGBTQ groups such as FRC will be looking to take advantage with mess like this. 

Queer & Muslim in Trump’s America - We have a serious problem with division in America's LGBTQ community and it stems from people refusing to understand that we are a multi-national, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic group. The LGBTQ orientation crosses all lines. Articles like this provides proof of that. 

Gay Christian Pastor Holds First Worship In Hong Kong Pride Parade - Like I said - multi-national, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic.

Family Research Council doesn't like LGBTQ community, but wants LGBTQ tax dollars

The Family Research Council is thinking of new ways to steal LGBTQ tax dollars.

According to the Family Research Council, there is a war on faith-based adoption agencies:

National Adoption Month Kicks off with Attack on Faith

November 20, 2018

By FRC's Mary Beth Waddell, Senior Legislative Assistant

While millions of American were voting, Philadelphia foster parents were in court fighting the government's attempt to shut down Catholic Charities adoption and foster care services because it is faith-based. Nearly half of all Catholic Charities adoptions nationally are for special needs children, so their permanent closure would be especially devastating. It was a somber launch to National Adoption Month for children seeking families.

In March of 2018, the City of Philadelphia (the city) put out an urgent call for foster parents. Despite this urgent need and within days of this call, the City terminated its foster placement contracts with Catholic Charities and Bethany Christian Services -- two of its nearly thirty partner agencies, because they were faith-based. This has resulted in empty foster homes and children left languishing because fewer agencies are working on their behalf. One such empty foster home was Cecelia Paul's. She had fostered over 130 children, adopted six, and been named "Foster Parent of the Year." Other foster parents, like Sharonell Fulton, who is caring for two special needs children, may not be able to continue fostering because they no longer have access to the training, resources, and support of Catholic Charities -- which she and others have observed as superior to that of government agencies.

Worse yet, sibling groups are in danger of not being placed together. When another agency transferred a child into Catholic Charities' custody so that it could be placed with its sibling already in Catholic Charities' care, the city didn't respond favorably. Although the city didn't separate the siblings, it sent a notice to its partner agencies demanding written acknowledgment of the referral contract termination; thus, indicating that siblings would not automatically be placed together.

Taking a page from fellow anti-LGBTQ hate group the Alliance Defending Freedom, FRC looks to  to cover up the truth of the matter. Just as ADF exploited baker Jack Phillips in the Masterpiece case to distort the issue of "religious liberty" to a situation about a cake instead of what it actually was about (using religion as an excuse to discriminate), FRC is exploiting Ms. Paul and Ms. Fulton, the caregivers in piece above, to hide what this issue is about.
 
In actuality, the city of Philadelphia did not terminate the  contracts with the agencies because they were faith-based. The contracts were terminated BECAUSE the agencies would not  work with same-sex couples, which was a violation of the contract with the city.

Alliance Defending Freedom wants to take its war on transgender children to the Supreme Court' & other Tue midday news briefs

Supreme Court asked to mandate segregation for transgender students - Remember the Alliance Defending Freedom, that hate group which is presently the subject of the NoGaysAllowed campaign and webpage? This  judiciary attack on our transgender children (fueled by discredited junk science) is why the campaign is necessary. As well as the four other cases it is hoping SCOTUS will take - cases which, if ADF wins, will cause all sort of hell for the LGBTQ community.

No Gays Allowed - Speaking of the NoGaysAllowed webpage, this is a wonderful time to visit it and educate yourselves on ADF's undercover efforts to undermine our community's equality and safety.

On Transgender Day of Remembrance, advocates honor lives lost to violence - Sad day. Our people are being taken from us. The media, and the rest of us need to step up. 

Walking Dead actress says she lost a role because she doesn’t look ‘authentically LGBTQ’ - Oh girl, I guess I'm not 'authentically LGBTQ' either. 

All Feminists Must Stand Up For Trans Liberation - YEP!

Anti-LGBTQ fake news site whines about 'censorship' while practicing 'censorship'

'Porno' Peter LaBarbera

Lifesite News is another nauseating hard-right fake news site which attacks and smears the LGBTQ community under the guise of preserving morality. Today, the publication is on the warpath because an old enemy of our community, 'Porno' Peter LaBarbera, got checked by Facebook:

Facebook deletes pro-family page for ‘hate speech’ against LGBT

Over the weekend Facebook unpublished the page of a prominent social-conservative group for allegedly using unspecified “hate speech,” Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) president Peter LaBarbera revealed Monday.

AFTAH is dedicated to “apply[ing] the same single-minded determination to opposing the radical homosexual agenda and standing for God-ordained sexuality and the natural family as countless homosexual groups do in promoting their harmful agenda.” LaBarbera frequently debates homosexual issues on mainstream and pro-LGBT media, and has written for LifeSiteNews.

On Sunday, Facebook took down AFTAH’s Facebook page entirely, leaving only a “Page Not Found” message in its place as of the time of this writing.

'"You disgust me" - Parents abandon lesbian daughter after she refuses to leave college for 'ex-gay' therapy' & other Mon midday news briefs

‘You disgust me’: Christian parents cut off lesbian daughter after she refuses to leave college for conversion therapy - 'Christians parents' my black ass! And the situation got worse: 

Friends raised money for a gay college athlete after her parents disowned her. Then the NCAA called. - The NCAA made the situation worse. She has an awful decision to make. I cannot perceive how people who claim to "love" would cause this situation to happen to their child simply because she is gay. But the sad thing is that this happens. A lot.

UPDATE from ThinkProgress - according to a statement from Canisius College - the NCCA will allow Scheck to retain her eligibility while receiving GoFundMe donations.  But still, those parents! My God! It just gets me angry!

House GOP Urges Trump to Remove ‘Inappropriate and Insulting’ Protections for LGBTQ Workers in New Trade Pact - One more month to go before the new House takes over and these folks just can't stop being homophobic.

New Report Details Ongoing Epidemic of Violence Against Transgender People - This SHOULD NOT be happening period, to nothing of the fact that it shouldn't be happening without anyone paying proper attention.

Iowa 4-H Leader Fired For Defending LGBT Inclusion: Report - Attack of the Trump Administration AGAIN.

'Anti-gay activist 'Porno' Peter LaBarbera angry about LGBTQ success in midterm election' & other Fri midday news briefs

Me presenting this noxious interview above is not gloating by any means. The LGBTQ community has EARNED the right to see this while laughing our asses off, drinking champagne, twerking, doing a celebratory booty dance, whatever. Long-time virulent homophobic activist "Porno" Pete LaBarbera is interviewed by equally repulsive bigot Cliff Kincaid. LaBarbera spends the entire interview bellyaching how the so-called gay issue was ignored during the midterms, how the LGBTQ community picked up Congressional seats, and how an anti-transgender referendum was defeated by a landslide in Massachusetts. As disgusting as he is, LaBarbera brings up a point. Being openly LGBTQ used to be a deterrent to running for public office. In the recent midterms, it wasn't. We don't know what the future holds, but a door has blown open, right in LaBarbera's face. It's a joy to watch him gripe about it. You don't have to watch the entire interview. Just the sad expression on his face "is like heroin." (Editor's note - I have never used heroin. It's a line by the late actress Debbie Reynolds from the movie 'In & Out.')

 In other news:

Why Jussie Smollett Said ‘F**k No!’ To His ‘Empire’ Character Having A White Boyfriend - I probably wouldn't have said it like that, but I am in agreement with Smollett. We do need to see more black gay couples on television. It means a lot to LGBTQs of color to not send a message that our blackness can't mix with our sexual orientation, i.e. eliminating the ridiculous idea that we are only who we are because of the "influence" of white people.

Conversion therapy harms kids’ mental health, new study finds - We know this, but IT STILL NEEDS TO BE REPEATED OVER AND OVER AGAIN! We are in a war and any fact which rips homophobia should be repeated until folks can cite it from memory. 

This Short Film Takes A Powerful Look At The Struggles Of Transgender Youth - In honor of Trans Awareness Week.

IF you care about LGBTQ equality & safety, you need to check out the devastating webpage 'NoGaysAllowed'

A new website, NoGaysAllowed.org, is calling out the largest and most powerful anti-LGBTQ hate group in America, the Alliance Defending Freedom, and it's not taking any prisoners (Editor's note - click on the graphics if they are too small to read):

Finally recognizing how ADF and other anti-LGBT hate groups and organizations tend to play nice in the public eye via perfectly coiffed spokespeople and precisely rehearsed talking points, NoGaysAllowed is taking it upon itself to yank all of the organization's garbage out of the closet and into the streets.

 

And now a word from 'GOP Jesus'

Don't let the evangelical anti-LGBTQ right fool you with their support of Trump. As I understand it, people are running away from their brand of religion. While there will be many guesses as to why, the hilarious video from above via Friend Dog Studios probably gives the most accurate reason. Basically, the evangelical anti-LGBTQ right, teaming up with the Republican Party in general, has created a bastardized version of Jesus - selfish, homophobic, and totally hypocritical to what the Bible claims that his mission was. And just in time for the 'War on Christmas.'

'Kansas governor-elect does NOT support anti-LGBTQ adoption law' & other Wed midday news briefs

KS governor-elect Laura Kelly

Kansas governor-elect hopes to thwart adoption law seen as anti-gay - The situation in Kansas is why A. elections always matters and B. there isn't a %!@  thing wrong with the LGBTQ community supporting someone who will protect our rights and safety. Due to the Blue Wave last Tuesday, we have gone from a Kansas governor who sees nothing wrong with a law which will allow anti-LGBTQ entities to receive gay tax dollars to a new governor who is saying "oh hell no!"


Professor sues over rebuke for calling female transgender student 'sir' - I've posted a news brief about this incident before but I want to throw a positive shout out to NBC for including something very important in its article:

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed the lawsuit on Meriwether’s behalf. The Arizona-based conservative Christian law firm has a decadeslong track record of litigating against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights, and it has been labeled an anti-LGBTQ “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center . . .

This passage means millions of readers will be able to link to SPLC's work on ADF.

The GOP strategy to make the midterm elections about bigotry pretty much failed - hehehehehe!

Some Of The First Migrants From Caravan To Reach U.S. Border Are LGBTQ Asylum Seekers - Sad story of how LGBTQ migrants aren't treated right by their own people.