Texas adoption agency wants LGBTQ tax dollars, just not LGBTQ potential parents

Religious-based adoption agencies want LGBTQ tax dollars and the right to discriminate against the LGBTQ community.

This is going to come to a head soon and I think it may be in our favor. At least I hope.

From Raw Story:

A Texas adoption agency that receives federal taxpayer funds is refusing to allow a lesbian couple to become foster parents, and they’re citing their religious beliefs to support their discriminatory decision. 

Bryn Esplin and Fatma Marouf, who are married and are both professors at Texas A&M University, were told by the agency because they’re a same-sex couple they don’t “mirror the holy family,” and thus would not allow them to foster some of the thousands of migrant and refugee children the federal government is detaining.

The women pressed, saying that surely some of the 700 children under the agency’s care were LGBT and would benefit from being placed with a married lesbian couple, as The Daily Beast reports. 

Catholic Charities told them not a single child, out of 700, were LGBT. Statistically, that’s impossible.

 . . .they decided to sue the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which runs the agency, Catholic Charities of Fort Worth. The couple just won an important initial victory. The court says they have standing. They are suing charging violations of their First, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights, as Metro Weekly reports. 

Anti-LGBTQ group claims rugby player sacked for condemning gays to hell is the victim

Isreal Folau

On Wednesday, the hate group Family Research Council claimed that the "religious liberty" of athletes should is under attack:

In today's hyper-politicized climate, it seems that nothing can escape the relentless black hole of "woke" political correctness, not even sports. In a Speaker Series event at FRC, Dr. Jennifer Bryson gave example after example of how the LGBT agenda has strong-armed its way into sports, particularly soccer, where rainbow flags are featured on the jerseys of the U.S. men's and women's national teams, on team captain armbands, on shoelaces, and even on the ground where players are required to walk.  

 Are the athletes who make sports possible allowed to object to their jobs and religious beliefs being co-opted by a political cause? Nope. Just ask Jaelene Hinkle, who faced immense harassment after declining to wear an LGBT-themed jersey for the U.S. national team. Or Josip Brekalo, who was required to wear a rainbow-themed arm band as a team captain, but declined to. Or Isreal Folau, who was sacked by both the Australian national rugby team and his professional team for expressing his religious beliefs on Instagram.

Let's focus on one of their examples - the case of Isreal Folau. Below is the Instagram post he sent which got him into trouble.

As FRC related, he was dismissed for not only this but other past incidents of him making homophobic remarks.  He is now not only suing Rugby Australia but continuing to make homophobic remarks, such as claiming that Satan is behind transgender children.

These reasons are why his case is a bit more problematic to defend. Folau is talking about people. This isn't a case where someone is encroaching on his beliefs to believe. It is rather someone taking him to task for attacking groups of people. The first two examples FRC listed involve possible encroaching on someone's personal space (we don't know the entire story regarding those examples and FRC does have a history of playing loose with the truth for the sake of its narratives) in order to send a message their religion does not condone.

But in the case of Folau, this is someone sending out a message targeting a group of people. No one was forcing him to make a statement or take a position contrary to his beliefs.  But yet FRC - while careful not to detail what he said - claims that he is a victim of anti-religious discrimination. Would FRC feel that way if he had posted something which said Jewish people, Muslims, or people of other ethnicities are going to hell.

Doubtful. In fact, I doubt anyone would be attempting to defend his comments as expressions of  "religious freedom."

Folau's case underscores questions we are not asking about the concept of "religious liberty" as pushed by the conservative right and anti-LGBTQ industry. Other than supposedly protecting religious businesses, should it be used to protect people from the consequences of abusive speech? And if so, should it pertain to solely homophobic speech or would racist or even anti-Semitic speech be included ? And if not, then why?

I don't think FRC or anyone else on their side of the issue are willing to answer the question.

'GOP advancing another anti-LGBTQ nominee as potential judge' & other Wed midday news briefs

Republicans advance anti-LGBT pro-discrimination Christian extremist nominee for lifetime appointment - Well this is depressing.

How A Trans Woman Defied A Crime Family To Become Italy’s Leading LGBTQ Activist- Wow, this is an interesting story. 

Defending a Lie With More Lies Has Become Essential Doctrine - The blog The Slowly Boiled Frog has been doing some excellent work lately in calling out the anti-LGBTQ industry.

Joe Biden visits historic Stonewall Inn gay bar - Not bad, Mr. Biden.

Fox News omits LGBTQ voices while rolling out red carpet for anti-LGBTQ hate group.

Fox News personality Shannon Bream routinely misgenders transgender women while allowing her show to be a propaganda engine for the anti-LGBTQ hate group Alliance Defending Freedom

When it comes to LGBTQ issues, Fox News Network doesn't seem to want to give us a voice. For all of the talk by its personalities of having a "debate," the network has always rolled out the red carpet for groups, such as hate group the Alliance Defending Freedom, working to undermine our equality while omitting our voices.

From Media Matters:

Fox News host Tucker Carlson hosted extreme anti-LGBTQ group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and its client Selina Soule, a high school athlete in Connecticut, during a segment in which ADF revealed that it has filed a Title IX complaint with the Department of Education on behalf of Soule and other students who object to competing against trans athletes. 

ADF’s decision to file a Title IX complaint is particularly troubling given that the organization has allies throughout the federal government, including within the Department of Education. The group’s former director of litigation projects, Thomas W. Stack, worked for ADF for two years before becoming a senior attorney at the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR), the office that “evaluates, investigates, and resolves complaints alleging sex discrimination.” Records indicate that Stack has previously been assigned to investigate complaints filed with OCR. 

Soule has been interviewed on both Fox & Friends and The Ingraham Angle last February, and she was highlighted on right-wing sites including The Heritage Foundation’s Daily Signal. Soule’s mother, Bianca Stanescu, also recently participated in a panel discussion at the Heritage Foundation advocating against transgender athletes. Heritage has hosted several panels advocating against transgender rights this year. 

ADF has repeatedly used Fox News to promote its cases and policy positions; the Carlson interview was at least the sixth ADF appearance on Fox this year. The reality is that Fox is the perfect place for groups like ADF to introduce their anti-LGBTQ work, because its standards for LGBTQ coverage are out of step with standard journalistic practices. The network frequently hosts anti-LGBTQ guests who work for or are associated with extreme groups, including Heritage Foundation, MassResistance, and Liberty Counsel. Fox hosts allow these guests to push extreme rhetoric and sometimes mirror their language. “Straight news” host Shannon Bream has repeatedly misgendered trans people in coverage, recently calling a trans women a “biological male who now identifies as a woman,” and Fox reporter Greg Palkot misgendered Chelsea Manning. Additionally, reporter Carley Shimkus incorrectly identified Olympic champion Caster Semenya as trans, feeding into the network’s fearmonger tactics about trans athletes.

The entire article and video deserves a read and you can do that here. When the most watched cable news network deliberately works to shut out the voices of the LGBTQ community while elevating voices determined to make us second-class citizens, you know we got problems.

'Hate group leader Tony Perkins becomes chair of US Commission on International Religious Freedom' & other Tue midday news briefs

We see you, Tony Perkins. You can't sanitize your homophobia.

FRC’s Tony Perkins Becomes Chair of U.S. Commission on International Freedom -Oh yeah. THIS is a mistake. 

Tony Perkins's history of homophobia part 1

Tony Perkins's history of homophobia part 2

Supreme Court Sends Oregon Wedding Cake Case Back to State - A very good and detailed article about the latest "religious liberty" case  SCOTUS dealt with.

50 years after Stonewall, NC town declares first LGBTQ Pride Day. Not everyone’s happy. - Sometimes you gotta change things one step at a time.

How to spot Real vs. Fake corporate support for the LGBTQIA+ community - Mark it down.

Pete Buttigieg part of a gay plot to destroy women . . . or something like that

Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg's run for the White House has really gotten the homophobes riled up all over America. And one of the best examples of that is the comments at the viciously far-right commentary and message board Free Republic.

Free Republic, a place so homophobic that I spray myself with a mixture of holy water and Lysol before going there, has more than once attacked Buttigieg for his sexual orientation and his "nerve" to run for president via the most awful and homophobic language regarding him his husband Chasten, parts of his anatomy, his bathroom habits, etc.

Buttigieg recently set the wolves off at Free Republic  this time via an article about how he and his husband would start a family at the White House should he get chosen as the Democratic nominee and win the election. I would caution folks (even those with strong stomachs) not to read the comments made about this, but one caught my eye because it simply had to be the wildest, simplest insane thing I have ever read. Just reading it made me dizzy:

What isn’t being stressed enough here, is the fact that homosexual men despise women & want to destroy them. They consider women’s vaginas & reproductive organs repugnant. They resent being characterized as effeminate, insisting that homosexual “love” is so hyper-masculine as to be beyond the comprehension of heterosexuals. (”Only a man knows how to make love to a man” yada yada.) 

Then in pretzel-logic, they are able to reconcile their revulsion for women with a bizarre insistence that they can BE women —even better women, in fact, than women— by mocking and mimicking women as they choose. 

Homosexual men feign friendships with extremely promiscuous women— in order to study & mimic them— yet are invariably hostile & conflicted toward their own mothers & mothers in general. 

This goes back to their hatred/envy of the woman’s life-giving ability. Transvestites & transsexuals are merely the extreme projection of these rationalizations.

As a woman, I find this personally insulting & even threatening, akin to fear of rape. My very sense of self & dignity is being taken from me and REDUCED, regarded as insignificant, not unique.

Damn, I want her drugs. Just not the dosage she is taking. Don't even try to make a logical argument out of this. This is not to say that misogyny doesn't exist in the gay community. It is yet another thing we need to combat.  But there is no logic in this mess. It's basically homophobia mixed with pseudoscience and bad theorizing. Or better yet,  "TERFs-on-acid" insanity.

 It just goes to show that whenever there is progress, someone is always attempting to impede it. We may scoff at this woman, but we should also remember that people like her vote. And enough people like her voting would put the LGBTQ community in a bad position.

Kind of like where we are now.

'Dads offer free hugs at Pride parade for kids rejected by their parents' & other Mon midday news briefs

Dads Offer Hundreds Of Free Hugs At Pride Parade For Kids Whose Parents Rejected Them - This was pretty cool.

Queer disability activist Andrew Gurza says a March of Dimes caregiver abused him in his own home - An important question needing to be asked. Are our disabled people being taken care of in a respectful manner? 

Homophobic Attack Victim Condemns Response To Photos Of Her - This is powerful. My heart goes out to these ladies for their bravery and decision to make a positive impact out of this ugly incident. 

17 Senate Dems demand answers from State Dept. on Pride flag ban - Voting counts. Getting people in who have your back means a lot.

A short history of homosexuality on film

Be forewarned that this video was created in 2015.

However, it is a short, but excellent look at  past LGBTQ images from the motion picture industry. All of the ways Hollywood slurred, smeared, or dodged our community in the past and it is very educational. Not to mention fun to watch. I rather enjoyed the clips of movies like Dracula's Daughter, The Maltese Falcon, and Rope (Even though the clip from Rope is just a bit disconcerting)

Generally speaking, we simply must do better as a community of learning and remembering all aspects of our history. If we try to forget where we came from, we won't know where we should go.

''Ex-gay' leader offers bizarre ways to avoid LGBTQ Pride month' & other Fri midday news briefs

Robert Oscar Lopez doesn't want you to enjoy LGBTQ Pride month.

‘Ex-gay’ leader offers bizarre ways to avoid ‘temptation’ during LGBTQ Pride month - The poor baby. Pray for him.

Puerto Rico governor tells lawmakers to withdraw religious freedom, conversion therapy bills - Both bills aren't exactly good things.

The lack of dedicated LGBTQ media is a disaster - This needs to be made a note of and shouted from the rooftops. My little corner of information can't help us overcome this by itself. 

Laura Ingraham dedicated a podcast episode to extreme anti-trans rhetoric and misinformation - An awful mess.

'Porno' Pete LaBarbera protesting legalization of marriage equality with the help of a big lie

Peter LaBarbera

'Porno' Pete LaBarbera, an old adversary, whom I haven't written about in a long time because of his continued irrelevancy, is promoting an event which I decided to spotlight to show how the anti-LGBTQ industry freely lie in their attempts to undermine our equality.

On his Americans for Truth webpage, LaBarbera announced a rally in front of the US Supreme Court on June 26. This rally will be negatively commemorating the fourth anniversary of the Obergefell ruling, which legalized marriage equality in 2015:

Four years ago, on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court arrogantly imposed homosexual “marriage” on the nation – overriding amendments and laws in more than 30 states protecting marriage as between a man and a woman. Join concerned citizens testifying to the tragedy of this evil ruling by 5 unelected Justices. Some of our speakers once considered themselves “gay” or “transgender”—and will discuss how Obergefell was based on a lie: that homosexuality, like race, is unchangeable. Come hear their powerful testimonies! 2019 is also the 50-year anniversary of the anti-cop “Stonewall Riots” that launched the destructive, in-your-face “gay” revolution in the USA. 

Like so many of his past rallies, attendance and attention will probably be sparse. But his attempt to recast the history of marriage equality needs to be called out.

LaBarbera is lying. He tends to do that a lot when it comes to the LGBTQ community.

In reality, The SCOTUS ruling for marriage equality had nothing to do with the belief of whether or not homosexuality is unchangeable  It was a question of whether or not there was a logical reason for gays to be denied the right to marry. And SCOTUS found that there wasn't.

From Politico:

The majority opinion, authored by Kennedy, was framed as a legal interpretation of the constitutional rights of gays and lesbians. However, the decision appeared to reflect and ratify one of the most dramatic and rapid shifts in public opinion on a high-profile social issue in American history. 

Kennedy bluntly rejected arguments from same-sex marriage opponents that allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry would undermine and disrespect the marriages of heterosexual couples. 

“In forming a marital union, two people be­come something greater than once they were,“ Kennedy wrote. “As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves.”

'Support for trans people is growing in spite of Trump's attacks on them' & other Thur midday news briefs

Support for trans people is growing in spite of Trump’s nonstop assault on civil rights - Damn skippy!

U.S. Civil Rights Commission reiterates support for Equality Act - Keep your fingers crossed about this. 

Pete Buttigieg Remembers Pulse Shooting: ‘It Was An Attack On All Of Us’ - Amen! 

Americans' perception of LGBTQ rights under federal law largely incorrect: Reuters/Ipsos - They will learn.

O’Rourke, Gillibrand unveil plans for LGBTQ equality - We'll see.

'Ex-gay' group tries to be sneaky, gets shut down by courts again

In 2015, ex-gay group JONAH (Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing or Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality)  was found guilty of fraud under New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act. The group was ordered to repay monies to clients and to also shut down. Unfortunately, it seems that JONAH didn't shut down. It was operating in secret. That is until Tuesday when a court shut it down again.

From the Southern Poverty Law Center (which initiated the original lawsuit):

Superior Court Judge Peter F. Bariso Jr. issued a 47-page decision finding that the defendants have violated a 2015 injunction and settlement agreement involving the group formerly known as Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing (JONAH). 

The court decision follows a motion the SPLC filed in March, asking a judge to find that JIFGA had violated the injunction to cease operations and should be sanctioned. That motion also asked the judge to find that the defendants have violated the settlement agreement that led to the injunction, and now owe additional attorney fees. 

In order to “deter and punish” the defendants, the court also barred them from serving as directors of any New Jersey nonprofit corporation, ordered that they pay attorney fees incurred in connection with the plaintiffs’ efforts to enforce the injunction, and pay the full amount owed under the settlement agreement.

“The court previously had ordered JONAH to shut its doors and stop promoting conversion therapy because a jury found that its program was fraudulent and unconscionable – in violation of New Jersey’s consumer fraud law,” said David Dinielli, deputy legal director for the SPLC. 

“The ruling this week – concluding that defendants have violated that court order – confirms that the court meant what it said,” Dinielli said. “Conversion therapy necessarily is fraudulent because it is based on the lie that LGBTQ people can and should be fixed. Along with our clients and other allies, we will not stop until we eradicate these dangerous practices in New Jersey and around the country.”

According to the blog The Slowly Boiled Frog, which  played a part in uncovering JONAH's new fraud:

On June 25, 2015 a New Jersey jury unanimously held that JONAH was guilty of consumer fraud. A settlement was reached requiring the principals to pay a small undisclosed portion of the legal fees contingent upon not offering any form of conversion therapy. They could now be required to pay the full amount which is approximately $3.5 million. 

The defendants would be Arthur and Jane Goldberg along with Theodore and Elaine Berk. Both couples had gay sons. Both couples still have gay sons. 

Arthur Abba Goldberg is a convicted swindler and felon. Goldberg's license as a certified financial counselor was revoked in 2011 because he lied on his application by failing to disclose his felony conviction. On information and belief Goldberg is operating as a counselor in violation of a lifetime ban. The pious and sanctimonious Goldberg has a continuing pattern of dishonesty.

'District attorney's homophobic ramblings causes investigation' & other Wed midday news briefs

Under Investigation: D.A. Who Bragged His Religious Beliefs Control His Decisions in Cases Against Same-Sex Spouses - Good!

Botswana High Court decriminalizes homosexuality in country - A victory for the community anywhere is a victory everywhere.

1 In 5 Queer Young Adults Attempted Suicide In The Past Year, Study Shows - And it's because of discrimination. 

E.W. Jackson: ‘We Need to Burn Every Rainbow Flag in This Nation’ - The man simply can't help himself. He obsesses about us constantly.

Lawsuit will hopefully expose passive/aggressive homophobia behind 'right to refusal' rule

Wonderful news today via Raw Story:

The Trump administration’s Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) is facing two separate lawsuits just filed by the ACLU and by Planned Parenthood. The filings seek to strike down a new policy that would give people of faith special religious rights to discriminate, especially against LGBT people and women.  

 The new policy, slated to go into effect July 22, would provide “conscience protections” to health care workers and professionals. Those protections would allow, say, a doctor to not perform an abortion, even to save the life of a mother. They would allow, for example, a physician or nurse practitioner to reject a gay man on the grounds his very being violates their religious beliefs. Courthouse News’ 

 Adam Klasfeld posted a portion of the lawsuit which says the Refusal of Care Rule would “allow almost any health care provider – including hospitals or individual workers in the health care setting … to refuse to provide, assist with, or refer for virtually any health service, based solely on a personal objection.” The rule would also make it legal to withhold information from patients, and without telling them.

While I'm not attempting to minimize the danger this rule would do to women's health, I think I should speak on what I am more knowledgeable about - how it endangers LGBTQ health.

'YouTube CEO apologizes for standing by homophobic videos' & other Tue midday news briefs

YouTube CEO Apologizes For Standing By Homophobic Videos - Talk is cheap. Do more than apologize.

Detroit Police Quash Neo-Nazi Plot To Spark ‘Charlottesville No. 2’ At Pride Parade - Give it to the police for stopping this madness.

A straight couple behaving badly caused the panicked stampede at DC’s Pride parade - You just can't take some people anywhere, y'all.

Youth-led protest demands UCP protect LGBTQ student rights - Our kids are leading the way internationally.

Silly, fake Christian group calls the LGBTQ community a '500-pound gorilla'

If you're going to smear the LGBTQ community, at least get our rainbow colors correct.

Well this is a new one for me. I've been slurred as a gorilla because of my racial heritage, but I've never been called one because of my sexual orientation.

According to Right Wing Watch, this image was included in a report by some group calling itself "Intercessors for America." Apparently to the group, "the gay lobby is like a 500-pound gorilla sitting on our religious freedoms."

A well-funded powerful movement is legalizing intimidation by attaching gender identity language to legislation and action—even those that should have nothing to do with this concept. Some say the gay lobby is like a 500-pound gorilla sitting on our religious freedoms. Powerful and well-funded. Loud and proud. Pushing to make sexual orientation/gender identity an issue in much of our civic lives, and in the end, a protected class of citizens.

Other than the image of a gorilla - tacky at beast - I fail to see what's the problem with making the LGBTQ community a protected class of citizens. This nonsense is generally par for the course as far as I'm concerned.  In this particularly case, no only does this group feel that we are like a gorilla but:  

For decades, the gay movement has been beating the drum of “born this way” to claim that they were born with the sexual attraction toward the same sex, contrary to the Bible. “It’s who we are made to be,” they would claim, adults choosing a lifestyle that is not God’s design. Eventually letters and lifestyles were added to L and G to include BTQ and a growing number of choices, identities, and preferences. It seems that the 2015 Obergefell decision, nationally and legally requiring same-sex marriage opened the floodgates for a rapid and exponential growth in sexual identity additions. 

What happened next many of us were unprepared for and are shocked by—grooming and instructing young children in sexual interests and choices, and the transgendering of our children—both emotionally and physically. We are here. It happened so fast that much of this has not even been on the radar of many Americans, and yet it is happening in every state, and in many schools and homes.

And just in case, the lie about gays wanting to "sexualize" and "recruit" children isn't hammered home, Intercessors for America" even included something about Satan and the transgender community. No matter how the anti-LGBTQ industry tries to recast itself as protectors of faith and morality, it always goes back to demonizing and dehumanizing our community.

I do one have complaint - the group could have at least been accurate about the rainbow flag colors.

'Franklin Graham claims LGBTQ rainbow flag is offensive to 'Christians'' & other Mon midday news briefs

Franklin Graham Claims ‘Gay Pride Flag Is Offensive To Christians’ - Franklin Graham kisses Donald Trump's butt again, in other words.

Some U.S. Embassies, Diplomats Defy Trump Policy Against Flying Rainbow Pride Flags - This is why Graham is praising Trump this time. But a lot of other folks have something different to say about it.

The GOP is about to stop a judicial nominee for once opposing religious liberty - Silly man. How dare he compare anti-LGBTQ discrimination to white supremacy. #snark

Ian McKellen has launched a program supporting older LGBTIQ+ people - Good for him!

The Top 10 LGBTQ character cliches and tropes on movies and television

As we celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month 2019, let's also remember the things we are fighting against. Mistreatment and a debasement of our humanity is definitely at the top of the list. Let's not forget disrespect, particularly when it comes to visibility. With that in mind, let's look at the Top Ten Cliches and Tropes that we as a community have had to deal with in movies and television over the years. Between you and me, though, I rather like number 10. But I absolutely DESPISE number one.

'Ouch! Video brutally mocks 'Straight Pride' & other Fri midday news briefs

Y'all, this video above is BRUTAL 

 In other news: 

Democrats just introduced a bill to ban discrimination against LGBTQ parents - Wonderful idea!

Washington florist Barronnelle Stutzman and her lawyers aren't being truthful about her case - Repeating my post from last night because the info needs to get out.

How LGBTQ+ creators are making representation happen on their own terms - THANK YOU! I love that last part. On "their own terms." 

It’s hard getting older, especially for LGBTQ retirees - The work continues. Let's not forget our elders.

Washington florist Barronelle Stutzman and her lawyers aren't being truthful about her case

Barronelle Stutzman

The argument about religious liberty vs. LGBTQ equality took another turn on Thursday.

From The New Civil Rights Movement:

The Washington State Supreme Court has just handed down a unanimous ruling against Barronelle Stutzman, the owner of Arlene's flowers, who refused to make arrangements for a longtime customer because he was marrying a man. 

The ruling upholds a lower court's decision that found Stutzman's case was not decided with animus toward her religious beliefs – an argument that did win in the case Colorado Christian baker Jack Phillips at the U.S. Supreme Court. There is no suggestion the two cases are similar. 

KOMO and the AP report the State Supreme Court Thursday ruling means that "Stutzman's refusal to provide flowers to the same-sex couple constituted discrimination against sexual orientation."

According to a press release issued Thursday from the Office of Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson - In 2013, Stutzman refused to sell flowers to a customer for his upcoming wedding to another man. She was sent a letter on March 28 that same year asking that she comply with Washington state law which prohibits discrimination by business of sexual orientation.  She refused. A lawsuit was filed by the office of the attorney general in April of that year. That lawsuit was later consolidated with the lawsuit filed by the couple Stutzman refused to sell flowers to.  In February 2015, Benton County Superior Court Judge Alex Ekstrom ruled against her. Stutzman appealed to the Washington Supreme Court and lost that case in 2017. In 2018, due to the Masterpiece ruling (in which the court ruled in favor of the baker because it felt that there was hostility shown against his religious beliefs), the Supreme Court vacated this ruling and sent it back to the the Washington Supreme Court for a second look.

Throughout the entire situation, Stutzman's lawyers at the Alliance Defending Freedom, a right-wing group which specializes in cases which could undermine LGBTQ equality,  and other religious right groups made her their poster child in their fight against LGBTQ equality. She has been consistently portrayed as an innocent Christian grandmother who stood to lose her business, livelihood, and savings because a supposed aggressive gay agenda.

The following tweet was sent out by then Alliance Defending Freedom spokesperson Kerri Kupec (who is now the spokesperson of the United States Justice Department) in 2016:

The Family Research Council said the following about Ms. Stutzman in 2018:

The Washington grandmother, who is being personally and professionally sued by the state, could lose everything in a suit brought by two men who accused her of "discrimination" when she turned down their custom wedding order.

In an article posted by right-wing One News Now on Thursday, Stutzman continued to push this angle:

"While I know this isn't the last word on the case, it pains me to see my own state continue to come after my flower shop, my home, and every penny I own – especially after the U.S. Supreme Court specifically instructed the state court to look at my case more seriously," Stutzman, 74, said in a media call today. "I risk losing everything just because I chose not to participate in a same-sex wedding of a long-time friend and customer."

But Stutzman's claims about being in danger of losing her flower shop, home, and every penny she owns simply isn't true. The following tweet from Washington State Attorney Ferguson, who defended the state's case against Stutzman, called out false statements made by her and her attorneys:

AG Ferguson statement on misleading claims about the financial impact of Arlene's Flowers case. More on today's ruling here: https://t.co/09r6WZwIdn pic.twitter.com/iBOBin870v

— WA Attorney General (@AGOWA) June 6, 2019

Some may say that the exaggeration pushed by Ms. Stutzman and her attorneys is a minor detail in the huge argument about religious liberty vs. LGBTQ equality and it's not worth bothering about. I disagree.  This, in fact, is a crucial detail because it invoked the connotation that the LGBTQ community was hellbent on destroying a grandmother's business and leaving her bankrupt and destitute simply because of her Christian beliefs. And this is the crux of the "religious liberty" argument pushed by  Stutzman, ADF, and those on the right - i.e. that the LGBTQ community is so strident in forcing people to accept us that we will destroy anyone who gets in our path to that acceptance. And if by doing this, we wreck Christianity, then that's double success for us.

The argument deliberately and falsely frames the LGBTQ community as wanton aggressors instead of who we actually are - people who simply want fairness for ourselves, our families, and our children.

Stutzman and her attorneys say that supposedly participating in a gay wedding - via allowing her flowers to be used - would have violated her personal and deeply held religious beliefs. It's a shame that they clearly didn't feel the same way about lying.

'Bill in Congress would ban gay, trans 'panic' defenses' & other Thur midday news briefs

Bill in Congress Would Ban Gay, Trans 'Panic' Defenses - Would be nice if it could pass.

YouTube Walks Back Defense Of Commentator Accused Of Homophobic Harassment [UPDATED] - A slow moving but necessary fight is happening right now.

An HIV+ man was refused service at a barbershop. He just won $75,000 in damages. - Good. Get up off the money. 

See EW's LGBTQ issue cover stars in a special photo shoot honoring 50th anniversary of Stonewall - Okay . . .

Trump's lie about ban on transgender troops showcases his basic incompetence

So that thing which was elected as head of this country in 2016 was in England this week for a visit with the royal family. In between lying about protesters and making an idiot of himself via a ridiculous twitter feud with Bette Midler, the thing - I mean - Donald Trump took special time out to lie about his ban of transgender men and women from serving in the military.

From Think Progress:

 President Donald Trump defended his decision to ban transgender individuals from serving in the military during an an interview with Piers Morgan Tuesday evening, using false claims that contradict what his administration has argued in court. 

The interview came during Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom, one of 19 countries around the world that allow transgender people to serve openly in their armed forces. 

“They take massive amounts of drugs,” Trump said, when asked to square his declared support for the LGBTQ community with his stance on transgender service members. “They have to … You would actually have to break rules and regulations in order to have that.”

ThinkProgress goes on to say Trump's statement was quickly refuted by Morgan. Trump doubled down and then began claiming that transgender military men and women take a large amount of drugs. But according to ThinkProgress:

The RAND Corporation study that prompted President Barack Obama to lift the ban in 2016 estimated that transgender health costs would reach approximately $8.4 million at most, a fraction of the military’s health care expenditures. A report from earlier this year also found that the military had only spent $8 million total since the ban was first lifted, treating more than 1,500 troops. In total, the military spends about $50 billion on health care every year.

Steve Benen of MSNBC also called out Trump's pitiful defense of his ban.

There are a couple of dramatic flaws in Trump’s underwhelming defense, starting with the fact that he’s contradicting his own team’s talking points. The administration’s argument up until now has been that the ban on transgender Americans serving in the military is needed to protect unit cohesion and morale among the other troops. Now the argument apparently has something to do with medications. 

Which leads us to the other problem: Trump’s wrong about this, too.  

The Washington Post spoke to a series of experts who concluded that the president doesn’t seem to know what he’s talking about. 

“This statement is incorrect,” said Jane Schacter, an expert on gender and sexuality law at Stanford University. “Many members of the military use prescription medication, and it is made available to them worldwide. Hormone therapy, in particular, is prescribed, including to manage the gynecological needs of non-transgender service members.” 

Joshua Safer, the head of the Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery at Mount Sinai Health System, agreed. “The hormones taken by transgender individuals are not prohibited by the military,” he said. “Medication for transgender people in the military would be — and is currently, for those transgender individuals already serving in the military — handled similarly to other prescribed medication where an emergency interruption is not life threatening.” […] 

It’s also important to note that not all transgender people undergo gender reassignment surgery or take prescription hormones, so even if such prescribed drugs were prohibited, it wouldn’t necessarily mean transgender troops would have to be banned from serving. Trump’s comments seem to suggest that these drugs would be required for all transgender troops; they’re not.

This episode highlights the one thing so many of us find annoying about Agent Orange, I mean Donald Trump. He can't even lie on a competent level.

'Boston issues permit for ridiculous 'Straight Pride' parade' & other Wed midday news briefs

See first news item.

Boston has issued a permit for a ‘Straight Pride’ parade in August - It's gonna suck.

Editorial: My Stonewall Is Black - Preach! 

Gov. Whitmer, Michigan lawmakers announce legislation to protect LGBTQ rights - Elections and voting matter. 

Mayor who posted about 'killing out' gays has posted apology - He claims to have been taken out of context . . .

A news anchor came out on air & announced her engagement. Now her fans love her even more.- Kick ass!

Y'all, the straight folks are jealous about LGBTQ Pride (again)

With LGBTQ Pride Month comes the usual nonsense from some heterosexuals whining about why LGBTQ Pride isn't necessary or why there needs to be a "Straight Pride." This year is no different because some fool has planned a Straight Pride in Boston. Of course it's worth mentioning that, according to Bilerico, the organizer is connected with an anti-Semitic, white supremacist group.

Figures.

However, instead of making a droll joke (such as saying how straight pride parades will be dull because the floats will be flaccid and collapse within two minutes) or an astute observation (about how people wanting a straight pride parade is like a person with a big bag of money getting jealous at his neighbor for having a $20), I will feature this video below via my friend Matt Baume. Of course it probably won't change any minds of those who resent LGBTQ Pride, but who cares what they think. A reminder about how far the LGBTQ community and we have accomplished is always a good thing.

''Christian' Right's 'Project Blitz' spells trouble for America' & other Tue midday news briefs

Here’s a Fantastic Primer on the Christian Right’s “Project Blitz” - And you know this means nothing good for the LGBTQ community.

Jazz Jennings came out as trans at age 5. Now she’s helping The Trevor Project support other kids. - Good for her! She faces a lot of nonsense and should be commended.

Rep. Pressley seeks answers from HUD on anti-trans rule for homeless shelters - This is why elections matter. 

Catholic bishop doubles down after his startlingly homophobic tweet goes viral - Go ahead. Be stupid and double down. We got you.

Hate group can't stand how Target is promoting visibility of LGBTQ youth and families

Hate group American Family Association pulls out antiquated phraseology about gays "recruiting" children.

Hate group the American Family Association and its joke of a subsidiary, One Million Moms, is upset at Target and the LGBTQ community . . . again:

"OneMillionMoms is concerned with Target once again because now they are donating $100,000 to the LGBT nonprofit GLSEN to help promote 'inclusiveness' for kindergarteners through 12th-graders," she informs.

The Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) claims to have been "championing" LGBTQ issues in America's public schools for almost three decades.

Cole tells OneNewNow it is shameful that Target is promoting the homosexual lifestyle to school children.

AFA itself sent out an email with the graphic above and information like such:

Target's website has several pages dedicated to products that promote the LGBT lifestyle, many of which are specifically designed for children. For example, Target offers shirts that declare, "Love my dads," and another says, "Love my moms." Others shirts are emblazoned with the rainbow flag bearing the word "pride" superimposed.

How dare Target sell items geared to same-sex families!  Next thing you know, these families will actually be shopping out in the open! And that is a problem because we all know that LGBTQ people don't have families. We survive in the closets and shadows looking for our next sexual fix.

Or something like that . . .

The only reason why I don't completely laugh at this madness is because it does resonate with some people's ignorance. Phrases like "gay agenda" and "promoting homosexual lifestyles to children" tend to set them off in  Pavlovian type tremors.

But I am comforted by the fact that for the most part,  the joke is on One Million Moms and AFA. With more LGBTQ youth coming out (which is wonderful) and more same-sex families becoming visible (as they should), what's being "promoted" here is not an agenda, but plain reality.

And no amount of antiquated language or fear tactics will put this wonderful genie back into its bottle.  Furthermore, GLSEN does wonderful work for our kids and should be commended. And if Target wants to help with that work, it should also be commended.

'Trump attempts to gaslight the LGBTQ community, fails miserably' & other Mon midday news briefs

Donald Trump tries to play the LGBTQ community.

Trump wants credit for acknowledging LGBTQ Pride Month, but he still didn’t proclaim it - That fool must be out of his damn mind to think he could gaslight us like that. 

President Trump’s Anti-LGBT Agenda Is Louder Than His Pride Message - Second verse, same as the first. 

One Million Moms Vs Procter & Gamble - Whatever, One Million Moms. The LGBTQ community will not be invisible. Deal with it.

A longtime anti-LGBTQ leader is behind the State Department’s new human rights panel - One of the founders of the National Organization for Marriage is trying to cause the LGBTQ community trouble again.

Vox Journalist Opens Up About Homophobic Mob Harassment He Endures On YouTube - Get it together youtube!

The religious right wants you to pray for Trump while forgetting how they smeared Obama

Franklin Graham doesn't want you to remember how he exploited birther lies about Obama.

Piggybacking from Wednesday's post, Franklin Graham and several so-called Christian (religious right) leaders want Sunday to be designated as a day of prayer for Donald Trump under the guise that he is facing attacks like no president has before. The irony is that a  number of these "concerned folks" spent the last eight years smearing and demonizing President Barack Obama in some of the nastiest tones and untrue claims. From questioning his citizenship to claiming that he is paving the way for the Anti-Christ, their attacks had the same slanderous theme - that Obama was a Manchurian candidate who hated Christianity, hated America, and was doing everything in his power to destroy the country.

Franklin Graham once claimed that Russian president Putin's persecution of his country's gay citizens was more noble than Obama supporting LGBTQ equality?  Graham also helped to spread the nonsense that Obama wasn't an American citizen?

Alan Keyes, who Obama defeated for the Senate seat from Illinois in 2004, once called Obama a "radical communist." He also stoked the birther controversy regarding Obama to the point of pushing an unsuccessful lawsuit about it. In addition, Keyes said that Obama was destroying everything American.

John Hagee charged that Obama anti-Semitic. He also once claimed that Ebola was God's judgment for Obama supposedly dividing Jerusalem.

Liberty Counsel president Mat Staver said that Obama was bringing in Syrian refugees because he doesn't love America. He also said Congress should launch an investigation regarding Obama's birth certificate.

American Values president Gary L. Bauer once said Obama is more interested in defending the reputation of Islam than saving the lives of Christians. He once claimed that Obama and terrorists share the same agenda.

James Dobson once accused Obama of trying to use dictatorial powers to change how men, women and children relate each other and themselves and urged people to protect their children from him.

Former Governor Mike Huckabee once falsely said a domestic terrorism plan pushed by Obama would require Americans to memorize the Koran. Another time, he said Obama pretends to be a Christian.

Alveda King said Obama supports killing babies. 

Former Congresswoman Michele Bachmann once compared Obama to Andreas Lubitz, the co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525 who allegedly deliberately crashed the plane in the French Alps, killing himself and 149 other people. She also accused Obama of supporting the "agenda of Islamic Jihad."

Vision America's Rick Scarborough accused Obama of trying to "de-Christianize" America and also said the country would not survive if he were re-elected.

Robert Jeffress, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, once accused Obama of "paving the way for the Anti-Christ."

Harry Jackson said voting for Obama invites "divine vengeance" on America.

Family Research Council president Tony Perkins once said Obama is hostile towards Christianity. He accused Obama of being harsher to Christians in America than to the terrorist group ISIS and also blamed him for worldwide anti-Christian persecution. In addition, Perkins also exploited birther rumors about Obama by claiming that questions about his birth certificate were "legitimate."

The American Family Association's Tim Wildmon called Obama a "secret Muslim" and "was in love with Islam."

WallBuilders head David Barton repeatedly told the lie that Obama didn't mention God in Thanksgiving proclamations.

I don't know what's worse - that Franklin Graham and company can be so hypocritical AND probably justify it or that the media - particularly cable news media -  would probably allow them to get away with it by not reminding folks about what they did to Obama. 

But let's do remind folks. As often as we can.

Related post - A day of prayer for Donald Trump is a vulgar mockery to everything decent in the world  

'Federal workers intend to celebrate Pride in spite of Trump' & other Thur midday news briefs

Federal workers plan Pride celebrations, despite Trump’s anti-LGBT attacks - We don't need his crusty proclamation anyway.

Hulu’s ‘Bravest Knight’ Will Be Cartoon Fairy Tale Featuring Gay Dads - I love this!

E.W. Jackson: Gay People ‘Can’t Really Be Parents’ - Keep talking, E.W. 

On PBS Newshour, Anti-Violence Project's Beverly Tillery highlights the epidemic of deadly violence against trans women of color - Again, we need more attention about this.