Hate group leader Tony Perkins claims that Franklin Graham is not a homophobe. And the word 'irony' loses all meaning

Due to a controversy regarding his organization helping to fight the coronavirus pandemic in New York, Franklin Graham appeared on Fox News to play the victim and claim that he is not homophobic. What ensued next was a lovely pulling out of receipts, i.e. the revelation of statements from Graham and videos starring Graham attacking LGBTQ people, families, and voicing support for Putin's violent repression of LGBTQ Russians. Yes, I was involved and it was wonderful. But some folks did come to Graham's defense. 

Most specifically, the Family Research Council and its president Tony Perkins, came to Graham's defense:

When Franklin Graham set up a 68-bed field hospital in the middle New York City's Central Park, he didn't hang a sign saying, "Christian Patients Only." But somehow, the state's extremists think it's okay to demand only pro-LGBT caregivers on his staff. Samaritan's Purse, liberals argue, isn't tolerant enough to treat the sick. In a tweet so offensive it's difficult to believe he holds public office, New York State Senator Brad Hoylman (D) said, "It's a shame that the federal government has left New York with no other choice but to accept charity from bigots."

 

What a luxury it must be to criticize people in the trenches, while you sit in the safety of your home. Samaritan's Purse is risking its volunteers' lives to be on the front lines, at great expense to the organization, treating whomever the hospital sends them. Do you think these patients, a lot of them in desperate need of help, care who their doctors voted for in the last election? No. They just want to survive -- like the other 110,000 people infected in New York City.

 

If Senator Hoylman is so worried about politically-correct care, then where is his relief effort? The truth is, the only reason he has time to attack Franklin's virus responders is because his colleagues aren't on the ground meeting New Yorkers' needs. But then, that's what we've come to expect from the far Left. These liberal activists are more concerned about their agenda than actual people. We've seen it in the adoption debate, the foster care debate, and now in the medical debate. If the choice is between a Christian organization helping someone or the person getting no help at all, we already know what they'd choose: children without homes and patients without care.

Perkins continues on this absurd narrative without mentioning that Graham's past  homophobic statements was what helped to give folks pause.  And on that same note, one would think that Perkins and FRC would have been wise to not dip into the situation with their attempt to defend Graham.  Because neither FRC nor Perkins have room to talk. 

Particularly when one of FRC's spokespeople, Peter Sprigg, once expressed a desire for gays to be kicked out of  the country:

And Perkins himself is no slouch when it comes to homophobic statements. In 2014, he made a Holocaust reference by implying that gays want to put Christians in boxcars and take them to "re-education camps."

Franklin Graham claims he is not homophobic. The paper and video trail exposes him as a liar

Hat tip to my friend Joe Sudbay who brought this to my attention.

Franklin Graham appeared on Fox News Tuesday night to claim that he is not homophobic. He has been getting a lot of negative attention due to his attempt to provide help in New York during the coronavirus pandemic. And adding catches to his help:

According to Religion News Services.

 On a group of LGBTQ activists stood several yards away from the Samaritan’s Purse field hospital on the East Meadow lawn and blasted city and state officials and Mount Sinai Hospital for partnering with the evangelical humanitarian relief organization treating overflow patients suffering from the coronavirus. 

 . . . The LGBTQ coalition is the latest in a series of barbs aimed at Samaritan’s Purse since it opened a 68-bed field hospital in Central Park two weeks ago. The conflict pits the country’s growing acceptance of LBGTQ rights with the conservative values of a premier evangelical relief organization. The hospital is staffed with Christian doctors and nurses experienced in treating infectious diseases. But Samaritan Purse's policies require most contractors and some full-time volunteers to sign a statement of faith that includes a declaration that “we believe that marriage is exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female.”

So on the Ingraham Angle, Graham attempted to deflect the controversy via a soft interview with host Laura Ingraham:

Laura: Why are you being attacked for opening a field hospital?
Franklin Graham: We believe marriage is between a man and a woman... We have a statement of faith that we require our employees to sign and in that is a marriage is between a man and woman... I’m not homophobic pic.twitter.com/eE0fv4Ree6

— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) April 15, 2020

'Fundamentalism kills' - A gay man speaks about the rejection from his Christian family

Daniel Lawson

A really good Facebook friend of mine, Daniel Lawson, just published a personal account of his coming out in a fundamentalist Christian, right-wing family and how it nearly killed him. It's not an easy read and I commend him for having the courage to publicly tell his story. It should serve to remind us that the fight for our equality isn't solely for us, but also for our kids. So many folks like Daniel have been in this environment and have suffered for it.  We can't ever get blase about this battle because it's about more than rights. It's about the ability to love oneself even though others tell us that we shouldn't. And unfortunately sometimes, those "others" are the folks who are close to us:

From Medium:

It doesn’t take great powers of deduction to ascertain which of the “sinner” or “good Christian” categories I was railroaded into after coming out to my family over that Thanksgiving break after the dumpster fire Baptist college semester. As I watched my entire family change toward me before my eyes, it slowly began to dawn on me that there was, in fact, no going back now. Their supposed “love” had changed overnight to hostility, fear, anger and aggression. Their lifelong abusive ways, which always lay dormant and ready to strike, now ratcheted up into high gear. I had gone from one bad situation at the Bible college to now confronting an even worse, uglier mix at home, with no time to process the rapid traumatic chain of events that were altering the course of my life. My parents called up the local chapter of Focus on the Family and sought out a team of quack doctors and therapists to try to rid me of my “wicked lifestyle.” With each successive forced visit to one of these charlatans, the situation continued to spiral downwards as my parents’ anger and impatience grew that their son was not immediately “cured.”

 . . .Things reached a climax one night when my mom started an argument with me and suddenly, she flew into an irrational, senseless fit of rage and started chasing me down the hallway! I ducked into the bathroom and slammed my body against the door, locking it just in time as she barreled down against the door, howling and shrieking like a banshee and trying to beat down the door, screaming the whole time, “YOU’VE GOT THE DEVIL INSIDE OF YOU! YOU’VE GOT THE DEVIL INSIDE OF YOU!”

You can read the rest of it here. It's worth your time.

' A message to LGBTQ parents during this difficult time' & other Tue midday news briefs

You don’t have to be the perfect “gay parent” right now. We’re all doing our best. - This piece is VERY appropriate right now. 

 Indigo Girls's fears for LGBTQ youth during pandemic: 'Praying people find their chosen family' - Thank you, ladies. 

 Paige Kreisman: Kicked Out of the Military, Now Running for Office - When faced with bigotry and hate, running for public office is a good way of combating it. 

 Four gay men with HIV released from ICE custody - Good.

Trump's meltdown at latest press briefing poses appropriate question - does America really want four more years of this sh!t?

Everyone hates Trump's press briefings. They were supposed to be about the coronavirus pandemic, but since Trump can't have any of his therapeutic "rallies,"he has decided to dominate the briefings. Monday's was especially awful. But it should serve notice to folks who claim to be "uninspired" by the prospect of a Joe Biden presidency.because it puts the appropriate question in front of them. And that question is:

Do you really want four more years of this shit?

Trump to @PaulaReidCBS, who asked him about the slow federal coronavirus response: "You are so disgraceful ... you know you're a fake." pic.twitter.com/6iKl6eyPX3

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 13, 2020

For anyone who was lucky to miss Trump's latest escapade, the above video is him lashing out at CBS reporter Paula Reed for asking him about his ignoring and lack of preparation for the pandemic - something he has been called out for on many occasions. I have to give it to Reed for maintaining her professionalism as he dodged her legitimate questions by insulting her. And as long as I'm giving out compliments, whoever was doing the chryon for CNN did NOT come to play:

 

But back to the appropriate question. Do you really want four more years of this shit?

'FL police chief suspended for suggesting deputy's COVID-19 death was linked to his being gay' & other Mon midday news briefs

Florida police chief suspended for suggesting deputy’s COVID-19 death was linked to his being gay: report - Mercy! Someone needs to get a complimentary kick in the ass.

Leftover fabric from the AIDS Quilt is being used to make face masks for healthcare workers - I think this is a good thing. But it still jabs my heart just a little bit.  

Franklin Graham says he 'shudders to think' where America would be if Trump weren't president during COVID-19 - My post from last night bears repeating.

Northam signs anti-discrimination act to protect LGBTQ community - Good things happen even in the midst of a crisis.

Franklin Graham says he 'shudders to think' where America would be if Trump weren't president during COVID-19

Franklin Graham stoops to new low in support of Trump

Last week, according to NBC News, Trump held a conference call with evangelicals and other religious leaders who have supported him. The purpose was to implore them to convince their supporters and followers to vote for him. You can read the article if you would like. For me, however, one part stood out in a terrible fashion:

Trump praised one of those leaders, evangelical leader Franklin Graham, for the work his group Samaritan Purse's work setting up a field hospital in Central Park.Graham has said previously that COVID-19 is happening because of sin and because mankind "turned its back on God." On the call Wednesday, he praised Trump and Pence for their handling of the crisis. "Mr. President, we want to thank you and the vice president for your leadership, our country would be in trouble," Graham said. "If you were not the president, I just shudder to think where we would be."

 

Bear in mind that while Graham made that statement, many other individuals have the opposite opinion. Trump has been almost universally blasted for his behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. From taking over press briefings about the pandemic with lies and conspiracy theories, to attacking governors trying to deal with it in their states, to downplaying the crisis for weeks and then lying about it by claiming he always knew how serious it was,  this entire situation is the disaster we were warned about during the 2016 election. The Russian investigation and the impeachment were only the preludes; the cocktails before the main dish, if you will.

And that's not even taking into account:

 the articles this weekend which confirmed that Trump ignored medical and security experts who tried to warn him about the coming pandemic,

the way he brazenly attacks reporters who ask him perfectly legitimate questions about his handling of the pandemic,

the accusations that he is showing unfair preference to GOP governors in giving out needed medical equipment,

 hinting that he wants to "reopen" America, ie. putting a halt to lockdown procedures which have helped stave off COVID-19 even though our country now leads the world in coronavirus deaths with over 20,000.

Graham said he shudders to think where the  country would be if Trump wasn't president during this pandemic. It's fair to say that the rest of us shudder to realize how many mistakes he made which helped to further the chaos and death. Willful mistakes, too.  Mistakes of someone who lacks the intellectual, emotional, and moral maturity to even lead an old lady across the street.

Someone should ask Graham a simple question. We know why he has supported Trump these past three years and continues to support him even now. But really, are conservative judges worth the lives of over 20,000 Americans?

Anti-LGBTQ leader claims LGBTQ groups trying to 'wrap their tentacles' around coronavirus stimulus money

Frank Schubert

On Thursday, the following article was published by hate group American Family Association's fake news site, One News Now:

A nonprofit organization with a mission to protect marriage and the faith communities that sustain it says LGBT groups may succeed in dominating the media and wrapping their tentacles around coronavirus stimulus funds. 

 

The Human Rights Campaign -- the largest, wealthiest, and most powerful pro-LGBT lobbying group in the U.S. – has written an open letter to the media, the government, and health officials demanding special consideration to their community, whose members are supposedly especially vulnerable to the virus. They are seeking financial resources and government coordinating with LGBT organizations. 

 

"This is a virus that affects every person in the country," responds Frank Schubert of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM). "Millions of people are out of work, trillions of dollars in economic loss has been wiped out, and here we have special interest groups from the LGBT community demanding that they be given special considerations."

 

While he finds the effort off-putting, he says the Human Rights Campaign may be able to pull it off.

 

"They may be in a position to affect that outcome because of their close allied relationship with Nancy Pelosi, who is as we speak busy writing the next coronavirus relief act," the NOM spokesman tells OneNewsNow. "She's made it clear to members of her Democratic Party that she intends to use that opportunity as a way to advance her hard-left agenda."

'LGBTQ celebrities who have come out in 2020 (so far)' & other Thur midday news briefs

LGBTQ Stars Who Have Come Out in 2020 (So Far)​ - Eh. Why not a little frivolity in a story to beat back the doldrums? 

LGBTQ rabbi who confronted AIDS crisis now faces coronavirus - Excellent article! 

 Outside of CNN's LGBTQ town hall, evening TV news spent under 20 minutes covering 2019's anti-trans violence - Discounted again . . .

L.A. Pride's 50th Anniversary Is Postponed — But Not Defeated - Good for them!

'The Curse of the Black Widow' - if it's not a camp classic, then it should be

Based on the popularity of last week's post on the motion picture, The Women, I'm thinking of posting a weekly bit on classic camp movies we can all watch while we are stuck at home during this pandemic. Tonight is one of my favorites.

The Curse of the Black Widow comes from 1977, a time before cable when television movies ruled the day. Just about several times a week, ABC, CBS or NBC would feature an original movie, which could be a comedy, drama, or horror. And a lot of actors made bank starring in those movies. Several of them will probably be featured here in the future. But very few should grab your attention like this movie, which was also known as Love Trap.

The summary is simply nuts. A detective (Anthony Franciosa) is investigating a bunch of mysterious murders in which the victims blood was drained and replaced with venom. He finds out that the murders center around fraternal twin heiresses (Patty Duke and Donna Mills). And here is the kicker (by the way, I will be including spoilers, but you really shouldn't watch these movies for the plot) - due to a incident when they were born, one of the twins has the power to transform into an indestructible giant black widow spider who can only be harmed by fire. Which twin is it? The one with the most acting range. Out of Duke and Mills, who has an Oscar and two Emmys? You figure it out.

'How three major LGBTQ centers are virtually keeping their communities alive' & other Wed midday news briefs

How 3 Major LGBTQ Centers Are Virtually Keeping Their Communities Alive - We need more good news like this. 

Campaign to Help LGBTQ Seniors Reminds Us Love Is Not Cancelled - Amen!

Coronavirus jeopardizes LGBTQ groups’ $22.6 million budget request - Well damn. This is not good. 

Mormon leaders address coronavirus pandemic, somehow manage to make it about ‘sinful’ gay sex - But don't they always?

Video montage proves how Fox News helped make the coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemic worse in America

I interrupt my usual banter because I feel that this is a video which needs to be seen and shared as much as possible. And it concerns all of us, including the LGBTQ community. Years ago, some folks said that Fox News was dangerous, not necessarily because of its right-wing conservative slant, but because of the lies and propaganda its personalities freely push in pursuit of that slant. These folks were pushed aside, laughed at, or generally ignored. Even when Fox News backed up Bush's "weapons of mass destruction" lie, undermined Obama at every turn, helped to transform Hillary Clinton into Satan's female twin in the eyes of many Americans, etc. etc., excuses were made for the network. 

And now we're here and no one is laughing. We rightfully blame Trump and his incompetence for how the coronavirus has negatively impacted this country. But let's not forget his helpers.At every turn, Fox News trivialized or made light of the pandemic. Instead of informing the country, its personalities bent over backwards to defend Trump or make excuses for him.   As the above video proves, Fox News should share equal blame for the lives lost in America during this COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone who works at Fox News - and I mean everyone - has blood on their hands. And I hope history never forgets.

'Children's cartoon DuckTales introduces gay dads. How long before religious right freak out?' & other Tue midday news briefs

DuckTales introduced gay dads as new characters & the web went quackers - Those were the positive comments. You just know the religious right isn't going to let this one slide. 

Hungary bill would ban transgender people from legally changing gender - Great. Hungary chooses to be a bastard of a country right now. 

 Log Cabin Wrongly Credits Trump With Easing Gay Blood Ban - Of course those jerks did. 

 Children's Author Jacqueline Wilson Comes Out at 74 - Better late than never.

Randy Rainbow salutes America's actual leader during the COVID-19 pandemic

As usual, Randy Rainbow astutely nails the point. To the tune of  'Sandy' from the musical Grease, he salutes the one person who has shown some semblance of leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic - New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Hilarious as always.  If Trump's smart, he will keep his mouth shut.

'How Trans and Nonbinary people are coping right now' & other Mon midday news briefs

How Trans And Nonbinary People Are Coping Right Now - It's a needed question. 

Coronavirus pandemic a perfect storm for LGBTQ homeless youth - Don't forget our kids.

 Trump says he had nothing to do with FDA easing gay blood ban - I can actually believe THAT. 

 Lawyer calls judge a “gay fat f*g” but claims he can’t be homophobic because he has a gay cousin - Oh the poor thing (eyeroll)

Franklin Graham points the finger at 'sin' for the coronavirus. Fails to see the three fingers pointing back at himself.

Franklin Graham

Franklin Graham on Saturday night talking with Jeanine Pirro on Fox:

. . .  Graham was asked to make sense of Covid-19’s worldwide devastation, and the Fox host wondered “How could God allow this thing to happen?” “Well, I don’t think it’s God’s plan for this to happen. It’s because of the sin that’s in the world,” Graham answered. “Man has turned his back on God, we have sinned against him, and we need to ask for God’s forgiveness and that’s what Easter’s all about.” After recalling the story of Easter, Graham continued to say “this pandemic, this is the result of a fallen world. A world that has turned its back on God.”

Also from Franklin Graham, but not last night when pontificating about sin. This was last year when he was defending Donald Trump (yet again):

“I don’t think the president is sitting there behind the desk trying to make up lies,” Graham said. “I don’t believe that for a second. Has he misspoken on something? Sure, all of us do that, you do it, I do it. So I think the president is trying to do the best that he can under very difficult circumstances,” the pastor added. 

 

At the time, Trump had been shown to have lied over 8,000 times. And then there are tweets from Graham about Trump like so:

It's the first time I have ever seen a supposed man of God calling out sin for the world's calamities while hoping that people forget how much sympathy he's shown for the devil.

'Religious liberty' argument, once hindering LGBTQ rights, is now endangering COVID-19 prevention

It took a pandemic to bring home the fact that the LGBTQ community was attempting to tell America for the longest - the concept of 'religious liberty' is being distorted and used as a weapon. In the same manner that racists began claiming that they weren't "anti-black," just "pro-white," the religious right portrayed themselves as victims who would be "compelled" to go against their "deeply held personal beliefs" if they were supposedly forced to serve LGBTQ people, follow rules having to do with taking tax dollars, or basically afforded us the respect we are due  as taxpaying American citizens etc. Critical questions in terms of how far "religious liberty" should go were generally ignored by the media as they fell for narrative after narrative of a 'Christian bakers, florists, faith-based adoption agencies or other entities falsely portrayed as victims of LGBTQ people who simply wanted fair treatment. But now, we see how far the concept is being pushed. And it endangers more than just LGBTQ  rights. It still endangers our safety,mind you, but along with the safety of pretty much everyone else:

From The Center for American Progress:

Collective efforts to flatten the curve of COVID-19 through social distancing are critical to spreading out the rate of infection over time so that America’s health care system is not overwhelmed. “If we don’t make substantial changes, both in spreading the disease over time and expanding capacity, we’re going to run out of hospital beds,” Harvard Global Health Institute Director Dr. Ashish Jha told The New York Times. “And in that instance, we will not be able to take care of critically ill people, and people will die." 

 

However, at a time when it is crucial to respond thoughtfully and prudently to this pandemic, there is an alarming trend of government officials ignoring public health warnings and refusing to call on houses of worship to close. Establishing religious exemptions—in this case, by freeing houses of worship from public health order compliance—will only result in more cases of COVID-19 and greater numbers of death from the disease.

 

Thankfully, many religious communities, which sit at the nexus of caring for people and being a focal point of community gatherings, are leading efforts to flatten the curve. A diverse group of religious organizations, including the National Association of Evangelicals, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the newly established National Muslim Task Force on COVID-19, have called for suspending in-person services. Many religious organizations have found new and creative ways to gather for worship, pray together, and continue community social service work. Faith community leaders deserve praise for their efforts to combat the coronavirus; they serve as trusted messengers who affect the daily lives of people of faith outside faith-specific spaces.

The publication also noted that there are churches who have chosen to vigorously ignore this. The New York Post goes into more detail:

An Evangelical pastor mocked the “pansies” who are scared of the coronavirus — as he insisted his packed church will only shut its doors “when the Rapture is taking place.” “If you cannot be saved in church, you in serious trouble,” Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne told Florida’s River Tampa Bay Church, as he encouraged congregants to hug in defiance of health warnings. 

 

Howard-Browne has continued to wage war against stay-at-home regulations until he was finally arrested. He has since announced that he is canceling services, but not for the sake of safety. Instead he lays the blame on the "tyrannical government." And he is not the only religious leader raising a fuss over the situation. Several Texas pastors are suing  for a religious exemption to the coronavirus stay-at-home regulations. In addition, Florida and several other states are allowing some type of exemption. In Ohio, one church is deliberately holding large services in defiance. Another church in California did the same thing. And another in Louisiana.

The irony is that VP Mike Pence and Family Research Council president Tony Perkins - both big promoters of exploiting "religious liberty" against LGBTQ people - are now pleading with people to follow stay-at-home regulations or speaking against large church gatherings.

Whatever, guys. You let the beast out of the cage. Now, you can't control it. You encouraged people to believe that their "religious liberty" matter more than the rights and dignity of LGBTQ people.  Why act so surprised when folks are now deciding that their "religious liberty" matter more than the very lives of people in general?

'White House blames 'radical left' for rise in homophobic hate groups linked to Trump' & other Thur midday news briefs

White House shamefully blames the ‘radical left’ for sharp rise in homophobic hat

e groups linked to Trump - Say what? And the person doing the lying is a gay man. Sad.

Losing your job overnight: How NJ's LGBTQ community is affected by the coronavirus - This mess is REAL. 

Ocasio-Cortez, Maloney call for end to gay blood ban amid COVID-19 crisis - The end of the ban is long overdue. 

On MSNBC, Trevor Project's Amit Paley talks about the unique challenges facing LGBTQ youth during COVID-19 crisis - Thank you for not forgetting about our kids.

The Women (1939) - The movie which should have been made with gay men

With this situation regarding the coronavirus and social distancing, I think it is important for LGBTQ people to keep abreast of the news regarding our lives and rights. And take a respite every now and then from it all by immersing ourselves into  things which can be seen as frivolous or funny. We can't be serious all of the time because if we were, the community would go stark raving mad. Doing things you enjoy, especially things which make you laugh, is wonderful medicine for the blues. So this post isn't going to be about anything serious. I want to show scenes from one of my favorite movies of all time and a movie which should be made one day with gay men instead of women. The younger generation in our community have RuPaul's Drag Race and the Bring It On movies. Folks my age have The Women.

The Women (1939) is one of the funniest and cattiest motion pictures ever made. Based upon a Broadway play, it told the story of how women in high society deal with their lives and relationships.  The main character, Mary Haines, finds out that her husband has been cheating on her with a perfume counter girl, Crystal Allen. How she loses her husband to Allen and eventually wins him back using the tactics first used against her forms the story. The irony is that for a movie which talked about relationships between men and women, the cast consisted of only women. The director, George Cukor, was male but he was one of the only few.  As you can see from this trailer, there is a reason why The Women is a favorite with my generation of gay men and the generations of gay men before me. We know the words to several  scenes by heart:

And then there is the behind-the-scenes story, which just about every gay fan of the movie knows; a story which could be a movie in itself. 

'Anti-LGBTQ hate group will defend pastor arrested for defying coronavirus measures' & other Wed midday news briefs

Anti-LGBTQ hate group will defend megachurch pastor arrested for defying coronavirus measures - Why of course it will. 

 Idaho governor quietly signs anti-trans bills amid coronavirus crisis - In case you didn't hear . . . 

Under the Trump Administration, Anti-LGBTQ Hate Groups Have Steadily Risen - Ugh. Color me not surprised. 

 Coronavirus Hospital In Central Park Sparks Backlash Over Anti-LGBTQ Ties - Franklin Graham has claimed that gays "recruit" children. We want assurances that his group and volunteers won't be jerks to potential LGBTQ patients. It's not an unreasonable request.

Parents of transgender youth give advice for new parents starting the journey

In spite of what we have to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, our fight for equality still goes on. March 31 is The Trans Day of Visibility. And though this should be done more often, today is a wonderful time to spotlight the faces and voices of the trans community and their loved ones. I think that if the media would take the time to do this more often instead of spotlighting phony experts from anti-trans groups, this issue would be simpler:

These parents are part of HRC Foundation’s Parents for Transgender Equality National Council. The council is a coalition of some of the the nation's leading parent-advocates working for equality and fairness for transgender people, with the intention of connecting, mobilizing and amplifying many of the most powerful voices of love, inclusion and support for transgender equality.

Evangelicals undermining fight against coronvarius via similar tactics used against LGBTQ people

Anti-LGBTQ evangelical Todd Starnes is now undermining the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

LGBTQ people have told folks.

Hell, even I've told folks how conservative evangelicals either go overboard or use their religious beliefs as a way to absolve from following rules. Usually though, their actions have to do with cases of LGBTQ rights, so they tend to get away with successfully pulling the "it's a deeply held personal belief of my faith" card. But recent incidents involving the coronavirus pandemic should give pause to anyone wanting to believe that narrative. Utilizing tactics which they've worked against LGBTQ people, certain anti-LGBTQ figures are undermining the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

From People for the American Way:

The hashtag #FilmYourHospital trended on Twitter Sunday, encouraging people to travel to ​nearby hospitals and record video of the exterior to supposedly show that media coverage of chaotic and overcrowded hospitals ​is untrue. 

 It appears that right-wing radio host Todd Starnes may have inspired the trend, although Starnes has not used the specific hashtag in any post. Starnes uploaded a video Saturday afternoon that he filmed wandering around outside of the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City. Starnes is heard off-camera telling viewers that he wanted to expose the “war zone” that an emergency room doctor at Brooklyn’s Brookdale Hospital described to CNN last week.

For those not familiar with him, Starnes is a homophobic conservative talking head who, when he is not targeting LGBTQ people, freely makes up stories of anti-Christian persecution. At this particular time, he is attempting to blunt the fact that the coronavirus is causing chaos in New York by creating a ridiculous narrative. Not only is the narrative a sick lie but, as People for the American Way points out, Starnes's "investigation" is being copied by other right-wing activists dumbasses. This could serve to create more disbelief in the seriousness of this pandemic, thereby causing more people to foolishly expose themselves to danger.

And Starnes isn't the only anti-LGBTQ figure interfering in the fight against the pandemic:

A group of pastors and an outspoken conservative activist filed a petition with the Texas Supreme Court on Monday arguing that Harris County’s stay-at-home order, which closed churches and limited worship services to video or teleconference calls, violates the First Amendment, according to a Houston Chronicle report. 

 The petition was filed by Steven Hotze, a Republican activist known for his backing of anti-LGBT causes, and pastors Juan Bustamante, George Garcia and David Valdez, according to the Chronicle. The group also argues that Judge Lina Hidalgo’s order violates the Second Amendment by not listing gun shops among “essential” businesses. The March 24 order requires residents to stay home and closed most businesses except those deemed essential, such as grocery stores and hospitals. On Friday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said gun stores are essential business and should be allowed to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When it comes to homophobic rhetoric, Starnes - as vile as he is - doesn't even begin to match the level of venom spewed by Hotze. According to Media Matters:

Steven Hotze said that “‘Satanic cults’ were driving the ‘homosexual movement,’” compared LGBTQ people to “Nazis,” and said Houston residents should "drive them out of our city.”

Hotze claimed that a “key point of the homosexual agenda” is “overturning the laws prohibiting pedophilia.”

Hotze prayed that lawmakers who “support, promote and practice sodomy and other perverted, sexually deviant lifestyles” would “receive just retribution from God for their evil actions.” 

 Hotze said LGBTQ equality gives gay people “a free hand to come and have relations with a minor, molest a child.”

And now, Hotze is claiming that a "stay at home" order is violating his religious beliefs, much like others like him have claimed the same about LGBTQ rights in the past.

 In this particular case, however, we aren't talking about a gay vs. Christian false narrative. Now, it's a matter of people's lives being at stake. And that is not a euphemism as these two examples from The Christian Post points out:

1. At least three separate pastors have died in recent days after testing positive for the new coronavirus, including two who raised concern that the virus was being used as a tool of the devil to manipulate the masses or silence Christians. One thought God would use His infection to spread the Gospel or give him “a little rest.”

2. Several members of an Illinois Pentecostal church are either at the hospital or in home quarantine after at least 43 congregants fell ill following a revival service two Sundays ago, and at least 10 of them have tested positive for the new coronavirus.

I hate to say "I told you so" to those who have bought conservative evangelical narratives in the past when it came to LGBTQ rights but . . .well you know.

'Gay congressional candidate faces new challenge after COVID-19 diagnosis' & other Mon midday news briefs

Gay candidate’s congressional campaign faces new challenge after COVID-19 diagnosis - Interesting article about Congressional candidate attempting to campaign from quarantine.

COVID-19 Severely Tests LGBTQ Organizations, But Work Continues - Damn right it does.

LGBTQ people urged to ‘get counted’ in Census - Don't forget the Census!

17 Grindr Messages That, Yes, People Actually Sent - This is so wicked, but what the hell. Wicked is good right now.

Top 10 LGBTQ Superhero Couples

For LGBTQ people who enjoy comic books - like me - here is a video which should interest you. It's also a great thing to watch as we ease into Monday while practicing social distancing because of the you-know-what.

Number one on the list doesn't surprise me. But number two - Wolverine and Hercules - does and not because of who it is. Marvel included a huge loophole which made this possible. The surprising part was the fact that Wolverine and Hercules were "undercover lovers" because Hercules's father, Zeus, forbade gods and mortals from having relationships. Obviously a certain comic book storyline creator hasn't kept up on Greek mythology. Zeus literally tried to screw everything that moved. I'm just saying.

'Coming out as bisexual to your doctor' & other Fri midday news briefs

Out as Bisexual to Your Doctor - A lot of times, we forget about the needs of our bisexual brothers and sisters.

Teen with lesbian moms forced to listen to anti-LGBTQ “sermons” before school basketball practice - This right here is a hot mess. I hope they sue and win. 

Village People’s ‘Y.M.C.A.’ inducted by Library of Congress, as group debuts new coronavirus-inspired video - True story - I didn't know about the gay aspect of the Village People until 1985.

City of Covington bans conversion therapy for LGBTQ youths - Sweet! Nothing wrong with cities getting in on the act.

EXCLUSIVE- Gay Mafia categorically denies unleashing the coronavirus

Editor's note - It is very rare that this blog has an exclusive, so naturally I am honored that it was chosen for this endeavor. I have been asked by The Gay Mafia to convey the following with regards to allegations made about the LGBTQ community and the coronavirus. You can tell that is is an official Gay Mafia press release based upon the gorgeous letterhead, which no doubt took someone a great deal of personal time to create:

Dear Friends,

It has come to our attention that certain allegations have been made against LGBTQ people. We would like to state that these allegations are categorically false. LGBTQ people did not plan nor are responsible for the Coronavirus.

Furthermore, we possess notes of our last 20 meetings which will disprove these allegations. These notes clearly prove that with all of the work we put into rigging the Oscars for Renee Zellweger, upgrading our recruitment program via Drag Queen Story Hour, and developing the pheromones which led Pete Buttigieg to grow a beard, we simply lacked the time and manpower to unleash a virus on the world.

 Any further questions can be given to our secretary, St Paul Charles.

 Yours in Queerness,

 Gay Mafia, esq.

'Trump's Justice Department supports blocking trans athletes from women's sports' & other Thur midday news briefs

Trump attacks LGBTQ equality again.

Justice Department Supports Blocking Transgender Athletes From Women’s Sports - Trump is screwing LGBTQ people over again. 

Trump’s Bible study teacher says coronavirus was caused by gays & environmentalists - Seriously and all jokes aside, simply fuck him. 

Abercrombie & Fitch fires gay model after racist comments unearthed - It happens. One can be gay AND racist. Even though I don't feel comfortable with the entire incident.

28 Oldest Gay Celebs (and Why We Still Love Them) - This came out last month, but why not feature it. It's a wonderful refutation of all of the propaganda claiming that gay men don't live long.

Ms. Dorian Corey has some words of wisdom for these uncertain times

In these uncertain times, particularly with the Orange dumbass in the White House and the coronavirus running rampant, it can be difficult for all of us to be optimistic or at least hold our heads up. I know it can be really difficult for LGBTQ people. We shouldn't get so despondent that we forget the words of wisdom from those who paved our roads.

One such person was Dorian Corey, a transgender woman, drag performer, and fashion designer who was featured in the legendary documentary Paris Is Burning. Featured in the video above are a few truths she spoke in the documentary. Her last words in this video always lift my spirits:

 “Everybody wants to make an impression, some mark upon the world. Then you think you’ve made a mark on the world if you just get through it, and a few people remember your name. Then you’ve left a mark.” 

 Unfortunately, she is no longer with us, having passed away in 1993. But her legacy was so huge that a musical was based upon her life. And an incident after her death was the basis for a plotline in the television series Pose. It had to do with a mummufied body found in her home. But you can read all about that here.

For now, just enjoy her words of wisdom.

'LGBTQ dance party goes digital amid coronavirus pandemic' & other Wed midday news briefs

Legendary playwright Terrence McNally dies due to coronavirus. See article in group below.

LGBTQ dance party goes digital amid coronavirus pandemic - There you go! No stopping the party!

Anti-LGBTQ Hate Groups Are Surging in the U.S.- An article published Thursday, but still very necessary. And why are these groups surging? Trump.

Terrence McNally, Award-Winning Playwright, Dies From Complications Due To Coronavirus - We lost a really good one, y'all. 

PrEP may be tested against coronavirus if HIV meds shown to work - This sounds interesting.

Anti-LGBTQ activist Bryan Fischer thinks the coronavirus will 'protect' children from drag queens

Bryan Fischer is living proof that homophobia makes one stupid.

Not only is Bryan Fischer a ratchet homopobe, he is also stupid:

According to LGBTQNation:

Anti-LGBTQ activist Bryan Fischer said that there’s a silver lining to the coronavirus pandemic: kids are staying home from school, where they’re safe from drag queen story hours and the “sexual deviancy, gender confusion” found at public schools. 

Fischer has devoted the better part of his life to fighting what he calls “homofascists.” He’s the former Director of Issues Analysis for the American Family Association (AFA) – an SPLC designated hate group largely because of work he did for them – and he currently hosts a radio show on American Family Radio, a network over over 180 radio stations.

'The Right's New Target: LGBTQ Children' & other Tue midday news briefs

The Right’s New Target: LGBTQ Children - We have to let it be known as well as do something about it.

Trump-endorsed news outlet says it’s God’s “judgment” that a gay activist died from coronavirus - Disgusting and sleazy as hell.

16 great LGBTQ movies to stream during self-isolation - Yep! Cause we need to keep our spirits up.

Miley Cyrus quit church because gay friends 'weren't being accepted' - Good for her for being supportive/

Family Research Council attempting to whitewash Trump's lack of leadership during coronavirus pandemic

With what we know about how Trump has been bungling the response to the coronavirus pandemic, I don't necessarily think it's a good thing to portray him as some type of unfairly overburdened leader. But that's what the Family Research Council and its president, Tony Perkins, are attempting to do:

There's hardly a busier, more burdened man in America right now than President Trump. And yet on Friday, when he heard that Vice President Mike Pence was about to jump on an FRC conference call with 700 pastors, he asked if he could join. Hearing his voice was a surprise, even to me -- but hearing his earnest desire to stand with the faith leaders of America in crisis certainly wasn't. 

"When I told the president I was going to be speaking to all of you," Mike explained, "[he was] in the midst of an extraordinarily busy day. [But] he looked at me and said, 'I have to find time. I need to find time.'" To the president, he went on, "the prayers of the people on this call mean [everything] to him..." So despite everything facing America, the two most important leaders of this nation stopped everything to pray with the people on the ground, who are ministering to their communities. 

It's a "wild world," the president started. The virus, he said, "came upon us so suddenly. And we were doing better than we've ever done before as a country in terms of the economy -- and then, all of the sudden, we got hit with this. So we had to close it down," he said wistfully. "We're actually paying a big price to close it down. Never happened before." But, President Trump insisted, "I think we're going to come back stronger than ever before."

I apologize to those who will accuse me of being petty, but I don't intend to change. It's not right to use prayer requests as an attempt to absolve Trump from the mess he helped make, including not challenging his inaccurate statement that the coronavirus came suddenly.

In fact, its downright sleazy.

Pray for our nation if you want. And by all means pray for Trump if you feel the need. But don't even attempt to write off, push away, or ignore the many ways he mismanaged this disaster. Don't even attempt to pretend that Trump had this situation under control from the beginning when he kept shifting positions from claiming that his administration had this problem under control, to claiming that it was a Democratic hoax, to finally acknowledging the seriousness of the situation.

And don't even pretend that he didn't attempt to absolve himself from the responsibility which came with him being elected - and I swear I will never EVER know why - as the commander-in-chief of this nation.

We aren't stupid In spite of the purveyors of propaganda working overtime, the majority of Americans aren't going to buy this attempt to transform Trump from Mr. Magoo to Abraham Lincoln.

 If Trump wants prayer, maybe he should publicly acknowledge his lack of leadership thus far. If he can't do that - and we all know he can't -  then at least FRC shouldn't aid and abet any attempt to make him look like a credible leader.

Because that's the one thing he hasn't been throughout this mess.

'Drag My Dad' allows families to connect, bond, and accept each other

 I ran across these videos on youtube and they really put me in a good mood. I hope they do the same for you. In these troubled times, we all - LGBTQ people especially -  need something to make us smile and to remind us that there are positive aspects and values in the cultures we embrace.

We all know about Drag Queen Story Hour and what it does for our children and families in spite of the ignorant backlash it has faced. But did you know that drag can also be used to help fathers and mothers reconnect with, accept, and bond with their LGBTQ children?

It all happens via Drag My Dad, an MTV show streamed on Facebook, where fathers, mothers, and/or their children are made up as drag queens. It sounds simple, but the stories as to why these families are participating is where the complexities lie. If the above episodes doesn't pull your heartstrings, you need to check your pulse.

Family Research Council gives Trump tone deaf praise for his handling of coronavirus outbreak

Fox News and Donald Trump are rightfully blamed for their actions during this coronavirus outbreak as these two videos show:

But there is a third party which deserves at least some blame for where we are now - conservative evangelical groups. During this crisis, a lot of them -  folks and groups who have defended Trump in spite of every lie, insult, and episode of bad behavior or awful leadership - having been laying low.

Conservative evangelical claims coronavirus is God's punishment for marriage equality and abortion

In spite of his stunning incompetence in dealing with coronavirus outbreak, Trump hasn't lost the support of the most loyal members of his base - white conservative evangelicals. 

According to The Huffington Post:

About 7 in 10 white evangelical Christians approve of the way Trump is handling issues related to the coronavirus outbreak, including 52% who strongly approve of his performance, according to a new HuffPost/YouGov poll conducted over the weekend. In contrast, only 45% of all American adults surveyed said they strongly or somewhat approve of how Trump is handling the outbreak. Seventy percent of white evangelicals also approve of the way the U.S. government is managing the outbreak. Only 47% of all respondents surveyed said the same. The data suggests that the president’s most loyal religious supporters are standing by their man despite reports of infighting and indecision at the White House as the pandemic unfolded.

It's all about rationalization with these people. They can always point the finger at someone else, such as the media. Or, like this guy in the above video, can blame abortion and marriage equality.

From Right Wing Watch:

When right-wing pastor Perry Stone held a prayer service at his church in Cleveland, Tennessee, earlier this week, he declared that the current COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in America is a “reckoning” brought on by the nation’s rejection of God and its embrace of reproductive rights and marriage equality.

Why is there a reckoning?” he asked. “Because we have by law forced God out of our country and basically told him, ‘In public places, you’re not welcome.’ You’re not welcomed in our schools, so our schools are now shut down. No prayer in public school, no Bible reading in public school. Now they’re telling kids to stay home for who knows how long, so our schools are shut down.” 

 “Then we have said to God, ‘The infants that you put in our wombs, we don’t respect them, we don’t want them, we will get them out of our bellies through abortion,'” Stone continued. “If you watch the women who are pro-choice, the majority of them have a spirit about them where there is no love.” 

“The Bible talks about going after ‘strange flesh,'” Stone added, as he recounted the biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah. “There is a reckoning because the courts of the land passed a law to take an infant’s life, that it was OK, and for marriage as we have known it to be changed into something we have never known. Both of their laws, biblically in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, are what God calls an abomination. And the Bible teaches us that God is long-suffering, he is not willing that any perish, he wants everyone to come to repentance, but there will be a time when the Lord says, ‘Enough is enough.'” "

Yesterday it was hate group the Family Research Council speaking against a coronavirus relief bill because of the possibility that it could help same-sex couples. Today is this fool with the tired nonsense which we have heard before about God punishing the world for abortion and marriage equality.

It's a rather cold comfort to know that regardless of how dire any situation can get, we can always count on certain people to be the self-righteous, homophobic braying jackasses we always knew they were.