Video: The Fox News Virus is killing Americans

 

Many years from now when the story of the COVID pandemic is told, I hope that it will include the ugly truth about Fox News. As you watch this video of its various pundits attacking vaccines, please remember that the network itself has a vaccine mandate. This means that all, if not the vast majority of Fox News employees in this video have been vaccinated. Yet they still undermine vaccines to the point of endangering their viewers and extending this pandemic. One can accuse me of exaggerating to the point of extreme dramatics, but I stand by the belief that this is a serious calamity. This is not a game. Fox News is instigating the needless deaths of many Americans and no one seems to give a damn.

'Anti-gay lawmaker ordered to apologize to child he kicked during homophobic tirade' & other Wed midday news briefs

Antigay state lawmaker ordered to apologize to child he kicked in the balls during homophobic tirade - He should have to do more than that.

Twitch sues users who targeted LGBTQ gamers with threatening ‘hate raids’ - Good! Take all of their money.

A Scholarship for People Living With HIV Turns Dreams Into Reality - A really good article and a wonderful endeavor.

Aetna hit with lawsuit, accused of LGBTQ discrimination in fertility treatments - Get 'em!

Texas made LGBTQ adoption more difficult to 'solve its foster care crisis.' It's not working.

Today is an interesting lesson on sad juxtapositions. 

The above video is LGBTQ Nation's Authentic Voices (Presented by Chevrolet) spotlighting Stacey and Cheralyn Stevenson. They are a couple who had been turned away from an adoption agency in Texas for being gay. 

In 2017, Texas governor Greg Abbott signed a law which allowed "faith based" adoption agencies to use their religious beliefs to discriminate against prospective couples. And you know what this type of law always means for LGBTQ couples wanting to foster or adopt. In the above video, the Stevensons talk with Lance Bass about how they were able to have a family and are also helping other LGBTQ people to create their own families.

With regards to the Texas law, at the time it was signed by Abbott, its author - State Rep James Frank - said he wrote it to "help Texas solve its foster care crisis."

So did this law do the trick?  Nope.

According to Raw Story:

Texas is facing a foster care crisis as Gov. Greg Abbott's (R-TX) government has failed to secure safe homes for the 15,000 children in the system. A class-action lawsuit was launched after it was revealed that children were sleeping on the floors in offices or in hotels. Children were sexually abused, given the wrong medication, neglected and more, the Texas Tribune reported. 

 . . . A report released this week revealed "501 children spent at least one night in an unlicensed placement in the first half of this year alone. Some children spent more than 100 consecutive nights without a "proper" placement. The report found that 86% of these children were teenagers, and many of them require intense or specialized care, due to serious mental health needs or past trauma, that they likely weren't receiving."

I don't think there is anything else needing to be said.

'Homophobic pastor who mocked AIDS deaths becomes COVID death statistic' & other Tue midday news briefs

Colorado pastor who mocked AIDS deaths and spread vaccine conspiracy theories dies from COVID-19 - Oh this is big. Bob Enyart was an EVIL motherf@cker:

 Christian radio host Bob Enyart became infamous during his career for reading obituaries from people who died of AIDS while playing the Queen song "Another One Bites the Dust."

Texas is pushing the most anti-trans bills in the country. Advocates fear deadly consequences. - Here we go again and again. 

Revisiting the gay dentist framed as an AIDS murderer: He “didn’t do it.” - From my friend Mark King. A balancing of the books.

Lil Nas X thanks “the gay agenda” as he takes top trophy at the VMAs - Heeeey!

Family Research Council not being 'pro-life' about COVID pandemic as it claims to be about abortion

How the Family Research Council and its president Tony Perkins is exploiting the COVID pandemic raises questions about their claims to be 'pro life.'

In early September, the Supreme Court refused to stop a Texas law which restricted women from having abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. It contains no exemptions for rape or incest and creates a multitude of problems for women with regards to the actual date and knowledge of their pregnancy. Naturally many people and groups have spoken against it.

On the other hand hate group the Family Research Council has spoken out for the law via tweets and postings:

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Texas law can remain in effect. Justices Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch, Barrett, and Kavanaugh have allowed the Texas law to remain enforceable, while Justices Roberts, Breyer, Kagan, and Sotomayor would have stayed the law. The majority did not rule on the substance of the law but rather sided with what Texas had argued: it’s unclear whether the named defendants can or will seek to enforce the Texas statute. 

For example, Planned Parenthood named a pro-life advocate as a defendant because they believe he is likely to enforce the statute. The Court rightly rejected this argument. The minority would have blocked the law while litigation took place below. Thankfully, they fell one vote short of a majority. This means that while litigation continues regarding the Texas heartbeat ban on the merits, Texas will remain essentially abortion-free. A brilliant litigation strategy has led to many abortion appointments being canceled and lives saved. It’s a beautiful opportunity to show the country how valuing and supporting life should become the norm in every state. The unborn in Texas live another day, and that is a historic and beautiful victory. - Explainer: What Is Happening with Texas’ New Pro-Life Law?, September 2, 2021

 

We could argue about FRC's point of view in relation to the Texas law, but I would rather do it while contrasting the position the group has taken on the COVID pandemic. Due to certain conservative groups, 'news' organizations, and anti-vaxxers, the pandemic continues. It is now causing havoc to children as these recent headlines show:

Pediatric COVID Cases Surging To All-Time Highs As Children Head Back To School, September 8

Child deaths from COVID double in Florida as cases among children climb across the country, Sept 11

Four-year-old girl dies of Covid after anti-vaxxer mom contracts virus, September 13

Meanwhile, several GOP governors have undermined efforts to contain the pandemic by working against schools and businesses trying to take steps to curtail it. 

FRC  has taken a very interesting stance on it all.  From day one the group exploited the situation to attack public schools and while shilling for homeschooling, which is a position it held long before the pandemic:

. . . COVID opened the eyes of many families to the fact that public schools aren’t the only option. When schools closed, families were forced to adjust. Some families began homeschooling and discovered, despite doubts, that they could do it. They also discovered homeschool co-ops, churches, and other groups that provide support for parents and community for families who reclaimed control of their children’s education. 

 . . . the ongoing response to the coronavirus from their local public school continues to be untenable for many families. From the beginning, public and private schools responded in radically different ways to the coronavirus. During the fall and winter of 2020, 60% of private school students received in-person instruction while only 24% of public school students were. That disparity likely would have been even greater but for jurisdictions that made it illegal for private schools to hold in-person classes. This also reflects the difference between systems that are responsible primarily to parents and systems that are responsible primarily to politicians. While teachers’ unions fought to keep schools closed, parents were desperate to keep their children from falling behind. Many of those who found options outside the public school system now have no intention of returning. Many public schools that parents relied on and trusted all but abandoned students and families during a crisis – a fact parents aren’t likely to forget. -  Back to School is Different This Year, August 6

Also, FRC has applauded the efforts of GOP governors to undermine the fight against the pandemic.  Last week President Biden announced a new policy which would require business with over 100 people to mandate either vaccines or weekly testing. FRC president Tony Perkins came out against the policy on Friday, claiming that it is anti-freedom. He even compared it to the 9/11 terrorist attack:

Twenty years ago today, Americans went to sleep never imagining the next morning would change our lives forever. We woke up to a once-in-a-generation nightmare carried out by extremists who despised our way of life, our liberties, and our God. Their hatred killed 3,000 innocents that day, but it did not kill America. Unfortunately for the terrorists, the people of this country were resilient -- even in unspeakable tragedy. We mourned, flew bigger flags, and rebuilt. It would have never occurred to us then that two decades later one of the greatest assaults on our sovereignty would come from our government itself. That the man we'd elect as president would one day tell us that confronting a deadly threat is "no longer about freedom and personal choice." 

When Joe Biden looked into the camera and told us that we had lost the right to make our own health care decisions, no buildings exploded, no lives were lost. But it was still an attack on America and our core values. In many ways, it has the very real potential to do what 9/11 didn't: destroy the free foundations of our country. The White House will say that its vaccine mandate is about public safety and common sense -- and that to beat the pandemic, we all have to give up some liberties. As John Daniel Davidson writes so insightfully for the Federalist, that's a lie. This is about government coercion and raw power -- and nothing, Biden made clear Thursday, will stand in their way of either.

Meanwhile, COVID and misinformation about COVID continues to flourish due to right-wing propaganda sources,  'covidiots' doing 'their own research', and the GOP head towards the deluge rather than away from it  (some in anticipation of a 2022 mid-term election and a 2024 presidential run). People - particularly our kids - are getting infected, taking horse dewormer medicine, and dying left and right.

And in the midst of it all, FRC seems to be playing political games by making sure that every move it makes benefits positions already held while detrimenting its opponents. Some would call the group  smooth, others would call the group intelligent, and still some others would call it predatory. But no one should call it pro-life.  If FRC actually cared about valuing life, the group would be helping to end the pandemic, or at least protect children from its ravages, instead of benefitting from the chaos.

But who are we kidding?  The Family Research Council obviously thinks of  the "pro-life" designation in the same manner it thinks of children both born and 'unborn' -   nothing more than props to be used for its pleasure.

'LGBTQ teen seeks forever family after being abandoned by adoptive parents' & other Mon midday news briefs

LGBTQ+ Teen Seeks Forever Family After Abandonment by Adoptive Parents - OMG! I bet stories like this happen more often than people think.

 
First Out Trans Bishop Installed by Lutheran Denomination - The religious right and conservative right-wing evangelicals do not own the patent on religious beliefs. 

Gay Black men rarely saw themselves on screen. Michael K. Williams changed that. - Even though I never saw an episode of The Wire, I've heard a few gay men say this. 

Combating LGBTQ stigma in Africa - Mercy! Good luck with that one.

Charges of racism the latest twist in conflict between HRC and former head Alphonso David.

Alphonso David is leveling a charge of racism against the Human Rights Campaign.

All I will say is that it's mess like this which demonstrates how religious right groups are more plugged into their audience than some major LGBTQ groups are supported by our community. If you mentioned the name of the Human Rights Campaign to some of us, you would receive either a collectively uninterested shrug or an angry tirade in which the phrase "Gay, Inc." would be mentioned several times. There is no unity. Only division, tirades, and mistrust. It's nothing short of a miracle how the LGBTQ community have survived - and won - against homophobia in America.

Former Human Rights Campaign (HRC) President Alphonso David opened up about the fallout from the investigation into former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) that eventually led to his own firing last week. David sat down with out MSNBC anchor Jonathan Capehart in an appearance on the Sunday Show to discuss where he is going from here. David alleges that he was treated differently based on his race at the organization, citing past presidents and leaders who were white that were not being pushed to resign after controversies followed them.

 . . . (Alphonso) David continued, “This organization was created in the 1980s and largely has been viewed as an organization for white men. And I came on, as a Black man, to really challenge some of the systems that have been ingrained in this institution, and I am being treated this way — I am being treated differently, I believe — because of my race.” David notes that previous HRC presidents have “engaged in activities or made statements that caused disruption… that resulted in protests in front of the building. “They were not asked to resign. I was asked to resign without a shred of evidence. I was asked to resign without any findings. I was asked to resign without a report,” David alleged. “I was told there would be an announcement on Saturday if I were to resign, to make it quiet over the holiday weekend. They wanted this to go away.” 

 . . . .“We can’t change the rules in the middle of the game . . . “ can’t decide to conduct an independent investigation and then decide not to issue findings and not decide to issue a report, and ignore transparency. If we are a human rights organization, if we are a movement that is transparent, we need to make sure that movement is transparent for all of us.  

Check out the entire article. Ugly, complicated, and extremely messy - three things we as a community do not need right now.

The LGBTQ people who lost their lives on 9/11

Mark Bingham was a gay man who lost his life on 9/11 while helping to stop the terrorists from taking more lives.

The 20th anniversary of 9/11 is coming up on Saturday and our nation will mourn the lives lost in that awful terrorist attack.  Lou Chibbaro Jr. and the Los Angeles Blade reminds us that the LGBTQ lives were also taken on that awful day:

A total of 2,996 people died in the 9/11 attacks, including 19 terrorists who hijacked four jetliners whose passengers included Americans and citizens of 78 countries, according to history.com. 

 . . . Among those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks was American Airlines co-pilot David Charlebois, an out gay man and member of the National Gay Pilots Association, who was on American Airlines Flight 77, which the terrorists crashed into the Pentagon. 

 Also among the terrorists’ victims in the 9/11 attacks was public relations executive and rugby enthusiast Mark Bingham of San Francisco, who contacted his mother by cell phone shortly before the United Airlines jet he was taking from Newark, N.J. to San Francisco crashed into the countryside in western Pennsylvania. 

 Surviving family members of other passengers on that flight have said they too were called by their loved ones who told them some of the passengers were planning an attempt to somehow regain control of the jet from the terrorists. 

 Bingham’s mother, Alice Hoagland, who at the time was a United Airlines flight attendant, said she believed her son joined other passengers to prevent the terrorists from carrying out what authorities said was their plan to crash the jet into the U.S. Capitol or possibly the White House. She said her son’s reputation as a fighter for civic justice, along with a past episode where he fought off muggers, led her to believe he was among those who foiled the terrorists’ plans to fly the jet to Washington. 

 An investigation into the 9/11 attacks by a federal 9/11 commission later found that flight data recordings from the cockpit of United Airlines Flight 93, where Bingham was among 44 people aboard, showed that one of the four hijackers who took control of the jetliner shortly after its takeoff responded to an attempt by passengers to storm the cockpit by deliberately steering the plane into a downward direction at about 500 miles per hour, causing it to crash into an empty field near the town of Shanksville in western Pennsylvania at 10:10 a.m. All 44 people were killed.

There were so many others. So many lives taken. And Chibbaro does a wonderful job detailing their lives.

'Teacher resigns after being told to sign letter promising not to talk about being gay' & other Thur midday news briefs

Teacher resigns after being told to sign a letter promising not to talk about being gay - Completely speechless here. 

Report: Black Panther Sequel to Include Queer Love Story - Oh? 

Carl Bean, singer, clergyman and queer rights activist, dead at 77 - One of our heroes went home to glory. 

Protesters march in Brooklyn after two men attacked in alleged anti-gay assault - The work is never done.

Screaming into the Void - 15 Years of Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters

Me with my 2017 GLAAD Media Award

On Monday, this blog turned 15 years old.

It's been a labor of love these past 15 years and it came from a lot of pain. My growth as a gay man began in earnest while I was in college in the early 1990s, but it was a stilted growth because of the climate. We didn't have Will and Grace or Ellen DeGeneres back then. Homophobic shame was the norm and even rumors that you were gay would cause you a lot of trouble and even a possible beatdown in some cases. I especially know about the near beatdown. People said ugly things about you behind your back and psychologically put you in some force field of shame which you couldn't penetrate no matter how much of a good person you were.

And above it all was an ugly ambiance created by rumors and lies believed by many and pushed by religious right groups. Gays recruit children, gays have lots of sex, gays have health issues because they love anal sex so much. Gays stuff gerbils up their rectums.  It sounds a bit funny now (particularly that last lie) but when you are a gay man in an environment where you have to keep silent for fear of violence and rejection, hearing that stuff damages your soul. Your world stops and you play mental games with yourself in order to stop thinking about what you need to do or how will your future be. The majority of my heterosexuals college mates had dreams about getting married, having successful careers, raising families and such. The only dream I had as a gay man back then was what the hell do I do to get my life on track and how do I not wind up a bitter, lonely old gay man getting my ass kicked by a hustler in a seedy hotel room.

It was inconceivable for me to plan where and how I would end up. Realizing that I'm gay took all control out of my life. It lasted that way until a number of years later due to two reasons. One - I got older and with age came a fuck you world attitude. Secondly with that attitude came anger at all of the time I wasted in fear. And that anger pinpointed to all of the mess I heard from sources like Pat Robertson and The 700 Club and various other religious right groups and individuals.

So, to speed up the story to the present, that was the main reason why I've been here for 15 years writing and pulling out the receipts. When the media implies that this so-called culture war about LGBTQ rights is a religious issue, don't believe their false narrative. It's a lie. The war over LGBTQ rights is about a deliberate slander, a mass stigmatization of an innocent group of Americans through junk science, cherry-picked science and out-and-out lies spewed by a group of religious hypocrites using terms like "religious liberty," "pro-family," and "Judeo-Christian" to hide their basic homophobia.

'Charges filed against student who assaulted pride flag wearer on a dare' & other Wed midday news briefs

Charges Filed Against Student Who Assaulted Pride Flag Wearer on Dare - What kind of mess is this?

Meghan McCain gets iced out of Pete Buttigieg’s baby celebration on Twitter - Uh uh, girlfriend. Don't even try. 

Caitlyn Jenner hit a new low with her sickening views on the Texas abortion ban - She depresses the hell out of me. 

Conversion Therapy Is a Controversial Practice That Targets LGBTQ+ People—Here's What to Know - Break it down.

Some Americans prefer a dangerous deworming drug over safe vaccines. What's wrong with these people, Jesus!!!

 

These days, conservatives seem to be less publicly consumed with LGBTQ people. That's not say that they aren't planning something particularly nasty. But it is to say that their times is divided between two ugly goals - trying to overturn Roe vs. Wade and undermining President Biden on everything he's doing. 

The latter means fighting COVID.  Many Republicans and conservatives refuse to get vaccinated or wear masks. Instead, they are using ivermectin. What is ivermectin? A deworming drug for farm animals. But because it has been prescribed in some cases to eliminate lice and worms in humans, some folks have been medicating themselves with it. 

 

And mostly because pundits like those on Fox News and idiots like Rep. Lou Gohmert and podcaster Joe Rogan have been heavily pushing it. 

Naturally, this is causing lots and lots and lots of poisoning. Physicians and the Food and Drug Administration have been pleading with folks to stop trying to treat COVID with this drug, but they aren't listening. They refuse vaccines because they claim they are dangerous, but have no problems with taking a deworming drug which they been told does no good and is highly dangerous.

The above commercial makes fun of the fruit of their labors and it is hilarious. But entire thing bothers me. What's wrong with these people!!!!

'Catholic schools can't fire teachers for being gay, federal court rules' & other Tue midday news briefs

Catholic schools can’t fire teachers for being gay, federal court rules - Batten down the hatches. My feeling is that if the schools get tax dollars, they shouldn't be allowed to fire teachers for being gay.

A Message for Black LGBTQ+ Youth - PREACH!!!! 

Survivors are using new weapons in the battle against conversion therapy - Get those fools.

Opinion: My journey from anti-gay activist to LGBTQ ally - Don't act stank, folks. I open my arms to anyone wanting to help the community.

Video: 'Hollywood Montrose was the gay 80s hero we never knew we needed'

 

As we shake the cobwebs off from our Labor Day holiday and launch ourselves into this coming week, I would like folks to do a small favor for me. From time to time, I like to feature videos from LGBTQ pop culture historian Matt Baume because his work is excellent and highly educational. This time, he has done something I find to be somewhat controversial. He pushes a theory that a gay character from an 80s comedy who could be seen as insulting to us was actually positively significant.

 I remember the 1987 movie Mannequin and the gay character Hollywood Montrose (played by the late Meshach Taylor) embodying so many seemingly negative homophobic stereotypes  - flamboyant, loud, completely mincing, etc. etc. But after watching Baume's video, I actually reconsidered my feelings about this character because Baume makes a good point. Watch this video and tell me what do you think.

Family Research Council playing the coward's game with COVID pandemic

 

I received the following email from the Family Research Council:

With rising inflation, radical ideologies sweeping through our schools, and a culture that is increasingly hostile to marriage and children, American families are facing new and more difficult challenges. Instead of proposing real solutions that help families overcome the challenges of today, President Biden has proposed a top-down plan written by America's elites, many of whom do not have children. Currently the U.S. Congress is assembling this plan into a $3.5 trillion bill aimed at raising taxes and forcing an unwanted liberal ideology on families.

 This week, we are highlighting Pray Vote Stand: Biden's "American Families Plan". We encourage you to watch this broadcast on demand now to hear FRC's Mary Szoch, Joy Pullmann of The Federalist, Charmaine Yoest of Heritage Foundation, and Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) outline the problems with Biden's "American Families Plan" and discuss alternative polices that will truly help all families flourish. Deuteronomy 6 says our most sacred responsibility is to raise children who love and embrace biblical truth. Will you join us in prayer for boldness and intentionality to raise up our children as spiritual champions using the prayer points below? 

You will notice that nowhere in the email does FRC even begin to talk about COVID. This is not accidental. The absence of talk about COVID is most striking on the section of FRC's webpage entitled Prayers for Back to School. The section is comprised of 30 prayers which are nothing more than generalities backed by Biblical verses, including:

Pray that parents would lead their children well, modeling a vibrant life of prayer, faith, and Bible study.

Pray that parents would embrace their role as the chief disciple-makers in the home. (Deuteronomy 11:19) 

Pray that parents deciding between public, private, and homeschooling would have the wisdom, resources, courage, and support necessary to do what is best for their family. (Proverbs 3:5-6) 

Pray that Christian students would set an example of purity for their peers in both word and deed and walk in a manner worthy of their calling as followers of Christ. (1 Timothy 4:12; Colossians 1:9-10)

Pray that students returning to in-person schooling would experience smooth transitions as they adjust to the often-changing rules and requirements put in place by school administrators to combat the pandemic. (Philippians 4:13) 

Pray that students would have an attitude of respect for teachers. (Titus 3:1-2) 

 Pray that teachers would have wisdom and insight as they help students start a new school year/semester. (1 Kings 3:9) Pray that Christian teachers would have the boldness to teach facts and critical thinking rather than ideologies and agendas contrary to God's truth. (Joshua 1:9)

 Pray that school administrators would respect religious liberty and biblical values. Pray that they would resist the temptation to cave to pressure from anti-faith groups. (Ephesians 6:13) 

I guess in a normal time, those would be seen as suitable prayers. But this isn't a normal time. In fact based upon these recent headlines, children are going back to school in times which are far from normal:

More Than 500,000 Children Nationwide Test Positive for COVID in Three Weeks Since Schools Reopened

Covid rates among US children and teens rise as new school year begins 

Medical groups call for more to protect children from COVID

But there is no mention of COVID in any of FRC's back to school prayers. 

The point is this - there is a huge problem in America with vaccine-denial and general misinformation about COVID and it is heavily in two groups - Republicans and evangelicals. As convenience would have it, these happen to be the two groups which comprise FRC's base of supporters. 

While I'm certainly not accusing FRC of sowing that mistrust, the point should be made that it doesn't look like the group is taking the lead position in eliminating it either. In fact, it's not farfetched to accuse the group of downright cowardice in the way it sidesteps mentioning COVID; particularly even when requesting prayers for our kids as they go back to school environments where they are likely in danger of contracting COVID.

If only FRC cared about protecting America's children from COVID with as much fervor as it falsely accuses President Biden or LGBTQ people of trying to harm them.

I guess it's a matter of priorities. 

'Report: Striking down of eviction moratorium could negatively affect LGBTQ people' & other Thur news briefs

Half of LGBTQ people behind on rent fear eviction in next two months, report says - We have to let folks know about this as soon as possible.

I’m a White Cisgendered Straight Woman. ‘Pose’ Gave Me My History. - The title of this piece is intriguing. By the end of the second paragraph, the post yanked me in. 

North Carolina must face challenge to transgender exclusion in state health plan - Good news but the beginning of probably a long road. 

Ukraine pledges to fight anti-LGBTQ discrimination - Keep your fingers crossed.

Video: 'Gay Plague' - How Prejudice Killed A Generation

Our community sometimes have a problem with going over our history. That is a detriment which could end up biting us:

In the 1980s, the Reagan administration fails in its fundamental duty to protect the American people. Prejudice and fear will lead to tens of thousands of deaths - many of which could have been avoided. 

'Lil Nas X reveals cover of upcoming September album' & other Wed midday news briefs

Lil Nas X's 'Montero' will be out on Sept. 17.

Lil Nas X Just Revealed the Stunning (& Nude) Montero Cover Art - I'll Lil Na X major props for promotion.

These 10 religious universities earn high marks for LGBTQ inclusivity - Ten strikes against the false belief that religion and the LGBTQ identity don't ever overlap.

Efforts to evacuate LGBTQ Afghans to continue after US troop withdrawal - Good! 

These Portraits of (Literal) Gay Daddies Will Brighten Your Day - Lord knows we need as much of that as possible.

Teacher facing ridiculous backlash, investigation for joke about her class pledging allegiance to Pride flag

Earlier this week, I posted a news brief about a ridiculous controversy regarding a teacher who joked about students pledging allegiance to the Pride flag. Since that time, unfortunately, the controversy has gotten worse:

From The Advocate:

A Southern California teacher is facing backlash online and removal from her classroom after posting a video on TikTok in which she appears to joke about suggesting that her students pledge allegiance to the Pride flag.

 (Kristen) Pitzen tells her story in the video, laughing throughout. 

 “During third period, we have announcements and they do the Pledge of Allegiance. I always tell my class, stand if you feel like it, don’t stand if you feel like it, say the words if you want, you don’t have to say the words So, my class decided to stand but not say the words. Totally fine,” she said. Pitzen then explained that there actually isn’t an American flag in the classroom because she took it down during the pandemic since it made her “uncomfortable.” When a student commented to Pitzen that it was weird they were pledging allegiance without an actual flag, she jokingly suggested they pledge to the flag they did have in the classroom.

As The Advocate pointed in the article, THAT was the story. No student pledged allegiance to the Pride flag.  Pitzen merely made a joke. But because of some right-wing post on Twitter, she got attacked

This post below:

Teacher mocks the American Flag and suggests to students they can say the Pledge of Allegiance to the pride flag: pic.twitter.com/1QTS5xjPln

— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) August 27, 2021

According to Out magazine:

Conservative backlash was quick and fierce, with even out, former director of national intelligence Richard Grenell posting his disgust to Twitter. After questioning why parents would let their children be taught by "someone they don’t know," he went on to write he’d like to "talk to people who think this is good." . . . Another person posted to Facebook, saying that Pitzen "is an absolute disgrace to teachers" and warned the teacher to keep her own "views and political stances out of the classroom." 

Pitzen has now been removed as a teacher while the district is investigating the situation. Also, The Advocate said, she has deleted all of her social media accounts.

The irony is that at pretty much the same time, the Supreme Court of Virginia upheld a ruling by a lower court which reinstated a high school gym teacher after he was suspended for saying that he would not refer to trans students by their preferred pronouns. The lower court found that the school violated his free speech rights. 

This is probably the single most inane controversy happening thus yet in 2021  An idiotic conservative twitter posts a video making accusations and assertions which no one in their right mind would take seriously except for a bunch of homophobic kooks and the occasional Log Cabin Republican kiss ass. Because of that, what looks an affirming teacher has to deal with possible removal from her professional while dodging vulgarities uttered by fools who have nothing better to do in order to deal with their possible inner turmoil of sexual orientation  

If only certain people used their common sense and intellect with as much fervor as they pretend to be patriotic Americans. 

''Straight Pride' rally ends in bear spray and fistfights' & other Tue midday news briefs

“Straight Pride” rally ends in bear spray & fistfights - Good Lord! Seems to me that we need more LGBTQ prides and less straight prides. The worst that could happen at an LGBTQ pride is some bad dancing by drunk gay guys.

'American Idol' alum David Archuleta says God told him to come out publicly - I think he may be right about this.

Robyn Lambird becomes first out trans athlete to earn a medal in Paralympics history - Congratulations Robyn! 

Medical Schools Lack Proper Data to Address LGBTQ Health Disparities - It's way past time that this gets addressed.

Carrie Prejean is back and she's trying to 'save' America from mask mandates just like she 'saved' it from gay marriage

Carrie Prejean

Guess who is back?

Woman wearing a “MAMA” tshirt at the Encinitas school board meeting says her “cubs” will refuse to wear masks this week. “We’re done asking you for permission. The pandemic is over. We are declaring our freedom.”Then she says she and her friends are running for school board. pic.twitter.com/Q5yoLqvLwP

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 30, 2021

That's Carrie Prejean (now Carrie Prejean Boller) as one of the annoying wannabe activists undermining the country's fight against the COVID pandemic:

 Prejean . . . took the spotlight once again, this time as an anti-mask extremist who declared her intention to run for school board after she attacked Encinitas school board officials, while declaring the pandemic is now "over." (The pandemic is nowhere near over.) 

 "My name is Carrie Boller, you see my shirt it says 'mama,' and I'm a mama bear and I know there's a lot of mama bears here tonight," she declared, seeming to echo Sarah Palin. "No one's gonna mess with our cubs. I'm a resident of Encinitas, born and raised San Diegan, and tonight I'm simply here to tell you to unmask our children, we're done begging."

 "In fact, we're done asking for permission. We are going to be unmasking our children today. The pandemic is over, the parents are done. We're done asking you, public servants, for permission. We are done, you can all wear your masks in fact you can wear two masks and three masks, you can wear gloves you can have plexiglass. You can do whatever you need to do to keep you safe, but we the parents believe we have a choice for our children, and I don't know who you think you are, that you think that you have more of a say than us the parents and our doctors. I don't know who any of you think you are. I really don't. It ends today, we are declaring our freedom, tonight. We do not consent to the lies, fear-mongering, and abuse – you all know it's abuse," she claimed, apparently referring to mask mandates.

I see Carrie is as loudmouth and clueless as she was in 2009 when she came on the scene. For the benefit of those who are not aware, Ms. Boller is a former Miss California who got into a huge controversy over marriage equality during the Miss America Pageant. One of the judges, celebrity gossip Perez Hilton, asked her about the subject and she proceeded to speak against it.

That should have been the entire situation, but no. Hilton proceeded to later attack her online for her answer. This faux pas allowed the religious right to portray Miss Carrie as an innocent Christian who was being attacked by "radical homosexuals" for "merely speaking about her faith." True story - they even painted her as a modern day Queen Esther after the Biblical Jewish queen who saved her people from genocide.

But then came part two of Ms. Carrie's 15 minutes of fame. As quickly as she rose as the newest religious right star, she plummeted back to Earth. Hard. If one wanted to pinpoint why she lost purity points, there were so many issues which comes to mind. It could have been those half naked pictures of her, her breast implants, the sex tape, and her wannabe-diva behavior. Needless to say, the religious right disowned her as quickly as they anointed her. 

So now here she is over 10 years later hoping to grab some fame by trying to echo tired Sarah Palin lines. It's actually "mama grizzlies," Miss Carrie.  If you're going to struggle for relevancy, your verbal plagiarizing should at the very least be accurate.

'Conservatives freak out over video of teacher joking about kids pledging allegiance to Pride flag' & other Mon midday news briefs

Conservatives freak out over video of teacher suggesting kids pledge allegiance to Pride flag - With them scaring people about vaccines and critical race theory, it would seem that the pickings regarding us are getting mighty slim. 

BYU will investigate after man defaces chalk art in support of LGBTQ students and yells slur - Stupid people. Everywhere. 

These Are the Nation's Most LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges, Universities - Write these down.

‘Anti-LGBT ideology zones’ are being enacted in Polish towns - Oh come on, Poland!!!

Video - How to completely OWN one of those 'ex-gay' groups

When you think of all of the mess LGBTQ people have had to deal with from those false and annoying 'ex-gay' groups over the decades, it's a wonder if the above scene from the television series Shameless ever took place in real life. Let's face it though, verbally owning the leader of an ex-gay group in a battle of religious verses, pulling a "you're out of shape. I'll kick your ass" speech on a supporter of the group, and then publicly leading a procession of LGBTQ people (however small) out of the group has probably been a dream for many of us.

Something to watch when you want to feel like a badass queen. Not me though. I'm the Super Queen.

'32 fall shows, movies for LGBTQ views including Madonna' & other Fri midday news briefs

32 Fall Shows, Movies for LGBTQ+ Viewers: Madonna, Murder, Matt Bomer - Fall sounds like fun. 

Half of Americans say they’d avoid an HIV-positive doctor - Still more education to do out there. 

Indian-American gay couples find new forms of union amid stigma - There is not one LGBTQ community. We are mult-national and multi-cultural. 

Harris meets with LGBTQ activists in Vietnam - VP Harris gets a lot of unfair comments thrown at her. I think she is a good ally.

Lil Nas X, Noted Power Bottom, Announces Album Release, Teases Song - Uh oh. Batten down the hatches. That young man has turned the rap world upside down and I am so here for it.

VA school board agrees to pay trans former student Gavin Grimm $1.3 million in legal fees after battle over bathroom policy

Gavin Grimm

Gavin Grimm, the transgender young man who won his battle against a Virginia school board over its bathroom policy, just received another bit of good news.

From Buzzfeed:

A Virginia school board has agreed to pay more than $1.3 million to Gavin Grimm, a transgender former student who sued the district over its bathroom policy, sending the case all the way to the Supreme Court. The Gloucester County School Board said on Thursday that it would pay the entire amount in legal fees that Grimm and his lawyers had petitioned for after a years long battle that brought national attention to the rights of students to use the facility that corresponds with their gender identity. 

 The former student and his legal team argued in their petition that the case's "arduous journey" involved constant confrontation with the school board, which argued its policy protected students' privacy and wasn't sex-based discrimination because it was applied equally to all students. But Grimm's case went on to be the first time a federal court held that Title IX protects transgender students' right to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity, an unprecedented decision that affected similar cases nationally. Thursday's agreement means that no further proceedings remain in the case, concluding over a decade of legal battles between the former student and the school board.

For more on this lengthy case, including how Grimm eventually won, check out the article. It provides a good extensive background and past articles chronicling the entire situation.

'Virginia schools defy state mandate for trans-inclusive policies' & other Thur midday news briefs

Virginia Schools Defy State Mandate for Trans-Inclusive Policies - Fear and lies are leading to these problems. No these policies will not lead to things like 'gang-rapes.' I mean come on folks.

Cop arrested for Capitol riot demands conservatives “rise up” against “the homosexual lifestyle” - Oh sure. Pick on us again.

Lil Nas X just expertly trolled his haters…yet again - Well he is the best. 

Media watchdog Ofcom slammed for cutting ties with Stonewall over ‘risk of perceived bias’ - Proof that the TERFs have overrun England.

Video - Gay Marriage and Parenting on 'Oprah' (1989)

 

So on Wednesday during an impasse of what to blog about, I found this footage of an Oprah Winfrey Show from 1989. It talks about gay marriage and parenting; two subjects that a lot of us take for granted now. Folks need to watch this video and marvel over a time in which certain realities were regarded as unreachable and certain ugly opinions (including a particularly mean one expressed at 19:34) were verbally commonplace instead of covert and hidden under a veneer of victimhood.

This clip, featuring then couple former Mr. Universe Bob Paris and partner Rod Jackson, attorney Gloria Allred (an ally though she does take up a lot of talking time), and conservative pundit Mona Charen is an eye-opener. We have certainly come a long way.

'School district may ban Pride flags because of one parent' & other Wed midday news briefs

School district may ban Pride flags after parent spots one inside a classroom & freaks out - One parent.

Judge strikes a blow in LGBTQ discrimination case against Yeshiva University - This is getting interesting. 

Brothers Osborne's TJ on Creating Safe Space for LGBTQ Fans: 'That's Worth More Than Anything' - I'd like to see more LGBTQ celebrities follow suit. 

Nicaragua seeks to shut down country’s oldest LGBTQ rights group - Y'all know what I've said about the struggle.

Conservative gripe industry blaming LGBTQ people, 'woke ideology' for Taliban takeover of Afghanistan

 As we watch the situation in Afghanistan, an old but reliably annoying reality is playing itself out.

From Media Matters:

Right-wing figures are attacking “woke ideology” in the U.S. military and using anti-LGBTQ rhetoric in their tirades against the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, including spreading the false claim that the U.S. embassy in Kabul flew a LGBTQ pride flag on its rooftop ahead of the Taliban's takeover.

 . . . Right-wing media’s narrative of a culture war claims that American values are threatened by the rise of critical race theory (CRT), identity politics, and the LGBTQ rights movement. In the past year, right-wing actors have turned CRT into a cultural war by attacking school boards, corporations, and even the military in an effort to gin up their conservative base ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. After recently spending weeks attacking the military and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chief Gen. Mark Milley for their alleged “wokeness,” right-wing media are now roping anti-LGBTQ rhetoric into their coverage of the Afghanistan war:

Unfortunately, as the Media Matters article points out, the examples above are just a few of the right-wing feeding frenzy. Of course none of these folks making the accusations provide even the smallest iota of proof as to their attacks on the LGBTQ community and 'woke' ideology.' Why should they?

The people who follow their tripe aren't looking for proof nor are they looking for reasonable arguments. They only want validation of their prejudices, fears, and false sense of entitlement and superiority.

'Trump-backed candidate went ballistic over parody book in library's Pride Month display' & other Tue midday news briefs

Trump-backed GOP candidate melted down over Pence rabbit parody in library's Pride Month display: report -What a snowflake. 

Antigay evangelical admits he’s “addicted” to suing for “religious freedom” - You wanna run that by me again? 

2 newlywed women found shot to death at their Utah campsite - Siiiigh! 

How LGBTQ+ Excellence Helped Shape Broadway - You better believe it! 

Afghanistan’s Gay Men Fear Death as Taliban Judge OKs Stonings - Keeping our eyes and hearts on the folks in Afghanistan.

Rapper who bragged about hiring prostitute to service underaged son thinks Lil Nas X is a negative influence on children

Rapper Boosie Badazz has a hypocritical opinion about negative influences on children.

When it comes to LGBTQ people and our supposed negative effect on children, so many hypocrites come out of the woodwork spewing all sorts of false claims of concern. More often than not, they need to check themselves. Because the internet never forgets and frankly neither do I.

Case in point is the controversy which recently erupted between openly gay rapper Lil Nas X and another rapper by the name of DaBaby.  A few months ago, DaBaby  got into serious trouble because of a homophobic rant he made against Lil Nas. He was condemned for it by many celebrities and was also dropped as a performer by many festivals and events.

But he has his defenders, such as another rapper by the name of Boosie Badazz. Boosie, who once claimed that a "forceful media campaign" was turning people gay, has been defending DaBaby since the beginning of the situation. However his defense hasn't exactly been helping matters because his comments came off as homophobic as DaBaby's.

Nevertheless, on Monday he had an interview on the radio show The Breakfast Club, where he sparred with the show's host Charlemagne tha God  and several others about his comments.:

“I just be feeling like sometimes I gotta speak up because, as far as straight people in the world, you don’t have any opinion,” he said, arguing that straight people have less of a voice than those in the LGBTQ+ community. Boosie went on to say that straight men cannot admit to liking women without it sounding “vulgar,” adding, “You can’t brag on really smashing or your sexuality anymore.”

Boosie got push back by Charlemagne and the other hosts who called out how some areas of rap music embrace violence, drugs, and vulgarity against women. Charlemagne also pointed out past rants Boosie made against Lil Nas X:

Charlamagne was addressing the multiple homophobic comments Boosie made earlier this summer. In the first rant, Boosie hit at Nas X for saying that he wanted to dance naked for charity, calling it “disrespect in front of boys who tryna be straight.”  

“If I’m at an awards [show] and he go up there naked, I’ma drag his ass offstage and beat his ass,” he added. “You let a n**** dance naked in front your children, you a motherfuckin’ crazy motherfucker—or you like dick too.” “It’s sad how y’all tryna force this gay stuff on the world,” 

Boosie said a week later. “It’s sad how y’all tryna ban artists. Y’all sad, bro, it’s sad, bro. In 10 years, it ain’t gonna be normal for a kid to be straight. It’s sad, bro. Y’all tryna force it on these kids, bro. Pushing it on the artists, pushing it on all the biggest artists. You know why? Cause’ the kids love those artists. You attacking these kids.”

Boosie attempted to defend those comments by playing the  "I'm only thinking about the children" card:

During Monday’s episode, Boosie attempted to defend his comments, saying that he was disturbed that children would see Nas X dance naked on TV. “I really get offended when it was like, he was saying he would go up there and perform naked in front all this shit, all the people,” Boosie said. “And I was like, ‘Damn.’ All these straight people in the world. All these millions of kids gon’ watch this and no straight rapper ain’t gon’ say, ‘Nah, n****. You ain’t…N****, we don’t want you on that TV. Nobodies not gon’…'” 

When Boosie was challenged about that particular comment, he claimed that parents attempting to raise "strong black men" would be against Lil Nas X.

Charlemagne da God and the other hosts continued to call Boosie out, but I am not aware if they brought a certain hypocrisy with his statements in relation to an incident last year involving his son and nephew. 

In May of last year, Boosie got into trouble because he bragged during an Instagram session of hiring a prostitute to services his son and nephew when they were 12 and 13. Supposedly, this is what he said at the time (you can see the video of him admitting it here):

“I’m training these boys right,” Badazz said. “Ask any of my nephews, ask any of them, ask my son. Yeah, when they was 12, 13, they got head. Yeah, that’s how it’s supposed to be. Hell yeah, I got my f*cking son d*ck sucked.”

So according to Boosie, seeing Lil Nas X possibly dancing naked would damage the psyches of young black males, but hiring prostitutes for them when they are underaged would have the opposite effect.

Yeah. Okay.

Ultimately, this situation is not about Lil Nas X possibly dancing naked any more than its about supposedly protecting the strength of black males. It sounds to me like Boosie is attempting to project some toxic masculinity as sort of a panacea for black males. It's that sort of bullshit thinking which has gone so far to damage black men - particularly gay black men like myself - for as long as I can remember. This idea that to be "men," we have to take up some visage of a 'Stepford Mandingo' if you will - not heart, no soul, no emotions. Only a cheap idea of uber-masculinity which demands that we be  constantly hard in spirit and apparently in the bedroom. And God forbid anything challenges that image, particularly gay black men.  

Far be it from me to tell Boosie Badazz how to raise his children. That's not my right. But I will tell him to raise his children and only his children because no one needs his opinions on how to raise strong black men.

'Conservatives turning school boards into battle ground for culture wars' & other Mon midday news briefs

Conservatives are turning school boards into a battleground for culture wars -That noise you just heard are LGBTQ folks shouting "NO SH!T!" 

Teacher Accused of Saying Gay People 'Unwanted,' Girls 'Cry Rape' - She sounds like a nice person.

Tokyo Paralympic Games welcomes record number of LGBTQ athletes - Sweet! 

LGBTQ Afghans can't receive money raised for them through GoFundMe 'due to Taliban control' - The coverage of us getting out of Afghanistan as been jingoistically shitty as it was when we got in 20 years ago. But this is one saving grace.

Video: A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2 - The GAY moments

 

I know what you're thinking. This has absolutely no educational content whatsoever. It's crude eye-candy. So what? It's widely known that in the LGBTQ community of my generation that the 1985 movie A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge was subversively gay on so many levels. But rather than go on about it again, let's just bring out the receipts. The video above is NSFW. 

And in the face of so much chaotic mess facing us these days - mess brought about by the deliberate greed, selfishness, and downright lack of human decency of some people - there's nothing wrong with taking less than four minutes to ponder a comical bit of trivia.

'Biden administration officials tell trans youth their rights at school and their lives matter' & other Fri midday news briefs

Biden administration officials tell trans youth “Your rights at school matter. You matter.” - Damn right. This message is needed. 

Federal Government Commits Hundreds of Millions for HIV Cure - Wonderful! 

Report: Brothers returned to Chechnya have been tortured - Our struggle is real, y'all. 

Montgomery mayor threatens to send businesses elsewhere as council rejects discrimination ban - Do what you gotta do to get the message through