TX Gov Greg Abbott misleads in responding to temporary restraining order against his drag ban law

TX Governor Greg Abbott misleads the public about his drag ban law.

Texas governor Greg Abbott reacted in anger over a temporary restraining order against his statewide drag ban law. But he wasn't angry enough to forget to mislead about it.

 From News Nation: 

 Gov. Greg Abbott slammed a federal judge’s issuance of a temporary restraining order against Senate Bill 12, a Texas law that could criminalize drag performances statewide. In a statement on social media Monday, Abbott referred to the temporary restraining order as “absurd.”

 “Federal judge in Texas blocks a law I signed that bans sexually explicit drag shows in front of children. This is absurd,” the governor posted on his personal account on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We will fight to have this overturned & to protect our children from this indoctrination.” 

 The bill itself does not mention the word “drag” but specifies it is targeted at “sexually oriented performances.” U.S. District Judge David Hittner issued the temporary restraining order against SB12 on Thursday, just before the law had been set to go into effect Friday. Hittner granted the request following a two-day hearing early last week over a lawsuit brought forward by five plaintiffs. Those plaintiffs included Austin-based performer Brigitte Bandit and Extragrams, a local drag production company.

 Abbott left out one crucial detail about the law. It categorizes drag itself as a "sexually oriented performance." That in itself is the problem because not all drag is sexually oriented or explicit:

Under the language of the law, “sexual conduct” is defined as the exhibition or representation, whether actual or simulated, of sexual acts, genitals, devices designed to stimulate genitals, breasts or buttocks, or “sexual gesticulations using accessories or prosthetics that exaggerate male or female sexual characteristics.” This could mean that performers wearing padded bras or prosthetic breasts could be found in violation of the law.

This means that possibly under this law that a drag queen could be arrested for sexually explicit performance even if he was dressed as the Robin Williams character, Mrs. Doubtfire.  It's those little details folks like Abbott hope people will overlook. Luckily, at least for now a federal judge didn't.

'GOP lawmakers trying to keep businesses from promoting themselves as LGBTQ+ safe spaces' & other Tue midday news briefs

GOP lawmakers take aim at LGBTQ+ 'safe places' program in small Florida town​ - Let's be clear. These lawmakers are trying to stop businesses from promoting themselves as LGBTQ+ safe places. 

The GOP says queer folks have destroyed the “traditional” family but we’re just the latest scapegoat - Actually they have been saying that about us from day one.

Campus Pride Dumps Florida and Texas Universities from Best of Best List - As well they should. 

Santa Clara County leaders blasts councilman over ties with 'anti-lgbtq hate group' - Call him out! 

Daria Kasatkina beats Greet Minnen in ‘LGBTQ landmark’ at U.S. Open - Two openly gay players competing against each other in a tournament. Only one can win the match, but we are all winners. When I was a child, something like this would have never happened. I love progress.

How Donald Trump's incompetency made the COVID pandemic worse, told as a motion comic

 

As we return from the Labor Day holiday, I want to post something different, and I ask that you bear with me. The 2024 elections are coming up and though the campaign a little over a year away, folks have been predicting things. One prediction is that Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee four years after he lost the presidency. I don't particularly care for Trump or his chances, so no one should assume that I'm pushing the above motion comic from Business Insider as some desperate attempt to stop his supposed ascendancy.

I hope you can take nine minutes out of your day to view it. AND share it. What I want is people to remember what this man caused with his inept response to the COVID pandemic. Donald Trump is responsible for the deaths of scores of Americans. He may not have personally touched them, but his shitty and highly selfish leadership is partly the reason why COVID's death toll is high.  And even though President Biden did what he could after winning in 2020, but patterns were set and they couldn't be eliminated completely before more lives were lost.

Please bear in mind that I said Trump was partly the reason why the COVID death count is high. He had help from Fox News as the above video will show.

And aside from Trump, this is the saddest part of it all. Rupert Murdoch, Lachlan Murdoch, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Tucker Carlson, Kayleigh McEnany, Maria Bartiromo, Mollie Hemingway, and so many others at Fox News bear responsibility for the COVID deaths. 

Far-right Christian evangelicals such as Mike Huckabee, Robert Jeffress, Alveda King, and Franklin Graham, though not mention in the video, also have blood on their hands. None of these folks did anything but kiss his ass and reap the benefits of making Trump their golden calf.

All of them knew that the things they were saying and the narratives they pushed were lies, but none of them cared. And what's worse is how they are presently pretending as if none of this stuff ever took place. They are pretending that Trump did not botch the COVID pandemic response, and that people didn't die because of it. Even when some of those people worshipped in their faith, sent them money, were fans of their network, or followed them on social media.

Even if Trump faces some sort of punishment for what he's done, these bottom feeders will be allowed to sneak away and continue to do the things they do which undermines this country and puts so many people in mortal jeopardy. They will continue to collect their paychecks, get their notoriety, and amplify the next bloodsucker.

In their minds, the people Trump's incompetence hurt never existed.

'Report outlines eight flaws with the New York Times's coverage of trans issues' & other Thur midday news briefs

NYT Publishes ‘Greatest Hits’ of Bad Trans Healthcare Coverage​ - LGBTQ groups such as GLAAD and LGBTQ activists have in the past pointed out that the New York Times has been severely lacking in its coverage of trans issues. The Times and its supporters have been trying to make the issue one about freedom of the press, when the issue is actually one about the quality and fairness of the coverage. Now another group, FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting), has entered the debate with a very thoroughly detailed list outlining eight problems with the New York Times's coverage of trans issues. 

Influential anti-LGBTQ+ Christian activist caught admitting secret plan to defund public schools - And just who should be surprised that all of the recent attacks on public schools have been taking place as a part of this madness. 

Over 30 new LGBTQ education laws are in effect as students go back to school - "Students and teachers have to contend with a variety of restrictions on LGBTQ content and bathroom and pronoun use." 

Uganda charges man with ‘aggravated homosexuality’ punishable by death in first-known case - A 20-year-old man faces a possible death penalty in Uganda for having sex with a 41-year-old man. No matter what the haters claim, none of this has ever been about protecting kids.

The trailer for 'Rustin' is here and it is smoking!

 

The trailer for the Netflix movie about civil rights legend Bayard Rustin has been released. And it is smoking.

From Queerty:

 . . .  an estimated 250,000 people gathered for the March On Washington, a peaceful protest advocating for the civil rights of African Americans, a day that forever changed the course of our country’s history. Though the march is remembered as an important chapter in work of the late, great Martin Luther King, Jr.—culminating in his triumphant, unforgettable “I Have A Dream” speech—many may not realize that a large part of its success was due to an openly gay man: Activist and social organizer Bayard Rustin. Alongside A. Philip Randolph, Rustin organized the March On Washington, and dedicated his life to advocacy, humanitarian outreach, and fighting for the civil rights of all people, especially for Black and LGBTQ+ Americans. He was a hero.

 . . . Tony Award-winning playwright and director George C. Wolfe comes Rustin, the story of the history-making activist, co-written by Julian Reece (When They See Us) and Dustin Lance Black (Milk). Taking on the eponymous role is fantastic gay actor (and recent Queerty Pride50 honoree!) Colman Domingo, finally getting the star turn he’s so long deserved. Naturally, Domingo’s the film’s center of gravity and its spark—and we don’t want to jink it, but the part’s already garnering him some early Oscar buzz. Fingers crossed! 

As a black gay man, this movie means the world to me. I hope it is very successful. 

California elementary school receives racist bomb threat after post from anti-gay Libs of TikTok

Folks who are aware of the close relationship between homophobia, transphobia, and racism shouldn't be surprised by this recent incident. We should be disturbed of course, but not surprised. 

From CBS News:

An emailed bomb threat at Chabot Elementary School in Oakland resulted in the evacuation of the school Tuesday, according to authorities. The bomb threat was received at about 7:30 a.m. before the school day started, Oakland Police said. 

Only a few dozen students and staffers were present when police evacuated the school, located at 6686 Chabot Road in the city's Rockridge neighborhood. Police were working with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office and the office's K-9 and bomb teams units to sweep the school and clear the campus. The email sent to the school principal had "racial undertones," but an Oakland Police spokesperson would not elaborate further on the content of the email. Police were also working with the FBI to determine the source of the email. 

 So, what does Libs of TikTok have to do with this? Well according to The Daily Beast: 

 The bomb threat came only a day after a tweet by Libs Of TikTok, a controversial X (formerly known as Twitter) account run by far-right activist Chaya Raichik, about a playdate for “Black, Brown or API” students and family organized by the school’s equity and inclusion committee. “Come hang out while we get a chance to know each other and build our community as we kick off this school year,” the flyer read. 

The tweet also included a statement apparently from a parent of a child at the school, upset about the event, which they deemed a “no whites allowed” playdate. The post was picked up and reported by conservative media outlets such as Alex Jones’ InfoWars. This led to the organizers receiving a volley of threats, they said. 

 In the past, Libs of TikTok and Raichik, have been blamed for bomb threats against children's hospitals and schools based upon videos misrepresented to claim that LGBTQ people are 'sexualizing' children or that hospitals are performing hysterectomies on kids.  LGBTQ activists and spokespeople on several occasions have accused Libs of TikTok in engaging in stochastic terrorism.

Stochastic terrorism is when a group of people are demonized so much that acts of violence are - while not expressly encouraged - perpetrated against them. In other words, neither Raichik nor Libs of TikTok outwardly tell people to commit acts of violence against LGBTQ people, but their constant smearing of us as pedophiles and degenerates out to harm kids encourages or motivates others to carry out acts of violence. 

To my knowledge, this is the first time that Libs of TikTok is under fire for a racial attack. And that should tell us that its mission has never been about protecting kids. It's always been about spreading hatred and bigotry while profiting from violent outcomes. The recent racist shootings in Florida and the pride flag shooting in California should serve as a warning about the dangers of certain people on social media creating hysteria and emboldening violence for the sake of clout. At the very least, it should send a message to both the LGBTQ and African American communities that we have the same enemy. 

Libs of TikTok - a very thorough and accurate entry about the site from RationalWiki.

'Bomb threat fails to shut down drag queen story hour' & other Tue midday news briefs

Bomb threat fails to shut down drag queen story hour event​ - When you stand up to bullies, you don't lose.

After decades of declines, lesbian bars are having a renaissance - And it's about time, too. 

200 arrested & dozens parades in front of reporters as Nigerian police raid gay wedding - This is damn spooky. 

WATCH: Colman Domingo wows as gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in highly anticipated biopic - The trailer is OUT and it is smoking. It will probably get some people upset by revealing some negative facts about certain civil rights legends. But these facts were already well-known. They need to be widely known.

Gender-Affirming Surgeries Have Risen, Likely Due to Better Insurance: Study - When the anti-LGBTQ industry attempts to use part of this as a talking point to that 'social contagion' myth, make sure to include all of the facts.

Listen to trans kids and their families instead of Matt Walsh, Ne-Yo, or Alice Cooper

Transphobia is some insidious shit. 

There is a 55 second clip from 2012 going around on Twitter featuring a trans child and her mother supposedly implying some pretty negative stuff about the child being confused and such. Granted, the folks pushing this mess don't know this family and don't care. Nor have they provided any recent footage.  It simply underscores just how much these culture zombies who chant "leave the kids alone" really don't give a damn about these kids or any other child.

It also underscores how the voices of trans kids and their families are being muffled or ignored.  Instead, most of the attention seems to be paid to bottom feeding bloodsuckers like Matt Walsh and Chaya Raichik, astroturfed right-groups, or celebrities such as rapper NeYo and Alice Cooper.  

And that last group just drives me insane.

What do NeYo and Alice Cooper know about gender-affirming care for trans kids?  How does being a simple rapper or rock star who sang about necrophilia while having a snake wrapped about his body qualify one to be an expert on gender-affirming care for trans kids? We need to hear more from these kids and their families instead of outsiders exploiting the issue for money and fame or celebrities who simply don't know what the hell they are talking about. 

Below are several videos featuring trans kids and their families. These video detail their journeys and talk about the difficulties they have getting the support and care they need.

Sorry if these videos aren't clipped and distorted. Sorry if they don't include some right-wing talking head from a fake medical group distorting statistics. Sorry if these videos don't include shocking pictures of medical procedures or lurid testimony from "former-trans" people with unvetted stories.  Sorry if these videos don't include statements from athletes who claim to want to talk about fairness but end up talking about naked people in locker rooms. Sorry if these videos don't include social media influencers hiding their perverted mindsets behind phony concern for kids.

Instead, these videos feature the folks who should be listened to first when it comes to trans kids and their needs.

'Court rejects motion for 'opt-out' policy regarding LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum' & other Fri midday news briefs

Court strikes down motion for ‘opt-out’ policy regarding LGBTQ literature in Montgomery County Public Schools ​- Good. I mean could I opt-out of math class if I played the "religious freedom" card. Or how about using a religious exemption to opt-out of black history lessons? Learning about LGBTQ people is not the similar to a sex-ed class. And to treat it as such puts stigmatization on LGBTQ people.

Fox anchor Shannon Bream pushes the hoax that schools put out litter boxes for students who identify as cats - Bream has always had a bias against trans people from day one. I guess her religious views include lying if it's about people she dislikes. 

 Evidence Undermines ‘Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria’ Claims - A big justification for anti-trans legislation has just been refuted. Keeping this for later. 

The San Bernardino Pride flag murderer and the inevitable consequences of right-wing media hate - Preach!!!

Matt Walsh, Chaya Raichik from Libs of TikTok furious at being linked to Pride flag shooter Travis Ikeguchi

It's been a week since the murder of Laura Ann Carleton. Carleton was a business owner in California who was murdered by a man, Travis Ikeguchi, after a dispute about a Pride flag hanging in her shop. Ikeguchi, who was later killed by the police that same day, was discovered to have had a history of posting of disgusting and violent anti-LGBTQ messages on social media.

A Thursday article on NBC Out delved deeper into Ikeguchi's history of posting this ugliness on social media and how it ties into far-right conservatives smearing the Pride flag itself and the LGBTQ community as pedophiles:

The far right has repeatedly linked the flag to the decades-old trope that links gay and transgender people to child abusers who want to “groom” or sexualize children, a trope that has recently had a resurgence.

 “The pride flag does not deserve our respect or deference,” right-wing provocateur Matt Walsh declared in March to his 2.4 million followers on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Nearly all of the most depraved attacks on children, tradition, and common sense in modern society happen under the hideous banner of the pride flag.” A day later, Walsh dedicated an over hourlong episode of his podcast, “The Matt Walsh Show,” which is produced by the media company The Daily Wire, to the Pride flag. The episode was titled “The Pride Flag Deserves Our Disrespect.” 

 Chaya Raichik, who runs the far-right X account LibsOfTikTok, has repeatedly prompted conversations among her nearly 2.5 million followers that appear to take aim at the Pride flag. “Imagine walking into your kid’s elementary school and this is what greets you,” she wrote on X in June, along with an image of what appear to be teachers wearing rainbow Pride clothing and a person dressed in drag. “What do you do?” 

You will notice that the article mentioned two prominent anti-LGBT activists - Matt Walsh and Chaya Raichik of the infamous Libs of TikTok. Needless to say, neither was happy it. Both took to Twitter to voice their disapproval:

Apparently, Matt and Chaya are upset at being compared to a psycho killer.  That's ironic seeing that the tone of their objections mimic Ikeguchi's social media posts:

A little advice, Matt and Chaya - if you don't want to be compared to a homophobic psycho killer, then stop sounding like one.

'New York Times gets called out for pushing aside key source's lies in latest anti-trans article' & other Thur midday news briefs

NYT Treats Key Source’s Many Lies as an Aside in Latest Anti-Trans Smear​ - So-called 'whistleblower' Jamie Reed strikes again. And gets burned again. This time though, she brought the New York Times down with her. 

 Related posts about Jamie Reed: 

Families dispute whistleblower’s allegations against Missouri transgender health care center 

Whistleblower’s Claims About a St. Louis Transgender Center Are Under Fire 

Gender Clinic Workers Kept a Spreadsheet of Trans Patients’ Names. Here’s What Happened Next. 

 In other news:

Florida's Broward County says losses mount for tourism as more conventions stay away, citing fear for safety of diverse groups- Florida has to learn the hard way. 

Florida's New Anti-Trans Rule Threatens Jobs of College Faculty For Bathroom Use - And this is why.

Far-right podcaster Tim Pool blames drag queens for Hurricane Hilary, earthquake in California

The question here isn't would the LGBTQ community be blamed for Hurricane Hilary and the recent earthquake in California. It was rather who would do it now that Pat Robertson is dead.

It looks like far-right podcaster Tim Pool takes that spot. But he doesn't blame the entire community. Just drag queens.

Tim Pool says L.A. deserves to be flooded for supporting drag queens, suggests the recent storms are actually God punishing people. pic.twitter.com/OmDm9TAYZ1

— PimToolNews (@PimToolNews) August 22, 2023

For the record, a decade ago I performed twice in drag as part of charity events. If drag queens can cause natural disasters, I may have to go back to performing. I do love having power.

Also as long as we're pushing insane conspiracy theories, let me say that there is reason why Pool is almost never seen without his little black cap. Supposedly it hides the hole in his head where his brain would be if he had one. Or another face which is grosser looking than the one he shows off in public.

But that's just a theory.

Hat tip to LGBTQ Nation and @PimToolNews  

'Laura Ann Carleton's murderer was a fan of Matt Walsh and a far-right conspiracy theorist' & other Wed midday news briefs

Laura Ann Carleton

Man Who Shot Store Owner for Flying Pride Flag Was a Far-Right Conspiracist​ - No surprise here.

Rainbow Flag Killer Was Fan Of Extremist Matt Walsh - And it gets worse. Questions need to be asked of Walsh. Answers need to be demanded. 

My Child Is Leaving North Carolina Over New Anti-LGBTQ Laws - Absolutely heartbreaking story. 

PFLAG documentary spotlights Asian mothers, LGBTQ kids - Wonderful article.

Parenting With Pride: Florida support group for LGBTQ+ families created to keep far-right groups from dominating debate about parents & children

 

All of these groups (Moms for Liberty especially) constantly yammering "leave our kids alone" are deliberately obscuring the issue when it comes to families in America. If you ask them about LGBTQ families, they either ignore you or try to change the subject. They see our families and our kids as non-existent or unimportant since we don't fit into their so-called perfect, but ignorantly narrow image.

Enough is enough.

LGBTQ parents and their allies are stepping up in Florida to demand that their voices be added to the conversation.

Amid attacks on the LGBTQ community & academic freedom, parents are showing up and speaking out. Today, a new suite of resources is available to help support parents and families navigating these harmful education policies a​s school returns. Join us: https://t.co/IOA1CgZOo1 pic.twitter.com/3Z9yvnVgxS

— Equality Florida (@equalityfl) August 15, 2023

From Axios: 

 As many Florida children went back to school last week, a group of parents came together to announce a new support group for LGBTQ+ families. 

 Driving the news: Equality Florida formed Parenting With Pride to teach guardians about new laws affecting queer students via free webinars, track how those rules are implemented in schools, and provide them with resources and support.

Why it matters: LGBTQ+ youth have been the target of laws and regulations championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and his allies over the last few years. The approach not only hurts a population of children at higher risk of depression and suicide because of how they're treated in society, advocates say, but also creates a confusing landscape for parents to navigate. 

  What they're saying: "There is a need for answers in Florida right now," Equality Florida press secretary Brandon Wolf said at a news conference announcing the group, "answers to what rights families have and can continue exercising in schools, answers to how the raft of legislation that's targeting those families will be implemented in classrooms, answers to how the system will impact their kids."

By the numbers: More than 1,000 families from Pensacola to Key West had joined the program as of last week, Wolf said. An estimated 114,000 LGBTQ+ youth ages 13-17 live in Florida, according to the Williams Institute, a think tank that conducts research on policies and laws pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity.

'Suspect named in fatal shooting of California store owner over a Pride flag' & other Tue midday news briefs

Laura Carleton

Suspect named in fatal shooting of California store owner over a Pride flag - This is what all of this hatred breeds. This was a hate crime:

 Travis Ikeguchi, 27, was responsible for shooting Laura Ann Carleton, 66, to death after "yelling many homophobic slurs" about her clothing store's Pride flag on Friday, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said at a press conference on Monday. Ikeguchi fled Carleton's store, Mag Pi, by foot and was later killed in “a lethal force encounter" with deputies on Friday. Officials said that Ikeguchi — a resident of Cedar Glen, California — had a history of making posts that were critical of the LGBTQ community on multiple social media platforms, including X, formerly known as Twitter.

The Unbelievably Bonkers Conspiracy Theorist Running For Governor Of North Carolina​ - Mark Robinson thinks Beyonce is 'Satanic.' Of course he is an anti-LGBTQ bigot of the lowest order. 

This professor brought millions to Florida State. Now he's leaving a 'hostile' environment - Florida has to learn the hard way.

What Is Gender-Affirming Care, and Which States Have Restricted it in 2023? - So many people have false ideas about gender-affirming care (especially for trans kids) but won't even try to adequately educate themselves on the topic.

VA Republican claims he's protesting the 'grooming' of children by having them hold up 16-foot penis sign with Biden's picture

Definition of hypocrisy - Virgina Republican Ron Hedlund protesting the supposed 'grooming' of kids by the LGBTQ (most specifically the transgender community) by posting a sign of a penis with Biden's face near a group of kids. As you can see by the photos and video below, he thought it was very funny to film a video featuring two boys holding the sign. See unedited picture further down the post.

Brought to you by the Department of What Da F@k, made possible by Republican hypocrisy.

Virginia GOP Central Committee Representative Ron Hedlund recently wanted to take a stand against the so-called grooming of children by those of us in the LGBTQ community (particularly the transgender community). But his way of doing this says a lot more about Republican hypocrisy when it comes to the hysteria about 'grooming.'

 From LGBTQ Nation:

Conservative activist and Virginia GOP Central Committee Representative Ron Hedlund of Virginia got attention online over the weekend for his 16-foot penis sign with President Joe Biden’s face, which he displayed in front of a group of children. He had to be told by police to put the sign away.

 On social media, Hedlund – who goes by “The Benghazi Rabbit” – said that the point of the protest was to fight “transgenderism” in schools, a term conservatives use to refer to equal rights for transgender students and anti-bullying initiatives. Hedlund’s sign – which he calls the “Porter Penis” – read “S**T IS F**KED UP AND STUFF/BIDEN SUCKS” and had Biden’s face on a 16-foot penis with semen shooting out that was labeled “My kids.” It was displayed at the RF&P Park in Henrico County, Virginia this past Friday just outside where some children were playing a baseball game. He also had a giant “air dancer” with the words “F**K BIDEN” written on it and another sign that read “STOP GROOMING OUR CHILDREN.”

When challenged by a few people, Hedlund filmed himself making fun of them.  And as you can see by the pictures (and the video below), he actually had two boys posing with his sign while laughing it off as a joke.

If you ask me, the big joke in all of this is Hedlund and it's a bad one. I know he did it for attention and I can hear some of you maneuvering your lips to tell me that I shouldn't be giving him the attention. 

But I disagree. 

This is an awful climate we are in now with calculating social media influencers and Congressional leaders gaining attention and clout by resurrecting the lie that we are "recruiting" and "grooming" kids. These horror stories are breeding ugly repercussions either through anti-LGBTQ legislation or people losing their livelihoods. Or worse yet, violence like the murder of California business owner Laura Ann Carleton on Friday. Carleton was reportedly shot by someone who objected to a Pride flag she displayed outside of her shop.

But folks like Hedlund don't care. My guess is that they are enjoying the attention and the chaos they are causing. It's never been about protecting the children. It's been about the ability to showcase their hatred, bigotry, and embarrassingly poor taste. And as you can see by the pictures and the video, they have no problem with exploiting the children they claim to be protecting.

Editor's note - And here is the video:

'Virginia school districts are rejecting Youngkin's anti-trans policies' & other Mon midday news briefs

Prince William County latest Northern VA school district to reject Youngkin's transgender model policies - These districts are choosing the safety of kids instead of a bad policy.

Nebraskans Ask State Supreme Court to Overturn Abortion, Trans Care Restrictions - We'll see.

University of Houston students brace for LGBTQ Resource Center closure in response to Texas’ DEI ban - They won't be able to silence us no matter what.

Gay volleyball player creates his own path from a rural upbringing to a college career - Well alright! Good for him!

Repost - Anti-LGBTQ bigotry and propaganda never changes. It simply gets sanitized.

Editor's note - Let's ease into Monday with a repost from May. It's a reminder (particularly for those "LGB without the TQ folks) that the rhetoric we see thrown at the transgender community is simply repackaged anti-gay bigotry. It was a lie then and it's a lie now.  Those who are not in our community need to be reminded of this. Those of us in the community who ignore this should really be ashamed of themselves. 

This from 1985

has turned into this in 2023. 

In reality, it never actually changes. It simply gets repeated after some minor sanitization.

But it's still lies motivated by hate, created to instill fear, and pushed to justify bigotry. 

 And violence.

 1985 graphic taken from Comics With Problems webpage. WARNING - it's not NSFW and will probably get you angry (as it should.)

Federal appeals court say no to Idaho's ban on trans female athletes

From NBC News:

 A federal appeals court on Thursday refused to allow Idaho to enforce a first-in-the-nation ban on transgender women and girls from participating in female sports leagues, saying the measure likely was unconstitutional. A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel delivered a victory to LGBTQ rights advocates by upholding an injunction blocking Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, the first of many such laws to be enacted by Republican-led states.

 “This is an important victory for common sense, equality, and the rights of transgender youth under the law,” said Chase Strangio, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, which pursued the court challenge. The Idaho measure, which Republican Gov. Brad Little signed into law in March 2020, bars transgender women and girls of all ages from participating in female sports teams at public schools in the state, from primary school through college. Twenty-two other states have adopted similar laws governing sports, most recently in North Carolina, according to the conservative Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, which had argued in favor of reviving Idaho’s law. 

This victory underscores the fact that in spite of all of the false narrative and bad hype (mostly perpetrated by TERFs and second-rate cis female athletes), the idea that trans females have an advantage in sports is difficult to prove in court. Those pushing the idea generally rely on preconceived notions and basic lies. This was already covered in 2021 by the USA Today in a blockbuster article, Conservatives want to ban transgender athletes from girls sports. Their evidence is shaky. 

The article's main point continues to be a reality:

Across the nation, state lawmakers supporting transgender athlete bans have painted a picture that girls sports teams will be overrun by athletes with insurmountable physical advantages. But a USA TODAY investigation of the lobbying effort shows that narrative has been built on vague examples that have been overstated or are untrue, and lawmakers have accepted them as fact with little effort to verify their accuracy.

'Calls for LGBTQ book ban in Rio Rancho seemingly backfire' & other Thur midday news briefs

Calls for LGBTQ book ban in Rio Rancho seemingly backfire - Whoops!

After my daughter's gender transition, I just wanted her to be happy. To best support her, I had to stop caring what other people thought​ - Amen.

Vivek Ramaswamy: LGBTQ+ People Created 'Tyranny of the Minority' - Sounds like some horsh!t to me. 

Ron DeSantis won’t say how he’d handle his own kid coming out as LGBTQ+ - Coward. He is so transparent. And not in a good way. 

Target acknowledges the Pride backlash hurt sales in June and says it will rethink its approach to 'heritage moments' going forward - Get ready to handle the gloating. Personally I think it's all in the way Target handled the situation. The chain should have never backed down to the bullying. Not even an inch. 

Denver Archdiocese sues Colorado over right to deny preschool to LGBTQ families - If the archdioese receives any tax dollars then it should not have the right to discriminate. 

Jenna Ellis is the latest anti-LGBTQ activist engulfed in Trump indictments

Jenna Ellis

It's interesting - to say the least - to watch Donald Trump's troubles and indictments engulf those who attached themselves to him. Particularly when some of these folks have been very vocal about the so-called sin of homosexuality.

I've already written about the anti-LGBTQ activism of Trump crony John Eastman when he was called an unindicted co-conspirator in Trump's last crop of indictments. Well now he has been officially indicted in this latest round. But he's not the only anti-LGBTQ activist involved now. 

According to People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch:

Former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis was charged with violating the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act and with solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer regarding efforts to convince state legislators to name phony pro-Trump electors in states he lost. 

 Before the 2020 election, Ellis was a strident campaign advocate for Trump, claiming that “the progressive left” was a “domestically grown enemy that was trying to destroy “ordered society” and “create chaos.” After Trump lost, she energetically promoted his stolen election claims alongside Rudy Giuliani and, for a while, Sidney Powell—and pressed those claims on religious-right media outlets like Eric Metaxas’ radio show. Ellis served as Giuliani’s sidekick during a hearing in Gettysburg organized by state Sen. Doug Mastriano in late November 2020. In late December 2020, she denounced the “failures” of the judicial branch and state legislatures and called for members of Congress to challenge Electoral College votes.

 She was also busy behind the scenes. Like fellow accused racketeer John Eastman, Ellis wrote legal memos offering justifications for Vice President Mike Pence to stop congressional certification of Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory. 

 Journalist Jonathan Karl wrote about Ellis’s memo in his book “Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show.” Here’s the plan her memo laid out: Pence would halt the constitutionally mandated congressional counting of Electoral College votes on Jan. 6 and give the battleground states until Jan. 15 to send a new set of votes. If no set of votes arrived by that time, the state’s Electoral College votes would not be counted. Ellis figured that would throw the election to the House of Representatives, where she believed Trump would be declared the winner. 

 She promoted a similar-sounding plan during a Jan. 4, 2021, interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network’s David Brody. Ellis said Pence should refuse to accept electors from states being challenged by Trump and throw the question of the electors’ legitimacy back to the state legislatures—something for which there is no legal or constitutional authority. With a straight face, Ellis said such an act “wouldn’t be political” and would create a “clean outcome” for the election. Brody endorsed Ellis’s scheme, tweeting, “Good idea!”

Ellis has also been vocal when it comes to smearing and denigrating LGBTQ people. According to The Advocate, last year she posted the following on her Instagram page with the caption "Where is the lie?"

That's not all:

Ellis took to Twitter to attack a lesbian whose success has catapulted her from an obscure radio personality to a household name -- MSNBC host and author Rachel Maddow. "Conservative women look so good that the left (who only have women like Rachel Maddow) assumes we've had surgeries to look this hot ... nah dawg, not a one. That would be your side. On kids," Ellis tweeted. 

The Advocate said she then doubled down her attack on Maddow by tweeting: 

 "The left is *still* big mad that conservative women are hotter than Rachel Maddow If you're so mad about it, try embracing your femininity instead of looking 'gender neutral' or like dudes."

In 2016, she has also claimed that legalizing gay marriage opens the door to pedophilia and bestiality. 

In addition, according to CNN:

Ellis has also repeatedly said the Supreme Court “ignored the immorality of homosexuality” in its decision to strike down laws that criminalized same-sex sexual activity. 

 “So then we get to Lawrence v. Texas, which was a Texas law criminalizing sodomy,” Ellis said at the Constitutional Literacy for Christians conference in February of 2016. “And judicial activism ignored the immorality of homosexuality and created this fabricated right to privacy that was in the penumbra of the Constitution and determined that homosexuality is within that right to privacy in the penumbra of the Constitution. And the Supreme Court with judicial activist motivations overturn that law.”

 In her 2015 book, “The Legal Basis for a Moral Constitution,” Ellis said the Lawrence ruling “set the groundwork for open celebration of homosexuality and all kinds of deviant sexual behavior with any coupling or grouping.”

Ellis presently having trouble raising money for her defense because Trump and his allies seems to have turned their backs on her. I'm certainly not celebrating her misfortune, but perhaps none of this would have happened to Ellis if she had followed the Biblical tenets about lying with as much eagerness as she used to stigmatize LGBTQ people.

I'm just saying.

'Georgia panel rejects recommendation to fire teacher for reading book about gender identity' & other Wed midday news briefs

Georgia panel rejects recommendation to fire teacher for reading book about gender identity​ - Score one for the good guys. 

Tennessee Republican with Anti-LGBTQ+ History Sentenced in Campaign Finance Case - Well, well, well. 

 Memorial to LGBTQ Holocaust victims vandalized in Berlin - This is awful! 

These Cheerleaders Are Making History As the NFL's 1st Gay Cheer Captains - Good for them. I am definitely here for it.

Anti-LGBTQ activist Chaya Raichik sets herself up for ridicule, gets mocked all over Twitter.

Usually, I turn my head at such vicious snipes, but I'll make an exception in this case because Libs of TikTok founder Chaya Raichik deserves as much ridicule as humanly possible in light of all of the ugly things she has done to the LGBTQ community. Please spare me that "don't stoop to that level" talk.  Sometimes it's good to be petty. Pettiness can be a psychological cleanser.  And when it comes to Raichik, we are in need of a cleanser.

Raichik took time out of her "busy schedule" of cheerfully denigrating LGBTQ people (accusing us of sexualizing kids, spreading lies about trans healthcare for kids - lies which have led to bomb threats against various children's hospitals, and basically soaking up praise from social media losers who crowd her twitter address looking for LGBTQ people to target) in order to accuse pundit Keith Olbermann of stalking her.

This led to someone on Twitter to question her age. And she decided to clap back at him:

That was a mistake. 

First of all, you know that our community (including our allies) is infamous with vicious one-liners, particularly about things like such as age and looks (i.e. reading). That coupled with the fact that Raichik has an eternal ranking near the top of our community's sh!t list meant that girlfriend was about to get dragged.

And dragged Chaya was. Here is a small sample of a very long dragging, which by the way, is still going on while you're reading this post.

What no sunscreen and a rotten soul does to a motherfucker: https://t.co/LDHsXKBJc6 pic.twitter.com/EsYH6WV3hn

— Rayyvana (@RayyvanaTTV) August 15, 2023

Every female right wing influencer grinds so hard to get clout, just so they can get called busted by the entire political spectrum. https://t.co/gtsVlFJHof

— Gayest Tone (@gayest_tone) August 15, 2023

Despite being 28, I’ve seen literal teenagers act more mature and be LESS transphobic than you. https://t.co/i1jxxKOL96

— DannyKorcz@kolektiva.social🏴✡️ (@dannykorcz) August 15, 2023

fascism destroys the mind, body, and soul https://t.co/4a8neSM3UE pic.twitter.com/q67WQNLiin

— Ares (@D4RKL0RDARES) August 15, 2023

Good thing for filters because not even those help you.

Vitamin C, retinol, and stop being a bigot could do wonders for your skin.

— Anita (@AnitaM86) August 15, 2023

You poor thing. I recommend lotion and trying to be a good person for a change.

— Holy Bullies (@holybullies) August 15, 2023

We're going to need to see your long-form birth certificate.

— Nefarious Means (@MeansNefarious) August 15, 2023

Thanks for helping me feel better about how I look at 30, the first good thing you’ve ever done

— JS 🦝 (@jspanda8) August 15, 2023

Do you pack yourself in salt at night?

— Chad Chavez (ChadC.bsky.social) (@ChadAChavez) August 15, 2023

Your daily reminder that transphobes are projecting from their internalized rejection pic.twitter.com/c409pvwhTH

— Elyon113 (@FYP2024) August 15, 2023

Damn girl you got those Sarah Huckabee Sanders genes

— Duncan Sheik Mohammed (@RoeVWadeBoggs) August 15, 2023

"I'm 28"

hatred is a bad skincare regimen pic.twitter.com/9kQZkPaqcs

— 🔆 a pillow 🔆 (@realapillow) August 15, 2023

Did you drink from the wrong chalice or something?

— Jordan (@SLCLunk) August 15, 2023

pic.twitter.com/xwIpt31ZYq

— I like big 'cules and I cannot lie (@Philgebunts) August 15, 2023

pic.twitter.com/Wr5HHfXXdc

— Not Quite Young (@stillundone) August 15, 2023

https://t.co/yImwzWhu7P pic.twitter.com/k1CyUMTz9k

— Paul Bland’s Big Adventure (@blandCinema) August 15, 2023

'Right-wingers now accusing Pop Tarts and Skittles of 'sexualizing' children' & other Tue midday news briefs

At this rate, accusing people and companies of 'sexualizing' kids is becoming boring and stale. Yet they persist:

Right Wingers Claim Pop Tarts are “Sexualizing” Children 

Conservatives are outraged by Skittles’ “Pride” collab with LGBTQ+ artists 

 In other news: 

5 times anti-gay bigots were caught engaging in very pro-gay behavior behind closed doors - Homophobic outrage is a huge racket.

Ron DeSantis says he's 'moved on' from feud with Disney, suggests company should drop lawsuit - Nice try, Ron. Next, he will probably declare a fake victory.

'I fully expected the downfall': Former Florida GOP chairman says the more people meet DeSantis 'the more they are not going to like him' - And speaking of Ron DeSantis . . .

Federal appeals court rules for Maryland school district policy preventing the outing of trans, gender nonconforming children

On Monday, trans kids got another court victory. 

From NBC Out:

A federal appeals court on Monday ruled that a group of parents could not challenge a Maryland school district’s policy against telling parents if their children identify as transgender or gender nonconforming.

 A 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled 2-1 that three parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, lacked standing to challenge the policy because they had not alleged their children were transgender in the first place. The policy, which the Montgomery County Board of Education adopted for the 2020-2021 school year, permitted schools to develop gender support plans for students to ensure they “feel comfortable expressing their gender identity.” 

 The policy directs school personnel to help transgender and gender-nonconforming students create a plan that addresses their preferred pronouns, names and bathrooms, and bars staff from informing parents of those plans without a student’s consent. Lawsuits are pending challenging similar policies in other states. 

The Maryland case was the first to be argued before a federal appeals court. Three parents backed by the National Legal Foundation, a Christian conservative group, argued the parental notification policy infringed their due process rights under the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment to direct the care of their children. But U.S. Circuit Judge A. Marvin Quattlebaum said the parents lacked standing to pursue their “compelling arguments” because they had not alleged their children had gender support plans or were transgender. That rendered their opposition a mere “policy disagreement,” he said.

This marks - by my count - the fourth court victory for trans kids in August. Earlier this month, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against an Ohio school district's gender-inclusive bathroom policy. In addition, courts in Indiana and Ohio awarded victories to trans kids in cases involving anti-bullying policies and bathroom usage.

'Far right attacks 'It Gets Better' after group donates $600,000 to students' & other Mon midday news briefs

Far Right Attacks It Gets Better After Group Donates $600k to Students - Blah, blah, blah 'groomers' blah, blah, blah "indoctrination and sexualization" "leave the kids alone." The far right can go to hell. LGBTQ kids attend schools and anything helping them (particularly in this climate) to be successful and safe is a good thing. 

Court blocks Idaho law restricting trans students’ restroom use​ - Laws like this one have no logical foundation. They only appeal to prejudices and fears. Glad to see that courts are recognizing this. 

Ron DeSantis’s “anti-woke” policies have led to a serious brain drain in Florida - Florida will continue to suffer until Floridians stop getting taken in by people like DeSantis. 

A Conservative Pundit Is Really Scared About Wayne Brady Being Pan - Guess who?