SC Pride 2023 festival photo gallery - Pageantry, perfection, & love

SC Pride 2023 was wonderful.

Even after all of the lies you hear about Pride events, it only takes an afternoon spent at one to see the truth. These latest attacks on our culture and lives make us defensive. We get so scared at being accused of awful things that we give up ground when we should be standing firm.

So let me be clear about this - Being an LGBTQ is a blessing. It's not a lifestyle, it's not an abomination.

Kids are not too young to learn about LGBTQ people and families. They will not lose any innocence by simply being aware that we exist. And yes, it should be mentioned in schools. LGBTQ families raising kids exist. LGBTQ kids exist. Those are facts. Normal facts. Children being told these facts won't warp them. 

We are a diverse group of people. We come in different shades, forms, nationalities, backgrounds, social groups, etc. etc. We are not going to be confined into closets. We will not have our lives dissected, whittled down, or altered in any way to suit the comfortability of the ignorant. Folks who oppose our lives can believe whatever they want about us, but that does not give them the right to make us believe their lies or live our lives according to their false ideas of who we are. Name-calling will not harm us. Lying about us won't defeat us. Attempting to pass laws against our existence and dignity will only make us stronger.

'Right-wing influencers specifically targeting LGBTQ kids for harassment' & other Fri midday news briefs

Right-wing influencers fuel harassment against LGBTQ youth - This is a g@d@mn disgrace. They are deliberately and specifically targeting LGBTQ kids.

Matthew Shepard’s mom calls anti-LGBTQ bills a ‘vicious attack’ 25 years after his murder - And she's right. 

15 Quotes from the third hearing on HB 183 to ban trans individuals from bathrooms in Ohio schools and colleges​ - Ohio legislators are trying to put anti-trans laws on the books. And the attempt is a hot mess. 

Georgia to Cover Gender-Affirming Care for State Workers Under Settlement of Lawsuit - Congratulations to all of those who put in the hard work to get this victory. 

LISTEN: This ’80s R&B jam about two men hooking up was somehow both ahead of its time & really homophobic - Well. This was . . . it was something.

Former FL legislator who authored 'Don't Say Gay' law sentenced to four months in prison for fraudulent COVID relief dollars scheme

Former Fl legislator Joe Harding

When Fl Gov Ron DeSantis began all of this nonsense with his 'Don't Say Gay' bill which later became law, it was an attempt to cast him as a strong conservative culture warrior in anticipation to his upcoming presidential campaign. Fast-forwarding to now, DeSantis' presidential campaign is miserably flailing because in spite of his bravdo, he comes across as a creepy phony.

But he is not the only Florida state official (in this case, former Florida state official) whose heavy push of the 'Don't Say Gay' bill hasn't garnered a happy ending.

From Florida Politics:

Former state Rep. Joe Harding will spend four months in prison and another two years of probation. A judge ordered the sentence nearly seven months after the Williston Republican pleaded guilty to wire fraud, money laundering and lying to investigators. Prosecutors sought charges in connection to Harding seeking COVID-19 relief dollars for businesses no longer operating. U.S. Attorney Jason Coody announced the sentence.

 . . . Prosecutors say Harding secured $150,000 in federal relief funds from the Small Business Administration. Bank records showed he immediately transferred money from an Economic Injury Disaster Loan to personal accounts and a credit card. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor sentenced Harding to four months in federal prison for each of these criminal counts, and the former lawmaker will be allowed to serve those sentences concurrently. 

 Harding must surrender to authorities no later than noon on Jan. 24. Once he completes his prison sentence, Harding will remain on probation for another two years. 

 Harding was the author of the 'Don't Say Gay' law. 

 Harding drew national attention after he authored the much-maligned “don’t say gay” law in Florida, which initially forbade public school teachers from teaching about gender identity or sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade. Since Harding left the legislature, the Florida Board of Education extended the ban through high school, and the legislature grew the statutory ban through eighth grade. 

 He also pushed for an amendment in law which would make teachers out LGBTQ student to their parents. However, after public outcry, he withdrew the amendment.

So, yet another conservative 'pro-family,' 'pro-traditional values' lawmaker turns out to be a hypocrite, thereby ruining his career in an embarrassingly public fashion.  

And in other more pressing news, I'm making garlic fries tonight. With malt vinegar.

A word from your blog master - The future of Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters

 

I'll make this as short as I can.

Unlike other writers, I have a problem with putting my business out there. I believe in certain elements of privacy, so I tend not to give details about my life as way to bind myself to the readers.

But  . . .

Some of you may have - or may have not noticed - that I am not posting as regularly as I used to. It's been deliberate on my part. There have been some changes. As a lot of you know, my mother passed last year. She was my heart and soul and things in my world just isn't the same without her. It hasn't been easy dealing with it.  It continues to be something which I can't put into words. . . 

Subsequently, this has affected my mindset about things. I'm a bit angrier, harsher, and somewhat more cynical. My threshold for politeness has been steadily receding and my outlook is a bit grimmer.

Granted, I still believe in the equality of LGBTQ people, and I know that no matter how difficult things get, we will win like we've always had in the past. But these days, I acknowledge how darker the roads are getting with the rise of social media wannabe superstars instigating crap against our community with their rage tweets and lies. Not to mention rise of attacks on our culture, the pushing of anti-LGBTQ legislation. or the attacks from within our community (the "LGB without the Q and T" and "Gays Against Groomers" astroturfed bullshit) all backed by dark money.

Mentally, while I am as ready to fight as I have always been, I have to acknowledge that I'm getting older and more measured with the things I say and do on this blog.  I'm probably not going to post as much, but I will be posting steadily. Also, I probably won't be as nice as I was in the past. When it comes to anti-LGBTQ lies and such, the reality is now no matter how much proof you put out there refuting them, there will always be an element of folks ignoring it.

And sometimes exposure alone don't mean shit.

So, if you have read this far, here what to expect from this blog in the future - steady commentary but with a little less posting. And above all, I'm going to be less polite in how I categorize certain people and groups. 

Because they deserve it.

'Ohio Supreme Court tosses drag ban initiative from ballot' & other Wed midday news briefs

Massive win: Ohio high court tosses drag ban from the ballot - Drag wins again. This also happened last week.

Ohio Supreme Court blocks Bellefontaine vote restricting drag shows, rules Secretary of State Frank LaRose ‘abused’ his discretion - More details. 

 ‘My dad isn’t scary’: Kids of trans parents are countering hate with family photos - I love this. Trans men and women are parents too. 

GOP school board candidate caught discussing “fire-breathing” lesbians, “grooming” - Well doesn't he sound nice?

 9 LGBTQ historic residences that you can visit now - You can also come to my house. I won't even charge.

Federal judge keeps ban against Montana anti-drag law in place while harshly criticizing it

 

Editor's note - It's sad when there is so much misery and chaos in the world that you miss positive news. This took place last week and I'm just getting news about it.

Last week, a federal judge kept in place a ban on enforcing Montana's anti-drag law. What makes this ruling significant was how harshly he criticized the law.

From The Advocate (with me highlighting the crucial part of the article):

A federal judge on Friday extended his stay on Montana’s controversial ban on drag queen story hours in schools and libraries. H.B. 359 was passed earlier this year and bans minors from attending all drag performances. The law was challenged in court by a collection of performers, activists, and businesses who claimed they had been harmed by the ban, which they believe is unconstitutional. 

 U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris on Friday continued his stay, finding the state had presented no evidence to show that children would be harmed by watching a drag show. The stay only prevents the law from taking effect as the case continues in court, but Morris harshly H.B. 359 and its backers in his decision, in effect calling their case baseless and highlighting how the law negatively impacts the greater LGBTQ+ community. 

 “State Defendants presented no evidence before the Court to indicate that limiting children’s exposure to speech and expression critical of gender norms or by gender non-conforming people bears any relationship to promoting children’s welfare,” Morris wrote in his 54-page ruling, but instead relied “largely on statements by members of the Montana legislature and witnesses at the hearings on H.B. 359.”

 . . .Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed House Bill 359 into law in May. The law took effect immediately and was the first state law to ban drag queen story hours entirely. The stay was first granted in July after the plaintiffs complained it would force the cancellation of the upcoming Helena Pride celebration. The stay allowed the annual event to continue. 

Judge Morris' brutal statement against Montana's drag ban law underscores that this hysteria against drag queens is a con by wannabe social media influencers and pathetically bigoted sad sacks with nothing substantial going on in their lives. All they did was rage post and lie about drag queens, thereby creating a frenzy fueled by ignorance about drag culture, the fear of children being harmed, and hidden prejudices against LGBTQ people. 

Please note how these losers are conveniently absent when their whipped-up hysteria has to be defended in a court of law.

The gayest horror movie of the 1980s : A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 vs. Fright Night

 Being that it is October, and I was trying to work in a post about two of my most favorite subtextual gay horror movies, I figure why not now. Usually, my blog focuses on the anti-LGBTQ industry, but there are times in which I feel we need a break. Also, I love sneaking little bits of LGBTQ culture in from time to time.

Others may disagree but, in my opinion the two most subtextual gay horror movies of the 80s were A Nightmare on Elm Street Two: Freddy's Revenge (1985) and Fright Night (1985). They come from way back in the day in which openly gay characters weren't dared to be shown on screen, so there were a lot of implications and homoerotic undertones. 

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2 is considered by many to be a very subversively gay horror movie. Of course, when I watched it, I was surprised and pleasantly pleased by the amount of male nudity is showed. Now, as our community has moved out of the closet and into the warm glow of sunshine, it turns out that the undercurrent of homosexuality in this movie was in fact intentional.

As further proof of this, you can either watch my friend Matt Baume espouse about it:

 

 

Or just skip to the good stuff: 

    

 And then there was Fright Night which I absolutely adored. This movie was about a young man (Williams Ragsdale) who discovered that his next-door neighbor (Chris Sarandon) was a vampire and rather than simply ignore it (which the vampire actually told him to do), he decides to save the day. 

Unlike Nightmare on Elm Street 2, the gay undertones weren't as blatant. But they were there:

 

 There was one specific scene which I watched repeatedly. It's when the vampire corners the young man's friend (Stephen Geoffreys) in an alleyway. Instead of simply attacking him, he seduces him in a nonsexual (but highly sexually hinted) way:

 

Many of Fright Night's cast members have places in LGBTQ cinema history.

Chris Sarandon (the vampire) received an Oscar nomination for his motion picture debut as Al Pacino's pre-op transgender boyfriend in Dog Day Afternoon. Amanda Bearse (Charley's girlfriend and the damsel in distress) became an LGBTQ icon when she came out while starring in the long running television show Married With Children.

Jonathan Stark (who played the vampire's attendant) later became a television writer and shared an Emmy award for co-writing the landmark episode of Ellen in which Ellen DeGeneres's character came out. Roddy McDowall (Peter Vincent) had been dogged for years about rumors of his sexual orientation. And even Stephen Geoffreys cemented a dubious place in LGBTQ film history by starring in several gay pornographic movies. He has since made a comeback to horror movies.

'Anti-trans 'whistleblower' Jamie Reed called out for another lie' & other Mon news briefs

Jamie Reed

Family Of Missouri Trans Kid: Jamie Reed Lied About Liver Damage, Caused By COVID Drug And Not HRT - Anti-trans 'whistleblower' Jamie Reed has been called out numerous times for lies in her story of alleged bad practices by a gender-affirming care clinic in Missouri. This one is the latest time and also the latest time in which a press - who went all bonkers for Reed - seem to be ignoring the bigger story that there is something really not right here about Reed, her claims, and who she has aligned herself with. 

Extreme anti-LGBTQ+ mayoral candidate won’t apologize for inviting Nazis to candidate forum - This woman should not win her election. 

Meet the Dragon Dads: The Mormon Fathers Fighting for Their LGBTQ+ Kids - We need more like these fathers. 

After years of erasure, Black queer leaders rise to prominence in Congress and activism - And it's about damn time, too. Of course, folks are always willing to omit those like me who may not be as loud but are working to build the framework. 

Muslim parents objecting to LGBTQ picture books used at Ham Lake charter school - This is a really sad situation because none of the books have anything to do with being sexually explicit. These parents simply don't want books with LGBTQ people in them and that is awful. It's an openly blatant attempt at erasure. And it's simply not right to erase people and families even your reasoning is religious.

San Jose leaders condemn anti-LGBTQ group - Glad to see elected officials fighting back.

'New book debunks the 'ex-gay' industry as SCOTUS considers weighing in on conversion therapy bans' & other Thur midday news briefs

New Book Debunks the ‘Ex-Gay’ Industry As Supreme Court Considers Weighing in on Conversion Therapy Bans​ - Okay, I am very biased in amplifying this book. Over 17 years ago, Wayne Besen was one of the inspirations for my blog Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters with his legendary book, 'Anything But Straight' in which he dismantled the 'ex-gay' industry. I'm honored to be able to vouch for this long-awaited follow-up, 'Lies With A Straight Face.' 

 And here is an excerpt courtesy of LGBTQ Nation - Glittering promises laced with lies: A chilling glimpse into the so-called “ex-gay” industry

The Kentucky Gentlemen: New Voices in Country Music - A queer country group of color. Oh I am very interested. 

Transgender Boy's Family Sues North Carolina Officials Over Ban On Gender-Affirming Care For Minors - And I hope he and his family wins.

Drag queens defeat DeSantis again - Appeals court won't lift block on Florida anti-drag law

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis

The drag queens beat DeSantis again. 

From News 10 Tampa Bay:

A federal appeals court Wednesday refused to put on hold a ruling that blocked a Florida law aimed at preventing children from attending drag shows. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, rejected a request by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to place a partial stay on a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell. 

 The request, if granted, would have allowed the law to be enforced against almost all venues in the state while an underlying appeal of Presnell’s ruling played out. Presnell issued the injunction in a lawsuit filed by the Orlando restaurant Hamburger Mary’s — but also applied the injunction to venues statewide.

 In seeking the partial stay, lawyers for the DeSantis administration argued that the injunction should only apply to Hamburger Mary’s. 

 “An injunction preventing enforcement of the statute against HM (Hamburger Mary’s) fully protects HM from any … harm,” the state’s lawyers argued in a July motion. “In granting broader relief, the district court irreparably harmed the state by ordering it to refrain from enforcing a duly enacted law designed to protect children from exposure to age-inappropriate, sexually explicit live performances.” 

 In Wednesday’s majority opinion, Judges Adalberto Jordan and Robin Rosenbaum said Presnell ruled that the law was likely overbroad and unconstitutional under the First Amendment. Jordan and Rosenbaum pointed to legal precedents and said, for example, that in “other cases where a law has been found to be overbroad in violation of the First Amendment, we have affirmed injunctions preventing enforcement of a law or ordinance against nonparties as well as parties.”

'Parents in swing suburban district are fighting back against Moms for Liberty' & other Wed midday news briefs

Moms for Liberty meets its match: Parents in this swing suburban district are fighting back - And it's about time, too. 

Ron DeSantis lies to Fox News about Florida’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws​ - When does this man NOT lie? 

George Santos Slapped With 23-Count Superseding Indictment - Gurl bye. 

At least two transgender women will compete in the Miss Universe pageant - Some people are going to HATE this. Oh well.

Video flashback - The Oprah Winfrey Show celebrates the first annual National Coming Out Day

 

 Wednesday is National Coming Out Day or, as I like to think of it, another day when we can remind the haters that we aren't going anywhere, especially not back into the closet. To commemorate this occasion, I am featuring a snippet of The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1988 during the first National Coming Out Day. It's interesting to note how so many things have changed while others unfortunately remain the same. But still nothing should take away the fact that National Coming Out Day is our day and one we have collectively worked hard to get to. We've certainly coming a long way.

 Come out at your own time and on your own pace. Celebrate yourself and your community. And above all, love yourself. You have nothing to be ashamed of.

My blog got a visit from one of Chaya Raichik's goons today

One of Chaya Raichik's goons left a message on my blog today.

My blog got a visit from one of Chaya Raichik's goons on Monday with regards to my post about her harassment of federal employee Tyler Cherry. Whoever it was left this message which I posted in order to curse the person out, then accidentally erased (I have a copy of the email for anyone who wants to see it.)

The message said:

"He is a groomer deserves the rope."

In other words, whoever this is saying that Tyler Cherry is a pedophile and deserves to be hung,

If Raichik saw this and decided to comment, she would either laugh at it or claim that I am committing a fraud.  But the message is not a fraud and she bears full responsibility for it.  Cherry is simply an out and proud queer federal employee. He has done nothing wrong. But how Raichik falsely reframed Cherry's perfectly innocent pictures gave bigots an excuse to attack him.

It's the same manner in which she falsely reframes video and other footage of LGBTQ people and allies to make us seem like pedophiles. She provides an excuse for the hate.  There are people in this world who are not only bigots, but also cowards. They need an excuse to justify their hatred and when it comes to LGBTQ people, designating us as pedophiles and "child groomers" has always been the perfect way to excuse attacks on us from taking away our God-given rights to verbally and physically attacking us. That's what makes Raichik more insidious than your basic anti-LGBTQ bigot.

 She provides the excuses and justifications to slander, demonize and scapegoat us as a people. And she doesn't mind lying to do it.

'Twitter just made it even harder for trans people to report online abuse' & other Mon midday news briefs

Twitter just made it even harder for trans people to report online abuse - One of the only reasons why I stay on Twitter is because I don't want to miss it when Elon Musk's incompetence causes it to collapse.

Virginia Library to Remain Open After County Leaders Resolve LGBTQ+ Book Spat - A happy ending.

Transgender adults in red states fear for the next generation as political attacks accelerate - Yep. Our minds should always be on how these attacks affect our kids. 

Despite Backlash, Companies Still Benefit From Being Pro-LGBTQ - It would do us well to remember this.

White House condemns 'cruel and unacceptable' harassment of openly-gay federal employee by Libs of TikTok

On Sunday, the White House condemned Chaya Raichik for this tweet of Interior Department official Tyler Cherry.

From The Washington Post:

 The White House on Sunday condemned a conservative social media activist for ridiculing an openly-gay Interior Department official on the site X, describing her posts as “cruel and unacceptable.” 

 Chaya Raichik, who created the @libsoftiktok account on X, formerly known as Twitter, sparked a debate online this week after posting and reposting several times about Tyler Cherry, Interior’s principal deputy communications director. The posts appeared to criticize his appearance, referred to him as one of the “total weirdos” the Biden administration has hired, laughed at photos of him in a dress that the New York Times published in a piece on his wedding, and reposted another message that called him a “radical leftist.” 

 In addition to his work at Interior, Cherry is part of a queer DJ collective pushing for a more inclusive LGBTQ nightlife scene in Washington. He had joined the Biden administration during its first weeks in 2021, and previously worked in Democratic politics in Arizona and at the liberal watchdog group Media Matters for America, according to his X and LinkedIn profiles.

 The White House called Cherry an “invaluable member of our team,” according to a statement first obtained by the Advocate, an LGBTQ+ magazine. Interior declined to comment.

 “No one should be targeted simply for being themselves,” the statement said. “This is an administration that believes to our core in the principle that out of many we are one — and we are proud that the people who serve in it reflect those values as well.”

Raichik's juvenile attack on Cherry underscores just how much of a bullshit artist she is. She claims to have started Libs of TikTok to target the so-called sexualizing of children by LGBTQ people. Of course, that was a lie. Just like every other homophobe and transphobe repeatedly in the past, Raichik's concern about victimized kids is nothing more than subterfuge; an excuse to scapegoat LGBTQ people, strip us of our rights and dignity, and endanger our health. She exposed Cherry to ridicule and harassment not because of anything he has done, but because of who he is - a proud openly gay man with a successful career. 

Those qualities are what make people like Chaya sick with resentment. She's nothing more than a bigoted bloodsucker from a long line of bigoted bloodsuckers. She is merely the latest model of hate masquerading her bile. From Anita Bryant to Jesse Helms to Jerry Falwell, LGBTQ people have dealt with her kind so many times. And we have outlasted them. 

 Chaya my dear, we are going to outlast you too.

Related post: Chaya Raichik, why are you so 'stank?'

VIDEO - Celebrate the heroes of LGBT History Month 2023

 

Happy LGBT History Month! Never forget, as this video demonstrates, we have come a long way as a community. No matter who it is or what they attempt, those trying to undermine our rights or endanger our health will never succeed. We aren't going away, and we will not be pushed back into closets. 

'Wisconsin trans ban meets massive resistance, 10,000 pages of opposition testimony' & other Fri midday news briefs

Wisconsin Trans Bans Meet Massive Resistance, 10,000 Pages Of Opposition Testimony​ - Folks did NOT come to play games. This needs to happen more often.

TWO Investigation: Divorce Records Paint Portrait of ‘Ex-Gay’ Activist Christopher Doyle as a Violent Man who is Likely Still Gay - Another 'ex-gay' leader bites the dust. 

30+ Celebrities Fight Book Bans By Supporting LGBTQ+ Nonprofit's Online Auction - Good! 

Chaya Raichik, why are you so 'stank?' - Basically, this is what Chaya Raichik is. She is so hateful that she exudes an evil stench way beyond that of physical senses. 

Many LGBTQ people report having experienced conversion therapy, study finds - Not me, luckily. But still . . .

Chaya Raichik, why are you so 'stank?'

Libs of TikTok founder Chaya Raichik 

Just in case anyone is fooled that Libs of TikTok founder Chaya Raichik's sole concern is about 'protecting kids from 'sexualization' or whatever, her following tweets on Thursday should dispel all of that.

I guess Raichik's goal is to feed the wolves on Twitter who thrive on this sort of thing. But you know what? Our country right now has actual problems. In 2016, we elected Donald Trump, a dumbass wearing a suit and he wreaked so much havoc (including bungling a response to the COVID pandemic - an act which cost hundreds of thousands of lives) that we are still recovering. Meanwhile, we have a political party (Republicans) whose idea of legislating is stabbing each other in the back when they aren't jockeying for interview time in the right-wing ecosystem or being cute on Twitter. Their nonsense in the House of Representatives has brought this country to an ugly standstill. And some of them are seriously talking about making Trump the next Speaker of the House.

So I really don't care if what Cherry wears or what he wore at his wedding as long as he can do the job. And apparently, he can. He's been in the Biden Administration for several years now: 

Before joining the campaign, Tyler was Director of Public Affairs at the political consulting firm SKDK, where he crafted and executed strategic communications plans for dozens of political, advocacy, corporate, and legal clients. He also previously worked at Media Matters for America as a campaigns associate and researcher. Tyler is a Los Angeles native and graduated from UCLA with a political science degree. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his partner and two exuberant cats.

But let's get back to Raichik. Who is she to criticize anyone? Where is her mate? Where is her wedding? In light of all of her vile escapades, there is word which perfectly suits her.

Stank.

Don't get me wrong.  I am not talking about a body odor. I've never been anywhere near her (thank you Jesus), to tell tales about her hygiene. What I am talking about is a corruption of the soul. Raichik has willfully spread lies claiming that LGBTQ people and our supporters are 'sexually grooming' children. This woman has made schools and hospitals the victims of bomb threats. She has caused educators to be fired. People have been inundated with threats and hate mail by her zombie followers. Meanwhile, she laughs at all of the chaos like a hyena in The Lion King, which by the way is a terrible thing for me to say.

I shouldn't insult those hyenas.

Basically, this is what Chaya Raichik is.  She is so hateful that she exudes an evil stench way beyond that of physical senses. Behind all of the false concerns about children and the claims of protecting children is a sad person with a heart so putrid that it gives off odorous vibes. She's not a happy person. No true human being can get so much pleasure from causing so much misery. No one with a soul would generate so much pain and hate in people and then feed off it like giant spider in a J.R.R. Tolken novel. This is not a serious person. Her entire persona is an immature child spreading lies and serving clapbacks for bigoted nobodies who can't deal so instead they poke fun.

All of us have known people like Raichik, mostly in elementary and high schools. They are the bullies whose sole goal is to spot someone they can turn everyone against.   As long as they direct negative attention to other people, others won't notice how truly pathetically lacking they are as human beings. That way they gain popularity because they are incapable of having general likability. And that's what Raichik also is - a juvenile bully from the echoes of grade school who puts on a persona because her real personality lacks basic human decency. She's scared that no one would like her for who she truly is and she's probably right about that.

There are only two roads for Raichik's future. Either she will see the light and try to make up for all of the trouble she caused. Or get so caught up in her ego that she will do something which will cause her entire world to self-destruct. 

Whatever the case may be, I don't care what happens to Chaya Raichik. 

I don't associate with stank people.

'11-year-old trans girl's plea for 'peace' leaves school board speechless' & other Thur midday news briefs

11-year-old trans girl’s plea for “peace” leaves school board speechless​ - Those who claim to want to protect children should listen when the children are talking to them.

How a Texas Gay Couple's Fight Against Discrimination Led to Uncovering a Criminal Scheme - All they wanted to do was to have a business and raise a family. The harassment they received blew up into a discovery that the official harassing them was embezzling money. 

Gay lobbyist’s shocking allegation against acting speaker Patrick McHenry tracks with his anti-LGBTQ+ record - That now seems to be the standard definition of a Republican. 

Inside the anti-LGBTQ effort to put Christianity back in schools - Yep. It's always something with these folks.

Eleven schools received bomb threats and harassment after smeared as 'child groomers' by Libs of TikTok

Chaya Raichik, founder of Libs of TikTok doesn't care that schools and hospitals are being targeted with bomb threats after she falsely portrayed them as pedophiles and groomers.

First children's hospitals, now schools. 

The smearing of LGBTQ people and our allies as "child groomers" has been very successful for Libs of Tik Tok and its founder Chaya Raichik. And it's putting hospitals and schools in danger. 

According to an article at VICE, 11 school districts and schools have been the victims of bomb threats and harassment after they were targeted by Libs of Tik Tok, including:

Western Heights ISD in Oklahoma City was targeted in three Libs of TikTok posts between September 9 and 14. During that time frame, Oklahoma’s state superintendent of education posted a photo with Raichik, and praised her as doing “more for transparency and accountability in schools than most elected officeholders.” An elementary school in Western Heights ISD received a bomb threat on September 15. 

 Witchcraft Heights Elementary School in Salem, Massachusetts, was targeted in a Libs of TikTok post on September 12. The school received emailed bomb threats on September 15, 19, and 21, prompting evacuations. Salem Police Captain John Burke told local news that all three emails “followed a similar MO” and his agency was working with state and federal agencies to investigate the threats. 

 Anoka-Hennepin School District in Minnesota was targeted in Libs of TikTok posts on September 13 and 14. They received a bomb threat by email on September 15. The district’s director of communications Jim Skelly told VICE News that it was unusual for the district to receive threats directly by email such as this one.” This was the second direct threat that the district, which is Minnesota’s largest, received in the last two years. More commonplace threats usually come from students or are made via social media, and are quickly processed as “non-credible” by law enforcement, said Skelly. 

 Red Oak School, an elementary school in a suburb of Chicago, was featured in a Libs of TikTok post on September 15. The elementary school received three threats over the course of four days. Children were evacuated from the school following the first two threats. A spokesperson for the North Shore School District, which encompasses Red Oak, told VICE News that the last time the school district received a bomb threat was 25 years ago. 

Davis Joint ISD in California was targeted in two separate Libs of TikTok posts on September 19 and 22, and received bomb threats on September 20 and September 25. On both occasions, the threats indicated that bombs had been placed at the homes of school district officials and in certain schools in the district. The threats caused both schools to delay start times so police could search for possible explosive devices. 

 Also:

Some of those who were targeted by Libs of TikTok in September who didn’t receive bomb threats instead reported vicious harassment, doxxing, and intimidation. Erika, a school bus driver in the Pittsburgh area, told VICE News that her life was turned upside down when a screenshot from her private Facebook account made its way to Libs of TikTok. The post showed a sheet of stickers she’d ordered, which included Pride flags and innocuous slogans like “all humans are beautiful,” “this is a safe space,” and “love always wins” in rainbow font. “I got new stickers!” Erika wrote in the Facebook post, adding a smiley face emoji. “Gonna get some magnet sheets so I can turn ‘em into magnets and put them in my bus!”

 . . . Within 24 hours of that post going up, Erika was swarmed by online harassment. A friend informed her she was on an account called Libs of TikTok, which she’d never heard of. When she found the posting, Erika said she was shocked to see it had almost 800 comments underneath it, calling her a groomer, saying she should be fired, and that she was a perfect example for why children should be homeschooled.

 

 

'School district gets restraining order against 'Gays Against Groomers' chapter leader' & other Wed midday news briefs

Pulaski School District gets temporary restraining order against Gays Against Groomers chapter leader​ - These folks are getting worse with their attacks against schools.

Laphonza Butler Sworn in as First Black Lesbian U.S. Senator - Milestone!! 

Nebraska now requires trans kids to undergo 18 weeks of non-affirming therapy - Sickening. 

This school is resisting the GOP assault on education with a revolutionary queer leadership program - This, on the other hand, is wonderful.

Video - Anti-drag queen hysteria comes to SC's Myrtle Beach

 

I guess this video is way of saying that the anti-drag queen hysteria sweeping other parts of the country will be coming to South Carolina. It's exasperating to contemplate but there are a lot of things to consider which keep me from being fearful.

For one thing as annoying as the very small number of protestors in the video were, I found their candor refreshing. They basically were saying that they felt drag in itself was lewd and laws should supposedly protect kids from seeing it. When folks have pushed for bans against drag performances in the past, it's after they've riled folks up with anecdotal (and mostly taken out of context or outright lying) social media videos and stories which falsely depict drag queens as 'groomers.'

For another, whatever may happen will be coming on the heels of several victories in which courts have ruled that banning drag under the pretext of "protecting kids from seeing lewd acts" is not legal. 

There are already laws on the books which speak about public obscenity and lewdness. Automatically designating drag as obscene ergo "not for kids" based solely upon one's personal opinion simply does not meet the metric. 

For every anecdotal video and stories put out on social media designed rile up the base, there are many more videos and stories about clean drag shows and drag queens wearing more clothing than nuns while doing perfectly innocent things like reading to children or performing the same routines one would see cheerleaders do at sporting events.

Bottom line - if you don't want your kids to see drag queens or drag shows, don't take them to see any. You have that right as a parent or a so-called defender of children. But you don't have the right to deem via legislation based upon your own opinion (even with the help of trumped-up evidence) that drag in itself is lewd and obscene.  Especially because that belief is simply is not true. You don't get to create artificial standards of civility and decorum which you then attempt to force others to live by.  

And creating laws for this goal isn't protecting children. It's basic tyranny. 

Editor's note - I must commend the folks in the video who defended Pride in the Park. In the face of the hysteria, they spoke their minds with a simplicity and sincerity which cut through the nonsense. And they are right. In the end, it's all about love and community.

Related posts:

Far right activists don't know the difference between a circus act and a drag show

Taken out-of-context video fuels ugly lie about drag queens 'grooming' children

Drag performer sues far-right blogger alleging defamation over edited video 

BUSTED! Far right caught spreading false story that a drag queen exposed self to children 

Candace Owens can't even tell a good lie. Far right personality busted using fake photo of 'drag queen' 

Babylon Bee editor Seth Dillon caught spreading false story about a child tipping a half naked drag queen 

Silly conservative 'activist' doesn't know the difference between drag queens, drag kings, and strippers