Tuesday, January 21, 2025

MAGAs furious after bishop publicly confronts Trump on his policies from the pulpit

Trump supporters (call them MAGAs or MAGAts) are always angry. They're always raging against the growing diversity of America because it reminds them that they are no longer in charge of things.  That's why they cling to Trump. He gives them the illusion of being in control and with him, they bask in that illusion instead facing the reality of a changing world.

Recently, they got a reminder of the diversity which scares them to their core. And boy did they ever get mad.

From MSNBC

Before dozens of attendees at a national prayer service in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington directly addressed President Donald Trump in her sermon, urging him to reconsider his attacks on marginalized communities.

 “In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now,” the Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde told Trump as he sat in the front row at the Washington National Cathedral. “There are gay, lesbian and transgender children, and Democratic and Republican and independent families, some who fear for their lives.”

 Budde made her plea on behalf of undocumented immigrants who work jobs, pay taxes and live among others, as well as refugees who come to the United States in search of safety and a better life. “I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities — these children fear that their parents will be taken away,” she said. “And that you help those that are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands find compassion and welcome here.” 

 Budde’s remarks came the day after Trump signed a raft of executive actions on his first day in office, including orders cracking down on immigration and rolling back protections for transgender Americans. Some of his executive orders — like his effort to roll back birthright citizenship — are already facing legal challenges. 


Supposedly those who attended with Trump, particularly his wife Melania, were furious. Trump himself was not happy, showing displeasure in his face and in later comments. 

Donald Trump, Melania Trump, J.D. Vance and his wife Usha Vance are not happy as  Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde calls him out on his policies during her sermon.


His supporters went through the proverbial roof on X (formerly known as Twitter)

Editor's note - The Bishop is a United States citizen

 

However, plenty of others defended the Bishop. And they called out the hypocrisy of those who condemned her for getting "political" during a religious ceremony.

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Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Jasmine Crockett calls out Nancy Mace as a clout-chaser who needs money

 

My guess is that Rep Nancy Mace thought she was doing something special when she tried to orchestrate a media incident against another House representative, Jasmine Crockett. It's safe to say that perhaps the incident made her look ridiculous.

 A little recap - during a House committee meeting on Tuesday, Mace challenged Crockett to "step outside" when Crockett challenged her for high jacking the meeting to rail against trans women. Over the past couple of months, Mace has made it her mission to smear trans women and falsely accuse them of being predators, especially Rep Sarah McBride, the first trans women ever elected to Congress.

 Crockett didn't lower herself to take Mace up on the challenge to "step outside," but she did appear on MSNBC's Reidout with Joy Reid, to call out Mace for what she called "clout chasing."

 A few things Crockett spilled the tea on: 

 Mace is of course using her sudden anti-trans advocacy to grab attention and raise money, 

 Her attack on Crockett could have been an attempt to copy a media firestorm from last year between Marjorie Taylor Greene and Crockett,

The hearing in question had nothing to do with the trans community until Mace brought it up. And then Mace did the same thing with another hearing having nothing to do with the trans community.

 Lastly, here is something I picked up on. Starting at 3:51 of the above video, Reid played a video from a pinned tweet of Mace going on some ridiculous and very obscene tangent about trans women and restrooms. 

Mace's "performance" is incredibly orchestrated even down to the gigantic cross earrings she's wearing. Note how her hair on that side is pulled back while her head is cocked, no doubt making sure that the cross earring is prominently displayed on camera. I guess the objective is to position Mace's obsession with attacking trans women as sort of a Christian defense of womanhood. 

Mace clearly fails in this attempt. Instead, she comes across as desperately obvious to the point of being downright tacky.

While again attacking the trans community, Nancy Mace wants people to see that huge cross earring she's wearing.
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Tuesday, January 14, 2025

'Nancy Mace challenges Jasmine Crockett to a fight after disagreement over anti-trans bill' & other Tue/Wed news briefs

What Nancy Mace would have looked like afterwards if Jasmine Crockett had taken her up on her offer to "step aside." Editor's note - it's a joke, folks. These days, you have to clarify.

Rep Nancy Mace has been picking on Rep Sarah McBride so much that she's getting ahead of herself. No doubt she will exploit the incident below on social media and on Fox News, but if Rep Jasmine Crockett had taken up her challenge, Mace would have no doubt gotten dogwalked.


In other news:

GOP-led House votes to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports - The bill in question which nearly caused Mace to get her edges snatched. Now it goes to the Senate where it needs only seven Democrats to reach 60 votes for them to even begin debating. It looks tight, but it may not reach the 60 needed. Also please note that I don't think the bill addresses male trans athletes. House speaker Mike Johnson is clearly exploiting anti-trans animus to waste time in order to keep his job safe from those in his own party who want to see him gone. 

Marjorie Taylor Greene rages at Sarah McBride for reading to kids: “Child predator”! - And speaking of Nancy Mace, she and Marjorie Taylor Greene continues in their pitiful attempts to bully trans Rep Sarah McBride. This time it's about McBride simply reading to children (with their parents' permission) with about trans kids. 

Some LGBTQ people race to claim rights, fearing rollbacks under Trump - Wise choice. Don't stand cowering about what you think is coming. Get your stuff in order first, then come out fighting. 

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Thursday, January 09, 2025

Anita Bryant Dead. The LGBTQ community outlives another one.

Anita Bryant 

The LGBTQ community has outlasted another one who sought to strip us of our rights to safety, health, and self-determination. 

And this is a big one. 


Anita Bryant, a former beauty queen and pop singer of the 1960s whose career led her to become a spokesperson for Florida oranges in the early ’70s and an evangelical crusader against gay rights later in that decade, died Dec. 16 at age 84, her family announced Thursday. The family’s obituary for Anita Bryant Day, as she was known outside the public sphere, was published in her hometown newspaper, the Oklahoman, and said the singer-activist died at home last month in Edmond, Oklahoma, surrounded by family and friends. 

We'll skip all of the stuff about her being a beauty pageant queen, singer, and spokesperson. Let's focus on the main reason why she's the subject of a post I wouldn't have missed writing for the world:

 Bryant’s notable public appearances in her less controversial years included singing at both the Democratic and Republican conventions in 1968, being a staple of Bob Hope’s holiday tours for overseas troops for seven straight years, singing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” at the 1971 Super Bowl, and providing a musical eulogy for President Lyndon Johnson at his 1973 funeral. 

 In 1977, Bryant began fronting a “Save Our Children” campaign aimed at repealing an ordinance in Miami-Dade County that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The crusade was successful in getting the ordinance repealed that year by a popular vote. It was not restored until 1998. For the next three years, her activism against such regulations made her a poster girl for the religious right and the foremost public archenemy of the gay community and its allies. 

 Via her highly successful campaign, Bryant popularized the lie that gays are trying to sexually recruit children (sound familiar?): 

 According to a 1977 report in The New York Times, Bryant stated, “Behind the high-sounding appeal against discrimination in jobs and housing, which is not a problem to the ‘closet’ homosexual, they are really asking to be blessed in their abnormal life style… What these people really want, hidden behind obscure legal phrases, is the legal right to propose to our children that there is an acceptable alternate way of life — that being a homosexual or lesbian is not really wrong or illegal.” 

 Also, according to The Hollywood Reporter: 

 “I got involved only because they were asking for special privileges that violated the state law of Florida, not to mention God’s law,” Bryant told Playboy in a 1978 interview. “You know, when I was a child, you didn’t even mention the word homosexual, much less find out what the act was about. You knew it was very bad, but you couldn’t imagine what they tried to do, exactly, in terms of one taking a male role and the other taking a female role. I mean, it was too filthy to think about and you had other things to think about. So when I finally found out all the implications, it was a total revelation for me.” 

As word spread of her crusade, Bryant gathered support from North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms and Virginia pastor Jerry Falwell, and six months after its passage, the ordinance was repealed by a vote of more than 2 to 1. Bryant then expanded the fight to other cities and states, and with her help, Falwell in 1979 created the Moral Majority movement for religious conservatives that denounced the LGBTQ community, abortion rights supporters and others. 


 Ultimately, Bryant would pay a price. Gay rights activists targeted her and launched a nationwide boycott of Florida orange juice. Bars stopped serving screwdrivers, replacing them with a mixture of vodka and apple juice called the Anita Bryant cocktail. Bryant told Playboy that she lost about a half-million dollars in concert bookings and a deal to host her own TV show as her public appearances became magnets for gay-rights protesters. She also became a punchline for comedians, and the Florida Citrus Commission dumped her in 1980. 

Bryant's career was ruined and she never bounced to the success she had before she became an anti-gay activist. However, Bryant leaves a twofold legacy. 

She demonstrated just how lucrative it was to target LGBTQ people as pedophiles and "groomers." That particular narrative has been in the center of just about every anti-LGBTQ campaign, ordinance, and law. Secondly, we can see the remnants of her smear via people like Chaya Raichik and Nancy Mace and sites like Libs of TikTok and Gays Against Groomers. Bryant may be gone but her stench of bigotry continues to linger. And it's not going away. 

In the coming days, there will be a lot of joy from the LGBTQ community, and folks need to understand where it's coming from. Bryant and her campaign made life hell for gays. It empowered lies, hate, and violence against us.  A lot of people were hurt by what she did but unlike her passing, those stories didn't make the front pages.  Anita Bryant is a textbook example of how Christianity can be weaponized to justify hatred and deception, not to mention the bearing of false witness; something Christians are not supposed to do.

She claimed to have meant well but ultimately Anita Bryant was an ignorant and self-righteous woman who used the Bible to beat people down instead of lifting them up. She was so busy trying to purge what she claimed was the evil in others that she failed to see that the greatest evil of all was coming from herself.

Still, it's also important to remember that she is gone. And we, the LGBTQ community are still here. In her day, she tried to stomp us down but failed. With her passing, Bryant joins Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Jesse Helms and so many others who felt it was their Chrisian duty to demonize and vilify us. We may be a bit worse for wear, some of us are weary and just downright exhausted but the important thing is that we are here, and we aren't going anywhere. 

 Definitely something for us to keep in mind for 2025.
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Wednesday, January 08, 2025

Fox News gun rights supporting pundit bothered by LGBTQ+ people buying guns' & other Wed/Thur news briefs

Jesse Watters

Jesse Watters calls LGBTQ+ people 'nuts' for buying guns ahead of Trump's second term​ - Some folks have a fetish for collecting guns and that freaks me out. However, I do support people buying guns for protection and I completely understand why some in the LGBTQ community would do so being fearful of what could happen after Trump takes office again. He emboldens some of the ugliest behavior in people, particularly violence.  It goes without saying how much of a hypocrite Watters is seeing that he generally supports having guns for self-defense. I guess he expects us to take potential abuse without fighting back.

New Meta guidelines include carveout to allow anti-LGBTQ speech on Facebook, Instagram - In case you haven't heard, Facebook and Zuckerberg are trying to kiss up to Trump. This has been part of a long campaign which saw him dining with Trump and donating to his inauguration. This is probably why:

In other news:


The number of companies committed to LGBTQ+ inclusion is growing - Don't believe the negative hype about DEI and companies dropping support of LGBT+ inclusion. Money is always still money. 

Nancy Mace furthers anti-trans push with speech in Sarah McBride's district - She continues to attack McBride. Nancy Mace is pathetically desperate for attention.
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Monday, January 06, 2025

Social media mockingly reminds Donald Trump that it's Elon Musk who is in charge

Due to the fact that either Americans have short memories or are incredibly sadomasochistic, we are now again saddled with Donald Trump in the White House. Besides the absolute inanity of my fellow countrymen, and a vicious right-wing ecosystem, Trump's "comeback" is due the help of Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest man. 

That's right. Marvel universe has Tony Stark. DC universe had Bruce Wayne.  We in the real world, however, have a pale, bloated import from South Africa with delusions of grandeur so enormous that it would make a James Bond villain look like Joan of Arc. And unfortunately, the money to back them up and an enormous army of fanboys telling him how they enjoy inhaling whiffs of his flatulence.

We are so in for it for however long Trump remains in office. One small consolation is the fact that since Musk contributed to Trump's victory, he feels the need to butt in. Trump has indulged his nonsense by creating a presidential advisory committee, DOGE, especially for Musk to supposedly seek out and eliminate government waste.  I think it's rather stupid on Trump's part. Granted, he isn't exactly a symbol of basic intelligence in the first place, but every time I think about it all, I am reminded of the saying "if you let the devil ride, he's going to want to drive."

We'll see how long Musk and Trump can "work" in tandem before the adage becomes true. In the meantime, folks on social media have the right idea as to who may be actually in charge,

Save these memes. I have a feeling that they will be coming in handy.

Editor's note - Facebook removed my post because the below picture of Trump with a ball gag in his mouth was thought to be sexually obscene. I replaced with the above pic.








I thought this one below was deliciously brutal:

As was this one:

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Wednesday, December 18, 2024

The Daily Show gives 'No 1 book banner' wide room to make a fool of himself.

 

This took place earlier this month. I don't know how I missed it.
 

The Daily Show's Michael Kosta . . .  interviewed the "No. 1 book banner" in Florida, the state where books are banned from public schools more than any other state in the U.S. Gee, thanks for that, Gov. DeSantis. He hit the Floridians' central issues, like banning Maya Angelou's 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.' Imagine banning Maya Angelou's book. Holy shit. 

 Kosta spoke with Bruce Friedman, a conservative activist who is responsible for that. He admitted that he has filed more than 900 objections to books so far. Kosta used expletives throughout the interview since Friedman is against profanity. 

The interview is hilarious and pathetic at the same time. "You're the Michael Jordan of book banning," Kosta said. "Well, in the last two years, I've challenged more than one book every calendar day," Friedman said.
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Monday, December 16, 2024

'Pastor snuck anti-trans speech into school board meeting. Instantly got checked' & other Mon/Tues news briefs


Pastor snuck anti-trans speech into school board meeting. He was instantly shot down. - Nice try. Folks were not having it.


15 LGBTQ-Inclusive Winter Holiday Books for Kids - While cash is always good for me, these too are wonderful Christmas gifts. 

Democratic senators seek to ax transgender care ban from defense bill​ - Republicans in the House snuck anti-trans legislation in a must-pass defense bill. Democrats in the Senate are going to remove it. Hopefully. 

These iconic Disney stars came out as LGBTQ+ - Good article, BUT they omitted older stars like Dennis Day and Tommy Kirk.

Rep. Nancy Mace's position on LGBTQ community appears to have changed - You mean Nancy Mace is a lying fake? No kidding!
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Thursday, December 12, 2024

Nancy Mace becomes social media laughingstock after questionable claim of assault by 'pro-trans man'

South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace is now being mocked on social media due to a recent incident in which she had a pro-trans advocate arrested for assault. 

She's being mocked for two reasons:

1. A witness contends the incident involved a simple handshake and that she blew it out of proportion.

2. Mace has a reputation on Capitol Hill for public actions and publicity stunts designed to grab attention and get her interviewed on cable news and podcasts. This alleged incident happened on the heels of a public campaign she began to bar Delaware Congresswoman Sarah McBride banned from using the women's restroom. McBride is the first trans woman ever to be elected to Congress.

While the truth of the incident remains murky, there are a lot of questions as to Mace's actions. According to court records, Mace did not allow a paramedic to examine her. If that's the case, why was she wearing a cast on her wrist and elbow the next day:


For the time being, a lot of folks (especially on Twitter) aren't cutting Mace any slack. On the contrary, they have been downright brutal in their skepticism:



The following is from a former staffer of hers, Natalie Johnson. And she makes a very interesting allegation about Mace's desire for public attention:

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Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Nancy Mace claims she was assaulted by a 'pro-trans man.' A witness says she's lying.

Nancy Mace on Capitol Hill a day after an alleged assault by a 'pro-trans man'. Mace's claim of assault has been disputed by a witness.

South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace has been riding the publicity wave fueled by her attacks on Sarah McBride, the Delaware representative who recently became the first trans woman elected to the House of Representatives. An alleged incident Tuesday night will generate more publicity for her, although it may not all be in her favor.

 From Emily Brooks of The Hill:

A disputed handshake is at the center of a Tuesday incident involving Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) that resulted in an Illinois man’s arrest, according to a police report and a witness who spoke to The Hill. Mace, who has made headlines in recent weeks for advocating against transgender women being able to use Capitol facilities that match their gender identity, said on the social platform X that she was “physically accosted” by a “pro-tr*ns man.” 

Capitol Police confirmed that 33-year-old James McIntyre of Illinois was arrested Tuesday in connection with the incident, which took place at a foster care youth advocacy event. But witness Elliott Hinkle, who is transgender and has experience in foster care, disputed Mace’s characterization of the interaction. 

 . . . “As she went to leave the room, James met her by the door where people could see her and him to say, ‘Trans youth are in foster care and they need your support,’ and gave a handshake and then walked back to his seat and sat down,” Hinkle told The Hill, noting that 30 percent of youth in foster care are LGBTQ.

“It seemed a pretty normal interaction from those of us who witnessed it.” 

 A Mace staff member returned to ask McIntyre’s name and what he said to Mace, Hinkle said. Soon after, Hinkle said, Capitol Police showed up with an “overwhelming presence” and eventually arrested McIntyre. 

 John Kelly of The Imprint gave more details in his article: 

 Elliott Hinkle, a former foster youth and advocate for LGBTQ rights, said McIntyre shook her hand, and made a comment about how many transgender youth are in foster care, adding: “They need your support.” 

 “From what I saw, it was a normal handshake and interaction that I would expect any legislator to expect from anyone as a constituent,” said Hinkle, a consultant who has advised the federal government on issues affecting youth in foster care. 

 From Brooks is the police report: 

 A police report on the incident also documented Mace’s account of the handshake, which had a more aggressive interpretation.

 “The victim [Mace] offered their right hand to the individual to shake hands, and upon their hands coming together, the individual placed their other hand on top of the victim’s hand in a clasping manner so that the victim’s hand was between both of the subject’s hands. The victim stated that the subject began to aggressively and in an exaggerated manner shake her arm up and down in a hand shaking motion. The effect of the motion was described as her arm flailing for about 3-5 seconds,” the police report said of Mace’s accounting of the interaction.

 “The victim stated that she attempted to pull her hand away from the subject but was held in place by the subject,” the report continued. “During the shaking motion, the victim advised that the subject stated, ‘trans youth deserve advocacy.’”

 Mace told police she was experiencing pain in her wrists, arm, and armpit/shoulder after the incident, according to the police report. 

Brooks also wrote:

McIntyre was arrested Tuesday and charged with assaulting a government official, Capitol Police said. On Wednesday, McIntyre pleaded not guilty to the charge in D.C. Superior Court. 

 Asked to respond to Hinkle disputing Mace’s characterization of events, Mace spokesperson Gabrielle Lipsky told The Hill in a statement: “With an ongoing investigation, we’re limited in what we can share beyond what Capitol Police have already made public. The Congresswoman is in pain this morning, with her arm in a sling, but she’s otherwise doing well—just shaken up. What’s even more disheartening is watching the Left and their media allies deny this even happened, propping up misogyny instead of condemning violence.”

 Mace was spotted wearing a sling in the Capitol on Wednesday and posted on X that President-elect Trump had called her to check in on her.

While Mace has her defenders on Twitter (many of whom veered to her rhetoric about evil trans women invading women's spaces and assaulting other women who "stand up" to them,) a great number of others have voiced - in varying degrees of tones - that Mace is blowing the incident of out of proportion to stay on the publicity train. 

And that assumption wouldn't be farfetched. Mace has a reputation on Capitol Hill for public behavior and stunts geared to maximize attention and get her a spot on news programs such as Fox. Even before her crusade against McBride, fellow Republican legislators and former staff employees in her office have called her out for various stunts.

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Monday, December 09, 2024

Ohio schoolteacher sues district claiming that anti-LGBTQ book policy violates her moral and religious beliefs

Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea is one of the four books which initiated a lawsuit in Ohio.

An Ohio elementary school teacher is suing her school district for disciplining her because she had books in her classroom which contained LGBTQ+ characters. And in an interesting turn, she is using the argument conservatives have used against the LGBTQ+ - religious liberty.

From The Advocate:

Karen Cahall, who has worked at New Richmond Exempted Village School District for over 30 years as an elementary teacher, filed a lawsuit against the district last week after being subjected to "disciplinary proceedings" when a parent complained about four books she kept in her classroom – all age appropriate and not required reading – just because they had LGBTQ+ characters. 

 The lawsuit claims that Cahall was suspended three days without pay for "simply having in her possession in her classroom four books that had LGBTQ+ characters in the plot line, even though these particular books were intermingled among approximately one hundred other books, were not prominently displayed ... [Cahall] did not teach from those books as part of her instructional program, and did not require students to read those books."

 . . . The four books are Ana On The Edge by A.J. Sass, The Fabulous Zed Watson by Basil Sylvester, Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea by Ashley Herring Blake, and Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff. None of the books contain sexual content, but rather characters who "are coming to terms with feeling different and excluded," according to the lawsuit. 

 The district has “controversial issues” policy that does allow teachers to address issues "likely to arouse both support and opposition in the community" so long as they are related to instruction and do not "tend to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view." 

 Cahall's suit argues that the policy "is so vague and all-encompassing that it could extend to virtually any topic upon which any two random individuals or groups of individuals might find something to disagree about, and therefore fails to provide people of ordinary intelligence a reasonable opportunity to understand what is or is not a 'controversial issue.'" 

 

The suit also contends that Cahall's "sincerely held moral and religious beliefs" were violated. The article pointed out how her claim is "flipping the script" because of how many times conservative Christians have used the "religious liberty" argument to undermine LGBTQ+ equality:


"Cahall maintained these books in her classroom amongst over one hundred other books spanning a wide variety of subject matters in furtherance of her sincerely held moral and religious beliefs that that all children, including children who are LGBTQ+ or the children of parents who are LGBTQ+, deserve to be respected, accepted, and loved for who they are," the suit continues."

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Thursday, December 05, 2024

Trump's mass deportation plan is going to have an ugly crash with reality

I'm taking a small departure from my usual postings about LGBTQ issues. Indulge me, please.

One good thing may come out of Trump's nonsensical plan to mass deport undocumented immigrants is a realization of how much this country depends upon them. Whether folks want to admit it or not, there is very vital ecosystem of undocumented workers. They not only work at the jobs people in this country don't want to have, but their spending contributes greatly to our economy.

No matter how much they are attacked by wannabe social media influencers, vilified by opportunistic politicians, or resented in general, the fact of the matter is that they are as part of America as the rest of us. This country needs them just as much as they need us. Very few will say this out loud and even fewer wants to admit to it, but it's a fact.

As you can tell by the success of Trump's recent campaign, they also serve a convenient function as scapegoats, i.e. the proverbial monster in the dark closet. The only problem is when lights get switched on and the closet doors get flung open, are we going to be able to cope with the consequences of what Trump has in store for them? He has no thought-out plan of how he's going to accomplish this mass deportation, nor does he have no idea how much it would cost. He's simply riding an emotional wave built up by fear and jealousy. But what's going to happen when reality comes crashing into that wave?

I'm not alone in feeling this way. Articles from various news sources have been warning us. Some of us simply refuse to listen:

Undocumented immigrants have a substantial economic footprint in the US and Utah

US neighbors balk at Trump plan for deported migrants 

Expert: Mass deportation would have ‘devastating impact’ on Michigan agriculture industry 

‘Mass deportations would disrupt the food chain’: Californians warn of ripple effect of Trump threat

US farm groups want Trump to spare their workers from deportation 

Some upstate farmers worry about plan for migrant workers, deportation promise from Trump

Wisconsin Farmer Talks about Essential Role of Migrant Workers

Pa. farm industry braces for raids, deportations under proposed Trump policy 

  Even immigrants with lawful status brace for Trump's mass deportation 

  South Florida immigrants fear mass deportations amid Trump's return to office 

  Trump's deportation vow alarms Texas construction industry 

  Mass deportations could hinder US agriculture



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Monday, December 02, 2024

'Village People singer defends Trump's use of 'Y.M.C.A' by claiming song isn't a gay anthem' & other Mon/Tue news briefs

 

 “Y.M.C.A.” singer and co-writer Victor Willis of the band Village People defended President-elect Donald Trump’s use of the song Monday on Facebook. Willis denied that the disco tune was intended as a “gay anthem,” saying he “knew nothing about the Y being a hang out for gays” when he wrote the lyrics. 

 Willis said he wrote “Y.M.C.A.” based on what he knew about the worldwide youth organization at the time, particularly the YMCA branches in the urban areas of San Francisco. 

 “When I say, ‘hang out with all the boys’ that is simply 1970s black slang for black guys hanging-out together for sports, gambling or whatever. There’s nothing gay about that,” he said of one of the song’s most notable lines.

Seriously, Victor! Your group was comprised of members who costumed themselves in stereotypical gay macho attire. Your songs included "San Francisco," "Macho Man," and "In the Navy." YOUR FIRST ALBUM WAS ABOUT GAY LIFE!!!! Sorry but this is one bit of history y'all ain't gonna rewrite. EVER.


In other news:

Another trans military ban would cost the United States billions of dollars - Of course it will. Facts never seem to stop the Trumpies though. 

The war on woke: How a gay rights index once touted by Walmart and others became a conservative target - I personally question the entire thing. The man in the center - Robby Starbuck - is a wannabe right-wing activist. He's a posing low-budget version of Matt Walsh (who is pretty damn low-budget himself). I'm of the opinion that companies are using his threats as a convenient excuse to backtrack from the promises they made during the George Floyd protests. 

Caitlyn Jenner exposes MAGA hypocrisy with implication she uses the women’s bathroom at Mar-a-Lago - As much as I am not a fan of Caitlyn Jenner, to ignore this story would be wrong. It completely exposes so much hypocrisy with Trump and the MAGA movement. 

Texas DPS flooded with criticism, spam due to anti-LGBTQ order - Our community still have ways of fighting hate.
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Sunday, November 24, 2024

Trust Sarah McBride

Sarah McBride

Before she has even been sworn in as the first trans Congresswoman in American history, Sarah McBride finds herself in bad territory.

On one hand, there are people like South Carolina Rep Nancy Mace who have been exploiting fears about trans women to constantly degrade her. For almost a week, Mace has been tweeting and retweeting invectives misgendering McBride and exploiting her own unfortunate status as rape victim to imply that McBride will be a predator against cis women, particularly in the ladies restrooms. 

And when she's not doing that, Mace is filming videos and interviews or selling swag, all in hopes of reaping the benefits of her "crusade." Never mind that the issue is moot for a number of reasons including the fact that McBride poses no danger to anyone or that all Congressional leaders have private bathrooms because apparently that doesn't matter more than the large amount of publicity Mace getting.

On the other hand, are members of the trans community who feel "betrayed" that McBride isn't forcefully addressing these attacks. They feel that she is capitulating and allowing herself to be degraded. They feel that she's sending ugly message to the public and to trans people by supposedly standing down.

With all due respect to the trans community and absolutely no respect to that vile woman Nancy Mace, I think we should trust Sarah McBride. She is in a very tenuous position as the first trans woman in Congress. Suddenly she's thrust in the spotlight as the most visible trans woman in America today. Unfortunately, that makes her a pioneer and a target. What Nancy Mace is doing right now will mostly likely a prelude to the attention McBride will be receiving which the world will be watching.

 I think the road she has taken thus far is smart as she focuses on the task at hand while not allowing herself to be sidetracked as a item in the war against the trans community. It would no doubt be easier for her right now to engage with Mace, but to do so would undermine everything she's working for.

This is what McBride told The Advocate on Thursday:

 “I’m here to represent my constituents, including LGBTQ constituents, but I’m not here to make this about me,” McBride said. “That means fighting for them and not allowing a right-wing culture war machine to turn me into the issue.” She added, “I am continuing to work to guarantee that the Capitol complex is safe for all staff, interns, and visitors. I can deal with this; other people shouldn’t have to.” 

McBride is not stupid. She isn't naive about where she is right now, her place in history, or the folks who will exploit fears about her being a trans woman. She knows that Mace won't stop as long as it brings her media attention and engagement. And she knows that there are others practically drooling over their turn use her to inflame fears and anger. 

But for the present, McBride is drawing a line in the sand or setting down her stake, so to speak. I don't see her as avoiding the issue, I see her saying that she will not be controlled by someone else's desperate desire for attention. I see her saying that she will not react to someone attempting to sidetrack her into a wild tangent designed to put her on the defensive even before she has even been sworn in.

I don't see McBride as capitulating. I get the sense that McBride is saying that she knows that this issue isn't going away, but she will address this issue on her terms, and not on the terms of those who seek to make her defend her own existence.
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Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Nancy Mace gets angry at reporter for interrupting her transphobic publicity wave with questions about Boeing layoffs in South Carolina

South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace has been riding the anti-trans train over the last 24 hours, doubling down on her targeting of trans Congresswoman Sarah McBride while constantly retweeting her attacks or appearing on news programs to pat herself on the back.

However, earlier on Wednesday, she was asked a question about an issue actually involving her constituents - the recent announcement of Boeing layoffs in South Carolina Over 200 people are scheduled to lose their jobs next year. 

Mace chose to verbally attack the reporter for asking the question. And then took credit for bringing money and resources to South Carolina when in reality, the money and resources came from a bill she actually voted against. 


During her tirade, Mace talks about the "tens of millions of dollars in resources" she supposedly brought to her district.. In truth, she voted against the bill which brought those resources to her district.

Charleston Congresswoman Nancy Mace called the nearly $26 million federal grant for the Shipwatch Square Transit and Workforce Center project with CARTA a win for the Lowcountry, touting it as “one of the largest grants for this kind of facility.” 

 However, it might not have been made possible had President Biden’s infrastructure bill not passed through congress. That was a bill that Representative Nancy Mace voted against. 

 “The optics of it? What do you want me to do? Turn my back on the Lowcountry when we can get funding for public transit? Absolutely not,” Rep. Mace said when questioned by reporters. 

 Democrat Jim Clyburn was the only South Carolinian House delegate to vote for the bill. He was not present for the conference but at a separate one in Orangeburg called his Republican peer, all but by name, out for trying to take credit. Secretary of Transportations Pete Buttigieg, who was with Clyburn, also weighed in. 

 “Welcome aboard! Look, this is good policy,” Buttigieg said. “We’re not going to hold it against the constituents of any member who was short-sighted to vote ‘no’.”


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Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Targeting of trans Congresswoman Sarah McBride is latest stunt of publicity-hungry Nancy Mace

Publicity-hungry Congresswoman Nancy Mace's newest stunt is targeting trans Congresswoman Sarah McBride.

When Sarah McBride was elected as the first trans woman in Congress, there was celebration in the LGBTQ community. However, with this celebration was some concern as to how she would be treated.

Our concern was justified.

From The Advocate:

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, introduced a resolution Monday that would bar transgender women from using women’s restrooms at the U.S. Capitol. The measure, widely seen as a direct attack on Democratic U.S. Rep.-elect Sarah McBride of Delaware, the first out transgender member of Congress, has been sharply criticized as discriminatory and politically motivated. 

 The text of the resolution uses the transphobic dog whistle “biological males” and states that allowing trans women into women’s spaces “jeopardizes the safety and dignity” of women in the Capitol and House office buildings. It tasks the House Sergeant-at-Arms with enforcing the ban. Trans women are women. 

 Mace defended the proposal, telling Fox News, “The sanctity of protecting women and standing up against the Left’s systematic erasure of biological women starts here in the nation’s Capitol.” 

 McBride has responded to Mace's resolution by saying the following:

 “This is a blatant attempt from far-right extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing,” McBride told The Advocate. “We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars. Delawareans sent me here to make the American dream more affordable and accessible, and that’s what I’m focused on.” 

It simply goes to show that Mace was probably celebrating McBride's election with the LGBTQ community but for completely different reasons. This issue is not about McBride, who poses no danger to anyone, especially when she uses the restroom. This is yet another attempt by Mace to grab headlines and attention. It's her brand.  While McBride seems to be devoted to serving her constituents, Mace has spent considerable time in Congress either flip flopping, betraying colleagues, engaging in stunts, or making questionable comments all designed to gain and maximize media amplification.

Such as

The time in October of last year when she wore a white t-shirt with a giant scarlet A on it (imitating the character of Hester Prynne in 'The Scarlet Letter') while claiming that she was being demonized for casting a vote against then Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. Mace was accused of stabbing McCarthy in the back with her vote because he had helped her get elected to Congress.

The time in 2022 when she made a complete fool of herself by publicly going to Trump Towers and supplicating herself to him and MAGA after he endorsed opponent.  She apparently learned not to do it again. In 2024, she publicly supported him for president while no doubt hoping that the past statements she made against him were forgotten (Politico has a list of them). In supporting Trump, Mace was accused of betraying Nikki Haley, who also sought the GOP nomination and who had also campaigned for her against Trump's endorse candidate. In turning her back on Haley, Mace said some pretty ugly things about her.

The time in November 2021 when she went on Fox News and CNN giving two directly opposite messages about COVID. And on the same day, too. While on Fox, she praised "natural immunity" but on CNN, she spoke highly about vaccines.

 Even her own Republican colleagues have voiced anger at her constant flip-flopping of positions, calling her an "unserious person." And last by not least, she has had an ugly issue with staff turnover. According to Mediaite in February of this year:

Every single staffer working Rep. Nancy Mace’s (R-SC) congressional office on November 1 of last year has either quit or been fired, according to a stunning new report from The Daily Beast. In the three months since then, eight members of Mace’s staff have quit and one, her former chief of staff Dan Hanlon, has been fired. Hanlon is now challenging his old boss in the GOP primary in South Carolina’s first congressional district.

 . . . The Beast also collected several damning quotes from former Mace staffers who derided her as “abusive,” “delusional,” and “a walking teleprompter.” “All this is why pretty much every staffer and fellow member on the Hill thinks she’s a joke,” said one particularly scathing employee. “Also a big reason why she’s only able to hire former George Santos staffers right now.” “For Mace it was all about control. She didn’t see the staff as people but as property,” recalled another.

And a year before, Mediaite also spotlighted another Daily Beast article talking about how Mace is more concern with media appearances than her job as a Congresswoman:

If you’ve been seeing a lot of Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) lately, it’s not an accident, it’s actually her plan. Jake Lahut of The Daily Beast got his hands on Mace’s staff handbook, which reads more like a public relations campaign than a policy outline. In addition to perusing the staff handbook, Lahut spoke to three former staffers of the freshman representative. And their feedback was consistent — Nancy Mace is more about promoting Nancy Mace than making laws.

All in all, the only woman Mace seems to be concerned with is herself. Her supposed fear about McBride using the women's restroom looks like a tactic designed to get herself in front of the cameras. 

Mace is Congress's answer to the late author and publicity hound Jacqueline Susann, but with considerably less talent and embarrassingly more desperation. She's like one of those never-was models you see on the red carpets of movie premieres and awards shows wearing something outrageous in hopes of getting a bit of attention, however brief.  Then they disappear to plan their stunt for the next red carpet.

Unfortunately, Mace won't do anyone the pleasure of disappearing. Her being in Congress means we have to deal with her antics on a regular basis. And to me, that makes her more dangerous than any trans woman needing to use the restroom.

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Sunday, November 17, 2024

Black Trump supporter reminded by fellow MAGA member that he will never be accepted

Knowing how social media is, the video below could be something simply to gain engagement. But then again, what if it's genuine? I think it could be.

 To recap - a Black MAGA supporter just learned a lesson that so many folks are now learning after the election. They were used by Trump and his supporters and are now being discarded. And in his case, it's not even a polite discarding. From what he says, he was told straight up by a fellow Trump supporter that he was only accepted for his vote and now that Trump got his vote, he will never be accepted in MAGA because he's Black. Granted, it was allegedly just one person who told him this, but one person is enough. After all, the child in 'Emperor's New Clothes' was only one person.

Oh well. I wonder how my barbequed pork bellies turned out. 

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Wednesday, November 13, 2024

'More Democrats rebuke scapegoating trans people after election loss' & other Wed/Thur news briefs



Several Democratic Senators Rebuke Scapegoating Trans People After Election​ - Y'all really need to be reading Erin Reed's substack. She keeps up with the news we all need. And this item is definitely needed in the face of certain people trying to blame the trans community for Harris's election loss. 



Donald Trump names anti-LGBTQ+ Rep. Matt Gaetz as the next attorney general - This right here is an ugly main event. Luckily, no one is happy at about this, INCLUDING Republicans. At least for now. '

Wake-up call': LGBTQ crisis hotlines see surge of calls amid presidential election - Above all, we have to provide help for ourselves and our people after this election.
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Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Trans Congresswoman Sarah McBride pushes back against those scapegoating trans people for election loss

Newly elected Congresswoman Sarah McBride

People in the midst of their sorrow about last week's election are forgetting something very important. The first transgender Congresswoman was elected to public office. Her name is Sarah McBride, she's from Delaware, and she's hitting the ground running.

From Erin Reed:

In the aftermath of the 2024 election results, a handful of political pundits and two Democratic members of Congress have pointed fingers at transgender people, blaming them for Kamala Harris’s loss in the presidential race. While few voices are echoing these claims, prominent publications like The Atlantic and The New York Times have amplified these sentiments to millions of readers, despite limited evidence linking transgender issues to Democratic losses. Now, Sarah McBride, the first transgender Democratic congressperson in U.S. history, is pushing back.

 During a press conference held by the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which represents over 100 progressive members of Congress, caucus chair Pramila Jayapal was asked, “Some have blamed that voters in your party have leaned too far into culture war issues, transgender issues… how should your party respond to that?” In response, Jayapal turned to other caucus members present, prompting Sarah McBride to step forward and deliver a sharp rebuke of those claims. 

 “Let’s be clear,” McBride started. “The party that was focused on culture wars… the party that was focused on trans people… was the Republican Party. It was Donald Trump. It was the hundred million, two hundred million dollars they spent on television ads. But I want to be clear: I do not believe, from what I’ve seen from the voters in Delaware, that the voters in my state were responding to those attacks… We were seeing those ads that Donald Trump clearly prioritized… What I was hearing from voters across the state of Delaware was not the ads that Donald Trump was putting on the air. What I was hearing from folks was the need to build an economy for everyone… What I was hearing was that the American dream is increasingly unaffordable and inaccessible. What I was hearing was that we need to guarantee affordable healthcare, housing, and childcare for every person in this state and country.”

My thought is that Kamala Harris' loss in last week's election was about inflation and economics. As much as she tried, she simply could not untie herself to President Biden's low approval rating. And with people concerned about less money their pockets, Trump probably would have won the election even if he conducted a rally in the nude.

Perish the thought.

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Thursday, November 07, 2024

I was going to step down from Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters, but . . .


If Kamala Harris had won Tuesday's election, I would have announced I was stepping down from Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters and closing shop.

I'm sure some of you have noticed that I haven't been blogging as much as usual. Well, this blog is 18 years old. I began it when I was 35. Now I am 53 and things aren't moving along inside me as quickly as they were back then. Also, as some of you know, my dear mother passed away two years ago and it has still taken a lot out of me.

Furthermore, I think blogging is a little passe. This is the age of substacks, podcasts, and people looking to brand and market themselves. All I ever wanted was to educate folks on anti-gay lies. I think I've accomplished this on many levels. In addition, I got a bit of notoriety and a few awards out of it. I figured a Kamala Harris possible victory would allow me to go out on a high note.

But as we know, this didn't happen. I could still hang it all up, but I won't. For one, I ain't going out like this. I've spent too much time and effort on this blog to end it on such an awful note. I've got too much pride and, yes, ego to allow that to happen.

Secondly, Tuesday took me back to 2004 after another presidential election. George Bush was re-elected then and it was on the strength of several anti-marriage equality referendums which were also on ballots across the country. He even got assistance from Black pastors. As a black gay man, that vexed the hell out of me. So much in fact that I help to start one of Columbia, SC's first Black LGBTQ organizations called Palmetto Umoja.

The other thing I did was to begin working on a book about religious right lies. It was later self-published and wasn't exactly one of my best efforts. But a side project of my book effort was to create a blog to promote the book.

This blog right here 

Believe me when I say there is nothing like a reminder of one's origin to put things in proper perspective. 

Between the creation of this blog and today, I have seen and covered a lot of the times when my community have been found itself fearful for the future. From the passing of Prop 8 to several ballot initiatives passed via smearing us as pedophiles. I've also seen and covered a lot of victories from Obama's election to seeing marriage equality become legal via SCOTUS.

I am not going to attempt to predict the future because I don't know what's going to happen. I do know that unfortunately, things are going to get ugly before they get better. And we had better be prepared to fight and get at least as ugly as legally necessary.

As you can tell by the above picture, I have no problem with getting ugly (you can take that however you would like.)

But I can tell you that I intend to be here to educate you, get you angry, make you smile and laugh, and basically feel empowered.  I may not blog as much as I used to, but I will keep up. I will also keep you up on as much as I can. Lastly, I intend to extend what I cover. And definitely be more caustic. It's time to put that stereotype of being the "vicious queen" into effect. But only just a little.

The bottom line is as long as you're reading, you can count on me to continue writing. And I intend to raise some serious hell.





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Friday, November 01, 2024

Video: Donald Trump simulates graphic sex acts during Wisconsin campaign speech


This is exactly what it looks like.  You can see the video below.

During a campaign speech in Wisconsin, I guess Trump was expressing a displeasure with the microphone. I'm only explaining why you are seeing what you're seeing. And judging by the crowd's reaction, I guess the party which accuses LGBTQ people of 'sexually grooming' children has no problem with its presidential candidate pretending to masturbate and fellate a microphone in front of a crowd which includes children.

This right here is some straight up bullshit and if the media ignores this, then I don't know what to tell you. It doesn't matter if seeing this won't change the minds of his supporters. To hell with them if they still support him. We don't need trash like this in the White House. He should have never been elected the first time and every day, he continues to prove that point.

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Thursday, October 31, 2024

'J.D. Vance claims 'normal gay men' support Trump. Gay men say 'wanna bet?'' & other Thur /Fri news briefs

J.D. Vance

J.D. Vance claims 'normal gay guy' backs Trump after being chased from 'homophobic' Dems​ - Apparently Vance thinks the definition of a "normal gay guy" has to do with sadomasochism in that they will most likely vote for someone who is trying to take away their rights and punish them for being gay. In truth though, let's not fall for this gay version of the "paper bag" test. All of the LGBTQ community are in the same boat and Vance is a member of the group of bigots trying to drill holes in that boat.

'It’s gross': Gay men not thrilled to be classified as 'normal' by J.D. Vance - and gay men are stepping up to tell Vance that he must be out of his damn mind. 

Kamala Harris stands by trans Americans’ right to gender-affirming care in NBC interview - Good news because based upon the news brief below, the transgender community will definitely need this support. 

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