Family Research Council president Tony Perkins continues to lie about DADT repeal, military sexual assaults

Perkins

Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council comes another lie about the repeal of DADT:

President Obama may have admitted that sexual assault is a serious problem in the military -- but what he hasn’t conceded are that his own policies have helped create it. For the past few years, the Pentagon has downplayed the effects of open homosexuality sexuality and the addition of women on the front lines. But it will have a tough time doing that now with the rate of male-on-male assault at its highest levels. A stunning 3,840 military men were raped last year, headlines screamed.

While outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel insists the military had made “real progress” on the problem, the latest numbers certainly don’t bear that out. The total number of sexual assaults (at least the known cases) actually climbed by another eight percent -- a statistic the administration pins on better reporting, not an actual spike in abuse. Either way, the message is clear: there has been a significant change in military culture, and reversing those trends will be nearly impossible with the radical sexualization of our forces.

“Almost 6,000 victims reported a sexual assault in 2014, up from 5,500 last year, according to the report… only 1 in 10 victims reported a sexual crime in 2012, compared to 1 in 4 this year.” And while the media is adept at burying the story, the real scoop is that in Rand Corporation’s survey “more than half of the victims are men.”

The White House has spent Barack Obama’s entire presidency turning the military into a social experiment, beginning with the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Of course, what’s interesting about these statistics is that they were released at a time when the military is having trouble finding new recruits. Fewer people see the military as a “good choice” for their future. And given these statistics, it’s not difficult to see why.

In their attempts to blame the repeal of DADT for the sexual assaults of men in the military, Perkins and company are pushing ignorant ideas about sexual assault itself.

Open letter to Pastor Stacy Swimp - you can't omit African-American lgbts from black history

Stacy Swimp wants to omit people like Bayard Rustin from black history.

Stacy Swimp is an African-American Michigan pastor who right now is riding the crest of his ego.

Recently, he spoke in front of the Michigan House in opposition of a non-discrimination ordinance claiming that gays never suffered the indignities of discrimination as had African-Americans. The House, by the way, killed the bill because there wasn't enough support for it.

But Swimp's words, which if I reposted here would cause my blood pressure to go up again as it did when I first read about the story, is just yet another infuriating attempting from ignorant, homophobic African-American heterosexuals to again omit lgbts of color from black history.

And to make matters worse, a good friend of mine sent a link to his facebook page in which he attacked Laverne Cox for making the cover of Time magazine.  I won't repeat the negative transphobic nonsense he and his supporters brayed.

I will just repeat what I wrote as a response in the form of an open letter not just to Swimp but other holier-than-thou African-American heterosexuals who are attempting to slander lgbts of color and deny us our right in the rich plateau of Black History:

Good gosh, listen to you all. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, especially you, Mr. Swimp. I got news for you all, No matter how many verses of the Bible you cite (the same book which was used by the way to justify slavery and segregation), you will NEVER be able to omit African-American gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender folks from Black History. It's our history too. We were there during slavery, Reconstruction, and segregation. We were lynched, raped, abused, and scorned just like you heterosexual African-Americans. And we played a great part in the civil rights movement. You forget that Bayard Rustin, an openly black gay man, coordinated the 1963 March on Washington. You forget about James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry, Barbara Jordan, etc. 

You attempt to condemn us to the realms of your own ignorance because you are too limited to see us as anything but outputs of your lurid imaginations of what supposedly gays do in the bedroom. That's YOUR problem. You all are the epitome of ignorance. Arbitrarily accusing gays of pedophilia is no different than arbitrarily accusing black men of being thugs or black women of being sluts. What verse of the Bible gives you the right to bear false witness? What verse of the Bible gives any of you the right to bogart, slander, accuse, and attack? Whether you like it or not, black gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender folks aren't going away. 

Ms. Cox is looking mighty fine on the cover of Time magazine and rather than attack her, you should praise her for being open and honest. She is a role model to millions of folks, ESPECIALLY African-American transgender men and women. No matter how much it sickens you or how high and mighty you pretend to be, there is nothing you can do about HER or any of us lgbts of color. You can try but you can't erase us, you can't omit us, and most of all you can't condemn us. THAT right belongs to God and the last time I checked, NONE of you are him. God doesn't condemn us because he loves us the way we are. Tend to your own houses before you come knocking on our doors.

Related post: 

The Erasure of 'Gay' From Black History & the Black Community Must Stop

'Religious liberty bill pre-filed in South Carolina' & other Friday midday news briefs

Senator Files Bills on Guns, Same-Sex Marriage Refusal - South Carolina state senator Lee Bright just pre-filed a bill which would allow probate, clerk, and county employees the right to refuse to grant same-sex marriage licenses without fear of reprisal in terms of liabilities and punishments if the refusal is because of a "sincere religious belief." Bright has also pre-filed bills which would make it legal to carry guns on places like college campuses. Not that the bills have anything to do with each other but aren't they a fascinating juxtaposition. It sort of makes you feel as if it was actually Chuck Norris who delivered the Sermon on the Mount with an uzi strapped to his back
.

Some Religious Leaders Denounce Pastor Who Wants To Ends AIDS By Killing Gays - As much fuss as I raise when I don't hear Christians condemning mess like what this man said, I think I should showcase it when some do. 

 Michigan Advances ‘License To Discriminate’ While LGBT Protections Stagnate - Previews of things to come, folks. Pay attention and begin planning the counter offensive now. 

 Johnny And Todd's Story From The Let Love Define Family Series - This is sooooo cute!  

Garlow: Force Gay Marriage Supporters To Live In Houses With Improper Plumbing - I think there is a sexual insult in there somewhere . . .

Transphobia FAILS in Minnesota

In spite of this ad, Minnesota schools struck a blow for fairness for our transgender children.

In spite of the efforts of  some folks to confuse the issue by appealing to fear, Minnesota schools struck an excellent blow for our transgender children yesterday.

From Buzzfeed:

Amidst a week of victories for transgender rights activists, transgender high school students in Minnesota can play on boys’ or girls’ sports teams “consistent with the student’s gender-related identification,” according to a policy passed today by the state’s High School League. The policy, which will go into effect with the 2015–2016 academic year, also applies to certain extracurricular activities. 

Overcoming fierce opposition from critics, the league voted 18-1 on the policy that “allows participation for all students regardless of their gender identity or expression in an environment free from discrimination with an equal opportunity for participation in athletics and fine arts.” The policy outlines a process for transgender students to apply to a team, including providing evidence of their gender identity and a “written statement from an appropriate health-care professional.” The greatest point of contention in a packed hearing today was male-to-female athletes playing on girls’ teams. Critics warned that transgender girls could use their XY genetics, having developed larger muscles and bones, to give them a competitive edge in strength and speed over cisgender athletes.

In that vein, the Minnesota Child Protection League took out a full-page ad in the Minneapolis Star Tribune in November. The ad questioned if the policy would cause “the end of girls’ sports?” Featuring a photo of a girl with a baseball bat, the ad included text suggesting her dreams of a sports scholarship could be dashed after being displaced by a transgender female player, which the ad calls a “male,” and then adds, “and now she may have to shower with him.”

 . . .   A 2011 National Collegiate Athletic Association report responds to beliefs that female transgender athletes pretend to be women or have a physical edge. “These assumptions are not well founded,” says the NCAA report. This is particularly true for transgender girls who start medically transitioning during adolescence. The report explains that “their participation in athletics as girls does not raise the same equity concerns that arise when transgender women transition after puberty.”
Minnesota is the 33rd state to approve a transgender-inclusive policy for high school athletes, according to MPR News.

Will Black heterosexuals PLEASE STOP omitting LGBTs of Color from Black history!

I love my heterosexual African-American brothers and sisters but why is it so hard for some of them to acknowledge the existence of lgbt of color throughout black history?

What set me off? This:

Michigan House stalls gay rights bill after pastor testifies there are no ‘LGBT water fountains’

The gist of the story is that an African-American pastor in Michigan by the name of Stacy Swimp played the "you can't compare the black civil rights movement to the gay rights movement" game in front of the Michigan State House in order to stop an equality bill. The bill stalled because of lack of support in the Republican-led House, but even if it had passed, I would still be pissed.

Why? Because crap like what came from Swimp's mouth:

“There’s a comparison between the homosexual allegation of gay rights and black civil rights,” he continued. “And as a minister of the Gospel, and as a black American whose parents participated in the Freedom Rides — my ancestors were slaves in plantations in the state of South Carolina, Arkansas, Tennessee, Indiana and Mississippi — I stand here today rather offended.”

It pains me that a supposed intelligent man of the cloth can be so ignorant. But I have to wonder if Swimp is as ignorant as I think he is. Unfortunately there does seem to be an unspoken conspiracy amongst some heterosexuals in the black community to omit just what racism and segregation did to lgbts of color. However, in spite of attempts at reckless omission, lgbts of color existed all through black history. We lived through slavery and segregation, got raped, lynched, called "boy" and "gal," been lied to and spat upon, subjected by hoses and dogs, put on jail, and murdered just like heterosexual African-Americans.

Why is there is this intent to omit us, eradicate our presence, erase our existence.  Well Swimp and the others need to know they can't succeed, no matter how much they try. The video below, which I am posting in an attempt to soothe my nerves, makes my point better than I can. And less profane too because if I continue to express my anger, I am going to collapse in a word salad of choice profanity I haven't used in YEARS:

'Why Ferguson matters for the lgbt community' & other Thursday midday news briefs

Why Ferguson matters for the LGBT community - As an lgbt of color, I have been trying to put this into words. For those who are so quick in the lgbt community to decry the feeling of rage and helplessness in the black community when it comes to situations like Ferguson and Eric Garner, etc., I have three words for you - "White Night Riots."

The greatest of hypocrisies: Gays condemn black riots over racism, forget our movement started with one - And a good friend of mine, Matt Comer, puts in some more emphasis on that point. Remember Stonewall? 

Read: 11th Circuit denies Florida stay extension; freedom to marry should arrive first week of January - Just in case you didn't hear, progress in the form of marriage equality is coming to Florida in January.

Republicans Defeat Bill Securing Employment Protections For LGBTs Without Debate - ENDA may be dead . . . at least for now.

 Mat Staver To Headline Jamaica Conference Hosted By Group Defending Anti-Sodomy Laws - Lovely! At the same time while members of the religious right falsely claim that lgbts are holding them under siege in America, they are doing exactly that to us in countries like Jamaica.

'I Am Santa Claus' Documentary Slammed On Social Media For Featuring Gay Man Who Plays St. Nicholas - And just what is wrong with a gay Santa Claus? I'm all for it. Maybe he can hook me up with a nice elf. (That was a joke. These days, you have to always clarify these things.)

Prominent black conservatives are the puppets of white conservatives

When I look at this video of Ben Carson denigrating gays and pro-choice activists, it captures the problems I have with the black conservatives I see in the media. I just don't think they have integrity. Allow me to explain what I mean. From time to time, black liberals, progressives, Democrats, etc. will challenge members of their party if they do not agree with the position taken. They make a point to show their independence.

 I have never seen a prominent black conservative openly challenge other conservatives, particularly white conservatives when it comes to things said about African-Americans, lgbts, or even President Obama. But I have seen these black conservatives get on television and publish pieces spouting homophobia, attacks on Obama and even on their own people with more fiendish glee than a wolf caught up in a sheep pin.  Or even more vigor than white conservatives.  One could say that this is a matter of having a difference of opinion. I disagree. It's about the money.

Look really close behind a black conservative and you will almost always find white conservative hands stuffing money deep in their pockets, via think tanks, "wingnut welfare," or "donations" to their one-man or one-woman organization.

Not that I mind folks making money to pay their bills, but I do have a problem with folks who allow themselves to be puppets for the almighty dollar. And to me, I have yet to see a black conservative who doesn't fit this description.