'100 anti-lgbtq bills introduced already in 2017' & other Thur midday news briefs

100 Anti-LGBTQ Bills Introduced in 2017 - This is how it is supposed to be. Getting equality for any group is never going to be easy. If you feel scared, go home. I got my fighting clothes on and I say LET'S ROCK, BITCHES!!!!!  

This Gay Couple Are Worried Trump’s Refugee And Immigration Ban Will Keep Them Apart - Think Trump's ridiculous travel ban doesn't affect our community? Think again.

 Reporting On Trans Rights Supreme Court Case, Major Outlets Failed To Call Alliance Defending Freedom A Hate Group - This post by Media Matters spotlights a problem with my community. If we wait for the press to do the right thing, we will be waiting for a long while. Those ideas of the press being the saviors of justice, along with the visions of a crusading Edward R. Murrow, are now seen for what they are - illusions. If the lgbt community wants the press to cover issues of lgbt equality vs. the religious right fairly, then perhaps we have to make them. Don't wait for them to save us. Be aggressive in calling out these groups ourselves and wait for the press to come cover the conflict. Then we take hold of the narrative. 

DeVos meets with LGBT groups over trans student protections - Big kudos to these groups for taking the initiative to grab the bull by the horns.  

Proposed bill would ban same-sex marriage in Arkansas - Some folks are just determined to run into a steel wall at full speed.

Hate group - 'Don't watch 'Beauty and the Beast!' Support our movie instead!

Somehow, I don't think this photo conveys the message the American Family Association wanted to send.

Color me surprised. Or probably shouldn't be surprised.

While raging against the upcoming live action movie 'Beauty and the Beast' because it will contain a gay character, the anti-lgbt hate group American Family Association is asking for donations to fund a movie it wants to make.

I received the following email today:

Disney's new Beauty and the Beast movie features "exclusively gay moment."
The makers of Disney's new Beauty and the Beast movie have included a "gay character and love scene" between Gaston and his male sidekick, LeFou, according to the BBC. The movie hits theaters March 17.

"LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston. He's confused about what he wants," director Bill Condon told Attitude magazine. "It's somebody who’s just realizing that he has these feelings. And [LeFou] makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And that’s what has its payoff at the end, which I don't want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie."

In response, American Family Association is encouraging all its friends to take a stand, by signing an open letter of protest to Disney, and by joining AFA in co-producing a godly family Film, The Pilgrim's Progress.

Take Action Now!

And please share this important message with your friends and family members. If our mission resonates with you, please consider supporting our work financially with a tax-deductible donation. The easiest way to do that is through online giving. It is easy to use, and most of all, it is secure.

The Pilgrim's Progress is a 1678 novel which Wikipedia calls a "Christian allegory." It's very long and certainly not  meant for children. It's curious to see how AFA is intending to condense it into a child-friendly movie.

Decision. Decisions. Whatever shall I do? Support a wonderful live action motion picture that will feature a gay character?

Or shall I give money to support a project by an anti-lgbt hate group?

Sorry, Pilgrim but you are going to have to progress somewhere else. I'm sticking with the beast and the gay guy.

'TX Trans pastor says 'Stop using God as an excuse to hate people' & other Wed. midday news briefs

Trans Pastor To Texas Bathroom Bill Supporters: ‘Stop Using God As An Excuse To Hate People’ - PREACH!!

 In Ritual Beating-Up of Vulnerable Texans, Senate Advances ‘Bathroom Bill’ - Texas anti-transgender bathroom bill advances but with a huge caveat. A lot of people came out to speak against it, including members of the transgender community and the parents of transgender children. This is a good thing because more visibility by the transgender community is never a bad thing. Just like with other anti-lgbt initiatives, it will be the voices of our community which will lead the charge to victory.

And here is a craptacular addition to the above story:

Family Research Council's Tony Perkins testimony - Read and study how religious right spokespeople (such as Tony Perkins) rely on fear, anecdotes, and unrelated horror stories to further anti-lgbt laws.

LGBT community centers see wave of vandalism across the country - Welcome to wannabe Trump world. I say wannabe because it's still our world too and we aren't backing down one iota. 

 24 Absolutely wonderful LGBT women and allies - WONDERFUL profile speaks for themselves to celebrate International Women's Day.  

Trump will name gay man as NATO ambassador according to White House official - Not necessarily good news for the lgbt community, but it's still guaranteed to send the religious right into ORBIT.

Franklin Graham should boycott these fairy tales instead of 'Beauty and the Beast'

I am amazed that with all of the chaos going on Trump's "not a Muslim well actually it is a Muslim" ban, the disastrous attempted elimination of the Affordable Care Act, and other things in this country where we do need genuine spiritual guidance, evangelist Franklin Graham is busying himself calling for a boycott of the upcoming live action motion picture 'Beauty and the Beast.'

Graham is upset because it will include a gay character. Oh horrors!

In all seriousness, if Graham wants to waste everyone's time with such silly distractions, he need not wait for the live action 'Beauty and the Beast' movie to come out. There are other fairy tales he can raise prudish hell over:

Jack and the Beanstalk - The original story has Jack breaking into the giant's castle and stealing several objects. Finally, the giant catches Jack and chases him to the beanstalk, but meets his death when Jack chops it down. Later remakes of the story eliminated the fact that Jack was a thief by creating a silly backstory which claimed that the stuff Jack stole actually belonged to his family. The backstory also revealed that the giant had initially murdered Jack's father. It's a win-win situation for Graham. He can raise hell claiming that the story teaches children to steal while labeling the changes as "political correctness gone amok."

Rapunzel - The girl with the long hair trapped in a castle and visited by a prince while her foster mother (who is also a witch) is away. This could be a juicy one for Graham because the witch actually discovered that Rapunzel was being visited while she was away when the girl's, shall we say, belly "swelled." Don't be naive. What do you think she and the Prince were doing those long hours the witch was away?

And last but not least

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Come on? A teenage girl living in sin in the forest with seven older men? With seven little beds aligned close together? Come to think of it, weren't those dwarfs were just a little bit too close to each other before Snow White showed up? I would also mention the gruesome murder of the wicked queen at the conclusion of the original story, but I think Graham would actually approve of that.

And while we are on the subject, just what was the deal with Goldilocks and those three bears?

TX government officials, anti-lgbt hate groups, Fox News personality teaming up against lgbt equality' & other Tue. midday news briefs

Fox News personality Todd Starnes

A Fox News Radio Anchor Is Headlining A Hate Group's Anti-LGBTQ Briefing - Texas government officials, a Fox News personality, assorted pastors, and anti-lgbt hate groups are teaming up to curtail lgbt equality. YET ANOTHER reason why it just isn't safe for the lgbt community to ignore those who are attempting to take away our rights. They aren't going away, especially with Trump in office.  

Texas conservatives launch massive anti-transgender misinformation campaign - More about this.

Dan Patrick Compares Bathroom Bill Fight to Alamo at Briefing Hosted by Anti-LGBT Hate Group - The hyerboles! The hyperboles!

 Flaming hypocrisy in evangelical Disney boycott - Ya think?  

This Little Boy Dressed Up As Audra McDonald For A School Project And She Loved It - Read this article in full and ask yourself what would have happened if this child's creativity was stomped upon rather than encouraged by his parents and school.

Anti-lgbt hate group supports Trump's false claim about wiretapping

Determined to keep the possibility open that all of their little right-wing evangelical fantasies (anti-lgbt religious liberty laws, curtailing of transgender rights, defunding Planned Parenthood, conservative justices on SCOTUS, elimination of the Johnson Amendment) would become realities, some religious right groups and organizations are backing Trump regardless of how off the deep end he goes with his statements and assertions

For example, there is his latest nonsense that the former president, Barack Obama, wiretapped his phones at Trump Tower before the election. Trump didn't offer any proof and federal officials, such as FBI director James Comey have said it didn't happen. Meanwhile, Trump's team has been scrambling to either back him up or lessen the backlash while credibility has taken another beating, particularly in the press.

Nevertheless, the folks at the anti-lgbt hate group American Family Association's fake news site, One News Now, is backing him up with a comically awful article, A crazy accusation that might not be so crazy.

To make matters even more pathetic, One News Now is taking a poll which doesn't even offer any genuine questions:

Lies about wiretapping told in the name of God are still lies. But I guess AFA doesn't care as long as it keeps Trump's so-called Christian evangelical supporters from becoming sensibly demoralized.

'Anti-lgbt leaders blame Obama, witchcraft for Trump's troubles' & other Mon midday news briefs

Matt Barber

While those who can be considered (if such a term is credible) as "mainstream anti-lgbt groups," such as the Family Research Council, are quiet on Trump's claim of wiretapping by Obama, the more fringey, one fry short of a happy sect is pulling out all of the stops to spin general conspiracy theories. That is, at least according to posts by People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch. I just think  it's ironic that they haven't pointed the finger at us for now:

Lou Engle Calls For National Fast To Save Donald Trump From Witchcraft Curse

Rick Joyner: Obama Holdovers Are Committing Treason Against Trump To Cover Up Their Crimes

Matt Barber Says Obama Is Engaging With ‘Domestic Terrorists’ To Take Down Trump

In other news:

Supreme Court Ducks Big Transgender Rights Case — Thanks To Trump Administration - By NO means is this over.

Trans women of color are missing from the conversation about transphobia - Seven transgender women of color have been murdered thus far in 2017. What the hell .  .

This Stunning Photo Series Is Highlighting The Experiences Of LGBT African Immigrants - Stunning is the right word for this series. It's