'LGBTQ community faces 'invisible' summer movie season' & other Tue midday news briefs

LGBTQ Community Faces An ‘Invisible’ Hollywood Summer Movie Season - Well this kinda sucks. Granted, we are probably being saved as Oscar bait pics, but I wouldn't mind seeing an action picture with a gay guy. Preferably black and wearing leather and knowing karate and holding a big gun in a few scenes . . . 

Anti-transgender legislation is still a threat as Texas considers a special session - A special session? For THAT mess? 

 Tank slammed online for performing at D.C. Gay Pride event - If this was a white artist, there would be more controversy over him receiving criticism. 

 Gay issues discussed at meeting of France and Russia’s leaders - Since a certain American leader didn't talk about it, France had to take up the slack. "Freedom fries," my ass! 

 32 Things Gay Asian Men Are Really Tired Of Hearing - Yes lawd!

Trump is bad, but Pence is the real drag

Pence

While folks are focusing on the consistent incompetence of Trump, they shouldn't forget the homophobia and false piety of his VP, Mike Pence. 

 Rolling Stone magazine didn't. In an article earlier this year, writer Stephen Rodrick blisters Pence.

It's so good that it's worth repeating :

During my travels across the self-proclaimed Crossroads of America, I learned that Mike Pence had once paid his mortgage with campaign funds, dragged his feet during an HIV epidemic and a lead-poisoning outbreak, signed an anti-gay-rights bill that nearly cost Indiana millions of dollars, lost his mind on national TV with George Stephanopoulos, and turned away Syrian refugees in an unconstitutional ploy laughed out of federal court. And he ended his gubernatorial term unpopular enough that his re-election bid in a Republican state seemed dicey at best.

 Pence is the nation's 48th vice president. Nine vice presidents have assumed the presidency as a result of death or resignation. That's a 19 percent ascendancy rate. Between Trump's trigger-happy Twitter persona, the ethical nightmare of his business empire, his KFC addiction and possible entanglements with Vladimir Putin, I'd say the chances for Mike Pence are more than 50-50.  

So what do we know about Pence? The governor benefited greatly from the wall-to-wall "Trump is a crazy monkey throwing feces" media coverage during the fall campaign, in that his record was undercovered, but it's out there and suggests that his impact as vice president will screw African-Americans, women, the poor and any other square peg in round America. His concerns for the parts of Indiana outside his comfort zone toggled between disinterest and disdain.  

 And here's the frightening thing: Unlike his boss, Mike Pence has an actual ideology. Pence proclaimed at the 2016 GOP convention that "I am a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order." However, his actual record – including turning down up to $80 million in federal pre-K funding – is the antithesis of Jesus' "whatever you do for one of the least of my brothers, you do for me" theology.

'Republicans are targeting lgbtq students' & other Fri midday news briefs

Needs to be said repeatedly. No matter how many times these folks claim to be protecting the children, they obviously aren't talking about our lgbtq kids.

Anti-gay Chechyna purge is orchestrated by the government, new report confirms - Explains a lot . . .

Alumni of this anti-LGBTQ hate group are serving in federal, state, and local governments - The Alliance Defending Freedom has been busy, unfortunately.

 The Amazing Journey These Gay Dads Took To Build Their Family - We must NEVER forget our families.

 Meet The U.S. Religious Right’s International Friends - oh wonderful. An international legion of homophobia.

Anti-lgbtq hate group & allies want to 'transform America' by pushing the church into political arena

Watchmen on the Wall is another bit of false Christianity

When folks like the Family Research Council and their allies get together for one of their "conferences," they tend drop all pretenses and talk too much. It's as if they get psychologically drunk by coming together and overwhelming themselves with their talk of how holy and righteous they are and how they will get the country to see things their way.

Below is a report via anti-lgbtq hate group the Family Research Council from what it calls its 14th annual Watchmen on the Walls conference . Read this hot mess in its entirety:

"Work like everything is up to you, and pray like everything is up to God." That was Senator Roy Blunt's (R-Mo.) advice to the hundreds of pastors who descended on D.C. for FRC's 14th annual Watchmen on the Wall conference. "The mission of our Watchmen on the Wall ministry is simple," said Dr. Kenyn Cureton, FRC's Vice President of Church Ministries, "We champion pastors to transform America... because the problems we face in America today... are spiritual at their heart and core, and the demand of the hour is for spiritual leadership to step up and engage."

A stellar line-up of spiritual and political leaders joined Senator Blunt, who reminded everyone about the importance of religious liberty. "The church house is the locker room, but the playing field is everywhere else." And that playing field includes Capitol Hill, as Rep. Mark Walker (R-N.C.) made clear. "I've never started a day in Washington, D.C. that didn't start in the Word of God." That should come as a great relief to the men and women in the Hyatt ballroom, who've worked tirelessly to elect leaders who would exert Christian influence on government. After eight years of some of the most radical anti-faith activity, Fox News's Todd Starnes told the crowd, "We are surrounded by cultural bullies, the enemies of freedom are advancing. The time has come to stand resolute." After all, he went on, "We are to be civil lambs, but not silent lambs."

Thankfully, a majority of these pastors are no stranger to boldness. Rev. Mark Harris, who was a first-time attendee in 2012, reminded everyone, "You never know today, how God is going to prepare you for tomorrow." After his trip to Watchmen, he felt convicted to get more involved in the cultural battles of the day. Then, the Charlotte riots happened, and he was prepared. To those who ask should Christians be involved in politics, Frank Turek said, "Politics affects virtually everything we do." When people complain that you shouldn't legislate morality, Turek tells them, "I don't want to legislate your morality. I don't want to legislate my morality. I want to legislate the morality." If there's no standard, then there's no right or wrong, and everything is a matter of opinion. So, whose morality shall we legislate?

Rabbi Jonathan Kahn knew the answer. "America was uniquely founded on the word of God... It's time to become the Elijahs of our day!" Fortunately, most of these pastors are well on their way to achieving that vision. But please join us as we continue to pray for these pastors -- that they may be strengthened to stand and for the Spirit of God to move among us.

It's sad that these "God warriors" didn't talk about ways to improve the quality of life for Americans, particularly those 23 million uninsured people should Congress repeal Obamacare, Or anyone who would be negatively affected by Trump's attempt to cut monies from Medicaid or other programs.

They want so badly for people to worship the way they want and pray the way they want, they don't seem to care that the person praying could be a child who hasn't been fed because there is no food in the house. Or that the prayer could be for his mother who is sick and has no medical insurance.   They are so caught up in  having power and the desire to rule over everyone in the supposed name of God that they have forsaken the basic humility, and simple kindness which comes with being a true servant of God.

But, as nauseating as FRC's report of this event sounds, it's also healthy for those of us who oppose these "God warriors" to bear witness to their ecclesiastical bacchanalia.

It gives us a good reminder of what they really are. And it's something we can show the rest of the world.

'Four facts should be included in articles about anti-transgender bills/laws' & other Thur midday news briefs

Four facts reporters should include in stories about Texas’ pending attack on the transgender community - And not just in Texas. These four facts SHOULD be included in every article about legislative attacks on the transgender community. Thorough and totally on point.

First Chechnya, now Indonesia: Police have been told to target LGBT+ citizens - Well this is huge problem.

 Betsy DeVos Is An Enemy Of LGBTQ People. Always Has Been. Always Will Be. - Hell, I KNEW that. I didn't fall for the early nonsense implying that she was a friend of the lgbtq community.  

NBA betrays LGBTQ community by awarding Charlotte the 2019 All-Star Game - But we will still fight against HB2 and bills/laws like it.

DeVos has no problem funding schools which discriminate against lgbtq families & children

Trump's Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, just showed that she has no problem giving tax dollars to schools who discriminate against same-sex families and lgbtg youth. She uses a weasel word, "flexibility" to cover up the bias.

 From The Huffington Post:

 Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Wednesday that states should have the flexibility to decide whether schools can discriminate against LGBTQ students ― even if those schools get federal money. During a testy exchange in a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) told DeVos about Lighthouse Christian Academy, a private school in Indiana that receives state voucher money but denies admission to students from families where there is “homosexual or bisexual activity” or someone “practicing alternate gender identity.” Clark asked DeVos, whose budget seeks a $250 million increase for projects that include vouchers for private schools, if she would step in if that Indiana school applied for such federal funding. DeVos replied by saying she supports giving flexibility to states. “For states who have programs that allow for parents to make choices, they set up the rules around that,” she said. 

You can see the entire exchange in the video above. To me, however, this issue doesn't deserve any type of flexibility. Tax dollars have no business going to any schools which discriminate, especially against same-sex families or our lgbtq children.

'Why straight men kill the trans women they love' & other Wed midday news briefs

Jen Richards

Why Straight Men Kill The Trans Women They Love - A brutally honest piece from Jen Richards, a transgender woman and one which everyone should read.  It's not exploitative. Forget the stereotypes of transgender women trying to "trick" men because the truth is always more complex and powerful. It enthralled me from the beginning and I knew I had to put it in the news briefs. 

Taiwan Makes History As Court Rules In Favor Of Same-Sex Marriage - Hell yeah!!!

 Gay Dads Say Southwest Discriminated Against Them During ‘Family Boarding’ - Just a hot mess.

 Queer Prom A Safe Alternative For LGBT Teens - Queer Proms are a wonderful idea for our kids to be safe and have while being themselves.

 Harris, Carper seek answers on LGBT omission from 2020 Census - Nice to see that Congressional leaders aren't forgetting about us.