''Taught to hate myself': How ex-gay therapy is thriving in SC' & other Wed midday news briefs

'Taught to hate myself’: How gay conversion therapy in SC is thriving - How the fraud of 'ex-gay' therapy is thriving in my state of South Carolina. Kudos to the Post and Courier for a wonderful article. 

 Texas Governor Says “Bathroom Bills” Are No Longer on His Agenda. Should You Believe Him? - Should we believe him? Hell no simply as a matter of precaution.

Family Research Council applauds Trump's new visa policy because, quite simply, it hurts gays - Repost from last night. I guess with Trump in power, FRC and groups like it don't have to pretend to not hate the LGBTQ community. 

Evangelical University Lifts Ban On Same-Sex Couples, Then Reinstates It - Make up your minds, folks.

The Radical Friendship Of Lorraine Hansberry And James Baldwin -

Two giants of Black History and both were LGBTQ.

Family Research Council applauds Trump's new visa policy because, quite simply, it hurts gays

Family Research Council head Tony Perkins applauds how a new Trump policy hurts foreign gay diplomats.

On Tuesday, the Trump Administration initiated a new policy denying visas to same sex partners of foreign diplomats and United Nations officials if the couples aren't married. Some have cried foul over this policy because some of these diplomats come from countries which don't allow gays to marry. But anti-LGBTQ hate group the Family Research Council has applauded the policy for basically the same reason. And specifically because it serves to hurt the LGBTQ community. Some will say that this observation, and the headline of this post, is alarmist and hysterical. However I stand by it. A comparison between the garishly vulgar way FRC president Tony Perkins celebrates this policy compared to how it hurts gay couples (via NPR) proves my point:

Family Research Council:

No sooner had Hillary Clinton taken over as secretary than the White House ordered her to use the agency as a club to beat other nations into submission on sexual politics. Under her leadership -- and, later, Secretary John Kerry's -- the State Department worked, not to advance America's interests, but the interests of the Left's radical social agenda. Obviously, the strategy was for the State Department to force these policies on the international stage and then build pressure on the U.S. to adopt policies like it.

. . . Fortunately, the Trump administration has real respect for other nations' beliefs -- and Secretary Mike Pompeo's agency is proving it. Yesterday, the administration announced a new policy at the State Department that would block diplomatic visas for the same-sex partners of any foreign officials and U.N. employees. As of Monday, couples will have to provide proof of marriage for their significant others to stay in the country after 2018. Right now, experts think that about 10 U.N. employees would be affected by the change.

"Same-sex spouses of U.S. diplomats now enjoy the same rights and benefits as opposite-sex spouses," the U.S. mission wrote in a July 12 note to U.N.-based delegations. "Consistent with [State] Department policy, partners accompanying members of permanent missions or seeking to join the same must generally be married in order to be eligible" for a diplomatic visa.

To most conservatives, it was powerful rebuke of Hillary Clinton's 2009 decision to bypass the law for LGBT partners. And an important one. As it stands, only 12 percent of U.N. member states allow same-sex marriage -- putting the Obama State Department well out of step with the world. Thank goodness for the Trump administration, which has proven time and time again that its focus is religious freedom and human rights for everyone -- not special rights for a select few.

'Trump Administration weaponizes marriage equality to punish gay diplomats, UN officials' & other Tue midday news briefs

The Trump Administration continues to give the LGBTQ community hell.

Trump Administration to Deny Visas to Same-Sex Partners of Diplomats, U.N. Officials - More proof that the religious right pro-Trump mantra "promises made. promises kept." is bullshyte. Trump promised to stand with the LGBTQ community. Apparently he meant he would stand on our backs and stomp us a few times. This policy is being derided as ugly and mean-spirited. The new policy demands that the gay couples be married—even if they're from countries that criminalize gay marriage. What the policy does is use the right to marry passed in America as a weapon against gay diplomats from countries not allowing marriage equality: 

Samantha Power, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, denounced the new policy on Twitter as “needlessly cruel & bigoted.” “State Dept. will no longer let same-sex domestic partners of UN employees get visas unless they are married,” she tweeted, noting that “only 12% of UN member states allow same-sex marriage.”  

Meet The Real Mike Pence - It's not be confirmed but 2 to 1, this policy may have its roots with Vice President Mike Pence, a man who has shown an extreme personal animus against the LGBTQ community. This Human Rights Campaign report proves this. That's okay. Pence's animus will be his downfall.  

The international far-right has a new target: Gender and identity - UGH!  

Anti-LGBTQ activist behind Proposition 8's passage brags about work crafting "gay propaganda" law in Russia - Brian Brown seems to be the Sarah Palin of the anti-LGBTQ industry. He creates nothing positive. He takes up much needed space. But he won't go away. 


Image taken from LGBTQ Nation.

Celebrate the heroes and sheroes of LGBT History Month 2018

October is LGBT History Month and with the help of Equality Forum, let's look at 31 heroes and sheroes who taught, and continues to teach, us all about style, discipline, intelligence, beauty, dignity, and pride. These 31 people are merely a small representation of the power and diversity of our community and serves as a reason why, in the face of so much bigotry and nonsense, we are still here and still fierce. I especially want our kids to see this video.

'Court rules for LGBTQ community against NC bathroom law' & other Mon midday news briefs

Bathroom law victory: Federal court allows challenge to HB2 replacement to proceed - Just came in. WOW!

A federal court last night said that House Bill 142, the 2017 law that replaced North Carolina’s notorious anti-LGBT measure, House Bill 2, does not bar transgender people from using public restrooms and other facilities that match their gender identity. U.S. District Judge Thomas Schroeder also said that he would allow a challenge to the law’s ban on local LGBT nondiscrimination policies to go forward.

Court Says NC Law Does Not Bar Transgender People from Public Facilities - More about this from Lambda Legal. 

The Beautiful Way This Town Responded To Franklin Graham’s Anti-LGBTQ Views - They couldn't keep him out of Britain, but they damn sure left a message about his hate.

12 things every gay & bisexual man should know about prostate cancer - THIS is major.

Forget about Ernie and Bert. Take a look at these confirmed LGBTQ animated characters

Another bit of silliness to ease you into the week. Last week was a bizarre drag and I think this week may shape up to be even wilder. That being said, everyone has been so busy being so consumed about Ernie and Bert being gay, that they have forgotten about the following animated characters:

'From the archives of LGBTQ history - GOP & anti-gay leaders brought down by gay sex scandals' & other Fri midday news briefs

For todays's news briefs, I decided to do something different.  Far be it from me to be implying anything at all, but I was moved by the spirit to pull up just a few but very pertinent articles on elected officials in the closet. That's all I will say on the matter.  I am not channeling anything. I am merely expressing myself in the best way I see how. And please spare me the concern trolling:  


20 Republican Politicians Brought Down By Big Gay Sex Scandals

16 Antigay Leaders Exposed as Gay or Bi

What Drives Gay Republicans into the Closet? - And an old article which helps to explain it all. 

In other news:

I was sexually assaulted. Maybe my story will help other LGBT victims speak out - If any good comes out of this thing with Kavanaugh, it's this. 

Taron Egerton Looks Fantastic As Elton John In ‘Rocketman’ Biopic - An Elton John bio pic? It was bound to happen. 

 Florida Church Offers Pro-LGBTQ Message to Counter Vandalism - Love conquers all (even if sometimes you have to be a mega-bitch to get your point across or mark your territory of respect.)