'Anti-LGBTQ industry angry over re-evaluation of flawed anti-trans study' & other Thur midday news briefs

Anti-LGBTQ media and groups have been crying "censorship" as flawed research on trans teens is re-evaluated - Someone came out with a flawed anti-transgender study on teens. A lot of us broke down the flaws (it relied on studies from anti-trans websites), causing the study to be re-evaluated AND members of the anti-LGBTQ industry are whining about "censorship." Awww poor babies. You mad? Stay mad! 

Indiana school banned Gay-Straight Alliance from saying ‘gay’ and ‘LGBT’ - How about "superior awesome folks?" Seriously though thank you ACLU for filing this lawsuit and standing up for our LGBTQ kids.

 'Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters' chosen for inclusion in The Advocate 'Best of 2018' - The post from this morning which I am spotlighting again because it's SUCH wonderful news for this blog. However I will not shy from doing the work which makes this blog a success. No celebration free day today (although I will be listening to Beyonce's 'Formation' from time to time).  

A man who helped kidnap a lesbian’s daughter blames it all on Obama - AND he is going to jail. I haven't forgotten about this tragedy of a case. And the mother still hasn't been reunited with her daughter.

'Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters' chosen for inclusion in The Advocate 'Best of 2018'

When I began this blog in 2006, I simply wanted to call attention to how the anti-LGBTQ industry was harming the LGBTQ community with their usage of lies, junk science, and cherry-picked science.

I never thought that it would receive a great amount of success and attention both nationally and internationally. I never thought that it would even reach one million hits, to say nothing of over six million. I never thought it would receive a GLAAD Media Award out of three nominations.

And I certainly never expected this honor:

Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters was chosen for inclusion

 in 'Best of 2018' issue of The Advocate.

I feel blessed whenever all of the hard work put into this blog is recognized. I feel equally blessed because of all of the support I've received over the years from all of you. For that, I say THANK YOU.

This blog is a work created out of anger, frustration, righteous indignation, and lots of tears. Its origins are from many locales, including my childhood, the loneliness of my dorm room and fraternity house at Winthrop University, and especially the Harriet Hancock Community Center here in Columbia, SC

But the work continues. It always does.

 It's my hope that every honor and accolade gives this blog and its focus much needed attention. There is a war going on against LGBTQ equality and it has been for several decades now. Via a facade of religion, evangelical right-wing organizations and personalities have pitted the LGBTQ community and heterosexual people of all faiths against one another by exploiting the Bible, egos, stereotypes, fears, and prejudices.

While claiming to be the preservers of faith, groups like the Family Research Council, the Alliance Defending Freedom, the Heritage Foundation, the American Family Association, etc have freely pushed propaganda making it seem that the LGBTQ community is evil and unhealthy, that we aren't deserving of equality, that we constantly plot to destroy religion, and recruit children.

And it is a lie which needs to be addressed, called out, and picked apart for the nonsense that it is. That's what this blog has done for over 12 years. And that is what this blog will continue to do.

To the right are several of my best posts (The Best of Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters Parts1 and 2) over the years detailing and refuting anti-LGBTQ propaganda. They are a cornucopia of information about anti-LGBTQ hate groups, religious right organizations, and their homophobic propaganda.

In addition, check out 'How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America.'  It's a free online booklet I published in 2013.


The 'Best of 2018' issue of The Advocate should be out already.  Buy a copy and check out The Advocate online.

Trump Administration refuses to release any information, records about 'religious liberty' task force

The Trump Administration has so many controversies and scandals that it's difficult to keep a count of them all. But the LGBTQ community should recognize the following controversy as one which could reap benefits if we make enough noise about it.

From MetroWeekly:

The Trump administration has refused to release information or records related to its “Religious Liberty Task Force” in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by BuzzFeed News.

The task force, announced in August, was created by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to address religious liberty issues, who argued there was a “dangerous movement” threatening people of faith in this country.

Members of the task force, or advisors to it, are believed to include figures or prominent organizations from within the religious right, including several that oppose LGBTQ rights.

 . . .  Since the announcement of the task force, BuzzFeed and other news outlets have sought information on which groups will be included in the task force or consulted as it attempts to craft certain policies or legislations. But the Trump administration has refused to identify those groups that are serving in an advisory role.

 . . .  And the task force’s actions are under particular scrutiny since the resignation of Sessions, who served as its chair, and the appointment of interim Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, who has his own history of anti-LGBTQ statements and activism.

The LGBTQ community is not naive. We know that this bogus task force is merely another way for Trump to stay on the good side of the Family Research Council, the Alliance Defending Freedom, and other anti-LGBTQ religious conservatives and personalities.  And particularly in light of the news that former ADF spokesperson Kerri Kupec will now serve as spokesperson at the Justice Department, the Trump Administration's attempt to keep secret any information about the task force is a question we should be loudly demanding an answer about.

'Holidays can be painful for LGBTQ kids' & other Wed midday news briefs

The holidays can be painful for LGBTQ children and teens - An unfortunate facet of homophobia. While the religious right spooks, fundraises, and scares about some 'War on Christmas' mess, their actions and instigations have helped to create a season of sadness for our LGBTQ kids. 

D.C. may soon have America’s toughest conversion therapy ban - Sweet! 

Why the Religious Right Hates Target - Cause Target is too inclusive and nothing raises funds better than some lie about women and children being threatened.

Queer Catholics Condemn Pope’s Claim That Being Gay Has Become ‘Fashionable’ - Give him hell, y'all!  

PETA criticized for comparing ‘anti-animal language’ to homophobia, racism - Come on, PETA. This here is some bullshyte.

How much were anti-LGBTQ religious evangelicals up Trump's tookis? This much.

Trump as president will be seen by history as an incompetent disaster. You cannot sugarcoat this fact. And whether America's greatest nightmare will be ended by the Russian investigation, plain resignation, loss in re-election or after serving two terms (God help us), I have a hard time believing that nothing Trump does in the future will redeem him.

With that in mind, I have a serious concern because I know that regardless of how it all ends, our community will not take advantage of the perfect opportunity engage in righteous pettiness against those anti-LGBTQ evangelicals.. And that would be a serious shame because whatever path of embarrassment and ruination Trump goes down, they deserve to follow. These right-wing conservative evangelicals supported him as if he were the Second Coming.

And by supporting him, I mean showering him with syrupy pandering praise for every move they benefited from. In addition, and most importantly, they made excuses for him for just about every lie he told, ugly slurs he uttered, or downright cruel or boneheaded decisions he engaged in - and there were a lot. And when they couldn't make excuses for him, they did the "exit stage left" disappearance, i.e. kept a  very low profile so they wouldn't be noticed and asked about his behavior. It was all for the access and power he gave them

So from time to time, I am going to take it upon myself to post reminders of  right-wing conservative evangelicals abandoning the status they like to anoint themselves as religious voices of conscience and opting to dig far up Trump's tookis.

Like so:

'Powerful testimonials tell of being forced to go through 'ex-gay' therapy' & other Tue midday news briefs

Can't Be Converted: Child Abuse in Utah - The Advocate magazine is running a series of testimonials from folks who were forced to go through "ex-gay" or "conversion therapy" in states where it remains legal to be forced on minors. The series, "Can't Be Converted" is powerful stuff. The one spotlit today is from a young lady who was forced to undergo this fraudulent therapy at age 15 when her parents discovered she had a girlfriend. 

Ryan Murphy has a multi-million dollar plan to vote out anti-LGBTQ politicians - I'm all for this but don't be telling everybody. Have some "super villain realness." You think Lex Luthor brags about his plans? 

This woman is suing a Florida prison for thinking she was transgender instead of menopausal - This incident makes me doubly sick. The fact that it happened to her at all is awful enough. But the fact that if she  were transgender, a lot of folks crying foul about the abuse she suffered probably would not care.

Gay cadet discharged after diagnosis fights military HIV ban - Good for him! 

A college football coach of the year recruited openly gay player while others got cold feet - Wow! Not bad at all. A winning player is a winning player.

Judge to Trump Administration's request to lift ruling blocking trans ban - Nope. Sorry. It's not going to happen

Trump Administration can't catch a break in attempt to block trans men & women from military service

When it comes to his ridiculous attempt to ban transgender men and women from serving in the military, Donald Trump keeps striking out. His latest swing-and-a-miss took place Friday.

From The Advocate:

A federal judge Friday refused to reverse or limit her ruling blocking enforcement of Donald Trump’s ban on military service by transgender people.

Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said the Trump administration, which asked for her injunction against the ban to be lifted, had not proved the government would suffer irreparable harm if the injunction stayed in place, The Hill reports.

Kollar-Kotelly had issued the injunction in October 2017, blocking the ban while a lawsuit against it was heard. Three other federal judges have issued injunctions in the other suits filed against the ban.

“The government had asked for a stay pending any potential, future proceedings in the Supreme Court,” The Hill reports. The administration has asked the high court to hear its appeal of judges’ orders blocking the ban, even before federal appellate courts had weighed in.

“Without supporting evidence, defendants’ bare assertion that the Court’s injunction poses a threat to military readiness is insufficient to overcome the public interest in ensuring that the government does not engage in unconstitutional and discriminatory conduct,” Kollar-Kotelly wrote.