Judge rules Trump's ban on transgender military troops cannot take effect as of yet

Guess what? Trump's ban on transgender men and women serving in the military, which the Pentagon says will not be a ban, may not as of yet be implemented, thanks to a recent ruling.

From Dominic Holden at Buzzfeed:

The Trump administration was wrong to claim last week it could begin to implement a ban on transgender troops, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said in a decision issued Tuesday that rebuked officials for insisting a court order blocking the ban since 2017 had been lifted. 

“Defendants were incorrect in claiming that there was no longer an impediment,” says Kollar-Kotelly’s notice in US District Court in Washington, DC. “Defendants remain bound by this Court’s preliminary injunction to maintain the status quo.”

What does this mean? We will see:

 Still, it wasn’t immediately clear if Kollar-Kotelly’s decision would change a timeline to implement the ban, which the Pentagon said will take effect on April 12, due to pending action from an appeals court. 

The underlying legal situation is complicated. The case is one of four in which judges issued nationwide injunctions that blocked the policy from being implemented. Courts had lifted three of the injunctions while all of the legal challenges continue — though the status of this fourth injunction in the DC court was disputed. The Justice Department argued that when the DC Court of Appeals vacated the injunction in January, it ceased to exist and the Pentagon was free to instate a ban. LGBT advocacy lawyers countered that the appellate court still hadn’t issued a mandate to lift the injunction, because a series of procedural steps had to first be undertaken while the plaintiffs decide to request a rehearing. 

The Trump administration issued its memo to set up the ban anyway. That led to Tuesday’s decision from Kollar-Kotelly.

The entire article is worth a read. 

'Stories across the country prove why the Equality Act is needed' & other Tue midday news briefs

These are the stories of LGBTQ people who need the Equality Act’s protections - This is why the Equality Act is needed.

Meet the two Democrats who won’t support federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people - Get in line and do the right thing, guys.

The State Department Held a Private Call Only for Faith-Based Media Outlets - Two to one, this is not going to end up good for the LGBTQ community in particular.

Almost 600,000 LGBTQ Floridians Will Lose Civil Rights Protections if This Bill Becomes Law - Ugh! 

Recent wins for LGBTQ families - We still fight and we still win.

The anti-LGBTQ industry was wrong about marriage equality. Don't believe them about the Equality Act

Remember how the anti-LGBTQ industry claimed that marriage equality would wreck society? They were wrong then, so why should we believe their predictions of doom about the Equality Act?

With the Equality Act being pushed by Democrats in Congress, the anti-LGBTQ industry and its allies are already spinning dire predictions of its consequences (cue up the lies about transgender predators and so-called Christian businesses being driven out of business). But I think it's not necessarily a bad thing that they are doing this. We've come to expect their portents of doom.

And should take this opportunity to remind everyone about their past portents of doom concerning other LGBTQ issues, such as marriage equality. Last year, journalist Parker Malloy pointed out eight predictions the religious right made about what would happen if marriage equality became legal.  And all eight predictions turned out to be wrong Here are two:

"Marriage equality will lead to legal bestiality." 

This was a really common argument made by anti-equality pundits, politicians, and religious leaders leading up to and after the Supreme Court's decision. 

"Watch what happens," warned Pat Robertson during a July 2015 episode of "The 700 Club." "Love affairs between men and animals are going to be absolutely permitted." 

Appearing on "The Glenn Beck Show," Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) mused over a similar question. "If we have no laws on this, people take it to one extension further — does it have to be humans? You know?" Oh, we know, senator. 

Verdict: FALSE.

'Poll - majority of evangelicals support laws protecting LGBTQ community from discrimination' & other Mon midday news briefs

A majority of evangelicals now support laws protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination - Even though right-wing evangelicals grab all of the attention they are not the majority. And this goes to prove it.

Equality Act Faces Lack Of GOP Support Upon Being Reintroduced In Congress - No shit. But it has the religious right running scared. 

Trump’s HIV proposal may be slowed by states that refused to expand Medicaid - Figures. 

WNBA stars respond to homophobic SNL skit - I agree. The SNL skit was tiresome and boring.

'Family Guy' and gay Stewie - how did the religious right miss THAT?

As I do on this blog from time to time, let's ease into the week by talking about something completely frivolous.

  On the risk of starting some stupid argument about "political correctness" (which will be full of people throwing around the term without  any nuance of what it actually means), I hear that the show 'Family Guy' will be phasing out gay jokes. And this is a good thing because the show was awful to the LGBTQ community.

Still, I am amazed about how the character of Stewie Griffin practically got away with being portrayed as gay. Granted, I suppose it is better than his original characterization - an insane megalomaniac genius who wanted to murder his mother and take over the world - but still with all of the whining religious right groups and figures such as Franklin Graham and the American Family Association does, it amazes me that they didn't scream bloody murder about the above clips.

'4th grader will sue after not being allowed to write about her gay grandfather' & other Fri midday news briefs

S.C. mom is suing her daughter's school, claiming the principal made her re-write pro-LGBTQ essay - This is WONDERFUL!  I hope it works out for the family.

Religious Right Radio Segment Blames Social Media for Children Coming Out as Transgender - They say it like it's a bad thing. If true, it is a good thing. And not just transgender kids but LGBQ also. Being true to yourself is a good thing.

Trump’s proposed 2020 budget would seriously harm the LGBTQ community. Here’s how. - Again, we seem to be Trump's punching dummy.

The military says that the trans military ban isn’t discrimination against trans people - The hell it ain't! 

147-8: Mass. House Overwhelmingly Votes To Ban Conversion Therapy For Minors - Way to go!

'Christian' Trump supporters spew nasty rage at presidential candidate who called out Mike Pence's hypocrisy

Sunday night, openly gay presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg called out the hypocrisy of VP Mike Pence. Buttigieg called Pence a "cheerleader of  the pornstar presidency" because Pence's reputation of being an evangelical Christian conflicts with Trump's less-than Christian attitude and exploits.

Pete Buttigieg on Pence's support of Trump: "How could he allow himself to become the cheerleader of the porn star presidency. Is it that he stopped believing in scripture when he started believing in Donald Trump?" Via CNN pic.twitter.com/qH1WnXUHrj

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 11, 2019

Buttigieg's comments got a lot of attention, but not all of it was positive. Readers of the religious right "news source" One News Now (courtesy of hate group the American Family Association) abandoned all pretenses of  a Christian attitude as they defended Pence by viciously attacking Buttgieg. I don't know what was more interesting - the way some of them sidestepped Buttigieg's point, or how some of them went right at connecting his name with anal sex.