National network of 'ex-gay' ministries bites the dust

Last week was an awesome one for the LGBTQ community. Aside from a monumental SCOTUS ruling in our favor, a network of "conversion therapy' or  'ex-gay' ministries - considered one of the largest - is disbanding.

From NBC:

Hope for Wholeness, a prominent ex-gay ministry that boasts one of the most expansive networks of conversion therapy offerings in the United States, is disbanding. 

The Spartanburg, South Carolina-based organization, founded in 1999 as Truth Ministries, told members in an email Monday and obtained by NBC News that Hope for Wholeness would be closing its operations, citing the group’s difficulties in retaining a director to lead their efforts. 

“It has been a tumultuous several years for us. We lost the founding director, searched for two years for his replacement, hired a new director and then lost that director as well,” the memo, which was signed by the group’s board, states. “After much prayer and discussion, we have made the difficult decision to dissolve the organization. This was not an easy decision. But we do believe it is the right decision.”

Apparently, this decision was made on Monday, the same day of our latest SCOTUS victory. According to Newsweek:

Hope for Wholeness, which is based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, was initially formed in 1999 under the name Truth Ministries by founder McKrae Game. Truth Ministries would eventually expand to incorporate several satellite ministries throughout much of the Southeast region, Game told Newsweek. In 2013, Game had changed the organization's name to Hope for Wholeness following the dissolution of Exodus International—formerly known as the world's largest ex-gay ministry.

The Newsweek article pointed out that Game was removed from his position in 2017. Two years later, he officially came out as a gay man and renounced the belief that 'ex-gay' therapy actually works. He said that 'ex-gay' ministries are like cults and that they are not financially thriving enterprises.

The NBC article also pointed out the following facts about 'ex-gay' ministries:

Conversion therapy — made up of various universally discredited and harmful methods of counseling and ministry meant to eradicate or suppress LGBTQ identities — has been banned for minors in 20 states and Washington, D.C. California was the first state to prohibit the practice in 2012, but over half of the bans have only been in effect since 2018. In June 2019, data from UCLA’s Williams Institute estimated that at least 698,000 adults in the U.S. have been subjected to some form of conversion therapy.

Religious right continues tantrum after SCOTUS reminder that America also belongs to LGBTQ people

Sen Josh Hawley - point man for religious right tantrum.

As conservatives, the religious right, and the rest of the anti-LGBTQ industry attempt to regroup after Monday's pleasantly shocking SCOTUS decision, of course they are going back to what they know best - the victimhood card.

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley - an ally of the anti-LGBTQ industry who we should keep a wary eye for future reference - made a speech on the Senate floor on Tuesday.  His speech was a rehash of the same nonsense we've come to hear whenever SCOTUS makes a pro-LGBTQ ruling:

" blah blah blah, "unelected judges" , blah, blah, blah, "legislating from the bench," blah, blah, blah, "judges are not supposed to make laws. That's the job of Congress."

Then Hawley said this, which really got a chuckle out of me:

. . .  I would just say it's not time for religious conservatives to shut up. We've done that for too long. No, it's time for religious conservatives to stand up and to speak out,” the senator said. 

"It's time for religious conservatives to bring forward the best of our ideas on every policy affecting this nation. We should be out in the forefront leading on economics, on trade, on race, on class, on every subject that matters for what our Founders called the general welfare, because we have a lot to offer,” he said. 

“It’s time for religious conservatives to take the lead rather than being pushed to the back. It’s time for religious conservatives to stand up and speak out rather than being told to sit down and shut up,” Hawley said.

Are you all as tired of this as I am?

Bear in mind that the religious right are individuals and organizations who are part of a vast ecosystem of conservatives with an obscene amount of money and more influence and access than they deserve, which they use to create alliances with Congressional leaders AND  pay handsome salaries to 'policy analysts" whose job consists of being interviewed by friendly pundits on places like Fox News - which is the most watched news network in the country - or writing nonsensical books hyped up as intellectual or common sense and bought in bulk by other conservatives to run them up best seller lists.

And this is while they are also plugged into mega self-sustaining network of twitter addresses, dark money funded news sources -  such as The Federalist or  Washington Examiner - all working together to overwhelm us with the volume of their cacophony so that they can control the argument by sending out a single narrative.

And what's the narrative? They are being picked on. They are being persecuted. They are victims of an evil encroachment of an American society which apparently solely consists of them and people who worship the way they do. It's so sad that I can almost picture these folks wiping their eyes with $100 bills instead of tissues as they endlessly repeat the same sob stories of persecution.

This idea that religious conservatives have been shut up or pushed to the back is a lie. And anyone in Hawley's position speaking it has to know that it's a lie.

No one wants them to shut up. We just want them to acknowledge that they are not the only people who matter in this country. We want them to realize that their religious beliefs doesn't give them any right to place themselves on a pedestal while leaving the rest of us, particularly LGBTQ people, below them in accepted subjugation.  We want them to remember that America is not their country to be ruled solely by their whims or dictates. And that rights and privileges belong to all Americans and are not items for them to dole out or withhold in accordance to their religious beliefs.

They were reminded of all  this on Monday by SCOTUS, so now they are throwing a tantrum. Let them. And if the message doesn't get through to them this time, then we will continue to do the same dance until it finally does.

No matter how long it takes.

'SCOTUS ruling gives hope to those challenging Trump's military transgender ban' & other Thur midday news briefs

Supreme Court LGBT ruling gives hope to those challenging military transgender ban - I hope it helps. Let's do this "thang."

The coronavirus lockdown has dramatically worsened mental health for LGBTQ people - It ain't exactly a walk in the park. Trust me on that one.

Study: 91 Percent of LGBTQ+ Teens Are Bullied in Trump's America -One of the many solutions needed to make sure that this will no longer be "Trump's America" come November. 

How one gay Egyptian woman stood up to homophobia and paid the ultimate price - The struggle is real, y'all. 

Brutal ad designates Donald Trump as China's 'dog'

 I'm not a fan of Trump so I love to see him dumped on.  Yet this ad is so brutal that I almost feel sorry for him. Almost, but not quite. Its words are all true and he deserves every inch of dragging he is receiving. And it definitely hits Trump where it hurts, i.e. his supposed toughness to China. I wonder if he will respond.

'Honoring the heroes of Monday's SCOTUS decision' & other Wed midday news briefs

Thank you Aimee Stephens. I wish you had been here to receive the fruits of your labor.

The heroes of Monday's SCOTUS victory

The transgender woman whose lawsuit resulted in landmark SCOTUS decision didn't live to see the outcome

Melissa Zarda Fought for Her Gay Brother at the Supreme Court—and Won a Landmark LGBTQ Rights Victory

Plaintiff Gerald Bostock ‘Elated’ After Supreme Court LGBTQ Victory. Now His Case Returns to Georgia.

In other news:

The Supreme Court’s Historic LGBTQ Ruling Is Now a Valuable Legal Weapon Against Bigotry - Oh yeah. It continues.

I Lie To All My Health Care Providers About My Gender Identity - We need to be educated more about situations like this.

Openly Gay Black Bishop Ordained by Missouri Episcopalians - Awesome.

Anti-LGBTQ industry will speed up usage of religious beliefs as a discrimination weapon after SCOTUS loss

I don't think the anti-LGBTQ industry were prepared for their loss at SCOTUS on Monday. When we defeated the sodomy laws, they were already knee deep in constructing the narrative against marriage equality. When we won marriage equality, they had a ready-to-go narrative on how our right to marry would harm "religious liberty."

Monday's decision caught them by surprise. And they continue to sputter. From Family Research Council head Tony Perkins:

The question now is, where do we go from here? Let's start by putting the ruling in context. Will it mean a ferocious fight on religious liberty from here on out? Almost certainly -- but to be fair, any result would have done the same. LGBT activists weren't going to surrender to the justices' opinion and abandon their cause no matter what the court decided. Nor should we. A positive ruling might have kept some of the fiercest questions at bay -- and given faithful Americans some much needed relief -- but let's face it: the waves of extremism never stop. 

What about Gorsuch and President Trump? Can we trust them? While the Harris case has given Gorsuch fans cause for concern, we don't have to guess where this president stands. For three and a half years, his administration has taken every opportunity to protect religious freedom in executive orders, rules, and guidance that reaffirm the politically incorrect truth about sexual orientation and gender -- often at great political cost. Every agency from HHS, Defense, and Education to HUD, Agriculture, and Justice have stuck their necks out to roll back the radicalism of the president who first opened this Pandora's box. 

As for Trump's judicial nominees, voters have to ask themselves: would they rather have some uneasy feelings about one -- or know with certainty that every single pick is a died-in-the-wool liberal activist, like we would under Joe Biden? This is a single, devastating judgment in what has so far been a stellar couple of years for Trump's first Supreme Court pick. It may confirm concerns that some had about Gorsuch, but this should set the stage for the next nominee to be beyond reproach when it comes to the meaning of words and adherence to the constitutionally defined role of the court.

Right-wing media furious over SCOTUS pro-LGBTQ ruling' & other Tue midday news briefs

The Supreme Court ruled that it is illegal to fire folks for being LGBTQ, and right-wing media are furious - Eat it and suffer. 

Politicians Praise Supreme Court’s Decision On LGBTQ Worker Protections - A step. So much more left to do, though.

Trump administration wants to change rules so homeless shelters can turn away trans people - And the fights continue. 

Trump vague on LGBTQ rights ruling: ‘We live with their decision’ - What did y'all expect this jerk to say?