'Former CA policeman who sued over anti-gay abuse wins $2.2 million settlement' & other Tue midday news briefs

Former California Cop Who Sued Over Antigay Abuse Wins $2.2 Million - Awriiiight! Two snaps up! Treat us wrong and u gonna get up off the money!

 
Mr. Gay World changes rules to allow transgender men to compete - Works for me. 

Texas moms rally against dozens of state bills targeting transgender children - My hat goes off to you ladies. Fight the good fight! 

Welcome Halloween season with an overlooked gay romance in a terrifying classic - Oh?

Hate group: We need money because the Muppets, the SF Gay Men's Chorus, and Kellogg's are working with gays to recruit children

I monitor the Family Research Council's webpage a lot, but it doesn't mean that I ignore other anti-LGBTQ groups. The American Family Association is another homophobic hate group I have my eye on. Similar to FRC, AFA's demonization of LGBTQ people a huge part of its brand and the group has been doing it probably longer.

That's certainly evident with the email it sent me asking for donations while ratcheting up the paranoia. It reads in part:

In July, the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus stirred up a hornet's nest when it posted a music video that said homosexuals were coming for the children of straight parents.

 Lyrics included:

 "We'll convert your children. Happens bit by bit. Quietly and subtly. And you will barely notice it. …

 We'll make them tolerant and fair. … We'll convert your children. Someone's gotta teach them not to hate. We're coming for them. We're coming for your children." 

 After receiving negative reactions about the video, the choir issued a statement saying it was done tongue-in-cheek. However, do the following stories make it sound like the perversity of the left is a joking matter? 

 ▶ The Chicago Public Schools Policy Manual has now issued guidelines for sexual health education which state, "Schools that teach grade 5th and up must maintain a condom availability program." 

 ▶ A recent episode of the Disney Junior Muppet Babies children's program included the male character Gonzo having his wish fulfilled – a dress to wear to Miss Piggy's ball. 

 ▶ To publicize its solidarity with the homosexual community, Kellogg's released an LGBTQ-focused cereal called Together With Pride. The characters on the box included Tony the Tiger, Toucan Sam, Snap-Crackle-Pop, and others. The campaign announced to kids, "No matter who you are, who you love, or what pronouns you use," Kellogg's supports you.

 . . .  I could cite another half dozen examples of children's programming promoting sexual deviancy and gender confusion, but you get the point.

. . . This kind of lunacy has clearly impacted America's youth. For example, according to an article in National Review, the Center for Transyouth Health and Development in California saw the number of young people coming in for gender dysphoria problems jump from 80 in 2009 to 1,000 in 2019. (In the U.K., the media has reported a 4,000% rise in young people wanting to change their sex!) 

 But there is good news too. A major abortion case before the U.S. Supreme Court this fall renews hope that the high court might finally reverse the abominable Roe v. Wade (1973) decision that legalized the slaughter of unborn children. The new case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, stems from the Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks – a bill that AFA vigorously promoted. 

 Also, it looks like for now the fight to protect religious liberty has solid public support. A Rasmussen poll this summer found that 82% of Americans believe our First Amendment protections of religious freedom are important to our society. At the same time, the poll found that a mere one-fifth of Americans say churches and religious organizations should be forced to hire people who do not hold to their religious beliefs.

Oh brother, where do I start in deconstructing this mess?

1. What does the San Francisco Chorus' tongue-in-cheek song (because it was simply tongue-in-cheek) have to do with the examples AFA listed  afterwards? Specifically,  what does the Chicago Public School Manual and condoms have to do with the AFA's overall ludicrous point that gays are going after children?  Aren't heterosexual youth included with regards to sex education? How is heterosexual youth having sex proof of gays "going after children?" If it is the handiwork of gays, we obviously need to step up on our 'recruiting' methods.

2. What does Gonzo wanting to wear a dress or Kellogg's showing solidarity with LGBTQ kids have to do with "sexual deviancy?"

3. And I haven't forgotten about the "gender confusion" nonsense. AFA later implies that visibility are persuading children to be transgender. Of course the group provides no proof of it, but I am not surprised. Distorted causation is a hallmark of anti-LGBTQ propaganda.   I doubt visibility can make a child become transgender, but it seems to make them less ashamed being trans and more willing to be open about it. And this isn't a bad thing.

4. What the heck does abortion have to do with anything?

5. Rasmussen is not a trustworthy source.  Its conservative bias is well-known.

Unfortunately, AFA's target audience don't ever seem to ask critical questions when the group bombards them with spooky claims about LGBTQ people supposedly recruiting and turning children. Their job is to sop up the paranoia fuel and give up the money. And apparently they seem to be doing it very well.

'Pride flags in classrooms become newest target in culture war' & other Mon midday news briefs

Education culture war finds a new target: Pride flags in classrooms - From 'critical race theory' to pride flags. I dare anyone to tell me that these fake moral panics are mere coincidences. 

Wyoming librarians under fire for books about sex, LGBTQ - I reiterate . . . 

Trump administration pastor encourages GOP Congress members to oppose marriage equality - If you don't like or believe in gay marriage, then don't marry someone of the same sex. THAT should be the only way you have to oppose it. 

13 Queer Horror Films & Shows to Stream This Halloween Season - I wonder will the religious right accuse us of taking over Halloween.

Equality Forum picks annual list of 31 Icons for LGBTQ History Month 2021

 

It's that time again. October is LGBTQ History Month and The Equality Forum has come out with its newest list of 31 LGBTQ icons for 31 Days. This year's list contains quite a few surprises. I think at least two of the selected icons are probably going to be seen as controversial. Still, it's LGBTQ history and deserves to be noted. (And yes, I still cling to the dream of one day making the list.)

'Texas has considered dozens of anti-trans bills. These moms have helped stop them.' & other Fri midday news briefs

Texas has considered dozens of anti-trans bills. These moms have helped stop them. - These attacks on our trans kids and their families should not be happening. And we all need to do more to help stop them.

Queer rights are reproductive rights & repro rights are queer rights - Puts forth a reasonable argument. Goodness knows we have the same enemies.

12 New LGBTQ books that prove pride isn't just for June - Good choices. 

When this gay college soccer player was called a slur by an opponent, his team rallied around him to a 5-0 win - Boom!

Family Research Council needs to be reminded that it doesn't own values of morality, faith, or family

One of the LGBTQ community's 'favorite' hate groups, the Family Research Council has the above ad floating around on its webpage.  It's the usual "gays are out to wreck society" meme we have come to expect from Tony Perkins and company. With this particular one though, it's not necessarily what's being said which is the entire problem. It's what being implied.

FRC falsely portrays us as outsiders by implying that we are threatening religious liberty (because apparently LGBTQ people cannot be people of faith), children's health (because apparently children cannot be LGBTQ), and parental rights (because its impossible for LGBTQ adults to be parents or raise families in general).

It's an interestingly and unfortunate way for FRC to pass along the lie that the concepts of faith, family, etc aren't open to us. We supposedly can't have those things because we are evil anomalies. Therefore all we ever do is attempt to wreck them for the so-called normal people. The truth is those concepts aren't foreign to us and we embody them everyday in spite of attempts by groups like FRC and people like Perkins to strip us of them.

Just because these folks label us as freaks and outsiders doesn't mean we have to accept it. But it does mean that from time to time we should remind them that they own nothing that they have to be persuaded to extend to us.

'Students stage massive walk-out after trans girl was blocked from locker room' & other Thur midday news briefs

Students stage massive walk-out after a trans girl was blocked from the locker room - While you have nonsense about 'parents' raging against critical race theory being taught in schools (when it is actually NOT being taught in schools), vital articles about school kids standing up for their LGBTQ peers and teachers are being ignored. 

Orlando school elects its first transgender homecoming queen - I reiterate my first point. 

The Joy of Gay Sex Author Charles Silverstein Goes Deep 40 Years Later - Because good sexual health is an important issue for LGBTQ people. 

Drag has gone mainstream. Here’s how it continues to change the world for the better. - After getting unfairly maligned for the longest, it's about time for this to happen for drag.

Ex-Murrieta Valley High cheer coach sues after firing, alleging anti-LGBTQ discrimination - The struggle continues.