Anti-LGBTQ evangelical Tony Perkins attempts to soft pedal lies about 2020 election and the January 6 insurrection

Family Research Council president Tony Perkins

It shouldn't surprise anyone that anti-LGBTQ hate group the Family Research Council and its president, Tony Perkins, is participating in Republican lies about the 2020 election and the January 6 insurrection which was the direct result of those lies.

But unlike other Republicans, FRC and Perkins aren't outright spinning the lie that the 2020 election was 'stolen' or that the January 6 insurrection is being falsely 'overhyped' by the media. Instead, the group has chosen to walk a thin line and play the passive-aggressive game, as witnessed by a portion of some nonsense found on its webpage. Via this drivel, Perkins and FRC are attacking Associated Press writer Nicholas Riccardi. They are angry at Riccardi for writing a very good article on how the GOP is exploiting Trump's stolen election lie in order to grab the power to control future elections. 

This passage from the FRC piece caught my attention:

The riot at the U.S. Capitol -- a year ago this week -- has provided all the ammunition the media needs to smear anyone working to erase the doubts about the fairness of U.S. elections. In the 12 months since that unruly mob, Democrats have rushed to paint every conservative trying to safeguard elections with the broad brush of treason. "They're laying the groundwork," former Democratic operative Mark Brewer claims in the AP piece, "for a slow-motion insurrection." How? By trying to ensure that everyone's vote is sacred? 

 It's a ludicrous claim -- and yet the AP, in one of the greatest affronts to journalism, is passing it off as fact. To suggest that people who are changing the laws -- or using the process to reinforce the laws that already exist -- are trying to overthrow the government isn't just biased reporting, it's dangerous reporting. Taking the earnest efforts of citizens and wrapping them in a loaded term like "insurrection" is like the AP taking a pitchfork to democracy.

And then there was this passage:

What 2020 taught us is that there are major vulnerabilities in our election system -- many of which were exploited, thanks to COVID. And anyone who doubts that these issues exist can check out Heritage's new election integrity scorecard and read the detailed ratings of every state. "[We look at it] from the standpoint of do they protect security and integrity? And you'll find, boy, there [are] a lot of states around the country that have serious problems in their election systems."

It's stuff like this by Perkins and FRC which is as dangerous as the firebrand nonsense spewed by Trump and his most rabid supporters. Probably more dangerous. It's concern trolling at its worse; psychological manipulation created to sow doubt about a situation in which there should be no doubt.

'National movement seeking to ban LGBTQ books, online materials from school libraries trying to gain traction in Georgia' & other Tue midday news briefs.

Movement would ban LGBTQ books, online materials from school libraries - Oh it's on now, bi!tches. And at the beginning of a new year when I'm just ready for a good fight.

Conservatives flip out as Amy Schneider becomes top female earner in Jeopardy! history​ - Be mad. Stay mad. LOL 

'Jeopardy!' champion responds to transphobic Twitter trolls - And Amy is the epitome of class. 

South Carolina Man Convicted of Sodomy Sues Over Sex Offender Status - And I hope he wins. Just a mess. 

Lesbian moms get hateful Christmas card from neighbor seething over their Pride flags - Speaking of messes, the card was simply unhinged. Joe the Rapist?

Video: Top 20 Betty White Moments

 Let's ease into 2022 by honoring a legend. So many things have been said about Betty White since her passing on December 31 at the age of 99. She was one of those rare celebrities who everyone liked. Her loving nature, immense talent, and extreme longevity will always be remembered.  But most importantly is that her career was all about making us laugh, which she was remarkably good at. The world is so much better because she was here. I can only hope that people will say that about me  after I'm gone. It is a desire that I think we all share.

'Transphobic author trying to get two teachers fired for supporting LGBTQ students' & other Thur midday news briefs

Discredited, transphobic author Abigail Shrier goes the extra mile to make life hell for LGBTQ kids.

Anti-trans author is petitioning to have two teachers fired for supporting LGBTQ students. - That vulgar Abigail Shrier is going too far with this mess. If she succeeds, it would send an ugly message to teachers supporting LGBTQ students. To say nothing of the attempt to strip our kids of the allies they would need in schools. 

 Who is Abigail Shrier? - My mother raised me right so I won't publicly give my opinion of who/what I think she is, but these past postings should give you the info you need: 

Podcaster Joe Rogan & right-wing author team up to equate trans people with a cult and 'demonic possession' 

Anti-transgender book called out for numerous errors months before author testified in front of Senate committee

YouTube allowing discredited anti-trans author and Prager U to fundraise off encouraging parents to reject their transgender children 

Transphobic author Abigail Shrier reveals her true face with tweet about serial killer 

 In other news: 

LGBTQ youth in the South report poor mental health, study says - Probably because of people like Miss Thang above giving them all sorts of hell. 

21 most popular LGBTQ news stories of 2021 - As we do with every year, LGBTQ folks rocked 2021.

Repost: Once Upon A Time When Homophobia Was Less Subtle

Editor's note - In light of all of the nonsense going on with school districts attempting to censor books dealing with sexuality and gender, it's important to realize what it's all about. Those behind these actions may claim they are attempting to protect the children, but that's what they always say .It's their eternal mantra. 

The post below was published last year, but it is still relevant. Nursed in the mind of every liar attempting to render LGBTQ people invisible because of  'the children'  are hysterically bad notions about LGBTQ lives. Even if they don't publicly admit it. Also, while these images may seem comical, it's important to remember the present day damage done by those who believe them to be fact.

 . . . I thought I would take a jaunt through the history of homophobic images via a publication I have used on many occasions.

Homosexuality: Legitimate, Alternate Deathstyle was created and published in the mid 1980s by a man named Dick Hafer. As you can see below, it spotlit all of the anti-LGBTQ stereotypes of the day and presented them as facts. And as you can also see by the second image, several noted public figures at the time (including a Congressman who died this year), endorsed it as fact. There really is no need to refute this booklet because it basically refutes itself.  But it's important for that things like it be remembered for two reason:

1. It is a wonderful, albeit nauseatingly foul, historical resource on homophobia in the United States.

2. If you took a look at the images, you would see that the religious right/anti-LGBTQ industry are saying pretty much the same things about our community as this book, but with more subtlety and less shock.  It's not that hard to go from "homosexuality is a dangerous lifestyle" to "Christians need religious liberty to protect their rights from the homosexual agenda."

(Click on the images to make them larger)

Finally,  my favorite image from this book:

Editor's note - I own a copy of  Deathstyle  but you can here and here to see excerpts from it.

'Gay-Straight Alliance wins equal rights after judge's injunction' & other Wed midday news briefs

Gay-Straight Alliance Wins Equal Rights After Judge’s Injunction​ - Excellent way to sail into the new year. 

Two California teachers were secretly recorded speaking about LGBTQ student outreach. Now they’re fighting for their jobs - But with the good in one area comes the bad in another. The struggle continues.

As a Bucks County school district removes LGBTQ books from libraries, families and faculty fear for civil rights - A wonderful story which shows how LGBTQ children are endangered by this hysteria. A trans child was kicked out of his home because of this nonsense. 

Mom heartbroken by daughter’s suicide blames transphobic Republicans & health insurers - The jerks who helped to cause this don't care. But WE care. 

The most notable LGBTQ films and TV shows of 2021 - What do y'all think? I'm still waiting for a gay version of 'Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold.'

My most treasured LGBTQ moment of 2021 - Learning that the first drag queen was a gay black man named William Dorsey Swann

As 2021 comes to an end and 2022 is coming around the corner, it is with a great deal of sadness that I have to even mention the jerks and jackasses who attempted to make life harder for LGBTQ people. BUT jerks and jackasses are a side dish of life and we all have to deal with them. They can try to make your life more difficult and at times can succeed even for just a moment. But then you learn to deal with them and win.

And the one way of dealing jerks and jackasses who plague LGBTQ people is remembering who we are and why we fight. Remember that you should fight for those coming up after you. And you should honor those who came before you. And speaking of the latter, one of my most treasured moments came this year when I found out about William Dorsey Swann. As the video above notes, Swann gay black man who was a former slave and the self-described drag queen. And that's only the beginning of his story. He became the first American on record who pursued legal action for LGBTQ rights. He was unsuccessful, but paved the way for Stonewall and our entire movement in general.

For a gay black man like myself, this discovery is gold. After so many years of being rendered invisible in the African-American civil rights movement and pushed into the background of the LGBTQ equality movement, the discovery of how much LGBTQ people of color were actually there and in the foreground of both movements (particularly visible in portion of Black history where we generally aren't mentioned) means the world to me. 

Editor's note - Unfortunately, no pictures or film footage of Swann exists. The footage in the video are of the vaudeville duo of Gregory and Brown.