'DeSantis campaign WAS behind insane anti-LGBTQ video attacking Trump' & other Mon midday news briefs

Maggie Haberman Source Says Bonkers Anti-LGBTQ Attack On Trump Was Made By DeSantis Camp — And ‘Passed Off’ To a Supporter - I don't like Trump and I don't like DeSantis. But this is DELICIOUS. 

California school district adopts textbook it rejected for covering LGBTQ+ figures after Newsom threat - Handle your business, Governor Newsom. 

Florida Board of Education OK's Anti-LGBTQ+ Policies, Sanitized View of Slavery - In case you haven't heard (and I hope you have because folks have been torching DeSantis's ass all weekend over it.

300 protest YMCA after teen lies about naked trans woman in locker room - Yet another lie denigrating trans female athletes. You can practically set your watch by them.

Federal judge temporarily blocks Arizona law banning trans athletes from competing in female-designated sports

 I know how some folks feel about trans women and girls (strangely the concern hardly ever touches trans men and boys) competing in sports, but here is something to consider. In spite of all of the preconceived notions fueling opposition to trans female athletes, maybe there is simply no concrete evidence that trans females have an unfair advantage over cis female athletes.

From Metro Weekly: 

A federal judge has blocked Arizona from enforcing a law prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in female-designated sports. U.S. District Judge Jennifer Zipps, of the District of Arizona, granted a preliminary injunction blocking the state from enforcing the Save Women’s Sports Act. The law prohibits transgender female athletes from competing in sports matching their gender identity and allows cisgender students to sue for damages if they believe they have lost out on an athletic opportunity after being forced to compete against a transgender athlete.

 The ban on transgender athletes was challenged by a 15-year-old volleyball player, referred to as Megan Roe, and an 11-year-old, referred to as Jane Doe, who wishes to play girls’ soccer, basketball and cross-country. Because neither has yet undergone male puberty, and both are on puberty blockers, they argue they don’t have a physical or physiological advantage and should be allowed to compete on teams matching their gender identity.

 In her order granting the injunction, Zipps found that the law is “overly broad” because it bans transgender female athletes, including those at the elementary school level, from girls’ sports teams, despite the lack of evidence proving that pre-pubertal athletes hold some physiological or unfair competitive advantage over other children based solely on their assigned sex at birth. She also noted that the ban treats transgender boys and transgender girls differently, noting that transgender boys — whom the state and proponents of the ban refer to as “biological girls” — are permitted to play on male-designated teams, despite the alleged physical risks that they would presumably face by competing against “biological male” athletes. 

 Zipps also noted that, under the law, even cisgender female athletes can be investigated and forced to submit to genetic testing to “prove” their biological sex.

''Right-wing already angry at 'Barbie' movie. Claims it's 'pushing transgender' propaganda.' & other Fri midday news briefs

Right wing blasts "Barbie" for "toxic femininity," "pushing transgender" and communist "propaganda"​ - Laaaaawd! These folks haven't even seen the movie yet.

As conservatives ban LGBTQ+ stories, we asked queer adults to share essential reading for youth - Try as they might, they simply cannot shut down queer voices.

  80% of Transgender Americans Have Considered Suicide: Study - Because of societal prejudice. Hearing all of those awful things said about them and claimed about them has to be a factor. And those of us in the community who turn our back on our trans brothers and sisters have a hand in this, too.

Conservatives are making the Ohio abortion amendment about trans rights - They are featuring ads with misleading claims. Win or lose, we could be seeing this tactic play itself out repeatedly in the future.

Florida's attempt to appeal injunction against anti-drag law backfires in a very delightful way

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis obviously didn't get the message that his law banning drag performances was a bad idea when a judge issued a preliminary injunction against it last month. So, like a hardheaded child, his administration tried to sidestep a "no." 

And got knocked back. 

From The Associated Press: 

 Librarians who feared fines for hosting drag queen story hours and Pride parade organizers who worried about citations for including drag performers can breathe easier now that a judge has ruled that his injunction blocking Florida’s anti-drag law extends to all Florida venues, an attorney who is helping challenge the law said Thursday.

  A pair of orders that U.S. District Judge Gregory Presnell issued in the past month makes clear that drag performances in themselves are not lewd or lascivious behavior, said Gary Israel, one of the attorneys for an Orlando restaurant that filed a lawsuit challenging the new Florida law championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis as unconstitutional. 

 “The state has a very weak hand in this litigation,” Israel said. 

 In his first order last month, the Orlando judge granted a preliminary injunction temporarily halting enforcement of the law until a trial is held to determine its constitutionality. He also denied a Florida licensing and regulatory agency’s request to dismiss the lawsuit. The agency appealed the decision and asked that during the appeal the injunction only be applied to the restaurant that brought the lawsuit.

 Presnell rejected that argument on Wednesday, saying any harm to the state of Florida is minimal if the preliminary injunction remains in place, and that all Floridians are potentially parties since free speech is at stake. He reiterated that the law is likely unconstitutional. “Protecting the right to freedom of speech is the epitome of acting in the public interest,” Presnell wrote. “It is no accident that this freedom is enshrined in the First Amendment.” 

 . . . The new law punished venues for allowing children into “adult live performances.” Though it did not specify drag shows, the sponsor of the legislation said it was aimed at those performances. Venues that violated the law faced fines and the possibility of their liquor licenses being suspended or revoked. Individuals could be charged with a misdemeanor crime.

  . . . The lawsuit challenging the new law was brought by the owner of a Hamburger Mary’s restaurant and bar in Orlando, which regularly hosts drag shows, including family-friendly performances on Sundays that children were invited to attend. The restaurant owner said the law was overbroad, was written vaguely and violated First Amendment rights by chilling speech.

'Anti-trans activist promotes lies & propaganda on Fox News' & other Wed midday news briefs

Anti-trans activist promotes lies & propaganda on Fox News​ - Another one is at the trough, y'all. 

Virginia finalizes guidance on transgender students, including rolling back some accommodations - It ain't good. 

Marjorie Taylor Greene wants anti-LGBTQ+ amendments in a national air travel bill - She is so annoying. 

Colman Domingo Is Gay Civil Rights Icon Bayard Rustin in New Biopic: Photos - I'm looking forward to this movie.

No, Enes Kanter. Acknowledging the existence of LGBTQ+ people is not the same as teaching boys how to perform oral sex. You nasty.

 

Former NBA player Enes Kanter turns acknowledgement about LGBTQ+ existence into some nonsense about teaching boys about oral sex. Gets dragged all over Twitter for it.

A recent incident involving former NBA player Charles Barkley and NBA former player-turned-activist Enes Kanter illustrates the basic idiocy of anti-LGBTQ prejudice.

From Mediate:

Over the weekend, Barkley took the microphone at a Lake Tahoe, California, bar and said he bought Bud Light for everyone. He then called Bud Light critics “rednecks” and “assholes.” “If you’re gay, bless you,” Barkley said. “If you’re transgender, bless you. And if you have a problem with that, fuck you!”

Please note that Barkley said nothing about sexual intercourse, teaching kids about sexual intercourse, or anything vaguely resembling stuff like that. But apparently Kanter heard something to that effect because he sent out this tweet:

I hear what you’re saying Charles Barkley, and yes, we shouldn’t have any problems with the LGBTQ or Trans community. However the problem starts when they try to come for innocent kids.

Stop pushing this agenda on our youth!
LEAVE KIDS ALONE!!!

We do not need to have literature… pic.twitter.com/MLVXZW5qSP

— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) July 18, 2023

His exact statement was the following:

I hear what you’re saying Charles Barkley, and yes, we shouldn’t have any problems with the LGBTQ or Trans community. 

However the problem starts when they try to come for innocent kids. Stop pushing this agenda on our youth! LEAVE KIDS ALONE!!! 

 We do not need to have literature in schools that show boys how to suck di*k

My fellow LGBTQ+ folks, how many times has this happened to you?  You simply mention (usually for a point of clarification) that you are a member of the community and instantly you get accused of trying to talk about your sex life? Or get accused of trying to "shove it down someone's throat." Or told by others that "they don't want to hear about it" (whatever it may be.)

And then when you point out their basic inanity, they either mention or send to you some cherry-picked nonsense (usually from Twitter) which they think proves their point (while usually having nothing to do with the conversation at hand.)

It's a reality that we have learned to live with it. Some folks are just damned determined to reduce our lives to matters of lurid sexual intercourse. Some folks are simply obsessed with picturing us as a constantly plotting cabal out to "groom" kids and spread communism (or whatever "ism" they fear at the moment) while having lots and lots and LOTS of sex at the same time.

If these idiots gave it a serious thought, they would realize just how ignorant they sound. Or at least envy our stamina if they actually believe we can do all of those things without getting exhausted.

Fortunately, others responding to Kanter's tweet proceeded to call out his absolutely bizarre and disgusting connecting of simply acknowledging the existence of LGBTQ+ folks to teaching kids sex acts (yeah, even I got a shot in):

Whatever, Anita Bryant. That's an ugly beard you've grown since I last saw you in the 1970s.

— Holy Bullies (@holybullies) July 18, 2023

I see you're navigating this culture war in the same way you'd navigate a pick and roll.

— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) July 18, 2023

“We do not need to have literature in schools that show boys how to suck di*k”

Just the boys? Why so specific Enes?

— Rashaan (@Rashaan_954) July 18, 2023

pic.twitter.com/oKt8ykwfSU

— Susan (@tlily1024) July 18, 2023

What school you going to where they teaching kids how to give head pic.twitter.com/CA44rPrpK2

— Harold Stricklin (@hdotstrick) July 18, 2023

'Obama slams LGBTQ+ book bans in open letter' & other Tue midday news briefs

Obama Slams LGBTQ+ Book Bans in Open Letter to American Librarians - Still one of the greatest presidents of my lifetime. 

'He was a protector': Friends say Oregon man died while defending LGBTQ friend​ - This is such a sad story. 

Jen Psaki exposes Moms for Liberty’s extremist anti-LGBTQ+ agenda - Good. Hopefully more folks will listen.

Ron “Don’t Say Gay” DeSantis’ 2024 campaign continues to implode & these latest blunders prove it - And hopefully it will continue to do so.