"GLAAD calls outrage over LGBTQ+ inclusion in Macy's Parade a 'desperate plea for attention'' & other Fri midday news briefs

Outrage Over LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Macy's Parade 'Desperate Plea For Attention,' GLAAD Says​ - I may have to watch the parade now seeing how the haters can't stand us being included in it.

Right-wing media boost anti-LGBTQ outrage against Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Case in point.

Book banners came for this Colorado town. They didn’t anticipate resistance. - This is how you fight back against the haters. 

California's first lesbian Senate leader could make history again if she runs for governor - Can she do it?

Billy Porter hits the dance floor on his fifth album with the goal of 'trying to heal people' - Work it, Billy!

Supreme Court hands DeSantis a big loss on anti-drag law

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis

It was a 6-3 decision. I bet you can easily guess who were two of the votes on the losing side.

From CNN

The Florida law that limits drag shows in the state will remain blocked, the Supreme Court said Thursday, dealing a blow to a key initiative championed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Florida had asked the high court to narrow a lower court’s injunction that stopped the law from being enforced statewide. The justices declined to do so.  

Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch said they would have allowed the law to take effect. In a brief statement agreeing with the court’s decision, Justices Brett Kavanaugh, joined in part by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, addressed the First Amendment complexities of the case and said the case was an “imperfect vehicle” for deciding some of the questions at the center of the dispute. 

 Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody argued that the law – dubbed the “Protection of Children Act” – was designed to “prevent the exposure of children to sexually explicit live performances.” The 2023 law makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly admit a child to a sexually explicit adult live performance that would be obscene for the “the age of the child present.” 

 A district court judge blocked the law while an appeal of it played out, holding it likely violated the Constitution’s free speech and due process protections and that it was unconstitutionally vague. The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals declined Florida’s emergency application for a stay of the district court’s injunction, triggering the state’s ask to the Supreme Court for relief. 

 The law was originally challenged by a popular Orlando restaurant – Hamburger Mary’s – that hosts drag brunches and claimed that the new legislation resulted in a loss of business. Florida had asked the justices to slightly narrow the state-wide injunction so that the law could be enforced against every business except the restaurant that was challenging it.

Right-wingers on Twitter rage about 'gay nutcrackers' and black Santas in wheelchairs

There simply has to be more important things to do in this world than rage at Target for selling nutcrackers with rainbow flags or black Santas in wheelchairs.  I personally blame Elon Musk for this. His takeover of Twitter encourages all of these wannabe social media influencers grabbing clout by appealing to people's fear, rage, and basic stupidity.  They do stuff like this for attention and engagement. That's why I deliberately blotted out their names. They deserve derision, not engagement. 

Technology in the hands of empowered haters is truly a dangerous thing. 

'Here we go again. Ohio legislators trying to ban public drag performances' & other Wed midday news briefs

7 Quotes from the first hearing to ban public drag performances in Ohio​- Here we go again. They don't ever learn.

School district increases security after being targeted by hate influencer Chaya Raichik over a joke - Her again. And it's ugly how she revels in it. 

Transgender Boy Can Be the Lead in Texas High School's ‘Oklahoma!’ After All - Good news! 

Judge denies initial request to temporarily block North Dakota’s ban on kids’ gender-affirming care - Completely ridiculous.

Moms For Liberty deny affiliation with extremist hate group The Proud Boys, but pictures and links tell another story

Moms for Liberty members recently took a picture with hate group The Proud Boys while flashing white power signs. 

A week after its most deserving electoral embarrassment, hate group Moms For Liberty is now embroiled in another embarrassment. 

From The Cincinnati Enquirer:

 Moms for Liberty said Tuesday it is not affiliated with the far-right Proud Boys and has removed two chapter leaders from their posts for demonstrating "a lack of judgement and misalignment with our core values." The organization, best known for endorsing culture war candidates in local school board elections, did not name the chapter leaders who were removed. However, the websites for chapters in Boone and Campbell counties no longer show the names and headshots for leaders as of Tuesday afternoon. 

 The two chapter leaders, Karen Strayer and Mirna Eads, were photographed with the Appalachian Proud Boys at a rally in Frankfort. The Protect the Children rally Nov. 4 was part of a nationwide demonstration calling for stricter laws for child sex trafficking, public indecency around children, drag queen story times, and critical race theory. 

 The Enquirer provided some history about The Proud Boys: 

 The Proud Boys is an international extremist hate group whose members often wear black and yellow clothing. The Anti-Defamation League describes them as "misogynistic, Islamophobic, transphobic and anti-immigration." They've also been linked to white supremacist and antisemitic movements. Most notably, its members participated in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol building in Washington D.C. in 2021, leading to four of its members being convicted of seditious conspiracy. Henry “Enrique” Tarrio, former national chairman of the Proud Boys, was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison. 

 Earlier on Tuesday, Moms for Liberty sent out the following Twitter statement denying affiliation with the Proud Boys:

Moms for Liberty is in no way affiliated with the Proud Boys and does not condone involvement with the organization. We repudiate hate and violence.

We have been made aware that two Chapter leaders have recently demonstrated a lack of judgement and misalignment with our core…

— Moms for Liberty (@Moms4Liberty) November 14, 2023

However, several responses claimed that Moms For Liberty did in fact affiliate itself with the Proud Boys on several occasions. And they provided links to back up these assertions:

"Moms For Liberty Is In No Way Affiliated With The Proud Boys"

Also Moms For Liberty: https://t.co/olV9jTgEUI pic.twitter.com/URodOtsLAr

— Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) November 14, 2023

How dumb do you think people are? https://t.co/TnPmG00QkH

— jennycohn@toad.social ✍🏻 📢 (@jennycohn1) November 14, 2023

It’s a bit late to re-brand. https://t.co/qLU4Evhe1o pic.twitter.com/qEvh5turh1

— jennycohn@toad.social ✍🏻 📢 (@jennycohn1) November 14, 2023

12/ Here is Moms for Liberty member Alicia Farrant, who sits on the Orange County (Florida) school board, with Jacob Engels, Roger Stone’s longtime assistant who has served as a Proud Boys spokesperson & handled Enrique Tarrio’s failed political campaign. Thread. https://t.co/ui5LWSjzb0

— jennycohn@toad.social ✍🏻 📢 (@jennycohn1) November 14, 2023

Photo taken from The Space Coast Rocket

Video: HRC honors Transgender Awareness Week - the legacy and the power of trans people

I get the folks who may accuse this as trite or window-dressing. I understand their anger and frustration about the junk trans people have to deal with from certain segment of our government, social media, and the like. But please keep in mind that visibility matters. Representation matters and while having to deal with evil and ignorance is exhausting, this video represents is a step forward. And in the end not allowing the haters from keeping you from taking those steps forward means that you are winning. 

'Republicans still embrace dangerous anti-LGBTQ 'Project 2025' even after election failures' & other Mon midday news briefs

Republicans Advocate Transphobic, Authoritarian ‘Project 2025’ Even After Election Failures - Prepare to hear more about this because it is a scary possibility in the future. This is not a drill.

Conservative Christians enraged at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade for being a trans “extravaganza”​ - They will get over it. 

Florida teacher fired for using gender-neutral honorific ‘Mx.’ - This is some unbelievable bull right here.

LGBTQ youth suicide prevention group leaves X after uptick in 'hate & vitriol' - Another reason why Twitter is going to sh!t.