'New York - wedding venues can't discriminate' & other Friday afternoon news briefs

Wedding Venues Can't Discriminate Against Same-Sex Couples, New York State Agency Rules - That's right! That's right! 

Alex McFarland: Homosexuality Is Satanic, Cuts Life Expectancy By Twenty Years - They know this junk is a lie but they keep repeating it. Fine. We will keep knocking it down.  

American Bar Association Unanimously Endorses LGBT Nondiscrimination Protections - It's rare that I quote a Disney villain but (and guess who this one is) - "Boom ba dah boom boom boom!" 

Facebook Donates $10,000 To Politician Fighting Gay Marriage - The explanation for this one ought to be EPIC! It had better be. 

 This Family's Reaction To Their Dad Coming Out Is Nothing Short Of Inspiring - Let's end this rough week on a happy note.

Christian singer comes out, handles herself well against anti-gay spokesman

Vicky Beeching is a popular Christian singer in Europe who just came out. Naturally this has caused a great deal of controversy. But girlfriend isn't backing down and has no problem with speaking her mind, even against some of the most vicious anti-gay spokespeople out there, such as Scott Lively. In a recent television appearance, she handled herself rather well against his anti-gay piety.

Florida newspaper yanks noxiously homophobic column

I am so glad that in this world of pundits collecting huge paychecks for doing what amounts to nothing outnumbering actual journalists in the field and the quality of news media going down hill faster than a crashing train (thank you so much Roger Ailes. You ever notice how he looks like Orson Welles in that movie Touch of Evil, i.e. body bloated with corruption and malfeasance oozing out of every pore), some in the media still observe such things as standards and quality as well as discernment.

From Equality Matters:

The Tampa Tribune has pulled a controversial column that alleged Disney is indoctrinating children with its "pro-gay agenda." The column, which was highlighted by Media Matters, had also drawn criticism from gay rights activists and Florida journalists.

 . . . Prior to the column's removal from the Tribune website, several gay rights activists and journalists expressed concern to Media Matters about its stereotypical and offensive arguments. Among them, Nadine Smith, founder and CEO of Equality Florida and a former Tribune reporter.

"The first time I read it I thought it was satire," said Smith, who worked at the Tribune from 1989 to 1993. "It's absurd. He's so fixated on this bizarre, paranoid fantasy that he's actually missed the larger story. Businesses are speaking up and being very visible and speaking out quite publicly for equal rights."

She also called it an embarrassment for the newspaper.

 . . . Jason Parsley, president of the Florida Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and associate publisher of South Florida Gay News, agreed.

"It's just typical right-wing propaganda, the word indoctrination is not one we see much anymore," he said. "I guess he is against tolerance and acceptance, I don't understand the idea. It is a ridiculous, repugnant disgusting view. It really reminds me of 90's rightwing antigay propaganda. Because of social media today and because of 24-hour news, I think the backlash ends up bringing so much awareness that it just completely discounts and diminishes the negative effect."

'The simple way gays are robbed of their dignity' & other Thursday midday news briefs

Kenya’s ‘Stone The Gays’ bill reportedly found unconstitutional - Thanks for the "sour persimmons," y'all. You still hate us, but you won't stone us.

Video: PA baker joins the 'no heterosexuality, no service' club - One of the most nastiest, most dismissive arguments brought up by those who support denying services to lgbts and gay couples is that we can "go somewhere else." Jeremy Hooper takes the time to show how such an argument strips lgbts of our humanity and dignity by viciously severing our emotional and social connections to our communities at large (i.e. communities which encompass more than lgbts.)

 Celibacy Shouldn't Be The New Ex-Gay Ministry - You damn right it shouldn't be!

Court Rulings Are A Victory For Transgender Men - Yes!

 'Ex-Gay' Activist Claims Schools Teach Kids That 'Gay Sex is Wonderful' - They do? Well I always wanted to go back to school . . .

99-Year-Old Sprinter Ida Keeling Leaves Aging In The Dust - The religious right may want to stop telling that lie about gays not living to be elderly because of our "unhealthy lifestyle" . . .

Anti-gay leader Tony Perkins exploits The Holocaust (again)

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council is again exploiting The Holocaust:

Back in June, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council said that gay rights advocates are “going to start rolling out the boxcars to start hauling off Christians,” and yesterday he agreed with a caller named Janet who predicted on his “Washington Watch” radio show that anti-Christian violence will erupt in America.

After the caller wondered if we are “going to find ourselves being loaded in cattle cars like it was when the Nazis took over before we realize we are in such terrible danger,” Perkins hailed her claim as an “excellent point.” “You’ve just hit the nail on the head,” he exclaimed, warning that “isolationist” and “libertarian” politicians like Rand Paul are leaving America’s national security vulnerable and that violent anti-Christian persecution taking place in the Middle East could soon find its way here.

So apparently Perkins has changed his mind. It's not gays who will cause an anti-Christian Holocaust. It will be folks like Rand Paul. Give him another month and he will be blaming Neil Patrick Harris's Tony win for Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

'Star of 'ex-gay' video does not support 'ex-gay' therapy' & other Wed midday news briefs

Video: TX anti-gay activist claims folks are fleeing our nineteen marriage equality states - So an anti-gay claim that folks are fleeing Massachusetts because of "gay marriage" has been proven to be inaccurate. Do these folks say anything accurate?

OOPS: Woman Realizes She’s Starring In Ex-Gay Therapy Video, Doesn’t Support Ex-Gay Therapy - Remember that 'ex-gay group re-branding video with the attractive woman a while back?" Not only has it been taken offline but the woman who starred in the video has condemned NARTH, the group behind the video. Apparently she was misled about the subject and does not like 'ex-gay" therapy at all.

PHOTOS: Ugandans Defy Government Intolerance To Hold Gay Pride Rally - If Matt Barber, Todd Starnes and company want to see dignity and bravery while under actual persecution, they should look at these courageous folks in Uganda. I cannot express enough PRIDE that I feel when l look at these pictures.

Christian publication combines paranoia, racism, xenophobia, and homophobia in vile mix - Why am I republishing this post from this morning? Because I'm proud of it and feel that more folks should read it.

Tampa Tribune Columnist: Disney Is “Indoctrinating” Children With A “Pro-Gay Agenda” - Oh mercy!!

Catholic high school chooses to keep openly gay coach Nate Alfson - Finally a little bit of happiness through all of the madness.

Christian publication combines paranoia, racism, xenophobia, and homophobia in vile mix

Matt Barber

For a while now,  arch anti-gay spokesperson Matt Barber of Liberty University has run an online publication, BarbWire.

BarbWire supposedly gives news and opinion from a  Decidedly Biblical Worldview. However, I think there should be a closer look at what Barber considers a "Biblical worldview" . . . and not just by lgbts.

Of course mimicking Barber himself, the publication is viciously anti-gay, running articles and opinion pieces such as:

Latest Examples of the Undeniable Link Between Homosexuality and Pedophilia

‘Gay Marriage,’ Distant Consequences: Homosexuality, Sexual Immorality and the Downfall of American Civilization  

‘GLBT’ Schoolteachers Reveal Plans to Push Homosexuality

and running pictures such as the following to accompany articles labeling lgbts as the "Gaystapo":

However, BarbWire dabbles into xenophobia, racism, and conspiracy theories.

Correction.