'Houston anti-gay group exploiting transgender community to defeat pro-lgbt ordinance' & other Tue midday news briefs

 

Anti-gay group in Houston seeking to scare people by ignoring THIS reality.

Opponents Of Houston’s LGBT Protections Call Trans Women ‘Filthy, Disgusting, And Unsafe’ - Will exploiting the lies about the transgender community in Houston yield success? I hope not! But to even talk about it takes time away from what the pro-lgbt ordinance in Houston actually does. So if folks want to dip in the war, let's get a way to yank them out. Like so: 

Debunking The Big Myth About Transgender-Inclusive Bathrooms - An old article which bears repeating, along with the much needed graphic (see graphic above) 

 Campus Pride launches national #LGBTQNotSin Campaign - AMEN! I am so tired with anti-gay evangelicals bogarting the argument in regards to faith and religion.  

NOM Funneled Millions To Fight Maine Marriage Equality, But Had Only One Big Donor From The State - If you didn't hear about this, you have been in a cave somewhere. There is a term in theatre called "striking the set." That's when the play is over and folks being removing scenery. NOM, your play is over and we are coming to strike your set. 

 The Way This Dad Reacted When His Son Chose A Doll For A Gift Is Priceless - He gets MY vote for "Father of the Year"  

Cruz: 'Liberal Fascism' Seeks 'To Persecute, To Punish, To Fine' Any Christian Who Opposes Gay Marriage - Get a grip, Teddy. You have the right to oppose marriage equality, but you do NOT have the right to create policies, laws, or engage in actions which will create a system of "anti-gay segregation." You must still treat us as human beings and taxpayers. Deal with it.

A simple, more direct phrase to label 'religious liberty'

You've probably seen the tweet. Still, it's worth repeating because it's worth remembering:

Why call it #religiousliberty when u know u actually mean "anti-gay segregation?" - http://t.co/ekhANAN85Q pic.twitter.com/LsmJbeDAxp

— Holy Bullies (@holybullies) August 24, 2015

'Anti-gay clerk honored for her homophobia' & other Mon midday news briefs

Kim Davis and how the right is using her to play us for fools.

John Oliver rips into anti-LGBT baker and urges Congress to pass national Equality Act - THANK YOU John Oliver for putting things in an uncomplicated, albeit vulgar, manner. 

Thousands rally for clerks denying gay marriage licenses - I am VERY reluctant to put this news brief in about Kim Davis. Why? Because my lgbt brothers and sisters (particularly my brothers) tend to respond in vulgar misogynistic matters. Listen, what this woman is doing is WRONG and you are correct be angry at her AND those who support her actions. We fought fair and square for marriage equality and won, period. But making fun of your opponent's physical appearance, her personal life, location, economics, etc WILL NOT win us this war. The fact of the matter is that Kim Davis is a PAWN. You really don't think that her course of action just popped into her head by itself, do you? She has, as well as folks like the Klein bakery and other phony religious liberty martyrs, have been manipulated and led by organizations who are using them to undermine lgbt equality. And part of that undermining is to get us so angry that we act like juveniles on the playground rather than adults who should secure what we fairly won. How do we win this? We recognize the difference between the pawns and the puppet masters (the Family Research Council, the Liberty Counsel, the American Family Association, etc.). Then we educate ourselves and EACH OTHER on WHY what Davis is doing is wrong. Most of all, we repeat constantly the fact that gay couples are the ones being discriminated against and deprived, not government officials like Kim Davis who doesn't want to do her job but expect to get paid for it.  And not those who want to bring back segregation, albeit on the basis of sexual orientation.  In this case, the lgbt community is NOT using our righteous indignation in the right manner and it's high time that we stop pussyfooting around and do it.

 On Republicans and their “religious liberty” - And reading this piece is a step in the right direction.

 The 4 Biggest Myths About Transgender Kids Used To Justify Denying Them Health Care - Pay attention. This is about our children.

 Is Ted Cruz Winning The Christian Nation Primary? - Another reason we should recognize the puppet masters. We got a demagogue on our behinds.

What they don't tell you about what religious liberty will lead to

I despise putting such claptrap on my blog but I am a firm believer of studying the opposition in order to win the war.

With that in mind, let's take a look at a recent "Stand for Religious Liberty" video brought to you by presidential candidate Ted Cruz and the business owners in the spotlight for refusing to cater to lgbt customers. Hear them spin their nonsense:



Don't be fooled by their platitudes of love and innocence. No matter how they phrase it, at the end, we are still talking about the following:

Hat tip to Towleroad.

'Ashley Madison controversy could place some gay men in danger' & other Fri. midday news briefs

Ashley Madison leak can harm gay men in anti-gay countries

I may get stoned to death for gay sex, says Saudi man outed in Ashley Madison leak - We may be cheering how the Ashley Madison controversy has brought down anti-gay hypocrites, but we fail to note that our people, caught in certain situations, are prey to the controversy. 

Illinois latest to ban ‘ex-gay’ therapy for minors - Niiiice!  

Bad Excuses For Misgendering Transgender Victims Of Violence - Just heaping evil upon sadness. The least the media could do when reporting on these issues is to show respect and do the right thing. No excuses.

  Meet The Amazing Woman Who Created Her Family Of 7 Sons Through Adoption - Folks like this women should have more positive attention AND applause coming their way. 

 Catholic Parish Withdraws Offer To Host LGBT Groups During Pope's Visit - Well thanks for the sour persimmmons, jerk!

Josh Duggar owes the lgbt community an apology

"I have been the biggest hypocrite ever. While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly over the last several years been viewing pornography on the internet and this became a secret addiction and I became unfaithful to my wife. I am so ashamed of the double life that I have been living and am grieved for the hurt, pain and disgrace my sin has caused my wife and family, and most of all Jesus and all those who profess faith in Him. I brought hurt and a reproach to my family, close friends and the fans of our show with my actions that happened when I was 14-15 years old, and now I have re-broken their trust. The last few years, while publicly stating I was fighting against immorality in our country, in my heart I had allowed Satan to build a fortress that no one knew about. As I am learning the hard way, we have the freedom to choose to our actions, but we do not get to choose our consequences. I deeply regret all hurt I have caused so many by being such a bad example. I humbly ask for your forgiveness. Please pray for my precious wife Anna and our family during this time." - Josh Duggar

There is no need to rehash the reason why former "culture warrior" Josh Duggar has earmarked his place in history as a punchline. But I will be bitchy about that apology.

Truth be told, Josh Duggar owes the lgbt community an apology.

I don't really care if he watched porn or cheated on his wife. I DO CARE that he did these things while traveling across the country demonzing lgbts.

In between watching porn and possibly diddling women who he wasn't married to, Duggar gave speeches under the auspices of the anti-gay group the Family Research Council in which he attacked gays as enemies of morality who wanted to jail Christians and destroy the family. He aided and abetted the sick lie that transgender men and women are predators who will invade bathrooms and locker rooms with nefarious purposes in mind. And in doing so, he made life difficult for not only adult lgbts like myself but also our lgbt children.  He made it difficult for them to go to school without being bullied and to love themselves without caveats.

On that score alone, he owes another apology specifically to our kids.

Duggar gave excuses for ignorance, hatred, and bigotry against the lgbt community. And he would tell you until he was blue in the face that he did these things in accordance to his faith, i.e. the same faith he betrayed in between spinning his homophobic lies.

Just who is the enemy of morality in this situation?  It's not us in the lgbt community.

The sad thing is that the karmic irony of the situation probably escapes Duggar.  I'm not so naive to think that any apology will be forthcoming.  I'll simply console myself with the knowledge that like every demagogue does sooner or later, Duggar destroyed his own reputation.

But I will also have a degree of solemnity for those he hurt before his much deserved downward spiral.

'Mike Huckabee continues to spin colossal lie about marriage equality ruling' & other Thur midday news briefs

Mike Huckabee obviously thinks that lying for his faith is not a sin.

This delusional primary: Huckabee claims 'same-sex marriage is not the law of the land' - Exact words : "Well, let me correct you. Same-sex marriage is not the law of the land. And let me tell you why. Because the Supreme Court cannot make law. And so I know we say it is, but — let’s be very clear. Let’s go back to the fundamentals of the Constitution. Three branches of government equal to each other. Each has checks and balances with each other. No one branch can just do something and say, to heck with the other two branches. It doesn’t work like that." 

It always amazes me how anti-activists like Huckabee will repeat a lie continuously even though we just KNOW that they aren't dumb enough believe the lie to be truth. It more than amazes me. It drives me to distraction. You just wanna shake some people. For the one millionth time - SCOTUS did NOT create a law with regards to marriage equality. It said that the laws barring marriage equality were unconstitutional! That is the job of SCOTUS, i.e. to declare whether or not laws passed meet constitutional muster.  

National Transgender Survey Could Be A Gamechanger - Could be? It WILL be!

 A Look At The Promiscuity 'Culture War' In The Gay Community - A very GOOD discussion to have in the wake of legalized marriage equality, etc. Unfortunately, it's a war in which I have not been able to take part in (not by choice, mind you.)

 Union University leaves council over same-sex marriage - What's that old saying which is pertinent to this situation? Oh yes - "let the door knob hit ya where the good Lord split ya."

 Kim Davis Files Emergency Motion: Issuing Licenses To Gays Would 'Irreparably' Burden Her Conscience - More on the Kentucky clerk Kim Davis. That woman is getting on the tip top of my last nerve.