'Landlord caught on video kicking out a tenant because he's gay' & other Fri midday news briefs

Gotta give the shout first first to my girl Cristan Williams and myself! The Advocate article about our efforts to call out anti-LGBTQ propaganda came out today. We were both featured in the Best of 2018 issue. Thank you to Diane Anderson-Minshall for a wonderful article!

Hateful landlord caught on video kicking out a tenant because he’s gay - We got you! On tape. This is what can happen when we aren't protected by law. The Florida county where this happened has no laws protecting LGBTQs from housing discrimination. The landlord may have broken other laws which could help the young man, but still.

 Defense Sec Mattis Quits, After Going Along With Trump on Trans Ban - The resignation which has sent huge shockwaves in DC. While there may be a need to attack Mattis because of how he went along with Trump's ridiculous trans ban, I think he did it only out of a sense of duty to the presidential office. In truth, I think he may not have been in favor of it and the way it was done underscored the difference of opinion which is the reason for him stepping down.  

Family Research Council: LGBTQ rights shouldn't be protected under law because of children & 'health hazards' - Post from last night which proves that no matter what they claim, religious right opposition to LGBTQ equality is not rooted in fear or an adherence to "religious liberty." It's all about the hate and the demonizing. 

 A push for compromise on LGBTQ protections may tear evangelicals apart - Come on with it.  

The Year LGBTQ Pop Culture Broke Big, But Didn't Make Bank - Just this time. If we didn't make bank this time, we will next time. 

And to make it a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc just in case I don't post again before then .  . . Charlie Brown music and dancing:

Family Research Council: LGBTQ rights shouldn't be protected under law because of children & 'health hazards'

The Family Research Council implies this as a reason why LGBTQ rights shouldn't be protected under the law.

Today, the Family Research Council published something which more than proves why the organization deserves its SPLC-designated status as a hate group.

FRC not only demonizes the LGBTQ community and portrays us as predators and a health hazard. Via the help of frauds it designates as experts, group publishes distorted research papers aimed at the same goal of stigmatizing the LGBTQ community.

In the latest one, Why "Sexual Orientation" and "Gender Identity" Should Never Be Specially Protected Categories Under the Law, FRC makes the argument that the rights of LGBTQs should not be protected under the law.

On its webpage, FRC said the following about the paper:

In recent years, efforts by LGBT activists to insert "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" 

("SOGI") as specially protected categories in the law have continued at the state and local levels, but they have not made much progress in Congress. 

With Democrats taking over the House in 2019, that may change. We can expect a renewed push for the sweeping and extreme bill called the "Equality Act." Some members of Congress may even respond by proposing an ill-conceived compromise, dubbed "Fairness for All," that combines a SOGI law with limited religious liberty protections. 

 In anticipation of these debates, FRC has already produced a new publication with a concise explanation of Why "Sexual Orientation" and "Gender Identity" Should Never Be Specially Protected Categories Under the Law. Written by Senior Fellow Peter Sprigg, the new Issue Brief explains that SOGI laws are not justified in principle; are invasive and cause tangible harms; and are coercive and cannot be reconciled with religious liberty.

First of all, let's talk about Sprigg. He is no expert He is a failed actor and a pastor who has a history of publishing piss-poor junk-science filled propaganda. I've written extensively on several of his papers and statements including when he said gays should exported from the United States.

'Homophobic note ruins night out with friends in Columbia, SC' & other Thur midday news briefs

A homophobic note left in a takeout bag caused a firestorm in Columbia, SC

A gay man found a note calling him a ‘fag’ in his restaurant takeout bag - In Columbia, SC! Why can't my state make POSITIVE LGBTQ news? Or rather, when we do, folks ignore it. But when something like this happens, look out! 

At least the culprit was fired. 

With ‘Hometown,’ Brandon Stansell Wants To Remind LGBTQ Country Fans They’re Not Alone - I applaud him for this.  

Trump’s military is discriminating against people living with HIV now, too - When the walls come crashing down on this charlatan, I'm going to take time out of my schedule of reminding how the religious right was up his tookis to dance on the grave of his failed political career. 

 Just one gay acquaintance can change hearts and minds on LGBTQ rights, study finds - I guess in this case, "having a gay friend" is a good thing.

Religious right leader calls harassed trans child a liar

Allen Whitt

Earlier today,  I posted about an incident in which an assistant principal allegedly harassed a transgender boy in a school restroom. As of now, the assistant principal has been suspended.

A West Virginia high school suspended its assistant principal on Tuesday after a transgender student accused him of harassment. 

Liberty High School assistant principal Lee Livengood was suspended with pay following a complaint by sophomore Michael Critchfield, who said Livengood harassed him in a school bathroom last month, according to West Virginia's American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing the child. 

Critchfield, who was assigned female at birth but identifies as male, told ACLU that Livengood approached him in the boys bathroom on Nov. 27, and said: "Why are you in this bathroom?" and "You freak me out."

And the anti-LGBTQ industry aren't happy about it. From fake news site of the American Family Association, One News Now (by way of Right Wing Watch), comes the sad fact that while the anti-LGBTQ industry's propaganda scare tactics on the transgender community mimic its attacks on gay males, the difference is that they don't mind targeting transgender children.

When these so-called morality groups and personalities linked gay men and children, the connotation was always "protecting the innocent children." But with their smearing of the transgender community, they don't mind portraying transgender children themselves as predators. Or liars.

 A religious right group in West Virginia weighed in on the controversy at Liberty High School:

Allen Whitt, president of the Family Policy Council of West Virginia, says he is skeptical of the student's claim.  

"Because for those individuals," he says, "especially students who are suffering from the mental diagnosis of gender dysphoria, if someone is prone to lie to themselves about the very nature of their biology, then they will also be likely to lie about other salacious details that may help to further their activism."

So it's not enough for these folks to label our trans kids as predators. They have to call them liars, too?

Just who are the bullies here?  Who are the predators?

'Parents & communities defend Drag Queen Story Hour against naysayers' & other Wed midday news briefs

Drag Queen Story Hour is popular with parents and their children.

Huntington Woods debate: Kill or keep library's Drag Queen Story Hour?

 Councilman faces backlash after criticizing Drag Queen Story Hour

 Science supports Evansville's 'Drag Queen Story Hour'

In Michigan and Indiana communities, some folks "came for" - bared their fangs at - the event known as Drag Queen Story Hour.  They were promptly sent back with heads lowered and the tails between their legs by other members of the community who refused to condemn the event. To the contrary, Drag Queen Story Hour was shown to have mega support.

This Is How LGBT Women's Media Is Fighting Back Against An Anti-Trans Movement - hell yes! That TERF crap has to be exposed and shouted down. I do NOT stand for anyone in our community seeking to dehumanize other brothers and sisters/

Gus Kenworthy burned Trump with a ball culture reference & queer Twitter is here for it - You better believe it. The Orange Menace isn't allowed to say "Paris Is Burning" . . . for any reason.

Denver Mayor Moves To Ban Conversion Therapy For LGBTQ Minors - This is sweet!

A short history of LGBTQ superheroes - We have certainly come a long way

And now a brief change of pace simply because though it's Tuesday, I am slightly burnt out. While I rest up, I want you to check out the above educational and empowering video from six months ago.

While nowhere near fulfilling my dream of seeing an androgynous black gay guy in leader and faux fur who can do karate, shoot big guns and manages to save the Earth while doing both, this video looks at a short evolution of LGBTQ super heroes and exposes the truth about the unknown queer factor in many widely known ones.

For those who say "why is this a big deal, " I have two things to say. If you are a LGBTQ making such a comment, report to National Headquarters immediately. Watching 24 hours of Bette Davis movies or the 1969 Cher movie Chastity and then Cher's appearance on Scooby Doo  back-to-back should reprogram you. Or drive you nuts.

 If you are a heterosexual making such a comment, then just hush. An eight-and-a-half minute video on LGBTQ superheroes won't kill you, especially seeing that you don't even have to watch it. And don't even start with me about stealing the "innocence" of children reading comic books. If your kids can handle the fact that Iron Man is an alcoholic, I doubt the knowledge that Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn are getting it on will damage them.

'ACLU intervenes for trans high school student allegedly bullied by assistant principal' & other Tue midday news briefs

ACLU intervenes with transgender Liberty High student allegedly bullied by assistant principal -

Critchfield said Livengood continued to harass and intimidate him, ultimately challenging him to use a urinal to prove that he was a boy . .  . 

At the end of the exchange, Mr. Livengood said to Critchfield, “Not going to lie. You freak me out,” in front of the other students and the chaperone,” Critchfield said.

‘You Freak Me Out’: West Virginia Trans Student Says School Official Bullied Him In Bathroom - More details about the incident. For all of the instigation created by claiming trans students are a danger, it seems to be that the dangers are caused by those supposedly trying to "protect" others from these trans students. 

Russian election trolls set up a fake hotline for youth who were coming out - If this doesn't get you angry, check your soul. 

LGBT Youths at Substantially Increased Risk for Attempted Suicide - Can someone PLEASE point out how the anti-LGBTQ industry likes to cite things like this while at the same time undermining programs and things (i.e. GSAs) which would reduce the risk of attempted suicide.

Anti-gay bed & breakfast asks Supreme Court to expand Jim Crow-era provision - Tell me 
AGAIN how homophobia and racism isn't connected . . .