'Students would be allowed to sue if they see a trans person in the bathroom if new bill passes' & other Fri midday news briefs

Students would be allowed to sue if they see a trans person in the bathroom if new bill passes - Seriously? Good grief! Talk about out of control hysteria.

Thousands petition Hallmark Channel to 'reject' LGBTQ content - It's bad enough when some folks think that our lives consist of solely sex. But when they try to fight folks trying to combat that ignorant point of view, it's worse. 

Ben Shapiro - the fake intellectual attempting to save Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer from the LGBTQ community - Reposting this from last night because it's one of my best and I want more folks to read it. 

Republicans Confirm Judge Rated ‘Not Qualified’ For Being ‘Lazy,’ ‘Arrogant’ - When mess like this comes back to haunt the entire country, remember who made it so.

Ben Shapiro - the fake intellectual attempting to save Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer from the LGBTQ community

Ben Shapiro is an overhyped fraud.

Have you ever read a book considered to be a "classic" and wondered "who the hell picked this to be put on a pedestal?"

I feel the same way about certain folks proclaimed to be great thinkers or intellectuals. At the top of my list is conservative Ben Shapiro. I know all about his "pedigree" and honors, but  I still say while he may have a mind, his maturity is something to be desired. But I will give him credit for exploiting the angry people  - those on the right who always have to be pumped up about something no matter how stupid - for profit. That, and going on college campuses for rigged debates later described on Youtube as him "destroying an argument" has gotten Shapiro more acclaim than he originally had. And more money.

He certainly knows how to get his audience riled up such as with this excerpt and clip below in which he is raising hell when someone from our community say that they relate to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer:

Right wing extremist Ben Shapiro is demanding LGBTQ people leave Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer alone. Shapiro, who runs the far right website The Daily Wire, says the popular children’s Christmas character has enough problems and doesn’t need any more. “Can’t you just leave Rudolph alone?” Shapiro asked on his radio show. “Like, he’s got enough problems without you putting your own issues with sexual orientation on his fragile flying back.” Shapiro, who is virulently anti-LGBTQ, was reading from Wednesday’s New York Times opinion piece, “‘Rudolph,’ the Queerest Holiday Special.”

Ben Shapiro attacks the LGBTQ community for saying they relate to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: "Can't you just leave Rudolph alone? Like, he's got enough problems without you putting your own issues with sexual orientation on his fragile flying back" pic.twitter.com/TxoQs4DQh1

— Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) December 12, 2019

Oh Ben, you get so many things wrong. First of all, no one is talking about "sexual behavior" but you. And no one is talking about "political sexual behavior" but you. Folks can talk about LGBTQ issues and our community without mentioning anything about sexual intercourse,  but apparently YOU can't. However, since I am not a psychiatrist, I won't ponder any further about your state of mind on that plateau.

'New York Law Restores Benefits to Many LGBTQ Veterans Discharged Less Than Honorably' & other Thur midday news briefs

New York Law Restores Benefits To Many LGBTQ Veterans Discharged Less Than Honorably - This is a wonderful thing to do. Anyone fighting for our freedoms should be treated with respect.

Three Ways the “Fairness for All Act” Doesn’t Protect LGBTQ People from Discrimination - Good commentary from the ACLU. 

Antigay lawmaker who wants to cleanse America of all x-rated content won’t share his browser history - Gee, I wonder why. 

Wichita Public School board member resigns, than rescinds resignation over anti-LGBTQ discrimination vote - Some people are so fickle.

Once Upon A Time When Homophobia Was Less Subtle

There doesn't seem to be much going today when it comes to the LGBTQ community and the anti-LGBTQ industry, so I thought I would take a jaunt through the history of homophobic images via a publication I have used on many occasions.

Homosexuality: Legitimate, Alternate Deathstyle was created and published in the mid 1980s by a man named Dick Hafer. As you can see below, it spotlit all of the anti-LGBTQ stereotypes of the day and presented them as facts. And as you can also see by the second image, several noted public figures at the time (including a Congressman who died this year), endorsed it as fact. There really is no need to refute this booklet because it basically refutes itself.  But it's important for that things like it be remembered for two reason:

1. It is a wonderful, albeit nauseatingly foul, historical resource on homophobia in the United States.

2. If you took a look at the images, you would see that the religious right/anti-LGBTQ industry are saying pretty much the same things about our community as this book, but with more subtlety and less shock.  It's not that hard to go from "homosexuality is a dangerous lifestyle" to "Christians need religious liberty to protect their rights from the homosexual agenda."

(Click on the images to make them larger)

'Starbucks scapegoats trans manager for employee's actions' & other Wed midday news briefs

A Starbucks in Oklahoma fired its transgender manager after a policeman complained about her employee's actions; actions she knew nothing about until it happened and then tried to rectify.

Starbucks fired a trans manager after a cop complained on Facebook about her employee - Not only did she NOT have anything to do with the incident, but as manager, she attempted to rectify the situation. It's ridiculous what happened to her.

Trump's LGBTQ 'pride' merchandise is a hypocritical insult to queer Americans - No shit!   

SHOCKER: Senate confirms Trump nominee as highest-ranking out gay judge - What's the catch?

For LGBTQ Youth, Human Rights Day Has Special Meaning - Wonderful commentary.

Dear Chick-fil-A, welcome to our world

The latest in the religious right's "How dare Chick-fil-A betray us! We are going to grind them into dust!" saga came my way via email from Tim Wildmon, head of  hate group the American Family Association :

On Monday, December 2, I overnighted a letter to Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy. In the letter, I asked him to clarify statements made by the leadership of Chick-fil-A and the Chick-fil-A Foundation. You can read the letter here. 

As you know, Chick-fil-A recently said it would no longer be supporting The Salvation Army and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Moreover, the Chick-fil-A Foundation announced its support of Covenant House, an outreach that affirms homosexual orientation and funds LGBTQ causes. 

At the time I sent this email to you, Mr. Cathy had not responded to my letter. This is disappointing. 

Specifically, I asked Mr. Cathy to answer these two questions: (1) Will Chick-fil-A publicly state that it does not believe The Salvation Army and FCA are hate groups because of the ministries' beliefs about sexuality, marriage, and family? (2) Will you publicly state that Chick-fil-A will not hesitate to fund these two ministries again, should the opportunity arise in the future? 

Along with the letter, I included the signatures of over 100,000 people who want clarification from Chick-fil-A regarding its recent decisions. 

This means that Mr. Cathy has not only snubbed AFA's concerns, he has also chosen not to respond to your concerns.

If Chick-fil-A is truly funding the Covenant House, then it's a good thing and more power to the restaurant. But I still won't be singing its praises any time soon. I'm indifferent about the entire thing mostly because I remember how, in 2012, reasonable attempts to explain the LGBTQ community's problem with the fast food restaurant got overwhelmed by lies generated by Mike Huckabee that Chick-fil-A was supposedly being attacked because its "Christian" values.

'Transgender student bathroom bill back before Kentucky lawmakers in 2020' & other Tue midday news briefs

Transgender student bathroom bill coming back before Kentucky lawmakers in 2020 - Some folks are simply determined to give our transgender children all sorts of problems.

Update: Nearby congregation welcomes judge who was shunned by her lifelong church - This is true morality here.

Meet The Miss Universe Pageant’s First Openly Gay Contestant - She may not have won the crown, but she did achieve a victory. 

Kristin Chenoweth Says Faith, LGBTQ Activism Don't Always Go Together - Love ya, Kristin. And no one can blame you because the Fox News host didn't ask you to elaborate. It's because of people like her that the false LGBTQ rights vs. Christianity narrative exists.