'British Supreme Court tanks 'religious liberty' argument in ruling' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

British Supreme Court Rules Against Discriminating Bed & Breakfast Owners - Boom! The phony "religious liberty" argument fails in Great Britain. 

INDIANA: Mary Cheney To Host Fundraiser To Fight Proposed Gay Marriage Ban - Oh snap! Dick Cheney's little girl is catching an attitude. Personally I totally approve. Now I know there are some lgbts who will be "where the hell was she when . . ." but I disagree. There is a time to talk about that sort of thing but now isn't the time. In a war, you don't read potential allies the riot act . . . at least not yet.  

Texas National Guard to allow same-sex couples to register for benefits - Score one for the good guys. 

Oregon Family Council Compares Gays to Neo-Nazis - Oh come on! No gay man alive would be caught dead in those tacky uniforms.

Family Research Council continues to post inaccurately bad studies on lgbt community

Last week, I wrote about how the Family Research Council was posting an outdated and flawed study, Comparing the Lifestyles of Homosexual Couples to Married Couples to denigrate same-sex couples.

This week, I am now reporting that the organization has done even worse by posting yet another flawed study. However, this study denigrates the lgbt community as a whole

The study, The Negative Effects of Homosexuality,  was actually removed from FRC's webpage in 2008. An employee of the organization, Kathy Athearn, told me that the study was one of a few removed because it contained outdated sources.

But it has now returned to FRC's webpage and it has not been updated.

The study is supposed to show the so-called “dangers of homosexuality" and all of the religious right talking points about lgbts are touched on including:


Gays have a short life span,
Gays and lesbians don’t know how to be monogamous,
Gays and lesbians have high rate of domestic violence.

But strangely enough, this study includes the same inaccurate information as the study I talked about last week:

- A citation of the book Homosexualities: A Study of Diversity Among Men and Women by Alan Bell and Martin Weinberg as a correct generalization of lgbt sexual habits despite the fact that it was published in 1978 and was not meant by the authors to be a correct assessment of the lgbt community in general.  A passage from Homosexualities clearly says:

“. . . given the variety of circumstances which discourage homosexuals from participating in research studies, it is unlikely that any investigator will ever be in a position to say that this or that is true of a given percentage of all homosexuals.”

- A citation of the book The Male Couple: How Relationships Develop by David P. McWhirter and Andrew M. Mattison despite the fact that the book was written 1984 and was not meant to be a correct assessment of the lgbt community in general.  A passage from The Male Couple says:

“We always have been very careful to explain that the very nature of our research sample, its size (156 couples), its narrow geographic location, and the natural selectiveness of the participants prevents the findings from being applicable and generalizable to the entire gay
male community.” 

But there is more:

Gay Bowel Syndrome (GBS): The Journal of the American Medical Association refers to GBS problems such as proctitis, proctocolitis, and enteritis as "sexually transmitted gastrointestinal syndromes." Many of the bacterial and protozoa pathogens that cause gbs are found in feces and transmitted to the digestive system: According to the pro-homosexual text Anal Pleasure and Health, "[s]exual activities provide many opportunities for tiny amounts of contaminated feces to find their way into the mouth of a sexual partner . . . The most direct route is oral-anal contact."

"Gay bowel syndrome" is a term no longer used because it is considered outdated and many physicians  no longer use it.

Then there is this citation:

Reduced Life Span. A study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology on the mortality rates of homosexuals concluded that they have a significantly reduced life expectancy:

In a major Canadian centre, life expectancy at age twenty for gay and bisexual men is eight to twenty years less than for all men. If the same pattern of mortality were to continue, we estimate that nearly half of gay and bisexual men currently aged twenty years will not reach their sixty-fifth birthday. Under even the most liberal assumptions, gay and bisexual men in this urban centre are now experiencing a life expectancy similar to that experienced by all men in Canada in the year 1871.

In 2001, the researchers of this study complained that religious right groups were distorting their work. As a matter of fact, as recent at last year, one of the researcher, Julio Montaner, was still complaining about how the study was being distorted:

"To use my report to support the notion that gay and bisexual sex is somehow the reason why people die early is misusing the data," Montaner said.

Montaner noted that his group’s original report was conducted at a time when the HIV epidemic was poorly controlled and treatments were ineffective. Since then, there have have been great strides in treating the disease and preventing its spread, Montaner said. In British Columbia, annual diagnoses of new infections have dropped from 900 in the mid-1990s to 300 in recent years, he said. Deaths from HIV also have fallen sharply, he said.

Let me take a guess. It's all about "religious liberty," isn't it, FRC?

THIS is what the American anti-gay right did to Uganda

The trailer of this documentary 'God Loves Uganda' is easily the most heartbreaking thing I have seen in a long time. This is what the American anti-gay right did to this country and it's awful.

Go here to Political Research Associates to read an interview with the creator of this documentary, Academy Award winner Roger Ross Williams.

'Anti-gay right rally to defend supporter of Russia's homophobic laws' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Religious Right Piles On To Defend Proponent Of Russia Anti-Gay Laws - To the American religious right, a secular bakery owned by "Christian" making a cake for a gay couple = persecution but a country which forbids your freedom to assemble or to express yourself, and whose police will do nothing while homophobes beat the hell out of you in their presence = "preservation of morality and Christian values." Things have certainly changed since Jesus was crucified. 

Correction: Greeks are not giving themselves HIV to get government benefits - That's one urban legend shot to pieces, thank goodness. But why oh why couldn't they handle the lies about black men on the "down low" as swiftly? 

 Arkansas Supreme Court Overturns Ruling Preventing Gay Man’s Partner From Sleeping Over When Son Is Present - Good news part 1!

 Judge Orders Expedited Marriage For Gay Couple - Good news Part 2 but for a bittersweet reason.

Truth Wins Out catches the 'attention' of anti-gay news source

It looks like one of my mentors, Wayne Besen, and his group Truth Wins Out has hit the "big time."

The organization has the American Family Association's One News Now spinning horror stories about it:

A radical homosexual group, "Truth Wins Out," is calling for the termination of Dr. Mike Rosebush, who has been named as the chief of Character and Leadership Coaching at the Colorado Springs school. Air Force cadets at AF Academy.

Rosebush is a former homosexual who has successfully come out of the lifestyle and has been an advocate for reparative therapy. Peter LaBarbera, founder and president of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality, calls "Truth Wins Out" a "vicious homosexual activist group."

 "Ex-gays are now one of the most politically incorrect groups in American, one of the most persecuted groups," says LaBarbera, noting that reparative therapy counseling is being banned in two states, California and New Jersey.

Homosexuals want so badly to convince the public that their lifestyle is acceptable, they want to do damage to those who have left because it proves their spin is simply not true, LaBarbera claims. He adds: "For the homosexual movement that demands respect, it's pretty odd that they are leading the hateful charge against ex-gays and ex-lesbians, people who are mostly Christian, who left the homosexual lifestyle through the grace of God. But, boy, do they catch the hatred and the intolerance from the liberal left and the homosexual lobby."

Despite the claims of groups like "Truth Wins Out," many people have come out of the sinful homosexual lifestyle and now live normal healthy lives. 

Isn't always so "odd" how religious right groups and activists seem to brand every gay group as "radical." And of course One News Now didn't even seek out any comments from Besen or Truth Wins Out.  If One News Now had acted like an actual news organization, it would have been informed of the following, which is included in Truth Wins Out's press release on the matter:

Rosebush served as a vice president for Focus On The Family, as a professional member of NARTH, and was the director of the Professional Counselors’ Network for Exodus International. He also co-authored a handbook on “unwanted homosexual attractions” with NARTH’s Joseph Nicolosi and George Rekers, the longtime “ex-gay” activist who was infamously caught taking rent-boys on European vacations. Rosebush has devoted his life to disproven, harmful junk science, and with such credentials, has no place serving in a counseling role in the United States Military.

 . . .  Rosebush’s former employer, Exodus International, closed its doors this year, acknowledging that “reparative therapy” and other efforts to change a person’s sexual orientation do not work and often do damage. Every major professional medical and mental health organization concurs with this assessment. However, NARTH and Focus On The Family have not taken steps to acknowledge this truth, and there is no evidence that Dr. Rosebush has decided to embrace real science and ethical counseling methods. As such, cadets at the Air Force Academy are in danger of being counseled in ways that violate all the accepted tenets of the counseling profession. Though the Air Force Academy claims that Rosebush does not directly counsel cadets, the organizational nature of his job — which seems very similar to his role with Exodus International — puts them at risk just the same.

The fact of the matter is that with  gays and lesbians being allowed to serve openly in the military coupled with the fact that "ex-gay" therapy has no basis in truth or accuracy, Truth Wins Out's concern in this matter is genuine and sincere. In other words, this is not a case of a so-called radical gay group targeting an man because he is supposedly ex-gay. This is a case of a group bringing attention to the fact that a man with a long history of embracing anti-gay junk science now being put in a position where he could potentially place the well-being of some of our service members in jeopardy.

Homophobic, racist haters will hate (because that's all they can do)

I was looking for a video of President Obama awarding Bayard Rustin's partner, Walter Naegle, with Rustin's Medal of Freedom.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find video footage of it. However, check out what I did find. Some bozo who doesn't even deserve to be identified attacking Rustin and the Civil Rights Movement.

So why am I posting it? Simple. Bayard Rustin got his due last week and he will be remembered as one of the greatest men this country has ever known.

This fool on the video won't be remembered even if his name was on the Hollywood sign.

So I take GREAT satisfaction in watching this video. Haters will hate because that's all they can do:

'After repeal of DADT, rough patches still confront gay troops' and other Monday midday news briefs

After Repeal Of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Pockets Of Difficulty For Equality - After the repeal of DADT, we still have rough patches to smooth out.  

Calif. trans law ‘unlikely’ to qualify for referendum - Keep your fingers crossed but it's looking for our transgender children.  

School Board Member: Trans Students Should Be Castrated Before They Can Use Restrooms - Vile, disgusting woman to say this.

Wisconsin Governor Defends Ban On Same-Sex Marriage As ‘Healthy Balance’ Of LGBT Rights - Is Scott Walker for real? Unfortunately yes.  

Alex Newell, Actor Who Plays Transgender Character On 'Glee,' Responds To Bill O'Reilly - Handle yo' business, my friend!

Lgbts should start calling the shots against the anti-gay right

Maybe it's just me but the following debate on Crossfire between S.E. Cupp and Ralph Reed depresses the hell out of me:



Ralph Reed's talking points drives me crazy like nails on a chalkboard and find myself asking why does the issue continue to be danced around?

Ultimately the issue of lgbt equality goes beyond marriage. If lgbts do attain marriage in all 50 states, we will continue to deal with the lies and distortions thrown at us by folks like Reed. My question is why is this never part of the conversation?

Why can't we ask folks like Reed about the myriad of times they have compared gay men to pedophiles or why they have claimed that "homosexuality is an unhealthy lifestyle?"

Why isn't there some type of national conversation regarding the constant times people like Reed have cherry-picked actual science or relied on junk science to give a false view of the lgbt community?

But no. We are constantly fighting this battle on their terms, using their words and phrases even though we know words like "religious liberty" and "religious freedom" are a cynical dodge.

We will never fully attain equality unless we combat the anti-gay right, not on their terms, but the terms they refuse to address.

Know Your LGBT History - The Story of Miss Atlanta Lively

Professional wrestling has had a lot of strange storylines and angles, many of them covered here because of how they exploited or played off of the lgbt community.

However, probably the strangest and most violent had to be the story of Miss Atlanta Lively.

This is the story. The bad guys in this angle was manager Jim Cornette and his team, the Midnight Express (Loverboy Dennis and Beautiful Bobby):

In 1985 in the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Association, the three kept attacking the Boogie Woogie Man Jimmy Valiant and his girlfriend, Big Mama:

That is until a very mysterious woman, who never spoke a word came, in and knocked out members of the Midnight Express with one punch. Who was she? She was called Miss Atlanta Lively. This led to a trio of Valiant, Big Mama, and Miss Atlanta Lively vs. The Midnight Express in an Atlanta Street Fight at Starrcade 85: The Gathering. Two things you need to know about this match: It was not a comedy match and this was the old days of pro wrestling where they bled extensively. The match in question begins at 1:48:22

Of course you probably realized that although Miss Atlanta Lively didn't break character, she was a man. This man in fact - "Hands of Stone" Ronnie Garvin:



No commentary here. Just an observation. Isn't pro wrestling strange?

Past Know Your LGBT History Posts:

'Useless anti-gay group angry over Jingle Bells commercial' and other Friday midday news briefs

One Million Moms Reacts to the 12 Balls of Christmas - And the 2013 edition version of the ridiculous "War on Christmas" has an opening salvo as this useless religious right group complains about the above commercial. I personally fail to see what the problem is. And where was this group when the following commercial ran:

 

Come on. A white guy forced to show the size of his butt to his African-American boss. They could have blamed it on the election of President Obama. Megyn Kelly and Fox News would have. 

And in other news:  

Air Force Academy Defends Employment Of Ex-Gay Therapist - This ought to be an epic defense. At least it had better be.  

Ugandan Minister of Ethics Conjures Up GAYS in Schools to promote Anti-Gay Legislation - Oh God. A witch hunt!  

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin Cuts Off All Spousal Guard Benefits In Stunning Display Of Childish Bigotry - I fail to see how being mean-spirited is a Christian value.

Stephen Colbert takes on, annihilates Russia's anti-gay laws

Comedy can sometimes be the best weapon against homophobia

Michele Bachmann deliberately excluding same-sex families from adoption resolution

Bachmann

Someone should ask Rep. Michele Bachman does the exclusion of lgbt families in the adoption resolution she is working on a part of her "religious liberty?"

From Buzzfeed:

New York Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney — the out gay father of three — said in an email to supporters Thursday that Rep. Michele Bachmann is “intentionally excluding families like [his]” from an adoption resolution she introduced.

In a message sent to supporters Thursday, Maloney says Bachman is excluding families with gay or lesbian parents by declining to include LGBT-inclusive language in the resolution.

When he found out that Bachmann and Rep. Karen Bass would be introducing a resolution for National Adoption Month and Day, he asked the pair to include language supportive of LGBT parenting in the resolution . . .

. . . .Bass, a Democrat from California, said she was receptive to the language. Writing of the children he is raising with his partner, Randy, Maloney sent a letter to Bachmann, asking her “to recognize the contributions of LGBT families with adoptive children” in the resolution by including the language. Bachmann’s office said the congresswoman would not support the language’s addition, according to Maloney’s office.

Bachmann’s office did not immediately respond to a question Thursday about her views on LGBT parenting or adoption, or about the resolution itself.

Update: Rep. Michele Bachmann spokesman Dan Kotman told BuzzFeed, “The resolution honoring National Adoption Month is a bipartisan effort sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans. The focus of the resolution is on helping vulnerable children, as has always been the case when we have introduced it in previous years.”

Okay, this is bull. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to make the argument that when lgbts adopt children, we are doing what we can to help the vulnerable. The question I have is why do we even have to make that point?

And if this controversy blows up - which it needs to do - and some fool even attempts to make the semantic argument that lgbts are being "intolerant" because we aren't "respecting" Bachmann's beliefs that lgbt families should be excluded in this resolution, THIS QUEEN RIGHT HERE is going to go into orbit!!!!!

'Report: Conservative media helping to further transphobic violence' and other Thursday midday news briefs

The Conservative Media’s Responsibility For Transphobic Violence - Yet another report which should get mainstream attention. Equality Matters nails how the conservative media has contributed to a transphobic atmosphere. Just like the post I published this morning, the lgbt community and our media should demand focus on important issues and Alec Baldwin throwing out a slur to a reporter is NOT as important as this issue or the issue of anti-gay scientific misconduct.
 

When research is really "research": A look at the Michigan Four - So Michigan will defend its anti-marriage equality law by having four discredited researchers testify in court, including Mark Regnerus. How much popcorn will I need for this one?  

8 Highlights From The Illinois Marriage Equality Exorcism - Aw man, I missed the exorcism!

 Equal Marriage Passes Crucial Vote In Scotland - Two more votes to go.

The anti-gay right needs to be exposed for their scientific misconduct

Today is "Throwback Thursday," but rather than focus on a kooky, fun fact, I want to focus on something which I find to be sad and disturbing.

Over the years, I have pointed out at least 12 times in which physicians and researchers have pointed out how the religious right have distorted their work to fuel anti-gay propaganda. Allow me to recap:

Last year, Seton Hall professor Dr. Theodora Sirota complained that Rick Fitzgibbons of  the NARTH (the National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality) misused her work to make the case that children in same sex households are not raised better than children "in stable homes with a mother and a father."

National Institute of Health director Francis Collins, who rebuked the right-wing American College of Pediatricians for falsely claiming that he stated sexual orientation is not hardwired by DNA.

Six researchers of a 1997 Canadian study (Robert S. Hogg, Stefan A. Strathdee, Kevin J.P. Craib, Michael V. Shaughnessy, Julio Montaner, and Martin T. Schehter), who complained in 2001 that religious right groups were distorting their work to claim that gay men have a short life span.

The authors of the book Unequal Opportunity: Health Disparities Affecting Gay and Bisexual Men in the United States (Professors Richard J. Wolitski, Ron Stall, and Ronald O. Valdiserri), who complained that their work was being distorted by Focus on the Family.

University College London professor Michael King, who complained that the American Family Association was distorting his work on depression and suicide in LGBT individuals

University of Utah professor Lisa Diamond, who complained that NARTH (the National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality), a group which also share board members with the American College of Pediatricians, distorted her research on sexual orientation.

Peter LaBarbera fails to ruin the party for Illinois marriage equality bill signing

There are times when you must admit that you have lost and fade away with a smidgen of dignity.

Apparently no one told this to "Porno" Pete LaBarbera.

Even as we speak, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has just signed the state's marriage equality bill, thus making Illinois the 16th marriage equality state.










Meanwhile, poor LaBarbera is outside of the party looking like the world's most pathetic wallflower:

Photo courtesy of Waymon Hudson

'Bayard Rustin, Sally Ride receive Medal of Freedom' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Bayard Rustin (left), Sally Ride (right)

From Chris Geidner of Buzzfeed - Walter Naegle, Bayard Rustin's partner, & Tam O'Shaughnessy, Sally Ride's partner, sat together at today's ceremony

Obama Awards Medal of Freedom to 16 Americans - Including the late Sally Ride and my personal hero, Bayard Rustin. Two lgbts who made history with their achievements.

Illinois governor expected to sign gay marriage into law - Number 16 with a thunderbolt! 

Oklahoma Drops National Guard Benefits For All Couples To Avoid Serving Same-Sex Couples - This here is some repugnant #@$%!

 Despite Klingenschmitt's Efforts, Our YouTube Account Has Been Restored - Nice try, "Pastor Chaps," but Right-Wing Watch will still be able to show your homophobic rants.  

Truth Wins Out Calls On Air Force Academy To Terminate ‘Ex-Gay’ Charlatan Hired As Cadet Counseling Chief - Now watch how Fox News's Todd Starnes and the rest of that bunch whine about "religious liberty." Sorry but they have no case here.

Top picture courtesy of The New Civil Rights Movement.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance 2013

From GLAAD:

The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was started by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence that year and began an important memorial that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.

"The Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. I am no stranger to the need to fight for our rights, and the right to simply exist is first and foremost. With so many seeking to erase transgender people -- sometimes in the most brutal ways possible -- it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice."
- Transgender Day of Remembrance founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith

Let us all, lgbt and heterosexual alike, strive for the time where we are able to celebrate the lives and contributions of our transgender brothers and sisters instead of their deaths through ignorance and hate.

New website calls out, nails deceptive anti-gay parenting study

Yesterday, I posted about how a judge in Florida had ordered Central Florida University to give up all of the documents with regards to the discredited Regnerus study.

Unfortunately, according to blogger Joe Jervis, the university is fighting tooth-and-nail to keep the information hidden even to the point of being in contempt of court.

In the meantime, however, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation - the organization which filed the lawsuit on behalf of writer, blogger, and activist John Becker -  has developed a website (The Regnerus Fallout) which not only calls out Regnerus's deceptive study but also nails all of the parties involved.

Check it out!!!

Hat tip to Joe.My.God.

'Anti-gay activist tries to compliment me. Big mistake' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Austin Ruse

This morning, I got a very interesting message from Austin Ruse. Ruse is a columnist for that vile propagandist piece of trash Breitbart.com as well as president of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Instiute (C-FAM).

C-FAM was recently embroiled in controversy over its support of Russia's anti-gay laws as well as other anti-gay laws worldwide. I recently published a post detailing a past one-on-one online conversation I had with Ruse in which he regurgitated some of the most vile anti-gay talking points. Apparently, he must have loved my post because he sent me the following:

The thing I like about you, is you give me a full hearing. We may disagree and you may call me names, regrettably, but you quote me in full. Much appreciated... 

Naturally, I responded in the manner which I have become accustomed to - brief, to the point, but not giving up an inch:

All the better for people to see you as a homophobic charlatan, Mr. Ruse. I'm merely providing the rope.

Allow me to include some further points that I failed to make to Mr. Ruse in my initial response:

Don't  try to sugarcoat your homophobia to me in the guise of polite conversation and congenial comments. I know where you stand with regards to how you feel about lgbts and I won't pretend to be nice as to where I stand. I won't be rude to you, but life is too short to bullshit our way through phony platitudes of politeness. I don't like you, Mr. Ruse. I find you extremely fake and even more vile. Your organization perverts the word "family," making it into a caste system where me and mine are not allowed. In addition, you rationalize the persecution of my lgbt brothers and sisters on a worldwide scale. So spare me any kind words because I have a feeling that what's in your mind regarding me isn't exactly as equally kind. There is nothing good about you, Mr. Ruse  It's as simple as that. 

In other news:  

NRO Trots Out Discredited Researcher To Defend Junk Same-Sex Parenting Study - How interesting. Using a discredited racist to defend homophobic junk science.

 Mary Cheney Finds Her Voice - I may be in the minority here but I feel sorry for Mary Cheney. She sacrificed for family and now the family is stabbing her in the ribs. That's just wrong.  

Methodist Church Convicts Pastor For Officiating His Son’s Same-Sex Wedding - Oh give me a break!  

'Ask Amy' Advice Columnist Tells Mother Pressuring Gay Son To Change Sexuality Is Wrong - Awesome advice!

Lesbians falsely accused of child molestation soon to be set free

Editor's note - I wasn't going to post this morning but when I saw the following, I just had to put the word out. After reading this, check out my post from last night as to how the Family Research Council is using a flawed, out-of-date study to demonize lgbt couples:

In 1994, Elizabeth Ramirez, then 20, was arrested in San Antonio, Texas, for allegedly molesting her two young nieces, aged 7 and 9.

In two bizarre trials, she and three other women, Cassandra Rivera, Kristie Mayhugh and Anna Vasquez, all lesbians, were accused of repeatedly assaulting the girls during a nightmarish week-long orgy in 1994. A medical expert and the prosecutor hinted that the women had been performing a Satanic ritual, and pointed to what they claimed was scientific evidence of their guilt. A judge sent the women to prison -- 35 years for Ramirez, 15 for each of the others.

For more than a decade, the women sought the attention of advocates for prisoners and of the press, insisting that they had been falsely accused, but their calls for help went unanswered. And then, in 2006, a Canadian college instructor named Darrell Otto began researching the case. Otto became convinced that the women were innocent and reached out to the National Center for Reason and Justice, a New York-based organization that pushes for the release of those believed to be wrongly accused of crimes against children. He set in motion an effort to free the women that has finally culminated in victory.

 On Monday, a judge acknowledged that the witness testimony used to convict Ramirez, Mayhugh and Rivera was faulty and agreed to release them under bond. The fourth woman, Vasquez, is already out on parole. Reached by phone, she told The Huffington Post the news was "exciting and overwhelming."

Check out the rest of the story in The Huffington Post.