SC anti-transgender 'bathroom bill' officially DEAD for this year

A huge coalition brought down Sen. Bright's anti-lgbt bill

And it's officially over.

Jeff Ayers, SC Equality Executive Director, just sent out the following release:

Today was a historic day in South Carolina as Sen. Lee Bright's discriminatory, unnecessary and economically ill-advised "bathroom bill," S.1203, was officially stopped for the year.

Today was the final legislative day before "crossover" in the SC Senate - where a bill needs to make it out of one body in order to be considered by the other body. Because the Senate adjourned for the day without taking up the bill at all, S.1203 is officially dead.

The 'Liberal Redneck' takes on the anti-lgbt Target boycotters and trounces them

I don't know who this Liberal Redneck is, but he makes so much sense that I simply have to feature him. In this NFSW video, he takes on folks boycotting Target for its inclusive bathroom policy:

'Colbert skewers 'bathroom bill' supporters as 'weirdos'" & other Wed. midday news briefs

Stephen Colbert Blasts GOP Over Anti-Transgender Bathroom Laws: "You're the Weirdos" - Stephen Colbert "says what we are thinking." Hey, maybe we should elect HIM president. I mean that's how Trump began with the gig. 

North Carolina Republicans Looking to Put HB2 on November Ballot as Constitutional Amendment (Video) - Even my overly cautious nature recognizes just how STUPID this would be for the supporters of this bill. All of the horror stories in the world about "bathroom predators" wouldn't save them. You get folks psyched up on a huge level against a law and THEN allow them to vote. Good luck.  

Alabama City Passes Transgender Bathroom Ordinance - You ever notice how no one ever says how they will enforce this junk? 

 Bill Allowing Therapists to Refuse Service to LGBT People Becomes Law if Governor Doesn't Veto Today - And the battle never ends . . . 

Major News Outlets Fail To Identify The Hate Group Boycotting Target - The main problem in all of this is when the media will not do their job. I guess it's up to us.

SC anti-transgender 'bathroom bill' FAILS to get out of committee, is likely dead

South Carolina's "bathroom bill" is dead at least for now.

The lgbt community of South Carolina and its allies just scored a HUGE victory. A bill which would have forced transgender men and women to use bathrooms and restrooms in accordance to the gender on their birth certificates failed to even get out of committee:

According to the GreenvilleOnline News:

Three GOP senators on the Senate General Committee say they oppose the transgender bathroom bill and a fourth said he is torn, a number which likely means the bill is dead for the year.

Sen. Greg Gregory of Lancaster, Sen. Ray Cleary of Murrell’s Inlet and Sen. Paul Campbell of Goose Creek told The Greenville News Tuesday they are opposed to the bill.

Sen. Lee Bright, the bill’s sponsor, said he needs nine of the 10 GOP members of the 17-member committee to approve it in order for it to advance to the floor. Democrats oppose the bill. If three GOP members oppose it and a fourth is on the fence, the bill cannot come out of committee.

“I don’t think the bill is going anywhere,” Sen. Joel Lourie, a Columbia Democrat and one of the bill’s main opponents, told The News. “I can tell you it’s dead.”

Ever since Bright proposed the bill, which mimics several which have been and are now being discussed across the nation, its passage didn't look to be a sure thing. People on both sides of  the political spectrum voiced opposition to it. Gov. Nikki Haley said that the bill was not needed. Some people were wary of passing the bill because of the severe backlash which North Carolina is now facing over a similar bill it passed, which not only targeted the transgender community, but also prohibited NC cities and towns from passing pro-lgbt non-discrimination ordinances.

Even conservatives & Republicans don't like the anti-lgbt HB2

This video comes from the DNC Rapid Response and features various prominent conservatives and Republicans dropping truth that HB2 is a fraud and a needless bill:



Take note my lgbt brothers and sisters, this is how you win a war. Protesting is a wonderful facet, but it's not the only one. You also have to outmaneuver your opponent.

'NC state senator implores HB2 supporters to 'Keep Our State Straight!'' & other Tue midday news briefs

Buck Newton

NC GOP AG Candidate Tells HB2 Fans: 'Keep Our State Straight!' (VIDEO) - And he, state Sen. Buck Newton, said this at a rally supporting that awful anti-lgbt law, HB2. After spilling all of the lies about "predators in the women's restrooms, he let this Freudian slip come out. It astounds me how folks still think that this issue is about safety rather than anti-lgbt animus and payback because we earned the right to marry. 

Ted Cruz Doesn’t Want Any Transgender People In Any Bathroom Anywhere - A history of the escalating anti-transgender rhetoric coming from Ted Cruz, complete with the semantic garbage of transgender folks "imposing their views" on people. Who knew simply needing to use the bathroom was imposing a view.  

Ted Cruz’s claim that Obama is forcing schools to ‘let teenage boys shower with teenage girls’ - The Washington Post says this about Cruz's attack on transgender children - "This is a classic case of a politician using rhetoric to obfuscate and simplify a complex issue" 

 The Newest Opponents Of North Carolina’s Anti-Transgender Law: Faith Groups - Meanwhile, actual faith groups are standing against HB2. You know, these are the folks who would be interviewed in the media if said media didn't allow the religious right and people like Tony Perkins, Todd Starnes, etc bogart every conversation.  

HB2 'Deeply Unpopular' – New Poll Finds Majority Say Anti-LGBT Law Hurting North Carolina - It's going to be sooooo lovely to see how the religious right, particularly the Family Research Council, stoop in an attempt to refute this poll.

Hundreds protest North Carolina's anti-lgbt HB2

The video speaks for itself.

Related post - N.C. Gov. Can’t Even Enforce Anti-Trans ‘Bathroom Law’ In His Own Building

'Anti-gay hate group leader implies violence against transgender women' & other Mon. midday news briefs

Anita Staver, like her husband, is a piece of bad work.

Liberty Counsel President Anita Staver: I’m Taking My Glock .45 To Target To Protect Against Trans People - You know, some people just bring hand sanitizer or air freshener. I'm really not surprised. The Liberty Counsel is one of the main pushers of the false idea of the "transgender bathroom predator" She is merely taking it up a notch. 

Democratic Lawmakers in North Carolina File Bill to Repeal HB 2 – VIDEOS - Keep your fingers crossed. We can only hope NC does the right thing.

 Comparing Ted Cruz to Strom Thurmond - a video exercise - My post from this morning. History's connection between transphobia and racism. 

 Social Conservatives Think This Story Justifies Anti-Trans Bathroom Laws. They Are Very Confused. - Not just a false story, but a perfect example how a new enemy of the lgbt community are right-wing publications automatically given legitimacy as credible publications, legitimacy which doesn't go away no matter how many times they are discovered to be inaccurate. 

 The Push To Deny LGBT Americans Their Basic Rights, Explained - Pay attention . . . 

 Bryan Fischer: Anti-LGBT Officials Are American Heroes, Like Harriet Tubman - Your daily taste of comedy. 

photo courtesy of JoeMyGod.

Comparing Ted Cruz to Strom Thurmond - a video exercise

Isn't it uncanny how Sen. Ted Cruz demeaning the transgender community:

WATCH: @tedcruz: "If Donald Trump dresses up as Hillary Clinton, he still can't go to the girl's bathroom."https://t.co/RYB8iZlVDN

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) April 24, 2016

Sounds nauseatingly similar to the late Sen. Strom Thurmond attacking African-Americans while defending segregation:



The point here is not to compare the African-American civil rights movement with the lgbt movement for equality.

 Rather, the point here is to remind folks how it is so easy to appeal to people's fears, hate, and prejudices. Just find a scapegoat and have it.

The formula never changes because, unfortunately, it is so successful.

'Ted Cruz reinvents the depths of sleaze with new anti-trans ad' & other Fri. midday news briefs

WATCH: Ted Cruz Releases New Transphobic Ad Calling Trump The 'PC Police' - I'm going to make this as simple as I can - And with his latest ad which severely demonizes the transgender community, Ted Cruz continues to demonstrates himself to be manipulative, blood-sucking demagogue who doesn't care what lie he tells or who he hurts in pursuit of his goals. Frankly, the nation would be in more danger with him in the White House than a little girl would be in a public restroom with transgender woman.

A little reminder about Cruz's lie:

15 Experts Debunk Right-Wing Transgender Bathroom Myth

National Expert: Anti-LGBT "Bathroom Predator" Fears Are "Very Misinformed"

Watch A Transgender Activist Debunk The "Bathroom Predator" Myth On CNN

BTW, have you noticed how Ted Cruz was practically itching to drag the transgender community in his race for president. Remember this from November of last year: Ted Cruz Describes Alleged Planned Parenthood Shooter As ‘Transgendered Leftist Activist’

 It Takes A Village To Bully A Transgender Kindergartner - But THIS is what all of that scapegoating leads to.

These Two Moms Share Their Secret To A House Full Of Kids, Love And Happiness - For something more positive . . .

Curt Schilling's firing exposes right-wing & evangelical Christian hypocrisy

I once said that I would not put the following pic on my blog. I apologize for breaking that vow but a point needs to be made.

The above disgusting pic, along with a vicious anti-transgender rant is the main reason why ESPN fired sportscaster Curt Schilling. As you can see, it's an ugly, paranoid, and very inaccurate take in support of these various "bathroom bills" some state legislators have been attempting to pass.

Of course the figure above is not reflective of a transgender woman. It is the manifestation of anti-transgender hysteria of what a transgender woman would be. It is no more real than the characterizations of African-Americans or Jewish people seen below:

But you can't tell that to conservatives and members of the evangelical right, such as Ted Cruz, Todd Starnes, Sean Hannity, etc. To them, the victim of the entire incident is not the transgender community, who have to deal with yet another person putting their mental and physical health in danger and accusing them of being predators.

Trump opposes HB2, Cruz channels Anita Bryant & other Thur. midday news briefs

Cruz goes into Anita Bryant mode.

Donald Trump criticizes NC leaders over HB2 - I still don't trust him. 

Ted Cruz Bravely Speaks Out Against "Putting Little Girls Alone in a Bathroom With Grown Men" - Meanwhile, Cruz shows his true colors with the deliberate shift to the lie of transgender folk harming children. 

Religious homophobia by the decades - a visual exercise - Now would be a perfect time to spotlight this older post of mine. It gives a visual breakdown of what Cruz is doing.

 National Expert: Anti-LGBT "Bathroom Predator" Fears Are "Very Misinformed" - Well duuuuh. But it's still good to repeatedly hear.

  Right-Wing Media Rush To Defend Curt Schilling And Attack ESPN Following Firing For Anti-Trans Facebook Post - The right wing "media" - the same folks who would probably defend lynching postcards (yeah, I said it).

Calls to the Trans Crisis Hotline Have Nearly Doubled Since North Carolina Passed HB2 - A result of HB2? What do you think. 

NC Lt. Gov. Complains Of 'Amazing Smear Campaign...Based On A Bunch Of Lies' - Keep digging that hole.

SC businesses speak out against anti-transgender bill, sponsor still trying to force it through legislature

So many folks don't want Bright's bill to become law, but he doesn't care.

You can now officially mark various South Carolina businesses in the column with Gov. Haley, the lgbt community, Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, the mayors from Greenwood, Florence, and Columbia, and US attorney Bill Nettles,  and various others opposing State Sen. Lee Bright's anti-transgender "bathroom bill."

According to the Wednesday edition of  The State newspaper:

A dozen S.C. business groups sent a letter Tuesday to the General Assembly asking legislators to halt consideration of a controversial Senate bill that would ban transgender men and women from using the bathrooms of their choice.

“The Palmetto State has built a reputation as a welcoming place for world-class companies to call home. People are taking notice of South Carolina for all the right reasons,” said the letter signed by “The South Carolina Business Community.” If the bill moves forward, “make no mistake that it will have direct impact on South Carolina jobs and job prospects.”

North Carolina has been hit with boycotts by businesses and musical acts since passing a similar law last month.

 The groups signing Tuesday’s letter included statewide organizations — the S.C. Chamber of Commerce, S.C. Manufacturers Alliance, S.C. Economic Developers Association and S.C. Hospital Association — as well as chambers of commerce in Charleston, Clemson, Columbia, Greenville, Greenwood, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Spartanburg.

Unfortunately, Sen. Bright, the bill's sponsor, seems to be deliberately oblivious to this letter as he was to the emotional testimony (particularly from transgender youth) against the bill  in committee last week or Gov. Haley's disapproval of the bill.

'SC legislator attempting to sneak anti-transgender bill out of committee' & other Wed. midday news briefs

SC Sen. Lee Bright is trying to salvage his transphobic bill

From SC Equality comes the news that SC Senator Lee Bright is attempting to sneak his unpopular anti-transgender bill through via secret vote:

Now, according to The Greenville News, Senator Bright is going to attempt to "poll" the bill out of Committee by having the Chairman issue a secret poll vote that is not done in public. That the Committee would hold two days of public testimony, inflaming thousands across our state, moving people to tears and shocking our nation and then not even vote on the bill publicly is nothing short of unconscionable.

Seems to me that if the bill is "needed" as Bright has claimed, he wouldn't be attempting to provide cover for legislators to secretly vote for it.  What can South Carolinians and others concerned do about it? Go here and SC Equality will direct you to what you need to do.

In other news:

As a trans man in North Carolina, I always felt safe. Until this new law passed. - This stunning piece by a North Carolina transgender man on how HB2 will alter his life is stirring.

Federal Court Tells Lawmakers To Shut Up And Deal With Trans People In Bathrooms - Just in case you didn't hear, the courts have come again to push sanity in the argument of lgbt equality by standing by a trans student.

Despite Marriage Victory, Fear of Backlash Looms Large for LGBTQ Americans - Well duh. Progress scares some folks. Every movement for equality has had to endure a backlash.  And all of this "bathroom bill/religious liberty" madness is a direct result of our marriage equality victory. The main thing is to not sit there and let it happen. Fight, dammit!

AFA's Rob Chambers Blames Criticism of Anti-LGBT Laws On Satan - Aw hell, isn't that their excuse for everything?

Desperate conservatives embrace ridiculous anti-transgender video

I told myself I wouldn't post on this, but it has to be seen to be believed.

This guy on youtube, who is supposed to be popular but I've never heard of him, named Joey Salads created a video experiment which he claims demonstrates that transgender women using the ladies restroom is not a good idea because women are uncomfortable around them.

From what I understand, some conservatives are giving him many props for the above video. When I look at it, I have to ask why.

I don't think it's real. I apologize to those whom this may offend but it has to been seen. It's the most ridiculous video I have seen in a long time (even more than the suburban white mother putting out an anti-transgender rap video) and most of all, it emphasizes the ignorance and fear people have about the transgender community.

There are not enough words in the dictionary to describe how absolutely insane this video is and the mindset of anyone who believes it to be accurate.

Pat Boone upset over SNL parody of 'anti-Christian persecution' movie

According to Mediaite, Christian singer and actor Pat Boone is absolutely furious over the Saturday Night Live sketch which aired last week.

The sketch made fun of the idea that Christians are being "persecuted" in America and "religious liberty" laws via a parody of the now playing movie God's Not Dead 2:

 Boone talked to The Hollywood Reporter about it, and he was not amused by the supposedly anti-Christian satire.

“Something can be devilishly funny, but this skit is diabolical. God has only one real enemy — Satan. Satan ridicules faith, and they’re taking Satan’s side.

Boone went on to say that God has a sense of humor and that he used to enjoy SNL in the past, but the show’s new parody and recent “filthy” programming have crossed the line for him. He also called anti-semitism on the show for having a Jewish lawyer represent the gay couple as they try to stuff the gay agenda down the baker’s throat.

“This skit was outright sacrilege. They know if they did this to Muslims they’d have to be put into the witness protection program,” Boone said. “There’s nothing sacred at SNL, except maybe the words ‘Mohammad’ or ‘Allah.’ They’d never take those names in vain, but when they called God a ‘boob man,’ they took his name in vain.”

Of course in his eagerness to play the "they wouldn't dare do that to Muslims" card, Boone failed to note that, unlike Muslims in this country, evangelicals like himself are bringing mockery on themselves by their ridiculous persecution complexes fueled by what seems to an inaccurate idea of entitlement, i.e. this country is their birthright and the rest of us who don't believe as they do are only here because of their will and pleasure.

Boone and company are the ones making asses of themselves. SNL is merely pointing out that fact.

' Raleigh, NC has lost $3 million because of HB2' & other Tue midday news briefs

Raleigh Bureau: $3 Million Lost in LGBT Law Cancellations - So aside from the boycotts from businesses and entertainers like Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, etc, we see that the city of Raleigh has lost $3 million tourism dollars because of HB2. To be truthful, I don't like to hear about these money losses. It's sad that people in the state have to suffer because of the deliberate ignorance of their elected officials. But war is hell and the lgbt community certainly didn't start this one. 

Transgender Bathroom Bill Fails in Tennessee Legislature - Victory in Tennessee for now. But don't uncork the champagne. Be ready for this noxious bill to come up again. And be ready to defeat it again.  

Family Research Council blaming media for disastrous defenses of anti-lgbt laws - My post from last night which deserves repeating, particularly this part - "Lastly, I want to mention that talking point of painting those who oppose HB2 as hypocrites because they don't speak out against those (such as Bruce Springsteen, Paypal, etc.) who supposedly do business in countries which have awful human rights records against lgbts. FRC until just recently itself utilized Paypal to garner donations. The organization only began figuratively declaring war on Paypal after the organization boycotted NC. Also, how can FRC cry foul over any country's negative human rights record against lgbts, seeing that it once vouched support for Uganda's anti-lgbt laws."  

The North Carolina bathroom bill could trigger a health crisis among transgender youth, research shows - A main reason why these awful "bathroom bills" gets me angry. Don't $#@! with the children.

 Christian Attorney Trying To Marry His MacBook - Pathetically attempting to prove a nonexistent point.

Family Research Council blaming media for disastrous defenses of anti-lgbt laws

FRC's Tony Perkins is blaming the media for a bad weekend.

The Family Research Council is playing a game of defense for the anti-lgbt laws passed in North Carolina and Mississippi.

In spite of a disastrous weekend featuring two interviews in which NC Gov. Pat McCrory bungled a one-on-one on Meet The Press and FRC president Tony Perkins himself got called out by the interviewer for his homophobia, FRC still wants to live in a universe where these discriminatory laws are right and the  "left" are going after them with lies. And how does the organization do this? By playing the "biased liberal media" card:

 It's amazing with technology like ours that people still refuse to take a few minutes to read for themselves a bill like North Carolina's. With the facts just a click away, there's no excuse for the liberal media to continue misrepresenting H.B. 2. Yet that's exactly what they're doing -- almost a month after Governor Pat McCrory (R-N.C.) signed the bill into law. Unfortunately, the truth about the measure -- that it gives businesses the freedom to set their own bathroom policies -- doesn't fit the Left's narrative. So they ignore it.

Just yesterday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Chuck Todd took his interview with McCrory down a familiar path, distorting the most basic aspects of the law. "Does it bother you," Todd said at one point, "that basically North Carolina and Mississippi is the only other state to side with you on this?" For starters, McCrory stopped him, Mississippi passed a religious liberty law -- not a privacy measure. Secondly, he fired back, a lot more states agree with North Carolina than don't. "This is not just a North Carolina debate. This is a national debate that's just come on in literally the last three months... We have 29 states that also don't have this type of mandate on private business, including the state of New York [one of its most vocal opponents]."

'Ted Cruz badly dodges lgbt equality question & other Mon. midday news briefs

Don't let this man in the White House.

WATCH: Ted Cruz Tells Married Gay NYC GOP Voter the Only Protection He Needs Is Religious Liberty - Creepy Cruz strikes again. If this man gets anywhere NEAR the White House, I'm building my own closet in which to reside. I fear the one he has envisioned for me and folks like me. 

As Backlash To Anti-LGBT Law In North Carolina Rises, Some Musicians Will Perform As Planned - And their reasonings are wonderful. I totally support what they are doing.

  Kasich: LGBT people who face discrimination should ‘get over it’ - No comment. It's too close to me coming from church (which was yesterday).

  State proposals on LGBTQ rights push businesses into the spotlight - Because money is money . . . honey.

Interviewer nails Tony Perkins on 'religious liberty' lies & basic homophobia

NC Gov. Pat McCrory wasn't the only one over the weekend tripping over himself in a sad attempt to defend anti-lgbt discrimination. Anti-lgbt hate group head Tony Perkins (of the Family Research Council) found himself attempting to defend Mississippi's law which allows businesses to deny services to lgbts. Although he tried to make it seem that it "merely" protects those who do not agree with gay marriage equality, the person interviewing him, Fernando Espuelas, wasn't letting him get away with that subterfuge. Espuelas allows Perkins to make his case and then points out the fallacies. Most importantly, Espeulas demonstrates that there is nothing wrong with an interviewer calling out a guest's homophobia instead of creeping around it:

 From Crooks and Liars: 

Internet pioneer and television host Fernando Espuelas called out Family Research Council President Tony Perkins over the weekend for supporting anti-LGBT laws throughout the U.S. "specifically" for the purpose of discriminating against minority groups.

On his Matter of Fact talk show, Espuelas noted that Perkins had supported multiple co-called "religious freedom" laws in the past and was currently backing a North Carolina law limiting the bathroom rights of transgender people.

Perkins argued that the North Carolina law was a "public safety bill," and that broader laws in states like Mississippi prevented the government from "penalizing" Christians for refusing to serve LGBT people.

Espuelas, however, pointed out that "the idea that someone who has a business license can then discriminate against one group or another is something that was put to rest in the 1960s."

"We're talking about forcing someone to take their creative ability, their talent and force them," Perkins insisted. "This is almost forced servitude, saying that you have to be a part of this or the state is going to punish you."

"That's essentially the same argument as segregation," Espuelas stated.

Perkins disagreed: 'We're talking about marriage. That is a sacred institution. Just three years ago the president had the same view."

"But he didn't have the view that people should be discriminated against," Espuelas said. "How is it not discrimination if you pick one group, a specific group of people and have different rights for them? How is that not discrimination?"