Anti-transgender bill in Washington State fails to make the Nov ballot

Washington state just proved that transphobia has its limits.

From The Stranger:

Just Want Privacy, the anti-trans group that wanted to make the state vote on trans people's civil rights, did not get enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot. David Ammons, communications director for the Secretary of State, confirmed that Just Want Privacy has canceled their scheduled 9 a.m. signature delivery appointment tomorrow. Trans rights activists won in Washington State. They did it. Fear and hatred won't win, not this time.

And from MyNorthwest.com

 According to the secretary of state’s office, Campaign Chief Joseph Backholm informed the office that the campaign did not gather enough signatures.There is a 246,000 minimum for signatures — the state recommends getting 325,000 to account for duplicate and invalid signatures. I-1515 failed to get the minimum. At around noon Thursday, the Just Want Privacy Campaign posted a call for help to gather more signatures, and did not yet mention its failure to gather enough.

In March, ThinkProgress labeled the initiative "The Most Radical Anti-Trans Ballot Initiative Ever Submitted In Washington State."  It would have:

• Declared “null and void and of no effect” the Human Rights Commission’s rules guaranteeing bathroom access for transgender people.
• Banned the Human Rights Commission from ever adopting rules related to gender identity in sex-segregated facilities.
• Clarified that the state’s nondiscrimination laws still allow restrooms and locker rooms to be designated “for the exclusive use by biological male persons only or biological female persons only” and that no others (i.e. transgender people) are guaranteed such access.
• Preempted municipalities from passing their own bathroom protections for transgender people.
• Prohibited transgender students from accessing sex-segregated bathrooms in schools, only allowing them to access to “single-stall bathrooms, uni-sex bathrooms, or controlled use of faculty bathrooms, locker rooms, or shower rooms.”.
• Allowed students to sue schools for $2,500 “for each instance in which they encountered a person of the opposite sex while accessing a public school student restroom, locker room, or shower room designated for use by the aggrieved students’ sex,” as well as monetary damages “from the offending public school for all psychological, emotional, and physical harm suffered.”

Just Want Privacy was allegedly helped by national anti-lgbt groups  such as the Family Research Council and yet still failed to get enough signatures.

How sweet it is!!

'Homophobes patronize black people to demonize lgbts' & other Thur. midday news briefs

Peter LaBarbera: Gay Rights Movement Is 'A Liberal Cult' And 'Anti-God' - Noted and nauseating homophobes Matt Barber and Peter LaBarbera get together to talk about lgbts and the African-American community and it is probably the single most ill-conceived and patronizing incident this year. Example as follows:

“The blacks are a noble people, certainly, and there are many … Bible-believing Christians who are offended and disgusted by these illegitimate comparisons between mutable, changeable, deviant behaviors, homosexual behavior, and immutable, neutral characteristics such as skin color,” Barber said. He claimed that “black leaders have completely sold out to the radical LGBT lobby and are complicit in making these illegitimate comparisons.” 

Gee, Matt. That's "mighty white" of you.

Texas, 12 Other States Push To Block Feds From Enforcing Trans Bathroom Guidance - By all means please waste that taxpayer money.

 This 16-Year-Old Came Out To Her Family At Disneyland And It’s The Best - Other than a Broadway musical, isn't Disneyland THE place to come out . . . shut up.  

Trump now apparently backs North Carolina anti-LGBT law - Dear Caitlyn and the rest of you Log Cabin folks . . . 

Gay Collective: “The Virus Divides. It Doesn’t Have To.” - Wonderful post by my friend Mark S. King

Confirmed - The organized plot to destroy lgbt equality

Don't be sarcastic and remember that this revelation is a good thing:

From Jonathan Capehart of The Washington Post:

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans know in their bones there is a “vast right-wing conspiracy” out to deny them their humanity and dignity. A conservative cabal actively working the levers of power to block their rights. Well, now we have the evidence that one actually exists. Freedom for All Americans (FFAA) is a “bipartisan campaign seeking nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people nationwide” that was created last year in the wake of the Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage. FFAA executive director Matt McTighe told me that the immediate backlash against that historic decision, such as Indiana’s so-called religious freedom law, was expected. But he said that it was the emerging coordination of the resistance that pushed his organization to sift through public filings to unearth the ties that bind anti-LGBT efforts around the country.

 . . . The chart below from FFAA shows the organizations doing the coordinating and the people leading or bankrolling those efforts. If you click on this link it will take you to an interactive site that will give you even more information.

Family Research Council hides homophobia behind semantic phrasing

FRC head Tony Perkins

Last week, a federal judge blocked a Mississippi anti-lgbt law hours before it was to go into effect.

According to the Huffington Post:

Mississippi’s “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act” shields those believing that marriage involves a man and a woman, and sexual relations should occur within such marriages. It protects the belief that gender is defined by sex at birth. The law allows people to refuse to provide wide-ranging services by citing the religious grounds, from baking a wedding cake for a same-sex couple to counseling and fertility services. It would also permit dress code and bathroom restrictions to be imposed on transgender people.

In putting an injunction on the law, U.S. Justice Carlton Reeves said it discriminated against lgbts and that it favored one religion over others.

Naturally, the anti-lgbt hate group Family Research Council was not pleased. On its webpage, FRC president Tony Perkins practically threw a fit. And he also accidentally gave a good reason why Justice Reeves blocked the law. Check out the following paragraph from Perkins's ramblings (important point in bold):

The Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act had barely been signed into law when intolerant liberals vowed to file suit. Now with the help of Reeves, the Left has another victory from the courts that it couldn't achieve legislatively. Under this law, churches wouldn't be the only ones protected from government punishment for their natural marriage and sexuality beliefs -- so would businesses, wedding vendors, and even public officials. Now, thanks to one unelected, activist judge, those protections will have to wait. In his opinion, Reeves claims the law gives preference to certain religions.

Notice the semantic phraseology Perkins uses:  

"Under this law, churches wouldn't be the only ones protected from government punishment for their natural marriage and sexuality beliefs -- so would businesses, wedding vendors, and even public officials."

One could easily see why churches should be protected under the guise of religious beliefs, but why should secular businesses and even public officials?  A better way of saying this would be:

"Under this law, businesses, wedding vendors, and even public officials would have an excuse to discriminate against same-sex couples under the guise of religion."

 In the matter of churches, there should be no government interference concerning beliefs and acts of worship (within reason, of course). But a public official, such as a clerk of court signing a marriage licenses, or a businesses accommodating all customers is not an act of worship. It's an act of fairness buoyed on many occasions by taxpayer dollars. And the last time I checked, lgbts pay taxes.

No matter how noble or pretty FRC tries to paint the picture of anti-lgbt discrimination,  the organization can't hide it's ugliness. Secular businesses who don't follow accommodation laws should be punished and public officials who pick and choose who they will serve should also be punished.

Long ago, people freely paid an unfortunate and unnecessary price for their faith. Nowadays, some seem to think that their faith is a golden ticket which absolves them from the rules the rest of us have to follow.

'GOP obsession over attacking lgbt community' & other Wed. midday news briefs

House Republicans Are Truly, Madly, Deeply Obsessed With Queer People - Just despicable. And a good reason why we can't underestimate anti-lgbt groups. Who do you think are the puppeteers of this mess? 

 Over 70 Groups Urge Rep. Chaffetz to Cancel Hearing on Anti-LGBT Legislation Scheduled a Month After Orlando Shooting - Relating to the first news post - Chaffetz probably won't but he will probably muck this up like he did the Benghazi hearings.

Churches File Nonsense Suit Challenging Iowa’s LGBT Protections - Another reason why we can't underestimate anti-lgbt groups. They get paid gobs of money to find gullible folks to exploit. And this ridiculous lawsuit is an example of it. It's just fishing with a capital B-U-L-L . . . you know the rest. 

Police and firefighters dance for Orlando in new viral video campaign - Works for me. 

Kim Davis violated Open Records Act, attorney general says - Guess who's back? Did you miss her?

Trans 102 - Taking on religious right lies & anti-trans misconceptions

THIS is how you handle a misconception, particularly one that your opposition exploits. You don't ignore it. You don't sidestep from it. You take it head on.

From The Huffington Post:

A new video campaign is bringing together transgender and gender-nonconforming activists from around America to reflect on the current state of political and social life for the trans community, as well as the complexities and nuances of the subjects’ own personal identities. Called “Trans 102,” this first episode of this series focuses on bathroom access for trans and GNC people, a contested issue in the current political climate surrounding anti-queer legislation such as House Bill 2. “Trans 102” features a number of recognizable trans movers and shakers, including activist Jenn Richards of “I Am Cait” fame.

'Lesbian couple in Sweet Cakes controversy still getting harassed' & other Tue. midday news briefs

Lesbian Couple Still Facing Harassment Thanks to Sweet Cakes - This couple did nothing but stand up for their rights and are still catching hell for it. Meanwhile, the offenders are scooping up money and attention by the handfuls via playing the victims with the anti-lgbt industry behind them. Will the lgbt community ever learn - "He who controls the narrative makes the rules."

The hate keeps coming: Pain lingers for lesbian couple denied in Sweet Cakes case - The above post provides a quick view of the mess. This article is a long, detailed telling of the mess.

Pope Francis accepts anti-LGBT Dominican cardinal’s resignation - Ding dong, the fool is gone . . .

Black Lives Matter Protest Proves Pride Needs More Empathy, Less Prejudice - Controversial protest brings up many issues. 

Gary Bauer: Trump Administration Will Give 'Key Positions' To Religious Right - All of you lgbts whining about Clinton, let me put this post in another fashion. Gary Bauer worked in the White House during the AIDS crisis and he was one of the main folks blocking Surgeon General C. Everett Koop from getting Reagan to talk about it. His actions made the crisis worse. Now you all can get angry at Clinton for comments she made at Nancy Reagan's funeral, but it seems to me that when a man who helped further the AIDS crisis vouches for a presidential candidate, we should do what we can to keep said candidate from setting one foot in the White House.

Lifting the ban on transgender soldiers - Anti-lgbt industry vs. reality

I'm rather surprised at the muted response of the anti-lgbt right to the news that the Obama Administration is lifting the ban on transgender men and women serving in the military.

One would think that they are so busy scaring people about bathrooms that this particular news caught them by surprise. However, never fear. I can always count on the American Family Association's fake news service, One News Now, for a biased and very uneducated take on the subject. Look at their poll for example:

And this little nugget of nonsense is accompanied by a column by Bryan "gays were the founders of the Nazi party" Fischer, who has no expertise in military intelligence.

By contrast, the following video provides the facts we should know, including:

There are already 2,500 to 7,000 transgender soldiers in active duty, 1,500 to 4,000 reservists

This isn't some type of social experiment. Seems to me that the lifting of this ban was way over due. Transgender men and women are fighting for our freedom, therefore they deserve the right to do it openly, with all of the benefits and support we can give them:

Judge to Mississippi anti-lgbt law- 'Oh no you don't!'

This is big and hopefully a sign of things to come. A federal judge just issued an injunction blocking that awful Mississippi anti-lgbt law hours before it was supposed to take effect.

From The Huffington Post:

A day before it was due to come into effect, a federal judge has blocked a Mississippi law permitting those with religious objections to deny wedding services to same-sex couples and impose dress and bathroom restrictions on transgender people.

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves found on Thursday the wide-ranging law adopted this spring unconstitutionally discriminated against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and others who do not share the view that marriage is between a man and a woman.

 . . . Mississippi’s “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act” shields those believing that marriage involves a man and a woman, and sexual relations should occur within such marriages. It protects the belief that gender is defined by sex at birth. The law allows people to refuse to provide wide-ranging services by citing the religious grounds, from baking a wedding cake for a same-sex couple to counseling and fertility services. It would also permit dress code and bathroom restrictions to be imposed on transgender people.

'GOP to have sham 'religious freedom' hearing on one month anniversary of Orlando tragedy' & other Thur midday news briefs

GOP Chair Schedules Anti-Gay 'Religious Freedom' Bill for One Month Anniversary of Orlando Massacre - One would think they would have the good taste and kind sensibility to at least reschedule this farce of a hearing.  It is here where I HATE my progressive leanings because I got some CHOICE profanity I want to publicly say.

Pentagon to lift trans military ban today - Expect the religious right to go into orbit.

  Texas Attorney General Wants Schools To Out Transgender Students To Their Parents - Pick on children. How "Christian" of you.  

How Growing Up With Two Dads Shaped This Diver’s Olympic Dreams - I need a positive story, at least for my own sake.

Bryan Fischer doesn't care if you catch him lying about lgbts

Bryan Fischer will openly lie about gays without batting an eye.

When we expose the duplicity of  anti-lgbt hate groups and their spokespeople, we should do more than focus on their prejudiced statements. The times in which they openly distort research is full of rich material.

A good example is a column published today by American Family Association affiliate Bryan Fischer. His piece, Homosexuality Is A Danger to Human Health, is yet another one of those religious right posts which cites legitimate medical information to create the false narrative that "homosexuality is a dangerous lifestyle.

Fischer says the following:

According to a recent and extensive survey, homosexuals have "excess health problems" compared to sexually normal people. They suffer disproportionately from "impaired physical and mental health, heavy alcohol consumption, and heavy cigarette use." 

The National Health Interview Survey, which has been conducted since 1957, included a question about sexual preference for the first time in 2013 and 2014. The results are astounding and alarming for anyone who cares about people who are trapped in a sexually abnormal lifestyle. 

 . . . The survey found that a sexually non-normative lifestyle takes a particular toll on women and bisexuals. Lesbians are 91 percent more likely to report inferior health outcomes compared to heterosexual women, and bisexual women are 100 percent more likely to report chronic health conditions. Those in alternative lifestyles were more likely than the sexually normal to report heavy drinking and smoking.

Now the next information Fischer presents is astounding because of the upfront way he presents it and his audacious attempt to refute it. (I put it in bold to emphasize the point):

The politically-compromised researchers were quick to blame social bias and rejection for these devastating numbers but this is utterly implausible. Homosexuality is now the most-favored sexual preference on the planet, celebrated by lawmakers, Hollywood celebrities, and presidential candidates.

If there are any folks experiencing bigotry and social rejection, it would be Christian students, bakers, florists, photographers, or wedding planners. Yet they seem remarkably well-adjusted considering the constant abuse they take from every quarter.

Further evidence that these alarming health results in the “gay” population can’t be chalked up to bias and prejudice comes from the fact that similar surveys in Scandinavian countries consistently show similar results, despite the plain fact that sexually adventurous lifestyles have been celebrated there for decades.

What Fischer did here is simply dishonest and blatantly so. He cites a portion of research to create a phony narrative that the lgbt orientation itself generates negative health behaviors. But then he openly and unapologetically dismisses the other portion of the same research because it refutes his narrative.

Why even use the research at all if he has a problem with a portion of it? 

Because Fischer isn't interested in facts or truth. He is only interested in the manipulation of facts into yet another ugly narrative he creates about the lgbt community. And he doesn't seem to that people see him openly and publicly lying.

Editor's note - I attempted to point out Fischer's errors in the comments section of his piece, but apparently I seem to have a reputation because I am blocked.

Hat tip to Joe Jervis for his tweet pointing Fischer's story out to me.

'#HeterosexualPrideDay trends on twitter due to lgbt takeover' & other Wed midday news briefs

Happy #HeterosexualPrideDay pic.twitter.com/qVDKzucYYa

— Holy Bullies (@holybullies) June 29, 2016

#HeterosexualPrideDay Is Trending on Twitter. Here's the Guy Who Started It, and Here Are Some of the Best Responses. - Yes, some chyle started the #HeterosexualPrideDay hashtag and now it is trending. This is probably due to the fact that lgbts have taken it over and dropping science with our own tweets. 

Evangelical Leader Backpedals On Story Of Trump’s Recent Conversion - Oh James Dobson, you are hilarious. I kinda wished Dobson didn't walk it back because it would have been to throw it in his face the next time Trump says something "interestingly nauseating."  

Gordon Klingenschmitt, Colorado's Most Famous Anti-Gay, Demon-Hunting Legislator, Loses His Bid For Higher Office - Another anti-lgbt legislator bites the dust!

Why LGBT Catholics Are Skeptical Of Pope Francis’ Apology To Gays - Amen to THAT! 

 2 Transgender Women Make History With Congressional Primary Wins - THIS is awesome!

SC 'bathroom bill' sponsoring legislator loses seat in runoff

Lee Bright, the SC legislator who sponsored a failed anti-transgender 'bathroom bill,' lost his re-election bid.

Lee Bright a South Carolina state senator who earlier this year sponsored a  failed anti-transgender bathroom bill, officially lost his bid for re-election on Tuesday.

According to the Charleston Post and Courier:

Voters launched a backlash against incumbents in runoff elections as a string of veteran lawmakers were tossed out of office Tuesday, including Spartanburg County Republican Sen. Lee Bright, who made gender bathrooms and defense of gun rights a cornerstone of his last months in office.

 . . .  Bright, also known for his failed bills to track refugees resettling in South Carolina and to limit which bathrooms transgender individuals can use, lost to former state Rep. Scott Talley, a favorite of both Gov. Nikki Haley and the S.C. Chamber of Commerce.

Earlier this year, Bright ignited a firestorm across the state by sponsoring an anti-transgender bill not unlike the controversial HB2 in North Carolina. The  bill, which would have forced transgender men and women to use bathrooms and restrooms in accordance to the gender on their birth certificates, never got out of committee.  Several public figures, including SC Governor Nikki Haley and Richland County Sherrif Leon Lott,  voiced opposition to it.

Ironically, the bill galvanized SC's lgbt community and their allies while backfiring against Bright, leading him to take negative hits from both parties.

And it may have been that opposition which led to his defeat by painting picture of Bright as a legislator so busy with grabbing attention that he was neglecting less controversial, but just as important, issues .

According to Greenville Online:

The Conservation Voters of South Carolina said it knocked on 21,100 doors, made 7,500 phone calls, dropped 120,000 pieces of mail and spent more than $90,000 trying to unseat state Sen. Lee Bright, who scored the lowest of any senator on its legislative scorecard. Bright was also subjected to a seemingly endless barrage of attack ads on Greenville’s two conservative talk radio stations – courtesy of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, whose objections to Bright included his votes against tort reform, road-funding plans and aid to flood-stricken farmers.

Pat Robertson can't decide a reason why God will 'punish' America

According to Right Wing Watch,  Pat Roberson just claimed that God will punish America because of the SCOTUS decision striking down Texas's very restrictive abortion law:

By the way, don't be fooled by Robertson's hysterical language about SCOTUS decision. Texas had a bad law in place and it deserved to be overturned.

 But for the purpose of this blog, Robertson's portents of holy doom is confusing simply because early last year, he claimed that God will punish America for marriage equality. This doomsday prediction included an interesting and very inaccurate rendition of the Biblical story of Sodom and Gomorrah:



If I may nitpick a bit on this clip, Robertson was inaccurate in his retelling of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. The men of Sodom never harmed Lot's daughters.

But that little fact is neither here nor there more than the question of have you ever wondered whether Pat Robertson is simply full of it?

'Wrong AGAIN, anti-gay right - Five anti-marriage equality predictions which haven't come true' & other Tue midday news briefs

NOM's march failed big time. See link below

Five Right-Wing Predictions About Marriage Equality That Still Haven't Come True - One thing our community MUST use to our advantage is the anti-gay right's tendency to make inaccurate predictions about portents of doom regarding incoming pro-lgbt laws. They are always wrong. And we HARDLY EVER remind people about that.  In this case, being "petty" and rubbing it in is the correct tactic.

AL Supreme Court justice will face judicial panel over anti-LGBT order - Roy Moore should have never been anywhere NEAR any judicial body.  

The 2016 Anti-LGBT March For Marriage Was A Complete Flop - A HIGHLY enjoyable article. The complete story of WHY NOM's 2016 March for Marriage was a complete flop. Just look at this article as a DVD of your favorite blockbuster movie chock full of unseen extras. 

 Watch The Catholic League’s Bill Donohue Demand “An Apology From Gays” - No comment because I don't want anyone's hair to turn white or nose to bleed due to the words I may use to describe Donohue.  

The Hardest Part About Being a Gay Parent - A fascinating piece for those of us lgbts who are parents (and desire to be parents).

Photo of NOM's "March for Marriage" taken from Zack Ford of Think Progress.

Family Research Council, The Christian Post team up for failed attack on married gay couples

In its zeal to stigmatize married same-sex couples, the Family Research Council sometimes slips up, displaying its duplicitous nature.

Take this tweet for example:

The tweet links to a  Christian Post article which claims that same sex couples have no expectations of fidelity in their marriages. In fact, the first paragraph says the following:

Catholic University of America professor Paul Sullins said Friday that there is "no expectation" of sexual faithfulness in many gay marriages, noting that studies have shown only a small minority of gay marriages are truly monogamous.

According to the article, Sullins was participating in a Family Research Council panel discussion along with Institute on Religion &  Democracy President Mark Tooley and the director of FRC's Center for Religious Liberty Travis Weber about the effects of marriage equality one year after the Obergefell decision made it the law of the land.

As if it's any surprise, all three were negative about the effects of the Obergefell decision. Sullins, in particular, got my attention because of his claims with regards to the monogamy of same-sex couples.

Sullins then weighed in saying that in today's society, with the rise of gay marriage and no-fault divorce, many people believe marriage is to be a set of "personal understandings" rather than something that should be "regulated by agreements."

"That is particularly appropriate to Obergefell because we know from long studies that only a small minority of gay male marriages are monogamous," Sullins said. "The infidelity is a component of the large majority of same-sex male relationships, a little bit smaller minority among lesbian relationships."

But the problem with Sullins' claim lies in the studies cited. While the article does not contribute the citation of the studies below to Sullins, it doesn't take a genius to realize that there is a major deception going on:
 

According to the Daily Beast, at least two studies were conducted in the last 15 years that, among other things, analyzed the faithfulness in gay relationships.

According to the studies from San Francisco State University and Alliant International University, about half of gay relationships are open relationships where partners are allowed to engage in sexual activities with someone else other than their partner.

It is believed the rate of gay relationships that are non-monogamous is higher than both heterosexual and lesbian relationship; however, lack of research makes it unclear as to how much higher that rate is.

In 2000, Esther Rothblum, a professor at San Diego State University, conducted research that found that only 15 percent of straight husbands had sex outside of their relationship.

It's fascinating to watch the sleight of hand here. The Christian Post article's title implies married gay couples don't expect monogamy in their relationships, but the two studies used to back this up seems to have contained very few or no married same-sex couples.  I looked up both links to verify this fact.

(Editor's note -  I  had to consult the original Daily Beast article because I initially thought The Christian Post article mistakenly posted the same link to both study citations.  However, after rereading the information provided by The Christian Post article, I discovered a larger error. The two studies in question are actually the same study. 

The Daily Beast article said the following - "Over the past decade and a half, studies from San Francisco State University and Alliant International University have found that around half of gay relationships are open."  While "The San Francisco University" phrase links a Gawker article, a link from that article shows that it is also  talking about the Alliant International University study.

However The Christian Post, as clearly seen in the excerpt above, made it seem that the Daily Beast was citing two different studies even though the links it posted led to the same study. )

Then The Christian Post article compares that study to one of heterosexual couples who are in fact clearly married.

In other words, the Family Research Council and The Christian Post sloppily teamed up to push an idea that same-sex couples are not monogamous.  And it leads me to wonder that if the study the article cited didn't come from Sullins, just what studies did he cite.

Or did Sullins cite any specific studies at all?

'Pope - Church should ask forgiveness of lgbt community' & other Mon. midday news briefs

The Awkward Love Story of Trump and American Evangelicals - Again, DO NOT take the relationship between Donald Trump and the religious right lightly on any regard. 

Pope says Church should ask forgiveness from gays for past treatment - Yes it does. Past AND present treatment. But I won't wait on the apology. Some will say that they are merely following Scripture with regards to their treatment of lgbts, but watch how they overlook the Scriptures which speak of not bearing false witness.  

Tennessee Judge Ignores Supreme Court, Rules Parental Rights Apply Only To ‘Husbands’ - And we have a new problem . . . 

 The First Openly Gay Charlotte City Councilwoman Opens Up About HB2 - The argument over lgbt equality in the South.  

A Year After Marriage Equality, It's Time For Media To Stop Giving Anti-LGBT Liars A Pass - It bears repeating that we only play into the game of the Family Research Council, the American Family Association, and the rest of the anti-lgbt right if we allow them and the media to give them the title of "evangelicals" in spite of all of their distortions, lying, and general behavior which belie the religious reliefs they claim to uphold. Too many of us want to declare a war on religion itself rather than the forces who exploit religion. In 1978, Anita Bryant exploited the fear that gay men recruit children. Over 30 years later in 2016, organizations on her side of the spectrum merely altered that lie to demonize transgender women. And we stood there having to play catch up to another hurricane of lies yet again.  Where were the people speaking out on the lie of lgbts and children BEFORE the religious right pulled that card? Simplify the war, folks. It's never been about religion, but those who corrupt and exploit religious beliefs.  All of our rhetorical missiles should be aimed at them.

Ban on transgender troops to be lifted this week

As it happens, the following will take place this week. From the USA Today:

The Pentagon plans to announce the repeal of its ban on transgender service members July 1, a controversial decision that would end nearly a year of internal wrangling among the services on how to allow those troops to serve openly, according to Defense officials.

Top personnel officials plan to meet as early as Monday to finalize details of the plan, and Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work could sign off on it by Wednesday, according to a Defense official familiar with the timetable but who spoke on condition of anonymity because officials were not authorized to speak publicly about it. Final approval would come from Defense Secretary Ash Carter, and the announcement will be on the eve of the Fourth of July weekend.

The plan would direct each branch of the armed services over a one-year period to implement new policies affecting recruiting, housing and uniforms for transgender troops, one official said.

Personally I feel that with transgender men and women already fighting for our freedoms, it is about time. However, I sincerely hope that those of us who support this will be ready to fight the possible backlash coming from the religious right and their supporters.

After battling the havoc they have been attempting to wreak with their "bathroom bills," one can only imagine the spin they are going to push on this situation. We know it will be coming, so let's not act unprepared when they start talking about "social experiments" and spinning anecdotal horror stories.

'How 'evangelicals' hide behind their faith to harm lgbt health' & other Fri. midday news briefs

What Happens When Gay People Are Told That Homosexuality Is A Sin? - From this wonderful post: "Conservative Christians have long argued that their condemnations of homosexuality are couched in love, complete with the catchy slogan, “love the sinner, hate the sin.” But that message — that homosexuality is a sin — is harmful in and of itself." 

106 Things You Can Do To Bring About The Queer Revolution - Interesting list and I agree with much of the items on it. However, allow me to add two more things - 1. "Know the difference between "Acting Up" and "catching up" - don't wait until the last minute to start raising hell and getting engaged. If you know that a homophobic law or action is coming and you do nothing to educate about it or prevent it, then your actions afterwards isn't "acting up." You are "catching up." 2. The second thing needs explaining. As much as this list is beneficial, the tone does come across as schoolmarmish and elitist. Some of the phrases and words are very esoteric and thus are not recognized by lgbts who aren't into the "academic" or "intellectual queer moment." It reminds me of a PBS tv show I used to watch about nutrition called Soup 2 Nuts. It was a good show but it came across as too damn preachy. There was no levity and that made it a huge turn off from the message it was sending about bettering oneself. So the other thing I would add is "Don't be angry at yourself if you don't follow the entire list. It and you are a work in progress."

 James Dobson: Obama's Transgender Rights Guidelines Are An Effort To Sow Chaos And Impose Tyranny - You notice how these paper evangelicals are so eager and easy to sow division and fear? Doesn't strike me as very Godly or Christian. 

 Obama Designates First LGBT National Monument At Site Of Stonewall Riots - Sweet!

The homophobia of Trump's 'Evangelical Advisory Board'

This wonderful graphic of Donald Trump's "Evangelical Advisory Board" (i.e. Trumps' Legion of Homophobia) should put an end to his ridiculous claim that he is a "friend of the lgbt community:"

Graphic provided by Media Matters.