Repost - Your Religious Liberty Doesn’t Give You The Right To Steal My Queer Tax Dollars

Editor's note - A repost from earlier this year.

With Trump in the White House, religious right groups such as the Family Research Council and figures like Franklin Graham and Fox News personality Todd Starnes are eager to get certain goals accomplished.

High on their list is a dehumanization of the lgbt community under the seemingly innocent courtesy of “religious liberty,” or allowing entities and people to discriminate against queers under the guise of “personally held religious beliefs.” It’s been a goal they have been working on for a long time and with Trump as president, they hope to reap benefits for all of the stories and hype they have spun about bakeries and florists “forced” to accept money from queer customers for their services, government employees like Kim Davis “forced” to do their jobs, and religious groups such as Catholic Charities with its adoption services which are “forced” to say no to government money because they refuse to not discriminate against lgbts.

They imply that it’s all about preserving the integrity of the “faith” of groups and people supposedly targeted by lgbts with a huge phone book, an obscene amount of Facebook friends, a pipeline to a secret worldwide organization not unlike the one James Bond has fought against, and long list of IOUs to cash in for being denied the right to supposedly “flaunt” their lifestyle or “pervert” marriage all of these years.

Okay, I am exaggerating a little bit, but the gist of what I said is true. And so is my next statement. Like so many times before, the entire truth about “religious liberty” is a world of difference from what is fed to us by the religious right. Unfortunately, the terms of this debate are usually dictated by them because they appear to have the loudest megaphone and the most access to the media, even if what they say isn’t necessarily true.

Here is a fact about the “religious liberty” argument which is generally not talked about but needs to be moved in the midst of the discussion. The argument as it is presented now is degrading, embarrassing, and simply hurtful. It’s yet another attempt by the religious right to put us on the defensive and make us have to justify our existence and our right to respect and dignity.

Franklin Graham engages in hypocritical bigotry against Disney, LGBTQ youth

So Franklin Graham just put out this tweet this morning:

So he's mad at Disney for daring to emphasize the reality that LGBTQ children exist. That's his right. However, I call out his homophobia as well as his hypocrisy for doing so.

 This is the same guy who supports "pu@@y-grabber" Donald Trump's presidential administration even to the point of speaking at his rallies. However to my knowledge, he has NEVER publicly called Trump to the carpet for the myriad of distasteful things he has done, from his vulgar comments to his questionable public policies, and general incompetence.

What's more of a negative influence on our children? Disney acknowledging the simple fact that LGBTQ youth exist and showing their lives or a pastor who has abandoned his moral and religious integrity for the power and spotlight?

Roy Moore will bring more homophobia & hypocrisy to the Senate

Most likely,  the controversial former Alabama judge (he was kicked off of the bench twice) Roy Moore will be elected as the US Senator from Alabama due to a combination of the GOP putting party before country and Alabama citizens so programmed to vote Republican that they do it anyway even when they don't like the GOP choice. Taking that in mind, the following video courtesy of the Human Rights Campaign is what not just what the LGBTQ community will be getting, but also what America in general will be getting.  Enjoy it (or not).



Too bad Moore doesn't feel the same way about crooked money practices than he does about the LGBTQ community. Moore's philosophy seems to be "homosexuality is a sin, but questionable ways to get money isn't." But seeing who is in the Oval Office at the present, Moore's brand of evangelical plutocracy will fit in nicely.

Editor's note - I didn't publish this post to create despair so don't even start with the raging or wringing your hands in abject fear of what's coming. Knowing what could be coming is just the first step in  defeating it. The key to victory here will be not losing your head to fear or rage. It will be knowing what's coming, planning for it, and if necessary, using whatever you can to your advantage. In other words, Moore's fanaticism could be more of an asset than a liability to us.

'GOP tax plan would let pastors endorse candidates from the pulpit' & other Fri. midday news briefs

The GOP are about to reward the religious right for replacing Jesus with Trump.

Republicans' tax plan would let clergy endorse candidates from the pulpit - This would eventually be catastrophic for the church. And you know it would wreak havoc with the LGBTQ community. On one hand, with the religious right pushing heavily for this, we are gaining further proof of the power hungry face it hides. On the other, I am a religious person and I don't like churches being immersed in the ugly political world. This will lessen its credibility.

GOP lawmaker suggests repealing the Johnson Amendment isn’t really about ‘religious freedom’ - This is why they want to repeal the Johnson Amendment.

Battle Over Rights Inspires More Transgender Political Candidates - THIS is wonderful news - "Nearly 30 races in the 2017-18 U.S. election cycle already have a transgender candidate, up from 13 in 2015-16, according to Harvard researcher Logan Casey." You see, that's how progress begins. These candidates understand that it's about more than academic terms in your circle, group-shaming of people not being "correct" or useless public displays garnered to simply get attention. 

 Virginia Legislator Says Trans Opponent Defies ‘Laws Of Nature’ At A ‘Fundamental Level’ - BUT it's not without struggle. No struggle, no progress. 

This Short Film Hilariously Examines Dangerous Expectations Of Masculinity Among Gay Men - THANK YOU!

When religious liberty was used to justify racism instead of homophobia . . .

Zack Ford of ThinkProgress has just published an excellent piece about the upcoming SCOTUS case involving  the baker attempting to use his religious beliefs as an excuse to not serve gay couples.

In 8 arguments against the anti-gay baker you may not have considered, Ford looks at the amicus briefs submitted in the case on behalf of the gay couple. It's all a fascinating read which proves that this is not a case simply about baking a cake.

One brief I found interesting in particular was by the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund. Apparently the idea of using religious liberty as a way to deny services was already litigated in the courts. But that particular case had to do with racial discrimination:

One particular amicus brief makes perhaps the most compelling argument that the Masterpiece Cakeshop case poses a threat to all civil rights. Here’s how the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund describes it: 

This case involves a familiar story: Three customers walk into a small business that sells specialty foods. The owner is said to be an “artist” for his unique culinary skills and believes his religious convictions imbue his work. The owner turns the customers away entirely or denies them access to the full range of his products because these religious beliefs forbid him from serving a particular group of persons. When the owner is challenged in court regarding his refusal to serve the customers, he claims that the First Amendment should abrogate public accommodations laws and immunize his refusal to provide service. 

This portrays what occurred in 2012 to Mr. Mullins, Mr. Craig, and Ms. Munn in the instant case—but it also describes what transpired in 1964 to three African-American customers at a barbeque restaurant in South Carolina, which led to this Court’s seminal case addressing racial discrimination in public accommodations. 

The NAACP is referring to the case Newman v. Piggie Park, which it litigated. And exactly as the organization describes, an “artist” of barbecue, Maurice Bessinger, denied service to customers on account of their race and argued that he was simply following his religious beliefs. The Supreme Court outright rejected these arguments and ruled that the discrimination was not justified. It’s an informative case because 50 years have passed and it’s clear there were no consequences to ruling against the owner’s “religious freedom.”

'Senate confirms Trump judge opposed by 27 LGBTQ groups' & other Thur midday news briefs

27 LGBTQ groups opposed Joan Larsen but the Senate confirmed her judgeship.

Senate Confirms Trump Judge Opposed By 27 LGBTQ Rights Groups - Not good, but we are going to be watching her with MUCH interest. 

Russia sought to influence LGBT voters with ‘Buff Bernie’ ad - Lawd hammercy!

Rejected by adoption agencies, same-sex couple from Dimondale is suing the state - If you get tax dollars from gays, you shouldn't have the right to discriminate against us regardless of your faith. If you feel that your faith is strong, then pray for the funding. Michigan is getting with a lawsuit. 

AU Tells Supreme Court To Stop Businesses From Using Religion As Excuse To Discriminate - PREACH!! 

The Muted Fight Against HB 1523, the Most Anti-LGBT Law in America - Now I like this right here. Just because work to ensure LGBTQ equality isn't shouted from the rooftops doesn't mean its nonexistent. As the anti-LGBTQ industry has shown, the best work is always done behind the scenes and away from the "maddening crowd."

Parents call out Trump judicial nominee for derogatory comments he made about their trans children

Easily the most offensive of Trump's judicial nominees (all of them are awful as it is), is one Jeff Mateer, whose work with the anti-LGBTQ organizations led him to impugn transgender children by claiming that they are proof that "Satan's plan is working."

Since that revelation, the Trump Administration and the anti-LGBTQ industry have been silent regarding Mateer, which is surprising. I thought at least the Family Research Council or the American Family Association would be publicly defending him.

However, the parents of transgender children have not been silent and in this video, they address Mateer personally for what he said about their kids. They also break down why they oppose his nomination as a judge.

'Latest Trump judicial nominee, like others, has ties to anti-LGBTQ industry' & other Wed midday news briefs

Leonard Steven Grasz, the latest Trump judicial nominee with ties to anti-LGBTQ groups

Donald Trump Keeps Losing in the Courts, so He’s Trying to Take Them Over - You're almost there. Scratch out Trump's name and insert "the anti-LGBTQ industry." It's not just that these nominees are anti-LGBTQ, it's that a concerning number of them come specifically from anti-LGBTQ organizations. 

We Need To Stand Up To Bullying In The Asian American And Pacific Islander Community - Speaking of diversity in the LGBTQ community . . . 

Out2Enroll launches LGBT coalition to promote Obamacare under Trump - Wonderful! 

Breathtaking Portraits of the Children of LGBTQ Parents - Author of photo book spotlighting children of LGBTQ parents talks about her project. 

  Egypt Doesn’t Speak for Africa on LGBT Issues - Egypt has declared war on the LGBTQ community. South Africa isn't happy over it. Step up!

Family Research Council has no use for credible legal experts in condemning block of trans ban

As to be expected, hate group the Family Research Council is "ever so pissed" at the decision of a federal judge to block Trump's ban on transgender Americans serving in the military. And the organizations has "experts" ready to spell out why Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly was wrong in her ruling.  

In reality, FRC doesn't. It only has vitriol like so:

It may be Halloween, but Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly didn't bother disguising her activist agenda. In a stunning ruling on Trump's military policy, Kollar-Kotelly thrilled liberals by putting the brakes on the president's July order that stopped people who identify as transgender from serving. Although it's the same policy Barack Obama held for seven years, it's apparently unconstitutional now that Donald Trump is president. 

Most Americans will probably never get used to judges substituting their own opinion for the law, but it was especially jarring yesterday when this one declared herself the final authority on U.S. military policy, despite never being elected for the job. As any credible legal expert would tell you, Kollar-Kotelly's opinion was amazingly presumptuous for an unelected district judge, who -- without the benefit of internal intelligence, the service chiefs' counsel, and Defense Department data -- is quite content telling the White House how to defend America. 

It was a jaw-dropping move, suggesting that she knows better than the commander-in-chief, but that's the unfortunate climate of America's courts. Liberal judges have gone from rewriting the law to second-guessing our president in areas like national security, where the courts almost always defer to the executive branch. And this court doesn't tiptoe -- it leaps over the White House's authority on military issues.

Now the headline of FRC's condemnation of Kollar-Kotelly's ruling says the following:

However, it is clear that FRC sees the concept of "legal expert" with as much contempt as it sees the concepts of "truth" and accuracy." FRC seems to think the integrity of all of these concepts are mere expendables in its quest to shape America to its pseudo-Christian liking.

The experts used by FRC in its post are employees Travis Weber and Peter Sprigg. Weber has practiced law and does have a Master's Degree. But based upon his statement, Weber seems to be unschooled about how our court system works:

"This type of judicial activism gives the court a self-conferred 'veto' of any presidential decision concerning the military the court simply thinks is unlawful. That's not the way our constitutional order works."

Actually, our constitutional order does work that way. The courts do not issue vetoes. They see that laws follow the constitution and this also includes executive orders.

And then there is Peter Sprigg, whom I've written about more times than I can count. Sprigg has no law degree and no experience in practicing law. He is a pastor and a former professional actor. He also has a propensity for spinning shameless lies and distortions about the LGBTQ community.

In contrast, the judge FRC smears, Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, has been on the bench for 20 years.

So one side of a judicial decision, you have a judge with 20 years experience. On the other, you have an obviously wet-behind-the-ears fanatic and a man who couldn't give a proper legal reason for even picking his nose.

I think we know whose opinion to trust here.

'Roy Moore wants to impeach judge who blocked Trump's trans ban' & other Tue midday news briefs

Roy Moore

Roy Moore: Impeach Judge for Blocking Trans Military Ban - A preview of scenes to come should Roy Moore win the election in AL to be a United States Senator. God help us all, but let's start planning now, just in case, to undercut and use his homophobia and transphobia as an asset to our equality movement.

Hillary Clinton: Roy Moore's 'bigotry and hatred speaks volumes' about country - Mercy, she should have been president. At least she is doing what other folks don't have the courage to do.

The Senate Is About To Confirm A Frenzy Of Conservative Judges - Pay attention cause this is NOT good.

U.S. Congress unanimously condemns anti-LGBTQ violence in Chechnya - It's about time.

Michigan city among first to permanently display LGBT pride flag - Sweet! 

Conservatives Are Hinting They May Try And Delay Marriage Equality If Australia Votes "Yes" - A good sign for marriage equality in Australia. Those who oppose it are scared of losing a public referendum.

Think Progress - Trump's trans ban blocked due to his incompetence & laziness

Incompetent Trump gets burned by a federal judge.

By now you know that a federal judge suspended Trump's executive order banning transgender men and women serving in the military.  The details will filter out and I'm sure the anti-LGBTQ industry will have its (false) spin on the situation.

But for my money, I love the post by Ian Millhiser of Think Progress, who pulls no punches, particularly with the headline  A court blocked Trump’s transgender military ban because Trump is lazy and incompetent 

Before most presidents announce a significant policy change, they spend some time studying the problem. They consult with outside experts and various stakeholders concerned about the issue. They seek the input of senior advisers, who themselves seek input from a team of researchers and policy experts. 

Donald Trump, by contrast, is more inclined to simply announce a major policy shift on Twitter. 

This lack of concern with the intricacies of policymaking bit Trump hard on Monday.

. . . Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly’s opinion is significant for several reasons, including the fact that it holds that courts should treat all government discrimination against transgender individuals with a great deal of skepticism. One of Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s most significant conclusions, however, is that she does not owe much deference to Trump’s judgment thanks to the slipshod way that Trump decided to implement the ban.

. . .In reaching this decision, Judge Kollar-Kotelly notes that she may have reached a different outcome if Trump had followed a more ordinary process before announcing his new policy. If Trump had bothered to study the question in a serious way “and then decided that banning all transgender individuals from serving in the military was beneficial to the various military objectives cited, this would be a different case. But as discussed above, that is not the case before the Court.” Rather “it appears that the rights of a class of individuals were summarily and abruptly revoked for reasons contrary to the only then-available studies.”

Millhiser goes on to break down just how shoddy Trump's defense for his executive order was and links his loss in court today to the losses he suffered regarding his Muslim ban, specifically with this savage closing sentence:

In the age of Trump, liberty’s greatest shield is Trump’s goonish ineptitude.

'Kevin Spacey accused of deflection in coming out as gay after claim he sexually harassed 14-year-old' & other Mon. midday news briefs

Kevin Spacey

Kevin Spacey Responds To Report He Sexually Harassed Then-14-Year-Old Anthony Rapp

Media Skewered For Focus On Kevin Spacey Coming Out Rather Than Harassment  

Furious, Many Accuse Kevin Spacey of Coming Out as Gay to Deflect From Accusation of Underage Sexual Assault by Anthony Rapp

How Kevin Spacey tried to get everyone to ignore his alleged advances on a 14-year-old

If not for the indictments and guilty pleas from the Trump campaign and administration today, the news that Kevin Spacey finally came out in the midst of charges that he sexually harassed an actor when said actor was 14-years-old would be THE mega news of the day. But still, allow me to convey a message to Spacey:

 Dear Kevin Spacey, 

No! No! No! Oh HEEELLLLL NO! 

Yours truly, 

the Gay Mafia

 In other news: 

Phil Robertson Suggests Listening To Beyoncé Will Give You An STD - Bigotry makes one SOOOO stupid! 

Louisiana man sues sheriff’s office for HIV discrimination - A form of discrimination we really need to talk about. 

Lambda Legal to High Court: Religious License to Discriminate Harms LGBT People from Cradle to Grave - PREACH!!!!

Trump supporter makes fool of himself in attempt to 'expose LGBTQ agenda'

Editor's note -All of the anger should be directed at anyone who exploits the Kevin Spacey situation to conflate being gay with pedophilia. The Kevin Spacey incident doesn't mean that being gay is conflated with pedophilia any more than the Weinstein incident and several incidents regarding other heterosexual men becoming known mean that all heterosexual men are dogs and rapists. That's all I'm going to say for now because the majority of folks should know better. I say "for now" because unfortunately some folks don't know better. Don't even try to exploit this, Family Research Council, etc.

Arthur Christopher Schaper is not known to many, but those who do know him regard him as a nuisance. The Los Angeles Times calls him " . . .the Trump backer leading the resistance to the resistance in California" 

 Schaper, a 36-year-old unemployed Torrance resident and blogger, usually shows up at public meetings in his red Make America Great Again cap, wearing a Trump flag as a cape. He records his escapades on cellphone video, narrating in real time as he trolls in real life. Schaper's style — which includes showing up to Waters' office with a sign reading, "Maxine Waters Go to Hell" — caused the Republican Party of Los Angeles County to pull the charter from the Beach Cities Republicans club of which he is president. 

 And that's not his only endeavor:

 Schaper is involved with numerous right-wing groups, including MassResistance, an anti-LGBTQ organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled a hate group. He said financial support from MassResistance helps fund his activism. 

 Hence the video below of him showing the "outrageous" things a children's library is doing to celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month." This video was shot by Schaper in June can in fact be called outrageous but for its banality and basic stupidity. Come on, guy! Where's the beef?

Silly group boycotting Disney Channel for acknowledging existence of LGBTQ children' & other Fri midday news briefs

Disney Channel show will feature a gay storyline.

One Million Moms launches hysterical Disney Channel boycott over gay characters - A worthless group calling for a useless boycott against the Disney Channel for daring to acknowledge the existence of LGBTQ children. It, like all of their other boycotts, will fail.

Disney Channel’s ‘Andi Mack’ Will Make History With Gay Storyline - The Disney Channel show in the center of the controversy.

Court: Phoenix wedding invitation designers must serve LGBT customers - Like I said before, the anti-LGBTQ industry has an abundance of idiots just wanting to be martyrs. The business owners in this case is a shining example. No gays requested their services and no one filed a complaint against them. But they wanted to be stars and got burned for their efforts. 

What We Can Learn From Closeted Gay And Bi Men Who’ve Been Sexually Harassed - Pay attention.

Matt Barber Cites Hoax News Story To Link LGBTQ Activists To Pedophilia - Here is someone I haven't talked about in a while. And I see nothing has changed since I've featured him on my blog a while back. Barber has no problem lying in the name of his so-called religion.

Hey African-American bigots! We exist ! (This ain't no #@&! love letter, either!)

I have been in a state of extreme anger for two days now due to a press conference in which a bunch of bought-and-paid-for trifling conservative black folks again allowed the anti-LGBTQ industry to use them.

What did they do? The same shit they always do when the anti-LGBTQ industry yanks their chain - make all sorts of false claims about how the LGBTQ community is attempting to piggyback on the African-American civil rights movement. They get all vocal and self-righteous proclaiming how gays are trying to "equate their sin with black folks' skin" or how gays never suffered segregation or racism.

Or  when they claim that gays are attempting to equate "sexual behavior" to "innate skin color."

They even got this cute webpage and hashtag (#wegotyourbackjack ) which references the upcoming SCOTUS case of a baker attempting to get away with discriminating against gay couples on the grounds of religious liberty.  Their entire campaign is a nasty slap in the face to the LGBTQ community in general but specifically LGBTQs of color.

That's what really pisses me off to the highest levels of "pissivity" when black folks allow themselves to engage in this game of attack.  By their statements and pronouncements, these fools attempt to push the semantic idea that being an LGBTQ is a "white issue." In other words, they render people like me invisible.  It's bad enough to be called names, but its worse when people deliberately omit you. It makes you feel absolutely worthless.

And I refuse to feel worthless because a bunch of self-righteous idiots allow themselves to be used to get acclaim and money for denigrating their own people. I exist. Other LGBTQs of color exist. We aren't going away and fake activists (such as Alveda King who is knee deep in this mess. She is a gigantic phony. The most important thing she ever did was to have the good luck of being Martin Luther King, Jr's niece) can't make us go away.

The videos above says it all. Since those folks don't want to acknowledge us common, everyday LGBTQs of color, the videos of famous LGBTQS of color are to remind them that their false attacks  may get them what the acclaim and probably the money they want, but that's all they are going get.

They have no control over reality.

'Lies about children, trans community used against VA candidate' & other Thur midday news briefs

A nasty lie rears its ugly head in a Virginia General Assembly election.

Far-Right Virginia Legislator Fights Trans Opponent With Help Of Anti-LGBTQ Megadonor - Just about every anti-LGBTQ campaign - from the opposition to non-discrimination ordinances to the unsuccessful fight against marriage equality - has contained some form of the "LGBTQs want children" horror lie. Why should the campaign against Danica Roem, a transgender woman seeking a seat on the Virginia General Assembly, be any different? It's the enduring lie which we have YET to take on in a blitz campaign it deserves.

‘We Are Being Hunted’: Why LGBTQ Egyptians Are Living in Fear - Our struggle for equality and against persecution is worldwide. 

Every Terrible Thing Jeff Sessions and the DOJ Have Done Since February - And a large number of it has been against the LGBTQ community.

Trump’s gay nominee facing Dem opposition in Senate -It's not that Trump picked him. The problem lies with his past misogynist comments. 

Sen. Murray comes out against Trump’s anti-LGBT pick for NASA - Good.

Hate group president claims he knows Steve Bannon's plan of war on GOP

Steve Bannon has a plan to reshape Congress for Trump.

FRC president Tony Perkins claims to know the plan, calls it 'doable.'

The belief that the Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit represented a possible fusion between the religious right and the alt-right just gained another notch of credibility today.

According to People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch, FRC president Tony Perkins was bragging he knows about Steve Bannon's plan to "reshape" the GOP. You will remember that it was during the Values Voter Summit that Bannon talked about "declaring war" on the Republican Party.

Bannon, a former official in the Trump Administration and editor of the far right publication Breitbart, has recently been openly supporting GOP primary candidates for Congress. His candidates lean to the very far right, such as anti-LGBTQ activist and former Alabama judge Roy Moore. His goal is to get elect a Congress more supportive of Donald Trump.

Needless to say, his efforts have a lot of Republicans, particularly Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell, worried.

One of the reasons is Bannon's ties to the racist alt-right. According to a Buzzfeed article, Breitbart under Bannon's leadership pushed racist alt-right ideas in its reporting and into the mainstream.

However, FRC's Perkins isn't bothered by any of this. In fact, he bragged about knowing Bannon's plan:

During yesterday’s episode of his “Washington Watch” radio program, Perkins agreed with a caller that voters should not donate money to the Republican Party. Instead, Perkins encouraged listeners to donate money directly to candidates and groups like the Family Research Council instead. Perkins cited his conversations with Bannon as part of his fundraising pitch. “I’ve talked with Steve Bannon. I know the plan, and I think it’s a doable plan. It’s working. I mean, Flake is peeled off and there’s more to come,” Perkins said, referring to Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake’s announcement that he would not seek reelection due to the state of the Republican Party under President Trump.

When the president of an anti-LGBTQ hate group is bragging about being privy to the plans of another man who has ties to the racist alt-right and those plans are to reshape Congress, we are all in trouble. Particularly the LGBTQ community.

This issue will be followed and visited again before next year's mid-term elections. Trust me on that one.

'A mother watches her son become the victim of 'religious liberty' discrimination' & other Wed midday news briefs

How It Feels When Someone Refuses to Make Your Son a Wedding Cake - The mother of the gay couple involved in the "religious liberty" case going to SCOTUS eloquently speaks out on why the case isn't about simply a cake but plain blatant discrimination and how it feels to see her child become a victim of it. One advantage the anti-LGBTQ industry has over us are so-called Christian bakers and florist willing to have their egos stoked and play the martyr. They don't mind doing interviews and appearing on talk shows pretending to be victims because they have allowed themselves to be manipulated by groups who pay the cost of everything for them. The true victims - the people denied services on the basis of sexual orientation - don't have the same luxury. But it does prove that our side aren't willing to exploit folks. After all, these people went in said businesses expecting a service. They didn't ask to be made into nationwide symbols of martyrdom.

Black pastors, conservatives are letting white homophobes exploit them (again) - Speaking of the same situation, my post from last night. It proves that this entire "religious liberty" nonsense is a coordinated campaign by the anti-LGBTQ industry to undermine our equality, again.

GOA to hold its first ever gay pride this month- Sweet! 

The Arizona Senate Race Is About To Be Bonkers - Because of Donald Trump, Arizona senator Jeff Flake will not seek re-election. This puts the LGBTQ community square in the middle of possibly one of the wildest, ugliest Senatorial elections in recent history. To quote the Huffington Post - "The first openly bisexual member of Congress could end up facing off against a Republican whose own party has called her a conspiracy theorist."


Photo take from Commondreams.org

Black pastors, conservatives are letting white homophobes exploit them (again)

The newest coalition between conservative black pastors and the mostly white anti-LGBTQ industry exploits the Civil Rights movement to diminish the LGBTQ equality movement and renders African-American LGBTQs invisible.

Editor's note - Please DO NOT be like our opposition. Do not use this post as proof of the ridiculous LGBTQ vs. African-American argument. Do not fall into the trap of getting caught up in that argument.  Our equality and survival depends upon knowing that we ALL have the same opposition and knowing that,  just like with Milo Yiannopolous with the LGBTQ community, there are some African-Americans willing to exploit ignorance and prejudice for their own gains.

One thing the LGBTQ community has earned in our successful fight for marriage equality is how the anti-LGBTQ industry has no problem  using African-American pastors and conservatives as a tool either to turn the black community against us or to give themselves some type of credibility with other white folks.

The National Organization for Marriage tried to use this strategy. It even  employed a pastor by the name of William Owens as its "bona fide" civil rights movement leader. to lash out against marriage equality and the LGBTQ community. Employed is the correct term because the group was paying him and his wife for their efforts. We later found out that Owens was known for being the black token for conservative white groups (for a price.)

I wonder how much the anti-LGBTQ industry is paying for  THIS version of the  old divide-and-conquer game:

Yesterday, a group of black leaders made that quite clear in a special press conference on the steps of the Supreme Court. Tired of hearing the LGBT community compare its experience to the real suffering of the civil rights movement, church and civic leaders decided to speak out about why Jack's case matters. FRC's Dean Nelson and FRC Action's Patrina Mosley spoke, sharing deeply personal stories about the pain and prejudice their families experienced over the color of their skin. Patrina talked about how insulting it is to hear LGBT activists equate their "persecution" to generations of African Americans.

Ah yes. Deliberately omitting or diminishing the existence of LGBTQs of color in order to push the phony idea that the gay community is attempting to "equate their struggle to black people."

'Transgender candidate for VA General Assembly working hard to make history' & other Tue midday news briefs

This Transgender Candidate Is Fending Off Attacks And Getting Support From A New Transgender PAC - Win or lose (and I hope she wins and makes history in Virginia), this is what some of us in the LGBTQ community can do to combat anti-LGBTQ industry lies - run for public office. Why not? Aren't we American citizens, too?

‘(BPM) Beats Per Minute’ Is the Most Authentically Queer Film of the Awards Season - Keep your eye on this film, particularly after last year with 'Moonlight.'

Challenging Trump With Powerful Black Queer Stories - This is interesting (seeing that I would have a couple of things to say).

In response to far right, LGBTQ gun group hits firing line - OOOOkay.