'Texas has considered dozens of anti-trans bills. These moms have helped stop them.' & other Fri midday news briefs

Texas has considered dozens of anti-trans bills. These moms have helped stop them. - These attacks on our trans kids and their families should not be happening. And we all need to do more to help stop them.

Queer rights are reproductive rights & repro rights are queer rights - Puts forth a reasonable argument. Goodness knows we have the same enemies.

12 New LGBTQ books that prove pride isn't just for June - Good choices. 

When this gay college soccer player was called a slur by an opponent, his team rallied around him to a 5-0 win - Boom!

Family Research Council needs to be reminded that it doesn't own values of morality, faith, or family

One of the LGBTQ community's 'favorite' hate groups, the Family Research Council has the above ad floating around on its webpage.  It's the usual "gays are out to wreck society" meme we have come to expect from Tony Perkins and company. With this particular one though, it's not necessarily what's being said which is the entire problem. It's what being implied.

FRC falsely portrays us as outsiders by implying that we are threatening religious liberty (because apparently LGBTQ people cannot be people of faith), children's health (because apparently children cannot be LGBTQ), and parental rights (because its impossible for LGBTQ adults to be parents or raise families in general).

It's an interestingly and unfortunate way for FRC to pass along the lie that the concepts of faith, family, etc aren't open to us. We supposedly can't have those things because we are evil anomalies. Therefore all we ever do is attempt to wreck them for the so-called normal people. The truth is those concepts aren't foreign to us and we embody them everyday in spite of attempts by groups like FRC and people like Perkins to strip us of them.

Just because these folks label us as freaks and outsiders doesn't mean we have to accept it. But it does mean that from time to time we should remind them that they own nothing that they have to be persuaded to extend to us.

'Students stage massive walk-out after trans girl was blocked from locker room' & other Thur midday news briefs

Students stage massive walk-out after a trans girl was blocked from the locker room - While you have nonsense about 'parents' raging against critical race theory being taught in schools (when it is actually NOT being taught in schools), vital articles about school kids standing up for their LGBTQ peers and teachers are being ignored. 

Orlando school elects its first transgender homecoming queen - I reiterate my first point. 

The Joy of Gay Sex Author Charles Silverstein Goes Deep 40 Years Later - Because good sexual health is an important issue for LGBTQ people. 

Drag has gone mainstream. Here’s how it continues to change the world for the better. - After getting unfairly maligned for the longest, it's about time for this to happen for drag.

Ex-Murrieta Valley High cheer coach sues after firing, alleging anti-LGBTQ discrimination - The struggle continues.

Video: Evicted for being LGBTQ. Without the Equality Act, it could happen to any of us.

With so much off-the-wall stuff going on, it is easy for LGBTQ Americans to get distracted. But that's one thing we cannot afford to be. We are still faced with situations which can undermine or eliminate our rights, equality, and families. The above video merely points that out. Queen Hatcher-Johnson tells her story about being evicted for being transgender. And I doubt that she is the only LGBTQ American who has faced this. 

''Hallowed Ground' looks at the Civil Rights Movement through LGBTQ+ lens' & other Wed midday news briefs

Bayard Rustin, openly gay Civil Rights Movement activist who was the head organizer of the 1963 March on Washington.

'Hallowed Ground' Looks at Civil Rights Movement Through LGBTQ+ Lens - And it's about time, too. LGBTQ people of color have been omitted from the history of the Civil Rights Movement for too long. 

Indya Moore Is Co-Starring in the New Aquaman Sequel - And it better be a good role. Just saying.

Transgender, intersex activists participate in White House listening session - I'm going to say it again - this would have never happened under Trump or any other GOP administration. 

Chesapeake School Board adds revisions for LGBTQ students in nondiscrimination policy; updates COVID protocols - At the very least, a step in the right direction. 

Liz Cheney just apologized to LGBTQ Americans. Is it too little, too late? - That's a good question.

Religious conservatives are now embracing racist voter suppression laws in bid to undermine abortion and LGBTQ rights

Religious right leaders such as Family Research Council president Tony Perkins are embracing and pushing racist voter suppression laws in a bid to undermine abortion and LGBTQ rights.

The religious right gained a lot of power during the Trump years and apparently they are willing to stoop to voter suppression in order to keep that power and gain more. Via a passive aggressive support of Donald Trump's big lie of voter fraud (because they aren't going to come out and openly support the lie), religious right groups and figures such as the Family Research Council and its president Tony Perkins and the Alliance Defending Freedom are exploiting the phrase "election integrity" with as much deceptive skill as they exploited other phrases such as "religious liberty" or "save women's sports."

I noticed this a while back so I am glad that someone with more writing talent, resources, and reach is taking this on. Historically, African-American and LGBTQ people have had the same enemies trying to undermine our rights. This merely adds an explanation point to that fact.

In the Vox article,  How the Christian right embraced voter suppression, Sarah Posner breaks it all down:

For decades, the Christian-right foot soldiers who form the backbone of the Republican Party have regularly and enthusiastically showed up for legislative battles over religious freedom and reproductive and LGBTQ rights. On September 1, they scored one of their biggest victories yet: the Texas Heartbeat Act, which bans abortion after six weeks of pregnancy and deputizes private citizens to report anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion. 

 Six days later, religious conservatives celebrated another critical legislative victory, one that signaled a new frontier in their movement. In the east Texas city of Tyler, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Election Integrity Protection Act of 2021, passed in late August after Democrats fled the state in a futile effort to stop it. The new law severely restricts voting access in Texas, with the biggest impact on voters of color; Abbott hailed it as a “good paradigm for other states to follow.”

 . . . The Christian right’s ability to mobilize its own voters has long made it one of the most potent forces in American politics. But this year, evangelical leaders have embraced a new strategy, one with direct roots in the outcome of the 2020 election: Religious activists have taken up the cause of “election integrity,” pushing bills to crack down on voter fraud, even though no evidence of widespread fraud in US elections exists. In the process, they’ve helped restrict ballot access for millions of Americans — the most regressive wave of voting measures since the Jim Crow era — and drawn a direct connection between their new cause and their core religious beliefs. 

 The goal is to protect the gains made by the Christian right during Donald Trump’s presidency, especially in the federal courts, and to restore the White House and Congress to Republican control. The biggest prize, of course, is the US Supreme Court, where — not coincidentally — all three of Trump’s appointees declined to block the Texas abortion bill from taking effect, signaling their willingness to overturn Roe v. Wade.

You can read the entire article here. It's definitely worth a read and share.

'LGBTQ -themed books removed from Fairfax County high school libraries' & other Tue midday news briefs

 

LGBTQ-Themed Books Removed From Fairfax County HS Libraries - And then they lied about the content of the books. Why am I not surprised? 

Three Polish regions repeal 'LGBT-free zone' declarations- Money talks. Always. 

13 Celebrities Who Came Out As Bisexual in 2021 - Bi-visibility!

Lauren Patten’s Tony Win For ‘Jagged Little Pill’ Slammed Amid Backstage Controversy - The more we know . . .

Homophobic anti-vaxxer catches COVID. Profanity-laced meltdown seems to be his side-effect.

Homophobic anti-vaxxer Josh Bernstein 

I do not rejoice when an anti-vaxxer is suddenly stricken with COVID and I generally don't spotlight such a thing because it's kinda morbid. But you will understand why the following is an exception to my rule.

Josh Bernstein (not the explorer) is an extreme conservative commentator far to the right of the genocidal Atilla the Hun crossed with serial killer Delphine LaLarue. He is an extreme homophobe (once referring to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg as "Pickle Pete, the sodomite from South Bend") and an anti-vaxxer to the point of threatening to shoot anyone who tries to vaccinate him.

You know where I'm going with this. He now has COVID. But that's not the subject of this post. Stories of anti-vaxxers catching COVID is as old and tired as those family reunion episodes talks shows used to inundate us with.  The real story is that, according to Right Wing Watch, Bernstein has been in quarantine from last week and he may be going "stir crazy." So much profanity.  Such an ugly imagination

 You've been warned.

Anti-vax right-wing commentator Josh Bernstein has been sick with COVID and stuck in quarantine for the last week and he *is not* handling it well. (Fun fact: We can't recall having been sworn at this much before.) pic.twitter.com/EwfMpg0Nyc

— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) September 27, 2021

'Culprits identified in viral video of attack on Gay-Straight Alliance' & other Mon midday news briefs

Culprits identified in viral video of Florida high schoolers attacking Gay-Straight Alliance - Good. Pluck all of those turkeys. 

Playwright Matthew López makes history as first Latino to win Tony for best play - Gay folks rule at the Tony Awards. What is an example of an evergreen headline. 

Police departments across U.S. are mandating LGBTQ training - And it's about time, too. 

Kenya bans tender gay film for being ‘demeaning to Christianity’ and ‘unsuitable for children’ - Give me a break, Kenya. 

Caitlyn Jenner has work to do after betraying trans athletes during California governor campaign - But will she?

Liz Cheney denounces her past opposition to gay marriage

Rep. Liz Cheney

Let me be clear about something.

 I am not a fan of Rep. Liz Cheney. I don't like her general positions, her past attacks on Obama nor am I posting this to somehow forget that she opposes gun control, a woman's right to chose an abortion, Obamacare, or other positions I favor. But I will give her props on what she said during a recent 60 Minutes interview with regards to her past opposition to marriage equality. No jumping through hoops. No long-winded explanation. Her statement was refreshingly simple.

The daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney was an ascendant Republican leader before the Jan. 6 riot, yet she is increasingly defined by her public opposition to Trump and his hold on the GOP. Cheney, 55, noted that she still talks with her father every night and that they share the same views on rejecting Trump.  

 Liz Cheney famously broke with her family in 2013 by opposing gay marriage ahead of a failed Senate bid. Her objections caused a rift with her sister, Mary, a married lesbian. Mary’s spouse, Heather Poe, posted on Facebook that year that Cheney’s position was offensive and that I always thought freedom meant freedom for EVERYONE. 

 In the interview, Cheney said her opposition to gay marriage was misguided and she channeled her sister-in-law’s Facebook post in explaining why she changed her position. I was wrong. I was wrong,” she said. Its a very personal issue and very personal for my family. I believe that my dad was right. And my sister and I have had that conversation … Freedom means freedom for everybody.

On that one thing, I don't mind saying that I agree with her.

'Removal of 'safe space' stickers at high school causes students to walk out in protest' & other Fri midday news briefs

High School removes LGBTQ ‘Safe Space’ stickers- students walk out - These young kids continue to impress me.

Rhode Island Hate Group Leader Attacks Trans Kids - Another one. 

California poised to make this shady sexual practice illegal - Works for me. It is a rather tacky thing to do.

Hungary: Leaders slam migration, LGBTQ at 'family values' summit - Get bent, bigots.

Billy Eichner's Gay Rom-Com Makes History with All-LGBTQ Cast: 'A Long Overdue Dream' - Sounds promising.

Is 'Cruising' a disgusting movie or a misunderstood cult classic?

 In 1980, a movie called Cruising came out and caused a firestorm. It starred Al Pacino as a New York detective who goes undercover  as a gay man in the leather district in order to find a serial killer. It was controversial because it was vile and sordid. It took a lot of negative stereotypes about gay men and went into overdrive, particularly the one about realizing that you're gay causes you to become a killer. Needless to say it caused extensive protests even while being made and subsequently bombed at the box office.

I've seen it and thought it was disgusting. But once I showed a clip of it to a younger gay man - as in grew up in the post Ellen DeGeneres comes out/ Will and Grace world. He didn't find it to be as nauseous as I did. And that's the subject of this blog post. I have included the trailer and a full scene (NSFW) of Cruising as well as interviews with protestors. I'm curious to hear your thoughts. Feel free to respond in the comments section

    

'False story of two girls 'groping and French kissing' on LGBTQ float causes controversy at school board meeting' & other Thur midday news briefs

A video pushed by this group helped to spread a lie that two girls were 'groping and French kissing' on an LGBTQ float. The story isn't true, but it has caused controversy.

LGBTQ pride float sparks controversy at Williamson Co. school board meeting - This is a perfect of how even acknowledging LGBTQ people causes some folks to overreact. The situation was that two LGBTQ students are on video kissing on a parade float. They were accused of French kissing and groping each other. The kiss was a mere peck on the lips. No groping. No French kissing. You can see it via the link and judge for yourselves.

Priest Busted Stealing Parish Money For Drugs and Gay Sex Parties - How many times is this going to happen? 

Catholic high school rehired a gay coach following outcry from students and parents - Nice! 

Hundreds Of Irving Students Walk Out In Protest Of Alleged LGBTQ Discrimination - Good for them! 

One Polish ‘LGBTQ Free Zone’ reverses status after EU threatens funding - Good. Grab those fools by their wallets.

Right-wing pastor claims homosexuality is a demonic spirit taking over children because it wants our seed . . . or something like that

Kent Christmas

One of the "duties" this blog has when it comes to monitoring religious right lies is to remind LGBTQ folks that lies spread about us in the past can't ever be easily dismissed. This is because they continue to be repeated and believed by a segment of the population.. I don't like doing and folks don't like being reminded of it, but it's necessary.

Take for example this claim by religious right pastor Kent Christmas in what looks like a megachurch sermon. He adds a new dimension to the "gays want to recruit" children lie:

Right-wing pastor Kent Christmas says that Christian children are being "taken over by homosexuality": "It is a demonic spirit that has come after our seed." pic.twitter.com/dKWlSZNTne

— Right Wing Watch (@RightWingWatch) September 22, 2021

Okay, who told him. Seriously can't you queens keep a secret?  And don't think I didn't catch the part about "seed." Let's NOT go there.

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch

'The controversy of straight actors portraying LGBTQ characters' & other Wed midday news briefs

Rami Malek

Hollywood loves queer stories, but apparently not queer actors. - I don't prescribe to the theory that only LGBTQ people should play LGBTQ characters. I think that misses the point. The point is not making LGBTQ people feel like commodities, i.e.actors exploiting our lives to gain awards and acclaim. Heterosexual actors shouldn't be called brave for portraying us while issues of actual LGBTQ people get minimized or ignored. 

How an Atlanta basketball team went from Republican hands to LGBTQ ownership - Oop! 

Biden highlights LGBTQ rights in UN General Assembly speech - Like I said before, voting matters. 

11 Hispanic people who had an impact on LGBTQ rights in America that you may not know - Our history is multicultural and universal. 

Trystan Reese on how to deal with bullying while raising amazing kids - Awww! These aren't tears. I've been eating onions. LOL

Hate group still finds time to scare folks about LGBTQ people in between undermining pandemic fight and women's health

I swear that this email from hate group the Family Research Council was so sweet that it nearly brought me to tears:

This year, FRC has raised the alarm about the Equality Act, a sweeping rewrite of civil rights law that would enshrine into law discrimination against citizens with biblical and traditional views of morality.

 That proposed bill attempts to erase freedom of thought and belief, along with the ability to hold a different opinion while remaining free from government retribution. 

 Unfortunately, the constant barrage from LGBT activists and allies in the White House, mainstream media, and Big Tech is tempting some to give up or give in. 

 While the Equality Act may yet advance, talk on Capitol Hill has shifted to a so-called "compromise" bill. Some are being conned into backing the Fairness for All Act, an ill-advised and poorly drafted "compromise" bill that fails to prevent the harms that would be inflicted by the Equality Act. 

Yet a new poll out last week by a group promoting the legislation claims that a majority of Americans support its approach. Family Research Council is among a small remnant calling out both bills as dangerous threats to religious liberty, women's rights, children's health, parental rights, the medical profession's conscience rights, and more. We must remain active and engaged to halt the destructive ideologies of the Left, who attempt to use radical laws to influence all of society. To ensure FRC has the resources needed to voice your values -- at the grassroots level and to our nation's leaders -- can you give today? 

 The Equality Act would mandate government-imposed inequality and unfairness by requiring acceptance of a particular ideology about sexual ethics, leaving no room for differing opinions and legitimate public debate. For instance, it would force women and girls to share bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, and even battered women's shelters with biological males who identify as female. Further, medical professionals would be mandated to perform gender transition procedures against their conscience or professional opinion. 

 Under any name, the Equality Act intends to normalize dangerous hormone therapies, shockingly permitted in some states without parents even being aware. With these bills, the state is telling private religious citizens, educators, student-athletes, and wedding service providers: "Submit, or else. Your religion be hanged." For those who think the Fairness for All Act (which is essentially Equality Act-lite) will placate the Left, they've got it wrong. LGBT activist groups have already said they object to it. The ACLU, Human Rights Campaign (the nation's largest LGBT advocacy organization), LAMBDA Legal, and GLAAD would simply use that halfway measure as a springboard to push for full enactment of Equality Act policies. LGBT activists are relentless in their push to force all Americans -- including those of faith -- to affirm their ideology. 

Isn't it "touching" that no matter how busy the Family Research Council is attacking women's health or undermining President Biden's attempt to contain the COVID pandemic, the group still finds time to scare the hell out of people about the LGBTQ community in order to fundraise. That's called "coming to the dance with the one who brought you."

If I may, though. Y'all have got to come up with new code words. Claiming that we want to "force all Americans to affirm our ideology" is so 1990s. Get more contemporary. Mention something about Lil Nas X and his 'satan shoes.' 

Also, it's time to discuss giving LGBTQ people a cut of the proceeds. You are using us to make money so a couple of dollars every now and then isn't asking too much.

I'm serious. I got stuff on layaway I need to get out.

'Biden pushes for more LGBTQ protections on anniversary of DADT repeal' & other Tue midday news briefs

President Biden

Biden pushes for more LGBTQ protections on anniversary of 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal - We will see how this works out but still, Donald Trump would have never done any of this. 

Lil Nas X's 'Montero' album and the power of unabashed queerness - Early frontrunner for Grammy's 'Album of the Year?' 

Angry and afraid, Afghanistan's LGBTQ community say they're being hunted down after Taliban takeover - The withdrawal from Afghanistan did hurt some of our brothers and sisters. We cannot deny that. 

How televangelist Tammy Faye Messner became a gay icon - Great article.

Veterans dishonorably discharged for LGBTQ orientation to get full benefits

One would think that during the 10th anniversary of the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, the following development would receive more attention. It's still good news. And let's not get all caught up in speeches. 

Just break off those benefits.

From ABC News:

LGBTQ veterans who were given other than honorable discharges from the U.S. military due to their sexual orientation are eligible to receive full benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced on Monday.  "LGBTQ+ Veterans are not any less worthy of the care and services that all Veterans earn through their service, and VA is committed to making sure that they have equal access to those services," the department said in a statement.

The policy statement comes on the 10th anniversary of the repeal of the controversial 1993 law known as "don't ask, don't tell," which banned LGBTQ service members who were open about their sexual orientation from serving in the military. Overall, an estimated 100,000 were discharged from the U.S. military due to their sexual orientation, including an estimated 14,000 service members who were discharged under "don't ask, don't tell," during the 17 years that it was in effect, according to the VA. 

"This historic move ends an unjust practice and creates a smoother pathway for life-saving benefits like healthcare, pensions, and housing assistance to finally go to the LGBTQ service members, as well as people with HIV, who were discharged during and before Don't Ask, Don't Tell only because of who they are," said GLAAD Chief Communications Officer Rich Ferraro in a statement. "On the ten year anniversary of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, we've seen LGBTQ service members serve strong and proud and today's move from the VA will help so many LGBTQ and other veterans who were unjustly removed from service prior to the repeal."

Check out the ABC News article for the complete story.

 I will say one thing, though. Voting matters. Do you really think that Trump would have done this if he had remained in the White House? Any LGBTQ American claiming that he and Biden are different sides of the same coin needs to have a seat.

'GA governor cites nonexistent 'AIDS vaccine' in attack on Biden's efforts to halt COVID' & other Mon midday news briefs

GA governor Brian Kemp

Clueless GOP governor cites nonexistent “AIDS vaccine” to bash Joe Biden - Georgia governor Brian Kemp makes a fool of himself in an attempt to criticize needed vaccine mandates.

U.K. Appeals Court Overturns Puberty Blockers Ban for Youth Under 16 - In case you didn't hear this wonderful news which took away a weapon the religious right was using to deny transgender children decent healthcare.

'Everybody’s Talking About Jamie' portrays a moving story about coming out — as a drag queen - I have been hearing wonderful things about this movie. 

Would-be politician created video game where players shoot gay people at pride parades - The creator claims that game is not meant to be violent. Regardless, it sounds pretty damn tacky to me. 

‘Southlake’ podcast episode exposes school’s inaction against LGBTQ bullying - It's nice to see the media focusing on more important things than Nicki Minaj's cousin's testicles.

'Pose' swept out of major Emmy awards, but still legendary and groundbreaking show

I was hoping that what I would end up writing tonight would be about the television show Pose sweeping the Emmy awards or at least making history by winning the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series.

But such wasn't to be. It was the night of The Crown as that critical favorite - and very well done television show - swept the major categories while Pose ended up with no major Emmys this year (although it did win three at the Creative Emmys last weekend). And it was the show's last year with the stunning season finale which left many of us in tears while others with sore hands from applauding. 

Oh well. It is what it is. But let's not forget, that in its three seasons, Pose has been nominated for 20 Emmys while winning four, including Best Actor in a Drama Series, and one special honor. 

Lastly, Pose getting shut out of the major Emmy awards this year in no way diminishes its status as a groundbreaking television show. It's certainly not the first that we've seen something like this in the entertainment medium.

In 1976, the Broadway musical Chicago was very popular and got 11 Tony award nominations. However it was shut completely out of the winner's circle thanks to an equally stunning and more popular musical A Chorus Line (which got 12 Tony nominations and wins including Best Musical and three of the four acting in a musical categories). In 1985, the Steven Spielberg directed hit motion picture The Color Purple led the Oscar pack with 11 nominations only to be totally shut out with no wins.

Pose will be fine. At least a lot better than I was when I watch the ending.  But awards or no awards, Pose has a special place in my mind.  It preached to me a truth that was so stunning that I sometimes turned the channel because it was like the face of the divine - too bright and powerful to behold. But I always found myself coming back. It was a show which simply talked about self-love and self-empowerment to a community which the majority of society wants to ignore. My community.