Monday, February 20, 2023

Satan obsessed election-denial homophobe now leads Michigan state Republican Party

Michigan Republican chose Kristina Karamo as their state leader.

And you thought you had problems? I'd wager that few of your problems are bigger than that of Michigan Republicans. After an electoral wipeout which saw them lose power in the 2020, the state party is going to a strange place for leadership.

From USA Today:

Kristina Karamo, a Republican who has made unsubstantiated allegations of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election and has yet to concede her 14-point loss in the 2022 Michigan election for secretary of state, was elected chair of the Michigan Republican Party Saturday. 

 Karamo defeated unsuccessful GOP attorney general candidate Matt DePerno of Kalamazoo, a fellow election denier who was endorsed in the party chair race by Trump. Karamo had 58% of the vote on the third – and final – ballot at the state convention. DePerno had 42%.

 "We will not betray you; we will not lie to you," Karamo said in a brief victory speech as convention delegates were hustled out of the Lansing Center. The cash-strapped state party had only paid to rent the hall until late afternoon. Officials extended the arrangement until 8 p.m., but told delegates they had to leave quickly after the third ballot. 

 . . . Karamo's election as chair signals the party leadership's shift to nearly full alignment with Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) messaging. Many longtime party stalwarts stayed away from Saturday's convention, unhappy with the party's direction. Long considered an organizational and fundraising juggernaut, the Michigan Republican Party took a historic shellacking in the November election, losing every statewide office and losing control of the Michigan Senate for the first time in 40 years. 

Election denial isn't the only thing Karamo has been vocal about. She's been extremely vocal about LGBTQ people. And in case you don't know where this is going, she doesn't like us very much. She thinks we're in league with Satan. 


CNN reported that Karamo criticized schools for teaching children about LGBTQ parents, and quoted her saying in one episode: “There is no such thing as a person with two mommies and two daddies. That is just factually incorrect.” The outlet also quoted her in another episode saying of two same-sex parents: “No, it's the parent and their homosexual lover. That's what's going on.” 

 Heartland Signal reported that on one episode of her podcast, “Karamo declares that she understands that same sex attraction ‘in and of itself is unnatural’” and “ranted about schools teaching LGBTQ issues and transgender youth acceptance. She referred to teaching those topics as ‘Satan … trying to get children while they’re small,’ and said, ‘the education system is being used as a tool to push sexual sin.’” 

And just in case girlfriend tries to claim she has been misquoted, here is some audio courtesy of Media Matters:

     

 Way to go Michigan Republicans. You certainly can pick 'em.

Thursday, February 16, 2023

Virginia Democrats defeat all 12 anti-trans bills proposed by state Republicans

We have some good news  out of Virginia about the anti-trans bills state Republicans have been attempting to make into law. 

From The Advocate:

Thursday, Virginia Senate Democrats mustered a bipartisan effort to kill an anti-trans bill put forth and passed by the Republican-controlled state House. Legislators voted down a bill that banned transgender athletes of all ages from participating in sports teams aligned with their gender identity from kindergarten through college, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports. 

 During a Thursday morning committee meeting, the legislation was defeated 10-5, with Republican Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant of Henrico County voting with the Democratic majority. 

 When the bill passed the lower chamber of Virginia's legislature last week, the Human Rights Campaign issued a statement critical of the bill's advancement. "In a coordinated push led by national anti-LGBTQ+ groups, which deployed vintage discriminatory tropes, politicians in state houses across the country introduced a record 315 discriminatory anti-LGBTQ+ bills in 2022," HRC wrote. 

"The majority of the discriminatory bills targeted the transgender and non-binary community, with the majority targeting children receiving the brunt of discriminatory legislation. Anti-transgender legislation took several forms, including bills aimed to prevent transgender youth from playing school sports consistent with their gender identity and bills to prevent transgender and non-binary youth from receiving life-saving, medically-necessary gender-affirming healthcare."

 Equality Virginia cheered the news that transgender rights were being upheld in the state. "

After this morning's Senate Ed & Health Committee, we can officially say that all 12 anti-trans bills are DEAD!" Equality Virginia tweeted. They noted that in Virginia, Republicans put forth three gender-affirming care bills, four bills that would out students to parents involuntarily, and five transgender sports ban bills — all of them failed. 


.Just a reminder that those pervert who power won't yield without a fight. The struggle for equality and the right to self-determination isn't supposed to be easy. The first step in winning is not allowing yourself to be run over.

Always fight. If not for yourself, then for the younger ones and those who have less capacity to fight.


'Drag bans could result in arrests at Pride parades' & other Thur midday news briefs



Drag bans could result in arrests at Pride parades - If these folks pushing these bans knew what I knew, they would cease and desist. The attention it would get if they arrested people at Pride for wearing drag - and not just the drag queens - would be massive. And we won't mind the attention.




Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priority bills signal another swing at pushing Texas to the right - Guess which community he has in his sights. Simply a sign about the dangers of giving a politician too much power and allowing him to stay in office. Patrick thinks he is a king.

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Mike Pence would rather attack trans kids than testify about the Jan 6 insurrection

 


Former VP Mike Pence sent out this tweet earlier on Wednesday:


According to The Advocate:

He spoke at the downtown event as GOP presidential candidates are beginning to throw in their hats for 2024, with Nikki Haley announcing her run this week. Former President Donald Trump announced his candidacy in November. 

 “The truth is the average American today is being dragged into a left-wing culture war that’s invaded our schools, our colleges, and our workplace,” Pence lamented. “Every day we’re told that we must not only tolerate the left’s obsessions with race and sex and gender, but we must earnestly and enthusiastically participate or face severe consequences. And nowhere is the problem more severe or the need for leadership more urgent than in our public school classrooms,” the conservative Christian former vice president warned. 

 Pence has yet to declare himself a candidate despite traveling the country and releasing a new book a few months ago. After his Minneapolis appearance, Pence was on his way to Iowa, which remains the first stop for Republicans in the presidential race. 

 It's the usual junk we've come to expect from Pence, who has made a political career on weaponizing religion to smear LGBTQ Americans. 

This time however, has an ironic feel to it.

Last week, Pence was subpoenaed by special counsel Jack Smith. Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Donald Trump's attempts to stay in the office after losing the 2020 election. Trump and his allies pushed the continuously proven-to-be-false belief that the election was "stolen." This constant pushing of this false narrative ultimately led to the infamous January 6th riot/insurrection at the Capitol in DC where - among other things - participants called for executing Pence for not being more helpful in pushing the 'stolen election" story.

Aside from making those vile statements against trans youth, Pence said he would fight the subpoena. According to CNN:

“My fight is on the separation of powers. My fight against the DOJ subpoena very simply is on defending the prerogatives that I had as president of the Senate to preside over the Joint Session of Congress on January 6,” Pence told reporters in Minneapolis. “For me this is a moment where you have to decide where you stand and I stand on the Constitution of the United States,” he added.

 . . . Sources previously told CNN that Pence will raise claims under the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause, which protects legislators from certain law enforcement actions if the conduct in question is linked to their legislative duty. Pence is expected to point to the role he played, when he was vice president, as president of the Senate. In that role, he presided over Congress’ certification of the 2020 election results on January 6.

 Other witnesses have raised Speech or Debate Clause arguments in efforts to resist subpoenas in the DOJ probe and in the other investigations into January 6. But Pence’s plans to invoke the clause in his role as president of the Senate is believed to be untrod legal ground.

Washington DC online publication, The Hill, points out that several attorneys called Pence's strategy a "stretch." One of them said the following:

“I’m a skeptic,” said Neil Eggleston, who served as White House counsel under President Obama. “Although the Constitution gives the vice president a role in vote counting, the Constitution does not make the vice president a senator. Senators are defined in Article One. The vice president is not a senator. And I read the speech and debate clause as only applying to senators and representatives. … I don’t think the language of the Constitution permits any other reading.”

The entire situation merely underscores the basic hypocrisy and cynicism in that "Bible-thumping heart" Pence claims to have. He's attacking trans kids for the same reason he doesn't want to testify against Trump. He will no doubt run for president and is trying to appeal to the Trump base by throwing out red meat while the same time not trying to alienate them (something he would do if he did in fact testify.)

Don't be fooled by his entreaties. Pence isn't eyeing a place in Heaven by his words and actions. He has his eyes completely on the White House

Monday, February 13, 2023

Trans pharmacist questioned about her 'genitalia' by state senator during Arkansas judiciary hearing

At first I didn't want to post this but I decided otherwise because I felt it was necessary. 

I think a lot of us don't understand the plight of transgender Americans as they are hit with an onslaught of bills attempting to erase their basic gender-affirming care and their very lives. This onslaught are attacks on their dignity and person. Republican and their cohorts behind these efforts aren't even attempting their basic hatred anymore.

Decorum flew entirely out the window Monday, as Arkansas senators insulted, attacked and silenced transgender people and their supporters who’d shown up at the Capitol in hopes of stopping yet another bill targeting LGBTQ+ youth. Republican lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee, all of them white men, compared gender-affirming care to frontal lobotomies and child abuse. They dismissed testimony from doctors and therapists, and suggested lawmakers are the ones who know best when it comes to medical decisions. Freshman Sen. Matt McKee (R-Pearcy) made it all quite personal when he asked a transgender pharmacist who came to testify against the bill if she has a penis. 

I would have some very choice words to say. To her credit though, the pharmacist refused allow this humiliating question to throw her off. She handled herself rather well in spite of the circumstances.

Unfortunately but not surprisingly, the bill made it out of the hearing:

The bill being discussed (and eventually passed Monday morning, with only the one Democrat at the meeting voting against it) is Senate Bill 199 to open up doctors who provide gender-affirming care to youth to significant new loopholes and additional malpractice liabilities far beyond the standard for doctors in other fields. 

It's ironic that these people who claim that they are "protecting children" won't treat their adult constituents with basic dignity and respect. 

'Right-wingers falsely label peaceful protest as 'trans mob'' & other Mon midday news briefs



Peaceful protest or a trans 'mob'? Oklahoma demonstration riles the right - Of course the right lied about this protest. It's their brand and sometimes they do it so much that it's difficult to keep up with them.

Out, Black, and Proud, Ernestine Eckstein Fought For Us Before Stonewall - Another example of how Black and LGBTQ history intertwines. 

Utah's GOP governor defends new ban on gender-affirming care - He tried so hard to thread the needle here. It simply doesn't work for him.


30 Football Players Who Came Out of the Closet - While we're on the subject . . .

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Reminder - Black history is LGBTQ history and LGBTQ history is Black history

  

Some words are worth repeating and some videos are worth reposting. We are unfortunately living in a time in which certain attempting to erase the intersection between Black and LGBTQ history. They will not succeed.

Thursday, February 09, 2023

Anti-trans 'influencer' Matt Walsh exposed and humiliated during Tenn legislative hearing


Matt Walsh is an anti-trans, homophobic "influencer" at the forefront of the statewide attacks on trans Americans.  He has done things like creating an anti-trans propaganda documentary film, authoring an anti-trans children's book, and amplifying lies about gender-affirming care for trans kids. These lies have led to bomb threats against Boston Children's Hospital, which Walsh initially claimed was a hoax. In September of last year,  a Boston woman by the name of Catherine Leavy, was arrested for making one of those threats.

Walsh claims that his actions are all about saving children from "mutilation." In reality, he has created a successful business model built upon fear and scientific distortions hiding behind a flimsy veneer of "common sense."

People like Walsh are always troublesome but eventually amusing to watch. You get angry watching the havoc they create and the lives they disrupt. Sooner or later, though, they always get some sort of comeuppance because their egos blind them to their limitations. For Walsh, this took place on Thursday during a legislative hearing on an anti-trans bill in Tennessee.

This video was highly embarrassing for Walsh's brand and he knows it. Subsequently, he has been posting tweets of other parts of the hearing in an attempt to claim that he actually got the best of the Democrats. One tweet features a video of Walsh supposedly creating awkward silence from the panel by asking an inane question. In reality, the silence was because Walsh broke the protocol by interjecting that nonsense when they were asking him questions. Perhaps he was channeling  Mellissa Carone, the woman who became a comical meme sensation after the 2020 election hearing in Michigan.

Like I said before, people like Matt Walsh are always amusing to watch as they climb a peak of relevancy to the point in which their egos cause the bottom to drop from under them. Unfortunately, while Matt's present humiliation underscores his dishonesty, people are still being led to believe the worst about trans Americans and the healthcare they need to survive. They are still seen by people like Walsh as a commodity for wealth and influence.   Trans Americans, particularly our trans kids, continue to be bombarded by messages that people hate them and want them dead simply for attempting to be their authentic selves. 

Taking all of that into account, the situation becomes less amusing and instead, increasingly infuriating.

Hat tip to The Tennessee Holler

'Anti-LGBTQ bills in NC and VA clear hurdles, but have good chance of being ultimately defeated' & other Thur midday news briefs


 Two disastrous anti-LGBTQ bills pass in NC and VA state houses. However, all may not be lost. Both have a very good chance of being ultimately defeated. However, they are still an indication of what we are facing this year in state legislatures:

North Carolina senate passes “Don’t Say Gay” bill that would out trans kids to their families


In other news:

GLAAD to Honor Christina Aguilera, Bad Bunny, and Jeremy Pope - Congratulations! All very deserving! 

Even Gay Men Prefer Straight-Acting Men in Leadership Roles: Study - This right here is some straight-up bullsh!t. 

 GOP, Democrats clash on parental involvement, LGBTQ students at year’s first Education hearing - This article demonstrates the necessity of having of having LGBTQ members of government. Representation matters, y'all.

Wednesday, February 08, 2023

Congresswoman AOC blasts Libs of TikTok for its campaign of lies against Boston Children's Hospital

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

We simply have to give Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) her props for doing something which should have been done a long time ago by members of Congress. During a hearing on Wednesday, she called out the bigoted Twitter site Libs of TikTok for  its vile campaign of lies against the LGBTQ community and against Boston Children's Hospital (lies which have led to bomb threats against the hospital).

She even had a little bit of "reading" left for the Republican Party for its part in the smearing of LGBTQ Americans.

''Gays Against Groomers' created by conspiracy theorists and right-wing operatives' & other Wed midday news briefs

Jaimee Mitchell, 'founder' of Gays Against Groomers


Grifter Gays: How conspiracy theorists and right-wing operatives created Gays Against Groomers - Not surprising. I bet you will reach the same conclusion about Libs of TikTok. 



Content creators are filling the gap on Black, LGBTQ history - The more they try to shut us down, the louder and clearer we shout.

Tuesday, February 07, 2023

It begins: Donald Trump shares memes accusing Fl Gov Ron DeSantis of 'grooming' and pedophilia


The 2024 Republican primary has officially begun. In the mud.


I don't like Donald Trump or Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, so I am enjoying this. 

Political pundits and the like all agree that Trump and DeSantis may be the top two vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and it looks like the competition is already starting. 

In the mud, that is.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump sent out the following message on Truth Social implying that DeSantis groomed underaged girls in the past:

The accusation of sexually grooming kids is bad enough but DeSantis being accused of it is rather stark, seeing that the Florida governor has exploited the narrative of  "child grooming" to make several legislatives moves against the state's LGBTQ community. Specifically was last year's "Don't Say Gay" law. To me it's comical that a distortion tactic which served DeSantis well in the past is now being used against him. 


While DeSantis hasn't commented on Trump's move, others on the right aren't so quiet. They are accusing Trump of "grooming."


This is  disgusting, vile, and a total blight on the integrity of our political system. It's shamefully disgusting and completely degrading.

And I hope it continues. These two jerks were made for each other.

We all know how vile Trump is and how subtle DeSantis tries to be. Maybe if we're lucky, they will wreck each other like the Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat in that poem I remember so well from my childhood.

'DeSantis trying to control Disney theme parks via legislative process' & other Tue midday news briefs

Fl Gov Ron DeSantis

DeSantis appointees would oversee Disney’s theme parks under bill to revamp Reedy Creek​ - DeSantis is investing too much time in this fight with Disney. Combined with his attacks on the LGBTQ community, trans Floridians in general, higher education, and African-American studies, he may be making himself a hero to the conservative base, but he is spooking more people than he should. The base means nothing if you get everyone else united against you. Trump learned that the hard way. 

Ron DeSantis tries to punish venue that hosted Christmas drag show - Keep it up, my friend. Alienate more people that those who would support you. 

Insurers Refused to Payout Thousands to Trans Doctor After Her Name Change - This is ridiculously unfair what they are doing to her. 


Monday, February 06, 2023

Hate group proves that conservative outrage over Sam Smith and the Grammys is simply about grabbing attention and money


 It's been like this all day Monday. 

Recording artists Sam Smith and Petras performed their hit song 'Unholy' at the Grammy Awards Sunday night and conservative activists and provocateurs have been almost literally stepping over each other to get their moment in the spotlight condemning the performance.

But hate group the American Family Association gets to the gist of the outrage - rage posting for clout and attention. And forget Sam Smith and Petras because AFA has its eye on a goose more golden than either singer:


On Sunday, many Americans gather to worship God as a family of believers. 

 But to Pfizer, CBS and the Grammys, Sunday is a time to bring debauchery and Satanic worship to the world. During the annual Grammy Awards ceremony on Feb.5, originally designed to recognize outstanding artists in the music industry, Pfizer pharmaceutical company felt it fitting to sponsor performers Sam Smith, who claims to be non-binary, and Kim Petras, who claims to be transgender. These two gave the nation a Satan-themed performance of their song "Unholy," in which Petras performed inside a cage with drag queens dressed in devil costumes, while Smith gyrated in a costume with devil horns sticking out from a top hat. 

 The entire "performance" depicted a hellish scene with lots of darkness, blood red colors and flames. 

 And now to the gist of AFA's "concern" 

 Pfizer's sponsorship and ads suggest the company wants your body to be healthy but has no concern about souls celebrating hell. 

 TAKE ACTION 

 Sign our petition to Pfizer, urging the company to distance itself from controversial programs that have a history of offending decency and disrespecting people of faith. You might consider using alternative health products and medicines to those made by Pfizer. Some of Pfizer's most recognizable products include Advil, Celebrex, Robitussin, Chapstick, Preparation-H, Sensodyne toothpaste, Centrum vitamins and Nexium for heartburn.

 

But why Pfizer?

 For those who don't know, Pfizer has been a huge target of rage of the religious right and other conservatives because of the COVID vaccine it helped to develop. There are a vast number of conspiracy theories accusing Pfizer of helping to create COVID to supposedly exaggerating the impact of COVID to lastly undermining the alleged harm of vaccines. 

AFA's dragging of Pfizer into the Sam Smith pseudo-outrage is simply a dog whistle to conspiracy theorist on the far right and others who have taken a similar narrative. 

And it gets more confusing the deeper one gets into that world.  All together, those on the right are weaving a jumbled up, highly confused narrative that Pfizer, COVID and the Sam Smith's performance at Grammy Awards is tied together in some sort of  plot to usher in a "globalist world of Satanic worship, pedophiliac elites trafficking children."

Or something like that. 

Basically what we are talking about here is a calculating, cynical attempt to exploit a music performance in order to gain some attention and make some money. Truth be told, I am willing to bet that someone from the AFA not only watched the Grammy performance but also had the petition drawn up before it was over.

In the long run, it's about making money and when your business is outrage, you can't make the money if you don't exploit the outrage. 

'17 year-old trans kid in Utah having to uproot life because of state's anti-trans law' & other Mon midday news briefs



I'm a 17-year-old trans kid in Utah, and I'm uprooting my life because of a law that bans gender-affirming care​ - This should not have to happen, but it is happening.



DeSantis Calls Special Session to Punish Disney's 'Don't Say Gay' Opposition - DeSantis really needs to learn the definition of the word "overkill."

Sunday, February 05, 2023

Video - The (Gay) Harlem Renaissance - The History You Didn't Learn

 Happy Black History Month 2023! 

This year is a big more poignant than most because some folks out there (Ron DeSantis) are trying to undermine how Black History and LGBTQ history intersect. DeSantis and those like him try to eliminate learning how African-American and LGBTQ history intersect because they want to keep both communities divided and at each other's throats about hierarchy and access. When we learn about things like the LGBTQ impact of the Harlem Renaissance, we realize just how similar both communities are in terms of culture and equality struggles.  We also remember the people who are a part of both communities and celebrate their existence instead of aiding and abetting in their erasure.

Friday, February 03, 2023

'Daily Wire host: Doctors who provide gender-affirming care should be executed' & other Fri midday news briefs

Matt Walsh

Daily Wire host: Doctors who provide gender-affirming care should be executed​ - Matt Walsh is spinning the same game plan people on his side of the political spectrum did when they began targeting physicians who performed abortions. This is so dangerous. 

How Tennessee axed millions in HIV funds amid scrutiny from far-right provocateurs - Matt Walsh again with the help of others laying down the blue print. Don't even THINK they will stop at targeting trans Americans.

Virginia Democrats kill six proposed anti-trans bills - BUT as long as we fight, we win. Keep fighting, y'all. '

School choice' is culture-war focus for Kansas legislators - Claiming that we are 'sexualizing' kids to push for private schools. That's a new one. 

Thursday, February 02, 2023

Former lawmaker says Christians must take over the government because America won't be free with drag queens 'running the place'

Jason Rapert

 I personally think drag queens running America would be a welcome change. But that's just me.


This is simply a reminder that all of the lies and fake concern from certain folks about drag queens and kids is simply subterfuge. It's all about seeking power by appealing to people's fears and prejudices.


Hat tip to Right-Wing Watch