Anti-LGBTQ group's data breach reveal plan to paint transgender youth as carriers of a contagious pathological disorder

 

From Raw Story:

An anti-LGBTQ hate group's secret files reveal marketing "pushing schools to adopt junk science painting transgender youth as carriers of a pathological disorder," and files detailing methods to indoctrinate pre-teens into a culture of "sexual purity" and opposing same-sex relationships.

 . . . "The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) is a fringe anti-LGBTQ hate group that masquerades as the premier U.S. association of pediatricians to push anti-LGBTQ junk science, primarily via far-right conservative media and filing amicus briefs in cases related to gay adoption and marriage equality," according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. WIRED on Tuesday published a bombshell report revealing that the American College of Pediatricians "has suffered a significant data breach." 

 "A link to an unsecured Google Drive published on the group’s website pointed users last week to a large cache of sensitive documents, including financial and tax records, membership rolls, and email exchanges spanning over a decade. The more than 10,000 documents lay bare the outsize influence of a small conservative organization working to lend a veneer of medical science to evangelical beliefs on parenting, sex, procreation, and gender."

 . . . WIRED found "volumes of literature crafted specifically to influence relationships between practicing pediatricians, parents, and their children. It includes reams of marketing material the College aims to distribute widely among public school officials. 

This includes pushing schools to adopt junk science painting transgender youth as carriers of a pathological disorder, one that’s capable of spontaneously causing others–à la the dancing plague–to adopt similar thoughts and behaviors." That marketing material apparently was based on a dubious research paper that hypothesized about something it called “rapid onset gender dysphoria,” which has been debunked, including in a recent study, according to Fenway Health.

I wrote about the American College of Pediatricians (on my blog and in The Huffington Post), long before it began to receive deserved scrutiny. 

From  The Huffington Post in 2010 when the group was attempting to counteract accurate LGBTQ information in schools with some information of it's own: 

Earlier last month, over 14,000 school district superintendents in the country were sent a letter by a group called the American College of Pediatricians inviting them to peruse and use information from a new site, Facts About Youth, which was created to supposedly help young adults. 

 The site contained extensive inaccuracies and generalizations about LGBTQ people passed along not for the purpose of providing facts, but solely for demonizing the gay community:

Some gay men sexualize human waste, including the medically dangerous practice of coprophilia, which means sexual contact with highly infectious fecal wastes

 On my blog the year before, I pointed out how the American College of Pediatricians was actually laundering junk science in an attempt to make a false argument that "homosexuality was a dangerous lifestyle." The group was relying on cherry-picked information from outdated sources and legitimate studies. In using the latter, the group ignored complaints by the studies' authors that their research was being distorted and misused.

So in the span of 14 years, the American College of Pediatricians has gone from claiming that gays "sexualize" poop to claiming that transgender children have a contagious pathological disorder. This merely proves that the attack on trans Americans isn't new. Nor is it about truth or general concern for public health and welfare.  It's nothing more than scapegoating with new targets placed in the bullseye. 

Related article - File on the American College of Pediatricians from SPLC.

'Florida's LGBTQ community must resist rollback of rights' & other Wed midday news briefs

Florida’s LGBTQ community must resist rollback of our rights - Amen, Wayne Besen! 

Florida Republican Says Terrorists ‘Hate Homosexuals More Than We Do’ as Woman’s Jaw Drops​ - Terrorist trying to kill LGBTQ people. Some Republicans and conservatives try to get us to kill ourselves. I personally can't tell one group of terrorists from the other.

GOP governor rejects funding for PBS because Clifford the dog “indoctrinates” kids - It's actually another general attack on PBS. They always fail, but geez! 

Megachurch Pastor Jack Hibbs Says ‘The Transgender Agenda’ Is a ‘Plan of None Other Than Satan Himself’ - But I thought the so-called gay agenda was his plan. How come Hibbs got the memo announcing the change before me?

Librarian fights back with lawsuit after allegedly being called a 'child predator'

 

A controversy about banning books in New Jersey has led to a defamation lawsuit.

A New Jersey librarian just dragged a couple of people into the latter stage of the "F@ck around and Find Out" principle.

From The Miami Herald

A woman working as a high school librarian is fighting back in court against local residents who she says are targeting her and calling her a “child predator” over books on the school’s shelves. Roxana Russo Caivano, a librarian at Roxbury High School in New Jersey since 2010, accuses four Roxbury town residents of slandering and libeling her by suggesting she’s exposing students to books that they consider pornographic, according to a lawsuit filed in state superior court in late March.

 One resident attacked Caivano’s character online on a Facebook page for high school students’ parents — writing she’s including “hard-core pornography” in the school’s library collection — while three others accused her of luring and exposing children to pornographic material, “characterizing (her) as a child abuser,” at a school board meeting, a complaint says. Now she’s suing the four residents for defamation. She says their accusations, which began in September, wrongly accuse her of criminal behavior and are aimed at harming her reputation and job, according to the complaint. 

 . . . Three defendants named in the complaint are women who spoke out against Caivano at a March 6 Roxbury Board of Education meeting, according to the lawsuit. At the meeting, they “attacked (Caivano’s) credentials and employment status, and caused (her) emotional distress by stating that (she) has engaged in luring children with sexually explicit materials, stating that (she) is a child predator, stating that (she) exposed minors to pornographic material…,” the complaint says. 

 . . .Caivano says one of the women has published “libelous and defamatory” information on a blog, saying she’s “guilty of criminal acts by including certain works of literature” at the school library, according to the complaint. That blog is titled The Roxbury Parental Rights in Education, The Daily Record reported. 

 The blog says “Pornography, obscenity, pervasively vulgar. Regardless of how you describe them, there are books in Roxbury Public High School that are not age or school appropriate. Parents have sent us correspondence with the librarian and the Superintendent who defend keeping them in there under the guise of ‘‘inclusivity’ and ‘reflecting the community.’” 

Caivano is seeking an unspecified amount of damages. I hope to see more of this. It's long past time for these book banners and wannabe child protectors to reap the fruits of their hysteria.

Missouri anti-trans emergency rule halted for 15 more days' & other Tue midday news briefs

Missouri judge pauses enforcement of limits on gender-affirming care for trans youth and adults for 15 days​ - I was hoping and kinda knew that this would happen again. The hearing is set for May 11.

LGBTQ lawmaker to GOP: 'I’m literally trying to exist' - Amen. 

Transgender Montana Rep. Zooey Zephyr Sues Republicans Over Her Censure - Good for her. I hope she wins. 

Here's the First Look at DC Comics' 2023 Pride Anthology - I'm looking forward to this, including the right-wing freak outs.

Nebraska state senator accused of ethics violation for opposing bill because she has a trans son

Nebraska state senator Megan Hunt

This story speaks to my post from last night. The Republican Party think that they have a winning issue by attacking the trans community. The problem is the strident way they are going after trans Americans and their families is turning off a lot of voters. More than that, it is scaring them.

From the online publication Jezebel:

An Omaha lawyer has filed an ethics complaint against Nebraska State Sen. Megan Hunt (D), accusing her of financially benefiting from her own filibuster of the state’s anti-trans bill because she has a trans son. Omaha lawyer David Begley filed a complaint with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Office, Hunt announced from the legislative floor on Wednesday (to a few groans).

LGBTQNation breaks it down further:

State law requires that public officials and employees disclose potential conflicts of interest, but this refers to when a decision could have “a financial benefit or detriment to the public official or public employee, a member of his or her immediate family or business with which he or she is associated.” 

Begley, in his complaint, argued that Hunt would have “a slightly more than average chance” of getting the state’s Medicaid program to cover gender-affirming care for her son if L.B. 574 isn’t passed, even though Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services bans Medicaid funds from being used for gender-affirming care. 

“In order to fully transition, Senator Hunt’s child would need medical services,” Begley wrote. 

 “This, colleagues, is not serious,”  (Hunt) said. “This is harassment. This is using the legal system that we have in our state to stop corruption, to increase transparency, to hold government accountable, and using it to harass a member of the legislature, who you all know is trying to do the right thing, is trying to parent her child in a way that keeps that child alive, in a way that keeps that child successful in school and with friends and healthy.”

Begley's complaint comes across as meanspirited because it implies that Hunt isn't opposing the bill because of the harm it could potentially do to her child, but because she supposedly financially gains if it fails. I have no idea what the point of his complaint was, but its outcome obviously isn't working like he planned

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Nebraska are standing up for Hunt. “I do not endorse this offensive complaint,” state Sen. Tom Brandt (R) said, adding that “family is off limits” and “It is so far out of bounds that it does not merit discussion.”

 “So if Senator Hunt is going to get a conflict or a NADC file against her, then I should, too,” state Sen. Wendy DeBoer (D) said, referring to how all legislators are impacted by legislation passed by the body but it usually isn’t considered a conflict of interest.

 But Hunt said that’s not enough; she wants Republicans to give up their attempt to ban trans youth like her son from getting gender-affirming care.

'Montana lawmaker suggested that she'd prefer daughter die by suicide than to transition' & other Mon midday news briefs

Montana legislator Kerri Seekins-Crowe

Montana Republican Lawmaker Suggested She'd Prefer Her Daughter Die By Suicide Than Transition - This is the mess trans people have to deal with.

1 in 4 high school students identifies as LGBTQ - You cannot eliminate our kids nor render them invisible. 

More Republicans turn on Ron DeSantis - Because he is an incompetent nothing without his state Republican super majority. 

WATCH: The best LGBTQ+ movie trailers that dropped in April 2023 - Just in case you missed them.

Poll - over half of registered voters say attack on transgender community is a major problem

 

From The Hill

More than half of registered voters believe political attacks on transgender children and families are a “major problem,” according to a Fox News poll. The poll found that 57 percent of respondents said the attacks are a major problem, while 26 percent said they are a minor problem. Only 15 percent said they were not a problem, while 3 percent said they were unsure. The results come as numerous states have approved legislation targeting the rights of LGBTQ individuals. 

 . . .The Fox poll did find that 54 percent of respondents said female transgender athletes competing in women’s sports is a major problem, while 27 percent said it is a minor problem. Only 18 percent said it is not a problem.

People may have a difference of opinion about particular trans issues (i.e. trans athletes competing), but one thing which gets them all united is the distaste of seeing trans people getting picked on.

While GOP state legislators have the power to make anti-trans laws, what they don't have is the power to control the narrative. All of their justifications for these attacks on trans people (attacks on gender-affirming care with grim and false anecdotes of children being sterilized and castrated) doesn't seem to be registering with the public. Also the Republican Party can't seem to temper themselves or their allies from being downright meanspirited in their attacks on trans people. When you have state officials moving to ban all gender-affirming care (in spite of claims of only wanting to protect children) and social media wannabe influencers spewing nonsense about 'eradicating transgenderism' or verbally assault the trans community practically every day, you aren't building up credibility. You are coming across as downright scary.

This translates as a problem to the Republican Party. Coupled with DeSantis's attacks on Disney, abortion bans, the attacks on education, the refusal to do something about gun violence, and the book banning across the country, the GOP is crafting an image designed to turn off voters.

TX school cancels field trip to 'James and the Giant Peach' play after parent raises concerns about drag queens

From Raw Story:

A Texas school district canceled a field trip to see a performance of "James and the Giant Peach" after a single parent complained that actors were dressed in drag. The parent raised concerns at a recent school board meeting that some actors were playing both men and women in the performance, saying that was inappropriate for children, and the Spring Branch Independent School District canceled the visit, reported KTRK-TV. 

 "Spring Branch ISD's pending field trips to the Main Street Theater performance of 'James and the Giant Peach' are being canceled due to concerns raised about the age-appropriateness of the performance," administrators told the TV station. 

 The play, which is based on the Roald Dahl book, is intended for children as young as first grade, and a spokeswoman for Main Street Theater said the parent who complained was wrong. "Drag is a different art form," said Shannon Emerick, the theater's marketing director. "There is a whole art form that is drag. The amazing thing is the kids just believe the story. They're not interested in any agendas or anything else anyone thinks is going on."

The parent who raised questions ,Jessica Gerland, gave an interview to a local news station, KHOU11:

“The way that they are normalizing this, especially in front of 5- to 6-year-olds, it just raises concerns for some parents,” she said. 

 Gerland says she brought her concerns to the district at Monday’s school board meeting, after calling Main Street Theater to get additional details. She says the theater told her actors play multiple roles that are both male and female. 

"She explained to me how they wear flamboyant makeup and wigs to make it fun for the kids," she said. "Do you know what the definition of a drag queen is?"  . . ."It's something that I thought would be more appropriate for high schoolers, not kindergarteners,” said Gerland.  

James and the Giant Peach is a very popular children's book (I've read it)  which was published in 1961. It tells the story of young boy who escapes his abusive aunts by way of a giant peach, which he and several giant insects ride to America while avoiding sharks, seagulls, and "Cloud men" along the way.  My guess is that the play adapts all of this for the stage. If actors are in drag during the performance,  I sincerely doubt they will be doing any of those things which conservatives and wannabe social media influencers like to mischaracterize as "child-grooming techniques."  Somehow I don't envision the evil aunts adorned in glittery sequins while lip syncing to Lady Gaga or the female insects getting tips from the audience while performing gymnastic splits.

 No one should be surprised that the anti-drag hysteria has come to this. On the contrary, we should be delighted that is has come to this. What better way to  expose the idiocy of this entire moral panic against drag shows and drag queens?

God help us if these parental crusaders go after Bugs Bunny next.  I hear he has quite a fetching wardrobe.

'Dwyane Wade, who has trans daughter, say Florida's anti-LGBTQ legislation was reason why he left the state' & other Thur midday news briefs

Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade Says Family Is His Motivation for Having Left Florida: 'Would Not Be Accepted' (Exclusive)​ - Dwyane Wade has a trans daughter and again he is showing the perfect way to support your trans child. Kudos to him. And I hope DeSantis keeps his mouth shut about this.

Transphobes freak out as trans woman comes in 6160th place in London Marathon - She didn't even place, folks. Calm down. Get a life. 

North Dakota limits bathroom use for transgender people - What are they going to do? Check at the door? Peek under the stall? 

Over half of 2022's most challenged books have LGBTQ themes - Their attempts to shut us down won't work.

'Missouri anti-trans emergency rule temporarily halted, Justice Department files complaint against Tennessee anti-trans law

Several state legislatures and government officials have spent a nauseatingly large amount of time attacking transgender Americans via legislation. Now it seems that the cavalry, so to speak, may be arriving.

 Albeit slowly. 

First let's look at Missouri. Earlier this month, state attorney general Andrew Bailey released an emergency order which would effectively ban gender-affirming care for all trans people in the state. The order was to take effect on Thursday.

Not anymore, at least temporarily. 

From KMBC News:

A Missouri judge on Wednesday temporarily halted a first-of-its-kind rule restricting access to gender-affirming health care for transgender kids and adults, just hours before it was set to take effect. St. Louis County Circuit Judge Ellen Ribaudo put Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s emergency rule on transgender health care on hold until at least Monday.

 Bailey has touted the rule as a way to shield minors from what he describes as experimental medical treatments, though puberty blockers and sex hormones have been prescribed for decades. The restrictions also apply to health care for adults. Transgender Missourians and health care providers sued to stop it from taking effect as scheduled Thursday. They argued that Bailey sidestepped the GOP-led Legislature and acted beyond his authority in attempting to regulate gender-affirming health care under the state’s consumer-protection laws.

On Monday, the court will rule on a temporary restraining order against Bailey's rule. I have my fingers crossed here but so far it doesn't look good for Bailey.  We will see what happens.

And there is also news from Tennessee. The Justice Department is stepping in to challenge that state's anti-trans law.

According to WSMV4:

The Department of Justice has filed a complaint challenging Tennessee’s recently enacted law banning transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming care. The DOJ says its complaint alleges that the law’s ban on proving certain medically necessary care to trans youth violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.

 Along with the complaint, the DOJ says they’re asking the court to issue an immediate order to prevent the law from going into effect on July 1, 2023. The DOJ says SB 1 makes it unlawful to provide or offer certain types of medical care for trans youth with diagnosed gender dysphoria. “SB 1′s blanket ban prohibits potential treatment options that have been recommended by major medical associations for consideration in limited circumstances in accordance with established and comprehensive guidelines and standards of care,” the DOJ said in a press release.

 “By denying only transgender youth access to these forms of medically necessary care while allowing non-transgender minors access to the same or similar procedures, SB 1 discriminates against transgender youth. The department’s complaint alleges that SB 1 violates the Equal Protection Clause by discriminating on the basis of both sex and transgender status. Doctors, parents and anyone else who provides or offers to provide the prohibited care faces the possibility of civil suits for 30 years and other sanctions.”

'Legal advocates sue to block Missouri AG's rule to restrict trans care' & other Wed midday news briefs

Legal advocates file petition that could block Missouri AG's rule to restrict trans care - Time for the games to be over. Let's take this mess to court. I'm all for it. 

Florida Subpoenas Medical Associations Over Trans Youth Care - An intimidation tactic which will backfire. But go ahead and be stupid, Florida.

‘A Solution Looking for a Problem’: Bill that would out LGBTQ+ students to parents gets third hearing - Based upon the comments during the hearing . . . Good Lord!! 

Texas state department orders people to dress in accordance with their "biological gender" - Another attack aimed at trans and nonbinary people.

Hundreds of drag queens and allies march on Florida's state capitol to protest anti- LGBTQ bills

From The Hill:

Hundreds of drag performers gathered Tuesday in Tallahassee, Fla., to protest a slate of proposed bills that would roll back the rights of LGBTQ people. More than 300 drag queens and allies on Tuesday marched to the steps of the Florida Capitol building to protest legislation that would bar certain drag performances, as well as state bills that would restrict gender-affirming health care for transgender youths and bar transgender athletes from sports teams consistent with their gender identity, among others. 

The LGBTQ advocacy group Equality Florida, which helped organize the event, said Tuesday’s protest is the largest of its kind. Organizers said the protest is intended to educate the public about the “rich history of Drag as a form of cultural artistic expression suitable for all ages.” 

. . . At least 10 bills targeting LGBTQ rights have been introduced this year by lawmakers in Florida, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, including Senate Bill 1438, a measure that would allow the state to fine, suspend or revoke the food and beverage licenses of businesses that admit minors to an “adult live performance.” 

Detractors have said that DeSantis is targeting the LGBTQ community in an attempt to appeal to the conservative base because he is considering a presidential run. They have also said that the ban on drag performances in particular is deliberately vague and automatically designates all drag performances as "adult live performances" even when they are g-rated. They also said the ban deliberately targets Drag Queen Story Hour, a popular event in which drag queens read to children and their parents in libraries in an attempt to promote literacy.

Equality Florida issues the following statement:

DeSantis’ agenda of hate is decimating our state’s reputation nationally, sending talented students and business owners fleeing to states where freedom is a value rather than a hollow slogan, and making Florida less safe for LGBTQ people. Free states don’t ban art. Free states don’t force families to co-parent with the government or dictate what entertainment they can and cannot enjoy. Free states don’t issue vague threats to suppress speech and expression or target small businesses. Today, hundreds of drag performers and allies from across Florida sent a clear message: we stand for real freedom. And we will not be erased. Expect our resistance.

Photos by Equality Florida.

'MAGA world explodes at the news of Tucker Carlson's firing' & other Tue midday news briefs

‘The End of Fox News’: MAGA World Reacts to Tucker Carlson’s Departure​ - The screeching of wounded harpies. This is so delicious it should be fattening.

5 ways that Tucker Carlson has proved himself as a proudly anti-LGBTQ+ bigot - In case you forget how much of a b@st@rd Tucker Carlson is. 

Anti-LGBTQ Christian Nationalist Mark Robinson Launches Bid for Governor - Mark Robinson despises so much that he would keep us from getting cheese on our hamburgers if he could. 

On multiple fronts, Republicans target church-state separation - We need to keep an eye on this. 

Marjorie Taylor Greene calls Dylan Mulvaney “one of the biggest pedophiles” - Is this slander and defamation of character?

Matt Walsh whines helplessly about jailing Lizzo for including drag queens in her concert

What a wonderful day for truth and karma. In case you haven't heard, Tucker Carlson was fired from Fox News. And he didn't even know it was going to happen until he was informed of it today. Apparently he was in the middle of negotiating a five year contract.

Why it happened is speculative. There were so many reasons for the Murdochs to let go of this substandard, mediocre bigoted trust fund baby. It could have been a result of them having to pay $787 million to Dominion to settle its lawsuit, which Carlson contributed greatly to being filed. Maybe or maybe not. No doubt, Fox will probably fill his time slot with someone equally nauseating and I'm sure he will probably bounce back. But who gives a shit. Carlson has been fired and publicly humiliated. And it will follow him throughout his entire career.

Speaking of people deserving the sweet kick of karma, let's talk Matt Walsh for a second. He has made a career out of picking on LGBTQ people, particularly the transgender community. Like Carlson, he is a bully and, as with all bullies, when up against someone who can match him, he shrinks and becomes the whiny bitch we all knew lurked inside of him.

In this case, the person who shut him down is successful and talented artist Lizzo.  Last weekend, Lizzo brought out a bunch of drag queens during her Tennessee concert. She was making a statement against the recently passed - and held up by the courts - state law which bans drag in public places and in front of kids.

Matt had something to say about what she did. And it underscored his weakness.

Throw her in jail https://t.co/1fGp052D7l

— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 24, 2023

It ain't gonna happen, Matt. I doubt Tennessee is that stupid. Then again . . .

I should warn everyone that some folks on the thread make cruel remark about Lizzo and the drag queens. They typify Walsh's weakness and the weakness of others who denigrate drag queens and bully LGBTQ people in general. When having to deal with strong opposition, they resort to elementary school taunts.  It simply proves that deep inside  they all are nothing more than babies who throw tantrums when they don't get their bottles.

'Minnesota governor to sign bills safeguarding gender-affirming care, abortion' & other Mon midday news briefs

Minnesota Governor to Sign Bills Safeguarding Gender-Affirming Care, Abortion - Voting matters. ALWAYS.

President Biden leads charge to protect LGBTQ rights as GOP legislates culture wars ahead of 2024 - "Kitchen table issues." Right, GOP? 

Uganda’s extreme anti-LGBTQ legislation, explained - THIS is depressing. 

Tennessee blocked $8 million for HIV, now ends up with $13 million, stunning advocates - The headline is confusing. Tennessee blocked $8 million in annual funds for fighting HIV, but end up with $13 million in funds specifically designed to fight HIV.

Woman sues for ability to put her religious beliefs over the needs of LGBTQ foster kids

There isn't "two sides" to this issue. If you will not affirm the safety and health of LGBTQ kids who you may foster, then you don't need to be a foster parent. Your religious beliefs DO NOT come before their safety, health, and self-esteem. 

It shouldn't be up for debate.

From KGW8 in Oregon:

A mother in Malheur County says that she wants to adopt two of those kids from foster care, but she's been blocked by the state due to a difference in beliefs. According to Jessica Bates, Oregon turned her down because she disagreed with requirements that she unconditionally accept the sexual orientation or gender identity of her adopted children. Bates claims the state's requirements are against her religious beliefs — and now she's suing the state.

 When Bates' husband died in a car crash in 2017, she became a single mother of five biological kids. She's a Christian, and she said that after listening to the radio one day, God told her to adopt more children. That revelation led Bates to Oregon's foster care system, where she decided she wanted to adopt two kids — siblings under the age of 9. But when she went to fill out forms for her home evaluation, she got hung up on one section. Oregon's Department of Human Services requires that certified foster homes "respect, accept and support the race, ethnicity, cultural identities, national origin, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disabilities, spiritual beliefs and socioeconomic status of a child." 

DHS requires that adoptive parents meet the current and lifelong needs of a child's physical and emotional safety and well-being. The Oregon Foster Children's Bill of Rights states that children in foster care have the right to determine and express their gender identity, dress themselves accordingly, and have a say over decisions about their body when it comes to medical care. 

. . . Bates felt that accepting and supporting different sexual orientations or gender identities would contradict her religious beliefs. She sent a note to DHS and the person handling her application, writing: "I need to let you know I cannot support this behavior in a child. I have no problem loving them and accepting them as they are, but I would not encourage them in this behavior. I believe God gives us our gender/sex and it's not something we get to choose." Bates went on to say that providing gender-affirming medical care like hormone injections would be child abuse. 

 After that, Bates' application to become a foster parent was denied. She's filed a lawsuit against the state in an attempt to get the rule change, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom — a right-wing law firm that works on Christian religious freedom cases, often in opposition to LGBTQ+ rights.

The Alliance Defending Freedom is considered - and justifiably so - as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. 

Founded by some 30 leaders of the Christian Right, the Alliance Defending Freedom is a legal advocacy and training group that has supported the recriminalization of sexual acts between consenting LGBTQ adults in the U.S. and criminalization abroad; has defended state-sanctioned sterilization of trans people abroad; has contended that LGBTQ people are more likely to engage in pedophilia; and claims that a “homosexual agenda” will destroy Christianity and society. ADF also works to develop “religious liberty” legislation and case law that will allow the denial of goods and services to LGBTQ people on the basis of religion. 

This further proves that Bates' lawsuit is less about religious freedom and more about weaponizing her religious beliefs as a tool to hinder the safety and health of LGBTQ people, most specifically LGBTQ children.

If Ron DeSantis were a drag queen, what would be his stage name?

 

Let's have some weekend fun and nothing is more fun laughing at the folks who are attempting to undermine our rights, safety, and health as well as stifle our culture Laughter is wonderful medicine. It raises the spirt and cleanses the soul. 

I don't know who created the video below or how (I'm not good with technology). All I want to know is if Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was a drag queen, what would be his stage name? Let me know in the comment section.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE but they don’t care because Rhonda DeSantis looks fabulous! 😍🤩pic.twitter.com/hbsvQbGirO

— Lynda Straffin 🇺🇦 (@lyndastraffin) April 21, 2023

'LGBTQ kids kicked out with nowhere to go. Life on the streets' & other Fri midday news briefs

LGBTQ kids kicked out with nowhere to go; Life on the streets​ - People don't like to hear this but sometimes parents don't know best. These fools claiming to want to protect children don't even care about these kids.

 Mayra was outed to her mother by a group of classmates, who conspired against her in a cruel ploy to get her to admit that she was a lesbian. They elected one female classmate to pretend to befriend Mayra. The girl falsely claimed to Mayra that she was a lesbian and encouraged Mayra to open up about her own sexuality. After a few weeks of this false courting, Mayra felt comfortable enough to admit to the girl that she was indeed a lesbian too. The group of students behind the ploy then took to social media to out Mayra in a post that would change her life forever. Mayra’s mother, boyfriend, Grandmother, and extended family in the Harris County area all told her that they would continue to deny her any living accommodation or support unless she committed to regularly seeing a priest. “

My dad picked me up by the neck of my shirt and dragged me to my room and handed me a little duffel bag, and told me I could only take what I could fit in the duffel bag. I told him I had nowhere to go. He told me he didn’t give a fuck where I went because I was not staying there. He was not going to have ‘fag’ living in his house.”          

Ron DeSantis loses again to Disney - At this point, Ron DeSantis is Disney's bitch. 

LGBTQ legal groups sue Tennessee to block Trans healthcare ban - Good for them! I hope they win. 

Lauren Boebert told drag queens to stay out of her district. They came & everyone had a good time. - Ha. Ha.

Throwback Thursday - USA Today article makes strong case that attempts to ban trans athletes are based on lies and misrepresentations

 

On Thursday, the Republican led House of Representatives passed a nonsensical bill which they claim would protect girls and women in sports. What it does is exploit and amplify lies about how trans female athletes have an advantage over cis female athletes. No Democrat voted for it.

The bill isn't going anywhere and they know it. The Democrats control the Senate and it won't even come up. But should an ugly miracle happen and it does come up and get passed, President Biden has already said he would veto it. And the Republicans don't have a veto-proof majority. Still, however, the GOP and its allies are bragging in press conferences and Twitter about how they voted to "save women's sports."

This is from a party who is trying to push a national abortion ban and thereby subject women to negative health consequences. The hypocrisy is so bad you can practically smell it. 

Anyway, in "celebration" of the GOP's performative bullshit, I am reposting a piece I ran in June 2021. It's how the USA Today investigated the claim that trans female athletes are cheating cis female athletes. The investigation found that the claim was basically not true. Unfortunately, with all of the talking points about "girls being cheated" and the deceptive pics of trans athletes which underscore stereotypes, the article was forgotten.

But not too forgotten:

From June 30, 2021:

In an exceptional piece of journalism, The USA Today took a look at the efforts and groups behind statewide attempts to ban trans athletes and found a lot of lies and misrepresentation. 

It shouldn't surprise those of us in the know because every effort by religious right groups to denigrate LGBTQ people or deny us rights has been a smorgasbord of cherry-pickings, distortions, and out-and-out lies.  Exposing the anti-LGBTQ industry and calling out their history of lies is how this blog made a name for itself since 2006. 

In the spirit of all of that, I simply have to say that The USA Today article,  Conservatives want to ban transgender athletes from girls sports. Their evidence is shaky by Rachel Axon and Brent Schrotenboer is a goddamn masterpiece worthy of a Pulitzer.  

Yes, it's that good. I'm going to post snippets of it and highly suggest that folks read and share the entire article.

Excerpt 1

Grace Waggoner told lawmakers in February 2020 that her team had lost the first state tournament game it had played in decades to an opponent with a transgender player. She blamed an “unfair” Arizona Interscholastic Association policy that allows students to join teams consistent with their gender identity after going through a review. Waggoner offered few details on the athlete’s impact on the game, but bill sponsor Rep. Nancy Barto accepted it as evidence of a problem in her state.

 . . The game Waggoner referenced in her testimony turned out to be a state tournament play-in game in 2019 that Scottsdale Christian Academy lost to Heritage Academy, 16-6. Heritage Academy coach Steve LaDrigue said his team did not have a transgender player. What Waggoner didn’t say is that she’s the daughter of Kristen Waggoner, general counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom – a conservative, legal nonprofit that has pushed transgender sports bans in states across the nation. When pressed for details about the game, an ADF spokesperson said in an email, “The widespread understanding on the team – including the coach, parents, and players – was that the athlete was male.” LaDrigue guesses the suspicion fell on the team’s catcher, his daughter, because she has short hair.

Editor's note - The Alliance Defending Freedom is the group behind efforts to ban trans athletes

Excerpt 2

Across the nation, state lawmakers supporting transgender athlete bans have painted a picture that girls sports teams will be overrun by athletes with insurmountable physical advantages. But a USA TODAY investigation of the lobbying effort shows that narrative has been built on vague examples that have been overstated or are untrue, and lawmakers have accepted them as fact with little effort to verify their accuracy. The more than 70 bills lawmakers have offered in at least 36 states would suggest a bigger problem facing girls sports, but that didn’t check out either. 

Instead, USA TODAY could find few transgender athletes participating and even fewer complaints about them. In South Dakota, the sponsor of a bill said a transgender girl who played basketball was “consistently scoring 25 points above females” in high school and that the Sioux Falls district alone had three transgender athletes competing in 2019. But the state association responsible for approving participation of transgender athletes says only one transgender girl has competed since 2013, and she was an average athlete who didn’t live in Sioux Falls.

Editor's note - That's just one of the cases the USA Today article revealed that those attempting to ban trans athletes misrepresented.

Excerpt 3

During a discussion at the influential Conservative Political Action Conference in February, Milstead joined former Southern Utah University runner Linnea Saltz to speak about the issue – and Saltz referred to a transgender athlete who has gained mythic status among supporters of these bills. June Eastwood, a University of Montana runner, became the first openly transgender cross-country runner in major college sports in 2019-20 after undergoing hormone therapy for a year to suppress testosterone, as required by NCAA rules. But bill proponents often exaggerate Eastwood’s accomplishments or take them out of context.

Those are three examples of religious right distortions and misrepresentations made against trans athletes in an article filled with examples. This is the type of article I hoped to write when I began this blog - the one I wish was published during the time I was attempting to come out. 

Please read and share it.

'Trans youth are fighting back against right-wing media's culture war on their lives' & other Thur midday news briefs

Trans youth fight back as right-wing media’s culture war robs them of their childhood - Fight the good fight, y'all. I'm with you. 

Caitlyn Jenner Launches PAC To “Stop Rainbow Mafia”​ - Caitlyn obviously has money issues. Careful who you turn your back to. We aren't the ones brandishing the instrument which will be buried in it. 

Florida Board of Education approves ‘Don’t Say Gay’ expansion - Poor DeSantis. Disney embarrassed him, Trump slapped him around, he bungled a question about the Ukraine, that abortion bill he signed is chomping down on him, he's losing donors and endorsement. So he is going back to what brought him to the dance - picking on LGBTQ people. 

Far-right Christian media figure Kirk Cameron is trying to sow conflict at local libraries with a line of conservative children’s books - His books are awful but Cameron is counting victimhood status to get over.