'School board member receiving death threats after renouncing claims of LGBTQ indoctrination in schools' & other mid-week news briefs

School board member who once championed book bans now faces death threats for changing her mind - When Courtney Gore found no evidence LGBTQ+ indoctrination in local schools, Republicans turned against her.

A GOP Texas school board member campaigned against schools indoctrinating kids. Then she read the curriculum. - For those wanting the full story, here is the original article cited in LGBTQ Nation. 

Biden Administration Looks to Protect LGBTQ+ Foster Kids With New Rule - Yet another reason why elections matter. Never mind the idiots who claim that voting doesn't matter. It makes a huge difference in the support LGBTQ people and our kids get in terms of laws and regulations. 

Maryland parents can’t opt kids out of LGBTQ book curriculum, court rules - This has nothing to do with sexual behavior. Parents objected to kids reading books with LGBTQ characters. Folks need to understand what's going on here. There is a slow but steady movement to paint any and every aspect of the LGBTQ community as a matter of sexual behavior and therefore something which needs to be kept from kids. We saw this with how they tried tis by automatically classifying drag in itself as obscene behavior. 

Bills targeting LGBTQ+ youth in Louisiana close to final approval - Speaking of which.

Appeals court teaches Georgia county an expensive lesson in anti-trans discrimination

Another week, another court victory for transgender Americans and this one comes with a hefty price tag for those who sought to discriminate against her.

From The Associated Press

A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court’s ruling that a Georgia county illegally discriminated against a sheriff’s deputy by failing to pay for her gender-affirming surgery. In its ruling Monday, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it was tasked with determining whether a health insurance provider can be held liable under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for denying coverage for a procedure because an employee is transgender. 

The three-judge panel decided in a 2-1 vote that it can and that the lower court had ruled correctly. Houston County Sgt. Anna Lange, an investigator for the Houston County sheriff’s office, had sued Sheriff Cullen Talton and the county in 2019 after she was denied coverage. 

 . . .U.S. District Court Judge Marc Treadwell ruled in 2022 that the county’s refusal to cover Lange’s prescribed gender-affirmation surgery amounted to illegal sex discrimination under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Treadwell’s order cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2020 decision finding that a Michigan funeral home could not fire an employee for being transgender.

 The judge ordered the county’s insurance plan to pay for the surgery and Lange eventually underwent the procedure. A jury awarded Lange $60,000 in damages in 2022. The county sought to undo Treadwell’s order and the damage award. 

 According to LGBTQ Nation, the county spent $1.2 million in legal fees when the surgery would have only been $10,000. Oh well. That's what the county gets. Some people aren't content unless they learn the hard way. 

And I'm here for it.

Expansion of Alabama 'Don't Say Gay' bill dies in on final day of legislative session

Alabama legislators pushing an expansion of a statewide 'Don't Say Gay' bill nearly brought it closer to being a law.  But they stumbled at the finish line.

From The Alabama Reflector

A bill that would have expanded Alabama’s “Don’t Say Gay” law died on the final day of the 2024 regular session. HB 130, sponsored by Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, would have extended Alabama’s prohibition on discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten to fifth grade to kindergarten to eighth grade. It also would have banned flags or other insignia indicating gender identity or sexual orientation. Butler said in a Friday phone interview that he didn’t know what the issues were in the final days of the session but said there was a filibuster in the Senate “which is not uncommon.” 

 So what exactly happened? According to LGBTQ Nation, the bill died because of confusion regarding what it meant:

 Alabama public school teachers are already prohibited from leading discussions on LGBTQ+ identities through fifth grade. The new legislation, H.B. 130, would extend that restriction through 12th grade. The bill would also remove a line from existing law stating that teachers cannot discuss LGBTQ+ identities “in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards” and completely ban such discussions. Opponents of the bill said that it would force LGBTQ+ students and staff to go back into the closet in schools since the law was vague about what discussions, exactly, would be restricted.

 . . . Some of the confusion about the bill was discussed in the Alabama Senate, where state Sen. Larry Strutts (R) asked whether it would apply to bumper stickers on cars in school parking lots. Butler replied that school property doesn’t include parking lots.

 “The property is not the parking lot?” Stutts asked. “Well, we’re talking about the actual building,” Butler replied. Butler later told reporters that the concern was “ridiculous” but admitted that confusion around the bill may have prevented it from passing. 

 And apparently, according to LGBTQ Nation, this was just one of the many problems. Another one sprang up after someone attempted to add an amendment about the state's Space Camp,

Butler also reportedly tried to add an amendment – which failed – specifically stating that the state’s Space Camp may not teach children about LGBTQ+ issues. The amendment was issued in reaction to the revelation that a single employee of the Huntsville Space Camp is transgender. The revelation angered a slew of parents and politicians who called for the employee to be fired.

Several state and federal lawmakers targeted the trans employee. However, she was defended by the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and, as far as I know, has been able to keep her job.

Donald Trump promises to roll back protections for trans students 'on day one' if he is elected

Yet another reason why November's election is important to the LGBTQ community. Trump promises to reverse protections for trans students is bad enough in itself. But if you think the rest of us in the community aren't going to be targeted, you're being very naive. We can stop this before it happens, if we do the right thing. No need to march en masse in the streets after the fact if we took the time to march en masse to the voting booth in November.

From The Hill:

Former President Trump said Friday he would roll back transgender student protections enacted last month by the Biden administration “on day one” of his presidency if he is reelected in November. The Education Department in April unveiled a final set of sweeping changes to Title IX, the federal civil rights law preventing sex discrimination in schools and education programs that receive government funding. The new regulations, which are slated to take effect Aug. 1, cover discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity for the first time. 

 “We’re gonna end it on day one,” Trump said Friday during an appearance on “Kayal and Company,” a conservative talk radio show in Philadelphia. “Don’t forget, that was done as an order from the president. That came down as an executive order. And we’re gonna change it — on day one it’s gonna be changed.”

 President Biden in a 2021 executive order wrote that “all students should be guaranteed an educational environment free from discrimination on the basis of sex, including discrimination in the form of sexual harassment, which encompasses sexual violence, and including discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.”

 “For students attending schools and other educational institutions that receive Federal financial assistance, this guarantee is codified, in part, in Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972,” Biden wrote in the executive order, which formally charged the Education Department with overhauling Title IX regulations instituted under Trump

. “Tell your people not to worry about it,” Trump told hosts Nick Kayal and Dawn Stensland on Friday, referring to the new Title IX rule. “It’ll be signed on day one. It’ll be terminated.”

Editor's note - Donald Trump's promise to reverse protections for trans students is an opportunity to remind the LGBTQ community and everyone in general how much of a liar he is. When he ran for president in 2016, he promised to fight for us. 

After he was elected, his policies were just the opposite. And he didn't even bother to give an explanation because the media generally didn't give enough of a damn to demand one. But I kept "receipts." Listed below are just a few.

News brief special - Trump, religious right team up in attempt to devastate LGBTQ equality, health, and wellness 

The Slate reports that Trump's newest trans troops ban was developed in part by anti-LGBTQ activists 

Trump broke all of the promises he made to the LGBTQ community, but the media doesn't care enough to ask why 

The Trump Administration has attacked the LGBTQ community 92 times in policy and rhetoric

Trump's betrayal of the LGBTQ community is central to the dishonesty of his joke of a presidency 

Don't forget Donald Trump's lie to the LGBTQ community

Donald Trump gave LGBTQ Americans lots of broken promises. Anyone telling you different is a liar.

Trashy and dangerous move - SC legislators pass bill banning gender-affirming care. Bill also outs trans kids to parents.

I am completely disappointed, but not surprised that legislators in my state would pass such a dangerous bill. But it's not over. NOT by a longshot. Like I told a friend of mine when this initially passed, we are just in the first inning.

South Carolina has passed a gender-affirming care ban. Here's what families can do​ - Completely ridiculous. They did this after lots of people came out to testify against it. They only had one person testifying for it and he did it via video. A complete stunt. But our community will prevail. 

After originating in the state Senate, H.4624 now heads to Republican Gov. Henry McMaster for his signature. The bill prohibits youth under the age of 18 in the state from receiving all medically necessary transgender health care, including puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgery. It also prohibits public funds and Medicaid from being used to cover the cost of transition-related healthcare for transgender people of any age. 

In response, the Campaign for Southern Equality has announced that families of transgender youth in South Carolina are now eligible to apply for support from the Southern Trans Youth Emergency Project (STYEP), a regional project that helps transgender youth whose access to gender-affirming care has been disrupted by government policies.

 “South Carolina lawmakers have turned their backs on transgender youth and passed this dangerous bill, which will needlessly and cruelly disrupt the lives of trans people in our state," said Domenico Ruggerio, Executive Director of We Are Family. "But our community is prepared to support families through this crisis – and we’ll never stop working toward a state where transgender and gender nonconforming people in South Carolina can be themselves and live with peace and power.” 

South Carolina will soon ban gender-affirming & out trans kids to their parents - More details about this awful bill. 

 The bill forbids public funding, including Medicaid, from being used “directly or indirectly” for gender-affirming care. This provision may face an immediate challenge since the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes South Carolina, ruled in April that government- and state-funded health care and insurance plans cannot exclude coverage for gender-affirming medical care, The Hill reported.

 The bill also requires school principals and counselors to notify parents if a child indicates in any way that their gender identity doesn’t match the sex they were assigned at birth. This provision will make trans, nonbinary, and gender-fluid students less likely to seek help from trusted adults in schools, leaving them without any adult support if their parents disapprove of their gender identity. 

 In January, Gov. McMaster called the bill “a good idea,” adding, “If they wanna make those decisions later when they’re adults then that’s a different story, but we must prevent our young people from making irreversible errors.” Several studies have shown that most people who receive gender-affirming healthcare do not regret it. 

 A March 2024 poll found that 71% of South Carolina voters felt that the government should not intervene in LGBTQ gender-affirming healthcare decisions that regard individuals under the age of 18.

Judge throws out lawsuit against school by mother who claimed it encouraged and hid her teen's gender expression

From The Associated Press:

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by a Maine woman who accused school officials of encouraging her teen’s gender expression by providing a chest binder and using a new name and pronouns, without consulting parents. 

 U.S. District Judge Jon Levy acknowledged his decision that a mother such as Amber Lavigne “might expect school officials to keep her informed about how her child is navigating matters related to gender identity” but he concluded that she failed to establish legal claims for which the school district could be held liable. The lawsuit filed last year was the latest to weigh a minor’s right to privacy when confiding in a mental health professional against a parent’s right to supervise their children’s health and education. 

 

 LGBTQ Nation provides details about the failed lawsuit: 

 The mother, Amber Lavigne, filed a lawsuit in April of last year against the school for allegedly violating her rights as a parent. She said that she found a chest binder in her 13-year-old child’s room and that her child said they got it from a social worker at school. Lavigne said administrators did not inform her that her child was given a chest binder and that they were going by a different name and pronouns at school. 

She met with school employees who said that their policy on transgender students is in line with state law. She sued, saying the school had a policy “of intentionally withholding and concealing certain information from parents” that was unconstitutional, but the evidence didn’t show that that was the policy, according to the judge. 

 According to the recently retired Chief U.S. District Judge Jon Levy, none of the claims cited within the lawsuit indicated that the school violated any laws. “It is understandable that a parent, such as Lavigne, might expect school officials to keep her informed about how her child is navigating matters related to gender identity at school,” said Levy in the ruling. “Her Complaint, however, fails to plead facts which would, if proven, establish municipal liability… based on an unwritten custom, ratification by a final policymaker, or failure to train.” 

 The guidelines imposed by the district allow for parents to learn of their child’s gender identity, and they oppose keeping secrets. Lavigne reportedly only identified a single instance of this being violated – not enough to hold the school liable, Levy says.

Video: Top 20 LGBTQ+ Couples on Animated Shows

 

 This was done 10 months ago, but I saw it only recently and it made me think.

 I'm 53 years-old, so I remember a time before Ellen or Will & Grace or having an openly gay member of the Presidential cabinet. I remember when my local tv station pre-empted a movie called Making Love because of the gay storyline. I remember when someone being openly gay for talk show fodder for days. And I remember "special episodes" of television show which featured a gay friend of the main character, and the plot was generally about him or her coming out and how the main character had to deal with it.  These episodes generally had a happy ending, but it still didn't feel right.

So, this video above is nice. It's a definite reminder of where we came from and how hard we fought to get here.

Arizona Republicans furious about Drag Queen Story Hour event in which no children were in attendance

The lies that Drag Queen Story Hour and drag queens in general are integral in some plot to "sexualize" or "trans" kids is a lie. We all knew this from the beginning. A recent incident at the Arizona State Capitol puts an exclamation point to that declaration.

Check out the tweet courtesy of Arizona Republicans:

⚠️ WARNING: THIS CONTENT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN.

Arizona Democrat lawmakers teamed up with Planned Parenthood to host ‘Drag Story Hour’ at the Capitol to encourage parents to transition their kids. This is ahead of LGBTQ+ YOUTH Day at the Capitol tomorrow.

Your… pic.twitter.com/4qpS6lj4Gb

— AZSenateRepublicans (@AZSenateGOP) April 30, 2024

 

The hysterical narrative is that stuff like this is a way of supposedly "sexualizing" or "transing" kids. That in itself is ridiculous, but The Arizona Central also adds more details which underscores the inanity of the claim.

Opinion: Arizona Republicans are scandalized over a 'drag story hour' in the House basement. Quick, grab the smelling salts. https://t.co/XIsFChTPTt

— azcentral (@azcentral) May 2, 2024

From The Arizona Central:

 On Tuesday, the Arizona Legislature was, as usual, not working, and so the Arizona LGBTQ+ Caucus met in the House basement for a “drag story hour.” There were no children present, according to Rep. Lorena Austin, D-Mesa, who organized the event in conjunction with Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona. There was nothing sexually explicit or even vaguely provocative, based upon videos posted to social media. Just a person dressed in makeup, a sparkly suit and what looked to be a rather cool hat that Zorro would have totally worn, reading a story to adults about issues confronting the LGBTQ+ community. 

 To reiterate, there was nothing scandalous or sexual about this event. And not only that, NO children were in attendance anyway. 

 But in terms of hypocrisy, the situation gets funnier. While Republicans are all "in the vapors" about the Drag Queen Story Hour event, they said nothing when several weeks ago, other Republicans held a prayer circle on the Senate floor. These folks even knelt on the state seal as one of them spoke in tongues:

So this happened today at the #AZLeg. 🫠🫠🫠#Arizona #AZSenate #AZSupremeCourt pic.twitter.com/g2LVL41UWk

— Jeanne Casteen (@JeanneCasteen) April 8, 2024

Hat tip to JoeMyGod, which recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary. Thank you for your service to the community, Joe Jervis!!!

Detransitioner must pay $40,00 for frivolous lawsuit, United Methodists repeals ban on LGBTQ clergy, & other midweek news briefs

Detransitioner Soren Aldaco Must Pay $40,000 for Frivolous Lawsuit​ - Certain people, including certain "journalists," attacking gender-affirming healthcare probably don't want you to know this bit of information: 

 The judge in a prominent detransitioner lawsuit in Texas has dismissed part of the case with prejudice and ordered the plaintiff, Soren Aldaco, to pay the attorney fees for some of her former providers, as first reported on Twitter by Assigned Media contributor Julie Rei Goldstein. 

A visual history of lesbian activism from around the world: 58 images of dyke marches- Handle your business, ladies. 

United Methodists repeal longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy - This is a wonderful bit of news. 

Ben Shapiro tried to use Jason Collins’ coming out in his anti-gay campaign. It hasn’t worked. - A nice flashback reminding us all how useless Ben Shapiro is. 

GOP speaker issues absurd punishment to Arizona Dems for hosting a Drag Story Hour - Oh COME ON, guy!! 

Ohio judge extends temporary restraining order that blocks ban on gender-affirming care for minors - This post began with good news for the transgender community. Let's end it the same way.

Kansas lawmakers fail to override veto of bill banning healthcare for trans kids, two anti-trans bills fail in Mississippi

It was a good Monday and Tuesday for the transgender community. 

Yesterday an hour after I posted about the victory in federal court, news came down that Kansas lawmakers failed to override Governor Laura Kelly's veto on an anti-trans healthcare bill. The bill would have banned gender-affirming are for trans minors. And central to the story is one Republican, who initially supported the bill, changing her vote.

From Michigan Live:

In a dramatic shift, the Kansas legislature failed to override Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of a bill banning gender-affirming healthcare for transgender minors. Two Republican lawmakers unexpectedly broke ranks, leading to a major victory for LGBTQ+ advocates and securing access to essential medical care for trans youth in the state.

 The legislation, Senate Bill 233, would have prohibited medical professionals from providing treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender youth. It also aimed to bar state employees from promoting social transitioning for children questioning their gender identity. 

 Governor Kelly vetoed the bill in March, citing its dangerous intrusion into the doctor-patient relationship and the well-being of transgender Kansans. The veto override seemed poised for success, until Representatives Susan Concannon and Jesse Borjon voted against the measure. 

 Rep. Concannon, previously a supporter of the bill, delivered a powerful speech: “We hear of bullying and ask authorities to make it stop. We hear about mental health, about suicide, and ask why. We’re not listening to the impacted youth. Government involvement is not the answer...These decisions belong between the team of professionals and the parents. The youth need our help, not government overreach. For all those who reached out, I hear you, and vote to sustain the governor’s veto.”

And just now as I was working on the above post, this news came from The Associated Press:

Mississippi's Republican-led Legislature will not take final votes on two bills that attempted to restrict legal recognition of transgender people. The bills died quietly when House and Senate leaders failed to agree on compromise versions before a Monday night deadline. Lawmakers were working on several other complex issues at the time.

 One bill would have restricted transgender people’s use of bathrooms and locker rooms in public buildings, including university dormitories. The other would have specified that sex is defined at birth, and that “there are only two sexes, and every individual is either male or female.” 

 SuperTalk- Mississippi Media added: 

 In an attempt to restrict transgender people’s use of bathrooms and locker rooms in public buildings, Republican Sen.Josh Harkins authored the Securing Areas for Females Effectively and Responsibly (SAFER) Act. The legislation deemed it necessary to provide male and female areas for each sex’s exclusive use. Lawmakers on the GOP side quickly voiced their support for the bill following an incident at a Planet Fitness gym in Alaska in which a transgender individual identifying as a woman was spotted on video shaving in the women’s locker room.

 . . . The SAFER Act became a national movement as it was backed by Paula Scanlan, a former University of Pennsylvania swimmer who has made waves along with fellow athlete Riley Gaines. Scanlan even made a trip to the Magnolia State to advocate for the bill to create “safe spaces” for women. Nonetheless, the bill, which received pushback from Democratic lawmakers, failed to survive Monday’s deadline and will not make it to the desk of Republican Gov. Tate Reeves.

Federal court rules that state healthcare plans can't deny gender-affirming care to trans individuals

A wonderful bit of news just came from the courts on Monday for the transgender community.

From MetroWeekly:

A federal appeals court ruled that states can’t deny insurance coverage for gender-affirming medical care to transgender individuals. The full panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of transgender plaintiffs in two cases from North Carolina and West Virginia, finding that existing insurance exclusions on gender-affirming care are discriminatory and unconstitutional. 

 Lawyers for the plaintiffs noted that this most recent ruling sets precedent, not only for North Carolina and West Virginia, but all other states within the 4th Circuit, including South Carolina, where state officials are considering a ban on gender-affirming care for minors — one of the few Southern states without a ban currently in place. 

 “The court’s decision sends a clear message that gender-affirming care is critical medical care for transgender people and that denying it is harmful and unlawful,” Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, counsel and health care strategist for Lambda Legal, said in a statement. The plaintiffs celebrated the appeals court’s ruling as a victory for transgender people.

 . . .In 2020, Lambda Legal, together with employment attorney firm Nichols Kaster, PLLP, and The Employment Law Center, PLLC, filed a lawsuit against West Virginia officials on behalf of a Medicaid participant, Christopher Fain, who was denied coverage for gender confirmation surgery. That same lawsuit also previously challenged a similar exclusion contained in West Virginia’s state employee health insurance plan on behalf of two state employees who could not obtain coverage for gender-affirming treatments, either for themselves or their dependents.

Lambda Legal subsequently added additional transgender plaintiffs to the case, including Shauntae Anderson. The state employee plaintiffs’ claims were eventually resolved by a 2022 settlement with The Health Plan of West Virginia, Inc., which removed its exclusion on gender-affirming care. The lawsuit subsequently resumed, challenging only the Medicaid exclusion.

'UK right wing actor has to pay $225,000 for calling Drag Race contestant and LGBTQ activists 'pedophiles'' & other Thur/Fri news briefs

UK Right Wing Actor Must Pay $225,000 For Calling Drag Race Contestant And LGBTQ Activist “Pedophiles”​ - It would have been lovely for this to have happened in America. Nevertheless, give it up, turn it loose!

The queer community has long struggled with bisexual inclusivity. It’s even worse for bi elders. - We really need to do better when it comes to our bisexual brothers and sisters.

Four States Tell Schools To Ignore Biden's New Title IX Rules Protecting Trans Students - Ho boy here we go! We are going to be in for a fight. 

Colorado allows anti-LGBTQ+ group to pursue law outing trans students to parents - They are being allowed to collect signatures for a ballot measure which would force schools to out trans students to their parents. It doesn't sound appealing as to voters as it is. 

Meet the transgender minister representing LGBTQ+ rights in Georgia - Rev. Andi Woodworth is doing wonderful work.

Spreading lies about 2020 election leads to bankruptcy for anti-LGBTQ site The Gateway Pundit

 

Jim Hoft

Far be it from me to celebrate in someone's misfortune, but when an anti-LGBTQ publication is having serious problems, it's party time.

From Raw Story

In a message posted to the conspiracy theory-laden site that he founded, Jim Hoft announced that The Gateway Pundit has declared bankruptcy. “TGP Communications, the parent company of The Gateway Pundit, recently made the decision to seek protection under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the Southern District of Florida as a result of the progressive liberal lawfare attacks against our media outlet," Jim Hoft wrote in the post

. In December of 2021 Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss sued the site alleging that Hoft and his twin brother Joe Hoft used the site to engage in "a campaign of lies” that “instigated a deluge of intimidation, harassment, and threats that has forced them to change their phone numbers, delete their online accounts, and fear for their physical safety.” 

 The site grew to prominence and saw its traffic surge in 2020 by repeating false claims about mass voter fraud in that year's election -- claims that helped spark the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. As Mediaite points out, the site saw around 1.7 million unique readers in January of 2020 alone. A year later, that number dropped by around 50 percent. 

 “This is not an admission of fault or culpability. This is a common tool for reorganization and to consolidate litigation when attacks are coming from all sides. It allows TGP to consolidate this lawfare in one court for ultimate resolution," Hoft wrote in his statement. 

Well before 2020 and Trump's false claims about a rigged election, Hoft had a reputation of spreading conspiracy theories and outright lies. Media watchdog site Media Matters has an extensive file on Hoft while calling him "the dumbest man on the internet."

 Hoft, who came out as gay in 2016, has also targeted LGBTQ people. In 2009, he made several accusations against Dept. of Education official Kevin Jennings. His claims included accusing the openly gay appointee of "promoting fisting to 14-year olds" and personally pushing books which instructed kids to meet gay men at bars for sex

 I wrote extensively about the attempts to smear Jennings, including one of the above incidents (which at the time was referred to by some on the right as "Fistgate." In 2012, I was able to personally question Hoft on these accusations as well other lies he's told.  He wasn't as bold in defending the claims as he was in creating them.

Even now years after he's come out, Hoft's Gateway Pundit contains a plethora of articles whose only purpose is denigrating LGBTQ people.

All things considered, the next time you look up "karma" in the dictionary, don't be surprised if you see a picture of Hoft next to the definition.

'Blacks for Trump' make a rap video and it's the most bullsh!tiest bullsh!t of any bullsh!t you've ever seen.

Nothing says respect to Black voters like a half- naked female gyrating during a music video. At least in the eyes of Donald Trump supporters.

A while back, a prominent poll came out which inferred that Donald Trump was getting a good percentage of the Black vote. Of course, black folks disputed this on several credible grounds, but the media in general never listens to us anyway so they proceeded to push a "Joe Biden is losing Black voters" narrative. It's similar to the one they pushed before Biden was elected in 2020 and before the 2022 midterms. Hell, they even pushed an "Obama is losing Black voters" narrative during his presidency.

One would think that the media would at least conduct interviews or nuanced discussions with Black voters about this narrative, but no such luck. Our media (who has the uncanny ability to find Trump voters to interview whether it be on Atlantis, Mars, or even in the sewer visiting that clown from 'It') decided to limit their conversations to Black figures they appointed as our spokespeople, i.e. rappers and radio show hosts. And then these folks, with their limited knowledge, made arguments about "stimmy checks. Or asked rhetorical questions of "what has Biden done for us;" which could easily be answered if they amplified credible Black pundits instead of chasing nonsense about who is sleeping with whom or some ridiculous ho-tep ideas of Black masculinity and femininity.  

And that is partly the reason why we are stuck with mess like below. A small and obscure group calling itself Blacks for Trump and led by some wannabe rapper (who I refuse to mention) has put together a video claiming that Black voters are coming out in large volumes for Trump.

It's a video you simply have to see to believe. But not here.  There is no way in HELL I'm putting that mess on my blog. The following is a short, but highly nauseating snippet followed by screenshots of the full video, which should be enough to make the point that this is going to be a long election cycle.  

Lord Jesus, I'm gonna need a drink AND an edible to get through this sh!t.

Blacks for Trump release song, say Donald Trump is the first black President. They're behind him 500 percent. WATCH pic.twitter.com/8ofk4PnOLu

— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) April 22, 2024

And to the right is "Uncle Cleophas" with the bad perm which he thinks makes him a 'mack daddy'.

I guess she thinks she's the white girl at the end of MC Hammer's 'You Can't Touch This' video.

Oh look, it's Sexxy Redd's cousin - Stanky Greene.

I don't know who this man is, but you have to give him points for trying to keep up.

Editor's note - Top photo courtesy of Joe Jervis.

20 anti-LGBTQ bills fail as Iowa legislative session adjourns

The LGBTQ community received a wonderful bit of good news in Iowa and LGBTQ activists and journalists are hoping that it is the sign of a new trend.

From Bil Browning of LGBTQ Nation:

In state after state, GOP-dominated state legislatures are adjourning without passing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Now, Iowa has become the latest state to fail to pass any of the numerous bills introduced this session. 

 . . .Iowa Republicans saw bill after bill fall this session despite prioritizing them. A last-minute effort to push one through as an amendment to another bill also collapsed. More than 20 bills were introduced during this session. Some were introduced by the governor herself. 

 One bill tried to remove trans people from the state’s civil rights laws and declare them “disabled” instead. Another would have redefined the word “equal” in state law to specifically exclude trans people from the standard definition of “same” or “identical.” A third bill would have banned transgender from bathrooms that match their gender identity. 

One of the worst, known as the “pink triangle law,” would have required special markers on trans people’s birth certificates and driver’s licenses. The proposed change to Iowa’s civil rights law was so drastic and loathsome that even Republicans refused to entertain the idea. A crowd of hundreds erupted into cheers when the members of a subcommittee who had heard an hour of testimony against the bill announced they would not advance it any further. 

 Trans blogger and activist Erin Reed pointed out in The Washington Blade that though Iowa was the latest state legislature which failed to pass anti-LGBTQ bills this year, there is still work to be done.

 Iowa is not the only state to witness significant victories over anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-trans legislation this year. Earlier, all explicitly anti-LGBTQ+ bills—20 in total—were defeated in Florida, prompting a statement from local HRC advocates that “The tide is turning.”

 Similarly, over 20 bills failed in West Virginia, leading to celebrations. In Georgia, every anti-LGBTQ+ bill also failed, despite similar last-minute attempts to amend anti-LGBTQ+ legislation into entirely unrelated bills. 

 Although attacks on trans and queer individuals have encountered significant obstacles in Iowa and other states historically targeting LGBTQ+ people, some states are advancing with particularly severe legislation.  These states include Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, all of which have introduced bills that would ban transgender people from bathrooms, allow individuals with religious objections to adopt LGBTQ+ children, and more.

Meanwhile, Ohio is moving forward with a bathroom ban that could affect transgender adults in colleges, and Utah has already passed a sweeping bathroom and locker room ban this year. Additionally, the United States presidential election is already witnessing political attacks on transgender individuals, which may intensify in the coming months.

'Told you so' moment regarding book ban is latest embarrassment for 'culture warrior' Ron DeSantis

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis

While many eyes are on Donald Trump's trial, former presidential candidate FL Gov Ron DeSantis is facing another embarrassment which comes from laws he pushed while hyping himself up as a conservative culture warrior. DeSantis pushed for certain laws in an attempt to get the GOP presidential nomination. Now that the road to the White House has been cut off from him (at least for now), Mr. "Never Back Down" is actually backing down.  And with rapid speed.

From The Associated Press:

Two years ago, Democrats repeatedly and forcefully warned Republicans and Gov. Ron DeSantis that a new law making it easier to challenge schoolbooks was so broadly worded that it would create havoc across the state. 

Now they can say, “I told you so." 

 DeSantis backtracked on the 2022 law on Tuesday when he signed a bill narrowing its focus. He blamed liberal activists for abusing the law, not the citizens whose objections to certain books account for the majority of book removals from school libraries and classrooms. 

 “The idea that someone can use the parents' rights and the curriculum transparency to start objecting to every single book to try to make a mockery of this is just wrong,” DeSantis said the day before the bill signing. “That’s performative. That’s political.” 

 But the organization which has been fighting DeSantis over this book bans, PEN, told the Associated Press that it's actually conservative groups like Moms for Liberty who have been "abusing the law." 

 “The majority of books that we see being removed are books that talk about LBTQ+ identities, that include characters of color, that talk about race and racism, that include depictions of sexual experiences in the most broadest interpretation of that understanding,” said Kasey Meehan, Pen America's Freedom to Read program director.

Those challenges are being made by conservative individuals and groups such as Moms For Liberty, Meehan said. 

 According to the article, DeSantis's office provided one name as proof that the law was being abused by "liberal activists" - man by the name of Chaz Stevens who made challenges in several school districts claiming that the Bible iis obscene. However, Florida Democrat House leader Fentice Driskell disputed that claim. He told the Associated Press that DeSantis was warned in 2022 that the law would be abused. 

 “We told him so. The Florida House Democrats on the floor — in our debate, in our questioning — pointed out the vagueness in the original law and how it could be subject to abuse,” she said. “Chaz is not the problem. It's the folks who are taking liberties with the law who are the problem.”

DeSantis's backtracking on book banning is the second time he has backed away from a position he adopted in an attempt gain the GOP nomination.  In March, a lawsuit settlement practically gutted the centerpiece of his political narrative, i.e. the infamous "Don't Say Gay" law. DeSantis tried to claim that the settlement was a victory for the law, but others pointed out that it actually eliminated the law's most powerful element - it's vague wording.

According to The Tampa Bay Times:

DeSantis and others who backed the legislation insisted repeatedly that they had no intention of stopping discussions about LGBTQ+ issues in schools. Their goal, they said, was to eliminate what they called gender ideology. They did not provide clear definitions, though, nor did they offer detailed guidelines explaining what is and is not allowed in classrooms. 

Some claimed that not providing clear definitions or guidelines was a deliberate intent of the law. While it didn't offer clear instructions, but the penalties for breaking it were made very clear. This caused a lot of fear and confusion:

The critics claimed the result was a chilling effect that led teachers to stop talking about children’s families, remove books relating to LGBTQ+ characters and themes from their shelves, and to pull back support for LGBTQ+ students. As part of their defense, lawyers for the state pushed back against the allegations that the law lacked clarity. The settlement, announced by lawyers for the plaintiffs, took those arguments and made them real.

Trans youth and athletes win temporary but important court victories in West Virginia, Ohio, and New York

While the country's attention seems to be somewhere else (ugh), the trans community, particularly our trans kids and athletes, received three court victories on Tuesday. While they are temporary for now, each victory is of vital importance.

From The Advocate:

A federal appeals court has ruled that transgender students in West Virginia may play on sports teams that align with their gender identity. In a landmark decision on Tuesday, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against a West Virginia law that prohibited transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports teams, deeming it a violation of Title IX, which bars sex-based discrimination in education. The Associated Press reports that this ruling impacts the case of 13-year-old Becky Pepper Jackson, who has identified as a girl since the third grade and is undergoing puberty-blocking treatment. 

 According to the AP, in February 2023, an interim court decision prevented the state from barring Jackson from her middle school track and field team under this law. Judge Toby Heytens, in his ruling, emphasized that the so-called choice between not playing sports or playing on boys’ teams offered no genuine option. 

“B.P.J. has been recognized by her community and legally changed her name, and West Virginia has issued a birth certificate listing her sex as female,” Heytens wrote, supporting the view that denying her participation in girls’ teams was discriminatory.

 Lambda Legal, representing Becky, highlighted the discriminatory nature of the law. “West Virginia’s effort to ban one 13-year-old transgender girl from joining her teammates on the middle school cross country and track team was singling out Becky for disparate treatment because of her sex,” said Lambda Legal staff attorney Sruti Swaminathan. “That’s discrimination, pure and simple, and we applaud the court for arriving at this just decision,” she added.

 . . . The ruling reflects broader national debates and legal battles over transgender rights in sports, healthcare, and public accommodations. This decision aligns West Virginia with states like Arizona, Idaho, and Utah, where similar bans have been temporarily blocked, while states like Alabama and Texas continue to enforce such prohibitions. 

 The other victory has to do with a temporary block on Ohio's law banning gender-affirming care for trans kids. From USA Today: 

 An Ohio judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked an impending law that would restrict medical care for transgender minors in the Buckeye State. The decision came weeks after the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit challenging the state on behalf of two transgender girls and their families. The measure prevents doctors from prescribing hormones, puberty blockers, or gender reassignment surgery before patients turn 18. Attorneys contend the law violates the state Constitution, which gives Ohioans the right to choose their health care.

 “Today’s ruling is a victory for transgender Ohioans and their families,” said Harper Seldin, staff attorney for the ACLU. “Ohio’s ban is an openly discriminatory breach of the rights of transgender youth and their parents alike and presents a real danger to the same young people it claims to protect.” 

 The legislation was set to take effect on April 24 after House and Senate Republicans voted to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto. Proponents of the bill contend it will protect children, but critics say decisions about transition care should be left to families and their medical providers. 

And finally, a victory for trans athletes in New York. 

From LGBTQ Nation: 

 A federal judge has opened the door for New York State Attorney General Letitia James to challenge a Nassau County executive order barring trans girls from participating in girls’ sports in Nassau facilities. District Court Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury summarily dismissed a lawsuit against James from Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican official elected in 2021 and the architect behind the anti-trans policy. Blakeman’s suit attempted to stop James from being able to challenge the order. 

 “The law is perfectly clear: you cannot discriminate against a person because of their gender identity or expression. We have no room for hate or bigotry in New York,” James said in March. “This executive order is transphobic and blatantly illegal. Nassau County must immediately rescind the order, or we will not hesitate to take decisive legal action.” 

 The order doesn’t just affect trans girls. It also impacts over 100 athletic facilities throughout Nassau County, according to Newsday, since trans girls and women are now banned from participating on women’s teams at those sites. Groups looking for permission to use Nassau County facilities like swimming pools, football fields, and basketball courts must “expressly designate” the team members’ “biological sex at birth” as male, female, or coed.

Franklin Graham decries Nazi concentration camp, gets reminded about his anti-LGBTQ comments and support of Donald Trump

 Folks who follow this blog know how much I despise Franklin Graham. From his vile comments about the LGBTQ community to his basic hypocrisy in supporting Donald Trump, there are a plethora of reasons why I think he represents just how far Christianity in America has fallen.

And just like Trump, there is no bottom when it comes to stooping for Graham. Case in point is the following recent tweet:

Yesterday I visited Auschwitz, where 1.3 million people—mostly Jews—were tortured & killed. It is a chilling thought that something like this could ever happen again—but that evil is still in our world. The only solution is God’s transforming power through His Son, Jesus Christ. pic.twitter.com/0tTFYuSLYa

— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) April 12, 2024

Using the suffering of Jewish people to encourage folks to embrace Christianity doesn't seem to be in good taste. Since I am not Jewish, though, I don't think it's my place to decipher Graham's intent in that respect. 

However, the basic hypocrisy of Graham's comment stands out. Gays suffered persecution during the Holocaust, including at Auschwitz. And over the years, Graham made some rather awful comments about gays. He's even praised world leaders who have cracked down on gay people in their own countries. In 2015, Graham praised Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin for passing laws which strip Russian gays of their basic rights:

I have met (Obama) on several occasions. He’s a very nice person. But he supports and promotes policies that contradict the teachings of God. As a Christian I believe that abortion is murder, he supports it. Homosexuality and same-sex marriage — those are sins against God, and the president is promoting them. I’m not against homosexuals as people. But God commanded that marriage should be between a man and a woman. And I very much appreciate that President Putin is protecting Russian young people against homosexual propaganda. If only to give them the opportunity to grow up and make a decision for themselves. Again, homosexuals cannot have children, they can take other people’s children. I believe that President Obama (and I’ll repeat, he’s a very nice person) is leading America down the wrong road. He’s taking a stand against God.

This was pointed out to Graham by some of the folks responding to his tweet about Auschwitz:

Irony. I live in the US, where you, Franklin Graham, have tortured 20 million LGBTQ people with your words (sometimes killing them through making them feel hopeless or inciting your followers to violence). Yes, that evil is still in the world.

— Lynne Eldridge MD (@AboutLungCancer) April 13, 2024

Well, you could quit acting as if homosexuality is a worse sin than adultery so that evil you mention is still within you, Frankie. Stop doing photo ops instead of the work to transform your own heart.

— Susan P. ☮️ (@pagesturnedblog) April 12, 2024

The Pink Triangle was also invented for Auschwitz too.. But your hatred and bigotry ignores that @Franklin_Graham Right??

— JamesDPitch (@jamesdpitch) April 12, 2024

Other responses to Graham's tweet brought up his unwavering support of Donald Trump and convenient silence when Trump has lied, made bigoted comments about various groups of people, and implied desires of wanting to be a dictator:

Frankie never called out Trump for his anti-Semitic response.

Over 200 white supremacist, alt-right, neo-Nazi, and pro-Confederates marched shouting “you will not replace us,” “Jews will not replace us.”

Trump's response: there were “very fine people on both sides.” pic.twitter.com/esrpsp4SAY

— Philly Pub Alum 🇺🇸 🇺🇦 (@vegasexpats) April 12, 2024

And yet you play footsies with a guy who uses the exact same playbook the architect of the Holocaust used: Fear, nationalism, & scapegoating.

— Jim Drumheller🐾☮️ (@JimDrumheller) April 12, 2024

Yet you support a Hitlerite who complains, like Hitler, about migrants “poisoning the blood” of the country, lunches with anti-semites and Holocaust deniers like Fuentes and Kanye, and supported the guys chanting “Jews will not replace us”. Sit down, Franklin.

— Q van Rheede (@QRheede) April 12, 2024

Evil is here, led by a guy who wears orange makeup, won’t be photographed w/his “fat” daughter, has conned and is still conning millions, cheated on his wife, inc. w/ a pornstar, got caught taking money from a kids cancer charity and yet YOU still choose to look the other way.

— wbbpuregame (@boilerbruinlove) April 13, 2024

Do you understand when you demonize Muslims and LGBT people you are engaging in the same rhetorical methods of the people who caused the Holocaust, @franklingraham

— mark academic (@markdalhouse) April 12, 2024

Oh, I could see it happening again if Donald Trump gets elected I don’t know what is in your mind to support that fascist.

— Bruce L Hart 🟧 (@BruceLHart) April 12, 2024

Yeah, you might want to sit this one out, Frank.

— DrMamaBear (@tlz1956) April 12, 2024

Trump is filled with hate for the marginalized and yet you promote him...something is seriously wrong with you

— 5280 CO ✌❤ (@prettypup) April 13, 2024

Well Trump said he wants to be a dictator and you are will to put your support behind him.

— James Chiasson (@badasspapa4) April 12, 2024

When people whine about 'wokeism,' this is what they really mean

 It always amazes me when I hear some folks gripe about having to deal with racism, homophobia, transphobia, and basic other bigotries nowadays. I understand their exhaustion with it all, but it's still an incredibly naive opinion. 

Bigotry has been with us from the beginning and it's not going anywhere. It's simply human nature to feel fear and superiority against something you don't or won't understand. And it's relatively easy to be manipulated into believing that the unknown thing facing you is trying to hurt you.

The only thing society has progressed in when it comes to bigotry is developing new ways to disguise it. The cartoon strip below from the webpage The Devil's Panties illustrates this point rather well. 

When we hear people whine about wokeism, this is probably what they're actually disturbed about.

Federal judge blocks FL anti-trans law, Nebraska legislators turn against their own anti-trans bill & other Tue/Wed news briefs

Federal judge blocks teacher pronoun restriction in Florida, citing First Amendment - A federal judge on Tuesday blocked Florida education officials from enforcing a law requiring a transgender teacher to use pronouns that align with her sex assigned at birth, saying the law violated her First Amendment rights. 

Conservative co-sponsors abandon their own bill after gay politician’s powerful speech - This is why voting and representation matters: 

 Nebraska state Senator John Fredrickson is the first out gay man elected to the state legislature. Now, he has another feather in his cap. After an impassioned speech in opposition to a bill that targeted transgender youth, two of his colleagues changed their minds about the legislation that they had co-sponsored. The measure did not pass out of committee after they did. 

Elon Musk uses burner accounts on X, doesn’t fact-check: report - The quicker Elon Musk gets dragged down, the better the world and the online community will be.

Curt Schilling’s Red Sox teammates are thrilled the homophobic hurler won’t be attending World Series reunion - How to screw up your own legacy because you're full of hate. 

Iowa man tells Eighth Circuit he was fired because of his anti-LGBTQ views - Keep your eye on this one.

FDA plans to lift ban on gay, bisexual sperm donors - It's about time.