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Settlement Reached In California Prison Lawsuit Alleging LGBTQ Abuses

(photo credit: Donald Tong via Pexels)

In 2014, a group of LGBTQ inmates at the Alternative Lifestyle Tank at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga filed a federal class action lawsuit alleging hate speech by the prison guards and extreme incarceration due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

According to The LA Times, attorneys for the plaintiffs now say they have reached a settlement with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

Among the allegations raised by the lawsuit:

• Under the guise of “protection,” LGBTQ inmates were held in their cells for up to 23 hours a day

• The plaintiffs say they were subjected to derogatory hate speech and anti-gay slurs by prison guards and staff

• They were not allowed to take part in educational programs or drug rehabilitation programs

• They were unable to participate in work programs that could potentially reduce their sentences or attend religious services

The lead plaintiff, former sheriff’s deputy Dan McKibben, told the press at a 2014 news conference when the lawsuit was filed, “When you’re sworn, you’re sworn. And I took that oath.”

“These guys, every other minute, were violating that,” he added. McKibben died in 2016 before a resolution could be reached.

Veronica Pratt, a 33-year-old transgender woman, told The LA Times on Wednesday, “It was just depressing. It was demeaning.”

“It’s a struggle being incarcerated and then to have someone tell you ‘You can’t go to classes, you can’t try to better yourself’ because of your sexual orientation,” said Pratt. “It’s degrading.”

More from The LA Times:

The settlement agreement, which was filed in federal court in Riverside, would compel the county to offer more housing options for gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex inmates; lift restrictions on participation in work, educational, religious and community reentry programs; and establish a committee that will meet regularly with incarcerated gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people to discuss their housing options.

Transgender and intersex inmates will also have the opportunity to be housed based on their gender identity.

The settlement also includes a nearly $1-million payment that will be divided among class members. And the Alternative Lifestyle Tank will be renamed the GBTI Unit — gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex.

LGBTQ inmates will still have the choice to be housed in the newly-named unit, but the new agreement dictates that they will have access to rehabilitation/education courses and any other programs available to other inmates.

A spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Department declined to comment because the settlement has not been approved by the judge.

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Trump Blames “Local Politicians” For The Cancellation Of His $92 Million Military Parade

Donald Trump

This morning’s Twitter rant from Donald Trump went after “local politicians” in Washington, D.C. who Trump blamed for the astronomical price tag on his ego-stroke of a military parade.

When the cost of putting on the parade (that only Trump wants) jumped from $12 million to $92 million, the Pentagon cancelled (“postponed”) the ceremonial waste of money.

“The local politicians who run Washington, D.C. (poorly) know a windfall when they see it. When asked to give us a price for holding a great celebratory military parade, they wanted a number so ridiculously high that I cancelled it. Never let someone hold you up!,” wrote the Trumpster.

“I will instead attend the big parade already scheduled at Andrews Air Force Base on a different date, & go to the Paris parade, celebrating the end of the War, on November 11th. Maybe we will do something next year in D.C. when the cost comes WAY DOWN. Now we can buy some more jet fighters!” he added.

To be clear, I’m all for supporting and honoring our military. But instead of Trump getting off on his own little ego trip, how about we spend the $92 million on helping homeless and unemployed vets?

The mayor of Washington, D.C. clapped back at the prez saying she was the one who brought “the realities of parades” to the reality star in the White House.

#Boom

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Pentagon Cancels Trump’s Military Parade After Price Tag Jumps To $92 Million

Donald Trump

Donald Trump was so impressed by the Bastille Day celebration in France last year, he decided he wanted to throw a similar parade utilizing the U.S. military.

A big to-do marching down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.

Usually such expressions of military might are rare and occur after the end of a major conflict. The last such parade happened in 1991 after the conclusion of the Persian Gulf War.

But Trump wanted his parade even though he’s touted cost-savings in the military lately. Most recently he cancelled military exercises with South Korea saying they were a waste. Those military games would have cost about $14 million.

Early estimates put the price tag for the military parade at around $12 million.

But today, a Pentagon official leaked an updated estimate that showed the parade would cost upwards of $92 million – almost 8 times the original estimate.

And so, this evening The Washington Post is reporting that the parade is now cancelled or postponed with the intention to “explore opportunities in 2019.”

Don’t you think $92 million would be better used helping our veterans in more concrete ways than marching soldiers down the street just to stroke Trump’s ego?

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News Round-Up: August 16, 2018

Andrew Serkin (via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Miami-based InstaHunk Andrew Serkin (above) took a break from the sun. #LuckyUs

• An Oklahoma school district briefly shut down this week after people purporting to be parents of students used social media to make violent, epithet-filled threats against a transgender girl. “If he wants to be a female, make him a female,” one user wrote. “A good sharp knife will do the job really quick.” Another post read, “You know we have open hunting seasons on them kind. Ain’t no bag limit either.”

• Regarding the still-unfolding and massive molestation scandal wracking the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania, Catholic League president Bill Donohue today told followers the alleged victims were not raped: “they were groped or otherwise abused, but not penetrated, which is what the word ‘rape’ means.” #SRSLY

• A new twist in the #MeToo movement: An 11-month Title IX investigation recently found New York University Professor Avital Ronell responsible for sexually harassing her gay student, Nimrod Reitman.

• GQ Magazine got in hot water for calling these guys “stocky.”#Stocky???

• Omarosa Manigault Newman‘s tell-all Unhinged claims that Ivanka Trump hated the Saturday Night Live sketch that labeled her “complicit” in March 2017. According to Omarosa, Ivanka was “thin-skinned and could not seem to take a joke.”

• The California Senate has approved AB 2943, a bill that could protect LGBTQ people statewide from undergoing gay conversion therapy. The bill passed in the state Assembly in April. After heading back to the Assembly for a concurrence vote, the bill will hopefully be signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown.

• Donald Trump’s military parade this fall is shaping up to cost $80 million more than initially estimated. The parade, slated for Nov. 10, is now estimated to cost $92 million, blowing way past the original $12 million estimate.

• Queer artist Anthony Starble recently teamed up with The Klassiks to create an sexy EDM remix of his latest single, “Paperweight.” The new mix adds a catchy synth line and bass drops that kicks up the intensity from the original.

I like. Listen below and then head to iTunes for more from Starble here.

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Colorado: Anti-LGBTQ Baker Refuses To Sell Trans Woman A Cake

Anti-LGBTQ Colorado baker Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop has filed a new lawsuit against Gov. John Hickenlooper and Colorado Civil Rights Commission officials alleging “religious persecution” over his refusal to bake a cake for a transgender individual.
Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop

Anti-LGBTQ Colorado baker Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop has filed a new lawsuit against Gov. John Hickenlooper and Colorado Civil Rights Commission officials alleging “religious persecution” over his refusal to bake a cake for a transgender individual.

According to The Denver Post, Phillips’ lawsuit states the commission found the baker violated the state’s LGBT protection laws this past June when he declined to bake a pink and blue cake for trans woman Autumn Scardina of Arvada who was celebrating her seventh year of gender transition. Phillips claims the cake would have amounted to endorsement of messages of sex and gender identity that conflict with his deeply held religious beliefs.

Upon being rebuffed, Scardina filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission which ultimately determined Phillips had discriminated against Scardina based on her gender identity which violates the state’s public accommodation laws.

“The woman on the phone did not object to my request for a birthday cake until I told her I was celebrating my transition from male to female,” Scardina wrote in her complaint, according to ThinkProgress. “I believe that other people who request birthday cakes get to select the color and theme of the cake.”

In a June 28 letter, the commission informed Phillips he was in violation of state laws and to find a way to reach an amicable resolution with Scardina.

According to the lawsuit, Phillips is seeking not only restitution for legal fees but $100,000 from the director of the civil rights commission in “punitive damages.”
Phillips gained national attention in 2012 when he refused to sell a wedding cake to a gay couple.

In June this year, his case made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court which found the Colorado Civil Rights Commission may have been prejudiced against Phillips in doubting the sincerity of his religious claims and asked the commission to review the decision. The high court specifically noted at the time that the ruling was specific to this case only and not a broad pronouncement in support for LGBTQ discrimination.

In a press release, attorney Kristen Waggoner of the anti-LGBTQ law group Alliance Defending Freedom who is representing Phillips said, “The state of Colorado is ignoring the message of the U.S. Supreme Court by continuing to single out Jack for punishment and to exhibit hostility toward his religious beliefs.”

“Even though Jack serves all customers and simply declines to create custom cakes that express messages or celebrate events in violation of his deeply held beliefs, the government is intent on destroying him — something the Supreme Court has already told it not to do,” she added. “Neither Jack nor any other creative professionals should be targeted by the government for living consistently with their religious beliefs.”

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Ariana Grande & James Corden Serve Up ‘Titanic’ Mini-Musical

Ariana Grande & James Corden

 Ariana Grande dropped by The Late Late Show with James Corden earlier this week to promote her new album, Sweetener, set to drop August 17.

But the highlight of the appearance was Grande and Corden bringing the story of Titanic to life in a short mini-musical utilizing 13 songs and 9 different sets in one non-stop take.

Using songs from artists like Styx (“Come Sail Away”), Hall & Oates (“Rich Girl”), Lady Gaga (“Just Dance”), Vanilla Ice (“Ice Ice Baby”) and NSYNC (“Bye Bye Bye”), the duo manages to tell the story of the 1997 blockbuster movie in just five minutes.

And, of course, the only way to close out the mega-mix was for Grande to deliver a soaring Celine Dion tribute with “My Heart Will Go On.”

The LGBTQ ally also made an appearance on Corden’s Carpool Karaoke on Wednesday where she sang some of her hits, shared that the theme of her second birthday party was the movie Jaws, gave Corden some coaching on riffing, and pulled out some of her fantastic Celine Dion impersonation with a bit of “All Coming Back To Me Now.”

Dang, this girl is fierce. Watch the fun below and check out her new album here on iTunes.

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Teen Refugee Denied Asylum For Not Being ‘Gay’ Enough

A gay 18-year-old Afghan refugee has been denied asylum in Austria because officials determined he wasn’t ‘gay’ enough to be gay.
(stock image via Pixabay)

A gay 18-year-old Afghan refugee has been denied asylum in Austria because officials determined he wasn’t ‘gay’ enough to be gay.

Scared for his safety in Afghanistan, the young man originally applied for asylum based on the fact that he’s part of the persecuted Hazara minority in his home country. He later appealed citing his sexual orientation, which in his home country is illegal due to Sharia Law and can be prosecuted resulting in a possible death penalty. He told advocates that he was initially afraid to come out.

But the immigration officials wrote in their report, “The way you walk, act and dress does not show even in the slightest that you could be homosexual.”

Also, the official noted that the young man had been involved in fights at the refugee center where he was being temporarily housed. The official decided that his “potential for aggression” undermined the Afghan’s claims since that “wouldn’t be expected from a homosexual.”

Additionally, the young man’s preference to spend time alone caused the official to wonder, “Aren’t homosexuals rather social?”

When asked at what age he realized he was gay, the Afghan told the case worker he came to that determination at the age of 12. But again, he was rebuffed by the official who said that was “rather early” since “there is no public sexual stimulation through fashion and advertisement” in Afghanistan.

Even when the teenager admitted to kissing men, the official decided it wasn’t true since the young man would have been beaten for such behavior.

Ultimately, the Austrian government rejected the 18-year-old’s application for asylum.

According to reports, the Afghan says he will appeal.

(h/t DW.com)

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New Music: Gryffin Feat. Elley Duhé “Tie Me Down”

Los Angeles-based artist and producer Gryffin releases a new single, “Tie Me Down” featuring singer-songwriter Elley Duhé, out now via all digital download sites.
Gryffin and Elley Duhé (photo credit: Alondra Buccio)

Los Angeles-based artist and producer Gryffin releases a new single, “Tie Me Down” featuring singer-songwriter Elley Duhé, out now via all digital download sites.

The summer love song, written by Sarah Aarons (Zedd’s “Middle” and “Stay”) and produced by Gryffin, is the latest single from Gryffin’s upcoming full-length debut album, which will be released by Darkroom/Geffen Records later this year.

“’Tie Me Down’ is a song that’s been over a year in the making,” Gryffin recently told Billboard. “It’s one of the hardest records I’ve had to make, but one of my favorites. We went through over 10 different vocalists looking for the perfect match on this song, and finally found it with Elley Duhé. She brings the perfect energy and passion to the record, and I couldn’t be more proud of the way it came together.”

I’ve previously written about Gryffin on The Randy Report here.

Check out the lyric video below.

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Did An Airline Agent ‘Out’ A Trans Woman To Her Fellow Passengers?

Lenore Herrem (image via Facebook)

A transgender Canadian woman traveling from Calgary to Saskatoon told CBC News that she was “outed” to the other passengers by a WestJet gate agent.

Lenore Herrem says that when she presented her ID at the gate for her flight, the agent became “upset and confused.”

While Herrem presents as female, her five-year-old ID lists her as male.

More from CBC News:

“She got upset and said, ‘They don’t match,’ but her colleague said, ‘Yes, they do, it’s fine, go ahead,'” Herrem said as she described the agent’s reaction.

“So I gently and discreetly expressed to her, ‘It’s because I’m transgender, that’s why they don’t match up. But my face is the same and my ID matches the name on my boarding pass.'”

Herrem boarded the plane and was settled in her seat for about 10 minutes when she said both gate agents boarded the flight, and the agent who had been confused once again demanded her ID.

“She said something like, ‘Oh, that’s not the name I remember seeing on the computer when I looked at it,’ and she started spouting off different, other women’s names that were not mine,” Herrem recalled.

“She rolled her eyes at me and said, ‘Are you sure it wasn’t your girl name that was on the computer?’ … She outed me in front of the whole airplane.”

Herrem says the experience left her feeling “unsafe, vulnerable, belittled.”

“I was in shock, it was quite traumatizing having someone, especially the way she did it so loudly and in front of everyone, it was really unprofessional,” she added.

WestJet has emailed Herrem apologizing for the incident writing, “WestJet’s inclusive culture is a point of pride for WestJetters and our goal has always been to create a safe and inclusive environment for all.”

“We have extended our apologies to the guest and are reviewing the matter as we are continuously assessing and evolving our practices and policies to maximize inclusiveness and celebrate diversity.”

Herrem says she was “pleased” with the manner the airline dealt with the incident.

“She expressed that they will be implementing training to staff to deal with these sort of situations better in the future which was the most important thing for me to hear,” Herrem added.

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Madonna Turns 60 Today

Happy 60th birthday, Madonna!

From her 1984 MTV Awards performance of “Like A Virgin,” to the controversial “Like A Prayer,” the now iconic “Vogue,” the empowering “Express Yourself”  and envelope pushing (at the time) “Justify My Love,” Madonna has always and continues to hold our attention.

While not a “power” vocalist, her voice does have the power to connect with us; and she’s a skilled lyricist and songwriter.

Plus, no one understands the power of style and reinvention better than Madge.

It bears mentioning that Madonna has been a potent and vocal ally for the LGBT community from the start – speaking out for equality and the AIDS crisis before it was in “vogue” to do so  (you saw what I did there, right?).

I picked some of my favorite Madonna music videos below.  Some are about the songs; some I enjoy for the visuals; and some for the change in direction they represent for her career.

Power on, Madonna. You still have our attention.