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Pentagon Issues Guidance Allowing Trans Service Members To Re-Enlist Over Next Few Months

The Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis, has issued new guidance regarding current transgender military service members allowing them to re-enlist over the next several months.

On July 26, Donald Trump surprised military leaders with a tweet demanding that all transgender military be banned from service. Trump gave Mattis six months to figure out the details.

It seems current trans service member may be allowed to remain on duty past the six month mark.

Via Military.com:

In a memo to top military leaders, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said a high-level panel will determine how to implement Trump’s ban on transgender individuals in the military. Trump directed the military to indefinitely extend the ban on transgender individuals enlisting in the service, but he left it up to Mattis to decide if those currently serving should be allowed to stay.

Members of Congress have already sent a letter to Trump calling on him to reconsider the ban.

Sen. John McCain, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Friday he backed legislation that would bar the Trump administration from forcing transgender troops out of the armed forces.

McCain of Arizona said in a statement that any service member, including those who are transgender, who meets the standards for military readiness and medical fitness should be permitted to serve.

“When less than 1 percent of Americans are volunteering to join the military, we should welcome all those who are willing and able to serve our country,” McCain said.

The memo was released the same day Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) introduced bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored by Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) Susan Collins (R-Maine) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), which seeks to block Trump’s transgender military ban.

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Houston Challenges Texas Supreme Court Over Same-Sex Spousal Benefits

Earlier this summer the Texas Supreme Court ruled in Pidgeon v. Parker that the Obergefell decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, which legally recognized same-sex marriages, did not determine whether gay couples are entitled to the same spousal benefits of opposite-sex married couples.

The city of Houston, however, says the 2015 landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges did conclude that any rights/benefits attached to marriage must be equally provided to all married couples, straight or gay.

So, Houston has filed a petition asking SCOTUS to review the state court’s ruling and determine once and for all the constitutional rights guaranteed under Obergefell.

For now, the city of Houston will continue to provide spousal benefits to all married city employees.

(source)

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Hillary Clinton’s Eulogy For Civil Rights Hero Edie Windsor

Hillary Clinton speaks at memorial for LGBT civil rights hero Edie Windsor

Hillary Clinton was among the many who showed up today to honor and eulogize LGBT civil rights hero, Edie Windsor.

From Hillary’s eulogy:

The day Edie won, much of America cheered with her. Not with the style or the pink scarf. That was uniquely hers. But with a recognition that a wrong had been righted. Through it all, her strength never wavered. Though she did confess to one moment of panic. The day she saw her name in print as United States v. Windsor. It is fitting that she will be immortalized in history books in that landmark decision – synonymous with equal rights and dignity under the law. But she didn’t stop there. She continued to support the needs and the rights of the LGBT community. She helped change hearts and minds, including mine. And we are forever grateful to her for that.

[snip]

How she experienced loss, grief, and injustice made her only more generous, more open-hearted, and more fearless in her fight. She refused to give up on the promise of America. There wasn’t a cynical, defeatist bone in her body. That’s especially important for us to remember now. Through her determination and sheer force of will, she brought us another step closer to that more perfect union. Now, in this moment when so much hard-fought progress is hanging in the balance, it is up to all of us to pick up where she left off.

Hillary closed with this quote from poet Mary Oliver: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

“Let us continue to be inspired by Edie’s wild and precious life,” Clinton said. “And let us make her proud every day of how we answer that question for ourselves. Thank you, Edie.”

Really – stop and watch. Really quite wonderful.

For the record – not even a tweet from Donald “Better for the gays” Trump about Edie’s passing.

Hillary said she would be there for us. And there she was today. No votes to be had. Just support.

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Instagram Round-Up: September 15, 2017

Lony Pizarro – “If you give 100 all of the time, some how things will workout”

A post shared by Sam Asghari (@samasghari) on Sep 14, 2017 at 12:23pm PDT
A post shared by Ignacio Pérez Rey (@igperey) on Sep 14, 2017 at 12:45pm PDT
A post shared by Brock O’Hurn (@brockohurn) on Sep 14, 2017 at 5:54pm PDT
A post shared by Seth Danner (@wsethdanner) on Sep 14, 2017 at 6:24pm PDT
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Idina Menzel Surprises Young “Let It Go” Fan On ELLEN

Idina Menzel surprises young fan Luke Chacko on ELLEN

Earlier this year, a video went viral of 11-Year-Old Luke Chacko belting “Let It Go” in front of Frozen star Idina Menzel during a concert in Dallas.

Luke admits that the experience gave him strength as he’s been bullied at school having been called “gay” and “girl.” But Luke is strong. As he tells Ellen, “I’m a man of steel. These words can come at me and bounce back off. I’m like a rubber man of steel.”

Oh – and he has his own squad. “I have at least 12 people in my squad at school.”

Ellen invited the young guy to reprise his performance on her show this week, but the big moment was Idina herself showing up to surprise him.

This is awesome.

And, you’ve just GOT to see him kill “Let It Go” on national TV! You are not ready for this 🙂

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Hillary Clinton On Trump Presidency: “A Clear And Present Danger To Our Country”

Stone cold logic, intelligence and expertise on display in this short piece from the PBS interview with Hillary Clinton.

It’s dazzling watching someone who knows and understands these very complicated issues discuss them with ease and fluidity.

It’s impossible to even imagine a Donald Trump speaking with this much specificity.

I LOVE the unfettered/unguarded Hillary Clinton.

The full interview with Judy Woodruff on PBS tonight. Check your local listings.

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Fox Sports Guy On CNN: I Only Believe In The 1st Amendment & Boobs

Umm, wow.

The rednecks will love this.

During a segment about ESPN host Jemele Hill calling Donald Trump a white supremacist, Fox Sports analyst Clay Travis tells host CNN host Brooke Baldwin that the only things he believes in 100% are the 1st Amendment and boobs.

“The First Amendment and boobs. Two things that have never let me down in this country’s history.”

A stunned Baldwin at first pauses, then checks in again with Travis to confirm he actually said “boobs.”

Needless to say, the segment ended pretty quick.

Apparently, Mr. Travis and boobs are a thing.

Watch below.

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News Round-Up: September 15, 2017

Ian Ziering

Some news items you may have missed:

• #FlashbackFriday to when 90210/Sharknado star headlined in Las Vegas as the Chippendales’ Celebrity Guest host. Clearly, Ian had that “action hero” bod ready to rock.

• The ACLU has filed a preliminary injunction asking a court to immediately halt Trump’s proposed ban on transgender folks in the U.S. military.

• For the second time in two weeks, Donald Trump made a point of not being able to fit his hands into  protective gloves visiting sites hit by recent hurricanes. Get it? “These are too small, my hands are too big, just like my anatomy…” #sad

• White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has been hit with an ethics complaint for calling for the firing of an ESPN employee. Federal law states executive branch employees are prohibited from influencing the employment decisions or practices of a private entity or company “solely on the basis of partisan political affiliation.”

• The White House says former FBI Director violated  federal laws when he shared a memo he wrote detailing Donald Trump’s request to “drop” the investigation into former National Security Adviser Mike Flynn. But fact checkers say not so.

• Harvard University invited, then uninvited, Chelsea Manning to be a visiting Fellow.

Happy Friday!

A post shared by Steve Raider (@steve_raider) on Sep 15, 2017 at 1:02pm PDT

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New Music: Carly Rae Jepsen “Cut To The Feeling”

Dance into the weekend with the latest from Carly Rae Jepsen, “Cut To The Feeling.”

Featured in the upcoming animated movie LEAP!, the song is classic Jepsen: upbeat, euphoric, dance-around-the-room pop.

The video pairs light-hearted behind-the-scenes footage with a high-energy sound studio performance shot in black and white.

You can also catch the popster tonight when she appears on Bleachers’ MTV Unplugged episode filmed at New Jersey’s famed Stone Pony venue.