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SCOTUS Denies Challenge To Trans-Inclusive Bathroom Policy

In a win for transgender students, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review Doe v. Boyertown School District which leaves in place a policy of allowing trans students to use the bathroom facilities that align with their gender identity.
Aidan DeStefano (screen capture)

In a win for transgender students, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review Doe v. Boyertown School District which leaves in place a policy of allowing trans students to use the bathroom facilities that align with their gender identity.

The policy has been in effect since 2016. The school district also provides private restrooms with lockers for any student, trans or otherwise, who may feel uncomfortable with the arrangement.

In March 2017, a group of students using the pseudonym ‘Joel Doe’ sued the Boyertown Area School District for allowing male trans students to use their preferred bathrooms. Doe argued the policy was a violation of their privacy.

The ACLU and the ACLU of Pennsylvania represented a transgender student, Aidan DeStefano, and the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, a coalition of LGBTQ youth leaders and organizations which includes the Boyertown Gay-Straight Alliance.

In 2017, The Today Show profiled DeStefano who had begun to transition in 2015.

The plaintiffs were represented by the virulently anti-LGBTQ law organization Alliance Defending Freedom, which has taken up similar cases across the country.

Having lost their original court case, the plaintiffs took their fight to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals last year, where they lost again.

In fact, the three judge panel announced its unanimous decision just 15 minutes after hearing arguments. According to The Morning Call, decisions from the 3rd Circuit usually take weeks or months to be handed down.

Today’s announcement by SCOTUS means the ruling from the 3rd Circuit stands.

To date, multiple courts have ruled that transgender students have the right under Title IX and the 14th Amendment to sue the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.

In a statement released after today’s decision, Michael Levin, counsel for the school district, said, “The Boyertown Area School District provides private bathrooms and locker rooms to all students who do not feel comfortable sharing such (spaces) with others, transgender or cisgender.”

“The school district’s approach to offer separate and private bathrooms, locker rooms and private spaces to students who desire greater privacy is the common-sense approach that the Plaintiffs claim that they want,” added Levin.

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Guess Who? Folks Are 'Schocked' At Leaked Sexting Video

It would appear the public outing of disgraced former Rep. Aaron Schock is just about complete as we get news that photos that appear to be the buff Republican in the buff have been leaked on the inter-webs.
(screen capture)

It would appear the public outing of disgraced former Republican Rep. Aaron Schock is just about complete as we get news that photos that appear to be the buff Republican in the buff have been leaked on the inter-webs.

Hey, I didn’t shoot the video and send it out….

Blogger kenneth in the 212 shared the news last night and the pics have begun ricocheting around social media.

As I’ve reported many times, I’m not big on outing closeted gays UNLESS they’ve used their privilege to hurt the LGBTQ community.

During his time in Congress, the GOP Congressman repeatedly voted for legislation designed to limit or injure the LGBTQ community like the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. And he voted against the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

All the while, Schock was repeatedly denying he was gay even as he famously showed up at a White House picnic in 2010 wearing white jeans, a pink gingham shirt and a teal belt.

Schock tweeted that he burned the teal belt after the photo went viral.

He also denied being gay to SiriusXM host Michelangelo Signorile at the 2012 Republican National Committee calling questions about his sexuality in regard to his anti-LGBTQ voting record “inappropriate and ridiculous” and not “worthy of a response.”

Now the best way to really solidify your status as a “totally-not-gay” congressman would be to pose shirtless, ‘pecs to the wind’ for Men’s Health Magazine, right?’

In fact, Schock really likes to share shirtless pics from his wide-ranging travels on his Instagram. I’ve got to admit, the young Republican was certainly in shape:

A post shared by Aaron Schock (@aaronschock) on Jan 5, 2019 at 8:22am PST

But all that came crashing down when a reporter dropped by his Washington, D.C. offices which had been lavishly redecorated “in the style of” his favorite TV show, Downton Abbey.

That report kicked off an investigation into inappropriate campaign fund spending, and he found he had to resign from office in 2015.

In March of this year, prosecutors agreed to drop all felony charges against him if he repaid $68,000 to his congressional campaign fund and $42,000 to the IRS.

The 37-year-old has recently been showing up at some pretty gay events in West Hollywood and Coachella, as well as taking in the occasional Elton John concert and snapping selfies with out Grammy Award winner Sam Smith.

A post shared by Aaron Schock (@aaronschock) on Jan 23, 2019 at 6:25pm PST

A post shared by Aaron Schock (@aaronschock) on Jan 23, 2019 at 6:40am PST

The Coachella episode led to photos that appear to be a shirtless Schock getting hot and heavy with a guy at an after-party.

(image via Queerty)

And now, what appears to be a sexting video has been discovered that features a guy who sure looks like the former congressman.

I can’t post the full photos here, but this is a cropped shot from the alleged video. You can see more of the alleged photos at the NSFW post over on kenneth in the 212 here.

(screen capture)

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Observing Memorial Day 2019

Wishing everyone a great holiday weekend, and I hope that folks take some time out to remember why we celebrate this day as a nation. It's not "National BBQ Day" you know. Think of those we've lost who stood up for, and made possible, our freedoms and liberty here in the U.S.

Wishing everyone a great holiday weekend, and I hope that folks take some time out to remember why we celebrate this day as a nation. It’s not “National BBQ Day” you know. Think of those we’ve lost who stood up for, and made possible, our freedoms and liberty here in the U.S. A few facts about Memorial Day: • Memorial Day is a federal holiday that occurs every year on the last Monday of May. • Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces, formerly known as Decoration Day. • Memorial Day typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end. • Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans. The average age of fallen U.S. soldiers is 26½. The New York Times reports that Arlington National Cemetery is running out of room and may need to consider new rules that may turn away eligible soldiers.

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Memorial Day Flashback: BBQ With Mariah Carey, Olivia Newton-John & Tyson Beckford

Michael (L) with the fab Mariah Carey and me (R)

I originally posted this in 2015, but as I thinking about Memorial Days past, this was one for the books:

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So picture this: I’m laying on the couch having just taken a Vicodin for the tooth ache that simply will not go away.

(Regular readers know I’ve had not the best week with a tooth ache that wouldn’t quit and since it was a long holiday weekend my dentist’s office was closed. So I was medicating as best I could LOL.)

Hubby Michael comes in and asks “How are you??” As the pain meds are kicking in I stay positive and say “I’m ok.” I’m not really, but I’m going for the “think positive” thing here.

He repeats, “No, how ARE you? We just got invited to an impromptu Memorial Day BBQ at Mariah Carey’s house. Olivia Newton-John and Tyson Beckford are going too. Can you make it?”

At this point I”m pretty sure my hearing is on the fritz, too, as I thought I heard him say we’re invited to Mariah Carey’s house for a party???

And yes, that is what happened.

Thankfully, Vicodin isn’t the strongest thing in the world.

You don’t pass up an invite like this. I get up, shower, put my best “casual chic/going to Mariah Carey’s house” kind of outfit and off we go.

I’d never met Mariah but she was a doll. She and Tyson are old friends; and she and Olivia have sung together before.

I had a great time, was uber-impressed with the gorgeous house she’s renting during her Vegas residency at Caesars Colosseum. Of course, like every party, we all congregated in the outdoor kitchen, chatting and eating burgers. You know, your every day “I’m at a party with international superstars each in their own right” kind of party.

Very cool way to end Tyson’s headlining gig with the Chippendales as he was selling out just about every night. Olivia is now back in town at the Flamingo Las Vegas as her residency resumes. And we’ll be seeing Mariah back at Caesars Colosseum in July.

When I wake up from my Vicodin induced sleep, I’m going to have the best dream to tell Michael.

Check the pics of shiny happy people below.

(L-R) Kristen Makhathini, Mariah Carey, Tyson Beckford, Olivia Newton-John & Michael Caprio
I was clearly doing a bar run for the group at this time 🙂

MIchael, Mariah, Olivia and me

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Reunited in Vegas! Love you Olivia Newton John!! #HopelesslyDevotedToYou
Posted by Mariah Carey on Monday, May 25, 2015

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The First Memorial Day

How the black community brought about the first Memorial Day in 1865, then called "Decoration Day."

Via Think Progress:

According to Professor David Blight of Yale University, the first Memorial Day took place on May 1, 1865 in Charleston, SC, after a group of African-Americans, mostly former slaves, gave 257 Union soldiers a proper burial.

The black community in Charleston then consecrated the new cemetery with “an unforgettable parade of 10,000 people,” led by 3,000 black school children.

It was initially called “Decoration Day.”

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Podcast: Brazil’s Good News, Kenya’s Bad News, ‘Downton Abbey’ Teases A Gay Romance

In this podcast:

• Brazil’s high court says the South American country’s anti-discrimination laws have to include LGBTQ protections

• Kenya’s highest court ruled the African nation’s anti-homosexuality laws aren’t discriminatory

• Texas Republicans passed their “license to discriminate” bill

• Matt Zarley & Billy Porter serve up their take on 1990s empowerment anthem “You Gotta Be”

• And the new trailer for the upcoming Downton Abbey movie reveals a gay romance amid a royal visit

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

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Trump Is Tweeting More, But Getting Less Reactions From Followers

Donald Trump

Axios’ Neal Rothschild has taken a look at Donald Trump’s Twitter account, and data from CrowdTangle shows his infamous tweets don’t get the same reaction from supporters reports as they once did.

Trump’s Twitter interaction rate — a measure of impact, given how much he tweets and how many people follow him — has noticeably declined.
The Donald’s interaction rate fell from 0.55% in November 2016 to 0.32% in June 2017 — then down to 0.16% this month, through Saturday. 
The number crunchers looked at retweets and likes per tweet, divided by the size of his following.

Some think perhaps the novelty of his constant tweet storms may have worn off, but folks in the Trump camp say it’s merely a brief lull before the 2020 election.

Trump is tweeting more, which could make individual tweets stand out less.

During his first six months in office, Trump tweeted 157 times per month. He’s now upped his game to 284 tweets per month over the past six months. His biggest single month was 348 tweets in August 2018.
But that record is about to be broken as data shows he’s already tweeted 343 times this month.

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New Trailers For FX’s ‘Pose’ As The Series Jumps To 1990

FX’s acclaimed series Pose released two new trailers for its upcoming second season as the show time jumps to the 1990s.

On the heels of the ballroom community establishing itself in pop culture and going mainstream, the House of Evangelista is forced to reevaluate their goals.

Meanwhile, the AIDS crisis worsens and the reaction from a group of activists reaches a fever pitch.

Created by out producer/writer/director Ryan Murphy (GLEE, American Horror Story, American Crime Story), Pose features the largest cast and crew of LGBTQ artists of a scripted series in television history.

Pose returns to FX June 11.

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New Gillette Spot Features Trans Man Shaving For First Time

(screen capture)

Gillette’s latest  ad spot features a dad coaching his transgender son on his first shave as part of its #MyBestSelf campaign.

Titled,“First Shave,” the spot features Samson Bonkeabantu Brown, a young trans man, shaving his face for the first time as his father offers tips and encouragement.

The ad’s tagline reads, “Whenever, wherever, however it happens—your first shave is special.”

“Growing up I was always trying to figure out what kind of man I wanted to become, and I’m still trying to figure out what kind of man that I want to become,” says Brown.

“I went into my transition just wanting to be happy,” he adds. “I’m glad I am at the point where I’m able to shave… I’m at the point in my manhood where I’m actually happy.”

“Don’t be scared,” Brown’s father tells him as he handles the razor. “Shaving is about being confident.”

“I shot this ad for Gillette and wanted to include my father, who has been one of my greatest supporters throughout my transition, encouraging me to be confident and live authentically as my best self,” Brown shared on Gillette’s Facebook page.

“I am confident that this ad will encourage many of my trans siblings and fill them with the knowledge that our existence in this world can be filled with the love and support we deserve.”

Gillette also released an ad recently that addressed the issue of toxic masculinity.

Check out the new spot below.

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Mayor Pete: If Trump Had Served In The Military, Maybe He’d Understand NFL Player’s Right To Kneel

Mayor Pete Buttigieg

Mayor Pete Buttigieg is standing up for NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s right to kneel during the national anthem.

“The way I feel about it is the flag that was on my shoulder when I served represented, among other things, our right to free speech,” said Mayor Pete to TMZ while in New York City. “You don’t have to like it, but one of the reasons we serve was to defend that right, the right of peaceful protest and the idea that we can protest what is wrong with our country.”

“If the president had served, maybe he’d feel a little more strongly about some of those freedoms,” Pete added. “And, I get that there’s a lot of strong opinions about this, but that’s part of why we served.”