Tag: anti-gay

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Colorado Supreme Court Upholds Ruling Against Anti-Gay Masterpiece Cakeshop

The haters lose yet again as the Colorado Springs Supreme Court upheld an appellate court ruling that held the Masterpiece Cakeshop violated state public accommodation laws when the bakery refused to sell a same-sex couple a cake for a private wedding ceremony.

From the ACLU:

“The highest court in Colorado today affirmed that no one should be turned away from a public-facing business because of who they are or who they love,” said Ria Tabacco Mar, staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT Project, who argued the case. “We all have a right to our personal beliefs, but we do not have a right to impose those beliefs on others and harm them. We hope today’s win will serve as a lesson for others that equality and fairness should be our guiding principles and that discrimination has no place at the table, or the bakery as the case may be.”

In 2012, Colorado residents David Mullins and Charlie Craig, along with Charlie’s mother Deborah Munn, visited Masterpiece Cakeshop to order a wedding cake. Mullins and Craig planned to marry in Massachusetts and then celebrate with family and friends back home. Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips informed the couple that, because of his religious beliefs, it was his standard business practice to refuse to provide cakes to customers for same-sex weddings. Phillips has turned away several other couples for the same reason.

Colorado’s Anti-Discrimination Act prohibits businesses, such as Masterpiece Cakeshop, from refusing service based on factors including race, sex, national origin, or sexual orientation. The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Colorado filed suit on behalf of Mullins and Craig in 2013. In December 2013, an administrative judge ruled that the bakery had illegally discriminated against the couple. In 2014, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission affirmed that ruling. Masterpiece Cakeshop appealed. In a unanimous decision issued on August 15, 2015, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that the bakery unlawfully discriminated against David Mullins and Charlie Craig by refusing to sell them a cake for their wedding reception.

When businesses and other institutions that serve the public have sought exemptions to laws barring discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, the courts have held that businesses are required to comply with anti-discrimination laws. The courts have ruled without regard to whether LGBT people could have obtained the goods or service elsewhere. Instead the courts have recognized the harm to equal opportunity if lesbian and gay people can be turned away from businesses otherwise open to the public because of who they are.

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Funny Or Die: Mississippi Anti-Gay Tourism Ad

Mississippi’s new anti-LGBT legislation is not winning friends across the country.

Here’s just the beginning of the aftermath of Mississippi’s House Bill 1523 which now allows public and private businesses to refuse service to gay couples based on the employers’ religious beliefs.

From Washington state’s Spokesman-Review:

Washington employees were banned from most government-related travel to Mississippi because of that state’s new law allowing businesses owners to refuse service to gay, lesbian and transgender customers for religious reasons.

Gov. Jay Inslee issued the ban on non-essential travel Tuesday afternoon, saying Washington has strong laws against discrimination that covers sexual orientation and identity, and its citizens traveling to Mississippi for work might be discriminated against.

And up in Vermont (via the AP):

The state of Vermont is banning for now official travel to Mississippi because of that state’s passage of a law that allows religious groups and some private businesses to refuse service to gay couples. In a Tuesday message to top state officials Vermont Administration Secretary Justin Johnson said the action was a response to Mississippi’s new law.

Earlier Tuesday Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin invited PayPal to bring 400 jobs to Vermont after the company said it was backing out of a move to North Carolina because of a new law in that state that restricts protections for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people. Last week Shumlin banned all non-essential state travel to North Carolina to protest the law.

And New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order:

Funny Or Die quickly delivered this bit of satire, which would be more funny is it weren’t so close to the truth.

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Entertainment Industry Leaders Call on Georgia Governor Nathan Deal to Veto HB 757

The Human Rights Campaign has sent a letter on behalf of dozens of entertainment industry leaders who will abandon production in the state of Georgia should Gov. Nathan Deal sign the anti-LGBT H.B. 757 into law.

HB 757 would undermine local non-discrimination ordinances that protect LGBT people, permit hospitals to refuse to provide medically necessary care, or even allow a taxpayer-funded service provider to discriminate by denying a job because of the applicant’s religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Here is the text of the letter in full.

“Dear Governor Deal,

As leaders in the entertainment industry, we have deep concerns about H.B. 757, which would sanction discrimination against LGBT people and others in Georgia.

As you know, Atlanta is often referred to as the Hollywood of the South. During the last fiscal year, at least 248 films and television productions were shot in Georgia, adding at least $1.7 billion in direct spending to the state’s economy. Additionally, the entertainment industry helped to bring more than 100 businesses to Georgia through relocation or expansion in the past fiscal year. Only two states — California and New York — have a larger entertainment industry footprint and both have statewide non-discrimination protections on the books. Unfortunately, Georgia not only lacks such protections, but could soon move from a bad situation to worse with H.B. 757.

We pride ourselves on running inclusive companies, and while we have enjoyed a positive partnership on productions in Georgia, we will plan to take our business elsewhere if any legislation sanctioning discrimination is signed into state law.

We urge you to veto H.B. 757 and send a strong message that Georgia will not tolerate discrimination against citizens, employees and visitors to the state.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of this urgent issue.”

Ali Adler, Writer and Producer
Greg Berlanti, Writer and Producer
Matt Bomer, Actor & Simon Halls, Publicist
Dustin Lance Black, Screenwriter and Filmmaker
Bradley Bredeweg, Executive Producer and Showrunner
Kristin Chenoweth, Actress and Singer
Diablo Cody, Writer, Producer and Director
Bruce Cohen, Producer
Lee Daniels, Producer and Director
Dana Fox, Writer and Producer
John Goldwyn, Producer
James Gunn, Writer and Director
Anne Hathaway, Actress
Alan Hergott, Entertainment Attorney
Nina Jacobson, Producer
Dan Jinks, Producer
Kathy Kennedy, Producer
Zoe Kravitz, Actress
Bryan Lourd, Talent Agent
Seth MacFarlane, Producer and Filmmaker
Laurence Mark, Producer
Frank Marshall, Producer and Director
Neil Meron, Producer
Julianne Moore, Actress
Ryan Murphy, Producer
Peter Paige, Executive Producer and Showrunner
Rob Reiner, Actor, Director and Producer
Sarah Schechter, Producer
Adam Shankman, Director and Producer
Aaron Sorkin, Screenwriter and Producer
Marisa Tomei, Actress
Gus Van Sant, Producer and Director
Harvey Weinstein, Producer and Film Studio Executive
Craig Zadan, Producer and Director

(via press release)

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Viacom, Disney, NFL Speak Out On Georgia’s Anti-LGBT Law

As Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal comtemplates whether or not to sign into law a divisive bill which formally legalizes anti-gay discrimination, major businesses like Viacom and Disney are saying they will take their businesses elsewhere should the legislation become law.

Additionally, the NFL has categorically told Georgia the law will deeply affect the state’s chances to host the 2019 or 2020 Super Bowls.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Disney and its Marvel Studios film unit will not shoot future movies in Georgia if a controversial bill that critics contend would legalize anti-gay discrimination is signed by that state’s governor. Viacom as well as the AMC Networks, which films The Walking Dead in the state, has called on Gov. Nathan Deal to veto the legislation.

“Disney and Marvel are inclusive companies, and although we have had great experiences filming in Georgia, we will plan to take our business elsewhere should any legislation allowing discriminatory practices be signed into state law,” a company spokesman said Wednesday.

Marvel has filmed such movies as Ant-Man and the upcoming Captain America: Civil War and Guardians of the Galaxy 2 in Atlanta, taking advantage of Georgia’s attractive tax incentives. While Disney’s statement specifically mentioned Marvel, other Disney units like ABC Studios and Disney Studios would also take part in the boycott.

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Atlanta: FBI Opens Hate Crime Investigation Into Boiling Water Attack On Two Gay Men

Anthony Gooden

Two gay men in Atlanta suffered second and third degree burns last month when the boyfriend of one of the two men poured boiling hot water on them while they slept.

Now, the FBI has opened a hate-crime investigation which could lead to more severe charges.

Authorities say 48-year-old Martin Blackwell, the boyfriend of the mother of victim Anthony Gooden, told investigators he was disgusted with Gooden’s relationship with Marquez Tolbert and poured “a little hot water on them.”

Tolbert was hospitalized for 10 days and had to undergo surgery. Gooden was released from a hospital two weeks ago.

Blackwell has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery. It’s unclear whether he has an attorney.

Blackwell remains in jail and faces two charges of aggravated battery.

Gooden’s mother, Kim Foster, has said in interviews that Blackwell did not approve of her son being gay. “He got hatred in his heart and God’s gonna deal with him,” Foster said.

In the aftermath of the attack, Gooden spent two weeks in a coma and Tobert spent 10 days in the hospital.

Years of treatment and recovery lay ahead of both men.

Two separate GoFundMe campaigns have been set up – one for Gooden here, and another for Tolbert here. More than $60,000 has been raised for each of the men at this writing.

Marquez Tolbert
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Missouri Republicans End Democrat-Led Filibuster Over “License To Discriminate” Bill

Missouri state legislature

From St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

After more than 36 hours of non-stop debate, Republicans who control the Missouri Senate shut down a Democrat-led filibuster of a controversial same-sex marriage proposal early Wednesday.

Republicans used a parliamentary maneuver, known as the previous question, to end the blockade, which had put a national focus on a GOP-sponsored measure to shield clergy, wedding vendors and religious organizations from penalties if they oppose same-sex marriage.

The Senate then voted 23-9 to give the proposal preliminary approval. A final vote is expected Thursday before the measure moves to the House for further action. If approved by the House and Senate, the measure will be sent to the ballot for voter approval.

The record-setting marathon ended with anger from Democratic lawmakers and signs of relief from Republicans with a lack of sleep the only common ground between them.

Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders tweeted their support. State Sen. Wendy Davis of Texas — who gained notoriety after her own filibuster in 2013 — also praised the Democrats’ efforts.

Sen. Bob Onder, the sponsor, said the constitutional amendment is necessary so photographers, bakers and others aren’t “commandeered” into participating in same-sex marriages or receptions. The Lake Saint Louis Republican also wants to make sure churches don’t lose any tax benefits they have now if they oppose gay marriage.

If approved by voters, Democrats say it would enshrine discrimination against gays into the state constitution.

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Study Shows Which U.S. Cities Have Highest Rate Of Anti-Gay Tweets

Adobo.com, a site that helps tenants find apartments, did an analysis of 12 million tweets ranging from June 2014 to December 2015, looking for slurs and other language which could be considered prejudicial against certain minority groups (African-Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, women, gays and lesbians, transgender people, etc).

The study found that the city of Buffalo, New York, uses the highest rate of anti-gay tweets.

Referencing the study, LGBT activist Margaret Smith told the Buffalo News, “What this tells me is there’s a lot of work to be done. This is about a lot more than marriage. We are our words. Tweeting is a little anonymous, as is online behavior. But right now, there’s lot of people on television giving lots of other people permission to be hateful.”

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Washington State Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Anti-Gay Florist’s Appeal

Florist Barronelle Stutzman

After refusing to sell flowers for a same-sex wedding in 2013, Barronelle Stutzman was found to have violated Washington state’s public accommodation laws and fined $1,000.

Stutzman has appealed the decision to the state’s supreme court, and the court has agreed to hear the appeal:

Washington’s Supreme Court says it will hear an appeal of a Richland flower shop owner who ran into legal trouble for refusing to provide services for a same-sex wedding in 2013. The court issued a decision Wednesday saying it would hear the case of Barronelle Stutzman, the proprietor of Arlene’s Flowers. Last year, Stutzman was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine for refusing to provide flowers for the wedding of a long-time customer. The great-grandmother has since become a national figure, testifying before state lawmakers in Indiana and Kansas.

It’s worth noting that Stutzman received a windfall of over $170,000 from a crowdfunding campaign via supporters.

To cover a $1,000 fine.

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Sup Daily Crew Looks At Manny Pacquaio’s “Gays Worse Than Animals” Comment

Chris Thompson, of the Sup Daily Crew, looks at pro-boxer and all around douchebag Manny Pacquaio’s recent statements that “gays are worse than animals” because animals don’t do the gay thing.

(The comment got Pacquaio’s ass booted by Nike. There you go, Manny.)

Chris shows us in two minutes what’s really going on in the animal kingdom.

He’s also pretty easy on the eyes, right?

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Manny Pacquaio: Death To The Gays

After “apologizing” for his anti-gay comments earlier this week which resulted in his getting fired by Nike yesterday, professional boxer Manny Pacquiao is pouring more gas on the fire by posting a bible verse that condones putting gays to death.

Via TMZ:

The Filipino news agency ABS-CBN captured an Instagram Manny put up early Thursday morning quoting Leviticus 20.13:

“If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death, their blood will be on their own heads.”

The post has since been deleted.

TMZ Sports spoke with Manny’s longtime promoter Bob Arum who says although he finds Manny’s views abhorrent, he understands them because they’re rooted in religious belief. Manny is a born again Christian.

Earlier this week, Manny said gays are “worse than animals” — though he later apologized, while noting that he is still very much anti-gay marriage.

I love these folks who want to get all tough on the internet, then delete their posts.

#Loser