Tag: anti-LGBT

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Virginia Governor Vetoes Anti-Same-Sex Marriage Legislation

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe

Breaking the record for most vetoes by a Virginia governor, Gov. Terry McAuliffe has torpedoed two “religious freedom” bills passed by the Republican-led legislature.

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch:

McAuliffe, a Democrat in the last year of his four-year term, vetoed the bills during a live radio appearance on Washington’s WTOP, calling them “another attempt to “stigmatize” LGBT Virginians.

“You already have religious protection. Why would you push this bill out that does absolute nothing?,” McAuliffe said. “All you’re doing is trying to divide people. And I”m just not going to tolerate it.”

The vetoes of House Bill 2025 and Senate Bill 1324 are McAuliffe’s 90th and 91st, pushing McAliffe past the previous 90-veto record set by former Republican Gov. Jim Gilmore.

McAuliffe had already vetoed bills this year would legalize switchblades for some purposes, defund Planned Parenthood, allow homeschooled students to play on public-school sports teams, let military members under 21 apply for concealed handgun permits and add photo ID requirements for absentee ballots.

Democrats derided the two bills as anti-LGBT and discriminatory while Republicans framed the legislation as protecting “religious freedoms.”

Language in the bills allowed individuals the right to refuse to participate in a same-sex marriage based on “sincerely held religious belief” or “moral conviction.” This right already exists in the First Amendment.

Lacking veto-proof majorities, Republicans have not been able to override any of McAuliffe’s 91 vetoes.

Equality Virginia Executive Director James Parrish issued a statement of support for the veto:

“Equality Virginia applauds Governor McAuliffe for fulfilling his promise to veto this discriminatory and destructive bill. We recognize that religion is a vital part of many Virginians’ daily lives, but HB 2025 does not protect religious liberty. Instead, it provides a license to discriminate against loving LGBTQ families; furthermore, its broad and vague definition of ‘person’ would set a dangerous precedent for discriminatory individuals and groups to be protected by our religious freedom laws.”

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South Dakota Governor Signs Anti-LGBT Legislation Into Law

Deeply disappointing.

From the ACLU:

Today, Governor Daugaard signed Senate Bill 149 into law, making South Dakota the first state in 2017 to pass anti-LGBT legislation. The bill will allow taxpayer funded agencies to refuse to provide any service, including adoption or foster care services, on the basis on the agency’s religious or moral convictions.

The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota has led the opposition to SB 149 through both lobbying efforts and by organizing affected communities. In a state facing a labor and talent shortage, this bill has sparked national interest and local questions as to whether South Dakota welcomes diversity and values the rights of individual citizens.

This bill was opposed by local and national child welfare experts that sent letters in opposition including The Adoption Exchange, Child Welfare League of America, National Association of Social Workers, and Voice for Adoption, as well as family law experts, South Dakota pediatricians, and local and national LGBT rights organizations including the Movement Advancement Project, the Human Rights Campaign, and more.

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Tennessee “Don’t Say Gay” Lawmaker Accused Of Adultery With Second Cousin

File this under “Christian Values Hypocrisy.”

Ye who protesteth the loudest, do it the mosteth!

Tennessee state Sen. Joey Hensley, four times married and divorced “Christian family values” crusader, has been named in the divorce filing for a local couple.

According to court documents, both parties in the divorce allege he’s been “having relations” with the wife for three years.

Apparently, having sex with your married second cousin is ok with Jesus, but whatever you do, “don’t say gay.”

From The Nashville Scene:

Hensley, 61, was subpoenaed to appear last week in Williamson County Circuit Court to testify in the divorce proceedings of Hohenwald Vice Mayor Don Barber and his wife Lori. He refused to show up, citing legislative and medical privilege. “I didn’t have time to do it,” Hensley said when contacted on Friday afternoon. “I had nothing to do with the court case, and any testimony I would have given wouldn’t have made any difference.” But according to the sworn testimony of both Barbers, Hensley has been having an affair with Lori since 2014. Lori, 48, is a part-time nurse in Hensley’s medical practice in Lewis County; she is also his second cousin.

Hensley gained national notoriety in 2012 as a sponsor of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would have banned public school teachers from even mentioning that homosexuality exists. During one hearing that year, Hensley commented, “I don’t think Modern Family is appropriate for children to watch” — because it features a married gay couple raising children. This session, Hensley is sponsoring a bill from the Tennessee Family Action Council that would make children created using donor sperm illegitimate — an attempt to make it harder for gay and lesbian parents to establish paternity. He is also a sponsor of the so-called “Milo Bill,” aimed at liberal practices on college campuses.

But Lori Barber is not just a friend or a cousin or a lover — she is also Hensley’s patient. Barber testified in court that Hensley is her only doctor other than a cardiologist, and that she relies on him for recurrent Botox injections. She also said he has regularly prescribed her the hydrocodone pill Lortab — a Schedule II controlled substance — for “chronic back pain,” which she said Hensley first diagnosed after she hurt her neck.

Bolding is mine.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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Unanimous Ruling From Washington State Supreme Court Against Anti-Gay Florist

Barronelle Stutzman


ABC News reports that Barronelle Stutzman, the Washington state florist who refused to sell wedding flowers to a same-sex couple in 2013, has lost again in court.

This time it was a unanimous ruling from the nine Washington state Supreme Court justices who ruled Stutzman discriminated against the gay couple in 2013 according to the state’s public accommodation laws.

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson and the couple sued her, saying she broke state anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws, and the lower court agreed.

Today, the state’s highest court upheld that verdict.

Stutzman’s supporters maintain the ruling could “bankrupt” her. The penalty for the public accommodation violation is $1,000. Virulently anti-gay Alliance Defending Freedom is handling her court case for free.

Stutzman’s defense was that she had previously sold flowers to the couple, but had to refrain on wedding flowers due to her personal religious beliefs. She feels selling flowers for a wedding she is not attending amounts to “promoting” or “supporting” same-sex marriage.

Stutzman’s lawyers say they will now take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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North Carolina Governor Presents Plan To Repeal Anti-LGBT Law HB2

Gov. Roy Cooper

Roy Cooper, the new governor of North Carolina, is not waiting for state Republicans to get around to repealing the hateful anti-LGBT law, HB2.

Today, in an op-ed for the Charlotte Observer, he presents his plan to get rid of the legislation and get his state back on track.

North Carolinians are tired of hearing about this. As I travel across the state, people from Murphy to Manteo tell me that they want their elected officials to come together to solve this problem before HB2 does even more damage.

We came close to repealing it in December. The Republican leadership in the legislature committed to repeal HB 2 if I persuaded the Charlotte City Council to repeal its nondiscrimination ordinance. I kept my commitment. They did not.

However, in order to break the log jam, I have proposed a common sense compromise that includes three parts:

▪ Repeal House Bill 2. It’s time to take this harmful law off the books immediately.

▪ Strengthen punishments for criminals who violate the safety, security and privacy of people in public bathrooms or dressing rooms. I believe this is a manufactured issue and it’s wrong to suggest LGBT individuals are a threat. But time and again, Republicans contend HB2 is about security and safety. This addresses those concerns and increases penalties for crimes committed against anyone in this setting while also removing discrimination against the LGBT community.

▪ Require local governments to give the legislature and the public a 30-day notice before passing new non-discrimination ordinances. Local governments are the closest to the people they represent, and I believe that they should be able to make these decisions on their own. This compromise ensures that there is time for input on new ordinances.

This common sense compromise addresses concerns from both sides. It is a path forward to bringing back businesses and sporting events. It is reasonable, and it will begin to wipe the stain off our state’s reputation.

I will continue working to repeal this damaging law and restoring a North Carolina that works for everyone, but Republican legislative leaders must do their part as well.

I urge Republican leaders to bring this proposal to a vote this week.

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White House On ‘Religious Freedoms’ Executive Order Draft: “A Lot Of Ideas Being Floated”

Keen News Service reports on a question that came up during today’s White House press briefing about the circulating draft executive order that could legalize discrimination against LGBTs in the name of “religious freedom.”

Asked whether the draft in circulation is one being considered by President Trump, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said at a White House briefing Thursday, “Right now, there are no executive orders we are able to read out.” He added, however, that there are a “lot of ideas being floated out,” and “input and ideas” being provided “on a variety of subjects.” But he said that “until the president makes up his mind, there’s nothing going out.”

The answer provided little relief to LGBT legal activists, particularly given that President Trump on Wednesday, met with almost a dozen representatives of right-wing groups, including those with specifically anti-LGBT agendas. And at the National Prayer Breakfast Thursday morning, President Trump reiterated his support for eliminating the “Johnson Amendment,” which prohibits tax exemptions for organizations participating in political activity.

You’ll note that Spicer repeatedly refers to the idea of LGBT rights in the vein of “political correctness.” And the word “pendulum” gets repeated over and over, as if the concept of equal rights for LGBTs has had it’s time.

Just one comment off-topic: Umm, that tie? Really? See what happens when you don’t have gay friends?

Watch below. The question comes up at the 9:32 mark.

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White House: No Plans To Issue ‘Religious Freedom’ Executive Order “At This Time”

Dominic Holden, award-winning journalist for Buzzfeed, reports today that the White House has issued a statement regarding the newly leaked draft of a “religious freedom”/anti-LGBT executive order.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House Deputy Press Secretary, had this reply when asked about the EO:

“We still have no plans to take any action on this topic at this time.”

 Please note the last three words – “at this time.”

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Wyoming Lawmakers Withdraw “License To Discriminate” Bill

Last week, I reported on newly introduced legislation in Wyoming titled “The Government Non-discrimination Act” that would legalize the right to discriminate against LGBTs by anyone who declared a “deeply held religious belief.”

At the time, the ACLU of Wyoming protested, issuing a statement which read in part, “The Government Discrimination Act’s effects would be significant and immediate. Laramie’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance would be unenforceable, and potentially even illegal. No other city would be allowed to enact non-discrimination protections. County clerks would be allowed to deny same-sex couples a marriage license, and would be able to do so without consequence.”

Today, House Bill 135 was recalled by the bill’s sponsors.

From The Wyoming Tribune-Eagle:

The action was in order to “give Wyoming citizens time for more thorough consideration,” the bill’s sponsors said in a statement emailed to media members Thursday afternoon. Supporters of House Bill 135 said it would protect the “free exercise of religious beliefs and moral convictions,” while critics said it would let people use those beliefs to discriminate against LGBT people.

“The intention of this bill has always been to hold Wyoming to the highest standard in terms of equal protection under the law,” Rep. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Lingle [photo], said in a news release. “The religious freedoms guaranteed to each and every one of us are the bedrock on which our Constitution is founded. When these unalienable rights are threatened, so too is every other constitutional right we enjoy.”

“I’m overjoyed,” said Sara Burlingame of Wyoming Equality, a group that advocates for LGBT people. “The vast majority of folks saw this bill for what it was and rejected it outright.” Burlingame said the bill would have allowed people, including government officials, to refuse service to LGBT people based on religious beliefs. She said the bill would have also been an “economic disaster” for Wyoming.

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Podcast: Troye Sivan, Anti-LGBT Legislation In Wyoming & Texas, Trump Inauguration And LGBTs Scrubbed From White House Website

Take a listen to the latest The Randy Report podcast, including these stories and more:

• Minutes after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, all information regarding LGBTs disappeared from the White House website. Hmm….

• Attendance at Donald Trump’s inaugural was dwarfed by the Women’s March on Washington the next day as hundreds of thousands marched in support for not only women’s rights but LGBT rights, civil rights, voting rights and more. And the Trumpster was not happy.

• The Texas state Supreme Court has agreed to hear an anti-LGBT hate group’s challenge to spousal benefits for same-sex couples.

• New legislation introduced in Wyoming (“The Equality State”) would legalize discrimination against same-sex couples and transgender people, and would make it impossible for any branch or part of the government to enact or enforce local non-discrimination ordinances and federal protections for the LGBT community.

• Out Music: Troye Sivan released his video for “Heaven,” from his Blue Neighbourhood album – a sensual black & white vision featuring intimate shots of Sivan along side clips of important moments in the LGBTQ rights movement.

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Ellen DeGeneres Explains Booting Kim Burrell From Show Over Anti-LGBT Sermon

Ellen Degeneres sat down with Pharrell Williams to discuss how there’s no room for hate in 2017.

The out TV host had booted singer Kim Burrell from the show’s lineup after recent antigay remarks went viral after being posted to YouTube.

From The Advocate:

“[Burrell] made a statement, she was doing a Facebook Live, and she said some very not nice things about homosexuals, so I didn’t feel like that was good of me to have her on the show to give her a platform after she’s saying things about me,” DeGeneres told singer Pharrell Williams, who had been set to perform with Burrell on the talk show.

“I say it all the time, to me, when I say be kind to one another, I feel that,” she added. “Because as someone who has received a lot of hate and prejudice and discrimination because of who I choose to love, I just don’t understand anyone who has experienced that kind of oppression, or anything like that, it only gives me more compassion. It gives me more empathy. I don’t ever want anyone to feel hurt because they’re different.”

The gospel singer raised a firestorm of controversy for blasting same-sex love in a December sermon, which went viral after being posted to YouTube.

“That perverted homosexual spirit, and the spirit of delusion and confusion, it has deceived many men and women,” said Burrell. “You as a man, you open your mouth and take a man’s penis in your face — you are perverted. You are a woman and will shake your face in another woman’s breast, you are perverted.”

Williams — a producer of Hidden Figures, a biopic that shows how three African-American women overcame segregation in 1960s Virginia to help NASA win the Space Race — condemned Burrell’s remarks on social media, along with the film’s stars. He reiterated his message of inclusion on The Ellen DeGeneres show in a clip released Thursday.

“There’s no space, there’s no room for any kind of prejudice in 2017 and moving on,” the artist said.

“Whenever you hear some sort of hate speech and you feel like it doesn’t necessarily pertain to you because you may not have anything to do with that, all you got to do is put the word ‘black’ in that sentence, or put ‘gay’ in that sentence, or put ‘transgender’ in that sentence, or put ‘white’ in that sentence and all of a sudden it starts to make sense to you,” Williams said. “I’m telling you, the world is a beautiful place, but it does not work without empathy and inclusion. God is love. This universe is love and that’s the only way it will function.”

“And I get it, sometimes the divisive stuff works in life. We’ve all learned that lesson. We learned that lesson last year that sometimes divisiveness works,” he continued. “But you have to choose what side you’re on. I’m choosing empathy. I’m choosing inclusion. I’m choosing love for everybody and just trying to lift everyone. Even when I disagree with someone, I’m wishing them the best and hoping for the best because we can’t win the other way.”

Not only did Burrell lose out on the ELLEN booking, but her Texas radio & TV shows have now been cancelled. Hate doesn’t pay, does it?