Tag: anti-LGBTQ

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Florida: Hate Campaign Forces Cancellation Of ‘Storybook Pride Prom’ For Teens

The Willowbranch location of the Jacksonville Public Library in Florida had planned a Pride Month event for young people called ‘The Storybook Pride Prom’ this coming Friday.

The announcement for the prom at the Willowbranch Library for teens 14-18 read, “To celebrate National Pride Month, LGBTQ teens are invited to create their own ‘happily ever after’ at The Storybook Pride Prom! Come dressed inspired by your favorite book character — casual, formal, or in drag — whatever makes you feel great. Be you!”

Sounds like a wonderful event, no?

But virulently anti-LGBTQ activist Elizabeth Johnston mounted her broom and pushed a phone campaign that forced the Jacksonville Public Library to cancel the inclusive event due to threats of violence from homophobes.

“Express your disgust that this perversion is taking place in a taxpayer funded library!” Johnston wrote in a Facebook post.

After a deluge of phone calls and threats, Jacksonville Public Library wrote on its Facebook page that “the library is not confident that it will be 100% prepared to provide a safe, secure environment for customers, staff, volunteers, contractors, protestors and active supporters, and most of all for the teens themselves.”

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Anti-LGBTQ Pastor: Every Rainbow Flag In The Country Should Be Burned

Right Wing Watch reports that anti-LGBTQ pastor and failed 2018 U.S. Senate candidate E.W. Jackson took to his radio program on Monday to rant about Pride Flags being flown and announced “we need to burn every rainbow flag in this nation.”
E.W. Jackson

Right Wing Watch reports that anti-LGBTQ pastor and failed 2018 U.S. Senate candidate E.W. Jackson took to his radio program on Monday to rant about Pride Flags being flown and announced “we need to burn every rainbow flag in this nation.”

Incensed that U.S. embassies were displaying the rainbow flags in honor of Pride Month, Jackson compared the Pride flag to the Confederate flag.

“As far as I am concerned, the rainbow flag is no different than the Confederate flag. That’s right, I said it and I mean it. The rainbow flag is no different than the Confederate flag in that sense. It is a flag that represents the interests of a special group and their interests, not the interests of our country.”

Of course, it goes without saying that the Confederate flag was created to represent the South during the Civil War – a bloody conflict over slavery.

The rainbow flag is a symbol of pride raised in peace to represent a marginalized minority.

So, slavery on one hand, peace and pride on the other…

Jackson goes on to say that the only reason Pride flags are flown is because “these homosexual activists and radicals have so intimidated people throughout the culture, throughout the government, throughout the society that everybody thinks you’ve got to kowtow to them.”

Considering the LGBTQ population makes up about 4.5% of the U.S. population, according to a 2017 poll by Gallup, I’m not sure if we’ve really got folks “kowtowing” to us. If they were “kowtowing,” we’d have the Equality Act enacted by now.

Jackson continued with some general bashing of gays saying “it’s a lie” that folks can be attracted to people of the same sex.

He also declared that “We need to burn every rainbow flag in this nation.”

Hit play to hear the man lose his mind over a rainbow flag.

For those who may not know the good pastor, the list of outrageous statements he’s made against the LGBTQ community includes blaming the Charleston mass murders on LGBTQs and President Obama, saying Christians should be willing to die to stop marriage equality, and that Satan made Mayor Pete Buttigieg gay.

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Botswana’s High Court Strikes Down Anti-Homosexuality Laws

In a major victory for LGBTQ rights, Botswana's highest court has struck down the African nation's laws that made same-sex relations a criminal act.
(image via Twitter/Keikantse E. Phele)

In a major victory for LGBTQ rights, Botswana’s highest court has struck down the African nation’s laws that made same-sex relations a criminal act.

The packed courtroom erupted in cheers as the unanimous ruling was announced.

“Human dignity is harmed when minority groups are marginalised,” said Justice Michael Leburu as he read the historic ruling. “Sexual orientation is not a fashion statement. It is an important attribute of one’s personality.”

“The state cannot be a sheriff in people’s bedrooms,” he added.

Even though Botswana is considered one of the most stable and democratic countries in Africa, homosexuality has been illegal under the nation’s penal code since 1965. Someone found guilty under the laws faced jail time of up to seven years.

More than half of the countries in Africa have some form of anti-homosexuality laws in place.

Today’s news stands in sharp contrast to last month’s disappointing ruling in Kenya where that country’s high court found its anti-homosexuality laws were not unconstitutional.

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Audio: Lawmaker Laughs About Legislation To Execute Gays

Florida state Rep. Mike Hill (R) with Donald Trump (L)

A Florida lawmaker is being called unfit for office after a recording revealed him joking about executing gay Floridians.

An op-ed in the Pensacola News Journal shares an audio clip of Florida Rep. Mike Hill in a recent meeting with a group called Women for Responsible Legislation.

In the recording, a citizen comments, “In 1 Corinthians, it says that a man who has an affair with another man will be put to death.”

Hill can be heard responding, “It says that in the Old Testament, too.”

Another attendee inquires, “Can you introduce legislation?”

Laughter is heard in the background as Hill joins in the chuckles before saying, “I wonder how that would go over?”

It probably won’t surprise you to know that Hill’s Twitter account describes the 60-year-old as “Pro Life! Pro Guns! Pro Jesus!”

Andy Marlette, who penned the op-ed, writes that with that comment, “Hill proved why he is both an unfit legislator and an unfit Christian.”

Remember folks, this is the same state that lived through 49 people shot to death and 53 more injured at a gay bar, Pulse Nightclub, in June 2016.

Hill went on to share in the same meeting that he believes being gay is “a behavior, and it’s a choice” and that LGBTQ people don’t need legal protections.

In a longer audio clip obtained by The New Civil Rights Movement, Hill can be heard saying, “You can say, ‘But I was born that way.’ OK, well, fine, but nobody’s forcing you to engage in that relationship, even if you were born that way.”

In his essay, Marlette wonders why Hill, who clearly considers himself a Christian, didn’t just say, “No sir, stop right there, that’s wrong, that’s not what Jesus would do.”

But, he didn’t.

The op-ed calls for the Florida House to weigh in as well as Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson.

“It’s not enough to groan, roll our eyes and privately lament Mike Hill,” writes Marlette. “When public officials espouse cruel and immoral ideas, we are morally obligated to shout them down in the public square.”

As news of the recording has gone public, State Rep. Carlos Gulliermo Smith, who is the first openly gay Latino legislator in the state, has called on Hill to either apologize or resign.

(source: Pensacola News Journal)

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Kenya: High Court Rules Anti-Gay Laws Not Discriminatory

Flag of Kenya

Kenya’s High Court has upheld the African country’s laws which criminalize homosexual behavior.

LGBTQ activists had argued the laws are discriminatory, lead to increased harassment of the LGBTQ community, and serve to discourage people from seeking HIV testing or treatment.

The plaintiffs involved in the case also said the laws violate the Kenyan Constitution which reads the “state shall not discriminate directly or indirectly against any person on any ground,” including sex.

The three-judge panel, however, ruled the British colonial-era laws are not discriminatory and told the packed courtroom of activists in Nairobi the petitioners had failed to provide “credible evidence” that the laws infringed their rights, reports Quartz.com.

The three laws in question, Sections 162 (a) and (c), 163 and 165 of the nation’s penal code, make it a felony to have “carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature” or to commit “gross indecency.” The punishment for these crimes range from five to twenty-one years in prison.

The “carnal knowledge” offense is generally used to relate to oral and anal intercourse. While the law could apply to people of any gender, it’s primarily used to persecute gay men.

The “gross indecency” section pertains specifically to sexual acts between men.

Of the more than 70 countries that outlaw homosexuality, nearly half are located in Africa.

A report in 2014 found the government of Kenya prosecuted 595 cases of homosexualitybetween 2010 and 2014.

A report from the Kenyan government shows 534 people were arrested for same-sex relationships between 2013 and 2017.

Today’s ruling comes as other countries, like Indiaand Trinidad and Tobago, have recently decriminalized homosexuality.

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Texas Lawmakers Approve ‘License To Discriminate’ Against LGBTQs

Texas Republican seeks to ban all gender-affirming care
The Texas legislature revived anti-LGBTQ House Bill 3172 as Senate Bill 1978, and the legislation has now passed in both chambers.

The Texas legislature revived anti-LGBTQ House Bill 3172 as Senate Bill 1978, and the legislation has now passed in both chambers.

SB 1978 seeks to protect businesses and individuals from being penalized by city or government officials if they donate to, or are affiliated with, religious organizations that are known to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

It was dubbed the #SaveChickFilA bill after the San Antonio City Council voted to block inclusion of the fast-food restaurant at the San Antonio airport due to a history of anti-LGBTQ donations.

After members of the House LGBTQ caucus successfully killed the bill in that chamber, Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) filed an amended version in the state Senate.

Hughes contends the bill doesn’t contain “an ounce of discrimination.”

But state Rep. Celia Israel (D-Austin) said on the floor of the House, “It’s been cloaked religious freedom, but the genesis, the nexus of this bill, is in hatred.”

State Rep. Mary Gonzalez (D-Clint), who chairs the House LGBTQ Caucus, said the bill “perpetuates the rhetoric that leads to discrimination, to hate and ultimately bullying that leads to the consequence of people dying.”

The legislation was quickly passed in the Senate and sent to the House where the Austin Chronicle reports the bill was approved today by a vote of 79-64.

An amendment added to the bill in the House requires one more vote by the Senate, where it’s expected to pass.

Then the legislation heads to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott, who has signaled he plans on signing the bill into law.

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Texas Republicans Revive Anti-LGBTQ ‘Chick-Fil-A’ Bill

Senate Bill 1978, the companion bill to HB 3172, was filed by state Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola). Addressing the Senate Affairs Committee, Hughes told a practically empty room on Monday that, “The bill as filed ensures religious beliefs are protected from discrimination.” Hughes emphasized that the bill was about “those uniquely American rights,” freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

Last week, I reported that the anti-LGBTQ “Save Chick-fil-A” bill in Texas, House Bill 3172, had been successfully torpedoed by out state Rep. Julie Johnson.

The legislation, authored and sponsored by GOP state Rep. Matt Krause, would have banned cities and other governmental entities from taking “adverse action” against anyone for their “membership in, affiliation with, or contribution, donation or other support” to a religious organization.

It became known as the “Save Chick-fil-A” bill as supporters felt it would have helped avoid the recent boycott and eventual elimination of the fast-food chain from San Antonio’s airport. The fast-food restaurant has years of history of making donations to anti-LGBTQ organizations that advocate against LGBTQ rights.

The Dallas Voice had labeled the legislation one of the “most extreme anti-LGBT bills this session.”

Well, now the bill is back thanks to some last minute maneuvers in the state Senate, according to The Dallas News.

Senate Bill 1978, the companion bill to HB 3172, was filed by state Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola).

Addressing the Senate Affairs Committee, Hughes told a practically empty room on Monday that, “The bill as filed ensures religious beliefs are protected from discrimination.”

Hughes emphasized that the bill was about “those uniquely American rights,” freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

The room was nearly empty because the GOP-led Senate waived rules just minutes before so that the bill could be heard in committee without giving public notice.

Last week, when HB 3172 came up for debate, dozens showed up to denounce the legislation.

But with no one to debate the bill, the committee advanced the legislation to the full Senate. SB 1978 is on today’s intent calendar.

The Dallas News says Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, issued a statement via a spokesperson defending the last minute waiving of the Senate rules.

Sherry Sylvester, Patrick’s spokesperson, said it’s not uncommon to suspend the rules to speed up bills this late in the session.

Sylvester also went to lengths to say the language in SB 1978 is the same as matches the HB 3172, and that bill received “several hours” of debate last week.

“This is not a new bill,” she said, adding, “It’s passage will strengthen our protections for religious liberty — a priority for the Lt. Governor.”

Kathy Miller, the president of Texas Freedom Network, issued a statement calling the tactic a ‘ghost hearing.’

“It’s appalling to hold a ghost hearing and then take a snap vote that leaves virtually no chance for anyone to tell senators how such a sweeping discrimination bill would affect individuals and families across the state,” said Miller.

“The lieutenant governor is so desperate to pass a bill that shields discrimination against LGBT Texans that he no longer even pretends to care what anybody else thinks about it,” she added. “But ramming this bill through doesn’t change the fact that the majority of Texans oppose laws that allow the use of religion to hurt people simply because of who they are or whom they love.”

A poll by Public Religion Research Institute in March 2019 found that 54% of Texas oppose allowing businesses to refuse products or services to LGBTQ people due to religious beliefs. Thirty-nine percent say they favor the idea.

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Texas Legislature: Last Minute Maneuver Kills Anti-LGBTQ Bill

Thanks to Texas state Rep. Julie Johnson, a bill that could have legalized LGBTQ discrimination in the Lone Star state has been effectively killed just hours before a crucial deadline.

House Bill 3172, authored and sponsored by GOP state Rep. Matt Krause, a Fort Worth area lawmaker, would have banned the government from taking “adverse action” against anyone for their “membership in, affiliation with, or contribution, donation or other support” to a religious organization.

It became known as the “Save Chick-fil-A” bill as supporters felt it would have helped avoid the recent boycott and eventual elimination of the fast-food chain from San Antonio’s airport. Chick-fil-A has a years-long history of making donations to anti-LGBTQ organizations that advocate against LGBTQ rights.

The Dallas Voice had labeled the legislation one of the “most extreme anti-LGBT bills this session.”

Johnson, a freshman lawmaker and member of the newly-formed LGBTQ Caucus, told Dallas Newsshe and her colleagues realized the bill was coming up on a midnight deadline Thursday. The caucus members strategized on the best ways to kill the homophobic legislation.

First, they offered a point of order saying amendments to the bill had improperly expanded the legislation’s scope. That attempt proved unsuccessful.

Then, Johnson offered another point of order arguing the analysis of the bill’s impact was inaccurate. The House parliamentarians accepted that argument as valid.

Johnson said afterwards that it was “an honor to be fighting this fight” and to be able to shut down “a very hurtful piece of legislation.”

Krause continued to defend his bill saying the bill wasn’t homophobic, merely a protection for Texans who exercise their “sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction, including beliefs or convictions regarding marriage.”

Dallas News reports that when the bill was pronounced dead, lawmakers stood and cheered while somewhere on the House floor someone played a recording of “Taps.”

While the deadline to approve House bills has come and gone, there is still a possibility Krause’s objectives could be met. House lawmakers still have Senate bills to debate, and in that process, could attempt to amend one of those bills with similar language to House Bill 3172.

(Source: Dallas News)

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‘Slate Of Hate’ Anti-LGBTQ Legislation Moves Along In Tennessee

Several anti-LGBTQ bills have been working their way through the Tennessee state legislature that have come to be known as the ‘slate of hate.’

Pop star Taylor Swift brought the national spotlight to the issue when she donated $113,000 to the Tennessee Equality Project in early April.

Here’s an update on some of the bills that would negatively affect LGBTQ Tennesseans.

HB 1151puts transgender and non-binary people at increased risk of harassment by adding public restrooms, changing rooms and locker rooms to the state’s indecent exposure laws.

In its original form, the bill had specific anti-trans language saying there would be no exception for folks with a diagnosis of “gender dysphoria, gender confusion, or similar conditions.” While explicit anti-trans language has been removed, LGBTQ advocates worry the law will still be used to arrest trans people.

The legislation has passed in the state Senate and House, and heads to the governor’s desk for his signature.

Another anti-trans bill, HB 1274, has passed in the state House and the Senate is expected to take it up soon.

The legislation would push school districts to keep trans students from using the bathrooms that align with their gender identity. The legislation also requires the state Attorney General to defend discriminatory anti-transgender laws.

The sponsor of HB 836 has pulled his own bill from consideration even though the legislation had passed in the state House already.

The bill would allow state contractors who receive taxpayer funds for providing adoption and foster care services to refuse to place children with LGBT parents if the agency’s religious beliefs didn’t approve.

By spiking the bill, the legislation will now be shelved until the next legislative session.

And the so-called “Tennessee Natural Marriage Defense Act,” has also, thankfully, stalled.

The bill aimed to void recognition of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefellruling on same-sex marriage based on the premise that Tennessee has its own constitutional amendment banning marriage equality.

Many major companies like Hilton, IKEA North America Services, LLC, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Lyft, Marriott International, MassMutual, Nike, Inc. Replacements, Ltd., Salesforce, Unilever and Warby Parker have signed a letter opposingthe ‘slate of hate.’

Additionally, the Tennessee Titans have also come out against the anti-LGBTQ bills saying:

The Tennessee Titans oppose discrimination in any form. We are long-standing supporters of Tennessee Thrives. Discriminatory legislation hurts all of us.

It also impacts our ability to secure events like the 2019 NFL Draft, major conventions, major athletic contests and other events that benefit our local and state economy.

It also weakens our ability to recruit new business and industry to Nashville and to Tennessee. We would encourage our elected officials to keep us on a path that protects all our citizens, our growth and our economy.

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“This Is All Science” – Doctor In Kuwait Invents Suppository That Cures Being Gay

An anti-LGBTQ researcher in Kuwait, Dr. Mariam Al-Sohel, has announced to the world that she has invented a ‘cure’ for homosexuality.
Dr. Mariam Al-Sohel

An anti-LGBTQ researcher in Kuwait, Dr. Mariam Al-Sohel, has announced to the world that she has invented a ‘cure’ for homosexuality.

“I discovered therapeutic suppositories that curb the sexual urges of boys of the third gender as well as the fourth gender, which is butch lesbians,” she explained on Scope TV, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.

The problem, she discovered, is those folks “have excessive sexual urges.”

I’ve never seen that as a ‘problem,’ but whatever…

“By the way, this is all science, so there is nothing to be ashamed of,” said the academic.

Well then, if its science…

According to Al-Sohel, “The sexual urge develops when a person is sexually attacked, and afterward it persists because there is an anal worm that feeds on semen.”

Ah – that’s the answer!

She goes on to explain that her cure, based on “prophetic medicine,” comes in the form of a suppository and “cures those urges by exterminating the worm that feeds on the semen.”

Kind of like Alien?

The secret behind Al-Sohel’s ’science’ is that “bitter foods increase masculinity.” That said, it turns out the ingredients for her cure “are the same for both sexes.”

Not sure how that plays out as a ‘cure’ for her so-called ’fourth gender butch lesbians,’ but she made them different colors anyway.

Pretty!

I’m joking here only because it’s completely laughable that someone thinks any of this nonsense is real.

What’s not laughable is how LGBTQ people are treated in Kuwait.

Homosexuality is a criminal offense under the country’s ‘debauchery’ laws, as is cross-dressing. Being openly gay in Kuwait means possible prison sentences – long ones.

In fact, Kuwait is so anti-LGBTQ, Jerusalem Post reports that the National Cinema Company banned a ‘gay’ scene from the Disney film, Beauty and the Beast.

(Source: Jerusalem Post)