Tag: homophobic

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Mike Pence’s New Chief Of Staff Once Penned Homophobic Op-Ed Calling Gays “Repugnant” & “Perverted”

Marc Short, incoming Chief of Staff for Vice President Mike Pence

It’s common knowledge that Vice President Mike Pence has been no friend to the gay community.

A short list of attacks against LGBTQ folks while in Congress includes voting against marriage equality, opposing transgender rights, and opposing the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’

While governor of Indiana, he signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law making it possible for businesses to discriminate against the LGBTQ community, suggested shifting federal funds meant for AIDS research to programs that would “provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior” and more.

So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Pence’s incoming chief of staff, Marc Short, penned an op-ed while in college that called homosexuals “perverted” and “repugnant.”

As the saying goes, ‘birds of a feather flock together.’

According to The Daily Beast, the essay appeared in The Spectator, a conservative student newspaper for Washington & Lee University that Short co-founded.

In the article, which appeared in 1989, Short wrote that AIDS activists efforts in the 1990s were a “propaganda campaign” that was meant to “scare all heterosexuals into believing they are prime targets for contraction of the disease.”

“The campaign’s purpose,” alleged Short, was to “both lobby Congress for more federal funding of AIDS research and to destigmatize the perverted lifestyles homosexuals pursue.”

He even went so far as to claim the LGBTQ community “celebrated” the news of NBA superstar Magic Johnson’s HIV diagnosis because it “refueled the propaganda campaign ignited by gay activists and carelessly perpetuated by journalists whose intent is to scare all heterosexuals into believing they are prime targets for contraction of the disease.”

While he did say that AIDS victims deserved sympathy, Short added “that does not mean that we glorify homosexuals’ repugnant practices of frequent anal intercourse.”

When contacted by The Daily Beast about the op-ed, Short issued a statement, which read, “I regret using language as an undergraduate college student that was not reflective of the respect I try to show others today. We have all learned a lot about AIDS over the past 30 years and my heart goes out to all victims of this terrible disease.”

Legendary AIDS and gay rights activist Peter Staley wasn’t swayed by the apology.

“I wrote stuff in college too,” Staley told The Daily Beast. “And I don’t look back and say, ‘Oh, sorry, it was my college years.’ You’re either on the right side of stuff or the wrong side.”

“He was taking classic Jesse Helms-style rhetoric from the late ’80s and putting an early ’90s spin on it and sounding like the fools they all were,” added Staley. “Guys like him wanted us to die. And they had an effect.”

The article surfaces as the public debate about past behavior and statements of Washington power players while in college continues to grow, like the recent scandals regarding Democratic leadership in Virginia involving dressing up in black face.

The Daily Beast reports that Pence’s office did not issue a statement regarding the essay.

(image via White House/public domain)

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Another Day, Another Homophobic Baker Refuses To Bake A Wedding Cake

A baker in Tennessee told a lesbian couple she wouldn't make a wedding cake for their wedding because of her deeply held religious beliefs
(image via Depositphotos)

Another day, another baker refusing to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple.

This time, the baker is Susie Dennison of Susie’s Sweets bakery in Burns, Tennessee.

Brandi Ray shared in a Facebook post that she met with Dennison to arrange for a wedding cake for her upcoming nuptials.

Apparently the chat was very pleasant, but Ray received a note from Dennison via Facebook afterwards saying she would not be able to make the cake because ‘Jesus.’

Dennison’s message read:

“I really enjoyed our time together and I truly wish you the best but after realizing that your union will be of the same sex, I cannot with my spiritual conviction and beliefs, do your cake! I want you to know in saying that, I do love you in The Lord! Had I known before you left, I would have said something then!”

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Ray responded. “Have a good night.”

Dennison claims in her note that she didn’t know it was to be a same-sex wedding, but Ray posted a photo of the invoice Dennison hand-wrote which clearly shows both brides’ names.

She also shared on her Facebook post that she mentioned her fiancée’s name, Michele Schmidt, “like 10,000 times” when she and Dennison met at the consultation.

According to the bakery’s website, Dennison says she “can bake any type of sweet treat you need for any occasion.”

Well, clearly not “any” occasion. Nowhere on the website does Dennison say she doesn’t make wedding cakes for same-sex couples.

We’ve seen cases like this before, most notably in Colorado where anti-LGBTQ baker Jack Phillips, of Masterpiece Cakeshop, refused to bake a cake for a gay couple for their wedding celebration.

Phillips took his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court where he won a narrow victory when the high court ruled the Colorado civil rights commission had appeared to view his case with anti-religious bias.

Unlike Colorado, the state of Tennessee has no legal protections for LGBTQ citizens, so Dennison’s behavior here is totally legal.

🙁

Ray hasn’t indicated if she plans any kind of legal action.

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Lawmaker Suggests He’d Drown His Own Children If They Were Gay

Continuing his attacks on the LGBTQ community, a West Virginia lawmaker suggested he would drown his own children if he found out they were gay.
West Virginia Republican Eric Porterfield

Continuing his attacks on the LGBTQ community, a West Virginia lawmaker suggested he would drown his own children if he found out they were gay.

West Virginia delegate Eric Porterfield sat down with local NBC affiliate WVVA to discuss his homophobic comments made last week where he called the LGBTQ Community “a modern day version of the Klux Klan.”

WVVA’s Rachel Anderson asked Porterfield what he would do if his “adorable daughter” or “precious son” came out to him as gay?

Proudly wearing a red MAGA hat, the first term lawmaker replied, with a wide smile, “Well, I would dress my daughter first, as I would take her for a pedicure, I’d take her to get her nails done, and see if she could swim.”

“If it was my son, I would probably take him hunting, I would take him fishing, then I’d see if he could swim,” he added, again flashing a chilling smile.

After a pause, Anderson asked Porterfield to clarify what he meant by “see if they could swim?”

“I just want to make sure they could swim,” he reiterated and then again beamed with a smile.

Anderson, clearly flustered, asked one more time, “What do you mean?”

“That’s just it – I’d take them out to do activities,” said Porterfield.

Porterfield found himself in the national spotlight last Wednesday when he vociferously advocated for an amendment to a bill that would have prohibited local towns and cities from passing their own anti-discrimination laws for LGBTQ people.

West Virginia has no statewide protections for LGBTQ citizens.

Debating the legislation, Porterfield called anti-discrimination laws “bigoted,” “intolerant,” and “discriminatory.”

“The LGBT is the most socialist group in this country,” he said. “They do not protect gays. There are many gays they persecute if they do not line up with their social ideology.”

He also used the word “faggot” during the debate while referencing the speaking tour of controversial homocon, Milo Yiannopoulos.

Speaking to The New York Daily News on Monday, Porterfield adamantly stood by his comments, saying, “I stand by my statements; I double down on my statements.”

“They’re the closest thing to political terrorism in this country,” he said of the LGBTQ community. “If you don’t agree with them or give them their way, they’ll intimidate you, threaten you and bully you. They want people’s freedom to be restricted.”

WVVA reports West Virginia’s GOP Chairwoman Melody Potter has issued a statement denounced his comments, describing them as “hateful, hurtful, and do not reflect the values of our country.”

“As West Virginians, we are taught to respect one another, love our neighbors, and when we disagree to seek understanding of our fellow Mountaineers.

In recent days, Delegate Eric Porterfield has made comments that are hateful, hurtful, and do not reflect the values of our country, our state, and the Republican Party.

These comments are unacceptable and we denounce them. They have no place in America.

We may disagree on policy, politics, and the direction of our state, but we can disagree civilly and respectfully because intolerant and hateful views hold us back, divide us, and hurt our state.”

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News Round-Up: February 11, 2019

Austin Wolf (via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Austin Wolf (above) took time to recover in Miami from last week’s Atlantis cruise.

• The Tennessee Republican Party is attempting to ban marriage equality again in an effort to get the issue back in front of the Supreme Court – of course, this time with a court tilted in their favor.

• Over the weekend, I reported on West Virginia Del. Eric Porterfield, who got in hot water for calling the LGBT community a “modern day KKK.” Now, an interview clip has surfaced where he says he would “see if they could swim” if a child of his came out to him.

• A gay Trump supporter, who happens to be the brother of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ mistress, may have been the one who leaked private photos and text messages to the National Enquirer to embarrass and smear Bezos.

• In addition to legislation introduced by Democrats in the House and Senate aimed at protecting transgender military service members, Massachusetts Rep. Joseph Kennedy III will introduce a non-binding resolution in the House of Representatives rejecting the ban. The legislation currently has 103 co-sponsors.

• Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló‘s administration on Feb. 8, 2019, issued guidelines that urge public employees in the U.S. commonwealth to be more sensitive to the needs of LGBT people and their children.

• Check out the trailer for Teen Spirit, a visceral, stylish spin on the Cinderella story from the producer of La La Land.

Starring Elle Fanning, the film’s soundtrack features music by LGBT artists and favorites including Robyn, Ellie Goulding, Tegan & Sara, Annie Lennox, Orbital, Sigrid, Carly Rae Jepsen & Jack Antonoff. Additional music by Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Grimes, The Undertones, Aqua, Alice Deejay, Whigfield, Major Lazer and No Doubt.

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Wyoming Lawmaker Compares Being Gay To Bestiality While Meeting With LGBT High School Students

Wyoming state Sen. Lynn Hutchings told gay and lesbian high school students, “If my sexual orientation was to have sex with all of the men in there and I had sex with all of the women in there and then they brought their children and I had sex with all of them and then brought their dogs in and I had sex with them, should I be protected for my sexual orientation?”
Wyoming state Sen. Lynn Hutchings

Wyoming Equality shares this disturbing encounter high school students had with state Sen. Lynn Hutchings.

On Friday, February 1st, Wyoming Equality, the state’s only statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, hosted its bi-annual Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Civics Day where students from GSA clubs across Wyoming are invited to learn about state government and civic engagement.

Students from Central High School, accompanied by their club sponsor and high school teacher, went to visit their representative for their district, Senator Lynn Hutchings.

The students wanted to discuss HB 230, Enhancing Quality Employment Law, and express their support for the bill.

The legislation would prohibit “discriminatory practices based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment practices.”

Meeting with the children in the gallery of the state legislature, Hutchings said she was unfamiliar with the bill’s language so the students shared that they wanted her support because the bill would protect the students from workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Hutchings’s response, per Wyoming Equality, was to compare being gay or lesbian with bestiality and pedophilia:

“If my sexual orientation was to have sex with all of the men in there and I had sex with all of the women in there and then they brought their children and I had sex with all of them and then brought their dogs in and I had sex with them, should I be protected for my sexual orientation?”

Wyoming Equality issued this statement regarding Hutching’s behavior with the high school students calling her language “unacceptable and inexcusable”:

It is our understanding that while the state legislature’s anti-harassment policy mentions no protected classes, including sexual orientation and gender identity, Senator Hutchings behavior was unacceptable and inexcusable. Fourteen- and fifteen-year old high school students wishing to engage with the legislative process should ​not​ have been confronted with the comments made by Senator Hutchings. ​Those students, some of which identify as LGBTQ, were deeply hurt and disturbed that they were compared to acts of beastiality and pedophilia. The students’ sentiment was exacerbated especially after Senator Hutchings hypothetically recounted the idea of sexually engaging with children then physically engaged with the students.

At Wyoming Equality, we are horrified. On GSA Civics Day, we expect students to be challenged and engage in lively civic dialogue. This is not what transpired. As guaranteed by the First Amendment, Senator Hutchings may express her beliefs and views however she wishes, but her behavior is not what we expect of adults in the workplace, and we expect even more from a Wyoming elected official. The students spoke with several legislators that day. For the exception of the incident with Senator Hutchings, the students said all their interactions with legislators were civil and respectful no matter where the legislators stood on bills and issues.

The mayor of Cheyenne denounced Hutchings behavior:

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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News Round-Up: February 6, 2019

(image via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• How cute are InstaCouple Justin & Nick? Follow them on the gram of Insta here.

• Two men from Washington D.C. were arrested for drug trafficking as they tried to board a gay cruise leaving from the port of Miami. They were caught thanks to intercepted planning emails sent from one of the men’s government-issued laptop.

• The ABC hit sitcom Modern Family has been renewed for its 11th and final season.

• Donald Trump loves to refer to it as the ‘failing’ New York Times, but facts are facts, and the Times‘ stock price just hit a 13-year high.

• Damon Wayans Jr. is just the latest celeb apologizing for past homophobic statements and ‘jokes.’ At least he has the decency to actually straight-up apologize.

• Out pop singer/songwriter Gia Woods drops her new music video, “Jump The Fence,” which offers a groovy respite with shades of female empowerment and sexual freedom.

Billboard gushed about the new song calling it “a breathy pop ear-worm packed with tribal-like pulsations and distant howls that matches the musical climate while maintaining an undeniable edge.”

Gia’s breakout music video, “Only A Girl,” has garnered over 10 million viesw and counting. The talented 22-year-old is prepping to release her debut EP later this year.

Check out the new bop from Ms. Woods below.

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Jussie Smollett Speaks Out At First Public Appearance: “I Fought The F*ck Back”

Almost a week after Empire star Jussie Smollett was assaulted in Chicago by two men who used homophobic, racist slurs during the attack, the actor & singer showed up for his already scheduled concert at The Troubadour in Los Angeles last night.
Jussie Smollett (image via screen capture)

Almost a week after Empire star Jussie Smollett was assaulted in Chicago by two men who used homophobic, racist slurs during the attack, the actor & singer showed up for his already scheduled concert at The Troubadour in Los Angeles last night.

As he took to the stage, his first public appearance since the attack, he told the crowd, “I had to be here tonight, y’all. I can’t let the motherf—ers win,” according to Variety.

“I have so many words on my heart,” Smollett told the sold-out crowd. “The most important thing I have to say is thank you so much and that I’m okay. I’m not fully healed yet, but I’m going to. And I’m gonna stand strong with y’all… l will always stand for love. I will never stand for anything other than that. Regardless of what anyone else says, I will only stand for love. And I hope that you all will stand with me. So now… let’s do it.”

Variety notes that the concert was sold-out before the attack in Chicago.

With a setlist that included songs like, “Freedom,” Conqueror,” and “Hurt People,” Smollett reportedly fought back tears as the evening took on a message of defiance and strength.

Near the end of the concert, the singer called out to two artists in attendance – out actor Wilson Cruz (Star Trek: Discovery) and Empire creator Lee Daniels: “I promised myself I was not gonna cry tonight. Someone in the crowd that I want to recognize: Wilson Cruz is someone I identified with growing up. I stand on the backs of so many people — of the Lee Daniels and the Wilson Cruz’s — and I pray to God I make you all proud.”

Before his final encore, he said there were a few points of fact that he wanted to clear up regarding reports of the attack.

“I was bruised but my ribs were not cracked; they were not broken,” he began. “I went to the doctor immediately – I was not hospitalized. Both my doctors in L.A. and Chicago cleared me to perform, but said to take care, obviously. And above all: I fought the f— back.”

And the crowd goes wild!

After the roar subsided, he finished the moment by joking, “I’m the gay Tupac! So now, we can do our encore.”

As he exited the stage, Smollett announced, “We are proud. We are gay.”

Wilson Cruz acknowledged Smollett on his Instagram.

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Twitter Trolls Kevin Hart For Sending Jussie Smollett ‘Prayers’ After Homophobic Assault

Kevin Hart (L), Jussie Smollett (R)

In the aftermath of a homophobic, racist attack on Empire star Jussie Smollett, an outpouring of love and support for the openly gay actor came flooding across social media.

As I reported earlier this week, Smollett was assaulted in the early hours of January 29 when two attackers physically accosted him, poured bleach on his head and put a noose around his neck, all while calling him homophobic slurs.

The incident is now being investigated by police as a possible hate crime.

Celebrities and activists of all stripes reached out to send ‘best wishes’ and thoughts for a speedy recovery after the attack.

But when comedian Kevin Hart offered his ‘prayers’ via Instagram, social media was not having it.

In addition to said prayers, Hart wrote:

“This is unbelievably sad. Why are we going backwards….this is disgusting. We as people have to do better. WTF is going on the world???? Why are we falling in love with hate???? God damn it people….Choose love…I repeat…Choose love. I will forever choose love and I will continue to teach my kids how to do the same. Stand strong brother”

You’ll recall Hart recently had to step down from hosting this year’s Oscars after homophobic tweets and jokes resurfaced from his past.

The man who took forever to give a direct apology for joking that he would break a doll house over his son’s head if he thought he might be gay is now wondering, “Why are we going backwards?”

Uh-uh, the Twitter people do not have short memories when it comes to seems like hypocrisy here.

Here’s just a sample of the responses Hart got to his ‘prayers:’

Hart responded this afternoon via tweet:

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Philadelphia Gay Man Attacked By Homophobic Mob Outside Popular Gay Bar

Josh Schonewolf (screen capture via 6ABC)

The Philadelphia LGBTQ community is shook after another violent attack took place on Sunday night outside a popular gay bar.

The victim, a 50-year-old patron of The Toasted Walnut, was standing right outside the bar around 11PM on Sunday night when the assault took place.

According to police reports, four men and a woman took part in the assault.

Josh Schonewolf, the bartender who was working that night, saw the attack as it happened.

“All of a sudden a car full of guys decided to jump out and attack one of the patrons here right in front,” said Schonewolf.

Schonewolf tells local news station 6ABC that the attackers “were definitely calling him some gay slurs as they were beating him up.”

Some witnesses attempted to stop the assault, but were attacked as well.

“The general manager happened to be outside, and he was also punched in the face,” said Schonewolf.

The mob of attackers jumped back in their car and fled the scene before police arrived.

The victim was treated at the hospital for a head injury.

Police tell 6ABC that hate crime charges may be added once they have finished their investigation. The final determination will be made by the district attorney’s office.

In the meantime, LGBTQ folks in Philly are rattled by the attack in their own gayborhood.

Said Schonewolf, “Some people refer to this part of town as Midtown Village but to me – I’m from Philly – it is always going to be the Gayborhood.”

“And if this is happening at 13th and Walnut, I don’t know where we’re supposed to feel safe,” he added.

The LGBTQ community has seen similar attacks not only in Philadelphia, but in Chicago where openly gay Empire star Jussie Smollett was brutally assaulted with bleach and a noose, as well as Austin, Texas, where two gay men were beaten for holding hands as they were leaving a gay bar.

In all of those assaults, the victims report their attackers using homophobic slurs.

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News Round-Up: November 16, 2018

InstaHunk Max Emerson (r) snowboarding in Quebec

Some news items you might have missed:

• What to do when a November storm dumps lots of snow on you? Go snowboarding! Someone might have told Max Emerson to take a few bits of clothing with him, but then – when you’ve got a Porsche, you don’t keep it in the garage.

• Tanzania just lost $10 million in aid from its second biggest donor, Denmark, thanks to the recent homophobic crackdown in the East African country.

• Hat tip to Kenneth-in-the-212 who found the ultimate ‘Hunk’ of House Hunters – Liev Schreiber – who, along with SNL’s Leslie Jones, totally spoof every cliche you’ve ever seen on the show. This is pretty funny.

• Gubernatorial hopeful Stacey Abrams has acknowledged she will not be able to close the gap between herself and her Republican opponent, former Secretary of State Brian Kemp. But, she did not concede the race saying Kemp had spent years working to suppress voters in Georgia in order to tilt the contest his way.

• A gay man in Miami says a Lyft driver spewed homophobic slurs at him during his ride before pulling a gun on him. The driver allegedly stopped the car and forcibly removed the man from the car, kicking him in the process and saying he wanted to “kill everyone who is gay.”

• I’ll be interviewing the oh-so-dashing and talented Mr. Norm Lewis about this his new holiday album soon, but for now … 🙂