LGBTQ news and entertainment
Another one bites the dust – The White House has announced Donald Trump’s Labor Secretary, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has resigned amid an ongoing investigation into inappropriate behavior with staff and drinking on the job.
This marks the third ousting from Trump’s Cabinet in less than two months. Continue reading “Another One Bites The Dust: Trump’s Labor Secretary Resigns”
Frustrated by the rollout of the coronavirus vaccines? This is a reason why it’s going so poorly. StatNews journalist Nicholas Florko reports Trump officials actively lobbied against giving states money for Covid-19 vaccine administration. Via StatNews:
Top Trump officials actively lobbied Congress to deny state governments any extra funding for the Covid-19 vaccine rollout last fall — despite frantic warnings from state officials that they didn’t have the money they needed to ramp up a massive vaccination operation.
The push, described to STAT by congressional aides in both parties and openly acknowledged by one of the Trump officials, came from multiple high-ranking Trump health officials in repeated meetings with legislators.
Without the extra money, states spent last October and November rationing the small pot of federal dollars they had been given. And when vaccines began shipping in December, states seemed woefully underprepared.
Paul Mango, the former deputy chief of staff for policy at the Department of Health and Human Services, was apparently a big part of the lobbying effort. He told StatNews that since states hadn’t spent the $200 million that the CDC sent in September, they must not need the funds. Mango told StatNews he believed the states were asking for the funding to help fill empty tax coffers. “A lot of them had shut down their economies and they weren’t getting tax revenue,” he said. There’s much more over at StatNews – quite the deep dive into the facts.
Trump officials have insisted publicly that states wouldn't need much money for the vaccine effort, but as I show here: The Trump administration wasn't just dismissing states' concerns, it was actively undermining their efforts to get more money from Congress
— Nicholas Florko (@NicholasFlorko) January 31, 2021
I was shocked when I learned this. Turns out, the official at the center of all of this, Paul Mango, wasn't bashful about his efforts. He insisted states couldn't justify why they needed more money. He accused them, on the record, of wanting the $ to make up for lost tax revenue
— Nicholas Florko (@NicholasFlorko) January 31, 2021
Chippendales’ Jeffrey Garrovillo and co-star (via Instagram)
Meanwhile in Florida clear folks feeling entitled lol 😷 #COVID19 #coronavirus #maskon #maskoff #mask pic.twitter.com/AqbBqGABff
— Cali_CoCo (@CaliCoCo3) June 20, 2020
(image via US Embassy in South Korea/Instagram)
The Trump administration has finalized a rule allowing health care providers to refuse care to transgender people, including gender reassignment surgery. Reversing an Obama-era regulation, the change in rules at the Health & Human Services Department rolls back an interpretation of prohibiting sex discrimination under Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act that included protections for trans people. Under the Obama administration, discriminating against trans people basically boiled down to animus based on the ‘sex’ of a trans person. In the Trump administration, discriminating against trans people is fine. The announcement on the HHS website adds the new rule will “relieve the American people of approximately $2.9 billion in undue and ineffective regulatory burdens over five years.” Mary Beth Waddell, a senior legislative assistant for the virulently anti-LGBTQ Family Research Council, celebrated the finalized rule in a statement which read in part, “Under the old Obama rule, medical professionals could have been forced to facilitate gender reassignment surgeries and abortions — even if they believed this was a violation of their conscience or believed it harmful to the patient.” Dr. Susan R. Bailey, president of the American Medical Association, issued her opposition in a statement: “Respect for the diversity of patients is a fundamental value of the medical profession and is reflected in long-standing AMA policy opposing discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or a woman’s decisions about pregnancy, including termination. “The federal government should never make it more difficult for individuals to access health care — during a pandemic or any other time.” Sam Brinton, Vice President of Advocacy and Government Affairs for The Trevor Project issued this statement: “Access to quality health care without discrimination is critical right now, and thankfully, whatever this new rule may say, LGBTQ people are still protected under the law. This rule sends a dangerous and confusing message to health care providers at the worst possible time. In the midst of a global pandemic with serious implications for the LGBTQ youth The Trevor Project serves, the last thing our nation needs is for the Administration to suggest, contrary to the plain language of the Affordable Care Act, that medical care providers don’t have to treat transgender and nonbinary people with the same care and respect as everybody else.” The Human Rights Campaign’s Alphonso David denounced the news saying LGBTQ people “should not live in fear that they cannot get the care they need simply because of who they are.” “It is clear that this administration does not believe that LGBTQ people, or other marginalized communities, deserve equality under the law,” said the HRC president. “But we have a reality check for them: We will not let this attack on our basic right to be free from discrimination in health care go unchallenged. We will see them in court, and continue to challenge all of our elected officials to rise up against this blatant attempt to erode critical protections people need and sanction discrimination.” And Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, of the pro-LGBTQ law organization Lambda Legal, announced his group is planning a lawsuit against the Trump administration. “We will be challenging the rule because at a time when the entire world is battling a dangerous pandemic, which in the United States has infected more than 2,000,000 people and killed more than 116,000, it is critical for everyone to have ready access to the potentially life-saving health care they need,” Gonzalez-Pagan said. While the reversal of the former regulations had been in discussion for some time, Health & Human Services decided to release the announcement on 4 pm just before the weekend in the middle of Pride Month. And the Trump administration’s assault on LGBTQ protections continues…
A third federal judge has ruled against the Trump administration’s proposed change in regulations which would allow health care providers to deny care that offends ‘deeply held religious beliefs. Read that as legalizing discrimination against LGBTQ people. U.S. District Judge William Alsup of the Northern District of California ruled on Tuesday that the new Denial of Care rule is “not in accordance with law” by reason of conflict with underlying statutes. “When a rule is so saturated with error, as here, there is no point in trying to sever the problematic provisions,” wrote Alsup in his decision. “The whole rule must go.” Previously, Judge Paul Engelmayer of New York, and Judge Stanley Bastian of Spokane, Washington, also found the religious exemption rule announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would violate several federal laws. Alsup wrote in his ruling, “Under the new rule, to preview just one example, an ambulance driver would be free, on religious or moral grounds, to eject a patient en route to a hospital upon learning the patient needed an emergency abortion. Such harsh treatment would be blessed by the new rule.” The so-called ‘conscience protection’ rule would also expand the categories of workers who could choose to refuse to serve the public to include receptionists, accounting staff and emergency responders. Plus, the federal government would be allowed to cut funding to states and/or employers who might not respect the religious exemption to the degree sought by the Trump administration. Judge Alsup made note that there are already federal laws in place to provide for accommodating a health care provider’s religious or conscientious objections to some procedures like abortion. HHS announced the proposed rule change in May and was set to take effect this Friday. But Judge Engelmayer’s ruling in New York two weeks ago blocked the regulation. Jamie Gliksberg of Lambda Legal, which was one of the legal teams representing the plaintiffs, celebrated in a statement regarding the ruling: “That is now three judges in two weeks who have recognized the Denial of Care Rule for what it is, an egregious and unconstitutional attack on women, LGBT people and other vulnerable populations.” This doesn’t end the assault on LGBTQ people’s rights by the Trump administration, though. Earlier in November, HHS shared plans to allow faith-based adoption or foster care organizations who receive federal funds to decline to place children with LGBTQ families. Plus, the Trump administration is still working to remove parts of the Affordable Care Act that prohibits discrimination against transgender people. (source)
(image via Ames, Iowa)
Two of the crosswalks use the colors of the inclusive Pride flag which adds black and brown to the traditional rainbow flag designed by Gilbert Baker in the 1970s. Another utilizes the colors of the transgender Pride flag (blue, pink, white) and the fourth features purple, yellow, black and white representing gender-nonbinary pride. The Ames Tribune reports that on September 5, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sent the city a letter saying the crosswalks could “compromise pedestrian and motorist safety by interfering with, distracting from, or obscuring official traffic control devices.” Mark O. Lambert, City Attorney for Ames, penned a memo to the mayor and city council saying the FHWA has no jurisdiction over the streets where the crosswalks are installed since they are not part of a federal highway and Ames receives no federal funds for their upkeep. Lambert’s interpretation of the law was that the state of Iowa should decide whether the federal standards should apply to city streets. “With the system of federalism in the United States, the federal government does not have jurisdiction over everything,” Lambert summed up in his memo. Lambert also noted that the FHWA’s letter didn’t threaten any penalties regarding the crosswalks, and had only ‘requested’ the removal of the crosswalks. During a meeting of the Ames City Council, members discussed the issue and decided no action would be taken. City Council member Chris Nelson said during the discussion, “Can we just accept the letter and say thank you?” One resident even pointed out that the FHWA had gotten its own rules wrong. “The crosswalk lines are white pavement markings that identify the crosswalks,” said resident Bill Diesslin reports the Ames Tribune. “The rainbow crossing in Ames has white lines demarcating, so it’s consistent with federal recommendations.” Rainbow crosswalks have been a fixture in the United States for years. From West Hollywood, which installed colorful walkways in 2012, to San Francisco’s The Castro which celebrated Pride with the rainbow crosswalks in 2014. Philadelphia, Seattle, Key West and more have all embraced the rainbow. https://www.instagram.com/p/4xKhAvIkR6/ https://www.instagram.com/p/4X199ThyJ3/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BIanWmOA6MU/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BCoXaWmAp-A/ (Source: Ames Tribune)
Michael and I visiting a church Portofino
It’s been months since a Trump press secretary addressed reporters from the podium of the White House briefing room (March 11), and it appears that’s the way things will remain. From ABC News:
Wednesday marks six months since a White House press secretary last came to the podium in the briefing room to field questions from reporters in a traditional format and the Trump administration has no plans to resume the daily and sometimes combative encounters with the White House press corps.
“President Trump communicates directly with the American people more than any President in history. The fact that the White House Press Corps can no longer grandstand on TV is of no concern to us,” White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement to ABC News.
In previous administrations, regular press briefings have been a centerpiece of the White House communications operation by which the White House both advances their public messaging and engages in a a regular exchange of information with the media on the pressing issues of the day.
Today marks six months since the last White House briefing by the press secretary. In the past year, only 6 briefings were held by the White House press secretary. (h/t @AlliemalCNN)
— David P Gelles (@gelles) September 11, 2019
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| United Nations Plaza (image via Flickr/AC Moraes) |
In reversing a nine-year policy begun by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Trump administration continues to demonstrate hostility to same-sex couples.
Beginning Monday (October 1), the U.S. State Department will require same-sex partners of staff of international organizations based in the U.S. to be married in order to qualify for a proper visa.
The policy change will affect foreign employees of organizations like the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
From the State Department’s website on G-4 visas: “Effective immediately, U.S. Embassies and Consulates will adjudicate visa applications that are based on a same-sex marriage in the same way that we adjudicate applications for opposite gender spouses.”
The State Department issued a statement saying the policy change is meant to “help ensure and promote equal treatment” between straight and gay couples. In order to obtain a G-4 visa, straight couples are required to be married.
The difference for same-sex couples, however, is that in many of their native countries same-sex marriage, or even homosexuality, is illegal.
And, as Fabrice Houdart, a human rights official at the United Nations told NBC News, “The policy seems to presume that same-sex partners should be able to easily visit the United States on a tourist visa where they could get married.
“But for people in many countries, particularly poor and conservative countries like the ones that do not permit same-sex marriage, obtaining a tourist visa to visit the United States is extremely difficult,” he added.
Under the new policy, the partners of United Nations workers, for example, that are not legally married will have 30 days after the new year to either get married or exit the United States.
So, what do these couples do? The choices available to them are abandon their careers here in the U.S. or try to marry and face possible severe penalties back home.
Of the 193 United Nations member states, only a few dozen have recognized same-sex marriage. And then there are countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran which have death penalties for being gay.
Former Ambassador to the U.N., Samantha Power, called the move “needlessly cruel & bigoted” on Twitter.
Needlessly cruel & bigoted: State Dept. will no longer let same-sex domestic partners of UN employees get visas unless they are married. But only 12% of UN member states allow same-sex marriage. https://t.co/MjZpRVLYcf— Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) September 28, 2018
And the Human Rights Campaign followed up Powers’ tweet saying the policy change “reflects the hostility of the Trump-Pence administration toward LGBTQ people and our friends and allies.”
“It is hatred, and it is unacceptable,” the HRC added.
This is an unconscionable, needless attack on some LGBTQ diplomats around the world, and it reflects the hostility of the Trump-Pence administration toward LGBTQ people and our friends and allies. It is hatred, and it is unacceptable. https://t.co/Vn8Qkz93gl https://t.co/mtDuzYjZpU— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) October 2, 2018