In the News

[Angharad]

Anything you see or hear in the media about the LGBTIQ community.

[Angharad]

‘Gays Will Burn Christians at the Stake’ Says Pastor

• by Steve Williams
• February 4, 2013

Pastor Kevin Swanson of Generations Radio has decided to take a stand against the supposed evils of Colorado’s civil unions bill, warning that it will lead to legalized man/boy love and will result in gays burning Christians at the stake.

Frothed Swanson on his show this week:

You need to understand the agenda here. What’s happening is they want homosexuals to be able to be involved in adoption and foster care as much anybody else. So picture a nice little homeschool family, just trying to do the right thing. An anonymous tip comes in, social services swoops in, they grab the kids in the year 2022 and the kids get remanded into a home with homosexuals and these particular homosexuals happen to be tied into NAMBLA and other things. You know what’s going to happen. There will be proper indoctrination into a certain kind of worldview, shall we say.

[...]

Yeah. It’s a tragedy. It’s a tragedy. And I think there are a lot of concerned parents. There are concerned Catholic parents. There are concerned homeschool parents. And especially when you get a Regnerus study that comes out and says they’re ten times more likely to be touched sexually by a parent in a homosexual home than, you know, the normal American secular home. Wow. That’s frightening.

You’ll note Pastor Swanson also took time to cite the widely discredited propagandist Regnerus' study which claimed to show having gay parents is bad for children; the faults with the methodology of the study have already been shown in great detail, but needless to say these claims are not supported by creditable research — yet the Religious Right continues to cite the study anyway, as they do their concerns over NAMBLA, the fringe association that for one brief moment at the conception of America’s gay rights movement tried to push for pederasty to be legalized.

NAMBLA today is little more than a few people and a postal address. Yet, apparently, this is the start of the revolution.

Swanson goes on to disgrace himself by butchering history: that gays felled the Roman Empire — apparently Pastor Swanson knows something history scholars don’t — and that a hundred years ago there were apparently only three homosexuals in existence (but what homosexuals they were!):

Just remember about 100 years ago, you had three homosexuals in the world as far as anybody really knew. There was a Canadian named Robert Ross, an Englishman named Oscar Wilde, an American named Walt Whitman. They led the charge in the early 1900′s and wound up in and out of the prison system and in court and so forth for a period of time. And again, there was only about three that anybody knew of and it was hardly anything that was mentioned among the established world at that time, that is in Europe, Canada and America. But you did have those three men, as far as history bears out, Robert Ross, Oscar Wilde and Walt Whitman were well-known for some level of homosexual activity, although they could not call themselves homosexuals at that time.

Swanson proceeds to blather that now the problem is “10,000 times if not 100,000 times worse.” Then he goes for the jugular of all those soft Christians out there who are, shock, accepting the reality of civil same-sex marriage:

Today, it might be a little different because you have a lot of quote-unquote apostate Christian churches that have adopted homosexuality and they will do their best to burn Christians at the stake or do what Nero did, I’m sure, in the years to come, because that’s sort of the history of homosexuals and what they have done ever since they were banging on the doors outside of Lot’s house.

Perhaps Swanson’s adducing of Lot in his little morality tale isn’t all that wise given how quick Lot was to offer up his virgin daughters to the rowdy mob at his door or, for that matter, how said daughters finally lost their virginity.

You may be forgiven for thinking this kind of ridiculous bleating means that the Colorado civil unions bill is in trouble, but there is actually reason to be very optimistic.

Colorado’s Senate Appropriations Committee this week passed the bill by a vote of 4-3. It now heads to a full floor vote where it is believed there is support enough to pass the legislation.

The real test will be the House where, as in previous years, opposition forces are already carping the bill that will lead to the persecution of Christians — that’s not in the text, though, in case you were wondering.

However, while in 2012 Republicans were able to mount an unprecedented procedural move that saw them close down the chamber so they didn’t have to debate the bill, this year’s reformed House sees Republican power heavily curtailed by a Democratic majority.

Governor John W. Hickenlooper has openly backed the bill and therefore it could become law as early as May of this year.

A 2006 voter approved constitutional amendment, known as Amendment 43, bans the recognition of same-sex marriage, however the text of the amendment did not prevent substantially similar institutions like civil unions.

There’s also the positive news that 17-year-old Zoe Mandelski filed on January 28 a proposal with the nonpartisan Legislative Council to begin the process of a referendum on legalizing marriage equality. The Legislative Council will hear the proposal on Monday, February 11.

[Angharad]

Sec. Panetta Announces Benefits For Same-Sex Military Spouses and Partners

The Defense of Marriage Act still prevents some benefits from being extended to same-sex military families and couples.

BY MICHELLE GARCIA

FEBRUARY 11 2013 1:28 PM ET

Same-sex partners and spouses of military personnel will now be allowed certain rights and benefits that were once restricted to heterosexual military spouses, like identification cards, and joint duty assignments.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, in one of his final duties in the post, made the rumored policy change official on Monday. The benefits will be available at some point between August 31 and Octoober 1.

"Today, our military leaders are ensuring that all America's sons and daughters who volunteer to serve our nation in uniform are treated with equal dignity and respect, regardless of their sexual orientation," he said in a statement. "Our work must now expand to chaning our policies and practices to ensure fairness and equal treatment and to taking care of all of our service memebrs and their fmialies, to the extent allowable under the law."

Additional benefits for same-sex domestic partners include:
- Dependent ID cards, which will be renewed in accordance with existing policies
- Commisary privilges
- Morale, welfare, and recreation programs
- Surveys of military families
- Quadrennial quality of life review
- Emergency leave
- Emergency leave of absence
- Youth sponsorship program
- Youth programs
- Family center programs
- Sexual assault counseling program
- Joint duty assignments
- Exemption from hostile-fire areas
- Transportation to and from certain places of employment and on military installations
- Transportation to and from primary and secondary school for minor dependents
- Authority of service secretary to transport remains of a dependent
- Disability and death compensation: dependents of members held as captives
- Payments to missing persons
- Space-available travel on DoD aircraft
- Child care
- Legal assistance

Other benefits like health care and housing allowances can only be granted to same-sex couples once the Defense of Marriage Act is repealed, because those statutes are governed using the words "spouse" and "marriage." DOMA bars the federal government from recognizing the legal marriages of same-sex couples.

Additionally, "With regard to on-base housing, burial, and benefits related to command sponsorsip overseas, these benefits present complex legal and policy challenges due to their nexus to statutorialy-prohibited benefits and due to ongoing reviews about how best to provide scarce resources. The Military Serices will continue to review these benefits to determine how best to esure that all service members are treated equally regardless of sexual orientation."

Chad Griffin of the Human Rights Campaign heralded the news, and said the Supreme Court should consider DOMA's harm when it comes to military families when it hears cases challening the law as well as California's marriage ban, Proposition 8.

"The Court should reflect on the sacrifice made by Americans like Staff Sergeant Tracy Johnson, whose wife was killed in action late last year, or the family of Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Morgan, who succumbed to cancer earlier this week," he said in a statement Monday. "In both cases, DOMA barred specific benefits that could soften the tragic blow of the loss of a loved one. The Court should strike down this hateful law once and for all so that this country can finally guarantee full equality for all who serve."

The president of the American Military Partner Association, Stephen Peters, added that the announcement is a good step, but more must be done.

"The so-called Defense of Marriage Act continues to undermine our military families who sacrifice so much for our nation," Peters said. "This summer, we hope that the Supreme Court will make it clear that our families are just as important and deserve the same protections, benefits, and support that federal recognition brings."

[Angharad]

Indiana Town Launches Gay Panic Over Prom

Some parents, students and a teacher in Indiana are rallying for a separate high school prom banning gays.

BY CLEA KIM

FEBRUARY 11 2013 3:21 PM ET

A group of Indiana students, parents and a teacher say they want a separate prom that would ban gay students.

Members of the group and their supporters, met Sunday at the Sullivan First Christian Church to discuss plans of a separate “traditional” prom, WTWO reported.

“If we can get a good prom then we can convince more people to come and follow what they believe,” said Sullivan High School student Kynon Johnson.

“We want to make the public see that we love the homosexuals, but we don’t think it’s right nor should it be accepted,” Bonnie McCammon, another student said.

Among the supporters is Diana Medley, a special education teacher at a nearby school who does not believe anyone is born gay and is defending the plan for an alternate prom.

“I believe that it was life circumstances and they chose to be that way; God created everyone equal,” she said. “Homosexual students come to me with their problems, and I don’t agree with them, but I care about them. It’s the same thing with my special needs kids, I think God puts everyone in our lives for a reason.”

When asked if she thinks gay people have a purpose in life, Medley said, “No I honestly don’t. Sorry, but I don’t. I don’t understand it. A gay person isn’t going to come up and make some change unless it’s to realize that it was a choice and they’re choosing God,” Medley told WTWO. 

Jim Davis, who attended the meeting said, however, that the members of the community should not judge the LGBT students because "Christ didn't. He came here to save the world, not to condemn it."

A Facebook page, “Support the Sullivan High School Prom for All Students,” created in defense of LGBT students, currently has more than 4,000 likes. The Facebook page in favor of the separate prom was pulled down Monday morning.  

Gay rights advocate Dan Savage also wrote in his blog about the separate prom development:

“There's no way to stop the haters at Sullivan High School from holding an independent prom for thespecial bigoted kids. But here's what we can do: we can make a noise so loud enough that all the queer kids at Sullivan High School hear it. Those kids need to know that there are people—a lot of people—who think this shit is wrong.”

[Angharad]

WATCH: Alaska Republicans Laugh at Reporter Who Asks About Gay Couples

The notion that Republicans might support even domestic partnerships or civil unions is apparently laughable — literally — in Alaska.

BY LUCAS GRINDLEY
FEBRUARY 17 2013 10:32 AM ET

State House Republicans during the news conference

State Republican lawmakers in Alaska had a good laugh after a reporter asked whether they'd support recognizing same-sex couples' relationships.

Mark Miller of the Juneau Empire is shown in video of the moment asking the question: "I was just curious, would the caucus support the idea of having domestic partnerships or civil unions open to same-sex couples?"

Then the giggles begin.

LGBT people are not included in the state's hate crimes law, or with an anti-discrimination law for the workplace or housing. No law addresses LGBT needs from the foster care or adoption system. And the law explictly limits recognition of couples to "one man and one woman."

The reporter's question is prefaced by results of a recent Public Policy Polling survey that found 67% of Alaskans support some form of legal recognition, while not quite ready for marriage. On whether same-sex couples should be allowed to wed, 51% said no, while 43% said yes.

But if you ask that same question to state Republicans, you just get a big laugh. Watch the video below. (h/t to Towleroad)

[Angharad]

World's Oldest Petroglyphs Show Bisexuality

Barely written about, some of the earliest artwork in Asia shows some super queer happenings.

BY DIANE ANDERSON-MINSHALL
FEBRUARY 18 2013 11:36 AM

A copy of the Kangjiashimenji Petroglyphs, surprisingly queer artwork from 1000 B.C. (or earlier).

A new report from Mary Mycio in Slate/Huffington Post shows that the Kangjiashimenji Petroglyphs, bas-relief carvings in a massive red-basalt outcropping in the remote Xinjiang region of northwest China, show "the earliest—and some of the most graphic—depictions of copulation in the world." And they show that bisexuality was common even then.

Mycio writes that Chinese archeologist Wang Binghua discovered the petroglyphs in the late 1980s, but little has been written about them. There are 100 figures in the petroglyphs, which depict some sort of fertility ritual. A section of Mycio's report explains just how queer the whole ancient scene is:

"The few scholars who have studied the petroglyphs think that the larger-than-life hourglass figures that begin the tableau symbolize females. They have stylized triangular torsos, shapely hips and legs, and they wear conical headdresses with wispy decorations. Male images are smaller triangles with stick legs and bare heads. Ithyphallic is archeology-talk for “erect penis,” and nearly all of the males have one. A third set of figures appear to be bisexual. Combining elements of males and females, they are ithyphallic but wear female headwear, a decoration on the chest, and sometimes a mask. They might be shamans. The tableau is divided into four fully-developed scenes beginning at a height of 30 feet and progressing downward. In the first scene, nine huge women and two much smaller men dance in a circle, seemingly admonishing their viewers. This is the only scene without ithyphallic men—though to the side, a prone bisexual has an obvious erection. Two symbols near the center look like stallions fighting head to head.

The second scene is packed with weird happenings. Women and men dance in a frenzy around a large ithyphallic bisexual about to penetrate a small hourglass female with an explicit vulva. His breastplate depicts a female head, with a conical headdress just like his. On the left, a second bisexual in a monkey mask is about to penetrate a small, faceless female. Nearby, a pair of striped animals lies prone amid bows and arrows, while at the other end, a giant two-headed female seems to lead the ritual. Disembodied heads abound, perhaps indicating spectators.

The next scene is smaller and cruder. A chorus line of infants emerges from a small female being penetrated simultaneously by a male and a bisexual while three more ithyphallic males await their turn. Another figure holds a penis longer than he is tall, pointing it at the sole large woman in the scene. She stands in front of a platform on which a faceless body lies prone, wearing what looks like the striped animals’ fur. The body resembles the females copulating in this and the previous scene. It is the only figure shown with its arms lowered, probably indicating death in a ritual sacrifice. A small dog is also at the center. The last full scene contains no obvious women at all, though the floating bodies on the upper right may be female. Ithyphallic males and a bisexual take part in a frenzied dance. One male seems to have his arm around another while a loner near the bottom seems to be masturbating as a parade of tiny infants streams from his erection. It looks a lot like a frat party."

Learn more about this ancient queer tableau, including who carved it and when it was created, atHuffPo.

[Angharad]

Russian parliament to consider federal anti-gay law

Nine regions have already passed legislation prohibiting promotion of 'homosexual propaganda' among minors

A man is detained at an unauthorised gay pride parade in Moscow in May. Photograph: Maxim Shipenkov/EPA

Russia's parliament is to consider a nationwide ban on "homosexual propaganda", in a move activists likened to a Soviet-era crackdown.

Nine regions including St Petersburg have already passed legislation prohibiting the promotion of "homosexual propaganda" among minors. The Duma, Russia's parliament, will consider the nationwide ban on 19 December.

"This is an illegal policy of repression," said Igor Kochetkov, head of the LGBT Network, a Russian gay rights group. "It's a strange coincidence that this law will be looked at on 19 December, and on 17 December 1933, the Soviet authorities made sexual relations between men illegal. They argued that gays were alien to Soviet society. Now and then, we hear the same rhetoric."

Russia lifted its Soviet-era ban on homosexuality in 1993. Recent moves clamping down on gay rights have come amid a wider government push to promote traditional values and conservatism, often in concert with the Russian Orthodox church.

Last week Milan tore up a 45-year agreement to hold "sister city" status with St Petersburg, in protest at its law. All Out, a global gay rights group, has called on tourists to boycott the Russian city.

Kochetkov said the federal law followed "fascist logic". "It divides people into fully valued and half-valued people," he said. The LGBT Network had recorded a rise in the number of attacks against gay people and gay clubs in Russia since the regional laws had been passed, he said.

Proponents of the law argue that it is aimed at protecting children and promoting family values.

Last week a court in St Petersburg threw out a lawsuit against Madonna after a group of conservative activists tried to sue the pop star for $10.7m (£6.7m), arguing that she had broken the city's homosexual propaganda laws during a summer concert.

[Angharad]

Rob Portman Becomes First Senate Republican to Support Marriage Equality

The Ohio senator, who was vetted by the Romney campaign as a potential vice president, said having a gay son changed his mind.

BY LUCAS GRINDLEY

MARCH 15 2013 1:39 AM ET

Sen. Rob Portman

The U.S. Senate now has its first Republican to support marriage equality, with Ohio's Rob Portman today announcing "a change of heart" spurred on because his son is gay.

Portman is a high-profile member of his party and was often mentioned as a potential vice presidential pick for Mitt Romney. He's President George W. Bush's former budget director. And he credits former vice president Dick Cheney, an advocate for marriage equality whose daughter is a lesbian, with advising him to "do the right thing, follow your heart," according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The newspaper was included among a group of reporters who Portman spoke with about his new position, which is a reversal from having voted to enact the Defense of Marriage Act back in 1996. Portman also once voted in favor of amending the U.S Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.  

When his 21-year-old son, Will, came out to Portman and his wife two years ago, "It allowed me to think of this issue from a new perspective, and that's of a dad who loves his son a lot and wants him to have the same opportunities that his brother and sister would have," he told the Plain Dealer.

Portman also spoke with CNN and recounted the moment his son came out.

"My son came to Jane, my wife, and I, told us that he was gay, and that it was not a choice, and that it's just part of who he is, and that's who he'd been that way for as long as he could remember," said Portman, who said he offered "love" and "support."

Although only now going public about having a gay son, Portman told CNN that he informed the Romney campaign as part of the vice presidential vetting process — and he says it wasn't an issue.

While still being considered as a Romney pick, Portman told ThinkProgress in June that he opposed passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would make it illegal to fire employees because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Portman said at the time that the bill  “would make it more difficult for employers to feel comfortable, to be able to hire, and to keep this economy moving.” None of the media outlets at the interview reported a change in the senator's opposition to ENDA.

He is now the only Republican currently in the Senate to support marriage equality, but he's not the only one in Congress. Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who has a transgender son, in 2011became the first GOP congresswoman to support repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Portman told reporters he decided to make his announcement now because the Supreme Court will soon hear cases related to marriage equality and he expected to be asked about his position.

Ros-Lehtinen and fellow GOP congressman Richard Hanna were among a group of 74 well-known Republicans who signed a court brief in February arguing that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to get married. Portman said he had no plans to join any of the legal briefs. Many have been filed, and that one included famous names such as Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman, former governors Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey, Jon Huntsman of Utah, and William Weld of Massachusetts.

[Angharad]

Without LGBT Contingents, NYC's St. Patrick's Day Parade Marches On

Gay and lesbian protesters held up signs along the parade route, angered by the parade committee's continued refusal to allow gay and lesbian groups to march under their own banners.

BY MATTHEW VAN ATTA

Irish tourist Joan Morgan paid a major compliment to revelers at New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade Monday.

''It's much more Irish than at home,'' said Morgan, who is from the village of Kilcoo in Northern Ireland and had snagged a prime viewing spot across from St. Patrick's Cathedral to watch the city's annual celebration of all things Irish. Firefighters, police officers, high school and military bands, step dancers, men in kilts, and many Irish-for-the-day snaked along the parade route to the wail of bagpipes on a sunny but chilly day.

''It's fantastic,'' said Damian McKevitt, another Northern Ireland resident who came to New York just for the parade. ''It's Fifth Avenue; that's just huge.'' 

The parade typically draws 2 million spectators and 150,000 marchers, and even though New York boasts the largest U.S. parade, other cities also pulled out the stops. In Indianapolis, Mayor Greg Ballard poured green dye into the newly cleaned downtown canal prior to that city's parade. In Ohio, about 10,000 marchers were enlisted for a Cleveland parade that dates to 1867. In Columbus, the Roman Catholic bishop had asked the Shamrock Club not to hold its parade during Holy Week, but the group went ahead Monday. Some parades were held Saturday; Sinn Fei president Gerry Adams marched in Buffalo. In Ireland, half a million Dubliners and visitors gathered five-deep to enjoy their parade, the centerpiece of a five-day festival.

But not everyone was celebrating in New York. Some gay and lesbian protesters held up signs along the parad route, angered by the parade committee's continued refusal to allow gay and lesbian groups to march under their own banners. 

[The Dyslexic Dodger]

Tho we wil have to wiat until June for The Supreme Cuort to hand down its ruleing's on prop. 8 and DOMA I have an idea of where they mite be going. Maybe we shuold take bets?

IMO The Supremes statements reguarding the Constitutionality of baning Gay Marriage ranged from extreem discomphort with the entire subject to crazy assed rants abuot procreation.

Sooo on prop 8- I think that it wil be kicked bac to the lower courts in California or we mite have a narrow scope "win". Meening prop 8 is overturned, allowing gays to marry (again) in California But not extend the ruleing to any of the other 30 states that currently have laws banning same sex marrige. Ugg a half harted measure at best leaving us to flip the individule state bans one by one, this cuold take decades.

On DOMA- I suspect that if the current public support of the general public wans one iota between now and June or whenever The Supremes hand down there ruleing I think that they mite strike down DOMA but kick the entire issue bac to " states rights" therefor avoiding any sweeping gain dor civil rights on a federal level orrrr simply- kick the can down the road.

 

 

[The Dyslexic Dodger]

The Supremes crazy assed shit...

 http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/26/17474652-13-key-moments-...

[Angharad]

Great link, DD!

[Angharad]

I think you're right, DD. Especially about the " crazy assed rants abuot procreation."