Dan Patrick's Trying To Force A Special Session To Oppress TX Trans People

The 85th Texas Legislative session is mercifully drawing to its sine die day close, but  Lt. Governor Dan 'Potty Polizei' Patrick wants a special session to oppress trans people.

Last time I checked the Texas Constitution, only the governor had the power to call a special session, not you.

On Friday Speaker of the House Joe Straus, who made it clear at the beginning of the session that he nor the House is interested in his pet project SB6 bill to oppress trans people, called a rare press conference to announce that the House would waste no more time on his bathroom obsession.

“The House has compromised enough on this issue,” Speaker Straus said at a press conference, announcing that the watered-down version passed by the House was the most his body was willing to do. “It’s absurd that bathroom bills have taken on greater urgency than fixing our school finance system.”

Yes, it is absurd that Dan Patrick has been pushing this issues even that thousands of Texans, the business community and others have said we don't want North Carolina style HB 2 idiocy with a GOP Texas twang in our state oppressing our trans kids and trans Texans.

We thought we'd sent that message loud and clear with us showing up en masse at the Pink Dome back in March and April in opposition for the SB 6 and HB 2899 hearings, but yet Dan Patrick and his Texas GOP lackeys still want to mess with Texas trans people.

Maybe we need to send it again by calling and contacting the governor's office and urging him to resist following Dan Patrick's delusional lead and not waste our time and tax dollars by calling a special session.

The number to Gov. Greg Abbott's office is 512-463-2000   

Patrick of course, flanked by Senate Republican oppressors, called a one man press conference ian hour later n response to the middle finger one that Straus had just conducted, and basically blamed Straus for the special session should it happen that he doesn't have the authority to call

And yeah, if it does happen, me, my trans fam and our allies will be headed to Austin for it, and once that 30 day special session is over, will begin working to #FlushDanPatrick and #FlushTheTexas GOP on November 6, 2018

HB 2899 Must Die!

Looks like the Republican trans oppressors in the Texas House were watching what was happening in North carolina when they passed their non-repeal of HB 2.

Several Texas House Republicans led by Ron Simmons. dismayed that the unjust SB 6 isn't moving in the House, filed this HB 2899 bill along with co sponsors Cole Hefner, Tom Oliverson, Terry Wilson, Jodie Laubenberg and Valorie Swanson.

It is basically a copy of the discriminatory bill that was just passed in NC, and seeks to do the same thing that SB 6 does in stripping Texas cities of their ability to write human rights law for their citizens in addition to oppressing trans people.

Rep Simmons, the sponsor of this bill is trying to paint HB 2899 as a 'reasonable compromise' but it is still state sponsored discrimination and needs to be called out for what it is.

It has been assigned to the House State Affairs Committee, the same committee where SB 6 is currently bottled up.  You may want to call the members of this committee and politely urge them to kill this legislative abomination.

There will also be a hearing on HB 2899 on Wednesday April 19, so if you can get to Austin, I urge you to do so to make your voice heard about this unjust bill.    

SB6, The Texas Transgender Oppression Act Being Introduced Today

It has been said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  

The 85th Texas Legislative session starts January 10.  Since Texas Republicans are all about repeating failed conservative policies and expecting a different result, why is it not a surprise to me that Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick wants to clone North Carolina's Hate Bill 2 and bring it to the Lone Star State?.

In a few hours that political bully Patrick will hide behind TX state Senator Lois Kolkhorst's skirts at a 1 PM CST press conference announcing that he is filing SB 6, the Women's Privacy and Business Protection Act  Transgender Oppression Act, an unjust copy of the odious HB 2 that cost North Carolina over $600 million in lost business and Gov Pat McCrory his job.

The Texas Association of Business is on record as firmly opposed to SB 6, and has estimated that if it passes, it will cost Texas businesses $8 billion dollars in lost revenue, numbers that Patrick and his like minded GOP legislative oppressors are cavalierly dismissing.

Here in Houston, a Flush SB6 press conference is being held at City Hall starting at 1 PM in which we will begin the fight to kill this unjust and immoral bill.

It's on Dan Patrick and Lois Kokhorst.

TransGriot Update:  Not that he's introduced Hate Bill 6,  Patrick is asking the public to call his office and gauge support for it.   Call his office at 512-463-0001 and let him know that you oppose SB6    And nope, you don't have to be a Texas resident to do that.  

TransGriot Perv Watch- Jacksonville Oppressor Kenneth Adkins Busted On Two Molestation Charges

It's been a while since I wrote a TransGriot Perv Watch post, and this one is too delicious and chock full of schadenfreude to not talk about another #stillnottrans anti-trans hypocrite.

If you were keeping your eye on what happened earlier this year in Jacksonville, FL when they tried literally a month after HERO went down in right wing instigated flames and failed to pass an HRO amendment that added sexual orientation and gender identity that , you would have heard me mention the name of Kenneth Adkins.

Adkins was the Brunswick, GA based megachurch pastor who was meddling in Jacksonville human rights business as the out of town frontman for the white evangelicals and GOP activists opposing the Jacksonville HRO.  He helped stir up so much negativity about the HRO that the Jacksonville City Council caved and pulled it in February.

Adkins also declared in the wake of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in Orlando that the 'homosexuals got what they deserved'.

Thanks to a tip from one of my longtime TransGriot readers in Brenda Lunger, I was pointed to this story on the  'Joe My God' blog that announced the arrest of Adkins this morning by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation  (GBI).

The 56 year old pastor is cooling his heels in the Glynn County Jail after turning himself at 9 AM EDT this morning.   He is accused of one count of aggravated child molestation and another count of
child molestation that allegedly occurred in 2010 in a vehicle, his church, and the victim's home.

The investigation according to a GBI press release and reporting from the Florida Times-Union is ongoing.

And we'll be watching to see how it turns out.

KKK Joins World War T

If you needed any more convincing that trans human rights is the civil rights battle of our time, look no further than hearing the interesting news the trans community gained a new enemy in World War T.

Joining the Axis of Evil fighting our humanity that includes the Republican Party, the Southern Baptists, the Family Research Council, Alex Jones,  Paul McHugh, Fox Noise, NC Gov. Pat McCrory,  TX Lt Governor Dan Patrick, TX Gov Greg Abbott,  the TX Republican Party, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and the TERF's is believe it or not, the Ku Klux Klan.

If I forgot any haters, let me know.  I want to give them the full credit they deserve.   But back to the post..

According to a Raw Story report that quotes Dothan Eagle reporting by Matt Elofson, at least two homes in an east Dothan, AL neighborhood reported receiving fliers that supported North Carolina's unjust Hate Bill 2 while soliciting donations and recruits for The Loyal White Knights of the KKK.  A similar flier was reportedly distributed in midtown Mobile last week.

The flier went on to attack trans people as 'abominations' according to the King James Bible, misquoted Deuteronomy 22:5, and peddled the lie that their (white) women and children's safety is endangered by trans people pooping and peeing in public bathrooms.  The transphobic hate flier also lists a website and phone number that you can call for info and to make donations to that Klan group.

Got three words for you Klan Klowns:  Matthew 19:12

Dothan Police Department Chief Steve Parrish confirmed the DPD had received the reports on Monday, and they were being investigated by the DPD's Criminal Investigation Division (CID).

'What you're dealing with is potentially implications of a hate crime or promotion of a hate crime, so we notified the FBI, " Parrish said.

Capt Will Benny, the commander of the CID, stated the flier appeared to be a recruitment flier.  "It appears to be against transgender (people) and transgender bathrooms, and it was basically a recruitment flier."

DPD Capt, Stacy Robinson said that the fliers were forwarded to the FBI as a precautionary measure.

"Obviously any time you get hate related material there's a reason to be cautious and investigate it," said Robinson.

It also points out something I've been warning about for months now in terms of the media letting unchecked anti-trans hate speech go unchallenged, or dismissing it for ratings purposes as if it were a legitimate difference of opinion argument.

It isn't, and now that anti-trans hate speech is now  manifesting itself into anti-trans hatred, and leading to harassment and attacks on trans and cisgender women   But with America's long time hatemongers in the KKK joining the anti-trans hate chorus, it helps point out that HB2, the anti-trans hate speech, and the bathroom crap being peddled is a Jim Crow remix.

It also points out my trans siblings and allies, that we are on the morally correct side of this human rights argument..  The Klan jumping into World War T and attacking the humanity of transpeople is irrefutable evidence of that..

TransGriot PervWatch- The Tennessee GOP Sexual Harasser

As we've noted on these electronic pages and elsewhere on the Net, there has been a GOP legislative attack on the trans community spread across several states in reaction to their pissivity over the Obergefell SCOTUS ruling.

In Tennessee, the attack on transpeople legislation has been co-sponsored by state Rep. Jeremy Durham (R-Franklin), who has pimped the debunked lie that cisgender men would 'pretend' to be transgender in order to gain access to the women's bathroom.

Well, it turns out that the Tennessee GOP would be better off passing laws to protect women from Rep Durham and his like minded harassers..

Rep. Durham, who is one of the co-sponsors of the unjust HB 2414 has been accused of harassing 34 women, and was declared by Attorney General Herbert Slatery III  (R) in a warning he issued after investigating the complaints to be "a continuing risk to unsuspecting women who are employed by or interact with the legislature.".  

"With few exceptions, the women who related incidents felt they could not report Representative Durham's behavior because nothing could be done and they didn't want to lose their jobs or be considered 'untrustworthy' by employers, clients or legislators," said AG Slatery

In response to the warning from the Attorney General,  Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) had the trans oppressor exiled from his office in the War Memorial Building, moved to the first floor of the Rachel Jackson Building and limited his access to the Legislative Plaza, the second floor of the state capitol building and those buildings for 'official legislative business only'.

Durham has resigned from his positions as the House majority whip and in the Republican legislative caucus, and will be the only legislator with an office in the Rachel Jackson Building.  There have been bipartisan calls for his resignation which he has ignored, so it will be up to his district to decide in November if they want to be continued to be represented by a sexual harasser.

But this is just another example of what we have been saying in Trans World.   Those who have been squawking the loudest in pushing for these unjust laws aimed at the trans community and repeating the lie about phantom trans sexual predators to get them passed have turned out to be as they are investigated the real sexual predators.  

GOP Makes The War On Transpeople Official

Even Stevie Wonder and anyone paying attention to politics over the last few years could see this coming, and the Republican Party finally went there.  They have officially declared war on the trans community by calling for state legislatures to pass anti-trans measures.

So Caitlyn Jenner and other trans Republicans, what was that bull feces y'all have been saying about how we trans folks needed to talk to GOP politicians and get their support?

That RNC document makes it clear that's a fools errand.

Naw boo boo kitties, the legislative oppression of transpeople carries an unmistakable GOP label and stench.  I have yet to see any evidence that your fellow Republicans as a party being one that would understand the plight of trans women and would work to help aid our human rights cause.

When science and accurate information are key components to understanding us, and many Republicans are eagerly taking great pride in being 21st Century Know-Nothings, it points out the fallacy of trying to get people determined to dehumanize and erase your existence for political purposes to vote for advancing your human rights or just being less evil to you.

It also points out the critical importance of trans people not only getting involved politically and handling our electoral business in each and every election cycle, but eventually stepping up and running for election to office ourselves.

And resistance to transphobia is not futile.

It's a war we didn't need or want. but now that the GOP has declared it, we have no choice but to fight for our humanity and utterly crush them..

It's either we fight the GOP and win, or meekly submit to whatever oppression they wish to impose upon our community.

I suggest, to borrow the words of Kara Thrace from Battlestar Galactica, "We fight 'em until we can't."

The Ad The HERO Defenders Should Have Been Running

This is an example of the type of hard hitting ads I've been saying that should have been run starting in September about our HERO haters.

Had Houston Unites had the political cojones to do that, we'd probably still have a HERO.

You cannot play nice with people who are willing to lie to win, and that should have been obvious when we fought the prevaricating faux Christian human rights oppressors to pass HERO last year.

Better late than never...

 

Calling Out The US Conference Of Catholic Bishops Transphobia

TransGriot Note: Another guest post from Fallon Fox.  She had a lot to say about the US Conference of Catholic Bishops letting their transphobia flow while hating on President Obama's recent TBLG rights protective executive orders.


"The executive order prohibits “gender identity” discrimination, a prohibition that is previously unknown at the federal level, and that is predicated on the false idea that “gender” is nothing more than a social construct or psychological reality that can be chosen at variance from one’s biological sex.".

Thus saith the willfully ignorant (A.K.A. - stupid as hell ) United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. What they are saying is that they are butt hurt over their slipping grip on discrimination of transgender people.

"In the name of forbidding discrimination, this order implements discrimination.", they say. I could have sworn that we have a separation of church and state. A simple Wikipedia search, or fifth grade text book, could easily inform the USCCB of the contents of the US Constitution.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances.   What's messed up is that they willfully recognize that what they want is discrimination.

The USCCB says, "The executive order prohibits “gender identity” discrimination, a prohibition that is previously unknown at the federal level..." and, "With the stroke of a pen, it lends the economic power of the federal government to a deeply flawed understanding of human sexuality, to which faithful Catholics and many other people of faith will not assent. As a result, the order will exclude federal contractors precisely on the basis of their religious beliefs."

So, basically what they are saying is that they recognize their particular brand of Catholicism is discriminatory against a certain minority group. They admit that and their religion demands that discrimination.

I am in no way religious. But, if I were to feel froggy enough to dabble in a belief system that ignores the peer reviewed evidence of scientist and doctors, because I felt that I needed to hold on to something for whatever reason, I certainly wouldn't pick the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops brand of Catholicism. Because, that would be an asshole-ish thing to do to other human beings, no? Subscribe to a religious view that seeks to implement, or keep in place, hateful governmental policies in order to bolster the belief system that makes me comfortable as a navigate my way in this world? All of these restraints on fellow humans lives in minority groups, and supposed self defined 'government protections' for myself, when I would have absolutely positively not one single solitary shed of evidence for the religion I am basing all of this discrimination on.

It only took a second for the words "What kind of insanity is this?" to fly out of my mouth and for my fist to slam my desk when I read the USCCB website today.   See, there is clear scientific peer reviewed evidence that transgender women have differences in their brains than cisgender males. That is a fact. One can argue if it is a matter of nature, nurture, or a combination of the two before toddler age or such that leads to the neurological configuration of transgender women's brains. But, what they have found is that transgender women's neurology is different. There is no denying that even for the USCCB. The scientific and medical communities know this and the government knows this.

On the flip side, when science attempts to find evidence for a god, neither the scientific, medical, or governmental entities can find absolutely no concrete evidence that points to the god of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, or any other god that has been written into religious text. And if any scientist, doctor, or politician were to ever find such evidence, they would be the most popular person on planet Earth. The Vatican would love to see such hard evidence of their claims pushed to the forefront. It would be a worldwide game changer. It would most certainly cause enough of a stir to cover up the child molestation problem that is rampant within their institution. Yet, silence abounds in the halls of hard scientific evidence when questions of God are concerned.

Now, I'm not here to preach to you that there is or is not a god. That's just not my thing. I personally have no religious belief. But, as long as a religion doesn't try to harm anyone, or hinder someone else's life, it's not really an issue for me. I'll say again for those who are sensitive about the issue of religion. As long as religion doesn't seek to put roadblocks in the way of my well being and freedoms that all humans should have, then I'm pretty much live and let live in that regards. That's pretty much the mindset of most non believers. But, let's think about what's going on here in this particular situation with the USCCB and transgender rights. Because this is where a conflict can and does arise constantly when some (but not all) religions try to impose their belief system on others lives.

It's well known within medicine and science that transgender women are women in their brains regardless of surgeries or hormone replacement therapy. There is clear evidence of this fact. On the flip side, there is zero scientific evidence of the god of the USCCB. Yet, we don't hear transgender atheist complaining about sharing restrooms with members of the USCCB. We don't even hear transgender Catholics complaining about sharing restrooms with members of the USCCB. As a matter of fact, I haven't heard of any group complaining or suggesting that members of the USCCB be segregated from male restrooms. One would think that would be an issue that someone should bring up. Given the documented rapes by Catholic priests time and time again on young boys, everyone knows that Catholics have a problem in this area. Yet, transgender folks, and most rational people, realize that Catholic rape tends to happen often, you can't paint one entire group of people with one broad brush and be hyper paranoid about sharing spaces like restrooms with them.

Let's flip that coin again. You will rarely, if ever, find transgender women molesting children or raping anybody in a restroom. Not that it could not happen. There are crazies in every group I am sure. But, it's just not a reoccurring thing, and it is not pervasive by any stretch of the imagination. I've never heard of a transgender person in a restroom raping anyone ever in my life. You don't hear about repeated cases of rapes dished out by transgender women. And transgender women have been using women's restrooms since restrooms were invented. No, it's actually the opposite way round. You actually find repeated cases of transgender women raped by the hands of others. That has also been happening since the invention of the restroom.

One thing for certain is this. If transgender women, or any other group were to even hint at the possibly, if they were even to whisper the idea that Catholics should be banned from restrooms because - well, you know - some Catholics are known for raping kids, Catholics would have a fit. They would no doubt scream, "This is hateful discrimination! Not all Catholics rape kids!" from the mountain tops.   And they would have good reason to, as that would certainly be hateful discrimination based on the evil deeds of a few.

What would happen if transgender women who were not Catholic said this?  "Prohibiting 'religious discrimination', a prohibition that should be known at the federal level, and that is predicated on the false idea that the "USCCG's god" is a real being that interacts with humans on earth - is wrong. We need to have religious discrimination! Their lifestyle and desires conflict with our own. We actually feel quite uncomfortable sharing restrooms with Catholics. So, we would like 'religious discrimination' implemented in the case of Catholic restroom usage. We don't mind if Catholics use the restroom of course. We know they need to go potty when they need to. We just don't want them doing it anywhere near us. We propose a restroom separated from non-Catholics for those special Catholic needs. The restrooms we have in mind are clearly marked with a lower cased "t" so that they will be easily recognizable by Catholic restroom usage. Look how merciful we are! We even propose a place for Catholics to go number one and two! Just keep them far far way from us please."

The above scenario would never happen. Every secularly minded non believer that I know of has no problem simply sharing a restroom with someone of a different belief system as themselves, or disagrees with them on an issue. It's just not a thing that is rampant among rational empathetic humans. If a non-believer were to hold such a hateful bigoted position and paint every single believer with such a broad brush they would be wrong. And this progressive atheist transgender lesbian would go to task in fighting them on that harmful suggestion. I don't have to though, because as I said, it doesn't happen. Yet, the USCCB, and some other far right religious institutions are drunk with unnecessary irrational fears of their fellow humans.

Fortunately, there are more empathetic and progressive Catholics and Christians on this planet that I can respect. And even though we may disagree on the concept of a divine creator, we realize that we can judge each individual on an individual basis. We don't have to unnecessarily fear or judge whole minority groups, or each other for the acts of a few individuals. We can respect each other, live in peace, and be friends actually.

Fortunately, the younger generation is more understanding than their elders and won't stand for their elders insensitivity in the long run and most certainly will throw the bums out in the future. And that my friends gives me much hope for humanity.

Ivy Taylor's TBLG Rights NO Vote Coming Back To Haunt Her

You'll remember during that contentious summer last year that San Antonio successfully passed their non-discrimination ordinance, I wrote an open letter to Councilmember Ivy Taylor imploring her to be on the right side of history and vote for the ordinance. 

Unfortunately she was one of the three members of the San Antonio City Council that voted against it.   It was disappointing and personally offensive to me because she is the only African-American member of the council.

Now in the wake of Mayor Julian Castro's May 22 appointment by President Obama to become HUD secretary, the political maneuvering has begun in the Alamo City to appoint an interim mayor to fill out his remaining unexpired term.

Taylor has emerged as one of the front runners to replace Castro, which has alarmed San Antonio activists.

“I don’t think she’s representative of this entire city. She doesn’t support equality for LGBT people, and it’s very bothersome,” activist Daniel Graney said in a San Antonio Express-News interview. “I don’t think she should spend one day in the mayor’s office because of it.”

In response to the concerns of the San Antonio TBLG community, Taylor has pledged that if she's appointed mayor she wouldn't move to undo the ordinance that passed 8-3.  But that pledge has zero credibility in the community and with our allies because of a long list of problematic anti-LGBT statements going back to 2011  

During her 2011 city council campaign, Taylor stated that if she received the endorsement of the Stonewall Democrats, she wouldn't advertise it because it would be 'too divisive'.  She made a subsequent statement that she wouldn't appear in the city's pride parade. 

Despite admitting the hateful comments of the faith-based opponents of San Antonio's ordinance made her cringe, Taylor still voted against the law based on the specious argument that the law would be used to stifle religious freedom.

“I really wanted to be able to vote yes on this ordinance because I wanted to be able to affirm that all citizens deserve protection under the law, which I do believe,” Taylor said at the time of the September 5 vote. “I know that people will say that I’m an ignorant bigot, or that I gave in to fear and prejudice, but I know my heart. I am not a coward. I am not a bigot. And I am not ignorant.”

Councilmember Taylor, you are a coward who gave in to fear and prejudice, and your NO vote is irrefutable evidence of that.  You let 'fear and smear' tactics deter you from being a drum majorette for justice. 

Now you will have to reap the karmic consequences of that decision    Your NO vote on a human rights ordinance last September may derail your chances of making history and becoming San Antonio's first African-American mayor.  

And frankly, I'm not only giddy about karmic justice asserting itself so swiftly, I won't be shedding any tears for you if that's the case.

Southern Baptists Considering Officially Hating On Trans People

When I lived in Louisville, my house was across the street from the odious Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.   I woke every morning in my upstairs bedroom with a view of the married student quarters of the seminary and its administration building.

To the Louisville activist and TBLG community, they were the 'Bad Seminary' because of the Southern Baptist denomination's ultra conservative views, loud and wrong opposition to LGBT rights, support of slavery and Jim Crow segregation and their more than a century old penchant for being on the wrong side of human rights fights.

The 'Good Seminary', the nearby Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary by comparison has been the lead sponsor and host of Louisville TDOR events since the inaugural one was held there in 2002.

In an interview Dawn Wilson and I had the pleasure of doing with Angie Fenton in the Louisville Courier-Journal back in 2006, Albert Mohler. the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary was quoted as saying  "Only God has the right to determine gender."  He then added "any attempt to alter that creation is an act of rebellion against God."

So yeah, they've been hatin' on transpeople for a long time, and now they are taking it to another level. 

A proposal by Denny Burk, an influential SBC member and an associate professor of Biblical studies at the Southern Baptist Seminary's Boyce College, would commit the SBC to openly lobby against all laws protecting trans people and commit them to fighting the trans human rights movement.  .

Guess the SBC didn't learn a thing about being loud and wrong in their support of slavery, segregation,  fighting the African-American civil rights movement in the 50's and 60's and the LGB one.

The Southern Baptist Church obviously isn't aware of intersex people, the increasing mountains of evidence that transsexuality is a medical issue, the fact there have been some interesting mutations pop up at times, there are more human chromosome combinations beyond XX and XY, and gender identity is more complex than the simplistic binary way they wish to believe it is. 

And transphobic bigotry wrapped in selected scriptures is still transphobic bigotry.
 

This SBC trans hate resolution would potentially be voted on at their upcoming convention in Baltimore on June 10-11.  It is ironically the same week that just a short drive up I-95 the trans community will be gathering in Philadelphia June 12-14 for the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference, the largest transgender convention in the United States.     

If the Southern Baptists do vote to continue their denomination's legacy of hate and being on the wrong side of human rights struggles, we in the trans community would have no choice but to strike back in the culture war we didn't start for our humanity and human rights.

'Rebellion against God' my azz.  It's more like we transpeople are standing up against white privilege laden conservafools and bigots who wish to continue twisting scripture for their own political purposes and agenda.  

And far from attracting new people to attend your SBC affiliated churches, which have had a sustained two decade long fall in membership, you'd drive even more people away with this anti-trans stance. 

Ben Hall Comes Out Of The Closet Against Houston LGBT Rights

For those of you who have perused my posts about the Houston city elections that are now in the early voting phase, you know I have not been a fan of former Houston city attorney Ben Hall, who is the leading challenger in current Mayor Annise Parker's quest for getting her third and final term as Houston's mayor.

He was trailing her in the last poll done on the race by double digits, but unless she polls more than 50% of the ballots cast in the early voting and November 5 ballot casting, it will go to a December runoff and he would probably be the person she faces in it.

Now I have another reason to not want this man sitting in the chair as my hometown's mayor.  If he were elected, he would become only the second African-American ever in Houston history to do so.

And he's not the person I want making that history.  Ben Hall's campaign literature claims he's for all of us living in the Houston city limits, unless you're a TBLG Houstonian.

Hall just confirmed in an interview on the KUHF-FM radio show Houston Matters what I point blank asked him at a mayoral candidate forum on October 14.  He is not only NOT in favor of adding sexual orientation and gender identity language to the city's non-discrimination policy,  Hall took it a step further and said he would repeal Executive Order 150, the one issued by Mayor Lee Brown that protects SGL city employees from discrimination.

Mayor Parker added trans city workers to Executive Order 150 coverage in 2010.

I'm not surprised he's coming out of the closet as a LGBT rights oppressor. He told me to my face at that candidate forum that he opposed it (and gave me a BS reason why) when I asked him at that mayoral forum I wrote. 

He flip-flopped from the municipal candidate questionnaire answers that he gave to the Harris County Democratic Party when he was seeking their endorsement in which he answered he would support a non-discrimination ordinance for all Houstonians, including those in the LGBT community.

Hall also failed to sit down with both the Houston Stonewall Young Democrats and the Houston
GLBT Political Caucus when those organizations were screening municipal candidates.

So how surprising is it to me or the Parker campaign that Piney Point Ben is caught in another situation in which his deeds don't match his lofty rhetoric?  

And FYI, in the KUHF-FM radio interview,  when a homophobic man called in to announce indignation towards Mayor Parker for offering protections to transgender Houstonians, Hall joined in on the hate by announcing that, in his opinion, it was unacceptable for transgendered people who are “anatomically another gender” to be treated as anything but the anatomical gender. Further, he doubled down on the prejudice by fully opposing a non-discrimination ordinance, calling homosexuality a “lifestyle choice.”

And you of all people who prosecuted discrimination cases for the city should know better. 

Okay Piney Point Ben, it's on like Donkey Kong now.  I'm not only not going to accept trans human rights crumbs in my hometown, I will fight tooth and nail against any rollback of the meager rights trans Houstonians employed by the city have courtesy of Executive Order 150 now.

So yeah, H-town trans and SGL community, y'all know what to do.  Handle your electoral business in the remaining early voting period and on November 5 to ensure Ben Hall  is not the person taking the oath of office for mayor in the Wortham Theater this January.  

Chick-Fil-A Marriage Oppressors: You're Losing

All you peeps who called yourselves 'standing up for free speech'  or whatever lie you told yourselves to justify buying Chick-Fil-A to fund the oppression of fellow Americans are giddy right now after last Wednesday, but the bottom line is that you are still on the wrong side of history.

It's not a question of if, but when the unjust Defense of Marriage Act law goes down but when.

There have already been three federal court rulings declaring DOMA unconstitutional and before you conservafools go there, two came from George W Bush appointed federal judges.     

When that day happens or the court case hits the Supreme Court that puts them in the position of having to rule DOMA as unconstitutional, you'll be choking on those waffle fries because the state level anti-gay marriage prohibition amendments y'all spent all that money on to enact will die as well.

But the bottom line is that you're not only on the wrong side of history, you're losing in your nonstop efforts to oppress TBLG people.

Campus Pride Calls on University Leaders to Uphold Non-Discrimination Policies And End Chick-fil-A Relationships

       "No college or university wants to be associated with hate.”

TransGriot Note: From Campus Pride

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Campus Pride, the leading national nonprofit for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and ally college students, condemns Chick-Fil-A for their funding of documented hate groups and asks that colleges and universities across the country disassociate with Chick-Fil-A immediately, as follows:

• Pass a student government policy/resolution that expresses opposition to Chick-Fil-A on the basis of their direct funding of documented hate groups and prevents further association with the brand Chick-Fil-A.
• End food service contracts that include Chick-Fil-A, amend these contracts, or refuse negotiations with companies like the Aramark Corporation, which include Chick-Fil-A among dining choices.
• Pull out of conferences, events and sports games where Chick-Fil-A is a sponsor.

“If colleges wish to create an atmosphere that is respectful, inclusive, diverse and fosters safety for all students, then associating with Chick-Fil-A, which is on record funding documented hate groups, is downright wrong and has to end immediately,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride. “Saying ‘no’ to Chick-Fil-A is saying 'no' to hate.”

Over the past decade, college student leaders have long protested Chick-Fil-A due to its discriminatory stances and have asked for its removal from retail dining options offered on campus. New York University, University of Southern Mississippi, Indiana University, Duke University and University of North Carolina Wilmington are among such institutions and reflect the wide spread efforts to kick Chick-Fil-A off campus for not adhering to campus policies of nondiscrimination.

“Chick-Fil-A and its founding family have the right to believe, say and do whatever they want -- including funding hate groups. This issue is not about freedom of speech. Campus Pride respects every individual or company's right to express their opinions and beliefs – even if these beliefs are counter to our values,” said Windmeyer.

“The real issue is about choosing businesses to operate on campus that uphold campus policies of nondiscrimination and that do not funnel monies to documented hate groups. Doing so, impedes a college from being a safe space for all students to learn, live and grow.”

Chick-Fil-A funding of documented hate groups, like the Family Research Council (FRC), which advocates the criminalization and death of LGBT people, is clearly unacceptable. In 2010, Chick-Fil-A supported FRC and its $25,000 effort to stop the United States Congress from passing a bill denouncing the execution of homosexuals in Uganda. The company also sponsored Exodus International, an "ex-gay" group claiming to "cure homosexuality" at devastating psychological costs. The funding has received little attention prior to the recent controversy.

Campus Pride believes that increased press coverage will only ignite further efforts to end the fast food chain operations on college campuses. Windmeyer reiterates that Campus Pride is "committed to help campuses end food service contracts with Chick-Fil-A" and this August will be sending a letter against Chick-Fil-A to the college presidents of the nearly 400+ colleges and universities that participate annually in the Campus Pride national LGBT-friendly college fair program and its Campus Pride Index online benchmarking tool to create safer, more welcoming campus communities.

“Chick-Fil-A’s logo is now a symbol of hate because of the company’s outward, unapologetic funding of documented hate groups like the Family Research Council. No college or university wants to be associated with hate.”

Yo Chick-Fil-A, How's That Gaybaiting Working Out For You?

Today all the conservafools will be lining up to eat at their new favorite bigoted restaurant Chick Reicher-Fil-A.   After the Muppets kicked them to the curb over COO and President Dan Cathy's comments, Fox Noise's Mike Huckabee declared today Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day 

Dan Cathy said that pro-LGBT culture suffers from a "deprived mind," that marriage equality is "twisted up," and that making marriage equality legal is "inviting God's judgement."

Yeah right.  That's why I'm making the judgment to stop buying Chick-Fil-A sandwiches and waffle fries and taking my fast food business elsewhere.

Mickey D's, Wendy's and Popeye's have chicken sandwiches too.

To counter the newly discovered conservafool love for Reicher-Fil-A a kiss in protest to support same gender marriage and rainbow community human rights is being called for to occur on Friday at Chick-Fil-A restaurants near you.

The Reichers and bigots have been slithering out of their holes to support their new favorite restaurant with the predictable bigotry eruptions and nekulturny commens passing by their lips in the Conservasphere..



Contrary to the lies you're being fed conservafools (pun intended), the anger at Dan Cathy and Reicher-Fil-A is not solely about his comments expressing himself about marriage equality.   It is about the chain's long time financial support toward organizations with an ongoing mission of suppressing and opposing the rainbow community's human rights push. 

Chick-fil-A's anti-LGBT stance goes well beyond simply opposing marriage equality. They have given millions of dollars to anti-LGBT organizations, including those that have been designated "hate groups" by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and those that push so-called "ex-gay" therapy, which has been denounced by the mainstream medical and mental health community.

They have supported organizations that are on record saying that being gay should be recriminalized in America. Chick-fil-A also bans gay couples from its "WinShape Retreats" aimed at growing leadership within the company.

That corporate funding of groups who oppress LGBT people is why people are majorly pissed about Cathy's comments and at the corporation.   That's a nice segue into something I was made aware of that is taking place today on the University of Louisville's campus.

A forum will happen at U of L's Red Barn discussing the future of the Chick-Fil-A on campus location from 12:00 noon- to 1 PM EDT  today with President Ramsey and the U of L Provost at the Office for LGBT Services.   The forum is open to students, faculty, alumni and local citizens.

For those of you in the Louisville area who wish to attend that meeting, the Office For LGBT service is located in Room 104 in the Red Barn (The Intersection) on the University of Louisville campus

News is also circulating that Chick-Fil-A's brand approval has been precipitously dropping and the organization has been furiously trying to spin the story of why they are getting hit with this massive dose of negative publicity and mayors such as Vincent Gray of Washington DC slamming them..

They tried to spin the Henson company pulling their toys from Chick-Fil-A kids meas as the 'toys were defective'.  A recent letter that appears to be from the various franchisee owners that seeks to paint the picture they don't share Cathy's agenda has been exposed as a form letter with local details cut and pasted into it. 

And yeah, Sarah Palin has jumped into this media cacastorm.   While campaigning for Tea Klux Klan senate candidate Ted Cruz who '(ugh) won the Republican nomination for the US senate seat about to be vacated due to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson's retirement (R-TX), she and Todd showed up at a Chick-Fil-A store in The Woodlands

So Chick-Fil-A, how that gaybaiting working out for you?

Muppets Kick Chick-Fil-A To The Curb

The repercussions of Chick-Fil-A coming out of the closet as a rainbow oppressor continue.

The Jim Henson Company that has the copyright for the popular Muppet characters, have provided Muppet toys that have been included in Chick-Fil-A children's meals.  

It announced via its Facebook page that it is severing its relationship with Chick-Fil-A specifically because of Dan Cathy's comments in the Baptist Press interview.  The even more delicious (pun intended) part of this story is that the check that Chick-Fil-A sent to the Henson company was forwarded as a donation to GLAAD.

"The Jim Henson Company has celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over 50 years and we have notified Chick-Fil-A that we do not wish to partner with them on any future endeavors. Lisa Henson, our CEO is personally a strong supporter of gay marriage and has directed us to donate the payment we received from Chick-Fil-A to GLAAD."

Bigotry doesn't pay Chick-Fil-A.   But then again you'll learn that lesson soon enough.

Chik-Fil-A Comes Out...

As an Anti-gay oppressor

For those of you who love their waffle fries, nuggets, and chicken sandwiches (and yeah I'm guilty as charged on that), consider this the next time you're making your choices of how to spend your hard earned rainbow dollars and t-bills at a local neighborhood fast food restaurant.

Chik-Fil-A president and COO Dan Cathy finally came out of the closet about the chain being anti-gay.

"Well, guilty as charged." Cathy flippantly said in an interview with the Baptist Press.

It was obvious there was a problem based on their WinShape Foundation donations to anti gay groups such as Exodus International ($1,000), The Family Fascist Research Council ($1,000) and $1,188,380 to the Marriage and Family Foundation

But the pushback from the rainbow community is just as strong. I suggested that Chik-Fil-A franchises be protested by rainbow community members for  their anti-same gender marriage stance.

Maybe the process can get started by having sit-ins, kiss-ins, pray-ins featuring liberal-progressive pastors and gay couples walking into their various locations dressed in wedding attire.

I'm just sayin'.

In addition to the scathing commentary coming from the rainbow blogosphere about Cathy's homobigoted comments, in February Northeastern University halted plans to open a Chik-Fil-A restaurant on its campus.

An online petition created by NYU freshman student Hillary Dworkowski has garnered over 5,000 signatures and calls for the school to close its Chik-Fil-A franchise that is reportedly the only one in Manhattan.

So yep, it's on between the rainbow community and Chik-Fil-A and I'll have to get my chicken sandwiches from Mickey D's for the foreseeable future.