Federal court rejects Trump's transgender military ban. Again.

Courtesy of Think Progress:  

A federal court in Seattle in a ruling on Friday shut down President Trump’s “new” ban on transgender people serving in the military, which was issued by his administration last month. 

Trump had claimed that the old ban was revoked and replaced with the new one, but U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman rejected this distinction, noting that the new documents “do not substantively rescind or revoke the ban, but instead threaten the very same violations that caused it and other courts to enjoin the ban in the first place.”


Indeed, she found the claim that the new ban has exceptions wholly unconvincing: 

The Court is not persuaded. The Implementation Plan prohibits transgender people — including those who have neither transitioned nor been diagnosed with gender dysphoria — from serving, unless they are “willing and able to adhere to all standards associated with their biological sex.” 

Requiring transgender people to serve in their “biological sex” does not constitute “open” service in any meaningful way, and cannot reasonably be considered an “exception” to the Ban. Rather, it would force transgender service members to suppress the very characteristic that defines them as transgender in the first place. 

As she did when she first ruled against the ban last year, Pechman also concluded that transgender people are a “suspect class” — a group vulnerable to unfair treatment and discrimination solely because of their identity. Thus, any rationale for categorically excluding them from service must be examined and considered with heightened scrutiny.

As my daughter would say "Booya!" 

I actually hate that phrase but it seems appropriate here.

I really cannot understand why Trump is so discriminatory about transgender folks.

I mean does he think this started out as a woman?

Not disrespecting the choice, you know live and let live, but she could at least try channeling a little femininity once in a while.

North Carolina church threatens repercussions against woman for getting gay married, despite fact she has not attended the church for 15 years.

Courtesy of LGBTQ Nation: 

Upon learning that one of their former members, Kelly Toney, is in a loving, committed marriage with another woman, the church took it upon themselves to intervene. 

It didn’t matter that Kelly hadn’t actually attended the church in a decade and a half. 

The letter calls for Kelly to see the light, admit her sins, divorce her wife — essentially turn her happy, loving life completely upside-down so that it fits with one subjective interpretation of an ancient text. 

“If there is no willingness on your part to receive this appeal and display repentance and abandonment of this area of open immorality,” the church writes, “then the Church will have no choice but to take appropriate and prayerful action to address the standing of your fellowship with this Body at such a time that will be determined by the leadership and members of this congregation.”

Apparently this church is kind of like the Mafia. You don't quit them, they quit you.

How arrogant must you be to think that you can destroy a woman's relationship, shame her into denying her sexuality, and then convince her to rejoin your congregation after fifteen years?

I'm sorry I forgot, she's just a woman. And according to the Bible she really does not have an opinion until a man tells her what it is.

Westboro Church members face first protesters after death of founder Fred Phelps.

Courtesy of Raw Story:

Members of the notorious Westboro Baptist Church staged their first protest Friday night after the death of the church’s founder Fred Phelps on Thursday. 

According to Kansas City’s KSHB Channel 41, the stridently anti-LGBT demonstrators were met with a counter-protest outside a concert by New Zealander pop sensation Lorde. The counter-protesters held up a banner that said, “Sorry for your loss,” a message of condolence to the church members, many of whom are relatives of the late Rev. Phelps. 

Westboro members — who reportedly ousted Phelps from his own congregation earlier this year — pretended to not understand the message. 

“I don’t even know what they’re saying,” said longtime WBC member Steve Drain.

You know what, I am not even sure that WBC member was being purposefully ignorant.  

I think it is completely possible that their hate and self loathing is such that they simply cannot recognize genuine sympathy.

What a truly unfortunate way to go through life.

Franklin Graham praises Vladimir Putin for "protecting children from any gay agenda or propaganda."

Courtesy of HuffPo: 

Evangelist Franklin Graham is praising Russian President Vladimir Putin for his aggressive crackdown on homosexuality, saying his record on protecting children from gay “propaganda” is better than President Obama’s “shameful” embrace of gay rights. 

Graham, who now heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association started by his famous father, praises Putin in the March issue of the group’s Decision magazine for signing a bill that imposes fines for adults who promote “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations to minors.” 

The Russian law came under heavy criticism from gay rights activists, and from Obama, ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. In response, Obama included openly gay athletes as part of the official U.S. delegation to Sochi. 

“In my opinion, Putin is right on these issues,” Graham writes. “Obviously, he may be wrong about many things, but he has taken a stand to protect his nation’s children from the damaging effects of any gay and lesbian agenda.” 

“Our president and his attorney general have turned their backs on God and His standards, and many in the Congress are following the administration’s lead. This is shameful.” 

With the caveat that “I am not endorsing President Putin,” Graham nonetheless praised Russia’s get-tough approach toward gay rights. 

“Isn’t it sad, though, that America’s own morality has fallen so far that on this issue — protecting children from any homosexual agenda or propaganda — Russia’s standard is higher than our own?”

Homophobic, traitorous, POS!

And of course this "gay agenda" that he so reviles is simply to be treated like everybody else, and to be allowed to marry who they love.

The idea that his piece of garbage would extoll the virtues of a man who has his political enemies murdered, oppresses any who dare speak out against him, and is right now invading a sovereign nation, over a man who has ended two unnecessary wars, saved the economy from ruin, and worked to provide better access to health care for all American citizens, is indefensible.

No wonder he and Sarah Palin get along so well.

Obama administration announces that ACA will cover same sex married couples. Because the only thing that could make the conservatives hate this law more would be to have it benefit gays.

Courtesy of TPM:  

Health insurance offered through Obamacare must cover same-sex married couples the same as they would opposite-sex married couples starting in 2015, the Obama administration announced Friday. 

"If an insurance company offers coverage to opposite-sex spouses, it cannot choose to deny that coverage to same-sex spouses," Matt Heintz, director for provider and LGBT outreach at the Department of Health and Human Services, wrote in a blog post. 

"In other words, insurance companies will not be permitted to discriminate against married same-sex couples when offering coverage. This will further enhance access to health care for all Americans, including those with same-sex spouses." 

The new requirement applies to all legally married same-sex couples, regardless of where they live, Heintz wrote.

Okay you just know this is going to drive the Right Wing out of their ever loving minds. 

Is mental health covered by Obamacare?

Better health care, equal rights extended to gay people, a recovering economy, just what is this country coming to?

Walt Disney World cuts ties with Boy Scouts over ban on LGBTQ troop leaders and volunteers. Ouch, that's gotta hurt!

Courtesy of Salon:  

Walt Disney World has ended its financial support of the Boy Scouts of America over its ban on openly-LGBTQ troop leaders and volunteers. 

The company had previously supported the organization through an employee grant matching program; Walt Disney World would make donations to the charitable organizations where employees volunteered their time, including the Boy Scouts. 

The Central Florida Council’s board president alerted troop parents of the change in a recent letter: 

"We recognize that many Scout Units have received financial support over the last several years from this [Walt Disney matching] grant opportunity and are sad to see it go. The National BSA Council has reached out to WDW to try to resolve the situation, however, according to WDW, their views do not currently align with the BSA and they are choosing to discontinue this level of support. We will continue to keep an open line of communication with them, but at this time, are unable to reverse their decision." 

As Josh Israel at ThinkProgress notes, the Walt Disney Company’s corporate standards prohibit “any form of harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identification, national origin, age, marital status, covered veteran status, disability, pregnancy or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.”

Wow! I cannot imagine that the Boy Scouts can continue to stand up against this kind of pressure from organizations as powerful as Walt Disney World. 

And besides if the Scouts re going to allow LGBTQ kids into the program, shouldn't they also have role models there that the boys can relate to?

Makes sense to me, unless of course the BSA is still being guided by the belief that homosexuality and pedophilia are connected in some way. Which it is not.