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Trump had claimed that the old ban was revoked and replaced with the new one, but U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman rejected this distinction, noting that the new documents “do not substantively rescind or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.

Donald Trump issues memorandum to ban most transgender soldiers.

Courtesy of Politico:  

President Donald Trump on Friday issued orders to ban transgender troops who require surgery or significant medical treatment from serving in the military except in select cases — following through on a controversial pledge last year that has been under review by the Pentagon and is being fought out in the courts. 

The memorandum, which drew swift condemnation from gender rights groups, states that while the secretary of defense and other executive branch officials will have some latitude in implementing the policy, “persons with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria — including individuals who the policies state may require substantial medical treatment, including medications and surgery — are disqualified from military service except under limited circumstances.” 

The memo also said that Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, “in the exercise of his independent judgment, has concluded [the policies] should be adopted by the Department of Defense.” It added that “the Secretary of Homeland Security concurs with these policies with respect to the U.S. Coast Guard,” which would also be affected by the policy. 

The decision comes after a number of top military officials over the past year-- including most members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- have gone out of their way to defend the thousands of transgender troops who are believed to be serving in the military.

Remember there is a tweet for everything. 

I somehow doubt that too many LGBTQ folks were fooled by this, but if there were some, don't you feel silly now?

Personally I think that Trump is simply using this as another diversion to keep us from talking about that huge omnibus bill he signed yesterday and that Stormy Daniels 60 Minutes interview tomorrow.

Trump is the kind of guy who would poison the family dog to keep his parents from finding out that he stayed out past curfew.

I seriously doubt that this memo will have any real impact, and fully intend to pay attention to all of the things that it was designed to distract me from.

Secretary of Defense blocks Trump's ban on transgender military personnel.

Courtesy of USA Today: 

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis late Tuesday announced that transgender troops will be allowed to continue serving in the military pending the results of a study by experts. 

The announcement follows an order from President Trump — first announced in a tweet — declaring that transgender service members can no longer serve in the military, effectively reversing an Obama administration policy. The order also affects the Department of Homeland Security, which houses the Coast Guard. 

"Once the panel reports its recommendations and following my consultation with the secretary of Homeland Security, I will provide my advice to the president concerning implementation of his policy direction," Mattis said in the statement. "In the interim, current policy with respect to currently serving members will remain in place." 

Mattis' move buys time for the Pentagon to determine how and if it will allow thousands of transgender troops to continue to serve, whether they will receive medical treatment, or how they will be discharged.

Gee, I wonder how long this study will take?

Perhaps three and a half years?

I think it's pretty clear that Mattis is not in favor of this ban and is putting the breaks on a  policy from his boss that he knows will damage troop moral and result in the loss of valuable new recruits.

Thank goodness there are some grownups working to keep this orange tinted toddler in check.

ACLU to sue Donald Trump over his ban on transgender military personnel.

Courtesy of AP:  

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender individuals joining the military. 

The federal lawsuit , Stone v. Trump, was filed in Maryland on Monday by the ACLU of Maryland on behalf of Petty Officer First Class Brock Stone, an 11-year Navy veteran who served in Afghanistan, and several other transgender members of the Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines. 

Trump directed the Pentagon on Friday to implement the ban on transgender individuals joining the military, which he first announced in a tweet. He also gave to the Pentagon the authority to decide the future of openly transgender people already serving. 

The lawsuit says Trump’s policy violates the equal protection rights of transgender service members who now have “grave reason to fear for their careers.”

I guess that Trump thought if he did this while the country was distracted by watching Hurricane Harvey drown Texas that nobody would notice.

Well wrong again Cheeto Hitler. 

Donald Trump officially bans transgender folks from enlisting in the military.

Take that Obama!

Courtesy of The Hill: 

President Trump signed a presidential memo Friday instructing the Defense Department to stop accepting transgender people who want to enlist in the military. 

The memo details Trump's previous Twitter announcement last month that he would reinstate a ban on transgender people serving in the U.S. military, and officially requests the Pentagon begin implementing the ban. 

Trump’s memo bars transgender people from enlisting, but instructs Secretary of Defense James Mattis to further explore how to handle transgender people currently serving in the armed forces. 

The memo also orders the Pentagon to stop paying for gender reassignment surgeries, except in cases that are already in progress to “protect the health of an individual.” 

It also requests that the Pentagon develop an implementation plan for the ban by Feb. 21 2018, to be put in place on March 23, 2018.

This was just another terrible thing that Trump did yesterday while most of the media was distracted by Hurricane Harvey.

Trump argued that his decision was based on "national security concerns" but we all know it is just another Obama era policy that he feels compelled to rollback.

Trump's entire presidency is just one giant FUCK YOU to President Obama, and I think it all goes back to that White House Corespondent's Dinner where Obama mocked Trump and had the whole room laughing at him.

Because other than that there is literally no reason that Trump would do something like this.

Today's Trump Twitter tirade targets Lisa Murkowski, the transgendered, and the Acting FBI Director. Update!

Senator @lisamurkowski of the Great State of Alaska really let the Republicans, and our country, down yesterday. Too bad!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

Actually Murkowski sat down for an interview in which she explains why she voted against Trumpcare: 

"I voted no on the motion to proceed today because I didn't think that we were ready for the debate. And I have said pretty consistently that process really does matter, particularly when you're dealing with something that is as direct and personal as health care, something that has an impact on one-sixth of the nation's economy," Murkowski said in an interview Tuesday evening after the vote. "This is big, and then you throw in major Medicaid reform on top of that," she said. 

Murkowski argued that revisions to the Affordable Care Act, often called "Obamacare," are necessary, but that the Senate process has not been conducive to crafting good policy, "enduring policy." 

"And so my vote today was one that said, 'We're not ready to go to the floor to wrap this up,' " she said.

Of course Murkowski has been pilloried by many Republicans for her vote, both here at home and in Washington.

However there was one GOP Senator who was not disappointed: 

Of course, McCain came to a different conclusion, and flew in from Arizona just for the vote. A long, stitched-up gash covered one eye, and his complexion was pale, a man facing down potentially deadly brain cancer. 

"He did tell me, though … 'You did the right thing,' which made me feel good," Murkowski said of a conversation with the veteran senator right after the vote.

Trump also decided to go back on Obama's promise, and block transgendered folks from serving in the military.

After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow......

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

....Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming.....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

....victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

According to Newsweek there are approximately 15,000 transgendered soldiers already serving this country's military, and that any medical costs have been greatly exaggerated by opponents.

Then a little later this morning Trump turned his attention back to Jeff Sessions and the Acting Director of the FBI.

Why didn't A.G. Sessions replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, a Comey friend who was in charge of Clinton investigation but got....

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

...big dollars ($700,000) for his wife's political run from Hillary Clinton and her representatives. Drain the Swamp!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2017

It would appear that Trump is still pressuring Sessions to quit so he can replace him with an AG that will shut down the Russia investigation.

However Trump's charges that Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe's wife directly received money from Hillary Clinton, or that it would have influenced the investigation into Clinton's email server, is bullshit according to Newsweek.

This is every day now that we have to address the rantings of a mad man.

When will enough be enough?

Update: Here is what is behind Trump dumping on the transgendered military members.

Just spoke to a Trump administration official about the transgender military decision. Here's what they said... pic.twitter.com/eOWdvlxTfd

— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) July 26, 2017

"This forces Democrats in Rust Belt states like Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin to take complete ownership of this issue. How will the blue collar voters in these states respond when senators up for re-election in 2018 like Debbie Stabenow are forced to make their opposition to this a key plank of their campaigns?"  

Jesus Christ! They are using tactics from Karl Rove's playbook during the first George W. Bush campaign!

North Carolina sues the Federal government for interfering with their fear mongering over transgenders.

Courtesy of CNN: 

North Carolina casts its so-called bathroom bill as a "common sense bodily privacy law." The federal government calls it discrimination, pure and simple. 

The two will face off in federal court in North Carolina after two of the state's top officials Monday sued the U.S. Justice Department, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and one of her assistants. 

The lawsuit calls last week's demand that the state "remedy" its Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act by Monday or risk being in violation of federal law "a baseless and blatant overreach." 

The act bans individuals from using public bathrooms that do not correspond with their biological sex, as dictated by their birth certificates.

"Goddamn it Federal Government we don't care WHAT century it is we want to discriminate against people not like us as is our right according to a very loose translation our Bibles! Stop stopping us!"

You know first they made them let black people use their whites only restrooms and now they want these people to have human rights as well. When oh when will it ever stop?

Footage surfaces of police demanding that a lesbian leave a public restroom for not presenting ID. (NSFW due to language.)

Courtesy of Complex:  

Footage has surfaced alleging to show police officers forcing an unidentified woman to leave a women's restroom facility, once again proving the dire impact of the recent swath of anti-LGBT laws across the country. The woman, reportedly a lesbian, is called "sir" by the officers as she's unfairly tasked with attempting to convince them she's a woman. The footage, uploaded to Facebook by Tamara McDaniel, has quickly garnered millions of views since first being shared last week. 

The officers are heard demanding ID from the woman, who reveals she doesn't have one on her. A male officer is then seen screaming in the woman's face as friends plead for the officers to properly deescalate the situation. These pleas, however, are instead met with hostility and repeated requests for an ID. Of course, this loudly begs the question: Why the hell should anyone have to show an ID just to use the restroom? The exact location of the footage, which made it to the Daily Star after surfacing on Facebook, is unknown.

Like the article says there is no indication yet as to where this took place though clearly it is somewhere in America.

I have to say that this really angers me since that could easily happen to my daughter who dresses in gender neutral clothes all of the time.

Seriously male police officers should have no right to enter a woman's bathroom and force that purpose out for no other reason than that they do not believe them to be female.

And if these anti-trans laws start to spread this will be happening with increased frequency and I guarantee that it will not simply be the LGBT community who is negatively impacted.

The Right Wing's new response to transgender folk using the bathroom is to enter them with guns at the ready.

I'm taking a Glock .45 to the ladies room. It identifies as my bodyguard. #BoycottTarget @Target

— Liberty Lawyer (@AnitaStaver) April 22, 2016

Courtesy of the Advocate:  

Anti-LGBT activists are taking the newfound role of “potty police” to the next level, pledging to carry weapons into public restrooms to “protect” against trans people using the bathroom that matches their gender identity. 

The threats came after retailer Target announced Wednesday it would allow transgender patrons to use the restroom of their choice. The policy is a slap at North Carolina’s anti-LGBT House Bill 2, which, among other things, bars transgender people from using facilities that correspond with their gender identity, if those are in government buildings; it does let private-sector companies set their own policies. In response to Target's action, at least two right-wing leaders promised to meet trans people in the bathroom — with firearms. 

The preliminary warning shot came from Anita Staver, president of the right-wing, anti-LGBT Liberty Counsel, a nonprofit conservative legal group — best known for representing defiant antigay Kentucky clerk Kim Davis — that recently told CBS News it is proudly pushing transphobic “bathroom bills” nationwide. 

 On Friday, Staver — who is married to Liberty Counsel’s chairman and cofounder, Mat Staver — sent out a tweet blasting Target’s trans-inclusive policy. “I’m taking a Glock .45 to the ladies room,” she wrote, before adding what appears to be a dig at the concept that someone could identify as a gender other than that they were assigned at birth.

If you don't think that this will not result in some poor person being shot to death in a public restroom than you certainly have not been paying attention to the news lately.

And what exactly would be the "offense" that earned some poor person the death penalty at the hands of a panicky homophobic gun nut?

Would it be for being too manly in the ladies room? Or too effeminate in the men's room?

Because if that is the case I know several straight non-transgender folks who are going to have to start wearing bullet proof vests before they tinkle in public.

In the contest between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz to see who is the most vile human being it looks as if Ted Cruz has pulled ahead again.

WATCH: @tedcruz: "If Donald Trump dresses up as Hillary Clinton, he still can't go to the girl's bathroom."https://t.co/RYB8iZlVDN

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) April 24, 2016

Courtesy of Time: 

Ted Cruz invoked Hillary Clinton’s name for a joke he used to criticize Republican rival Donald Trump’s stance on so-called “bathroom bills.” 

The Texas senator, who is in favor of laws that would force transgender people to use restrooms that match the gender they were assigned at birth, has slammed Trump for disagreeing. He painted a vivid image of a hypothetical situation during a campaign stop in Terre Haute, Indiana, which he said was meant to “make things real simple” to voters. 

“If Donald Trump dresses up as Hillary Clinton, he still can’t go to the girl’s bathroom,” Cruz said, according to ABC News.

People sometimes talk about having to hold their noses when voting for Hillary Clinton, but that is certainly better than having to don an entire hazmat suit in order to vote for either Ted Cruz or Donald Trump. 

Nancy French expands on the transgender hate mongering that she did on Sarah Palin's Facebook page over on that blog where she pretends to be Bristol Palin.

Courtesy of Brancy's blog:  

You may have seen that ESPN commentator Curt Schilling was either fired or suspended for commenting about the above meme: 

“A man is a man no matter what they call themselves. I don’t care what they are, who they sleep with, men’s room was designed for the penis, women’s not so much. Now you need laws telling us differently? Pathetic.” 

In other words, he got in trouble for stating an obvious fact. 

Men are men.

I imagine that there are a whole lot of things that Nancy French has to carefully explain to Bristol Palin, but I am fairly confident she understands the word "penis."

Nancy French goes on to compare this stupid thing that Curt Schilling said to that stupid thing that Phil Robertson said, and then chalks off the fact that people were upset to "political correctness" which has now become a catch phrase to excuse everything from misogyny, to racism, to even death threats.

"Hey, hey I only threatened to kill you and your whole family if you do not vote for Donald Trump at the convention, why you gotta be so sensitive?"

Now while I am certain that this post, like every other blog post, was written by the ethically deficient Nancy French, Wonkette seems to think that Bristol could have pulled it off on her own: 

Bristol Palin knows about men. They are the ones what knock on her bedroom window in the night and then nine months later, after such an odd sort of weight gain, God blesses her with a baby. Men have fun doohickeys in their pants, and Bristol suspects they might be related to the whole “baby” thing, but you never know if you can trust lamestream biology textbooks. 

Point taken, but since the blog post also contains words like Utopia, functionality, and hypocritical, I am sticking to my belief that Bristol Palin never even reads the blog named in her honor much less writes on it.

Once again let me just say that somewhere out there is psychologist missing a golden opportunity to write a book about the bizarre and vaguely incestuous relationship between a mother, her daughter, and the woman who is paid by the mother to pretend to be the daughter.

They could call it "The Three Faces of Evil."

Even during contentious child custody case Sarah Palin and Dakota Meyer find common ground. A bias against transgendered people.

This is ESPN's Curt Schilling's disgusting view of transgender people #HB2 https://t.co/7DKRXDL4GL pic.twitter.com/hLNhtRf9xe

— Outsports (@outsports) April 19, 2016

I know what you're thinking, but no that it not Sarah Palin pictured above.

It is however a rather disgusting and homophobic tweet sent out by Curt Schilling which resulted in his dismissal from ESPN.

This apparently distracted Palin from her ongoing argument for the destruction of the arctic polar bears, and she posted this on Facebook in response:

ESPN continues to screw up.

This of course feeds into the completely fabricated Right Wing fantasy that transgendered people wish to use the bathrooms only to leer at their women and molest their children.

A fantasy that apparently Dakota Meyer also shares.

dakotameyer0317 People who are arguing for men to gain access to women's restrooms to me are absolutely failing to see the issue on many levels. I have a daughter and as a father it is my duty to ensure her safety and proper environment in which to grow up in. I will be damned if I am going to let a man, cross dresser or otherwise, go into a bathroom with her in it. Going into that bathroom the last issue he has to worry about is how comfortable it makes him feel. And had any taken into consideration the president this sets? Next is these same guys in the locker rooms with your daughter, your wife, or even you. Sorry but this doesn't fly with me. 

First off I am fairly certain that Meyer meant to write "precedent" and not "president," but what can one expect from a man who allowed his penis to get close to a Palin?

Secondly this argument feeds off of certain people's innate homophobia, and in fact it is no more likely that a transgender or transsexual man would molest a young girl in a bathroom stall than a regular bible thumping "straight" dude would molest a young boy in one.

Actually to be honest the second scenario is FAR more likely and there is ample data to back that up.

This is just another example of how easily intellectually stunted people are manipulated into hating and fearing people that they really have no reason to hate or fear.

Virginia lawmaker introduces legislation that would force public schools to check a students genitalia before allowing them to use the bathroom.

Courtesy of Raw Story:

A bill filed by a Virginia lawmaker this week would require schools to be certain that children are using the restroom corresponding to their “correct anatomical sex.” 

The legislation, which would prohibit transgender students from using the bathroom matching their gender, is being sponsored by Republican Del. Mark Cole. 

House Bill 663 defines “anatomical sex” as “the physical condition of being male or female, which is determined by a person’s anatomy.” 

“Local school boards shall develop and implement policies that require every school restroom, locker room, or shower room that is designated for use by a specific gender to solely be used by individuals whose anatomical sex matches such gender designation,” the measure states.


Civil rights advocate Tim Peacock noted that “adults would be required to inspect children’s genitals before they use the bathroom” for the legislation to be enforceable. 

“This is what the conservative movement has devolved into: forcing children to allow adults to examine their genitals out of misplaced fear that transgender kids and adults might commit a hypothetical never-before-seen act of violence or sexual aggression (that would still be against the law with or without transgender protections),” Peacock wrote.

I can tell you right now that if this bill were actually to pass, and let's just assume that even Virginia is not that homophobic, that public school parents would lose their shit at the idea of adults making their children drop trou and prove their gender before taking a piss.

Not only that but schools have a strict set of guidelines they must follow while interacting with children, and looking at their genitals is most certainly on the "do not EVER do" list.

Transgender British comic Eddie Izzard will run for mayor of London as a proud, out of the closet Atheist.

Courtesy of Las Vegas Review-Journal:  

American politicians who aren’t religious may claim they are, out of fear or pandering. But comedian Eddie Izzard will run for mayor of London an an atheist, and he expects no fallout. 

That’s because Brits aren’t so religiously punishing to candidates now, partly because World War II killed millions of people and many people’s faith, Izzard said. 

“We had a Second World War happen on our land mass. Of the 50 million that died, probably about 35 million died” in the region, he said. “And I think we noticed God wasn’t there or didn’t care.” 

Izzard is a beloved comedian worldwide, not despite of the strong stances he jokes about, while wearing pretty dresses as a straight transgender, but because of all that. He is a funny, fearless, silly intellectual who never dumbs down his act. 

Izzard has been his true self in public for decades. 

“I decided to come out as transgender years ago, before my career took off,” he said. “I just thought, ‘(Expletive) it, I’ll do that and see what happens. It’s been great.”

Man can you even imagine a transgender atheist running for the mayor of anywhere in the USA?

That campaign would have the religious right in the streets with torches and pitchforks from the get go.

Izzard is not planning to run until 2020, so maybe by that time we will see attitudes in America change somewhat. Well, one can always hope.

If you unfamiliar with Izzard, well shame on you. Here is a brief video of him on stage to get you up to speed.

Leave it to Mike Huckabee to creep everybody out with a tasteless joke at the expense of transgendered people.

[These] ordinances [say] if your 7-year-old daughter—if she goes into the restroom—cannot be offended and you can’t be offended if she’s greeted there by a 42-year-old man who feels more like a woman than he does a man. Now I wish that someone told me that when I was in high school that I could have felt like a woman when it came time to take showers in PE. I’m pretty sure that I would have found my feminine side and said, “Coach, I think I’d rather shower with the girls today.”

Slate has more:  

Huckabee has long enjoyed bashing gay people and marriage equality, but this disgusting joke suggests the former Arkansas governor has lately discovered the joys of ridiculing trans people—who already face a stunning amount of discrimination and harassment. For what it’s worth, no state that has passed trans protections has seen Huckabee’s bathroom fever dream come to pass. But, of course, Huckabee isn’t really concerned about facts: He’s concerned about finding the kind of red meat Republican voters still care about. It seems that, by his calculation, maligning one of the most reviled and marginalized groups in society will still push GOP voters to the polls. 

You only have to listen to the reaction of the crowd to realize that Huckabee is not alone in his feeling that transgender people are disgusting sexual predators looking for an opportunity to prey on small children.

Of course the sexual predators are almost never a transgendered person. Instead they are far more likely to look more like this:

And how did Huckabee respond to an actual child molester (Link has much more graphic report.) once he was outed?

Like this of course:

Janet and I want to affirm our support for the Duggar family. Josh’s actions when he was an underage teen are as he described them himself, 'inexcusable,' but that doesn’t mean 'unforgivable.' He and his family dealt with it and were honest and open about it with the victims and the authorities. No purpose whatsoever is served by those who are now trying to discredit Josh or his family by sensationalizing the story. Good people make mistakes and do regrettable and even disgusting things. The reason that the law protects disclosure of many actions on the part of a minor is that the society has traditionally understood something that today’s blood-thirsty media does not understand—that being a minor means that one's judgement is not mature. No one needs to defend Josh’s actions as a teenager, but the fact that he confessed his sins to those he harmed, sought help, and has gone forward to live a responsible and circumspect life as an adult is testament to his family’s authenticity and humility. Those who have enjoyed revealing this long ago sins in order to discredit the Duggar family have actually revealed their own insensitive bloodthirst, for there was no consideration of the fact that the victims wanted this to be left in the past and ultimately a judge had the information on file destroyed—not to protect Josh, but the innocent victims. Janet and I love Jim Bob and Michelle and their entire family. They are no more perfect a family than any family, but their Christian witness is not marred in our eyes because following Christ is not a declaration of our perfection, but of HIS perfection. It is precisely because we are all sinners that we need His grace and His forgiveness. We have been blessed to receive God’s love and we would do no less than to extend our love and support for our friends. In fact, it is such times as this, when real friends show up and stand up. Today, Janet and I want to show up and stand up for our friends. Let others run from them. We will run to them with our support.

To sum up, Christian child molesters are okay, but a transgendered woman who has to pee is a menace to society.

So this is the new Bruce Jenner.

pic.twitter.com/X7FvYrEH2D

— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) June 1, 2015

Okay I'm just going to say, before anybody else beats me to it.

Jenner might still be functioning as a man, but (s)he is still a better looking woman than some people we could mention.

 Not gonna mention any names.

Michelle Duggar, Josh Duggar's mom, once recorded a robo-call accusing transgendered people of being pedophiles.

Jim Bob, Michelle, Anna, and Josh Duggar.

Courtesy of the Daily Mail: 

Last August, Michelle - who stars in TLC's hit show 19 Kids and Counting with her husband, Jim Bob, and children - spoke out about a proposed anti-discrimination ordinance in Fayetteville, Arkansas. 

Narrating a robocall to local voters, she expressed concern that the bill - which was eventually passed - would let transgender people use whichever bathroom they felt most comfortable in. 

She said: 'I don't believe... citizens... would want males with past child predator convictions that claim they are female to have a legal right to enter private areas that are reserved for women and girls.' 

She added: 'I doubt that Fayetteville parents would stand for a law that would endanger their daughters or allow them to be traumatized by a man joining them in their private space. 

'We should never place the preference of an adult over the safety and innocence of a child.' 

'Parents, who do you want undressing next to your daughter at the public swimming pool's private changing area? I still believe that we are a society that puts women and children first.' 

This woman recorded this robo-call with full knowledge of the fact that her son had molested her own daughters.

And it is this kind of talk which leads people to presuppose that all LGBT folks are sexual predators simply waiting for the opportunity to take advantage of their children or cause them physical harm.

The fact is that there are substantially more "straight" folks, both men and women by the way, molesting children in this country, then there are homosexual or transgender predators waiting for your precious snowflake in the public restroom or department store dressing rooms.

This is why, just in case you were wondering, the Duggar family deserves ALL of the hate and vitriol that they have received since these revelations have been made public.

These are truly hateful people, who have actively promoted discrimination, while also holding themselves up as paragons of virtue.

By the way here is a timeline from the Washington Post that lays out Josh Duggar's abuses of his family members, and the failure of his family, his church, and the authorities to get him and his victims the help that they needed.

Girl Scouts openly accept transgendered children. Just another reason why the Girl Scouts are far superior to the Boy Scouts these days.

This from the FAQ page of Girl Scouts.org: 

Q: What is Girl Scouts' position on serving transgender youth? 

A: Girl Scouts is proud to be the premiere leadership organization for girls in the country. Placement of transgender youth is handled on a case-by-case basis, with the welfare and best interests of the child and the members of the troop/group in question a top priority. That said, if the child is recognized by the family and school/community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, then Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her in a setting that is both emotionally and physically safe.

Well that is certainly light years away from the homophobic attitudes expressed by the Boy Scouts, now isn't it?

I also found this on the FAQ page:

Q: Does Girl Scouting support families of faith? A: Yes. Girl Scouting supports girls from all backgrounds and beliefs. While we are a secular organization that refrains from teaching religious or spiritual beliefs or practices, we believe that the motivating force in Girl Scouting is a spiritual one, and we greatly value our longstanding partnerships with religious organizations across many faiths that share the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law.

Damn, I may have to buy extra boxes of thin mints this next time around. 

(H/T to danthropology.)

As you have probably heard former Olympian Bruce Jenner came out with some shocking news. He's a Republican!

Yes I know that Jenner came out as a woman, but seriously after some of the pictures that have been floating around the internet lately who could be surprised by that?

However this, this I found surprising: 

The revelation came when Sawyer asked Jenner for his reaction to President Barack Obama identifying trans Americans during this year’s State of the Union address. 

“He actually was the first one to say the actual word transgender, I will certainly give him credit for that,” Jenner said of Obama. “But not to get political, I’ve just never been a big fan — I’m kind of more on the conservative side.” 

“Are you a Republican?” Sawyer asked. 

“Yeah, is that a bad thing?” Jenner replied. “I believe in the Constitution.”

First off if you really "believe in the Constitution" then why would you side with the political party that does not seem to understand it?

And secondly, are you out of your freaking mind?

Anybody who is going through something as unconventional as sexual reassignment surgery, is certainly NOT going to find any support on the conservative side of the aisle.

Your people. whether you like it or not, are standing firmly with the progressives.

After all changing your sex is just about as progressive as it gets in 2015.

However I have to admit that this revelation helps to explain why a certain half term governor has raised her family, and made choices, that closely mirror the example set by the Kardashians.

Now apparently Todd Palin will have an announcement to make in the very near future.