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Introducing Queerlinq: A New Era in Social NetworkingIn a world where social media platforms often come with their fair share of controversies, drama, and privacy concerns, a new contender has emerged: Queerlinq. Billing itself as the next evolution of social networking, Queerlinq aims to provide all the familiar features of platforms like Facebook, while eliminating the drama and prioritizing user privacy and well-being for the LGBTQ+...
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It’s Time to Stop Airing Your Dirty Laundry on FacebookRecently in a few of the local Facebook groups I read, I’ve noticed something in my newsfeed that is both irking and alarming. Some people (many of whom I don’t know in person) are using Facebook as a virtual clothesline to air their dirty laundry. I’ve seen grown women rip their boyfriend’s exes to shreds through status updates, guys do the same thing about the ladies...0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 2KB Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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Seafood Macaroni CheeseThe best seafood macaroni and cheese you will ever eat, and so easy to prepare almost anybody can make it. Ingredients: 1 Pound Penne Pasta or Large Elbow Pasta 3 Cups Whole Milk 2 Cups Half & Half 1 Tablespoon Butter 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil ¼ Cup Onion, diced 1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme, chopped 1 to 2 Cloves Fresh Garlic, finely minced 3 Level Tablespoons All...0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 2KB Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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Trevor Project Study: LGBTQ youth in small towns & rural areasNearly half of LGBTQ youth in rural areas and small towns reported that their community was somewhat or very unaccepting of LGBTQ people. Among the broader population of youth ages 10–24 in the U.S., suicide rates are higher in rural than in urban communities. Further, data from GLSEN’s National School Climate Survey indicate that LGBTQ youth from small towns or rural areas are...0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 2KB Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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Facebook and Anti-Abortion Clinics Are Collecting Highly Sensitive Info on Would-Be PatientsThe social media giant gathers data from crisis pregnancy centers through a tracking tool that works whether or not a person is logged in to their Facebook account By: Grace Oldham and Dhruv Mehrotra This article is a collaboration with Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting. Facebook is collecting ultrasensitive personal data about abortion seekers and enabling anti-abortion...0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 2KB Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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Facebook Is Receiving Sensitive Medical Information from Hospital WebsitesExperts say some hospitals’ use of an ad tracking tool may violate a federal law protecting health information By: Todd Feathers, Simon Fondrie-Teitler, Angie Waller, and Surya Mattu A tracking tool installed on many hospitals’ websites has been collecting patients’ sensitive health information—including details about their medical conditions, prescriptions, and...0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 2KB Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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Funding Live Streaming Costs0% $0 Raised of $500It's expensive to be able to provide Live Stream Capabilities and Storage for saved Live Streams. Can you contribute something to offset the cost, we would certainly appreciate it, better still subscribe to our platform to help us with on-going expenses if you are financially able.It's expensive to be able to provide Live Stream Capabilities and Storage for saved Live Streams. Can you contribute something to offset the cost, we would certainly appreciate it, better still subscribe to our platform to help us with on-going expenses if you are financially able.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 333 Ansichten 0 Donations 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMMarjorie Taylor Greene accused a DNC speaker of pedophilia. It didnt go well for her.Rabidly anti-LGBTQ+ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene recently claimed that a top LGBTQ priority is putting porn in elementary schools. And to prove her point, she posted a video of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) speaking against book banning at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Numerous commenters called out Greene for lying.The Democrats have made p*rn in elementary schools a top LGBTQ priority, Greene wrote Wednesday via X. When theyre caught, they claim we want to ban books. Democrats are the party of pedophiles. Related LeVar Burton & 175 other artists denounce white supremacist book bans These censorious efforts will not end with book bans, the letter states. Her comment re-posted a similar claim from Chaya Raichik, who goes by Libs of TikTok on social media. Raichiks posts vilifying LGBTQ+ people and allies have led to numerous death threats against children and childrens hospitals. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Heres your daily reminder that when [Democrats] accuse us of banning books theyre referring to graphic p**n books that are available to kids in schools across the country, Raichik wrote in a post that included a video of Gov. Shapiros recent DNC speech, in which he said, Its not freedom to tell our children what books theyre allowed to read.Raichiks post included images of several LGBTQ+ booksincluding Gender Queer, This Book is Gay, Flamer, and Lets Talk About It. All four books include explicit discussions of sex and images of nudity; some recount personal experiences and others have educational purposes. The Democrats have made p*rn in elementary schools a top LGBTQ priority. When theyre caught, they claim we want to ban books.Democrats are the party of pedophiles. https://t.co/0bT0vF6Zu7 Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) August 22, 2024In a follow-up post, Greene wrote, Democrats cant read the pornographic books they want in elementary schools at the DNCif they did, all networks would IMMEDIATELY halt coverage or else theyd be fined.Democrats cant read the pornographic books they want in elementary schools at the DNCif they did, all networks would IMMEDIATELY halt coverage or else theyd be fined. https://t.co/uFksiS9Zih Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) August 22, 2024 Numerous commenters called out Greene and Raichick for spreading anti-LGBTQ+ misinformation. In reality, most book bans in the U.S. have come from a small number of conservative groups, and the bans mostly target books that discuss race or LGBTQ+ issues, including historic works like The Color Purple and The Diary of Anne Frank.Some reactions to Greenes posts pointed out that the president she supports so much, Donald Trump, has his own sexually explicit past that is inappropriate for children to read about. Others pointed out that Greene had extramarital affairs while married, showed sexually explicit pics several times in a congressional hearing, that Nazis burned sexually educational books and that the Biblea book beloved by conservative Christiansis sexually explicit and violent..@mtgreenee What a SICK comment! First, the claim that Democrats prioritize pornography in elementary schools, especially as a "top LGBTQ priority," is a baseless vile lie. There's zero evidence to support this outrageous accusation. Second, the use of terms like "pedophiles" Human (@4HumanUnity) August 22, 2024Literally none of that is true They're so desperate now that they're gonna lose. And listen to Marge about morality She only cheated openly on her husband multiple times And that's a fact. Mike (@MikeRunsMiles) August 22, 2024Weird take, especially when the vast majority of convicted pedophiles are republicans, and especially MAGA. And they are not drag queens (although many are closeted queens. Why yes, I am talking about Matt Schlapp!) tinkingbell (@tinkingbell1) August 22, 2024 pic.twitter.com/hcmptofml3 White Rabbit (@WhiteRabit300) August 22, 2024.@mtgreenee Theres something deeply wrong with you. You were best buddies with Matt Gaetz!Claiming that Democrats are placing "pornographic books" in elementary schools is a blatant lie. There's zero evidence of any school libraries stocking pornographic material, LGBTQ+ Human (@4HumanUnity) August 22, 2024This you? Not one, not two, but at least 3 times you subjected your colleagues to unwanted porn.That's sexual harrassment. They complained, yet they're obsessed with porn? You can't even lie very well. I guess the shared single MAGA brain cell skipped you tonight. pic.twitter.com/GygnRPnJHE Fookin Chookay (@slayergoddess69) August 22, 2024 pic.twitter.com/UMHtTULz5Y American Woman (@Liberal_Lady5) August 22, 2024Perhaps we can read to our children some of Mr. Drumpf's escapes w Porn Stars & partying w his buddy the late teenage sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein. Perhaps we can read to our children about his 3 marriages & his serial adultery? @bluestein @ajconwashington @romenewstribune Alias Smith Jones (@Choanoke258) August 22, 2024What is with the obsession of taking away a parents freedom to guide their childrens reading material. Have you read the entire Bible? Very sexually graphic in parts. Very violent in parts. Yet you seem ok with that book. Mind your own damn business. PattiGoke (@PattiGoke) August 22, 20240 Kommentare 0 Anteile 136 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMOscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray will soon get a modern Netflix adaptation with a twistOscar Wildes homoerotic classic The Picture of Dorian Gray is reportedly getting a modern adaptation for Netflix.Earlier this week, Deadline reported that the series The Grays is in development for the streamer from out ber-producer Greg Berlantis Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television. The series will reportedly set Wildes 1891 tale of the impossibly beautiful Dorian amidst the contemporary beauty industry and will recast the main character and artist Basil Hallway as siblings. Related New series depicts a dark moment in queer history & shows how oppressors manipulate the oppressed Alongside the love story in Fellow Travelers lurks a more insidious tragedy. Katie Rose Rogers, a writer and co-producer on last years Fellow Travelers, is set to write the series and will serve as executive producer alongside her own sibling (and Berlantis husband) Robbie Rogers, an executive producer on Fellow Travelers. Berlanti will also serve as an executive producer. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Rogerss take on the story will be quite a departure, and not only due to its contemporary setting. Wildes novel has long been considered an extremely thinly veiled homoerotic classic for its suggestion that Basil, who paints the titular portrait that ages while Dorian remains forever young, is deeply in love with his muse. An uncensored edition published in 2011 restored 500 words of text to Wildes novel that make the characters romance of feeling for Dorian explicit. It remains unclear how recasting the characters as siblings will impact the storys queer themes. But if Fellow Travelers is any indication, it seem safe to bet on the fact that The Grays will feature plenty of homoeroticism.Of course, this is far from the first screen adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray though most have downplayed Wildes queer subtext. A 1945 film version featured Hurd Hatfield and Lowell Gilmore as Dorian and Basil alongside Angela Lansbury and Donna Reed (in a role created for the film), and earned Lansbury an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.The novel was adapted for the screen again in 1970 by Italian director Massimo Dallamano. Similar to The Grays, that film known variously as Il dio chiamato Dorian(The God Called Dorian),The Evils of Dorian Gray, The Secret of Dorian Gray, and simply Dorian Gray set the story in 1970s London and starred openly bisexual Austrian actor Helmut Berger. The portrait of Dorian in the film shows him shirtless in jeans with a lavender scarf tied around his neck. The 2009 film Dorian Gray, starring Ben Barnes and Colin Firth, returned the story to its 19th century setting and didnt shy away from its main characters omnivorous sexual appetites. However, as the 1945 version did with Reeds character, the film also gave Barness Dorian a virtuous female love interest (Rebecca Hall).Most recently, a 2021 British indie adaptation featuring Russell Tovey, Joanna Lumley, and Stephen Fry set The Picture of Dorian Gray against the backdrop of contemporary social media.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 122 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMPete Buttigieg, Oprah Winfrey & Tim Walz destroy Trump & Vance during DNCs third nightThe theme for the third night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) was A Fight for Our Freedoms, and the speakers all came out swinging against the Republican presidential and vice presidential nominees, former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance (R-OH).While Democratic vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) blasted Republicans and Project 2025 in his keynote address, blistering lines were also delivered by gay Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, gay Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO), lesbian Attorney General Dana Nessel (D-MI), queer Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, media mogul Oprah Winfrey, and other well-known Democratic leaders, like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and former President Bill Clinton.Below are summaries of their speeches with their strongest lines verbatim. Related Barack & Michelle Obama blast Trump & offer hope in second night of DNC speeches Obama called Trump a 78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Vice presidential nominee, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN)Jasper Colt / USA TODAY NETWORK via IMAGN Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz takes the stage to give an acceptance speech during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. The high school football players that Walz used to coach during his days as a teacher came onstage, now as grown men, to cheer Walz on after a heartfelt introduction from one of his former student-athletes. In the crowd, hundreds of attendees held signs that said Coach Walz.Walz then spoke about the necessity of supporting your neighbor, even if that person may not think like you do may not pray like you do [and] may not love like you do, but theyre your neighbors, and you look out for them, and they look out for you. Everybody belongs and everybody has a responsibility to contribute. It was those [high school football and basketball] players and my students who inspired me to run for Congress, he said. They saw in me what I had hoped to instill in them, a commitment to the common good, an understanding that were all in this together, and the belief that a single person can make a real difference for their neighbors.After touting his accomplishments as governor to lower living costs for working class Minnesotans, he said, We also protected reproductive freedom, because in Minnesota, we respect our neighbors and the personal choices they make and, even if we wouldnt make those same choices for ourselves, weve got a golden rule: Mind your own damn business. And that includes IVF [in vitro fertilization] infertility treatments. And this is personal for Gwen [his wife] and I. if youve never experienced the hell that is infertility, I guarantee you you know somebody who has.Im letting you in on how we started a family, because this is a big part about what this election is about, freedom, he continued. When Republicans use the word freedom, they mean that the government should be free to invade your doctors office, corporations free to pollute your air and water, and banks free to take advantage of customers. But when we Democrats talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make a better life for yourself and the people that you love, freedom to make your own health care decisions, and yeah, your kids freedom to go to school without worrying about being shot dead in the hall, he said. Later on, Walz took aim at Project 2025, the Heritage Foundations blueprint for a second Trump presidency. Donald Trump and JD Vance their Project 2025 will make things much, much harder for people who are just trying to live their lives, he said. They spent a lot of time pretending they know nothing about this, but look, I coached high school football long enough to know and trust me on this: When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, theyre going to use it.Its an agenda nobody asked for, he continued. Its an agenda that serves nobody except the richest and the most extreme amongst us. And its an agenda that does nothing for our neighbors in need. Is it weird? Absolutely, absolutely. But its also wrong and its dangerous.He then ended his speech with a football metaphor to encourage listeners to work hard to help elect him and Harris in November: Its the fourth quarter, were down a field goal, but were on offense and weve got the ball. Were driving down the field, and boy, do we have the right team. Our job, for everyone watching, is to get in the trenches and do the blocking and tackling, one inch at a time, one yard at a time, one phone call at a time, one door knock at a time, one $5 donation at a time.Look, we got 76 daysthats nothing, he continued. There will be time to sleep when youre dead. Were going to leave it on the field. Thats how well keep moving forward. Thats how well turn the page on Donald Trump. Former President Bill ClintonJasper Colt / USA TODAY NETWORK via IMAGN Former President Bill Clinton speaks during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center.While Clinton praised the characters and political accomplishments of both Harris and Walz, much of his speech attacked Trump.I love seeing all these young leaders, much of them are coming up after me, They look better, they sound better, and theyll be exciting, he said. Two days ago, I turned 78: the oldest man in my familyAnd the only personal vanity I want to assert is, Im still younger than Donald Trump.So in 2024 we got a pretty clear choice, it seems to me: Kamala Harris for the people, and the other guy whos proved, even more than the first go around, that hes about me, myself. And I know which one I like better for our country, he said. Donald Trump has been a paragon of consistency: Hes still dividing, hes still blaming, hes still belittling other people. He creates chaos, and then he sort of curates it, as if it were precious art, Clinton said. He mostly talks about himself, right? So the next time you hear him, dont count the liescount the Is. Count the Is, his vendettas, his vengeance, his complaints, his conspiracies. Hes like one of those tenors opening up before he walks out on stage, like I did, trying to get his lungs open by saying, Me, me, me, me, me, me. When Kamala Harris is president, every day will begin with You, you, you, you.'Do you want to build a strong economy from the bottom up and the middle out, or do you want to spend the next four years talking about crowd sizes? he said, clowning Trumps obsession with claiming that his smaller rally crowds are actually bigger than Harris which have filled stadiums. And what are we supposed to make to these endless tributes to the late great Hannibal Lecter, Clinton added, referencing an odd line that Trump has repeated often in recent rallies.The other day, [Trump] implied that if his people voted one more time, theyd be able to rig it. From now on, they wouldnt have to vote again Some [Republicans] think that they are bound to dominate America, politically, economically and socially, and they have to use politics to do it, and they should rig the system. I dont believe that. And so heres what I want to tell you, weve seen more than one election slip away from us when we thoughtit couldnt happen, when people got distracted by phony issues or overcompetent This is a brutal, tough business.You should never underestimate your adversary, he added. But heres what I want you to know: If you vote for this team, if you can get them elected and let them bring in this breath of fresh air, you will be proud of it for the rest of your life. Your children will be proud of it. Your grandchildren will be proud of it. Media legend Oprah WinfreyJasper Colt-USA TODAY via IMAGN Oprah Winfrey speaks during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasper Colt-USA TODAYDuring Winfreys surprise speech at the DNC, she said, There are people who want you to see our country as a nation of us against them, people who want to scare you, who want to rule you, people who have you believe that books are dangerous and assault rifles are safe, that theres a right way to worship and a wrong way to love people, who seek first to divide and then to conquer. But heres the thing, when we stand together, it is impossible to conquer us.Ive seen racism and sexism and income inequality and division. Ive not only seen it at times, Ive been on the receiving end of it, she added. But more often than not, what Ive witnessed and experienced are human beings, both conservative and liberal, who may not agree with each other, but who still help you in a heartbeat if youre in trouble. These are the people who make me proud to say that I am an American.They are the best of America, she continued. And despite what some would have you think, we are not so different from our neighbors. When a house is on fire, we dont ask about the homeowners race or religion. We dont wonder who their partner is or how they voted. No, we just try to do the best we can to save them. And if the place happens to belong to a childless cat lady, well, we try to get that cat out too.Referencing Trump, she said, We know all the old tricks and tropes that are designed to distract us from what actually matters, but we are beyond ridiculous tweets and lies and foolery. These are complicated times, people, and they require adult conversation. We welcome those conversations because civilized debate is vital to democracy, and it is the best of America. She then mentioned abortion and reproductive rights, saying, If you do not have autonomy over this, if you cannot control when and how you choose to bring your children into this world and how they are raised and supported, there is no American dream. The women and men who are battling to keep us from going back to a time of desperation or shame and stone cold fear, they are the new freedom fighters. And make no mistake, they are the best of America.She then called on independents and undecideds to choose the presidential ticket that demonstrates values and character, saying [they] matter most of all in leadership and in life.Common sense tells you that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz can give us decency and respect. Theyre the ones who give it to us, she said. We are Americans. Let us choose loyalty to the Constitution over loyalty to any individual, because thats the best of America. And let us choose optimism over cynicism, because that is the best of America. And let us choose inclusion over retribution. Let us choose common sense over nonsense. I and let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the fearful return to yesterday.We wont go back. We wont be set back. Push back, bully back, kick back. Were not going back, Winfrey concluded. Let us choose truth, let us choose honor and let us choose joy, because thats the best of America. Transportation Secretary Pete ButtigiegJasper Colt-USA TODAY via IMAGN Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasper Colt-USA TODAYButtigieg began by blasting Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance and later emphaized Donald Trump rants about law and order, as if he wasnt a convicted criminal running against a prosecutor, as if we were going to forget that crime was higher on his watch, Buttigieg said, echoing recent comments he made on Fox News. And dont even get me started on his new running mate. At least [Trumps former Vice President] Mike Pence was polite.JD Vance is one of those guys who thinks if you dont live live a life that he has in mind for you, then you dont count. Someone who has said that, if you dont have kids, you have, quote, no physical commitment to the future of this country,' Buttigieg said. You know, Senator, when I deployed to Afghanistan, I didnt have kids then. Many of the men and women who went outside the wire with me didnt have kids either. But let me tell you, our commitment to the future of this country was pretty damn physical. By choosing Vance as his running mate, Buttigieg said that Trump and the Republicans are doubling down on negativity and grievance, committing to a concept of campaigning best summed up in one word: darkness. Darkness is what they are selling. The thing is, I just dont believe that America today is in the market for darkness. I believe America is ready for a better kind of politics.Theyre telling you that greatness comes from going back to the past, he continued. Theyre telling you that anyone different from you is a threat. Theyre telling you that your neighbor or nephew or daughter who disagrees with you politically isnt just wrong, but is now the enemy.Buttigieg then pivoted to his family, saying, The existence of my family is just one example of something that was literally impossible as recently as 25 years ago, when an anxious teenager growing up in Indiana, I wondered if he would ever find belonging in this world. This kind of life went from impossible to possible, from possible to real, from real to almost ordinary in less than half a lifetime, he continued. But that didnt just happen. It was brought about through idealism and courage, through organizing and persuasion and storytelling and yes, through politics, the right kind of politics, the kind of politics that can make an impossible dream into an everyday reality.So this November, we will choose a better politics, a politics that calls us to our better selves and offers us a better every day, he said. That is what Kamala Harris and Tim Walz represents. That is what Democrats represent. That is what awaits us when America decides to end Trumps politics of darkness once and for all. That is what we choose when we embrace the leaders who are out there building bridges and reject the ones who are out there banning books.Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)Mike De Sisti-USA TODAY via IMAGN Aug 21, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Former Speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike De Sisti-USA TODAY Retelling the story of the congressional vote certification that occurred immediately after the January 6, 2021 riots by Trumps followers on the U.S. Capitol, Pelosi said, Never before had a president of the United States so brazenly assaulted the bedrock of our democracy, so lethally embraced political violence, so willfully betrayed his oath of office. Let us not forget who assaulted democracy on January 6 [Trump] did. But let us not forget who saved democracy that day: We did, and thank God we had a Democratic House of Representatives.At the time, 139 of the 221 House Republicansnearly 63% of the GOP House Caucusvoted against certifying now-President Joe Bidens electoral victory. If they had voted as a majority party in the House, they could have helped Trump overturn the will of the over 75 million voters across the nation who cast ballots against him.The parable of January 6 reminds us that our democracy is only as strong as the courage and commitment of those entrusted with its care, she concluded, and we must choose leaders who believe in free and fair elections, who respect the peaceful transfer of power. The choice couldnt be clearer. Those leaders are vice president Harris and Governor Walz. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)Mike De Sisti-USA TODAY via IMAGN Aug 21, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike De Sisti-USA TODAYHeres the thing, Jeffries said. Extreme MAGA Republicans dont care about everyday Americans. They only care about themselves.Donald Trump is like an old boy who you broke up with, but he just wont go away, Jeffries added. He has spent the last four years spinning the block trying to get back into a relationship with the American people. Bro, we broke up with you for a reason.Trump was a mastermind of the GOP tax scam, where 83% of the benefits went to the wealthiest 1% in America, Jeffies continued. In America. Trump failed our country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump tried to destroy our democracy by lying about the election and inciting a violent mob to attack the Capitol. Trump put three extreme justices on the Supreme Court who destroyed Roe v. Wade.We broke up with you for a reason, Jeffies repeated. Donald Trump can spin the block all he wants, but theres no reason for us to ever get back together. Been there, done thatwere not going back. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D)Jasper Colt / USA TODAY NETWORK via IMAGN Colorado Gov. Jared Polis speaks during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center.Polis spent the majority of his speech highlighting Project 2025s plan to attack Americans reproductive rights.Here on page 562, it says that Donald Trump could use an obscure law from the 1800s to single handedly ban abortion in all 50 states, even putting doctors in jail, Polis said. Page 486 puts limits on contraception. Page 450 threatens access to IVF. On page 455, Project 2025 says that states have to report miscarriages to the Trump administration. Page 451 says the only legitimate family is a married mother and father, where only the father works.Project 2025 would turn the entire federal government and bureaucracy into a massive machine. It would weaponize it to control our reproductive and personal choices, Polis added. Democrats welcome weird, but were not weirdos telling families who can and cant have kids, who to marry or how to live our lives.These Project 2025 people, like Trump and Vance, are not just weirdtheyre dangerous. They want to take us backwards, but we arent going back, like ever, ever, ever, he concluded, repeating a lyric from one of his favorite musicians, Taylor Swift. Human Rights Campaign President Kelley RobinsonJasper Colt, Jasper Colt / USA TODAY NETWORK via IMAGN Kelley Robinson, President, Human Rights Campaign, speaks during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasper Colt-USA TODAYProgress is happening, my friends, Robinson said near the beginning of her speech. The 20 plus million LGBTQ+ Americans are living proof of it. We are your friends and your neighbors, your classmates and your family.Donald Trump wants to erase us, she said. He would ban our health care, belittle our marriages, bury our stories. But we are not going anywhere. We are not going back. The audience then began chanting, Were not going back.Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, they are champions for LGBTQ+ freedom yall, Robinson said. So tonight were fighting for lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and trans freedom without exception. Were fighting for equality for all without exception. Were fighting for joy. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D)Jasper Colt, Jasper Colt / USA TODAY NETWORK via IMAGN Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel speaks during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasper Colt-USA TODAYBeing Attorney General is a tough job, but as Californias Attorney General, Kamala Harris, never shied away from a good fight, Nessel said. But what really stands out is when she stood up and protected her constituents freedoms.In 2011, she refused to defend Californias ban on same-sex marriage. She refused to argue that some families should have fewer rights than other families, it meant that a lot: She was fighting for families like mine, Nessel said.By the way, I have a message for the Republicans and the justices of the United States Supreme Court, Nessel said, holding up her left ring finger. You can pry this wedding band from my cold, dead, gay hand!As the crowd cheered, she added, And Im retaining a lot of water, so good luck with that.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 130 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMPro-Palestinian nonbinary DNC delegate remains uncommitted to HarrisJune Rose, a transgender and nonbinary delegate to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) is one of 36 nationwide delegates who remain uncommitted to the partys presidential nominee, Kamala Harris.Rose, a 29-year-old from Rhode Island, is one of several delegates withholding their support of Harris in protest of the Biden administrations support of Israel. Israel has continued its assault on Gaza and its noncombatant civilians in the aftermath of Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Hamas attack which killed over 1200 people and left nearly 200 abducted as hostages. Related Benjamin Netanyahu claims Iran paid gay people to protest against Israel In his speech to a joint session of Congress yesterday, the Prime Minister of Israel compared queers for Palestine to Chickens for KFC. My horror for the Hamas attack on October 7 is not in contradiction for the genocide that is still being perpetrated against the people of Palestine, Rose told The Rhode Island Current in July, before Biden stepped away from his campaign and Harris clinched the nomination. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Roses goal is to persuade some of the 3,900 other delegates to pressure Harris into a leveraging the United States influence to help end the Israel-Hamas war. Rose says their work on political campaigns and in the byzantine bureaucracies that make government work has helped prepare them for the fight.I have never found it a challenge or a moral difficulty to cry for two people, Rose said of their sympathy for the both Palestinians and Israelis. My job has always been about outcomes, about winning. Here, winning means fewer Palestinian children are killed. There would be no greater victory than helping save the lives of Palestinian children living under occupation.Rose declined to discuss their tactics to make that happen, but said theyve been in touch with other uncommitted delegates ahead of the convention in virtual strategy sessions.For a long time, Ive heard anxiety that I am going to help elect Trump by protesting the Biden administrations policy. Now the wind under the sails of that criticism is totally gone. Rose said they know many delegates across the country who have extreme anxiety about our situation, and I hope to encourage them to use their voices.I am not going as a rabble-rouser or to make a scene, Rose said of their role at the convention. My goal is to make a difference. If we have real seats at the table as decisions are made about our partys posture toward the war in Gaza, thats it.Rose pointed to the Rhode Island primary in April when the Biden-Harris ticket was rebuffed by 29% of uncommitted Democratic voters.Symbolically, I think that 29% of voters say Joe Biden does not speak for us on this issue is extremely significant, Rose said.Rose spent a post-graduation year in Israel to study rabbinic texts. During Passover break, they crossed the border into Palestine with an educational tour program. The two days they spent in Palestine changed the course of their entire world, they said. For me, it changed everything, not only on the issues of Israel and Palestine, but also my politics, my relationship with my community and with myself, they said.The neighborhoods in Gaza, many of which have now been reduced to rubble, were a 10-minute drive from where Rose lived. These days, Rose considers the 15,000 children in Gaza who have been killed since the war began. The neighborhoods and children remind Rose of those in Providence.Despite their strong feelings on the ongoing conflict, Rose said theyre not in Chicago to be a spoiler.I am in this role to represent the freedom and justice for Palestine movement, they said.This is about winning the presidency, Rose added. In order to win in November, the Democratic nominee needs to take a bold stance on ending the war. There is a role for us as uncommitted delegates before the nomination, during the nomination and after the nomination.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 133 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMGay Rep. Robert Garcia reveals Kamala Harris biggest LGBTQ+ goal for her presidencyGay U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D) has revealed the largest LGBTQ+ policy aim of Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris as Democrats enter day three of the Democratic National Convention (DNC). While several DNC speakers have mentioned LGBTQ+ issues, few to none have mentioned specific queer-focused policies.LGBTQ equality, actually, [Harris] has said herself, is a top legislative priority; shes spoken to it many times, Garcia told The Los Angeles Blade, but I also believe that her administration will be reflective of the diversity of this country, including within the LGBTQ+ community. Related Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris on LGBTQ+ rights: A side-by-side comparison LGBTQ+ rights are a crucial issue in the 2024 election. Heres where Donald Trump and Kamala Harris stand on key queer issues. Specifically, Garcia mentioned that Harris will pursue the passage of the Equality Act, a bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing federal anti-discrimination laws.The bill would need Republican supporters in order to pass through the House and Senate. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today So I think you can see [in Harriss agenda] not just the Equality Act, which we support, but also ensuring were not banning books and that were not doing horrible things to attack the community, Garcia said.School districts in red states nationwide have instituted bans against books with LGBTQ+ and racially inclusive content. Even when school districts dont outright ban books, political campaigns of hostility against queer- and racial-inclusive education can discourage teachers from discussing any potentially taboo topics, according to the free speech organization PEN America.In September 2023, the administration of President Joe Biden appointed a book ban coordinator tasked with telling schools with book bans that they may be violating federal law that could result in federal penalties, including reduced educational funding. However, there hasnt been much news about the coordinators actions since their appointment. As for the other horrible things to attack the community that Garcia referenced, Republicans in 26 states have passed bans and restrictions in gender-affirming care and also bans on trans youth participating in sports teams matching their gender identity. These bans have coincided with a push in conservative school districts to forcibly out transgender and nonbinary students and to forbid their use of bathrooms and other facilities matching their gender identity.Trump is running on an extreme plan to punish doctors who treat transgender youth and to ban gender-affirming care, and his MAGA Republican allies have pushed a tidal wave of extreme anti-LGBTQI+ bills in statehouses across the country, the 2024 Democratic platform states. Democrats will vigorously oppose state and federal bans on gender-affirming healthcare and respect the role of parents, families, and doctors not politicians in making health care decisions.The platform also pledges to prohibit anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination among federal government contractors, to ensure that federally-funded senior programs are LGBTQ+-inclusive, to ban conversion therapy for queer youth, and to provide more resources for investigating violent crimes against trans and nonbinary people. [Trump] has been incredibly homophobic and has been incredibly, I think, shameful in his attacks on the community, Garcia said. [Comparatively] when [Harris] was D.A. in the Bay Area, she was one of the first people in the country to marry same-sex couples and started that whole revolution across the country.During the DNC, numerous speakers have mentioned book bans as well as kids and adults being discriminated against for who they are and who they love.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 136 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMRon DeSantis & Moms for Liberty crushed by school board election lossesTwo parental rights candidates running for Florida school board seats who were endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and the anti-LGBTQ+ group Moms for Liberty (M4L) were crushed in their elections on Tuesday, while a third is headed to a runoff. Overall, out of 23 total school board endorsements made by DeSantis, five of his candidates won, 12 lost and six advanced to the November runoff. Related Moms for Liberty plotting election season comeback after threesome scandal & rape allegations Unnamed funders will help the group go national with a $3 million campaign blitz in battleground states. Incumbents Laura Hine and Eileen Long held off challengers endorsed by DeSantis and M4L, who hoped to produce a far-right majority on the Pinellas County school board in St. Petersburg. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Unofficial results revealed current school board chair Hine and her colleague Long held their seats after an ugly campaign dominated by the hectoring M4L moms arguing for their parental rights agenda.The incumbents countered that the DeSantis-backed candidates would create turmoil on the board and distract from the real work of student achievement in the Gulf Coast district.Hine overwhelmed her opponent Danielle Marolf winning 69% of the vote compared to Marolfs 30%. Board member Long took out challenger Erika Picard, 54% to 45%.A third candidate opposing the DeSantis-inspired Moms for Liberty agenda, Katie Blaxberg, earned 34% against two opponents: DeSantis-backed Stacy Geier with 37% of the vote and Brad DeCorte netting 28%. Blaxberg arguedthe parental rightsactivists have gone too far in their facetious hunt for pornography in school libraries, their groomer accusations, and erasure of LGBTQ+ identity and uncomfortable historical truths like slavery.The misinformation that has been spread by this group of people and the intent to place mistrust in our teachers, Blaxberg told the Associated Press, people are tired of it.Blaxberg and Geier will face each other in a runoff.We have got to stay focused on that work at hand and not be subject to the social political winds, board president Hine said ahead of the vote. Education is vital, and it has to be stable. I think we really have succeeded with that so far here in Pinellas County. DeSantis backed #Florida school board candidates got crushed tonight. A candidate needs 50% to win, or else the top 2 advance to a runoff in Nov.Green = winYellow = runoffRed = lossOut of 23 total, 5 candidates won, 12 lost and 6 advanced to the Nov runoff. Not great, Ron pic.twitter.com/kKvyCcMUqK LAPYS (@lapys1738) August 21, 2024In May, M4L embarked on a hoped-for comeback campaign following the libertine scandals of their co-founder Bridget Ziegler whose bisexual contretemps were exposed last year. Her husband, who participated in the threesomes, was fired from his job as Florida GOP chair afterrape allegations from one of the couples sexual partners. Afterwards, Bridget Zieglers influence on Sarasotas school boardevaporated like a puddle of hypocrisy.The group made a name for themselves as a close ally of the Florida governor and failed Republican presidential candidate by promoting his Dont Say Gay legislation andhunting down LGBTQ+ contentin local school libraries when they werent busy hijacking local school board meetings.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 134 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMRichard Simmons family reveals what killed the iconic fitness guruThe brother of iconic fitness instructor and TV personality Richard Simmons has revealed what caused the unexpected July 13th death of the beloved celebrity. Simmons passed away one day after his 76th birthday.At the time of his passing, reports circulated that Simmons had died after falling in his bathroom on July 12. The celebrity gossip website TMZ reported that, after his fall, his housekeeper had implored him to get medical attention, but Simmons refused because he wanted to spend his birthday at home. Related Richard Simmons sued a tabloid for calling him trans. Now he has to pay their legal fees. Being called transgender is not defamatory. Simmons reportedly promised the housekeeper that he would seek medical attention if he still felt unwell the following day. His housekeeper reportedly helped him to bed and found the fitness gurus body on the floor near his bed the following morning. At the time, the media received no further information on what mightve caused his death. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today That changed on Wednesday when People magazinereceived a statement from the Simmons family spokesperson, Tom Estey. The statement explained the circumstances of Simmons passing as told to Simmons brother, Lenny.This morning, Richard Simmons brother Lenny, received a call from the LA Coroners office. The Coroner informed Lenny that Richards death was accidental due to complications from recent falls and heart disease as a contributing factor, Esteys statement read. The toxicology report was negative other than medication Richard had been prescribed. The Family wishes to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support during this time of great loss.Two days before his death, Simmons told the aforementioned publication, I feel good! I am grateful that Im here, that I am alive for another day. Ill spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is to help people. He also joked that he would celebrate his birthday by blowing out a candle, but the candle will probably be on a zucchini, he joked, adding,You know, Im a vegetarian.During his life, Simmons created over 50 workout videos, including his well-known Sweatin to the Oldies series which featured people of various sizes and ages exercising to rock-and-roll hits from the 1950s and 60s. He was also known for selling a diet and portion control program called Deal-a-Meal.While Richard Simmons never publicly confirmed his sexual orientation, after his death, fellow fitness icon Jane Fonda told Entertainment Weekly, I saw him last when I took him and a boyfriend of his to lunch at the Polo Lounge. The relationship was new and he was proud.Simmons brother told People magazine, I dont want people to be sad about my brother. I want them to remember him for the genuine joy and love he brought to peoples lives. He truly cared about people. He called, wrote and emailed thousands of people throughout his career to offer help.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 156 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMTrump campaign seeks felony charges for sexual mutilation of childrenOn Tuesday, the campaign of former President Donald Trump announced that, if elected, his new administration will make it a felony to perform gender affirming surgeries on minors without parental consent.To protect our children from sexual mutilation, we will make it a felony for any medical professional to perform surgery on a minor without parental consent, the campaign reportedly stated in a prepared speech for a rally in Howell, Michigan. Related Cis boys get gender-affirming surgeries more often than trans minors The study flies in the face of right-wing talking points. From prepared remarks:I am announcing today that I will be asking for the DEATH PENALTY for child rapists and child traffickers.And to protect our children from sexual mutilation, we will make it a felony for any medical professional to perform surgery on a minor without Reese Gorman (@reesejgorman) August 20, 2024 Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today This announcement was one along with several others for Trumps speech. However, it was not announced at the actual rallyinstead, the announcement came from a full speech being revealed to select reporters. It was celebrated on X by Karoline Leavitt, the former Trump administrations assistant press secretary.BIG NEWS: https://t.co/xvK2qvKf6A Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) August 20, 2024 Currently, there is no evidence that such procedures take place. Gender-affirming surgeries for minors are exceedingly rare, with such procedures most commonly done on cisgender boys with gynecomastia, a disorder that leads to unwanted breast development.However, in every case of a gender-affirming surgery done on a minor, it is done with parental consent and heavy parental involvement in the childs gender transition.Trumps speech also highlighted several other policy positions, including his stance that child rapists deserve the death penalty automatically.I am announcing today that I will be asking for the DEATH PENALTY for child rapists and child traffickers, the prepared speech allegedly states.It is unclear what purpose the death penalty serves. Scientific evidence suggests that it is not an effective deterrent for crime. Additionally, according to the criminal justice reform group The Innocence Project, 4% of all death penalty convictions are against innocent people, many of whom are people of color.The proposal is part of Trumps general policy stance depicting the Harris administration as weak on crime. Theyre just weak on crime, Trump said last week of the Harris campaign during a Pennsylvania rally. They dont mind if somebody murders somebody. They dont want them to go to jail. You can kill somebody now. They do a lot of bad things, and we have to win this election because crime statistics are a disaster.Whether the Harris campaign is weak on crime is largely a subjective belief. However, there is no evidence that crime rates have increased during the Harris administration. In fact, they have been on a steady decline the past few years.If re-elected Trump has promised to ban gender-affirming care for minors nationwide and prohibit federal agencies from promot[ing] the concept of sex and gender transition at any age.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 141 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMTrumps socialist smear against Harris & Walz is actually a badge of honorDonald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), having been trying to label Kamala Harris and her new vice-presidential pick, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), with a charge that will gain tractions. So far, they have thrown so much spaghetti onto the wallno pun intendedbut so far all of it has slid to the floor into a fungal mass.Now Trump and mini-Trump have tagged the Democratic duo as left-wing socialists in an attempt to impugn their political records and proposals. Related Pete Buttigieg, Oprah Winfrey & Tim Walz destroy Trump & Vance during DNCs third night Four LGBTQ+ speakers graced the stage, with one of them telling the Supreme Court, You can pry this wedding band from my cold, dead, gay hand! Even before the Cold War and the so-called McCarthy Period (named after Wisconsin Sen. Joseph McCarthy), individuals and groups on the political and theocratic Right have flung the term socialist from their metaphoric sling shots into the faces of their political opponents to discredit their characters and dismiss their political ideas and policies, and to sway the electorate toward a conservative agenda. This has continued as evidenced by the right-wing representations of President Barack Obama and of various progressive politicians up to the present day. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today As destructive and as freedom-killing as the Right would have us believe,socialisminvolves a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole, where each of us has a stake and advances in the success of our collective economy.No country in the world today stands as a fully Ssocialist state, but rather, some of the most successful economies combine elements of capitalism with socialism to create greater degrees of equity and fewer disparities between the rich, the poor, and those on the continuum in between.I, therefore, would say to those who thrust the term socialist as an epithetif a socialist is one who advocates for a government-sponsored single-payer quality universal health care system, which includes medical procedures and safe and reasonably-priced prescription and over-the-counter drug therapies, including contraception devices and freedom to control ones reproductive decisionsthen I am a proud socialist! If a socialist is one who demands that our country protects and enhances our Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid safety nets, and school breakfasts and lunches, paid family leave, subsidize childcare, child tax credits, and other assistance programs, then I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who advocates for the further nationalization of our parks, forests, mountains, rivers, streams, shores, and off-shore waters, rather than allocating increased corporate mining, drilling, and timber rights, then I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who advocates for free and quality education, not only through grade 12, but throughout higher education and after for everyone who desires and works to achieve their fullest potential, then I am a proud socialist! If a socialist is one who advocates for a government-sponsored program that guarantees our seniors a retirement system that ensures a high quality of life free from economic burdens, then I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who advocates for the rights of workers to organize and to collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions, and guarantees equal pay for equal work, then I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who battles to eliminate workplace discrimination and larger societal inequalities based on race, nationality, linguistic background, citizenship status, age, marriage status, sex, sexual identity, gender identity and expression, disability, socioeconomic standing, religion, and other social identities, then I am a proud socialist! If a socialist is one who works to ensure that everyone is guaranteed a comfortable and secure place to live, one who guards against a banking system that forecloses peoples homes through scurrilous business practices, and one who tightens regulations on Wall Street and banks to limit the risks of future meltdowns, then I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who supports effective governmental regulations on food producers to safeguard our food supply and protect against the maltreatment of animals, then I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who places reasonable regulations on corporations, companies, and individuals to defend our environment, supports development and distribution of clean and renewable energy sources, and spends the funds necessary to enhance and maintain the nations infrastructure, then I am a proud socialist! If a socialist is one who supports reasonable and fair restrictions on the political process to prevent mammoth contributions by individuals and corporations to buy and own politicians to influence public policy, while locking out individuals and groups unable to amass large political funds, then I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who challenges a military industrial complex that marches to the beat of industry, and a prison industrial complex that perpetuates the racial and socioeconomic class inequities pervasive throughout society, then I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who guarantees quality and timely health care and other programs for our military veterans, then I am a proud socialist! If a socialist is one who contests and advocates for effective restrictions on the so-called free market economic system that enables the creation and enhancement of mega monopolies, outsourcing of jobs, manufacture of defective products, and exploitation of destructive fossil fuels, then I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who places common sense regulations on the ownership of all firearms to protect the population from assault, injury, and death, then I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who supports an end to and reversal of all current and past attempts at voter suppression of minoritized groups, young people, elders, working class voters, and seeks guaranteed equal access to the voting booths, then I am a proud socialist! If a socialist is one who promotes and enacts compassionate and fair immigration, naturalization, and refugee shelters laws, and works with other nations to protect its residents from gang violence and from stifling poverty, which when unabated makes it necessary for people to flee in order to survive, then I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who considers corporations as corporations rather than as people my friend, and compels these businesses to follow the laws of incorporated venturesand not as religious institutionsthen I am a proud socialist!If a socialist is one who constructs and maintains a strict wall of separation between religion and government, then I am a proud socialist! If a socialist is one who demands a true progressive tax structure where everyone pays their fair share, one that inhibits massive inequities in the overwhelming accumulation of wealth by the top one-tenth percent of the nation as is currently the case in the United States, then I am a VERY proud socialist! And the list goes on.Last year, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development conducted its Better Life Index to determine the happiest countries in the world, according to its residents. Based on an 11-measure survey assessing quality of lifeincluding housing, income, jobs, community, education, the environment, health, work-life balance, and life satisfactionall the Scandinavian countries, plus The Netherlands and Austria, Canada, Australia and Israel all reached the top 10 countries.Therefore, we might do well to look to these countries for some of their socialist policies that sustain high levels of quality-of-life issues for their residents.So, I will always challenge those who wish to continue the economic and social status quo when using the term socialist as a means of intimidation flung as an epithet. But, rather, I welcome and embrace the term as a declaration of empowerment, pride, and hope for a better social structure in a better tomorrow.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 138 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMNigerian LGBTQ+ people struck with grief after death of trans influencerThe gruesome murder of a popular Nigerian trans woman, Chantell, famously known as Area Mama of Abuja, has plunged the Nigerian LGBTQ+ and TikTok community into intense grief.In the early hours of August 8, the body of Chantell was discovered on the roadside of an express highway in the capital city of Abuja, where she lived and worked as a sex worker while owning a local beauty supply store. Related LGBTQ+ Nigerians face debilitating workplace prejudice Nigerian LGBTQ+ employees have no legal support in the country and must often hide their true selves. The police say they are looking into it as a murder, and the devastation experienced by her friends, colleagues, and TikTok fans cannot be measured. Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Ive been crying since I got the news, I still cant believe shes dead, Vera, one of her colleagues, told LGBTQ Nation. Area Mama didnt deserve the ill fate she got. She was a nice lady and the kindest person Ive ever known she had so many dreams for the future and her killers just took everything away from her. Nigeria failed her!Beyond shock, another transgender woman, Cookie, found herself questioning her safety. She stated that Chantells death traumatized her and shattered her hopes for the future in Nigeria.What happened to Area Mama could easily have been any of us. She was brutally murdered in cold blood and her killers are still out there. The police said they have opened an investigation into her death but I think everyone in this community and myself knows that is a big lie. The police are one of the people hounding our community and extorting us when they were supposed to be protecting us, Cookie said. They cant even protect average innocent Nigerians, so what makes anyone think they would care about us when they all believe were lawbreakers and society pariahs.Nigeria is a conservative society with strict gender norms, and those who deviate from these norms are targeted. Same-sex relationships are criminalized in the West African country and punished with a 14-year-long prison sentence. The situation is more dire in Northern Nigeria, a predominantly Islamic region that practices Sharia law and punishes homosexuality with a death sentence.Emmanuel, a college student and a devoted fan of Area Mama on TikTok, told LGBTQ Nation that hearing about her death was gut-wrenching. He had just left a comment on a TikTok video she posted six hours before her death. I got the shock of my life on Thursday morning when I woke up to an Instagram blog post saying Area Mama was murdered still in disbelief, and I quickly went to her TikTok page where I saw the comments flooded with sympathizers dropping R.I.P messages and my heart sank, the 22-year-old said.I had no idea of what happened so I quickly went to Twitter hoping to get more information about what killed her. Thats when I saw multiple graphic photos of her lifeless body lying bare on the road like roadkill. Not only did they kill her, but they also wanted to humiliate her by positioning her body on a highway and ripping her dress to expose her genitals.Emmanuel was most angered by the homophobic and hateful remarks made by some Nigerians in the wake of such a traumatic event. Just in a few hours, there were multiple TikTok videos, Twitter, and Facebook posts/comments trolling the victim, saying she deserves it and some went as far as congratulating whoever her killer was. Ive always known Nigerians were violently homophobic, but for a deeply religious nation, I had no idea they were also emotionless zombies who showed they were incapable of basic human sympathy or logical reasoning toward queer people, he said.Someone was brutally murdered, meaning that some dangerous killers are on the loose, but they are more concerned about the victim being transgender. Same with the authorities who were called to the scene of the crime where a long traffic had already piled up, but everyone, including the spectators, was worried about the discovered body having a bra on with male genitalia, Emmanuel added.Area Mama had a loyal fan base on social media, where she made a six to eight-part series on the story of her life, discussing her challenges, successes, childhood struggles, and abuse while growing up in a poor polygamous household. The 33-year-old was also candid about her life as a transgender woman and the risks of being a sex worker. You could leave home at night to hustle and not return the next morning, she said in a recent YouTube interview.Through her powerful storytelling, she was able to build a fanbase on TikTok. Both fans and haters were always tuned in to hear whatever she had to say. She talked about her confrontations with clients, arrests and tussles with the police, and homophobes who tried to hurt her. She described herself as the number one Abuja crossdresser and queen of the street.Chantell was frank about the abuses and violence she had to endure since she was 10, from sexual assaults to physical violence that left her with injuries and bruises. The majority of the time, she came and posted a video with a black eye, bodily injuries, and bandages. But none of these broke her; she kept on being the strong and kind human she was. She said her posts were only meant to reflect her life and educate her followers. Three months ago, she posted a video with a lacerated arm, in which she disclosed that she had just been stabbed in the market. She also mentioned that she had gone to multiple police stations to report the incident, but she was ridiculed and turned away while hospitals refused to treat her wounds.Most of her storytelling content can barely be found online anymore due to cyberbullying. Chantell was on the receiving end of a constant stream of harassment, forced to create new accounts because her content always gets taken down and her account deleted due to heavy reporting by people who didnt like her. Her TikTok live videos were always filled with negative comments, which she said made her block people.A few hours after her body was found, misinformation about her death proliferated through the blogs and graphic images of her body were circulated online. In her last post onInstagramon Wednesday, she said she was getting ready to see her boyfriend, while a few hours before her death, she made a post onTikTokin a cab wearing the same clothes she had on in the graphic pictures circulating online.Nigerian blogs mocked and were making cautionary comments about her death. One blogger wrote, Area Mama knew the consequences of being a homosexual in Nigeria and paid the price. I hope other crossdressers learn from this and repent or they will be next. Another post shared on Facebook said, Abuja Homosexual Prostitute Meets His Waterloo. Many people cheered and even praised her killers, and some even went as far as attacking people who showed sympathy for the victim.Despite the negative publicity and slanderous lies being circulated by the local media the news of her death caused an outpouring of grief on social media. Her fans quickly came to her defense while expressing their sadness. A popular influencer, Angel Smith, spoke out against the negativity circulating online after the news of her death broke.You guys are wicked, God forbid you people and then youll come and be shouting at the government when you guys are inherently as wicked and sick as they are. Rest in peace, Area Mama, I hope youre at peace now. May your killers know no peace, she wrote on Twitter.Hate that Abuja Area Mama had to die such a horrible death. They were really just living life, trying to make money and pay it forth. Cruel, heartless, and hateful humans everywhere. another Twitter user wrote. Philip, a Nigerian LGBTQ+ rights activist, told LGBTQ Nation he strongly believes that Area Mamas murder was a targeted hate despite what the media is reporting.Being transgender was bad enough to strip the victim of getting media sympathy, the news of her being a sex worker exacerbated the situation and turned the media against her. Theyre saying her death was a deal gone wrong but were not buying it, he said.Anyone who follows true crime stories knows this was a targeted attack, he said. She wasnt killed on the road, her body was just dropped there and she had a visible black trauma to the left side of her face. Her perpetrators were still trying to humiliate her because she was positioned in a vertical position, dress ripped open, exposing her genitalia while the contents of her bags containing condoms and lubes poured out beside the body. Philip said he has no faith in the Nigerian authorities to solve this case. LGBTQ+ individuals have always been discriminated against and persecuted in Nigeria, and the police have been enablers.The LGBTQ+ community is still reeling, and the most callous thing in these difficult times is witnessing everything unfold and knowing that queer people are not only unprotected but will never get justice if they ever become victims of this cruel world that have always viewed them as subhumans.Queer lives are unprotected in Africa as a whole, and the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ bills is currently exacerbating the situation, Philip says. This is exactly why we are tirelessly fighting against it because it discriminates and sends the wrong message to the public that our lives do not matter and they can get away with killing us. We must keep fighting and not let hate win.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 149 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMHow Kamala Harris stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, uses art to support trans people of colorVice President and now Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is the proud stepmother to Ella and Cole Emhoff. The two are her husbands, Doug Emhoff, children from a first marriage, who call Harris Momala. Emhoff and Harris married in 2014. Ella Emhoff is famous for being Harris stepdaughter, but less known is known her activism and how she uses her art to help Black trans people. Related Barack & Michelle Obama blast Trump & offer hope in second night of DNC speeches Obama called Trump a 78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago. Emhoffs website describes her as a multi-disciplinary artist and creator who founded Soft Hands, Inc. in 2021 to explore opportunities in fashion, design, creative consulting, and hosting events. She graduated from Parsons School of Design in Manhattan with a degree in Fine Arts. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Soft Hands is a knitting group Emhoff started as a way to teach people how to knit and to hangout with other creative susty baddies while learning.In November 2021, Emhoff launched a knit pants raffle to support For The Gworls,a collective that curates parties to raise money for Black trans people. The money is used to help support the financial needs of Black trans people, from rental assistance to co-pays to expenses related to gender-affirming healthcare.It was created by Asanni Armon, a queer artist who sees the club as a safe haven for Black transgender people, and by extension, believes that it should be used as a tool to sustain Black trans livelihood.In an Instagram post, Emhoff wrote that they are doing really beautiful work and are currently seeking more funds to help them shorten their assistance wait time.The fundraiser asked people to donate $10 to possibly win a pair of custom-made side-knit pants. Emhoffs advocacy comes at a time in which there have been 527 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in the United States in 2024 alone, according to the ACLUs database, which tracks anti-equality bills across the country.Emhoff is in Chicago this week at the Democratic National Convention supporting her stepmom as Harris continues her campaign to win the presidency and become the first female president of the United States. The potential first daughter posted a picture from the event on Instagram of herself holding two disposable cameras, saying that she was doing some important behind the scenes reporting.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 141 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMTrans girl appeared in court in soccer uniform, won the right to play & headed straight to practiceTwo trans girls and their families are suing New Hampshires education officials over a ban on trans student-athletes playing in womens sports. But a judge granted an emergency order that allows them to play on their respective teamsone of whom attended the hearing in her athletic clothes and left the courtroom to go straight to practice. 15-year-old Parker Tirrell and 14-year-old Iris Turmelle and their families filed a lawsuit against New Hampshire H.B. 1205, the Fairness in Womens Sports Act, one of a slew of anti-trans bills that Republican Governor Chris Sununu signed into law in July. Related Gay flamingo couple surprises caretakers by hatching a chick at zoo Love wins at Paignton Zoo! Curtis and Arthur, a gay flamingo couple, have hatched an adorable chick. The law went into effect on Sunday and bars trans women and girls from competing on school sports teams at K-12 schools and public universities. Tirrell and Turmelle are suing, saying that it is both a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution and Title IX, the federal anti-discrimination statute that protects students from gender discrimination at school. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The plaintiffs filed additional motions along with the lawsuit: an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order, requesting that Tirrell and Turmelle be allowed to try out and play on their respective sports teams, and a motion to block the law from enforcement while the case proceeds.Yesterday, the emergency motion was granted by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya McCafferty, meaning that Tirell could head straight to soccer practice, independent LGBTQ+ journalist Erin Reed reported. Tirrell was wearing her athletic gear in the courtroom while the decision was read out, and according to NBC 10 Boston, made it in time for her Monday night soccer practice. 1. In what has to be one of the coolest stories, a Federal Judge ruled Parker Tirrell, a trans teen, could play soccer with her friends and teammates.JUST in time for her to go to practice. She wore her athletic clothes in the courtroom.Subscribe to support my journalism. pic.twitter.com/KyGx2JPwKv Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) August 19, 2024Tirrell gave a statement via a press release toThem, where she she said that playing soccer with her teammates is where she feels the most free and happy.Were there for each other, win or lose, she said. Not being allowed to play on my team with the other girls would disconnect me from so many of my friends and make school so much harder. I just want to be myself and to learn, play, and support my teammates like I did last year.Turmelle also gave a press release, saying that starting freshman year in the fall is exciting and new, and she was excited to try out for sports.Ive been looking forward to trying out for the tennis and track teams because it will be a way to make more friends in my new school, and I know Ill learn a lot from it, she said. Im a transgender girl, Ive known that my whole life and everyone knows Im a girl. I dont understand why I shouldnt get to have the same opportunities as other girls at school.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 144 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMTexas removes trans peoples ability to change their IDs gender markerTransgender Texans are no longer able to change the gender marker on their state IDs, including if they have a court order or they have an amended birth certificate, according to KUT.The only way Texans can change the gender marker is if its demonstrated to be a clerical error. However, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), this is no longer in effect. The previous DPS rules were quietly removed from their website yesterday. A spokesperson for the DPS blamed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) for the change. Related Texas removes trans peoples ability to change their IDs gender marker Anyone seeking to change their gender will be added to a database that state Republicans can access. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has recently raised concerns regarding the validity of court orders being issued which purport to order state agenciesincluding DPSto change the sex of individuals in government records, including driver licenses and birth certificates, the agency told KUT. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Neither DPS nor other government agencies are parties to the proceedings that result in the issuance of these court orders, and the lack of legislative authority and evidentiary standards for the Courts to issue these orders has resulted in the need for a comprehensive legal review by DPS and the OAG. Therefore, as of Aug. 20, 2024, DPS has stopped accepting these court orders as a basis to change sex identification in department recordsincluding driver licenses, the agency added.Ian Pittman, an attorney who works with trans Texans, told The Texas Tribune that the policy change opens up heavy privacy concerns for trans Texans as theyre forced to have an ID that doesnt match their gender. This can lead to discrimination, harassment, and violence, as well as difficulty accessing services that require ID.This is now backed up by policy at the DPS as the department will document and scan any birth certificate changes or court orders into the DPS system without being used to process any changes to gender marker.It will put people on a list that could interfere with their health care, he said, advising trans Texans to not submit court orders to the DPS. This comes in the midst of additional attempts to block trans people from changing their ID markers in states like Florida and Kansas, along with numerous anti-LGBTQ measures by Paxton and Texas Gov. Greg Abott (R). Two years ago, Paxton required employees at DPS to compile a list of individuals who have requested a change to their gender marker.Texans will now be subject to involuntary surveillance for simply trying to update a government document, Brad Pritchett, interim CEO of Equality Texas, said in a statement. There is no clear reason why this information would be useful to the DPS nor is there a legitimate reason to deny gender marker updates on drivers licenses.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 137 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMDrag Race stars serve up democratic realness at Drag PACs Drag Night Chicago eventIn a celebration of queerness and democracy, Drag PAC hosted its first-ever drag show at the Metro Theater in Chicago on August 21, alongside the Democratic National Convention (DNC) happening in the city. The show, titled Drag Night Chicago: A Voter Registration Kiki, brought together a dazzling array of performers, activists, and political organizers to not only entertain but also inspire and mobilize the LGBTQ+ community to vote in the upcoming 2024 elections.Drag PAC takes center stageDrag PAC, a newly formed political action committee led by some of the biggest names in drag, made its official debut at the DNC this week. Alumni of RuPauls Drag RaceAlaska, BenDeLaCreme, Jinkx Monsoon, Mont X Change, Peppermint, and Willamare at the forefront of this effort, aiming to empower and mobilize LGBTQ+ voters. Their mission is clear: Protect LGBTQ+ rights through democratic action in 2024. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today DragPAC founding queen, BenDeLaCreme, on stage at Drag Night Chicago | Photo: Ian HelmsThe Chicago event was a powerful showcase of this mission, with BenDeLaCreme making a special appearance to speak to the crowd, joined by activist and politician Honey Mahogany. Both delivered passionate calls to action, emphasizing the importance of the queer vote and the need to uplift and build the community. The recurring message was to get out and do something, because our rights are at stake. Lucy Stoole, the host for the evening and a beloved Chicago queen, echoed these sentiments, encouraging everyone to take political action at every levellocal, state, and federal. Related Drag Race alumni form historic first-ever PAC led by famous queens Their goal is to register more people to vote and to encourage eligible voters who did not vote in the last election. A night of fierce performances and political calls to actionBambi Banks-Coule mid-performance at the Drag PAC event | Photo: Ian HelmsWhile the focus of the night was undeniably on the politics, the drag performances did not disappoint. Local queens such as Sheeza Woman, Bambi Banks-Coulee got the crowds excited with their high-energy numbers. One of the evenings best moments was Sheeza Womans epic act as Baby Yoda, taking on Trump/Vance stormtroopers and revealing a Kamala Harris/Tim Walz outfit. Local queens Sativa Diamond, Angelca Grace, Dusty Bahls, and the events DJ, Miss Toto, also owned the stage!Detox and Willam also took the stage separately before reuniting for a nostalgic performance of their 2012 anti-Chick-fil-A anthem, Chow Down (at Chick-fil-A), a campy anthem about the fast food chain with an anti-LGBTQ+ history. Related Can drag queens swing the election? Cynthia Lee Fontaine says theyre more powerful than you think. From the moment you start to put on your eyelashes and transform yourself, its political, says the Drag Out the Vote activist. Empowering voters: Drag PACs missionPromo poster for Drag Night Chicago: A Voter Registration Kiki | Image: Drag PACStations were set up throughout the venue where attendees could register to vote, sign up to canvas, and learn more about how to get involved in the fight to protect LGBTQ+ rights. The emphasis on action aligns perfectly with Drag PACs mission to register 100,000 new voters this election season and make a tangible impact on the 2024 elections.In addition to Drag PACs efforts, local organizations like Q Force played a crucial role in the evenings success. Q Force, a grassroots organization dedicated to mobilizing LGBTQ+ Chicagoans to volunteer for Democrats in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan, was on hand to connect attendees with volunteer opportunities.Their leadership team, representing a diverse cross-section of Chicagos LGBTQ+ communities, highlighted the importance of unity and collective action to ensure that Midwestern Democrats win in 2024. Throughout the night, the speakers and performers reiterated that the upcoming elections are not just about the presidency. Drag bans, book bans, and other LGBTQ+ rights are under threat at every level of government, and its more important than ever to engage politically. Drag PACs first show was not just a celebration of drag cultureit was a rallying cry for the LGBTQ+ community to stand up and fight for their rights in the face of unprecedented legislative attacks. Related Kamala Harris to appear on Drag Race All Stars season finale You betta vote! Chicagos LGBTQ+ community stood tall with the DNCDrag Night Chicagos host and local drag queen, Lucy Stoole | Photo: Ian HelmsThis event took place in conjunction with the Democratic National Convention, also happening in Chicago this week. With such a significant political backdrop, Drag Night Chicago served as a reminder of the intersection between queer culture and politics. As the night came to a close, it was clear that this was just the beginning for Drag PAC and their mission to protect and empower the LGBTQ+ community through voter engagement and political action.Drag Night Chicago wasnt just another drag showit was a bold and necessary fusion of activism, artistry, and community-building, proving that when drag meets democracy, powerful things can happen. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter to stay informed and updated on all things LGBTQ+ news and politics.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 143 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMAnti-LGBTQ+ hate preacher says racists go to Heaven and MLK is burning in HellThe man who claims that 17% of gay men eat feces and that the death penalty would deter people from homosexuality says Martin Luther King Jr. is in Hell and abolitionists were not the good guys.Joel Webbons latest loathsome screed went down in an interview with Confederate apologist Jon Harris on the hate preachers YouTube podcastTheology Applied. Related Hate pastor & pals cite bizarre statistic about what homosexuals secretly eat They all seem pretty obsessed about what gay men do in their bedrooms. Like, I think a lot of people are gonna be surprised, Webbon said. You know, when you get to Heaven and, you know, youre spending eternity worshipping Christ next to Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. Both Jackson and Lee are Confederate military generals who traitorously declared war on the United States in order to continue enslaving Black people. LGBTQ+ news you can rely on Keep track of the ongoing battle against bias and for equality with our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Civil rights legend Martin Luther King, Webbon predicted, is in Hell, and according to Harris, most of the abolitionists, especially the prominent ones, are not going to be in Heaven.They werent the good guys, Webbon agreed.Webbon is the hate pastor at Covenant Bible Church in Texas and founder of the Christian nationalist-based Right Response Ministries. His retrograde evangelizing has coincided with peak MAGA insanity in 2024, as far-right conservatives buckle under the weight of their fatuous worldview and fealty to Donald Trump, who is sundowning before their very eyes.In response, acolytes like Webbon are getting even crazier.In June, Webbon went off on degenerate gays.The key characteristic of the gay community is butt sex. Thats the key characteristic. Its feces. Thats the key characteristic. Its AIDS, its disease. And it needs to be said, because nobody has said it for a very long time, he said. Webbon suggested that death, as a maximum penalty, would act as a deterrent to homosexuality, and he delighted in gaming out the penalties for gay men in aHandmaids Tale-level Christian nationalist nation.If you got somebody who sleeps with another man, and theres witnessesthats the other thing, there would have to be two or three witnesses, not just hearsay, they had to actually see it occur, or the person gives their own confession and even then, it didnt necessarily mean the death penalty. Itcould, he said.Webbon also heartily agreed with a guest that 17% of gay men regularly eat feces. A month earlier in a sermon at his Texas church, Webbon targeted all Americans as degenerates and asserted the Constitution is no longer adequate to govern a nation of lawlessness and wickedness.America needs a Christian dictator who just rules with an iron fist, Webbon asserted, one who is unapologetically Christian and he comes in with a sword and says, Im sorry, but lawlessness and wickedness will not be tolerated anymore.He doesnt go around forcing conversions, Webbon preached, but instead, what he does is he forces external morality. He doesnt force a change of heart; only the Gospel can do that. But what a king can do is he can say, Whether youre degenerate or not, youre going to pretend. Youre at least going to pretend to be Christian.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 141 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMTim Walz helped a gay student start a high school GSA. Gwen Walz helped the student come out.Much has been made of vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz signing on to be faculty advisor for a Gay-Straight Alliance club in the high school where he taught and coached. He made the school a safe place for everybody, Vice President Kamala Harris shared as she introduced Gov. Walz as her running mate. Related Tim Walzs gay & bisexual former students praise his life-changing guidance In 1999, Walz was a teacher and founded his high schools first gay-straight alliance. His old GSA students still remember him warmly. Tim knew the message that it would send to have a football coach get involved. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today It turns out, though, that Gwen Walz, the Minnesota governors wife, was just as important as her husband was in the clubs formation for helping the student who founded it come out.For years, Jacob Reitan had endured terrible episodes of bullying.In the 7th grade, Rietan says, he opened a book in the library to find a note that read, Jake Reitan is gay.In high school, someone chalked a gay slur on his driveway in giant letters. Anonymous mail arrived at his home saying Reitan would be better off dead than gay.And as an upperclassman, the teenager found his car window smashed in the high school parking lot.Thats when he decided it was time for a change.Two years earlier, Reitan, now 42 and a lawyer and gay rights activist, was shocked when Gwen Walz, who taught English at the same high school that her husband did, announced that her classroom was a safe space for gay and lesbian students.Reitan, then 15, said he froze and wondered to himself if the remark had been meant for him.I did not know any gay people, and there were no gay people on TV then, Reitan told The New York Times. It was very much a closet of one.Ms. Walz told him later that she thought a reassuring word from an adult could make a big impact on his self-esteem. Soon, she became a close confidant to the teenager.Gwen Walz and her husband had grown close to another gay student years earlier at a public school in Nebraska, where the couple met each other teaching. They took the student to an Indigo Girls concert, a spokeswoman for Ms. Walz said.Being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community is part of her Christian faith, the spokeswoman said, a strong belief that God creates people in the way they are supposed to be, whether that is gay or straight.Reitan agonized over coming out. He says the first one to hear him say the words was the family dog, a golden shepherd named Alex.Next, during his junior year, was his older sister.And then Gwen Walz, whom he says was the one adult at his school he felt certain would support him. With her encouragement, Reitan came out to his parents. At that point, the rising senior was determined to come out publicly so his classmates could get to know an openly gay person, he said.Thats when he approached the school principal about starting a GSA. With Tim Walz on board, Reitan stood at the school entrance, passing out leaflets to students for the new club he founded.The bullying for the most part ended.The Walzes were both like, There will be nothing but respect, and it was just like laying down the law, a classmate of Reitans recalled. It was really bold.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 135 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMFrom the DNC floor, Kamala Harris is ready to stand up against bullies. Heres how.Kevin Munoz, senior spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign, was busy on Wednesday, the third day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, as would be expected. The 28-year-old out former assistant press secretary for the Biden administration was traveling between venues when his first interview availability slipped by. Thirty minutes later, another vanished. When he finally called it was to say he couldnt talk.Dont kill me, but I have another thing. Are you here?I am in San Francisco, I answered.OK, you are not here. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today I wish that I were. This years Democratic National Convention is off the hook with excitement, optimism, and the operating principle for the Harris-Walz campaign: joy. And its infectious.Munoz asked me again not to kill him when he texted and pushed the interview another hour, finally writing, Just call me.I didnt have to. Munoz called me first, saying, Sorry for the delay, but Im here now.LGBTQ Nation: Where did I find you today?You are finding me at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.Do you have a view of the floor?This [space] is on the side, so theres no windows. Its in the back. But I try to go in there when I can. I went in to watch roll call yesterday. Im from Florida, and I saw Florida do its roll call, which was really fun. But Georgia just I dont know if you watched took the cake. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Queerty (@queerty)It was quite a show. I love the roll call, but that was on steroids.Simultaneously, there was a rally in Milwaukee, which was a really spectacular troll on former President Trump, and it was clear to anyone watching that the message for the Harris-Walz campaign is Freedom, with the word spelled out in capital letters on giant digital billboards around the arena. Harris has said that reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and the right to live without fear of gun violence are among a group of fundamental freedoms that shell fight for as president. Describe how President Harris would fight for LGBTQ+ rights and what has prepared her for that task.Well, look, lets start with the last question first. We say Kamala Harris For the People, and thats not a slogan. Thats her way of being. That is how she approaches the work that she has done since she has been a prosecutor throughout her career: as an attorney general, as a senator, now as vice president. And this is someone that you know. Shes shared her story throughout her lifetime as a daughter of immigrants, as somebody who understands what it takes and what is needed to stand up against bullies and to fight for what is right.One of the things that I know is deeply personal to the Vice President, is talking about issues, not as an ideologue, but approaching them as a human being.Kevin Munoz, senior spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaignAnd when you think about the moment we are in, we are running against the most I dont know the word to say [laughs] probably like, the bully, you know, the guy that has no vision for the future, no plan for the American people, no interest in helping the American people. And so he runs on this politics and this platform of putting people down because hes making this bad bet that he can divide the American people, scare the American people. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz say things differently. They know that unity is our strength. They both have a history of fighting for freedoms.Whats interesting to me is that freedom is often this word that was co-opted by the right for so long. Its something that people said that the Democratic Party was taking away peoples rights or not letting people live the way they want. That could not be further from the truth. And what we are seeing every single day in states, with my home state, Ron DeSantis, or you look at Donald Trump, they want to tell you what you can and cannot read, what you can and cannot do with your body, who you are. So I think that taking that back at the moment that we are in, and the choice because this election will be a choice is really important. We are running against somebody who wants to take away those freedoms, and I think that we have to tell that story.As it relates to your top line question, I would take a step back from the Biden-Harris administration. I was part of it until I joined the campaign last April I launched the campaign, actually, I was our spokesperson. Its the most pro-equality administration in history. And that is not by accident, and that is by intentional efforts by the administration to really aggressively look at what executive actions the U.S. government can do to make life better for all Americans, and that includes LGBTQ+ individuals. Obviously its important to make sure theres non-discrimination and expanding access to health care for every single person. But LGBTQ+ Americans care about health care, they care about good jobs, they care about safer communities. They want to make sure theres a justice system in place that treats everybody with equal dignity under the law. Related Pete Buttigieg, Oprah Winfrey & Tim Walz destroy Trump & Vance during DNCs third night Four LGBTQ+ speakers graced the stage, with one of them telling the Supreme Court, You can pry this wedding band from my cold, dead, gay hand! Im aware of about a dozen pretty high-placed LGBTQ+ staffers in the Biden and Harris administrations. Washington has always attracted many LGBTQ+ people to government and service. Whats the difference between LGBTQ+ people working on the Biden and Harris teams and being gay staffers in the White House in the past? Its so interesting. Its never felt different. And its because these are people who understand that our party, our coalition, and our country are stronger because of our diversity. And it doesnt matter who you love; it doesnt matter how you identify. It matters if you are going to put in the work to make our country better, and its great.Another thing that I think people dont think about is that its not just that were not different, but its actually that we bring additional perspective and expertise to hard situations. I worked on COVID at the White House, and then I worked on Mpox. Its June 2022, and were starting to see some news on this. COVID had slowed down a little bit. And what we saw was this kind of challenging public health issue, but very targeted towards the gay community and men who have sex with men, the term used by the CDC. Sure, this is an issue that lives in the public health space, but it also is an issue uniquely impacting one community.And what we knew we needed to do early on was make sure we were building a response that was culturally competent, and that reached our community, especially as we were entering Pride Month, especially as we were addressing the kind of stigma and the trauma of a generation of Americans and LGBTQ+ Americans that had been stigmatized by the U.S. government and making sure we did it right. We brought in the head of the HIV unit at the CDC, Demetre Daskalakis; he was able to provide innovative ways to make sure vaccination was available at every notable Pride event across the country. These are the types of things that I think move the ball. There are many biographical details that comprise a candidates story when choosing a vice president. How important in that choice was Tim and Gwen Walzs experience working with a student at the high school they both taught at to start a gay-straight alliance and how does that real-life experience play into or represent the goals of a Harris-Walz administration?That original student that was part of the Gay-Straight Alliance you gotta meet him, Greg, you have to talk to him. The detail he has about how the Walzes stepped up and did the thing that wasnt necessarily the thing they had to do, but knew it was the right thing to do. Its lovely. Taking a student to see the Indigo Girls. You cant fake character. This is stuff more than 20 years ago. Its a reflection of somebody who has always had a moral compass that transcends its time.And I think about then-Attorney General Harris when same-sex marriage was finally legalized in California. You know the story of when somebody was getting denied their marriage license, and she just immediately got on the phone. I think these are people who understand that government is for you, and the contrast could not be more clear.You served as assistant press secretary with Karine Jean-Pierre in the Biden administration. From your personal perspective, as a gay man, how did the appointment of the first out woman to such a highly visible position affect you?I count Karine as a friend and a mentor, and I think what you see is just someone who has been so courageous and brave and honest and just like cool honestly, I dont have a better word than that about who she is. Shes been honest about her experience and the challenges shes faced. And what it continues to show so many of us is that anything is possible. And I know that sounds a little bit like a clich, but its not. Its a reflection of people that we are standing on the shoulders of. The question of who I am has never inhibited my work, and I feel really grateful for that. And its because of people like Karine.After you left the White House in 2023, were there other gay staffers in Jean-Pierres inner circle that picked up the slack?[Laughing] There are still, I think, and there always will be. We always find our way into to being flacks because thats our thing.What are you most looking forward to in a Harris-Walz administration?Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz wave to the crowd after speaking at the campaign rally at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, August 20, 2024. Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski//AFP via Getty Images. I think the thing that excites me the most when it comes to LGBTQ+ issues, I think the obvious one and the most critical one, because I dont think people in a lot of communities in this country understand, is the critical importance of passing the Equality Act. You would not expect a restaurant to be able to deny a same-sex couple service. But that is something that in parts of this country is a reality and a threat and a risk, and what we can do when we finally take back the House, keep the Senate, and elect Kamala Harris president is pass that because nobody should walk into any restaurant, any establishment in this country, and ever be in a situation in which they arent able to get the services that they need. One of the things that this administration has done, and one of the things that I know is deeply personal to the Vice President, is talking about issues, not as an ideologue, but approaching them as a human being. Shes the daughter of a single mother. Look at her economic policy and her lowering costs speech. When a lot of folks think about Washington, they think of the Fed, and they think of interest rates they think about it in these meta terms. Her first speech coming out of the gate was about, I know, and you know, grocery costs are too high I know, and you know, housing costs are too high, and building up these plans that go after these corporations that are doing more than fine and deserve to have a place in a capitalist society, they deserve to do well but creating an environment where that doesnt come at the cost of working people and just regular folks like you and me that want to make sure that eggs dont cost too much, to make sure that they can go and get groceries for their family. I would not underestimate how important that is.Last question: will you confirm or deny that both Beyonc and Taylor Swift will be showing up at the DNC?I would wave off of that.[Laughing] OK.I would say that this is a people-driven convention. Its a real, human-driven thing. Stay tuned.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 143 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMJD Vance tried to insult Tim Walz. It backfired spectacularly.When reporters asked Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) how hes preparing for the October 1 vice presidential debate against Democratic nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Vance replied, I have a friend who embellishes and lies a lot, Im having him stand in for Tim Walz.Naturally, Vances attempt at an insult didnt land as intended with online commenters, particularly because his running mate, former President Donald Trump, is a notorious liar who told an estimated 30,573 lies over his four years in office and an estimated 162 lies and distortions during a recent 64-minute news conference. Related Barack & Michelle Obama blast Trump & offer hope in second night of DNC speeches Obama called Trump a 78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago. Numerous commenters remarked that he must be practicing with Trump himself. One commenter referred to Vance as JV, as in junior varsity, a reference to Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris August 6 comment that a matchup between Walz and Vance is like a matchup between the varsity team and the JV squad. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Walz has nearly two decades of governing experience, including serving in the U.S. House for 12 years and served in the military for 24 years.Comparatively, Vance has one year, seven months and three weeks of governing experience and served in the military for four years. That's sweet that Donald Trump is helping JV with debate prep. Lauren Windsor (@lawindsor) August 20, 2024The friend: pic.twitter.com/VSKeo8YX6g FriendlyKozak (@KvotheTheArcane) August 20, 2024That friend must be delighted to have you call them a liar, @JDVance Zion Darkwood (@ZionDarkwood) August 20, 2024Liar!JD doesnt have friends. Fred Fella (@FredFellaIMO) August 20, 2024Got it. Bad judge of character Surrounds himself with liars Has nothing to offer America Is extremely weird Cory Legendre (@corylegendre) August 20, 2024Yeah, we know. Your boss is famous for those qualities. So blowing off preparing entirely. Makes sense, giving most cringe answers ever to softball questions is pretty much on brand by this point. Kirsten L. Schneider (blue-check cuz word limits) (@leaferi) August 20, 2024This featherweight would have to go on a lifetime of political weight gain in order to stay in the ring with Walz. How can you compare a lifetime of political heavyweight training-with executive decision-making-to this still awith wetness behind his ears? Man versus babe. Armandodearmas8 No DM's Dangerous times are ahead (@armandodearmas8) August 21, 2024And on the other side, Tim Walz will be using a vat of room temperature vanilla pudding wrapped in a soggy cheesecloth with a beard and eyeliner as a stand-in for Vance. pic.twitter.com/xrgzn5i9jY SnarkTank (@TheSnarkTank99) August 20, 2024Meanwhile, Kamala is hard at work on debate prep with her Trump stand-in pic.twitter.com/qTTmaHOhcU SnarkTank (@TheSnarkTank99) August 20, 2024This guy really thinks he's a comedian. He's the ber dork who puts on masks to fit in. Is the real him that bad that he can't be himself? Must be exhausting trying to fit in and please the devil. Fookin Chookay (@slayergoddess69) August 20, 2024Can someone please ask him about his supporters walking around with specimen cups with his name and picture on them?Weirdos. pic.twitter.com/gBT9GPDDI3 ia (@mommamia1217) August 20, 2024 pic.twitter.com/fZSAN4Bliu PeterBMeme (@PeterBMeme) August 20, 20240 Kommentare 0 Anteile 145 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMBarack & Michelle Obama blast Trump & offer hope in second night of DNC speechesFormer President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and the current Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff all spoke during the second night of the Democratic National Convention, alongside other notable speakers like Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and gay Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcom Kenyatta (D).The speeches drew a contrast between Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her opponent, former President Donald Trump. The Obamas also emphasized the importance of doing everything possible in the next 76 days to get Democratic voters to the polls in order to overwhelm Trumps chance of taking the Oval Office a second time. Related Out gay Congress members, AOC, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton speak at Democratic convention Donald Trump would sell this country for $1 if it meant lining his own pockets, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said. Former President Barack Obama Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Jasper Colt-USA TODAY via IMAGN Aug 20, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Former President Barack Obama speaks during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasper Colt-USA TODAYAfter praising Biden for passing the torch to Harris, the former president said, As we gather here tonight, the people who will decide this election are asking a very simple question: Who will fight for me? Whos thinking about my future, about my childrens future, about our future together.One thing is for certain, Donald Trump is not losing sleep over that question, he said. Heres a 78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago. It has been a constant scream of gripes and grievances thats actually been getting worse now that hes afraid of losing to Kamala: Theres the childish nicknames, the crazy conspiracy theories, this weird obsession with crowd sizes. It just goes on and on and on.We do not need four more years of bluster and bumbling and chaos, Barack Obama said. We have seen that movie before, and we all know that the sequel is usually worse. America is ready for a new chapter. America is ready for a better story. We are ready for a President Kamala Harris. Kamala Harris wont be focused on her problems. Shell be focused on yours, he continued. As president, she wont just cater to her own supporters and punish those who refuse to kiss the ring or bend the knee. Shell work on behalf of every American.He then said that Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have kept faith to Americas central story: a story that says we are all created equal, all of us are endowed with certain inalienable rights, that everyone deserves a chance, that even when we dont agree with each other, we can find a way to live with each other.Thats Kamalas vision. Thats Tims vision. Thats the Democratic Partys vision, and our job over the next 11 weeks is to convince as many people as possible to vote for that vision, he said. Now it wont be easy. The other side knows its easier to play on peoples fears and cynicism always has been. They will tell you that government is inherently corrupt, that sacrifice and generosity are for suckers, and since the game is rigged, its okay to take what you want and just look at your own.Donald Trump and his well heeled donors he continued, for them, one groups gains is necessarily another groups loss. For them, freedom means that the powerful can do pretty much what they please, whether its fire workers trying to organize a union or put poison in our rivers or avoid paying taxes, like everybody else has to do.Well, we have a broader idea of freedom. who we marry, and we believe that freedom requires us to recognize that other people have the freedom to make choices that are different than ours. He then criticized the atmosphere of polarized politics that makes people across the political spectrum so quick to assume the worst in others, unless they agree with us on every single issue, and prone to thinking that the only way to win is to scold and shame and out yell the other side.Now that approach may work for the politicians who just want attention and thrive on division, but it wont work for us to make progress on the things we care about, the things that really affect peoples lives, he said. We we need to remember that weve all got our blind spots and contradictions and prejudices, and that if we want to win over those who arent yet ready to support our candidates, we need to listen to their concerns and maybe learn something in the process.If a friend or relative says something to make us cringe, Obama said, we dont need to automatically assume theyre bad people. We recognize that the world is moving fast that they need time and maybe a little encouragement to catch up. Our fellow citizens deserve the same grace we hope they will extend to us. That thats how we can build a true democratic majority, one that can get things done. He said that sense of cooperation matters to other people around the world who look to see America whether it can build the largest and most diverse democracy in history.I know these ideas can feel pretty naive right now we live in a time of such confusion and rancor with a culture that puts a premium on things that dont last: money, fame, status likes. We chase the approval of strangers on our phones, he said. We build all manner of walls and fences around ourselves, and then we wonder why we feel so alone. We dont trust each other as much because we dont take the time to know each other and in that space between us, politicians and algorithmsteach us to caricature each other and troll each other and fear each other.But heres the good news, Chicago, he added, all across America, in big cities and small towns, away from all the noise, the ties that bind us together are still there. He said that, no matter ones political affiliation, all Americans have benefited from others who have helped build the country through honesty, integrity, kindness and hard work. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Queerty (@queerty) Former First Lady Michelle ObamaJasper Colt / USA TODAY NETWORK via IMAGN Former first lady Michelle Obama speaks during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center.Something wonderfully magical is in the air, isnt it? Mrs. Obama asked the crowd. You know, were feeling it here in this arena, but its spreading all across this country. We love a familiar feeling thats been buried too deep for far too long.You know what Im talking about, she continued. Its the contagious power of hope, the anticipation, the energy, the exhilaration of once again being on the cusp of a brighter day. The chance to vanquish the demons of fear, division and hate that have consumed us, and continue pursuing the unfinished promise of this great nation, the dream that our parents and grandparents fought and died and sacrificed for Americahope is making a comeback.She then questioned whether other audience members have been sharing an unpleasant feeling recently. A deep pit in my stomach a palpable sense of dread about the future. And for me, that mourning has also been mixed with my own personal grief, following the recent death of her mother, the woman who set my moral compass high and showed me the power of my own voice. I still feel hurt, she said, lost so profoundly. I wasnt even sure if Id be steady enough to stand before you tonight. But my heart compelled me to be here because of the sense of duty that I feel to honor her memory, and to remind us all not to squander the sacrifices our elders made to give us a better future.Mrs. Obama then said that her mother, was glad to do the thankless, unglamorous work that for generations, has strengthened the fabric of this nation: the belief that if you do unto others, if you love thy neighbor, if you work and scrape and sacrifice, it will pay off, if not for you, then maybe for your children or your grandchildren.She then said that Harris mother also raised her with similar values. Kamala knows like we do that regardless of where you come from, what you look like, who you love, how you worship, or whats in your bank account, we all deserve the opportunity to build a decent life, Michelle Obama said. All of our contributions deserve to be accepted and valued because no one has a monopoly on what it means to be an American. No one. Kamala has shown her allegiance to this nation, not by spewing anger and bitterness, but by living a life of service and always pushing the doors of opportunity open to others.It couldnt be more obvious of the two major candidates in this race, only Kamala Harris truly understands the unseen labor and unwavering commitment that has always made America great, Michelle Obama continued. Now, unfortunately, we know what comes next: We know folks are going to do everything they can to distort her truth.My husband and I, sadly, know a little something about this, she said. For years, Donald Trump did everything in his power to try to make people fear us see his his limited, narrow view of the world made him feel threatened by the existence of two hard working and highly educated, successful people who happen to be Black. Well, look: Its his same old con, she said, his same old con doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies as a substitute for real ideas and solutions that will actually make peoples lives better. Cutting our health care, taking away our freedom to control our bodies, the freedom to become a mother through IVF like I did, those things are not going to improve the health outcomes of our wives, mothers and daughters, Michelle Obama added, in a summation of Republican priorities. Shutting down the Department of Education, banning our books, none of that will prepare our kids for the future. Demonizing our children for being who they are and loving who they love, that doesnt make anybodys life better. Instead, it only makes us small, she said. And let me tell you this: Going small is never the answer. Going small is the opposite of what we teach our kids. Going small is petty, its unhealthy, and, quite frankly, its unpresidential.So why would any of us accept this from anyone seeking our highest office? Why would we normalize that type of backward leadership? Doing so only demeans and cheapens our politics. It only serves to further discourage good, big hearted people from wanting to get involved at all America, our parents taught us better than that, and we deserveso much better than that.Thats why we must do everything in our power to elect two of those good, big hearted people, she concluded, telling listeners not to succumb to fear and despair, but to do what they can to help get out the vote for Democrats in November.There is no other choice than Kamala Harris and Tim walls, no other choice, she said. This election is going to be close in some states, just a handful. Listen to me, a handful of votes and every precinct could decide the winner. So we need to vote in numbers that erase any doubt. We need to overwhelm any effort to suppress us. @queerty MichelleObama: Whos gonna tell him that the job hes currently seeking might just be one of those black jobs? #DNC original sound Queerty* Second Gentleman Doug EmhoffJasper Colt / USA TODAY NETWORK via IMAGN Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff speaks during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center.Introduced by his son, Cole, Emhoffs speech focused on his romantic and personal relationship with Harris. He revealed that, while working as a lawyer, in 2013, one of his satisfied clients set him up on a blind date with Harris. He nervously called her phone number for the first time at 8:30 a.m. and left her a long, rambling voice message.I remember I was trying to grab the words out of the air and just put them back in my mouth, and for what seemed like far too many minutes, I hung up, Emhoff said. By the way, Kamala saved that voicemail, and she makes me listen to it on every anniversary.He said he fell in love quickly with Harris, adding, She finds joy in pursuing justice. She stands up to bullies, just like my parents taught me to. She likes to see people do well, but hates when theyre treated unfairly. She believes this work requires a basic curiosity and just how people are doing. Her empathy is her strength. He then mentioned that their blended Jewish-Christian family sees her attending synagogue with him for high holiday services, and him going to church with her for Easter.I get to enjoy her moms chili reino recipe every Christmas, and she makes a mean brisket for Passover, he said. While he was nervous about his own children accepting Harris as their stepmother, he said that when they began calling her Mamala, he knew everything would be okay between them.Cole and Ellas friends knew that when they come over for Sunday dinner with Mama, it was going to be real talk, he said. In between taking cooking instructions, theyd have to answer questions about what problem they wanted to solve in the world, they learned that youve always got to be prepared, because Kamala is going to prosecute the case. Kamala is a joyful warrior, he continued. Its doing for her country what she has always done for the people that she loves. Her passion will benefit all of us when shes our president. And heres the thing about joyful warriors, there are still warriors, and Kamala is as tough as it comes, just ask the criminals.She never runs from a fight, he added, and she knows the best way to deal with a coward is to take him head on, because we all know cowards are weak, and Kamala Harris can smell weakness. She doesnt tolerate any BS. Youve all seen that look, and you know that look Im talking about that look is not just a meme. It reflects our true belief in honest and direct leadership, and its also why she will not be distracted by nonsense. Kamala knows that in order to win, we cannot lose focus.Shell lead from the belief that wherever we come from, whatever we look like, were strongest when we fight for what we believe in, not just against what we fear, he said shortly before ending his speech. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Queerty (@queerty) Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL)Jasper Colt-USA TODAY via IMAGN Aug 20, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasper Colt-USA TODAYBillionaire Gov. Pritzker, who was considered a possible candidate as Harris running mate, began his speech by stating that Illinois claims former Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama (who both represented the state in Congress), and now Vice President Harris as one of their own because she spent part of her early life in the upper-midwest cities of Urbana and Evanston.However, Pritzker said, One president we will never claim is the con artist the Republicans nominated in Milwaukee last month.He then said, Donald Trump once called Chicago embarrassing. We take that personally. And I had to govern for two years while Trump was president. Let me tell you whats embarrassing: In Illinois, we passed a massive bill to fix our roads and bridges. When Donald Trump proposed his own plan, he turned right around and called it stupid.'Donald Trump thinks that we should trust him on the economy, because he claims to be very rich. But take it from an actual billionaire, Trump is rich in only one thing: stupidity, he said. Now I meet with business leaders all the time, and theres one universal thing: They all need people. They need more workers to fill all the jobs they have. But the anti-freedom, anti-family policies of MAGA Republicans are driving workers away. Heres the thing, he continued, Americans dont want to be forced to drive 100 miles for a baby because a draconian abortion law shut down the maternity ward. Americans want the hope of giving birth through IVF, not the fear that it might be taken away. Americans with LGBTQ kids dont want them facing discrimination at school because the state sanctioned it. Americans want to go to their neighborhood grocery store and not have to worry about some random guy open carrying an AR-15. Americans dont want their kids to be taught in history class that slavery was a jobs program. And if Americans are Black or brown, they want to get promoted at work without being derided as a DEI hire for the sin of being successful while not white.Pritzkers line about state sanctioned discrimination against LGBTQ+ kids is a likely reference to Republican efforts to remove transgender-inclusive policies from schools and to eliminate queer content from school libraries and classrooms. Similarly, Republicans have also targeted DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs, leading to the shutdown of diversity and cultural centers at colleges and in government workforce trainings. Such censorship denies the different cultural needs and lived experiences of different U.S. demographic groups.We think the government should help you prosper, not police who youre sleeping with, Pritzker continued. More than anything, Democrats want economic policies that are kind, not cruel, but Trump chooses cruelty every time. After all, everything hes achieved in his own life has been by hurting someone else. Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, well, theyve spent their lives lifting people up, not pushing them down, Pritzker said. They know that a White House that leads with kindness looks at someone who is struggling and sees not what they might cost society, but what they might create for it.We have a choice, America, he said near the end of his speech, between the man who left our country a total mess and the woman who has spent four years cleaning it up. And I think its time we stop expecting women to clean up messes without the authority and the title to match the job.Vice President was a good title for Kamala Harris, but you know, an even better one: President of the United States of America, he said. Lets go get him. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT)Jasper Colt / USA TODAY NETWORK via IMAGN Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center.Sen. Sanders began his speech by reminding listeners of the grim situation that the Biden-Harris Administration faced as they entered the Oval Office three and a half years ago.We were in the midst of the worst public health crisis in 100 years and the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. 3,000 Americans were dying every day, and our hospitals were overwhelmed with COVID patients all across the country, he said. Businesses were shutting down. Unemployment was soaring. Workers were losing their health insurance. Schools were closing, state and city budgets were running out of money. People were being evicted from their homes. Children in America were going hungry.Within two months of taking office, Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, which provided $1,400 for every man, woman and child in the working class, extended and expanded benefits for the unemployed, provided emergency assistance for small businesses to stay open, and provided rent relief and mortgage assistance to keep tenants and homeowners from being evicted. This, along with the largest expansion of Medicaid in history and emergency food programs for hungry children and the elderly, helped a nation suffering, a nation frightened and people looking to their government for support, Sanders said. When the political will is there, government can effectively deliver for the people of our country, he continued, and now we need to summon that will again, because too many of our. Fellow Americans are struggling every day to just get by.My fellow Americans, when 60% of our people live paycheck to paycheck, the top 1% have never, ever had it so good, he said. And these oligarchs, these oligarchs tell us we shouldnt tax the rich. The oligarchs tell us we shouldnt take on price gouging. We shouldnt expand Medicare to cover dental, hearing and vision, and we shouldnt increase Social Security benefits for struggling seniors. Well, Ive got some bad news for them: That is precisely what we are going to do, and were going to win this struggle, because this is precisely what the American people want from their government.He then said that for sake of our democracy, the U.S. must overturn the disastrous 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision which allows corporations and outside groups to spend unlimited funds on elections. We need to join the rest of the industrialized world and guarantee health care to all people as a human right, not a privilege, he said, before stressing other needs, like raising the minimum wage to a living wage, ensuring laborers can safely organize unions at their workplaces, strengthening public education, raising teachers salaries, ensuring Americans can get a higher education without massive debt, and cutting prescription drug costs.Let us be very clear, he said, this is not a radical agenda, adding, But let me tell you what a radical agenda is, and that is Trumps Project 2025. At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, giving more tax breaks to billionaires is radical, putting forth budgets to cut Social Security Medicare and Medicaid is radical, letting polluters destroy our planet is radical. And my friends, we wont let that happen.We must summon the courage to stand up to wealth and power and deliver justice for people at home and abroad, he said near his speechs conclusion. Abroad, we must end this horrific war in Gaza. Bring home the hostages and demand an immediate ceasefire.As such, Sanders was one of the few DNC speakers to explicitly mention Isreals ongoing military attacks on Palestinians in Gaza. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Queerty (@queerty) State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-PA)Jasper Colt-USA TODAY via IMAGN Aug 20, 2024; Chicago, IL, USA; Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (Penn.) speaks during the second day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasper Colt-USA TODAYKenyatta made history in 2020 as one of the first out gay speakers at a Democratic National Convention. This year, he brought a copy of the Heritage Foundations Project 2025, the 900-page blueprint for gutting federal agencies and undoing longstanding civil rights under a second Trump presidency.Its interesting, because usually Republicans want to ban books, but now theyre trying to shove this down our throats, he said while holding the large bound copy of the plan. On page 465, Project 2025 would stop Medicare from negotiating to lower the price of prescription drugs and capping out of pocket costs, he added. And on page 587, Project 2025 would cut overtime pay for hardworking Americans.As long as we have been fighting to make America work for working families, there have been greedy corporate interests trying to take us back, he continued. He then said that, in 2019, his grandmother, who he referred to as a civil rights warrior, called him, and said in a cracking voice, Im so sorry, baby. Im so sorry. I thought my generation had fixed this, and here you are fighting the same battles.However, the told the DNC audience that he responded to her by saying, Its okay, Grandma, its just our turn. Its just our turn to stand up for working people and to stand up for our nations promise. Its just our turn to defend our rights and to ensure that democracy doesnt die on our watch. Its our turn to make history, my friends, he concluded, by electing Kamala Harris.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 133 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMFlorida college dumps books related to LGBTQ+ & feminist issuesLast week, the New College of Florida suddenly threw many library books to the garbage, primarily those that formerly belonged to its now-defunct Gender and Diversity Program.The dumping of the books was revealed on social media by Herald-Tribune reporter Steven Walker, who provided a video and photos of the event. Among the books thrown out include a book on the Hebrew language, The War of the Worlds, a book about womens bodies, Cures: A Gay Mans Odyssey, and various books about feminism and about Black culture. Related Rightwing mom was so outraged by this book about book banning that she got it banned from school A Moms for Liberty school board cabal is responsible for this sad irony. DEVELOPING: New College of Florida dumped hundreds of library books this afternoon. The school also emptied the colleges Gender and Diversity Center, tossing hundreds of their books.Working to file a story now. pic.twitter.com/073dU3A6mp Steven Walker (@swalker_7) August 15, 2024 Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, said the incident is a mass act of censorship.We vehemently condemn the reprehensible actions taken by New College of Florida, where hundreds of library booksincluding those concerning LGBTQ+ studieshave been unceremoniously discarded, destined for a landfill. This is not merely an administrative oversight; it is an intentional act of censorship that strikes at the heart of our democratic values and the very purpose of education, Jackson said.Students report that they were not notified of the books being thrown out.The university responded in a statement, The New College Library is following its longstanding annual procedures for weeding its collection, which involves the removal of materials that are old, damaged, or otherwise no longer serving the needs of the College. Gender Studies has been discontinued as an area of concentration at New College, and the books are not part of any official college collection or inventory. When the books were not claimed for pickup from the room, they were moved to a book drop location by the library where they were later claimed by individuals planning to donate the books locally, the college wrote.The university claims that they could not donate or sell the books to anyone, however according to the Herald-Tribune, this was in fact something they were legally authorized to do.This comes in light of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis 2023 law that restricts diversity programs at universities. DeSantis has regularly opposed diversity, equity, and inclusion in state educational institutions and workplaces.Jackson continued, These actions are nothing short of a cultural purge, reminiscent of some of historys darkest times, where regimes sought to control thought by burning books and erasing knowledge. The fact that these bookssources of wisdom, diverse perspectives, and the narratives of marginalized communitieswere discarded in the dead of night, without transparency, and without giving students the opportunity to preserve them, should outrage every Floridian and every American who values democracy and free thought.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 139 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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WWW.LGBTQNATION.COMA Biden official at the DNC explains the secret ways Democrats fight for equalityBuzz is building as the Democratic National Convention (DNC) enters its final night. The last few nights have featured powerful, inspiring speeches from two former presidents and LGBTQ+ Congress members who have clearly laid out this elections stakes. Tonight, Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver her own barnstorming speech while formally accepting the presidential nomination, and theres also rumors of a possible celebrity appearance. Considering the surprise appearances by Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder, and Lil Jon, it feels like anything could happen.LGBTQ Nation spoke to Matt Hill, a gay man who is the DNCs Senior Director of Communications, about the legacy of the Biden administration, Tim Walz as an formidable LGBTQ+ ally, the partys identity, and the future of the Equality Act. Related From the DNC floor, Kamala Harris is ready to stand up against bullies. Heres how. In an LGBTQ Nation exclusive, senior spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign Kevin Munoz offers perspective on what to expect from the Democratic ticket. How the Biden administration pushed LGBTQ+ rights forward after four years of Trump Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today When Hill began serving as senior associate communications director for President Biden, Trump had spent the last four years rolling back LGBTQ+ student protections, threatening to defund schools with transgender-inclusive policies, and legalizing religious queerphobia in everything from adoption rights to public accommodations.A big part of coming into the White House was reversing a lot of the backward-looking policies that Donald Trump had implemented: from [banning] trans people from serving in our military and the hate-filled remarks that he had for many communities, Hill said. And so a lot of what the Biden-Harris agenda was in the first two years was first reversing the dangerous Trump policies that harm this community. There was also a lot of work we did on LGBTQ healthcare, expanding access and lowering costs. But it was also making sure that the rights and freedoms of the LGBTQ community were protected, Hill continued. I think one of the most signature achievements that Vice President Harris stood shoulder-to-shoulder with President Biden on was when he signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law, codifying the rights of same-sex marriages so that it wouldnt be in the hands of Donald Trumps extreme Supreme Court picks.I would I always share that the biggest honor I ever had working on this portfolio at the White House was meeting some of the young LGBTQ youth who would come in for Pride and other events, and see how they felt knowing that they had a president, a vice president, and leaders in the White House who who stood behind them, he added.And as it relates to the convention, what were trying to showcase here in Chicago this week, is that its really important to us that we make clear that Donald Trump in his MAGA extremists would take us backwards and roll back the freedoms and the rights of LGBTQ Americans, Hill said. And its the choice of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz who will build on what President Biden has accomplished, to bring this country forward and make sure thatno matter who you are, who you loveAmerica is a welcoming place where everyone shares the same equal rights and protections. How the Democratic Party is different nowThe energy of the Democratic campaign this year feels markedly different from past election cycles. Press releases from the Harris-Walz campaign have blisteringly referred to Trumps press conferences as self-obsessed public meltdowns where he lies and rambles incoherently. The DNC speakers have repeatedly hit Republicans over the head with Project 2025, a Christian Nationalist blueprint for Trump to hollow out the federal government and civil rights protections. Even Michelle Obamawho once famously said, When they go low, we go highdelivered a speech explicitly calling out Trumps racism and misogyny.[These days,] Democrats are being very forward-leaning about how much we care about freedom, Hill said. There used to be this perception that only Republicans cared about some of those patriotic and freedom views. But the reality is that this is no longer your Grand Old Party. Its no longer your Grandfathers Old Party. It is the MAGA Party. It has been completely taken over by extremists who bow down to no one except Donald Trump, who dont have the same vision and values for the LGBTQ community that we as Democrats do.So I think whats different is Democrats are being very forward-leaning on what we believe in, and we believe in protecting peoples freedom, protecting peoples rights, and understanding the defining core values of who we are as Americans, Hill said. Why Walz has been so successful in branding Trump and Vance as weirdWeeks before he became Harris running mate, Walz successfully branded the Republican ticket as weird for trying to insert the government into families medical and reproductive decisions. In response, Republicans have dishonestly tried to paint Walz as a liberal extremist who wants to put tampons in boys bathrooms and kidnap trans kids from their unsupportive parents. But the attacks havent stuckmostly because of Walzs history as a devoted high school teacher and coach, a military service member, and a progressive governor whose policies helped working class people. In other words, hes far too normalin the stereotypically homegrown American wayto be weird.Tim Walz understands class and everyday Americans much better than Donald Trump, as does Kamala Harris, Hill said. They are people whohave had very relatable upbringings to other Americans all across this country. Donald Trump has inherited his money, his fortune, his fame. He only ever works to do anything in benefit and service of himself.Tim Walz, [in contrast] has given himself to his communities and to our collective community, Hill continued. He was a teacher who served his community in Minnesota. He was a veteran who served our country overseas. He was representative in the House to serve his constituents, and now hes been serving the state of Minnesota because he is someone who just [tells the truth]. And the truth is that what Donald Trump and JD Vance stand for is really weird. They want to take this country backwards, and so all hes doing is telling the truth. On whether drag queens are the future of Democratic politicsTwo months before the DNC, several stars from RuPauls Drag Race made history by founding Drag PAC, the first-ever political action committee spearheaded by drag queens. During the DNC, Drag PAC held a Voter Registration Kiki where they teamed up with local queens to perform show-stopping drag numbers and register voters to mobilize them in favor of a Harris victory in November.The convention and our partners on the campaign want to use every tool available to get out the vote and reach people, whoever they are, wherever they are, whether theyre a drag queen, whether theyre a former Republican or MAGA voter, or whether theyre someone from rural America, Hill said. What we are doing here at the convention is showcasing to the world and the country that were building the broadest and most diverse coalition in history that will take on and defeat Donald Trump a second time.Whether its drag queens voting for our freedoms and our future, whether its Republicans who are supporting our ticket to vote for our freedoms and our future, or whether its a teacher or firefighter who think theres nothing more than just getting to work and coming home to their family and putting putting food on the table, what we all have in common is we believe that America needs to move forward, and we need to protect our freedoms and our rights, and to have someone like Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the White House fighting for us, fighting for our family. How Harris can pass the Equality ActThe biggest LGBTQ+ agenda item in the 2024 Democratic National Platform is the Equality Act, legislation that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to pre-existing federal anti-discrimination laws. However, the bill was first introduced in 2015 during the Obama Administration, and while it passed the House with bipartisan support in 2019 and 2021, both times it died in the Senate where it failed to receive enough Republican support to overcome the filibuster. In order to pass this time, itll still need Republican support.Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, and also President Biden, have been strong supporters of the Equality Act, Hill said. She has fought side-by-side with President Biden to get this through Congress as much as possible, and its President Biden and Vice president Harris who reached across the aisle to Republicans and told them, We need to protect the freedom of our neighbors and our friends and our family to marry who they love. They successfully passed the Respect for Marriage Act because they reached across the aisle and got it done, and they can do it again.0 Kommentare 0 Anteile 135 Ansichten 0 Vorschau
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