The son of whackadoodle Jim Bakker and the late Tammy Faye Messner turned out to be an OK dude.
reposted from Joe
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Via JMG: Jay Bakker On LGBT Rights
The son of whackadoodle Jim Bakker and the late Tammy Faye Messner turned out to be an OK dude.
reposted from Joe
Via JMG: White House To Honor Trevor Project
Just in via press release:Tomorrow, Thursday, August 25, 2011, the White House will honor The Trevor Project as a leading innovator in the realm of suicide prevention as part of the “Champions of Change” initiative. The Trevor Project is the leading organization selected for this honor representing youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, specifically. Accepting the honor and speaking with Administration officials about priorities for improving suicide prevention nationally will be David McFarland, Interim Executive Director and CEO of The Trevor Project. The event occurs ten days prior to National Suicide Prevention Week, (Sept. 4-10, 2011).
ViaJMG: HRC Issues Memo Detailing NOM's Many Donor Disclosure Court Losses
In what may be a shot across the bow regarding the upcoming marriage ballot in Maine, today the Human Rights Campaign issued a memo detailing NOM's unblemished record of court losses in their attempts to evade state campaign finance laws.
The latest in NOM’s string of legal defeats came on August 11 when the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the group’s challenges in Maine and Rhode Island. On its Law Blog, the Wall Street Journal put the cases into perspective. “The 1st Circuit issued rulings in two cases that raise an important campaign finance issue: the extent to which states can require advocacy groups to report details about their expenditures in support of candidates or political causes.” Given the recent historical record, states do in fact take disclosure, and legal compliance, in earnest. NOM has unsuccessfully challenged disclosure laws in Maine, Minnesota, New York, California, Rhode Island, and Iowa.All of the above losses came after the fact, when the elections were already over, and NOM has flouted court rulings in every single case with no apparent punishment. What will be very interesting to see is whether NOM re-enters the Maine campaign having lost their disclosure case there. Oh, what a happy day it would be to see Slaggie and Brian Brown led away in handcuffs for contempt of court.
RELATED: There has been increasing speculation that NOM is secretly and primarily funded by one or two very deep-pocketed individuals who have reputations so appalling that NOM will do anything to shield them.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
What President Obama Has Done for LGBT Rights and Equality
President Obama often lends his voice to the equality of all individuals, but in the scope of things he has overwhelmingly shown support for the LGBT community. May I please ask the naysayers to look at what has been accomplished in only two years, rather than act as though he hasn’t done enough. He still has work to do, and he knows that.
There have been many naysayers from inside the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community regarding what President Obama has done for LGBT rights and equality. Many who say he simply doesn’t care about LGBT rights, and/or has not fulfilled the promises he made during his campaign. There are many more who say that he has not fulfilled his promises fast enough. This is a list of the rights and equalities granted to the LGBT community under the Obama administration. I hope that this will put to rest any thoughts that our President is ignoring the importance of equality. He is indeed a proponent of civil rights. In fact, he has done more for LGBT rights than any other US President in history.
- Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (The first federal civil rights law to protect gays and lesbians)
- He instructed all federal agencies to extend benefits where possible to civilian federal employees with same-sex partners.
- He issued two Presidential Memoranda (in June 2009 and June 2010) directing federal agencies to extend whatever benefits they could, under existing authority, to the same-sex partners of federal employees. These include sick and funeral leave, long-term care insurance, travel and relocation assistance, child care subsidies, and certain retirement benefits. The State Department extended numerous benefits to the partners of Foreign Service officers, including diplomatic passports, access to overseas medical and training facilities, inclusion in housing allocations, and access to emergency evacuation.
- He ended the ban on HIV-positive immigrants and foreign visitors.
- The federal Prison Rape Elimination Commission proposed national standards to reduce sexual abuse in correctional facilities, including standards regarding LGBT and intersex inmates. In early 2011, the Justice Department proposed regulations to implement those standards.
- The State Department reversed a Bush Administration policy that refused to use a same-sex marriage license as evidence of a name change for passports.
- Health and Human Services (HHS) Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability reviewed the lifetime ban on blood donation by gay and bisexual men, concluded that it is a “sub-optimal” policy that screens out low risk donors and called on HHS to conduct research to support a move to a policy based on risk behavior, regardless of sexual orientation.
- The Department of Justice issued an opinion clarifying that the criminal provisions of the Violence Against Women Act related to stalking and abuse apply equally to same-sex partners.
- The Department of State revised the standards for changing a gender marker on a passport, making the process less burdensome for transgender people.
- The Department of Labor issued guidance clarifying that an employee can take time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act to care for a same-sex partner’s child, even where the partner does not have a legal or biological relationship to that child.
- HHS revised its funding guidance around abstinence-only-until-marriage sex education programs, requiring that recipient programs are inclusive of and non-stigmatizing toward LGBT youth, and mandating that they include only medically-accurate information.
- HHS awarded a $900,000 grant for the creation of a national resource center on LGBT aging issues to Services & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Elders (SAGE). HHS also awarded a $13.3 million grant to the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center to create a model program supporting LGBT and questioning youth in the foster care system.
- At the request of HHS, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued a lengthy report in March 2011 detailing the range of areas in which more research is needed on LGBT health needs.
- In March 2011, HHS sent a number of recommendations to the White House for policy and regulatory changes that HHS could undertake to improve the health of LGBT people, including: collection of LGBT health data, guidance for states on including LGBT families in federal welfare programs, and guidance for states on protecting the financial resources of a same-sex partner when his or her partner enters long-term care under Medicaid.
- He announced new regulations through The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that recognize LGBT families for federal housing programs and prohibit discrimination in getting federally insured mortgage loans.
- The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) added gender identity to the equal employment opportunity policy governing all federal jobs.
- He appointed more than 100 openly gay people in his administration, some of which include the government’s top personnel official and the head of the Council for Environmental Quality.
- He issued Presidential Memorandum in April 2010 directing HHS to issue regulations requiring all hospitals receiving Medicaid and Medicare to prohibit discrimination in visitation against LGBT people. HHS issued regulations that went into effect in 2011.
- He awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to gay icons Billie Jean King and Harvey Milk.
- He hosted a White House summit on bullying and recorded a video message telling young LGBT individuals that “It Gets Better.”
- He ordered the data to be released of legally married gay couples from the 2010 census, granting legitimacy of same-sex relationships.
- HHS rescinded provisions of a Bush-era rule which allowed health care providers to refuse to provide any health care service or information for a religious or moral reason.
- He championed the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, a 17-year-old ban barring LGBT individuals the right to serve openly in the military.
- He wants Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which will prohibit employers from considering sexual orientation in hiring and firing decisions. This legislation however, is currently stalled in the Senate.
- He also wants to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars legally sanctioned same-sex couples from reaping Social Security survivor payments, tax breaks and other benefits reserved for straight married couples. This legislation is also being held up in a highly conservative House of Representatives, and will probably not see repeal for at least two years.
Via JMG: More Lies From Matt Barber & The AFA
The above headline from the American Family Association is a completely outrageous lie currently being spread all over the Christianist blogosphere by Liberty Counsel liar-in-chief Matt Barber. Barber recently attended a conference on pedophilia which was organized by a tiny bizarre sect of weirdos called B4U-ACT. And since those freak show conference attendees mentioned the APA guidelines on mental illness (according to Barber and the AFA), that means the APA is totally thinking about removing pedophilia from the list. Just like they were forced to do with homosexuality. In reality, of course, no such action is planned or will ever fucking happen in ten million years.
Matt Barber, the American Family Association and their vile ilk scarcely even pretend to be telling the truth these days. They know very well that their audience is uninterested in anything that doesn't viciously vilify and demonize gay people.
Via JMG: Santorum On Rep. Maxine Waters
"Well, y’know, it’s Maxine Waters. She’s a caricature of what’s wrong with Congress. She’s vile and she’s always been that way and she’s just one of these real nasty, anti-basic traditional and fundamental values of this country. And so I’m not surprised." - Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum, first out of the box to go after what Mediaite is calling the "Waters pinata" after she said the Tea Party can "go straight to hell." Via JMG: Anti-Immigrant Hate Group Threatens Violent Overthrow Of Government
"We’re no longer referring to him as President Barack Obama, our national organization has made the decision and made the announcement we now refer to him as Dictator Barack Obama. That’s what he is. And basically at this point, if you’re looking for a peaceful, political recourse there really isn’t one that we can think of, and I’m really not sure what to tell people out there than I guess they need to make decisions soon to just accept whatever comes next or some type of extra-political activities that I can’t really talk about because they’re all illegal and violent." - William Gheen, head of Americans For Legal Immigration. Monday, August 22, 2011
Via Folha.uol.com.br: OAB discute casamento e adoção para casais gays
Casamento e divórcio, proteção contra a violência doméstica, acesso à adoção e à herança, além de punição a atos discriminatórios.
Esses são alguns dos direitos que a Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil pretende estender a homossexuais, bissexuais, transexuais, travestis, transgêneros e intersexuais.
Um anteprojeto de lei e uma PEC (Proposta de Emenda à Constituição) foram elaborados pela comissão de diversidade sexual do Conselho Federal da ordem e serão apresentados na terça-feira (23).
O anteprojeto cria o Estatuto da Diversidade Sexual, que prevê, por exemplo, o oferecimento de iguais oportunidades de trabalho e a criminalização da homofobia.
Os direitos do estatuto não poderão ser ignorados pelos legisladores, diz Maria Berenice Dias, presidente da comissão. "Um dia vão ter que aprovar", disse em evento.
O estatuto aborda um tema controverso: quando operar intersexuais --pessoas cujo sexo não é identificado como padrão masculino ou feminino, tratadas no passado por "hermafroditas". O anteprojeto proíbe cirurgias irreversíveis em crianças intersexuais se não há risco de morte.
Para Anibal Guimarães, colaborador do texto, a decisão sobre a operação deve ser tomada quando a pessoa tiver maturidade para entender o diagnóstico.
No Hospital das Clínicas de São Paulo, a cirurgia é feita quando o distúrbio do desenvolvimento sexual é identificado."É mais saudável que deixar a criança ser criada ambiguamente", diz Elaine Costa, do serviço de atendimento a esses pacientes.
As propostas atingem também heterossexuais, já que a "licença-natalidade" pode ser usufruída independentemente de sexo e orientação sexual. Nos primeiros 15 dias após o nascimento ou a adoção, a licença vale para ambos. Nos outros seis meses, os pais podem se alternar.
O estatuto precisa ser aprovado pelo pleno do Conselho Federal da OAB, antes de ser levado ao Congresso.
Para que as medidas não esbarrem na inconstitucionalidade, a comissão elaborou uma PEC que institui o casamento civil independente de orientação sexual, a licença-natalidade e bane a discriminação em função de orientação sexual ou identidade de gênero.
Esses são alguns dos direitos que a Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil pretende estender a homossexuais, bissexuais, transexuais, travestis, transgêneros e intersexuais.
Um anteprojeto de lei e uma PEC (Proposta de Emenda à Constituição) foram elaborados pela comissão de diversidade sexual do Conselho Federal da ordem e serão apresentados na terça-feira (23).
O anteprojeto cria o Estatuto da Diversidade Sexual, que prevê, por exemplo, o oferecimento de iguais oportunidades de trabalho e a criminalização da homofobia.
Os direitos do estatuto não poderão ser ignorados pelos legisladores, diz Maria Berenice Dias, presidente da comissão. "Um dia vão ter que aprovar", disse em evento.
O estatuto aborda um tema controverso: quando operar intersexuais --pessoas cujo sexo não é identificado como padrão masculino ou feminino, tratadas no passado por "hermafroditas". O anteprojeto proíbe cirurgias irreversíveis em crianças intersexuais se não há risco de morte.
Para Anibal Guimarães, colaborador do texto, a decisão sobre a operação deve ser tomada quando a pessoa tiver maturidade para entender o diagnóstico.
No Hospital das Clínicas de São Paulo, a cirurgia é feita quando o distúrbio do desenvolvimento sexual é identificado."É mais saudável que deixar a criança ser criada ambiguamente", diz Elaine Costa, do serviço de atendimento a esses pacientes.
As propostas atingem também heterossexuais, já que a "licença-natalidade" pode ser usufruída independentemente de sexo e orientação sexual. Nos primeiros 15 dias após o nascimento ou a adoção, a licença vale para ambos. Nos outros seis meses, os pais podem se alternar.
O estatuto precisa ser aprovado pelo pleno do Conselho Federal da OAB, antes de ser levado ao Congresso.
Para que as medidas não esbarrem na inconstitucionalidade, a comissão elaborou uma PEC que institui o casamento civil independente de orientação sexual, a licença-natalidade e bane a discriminação em função de orientação sexual ou identidade de gênero.
| Editoria de Arte/Editoria de Arte/Folhapress |
 |
Sunday, August 21, 2011
More sad homophobia from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States
August 19, 2011
((( name address removed )))
Dear Bahá'í Friend,
Please accept our apology for the delay in following up with you regarding your email of January 10, in which you asked about possible ways that the Bahá'í community might be more supportive of the gay community. Regrettably, the press of work at the National Center has prevented us from responding sooner. After giving your questions careful consideration, the National Spiritual Assembly wishes to convey to you the following.
Your first question was when would homophobia be officially addressed within the Bahá'í community as something to be eliminated, comparable to prejudices based on gender and race. Actually, the letter you cited (written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, dated October 27, 2010 and quoted in our January 3, 2011 letter to the American Bahá'í community) includes a clear statement on this topic: "Bahá'ís are enjoined to eliminate from their lives all forms of prejudice and to manifest respect towards all. Therefore, to regard those with a homosexual orientation with prejudice or disdain would be against the spirit of the Faith." The House of Justice also writes that "it is important to understand that the Bahá'í community does not to seek to impose its values on others, nor does it pass judgment on others on the basis of its own moral standards." In addition, the Faith teaches that all people, whether Bahá'ís or not, should be treated
with compassion.
Some aspects of the issue of homosexuality as publicly debated, however, differ from other forms of prejudice, in that they would fall into the second category described below (which is excerpted from the same House of Justice letter noted above):
In working for social justice, Bahá'ís must inevitably distinguish between those dimensions of public issues that are in keeping with the Bahá'í Teachings, which they can actively support, and those that are not, which they would neither promote nor necessarily oppose.
This is because, as you know, the Writings state that the practice of homosexuality is not permitted, that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, and that sexual relations are restricted to a couple who are married to each other. Thus, while it would be inaccurate to characterize the Bahá'í community as homophobic, characterizing it as fully supportive of the homosexual lifestyle would be inaccurate as well.
You also ask, in light of the tragically high incidence of suicide among gay teens, whether the Faith could play a larger role in addressing prejudice against gays and lesbians. While the National Assembly does not currently have plans to contribute to the national dialogue on such issues, it is permissible for knowledgeable believers to do so as individuals.
Similarly, although the National Assembly also does not have plans to appoint a task force to help address the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Bahá'ís and educate the community concerning related issues, a few individuals already have developed programs which are being presented in local communities and in various other settings. The National Assembly is learning from their experiences and will see how these efforts develop over time.
Concerning Bahá'í GLBT Gatherings, which would be similar to the Black Men's Gatherings, the National Assembly believes that the Bahá'í Network on AIDS, Sexuality, Addictions and Abuse (BNASAA) serves the purposes you desire, and feels that there is no need to create a new association devoted specifically to homosexuality. BNASAA does cover a broad spectrum of interests, as you have noted, but many of its resources and activities, such as workshops at its conferences, are more narrowly focused. We also wish to clarify that the purpose of the Black Men's Gatherings is not to address racial prejudice, but to promote service on the part of a specific racial group to the Cause of God.
Your thoughtful questions, and your earnest striving to help others and to apply the principles of the Faith in your life, are deeply appreciated. Be assured of the National Spiritual Assembly's prayers on your behalf, that the Blessed Beauty may guide your steps and surround you with His love and confirmations.
With warm Bahá'í regards,
Kenneth E. Bowers
Secretary
National Spiritual Assembly of the
Bahá'ís of the United States
((( name address removed )))
Dear Bahá'í Friend,
Please accept our apology for the delay in following up with you regarding your email of January 10, in which you asked about possible ways that the Bahá'í community might be more supportive of the gay community. Regrettably, the press of work at the National Center has prevented us from responding sooner. After giving your questions careful consideration, the National Spiritual Assembly wishes to convey to you the following.
Your first question was when would homophobia be officially addressed within the Bahá'í community as something to be eliminated, comparable to prejudices based on gender and race. Actually, the letter you cited (written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice, dated October 27, 2010 and quoted in our January 3, 2011 letter to the American Bahá'í community) includes a clear statement on this topic: "Bahá'ís are enjoined to eliminate from their lives all forms of prejudice and to manifest respect towards all. Therefore, to regard those with a homosexual orientation with prejudice or disdain would be against the spirit of the Faith." The House of Justice also writes that "it is important to understand that the Bahá'í community does not to seek to impose its values on others, nor does it pass judgment on others on the basis of its own moral standards." In addition, the Faith teaches that all people, whether Bahá'ís or not, should be treated
with compassion.
Some aspects of the issue of homosexuality as publicly debated, however, differ from other forms of prejudice, in that they would fall into the second category described below (which is excerpted from the same House of Justice letter noted above):
In working for social justice, Bahá'ís must inevitably distinguish between those dimensions of public issues that are in keeping with the Bahá'í Teachings, which they can actively support, and those that are not, which they would neither promote nor necessarily oppose.
This is because, as you know, the Writings state that the practice of homosexuality is not permitted, that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, and that sexual relations are restricted to a couple who are married to each other. Thus, while it would be inaccurate to characterize the Bahá'í community as homophobic, characterizing it as fully supportive of the homosexual lifestyle would be inaccurate as well.
You also ask, in light of the tragically high incidence of suicide among gay teens, whether the Faith could play a larger role in addressing prejudice against gays and lesbians. While the National Assembly does not currently have plans to contribute to the national dialogue on such issues, it is permissible for knowledgeable believers to do so as individuals.
Similarly, although the National Assembly also does not have plans to appoint a task force to help address the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Bahá'ís and educate the community concerning related issues, a few individuals already have developed programs which are being presented in local communities and in various other settings. The National Assembly is learning from their experiences and will see how these efforts develop over time.
Concerning Bahá'í GLBT Gatherings, which would be similar to the Black Men's Gatherings, the National Assembly believes that the Bahá'í Network on AIDS, Sexuality, Addictions and Abuse (BNASAA) serves the purposes you desire, and feels that there is no need to create a new association devoted specifically to homosexuality. BNASAA does cover a broad spectrum of interests, as you have noted, but many of its resources and activities, such as workshops at its conferences, are more narrowly focused. We also wish to clarify that the purpose of the Black Men's Gatherings is not to address racial prejudice, but to promote service on the part of a specific racial group to the Cause of God.
Your thoughtful questions, and your earnest striving to help others and to apply the principles of the Faith in your life, are deeply appreciated. Be assured of the National Spiritual Assembly's prayers on your behalf, that the Blessed Beauty may guide your steps and surround you with His love and confirmations.
With warm Bahá'í regards,
Kenneth E. Bowers
Secretary
National Spiritual Assembly of the
Bahá'ís of the United States
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