Anti-Gay Kentucky T-Shirt Maker Wins in Court

A court ruled a Kentucky company owned by Christians had the right not to print gay pride T-shirts

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Dawn Ennis

www.advocate.com/politics/religion/2015/04/29/anti-gay-kentucky-t-shirt-maker-wins-court

The Sia Single 'Deja Vu' is the Most Glittery Track from the Giorgio Moroder Album So Far: LISTEN

Andy Towle

www.towleroad.com/2015/04/siadejavu.html

Apple Watch's First Hookup App Hopes to Lead You to Love (or Lust)

Someone thinks you need to date via smartwatch. So now you can.

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Thom Senzee

www.advocate.com/business/technology/2015/04/29/apple-watchs-first-hookup-app-hopes-lead-you-love-or-lust

Ted Cruz: Gay Activists and Marriage Equality Supporters Are 'Liberal Fascists'
Arguably the most ludicrous book to emerge during the George W. Bush era was hilariously titled, Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning, by National Review Online editor-at-large Jonah Goldberg. Yes, somehow Goldberg awkwardly contorted the English language to shoehorn a square liberal peg into a round fascism hole and catapult this hooey to number one on The New York Times bestseller list, making it really difficult to decide which was more idiotic: the book’s title or the legion of doofuses who bought it.

Liberal Fascism was really patient zero for what occurred in the Spring and early Summer of 2009 when Glenn Beck, Rick Santelli and other conservatives erupted with inchoate fury, accusing President Obama of being both a socialist and a Nazi. Because as we all know, Nazis love them some mixed-race Harvard-educated leftists. Pegging off Goldberg’s insane coitus of liberalism and fascism, Beck went one step further, suggesting that because “Nazi” was short for “National Socialist,” Adolf Hitler was a socialist, even though liberalism and fascism are entirely incompatible. Unlike American liberalism, fascism is historically an extreme right-wing governmental system characterized by uber-nationalism, militarism and racial purity.

Just because the word “socialist” was in the National Socialist label doesn’t mean Hitler and his cohorts were literally socialists. Indeed, the first groups to be rounded up and incarcerated at Dachau were socialists and leftists. Labels aren’t definitions. For example, it might surprise the usual suspects to learn there’s nothing democratic or republican about the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, aka North Korea. Along those lines, Beck, Goldberg and the rest might be surprised to learn that “hot dogs” don’t contain actual dogs.

Goldberg’s Benito Mussolini, in particular, paraded around as a socialist until after he was elected and then engaged in one of the biggest flip-flops in political history, shedding every last hint of socialism once in power. Turns out — shocker — it’s really difficult to get elected by pitching yourself as a fascist strongman.

In a more modern context, politicians will often take on the political characteristics of whichever party might achieve more votes in a particular district, or they’ll often shift positions or party affiliation depending upon which way the populist winds are blowing. Political reality is a real pisser, isn’t it? In the media, there are countless former morning zoo deejays and local news anchors who are currently masquerading around as bug-eyed paleoconservatives in order to win lucrative syndicated radio or Fox News Channel deals in the face of dwindling local money.

And just when you thought the whole “liberal fascism” meme was so 2009, along comes presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) who said this past weekend:

There is a liberal fascism that is dedicated to going after believing Christians who follow the biblical teaching on marriage!

We’ve been over and over the marriage issue recently, but this is the first time in a while someone has resurrected the “liberal fascism” myth and ham-fistedly crammed it into the debate. To repeat: Jesus said absolutely nothing about refusing service to same-sex weddings because, 1) there was no such thing as same-sex weddings in Jesus’ time, making them impossible to ban, 2) Jesus said nothing whatsoever about homosexuality in general, and 3) because Jesus’ teachings sanction an all-inclusive faith, not a straight-men only club. (It’s important to repeat: the Bible condemned same-sex intercourse in the context of pagan rituals, and not based upon our modern understanding of homosexuality.)

Generally speaking, the Bible and especially the New Testament doesn’t forbid helping so-called sinners. Not only did Jesus go out of his way to embrace alleged sinners and to teach his followers to do the same, but, correct me if I’m wrong, didn’t Jesus die a horrifying, torturous death in service of all sinners? And yet some Christians think it’s all kinds of harrowing to merely sell a damn pizza to a gay couple. Jesus’ narrative, and indeed the reason why he died, has been badly and tragically lost.

I’m still waiting for contrary evidence from anti-gay Christians, and no one has pointed to the passages defining which cake and pizza customers are acceptable, according to the Bible — whether it’s more, less or totally not a sin to bake a cake for a gay wedding as opposed to a second marriage, a marriage involving a bisexual couple or, gasp!, a mixed-race marriage, none of which appear to be a problem for devout Christians even though (weak) biblical arguments could be made against all of the above. That said, it might be interesting in a schadenfreude kind of way to see the GOP field defend the religious liberty of a bakery owner who refuses service to a mixed-raced couple because God said so.

Somehow, opponents of discrimination are considered liberal fascists, whereas relegating an entire demographic of law-abiding citizens to second class status is considered “freedom.” In Ted Cruz’s twisted noggin, up is down, equality is fascism and discrimination is freedom. By the way, Ted Cruz should probably avoid Bill O’Reilly and evangelical anti-gay Pastor Robert Jeffress who each agree that using “biblical teachings” as an argument against marriage equality in a secular society is a big loser — a big loser not unlike Cruz after he’s forced to drop out of the GOP primaries following Super Tuesday.

Oh, and speaking of losers, we really didn’t have to cover any of this because as soon as Cruz blurted out “fascism,” he officially crapped all over Godwin’s Law, immediately forfeiting the argument.

In the final analysis, religious freedom can easily be bastardized — and has historically been bastardized — as a handy-dandy excuse for a wide range of horrendous things that are sanctioned by religious texts (Hebrew, Christian and Muslim) written at a time when human understanding of the world was comparatively limited. That’s not meant to shame people of faith, but it’s instead meant to shame those who selectively cherry-pick passages to suit their own personal phobias and biases — exploiting God’s word as a transparently cynical means of excluding those who desire loving, consensual adult relationships. Cruz and others who claim a biblical justification for discriminating against same-sex couples are essentially bearing false witness, as condemned by the ninth commandment, in service of hatred or fear.

_______________

Subscribe for free to the Bob & Chez Show podcast with special thanks to Angie DiPietro.

Cross-posted at The Daily Banter.

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/ted-cruz-gay-activists-an_b_7175716.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices

New York General Assembly Passes Anti-Conversion Therapy Bill

Today, the New York General Assembly passed AB 4958, a bill that would protect youth from conversion therapy in New York.
HRC.org

www.hrc.org/blog/entry/new-york-general-assembly-passes-anti-conversion-therapy-bill?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Andy Cohen And Anderson Cooper Are Daddies Together, Plus What Nick Jonas Learned From Wearing A Purity Ring

We’d forgotten that Donald Glover is in Magic Mike XXL until his poster dropped today. Now there’s yet another reason (check out his abs!) to look forward to the sequel which opens July 1.

What little girl or gay guy wouldn’t want a relatable Amy Schumer doll?

Grandma star Lily Tomlin, who is surely one of the greatest comic talents in entertainment history, discusses some of pioneering funny ladies who served as role models to her as a young girl.

Tangerine, a breakout hit at their year’s Sundance Film Festival, was shot with an iPhone and is the latest from micro-budget auteur Sean Baker. The film paints a vivid portrait of a pair of transgender prostitutes in Hollywood and will open in select theaters July 10.

What Happened Miss Simone? is a meticulously-detailed chronicle of late, legendary recording artist Nina Simone, who battled manic-depression and fought for civil rights and recorded some of the best-known songs of the 20th century. The doc will premiere in select theaters and on Netflix June 26.

Andy Cohen opens up about his close friendship with Anderson Cooper to Attitude magazine. Asked if they’re a similar type of gay man, Cohen puts it simply: “We’re both daddies? We’re both silver guys? We are! He’s my good mate. We have a great time. He and I are going on tour together, starting this month, in Boston. We travel extensively together actually. We’re doing a speaking tour soon. But yes, we’re both daddies.”

Remember when Nick Jonas and his two brothers wore purity rings as teenagers? Jonas, 22, now says, “It shaped my view of the importance of sex. My journey with faith evolved and became more about my personal relationship with God. It was about me being comfortable with my decisions. As a 22-year-old man, I’m a man in all ways, and I’m comfortable with that. It’s freeing now to be transparent.”

Jennifer Saunders insists once again that there will definitely be an AbFab film. During a recent talk show appearance Saunders reveals that she won £10,000 from co-creator Dawn French who bet that Saunders wouldn’t write a script by the end of the year; the first draft was in French’s hands on New Year’s Eve. Joanna Lumley (who plays Patsy, of course) told Saunders, “Do it before we die!”

With Mad Men sadly coming to an end in a few weeks, many people are wondering what might have happened to Sal, the closeted art director who was fired during season three. The actor who played him, Bryan Batt, isn’t certain has offered some possibilities to The Hollywood Reporter: “He was either going to explode out of the closet or remain so closeted and never have that aspect to his life, that deep longing, satisfied. I think in the world of Mad Men, it’s probably the latter, sadder, more tragic one. But since we don’t know what happens, I like to take the more positive route. I like to think later down the line, Sal finally realizes, ‘I can’t do this anymore… as much as I love you, Kitty.’ Then, he puts on the kaftan and gets a Yorkshire Terrier.”

Jeremy Kinser

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/iWmMrL1jvT8/andy-cohen-and-anderson-cooper-are-daddies-together-plus-what-nick-jonas-learned-from-wearing-a-purity-ring-20150429

Scott Walker Repeats Calls for a Federal Marriage Amendment: VIDEO

Andy Towle

www.towleroad.com/2015/04/walkerfma.html

WATCH: Josh Duggar Plays the Victim Card

The “19 Kids and Counting” heir and anti-gay group mouthpiece says not allowing Christians to discriminate is “discriminating against people based on their religious convictions.” What?!

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Dawn Ennis

www.advocate.com/politics/media/2015/04/29/watch-josh-duggar-plays-victim-card

Oregon Senate To Vote On Banning Gay Conversion Therapy
Oregon could become the next state to ban gay conversion therapy for LGBT youth. The Oregon House has already passed the measure, and the Senate will vote on it on Thursday.

The bill would prohibit mental health professionals and social workers from using the therapy, which involves trying to change a child’s sexual orientation. On Tuesday, the Oregon Senate Committee on Human Services and Early Childhood heard testimony from conversion therapy survivors and religious groups who claim the practice is effective and that banning it would be an infringement on First Amendment rights and parental choice.

However, the American Psychological Association opposes conversion therapy, and it’s widely condemned because it can lead to anxiety, depression, substance abuse and suicide among LGBT young people.

California, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., have already passed laws banning gay conversion therapy. Earlier this month, President Barack Obama condemned the practice, addressing a WhiteHouse.gov petition that called for a ban after transgender teen Leelah Alcorn committed suicide. Alcorn, who identified as female, had posted online that religious therapists tried to tell her she was a boy.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, 18 states, including Oregon, have introduced similar pieces of legislation in the past year. However, in Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland and Virginia, the bills floundered either in committee or when put to a vote.

The prospects are a bit more promising in a few other states, including New York. On Wednesday, the New York State Assembly overwhelmingly passed a bill banning gay conversion therapy. The measure now moves to the state’s Senate.

— This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/29/oregon-gay-conversion-therapy_n_7174858.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices&ir=Gay+Voices