Kamala Harris, Liz Warren Embolden Women With #ShePersists
After majority leader Mitch McConnell rebuked Senator Elizabeth Warren for reading a letter from Coretta Scott King, a rallying cry is born.
www.advocate.com/women/2017/2/08/kamala-harris-liz-warren-embolden-women-shepersists
United 882, Tokyo to Chicago – N788UA
InSapphoWeTrust posted a photo:
On the on-demand inflight entertainment system, I am watching a documentary from PBS Frontline, entitled Growing Up Trans.
For almost two decades, I’ve appreciated the “Lesbian-Friendly Skies” of United Airlines, and with the discussion shifting to transgender and gender-variant issues, I am grateful that I can get educated on my flight, and that United is an airline consistently friendly to the entire LGBT spectrum. (And I vastly preferred watching this to, say, “I Am Cait.”)
My journey back to the US is booked as a United Airlines mileage ticket. Due to availability at lower mileage amounts, I was able to book a Polaris First Class seat out of Tokyo; to prolong my experience, I chose to book Flight 882 to Chicago, rather than a flight to San Francisco. (A nonstop to Los Angeles would’ve required me to cough up extra miles due to low availability – and it did not have a first class anyway.) That meant I was flying at the very front of the plane, on board my favorite type of aircraft (Boeing 777) flown by my favorite airline (United).
“Fly the Friendly Skies”
N788UA
Boeing 777-222/ER
Construction Number: 26942
Line Number: 82
First Flight: 8 July 1997, Everett
Delivery: 15 July 1997, United Airlines
Someone dumped a dead cow in this woman’s yard after she hung rainbow flags from her porch
A woman found herself the target of a suspected hate crime in the sleepy town of Johnson City, Tennessee, the Johnson City Press reports.
Gaelyn Porter says she awoke early Monday morning when she heard someone shouting outside her house.
“Throw it out!” the person yelled.
When she looked out the window, a white truck sped off down the street. Thinking nothing of it, she went back to bed.
Related: Paintball Perp To Be Charged With Hate Crime For Gay Bar Attack
When she stepped outside later that morning, she discovered a rotting cow carcass had been dumped in front of her fence and nails scattered all around her car.
“I don’t know what motivation they would have for doing something like this,” she tells the Johnson City Press. “No one here has any enemies. Why would they be so hateful?”
However, Porter suspects it may have something to do with the rainbow flags she had hanging around her front porch. She has a total of ten colorful flags flying on her property.
Related: “Take Your Pants Off”: Cops Investigate Bizarre Hate Crime Video
Porter filed a police report and an animal control officer came to dispose of the carcass.
According to Porter, the officer told her he had never seen anything like it in his nearly 15 years of working for animal control.
Porter’s neighbors quickly rallied around her in support. A neighborhood group has begun selling rainbow flags for $5 a pop and is encouraging people to hang them in their yards, with proceeds going to the Tennessee Human Rights Campaign.
As for Porter, she says she’s not going to let the bizarre incident intimate her.
“I refuse to let something like this make me live in fear,” she tells the Johnson City Press. “I’m not going to take my flags down. In fact, I’m going to put up more, and I hope everyone else does, too.”
Related: WATCH: Insane Hate Crime Reported in Small-Town Tennessee
h/t: Johnson City Press
North Carolina On The Brink Of Losing All NCAA Games for 6 Years Unless Anti-LGBT HB2 Is Repealed
North Carolina could lose up to $250 million after the NCAA said it will not hold events in the state until the anti-transgender HB2 “bathroom bill” is repealed
In a letter sent to the state assembly on Monday, Scott Dupree (right), the executive director of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance wrote:
“North Carolina is on the brink of losing all NCAA Championship events for six consecutive years, through the spring of 2022. This includes the NCAA Basketball Tournament (“March Madness”) in cities like Greensboro, Raleigh and Charlotte.
“Our contacts at the NCAA tell us that, due to their stance on HB2, all North Carolina bids will be pulled from the review process and removed from consideration.”
In the midst of a shambolic few months, North Carolina lawmakers – including Republicans – have been calling for repeal because of the economic cost to the state. The Guardian notes that HB2 has already cost the state an estimated $630m.
On Monday, the newly elected Democratic Governor Roy Cooper (above) – who had his powers severely restricted by Republican lawmakers before entering office – said in a statement “there is no time to waste” to repeal HB2 in order to keep college championship sports in the state.
He added that “the bipartisan votes of both Democrats and Republicans are there for repeal if the Republican legislative leadership will just put it to a vote.”
Future NCAA games have been moved from Greensboro, North Carolina, and will be played in Greenville, South Carolina.
North Carolina Sports Association letter to NCGA: NCAA will remove all NC bids from consideration for 2018-22 without #HB2 repeal. pic.twitter.com/m78L8UMo8z
— Luke DeCock (@LukeDeCock) February 6, 2017
Dupree said the review process for sports bids would take place in the next seven to 10 days.
On Sunday, Roy Williams, the basketball coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, publicly slammed “that stupid rule that we have in our state.”
(Scott Dupree image via Twitter)
The post North Carolina On The Brink Of Losing All NCAA Games for 6 Years Unless Anti-LGBT HB2 Is Repealed appeared first on Towleroad.
North Carolina On The Brink Of Losing All NCAA Games for 6 Years Unless Anti-LGBT HB2 Is Repealed
Pietro Boselli tops himself in Bench/Body underwear shoot
If you happen to have an underwear brand to promote, possibly the best way to get the word out is by sticking Pietro Boselli in a pair and taking a few pictures.
Related: Did Pietro Boselli accidentally show his wares during this photoshoot?
While we’ve never herd of Bench/Body before today, the brand is forever emblazoned on our minds after checking out a few stills from their collaboration with everyone’s favorite mathematician-turned-model.
“So pleased to be part of the @benchtm and @benchbodyph family,” he writes on Instagram. “Great people make a well-loved homegrown brand! Manila, see you soon!”
A photo posted by Pietro Boselli (@pietroboselli) on
Iowa State Rep Uses Gay Slur Against Out Democrat Opponent During Public Meeting: WATCH
Iowa State Representative Ralph Watts (right) – locally known as Ralph Worst – has been taken to task for repeatedly using a gay slur in reference to Bryce Smith (above left), his opponent in the 2016 election.
During the public forum in Adel, Iowa on Saturday, Watts approached Smith’s husband Kale (above right) and repeatedly referred to Bryce as “red rider.”
Bryce Smith later shared video of the exchange on Facebook. The video may be found here and the exchange begins around the 1:09:30 mark.
The exchange began when Watts’ daughter ReNae Watts Arnold challenged Smith for recording the meeting.
Provided by Bleeding Heartland, details of the exchange follow:
Watts: [Watts walks over to Kale Smith, leans forward onto desk.] By the way, where is red rider today?
Kale Smith: He is running his business right up the street.
Watts: He is? He complained that I didn’t go to Urbandale. This forum is four blocks from his business.
Kale Smith: He’s not an elected official. He’s not an elected official.
Watts: But he’s been chirping and sniping ever since the election.
Kale Smith: It’s your duty as the elected official to go to public forums for your constituents.
Watts: Where is red rider?
Kale Smith: He’s not an elected official. This isn’t his–this is not his duty. This is your duty.
Watts: It wasn’t his duty in Urbandale either.
Kale Smith: Yeah, he can attend.
Watts: Where is red rider?
Smith: OK.
Watts: OK. You got that? (points at Kale Smith)
Kale Smith: Yeah, you bet. Have fun.
Watts: All right.
In a Facebook post which has since been removed, Bryce Smith wrote:
After seeing, watching and hearing Mr. Watts during his forum, I am disturbed. I am at a loss for words really. A person who has held public office for nearly 14 years lowered himself to levels of name calling, bait and hook questioning and a total lack of facts and knowledge of what is going on in our state government and what is going on in our communities day in and day out. Mr. Watts said many false statements, could not supply evidence or citations when asked and lacked the humility to admit when he did not know something.
I want to send a message to Mr. Watts regarding his actions and words at his forum:
I will continue to be a thorn in your side. I will continue to hold you to extremely high standards as I take the integrity of our government very seriously. I will continue to make sure every Iowan knows what you are doing, when you are doing it and how you are doing it. This includes voting, sponsoring, legislation proposals, forums, and public appearances. No one likes a know-it-all and no one likes a person who thinks they are better than others because of their position of power.
I also want to say that how you treated my husband was totally unacceptable and very disrespectful, especially an elected official who is suppose to represent all people. The acts of intimidation, lack of respect, and the derogatory slur/name calling was live streamed and recorded. Be careful Mr. Watts, the people are watching and listening…
One Iowa Executive Director Daniel Hoffman-Zinnel issued a statement condemning Rep. Watts’ repeated use of the term.
“Homophobic slurs should never be used, especially by an elected official,” Hoffman-Zinnel said. “We must continue dialogue on inclusion and civility with an understanding of how slurs like this impact real Iowans. Respect is a non-partisan Iowa value, and leaders in our communities must model civil discourse. Bryce Smith deserves an apology from Rep. Watts.”
On Monday, Watts denied that his use of the term “red rider” was meant as a gay slur:
“Red Ryder BB gun is the thing that falls in the category of a kid’s first gun, and it’s used to teach kids how to use a weapon and shows them responsibility and shows they’re capable of using something more powerful,” Watts said. “With some of the things that have happened, the constant sniping and constant obscure criticism shows me that he hasn’t progressed past the Red Ryder stage… I hadn’t heard about the slur until he brought it up. “
He added that he knows “several LGBT folks in my district, and they can live their lives and chose their lifestyle and that’s fine with me. I don’t really care. They don’t throw it in my face at all,” he added “and I don’t raise anything with them.”
Watch the video below.
(Ralph Watts image via Wikipedia. Bryce and Kale Smith image via Facebook)
The post Iowa State Rep Uses Gay Slur Against Out Democrat Opponent During Public Meeting: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.
Iowa State Rep Uses Gay Slur Against Out Democrat Opponent During Public Meeting: WATCH
WATCH: The only case for marriage equality anyone should need
Australia still — somehow! — does not have marriage equality. This is mostly due to a lack of backbone by their politicians, since an overwhelming majority of Australian voters supports the freedom to marry but there is still enough vocal resistance to make elected officials nervous about taking a stand.
As a result, the country’s seen a humiliating series of suggested solutions, but no actual solutions. Some politicians have tried to duck the issue altogether by proposing a nationwide vote — which would be unbelievably expensive, incite violence against LGBT people, and ultimately be pointless and non-binding.
Related: Australia’s First Gay Aboriginal Politician Makes Impassioned Case For Marriage Equality
So while much of the world moves at a brisk pace towards marriage equality, Australia has remained stationary. Amidst this frustrating failure of leadership, Australia’s queer citizens are continuing to push their useless elected officials to do something, anything, to enact full federal equality.
Australian LGBTQ website SameSame.com.au recently put out a lovely video compiling same-sex proposals, and anyone with a heart will note the mind-boggling juxtaposition of the federal ban with this outpouring of love.
Say ‘I do’ and watch below:
Related video:
Ted Cruz Congratulated a Woman Suffering from MS at Last Night’s Health Care Debate: WATCH
At the Ted Cruz vs Bernie Sanders health care debate on CNN last night, Cruz congratulated a woman suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.
Ted Cruz is so awkward he just congratulated a woman on her struggles with MS pic.twitter.com/aIGPS2PioQ
— Jason Damiano (@JDonsports) February 8, 2017
While answering her question, the Texas senator congratulated her not once, but twice.
“Thank you for sharing your story and congratulations on dealing with MS,” Cruz said. “It’s a terrible disease and congratulations on your struggles dealing with it.”
The awkward exchange prompted social media to explode.
“I don’t know a single person with a chronic illness who wants to be congratulated for living with it,” wrote user Sarah Jones.
“Congratulations Ted Cruz on your struggle with being a human being,” tweeted another user.
Or how bout, good luck on dealing with the health care program Republicans want to shaft you with?
Here’s the full debate:
And here’s the debate in 90 seconds:
The post Ted Cruz Congratulated a Woman Suffering from MS at Last Night’s Health Care Debate: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.
Ted Cruz Congratulated a Woman Suffering from MS at Last Night’s Health Care Debate: WATCH
