Bible-Wielding Transphobic Preacher Berates Students Outside High School: WATCH 

Another impassioned evangelical Christian has taken to verbally assaulting unsuspecting strangers over transgender rights.

Transphobic Christian preacher Angela Cummings went on a rant outside of Scotia-Glenville High School in New York on Monday, decrying, among other things, President Obama’s guidance on transgender students and gay marriage.

Via Raw Story: 

“Next year, Obama is going to let you men, you young men, use the girls’ bathroom!” she hollered. “It’s time for you to start homeschooling! Just yesterday a girl had sex in a bathroom in a high school bathroom with 28…”

At this point she was interrupted by the school’s vice principal, who angrily asked her to stop yelling about sex in high school bathrooms. Once again, she refused to oblige.

“There is sex in the bathroom in high schools!” she shouted.

Said Cummings, “Next year, Obama is going to let you men, you young men, use the girls’ bathroom,” she told passersby. “It’s time for you to start homeschooling!”

RELATED: Transgender Target Customer Faces Off with Ranting Christian Protester – WATCH

Local police officers were called to the scene and forced Cummings to leave public property for disturbing the peace.

The video has been viewed more than 63,000 times as of this posting. It was uploaded on May 23.

Watch, below.

The post Bible-Wielding Transphobic Preacher Berates Students Outside High School: WATCH  appeared first on Towleroad.

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Transgender women in Mexico face human rights violations

www.glaad.org/blog/transgender-women-mexico-face-human-rights-violations

Texas AG: Obama Guidelines Allow Trans Students to Flip-Flop Between Genders

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton went on Fox News to explain why his state, along with 10 others, is suing the Obama administration over a trans student guidance. 

www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/5/27/texas-ag-obama-guidelines-allow-trans-students-flip-flop-between-genders

Vladimir Putin Backs Out of Meeting with Elton John To Discuss Gay Rights

Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed out of a scheduled meeting with Sir Elton John to discuss what John has called Russia’s “ridiculous” anti-gay law.

That law, commonly referred to as the country’s anti-gay “propaganda” law, was passed in June of 2013 and bans the “promotion” of homosexuality to minors. The law has led to increased homophobic attacks in Russia as well as in former Soviet Republics still heavily influenced by Russian media.

The Hollywood Reporter reports: 

…the Kremlin now claims that a scheduling conflict means there will be no meeting next Monday when John is due in Russia to play a concert at a top Moscow venue. […]

“We were in correspondence a couple of weeks ago, because there was an agreement that, if their schedules allow, this meeting could take place,” said Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Putin.

“President Putin expressed readiness for this meeting. But this time, the meeting won’t take place, unfortunately – their schedules do not match up. But this does not mean that such a meeting won’t take place next time.”

As of this posting, John has yet to publicly respond to the news.

The meeting came about after John received a phone call from pranksters pretending to be Putin. John blasted those pranksters, saying, “Homophobia is never funny.” Putin actually did reach out to John and proposed a meeting. 

The post Vladimir Putin Backs Out of Meeting with Elton John To Discuss Gay Rights appeared first on Towleroad.

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‘Years and Years’ Lead Singer Olly Alexander Reacts to ‘Gay Music’ Label

Labels are confusing.

Olly Alexander, openly gay frontman of British electropop group Years & Years questioned the labeling of the group’s music as “GAY” music by a store in Germany.

@yearsandyears @alexander_olly i didn’t know your genre was gay pic.twitter.com/vPOnJkTPT8

— theresa (@bareIyhuman) May 26, 2016

The 25-year-old singer and keyboard player retweeted a photo taken by a fan, which showed his album in the ‘GAY’ section of a music shop, and didn’t seem too thrilled about it: “um ok let’s talk about this,” he added, and the hashtag #gaymusic started trending.

Even though he loves “being gay,” he questioned the store’s classification: “can u really label a sound or style of music ‘gay,’” he asked.

if u think my music is gay that’s cool i love being gay and i love my gay music but can u really label a sound or style of music “gay”

— Olly Alexander (@alexander_olly) May 26, 2016

A few minutes later, the singer tweeted that “being gay is the best!” and the jokes started happening.

me and my gay ass love gay music and being gay is the best ! Bye h8rs!

— Olly Alexander (@alexander_olly) May 26, 2016

@alexander_olly I’m gay for your music

— matty (@Truman_Black) May 26, 2016

@alexander_olly I love saying I love being gay

— Troye Sivan (@troyesivan) May 26, 2016

.@alexander_olly but is your song gonna be a top or a bottom?

— ADAM LAMBERT (@adamlambert) May 26, 2016

If you need a refresher, Years & Years’  songs King and Shine reached #1 and #2 on the UK Singles Chart, respectively.

(Top image of Olly Alexander via Twitter)

The post ‘Years and Years’ Lead Singer Olly Alexander Reacts to ‘Gay Music’ Label appeared first on Towleroad.

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Boy George Explains Those Rumors He Slept with Prince: WATCH

Boy George made an appearance on The Wendy Williams Show this week and she asked him about rumors she had heard that he had slept with Prince, though the truth about the rumors was hashed out last year.

George explained again:

“I was doing The Voice last year and we were competing to get these kids on our team. And one of the other judges said, ‘oh, I’ve sang with Prince’ and I said ‘oh I slept with him.’  Of course that’s not true, at all. And then I changed it and said, ‘well I slept with a poster of him under me.’”

Williams and George also covered his childhood and whether he has always had a ‘flamboyant’ personality, if he’s tired of the song “Karma Chameleon”, how his mom acknowledged his sexuality, his sobriety, who he’s dating, and Celebrity Apprentice.

The post Boy George Explains Those Rumors He Slept with Prince: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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Michigan Republicans Scramble To Prove Their Anti-Transgender Credentials

Michigan’s anti-transgender response: a bill that won’t advance and a polite letter.

The post Michigan Republicans Scramble To Prove Their Anti-Transgender Credentials appeared first on ThinkProgress.

thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/05/27/3782671/michigan-transgender-response/

Indiana Lawmakers Announce Summer Study Session on Non-Discrimination Protections

On Wednesday, Indiana lawmakers announced that after failing to pass commonsense protections for LGBT people during this year’s legislative session that ended in March, they have assigned the issue to a summer study committee to delve deeper into the issue of whether the state’s civil rights law should include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Earlier this year, lawmakers failed to advance two bills that would have extended protections to LGBT people. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Timothy Lanane and Republican Senator Rob Alting both introduced legislation to amend the state’s existing non-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity.Unfortunately, both bills failed to gain the legislative support necessary to become law. An incredible 70 percent of Hoosiers support passing state LGBT non-discrimination protections.

While a study is not necessary or required  in Indiana to pass a fully inclusive non-discrimination bill, it is a common practice for controversial issues that the legislature is seriously considering and a step toward aiding Indiana’s damaged reputation after the legislature passed a highly contentious religious refusal law last year. The law triggered widespread outrage, damaging both the state’s reputation and its business climate. 

After demands from fair-minded Hoosiers and Indiana-based businesses to “fix” the disastrous law, Pence signed legislation trying to limit the damage by attempting to clarify that the RFRA could not be used to opt out of certain  non-discrimination protections. That legislation, however, did not add protections on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity to the state’s civil rights laws.  

The state is still suffering from the fallout. In January, the Indianapolis Star reported that damage from the battle over the law is lingering, particularly in the tourism industry. Another survey rated Indianapolis the second worst convention city in the nation, citing, in part,  “bad publicity that might deter meeting planners from picking a city.”

HRC urges the legislature to do the right thing and pass fully inclusive state non-discrimination protections when it reconvenes next year.

www.hrc.org/blog/indiana-lawmakers-announce-summer-study-session-on-non-discrimination-prote?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Ken Paxton’s Extreme Anti-Trans Motivations

According to a report by the Texas Tribune, Attorney General Ken Paxton spent about two weeks trying to identify a school board that would implement anti-transgender student policies allowing him to sue the federal government. At least two districts were approached, including Wichita Falls, which after an hourlong conversation chose not to pass the anti-trans policy requested by Paxton.

Paxton is willing to go incredible lengths to target transgender students in an ugly, politically motivated lawsuit, even as he faces three felony fraud charges,” said Jay Brown, HRC Communications Director. “The Department of Education’s guidance was requested by educators across the country and simply ensures all students — including transgender students — can go to school without fear of bullying, harassment or isolation. But now these students have their own lawmakers attacking them.”

Paxton currently faces three felony fraud indictments for violating state securities laws, civil fraud charges, and a separate investigation from the Texas State Bar for encouraging clerks to ignore the Supreme Court’s ruling on nationwide marriage equality.

On Wednesday, Paxton filed a federal lawsuit with government officials in 10 other states, aiming to block federal nondiscrimination protections for transgender people.

In the suit, Paxton is seeking to undo crucial and historic non-discrimination advancements the federal government has implemented for transgender people in recent years. Specifically, the lawsuit attacks guidance from the U.S. Department of Education which explains that schools are obligated under federal law to protect transgender students from discrimination challenges guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) with regards to transgender employees, and seeks to undermine the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s determination that transgender employees are covered by federal employment nondiscrimination law.

National organizations representing almost 5 million educators, pediatricians, counselors and other child welfare providers have urged lawmakers like Paxton to stop their political attacks on transgender youth. These organizations include the American Federation of Teachers, the American Academy of Pediatrics; the American Counseling Association; the National Association of School Psychologists and the National Education Association.

www.hrc.org/blog/ken-paxtons-extreme-anti-trans-motivations?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

The GLAAD Wrap: 'It Got Better' returns, first trailer for HBO's 'Suited,' 'Free CeCe' to premiere at LA Film Festival

www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-wrap-it-got-better-returns-first-trailer-hbos-suited-free-cece-premiere-la-film-festival