Franklin Graham Blasts Obama’s ‘Sinful Agenda’ Inviting LGBTs to Pope Visit

Franklin Graham, the son of preacher Billy Graham and President of Samaritan’s Purse and Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, has weighed in on President Obama’s LGBT-inclusive welcoming ceremony for Pope Francis in typical bigot fashion.

Earlier this week, we told you how the Vatican was reportedly troubled by Obama extending the invitation to openly gay Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, Mateo Williamson, is a former co-leader of Dignity USA Transgender Caucus, and Sister Simone Campbell, the pro-choice nun who is executive director of NETWORK, a 44-year-old national social justice lobbying group.

Wrote Graham on Facebook:

It’s wise of the Vatican to question President Obama’s guest list for the Pope’s visit next week—that list should raise a lot of eyebrows! The Wall Street Journal says those invited to the Pope’s welcome celebration include transgender activists, the first openly gay U.S. Episcopal bishop, and an activist nun whose organization supports abortion. This is disgraceful and obviously inappropriate. Is there no end to the lengths the president will go to in order to push his sinful agenda?

Graham’s comments echo Catholic League blowhard Bill Donohue’s outrage, who this past weekend told CNN that Obama was showing “contempt for Catholics” by inviting LGBT guests to the Pope’s welcoming ceremony.

Related, Franklin Graham Throws a Tantrum Over Target’s Gender Neutral Toys

The post Franklin Graham Blasts Obama’s ‘Sinful Agenda’ Inviting LGBTs to Pope Visit appeared first on Towleroad.

Kyler Geoffroy

Franklin Graham Blasts Obama’s ‘Sinful Agenda’ Inviting LGBTs to Pope Visit

DVD: “Saint Laurent,” “Finding Neighbors,” “Prick Up Your Ears,” & More!

Frisky business is the theme of this week’s home entertainment round-up, featuring a trio of films about men — including designer Yves Saint Laurent — who just can’t resist affairs and flings and, well, plain ol’ slutting it up (as in Prick Up Your Ears, above), not to shame anyone or anything.

Now for the details!

Saint Laurent
($34.99 Blu-ray; Sony)

This second 2014 biopic to focus on fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, starring Gaspard Ulliel, is arguably the better one and made without the approval of YSL’s estate and life partner, Pierre Bergé. Gorgeously art directed, in episodic fashion it traces their relationship and YSL’s stardom and tortured genius-fueled delves into drugs and promiscuity.

Prick Up Your Ears
($29.99 Blu-ray, $14.99 DVD; Olive)

Stephen Frears’ 1987 biopic about genius British playwright Joe Orton is essential LGBT cinema, and comes hot on the heels of Criterion’s release of Frears’ My Beautiful Laundrette. Gary Oldman and Alfred Molina portray one of the most dysfunctional gay couples ever committed to celluloid — Love Is Strange indeed! — as Orton, who became the toast of London’s West End with cheeky plays like Loot and was even hired to pen a screenplay for The Beatles, and his not-so-talented-wannabe-writer mentor/boyfriend, Kenneth Halliwell, who went bonkers over Orton’s insatiable appetite for cruising and hookups. Comical and tragic, this one’s a must and quite the history lesson to boot.

Finding Neighbors
($24.99 DVD; Strand)

A graphic novelist in midlife crisis starts shifting his attentions from his therapist wife to a gay neighbor in this sleeper dramedy.

ALSO OUT:

I’m a Stripper: Digital Dancer

Pitch Perfect 2

Arrow: Season 3

Modern Family: Season 6

Lawrence Ferber

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/DOsIH8slXl0/dvd-saint-laurent-finding-neighbors-prick-up-your-ears-more-20150922

Unsung Chicago LGBT Heroes

Trudy Ring

www.advocate.com/pride/2015/9/22/unsung-chicago-lgbt-heroes

How I was locked out of healthcare as a trans immigrant

When I was 13 years old, my family settled in California. Like most teenagers, I was quick to assert my gender identity: A shy Mexican girl who rejected her quinceanera and French tip manicures, I proudly wore my older brother’s hand-me-downs. In a secretly trained, deep bass voice I would whisper to myself, ‘boy’.

I am a female-to-male transgender man. Growing up I experienced gender dysphoria – the condition of experiencing a gender different from the one assigned at birth. I knew I would never experience my teenage years as a young man unless I had access to gender-affirming medical care such as hormone replacement therapy and surgery.

To get transition-related care, you need health coverage. But my family was unable to receive health coverage, because we were undocumented, or unauthorized, immigrants.

Like many undocumented transgender people, I was locked out – unable to get the care transgender people like me need to live happy, healthy lives.

The lack of access extended to all aspects of my health care. For 15 years, I was denied doctor-recommended cervical cancer screenings, blood pressure tests, chlamydia tests, cholesterol tests, and more. I was denied access to the diagnosis and treatment of preventable diseases.

When my mother, a cancer survivor, was first diagnosed with the disease, she had to give up her weekends to work additional hours as a housekeeper so she could afford the out-of-pocket fees.

My personal struggles echo those of hundreds of thousands of Californians. 1.4 million people are excluded from access to health coverage due to their immigration status. A study by the DREAM Resource Center, a program of UCLA Center for Labor Research and Education, found that 96% of the uninsured immigrant youth who delay medical care do so due to cost or lack of insurance.

In the words of Covered California: ‘It doesn’t make sense to take the gamble of going without health insurance.’ I agree. Transgender people who are undocumented shouldn’t be denied access to gender-affirming care due to their immigration status. Undocumented Californians shouldn’t be denied access to health coverage.

I was 26 years old when, for the first time, I saw my reflection in the mirror. I had just undergone gender-affirming surgery. My body matched my mind: I saw the reflection of a man in his late 20s.

But the funds required for examination fees, the hospital fees, and other surgery-related costs were not covered by a health insurance plan. It was all paid out-of-pocket with the support of strangers, friends, and family.

Today I’m happy with my body and with my choice to medically transition from female to male, and I’m a healthier person as a result. But, as is the case with any person, my health needs go far beyond a single diagnosis or treatment. I need access to affordable and adequate preventive care.

California needs to give all Californians a fair chance at buying their own health insurance plans, including undocumented Californians.

The State of Massachusetts, where I now reside, understands that expanding health care access to uninsured undocumented immigrants is the only reasonable solution to this public health problem. I’m proud to be a resident of Massachusetts, a state where undocumented immigrants may be eligible for health coverage under certain state programs.

Our health care system works best when everyone participates. We must stand in solidarity with transgender and all other LGBTI immigrants by supporting access to health care for all.

Julián Cancino is the co-founder of FAMILIA: Trans Queer Liberation Movement, the leading national LGBT Latino organization. His projects include developing family acceptance training ​and ​ending the immigration detention of trans people. A first generation student, he is a UC Berkeley graduate. You can find FAMILIA on Facebook here and on Twitter here.

The post How I was locked out of healthcare as a trans immigrant appeared first on Gay Star News.

Julián Cancino

www.gaystarnews.com/article/how-i-was-locked-out-of-healthcare-as-a-trans-immigrant/

Why This Pastor Removed Her Cloak of Bisexual Invisibility

I’ve known that I was attracted to people of both genders for a long time ― since long before I knew the word bisexual. I remember how excited I was as a teenager to discover that there was actually a word for people like me. As an adult, some of my crushes, dates, and relationships have been with women, and some have been with men. As it happens, the person I fell in love with and have committed to spending the rest of my life with is a wonderful and amazing man.

Being out can be tricky for bisexuals because our sexuality is often invisible. Bisexuals who are with same-sex partners are often assumed to be gay, and bisexuals who are with opposite-sex partners are often assumed to be straight. Plus bisexuals are sometimes viewed with suspicion or confusion by both ends of the Kinsey scale, gay and straight alike. All of this, coupled with the fact that I hate few things more than awkwardness and making other people feel uncomfortable, has meant that until relatively recently, I’ve been out only in patches: the search committee who hired me at First Congregational Church in Natick, Mass., where I am an associate pastor; a lot of my friends, but not all; and some family members, but not most.

Because bisexuality is so misunderstood, I told myself that rather than coming out completely, I would be doing more for LGBT rights if I kept my sexuality to myself, rather than risk muddying the waters for those who aren’t so well-versed in the whole LGBT alphabet soup. But I had a change of heart two years ago when the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the Perry case over whether or not California’s Proposition 8, prohibiting same-sex couples from marrying. was constitutional. In response to news about the case, my Facebook feed was flooded with status updates, posts, and online conversations about the case ― both pro and con. Sadly, most of the posts against marriage equality were generated by family and longtime friends of mine.

It quickly became clear to me that my decision not to be out as a bisexual person was a lie I told myself out of fear of alienating some members of my family. But those posts showed me that the waters could not possibly get any muddier. After all, how could the dialogue with those in my life deteriorate further, given that it began with comparing the right to civil marriage to pedophilia, incest, and bestiality?

As I contemplated coming out as bisexual to those family members, I realized just how important it was to me for them to understand that when they talked about how “the gays” were destroying the institution of marriage or brainwashing our children or eroding our moral values, they were talking about me. They were talking about Summer Finnell Shaud, their sister/aunt/cousin/classmate/friend/pastor/whatever. They were talking about me and millions of other regular people who want only the same legal rights and protections that they enjoyed. So I came out as bisexual. On Facebook.

As we prepare to mark Celebrate Bisexuality Day on Wednesday, I think it’s worth coming out again. Just to remind folks that I’m still here ― and still bisexual. What I learned by coming out two years ago, particularly with my congregation, is that coming out is just the beginning. Not a single person in my church has reacted negatively to my coming out (at least not that I’m aware of), but for many, it prompted curiosity and a desire to know more. I have had a number of conversations with parishioners and fellow staff members since then who have wanted a kind of “bisexuality 101.” While many of those conversations with congregants were sometimes awkward for me, they were clearly and invariably coming from a place of love and a sincere desire to understand. They were also a reminder to me that faith communities must minister to the spiritual and social needs of bisexual people ― pastors and congregants alike. Perhaps the best way to do this is by creating “bisexually healthy congregations,” a termed coined by the Religious Institute to refer to congregations led by clergy who are educated about bisexuality and where bisexuality is explicitly addressed in the church’s youth and adult sexuality education.

My Facebook-inspired coming-out two years ago took place during Holy Week, when I was deep in preparation for our Maundy Thursday worship service, the church’s commemoration of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet as an act of love and acceptance. That reflection, coupled with my experiences coming out, has taught me that we know love by what love does. In the end, when we are supported in our journey toward authentic and abundant life, love wins.

SUMMER SHAUD is associate pastor of First Congregational Church in Natick, Mass., and a contributor to the congregational guidebook Bisexuality: Making the Invisible Visible in Faith Communities. 

Summer Shaud

www.advocate.com/commentary/2015/9/22/why-pastor-removed-her-cloak-bisexual-invisibility

Friend: Bill Clinton warned about Hillary’s ‘discomfort’ with gay rights in 1999

Bill Clinton confided to a close friend in 1999 Hillary Clinton was ‘put off’ by LGBTI rights, according to an audio recording obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

Taylor Branch, who shared an apartment with Bill in the 70s, wrote a history of Bill’s White House years based on an audio diary of their conversations.

According to a 10 June 1999 recording, Branch had been interviewing Bill at the White House when the then president stepped out to take a phone call from Hillary.

When he returned, he seemed worried that his wife’s ‘discomfort’ with LGBTI rights would hurt her 2000 Senate campaign, and expressed regret over signing the Defense Against Marriage Act.

‘[Bill] came in and he said, “You know I’ve had much more contact in my life with gay people than Hillary has,”‘ Branch says in the recording.

‘He said, “I think she’s really a little put off by some of this stuff.”‘

Branch said Bill generally supported ‘the gay agenda right down the line.’ But he told Branch that ‘Hillary, emotionally speaking, still finds the issue harder to swallow than I do. And that it could be difficult for her in New York politics, how far she’ll be asked to go.’

Branch added that Bill was ‘essentially I think saying that Hillary had kind of a conservative religious temperament, and was not likely to be comfortable around gay people who were kind of acting out, or pushing her to the limit. She did have general discomfort.’

Hillary endorsed civil unions during her 2000 Senate campaign, but not gay marriage. She only publicly come out in favor of gay marriage in 2013.

Listen to the recording below:

The post Friend: Bill Clinton warned about Hillary’s ‘discomfort’ with gay rights in 1999 appeared first on Gay Star News.

Darren Wee

www.gaystarnews.com/article/friend-bill-clinton-warned-about-hillarys-discomfort-with-gay-rights-in-1999/

Nine trans women arrested in Indonesia for cross-dressing

Nine transgender women have been arrested for cross-dressing in Indonesia’s Islamic Aceh province, according to the state-owned Antara news agency.

Some of the women were detained in the beauty salons where they work in the city of Meulaboh, after they were reported by local residents who suspected them of prostitution. Others were picked up at a contraceptive store.

‘They, these transgenders, were caught for violating Islamic Sharia law, but they are not violating Qanun Aceh (local bylaw),’ head of West Aceh Sharia police Ika Suhannas said on Monday (21 September).

‘After we caught them and checked their identity, we allowed them to return to their hometowns.’

No evidence of sex work was found.

Cross-dressing is not illegal in Indonesia and some public tolerance is given to transgender people working in beauty salons. However, there are no laws protecting transgender people from discrimination or harassment.

Aceh is the only province in the Muslim-majority country that has Sharia law and gay sex is punishable there by up to 100 lashes and up to 100 months in prison.

Police warned the women to start dressing in men’s clothing and stop working in beauty salons.

‘Their activities caused public unrest because they hung out until midnight wearing female outfits even when they’re male. These activities caused public unrest and residents told us to take action,’ Suhannas said.

h/t: Rappler

The post Nine trans women arrested in Indonesia for cross-dressing appeared first on Gay Star News.

Darren Wee

www.gaystarnews.com/article/nine-trans-women-arrested-in-indonesia-for-cross-dressing/

Prince William Speaks Out Against Anti-LGBT Bullying

In what is apparently a first for the royal family of the United Kingdom, Prince William has spoken out strongly against homophobia.

Attending an antibullying workshop at a British school Monday, the prince (pictured above) said that if he witnessed anti-LGBT bullying, he would comfort the victim and confront the attacker, U.K. website Pink News reports.

“Referring to a chart of how to tackle homophobia, he said: ‘I would start on that side [comfort the victim] and end up here [confront the bully],’” the site reports.

Members of the royal family have historically avoided discussing LGBT issues, Pink News notes, partly because 90 percent of the population of the British Commonwealth lives under some form of anti-LGBT law. The commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 independent nations, many of which were once British colonies. No royal has even spoken in support of same-sex marriage, which is legal in most of the U.K.

Accompanying Prince William to the Hammersmith Academy were Education Secretary and Equalities Minister Nicky Morgan and staff of the Diana Award, named for the prince’s late mother. Staff members run antibullying workshops around the nation.

“Though the comments may seem minor, they are a strong statement of intent from the future Monarch — who may one day be charged with deciding to ‘confront’ anti-gay leaders from across the Commonwealth,” Pink News reports. William, who holds the title Duke of Cambridge, is second in line for the British throne. His father, Prince Charles, Duke of Windsor, is first.

The site also notes that while in the Royal Air Force, William served with a transgender pilot.

Trudy Ring

www.advocate.com/world/2015/9/21/prince-william-speaks-out-against-anti-lgbt-bullying

Man tries to marry Jesus at Kim Davis’ office, gets rejected

No have couples have been denied a marriage license in Rowan County, Kentucky since Clerk Kim Davis was jailed for turning away gay couples two weeks ago.

Well, except for one man who tried to marry Jesus.

‘The only denial of a marriage license application that has occurred within the last two weeks was to a gentleman who stated that he wanted a license that would permit him to marry “Jesus,”‘ according to a status report one of Davis’ deputy clerks submitted to a federal judge on Monday (21 September).

‘When it was explained to the individual that both parties had to be present, he stated, “Jesus is always present.”

‘After being denied, the gentleman returned later and presented a type of power of attorney document issued by his church granting him authority to sign “Jesus’” name. Since both parties were not present these requests were denied.’

No information about the man was given in the report.

The post Man tries to marry Jesus at Kim Davis’ office, gets rejected appeared first on Gay Star News.

Darren Wee

www.gaystarnews.com/article/man-tries-to-marry-jesus-at-kim-davis-office-gets-rejected/

Disenfranchised Catholics Discuss Pope Francis With Thomas Roberts

MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts recently invited a group of diverse Roman Catholics to New York City’s Rockefeller Center — just steps from St. Patrick’s Cathedral — to discuss Pope Francis’s first visit to the United States.

Roberts, the out anchorman who hosts a daily live two-hour news program on MSNBC as well as an online show about LGBT issues on its Web-based Shift service, hosted the panel discussion, which was recorded last week.  

He asked a twice-divorced Catholic, a woman who leads a pro-choice group, two gay men, a lesbian, and a transgender woman to talk with him about what they would say to the pope if they could meet him, their views on his papacy thus far, and what they think of his predecessor, retired Pope Benedict XVI. 

Dawn Ennis, The Advocate’s news editor and a lifelong Catholic, was the trans woman who took part in the panel.

Perhaps most surprising to Roberts was that each member of the group felt a strong connection to their faith despite the church’s disdain for gay, lesbian, pro-choice, divorced, and trans parishioners. He revealed to the group that as a survivor of abuse, he himself is conflicted about his Catholic faith. 

Watch parts 1 and 2 of the panel discussion below, from MSNBC.

Advocate.com Editors

www.advocate.com/religion/2015/9/21/disenfranchised-catholics-discuss-pope-francis-thomas-roberts