'Ex-gay' leader apologizes to the lgbt community for pain he caused

If you heard a gigantic pop today, it's because of the multitude of religious right heads exploding. And why? Because of this: Alan Chambers, head of Exodus International, the oldest and largest group pushing "ex-gay" therapy has publicly apologized for the hurt his organization has caused.

From Buzzfeed:

In a letter “to members of the LGBTQ community,” Alan Chambers, the head of Exodus International, a group that has long backed “change therapy” for gays and lesbians, issued an apology Wednesday, stating, “I am sorry for the pain and hurt many of you have experienced.”

The public statement comes in advance of a Thursday airing of the television broadcast “God & Gays” on Our America with Lisa Ling on OWN, in which Ling talks with Chambers about these issues.

In his apology, Chambers wrote, “I am sorry we promoted sexual orientation change efforts and reparative theories about sexual orientation that stigmatized parents.”
Later, he added:

I hope the changes in my own life, as well as the ones we announce tonight regarding Exodus International, will bring resolution, and show that I am serious in both my regret and my offer of friendship. I pledge that future endeavors will be focused on peace and common good.

Nice, but you are gonna have to do more Alan. Check out the rest of the story here. 

UPDATE - According to the story, not only is Chambers apologizing but Exodus International is shutting down. I can just see the religious right heads spin.

'Fox News has a problem with the transgender community' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Fox News' Coverage Of Transgender Community Challenged By Equality Group - For the longest time, I predicted that Fox News would become a problem to the lgbt community. I'm glad to see some of my brothers and sisters finally getting hip to the problem.  And yes I said the lgbt community as a whole because if you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.

Fox News’ Transphobia Problem - And here is the report mentioned in the first news brief.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski Becomes Third Republican Senator To Back Marriage Equality - Way to go, Senaor Murkowski!  

West Virginia Democrat Signs On As The 52nd Sponsor Of The Employment Non-Discrimination Act - Meanwhile, we have 52 sponsors for ENDA!

Delaware Poised to Adopt a Transgender Rights Law - Good for Delaware!

Family Research Council unveils poor effort to stop gay equality

With the fight over the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) heating up, we can always count on organizations like the Family Research Council to be the "loyal opposition," even if they have to distort the issue.

The organization has recently announced a special site entitled Stop ENDA in which it lists reasons why it's not a good idea to protect lgbts from employment discrimination. Granted the reasons are highly specious and should lead to more questioning of FRC spokespeople at to their claims. My guess is that Tony Perkins and company will not be asked to speak specifically to them or will dodge if asked:

ENDA is a "one size fits all" solution to alleged discrimination that erases all marriage-based distinctions. It grants special rights to homosexuals while ignoring those of employers. The federal government should not force private businesses to abandon their moral principles.
FRC Action opposes this legislation on the following grounds (which by the way FRC offers absolutely no proof of):

• Such legislation affords special protection to a group that is not disadvantaged.

• The issue is not job discrimination.

• The first "religious exemption" clause is very narrow and offers no clear protection to church-related businesses.

• The second "religious exemption" clause fails to offer protection for all hiring by church-related organizations or businesses.

• It is unlikely that the "religious exemption" included in the bill would survive court challenge.

• ENDA would mandate the employment of homosexuals in inappropriate occupations.

• ENDA violates employers' and employees' Constitutional freedoms of religion, speech and association.

• ENDA would approvingly bring private behavior considered immoral by many into the public square. 

Between you and me I really want to know what does FRC mean about "the employment of homosexuals in inappropriate occupations." My guess is FRC is implying that gays shouldn't be school teachers.

And then to top it off, FRC includes a video about an alleged incident involving a Christian ministry ordered to undergo "sensitivity training."

 

 But there are several problems with this video, including:

• it's about a Canadian ministry,

• the video is from a year ago, and

• none of the principal parties are interviewed. FRC's Peter Sprigg interviews an editor from a conservative news organization on the incident.

If this is FRC's best effort in its attempt to stop ENDA, then the organization needs to go back to the drawing board. FRC offers no proof that ENDA isn't a good idea, but instead displays the prejudices which prove just why ENDA is necessary.

The Daily Show attacks 'gay intolerance'

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
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This is EPIC! The Daily Show takes on the semantic argument from the religious right that gays are "intolerant" of their "intolerance" and proceeds to thrash it within an inch of its life.

'Five-year-old takes on, defeats homophobic church' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

First a request:

 

Kudos to my buddy Scott Wooledge for creating this image for my booklet. I ask that you do me the favor of copying and pasting it along to your friends Facebok. I know I have driven you all crazy with the promotion of my booklet, so it's only fair that I give you an explanation of why it is so important to me.

Through 'How They See Us,' I hope to precipitate a sea change or a war of rhetoric, if you will. Yes, I said a war of rhetoric and by that I mean a knock-down, dragged out war of words. In our zeal and eagerness to strive forward, our community often forgets the things which held us back, i.e. the dark places we were shackled due to the ignorance and hatred of others.

We forget that physical violence, negative legislation often began with lies, pseudo-science, and distortions designed to appeal to both people's religious beliefs and their fears. We now laugh at the rhetoric while forgetting how powerful it was in its past naked form and how even more dangerous it is while covertly pushed. For over 30 years, the religious right created a body of lies and junk science based on fear, exploitation, and blatant lies.

And I simply can't let it go. When I was a child, I had the unfortunate chance to be seated on the front row as this rhetoric killed a loved one. He wasn't beaten to death. No one struck him physically. They just sliced at his soul with their words and actions until his spirit was extinguished. Death was the next logical step for him.

And that's why we must never forget the lies told about our community by these organizations. How many more of us had our spirit slowly extinguished because of these lies? They are responsible for so much pain, self-hatred, suicides, near suicides (including my own), and so much more vile hatred.

That's why I get angry when I see and hear folks on our side of the spectrum take this stuff lightly. To so many, particularly our children, hearing and reading this stuff without someone challenging it is the difference between life and death.

But enough about my soap box.

In other news:

Westboro Baptist Church Responds To 'Lemonade For Peace' Sale With Anti-Gay Taunt - A five-year-old takes on and defeats a hateful church and  - surprise - they are such sore losers.

Federal judge rules against nurse disciplined for comments critical of homosexuality - Good for the judge. Religious beliefs is no excuse for not respect your co-workers.

FRC back to scanning Google Images for drag queens; ENDA must be back in news - Hence the point I was trying to make with my first post.

Daily Show calls out recent incidents of anti-gay protests

John Oliver of the Daily Show analyzes the recent progress of lgbt equality and skewers those who oppose it.

Nomoredownlow.tv is an excellent series which needs more attention

Nomoredownlow.tv is probably the best online serious you have never heard about. It covers lgbt issues from a people of color perspective. In this particular episode:

Are we under the microscope? Is the media sensationalizing our failed relationships?  Has our quest for equality led to more public scrutiny? In this edition of the award winning web series, NoMoreDownLow.TV, we examine the media’s coverage of African American same gender loving people and their relationships. Then, we’ll also meet Kai, a Transman who made a bold decision to become the person he wanted to be. Plus, we’ll introduce you to Dr. Boogie, one of Hollywood’s most sought after celebrity hair stylists and discover his passion for breading Italian Mastiff Dogs. Co-host Janora McDuffie & Kendell are on location at One National Gay & Lesbian Archives on the campus of the University of Southern California.

'Documentary explores the 'gay is the new black' argument' and other Monday midday news briefs

Goodbye Pam’s House Blend: after nine years, closing the coffeehouse July 1 - First a little sad news. One of my best buddies and mentors, Pam Spaulding, is retiring her blog, Pam's House Blend. The Blend was one of the most important and powerful voices for the lgbt community and stood on the forefront of how online activism shaped the lgbt community for the positive. On a personal note, Pam was one of the few people who encouraged, guided, and pushed me to be a better blogger. I owe her tremendously. 

Are LGBT People ‘The New Black’? - This sounds like an awesome documentary! 

To NOM, The Children Of Gay Couples Are Just ‘Accessories’ - Good grief, NOM. Can you get even more mean? 

 NJ Assembly Committee Moves Conversion Therapy Ban - one step in a long but necessary process to protect lgbt children.  

Conservative Group Warns of Divine Punishment for Obama's LGBT Pride Event - Whatever, guys.

Anti-gay hate group leader supports homophobic Russian bill

Many of us in the lgbt community tend to laugh at Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth for good reason. The stridency in which he pursues his obsession to demonize the lgbt community has provided us with some seriously comical moments as well as opportunities to point out just how sad folks on his side of the spectrum are.

But then there are times in which LaBarbera does something which underscores just how also truly vile he is. Take this newest post on his webpage which supports a Russian bill supposedly banning giving any information to children regarding the lgbt orientation. This is how LaBarbera justified the law:

Now under that picture is the caption:

WHAT RUSSIANS DON’T WANT: A male drag queen activist with the San Francisco-based group “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” prepares for a local Easter Egg hunt sponsored by the anti-Christian homosexual activist outfit. (The same “Sisters” group sponsors the annual sadomasochism-celebrating ”Folsom Street Fear” in San Francisco.) Russians do not want to follow America’s reckless and decadent promotion of gender confusion, sexual perversion, and anti-biblical ideologies to youth. 

LaBarbera and others who support this madness claim that it provides a "pro-family" perspective and a protection for children. However this is what the law actually does:

Russia passed a bill providing jail terms and fines for anyone convicted of insulting religious feelings, and another bill forbidding homosexuality. Signed by President Putin, the bill says gay rights activists and religion insulters are criminals. 

Russia's parliament State Duma has unanimously passed a federal law banning gay propaganda in the course of Kremlin’s push to enshrine deeply conservative values that critics say has already led to a sharp increase in anti-gay violence. The law passed 436-0 Tuesday, with only one deputy abstaining from voting on the bill which bans the spreading of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" among minors. The new law makes it illegal to equate straight and gay relationships, and the distribution of material on gay rights. It introduces fines for individuals and media groups found guilty of breaking the law, as well as special fines for foreigners. 

The fact that LaBarbera would push the "protect the children" angle and ignore the other aspects of this awful law simply underscores his dishonesty.  And what makes it so much more insulting is how he exploits an innocent picture of a child with a drag queen in order to exploit fear.  So what if the child is talking to drag queen. Big deal. 

I personally prefer that picture to this one below, Nikolay Alexandrovich Alexeyev a Russian gay rights activist,  getting punched during a protest of that awful bill:

It's kind of telling how LaBarbera distorts an innocent picture to provoke fear and ignores an actual picture which displays end game of the fear that he exploits.

But it also should serve as a reminder. As funny and pathetic as LaBarbera is, we should never forget, while poking fun at his foolishness, just how truly sinister he is.

'NOM distorting Danish study' and other Friday midday news briefs

What NOM Gets Wrong About The New Danish Marriage Study - Before you yawn and proclaim "big deal," remember that the road to lgbt inequality is paved with incidents of the lgbt community being nonchalant when those who oppose us tell lies. 

FRC prays for 'converted' gays - Seems to me that before you pray for someone else's "salvation," you need to first look towards your own.  

Children’s Museum That Discriminated Against Gay Couple Demands Apology For Backlash - I have something to say to you, but it isn't an apology.  

Black Gay Men Positively Out: Many Men, Many Closets (Part 2) - Love, love, LOVE this post!

Marco Rubio's bigotry is the worst kind

Remember the above sound byte from Florida Senator Marco Rubio from a while back? He was whining about being called "bigoted" because he is allegedly "pro- traditional marriage."

 Of course this is how he feels about the ability to fire someone for being gay:




Or adding gays to immigration legislation:

"If this bill has in it something that gives gay couples immigration rights and so forth, it kills the bill. I'm done," Rubio said Thursday during an interview on the Andrea Tantaros Show. "I'm off it, and I've said that repeatedly. I don't think that's going to happen and it shouldn't happen. This is already a difficult enough issue as it is."

Marco Rubio opposes allowing gays to be married. He opposes adding gay couples to comprehensive immigration legislation. And he opposes protecting gays from job discrimination.

My question is just at what point is it okay to entertain the notion that Rubio has a nasty bias against the gay community?

Sen Rubio reminds me of when white racists attempted to push the false narrative that they weren't "anti-black," but "pro-white." 

No matter how noble or unassuming he attempts to make it sound, we are still talking about denying people rights simply because of who they are.

And here I thought that WAS bigotry.

When they imply that lgbt children are sexual predators . . .

People like Janet Porter of Faith2Action can sometimes make me forget how they actually help lgbt equality by opening their mouths and showing their ignorance.

It's bad enough when people like Janet Porter portray us gay men as sexual predators, but when they imply the same about our youth, it's time to put them on blast.

For your edification, Porter is the same type who once prayed or rather demanded that God give people like her control of the media:



 

Janet Porter is a quintessential problem with American Christianity - people so wrapped up in their own egos that they refuse to acknowledge how their bearing of false witness turns so many people away from Christ.

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch.

Boy Scout decision left anti-gay group with egg on its face

According Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association, his group wasn't even expecting the Boy Scouts admit gay members. They never even prepared a statement to be made in the event that the ban was voted down.

'Disowned gay man rocks judges, audience on 'America's Got Talent'' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Man Disowned by Parents for Being Gay Blows Roof Off 'America's Got Talent': VIDEO - A sad story with a thus far happy ending. I say thus far because it's up to the young man to continue to work towards his potential. 

 
Marriage Equality Opponents Claim Banning Same-Sex Marriage ‘Bans Nothing’ - Not surprising. They get paid big bucks for the shuck and jive.  

LGBTs to protest Madigan over marriage shortfall - Other than some encouragement, I have been relatively silent on the situation about Illinois and how the lgbt community there failed (thus far) to pass marriage equality. But now I will say this - stop the damn self-cannibalization. Stop wasting time pointing fingers. Start preparing for the next time. Attaining equality is not supposed to be easy and you will fail sometimes. It's how you bounce back - if at all - which say a lot. 

 Church Sign Welcomes Boy Scouts After Gay Ban Is Lifted - Major kudos to this church.

Pat Robertson: Gays wanting to force acceptance for sexual activity

As ignorant as this comment is, you would be surprised how many people - some who will no doubt claim that they have gay friends - espouse this point of view.

'Viciously homophobic ad continues to haunt the lgbt community' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

This commercial hammers the necessity of publicly and repeatedly calling "bullshit" on religious right lies about the lgbt community. The lies in it are offensive enough, but it gets worse when you realize that this same commercial has been used in years past in pushes against pro-lgbt legislation.

In other news:

Video: Small band of religion-driven Chicagoans waste gorgeous spring day marching against civil inevitability - Another day, another flop of an anti-gay protest. 

 Anti-Gay Kids Museum Responds To Discrimination Charges By Raising Prices - Oh for Pete's sake, people! 

 Mike Huckabee Sad He Has To See Gays on TV - You will get over it, Huckabee.

Revisiting the NC pastor and the 'gay men wear diapers' claim

Last year, North Carolina was immersed in a ballot initiative over marriage equality. Unfortunately, not only did the lgbt community and our allies lose this fight, but it introduced the world to Patrick Wooden of the Upper Room Church of God in Christ and his beliefs regarding "gay sex." Wooden claimed that gay men need diapers, are "bleeders," and don't mind having sex even in that "disabled" state. His statements, in part, are the following:



Transcript: 

 “The God of the Bible made the human sperm, the God of the Bible designed it and it was not designed to be emptied into an area that is filled with feces, there is nothing for it to germinate with, it will most certainly mean the extinction of the human race. My belief is that if the medical community would just step forward and just would share with the American people what happens to the male anus, the problems that homosexuals have with their rectums, the damage that is done, the operations that are needed to sew up their bodies if you will, and how many of the men don’t even give these stitches time to heal before they are back out there practicing that wicked behavior. Some are bleeders, men who are not turned off by ingesting the feces of other men.”

Naturally while folks were repulsed by this disgusting statement, Wooden reaped the publicity without telling anyone where he had gotten his claim from.

But I may have a general idea and if it's what I think it is, then it makes the situation more disgusting. You see, I have a feeling that Wooden may have been repeating a scene from a 2000 movie called 3 Strikes.

This scene (I apologize for the bad quality of the video but it is the only one I could find) describes the scenario Wooden alluded to. A man wearing a bloody diaper suspended over a bed while a gay man not only drools at him through the hospital window, but is implied to begin raping him at the end of the scene:



The interesting irony is that the young man suspended above the bed in a diaper was not injured from sexual activity, but from a gunshot in the rear.

So what do you think? Am I speculating pretty hard here or is there a point to be made?

Whatever the case may be, I have emailed Mr. Wooden asking for clarification. I doubt he will give it to me, but it is something to think about.

Editor's note -  I can't resist telling you this fact. The screenplay for 3 Strikes was written by someone who calls himself "DJ Pooh."