Join HRC at the Rally to Repeal H.B. 1523 in Jackson, Mississippi

Join HRC at the Rally to Repeal HB 1523 this Sunday, May 1 in Jackson, Mississippi to urge state lawmakers to stand up against this discriminatory anti-LGBT law. HRC will march from the Mississippi Capitol to the Governor’s Mansion in order to send a clear and powerful message to Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, Lt. Governor Tate Reeves and House Speaker Philip A. Gunn that it fair-minded Mississippians support its repeal.

H.B. 1523 has opened up a broad loophole allowing almost any individual or organization to use broad justifications to discriminate against LGBTQ Mississippians at work, at school and in their communities. More than 75 major national corporations and businesses, thousands of fair-minded voters, entertainers and sports figures have joined HRC and the civil rights community in speaking out against the horrific measure.

Under this new law, almost any individual or organization could justify discrimination against LGBTQ people, single mothers, unwed couples, and others. Tax-payer funded faith-based organizations could: refuse to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples for provision of critical services including emergency shelter; deny children in need of loving homes placement with LGBTQ families including the child’s own family member; and refuse to sell or rent a for-profit home to an LGBTQ person — even if the organization receives government funding. It would also give foster families the freedom to subject an LGBTQ child to the dangerous practice of “conversion therapy,” and subject a pregnant unwed girl to abuse, without fear of government intervention or license suspension. It would even allow individuals to refuse to carry out the terms of a state contract for the provision of counseling services to all eligible individuals, including veterans, based on the counselor’s beliefs about LGBTQ people or single mothers.

Furthermore, schools, employers, and service providers could refuse transgender people access to appropriate sex-segregated facilities consistent with their gender identity — all in direct conflict with the U.S. Department of Justice’s enforcement of federal law. HB 1523 even legalizes Kim Davis-style discrimination by allowing government employees to abdicate their duties and refuse to license or solemnize marriages for LGBTQ people. We hope you can join us this Sunday, May 1, at 3:30 CDT. We will march from the Mississippi Capitol at 400 High St. down three blocks on N Congress St to the Governor’s Mansion at 300 E Capitol St.

Can’t make the rally? Take action with HRC today. Send a message to lawmakers in Mississippi to repeal H.B. 1523 immediately. Don’t forget to also add “WeAreHRC” on Snapchat for live updates from the rally.

www.hrc.org/blog/join-hrc-at-the-rally-to-repeal-h.b.-1523-in-jackson-mississippi?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Who Is Ted Cruz? To John Boehner, 'Lucifer in the Flesh' (Video)

www.advocate.com/election/2016/4/28/who-ted-cruz-john-boehner-lucifer-flesh-video

Aunt Boo Says MYOB In Public Restrooms And Everyone Can Have A “Wonderful Bathroom Experience”

Meet Aunt Boo. She’s a God-fearing, Christ-loving comedienne from Raleigh, N.C. with a Facebook following of approximately 335,000 fans. She regularly posts videos featuring advice about things like the importance of personal hygiene, why you shouldn’t drink and drive and how to survive a sexual assault. She also has a video of herself returning an unsatisfactory hamburger to McDonald’s and another about installing locks on her kitchen cabinets so crackheads don’t steal her groceries.

Related: Target Announces Trans-Inclusive Bathroom Policy

In her latest video, Aunt Boo discusses the very hot topic of trans people using public bathrooms. One might think, given her Christian background, and that she resides in the current epicenter of anti-LGBTQ discrimination, she would be in support of the uptick in anti-LGBTQ laws regulating the bathroom use of trans people, but no.

Related: Selfie Campaign Shows How Absurd It Is To Force Trans People To Use The Wrong Bathroom

Aunt Boo wants the world (aka her 335,000 followers, many of whom are Christian) to know that just because a person is trans doesn’t mean they are a sex offender. But to any non-LGBTQ sex offenders out there who may be peeking at her going to the bathroom, you better watch out.

“If you’re minding your business and I’m minding mine, we’re going to have a wonderful bathroom experience,” she says. “When your outside matches your inside, use the corresponding restroom, please.”

Preach.

Check out Aunt Boo’s video below.

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/rul1g8wW4ws/aunt-boo-says-myob-in-public-restrooms-and-everyone-can-have-a-wonderful-bathroom-experience-20160428

There’s Only One LGBT Kids Clothing Line Colton Haynes Will Buy From

Colton Haynes knows the power of a social media share.

The Arrow actor has made headlines, at least here anyways, with everything from body modification to an unlikely pregnancy announcement to alluding to the fact that he’s been out of the closet all along.

But Haynes took a break from sparking conversation about himself to focus the attention of his vast followers list on something else: his gay brother-in-law’s new gay children’s clothing line.

Well not gay children per se, but for children of gay parents.

“I’m so incredible proud of my brother’s husband @scottculley for launching @gaybyapparel!” he wrote on Instagram. “I can’t wait to watch this brand sky rocket 🙂 Go shop online & get the word out there :)”

The line features familiar slogans that parents force their children to wear (“Isn’t this hilarious, honey? We’ve got to get this for Mikey.”) but with an LGBTQ twist.

A photo posted by Gayby Apparel (@gaybyapparel) on Apr 22, 2016 at 2:02pm PDT

A photo posted by Gayby Apparel (@gaybyapparel) on Jan 4, 2016 at 6:30pm PST

A photo posted by Gayby Apparel (@gaybyapparel) on Jan 7, 2016 at 7:59pm PST

A photo posted by Gayby Apparel (@gaybyapparel) on Jan 7, 2016 at 8:00pm PST

A photo posted by Gayby Apparel (@gaybyapparel) on Jan 7, 2016 at 8:01pm PST

A photo posted by Gayby Apparel (@gaybyapparel) on Jan 4, 2016 at 6:27pm PST

A photo posted by Gayby Apparel (@gaybyapparel) on Jan 4, 2016 at 6:17pm PST

Included on the company’s website is this message:

We are Just starting out.. If you have ideas for shirts PLEASE email them to us…. [email protected]. We are making shirts for our community and we’d love to have your input!!

Head here for more info.

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/rlRLGPIpMbE/theres-only-one-lgbt-kids-clothing-line-colton-haynes-will-buy-from-20160428

Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Lane, Tituss Burgess, and Daniel Franzese Ask: ‘Why Aren’t We Talking About HIV/AIDS?’ – WATCH

A new PSA from GLAAD and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation asks a simple but important question about HIV and AIDS: Why aren’t we talking about it?

The PSA is the second video as part of a campaign highlighting the unfinished work left in the fight against HIV/ AIDS. The previous PSA was launched in October of last year and was a call to action to continue the fight against the disease that has taken millions of lives.

Both ads invoke Elizabeth Taylor’s famed speech at the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute concert.

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said of the campaign,

“GLAAD was founded in order to combat the sensationalized media coverage surrounding the HIV and AIDS crisis in the 80s, and we have been committed to this cause ever sinceThis campaign will help bring more awareness HIV and AIDS and remind everyone that we have the power to end this epidemic in our lifetime.”

The PSA features Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Lane, Tituss Burgess, and Daniel Franzese, who point out that even 20 years after Taylor’s historic speech, an estimated 1 in 5 gay men in major U.S. cities are living with HIV, and that today, we have the tools to make HIV history. The PSA will air on Logo beginning today.

Joel Goldman, Managing Director of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation added,

“HIV infection rates are up 133% in last decade among young gay men. It’s troubling that 1 in 3 gay men have never had an HIV test. We must find new ways of raising awareness in order to reach this community and inform them of the tools available to prevent new infections. We are so fortunate to have the support from Logo as well as our incredible partners at GLAAD on this PSA campaign.”

Watch the stirring video, below.

The post Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Lane, Tituss Burgess, and Daniel Franzese Ask: ‘Why Aren’t We Talking About HIV/AIDS?’ – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/jLn6Q3QMIpM/

Media Outlets Are Reporting 1 Million People Are Boycotting Target. Here’s The Truth.

No, a million people are not boycotting Target.

The post Media Outlets Are Reporting 1 Million People Are Boycotting Target. Here’s The Truth. appeared first on ThinkProgress.

thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/04/28/3773580/target-boycott-reality/

Bill Banning Discrimination Against Transgender Patients Heads to Hawaii Governor’s Desk

On Tuesday, the Hawaii Legislature passed a vital bill to protect transgender citizens from discrimination in healthcare coverage. House Bill 2084 prohibits health insurers from denying, excluding or limiting healthcare coverage on the basis of gender identity. The bill now heads to Governor David Ige for approval. If signed into law, it would take effect on January 1, 2017.

The unfortunate reality is that many healthcare plans contain explicitly discriminatory “transgender exclusions” that prohibit coverage for medical care related to gender transition, otherwise known as transition-related health care. Even when healthcare plans do not explicitly contain “transgender exclusions,” coverage of transition-related care is still often denied and falsely perceived by the insurer to be not medically necessary. Transgender people are even denied coverage for many of the procedures routinely provided to people who are not transgender.

These discriminatory exclusions persist despite the fact that the nation’s top professional health associations — including the American Medical Association and the American Psychological Association — have unequivocally affirmed that transition-related healthcare is medically necessary for the health and well-being of many transgender people.

Prohibiting these discriminatory practices is a matter of basic fairness and equality. Like everyone else, transgender people deserve equal access to essential medically necessary care. Their health and well-being depend on it.

HRC engaged its members across the state and submitted testimony in support of House Bill 2084.

More information on transgender-inclusive health benefits can be found here.

www.hrc.org/blog/bill-banning-discrimination-against-transgender-patients-heads-to-hawaii-go?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed