Congressman Denies Shooting Targeted Gay People Then Blocks Nondiscrimination Amendment
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) doesn’t think gay people are targeted for violence or discrimination.
The post Congressman Denies Shooting Targeted Gay People Then Blocks Nondiscrimination Amendment appeared first on ThinkProgress.
VIDEO: 2012 gun violence survivor Kristene Chapa speaks at #WeAreOrlando vigil
Since surviving an execution-style shooting in a Texas park four years ago, Kristene Chapa has dedicated herself to healing physically and emotionally from the attack’s severe wounds and the loss of her girlfriend, Mollie Olgin, who died at the scene. But she is also committed to standing publicly against violence, particularly violence against fellow LGBT community members.
She is working with a writer on a book to tell her story in print, she shared her experiences on stage at the 26th annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York, and last night, she spoke at a vigil in Corpus Christi to honor the victims who lost their lives in an attack of historic proportions at Latin Night in Orlando’s Pulse club. In 2012, vigils were held nationwide as prayers were sent for her survival and recovery. Now, she is paying it forward.
In her gripping and honest speech, of which GLAAD has video, Kris told the large crowd, united in solidarity:
Hello. My name is Kristene Chapa. Some of you may have heard my name, others may have not. Like the victims in Orlando, I was attacked by a gunman and left for dead. My girlfriend, Mollie Olgin, and I were both shot in the head. Tragically, Mollie did not make it. When I lost Mollie, my whole world came crashing down. Every single part of me hurt.
Sunday’s mass shooting in Orlando was a horrible massacre. Parents should not have to bury their children. I know this tragedy has scared a lot of LGBT people. I will never understand how someone can kill innocent people as if they’re nothing! As if they are not human beings! Each person who died in Orlando was somebody’s loved one!
Having a gun pointed at you is an awful experience. Praying you will make it. Fearing you will not see your loved ones again. Knowing this is it, you are going to die. So scared you need to throw up. Your heart beating so fast you feel like it’s going to jump out of your chest.
After I was shot, doctors told my family I could die within 24-hours. But I survived and slowly began to recover. Even after I learned to walk again, I was terrified to go out in public. Scared to go to the mall or the movies. But one day, I woke up and told myself: I cannot be afraid the rest of my life. I have a second chance to live!
After Orlando, we must turn to faith and love. Fear and hatred will not save us. We must come together and fight for each other. Stand side by side. Because what good is a life lived in fear? That would be giving the terrorists what they want. We have to trust in God and live our lives to the fullest!
You can watch the full video of her speech here:
Video courtesy of Mark Martinez & Kristene Chapa
For years, GLAAD has been working with Kristene and her advocates in Texas and around the country to bring attention and support to her message. Kristene and Mollie’s story has captured the attention of local and national media, including an MSNBC Originals episode from December 2014. Her alleged attacker is set to go to trial this fall. The #justice4krisandmollie movement has continued to grow. You can join in the support by visiting www.glaad.org/justice4krisandmollie, tweeting with the hashtag #justice4krisandmollie, or donating to Kristene’s Go Fund Me page.
GLAAD stands in solidarity with Florida’s LGBTQ community and is working to support the efforts of Equality Florida. Check out a list of resources Equality Florida has provided for those seeking information or who wish to offer their support here.
www.glaad.org/blog/video-2012-gun-violence-survivor-kristene-chapa-speaks-weareorlando-vigil
Will Wife of Orlando Killer Be Charged? (Video)
www.advocate.com/crime/2016/6/15/will-wife-orlando-killer-be-charged-video
Gay Rights historical marker by Liberty Bell, Philadelphia
davidvictor513 posted a photo:
Gay Rights historical sign beside the Liberty Bell, marking the site of the first major Gay Rights march (1965) in the US
Gay GOProud Founder Chris Barron Launches Loathsome ‘LGBT for Trump’ Campaign: WATCH
Chris Barron, the homocon founder of gay conservative group GOProud, has launched a campaign to convince LGBT people that Trump will be better for them than Hillary Clinton.
Chris Barron, the former president of the now-defunct gay conservative group GOProud, was recently a vocal Trump critic, but now is circulating a letter among like-minded members of the LGBT community, arguing that Republican Trump will better-suited to protect them from acts of extremism as president than Democrat Hillary Clinton.
“I have no doubt that Donald Trump would be better for LGBT Americans,” Barron said in an interview with CNN. “Hillary Clinton wants to continue a reckless foreign policy that has made the world less safe for all Americans, including LGBT Americans. She can find plenty of time to crucify Christians in the U.S. for perceived anti-gay bias, but when we’ve got ISIS throwing gay people off of buildings, when we have Muslim states that are prescribing the death penalty for people who are gay, I would think this would be something that a friend of the LGBT community would be able to speak out on, and Hillary Clinton finds it unable to do so.”
Barron’s campaign on Trump’s behalf will be an uphill battle, as polling shows that most LGBT voters remain skeptical of Republicans, whose officials party platform opposes same-sex marriage. Gay voters overwhelmingly supported President Obama in 2012, according to CNN’s national exit poll.
Barron’s career has been based around pretending (or believing) that conservatives actually like gay people.
Longtime readers may recall how Barron stood by “strong ally” Ann Coulter after she mocked National Coming Out Day with her own “disown your son” day, compared GLAAD to terrorists, and spent lots of time sucking up to Michelle Bachmann and other anti-LGBT arch-conservatives.
You might also recall that Barron called Trump’s birther views on Obama “common sense”.
Watch:
Don’t fall for it.
As Dan Savage noted last night on All In with Chris Hayes:
“Donald Trump has pledged to undo marriage equality. Donald Trump is the enemy of the LGBT community just as he is the enemy of the Muslim community. And beating up on what is, in the United States, a vulnerable minority group isn’t the way that you impress other members of other vulnerable minority groups to win their support.”
The post Gay GOProud Founder Chris Barron Launches Loathsome ‘LGBT for Trump’ Campaign: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.
Police Formally Charge Man Headed to L.A. Pride With Loaded Assault Rifle, Explosives: VIDEO
James Wesley Howell, who was arrested Sunday heading towards the Los Angeles Pride festival in a car loaded with weapons and explosive chemicals, has been formally charged.
Howell “had a loaded assault rifle with magazines rigged to allow 60 shots to be fired in quick succession, along with 15 pounds of chemicals mixed and ready to explode.”
Howell made his initial court appearance Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to three felony weapons and ammunition charges. The judge set bail at $2 million.
Alone, each item found in Howell’s car might not indicate anything sinister, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Keith Schwartz said. But together, they “just don’t pass the common sense test.”
“I cannot in good conscience think of any reasonable reason that somebody would be traveling across the country with all of these things,” he said.
Although Santa Monica Police Chief Jacqueline Seabrooks mistakenly tweeted that Howell intended to “harm” the L.A. Pride festival, authorities later said they did not know his intentions.
James Howell held on weapons and explosive materials charges. Stated intent: go to Gay Pride event; wrong on initial rpt of wanting to harm
— Jacqueline Seabrooks (@SantaMonicaCoP) June 13, 2016
It was also ruled out that Howell was connected to the massacre of 49 people in Orlando, Florida on Sunday.
James Wesley Howell’s ex-boyfriend: ‘It didnt surprise me at all.’ t.co/rFwVeox5mp via @jdisis @MichaelAdams317
— Kristine Guerra (@kristine_guerra) June 14, 2016
A restraining order against Howell in Indiana prohibits him from possessing firearms.
Howell has said he did not intend to harm festival attendees.
According to the Los Angeles Times, he was charged with three felony offenses – possession of explosives on a highway, possession of an assault weapon and possession of high-capacity magazines. Police also filed a misdemeanor charge, possession of a firearm in a car.
Trump-lovin’ gun-nut James Wesley Howell who planned to attack LA LGBT pride has a history of criminal violence, yet had stockpiles of guns.
— Bill Madden (@activist360) June 12, 2016
Robert Boyd, Howell’s attorney in a separate Kentucky criminal case, said his client’s father and mother are struggling to get details about their son’s arrest. Details about the case, said Boyd said, “may have been blown out of proportion.They are very interested to find out the true facts of the case.”
Appearing at the Airport Courthouse in L.A. yesterday, Howell entered a plea of not guilty.
He faces up to nine years and four months in prison if convicted on all charges.
Watch a CNN report below.
(Image via Twitter)
The post Police Formally Charge Man Headed to L.A. Pride With Loaded Assault Rifle, Explosives: VIDEO appeared first on Towleroad.
Prince William Makes History as First Royal to be Photographed for Cover of Gay Magazine: WATCH
Prince William is making history as the first member of the Royal Family to be photographed for the cover of a gay magazine. He posed for the cover of UK’s Attitude following a discussion about LGBT bullying with members of the community.
On Thursday 12 May 2016, His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge invited Attitude magazine to bring members of the LGBT+ community to Kensington Palace to hear their experiences of homophobic, bi-phobic and transphobic bullying, and discuss the mental health implications it has. Attitude editor Matthew Todd facilitated the discussion. After meeting with the nine delegates, Prince William then posed for the cover of Attitude magazine, photographed by Leigh Keily. The cover marks the first time a member of the Royal Family has been photographed for the cover of a gay publication.
The future King of England released a statement:
“No one should be bullied for their sexuality or any other reason and no one should have to put up with the kind of hate that these young people have endured in their lives. The young gay, lesbian and transgender individuals I met through Attitude are truly brave to speak out and to give hope to people who are going through terrible bullying right now. Their sense of strength and optimism should give us all encouragement to stand up to bullying wherever we see it. What I would say to any young person reading this who’s being bullied for their sexuality: don’t put up with it – speak to a trusted adult, a friend, a teacher, Childline, Diana Award or some other service and get the help you need. You should be proud of the person you are and you have nothing to be ashamed of.”
Attitude posted a video of the meeting:
More over at Attitude.
The post Prince William Makes History as First Royal to be Photographed for Cover of Gay Magazine: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.
REPORT: Homicides of LGBTQ and HIV-Affected Communities Increased In 2015
The latest report on violence against the LGBT community shows that the Orlando shooting doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
The post REPORT: Homicides of LGBTQ and HIV-Affected Communities Increased In 2015 appeared first on ThinkProgress.
thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/06/15/3788573/lgbtq-violence-report/
Orlando Tragedy Inspires People to Live Their Truth
Following the tragedy in Orlando over the weekend, several people on social media, including actress and author Mara Wilson, have opened up about their own sexual orientation and gender identity.
Wilson, best known for her role in the films Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda, tweeted on Monday about her own sexual orientation after she posted several emotional tweets about the tragedy on Sunday.
“I said I *used* to identify as mostly straight. I’ve embraced the Bi/Queer label lately,” she said. “Your support is much appreciated.”
Wilson isn’t alone. Buzzfeed reported yesterday that several people around the globe took to Twitter and Instagram to live their truth.
Ashley Connick, a 28-year-old lawyer in the United Arab Emirates, came out as bisexual on Twitter.
I’ve never been ‘out’. But today, I stand proudly and publicly with my siblings of all genders around the world. pic.twitter.com/1ekbmz96iF
— Ashley Connick (@AshleyConnick) June 12, 2016
Logan Kenny, 15, came out to his mom.
“I saw what happened and looked at Twitter for about 8 hours seeing all of the grief. I realised that this was the time to (come out),” he tweeted.
Other people have tweeted about coming out as bisexual and pan as well.
Coming out – whether it is as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or allied – matters. When people know someone who is LGBTQ, they are far more likely to support equality under the law. Beyond that, our stories can be powerful to each other.
Whether it’s for the first time ever or the first time today, the experience of coming out and living openly covers the full spectrum of human emotion — from fear to euphoria. Coming out — whether it is as LGBTQ or allied — is a deeply personal journey for each individual.
Learn more at HRC’s Coming Out Center.
Image via Wikicommons.
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