Pentagon Releases Handbook on Transgender Military Implementation

The Department of Defense has released its handbook detailing the implementation of transgender military service, moving the U.S. military closer to ensuring every qualified American can serve openly and honestly.

The handbook, which was released September 30, provides clarity for both service members and their commanders about the policies and procedures the military will follow when a service member is transitioning. It also provides important guidance to promote communication and understanding between the transgender service member, their commander, and other personnel.

On June 30, 2016, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced that the Department of Defense was finally lifting the decades-old ban on transgender people being able to openly serve in the U.S. military. Until then, the estimated 15,500 actively serving transgender members of the military were forced to serve in silence by medically out-of-date regulations.

Since July, transgender people already serving in the military have been able to serve openly without fear of being discharged simply because of their gender identity. As of October 1, those service members are now able to access all medically necessary care and are able to begin the process to officially change their gender marker in Pentagon personnel systems. 

www.hrc.org/blog/pentagon-releases-handbook-on-transgender-military-implementation?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Queer HIV+ Rapper Mykki Blanco Wants 'Dyke for President, Fag for VP' (Video)

Watch the rapper recite Zoe Leonard’s powerful poem. 

www.advocate.com/election/2016/10/06/queer-hiv-rapper-mykki-blanco-wants-dyke-president-fag-vp-video

Course Language at Univ. of Utah: 'Gay Marriage Is Disgusting'

A class for international students asks them to explain why “Gay marriage should not be prohibited.” One of the possible answers is shockingly homophobic. 

www.advocate.com/youth/2016/10/06/course-language-univ-utah-gay-marriage-disgusting

Should Straight People Be Banned From Gay Bars? The Debate Rages On

After the shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando earlier this year, there was renewed talk about the importance of gay bars and other “safe spaces” where LGBTQ people can come together. But what happens when those spaces become infiltrated by straight people?

Related: Why Straight Girls Who Hang Out In Gay Bars Can Be A Big Problem

“For someone who’s gay, a night out in a gay bar means that they don’t have to brush off homophobic comments disguised as ‘banter’ and aren’t at risk from violence and harassment from people who don’t agree with their sexuality,” Lottie Tiplady-Bishop writes in a new blog post published by The Tab.

The post, titled Should straight people go to gay clubs?, raises the question of whether or not heterosexuals still need work on “recognizing their privilege” before going out to gay clubs.

Related: Four Reasons Everyone, And We Mean Everyone, Should Be Welcome To Party With Us At Gay Bars

“Even though most would assume the kind of straight person who would choose to visit a gay club would be fairly open minded,” Tiplady-Bishop writes, “there’s still a risk that the more integrated a gay bar becomes, the higher the risk of homophobia.”

She then brings up the issue of straight people often viewing gay bars as a “novelty,” where they can go “to ogle gay people, ‘turn’ them straight or scream at drag queens.”

“Obviously gay culture is very vibrant and this makes for a great atmosphere on a night out,” she writes, “but there’s a fine line between appreciation and appropriation.”

Related: Student Says She Was Kicked Out Of Gay Club For Being A Woman, Contacts Police

“It’s totally possible to just go to a gay club and have a good time whether you’re gay or not,” Tiplady-Bishop concludes, “but there is a deeper significance to gay venues that’s sometimes too easily forgotten.”

What are your thoughts on straight people in gay bars? Sound off in the comments section below…

www.queerty.com/straight-people-banned-gay-bars-debate-rages-20161006?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Trump Playboy Videos Emerge From The Depths Of The Web

Oh good, just what the internet needs: more revolting sex videos.

You might recall last week when Donald Trump accused a former beauty queen of having a “sex tape.” Well, she doesn’t, but now more and more Trump videos are coming out of the woodwork. Or perhaps out of the sewers.

Related: “Gay Voice” Donald Trump Is Back, 100% Better Than Real Trump

Two new videos have surfaced, both from Playboy, in which Trump can be seen hanging around women at photo shoots. There’s a scene in which Trump sidles up to a woman and starts probing her with questions about why she thinks she’s pretty.

“And I think everyone in this room thinks you have what it takes,” Trump tells her, seeming to be angling for a phone number.

There’s another creepy appearance in a 2001 video in which Trump drags both his wife and girlfriend to a Playboy fashion show. Later, the models disrobe, though Trump is not visibly on screen for that segment.

Related: These Guys Are Gay And Voting For Donald Trump

Women already view Trump unfavorably — 62% dislike him — probably because they’re all too familiar with the kind of man who loiters around porn shops and hangs out in the front row of beauty pageants. He’s the same kind of creep who hangs out with homophobes who want to wipe out all gay people.

Trump appeared on the cover of Playboy in 1990, and refused to answer whether his marriage was monogamous. (We know now, of course, that he has serial sex with various women, since he’s been divorced and remarried several times.)

Around that time he suggested to CNN that he “may” have dated a playmate at some point. What a lucky girl she must have been.

www.queerty.com/trump-playboy-videos-emerge-depths-web-20161006?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Tim Kaine Explains Why He Didn’t Raise LGBT Issues at the VP Debate – WATCH

Democratic Vice-Presidential nominee Tim Kaine responded to critics of his debate performance on Thursday and explained why he didn’t challenge Indiana Governor Mike Pence on the issue of LGBT rights.

Kaine pointed out that moderator Elaine Quijano didn’t ask any questions about LGBT rights or Governor Pence’s record on the subject.

“Well, it is the case that there was no question that was asked that dealt with Governor Pence or just the issue of LGBT equality,” Kaine said.

“Hillary and I are strongly for LGBT equality, including marriage equality, and a Trump-Pence ticket is deeply against it, especially Governo Pence,” he added.

RELATED – Here’s a Recap of Mike Pence’s Attacks on LGBT Rights

Kaine seemed to agree that he missed an opportunity to call out the governor on his LGBT record.

“That was an opportunity,” he said. He hinted that he wished an additional question would have been asked to extend the debate so as to pay heed to LGBT issues. Said Pence, “I would have loved to have had a 93-minute debate instead of a 90-minute debate. But I think that pundit who said that was probably accurate.”

PREVIOUSLY – Rachel Maddow: Mike Pence’s Radical Anti-LGBT Views Got Off Easy in VP Debate – WATCH

Kaine said he didn’t go out of his way to mention Pence’s record on LGBT rights because he wanted to keep the focus squarely on Donald Trump:

“I viewed this as fundamentally a debate that was about Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, not about Tim Kaine and Mike Pence. So I went in with the thought that, look, Hillary Clinton is the top of the ticket, and Donald Trump is the top of the ticket, and that’s where I’m going to focus. That was my goal and I think we succeeded at doing it.”

Earlier today in an op-ed published in the Philadelphia Gay News, Hillary Clinton attacked Pence’s record on LGBT rights, calling him “one of the most anti-LGBT public officials in America.”

RELATED – Hillary Clinton Outlines Her Goals for LGBT Equality in Historic Op-Ed for LGBT Newspaper: READ

Watch Kaine talk about his debate performance, below.

The post Tim Kaine Explains Why He Didn’t Raise LGBT Issues at the VP Debate – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Tim Kaine Explains Why He Didn’t Raise LGBT Issues at the VP Debate – WATCH

‘Silver Daddy’ Mike Pence Made Randy Rainbow Do a Spit-Take During the VP Debate – WATCH 

Randy Rainbow has served up his take on the first and only Vice-Presidential debate between Tim Kane and Mike Pence–or as Randy calls him, the “ultra conservative silver daddy who says he hates the gays but like most Republican politicians can’t get enough of the big D–Donald Trump.”

PREVIOUSLY: Randy Rainbow Makes the First Presidential Debate a Super Braggadocious Musical – WATCH

Though the debate only explicitly referred to LGBT issues once–when discussing Vladimir Putin–that doesn’t mean there weren’t moments that caught the attention of LGBT viewers.

“I try and spend a little time on my knees every day.”

Me too, Mike. Me too.#VPDebate pic.twitter.com/1x53cVcu5Q

— Benjamin Cook (@benjamin_cook) October 5, 2016

.@mike_pence to @timkaine: “You whipped out that Mexican thing again” t.co/x6vEzCfzh0

— POLITICO (@politico) October 5, 2016

For the record, Randy asks that you keep that Mexican thing in your pants. And also, next time give him some warning before you talk about getting on your knees.

Watch, below.

The post ‘Silver Daddy’ Mike Pence Made Randy Rainbow Do a Spit-Take During the VP Debate – WATCH  appeared first on Towleroad.

‘Silver Daddy’ Mike Pence Made Randy Rainbow Do a Spit-Take During the VP Debate – WATCH 

HRC Mississippi Hosts First Interfaith Symposium

Post submitted by Daniel Ball, HRC Mississippi Faith Organizer

On Friday, September 30, HRC Mississippi–in partnership with Millsaps College–hosted its first interfaith symposium. Entitled Brave Spaces, this event united faith leaders and civil rights advocates to discuss how to create a truly intersectional social justice movement by addressing issues that span religion, race, gender identity and sexual orientation.

The Right Reverend Bishop Brian Seage, presiding bishop of the Mississippi Episcopal Diocese, delivered the opening address and Rabbi Jeremy Simons, the Institute of Southern Jewish Life, gave a “Call to Action,” challenging our attendees to mobilize their communities to do more, be more and grow more with our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. We were also honored to have a spectrum of community and faith organizations represented.

This was an important opportunity for attendees to hear faith leaders discuss their journeys through faith and how it has shaped their understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ people. They also participated in workshops on the importance of building interpersonal relationships with LGBTQ people both within and outside of their faith communities.

The Interfaith symposium is the very first event of its kind in Mississippi. We hope that Mississippians will continue to learn and grow in unison so that we can continue to have events similar to Brave Spaces to change hearts and minds across the great state of Mississippi.

For those who are exploring a new spiritual home, thinking about reconnecting to a religious tradition or to live more fully within it, please read our Faith Positions on LGBTQ Equality and our guide, Coming Home: To Faith, To Spirit, to Self.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-mississippi-hosts-first-interfaith-symposium?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Clinton v. Trump: Discrimination

This election year, everything we’ve fought for is on the line. We have seen so much progress for the LGBTQ community under the leadership of President Barack Obama, and it all could be reversed by a Donald Trump presidency. Trump has attacked, belittled and maligned anyone and everyone he considers different.

Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, has made LGBTQ equality a cornerstone of her campaign, proving herself a champion for LGBTQ rights both at home and abroad. From military inclusion, to advocating for inclusive non-discrimination policies, to supporting transgender youth, to combating violence, it is clear that Hillary Clinton stands on the right side of history with HRC.

Here’s where the candidates stand on discrimination:

Donald Trump has committed to signing the so-called “First Amendment Defense Act,” a bill to enable taxpayer-funded discrimination against LGBTQ people in the federal government. Trump said at the Iowa Faith and Family Coalition, his priority as President would be to “preserve and protect our religious liberty.”

Additionally, his running mate, Governor Mike Pence, voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and Pence’s “right to discriminate” bill could have allowed businesses to discriminate and deny service to LGBTQ people because of who they are or whom they love.

Trump also supports anti-LGBTQ governors like North Carolina’s Pat McCrory and Indiana’s Mike Pence, both of whom wrote discrimination into state law.

In the U.S. Senate, Clinton was a strong supporter of LGBTQ non-discrimination legislation, including being an original cosponsor of ENDA.  Now she has called it her “highest priority” to pass and sign into law the Equality Act — landmark legislation that would establish full federal equality for LGBTQ Americans. This groundbreaking, comprehensive bill would establish explicit, permanent protections against discrimination based on an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity in matters of employment, housing, access to public places, federal funding, credit, education and jury service. In addition, it would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in federal funding and access to public places. Clinton has vowed to fight with HRC for full LGBTQ equality. 

www.hrc.org/blog/clinton-v.-trump-discrimination?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Kaine Has 3 Reasons for Not Raising Pence's Anti-LGBT Record (Video)

Hillary Clinton contradicts one of those reasons in an op-ed published today by an LGBT newspaper.

www.advocate.com/election/2016/10/06/kaine-has-3-reasons-not-raising-pences-anti-lgbt-record-video