The Lavender Scare's New Relevance

The Human Rights Campaign is calling on the State Department to apologize for all the gays and lesbians it fired in the 1950s. 

www.advocate.com/politics/2017/1/03/lavender-scares-new-relevance

Kim Burrell's Homophobia Betrays the Message of 'Hidden Figures'

The antigay gospel singer, who is featured on the Hidden Figures soundtrack, is preaching the same kind of bigotry that is being denounced in the film.

www.advocate.com/film/2017/1/03/kim-burrells-homophobia-betrays-message-hidden-figures

‘Sisters Wives’ daughter comes out as a lesbian to shocked family

Mariah Brown, via TLC, Facebook.

TLC’s “Sister Wives” started the year off with a much hyped reveal, as Kody and Meri Brown’s 21-year-old daughter, Mariah, came out to the family as a lesbian.

“Okay,” she said, taking a deep breath, clearly nervous. “I’m gay.”

Her family, who follow Mormon fundamentalism, which is not supportive of the LGBTQ community generally, appeared shocked by the news.

Her father appeared to take the news better than her mother, who can be seen in a clip from the episode below crying and saying, “I thought I knew my daughter. I didn’t.”

“We’re not happy that Mariah is gay,” Kody explains to his wife. “We’re happy that she knows herself.”

Mariah tweeted out thanks for the support she was receiving from fans and well-wishers.

wow okay y’all making me cry with your support. thank you thank you thank you thank you??????

— mariah (@mariahlian) January 2, 2017

The family told HuffPost Live in a 2013 interview that they are supportive of same-sex marriage, and that adults should be able to “structure their family” however they want.

Watch Mariah come out in the video below.

www.queerty.com/sisters-wives-daughter-comes-lesbian-shocked-family-20170103?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

NAACP Sits In at Sen. Jeff Sessions Office Until He Withdraws from AG Consideration or They Are Arrested

The NAACP is holding a sit-in at Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions’ office until he withdraws from consideration for Attorney General or they are arrested.

The @NAACP & @AlabamaNAACP are occupying the Mobile office of @jeffsessions–untill he withdraws as a AG nominee or we’re arrested.@tvonetv pic.twitter.com/7uceDDpz1Y

— Cornell Wm. Brooks (@CornellWBrooks) January 3, 2017

AL.com reports:

Sessions was the U.S. attorney in Mobile in the mid-1980s when then-President Ronald Reagan nominated him for a federal judgeship. But the nomination failed amid allegations that Sessions made racist remarks toward a colleague, said the Ku Klux Klan was “O.K.” until he learned that members smoked marijuana and that he called the NAACP and liberal organizations “un-American” and “communist-inspired.”

“As a matter of conscience, the NAACP has chosen not to remain silent on this critical matter,” Birmingham NAACP head Hezekiah Johnson said outside Sessions’ Senate office in Birmingham. “Our main concern is centered around the reality of voter suppression. We have found no evidence of his ability, past or present, to be impartial and unbiased as the chief law enforcement officer of the United States of America, especially in the areas of civil rights, voting rights and equal protection under the law.”

Watch some Facebook video of the sit-in:

The post NAACP Sits In at Sen. Jeff Sessions Office Until He Withdraws from AG Consideration or They Are Arrested appeared first on Towleroad.

NAACP Sits In at Sen. Jeff Sessions Office Until He Withdraws from AG Consideration or They Are Arrested

What Will The Donald Say? Megyn Kelly Leaving Fox News for NBC (Video)

The Fox News anchor has decided to leave the network to take on what The New York Times called “a broad new role” at NBC News for an undisclosed salary. 

www.advocate.com/television/2017/1/03/what-will-donald-say-megyn-kelly-leaving-fox-news-nbc-video

Homophobic gospel singer will NOT be performing on Ellen as scheduled, says Janelle Monae

Kim Burrell, via Vimeo video screenshot.

Gospel singer Kim Burrell will not be performing on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” after all.

The homophobic songstress, whose hateful sermon recently appeared on YouTube last week, was scheduled to sing the track “I See a Victory” with Pharrell Williams. The song appears on the Hidden Figures soundtrack.

Actress Janelle Monae, who co-stars in the film, confirmed to TMZ that Burrell would stay home.

“She’s not performing, absolutely not,” Monae said. She confirmed that just Williams would be performing.

“And I’ll be there too, so make sure you guys tune in,” she said.

“I’m a huge advocate for the other,” she added. “I don’t stand for any hate speech, or anything that targets our fellow brothers and sisters.”

Burrell posted a video to Facebook attempting to contextualize her bigotry, blaming God, who has apparently been whispering sweet homophobic nothings in her ears.

DeGeneres has confirmed that Burrell will not be appearing on her show.

For those asking, Kim Burrell will not be appearing on my show.

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) January 3, 2017

Williams posted to social media, eluding to the video without naming it.

“I condemn hate speech of any kind,” he wrote.”There is no room in this world for any kind of prejudice. My greatest hope is for inclusion and love for all humanity in 2017 and beyond.”

pic.twitter.com/d8jGbP4TOD

— Pharrell Williams (@Pharrell) December 31, 2016

Monae shared Williams’ Instagram post.

I shouldn’t even have to post this as you guys should already know where I stand but If you do not pls know I unequivocally repudiate ANY AND ALL hateful comments against the LGBTQ community. Actually I’m tired of that label. We all belong to the same community, a shared community called humanity. And today and tomorrow and the next day I will continue to stand with other like minded people who condemn any and all statements and actions that would seek to deny the basic humanity of our fellow brothers and sisters. We cannot sit Idly by nor will we speak silently when we are confronted with such violence against members of our community. I am personally beyond exhausted by the ignorance and bigotry living in some people. At times I want to punch and I want to slap a lot of people when I read and hear the shit that comes out their mouthes !!! I will rejoice when folks stop thinking they ARE GOD, Jesus’ assistant, picking and choosing what “sins” are acceptable in the Bible, and using the Bible as a whip! WE can’t afford anymore tearing down of our shared humanity. My advice: If your religion is causing you to spew out words of hate, judge, or look down on others because of who one loves then you need to change it. And fast. If the religion don’t make you are more loving or better person, ditch it. But what do I know. My hope is that we ALL go into this new year considering for one moment that we don’t have all the answers. My hope is that we become more understanding, less judgmental, more tolerate, and more patient with one another. Including me. HAPPY NEW YEAR. ???

A photo posted by Janelle Monáe (@janellemonae) on Dec 31, 2016 at 6:05pm PST

Octavia Spencer, who also stars in the film, shared her agreement with Williams as well.

“I agree [with Williams]. We are all God’s children equal in his eyes. Hatred isn’t the answer. Isn’t the answer,” she wrote on social media.

www.queerty.com/homophobic-gospel-singer-will-not-performing-ellen-scheduled-says-janelle-monae-20170103?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Fliers Promoting Church’s Anti-LGBT ‘War On Christianity’ Sermon Spark Outrage In Dallas

The above image shows an actual flier promoting an actual sermon at an actual church near Dallas.

The sermon, titled “The War on Christianity: Exposing the LGBT Agenda,” is also listed on the website of Gateway Church Midlothian, which is part of the rabidly anti-LGBT Assemblies of God denomination. 

After someone posted the image to Facebook, reporting that the church has been “blanketing the community” with the fliers, people began leaving negative reviews on Gateway’s page. 

“Spreading lies and promoting hate is not what Jesus would do!” one person wrote. “Shame on you and your fliers!”

The church has since disabled Facebook reviews and deleted several comments, but not before we managed to preserve a few of them (below).

“I’ve updated my gay agenda for the New Year, so my wife and I will be attending this Sunday!” one woman wrote.

It’s quite possible that in distributing the fliers, the church was hoping for this type of backlash from the LGBT community to feed its persecution narrative. But for those who would advocate ignoring the fliers, remember that Texas Republican lawmakers will effectively be seeking to impose the anti-LGBT views of churches like Gateway on the entire state when the legislative session begins next week.

The post Fliers Promoting Church’s Anti-LGBT ‘War On Christianity’ Sermon Spark Outrage In Dallas appeared first on Towleroad.

Fliers Promoting Church’s Anti-LGBT ‘War On Christianity’ Sermon Spark Outrage In Dallas

Ellen: 'Kim Burrell Will Not Be Appearing on My Show' (Video)

The host tweeted the news “for those asking” Tuesday, in reaction to the gospel singer’s homophobic rant. 

www.advocate.com/television/2017/1/03/ellen-kim-burrell-will-not-be-appearing-my-show-video