Here’s Why Mark Green’s Anti-LGBTQ Attacks Makes Him Wholly Unfit to Lead the U.S. Army

Last week, President Donald Trump quietly nominated anti-LGBTQ extremist Tennessee State Senator Mark Green as Secretary of the Army. If confirmed, he would succeed Eric Fanning, who made history as the first openly gay person to lead a branch of the U.S. military. Green’s nomination and possible confirmation to the post has alarmed LGBTQ organizations across the country.

1st openly gay Army Sec. shouldn’t be followed by an anti-LGBTQ leader. Army deserves better.

— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) April 7, 2017

“Mark Green’s radical and extreme views about LGBTQ people, including those in uniform, are outrageous, and confirming him as Secretary of the Army would send an incredibly dangerous message down the chain of command,” said Stephen Peters, Human Rights Campaign spokesman and a former Marine discharged under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

Putting Mark Green in charge of the U.S. Army would send an incredibly dangerous message down the chain of command. We must #StopMarkGreen.

— Stephen Peters II (@stephenpeters2) April 12, 2017

In his first public statement since being picked by Trump as his nominee for Secretary of the Army, Green attempted to deflect concerns regarding his blatantly offensive record on LGBTQ rights.

“I was nominated by President Trump to do one job: serve as his secretary of the Army,” Green said in a statement to the Army Times on Tuesday. “If confirmed, I will solely focus on making recommendations to him on how to keep our country safe and secure. Politics will have nothing to do with it.”

Here’s a sampling of the vicious and dangerous “politics” Green has been advancing:

His Offensive Attacks on Transgender People

Green has described former President Obama’s guidance protecting transgender students as an example of “tyrannical government” and said that being transgender is a “disease.”

Against Marriage Equality

Encouraged the state of Tennessee to defy the Supreme Court of the United State’s marriage equality Obergefell v. Hodges decision by denying marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Supports Allowing Businesses to Discriminate

As a State Senator, Green supports legislation giving businesses a license to discriminate against LGBTQ people. He sponsored an anti-transgender bill, and opposed state nondiscrimination protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

From the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” to allowing transgender service members to serve openly, the U.S. military made historic strides for LGBTQ equality during the Obama Administration. Mark Green’s radical views are dangerous, and his blatant disregard for the law following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold marriage equality should disqualify him from such a crucial position. More importantly, his extreme views pose a great harm to the thousands of LGBTQ service members who risk their lives everyday to keep our country safe.

www.hrc.org/blog/heres-why-mark-greens-anti-lgbtq-attacks-makes-him-wholly-unfit-to-lead-the?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Donald and Melania fly in separate “his and hers” taxpayer-funded planes
They live in separate homes. They sleep in separate beds. They keep separate bathrooms. So why shouldn’t they fly in separate planes?

www.queerty.com/donald-melania-fly-separate-taxpayer-funded-planes-20170414?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Ellen Surprises Adorable Teacher Who Used ‘Drag Race’ Clue in Viral Prank Spelling Quiz: WATCH

Fourth grade teacher Joe Dombrowski played an April Fools prank on his classroom, giving them a spelling list of made-up words, one of which was a play on two RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants.

Dombrowski explained the word “Ro-laska-tox” to his students thusly: “Ro-laska-tox was surprised when Jinkx took the crown…If you didn’t get the hyphens, I’m sorry you got that word wrong.”

Ellen, like the other 20 million people who watched Dombrowski’s video, was completely charmed, so she welcomed him to her show and had a surprise ready: a spelling bee for him!

And of course she had some more surprises for him as well.

Watch:

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Ellen Surprises Adorable Teacher Who Used ‘Drag Race’ Clue in Viral Prank Spelling Quiz: WATCH

Four Vital Elements Needed to Create a Welcoming School

Post submitted by Kimmie Fink, Welcoming Schools Consultant

Creating a school environment that is welcoming and inclusive for all students requires a “whole school” approach. It requires structural, relational and instructional changes, and proactive buy-in from all staff. Fortunately, Welcoming Schools has created this handy checklist to guide elementary schools in improving school climate to ensure that all students and families feel welcome.

The first key component is inclusive language. Official school forms and online communications honor all family structures and are accessible to families who speak a language other than English. In the classroom, teachers use the words like “caring adult(s) at home” instead of “your mom and dad” and address students as “learners” or “third graders” instead of “boys and girls.”

Diverse books and images are also vital to an inclusive school environment. Posters and bulletin board displays showcase diversity and promote respect for all people. Students have access to books that provide both mirrors (reflecting their own experiences and identities) and windows (fostering appreciation of differences). Not sure if your books fit the bill? Check out the Welcoming Schools list of recommended books here.

In a welcoming school, all school staff step up to stop mean words and actions. Teachers and support staff always interrupt hurtful name-calling and use such incidents as teachable moments. They participate in professional development that specifically trains them in how to address bias-based bullying.

The final element in creating a welcoming school is setting a positive, inclusive tone for all. There are clear, school-wide rules establishing respect for all students and families. Bullying and harassment policies specifically enumerate marginalized groups. School staff foster active relationships with families.

Whether you’re verifying that your school is on the right track or beginning the process to make your school a welcoming place for all, the checklist is a great place to start. Welcoming Schools has numerous resources like it at your disposal, and we’re here to support you in this essential undertaking.

HRC’s Welcoming Schools is the nation’s premier program dedicated to creating respectful and supportive elementary schools in embracing family diversity, creating LGBTQ-inclusive schools, preventing bias-based bullying, creating gender-expansive schools, and supporting transgender and non-binary students.

www.hrc.org/blog/four-vital-elements-needed-to-create-a-welcoming-school?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Chechen Gay Men Tell of Horrific Abuse in Detention Centers

Those who have escaped Chechnya are coming forward with stories of beatings, electric shocks, and more.

www.advocate.com/world/2017/4/14/chechen-gay-men-tell-horrific-abuse-detention-centers

Read the “shocking” interview Ellen gave 20 years ago: “Yep, I’m Gay”
TIME: So, for the record, are you yourself gay?

www.queerty.com/read-shocking-interview-ellen-gave-20-years-ago-yep-im-gay-20170414?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

‘Kill the Gays’ Pastor Kevin Swanson Rips ‘Beauty and the Beast’ for Promoting ‘Interspecies Breeding’

Pastor Kevin Swanson — you remember him, the friend of Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, and Bobby Jindal who held a “kill the gays” presidential forum — is up in arms over Beauty and the Beast because it features a gay character and promotes “interspecies breeding,” Right Wing Watch reports:

“Christians, I don’t believe, can allow for this,” Swanson stated. “Humans are made in the image of God. Humans are assigned a spouse which happens to be a member of the opposite sex. Friends, God’s law forbids it … Christians should not allow for this, man. We cannot allow for humans to interbreed with other species. It’s just wrong, wrong, wrong. It’s confusion, it’s unnatural.”

“We are in some of the most radical, most anti-biblical, the most immoral, the most unethical, the most wicked sexual environment that the world has ever known, right now,” he warned.

Listen:

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‘Kill the Gays’ Pastor Kevin Swanson Rips ‘Beauty and the Beast’ for Promoting ‘Interspecies Breeding’

CBS Stands by Decision to Broadcast Outing of Transgender ‘Survivor’ Contestant Zeke Smith

Since Wednesday night’s Survivor: Game Changers episode aired, CBS has been accused of exploiting transgender contestant Zeke Smith by broadcasting his outing by fellow contestant Jeff Varner.

CBS released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter standing by its decision to broadcast the episode:

“After the tribal council scene in last night’s Survivor was filmed, we consulted with Zeke Smith and with GLAAD in advance of the broadcast, including the issue of how Zeke would tell his story after the episode aired. This is his second consecutive season on Survivor. From his first season through the current edition, we have always been guided by the principle that this is his story to tell, and it remains so. We support how [host] Jeff Probst and the producers handled a very sensitive situation and marvel at the grace Zeke exhibited under extraordinary circumstances. We have also respect for how Jeff Varner has expressed remorse for his mistake, both in the episode and in his subsequent dialogue with the media. In the end, we believe this episode, accompanied by Zeke’s own remarkable writing and speaking on the subject, has provided an unexpected but important dialogue about acceptance and treating transgender people with respect.”

RELATED: ‘Survivor’ Contestant Outs Fellow Contestant as Transgender at Shocking Tribal Council: WATCH 

Smith told Julie Chen on The Talk that he had “unprecedented autonomy” in telling his story (as transcribed by Jezebel):

“I love Survivor and I was drawn to apply to Survivor because of the integrity in the storytelling. And when I first applied, I didn’t tell casting that I was trans. That was developed later in our relationship. And I had a chat with Jeff Probst in which we agreed if, how, and when I’m gonna talk about this part of my life—it’s gonna be up to me, as opposed to being outed by a fellow contestant being the exception.

“But in the aftermath of being outed, I’ve been granted unprecedented autonomy in how I wanted to tell my story. We started having conversations all the way back in Fiji nine months ago about the care with which this episode was going to be handled. I came to Jeff and asked if I could write a personal essay about what happened and he immediately said yes. And I was really proud of how I responded. And I wanted the world to see how much I’d grown and I also thought by showing what happened, maybe it wouldn’t happen to someone else and something good could come of it.”

GLAAD had worked with Smith and CBS “for several months” leading up to the airing of the episode.

Said GLAAD’s Transgender Media Program director Nick Adams:

“Zeke Smith, and transgender people like him, are not deceiving anyone by being their authentic selves, and it is dangerous and unacceptable to out a transgender person. It is heartening, however, to see the strong support for Zeke from the other people in his tribe. Moments like this prove that when people from all walks of life get to know a transgender person, they accept us for who we are.”

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CBS Stands by Decision to Broadcast Outing of Transgender ‘Survivor’ Contestant Zeke Smith

Talking About STDs Can Be Awkward, But it Doesn’t Have to Be

Post Submitted by the National Alliance Of State & Territorial Aids Directors (NASTAD)

In the spring of 2016, Connecticut College hosted TEDx Talks, and one of the speakers, Ella Dawson, delivered a speech of epic proportions. In her TEDx Talk, Ella discussed her experiences living with genital herpes.

In her speech, Ella said one of the worst aspects of living with a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is the stigma she faces. To help combat that stigma, Ella decided long ago that she would be intentionally vocal about her STD status as a way to invite open and honest conversations about what it means to be a person living with an easily treatable but widely misunderstood STD.

Unfortunately, talking about issues pertaining to sex and sexuality is often easier said than done, especially when attempting to do so with important people in our lives. Talking about STDs to your sexual partners and your healthcare provider is critical to maintaining good sexual health. Check out the list below for suggestions on how to make these conversations a little less awkward and a lot more empowering:

With Sexual Partners:

• Do your homework and learn more about STDs before having the conversation.
• Avoid having the conversation in the “heat of the moment” to allow for more clarity, honesty and focus.
• Frame the conversation around a desire to maintain your sexual health and your partner’s. In doing so, avoid using stigmatizing and potentially hurtful language such as referring to someone without an STD as “being clean.”
• Propose getting tested together as a way to both gauge your partner’s reaction and to help build and maintain trust. You could also propose getting treated together if you and/or your partner is diagnosed with an STD.

With Healthcare Providers:

• Write down notes and questions beforehand to help you stay on track since many healthcare interactions are less than 20 minutes long.
• Tell your provider about the type of sex you’re having, and be as forthcoming as possible. Rest assured that anything you say to your provider should be kept 100 percent confidential.
• Ask you provider which HIV/STD prevention methods may be right for you. If you are interested in Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) or Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), then be sure to ask your provider about them and the best way to access the right medications.
• Look for opportunities to build a rapport with your provider, but do not be afraid of changing providers if your needs are ultimately not being met.  

While these tips will help you get started talking about STDs, do keep in mind that no two conversations will likely be the same. Be flexible, and if you can, try to keep it light-hearted! Tense or serious conversations rarely benefit anyone. Ella’s more vocal approach may or may not be your cup of tea, but even so, we could all benefit from having more conversations about these extremely common medical conditions.

Marcel Byrd is the Racial and Gender Justice Fellow at NASTAD. Blake Rowley is Senior Manager for Health Equity.

Additional Resources from NASTAD:

• WellVersed – A tool that empowers Black men to have honest conversations with their providers and encourages providers to better understand the myriad barriers to engaging and accessing healthcare for Black men.
• His Health – A similar resource designed to engage and dynamically educate healthcare providers via the use of Continuing Medical Education Credits/Continuing Nursing Units on issues of HIV, holistic health care, cultural responsiveness, and program innovation for providing care to Black men.

This post is not a substitute for sound medical advice — and the examples throughout it don’t cover every situation! We encourage you to seek out additional resources from other community advocates and, most importantly, talk to a knowledgeable healthcare provider before making any medical decisions.

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