Franklin Graham writes open letter to LGBTQ people: ‘We’re all sinners’

Evangelical preacher Franklin Graham’s upcoming tour of the United Kingdom faces being seriously derailed. So much so, Graham felt moved to write an open letter to LGBTQ people opposing his visit to assure them he’s not a hate preacher and claiming “My speech doesn’t hurt anybody.”

The 67-year-old, US-based pastor, son of the late Billy Graham, was due to appear at eight large towns and cities arenas around the UK later this year, kicking off in Glasgow on May, 30.

Related: Pray to keep Chick-fil-A anti-gay, says evangelist Franklin Graham

However, when news of his appearances spread, LGBTQ campaign groups began to raise their voices in protest.

As the controversy around his tour grew, the ACC Liverpool conference center was the first to cancel his appearance. It said Graham’s views were “incompatible” with the venue operator’s own.

In response, Graham took to Facebook earlier this week to publish a “letter to the LGBTQ community in the UK.”

He begins by saying, “It is said by some that I am coming to the UK to bring hateful speech to your community. This is just not true.”

Instead, he claims to be bringing only “good news” – that homosexuality is a sin, that everyone is a sinner, and we can all be forgiven by God.

“I’m not coming to the UK to speak against anybody, I’m coming to speak for everybody. The Gospel is inclusive. I’m not coming out of hate, I’m coming out of love.

“I invite everyone in the LGBTQ community to come and hear for yourselves the Gospel messages that I will be bringing from God’s Word, the Bible. You are absolutely welcome.”

Related: Brits are furious Franklin Graham is coming to England to spread anti-LGBTQ “love”

The letter has not had the desired effect. Yesterday, the 13,600-capacity Sheffield Arena also canceled his appearance, due June, 6. The venue operator said it “does not endorse” Graham’s views.

The cancellation came after 22 LGBTQ groups wrote an open letter to Sheffield City Trust, which operates the venue, protesting Graham’s visit.

Graham is known for taking every available opportunity to speak out against any advancement in LGBTQ rights.

In the past, the vocal supporter of President Donald Trump has spoken out against banning so-called conversion therapy and against same-sex marriage.

Besides the canceled dates in Liverpool and Sheffield, Graham is due to appear in Glasgow, Newcastle, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, Birmingham, before returning to the UK in October to appear in London. At least one other venue is believed to be holding discussions on whether to allow his visit to go ahead.

Related: Evangelist Franklin Graham thanks Donald Trump for banning the Pride flag

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Trump Surrogate: Gays Practice ‘Deviant Sexual Behavior’ and are ‘Three Levels Above the Nazis’

Radio host Stacy Washington, a campaign surrogate for Donald Trump who serves on two of the president’s re-election advisory boards, has called homosexuality “deviant sexual behavior,” said that LGBTQ people are “three levels of above the Nazis,” and wholeheartedly endorsed conversion therapy.

Media Matters reports: Washington is a commentator, radio host, and Air Force veteran who has appeared in outlets including Fox News, Newsmax TV, and the now-defunct NRATV. She was formerly a host of a program aired on American Family Radio, the radio arm of extreme anti-LGBTQ group American Family Association, before the network culled much of its programming and its dedicated Urban Family Communications network. The outlet regularly pushes misinformation and hate about the LGBTQ community to nearly 200 stations and affiliates in 35 states. Washington now hosts a podcast that is available on various platforms. She is also a member of the Trump campaign’s Black Voices for Trump and Veterans for Trump advisory boards. Washington met with Trump at the November 8 launch of his Black Voices for Trump coalition. She tweeted on January 8 that she was “pleased to join the Vets for Trump Advisory Board.” She has visited the White House and recently spokeas a Trump surrogate at a Missouri campaign kickoff hosted by the state’s Republican Party.

Check out a few of Washington’s anti-LGBTQ Facebook posts below.

The post Trump Surrogate: Gays Practice ‘Deviant Sexual Behavior’ and are ‘Three Levels Above the Nazis’ appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Trump Surrogate: Gays Practice ‘Deviant Sexual Behavior’ and are ‘Three Levels Above the Nazis’

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: January 30, 2020

HRC RELEASES ANNUAL STATE EQUALITY INDEX RATINGS: Seventeen states and Washington, D.C., earned top honors, setting the standard for state LGBTQ-inclusive laws and policies. “As LGBTQ people continue to face an onslaught of attacks from the federal administration in Washington, the Human Rights Campaign’s 2019 State Equality Index (SEI) documents how states were instrumental in advancing equality through pro-LGBTQ legislation, policies and proposals,” said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid). “In the absence of federal non-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ community, states must put policies in place to ensure equality for their residents, workers and visitors. In 2020 and beyond, HRC will continue to work with our partners to defeat anti-LGBTQ legislation in the states and secure new protections for our community, both at the state and federal level.” More at HRC. 

.@HRC Foundation and @EqualityFed released our 2019 State Equality Index — a comprehensive report that assess how well states protect LGBTQ people from discrimination. #StateOfEquality t.co/KOGfraJfJ8

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) January 30, 2020

VIRGINIA SENATE COMMITTEE PASSES “VIRGINIA VALUES ACT”: The bill would modernize Virginia’s existing human rights laws and provide nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people in public employment and housing, as well as create new nondiscrimination protections in private employment and public accommodations for all Virginians. More from HRC. 

�� UPDATE: The Virginia Values Act just passed Senate committee. Next stop: Senate floor!

Right now, LGBTQ Virginians are not explicitly protected from discrimination under state law but we’re working to change that. t.co/rVTOdfn2Hx pic.twitter.com/1xhnQTzlcE

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) January 29, 2020

LEGISLATURES ACROSS THE U.S. ARE INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO DENY CARE FOR TRANSGENDER PEOPLE UNDER AGE 18: “The anti-trans fight has moved from bathroom access to legislating over children’s bodies. With so many bills in process, LGBTQ advocates worry that the passage of one could trigger passage of the rest, casting the progress of trans children back at least half a century,” writes Katelyn Burns (@transscribe) for Vox. Read the full piece here. 

• The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) & its U.S. chapter have issued a statement opposing this and similar bills filed in at least 11 states. Read their statement here. 
• Last night, the South Dakota House passed its version of this discriminatory anti-transgender legislation. The bill would bar transgender youth and their parents from making decisions about their medical care, and allow the state to arrest and imprison doctors providing care for trans and gender non-conforming youth. More from HRC. 

These anti-trans politicians want to discriminate against transgender & gender non-conforming South Dakotans, full stop. If HB1057 becomes law it will send a devastating message to trans youth. We implore the Senate to reject this harmful legislation. t.co/14dizt2zc0

— Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid) January 29, 2020

THANKFUL THURSDAY — COMING OUT GUIDE FOR ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS HAS BEEN TRANSLATED TO VIETNAMESE, SIMPLIFIED CHINESE, KOREAN & JAPANESE: There is no universal coming out experience that all LGBTQ API Americans share, but many report similar challenges during the process. Read more from HRC and NBC Out. 

As a queer Asian immigrant, I came out in 2008 in English & then again in 2018 in Vietnamese.

These new resources by @NQAPIA +@HRC — in Simplified Chinese, Korean, Japanese, & Vietnamese — would have greatly supported my coming out journey.t.co/7VN5w2N3wO

— Viet Tran (@viethoaitran) January 27, 2020

PHILLY OFFICE OF LGBT AFFAIRS (@PhillyLGBTgov) NAMES CELENA MORRISON AS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: More from Philadelphia Gay News. 

NYC POLICE MAKE ARREST IN CONNECTION WITH THE ASSAULT OF A TRANSGENDER WOMAN, SERENA DANIARI, ON A SUBWAY TRAIN: Read more from NBC Out (warning — upsetting descriptions and video at link). 

ORLANDO COMMUNITY MOURNS LONG-TIME LGBTQ ADVOCATE TERRY DECARLO, WHO DIED EARLIER THIS WEEK: More from WMFE and Ari Shapiro (@arishapiro) at NPR. 

GREENVILLE, S.C., PASSES LGBTQ-INCLUSIVE HATE CRIMES ORDINANCE: More from Greenville Journal. 

GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!

CHRIS MOSIER CONTINUES TO BREAK BARRIERS FOR TRANSGENDER ATHELES: Mosier (@TheChrisMosier) has become the first openly transgender athlete to “qualify for and participate in an Olympic trials in the gender with which he identifies,” writes Talya Minsberg (@tminsberg). Says Mosier: “For me, it’s all about making a pathway for all the trans athletes that come after me.” Read the full interview from The New York Times. 

History. pic.twitter.com/HB0QbonBBw

— The Chris Mosier (@TheChrisMosier) January 25, 2020

 GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

HUNGARIAN CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP SPEAKS OUT AGAINST INCREASED GOVERNMENT ATTACKS ON THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY: More from Openly and HRC. 

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

Forbes reports on new emojis announced by Emojipedia, which include the trans flag!

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

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