Franklin Graham says he’s not homophobic, LGBTQ folk are “truthophobic”

Chrisitan evangelist Franklin Graham has criticized LGBTQ activists who successfully managed to derail his planned tour of the UK.

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

However, following petitions and lobbying, every venue has now canceled his planned appearances.

Yesterday, he took to Facebook to criticize those who had managed to get the tour canceled. He denied being homophobic, and instead asked if his critics are actually “truthophobic” or “free-speech-ophobic.”

“Opposition to the Gospel shouldn’t really surprise us,” he said. “Jesus warned that it would come. As you may know, my eight-city evangelistic tour across the UK has been met with resistance by LGBTQ activists who inaccurately claim that I am homophobic, Islamophobic, and say that I speak hate.

“Anyone who knows me or has heard me speak knows that this really isn’t true—but, I DO preach the TRUTH of the Gospel. Could it be, rather, that these folks are truthophobic or free-speech-ophobic?”

Graham is known for taking a public stand 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.

Last August, he backed a New Jersey mayor attempting to ban schools teaching LGBTQ history to children. Graham told a radio show, “I don’t believe that the schools have a right to teach our children something that is an affront to God … God made us and created us, he made us male and female so that we can carry on the population, so that we have children and that we would increase, and homosexuality goes against God’s plan for the human race.”

Related: Lunatic preacher Franklin Graham says Pete Buttigieg will face “eternal damnation”

Franklin has said that he still wants to visit the UK and has consulted with lawyers in an attempt to get the venues to reverse their decision.

“We had contracts signed and, in some cases, deposits paid,” he told The Guardian a couple of weeks ago. “I haven’t broken any laws. We are being denied because of religious beliefs and our faith. It’s a freedom of religion issue and also a free speech issue.

“We have attorneys trying to get the venues to reverse their decisions. We certainly have a legal position we’re standing on.”

As yet, none of the major arena venues who dropped him have indicated they will reconsider. If he can’t appear at those venues, Franklin has said he will find alternative venues.

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Mass ‘Growlr’ Account Suspension Has Users of the Gay Social App for Bears Growling

Users of Growlr, the gay social app for Bears which was bought for $11.8 million by a straight-owned company last March, are speculating that the end may be near for the app after their accounts were suspended.

As of this posting, there’s no message from Growlr on its social media apps about the unexpected suspensions, but users are pissed. The company’s most recent Facebook post is also littered with complaints from users about customer service.

The post Mass ‘Growlr’ Account Suspension Has Users of the Gay Social App for Bears Growling appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Mass ‘Growlr’ Account Suspension Has Users of the Gay Social App for Bears Growling

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: February 18, 2020

NEW HRC SURVEY SHOWS TENNESSEANS AGREE THAT ANTI-LGBTQ LEGISLATION IS A WASTE OF TIME: “For years, a group of extreme lawmakers have been targeting LGBTQ people in Tennessee, spreading misinformation and using vicious, harmful rhetoric while doing so,” said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid). “Yet, as these new survey results show, most people in Tennessee have no interest in pursuing divisiveness for the sake of divisiveness, and think that anti-LGBTQ bills are a solution in search of a problem. Elected officials should be looking out for all of their constituents, not targeting the most vulnerable among them to appeal to a shrinking population.” More from HRC, and see the full results here. 

ICYMI — UPSTANDER AWARDEES DON LEMON (@donlemon), NICOLE MAINES (@NicoleAMaines), CAMIKA SHELBY, JAMIE CLAYTON (@MsJamieClayton), SAM LONG (@samlong713) INSPIRE PARTICIPANTS AT HRC FOUNDATION’S TIME TO THRIVE CONFERENCE: Check out their energizing and moving speeches here, and read more about this year’s Time to THRIVE from HRC. 

With an exciting opening plenary filled with awards and entertainment, our first night at the seventh annual #TimeToTHRIVE Conference is complete!

Check out the highlights. ⤵️ t.co/KzvA1ADqwv

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 15, 2020

TUESDAY TWEET — AS VOTERS PREPARE TO CAUCUS TODAY IN NEVADA, HRC WAS ON THE GROUND HELPING NEVADANS CAUCUS: More from The Nevada Independent. 

Early voting in Nevada officially kicked off on Saturday, and @HRC staff, supporters and volunteers were out at @thecenterlv to help Nevadans caucus. ��️������️‍��t.co/z7Rro55eGr pic.twitter.com/VIr8kaMrfM

— HRC in Nevada (@HRC_NV) February 16, 2020

HRC YOUTH AMBASSADOR MOLLY PINTA TALKS TIME TO THRIVE, COMING OUT AND WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE: More from WBEZ. 

OKLAHOMA HOUSE COMMITTEE APPROVES BILL THAT WOULD PROTECT LGBTQ YOUTH FROM SO-CALLED “CONVERSION THERAPY”: The bill will now move to the full state House. More from CNN. 

LGBTQ COMMUNITY REMEMBERS DEBORAH BATTS, FIRST OPENLY GAY FEDERAL JUDGE: More from Kathi Wolfe (@UppityBlindGirl) at the Washington Blade. 

 GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!

“THE FLASH” STAR RICK COSNETT COMES OUT AS GAY IN MOVING VIDEO: More from PinkNews. 

“I’m gay. And I just wanted everyone to know because I made a promise to myself to live my truth every day.”

We’re happy you’re living your truth, Rick Cosnett! Sending you love today and every day. ���� t.co/0IQIHOUg5l

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 15, 2020

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

LGBTQ VETERANS IN UKRAINE ARE FIGHTING FOR EQUALITY: “When you speak about these things society changes,” said Nastya, an out LGBTQ veteran who asked to be identified by her first name only. “We exist, and we’re going to show our faces more and more.” More from Reuters. 

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!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tipsheet-february-18-2020?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Boy Scouts File for Bankruptcy Protection Amid Sex Abuse Lawsuits from Several Thousand Men

The Boys Scouts of America have filed for bankruptcy protection as it tries to prepare a compensation plan for thousands of claims of sex abuse. A group of survivors and lawyers, brought together by the Abused in Scouting group, is leading the charge against the organization.

The AP reports: “Scores of lawyers are seeking settlements on behalf of several thousand men who say they were molested as scouts by scoutmasters or other leaders decades ago but are only now eligible to sue because of recent changes in their states’ statute-of-limitations laws.”

The NYT adds: “Founded in 1910, the Boy Scouts have long maintained internal files at their headquarters in Texas detailing decades of allegations involving nearly 8,000 “perpetrators,” according to an expert hired by the organization. Lawyers have said in recent months that former scouts have come forward to identify hundreds of other abusers not included in those files. The bankruptcy filing, in Delaware, is expected to disrupt continuing litigation and establish a deadline for when former scouts can pursue claims.”

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Boy Scouts File for Bankruptcy Protection Amid Sex Abuse Lawsuits from Several Thousand Men