Awful influencer encourages people to make fake Grindr profiles to out gay men

Sofia Taloni is a Moroccan expat living in Turkey. Last week, she encouraged people in her home country to create fake profiles on apps like Grindr and PlanetRomeo so they could out closeted men in their local communities.

“These apps will show you the people who are near to you: 100 meters, 200 meters, even just one meter, just next to you in the living room,” Taloni told her 71,000 followers. “Since everyone is together at home, it could show you your husband in your bedroom, it could show you your son who might be in the bathroom.”

In Morocco, homosexuality is punishable with up to three years in prison. LGBTQ people have no legal protections and are often subjected to harassment and physical violence. What makes the story even worse is that Taloni herself is trans and, presumably, fled the country for this very reason.

Related: One Gay Tourist’s Harrowing Account Of Being Yanked Off The Streets Of Morocco And Thrown In Prison

Thankfully, Instagram deleted her account on Friday, but not before PlanetRomeo saw a huge uptick in fake profiles created by people looking to out closeted men. Not only that, but public Facebook groups were then created to circulate their images.

It got so bad that PlanetRomeo had to issue a warning to users in Morocco.

“We took immediate action by sending a security message to all our 41,000 users in Morocco,” says Jens Schmidt, founder and CEO of PlanetRomeo, in a statement. “We blocked all profiles created from the time this person addressed her users, and contacted Facebook to have the group page taken offline.”

Facebook responded by putting out a statement that said, “We don’t allow people to out members of the LGBTQ+ community. It puts people at risk, so we remove this content as quickly as we can.”

One young man who had his pictures published online tells Insider,“I’m not just afraid, I’m certain that I will be kicked out immediately. Or worse, beaten up.”

Another calls the whole thing “a witch hunt” and says he’s “living in constant fright,” adding that he’s already begun preparing how he will defend himself when his family inevitably finds out.

Taloni has not issued any comment since making the video and having her Instagram account deleted.

Related: Hours after outing man on Facebook live, woman found dead on side of the road

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Pat Robertson Ties COVID-19 to Gay Marriage and Abortion: WATCH

Televangelist Pat Robertson responded to a viewer of his show 700 Club on Monday, telling the viewer “you are right” to link same-sex marriage and abortion to the scourge of COVID-19.

Transcript, via Media Matters:

TERRY MEEUWSEN (CO-HOST): This is John, Pat, who says, “Pat, last week you were talking about COVID-19. You quoted Chronicles 7:14. How can God heal our land and forgive the sins when abortion and same-sex marriage are laws and many people are anti-Israel. Doesn’t this prevent his healing and forgiveness?”

PAT ROBERTSON (CO-HOST): You know, I think you put your finger on something very important. You know the Bible says — they turn from their wicked ways. They didn’t get forgiven. They will turn from their wicked ways. And part of what we’ve done is turn. We are not turning when we have done terrible things. We have broken the covenant that God made with the mankind. We have violated his covenant. We have taken the life of the innocent, slaughtered them by the tens of millions. Children made in the image of God. And we have abused the poor. I mean, we’ve allowed this terrible plague to spread throughout our society. And it’s a small wonder God would hold us guilty. But the answer is, you know, you confess your sins and forsake them. Then he heals the land. It’s not before. You are right.”

The post Pat Robertson Ties COVID-19 to Gay Marriage and Abortion: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

Pat Robertson Ties COVID-19 to Gay Marriage and Abortion: WATCH

Lawyer for defiant pastor hospitalized for COVID-19 insists he didn’t get the virus at church

The attorney for Tony Spell, the leader of the Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is fighting for his life after contracting coronavirus.

Before developing COVID-19, Jeff Wittenbrink was preparing a legal defense for Spell after the antigay pastor was arrested and charged with six misdemeanors after busing in over 1,800 people for a Sunday service last month.

Spell insisted that “God will shield us from all harm and sickness!” But, so far, God doesn’t seem to be doing a great job at that.

59-year-old Wittenbrink fell ill less than two weeks after attending multiple events at Spell’s church. He tells local media that he’s not convinced he was infected at the church and that he could have easily picked up the virus anywhere.

“I went to Albertson’s twice a day,” he said while hooked up to an oxygen tank in a hospital bed. “I went to Sam’s. I went to Walmart. I went to Lowe’s. I used the gas pumps. I mean I just wasn’t careful. God knows where I got it.”

Um, why was he shopping at all those places to begin with? Also, who goes to the grocery store twice a day ever, let alone during a pandemic?

The lawyer added, “The bad thing is I might have spread (it) to somebody. I feel bad about that.”

Wittenbrink is now the second person associated with Life Tabernacle Church to contract COVID-19. Last week, 78-year-old Harold Orillion, a church regular, died of the virus, though Spell insists the coroner’s finding is “a lie.”

But Spell isn’t letting any of this stop him from 1. continuing to hold church services, and 2. continuing to try and profit off of the pandemic. Just last week, he put out a video encouraging people, even those who don’t belong to his church, to donate their stimulus checks to him.

“Donate your stimulus money,” he said. “If you don’t have a church, give through my website!”

“I’m very proud of Pastor Spell,” Wittenbrink said from his hospital bed. “I think he’s one of the few people who understands we shouldn’t just throw away our civil liberties without a fight just because there’s some kind of crisis going on.”

Yesterday, Wittenbrink took to Facebook to remind everyone to “Breath. Now thank God.”

Here’s hoping Wittenbrink makes a full recovery and that, afterwards, he has a good hard think about some of his recent life choices.

Related: Preachers gone wild: 5 religious leaders who refused to cancel church services (and one who died)

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A Gay Married Couple in Poland Fights Coronavirus and LGBTQ Stigma by Sewing 300 Rainbow Face Masks and Giving Them Away: WATCH

Jakub and Dawid Mycek-Kwiecinski, a gay married couple in Poland, are fighting coronavirus and LGBTQ stigma by handing out free rainbow face masks to the public.

Wrote Jakub and Dawid, who also have a YouTube channel, in a Facebook post: “Many people call gay people a plague, so we thought we might change their mind by helping people overcome a real plague. We borrowed grandma’s sewing machine and started sewing masks to offer them for free on the streets. Our masks are unique because they are all rainbow! Our friends, dressmakers, were able to help us create 300, which we brought to the streets.”

In a later post, Jakub and Dawid wrote, “How do you feel in this new masked reality? We try to be optimistic. We are delighted that our action to distribute rainbow masks has been met with such enthusiasm, but above all we hope that many people will be able to protect themselves from the virus.”

GSN reports: “It’s not the first time the Mycek-Kwiecinski’s have become a viral hit. They first came to fame for their lip-sync video of Roxette’s Some Other Summer. And in 2017, their Christmas song celebrating LGBT+ families became a surprise number one in Poland. However, while the couple married in Spain, Poland does not recognize their relationship as same-sex marriage is illegal. Moreover, Jakub says he lost his job as a TV presenter because national broadcaster TVP fired him for being gay.”

Poland saw its largest spike in coronavirus cases on Sunday, Reuters reports: “Parks and forests will be reopened on Monday and limits on the numbers of people allowed in shops will be eased, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Thursday. But many restrictions, such as covering one’s mouth and nose when outside and wearing plastic gloves in grocery stores, as well as school closures will remain in place. As of Sunday, Poland had 9,287 confirmed cases and 360 deaths. The health ministry on Sunday said it had carried out around 11,200 tests over the course of the last day.”

The post A Gay Married Couple in Poland Fights Coronavirus and LGBTQ Stigma by Sewing 300 Rainbow Face Masks and Giving Them Away: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.

A Gay Couple in Poland Fights Coronavirus and LGBTQ Stigma by Sewing 300 Rainbow Face Masks and Giving Them Away: WATCH

#AM_Equality: April 20, 2020

VIRGINIA LGBTQ ADVOCATES LEAD THE WAY FOR NON-DISCRIMINATION PROTECTIONS FOR LGBTQ COMMUNITY: “Year after year, advocates and their Democratic allies in Richmond put their shoulders behind bills that would ban discrimination in housing, public employment, insurance coverage, credit, access to public-sector contracts and other areas,” writes the Washington Post’s Editorial Board. “The nondiscrimination bill that Mr. Northam signed April 11 was made possible by the Democrats’ sweep of both the state House and Senate in last November’s legislative elections.” More from The Washington Post.

HRC AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS CALL ON CONGRESS AND STATES TO EXPAND VOTING RIGHTS: “We are calling on Congress to fund, and states to implement the following provisions, so that we do not repeat what we saw in Wisconsin and that we are prepared for elections in November,” said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid). “President Trump and his anti-equality allies have already announced a $10 million voter suppression campaign to make it harder than ever before for people to vote. Our government should be promoting and improving access to our democracy, not limiting it.” More from HRC. 

AMID COLLEGE CLOSURES FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, LGBTQ STUDENTS FEAR ABUSE AND HARM BACK HOME: Those who are LGBTQ are more at risk than the general population of having suicidal thoughts or attempting suicide, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, and nearly half of transgender adults have considered suicide in the past year. Studies have found the lack of family support and ongoing harassment play large roles in this trend. More from Li Cohen at CBS. 

GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!

BRITISH HURDLER ETHAN AKANNI ON COMING OUT, LGBTQ VISIBILITY: “Sharing my story through being part of the [Athletics Pride Network] means a lot to me,” said Akanni (@EthanAkanni1999). “I really hope it speaks to other LGBT+ people who might be able to relate to some of my experiences as well.” More from Sky Sport. 

MEET THE QUEER COMEDIAN AND ACTOR MAE MARTIN (@TheMaeMartin) BEHIND NETFLIX’S “FEEL GOOD”: More from Alexander Kacala (@faymeproblems) at NBC.

IN THE STATES

COLUMBUS PUBLIC HEALTH OPENS CENTER TO ADDRESS RACIAL HEALTH DISPARITIES WITHIN LOCAL COMMUNITY: More from 10TV.

38% of people hospitalized in Columbus are Black. In response, @ColumbusHealth has opened a center to support minorities and provide weekly reports of research and solutions to elected leaders. #COVID19 t.co/FCpHdhRFkR

— HRC in Ohio (@HRC_OH) April 16, 2020

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

ECUADOR ADVOCACY GROUP CREATES RELIEF FUND TO SUPPORT LGBTQ PEOPLE AND VENEZUELAN REFUGEES IN THE COUNTRY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: 2018 HRC Global Innovator Danilo Manzano is leading the effort. More from the Washington Blade. 

TANZANIA IS STILL TARGETING AND ARRESTING LGBTQ PEOPLE: More from Nico Lang (@Nico_Lang) at Daily Xtra. 

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!
The Advocate spotlights Coolhaus Ice Cream (@COOLHAUS), a lesbian-owned company that is changing the world, one scoop at a time; Sam Smith (@samsmith) and Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) releases new powerful song “I’m Ready” featuring RuPaul Drag Race’s Valentina (@AllOfValentina) and Gigi Goode (@thegigigoode) and trans singer/songwriter Shea Diamond (@iamsheadiamond)

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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