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)

www.queerty.com/lawyer-defiant-pastor-hospitalized-covid-19-insists-didnt-get-virus-church-20200420?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

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!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-april-20-2020?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

GLAAD & Little Bee Books’ children’s title, Prince & Knight, named 5th most challenged book of the year according to American Library Association’s annual list

GLAAD today announced that its children’s book, Prince & Knight, written by Daniel Haack and illustrated by Stevie Lewis, and published in partnership with Little Bee Books, was the 5th most challenged book of 2019, according to the American Library Assocation’s Top 10 Most Challenged Books list published today. Prince & Knight is available at Bookshop.org, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and in many libraries nationwide.

Check out the full book and cover art here.

Each year, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles the Top 10 Most Challenged Books list by documenting public challenges (challenges reported in the media), as well as censorship reports submitted through the Office’s challenge reporting form. The list informs the public about censorship attempts in libraries and schools and highlights the stories of library workers and community members who are defending the freedom to read. The ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom will be highlighting stories from the #BannedBooksList with infographics, activities, and live-streams this week in honor of National Library Week. The ‘Top 10 list’ provides only a snapshot of censorship attempts as the Office of Intellectual Freedom estimates that 82-97% of challenges remain unreported.

Reasons listed for Prince & Knight’s contention included: “featuring a gay marriage and LGBTQIA+ content” and for being “‘a deliberate attempt to indoctrinate young children’ with the potential to cause confusion, curiosity, and gender dysphoria; and for conflicting with a religious viewpoint.”

“LGBTQ families, like mine, are too often left out of programming for children and families, creating hardships for LGBTQ parents and children alike,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “We join with Little Bee Books, the American Library Association, and other leaders in combating the move to ban or censor books like Prince & Knight and the other LGBTQ titles on this year’s list. These beautiful titles should not be challenged, they should be celebrated, but this list is an important reminder of the work ahead for LGBTQ families. GLAAD will continue our advocacy work until these titles are available in every library and bookstore.”

“At Little Bee Books, it’s our mission to develop books that help educate, entertain, and inspire children. We want every child to be able to see themselves, their families, or their friends in our books and to use reading as a way to cultivate their self-confidence and broaden their view of the world,” said Little Bee Books’ CEO, Shimul Tolia. We’re proud of Prince & Knight and what the story has meant to LGBTQ families and allies, and are proud to partner with GLAAD in their mission of advocating for the LGBTQ community. We look forward to the day that diverse and inclusive stories like the one told in Prince & Knight are not censored. Being on the list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2019 only underscores the critical importance of publishing stories that are representative of all families, and the work we have ahead of us.”

At 6:30pm ET tonight, the author and illustrator of Prince & Knight, Daniel Haack and Stevie Lewis respectively, will be reading Prince and Knight livestreamed on the Banned Books Week Facebook page. Throughout the week, the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom will be highlighting additional stories from the #BannedBooksList with infographics, activities, and live-streams this week in honor of National Library Week.

Of this year’s ten most challenged books, eight of the titles were challenged due to LGBTQ content. The LGBTQ titles on this year’s list are:

• Prince and Knight, by Daniel Haack, illustrated by Stevie Lewis;
• George, by Alex Gino;
• Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out, by Susan Kuklin;
• A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, by Jill Twiss, illustrated by EG Keller;
• Sex is a Funny Word, by Cory Silverberg, illustrated by Fiona Smyth;
• I Am Jazz, by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas;
• Drama, written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier;
• And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, illustrated by Henry Cole

Recognizable past titles to make the ALA’s ‘Top 10 Most Challenged Books List’ over the years include:

• To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee;
• Beloved, by Tony Morrison
• The Catcher in the Rye, by JD Salinger 
• Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
• I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Prince & Knight features a noble prince and brave knight that come together to defeat a terrible monster and, in the process, find true love in the most unexpected place. The book has garnered glowing reviews from multiple media outlets. Kirkus gave the title a starred review and called it “Victorious . . . the premier queer-friendly fairy tale.” Booklist stated that it was “A colorful and entertaining tale exploring sexuality, acceptance, and young love.” The School Library Journal said that Prince & Knight is “An illuminating fairy tale for young readers to be able to see that not every prince would like to marry a princess.”

The book is part of a partnership between children’s book publisher, Little Bee Books, and the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, GLAAD. The partnership represents a commitment to increasing positive representation of diverse gender and sexual identities in children’s books. Prince & Knight was the first book to be published through the partnership with several other titles following, including a new board book version of Prince & Knight to be released on April 28th. Below are some of the growing number of titles that have been released.

Jack (Not Jackie)
Picture Book
ISBN: 9781499807318
Price: $17.99 USD / $23.99 CAN
In this heartwarming picture book, a big sister realizes that her little sister, Jackie, doesn’t like dresses or fairies – she likes ties and bugs! Will she and her family be able to accept that Jackie identifies more as “Jack”?

Maiden & Princess
Picture Book
ISBN: 9781499807769
Price: $17.99 USD/ $23.99 CAN
In this modern fairy tale, a strong, brave maiden is invited to attend the prince’s royal ball, but at the dance, she ends up finding true love in a most surprising place.

Ellen Degeneres (People of Pride Series)
Board Book
ISBN: 978149981015
Price: $6.99 USD / $8.99 CAN
Celebrate the amazing accomplishments of LGBTQ activist and trailblazer Ellen DeGeneres in this board book.

Additional titles from the GLAAD and Little Bee Books partnership upcoming include:

The Fighting Infantryman
Picture Book
ISBN: 9781499809367
Price: $18.99 USD / $25.99 CAN
*On Sale June 2, 2020
This beautifully written and timely story shows a transgender soldier’s personal bravery as he faced daring challenges on the battlefield and privately battled the restrictions and confines of gender.

Uncle Bobby’s Wedding
Picture Book
ISBN: 9781499810080
Price: $.17.99 USD / $23.99 CAN
*On Sale May 12, 2020
Chloe’s favorite uncle is getting married, and she’s not happy about it. But after a magical day with Uncle Bobby and his boyfriend, Jamie, Chloe realizes she’s not losing an uncle, but gaining one.

Always Human
Graphic Novel
ISBN: 9781499811100
Price: $24.99 USD / $33.99 CAN
* On Sale June 2, 2020
Always Human is a beautifully drawn graphic novel about a developing relationship between two young women in a near-future, soft sci-fi setting. Always Human is drawn in a manga-influenced style and with an incredible color palette that leaps off the page!

About Little Bee Books: Little Bee Books is a children’s book publisher dedicated to making high-quality, creative, and fun books for busy little bees ages 0 through 12, offering an inspired selection of early learning concept books, board books, novelty books, activity books, picture books, chapter books, nonfiction, gift sets, and more. For more information, please visit littlebeebooks.com.

www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-little-bee-books-childrens-title-prince-knight-named-5th-most-challenged-book-year