Coming soon to Ron DeSantis’ Florida? He would if he could.
A new law in passed by Uganda government to crack down on homosexual activities comes with the penalty of life in prison. While homosexual acts are already illegal in Uganda but this bill introduces many new criminal offenses. The bill is one of the toughest pieces of anti-gay legislation in Africa.
Amnesty International has called the bill, which criminalizes same-sex between consenting adults “appalling”, “ambiguous” and “vaguely worded”
“This deeply repressive legislation will institutionalise discrimination, hatred, and prejudice against LGBTI people – including those who are perceived to be LGBTI – and block the legitimate work of civil society, public health professionals, and community leaders,”
Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International
The bill will now go to President Yoweri Museveni who can choose to use his veto -or sign it into law anti-gay comments in recent weeks, and also criticized Western countries for putting pressure on Uganda over the issue.
If signed into law Uganda faces (and rightfully so) losing s significant health and development assistance from the United States with a total assistance budget exceeding $950 million per year.
Kentucky GOP lawmakers advanced a bill Friday to put limits on drag shows, opponents called it an unconstitutional attack aimed at the LGBT population.
Violations under the Kentucky proposal — Senate Bill 115 — would be punishable as misdemeanors for the first two offenses but would rise to a felony for subsequent offenses. Businesses hosting such performances could have their alcohol and business licenses suspended or revoked.
The measure won Senate passage on a 26-6 vote after a lengthy debate that led to some heated exchanges in the buttoned-down chamber.
The bill’s lead sponsor was asked if she had ever attended a drag show and then if she found it “sexually arousing.” Republican Sen. Lindsey Tichenor replied she had attended a drag show in Kentucky. The latter question — from a Democratic opponent of the bill — was ruled out of order after a GOP Senate leader called it “outside the bounds of decorum.”
The Kentucky bill takes aim at drag shows by stating adult performances include a live performance involving male or female impersonators that “appeals to a prurient interest in sexual conduct” and lacks “serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.”
There are numerous existing laws, including indecent exposure in Kentucky, to deal with sexually explicit activity in public places. The bill instead sends a message of “hate and fear and discrimination to a group of Kentuckians that deserve equal protection and equal dignity under the law.
The measure heads to the House with only a few days remaining in this year’s 30-day legislative session. If passed Democratic Governor Andy Beshear will more than likely VETO it. But Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers for a possible override.
Notoriously anti-gay Ohio state representative John Becker wants a North Carolina-style anti-trans “bathroom law” introduced in the Buckeye State and his doing his best to make it happen.
Becker, R-Union Township, is floating a proposal that he says would protect Ohioans from sexual predators posing as transgender people to gain access to women’s bathrooms, possibly by requiring transgender people to use unisex or single-stall bathrooms.
He cited a Seattle case where a man, apparently making a point about the city’s nondiscrimination laws, undressed in a women’s locker room. The conservative American Family Association raised similar concerns while protesting Target’s transgender bathroom policy, which allows customers and employees to use the restroom that corresponds with their gender identity. “It sounds like it’s a concern for John. It’s not much of a concern for those who live in the real world.”
“My concern is sexual predators posing as transgender people to gain access to women’s facilities,” said Becker, who represents northwestern Clermont County. “I’m not suggesting that transgender people are sexual predators. I’m sure the vast majority are honest citizens going about their daily business.”
Becker somehow managed to get elected into Ohio’s State House of Representatives in 2012. As it turns out, the myriad of wacky “letters to the editor” he wrote to the Cleveland Dispatch over those two decades seem to not be too much of a fluke, as since he’s found his way into the Ohio State Legislature, he’s continued to suggest ideas that aren’t as much partisan and conservative as they are flat out insane.
His key issue abortion, has Becker’s forte for two decades. In June of 2014, he was openly mocked after he pitched HB 351 in Ohio, which would ban insurance companies from covering abortion. By “abortion” Becker’s includes the most effective form of birth control, the IUD when it was explained to Becker what an IUD actually was he said, “Well, I’m not a medical doctor.”
After Ohio was asked by a federal judge to recognize gay marriages on death certificates to honor same sex couples’ benefits for the widowed spouse, Becker repeatedly calling for the impeachment of the judge who gave the ruling comparing gay marriage to polygamy and bestiality. Which comes as no shock, considering when Massachusetts became the first state to legalize gay marriage, he wrote another “letter to the editor” where he called for the entire state of Massachusetts to be kicked out of the United States. (he also advocated that they be kicked out of the United States.)
Feel free to peruse this anti-LGBT GOP right-wing extremists voting record by clicking HERE.
President Obama finally spoke out against Russia’s anti-gay laws during an interview with Jay Leno on NBC’s “The Tonight Show” Tuesday saying that he has “no patience for countries that try to treat gays or lesbians or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them.”
LENO: Well, something that shocked me about Russia — and I’m surprised this is not a huge story — suddenly, homosexuality is against the law. I mean, this seems like Germany: Let’s round up the Jews, let’s round up the gays, let’s round up the blacks. I mean, it starts with that. You round up people who you don’t — I mean, why is not more of the world outraged at this?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I’ve been very clear that when it comes to universal rights, when it comes to people’s basic freedoms, that whether you are discriminating on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, you are violating the basic morality that I think should transcend every country. And I have no patience for countries that try to treat gays or lesbians or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them.
Now, what’s happening in Russia is not unique. When I traveled to Africa, there were some countries that are doing a lot of good things for their people, who we’re working with and helping on development issues, but in some cases have persecuted gays and lesbians. And it makes for some uncomfortable press conferences sometimes. But one of the things that I think is very important for me to speak out on is making sure that people are treated fairly and justly, because that’s what we stand for. And I believe that that’s a precept that’s not unique to America, that’s something that should apply everywhere. (Applause.)
LENO: Do you think it will affect the Olympics?
THE PRESIDENT: I think Putin and Russia have a big stake in making sure the Olympics work, and I think they understand that for most of the countries that participate in the Olympics, we wouldn’t tolerate gays and lesbians being treated differently. They’re athletes, they’re there to compete. And if Russia wants to uphold the Olympic spirit, then every judgment should be made on the track, or in the swimming pool, or on the balance beam, and people’s sexual orientation shouldn’t have anything to do with it.
Of course this isn’t an “official” White House Presidential denouncement, and it only took a late night talk show host to get Obama to say anything on the anti-gay human rights abuses happening in Russia, but at least he finally said something.
And as for President Obama not having ” patience for countries that try to treat gays or lesbians or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them.” Then I am sure that at the White House signing the Executive Order against LGBT discrimination as we speak.
NOT!
* Russian and its anti-LGBT laws discussion begins at the 6:00 mark.
