Jessica Bates, a widow, God fearing “Christian” and a mother of five s suing the state of Oregon for denying her application to foster and adopt children because she wouldn’t accept any LGBT children into her home.
Bates alleges that the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) discriminated against her religion and violated her right to free speech by requiring that foster parents affirm LGBT youth.
Bates lawsuit states that she “alerted the Department that she will gladly love and accept any child for who they are, but she cannot say or do anything against her Christian faith” and that when she “stood her ground,” her application was rejected.
“Jessica felt as though God was speaking to her,” it said. She felt a calling to help kids in need – but only if they weren’t LGBT.
The suit called DHS’s acceptance policy “an ideological litmus test” that only allows people with “correct” views to adopt.
After the election of Donald Trump as president the Centers for Disease Control has abruptly and indefinitely cancelled planning for an LGBT youth health summit.
News of the summit planning’s cancellation comes days after partners working with the CDC on a climate change and health conference scheduled for February told news outlets that the long-planned event had been canceled due to concerns about the Trump administration’s reception of it.
The one-day gathering was to include “national leaders” and would meet at the CDC’s Roybal campus in Atlanta in order “to address the health and well-being of LGBT youth.”
“This was supposed to be a big deal,” said the source to Talking Points Memo, who requested anonymity given the politically sensitive nature of the cancellation. “They had a whole communications team on it, it was going to be on Facebook live. The intention was to plan a 5-year agenda.”
The CDC event planners, assuming Hillary Clinton would win the presidency, had started putting together a list of potential partner organizations including the YMCA, Human Rights Campaign and othersbut were waiting until after Nov. 8 to extend formal invitations. The event was initially planned for mid-December, but planning documents show the date for the summit was pushed back in late October to Jan. 12.
“From the very beginning when we were talking about partner decisions it was made very clear that no discussions were to leave CDC and that the invitations would be sent out to the big national nonprofits the day after the election,” the source said.
Those formal invitations never went out. Preparations continued through Friday after the election, but the following week’s planning meeting was canceled without notice and replaced with a “next steps” conference call, according to the source. Organizers were thanked for their work and informed that the summit was postponed indefinitely on that call, while a new internal workgroup on LGBT youth health also was proposed
The American Psychological Association expressed strong support for President Obama’s call for a society that accepts young people in their gender and sexual development, rather than rejecting them, labeling them as bad, or suggesting that they should change. APA has previously voiced its concerns about the scientific and ethical basis of efforts to change sexual orientation and about the way the promotion of such efforts by some individuals and organizations contributes to the social stigma that harms gender and sexual minorities.
“So-called reparative therapies are aimed at ‘fixing’ something that is not a mental illness and therefore does not require therapy. There is insufficient scientific evidence that they work, and they have the potential to harm the client,” said APA 2015 President Barry S. Anton, PhD. “APA has and will continue to call on mental health professionals to work to reduce misunderstanding about and prejudice toward gay and transgender people.”
A 2009 APA Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Response to Sexual Orientation concluded that mental health professionals should avoid telling clients that they can change their sexual orientation due to a lack of evidence that such change is possible and the potential for such efforts to harm the patient’s mental health.
A Resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts, which accompanied the task force report and was adopted by the APA Council of Representatives, advised that parents, guardians, young people and their families avoid sexual orientation treatments that portray homosexuality as a mental illness or developmental disorder. It recommended that they instead seek psychotherapy, social support and educational services “that provide accurate information on sexual orientation and sexuality, increase family and school support and reduce rejection of sexual minority youth.”
The American Psychological Association, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA’s membership includes more than 122,500 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students.
Meanwhile, last night hundreds of people gathered for a candlelight vigil for Leelah in Ohio.
CNN got a brief quote from Leelah’s mother who still refuses to recognize Leelah’s gender as female.
When Josh Alcorn voiced a desire to live as a girl, the Ohio teenager’s parents said they wouldn’t stand for that. “We don’t support that, religiously,” Alcorn’s mother told CNN Wednesday, her voice breaking. “But we told him that we loved him unconditionally. We loved him no matter what. I loved my son. People need to know that I loved him. He was a good kid, a good boy.” Crossing out the name “Josh,” the 17-year-old signed the name “Leelah” in a suicide note posted to Tumblr. The note was programmed to publish after Alcorn’s death Sunday. The teenager was struck by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 71 around 2:15 a.m., about four miles from home in the tiny town of Kings Mills, northeast of Cincinnati. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the death as a suicide.
Leelah Alcorn’s tortured yet eloquent Tumblr account has been deleted. It is unknown if this was done by the request of her family.
The Star Tribune of Minneapolis upset many readers this week by running an anti-transgender ad paid for by the Minnesota Child Protection League. The ad urges parents to contact Minnesota State High School League officials ahead of a meeting later this week and ask them not to approve a new policy that would allow transgender students to participate in athletics based on their gender identity.
The MCPL is described as “A group of veteran religious right and tea party activists” who were active opposing the anti-bullying Safe and Supportive Schools Act before it was signed into law. The group’s lead spokesperson is Barb Anderson (picture above) , founder of the Parents Action League who once said, “The greatest threat to our freedom and the health and well-being of our children is from this radical homosexual agenda that is just so pervasive.”
The Star Tribune responded to complaints as follows:
If you were doing a story on how media of all kinds (broadcast, print, digital) handle campaign and advocacy advertising, I’d consider how we could contribute to the conversation. But I don’t think that’s what you’re doing. In Minnesota, organizations and individuals of all kinds — left, right, other — know that if you want to reach the largest audience and have the biggest impact with your message, the best way to do it is advertising in the Star Tribune.
TRANSLATION:We are whores who will print anything for money.
VICE News today presents Young And Gay: Jamaica’s Gully Queens. The critically acclaimed series returns to chronicle the underground LGBT community of Jamaica, who have found freedom and acceptance in the sewers of Kingston.
In Jamaica, attacks, murder, and rape are common occurrences against LGBT people, with little to no retribution or justice brought against those responsible. After being forced from shacks, derelict buildings, and their own families, many homeless LGBTI Jamaicans have found refuge in the storm drainage systems of Kingston — known locally as the gully. For trans girls and gay men unable or unwilling to hide their sexuality, the sense of community and relative safety the gully provides acts as a welcome sanctuary, and for many, a hope of change to come.
VICE News travelled to the New Kingston area to see what life for LGBT teens is like in Jamaica — where just being who you are can mean living a life underground and p[ossible death.
Family Research Council vice douchebagpresident Peter Sprigg, testified before the Washington DC City Council Committee on Health Friday in opposition to Bill 20-501, the “Conversion Therapy for Minors Prohibition Amendment Act of 2013” that would stop the torture of ex-gay therapy quackery on LGBT children in the District. Testified Sprigg:
“At the heart of the attacks on sexual reorientation therapy are two claims– that such therapies are ineffective, and that they are harmful. However, there is abundant anecdotal evidence that such therapies work — that is, people who say that they were helped by such therapies to change from predominantly homosexual to predominantly heterosexual. There is also scientific evidence. The National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality has cited ‘600 reports of clinicians, researchers, and former clients — primarily from professional and peer-reviewed scientific journals’ which show that ‘reorientation treatment has been helpful to many.’ The American Psychological Association (APA), under the sway of a small but influential pro-homosexual lobby, has criticized and discouraged (but never banned) reorientation therapy. Yet even the APA acknowledges that ‘participants reporting beneficial effects in some studies perceived changes to their sexuality, such as in their sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual behavior, [and/or] sexual orientation identity.” [snip]“
But what does the empirical evidence show? Not only did those who were exclusively homosexual not all remain so, but only 11% did. Some measure of change in sexual orientation—which many homosexual activists say is impossible, and never happens to anyone—is not only possible, but it is the norm for adolescents with same-sex attractions, having been experienced by 89% of the respondents only one year later.”
While some pro-homosexual activists will concede that some measure of fluidity exists, they say that complete transformation—from exclusively homosexual to exclusively heterosexual—is not possible. Yet this kind of complete reversal of sexual orientation is exactly what was reported by almost half (48%) of the adolescent boys in this survey and again, after only one year.The last refuge of the homosexual activists in the face of this kind of evidence is to concede, “Well, yes, a person’s sexual orientation can change—but only by accident, not by trying to change it!”This is somewhat like saying, “Well, yes, obese people can lose weight—but not by trying to, and certainly not with anyone else’s help!
“There is abundant anecdotal evidence that such therapies work”?
The plural of anecdote is not data. Data is supported by evident, anecdotes are by definition subjective.
Just one of these hearings or when they have Sprigg on television as an “expert” I would like for someone to play the clip of Spriggs saying he would like to see homosexuals forcibly exported out of the U.S. or where he said he would like to see homosexuality made a criminal offense. And THEN ask him why he thinks he has ANY credibility on issues like this and smack the shit out of him.
“Enough is enough. Have you noticed that the promotion of homosexuality seems to be almost everywhere you look these days? From movies and TV shows to commercials, mass-market paperback novels and even children’s media. As you’ve heard me say many times, the topic of sexual deviance has sadly permeated the climate of our public schools. The mainstream media breathlessly covers homosexual so-called rights as an issue way out of proportion to its relative importance. When the Supreme Court struck down portions of state and national marriage laws last summer, you’d think the first person had landed on Mars. Meanwhile, much more important issues like human trafficking, child abuse or the daily slaughter of unborn babies in this country get little attention. The only thing that will overcome this darkness is for parents to stand up, even if it’s uncomfortable. It’s not hateful to do so and your willingness to draw the line in the sand and say no to homosexual propaganda may be the action that saves a life.” – Columbus, OH Hate-frau and anti-gay group leader of Mission: America Linda Harvey, speaking on her podunk radio show on GLSEN’s Day Of Silence.
And we’re pretty sick of listening to Harpy Harvey talking about us. How symmetrical.
Linda Harvey’s extremely dangerous and harmful Kindle book to LGBT at risk youth “Maybe He’s Not Gay” returned to Amazon on Friday, along with a dozen new fake 5-star reviews.
Two weeks ago I contacted Amazon.com to complain about the book and filled them in on Linda Harvey’s hate group leader status, her past hateful and extreme anti-LGBT propaganda and and how potentially dangerous this book was to LGBT children. In 2012, The Southern Poverty Law center designated Harvey’s group Mission; America a hate group, based on the on their extremist fringe anti-LGBT stance.
I received an email from Amazon.com saying that they would remove the title from its library.
Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
I’d love to forward your email to our Catalog Team to remove the book from our website, but I couldn’t find the exact book in our website. Please write back with the following information to locate the item on our website so that we can contact our Catalog Team.
Anitha M.
After sending Amazon.com the information requested and the link, 4 hours later Linda Harvey’s book was removed from the catalog.
Two days after the book was removed Linda Harvey claimed that SHE had the book withdrawn the book from the site because evil gay bloggers like me who were encouraging bad reviews from people who hadn’t even read it.
On the third day following the removal I received the following email from Brittany Turner who works for Amazon.com’s PR team.
Hi Will,
I work on the Amazon PR team, and saw your post on Back2Stonewall titled “Hate Group Leader Linda Harvey’s Book “Maybe He’s Not Gay” Pulled From Amazon.com. I wanted to let you know that the publisher removed the book from sale. Can you please correct your story to reflect this.
Obviously I did not change the story. Instead I wrote back to Ms. Turner and asked why, if Harvey’s publisher, Penrhyn Press, pulled her book did I receive an email stating that the book would be pulled. I also asked for a statement from Amazon.com regarding the selling of a potentially dangerous book to LGBT youth from an officially recognized fringe anti-gay hate group leader.
Now three follow-up emails to Amazon and I still have not received answer.
As she introduces the book, Harvey describes homosexuality as “an emperor without clothes,” claiming repeatedly that gay people’s “feelings” (I can just hear her saying it in a mocking voice) are totally misguided and don’t actually reflect facts or represent the “truth” — which is, apparently, that nobody can be gay.
The “factual” pillars she believes we’re violating are that being gay hasn’t been proven to be genetic and that there are “risks” associated with homosexuality — as you may have guessed, she throws around lots of outdated data and incorrect stereotypes about HIV/AIDS. (Chapter 4 is called “Friends Don’t Let Friends Be Gay,” and it’s all about gay sex. Which religious conservatives seems rather obsessed with…)
Here’s a pseudo-thesis statement:
If it’s not genetic and some people think there are some real risks and problems with homosexuality … then why can’t there be reasonable discussions about it? Wouldn’t that be reasonable, compassionate and… tolerant??? Maybe being gay isn’t “who they are.” Maybe their feelings have just had a head-on collision with facts.
She makes the argument that “our ancestors” throughout history opposed homosexuality, and she gets really tripped up trying to decide whether or not homosexuality is genetic, i.e. fixed at birth and unchangeable.
If there’s no reliable research supporting the claim that being gay is inborn — then why can’t we still allow open discussions in our schools, universities, legislatures? Can an opposing opinion still be allowed without name-calling? Without people being called hateful, bigoted, intolerant? Without fines, job loss, public humiliation? (Yes, those things are happening!) Can we listen to other voices on this issue, in an attempt to find the truth? And if we aren’t willing to do so, what does that say about us?
The part of this that made me start to hyperventilate is when she compared homosexuality to skipping class, being overweight, cheating on exams, cheating on a spouse, or even developing an eating disorder: all behaviors she considers “not genetic, high-risk, and changeable.”
(There are so many problems with this logic. So. Many.)
But that’s the argument she uses to claim that homosexuality is probably not inborn, but merely a bad choice that some people make and can be counseled out of. Take a look:
Some girls — even a few boys — develop eating disorders. Why? What in the world could make a person intentionally starve herself? One would think, since this is so obviously a bad idea, that all you have to do is point out this fact to an otherwise smart person, and they’ll snap out of it — right? But it turns out, it’s not that simple. Sometimes it takes years of counseling to get a person to eat. Think about that. To get a person to eat, the most basic human desire we have. And in the meantime, serious damage can be happening to her skin, hair, heart and other organs. Why do we not think people could be deeply deceived — emotionally — about other things? Things like their perceptions about who they are attracted to? Things like sex and gender identity?
Next up, Harvey claims that accepting homosexuality will “shake the foundations of human culture.” And that it’s already happening! (The horror!) She offers a long list of the horrible, horrible consequences of greater acceptance of LGBT folks. While the list is too long to post in its entirety, here are some of the gems:
Someone may confess a gay “crush” on you, whether or not you have any interest, and if you aren’t polite, even if they are quite aggressive, you may be accused of bigotry and discrimination. In fact, being repulsed by a gay person’s pursuit of you will no longer be an acceptable reaction. You won’t have a choice — it won’t be “cool” and it may also go against the school or company rules on discrimination and you will become the “bad guy” who is expelled or fired.
You may get a summer job where you are in contact with practicing homosexuals, and you may be forced to listen to them describe their homosexual relationships, even if you don’t want to. Complaining may result in a charge of discrimination, a demotion or even being fired.
Same sex marriage will become legal and you will be expected to attend and applaud these weddings, and to introduce partners to your family and friends.
It will become illegal to say anything against homosexuality even in church or even to your own children.
You may belong to a health plan where the doctor or counselor assigned to you is homosexual and also the same sex as you. If that makes you feel uncomfortable during physical exams, too bad.
No one will be allowed to joke about men who want to wear dresses or women who have beards, and restrooms and locker rooms will be non-gendered.
She also whines that acceptance of homosexuality will lead kids to start wondering about sex, and having sex earlier, and that we’ll all have to accept it. Wrong, wrong, wrong. If your child sees a same-sex couple and their first question is how that couple has sex, you need to have another conversation entirely.
The kicker comes in the third chapter: “Why No One Is Born Gay.”
Homosexuality is really a rebellion against the norm, against most or all norms. It’s one type of behavior that some people today are saying should be explored by anyone who wants to. And the person doesn’t have to call himself or herself a homosexual. It’s called “fluid” sexual behavior and feelings, or being “queer.” That’s not my word, but theirs. That is, go into the homosexual life if a person wants, or heterosexuality, or bisexuality. Change genders or have an undefined gender, or do whatever you want, whenever you want. This is what is being promoted. Not long ago, such recklessness would have been unheard of and considered what it quite logically is: a recipe for personal chaos and disaster. Others are proposing widespread acceptance of bizarre practices like sex between people and animals, or sado-masochism, which combines violence and sex. Finally, some people believe that the criminal penalties that exist for sex between adults and minors should be eliminated, and that even children should have sex.More chaos, damage and disaster.
Harvey says that “hundreds” of organizations in the U.S. can help gay people work through their feelings and turn straight, and that plenty of “converted homosexuals” will tell you that it really works. Never mind that the most prominent ex-gay organization Exodus International shut its doors and its president said homosexuality is unchangeable — Harvey says he’s not a good representative of the ex-gay movement because “there seems to be a lot of confusion going on in his life.”
Later, she defends parents who kick their gay children out of their homes. She suggests that children whose parents don’t try to shield them from homosexuality will commit suicide. She says that it’s the responsibility of churches to try to warn people about homosexuality. She suggests that gay teenagers are the victims of broken homes or sexual abuse. She waxes poetic on Sodom and Gomorrah. And finally, she says that God is the answer to a troubled life of homosexuality.
This is the book that Amazon.com finds acceptable and is allowing to be sold on its website
Right now I don’t know who is more disgusting. Linda Harvey or Amazon.com
Russian ultranationalist and former skin head, Maxim Martsinkevich, known under the nickname “Cleaver” (or “Tesak” in Russian) spearheaded a country wide campaign against LGBT teens using a popular social network VK.com to lure unsuspected victims through personal ads.
Mr. Martsinkevich’s numerous and enthusiastic followers started two projects: “Occupy Pedophilyaj” and “Occupy Gerontilyaj”. Allegedly they are trying to identify and report pedophiles using these “movements”. In reality, over 500 online groups have been created inside VK.com social network in order to organize illegal militant groups in every Russian city. Oddly enough their idea of fighting pedophiles targets exclusively male teenagers who respond to the same-sex personal ads and show up for a date. Captured victims are bullied and and sometimes tortured while being recorded on video. These self-proclaimed “crime fighters” perform their actions under the broad day light, often outside and clearly visible to general public that indifferently passes by or even commend them. Video recordings of bullying and tortures are freely distributed on the Internet in order to out LGBT teens to their respective schools, parents and friends. Many victims were driven to suicides, the rest are deeply traumatized. So far Russian police took no action against these “movements” even though Russian criminal code was clearly violated and despite numerous complaints from parents, victims and LGBT activists. Social network VK.com intermittently shuts down selected groups and profiles only to allow them to be re-open on the next day. Currently, the founder of VK.com, Pavel Durov, resides in the US and so far has not released any comments.
RUSSIAN LGBT PERSECUTION AND HATE MUST BE STOPPED!
WARNING: This graphic and violent video shows an underage victim in Moscow, Russia. The Russian bullies set up a the youth on a dating site, caught him and are interrogating him about his lifestyle choices. They force him to say his full name, number and address and promise him to show this video to all his friends. They force him to agree to ex-gay conversion therapy. They also force him to say that he approves of what their “organization” is doing and will help them promote their cause. They pour urine on him from a beer bottle and the video ends.
