General LGBTQIA issues thread

[The Man]

Transgender teen commits suicide, cites Christian parents in blog

Tragic, and could've been avoided if people weren't terrible. Her note is frankly too painful for me to read at the moment.

[The Man]

Saks Fifth Avenue is horrible, apparently. Also could go in Terrible Companies.

[The Man]

I'm too tired to rant about this: Crazy Anonymous Flyer People: Trans-Women, Please Stop Raping All The Bathroom Ladies! | Wonkette so I'll just post it without comment because ugh.

[Ari]

I always wish that LGBT sign would say "Mind your own business and go pee! (not all over the toilet seat dammit!) Why else did you come in here? To creepily check under everyone's skirt?"

Or perhaps tongue in cheek, "If you see someone trans in the woman restroom, make sure to send them over to the Mens as we all know Men never get violent around silly gender hang ups like women do!"

[Ari]

Kansas Governor and destroyer of his state's economy Sam Brownback (*snicker*) has rescinded the previous Governor's order to protect gay state workers, who can now be fired for being gay. Mr. Browneye has a long history of supporting hate against homosexuals and women. (I find it interesting so many people who are vocal about the dirty gay agenda also seem to hate women).
Mr. Brownbacker has also been in the news recently after bending over and grabbing his ankles for the corporate rich, dropping their taxes and then proposing the hole in the state budget be filled with public employee pensions.

Good job Kansas! Turns out voting based on your hate has come around to bite you in the ass and screw the future of your state. I mean your state may be brownrupt, your schools are being cut, your promised retirement gouged but hey at least while you're waiting in the government grul and slavery line you know the person serving you isn't going to give you the gay!

[Dingfod]

Some of my Kansas family friends that were Brownbackers are now in support of a recall Brownback petition. I've seen four of the family members post on Facebook about it. I don't know if the petition can clear the high hurdle before it, having to get 40% of the registered voters in the state to sign in order to hold a recall election, but it still shows how unpopular this dipshit is making himself.

[Crumb]

[erimir]

But the important part is that they showed how much they disapprove of Obama by refusing to vote for a Democrat.

Idiots.

[The Man]

Kentucky's attempt at banning transgender students from using school bathrooms has failed. A transgender student's testimony is credited with preventing the bill from going through.

In less encouraging news, Memphis Mother Of The Year Beats Own Child For Being Too Gay | Wonkette. There is some good news at the bottom of the piece, though.

Also, too. Washington Judge To Florist: ‘Relationship With Jesus’ Not Good Reason For Being A Bigot | Wonkette

[The Man]

MI Gym Tells Lady Bellyaching About Trans People In Locker Room To Shove It | Wonkette

So lovely to see a bigot get what they deserve for once.

On a less happy note, even the LGBTQIA community isn't free of discrimination. Here's a thoughtful post on the prevalence of biphobia in the lesbian community, and here's a piece on the discrimination faced by non-gender-binary individuals, even amongst the transgender community.

In other news, here's a piece on how U.K. laws make it difficult to create gender-neutral bathrooms, with the presumably unintended side effect that transgender people need to deal with a lot more harassment when using public restrooms.

[LadyShea]

Although still lacking, I am happy about the increase in "Family" restrooms (that seem to meet all of the UK criteria for a unisex bathroom). Not only do they allow for both men and women to accompany their children into the restroom regardless of children's gender, they allow parents of either gender to change babies diapers (if they have started installing changing stations in men's rooms I have not heard about it). As they are also accessible I can see it being easier for a disabled person with or without a caretaker, and yes someone transgender can use them too. I often use them when alone, just because they seem to be cleaner and better stocked on average.

It's like it never occurred to anyone that men are parents too and may not want to take their little girls into the men's room where there are no privacy stalls for the urinals. Whats that even about, anyway? Also, there was a time that I hated sending my son to the men's room alone, but after about age 5 women and girls sometimes got upset about him in the ladies...even though there are fucking doors on the stalls. I have seen parents with multiple kids going in different restrooms at a crowded place and also trying to change babies and such and keep an eye on everyone... it is nervewracking!

[Janet]

At the ALA Midwinter conference they labeled a couple sections of restrooms gender neutral. It was specific to the conference, not permanent signs. I thought it was a good idea. Don't know who proposed it to compliment or thank.

[Angakuk]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

It's like it never occurred to anyone that men are parents too and may not want to take their little girls into the men's room where there are no privacy stalls for the urinals. Whats that even about, anyway? Also, there was a time that I hated sending my son to the men's room alone, but after about age 5 women and girls sometimes got upset about him in the ladies...even though there are fucking doors on the stalls. I have seen parents with multiple kids going in different restrooms at a crowded place and also trying to change babies and such and keep an eye on everyone... it is nervewracking!

If parents would simply refrain from taking their immature spawn out in public most of these problems would just go away.

[Dingfod]

Children are meant to be neither heard nor seen.

[The Man]

A federal court has issued a preliminary ruling that concludes that discrimination against transgender individuals is prohibited under the Affordable Care Act. This occurs after a transgender man was effectively tortured by doctors because of his identity.

In other news, Indiana's new LGBT discrimination bill is leading several entities to threaten a boycott of the entire state. When Arizona proposed a similar bill, the resultant boycott threats caused the state government to back down. The same thing will hopefully end up happening here.

[The Man]

Lawyers, Guns & Money on the history of same-sex marriage through the centuries. This is particularly important as the backlash against same-sex marriage grows (see that Indiana story), because the truth is that through the history of humanity shows that for a rather substantial portion of our existence as a species same-sex attractions were regarded as more or less normal and nothing to be particularly alarmed about, while the religious right is trying to make out that it's a recent aberration that's going to lead to the downfall of the country. In reality there were plenty of places where same-sex marriage or same-sex couples were considered no big deal and none of them had precipitous downfalls. As is usual the right is engaging in some large-scale historical revisionism and almost no one wants to call them on it.

[LadyShea]

How much does Indiana make from tourism? I am sure the race makes them money, but is it enough that boycotting them is a real threat?

[Dingfod]

I don't know how much tourism Indiana has, but the Indiana Tourism Board, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, and others were against this legislation for reasons of monies.

[JoeP]

Salesforce CEO Says Company Is ‘Canceling All Programs’ In Indiana Over LGBT Discrimination Fears « CBS San Francisco

[Janet]

Charles Barkley calls on the NCAA to move the Final Four out of Indiana. The boycotts and threats of boycotts are coming thick and fast. I wonder how long they will hold out.

[ChuckF]

So I actually kind of dig these pro-discrimination laws for a couple of reasons.

First, it makes people explicitly cite to silly make-believe fairy tales as an excuse to discriminate, which is great and really quite funny when they also claim to rely on same as the source of personal morality.

Second, it helps me identify business where I don't want to spend any money. I think I have said before that I really appreciate it when businesses post some big and conspicuous obnoxious expressions of faith so I know not to shop there, lest some of my money go to silly make-believe fairy tale land.

Third, it forces organizations to take sides publicly. If you're a big organization with a presence in Indiana, you have to come down one way or the other on this, because somebody is going to ask. And that is valuable consumer information. Also, that decision will be publicized nationally, so organizations can expect to be penalized in the national market for coming down on the wrong side. So I expect more firms to do the right thing and at least claim to pull some business or limit their ties with Indiana. Who cares if they actually do it or not, as the public claim contributes to the perception of a general consensus, and increases the perceived cost to other states pursuing this same line of policy.

Angie's List canceling Eastside expansion over RFRA

The continuing blowback over Indiana's new "religious freedom" law hit home Saturday, with Indianapolis-based Angie's List announcing it is canceling a $40 million headquarters expansion.

The decision is a direct result of passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, co-founder and chief executive officer Bill Oesterle said Saturday.

The proposed expansion of the online consumer ratings service was touted to add 1,000 good-paying jobs over five years and help revitalize a struggling Eastside neighborhood.

Disciples Of Christ Church Threatens A Boycott Over New Indiana Bill That Allows LGBT Discrimination

The General Assembly will bring more than 6,000 church members to whatever U.S. city the church decides upon and is expected to generate about $5 million in tourism dollars. After Pence signed the law, ministry leaders said they are weighing the costs of moving not only the General Assembly, but smaller meetings — such as the more frequent gatherings of the 125-member board of directors — which most often meets in Indianapolis.

But more generally, I hope that the free market will eventually force these believers into violating their own religious beliefs out of sheer economic necessity, because gheys have some moneys, y'all.

[erimir]

Originally Posted by ChuckF

So I actually kind of dig these pro-discrimination laws for a couple of reasons.

First, it makes people explicitly cite to silly make-believe fairy tales as an excuse to discriminate, which is great and really quite funny when they also claim to rely on same as the source of personal morality.

Second, it helps me identify business where I don't want to spend any money. I think I have said before that I really appreciate it when businesses post some big and conspicuous obnoxious expressions of faith so I know not to shop there, lest some of my money go to silly make-believe fairy tale land.

This is why if we are going to have these laws, they should have that rider that they need to post notice of their intent to discriminate on the premises, like that OK lawmaker proposed.

In most places, that's probably preferable to anti-discrimination laws. In California who cares that much? There are plenty of non-bigoted businesses to visit instead. But making the ones that are bigots post a sign on their window that they're bigots? Fine by me.

In Mississippi, on the other hand, I'm not sure that really would be a good idea.

[ChuckF]

I have mixed feelings when it comes to the bottom-tier unreconstructed shithole states.

On the one hand, that is where jesus's tears will be sweetest.

On the other hand, everybody's already kind of boycotting those states, just because there is no reason to go there or buy anything! I don't think I've ever even had a layover in Mississippi - does any airline have a hub there? And isn't their god punishing them already with all of that type 2 diabetes and poverty? (lol j/k, it is themselves, using the federal benefits.)

That's why Indiana is different. It's kind of an actual state where stuff happens. It's not a retrograde backwater where everyone's priority number one, regardless of sexual orientation (or race, or gender) should be getting the fuck out as soon as possible. Another silly jesus law doesn't make Mississippi or Alabama any less attractive, because they are third world shitholes.

[LadyShea]

Yeah there are no boycotts that can hurt us down here, really, unless it's something that offends Great Lakes snowbirds, or broke ass Spring Breakers that can't afford Florida or the Carribean, or gamblers that don't want to go to Vegas.

But, I don't even Indiana or Ohio or whatever. The whole Midwest is not on my personal map because why? I can't imagine ever needing or wanting to go to Indiana. So, I don't see it as that different myself. Gary, Indiana is a post apocalyptic ghostown, that might be worth urban decay touring I guess

[ChuckF]

Indianapolis is ok and has some stuff, like Eli Lilly and Anthem. They have poured a bunch of money and tax incentives into making it a convention-friendly destination, like the bigass JW Marriott and the attached convention center. (I'm completely biased about Bloomington; it's a great town.)

Ohio, gross.

Also we need to talk about Alabama gulf coast, because we are currently looking for a new wintertime beach destination. There's a direct flight to Fort Lauderdale, but there's too many peoples there.