Billy Eichner | Entertainment | wataugademocrat.com – Watauga Democrat
In addition to being a brazen funnyman, Billy Eichner uses his vocal volume to fight for LGBTQ+ rights. He frequently tries to rally his millions of followers to be more politically active, according to Variety. He is also a huge proponent of developing more relatable characters for gay people in the media. He told Variety that while watching “Love, Simon,” a love story with a gay protagonist, he realized, “Straight people go to the movies and literally see themselves all the time. It was so unusual to have a connection to what was happening on-screen instead of being a step or two removed.”
Review: “Ride or Die” brings LGBT manga to life – The Daily Titan
(Netflix)
Murder, sex and lesbian love engulf the Japanese thriller, “Ride or Die,” debuting on Netflix and directed by Ryuichi Hiroki. Based on the yuri manga, graphic novels that depict same-sex relationships, Gunjo by Nakamura Ching, the film shows human nature in its messiest form.
Be warned: the film has explicit scenes of domestic violence.
It opens as Rei, played by Kiko Mizuhara, dawns black clothing and sky high stilettos, as she targets a lonely man at the bar. She then carries out the stranger’s death in femme fatale fashion, after a night of seduction.
After 10 years, Rei and Nanae, played by Honami Sato, reunite — reigniting Rei’s love for Nanae, going farther than the schoolgirl crush she had felt as a child.
It is later exposed that the man at the bar was Nanae’s abusive husband and Rei’s only goal was to free her loved one. Nanae is covered in bruises caused by her husband.
Nanae then asks for a favor — could Rei kill the man that has caused her pain? Rei obliged but when she is caught in the act Nanae initiates a plan to help Rei escape.
It quickly becomes clear that Rei has a deep love for Nanae, shooting quick glances in her direction that are often accompanied by a sweet sparkle in Rei’s eyes. Through these moments, it appears as though Nanae is toying with Rei’s emotions, taunting her with affection but never fully requiting Rei’s romantic love.
Despite the obvious crimes committed in the first half of the film, it is endearing to see the women’s relationship blossom. Hiroki purposely tries to make viewers forget the murder, even going so far as to play upbeat music as the women ride in a cherry red corvette to signify the independence Rei and Nanae feel on the road.
The fugitive journey serves as a way for the women to learn more about each other, as they visit their childhood homes and share secrets of their past. Flashbacks of their encounters as children are also weaved into the film, allowing viewers to better understand the women.
Still, Nanae’s feelings for Rei are unclear throughout the film, leaving viewers to question her intentions. Where Rei puts her emotions on full display, Nanae is more reserved.
Though the women’s alliance is sweet to watch, it does not go unnoticed that a man directed the movie, as most scenes that involve nudity, heavily rely on the male gaze. The male gaze, developed by film critic Laura Mulvey, describes “the cinematic angle of a heterosexual male on a female character,” according to Psychology Today.
Watching as a woman showers or goes to the bathroom makes the viewer participate in the director’s voyeurism, not to mention how useless to the plot these kinds of scenes are. Although sometimes it is necessary, such as when Rei is cleansing her body of the man’s blood as she vocally affirms her participation of the murder in between sobs, it is soon terminated when it falls right back into the male gaze as Nanae undresses.
Sadly, many films that attempt to represent lesbian love, fall into this trap. It is no longer a story about two people who fall in love but rather an imitation of erotica, similar to “Blue Is the Warmest Colour,” a French film released in 2013 and directed by Abdellatif Kechiche.
Rei’s downfall is portrayed well while the viewers go from seeing her as a successful plastic surgeon to a criminal on the run. Nanae on the other hand maintains her composure even in her worst moments. This juxtaposition makes it frustrating to watch because it appears that the traumatic events do not weigh on the women the same.
The sentiments soon change after a physical altercation between the two, where they blame each other. That seems to be the entire arc of the characters — blaming other people for their own actions, leading them into terrible situations, making it evident that nobody in the film is worth rooting for. Although that could work to the film’s advantage, showing viewers that despite its basis in fiction, in reality no one is free of flaws.
Composed of wide and long shots mixed with a saturation of warm hues, “Ride or Die” is aesthetically beautiful, indicative of Netflix’s production value. Sentimental yet aggravating, “Ride or Die” places viewers in the backseat of Rei and Nanae’s journey to a foggy future, making the film a good pass time for the critical eye.
How fnnch’s Honey Bears Became the Most Despised Street Art in San Francisco – KQED
It started harmlessly enough. In April 2020, fnnch began, according to one of his newsletters, “wheat-pasting COVID Bears on boarded up storefronts across San Francisco.” At the time, he said he wanted to “convert depressing storefronts into canvases for art, and encourage healthy behavior.” Then, in May, he came up with the #HoneyBearHunt. It was a more urban take on what was happening in the suburbs during the early days of shelter in place: instead of putting actual teddy bears in windows for neighborhood children, people could display fnnch’s honey bear, and kids could follow his virtual map to find them. He sold 3,500 bear window displays in four days.
In the year since, fnnch—a straight, white, former tech worker—has been bombarding San Francisco with those bears. After the initial mask and soap bears for the #HoneyBearHunt, there was a woefully ill-advised—then re-imagined—Black Lives Matter-inspired bear. There was a bear to encourage voting. There was a Ruth Bader Ginsburg bear, a firefighter bear, a teacher bear, a coffee house bear (which fnnch said symbolized the “many everyday heroes of the pandemic”), a San Francisco Ballet bear, a movie bear and, most recently, a Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence bear.
One of the reasons people kept buying the bears was because most of them, in one way or another, support a good cause. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will receive 50% of funds from fnnch’s painting and print sales in their likeness. Mask bear and soap bear raised over $100,000 for the Safety Net Fund. Of the firefighter bear sales, 50% benefited the CAL FIRE Foundation. The SF Ballet got “50% of [related] art sales and 25% of other sales … to support their extensive COVID testing of dancers and staff.” Ten percent of the profits from the movie bear print went to the Roxie. A line of T-shirts donated 25% of sales to St. Anthony’s, a nonprofit community organization. As fnnch himself noted in one of his regular newsletters, he “went from raising or donating $12,000 in 2019 to $293,000 in 2020.”
U.S. Senate challenger Kelly Tshibaka shadowed by anti-gay articles, posts questioning election integrity – Anchorage Daily News
A candidate for U.S. Senate in Alaska previously wrote articles in support of an organization that espoused gay conversion therapy, questioned the integrity of elections and described the “Twilight” books and movies as evil.
Many of the articles, blogs and posts by candidate Kelly Tshibaka have been deleted but some are available through archived internet pages, as first reported Tuesday by CNN.
Tshibaka said in an email to The Associated Press that the CNN article “is just proof that our campaign is gaining momentum, which has Lisa Murkowski and her allies scared to death.”
“Nothing frightens the DC political insiders more than the thought of a strong, independent Alaskan leader in their ranks,” she said.
Tshibaka formerly worked in several offices of inspector general in the U.S. government before becoming the commissioner of the Department of Administration in Alaska under Gov. Mike Dunleavy in 2019. She quit last month to enter the Senate race.
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who has held the Senate seat since 2002, has filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, which allows her to raise money. Murkowski, who reported having $1.3 million available as of March 31, has not formally announced whether she’s seeking re-election.
In this Feb. 18, 2020, photo, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski speaks with reporters in Juneau. (AP Photo, File/Becky Bohrer, File)
Murkowski filed the FEC statement, as a Republican, a week before state Republican party leaders censured her for voting to convict former President Donald Trump at his impeachment trial earlier this year. The party also said it did not want Murkowski to identify as a Republican in the 2022 election.
Messages sent to Murkowski’s press aides were not immediately returned to the AP.
Days after major news organizations, including the AP, declared Joe Biden the winner of the 2020 election, Tshibaka posted on Instagram: “Eyewitness testimony of voting impropriety, fraud, tampering or oppression in states like PA, MI, GA, NV, and AZ constitutes ‘evidence.’”
In the November election, Alaska voters approved Proposition 2, an initiative that would do away with party-run primaries and send the top four vote-getters, regardless of political affiliation, to the general election.
General elections would then use a new ranked-choice voting system. Some see this as a boost for Murkowski, who in 2010 lost her party primary but went on to win the general election as a write-in candidate.
Tshibaka also tweeted about a Texas lawsuit challenging changes to election laws because of COVID-19, which was dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court because Texas did not have standing to sue. She said if Texas were to win, then Alaska’s election laws could also be challenged.
“Imagine what this could mean for Proposition 2 (where absentee ballots tipped votes in favor of the jungle primary) and for certain state Legislature races? Alaska can throw out all absentee ballots without a witness signature, for example,” she tweeted.
She told the AP on Tuesday that “allegations regarding voting integrity should be investigated and fully examined.”
When Tshibaka was at Harvard Law School, she wrote “The Right Side: Coming Out of Homosexuality,” for The Harvard Law Record, an independent newspaper at the law school, in December 2001.
“Today is National Coming Out of Homosexuality Day, a day dedicated to helping homosexuals overcome their sexual tendencies and move towards a healthy lifestyle,” she wrote in the article under her maiden name Kelly Hartline.
In the article she touts the work of Exodus International, a group that advocated gay conversion therapy. The group closed a decade later and apologized for the harm it did to the gay community.
“Homosexuals can come out of homosexuality because their preference is not biologically mandated,” Tshibaka wrote in 2001. “Unlike race or gender, homosexuality is a choice.”
She also later apologized to readers who were upset over the article, saying she did not intend to offend.
Tshibaka said she was assigned the article by an editor as a counterpoint piece. “I don’t hold that view today,” she told the AP.
When asked if same-sex marriage is settled law, she said: “I personally believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, but the Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriage is the law of the land.”
In blog posts, she said the “Twilight” vampire movies and books are “evil and we should not read or watch it.”
“Some say this book is harmless, that it promotes Christian values, and that it does not promote anything wicked at all,” she wrote. “But Satan does not usually look repulsive, horrific, and evil on the outside.”
She told the AP that children should read more, but the “Twilight” books don’t hold a candle to Dr. Seuss.
“I think Alaskans will care more about who will protect their gas and oil jobs than they do about young adult vampire fiction,” she said.
The state elections office says others who have registered for Senate include Dustin Darden with the Alaskan Independence Party; Huhnkie Lee, who is undeclared; and Republicans Samuel Little and Karl Speights.
C.D.C. Eases Outdoor Mask Guidance for Vaccinated Americans – The New York Times
So far, about 43 percent of Americans have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and 29 percent have received both doses of the two vaccines requiring double shots. The United States is averaging around 55,000 new cases a day, a roughly 20 percent drop from two weeks ago, according to a New York Times database.
“I know the quarantine and shutdowns throughout the pandemic have been exhausting,” Dr. Walensky said. “I know we all miss the things we used to do before the pandemic, and I know we all want to do the things we love and soon. Today is another day we can take a step back to normalcy of before.”
Her remarks, and those of the president, got a welcome reception even from some of the Biden administration’s fiercest Republican critics in Congress, many of whom have complained that coronavirus restrictions were an intrusion on their personal freedoms.
“It’s about time,” said Representative Jim Jordan, Republican of Ohio, who recently excoriated Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the federal government’s top infectious disease specialist, at a hearing on Capitol Hill. “Now when do we get the rest of our liberties back?”
Senator Ron Johnson, Republican of Wisconsin, who has spread fringe theories and given a platform to vaccine skeptics, called the guidance “long overdue.”
Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, who quit wearing masks indoors after he was vaccinated, said he was “glad the C.D.C. finally acknowledged what has been obvious for a long time, which is that wearing a mask outside is silly and not remotely justified by the science.”
In fact, the science behind the C.D.C.’s new guidance is not comprehensive. A growing body of research indicates that the odds of the virus spreading outdoors are far lower than they are indoors, but that the risk is not zero and is hard to quantify.
Alaska candidate shadowed by anti-gay article, election post – Associated Press
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A candidate for U.S. Senate in Alaska previously wrote articles in support of an organization that espoused gay conversion therapy, questioned the integrity of elections and described the “Twilight” books and movies as evil.
Many of the articles, blogs and posts by candidate Kelly Tshibaka have been deleted but some are available through archived internet pages, as first reported Tuesday by CNN.
Tshibaka said in an email to The Associated Press that the CNN article “is just proof that our campaign is gaining momentum, which has Lisa Murkowski and her allies scared to death.”
“Nothing frightens the DC political insiders more than the thought of a strong, independent Alaskan leader in their ranks,” she said.
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Tshibaka formerly worked in several offices of inspector general in the U.S. government before becoming the commissioner of the Department of Administration in Alaska under Gov. Mike Dunleavy in 2019. She quit last month to enter the Senate race.
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who has held the Senate seat since 2002, has filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, which allows her to raise money. Murkowski, who reported having $1.3 million available as of March 31, has not formally announced whether she’s seeking re-election.
Murkowski filed the FEC statement, as a Republican, a week before state Republican party leaders censured her for voting to convict former President Donald Trump at his impeachment trial earlier this year. The party also said it did not want Murkowski to identify as a Republican in the 2022 election.
Messages sent to Murkowski’s press aides were not immediately returned to the AP.
Days after major news organizations, including the AP, declared Joe Biden the winner of the 2020 election, Tshibaka posted on Instagram: “Eyewitness testimony of voting impropriety, fraud, tampering or oppression in states like PA, MI, GA, NV, and AZ constitutes ‘evidence.’”
In the November election, Alaska voters approved Proposition 2, an initiative that would do away with party-run primaries and send the top four vote-getters, regardless of political affiliation, to the general election.
General elections would then use a new ranked-choice voting system. Some see this as a boost for Murkowski, who in 2010 lost her party primary but went on to win the general election as a write-in candidate.
Tshibaka also tweeted about a Texas lawsuit challenging changes to election laws because of COVID-19, which was dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court because Texas did not have standing to sue. She said if Texas were to win, then Alaska’s election laws could also be challenged.
“Imagine what this could mean for Proposition 2 (where absentee ballots tipped votes in favor of the jungle primary) and for certain state Legislature races? Alaska can throw out all absentee ballots without a witness signature, for example,” she tweeted.
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She told the AP on Tuesday that “allegations regarding voting integrity should be investigated and fully examined.”
When Tshibaka was at Harvard Law School, she wrote “The Right Side: Coming Out of Homosexuality,” for The Harvard Law Record, an independent newspaper at the law school, in December 2001.
“Today is National Coming Out of Homosexuality Day, a day dedicated to helping homosexuals overcome their sexual tendencies and move towards a healthy lifestyle,” she wrote in the article under her maiden name Kelly Hartline.
In the article she touts the work of Exodus International, a group that advocated gay conversion therapy. The group a decade later closed and apologized for the harm it did to the gay community.
“Homosexuals can come out of homosexuality because their preference is not biologically mandated.” Tshibaka wrote in 2001. “Unlike race or gender, homosexuality is a choice.”
She also later apologized to readers who were upset over the article, saying she did not intend to offend.
Tshibaka said she was assigned the article by an editor as a counterpoint piece. “I don’t hold that view today,” she told the AP.
When asked if same-sex marriage is settled law, she said: “I personally believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, but the Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriage is the law of the land.”
In blog posts, she said the “Twilight” vampire movies and books are “evil and we should not read or watch it.”
“Some say this book is harmless, that it promotes Christian values, and that it does not promote anything wicked at all,” she wrote. “But Satan does not usually look repulsive, horrific, and evil on the outside.”
She told the AP that children should read more, but the “Twilight” books don’t hold a candle to Dr. Seuss.
“I think Alaskans will care more about who will protect their gas and oil jobs than they do about young adult vampire fiction,” she said.
The state elections office says others who have registered for Senate include Dustin Darden with the Alaskan Independence Party, Huhnkie Lee, who is undeclared, and Republicans Samuel Little and Karl Speights.
Alaska candidate shadowed by anti-gay article, election post – Yahoo News
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A candidate for U.S. Senate in Alaska previously wrote articles in support of an organization that espoused gay conversion therapy, questioned the integrity of elections and described the “Twilight” books and movies as evil.
Many of the articles, blogs and posts by candidate Kelly Tshibaka have been deleted but some are available through archived internet pages, as first reported Tuesday by CNN.
Tshibaka said in an email to The Associated Press that the CNN article “is just proof that our campaign is gaining momentum, which has Lisa Murkowski and her allies scared to death.”
“Nothing frightens the DC political insiders more than the thought of a strong, independent Alaskan leader in their ranks,” she said.
Tshibaka formerly worked in several offices of inspector general in the U.S. government before becoming the commissioner of the Department of Administration in Alaska under Gov. Mike Dunleavy in 2019. She quit last month to enter the Senate race.
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican who has held the Senate seat since 2002, has filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, which allows her to raise money. Murkowski, who reported having $1.3 million available as of March 31, has not formally announced whether she’s seeking re-election.
Murkowski filed the FEC statement, as a Republican, a week before state Republican party leaders censured her for voting to convict former President Donald Trump at his impeachment trial earlier this year. The party also said it did not want Murkowski to identify as a Republican in the 2022 election.
Messages sent to Murkowski’s press aides were not immediately returned to the AP.
Days after major news organizations, including the AP, declared Joe Biden the winner of the 2020 election, Tshibaka posted on Instagram: “Eyewitness testimony of voting impropriety, fraud, tampering or oppression in states like PA, MI, GA, NV, and AZ constitutes ‘evidence.’”
In the November election, Alaska voters approved Proposition 2, an initiative that would do away with party-run primaries and send the top four vote-getters, regardless of political affiliation, to the general election.
General elections would then use a new ranked-choice voting system. Some see this as a boost for Murkowski, who in 2010 lost her party primary but went on to win the general election as a write-in candidate.
Tshibaka also tweeted about a Texas lawsuit challenging changes to election laws because of COVID-19, which was dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court because Texas did not have standing to sue. She said if Texas were to win, then Alaska’s election laws could also be challenged.
“Imagine what this could mean for Proposition 2 (where absentee ballots tipped votes in favor of the jungle primary) and for certain state Legislature races? Alaska can throw out all absentee ballots without a witness signature, for example,” she tweeted.
She told the AP on Tuesday that “allegations regarding voting integrity should be investigated and fully examined.”
When Tshibaka was at Harvard Law School, she wrote “The Right Side: Coming Out of Homosexuality,” for The Harvard Law Record, an independent newspaper at the law school, in December 2001.
“Today is National Coming Out of Homosexuality Day, a day dedicated to helping homosexuals overcome their sexual tendencies and move towards a healthy lifestyle,” she wrote in the article under her maiden name Kelly Hartline.
In the article she touts the work of Exodus International, a group that advocated gay conversion therapy. The group a decade later closed and apologized for the harm it did to the gay community.
“Homosexuals can come out of homosexuality because their preference is not biologically mandated.” Tshibaka wrote in 2001. “Unlike race or gender, homosexuality is a choice.”
She also later apologized to readers who were upset over the article, saying she did not intend to offend.
Tshibaka said she was assigned the article by an editor as a counterpoint piece. “I don’t hold that view today,” she told the AP.
When asked if same-sex marriage is settled law, she said: “I personally believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, but the Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriage is the law of the land.”
In blog posts, she said the “Twilight” vampire movies and books are “evil and we should not read or watch it.”
“Some say this book is harmless, that it promotes Christian values, and that it does not promote anything wicked at all,” she wrote. “But Satan does not usually look repulsive, horrific, and evil on the outside.”
She told the AP that children should read more, but the “Twilight” books don’t hold a candle to Dr. Seuss.
“I think Alaskans will care more about who will protect their gas and oil jobs than they do about young adult vampire fiction,” she said.
The state elections office says others who have registered for Senate include Dustin Darden with the Alaskan Independence Party, Huhnkie Lee, who is undeclared, and Republicans Samuel Little and Karl Speights.
Gina Ortiz Jones gets nod to become Air Force under secretary – Washington Blade
Three transgender people allege they suffered abuse at a Miami jail last year after police arrested them during Black Lives Matter protests.
The Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund in a letter it sent to Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava on Wednesday notes Christian Pallidine, a college student who identifies as a trans man, was attending a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Miami on May 31, 2020, when Miami-Dade police officers arrested him and charged him with violating a county-wide curfew.
Pallidine arrived at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center a short time later, and the letter notes personnel abused him because of his gender identity.
“The staff at TGK subjected Mr. Pallidine to degrading and outrageous treatment because he is transgender,” it reads. “TGK staff forced him to strip and display his genitals in front of a group of officers — part of a series of invasive, pseudo-medical, sexualized procedures conducted on him for no legitimate purpose. TGK staff also belittled Mr. Pallidine, publicized his transgender status to others, asked gratuitous questions about his anatomy, and called him derogatory names.”
The letter, among other things, notes Pallidine underwent an examination that “focused solely on his transgender status” and it “took place in a public area where others could easily see and hear him and the person questioning him.” The letter says the officer who conducted the exam asked him “multiple questions about his genitals and plans for future medical care, such as, ‘Do you want a penis in the future?’”
Pallidine alleges he was forced to take a pregnancy test “because of his genitals” and officers mocked him because of his gender identity. Pallidine also says officers forced him to undergo a strip search and placed him in solidary confinement before his release.
Jae Bucci and Gabriela Amaya Cruz on July 19, 2020, attended a rally and march for Black trans women in downtown Miami. Miami-Dade police officers brought them to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center after they arrested them.
Bucci, who is a teacher and makeup artist, on Wednesday during a virtual press conference that TLDEF, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Harvard LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic organized, said the gender marker on her ID is female and the Miami-Dade Police Department processed her as such. Bucci noted Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center personnel also processed her as female, but she said an officer told her, “Aha, I knew it. That’s what I was looking for” after she disclosed her gender identity.
Bucci said her friends were not able to find her because officers had reclassified her as male. Bucci told reporters that officers placed her with male prisoners and, like Pallidine, forced her to undergo an “illegal strip search in front of several officers.”
“They tugged at my piercings, drawing blood, and forcibly tried to remove my hair, assuming it to be a wig,” said Bucci.
“They forced me to sit with men … I was put in danger,” she added. “I needed protection. I asked to be seated with other women, but the guards were only hyper-focused on my genitals, repeatedly calling me a man.”
Bucci said she was later placed in solitary confinement “for hours with no contact, food, water, leading to a panic attack where I began to self-harm and contemplate suicide.” Bucci said officers also forced her to wear men’s clothing “with my breasts clearly visible.”
Jae Bucci (Photo by Emely Virta)
Amaya Cruz — a barista, artist and activist — said she suffered many of the same abuses that Bucci and Pallidine described once she arrived at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Amaya Cruz told reporters the officers did not know whether to place her with female or male inmates once she disclosed her gender identity to them.
She said officers forced her to remove her wig before they took her mugshot.
Amaya Cruz said she objected to male officers patting her down, and they told a female colleague that “he’s saying he’s a woman, but he’s a man. He has a dick still.”
Amaya Cruz said the female officer did her pat down and allowed her to fill out paperwork in which she disclosed her gender identity. Amaya Cruz said the officer allowed her to sit with other female inmates.
Amaya Cruz was born with ectrodactyly, a rare genetic disorder that limits finger movement, but she was subject to “excessive force” during the pat down and when guards took her fingerprints.
Amaya Cruz said the female officer who did her pat-down told her to change into a pair of basketball shorts and a white t-shirt before her release.
“I was so uncomfortable and I just complied because my only reaction was I don’t want to be here any longer,” said Amaya Cruz. “At that point I felt uncomfortable, humiliated, my gender was being yelled out the entire night. My gender identity was not being taken seriously in any way.”
Gabriela Amaya Cruz (Photo by Sonya Revell/Southern Poverty Law Center)
TLDEF Staff Attorney Alejandra Caraballo told reporters the “health and safety of our clients were jeopardized by the willful and wanton treatment by the officers at TGK.”
“The current policies followed at TGK are woefully inadequate and are discriminatory on their face, which will inevitably lead towards the targeted harassment of trans people in custody,” added Caraballo.
Harvard LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic Founding Director Alexander Chen also took part in the press conference alongside Arianna Lint, chief executive officer of Arianna’s Center, an organization that serves trans women in South Florida. Tatiana Williams, co-founder and executive director of Transinclusive Group, which also works with trans people in South Florida, also participated.
“The change has to happen, as we all mentioned, structurally,” said Williams. “It has to happen at the top.”
Two men hold their fists in their air during an anti-police brutality protest in downtown Miami on June 1, 2020. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)
The letter to Levine Cava calls for her office to “reach a resolution” with Pallidine, Bucci and Amaya Cruz without litigation that specifically addresses several points:
1) “Policy and procedure updates to address the issues faced by our clients and other transgender community members.”
2) “Meaningful accountability measures for MDCR (Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department) staff that go well beyond what Internal Affairs currently provides.”
3) “Appropriate discipline for the MDCR staff involved in the inappropriate treatment of our clients.”
4) “Updates to county records concerning our clients and their gender.”
5) “Compensation to our clients as allowed by law; and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs as allowed by law.”
“We have achieved similar results working with officials elsewhere in the country, and are confident we can do the same here,” reads the letter.
Chen echoed this point during the press conference.
“We have every expectation that we will be able to come to an accord with the county that will both do justice to our plaintiffs and protect transgender people in the county going forward,” he said.
Lint, like Chen, noted Levine Cava championed LGBTQ rights when she was a member of the Miami-Dade County Commission until she succeeded now-Congressman Carlos Giménez last November.
“I am calling on Mayor Levine Cava to continue this support for the transgender community by taking steps to address the mistreatment of transgender individuals in Miami-Dade County jails,” said Lint. “Arianna’s Center is committed to working with Mayor Levine Cava to eradicate prejudice against the transgender community in our prisons, jails, detention centers and through the whole criminal justice system.”
Levine Cava’s office has not returned the Washington Blade’s request for comment.
Murkowski challenger wrote in support of ‘ex-gay’ organization and posts on evils of ‘addictive’ witchcraft and ‘Twilight’ – CNN
(CNN) —
Kelly Tshibaka, a Republican Senate candidate seeking to challenge Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski in 2022, once wrote in support of an “ex-gay” Christian organization that promoted discredited “conversion therapy” and said that homosexuality was caused by “sexual molestation during childhood.”
In an article unearthed by CNN’s KFile, Tshibaka wrote that gay people can “work through the process of coming out of homosexuality” through Christianity and urged gay people to “not be controlled by the ‘once-gay-always-gay’ rhetoric used to advance political agendas” in a 2001 Harvard Law School student newspaper article.
In other blog posts found by KFile that have since been scrubbed from the internet, Tshibaka said that the “Twilight” book and movie series “is evil and we should not read or watch it” because “entertaining and participating in these kinds of activities leaves us spiritually vulnerable. It also leaves us open to the enemy’s attacks.”
Tshibaka, who was born and raised in Alaska, announced last month that she would run against incumbent Murkowski, a moderate Republican who has drawn ire from Republican circles for voting to convict former President Donald Trump during his second impeachment. Tshibaka is positioning herself as the pro-MAGA political outsider and has hired key Trump campaign alums.
Under Alaska’s new system, all candidates who qualify will run together in a nonpartisan primary, and the top four finishers will advance to the general election in which voters will then rank candidates.
Tshibaka’s campaign didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment before publication on Tuesday, but they did respond after the story published.
Though much of her social media profiles were scrubbed before she announced her candidacy, screenshots and posts found by CNN’s KFile reveal that she spread baseless conspiracies about the 2020 election, alleging widespread voter fraud in key states, which has been disproven.
“Texas is suing 4 Swing States for unlawfully enacting last-minute changes to their election laws due to COVID, thereby skewing the results of the 2020 General Election. If TX prevails, Alaska’s 2020 election results can also be revisited: the AK Supreme Court changed election rules for absentee ballots after our voting had already begun,” she wrote in one screenshot, posted to Twitter by a user critical of her message.
“Imagine what this could mean for Proposition 2 (where absentee ballots tipped votes in favor of the jungle primary) and for certain State Legislature races? Alaska can throw out all absentee ballots without a signature witness, for example,” she continued.
And in an op-ed, Tshibaka called for “credible allegations of fraud, voter suppression, and voting irregularities” to be thoroughly investigated and resolved before a winner was declared, even though President Joe Biden was projected as the winner days earlier.
Tshibaka told CNN on Tuesday that “it’s only logical that we apply the same standards that Democrats established in the 2000 and 2016 presidential elections. Allegations regarding voting integrity should be investigated and fully examined.”
Earlier this month, Tshibaka said, “We don’t know the outcome of the 2020 election,” despite Biden’s victory in both the Electoral College and the popular vote. No evidence of widespread voter fraud has been proven.
Tshibaka urged gay people to ‘come out of homosexuality’ and wrote in support of an ‘ex-gay’ organization that promoted ‘conversion therapy’
Prior to launching her campaign, Tshibaka worked as a lawyer for the federal government in Washington, DC, for approximately 17 years in the offices of the inspector general for the US Postal Service, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice.
She most recently served as the Alaska Department of Administration commissioner for two years but has since resigned to run for Senate.
While attending Harvard Law School in 2001, Tshibaka served on the staff of the Harvard Law Record, an independent student newspaper. She wrote several opinion pieces for the paper, including one in which she wrote that, as a conservative, she believes “there is no wall of separation between church and state” and another in which she argued for “retribution” following 9/11.
But her most controversial story that sparked backlash on campus came from an October 11, 2001, article entitled “The Right Side: Coming out of Homosexuality” under her maiden name, Kelly Hartline.
“Today is National Coming Out of Homosexuality Day, a day dedicated to helping homosexuals overcome their sexual tendencies and move towards a healthy lifestyle. Compassionate people nationwide recognize this day, rather than the more publicized ‘National Coming Out Day,’ because they want people to live and enjoy their lives to the fullest,” she wrote.
Tshibaka urged gay people to “not be controlled by the ‘once-gay-always-gay-rhetoric’ used to advance political agendas” and said that gay people can instead “come out of homosexuality” with the help of Jesus Christ.
She repeatedly cited the work of Exodus International, a Christian nonprofit “ex gay” organization that maintained gay men and lesbians could change their sexual orientation through prayer and psychotherapy, an idea that has been debunked and discredited by major medical associations in the US.
In one passage, she included their bogus claim that “the most common cause of homosexuality is sexual molestation during childhood.” In another, she supported Exodus’ recommendations that gay people participate in “pastoral counseling, accountability groups, personal prayer and Bible studies.
Exodus International later renounced “conversion therapy” in 2012 and its leader apologized for the pain caused by their programs. The organization dissolved in 2013 after its leaders concluded they could not change a person’s sexual orientation through psychotherapy.
After the article received backlash on Harvard’s campus, Tshibaka apologized to readers.
“As to those I have offended, please accept my sincerest apologies. I did not intend to offend you, but simply discuss an alternative perspective,” she wrote.
On Tuesday, Tshibaka told CNN, “I strongly believe that we should treat all people with respect and dignity. The student article was assigned to me by an editor as a counterpoint piece about 20 years ago, and I don’t hold that point of view today.”
She added that while she personally believes marriage is between a man and a woman, “the Supreme Court has ruled that same-sex marriage is the law of the land.”
Tshibaka has not yet answered direct questions about whether she believes in “conversion therapy” herself.
Tshibaka wrote blog posts calling the ‘Twilight’ series ‘evil’ and witchcraft ‘addictive’
While Tshibaka and her husband, Niki Tshibaka – both of whom are pastors – lived in the suburbs of Washington, DC, they co-founded an evangelical Foursquare church in Virginia. The Foursquare church is part of the Pentecostal Christian movement founded by Aimee Semple McPherson in the 1920s.
Pentecostalism is among the fastest growing religious movements in the world, according to the Pew Research Center, and its faith emphasizes the direct experience of the presence of God by the believer, which is often revealed to the believer through speaking in tongues or divine healing.
From 2007 to 2017, Tshibaka frequently wrote about her family, her church and her faith in her blog. In several posts found via the Internet Archive’s “Wayback Machine,” Tshibaka wrote about the dangers of witchcraft and the occult, specifically targeting the “Twilight” book and movie series. She called it “evil and we should not read or watch it.”
“Some say this book is harmless, that it promotes Christian values, and that it does not promote anything wicked at all. But Satan does not usually look repulsive, horrific, and evil on the outside,” she wrote in an October 2009 blog post.
“Make no mistake: ‘Twilight’ is a perfect example of how the enemy twists, perverts, and ridicules the things of God. This is his m.o. This is how he works,” Tshibaka added.
The “Twilight” series is seen by some observers to have multiple references to Mormonism and Christianity; its author, Stephenie Meyer, is a Mormon.
In another post, Tshibaka also made a connection between illicit drugs and witchcraft by writing about the etymology of the word “pharmacy.”
“There is a link between drugs and witchcraft. Our word ‘pharmacy,’ for example, comes from the Latin word pharmakon, which means ‘magic charm’ or ‘poison.’ Perhaps this explains why many people who have used illegal drugs experience demonic oppression,” she wrote, though she mistakenly says “pharmakon” comes from Latin. The origins of the word “pharmacy” come from pre-Greek languages.
She continued: “Perhaps this also explains why things of ‘witchcraft’ (see above) are so addictive — like a drug. And why God is so unwavering about people avoiding witchcraft, even to the point that He considers witchcraft to be an abomination.”
In a February 2013 blog post entitled “Witches Are Bad for Your Health,” Tshibaka cautioned people against consuming media that “incorporate, focus on, or glorify things like magic, witchcraft, vampires, or the occult.”
“Given how strongly the Bible speaks against these things and condemns those involved in them, and given how intoxicating and addicting these topics can be, it’s wise for believers to avoid them altogether,” she wrote, adding that though the Bible doesn’t prohibit consuming media, it says not everything is beneficial.
And in a June 2015 blog post, Tshibaka wrote about the “Charlie Charlie Challenge” popular with teenagers on social media at the time, in which users use a makeshift Ouija board. Tshibaka said the game could invite “evil spirits” and presents a “significant spiritual risk to those who play it and others who are around or exposed to it (e.g., an entire school).”
“Youth draw a quadrant on a sheet, place two intersecting pencils on top of each other, and then ask, ‘Charlie, Charlie, are you there?’ They then proceed to ask subsequent questions and the top pencil moves to land on the correct answer in the quadrant (e.g., yes, no, etc.) Of course, most [of] the time the top pencil does not move,” she wrote. “But sometimes it does. And that’s because evil spirits are real and they’re more than happy to respond to invitations to afflict people.”
This story has been updated to reflect responses from Tshibaka.
Priddaho invites all to ‘shine bright’ at 2021 Pride Festival – East Idaho News
Bouncy houses are among the attractions that have made the Priddaho Pride Festival family friendly since 2016. | Photo courtesy Priddaho.com
POCATELLO — Priddaho is holding its big event this year, and you’re invited.
After canceling the 2020 Priddaho celebration due to COVID-19, the nonprofit organization is going all out for 2021. Priddaho Executive Director Travis Kerbs expects the event to be attended by 10,000 people.
Organizers say it will feature crafts, family-friendly activities, food and a beer garden aimed at serving thousands.
With many large events still in limbo throughout the state and region, Priddaho’s free event offers Idahoans an opportunity to get out and have fun, Priddaho Financial Advisor Berni Brimmage said.
“We get just one day to shine bright like a diamond,” Brimmage told EastIdahoNews.com. “So we want everyone to come and shine with us.”
Priddaho Pride Festival 2021 will be at the Bannock County Event Center on June 19 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will be followed by an afterparty.
Priddaho has hosted Pride events in Pocatello since 2016. This year, the city asked Kerbs and his team to seek out a larger venue for the event. And after receiving a recommendation from Mayor Brian Blad, the event was granted approval from the Portneuf Health Trust to use the event center.
Although the Pride events have regularly been attended by 8,000 or more, this year’s event is expected to be even larger. The reason, Kerbs said, is the fact that Priddaho’s Pride 2021 will be the only in-person Pride celebration in the region. Attendees will likely come from Idaho, California, Colorado, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
With massive attendance numbers expected, Kerbs and the Priddaho board have put together a wide range of activities.
“We’ve got a bunch of fun stuff planned,” Kerbs said.” We’ve got bouncy houses, we’ve got a petting zoo. We’ve got a bunch of local vendors. We’ve got a bunch of out-of-state vendors. We’ve got drag queens coming from all over the United States.”
Those in attendance can expect to be treated to everything from local honey — which is said to be good for treating seasonal allergies — to custom-made aprons known as “gayprons.” There will also be an assortment of food offerings as well as a free 30-minute Zumba class instructed by Gold’s Gym.
When it comes to merchandise vendors, Kerbs has canvassed the area in search of anyone who makes or is willing to make recognizably gay crafts, which are otherwise limited in Idaho.
“I tell vendors, ‘This is your one day to make something and sell a lot of it,’” Kerbs said. “‘It doesn’t even matter what you’re selling that’s of that group. Somebody here is going to buy it because they can’t get it anywhere else.’”
Those considering attending from out of town or out of state have received aid from the Priddaho board as well. In working with local businesses, a deal has been struck with the Red Lion Hotel on Pocatello Creek Road. With a mention of the event, travelers will receive a discount.
As for entertainment, this year’s pride will feature, among numerous drag queens, “Elliott With 2 Ts,” a former contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” The event will also feature a DJ and afterparty, which will incur a $10 cover charge.
This event, Kerbs said, is family-friendly, though.
“I know that the LGBTQ community in the bigger cities, like Vegas and LA, they walk down the street in leotards,” he said. “You’re not ever going to see that here. It’s completely a community event and very family-friendly. I’m strict and stern about that.”
Priddaho’s mission, both Brimmage and Kerbs said, is offering a safe place for people from all walks of life to enjoy each other’s company. It is also a place to give and receive support, and, if possible, the opportunity for education.
This year’s theme: “I’m Coming Out,” portrays that.
It is the mission of Priddaho to show Idahoans that it is OK to be “different.” At the same time, it hopes to show the families of those who have recently come out as gay that there is a support system for them as well.
Brimmage, the mother of twin daughter who came out two years ago, spoke to the importance of that support net. She also spoke to the energy of events like Priddaho’s Pride celebration, for people straight, like her, or otherwise.
“Everyone is just so happy,” she said. “That’s just kind of what you feel at these events. So, 10,000 happy people, here we go.”
Gay teen bullied for wearing a prom dress is gaining widespread support – Upworthy
A gay teen taking pictures at his senior prom was ridiculed by a man on Saturday outside of the Harpeth Hotel in downtown Franklin, Tennessee. Dalton Stevens, a senior at Franklin High, was having a photoshoot with his boyfriend, college freshman Jacob Geittman, when they were verbally accosted by a man later identified as Sam Johnson, 46.
Geittman claims that Johnson got into Stevens’ face as they were taking photos. This part of the incident was not captured on video.
“This man comes up and he’s about an inch away from my boyfriend and he says, ‘What are you wearing?’ And he’s like, ‘A dress, why?’ And he’s like, ‘Why are you wearing that? You shouldn’t be wearing that,'” Geitmann said according to WVNews.
Stevens said that Johnson then began hurling homophobic slurs at him.
Homophobic POS in Tennessee harasses a teenager for wearing a dress to prom https://t.co/Ftt2a184jX
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@Fifty Shades of Whey)1619409339.0
“Slander terms thrown towards me of like ‘you look bad,’ ‘you’ve got hair on your chest, you shouldn’t be wearing a dress,’ ‘you’re not a man,’ blah, blah, blah,” Stevens said. “The fact that he thought he had the audacity to come tell me what I was supposed to wear, and what I was supposed to do because of his standards.”
Did Johnson really think that the young gay couple cared to hear his thoughts on fashion?
In the video, Johnson can be seen trailing the teens with a condescending smirk on his face saying, “You look like an idiot,” even though the couple told him to stop.
“I’m sorry, I’m gorgeous,” Stevens says in the video. “Are you?” Johnson responded.
Towards the end of the clip, Johnson can be seen taking a swipe at Geittman’ss phone and demanding that he stop filming him. In a later video, Geittman claims that Johnson knocked the phone out of his hand and that he was “pretty obviously drunk.”
Stevens decided to wear a dress to prom because he wanted to make a bold statement and because he views clothing as “genderless.”
After the video was posted online it quickly went viral after being shared by comedian Kathy Griffin, actor Billy Porter, and musician Richard Marx. Porter’s support for the teens is wonderful given his history of making controversial fashion choices. He wore a dress to the Academy Awards two years ago to challenge to the Academy’s rigid black-tie dress code.
Griffin took no prisoners in her support for the teens. In her tweet she named Johnson, saying, “It seems like he’s dying to be online famous.” The video received 9.7 likes and over 4,000 shares.
If this is Sam Johnson in Nashville, Tennessee, the CEO of @VisuWell, healthcare-tech-growth strategist, married to… https://t.co/mwBVCjvINK
— Kathy Griffin (@Kathy Griffin)1619415923.0
Griffin’s support rallied countless people around the teens.
It didn’t take long for Johnson to face consequences for taunting the teenagers with homophobic slurs. On Monday, he lost his job as the CEO of Visuwell, a telemedicine company.
“Visuwell’s culture emphasizes respect, kindness, and compassion, especially for those from traditionally marginalized communities, and we maintain a zero-tolerance policy for intolerance of any kind,” a statement posted to Twitter reads.
“Mr. Johnson’s actions contradicted the high standards we set for ourselves in promoting the health of those who use our platform,” the statement continued.
Johnson responded to the incident by claiming that the confrontation was not about the dress, but the “obnoxious, loud behavior by this group of teens.” He said he approached them because they were shouting obscenities around families and children.
Johnson’s homophobic behavior in front of the teens was disturbing, to say the least. It also showed an incredible lack of self-awareness. Why would anyone behave that way when they know they’re being filmed? It’s 2021, you’re going to go viral in the worst way possible.
Kudos to Kathy Griffin, Billy Porter, and Richard Marx for jumping in and supporting the young couple by using their platform to expose those who threaten the LGBTQ community. Hopefully, this will make people like Johnson think twice before attempting to intimidate teenagers simply for dressing how they want.
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Department of the Air Force to Study Barriers for LGBTQ, Native American Personnel – Air Force Magazine
The Department of Air Force has created two new teams to identify and address issues impacting diversity and inclusion, one specifically looking at issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning service members and another looking at issues facing Native American service members.
The move comes amid a major push by the Department of the Air Force to address barriers to service felt by those in minority groups in the services. The Air Force also announced April 27 it was extending the deadline to respond to its survey as part of its second independent disparity review because of a significant response.
“To fully capture the voice of Airmen and Guardians, the Department of the Air Force Inspector General will keep the ongoing gender, racial, and ethnic disparity review survey open for an extra week, Air Force Inspector General Lt. Gen. Sami D. Said said in a release. “Feedback so far has been very high, so we’re keeping the survey open for an extra week to give everyone a chance to contribute to this very important effort. We highly encourage all our Airmen and Guardians to share their stories, views, and concerns. To the tens of thousands that already have, thank you!”
The new teams—the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning Initiative Team and the Indigenous Nations Equality Team—are part of the Air Force’s Barrier Analysis Working Group, which aims to “identify and address the issues impacting diversity and inclusion for Airmen and Guardians,” the department said in a release.
The BAWG dates back to 2008, when it was created to look at data, trends, and barriers to service for civilians. It has since expanded to those in uniform. As of March 2021, the Air Force has created the following subgroups:
- Black/African American Employment Strategy Team
- Disability Action Team
- Hispanic Empowerment and Action Team
- Indigenous Nations Equality Team
- LGBTQ Initiative Team
- Pacific Islander/Asian American Community Team
- Women’s Initiatives Team.
The creation of the LGBTQ team comes 10 years after the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.
The INET group will review and analyze barriers to employment, advancement, and retention of American Indian/Native American and Alaska native employees and troops, according to the release.
Isaiah Brown, a gay Black man from Virginia, in critical condition after being shot 10 times by a sheriff’s deputy – Metro Weekly
A gay Black man from Virginia is currently on a breathing machine and in critical condition after being shot by sheriff’s deputies who allegedly mistook a cordless house phone he was holding for a gun.
Isaiah Brown, 32, of Spotsylvania County in Northern Virginia, was shot last Wednesday by a county sheriff’s deputy who had just given him a ride home after his car broke down, according to family attorney David Haynes, a lawyer from the Washington-based Cochran Firm.
Close to fifty minutes after being dropped at his home Brown tried to retrieve some items, including his car keys, from his mother’s room, but was blocked by his brother. The two argued and got into an altercation that turned sour, prompting Brown to dial 911 to ask for help, according to NBC News.
In an audio recording of the 911 dispatch call, the dispatcher is heard asking Brown why he needs car keys if his car is broken down and has just gotten a ride home. Brown threatens to kill his brother, telling him: “Give me the gun.” The dispatcher then says, “Don’t kill your brother,” to which Brown replies, “All right.”
The dispatcher chastises Brown, asking him, “Why would you say something like that?” Brown then replies, “Somebody needs to come here real quick.” The dispatcher asks whether he has a weapon on him, and Brown responds, “Nope,” adding that he is “walking down the road” with his house phone.
While waiting for help to arrive, the dispatcher tells Brown to put his hands in the air as police sirens draw closer. According to the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the property to deal with what was labeled a “domestic disturbance.”
On the audio recording, a deputy is heard ordering Brown to “drop the gun.”
“He’s got a gun to his head,” the deputy says in body camera footage of the incident that was released. The deputy orders Brown to stop walking towards him and to drop his weapon, before firing his weapon several times.
Video shows Brown lying in the middle of the road as the deputy continues to order him to show his hands.
See also: LGBTQ organizations react to the guilty verdict of Derek Chavin
Haynes, the lawyer for Brown’s family, says Brown was shot at least 10 times, but only two bullets have been removed from his body. He is currently on a breathing machine and remains in critical condition.
Haynes told NBC News his law firm will formally ask for the full audio of the call between the deputy and the dispatcher who was on the phone with Brown, noting that Brown had told the dispatcher he was not armed, meaning “this was clearly a failure of communication between the dispatch and the officers that arrived on scene.”
“He made it totally clear that he did not have a weapon, that he did not have a gun, and he was calling for assistance from 911,” Haynes said. “In fact, the same deputies had just given him a ride and assisted him for a broken-down vehicle just within the past 30 to 45 minutes, but before they knew exactly who he was, that he was not armed, not dangerous.”
The deputy involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave. Spotsylvania Sheriff Roger Harris said in a video statement released last Friday that a special prosecutor has been appointed to oversee the investigation into the shooting, which will be carried out by Virginia State Police.
Haynes also criticized Harris, for allegedly downplaying the extent of Brown’s injuries, telling a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters that the deputy who shot Brown — whose identity has not been revealed — “actually saved this gentleman’s life.”
“I believe that the sheriff was reporting to the fact that he performed CPR, as of course he is required and trained to do. But it is incredible that he would make that statement that he saved his life by rendering CPR after he’s the one that shot him 10 times,” Haynes said, asking Harris not to comment any further on Brown’s physical condition.
See also: 100+ LGBTQ organizations condemn racism, racial violence, and police brutality
Brown’s mother, Jennifer Brown, told NBC News that, at this point, her main concern is that her son will “hopefully come home alive.”
The National Black Justice Coalition, a leading civil rights group that advocates on behalf of Black LGBTQ people, expressed frustration at another incident in which a Black man has been shot by a member of law enforcement.
“Words do not exist to adequately convey the frustration, anger, and sadness associated with the continued violence that Black people face at the hands of the police. The terror and fear that we may have our lives stolen by a police officer who deems themself judge, jury, and executioner is overwhelming,” David Johns, the executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, said in a statement.
“Isaiah Brown should not be hospitalized in critical condition. He should be living his life as he has always lived it — in service to others as an essential worker and health aide. All reporting indicates that Brown complied with orders, which included raising his arms with his cell phone in hand, and informing the 911 dispatcher he was unarmed ahead of police arrival,” Johns added.
“Isaiah’s Black and gay/same gender loving identity will likely make it more difficult for his family to attain accountability for the officer responsible. Still, Black LGBTQ+ people continue to die by violence, often unreported, perpetrated by police officers and other state-sanctioned actors who do not value Black Lives Matter,” Johns continued. “We echo the Brown family’s demands that all audio recordings associated with this shooting be released to the public. Additionally, that the police officer in question, who made careless and basic errors while violating police protocols, should be held accountable. We will continue to advance efforts that aim to reform national policy in attempt to prevent this from happening to another member of our community again.”
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American Medical Association urges governors to veto transgender medical bans – NBC News
The American Medical Association is urging governors across the country to oppose legislation prohibiting transition-related care for minors, calling such proposals “a dangerous governmental intrusion into the practice of medicine.”
In an open letter Monday to the National Governors Association, the association’s CEO, James Madara, cited evidence that trans and nonbinary gender identities “are normal variations of human identity and expression” and said decisions about care belong in the hands of health care providers and families, not lawmakers.
“As with all medical interventions, physicians are guided by their ethical duty to act in the best interest of their patients and must tailor recommendations about specific interventions and the timing of those interventions to each patient’s unique circumstances,” Madara wrote on behalf of the organization’s members. “Such decisions must be sensitive to the child’s clinical situation, nurture the child’s short and long-term development, and balance the need to preserve the child’s opportunity to make important life choices autonomously in the future.”
Citing studies tying gender-affirming care for children to a decrease in anxiety, depression and suicide attempts, Madara said it was inappropriate for any state to limit options for physicians and families.
Earlier this month, Arkansas became the first state to ban transition-related care for transgender minors, when the GOP-controlled state Legislature overrode a veto by Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Republican. Sponsors of the Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act compare the restriction to other limitations placed on minors.
“They need to get to be 18 before they make those decisions,” said state Rep. Robin Lundstrum, a Republican.
At least 14 other states are considering similar legislation, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Such efforts “would insert the government into clinical decision-making and force physicians to disregard clinical guidelines,” Madara warned in the letter.
“Transgender children, like all children, have the best chance to thrive when they are supported and can obtain the health care they need,” he continued. “It is imperative that transgender minors be given the opportunity to explore their gender identity under the safe and supportive care of a physician.”
The AMA, which has previously supported insurance coverage for transition-related services and opposed conversion therapy for gender identity or sexual orientation, joins other major health care associations in recognizing the medical necessity of transition-related care, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Pediatric Endocrine Society.
Debi Jackson, a Missouri mother of a 13-year-old transgender girl, said she was relieved to hear that the AMA had taken such a public stance.
Courtesy Debi Jackson
“Any parent who has worked with a doctor knows this is the best standard of care universally,” Jackson said. “We’ve been praying for letters from these organizations. If anyone can explain why [these bans are] dangerous to lawmakers, it’s health care providers.”
At the same time, she said, “this is not something that should be political in the first place.”
“Defending your job and your knowledge is an uncomfortable position to be in,” she said, referring to doctors who would face criminal penalties under some of the state proposals.
A bill before the Texas state Senate would define providing gender-affirming care as child abuse, potentially sending parents to prison or removing children from their custody.
In Missouri, state Rep. Suzie Pollock, a Rerpublican, has sponsored a bill that would revoke the license of doctors who prescribed puberty blockers or hormones to minors.
“They can go to all the counseling and dress and change their name and whatever they want to do,” Pollock said, according to The Kansas City Star. “I just don’t want them medically treated with drugs. In what other area do we allow children to make those decisions so young?”
In 2016, Jackson’s trans daughter, Avery, appeared on the cover of National Geographic’s “Gender Revolution” issue. Since then, Jackson said, her family has received support from medical providers across the country.
“We have had multiple doctors in other states reach out and say, ‘I want you to know we will take care of your kids,’” Jackson said. “They’re willing to put their neck out, because they care about these kids. Anyone who is offering transition care to kids is doing it because they really understand and are passionate about making sure these kids are healthy.”
Pollock’s bill has stalled in committee, but Jackson said she wouldn’t hesitate to leave Missouri to ensure Avery got the care she needed if it passes. (She is one of several parents who told NBC News they would consider moving if such medical bans passed in their state.)
“Go ahead and charge me with child abuse — I will take care of my daughter,” Jackson said. “I think a lot of politicians think they can intimidate us, but I don’t know a single parent of a trans kid that wouldn’t go to the ends of the earth for them.”