Let's Do It Together

 

Targeted in 2023

Image by Prawny from Pixabay

NBC News reports that 75 anti-LGBTQ bills across 23 states became law in 2023.

Republican state lawmakers tripped over themselves to restrict queer rights, introducing over 500 bills. That made 2023 a record-setting year for legislation targeting the LGBTQ community, and I trust the Guinness Book folks have been alerted.

Since only about 15% of these bills became law, some argue we're coming out ahead. I get that, but the preponderance of bills feels like a tsunami of malevolence. A hate spate.

Most of the new laws restrict gender-affirming care for youth. The next most popular bar transgender students from playing on the correct sports teams, followed by limits on classroom instruction on LGBTQ issues. The rest of the laws restrict trans bathroom use in schools and drag performances in front of minors, and generally carry on as though Chicken Little took over the PTA.

The bottom line is most of these efforts are aimed at the most vulnerable in our community:  transgender kids. This allows conservatives to claim they're all about protecting children, when they're doing the opposite. They dismiss the known realities of gender, and penalize the parents who want their kids to live.

This week Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, an actual Republican, vetoed a bill that would've restricted gender-affirming care for minors. As a result, DeWine is now being called a "child mutilator."

I suspect Chicken Little handed out some speed-laced cupcakes.

Last One of the Season

 

This Week's Quote

Image by Myriam - No AI pictures in my gallery. from Pixabay

Gay icons usually have some tragedy in their lives, but I've only had tragic haircuts and outfits.

Kylie Minogue

Source:  Brainy Quote

Holy Family

Image by Sr. M. Jutta from Pixabay

You've probably seen this line on a button or a t-shirt or even a church sign:  "Jesus had two dads and he turned out fine."

This Christmas, at a Catholic church about an hour from Naples, Father Vitaliano Della Sala expressed a similar sentiment with a same-sex nativity scene that's setting Italian hair on fire. In the priest's tableau, Jesus has two moms.

No word on whether they're both virgins.

The Tree Didn't Give It Away?

 

For Goodness' Sake

 

It's Not Christmas Without the 12 Gays

 

This Week's Quote

Image by M. from Pixabay

I’m dreaming of a white Christmas. But if the white runs out, I’ll drink the red.

Unknown

Source:  Parade

Papal Progress

Image:  Facebook

Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis has hinted, hedged and hiccuped that he favors a kinder approach to queer people. Yesterday he came through, as the Vatican announced that priests can bless same-sex couples.

It's still far from same-sex marriage, and there are caveats, but to a lot of LGBT Catholics, this is a big holy deal.

"To have this huge turnaround was very surprising," Aaron Bianco, a gay Catholic leader, told Gay City News. "I’m very happy. I think for non-Catholics, they probably don’t understand how huge this is. We’ve gone from 'this will never be a conversation' to 'OK priests, you have the ability now to go out and bless same-sex couples if they ask you for it.'"

I'm glad for the many queer Catholics in the world. This change might not be a miracle on a level with the loaves and fishes, but Pope Francis is damn sure feeding a multitude.

A Change at the North Pole

 

Hallmark Holiday

Image:  Facebook

I'm not one for Hallmark Christmas movies, but this evening I stumbled on the last 40 minutes of a lesbian offering, so I felt obliged to watch.

The first thing I realized was there were more ads than movie.

The second thing I realized was how wildly unbelievable the characters and locations were.

The third thing I realized was, presented with women falling in love, I suddenly didn't give a hoot about realizations one and two.

Camp

 

This Week's Quote

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

For a Jewish guy, I've recorded a lot of Christmas albums.

Barry Manilow

Source:  AZ Quotes

Rankin/Bass Updated

 

Supreme Decision

Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

Today the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to a Washington state ban on conversion therapy.

Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh said they would've taken the case.

Whereupon Justice Elena Kagan murmured, "Those three are the best argument against heterosexuality I can think of."

Musing

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

I spent a few moments today wondering what George Santos will do now that Congress has expelled him.

But really, what's left to do if you've already walked on the moon, invented pop art and won the Olympic pole vault?

Hanukkah Tradition

I'm aware that events in the Middle East might make this video seem dated, or even inappropriate. But it's still the best way I know for General Gayety to recognize the start of Hanukkah.

This Week's Quote

Image by jotoya from Pixabay

 I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.

• Noel Coward
• Source:  Today
  

Catty Christmas

 

Next-Level Hypocrisy

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

I swear that everything you're about to read came from The Washington Post. I made up none of it. And if I had, you wouldn't have believed me.

The story takes place in—oh God—Florida.

Christian Ziegler, chairman of the state's Republican Party, is under investigation by the Sarasota police for rape. His accuser had agreed to have a threesome with Ziegler and his wife, Bridget. When Bridget couldn't make it, the woman canceled, texting Ziegler, "Sorry I was mostly in for her."

Not a few lesbians can relate. But I digress.

According to the woman, Ziegler showed up at her apartment and raped her. Ziegler claimed they had consensual sex. And that he video-recorded it.

The search warrant affidavit includes this gem:  Bridget Ziegler "confirmed having a sexual encounter with the victim and Christian over a year ago and that it only happened one time." So this was to be round two of a ménage à trois.

The folks getting frisky in Florida, the Zieglers, have three little kids. More to the point, Christian Ziegler leads the party that has recently forced Florida down the conservative Christian purity path.

And Bridget? Fasten your seatbelts.

Bridget Ziegler is a co-founder of Moms for Liberty. Bridget Ziegler advised the legislators who gave Florida the Don't Say Gay Law. Bridget Ziegler has fought to rid schools around the nation of LGBTQ books and books that speak of racial discrimination.

Bridget Ziegler makes Anita Bryant look like Janis Joplin.

The Post notes,"The Zieglers were seen as a rising power couple in the state, second only to Ron and Casey DeSantis in their visibility and influence in state politics."

Now they're seen as cats on a hot tin roof.

Christian Ziegler has told party members that he isn't resigning. He claimed he and Bridget are being "targeted," which is "most likely due to my wife and I being such loud political voices."

Not to mention complete assholes.

University of Central Florida political science professor Aubrey Jewett commented that the "stunning level of hypocrisy" has generated huge interest and criticism.

"Even if the rape sexual assault charge ends up either not true or unable to be proven, I think for a lot of Republicans, they would just be uncomfortable with the fact that you have people who are pushing a social conservative agenda saying there’s too much sex in society, particularly LGBTQ sex, but yet have engaged in, well, a threesome."

Well. Yes. That.

Swan Song

 

Kristopher Kringle

 

He's Gone

Image:  Facebook

The House of Representatives voted to expel George Santos today. Sadly, the queer community can't do the same.

Non-Binary at the Bank

Photo by Reyna Montgomery at Pexels

I had to go to a Wells Fargo branch this week to make a deposit for work. As the young teller processed my check, I noticed one half of their head sported a short, stereotypically male, hairstyle, while the other half featured longer and stereotypically female locks.

"I'm both male and female," screamed the coiffure. Or was I reading too much into it? Perhaps this person did identify as one or the other.

When I got outside, I looked at the receipt for the teller's name:  Sage.

I wasn't reading too much into it.

This Week's Quote

Image by Maryse Rebaudo from Pixabay

China is sending pandas to the US to show good faith and I feel like that’s how all arguments should be resolved. If anyone wants to start an argument with me in exchange for a panda, I’ll take one for the team.

Dana Goldberg

Source: X

Fantasy

 

Sinking to the Occasion

Image by DWilliam from Pixabay

I hope you read the heartfelt Thanksgiving message from a former president of these United States. It was so touching. Or touched.

At 2:00 a.m. on the national holiday when Americans go to great lengths to gather with family and friends, and to express gratitude, Donald Trump captured the spirit of the day when he posted on Truth Social "Happy Thanksgiving to ALL," and then dove into an expansive and unhinged rant against his enemies, calling New York Attorney General Letitia James "racist and incompetent" and Judge Arthur Engoron a "Psycho." 

Such class. Such dignity. Such projection.

Altogether it was a sublimely on-point holiday offering to a nation from a leader—as long as the nation is Freedonia and the leader is Groucho Marx.

Amen

 

Turkey Day 2023

Image by William Adams from Pixabay

It's been a strange Thanksgiving.

For the last several years, I've spent the holiday with friends about a half hour away. They always put on a sumptuous spread. Today I arrived to discover the 88-year-old matriarch had just been struck with Covid, so the family gave me a feast to go, and I drove back home and ate it in front of the TV.

I was distinctly sorry we couldn't have our traditional gabfest. But one part of the annual tradition I was actually happy to miss. A semi-regular attendee at these gatherings is a fella who works for a conservative organization. That's trying enough, but the capper is he seems to be the only one who doesn't know he's gay.

I fear that one of these Thanksgivings I'll whack him with a drumstick and yell, "Wake up and smell the cranberry!"

This Week's Quote

 

• 
  

  

  Image:  Wikipedia

• I saw what’s going on under my chin. I don’t want to be the one the president has to pardon on Thanksgiving.
• Joan Rivers
• Source:  Today

Anyone Surprised They Missed It?

 

The Magic Number

Image:  Facebook

On Thursday the House Ethics Committee released a blistering report on the conduct of Rep. George Santos. On Friday the House Ethics chairman introduced a resolution to expel the New Yorker from Congress.

On the theory that things happen in threes, I thought we'd hear today that Santos has been banned from every tea dance from Ogunquit to Key West.

He Invented Being Gay

 

True

 

Status Update

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

The reason I haven't posted in weeks is logistical. I decided I needed to move the General Gayety website, and the accompanying technical glitches have been even worse than this card-carrying technophobe expected.

I trust the planets will soon align and I can start writing about LGBTQ matters again. They better align. If I can't get back to commenting on George Santos, I'm gonna explode.