Today we’re discussing the proposed change to the UK Equality Act and how absurd and unworkable it is, as well as the unignorable link between gender critical activism and white nationalism.
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This is Ben Shapiro. The head of and the leader of the Daily Wire, one of the biggest right wing media outlets. His hosts include people like Matt Walsh, Candace Owens, Michael Knowles, Jordan Peterson, Dennis Prager all who have either called for the elimination, deportation, or making completely illegal the LGTBTQ+ community / people. This is one of the most watched and quoted right wing media, and Shapiro is wrongly considered one of the right’s intellectual. Several of these people spoke at the CPAC events calling for the extermination of gay and trans people, and all media about the LGBTQ+ community.
I was talking in the comments the other day about what the republicans / the right want to achieve with these drag bans, what their goal is. It is not to regulate adult entertainment, burlesque, and strip shows with drag performers as those laws already exist. This is not about normal obscenity such as showing genitals, as again those are already well regulated.
What is being regulated out of existence, outlawed in public, is what Nan calls cross-dressing and what right means when they say drag. They want to make it illegal for a man to dress as a woman, to wear a dress / skirt or a woman to wear clothing normally assigned stereotypically to males. It is about enforcing stereotypes of what is a woman’s role and what is a man’s role even to what clothing each role typically wore then. Remember the comedy shows in the 1970’s / 1980s where the laugh line was a man wearing an apron? Well here is Shapiro just saying what the goal is. Flat out removing trans people from society and public view. Flat out trying to legislate what a gender can wear based on old stereotypes of gender roles. The goal is to return to a time when females were in not in men’s jobs, doing men’s work, when women were home in time to make dinner for their husband and wait on him. All to protect the children, remember?
First they came for the trans people, but I was not trans … then they came for … Hugs
“Should wearing dresses and skirts be illegal for men in public? If so, should wearing pants for women in public be illegal in public? Well, pants not so much because there is a female version of pants that is nearly indistinguishable in many cases from male pants. But men wearing traditional female clothing in public – I think that there is a case that local communities should be able to stop that. Sure, I mean, we have local laws about being naked or indecent exposure, at least we used to.” – Ben Shapiro.
We’re all born naked, and the rest is just drag. — Ru Paul
I read a story once about westerners having trouble understanding that in Indian women wore something like pants while men worse robes. This was traditional gender-coded attire in their country. Gender roles differ across time and place. Only right wing Americans who don’t know that there was history before 1950 think that clothing or anything else has a universal meaning.
That was pretty common right up until around WWII. It wasn’t until after the war that it switched around. It was just like the baby dresses they used for both sexes. There are still a few photos around from my dad and my uncle when they were babies and then pre-teens. The short pants are precious.
Oh fuck that. Any actual feminist (meaning, people who aren’t TERFs/”Gender Criticals” aka conservative blowhards) knows that them criminalizing “men wearing dresses” will also inevitably mean criminalizing women wearing pants, which will mean using the violence of government to police womens’ modesty.
In other words, we’ll become Iran after Trump handed the theocrats and autocrats power by rejecting Obama’s deal that was getting them to open up.
Republicans are frantically working to make it harder for young people to vote as Gen Z has turned out for Democrats in record numbers. Idaho Republicans are banning student IDs to vote while Texas Republicans proposed banning voting centers on campuses. https://t.co/SZ9piZkDPV
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) April 15, 2023
community values** are reflected in each school library catalog in the district
**Some exclusions apply
Gay, trans, Black, Muslim, non-Christian community member’s values will not be reflected – or even acknowledged.
Also, Missouri has out-uglied Texas.
In Missouri, the Republican-controlled House on Tuesday approved a budget that completely defunds public libraries. The move came in response to an ACLU lawsuit filed by the Missouri Association of School Librarians and the Missouri Library Association, challenging a recent law that bans certain books. The measure has led to the removal of over 300 books from school libraries — many with LGBTQ characters and social justice topics. Missouri Democrats have denounced GOP censorship
For adults. This is not about protecting children, it is about wiping out a group of people that the religious right doesn’t like. It doesn’t fit their view of the world created by their god. So the right doesn’t just live and let live, these religious right groups force everyone to live by their church doctrines. Hugs
Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced plans to restrict health care for transgender people weeks ago, when protesters rallied at the Capitol to urge lawmakers to pass a law banning puberty blockers, hormones and surgeries for children. But the discussion was focused on minors, not adults.
Oh my god.
Missouri AG just essentially banned gender affirming care for most trans adults via emergency rule.
Requires 3 years of dysphoria, 18 months of therapy sessions, doesn't allow people with autism/depression.
Note how effortlessly the goalpost has shifted from saving harming minors to harming adults? Of course, as we here have always known, it was never about “protecting children.”
They’re testing the waters. Trans people are easy targets for the theofascists. I guarantee you that 80-90% of Americans know absolutely nothing about trans people, their lives and their challenges.
The theofascists’ ultimate target is the LGB community.
They see what other nations like Russia and Hungary are doing, and are envious.
This is exactly what happened in Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. Creeping restrictions on civil rights and criminalizing the existence of ‘suspect’ groups of people. We have to fight back and beat this before it spreads to other states.
The federal government is going to have to intervene. They did it in the civil rights movement for black people and they are going to have to find their will and courage to do it again. These people mean us harm and will not stop
This has always been the goal – not “protecting children,” but eliminating trans people from society, with an eye toward eliminating gays, lesbians and bisexuals too. Trans people are just the easiest target, and going after them makes for an effective divide and conquer strategy if you can get homocons and TERFs on board.
Anyone with a working brain knew this was going to happen. Like other people have said, this whole “think of the children” BS was just a cover! Now they are coming after trans adults. After that they will come after gay rights! I guarantee it! I’m sure interracial marriage will be on the chopping block too. These fascists will stop at nothing to get the right wing theocracy they crave. We must fight these asshats tooth and nail!
DeathSantis has made the state of Florida racist bigoted white supremacist religious right conservative maga paradise. He has made minority rule of pushing hate and intolerance against anyone not following the maga Christian talking points. It is not enough for these people to publicly live their maga Christian right hateful lives they demand they get to use those Christian maga conservative views against others, they feel entitled to attack those they feel are not following their church doctrines and they attack those that allow or are tolerant of others. They feel that every one around them must act according to their regressive, backwards beliefs. Hugs
Many elected leaders like U.S. Sen. Rick Scott denounced the Nazi salutes, anti-Jewish slurs and Nazi regalia. On Monday, the governor did not condemn the demonstrators. Instead, he criticized Democrats.
Meanwhile, bomb threats forced the temporary closure of historically Black colleges and universities. Also, on the first day of Black History Month, DeSantis asked the Florida Supreme Court whether Black congressman Al Lawson’s district was unconstitutional. Lawson responded that the governor is race-baiting to build political points with his base.
Wow. Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) is now requiring state board applicants to write 500 words about what they “admire” about her before they can be considered for a job. The same application only requires 250 words for other questions. https://t.co/uJpJLLRD2U
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) April 12, 2023
Drag usually involves cross-dressing. A drag queen is someone who performs femininity and a drag king is someone who performs masculinity.
What is the difference between drag and burlesque?
Drag does not typically involve nudity or stripping, which are more common in the separate art of burlesque.
What is drag in culture?
Drag refers to an entertainment style wearing stylized clothing. Most common, it is men wearing women’s clothing cross-dressing, generally for the purpose of a performance. The origin of the term drag is uncertain. The first recorded use of drag in reference to actors dressed in women’s clothing is from 1870.
What is the definition of drag?
Drag is a type of entertainment where people dress up and perform, often in highly stylized ways. The term originated as British theater slang in the 19th century and was used to describe women’s clothing worn by men.
There is a lot more information online. Stop listening to hateful right wing media and republican MAGA leaders with an agenda to vilify groups to get votes. Drag is nothing new or scandals. It simply is being made out that way to create fear and loathing of the right wing voters to turn back the clock of social acceptance of the LGBTQ+
Again people are not forced to go to or watch a pride parade. Yet these Christian Taliban don’t care that participation is voluntary but instead wants to keep everyone from viewing the pride parades and banning them from being presented at all. Please note that one of the people against it was angry that the parade organizers won’t provide a booth for a Christian group to berate the parade participants / viewers and also to demand that gays never have sex with others but instead stay celibate. Also notice that in all prior years there was no issue with the parade, but now the Christian fundamentalists feel free to demand the entire community live by their views like a ruling religion. Hugs
The City of Franklin voted to allow the annual Pride festival to occur in town this year. This comes right after the city decided to wait to vote on the “community decency” policy for another few weeks.
The result came after the aldermen tied 4-4 in their votes, making it so Mayor Ken Moore of Franklin had to break the tie. He said while he approved the permit, he warned those putting on the festival will be under a microscope, but ultimately Moore said he wants to unite the community.
The Tuesday night vote comes just weeks after Governor Bill Lee signed the drag bill into law in March, which bans “adult-oriented performances” in places where children would be able to view them.
Some aldermen said they received threatening emails from people over this vote and repeated that figuring out which way to vote was not as easy of a decision in particular because of a potential lawsuit if they deny Franklin Pride the permit.
According to city leaders, last year, the event’s permit was approved 8-0 and the city has never denied a permit. “I don’t want to see a guy twerking in front of me. I am 60 years old,” said one speaker. “God’s word is clear that homosexuality is a sin,” said another.
While they were in the minority Tuesday night, those who wanted the event to take place believed denying the permit would infringe on their free speech, and send a harmful message to the LGBT community, and people who don’t want to attend are not forced to do so.
Give the tweets below a minute to fully load.
More than 100 people signed up to speak for and against Franklin Pride getting a permit this year. Here is a quick compilation of some of the people who oppose Pride with reasons ranging from homosexuality being a sin to not wanting to see grown men twerk. @WKRNpic.twitter.com/QSbqCa1LRr
The city of Franklin, Tennessee is voting whether to allow a Pride festival. Someone during public comment says it will result in “a rainbow room where 8-12 year-old kids are given butt plugs & dildos.”
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) April 12, 2023
This same Franklin aldermen is scolding pride festival organizers for refusing to offer a booth to this religious group, which believes that homosexual attraction is the result of Original Sin and teachers gay youth to embrace a lifetime of celibacy: https://t.co/6NrSBL7Bm5
HAPPENING NOW: Packed house at Franklin City Hall— hundreds are here waiting to see if the board will approve or deny a permit for the annual Pride festival. @NC5pic.twitter.com/M2BFkjApJ9
We are pleased to announce that the Franklin BOMA has approved our Special Event Permit. Franklin Pride will be on June 3rd at Harlinsdale Farm. pic.twitter.com/VYEuAWM6BE
This woman wearing a “Stop abusing kids” shirt said the Franklin Pride festival permit should not be allowed because the organizers didn’t allow gay conversation therapy groups to set up a booth. pic.twitter.com/FPigQ8PWkV
“I have cash in my pocket. Says ‘In God We Trust.’ … We shouldn’t be subjecting our kids to this whatsoever. … That’s not the way the country was founded.” pic.twitter.com/XARneVK0zj
One mother claimed that the festival was part of a coordinated national movement to groom children. A man read a passage from the Bible about resisting “sexual immorality.” “You think you are doing things based on laws,” a crying woman said, “but you are letting Satan in.”
Read the full article. Festival organizers have already agreed that there won’t be any drag performances.
Please notice that even when the organizers gave into these Christian Taliban by limiting what is and has been accepted free speech in public society for a long time by agreeing that they wouldn’t have drag at the event. Not risky sexual drag from an adult venue but not drag at all. I guess dressing up like Dolly Parton which is a favorite of drag queens is now to sexual for people to see. But it is not enough, these religious haters that want to force their religion church doctrine on everyone, they want the full Russian model of removing pride and the LGBTQ+ removed from society along with removed from the public in all cases. These are the same people that freak out when people want to restrict them from plastering their religious symbols everywhere and who try to pass laws to protect the display of confederate statues / symbols. But they do not give that courtesy to the rest of us, instead they try to demand their church doctrines rule us all. Hugs
If you don’t like Pride Fest then don’t go. Don’t think it’s appropriate for kids, then don’t take any. Problem solved. I steer clear of plenty of things myself. Most of us do.
Also, I have ancestors who were here in the 1600s so I guess that guy would think I have even more say than he does? What bullshit. You’re either a citizen or you aren’t no matter when you or your ancestors got here.
I wonder how he would react if a Native American countered his argument with the fact that their ancestors lived in the area before the white man arrived.
“I don’t want to see a guy twerking in front of me. I am 60 years old,” said one speaker. “God’s word is clear that homosexuality is a sin,” said another.
You can turn around, walk away, close your eyes, etc. But then it’s not about that, is it? It’s about Other People Having Fun.
““God’s word is clear that homosexuality is a sin,” said another.”
A) It’s not all that clear to me that the Christian bible is the word of any god B) The Christian bible isn’t all that clear that homosexuality is a sin, especially when compared with other rules C) Even assuming A and B, the Christian bible has a lot more to say about sins like divorce and eating pork or shellfish, yet I don’t see these folks out in near riot mode against those
Adultery makes God’s Top Ten. I’ve read somewhere that the Christians feel comfortable going after gays because, as opposed to adulterers, they can convince themselves that they don’t know any homos.
We all have seen drag. We all grew up with it. From Red Skeleton to Bob Hope, and so many more up to the 1970s Flip Wilson’s Geraldine who was amazingly popular. People love drag as it is simply dress up. It is Halloween at anytime. Drag is not a threat to society nor to anyone, not even children. What the right wants to make it is a boogieman they can use as a cudgel against others and something to rally up their base because their voting base works only on anger and rage. The right wants everyone to forget their fun drag memories and now think of any guy in a dress acting in drag as a “drag queen story hour reading to kids making them gay and trans” and also they want to make “all drag is trans people” so to spread the hate their base has for trans people to people playing dress up. Heck in their minds trans people are people playing dress up. Wow, how fucked up is that they will deny all medical science to keep their bigotry. Hugs
Knowing a trans or nonbinary person significantly reduced the chance that someone would say that they’re a threat.
A new poll found that a majority of Democratic, independent, and even Republican likely voters believe that there is “too much legislation” aimed at reducing LGBTQ+ rights at the state level.
Theprogressive polling firm and think tank Data for Progressconducted a survey of 1220 participants and asked about the 429 bills presented at state legislatures attacking LGBTQ+ rights. Most of the bills are aimed at transgender youth, and 17 have already become law this year.
Here are all the anti-trans bills that have become law in 2023
Republican lawmakers have worked round the clock to pass oppressive bills targeting gender-affirming care, bathroom usage, drag shows, and trans students.
72% of Democratic voters agreed with the statement that there is “too much legislation. Politicians are playing political theater and using these bills as a wedge issue,” and only 20% agreed that it’s “the right amount of legislation. Politicians are dealing with a real danger that needs to be addressed.” 65% of independent voters agreed that there is too much anti-LGBTQ+ legislation this year.
The more surprising result – considering how the vast majority of lawmakers voting for these bills are Republicans – was that 55% of Republican voters agreed that there is too much anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Only 33% said that there is the “right amount” of such bills.
The survey also asked if people believed that being transgender is a “natural phenomenon that has occurred throughout history” that’s “normal” or if they believed that being trans is a “new phenomenon created by our modern woke culture” that will “harm our children.” Most Democrats (78%) and most independents (58%) agreed that being trans is natural. Only 34% of Republicans agreed that being trans is natural, while a majority (55%) said that it’s a new phenomenon.
While Republicans lag on that issue, Data for Progress noted that a majority of all likely voters (57%) said that being trans is natural, which could indicate that attacks on trans youth might not be the potent electoral winner that many Republican strategists believe it is.
While state Republican lawmakers have been introducing anti-transgender legislation for over a decade, there was an explosion of such legislation in 2021, just several weeks after Donald Trump’s loss in the general election. Democrats accused Republicans – many of whom had never shown any concern for the state of girls’ and women’s sports – of using transgender kids to distract from the GOP’s less popular positions on the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy.
Part of the reason that such a strategy could work is that transgender people make up a small percentage of the population and many people don’t think they know anyone who is transgender. Only 36% of Democrats, 39% of independents, and 25% of Republicans said that they know someone who is trans or nonbinary, and a majority of each group said that they didn’t.
And knowing a trans or nonbinary person decreases the chance that someone will see them as a threat. Among likely voters who know someone trans or nonbinary, 78% said that trans people are not a threat to straight families and 66% said that they’re not a threat to children. Among people who don’t know anyone who is trans, though, those numbers dropped to 52% and 41%, respectively.
Most Democratic voters (54%) and independent voters (63%) believe that Democratic elected officials should be doing more to fight anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. The survey didn’t ask what they believe Democrats should be doing.
When it comes to drag bans, a majority of Democrats (68%) and independents (55%) said that they had seen a drag performance either live or on TV. 53% of Republicans, though, said that they have never seen a drag performance at all.
I would like everyone to notice Joe’s tweet at the end. Pro-life pretenders in Florida legislators passed this b ill along with the anti-trans, don’t say gay bills, anti-woke bills, anti books with LGBTQ+ or race history all in the name of protecting the children, but they approve open carry with no training. The amount of gun violence is already high here in Florida and will now go up. How is this pro-life? I don’t get it. Hugs
Senate preps anti-drag show bill by @Clay_Yarborough for passage despite apparent conflict with existing law
🚨 JUST IN: Florida Republicans introduced a late-filed amendment to expand their bill censoring drag shows to include those at city pride parades.
They're now using intimidation and threats of misdemeanor charges to scare LGBTQ-friendly cities out of hosting drag altogether. pic.twitter.com/if60MwYUvO
— Carlos Guillermo Smith (@CarlosGSmith) April 4, 2023
To be clear, the bill doesn’t ban drag. It censors drag in front of minors w/vague, subjective language and threatens misdemeanors, $10,000 fines, and license revocation for violations. That means businesses, and now cities, will be scared to welcome drag for fear of punishment.
— Carlos Guillermo Smith (@CarlosGSmith) April 5, 2023
Florida is currently debating SB 1438, a bill banning drag shows. Senator Yarborough, the chief sponsor of the bill admits that the bill would apply to live performances of Rocky Horror Picture Show. pic.twitter.com/klRKy0dFp8
Op-ed: #Florida's attacks on drag shows puts Shakespeare theatrical productions at risk, because he often featured characters who cross-dressed. https://t.co/dSA0jaModg
Florida Replicans have introduced a late amendment to implement a criminal ban on pride events throughout the state of Florida if anyone present is dressed in drag. pic.twitter.com/RVHnpf0yww
