As is the normal fact all the sky is falling from all the claims of what horrible things will happen from accepting gay people or trans people never happen, yet these same people making these claims never apologies and admit they were wrong when the horrible shit they predicted never happened. I say this because in the US these anti-gay people claimed all the horrible effects from recognizing the fact that gay people exist will destroy the country. But that did not happen. So the anti LGBTQ+ people then said letting gays marry legally would destroy the country / society, but again that did not happen. In fact different countries have had legal gay marriage for over 20 years and the Christian god has not destroyed the world. Plus in the US same sex marriage has been legal country wide since 2015! Yet no country destroying events not already underway due to climate change and republican obstruction to make a decent country has happened. Yet again no republican or religious leaders have every admitted they were wrong. They keep repeating all their dire warnings with no proof and withholding the information that they things they are claiming are the key to their go destroying the nation has already been here a long time. I am 60 years old. Ron and I promised ourselves to each other 33 years ago and there were many others before us who did so longer than we have. Yet these god thumpers that want to force the country to follow their view fail to point out that their god never acted to stop that. Why would a supreme power deity need to depend on a religious leader demanding money to accomplish its goal? I am not going to colorize this one, sorry. I recently got up and Ron just came over and told me I am looking very bad and need to go to bed. We argued about it, but I am now so tired I may do so after refusing just on principle. I hate being told what I should do. I was in too much pain to eat tonight and now Ron is hovering over me to force me to bed. Hugs
Ruadhán Ó Críodáin, executive director of Irish charity ShoutOut, received his gender recognition certificate eight days after he applied thanks to self-ID. (Supplied)
One day in December, Ruadhán Ó Críodáin applied for a gender recognition certificate (GRC) over noodles in a Dublin restaurant. Eight days later, it arrived.
That’s because in Ireland trans people can self-declare their own gender under the Gender Recognition Act 2015. There’s no need for a medical diagnosis or doctor’s reports, nor is there a panel of experts who get to decide if you are who you say you are.
Instead, trans people simply fill out a form, have it witnessed by a solicitor or another official, send it to the government, and wait to receive their GRC in the post.
“It was pretty simple for me,” Ruadhán tells PinkNews. “I was very fortunate in that I have a friend who works as a solicitor who was willing to come and witness it for me, for free. She witnessed and signed the document, but also – helpfully – walked me through it so I knew exactly what to fill out and where, and so that I understood everything on the form.”
Self-ID, as it’s often known, has been a quiet, everyday reality for trans people in Ireland for more than seven years. And as Ruadhán points out, “the sky hasn’t fallen in”.
None of the baseless fearmongering pushed by those who describe themselves as “gender critical” has come to pass. Instead, all self-ID has done is make the legal system a little bit more compassionate.
Ruadhán Ó Críodáin, executive director of ShoutOut, an Irish LGBTQ+ charity. (Supplied)
Living in a country with a simplified gender recognition process means “nothing and everything all at once” to Ruadhán. The whole thing was “a bit of an afterthought” to him when compared to the more complicated aspects of transitioning, such as coming out and navigating Ireland’s “mess” of a healthcare system.
But it’s also true that having self-ID was exactly the reason getting a GRC wasn’t much of a concern – he knew it would be straightforward.
“It was pretty emotional when the certificate came in the post. It felt like a huge relief,” he says.
“I’m really grateful to live in a country where it is so easy, and I know it’s all thanks to the long, lonely battle of Dr Lydia Foy [a trans woman who fought for 20 years for the legislation] and her fellow activists.
“We’d be tempted to pat ourselves on the back for that here in Ireland but Dr Foy fought 23 years for this legislation. Every trans person here who gets a GRC only has one thanks to her.”
UK gender recognition process is ‘paternalistic and unfair’
Still, Ruadhán knows how lucky he is when he looks at the UK, where anti-trans figures often baselessly claim introducing self-identification would put women and girls in danger.
The culture war reached a fever pitch in December when the Scottish government passed its own reforms to the Gender Recognition Act to ensure trans Scots could self-declare their own gender.
The UK government swiftly invoked Section 35 of the Scotland Act to stop the bill going for royal assent. Nicola Sturgeon has vowed to challenge the decision in court, and the row seems certain to fuel the devolution movement.
First minister Nicola Sturgeon vowed to fight back after the UK government decided to block Scotland’s gender reform bill from becoming law. (Getty)
Watching on from Ireland, Ruadhán can’t help but feel angry.
“I’m devastated to see the UK government has decided to block it. It’s infuriating on a political level to see the UK government interfere with Scottish political autonomy for a bill which would affect such a tiny community, and to further fan the flames on this ridiculous debate,” he says.
Ruadhán adds: “The current process for getting a GRC in the UK is brutally paternalistic and unfair.
“Why should a panel of strangers decide if you deserve a GRC or not? Why make someone go through two years of social transition before being eligible? Why is a diagnosis of gender dysphoria or proof of surgery needed?
“Trans people are the authorities in our own gender. We know who we are. Transition is already difficult enough without adding further barriers. And crucially, being trans isn’t an illness.”
Ruadhán Ó Críodáin with a giant “R” balloon. (Supplied)
Self-ID should be seen as a basic human right – Ruadhán just wishes all trans people were trusted to know who they are.
“I’m grateful for my GRC, and how easy it was to obtain, but I’m also entitled to it.
“No politician, no legislator, no change in public opinion, can take it away from me. This is who I am, and I shouldn’t be expected to live any other way.”
I regret I am so far behind. It is too hard to sit at my desk, every 15 minutes or so I have to get up and walk around, but then after a few minutes have to sit. If I have a task I need to do standing for more than 15 minutes I have to take more medication to stop my back from giving out. I managed to get my MRI I needed this morning, came home ate and went right to bed. I got up at 2:30 as my back was not getting better. I see my pain doctor on the 6th of Feb. Hopefully I can quickly schedule some shots to my spine. I was getting them regularly to keep the pain down but I got hit with a couple very expensive bills from the spine shots and decided to see if I could handle the pain with muscle shots and pills. Turns out that won’t work. I have already had to take more medication than I like to take. If this doesn’t work I will go to the next level of pain medications. In the state of Florida it is hard now to get the drugs that caused such problems which can be managed but they want to force everyone to fentanyl even as the republicans scream about how deadly it is. The clips below are pure republican hate, making it so poor people on snap cannot buy any affordable foods not even can soup. No meats no matter the kind, no canned vegetables and so much more. And the continued attacks by republicans and DeathSantis on the idea of inclusion and anything LGBTQ+. I again today wont be able to catch up but there is always tomorrow I guess. Hugs
After President Biden visited the southern border as well as U.S. Border Control agents, Right Wing Media and Elected Leaders wasted no time smearing Biden. Meidas Contributor Texas Paul exposes these attempts to smear the Biden administration and explains why it is all projection.
Republicans continue to spread lies regarding the funding of the IRS, and have now announced that their very first bill in the newly Republican-controlled House will make it more difficult for working class families to get tax refunds while providing cover for their billionaire friends to cheat on their taxes. Texas Paul explains.
I like this YouTuber and while he is straight he is a great LGBTQ+ supporter. I normally skip the fan art section and I recommend you do also unless you like badly drawn stuff from fans that look like 2nd graders did it. But the video is important to show the extent of bigotry in Texas toward trans people by the police to the point where they violate the laws and civil rights. Hugs
Please notice the similarities of what the Nazis did with what DeathSantis and the republican leaders in red states are doing now with the don’t say gay laws. The Nazis started with getting rid of the literature and any gay positive news or newspapers. They made laws restricting and outlawing gay meeting places just like the red states are doing with drag queen shows. Also they made gay associations and gay supporting groups to disband and forbid them from existing just like in Florida where no gay straight alliance clubs can now be formed in schools supporting the gay / LGBTQ+ kids. There is so much more in the video that shows how DeathSantis and his advisors are following the Nazi play book to eliminate the LGBTQ+ community, to rid the state of the gay and trans people. Such as using thugs called Brown Shirts to attack and scare gay establishments which reminds me of the Proud Boys gangs. Arresting and stopping events claiming they were preventing crime and if they got a gay person in the arrests or anyone with any public indecency in their record they made a big deal of making an example of them, claiming the need to protect the public and the children. One of the reasons that the Nazis hated the gays was they did not produce Aryan children which was the goal of the movement. Similar to the current white nationalist / Christian nationalist that claim that same sex marriage is not a true marriage and that same sex families are not real because same sex couples can not produce offspring. In their minds there is not enough white kids being born. Please note the same things said about homosexuality then are the same things said about gays today by republicans, including what the religious evangelicals today say about same sex marriage not producting children. Hugs
Every gun owner is a legal gun owner until they are not. The argument that gun safety laws only punishes the good gun owner trying to protect their home and family. But the truth is every gun that was in some illegal used started out as a legally bought gun by someone. Hugs
January is not even over, but this weekend’s On Patrol: Live aired what may end up being the most shocking TV moment of the year.
At the beginning of Saturday’s episode of Reelz’s law enforcement docuseries, police in Beech Grove, Ind. responded to reports of a diaper-clad child roaming the halls with a firearm at a local apartment complex.
When the officers arrived, they spoke to neighbors who had reported seeing the toddler with the gun, which he pointed at them, prompting them to retreat inside and call police immediately. The police then questioned the boy’s father, who denied having a gun in the home.
NEW: Neighbors who saw a toddler in diapers wandering around a Beech Grove, Indiana, apartment complex with a loaded handgun called police. The incident was caught on building cameras. The father – who lied that he didn’t own a gun – was arrested. #inlegishttps://t.co/FPpHFNi4rnpic.twitter.com/UGic373G4L
Last year – over the objections of police and Hoosiers – Indiana lawmakers passed permitless carry, which allows people to have easy access to guns without a background check or safety training. Data shows the law increases gun crime and death. #inlegishttps://t.co/7QEGC3Q4jD
Shitty parenting all around. That kid is too little to be wandering around outside his apartment without an adult, but is also too big to be wearing diapers. Too lazy to toilet train their kid.
I saw this on On Patrol Live on Saturday it was horrific to see this kid walking around pulling the trigger on the gun pointing it at random people, the father was totally responsible and LIED about his access to the weapon, he was arrested for child endangerment and also felon in possession of a gun. Thank god the gun while the clip was loaded there wasn’t a bullet in the chamber so the gun could not fire, if the kid had been able to figure out how to “rack” the gun to load a bullet it would have been much much worse.
He knew he shouldn’t have had the gun, initially when the police asked to search the apartment, he granted them access, but they found the gun inside a closed rolltop desk, which was obviously his attempt to hide it, he didn’t answer the door immediately so the police assumed he was secreting the weapon. He also claimed it belonged to his brother and he sometimes left it there when he didn’t think he should be carrying it around. The police knew it was suspect and kept searching and once they found it, that started the process of identifying him, contacting Child Services and eventually his arrest, the child was turned over to his grandmother who also happened to live in the same apartment complex, but was warned that DCS would be contacting her about the eventual disposition of the child’s welfare.
We were watching it live too and I was pissed off for the neighbors who told the cops what happened only for them to say, “Call us if it happens again since we don’t have proof” and they only stopped halfway out the door because another neighbor came out with their Ring doorbell footage.
I am posting this for the tic Tok video where the person lays it out how it is in the churches where the real grooming takes place, not schools or library book, nor drag queens reading stories. Hugs
A pastor from McLeansboro, Ill., was arrested Jan. 5 on two counts of grooming minors for sexual purposes. Garrett Biggerstaff was charged after a four-month investigation that included the seizure of his electronic devices and collection of evidence at his home.
Biggerstaff was taken into custody and booked at the Jefferson County Jail. His bond was set for $150,000.
Biggerstaff, 28, was employed by the Spring Garden School District in Ina, Ill., at the time, but he resigned when the investigation became public in November. He was also the pastor of Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Fairfield. The church suspended Biggerstaff immediately.
Read the full article. The TikTok user below has something to say about this one.
A pastor from McLeansboro, Ill., was arrested Jan. 5 on two counts of grooming minors for sexual purposes. Garrett Biggerstaff was charged after a 4-month investigation that included the seizure of his electronic devices&collection of evidence at his home.https://t.co/WcLodDqhUq
It will take lawsuits and TV commercials about rape by clergyman. Lawyers talking about the cover up of abuse and how to fight back in order reach most people and create awareness. The news media has failed to get the message out on this danger in the churches.
All of that would have to happen for years to even make a dent. It’s very public how many diocese’ have gone bankrupt due to sexual abuse issues and still parents send their children off to the rectory unsupervised.
Absolutely. If people in small communities who rarely read the news began putting two and two together are realized that the problem starts in their own churches, we might begin to have some action on this front. It wasn’t until the accusations against the Catholic Church went mainstream that priests and other church employees began to be held accountable. Now do the Evangelicals!
Dear TikTok lady, I love you but you need to understand that they don’t care about children being abused in churches. Why not, because to point that out would hurt the feefees of churchy people and just like some white folk don’t want to be made uncomfortable because of our shared history, many christians would like the same treatment when it comes to the wholesale sexual abuse of children and others at the hands of religious leaders.
Please keep it up though. Many hands make big work small.
I have yet to see a mug shot of a drag queen who was arrested for molesting or “grooming” children. And you know that we would definitely see it if it ever happened.
Scottie's Playtime 