Octopus Overlords

Self loathing is alive and well.

Politico

GOP recall candidate Caitlyn Jenner may have played right into Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s hands when she lamented on Fox News that a neighboring private plane owner at her airport hangar is abandoning California because he “can't take” seeing homeless people anymore.

In continuing awful news from the state of Tennessee:

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has signed legislation that puts public schools and their districts at risk of losing civil lawsuits if they let transgender students or employees use multi-person bathrooms or locker rooms that do not reflect their sex assigned at birth.

LGBTQ advocates have decried the legislation as discriminatory. It’s the first bill restricting bathroom use by transgender people signed in any state in about five years, according to Wyatt Ronan, a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign.

The Republican governor signed the bill Friday, cementing another policy into law this year in Tennessee that targets the transgender community. Numerous anti-transgender measures have advanced recently in GOP-led statehouses across the country, including in Texas, Alabama and Arkansas.

Two participants in a Florida Pride parade were run over by a truck Saturday night, in what the mayor of Fort Lauderdale called a “terrorist attack against the LGBT community.”

One of the victims died from their injuries, and the other is in critical condition, according to WPLG Local 10 News.

link

Defiant wrote: ↑Sat Jun 19, 2021 10:06 pm

Two participants in a Florida Pride parade were run over by a truck Saturday night, in what the mayor of Fort Lauderdale called a “terrorist attack against the LGBT community.”

One of the victims died from their injuries, and the other is in critical condition, according to WPLG Local 10 News.

link

Others, however, including members of a local Gay Men’s Chorus, have maintained the deadly crash was an accident by one of its own members. Police said they are investigating all possibilities.

He was wearing a white T-shirt with the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus rainbow-colored logo on the back — and the group’s president confirmed he “was a part of the chorus family.”

“To my knowledge, it was an accident. This was not an attack on the LGBTQ community,” the chorus’ president Justin Knight said in a statement.

In fact, looking at the video, I'd say it was the guy sitting down in the blue shirt from this video from the day before yesterday:

https://fb.watch/6f6huREtV4/

second from the left



sad story.

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:48 am

in what the mayor of Fort Lauderdale called a “terrorist attack against the LGBT community.”

Police said they are investigating all possibilities.

Good of them.

For years, LGBTQ military members were only allowed to serve so long as nobody openly acknowledged their sexual orientation or gender identity. On Monday, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that those service members who received other than honorable discharges for their sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status are eligible for full benefits.

The announcement was made on the 10th anniversary of the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, which had been put into place in February 1994 by former President Bill Clinton. It is estimated that nearly 14,000 gay and lesbian service members were discharged from the military in the 18 years the policy was in place, according to the Center for American Progress.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lgbtq-vete ... -benefits/

This country is sliding backwards back into hate and bigotry instead of launching itself forward into a future of acceptance and understanding as it seemed to once be headed.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:33 pm This country is sliding backwards back into hate and bigotry instead of launching itself forward into a future of acceptance and understanding as it seemed to once be headed.

I don't know about that - I think it's still a vocal minority with those views and long term they've already lost as the vast majority of kids think this is a settled issue and no big deal.

But if this is in reference to Defiant's post, you that's a good thing, right?

It's a minority that just happens to have a non-minority amount of oomph in the government right now. The real question is whether it's a death rattle or a coup.

I think with regards to at least basic gay rights, it's a death rattle - young people of all political persuasions overwhelmingly support marriage equality. (whether that extends to other issues, like transgender protections, employment protections, LGBT homelessness, HIV/AIDS, etc, I imagine it might vary based on the issue, but I'm at least somewhat hopeful)

Just keep adding it to the pile of evidence that the GOP is a bigger threat than we are acknowledging:

Texas’ child welfare agency removed a webpage that offered resources to LGBTQ youth following complaints by one of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s GOP primary challengers, according to internal agency communications.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services webpage, which provides information to children in the foster care system, included information about a suicide prevention hotline, LGBTQ legal services, and questions about defining gender and sexual identity.

On Aug. 31, Republican former state Sen. Don Huffines released a video on Twitter claiming that DFPS is “promoting transgender sexual policies to Texas youth” through a webpage titled “Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation.”

“These are not Texas values, these are not Republican party values, but these are obviously Greg Abbott’s values, that’s why we need a change, that’s what my campaign’s about,” Huffines said.

So again, you'll kindly excuse me when I condemn an entire party and reiterate my commitment to never vote for a GOP candidate ever again in any capacity.

And yet my brother and his partner are still card carrying members of a group that hates them/wants them dead/would rather they just go away.

I simply cannot understand the reasoning behind that.

House committee in Florida passes the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

A Florida House committee on Thursday passed a bill seeking to ban discussions of sexuality and gender identity in school classrooms, which LGBTQ+ advocates say will effectively “erase” LGBTQ+ history, culture, and students.

The Parental Rights in Education bill, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, passed Thursday in the House Education and Employment Committee largely along party lines.

“This bill is about defending the most awesome responsibility a person can have: being a parent,” Florida state Rep. Joe Harding (R), who first introduced the bill, said Thursday. “That job can only be given to you by above.”

Harding’s bill, along with its companion bill introduced Tuesday by Florida state Sen. Dennis Baxley (R), would block teachers in Florida from talking about LGBTQ+ topics that are not “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”

According to the bill, parents may take legal action against their child’s school district and be awarded damages if they believe any of its policies infringe on their “fundamental right to make decisions regarding the upbringing and control of their children.”

Fark all these hateful troglodytes.

Random thing:

My son, 5.5 YO, is fascinated by number and letter sequences. He will see an address while we're driving around and hours later be like "the mattress store was at 3756!" He memorizes license plates, etc.

Lately he has been fascinated with the LGBTQ+ acronym. I guess because it uses a symbol which is a new twist. So he'll run around the house chanting "L-G-B-T-Q-plus!!"

Another random:
My daughter is in 6 grade. She has 1 trans and 1 gay classmate. She also has one classmate who identifies as a fox. As in the animal. It's not a stunt, either, they identified as such since like 2nd grade. The kids at school are cool with all of this.

My daughter (12) has three friends who have come out as bisexual. Which, to be quite honest, I'm skeptical about.

Yes, I understand that sexuality may be known at an early age. I also understand the power of trends and peer pressure among friends in the same social circle.

Both my kids who were born female have identified as male. One went back to female. The other runs around with 4 other trans kids.

Asking around, it seems this is both a fad (they are smart enough to not do hard drugs, drink, or smoke - but they still have to shock their parents some how) as well as questioning traditional sexuality.

I can't decide if that's fair to real trans folks, but the only transgender I know in real life (and has credentials! She's a professor of social theory) said it's fine.

Same experience as most here. Little B 12.11 has a couple female friends who now identify as male. She initially struggled with it because they were quite militant and aggressive about it, often berating others very publicly for using the wrong pronoun or name. They've mellowed a bit and B has been able to have some good discussions with them about it. She still doesn't really "get it", but she's definitely supportive.

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Tue Jan 25, 2022 11:53 am The kids at school are cool with all of this.

Very much this. It's mostly a non-factor for this generation, and the only pearl clutching I've seen has come from the parents. Recently, one of the kid's parents wouldn't let her daughter attend a weekend Disney movie get-together because there was a gay couple in it. The poor kid was absolutely mortified to tell the group why she couldn't come.

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Tue Jan 25, 2022 11:53 am She also has one classmate who identifies as a fox. As in the animal. It's not a stunt, either, they identified as such since like 2nd grade. The kids at school are cool with all of this.

Otherkin. I knew one guy in high school who genuinely believed he was part elf.

Was playing Super Mario with the 5YO the other day. I played as Princess Peach because she's the easiest for me to differentiate visually. The kiddo asked, "Are you sure dad?" I said, "Yeah, I'm fine." He looked a bit concerned but we played on.

The next day he told his class at school that I was transgender.

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 10:19 am Was playing Super Mario with the 5YO the other day. I played as Princess Peach because she's the easiest for me to differentiate visually. The kiddo asked, "Are you sure dad?" I said, "Yeah, I'm fine." He looked a bit concerned but we played on.

The next day he told his class at school that I was transgender.

Hmm I almost always play a woman when it's an option in the game. More because I'm an old perv, but I guess that means I am transgender too.

I absolutely love the fact that the Assassin's Creed and Far Cry series are now offering a gender choice. I enjoyed the voice acting on Cassandra SOOOOO much. Alexios was fine and everything, but Cassandra was just *chef's kiss*.

coopasonic wrote:

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 10:19 am Was playing Super Mario with the 5YO the other day. I played as Princess Peach because she's the easiest for me to differentiate visually. The kiddo asked, "Are you sure dad?" I said, "Yeah, I'm fine." He looked a bit concerned but we played on.

The next day he told his class at school that I was transgender.

Hmm I almost always play a woman when it's an option in the game. More because I'm an old perv, but I guess that means I am transgender too.

My daughter says she’s pansexual because she would also prefer to watch girl butts while playing games. Piper in Fallout 4 is her favorite “companion.”

Serves me right for answering that question truthfully years ago….

Zarathud wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:28 pm My daughter says she’s pansexual because she would also prefer to watch girl butts while playing games.

Does that make me your daughter by transitive properties of congruence?

LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 10:19 am Was playing Super Mario with the 5YO the other day. I played as Princess Peach because she's the easiest for me to differentiate visually. The kiddo asked, "Are you sure dad?" I said, "Yeah, I'm fine." He looked a bit concerned but we played on.

The next day he told his class at school that I was transgender.

Similarly to ND and YK, my nieces (12, 15) and my best friend's daughter (15) have all decided that they're gay or bi. The oldest niece has now changed her mind and has a boyfriend, and the youngest niece has decided that they are a they, so... whatever they're happy with I guess.

I tend to hedge toward the side that it's mostly kids trying things on, embracing trends etc.,but OTOH when I was 12 I knew I was into girls, so.. who knows? To their credit all the parents involved with these three young people are just rolling with it and not making it an issue, which is great. I will say that, at least in my limited experience, I see this kind of "experimentation" much more among younger women than men, but my sample size is small.

LordMortis wrote:

Zarathud wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:28 pm My daughter says she’s pansexual because she would also prefer to watch girl butts while playing games.

Does that make me your daughter by transitive properties of congruence?

No, you cannot move in. And hepcat reserved rights to the space under my basement stairs.

My other daughter has a fox boy main character in Genshin Impact. Do you have a furry tail and ears?

Zarathud wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 3:30 pm

LordMortis wrote:

Zarathud wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:28 pm My daughter says she’s pansexual because she would also prefer to watch girl butts while playing games.

Does that make me your daughter by transitive properties of congruence?

No, you cannot move in. And hepcat reserved rights to the space under my basement stairs.

My other daughter has a fox boy main character in Genshin Impact. Do you have a furry tail and ears?

Ears? Yes? Tail? Give me a few more years at present rate.

geezer wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 3:24 pm Similarly to ND and YK, my nieces (12, 15) and my best friend's daughter (15) have all decided that they're gay or bi. The oldest niece has now changed her mind and has a boyfriend, and the youngest niece has decided that they are a they, so... whatever they're happy with I guess.

I tend to hedge toward the side that it's mostly kids trying things on, embracing trends etc.,but OTOH when I was 12 I knew I was into girls, so.. who knows? To their credit all the parents involved with these three young people are just rolling with it and not making it an issue, which is great. I will say that, at least in my limited experience, I see this kind of "experimentation" much more among younger women than men, but my sample size is small.

It's pretty standard. There will be a man every once in a while, but it's at least 9:1 young women.

My personal opinion - I feel like same-sex attraction and feelings have always been way more common than people assumed. What we're seeing now is largely what happens when you ease the social stigmas. Some people are more open about what they feel when they would have hidden it a few years ago. Others may be more honest with themselves about what they would have hidden deep inside out of fear without even realizing it. Sure, some people are chasing trends, or following their friends, but nothing large is ever driven by a single factor.

And, FWIW, the stigma is still stronger for gay (or bi, or other non-cis) men. Traditional (straight, white, Christian) men still run our society (an unfortunate fact, not a preference), and those men are still more uncomfortable around a gay man than they are a lesbian. With a lesbian, a straight man is on the outside, disconnected from the 'different' elements. Not so with a gay man. A traditionalist straight man chatting with a gay man has to ask himself all sorts of uncomfortable questions about his own feelings. He doesn't like that, so he pushes them away. And again, they're the ones with the power, the authority, and the influence.

Zarathud wrote: ↑Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:28 pm

Hmm I almost always play a woman when it's an option in the game. More because I'm an old perv, but I guess that means I am transgender too.

My daughter says she’s pansexual because she would also prefer to watch girl butts while playing games. Piper in Fallout 4 is her favorite “companion.”

Serves me right for answering that question truthfully years ago….
[/quote]

Advice I gave out a long time ago, to a person playing City of Heroes for the first time.
When you are done making your character, turn it around and have a look at the butt, because you are going to be staring at that butt a lot. So make sure its a nice butt.

DeSantis and those in his orbit are truly vile creatures.

The chief spokesperson for @GovRonDeSantis, @ChristinaPushaw, says anyone who opposes Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill is "probably" a pedophile seeking to "groom" 4-8 year old children.

Pro-jec-tion.

Unsurprising, but still hugely disappointing.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida legislature has passed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to sign into law.

Because nothing says education like pretending that Gays and Blacks don't exist.

A buddy of mine's former high school staged a mass walkout today in protest.

Looking forward to the court cases when colleges and universities refuse to accept applicants educated in Florida.