Michigan signs LGBTQ protections into law, Kentucky has passed the worst anti-trans bill ever, non-binary Rep. Mauree Turner is being censored in Oklahoma, PFLAG celebrates its 50th anniversary, and Lil Nas X catches the wrath  – Monday, March 20, 2023

Now for the news. Celebration is in order after 40 years of advocacy Michigan has signed LGBTQ protections into law. Kentucky passes the worst anti-trans bill in the nation and its headed to the governor’s desk for signature. Oklahoma is censoring the nation’s first and only non-binary state lawmaker Rep. Mauree Turner. PFLAG is celebrating their 50th anniversary and Lil Las X post catches the wrath from a social media post. Let’s go.

00:00 – Welcome & Intro

1:16 – Black HIV in the South: How Did We Get Here? Trailer

1:45 – Today’s Top Stories

2:31 – Lost & Found for Podcasters Trailer

3:11 – Intro Music by Aina Bre’Yon

3:52 – Michigan signs LGBTQ protections into law

7:24 – Kentucky has passed the worst anti-trans bill ever

10:11 -Non-binary Rep. Mauree Turner is being censored in Oklahoma

14:22 – PFLAG celebrates its 50th anniversary

16:42 – Lil Nas X catches the wrath

18:23 – Anna’s Word

21:12 – Outro

Things for you to check out

Ruth Ellis Video on Anna DeShawn’s TiktTok

@annadeshawn

Ruth Ellis is LGBTQ history only on @e3radio #QueerRadioDoneRight #lgbtqhistory #youth #lgbtqyouth #icon #lgbt #lgbtq #queer #news #fyp #foryoupage

♬ original sound – annadeshawn

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The Blog Post

This week’s Queer News podcast was filled with powerful stories of advocacy, activism, and community support for the LGBTQ+ community,  including the passing of a new law in Michigan that bans discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community in employment, housing, and public accommodations. This law is a significant win for the LGBTQ+ community in Michigan and a reminder that advocacy and activism can lead to real change, even if it takes decades to achieve. The passing of this law was the result of 40 years of advocacy and the hard work of activists who did not live to see this moment. As Kelley Robinson, the new president of the Human Rights Campaign, said, the Michigan anti-discrimination law being signed is “a beacon of hope for those fighting for their rights.” We must continue to work towards a world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

On the other hand, Kentucky has passed a highly controversial bill known as Senate Bill 150, which bans gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth, requires doctors to detransition young trans people, and prevents schools from discussing gender identity or sexual orientation with students of any age. This bill also requires school districts to form policies that prevent trans children from using bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. The bill stipulates that doctors must create a timeline to taper off treatment for children currently receiving hormone therapy or puberty blockers. The ACLU of Kentucky has vowed to take legal action if the bill becomes law, while the Trevor Project and HRC have condemned the bill as “appalling” and “dangerous”.

In Oklahoma, like other Republican-led states, is introducing anti-LGBTQ legislation at a rapid pace. LGBTQ activists are attending these sessions and making their voices heard. After one of the bills passed, an activist threw water on a political official who voted in favor. The story goes that one of the officials who had water thrown on them was Rep. Mauree Turner, the nation’s first non-binary state lawmaker ever.

These stories highlight the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and equality in the United States. While there have been victories, such as the passing of the anti-discrimination law in Michigan, there are still many challenges that need to be addressed. Bills like Senate Bill 150 in Kentucky, which restrict the rights of trans youth and prevent them from receiving proper medical care, are a step in the wrong direction. It is important to continue advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and to fight against discrimination and hate.

One of the highlights of the episode was a celebration of PFLAG’s 50th anniversary. PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) was founded in 1972 by Jeanne and Morty Manford, who were inspired to take action after Morty was beaten and arrested for protesting a homophobic group. Jeanne marched with her son in the New York City Pride Parade with a sign that read “Parents of Gays Unite in Support of Our Children,” and thus began a movement that provides support, education, and advocacy to LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones. Today, PFLAG has over 400 chapters across the United States and more than 200,000 members. The organization and others like it offer a lifeline of support and love to those who may not have it elsewhere.

Another story discussed on the podcast was the recent controversy surrounding Lil Nas X’s insensitive post on social media. Lil Nas X is known for his sensational marketing tactics, but his post, which made light of gender affirming surgery, was deemed tone-deaf and unnecessary by many in the LGBTQ+ community. Gender affirming surgery is a deeply personal and life-saving procedure for many trans individuals, and making jokes about it can cause more harm than good. While Lil Nas X did apologize, he also faced criticism for doubling down on a Black trans woman when called out about his post.

The episode closed out with a powerful message from Anna about the importance of faith and community support. She shared her personal connection to Affinity Community Services, an organization that has been serving the Black LGBTQ+ community in Chicago for 27 years. Affinity has been a light in Anna’s life and has helped shape her into the person she is today. Anna reminded listeners that even in the darkest moments, we can choose to see the light and the good in our lives.

Overall, this week’s Queer News podcast was a reminder of the power of community support and the importance of advocacy and activism in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. It showcased both the progress that has been made and the work that still needs to be done. Let us continue to support and uplift organizations like PFLAG and Affinity, and remember to always be mindful and respectful of the experiences and struggles of the LGBTQ+ community.

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Transcript

Family, it’s your favorite queer radio personality Anna DeShawn with our queer news for today. Now, I want to make you a promise. We will continue to bring you the latest in queer news, culture, and politics every Monday by 7am CT. So, if you are digging our intersectional take on the weekly, consider joining the QCrew.

The QCrew is our monthly membership program we started to help us grow the podcast. You get weekly emails from me, exclusive interviews with LGBTQ influencers from across the country and beginning this year special behind the scenes footage too. With your support, we can bring you more stories celebrating our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & comrade communities. Click the link in the show notes to join the QCrew today. 

Now for the news. Celebration is in order after 40 years of advocacy Michigan has signed LGBTQ protections into law. Kentucky passes the worst anti-trans bill in the nation and it’s headed to the governor’s desk for signature. Oklahoma is censoring the nation’s first and only non-binary state lawmaker Re. Mauree Turner. PFLAG is celebrating their 50th anniversary and Lil Las X post catches the wrath from a social media post. Let’s go. 

Family, let’s start with politics today and how about some good news first. 

On Thursday, Michigan became the 22nd state in the U.S. to ban discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community through legislation. Which means we have 28 more to go but I digress. After 40 years of advocacy, Governor Gretchen Whitmer was able to sign the bill to expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. This new law will protect individuals from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

“For 40 long years, amending Elliott-Larsen has been the battle cry of our community,” said out gay Sen. Jeremy Moss, who’s currently the President pro tempore of the Michigan Senate. He went on to say, “this baton has been passed from generation to generation.” and then he named several activists who had worked and devoted their lives to this movement but didn’t live to see this moment; Jim Toy, Jeff Montgomery, Henry Messer, and the one and only Ruth Ellis. If you follow me on TikTok you know how much I love me some Ruth Ellis. In case you’ve never seen my videos I’ve linked on in the show notes. She was a force and I think that’s an incredibly significant point. As advocates and activists, you may start something you don’t get to see happen in your lifetime. The key is to nurture a legacy that will live on and give people the tools to keep fighting. They did that in Michigan. How powerful is that? 

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, mentioned that while the Michigan Supreme Court ruled last year that the Elliott-Larsen Act covered anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, it was important to write that into law. And family, we know how right she is based on what we’ve seen happen with Roe v. Wade.  

This legislation is a victory. This is a win family for the LGBTQ+ community in Michigan but for all of us around the country. It is a beautiful reminder that we can win. That love wins. That hate will not be tolerated.  The new president of the Human Rights Campaign Kelley Robinson said this law being signed is quote “a beacon of hope for those fighting for their rights.” and it really really is because at this point over 400+ anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in legislatures across the country. 400 plus. That is just an insane amount of hate and unfortunately I’ll be talking about one that passed in just a second so this is most definitely a beacon of hope that we all need. 

Now, let’s move to Kentucky. Kentucky has passed a highly controversial bill that has been dubbed as the quote “worst anti-trans bill in the nation”. Now we all know “Don’t Say Gay” in Florida so we shouldn’t take that billing lightly. It is Senate Bill 150, this bill bans gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth and requires doctors to detransition young trans people, preventing schools from discussing gender identity or sexual orientation with students of any age. In addition, this bill requires school districts to form policies that prevent trans children from using bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. The bill goes on and even worse. It also stipulates that doctors must create a timeline to taper off treatment for children currently receiving hormone therapy or puberty blockers. Y’all why can’t Republicans stay out of people’s business. I just don’t understand. They are literally taking rights away from parents while simultaneously campaigning on a family first platform. It is wild to me. The ACLU of Kentucky has vowed to take legal action if the bill becomes law, while the Trevor Project and HRC have condemned the bill as “appalling” and “dangerous”. But can you imagine having a trans child in Kentucky right now. Your first thought has to be I have to leave this state but how many people can afford that? What are they supposed to do? Often we hear news like this but don’t take the time to really think about how it will impact someone’s life. 

So what happens next, right? Well, the bill is now moving over to Governor Andy Beshear’s desk to be signed into law or vetoed within the next 10 days. It is expected that the governor will veto it, which is great, but then the veto is likely to be overridden when the Republican-majority legislature. They return for the final two days of the session March 29th & 30th. We will of course continue to follow this story. 

Okay family, one more political story then we’ll move on to entertainment and culture. This one is just too important not to discuss. I want to be clear that we here at Queer News stand with Rep. Mauree Turner out of Oklahoma. I actually called the state house myself and to let them know we stand with them and to put that on the record. Representative Turner is the nation’s first non-binary state lawmaker ever and this happened in Oklahoma. I’m going to let that sink in for a minute and now let me tell you what’s happening. Oklahoma, like other Republican led states, is introducing anti-LGBTQ legislation at a ridiculous pace. LGBTQ activists are attending these sessions and making their voices heard. Well after one of the bills passed, a bill that bans gender-affirming healthcare for minors and eliminates it from insurance coverage for people of any age, an activist threw water on a political official who voted in favor. The story goes that one of the people ran to Rep. Turner’s office for safety. 

Turner said, “People do not feel represented or protected by the people in this body…They come to find refuge in my office. They come to decompress from some of the most stressful times, and I understand them because I do it too.” In this case, a constituent came to process their spouse’s arrest, Turner told The 19th News. Well, the Republicans didn’t like Rep. Turner didn’t turn that person in right away. Rep. Turner did talk to the constituent and everyone was clear that the person was turning themselves in. Rep. Turner didn’t impede on any investigation but you want to know what’s happening now. Those Republican lawmakers have stripped them of all their committee appointments basically censoring them and said they can reinstate them if Rep. Turner makes a public apology to the Republicans and the Oklahoma State Highway patrol. Rep. Turner said that’s something they cannot do. They went on to say, “The people of House District 88 will never not have a voice at 23rd and Lincoln…“While I might not be able to vote in committees, the same bills that pass through committees go to the house floor. As you have seen time and time again, with questioning and debate, I will be there on the house floor to do all of those things.” Now the real hypocritical part of all this and we know how much Republicans love some hypocrisy is that two Republicans currently serving in the house are facing felony charges. Felonies and are still working. Never have faced criticism from their colleagues and they have never been stripped of their committee assignments. One is now serving as the house majority whip which is a big position and the other is serving as vice chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee. Good grief. Now if you want to do what I did and call in support. Here is the number, 405-521-2711. That’s 405–521-2711. When you call, say, “I stand with Rep. Mauree Turner.” It will take 30 seconds but mean a whole lot. 

Whew. Can we take a couple of collective deep breaths cause that was a lot. 

Now family, let’s dig into some culture. Did you know that PFLAG is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. In the fight for LGBTQ rights, parents and family members have been critical comrades. I can speak from personal experience, having my families support of who I am and who I love is a life-saving action. Well, in 1972, Jeanne and Morty Manford founded PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), an organization that provides support, education, and advocacy to LGBTQ people and their loved ones. Their activism began in a time when being gay was still considered a mental disorder and sodomy laws were used to discriminate against gay parents.

Jeanne was inspired to march in the New York City Pride Parade in 1972 after her son Morty was beaten and arrested for protesting a homophobic group. Morty asked his mother to march with him, and Jeanne agreed on the condition that she could carry a sign. Y’all know what her sign said? It said, “Parents of Gays Unite in Support of Our Children.” Reflecting on her activism, Jeanne said, “I’ve always felt that Morty was a very special person. And I wasn’t going to let anybody walk over him.” Nothing like a mom who’s love is unconditional. 

Today, PFLAG has over 400 chapters across the United States and more than 200,000 members. Having supportive parents and allies can make a significant difference in the lives of LGBTQ young people. According to a survey by The Trevor Project, LGBTQ youths who had at least one accepting adult in their lives were 40% less likely to attempt suicide in the preceding year. PFLAG and other organizations like it offer a lifeline of support and love to those who may not have it elsewhere. 

So, PFLAG congratulations on 50 years. Here’s to 50 more! 

In entertainment news, Lil Nas X caught a lot of fire this past week for posting a pic of a woman and titling the caption “The surgery was a success”. Well that was just insensitive. We all know Lil Nas X is known for his sensational marketing tactics but this one caught immediate fire. It also caught some immediate support that was then rescinded from folks like Raquel Willis. Here’s the thing, ya’ll heard the news today. I just reported on a couple of the stories that are happening legislatively against the LGBTQ community and more specifically the trans community. So, for a Black gay man to joke about what they would look like after gender affirming surgery is just tone deaf and unnecessary. Gender affirming surgery is about your outward appearance aligning with how you’ve felt on the inside your entire life. It saves lives. So making half baked social media posts for clicks just causes more harm. Then he apologized and I didn’t see anything wrong with the apology but when he was called out about it he doubled down on a Black trans woman. Ya’ll most days I just want everyone to back away from their keyboards. And this whole moment was definitely one of those times. If you want to check out the posts visit the website e3radio.fm for all the “T”. 

Family, it’s time to close out the pod and I want to share a moment with y’all. Yesterday, I had the tremendous honor of giving the keynote at the Affinity Community Services Burning Bowl event. Affinity has been serving the Black LGBTQ and particularly the Black lesbian community in Chicago for 27 years. It is the longest standing organization of its kind in the country. I came to Affinity as a scared 22 year old looking for community and 17 years later I can’t be more proud to have been part of its legacy. I’ve led peer groups, sat on the board, served as board president alongside the first two executive directors. Affinity is part of the reason I am the person I am today. So giving that keynote was one of the biggest honors of my life. Who would have thought an organization started by a coalition of Black lesbians would have survived for 27 years. So many did not. So many do not. So can we talk about faith for a minute. The one and only tattoo I have says “Trust Your Faith”. It is a constant reminder to lean in to that thing. A reminder that God has worked some miracles in my life and can do it again. There is this quote that says, “Faith is seeing light with your heart when all your eyes see is darkness.” Our realities are not sunshine & sunflowers every moment of the day but we can absolutely choose to see the light & flowers in our lives at various moments throughout the day. You feel me? There are 24 hours in a day. 24. You can choose to see the good in at least one moment of that 24 hours. Choose to see the light. Affinity does just that every single day. They have been a light in my life and I am truly grateful because they didn’t have to do it but they did.If you’d like to learn more about Affinity or make a donation I’ve included a link in the show notes. Till next week, family. Peace.  

Sources

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Signs Michigan’s LGBTQ+ Protections Into Law

https://www.advocate.com/politics/gretchen-whitmer-lgbtq-protections-michigan#rebelltitem1

Kentucky passes the ‘worst anti-trans bill’ in America

https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/03/18/kentucky-passes-the-worst-anti-trans-bill-in-america/

BREAKING: Human Rights Campaign Condemns the Kentucky House for Advancing Sweeping Anti-Trans Bill; Calls on Gov. Beshear to Veto

https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/breaking-human-rights-campaign-condemns-the-kentucky-house-for-advancing-sweeping-anti-trans-bill-calls-on-gov-beshear-to-veto

Contrasting the censure of Rep. Mauree Turner with inaction against GOP lawmakers

https://www.enidnews.com/news/contrasting-the-censure-of-rep-mauree-turner-with-inaction-against-gop-lawmakers/article_dd83f3ba-c35b-11ed-b918-bf2f6ca4de56.html

TransLash on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/translashmedia/posts/pfbid06QDviEc3jAGc5KraDq97NnToyh6ejZ4tFUpxkyKHLvKr2Vvw6yMYdV7MWtTNpJjjl

When parents are the activists: PFLAG celebrates 50 years of LGBTQ advocacy

https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/nbc-out-proud/parents-are-activists-pflag-celebrates-50-years-lgbtq-advocacy-rcna73746?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram

Lil Nas X issues apology to trans community after joking about transitioning: ‘Much love to you guys’

https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/03/15/lil-nas-x-trans-joke-apology/

50 Years of Leading with Love

https://pflag.org/50years/