I Didn't Say It ...

David Cicilline, Rhode Island Congressman, and Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, both Democrats, reintroduced the Equality Act, which guarantees explicit, permanent protections for LGBTQ +people under existing civil rights laws; Cicilline said:

“In 2021, every American should be treated with respect and dignity. Yet, in most states, LGBTQ people can be discriminated against because of who they are, or who they love. It is past time for that to change. I’m proud to introduce the Equality Act today, and I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Merkley to get this bill signed into law.”

And Merkley added:

“All of us go to work and school, go home, and go shopping, and none of us should have to keep our families hidden or pretend to be someone we’re not to do those things. But in 29 states, Americans can still be evicted, be thrown out of a restaurant, or be denied a loan because of who they are or whom they love. We all love the vision of America as a land of freedom and equality, but are we willing to take the steps to make that vision closer to reality? Let’s make 2021 the year the Equality Act crosses the finish line and is signed into law by President Biden.”

Seriously, it’s 2021 and we’re still fighting for simple equality?

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Hig Roberts, a two-time national champion in Alpine skiing, coming out as gay:

“Not being able to be who I am and not be able to be openly gay as a professional athlete was truly hindering my performance. I just woke up one morning and I said, ‘Enough is enough.’ I love this sport more than anything—I’m so lucky and privileged to be doing this—but I can’t go on another day not trying to achieve the person that I am meant to be. Which I think for each and every one of us, one of those main goals needs to be happiness and authenticity. It’s part of me and I’m proud of it, and I’m ready to be happy.”

Welcome out, Hig, and please accept as our gift from HOMO HQ the Official Coming Out Toaster Oven and your own copy of the Gay Agenda.

Welcome out.

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Jeff Flake, former Arizona Republican who quit because of the former president, saying IMPOTUS should have been convicted:

“My fellow Republicans, to make our way back from this four-year detour will require a dose of honest self-reflection. We were once the conservative party. Our party chose to vacate any claim to that mantle when we gave ourselves over to a reality TV figure whose commitment to anything other than his own self-interest has always been hard to discern. He cared so little about anyone or anything other than himself that we now know that he couldn’t even be stirred to defend his own Vice President when his life was in danger. We didn’t convict him. We should have, but we didn’t. Let’s not compound the grievous injury to the country and our party by continuing to embrace him.”

Perhaps you shouldn’t have run when the going got tough, sir. Perhaps you should have grown a spine, stood up to the former president and the sycophants in the party, instead of quitting.

Your words have no meaning.

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Bill Cassidy, Louisiana GOP Senator, on why he voted to impeach, and on being censured by the state’s GOP leadership:

“It was clear that he wished lawmakers be intimidated. And even after he knew there was violence taking place, he continued to basically sanction the mob being there. And not until later did he ask them to leave. All of that points to a motive and a method, and that is wrong. He should be held accountable. That’s the trust that I have from the people who elected me, and I’m very confident that as time passes people will move to that position. I was elected to uphold an oath to support and defend the Constitution. The majority of the people in Louisiana want that to be the case. And I have respected that trust. I have voted to support and defend the Constitution. Rather than defending the Constitution, [the former president] was actively subverting the peaceful transfer of power, which is a bedrock principle of the Constitution. I voted to convict [the former president] because he is guilty. That’s what the facts demand. I have no illusions that this is a popular decision. I made this decision because Americans should not be fed lies about ‘massive election fraud.’ Police should not be left to the mercy of a mob. Mobs should not be inflamed to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution, and I take that oath seriously. This was, is, and will remain my commitment to you.”

This is how you put the country over the party and its racist, insurrection inciting criminal boss. And for the party to censure him for having balls, a spine, and an opinion to do the right thing, shows exactly who the GOP, er, GQP works.

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Sean Duffy, Fox News contributor and former US Congressman, laying blame for the insurrection at the wrong feet:

“If you dig too deep, I don’t think Democrats wanted to see what we were going to find. What did Nancy Pelosi know? When did she know it? If she knew that there was attack on Capitol, why didn’t she secure it earlier? Why didn’t she bring in the National Guard? What did Mitch McConnell know? What did AOC know? They don’t want to look there, Pete. They want to keep the focus on [the former president], not on what they didn’t do to protect the Capitol.”

Funny, how this former asshat doesn’t realize the job was to protect the Capital from your leader? There’s a reason you’re a former Congressman you conspiracy theory spreading QAnon loon.

You’re dumb.

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The March Goes On ... Just Don't Hold Your Breath

This is kinda good news, though with a ‘Don’t Hold your Breath’ caveat, but there’s a new bill set to be introduced into Congress today that would explicitly ban anti-LGBT discrimination in all areas of civil rights law.

The bill, the Equality Act, sponsored by Democratic Representatives David Cicilline [above left], of Rhode Island, and Jeff Merkley [above right], of Oregon, would ban  anti-LGBT discrimination in seven areas: credit, education, employment, federal funding, housing, jury service and public accommodations.

The name of the bill is the same as one introduced more than forty years ago by the late Congresswoman Bella Abzug that would have amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sexual orientation.

Forty years is a long time …

Of course, this bill, as any with regards to the LGBT community, faces an uphill battle in a GOP Congress. As of now there are no Republican co-sponsors, but Cicilline says lawmakers have until Thursday at noon to sign on as original co-sponsors. Even some LGBT-friendly Republicans, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Susan Collins Mark Kirk haven’t come out in support of the bill.

“I think it’s clear where the Democrats stand on this, but I think we’re all hopeful that we’ll be able to bring this effort forward in a bipartisan way. We’re not in a position yet to say that’s the case, but, obviously, I’m going to continue to do outreach, as I know Sen. Merkley is going on the Senate side to try to make this a bipartisan effort. But we won’t know that, obviously until the bill is introduced.” — David Cicilline

Most people say the Equality Act won’t see any movement in Congress, and also say, sadly, that if any LGBT legislation gets passed it just might be the First Amendment Defense Act, a religious freedom bill like that vile one in Indiana, which seems to allow, and celebrate anti-LGBT discrimination.

That hateful bill, introduced by Senator Mike Lee and Representative  Raul Labrador, both Republicans, has 130 co-sponsors in the House and 36 co-sponsors in the Senate.

While we won one battle, we still have a long way to go to achieve full equality, as David Cicilline points out:

“Every day, millions of LGBT Americans face the danger of real discrimination and sometimes even violence because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In most states, a same-sex couple can get married on Saturday, post pictures on Facebook on Sunday, and then risk being fired from their job or kicked out of their apartment on Monday.”

The march goes on …

Washington Blade