“Clovergender”

CG

While I’ve been dozing under my rock, yet another type of insidious bigotry is drenching the ‘net, based on the time immemorial pastime of linking LGBT peoples with pedophilia.

Martin Shkreli has given the LGBT community another reason to despise him.

The pharmaceutical executive, who rose to infamy by hiking the price of a drug used for an AIDS-related condition by more than 5,000 percent, is now promoting “clovergender,” an identity concocted by trolls to mock LGBT people.

Before his Twitter account was suspended for harassing a Teen Vogue writer, Shkreli urged his followers January 4 to “please spread clovergender awareness.” The term, which has sprung up on several social media accounts early this year, appeared to be used by adult individuals claiming to be “a child trapped in a man’s body who is attracted to other children.”

However, “clovergender” is a hoax. Snopes debunked it, tracing the birth of “clovergender” and this definition, which ridicules the identity of transgender and gender-nonbinary people, to a 4chan thread from December 31.

“We’re creating a new gender to trolls SJWs with,” posted an anonymous user, in a reference to “social justice warriors.” They then coined “clovergender” and ascribed fake preferred pronouns like “cl / clir /climself.”

“We will be trolling on Tumblr and Facebook,” the user stated. Another replied, “I see potential in this.”

Just what this sociopathic asshole has to gain from this, I don’t know, and it really doesn’t matter. I guess it’s just his way of getting his kicks. The potential for damage is overwhelming though, and it’s not like people in general don’t already have a whole lot of hatred for LGBT peoples anyway. They do, and those who are always looking for any reason to fire up that hate will grab this garbage and run with it. We have one state after another attempting to legislate bigotry and hate, and I imagine there will legislators who will seize on this as well, in order to shore up their always faulty reasoning.

After gaining momentum on the message boards of 4chan and Reddit, the term did indeed find its way to broader social media. A new Facebook page claimed to be created in response to “the horrible pain and backlash somee [sic] Clovergender people receive. We are against that. We think a kid should do what he wants.”

[…]

Several Twitter accounts, which follow and retweet LGBT outlets and influencers, are also attempting to intertwine the fake cause with the real-life movement. At least one has attributed Shkreli’s Twitter ban to clovergender discrimination.

The ruse duped some folks on social media, who reacted with disgust to the “clovergender” community.

The myth of the sexual predator has dogged the LGBT community since time immemorial. The call for “bathroom bills,” which prohibit transgender people from using restrooms that correspond with their gender identity, is the most recent example of how conservatives are painting queer people as perverts. “Clovergender,” if it perpetuates, will only continue to stoke these mistruths and biases.

So. We find ourselves back at the beginning again, folks, having to fight this blatant lie again, over and over. Be aware of this, spread the word, get the truth out there, we all know the drill.

Full story at The Advocate.

Stay Afloat.

Every Moment Counts, 1989, Rotimi Fani-Kayode.

Every Moment Counts, 1989, Rotimi Fani-Kayode.

Conversation with a Mannequin, 2013, Kelvin Atmadibrata performance for the camera.

Conversation with a Mannequin, 2013, Kelvin Atmadibrata
performance for the camera.

Lovers Lane, 2016, Sharmar Johnson White pencil Black paper, 22x28.

Lovers Lane, 2016, Sharmar Johnson
White pencil Black paper, 22×28.

A Pile of Crowns, for Jean-Michel Basquiat, 1988, Keith Haring acrylic on canvas, 108x120, Keith Haring artwork © Keith Haring Foundation.

A Pile of Crowns, for Jean-Michel Basquiat, 1988, Keith Haring
acrylic on canvas, 108×120,
Keith Haring artwork © Keith Haring Foundation.

…“In our work and in our living, we must recognize that difference is a reason for celebration and growth, rather than a reason for destruction.” Reflecting on this quote by Audre Lorde, I know that these sentiments are the way forward. Although, I am honestly a bit anxious about the next four years, I see strength and intelligence in these artists. I love the humor in RALPH HALL’s piece Bassethound, which pictures a fluorescent dog with butt plug. I also salute the tenacity of young artists like Kia Labeija. As seen in all their work, many of the artists in the Visual AIDS Artist+ Registry share the same love of an eclectic bunch of leaders that I do. We stand on the shoulders of heroes, like Harriet Tubman, Gordon Parks, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Grace Jones, Frankie Knuckles, Lady Bunny, Marlon Riggs, Tina Turner and countless others. Brave hearts are not a new concept; this struggle is part of our DNA.

The featured gallery from Visual Aids December 2016. Beautiful, poignant work, you can see it all here.

“If only God would rid us of men.”

A music video with Saudi women is challenging restrictive gender norms in the country — and it’s quickly going viral.

“Hwages,” by director Majed al-Esa of 8ies Studios, a production company based in Riyadh, shows the women skateboarding, playing basketball, dancing, driving bumper cars, and even bowling with a set of pins with men’s faces taped on them. It was first posted two weeks ago and already has over 3 million views.

Loosely translated as “concerns,” Hwages is based on an older Arabic song, and some of the lyrics include “May all men sink into oblivion” and “If only God would rid us of men.”

[…]

There are also scenes with Donald Trump, who in the video is leading the “House of Men.” You can probably interpret that how’d you like — it could be referring to Trump’s history of sexual assault, his degrading language towards women, the way his offensive rhetoric about Islam actually helps Muslim extremists, or just simple comedy.

Many have already commended the video, including Saudi Arabian daily Al-Bilad. Amera al-Taweel, the ex-wife of Saudi prince Al-Waleed bin Talal also shared the video with her 1.39 million followers on Twitter.

They did a great job capturing the creepiness that is Trump; they did a great job with the whole video. There’s true resistance and courage.

Via Think Progress.

‘Man Up’.

I came across this wonderful response to the phrase ‘man up’ thanks to Wisconsin senator Steve Nass, who is all manner of bent over a course at UW-Madison: “Unpacking Masculinity At UW-Madison” and seeks to address the ways “media, hook up culture, alcohol, violence, pop culture” create expectations of masculinity.

Sen. Nass was terribly alarmed, and fired off an email:

Sen. Steve Nass, a frequent UW System critic, sent an email to his fellow lawmakers on Wednesday entitled “UW-Madison Declares War on Men and their Masculinity — Not a Joke.” The email accuses UW-Madison of being part of a national liberal effort to rid male students of their “toxic masculinity.”

“Our friends at UW-Madison, not happy enough with labeling ‘whiteness’ as a societal problem, now are attacking another social ill …, Men and their masculinity,” the email says.

“The supposedly underfunded and overworked administrators at our flagship campus have scrapped (sic) together enough dollars to offer a six-week program open only to ‘men-identified students,” the email goes on. “In short, the highly paid leaders at UW-Madison now believe that Wisconsin mothers and fathers have done a poor job of raising their boys by trying to instill in them the values and characteristics necessary in becoming a Man.”

The email concludes by encouraging legislators to reform the UW System in the next state budget.

What Sen. Nass misses entirely is that a lot of young men are seeking paths through all the baggage hanging from the concept of masculinity so that they can be themselves, in happiness, in pride, and in security. Why that would be awful, when toxic masculinity is right there, after all, it’s worked for thousands of years, right?

I visited the course site, and it all looks good to me, I wish such courses were all over the place.

Via Associated Press and Raw Story.

The Glass Ceiling Has Been Shattered!

Donald Trump and campaign manager Kellyanne Conway celebrate during an election night rally. CREDIT: AP Photo/John Locher.

Donald Trump and campaign manager Kellyanne Conway celebrate during an election night rally. CREDIT: AP Photo/John Locher.

On Thursday morning, the Trump transition team announced that former campaign manager Kellyanne Conway will serve as counselor to the president. In that role she’ll be the highest ranking woman in the White House.

A statement released by the transition team announcing the move is boilerplate — “I am pleased that she will be part of my senior team in the West Wing,” Trump is quoted as saying — until it gets around to discussing Conway’s role in Trump’s victory, where it makes the claim that Trump “shattered the glass ceiling for women.”

President-elect Trump’s victory on November 8th also shattered the glass ceiling for women. Conway is the first female campaign manager of either major party to win a presidential general election.

Hear that, women? The glass ceiling hath been shattered, it is no more. From this point forward, there is nothing at all to prohibit women from the highest reaches of endeavor. Nope. I do have to wonder if it occurred to anyone that there’s a lingering stench of “hey, she rode there on my coattails, but still, it’s good” to the message.

While it’s true that Conway is the first woman campaign manager to preside over a presidential victory, the statement overlooks that Al Gore’s 2000 campaign was managed by Donna Brazile. Like Hillary Clinton, Gore won the popular vote but lost in the Electoral College, after the Supreme Court shutdown a Florida recount.

The statement also overlooks the obvious fact that Clinton this year became the first woman nominated as a major party’s presidential nominee and his victory denied her the chance to shatter the “highest, hardest glass ceiling.” Trump scolded her during the campaign for mentioning the historic nature of her candidacy, accusing her of playing the “women’s card.”

Oh, there’s that stench wafting by again. Yes, it’s fine if a man holds a woman up to tap that glass ceiling, but if a woman dares to do such herself, there’s that terrible woman card again. Silly women, right?

“I have to assess people based on what I see in totum,” Conway said. “And this is a man I’ve been alone with many times who’s never been anything but gracious and [a] gentleman and elevated me to the top level of his campaign, the way he’s elevated women in the Trump organization for decades, because he respects women.”

Yes, there you have it. Elevated. Trump elevates women, because they aren’t capable of doing that themselves. The above was part of Conway’s response to the revelations of Trump’s long line of sexual assaults. Sure, he respects women, he just thinks various parts of them belong to him, to be used and discarded at will. Elevator Pussy Grabber. Got it.

Before coming aboard the Trump campaign as a “data and messaging expert” in July, Conway helped conduct some of the flawed polling Trump has invoked to justify his proposed Muslim ban. In her role as counselor, she’ll be responsible for helping Trump “carry out his priorities and deliver his message from inside the White House,” the New York Times reports.

So, basically, a secretary. Oh, I meant counselor.

Full story at Think Progress.

The Twelve Days of Trumpmas.

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The Religious Reich have a Xmas wish list, one they fully expect Santa Trump to fulfill. Just the wish list here, click over to Right Wing Watch for the grisly details.

After jettisoning all of their rhetoric about public morality and personal character in order to help Donald Trump get elected, Religious Right activists are now hoping the president-elect fulfills the promises he made to the social conservative movement during his campaign.

Trump, who received the support of around eight in ten white evangelical voters, spent months boasting that he is a “great Christian” who will restore the long-lost holiday of Christmas and create “the strongest Christian lobby.”

[…]

“Like President-elect Trump, we have much to celebrate this Christmas season,” the National Right to Life Committee declared in its December newsletter, rejoicing in Trump’s anti-choice policies and Cabinet picks.

As Christmas approaches, Religious Right activists are reminding Trump of the good deeds they did to help elect him and demanding that he, in turn, deliver on his promises. Here are just 12 of the gifts the Religious Right is expecting from Trump in the new year:

  1. Nominate conservatives to the Supreme Court.
  2. Repeal the Affordable Care Act.
  3. Sign the First Amendment Defense Act.
  4. Rescind Nondiscrimination Protections.
  5. Defund and Investigate Planned Parenthood.
  6. Reinstate the Mexico City Policy.
  7. Codify The Hyde Amendment.
  8. Sign a 20-week Abortion Ban.
  9. Sign The Conscience Protection Act.
  10. Repeal The Johnson Amendment.
  11. Federal Voucher Funding.
  12. Curb Immigration, Ban Muslims and Stop Refugee Resettlement.

The details aren’t pretty. If all this is managed, we’ll be well past the welcome to fascism stage. Via Right Wing Watch.

Day of Tears.

Ben Cline (Facebook).

Ben Cline (Facebook).

Here’s a fine example of what republicans are good for, which is not much. Not much at all. “Day of Tears”. This is a Virginia delegate’s idea of meaningful legislation, to make the anniversary of Roe v Wade into “Day of Tears”, complete with flags flown at half mast.

The bill, pre-filed by Cline on Monday, would encourage Virginians to lower the flag to half-staff on January 22, 2017, and every subsequent year. The text reads:

“Whereas on January 22, 1973, the majority of the members of the Supreme Court ruled that abortion was a right secured by the Constitution; and whereas since that fateful day, over 58 million unborn children have perished; now, therefore, be it resolved that January 22 shall be called the Day of Tears in Virginia and that the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia are encouraged to lower their flags to half-staff to mourn the innocents who have lost their lives to abortion.”

The smug self-righteousness of republicans knows no bounds, and the only thing which truly shines where they are concerned is their utter uselessness. The only thing they know how to do in regard to government is to remove human rights. Roe v Wade, which is most certainly threatened, is no day of tears. It’s a day of relief, of care, of love, of health, and more than anything, a day which should remind everyone that women are indeed full human beings, with the right to full bodily autonomy. If there is a day of tears to connect with abortion, why is it smarmy, nasty “pro-lifers” are never dropping tears over the wealth of women who died because abortion was illegal? You won’t ever see that, because they do not care about adult women in the slightest, and all those women who died? “Oh, they deserved it!” they spit, designating them all as evil sluts. There’s nothing quite like the republican hatred of women, of their most cherished of foundation stones.

Full story.

Resistance: Mike Hot-Pence.

The resemblence between Mike Hot-Pence (Glen Pannell, left) and VP-elect Mike Pence (right) is uncanny. Just, one wears pants, the other doesn't.

The resemblance between Mike Hot-Pence (Glen Pannell, left) and VP-elect Mike Pence (right) is uncanny. Just, one wears pants, the other doesn’t.

Glen Pannell has found a great way to be a one-person resistance, his resemblance to Mike Pence being the key. What started as a bit of Halloween fun has morphed into doing good for people. Many cheers for Mike Hot-Pence!

You see all sorts of things in Times Square these days, Spidermen fighting Elmos, naked cowboys — and now pants-less vice president-elects.

There’s a new character in Times Square and he looks an awful lot like Mike Pence.

Glen Pannell wears a suit, tie, no pants — just short shorts — and goes by “Mike Hot-Pence,” raising money for Planned Parenthood, the environment, and soon, the Trevor Project for LGBT youth. He raised over $300 for Planned Parenthood and the Natural Resources Defense Council the first weekend in December.

Pannell kept hearing, “you look like Mike Pence! You should be him for Halloween,” so much that he did it. But the actor/director and designer thought that wasn’t creative enough, so Pannell stepped out as “Sexy Mike Pence” and hasn’t turned back.

The activist, who’s gay, said he wants to use his resemblance to Pence to champion causes Pence has opposed.

Pannell finds a “patch of sunlight” in Times Square and carries a repurposed whey protein bucket for donations, because “Mike Hot-Pence cares about the environment.”

Pannell designs the labels himself. When speaking to the News, he remembered he needed to make and print one for his upcoming charity, The Trevor Project. (Glen Pannell).

Pannell designs the labels himself. When speaking to the News, he remembered he needed to make and print one for his upcoming charity, The Trevor Project. (Glen Pannell).

“I am raising money for groups that would be especially vulnerable during a Trump/Pence administration,” he said. The donations, which Pannell screenshots and posts on his Twitter feed, are donated in the name of “Mike Hot-Pence.”

Pannell says he isn’t interested in being immature or disrespectful. Rather, he wants to use his resemblance to call attention to Pence’s record as a public servant.

“His policy over the last 16 years makes me very afraid for the next four years. I want to make it about the issues.”

And Glen is doing a great job, too. If you’re in NYC, and see Mike Hot-Pence, be resistance minded, and send some pennies his way.

Full story at NY Daily News.

Labor Secretary: Burgers, Bikinis, Very American.

*CKE Restaurants CEO Andy Puzder speaks at a news conference on Wednesday, August 6, 2014 in Austin, Texas. CREDIT: Jack Plunkett/AP Images.

*CKE Restaurants CEO Andy Puzder speaks at a news conference on Wednesday, August 6, 2014 in Austin, Texas. CREDIT: Jack Plunkett/AP Images.

Trump has appointed an open sexist to the position of labor secretary, which oversees discrimination laws, equal pay, and The Women’s Bureau. This man probably laughed delightedly over the prez-elect’s pussy grabbing ways. He certainly seems to have little use for women outside of using them in unbelievably sexist, hypersexualized adverts. I haven’t seen any of these previously, because no television, and I am very grateful for that right now. I once met Carl Karcher, in the capacity of a servant – I was wait staff at one of his daughter’s wedding rehearsals or some such. Massive house and grounds, hundreds of people, and the Karchers were quite nice. Mrs. Karcher was particularly nice when I walked right into a sliding glass door which had previously been open. Unfortunately, they were also rabid conservatives, and supported evil institutions, such as the Catholic church and the John Birch Society, among others. I rather expect the Karchers would be more than a bit alarmed and disapproving of Puzder’s tactics. Here’s one of the ads:

Ad link.

…The fast food chains have continuously released these ads since 2005, even when research shows that most Americans find them offensive. According to a market research firm that tested an ad showing model Charlotte McKinney walking, seemingly naked, through a farmer’s market, 52 percent of viewers found the ad offensive and 51 percent found it irritating and annoying.

Yet as Mic reported, Puzder — who has led the company since 2000 — has defended the strategy. “I like our ads. I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis. I think it’s very American,” he told Entrepreneur last year. “I used to hear, brands take on the personality of the CEO. And I rarely thought that was true, but I think this one, in this case, it kind of did take on my personality.”

He also claimed that he would take issue if people were not offended by the ads.

“If you don’t complain, I go to the head of marketing and say, ‘What’s wrong with our ads?’” he said. …

Our new secretary of labor. Impressed? Think Progress has the full story.

Ohio: ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Ban Now Law.

USA-Pr0-Life and Pro-Choice advocates protest at the Supreme Court in Washington DC in anticipation of the Supreme Court ‘s ruling on free access to abortion. CREDIT: AP/Patsy Lynch.

USA-Pr0-Life and Pro-Choice advocates protest at the Supreme Court in Washington DC in anticipation of the Supreme Court ‘s ruling on free access to abortion. CREDIT: AP/Patsy Lynch.

Ohio lawmakers approved a bill that would ban abortions six weeks into a woman’s pregnancy on Tuesday, making it the most extreme abortion ban in the country. Six weeks is the point at which a fetal heartbeat can be detected. By calling this legislation a “heartbeat bill” anti-abortion lawmakers can take the focus away from the woman carrying the pregnancy and toward the fetus.

Legislators sneaked the anti-abortion language into a Senate bill addressing child abuse and neglect laws at the last minute on Monday. The House voted to approve the bill Tuesday night.

Anti-abortion group Ohio Right to Life previously said the bill would not stand up to a constitutional challenge. The U.S. Supreme Court blocked similar laws in North Dakota and Arkansas that criminalized abortion after six weeks and 12 weeks respectively, and the Ohio Senate previously didn’t act on the bill. But with a Donald Trump administration and a new Supreme Court justice in the near future, anti-abortion lawmakers like their chances, Cleveland.com reported.

“A new president, new Supreme Court appointees change the dynamic, and there was consensus in our caucus to move forward,” Republican Senate President Keith Faber said during the lame duck session, according to the Columbus Dispatch. “I think it has a better chance than it did before.”

I have never been happier to be well beyond any possibility of pregnancy, a state I’ve been in for well over a quarter century now. I truly fear for all those who do have to live with the possibility of pregnancy, and the obstacle course they are faced with if they decide on a termination. This is bad news, because if this doesn’t get overturned as the other cases have been, you can bet this legislation will be introduced once again, and not just in the states where it was previously tried.

Full story at Think Progress.

“(((Star Wars))) Is Anti-White Social Engineering.”

Star Wars Rogue One movie cast. Lucasfilm promotional pic.

Star Wars Rogue One movie cast. Lucasfilm promotional pic.

As I’ve said before, I’m not a Star Wars fan. I am married to one, who doesn’t expect me to watch the seemingly endless parade of movies, thankfully. I did read with interest that a woman was the lead in the recent flicks, and not in a love interest, uppity princess in a bikini role. Progress! Well, you’d think anyway. The white supremacist bros are all upsetty. Looking at the image above, I count 7 men and one woman. Okay, that’s not an overwhelming amount of women, so why are they whining now? It’s not just that there’s a woman protagonist, but all those dudes, they aren’t whitey-white! Let the whining commence.

White supremacists are continuing their call for a boycott of upcoming Star Wars film Rogue One, accusing the film’s producers of promoting multiculturalism and an “anti-white” agenda, forward.com reports.

“(((Star Wars))) Is Anti-White Social Engineering,” reads a Reddit post by GenFrancoPepe on the subreddit r/altright, including a gif showing the cast from the movie; according to the image, predominantly white characters fight with the oppressive Empire while an array of multicultural characters support the rebel fighters.

“So basically star wars was SJW propaganda from the beginning?” Another user, stanicpriest13 asked the forum. “Good now I don’t feel as bad about not watching the new films. The new films are going to flop big league anyway. You can push the female heroes as much as you like, but even most women don’t find it interesting.”

So basically star wars was SJW propaganda from the beginning?  :falls over laughing: Oh, the stupid. Star Wars was a bog standard story, and I don’t think you could call it SJW propaganda in any way. Yes, it was a very stunning film in terms of special effects, and it was fun, and there were some very good bits in it, but it’s hardly what you could call social justice centered, even if it was based on the age old “band of rebels vs evil empire”, as that is a fair summation of 90% percent of every story ever told. As for female heroes, I quite like them. Big fan of the current Thor, frinst. A female hero in Star Wars is one thing which might actually make me watch one of the movies. 

“This film should be boycotted. Episode 7 was bad enough featuring that retarded storm trooper Negro and another empowered White female in the lead roles,” InfoStormer wrote, later adding “It looks as if the Jew run company of Disney is going to pump out as many of these awful multicultural Star Wars films as possible.”

This bit ^ from the idiots at InfoStormer. I see they haven’t budged from that old, broken trope that all people of colour are less intelligent. I’ll bet they are seething that they can’t tack that onto the “empowered white female”.

In November, two Rogue One writers took up the cause of multiculturalism, digging at the alt-right calls for a boycott. “Please note that the Empire is a white supremacist (human) organization,” screenwriter Chris Weitz wrote in a tweet. Writer Gary Whitta retweeted his coworker’s statement, adding, “Opposed by a multi-cultural group led by brave women.”

I’d applaud this, loudly, if the writers hadn’t deleted their tweets. Hopefully, there are lots more people of colour and women than there are nazis running around, so have some courage, writers. Are white supremacist wannabe nazis staying at home sulking such a problem? After deleting their tweets, they went with this one:

Here’s the propaganda! Wait, I mean trailer.

Via Raw Story.