By Michelle Elianna Wolf Would you believe even today, widespread belief exists that people actively choose a homosexual lifestyle or gender transition? Of the former, there is plenty of dialog, so I’m not going to bother going there. Trans people face this level of malarkey just as frequently, so I thought it couldn’t hurt to put together a few talking points. This shouldn’t be too hard, because seriously, who in the world would do this if they didn’t have to?… Read more.

Running for office in 2003, Althea Garrison said that a:

"most compelling reason why someone should vote for me is that I am different and unique from the other candidates, when candidates run and loose [sic] elections most of them goes back to their obscurity not me I continue to fight and bring issues to the limelight,"

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Just when you think you’ve heard it all …. Just a couple weeks ago, President George W. Bush let loose what we in Texas parlance (at least among polite company) term “a whopper” (no, not the hamburger). First he went on news saying how we needed to get more results from Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki’s Administration, and start seeing real progress. This coming right on the heels of the Iraqi ministry taking a month of vacation while the life-or-death issues of this “fledgling democracy” teetering on the brink are put on hold with all the urgency of reviewing a bill on water allocation to farmers. Seemingly, give-‘em-hell-George appeared to be lighting a fire under the Prime Minister. Then at almost breakneck direction change, the Mr. Bush calls another press conference to reiterate his “unwavering” support of Al-Maliki, and blasting critics calling for his ouster. He goes on to chide the critics of Al-Maliki, noting, “it's not up to the politicians in Washington, D.C., to say whether he will remain in his position. That is up to the Iraqi people who now live in a democracy and not a dictatorship.” Odd that Georgie would bring that up because a mere year and a half ago, it was Ibrahim Al-Jaafari that appeared poised to be re-elected as Prime Minister in Iraq. Unfortunately for him, the White House wanted none of that. The Bush Administration insisted Al-Jaafari step down, and Al-Jaafari dug in his heels initially and refused. With no small amount of arm-twisting, and some help by enlisting the cleric Ali Sistani to show that Al-Jaafari’s obstinance would hold the nation back, the man who the Iraqi Parliament would’ve elected stepped aside. The man that Iraq’s Parliament on whole were not so keen on (especially the Sunni segment), was instead “democratically elected” – with a little help and wisdom from their neighbors halfway across the globe! Hey, we would expect nothing less in our own democracy, right? And while Bush’s words sounded like the typical beat-up-a-Democrat, Congress-been-keeping-me-back rhetoric, he was actually responding to critics within his own party. The astonishing part of all of this was … Bush did this with a straight face! More impressive, virtually no one called him on it! It’s something we’ve seen a startling increase in, especially in the 21st century: Real-Time Revisionism. Unlike other examples in history, these days revisionism can’t wait for the history-book writers to massage the facts in a decade or two. No, history is now revised now in the span of a mere year or two. This brand of nuanced politic-speak has been perfected to an art form by the Bush / Cheney Administration, most notably with the Iraq War mission creep. Revisionism has also become a well-used defense or attack strategy by the RNC, and to good effect. And in typical RNC fashion, as long as you say it loudly enough and long enough (especially if you shout the challengers down) it becomes fact. It’s notably helpful to have the press in your pocket, where they can participate in spreading the desired outcome of what’s already past. To be sure, this isn’t strictly a conservative trait. Indeed some of their counterparts have watched their success with revision and wish to duplicate for themselves. It’s become a concept that’s in vogue in the GLBT political community as well. It’s not a new approach by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) as they’ve used this to lesser success over the years. Lately, however, it’s become much more forward, particularly with a sales push to the transgender community. Claims made about their historical “support” of inclusive language in either Hate Crimes or Employment Non-Discrimination bills fly directly in the face of reality. In later years they’ve taken note of the pressure of other GLBT organizations pushing them to get with the program that most others adopted years ago: actively pushing for trans-inclusive language. It hasn’t stopped them from trying to support language such as the Senate bill that has gender only as they attempted to slide with in the previous Congress. Now, with the assistance of a few trans leaders they tap to assist in getting their marketing message to the transgender community, the message is all about how they’ve supported us all along. Ahem, nice try. Read more.

The following video is from " Rapture Ready: The Unauthorized Christians United for Israel Tour" [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/mjMRgT5o-Ig" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /] At the end of the video, I caught a glimpse of this: This kind of display dispels the notion by some in the civil rights community that GLBT people aren't being dehumanized. Read more.

As the Hate Crimes amendment to the Defense Funding Authorization is being debated in the Senate, it’s funny hearing some of the arguments coming from those opposed to allowing the additional protections to sexual orientation and gender identity. Many of the callers advocating for killing the Hate Crimes amendment have taken liberty of saying it infringes on free speech. Nothing in the Hate Crimes bill (S. 1105), nor the amendment to the defense-spending bill with the exact same wording, makes… Read more.

You've probably heard of the ex-gay movement. You may have even heard of the ex-ex-gay movement. Odds are slim that you know anyone that is ex-transgender. But have you ever known anyone that is ex-ex-transgender? You have if you've read this blog. In 1997 I confessed to my wife that I'd cross-dressed most of my life. After her initial shock wore off, she began to accept and integrate this part of me into our marriage. This was an activity that… Read more.

That should be the title of Peter LaBarbera's Americans for Truth (AFT) website. His latest post attacks sports reporter Christine Penner. "I challenge 'Mike/Christine' to do a column describing, in detail, 'sex-reassignment surgery' – whereby a penis is turned into a makeshift 'vagina' — assuming he is one day going to go that route. ('Transitioning' people are required to live one year as the opposite sex before undergoing the horrifying operation.) Then we’ll see just how 'natural' all of this… Read more.

A southern, right-wing, anti-abortion, Dominionist bigot recently wrote this post denouncing Joanne Nemecek for supporting her spouse in transition. I'm not sure she'll actually let it out of moderation (sooooo typical of right wingnut blogs), so I wanted to post my response here. "I would be amused (how you support a war that has killed thousands, yet you're pro-life?...pfftt... too funny), if this wasn't all so pathetic. First of all, I love your use of idols (a representation or symbol… Read more.

Throws science out the window? Um... "These findings led Swaab to believe that in humans also, BSTc size is programmed during fetal and neonatal development--perhaps as a result of an interaction between sex hormones and the developing brain--and is probably not the result of parental or social pressures after birth. His research, he says, shows that transsexuals are right. Their sex was judged in the wrong way at the moment of birth because people look only to the sex organs… Read more.

"Transadvocate's most prolific blogger, Autumn Sandeen has officially been labeled a "radical gender activist" by the radical religious right. Congrats Autumn! Read more.

Now, I can be a "real woman," no surgery needed! I just need to move to Canada! Real Women don't support fags! Read more.

(image used with permission of msanborn) Satan Starbucks, or a cup of Jesus Juice! This just in from "The James Hartline Report!" Millions Of Christians Buy Starbucks Coffee Everyday. The Result: Those purchases are funding the Anti-Christian Radicalized Homosexual Movement. Read more.

Generic Confusion's author, Greg wonders about allowing gender dysphoric children to choose their gender: "What are parents to do when their child says he's tired of being a child, and wants to be a roadrunner? What if their child wants to go around naked?" I responded: Is wanting to be a roadrunner, a diagnosable mental disorder? Is wanting to be be naked, a diagnosable mental disorder? Does one "grow out of" mental disorders? You've linked to some pretty conservative blogs,… Read more.