Podcast: Catch Up On This Week's LGBTQ Headlines In Less Than 20 Minutes

Hit play below - you know you want to hear me chat :)

In this week’s podcast:

• The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals handed down an important ruling for transgender protections in the workplace

• Should we boycott Bermuda for taking away marriage equality?

• An out high school football star is targeted by the haters of Westboro Baptist Church but his classmates aren’t having it

• A gay couple found their wedding photo used in a political attack ad by the Tennessee state Republican Party #WTF?

• Take two - Starkville, Mississippi, is getting it's first Pride parade

• The 2018 Paralympics have begun and there’s at least one out and proud Paralympian this year

• Mindy Kaling's new series Champions on NBC features a 16-year-old out character who's never seen the inside of a closet

• VICE follows gay married couple Rick & Griff in Atlanta to learn how folks are monetizing their social media following

• NBC's "The Voice" made history this week with the series' first transgender contestant

• Randy Rainbow takes on the NRA with his parody of "Kids" from the 1960s Broadway hit Bye Bye Birdie

Westboro Baptist Church Praises "The Wondrous Work God Has Done In Paris"

Kansas City: Foo Fighters "Rick Roll" Westboro Baptist Church

With a concert scheduled at Kansas City's Sprint Center last night, the Foo Fighters got wind of the news that hateful Westboro Baptist Church planned to show up and protest the event.

But, no worries. Dave Grohl and all the Foo Fighters showed up in a pickup truck with signs of their own, all the while blasting the Rick Astley hit "Never Gonna Give You Up."

Westboro Baptist - you have been "Rick Rolled."

Bless the Foo Fighters. Fighting "foo" everywhere.

Watch below.

Noah Michelson of Huffington Post isn't afraid of Westboro Baptist Church

Huffington Post Gay Voices editor Noah Michelson has written a compelling essay regarding anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church's threat to picket the offices of Huffington Post.

"We're not scared of a handful of sad people with access to school supplies and a few nasty slogans."

Michelson explains why WBC has actually accomplished some good by shedding light on the hateful side of religious-based homophobes thereby encouraging folks to "scramble to get out of their shadow so as not to be confused with them or their hate."

Read the whole essay at Huffington Post.

Aussie comedian has a great idea for Westboro Baptist Church

After the passing of Robin Williams, the always inappropriate Westboro Baptist Church have said they will picket his funeral for his crime of being "a fag lover."

The Last Leg Australian comedian Adam Hills has a proposition for WBC - Hills offers to fly 12 members of the church first class to Iraq so they can picket those who are beheading Christians who refuse to convert.

Sounds like a great idea. I'd even chip in to make it happen.

(tipped by TRR reader William)

Video: "Westboro Baptist Blues"

The straight owner of the Hell's Kitchen gay bar Flaming Saddles recorded his take on the "Westboro Baptist Blues."

The dancers are apparently the bartenders for Flaming Saddles.

Cute. And I love the crowd enjoying the video shoot.

For more info go to flamingsaddles.com

(h/t JMG)

Brad Paisley mocks Westboro Baptist

And somehow, I now love Brad Paisley even more for this tweet.

Currently on tour all summer, Brad's concert are the BEST party I've ever been to.  Check his tour dates on his official site. 

Oklahoma liquor store offers discount on champagne after passing of Westboro Baptist Church founder dies

In light of the passing of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps, a liquor store owner in Moore, Oklahoma, offered 10% off all champagne sales.

His sign advertising the sale was meant to be provocative, says store owner Brian Kerr.  "That kind of hatred, and that kind of twisting of biblical principals really needs to be exposed and talked about. And people need to know that's not how real Christians act."

Of course, Westboro Baptist Church announced they will picket the liquor store this coming Sunday.

(h/t JMG)

Rachel Maddow: Fred Phelps helped gay rights by offending mainstream America

Rachel Maddow explains how recently deceased Fred Phelps and company at the rabidly anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church set out to make the world hate LGBT people, but actually helped the cause of gay rights by offending mainstream Americans.

Fred Phelps' estranged son Nate releases statement following father's death

"I mourn the ongoing injustices against the LGBT community, the unfortunate target of his 23 year campaign of hate.

"His life impacted many outside the walls of the WBC compound, uniting us across all spectrums of orientation and belief as we realized our strength lies in our commonalities, and not our differences.

"How many times have communities risen up together in a united wall against the harassment of my family? Differences have been set aside for that cause, tremendous and loving joint efforts mobilized within hours… and because of that, I ask this of everyone — let his death mean something. Let every mention of his name and of his church be a constant reminder of the tremendous good we are all capable of doing in our communities."

"Let’s end the support of hateful and divisive teachings describing the LGBT community as “less than”, “sinful”, or “abnormal.” Embrace the LGBT community as our equals, our true brothers and sisters, by promoting equal rights for everyone, without exception."

(via WGB)

Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred "Thank god for dead soldiers" Phelps dead at 84

Anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps has died.

Westboro Baptist Church gained national notoriety in 1998 after members picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who was beaten to death outside Laramie, Wyo.


From  KSN:

The Rev. Fred Phelps Sr., who founded a Kansas church widely known for its protests at military funerals and anti-gay sentiments, has died according to his son Tim Phelps.

Phelps, 84, was being cared for in a Shawnee County facility, Westboro Baptist Church spokesman Steve Drain said Sunday.

Members of the Westboro church, based in Topeka, frequently protest at funerals of soldiers with signs containing messages such as “Thank God for dead soldiers,” and “Thank God for 9/11,” claiming the deaths are God’s punishment for American immorality and tolerance of homosexuality and abortion.

Westboro Baptist Church: We don't need Fred Phelps to hate

"The church of the Lord Jesus Christ does not rise or fall with any man – in fact, the Lord doesn’t need ANY of us.

"This is still a nation and world awash in sin. We will still warn you of this condition, out of our love and fear of the Lord, and out of our love for our neighbors.

"Here is the message of Westboro Baptist Church: God still hates fags, God still hates fag enablers and any nation that embraces that sin as an ‘innocent’ lifestyle can expect to incur the wrath of God. Repent or Perish." - Westboro Baptist Church, in a statement posted to their website.

(h/t JMG)

Fred Phelps, founder of anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church, reported near death

From LGBTQ Nation: Anti-gay extremist Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church and the “Gods Hate Fags” fundamentalist movement, is apparently near death in a local hospice, according to a Facebook post Saturday night by his son Nathan Phelps.

The younger Phelps, who left the church and his family’s compound in 1976 when he was 18-years-old, writes:

“I’ve learned that my father, Fred Phelps, Sr., pastor of the “God Hates Fags” Westboro Baptist Church, was ex-communicated from the “church” back in August of 2013. He is now on the edge of death at Midland Hospice house in Topeka, Kansas.

I’m not sure how I feel about this. Terribly ironic that his devotion to his god ends this way. Destroyed by the monster he made.

I feel sad for all the hurt he’s caused so many. I feel sad for those who will lose the grandfather and father they loved. And I’m bitterly angry that my family is blocking the family members who left from seeing him, and saying their good-byes.”

The group came into the national spotlight in 1998, when it picketed at the funeral of Matthew Shepard, an openly gay student at the University of Wyoming who was tortured near Laramie, Wyo., in October 1998, then tied to a fence and left to die.

 Since that time, the group has become famous for anti-gay protests all over the country, including picketing the funerals of fallen US soldiers.

Westboro Baptist Church plans to picket Paul Walker's funeral

Westboro Baptist Church, in yet another demonstration of showing God's love, plans to picket the funeral of recently deceased "The Fast and The Furious" star Paul Walker for not evangelizing during his time on earth.

SMH....

(h/t JMG)

Vince Gill confronts Westboro Baptist Church - "I wanted to see what hate looks like"

If nothing else, you can say that Westboro Baptist Church members are equal opportunity bigots when it comes to harassing not only LGBT leaders and allies, but entertainers as well.

WBC's latest target? Veteran country singer Vince Gill, who has drawn the ire of the extended Phelps clan - not for promoting sinful homosexuality but for having the NERVE to have divorced his first wife to marry Christian pop singer Amy Grant.

From Queerty:

As the haters congregated to protest Gill’s concert in Kansas City Sunday night, the entertainer strolled outside, as he put it, ” to see what hate looks life.”

Gill also had a pressing question he needed answered.

“Don’t you know that you fuckers are lucky that you don’t have a sign that says something about my wife?,” he asked.

“Don’t you know that divorce plus remarriage equals adultery?” a woman responded. “Jesus Christ said that.”

“Did he?” Gill replied. “You know what else he said? He said a lot of stuff about forgiveness, about grace. You guys don’t have any of that.”

Gill then gets in a final zinger.

“Are any of you guys Phelpses?” he demanded. “Or are you guys like the C team?” Snap!

Westboro Baptist Church calls 5 year old selling lemonade a "fag enabler"

I recently posted about the fabulous Jaden Sink who sold lemonade across the street from the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church, raising money for Planting Peace.

Well, the Westboro Baptist Church has officially responded to the threat of a five-year-old girl's lemonade stand. Their message?

"Fags and enablers all burn in hell. Lemonade won't cool any tongues."

Isn't that sweet?

#SinkingToNewLows

(source)

Five year old sells lemonade for peace across the street from Westboro Baptist Church

Five-year-old Jayden Sink, of Kansas City, decided to set up a stand selling pink lemonade at The Equality House on Friday afternoon.

The Equality House is a rainbow-colored building directly across the street from Westboro Baptist Church - yeah, the icky ugly bigots who picket US soldiers funerals. The house, which was painted the colors of the pride flag in March, was bought by Aaron Jackson, one of the founders of Planting Peace, a multi-pronged nonprofit set up in 2004 and aimed at spreading goodwill and equality around the globe.

So she painted a banner for the event reading, "Pink Lemonade for Peace: $1 Suggested Donation." She put the stand in the grass and waited. But the waiting didn't take long. Supporters came in by the droves and $1 turned into hundreds of dollars.

Now, Westboro didn't sit idly by. They heckled the little girl, they shouted "bastards" at soldiers who arrived on their motorcycles to buy lemonade, they called the cops trying to shut her down. It only fed the event.

She not only raised $400 during the day on Friday, but she has also collected over $1000 with an online campaign set up through Crowd Rise. Some people donated as little as $10 and as much as $230.

The money she raised was donated to Planting Peace so she could help Planting Peace promote a more peaceful world."

“Jayden represents the natural humanity we are born with," Davis Hammet, Director of Operations at Planting Peace, added. "We come into this world compassionate, caring beings and only become hateful if we are taught to be.”

I absolutely concur. Congratulations Jayden for being who you are and inspiring so many.

Thanks TRR reader Rayme for the tip!
(source)

From God's gentle people to the NBA - "God Still H8s Fags"

From Westboro Baptist Church: "In light of NBA veteran Jason Collins becoming the first active professional athlete who is openly homosexual, Westboro Baptist Church’s Twitter account @WBCSays said Tuesday it will picket outside Chesapeake Energy Arena for the Rockets and Thunder Game 5 first-round playoff matchup."

Never let it be said that the idiots from Westboro Baptist Church let an opportunity to let their bigoted voice be heard...

Sad.  Just sad.

(via JoeMyGod)

Westboro Baptist Church blames same-sex marriage for Boston bombing

From God's "gentle people" at Westboro Baptist Church...

Classy as ever.

(via JMG)

Westboro Baptist Church to picket Roger Ebert's funeral

In today's news from God's "gentle people" - Westboro Baptist Church plans to picket "fag enabler" Roger Ebert's funeral.

Sad.