Tag: lgbt

Kroger Fires Christian Employees Who Refused to Wear LGBT Rainbow, U.S. Suit Says

Michael Foust – September 16, 2020

An Arkansas Kroger store violated federal anti-discrimination law when it reportedly fired two employees who refused to wear LGBT-themed aprons due to their religious beliefs, according to a lawsuit filed Monday by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

According to the Miami Herald, a dress code by the Conway, Ark., grocery store required employees to wear a rainbow-colored heart emblem on the bib of the apron. The women “believed the emblem endorsed LGBTQ values and that wearing it would violate their religious beliefs,” the EEOC said in a news release summarizing the suit.

Kroger disciplined the two women and eventually fired them, an action that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin. The EEOC charges Kroger with religious discrimination.

Both women are Christian.

The two women “offered to wear the apron with the emblem covered and the other offered to wear a different apron without the emblem, but the company made no attempt to accommodate their requests,” the EEOC said.

“Companies have an obligation under Title VII to consider requests for religious accommodations, and it is illegal to terminate employees for requesting an accommodation for their religious beliefs,” said Delner-Franklin Thomas, district director of the EEOC’s Memphis District Office. “The EEOC protects the rights of the LGBTQ community, but it also protects the rights of religious people.”

The EEOC tried but failed to reach a pre-litigation settlement, the news release said. The lawsuit seeks “monetary relief in the form of back pay and compensatory damages, as well as an injunction against future discrimination,” the EEOC said.

https://www.christianheadlines.com

Trump-Appointed Judge Rules Photographer Doesn’t Have to Shoot Gay Weddings

Marisa Herman – August 17, 2020

U.S. District Judge Justin Reed Walker ruled that a Louisville-based photographer can opt out of providing services to LGBTQ customers, Raw Story reports.

In a Friday ruling, the judge decided that Christian photographer Chelsey Nelson can’t be compelled to take photos of same-sex weddings because photos are “art” and art is a form of speech.

Nelson has not been asked to take photos for any LGBTQ couples or customers. The city of Louisville also has an ordinance prohibiting LGBTQ discrimination.

Despite the local rule, Walker ruled that no government can force people to make any speech against their will. Nelson’s photos are considered speech.

Walker also ruled that requiring Nelson to take photos goes against her religious beliefs.

“Just as gay and lesbian Americans cannot be treated as social outcasts or as inferior in dignity and worth,” the judge wrote, “neither can Americans ‘with a deep faith that requires them to do things passing legislative majorities might find unseemly or uncouth.'”

Last year, Nelson asked the Louisville District Court to issue an injunction so that she would not have to comply with the city’s Fairness Ordinance, which bans discrimination against LGBTQ customers.

According to Raw Story, she made the request in order to protect herself from being sued if the city became aware of her refusal to take photos of shoot same-sex marriages. Walker’s ruling states she can’t be punished for advertising on her website or social media that she only photographs and blogs about opposite-sex ceremonies.

https://www.newsmax.com

Appeals Court Rules Va. School District ‘Discriminated’ by Not Allowing Girl to Use Boys’ Restroom

– August 27, 2020

RICHMOND, Va. — A 2-1 panel with the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has again ruled that a Virginia school district discriminated against a female student who identifies as male by declining to allow her to use the boys’ restroom.

“[W]e hold that the board’s restroom policy constitutes sex-based discrimination and, independently, that transgender persons constitute a quasi-suspect class,” wrote Judge Henry Floyd, appointed to the bench by then-President Barack Obama.

He stated that “[n]o one questions that students have a privacy interest in their body when they go to the bathroom,” but the school district “ignores the reality of how a transgender child uses the bathroom: ‘by entering a stall and closing the door.’” Further, those with gender identity issues do not present a “peeping tom” threat as they will “mind[] their business like any other student.”

“Put another way, the record demonstrates that bodily privacy of cisgender boys using the boys restrooms did not increase when Grimm was banned from those restrooms,” Floyd said. “Therefore, the board’s policy was not substantially related to its purported goal.”

He also opined in his ruling that “[j]ust like being cisgender, being transgender is natural and is not a choice.”

Floyd asserted that transgenderism is “not a psychiatric condition,” but simultaneously stated that those who struggle with their gender “are up to three times more likely to report or be diagnosed with a mental health disorder as the general population” and noted that “[g]ender dysphoria is defined in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.”

Floyd was joined in his opinion by Judge James Wynn, Jr., also an Obama nominee. Judge Paul Niemeyer, nominated by then-President George H.W. Bush, dissented.

https://christiannews.net

Judge Halts Idaho Law Prohibiting Males Who Identify as Females From Competing in Women’s Sports

– August 18, 2020

BOISE, Idaho — A federal judge nominated to the bench by President Obama and renominated under President Trump has placed a halt on an Idaho law that expressly prohibits biological males from competing in women’s sports.

“The court recognizes that this decision is likely to be controversial,” acknowleged Judge David Nye on Monday. “While the citizens of Idaho are likely to either vehemently oppose, or fervently support, the Act, the Constitution must always prevail.”

“[T]he Act on its face discriminates between cisgender athletes, who may compete on athletic teams consistent with their gender identity, and transgender women athletes, who may not compete on athletic teams consistent with their gender identity,” he said.

“Hence, while the physiological differences the defendants suggest support the categorical bar on transgender women’s participation in women’s sports may justify the Act, they do not overcome the inescapable conclusion that the Act discriminates on the basis of transgender status.”

As previously reported, in February, Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, proposed the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act”, House Bill 500, which expressly prohibits biological males from joining women’s athletic teams.

“Athletic teams or sports designated for females, women, or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex,” the legislation reads in part.

It states that puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones do not resolve concerns about fairness, pointing to a 2019 study that concluded that males who ingested the hormones over a 12-month period still “had an absolute advantage” over their female competitors.

https://christiannews.net

Federal Judge Overrules Idaho Law that Birth Certificates Conform to Biological Sex

Penny Starr – June 5, 2020

Lawmakers in Idaho last year passed the Idaho Vital Statistics Act, which does not allow people to change the sex identification on their birth certificate just because they “identify” as something other than their biological sex.

Those who want to change their gender on their birth certificate because they are “transgender” or have some other “sexual orientation” had already been able to do so because of a 2018 ruling by federal Magistrate Judge Candy Dale, who said it was unconstitutional to deny such changes.

The Idaho State Journal reported on the judge’s latest decision:

Shortly after the bill took effect Lambda Legal, which represented the plaintiffs in the 2018 F.V. v. Barron case, filed a motion asking Dale to clarify whether her 2018 injunction still applies. She ruled on Monday that it does and that the passage of House Bill 509 doesn’t change that.

“The Court clarifies that the plain language and objective of the Order and Judgment entered in this case permanently enjoin (the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare) from infringing on the constitutional rights of transgender individuals by automatically rejecting applications to change the sex listed on their birth certificates to match their gender identity,” Dale wrote. “The Injunction requires IDHW to institute a meaningful and constitutionally-sound process for accepting, reviewing, and considering applications from transgender individuals to amend the gender listed on their birth certificates.”

The judge did not rule on the constitutionality of House Bill 509 or grant Lambda Legal’s effort to block enforcement of the law.

“While serious and formidable questions exist over the constitutionality of HB 509, whether HB 509 can pass constitutional muster is not yet before the Court and not decided here,” Dale wrote. “Likewise, whether enforcement of HB 509 violates the Injunction is not ripe.”

https://www.breitbart.com

New Jersey Adopts Mandated LGBTQ-Inclusive Planned Parenthood Sex Ed Standards

Dr. Susan Berry  –  June 4, 2020

LGBTQ activist groups and Planned Parenthood are applauding the New Jersey State Board of Education’s approval of their “gold standard” sex ed standards.

LGBTQ activists Garden State Equality and abortion business Planned Parenthood announced in a joint statement Wednesday they are pleased their recommended public school sex ed standards, modeled after the National Sexuality Education Standards for grades K-12, were approved.

“The new guidelines and educational requirements feature an updated, more comprehensive curriculum that includes expanded content topics, including LGBTQ identities and consent,” the press statement said.

The 2020 NJSLS were adopted at today’s SBOE meeting. We are so grateful for the collaboration between the NJDOE, educator review teams, and stakeholders for their contribution to the adopted standards. Please click here to access the ’21-’22 standards: https://www.nj.gov/education/cccs/

The leftwing activist groups framed their announcement about the adoption of the new standards in the context of the national events occurring in the wake of the death of George Floyd, claiming sex ed is now an “equity issue”:

As our nation reckons with the systemic racism and violence against Black communities that is a part of all of our institutions, including our education systems, we take pause today to consider how sex education is an equity issue. Sex education is essential to young people’s health, relationships, and life goals, and has a proven track record of helping young people develop the knowledge and skills they need to make healthy decisions about their relationships, their health, and their future.

However, Monica Cline, a previous Planned Parenthood-trained Title X sex ed instructor and founder of It Takes A Family, told Breitbart News Planned Parenthood and its allies are “cleverly high jacking the injustices of other populations to silence opposition to their sexualized agenda for our youth.”

https://www.breitbart.com

Christians Beware: Biden Declares His #1 Priority Will Be the Anti-Christian LGBTQ ‘Equality Act’

Paula Bolyard – June 03, 2019

Get ready for more attacks on people of faith if Joe Biden is elected president. Biden announced at an event in Ohio on Saturday that his number one priority, if elected, will be to enshrine LGBTQ rights into federal law via the Equality Act, a contentious, Orwellian effort by left-wing bullies to silence Christians who believe biblical teachings on marriage and reject the view that boys can be girls and girls can be boys.

During a half-hour speech at the Human Rights Campaign’s annual gala in Columbus, Ohio, Biden said, “It’s wrong and it is immoral what [the Trump administration] is doing,” citing efforts to bar transgender troops from the U.S. military and protect medical providers from being forced to violate their consciences.

“Just like with racial justice and women’s rights, we are seeing pushback against all the progress we’ve made toward equality,” Biden added.

“You know, you’ve done as much for straight folks as you’ve done for gay folks and lesbian folks,” said Biden, crediting the LGBTQ advocacy group with changing the attitudes of Americans on sexual issues. “This is how you’ve freed so many non-homophobic straight guys,” he said.

Biden bragged to the group about how he “came out” in support same-sex marriage in 2012, before most other Democrats. (In fact, Biden evolved on the issue before President Obama and Hillary Clinton and while some of his competitors were still in high school.)

“In too many places you’re still at risk for your jobs,” he warned. It’s gotta change.”

https://pjmedia.com

LGBTQ website says ‘coronavirus is punishment for conservative Christians’

Paul Sacca – April 16, 2020

An LGBTQ website featured an article that states “coronavirus is punishment for conservative Christians.”

LGBTQ Nation is “an online news magazine, reporting on issues relevant to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer community.” Mark Segal, who is a contributor to the site, posted an article Wednesday titled, “If HIV was God’s punishment for gays, then coronavirus is punishment for conservative Christians.”

Segal contends that “God must now be angry with religious people by striking the headquarters of the world’s religions with the COVID-19: Rome, headquarters of Catholics; Athens, the headquarters of Greek Orthodoxy; Moscow, the headquarters of Russian orthodoxy; London, home of the Anglican communion; Mecca, home of Muslims; Jerusalem, home of Jewish faith; and Salt Lake City, home of the Mormons.”

To attempt to support his argument, Segal claimed that there are fewer confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths in San Francisco than other international cities that hold religious significance.

“Fundamentalists apparently consider San Francisco the capital of the LGBTQ world,” Segal wrote. “Now let’s compare and see what God’s wrath is. San Francisco has under 1,000 cases and only 12 deaths. All of the headquarters cities of the world’s major religions, religions that at one point or another have discriminated against the LGBTQ community, have more cases and more deaths than San Francisco. San Francisco is the least affected of all the cities.”

https://www.theblaze.com

U.S. Justice Department Argues Transgender Athletes Should Not Be Treated as Girls

PAT EATON-ROBB – March 25, 2020

(HARTFORD, Conn.) — The U.S. Justice Department is getting involved in a federal civil rights lawsuit that seeks to block transgender athletes in Connecticut from competing as girls in interscholastic sports.

Attorney General William Barr signed what is known as a statement of interest Tuesday, arguing against the policy of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, the board that oversees the state’s high school athletic competitions.

The conference allows athletes to compete as the gender with which they identify, arguing it is following a state law that requires high school students be treated according to their gender identity. It also argues the policy is in accordance with Title IX, the federal law that allows girls equal educational opportunities, including in athletics.

The Justice Department, in its filing, disagrees.

“Under CIAC’s interpretation of Title IX, however, schools may not account for the real physiological differences between men and women. Instead, schools must have certain biological males — namely, those who publicly identify as female — compete against biological females,” Barr and the other department officials write. “In so doing, CIAC deprives those women of the single-sex athletic competitions that are one of the marquee accomplishments of Title IX.”

The lawsuit was filed in February by runners Selina Soule, a senior at Glastonbury High School; Chelsea Mitchell, a senior at Canton High School; and Alanna Smith, a sophomore at Danbury High School, against the conference and several local boards of education.

They argue they have been deprived of wins, state titles and athletic opportunities by being forced to compete against transgender athletes.

https://time.com

Canadian Bill Would Jail Christian Parents Who Attempt to Discourage Their Child’s Same-Sex Attraction

Michael Foust – March 19, 2020

A new Canadian bill backed by the prime minister would jail parents who attempt to discourage and change their child’s unwanted same-sex attractions or gender identity.

Bill C-8, supported by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, would make it a crime punishable up to five years in prison to “knowingly” cause “a person who is under the age of 18 years to undergo conversion therapy.” The bill applies not just to therapists but “everyone.”

The bill defines conversion therapy as a “practice, treatment or service designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual or gender identity to cisgender, or to repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour.”

The Campaign Life Coalition, a Toronto-based organization, says the bill is an affront to parental rights and religious freedom.

“If you’re a parent with a gender-confused child, you will not be permitted to help that child conform to his/her biological gender,” David Cooke of the Campaign Life Coalition wrote in an analysis of the bill. “… If you’re a pastor or church leader who publicly proclaims the power of Christ to transform homosexuals and transgenders, you may be arrested for ‘advertising conversion therapy.’”

The Trudeau government, he asserted, is “pushing to eradicate the Christian view of sexuality and gender from the public square.”

“They are working to suppress and deny the testimony of countless ex-gays and ex-trans who expose the lies of the LGBT narrative,” Cooke wrote.

https://www.christianheadlines.com