Vladimir Putin Is Gay .... Maybe

So, we all know how anti-gay Russian president Vladimir Putin is, and how much he dislikes The Gays, which, as a side note, makes me wonder just how gay he might be. I mean, some of the most homophobic people are those gays still in the closet, so, um, Vlad? You got something you wanna get off your often shirtless chest?

Well, he has come out, so to speak, to tell the world that while he thinks gays are definitely ‘less than’ he has known some gays, and has, in fact, given some gays awards … though not for being gay, I’m guessing.

Cruising The Woods

He says he, and the Russian people, don’t care that famed composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was gay, they just like his music: 

"They say that Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a homosexual. Truth be told, we don't love him because of that, but he was a great musician and we all love his music. So what?"

But, truth be told, Vlad, if Tchaikovsky was alive today and announced he was gay, what exactly might your country do to him? Huh? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?

And Putin also played the ‘I know some gay people’ — AKA the new ‘Some of my best friends are Black — card as if that makes him seems less virulently anti-gay:

"I assure you that I work with these people. I sometimes award them with state prizes or decorations for their achievements in various fields. We have absolutely normal relations, and I don't see anything out of the ordinary here." 

Again, unless those gay folks proclaim their gay-itude, I’m thinking, which would only force them further back into the closet out of fear of reprisal. Like what happens now to gay couples who are also parents in Russia.

State Duma Deputy Alexei Zhuravlev is proposing that gay parents are like drug use, or child abuse; their "nontraditional sexual orientation" would be grounds for removing their children from their homes. Zhuravlev argues "propaganda" is wrong in public and wrong "in the family."

Now, to be fair, the plan to remove children from their gay parents’ homes is "only rumored” but is it so far off the mark in a country that makes it a crime to be gay; a crime to be yourself?

And it’s just another step up from the law that maybe-not-gay-but-loves-to-be-shirtless Vladimir Putin signed which bans gay people from foreign countries from adopting Russian children.

Vlad Playing Bikini Ping-Pong With A Male 'Friend'

So, with all his homophobia, and his admission that he gives some gay folks little trophies, I am not suggesting that Putin is gay.

I’m just wondering if perhaps the reason he speaks out so much against the gays — even while claiming to admire their talents in fields other than homosexuality — is because he’s a wee bit afraid of being thought of as light in the loafers.

A friend of Dorothy.

Having his own show on Bravo.

Gay.

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The Hands On Children’s Museum Discriminates Against Gay Couple, Then Claims They Are Victims Of Discrimination

Last week, Karen Lee-Duffell took her two children to the Hands On Children’s Museum in Jacksonville, Florida. When she realized the museum offered a family membership, she decided to sign up for it, but was stopped cold when the employee at the desk noticed that Lee-Duffell had listed her wife’s name in the spot designated for “dad.”

So, because two women and their children are not a family in the eyes of the Hands On Children’s Museum, Lee-Duffell was told she would have to pay an additional $10 to list her wife on the membership plan. She told the employee, “Thanks, but no thanks” and left, tasking her story to the media instead.

See, it’s discrimination, plain and simple. Just because the Lee-Duffell family might not look like the Brady’s or the Connor’s or Huxtable's doesn’t make them any less a family. And while I can somewhat, somewhat, understand the museum wanting to make sure that a group of mothers, or fathers, aren’t trying to save a couple of bucks by signing up for a family membership, it begs the question: if a straight couple walked in and asked for the family discount, but they weren’t married, and , in fact, weren’t a family but, say, siblings, or cousins or friends who wanted to save the extra ten bucks would they be allowed to join? I think they would, and therein lays my issue with the Hands On Children’s Museum.

Until now …..

Now, the Hands On Children’s Museum is claiming that they are the real victims of unfair treatment because Karen Lee-Duffell took her story public and now everyone knows of their discriminatory practices. The museum released this statement:

‘The Jacksonville “Hands On” Children’s Museum has never discriminated against anyone. But in fact the “Hands On” Children’s Museum , it’s employees, the board members, the donators and sponsors, the director, the directors family and her husbands church are being discriminated against, attacked and threatened. The director was yelled at and screamed at and feels the Hands On Children’s Museum deserves an apology for how the museum is being treated. This is a children’s museum…

It is not right to threaten a children’s museum in this manner. We hope that the people of Jacksonville understand that we have done nothing discriminatory and that a campaign of threats and intimidation only hurt the families.

We have been and will remain welcoming and inclusive. Our Family Memberships include, Mom, dad and their children and allow unlimited visits throughout the year. For single parent families, we allow for other adults in the household to be added as members with the parents consent and the payment of $10.00 administrative fee. This policy is consistent with our religious beliefs, and Florida law while still allowing us to accommodate non-traditional child rearing.

We are open and welcoming to all because our mission is to serve families and children. Unfortunately the hatred and vitriol has been directed at our families and staff is causing concern.’

Let’s dissect ….

“Jacksonville 'Hands On' Children’s Museum has never discriminated against anyone” and yet they told Karen Lee-Duffell that she and her wife and their children were not a family.

“The director was yelled at and screamed at and feels the Hands On Children’s Museum deserves an apology for how the museum is being treated” and yet, it seems to me that the treatment coming at the museum is based upon their own policy of deciding for themselves what constitutes a family. If telling someone a story is ‘threatening’ then we've all threatened and been threatened each and every day of our lives.

“We have been and will remain welcoming and inclusive” unless you’re two moms, or two dads, then you have to pay extra, because, you know, you aren’t really a family.

“We are open and welcoming to all because our mission is to serve families and children” but, as I said before, unless it’s two mommies or two daddies, then you only welcome them if they cough up the extra dough.

Karen Lee-Duffell

Here’s the deal again: a family is not just a mom and dad and 2.5 children. Families are just mom and her kids, or just dad; and families are two moms or two dads and their kids. And while I’m sure there might be some folks out there who would call themselves a family, when they, in fact, are not, just to save the additional ten dollar charge, is it really worth turning people away from a children’s museum because the application lists Mom and Mom?

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Judge John Roach Jr. Enforces Morality Clause In Divorce, Orders Lesbian Couple To Separate

The facts are these:

• Carolyn Compton was married to a man and together they had two children. They were divorced in 2011.
• For the past three years, Carolyn Compton has been involved in a same sex relationship with Paige Price.

Therein lies the rub …..

In Collin County, Texas, Judge John Roach Jr., a Republican—naturally—who presides over the 296th District Court, enforced the “morality clause” in Compton’s divorce papers last week, basically telling Paige Price she cannot legally live with Carolyn Compton.

Under the morality clause—and isn’t it always the GOP who trumpet their morality—someone who has a “dating or intimate relationship” with the person or is not related “by blood or marriage” to that person is not allowed in the home after 9 PM when the children are present. 

Paige Price, who says the judge, himself, placed the clause in the Compton’s divorce papers because he didn’t like Compton’s “lifestyle”, has 30 days to move out of the home because the children live with the two women couple.

“Our children are all happy and well adjusted. By his enforcement, being that we cannot marry in this state, I have been ordered to move out of my home.”—Paige Price

The judge apparently did not bother to learn that, not only does Carolyn’s ex-husband, Joshua Compton, rarely see his two children, but that he was once charged with stalking Compton. Court records show the ex-husband, Joshua Compton, was charged with third-degree felony stalking in 2011 but pleaded to a misdemeanor charge of criminal trespassing.

Ken Upton Jr., senior staff attorney for Lambda Legal’s Dallas office, says these so-called ‘morality clauses’ are rarely enforced and were historically used to prevent unmarried people from cohabitating with children present. And since gay couples are legally barred from marrying in Texas, and since courts often include morality clauses without people knowing, Upton says that gay couples are being unfairly targeted.

“It’s a problem that continues with homophobia.”—Ken Upton

Price and Compton can appeal the decision, which would likely be overturned; Upton believes that since the couple already lives together with a healthy environment for the kids, they stand a good chance to win on appeal.

This is yet another example of the roadblocks that LGBT couples face because of bans on same-sex marriage, and Republican ‘activist’ judges who impose their own bent morality on others. I checked around this whole internet-y thing and haven’t found one case where this ‘morality clause’ was imposed on a heterosexual couple.

So, again, anyone who thinks the need for a full federal recognition of same-sex marriages needs to take a good look at a couple being torn apart because they happen to be gay; a couple who chose to commit to one another and to co-parent  children, being told they are not allowed to do so.

Way to go Texas.

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While Defending A Child Against Bullies, Sondra Scarber Is Assaulted By A Parent

I’ve posted a lot about bullying on this here bloggy space before; talked about kids who get bullied to death, and talked about parents who stand up to schools and administrators about their bullied kids. But this story, well, if you ever wonder where bullies come from, they’re born, and raised and taught, by their parents.

One day a lesbian couple, Sondra Scarber and Hillary Causey, decided to take Hillary’s son, Jaxon, to the playground at Seabourn Elementary in Mesquite, Texas. It wasn’t too long after they arrived, while they watched Jaxon play, they noticed some older kids pushing Jaxon around.

Sondra Scarber told the kids to leave him alone, saying he was just four-years-old. But then it turned ugly when the father of one of the bullies, realizing that Scarber and Causey were a couple, became enraged at Sondra Scarber.

“When he walked up thinking it was father and mom with the kid, he wasn’t as angry, but then when he figured out it was a female, he got like super pissed, and I don’t know why.”—Hillary Causey

Causey said the man punched and kicked Scarber repeatedly, hurling homophobic slurs at her while she lay on the ground, unconscious: “He was like, ‘Well if you think you’re a man… I’m going to treat you like a man.’ All she kept saying was, ‘I’m a female. I’m a female…' She never even had time to take her hands out of pockets to try and block herself.”

Mesquite police haven’t caught the man because, well, they say they aren’t convinced the attack meets the true qualifications of a hate crime, since the scuffle among children was the initial trigger. But, um, Mesquite police, if you missed the hate in there, how about finding the man and arresting him for assault? How does a man, does anyone, attack another human being and juts get away with it?

Please don’t tell me it’s because this was in Texas and that’s how y’all roll down there. Please don’t make me believe you have so little compassion for human life, and human suffering, that you’ll let a man get away with beating anyone in an unprovoked attack.

Scarber and Causey are convinced the attack was a hate crime, and are frustrated with the police department's lack of urgency. Scarber, like most victims of an assault, would like to see her attacker caught, but mostly she’s worried about how this will affect Jaxon, who is having troubling sleeping and is afraid to return to the park. 

Sondra Scarber, herself, now faces months of recovery after surgeons implanted a metal plate in her jaw, and she uses a syringe to squeeze pain medicine between her teeth. Swallowing anything solid—even something as small as a pill—is impossible, and speaking is very difficult. All because she wanted some kids to stop pushing a four-year-old around.

So, now we know where some bullies get their attitudes: from their parents. How can we expect the big kids not to push around the little kids, when their parents do the exact same thing?

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Hey Kansas? Wha' Happened To You?

I mean, you went all equality and stuff when I had my back turned.

It seems that just last week the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the non-biological mother of children in a same-sex relationship is entitled to the same parental rights as the biological mother.

In Kansas … Take a moment and let that sink in.

The ruling involved the case of Kelly Goudschaal and Marci Frazier, whose long-term relationship deteriorated after they had become parents of two girls who are now 10 and 8; the girls were conceived by artificial insemination and carried by Goudschaal.

The women had a co-parenting agreement that stated Frazier’s “relationship with the children should be protected and promoted,” and that they intended “to jointly and equally share parental responsibility,” but after they separated, Goudschaal began to limit Frazier’s visitations and then moved with the children to Texas.

Frazier sued to have the parenting agreement enforced, and after a trial, Johnson County District Judge Kevin Moriarty found that joint custody was “in the best interests of the children.”

And, while Goudschaal was granted residential custody, Frazier was granted “reasonable parenting time” and will pay monthly child support.

The sad part of this is that Goudschaal, in her counterclaim argued that the parenting agreement was unenforceable under Kansas law: I say sad, because she was in a committed same-sex relationship, in which both women wanted children, and agreed to a co-parenting agreement, but the minute it was over, Goudschaal decides the agreement isn’t enforceable. Not playing nice.

Then Goudschaal said the courts had no authority to address issues of child custody, parenting time and support unless they were presented “in a divorce action involving two married persons, who would necessarily have to be a man and a woman in this state, or when considering a visitation request by a grandparent or stepparent.”

So, she originally had a same-sex partnership, with children, but then comes out and says because she’s gay the courts cannot decide child custody. Luckily, for the children, and for the rights of all same-sex couples with children, Frazier argued that the best interests of the child should outweigh the need to “strictly adhere to the biological connection.”

And the court seemed to agree:

“We have declared that the public policy in Kansas requires our courts to act in the best interests of the children when determining the legal obligations to be imposed and the rights to be conferred in the mother and child relationship.”

The court added that, in its opinion, Goudschaal wanted to renege on the co-parenting agreement without regard to the rights of or harm to the children, all in the name of constitutionally protected parental rights. And, if they decided to void the co-parenting agreement they would be denying the children the opportunity to have two parents as children in a traditional marriage would have.

I say, for one thing, shame on Kelly Goudschaal for trying to circumvent the agreement she signed by using the fact that, as a gay woman, she cannot legally marry, so therefore her partner, who had been in their children’s lives from birth, would suddenly be unknown to them.

And, I say Bravo to the Kansas Supreme Court for deciding to do what’s best for the children, best for the co-parents, and best for equality.

In Kansas.

Take another moment to let that sink in.

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